For 30+ Advance/Early chapters :p
atreon.com/ScoldeyJod
Inside a dark, unmonitored alley, a big, cheeky man dragged a silver-haired boy, his rough hands pinching the boy's neck and forcibly pressing him against the wall. The boy's feet began to lift off the ground, and he struggled violently, but the strength of a grown man and a thirteen-year-old boy were too far apart.
"If you don't hand it over, I'll choke you to death," the man whispered hoarsely.
"B-badass!" the silver-haired boy whimpered.
"You're really looking for death," the man said, a sharp look in his eyes. Just as he was about to teach the boy a profound lesson, a beautiful figure suddenly appeared at the entrance of the alley.
"Let him go!" the short-haired girl said, her voice cold, like a police officer's.
"Oh? Here comes another one…"
The man's eyes filled with a strong desire as he looked at the girl's exquisite face and youthful figure. But before he could get a good look, a black-haired boy also walked into the alley, standing in front of the girl, intentionally blocking his view.
"This is what you want. Take it and let him go," Leo said, showing the woman's purse in his hand.
"That's right," the man spit out viciously, and let go of the boy, who fell to the ground, panting.
"Leo, why are you here?" Nami asked, a warm feeling spreading through her chest.
"I can't let you face this kind of situation alone," he whispered, giving her a reassuring look.
"Give it to me," the man said, walking toward him, his gaze still on Nami.
"Take it," Leo said calmly, holding out the purse.
Behind him, Nami squinted her eyes and slightly raised her right wrist. She would not allow anyone to hurt Leo, even if it meant exposing her powers.
The man reached for the purse, but Leo suddenly let it go. The man's attention followed the purse as it fell to the ground.
Leo moved suddenly, and flew up, kicking the man fiercely in the lower abdomen. The training on Paradise Island was finally coming in handy. The man snorted in pain and fell to the ground, clutching his belly.
Leo stepped on the man's hands, causing him to cry out in pain. He then added a kick to the man's stomach, and the man spit out bile. He quickly fumbled through the man's pockets, and after confirming that he had no gun, he stepped over the groaning man and grabbed the silver-haired boy's hand. "Let's get out of here."
"Okay, brother!" the silver-haired boy said, his eyes shining.
"Nami, let's go."
But before they could walk out of the alley, they were forced to retreat. More than a dozen young men with dyed hair and tattoos, the kind of people who were not to be messed with, had formed a human wall, blocking the narrow alley.
"Oh, isn't this Jackson?" one of them said, looking at the man on the ground. "To think you'd get taken down by a few kids."
"Bah! That kid, he's a bit cruel! Don't let him go—ahhhh!"
"Eleven people," Leo said, protecting Nami and the silver-haired boy behind him. He retreated to the deepest part of the dead end, his gaze falling on a long wooden plank on the ground. He quickly picked it up, holding it like a sword.
He had some confidence, but with the body of an ordinary human, even with the swordsmanship he had learned, it was still too much to fight against eleven ruthless gangsters.
Should I use the artifact? he thought, his hand on the silver bracelet on his left wrist. It contained a part of the divine power his aunt had sealed in it. If he used it, he could easily resolve this crisis. But a weapon of that level could easily kill a human. He couldn't use it unless it was a last resort.
Just as Nami was about to reveal her secret and use her spider-powers, Leo suddenly whispered, "Nami, give me a kiss."
"Hey?!" she said, dumbfounded.
"Hurry up. Otherwise, I'll kiss you," he said in a deep voice. Even if she was just an ordinary person, a little extra physical strength would be good right now.
"I, I…" she blushed, and was about to kiss him, when something changed.
"The boss is coming!" someone suddenly yelled. The eleven gangsters, along with the man lying on the ground, suddenly stood neatly against the walls, leaving a wide, unobstructed path. With compliments and enthusiasm on their faces, they bowed their heads and shouted in unison, "Boss!"
Leo, Nami, and the silver-haired boy frowned and looked toward the entrance of the alley. And then, they were stunned.
A girl with green hair, only twelve or thirteen years old, walked in calmly. Her face was exquisite, like a doll's, but she was wearing heavy smoky makeup that made her look much older than she was. She was wearing a halter top, ultra-short hot pants, and colorful pantyhose.
"Boss, they…" the cheeky man started to say.
"Shut up!" the green-haired loli said, her voice crisp and cold. The man, who was twice her size, immediately covered his mouth.
She walked into the alley and came to a stop in front of them, her big, indifferent, ice-like eyes glancing at the three of them. Her gaze paused for a moment on the silver-haired boy, and then moved on, finally falling on Leo.
She raised one foot high, almost doing a split, and stepped on the wall next to his elbow. "What's your name?" she asked, her face close to his.
"Leo," he said, and looked her in the eye.
"I'll remember it," she grinned wildly. "My name is Lorna. I like you. Be my little brother."