Assassin Syndicate

The Assassin Syndicate were a group of highly-trained fighters banded together by their mysterious leader. Their motives were to destroy the Gods, as well as other conflicting organizations and rule over the world to how they see fit. Though most of their foundation and history were shrouded in mystery, it was known that were founded and controlled by one powerful unknown clan since the Ninth Period, whose only remaining member of the family was the current leader, Codename: S. They were also one of the major aspects of the Sorceress and the Sea series.

Their operations were unknown and unpredictable, as everything they do in the syndicate was classified. All of the division specializes in stealth, speed, and efficiency in guerrilla warfare.

## Training

It was unknown how they recruit their people, but according to Astar Lucero, a former member of the Syndicate, they take in desperate people and brainwash them that they are their saviors and they owe their lives to them. It was also noted by her that Codename: S has a rather hypnotizing choice of words into brainwashing weak-willed individuals into believing along with the motives of the Syndicate.

Their training consisted of a series of incredibly harsh conditions they had to endure. Failure to complete a training likely resulted in death from it, especially with the Rapid Response Division. They were forced to learn a deadly martial arts style exclusive to only the Syndicate, which was deadly enough for the Assassins to be defined as “human weapons”.

They had mastery of wielding almost all kinds of weapons, but mostly stealthy and light weapons, such as daggers, high-caliber pistols, and other hidden weapons. Other skills included sign communication, trap laying, camouflage, and disguising techniques similar to the Shoninki.

They were also taught to use their environment as their weapon, so they also used slingshots, rocks, and other makeshift weapons to their advantage, as well as having incredible survival skills. Many fights they had to possibly attend to were planned out months before.

### Vows of the Syndicate

After trainees have completed their training, they are forced to follow five vows until the day they die. Failure to do so resulted in immediate execution. Most vows are excused if they are in a disguise, as long as they return to following these vows strictly after doing what they need to do.

##### Vow of Loyalty

Every member of the Assassin Syndicate was expected to follow orders without any second thoughts and without hesitation. Even in desperate situations, lower ranks are never to take over as long as a higher rank is present to maintain order.

##### Vow of Silence

Every member of the Assassin Syndicate was expected to remain silent, and never speak unless absolutely necessary. Lower ranks were never expected to make any sort of sound, not even yell in pain, and only spoke when responding to their superiors. The higher rank they have, the more freedom of speech they had. However, it is still absolutely necessary to never speak ill of the Syndicate, nor share information of the Syndicate to other parties.

##### Vow of Urgency

Every Member of the Assassin Syndicate are to see only the Syndicate as their family. No matter what they are doing, they are forced to immediately drop everything they are doing to respond to requests of higher ranks without a second to waste, no matter if they are eating, sleeping, or maintaining personal hygiene.

##### Vow of Ruthlessness

Every Member of the Assassin Syndicate is to not have any emotional attachments to anyone or anything, not even within the Syndicate. They are to kill without second thoughts when necessary, or risk their lives, even if it meant certain death, as long as it is for the benefit of the Syndicate.

##### Vow of Mystery

A fairly straightforward vow, as all members of the Assassin Syndicate were expected to cover their faces when in their uniforms, and are only excused when going into disguises, eating, or personal hygiene. Many Assassins wear a one-way glass combat mask to cover their eyes while still able to see well. Some may choose to swap from their combat masks to something more easy to breathe in while sleeping such as a loose bandana.

## Ranking

### Infantry Division

The Infantry Division was the largest division of the Assassin Syndicate. As suggested, the division mostly did their operations on land. They operated in small, stealthy, and dangerous squadrons. They were usually the first responders to missions.

#### Cadet

The lowest rank of the Infantry Division. Many were lackies, but are to not be underestimated. The average cadet was enough to sabotage a whole protected village.

#### General

The highest rank of the Infantry Division.

### Navy Division

The Navy Division mostly operates on normal fast, small, and rather silent ships, or possess abilities that supports long operations with little to no solid land. They specialize in the use of ranged weapons, as well as stealthy overseas transportation. They work interchangeably with the Air Force Divison. They also make the most appearances in the Sorceress and the Sea series.

### Air Force Division

The Air Force Division mostly operated on jet boats, or possesses abilities capable of flight, and work interchangeably with the Navy Division.

### Rapid Response Division

Jack of all trades, master of not none, but all. The Rapid Response Division has immense mastery in all fields of operations that all other divisions cover. There are very few officers who are within this division, as only one or two trainees graduate at one time, due to the fact that all the other trainees have died because they could not handle the harshness of their training. They are the final responders to operations, and their presence most likely meant instant defeat for many. They had the smallest number out of all the four divisions, with each squad consisting of only 5-7 members, and 4 squads per platoon.

#### Operative

The first rank given upon graduation of a Rapid Response trainee. Though, they are already capable of defeating any mid-ranked assassin from any other division.

#### Gamma (Lieutenant Commander)

Known Members: Astar Lucero (formerly), Caelus Lucero (formerly)

#### Alpha (Head Commander)

The (second) highest rank in the Rapid Response Division, though also the most dangerous, as they are often used to test Assassin Sovereign candidates, in which they often lose and die as a result, and needed to be replaced. It was also stated that the Alpha, if strong enough with enough proven tactical intelligence, is also a pathway to becoming an Assassin Sovereign, but this only happened once as the promotion of Sovereign 4, Codename: Yoki was done that way.

#### Assassin Sovereign

The highest and rarest rank of the Assassin Syndicate, even if they are considered a part of the Rapid Response Division. They work and respond directly to the Syndicate’s leader. The amount of every Assassin Sovereign ever since the formation of the Syndicate is only 20. The only way for an Assassin to become an Assassin Sovereign is that they must prove their tactical intelligence through multiple feats in the field. Once they were recognized by the leader, they will be hand-picked and is forced beat every single member of the Rapid Response Division in a battle at once, and a fight to the death with the Alpha, which proves their superiority over every other member of the Syndicate. It is said that Assassin Sovereigns are the Assassin Syndicate’s equivalent of Koshos, and in some cases, even superior, even if their numbers are far lower.

The Assassin Sovereigns’ real names are unknown, and they use code names instead. As soon as one becomes an Assassin Sovereign, their profile files become only available to the leader of the Syndicate. The ranks ranged from Sovereign 1 to Sovereign 4. Sovereign 0 has never been obtained nor replaced by anyone except by the mysterious Codename: Cero. The Assassin Sovereigns all shared a similar trait: cold, calculating, and taciturn. They rarely ever spoke, and only ever did so when completely necessary, despite having the most authority to do so according to the Vow of Silence.

Known Members: Codename: Cero (Sovereign 0, formerly), Codename: Kamui (Sovereign 1), Codename: Tomoe (Sovereign 2), Codename: Karl (Sovereign 3), Codename: Yoki (Sovereign 4)

## Trivia

* Nobody actually knew anything about Codename: Cero, not even their gender or how they came to be an Assassin Sovereign, as nobody except for Codename: S had claimed to ever see them. Though, it was said mysteriously disappeared from the ranks without a trace during the start of the 13th period, so many assumed that Codename: Cero was most likely a myth among the Assassin Syndicate.
* Sovereign 3, Codename: Karl was noted to be the peak of normal human abilities, as they do not utilize numen to fight, and could easily hold up against certain strong opponents. They were for sure stronger than Astar.
* Only Sovereign 1, Codename: Kamui could hope to hold up a toe-to-toe fight for a certain period with a member of the Kabuki Council. But due to their immense power, Codename: Kamui would likely lose.