Chapter 141: His Past


    On December 25th, many years ago, a baby had been born in a hospital. His mother had died delivering the baby and the father was not present. Only the sister of the mother was present.


    When the baby was delivered, however, something was different about it. It was born with many abnormalities. It had heterochromia and its hair was split into two colors. ck hair on one side and white on the other. The eyes glittered like jewels. On one side it gleamed silver and the other shined bright like a diamond.


    When the baby was given to the sister, she could only think about how she could pay the debt she had.


    The family''s financial problem was grave. To solve that problem, they requested help from a well-known mafia family. Though it wasn''t easy, the mafia eventually gave them the help they needed, and when that problem had been solved, they had to pay the debt.


    Because their due date for that debt was today, the sister had only one choice.


    When the sister had gotten custody of the baby, she went over to the mafia''s boss and presented the baby to him as the debt. The boss hesitated but eventually gave in as he knew the family could not pay them back with anything else. After all, she was the only family member remaining beside the baby.


    The baby had been named Giuseppe, Italian for Joseph, and his family name was Valentino. As the boss was now left with the baby, he decided to raise it alongside his daughter.


    When Joseph grew up, he was trained to be an assassin. To be an emotionless killing machine. A hitman.


    He was normally tasked to take out those who haven''t paid their debt but soon he was given harder missions.


    Taking out mafia members from other families soon became a normal routine for him. Yes, he does get some breaks sometimes but as a result of being raised only to kill, that was the only thing he could think of. His bloodlust was not normal for a 16-year-old boy, and his mind had already matured to the level of an adult''s.


    But, even if he was apathetic, he still had his weaknesses.


    It was his sister, Ang Fiori, or who he believed was his sister. She was two years older than him and she was raised to be a sessful woman. She was one of the only people to be by his side.


    She was like an older sister to him. She was the one that taught him how to read, write, feel, and love. When he had reached the age of 18, he had fallen in love with her and so did she. The two had dered they wanted to be lovers, but they assumed that their father would not allow them. So, Joseph had a promation to make to his father.


    "Father," Joseph said, or at this time, he was called by his real name, Giuseppe. Joseph walked into his father''s room. It was nearly midnight, and there was heavy rain outside, so the boss, his father, was almost done with his business.


    "Giuseppe? d to see you. What is my son doing up sote?"


    "I apologize for barging in, but I have a very important matter I want to discuss with you."


    "Oh! Sure! Whatever it is, I can help you with it."


    "Yeah..." Joseph muttered. "I hope you can."


    The two sat down in luxurious seats and his father began pouring wine into two sses.


    "So, what does my son want to discuss with me today?" His father asked, taking a sip from his ss.


    "Father... I..." Joseph hesitated for a moment and closed his eyes. His father noticed his strange behavior and politely urged him to say it.


    "Please, speak. You aren''t like this."


    "Okay..."


    Joseph took a deep breath before he announced his deration.


    "I... I want to marry Ang!"


    His father stopped sipping on his ss and slowly ced it back on the table.


    "You can''t... you are sibli-"


    "There is no need to lie to me, father. I know about my family. They were indebted to you, correct? They were extremely poor and had no other choice so I was sold to you as the price."


    "How did you know?"


    "Come on, I was going to find out eventually. I didn''t be what I am right now for a reason. And besides, my family name is different than yours."


    "I see, I guess you are correct after all. However, I can''t allow you to marry Ang."


    "Why not!? Is it because I was born into a poor family? Is it because I''m not the son of some tycoon? Is it because I''m someone who gets his hands dirty killing others?"


    "No, that is not it."


    "Then WHAT IS IT!?"


    "Ang has cancer!"


    Hearing that caused Joseph to stagger. His mind processed the words that hade out of his father''s mouth. As a highly-trained assassin, he was trained to determine whether one was lying or not and he was an expert at it. Processing his father''s words over 10 times as all of his analyses proved he was not lying.


    "Sh-she has cancer... and I was never told of this?"


    "The truth is, she''s had it for a while and she only has a year left. I... I don''t want you to be hurt when she passes on."


    "So, so you-"


    "Yes, I''ve known of you two''s romance for quite a while. As much as I want to approve of it, I don''t want you to be hurt. It''s for you and Ang''s good."


    "How is it for her own good if you are holding her back? This isn''t for my own good nor is it for Ang''s good! Do you know what you are saying right now? You''re being selfish and once she dies, she''ll be dying in her bed alone because, by that time, you''d send me to go kill another member of another family!"


    "No, it''s not like tha-"


    "I... I can make her happy for the remaining time she has left." Joseph began, interrupting his father as tears dripped down his cheeks. "If you could only approve of us. I promise I can make her happy for the remaining time she has left. I''ll do whatever it takes, whatever you need. I... I''ll kill an entire mafia if I have to give her the peace we need. After that, I will quit so I will spend time with Ang. Please... just allow me to marry her."


    Joseph was on the ground, begging his father for his wish to be fulfilled. Recognizing his love for his daughter and the reasons he had spouted, he knew that it would be the best for her.


    "Please, lift your head up." He said. "I will give you my approval but on one condition. After that, you will quit."


    "And that condition is?" Joseph asked, lifting his head to meet his father''s eyes.


    "You do onest mission for me."


    "Whatever it is, I will do whatever it is in my power to achieve it."


    "Good... but it will not be easy I tell you..."


    ***


    Monthster, Joseph had married his beloved and quit his job as a hitman. The two had finally managed to settle after all the dark times. There was finally peace on the streets again and there was no disturbance that could ruin their time.


    As promised, Joseph had spent all of his time apanying Ang, the one he loved for many years. At that time, their father had died from a disease and the legacy of the family was passed on to Ang. Once news that the boss of the most powerful mafia family had died, the other mafias had nned on raiding and taking their empire down.


    Around that time, Ang was already on her deathbed and Joseph had quit being a killer, meaning that the empire the Fiori had built was defenseless. But, not all hope was lost.


    Joseph held onto Ang''s hand as sheid on the bed. Joseph kissed her hand, slight tears trailing down his face.


    "Ang..."


    "It''s alright, Joseph. We knew this wasing."


    "I''m... sorry."


    "There is no need to apologize. I wish I had told you this earlier, then you wouldn''t be in such a state." Ang spoke in a frail voice.


    "Please, stop talking. Conserve your energy." Joseph said weakly.


    "I enjoyed the time we spent, Joseph. I love you."


    "...I love you too."


    Joseph tried to hold back the rest of his tears, not wanting to show how vulnerable he was but Ang could see right through him.


    "Joseph, promise me one thing before I die."


    "What? What is it? I''ll do whatever you ask."


    "Please... protect others that can''t protect themselves. Use the skills you were taught to protect others. Protect... as many people as you can. If you can''t protect some of them, then that is alright. At least... protect the ones... you deem impor... tant..."


    Ang''s voice trailed off and her body went limp. Joseph held onto her hand and soon he could not hold back his tears. She had no pulse. She had died.


    Joseph clenched his teeth before letting out a cry of agony, mourning for his lost one.


    After the death of Ang Fiori had spread, the other mafias had initiated their n. However, they didn''t know that there was a reawakened monster standing in their way.


    At midnight on that same day, a warehouse containing the members of all the mafias nning to raid the most powerful mafia family had been attacked.


    "Wha-what the fuck is going on!?" One of the confused mafia members asked. "Who is this guy!?"


    "It''s the Angel of Death!" Another responded until their head was blown off.


    "Eek!" The mafia member yelped as he tried to flee. However, he too was killed.


    Only one member had managed to escape. He was heading for one of the cars parked outside but then suddenly, a gunshot went off.


    "Gah!" He yelped and fell to the floor. He looked at his leg which had been shot, then he noticed a figure approaching him.


    CHK!


    The figure pointed his gun at the injured mafia member. Once getting a closer look at the figure, fear began to envelop his mind.


    "Y-you... you''re the Angel of Death!"


    Joseph looked down at the mafia member emotionlessly before pulling the trigger, killing him. Once he had done that, he walked away, pulling out his phone. He then made a call and that caused the warehouse behind him to blow up.


    The Angel of Death, it was a nickname given to Joseph after he performed the mission given to him by his father. The mission? To kill all of his father''s enemies.


    He hadpleted that, all in 7 days during the Passover. It was then that he was given the name of the Angel of Death.


    Because of that, it wasn''t even a challenge for Joseph to fight off an entire mob. That was but an easy task.


    Joseph eventually became aimless after that. After Ang''s funeral was held, he went to her grave everyday to honor her.


    Around that time, he was given the fortune of the Fiori family, but he gave up the position of boss to another. He wanted to enjoy his remaining days peacefully and visit his deceased one. After all, Joseph had a few months left remaining of his life as well.


    He only discovered recently but he also suffered from the same illness that took his lover''s life. Though it didn''t really matter to him. Life was something humans would eventually go through.


    Joseph had epted his fate and knew that he had nothing else to do. But then, a strange light had appeared under his feet.


    Secondster, he was gone.


    ***


    ...


    "Three heroes ughtered by my hand, and I''ve killed the strongest! This is it... this is proof that I can kill that son of a bitch! Nero... I''ll find you and kill you! Ahahahahahaha! Hahahaha-! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!"


    Joseph woke up to Myran''s ruckus after he had momentarily passed out.


    At the same time he was pierced, he broke off another band which unsealed his regeneration abilities. His consciousness had merely been shut off but it had returned.


    ''Kill Nero... no... that can''t happen...''


    Joseph began to recall thest words that came out from his lover''s mouth.


    He quietly stood up and approached Myran, focusing his energy into his hand before swiping at Myran.


    "Go to hell."


    Myran evaded and flipped away.


    "Wh...what the hell? How are you standing? I pierced a hole in your... chest..."


    "I won''t... let you... it''s a promise I made... to her."


    His body was eventually enveloped in a purple aura as he began to strip himself of his limiters. The bands all fell to the ground and he took off his remaining rings. The only thing he had left on his arms was a wedding ring, a memory of his fallen lover.


    "I think it''s about time I stopped holding back."


    Joseph shifted into a weird stance, exposing all of his weak points and held many openings. It was a stance that no fighter would want to take but he still used it anyway.


    "100 percent power. No more, and no less."


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