"Before answering your question, would you like to hear a secret? A secret that not many people in this world know about."
"A secret?"
"Yes, a secret. Would you like to hear it?"
I thought for a moment, and I thought there was no harm in hearing what Grandpa Arvin would say.
"Yes, if you don't mind."
"Yuki, as an ordinary citizen, of course you would be afraid of a criminal, right?
Just like the one you fought before. But the Thug you are fighting are just petty criminals.
There are also Gangsters. Gangsters can make people feel afraid, because they like to do whatever they want.
They do illegal business like, drugs, firearms, human trafficking, etc.
In this country, of course the Yakuza. Yakuza are very famous all over the world, right?
And in other countries there are mafias in America, Italy, and Russia, cartels in South America, TRIAD in Hong Kong, and many more.
However, there is still one more threat that most people in this world don't know about, Assassin.
It's an Assassin as you can imagine, Yuki. Assassins that you may have seen in movies or video games, as well as in the books you read.
While people in this world know the existence of criminals and gangsters, on the other hand, not many know Assassins. Even ordinary people like you think the Assassins are just a myth or fictional group.
Unfortunately no. They are real.
Assassin is a person or group whose job is to kill someone based on the mission received.
Many people, especially the super rich, use assassin services to kill their enemies or people they hate. by using the Assassin's Services, their hands would stay clean, and their enemies would disappear.
not only people, even countries use assassin services to kill people who are considered dangerous by country, a fugitive wanted by the country, etc.
As long as you can afford it, you can hire Assassins to kill person, whoever that person is.
The amount you have to pay, it depends on how difficult the mission you give. There are several levels from the lowest, to the highest.
For example, if you wanted to kill an ordinary person, not having a position or not from a wealthy family, that was considered the lowest graded mission. However, if you wish to assassinate the president, that would be considered a highest level mission."
It really surprised me when I heard all of this, especially the part about the Assassins.
Who doesn't know about Assassin? These are fictional characters or groups that are popular in movies or video games.
However, it was really crazy that they existed in this world.
"This really surprised me, especially about the Assassin. However, what does this have to do with being your disciple?" I asked while looking at Grandpa Arvin.
"Would you believe me if I said I was an assassin?"
"What-"
[MASTER! DODGE!]
*swoshhh
I heard Karen scream, but before I could process what was happening, I felt a cold object press against my neck.
I looked down, and saw that it was a knife stuck to my neck, no, it was to my throat.
Then, I glanced at the Person holding this knife, Grandpa Arvin.
"Now, do you believe it? I can kill you without you even knowing it."
I swallowed my saliva. Grandpa Arvin was really telling the truth. He can kill me without me even knowing.
For example, the movement he did just now couldn't be followed by my eyes. And, if he wanted me to die, I would already be Dead.
I nodded my head, and Grandpa Arvin returned to his seat and was still looking at me.
"Takumi Yuki, I have been coming to Japan for quite a while, because I want to enjoy my time here and find my successor. However, year after year, there has never been anyone suitable to be a candidate as my successor, until I met you. You are person who I think is suitable to be my successor."
"S-successor?"
"Yes, my successor as assassin king."
"...."
I'm speechless. My body froze. My thoughts stalled. I can't process all these things. This is so incredibly crazy.
After several minutes of being in that state, I finally regained my senses.
'What kind of crazy thing is Grandpa Arvin talking about. He wants me to be his successor? Especially as the Assassin King? Of course I will refuse it. Crazy. How crazy. Who wants to be his successor.'
Just as I was about to say my rejection of his offer, I heard a familiar voice. A voice I hate to hear at a time like this.
'Damn it, why did it have to show up now?!! No, no, Nooooooo.'
[DING!
-----
I lay on my bed staring at the ceiling of my room.
Actually it wasn't the ceiling that I saw, but the mission board view.
This mission appeared when I was about to refuse an offer from Grandpa Arvin about being his successor.
I asked Grandpa Arvin for some time to think about all of this, because it was all so sudden. And, he agreed.
However, that's not the real reason. The real reason was because a mission appeared. This mission was so strange, that I had to check it at home.
I re-read the description on the mission board.
[Ding! Mission : accepts the offer to become the successor of the Assassin King.
Punishment : -
Mission reward : Camouflage mask.]
There are no Punishment in this mission, but there are mission rewards. It was very strange, because this was the first time a mission like this had appeared.
"So Karen, why are there no Punishment on this mission?"
[Are you sure you're not a masochist, Master?]
"I'm not, Karen. Sorry, I'm not in the mood to argue right now, Karen. I'm busy thinking about all this stuff, so can you explain to me?"
[I apologize, Master. I will explain to you about this mission.]
"Thank you Karen."
[Master, this system was created to help and guide you so that you can live a better and happier life.
There is no Punishment in this mission, that means you can refuse this mission and not complete this mission, Master.
Now this is a choice that will determine the course of your life in the future. And, there is no compulsion in this.
If you refuse this mission, it will instantly disappear as if it had never happened.
And, if you agree and want to complete this mission, you get a mission reward.]
After hearing Karen's explanation, I closed my eyes. I want to focus on this.
As Karen said, this is a choice that will define my life in the future.
If I decline this offer, what are the advantages and disadvantages for me?
Disadvantages that I can think of now:
1. I will remain as weak as I am now. By not accepting Grandpa Arvin's offer, I will lose my chance to become strong.
2. If I am weak, I won't be able to protect Rika. I am well aware that Rika is a very beautiful and rich woman. There must be a lot of people eyeing Rika. The moment our relationship becomes public knowledge, I will become a target. Rich or powerful people who like Risa, they might pay criminals or gangsters to kill me or even kill me. I am very aware of the behavior of people like them.
If I die or get injured by them, Rika will definitely be very sad.
I also don't want Rika to belong to anyone else, she is mine.
Then, there are always the criminals who wants Rika's Wealth or money, like the thugs I fought before. if something like before happened again, I would save Rika again, but the question is can I win? what if the Thug is more than 1 person, will I still win and protect Rika? I'm sure I will lose.
3. I don't need to kill other people. By not becoming the successor of the Assassin King, it means I won't kill anyone.
Besides that, what else? I just thought of these 3 things. For now.
For the benefit of accepting the offer from Grandpa Arvin as the successor of the Assassin King :
1. By becoming his disciple and successor, I will become strong. That's what Grandpa Arvin promised me.
2. I can protect myself and Rika or the people I care about from all threats. I don't care if my hands get dirty, as long as I can protect the people I love. In fact, maybe I wouldn't hesitate if anyone had the intention to harm the people I love. Because, the people I love mean a lot to me in this world.
Hmm, is it only 2? or are there more?
'Before deciding on this choice, I have to ask Grandpa Arvin a few things. After knowing these things, I will be able to make my choice.' I thought.
I opened my eyes and got up from the bed. I will go again to Grandpa Arvin's house now. Of course, I'm not going to give my answer now, but I just want to ask about things I need to know.
-----
"Yuki, I didn't expect that today you would visit again. Please sit down."
Grandpa Arvin was still in the living room, but he was enjoying the broadcast on his old radio.
Friendly expression as usual, no more serious expression than before.
I sat in the same chair as when I first came today.
"Grandpa Arvin , I want to ask a few things about your offer. This will be my consideration in making a decision."
Hearing what I said, Grandfather Arvin turned off his old Radio, and returned to his serious expression.
"Sure, feel free to ask what you want to ask me."
"What is a Assassin king?"
"In the world of assassins, there are rankings. And assassin king are ranked number 1. It means assassin king are the best assassin in the world."
"How does this ranking work?"
"By completing missions. As I told you before, Missions are ranked from lowest to highest. For example, by taking the highest mission and successfully completing the mission, your position will rapidly rise.
However, by taking on a high-level mission, the risk of failing the mission is extremely high. "
"What are the benefits of being a Assassin king?"
"You will be very rich and you will be feared by others."
I frowned and looked at Grandpa Arvin with a confused look.
Of course I was confused, he said that becoming a Assassin King would make me very rich. But, why did Grandpa Arvin live in poverty?
"Sigh... Yuki, I just want to live a simple life here. And, Yuki, at the highest mission or high level, the person giving the mission no longer only offers money in the mission reward. There are those who offer land, jewels, diamonds and the like, mines, islets, etc."
"I see, so it's like that. Was your identity as the assassin king found out by other people or other assassins?"
"No, this is a high level secret. There are only a few people I trust who know my identity as the Assassin King. If my identity is leaked out to people I don't trust, I will be hunted down by everyone who has a grudge against me.
Yuki, being an assassin is a secret job. As Assassin our identity is most important. If your identity is known as a Assassin by someone you don't trust or the state, it's better to retire as a Assassin.
Yuki, in the world of Assassins, usually they are a group of people, or a family. Only I work alone as an assassin, that's why I have the nickname king of assassins.
For example, ranking second in the ranking of assassins. They are a family whose family members live as Assassin. Assassin family.
Weaknesses By having a group or family, your identity as a Assassin will be known by group members."
"How do you know about the mission? Will there be a clash with other assassins who take the same mission in 1 mission?"
"Usually people or country who often use the services of Assassin know how to contact Assassin. There are several ways to contact Assassin and it depends on how much trust there is between them, such as sending messages or making phone calls, sending emails, faxes, even meeting in person, etc.
And, another way to find out the mission is to check the website.
In the world of assassins, secrecy is number 1. Mostly, people who give missions don't want their identities to be known. So, people like this can give a mission using the website. When the mission is taken by the assassin, the assassin will notify the quest giver that this mission will be taken.
And, don't worry about clashing with other assassins while you're on a mission.
Because, when the mission has been taken, the mission will automatically disappear from the website, and there will be no other assassins who can take the mission. "
"You said there is a reward in the mission, what if the mission giver doesn't provide the reward promised in the mission description?"
"Die. That person will die. That person will be hunted by Assassins all over the world and will not stop until that person is dead."
"If I become your successor, am I obligated to take missions every time? Like every month or every year?"
"Yuki, I am not the first assassin king. I was also the same as you, chosen to be the successor of the assassin king and then became the assassin king himself.
According to my teacher, the previous assassin king who died, it's like a culture or obligation for the assassin king to pass down his knowledge and title to the successor.
As I told you, I came to Japan one of the reasons was because I was looking for a successor. Somehow at that time I thought that I would find my successor in this country.
To answer your question, yes. You will complete the mission. However, I don't know how many times you'll complete missions in 1 year, Yuki.
However that is a lesson for the future that I must teach you as my successor.
And, Each Assassin King usually has its own resolution. For example, I would never take the lowest mission. Usually the mission is to kill ordinary people or something like that.
I usually take high or highest level missions. For example killing drug lords, killing rebel leaders in the Middle East, etc. "
After asking a few other things, and having gotten the answers I wanted, I headed home.
It's time to properly consider this offer.