Though the others remained silent, they all echoed the overweight shark’s sentiment.
[The Stahlwölfe.] Volcan spoke. [Another prominent family in the Radmir Union...]
Just like the Romanos, Stahlwölfe was another one of the big names in not just the country, but the world as a whole. For most people, it was synonymous with Steel Wolf Holdings, one of the biggest conglomerates in the world.
As the sole owners, the Stahlwölfes wield power on par with entire countries. Their influence stretched far and wide, and one would struggle to find a field they hadn’t dipped their toes in.
The Romano crime syndicate was an impossible challenge, but trying to steal something from the personal residence of the heir to the Stahlwölfe empire? One could only describe it as pure madness.
"Victor, my friend..." Mr. Pike put down his glass and leaned forward, his expression having turned grave. "Forgive me for saying this, but... this mission is far beyond our capabilities."
"No shit," Shark raised his hands in agreement, "What’s next? Are you gonna ask us to sneak into the White Palace and grab a few things from the big man’s office?"
Rose raised a hand as well and asked solemnly, "The wedding is happening a month from now, right? Don’t tell me your plan will have us do this around that time."
Dante wanted to say something himself, but words betrayed him. When the fixer told him it was a big job, he didn’t expect it to be of this magnitude. It dwarfed anything he had worked on in his time as a merc, giving him the impression that he had skipped several stages by accident.
’How the hell did I go from catching runaway gamblers to stealing from the scion of a conglomerate?’
[Mr. Sokolov seems to recognize your true capabilities.] Volcan said. [Otherwise, he wouldn’t have added you to this team of Level 2 elites.]
Though they never talked about it openly, Dante had an inkling that his fixer knew a lot more than he let on. At the very least, Victor seemed to suspect that he was the one behind the events in Factory Town. A perceptive information broker like him wouldn’t miss any clues, no matter how small, and his keen intuition was bound to lead him closer to the truth.
’Still, this is way beyond what I’m capable of...’
Caligo was a mysterious and powerful gang, but they were nothing more than ants in the face of giants such as the Romano family or Steel Wolf Holdings. Being made to face them was like asking him to challenge Flame Guard before obtaining VOLCAN.
Staring at the fixer, Dante tried and failed to read into his thought process. Their eyes met and Victor remained stoic, showing no hint of doubt. More than anyone else, he clearly knows the insanity of what he was asking of them. Surely he had a reason for why he hadn’t outright refused to take on the job.
"It is as you have guessed. We are going to strike on the eve of Klaus Stahlwölfe’s wedding." He said. "That is, if things progress as I have been told."
The firm voice laced with anger shook Wolf out of his daze. His canine ears shot up, and his head whipped left and right before his eyes met the stern gaze of a young woman.
She stood in front of him, arms crossed and head raised. One could tell she was doing her best to appear imposing, but seeing as she barely reached his eye level even while he was seated, her attempt clearly failed.
"What’s wrong, Leader?"
Her face twisted with displeasure, and the air enveloping her petite body stirred, causing her short raven hair and the skirt of her uniform to flutter.
"What’s wrong?" She gritted her teeth. "What’s wrong, you say?"
"Hold on!" Panic struck the furry hero and he instantly became as pale as his white hair. "Calm down, L-Leader! There is no need for violence!"
"Are you sure? Because from what I’m seeing, you need a slap or two to help you focus."
"N-no, I’m fine, really."
He laughed awkwardly and his ears dropped, showing the fear instilled into him. The young girl fixed him with a stern glare then seemed to relax a little. Just then, the door swung open.
"Yahallo! How have you been, everyone!?"
The cheerful greeting was accompanied by a warm smile from the new arrival— another girl who contrasted the first one in every aspect, especially the physical side. She was tall, curvy, and had long orange hair. Though the uniform they wore shared the same design, it looked entirely different when worn by her.
The moment she stepped inside, it felt like the room grew brighter, as if a ball of sunshine had graced it with its presence. An instant later, the warmth she spread was overwhelmed with a frigid air, freezing her in place.
"You. Are. Late!" The petite girl forced the words from behind gritted teeth.
"Ah... ahahaha..." Sweat beaded the cheerful girl’s forehead and her smile began to falter. "How strange... I was sure I arrived on time..."
"How many times do I have to say it! You must always arrive fifteen minutes early!" Yelling that much seemed to deprive the petite girl of air, causing her to pant with a look of utter frustration. Drawing in a deep breath, she was about to yell something else when a loud yawn drew her attention.
"Can’t a tired man nap in peace for once?" Someone slowly rose from a nearby bench, holding a hand to his mouth as he yawned. "How come someone so small is-"
Like a music app that had suddenly crashed, the speaker suddenly went silent, his body rigid like a statue. A few seconds later, he seemed to regain the ability to move, but when he turned to face the others, he saw a nightmarish fiend looking his way, hiding behind the form of a little girl with an innocent smile.
The room quaked a few times, and there were some rather loud wails, but everything went deathly silent not long after.