The meeting room is spacious and imposing, fitting for the family's important discussions. It's located in the heart of the family's headquarters, a modern yet subtly elegant room designed to evoke power and legacy. As normal everything is made out of metal but differently, there is a long, dark oak table sitting in the center of the room, polished to a high sheen, reflecting the dim light from overhead fixtures. The table is wide enough to seat everyone comfortably, with a few empty chairs at either end, left for the more prominent figures of the family. Around it, the other chairs are simple but high-backed, made of rich leather in a dark brown hue, offering both comfort and authority.
Everybody is seated with all members able to be present here. I am at the head of the table and the leader of the Gyudondond Tribe is on the other side of the table facing me.
"All right," I start, my voice calm but firm. "We've got a year ahead of us, and we need to set things in motion. This family needs to function even when I'm not around. That's the only way we'll grow and that's why I'm appointing Nicholas as head of Recruiting, Finance, intelligence, and negotiations." I motion for Nicholas to step forward and he does surprising the original members of the family.
A few murmurs ripple through the room. I glance around, meeting the eyes of the family members. They're still getting used to this new dynamic. Most of them are used to following orders without question, but now they're going to have to make decisions based on a new leader they don't even know yet. It's up to me to guide them, to make sure they know I trust Nicholas with them even when I'm not here.
"Now, moving onto more serious business the plan is simple," I continue, keeping my voice steady. "In one week, we're leaving on a journey that will take us away for a year. Hanzo and Ponzu are coming with me. The rest of you will have to hold things down while I'm gone and continue our expansion in the shadows."
Evelyn, the head female member, speaks up first. "We've been undefended ever since you left last time and ordered our fighters to go expanding. Can we handle everything without you other families are starting to notice the decline of smaller mafia organizations around this area?"
I meet her gaze. She's one of the most capable, but I can tell she's worried. "You've all been decently trained and if it makes you feel better we can have 2 of our fighters hold our base while I'm away. I'm not just handing everything over to anyone too it's going to be our 2 best spareable fighters. I'm delegating powers for when I leave, and I expect all of you to step up for positions."
I glance down at the table, organizing my thoughts. I've worked hard to get to this point, and I can't let fear dictate what happens next.
"Sebastian, you're in charge of our defenses and training new recruits in fighting arts while I'm gone," I say, looking over to a tall lanky man at the far end of the table. He's always been sharp and precise with the placements for our base entrance points. "You've got the defenses mapped and you're a decent fighter, I trust you to keep everything running smoothly."
Sebastian nods, his sharp eyes never leaving me. "Understood."
"Evelyn," I turn to her, "You're managing our alliances and any political matters with Nicholas. Your ability to handle delicate situations is invaluable. You know what to do."
Evelyn gives a nod, her expression serious. "I'll take care of it."
The others sit in silence for a moment, but I know they're processing everything. This is more than just a power delegation it's a test of how well we can function without me keeping track of every important decision.
"I'm confident in all of you," I say, looking at the group. "But we have to think long-term. We're not just trying to survive while I'm gone we need to thrive. We've been laying the groundwork for the past month, but this is when we start really building our empire. We're not just keeping things steady. We're expanding."
There's a brief silence as everyone digests my words. I can see the doubt flicker in some of their eyes, but I push on. "We'll target markets that don't require my immediate involvement. We'll also start taking members from outside our usual circle making long-term investments in the people of Meteor City I'm sure with the new Hatsu Nicholas is working on we can get some more powerful members." We need good relations with the people so we can eventually take over the government and get Meteor City back on the map.
Evelyn raises her hand slightly. "What about the family business? What if we accidentally piss off another big protection company? Can we maintain a war without your tactical guidance?"
I nod. "Of course. That core business is solid, and it's not going anywhere even if we get into a squabble with a big business. But we can't rely solely on it. We need to spread our influence and make ourselves indispensable in other sectors. We need to be ready for whatever the world throws at us. When I get back we will make big waves in the world market."
"Feel free to delegate your responsibilities a little so you don't have to do everything with your respective jobs."
With that, I stand up, ready to move forward. There's a lot to do in the happening days before we leave, but I'm ready. The family is in good hands, and I trust them to rise to the challenge.