American comics farmer: start by adopting the villain savior.

Chapter 171 Alberto's Holiday.

"boom--!!!"

The giant's roar was like thunder, shaking the entire manor.

The gunmen's bullets struck his pale skin, leaving only faint white marks, as futile as scratching an itch, and even provoking Grandy to growl even more manicly.

"No, no—!"

"Smack."

With a sharp crack, after slaughtering the remaining Falcone followers on the outskirts, the giant's empty, deathly gaze turned towards the depths of the manor, dragging its heavy steps as it approached step by step...

This is Solomon Grandi.

A walking disaster, a monster that should not exist in this world.

He had no clear goal; he simply tore apart all living, breathing creatures within his perception with a kind of instinctive hatred for 'life' itself!
Deep within the manor, in the master bedroom.

Compared to the hustle and bustle and destruction outside, an eerie tranquility has been maintained here for the time being.

However, it was still a mess.

The dressing table overturned.

Expensive cosmetics and perfumes were scattered all over the floor, mixed with a pungent smell.

The curtains were torn halfway down, and the faint screams and sounds of collapsing buildings coming from outside the window kept assaulting my eardrums.

The woman in the room had her hair down, and her exquisite makeup was already ruined by tears and sweat.

She leaned against the heavy oak door, using her entire weight to brace herself against it, one hand gripping a small pistol tightly, the other frantically redialing a number.

"Answer the phone...please...answer the phone now..."

Her voice was hoarse with sobs, trembling with extreme fear.

But every time I called, all I heard was a long busy tone, as if the person on the other end of the line had deliberately cut off my connection with this hell.

Outside the door.
Accompanied by the sickening sound of peeling walls and the deafening crash of crushed furniture, the heavy footsteps grew ever closer.

Every sound made Elana's heart pound wildly.

She remembered the blond boy's cold red eyes, the reassuring yet unsettling curve of his lips, and his seemingly casual promises.

“Diego…you said…I would be under your protection…” she murmured, tears blurring her vision again, “But where are you now……”

"Boom!!!"

A tremendous force slammed into the door!

The entire door and frame shook violently, and dust fell in a flurry.

Elana screamed in fright, and the phone slipped from her trembling hand.

She gripped the pistol tightly with both hands, aiming it intently at the doorway.

Isolated.

Despair, like the Gotham night outside the window, was so thick it was impossible to dispel.

“Born on a Monday This is the end~”

And that eerie nursery rhyme, like a final death knell, still faintly echoes in some corner of the manor, entangled in Elana Falcone's almost collapsing nerves.

"Roar!"

But for Solomon Grandi, the woman behind the door—her fear, her beauty, or her identity—was meaningless. After all, in his empty, deathly vision, she was merely a warm, life-giving speck of light that needed to be erased.

"Roar!"

He raised the huge hand covered in lividity and sutures.

With fingers spread wide, carrying the force to crush everything, it suddenly grabbed at the door.
"boom!!!"

A burst of fire and shockwave erupted, carrying with it shards of glass and wood chips!

"Boom!"

Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, Grandi's massive body was jolted back by the sudden explosion, his forward momentum abruptly halted. With a crash of shattered bricks, he plummeted to the ground floor with a deafening thud!

Elana was stunned by this turn of events, even forgetting to breathe, and just stared intently at the doorway.

As the smoke and dust cleared, a figure staggered into view.

The golden figure she had been longing for did not arrive.
Instead, he was a man wearing an ill-fitting suit and with messy hair.

His gold-rimmed glasses were askew, and he was leaning against the door frame, breathing heavily. His face showed shock and lingering fear, but his eyes revealed an unprecedented determination.

"Elana... Elana, are you alright?!"

He shouted anxiously, his voice trembling with tension.

"You are...?" Staring incredulously at her sudden savior, Elana almost thought she was hallucinating: "Ah... Alberto?! It's you?! How could you...?"

The person who came was actually
It was her twin brother, Alberto Falcone.
He has always been a man of few words in the family.
He was even secretly ridiculed by many as a bookworm and a cowardly invisible man.

"Today is the last day of the Thanksgiving holiday."

“And, sister.” Forcing a very strained smile, Alberto pointed to the few test tubes and wire fragments sticking out of his suit pocket, his tone filled with the excitement of surviving a disaster, and proudly said, “Harvard University, Department of Chemical Engineering, Alberto Falcone.”

"My father's tuition wasn't wasted, was it?"

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and looked at Elana with concern in his eyes: "I'm stronger than all those idiots in the manor who can only shoot... sister."

"."

She looked at her younger brother, whom she usually ignored and even looked down upon.

Listen to these clumsy yet sincere words.
Elana's tears welled up uncontrollably again.

This time, it was no longer pure despair, but mixed with an indescribable warmth.

When she was abandoned by her family and driven to the brink of death, the one who finally stepped forward to save her was none other than her 'invisible' younger brother, whom she had never paid any attention to before.

“Alberto…I…”

Elana choked up, wanting to say something.

But downstairs came Solomon Grandi's furious roar!
The giant let out a muffled grunt and struggled to his feet from the shattered piano and the broken pieces of the overturned table.

He was clearly unharmed, but thoroughly enraged!
Even this brief period of chaos did not distract him; the empty, deathly gaze once again locked onto the stairs above.

Those two points of light, radiating a warm, life-giving aura, were like the only lighthouse in the darkness, stirring up his more primal desire for destruction.

Footsteps sounded again, heading up the stairs!

"No time to talk! Let's go!"

Alberto's expression changed drastically. His adrenaline surged, causing him to unleash astonishing strength. He grabbed the heavy fire axe lying on the ground and slashed through the debris and collapsed decorations blocking his way, carrying Elana out of the crumbling bedroom.

They plunged headlong into a dark and narrow servants' passageway.

Behind him, Grandi's chilling roar and the deafening sounds of walls being torn apart followed him like a shadow.

The monster had clearly targeted the two who had slipped through its net, and its massive body practically swept past them, leaving no obstacle in the narrow passage.

They practically swept past them as they charged.

Alberto dragged Elana along, running as fast as he could. His lungs burned, and his glasses were soaked with sweat. Elana's shoes were nowhere to be found; she walked barefoot on the cold gravel and shards of glass, yet felt no pain.

Only the instinct for survival drove her to follow in her brother's footsteps.

They ran for an unknown amount of time until they finally burst out of the passage and arrived at a relatively open glass corridor connecting the main and auxiliary buildings.

The streetlights in the manor cast dappled beams of light through the broken glass, and the air was filled with the smell of dust and gunpowder.

Alberto had just come up with the idea of ​​destroying the covered bridge after crossing to cut off the pursuers—

"boom!"

The other end of the covered bridge was completely blocked by a partially collapsed ceiling!

There was no way forward, and pursuers were closing in from behind!
A huge gray figure had already appeared behind them.

Those hollow eyes stared intently at the two people on the covered bridge, let out a low roar, and strode over!
Protecting Elana behind him, Alberto gripped the fire axe, which was far too heavy for him, tightly in both hands. Despite his trembling arms, he stared intently at the approaching monster, his face showing the last vestige of despair and stubbornness.

but.
"Alberto, leave me behind. Go on your own."

By shoving Alberto backward, Elana instead took the initiative to face the monster.

"elder sister?!"

Alberto exclaimed in horror, "No!"

“The World.”

A cold voice uttered softly.

Just a moment before Grandi's giant hand was about to touch Elana.

The sounds of the entire world were instantly erased by an invisible hand.

The color faded to a monotonous gray-white.

Time stood still.

Alberto and Elana remained in their final pose.

Frozen in place, my thoughts also sank into a quagmire.

In this absolute silence, only a figure in a black trench coat with dazzling blond hair strolled leisurely onto the trembling covered bridge.

The stagnation was broken in the next moment!

Color and noise returned with a roar, like a flood bursting its banks!
"—No way!"

Accompanied by a cold, low shout.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

A series of extremely dull, explosive impact sounds rang out!
The giant's invulnerable body was struck and sent flying backwards like a tattered sandbag, utterly powerless to resist!

The massive body crashed through the already fragile glass wall on the other side of the covered bridge, and with a series of loud bangs, it slammed heavily into the garden below, kicking up clouds of dust!
It all happened so fast.

Alberto and Elana hadn't even fully reacted when, in a flash, the arrogant monster vanished, replaced by that one.
A blond boy who looked like a god descended to earth.

The stark contrast between surviving the ordeal and the reality caused Elana's legs to buckle, and she almost collapsed to the ground.

But the next second, a surge of overwhelming joy and grievance welled up inside her. Almost instinctively, she rushed towards Dior, hugged him tightly, buried her tear-streaked face in his expensive trench coat, and choked back sobs:

"Diago! I knew it... I knew you'd come!..."

Knowing I was coming, why did you run so fast? I chased after you for ages.

Dior frowned slightly, a hint of disdain flashing across his face, but he didn't push her away immediately, simply letting her vent her emotions.

Once Elana had recovered, his gaze passed over her shoulder and landed on the thin man who was still holding the fire axe high and staring at him in disbelief.

A hint of interest flashed in her red eyes.

Dior hadn't expected this.

Among the wolves of the Falcone family, there was actually one like this…

A rabbit that dares to raise an axe at a monster?
interesting.

He gently pushed away the still-sobling Elana, took two steps forward, stopped in front of Alberto, looked down at him, and spoke with his usual coldness:

"What's your name?"

Completely stunned by Dio's powerful aura and the inhuman strength he had just displayed.

Alberto loosened his grip, and the fire axe crashed to the ground.

He instinctively took a half step back, adjusted his askew glasses, and swallowed hard. He answered cautiously:

“…Ah…Alberto…I am Alberto Falcone…”

"Alberto, is that right?"

Dior's smile seemed to deepen slightly, with an interest akin to examining an object. "Reassure your sister."

After saying that, he stopped looking at the still-shaken siblings.

She simply turned gracefully and walked with composed steps toward the large hole in the covered bridge.

—In the garden below, the giant was shaking his enormous head, struggling to stand up from the ruins.

Staring blankly at Dio's retreating figure, Alberto unconsciously swallowed.

He didn't even immediately look after the weakened Elana beside him, but instead said with extreme shock and confusion:
"Sister...sister...who...who is he?"

Watching the golden figure walk towards the monster, Elana's eyes were filled with a lingering sense of relief and an indescribable, complex emotion. Her voice was weak, yet trembled slightly: "He...he's called Diego...now, more people in Gotham...call him Dio..."

“Dio…”

Alberto unconsciously repeated the name.

"God?"

In an instant, a light mixed with awe and fervor burst forth from Alberto's eyes behind his glasses, as if he had seen confirmation of something beyond the mundane.

“GOD…”

He murmured to himself, recalling the image of that attack that sent the monster flying.

It was deeply imprinted in his mind.

This was the power he had always dreamed of.
If only he could be as decisive and strong as this man.
Falcone would be proud of him.

The father wouldn't always cast loving glances at Mario, praising his natural leadership qualities, nor would Sofia be the only one to enjoy his father's meticulous care.

"—No way!"

His thoughts were interrupted by a low growl.

Alberto's eyes narrowed as he stared incredulously at the garden below.

"."

The giant's hand slammed down, accompanied by a fierce wind that tore through the air.

But that man just stood there without moving?!
Even just raising a hand casually.

"Crack!"

A teeth-grinding sound of bones cracking was heard!

Grandi's massive body was knocked off balance, and his attack instantly crumbled.

"No horse! No horse! No horse! No horse!!!"

Fists rained down on Grandi's greyish-white body, producing dull thuds.

This invulnerable and incredibly strong monster appeared clumsy and slow in front of Dio.

His strength may be astonishing, but it is utterly meaningless in the face of absolute speed, precise time-stopping, and the unparalleled destructive power that Dio obtained from Clark.

Dio was toying with a giant punching bag, effortlessly dodging all of Grandi's chaotic attacks while retaliating with even more ferocious punches.

They drove Grandi into a desperate retreat, crashing into the fountain and flattening the flowerbeds.
The area it passed through was left in complete disarray.

Until he had taken countless heavy punches
A hint of fear finally appeared in Solomon Grandi's empty eyes.

He let out a beast-like howl, glanced fearfully at Dio, then suddenly turned around, took heavy steps, smashed through the manor's wrought iron fence, and fled to the outskirts without looking back.

They actually have some intelligence?
As expected of Gotham, even the monsters are so unique.

Dio stopped what he was doing, staring in the direction the monster had disappeared, but showed no intention of giving chase.

Expelling trouble is enough; not pursuing a defeated foe is not his motto. Wasting energy on monsters is not worthwhile.

These are things that the big green frog should be thinking about.

I already informed him when I came, so shouldn't we leave the specifics of how to handle this to the professionals?

I straightened the perfectly neat collar of my trench coat.

Dio turned around, and with elegant steps, walked back to the covered bridge, arriving in front of Elana and Alberto.

His gaze first fell on Elana, and he said in a calm tone:
"Elana Falcone. From this day forward, she is 'dead' in this attack."

"Understand?"

"I"

Elana trembled, her once smooth hair now disheveled and plastered to her sweaty forehead, her face pale, which only made her eyes look even more terrified.

Without waiting for her reply, Dior turned his gaze to Alberto, who was still in shock beside him.

He looked at the thin man with great interest.

It's like discovering an interesting toy.

“Mr. Alberto.”

"I've seen far too many people wearing a mask like yours."

"Cowardice is the most useful shield, isn't it?"

Dior's lips curled into a playful smile. "You're not a docile rabbit."

Leaning slightly forward, the man's voice was deep and seductive:

“The cage Falcone gave you is too small… Alberto.”
-
It rained harder.

The cold rain relentlessly washed over the ruins of the Falcone Manor, diluting the dark red bloodstains on the ground, but unable to wash away the lingering stench in the air.

"Gah—"

Several crows perched on the half-collapsed archway, their black feathers soaked by the rain, emitting hoarse cries, as if offering a final elegy for this funeral.

Several black cars silently slid into the manor gate, their tires crunching over puddles and splashing water, before stopping in the messy courtyard in front of the main house.

This startled the crows, who scattered and fled, leaving the empty archway standing in the rain.

Carmine Falcone stepped out of the car, surrounded by his daughter Sofia, son Mario, and a group of elite guards.

He changed into a black suit, his face as gloomy as the dark clouds hanging low over Gotham. He slammed his silver cane heavily on the ground, his gaze sweeping over the ruins of his homeland.

Every scratch felt like a knife stabbing into his heart, making it hard for him to breathe.

And on the side.
Mario Falcone appeared somewhat anxious, constantly wiping the rain from his face with a handkerchief. Sofia Falcone, on the other hand, the young lady of the Falcone family, sharply assessed the damage.

"check!"

Carmine's voice was hoarse, filled with suppressed rage:

"Use all resources! I need to know which bastard dared to lay a hand on the Falcone family! Was it Maroni? Or... those genetic monsters created by the lunatics of the Luther Group?!"

He preferred the latter, that inhuman power.
It reminded him of Lionel Luther's dangerous scientific projects.

“But,” Mario gritted his teeth, “Father, we can’t beat them.”

"This time it was the 'King' of the Iceberg who helped us defeat the monster, but what if he does it next time?"

Mario Carmine narrowed his eyes, about to reprimand, but before he could speak, he was interrupted by a guard's startled gasp:
"Boss! That direction... seems to be Master Alberto?"

Upon hearing this, Carmine's eyes widened in shock. Forgetting to scold his good-for-nothing eldest son, he immediately looked in the direction the sounded.

In the shadow of the broken covered bridge, a thin figure stood alone, letting the cold rain soak his thin clothes and crooked glasses.

That was his youngest son, Alberto.

Carmine frowned and strode over.

Sofia and Mario exchanged a glance and followed silently.

"Wow——!"

The muddy water in the puddle was splashed up by Carmine's heavy footsteps and landed on Alberto's face.

Carmine walked up to him and met his eyes.
"Father……"

Alberto slowly raised his head, raindrops sliding down his cheeks, his eyes looking tired behind his glasses.

His voice was very soft, almost drowned out by the sound of the rain:
"You... are back."

"Alberto, you..."

The heavy voice was about to come out, but seeing Alberto's pale face, Carmine's voice softened involuntarily, "What happened?"

Alberto's body trembled slightly.

He took a deep breath and began his narration in a trembling voice, still shaken by fear.

He described the monster's terror and power, the guards' helplessness, and the family's downfall...

Then comes the crucial part:
“…It was…it was the ‘King’ of the Iceberg Club, Dio,” Alberto’s voice betrayed a timely sense of relief, “He was the one who suddenly appeared and repelled that monster…”

Carmine's pupils contracted slightly, even though he had already learned about this from Mario.

But hearing it again from the survivors still filled him with shock.
That giant's strength was beyond imagination.
Damn it
He should have recruited some superhumans a long time ago.

Where did that little bastard Copport find such a person?

Where is Elana?

Carmine spoke, a barely perceptible glimmer of hope in his voice: "Since you survived, then what about her?"

"I…"

Alberto shook his head, genuine pain showing on his face. "My sister... Elana... to protect me... she..."

"."

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted, and Carmine Falcone swayed violently.

He closed his eyes, his aged face twitching, and only slowly opened them after a long while.

His gaze fell on Alberto.
Carmine seemed to be seeing his son for the first time, remaining silent for a long time before finally speaking coldly:
"...Alberto."

The man looked up.

Looking at his usually unremarkable son, Carmine seemed to be trying to discern something from him, but in the end, he simply waved his hand dismissively, as if to say something insignificant.

"After a while, someone will notify you to take over the business of several docks and nightclubs."

There was no comfort, no hug, not even a word of condolence.

These few light words are both compensation and a way to get rid of him.

Sofia and Mario stood behind their father, expressionless, but a knowing glint flashed in their eyes.

Elana and Alberto, the twins, already had an awkward position within the family.
What they lose or gain is of absolutely no concern to Sofia and Mario.

Being half-siblings and just two ordinary people, they couldn't even show the slightest sadness.

"Yes, father."

Alberto lowered his head, his voice as respectful as ever.

Nodding, Carmine said no more. As if he had exhausted all his strength, he turned and, under the protection of his men, walked toward the side building that was not yet completely destroyed.

Sofia and Mario followed closely behind.

From beginning to end
The three of them didn't offer Alberto a single word of comfort, remaining as indifferent as strangers.

Standing there until the figures of his three 'family members' disappeared into the rain, Alberto slowly broke into a twisted smile on his downcast face.

Rainwater streamed down his soaked hair, dripping onto the ground and splashing up tiny droplets.

His laughter was initially soft, but it gradually became somewhat neurotic.
Until
It transformed into a near-mad sense of relief.

He tilted his head back, letting the torrential rain wash over his face, the emptiness in his eyes replaced by a cold, resolute determination.

A smile, so unlike any cowardice, curved his lips as he softly hummed the ominous song that hung over the manor:

"Solomon Grandi~"

"Landing on Monday ~ Baptism on Tuesday ~"

"Until the holiday dies~ that's its essence—"

"The End of a Lifetime~"

The song echoed among the broken walls and ruins, a farewell to the deceased, and a crowning ceremony for the living.

Only after softly humming the song did Alberto reach into his soaked suit pocket, pull out his phone, and dial the number for which no name was saved.

The call was answered.

He spoke calmly into the microphone.

My God. It's a 'holiday' here.

雨.
Still pouring.

The words that followed were swallowed up; only the lingering echo of the song still reverberated among the ruins.

Like a crow that refuses to leave.

(End of this chapter)