Chapter 7

Kill the Dream (夢物語を斬る, Yume monogatari o Kiru) is chapter seven of the Akame ga Kill! manga.

Summary
Tatsumi dreams of Sayo and Ieyasu telling him that he can't rely on them forever and then inform him that if there's an afterlife, they'll meet him there. Tatsumi tries to stop them, but is snapped out of his dream. He then finds Sheele, also sleeping on his bed, but immediately wakes up. Later, Sheele trains Tatsumi by making him wear a heavy set of armor and swimming with it. After that, Sheele tells him that it is the best idea she could come up with to train him since she doesn't have a job in the hideout. He then asks her why she doesn't have one and Sheele admits her clumsiness. She tries to apologize to Tatsumi, but then her glasses fall off before she could do so and then picks them back up. Tatsumi then asks why she's in that line of work and Sheele answers, saying, "It's a long story." She then tells him about her past, telling him that she grew up in the lower districts of the Empire and ever since she was younger, she was already naturally clumsy and people called her out for her stupidity and clumsiness.

However, there was one girl who wanted to befriend her, despite knowing how Sheele was. That person would never belittle Sheele and the time spent with her friend was the only thing that Sheele liked about her life. Until one day, her friend's angry ex-boyfriend came to their door and things turned violent. The man, high on drugs, began to choke Sheelw's friend right in front of her and, with no other choice, Sheele stabbed the man through the neck with a knife. Strangely, Sheele felt no remorse for what she did, but the same could not be said about her friend, who was traumatized by it. Though the incident was ruled as self-defense, Sheele's only friend never wanted to see her again.

Abandoned, Sheele would be angrily approached by associates of the man she killed. They wanted revenge and boasted that they had killed Sheele's parents already and that she was next. Having a clear thought, Sheele used a knife and killed the first man in front of her before using his body as a shield to slay each of his companions. It was then she realized that she had a very disturbed mind, but it also made her a very efficient killer. Seeing her talent, Sheele resolved to use it to get rid of all the trash in society and in a way not to be useless anymore.

Eventually, she was scouted out by the Revolutionary Army to carry out assassinations in the Capital. Tatsumi, now understanding, sees the reason why Sheele is training him the way she is currently. Several days later, Tatsumi and the others in Night Raid are before Najenda. She is pleased that the recruit has healed well and asks him to try to use Spectator that was taken from Zanku. Tatsumi is happy to try, though it surprised him that no one wants the Teigu, only to be told by Bulat and Lubbock that Teigu can only be used by one person. Tatsumi is eager to try the item and wears Spectator. Najenda is curious to know what Spectator can do, as there is no information on it in her book. Akame asks Tatsumi to try reading her mind and guesses that she wants to eat meat. While correct, Tatsumi seems to be unable to activate its abilities. Mine, finding the idea uncomfortable for someone to be reading her mind, asks Tatsumi to use his other senses to test of the Teigu.

Annoyed at her complaining, Tatsumi tries and focuses and inadvertently activates Spectator. Tatsumi then sees Akame, Sheele and Mine in their underwear. The boy blushes and cries out in surprise, causing Mine to come closer to ask if he is alright. Tatsumi recoils from her, but calms down and sees that the Teigu is enhancing his sight. Just as he praises the artifact for giving him such an ability, Tatsumi loses the vision and fatigued. His companions, seeing that the Teigu is rejecting him, quickly remove it from his brow.

Najenda then decides that the Teigu will be sent to the Revolutionary Army so it can be properly analyzed. Akame explains to Tatsumi that the collection of Teigu from the enemy is one of their sub-missions as the Teigus they have are invaluable. To Tatsumi, he sees that the more Teigu that are in their possession, the stronger they will become. To expand on his knowledge, Najenda shows Tatsumi a book detailing the many kinds of Teigu that they know of in existence. When Tatsumi asks which Teigu is the strongest, Najenda states that the ice manipulation Teigu, which, thankfully, is being used to conquer the Northern Tribes.

Lubbock states that the people of the North are very strong to warrant the use of a Teigu. Plus, there is Numa Seika, a hero that even Tatsumi knows of, is said to be undefeated and a brilliant tactician, making him viewed as a threat by the Empire. His people have become so strong that they invade the Empire, hence why an expeditionary force was sent out to prevent that from happening. At most, it’s believed that the subjugation of the north will take at least a year or two.

Tatsumi states that's fine, as it will help them collect more Teigu. Leone, noting his cheery attitude, asks what's up. Tatsumi shares with his new friends that if there are Teigu in the world with such amazing abilities, then there must be one with the ability to resurrect the dead. His declaration is met with tense silence, but Tatsumi goes on to say that he could use said Teigu to bring back his friends Sayo and Ieyasu. But Bulat coldly tells him that no such Teigu exists. Hearing the criticism, Tatsumi demands them to show proof that one does not exist. Akame uses the First Emperor as a good example, as if he could create a Teigu that could bring back the dead, then he would have still ruled and that the reason why he created them to begin with was because he knew he would die.

Tatsumi is in disbelief and Akame warns him not to hang his hopes to an imaginary goal as his enemies will use it and he will die. Tatsumi, disheartened by this revelation, then heads outside the base to stare at the night sky and moon. He is joined by Sheele, who he confesses that he really believed that he could have brought his friends back and now finds him again facing the reality that he will never see them again. When he murmurs about giving up, Sheele embraces him from behind to comfort him, allowing him to cry, promising to keep it just between the two of them.

In the northern lands at a fortified city, the streets are filled with frozen people and several men and women are impaled on spikes with their eyes and mouths stitched shut. A woman sitting on a throne holds a chain connected to a kneeling man who licks her boot. Her subordinates report that the Northern Tribes were defeated all thanks to her, the general. The woman is bored as she views her victim, who is none other than a naked Numa Seika, who has been reduced to a dog. Finding him a disappointing foe, the general kicks his head, killing him, wondering if there is an enemy in the world who can satisfy her. The name of the woman is revealed to be Esdeath and hailed as the Empire's strongest.