The high-stakes meeting drew to a close, and board members—who are the family members— standing up to exchange professional handshakes. Kenzii gripped the edge of the desk to stand up but froze instantly as his vision flickered, and his glowing window system before his eyes to display a brand-new target profile.
"Here we go again," he muttered under his breath.
Sota, who was standing right next to him, caught the quiet whisper and furrowed his brows. "What?" he asked, drawing curious glances from a few lingering family members.
"Another target," Kenzii breathed out in a barely audible voice, his sharp gaze locking onto the details flashing across the system:
[Target Profile:
Name: Santiago Garza.
Age: 35 years old.
Occupation: Businessman / El Patrón.
Ethnicity: Mexican (Mexico).
Status: Single, with three children.
Transgressions: Drug Cartel Leader…
Difficulty Level: 75%]
Kenzii's eyebrows shot up as his eyes lingered on the bottom metric.
"An upgraded system, huh?" he murmured, a dangerous, amused smirk spreading across his lips. He was genuinely pleased with the new diagnostic update, and the fact that his next mark was a high-profile drug lord made it even more exciting.
"What are you smirking about over there?" an intrigued voice demanded. It was his uncle, Romex—the eldest son of Don Sebastian, who served as the CEO and President of Monteriel Bank.
"Hmm, nothing, Uncle," Kenzii replied smoothly, his smirk widening into a chilling grin that sent a visible wave of unease through the remaining relatives in the room. "Just thinking about another target to kill. I'm actually quite amused because my system just updated. It can now track the exact difficulty level of the marks I'm assigned to eliminate. Isn't that interesting?"
To his relatives, Kenzii sounded like a completely unhinged, heartless psychopath.
"What a demon," Romex muttered, shaking his head in absolute disgust as he turned and walked out of the boardroom. The remaining cousins and uncles rubbed their arms, visibly shivering as goosebumps broke out across their skin from the icy aura in the room.
"Hey, Kenzii," Alas called out, jogging over to join them at the side of the table.
"What?" Kenzii replied flatly. He turned to leave the room as well, but a booming voice stoped him in his tracks.
"Everyone leave, except you and your two cousins," Don Hidalgo commanded sternly.
The room cleared out immediately on his order, and even his siblings promptly stepped outside, leaving the space completely private. Once the heavy doors clicked shut, Don Hidalgo gestured for the three young men to sit back down.
"So, what is the exact percentage of your new mission's difficulty level?" the Don asked, his piercing eyes locked entirely onto his grandson.
"Seventy-five percent, Don Hidalgo. A notorious drug cartel boss in Mexico," Kenzii reported straightforwardly, knowing his grandfather would demand the facts anyway.
"A drug lord, huh? What's his name?" Alas asked, leaning across the polished table.
"Santiago Garza."
"Santiago Garza... I know that name," Don Hidalgo murmured, his expression remaining completely unreadable. "He is an international businessman who has been aggressively trying to invest in our corporate branches in Mexico. It is a good thing I haven't approved any of his proposals yet."
"Hmm, a seventy-five percent difficulty rating is notably high," Sota countered, looking at his cousin with deep concern, terrified that Kenzii might come back heavily wounded like his last near-fatal mission. "Can you handle this alone, or do you actually want our assistance this time?"
"There's no need," Kenzii smiled coldly. "I won't be coming home with a single scratch this time around."
"Are you absolutely certain about that? As a cartel boss, the man is bound to have a heavily armed small army protecting him at all times," Alas pointed out.
"Don't worry about it. It's a minor issue. You know what I'm capable of—I easily equal a hundred trained men."
The three cousins suddenly snapped their attention back to the head of the table when their grandfather let out a sharp, deliberate clear of his throat.
"I have no issues regarding whatever strategy you choose to employ, or what you decide to do, Kenzii. I know that when you give your word, you execute it flawlessly," the Don said, his steady gaze making Kenzii pause. "However, I made the three of you stay behind because there is something of grave importance we must discuss."
The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly, and the three cousins straightened up in their chairs, completely serious.
"I am getting older and older, and you all are well aware of that," Don Hidalgo began in a low, grave tone. "My greatest fear is that our family will be outmaneuvered in the brutal friction between the rival of our clan, which would ultimately trigger the absolute downfall of everything we have built."
The cousins listened intently. Every member of the family knew that Don Hidalgo fiercely protected the multi-trillion corporate empire their bloodline had painstakingly established. The right to inherit the ultimate throne of the Monteriel Group depended entirely on the sheer competence of a specific person, and the final decision rested solely with the Dons.
"That is why I need you to enhance your performance even further in your position, Sota," Don Hidalgo added, turning his heavy gaze onto his eldest grandson. "I am placing my absolute trust in your capabilities. You must strive harder, surpass everyone else, and undeniably prove your worth as a brilliant leader so that no one can question your right to lead."
Alas and Kenzii turned to look at Sota, who let out a quiet, burdened sigh, his eyes dropping to the mahogany table.
"I am fully aware of the immense weight I am placing on your shoulders," Don Hidalgo continued. "But even though the Monteriel family shares one collective name, I absolutely refuse to see the inheritance of this empire fall into the hands of someone who does not share my direct, pure bloodline."
"Grandfather—" Sota started to speak, but Don Hidalgo sharply raised a hand to silence him.
"I know exactly what you are going to say—that I should trust our extended kin. But I simply cannot," the Don confessed. "Especially since the one who dared to cut off our family's dark pact with the devil originated directly from my own flesh and blood."
The Don turned his gaze toward Kenzii, who immediately looked away, a tight knot forming in his throat.
"Yet, I have never once regretted what Roman did, nor do I hold any resentment toward him for breaking that curse," the old man admitted, catching all three of them completely off guard. They never expected their stern grandfather to harbor such thoughts. "In truth, I am deeply grateful it happened. Frankly, I never wanted to watch the eldest child of every single generation be slaughtered by a demonic entity. But you must understand that not everyone in this clan shares my perspective. There are those who are furiously resentful over the loss of the unnatural advantages and wealth that the devil provided."
"What exactly do you mean by that, Grandfather?" Sota asked, his brows drawing together in disbelief at the sudden revelation.
"I know for a fact that there is someone who harbors deep-seated malice over the broken pact," Don Hidalgo explained grimly. "In fact, that person actively tried to have Kenzii assassinated the moment he was born. And that ruthless, greedy nature that person has."
The shocking revelation hung heavily in the air. Sota adjusted his posture, leaning in closer to absorb every detail. "Who are you referring to, grandfather?"
Don Hidalgo just shook his head denying his grandson's request and exhaled deeply. "I know that the very second I display a single ounce of physical or political weakness, He will ruthlessly take advantage of it to install himself as the new head of this clan," the Don warned. "But he will never achieve that as long as there is breath left in my body."
"Grandfather... Is he actively making attempts on your life?" Alas asked, his fists clenching as a dark, protective rage began to boil beneath his skin.
"No—not for the time being," the Don reassured them. "That man has no knowledge regarding the contents of my last will and testament, nor does he know the identity of the private executor holding those legal documents. He cannot afford to eliminate me. Because of that, he is doing everything within his immense corporate power to forcefully elevate himself into the highest seat of authority. He is ensuring that his family hoards as many company shares and executive powers as possible to support him. But no matter what underhanded tactics they deploy, it will never be enough—especially since I personally hold a controlling 25% stake in this conglomerate. Besides that, I'm the only one who knows the identity of the silent investor holding 15% of the company's shares. I'm also the only one who knows about the company's hidden assets and slush funds."
Underneath the table, Kenzii's knuckles turned white from how hard he was clenching his fists. He hates his grandfather, that's true, but he doesn't want anyone replacing him—especially if that person is going to be one of his relatives. Those bastards aren't deserving. The irony was suffocating. He was the one cursed with the literal power of a monster, yet it was someone from his extended family who possessed the truly demonic souls.
"Therefore, Sota, you must sharpen your skills and ensure that you do not commit a single corporate or personal error. You are the only one I am relying on to carry this legacy forward. No one else," Don Hidalgo concluded. He looked at each of his three grandsons individually, his sharp eyes conveying a silent, desperate plea. "The three of you are my greatest hope—the direct, pure blood of my blood. Protect and support one another at all costs, and do not fail me."
Following that heavy, intense confrontation, their grandfather stood up and exited the executive boardroom as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, and the three cousins quickly followed behind. Per the Don's strict warning that every square inch of the corporate headquarters was crawling with rival eyes and listening ears, they immediately masked their expressions, acting completely normal.
"Don't worry, Cuz, we've got your back," Alas said with a bright, easygoing grin, casually throwing an arm around Kenzii's shoulder.
Kenzii merely rolled his eyes, aggressively brushing Alas's arm off his shoulder and quickening his pace to leave his cousins laughing behind him as they struggled to keep up with his brisk strides.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the high-rise building...
"Did anything suspicious occur during their private session?" a man demanded into his phone line, his voice dripping with calculation.
"Nothing out of the ordinary, sir," the corporate spy reported in a hushed tone from a quiet hallway. "They exited the boardroom perfectly normally. It looked like Sota and Alas were just teasing Kenzii. Don Hidalgo looked quite stern and angry when he walked out, so he most likely just gave Kenzii a severe scolding for his behavior."
"Hmm, excellent. Keep your eyes open and ensure I am informed of every single move they make."
.
When Kenzii finally arrived back at his office, Elena and Cariz immediately stood up from their seats to greet him.
"Good afternoon, Sir," they greeted in perfect unison, and Kenzii simply offered a brief nod in response.
"Hmm. Do I have any remaining meetings scheduled for this afternoon?"
"Y-Yes, Sir. You have a scheduled lunch meeting with Miss Solana Andariel at 12:00 PM at the xxxx restaurant," Cariz answered efficiently.
Kenzii turned his head around to look at her, a look of amusement crossing his features before he let out a soft, genuine chuckle.
Elena stared at her boss, her jaw nearly dropping to the floor in absolute shock.
"Hmm, I'm really not used to hearing you speak with such a formal tone," Kenzii laughed softly, causing Cariz to blush deeply and look down at her feet in embarrassment. Kenzii stood up from his leather executive chair and glanced down at his wristwatch. It was currently twenty minutes before noon, and the driving distance to the venue would take roughly ten minutes. "Has a private table already been reserved for us?"
"Y-Yes, Sir," Elena stammered slightly, her voice faltering as she tried to process the strange behavior of her boss. "The reservation has been fully secured under your name."
Elena watched Kenzii adjust his suit jacket, her mind racing. Since when did the cold, untouchable Kenzii ever learn how to genuinely laugh? This is absolutely impossible.