3 years later
I was now 17, Ashley was 20 and Maria was 24. A lot has happened during these three years. I became a Grand Duke and I took control of the mansion where the Viscount of the Rodias Family had once resided. In the end, they were sentenced to death and Ashley had the honour of breaking their necks. On the outside, I was Isaac Blake, the son of Michael Blake and Lora Blake. Nicknamed the 'Noble Killer' after massacring several corrupt noble families. Commoners loved me. Nobles feared me and what is feared must be exterminated. I was soon no stranger to attempted assassinations. Even if I found the one responsible, there were just too many attempts. In the end I couldn't bare it anymore. I realised it was too much for one. So I decided...
"Subordinate greets Lord Shinokage. We have completed the mission. The Duke of Windburg has been assassinated successfully. Subordinate has made sure to disguise it as an accident."
"Good. Well done."
I decided to make my own organisation to help me. In order to pick out trustworthy people, I went out to find all the victims I saved ever since I was ten years old and other people who owed me their lives. Of course I didn't force them but a majority chose to follow me. In order to train them to be my aides in the shortest amount of time, I placed them in my dimensional world which had grown to about the size of a city and had an artificial sun after i invested a few months in seclusion in growing it. Time flow there flows faster with one year on the main world equalling to about five years in there. In the beginning, I had fifty members join my organisation. Ashley and I took turns in training them to the best of our abilities in certain aspects of combat. Ashley dealt with martial arts and I dealt with magical arts. Houses were built in the dimensional world and as time passed, it gradually started to look like a sect. As I sent the first 50 on missions, they came back with others they rescued and we trained them too. And just like that, the Black Death Familia was formed. An organisation dedicated to destroying any negative activity that destroys lives.We didn't distinguish between races, age or status. From the highest noble engaged in trafficking and corruption to the academy students who made life hell for others. If the victim was willing to enter our doors in exchange for killing you, we would comply. We'd train them in what they chose to learn. Currently they had four routes. Alchemist, assassin, spy or merchant. We'd then remake our profit once they completed their training and served us. Most of the Familia's funds came from the pills we make, which would be put in the hands of the merchants and sold. The herbs I planted were fed with rich mana energy and magic circles that accelerated growth speed by and quality. As such, our products were always highly sought after in auctions. We also had a few extra workers like the parents and other family members of the recruits to take care of the Familia Mansion, fields and library containing several books I wrote that record a few spells of mine. Ashley hesitantly wrote a book containing fighting techniques. Maria had helped her edit it.
Dimensional World, Headquarters of the Black Death Familia
I was in my room absorbing mana. The reason the dimensional world has mana is because it is connected to the main world so mana from the main world would enter. Since I had arranged mana absorption circles, the density of mana had increased by alot. Right now, my current amount of mana could just about blanket the entire planet and my detection magic could span the entire country of Linchestin. Since this is my realm, I could see and hear everything that happens in it.
"Seems like everyone is doing well. I've been here for three years now managing things. They should be able to function without me being here full time from now on. Let me personally teach one last class before I leave."
I exited my room and stood on the balcony. I could see the new recruits by the training grounds donning the uniforms Ashley, Maria and I created. The assassins and spies wore a black robe with white skulls dotted on it. The rest wore custom made clothes that were fitted with hidden pockets so that they could equip knives and other things in hidden places. Our numbers excluding the helpers totalled 250 in total. Of the original 50 that arrived, 25 were assassins, 10 were spies, 5 were merchants and 10 were alchemists. Each would occasionally teach the new recruits if the other was busy in the main world. Of the 200 recruits, 100 were assassins, 50 were spies, 40 were alchemists and 10 were merchants. They were in training but they were decent. I jumped down and started walking to the assassin trainees.
"We haven't had any new recruits for a year. We're in no rush but i need more alchemists for the healers to supplement and recover their mana. The Principality has been getting bolder as of recent and has started border disputes with us. Maria has been working hard in assigning border guards to combat the issue. It seems she's really suitable for the palace. Maybe she'll make a good queen."
"Oh? Who'd make a good queen?"
It was Ashley. She'd occasionally take a group of trainees to massacre the people of the Principality at the border. She had just come back from the main world and entered here with the magic I taught her.
"I meant Maria, not you. You'll be the death of us."
"WHAT?!?! I CAN BE A GOOD QUEEN!!!"
"Can you host parties? Can you bear wearing fancy dresses that don't allow you to stretch your legs up high? Can you work the national budget? Can you hold half a day meetings with random old men? Can you stay inside the palace the whole day?"
Ashley was stunned by my sudden attack. As she imagined the scenarios I mentioned, she gave up.
"Fine! You win. I can't stand those frilly dresses and those old men."
I held her shoulder.
"You're already the queen of this place. Your presence here is felt everywhere and you're respected. There's no need to rule over an empire of old grumpy men when there are young men full of vitality right there."
She thought to herself.
"Yes of course! Leave the man you've known for seven years and jump on some random stranger you've barely known for one."
We had arrived there and the trainees greeted us.
"Greetings to Lord Shinokage (Shadow of Death) and Lady Nikuyanokage (Shadow Butcher)."
She greeted the trainees and walked away.
"Today's the day right? I'll start gathering my things."
As she walked away, I turned to the trainees and spoke.
"All right. Let's begin."
3 hours later
"Have any of you mastered Instinct Teleportation yet?"
"..."
"I'll take that as a no. Let me explain it to you. Instinct Teleportation is your last resort. When you feel that you're about to die or enter a compromising situation, use it. You'll automatically teleport to a safe point you marked with your mana. It saved my life once to a few years ago when I was caught off guard and noticed the danger too late. Before you go take a book on it from the library, I suggest you increase your mana capacity a bit more. The mana you currently have is not enough. There's no rush. You've still got four years left before your first mission. Use this year to increase your mana capacity as much as possible."
"YES LORD SHINOKAGE! THANK YOUR FOR YOUR WISDOM!"
The trainees left and I spoke to Roguro, the 26th to arrive.
"How is the training going?"
"It is going well my lord. They'll become unrivaled masters in the empire."
"Thank you. Remember that before you teach them Instinct Teleportation, they must experience a real battle. I ask that you go with Ashley next time she goes to the border. That is currently the best place for a real battle experience. Make them experience the feeling of being close death."
"Yes my Lord."
The original 50 are the people who know our identities. They were the ones we saved over the four years Ashley and I trained to be Assassins. As such, they were our first go-to when we set up the Familia.
"I'll be preparing to leave soon. Gather the Originals for me in 10 minutes. I have a message for them."
"At once my lord."
I vanished and appeared in Ashley's room. She was still taking a shower as I plopped down on her bed.
"How come your bed is more comfortable than mind?"
She came out of the shower wrapped in her towel.
"Because I asked Maria to choose it for me dummy."
I looked at her and sighed.
"Call me back once you've worn some clothes."
I tried to vanish but Ashley caught me.
"Is elder sister causing you to be too excited?"
I laughed.
"Elder sister? If your age started with a three or higher I might've gotten excited."
She pressed herself onto my chest as she looked into my eyes.
"You know Isaac? We've technically spent fifteen years here so doesn't my age...cut...it?"
"Um...uh...well..."
I began to feel flustered when she mentioned that because it was true. She fit my criteria. I was losing my composure. She leaned closer and we...