Chapter 61

Kill the Reinforcements (強化を斬る, Kyōka o Kiru) is chapter 61 of the Akame ga Kill! manga.

Summary
Following the final battle against Wild Hunt, Akame and Leone walk over to Tatsumi's room to inform him that dinner was ready, with sukiyaki don as the menu, Leone even offering some of her portion to him. Akame notices a sign on the room door, and realizes he isn't currently present. In actuality, Tatsumi is hiding inside a cave, struggling in pain due to Incursio fusing to his body as he wonders when it will finally stop. He sees Akame and Leone come into the cave, as Leone activated Lionel to find him and commented on the dangerous presence she sensed. Akame sits next to him and asks if Incursio is becoming a part of him. He remembers what the doctor said about him having it under control for at least four more transformations, and what they are seeing now is the result of him just using it once, and how it feels like it is eating him from inside out. Akame and Leone both take his hand and comfort him, which brings him to tears. Leone teasingly adds that if Tatsumi goes full-on dragon, they will ask Mine to blow him away. Their support manages to calm Tatsumi down, as he declares worrying about fusing to his Teigu is nothing to worry about, and he will deal with it like a man.

Back in their hideout, Tatsumi slowly returns back to normal. Najenda suddenly comes in and informs Akame that she has a new assignment, ordering Tatsumi and Leone on standby due to their injuries, so she needs them in peak physical condition for it. Leone admits her fight was tough, but she claims she is tough as nails and will recover in time. Tatsumi, on the other hand, was surprised how she was able to comfort him earlier despite being in that wretched state, though he concludes it is because she is an airhead because of her next comment on how she always gets put through the wringer as if she was an animal (which she does act like in battle). Outside of the hideout, Najenda explains to Akame that anti-Imperial forces will surround the Capital, and that the final battle is approaching. She hands Akame a stack of papers saying that for the decisive battle, she wants as many of the people eliminated, as they are generals and high-ranking officers who have been aiding the Prime Minister. Her mission is to infiltrate the Captial and during the commotion and chaos from them preparing for the war, she is to assassinate as many of the people shown as she can. She also informs Akame that she won't need to get anywhere near the Palace because all of the targets are should be on the outside. Akame accepts the mission and asks if they will expect any backlash following the assassinations, but Najenda just tells her to follow her orders without fail, and that way they may not need to make anymore sacrifices. Akame asks Najenda to look after Tatsumi and Leone for her and she agrees, knowing they will be on her mind. Akame tells her not to worry, because no matter the circumstances, she will bury her concerns when she goes into kill mode. Najenda tells her that their team of spies will guide her on her infiltration.

Meanwhile, in the Imperial Captain Barracks, Esdeath is seen testing her ice abilities and thinking about all the various techniques she can formulate when she thinks about expanding her use of her Teigu and how excited she becomes when she wants to test them out. Just as she thinks about how to boost her soldier's morale, one of her subordinates come in and informs her of the Revolutionary Army invading the capital walls. Pleased with the chance to test her new skills, Esdeath heads to the battlefield. Outside the walls, the soldiers start preparing for the fight before learning that Esdeath is coming, so they decide to relax and let her deal with the situation. In an alleyway, several Northern soldiers overheard their conversation and decide to storm the castle when Esdeath leaves, as they intend to avenge Numa Seika by claiming the Emperor's head.

Farther outside the city, several Revolutionary soldiers lead by Nuge are seen heading for the Capital. One of his subordinates asks if it is a good idea to get ahead of everybody else instead of keeping up with them, and Nuge answers that since this is the battle of the century, they need to throw caution into the wind if they want to stand out, and as long as they acheive the desired results, there will be no complaints. He also yells that he wants to go down in history as the driving force responsible for a surprise attack that broke the morale of the enemy right before the decisive battle. However, far in the sky, Esdeath comes flying in riding the ice she created, intending to give her subordinates a show they will never forget by putting down the fool who would act out on his own for glory before the decisive fight. Nuge readies his Teigu: L'Arc Qui Ne Faut, and fires arrows at Esdeath intending to claim her head to further cement himself in the history books. As Nuge fires the arrows and shouts Esdeath's name, Esdeath recognizes L'Arc Qui Ne Faut as the Teigu that allows the arrows fired to chase the target they were called out with to follow the target until it makes it hits its mark, provided the target is in range. Esdeath, however, easily destroys the arrows with her sword, shocking Nuge. As she crushes one in her hands, she says that L'Arc Qui Ne Faut was designed so that anyone could function as a competent sniper, so if he intends on using a Teigu to fight her, he should know how to really use it. She forms several icicle shards above her and rains them down on the army, killing them all including Nuge. Afterwards, Esdeath says that a battle can only be so picturesque, and that she intends to grace the Revolutionary Army with her new Trump Card that she has been perfecting.

At the Capital, the Northern soldiers are attacked by Suzuka, who tells them they failed to realize what awaited them should they infiltrate the Capital. One of them charges at her from behind and punches her in the face, knocking her back as she thinks about the pleasure. The soldier tries to finish her but she grabs him and slams him into the ground such force that kills him. She teasingly says to the remaining soldiers that she is far from dead and she wanted to smack them around some more. In another area, Kurome and her puppets Run, Natala, and Doya are cutting down several soldiers. After she finishes she remarks how the enemy was able to make it this far and how Wave is doing. In Wave's area, he is chasing a soldier who calls him out for defending the filth of the Empire, but Wave ignores him and successfully catches him with the intent of taking him in. After he restrains him, Wave comments how these people managed to make it this far without Teigu and how far away he is from the Captial.

Wave then looks in the distance and sees General Nouken walking with his subordinates. One of them says there presence will be for naught with Esdeath out on the battlefield, but Nouken denies this, as he believes the women in the city got to enjoy being mounted by a real man. He then says he is in the mood again and tells his subordinate to bring him Number 5 over for him, only for his subordinate to remind him that he split Number 5 in two last time. All of a sudden, several soldiers are cut from behind and start falling. When Nouken turns around, he realizes too late that the one responsible was Akame, as he himself is cut with Murasame and dies. The remaining soldiers start pursuing her as Akame notes to herself that she has really been pushing herself, but she has taken down twelve targets so far. As she runs out of the Captial and into the forest, she is intercepted by Wave, who lands in front of her and says to her that she was biting off more than she can chew earlier, and he intends to bring her head back on a silver platter for what she had done. Akame tries to ask something of Wave but he ignores her. Though he acknowledges she can run at mach speed, he is confident Grand Chariot can resist Murasame's curse. Akame relents and agrees to fight Wave, hoping she can claim his Teigu for the Revolutionary Army.