A/N: Timer doesn't even work on webnovel
...
"Of course I'm sure. That guy is a beast when it comes to inventions," Leon said confidently, lounging on the sofa in the wooden villa.
Pietro raised an eyebrow. "You know the fighter jet you're talking about has vertical lift tech, an optical engine, radar shielding, and space penetration capabilities, right? Even the United States can't develop something like that."
"It does sound like an impressive fighter, but can a mutant really invent something like that?" Pietro added skeptically.
Sergei, wearing a blue sweater and carrying a glass of water, sauntered over with a smirk. "Oh? Pietro, are you doubting Boss Leon?" His tone was teasing, but Pietro's stomach dropped as he glanced at Leon, who was now giving him a half-smile, the kind that said, Are you questioning me?
Quickly backtracking, Pietro stammered, "No way! I would never doubt Boss Leon. I was just asking! Don't try to stir things up between us."
He pointed accusingly at Sergei and the other guys snickering on the sofa, clearly annoyed.
"Brother Pietro seems like such a suck-up," Alina remarked casually, hugging the little sable as she sat watching TV with her sisters. Her words hit Pietro like an arrow straight to the heart.
"Ahh!" Pietro dramatically clutched his chest, his eyes wide with disbelief. "A suck-up? Really?"
In his mind, he was just being smart! If he didn't sweet-talk Leon, he knew what would happen—intense, doubled training sessions, or worse, getting righteously beaten in sparring. He was merely a man trying to survive! Why was the world so harsh?
Pietro's inner thoughts were a whirlwind of despair. Why me? Why is life so difficult?
Alina's innocent expression only made it worse, leaving Pietro even more exasperated and speechless.
"Haha, looks like Alina really got you, Pietro," Sergei laughed, shaking his head.
"Hey man, my advice? Take a breather outside before you blow a fuse," one of the others teased.
Pietro slumped on the sofa with the exaggerated air of someone abandoned by the world, exiling himself from the group. But that didn't stop Sergei and the others from laughing and continuing to poke fun at him.
It was clear—they were all more than happy to keep teasing him.
The atmosphere in the wooden villa was warm and inviting. Clarice, sitting with Alina and her sisters watching TV, finally felt her worries ease. Following Leon to this unknown place had been the biggest gamble of her life, but it seemed she had made the right choice. Leon's brothers and sisters were all good people, and she felt at home here.
As she stole a glance at Leon, he noticed and returned her look with a gentle smile. It made Clarice flustered, caught off guard by his kindness. Leon smiled softly, then stood up and stepped outside.
As expected, Yuriko was there, standing by the door in a sweater, holding a glass of cold water, staring at the heavy snowfall. Her eyes were distant, filled with confusion. She turned when she heard the creak of Leon's footsteps on the wooden floor.
Leon joined her and broke the silence, "Feeling a bit out of place?"
Yuriko nodded, answering honestly, "It's warm here, and nice... but I always feel like I don't belong." She paused, her eyes reflecting the painful memories she had. All she remembered were the brutal scenes of being controlled by Stryker, leaving her feeling like a lost, homeless beast who had suddenly stumbled into a warm home. It was unsettling.
Leon understood the feeling well. It was like Yuriko was a veteran suffering from post-war stress, unable to adapt to normal life after years on the battlefield. But Leon wasn't worried—he knew she would eventually find her place here.
Yuriko couldn't blend into an ordinary family. But were they really ordinary people?
"Do you trust me?" Leon asked, his approach to Yuriko simple and direct, unlike how he handled others.
Yuriko looked directly at him. After a few seconds of locking eyes with Leon, whose gaze was clear yet carried a quiet authority, she instinctively lowered her head and nodded. "I trust you because I can sense how you truly feel about me."
"Good," Leon said, patting her on the shoulder. "Time will prove your choice right. We won't restrict you. Just open your heart and be ready for the future."
He smiled lightly before adding, "Besides, I don't think you'll have much time to worry about fitting in. You're a natural-born warrior."
What he really meant was that she just needed proper training. Once they started, Yuriko wouldn't have much time to think about anything else. And given her exceptional healing ability, the intensity of the training he had planned for her would far exceed what others could handle.
Yuriko felt a little confused but suddenly shivered, unsure why. Maybe it was just the cold, she thought, glancing at the sweater she wore.
ROAR! ROAR!!
Just then, two loud roars echoed from a distance. Instinctively, Yuriko's eyes widened as she went on full alert. Like a predator ready to pounce, she stared into the dark jungle, prepared for any attack.
BANG!
In the next moment, to Yuriko's shock, two swift figures cut through the night like bolts of lightning, appearing right in front of the wooden house. A powerful gust of wind followed, scattering snow in all directions.
In the light from the doorway, the figures of Wanda and Natasha became clear.
They're so fast... Yuriko thought, stunned. She could clearly see their faces now, and though she lowered her guard, the surprise lingered. The roars she heard earlier—were they just the sound of their movements?
Back at the base, Leon had kicked her to the ground, but she'd never seen anyone else in action. She hadn't fully grasped the fighting strength of Wanda and the others, but their explosive speed screamed danger.
"Hey, good evening, two beautiful ladies," Leon greeted casually, waving at them.
Natasha and Wanda ascended the steps side by side. "Congrats, Leon," Natasha smirked, "you're about to become a billionaire."