Chapter 97

Chapter 97

As soon as I saw the message, I felt my brain go white and froze.

I could understand my father's panic.

His son was at the Academy, caught in the crossfire of the Villain Alliance.

If I made one mistake, it was assuming that other people would be able to stop him.

"......Consigliere and the Hitmen are coming?"

The arrival of the Hitmen, not the lowly Soldato, meant that the elite agents of Corleone were on the move.

Best of all, their leader is Consigliere.......

In effect, it's a force that could wipe out an entire faction.

Corleone number three is coming to the academy.

"Oh, my head...... Huh? The playground. Did the other kids go somewhere else?"

I heard Jin-woo's voice next to me as I was furiously spinning my hair.

Apparently, the other kids had gone somewhere else.

"Boss, there seems to be a lot of people gathered in the main building. Should we go there?"

Where Jin-woo pointed, there was a group of people who seemed to have just returned.

They're probably checking the students but I had more important things to do right now.

"...... I have to go somewhere urgently. You go first."

"Somewhere urgent? Where?"

"Tell the instructor and the other kids!"

I apologized to Jin-woo, but given the situation, I couldn't give him a detailed answer.

I quickly pull out my phone and call Han Seo-Joon.

The call connects before the signal even rings once.

[Master?! Are you back? Where are you?]

I hear Han Seo-Joon's urgent voice.

"I'm on my way out of the dungeon. Where's Consigliere?"

[He's just arrived near the academy. He's coming to the parking lot where Don was waiting for you last time, so I'm waiting for him.......]

"Stop him! Hold him there at all costs!"

[What?! What can I do──]

"Stop him at all costs!"

Consigliere is no one else.

The man who is practically the brains of Corleone is leading a group of Hitmen into the Academy?

This was a declaration of war against most organizations that sent children to the Academy, including the government.

If I made a mistake, I could end up turning not only the Villain's Alliance but also the Hero's Association of Korea against me.

I had to step in and stop this before it happened.

Without a backward glance, I sprinted toward the parking lot outside, constantly scanning my surroundings.

Still no sign of anyone who might be part of Corleone.

I wonder if I've ever run this fast in my life.

In the distance, I see the figure of a man spinning in circles and holding his head.

"Han Seo-Joon!"

"Master!"

Han Seo-Joon, whose facial expressions were always very subtle, spotted me and waved with a look I had never seen before, as if he was seeing a savior.

"Where's Consigliere?!"

"He hasn't arrived yet!"

Luckily, it looks like I'm not too late.

As I stop running, catch my breath, and make my way into the parking lot, I start to hear car exhaust in the distance.

Three black sedans pull into the parking lot and pull up to an empty spot.

The doors open and men in black suits begin to clamor out then a man opens the backseat door and another man in a black suit steps out.

His graying white hair slicked back neatly, his beard growing out of his sideburns.

He steps out of the car, his sharp eyes scanning his surroundings before settling on me.

"......Eugene."

"......You're here, Godfather."

Dominic Adanvanto.

That's the man who is the third in command of the Corleone family and my father's left arm.

And the man who would was my godfather.

"I've just heard from the attendant that you've made it out of the dungeon, but...... I'm glad to see you're safe."

Dominic walked over to me, his boots clicking, and patted my shoulder.

"Are you hurt?"

He asks in a very grave voice, concerned for my safety.

"No, I'm not, and......I never thought my godfather would be here."

"Ha, of course. I know how hard Parnello tried to stop Don from coming, and I was the one who finally compromised and agreed to come. Well, I'm glad everything seems to be okay."

"So, you're going back now?"

If Han Seo-Joon had been contacted, the information would have reached the government without fail.

I had no idea if they were still watching us.

Dominic Adanvanto's mere presence around the Academy was already a big deal.

"For the time being, yes, but......wouldn't it be neat to hold the Academy accountable this time, after all, it was their security that allowed the villains to attack?"

As he said, it was rather natural to hold the Academy responsible for this incident.

The only problem is that it's today.

"Right now, the Academy is probably still reeling from the aftermath of the attack, so why don't you wait until the dust has settled, and above all......my friends at the Academy still don't know who I am."

Consigliere was one of the most objective and accurate judges of anyone in Corleone and he could certainly talk his way out of a situation like this.

"Well, if you say so, then I think we should go with that for now."

I knew I could talk to Consigliere.

If that was the case, then it would be over as soon as the members of Corleone organization left unnoticed.

"Yes, in that case, I'll tell you more about it when I get home──."

"Haa......! Haa......!"

Harsh breathing was heard from behind me.

I sensed something was wrong the moment I saw the gazes of the others, including Consigliere, fixated on my back.

Why are they......looking behind me like that?

With that thought, I turned around too.

'Huh?'

"Ha ha...... I'm not late."

I could see the figure of Choi Yeon, who was exhaling heavily.

"Choi Yeon?"

"......Huh, Eugene, what are you doing here?"

With that, she looked at the group behind me.

"Oh......people from Corleone?"

At the same time, the sound of the Hitmen holstering their guns came from behind me.

"She knows us."

"Consigliere. Orders."

What the hell?!

I exclaimed, quickly hiding her behind me.

"Stop it, she's the granddaughter of Sword Saint!"

"......Surely, that hair color isn't common. So, you're the granddaughter of Sword Saint?"

Choi Yeon poked her head out at the mention of Sword Saint.

She glances at the people around her, then comes out from behind me and bows her head.

"I am the youngest member of the Choi Sword Family."

"......Yes, I am Dominic Adanvanto, Consigliere of Corleone."

"Greetings, shadow in the dark."

"Hehe, since you know the name, I assume you are the child who will carry on the family name. Did you say youngest?"

"Yes."

(Shadow in the dark)

It was a nickname for Dominic, Consigliere of Corleone.

Dominic smiled with satisfaction and looked at Choi Yeon with a kind face.

"Yes, the child of the Choi Sword Family, why did you run here in such a hurry? I don't think you're following Eugene......."

In response, Choi Yeon frowned for a moment as if she was having trouble speaking, but then she turned to Dominic and said.

"Grandpa said......."

"Huh?"

"My grandfather....is rushing to the academy right now."

"......what?"

Dominic tilted his head as if he didn't understand what I meant for a moment.

"You're saying that Sword Saint is rushing to the academy right now?"

"Yes. I just heard about it from my family......."

......I had a feeling of déjà vu.

I never thought that Corleone and the Choi Sword Family would have similarities, but they do.

Consigliere seemed to have come to terms with the situation as she spoke in a tone of disbelief.

"Yes, you are a child of the Choi Family. In that case, why don't you contact Sword Saint?"

"That's because......they said he left his cell phone behind when he left in a hurry, so I came here first."

The Consigliere of Corleone and the Sword Saint, just like with my father before, it's a fascinating combination that, if done wrong, could lead to a war.

As both I and Choi Yeon stare into space, dumbfounded by the absurdity of the situation, I catch a glimpse of something flying toward us in the distance.

Is that a person......eh?

"Yeon-ah!!!"

A scream echoed through the air, followed by a thud.

"Yeon-ah, are you hurt? We must call a doctor immediately because we can't afford to lose you!"

"Ha, Grandpa......!"

In an instant, a man flew behind me and hugged Choi Yeon, checking every inch of her body.

Sword Saint Choi Seon-ho flew through the air and landed behind me.

"Whoa...... Fortunately, you don't seem to be injured. Villain Alliance......I'm going to go slaughter them right now!"

"Grandpa, just calm down...... calm down......."

"How can I calm down when my granddaughter was caught in the crossfire?"

"There are others behind you......!"

"Behind?"

Choi Seon-ho turned his head only after hearing those words.

"Aren't you ......the brat from Corleone?"

"It's been a long time, Mr. Sword Saint."

"Yes, and after that......heh. What's a vice captain of Corleone doing here?"

Choi Seon-ho looked at Dominic's face warily and in response, Dominic's face crumpled as if he's not happy to see him.

A strange energy passes between them.

"......I'm not a vice captain, I'm a Consigliere."

"Ha, that's it, isn't it, what are you doing here?"

"Sword Saint we're here for the same reason you are, we've heard that our heir has been caught in the crossfire."

Choi Seon-ho nodded, immediately understanding Dominic's explanation.

"I suppose that means this has something to do with you."

At that, Consigliore's face fell.

"......Be careful what you say, Sword Saint. Only a madman would involve Corleone in this, and we've got enough on our plate right now without having to hunt down the Villains Alliance, tear them limb from limb, and slaughter them."

"Does that mean you and I share the same goals?"

"In a way, yes."

At this, Choi Seon-ho naturally turned around to face Dominic squarely.

"Corleone...... Yes, your intelligence network is admirable."

"Sword Saint, your martial prowess is also respected in Corleone."

"I see we have much to talk about."

"Yes, I think we'll have some good things to talk about."

......Eh?

I'm not sure what this is all about.