Meanwhile, Miko was standing in front of Natasa who was floating in a capsule. He operated the capsule and drained the medical fluids inside it. The doors opened and green vapor filled the room. He walked over to a table and took up the bag that was on it.

“Cough! Cough!”

He turned his head and saw Natasa kneeling on the floor coughing and gasping for air. It took her some time to stop and become aware of her surroundings. She looked around and her eyes landed on Miko. She gritted her and glared at him.

“Here.”

Miko ignored her scorn and threw the bag in front of her.

“Its clothes put them on.”

Natasa stood up without a hint of shame regarding her naked appearance. She opened the bag and was surprised to see even underwear.

“Everything in the bag is new and made from cotton gather by my dryads. It should be very comfortable.”

Natasa clicked her tongue and proceeded to get dressed. Miko turned his head away and made a phone call.

“Is he up? Good, bring him over.”

He turned around.

“You got dressed pretty quickly.”

Natasa was wearing a gray and black vest suit with a black tie.

“So, what now?”

“Now, we wait on our guests….They’re here.”

The door opened and Edward walked in with his brother, Gear behind him.

“Were you able to fix his broken spirit?”

“It was easy. No one can get under his skin like me.”

Edward laughed while Tommy clicked his tongue. His eyes went up and down Natasa’s body.

“Natasa, it seems that you’ve been tamed. That’s a nice suit.”

“I lost and that’s a fact. The loser has no right to refuse the winner.”

Natasa grumbled.

“That’s enough of that.”

Miko clapped his hands to draw their attention to him.

“You three are the latest to join Renacido which means that you need some training so that you’ll fit right in. Edward, as I said already you’ll be a part of the war council and technological advisor. Tommy will also have the same positions.”

“I have no problem with that.”

“I refuse to be on the same level as this idiot.”

“If you have a problem, you two can fist it out. I don’t have time to deal with your petty squabbles.”

Miko placed his hand on Natasa’s shoulder.

“Natasa will be working closely with me. The purpose is for her to familiarize herself with Renacido, how I run it, and what I plan for it in the future.”

“It sounds like you’re training her to be your successor or something.”

“That’s the plan.”

“Huh?”

The three of them looked at Miko with shock and confusion.

“What do you mean, successor?”

None was more confused than Natasa.

“Don, my apologies if I come off as stepping out of line, but aren’t you merely 18 years old? I don’t see why you’re grooming your successor already. The only explanation is if you’re gonna die soon.”

“……….”

Edward’s eyes widened.

“Don’t tell me…”

“Enough, my decision is final. Natasa will succeed me as Don of Renacido, the criminal empire.”

“Criminal empire? What about the country?”

“A woman called Layla Song will take the throne after me and become the next king.”

“You separated the title of Don King? Why?”

“Layla was originally to inherit both titles but that’s before I met Natasa. Even though Layla would be an ideal leader for both sides of Renacido, she shouldn’t be under too much pressure. Natasa, who has a lot of similarities to myself is the perfect person to relieve her of the burdens.”

“Wait, wait, wait!”

Natasa slapped Miko’s hand away.

“I never agreed to this.”

“I don’t need your approval. I say that it’s gonna happen so it’s gonna happen.”

He placed his hand on her head.

“You’re gonna be the Don of a gang that will rule the continent, that’s basically a king. Shut up and take it.”

Natasa slapped away his hand again.

“I don’t want it given to me because it defeats the purpose. A true king obtains his kingdom with his own hands! He subjugates lands, win the heart of his allies, and lead them into battle! I refuse to take what you’re forcing onto me because that would make a false king!”

“………”

Miko looked at her for a while before showing a smile.

“Then, why not try to surpass me and make everything that was once mine yours?”

He spread his arms.

“Subjugate lands that I couldn’t, win over my subjects, create a Renacido that I could only dream of!”

He clenched his fists with a grin.

“I’m not giving you my legacy for free, I’m giving you a chance to steal my crown. Will you take it?”

Natasa remained silent for a while before smiling.

“Don’t come cry to me later.”

Miko smiled.

“Don’t worry. As long as someone continues to build on the foundation that I laid, then I won’t regret anything once the time for me to leave this life as come.”

“……….”

A heavy silence covered the room as Joesph looked down on Nero. A younger version of Nero overlapped with the Nero on the ground. This caused him to clicked his tongue.

“One of my biggest regrets is not stopping you from going off on your own after the war. By the time I saw you again you were already a physical manifestation of hatred and destruction. I knew then and there that it was already too late. Even so, to think that you’d go this far.”

He remembered the moments before he stabbed Nero in the back. After shaking off Ecko, Nero turned his back to her. What everyone didn’t know was that Joesph was in the room from the beginning but had hidden his presence. When Nero turned, he faced Joesph.

(He was aware of my presence and turned towards me and smiled…Provoking me. He was basically telling me to make a choice….This brat played me like a fiddle.)

He clicked his tongue again.

(Nero was serious about taking on the clan to free his siblings, but he had doubts that’s why he left himself defenseless in front of me. If I let him do as he pleased, he wins. And if I stopped him like I did just now he still wins, because-)

Joseph’s thoughts cut off by an image of his throat being slashed.

“?!”

He leaped back. Cuts appeared all over his body. A shadow was circling him. He thrust his hand forward and grabbed the shadow. His eyes widened when he saw that he was holding a black cloak, and not the shadow. Everyone saw a silhouette emerge from his shadow. Joesph ducked and leaped forward with the sound of something cutting through the air reaching his ears. His shadow became animated and thrust at his vitals in the form of spikes. He twisted his body and barely evaded all of them. His body flickered and he appeared several meters from where he was. He was breathing heavily as he faced his attacker.

(Nero still won because me attacking him has provoked something no one should provoke.)

Kimiko stood before him with two daggers in her hands. The air of death leaked out of her body and made the room as cold as her eyes.

“Joesph Flameheart, I warned you didn’t I?”

She took a step forward. With a thunderous explosion, the roof was blown off the palace. She took another step and the sky instantly became overcast. The temperature fell and frost slowly covered the capital.

“I already gave you a chance. There won’t be another.”

Joesph showed a bitter smile.

“History’s greatest assassin, huh?”

“Stop, Ecko!”

Behind Joesph, Rouge held Ecko in a chokehold.

“Let me go, Rouge! I’m gonna kill him!”

Ecko glared at Joesph with bloodshot eyes while trying to break away from Rouge.

“……..”

“…Drop it, Andreas.”

Alexus pointed his finger at Andreas, who had his hand on a gun resting in its holster on his waist.

“Gamiko was about to attack the clan. Joesph did the right thing.”

“………”

Andreas silently looked at Nero bleeding on the ground and back at Joesph. His eyes narrowed.

“Andreas!”

“Why not let him?”

A voice caused everyone to look over at the Primus section. Nova and Rihan both stood up. Rihan had his usual smile but his eyebrows were twitching. Nova’s face was blank but a chaotic aura was leaking out of his body.

“My father was wrong, I know that very well. He’s a hypocrite that loves to wear masks and my dream is to kick his ass, but….But you know, for some reason…”

Rihan showed off a fanged smile with bloodshot eyes.

“I’m incredibly pissed off right now.”

Nova lifted his finger and pointed at Joesph.

“I’m gonna kill him. Anyone who gets in my way will be killed as well.”

He looked around and nodded.

“Since that’s decided, then let the murders begin.”

Joesph clicked his tongue with his eyes locked on Kimiko.

(You really fucked us over, Nero! We should be working together but you made sure that wouldn’t happen.)

He gritted his teeth.

“You would put this empire and everything Augustus built at risk just to save your siblings?!”