A few months passed since the matter of the wolves. Ami and Mika had been doted on by their mother, and their father had chosen against punishing Ami, who had shown great initiative in facing the wolf. The look on the Town Lord’s face when he realised that he had to praise Ami had been a great delight to the Black Hand family.

Mika had still not understood why he had been so annoyed with the wolf. He was certain it wasn’t just because it had showed arrogance in front of him, he who had conquered so many worlds.

The young boy closed his book, sitting up straight. Near the Black Hand estate was a figure which was greater than any he had met within this life as of yet. ‘Four percent?’ He was certain that, if the opportunity presented itself, he would be able to defeat them, though it would have been a hard fight. Rogue, himself, was a four percent chance, and the Town Lord was a hefty five percent chance.

“Young sir!” Lina called, skidding to a halt within the library. “The miss is calling for you!”

Mika freshened up, fixing his clothes, before he arrived to his mother, who held a cloth ready to clean her son, but saw that he was perfectly acceptable.

“Mika, Ami, we have been summoned by the Head to receive word from the Grand Patriarch,” Martha said, quickly, trying to keep herself calm. Even Amon was stiff as a board at the moment, fixing up his hair as best as he could in order to look presentable.

‘The Grand Patriarch?’ Mika thought. He had already formed a connection between the ki of the stranger and Rogue, who were far more similar than that of their father and the Head. However, the stranger was only slightly stronger than Rogue.

The stranger was not the Grand Patriarch. He was masked figure who wore the attire of a warrior, and though he was masked, it was a simple matter for Mika to see he was roughly Rogue’s age, but was slightly stronger than the Head of the Black Hand family.

The guards of the Black Hand family were Copper, whereas the beast they had come across was Iron, and Rogue, the Head of the family, was Steel. Each rank was split into three, and then further subdivided by ten.

Rogue was Base Steel Four, perhaps the greatest of those who were not the Supreme Elders of the families. His Right Hand, Amon, was Peak Iron One, meaning he was a few steps away from Steel still. The guard that had died previous had been Established Copper Nine, meaning he was almost Peak Copper, but well below that of Iron rank.

The creature that had killed the guard was equivalent to roughty an Establish Iron, so would have been an easy enough prey for the Right Hand, but could play with the guard with ease. However, one’s rank was not the end of the conversation when it came to who could win, for certain techniques punched above their class, and how skilled someone was in using their technique also played a factor.

Mika noted that the other families, from the Left Hand, to the other Small Elders of the Black Hand family, appeared onto the scene, bringing with them their children. It had been a while since the entire Black Hand family had met like this.

“I have called you here today since the Grand Patriarch has sent word to us,” Rogue said. “This is Captain Roku, of the Black Mountain Squad, from the main family.”

Mika noted that Amon visibly relaxed, wondering what the connection was between this figure and their family.

“Stand and receive the words of your Grand Patriarch!” Roku exclaimed, causing everyone to stand straighter. “The Black Hand family is still a branch family of our Black Fist family. Come to the city and pay your respects to the Grand Patriarch!”

‘You really had a scroll that long to say that little?’ Mika thought. ‘This Grand Patriarch guy isn’t too shabby.’

The Small Elders of the family, which included the Right Hand and Left Hand at the top of such ranks, waited to see what the Head would say. They, who had come all this way with Rogue only a decade or so ago, were those who had been the bottom of the barrel of the Black Fist family, and were his most loyal.

“Right Hand and I will leave to meet with the Grand Patriarch,” Rogue finally said, having spent the appropriate amount of time to think about it. This was such a great opportunity to try and deal with the problem which had arisen recently. He had already known that they were going to be called to the main estate, since the old man had sent Roku of all people. “I ask you, Captain Roku, to remain here and look after the Black Hand family, since I, the Head, will have to leave our humble home.”

Roku almost replied too submissively, but quickly managed to catch himself. If this was back then, then he’d have taken a knee to Rogue, but their position was far too similar for him to do so. “It is no matter.”

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“We will leave today,” Rogue said. “It is not best to keep the Grand Patriarch waiting.”

The families quickly prepared to leave that evening, spending an hour to gather all the supplies, as well as the guards which would be required. Roku was as strong as Rogue, but the reason why Rogue could take so many guards along was that Roku was from the main branch, and therefore the Town Lord would have been cautious in dealing with the Captain and the Black Hand family.

Rogue wondered why that old man had finally called for him, but decided against thinking too deeply about it.

‘I’m still not five years old, but this is the perfect chance for my entire family to be slaughtered,’ Mika thought. ‘How predictable.’

They spent many weeks on the road, and every day Mika waited, and waited, and waited.

“We’re finally at the estate,” Rogue said, staring at the estate with a forlorn gaze. It had been so many years since he had seen these walls, so many years since he had played in the fields.

‘I guess we’re dying on the way back then?’ Mika thought. ‘Unless it’s the Grand Patriarch who would cause the death of my entire family? Aha! Rogue must have done something unforgivable, and he was sent away for his crimes, and now has returned to be killed for them?’ Mika could feel it, an intense energy from within the main estate, something greater than even those from the families of the nearby cities around the town he had come from.

Ami stared at the town before her, frowning slightly. “I thought we were going to a city…”

“If we have time, we can go to the city later,” Rogue assured her.

“That’s not the city?”

“Of course it isn’t,” Dani, the first young master of the Black Hand family, said. He was a few years older than Ami, but she had taken away all the attention from him during the last few month. “That’s a town, obviously.”

“It’s not a town, either, it’s the estate,” Rogue said.

Even Dani’s mouth fell agape as he stared at the land before them. It was unmistakeably as large as the town they had just come from, but his father, the Head of the Black Hand family, had stated it was the estate of the main family?

‘Obviously,’ Mika thought. ‘Your father is from a great family with a profound background. Haiya, there’s no need to bully a kid who is about to lose his father.’

“Look across the land,” Rogue said, glancing all across the horizon. “What you see, where the sun touches, is the land which belongs to the Black Fist family.”

Dani squinted his eyes. He swore he could see more villages and towns in the distance. “All of that?” Dani asked, almost suspiciously.

“Yes,” Rogue replied.

‘A cute, wholesome scene between a father and son?’ Mika thought. ‘Yes, the Grand Patriarch is definitely going to kill us.’

Eventually the children stepped out of the carriage, which had been just the four children and Rogue, who had decided he was enough to defend the singular carriage if something had happened, and they looked out to the estate ahead. The walls were greater than the walls which had formed the entire town they had come from, and there were thousands upon thousands of people here, but each of them belonged to the Black Fist family, some of whom were branch families, and others who belonged to the servants.

‘Not bad,’ Mika thought. ‘This is certainly a lower world, though.’ He had all but confirmed it when he was born, having judged the ki quality, the ki quantity, as well as the strength of the local flora and fauna.

The Black Fist members noted those who had appeared, and seemingly all recognised Rogue, who led the family towards the inner gates. The guards glanced between one another, wondering if they should try to aggravate Rogue, but considering there was the smallest, hint of a chance, that Rogue could return, they decided against it.

The world, too, understood the typical tropes and cliches one might see.

As they approached the inner gates, one of the guards raised a hand. “State your business.”

“My name is Rogue Black Hand, and I am the Head of the Black Hand family,” Rogue said.

‘Ah, he’s just a Head of a branch family?’ the guard thought, frowning slightly. “You may take the western estate for use.” He paused, feeling the deathly glare which emanated from the guard beside him.

“As you say,” Rogue said, understanding the meaning behind being given the western estate.

The silent guard beside coughed into his fist. “Excuse me, but I believe the Head of the Black Hand family was meant to take the eastern estate.”

The first guard snapped his head towards the second. ‘You bastard, the eastern estate is meant for the greatest branch family.’

‘If you don’t want to die, follow my lead, you little shit,’ the guard snapped back with his eyes. ‘If you want to die, die alone!’

The first guard wondered why his companion was acting weird, but he looked back to Rogue. ‘Hold on, why is he Steel when he’s just the Head of a family?’ He narrowed his eyes slightly. “I think my companion is right. Apologies, Head Rogue.”

“It’s no matter,” Rogue replied, flashing a warm smile at the guard. It wasn’t someone he recognised, so was probably trained after he had left, but he nodded to the second guard, before they made their way to the eastern family estate.

Mika huffed quietly. ‘Damn it! Why are they treating us so well? Shouldn’t you treat us poorly? How am I meant to take my revenge if you’re being nice? Is the world trying to disarm me?’

“What was that about?” the first guard whispered once they were out of sight.

“You absolute fucking idiot,” the second guard replied, his eyes bulging. “Don’t you know who that is?”

“Who? Rogue Black Hand?”

“Head Rogue, Head Rogue, you bastard! Do you want to die? Die by yourself!”

‘Was he always like this?’ the first guard thought. His companion was typically so calm and collected.

“Do you not remember what happened about ten years ago?”

“Ten years ago? You mean when the…” The first guard straightened up and began to sweat, his entire body shivering with a deep cold. ‘Rogue! Rogue Black Hand!’ “Thanks.”

“You’re buying the rounds this week,” the second guard whispered, rubbing his forehead.

‘Just a week? This is why you’re my favourite!’