Inuyasha: My job stats have no limits.

These 50,000 elite soldiers and more than ten Imperial Arms users were not meant to fight Esdeath, but to be sacrificed as cannon fodder, just to give Akame... no, it should be said that they were to give Murasame a chance.

Using the properties of 'cursed poison', completely annihilate Esdeath!

Therefore, whether it's 'One-Hit Kill Murasame' or Akame, they must take them back before they can implement the next step of their plan.

And that is the value of Akame!

As long as Akame and Murasame are in Shiraishan's hands, they will definitely go crazy searching for him.

Bai Lan desperately needs 'Imperial Arms', not only for the [Raider], but also for the [Breaking Limit Weapon].

If an Alchemy Apprentice wants to advance to the Imperial Arms Alchemist class, they will also need a large number of Imperial Arms...

This is where 'night raids' are extremely important!

Previously, due to the plundering of the Imperial Arms [Cross Tail] and [Scream], the [Plunderer] level has now reached level four. With just two more Imperial Arms, this class will provide the [Plunder] ability once more.

Ignoring Akame, Bai Lan turned her attention to the 'Alchemy Notebook'.

Although I had never dabbled in 'alchemy' before, after repeated research, I have finally gained some understanding of it.

Four fundamental elements:

Refine, integrate, engrave, sublimate.

Beyond these four fundamentals, alchemy has many other categories, including astrology, metallurgy, transformation, pathways, and results. The techniques he currently possesses are primarily focused on the extraction of potions.

This is the only thing an alchemy apprentice can operate.

"Let's try the potion first..."

-

Half a day later, in a house within the palace.

The heatwave rippled through the room. On the iron table, blood gradually gathered inside a round bronze vessel. The moisture had long since evaporated due to the high temperature, but strangely, the blood still maintained a high degree of fluidity.

The liquid was not completely cooled; it was still bubbling and churning, its color a bright red, like a burning flame.

Just by holding the glass bottle in your hand, you can feel the warmth emanating from the bottle walls.

A fresh vial of medicine...

[Successfully extracted monster blood; Boiling Blood Potion successfully created; Alchemy Apprentice Experience +20]

Bai Lan poured a layer of mercury into the surface of the glass bottle filled with boiling blood to seal it and preserve it, preventing the medicine from losing its efficacy.

I don't know how much blood I lost; I'm almost anemic now, and all I got was barely one tube.

Even so, it's still something to be happy about.

Bai Lan examined the 'Boiling Blood Potion' in front of him. This was a new type of potion that he had improved using the Empire's 'Enhancement Potion'. Because of the lack of core materials, he used the blood of a demon, and the side effects were currently unknown.

The monster blood in this potion is too violent to be taken directly; it requires a simple ritual to digest.

Akame cannot be used as a guinea pig, after all, she still has some value.

If only this were the world of Inuyasha or Apocalypse, where there would be plenty of decent-quality experimental subjects everywhere...

Bai Lan sighed and was about to put the 'Boiling Blood Potion' into the cabinet when she heard Chi Tong speak from the bed behind her.

"You're an alchemist?"

"Surprised?"

"It is a bit..."

Because the room was too small, Bai Lan had nowhere to conduct alchemy experiments, which allowed Chi Tong to watch his alchemy process continuously.

However... this also surprised Akame as she looked at Bai Lan. It was one thing for this person from the border to be powerful, but he was also an alchemist!

It should be noted that many alchemists have emerged in the empire over the long years, but none of them were particularly strong in combat.

Because alchemists need a lot of time to study and experiment, including earning money to buy tools and materials, they simply don't have time to hone their martial arts skills.

Just like the alchemists who mastered the lost alchemy more than a thousand years ago, they were all easily killed by the founding king.

Hmm... an experiment? Or a study?

Upon extracting the keywords, Chi Tong's crimson eyes lit up instantly: "Let me eat it! I can provide you with the experiments! You can also observe afterward!"

"...You want to make a deal with me?"

"Uh-huh!"

Akame raised her head and said, "Just as you said, when people die, they are just trash, without any value... Someone once said in the Imperial Assassination Corps that if we can't wield the blade, we don't deserve to live anymore."

"Because we assassins can't do anything except kill people, we can't even do what we're best at, so we have no reason to exist."

Akame, who is usually not very talkative, said a lot at this moment... It's clear that she really wants freedom.

"The transaction is not equitable."

"Yes, so I don't intend for you to let me leave... I just want to have some freedom, so I don't have to be like I am now."

"If I take your medicine and something happens, I will bear all the consequences!"

Akame struggled again, but the threads were far more resilient than she had expected. Instead, they tightened as she struggled, leaving a thin, long mark.

"That's a boundary line, you can't break free from it."

Hearing Bai Lan's soft words, Chi Tong also sighed helplessly.

Lubbock said that Boundary Break Lines are extremely rare, and even he only has one, so he usually cherishes them and treats them as a trump card or a secret technique... How come this person treats Boundary Break Lines like they're nothing special?

"I know I can't break free, so should I make a deal?"

Chapter 82: With the entire court loyal to the emperor, how could there be any disloyal officials?

After some deliberation, Bai Lan finally agreed to Chi Tong's trade request.

Not only did she have a test subject, but she was also willing to bear all the consequences. All she wanted was to untie the threads and gain a little freedom.

This was a good deal.

As she retracted the 'Boundary Line', Akame nimbly flipped herself up and couldn't help but stretch, the sound of her bones cracking emanating from her supple body.

I'm finally free...

Being constantly treated like a puppy and kept on a leash is a truly unpleasant experience, no matter how you look at it.

In comparison, becoming a guinea pig is much easier.

She'd experienced similar things before in the Imperial Assassination Squad; as she always said, the worst that could happen was death.

Just as Akame was about to swallow the 'Boiling Blood Potion', Bai Lan stopped her.

"Put it away. Now is not the best time to take the 'Blood Boiling Potion'. It requires a specific, simple ritual, such as when your emotions are at their peak, in order to conquer blood with fire."

Is there such a saying?

"of course."

After establishing a preliminary business relationship with Akame, Bai Lan stayed in her room researching alchemy.

Bai Lan only regretted not knowing the Shadow Clone Technique, a divine skill... otherwise, her progress could have been much faster...

By the afternoon of the second day, they had finally managed to refine the second bottle of 'Boiling Blood Potion'. If there was a good opportunity, they could let Akame drink it first to see the reaction, and then drink it themselves after confirming that it was safe.

This is also a drawback of the Alchemy Apprentice class. If it were a high-level Alchemist, they could not only learn by analogy and easily concoct more potent potions, but also ensure minimal side effects and even eliminate the need for ritual digestion.

After Bai Lan finished preparing the potion, the minister promptly sent someone to invite Bai Lan to participate in the imperial court meeting.

Nearly a hundred nobles and officials arrived early and waited in the white stone square for the emperor's orders.

The palace is located at the highest point in the entire capital, allowing any citizen to feel the glory of the empire simply by looking up.

Bai Lan followed the ministers into the depths of the palace. There were hundreds of people around. If assassins were to carry out another indiscriminate slaughter, the entire empire would be paralyzed instantly.

Of course, the rigorous checks were enough to expose anyone's true colors, not to mention the presence of the Imperial Guard led by General Budo and the Imperial Arms Users.

If even the slightest hint of murderous intent is revealed, one will be struck down with lightning speed.

"I hope you won't give me that chance."

As Bai Lan passed by Bu De, one of the Empire's two pillars slightly turned his gaze and glanced indifferently at Chi Tong.

"And you'd better take good care of your little pet!"

He is one of the empire's strongest bulwarks.

Even if it were just Akame alone at this moment, even if the entire Night Raid were to come out in full force, in his eyes they would be nothing more than a group of moths about to fly towards the sun.

"So I'll have to trouble General Bud to guard this banquet well."

The minister said with a smile.

“Watch your words, Ernest. This is a royal court meeting, not a frivolous banquet.”

"Whether it's a banquet or a meeting, it all depends on our wise and sagacious Emperor!"

"You're right, we ministers don't have the final say."

After leaving those words, Bud turned and left to continue observing the others.

And after Bai Lan arrived.

The young emperor, with his light green hair, already sat high on his throne, looking down at all his ministers.

Seeing the ministers and General Bude protecting him on either side, he straightened up slightly, held the scepter symbolizing imperial power in his hand, and his childish voice carried a hint of excitement.

"Now that everyone has arrived, I hereby declare the banquet to begin!"

At this point, the young emperor looked at his minister and said with a hint of curiosity, "Minister, didn't you say last time that there was an exceptionally beautiful dancer from a foreign tribe who admired my handsome appearance and wanted to perform a dance for me?"

"Your Majesty, you mustn't!"

As soon as the young emperor finished speaking, an old minister stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty! This is a royal court meeting, a place for discussing important military and national affairs, not a brothel banquet for pleasure-seeking. If such behavior were to spread, it would surely be ridiculed by the whole world!"

Bai Lan nodded in agreement. Indeed, the northern border was in chaos, and Numa Seka, known as the "Warrior of the North," was leading a group of foreign tribes, uniting over a dozen ethnic groups and hundreds of thousands of cavalrymen in a fierce resistance.

Even Esdeath would find this situation troublesome, since war is not something she can control alone. The supply of provisions to the front lines alone is already pushing the Empire's logistics lines to their limits.

"Your Majesty, with General Esdeath guarding the northern border, the empire is assured of peace."

The minister stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty is worried about this day and night, and I am also worried about Your Majesty's health. I really can't bear to see you working so hard."