Inherited Bloodline
A dimly lit secret room illuminated by a single soft light. Seated there was a man rolling a cigar between his fingers.
“Eugene?”
“Yes. The young master just departed for the academy.”
“I see?”
His name was Vito Calione. As he naturally clipped the end of the cigar and placed it in his mouth, the man standing beside him, Parnello Ramichi, pulled a lighter from his inner pocket with practiced ease and lit the tip.
“Haa……”
The smoke billowing from Calione’s mouth enveloped the pale yellow light.
“I never imagined he’d actually take care of Blunti…… You’re sure I provided no help?”
“Yes. Even I, watching from the side, was astonished. The way he emitted that red aura from his body…… it truly resembled the boss.”
“Hm?”
At Parnello’s words, Calione’s eyes widened as if hearing something unexpected.
“Eugene emitted a red aura?”
“Yes, it looked just like when you fight, sir. It seems the boss’s ability has been inherited by the young master.”
“My ability…… inherited? Hahaha! This is surprising. To think my power was a bloodline ability all along.”
Bloodline abilities, passed down only to second-generation Awakeners, were symbols of rarity and noble lineage—powers transmitted through blood.
Upon hearing his own strength was hereditary, Calione burst into booming laughter.
“Hahaha! Then most of his wounds must have healed by now?”
“He still seemed to have some muscle soreness…… but all external injuries were healed.”
“Is that so? My son…… he’s too impressive for words! Don’t you agree, Parnello?”
“I think so as well.”
“Hahaha! Looks like I need to prepare a new gift for our Eugene.”
Calione stubbed out his cigar on the red lump nearby. With a sizzle, like meat cooking, the mass twitched.
“B-Boss…… p-please…… s-spare me……”
“Hm? Still got some wriggling left in you?”
“Mercy…… mercy……”
Blunti’s mouth, from which the voice emanated, was suddenly crushed.
“Gaaahhh!”
Calione wiped the blood from his hands on a nearby towel. Looking down at Blunti, who clutched his mangled jaw and sobbed, he spoke in a flat tone.
“Blunti, Blunti. You foolish man. How is it you still don’t understand?”
“H-Huek…… huuu……”
Grabbing Blunti’s hair, Calione lifted his head to meet his eyes.
“Shut it. Or next time I’ll crush your vocal cords for good.”
“Kkh……”
“Good. Very good. Just keep silent like that. Information? I don’t need it. You need only pay the price for staining my name.”
“Kku…… kkheuk…… kkuu……”
“……Parnello.”
“Yes, boss.”
“Crush it.”
“Yes.”
With a crunch, Parnello shattered Blunti’s vocal cords using his fingers. Despite the shock, Blunti’s reinforced body prevented him from passing out.
“Gek…… khk.”
“Ready now. Let the punishment continue.”
As if it were breathing, Parnello whipped Blunti’s body with casual indifference. Watching from the side, Calione soothed the cigar’s bitterness with whiskey, then muttered amid a sigh laced with whiskey and cigar smoke.
“Still, I worry. With his new power, he might push himself too hard……”
As if to ease the boss’s concern, Parnello paused the whipping and smiled faintly.
“From what I’ve seen of the young master, I don’t think so. He’s the boss’s son, after all.”
Recalling the weapon Eugene had taken that morning, Parnello mentioned it. Calione’s body jolted at the words.
“Really? Our Eugene took the Chicago Typewriter?”
“Yes. No idea where he got it, but it seemed like the real deal.”
“Hahaha! Then he won’t get beaten anywhere. Parnello, I’ll head home. Handle the rest as usual.”
“Yes, boss. Rest well.”
Escorted from the secret room by his most trusted subordinate and the former traitor, Calione departed with a smile still tugging at his lips.
“Take care, young master.”
As always, Han Seojun pulled up to the academy’s main gate, opening the rear door.
“Thanks.”
Amid the black sedans flanking front and rear just like yesterday, one thing differed from before: the black bag in my hand.
My exclusive armament for use at the academy.
“The other monsters will bring all sorts of cheat weapons too, no doubt.”
This was an academy full of future named characters. Most came from loaded backgrounds, so they’d show up with all kinds of outrageous gear. To compete, I had to maximize my abilities and backing.
“No other way to surpass those monsters.”
On my way from the academy yesterday, I checked the reward for the hidden quest I’d confirmed.
[Organization's Betrayer]
[Carlo Blunti, having awakened the relic's power, plotted to collect more relics and absorb the Calione family. Eliminate Carlo Blunti!]
[Reward: Midas's Gloves]
Evolved Trait: Enforcer
[1. Enforcer: Those who confront the organization's enemies. Physical abilities increase by 1.5x against recognized foes of the organization.]
Because I overachieved the quest, I got an evolved trait one step higher.
A trait perfect for organization work—one I’d never seen in the game.
“Just looking at it fills me up.”
I grinned, pocketed my smartphone, and looked ahead.
The named NPCs from CS were mostly academy alumni. They’d grow massively in upcoming events.
I planned to reap maximum benefits between the organization and the academy.
How much stronger could I get here? Imagining a golden future, I chuckled inwardly—until an irritating voice cut in from the side.
“Even gangsters bringing weapons to the academy. This place is really going to hell.”
Glancing over, I saw Jeong Ui-hoon spinning a pure white revolver with a nasty smirk.
“You’re a fun one, huh? Eugene Han Calione.”
“What?”
Thanks to his police chief father, he’d already dug up my identity.
Well, after last night’s chaos, it’d be weirder if he hadn’t.
“How can you strut into the academy so shamelessly? After last night’s slaughterfest? Amazing.”
Whistling as he passed, he seemed to think his words had crushed me.
Calling that provocation? I smirked at his retreating back.
“Cops these days sure talk a lot.”
“……What?”
“Overheard? Sorry. Just some clueless mafioso rambling—ignore it.”
Cop bastard.
I brushed past the frozen guy and headed into the academy.
Challenging someone tempered in the gorge with mere words?
“Cute.”
Stay that cute forever.
“New students, please register your exclusive armaments here!”
At the entrance to the main academy building, a woman’s voice rang out. A line had formed before an assistant instructor.
On the first day with exclusive weapons, the academy managed them strictly—always a long queue.
Luckily, it moved fast, so my turn came quickly.
“Hello.”
“Welcome, new cadet. May I open the bag?”
“Sure.”
The staff opened it, checked the contents, and blinked in surprise.
“Oh, a gun? Most heroes prefer spears or swords over firearms.”
“Guns suit me best.”
Largely thanks to my [Trait: Hitman], but anyway.
Heroes avoided guns for simple reasons: inefficiency compared to other weapons.
Guns’ complex structures didn’t channel mana well, and spinning bullets dispersed most infused mana, yielding low firepower.
Thus, gun users were either those with simple designs like revolvers or wielders of relic weapons infused with history and mana.
“Checking now.”
Blue light gleamed in the assistant’s eyes—likely detection or analysis.
Soon, she gasped in admiration.
“‘Al Capone’s Tommy’? How did you get such a relic……”
No wonder. Even I’d been shocked checking its stats in the codex yesterday.
She probably saw something like this:
Grade: Relic
Type: Firearm
Description: The weapon of the Night Emperor who terrorized 20th-century America, Al Capone.
【Skills】
[1. World-Famous Relic: Its original owner was a global icon. Grants three effects.
a. Greatly increases mana infusion efficiency into bullets.
b. Can fire by charging mana alone.
c. Durability dramatically enhanced.]
[2. Chicago Typewriter: Fires bullets at terrifying speeds. Inflicts 'Fear' status on hearing the sound.]
[3. Mafia Exclusive: Symbol of the mafia. Boosts all abilities for mafia members.]
Glancing over, I saw Jeong Ui-hoon biting his lip from afar.
I just smiled back.
“V-Verified. You can enter.”
“Thanks.”
I stowed the Tommy from the assistant, slung the bag over my shoulder, and passed the dazed Jeong Ui-hoon.
Recalling his face made me want to laugh.
“Hey! Eugene!”
Walking the academy hallway, someone called my name from ahead. Looking up, I saw the glasses guy from the uninhabited island waving.
“Oh, Glasses.”
“Glasses……? Come to think of it, we didn’t properly introduce ourselves. I’m Kim Young-je. Thanks for yesterday.”
The goodwill I’d planted on the island was paying off already. Faster than expected, but I smiled back.
“Yeah. Eugene.”
I shook his offered hand and entered the classroom together.
“That bag’s your exclusive weapon?”
“Yep. Fountain pen for you?”
“Huh? How’d you know? Most don’t notice.”
He chuckled, glancing at the pen in his breast pocket.
“Just a hunch.”
“Heh, not ordinary after all……”
I knew him, of course.
‘Conductor of Elements, Kim Young-je.’
Mid-game moniker for wielding his fountain pen to unleash all sorts of magic.
Annoying with his elemental barrages every encounter, but recruitable as a comrade on the academy route.
My pocket smartphone buzzed.
Probably unlocked his codex entry after meeting conditions.
“Ah! You’re here!”
Entering with Kim Young-je, I saw familiar faces from yesterday. Some bandaged, others unscathed. Sea-a, greeting us, looked fine.
“Really indebted to you yesterday.”
Sea-a approached with a bright smile. Like Young-je, she felt grateful.
“Thanks to you, we made it back without being late. Appreciate it.”
Now I noticed the goodwill in the others’ eyes, excluding her and Young-je.
“Yeah. You all did well too.”
“Huh? D-Did you see us after leaving the island?”
Sea-a stammered, but I shrugged and sat in yesterday’s seat.
Seats filled one by one. They looked roughed up—yesterday was tough.
“You! You!”
Then, a loud one approached: yellow hair, piercings—the blond punk.
“You ditched me and took the helicopter yesterday? Traitor!”
“You made it.”
Jinwoo Bivalt, who’d introduced himself. He’d escaped by boat, I recalled.
He’d had a GPS like me.
“Calling a chopper to an uninhabited island? How loaded is your family? Who the hell are you?”
His eyes sharpened, probing my identity.
“Rich kid.”
I brushed it off and checked my buzzing phone.
Jinwoo Bivalt
Affiliation: Bivalt Family under Calione
Description: Only son of Bivalt Family boss Antonio Bivalt. Inherited his father’s exceptional hitman talent but not his composure. Struggling with funds since entering the academy.
“Whoa, ignoring me again to read some wiki? What’s that, a platypus?”
He couldn’t see the screen, so I browsed freely.
Bivalt—thought he was collateral, but direct lineage. With variables everywhere outside main characters, who knew?
How much more did this damn CS world hide from me?
Antonio Bivalt was a famed hitman NPC. Never imagined his son a punk like this.
Glancing up, he stared dumbly at my phone.
“Egg-laying mammal? With venom? Hey, let’s check related entries. Yeah?”
Chatting naturally. Never seen his abilities, but the codex was hard to ignore.
“Why try befriending me?”
He slapped my shoulder.
“You look loaded? Second reason…… just? You feel familiar.”
Money primary, but not bad. Greedy types were easy to use.
Some training needed, though.
“Then, Jinwoo Bivalt. Spar with me in today’s training?”
“Spar? Friends bond through fights, right? Dad said most his friends started that way…… Kinda old-school?”
Face screaming incomprehension. Time to motivate.
“Planning a club. Thought you’d fit.”
“Huh? Club?”
“You win, you’re president. I’ll be your subordinate.”
He frowned at the sudden club talk.
“Why’d I join and lead a club?”
This would hook him.
“Didn’t know? Club presidents get 10 million credits monthly activity funds.”
“10 million cr-credits?”
Gulp. His expression said it all.
“D-Deal!”
Hooked instantly, he patted my back grinning.
“Don’t worry. Won’t kill a recruit. I’ll go easy, no pain.”
……What confidence?
“But lose, and you’re my subordinate. Remember that.”
“Worrying already? I’ll win. Looking forward to it?”
Grinning, he returned fiddling with his phone.
Bait set. Now, how to reel him in—
Sea-a spun around from the front seat.
“Uh, really okay? Do you not know who he is?”
Whispering, hand blocking Jinwoo’s view, her face grave.
“Hm? He famous?”
“Of course! Rumor is Calione organization members hush crying kids just by name.”
Calione members scare kids silent? Where’d that nonsense come from?
Well, as heir, no need to correct.
“Jinwoo Bivalt’s infamous since high school for beating every standout villain. Not an easy punk.”
She whispered, glancing at him—then yelped and turned away as eyes met.
“Is that so?”
Handled villains? Solid combat sense, then.
“Guess I’ll properly evaluate him.”
Are you organization material?