Akame Ga Kill - Garou

Garou watched as Ogre's men carried the injured away. Ogre apologized again for what had happened before retreating alongside his men, while Seryu walked right behind him. She remained silent after Garou let go of her—she didn't even look at him again.

"Mister, thank you!!!"

Garou turned toward the two children who had spoken at the same time. He didn't reply, instead shifting his gaze to the woman standing behind them. She was pale and trembling slightly, watching him warily. She wasn't especially ugly or beautiful—just an average-looking woman.

The woman moved closer to the children, placing her hands on their shoulders and pulling them toward her. Her voice shook as she spoke. "Thank you very much. If there's anything we can do to help, please ask."

Despite her words, Garou knew she was terrified and barely able to speak. The only reason she managed was likely out of fear—fear that Garou might get the wrong impression of her. She didn't know who he was, but strong people were usually evil, and Garou looked like a typical villain. However, her fear didn't bother him.

"Good. I have a few questions I'd like you to answer," he said.

"Yes, sir," the woman replied.

"Call me Garou," he corrected.

"Yes, sir—I mean, Garou… My name is Himiko."

"I'm Eren, and this is my twin sister, Ari," the boy interjected, not wanting to be left out.

Garou glanced at the boy and nodded before looking back at Himiko, who flinched uncomfortably. "We need a place to sit first. I have many questions for you."

Himiko tried her best not to cry or scream. "I'm sorry, please follow me," she said fearfully.

Garou followed Himiko alongside the children as she led him inside the orphanage.

______________________

Inside Ogre's office at the police station, Ogre sat tiredly in his chair. After the whole parade with Garou, his first action upon arriving was to punish those who had followed his vice-captain. As for the man himself, he had been kicked out of the police force. Considering his injuries, even if he hadn't been dismissed, he would have been forced to retire—he was crippled now.

Ogre had followed the law this time, wary of the possibility that Garou might learn how he handled his men. Every time he remembered Garou's eyes, a shudder ran through him. It had been a genuinely terrifying experience.

"Teacher." Seryu entered the office, calling out to Ogre and waking him from his thoughts.

"Oh, Seryu. How are your injuries?" Ogre asked.

Seryu touched her neck, where bandages covered the bruises left by Garou's iron grip. He hadn't hit her, but his hold had been enough to cause significant bruising.

"I'm fine. Garou didn't harm me… not like the others," she replied weakly.

"What about Koru?" Ogre asked again.

"Koru is fine as well. Berserk mode and the damage from Garou caused it to overheat, significantly slowing its regeneration rate. I won't be able to use Koru for three to five days," she answered bitterly. Her Teigu and partner had been badly damaged due to her recklessness.

"I'm sorry. I acted foolishly without waiting for your orders. I almost got myself and Koru killed. On top of that, I might have angered Garou to the point where he attacked you and the rest of the police. I'm really sorry," Seryu admitted in a weak voice, lowering her head.

Ogre didn't respond immediately. He hadn't even considered blaming or lecturing her before. Garou's strength had far exceeded all his expectations. If someone had told him that an injured, bandaged man could cause such devastation—even against a berserk Koru—Ogre would have laughed in their face.

But, of course, he wouldn't tell Seryu that. Instead, he took on the role of a wise sage and spoke. "Seryu, I warned you about Garou earlier. I told you he was exceedingly dangerous, yet you ignored my words and fought him. If I hadn't arrived at the right time, you might have ended up like the others—or worse, you might have lost your life. I hope you will learn from your mistakes and not act impulsively again. If you truly want to bring justice, then follow orders—only your orders."

Seryu kept her head lowered, offering no argument. Ogre then asked, "What did you feel when you fought Garou?"

Ogre himself had been terrified by Garou's stare alone. But what about Seryu, who had fought him up close? He was curious.

Seryu froze slightly at the question. She remained silent for a while, and Ogre didn't push her. Finally, she spoke. "At first, I felt fear—intimidated by his stare and the air around him. But I had Koru beside me, so I pushed those feelings away. The next thing I knew, Koru was down, and my guns didn't work against him. He caught all the bullets with his bare hands.

I felt despair and terror, and a bad feeling grew in my heart. Even when I made Koru go berserk, that feeling didn't go away. Then I saw Garou defeat Koru in an instant. My mind stopped thinking—and then I was in his grasp, my life in his hands. His cold eyes stared into mine. I thought I would die… No, I knew I would die!!!"

Seryu's voice cracked, her eyes filled with tears. Ogre was stunned—it was the first time he had seen her cry since her parents' death.

"I was terrified. The only thought that crossed my mind was escape. I was afraid of dying—I even thought of abandoning justice just to save my life. I don't want to feel like this again. I don't want to fight Garou again. I'm so sorry. I will never act without your permission again," she sobbed.

Ogre stood up from his seat and embraced her. He hadn't expected this—Garou had nearly broken Seryu. The man was far scarier than he had imagined. But despite everything, Ogre was satisfied. He had lost a few men, but in return, Seryu was now more obedient than ever. The trauma she experienced would keep her from acting on her own for a long time. Seryu was his best tool, and he was glad to see such an outcome.

_______________________

"And the Empire is fighting against every other country alone?" Garou asked Himiko.

"Yes. The Empire is the strongest country in the world, dominating all others. Lately, it has been sending armies to destroy neighboring nations to remind the world of its might," Himiko answered.

By now, she was no longer as fearful of Garou as before. He hadn't harmed her or the children—he only asked questions, many of which were so basic that even a child could answer them.

It was almost funny how someone so powerful—who could cause such destruction and force the police into retreat—lacked even the most basic knowledge of the world. She wondered what kind of cave he had been living in before coming to the capital.

"What about the police?" Garou continued. "They seemed corrupt—or filled with lunatics. Who's responsible for that gathering of filth?"

Himiko sighed. "It wasn't always like this. When the previous emperor was still alive, the police were the epitome of justice and fairness. But after his death, everything fell apart."

"The new emperor is a tyrant?" Garou asked casually.

"No, the new emperor is just a child—the son of the previous ruler. As far as I know, he has no real understanding of how to govern. He's merely a symbol sitting on the throne. The real power lies with the prime minister. I've heard he's a glutton who shirks responsibility, pushing all his work onto his subordinates. That led to widespread corruption. The police were among the first to be compromised—those in power removed the good officers and replaced them with their own people, twisting the law to their benefit. I don't know all the details—there are many rumors about how things got this bad," Himiko explained.

She didn't know the full extent of the prime minister's crimes—how he had intentionally spread corruption to make ruling easier. What she shared was simply what the common people speculated.

Garou shifted the topic. "That little dog that belonged to the police girl—what kind of beast was it? It felt unnatural, but I couldn't put my finger on it."

Himiko shook her head. "I don't know, but I've heard rumors about powerful weapons called Teigu, or Imperial Arms. Supposedly, they were created by the first emperor using S-rank dangerous beasts. I don't know much beyond that."

Garou closed his eyes, recalling his encounter with Seryu and the others. He remembered one of the soldiers referring to Koru as a Teigu. So it was an ancient weapon—that explained the strange feeling he had.

Opening his eyes, he nodded. "That was helpful. Thanks."

"Umm… Mister?"

Ari, who had been sitting quietly with her brother near Himiko, finally spoke.

Garou and Himiko turned to her as she hesitantly continued, "Can you stay with us? Bad people might come again."

Garou didn't answer immediately, but Himiko did. "Mister Garou might be busy and can't stay here all the time to protect us."

"Then let's hire him!" Eren suggested, eager to support his sister's idea.

"We don't have the money," Himiko said bitterly. She understood the children's fear, but hiring someone like Garou was impossible. Putting aside her lingering unease around him, they barely had enough food to feed the orphans. Besides, a man like him could easily find wealthy employers willing to pay a fortune for his strength.

"If you can provide me with a quiet place to stay, I don't mind," Garou said. "And if you know how to cook, food won't be an issue. I can hunt animals and beasts—that should solve the food problem."

He needed a place to stay. Plus, he didn't know how to cook, and he wanted to eat proper meals. More than that, he was broke. Earning money wasn't difficult given his strength, but he wasn't willing to stoop too low for it. He also had no interest in working for the rich—he despised the wealthy and those in power. He much preferred staying in a simple orphanage, where at least his presence might do some good.

In front of him, the two children jumped happily, while Himiko stood frozen in shock. She hadn't expected such words from him.

"But…" she started to say.

"Do you have a problem?" Garou interrupted.

His casual tone made her shiver. Quickly, she shook her head. "No, you're more than welcome."

Garou hadn't meant to scare her—it was just a simple question. But after his earlier display, even his casual words carried a weight that made them sound like a threat. After all, who would dare refuse someone like him?

With that, his first day in the capital ended. He had found a place to stay and someone to cook for him.

In Garou's eyes, it had been a peaceful day.