More guards came and surrounded Carrick. He stood strong, holding his disruptor tightly.

One guard sneered at him. "You're trapped. Give up now and we might go easy on you." The guards had seen the previous experiments of previous subjects, they were always so weak. This guard couldn't see the reason the doctors wasted so much money and time experimenting on such useless people. Now facing against Carrick, he believed Carrick will be the same as the previous subjects.

Carrick on the hand, remembered all the times he had given in to the Gale family. He had always stepped down and tried to stay quiet just to stay alive.

But what did he get for being quiet? His brother hated him. His own father had tried to kill him.

Carrick's eyes narrowed. He made a promise to himself: he would never give in again.

"I'd rather die," Carrick said, his voice firm and his smile cold.

«Ding!

New skills acquired!

Undying Resolve (non upgradable)

Description: In desperate times, Host's resolve to persevere will give all attributes ×2 boost.»

'Hehehe, things just keeps getting better and better.' Carrick chuckled inside.

The guards opened fire, but Carrick's disruptor rendered their laser guns useless. Seeing them shocked at the fact their guns weren't working, he rushed at them with the knife he used to kill the previous guard. With his strength and agility boost now both at 20 each, he found it easier to take down the guards.

Suddenly, a guard landed a lucky blow, sending Carrick crashing to the ground. The disruptor flew from his hand, sliding across the floor, broken to pieces.

"No!" Carrick shouted, scrambling for the device.

The guard raised his gun, ready to deliver the final blow. Carrick rolled aside, avoiding the bullet by mere inches.

With a loud shout, Carrick launched himself at the guard, tackling him to the ground. They wrestled, punching each other. Carrick kicked away from the guard, then picked up the knife which lay beside him, just as the guard made one more jump at him, Carrick made it his last.

Puchi!

«Ding! Congratulations to Host for killing a level 4 hostile individual. 700 XP and 300 gold coins has been awarded to Host. Host is now a few points away from leveling up.»

As he stood up, Carrick realized he was bleeding - the bullet had grazed his arm. He gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain, but soon, he saw the wound healing at a speed visible to the naked eye. In no time, the wound had scabbed.

'This revitalization skill is no joke.' Carrick inwardly rejoiced.

The disruptor lay nearby, now trashed. Carrick picked it up, but it was now just a piece of junk.

Fortunately there were no more guards heading his way, it seemed that Victor and his team had drawn all the attention to themselves. The corridor was silent, except for the sound of his own ragged breathing.

Carrick leaned against the wall, catching his breath. He had won, he was very proud of himself. His first battle and he had emerged victorious. Although he knew it was with the help of the system, still..

«Ding!

Host, you're clear to escape.» The system's voice echoed in his mind.

Sigh!

"It seems from now on Rambosia will not stop haunting me."

«Host is correct. Host is therefore advised to lay low while he continues to level up and amass skills and wealth»

Carrick nodded, wincing in pain. "I'm ready."

'It seems I have to really make use of Victor and his fallen Mafia family. With their help, I can lay low and grow at a steady pace.

Carrick made his way through the deserted corridors, his eyes looking for any signs of danger. He knew that Rambosia wouldn't give up easily, sooner or later more guards would be here, but he had a head start. Although he didn't know what part of the city he was in right now, he had a feeling he was in a place that could easily link him back to the Gale family.

As he turned a corner, he saw Victor waiting for him, a hint of a smile on his face. There was blood all over him.

"Well done, V5," Victor said, clapping him on the back. "You're a natural."

Carrick grinned, feeling a sense of pride and belonging. "Thanks to you and your team. I owe you one."

"I know this isn't the time, but I'm curious, how did you manage to break through the brainwash? That had never failed before." Victor asked and Carrick saw pure curiosity in his eyes, although Victor just escaped the Rambosia, that didn't mean he could trust him with the secret of the system.

"Luck I guess." Carrick shrugged.

Victor's expression turned serious. "We need to get out of here, now. My team has bought us some time, but Rambosia will regroup soon."

Carrick nodded, following Victor through the narrow corridors. They reached a secret exit, and Victor handed Carrick a new device.

"This is a secure comms device. Use it to contact me when you need help."

Carrick took the device, feeling a sense of gratitude. "Thanks, Victor. I won't forget this."

Victor smiled, but didn't move away from Carrick, he stared long at Carrick which started to creep the teenage boy out.

"Where will you go now V5?" Victor asked even though he had already guessed the answer.

"Well, I don't know. I guess I can just find a motel and you know, get a job if I can."

"That only established the fact that you have nothing in mind. Why don't you come join my family? You can offer your services to them."

With that, Carrick slipped out into the night, ready to start his new life as a fugitive. But he knew he wouldn't be alone. He had Victor, Erebus, and his own determination to drive him forward.

«Ding! Host has reached level 2. Attributes have been boosted.»

Carrick smiled, feeling a sense of excitement. He was just getting started.

Carrick and Victor escaped from the Rambosia facility and ran until they reached a busy road. They hailed a taxi and Victor told the driver, "Take us to Ancroft city."

The driver smiled slyly and said, "That'll be $200 each."

Victor hesitated, but Carrick simply got into the taxi. Victor followed, looking worried. "I only have $500 on me, and we need to buy food too," he said.

Carrick smiled and reassured Victor, "Don't worry about it."

Then, Carrick silently asked the Erebus system, "Can I use the gold coins as real money?"

«Ding! Yes. Host just needs to will a few coins to materialize in his hand and it will be so. Note, one gold coin is equivalent to ten dollars.» Carrick smiled at the system's response.

*

Ancroft city was in front of a mountain. Victor's family mansion was hidden in the mountain.

"Welcome to our humble abode," Victor said, one could sense pride in his voice. As they walked on the stone steps towards the mansion, Victor thought it will be best to play the role of a tour guide.

"The mansion is hidden in the mountains, surrounded by trees and hills. It's a very special and luxurious place. As you drive up to the house, you can see that it's made of stone and wood, with big windows that let in lots of light. The roof is curved like the hills around it. Inside, the mansion is very fancy, with high ceilings, nice furniture, and beautiful artwork. Each room is decorated with care and attention to detail. The mansion has many special features, like a movie theater, a swimming pool, a wine cellar, and a spa. It's a great place to relax and have fun. Outside, the gardens are beautiful, with walking paths, fountains, and a pool that seems to blend into the mountains. The mansion is a peaceful and luxurious getaway from the world."

Carrick followed Victor inside, where he was greeted by a group of rough-looking men and women. They eyed him warily, but Victor gave them a slight nod and that seemed to relax them.

"This is Carrick, our new recruit," Victor announced. "He'll be working with us to take down the Rambosia and help in the rise of our family."

The group nodded, seeming to accept Carrick's presence. Victor led him to a back room, where a burly man was waiting. Squared jaw, chiseled abs, tall, muscular, he looked every inch like Captain Guile from Street Fighters.

"This is Marcus, our head of security," Victor said. "He'll train you in combat and help you get up to speed."

Marcus eyed Carrick critically. "You look like a scrawny kid. What makes you think you can handle our line of work?"

Carrick smiled grimly. "I have already taken down a few Rambosia guards and survived a brainwashing attempt. I think I can handle myself."

Marcus raised an eyebrow. "We'll see about that. Let's get started."

And with that, Carrick's training began. He spent hours each day honing his combat skills, learning new techniques and strategies. He also worked on his attributes, boosting his strength and agility.

As the days passed, Carrick grew stronger and more confident. He knew he still had a long way to go, but he was determined to rise through the ranks and become a Mafia Lord.

«Ding! Host has reached level 3. Attributes have been boosted.»

Carrick smiled, feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment as he felt that his one month of constant training hadn't been in vain. He was getting closer to his goal.

*

Carrick walked into the meeting room, the dim lighting and heavy wooden table giving it a sense of gravity. Victor stood at the head of the table, flanked by several of Alistair's family elders. Their faces were stern, their eyes fixed intently on Carrick. It was obvious that they were unhappy having a greenhorn join them at the executive meeting, but due to the fact Victor specifically requested for Carrick's participation, they could only suck it up.

"Ah, Carrick, thank you for joining us," Victor said, his voice low and serious. "We have a mission of great importance to discuss."

Carrick took a seat, his heart racing with anticipation. Even back at the Gale family, he was never allowed into such an important gathering. "What's the mission?" He asked with a serious tone. Although he felt intimidated, but it was obvious he was no longer the scaredy cat he had been in the past.

Victor's eyes locked onto Carrick's. "We've received intel that a powerful Mafia family will be transporting a valuable shipment through our territory. We aim to... relieve them of that shipment." The last part was said with an evil grin on Victor's face. Meanwhile Carrick was happy as this will be an opportunity to earn some XP.

Carrick's face cracked with a smile. "Which family?"

Victor's expression turned ominous. "The Gale Family."

BADUUM!

The room fell silent, the weight of Victor's words hanging in the air. Carrick felt a shiver run down his spine. The Gale Family? His family?

"What's the shipment?" Carrick asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"We're not entirely sure," one of the elders replied. "But we know it's valuable. And taking it will deal a significant blow to the Gale Family's operations."

Carrick's mind raced. He had joined the Alistair Family to take down the Rambosia, but now he was being asked to target his own family, but he could not do anything as no one here knew he was a Gale.

'Well, not anymore though.' Carrick said in his mind.

"I see," Carrick said, trying to process his emotions. "And what's the plan?"

Victor smiled, a cold, calculating smile. "We'll ambush the convoy at the old warehouse district. We have men on the inside who will ensure the route takes them right into our trap."

Carrick nodded, his heart heavy with the weight of his decision. He was about to cross a line, one that could never be uncrossed.

"Let's do it," Carrick said, his voice firm.

The room erupted into a flurry of activity, the elders discussing details and strategies. Carrick sat back, his eyes fixed on Victor, a sense of determination burning within him.

This was it. He was all in.

Carrick sat in the armory, getting ready for the ambush operation. Victor had chosen a small team of 20 people, including Carrick.

Carrick knew that revealing his identity could jeopardize the mission. So, he decided to wear a mask to conceal his face.

Before heading out, Carrick checked in with the Erebus system. "System, show me my stats," he requested.

«Ding!

STAT (System for Transfer and Analysis of Tactical data):

Host: Carrick Gale

Age: 18

Status: Healthy

Attributes:

Strength (STR); 35

Intelligence (INT); 40

Agility (AGI); 35

Vitality (VIT); 40

Endurance (END); 40

Charisma (CHA); 25

Combat stats:

Attack power (ATK); 45

Defense (DEF); 40

Health points (HP); 100%

Mana points (MP); 300

Accuracy (ACC); 60%

Evasion (EVA); 55%

Performance metrics:

Experience points (XP); 1,400

Level; 3 (1,400/20,000)

Skills:

Revitalization (passive, upgradable) lvl 3

Ever-Calm (passive, non upgradable)

Undying Resolve (active, non upgradable)

Weapon master (passive, upgradable) lvl 4

Hand-to-hand combat (passive, upgradable) lvl 5

Gold or currency; 3,000

Kills or deaths; 13 kills, 1 death

Win-loss record; 1 win against Continental

Goal: To be a Mafia Lord.

(System suggests the host to level up quickly as the current pace is equivalent to a snail's crawl).»

"It seems you are right. Perhaps this mission will give me what I need." Carrick said. To him, this mission was just a means to level up.. becoming a Mafia Lord was all that matters, nothing else did.

*

Carrick crouched behind a stack of crates, his heart racing with anticipation. The warehouse district was dimly lit, the only sound was the distant hum of the city's nightlife. He glanced at Victor, who nodded silently. Carrick had wore a black gangsta rag over his face just in case someone who knows him will be in one of the cars.

"Remember, take out the guards first," Victor whispered to the group. "Then we go for the shipment."

Carrick nodded, his eyes fixed on the convoy approaching in the distance. Two black SUVs, flanked by motorcycles, sped towards the warehouse.

"Get ready," Victor hissed.

The convoy screeched to a halt outside the warehouse. Guards poured out, scanning the area. Carrick took aim, his gun aimed at the nearest guard.

"Now!" Victor shouted.

Carrick squeezed the trigger, his gun firing in unison with the others. The guards who were shot fell dead, as they were caught off guard. The motorcycles roared to life, speeding towards the ambushers.

"Incoming!" someone yelled.

Carrick leapt aside, avoiding the rain of bullets. He returned fire, taking out a motorcycle. The rider crashed to the ground, screaming. The system's notification kept ringing inside his head, he could not help but grin. He looked exactly like the Joker in one of DC's movies.

The SUVs opened fire, their windows shattering under the onslaught. Carrick sprinted towards the nearest vehicle, gun blazing. He tore open the door, dragging out a struggling guard, due to the Undying Resolve active skill, his strength and attributes had doubled, he was now stronger than the guards.

"Get the shipment!" Victor bellowed, although he was shocked to see Carrick yanking out carbon steel, he still kept his wits together and delivered orders.

Carrick tossed the guard aside, diving into the SUV. Crates filled the interior, stamped with the Gale Family crest. Carrick's heart skipped a beat. This was it.

Suddenly, the warehouse erupted into chaos. Reinforcements arrived, pouring out of the shadows. Carrick's group fought back, but they were outnumbered.

"Fall back!" Victor shouted. Staying here will spell their doom, and besides, they have achieved their aim. They had taken out most of the Gale family's men and also destroyed some of the important merchandise.. whatever it was.

Carrick grabbed a crate, sprinting towards the exit. Bullets whizzed past, the sound deafening. He burst through the door, crate in hand, and saw Victor's team pinned down. Just as he was about to help them, someone blocked his path.

"Put down the crate and I promise to give you a quick death."

Carrick froze. He recognized exactly who was in his path. It was none other than his half-brother 'Domino'.

Carrick and Domino faced off amidst the sounds of gunshots and painful screams, their eyes locked in a fierce stare. Carrick felt his anger rising as he was staring at the one of the people responsible for his painful death. Till this moment he could not shake off the fear he felt in that burning car, meanwhile Domino was just plain arrogant as he could not accept the fact someone had the guts to rob the Gale Family. The air was thick with tension as they circled each other, their fists clenched and ready.

Carrick, the younger half-brother, was now slightly skilled in Hand-to-hand combat as he had been training hellishly with Marcus back at the Alistair family mansion, his movements were fluid and calculated. Domino, on the other hand, relied on brute strength and aggression.

Without warning, Domino charged at Carrick, swinging a powerful punch. Carrick dodged the attack with ease, countering with a swift kick to Domino's stomach. Domino grunted, rolling over, but quickly recovered and launched himself at Carrick again.

The two half-brothers clashed, their fists flying in a flurry of punches and blocks. Carrick landed a solid punch to Domino's jaw, but Domino retaliated with a vicious uppercut that sent Carrick crashing to the ground.

Domino pounced, pinning Carrick down with his knees. He raised his fist for the finishing blow, but Carrick rolled out of the way just in time, using Domino's momentum against him. Carrick sprang to his feet, delivering a devastating combination of kicks and punches that sent Domino stumbling back.

Domino snarled, his eyes blazing with anger. He charged again, but Carrick was ready. With a swift and precise movement, Carrick took Domino down with a perfectly executed extension kick.

The two half-brothers struggled on the ground, their bodies locked in a fierce grappling match. Carrick managed to gain the upper hand, pinning Domino's arms behind his back. Domino thrashed and kicked, but Carrick held firm, his grip unyielding.

Finally, Domino lay still, defeated. Carrick released his grip, standing up and towering over his half-brother. Their chests heaved with exhaustion, their eyes still locked in a fierce stare.

"Whoever you are, you just made a terrible mistake. No one dares steal from the Gales." Domino said through gritted teeth.

"Really brother? And here I thought the family was declining?" Carrick said before removing his mask. Domino was shocked and speechless.

"I'll leave you alive so you can pass on a message to Father. Tell father I'll be back, and when I do, it won't end well for him and the rest of you." Carrick said and then slammed the butt of his pistol on Domino's head. Domino fell unconscious.

"Keep moving!" Victor yelled. He hadn't seen the exchange between Carrick and Domino, although he had caught a glimpse of them fighting, but he didn't know the full details.

Carrick sprinted towards the getaway car, the crate clenched tightly. They sped away, leaving the carnage behind.

As they caught their breath, Carrick opened the crate. Gold bars and stacks of cash glittered in the sunlight.

"We did it," Victor said, grinning.

«Ding! Congratulations to Host on completing his very first mission and taking a step towards his goal.»

«Ding!

Level 3 (15,400/20,000)»

Carrick smiled, soon he will be able to level up again.