Chapter 4

Wanda, her brother, and the other children sat obediently in a row in front of the fireplace, where flames roared and crackled. Leon stood before them, dressed in a fur coat several sizes too big, making him look a bit funny. But no one minded; it kept him warm.

Leon regarded the group of children with a serious expression, an idea forming in his mind, though he knew he needed to speak first. He scanned their confused and uneasy faces, and then, in a voice that was young but clear, he began.

"We come from different countries in Eastern Europe. We've endured torture and pain that most people can't even imagine. Even though we've escaped from that hellish place, I believe those who hurt us won't give up so easily.

Now, you have a choice.

A few hundred kilometers away, there's a city called Yekaterinburg. I can send you to the local authorities there. They might protect you, or they might send you to an orphanage where someone could adopt you."

Leon paused, waiting for the children's responses.

Several of the younger children, around eight or nine years old, were too timid to speak. They just looked at Leon eagerly. For them, it didn't matter what authorities or orphanages might be out there—they only wanted to follow Leon.

The older children exchanged glances, uncertain.

Wanda, more mature for her age, spoke up. She looked at Leon with wide eyes full of hope and excitement. "Those governments won't care about us Eastern Europeans. I joined HYDRA for revenge. They said they could give Pietro and me strength. We've been disappointed so many times this past year, but you're the only one who succeeded."

"Do you want to go back?" Leon asked.

Wanda shook her head, confused. "I don't know."

In reality, by leaving the base with Pietro and Leon, she had already made her choice. She could have stayed behind if she had wanted to.

After staring at Wanda for a moment, Leon turned to the others. "What's your choice?" he asked.

"We want to follow you, Leon. Wanda is right—the Russians won't care about us," one of the stronger boys replied without hesitation.

These children were either orphans or street kids. They had already lost faith in governments, especially those in countries that weren't their own. Instead of going to Russia and being resettled by the authorities, they preferred to follow Leon. Leon's ability to infiltrate the base on his own was a power they could rely on.

As Leon scanned the serious faces of the children in front of him, he laughed softly. "We're all alone—we have no families. But we have each other. From now on, we're a family, and we'll rely on each other."

"Yes!!" the children responded eagerly, nodding with joy, including the younger ones, just eight or nine years old. To them, Leon was like a warm sun, giving them hope.

Even Wanda and Pietro felt the same way. Though they longed for the strength to seek revenge, it felt good to have a family, right?

"We need to find a place to hide where HYDRA can't reach us," Leon continued. "Although they haven't found us yet, we need to leave as soon as possible."

Leon continued, "This place is several hundred kilometers from the base, but it's too close to the road and too conspicuous. I have no doubt that HYDRA will find us here."

"So where should we go?" Wanda asked.

Leon pulled out a map and pointed to one of the long lines under the firelight. "The Ural Mountains are a vast range stretching across Russia. We're in a region where it's windy and snowy year-round. It's less than 500 kilometers from Yekaterinburg, so getting there by car with supplies won't be difficult. Hidden by wind, snow, and trees, it would be nearly impossible for them to find us. They'd never expect us to make our home there."

Given their identities and numbers, it was nearly impossible for them to leave Russia without exposing HYDRA's secrets, and there was no need to run. As long as they had the resources to survive, that was enough. The harsh environment was also perfect for training. When he and these children were grown, even if HYDRA didn't come for them, Leon planned to seek them out.

"How do we get there?" one of the children asked.

"I'll leave for Yekaterinburg now to buy daily necessities and a car. You all pack your things and wait for me to return. We'll set off tonight."

"OK!" the children responded in unison, their admiration for Leon growing. He was so mature in his speech and decision-making, he seemed more like an adult. Leon had become their backbone, making them feel safe and secure.

Leon smiled softly. After adjusting his clothes, he wasted no time and went to the window, gazing out at the distant road. He was waiting.

Sure enough, ten minutes later, through the heavy snowfall, he heard the sound of a car engine. The headlights pierced the snowy darkness, brighter than those of an ordinary car.

As the vehicle finally passed by the wooden house, Leon quickly opened the door. Ignoring the worried looks of the children, he ran out into the wind and snow.

Swoosh!

A flash of golden light streaked through the storm—Leon moved like a bolt of lightning, cutting through the snow at a speed too fast for the naked eye to follow. In mere moments, he covered hundreds of meters and caught up with the large truck. It was carrying a load of wood. Without hesitation, he leaped onto the piled logs at the back of the truck.

He lay down on the plastic sheet covering the wood, huddling inside his coat. Soon, the heavy snow began to fall more intensely, completely covering him. He started to breathe steadily, using the Sun Breathing technique (Hinokami Kagura).

...

An ancient castle somewhere in Siberia.

In his office, Baron Strucker, one of the supreme leaders of HYDRA, stood by the door and window, wearing a thick down coat. He gazed at the heavy snow outside while listening to the reports from his subordinates. As he absorbed the news, a fanatical expression spread across his face.

"Finally, the experiment was successful! That child's abilities have awakened," he exclaimed.

He suddenly turned to face his subordinates, focusing on the top commander of the base where Leon had been held.

"Yes, Baron," the man replied, handing over a tablet.

On the screen, footage from the base's security cameras played. Baron watched as a boy, glowing with golden light, ran at a speed beyond ordinary comprehension. The soldiers had no chance to react. Before they could even think about defending themselves, they were slaughtered by the golden flashes, which streaked through the scene like lightning and thunder.