A few days had passed since the appreance of young Hiroto who had revealed his lightning powers in the park, giving the group a brief breathing room to adjust to their rapidly growing ranks.
The late afternoon air was crisp as Alex, Hayato, Angelo, and Tatsuya cut through the edge of the park on their usual walk back from school. Up ahead, near the tree line, a figure was leaning casually against the trunk of a broad oak, tossing a coin lazily into the air.
He had silver hair that caught the fading sunlight, sharp features, and a sly, calculating smile that suggested he knew something everyone else didn't.
"Who's the guy acting like he owns the scenery?" Tatsuya asked, his eyes narrowing as his hands drifted toward his pockets.
Hayato stopped, his posture going rigid. "That's Giovanni De Luca... he's supposed to step in as the Mist Guardian."
Giovanni caught his coin, pushed off the tree trunk, and sauntered toward them. "So, you're the direct bloodline everyone's whispering about," he said, his smile widening into something almost fox-like as his gaze settled on Alex. "I've been waiting for a chance to inspect the new boss."
Alex studied him in silence, keeping his composure. Whispers had been circulating through Hayato's channels about rival factions—specifically rumors surrounding the Diablero family—attempting to test the Luciano line's current stability. He couldn't help but wonder if Giovanni's sudden appearance was a genuine greeting or a scouting mission.
"What do you want, Giovanni?" Alex asked, his voice calm and grounded.
"Just wanted to measure the man taking the throne," Giovanni replied smoothly, folding his arms. "Though I have to admit... you're not quite what I was expecting."
Alex felt a flash of irritation, but kept his expression locked down. "Meaning?"
"Meaning you're young, you don't carry that ruthless posture the old guard had, and you still look like you're figuring out the rules of the game," Giovanni said, tilting his head. "It's almost refreshing."
It was hard to tell where the compliment ended and the insult began, but Alex brushed it aside. "Did you come out here just to make small talk, or is there a point to this?"
"I want to see what you can actually do," Giovanni said, a sudden spark of genuine interest gleaming in his eyes. "Word on the street is you know how to handle yourself. Spar with me."
Alex hesitated for a beat. He knew that in this world, showing weakness or hesitation to an incoming Mist Guardian—especially one whose motives were clouded—would only invite trouble down the line.
"Alright," Alex said, stepping onto the open patch of grass. "Let me see what you've got."
The moment Alex squared his stance, Giovanni moved. He was absurdly fast and unpredictable, shifting his weight effortlessly and striking from obscure angles that made his true range hard to gauge. He darted around Alex like a ghost, landing quick, light jabs designed to test his reactions.
Recovering his balance, Alex adjusted to the fluid rhythm. Reading the shimmer of movement ahead, Alex ducked beneath a sweeping palm strike and drove a solid counter into Giovanni's side, forcing the silver-haired boy to leap backward to create space.
"Keep your guard up on the left side, Alex!" Tatsuya shouted from the sidelines, practically bouncing on his toes while Hayato and Angelo watched the exchange with focused intensity.
The sparring match stretched on, the rhythmic thud of blows and sharp breathing filling the quiet clearing. Giovanni kept up his deceptive, shifting style, but Alex stayed patient, waiting for the split second where Giovanni relied too heavily on a trick.
As Giovanni feinted left to throw a high kick, Alex didn't take the bait. He stepped inside the arc of the kick, taking the blow on his shoulder, and drove a clean, decisive right straight to Giovanni's chest.
The impact broke Giovanni's momentum, sending him tumbling back onto the grass before coming to a stop against the base of the oak.
Silence fell over the clearing.
Giovanni lay there for a second, catching his breath. Then, pulling himself up and brushing the turf off his sleeves, a genuine, appreciative grin broke across his face.
"Well, damn," Giovanni said, stepping forward and extending his hand. "You're a lot sharper than you look, boss."
Alex took his hand, gripping it firmly. "You're not easy to catch either."
"We'll have to run it back sometime," Giovanni chuckled, stepping back into the shadow of the trees. "Something tells me things are about to get very interesting around here."
With a quiet wave over his shoulder, he vanished into the dense foliage as smoothly as he had appeared.
Alex turned back to Hayato, Angelo, and Tatsuya. They shared a silent look, well aware that the final pieces of the Luciano family were falling into place—and the storm waiting for them on the horizon was drawing closer by the day.