Prologue: Assassinated

As a son of a mafia boss, getting into dangerous situations has always been something April is used to. At a young age, he has learned different methods of fighting and killing, a necessary skill in his line of work, not to mention negotiation skills since not everything can be resolved by killing the other party.

He knows that much.

But one day the boss of the Nera Famiglia suddenly called for a gathering of all the members of their organization.

"Our famiglia have stayed at the top for many years and it is my, and my predecessors', wish for it to remain that way." announces Giovanni Nera, current boss of the Nera Famiglia. "For our glory to continue, a worthy successor must be chosen! Come forth my candidates!"

From the sides, about thirteen people, male and female, step forward. The oldest looks like someone in his early thirties while the youngest is a teenager.

April, being twenty years old, is eligible to be a candidate of being a successor.

"In two months' time, a competition will be held! Whoever wins and survives in the end will be my heir!"

Cheers can be heard all around the room but April can only shrink at that. It's bad news for him after all he's the child of the Giovanni's mistress and has no support from the higher echelons of the famiglia.

A month passes by...

Despite being a candidate and an active member of the mafia, April is also a diligent college student. Just like what he promised his mother when she died years ago, he pursued medicine as he wanted to be a doctor.

Just as he walks the path towards his residence, a dozen or so men blocked his path. Soon enough, he's surrounded.

"Let me guess who sent you… Niccolo? No, Bianca? Or maybe… one of the elders?" he guesses as he eye the men in black surrounding him. "Last week, Anderson's lover was kidnapped and he withdrew from being a candidate. A week before that, Genevieve got into an accident and she's still missing. I guess I'm next?"

"Enough talking, we're just cleaning up dirt."

The sound of a gun resounds and chaos breaks loose.

April, despite his small size is agile, fast and strong. Partnered up with his skills, the men sent to get rid of him are having a hard time in killing him.

Minutes later, April stands in the center with a gun and a knife on his hands. Surrounding him are the dead bodies who were trying to kill him just a while ago. His breathing is a bit ragged and he has gained a few cuts and bruises from the scuffle. Thankfully, there's no serious injury in his body.

*BANG!*

April did not even feel pain. He sees blood blossoming on his chest and he falls down on the ground. Black dots dance on his vision and he can sense his consciousness slipping away.

"I thought he's a survivor. I guess he's just like everyone else."

April knows that voice… And he couldn't believe he's hearing it while he's on his last attempt of surviving.

"Sorry about this little cousin but it's better if you're not around."

"L…Lloyd!"

April hears the gun go off and everything goes black.