[Mafia Headquarters - Tranquil City]

The world outside had gone mad.

The red sky phenomenon turned everyone into monsters, training like their lives depended on it because maybe they did. Imperial heirs in their second year, the ones with SS rank talent, were already hitting B- rank. Fourth years were pushing past B+, some even breaking into A- territory.

Edrin and the others had clawed their way to C+. All except Zavier, who sat at C rank, his A- talent showing its limits compared to the others.

Everyone’s growth was insane and unnatural.

And standing in the center of the Mafia headquarters’ main office, Luna Valcor had reached C- rank.

SSS rank talent didn’t play by normal rules.

Elizabeth Murdock had been A- in her third year. That was the standard SSS set, and Luna was following that same trajectory, maybe even faster due to the phenomenon.

She stood behind the large desk, her silver eyes calm, her posture straight.

Behind her, Alessio stood with his hands clasped in front of him, his small frame still. He was D- rank now, better than most his age.

Next to him, Sakura Sterling, Ariana’s sister whom Damian had saved in the Kestrel Branch family attack, shifted her weight from foot to foot, her fingers playing with the edge of her jacket. She was E+ rank, her A rank talent doing what it could with the phenomenon’s boost.

"..."

Alessio finally broke the silence.

"Mistress, you still haven’t told me why you called everyone over."

Luna turned toward them.

Those silver eyes looked different and colder. Like the color had leached out along with whatever warmth normally lived there.

"In the past few days, I have met everyone in the Mafia." Luna’s voice came out level and measured. "And you are the ones with the most loyalty to Damian except for Edrin and the others."

She reached for her communication device on the desk, her fingers moving across the screen.

Ping

Alessio’s device vibrated in his pocket.

He pulled it out, his dark eyes scanning whatever Luna had sent. His expression didn’t change, but Sakura saw his jaw tighten fractionally.

Luna stepped closer, her footsteps soft against the wooden floor.

"In order to run an organization, loyalty and structure are the most important." Her eyes had gone completely emotionless, flat and empty. "Damian doesn’t care much about the low-level members of the Mafia, or if they are loyal or not. But I don’t want people with bad intentions inside his organization."

She stopped in front of Alessio.

"The list I sent you contains people who aren’t loyal to the Mafia and have their own intentions. People who have committed crimes using the Mafia’s name. People who have started to have some thoughts ever since Damian... disappeared."

Her voice dropped lower.

"Bring them here. And tell uncle Mike to come as well."

"..."

Alessio didn’t move, just stared at Luna.

Sakura’s hands clenched at her sides.

"Luna..." Her voice came out higher than intended, cracking slightly. "What are you planning to do? And how do you even know for sure–"

Luna turned toward her.

The movement was slow and deliberate, her silver eyes locking onto Sakura’s face.

Luna leaned in close, her breath warm against Sakura’s ear.

"I just know."

The whisper sent chills down Sakura’s spine.

Alessio pocketed his device and gave a small bow.

"Understood, Mistress."

He left without another word, his footsteps fading down the hallway.

****

Twenty minutes later, the room was crowded.

Over two dozen people stood in rough formation, ranging from D rank to C rank, their expressions varying from confused to worried to outright hostile.

Luna stood behind the desk, perfectly still, her hands resting on the polished wood surface.

Near the door, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, stood Old Man Mike. He was A+ rank now, the manager of the Mafia’s central branch, the one who’d trained Alessio and dozens of others. His weathered face showed nothing, but his eyes were sharp and watchful.

Alessio had positioned himself on the other side of the door, blocking the exit. His face showed nothing.

One of the men near the front, a C rank with a scar across his nose, spoke up.

"What’s this about? We got pulled out of–"

Luna’s voice cut through his words.

"You’re all here because your loyalty has wavered."

"..."

She walked out from behind the desk, and the moment she stepped closer, the atmosphere in the room shifted.

An aura of absolute calm and trustworthiness radiated from her like warmth from a fire. It wasn’t visible, but undeniable. It sank into everyone’s chest, making their defensive walls crumble without them realizing it.

The scarred man’s shoulders relaxed fractionally and someone who’d been glaring at Luna found their expression softening.

Luna stopped in the center of the room, her silver eyes moving from face to face.

"I’m going to ask you all a simple question." Her voice was calm, gentle even. "And I want you to be honest with me. Have any of you done things that betray the Mafia’s trust?"

The silence stretched.

Then the scarred man’s mouth opened.

"I... I’ve been taking supplies." The words came out before he could stop them, his voice rough. "Small amounts. Nothing that would–"

He stopped, his eyes going wide, like he couldn’t believe he’d just said that.

Luna’s gaze shifted to the woman near the back.

"And you?"

The woman swallowed hard, her hands twisting together.

"I’ve been... embezzling funds. From the orphanage support." Her voice cracked. "Over fifty thousand credits. I’m sorry, I just– I needed the money and I thought–"

One by one, they started confessing.

"I sold information about our routes–"

"I’ve been planning to leave with resources–"

"I used the Mafia’s name to threaten people for personal gain–"

The words tumbled out, some people crying, others shaking, all of them unable to stop themselves from confessing.

Mike’s eyes narrowed from his position by the door, his arms tightening across his chest.

’What the hell is this?’

He’d seen interrogations before, seen torture, threats and manipulation. But this was different. These people were confessing willingly and desperately, like they couldn’t help themselves.

’She’s doing something...’

Luna listened to all of them, her expression never changing, until the confessions finally stopped.

The room fell silent except for quiet sobbing from a few of the confessors.

"Thank you for your honesty." Luna’s voice remained calm and gentle. "Now, I’m going to help you."

Her silver eyes seemed to glow faintly.

She moved among them slowly and stopped at the center, and nobody dared to speak.

Luna’s expression didn’t change as she activated her new sub-skill.