[Current Balance: 11,744,410,454 R]
---AUGUST 18, 1714---
Five days passed after the awkward run-in with Blackbeard and the Sea Dog's Bite. La Providencia continued her journey towards west, making steady, if not spectacular, progress across the seemingly endless ocean. It was fifty days since they had fled Bristol, leaving behind England and the lives they knew.
It was around 3 PM when the cry finally came from the crow's nest… "Land ho!" followed shortly by the confirmation, "Havana harbor in sight!" A wave of relief and anticipation washed over the ship.
La Providencia humongous body navigated the harbor entrance under Oldgate's expert command and soon docked amidst the controlled chaos of the busy Spanish port. The first order of business, as always, was resupply. Oldgate immediately set his crew to work arranging for fresh water, food stores, and any necessary minor repairs for the final leg of their journey to Delaware Bay. Alaric, anticipating the costs, had already left a hefty sum in Reales on the captain's desk before they even docked.
[Money Withdrawal: - 48,200 R]
[Current Balance: 11,744,362,254 R]
Similar to their stop in Lisbon, Alaric declared another shore leave, footing the bill for everyone.
Inns were secured for the family, the Assassins, Penn, and the numerous Kenway staff. Taverns were booked for Oldgate's crew to blow off steam. Meals were provided, and Alaric once again gave his blessing… and funding… for people to explore the markets and purchase necessities or souvenirs.
Havana, with its Spanish colonial architecture and Caribbean vibrancy, offered a different flavor than Lisbon, and the chance to stretch their legs on solid ground again was welcomed by all.
[Money Withdrawal: - 84,054 R]
[Current Balance: 11,744,278,200 R]
---
Later that night, around 10 PM, long after the communal dinner had ended and most had retired to their rented rooms, Alaric found himself seeking solitude.
He slipped out of the busy inn he shared with Kassandra and his immediate family and made his way quietly up to the flat rooftop. Havana's air in the night was warm and humid, carrying the distant sounds of music and revelry from taverns, mixed with the gentle lapping of water in the harbor.
He laid back against the cool clay tiles, lighting a cigar and gazing up at the star-dusted sky, so much clearer here than under the often-cloudy English heavens.
He took a slow drag as the familiar taste grounded him. 'Wonder if there are any Isu still kicking around?' he mused idly. 'Nah, probably not. Aletheia and Juno seem to be the main digital survivors. The rest likely got wiped out in the First Catastrophe.'
His thoughts drifted. 'Speaking of catastrophes... that solar flare is still centuries off, but I really should figure out that countermeasure. The Fuinjutsu knowledge says it's possible... something about harnessing and redirecting massive energy flows.'
'But the chakra cost is... insane. Needs at least the Gobi's level of reserves, maybe more...'
He mentally pulled up the System interface as the familiar blue screen overlayed his vision of the stars.
[Buy][Sell]
He focused on [Buy] and thought, 'Tailed Beast Chakra.'
Immediately, the list appeared… seemingly excited to see him buy something so expensive.
[Shukaku's Chakra - Chakra reserves of the Ichibi + Wind Affinity, Earth Affinity, Sand Release, Magnet Release. - 60,000,000 R]
[Matatabi's Chakra - Chakra reserves of the Nibi + Fire Affinity, Blue Fire Manipulation, Night Vision. + SPD(x5), AGI(x5), STLTH(x5), RFLX(x5). - 120,000,000 R]
[Isobu's Chakra - Chakra reserves of the Sanbi + Water Affinity, Coral Release. + Durability(x15), Chakra Sensing(x10) - 180,000,000 R]
[Son Goku's Chakra - Chakra reserves of the Yonbi + Fire Affinity, Earth Affinity, Lava Release. + STR(x15), Durability(x7) - 240,000,000 R]
[Kokuo's Chakra - Chakra reserves of the Gobi + Water Affinity, Fire Affinity, Boil Release. + STR(x10), SPD(x3), Pain Res(x10) - 300,000,000 R]
[Saiken's Chakra - Chakra reserves of the Rokubi + Water Affinity, Acid Release. + Poison Res(MAX), Regen(x10) - 360,000,000 R]
[Chomei's Chakra - Chakra reserves of the Nanabi + Wind Affinity, Flight Abilitiy. + SPD(x10), AGI(x10) - 420,000,000 R]
[Gyuki's Chakra - Chakra reserves of the Hachibi + Water Affinity, Lightning Affinity, Ink Manipulation. + STR(20), END(20), Poison Res(MAX) - 480,000,000 R]
[Kurama's Chakra - Chakra reserves of the Kyuubi + Fire Affinity, Wind Affinity, Tailed Beast Chakra Mode. + STR(25), END(25), RFLX(25), Durability(25), Chakra Sensing(15), Pain Res(6), Poison Res(MAX) - 600,000,000 R]
'Hmmm...' Alaric rubbed his chin thoughtfully. 'Technically, I could afford all of them right now... But integrating that much raw power at once? Would it even be survivable? I'll never forget how much getting Hashirama's cells and the Phoenix Sage Mode hurt... and Kurama's chakra alone dwarfs that.'
He mentally scrolled down the list again. 'Kokuo... the Gobi. That's the minimum requirement for the solar flare counter-seal, according to the Fuinjutsu archive. 300 million Reales... pocket change, really. But the integration... could I handle that level right now?'
He debated internally for a minute, the potential power warring with the memory of agonizing integration processes. He finally sighed, dismissing the interface. 'No point rushing it. The flare isn't for another 298 years. Plenty of time to get stronger, maybe integrate them one by one later.'
He shook his head. Right now... might as well practice.
Even with his immense reserves and innate talent, Alaric still enjoyed the simple discipline of chakra control exercises. He'd long since mastered the basics like tree-climbing and water-walking. Now, he focused on more complex manipulations.
Holding out his right hand, palm up, he focused his chakra. A faint distortion appeared above his palm, swirling rapidly, condensing the air around it into a barely visible, rapidly rotating sphere.
The Rasengan.
Not the bright unlike the flashy orb often depicted by the anime… it was a raw and compressed vortex of pure chakra.
He held it steady, then focused on his left hand, attempting to replicate the process simultaneously. The chakra gathered, then began to rotate, but flickered and dissipated before fully forming. He frowned. 'Still tricky. My control's good, easily Hashirama-level according to the System benchmarks, but forming multiple independent, high-density constructs simultaneously takes insane precision...'
He sighed again, a wry smile touching his lips. 'Okay, maybe I don't need to struggle that much. I am ridiculously rich, after all.'
He brought the System interface back up, dismissing the Tailed Beast list and searching for 'Chakra Control'.
[Chakra Control LVL 1 - Chakra Efficiency (x2) e.g., Rock Lee, Sakura (Genin) - 700,000 R]
[Chakra Control LVL 2 - Chakra Efficiency (x4) e.g., Naruto (Post-Timeskip), Killer Bee - 5,000,000 R]
[Chakra Control LVL 3 - Chakra Efficiency (x8) e.g., Tsunade Senju, Kakashi Hatake - 10,000,000 R]
[Chakra Control LVL 4 - Chakra Efficiency (x30) e.g., Minato Namikaze, Tobirama Senju - 15,000,000 R]
[Chakra Control LVL 5 - Chakra Efficiency (x50) e.g., Hashirama Senju, Karin Uzumaki - 25,000,000 R]
[Chakra Control LVL 6 - Chakra Efficiency (x100) e.g., Hagoromo Otsutsuki, Kaguya Otsutsuki - 100,000,000 R]
'Level 5 is where I am naturally, apparently,' Alaric noted. 'Level 6... efficiency x100... Otsutsuki level. Yeah, that should do the trick.'
He mentally selected the final option.
[Buy: Chakra Control LVL 6 - 100,000,000 R]
[Total Deduction: 100,000,000 R]
[Current Balance: 11,644,278,200 R]
Alaric waited, tensed slightly, expecting some kind of jolt, a headache, something.
But... nothing happened.
No pain, no disorientation.
Just a subtle shift, a feeling of... clarity. Like a slightly fuzzy lens had been wiped clean, allowing him to perceive and manipulate his own internal energy with far greater ease and precision.
He smiled, intrigued. He held out his right hand again. 'Rasengan.'
FWOOM. Instantly, without conscious effort beyond the intent, a perfect, stable Rasengan materialized, spinning silently in his palm. He whistled softly in amazement. He then held out his left hand. 'Another.'
FWOOM. A second Rasengan sprang into existence, identical to the first. No flicker, no instability. He grinned. 'Okay, now we're talking.'
Pushing his newfound control, he focused, visualizing a third orb. A third Rasengan formed, hovering steadily in the air between his two hands. 'Heh... three's easy now.'
He smirked, pushing further. Four. Five. Six... Seven... Soon, twenty perfect Rasengans were spinning silently in the air around him, distorting the warm night air with their contained power.
*'Incredible...' *Alaric thought, marveling at the ease of it. He willed the orbs together, merging them into one significantly larger, denser Rasengan, before canceling the technique entirely, the distortion vanishing instantly.
He experimented further, willing water to condense from the humid air, shaping it into intricate, flowing patterns. He drew moisture from a nearby potted plant, then returned it without harming the leaves.
He manipulated the stone tiles beneath him, causing tiny ripples and waves to flow across the surface without cracking them. He commanded the wind, not with hand signs, but pure intent, sending focused gusts swirling around the rooftop, rustling the palm trees in the courtyard below.
'This is insane... Hand signs are practically optional now for anything below S-rank, maybe even for some S-ranks... but still useful for complex sequences or conserving focus, I guess.'
He was shaking his head in amusement when the soft thud of boots landing on the tiles behind him broke his concentration. He turned to see Kassandra vaulting gracefully onto the roof from the balcony below, landing silently. She walked towards him, her striking silhouette outlined against the lights of the city.
"What are you doing up here all alone?" she asked, her voice carrying easily in the night air.
"Just relaxing," Alaric smiled, patting the tiles beside him. "Enjoying the stars. Join me."
Kassandra sat down, leaning comfortably against him, resting her head on his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. They sat in silence for a moment, watching the distant celestial bodies.
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Kassandra," Alaric began quietly, still looking up. "How would you feel... if I told you I had powers that... well, that defy the odds?"
"..." Kassandra was silent for a beat, then turned her head slightly to look at his side-profile. "Alaric," she said dryly, "You jumped off a galleon onto a pirate ship, killed a man with a slap, and leaped back up like it was nothing. You command fire that melts steel. You make tea appear from thin air. I think we're past 'defying the odds'. You already defy the Gods."
Alaric chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "Ah, no... I meant odds, plural. Like... probabilities. Impossible things." He met her gaze. "You know I'm immortal, like you, in my own way. But... what if I told you I had the power to heal? Not just cuts and bruises, but... say, someone with the worst kind of sickness? Or an injury that should absolutely be fatal?"
Kassandra's eyebrows rose slightly. "Worst disease... fatal injury..." she murmured, considering it. "Are you claiming sainthood now, love?"
He chuckled again, shaking his head. "Hardly. Too damned selfish to be a saint."
She smiled at that, leaning back against him as they both looked up at the stars again. The comfortable silence stretched for another minute before Alaric spoke again, his voice softer, more hesitant this time.
"What if... what if I had the ability to resurrect the dead?"
Kassandra stiffened instantly, her head snapping up as she pulled back slightly to stare at him, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief.
"You... what?" she breathed, her voice barely a whisper. Then, louder, almost accusatory, "You can...!?"
She caught herself, clapping a hand over her mouth, glancing around the empty rooftop as if afraid someone might overhear. She lowered her hand, her gaze fixed on Alaric, searching his face intently. "You can bring people back from the dead?"
Alaric met her wide, intense gaze for several seconds, the weight of the question hanging between them. He finally gave a slow, almost reluctant nod.
"Theoretically... yes. The knowledge exists within the... abilities I possess." He chose his words carefully. "But it's not simple. It requires... a sacrifice. An equivalent exchange, of sorts. Another life for the one returned."
He sighed, looking away from her searching eyes towards the stars again. "And honestly, Kassandra... I've wrestled with it. The morality of it... tampering with life and death like that... It feels wrong. Dangerous."
"...Maláka," Kassandra breathed, utterly fascinated now, the initial shock giving way to awe. "The power of Hades himself..." She leaned closer again, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "What else can you do? Can you create life from nothing as well?"
Alaric looked back at her, a sly, teasing glint entering his eyes. He leaned in conspiratorially. "Oh, creating life?" he murmured, his voice dropping to a suggestive whisper. "We can definitely do that, agápi mou. It's actually quite easy... though it does take about nine months to complete the process."
Kassandra stared at him blankly for a second, processing the words. Then her eyes widened in realization, and a deep blush instantly flooded her cheeks, reaching the tips of her ears.
"Malákaaa!" she exclaimed, pulling back and cocking her arm back as if to punch him.
Alaric smirked, anticipating the reaction, and quickly scooted back along the roof tiles, easily dodging the playful blow aimed at his shoulder.
He got to his feet as Kassandra rose too, still blushing but now panting slightly, whether from indignation or something else, he couldn't quite tell.
"Why don't we grab something to drink?" Alaric offered, holding out a hand with an innocent smile. "There's a tavern just behind this inn, looked lively."
Kassandra glared at him for a moment longer, then her expression softened, and a chuckle escaped her. She took his offered hand, letting him pull her to her feet. "My, my... challenging me to a drinking contest already?" she teased as her competitive spirit flared.
'Oh right,' Alaric remembered. 'She can outdrink anyone.' He raised his eyebrows slightly.
"We could," he conceded with a chuckle, "but maybe tonight we just... relax? Enjoy a drink without someone ending up face down in the sawdust?"
"But where's the fun in that?" Kassandra countered with a grin. "We don't die from it, remember?"
"True..." Alaric sighed dramatically, shaking his head. He led her towards the edge of the roof overlooking the alleyway below. The drop was significant, maybe two stories. Without a second thought, Alaric hopped onto the ledge and simply dropped down, landing perfectly flat-footed on the cobblestones below with barely a sound.
Kassandra followed suit, leaping down with the inherent grace of her Isu-enhanced physiology, landing just as silently beside him.
'Oh yeah,' Alaric thought, watching her land. 'Hybrids like Kassandra don't take fall damage... That's actually pretty amazing.'
They walked through the warm night of Havana ooh na-na towards the sounds of music and laughter spilling from a nearby tavern.
Inside, the place was busy. Sailors, merchants, locals, and a few familiar faces… Captain Oldgate and several of his crew… were gathered around rough wooden tables, drinking rum and singing boisterously.
Oldgate spotted them entering and waved them over with a grin, gesturing to empty stools at his table. They exchanged a few pleasantries, Alaric deflecting the captain's questions about where they'd disappeared to with vague answers.
Deciding they wanted a slightly quieter spot, Alaric led Kassandra towards the bar counter at the far end of the room.
The tavern mostly served local rum and beer, but the tavern keeper, seeing the quality of Alaric's coat and Kassandra's striking appearance, leaned over conspiratorially.
"Señor, Señora... perhaps something special tonight? I have two bottles left of a rather fine imported wine. From... a far distant land," he winked, clearly implying it was smuggled French or Italian vintage. "Very smooth. Only forty Reales the bottle."
Alaric raised an eyebrow at the price but was about to agree, mentally preparing to access the System for the funds, when Kassandra stepped forward, placing a handful of coins on the bar before he could. "We'll take both bottles, por favor," she said smoothly with her Spanish surprisingly fluent.
Alaric looked at her, surprised. "Kassandra, you don't have to-"
She waved him off with a smile, accepting the two dusty bottles from the beaming tavern keeper. "Think nothing of it. Besides," she added, her eyes twinkling, "it was your money I used for that shopping spree in Lisbon long ago… consider this my treat."
Alaric could only smile wryly and shake his head. "Fair enough."
They found a relatively quiet corner table, uncorked one of the bottles, and settled in, sipping the surprisingly decent wine and watching the lively tavern scene.
They talked, laughed, and simply enjoyed each other's company. They finished the first bottle and opened the second, sharing stories and observations, the easy intimacy between them was deepening with each glass.
Eventually, the tavern began to empty, the songs grew quieter, and the hour grew late. They finished the last of the wine, bid a cheerful goodnight to Oldgate and his remaining crew members slumped happily over their rum mugs, and walked hand-in-hand back through the now-quiet streets to their inn.
Back in the privacy of their room, the wine, the warm night, and the undeniable connection between them led, inevitably, to another night of passionate lovemaking before they finally fell asleep, tangled together in the narrow bed.
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