PROFESSOR

Since he was young, **Riccardo Bellucco** always had an insatiable appetite for knowledge and books. The teenage Riccardo followed his interest and majored in sociology. Being the top student in his cohort, Riccardo planned to continue down the academic path, become a researcher, and eventually a professor in his alma mater. Riccardo's thesis paper for his master's degree, however, irrevocably changed his life course. An important part of his study exposed a local gang's illegal operations in Oakvale city, and these ruffians decided to silence Riccardo before the paper gets published. Riccardo was snatched by them form campus, and the poor scholar was beaten up so badly that his right leg had a few serious fractures. Just when the gangsters were about to throw Riccardo into the Oakvale harbor, the Mannoni family's army arrived on the scene, opened fire, and killed all these gangsters. The Mannoni family always preyed on Oakvale's smaller gangs and their turfs. Their assault that they inadvertently saved Riccardo from his certain death.

When Don Sagri of the Mannoni family asked Riccardo what business he had with these gangsters, Riccardo showed him bloodstained thesis paper. Sagri looked at the insightful reports and hypothesis, then immediately decided to help this intelligent young man. The don took Riccardo to the Mannoni estate and got him the finest doctors in town for his rehabilitation. During his stay in the Mannoni estate, Riccardo repaid this kindness by sorting through the Mannoni family's ledger books and covering their tracks in all illegal dealings. His leg injuries and the ledgers in his hands made it painfully clear that his academic research couldn't help to solve real-world problems. He was also made aware of the dark and ruthless side of this city, so there is no point for him to go back to the university anymore. After his recovery, he went to Sagri's office and offered his service to the family. Sagri always knew Riccardo had the potential to contribute to the family's business: in the past few months, the city's market went exactly like what he predicted in that thesis paper. He smiled and welcomed Riccardo to the family. Just like that, with a crippled leg and newfound goals, Riccardo became a part of Oakvale's underworld.

For decades, Riccardo served the Mannoni family with dedication and loyalty. He started as junior member, and slowly worked his way up to become the Consigliere. In that position, he seized many opportunities to help the family grow and steered it away from potentially dangerous situations. He helped many capable young capos rise to prominence. They all respected him and called him " **Professor Riccardo**". Riccardo never lets these achievements go to his head, he always showed restraint and never over stepped. While Don Sagri gave Riccardo appreciation and recognition for his devotion to the family, his successor, Sagri Jr., openly called Riccardo a "crippled old man". Old Sagri knew his son tends to act rashly, but he loved him too much to step in and correct his actions.

The Mannoni family was never a contender for Oakvale's biggest and strongest family, but under old Sagri and Riccardo, it held on tight to it's businesses and turfs. Many believed Riccardo was loyal to the Mannoni family because old Sagri saved his life. Riccardo never told anyone that he just appreciated old Sagri for always making sure people on his turfs can live relatively peaceful and quiet lives.

After old Sagri stepped down from his throne, the new Don Sagri Jr. started to disagree with Riccardo on all kinds of matters. Riccardo's carefully devised strategies were often cast aside, and the don would proceed with his own foolhardy plans. The family saw a rapid decline and Sellittos's men began to infiltrate the organization's every rank. The Professor could not think of any way to stop Saul Sellitto and save the family its downfall, so he decided to disappear from the underworld. Riccardo set his own house on fire and erased everything that could lead to him. Not long after that, the Mannoni family was no more, it became another branch of the Sellitto family. Old Sagri met with sudden death, and Sagri Jr. became a mere puppet.

Though Sellitto's men are not able to find the Professor, Riccardo is still somewhere in Oakvale, waiting for the right moment to strike back and avenge the Mannoni family.

## Professor's Buffs

* **TRAINING CONTROL (Training Speed) [🏫Development]**
	+ Plain - 1%
	+ Simple - 2%
	+ Rare - 4%
	+ Elite - 8%
	+ Grand - 20%
* **ENCOURAGEMENT (Crew HP) [⚔️Combat]**
	+ Plain - 1.25%
	+ Simple - 2.5%
	+ Rare - 5%
	+ Elite - 10%
	+ Grand - 25%
* **FURY (Crew ATK) [⚔️Combat]**
	+ Plain - 1.25%
	+ Simple - 2.5%
	+ Rare - 5%
	+ Elite - 10%
	+ Grand - 25%