Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Weapon Fruit
Giovani swallowed hard, the cigarette in his hand long since extinguished. He didn't dare move. Alex, with a calm yet authoritative demeanor, placed a freshly lit cigarette into Giovani's mouth.
"You're a boss, right? So give me a straight answer—either explain yourself or accept your fate."
The heat from the flame was unnerving, as Giovani realized he was the first to smoke from such a bizarre source of fire. Taking a deep breath, he responded, trying to stay composed.
"Brother, what is it you want from me? Do you need money? I can hand over all the profits from the Imperial Nightclub for the past few years. Consider it compensation for killing your subordinate."
Joining some mysterious, supernatural organization wasn't something he took lightly. To him, even these powerful groups were still made up of people, and people always needed money—perhaps just more of it. He clung to the idea that finances might buy his way out of this.
Alex shook his head in disappointment. "You're supposed to be a boss, yet you don't understand what I'm saying. In that case, you'd better prepare to die."
A fierce white flame ignited in Alex's hand, its intensity unmistakable.
Giovani couldn't believe how quickly the situation had escalated. This young man was about to kill him over a few words? He quickly stammered, "I understand! From now on, I'll follow your lead, no questions asked!"
Alex seemed satisfied with this response. He reached into his jacket, pulling out a strange fruit and placing it in front of Giovani. As he settled back into his chair, he poured himself a small cup of tea. "Eat this, and you'll be one of us."
Mad Wolf immediately intervened. "Boss, don't eat it! Something's wrong with that thing!"
Mad Wolf's talent, [Wind Breath], allowed him not only to control wind but also to sense spiritual energies. From the fruit, he felt an overwhelming spiritual presence, and he knew it wasn't something to be taken lightly.
Giovani stared at the fruit, struggling internally. He realized now that this entire encounter had been orchestrated from the start.
This group had sent a C-rank fighter to provoke the Imperial Nightclub, using the aftermath as leverage to force him into joining them. The situation was terrifying.
Whatever that fruit did, it couldn't be good. But not eating it meant certain death. With a glance at Alex, Giovani accepted his fate.
He grabbed the fruit and, despite its awful taste, swallowed it down quickly. His resolve was evident—if he had to die, he'd go down swinging.
Wiping his mouth, Giovani spoke through clenched teeth. "That's it. I've proven my loyalty. Now what?"
A wave of information suddenly flowed into Giovani's mind.
[Weapon Fruit: C-Rank Talent]
[Consumes spiritual energy to transform any part of the body into a weapon.]
His eyes widened in shock. He had just awakened a C-rank combat talent? For years, he had fought his way to the top with nothing but a D-rank talent.
The Imperial Nightclub's success had been built on pure grit. Now, in an instant, this fruit had granted him the power he'd always dreamed of.
He immediately thought of the lunatic who had caused trouble the night before. This organization didn't just operate on a grand scale—they had numerous C-rank talents at their disposal.
With trembling hands, Giovani lit another cigarette. "May I ask one question? Why me? Why not the Black Dragon Gang?"
He was convinced that this mysterious group had targeted him because of his underground influence.
It made sense, after all—his operations had a foothold in the city's darker corners. But why choose him over the Black Dragon Gang?
Alex, leaning back casually, responded, "Yvette Ivanova from the Café mentioned you."
Giovani's mind went blank. "Yvette... Ivanova?" he repeated in disbelief.
"She's one of us," Alex said plainly.
The revelation hit Giovani like a thunderbolt. The woman he had been pursuing was part of this supernatural organization? How had he been so blind?
He had thought Yvette was just a fallen noblewoman, someone easy to manipulate, yet here she was—entrenched in a world far beyond his understanding.
No wonder he had never been able to win her over. Despite his status, someone like Yvette was far out of his reach.
Gathering his composure, Giovani cautiously asked, "And who are you?"
Alex didn't hide the truth. "The Flame Of Creation Mercenary Guild. I'm the Guild Master."
Giovani immediately shot up from his chair, dropping to his knees in submission. "From this moment on, I will follow the Guild Master's every command!"
Alex chuckled softly. The best way to handle someone like Giovani was through absolute dominance—so overwhelming that there was no room for resistance, only despair and compliance.
Completely overpowering someone through sheer force and dominance was far easier than dealing with a gold digger. Alex smiled as he spoke,
"I do have a task for you. The Mercenary Guild's current headquarters is set up at the Golden Wood Café. You own plenty of businesses—pick one to serve as a branch, and you'll be well rewarded."
Without hesitation, Giovani offered, "The Imperial Nightclub can be the branch!"
Alex shook his head.
"The Imperial Nightclub is too conspicuous. Choose something more low-profile. The details have already been sent to your phone."
Alex leaned in close, lowering his voice to a whisper, "Don't think about trying anything clever. I can make your life much worse than death."
Sweat dripped from Giovani's forehead, falling onto the marble floor. He didn't dare lift his head. It was only after Alex had left the private room that Giovani collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily.
The pressure that young man had exerted on him was suffocating.
Mad Wolf rushed over to help Giovani to his feet. "Boss, are you alright?!"
Giovani waved him off, grabbing his phone. The Mercenary Guild app had already finished downloading. He began to navigate through it.
[Hunter 'Dragon Slayer,' registration successful!]
[Reminder: If you advertise the Mercenary Guild or expose your identity as a Hunter, you'll be eliminated!]
Ten minutes later, Giovani's shoulders began to tremble, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"I've struck it rich! Bluewater City will be mine! Tell the construction department to hold off on demolishing the Rasputin Bar!"
He stood up, ready to leave, and as he walked down the hallway, he spotted Ethan Blake smoking by the window. A wide grin spread across Giovani's face.
No wonder Ethan had climbed from a small-time station chief to the captain of the City Bureau's Security Officer Unit so quickly.
Giovani sidled up to him with a sly grin. "So, you're a Hunter too? From now on, we should watch each other's backs in Bluewater City."
Ethan Blake shot him a look of disgust.
"If I find any evidence of your crimes, not even the Guild Master can save you. I'll take you down, even if it means going down with you."
Giovani burst into laughter. He was right—Ethan was a Hunter.
...
The café was always quiet, barely making enough to scrape by. The owner, Yvette Ivanova, didn't run the café for profit, nor did she put much effort into it.
Yvette sat by the window, resting her chin on her hand, bored as she watched the traffic flow by.
"Ms. Yvette, isn't that Giovani's car?" Lilin's voice snapped her back to reality.
Yvette glanced toward the entrance, spotting a meticulously parked Cullinan. Two people stepped out—Giovani and his bodyguard, Mad Wolf.
Her brows furrowed in displeasure. She sighed in frustration as they made their way into the café.
As Giovani entered, he greeted the waitress politely, "Busy as always, Lilin."
Yvette raised an eyebrow, surprised by how different Giovani seemed today. Gone was his usual cocky, overbearing demeanor, replaced by a courteous, almost respectful tone—even toward the staff.
What was his new angle? This guy never gave up on trying to get into her bed.
Suppressing her irritation, Yvette forced a smile.
"Giovani, didn't you say you were picking me up tomorrow for my birthday? Why didn't you give me a heads-up about coming today?"
Giovani rubbed his hands together, offering an awkward smile. "If I'd known your background was so powerful, I wouldn't have dared to... well..."
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