Remember that author's note from my one-sided Sheele/Bulat fanfic about how Bulat felt towards the rest of Night Raid? Yeah, turns out it brought another idea into mind...

To put it as briefly as possible: Bulat and Akame are the most powerful members of Night Raid—at least that's how I see it (and I mean human wise; sorry, Susanoo). But... ever wonder what would it be like if the two fought each other for once? Not with their Imperial Arms of course, but a simple match with the use of some staffs. I would imagine the end result to be far more intense than Bulat sparring with Tatsumi, for instance.

And even outside of combat, I wonder what their relationship is like. It's definitely different compared to Bulat & Tatsumi's, that's for sure. But I imagine if Bulat were to spend much more time with Akame, their dynamic would be far more interesting to watch. Both would be a really good example of an "odd friendship": a buff, boisterous man being buddies-buddies with a petite, quiet girl. Quite a mashup (mentally & aesthetically), don't you think?

P.S. I don't ship Bulat/Tatsumi. I really don't. And it's not for homophobic reasons—even if Bulat was into girls and a lady!Tatsumi freaked out about it, I still wouldn't ship it. Besides, I already touched upon it in Dying Breath, Lively Regrets, so look at that if you're wondering why. Although it's implied in this fanfic, it's really more of a critique than mushy-gushy praise.

P.S.S. I took Akame's sparring outfit from chapter 50 of the manga, where she was briefly shown sparring with Mine.

Akame Ga Kill (c) Takahiro & Tetsuya Tashiro

Fanfiction (c) Me

Swooshswooshswooshswooshswoosh...

The sounds of a wooden staff roared on the practice field. The staff—wielded by a tall, muscular man—spiraled in various directions. With a fiercely determined look, the man swung the weapon with all his might. After repeated movements, the man gave his staff one final swing, and the staff shook the entire field by its force.

Satisfied with his training, the man dropped the staff and took a deep breath. Turning back, he walked up the platform's steps and rested himself against a wall. Panting heavily, he gradually slid himself until he was on the floor. The man's body was covered in sweat—his angular face, well-toned arms, and ripped chest showed the drenched outcome. With the move of one hand, the man dabbed his pompadour to tame the loose strands hanging from the intense workout.

This was a daily practice in the life of Bulat—the brawny powerhouse of Night Raid. Although it was common for him to train by himself, lately he had someone accompanying him whenever he went to the practice field—Tatsumi.

Bulat always looked forward into training the newly recruited assassin—maybe a little too much, judging by the boy's obvious discomfort whenever the man frequently invaded his personal space. However, with Tatsumi sent on a mission with Mine and Lubbock, he was by himself all over again. With no given mission and nothing else to do, Bulat did what he would always do.

Train.

While relaxing, Bulat began to wonder about Tatsumi. Ever since they first met, the Hundred Man Slayer could already tell that the rookie had excellent potential into becoming one of Night Raid's best assassins. Determined to make that dream a reality, he took Tatsumi under his wing and made him spar on a daily basis. And so far, the progress seemed to be coming along just fine.

Even though Tatsumi complained whenever they had to strip their shirts off.

Or groaned whenever Bulat explained it was for "good measure."

Or cringed whenever he felt his body being less trained and more like fondled.

Or skedaddled whenever Bulat ended up proving him right.

But whatever Tatsumi felt, it didn't matter to Bulat. After all, the whole point was to make him stronger. Yes, that's the point, Bulat told himself. All of this just to make him stronger. Tatsumi will eventually realize that. He'll realize that I'm doing this for the sake of passing my burning blood into his.

While his intentions seemed noble, they often took a less than savory turn. Which was far too often to keep count.

After all, I'm the dazzling man who'll sweep him off his feet in the path of greatness. He'll see that. Pretty soon, he's gonna stop calling me "Bro" and start calling me "Handsome" instead. Heh, heh, heh heh, heh...

If someone were to look at him at this moment, they would've thought he was a shirtless drunkard whose red face was way beyond the booze's effects.

Yes, that's what's gonna happen. I'm sure of it. And maybe, just maybe—

The sound of incoming footsteps interrupted Bulat's train of thought. Abruptly, his joyously drunk face soon reverted back to sanely sobriety. The steps were coming from the corner of the platform.

If someone were to guess, the steps couldn't have belonged to Tatsumi, but Bulat would've blindly disagreed. He thought (and hoped) that Tatsumi somehow managed to complete the mission early, even though someone can already tell that the chances were as likely as General Esdeath raising a white flag without a fight. Strong as he may be, but the Hundred Man Slayer was woefully weak when it came to being rational in times of pointless need. Soon, the legs became visible within Bulat's sight...

And lo behold, of course it wasn't Tatsumi.

Instead, what laid upon him were not the legs of a boy, but a girl's. As Bulat looked up, his range included the girl's physical features.

A mini black dress.

Long raven hair.

Distinct ruby eyes.

There was only one girl in Night Raid whom Bulat knew shared those features.

"Oh, Akame!" he greeted. "What's up?"

Akame did not return the friendly greeting, but it was common of her to do that whenever someone greeted her. Instead, she casually slumped across from him, wrapping her arms around her knees. "The boss told me right before she left that I wasn't assigned a mission for today," she began in a monotone voice. "In addition, Leone and Sheele were going to relax at the Hot Springs after completing their own's, but I didn't feel like joining them. So I decided to come here."

Guess even Akame didn't have anything else to do either, Bulat thought. It seemed coincidental for the two not to have something on their lists, even though everyone else was off somewhere. "I see."

"You don't appear to be given a mission today as well," commented Akame.

"Just like you, the boss didn't assign me anything for today. And I didn't feel like wandering around the outskirts of the Capital, so I decided to come here too. After all, that's what I always do."

"I see." The mirrored response did nothing to surprise Bulat, not even in the slightest. To him, Akame was the polar opposite of Tatsumi. While Tatsumi was talkative, Akame was quiet. While Tatsumi was emotional, Akame was calm. While Tatsumi was reckless in his movements, Akame was precise in her own's. While Tatsumi was inexperienced with his blade, Akame was skilled with her sword.

Indeed, if Bulat were to delve any further in his thoughts towards Akame, he would consider her the frozen ice to Tatsumi's blazing fire. While the blazing fire still had a long way to go in controlling his flames, the frozen ice already glided her way into becoming the image of the perfect assassin—cold, collected, clear-cut, and fast; at least, that's how he saw her as whenever he witnessed her in action.

But even when the Hundred Man Slayer secretly admired the red-eyed girl for her traits that made her a capable fighter, he couldn't help but be stupidly bewildered whenever she applied them in non-combative situations. He still recalled the times where Akame would put utmost priority in minor tasks, particularly when it came to food. Whether it was threatening anyone who dared to burn a tiny portion of meat during cooking or hunting down gargantuan beasts with little effort, it was beyond his comprehension of how such a petite girl like her could have such a voracious appetite. And even when he saw her gobbling down two full-course meals within less than thirty seconds...

Now that he thought about it, his hunger would stand no match against Akame's, even though he was twice her size to boot. It was a realization he couldn't tell whether it was highly amusing or deeply unsettling.

Speaking of hunger, if Akame had nothing else to do, couldn't she just spend her time preparing meals or hunting animals? Why was she here?

"By the way, do you happen to be free at this moment?" Her sudden question completely threw Bulat off guard.

"Uh, kinda. Why?"

"There's something I'd like to do with you."

Something to do with me? thought Bulat. He rarely recalled Akame ever asking for anything—unless it had to do with food. "Like what, to be exact...?"

Akame turned to face the pompadoured man right in the eye. While she showed no emotion, Bulat could tell that her eyes were brimming with something—something that reminded him of fierce determination, like the look he gave during his earlier training. She's probably going to ask me to help her out in cooking or whatnot, he thought. Or maybe help her hunt if she's really that adventurou—

"I want you to fight me." As Akame delivered her request, her cool tone and passionate glare never faltered.

...

Huh?

Well, that wasn't something he expected. At all. Really.

A few seconds ago, Bulat thought how he wouldn't stand a chance against Akame if they were to engage in an eating fight. It never occurred to him that he would soon sit there, dumbstruck, over the dilemma of her challenging him to an actual fight. Now, if it had been Tatsumi instead of Akame, that would have been a completely different story—but Tatsumi's not here, so all the man could do was beat around the bush in terms of a proper response. "Well, I just finished training right now, so I don't know if I'm capable of giving it my all at this moment."

"Then you could recuperate for a bit. Knowing you, it wouldn't take long to pull yourself together."

Bulat did nothing but furtively bite his tongue. It was true that he had far more stamina than the average human being. "Um, I was thinking that Tatsumi might need some time to trai—"

"Tatsumi won't be coming back until the end of the day," Akame interjected. "The boss said so." It was early afternoon. What was the rush?

Taken aback by the abrupt interruption, Bulat tried to act nonchalant. "I-I know that!"

"You do? Then why do you ask that?"

The frank question struck the Hundred Man Slayer, causing him to stammer like a nervous child. "B-because... because, uh... because I want to make sure that Tatsumi is still in top shape when he gets back!" Satisfied with his flimsy excuse, he grinned triumphantly. "After all, it's important for me to teach him the ways of fighting!"

"Good, you can teach it even better. By fighting me, you can apply the same techniques on him afterwards."

The grin on Bulat's face died. It was becoming clear that Akame had no intention in backing down her desire to spar him, but he didn't know if he had the desire to spar her back. Although he was a man who loved to clash in the practice field as much as the battlefield, it was unnerving of him to blatantly hesitate on such a simple request.

Why was he so hesitant to fight her? Was it because of her strength? She wasn't asking for a death match, after all. Was it the mere idea of fighting a woman? He should know better than that. In combat, gender played absolutely no role—male or female, what only counted were the skills, nothing else.

Yet somehow, Bulat always found himself sparring with male opponents. From Master Gensei to General Liver, it was skilled men like them that helped him get to his current state; and in the absence of a male partner, he always fought with himself. To him, sparring with men wasn't something he was used to, but liked to as well. There was a thrilling sensation to it—the tense atmosphere between two manly combatants, clashing their weapons and bodies in hopes of dominating one another. Indeed, it was the physical closeness between two beings sharing the same anatomy that excited him to no end.

But how ironic though, to be surrounded by women who were more than capable of fending for themselves. Bulat may let them lend a hand when it came to warm-up exercises, but he never brought the idea to spar with them directly. It wasn't that he viewed his female comrades as weak—he'd be crazy if he had thought so. Perhaps his subconscious felt that sparring with a male was the only way to make himself feel alive, no matter how strong or weak the opponent was. Perhaps the idea of sparring with a different anatomy might not bring him the same satisfaction he felt while sparring with the same type.

Then again, this was Akame he was talking about. She was stronger than Tatsumi, and he knew pretty damn well as a matter of fact. What she wanted shouldn't require serious thinking. It wasn't like she was proposing his hand in marriage!

"Bulat, I know that Tatsumi's training is very important... but don't you need to train yourself as well?"

The inquiry baffled the pompadoured man. "What are you talking about? Of course I've been training myself just fine!"

"You've been training yourself for Tatsumi's sake, not for your own," Akame retorted. "This has been going on ever since he joined us."

Bulat froze.

"You're always content with training by yourself, so I didn't expect you to be so eager whenever you let Tatsumi be your practice partner. And while it's helpful for him to learn how to go against a strong opponent, it's not helpful for you to only go against someone who's inexperienced. You need to maintain your strength, and Tatsumi isn't going to be enough for you to keep it in check. The enemies we face aren't going to be at his level, nor are they going to fight in his style. It's better to experience the challenge of an actual opponent rather than to imagine one all by yourself or with him. That's why I'm asking you to fight me."

The man was at a loss for words. He couldn't tell whether the girl was criticizing him for his training routine or his fixation on Tatsumi. Damn, looks like her blade isn't the only thing that's sharp...

A small, sly smile appeared on Akame's lips. "Unless, by any chance, you're scared."

"S-scared?"

"Scared that I might beat someone like you."

Bulat scoffed at the concept. "Pfft, as if! I'm not scared of you!"

"Come now, both of us served in the military after all. I can understand why you feel so intimidated." She had a point though. Akame and Bulat had been part of the Empire's military for quite some time; her experience should be enough of a reason for him to fight her. "But if you don't feel like fighting, I guess I'll just have to let Tatsumi know..."

A bolt of inner lightning struck Bulat, rendering him white and void.

"He looks up to you, so he expects you to be in your best shape as always. If not, he'll be wondering why you didn't feel the need to train with me, not even for once..."

Like electrocution, the alarming realization shocked the Hundred Man Slayer back to his senses. What happened to him? Did his personal preferences on the practice field made him more unsure than ever? Had spending too much time on Tatsumi made him forget other important matters? Did he forget the skills of his other comrades as well? He hated to admit it, but it might very well be a mixture of everything.

And the very last thing Bulat would want was to tarnish his image to Tatsumi. Even though Tatsumi had some reservations, he still looked up to Bulat as the epitome of manliness; he can't back away from any challenge. Who cares that he was going to fight a girl?! He had to suck it up! A man can't turn down a fight after all!

To Akame's pleasant surprise, Bulat suddenly stood up. "Ten minutes. Be here."

Akame wasn't in her typical outfit for once. Instead, she was wearing a sleeveless, turtleneck crop top with thigh-length shorts. The top and shorts were still black though, matching her hair, socks, and shoes.

Out of context, the fight appeared to have an unequal dynamic. For a big man like Bulat to go against a small teenage girl, it would seem that he had an unfair advantage over her. But he knew it would be completely foolish to underestimate his opponent—especially if that someone garnered wanted posters all throughout the Capital, along with his own set as well.

"All right, if this is what you want, then you're gonna get it!" declared Bulat, who swung his staff wildly before positioning it towards his opponent. He smirked. "By the way, will this be enough for you? You can't slash anything after all."

"No need. I'm perfectly fine with what I have," said Akame. Swinging her staff in a similar—but more elegant—manner, she positioned it towards him.

"You won't be saying that once I break that staff in half!"

The bold comment amused Akame to no end. "Hmph. We'll see about that."

With the chit-chat out of the way, dead silence loomed over.

Eyes locked.

Smiles gone.

Staffs ready.

A match between two powerful assassins.

It would be a legendary event that would get the rest of Night Raid talking for days, even weeks—if they were actually here, however.

No Imperial Arms.

No Murasame.

No Incursio.

What could go wrong?

"Here I come!"

Instantly, dust exploded into the air as Akame and Bulat lunged at each other at full throttle. Tightening their grips on their weapons, the two dived in for the first hit.

CLACK!

With collided staffs, the two struggled to maintain their dominance. Promptly breaking off, they dived in for another hit.

CLACK!

And another.

CLACKCLACK!

And another.

CLACKCLACKCLACKCLACKCLACKCLACKCLACKCLACK...

The rhythmic sounds melted into a frenzy of clacks, each being delivered at lightning speed. Shock-waves vibrated all over the field, carrying particles off the ground and swirling through the air. The stormy exchange continued for several seconds. Deciding to break the pattern, Akame delivered a kick strong enough to push Bulat back to the opposite end of the field.

Undeterred by the surprise kick, Bulat regained ground and lunged himself towards Akame again. The two clashed their staffs once more, only to repel themselves back to gain a little space. A downward swing from the staff went towards Akame's feet. Bulat hoped that toppling her balance would be the perfect payback for being staunchly kicked like that. However, Akame's acrobatic reflexes kicked in—jumping while spinning, she dodged the cruising staff. She managed to deliver another kick while in midair, only to be blocked by the weapon.

Pressing her foot against the wood, Akame propelled herself back. With her feet on the ground, she charged at Bulat, and the two repeated the endless onslaught of blows. Neither of their weapons struck any part of the opposing bodies, so it seemed that both assassins were evenly matched.

However, time passed—so did Bulat's effort of keeping up with Akame. Although both of them were fast individuals, the girl's physique made it easier to strike with less exertion. If the man were to keep this up any longer, he would likely falter and have her gain the upper hand.

He had to find a weak spot. Where to go, where to go... Bulat thought. He eyed for a potential opening—chest, arms, legs, anything. Akame's swift movements and staff blockage only made it far more difficult to pinpoint, however. Realizing that searching was futile at the moment, Bulat jumped back to further the distance between them. Akame only responded by lunging in even further.

Within close proximity, Akame swung her staff at Bulat's face. Bulat ducked down, leaving the staff to brush the top edge of his pompadour. That was when he found an opening. Bingo! he finally thought. Crouching down, Bulat propelled the end of his staff towards Akame's gut. The powerful blow sent Akame flying back and tumbling to the ground. Clutching her gut and staff, she writhed and moaned in pain. She stayed like that for several more seconds.

With the Red-Eyed Killer down, it was time for the Hundred Man Slayer to reaffirm his status as the powerhouse of Night Raid. He walked in the girl's direction and examined her defeated state; still on the ground, still moaning as ever. For the first time Bulat sparred with a female, it ended much quicker than he had thought; plus, it was odd that the skilled female went down with one hit, but he knew their differences. Speed may had been Akame's forte, but durability was another matter that she needed to work on. By contrast, Bulat's sturdy build already blessed him that trait, much to his gratitude.

Well, time to finish this up, thought Bulat. It wasn't a death match though, so striking Akame while she was down might be just overkill. Maybe it would be best to rest the end of his staff near her neck and call it a checkmate. At least he would be showing good sportsmanship right there.

Then he felt something pressed against his body.

"?!"

It didn't take long to realize that Akame pounced on him, despite the blow she had taken earlier. Wrapping her arms and legs around his bare chest and stout hips, she mustered the strength to clench herself around him. Shock and surprise rendered Bulat blindly. He didn't expect Akame to get up so soon—not to mention her being this close to him, almost intimately so. Before he could muster a word, the girl pivoted her upper body so that her legs followed. No longer on Bulat's chest, Akame clung to his back. Climbing so that she could eye-levelly see the back of his head, she enclosed him with her staff and pressed its shaft against his neck.

"A-Akame!" Bulat choked. "What are you—augh!" He choked further as the pressure intensified against his neck. His staff fell to the ground, leaving his hands clenched around the same weapon. "Da-dammit!" Bulat cursed under his breath—if there would be any left if this kept going any longer. He tried prying the staff away from him, but to no avail. He arched his arm behind and pulled her hair, but to still no avail. He even ran around in circles, hoping to shake her off, but to still no avail.

Gritted teeth, sweaty palms, blurry vision—Bulat had to think fast. Grabbing Akame's legs, he struggled to unfasten them. Oh, if only the petite girl didn't have such a monster grip up close! Maybe then his circulation wouldn't be nearly cut off and he would be able to break free so easily. Up close... that's it! An idea already popped. He would have to lean further into the staff.

Though that didn't stop the sounds from choking out of his mouth. He stopped at the breaking point. Respiration was hanging by a thread. In a dire moment of freedom, Bulat thrust his head back, striking Akame's face. Her grip loosened, allowing him to relish in a sharp breath. Dominance was his at last! With sheer willpower, Bulat broke free of the now-loosened legs' clutches.

Before Akame toppled behind due to lost balance, she felt her head spinning. So did her body. The dizzy sensation persisted as Bulat—still gripping the girl's legs—spun her around with sheer ferocity. Gusts of wind rushed through Akame, goosebumps forming on her skin. The whirlpool of the field raced through her red eyes, while the man's roaring rang through her ears. Senses disoriented, Akame needed her sweet release—which she soon got when she found herself flung across the field.

Heaving and coughing through his strained neck, Bulat brushed it with his fingertips. The attempted suffocation from earlier left him swirling as words swarmed through his mind.

Shock.

Confused.

Sore.

Awe.

Eager.

Exciting.

Thrilling.

Pleasure.

The devilish grin that plastered across his face unraveled those paradoxical feelings before him. His heart raced. His veins pumped adrenaline. His skin dripped with fervor. This new-found sensation felt similar, yet way more different compared to his sparring with Tatsumi. The fiery boy always proved his determination in combat, but never did he ever flared his flames so much that it got the Hundred Man Slayer choking on the fumes. Nor did he ever ignited his soul with such a burning passion to this extent.

Then again, who said that fire was the only thing capable of burning?

The icy glare in those ironic ruby eyes could've given the man frostbite as he saw Akame crawling back up. Blood crept through her nose, but she never flinched one bit. Wiping the trickle in one sweep, the girl held her piercing, stone-cold look.

Just like a true assassin.

Now Bulat truly knew what it felt like for enemies to tremble before her—on their knees, begging for mercy, right before they were slain by her hand. It was that kind of opponent that they feared most.

And it was that kind of opponent that he valued best.

She isn't holding back at all... and here I thought she was just warming up... which means I shouldn't have to either!

Without saying a word, Bulat and Akame re-positioned their staffs towards each other. Turbulent instincts charged the placid surroundings. Nothing else mattered to them but each other.

Before restraint could grab a hold of them, everything became a whirlwind.

Cutting paths, storming to the center. Clacking hits, booming sounds. The entire field rattled by what was happening—two bodies, spiraling out of control. Two twisters, going at the speed of lightning.

The lightning rotation intensified to the point that the two warriors dissolved into blurry silhouettes. Their attacks also dissolved into near-invisibility, but not their vigorous effects. The continuous blockage began to fall apart. Staffs collided with each other began to collide with arms, legs, stomachs, chests, hips, and so forth—but the incredibly fast motions did not make Akame and Bulat register their magnitudes. It seemed that the barrage would go on forever, never ceasing its attacks against wood and flesh.

Then she was gone.

And just like that, the whirlwind dissipated. The eerie silence that followed took over the girl's place perfectly. However, the sudden disintegration did not mean that he could no longer sense her presence. Too focused to feel the aching of his body, Bulat eyed the now clear surroundings. It wasn't like Akame to ditch the fight on a whim.

He eyed to the left. She was not there. He eyed to the right. She was not there. He eyed in front and behind. She was still not there. The girl couldn't stay hidden forever. She had to come out at any given moment. It was only a matter of time until the man would sense her reveal out on ground.

The silence dragged on. The man did his best not to let his guard down...

...

"!"

A jolt struck through him. Looking up, it took a split second to realize that the girl who disappeared came flying down on him. And then...

CRRRRAAAAACK!

The loud, snapping sound that erupted signaled the end of the collision.

The two staffs, once swinging freely, broke in halves from the sheer pressure. Technically, the match was over—except the two warriors weren't ready to finish it just yet.

Akame's aerial ambush ended with her crash-landing on Bulat. Once they fell to the ground, she clenched the broken wood and aimed its splinters towards his chest. The knife-like action could only mean that Akame was too lost into this fight, her killer urges going strong as ever. Bulat grabbed her arm and shook it until the wood fell out of her hand.

"Hey, hey, HEY!" he yelled. "Are you trying to kill me?! We're just sparring, not having a duel to the death here!" Although Bulat was also lost in this fight, seeing the splinters made him realize the reality of the situation.

It took a split second for the alarming statement to register itself onto Akame. Feeling guilty for what she had just tried to do, her icy expression and voice melted. "I'm sorry... I guess I got too carried away to notice..."

Bulat sighed. "It's okay, I think both of us got carried away..."

Before Akame was comforted by her friend's acceptance of her apology, she found herself flipped over and pinned to the ground.

"... but I'm definitely the winner here, am I right?"

The victorious grin on the man's face made Akame feel like a fool. Sliding out of his clutches before he realized it, she flipped him over and repaid the trickery with a good ol' chokehold.

"Pleading for your life in front of your opponent... I find it the most cowardly thing to do, especially coming from someone like you." The sinister tone in her voice corresponded to the tightening of her arms around his neck.

Bulat nervously chuckled, until his neck started to suffocate again. "A-Akame," he gasped. "I-I can't br-breathe, c-can you p-please let me g-go?" When the only response he got was the silent treatment, he pounded his fist by her waist. "C-come on! This isn't a j-joke! I really d-don't want to die h-here!" He may had felt excited about being strangled the first time, but the massive throbbing that completely settled in his body made any chance of excitement fade away.

Akame didn't respond, but the massive throbbing in her body told her that she needed to stop too. Slowly loosening her grip, she slumped on him; with very little strength, she rolled off and plopped by his side. Both the Red-Eyed Killer and the Hundred Man Slayer were panting heavily and sweating uncontrollably, limbs sprawled and all.

"Hah... But really though... That. Felt. Great," Bulat said between pants.

"Hah... Indeed..." Akame agreed. "Though we've definitely carried ourselves away..."

"Heh! Repeating what I said before, huh? And what do you mean by we? You were the one who tried to strangle me twice and stab me, remember?!"

"... Yes. So?"

A blunt response like that could've left Bulat infuriated, but all it did was make him snicker a laugh. It was an almost ridiculous response, but a fitting one for someone like Akame.

"Besides, I knew you wouldn't go down so easily by that," Akame continued. "If either of us were to practice like that with Tatsumi, I don't think he would be able to make it out alive."

Bulat didn't realize that Tatsumi was nearly absent from his mind throughout the fight, but it didn't bother him. Not at all, actually. "Really, in all my life, I've never seen a little girl getting freaky like a true monster—except when it comes to food. Jeez, you're practically a Danger Beast when it comes to that."

What he felt next was a stern, deathly glare from the girl.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" Bulat joked. He sighed wearily. "You need to know how to take a joke, you know that?"

"Well, you need to know how to prioritize certain things over others."

The subtle jab towards a certain brown-haired boy made the man break out in cold sweat, but not by much.

"And besides... I've always wondered what it felt like to fight you."

The surprising confession out of the girl's mouth garnered a curious glance from Bulat. Although Akame wasn't looking at him, her sweetly pleased smile was well within his sight. Bulat couldn't help but smile back. She wasn't the only one to find someone's strength admirable.

"Yeah, well, I kinda wondered what it felt like to fight you too."

In a way, it felt nice—wanting to know the experience of sparring with a fellow warrior, comrade, and friend.

Phew! Took me a while (and I mean a while; every day I completed only a few lines while thinking how to go with the rest of the story!) to write my very first fight scene, so I had to observe the way Akame and Bulat fight individually. Despite their stark physiques, I really do think they pack the same amount of punch.