Over twenty years ago, Pearl St. Claire, Tony Gambino, and Lucas Emilio all challenged the then ruler of Cugine City Salvatore Riina. At the time doing such a thing was seen as plain suicide, but the three were indeed talented. They maneuvered against Salvatore and his men in ways never before seen.

They held nothing back, they attacked anyone who was affiliated with him no matter their gender or age. There was an incident when Tony Gambino walked into the hospital they met Salvatore and started killing everyone in it. He walked in and started firing at everyone he saw. Hospital staff, patients it didn’t matter everyone was forced to taste lead. He, however, spared the doctors who were supposed to operate on Bella and dragged them by their hair outside of the hospital.

Tony lined up the doctors and their nurses after breaking their limbs and ordered his subordinates to bring some people in front of him. The doctors were shocked to see that he had captured their families.

“The jobs of doctors is to save those in need right?”

He took a scalpel and slit the throat of one of the doctors’ daughter in front of him.

“Can you save them, Doctor?”

Tony ignored their screams and used his scalpel to cut open the doctors’ family members right in front of them and had his men force them to watch as their loved ones bleed to death. This was all done in broad daylight and in front of a large mass of people. This incident earned Tony notoriety that didn’t have before. He was now seen as a madman.

Tony wasn’t the only who had committed insane acts. Lucas kidnapped one of Salvatore’s business partners and beat him to death with his fists in the middle of town. Pearl also destroyed a couple of Salvatore warehouses were he stored his money. All of these actions made the town realize something.

These three teens had all lost their minds.

Predator which they headed were even more feared. Even members of the gang were afraid of their insane bosses. But none were more insane than Tony. Salvatore has several buildings that he used to run his criminal empire. One of them that he frequents the most was called the Beast. That day a bike rode up in front of the Beast. The rider had something strapped to his back. This rider was none other than Tony himself.

He pulled the covers off the RPG that was strapped to his back and aimed it at the building before pulling the trigger.

*Bam!*

The rocket blew open the front entrance which caused many people to run out. When he saw them Tony didn’t run he instead calmly reloaded the RPG and fired it at the crowd coming at him. After he saw that no one else was coming, he left.

Incidents like this continued to happen as it seemed like the trio was hellbent on destroying everything connected to Salvatore. Of course, a man like Salvatore couldn’t allow such disrespect to continue.

*BOOM!*

One night the main base of Predator was completely destroyed. The culprit? Salvatore himself. He didn’t send any of his men to do it, Salvatore went to settle everything himself.

“Oh? I thought that you Three would have already ran away.”

Salvatore smiled as he looked at the trio in front of him.

“Run away? Me?”

Tony was at the head of the three. He showed a beastly smile.

“I won’t run Salvatore. There are only two places left for me to go.”

He pulled two silver pistol from his waist.

“Hell or six foot under!”

“Tony, don’t rush in!”

Lucas shouted at Tony but his words fell on deaf ears. Tony ran towards Salvatore.

“Heh. I like you!”

Salvatore charged at him and threw a punch, Tony ducked underneath it and aimed his gun at Salvatore’s chin.

*Bam!*

He was kicked away before he could pull the trigger. He immediately felt like his bones were breaking. Salvatore charged at him and lifted his leg to stomp him into the ground.

“Ahhh!”

Lucas jumped in and slammed his fist in the side of Salvatore’s head.

“Nice punch.”

*Bam!*

Salvatore hit him with an uppercut to the midsection.

“Guah?!”

He immediately puked up whatever was in his stomach. Salvatore spun around and swung his leg like a whip.

“Hm?”

His leg, however, hit the air. Pearl had wrapped wires around Lucas and dragged him towards her.

*Bam!* *Bam!* *Bam!*

Tony fired his guns and bullets of Anima hit Salvatore’s body and bounced off him like there were rubber balls.

“Tsk!”

Tony put his guns together and Amina started gathering in front of him. A huge beam was launched from the guns and charged at Salvatore.

*BOOM!*

A huge explosion devoured everything in a 100m radius and left a trail of destruction in its wake.

*Swoosh!*

Tony heard something cutting through the air and turned around. He immediately realized that a fist was only a few inches away from crushing his head. He immediately saw why he still alive. Salvatore’s arm was wrapped with wires. He looked and saw Pearl behind Salvatore holding tight onto the wires she was using.

“Argh!”

Her body was trembling and all the veins in her body were swollen. It was obvious that she was using her full strength to stop Salvatore.

“Oh? I thought that you were the weakest of three but you have some considerable arm strength.”

Salvatore said.

*Bam!* *Bam!* *Bam!*

Tony immediately started bombarding him with Anima bullets. Lucas was also repeatedly hitting him with his fists.

“Heh.”

In response, Salvatore chuckled.

“These are some good attacks, but…!”

He suddenly vanished and Pearl found herself being pulled into the air.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

*Bam!*

Tony was kicked away likes ball and even bounced off the ground a few times before crashing into a car 300m away. Salvatore vanished again.

“Stop, Dammit!”

Pearl roared as she tried her hardest to pull the wires that were wrapped around Salvatore’s arm. The wires started slicing up her own hands from her gripping them too tight but she still didn’t give up.

“?!”

Salvatore suddenly popped up in front of Lucas. He thrust his hand forward and hit Lucas across the face.

“Blegh?!”

Several of Lucas’s teeth flew out of his mouth and he fell on the ground with his body twitching.

“Lucas?!”

Salvatore looked back at Pearl. He swung his arm overhead, Pearl was also flung into the air. He then swung down his arm towards the ground.

*Bam!*

Pearl was slammed onto the ground so hard it looked like she was about to fuse with the earth.

“Do you know why I came here myself?”

Salvatore spoke to the three who were on the ground.

“It’s because I wanted to clearly show you the difference between myself and you.”

He smiled.

“There’s no way any of you can beat me. I mean, you’re not even Evolved. What makes you think you basic Beastmen could compete with an Evolved Beastman like me?”

*Bam!*

He lifted his arm and blocked a punch from Tony.

“Salvatore!”

Tony roared with bloodshot eyes.

“You’re really something, you know that.”

Salvatore punched him and grabbed his arm and held him up like a doll.

“I wonder how tough you’ll be after I do this?”

Salvatore placed free hand on Tony’s shoulder while holding his arm up.

“Wait! What are you doing?!”

Pearl screamed.

“This.”

*Tear!*

“Ahhhhhh!”

“Tony!”

Pearl and Lucas looked at Tony in shock, they then looked at what Salvatore was holding. It was Tony’s arm that he just tore off like it was made of paper.

“Ahhhhhh!”

Tony rolled on the ground and screamed.

“You bastard!”

Lucas roared angrily and tried to stand up but his body just wouldn’t listen to him.

“Now, now.”

Salvatore walked up to him stepped on his leg.

“Don’t push it.”

He swung his hand down.

“Ahhhhhhh?!”

Lucas screamed out his agony and looked down to only see that his right leg was cut off from the hip.

“Lucas!”

Pearl screamed in horror. Salvatore turned his attention to her.

“Now then, what should I take from you?”

He started walking towards her. He stretched his arm towards her.

“It’s time for you brats to know your place.”

“No, no, no!”

Pearl started to crawling away from the approaching Salvatore.

“Hey, don’t run.”

Salvatore popped up beside her and kicked her in the side and turned her over.

“Such pretty eyes.”

She watched in horror as his huge fingers came closer.

“I’ll just take these instead.”

“No, please stop…..Lucas, Tony, Bella, mommy, daddy….”

She clenched her teeth.

“Help!”

“This world is cruel, darling. It’s not all the time that someone will save you when you’re in trouble.”

Salvatore places his fingers on her right eye.

“For example, now.”

“AHHHHHHHH?!”

Pearl’s scream echoed in the area. She rolled on the ground with her hand over her right eye. Blood was seeping from between her fingers while her pants became wet.

“Did the pain make you piss yourself?”

Salvatore started laughing. He stood there and laughed as he listened to the three different screams around him. After nearly a minute he stopped laughing.

“I guess I’ll put you out of your misery now.”

He started approaching Pearl again. This time she didn’t even have the strength or the courage to try and get away.

“If you want to blame anyone blame your parents for bringing you here.”

He said.

“…….”

Pearl trembled as she watched him approach her. She resigned herself for death.

“SALVATORE RIINA!”

That’s when a roar echoed in the area. Salvatore looked and saw and the one-armed Tony on his feet.

“Oh?”

Salvatore was surprise to see Tony standing much less facing him.

(This boy….unlike the others his eyes aren’t dead yet.)

A big grin appeared on his face.

“Don’t you dare touch her! If you want to kill someone, bring it! I’ll die with you!”

*Flash!*

Tony’s body suddenly started glowing with a golden light. When Salvatore saw this his eyes widen.

“He’s evolving?”

Before everyone’s eyes, Tony’s body started to shrink and he became slimmer. His rough skin became soft and smooth and his face became less ugly and was replaced by a handsome human face. Tony no longer looked like an orc but instead looked like a human.

“Hahahaha! Amazing! This is amazing! To think that you’ll evolve in a situation like this! I knew it! You’re a special boy aren’t you?!”

Salvatore laughed hysterically and said.

“Tony evolved?”

Pearl and Lucas momentarily forgot their pain and looked at their friend in shock.

“Salvatore, let’s continue this battle!”

Tony held his one arm up and looked completely ready to fight.

“Hahaha! Even though you have one arm you still want to fight?”

Salvatore pointed at him.

“Since you’ve evolved most of your injuries have healed but you can’t regain your lost limbs through evolution. Besides, you just evolved while I’ve evolved for over a decade now. You can’t hope to beat me.”

“I don’t care! I won’t let you kill any of my friends!”

“Then how about a proposition? A way for all of you to live.”

He pointed at Tony.

“Kid, work for me.”

“What?”

“Work for me and I’ll spare your friends.”

Tony opened his mouth to answer but Salvatore cut him off.

“Before you speak take a look at your friends again and think.”

Tony looked at Pearl who was still trembling and Lucas who looked like he could pass out any second now. He saw the fear in their eyes and realized something. He might be willing to die here but his friends weren’t. They still wanted to live. He couldn’t help but remember Bella who die so suddenly. He didn’t want to see any more of his loved ones die again.

“T-Tony…Don’t.”

Lucas whispered to him. Tony clenched his teeth. He clenched them so hard it seemed like they were about to shatter.

“I’ll work for you.”

“Tony!”

Salvatore smiled.

“Smart choice.”

He walked up to him and placed his hand on his shoulder.

“Welcome to the family, Tony Gambino.”

Tony said nothing and only clenched his teeth and cried. Seeing him like that Lucas and Pearl also found themselves with tears flowing down their cheeks.

That day Tony Gambino joined Salvatore Riina to protect those close to him. Scared of Salvatore and feeling guilty for Tony selling himself to his most hated enemy, Pearl St. Claire left Cugine City and wouldn’t return for more than a decade.

As for Lucas Emilio, the lost of his best friend and sister became too much for him to handle. He stumbled down a spiral of drugs and greed and disappeared into the darkness of the city. As for Tony himself, he became known as Salvatore’s Bullet. His main hitman and later on his righthand man.

These three walked down different paths and would only meet again after Salvatore’s death. However, by that time they were all different from before and immediately ended up as each other’s enemies.

They were later known as the Three Dons of Cugine City.

Present day.

“Don.”

Lucas Emilio was staring into the distance reminiscing the past when one of his subordinates came up to him and bowed.

“What is it?”

“W-Well, we’ve received news that one of our safe houses was robbed of all of its cash. The men who were stationed there were found either dead or incapacitated.”

“I see.”

The man was shocked by how casual Lucas was despite losing a large sum of his money.

“You expected me to be mad?”

“….Yes.”

“Well, I don’t blame you. Everyone knows about my love for money. I mean I did anything just to make a profit 10 years ago. I sold drugs and even people. I killed my competitors and robbed them of everything they had. I even dabbled in slavery. I’m the worst kind of person.”

“……..”

The subordinate remained quiet and listened.

“Back then, something must’ve been wrong with me. When I lost everything to Salvatore Riina I tricked myself that I wasn’t strong enough. For some reason, I believed that everything would’ve been alright if I was richer. I could’ve hired a powerful master and made him kill Salvatore. I could’ve arranged for my sister to have her surgery earlier so we wouldn’t have to lose her like we did. I could’ve saved the orphanage I could’ve happily lived with everyone I cared about. All of these could’ve been done if I had enough money.”

He looked up at the sky.

“Eventually I stop seeing people as people and saw them as something with a price tag. Money became my only comfort, it was the only thing I had faith in.”

He laughed a little.

“Hey, did you know? When Salvatore died and Pearl returned to the city I ignored her because I thought she would stand in my way to make more money. But that’s not the worst thing I did. After everything was over Tony came to me saying that things could return to how it was. I looked my best friend in the eye and said….”

He showed a self-mocking smile.

“If you’re not going to make me money I don’t need your friendship.”

Lucas remained silent as if he was recalling the despair in his friend’s eyes that day.

“For me to say that to someone who sacrifice everything just for me to live….”

He touch his right leg which was artificial.

“I deserve to lose more than just this back then.”

“Don…..”

“Ah, don’t worry. It’s not like I’m drowning in self-pity I’m just reminding myself that everything is my fault and that I need to fix things myself. Pearl became a Don just to stop Tony and me from doing anything stupid like killing each other, but that can’t be stopped anymore.”

A fierce look appeared in Lucas’ eyes.

“I made him like this so I need to put an end to him as his friend.”

At same time, Pearl was thinking something similar.

“Because I ran away leaving them those two turned into what they are today. I have a responsibility of ending them.”

“That’s what those two are probably thinking.”

At the same time, Tony was sitting on the ruins of a destroyed building in his district.

“They both feel guilty and feel responsible for everything. What idiots.”

He played with a bullet in his hand. He turned to the side and looked at the woman standing not too far away from him.

“Don’t you think so too, Griselda?”

Griselda showed Tony a smile.

“I don’t really care about what Pearl and Lucas are thinking since I’ve never really interacted with them that much, but you’re different Tony.”

Tony smiled and showed her the bullet he was playing with. It had her name on it.

“Looks like I’ll get to deliver this first.”

Griselda smiled.

“Unfortunately, I have to decline your present; but as a way to make it up to you I’ll end you here.”

Tony stood up and faced Griselda.

“Let’s have a fun reunion, Haruka Yamaguchi.”