act21side

Price?

Did you say 'price?'

My father may have been wrong, but his dream was always about bringing change to the times.

He wanted a Siracusa without the famiglie, and spent his entire life planning it.

I thought his own family was a chip to him.

I thought he acted when he did because it was the right time.

But now I know.

He decided he was out of time. This was his only chance to get revenge on you and achieve his dream.

I taught him everything he knew! He repaid me with betrayal!

You wouldn't understand.

Signore dei Lupi on high, thinking everything under his control.

To father, even his own life was just another chip.

He was determined to make his dream come true, even if it meant paying the ultimate price.

But you're the one who will pay!

Ignorant whelp!

Welcome back, Texas!

Are you done over there?

Yeah.

Time to clean up the trouble over here.

The last Texas.

Do not forget who permitted you to break from Siracusa.

How dare you defy me?!

I kept my bargain with Bernardo. I owe you nothing.

Fool!

Bernardo killed himself?

Why?

The game is over, Lavinia.

So that's what you really meant...

A Siracusa without the famiglie. That was your true dream.

Why didn't you tell me?

Try to keep your head in the fight, Judgie.

Lappland—

Why didn't you tell me you were throwing a party, Texas?

You would've come anyway.

Yeah, you're right.

Get lost, cub without a pack. There's no place for you here.

Let me tell you some good news, Signore dei Lupi, Figlio dei Lupi, whatever you are.

Starting now, everything Siracusan is my enemy.

Even supernatural beings like you.

Idiot!

What about you, boss? If you were there, looking me in the eye, would you tell me without a doubt, that you choose your dreams, like Leon?

I mean... I don't know the answer anymore.

Stay focused, if you don't want to die.

You're—

The feeble Fang of Agnese.

Did you think yourself worthy to stand before me just because you caught a glimpse of the death of my Fang?

I promised Bernardo that I'd help his kin.

Agnese has raised a feeble Fang.

It's time to put an end to her part in this game.

You cannot destroy me, no matter what you do.

You cannot even harm me.

Humans built cities, trapped themselves within, and think themselves the masters of the lands beneath them.

Do not presume to have risen because you learned to use a few tools.

You have never conquered the wastes.

Ladies and gentleman.

You stand in the presence of the Emperor, Lungmen's superstar!

Boss?!

Lemme take this chance to remind you your vacation's almost up, Texas.

Why are you here?

You askin' me?

Sora and the girls ran off after you.

You know what the past month's been like for me?

I ain't been this bored in three thousand years!

I got nobody to party with!

Emperor—

Hold it, Zaaro.

You gonna say I got no business in Siracusa. It ain't my right to stick my flipper in here.

Honestly, I don't give a shit.

But, if I think on it, I'm gonna pass on some dumbass fight with you...

Beatin' you at your own game, that'd make me happier.

So—

Shadow after shadow emerges from beneath Emperor's feet and takes corporeal form.

Zaaro knows them, of course. They are the Signori dei Lupi who have lost in this round.

They are here for one reason.

He broke the rules.

They can accept how he played, but they will not permit the rules to be broken.

Look, I brought the other Wolf Lords. They bored too.

Lemme give you the good news.

You're a loser.

In pretty much every way a man can be a loser.

The Signori dei Lupi are immortal, but over the long years, they have long learned how to contain, suppress, even torment each other.

Against so many beings of his kind, Zaaro knows that resistance is futile.

After a moment of silence, he lowers his proud head.

Tell ya the truth, Zaaro?

Your whole thing, the way you talk about power, the way you play with it, gives me the heebie-jeebies.

The way you stew in your anger, lookin' to tear everything in your way to pieces...

<i>That's</i> what shows you still true to your nature.

But all you wolves, don't you get bored playin' a dumbass game like this for thousands of years?

You oughta come to Lungmen. I'll teach ya to play poker.

Or mahjong. Mahjong ain't bad.

Zaaro ignores Emperor's jabs.

He takes one last, long look at Leontuzzo, then his silhouette becomes less and less distinct, until he fades away completely in the wind.

It is as though he never existed.

Thanks, Boss.

Don't thank me.

Someone woulda done somethin', even if it wasn't me.

She just delegated the job. Didn't ya, sexy?

It's been a long time since anyone called me 'sexy.'

You're welcome to spend some time enjoying Siracusa, if you like.

Just call me Emperor.