Compared to Luca, Leon was truly elusive.
Aside from work, he stayed inside most of the time. Occasionally he went out to watch a movie—usually a musical with barely any dialogue. A man with no social circle, no casual acquaintances, no wasted movement. Other than his mission intermediary, his world contained no one.
Even more reclusive than Matilda.
And yet—
Leon was soft-hearted.
Otherwise, he would never have opened that door for a desperate little girl. He would never have chosen redemption at the cost of his own life.
This killer was not cold-blooded.
Just sealed shut.
Luca deliberately opened his door first the day they met, making sure the timing looked natural—like a new tenant simply returning home.
Then he turned with an easy smile.
"Hello. I just moved in."
Leon paused.
Behind round sunglasses, his gaze shifted slightly toward Luca. A brief glance. Measured. Filed away.
"Hello."
One word.
Nothing more.
He brushed past without slowing and walked down the corridor to his apartment.
Conversation terminated.
Luca smiled faintly.
Cold exterior. Defensive shell. Standard trauma response profile.
No rush.
Trust, like business, required timing.
And Luca had patience—.
The next day, Henry and Jimmy delivered five hundred thousand in cash.
Luca kept a portion. The rest he passed upward—to Mariggio.
That was how the periphery worked.
Protection money flowed upward. Protection flowed downward.
Under the banner of the family, things moved smoothly. Police were polite. Competitors were careful. People gave respect.
But Luca was not officially inside.
Not yet.
"Partners," Mariggio liked to call it.
Luca handled certain "business." A percentage flowed back to the family. Everyone smiled.
Mariggio accepted the cash happily and asked about Stansfeild.
"I've got a lead," Luca replied calmly.
He didn't reveal Mathilda's father name. Only mentioned an informant connected to drug storage routes.
Mariggio nodded with satisfaction.
"Your application's been preliminarily approved," he said. "You're practically in. Finish this, and you'll officially join the family."
He gestured outside toward Little Italy.
"You'll get a share."
Luca liked shares.
Killing was exhausting.
Counting money was not.
So yes.
Stansfeild needed to die soon.
The surveillance was tedious.
Hours listening.
Neighbors arguing. Doors slamming. Random television noise.
Very little about drugs.
Progress: slow.
But Matilda's visits?
Frequent.
She came to watch TV.
To eat.
To do homework because "it's quiet here."
Luca allowed it.
Her sister began visiting more often too—clearly interested.
She asked Luca out repeatedly.
Matilda stood nearby every time, eyes dripping contempt.
Toad versus Swan meat.
She blamed Matilda after each rejection, convinced her sister poisoned Luca's opinion.
But she stopped hitting her.
Because Luca once casually mentioned—
"I don't like violent girls."
And suddenly, domestic abuse frequency: reduced.
System notification.
Peace upheld.
---
A few days later, voices came through the bug.
Stranger: "Are you insane? You touched Stansfield's goods!"
Mr. Lando: "I don't know what you're talking about."
Stranger: "I gave you 100% pure Blue Magic! There's nothing better in New York! When I got it back, it was 90%! Where's the other ten percent?"
Silence.
Accusations.
Threats.
Then a name surfaced in Luca's mind.
Blue Magic.
He opened the system.
__________________________________________________________________________
[Character Card: Frank Lucas (Unlocked)]
Rank: A
Source: Real life Gangster
Skills: Cross-border Transportation, Corruption Infiltration
Bond: Strangers
__________________________________________________________________________
Frank Lucas.
The Harlem king.
Military logistics. Vietnam routes. Golden Triangle sourcing. Direct supply chains. No middlemen.
High purity. Low price.
Half the NYPD had tasted his generosity.
And now—
Stan's people were distributing his product.
Interesting.
Very interesting—.
The knock came suddenly.
Luca opened the door.
Matilda stood there, hand over her nose. Blood seeping between her fingers.
Her eyes weren't crying.
They were burning.
"Luca… do you remember what you said?"
"If your father hits you again, I'll kill him?"
"Yes."
"I remember." Luca said.
He stepped aside.
"Come in."
Her nose wasn't broken.
But the fingerprint bruises on her cheek were vivid.
Luca knelt before her, gently wiping the blood away. Applied ointment carefully.
She stared at him.
"Is life always this painful? Or is it just like this when you're a child?"
Luca smiled faintly.
"It's always like this."
His fingers moved gently across her skin.
"Pain doesn't disappear. You just learn how to tolerate it."
He placed a candy in her palm.
She closed her hand around it.
"Luca… you're so good to me."
"I just don't like pessimism."
He stood.
"You stay here."
"You're avenging me?"
He tilted his head.
"You guess."
__________________________________________________________________________
Character Card Discovered: Matilda Lando – Rank SSR
Source: Léon: The Professional
Bond: Familiar
Trauma Imprint
For every deeply bonded individual (family, trusted partner) who dies, combat power permanently +5%.
Learning Requirement: Partner Bond or above + 150 Skill Fragments.
Dexterity
+20% efficiency when learning assassin-related skills.
Learning Requirement: Close Friend + 50 Skill Fragments.
Harmless Disguise
When approaching targets disguised as a harmless identity (student, courier, etc.), target alertness -20%.
Learning Requirement: Close Friend + 50 Skill Fragments.
Forbidden Dependency
When fighting alongside a Symbiotic Partner: Combat Power +50%.
If partner is in danger: +100%.
If partner dies: Permanent +100%.
Learning Requirement: Achieve Symbiosis Bond + 300 Skill Fragments.
Advanced Lucky Aura
When encountering major trouble, you will suffer setbacks—but ultimately resolve the crisis through improbable fortune.
(The greater the trouble, the stronger the initial setbacks.)
Learning Requirement: Symbiosis Bond + 3000 Skill Fragments.
__________________________________________________________________________
Downstairs.
The man who had argued with Mathilda's father got into his car.
Engine started.
Luca adjusted his sunglasses and followed.
He whistled softly and made a call.
"Boys," he said casually,
"We've got work to do."
In the rearview mirror, the city lights stretched like veins of gold.
Stansfield's insanity.
Frank Lucas's supply.
Mathilda's father embezzlement.
And Leon across the hall.
Multiple factions.
Multiple opportunities.
And right in the middle—
Luca Greco.
Peace ambassador.
Dove of Peace in the making.
Future hotel owner.
Ex The Butcher.
Tonight, someone was going to bleed.
And Luca intended to profit from it.
===============================================
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