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Shadow VS Esdeath is a Death Battle by Sinnovalos.

Description[]

Season 1 Episode 3! Sonic VS Akame ga Kill! They stand above the rest as the ultimate combatants in their world, but which time stopping badass lives to fight another day?

Interlude[]

Wiz: What does it mean to be the best? Overcoming personal faults? Helping others achieve their best? Or, simply having a glowing reputation as the one to beat?

Boomstick: Ah, screw any of the deeper meaning. Let's keep it simple: the ability to kick arse at a moment's notice.

Wiz: Today we compare two characters who excel in their series. Taking Shadow the Hedgehog, the Black and Red blur, and the last of the Black Arms from the Sonic games.

Boomstick: And Esdeath, the last of the Partas Clan and the leader of the Jaegers from Akame ga Kill! He's Wiz and I'm Boomstick.

Wiz: And it's our job to analyse their weapons, armour and skill to find out who would win a Death Battle.

Shadow[]

Wiz: The culmination of an ambitious research project, Shadow the Hedgehog was expected to be the key to potential immortality. Or at very least, his creator Gerald Robotnick, hoped Shadow could offer up a means of curing his granddaughter Maria and saving her from certain death.

Boomstick: My understanding is: Black/Red Hedgehog + Evil Alien Blood = Cure? That's one messed up equation.

Wiz: Naturally, making a deal with an alien named Black Doom had a drawback; Shadow would be forced to serve the dark lord once the Day of Reckoning arrived.

Boomstick: The Day of Reckoning happened to be 50 years after Shadow was sent from the ARK. Shadow had been suffering from amnesia up until the jog of the memory, seeing Maria be gunned down again and watching the horrors of his past play out before him again.

Wiz: Luckily, Maria's pleading for Shadow to give humanity a chance, and her kindness in general, were enough for Shadow to put aside his grudge with the humans. Twice. Following Sonic X, he all but sacrificed himself to save the planet and in Shadow the Hedgehog, the game, he was willing to destroy the Black Arms' comet and live aboard the ARK.

Boomstick: Shadow has been a reoccurring character in Sonic's timeline. He had a feud with Mephiles the Dark, where his faith and loyalty to the humans was seriously tested...

Mephiles: You forgive humanity this folly then?

Shadow: I determine my own destiny!

Boomstick: Badass. He played his part in subduing Mephiles for the main parts of the Sonic 06 storyline. While Sonic... rescued the princess.

Wiz: Shadow then also reappeared in Sonic Forces, squaring off with Infinite prior to his transformation and really being the root of Infinite's motives. He then helped the resistance against the hordes of duplicates, eventually seeing the heroes conquer the swarm. But throughout these stories, Shadow has always kept up a rivalry with Sonic, even if it is more tame than before. But that should not be taken as Shadow going soft. When he gets serious, he'll show you exactly why he's called the Ultimate Lifeform.

Boomstick: Using his whole body as a weapon, Shadow can deliver deadly attacks called Homing Attacks, which are pretty much a “Does what it says on the tin” technique; Shadow homes in on foes, often using them in succession, pinballing from one enemy to another.

Wiz: He can also build momentum and speed up, charging up Spin Dashes, which can cut down a target with ease. Being Sonic’s rival, Shadow can match the Blue Blur in speed on most occasions. These are massively thanks to the Air Shoes.

Boomstick: The motion appears more of a skate than Sonic’s trademark figure eight style of running, but Shadow can glide across surfaces, and combines that speed with brutal, unrelenting beatings.

Wiz: It is even rumoured Shadow could well be faster than Sonic. Though, this is yet to be proven on a consistent basis.

Boomstick: That’s about where the similarities between Shadow and Sonic end. From there on, Shadow is his own hedgehog.

Wiz: Emphasised in Shadow the Hedgehog, when the Ultimate Lifeform began using guns found on the floor. Not that he needed them.

Boomstick: No, but what puts an exclamation point on something more than a bullet hole?

Wiz: Shadow also displayed great physical strength in this game as well, being able to flip buses over with just his own body strength. Though, he often leaves these physical tasks to other characters such as E-123 Omega. Though it is far from to say Shadow is incapable. He can strike through chunks of metal and rock several times his own size.

Boomstick: When you’ve got speed, guns, and an edge like his, you don’t need mere brute strength!

Wiz: Especially considering Shadow’s success against more physically powerful foes before. Shadow defeated Knuckles the Echidna in Sonic X in a few hits, bouncing off walls before flattening him with a Spin Dash. He was able to use Chaos Spear, an energy based attack that was powerful enough to punch through the metal walls of the facility he chased Tails and Cosmo through.

Boomstick: Shadow can also whip up a small storm in the form of the Black Tornado. Which… is pretty self explanatory; Shadow can create a black tornado to attack enemies from distances, and throw them even further.

Wiz: Shadow has gone up against some of the best that the Sonic universe has to offer, and he has always come out the other side swinging. He defeated Silver through intelligence and perseverance. And Silver was a foe Shadow had never seen before, so he also displayed a much better ability than Sonic to adapt to a new foe on the fly.

Boomstick: Hey, isn’t that where he landed one of the sweetest kicks of all time?

Shadow: Chaos Control!

Shadow ducks Silver’s attack, and kicks him in the back of the head.

Boomstick: That made the whole game worth it.

Wiz: Before a time where every character with “the” in their name could do it, Shadow could manipulate time and space through a signature attack named Chaos Control! Through the power of a chaos emerald, he can manipulate the speed of time, slowing it down as and when he chooses to. It gives him a definitive edge over anyone not able to use the method. But Shadow can also use the method to teleport himself and other objects great distances. In the conclusion of Shadow the Hedgehog, he teleported the Black Comet into space, where the Eclipse Cannon destroyed it. Essentially, there is very little Shadow can not teleport when he sets his mind to it.

Boomstick: Shadow also has strength of will. Black Doom released a paralysing gas on Shadow, Sonic, Rouge, Tails, Amy and several other characters. Shadow was the only character who fought out before the paralysis could completely overtake him. Though, Shadow never even bothered to rescue the other characters from becoming dinner. Oh well.

Wiz: Luckily, Shadow pursued Black Doom throughout the Black Comet and defeated several waves of the Black Arms, before squaring off with Devil Doom. Throughout the entirety of the game, Shadow was challenged with picking good and bad. Through the culmination of negative emotion, Shadow could draw rage into himself and activate the deadly Chaos Blast.

Boomstick: Shadow essentially turned himself into a grenade. A powerful one at that. In the fit of rage that precursors the attack, Shadow can walk through a column of G.U.N soldiers, all firing on him and simply obliterate them with no concerns.

Wiz: The only drawback is Shadow needs to keep a gauge filled while he uses it, though it’s not as if Shadow can’t fill it in a hurry.

Boomstick: But, Shadow has a play much beyond a single Chaos Blast; Shadow has a form called Super Shadow. Harnessing the power of the Chaos Emerald, Shadow’s strength and speed grow exponentially.

Wiz: In this form, Shadow has been able to topple Devil Doom and was able to play a part in the fall of Solaris, a being that existed in multiple timelines! As well, he was able to fight Final Mova - alongside Super Sonic - and helped him stop Space Colony ARK crashing into the planet's surface.

Boomstick: Shadow’s regular Chaos attacks become stupendously powered in this form, he can also mirror techniques such as Super Sonic Boost, cloaking himself in a fiery aura and being able to stun beings such as Perfect Dark Gaia.

Wiz: Or he can use the Spears of Light, powerful enough to penetrate the shells of Solaris. This form lacks in one department: sustainability. Shadow will return to his peak state once the form expires, but he has to make the most of the time given to him whilst in Super Shadow.

Boomstick: If there is one way Shadow can be unique, however, it is in his Inhibitor Rings. Shadow can remove these, and unleash raw power on his opponent. In Sonic 06, he and the rest of Team Dark were surrounded by duplicates of Mephiles. Thanks to the removal of the rings, Shadow was able to tap into enough strength to subdue them in one go!

Wiz: He removed them in Sonic X as well when he initiated a powerful Chaos Control, though this was extremely taxing on his body, and he fatigued straight after, falling from space all the way down to Earth.

Boomstick: Aside from limited time frames, Shadow’s main flaw lies in his arrogance. But to be fair to the guy, if you were born “The Ultimate Lifeform” you would feel the same way. His record in the series speaks for itself, and given there aren't too many who'll step up and tell the guy he's wrong, he might have a point.

Shadow: If the world chooses to become my enemy, I will fight like I always have.

Shadow removes his inhibitor rings, and destroys Mephiles’ clones.

Esdeath[]

Boomstick: Esdeath. A name that sends shivers down the spines of even the most hardened of fighters.

Wiz: Well, there is more than one reason for that – we will touch on one later on. But for now, we’ll talk her history.

Boomstick: Turns out, General Frosty Nips was born and raised in the Northern Frontier Lands, and was raised to be a hardened killer and poacher of Danger Beasts. The Partas Clan, chief of which was her father, held a very simple philosophy that Esdeath herself would come to follow religiously.

Wiz: That being: the ones who die, were simply too weak to survive – and should be spared no mercy nor sympathy.

Boomstick: And one day, it turned out daddy-o was himself too weak. Esdeath returned to her tribe to see it in ruin, and held her father as he passed away.

Wiz: This set her on a path to never be weak, where she would challenge herself to become the strongest possible version of herself that she could be. Thanks to her malicious streak, she was able to join and climb the ranks very easily. This earned her the right and the qualification to attempt to master an Imperial Arms.

Boomstick: The one that called to Esdeath was the ominously named Demon’s Extract. And - bang to rights - should have drove her insane... insaner. See, you were supposed to sip some of the ritual blood. Esdeath kinda just guzzled the lot.

Wiz: With this, she was able to become even more overpowered, often taking out entire insurgencies with the might of the Teigu. Though an accomplished fighter, something was missing from her life. And while squashing rebellions was satisfying, and the challenge of hunting Night Raid was intriguing, Esdeath became interested in love.

Boomstick: She would find her heart of ice thawed by the young Tatsumi, and would engage full Yandere mode in her pursuit of him. Eventually though, Tatsumi would be free of her advances, and the General would ultimately fall at the hands of Akame in the final push for revolution across the Empire.

Wiz: The fall of the General would ultimately spark the beginning of the end for a lot of the Empire, so let's get into what gave her such an aura of fear and respect from her opponents:

Boomstick: Well, Esdeath was a skilled warrior long before the inheritance of anything particularly super-powerful. She was a skilled tactician and had a way with the blade that was almost unrivalled. She rose through Imperial ranks with ease, eventually earning the right to her Teigu.

Wiz: After consuming all of the blood, ahead of the advised amount, she would display her will and strength of character by subduing the voices in her head resulted from Demon's Extract.

Boomstick: I wouldn't go as far as to say she stopped herself going insane, by the way. More like, she prevented herself from reaching all new levels of insanity instead. But the trade off for being a bit of a fruit-loop seemed fair enough; Esdeath would inherit cryokinesis on a massive scale. Now, cryokinesis shouldn't be fucked about with in the first place, but this ability alone was enough for Esdeath to end wars in a split moment.

Wiz: Najenda recounted a mission where both she and Esdeath were sent to quell an uprising that had gotten the upper hand on the Empire momentarily. Where the soldiers had been losing ground by the minute, Esdeath simply froze over the choke point and allowed the village to be burned to the ground.

Boomstick: Freaky shit, right? And that was when Esdeath's thirst for war was truly on display; she allowed survivors to regroup down the line as it would result in another war - more intense - down the line.

Wiz: There were several techniques she developed with the Teigu, one being the Hagelsprung, which appeared as a large chunk of hail coming out of the sky.

Boomstick: She deployed this to great effect, almost catching out even Akame with the technique. On top of that, she had the Grauhorn, a large icy spear she could generate in the air that would pierce through targets. And then there was the Weissschnabel - where Esdeath simply tossed shards of ice at an opponent instead.

Wiz: Weirdly, Demon's Extract had no Trump Card to begin with. So the fact that Esdeath managed to use three of them is quite something.

Boomstick: 'Use them' isn't doing her enough justice there. She actually went as far as to create them. Like the Ice Cavalry, allowing Esdeath to summon a squad of icy centaur soldiers to aid her in combat. You think Esdeath alone is bad, a squad of her own military is probably about to end your whole career.

Wiz: She could freeze over entire terrains and create a 'Russian Winter' with the Ice Storm Commander in Chief. The ice terrain obviously benefits Esdeath when she can create weapons out of the ice freely as she did against Akame, creating makeshift shield, knives and swords.

Boomstick: She could even make a temporary ice arm if she needed to. You know, like after the time she had to remove her arm to counter Murasame's curse. She even continued the fight with one arm, and could have even won the fight with the help of her most well known trump card: Mahapadma!

Wiz: Akame ga Kill's response to Chaos Control, Esdeath literally froze time and space. Just, you know, when she decides to. Admittedly, this is a rare usage as Esdeath will only call on it when she feels she is about to lose.

Boomstick: Or when she is trying to prevent Tatsumi's escape. She used it to try and prevent his second escape, even if Incursio developed resistance to the time stop. As well as this, she used it to gain the advantage on Susanoo, and almost to get the kill on Akame.

Wiz: Except for Akame was smart enough to bait the technique and hit her from another angle. The ability is very powerful, and almost always results in a clear cut killing chance, but Esdeath's strength is really taxed by the move.

Boomstick: Despite her fear factor and experience, Esdeath is still only a human. And though her techniques are very impressive, her Teigu does put a strain on her body for all the techniques she uses, there is a chance of fatigue.

Wiz: Though she can use her physical strength to compensate for his if she needs to. Remember that time she kicked Numa Seika's skull in? And she went blow for blow with Susanoo as well. So, while there are certain weaknesses in her game, you'd still count your blessings to not be in her way. She is indeed the perfect tool for maintaining the imbalance between the rich and the poor.

Esdeath: Now, this is the kind of battle I enjoy the most. If any of you Niobids are unsatisfied with your destiny I invite you to put me in my place!

Intermission[]

Wiz: Alright, the combatants are set. Let's end this debate once and for all.

Boomstick: It's time for a Death Battle!

Shadow v Esdeath intermission

Fight[]

Location: Inside the Palace Walls (Akame ga Kill)

The poor spy squirmed in his bindings, blood pouring from the gaping hole that used to contain an eye, sweat shining as it covered his face, bruises up and down his body as a single shadow protected his gaze from the unwavering heat of a summer's day.

"I told you... I'm not with the Night Raid." he coughed, blood splattering on the grass, as he wheezed desperately for fresh air. "I don't know where... where to find them."

"Not being associated with Night Raid on a personal level was pitifully obvious." began the amused, yet impatient General Esdeath. "You lack the strength and the skill to be affiliated with such an outfit. What is, therefore, less certain is why you were caught inside the Palace Grounds trying to steal documents from the meeting chambers." she picked a flower from the bed behind her, and carefully embroided the stem so that the head of the plant came over her knuckles.

"Are you familiar with this kind of flower?" she asked, mockingly. The prisoner shook his head, much to Esdeath's delight. "Then this will be a pleasant surprise for you - and an even more satisfying experience for me." she said with a wolfish grin. She then knelt before the captive, who instinctively pulled his head away. Esdeath grabbed his hair with her free hand and pulled him back in. "In a few seconds, you are going to wish you had told me everything before the pain started. Now that it has, I don't intend to make it stop... for a few more hours, anyway."

The man desperately tried to pull away, before the flower was smeared into his carved out eye socket. Blood curdling shrieks and screams filled the garden, as Esdeath relished in the dispensing of torture. "P-Please!" he screamed, the components of the flower's head burning the inside of his head as he shook violently, blood and sweat flying from his body and hair - faintly painting the ironically pure, white uniform of the General.

"I'LL SHARE ANYTHING! PLEASE! JUST MAKE THE PAIN STOP!" he wailed, tears now forming and rolling down his cheek, meeting the blood and opened wounds. Esdeath removed the flower for a moment. "Then do." she sternly instructed.

"But... but... first. But first I want you to... to promise." he faintly started, but the bargaining fell short when he began to pass out. "Seryu." ordered Esdeath. The police officer nodded in compliance, as she hucked a bucket of freezing water at the man, waking him in a violent panic. "Wh-wha?" he stammered, desperately looking from left to right before Esdeath placed a hand on his face, her thumb teasing again the missing eye.

"My patience grows thin." she simply said bluntly, her eyes a deep cold blue that would make the tundras themselves feel like a pleasant beach resort. "What did you stand to gain from obtaining those files. WHO stood to gain?" she snapped. "Let me live... and I'll tell you." he pleaded again, as Seryu stepped forwards and angrily pointed in his face. "TYPICAL EVIL! You think you get to beg for your life after admitting to treason? HA! KORO!" she ordered, her Teigu smiling as it prepared for an early lunch, but both were haulted by Esdeath.

"I will grant you the request. You have my word as an Imperial General - you shall survive if you give me what I want to know."

"Commander?" Seryu asked, shocked, but Esdeath gave her a discreet grin, reassuring the deranged enforcer of the law. "Who sent you?"

"A small rebel outpost... it's in the basement of a local school - the one on the east side of the park." he weakly aimed a glance in the general direction. "The headteacher, Mrs Alicia Nagisa. She... her husband... *cough* they utilised the after hours classes and clubs. Radicalised the students of the higher years. She shows them the faults in the government and breeds contempt. In the evenings, they even prepare maps and weapons for rebel spies who meet them... Every Tuesday and Friday night."

Esdeath's face lit up. "Very well. The information you shared was indeed very important." she stood up, turning to Seryu - who had been watching and listening. "What luck that it happens to be a Friday, wouldn't you say, Seryu?"

"We should take them out now! The students and teachers have all already been infected by evil!" Seryu said, eager for the fight. "No. We shall not. To attack a hideout now would mean scaring away the main targets - we will strike later in the night with a powerful force to make an example of them."

Seryu nodded, somewhat listening to reason as she turned around, a third Jaeger entering the scene. "Commander." Run bowed. "We have swept the area, and the prisoner's testimony appears to be accurate; he indeed came alone."

"Very good, Run - are Wave, Kurome and Bols back from their searches?" she responded, fixing her cap. "Yes. They are all in the Meeting Room - only Dr Stylish and us are absent." Run calmly explained, catching a glimpse of the quaking man behind Esdeath. "Was the interrogation fruitful?" he asked.

"Very." Esdeath commented. "Seryu, go back to the Meeting Room with the others. Run, you will accompany the convoy in escorting the prisoner to Stylish's lab."

"Of course, Commander." Run responded. "Right away, General!" Seryu added, quickly rushing inside, dragging her Teigu behind her.

"WHAT? THAT WASN'T THE DEAL!" screamed the cowardly captive. "YOU SAID THAT I WAS SAFE!"

"No. I promised you would survive - and I kept my word. I also promised that your pain would not end with this interrogation - I kept that promise too. You will be Stylish's plaything now." she smirked. "Run."

The former teacher stepped forwards, and pulled the kicking and screaming captive. "NO! LET ME GO! I SWEAR! I AM WORTH MORE IF YOU KEEP ME!"

Esdeath sighed deeply, preparing her final words to this waste of a human being. "You are not! You willingly sold out your beliefs, the beliefs of your comrades, their friends and their lives. You are a cowardly swine, and your squealing's only value was the pleasure I got in watching you break. Now that I have succeeded, you are no more valuable than the very mud you grovelled in."

The man screamed, shaking in Run's grip but was promptly taken to the nearby carriage, ready to be taken to his new life as a test subject for the devious doctor. Run bowed as he departed, as Esdeath walked towards the doors to the palace - ready to pass on the mission to her subordinates inside.

Inside the Meeting Room

"Our next target will be the local school: Nohrido Academy. Thanks to the testimony from the prisoner taken in earlier in the evening, we now know that they have been harbouring rebels and sourcing the Revolutionary Army - granting them maps, information and weapons. We move out in three hours, when we get there I expect total annihilation - none survive." Esdeath explained.

Though the silence in response was shared, the confidence in their orders were not, but Wave - the main source of doubt - knew he had to mask those feelings.

"Once the assault concludes, the bodies are to be left on display in the main plaza - let us remind the rebels exactly where the head of power rests. You are dismissed." she finalised, as the Jaegers took their leave. Esdeath sat, hands clasped together as she awaited another arrival. "Ah, General Esdeath. I see you have your pawns ready to go." began the Minister, entering the room. "So, you retrieved both the spy, and the documents he was attempting to make off with. I would be impressed if it were not for your reputation."

"It was little more than an excuse for light torture, and a routine security drill for my taskforce. What did interest me is the secrecy of the document even to those on the side of the Empire." Esdeath said, as Honest helped himself to the seat on the opposite end of the table. "Yes, well, I suppose I should share the contents with you. After all, General, they will be a part of your newest assignment."

He slid a photograph across the table, which Esdeath looked down on, admittedly a little bit confused. "A gem? So I am now to steal you riches as opposed to conquer our enemies?" she scoffed.

"Nonsense. I would not relegate such valuable allies to trivial tasks. These gems belong to a set of seven. They are called 'Chaos Emeralds' - and serve a much greater purpose than simply being jewels in the crown."

"Such as?"

"Their power varies. It is said that wielders of these emeralds can conquer entire armies. They even possess a means of manipulating time and space."

"Now, that is an interesting development. Very well, Minister: tell me where to look, and my next expedition shall be to collect them." Esdeath said, sliding the photo back to Honest. "Y-Yes, well... Their appears to be a problem, in that only one emerald has been found. The others are in the possession of an organisation which only recently has entered our scopes."

"Another rebellion?" Esdeath asked with joy. "Not known at the moment, but we should still be cautious. We still have all the means to overpower them, between your forces, General Budo's, the Rakshasa Demons, the Jaegers and returning expeditionaries scouting out the neighbouring kingdoms. Any individual rebellion should be easy to manage."

"But you are still uncertain." Esdeath observed. "Uncertain may not be the right word, but I am careful; any wrong move could be costly - especially when leading a government of such weak minded, cowardly snakes who would happily all defect if the tide of the war even looked like heading in the rebels' favour for only a moment." Honest finally stood. "Continue with the execution of the traitors at the school - then press on with retrieving the emeralds. I also beseech you do so discreetly - not even the Jaegers must know of the emeralds, else we could face insurrection from within our own police force."

"I understand. Leave it with me, and you shall have your Chaos Emeralds." Esdeath promised, also standing and taking her leave. "I will have one of my subordinates submit the report on tonight's mission once we are done."

"Very good. I will orchestrate an assault on the opposite side of the Capital by the Rakshasa Demons to draw away the rebel spies. Night Raid will be so focused on chasing a false assault that they will miss the opportunity to save their doomed allies." Honest smirked, as Esdeath bowed.

With that, the cryokinetic general walked out the door and retreated to her quarters after she wrote out a quick note, leaving it in the Jaegers' meeting room for when Run and Dr Stylish returned later on. She then took an hour of down time, before preparing the Jaegers for assault.

Nohrido Academy - 8:40 pm

"We want this to be a clean assault, so we'll attack from multiple sides. I'll take the East entrance, Kurome and Seryu will take the North, Wave will have the West and we will filter any who attempt to escape to the South, towards you Bols."

Bols nodded. "Um, Commander. With respect, would I not create too much damage? My flames will destroy the whole school if they catch."

"That's the plan, Bols. The school is to be demolished, and all students found innocent of treason will be indoctrinated into the military's youth programme. Now, everyone into positions - we attack in unison in twenty seconds."

The Jaegers all took positions, with Seryu kicking in the door the moment the twenty seconds elapsed. The four assaulting Jaegers marched into the building, easily wiping out the first few guards and staff. The raid was simply perfect; the movement of the Jaegers trapped the bulk of the leaders in the basement, while only three of the rebels made it to the South exit. In but a second, their flesh ignited from Rubicante's unforgiving flames, and their screams echoed in the dark streets, as Bols carried out his orders.

On the inside, Esdeath and the others surrounded the final survivors. One brave student council member threw a punch at Esdeath, who caught the attack, and broke the arm effortlessly. The girl screamed out, clutching the wound as Esdeath ordered Kurome to guide her, and the other three students to the exit where Bols was waiting. Kurome did as she was told, and Wave accompanied her, leaving Seryu and Esdeath.

"Alicia Nagisa." Seryu called, looking around the room at the cornered leaders. "Which one of you is that?" nervously, the woman responsible stepped forwards. Esdeath pulled her and held her in a head lock, making her stare at her husband and colleagues. "Stand witness to the cost of rebellion!" Seryu snapped, as Koro grew in size and munched down on the leaders, showering the room in blood. Alicia screamed. "NO!!! SPARE THEM! PLEASE!" she wailed, her pleas falling on deaf ears. Esdeath then kicked her to the floor, making her watch as her husband's upper half crawled. "Alicia... I'm sorry..." he gravely rattled, his face falling into the pool of blood. Alicia cried at the front of her fallen lover. Esdeath turned on her heels and left the vault. "Seryu, finish this as you see fit, but do not take long; Bols is about to burn this place down."

Esdeath departed, as the sobbing of the woman was drowned out by a giddy laughter from Seryu, whose pet soon chomped down, splitting the woman's corpse in half as the rebellion of this school fell for good.

Seryu and Koro joined the Jaegers outside, just as Bols cloaked the school in flames, the council member from before being tied to a flagpole as Bols ignited the lot. "Have other members of the Incendiary Squad gather the bodies and remains, we will display them during the night tomorrow." Esdeath ordered. "Run, did you bring the altered maps I asked you to forge?"

There was silence from the Jaeger, catching Esdeath off guard. "Run?" she asked again, showing a bit of leeway to her right hand man. "Sorry, Commander." Run said, shaking himself out of the trance. I have the maps with me - where should they be left?"

"The basement, inside one of the cabinets so it looks as if they were hidden. Those maps will lead them directly into the traps laid out throughout the mines and dirt tracks." Esdeath ordered, as Run obeyed, wandering inside the school, still obviously not himself.

Wave ran after him. "Run, what's wrong? You look like you've seen... a ghost..." Wave asked, trailing off as Run turned, his eyes filled with both the rage, and somehow, the calm of a man not willing to pass off his secrets just yet. "I'm okay, Wave. Please do not worry about me." Run said with a smile, walking into the building to complete his duty.

Esdeath made Stylish, Wave, Kurome and Seryu circle around while Run and Bols finished up, the Jaegers all stood by Stylish's caged specimen. "The prisoner you handed me made for a great subject; he took all the pain of the experiments and still didn't die. Unfortunately, it appears the chemicals I wanted to use do little more than burn the muscle and tissue around the point of insertion - I checked in at least six different spots, but that's all that developed." he sighed. "Such a shame, but I guess he'll have to be thrown on the fire."

The spy from earlier looked up, but said nothing, his will shattered as the flames caused by his failure were the only things lighting up his face, and his still gaping wounds. He was so broken that when he was pushed towards the school, he simply walked past Run on his way in and willingly leaned his body into the fire, crisping up in a matter of seconds before finally slumping over, a dried out corpse on the floor.

"The mission was a success, Commander." Bols said. "The exterior and most of the upper floors of the inside are scorched through, but the basement should be safe from the flames. I assume that the forged maps will be recovered by noon at the latest."

"Very well. Squad, it's time to return; we sent a powerful message with this attack. I should also let you all know I am being sent on a personal endeavour in the morning, and will likely not return until a few weeks have passed. In that time, you will answer to Great General Budo in my stead. Understood?"

The Jaegers nodded as they headed back to their quarters. Run was still very distant, and this bothered Wave and Kurome, who both went over to the former teacher. Esdeath had no time to concern herself with the mental wellbeing of her subordinate, so walked alone - preparing for her early travels the next morning.

The Palace, The Next Morning

The clacking of horse hooves on the stone pavement filled the ears of the standing guards as they saw off the general, galloping out towards where the reports and files had lead her - a small strong hold just beyond the river and into a small range of hills. Oh, this was almost certainly going to involve a fight - and that is exactly why Esdeath had chosen the most blatant approach possible.

After riding for a few moments, she located the small base. She stood across the river, identifying two main tents, and a few smaller ones - likely for munitions and food, and the small gathering of forces.

They must be a small unit. If I were to wager, I'd say that a force with this small of a base can be protecting no more than one of the emeralds. Esdeath thought to herself, chewing on one of the ration sets she had brought with her. She then tucked it away in a pouch on her horse and advanced... alone.

The first scout noticed as she marched across the bridge, and fired three warning shots at her feet. "Stand down!" he demanded, pointing the rifle for her chest. Esdeath smirked. Another member of his team stood by his side, aiming his rifle at her as well. "She must be pretty strong. Or brave at least." he commented, keeping his rifle aimed for the chest.

"Or stupid." his colleague concluded, as he opened fire again, this time with the intention to kill the general there and then. Effortlessly, Esdeath ran past the shots and kicked the first guard square in the face, caving it in as he tumbled off the walkway and into the flowing river. "No! STO-" the second guard yelped, as an elbow strike to the heart killed him instantly. Esdeath continued her approach, and now was face to face with eight more soldiers.

"I have no interest in those who cannot challenge me." Esdeath stated. "I am here for the Chaos Emeralds, and any potential of a good fight." she added, knowing the reaction she would gauge. Eight rifles of bullets came flying at Esdeath, who chuckled as she dodged with ease, leaping and kicking one head straight from the shoulders of her target. A stomp on the back leg of another soldier, coupled with a fierce elbow to the side of the head in the opposite direction meant three of the eight were neutralised.

The remaining five backed up towards the treeline, but Esdeath would not let them escape, throwing a single blade of ice through a tree trunk, which tumbled and squashed two of her victims. One more, with a surplus of guts and perhaps need for a brain, charged Esdeath - looking to whack her on the head with the hilt of his rifle. Esdeath weaved, and then punched him in the nose, leaving him intentionally alive as she effortlessly sliced down the remaining two.

"Now... The Chaos Emeralds." Esdeath spat, standing over the wounded operative. "What makes you think that we know what they are?" he grumbled, feigning toughness. Esdeath smirked. "Because seven of your team died willingly to protect their whereabouts. Now, what do you know of these gems?"

"I know that I'm dead even if I tell you." he snapped, as Esdeath picked him up by the collar. "On the contrary, I do intend to let you live. I want you to run home and bring me a stronger opponents." she replied cooly. "Perhaps I was wrong to assume that such a weak outpost would know of anything so powerful."

"I wouldn't tell you." replied the guard, backing away nervously. Esdeath smoothly ran her hand over the bark from the nearby tree, before grabbing a fruit that had fallen from the top. "Run away. Tell them the story of how this outpost fell to a single soldier."

She planted the fruit firmly in his hands, squishing it so the juices within seeped into his palm. "Go now, before I choose to rescind my decision."

The soldier squirmed into the bushes, grabbing what few food sources he could from the tree as he ran, watching over his shoulder in case Esdeath had been tricking him the whole time. He had to tell his Captain everything; the Empire knew of the Emeralds, they knew G.U.N were in the area. Lucky for him, the mobile outpost was at the little beach head on the opposite side of the forest, and he knew that he would be safer with the special forces there.

Esdeath watched as he fled, and dipped her hand in the water of the lake, washing clean the juices from the fruit as she stood back up, collecting what little she could of use from the fallen soldiers. "G.U.N" she muttered, as she opened her notebook, and began sketching out their emblem, their weapons, and even a small map of the small outpost. She signalled her horse to join her, before climbing on its back and riding off onto the rocky paths around the outside of the forest. She saw the rustling in the trees... it was just as she planned...

G.U.N Outpost Nautica

"One general? And she took out the entire base without even drawing her weapon?" asked the commander in disbelief, shaking his head. The survivor from before sat next to him, still visibly shaking from his earlier encounter with Esdeath. His commander gripped his radio's microphone, and spoke into it calmly. "We request for Agent Shadow to be reutned to Outpost Nautica - how much longer does he have left on his mission?"

"He's done well eliminating the creatures to the North of the town. And he was able to dispatch of the Imperial Scouts that had been sent his way after the first wave of rioters broke through the walls of the religious outpost."

The commander sat back, his hands clasped together as he thought aloud. "If those scouts fail to return, then the Empire will simply send more. But we need Shadow here to help us escort the weapons and supplies to the rebel camps at the far end of the river" he stated, the position they were in being made crystal clear. "We have to choose what is more important between the safety of the supplies, or the strength of the insurrection where Shadow is."

"In the long run, sir, these supplies will win more battles for the rebels than one church will." replied his comrade. "We can come back to the church later, and... what the hell?" His desktop scanner blared a repetitive tone and the crimson of red was shone on the now sweating faces of him and his nearby team members. "Another Danger Beast attack?" asked one of them in disbelief. "They're coming from the forest. And there's a LOT of them." The men leapt from their positions and grabbed guns and helmets. "Come on, we have to hold the line!"

Once outside, the ominiously loud humming of insect like Danger Beasts surrounded them. "OPEN FIRE, OPEN FIRE!" screamed a terrified guard, his rifle sounding off as many shots as possible before he was scooped up in the arms of a swooping beast. It flew off with the screaming man still flailing and shooting as it rammed its soon to be meal into a tree trunk. The men were making a desperate stand, but knew they would have to get a move on. "Signal the beacon, Private!" commanded the base's lead officer. Pointing at the door to a seperate room. "Go! You two, cover him! Bring Shadow here; he's our best chance!"

The Private and his two companions rushed for the communications room, having to use a seperate device to signal the Ultimate Lifeform. Sweating, the Private tapped away at the control pad as the sounds of covering fire died down to a single weapon. "Hurry, Private! They already killed Corporal Potts." pleaded the final survivor, who desperately took on the Beasts as they circled overhead. He then noticed that the base was under observation from the corner of his eye; General Esdeath stood silently on the other side of the water's bank, watching the swarming beasts. "Captain!" he said into his comms device, before being bitten by a Danger Beast from behind. As the monster looked to take his snack elsewhere the Private, who had just finished the distress signal sequence, shot the beast in the back.

"I got you." he promised, helping his fellow soldier to his feet. The pair stood back to back as the beasts' numbers finally began to become too much for heart alone. Soon though, more G.U.N members were storming from below deck to defend their base - one of which dragging a rocket launcher. The missile cleared out a few of the monsters, earning some cheers before he himself was tackled by a larger variation and split in half over the side of the boat. "Where the hell did these beasts even come from? They're nothing like the ones from when we first arrived." asked the agent that had been charged with the beacon's activation. The final G.U.N agents backed into a corner on the base, as the Danger Beasts began spitting acidic venom at them now, melting the deck of the base slightly and revealing the kitchen and food supplies. A grim thought fell on the mind of one of the soldiers suddenly as he caught a glimpse of some of the food in the storage. "Those fruits..." he mumbled. "Captain! They're after the food! It's the fruit!"

"The fruit?" the Captain asked, turning to see what he meant. But that lapse in focus resulted in a pincer through his turned back, and he fell to the floor, lifeless. "CAPTAIN!" screamed the young private, who stepped forwards, catching an acid spit to the face, killing him too. Now there was only a very small number left, and worse - Esdeath had entered the base herself. "It wasn't a bad trick, right?" she smirked, as the soldier she had tormented earlier turned to see her. "And just think; your men don't even know they have you to thank for bringing the beasts here. And to think, if you had run in any other direction, you would not have drawn them to your scent."

"Evil witch!" he cried, looking to punch her but naturally Esdeath cleaved off the arm and then kicked him to the food below. With a wicked grin, she fired ice spears down at the fruit cache, and allowed the juices to splash on the soldier. The rich smell drew all the beasts on his location... there was nothing left of the man when the screams and tearing finished... The final handful held their ground, but the beasts were lined to finish them off. They held their breaths as the insects hummed in...

Only for a black and red blur to hit consecutive Homing Attacks on each creature, knocking them off the boat and to their deaths. "What in the world?" Esdeath asked as the blur stopped in front of the men, before turning around to confront the General. "I'm Shadow. Shadow the Hedgehog. And you're the General I've heard so much about."

"So they do have Special Forces defending the Emeralds. How perculiar. I can say from the speed and strength I saw just now, this is a battle I am just aching to have."

"I'll make sure you do more than ache, General. Your insatiable blood lust ends with me!" Shadow warned firmly.

"Save me the theatrical confrontation. If it means so much to you, then prove it in this battle!" Esdeath coolly responded. She pointed her blade at Shadow's throat. "I look forward to seeing those confident eyes dim with despair when I break you, and you're forced to tell me where to find the Chaos Emeralds."

"You'll be very disappointed." Shadow responded, as he leapt at Esdeath for the first time.

FIGHT!

Esdeath quickly found herself in unfamiliar territory, missing her first attack hopelessly as Shadow leapt into her, crashing across the deck of the ruined outpost. She quickly recovered, looking to cleave Shadow before the hedgehog's feet even hit the ground. Smartly, Shadow curled into a ball, and then circled the general in a show of speed. It was a black and red blur, perfectly meshing with the crisp white and blue of Esdeath's aesthetic. The general tried to focus on sensing Shadow's intentions, wanting to trap him before he built too much speed, but a quick kick to the back of the head disrupted those thoughts and sent her tumbling to the middle of the deck. The surviving G.U.N members cheered at the turn of events, and as such were galvanised to fight on, thinning out the aerial swarm thanks to Shadow's entrance. Esdeath noticed something behind Shadow in the water, and then smirked at the Ultimate Lifeform. "Tell me, how many do you think you can save?"

"What do you mean?" Shadow snapped, before being alerted to the sound of a fierce roar from the water itself. He noticed the shadow of a massive crocodile like Danger Beast, which leapt at the outpost, looking to snap it in to pieces. Shadow leapt, kicking the beast in the mouth, before smartly teleporting to avoid Esdeath's ice daggers, flung at his back. Both beast and ice had proved to be feigns, as Esdeath hoisted a fallen G.U.N soldier on her blade, skewered. She then kicked the corpse at Shadow, who caught it out of respect for the fallen agent, which earned him a kick to the chest from the crazed cryokinetic.

As Shadow responded, the Crocodile Danger Beast bit into the hull of the Nautica Outpost, ripping it from beneath. Everyone aboard stumbled, allowing Esdeath to elbow Shadow into the side of the boat. By now, the final remnants of the G.U.N presence had been eliminated, the last man screaming as his eyes were sucked for nourishment by one particularly ugly beast. Shadow frowned, knowing the mission was a failure for now. He turned to Esdeath, who maintained a confident grin. Shadow teleported behind her, the two clashing with a kick each, knocking the other back. But Shadow had a plan. He leapt off the boat, using a series of Homing Attacks to harass the Crocodile Danger Beast, which burst up and after him.

"Come and get me!" Shadow cockily antagonised, allowing the beast to come at him, fangs baring down on the Ultimate Lifeform. Shadow also clocked Esdeath's reemergence to the side. He leapt at her, performing a leaping spin kick to the back of the head, knocking her where he had previously stood. Shadow then used the momentum to backflip behind the Danger Beast, Spin Dashing into its back and killing it. The weight of the deceased beast slumped onto the boat, unbalancing Esdeath - who Shadow was ready to execute right now. Filled with the rage of losing so many people, he pulled energy into himself. "Chaos BLAST!"

The explosion ripped the remains of the ship apart, leaving splintered wood down the riverbend. Esdeath was nowhere to be seen, and Shadow took that as a promising sign. "G.U.N Command, this is Shadow. It doesn't look good." he reported, running through the woods, slaying straggling Danger Beasts as he went.

A Few Minutes Later

A sole chunk of ice washed up to a nearby part of the shore, thawing out Esdeath. The general had just got enough of her bearings back to protect herself from the blast, and by the looks of things, her new foe had not suspected a thing. "Such a fascinating opponent. It'll make beating him all the more satisfying." she said, adjusting her hat. For now, she looked for a small settlement to commandeer for the night, needing to recharge. "I do hope we get to meet again, Shadow the Hedgehog."

The Next Morning at G.U.N Outpost Massif

"We now know that the General was after the Chaos Emeralds. The Minister and Emperor must be after using them as a means of maintaining abosolute power." Shadow summarised. "If I stay, Esdeath will fight me for the Emeralds all over the country. It will endanger and kill hundreds. If I leave to draw her away, we weaken our support to the Revolutionary Army."

"What do we do?" asked a panicked officer. "She could be coming for us any time!" she continued, trembling as she stood from her seat. Shadow smirked. "I will go on the offensive. Esdeath has made her name as an attacker, a hunter. I'm going to see just how capable she is when she is caught on the back foot."

Shadow walked towards the monitor that the still shaking agent backed away from and tapped a few controls and displayed a drone's bird eye view of the sunken Nautica Outpost. "A report from another drone placed her in the area of where the Outpost went down. There are only three settlements down that path. Two of them abandoned."

"So?" asked the main G.U.N chief, who joined Shadow at the monitor. "She will have chosen an abandoned one, which is where I will meet her. If I can keep the fight in the lush part of the woods, then I can defeat her without the risk of casualties."

"Very well, Agent Shadow. I'll try and borrow some reinforcements as soon as the units near canyon can spare them." the timid agent said, a little less shaken this time.

"Don't bother. Their help would arrive too late." Shadow responded. "Besides, I won't need them."

The unit walked out the room, discreetly tapping a button on her wrist accessory as she went.

At the abandoned settlement.

Esdeath looked to the sky, and saw the flashing light from the once concealed drone. "So soon? Well, if Shadow is going to make the effort to meet me again, I should at least make the effort to make it a worthy venture." she commented, placing a hand on the ground and using some of her ice powers to create a trap beneath the building. She then waited in the attic of the house, waiting until she could sense his movements.

About five minutes later.

The General smirked, hearing the rushing of a foe bounding from the front of the house. She walked to the missing piece of wall in the attic, making herself visible to Shadow who wasted no time in throwing himself at her and throwing hands. Esdeath blocked one punched and looked to hit a roundhouse kick but Shadow used a Spin Dash to duck it and hit Esdeath in the knee. She buckled a little, but used the advatnage of being lower to swipe Shadow's own feet before grabbing his hand and looking to freeze over the hedgehog. The Ultimate Lifeform's eyes widened, before he started running around her in a circle, kicking and striking to weaken her grip. Esdeath relented for a moment, but only so she could back step and then stomp the floorboard, snapping the piece before her and sending Shadow tumbling. "Damnit!" he grumbled, falling through the floor, barely reacting to the entire bottom floor being coated in ice spikes.

"How could you prepare all that?" Shadow asked in disbelief, wallbouncing back up. "I had a good hunch. And I am surprised you didn't figure it out yourself." Shadow kicked Esdeath in the stomach, and she tumbled outside, drawing her sword. Shadow looked down, and then up. He then realised his mistake. "The drones..."

"They were always there to aid the Empire and not the Revolution. Did you really think that the new prototypes just fell into your laps?" The drone then initated a self destruct protocol, and not so soon after that, a massive blast on the mountain caught Shadow's eye. "The outpost!" he said in disbelief. He'd been played the whole time. Esdeath smirked, flicking a quick swarm of ice shards at Shadow who leapt down towards her. Esdeath kicked him back, and as Shadow ran forth to respond, she sprung another trap - and several ice pillars and walls came up through the dirt, blasting Shadow into the air. Esdeath then leapt above him, kicking him to the floor. Shadow panted, stinging from the flurry of offence. He tried a teleport, kicking Esdeath, but the Imperial General placed an ice wall before her, kicked off it and hit a leaping kick into the face of the Ultimate Lifeform. Shadow skidded back, before summoning his own sword and drawing it against Esdeath. "Let's go!" he snapped.

Shadow rushed Esdeath, clashing his blade against her own, but the General's defence held strong, parrying Shadow and then booted him back. Shadow teleported and reappeared behind her, slashing down. Esdeath blocked with a single line of ice up her back - negating the attack. The frustrated Shadow kicked her in the knee, and then in the face but Esdeath took the offence and then gave it right back in spades. First she pointed the tip of her sword downwards, and used it as an instrument for her next swarm of ice spears, which Shadow blocked with Chaos Spears of his own, melting them. The distraction meant Esdeath could slash Shadow several times in the back but before she could land a killing stab, Shadow turned and crashed his sword into Esdeath's own. The stand off saw the pair glaring through a weapon lock, but Esdeath came through again. She created a pillar beneath Shadow, pushing him into the air. The hedgehog came down with a Homing Attack, seating Esdeath but before he could take her head with the blade, she parried and then hit him on the nose with the hilt of her sword, stunning Shadow enough for her to smash him back with another ice pillar.

The Ultimate Lifeform panted on the ground, realising he was inferior as a sword fighter. So Shadow removed it, and drew on what made him so strong in the first place: his speed. Shadow ran around Esdeath at blinding speed, creating a Black Tornado around her. Esdeath planted her hand on the floor and tried to keep herself frozen to the platform but the storm had already become much stronger than she could prepare for. Instead she used ice pillars to sandwich herself and then created ice on her arms and shoulders, making them float - and her along with them. She flew out the storm as the Black Tornado ripped apart the abandoned house, sending brick and wood in all directions. Esdeath looked around, not quite as freely flying as Run, but enough to give her a good view...

.. Of the emerging fist from a seriously pissed off Shadow. The hedgehog's punch caught her right in the eye and sent her into a tree, snapping it and knocking it over. Esdeath laughed as Shadow chased on foot, bouncing from tree trunk to tree trunk. "Come and get me again, Shadow. I haven't had a rival like you in some time!" she threw down a giant hammer of ice, which Shadow leapt on top of and launched from. "Stop acting like this is a game!" Shadow demanded. "You represent a body of power that abuses people. Good people. And I can't let you continue." he added.

Esdeath snorted as she made the floor slippery, stumbling Shadow who instead started a Spin Dash. "Do all you bleeding heart, would-be heroes all practice your speeches together? I must have heard this lecture a million times." Esdeath then came down from the high ground to use an ice shield, catching the Spin Dash. "The suffering is not what I care about. All I want is the chance to fight!" she said, grabbing Shadow by the throat. "I know." Shadow muttered. "That's why I am not trying to redeem you." he summoned a Chaos Emerald, which caught Esdeath's eye. He used just a little spark of its power to push her back, before grabbing it and presenting it before her. "You seek their power. But if you finally succeeded. What would there be left to do? A world where a warrior conquers all, with no ambition to rule."

"You're a fool, Shadow. I would use the Emeralds and learn to use their powers. The ability to manipulate time and space? I could go wherever I want, spread a war everywhere I want. And with the limitless boundaries of the Emeralds, there would be nothing to prevent me achieving that." Esdeath smirked. "And if we're done with this lecture..." she lunged for Shadow with a stab, which Shadow teleported above her to avoid. Esdeath simply leapt before him though, expecting it. "Then I'll get to achieving just that." She punched at Shadow, who blocked with his own clenched fist. He then responded with knee strike, but Esdeath created an ice shield to weaken the assault. As they landed on the ground, Esdeath sliced a tree in half and used her ice to roll the trunk at Shadow, who dodged with a simple Homing Attack, nailing her in the stomach. Skidding back on her heels, Esdeath created a sphere of ice on the floor and rolled it at Shadow, still backing into the woods and inviting the hedgehog to attack. As Shadow did, Esdeath slashed him in the stomach faintly and he fell to his knees before the sphere of ice rolled back at him, nearly crushing him there and then.

Shadow sprang up, puhsing the giant sphere into the air and teleporting it above Esdeath, who blasted it away with a pillar of ice. Shadow rushed after Esdeath, who continued to slice down trees and cut open rocks, throwing obstacles at Shadow, who threw several Chaos Spears in multiple directions to counter against the overwhelming projectile numbers. Finally he was able to catch Esdeath directly with the Chaos Attack, knocking her back into a small opening. Behind the General was the opening to a small town. Shadow could feel the anger surging inside him. Should he pursue? Could he beat Esdeath without harming the innocent people nearby? He wasn't sure, but he had to try.

Quickly, he teleported behind her and released a flurry of kicks, which Esdeath blocked with a wall of ice. She then threw said wall at Shadow who kicked it to the floor, ensuring it remained away from the houses. He threw a punch and Esdeath launched a stinging kick, knocking Shadow into the middle of the town's path, drawing the attention of the local children. "Stay back!" Shadow warned as Esdeath lunged with a stab, which Shadow blocked - resummoning his sword one more time. Esdeath kicked the sword from his hand, before shoulder barging him into the mud. Esdeath loomed over him with a stab at the ready. Shadow curled into a ball and Homing Attacked her in the shoulder, trying to weaken her grasp of the weapon. Esdeath smirked, leaping into the town centre. She summoned a giant spike of ice above her head, with jagged edges and various spikes stretched from it. "Come Shadow. I'll tear you to pieces!" she beckoned, spinning the massive weapon. It ripped apart the town, cutting innocent men and women down and shattered walls, knocking debris at Shadow who also had to contend with the swing of the weapon itself. At first he tried a Black Tornado, but the spike crashed through it, punting Shadow against a crumbled wall. Shadow stood back up, and drew his Chaos Emerald again. "Very well. Perhaps a demonstration of power is what you need."

He held it above his head. "Chaos Control!" With that, time slowed to a crawl and Shadow was able to place a hand on the spiked weapon, teleporting it to a nearby lake where it sat harmlessly. He then followed with a flurry of punches and kicks to the immobile Esdeath, finishing with a fierce uppercut, before allowing time to resume. "What?" Esdeath asked in shock, still reacting to the initial stoppage of time. Immediately, the impact of Shadow's strikes caught up and she took the contact, being launched into the air. Shadow warped above her and hit a double axe handle to spike her down to the ground, hitting a giant horse cart as she came down, breaking it. Shadow ran at her again, throwing a right hand and swiping the cap - which had done well to stay on her head this long considering things - from off her head. Shadow had worse intentions though, and punched Esdeath in the eye again, which was just swelling from the last clean contact Shadow had made. Esdeath panted, but laughed still. "It's a great pity that such a powerful foe has committed to such weak ambitions. Why protect those you could so easily slaughter?"

"This isn't about who I can or cannot kill. I made a promise to someone a long time ago - and I have to keep it." Shadow said sincerley. Esdeath shook her head.  "Pathetic. But it will at least make for good satisfaction when I make you break that promise; the person you speak of must have meant a lot to you..." she said, looking to probe for a reaction from Shadow, seeing if she could break him before continuing. Shadow simply nodded. "She meant more than any power could. Though I suspect you wouldn't understand." He then struck Esdeath with a kick, breaking the conversation and continuing the fight. Esdeath leapt up, pissed at the hedgehog's undying resolve to help innocent people. "You think you can save them, Shadow? Then try! Show me the strength of your character..." She then started creating ice pillars which came down from the sky, crushing random rooftops and breaking into houses. Shadow looked around, hitting Chaos Spears to break them as they came, but the pillars were all around him. Shadow continued his defence, taking a kick to the back as he fell head first into a cart. The view from upside down allowed him to see something. Esdeath snapping her fingers while airborne to create a mighty chunk of ice. "Behold, Hagelsprung!" Shadow quickly sprang up, but as he dedicated to stopping the attack, Esdeath continued her assault with more icicle spears on the houses, drawing Shadow's eyes all over the place. Shadow let out a cry in rage and frustration. "YOU FALL, ESDEATH!" he declared, a red aura appearing over his body and in his eyes. "CHAOS BLAST!" Shadow pulled in the energy of the attack and then redirected it in the air, blowing Hagelsprung in half as two chunks of the ice attack fell to the town. Shadow kicked one slightly more off course into the woods, before charging into the other one and looking to teleport it into the water. But Esdeath arrived behind him, kicking him in the back and sending him sliding up the inside of the half.

Shadow skidded down, taking a kick to the back of the head from Esdeath's heel and spiking Shadow into the dirt, making him fairly woozy. It meant he was all but a spectator as the town was crushed beneath ice attacks. Then with a smirk, Esdeath turned to Shadow. "I trust we will have another battle, Shadow. Remember the pain of all that you lost here. Your failures, shortcomings, and question all that you think you know to be right. I want you to try and hit me with them all. That will be our final time." She then turned, and froze over the town - Shadow included - and walked away... a little more beaten up than she had let on to the hedgehog.

Inside the ice a little later on.

No. Shadow could not let this be the end. He refused to let Esdeath - the Empire - get away with what was happening. It was a promise he made to Maria that set him on this path, but it was a promise to himself that was going to drive him forwards. If Esdeath got the Emeralds, then she'd be unstoppable. She could slaughter and conquer throughout history, and uncountable amounts of people would endure the carnage.

And it would all be his fault.

Shadow felt that anger swell inside.

He could not allow Esdeath to win.

The rage manifested itself into a raging flame. A second time, he emitted that power all around him.

Chaos Blast!

The ice around him shattered. He had failed this town, but he swore it'd be the last time. He checked the Chaos Emerald he had brought with him. He would use them all. If Esdeath wanted their power, she'd need to kill Shadow and take them from him herself. And killing him was not going to be easy.

He ran off towards the nearest known outpost, the secret drains system housed a very tightly knit spot with just one guard. One that Shadow trusted though. He met up in the sewers with E-123 Omega, who handed him the cached Chaos Emeralds. Now Shadow had five, two of them remained. Shadow stood by an access hatch, watching rain pour down on the Capital, waiting. Omega appeared behind him. "Shadow. Rouge has arrived with the sixth Chaos Emerald. But there is more to report."

"That's never a good sign." Shadow responded, turning to see the wounded bat. "Rouge?"

"I managed to retrieve the first of the Emeralds, Shadow. But some guy with his own pair of wings beat me to the second one. It was a close shave, but I got out. I think he took it to Esdeath."

"Don't worry. Esdeath only has the one Emerald, we have six. If we find the final one quick enough, the three of us can-" Shadow was cut off by the sounds of shouting from outside the drains. "THEY'RE IN HERE! GET THEM!"

Shadow stood before the wounded Rouge, between her and the oncoming Imperials. "Omega, get ready. We're going to fight our way to the rooftop." Shadow said. While he could teleport, he wasn't about to leave his friends to fight alone. Not when he could also send a message. As the first Imperial soldier's head poked around the corner, Omega immediately blasted it off with a single shot, setting the tone. "KILL THEM!" screamed one soldier, as they ran into the corridor. Shadow hit a Spin Dash on one, blasting him into a larger guard behind him. Omega jetted forth and grabbed two, beating them into the walls as he marched up the winding stairs.

Rouge flew in and kicked away one guard, knocking him off his feet and into a wall. Shadow grabbed Rouge's hand to help her keep pace with the pressing Omega, pulling her up the stairs to about ground level. Another guard came in, and Shadow swiftly kicked him out and into his squad leader, Seryu Ubiquitous. The cyborg Jaeger ran inside. "STAY WHERE YOU ARE, REBEL TRASH!" she screeched. Shadow frowned at her, before waving a hand and launching Chaos Spear at her feet, breaking the floors and sending her down towards the underground levels where Shadow had started. With that dealt with, Shadow and Rouge joined Omega on the roof. The E series robot firing down at the growing number of Imperial Soldiers. Koro was attempting to scale the wall, but Shadow threw Chaos Spears down into its face, sending him down to the floor and squashing several other soldiers. Just in time, a G.U.N aircraft flew by the area, allowing Team Dark to board and leave the Capital - at least for the time being. Shadow looked back at the building, noticing a bright light emitting from the landing zone. "Look out!" he cried, using Chaos Spears to stop missiles being launched by Seryu's Phase 2 of her Judgement of the Ten Heavenly Kings.

Another wave came through, and Omega helped with suppressing fire until they were out of range. "Target identified as Seryu Ubiquitous." Omega reported. "That means Esdeath knew where we were!" Rouge realised. Shadow nodded. "Her spies will have found the Emeralds before Omega was stationed to protect them. That was a last ditch effort to obtain them before we could retrieve them."

They landed safely beyond tracking distance as Shadow prepared for a final showdown with Esdeath. It would take a few days for the G.U.N forces to rally, considering their recent string of bad luck, but now there was a plan. And that made it a battle... a winnable battle at that.

Back at the Imperial Palace

"And you're sure that the plan is for an attack in the South Canyon? That's miles away from any hard targets, why would they stage the assault there?" Honest asked, pondering as he scoffed a greasy leg of lamb.

"My spy in  G.U.N's ranks has told me that Shadow the Hedgehog and his comrades have set up the assault in such a manner that it will be an easy win to build momentum from. They believe that we will not stretch our resources to cover that region and will wait for them to reach the Capital without halting their momentum. That's why I want to have my Ice Calvalry waiting for them inside, and want to spread my net so that the rest of my forces wait for them in their secondary approach, the riverbend about six miles East of that canyon."

"Are you sure they will split their numbers in such a way?"

"Yes. The prize of the last Chaos Emerald is sufficient bait for Shadow to bite. I would like the honour of killing him myself and taking the Emeralds from him. Once I achieve that, the rebels will be little trouble." Esdeath said confidently.

"Very well. I shall allow your request. You say the siege is in three days?"

"Plenty of time for us to set up our nets now. If that is all, I have an army to create. Shadow was a fool and brought the Emeralds together in one place, and now I'll take them from him as I crush the life out of him." the General added.

Honest smirked. "Very good."

The South Canyon

Alone with only three of her team members, Esdeath stood in the middle of the warm canyon, holding a guard as she prepared for attack. "Come, Wave. Let us see how you have developed."

"Alright, Commander. HERE I COME!" he cried, throwing a haymaker at her. Esdeath blocked, but her response was sidestepped by Wave, who tried to apply a sleeper hold on the General. "Your technique is off, Wave." Esdeath said, rolling him to a side. She then blocked a swing from Kurome, seeing the attack go waywards. "Nice, Kurome. I didn't sense that at all. And you even made sure you ran in such an angle that your shadow did not give you away." Esdeath toyed some more, blocking Kurome's focused strikes before pushing her back. Wave punched at her, but Esdeath blocked with minimum effort. She used Wave to trip Kurome before finally lunging at Run, who had been stood by the tent, watching out towards the Capital. At the last second, and much to the relief of Wave and Kurome, Run blocked the punches and sidestepped. Esdeath stopped, and her face went from hardened and worked up, to soft and understanding. "Is everything okay, Run?" she asked. Run shook his head. "I'm confused, and a little troubled, by Night Raid's silence throughout this. G.U.N have created an opening for them, but they've been quiet for days now." the former teacher explained.

Wave and Kurome walked over to the pair. "This is typical of Najenda. She is letting us and G.U.N fight properly so she can understand where advantages lie. When she knows that, she will strike at last." Esdeath explained.

"I know Seryu has been desperate to get back into the fray after Shadow escaped her grasp the other night." Wave commented. "What exactly is he?"

"Shadow is a capable fighter, but he also seems to be a fool; come the end of tomorrow night, he will not be a factor anymore." Esdeath smiled.

"He might be lying about coming alone." Kurome commented. "If he brings an army, it could be trouble."

"You don't need to worry, Kurome." Esdeath assured her. "I have set a trap for Shadow, and it is strong enough to ensnare anyone who may join him for this battle. I trust you three to return to the Palace tomorrow; General Budo has a seperate assignment in mind for the three of you."

"Yes, he did seem like there was something of importance he needed to share." Run remarked. "I'm curious to see what he thinks he needs us for."

"I imagine it must be quite something if he is trusting my team for help. But still, that's enough about duty for tonight. I propose we go another round of physical sparring, and then we can enjoy a meal together before we all depart. Run, are you coming with us?"

Run smiled wamrly. "Of course, Commander." With that, the three Jaeger subordinates threw punches and kicks as Esdeath moved to defend, preparing for what would surely be the fight of her life.

G.U.N Airship - Beyond the Capital's reach - The day before the siege.

"Agent Shadow, a moment if you please. I'd like a last minute recalculation of our approach." commanded one of the higher officers. Shadow walked away from the monitor and into a wide conference room. The door shut behind him, and he stood besides Rouge and Omega while the General began to give his presentation. "So far, we have successfully baited Esdeath into a one on one against Shadow in the South Canyon. His job will be to retrieve the final Chaos Emerald, and then join us at the Riverbend upon the fall of Esdeath. While Shadow has his hands full, we will attack the small camp there using airstrikes to soften them first."

There was a notable silence around the room as people murmured. "Sir, you said our assault would be solely ground based." a nervous sounding field operative stammered. "Wh-why would you change it?"

"Efficiency. We have a new wave of Drones ready to launch, all with new coding and firewalls so they will be harder to hack than the previous ones." the General explained. "I'm so far the only one with access to those codes and their schematics, so any and all use of them must be run through me."

"Once the drones use airstrikes and flatten the hills, the landslide should crush the camp. We can have Omega and a squad comb it over and mop up the survivors. Then we press on; each small win will inspire the rebels and weaken the Imperial grip on the villages outside the Capital's Walls. This will also be a great chance for us to hook up with Night Raid, who are setting about neutralising an Imperial weapons depot along our way. Rouge will meet their General, Najenda, and aid them in the assault tonight. We will use that to collect supplies for new recruits and as a temporary base. It will also be the Rendezvous point for Shadow after his battle. Understood?"

There was a collective "Yes sir." but the one field operative looked very uncomfortable. She sat down as the other agents filed out. Shadow looked at her, but then played oblivious as he walked on out, shutting the door. "General, I need to access one of the drones!" protested the field op, shooting up from her seat. The General raised a hand, calmly explaining to her. "I know how tough it must have been, being only one of two survivors from the destruction of Outpost Massif, we lost a lot of good people and I trust you want to set that right, Caitlin." he walked to the door screen, turning it off.

"But I can't let you act out of panic. If you tell me what you need the drones for, I will see how best to incorperate them into the plan." he added.

"My duty." replied Caitlin.

"Come now, ambiguous answers never suited you." the General said, a soft smile on his face.

A gun clicked behind him. "My duty." she repeated. "To my family..."

There was a moment of silence between the two. "So... it was you." the General said, disappointment in his voice. "Why, Caitlin? Why would you side with the Empire?"

"You would too if you endured what I had to. They had my family, sir. The Prime Minister's son... he caught me... threatened them and... and..." she trembled, her inability to recall the events speaking a transparent testimony. The General stepped forwards, but she pointed the gun straight at his head, forcing him to step back. "When he... got me... I saw that this Empire... those in power simply can't be overthrown. I was forced to serve General Esdeath as a mole. They knew everything; knew exactly where I would be, and where my loved ones were. And I am not going to gamble the lives of daughters for a cause in a land nowhere near home." Caitlin explained, her blood boiling.

"I'm so sorry, Caitlin." he said, reaching for his pocket to reveal the bypasses and passwords. Caitlin lowered her gun... just enough. The General sprang into action, pushing her aiming arm one way before pinning her with all his weight. "I can't let you endanger my soldiers a moment longer." There was a brief struggle, but Caitlin grabbed a handful of his beard and pulled him to a side, allowing her to get to her feet. The General kicked her gun out of her hand, which landed in the hand of Shadow the Hedgehog.

The Ultimate Lifeform had been listening on the General's communications device. Caitlin's eyes widened. "No!" she lamented, seething. She backed into the corner, as Shadow removed the ammo of the gun and tossed it into the far corner behind him. "Agent Wilson, stand down. You will be spared." Shadow said, understanding the hard choice Caitlin had been forced to make.

"But you cost the lives of other people who had been helping us. People who could have helped save your family. If you tell me how to help, we can send Agents from Central City to free them." Shadow said. "Don't be a fool."

"He'll know. He probably already knows. And if I go back after all this, I... I couldn't look them in the eyes." she said, tears rolling down her cheek. "Shadow. General Sullivan. I can't do this..." she reached into her pocket and revealed a trigger for a detonator. Her chest lit up, as micro explosives from within her clothing began to prime. Shadow dashed in, grabbing her and teleporting into the air, far above the base.

"I'm sorry..." Shadow said, filled with sadness as he gently pushed her away. She exploded in a small ball of flames, but the base remained unharm. Shadow teleported back down to General Sullivan, who was in awe. "We have to push on with the plan. I will not let her death be for nothing." Shadow vowed.

At the dead of night, Rouge departed for her undercover mission with Night Raid. She was gone most of the night, but when she returned in the early hours she had a huge grin on her face. "The Empire had been looking for Night Raid on the other side of the border. We met minimal resistance and secured the depot; the rest is now up to you guys." she said, heading for her private quarters to unwind.

Shadow looked up to the sky. "It won't be long, Esdeath." he said. "General, I am going to depart. I'll see you on the other side."

"Good luck, Shadow." the General managed, still a little grief strickened by what happened to Caitlin the night before.

That Morning - South Canyon

Esdeath sat outside her tent, looking to the sky herself before looking towards the exterior approach to the South Canyon. She walked over to the rock faces, putting her hand on its smooth surface. "I hope Shadow is truly the combatant I have credited him for. I went to a lot of effort to create this counter measure." she narrated. "I am surprised that I haven't seen anything from my little mole. I guess Shadow was smart enough to flush her out in the end."

She smirked. "But the unpredictability will make this fight all the better. Don't keep me waiting, Shadow."

Moments Later

Esdeath could sense him. He hadn't even tried to conceal his presence. She looked towards the path, Shadow's head becoming visible over the slope as he approached. Methodically. "At last." Esdeath said with a grin.

"Hmph. Glad I gave you something to look forward to. But this is your last battle, General." Shadow warned.

"Oh please, spare me the dramatic scene. We're here to fight. Pure and simple. I have a Chaos Emerald, you have six. We both want what the other's got."

"Fine. Cutting right to the chase suits me." Shadow said, as he clenched his fists. "You're going down!"

He sprang at Esdeath, who created a small barrier of ice between her and the hedgehog. Shadow quickly moved on, circling Esdeath with kicks and punches as Esdeath moved to block. "Hah!" she cried, pushing both arms out and creating ice shields that pushed Shadow back a few feet. Shadow landed, but had already charged a Chaos Spear before his feet hit the floor. Esdeath took the attack - being thrown back into her tent and knocking it down. "Well played." she conceded. She then drew her sword at last, and Shadow contemplated drawing his own but kept true to his essentials.

He went for another Chaos Spear, and Esdeath cleaved the attack away before leaping forwards. Shadow met her head on, punches and kicks being traded amid scarily close sword strikes. Shadow curled for a Homing Attack, but Esdeath punched him away, and he skidded into the nearby ditch. He spun around, flicking stone and mud as he steam rolled for Esdeath again. The General used an ice shield to direct him slightly to the side, and then went in for a stab.  

Quickly, Shadow activated a Shield around himself, negating the damage. Esdeath was a little surprised, and this allowed Shadow to go back on the offense. He kicked Esdeath into a wall, but the crazed cryokinetic was more than able to carry on, dragging her sword through the floor and flicking a spark at Shadow, whose Shield held up again, blocking it. It didn't survive the next attack though, as Esdeath kicked Shadow - Shield and all - through a stone, cracking and splitting it in half.

Shadow teleported above Esdeath, looking to plant a heel into her forehead. Esdeath met him half way with a boot, the force sending them both several feet away. Esdeath threw small ice shards, Shadow responded with Chaos Spears. The hedgehog shook his offense up though by running around Esdeath the whole time and then drawing a gun. He fired, but Esdeath was pretty comfortable in defence, blocking the bullets as they came. Frustrated, Shadow threw the gun to distract her, and teleported behind to kick her in the head, but Esdeath caught both the pistol and Shadow, freezing over Shadow's leg and shattering the gun in her hand.  

"Damn it!" Shadow lamented, as he was planted face first into the stone. Shadow built up a head of steam with a Spin Dash, freeing himself for a moment but the chunk of ice on his ankle slowed him enough so Esdeath had an easy time of hitting him with a cannon ball of ice. The attack took the wind out of Shadow's sails, as the Ultimate Lifeform slid into a wall. Shadow kicked his frozen foot on a rock, breaking the ice and leaping up at Esdeath. The general froze a strip of the floor before Shadow to slow his approach, but Shadow used it to his advantage, his skating movements making Esdeath's plan back fire as he punched her straight in the face.

Esdeath leapt up, creating a drill head of ice, which she launched at Shadow, who activated a Heat Barrier, leaping through the summoned weapon and splitting it in half before attacking with a combination of punches. With momentum, Shadow punched her into the air, teleported behind her, kicked her aside before rounding the sequence by teleporting above her and dropping her with Chaos Spear. Esdeath crashed to the ground, creating a crater beneath her as she struggled to her feet.

Shadow landed a few feet away from her, smirking. "Lost your touch?" he asked, smugly. Esdeath glared, rubbing her bruising cheek as she walked towards the hedgehog, who kept his guard up. "Now that I have tested your character more I can see this will be everything I wanted." she said. "Did you learn from our last battle? You seem to have taken your failures and rallied them into your strengths." she drew her sword again, the tip shining as it pointed to his neck. "You won't recover from this next failure."

"Don't be sure I'll fail in the first place." Shadow responded, hitting out at the sword with his own as it materialised into existence. Esdeath backed up, ready for the sword fight, but Shadow had a different idea. Realising he was outdone as a fencer, he teleported the sword above Esdeath, and tried to force it to connect as he ambushed her with Chaos Spear. Esdeath turned on the spot, her spare hand creating an ice shield to block the spears while her blade slashed Shadow's away. Shadow teleported to catch his weapon and then blocked Esdeath's counter attack. He performed a Spin Dash, his sword spinning and slashing on each rotation, but Esdeath blocked them all with minimal struggle. Shadow lunged with a stab, which Esdeath stomped on nimbly, trapping the sword to the floor as she froze and shattered it.

And suddenly, the gears shifted. Something just changed in Esdeath's movements and she suddenly had all the momentum.

She threw a right hook downwards, knocking Shadow to the floor - running onto him with a stomp, the force of which set him up perfectly for a volleyed kick into the air. She lunged after him, slashing the hedgehog multiple times, and then followed the slashes with a meaty hook, an fist encased in ice smashing into Shadow and socking him through a small slab, putting him on his front, clearly wounded. He slowly stood, and dodged a kick but could do nothing about the hammering blow to the back of the head from Esdeath's blade handle. Finally, Shadow seperated himself from Esdeath, teleporting into the air and diving behind a loose rock, tipping it over and dropping it at the General.

Esdeath saw it coming, and leapt at it, cutting through the rock and flicked a shard of ice at Shadow's feet, forcing an awkward dodge that favoured Esdeath. She grabbed Shadow by the arm and pulled him off the high ground and the two spilled back to their starting positions, a little shook up.

Shadow stood first, but Esdeath was not close to being done, despite the numbers of scuffs, cuts and bruises up her body.

Suddenly, a huge explosion in the distance happened, catching Esdeath by surprise, but not Shadow. She looked over and saw a rock face in the distance collapsing and crushing what she knew was an Imperial Outpost. "I see." she said.

"It's begun. And soon, there will be nothing of the Empire left." Shadow replied. "The Revolution will only grow stronger."

"I would take no satisfaction from crushing it otherwise!" Esdeath spat, lunging up at Shadow, who blocked her with a kick. She skidded backwards, and then placed a hand on the floor, creating a strip of ice spikes towards Shadow. He dodged again, but when he looked, a floating Esdeath was above him. "What?" he demanded, as she punched him to the floor. Shadow took the attack and dished one back out in desperation, but several ice shields ran down his momentum and he landed in the middle of the canyon. He then looked again. Esdeath had made off with the final Chaos Emerald.

"You..." he began in disbelief.

"You will die as you lived, Shadow. A fool. As powerful as you may be, your tactics and decision making leave a lot to be desired." Esdeath smirked. She then sprung the trap, and from the ice walls around the black and red hedgehog, the Ice Cavalry emerged. Shadow looked around in disbelief, the flying Esdeath positioned just behind the perimeter of the cavalry.

"You will still be granted a warrior's death, Shadow. I will enjoy your feeble attempts to prolong and prevent your downfall. Prepare yourself!" Esdeath promised, pointing her sword at Shadow, cueing the cavalry to march on him.

"This whole time you wanted the power of the Chaos Emeralds. And I tried to avoid being like you, using power and might as a spectacle." Shadow began, closing his eyes and removing an Inhibitor Ring.

"But now I see there is no need for me to hold back. This is exactly the kind of battle where I should cut loose!" Shadow finished, removing the second ring.

A gold glow permeated the area, feeding back into Shadow as Esdeath shielded her eyes. When she looked, Shadow was charging into her Ice Calvalry, tearing apart her well trained soldiers with minimal effort. "He had this up his sleeve the entire time. What possible benefit could the Emeralds offer him?" she asked herself, before flying towards him, trying to cut off his momentum. Shadow caught her sword, and snapped the blade clean in two but was distracted by another cavalier before he could end Esdeath there and then. Esdeath threw her flight aids at Shadow, who powered through them. He cut clean through another ice cavalier and then was ready to punch through Esdeath's whole body, when suddenly...

"Mahadpama!"

Shadow stopped right where he was. "I sincerely congratulate you, Shadow. Your grand resurgence forced me to use two Trump Cards in one battle, a feat I have never had to perform before." she created a pair of spiked ice pillars, and looked to blend Shadow. But the relish she took in her imminent triumph was to come back and bite her; just as the attack came close enough, Shadow teleported away, using a Chaos Spear to burn through the attacks. He then hit a Homing Attack right into the chest of the sadistic General. Esdeath skidded into a rock, before she was axe handled back first onto a jagged way, nearly crippling her.

The Ultimate Lifeform landed behind her as she picked herself up. With a cry, she snatched a sword from a fallen cavalier member and placed it in the ground, using it as a centre point for her next ice attack - a frenzy of ice shards stemming out and serving as a shell against Shadow. Shadow leapt out of their range, and threw down a mighty Chaos Spear, an avalanche of Chaos Energy bombarding Esdeath's defences and shattering them.

From the rubble though, emerged the undefeated General. She cleaved at Shadow, who teleported a few steps back. Good range for Esdeath to kick an ice sphere the size of the hedgehog right at him. Shadow caught and blocked the attack, but Esdeath's will was strong and pushed both the attack and Shadow away. Shadow skidded next to the shattered parts of Esdeath's original sword and threw them at her. She dodged as she lunged, but Shadow met her half way, grabbing her by the neck and teleporting her into the flight path of the broken sword's halves.

The ends impacted, hitting Esdeath on a shoulder and grazing her stomach. She hissed in pain, looking to rip the sword's half out of her shoulder, but Shadow kicked it as hard as he could, driving it and properly wedging it into the flesh. Esdeath panted, and where any sane person would be worried from the damage, Esdeath smirked and stood up straight. She grabbed the blade, and ripped it from the flesh, using the momentum to whack Shadow back.

Her arm was now basically useless, after sustaining such damage so she dealt with it the one way she knew how; by removing it entirely. The flailing arm was chopped right off her body with a quickly made shard of ice. In its stead, she grew a blade out of her shoulder and grinned at Shadow, who was horrified by the lengths his enemy would go to beat him.

"Stripping away your own flesh - appropriate for such a twisted monster." Shadow commented, as he used a Spin Dash, charging the wounded General. Esdeath shielded with her new ice arm and then struck out at Shadow with her remaining organic one. Shadow caught the hand and twisted it around, but Esdeath showed impressive acrobatics, bending over and bringing a leg over her head, scorpion kicking Shadow on the head. With the chain grapple broken, Esdeath flew out the gates again with a boot. Shadow quickly activated a shield, sending her flying off upwards into the air and back down a few feet away.

Shadow darted in, but Esdeath created a column of ice to repel him. Shadow smashed through each peak, before coming face to face with the General. He grabbed her by the collar and teleported into the air. The pair were looking at a huge fall, grabbing and swiping at one another on the descent. Esdeath got Shadow in a head lock, dragging them towards a small body of water. She tilted at the right moment, submerging Shadow with the impact, freezing the surface, and keeping her organic body parts above the ice. She laughed as Shadow thumped at the icy prison, keeping the pressure on the drowning Ultimate Lifeform.

Beneath the surface, Shadow calmed himself, ready to teleport but as he tried to, Esdeath turned the underside of the ice to spikes. Shadow fell deeper, having little choice but to use a Chaos Spear, cutting through the ice and temporarily taking Esdeath's ice arm. The pair then collided with a punch each, causing a double knock down. Chaos Emeralds spilled everywhere as the pair were on all fours, or three in Esdeath's case, panting with exhaustion.

Shadow swung first, punching Esdeath back into a tree before driving his knee into her stomach. It was a stiffer impact than anticipated, as Esdeath used a sheet of ice to serve as a shield beneath her clothing. Shadow broke off and teleported around Esdeath with great speed, seemingly appearing at random. Esdeath's counter measure was ineffective; every ice attack sent back at the Ultimate Lifeform was repelled and dodged. Shadow smiled; he had her beat.

As if it was the only play Esdeath could make, the General sprang forth at the Emeralds on the floor, giving Shadow a massive opening from her left flank. He came down with a Homing Attack, straight for the ribs. He then suddenly stopped, his legs stuck in place as ice grew over his body like a disease. "No!" he grumbled, desperately punching the cryokinetic cage forming around him. He tried to teleport, but Esdeath broke his thought process with a strike to the forehead. Shadow's eyes grew heavy. No way... Could he really have fallen for this? Esdeath picked up the Chaos Emeralds and smirked.

"You lose." she remarked. "You all lose. The ones who die, lose. The ones who live will lose, those who bear the children to fight in the future, will lose, and their children will suffer in their place. This is the way the relationship between the weak and the poor will always be."

"The Empire is losing this war." Shadow said weakly. "We both saw the attack being commenced."

"You misunderstand, Shadow, as fools like you always do. This is not about Empires and Rebels. It is about weak and poor. Even if the Empire is removed, there will always be conflict and fighting. Hell, I will start a war myself if I want - wouldn't even be hard; hate and malice will always be more natural human nature than love and kinship. The gushy, tranquil future you and the bleeding hearts with the Rebels will NEVER exist. The first time enough people can't see eye to eye, you'll go through this all over again."

She picked up an Emerald, and then turned with her new lance prosthetic. "That said, Shadow. You are the lucky one. You fought my hardest battle yet, I will grant you the mercy of not living on, watching hopelessly for a world of peace. Prepare yourself."

Shadow grimaced as the lance extended out towards his face, the tip of which he lashed out at and bit down on, ripping it apart. Esdeath sneered at the feeble attempt to still rally his strength, retracting her lance and instead creating an ice sword. Shadow felt it welling up inside him; the will to protect, to do good. He could be like her, he could start and win wars as he pleased... But he was something stronger. If Esdeath was might and oppression, Shadow was compassion and understanding. Just like he had promised those years ago...

He glowed a blue aura, shattering his prison as he ascended before the General. Displeased, she tossed a handful of ice spears at Shadow, but the hedgehog blasted through them, his power bursting through. He hit the ground with a punch, forcing Esdeath to leap up and away, while also making her drop the Chaos Emeralds. Shadow smirked, kneeling and getting them to all float around him. Finally, he had all the Chaos Emeralds!

"So use them!" Esdeath beckoned. "Show me the true power they possess!" she created ice axe heads, throwing them over at Shadow who weaved and tucked away from them. He slid down to the ground, kicking out the General's left foot, and then dodging the retaliation of ice spikes from that same foot. Shadow hit a Homing Attack to the chest, Esdeath propped herself up on the nearby stone, turning her ice stump into a blunt weapon, looking to club the hedgehog on his next approach. He used a shield, protecting himself entirely and watching as Esdeath's ice attack shattered before them. He then punched her in the eye, which immediately swelled up, he hit her again and again backing her all the way up to an edge. He went for a Spin Dash, which Esdeath directed away, creating almost a ramp angling to a side, which Shadow shot over. He got his bearings quick, teleporting back onto the ground before the Empire's Strongest.

Esdeath stumbled to the edge of the rocky hill and weakly looked back at Shadow. Shadow glared back. Finally, Esdeath's legs went weak and she fell off the side of the rocks, free falling to the unforgiving stone and dirt below. Shadow looked down the edge, relief washing him over before. It was all replaced when he looked over; a fathomless face frozen on the hedgehog as his eyes followed his target into the air.

"I've never really been much of an animal person, Shadow. I despise the cattle of the Capital, grew up butchering the animals near my tribe, and now you! Ironic that I should now lean on a Danger Beast to crush you!" Esdeath declared from the back of her Wyvern Danger Beast! "You've brought the worst out of me in this fight, Hedgehog. But this is the Final Stretch. You will kill me here, or I end any hope of this rebellion today!"

Shadow allowed the Emeralds to orbit him again. It was time. Esdeath's Wyvern pounced at Shadow, biting down and collapsing the platform the Hedgehog had once stood on. Esdeath stared at the wreckage. Surely not...

From inside the beast's mouth, a surge of gold emerged, ripping the jaw open and throwing Esdeath back. She quickly created ice around her to help her into a glide. Shadow burst through the Wyvern's mouth, kicking it to the ground as it landed in a heap, lifeless and staining the stone red.

Now it was Esdeath's turn...

Quickly, Shadow burst at the General, who's best option here was to defend. An ice wall several meters thick appeared before Shadow, gone. Grauhorns burst towards Super Shadow, but were reduced to mere hail sprinkled on the blood soaked floor. Esdeath should be panicking, she should have been scared out of her mind. Yet she smiled.

That was something Shadow could not grasp. The smirk on the face of the General, how her eyes glowed as if she was witnessing the most electric spectacle on offer. It made him sick.

"It's time to unleash the Ultimate Power!" Shadow declared, waving his hand as a volley of Chaos Spears, much more intense than any previous part of the battle, rained down on the General. Esdeath's ice could not keep up. While she was throwing them in the way, far too many broke through and either grazed or outright singed her flesh. If not for her own great reactions, she'd have been dead in the first volley. Shadow opted to charge the next wave. As he focused the attack, Esdeath injected something into her neck. A serum made by her subordinate, Dr Stylish. She panted and huffed as the substance coursed into her body, but the trade off would be worth it.

Shadow noted the insertion. It'd likely be something to give her a power boost. He'd need to be decisive. 'Stylish's Serum - it'll allow me to use my Trump Cards once again.' Esdeath thought. Okay, it's time!

She flew forth, sending her ice prosthetic first, looking to stab Super Shadow's heart out. The Hedgehog took the attack, knowing he couldn't be hurt in this condition, before kicking out and knocking Esdeath into a surrounding woodland. Esdeath sent giant pillars of ice to snap tree trunks, trying to slow Shadow down, but the Super hedgehog pursued relentlessly. His Chaos Spears cut down the tree and stone between he and the Empire's Strongest, before he fired a Spear of Light into the ground beneath her, collapsing the floor. Shadow was on her in a flash, but Esdeath used several ice shields to repel the assault. Shadow was attacking so aggressively, and that was when Esdeath realised, this whole time, Shadow in this form was only temporary. She would stall him, and then end him. She ducked another strike, but Shadow had alternate plans to Esdeath; instead, his intention was to grab her by the hair and drag her through the woods.

He threw her into a thick tree trunk, before charging a Super charged Spin Dash, ready to execute her. He'd need to be decisive; he didn't have the rings to keep the form up. In a blur of gold, Shadow came at Esdeath, who tilted a Grauhorn to divert Shadow away... mostly. Shadow cut like a buzzsaw, and the red of her own blood spoiled the perverted pure white of her uniform. Esdeath cried out, as Shadow flicked his body up, Esdeath's life being only spared by the collapse of the trunk that had propped her up. She landed, sprawled, and realising that now Shadow had taken a foot in his assault. She turned to flick a counter assault, but Shadow came through again, this time a Chaos Spear burning the side of Esdeath's face and revealing the skull around her right eye. Shadow had the momentum, despite his Super Form finally expiring.

Ice shot from the opening where Esdeath's leg had been - planting onto the ground. Esdeath took a few seconds to adjust to her new weight and mobility. Then, mid way through a stumbling step, launched a swarm of spearing icicles through the air. Shadow teleported aside, watching them decimate a nearby tree. Frenzied, Esdeath erected several barriers of ice, with jagged edges and fronts to repel the returning fire - a barrage of Homing Attacks breaching her defence. When the last wall crumbled, Esdeath planted her biological hand on the floor, and created a ball of ice. It was an attack Shadow recognised; Hagelsprung! It cannoned across the floor this time, Shadow having to be fast in his counter. He placed his hands on the ice attack, pushing it back with his might. In a flash, he teleported into the air and sent it barrelling down at Esdeath, given boosted speed with Shadow rushing behind it.

Not used to being on this end of the attack, Esdeath sent more pillars to counter, trapping it atop them. Shadow thought she might though, and began using Homing Attacks off each supporting pillar, causing tremors and shaking them enough to roll the Hagelsprung into the widening gaps. Esdeath knew the cause was lost here, so relented, tumbling her own pillars with an ice axe head she summoned from her arm. It all collapsed into a spray of mist. Shadow shielded his eyes, trying to predict where the assault was coming from. There came a clattering sound from beyond the mist, and Shadow focused on the source, sending a Chaos Spear deep within. An outline fell before the hedgehog, though it wasn't even human; a deer like Danger Beast. Shadow realised quickly what this meant, turning around and throwing a shield over himself, blocking Esdeath's axe strike. He held his ground, until Esdeath assaulted with her leg's prosthetic - a battering ram which sent the shield into the grounded Hagelsprung.

From inside the ice sphere, Shadow assaulted the General with Chaos Spears, but Esdeath created a small army's worth of swords around her to repel them. In a blur of whirling blades, she charged into the opening created by Shadow's impact, looking to cut the hedgehog into ribbons. Shadow reactivated his shield, but this time used more movement, looking to trap Esdeath's weapons in the narrow gaps and wedge them into the walls. He quickly realised though that Esdeath was leading him into a trap; now they were stuck in a narrow corridor, and Esdeath had backed away. A Grauhorn appeared between Shadow and Esdeath, burrowing through the incision Esdeath had perfected. Shadow ran the opposite direction, before looping around and meeting the assault head on with a Black Tornado.

The tornado and ice attack collided, and between them ripped the ice sphere open, spilling both Esdeath and Shadow outside. Shadow noticed blood seeping into his glove - along the lines, some of the ice had hit him. Not fatal, but not a good sign either.

Esdeath walked methodically to Shadow, her body barely holding together after strained dependence on her prosthetics. Her missing arm was now a rapier, fitting really. Her boot was just enough to keep her on a vertical base. She refused to lose. She was not weak enough to fail.

Shadow summoned his Dark Hammer, resting its head on the floor. Esdeath smirked, pouncing at the hedgehog, who bided his time and drew her in.

The hammer then dropped, hard, barely missing Esdeath's organic leg as she angled her kick. Shadow teleported away from the attack, immediately breaking into a Spin Dash as he reappeared, getting him past the countering stab. He tackled her, and looked to bring the hammer down on her chest. Esdeath created a platform of ice to try and shield the blow. It took the attack, but the shards of the attack dug into her. She hissed with discomfort. "Damn you, Shadow!" she snarled, pointing her blade - conducting a Grauhorn. Shadow saw it coming, and hit his hammer into her attack in its infant stages. The attack retracted, and Shadow had a clear shot on the reeling general.

He hit her in the back, sending her face first into a loose pillar of ice. She stood, and threw her rapier at the charging Shadow. The hedgehog hammered it downwards, breaking it. He continued his stride, running down the general who pulled a wall to defend herself. Gone. She drew another across herself. Smashed. She angled for a kick, looking to chin Shadow as he landed with his attack. But Shadow opted to throw the hammer upwards instead. He then teleported besides Esdeath and kicked her, before appearing in front of her and striking her again. He then karate chopped her from another angle. Esdeath blocked the fourth attack, realising what Shadow was about to do. Knowing she could not get there first, she threw ice shards into the air, desperate to change the hammer's fall trajectory. Shadow kicked her in the gut and then grabbed the hammer. As he went to bash her brains out, Esdeath uttered one word.

"Mahadpama!"

Shadow's assault froze, and Esdeath bridged out of the predicament. She grabbed the hammer and shattered it in a deep freeze. She then placed Grauhorns all around Shadow's position. "The final play of your wretched life." she said bitterly. She then turned away, putting a wall between her and Shadow.

Time resumed as normal, and the trap sprung around Shadow. Quick realisation sunk in, and he teleported twice in succession, once out of the trap and the other high into the air, with one of the Grauhorns. Esdeath could sense the presence, and turned upwards. She let out a cry, twinged with rage and exhaustion. She sent one final ice spear at Shadow, meeting his in midair. Esdeath's pushed on, pushing Shadow into the air, but the hedgehog had a plan, using his hammer, he broke the two attacks and came back down to the ground with the sharp ends of the attacks. Esdeath couldn't block, and the attack was too fast to dodge. Finally, she realised, she would have to obey the natural order of life.

The attacks made a massive squelch as they lodged into Esdeath's stomach, pinning her against a rock face. She struggled for breath against the weight of the attacks, glaring at Shadow, who picked himself up from the floor, also worse for wear. He walked over to the stranded general. "Esdeath..." he commented, clenching his fist. "Know this is only the beginning of your defeat. The rebellion will prevail, and the people of this land will know peace once more!"

Esdeath sneered, turning as she coughed blood up. "An amusing vision you have, Shadow. I suspect you'll remember this moment all too soon." she then turned back to him. "Regardless, you have bested me. There is no point to any further conversation here. But I request one last thing."

Shadow stared at Esdeath.

"Kill me as if I were a soldier. I will not beg for mercy or stand any trials. If it has to be this way, let's hold nothing back." she carried on.

"To think after all this, you still have the arrogance to presume I am weak enough to leave it to chance." Shadow said. "General, I intend to purge you from this world. It is not a soldier's death, but a deliverance of justice!" the Ultimate Lifeform's rage bubbled, brought on by the intensity of the battle. "Goodbye, Esdeath!"

"Looks like you were only half right, Shadow. When we first met, you swore I would be disappointed... You lived up to the challenge I knew you'd be."

Not entertaining her any further, he charged up a powerful build up of Chaos energy in his hand, and sent a ruthless volley of Chaos Spears through her brain.

The general was unfazed the whole time, before her life finally expired and she remained slumped into the rock, her blood soaking her white uniform.

Shadow looked towards where the rebels had begun their march; Green Flares popped all over the section; today had been a successful day for the rebels! Shadow checked on the power of the Chaos Emeralds. He would be able to use them again soon, but for now he needed to regroup. He began his run across the woods, disappearing into the ranks of the G.U.N offensive.

Behind him, a lone scout dropped in from the sky looking to collect a report on the progress of the General. Run ran over to the slumped body of his superior. "Commander?" he said, shock overtaking his whole demeanour. He made a note of all the damage, and the use of a Serum provided by his team mate, Dr Stylish. "This complicates matters. As it stands, the Empire will have collapsed by the end of the week." Having gathered enough, he flew towards the Palace. How would Great General Budo adapt the Empire's approach?

KO!

Conclusion[]

Boomstick: Is it finally over? There's like... a LOT to unpack.

Wiz: Firstly, let's give massive credit to Esdeath - I think the common consensus was that Shadow just made this a cake walk. And while the Hedgehog certainly had plenty that would warrant this assumption, it often ignores what Esdeath had going for her.

Boomstick: Let's get the obvious Shadow advantage out the way - his speed. Shadow frequently matches, and has been seen surpassing Sonic the Hedgehog on foot. We have seen Sonic reach speeds of at least Mach 260,664.7. Far, far faster than Esdeath's speed displayed in her pursuit of Tatsumi, clash with Akame or even when she dodged Budo's lightning.

Wiz: But, what is important to note about this speed feat is that Shadow clearly doesn't just use it to burn past opponents frequently enough. He was evidently much slower when he fought Infinite, Silver and Eggman in their battles. Also, you'd then have to make a case for characters like Charmy Bee being level in speed.

Side Note: Not that I would, but even if we scaled Esdeath to the fastest known reactions and movements in Akame ga Kill, she would still be too slow by quite some distance. She dodged Akame frequently, but Akame hasn't a patch on Shadow's own speed - and that is without him going Super or considering his ability to teleport.

Boomstick: Esdeath took the clear edge in ways of her smarts and strategy. While she has been outwitted by Najenda in the past, that was really down to the relationship the two shared as comrades. Najenda knew what made Esdeath tick, and there's no saying Shadow really could do the same.

Wiz: She has been a front line soldier for years, and has masterminded several victories over the rebel army, while also being able to use her limited resources and depleted ranks to hold the rebels back in the final battle. She outsmarted Najenda by revealing new Trump Cards and had a brilliant understanding of physiology for both Danger Beasts and Humans.

Boomstick: Shadow is hardly an idiot, but he has never been shown to be a tactician on par with Esdeath. He likes to let his fists and his feet do the talking. Plus, we have seen Shadow be manipulated much more than Esdeath, and while those who used him often regretted it, Shadow usually didn't catch on until he had a second perspective.

Wiz: She also had the edge in experience. While Shadow has worked for G.U.N and fought pound for pound, more ferocious enemies than Esdeath has, the General has been the spear head for the Empire for many years, and has learned a great deal from a variety of enemies scattered through the story. Even from infancy, she was killing beasts and entering dangerous Martial Arts contests, besting prodigies such as Merraid Oarburgh on the way.

Boomstick: Comparing their Time Stops was fun, but I think we all knew Shadow's Chaos Control was a few notches above Esdeath's Mahadpama. Esdeath can only use her once a day, whereas Shadow can use his over and over. Shadow's could also be used for time travel, something Mahadpama could never achieve.

Side Note: There is also the debate of Shadow being able to straight up dodge Mahadpama. Akame was able to trick Esdeath in the anime by leaving an afterimage, which was Esdeath's bloodlust. Though it is considered non canon, I treat the anime as a re-telling, using attributes the characters were capable of to tell the story another way. If Akame could do it, so could Shadow. Though he would need to know what was coming...

Wiz: Super Shadow was also a very hard foe to overcome. Not only did it buff the stats that Esdeath already trailed in, but it gave Shadow invincibility, something Esdeath would have to wait out as opposed to charging through. And while Esdeath was certainly capable of changing up her strategies, Super Shadow left little room for movement.

Boomstick: And that thing could be used to restrain Final Mova - albeit, with every ounce of strength Shadow had - which weighed a frankly disgusting 280 Billion tons. Esdeath has never lifted even remotely close to that, and nothing she could send Shadow's way was too hard for him to redirect using that number as a baseline.

Side Note: Yes, that took all his might, but Shadow is capable of switching strength into his fighting style frequently, such as destroying machines and flipping over buses. That said, this battle was not solely dependent on their strength.

Wiz: So, what exactly did Esdeath have on her side that made this such a marathon? Well, really it all came down to the psychology of the fight. Shadow is a formidable foe, exactly the kind of fight Esdeath would have craved. But he also offered something in combat that Esdeath had never really encountered - being on the back foot. However, when we have seen her in this position, she always found ways to turn the battle into a war. Take the final battle, Esdeath had no hope of winning. She was against a nearly fully evolved Tatsumi, Akame, the entire ground force of the Rebel Army - fifty thousand strong, along with ten Teigu users. The way Esdeath drew the battle out was through the dissection of psychology, strategy and will.

Boomstick: Esdeath knew she was going to have to break Shadow in order to truly best him, so went about defeating his allies, leaving him with scars, stealing the Chaos Emeralds themselves and showing no remorse for the innocent people being hurt in the process. In the past, Shadow might have been unfazed, but the more modern Shadow would at least take a step back.

Wiz: In addition, Esdeath new exactly how to make a battle last - such as using techniques like the Ice Cavalry, which would have given Shadow enough to worry about at the best of times, more so after days of back and forth fighting. This isn't to say Shadow is a pushover, but Esdeath taking the initiative to fight the battle in his mind was never going to go away either. She displayed this against the rebels brilliantly, when she lied about a new technique that the spies reported to the army, instilling discomfort. She flew over an advanced unit merely to crush its leader and break their resolve.

Boomstick: And then when she got into the actual battle, she wore out Tatsumi in little time, and only retreated as those were her orders in preperation for the activation of Primus Imperator. She damaged will, and then left before returning later to pick off what was left.

Wiz: Her final battle with Akame also demonstrates this, she identified the Rebels' plan and then activated the Continent wide ice storm to attack people, innocent or otherwise, across the land - weakening the resolve of many in Najenda's ranks. Yes, she did go on to die in that battle too, but she wore down the confidence of the Rebel Army, and fought on while depleted against Akame who had two chances to buff her own stats.

Boomstick: Shadow would be treading in deep water the more Esdeath was allowed to create her own roots in the battle. And, being the survivalist she is, she was more than capable of keeping herself in the fight, even despite Shadow's strength and speed advantages.

Wiz: The problem for Esdeath was that, well, she didn't really have much in the ways of actually killing Shadow. Sure, a stab in the heart would do it, or freezing and shattering him but the issue was Shadow had more ways to replenish his strength.

Boomstick: Even when she absorbed her Cavalry's power, she was never going to gain a level of strength on par with the increasingly pissed off Shadow, who could use that rage to power Chaos Blast. And she was still not as strong as Super Shadow, or his Inhibitor Ring removing state.

Wiz: Esdeath would fight dirty, though her actual skill should not be overlooked - though a lot of people will do that to her. Shadow would need to overcome all the losses of morale, and Esdeath pulling out tricks from thin air, similar to himself in that vein.

Boomstick: Esdeath is a master at manipulating each individual battle, playing long games where needed and killing it off where she has to. In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that Esdeath is quite literally the perfect counter to overwhelming odds. Most of the time.

Wiz: In the end, despite her very best, it would lead to the same playing field. She was still up against a superior foe in all the categories that mattered in a Death Battle. Esdeath gets an A for effort, and this will be a battle Shadow remembers for the longest time. But she falls a little short of the Ultimate Lifeform.

Boomstick: Esdeath's plans just fell apartas the war went on, and Shadow put an end to her lust for Chaos.

Wiz: The winner is Shadow the Hedgehog.

Custom Track[]

Chaos Extract


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