Survive

The newcomers were Cifer and Enel.

One stood 3 meters tall, the other 2.7 meters. Standing before the short, 12-year-old Jerry, they were like two giants.

Jerry's heart was filled with fear. These were supervillains with bounties exceeding 1 billion! They would surely kill him!

He shouldn't have left home so quickly! How could he not have considered they might still be lurking around the streets?

Jerry instinctively clutched the Savage Dragon wrapped in rags to his chest. To him, it was more important than his own life.

"We meet again, kid."

Cifer's tone was light, but in the shadow cast by the light behind him, his emerald green pupils seemed to flash with a terrifying glint.

"Gentlemen, I don't think we've met before?"

Jerry could only feign ignorance, praying they would spare his pathetic self.

"Is that so? I thought this wallet was yours, but it seems not. Let's go, Enel!"

Cifer pulled a bulging wallet from his inner pocket, tossing it playfully in the air as he and Enel pretended to turn away.

"Wait!"

So they had found it after it fell!

Jerry grabbed Cifer's thigh. His eyes were now filled with hope. If he could get his wallet back, he could convince his mother not to sell the Savage Dragon!

It was a treasure passed down from his mother's ancestors, a family heirloom to him. How could he sell it cheaply for money!

"It's mine, it's mine! You're so perceptive, big brother!"

Seeing Jerry acting as if he was about to pledge allegiance, Cifer shivered.

"Here you go!"

Jerry received the wallet with immense excitement. He opened it and carefully counted the money inside, his eyes practically overflowing with joy.

Cifer and Enel watched his greedy expression and turned to leave. They wouldn't trouble such a child.

All along the way, they had witnessed the boy's tragic experiences: being beaten, robbed, and how difficult it was for a poor family to get by with just him.

When someone commits a crime for a loaf of bread, the world is to blame.

Cifer felt he had killed far too few people.

As he watched the two men turn to leave, Jerry hesitated.

He had stolen their money, yet they had found his wallet and returned it to him.

A sense of guilt began to well up inside him. He could tell himself he stole to survive, but he couldn't tolerate being ungrateful.

He quickly caught up to them. The moment they turned back, he knelt on the ground, drawing the attention of everyone on the street.

A flicker of confusion crossed Cifer's eyes. Enel, however, was used to it; it was normal for gods to be worshipped.

"I... I'm truly sorry! I stole your wallet!"

Jerry hadn't considered they were on a street. The onlookers stared at him with disdain.

His already bruised and swollen face flushed with shame, but he remained kneeling.

"My wallet was stolen by someone else, but I can pay you back! I have money! Please forgive me!"

Jerry pulled money from his wallet, only to find it was all small change, nowhere near 100,000.

"Can we go to the Marine base's cash exchange? I can return the money to you then."

More and more people gathered around, and Jerry's voice grew smaller.

"My wallet?"

Seeing Cifer pull out another wallet from his chest, Jerry shot to his feet and leaned in to examine it closely, confirming it was the one he had stolen earlier.

As it became clear it was a misunderstanding, the crowd began to disperse. After all, their wallet hadn't been stolen, and a child claimed he stole it, so they treated it as mere entertainment.

"Why..."

He was confused. Hadn't that group of thugs stolen his wallet? How did it end up back with the original owner?

"A group of passionate youths found my wallet and returned it to me."

Cifer's voice sounded somewhat grim. Jerry felt a pang of fear, swallowed, and looked up at his face.

His pale complexion, terrifying eyes, and the slight upturn of his lips sent Jerry into an icy abyss.

In his rush of shame, he had forgotten that the man before him was a supervillain!

At that moment, Jerry found his previous thoughts and actions utterly ridiculous.

This man had coincidentally waited for him at the exit of the alley he had carefully chosen, and then "coincidentally" encountered the "passionate" thugs who recovered the wallet.

When these two coincidences were put together, they were no longer coincidences.

They had been following him from the very beginning!

Jerry had completely figured out the truth. His entire body was now drenched in sweat, and he couldn't even feel the pain from his injuries.

He didn't know what awaited him. He began to regret it, regretting why he had ever come home!

They must know where their home is. He was so afraid they would hurt his sister and mother!

A man with a bounty exceeding 1 billion! You don't need to think hard to know he can't be a good person, right? Perhaps their accomplices have already gone to his house!

Jerry thought, his legs giving out. He watched the two men look like they were about to kneel and beg for forgiveness again.

Cifer, with sharp eyes and quick hands, grabbed Jerry, who was about to kneel, and vanished from the spot. Enel also turned into a bolt of lightning and disappeared, leaving only a trail of confused pedestrians.

"You seem very scared?"

Cifer looked at the boy he had thrown onto the ground.

Jerry had no mood to care about how they had teleported. His mind was filled with one thought.

"Can you please not kill me? Don't hurt my family! I'll do anything!"

It would be a lie to say he wasn't afraid of dying, but compared to his own life, Jerry was more worried about his family.

His mother was ill, and his sister was so young. How would they survive without him? Therefore, he had to survive no matter what!

"Looks like he saw the bounty poster in the wallet!"

"Hahaha~ This is the consequence of defying the gods!"

The two men's words made Jerry's heart grow colder and colder. Great pirates were still great pirates; they must have killed countless people.

Jerry looked at the object in his arms. He couldn't think of a better plan.

His mother and sister must live!

If possible, he wanted to live too.

He patted his knees and backside, stood up with determination in his eyes, and looked calmly at the two men.

If others give him no way out, he would use his life as a stepping stone, his blood watering the path.

Jerry threw off the tattered cloth wrapped around the Savage Dragon and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. His heart was no longer filled with fear, only the resolve of "success or death."

At this moment, Cifer finally looked at him properly.

Cifer could tell that fear had filled his heart, but he had calmed down after the fear and helplessness.

He didn't continue to beg for mercy, nor did he go mad. He chose to fight.

Cifer saw his strong desire to live and the sliver of ambition hidden deep in his heart.

One who has thunder in his chest but a calm lake on his face can be made a great general.

Cifer showed a satisfied smile.

If you want to live, you must pick up your sword.