The Useless Prince Is A Gangster
Chapter 44. Wolves

Chapter 44: 44. Wolves

In a dense forest, a noble’s carriage was on attack. Around it, ten guards lay lifeless, their bodies broken and battered. Their throats were cut, their chests hitted by crossbow bolts, blood pooling.

One guard survived, crawling slowly through the mud.

A figure approached him, cloaked in a wolf hood, his axe resting on his shoulder. He stopped in front of the crawling guard.

The guard raised his shaking hand, his voice trembling as he begged, "Please... don’t kill me... I have a family..."

Without hesitation, he raised the axe high and swung it down hard.

Two walked to the carriage door, tearing it open with brute force.

Inside, Marchioness Celindra Vaelmont and her two maids huddled in the corner, their faces pale and wet with tears.

"Please!" one maid sobbed, her voice shaking. "Spare us, we’ll do anything!"

Ignoring their cries, the man grabbed the marchioness by the arm, pulling her out of the carriage.

Celindra screamed, clawing at his hand, but he flung her onto the dirt road. Another attacker pinned her down roughly, his knee pressing into her back.

"Let me go!" Celindra cried desperately, her voice breaking. "I’m a marchioness! My husband—he’ll have you hunted down for this! He won’t let you live!"

The leader of the group, who has a bald head, stepped forward. He knelt beside her, "Your husband?" He chuckled darkly before leaning closer. "He’s the one who sent us, you cheating bitch."

Celindra froze, her eyes widening in shock and horror. She opened her mouth as if to scream, but no sound came out. The leader nodded to the axe-wielder, who stepped forward eagerly.

"Happy to help," the axe-wielding man muttered before bringing his blade down in one clean stroke. Celindra’s head rolled to the dirt. Her lifeless eyes stared at the sky.

One attacker glanced back at the carriage and locked eyes with the two maids, still trembling in fear. His wicked grin widened as he climbed back inside.

Later that night, the Grey Wolves gathered around a campfire in a hidden clearing. Coins and jewels spilled from their loot, shining in the light of the fire.

The leader sat apart from the group, his wolf cloak pooling around him. In his hands, he held a crumpled bounty poster. The sketch of Leonhardt Caulem, their new commission.

The job had come with a warning, this kid killed ten mercenaries brutally.

The leader made a dangerous smile. He held up the poster and called out, "Boys."

The other three stopped their banter, turning to him quickly.

"Looks like we’ve got a real hunt ahead," he said, his smile growing wider. "This prey might actually be fun."

The Wolves exchanged eager glances, their bloodlust simmering as they prepared for what was to come.

_____

In the morning at the Obsidian Academy’s, Leo walked in the hallways. He’s holding a letter in his In with the council’s insignia, its seal half-broken.

When he entered Bronze 2A, the classroom fell silent instantly. Heads turned, and whispers stopped. His presence was striking, commanding attention without effort.

"Mori." He called out.

Everyone stiffened, their eyes darting toward Mori, who sat in the back corner. Mori froze, his fingers gripping his desk tightly. His heart raced, panic rising, but he couldn’t move. He was silent in the class ever since Leonhardt became leader.

Leo’s gaze locked onto Mori, his smirk slowly spreading as he walked toward him.

Mori sank deeper into his chair, his back pressed against it as if trying to disappear. The class watched in silence, unsure of what was about to happen.

Stopping in front of Mori’s desk, Leo leaned down slightly, placing a hand on the desk and tossed the council’s letter onto the desk.

"You’ve been attending council meetings as Garrik’s assistant, haven’t you?"

Mori blinked, caught off guard. His mouth opened and closed for a moment before he stammered, "Y-yes... I have."

"Good," Leo said smoothly. "Because now, you’re going to be my assistant."

The room erupted with whispers. Students were shocked and exchanging glances, some wide-eyed with disbelief, others leaning forward with curiosity.

Mori stared at Leo, his mind spinning, his words tumbling out in confusion. "W-what? Why? Why would you want that?"

Leo leaned back slightly, his smirk never fading. "Because you know the council. You’ve seen how they work. That makes you useful."

From the back of the room, a voice broke through the murmurs. "Are you serious, Leonhardt?" It was Flank, his tone uncertain.

Leo didn’t even look back as he replied, his voice steady. "Why wouldn’t I be?"

Another student spoke up, their voice shaking slightly. "But... Mori bullied you for years. And now you’re... taking him as your assistant?"

Mori flinched, sweat forming at his temple. He turned to Leo, his voice shaky. "This is about revenge, isn’t it? You’re making me pay."

Leo chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Revenge?" he repeated, his tone almost amused. "Mori, revenge is boring. I’ve already won when you fear me, don’t you? That’s all the revenge I need."

Mori swallowed hard. He couldn’t deny it. He did fear Leonhardt more than Garrik. But now, there was something else. Something he couldn’t quite name.

Leo stood straight. His voice hardened as he addressed the whole room. "Let me tell you something. We’re the Bronze class. The bottom of the academy. The prey. Everyone above us? They’re the predators."

He began pacing slowly, his boots echoing in the silence. "This academy is a forest. And we’re at the bottom of the food chain, herbivores waiting to get eaten. The strong hunt the weak, and they do it without a second thought."

Stopping, he turned to face the room again. "But what if we don’t stay prey? What if we rise to the top, not as prey, but as hunters?"

The room felt heavier, the weight of his words sinking into every student. Some shifted uncomfortably in their seats, while others sat up straighter, their eyes shining with something new called hope.

"This forest doesn’t care about rules. It cares about strength. And we’ve been playing it all wrong. That changes now." His gaze swept the room. "So, tell me. Do you want to stay at the bottom by having petty revenge and bullying and waiting for someone stronger to tear you apart? Or do you want to rise and take what’s yours?"

The entire class was silent. Even Mori stayed frozen, his chest tight, his thoughts racing. Leo’s words struck deep, pulling at something Mori had never acknowledged before.

Leo moved back to Mori’s desk, leaned closer to Mori, meeting his eyes. "What about you, Mori? Do you want to stay weak? Or do you want to survive?"

Mori hesitated, his voice barely above a whisper. "The council meetings... they’re brutal. They don’t respect us. Garrik was just their dog. Every meeting was a humiliation."

Leo straightened, his smirk sparking again. "Perfect," he said simply. "That’s exactly what I need."

"You’re really going to face the council, Leonhardt?" Rin asked from back, her voice with concern and uneasiness.

Leo turned to her, his grin widening. "Of course," he said. "If it’s as vicious as it sounds, that’s exactly where I belong."