The final enemy did not shout.
They convened.
Boardrooms. Private dinners. Offices without signs.
Men and women who had tolerated Michael Corleone as long as he stayed useful—and invisible.
Politics had rules.
And Luke was breaking the most sacred one:
Power was not supposed to change hands like this.
An investigation was proposed—not into Michael, but into the Foundation's influence.
A senator delayed legislation quietly tied to Corleone-backed infrastructure.
Banks adjusted risk profiles.
The message was subtle, but unmistakable.
You may be legitimate—but you are not welcome.
Luke studied the formation.
This was not a battle to win.
It was one to endure.
He authorized the final counter.
Transparency—not retreat.
Michael voluntarily testified before a civic ethics committee.
No lawyers interrupting.No outrage.No defensiveness.
Just answers.
Measured. Limited. Calm.
The spectacle backfired.
There was no monster to display.
Only a man who had outlived his sins and refused to repeat them.
Public opinion stabilized.
Not enthusiastic.
But steady.
Luke exhaled.
The three counterattacks ended not with victory—but with balance.
Politics had failed to burn him.The underworld had failed to reclaim him.The powerful had failed to isolate him.
Michael Corleone remained standing.
Not untouchable.
But undeniable.
The System chimed softly.
[Opposition Phase: Resolved]• Political Threat: Contained• Criminal Reversion Risk: Minimal• Institutional Resistance: Ongoing but Stable
Karma Gained: +420(Endurance, Nonviolent Resolution, Narrative Integrity)
Luke felt the weight of time again.
Wings passing overhead.
The enemies had shown their hands.
And now, finally, the city understood something fundamental:
Michael Corleone was no longer trying to rule New York.
He was trying to leave it better.
And that frightened people far more than violence ever had.
The war had changed.
So had the man who survived it.