Chapter 97

Chapter 97

I Became the Academy Mafia Chapter 97The moment I checked the messages, it felt as though my mind froze completely white.

I could understand why Father had been so shaken by what happened this time.

His son was at the Academy and had gotten caught up in a terrorist attack by the Villain Alliance.

However, if there was one mistake I'd made, it was assuming that the others would be able to stop Father properly.

“...

The Consiglière and Hitmen are coming?”

The fact that Hitmen, rather than Soldato

of the ordinary organization member rank, were coming meant that Calione's elite agents were moving.

More than anything, their leader was the Consiglière...

That was enough force that it would be understandable even if they erased an entire faction from existence.

Calione's number three.

Heading toward this Academy.

“Ugh, my head... Huh? We're on the field. Did the others get sent somewhere else?”

While I was desperately turning things over in my head, Jin-woo's voice came from beside me.

It seemed we'd been transported somewhere different from the others.

“Boss, looks like a bunch of people are gathered near the main building. Should we head over there?”

The place Jin-woo pointed toward was filled with people who looked like they had just returned.

They were probably checking the people who had come back.

But something more important had suddenly ‘come up’ for me.

“...

Something urgent came up. You go ahead.”

“Something urgent? Where?”

“Tell the instructor and the others for me!”

I felt bad for Jin-woo, but given the situation, I didn't have the leeway to explain in detail.

I quickly pulled out my smartphone and called Han Seo-jun.

The call connected before the signal even rang once.[Young Master?! You've returned? Where are you!]

Han Seo-jun's urgent voice came through.

“I just finished clearing the dungeon and came out. What about the Consiglière?”[He just arrived near the Academy. He said he was coming to the parking lot where the Don waited last time, so I'm standing by there, but...]

“Stop him! Hold the Consiglière there no matter what!”[What?! How am I supposed to──]

“Stop him by any means necessary!”

The Consiglière, of all people.

A man who could practically be called Calione's brain was leading Hitmen into the Academy?

That was no different from declaring war on most of the organizations that had sent their children to the Academy, including the government.

In the worst-case scenario, we might end up turning not only the Villain Alliance but even the Republic of Korea's Hero Association against us.

Before things reached that point, I had to personally step in and stop it no matter what.

Without looking back, I immediately sprinted toward the outer parking lot while continuing to survey the surroundings.

There still weren't any people who looked like Calione members in sight.

Had I ever run this fast in my entire life?

Just as that thought crossed my mind.

In the distance, I saw a man pacing in circles while clutching his head.

“Han Seo-jun!”

“Young Master!”

Han Seo-jun, whose expression usually barely changed at all, spotted me and waved with an expression I'd never seen before, as though he'd found his savior.

“The Consiglière?!”

“He hasn't arrived yet!”

Fortunately, it seemed I wasn't too late.

I stopped running and caught my breath as I entered the parking lot, when the sound of car engines began coming from the distance.

Soon, three black sedans entered the parking lot and stopped in empty spaces.

Click.

The doors opened, and men in black suits began pouring out.

Then one man opened a rear door, and a man in a black suit stepped out from inside.

Gray-streaked white hair neatly slicked back with a part, and a beard connected from his sideburns down to his jaw.

The sharp-eyed man surveyed the surroundings the moment he stepped out of the car before eventually looking at me.

“...

Eugene.”

“...

You've arrived. Godfather.”

Dominic Adanvanto.

That man was Calione's third-in-command, known as Father's left arm.

And he was also my godfather.

“I just heard from your aide that you came out of the dungeon... I'm glad to see you're safe.”

Dominic walked toward me with the click of his dress shoes and patted my shoulder.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

He asked about my condition in an extremely dignified voice.

“No, I'm fine. And... I never imagined you would personally come here, Godfather.”

“Ha, of course not. Your father insisted that he absolutely had to come himself. Parnello and I had quite the time stopping him. I was the compromise we barely managed to settle on. Well, from the looks of things, I'm glad nothing serious happened.”

“Then, are you going back now?”

If even Han Seo-jun had received word, the government must have gotten this information as well.

The government might already be watching us even now.

Dominic Adanvanto.

The mere fact that he had appeared near the Academy was already practically a major incident.

“For now, I suppose I should... but wouldn't it be cleaner to hold the Academy responsible this time? In the end, the fact that they allowed the villains' terrorist attack was a failure of Academy security.”

Just as he said, holding the Academy responsible for this incident was actually only natural.

The problem was that today was the wrong day for it.

“The Academy is probably still in chaos dealing with the aftermath of the attack. How about doing that after things have settled down a little? More importantly... my friends at the Academy still don't know my identity.”

The Consiglière was one of the people in Calione who made the most objective and precise judgments.

He should be someone I could reason with even in a situation like this.

“...

If that's what you say, then I suppose it would be best to do that for now.”

As expected, I knew I could talk to the Consiglière.

Then all that remained was for the Calione members to leave without being seen by anyone.

“Yes, then we can discuss the details after returning home──.”

“Haa...! Haa...!”

Ragged breathing came from behind me.

The moment I saw the gazes of the Consiglière and the others shift behind me, I sensed something was wrong.

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

Thinking that, I turned around as well.

“Hm?

“Haa... I wasn't too late.”

There stood Choi Yeon, breathing heavily.

“Choi Yeon?”

“...

Hm? Eugene? What are you doing here?”

Saying that, she looked at the organization members behind me.

“Ah... Calione people?”

At the same time, the sounds of the Hitmen grabbing their firearms with clicks came from behind me.

“She knows who we are.”

“Shall we clean her up?”

“Consiglière. Your orders.”

What the hell?!

I quickly hid her behind me and shouted.

“Stop! She's Choi Yeon of the Azure Sky Sword Clan!”

“...

Azure Sky Sword Clan? True, that hair color isn't common. So she's the Sword Saint's granddaughter?”

At the mention of the Sword Saint, Choi Yeon peeked her head out.

She glanced around at the people nearby, then stepped out from behind me and bowed her head.

“I am Choi Yeon of the Azure Sky Sword Clan.”

“...

I see. I am Dominic Adanvanto, Consiglière of Calione.”

“It is an honor to meet the Shadow in the Dark.”

“Hoho, judging by the fact that you even know that name, you must indeed be the child who will inherit the Sword Clan in this generation. You said your name was Choi Yeon?”

“Yes.”

Shadow in the Dark.

It was an alias referring to Dominic, Calione's Consiglière.

Dominic smiled with satisfaction and looked kindly at Choi Yeon.

“Then, child of the Azure Sky Sword Clan, why did you come running here in such a hurry? From the looks of it, you weren't following Eugene...”

At that, Choi Yeon frowned briefly as though it was difficult to say, then spoke to Dominic.

“My grandfather...”

“Hm?”

“My grandfather... the Sword Saint is currently rushing toward the Academy.”

“...

What?”

Dominic tilted his head for a moment as though he couldn't understand what she meant.

“The Sword Saint... Choi Seon-ho is currently rushing toward the Academy?”

“Yes. I only just heard about it from my family too...”...

I was getting a strange feeling of déjà vu.

I'd never imagined Calione and the Azure Sky Sword Clan would have something in common, but I didn't expect them to be similar in this way.

Judging by the Consiglière's equally dumbfounded tone, he seemed to have finished processing the current situation as well.

“Then, child of the Azure Sky Clan, can't you simply contact the Sword Saint?”

“Well... apparently he left his phone behind because he rushed out in such a hurry. That's why I came here too, since this is along the way to the Academy.”

First Calione's Consiglière, and now the Sword Saint of the Azure Sky Sword Clan.

Just like what had happened with Father before, it was an insane combination that could start reeking of war with one wrong move.

As both she and I stared blankly into space at the absurd situation, I spotted something flying toward us from far away.

Hm? Is that a person... huh?

“Yeon-ah!!”

At the same time as a roar came from the air, there was a tremendous boom!

“Yeon-ah! Are you hurt anywhere! Let me see! You can't be left with so much as a scar, so I need to call a doctor immediately!”

“G-Grandfather...!”

A man instantly landed behind me, pulled Choi Yeon into his arms, and began checking her all over.

Sword Saint Choi Seon-ho.

He had flown through the air and landed behind me.

“Phew... thankfully, you don't seem to be hurt anywhere. Villain Alliance, those sons of bitches I'd still hate even if I chewed them to pieces...! I'll go slaughter every last one of them right now!”

“Grandfather. Please calm... calm down...”

“How am I supposed to calm down when my granddaughter got caught in a terrorist attack!”

“There are other people behind you too...!”

“Behind me?”

Only then did Choi Seon-ho turn his head.

Our eyes met.

“...

Aren't you that Calione brat?”

“It's been a while, Sword Saint.”

“Right, and behind you is... Huh. What's Calione's underboss doing here?”

Apparently the two knew each other, because Choi Seon-ho looked at Dominic with wary eyes.

Dominic's expression also twisted as though he wasn't particularly pleased to see him.

An ominous tension passed between the two.

“...

I am not the underboss. I am the Consiglière, Sword Saint.”

“Ha, same difference. Why is someone who's usually so hard to see here?”

“Sword Saint. Wouldn't it be for the same reason as you? We too heard that our precious successor was caught in a terrorist attack, so we came.”

Choi Seon-ho nodded as though Dominic's explanation immediately made sense.

“Then that means this incident has nothing to do with you people.”

At those words, the Consiglière's face twisted violently.

“...

Watch your words, Sword Saint. Do you think Calione would be insane enough to be involved in this? Calione itself is currently in a situation where finding the Villain Alliance, breaking all their limbs, and slaughtering them still wouldn't be enough.”

“So that means your objective is the same as mine?”

“In a sense, you could say that.”

At that, Choi Seon-ho naturally turned his body to shield Choi Yeon and faced Dominic directly.

“Calione... yes, I'll admit your information network is worthy of recognition.”

“Sword Saint, Calione likewise respects your martial prowess.”

“It seems we have a lot to discuss?”

“Yes, it appears a productive conversation may take place.”...

Huh?

What the hell is happening all of a sudden?