Shirayama didn't quite understand what was happening. Suddenly, his lips were pressed against something soft and warm—surprisingly pleasant.
The girl, on the other hand, had her mind completely blank, unsure of what to do.
"Mmm!"
Shirayama instinctively licked his lips, and he heard the girl let out a soft, shy moan, making him immediately snap back to reality and quickly pull away.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!" Shirayama raised his hands in apology, though his lips still seemed to savor the lingering taste of the girl's kiss.
This was a serious matter. Taking someone's innocence was never something to be taken lightly—no matter where it happened, it was always a grave issue.
"Hehehe!"
But the girl's reaction only made Shirayama's awkwardness even more apparent, as she couldn't help but giggle, her laughter as sweet as silver bells.
However, if one looked closely, they might catch a faint hint of wistfulness in her eyes.
Gurgle!
At that moment, Shirayama's stomach growled loudly, making him flush with embarrassment.
"Haha!"
Unable to hold it in anymore, the girl laughed even harder, her voice light and melodious, brushing gently against Shirayama's heart.
"By the way, come with me! There's something very important I need to ask you, and I think you're the only one who can help!"
Suddenly, the girl seemed to remember something urgent, grabbing Shirayama's hand and running ahead, but after only a few steps, she tripped and fell to the ground.
"Are you okay?"
Shirayama quickly helped her up, his face full of concern.
"I'm fine, but the village chief and the others are definitely in danger right now. How could those pirates leave them alone? We have to go help them!"
The girl stood up, her hands gripping Shirayama's tightly, her eyes pleading.
"Alright, show me the way. I'll go rescue them!"
Shirayama knew refusing wasn't an option after hearing her, and he scooped the girl up into a princess carry, speaking reassuringly.
"Just head straight, and then we'll cross over the mountain. That's where they are!"
Upon hearing Shirayama agree, the girl's face lit up with gratitude as she quickly told him the directions.
"Got it. Hold on tight!"
Shirayama nodded, giving her a quick warning. Then, before she even realized what he was about to do, he took a firm step and leapt into the air.
"Ah!"
The sudden move startled the girl, and she screamed in fear.
Whoosh!
But Shirayama wasn't done yet.
As his body began to fall, he shot three columns of white light from beneath his feet, propelling himself upward like a jet, soaring over the mountain in the blink of an eye.
It all happened in just a couple of seconds.
At the square!
"Heh, interesting. Since you say I'm the bad guy, let me show you how bad guys do things. Grab her!"
Yuri laughed loudly, signaling to two of his henchmen standing nearby.
"Understood, boss!"
The two henchmen grinned with bloodlust, their expressions like that of wolves closing in on their prey, as they lunged for the girl.
"Grandpa, I'm scared!"
The ferocity of the two men frightened the girl.
She instinctively took a few steps back, hiding behind the old man, her chubby little hands clutching his pants leg, her face frozen in fear.
What she didn't realize was that the old man was also powerless to protect her.
Yet, under the influence of familial love, even the threat of death could be temporarily pushed aside.