She leaned closer to me. I couldn't control myself anymore with her being so tantalizingly close. I kissed her. She grabbed my head and pulled me closer. She pushed me onto the bed and sat on my waist, her towel falling off in the process. The last time I'd seen her naked was when were taking baths together as kids. She's grown alot as she was stunningly beautiful. She leaned in for a kiss. Her hair acted like a blanket in covering our faces. We carried on kissing each other with a furious passion. I grabbed her waist as we kissed and was about to go further...until we suddenly felt several powerful mana signatures appearing. Ashley giggled and got up.
"I'm going to get dressed."
As she turned around, I hugged her from behind.
"I was right. Older women are indeed better."
I kissed her neck and vanished as she clutched her neck and smiled.
I appeared in front of the Originals. All 50 of them were present.
"GREETINGS TO THE SHINOKAGE!"
"I have something to say to you. First of, I'll be leaving the management of this place to you guys. You can leave any major decisions to me or Ashley. Second, train as hard as you can from now on. Also increase the training of the recruits. According to Ashley, the Principality may be ready to make a move from as early as one year from now."
"WE WILL OBEY THE WORDS OF THE SHINOKAGE."
"I'll leave the Familia Headquarters in your care then."
I then went to number one.
"Behave yourself okay little Alma?"
"I'm not little anymore! I'm 28."
"You still look 16."
I patted her head.
"Train hard okay? I'll come back and test your progress every now and then."
"Hmph fine. But you better visit me often!"
At that moment, Ashley appeared next to me.
"Ready to go?"
"Sure"
I opened the dimensional door and we stepped into the outside world. We appeared at the former Rodias Manor which we decided to call the Black Steel Manor. As soon as we settled down, I pushed down Ashley and kissed her.
"Let's carry on where we left off shall we?"
3 days later
It was time to go to the academy again. Maria and I had an agreement that once things had settled down on my side, I'd help train the empire's magicians and knights. Ashley spoke.
"I'm not really feeling up to this. Teaching spoilt brats is not something I'm looking forward to."
I laughed.
"You know who the best teacher is? Death. As long as they have near death experiences, they'll improve far more than doing ordinary training."
She was wondering what i meant until it hit her
"You mean you're going to replicate the training we use for the Familia on them? They'll break."
"Not exactly. They'll die of we teach them personally. I'll use clones instead That way we'll place the worthless ones at the front as cannon fodder. Anyway let's go Ash. It's time."
We both vanished.
Imperial Academy, Training grounds
The best students from all over the country were bought here. The academy was made even bigger in order to accomodate more students. All were at the training grounds waiting for their next instructors. Some were complaining about this being pointless. Some were arrogant over their talent. Ashley and I appeared. They were amazed and started coming closer to us. Without warning, I immediately unleashed a massive barrier that surrounded the entire training field.
"Listen here. We're not going to waste time training you useless sacks of meet step by step. Instead of teaching you techniques, we're just going to beat each and everyone one of you up."
Immediately a few of them started causing trouble. As soon as a boy mentioned his father's name, Ashley vanished and instantly punched him in the stomach and kicked away, instantly shattering his internal organs. He was very very close to death. I extended my hand and casted healing magic as Ashley spoke.
"We weren't asking for your permission. We were telling you what's about to happen."
I made a five clones.
"These clones of mine here will fight you since if we do, as you've seen just now, you'll die. They're about as strong as when I was ten. Survive their attacks for the next three hours. Anyone who gives up in the middle of the class will kicked out. Enjoy."
Both of us vanished and appeared on the academy roof. I sat down on the edge and looked at them.
"I hope this will be entertaining."
"I doubt it. The children here are pathetic. I mean look at that guy, he screamed his attack and basically announced his location. Who does that?"
My clones were unleashing hell on them, they were striking just enough so that they won't suffer crippling injuries. Ashley lied down.
"I can't bare it anymore. This isn't even a beating, it's a massacre. Wake me up when the session ends."
"Okay. I'm going to enjoy watching my clones beat those arrogant greenhorns."
1 hour later
I finally understood why Ashley slept. It was miserable watching 500 kids get beaten down as they couldn't take out 5 clones. At that moment, Maria appeared and sat next to me. She looked at the kids and paused...
"I'm not even going ask about them. I just hope you can bare with it please."
I swung my arm around her shoulder and smiled.
"Don't worry about it. Since it's you who asked, I'll make sure to complete your request."
She blushed.
"Thank you Isaac."
I looked at her and spoke.
"You'd make a great queen."
"Yes I know...WHAT?!"
I laughed as I removed my arm from her shoulder.
"I'm serious! You're already the queen of this Kingdom anyway. The bastard king is just listening to your orders. All we have to do is make it official. I remember when we were kids that you always said you wanted to be queen right?"
"Do you know what a queen needs?"
"What?"
"..."
"Maria?"
She was looking down. Her face was flushed.
"Damnit Maria!!! Say it! SAY IT!!!"
"Looks like I have to go soon Maria. Some kids are going to die soon if they don't get treatment."
I vanished.
...
Ashley sat up.
"You should've taken that chance you know?"
"I-I'll wait until his 18."
"He's 29. If you count the 15 years he spent in the dimensional world then he's 29."
"B-but still in my eyes he's sti-"
"I'm 32. You know what that means right? As soon as I mentioned that, well let's say he's the reason I'm tired these days."
"So you're saying you..."
"Exactly. Take the initiati-"
Maria vanished. She went full speed for the training fields.
...
I was casting some light healing spells on the injured when all of a sudden, Maria appeared. I didn't even have time to react when she suddenly grabbed my face and kissed me deeply. She finally pulled away and spoke.
"You owe me an explanation about you and Ashley. Meet me at the palace tonight."
With that, she vanished.
"She didn't even give me time to react before and after."
The kid I was healing had a questioning look on her face. I quickly finished healing her and vanished. I appeared in the air above the students and de-casted my clones. None of them had any significant damage. The battle they experienced was shared onto me.
"I did make sure to replicate my strength when I was ten properly right?"
I looked at them. All of them were tired, bruised and beaten thoroughly.
"I'm greatly disappointed in you. You call yourselves geniuses when you're this pathetic? Even you students from Lady Raika's class are disappointing. I expected the most out of you especially. Did you get complacent with the skills I left for you?!"
One of the girls from my class stepped up. It was Rebecca Linch, the girl I once taught healing magic to in class three years ago when I broke the foot of one of the Longwood Brothers. She spoke.
"Um EXCUSE MY PRUDENCY BUT MAY I ASK IF YOU ARE HONOURABLE SIR ISAAC BLAKE?
"Pft HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
I continued laughing for a while.
"I never thought I'd live to see the day where I would be called honourable. Yes I am Isaac. You seem to have continued on the path of healing magic. I'm impressed. Only you and that girl next to you didn't slack off. If I'm right, you're Katherine Marrine right?"
Katherine suddenly held her cheeks and blushed.
"Y-YES!"
"It's that man again. Even today he has beaten me. But why does it feel so good! He even remembered my name!!!"
I spoke.
"You two are impressive. As your instructor, I'll reward you later with anything you wish for but for now..."
I released the barrier and casted a wide area healing spell.
"...class dismissed. I'll see you all here tomorrow. We're doing the same thing again."
Multiple groans slipped out from the students. I couldn't let it slide. I let out my hand and immediately suppressed those who groaned with X10 gravity magic. I made them collide with the ground very hard. Those who were in awkward positions had their legs or hands broken. I spoke.
"Don't treat me like other instructors. I don't tolerate any form of disrespect from trash who can't even defeat my clone. Next time, I'll rip your legs off."
I released the gravity magic and didn't bother healing them. I vanished. I returned to Ashley who was laughing.
"You're still as cruel as ever aren't you."
"Give me a break. I can't tolerate disrespect from trash from at all."
"Obviously. It'd be weird if you did. The weak have no right to complain when the strong speak. So...are you going to visit our dear elder sister tonight?"
"Yeah"
"I'm coming too."