Palermo's Fury Ignites the Night Awl
The Palermo swordsmanship of the Bonyatelli Family and Night Awl was a swift style defined by relentless combos from two swords of differing temperaments, overwhelming the opponent aggressively. The longer the fight dragged on, the faster those strikes whipped into a frenzy. It fixated on one prey, hunting and dismantling it relentlessly, eschewing stealth for honorable, brazen kills in plain view of all. That flashy bladework had birthed countless honors, elevating the Bonyatelli Family to one of the back-alley’s Seven Great Houses.
The more exchanges, the more it accelerated. Once you became a Bonyatelli target, escape was impossible.
That was the explanation, but honestly, it wasn’t half bad. As a speed-based style, it didn’t demand the strength or weight for greatswords or longswords, so it wasn’t too taxing on raw power.
Valentina unleashed her blades at her master with nimble, agile movements. Her two differing swords danced in her swift motions, battering away at her teacher’s guard in rapid succession. That dazzling swordplay felt like watching a single, graceful performance.
Then, the moment her master raised his sword high, Valentina slipped inside his reach and unleashed a technique she knew well.
Corpo di Punto
One of Palermo’s techniques, a flashy thrust.
Her master barely blocked the strike in a panic, but he was shoved back, one of his twin blades slipping from his grasp.
The master raised both hands in surrender. “You’re incredible as always, miss. I yield.”
He grinned as he spoke. “No genius in the Bonyatelli lineage has ever matched your talent, Miss Valentina. I guarantee it.”
Valentina let out a chuckle at his words. “No need for that much flattery. From now on, I’ll live properly for real.”
“I mean it, miss. Even the Capos in Thumb right now—if they saw your swordsmanship, they’d praise your talent and offer you a prime position on the spot.”
“Bilfor... you’re overdoing the jokes. Why would Thumb’s Capos take interest in some rookie who’s been in less than a year? There are far better people out there, like the Black Cloud Society’s deputy leader or Allan of Night Awl. Why me?”
“Miss, you need to have more confidence in yourself.”
Bilfor’s words made something warm stir deep in Valentina’s chest.
“A truly splendid match.”
Clap. Clap. Clap. Steady applause echoed from behind.
Valentina turned and bowed her head upon recognizing the face. “Greetings, Family Head.”
The Bonyatelli Family Head—Valentina Bonyatelli’s father—gazed at her with an impassive expression. “Valentina, that was truly outstanding. Among my daughters, not even your sisters have mastered Palermo as superbly as you in this family.”
He was always the same with his children—more fixated on results and performance than parental affection.
“A Capo spoke highly of you.”
“If he views me favorably, I vow my loyalty to the family alone.”
Valentina bowed deeply to the Family Head.
“Indeed... strange. You never bowed quite this formally before...?”
The Family Head found it odd but brushed it off without much thought, tossing her a letter. “Thumb has commissioned the Bonyatelli Family for a job. As their subsidiary, all we can do is handle what Thumb assigns properly.”
At his words, Valentina tore open the envelope and read the contents.
Thumb’s subsidiary Night Awl and the Bonyatelli Family are to collaborate in eliminating the suspicious forces recently appearing near L Corp.
“I’m entrusting this to you, Valentina. Frankly, your sisters have been such disappointments that you’re the only one fit for it.”
The Family Head handed her a rectangular case. “Family Head... what’s this?”
“Think of it as a gift from father to daughter.”
Inside the case were high-grade bullets packed tight.
“You didn’t need to go this far...”
“Like I said, a gift from dad to his daughter. Finish this well, and I’ll put in a word about your performance to Thumb and the family elders.”
With that, the Bonyatelli Family Head departed.
Valentina glanced at the letter again. L Corp, huh...
...
Valentina stared up at the building run by the Night Awl organization. The family had offered a direct escort, but she’d refused the Family Head’s suggestion to take the Warp Train. Ride that thing? I’d lose my mind for real.
She knocked on the door.
Moments later, a man who looked like an organization member opened it and eyed her. “Well, what’s a pretty young lady like you doing at our place?”
He leered at Valentina shamelessly.
Ignoring it, Valentina spoke. “Where’s the Capitano?”
The man’s face darkened instantly. “Why’s a girl like you looking for our deputy leader?”
He drew a stiletto-like dagger from his coat. “What business do you have with our deputy, miss...?”
Valentina grinned and drew her sword. “I don’t play around when I fight. Get boring, and I might turn your last leg into a prosthetic too.”
She darted into his guard, thrusting with her blade. The speed-focused, beautiful Palermo resembled a dance, a performance of fluid motion—but make no mistake, it was a killing art. The flashy thrust hammered the organization member.
The man frantically parried with his dagger. “Fuck... which outfit are you from?”
“For Night Awl, you’ve got quite the mouth. Unlike Capitano, are all your grunts this level?”
The man shoved her back with his prosthetic. After a few clashes, he slipped into her guard. His sharp dagger was inches from her chest.
Valentina smirked, tensed both hands, spun fiercely, and swung.
The man realized something was wrong—but too late to pull away.
Sette Natura di Elefante
A beautiful spinning slash, severing limbs in rotation.
When her elegant spin ended, the organization member’s wrist and remaining leg lay severed.
“So, wanna keep going?”
At Valentina’s nonchalance, Night Awl realized she was Thumb-affiliated from the Soldato uniform peeking under her torn cloak. The Bonyatelli crest gleamed on her chest. Cold sweat beaded on the man’s forehead.
“I... I... from the start... no, I’ve committed a mortal sin. I didn’t realize you were a lady of the Bonyatelli Family...”
He prostrated himself before her.
Valentina approached, whispering in his ear. “And if I hadn’t been a Bonyatelli lady—just some regular Thumb Soldato—what then?”
“O-Of course... nothing... absolutely nothing...”
“Thumb isn’t like Middle Finger; it doesn’t probe the Don’s intentions unless he says so outright. Of course, weaklings like you never get to bark at Underbosses or Capos anyway.”
Valentina kicked his side. “If I’d just been a Soldato, you’d have had your fun and killed me, right?”
“N-No... I didn’t even know you were Thumb! I’m innocent!!”
Valentina looked at him pitifully. “That’s why we hide it in these back-alleys—anything can happen. Even the Bonyatelli name or Thumb affiliation could draw baseless revenge from someone who hates us.”
She shrugged at him.
“S-So... you’ll let me live?”
“We’ll see after I talk to your boss and review your performance.”
The commotion drew other organization members rushing down. Among them, a man with slicked-back hair, forehead scar, and stunned expression stared at Valentina.
“You’re Allan the Capitano, right?”
Valentina grinned, eyes crinkling. “Let me introduce myself properly. I’m Valentina Bonyatelli, lady of the Bonyatelli Family and fresh Soldato in Thumb.”
“Hah... well...”
Allan could only stare at her for a few seconds.
...
“One of your grunts tried to mess with me, so I gave him a little discipline.”
She pointed at the member still prostrated on the floor. “You need to train your men’s discipline better.”
Valentina sipped her coffee casually.
Allan frowned and spoke. “I admit my subordinate erred with you, miss. But didn’t you make a mistake too?”
“Me...?”
“You could’ve led with ‘I’m a Bonyatelli lady here on Thumb business’ from the start, or given prior notice. My idiot grunt wouldn’t have tried anything then. They’re not that stupid.”
Allan sighed at his head-butting subordinate.
“How about letting this slide, miss?”
Valentina shook her head. “Afraid not. I’m quite the family favorite, so if I come back with even a scratch, Dad’ll be heartbroken. You get it—dads with daughters worry if their girl gets hurt; hurts the marriage prospects later.”
Not sure if Dad actually cherishes me that much, though.
“Sigh... From what I see, you don’t have a mark on you. And we don’t lay hands first—nobody here but me and the boss could even subdue you anyway.”
“Subdue me? Hurt me, and the Bonyatelli Family won’t sit idle.”
Valentina enjoyed Allan’s exaggerated reaction, clutching his forehead in pain.
“Anyway, to business.”
She held out the Thumb letter to Allan. “Thumb’s commission—once resolved, we split the merits and performance 7:3. Me taking 7, obviously.”