Chapter 99
I could feel the adrenaline rush in real time at the appearance of the Black Mist.
No way, I didn’t expect the dean to bring out the Black Mist here.
I slowly brought my hand to it, and the item’s information flashed before my eyes.
[Name: Black Mist]]
[Rank: Artifact]
[Type: Shoe]
[Description: These shoes are made from the same material as the shoes used by Iljimae. When worn, it completely blocks the sound of footsteps and greatly reduces the user’s chance of being stunned. It can be used to kick the air at least 2 times and increases agility by 30%]
Black Mist (黑霧).
In the game, this item was mainly used to build assassin characters or characters with a bowman concept.
There were two ways to get it in the game, the first being through the Black Market around mid-game.
The other was by joining the Academy’s student body early on and becoming the Dean’s apprentice.
As an artifact, it was one of the highest tiered shoes in the game, not only for its basic defense, but also for its additional effects.
The corners of my mouth twitched at the unexpected gift, but I hid my emotions as best I could.
“It’s a precious item, isn’t it? I’m not sure if I should accept such a treasure.”
Of course I’m lying.
I want to take it right away and run outside but as Koreans, we’re supposed to turn down the first offer.
Now that these shoes are on the table, I’m already determined to keep them no matter what.
“I’m giving it to you because I think you deserve it, so please consider this old man to be a hard judge and take it.”
“……I can’t refuse if you say so, can I?”
I said so, closed the box again, and gently put it aside.
I was still going to say no the third time, but I guess it’s the way of discipleship to take something when you’re told to take it so strongly.
I didn’t have any shoes, so here they are.
“I will use the gift you gave me today, thank you very much.”
“If you do, I’ll be grateful.”
Just then, the phone on the dean desk began to ring loudly.
“……if you’ll excuse me, I thought this might be an important call about the state of the academy.”
I nodded, as I was not unaware of the situation.
The dean slowly approached the desk and picked up the receiver.
After standing still and silent with the receiver in his hand, he put it back down and looked at me, smiling broadly.
“Apparently, agents have arrived to take away the villains. There’s nothing out of the ordinary in the neighborhood, so now we just need to get the students home safely.”
In other words, everything Ji-hyun had said before I came here had been resolved.
“Well, I’ve got some business to attend to, so I’ll see you at…….”
I stood up from my seat and bowed to the dean, who walked over to me and bowed to me as well, holding the box with Black Mist at my side.
“Thank you so much for today.”
“Haha, I’ll do the thanking, please be careful.”
When I returned to the classroom after the meeting with the dean, I saw the kids fiddling with their cell phones with bored faces.
“The dean said we can go home.”
At that moment, like in a horror movie, all the kids’ eyes turned to me.
“Really?!”
Including Ji-hyun.
“……Yes. The dean just said that while handing over the villains, so there should be a broadcast soon.”
And just like that, the speaker turned on.
[This is the school office. To all students currently at the Academy, please return home safely. Passing this on again. Currently…….]
As the announcement is broadcast to the class, the children begin to stand up in unison and prepare to go home.
They move in unison and the speed at which they do so is phenomenal.
“Everyone, don’t go to strange places, your parents will be worried, so go straight home!”
“””Yessssss~!!!”””
Looking at the children, Ji-hyun shouts at them as if to remind them not to forget, and they immediately respond.
They were so sincere about going home.
I had a lot of things to do when I got home, including explaining things, so I got ready to go.
“Hey, boss, don’t you think we’re going to have to take tomorrow off, too?”
Jin-woo chuckled, like he was looking forward to a day off.
“Even if you take the day off, you’ll still get dragged into mentoring, is that really that good?”
“Eh.”
He’d forgotten about that, too.
“I suppose it should be similar, but…….”
Even as I said that, my eyes were drawn to a message in the corner of my vision.
[Kwak Chun-sik: I’m in front of the academy, do you have a moment?]
With his personality, he probably didn’t come here because he’s worried about me…….
It seemed like I had to suffer the same mentoring.
“Well, see you later.”
After saying goodbye to the other kids, I left the main building and saw a man dressed differently in the crowd heading home.
A man wearing a pure white bowler hat made his way through the crowd. It was Kwak Chun-sik.
“Old man, what is that hat for?”
“Ha, you look pretty good for a guy who captured a bunch of villains.”
“Can’t you see I’m wearing a suit because my……uniform is all torn up?”
“I thought you dressed like that on purpose.”
After laughing so hard, Kwak Chun-sik wiped away a tear and said.
“Miner must have thrown dirt again, right?”
I nod my head, and Kwak Chun-sik starts laughing again.
“Hai, you must be wearing some pretty good stuff to have your uniform torn apart in the meantime. Let’s see…… Huh? ‘Per l’Imperatore?’ This was made by the Maestro?”
He looks at me with wide eyes, as if he realizes it’s a really nice piece of clothing.
“Yes. The maestro made it for me.”
“Ha! You’re wearing a building like you’re the son of a noble family…… Heh, heh, heh.”
“You must have a lot of money saved up, so why don’t you buy one with it?”
“Son of a bitch, a man has to face the world with his bare body! Besides, do you think the Maestro is so idle, that even if I booked a suit now, it would only come out when I won’t need it anymore?”
……Isn’t that right?
“Anyway, I’m here to transport the captured villains today, but I came to see if you’re okay……I’m glad you’re fine.”
Kwak Chun-sik smiles as he says that then grabs me by the shoulders and says in a gentle voice.
“You did a good job. Let me apologize on behalf of the incompetent Association that did nothing.”
……Why are so many people thanking me today?
It’s unnecessarily flattering.
“I’ll make sure you get your reward, even if it means screwing over the Association. My student did such a great job, he deserves something.
Reward?
I don’t care if it’s an uncomfortable thank you, I’ll take it.
“Please. You must give me something nice.”
“Huh? Hahahahahaha, kid. Okay, don’t worry. You don’t think I’m going to take some weird crap, I’ll take the best one I can get! Hahaha!”
With that, Kwak Chun-sik said goodbye and left.
It seems like he’s still busy investigating the Villain Alliance’s terrorist attacks…… but I wonder if he knows that this terrorist attack is still just a prelude.
‘Well, there’s still some time left, so it’s okay.’
In the meantime, I have to get stronger.
* * *
Upon returning home, the house was predictably rocked.
“Are you okay?”
My father, Parnello, and Consigliere were waiting for me as soon as I got out of the car.
“Didn’t I tell you I was fine?”
“Your words are not enough to ease our worries.”
After checking on me, Consigliore’s face showed how much he had been pestered by my father.
“I’m fine,” I said, “and I’m sorry if I’ve caused you any worry.”
When I say that, he just shakes his head and pulls me into a hug.
“Don’t worry. Your Vendetta is the Vendetta of Corleone.”
“……?”
Vendetta was a common Italian plural but in Corleone, vendetta meant something different.
It meant “retribution that must be carried out, even at the cost of one’s life,” a kind of fate.
When I heard that, I looked around and saw that the mansion was definitely not the same.
Soldato were roaming around the mansion, armed with heavy weapons while action squads and cars were gathering in the mansion’s parking lot.
As I stare at them, Parnello is the first to speak.
“Mr. Consigliere has identified a building that is believed to be the hideout of the Villains Alliance. We’ll be heading out with Don.”
“You mean……father himself?”
I look at my father, surprised by his words.
“If my child is involved in a terrorist attack, of course I’m going.”
It would be one thing if only members of Corleone organization stepped forward, but it was quite another if my father did so himself.
It was a clear declaration of war, a sign that Corleone was preparing for all-out war.
“From now on, the Villain Alliance is the enemy of Corleone.”
And my father’s decision didn’t seem to change.
“Then I will prepare myself.”
My father’s will is Corleone will and Corleone will was a kind of order I had to follow but he looked at me as if I didn’t understand.
“I’ve spoken to Alessia and the others, so you can get a good night’s rest…they will take care of the rest.”
With those words, he patted me on the shoulder a couple of times and walked away in silence towards the parking lot.
The sight of him was somehow familiar. It was the way he sometimes looked when we went to war in the game.
The atmosphere in the mansion was cold, but they all seemed to have a flame in their hearts that gradually heated up.
It was an entrance befitting the Emperor of the Underworld and following in his footsteps, Parnello and the countless Soldato began to move.
The Villain Alliance……is really screwed, aren’t they?
* * *
In a small apartment, with cold moonlight shining through the curtains and a cool breeze coming in from the open window, a man is leisurely stirring a teaspoon while smiling broadly when suddenly he hears a loud sound from the outside.
The man stopped stirring his teaspoon, turned around, and said.
“Come in.”
The door creaked open at the man’s words.
“Plague we have a tip. They say Corleone hounds are headed here.”
Stepping through the door was a tall, blond foreigner, giggling at how much fun he was having.
“Oh, it’s Corleone, have they figured it out already?”
“Of course not, we haven’t even started yet.”
“Right, then why are they moving?”
Plague rattled again.
“They haven’t done anything to upset Corleone, but……we’ve only touched the Academy so far, right?”
“You mean that thing with Miner?”
“Yeah, apparently it was a quick bust. Well, we accomplished our goal of greeting the government and the Association……but I heard an interesting tidbit: the first years involved in the attack took down Miner and the other villains…….”
He pauses.
“Bloody Clown.”
“Yes, Plague.”
“Do some research on those kids, who they were and what they were good at.”
“I will.”
Plague took the teacup, sniffed it, and brought it to his lips.
After spooning the steaming black tea into his mouth, he tossed the cup and teaspoon toward the window and grinned mischievously.
“So, shall we move?”
“Do you want me to leave them a present?”
“Of course. Corleone is the guest of honor and they deserve to be spoiled.”
The bandages around his face twitched.
