Chapter 38: Minted Revelation

"Look who it is, if it isn't my very own son that just up and decides not do what he's told-"

*Bam*

Lucky's sarcastic tone was interrupted by Ricky slamming a pile of mint scented paper onto his desk as his father raised an eyebrow.

"What is this, do you want me to check your homework or something?" Lucky laughed only to tilt his head weirdly at the paper, trying to remember the last time he'd ever seen Ricky ever actually write something down.

"Is that mint?" Lucky nose sniffed the air, grabbing the paper and surprised at the pleasant aroma wafting into his nose.

"Haha, laugh it up but those are pure results." Ricky tapped the paper, Lucky raising a brow while looking at them.

"This is everything I gathered after doing the very thing you told me not to do, it's everything I managed to collect on the jewish mafia." Ricky pointed at the minted stack as Lucky's eyes widened and suddenly grabbed the paper's into his hand one after another.

"How did you-" Lucky was completely shocked, taken aback since this was even more information than he managed to gather.

"Before you say anything I'm going to bed, and tomorrow I'm actually going to go to school cause I got to take care of something." Ricky then leaned on the desk, looking Lucky directly in the eyes.

"But after all of that, we need to have a talk." Ricky then knocked on the desk, waving goodbye as although his actions were arrogant, they spoke for themselves.

Although it was entirely reckless with only a hint of planning, Ricky managed to accomplish what Lucky hadn't yet and unwittingly, Ricky forced Lucky's hand, rendering him uncharacteristically silent.

Once the door shut behind him, Lucky leaned back while letting out a baffled sigh, shaking his head but letting out a chuckle. 

"I swear to the lord himself, I can never get a read on that kid." Lucky sighed though happily took the papers.

It wasn't a giant leap in the right direction, but a small, significant step and Lucky understood the implications. 

Instead of charging guns blazing into the Jewish mob for revenge, Ricky was signaling that it was time to take him seriously and incorporate him into the takeover that was about to be underway.

"Well done kid, well done."

Ricky lugged himself to his own room while Alexander hopped off his shoulder and Ricky plunged onto his bed.

Ricky's body was incredibly sore, with his head throbbing as if his brain might explode at any moment.

Nexor had truly beaten the crap out of Ricky, both physically and mentally, beating him down into this very moment that only made Ricky feel even smaller.

Although Ricky had expected that people like Nexor could exist, he hadn't considered that the supernatural world might be a reality.

'After all of that, I need to get even f*cking stronger-...f*ck.' Ricky's head sank into the pillow, his ambition for revenge outweighing his current capabilities.

He had come to realize that being the strongest one around him wasn't enough; he needed more power.

It was only Ricky's second encounter with the helpless, gnawing hunger for more strength that had ensnared countless others before him. 

But this craving was different from anything he had experienced; it wasn't just a desire but an insatiable, consuming need that clawed at his very core. 

The sensation was like being trapped in a web spun by a relentless predator as every fiber of his being was tangled in its threads, each tug pulling him deeper into the labyrinth of his own ambition. 

The more he struggled to break free from these predator's control, the more he felt the web tightening, binding him to an unending pursuit. 

The realization struck him with harsh clarity: being the strongest among his peers wasn't enough. 

The vast, shadowy expanse of power stretched far beyond what he had initially perceived, and he was only beginning to scratch the surface of what this world had to offer.

This newfound awareness wasn't just a fleeting thought; it was a profound and unsettling revelation that redefined his understanding of strength and control. 

The hunger for power wasn't merely a craving but a force that reshaped his priorities, pushed him to the brink, and demanded that he seek more than mere dominance of his fellow gangsters. 

It was a consuming drive that overshadowed everything else, leaving him in a relentless quest for something that seemed just out of reach, yet all-consuming in its allure.

"Young Ricky." Alexander's words broke him from his own mind numbing thoughts, standing on his hind legs while showing a mighty spirit on his nearby bed stand.

"Hmmmmm." Ricky tiredly hummed, his face directly in the pillow as Alexander raised his paw into the air.

"I know our first battle together was a trifling one, but mark my words, I shall forge you into a warrior that is tougher than any metal, I swear it!" Alexander passionately proclaimed as Ricky raised his arm into the air, still planted face first into the pillow. 

Alexander's smile widened, and he shouted loudly, his voice echoing with fervor all across the room.

"HAZAY!"

The Next Day,

"Jonathan, can you please read the next section?" Ms. Collins asked Jonathan who stood up with papers in hand.

"The french revolution-"

Ricky was sitting at his desk, half asleep, propping a book in front of him as he greatly regretted attending this school, his thoughts drifting as he struggled to stay awake.

'These stupid Skull and bones connections better be worth wasting my time in this hell hole, cause in the future they're not, I'm gonna punch a baby or something.' Ricky lamented to himself, teetering on the edge of his consciousness.

'But at least some connections will pan out quicker than others.' Ricky thought, readying himself for later on.

Though soon after, the book was pushed down to reveal Ms. Collins who showed a suspicious gaze until she smiled after seeing Ricky was awake.

"Was that-" 

"Yes it was, now please read the next passage." Ms. Collin tapped his book, turning around as she swayed her lushious hips away while Ricky's pupils bounced with her motions.

"The french revolution-"

"Next passage."

"Uhhhhhhh-"

1 hour later,

The bell rang as Ricky put his textbook in his bag though when he went to walk out, Ms. Collins didn't stop him and instead started marking something at her desk.

"You're not going to stop me?" Ricky genuinely asked Ms. Collins who politely set down her reading glasses before looking up at Ricky.

Mrs. Collins had been somewhat avoiding Ricky after feeling an intense, unexpected pleasure from his mere touch. 

The experience left her so uncontrollably embarrassed that she couldn't even bring herself to look him in the eye.

With time, however, she had eventually warmed back to Ricky, though she still unconsciously kept him at arm's length.

"No Ricky, I've tried to reach out time and time again, but you only keep pushing me away. Although I am your teacher, I am not your guardian. We can talk when you're ready or not at all, but you know where to find me if that time comes." Ms. Collins politely informed Ricky before putting on her glasses and continuing to mark something at her desk.

Ricky showed a surprised expression as his gaze lingered on her desk though eventually walked away.

The school day was over, but Ricky would be attending the Skull and Bones meeting as he still needed to take care of Ruth.

Ruth had slowly started to nudge into Maria's life more and more which greatly irked Ricky who knew that she was only a snake, but Maria didn't.

However with everyone going on around him, today seemed like the perfect day to finally act on that mission always looming in the shadows.

"Hey beautiful." Ricky whispered behind Maria pigging out at the food table as she turned around with an embarrassed expression.

Maria was about to speak when she remembered the food still in her mouth as she quickly swallowed the entire mouthful, clearing her throat before continuing.

"Ricky, your back!" Instead of Maria, Ruth excitedly ran up to Ricky as she hugged him from behind which surprised Maria.

"I am so sorry about what happened to Rocco, if you ever need to talk then you can come to me, alright?" Ruth spoke softly to Ricky, who responded with a gentle smile. 

Maria opened her mouth to say something but then shook her head, deciding against it.

'No Maria, Ruth isn't like that!' Maria thought internally, shooing away those nasty thoughts.

"Thanks for your condolences, and if everyone else is busy then I'll schedule an appointment with you." Ricky placed a hand on her shoulder before prying Ruth's hands off of his body.

"Let's go find our seats Maria." Ricky grabbed Maria's hand and led her to the chairs.

Ruth's eyebrow convulsed rapidly as she tried to maintain her face while Henry started cackling at Ruth's distraught expression.

The meeting was tedious, with most of it focused on upcoming events, until Henry brought up a matter that intrigued the entire club.

"As you know, this will be my last year at this snore fest so I will be nominating my replacement for the council." Jerry boisterously spoke as everyone in the club had hopeful eyes.

"And my replacement will be, drum roll please!" Jerry then started pounding his desk as Henry facepalmed at this usual act.

"RICKY LUCIANO!" Jerry proclaimed as all the hopeful eyes were immediately ashen in the next second, turning to see Ricky sleeping on Maria's shoulder.

"R-Ricky!" Maria jerked Ricky awake, groggily opening his eyes to see Jerry laughing so hard he fell out of his seat.

Despite many people vying for Jerry's seat and promising him various things, he honestly didn't care for it at all. 

Jerry only attended this club because his father, an alumni of Yale and former member, essentially forced him into it. 

In fact, Jerry had been handed everything he had in this club because of his family's distribution company, Hammer Trading Inc. 

They had been around since the Revolutionary War, smuggling various goods from England to America before establishing themselves.

Jerry was also handed the position of council member in his sophomore year because the guy giving it to him wanted to get into his good graces. 

So, in Jerry's mind, it was only right that he handed it off to another person since it only seemed fair. 

But the main reason he gave it to Ricky was simply because Ricky was the only one who made him laugh in the stuffy meeting room.

Standing up, Ricky walked to the front where Jerry had pulled up a chair and patted its seat.

"Give it up for Ricky Luciano everyone!" Henry quickly accounted for the recent developments, and as he finished, the room filled with the sound of claps from those who had succeeded, mingled with the glares of those who had failed.

"What are you up to?" Ricky whispered to the madly grinning Jerry who waved his hand at him.

"Oh come on Ricky, you should know by now that I like to stir this snore fest up every now and again." Jerry easily confessed his intentions as Ricky raised an eyebrow before shrugging though he gave Henry a side eye.

Henry raised an eyebrow, seemingly communicating with Ricky through facial movements as the latter nodded his head.

The meeting ended soon after, and the disgruntled and disheartened members trickled out of the room until only a handful of people were left, the council.

Maria had to get back, so she gave Ricky a departing kiss and waved goodbye to Ruth before leaving with the rest of the members.

"Of course yer would pick the greasy italian." Joseph scoffed as he squinted disdainfully at Ricky who immediately shrugged it off.

"Better watch your mouth cousin f*cker, cause I'll knock the last three teeth out of it." Ricky leaned back in his seat as Jerry burst out in laughter, causing Henry to choke on the water he was sipping.

"You think you can take me!" Joseph stood up as Betty grabbed onto his arm.

"Easily." Ricky chuckled though clearly held disdain in his eyes for Joseph, waiting for him to make the first move before he beat the crap out of him.

"Honey calm down-"

"Oh Betty, you should have more faith in your man like me~" Ruth turned over to Ricky before sitting right on his lap.

'Oh boy.' Ricky thought he needed to be strong, but his body had other plans. 

Despite being unpleasant on the inside, Ruth was drop-dead gorgeous on the outside, with her diamond spoon not being her only asset.

Brown-haired, slender beauty with captivating brown eyes with hair that cascaded in gentle waves around her shoulders, framing a face that exuded both warmth and intelligence. 

Her eyes, like pools of rich chocolate, held a depth that seemed to draw you in just like her family's unimaginable wealth, revealing a hint of mystery beneath their surface. 

Her slender frame moved with grace and elegance, captivating all who caught a glimpse of her.

(Image for the forgotten)

"Ironic- '' Harold scoffed only for Ruth's eyes to hatefully condense.

"What was that Harold!" Ruth's head whipped to the side as Harold made a subtle retort, his sigh betraying his frustration.

"Nothing." Harold whispered to the side while Ruth hummed victorious while Ricky grabbed her waist.

Ruth immediately blushed, feeling his hands slowly clasp around her waist while turning to Ricky with a wide smile though right as she was about to make a purring remark, she was moved off of his lap and onto the chair next to him.

"Anyways, I want to thank Jerry for nominating me and I promise to do right by his expectations." Ricky surprisingly gave out a mature response which delighted Henry.

"Well said, Ricky." Henry clapped his hand as Ruth realized that Ricky had subtly rejected her outright advances which made her slightly annoyed at this festering feeling called rejection.

"Now are there any other objections?" Henry asked since a majority was needed to reject this though no one else showed any signs of rejection.

"Then Ricky shall be Jerry's replacement." Henry announced as the other delightfully nodded along with Ruth who slithered her way to his side.

"Ricky, can we talk for a bit?" Ruth whispered as Ricky raised an eyebrow though nodded.

'I need to start it now.' Ricky side-eyed Henry, who responded with a slight nod. 

Ricky then followed Ruth out, his expression reflecting the unspoken understanding between them.

"If she doesn't spell trouble then I'm illiterate." Jerry whispered words that subtly forced the others to nod as Henry stood up.

"Well, let's depart for now and continue our affairs at a later date." Henry urged them on, and as they exchanged glances and shrugged, they shuffled out of the room. 

Unlike the others who thought Ricky would easily shrug off her advances, Henry lingered a bit before finally leaving.

'Come on Ricky, you got this.'

Arriving at the side room, Ruth closed the door behind Ricky, effectively blocking his only exit.

"You're not going to murder me are you-" Ricky feigned his surprise, making a joke until Ruth suddenly threw herself at him, capturing his lips in a deep, urgent kiss. 

Her approach was intense and aggressive, her tongue plunging into Ricky's mouth with a fervent need.

Ruth didn't hold back, fully wrapping Ricky's tongue against hers as he hadn't encountered such intensity since his on-and-off fling with a female MMA fighter.

Breaking the kiss, Ruth pressed herself against Ricky's muscular chest, her hand caressing him with a mix of urgency and desire. 

The heat between them was undeniable in this second, her touch oozing a thrillful desire with a rose tinted blushed spreading to her eyes as she gazed upon only Ricky's features.

'It's perfect.' Ruth's hands traced over Ricky's muscles, her mind wandering. 

Ever since she was a girl, she had gotten everything she ever wanted, from material possessions to people. 

But as she grew older, she knew that eventually she would need a partner. However, no matter how hard she looked, no one quite met her outlandish expectations.

The more Ruth aged, the more her fantasy twisted into something unrealistic, a vision that seemed impossible to fulfill, becoming something only out of a written novel. 

This unrealism slowly started to become apparent in her surroundings as the fantasy began to wane, until she met Ricky.

From the very first moment she encountered his eccentric personality, she was intrigued. 

That's all it was at first, when she gazed at Ricky all she saw was a simple jester who sought to make her laugh once and a while.

However, as Ricky began actively completing missions and becoming stronger and more refined thanks to his system, the fantasy Ruth once forgot about started to project onto him.

This intrigue of an old fantasy slowly morphed into an obsession, especially after witnessing his transformation into an Adonis-like figure.

However, Ruth didn't want Ricky for who he was, she wanted the idea of him. 

She craved a handsome man around her age to simply look good and entertain her by her side, a perfect accessory to her already perfect life.

It wasn't that Ruth ignored Ricky's personality, she simply didn't care to see it since in her view, if it wasn't worth seeing then it wasn't real.

So she waited, for any chance to entangle Ricky in her web thinking that with all that she had and was, there would be no way for Ricky to escape once she ensnared him.

"Maria told me how she rudely rejected your advances~" Ruth seductively whispered in a hot breath towards Ricky's ear causing his expression to almost twitch.

'So it was this b*tch.' Ricky thought after realizing that Ruth was already influencing Maria to make decisions in their relationship to such a degree.

"If you were mine, I would let you have me whenever you wanted~" Ruth continued her seductive whisper, slowly taking Ricky's hands and trailing them down her slender body all the way down to her perky ass.

Ricky gazed down at Ruth, the plan he had with Henry days ago unraveling in his mind as he leaned down while Ruth tilted her face upwards, and their lips met in a kiss.

*Flashback in continuation of Chapter 27* 

"Now listen closely, I have a plan." Ricky leaned in, Henry mirroring this action and giving him his ear. 

"I'm going to knock her up." Ricky summed up the plan pretty quickly as Henry immediately nodded along without thinking about it too hard at first. 

"Of course-huh?" Henry shockingly let out, recoiling backwards with a weird expression.

"I'm gonna put a baby in her, like with my di-"

"I ain't no retard Ricky, but like, why?" Henry asked, baffled that he had to ask this in the first place.

Henry's first thoughts were evident on his face, a large frown parting his features as he firmly believed in being a gentleman. 

Henry wasn't a good person, no one in the business world was, but he was steadfast in his principles as a man. 

Values and family were at Henry's core, and his relationships were the most important to him. 

Knowing that Ricky was already in a relationship rubbed him the wrong way, though he decided to give Ricky the chance to explain himself out of curiosity.

"Listen Henry, what is the most important thing for a person of your-"

"Our.'' Henry corrected since Ricky was a part of the one percent as well.

*Ahem*

"Our stature." Ricky corrected though Henry easily knew the answer.

"Image-wait." Henry quickly responded only to halt his own words, the businessman in him started eating away at his conscience.

"So you want to get her pregnant then use that as an excuse to destroy her image since she will have had marital relations before marriage?" Henry asked though Ricky shook his head since he was thinking too narrowly.

"Not exactly." Ricky held up a finger as Henry became extremely confused.

"You said that her grandfather is John D. Rockefeller, the most powerful man in the country, correct?" Ricky held up a finger which made Henry nod weirdly since this was simple common knowledge.

"Yes I did but-"

"I'm going to use Ruth to draw him out so that I can have a 'talk' with him." Ricky said while gazing at his system though most importantly, Chester's Genjutsu.

In fact, Ricky hadn't really been using all of his items and abilities, still not entirely accustomed to them. 

He knew he needed to actively want to use these skills since they were his biggest advantage. 

Chester had such a valuable skill that Ricky hadn't even used yet, and this needed to change and it was from that point on, he swore to start utilizing it along with his other skills when in these types of situations.

The real reason Ricky wanted to get Rockefeller in a room was so that he could use Genjutsu to manipulate the old man into giving him his wealth or at least something that could be valuable.

"You're kidding." Henry laughed only to see Ricky was dead serious.

"Ricky, the one thing that Rockefeller cherishes more than money is his family and above all that is Ruth, she can do no wrong in his eyes and if he finds out that Ruth wants you, then it won't matter what plans we concoct-"

"Just let me take care of Rockefeller and you just handle the tedious things." Ricky explained as Henry let out a haggard sigh, rubbing his forehead in distress.

"All I'm saying is that once Rockefeller finds out your the father-"

"Who said that I would be the 'father'." Ricky showed a sleazy smile as Henry rubbed his chin.

"So you want to paint her as a harlot who sleeps around?" Henry asked, rubbing his chin continuously while thinking about the idea.

"Yep and I need your help to do it." Ricky gestured to Henry who leaned back onto the car hood.

"What do you need?"

"I need an alibi for the day so you know how you were going to give me a car?" Ricky pointed at Henry who slowly raised a smile.

"When?" Henry showed a wide smirk as Ricky shrugged.

"I don't know yet, but if she ever pulls me aside then I'll make my move." Ricky said to Henry as he understood.

"If this actually works and Ruth is painted in this way, this won't only help us with the council, but also when leveraging things over not only the Stefields but also the Rockefellers." Henry had an enthusiastic smile on his face, thinking of the leverage to hold over them at an actual Rockefeller descendant doing such a shameful thing.

"However, I do need you to find some men to say they 'slept' with her if they decide to ask around the council." Ricky gave off the next part but that made Henry hesitate before slowly nodding. 

"It'll be taken care of, but I need some time." Henry agreed, understanding that finding men willing to speak so freely was nearly suicidal. 

Despite the danger, he stood up, though he still hesitated slightly since this was a very reckless plan at heart.

Ricky wasn't a good person and he never claimed to be, he was a very selfish individual who rarely looked at other's interests unless it affected him personally.

"I honestly think your plan is commendable at best, but in the face of Rockefeller, I doubt that any of this will matter so are you sure you want to go through with this?" Henry asked but Ricky was firm.

"I'm sure." Ricky agreed as Henry let out a final sigh before putting his hand on his shoulder.

"Fine, it's a ginormous gamble but if it pays off, and we get something on Rockefeller, then it will be huge." Henry stood up, looking back at Ricky.

"However, remember one thing, Ricky." Henry held up a single finger with a dead serious expression. 

"Rockefeller is a crafty guy, he's ruthless but the scariest part of him is how great he is at making people let their guards down." Henry had heard the haunting stories of the notorious John D. Rockefeller who almost took over the entire United States through Standard Oil.

Knowing full well that he wasn't someone to simply lose at anything, especially in the face of someone of Ricky's standards.

"So let me ask one more time, are you sure you want to do this?" Henry asked, knowing that if they went through with this they could never look back.

"Yeah, I'm sure."

*END FLASHBACK*

Ricky initially wanted to let this plan simmer a bit however with the sudden arrival of a new threat being those disgusting ghouls and a vampire mascarding as Dracula, Ricky needed to be a little more reckless in order to gain the power he desired to finally get his revenge.

"Are you sure you want all of this Ricky?" Ruth playful undid her top to reveal her bare perky breasts as Ricky slyly leaned into her ear.

"Yeah, I'm sure."

Author's Note: Sorry if anyone feel's blueballed that they didn't get the vampire confrientation that they probably wanted. But I felt that I needed to put him getting smacked down since although I built up Ricky's desire for power. Rather than simply showcasing his desire to be the strongest, I aimed to introduce a formidable figure who completely shattered his expectations and intensified his drive.