...
However.
What Starlight had expected did not happen.
Instead.
Leon picked her up in a princess carry, then opened the window and jumped downstairs onto Arcee, who was in motorcycle mode and had been on standby.
Arcee, slightly speechless, carried the two of them to a small grove not far from the hotel.
During this time.
Starlight, realizing her mistake, did not dare to open her eyes the entire time, her originally fair face as red as a ripe apple.
It wasn't until Arcee's tiny engine, maintaining a low-speed mode, stopped humming, and Leon carried her off the vehicle again.
After her feet were firmly on the ground, Starlight opened her eyes again, casually looking at Leon beside her, and knowingly asked, “Leon, what are we doing here?”
“Doing something You want to do, something You love to do.”
Leon replied instantly.
“Huh?”
Starlight's face instantly turned red like a boiling teapot.
“What are You thinking, dear?”
Leon ruffled Starlight's head with his large hand and smiled, “Didn't You come here to learn how to control Your superpower? Otherwise, what else could we do? You?”
“N-no way......”
Starlight lowered her head shyly.
However, her assets were clearly inferior to Zhao Hailun's, and they weren't covered well enough.
Leon could still clearly see her expression of social death, so embarrassed that she could probably dig out an entire Bin Hai Villa with her toes.
Seeing this.
Leon couldn't help but wonder.
Was this little sister really so pure?
Why did he always feel like he was the one being fished?
Do high-level hunters always appear as prey?
'Who cares.'
'As long as I get to do it, that's all that matters.'
Leon chuckled lightly to himself, then got down to business with Starlight.
Don't misunderstand.
It was superpower training.
“This place is more secluded, practicing superpowers here won't disturb anyone. Otherwise, do You want to practice in the hotel with Your hundreds or thousands of degrees of light?”
“In that case, I estimate Butcher would want to kill You.”
Leon teased.
“That's true.”
Starlight mumbled shyly.
“Then let's begin.”
Saying that.
Leon walked behind Starlight, one arm around her waist, the other hand covering the back of her hand, their fingers intertwined.
“Th-th-this......”
“Don't be nervous, dear.”
Leon patiently explained, “Calm down and feel the energy flowing from my palm. Only by pressing our hands tightly together like this will the effect be best.”
“Huh?”
“Is that so......”
Actually.
Starlight wanted to ask:
Is it necessary for other parts to be so close too?
But when she turned back and saw Leon's serious expression, she just moved her lips and didn't say anything more.
Night,
The cool breeze was blowing gently~
It seemed... that two people sticking together like this was indeed more comfortable, at least the transfer and interaction of body heat made her feel less cold when sensing the energy flow.
Starlight couldn't help but think, finding an excuse for Leon.
Actually,
Leon hadn't thought so much; he was just simply......
“Do You feel it? My energy.”
Leon said.
“Yes, but I seem unable to absorb it.”
Starlight frowned slightly, clearly dissatisfied.
Then she tried to absorb harder, but still couldn't grasp the knack.
“Dear, of course You can't absorb it.”
It would be a ghost if You could absorb it, Leon thought. He had practiced for a long time to reach the point where he could freely absorb, convert, and release his own nuclear energy.
To borrow what that young master said, little sister, You are still twenty thousand years too early.
“Now try again to see if You can absorb it.”
Leon silently converted the nuclear energy drive in his palm to an electrical energy drive.
“It's true!”
“This time I can absorb it!”
“Leon, look, I've already... *whimper*!”
Starlight said excitedly, then eagerly turned her head, wanting to share her joy with Leon face-to-face. But before that, Leon cunningly moved his head closer.
And then it was a secret that couldn't be told.
All the memories between us, carefully collected ♫
“Sorry, I didn't expect You to......”
Touching and separating instantly, Starlight was so startled that she immediately turned her head back, then covered Leon's mouth with her hand before he could finish his excuse.
“I know, it's all my fault, I didn't pay attention to the boundaries.”
Starlight blamed herself.
“That was just an accident, right?”
Leon asked slyly.
“Mm.”
Starlight nodded like a pecking chick. She probably would have just lightly hummed in agreement to whatever Leon said just now, just to put her mind at ease.
“Then it's fine, let's continue.”
Leon licked his lips. Since she had paid the tuition, he naturally had to show some real goods.
“This time, You put Your hand on the back of my hand.”
“Mm.”
Starlight nodded obediently, then placed her hand on the back of Leon's hand.
Bang—
Leon started with zero-frame execution, firing a palm cannon that severed a tree directly in front of them.
“So fast!”
“Leon, how did You do that?”
Starlight asked in surprise.
This time, however, she had learned her lesson and immediately suppressed her urge to turn around, but then felt a little regretful after realizing it.
After all,
Leon wasn't the only one who was greedy.
“Then should I go slower this time?”
“Mm.”
Starlight nodded blankly.
Then,
Leon began charging his palm cannon for a full two and a half minutes.
This time.
Starlight felt it especially carefully, and couldn't help but have the illusion of “I can do it too” in her heart.
It was like doing a test with the answer key.
Or as a certain benevolent brother said—"My current strength is entirely due to my own efforts"—it's all the same principle.
“Want to give it a try?”
“Mm.”
Starlight nodded. Before Leon could suggest it, she proactively placed her hand back under Leon's palm.
What else could Leon say?
She was sensible~
Then.
Leon emitted a bit of energy from his palm for Starlight to absorb. Otherwise, in this remote wilderness, where would Leon find electricity for her to absorb? He had to do it himself.
Bang~
“Failed......”
Starlight lowered her head in disappointment. What she shot out was still a scattered, unfocused photovoltaic oscillation wave, shaking all the yellow-green leaves off the tree.
“The steps were the same, so why is the effect completely different?”
Starlight asked dejectedly.
“It's okay, I'm here.”
Leon comforted Starlight by stroking her head, then softly whispered into her ear, “Annie, as long as You want, no matter how long, I will be with You.”
“Leon~”
Starlight murmured, moved, gradually forgetting herself.
The two continued to practice until, during one accidental moment, Starlight lost control of her superpower—actually, Leon had subtly released a bit more palm energy.
Then.
Starlight slowly floated up, but quickly lost momentum and fell back to the ground.
“Ah! Leon, I'm going to fall!”
“It's okay, Annie, I'll catch You.”
Leon performed a slide tackle, just like how he caught Tony when he crashed, using his body as a cushion for Starlight, though this time it wasn't as stable.
Leon and Starlight, one cunning old fox who didn't hold steady, the other who simply forgot that her superhuman physique wouldn't get hurt from a fall.
In short, it was a repeat performance.
And then, human nature took its course.
...
Three hours later.
“Her friend is here.”
Arcee in Sentinel mode suddenly warned through Leon's Bluetooth headset. He merely curved his lips, unmoved.
The U.S. sweetheart, whose eyes were still sparkling, had no idea what she was about to face.
Outside the small grove.
A rustling sound approached.
“What are You doing?!”
Hughie, who had woken up to use the restroom and found Starlight missing, followed the direction of the light and then saw Starlight, whose eyes were glowing, behind a tree.
“?”
“!!!!!”
Upon seeing Hughie, Starlight was also stunned.
However.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Poof!
A burst of dense gunshots suddenly came from the shadow behind the tree, until with a "poof," the bullets accurately hit their target before stopping. Hughie clutched his chest and fell to the ground.
You walking towards me makes me so eager, I've never felt this way before......