I Became a Mafia in the Academy

Chapter 316

“Yep, our club boss is making history in real time. Recently, he captured a dragon king and completely crushed the villains who came after that deer or whatever it was.”

“If what you’re saying is true, then he must be quite the man.”

“Is he? Our Young Boss is a great guy, but he’s a great guy, too.”

The voice sounded familiar so I listened a little more closely.

“But isn’t your Young Boss even greater? In the raid of Etna Volcano he took down a fire giant.”

The voice of the other person talking to Jin-woo was familiar.

……I’ve heard that voice a lot, huh?

That voice, it was a member of the organization I worked with quite a lot.

That means he knows both my academy life and my organization life.

That means……that, one hundred percent, he must be making fun of Jin-woo.

“Our boss also killed a dragon king, and it was a raid mob that looked really strong……I can’t say anything since I’ve never seen a fire giant……!”

Jin-woo muttered, scratching his head in frustration.

“Hahahaha! Then how about this: the boss of the academy that Master Jin-woo serves and the Young Boss are on the same level for now.”

“……The same level?”

“Yes. You said it’s hard to tell who’s better anyway, so let’s just rate them based on what happens from now on, starting from zero.”

“That’s a……good idea?”

Man, no matter what I do in the academy or organization, I’m constantly being compared to myself.

It’s a funny situation from the third party’s point of view, but……I can’t sleep because of their conversation.

To stop their discussion, I came out of the tent.

“Are you two on watch?”

“Ah, Master!”

“Young Boss!”

The two of them stood up from their seats, surprised by my appearance.

The moment I looked at their faces, I was about to burst out laughing as I remembered the conversation we had just had.

[Attribute: 【Hitman】 is activated!]

[1. Cold-blooded killer – The organization’s knife for disposing of enemies. Hitmen remain calm in any situation.

Proficiency with firearms is greatly increased.]

I barely managed to hold back my laughter and maintain a serious expression.

“Tomorrow is a big day, so get some rest. Don’t suddenly say you’re tired.”

With that, I walk straight into the tent and close the door behind me, only to hear a booming reply from behind.

“Yes, Master!”

“Got it!”

Still, as I lay in bed, I didn’t feel too bad about what Jin-woo had said.

I thought to myself, “At least he still trusts and respects me at the academy.”

……But why is he being so mean at the academy?

I’m suddenly pissed off.

* * *

As the sun slowly crept over the ridge, Corleone’s camp began to bustle with activity.

“Darkness family, get under the shade!”

“We’ll be checking equipment under the shade!”

The dark spirits, who find it difficult to function in the light, have set up a giant shade structure to prepare for the battle ahead.

All of Corleone’s organization has also begun to move about, checking their gear and organizing themselves into groups. The preparations are complete.

“Master. I think we’ll be ready in another ten minutes.”

Han Seo-joon walks up to me and bows his head to report.

“The plan?”

“Yes, at this rate, it should go off without a hitch.”

“Good.”

We had a large army, hundreds if you count the dark spirits.

Some were afraid, some were smiling in anticipation, and some were so tense that their expressions were unreadable, completely rigid.

The variety of expressions seemed to indicate the importance and danger of what was about to happen.

“I think you should say something.”

The guy who had teased Jin-woo yesterday, codenamed ‘Gamauchi’ sneaked up on me and proposed a speech.

“……?”

I hadn’t even prepared a speech.

“It may not be much,” he said, “but your words will help them.”

……Well, if you put it that way, I can’t resist.

Okay, I can’t help it.

“Summon the men. I’ll keep it simple.”

I sigh and reply, while he smiles and nods.

“Yes, I will prepare quickly.”

Yes, it’s a war I’m preparing for, a war I’m commanding, so it’s rather fitting that I should speak before the battle.

It’s something I hadn’t thought about until now, as I’ve only ever been an enforcer.

This operation is the first step on the path to the Don, and it’s more important than I thought.

Besides, giving a speech on this scale is something that might change my character.

‘Yeah, it can’t hurt.’

I pushed forward, organizing the sentences in my mind.

It was nothing special, but this act alone will change a lot.

“Everything’s ready. Come on up.”

“Let’s go.”

I pat the shoulder of the member who comes up beside me and bows his head, and climb up to the dais.

It was a simple stage in the center of the cleared camp.

It wasn’t very high, but with the surrounding area being so flat, the slight elevation gave me a bird’s-eye view of all the people lined up.

Even at a glance, the angles were spectacular.

There was a faint breeze in the forest and my voice, amplified by magic, mingled with it.

──Let me be clear.

–Perhaps you do not understand why we are standing here.

I can see their faces stiffen at my words so I look down at them and lightly clench my fists.

-For those who don’t, let me tell you why. We are here for survival, for our families, for our organizations, for the future.

-Not for money or power. Not for honor. Survival! We are here for survival, for family, for love. The enemy has built a nation right on top of where our families live, and now they are calling the shots and preparing to take our homes, our property, and our lives.

-Then I ask you. What have we shed our blood and sweat for all these years?

“””For our families!”””

-For what have we become Corleone!

“””For our families!”””

-Yes! With no one else to protect us, we banded together, calling each other family! That is the history of Corleone! That is our role!

I clear my ragged breath and stare straight ahead with calm eyes.

-In the battles ahead, you may feel an unreasonable difference in power. You may see your comrades die before your eyes, or you may come face to face with your own fears as you realize the danger you face.

My eyebrows twitch lightly.

I closed and opened my eyes for a moment, trying to gather my emotions.

-Then remind yourself. We’re not fighting for ourselves, we’re fighting for our future. You won’t see the enemy’s blade in front of you, you’ll see my back. You’ll always have Corleone standing in front of you!

──Thud!

The sound of my footsteps echoes through the clearing like a drumroll.

-Corleone will not spare a wolf that targets our family.

“””Corleone doesn’t spare wolves that prey on our family.”””

-God be with you.

As I descend the dais, leaving the group behind, a tremendous roar rises from behind me.

The steps down the podium were shaking, and I realized how much this speech had meant to them.

[You have succeeded in raising morale with your speech in front of countless soldiers!]

[The morale of your allies is at an all-time high!]

[Talent: [Orator] is strengthened]

【Eloquent (★)】

[1. People find your words extremely attractive and persuasive]

[2. People around you are drawn to your words]

[3. Your Speech Skill increases in proportion to your Charm]

[(New) 4. The morale correction of allies according to the speech increases significantly.]

[(New) 5. Physical abilities of allies who hear your speech increase slightly overall]

A notification pops up to inform me of the expected talent buffs.

I would have thought that a talent of this magnitude could only be obtained by climbing the Summoner tree or the Commander tree, but perhaps the size of Corleone and the importance of this event make it so.

I don’t remember this being an easy event to obtain……No, it seems like it was pretty hard to get it if you look at the process.

“Good job. Master.”

Han Seo-joon hands me water and a towel as I come off the stage.

I moisten my cracked throat with water and wipe the sweat on my forehead from my passionate speech.

“Han Seo-joon.”

“Yes, sir. Master.”

“Prepare to leave.”

He left immediately to relay the orders to the other captains.

I stroked the twin wings of the key item of this war on my finger, and stood at the front of the group, through the gap between them.

Taking a breath, I drew my Tokarev and pointed it at the sky.

“Corleone.”

────Tang!!!

[Triggers “Twin Wings of Heaven”]

[The sky around you begins to turn dark…….]

“Let’s go.”

At that moment, my surroundings begin to darken, slowly casting shadows, as if giant wings were covering the sky.

The boundary between light and darkness rises before me.

-Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump.

As I begin to walk behind the boundary, the sound of hundreds of people echoes from behind me.

The sky slowly darkens with my steps.

Perhaps, to the enemy, it would appear that I am bringing darkness upon them.

The distance between the camp and the enemy’s home base is about half an hour at the pace of an Awakened.

Given the size of the camp, they were sure to notice our movements and they would most likely be waiting for us.

───Bang!

───Bang!

───Bang!

Loud gunshots echoed through the forest.

Each shot was followed by the sound of something falling through the leaves, like fruit falling from a tree.

It was the sound of Corleone’s sharpshooters, keeping their distance from the main army, hitting the enemy’s detachments as they tried to slow our advance.

“That’s the sound of money falling.”

Large-caliber anti-spirit rounds, newly crafted with the Dark Spirits, made just for today.

“Still, it’s effective, isn’t it? One spirit for a few million, not a bad exchange.”

I said it as a joke, but Han Seo-joon took it seriously.

“That’s true.”

The snipers must have realized I was right, because they kept pulling their triggers.

-Thud, thud, thud, thud.

The sound of something falling continues around us.

“This must be ridiculous for the spirits.”

We’re in the middle of a forest, not even a flat area.

The last thing you’d expect is to be killed by a bullet fired from hundreds of meters or even kilometers away.

Well, we’re called Corleone for making it possible.

-This is Styx. We’re finished cleaning up the roadside.

The voice of the sniper team leader comes through the in-ear.

“Good job. Styx.”

-Good luck. Master.

As I stare out into the forest, where I can no longer hear the drops, I wonder what they think of us.