Chapter 87

Chapter 87

I Became the Academy Mafia Chapter 87That night.

For the first time in a while, all the bosses and executives of the Families located within the country gathered in Calione's grand conference room.

And the one seated in the chairperson's seat for this meeting was the boss who oversaw all of Calione's Families.

Don Vito Calione.

“From this moment onward. We will begin the emergency executive meeting convened by Eugene Han Calione.”

Like a judge announcing the opening of a trial, he struck the gavel placed before him.

Since this was the first meeting I had convened as an executive and Calione's successor, bringing up an ordinary agenda could have caused them to question my qualifications as successor, but I was confident.

Well, if they saw this with their own eyes, thoughts like that would disappear immediately.

“I am Eugene Han Calione, the organizer of this meeting and the one who proposed the agenda and requested this gathering. Thank you all for taking the time to come here.”

Including me, there were six people participating in this meeting as Family bosses.

The Muve Family, who normally served as cleaners.The Vivald Family, who managed the central coastline.The Pirlo Family, who managed the Busan region.The Kowalnose Family, who also worked in the hunter industry and had formed a guild of their own.

Me, who established a new Family called Familia at Seoul Hero Academy.

And the supreme commander who led all of them, Calione's Don.

Vito Calione.

Since the executives of each Family had also gathered, the actual number of people was much higher.

“The reason I asked all of you to gather here is because I've obtained important information.”

Saying that, I examined the expressions of those seated around the table.

Unlike the first executive gathering I'd attended, they listened to me with completely serious expressions.

In private, they gave off the image of friendly uncles overflowing with warmth, but from the moment I'd convened a meeting with an agenda, they had begun evaluating me in an official capacity.

Then by the time this meeting ended, what sort of evaluation would they give me?

With that thought, I played the video I'd prepared in advance.‘Despair will land in Korea.(Despair will land in Korea.)’It was the declaration of war video from Plague, a global criminal and one of the highest-ranking executives of the Villain Alliance.

Until now, only his face and position had been known, so when he appeared personally in the video, interest began to appear on the executives' faces.

“This video was anonymously sent to a government institution and implies an act of terrorism targeting the Republic of Korea. And there is only one reason I'm showing this video to all of you. Because Calione's territory is included among the places the Villain Alliance intends to attack.”

The bosses and executives looked puzzled.

“You're saying Calione's territory is included in their terrorist attacks?”

The one who raised the question was the boss of the Kowalnose Family.

Calione controlled the underworld across the globe, so naturally it couldn't avoid crossing paths with the Villain Alliance, and because of that, the two sides were in something close to a non-aggression pact where they did not interfere with each other.

More precisely, it was closer to the Villain Alliance avoiding us.

However.

“The information came through an informant within the Villain Alliance, so it is reliable. This is also something my fath... the Don has confirmed.”

According to Ratte, whom we'd rescued last time, they no longer intended to maintain non-aggression with Calione.

If anything, they were turning into enemies.

Considering the story ahead, we had to prepare in advance as well.

“We must prepare for terrorism. We need to increase the number of personnel patrolling each area and create an environment where we can respond at any time.”

At that moment, Reg Muve, boss of the Muve Family, raised a hand and asked.

“There's no guarantee when this terrorism will happen. Couldn't that video simply be meant as a threat?”

Just as he said, the video we'd watched earlier never stated when the terrorism would happen or where it would occur.

It merely said that despair would come to the Republic of Korea.

As I was about to explain, Antonio, boss of the Vivald Family, spoke first.

“But it's also true that a large number of villains recently entered the country illegally. If they intend to commit terrorism, there's nothing stopping them.”

“What I'm saying is that there's no evidence they're targeting Calione in particular. We only need to protect our own families. If we step forward needlessly, won't we just provoke them?”

“Isn't that too passive a response? What if we're attacked first!”

“That's nothing but speculation! What would those bastards even gain by attacking Calione first!”

“That's why he's saying we should prepare!”

Their voices gradually began to rise.

“Prepare? Fine, preparation is good. But! If we start moving, the civilians in the areas we protect will become anxious. And if we begin acting on a large scale, do you think the government will stay still?!”

“That's why beforehand, we should tell the civilians──”

The conversation grew more heated with each exchange.

And just as the tones of the Family bosses were about to rise further.

“──Quiet.”

A single word.

The moment that one word came from beside me, the air around us grew heavy and pressed down on the entire room.

Sweat forming on their foreheads, the two slowly turned toward the direction the voice had come from.

Amid thick cigar smoke, red eyes flickered.

“My son, Eugene Han Calione, has not finished speaking.”

Tap.

Ash from the cigar in Father's hand fell onto the table.

“Mind your manners. Reg, Antonio.”

Father warned them by calling both Family bosses by their real names.

At that sight, the two men who had been raising their voices only moments ago hurriedly bowed toward Father.

“We were disrespectful. Don.”

“...

Please forgive us.”

Even after their apologies, only silence lingered in the conference room.

The other executives and bosses also wore visibly tense expressions.

Father silently looked at the two of them, then nodded, and the two men who had been bowing quietly returned to their seats.

The room fell silent once again. Father glanced at me and spoke.

“Then, the one who proposed the agenda may continue.”

“...

Yes. Boss.”

Thanks to the incident just now, even those who hadn't been fully focused now directed all their attention toward one place.

It was a rare opportunity to immerse people with such strong egos.

Then making the most of this opportunity was precisely what I had to do.

Because they had to understand how dangerous he was before their thoughts would change.

“According to what the informant said... Plague does not make threats or spread false propaganda.”

That was the kind of man he was.

A man with the twisted belief that for humanity's sake, humanity itself truly needed to be wiped out.

A man who believed that only the highest tier of humans who survived countless diseases and wars could create a new world.

“He is a villain who believes that he himself must become the Great Plague and act as a filter for humanity, that he must become someone who shoulders original sin like Jesus.”

Now that a madman like that had declared war, there could be no room for doubt.

“The executives of the Villain Alliance make absurd beliefs into the goals of their lives. In this case, he even personally revealed himself and made a video. And for that reason, he will definitely carry out the terrorist attack.”

And that terrorism would spread across the entire country, beginning with the incident that would soon occur.

Would one become good, or evil.

Would one move only for oneself, or move to protect everyone.

In this war that no one could avoid, what choice would they make?

As someone belonging to Calione, my answer was simple.

“We must keep watch on the villains in each area. We must be cautious of unregistered Awakened. We must identify those who have smuggled themselves into the country while avoiding the eyes and ears of the government.”

Calione... must prepare for a real war.

At my final words, the expressions of everyone in the room turned grave.

They were gradually beginning to understand the weight of the situation.

“Now then, let us organize this once.”

Father, holding his cigar, spoke first.

“If Eugene's words are true, then sooner or later Calione will ultimately suffer damage as well. We have an obligation to protect those who trust and rely on us so they are not harmed. However.”

His quiet gaze swept across everyone present.

“Matters like this should fundamentally be handled by the government. It will be on a different scale from simply governing our own territories. Naturally, there will be backlash as well. We must also consider the balance of power.”

Then let us begin voting on this agenda.

With those words, Father took a deep pull from his cigar and exhaled, gray smoke rising above his head.

The cigar in Father's hand had burned down to the marked line as though its lifespan had ended.

“Among the Families, those who believe Calione must prepare for war, raise your hands.”

At the same time, the executives and bosses of each Family began raising their hands.

One, two, three.

More hands continued to rise.

Eventually, the vote ended.

“Good. It's decided.”

And among them was even the boss of the Muve Family, who moments ago had questioned whether there was any need to prepare defenses.

I hadn't expected a result like this, so as I looked at them in surprise──“──Calione does not leave alive the wolves that target our family.”

Parnello, who had raised his hand from the seat closest to Father, recited in a deep voice.

At the same time──“““Calione does not leave alive the wolves that target our family!”””

Everyone repeated Parnello's words, while Father smiled faintly and crushed the cigar in his hand into the ashtray.

“Unanimous.”

Then Father brought his raised hand down with a bang!

“Just as you said, Calione does not leave alive the wolves that target our family. Return to your respective Families and deliver this message. From this moment onward, Calione prepares for war.”

Father said that, then looked toward Parnello.

“Parnello. Take the video we just watched to Calione's Information Command Room and spread it across the internet so everyone can learn its contents. They too have the right to protect their own families, so do not let them be manipulated by the government.”

“As the Don wills.”

Parnello bowed his head and immediately left the conference room.

“Vivald.”

“Yes. Boss.”

“You will strengthen patrols around the ports, investigate recent stowaways, determine whether any of them are Awakened, and compile a list.”

“Yes, Boss. I will do so.”

“Muve. Focus all your efforts on finding where those bastards are hiding within Korea.”

“Understood.”

“Kowalnose. If they're keeping themselves hidden, there's a high possibility they're hiding inside dungeons. Identify every dungeon in the metropolitan area and investigate all of them.”

“I will do so.”

“Pirlo. If they're planning terrorist attacks, they'll need various supplies. Thoroughly monitor movements in the black market and determine whether there is any suspicious activity.”

“Understood. Don.”

In an instant, Father issued orders to the Family bosses gathered here.

One by one, each of them was called, until finally only I remained.

“Eugene.”

“Yes. Don.”

“...

Suspend your nighttime successor lessons for the time being and put more effort into maintaining order in the Foreigner Area. The safety of others is important as well, but the people in this district have only us to rely on.”

“...

I will do so.”

After hearing even my answer, Father lightly patted my shoulder and rose from his seat.

Everyone looked at Father with unwavering eyes.

They were waiting for Father, for the Boss, for the Don, to begin the war.

“Prepare for war. Calione.”

With those words, Calione's war to protect its family, its Family, began.