Gunshots rang out across Bowery Street, popping like firecrackers during Chinese New Year.
Luca stood in front of the pigeon coop, pulled out a pigeon, and gently stroked it in his palm. These pigeons had been bred and trained by humans for generations, so they weren't afraid of people at all.
"King, I'm planning to raise doves too. Do you have any chicks? I'd like to buy a batch."
"Now is not the time to discuss that," the King of Bowery Street replied, slowly walking over to Luca's side as the gunfire echoed around them.
"I thought you would talk with Santino D'Antonio instead of going straight to war with him, Dove of Peace. This isn't exactly the peace I had in mind."
"Even the King of Bowery Street gets scared sometimes?" Luca asked calmly.
What was there to fear?
If it weren't for his useless younger brother Santino obtaining Baba Yaga's blood marker, would he have ever had the chance to rise within the Camorra?
Anyone who dared interfere in New York—Luca would break their hands.
The situation was already clear. Santino and Joe Gallo were working together, while Joseph Yacovelli and the other Mafia families supported the opposite side.
On the surface, it looked like a civil war between the Gallo faction and the Yacovelli faction, but in reality the game had escalated to a much higher level.
What truly mattered now was the survival of those two "shields," Gallo and Yacovelli.
On one side, they had to protect their own people from assassination. On the other, they had to kill the enemy mercilessly.
Why show mercy?
What Luca really needed to consider now was how many powerful assassins Santino had hidden up his sleeve.
Low-level assassins weren't a problem, and Ares, the mute bodyguard, wasn't exactly top tier.
But Luca needed to worry about whether Santino had recruited other elite killers.
Those kinds of assassins could wipe out an entire building alone with nothing but a pistol and a knife.
Their natural combat instincts were terrifying—almost exaggerated.
Although Luca's side had strong fighters, they didn't have many.
Aside from Leon, the others followed Luca more because of friendship and personal relationships rather than formal allegiance.
Strictly speaking, they weren't his subordinates.
Both O-Ren Ishii and Elle Driver belonged to the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad.
Meanwhile, Baba Yaga belonged to the Tarasov Bratva.
After the gasoline tax and port business stabilized, Baba Yaga had returned to report back to the Tarasov family.
For example, Baba Yaga wasn't participating in today's battle.
"The great King of Bowery Street fears no battle," the King said dramatically, spreading his arms wide like a street preacher.
"On the King's territory, any invading enemy will be punished!"
Then he paused.
"But…"
He stared at the pigeons.
"I have no intention of becoming enemies with Santino. I've got no grudge against him."
Despite his theatrical personality, the King knew his limits.
The Bowery Kingdom couldn't compete with the Camorra.
Beggars and vagrants weren't a match for professional assassins.
Luca immediately understood.
The guy was still hesitating.
"So you want Santino to rule New York?"
Luca continued.
"Let me tell you what he'll do next. First he'll help Joe Gallo seize control of the Colombo family, then he'll openly extend Camorra's influence into New York."
"After that, he'll slowly swallow every gang in the city. No one will be spared—including you."
It was true Santino had ambitions for New York.
However, at the moment he was only a major figure within Camorra—not the leader yet.
In fact, Luca knew Santino's sister had no interest in New York at all.
Her goal was Rome.
In the original timeline, Santino killed his own sister, held a coronation ceremony in New York, and then immediately began wreaking havoc across the city.
He targeted Uptown first, then Downtown, forcing the King of Bowery Street to help Baba Yaga kill him.
At that time, New York had practically become leaderless.
The Tarasov gang had already been destroyed by Baba Yaga himself.
Camorra had simply chosen the perfect moment to invade.
Luca stuffed the pigeon into the King's arms and deliberately exaggerated the situation.
"I'm not exaggerating. It would take all Five Families together to deal with Camorra. If Santino breaks through the Colombo family, the balance will collapse."
"King, your good days will be over."
"You have no choice but to stand with me."
"As long as the Mafia rules New York, Bowery Street will remain peaceful. That's the promise I can give you."
The King fell silent for a long time.
He paced back and forth across the rooftop while holding a dove.
Suddenly, a voice came through Luca's earpiece.
Leon spoke urgently.
"We've run into a pretty tough opponent! Elle Driver is injured!"
Luca blinked.
"???"
Was Ares really that strong?
"Who is it?" Luca asked.
"I don't know him. He's bald."
Luca's expression immediately turned serious.
Bald people were always trouble.
Every bald guy seemed ridiculously strong.
Leon continued.
"He's speaking Japanese. O-Ren Ishii is fighting him now."
Luca fell silent.
He probably already knew who it was.
Luca opened the system panel and immediately allocated points.
__________________________________________________________________________
Luca Greco
Skills:
Firearms Mastery LV7
Assassination Mastery LV7
Combat Mastery LV7
Driving Mastery LV6
Kendo LV1 → LV7
Shameless Rogue (….Omitted)
Current Skill Points: 0
Remaining Skill Fragments: 53
"Redeem Barefoot Warrior"
[Ding! Barefoot Warrior succesfully redeem]
Skill Fragment −30
Skill Acquired
Barefoot Warrior
Effect:
• Movement Speed +20% when barefoot
• Evasion Rate +20%
• Terrain interaction +20%
• Foot damage −60%
__________________________________________________________________________
When Luca suddenly took off his shoes, the King looked completely confused.
"Why are you taking off your shoes?"
"I love the land," Luca said seriously.
"I want to feel closer to it."
"…."
Close combat wasn't Leon's specialty.
He excelled in ambushes, assassinations, and gunfights.
Leon avoided sword duels whenever possible.
Inside the narrow corridor of the soup kitchen, Leon supported the wounded Elle Driver as they retreated from the battlefield.
Her arm and thigh had been cut by a katana, leaving her barely able to move.
"Don't worry about me!" Elle collapsed against the wall, pushing Leon away while reloading her pistol through gritted teeth.
"Go help O-Ren. That bald guy is tough."
Through the pain, Elle cursed Bill in her heart a thousand times.
Where the hell were Bill and that bitch Black Mamba having fun right now?
(TN: For you who don't know, Black Mamba is the title of Beatrix Kiddo, the MC from Kill Bill)
She'd been in New York for months, and that bastard Bill hadn't even called.
Then suddenly Luca's face appeared in her mind.
She missed the club.
That place made her feel safe.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Leon fired several shots and easily eliminated multiple Camorra assassins approaching from the hallway.
As bodies collapsed against the walls, several Japanese assassins wielding katanas appeared at the corner.
Leon immediately raised his pistol.
The Japanese assassins leapt backward, dodging swiftly and disappearing into another corridor.
"Those are ninjas," Elle said with a grin.
"They specialize in movement and assassination. Watch for sneak attacks."
As a katana user herself, Elle had studied in Japan for several years and could recognize their style immediately.
They likely practiced ninjutsu, kenjutsu, silat, and karate.
"A group of very strong fighters," Leon muttered casually.
Even though he disliked knife fights, he wasn't afraid of them.
Leon pulled out a grenade.
Explosions were a much more magnificent art than swordsmanship.
Just as he was about to throw it, hurried footsteps suddenly echoed from the corridor ahead.
Then came the sharp clang of swords colliding.
Shadows flickered rapidly across the wall.
Finally, a streak of blood splashed across the surface.
Moments later, Luca, holding a dagger, stepped out from behind the corner.
He flicked the blood off the blade and walked toward Elle with a smile.
"God of Gamblers, you got injured by small fry like this?"
"Don't call me that!" Elle rolled her eyes.
"They ambushed me! I just didn't notice!"
Luca looked around.
"Where's O-Ren?"
Leon replied.
"She's dueling that bald guy. A very traditional samurai duel. Seems like there's some kind of agreement between them."
Luca sighed.
Some assassins simply preferred killing with weapons other than guns.
Everyone had their specialties.
Like Baba Yaga.
Besides firearms, he also mastered judo, sambo, kali, and many more martial arts.
Luca reached toward Elle.
"Give me the katana. I'll avenge you."
Elle handed it over skeptically.
"You've only trained for a few months. Are you sure?"
How could a man admit he couldn't?
Luca laughed.
"I'm a swordsmanship genius praised by Miss Ishii herself."
Elle snorted.
"Who knows how you two practice your swordsmanship."
---
The hall was filled with corpses.
Only two people remained standing.
O-Ren Ishii, holding a katana with both hands.
Opposite her stood a bald Japanese assassin holding a wakizashi.
His name is Zero.
"Miss Ishii, your Kendo is excellent," Zero said while slowly circling her.
"Since coming to New York from Japan, I've never met anyone who could rival me."
"In the past, only one man qualified in my eyes."
"You are strong—but still inferior to him."
O-Ren Ishii's eyelids twitched.
She knew who he meant.
Baba Yaga.
This guy is obsessed with challenging him.
Every single day.
"When Mr. Ishii was killed and the Ishii family declined, everyone believed you died in that massacre," Zero continued.
"But a few years later, Boss Matsumoto was assassinated by a little girl."
"Miss Ishii… that was you, wasn't it?"
O-Ren Ishii remained silent.
Zero smiled.
"I admire you."
"But admiration alone isn't enough for my loyalty."
O-Ren Ishii raised her sword.
"Then I'll beat you until you submit."
"Please try," Zero grinned.
"I'm curious—who taught you Kendo? You must have studied under a famous master."
O-Ren Ishii thought of her father.
But he wasn't her true teacher.
Her real master came later.
Hattori Hanzo.
"Mr. Hanzo?!" Zero exclaimed in excitement.
"That legendary swordsmith?!"
"Every weapon he forges is a divine blade!"
"I dream of owning one of his swords!"
"You're not qualified," O-Ren Ishii said coldly.
"We could negotiate," Zero suggested casually while lowering his blade.
"If you want my loyalty, you don't need to defeat me. Just give me a sword forged by Hattori Hanzo."
I don't even have one myself!
O-Ren Ishii charged forward.
"Enough nonsense!"
Clang!
The two swords collided repeatedly.
Zero's wakizashi darted forward like lightning.
O-Ren Ishii narrowly dodged, while her katana sliced across his thigh.
Zero staggered slightly.
His gaze toward her grew even more serious.
He had never fought such a powerful swordsman—especially not a woman.
At that moment, both of them looked toward the corridor.
Luca slowly walked out, dressed in black, drawing his katana.
__________________________________________________________________________
[Character Card Discovered: Zero (Unlocked)]
Rank: S
Source: John Wick
Skills:
• Loyal Fan
• Judge
Bond: Stranger
__________________________________________________________________________
Zero...The fanatical admirer of Baba Yaga.
Leader of New York's ninja assassins.
Owner of a roadside sushi restaurant.
Luca remembered him clearly.
In the original storyline, when the Adjudicator came to New York, she eventually recruited Zero's group.
Zero made the correct strategic decisions.
First destroying the New York Roma, then crushing Bowery Street, nearly becoming unstoppable in the city.
He had even almost killed Baba Yaga.
If Baba Yaga hadn't placed his hand on the Continental Hotel steps, and Charon hadn't intervened with the rule that "no business may be conducted on Continental grounds," Zero would have finished him.
This bald guy was definitely dangerous.
"The Butcher… another expert has arrived," Zero said excitedly.
"Are you going to fight me two against one?"
"Come all at once!"
"This will be a glorious battle!"
O-Ren Ishii glanced at Luca firmly without speaking.
Luca understood immediately.
This was a samurai duel.
She didn't want him interfering.
Zero had a terrible habit.
He loved duels too much.
He had many chances to kill Baba Yaga, yet chose honorable one-on-one fights instead.
If not for the Adjudicator's orders, he might have even become Baba Yaga's friend.
"Before that," Luca said calmly, "answer one question."
"Are you serving Santino D'Antonio?"
"No."
Zero shook his head.
"Santino doesn't represent the High Table. He isn't worthy of my loyalty."
"I'm only here for the bounty… or rather…"
His grin widened.
"To sharpen my skills and challenge stronger opponents."
"Butcher, I've heard you rarely fail a mission."
"I look forward to fighting you."
Luca was speechless.
Baba Yaga truly had a devoted fan.
"Please," Luca said politely, stepping aside.
"Continue your duel."
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