System in Assassin's Creed

Chapter 53: Chapter 52: Ascendant

[Current Balance: £3,046,071 15s. 11d.]

—Kenway Mansion, Alaric’s Bedroom—

Alaric pushed the door to his room open, stepping into the familiar comfort of his quarters.

He exhaled softly, finally allowing himself to unwind after a long day.

He flicked his fingers, then the fireplace in the room turned on as fire engulfed the existing log.

Walking to his wardrobe, he opened the doors and began undressing, tossing his clothes aside. Without a second thought, he casted a single hand sign.

’Suiton: Full Bathing Jutsu.’

Water instantly materialized around him, swirling like a protective shell.

From the tattoo on his shoulder, two familiar vials, his Shampoo+Conditioner and Liquid Bathing Soap, unsealed themselves. The contents mixed seamlessly into the water, which washed over his body. Dirt, sweat, and fatigue vanished within seconds as the soothing warmth of the water cleansed him from head to toe.

Moments later, the water dispersed as steam, leaving him refreshed and spotless.

Without hesitation, Alaric grabbed a fresh set of sleeping clothes from the wardrobe, slipping them on before collapsing onto his bed.

He stared at the ceiling for a few moments before a familiar thought crossed his mind.

”Let’s see...”

He summoned the familiar translucent interface. With a mental command, he pressed [Buy].

A list of options appeared before his eyes.

”How about... anything that revolves around aging?”

[Otsutsuki Clan’s Lifespan (Pure) – Grants 10000% Increase in User’s Lifespan. User’s physical appearance will stop at 25 years old. Can be passed to descendants but will dilute if mixed bloodline — £12,500]

[Otsutsuki Clan’s Lifespan (Mixed) – Grants 1000% Increase in User’s Lifespan. User’s physical appearance will stop at 40 years old. Can be passed to descendants but will dilute if mixed bloodline — £3,125]

[Uzumaki Clan’s Lifespan (Pure) – Grants 500% Increase in User’s Lifespan. User’s physical appearance will stop at 50 years old. Can be passed to descendants but will dilute if mixed bloodline — £2,500]

[Uzumaki Clan’s Lifespan (Mixed) – Grants 200% Increase in User’s Lifespan. User’s physical appearance will stop at 70 years old. Can be passed to descendants but will dilute if mixed bloodline — £937 10s.]

[Senju Clan’s Lifespan (Pure) – Grants 250% Increase in User’s Lifespan. User’s physical appearance will stop at 60 years old. Can be passed to descendants but will dilute if mixed bloodline — £1,250]

[Senju Clan’s Lifespan (Mixed) – Grants 100% Increase in User’s Lifespan. User’s physical appearance will stop at 80 years old. Can be passed to descendants but will dilute if mixed bloodline — £312 10s.]

Alaric rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

’Hmm... they’re all good, but I don’t need them...’

He smirked slightly. ’Being a Phoenix Sage already grants me immortality through rebirth... no need to waste money on this.’

He flicked the interface again.

’Let’s try Fuinjutsu...’

[Fuinjutsu: Novice – Can create storage seals, perform basic chakra containment, and set up simple chakra-based traps. — £300]

[Fuinjutsu: Adept – User can seal chakra into containers, trap minor creatures or enemies, create mid-level barrier seals, and set up more complex traps. — £625]

[Fuinjutsu: Expert – User can seal powerful entities like portions of tailed beasts, create advanced protective seals or complex barrier traps, and perform summoning seals for specific objects or creatures. — £1,250]

[Fuinjutsu: Master – User can perform advanced sealing techniques like the Reaper Death Seal, create world-altering seals affecting time and space, and seal powerful beings, including large demons and chakra constructs. — £2,500]

[Fuinjutsu: Grandmaster – Can inscribe seals by carving symbols out of thin air, requiring no physical medium like paper or ink. User can imbue physical bodies with short-term buffs, such as enhanced strength, speed, durability, or chakra control. — £3,750]

[Fuinjutsu: Ascendant – Can create seals that manipulate time and space far beyond previous levels. Capable of reversing or accelerating the aging process and restoring damaged organs instantly. Can place powerful buffs with extended durations, e.g., Stamina buff lasting up to ten years. — £312,500]

[Fuinjutsu: Sage – User can seal gods or supernatural forces of any parallel universe, manipulate fate and time, create and destroy realms, and use seals that control life and death. — £15,156,250,000]

Alaric’s eyes widened slightly.

’Damn... the Fuinjutsu: Sage is INSANELY EXPENSIVE... but it’s really op...’

His eyes lingered on Fuinjutsu: Ascendant.

’These are all... not in the anime...’ he mused. Curiosity tugged at him, and without hesitation, he pressed [Buy].

[Fuinjutsu: Ascendant - £312,500]

[- £312,500]

[Current Balance: £2,733,571 15s. 11d.]

A flood of information surged into his mind. Ancient kanji patterns, intricate seal designs, and endless combinations of complex formulas. The sheer possibilities overwhelmed him at first, but as he absorbed the knowledge, his mind sharpened.

’Damn... the Sage level might be ridiculous, but this can’t be laughed at either...’

As the knowledge settled, Alaric’s thoughts began racing.

’Wait... I can reverse or accelerate someone’s aging with this...’ He clenched his fists tightly. ’I could literally restore an elder to their prime... or force someone to wither into dust.’

His mind jumped to other revelations.

’I can use Jutsus like Hiraishin... without ink?’ He exhaled, astonished. ’I can literally mark targets with just my hand...’

Then it hit him.

’I can heal someone with seals... as long as their soul is still anchored to their body, I can force their organs to recover... I can keep them alive.’

The possibilities felt endless.

’I could reinforce Jonathan, Reuben, and Thulani... buff Penn so he’s stronger, sharper... and even make myself faster, stronger, or more resilient.’

Alaric lay back against his pillow, staring at the ceiling.

’This... this is insane.’

His lips curled into a grin.

”Let’s this out tomorrow... I wanna sleep so bad.”

(Same ’Laric... same.)

---Morning, Kenway Estate---

Alaric woke up at his usual time.

He sat up in bed, grabbed his gold pocket watch from the bedside table, and clicked it open.

”Eight AM...”

Yawning, he stretched his arms above his head before dropping down for his ’normal’ morning workout.

”One... two... three...”

”Four hundred ninety-nine... five hundred... five hundred one...”

”One thousand nine hundred ninety-eight... one thousand nine hundred ninety-nine... two thousand...”

”Four thousand nine hundred ninety-eight... four thousand nine hundred ninety-nine... five thousand.”

With minimal effort, Alaric pushed off the ground... launching himself straight to his feet in one swift motion. His breathing was steady, not a single hint of exhaustion.

’Gotta thank myself for buying Hashirama’s physique...’

He moved to his wardrobe and began to undress.

As he did, Alaric caught his reflection in the mirror. He paused, admiring his lean yet powerful physique. Flexing slightly, he chuckled to himself before forming a hand sign.

’Suiton: Full Bathing Jutsu.’

Water enveloped him, cleaning his body instantly.

Afterward, Alaric grabbed his usual set of clothes, slicked his hair back with his fingers, and stepped out of his room.

---

As he descended the stairs, the front doors of the mansion opened, revealing Thulani.

”Ah... Alaric, good morning.”

Thulani smiled and nodded toward him.

Alaric, unsurprised, nodded back. He had sensed Thulani’s chakra signature approaching moments earlier. If Alaric had bothered to activate his Foresight Pulse, especially when combined with Phoenix Sage Mode, he could sense every soul in Bristol.

’Good timing.’

”You havin’ breakfast?” Alaric asked.

”No,” Thulani shook his head. ”I’m here to move the crates from the basement to the wagons by the gates.”

”Hmm... before that, come with me for a sec.”

Without waiting for a response, Alaric started walking toward the mansion’s back door.

Thulani blinked in confusion but followed without question.

— Underground Cave —

Minutes later, Thulani’s confusion only deepened as they ventured into the hidden underground cave beneath the mansion.

He was about to ask why they were there when Alaric suddenly stopped.

In the distance, Reuben and Jonathan were sparring in the cave’s training ground. Jonathan, despite his experience as a trained Assassin, was clearly struggling.

”Haa!”

”No, you’re too open!”

Jonathan jabbed at Reuben’s face, then quickly thrust his hidden blade toward his ribs.

”Nice tactic,” Reuben said, stepping back just in time. ”But you’ll need to be faster than that.”

”Damn!” Jonathan growled between ragged breaths. ”You guys... aren’t normal. I can assassinate all kinds of men, but I can’t even touch you... much less Alaric.”

Reuben smirked at the memory of their failed attempt to gang up on Alaric.

”Nah... Alaric’s different. Don’t even dwell on it.”

He shrugged.

”And besides... you’re an Assassin, hit-and-run tactics are your bread and butter. But what happens when you’re forced into a head-on fight? When they see you coming and are ready for you?”

Jonathan stayed silent.

The sound of footsteps drew their attention, and they turned to see Alaric and Thulani approaching.

”Sup,” Alaric greeted with a smile. ”Good to see you’re training, Jonathan.”

He glanced at Reuben.

”And what Reuben said is true... your answer might be smoke bombs or some distraction, right? But what if you don’t have that? What’s your plan then?”

Jonathan hesitated.

”...I fight head-on... if I can’t win, I retreat.”

”Run?” Alaric arched a brow. ”That’s an option, sure... but not for me. So from now on...”

His grin widened.

”...Thulani will increase your training intensity five-fold.”

”WHAT!?” Jonathan’s eyes shot wide open. ”I’m already swamped with butler work!”

”Quit complaining... your salary’s more than a doctor’s.”

Alaric’s smirk widened.

”Anyway... that aside... I’m here for a different matter.”

— Moments Later —

The three stood side by side, shirtless, their faces puzzled.

”Alright...” Alaric muttered. ”I need to explain something.”

He looked at each of them.

”Your bodies are stronger than average people. Sturdier... faster... but that’s just it.”

He paused.

”You’re still just ’above average.’”

His words hit hard, but none of them could argue. They remembered the Colston Estate massacre — over two hundred bodies, all killed by Alaric alone. They knew how powerful he truly was.

”But...” Alaric continued. ”...what if I told you there’s a way for you to get stronger?

Their dejected expressions turned to curiosity.

”Not just training... not Celestial Salve... something better.”

He paused.

”I made something... a method to enhance your strength, speed, perception, endurance... even regeneration on par with Celestial Salve. It’ll last for three years.”

”Three years!?”

”You serious, ’Laric?”

”Dead serious.”

”That’s why I had you take off your shirts.”

”Okay...”

”...I see.”

”...I was wondering why you suddenly wanted us shirtless.”

”...I thought you were... you know...”

”Yeah... I thought you were... gay.”

Alaric sighed.

”I’m not gay.”

”Anyway...” He shook his head. ”...I’ll need to give you guys tattoos.”

”Tattoos?”

”That’s fine.”

”Yeah, if it makes me stronger, ink me up.”

”Same here.”

Alaric nodded.

”Just one warning...”

He closed his eyes and formed a hand sign.

’Ashura no Mon...’ (Asura’s Crest)

Ink materialized from thin air, glowing faintly as it floated toward them.

’Fuin!’

The ink split into three parts, each latching onto their backs.

For a moment, they felt nothing.

”...Hey, this isn’t so b—”

”AAAARGHHH!!!”

”UGHHHHHH!”

”AAAHHHHHHHH!”

”Try to bear with it,” Alaric muttered as their bodies writhed in pain.

The ink seared into their skin like molten fire. Steam rose as the tattoos burned their way into place.

Minutes later, Reuben, Thulani, and Jonathan lay sprawled on the floor, gasping for breath. Sweat poured from their bodies, and their muscles twitched uncontrollably as if still burning from within.

Jonathan’s trembling hand gripped the stone floor as he tried to push himself up.

”D-Damn...” he wheezed. ”I... I thought I was gonna die...”

”You didn’t.” Alaric’s voice, calm and steady, cut through the silence. ”Now get up.”

”Easy for you to say...” Reuben groaned, rolling onto his side.

Thulani finally managed to sit upright, clutching his chest as if his heart might burst through his ribs.

”That... wasn’t normal...” he muttered.

Alaric chuckled.

”Go on...” he gestured with his chin. ”Test yourselves out.”

Thulani staggered to his feet, still breathing heavily. He reached for his greatsword — a massive, two-handed weapon that had always demanded focus and effort to wield.

He gripped the hilt tightly... and nearly flung it across the room.

”What the...?” Thulani’s eyes widened in disbelief. He adjusted his grip and swung the blade experimentally... too fast, too reckless. The air hissed as the weapon cut through it with terrifying speed.

”It’s... so light...” His voice trailed off, still trying to process it.

Reuben bounced on his toes, shaking out his limbs. A grin crept onto his face.

”I feel fast... like, really fast.”

He blurred forward, crossing half the room in the blink of an eye. Stunned, he stumbled to a stop.

”Whoa... did you see that!?”

Jonathan clenched his fist tightly, feeling the newfound power coursing through his veins.

”I feel like...” he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. His fingers flexed, muscles surging beneath his skin. ”...I could take on a thousand men.”

Alaric watched quietly from the side, arms crossed.

’You sound like you’re on drugs...’ he thought, chuckling to himself.

But even he couldn’t deny the results. Their bodies had stabilized beautifully... no side effects, no instability. It was perfect.

Suddenly, Reuben’s eyes flicked toward Thulani.

Thulani glanced back at him.

Jonathan caught the exchange and grinned.

Without warning, all three lunged at each other.

*BOOM*

The clash was thunderous.

Thulani’s greatsword slammed into Reuben’s dagger with enough force to shatter bone, yet Reuben barely staggered. His blade danced like lightning, striking back with impossible speed.

Jonathan barreled into Thulani from the side, driving a powerful shoulder slam into his ribs. Thulani twisted midair, landing on his feet with a feral grin.

Fists flew. Weapons clashed. The underground cave shook with the sheer force of their sparring.

Alaric leaned back against the wall, a satisfied smile tugging at his lips.

’Yeah... this should be interesting.’

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