System in Assassin's Creed

Alaric walked back toward the spot where he had last seen Dorris Wilson.

He expected to see the drunk man who had flirted with women in broad daylight, but when he arrived, there was no sign of him. The women were gone too.

He looked around the square, scanning the faces and the empty spaces. There was no trace of Dorris Wilson.

With a slight frown, Alaric turned away and began to wander the streets.

The town square had so many people going about their daily business, each lost in their own tasks.

Then, his eyes caught a familiar face near one of the market stalls.

A merchant, known for selling spices that came from the Malabar Coast, was arranging his goods.

The man's name was Nathaniel Graves, and was a bit overweight but had a friendly look.

"Ah, Alaric! Fancy seeing you here," Nathaniel called as he organized his stall.

Alaric walked over with a nod. "Hey Nathaniel, have you seen a guy who looks rich but is clearly drunk in the middle of the day?"

Nathaniel squinted slightly and shook his head. "I haven't, but I did hear someone causing a ruckus at Malroys Tavern just a minute ago. I heard that one of the goons there scammed a drunk lad in their."

Alaric gave a short hum. "Thanks."

"Alaric, come by tomorrow! I've some cargoes that's needed to be arranged!"

Nodding to the chubby man, he left Nathaniel's stall and started walking north from the town square.

His steps quickened as he approached a wooden plaque that had the words "Malroys Tavern."

Stepping inside, Alaric immediately sensed the rough atmosphere.

The tavern was dim and noisy. In one corner, a man with a few bruises on his face glared at him and shouted, "Oi kid, this place's not for the like of ye!"

Before Alaric could reply, another voice called out, "By the devil's bones! It's just a kid, Malo. Stop shouting."

Alaric paused, studying the man who had shouted. Malo was short, bald, and dressed in rough, worn clothing typical of a local goon. 'What a weird name, Malo...'

Malo barked, "I don't fucking care, scram, boy!" and slammed his hand on the table.

Alaric didn't reply. Instead, he looked around. The tavern showed clear signs of recent fights. Tables were crooked and there were marks on the walls. 'There's clearly signs of fighting in here...'

Stepping back out into the street, Alaric thought, 'How the hell am I going to find that guy?'

He stood for a moment, lost in thought. Then he heard someone step outside the tavern... the same man who had shouted at him earlier.

It was Malo. Standing outside, Malo listened as another person, coming from behind him, said, "I'm going home, Malo. Stop scamming people already, that's going to be the death of ye."

Malo grumbled, "It was a game of Nine-Men's Morris, ye lubber-brained!"

The second person snorted, "Bah! Can't be bothered with ye!" and walked away, leaving Malo alone.

Malo touched his bruised face and then muttered under his breath, "Dorris Wilson... I'll make sure you die, you scurvy dog..."

Alaric raised an eyebrow at the comment. 'He must have had a fight with that Dorris guy—and a game of Nine-Men's Morris, too. He must've won the lottery with that Dorris guy,' he thought.

Malo started to walk away from the entrance of the tavern, tending to his wounds as he moved. Alaric quickly decided to follow him.

Keeping a safe distance, Alaric tailed Malo through the busy streets. The crowd made it easier to blend in.

As they reached the town square, the density of people increased.

Seeing his chance, Alaric closed the gap and smoothly bumped into Malo. In that moment, with practiced skill, he snatched a small pouch from Malo's jacket.

Malo immediately shouted, "Hey, watch where you're going, you darn brat!"

Alaric froze for a split second, the pouch already hidden in his hand. He then said quickly, "I'm sorry, mister, I'm playing hide and seek with my mates!"

Malo's bruised face twisted into an expression that was almost funny, but Alaric kept a straight face.

Malo grumbled, "Get the hell out of here before I send you to hell!"

Alaric simply replied, "Well then..." and took off running.

Malo stopped for a moment, glaring after Alaric.

Then he patted his pockets, his eyes widening as he realized something was missing.

"That brat!" he shouted, but Alaric was already long gone.

---

After slipping away from the crowded square, Alaric found a quiet corner behind a crumbling wall near an empty spot.

He sat down on a low brick, taking a moment to catch his breath.

In his hand, he held the small pouch he had snatched from Malo earlier.

He grinned at his luck.

He activated his system. The screen flickered, and he deposited the contents of the pouch into it.

[+240 R]

[Current Balance: 707 R]

"Damn!" Alaric muttered, surprised by the extra money. '240 Reales... more than I expected,' he thought, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

[Buy] [Sell]

Without wasting a second, he tapped the [Buy] option in the System. The list of items were seen across the screen.

His eyes zeroed in on what he needed most.

[Unlock Chakra – 500 R]

His fingers moved with purpose as he mentally confirmed the purchase. Almost instantly, the system updated.

[-500 R]

[Current Balance: 207 R]

A warm feeling spread in his stomach as the transaction finished. Alaric paused, set his pouch aside, and sat cross-legged on the cool stone wall. Closing his eyes, he focused on the strange new energy inside him.

At first, it was just a faint warmth, like a small torch glowing in the dark. Then, in his mind's eye, he saw it... a soft light gathering in his core, pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat.

It felt natural, like something that had always been there, just waiting to be awakened.

This was chakra.

A power he had only known from the anime, now his to control.

The warmth spread, steady and calm, like a flower slowly blooming.

It wasn't a raging fire, but a quiet strength.

After a few long seconds, he opened his eyes.

The inner glow had dimmed, leaving him with a lingering heat in his core.

Standing up slowly, he decided to test his newfound power.

He moved toward a nearby wall.

He set his foot on the wall and took a deep breath, recalling vague lessons of agility and control from the anime.

'Time to try something new,' he thought, pushing a small amount of chakra upward to give his muscles extra strength as he attempted a climb.

Then, suddenly, there was a sharp jolt.

The wall gave way with a loud crash, sending a cloud of dust into the air and hurling him backward several meters.

Alaric landed hard on the ground, a grunt escaping him.

"Damn!" he exclaimed, rubbing his side as he tried to catch his breath.

He lay there for a moment, shaking his head.

'I used too much chakra all at once,' he realized. 'That's why they always talk about chakra control exercises.' He sat up slowly and looked at the wall's remains... a few loose bricks and shattered mortar scattered across the ground.

'Wait... what about...'

He concentrated hard on controlling his chakra output.

He closed his eyes once more, feeling that steady warmth in his stomach.

He carefully sent just the smallest pulse of chakra upward, imagining it traveling along a precise path to his fingertips.

When he opened his eyes, the world around him was different.

The world turned blue, as if a filter had washed over everything. Buildings, streets, and people stood out in a clear, glowing outline. Nothing was hidden—every movement, every shape was sharp and easy to track.

With a thought, certain things changed color. A target glowed gold. Paths and hiding spots lit up in white, guiding him forward.

'Eagle vision,' he thought, marveling at the change. It was not overwhelming; it simply made everything easier to see.

He could make out the texture of stone, the faint heat left by a recent fire, and even the hidden details in the crowd.

Yet, a new thought quickly nagged at him.

"Damn… I needed chakra to unlock eagle vision?" he mused. "How do the other assassins do it though? They don't seem to have chakra... Is it just innate talent? So, maybe I'm not that talented?"

He paused, shaking his head. "Not to worry," he told himself firmly.

"I've got a system full of overpowered abilities from the Naruto world. Just need enough Reales to fuel it. Yes... Money is the way."

The vision faded as he relaxed his focus, and the ordinary view of the town returned.

It was nearly dusk by the time he decided to leave his safe spot.

Alaric walked away from the alley, his mind was filled with possibilities.

He moved quickly, blending into the crowd as he headed back toward the town center.

He hadn't planned on staying in one place for too long, not with opportunities showing up at every corner.

As he made his way through the streets, he caught sight of three women emerging from a small tavern. Their laughter rang out despite being covered by their hands.

'Wait... isn't that the same group that Dorris was flirting with earlier?' he wondered.

Curiosity piqued, Alaric moved closer to listen.

Their voices were low but were easy to hear.

"…was too small…"

"…only lasted a minute…"

Alaric snickered quitely.

After a few minutes, the women parted ways, still giggling as they walked in separate directions.

Alaric's gaze drifted toward the tavern they had just left. A wooden plaque on the door caught his eye.

"Swan Tavern"

His mind immediately connected the dots. 'So you're here, huh? Mr. Dorris...'