To foster a strong bond among the children, Daisuke organized an entire day dedicated to a competitive and physically demanding game of tag.
This not only provided them with a fun activity but also allowed Daisuke to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each individual, enabling them to play their upcoming roles effectively.
Following the game, Daisuke reiterated the nature of their mission, emphasizing the importance of communication, trust, and patience. He shared psychological strategies to accomplish their tasks and outlined contingency plans for unforeseen circumstances.
With a disapproving frown, Daisuke glanced down at his feeble hands. Having spent years confined to the house, he realized his body was relatively frail.
To address this, he committed himself to rigorous training. The motivation to improve was fueled by the knowledge that both the children and his mother depended on him, making it easy for him to stay determined.
The children needed to build up their stamina, too. But Daisuke knew it would be difficult to keep them motivated, especially on empty stomachs.
So, instead of sticking to basic exercises, he got creative. Alongside playing tag, he used random junk lying around to set up games like dodgeball, rugby, soccer, and other physical activities. This approach helped them develop their strength and endurance in a more engaging way.
After several weeks of dedicated training and preparation, they finally stood ready for their mission.
***
"Kyaaa~" a young lady let out an endearing cry as she stumbled and fell, all the apparel inside her bag spilling out onto the busy street.
Attractively garbed in an off-the-shoulder frock, she presented a figure that drew attention, with her well-endowed bosom practically spilling out for all to see.
This spectacle naturally captured the gaze of nearby male stall owners. One of them, like a bullet, hastily surged forward, outpacing the others. Ignoring their envious death-glares, the man gallantly reached out to the damsel in distress.
"Miss, are you hurt?" he asked in a velvety tone, flashing her a pair of pearly whites. "Here, let me help you."
"Oh my," the woman replied with a blush, her eyes coy. "Such chivalry."
The shopkeeper felt his heart skip a beat, his eyes forming hearts as the lady averted her eyes sheepishly at the import of his helping hand. Every subtle movement she made did interesting things to her breasts, and this captured the attention of all the males, including him.
Amidst the distraction, the slum kids swiftly infiltrated with their sacks, deftly stuffing them full of fruits and vegetables. Operating in pairs, one loaded up while the other kept watch on the unsuspecting shopkeepers. Once their bags reached full capacity, the kids made a hasty retreat, with the exception of one.
"Look at that pervy bastard," Brek scoffed, disdain evident in his tone. "He doesn't deserve to have anything left!"
The stubborn Wolfkin had already taken far more than his sack could contain. Ignoring his scout's urgent pleas to retreat, he greedily continued stuffing food into his mouth and clothes, determined to bleed the shopkeeper dry. Lost in his avarice, he failed to notice the shopkeeper approaching.
"You thieving brat!" the man bellowed in a fiery rage, a mighty kick sending the young bandit slamming into the hard ground.
The Wolfkin gasped, the unsuspecting assault knocking the wind from his lungs. Before he could breathe, the man's foot descended onto his back, once, twice, delivering blow after merciless blow despite the child's pained screams.
"You worthless goddamn leeches contribute nothing to society," the man spat acidly as he continued his rampage. "You and all your deadbeat race deserve to fucking—"
Before he could finish his sentence, an apple shattered against his face, forcing him to stagger backward and land unceremoniously on his rump. At that moment, the other shopkeepers, now aware of the robbery, began scrambling onto the scene.
"Grab him and get out of here!" Daisuke commanded the scout, his voice ringing with authority as he continued to hurl apples at the incoming horde.
"What about you? There's too many of them!"
"Don't worry about me," reassured Daisuke. "I have a better chance of getting away if I'm alone."
A cleverly thrown banana had a group of men crashing to the ground in a clumsy heap.
CRUNCH! PTOOI!
Daisuke took a large bite out of an apple, then spat it out to the side in disgust. "Is this what you're selling to people?" he exclaimed. "You should all be ashamed of yourselves!"
"This cheeky brat!"
"You'll wish you were never born when I get my hands on you!"
These and a flurry of other menacing remarks came hurling towards Daisuke, and the shopkeepers themselves quickly followed. But that's exactly what he wanted—for them to focus on him instead of the others.
Daisuke left the stall behind and took to the streets of the village. His quick, agile footsteps echoed on the cobblestone path, his breath coming in rapid bursts as he weaved through the bustling crowd.
He glanced back, and sure enough, the livid shopkeepers were hot on his tail, angrily shouting and waving their fists. He smirked and turned a corner, heading for the alleyways.
He jumped over a pile of garbage and slid under a clothesline. His lithe form navigated the twists and turns with remarkable precision. He reached a low wall, and without breaking his momentum, sprang onto it, using it as a platform to propel himself higher
Mid-air, he executed a breathtaking flip, his form sleek against the backdrop of the village's quaint architecture. As his feet met the wall's surface again, he launched himself towards a nearby building, scaling it with the ease of a seasoned acrobat.
He reached the edge of the roof and saw a wooden beam connecting it to another building. He ran across it and kicked it down, sending it crashing onto the street below. He heard some screams and curses as some of the shopkeepers were hit by the falling debris.
He landed on the other roof and continued his escape. He saw a group of kids playing with a ball and waved at them. They recognized him and cheered him on. They threw him their ball and he caught it with one hand. He threw it back at them and winked.
He reached another edge and saw a large haystack on the ground. He jumped off the roof and landed on it, cushioning his fall. He rolled off the haystack and ran into a narrow alley leading to the slums.
Following a whistle, which was evidently some form of signal, a bunch of kids appeared on either side of the roof overhead and began bombarding the few remaining pursuers with garbage and debris.
Daisuke, at the same time, swung from rusted pipes, leaped over barrels, and somersaulted over mounds of garbage, using every obstacle to his advantage. He quickly disappeared into the maze-like slums, leaving the shopkeepers disoriented.
Their yells of frustration echoed in the confined space, but Daisuke knew he was safe. The shopkeepers wouldn't dare follow him into the dark and dirty alleys, where thieves, beggars, and outcasts lived.
And, following a sigh of relief, he blended in with the degenerates and made his way to the hideout.
Fear of monsters & the unknown: 87.4%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you're looking for advanced chapters and wanting to show your support, be sure to check out the links below. Also, the free weekly chapters are released in batches of three (3) on Patreon every Monday:
» Linktree: https://linktr.ee/vaughnrrschneider
» Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/VaughnSchneider
» Discord: https://dsc.gg/vaughnschneider