Chapter 85: Zomboto Hiroshi [1]

Lorenzo had initially come to Berlin with one objective in mind.

Kill Zomboto Hiroshi.

The man had attempted to assassinate him, dragging Sofia into the mess in the process. That alone was enough to earn his death.

Then there was the terrorist attack at Appetite of Heaven.

Lorenzo still remembered the incident clearly. The terrorists had threatened Sofia, forcing him to deal with them in the most unpleasant way possible.

And although he hadn’t confirmed Hiroshi’s involvement yet, there was a good chance the man had played a role in that incident as well.

Those were already sufficient reasons to eliminate him.

However, after arriving in Berlin and investigating the Hiroshi Family’s activities, Lorenzo discovered something far more disgusting.

Zomboto Hiroshi had been using the Riina Family’s name to commit all sorts of atrocities.

Human trafficking.

Prostitution.

Drug distribution.

And, perhaps most disturbing of all, the kidnapping and brainwashing of children, turning them into obedient soldiers who followed orders without question.

There were countless other crimes hidden beneath the surface of his organization.

Hiroshi had practically turned the Riina Family’s name into a license to commit whatever atrocities he pleased.

Lorenzo found it utterly repulsive.

His father, Aldric Riina, was an Overlord.

A being so powerful that even the World Government and numerous noble families thought twice before provoking him. His influence extended across multiple cities, and the Riina Family’s underworld organization was one of the most feared forces in the world.

Yet Aldric never engaged in such disgusting activities.

Despite being an Overlord, he continued to manage the family’s criminal organization, but there were lines he refused to cross.

In fact, the only reason he maintained the organization in the first place was because it was what his father, Vincent Riina, had taught him to do from childhood.

Even after becoming an Overlord, Aldric had never abandoned that responsibility.

For him, the Riina Family was everything.

Its history, reputation, and legacy were things he valued above almost anything else.

And Zomboto Hiroshi had dragged all of it through the mud.

He had taken the name of the Riina Family and used it to justify his own greed, leaving behind a trail of victims and crimes.

Lorenzo could understand why his father had been so displeased.

’What a disgusting bastard.’

That was another reason Lorenzo wanted him dead.

And then there was the final reason.

[Hidden Quest Activated]

[Zomboto Hiroshi’s Ambition

Zomboto Hiroshi has obtained an artifact and discovered its true potential. His greed knows no bounds, and if left unchecked, he will continue dragging the Riina Family’s name through the mud.

Eliminate him before the situation gets worse.]

Objectives

—Kill Zomboto Hiroshi.

—Incapacitate Zomboto Hiroshi.

Reward:- Golden Touch Gauntlet

—An artifact associated with the power of Midas.

---

"..."

Lorenzo stared at the notification for a few seconds.

The Golden Touch Gauntlet.

He wasn’t entirely sure what its abilities were, but an artifact associated with Midas sounded promising.

If it possessed even a fraction of the legendary power attributed to its namesake, it would undoubtedly be valuable.

’Well, I was going to kill him anyway.’

The quest was practically giving him a bonus for doing something he had already planned.

He dismissed the notification and returned his attention to the man standing before him.

"Fuck! Why is it so noisy?!"

A loud voice suddenly echoed from the upper floor.

Lorenzo’s eyes shifted toward the staircase.

Ah.

Finally.

The guest of honor had arrived.

Zomboto Hiroshi.

The head of the Hiroshi Family, a man who had apparently forgotten that he was nothing more than a discarded subordinate who had been entrusted with managing a portion of the Riina Family’s territory.

He had mistaken that responsibility for ownership.

And now, he was using his former master’s name to commit crimes that even Aldric would find beneath him.

Hiroshi descended the stairs with several guards behind him.

The moment his eyes landed on Lorenzo, his expression twisted into one of disgust.

"...You’ve got to be kidding me."

He looked Lorenzo up and down, seemingly unable to believe what he was seeing.

"Aldric Riina sent you as his executioner?"

A mocking smile appeared on his face.

"Even if he did, do you honestly think I’m afraid of a little punk like you?"

Despite the situation, Hiroshi seemed strangely confident.

Perhaps he believed his preparations were enough to protect him.

Or perhaps he simply couldn’t accept that a seventeen-year-old boy had come to execute him.

Lorenzo was about to respond when another voice came from behind him.

"Well, of course you should be afraid, Zomboto."

The voice was calm, refined, and carried an unmistakable sense of authority.

Lorenzo glanced over his shoulder.

A man wearing a black fedora stood a short distance behind him. His neatly groomed beard, immaculate black suit, and spotless white gloves gave him an air of elegance that seemed almost out of place amid the bloodshed.

If the word class could take human form, this man would be a perfect example.

Salvatore.

A man widely known as Aldric Riina’s sword.

He had accompanied Lorenzo from the very beginning, but Hiroshi hadn’t even realized his presence.

Salvatore stepped forward, his eyes fixed on Hiroshi.

"Do you even understand who you’re speaking to? And yet you dare address him with such contempt?"

"S-Salvatore?!"

Hiroshi’s expression changed instantly.

His confident smile disappeared, replaced by genuine shock.

"Why are you here?!"

He clearly hadn’t expected Salvatore to be accompanying Lorenzo.

In fact, he probably hadn’t imagined that Aldric would entrust his most trusted subordinate with overseeing the young master’s first mission.

Salvatore adjusted his white gloves.

"Because this is our young master’s first mission."

He glanced briefly at Lorenzo.

"I came to see how well he would perform."

Hiroshi’s expression stiffened.

So this was a test?

The realization made his face even paler.

Salvatore, meanwhile, seemed completely uninterested in his reaction.

His gaze shifted toward the man lying on the floor nearby.

"Get up."

The man groaned.

"...Ugh."

He struggled to raise his head, but before he could stand properly, Salvatore placed one foot against his back and pressed down.

The man immediately collapsed again.

Salvatore calmly adjusted his fedora before sitting on the man’s back as though he were an ordinary chair.

He crossed his legs, took a cigarette from his pocket, and placed it between his lips.

After lighting it, he exhaled a thin stream of smoke.

Then he looked toward Lorenzo with a faint smile.

"I’ll be rooting for you, Young Master."

Lorenzo stared at him for a moment.

"...Okay."

’What the hell is this old man doing?’

He hadn’t expected Salvatore to turn a defeated enemy into a chair and casually smoke while watching.

Still, Lorenzo supposed that was simply how Salvatore operated.

The man had spent decades serving the Riina Family. His composure was practically inhuman.

Meanwhile, Hiroshi looked as though he had swallowed something unpleasant.

He glanced between Salvatore and Lorenzo, finally realizing the seriousness of his situation.

Lorenzo turned his attention back to Hiroshi.

"Now then..."

He raised his bloodstained axe slightly.

"Where were we?"

Hiroshi swallowed.

Lorenzo smiled.

"Ah, right. You were telling me how unafraid you were."

He took a step forward.

"Go on. I’m listening."

...And then Zomboto exploded in anger.