Chapter 111 — Ambitions I

"Marco."

Damian’s voice cut through the horrified silence, casual and calm.

Marco nearly jumped at hearing his name, his body going rigid.

"Y-yes, sir?"

The word came out instinctively, replacing the casual "Boss" he’d used before.

Something fundamental had shifted in how he perceived the blood-soaked teenager sitting in that chair surrounded by dismembered bodies and severed heads.

"Boss" felt too casual now. Too friendly and too inadequate for what he’d just witnessed.

"Sir" felt more appropriate, more respectful and more aligned with the reality of who and what Damian actually was.

Around the room, the other Mafia members noticed the change immediately.

Edrin’s analytical mind cataloged it, Ronan shifted his weight uncertainly and Lysa’s eyes widened slightly. Zavier looked relieved to have a new term that felt right.

They all silently agreed. From now on, it would be "Sir."

Not because Damian demanded it. But because anything less felt disrespectful to what he’d built and what he was clearly capable of.

Damian took another drag from his cigar, seemingly unaware of or unconcerned with the terminology shift.

"I need you to document everything here. Take photographs and videos of the bodies outside, the massacre in the main room, and especially this meeting room with the heads and the wall."

His tone was businesslike, practical.

"Make sure the images are clear and detailed. I want everyone in the Outer Region to see exactly what happened here tonight when they opposed the Mafia."

Marco nodded quickly, pulling out his phone with shaking hands.

"Understood, sir. Should I distribute them through our usual channels or–"

"Everywhere. Every social network, every criminal communication channel and every underground forum. Maybe even physical copies posted on walls throughout the region if necessary."

Damian gestured with his cigar, smoke trailing through the air.

"I want every single person who lives or operates in the Outer Region to see these images and understand the message clearly.

The five most powerful criminal organizations tried to form an alliance against us. This is what happened to them and this is what happens to anyone who stands against the Mafia."

He paused, his crimson eyes sweeping across everyone gathered.

"But images alone aren’t enough. We need to make sure people understand what we’re building here. What the Mafia actually represents beyond just violence and territory control."

Damian stood up slowly, setting his cigar down on the table next to Viktor’s severed head.

Everyone in the room unconsciously took a step back despite themselves.

"When you distribute those images, include a clear message about the rules I established when we first took over Serpent territory. Make sure everyone in the region sees them and understands them completely."

His voice carried absolute authority now.

"First, there will be no drugs in our territory... None at all with zero tolerance. Anyone caught selling, manufacturing, or distributing drugs gets one warning to leave the region permanently. If they’re caught again, they’re executed. No exceptions will be made.

I want every drug operation that we seized tonight completely destroyed... Burn everything. Every stash, every lab, every pill and powder. Make it a public event that people can watch. Show them we’re serious about this."

Marco was frantically taking notes on his phone, trying to keep up.

"Second, the protection money system is over... Completely over. From now on, businesses in the Outer Region pay a percentage of their profits to the Mafia, but it’s structured as profit-sharing, not extortion.

Small businesses pay five percent, large operations pay ten percent. In exchange, we provide actual protection, dispute resolution, and security that they can rely on. They pay us because we provide value, not because they’re afraid of us."

He began pacing slowly, his mind clearly working through the logistics and structure he wanted to build.

"Third, crimes in our territory are dealt with by us, not by police or government authorities. Robbery, assault, rape, murder, theft, any of it. When someone has a problem, when someone needs help, when someone is in danger, they come to the Mafia and we handle it.

We provide justice. We solve their problems. And we don’t charge them anything for it. Help is free in Mafia territory. We build loyalty through action, not through fear."

The students were staring at him with expressions mixing shock and dawning understanding.

This wasn’t just about criminal enterprise. This was about building an alternative system.

"Fourth, the hospital and orphanages we established need to be expanded immediately. I want them upgraded with better equipment, better staff, better facilities.

I want them to be the best medical care and childcare available in the Outer Region, better than what the government provides. Make them free to use for anyone in our territory. Yes, completely free. We cover the costs through our profit-sharing system."

Marco’s hands had stopped shaking as he typed. This was making sense now. This was a vision he could understand and believe in.

"Fifth, we need to professionalize immediately. The current structure where everyone does everything is inefficient and unsustainable. I want a clear separation between management and combat operations. Create a management team whose only job is running the territory, handling businesses, maintaining infrastructure, serving community needs. They’re administrators, not fighters.

Then maintain a separate combat team whose only job is enforcement, protection, and handling threats. They will be fighters, not managers."

Edrin was already mentally organizing how this structure would work, his tactical mind appreciating the efficiency.

"Everyone in both teams needs training. Regular and intensive training. The management team learns administration, accounting, community relations, dispute resolution, all the skills needed to actually govern a territory properly.

The combat team trains in Aura control, weapon arts, tactics, coordination. I want both teams to be professional organizations that can scale as we grow."

He stopped pacing and turned to face everyone directly.

"Sixth, and this is critical for everything else to work properly. We seized weapons manufacturing and distribution operations tonight.

I want those businesses converted to serve us now. Instead of selling weapons to criminals across the city, they manufacture weapons specifically for Mafia use. High quality equipment for our people. This is how we arm ourselves properly going forward without depending on outside sources."

Damian’s eyes swept across every face, making sure they understood the scope of what he was describing.

"I want all of this implemented within two months maximum. Every aspect of this transformation needs to be complete before the end of the deadline. The Outer Region needs to become the most prosperous, most stable, most well-governed territory in this entire city. Better schools, better hospitals, better security and better quality of life than anywhere else in Tranquil City."

His voice grew stronger, more intense.

"When people in other regions hear about the Outer Region, I want them to be jealous. I want them to wish they lived in our territory. I want them to see what the Mafia provides and compare it to what their own government fails to provide. That comparison is how we build genuine loyalty and support that can’t be broken by outside pressure."

Pavel, one of the veterans, spoke up hesitantly.

"Sir, with all respect, this level of transformation requires massive resources. The profit-sharing model means less direct income than traditional protection rackets. The free hospitals and orphanages cost money to maintain. Where does the funding come from to support all this?"