Chapter 8: The Examination Begins [2]

For a moment, the instructor simply stared at Alice.

Then—

"Hehe."

She chuckled, a low sound that carried genuine amusement.

"I like you, kid. Direct. No hesitation. That’s exactly what this academy looks for."

She made a note on her evaluation sheet and gestured for Alice to return to her spot.

"Noted as exceptional combat potential. Next."

The examination continued.

One by one, the examinees stepped forward and demonstrated their abilities. A girl who could manipulate water. A boy with enhanced strength. Another who displayed rudimentary shield magic.

Most were competent. Some were impressive.

None of them were Alice Storms.

By the time we reached the middle of the group, I’d assessed everyone. Their rankings. Their potential. Their weaknesses.

The pyromancer would probably make it—he had good control and discipline.

And then there was Alice.

She was something else entirely.

Her speed was inhuman. Her technique was flawless. And there was something in her eyes—a cold focus that suggested she’d been training since childhood for exactly this moment.

’Sword Saint Dreck Storms,’ I thought, pulling up the game files in my mind. ’Alice’s grandfather. One of the Overlords. Of course his granddaughter would be exceptional.’

Finally, it was my turn.

I stepped forward, stopping in front of the instructor.

She looked up from her clipboard, her sunglasses reflecting the bright lights of the gymnasium.

"All right. Show me what you’ve got."

I nodded but made no move to demonstrate anything.

The instructor frowned when she realized I was just standing there.

"What are you waiting for? Do something, or I’ll fail you right here and now."

I chuckled.

"So, I can use anything I want, right?"

"Of course you can..." She paused, seemingly puzzled by my question. "As long as you can demonstrate your abilities, I’ll evaluate you accordingly."

That was all I needed to hear.

I slowly pulled my hand out of my pocket and raised it toward her.

"...?"

My action wasn’t particularly impressive.

All I did was extend my thumb and index finger, forming a crude gun shape with my hand.

Then I pointed it at her.

That was it.

The instructor stared at my hand before looking back at me, her expression growing increasingly displeased.

I remained perfectly calm.

"Let me warn you, Instructor. I’m going to kill you."

Her eyes widened slightly.

It was a bold statement to make during an entrance examination, especially when I was pointing nothing more than my fingers at her.

But I wasn’t joking.

I genuinely intended to kill her.

At least, that was what I wanted her to believe.

[Vivere per la famiglia, morire per la famiglia.]

Live for the family, die for the family.

The moment those words crossed my mind, the instructor’s expression changed.

"Wait, that’s—"

BANG────!!

A gunshot shattered the silence.

Time seemed to slow down, as though I’d stepped into a scene from a movie.

My senses sharpened, allowing me to take in every detail with unnatural clarity.

I saw the spent casing tumble through the air.

I saw a wisp of white smoke curl from the muzzle of a sniper rifle hidden somewhere in the gymnasium.

And I saw the instructor’s head jerk ever so slightly.

Enzo had done his job.

The moment I’d given the signal, he’d pulled the trigger and fired directly at the instructor’s head.

But she didn’t die.

The bullet stopped in midair, suspended mere inches from her forehead.

It was as though time itself had frozen around it.

For a brief moment, the entire gymnasium fell silent.

The examinees stared in disbelief. Even the instructors from the neighboring groups turned toward us, their attention drawn by the gunshot.

Yet amidst the commotion, I remained completely unfazed.

I lowered my hand and calmly walked toward the instructor.

My footsteps echoed across the gymnasium as I stopped directly in front of her.

"This is my ability."

The instructor stared at me, her gaze shifting between the bullet floating before her face and my relaxed expression.

"What...?"

She swallowed before finally managing to speak.

"Your ability is assassination?"

I smiled faintly.

"Well, what can I say? It’s the family motto."

I tilted my head slightly.

"You know it too, don’t you, Instructor?"

If she were anyone else, she might not have recognized those words.

After all, there was only one family in this world that used that motto.

And it wasn’t just an ordinary family.

It was the family of a man who had carved his name into history, a man whose legend had once shaken the entire world.

Vivere per la famiglia, morire per la famiglia.

Live for the family, die for the family.

Those words weren’t merely a motto.

They represented a legacy built on blood, loyalty, and absolute power.

And right now, that legacy was the greatest weapon I could display.

I didn’t need to reveal some extraordinary supernatural ability to impress the people here.

I didn’t need to demonstrate overwhelming strength or flashy magic.

All I had to do was remind them of the name I carried.

The Riina family.

A family whose wealth could buy almost anything, whose influence could reach places ordinary people could never imagine, and whose arsenal could turn the balance of power upside down.

A family that could make people disappear without leaving a trace.

A family that had survived for generations because its enemies understood one simple truth.

You could challenge a Riina.

But you had better be prepared to face the entire family.