The morning after Haruki returned from the warship, he and the girls were enjoying breakfast together.
"I didn't expect to run into Night Raid's assassins on that ship yesterday. What a shame. I should've gone with you," Esdeath sighed mid-meal.
After the incident, the Three Beasts had given her a full report. When she heard Haruki had killed the user of the Teigu Demon Armor [Incursio], Esdeath showed a rare look of disappointment, leaving the Three Beasts feeling helpless. Clearly, they were well aware of her tendencies.
In the original story, Esdeath was notoriously battle-hungry—so much so that she'd often spare her opponents in hopes of facing them again someday. That trait hadn't changed, even with Haruki now at her side.
But unlike in the original, with Haruki's support, Esdeath had grown even more powerful. That only made it harder for her to find opponents worthy of her full strength. Although Gin, who was always by Haruki's side, was nearly her equal in power, he was still one of their own. Sparring with him didn't allow her to fully unleash herself, nor did it provide the life-or-death thrill she craved in real combat.
That's why Bulat—the well-regarded user of Demon Armor [Incursio]—had seemed like such a rare opportunity. But now that Haruki had taken him out, Esdeath couldn't help feeling it was a missed chance.
"Come on, Esdeath. He was just a strong Teigu user, no need to get sentimental. If it's a fight you want, I'm always up for it. Take your best shot."
Seeing her disappointed expression, Haruki gave a helpless smile.
"Heh, forget it. Fighting you isn't a fight—it's just asking for punishment. I'm not stupid."
To Haruki's surprise, Esdeath didn't jump at the offer. Instead, she turned him down flat.
Over the years, they'd sparred countless times, but not once had Esdeath even touched the hem of his coat.
She still remembered one particular time when she tried to provoke him by calling him a coward—not a real man. But before the words had fully left her mouth, Haruki knocked her out cold with a single blow. She didn't even have time to react. He'd carried her back to their room and... left her begging on her knees for mercy. Since then, Esdeath had never dared call him unmanly again.
By now, she had long since given up on beating him. Even when she wanted to spar, she only did so with the girls in Haruki's group.
"Esdeath, now that doesn't sound like you."
Haruki couldn't help teasing her.
To be honest, he still clearly remembered how it felt to dominate Esdeath that night after knocking her out. The contrast between her usual commanding presence and the way she'd been that night remained vivid in his memory.
"Hmph."
Esdeath let out a low snort, lowering her head. Haruki noticed a slight flush on her cheeks—clearly, she was thinking about the same thing.
Breakfast continued in a light, cheerful mood, filled with chatter between Haruki and the girls.
...
"Master, here's the information you requested on that scientist named Dr. Stylish."
After the meal, while the other maids were clearing the dishes, Taeko handed Haruki a report.
"Well now, that's unusual. You actually looked into someone?"
Esdeath raised an eyebrow in surprise at Taeko's words. The other girls also looked at Haruki with curious expressions.
To them, Haruki rarely showed interest in anyone outside of their group. So seeing him take the initiative like this came as a surprise.
Seeing their reactions, Haruki had no choice but to explain.
"Hey, don't look so shocked. I'm just curious about the guy's talent, that's all."
Because of Haruki's interference, Esdeath hadn't formed the Jaegers—her anti-Night Raid task force—and Seryu hadn't undergone any physical modifications yet. So none of them had even heard of Dr. Stylish.
Dr. Stylish was a genius scientist with a penchant for men, whose dream was to create gear on par with the Teigu.
In the original story, the modifications to Seryu's body were one of his achievements. He also commanded a force of enhanced soldiers and loved to compare his subordinates to chess pieces.
He was highly observant. In the original story, he suspected Tatsumi's identity right after their first meeting and, by following the clues, managed to locate the Night Raid headquarters. To claim the Teigu and experimental materials for himself, he led the Fashion Troop in an assault. After a fierce battle, his subordinates were taken down one by one. In the end, he played his trump card by transforming into an enormous Danger Beast, but was ultimately defeated by Night Raid and killed by Akame.
Dr. Stylish was also a Teigu user. His Teigu, Glorious Hands of God: Perfector, allowed him to execute ultra-precise finger movements, amplified hundreds of times beyond normal capabilities. This made it ideal for crafting intricate weapons, and it could also be used for examining and treating physical injuries—a perfect fit for a scientist like him.
"You're interested in this guy's talent? So, what are you planning to do?"
Esdeath asked, intrigued by Haruki's comment.
"I want him working under me," Haruki replied.
Truthfully, Haruki had been considering this for quite some time.
Typically, scientists like Dr. Stylish—obsessed and unhinged—were among the most dangerous individuals. But if handled properly, they could also become powerful allies, capable of producing results far beyond expectations.
Just look at Orochimaru from Naruto. His experiments were built on countless human lives, yet the techniques he developed—like Edo Tensei—had a massive impact on the world. In Tokyo Ghoul, the story was also driven by Akihiro Kanou, another mad scientist whose research influenced the entire plot.
Although Dr. Stylish didn't get much screen time in Akame ga Kill, Haruki never doubted his capabilities. The fact that he could create a serum capable of turning people into super-class Danger Beasts spoke volumes about his expertise.
With the System, Haruki knew it was only a matter of time before he traveled to other worlds. And when that day came, he planned to establish his own power base. He had no intention of doing everything alone, and individuals like Dr. Stylish were exactly the kind of assets he'd need.
That's why he intended to start building a personal team of scientists—one loyal only to him.
Of course, to most people, controlling someone like Dr. Stylish would be near impossible. Mishandled, he'd be more of a liability than a benefit. A double-edged sword.
But Haruki wasn't worried. He had more than enough methods to ensure absolute loyalty.