Chapter 9: The power of resolve!

Everyone watched in astonishment as Ignacio was sent flying across the room by a wicked Thunderbolt, hearing the sound of the thunder that struck Ignacio and sent him crashing into the far wall, hitting it hard before dropping to the ground, not moving due to the damage.

"No way! Was that what I think it was?" Flavio said, seeming to be extremely surprised as he turned around to get a better look at what was going on.

Sal also looked across the hall in shock, taking in the sight of the one who had done this, shocked at everything that was happening.

"HAHA!! Add a boy!" Clay shouted as he stood to his feet, ignoring Antonio who rushed across the room to check on Ignacio.

"Ignacio! What the hell, who did this!" Antonio shouted as checked on Ignacio, seeing he was slowly coming to.

The rest of the Cartels pulled their guns out, getting ready to light up the room on Antonio's order.

"That is enough!" Leeroy shouted, knowing all too well that there was about to be an eruption of violence between the families if he was not careful.

"Everyone lower your weapons!" Hashi also shouted, getting his own men to slowly lower theirs first, keeping an eye on the others in case they made a move.

Sal watched as the man responsible for the lightning attack walked forwards, heading towards the centre of the room towards him. He was tall with spiky blond hair and green eyes. He wore a sleeveless leather jacket with a white t-shirt and a set of blue jeans with black boots, donning the same symbol on the back of his jacket as Clay.

"It's about time you got here, Logan!" Clay shouted, placing his hands on his hips in pride as he got closer.

Logan ignored him as he continued walking towards the other ring bearers, seeming more interested in them for now as he took a good look at all of them.

Leeroy could see that everyone had calmed down a little, seeing that Ignacio was slowly getting back to his feet, and seemed as if he would be fine.

"I take it this is your candidate, Clay?" Kholodov said, seeming more amused than anything else.

All of the elders watched as Logan stopped in front of Sal, standing over him and looking down at him with an intense glare, blowing a small bubble of chewing gum from his mouth before it popped.

"You... You are weak." He said, getting a reaction from Flavio.

"How dare you speak to him like that, you have no right!" He said, stepping forwards.

"I have every right." Logan suddenly said, letting an aura of lighting burst around him, keeping Flavio at bay and forcing everyone to turn their sight away to save their eyes.

Sal could feel the power coming from him, understanding now why lighting was also feared as the strongest. But, no matter how much he wanted to take a step back, he felt an overwhelming feeling telling him to stand his ground, refusing to look away from Logan who seemed ready for a fight.

"We, the elders of the family acknowledge your arrival, candidate of lighting. However, we must ask you to refrain from violence here." Hashi of the Yakuza said, keeping a close eye on him as he said it.

"You heard him, Logan, sit your ass down!" Clay suddenly shouted, seeming to finally get through to him.

Logan didn't say anything and stepped away, taking his place in the last remaining ring, forming a complete set of all seven ring-bearers once Ignacio had joined them again, seeming to be hurt, but alive.

Whispers and mummers started to get louder and louder from the audience, getting so loud that Leeroy was forced to silence them again, being forced to shout to get everyone's attention.

Ignacio also took his place back in his circle, glaring at Logan with a thirst for revenge in his eyes, with Antonio also doing the same as he slowly made his way back to his seat at the head table.

"This won't slide Clay." He said, standing next to the large biker.

"Whatever little man," Clay said, not paying him any attention and placing a cigar into his mouth.

Leeroy stood to his feet and walked around the table to the centre of the room, taking a good look at all of the ring-bearers who stood before him and the other heads of the families.

"This is the first time in 70 years that all seven families have been able to produce a candidate for the right of succession... As the law states! If one of the branch families cannot produce ring bearers, then the next boss will be the most direct descendant of the previous boss."

"However, as we all know... If all seven families can produce an heir, then by the laws that have been set for over 1000 years state, only the strongest of them will be named the next boss!" Leeroy said, getting a huge gasp from the crowd as they started to chatter, with no one in the room being able to contain their thoughts any longer.

"No... This wasn't supposed to happen!" Flavio said, enraged that he had not known about this Logan who had somehow inherited the power of lightning.

"S-Sir Salvator... I have failed you..." He said, lowering his head in shame.

"W-wait... Does that mean we have to fight each other?" Sal asked.

"I am afraid so young Salvator... There can be only one true boss, and the only way to decide who will become the next boss is by combat." Leeroy said.

All of the ring-bearers could feel the pressure fall upon them, looking at each other feeling that the others might make a move to attack.

"Well, what are we waiting for!" Ignacio suddenly shouted as he ignited his flames in the palm of his hands getting ready to attack.

"Hold it there!" Leeroy shouted, holding up his hand.

Ignacio snarled as he also saw Antonio nod his head for him to stop, forcing him to extinguish his flames.

"There is an order to these things, young Ignacio," Leeroy said before he turned around to the other elders.

"Now that each family has a ring bearer to represent their claim for leadership, they and their ring bearer must agree to enter the tournament of rights, where you will fight each other." Hashi suddenly said, taking over talking from Leeroy for a moment.

"However, if for any reason a ring bearer does not wish to enter the tournament, they must withdraw their right as a candidate now before the others and the elders of the family." He then said, giving them an option.

"Also, all of you are also free to choose one who you agree can lead, avoiding any bloodshed altogether. But this has only been seen once since the time of the first battle for the throne." Xue Fang said this time, explaining in further detail the choice before them.

"So you are saying we can give up right now, meaning we don't have to fight," Sal said softly, understanding.

"Hehe... What do you think Hua?" Huo Fang said to his twin brother, laughing as he said it.

"We fight, of course, Huo." Hua Fang said, also laughing as he said it.

"If any of you wish to withdraw your right to rule, make it heard now," Kholodov asked, watching each of them to see their resolve.

"Sir... You, I... I will understand if you wish to withdraw from this battle." Flavio suddenly said to Sal.

Sal turned around in shock that he had said that after all the effort he went to to get him here in the first place.

"I promised you that you would be boss, that it was your birthright... I never told you that you would need to put your life on the line and fight for it, for that I am sorry." He said, bowing his head to him in shame.

"Raise your head Flavio," Sal said, taking him by surprise.

"I always felt that I was meant to do more with my life... And until you came and pushed me through the door, nothing would have changed for me. It is I who owes you Flavio. And for that, I will fight for the future you saw for me." Sal said, standing tall as his resolve caused his flames to burst to life, getting an unexpected reaction from everyone in the room.

"L-Lord Salvator..." Flavio said in shock, doing his best to stand tall for him and nodding before he took a step back, feeling the warmth of his flames.

"So be it, boss." He said, watching the might of his flames burn brightly, igniting his own resolve once again.

Sal allowed his flames to vanish before he looked toward the elders.

"I won't quit!" He said, making a fist as he looked all of them in the eye, showing them his guts.

The elders smiled, feeling his resolve knowing that it reminded them of his father, the previous boss.

"Very well... It seems that none of you is willing to forfeit your right to rule." Leeroy said, seeing that Sal's resolve had caused the other's desires to burn bright in their eyes.

"As the law states, you each have four months to set your affairs in order and assemble your guardians. After which the details of the tournament will be delivered to each of you." Leeroy said before he looked to the other elders.

"I believe that concludes this ceremony of succession, you are dismissed!" Leeroy said, getting a nod of agreement from the other elders, who stood up.

"Four months... Guardian's?" Sal said to himself, having no idea what he meant by that.

"Just you wait losers! In four months I'll be back to tear you limb for limb!" Ignacio shouted, snapping Sal out of his thoughts as he allowed his own fire to burst to life.

"Hehe, we will see." Both Hua and Hao said, suddenly disappearing into a small vortex of wind.

"Whatever, like I need four months to take you losers out!" Alex also said, placing his hands behind the back of his head as he walked off.

Viktor didn't say anything and walked away with his hands in his pockets, only looking at Logan as he passed him, seeming to acknowledge him as his only rival, with Logan doing the same.

"Four months it is." Logan suddenly said before he turned around to Sal.

"In four months, the Mogavero family will be mine." He then said, turning around and walking away.

"H-Hey Logan! Wait up!" Clay said as he chased after him, running out of the room with him, seeing that he was already leaving.

Izumi also remained quiet, simply walking away in an elegant manner, seeming to glide across the floor as she regrouped with Hashi, who kept his large arms folded over his chest with a smile on his face.

"Sir," Flavio said as he appeared behind Sal, announcing his presence as he had noticed Sal in his own world.

"Y-yeah..." Sal said as he turned around to face him.

"Are you ok?" Flavio asked seeing the look on his face.

"Yes... I'm alright." Sal said, still doing his best to make sense of all of this.

"How about we retire for the day sir, after all, it looks like I have a lot to catch you up on." Flavio then said, extending his arm for Sal to follow.

"R-Right," Sal said, following Flavio and his men towards the exit of the room, feeling the eyes of everyone there watching him as he left.

"This way sir, we have a room prepared for you and an evening meal of course," Flavio said as Sal followed him through the castle halls.

"I'm staying in the castle?" Sal asked, feeling a little surprised.

"Of course sir, this castle was your father's and currently belongs to you," Flavio said.

"Wait a second... You mean this place is mine?" He asked.

"But I thought I wasn't the boss now?" He also said.

Flavio nodded.

"That is correct sir, you may not have become the boss today, however, as the only living child of your father's blood, you have inherited all of his assets and past wealth," Flavio said with a smile.

"That's pretty cool I guess," Sal said as he placed his hands behind the back of his head, taking a better look around the large hallway.

"Yes... However, should you lose in the tournament to become the next boss, anything related to the family that was passed down to your father will be given to the new boss. Everything else that was of your father's own will still belong to you though." Flavio explained, telling him if he lost he wouldn't lose everything.

"If I lose..." Sal said, thinking about the others and their powers.

"Flavio, what exactly happens if I lose?" Sal suddenly asked as he stopped walking, causing Flavio and the others to also stop, having a concerned look on their face.

"Well, sir. There is no easy way to say this." Flavio said.

"There are only two ways that you can lose... The first is if you die." Flavio said, letting him know the worst of it right away.

"And the second?" Sal asked.

"If you admit defeat and force the ring off of your finger, presenting it to your opponent to spar your life..." Flavio said, getting a grim look from the others.

"However, to do such a thing is seen as the act of a coward and has rarely been seen through the history of the rings," Flavio said.

Sal nodded after a moment understanding what he was saying.

"I guess that settles it then." He said, slowly lifting his head up.

"That just means I have to win no matter what!"