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"It looks like Alex Ray has started to move. We need to pick up the pace. Our territory expansion isn't going fast enough," Vongola I muttered in frustration.
Vongola I and Alex Ray met as children in an orphanage located in Hell's Kitchen. After Alex's father passed away, the government sent him to that orphanage, where he stayed for a year before Wilson Fiskâbetter known as Kingpinâtook him in.
The conditions in that place were miserable. Being in Hell's Kitchen made it worse. The federal government had cut off all funding, leaving the children to rot. In a neighborhood where people died every day, orphaned children were even easier to ignore.
Outwardly, it was called an orphanage, but in truth, it was a hub for human and organ trafficking.
The staff never treated the children like people. Those who seemed strong or healthy were sold off to gangs to serve as cannon fodder. Others were harvested for organs and sold on the black market.
When Alex Ray first arrived, Vongola I was already seen as the king among the kids. Alex gave him the nickname "Vongola I" because he thought he resembled a character from an anime. The name stuck. Vongola liked it, and he's gone by it ever since.
During that year, Alex Ray began to realize the orphanage wasn't what it seemed. He secretly investigated the truth behind it with Vongola I's help.
With Kingpin's resources and Alex's planning, they eventually exposed the operation and saved the children.
The Vongola family was born from that rescueâoriginally a self-defense group made up of the saved orphans. After the orphanage was burned down, Vongola I led the remaining children and carved out a territory in Hell's Kitchen to survive.
The family now had seven "Guardians," including Vongola I, each representing a symbolic attribute: Sky, Storm, Rain, Clear, Thunder, Cloud, and Mist.
It was Alex Ray who had proposed this structure. He himself did not serve as a Guardian but held an elder position in the family. Vongola I became the Guardian of the Skyâthe symbolic leader and strongest member.
Though the attributes didn't grant powers like in the comics that inspired them, they gave the group structure and unity. Most of the Vongola members were still regular humans.
Today, the Vongola family stood as a respected power in the Midtown area of Hell's Kitchen.
"It looks like my old friend needs backup. You're coming with me this weekend," Vongola I said to a man with red hair and a tattoo across the right side of his face.
"No problem, Yishi. Anyone who wants to mess with you will have to go through me first!" replied G, the Guardian of Mist.
G, Vongola I's childhood friend and right-hand man, was a co-founder of the Vongola family. He was skilled with firearms, bows, and a sharp instinct for tactics.
"Relax. We're just backing up our old friend. No one's getting through me," Vongola I replied calmly.
"But I doubt the other gangs see it that way. We should prepare. You know we're short on manpowerâwe're barely managing to defend our own turf," G said with a tense look. Since Vongola I refused to recruit anyone with malicious intent, the family's numbers remained small and loyal, but limited.
"It's fine. Just you and I will go. The others will stay behind. Hell's Kitchen needs its own school," Vongola I said firmly. Having grown up as an orphan, he understood how life-changing Alex's idea of a community college could be. If such a school had existed when they were young, maybe he and the others would have finished college and lived normal lives.
"Understood. I'll get everything ready," G replied. He never argued with Vongola I's decisions. Whatever Vongola I wanted, G would supportâwithout question.
. . . . . .
Meanwhile, Alex Ray was lounging in the apartment lobby, casually eating watermelon and chatting with the building's security guard, John Wick. He remained blissfully unaware that multiple gangs were plotting against him.
Not that it mattered.
Even if Alex knew, he wouldn't have been concerned. In a country where danger lurked around every cornerâespecially in Hell's Kitchenâhe had learned to thrive in chaos.
In fact, if the gangs didn't retaliate, it would make things harder for him. He needed a reason to clean houseâespecially with groups like the Mexican cartel, who had long since crossed the line of no return.
Would the gangs join forces to act against him? Alex believed they would.
Even knowing the power gap between them, greedy men rarely gave up their hold on influence without a fight.
In Alex's eyes, they were just deluded thugs who thought they were invincible. Unless they paid in blood, they'd never understand the difference between themselves and a real predator.
To the public, the upcoming meeting was about the enrollment and opening of Hell's Kitchen Community College.
But for Alex Ray, it was a covert operation. He planned to evaluate every attendeeâfiguring out which students could still be saved, and which were already lost causes.
Gang leaders who only cared about themselves and ignored the future of their neighborhood? To Alex, those men were irredeemable. Only one force could save them nowâGod.
And Alex was more than willing to send them to meet Him.
"Need me to come with you this weekend, Boss?" asked John Wick. He looked at Alexâmuch younger than himâyet carrying ambitions that could topple cities. Changing Hell's Kitchen under this kind of pressure took nerves of steel. John found it admirable.
"Do you have plans this weekend?" Alex asked, a smirk creeping up. "Maybe someone you've got a crush on? Got a date?"
John Wick: . . . . . .
"Don't be shy, man. We're all guys here. I get it. It's been a while since your wife passed. Deadpool's out chasing women all the time, and no one seems to careâeven if everyone looks down on him."
Seeing John Wick always brooding like a ghost, Alex couldn't resist poking fun.
John smiled wryly. "Actually, I've been thinking about getting a dog. Saw Deadpool's dog the other day and thought it might be good company."
Since taking a job as the building's security guard, John had found some peace. But every time he saw Deadpool's dog, it brought back memories of the one he lost. Lately, the urge to adopt a new one had been growing.
"Just make sure it's not a female," Alex said, shaking his head. "I don't want to deal with Deadpool's dog acting up."
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Bonus Chapter - 150 Power Stones
2nd Bonus Chapter - 300 Power Stones
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đ Enjoying the Story? Get Ahead Now!
Can't wait for the next twist or epic moment?
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Your support means the world to meâthank you so much! đ
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