Traveling by sea from Washington to Venice would normally take considerable time, but thanks to President Roosevelt dispatching a military transport plane, the group crossed the Atlantic in just one day and night.
Speedwagon had stayed behind to oversee the lab, entrusting Caesar to lead the trio to their training destination.
"Wow! This place is packed! Hey, who are those guys over there?" Joseph shielded his eyes from the sun, staring at some uniformed soldiers dragging a group violently from their homes nearby.
Caesar frowned, displeased. "Fascist party thugs. Not our concern. Let's hurry—my teacher hates waiting."
Ever since Mussolini established the Fascist regime, they had ruthlessly purged communists and dissenters, rapidly expanding their oppressive grip across Italy.
Only a few citizens remained clear-headed; most had plunged into fanatical devotion.
At that moment, a fascist soldier kicked aside a woman chasing after her arrested husband, sneering cruelly as he lashed her with his whip. The crowd around watched, seething silently in anger.
"Hey! I know it's none of my business how your country runs things, but beating up women is something this gentleman just can't tolerate!"
Joseph charged forward, but a figure flashed past even quicker. Ray Chu seized the soldier's wrist, his voice dangerously cold. "Ever seen how a hanged man struggles? Allow me to demonstrate."
Instantly, the whip twisted back like a living serpent, winding tightly around the soldier's neck. Ray tossed him upward, suspending him from a nearby streetlamp as he thrashed helplessly in midair.
"Bastards! Who the hell are you?" The other soldiers raised their rifles.
"Well, who knew Ray had more heroic flair than me?" Joseph quickly raised his hands, trying to defuse the tension. "Relax, we're just innocent tourists!"
"They're obviously part of the resistance! Arrest them!"
Unfortunately, reasoning was useless now. A soldier cautiously approached Joseph with his gun raised, but Joseph smoothly jabbed his elbow, sending him crumpling in agony.
"Oh, dear! Did that hurt? My bad, didn't mean to!" Joseph feigned concern, then suddenly grabbed two more soldiers, slamming their heads into the pavement. "See? This position suits you much better."
"Open fire! Shoot them all!" The remaining fascists aimed wildly, disregarding the scattering crowd.
"Idiots, nothing but trouble!" Caesar cursed softly, diving to shield a terrified elderly woman nearby. Panic erupted as bystanders fled in every direction.
Caught in the gunfire, Joseph shrieked dramatically, twisting his body exaggeratedly. "Missed me—ouch! You got me!"
He collapsed stiffly. Soldiers approached cautiously, only for Joseph to flip up abruptly, knocking them away in a flurry of swift strikes.
Yet when Joseph stood triumphant, he noticed Ray Chu already standing amid a pile of unconscious soldiers.
Shrill alarms pierced the air as distant shouts and hurried footsteps approached rapidly. Fascist reinforcements were coming fast, clearly not intending to help their fallen comrades' attackers.
"Unless you want to get caught again, you'd better scram," Joseph advised the rescued couple. Then, dramatically striking a pose, he declared, "As for us… time to run!"
But when he turned, Ray Chu and Caesar were already long gone. Yelping in panic, Joseph bolted after them, leaving the arriving guards choking on dust.
They sprinted through winding streets until they reached the far end of the city, easily shaking off pursuit.
The trio slowed to a leisurely walk along stone pathways lined by intricate canals and delicate bridges. Gondolas glided gracefully along the waterways, each boat elegantly adorned with unique floral designs, an iconic symbol of Venice.
"Such a beautiful city," Joseph sighed, hands clasped behind his head. "Too bad we don't have more time."
Caesar shot him an irritated glance. "Picking fights with fascists means picking a fight with all Italy. If I were you, I'd lie low."
Ray Chu spoke suddenly, voice measured. "Italy has likely already allied with Germany. News of our arrival here will probably reach enemy ears soon."
Caesar's face darkened instantly, gaze sharpening. "What makes you say that?"
Ray tapped his temple lightly. "Just intuition."
He couldn't openly say that, in another timeline, Italy would soon form the Axis alongside Germany—infamous historically for being disastrously incompetent. Where Germany was feared for its ruthless efficiency, Italy was best remembered for operas, soccer, and disastrous battlefield incompetence.
A certain German officer once famously remarked: "If Italy were our enemy, we'd need ten divisions to defeat them. If they stayed neutral, twenty divisions to guard against them. But since Italy's our ally, we need thirty divisions just to protect them."
Still, an ally was an ally—no matter how disastrous.
Of course, in a world crawling with Pillar Men and vampires, anything could happen.
Caesar opened his mouth, intending to ask further, when a sharp whistling sound sliced through the air.
The trio immediately dodged. A black blur embedded itself deep into the stone street between them—a wooden oar.
With a rustling flutter, a masked figure wearing a fedora leaped off a nearby gondola, landing atop the oar with impeccable balance, glaring down silently.
Clearly hostile—and clearly dangerous.
"Tch! A pursuer? Let me handle him!"
Joseph made the first move, leaping into a powerful kick. The masked stranger calmly leaned back, dodging Joseph effortlessly. Pivoting expertly, his leg flashed downward like a guillotine, slamming brutally into Joseph's shoulder and launching him backward.
Joseph crashed painfully onto the cobblestones, groaning. His new opponent stood motionless atop the oar, utterly unruffled, waiting calmly for their next move.
---
T/N: italy is the boss turned ally LMAO
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