From afar, Lin Mo saw it clearly.
Arataki Itto was standing there, chest puffed out, looming over Sayu. Beside him were two members of the Arataki Gang, flanking her left and right, blocking her way.
To any passerby, it looked exactly like a bunch of street thugs bullying a helpless little girl.
"I didn't bump into you on purpose!"
"It was obviously you who saw me and cut in front of me!"
"And I'm not a tanuki, not a tanuki~!"
The more Sayu spoke, the angrier she became. Finally, she couldn't hold it in anymore—she jumped high into the air and swung her tiny pink fists straight at Arataki Itto.
Thump!
"Ow~! Is that all you've got?"
Itto didn't even bother to dodge, casually patting his knee.
Sayu's strength really was nothing to him—barely a tickle.
But what Sayu didn't expect was this—
The big hand that had been lightly rubbing his knee suddenly reached forward.
"Ahh—!!"
"Don't touch my head!!"
Sayu let out a startled cry.
"Hahahahaha! Little tanuki, didn't see that coming, did you?"
"From today on, you can call me the great Arataki—uh—Big Boss!"
"I'll pat it if I want! I'll pat it if I want!"
Arataki Itto gleefully ruffled Sayu's tanuki-like head, looking unbearably smug.
"You—how can someone be this annoying?!" Sayu's face crumpled, on the verge of tears.
She turned and bolted down the street as fast as she could.
"Hey! Little tanuki, don't run! Let me pat it some more~!" Itto called after her, clearly not done yet.
Just as he was about to chase after her, a hand landed on his shoulder.
"Huh? Who's that?"
Itto froze. His underlings immediately turned, alert, staring at the man who had suddenly appeared behind him.
"Itto," Lin Mo said calmly, "promise me you won't bully Sayu anymore. Alright?"
The moment those words reached him, Arataki Itto shuddered.
"B-B-Big Brother!!"
"Big Brother! It really is you!!!"
His excited shout echoed down the entire street.
"Big brother?!"
"Boss, you have a big brother?!"
The two underlings stared in shock.
In their eyes, Arataki Itto was the kind of man who never bowed to anyone. For him to shout "Big Brother" so eagerly—just how terrifyingly strong was this person?
It wasn't just them.
The onlookers who had been watching from a distance all stiffened when they saw Lin Mo's face.
From their wary expressions, it was obvious what they were thinking:
If Arataki Itto is already a notorious delinquent, then his big brother must be even worse…
"Big Brother! What are you doing here? And what's with those weird clothes you're wearing?"
"Oh right! You saw that little tanuki too, didn't you? She's way too cute!"
"Next time—next time I'll help you block her so you can pat her head properly!"
Itto was practically vibrating with excitement.
Lin Mo simply said again, "Itto, you haven't answered me yet."
"Huh? Answer what?"
Itto blinked in confusion—then suddenly remembered.
Oh. He meant not bullying Sayu.
"Oh~ that kid? Bullying? No way!"
"Patting her adorable head—that's a mark of recognition from a strong man like me!"
"W-Wait… Big Brother, why are you looking at me like that…?"
Seeing the faint chill in Lin Mo's eyes, Itto immediately felt guilty.
"Alright, alright! I promise! I promise, okay?!"
Hearing that, Lin Mo nodded in satisfaction and finally smiled.
The moment Lin Mo smiled, Itto let out a breath of relief.
"Boss, who is he? Why do you call him Big Brother?"
"Yeah! You're already the leader of the Arataki Gang—how can you still call someone else that?!"
The underlings were full of questions.
"Hahahaha! Me? The leader?"
Itto laughed loudly and threw an arm around Lin Mo's shoulders.
"I hereby announce—starting today, Lin Mo is the leader of the Arataki Gang!"
"Our second-generation boss!!!"
"Wha—Big Brother?! Why?"
The underlings were even more confused.
"Because he's the only man who's ever made me truly submit!"
"That's reason enough!"
Itto didn't explain further, but the underlings understood immediately.
This man named Lin Mo wasn't just strong—he had to be extraordinary in every way.
Sigh… another 'second-generation boss,' huh…
Lin Mo sighed helplessly.
Of all the people he had reunited with, only this oddball Itto hadn't mentioned anything about dreams or past lives.
"Fine… second-generation boss it is," Lin Mo agreed reluctantly.
After all, there was someone in the Arataki Gang he cared deeply about—Kuki Shinobu.
It was because of Lin Mo's advice that she had been cleaning up the gang's messes, returning all the so-called "spoils of war" Itto had won, and even bailing him out of jail time and time again.
"Where's Kuki Shinobu? Why isn't she here?" Lin Mo asked.
"Oh… her…" Itto scratched his head, suddenly looking sheepish.
"Big Brother, you know she rarely joins our Arataki Gang street parades."
"Not 'rarely,'" Lin Mo corrected him. "Never."
Inwardly, he couldn't help thinking:
You actually expect a girl like her to run around causing trouble with you?
"Ah, right!"
"She never joins the parades!"
"So I don't know where she went either," Itto said honestly.
"Alright then. What are you guys heading off to do now?" Lin Mo asked.
"Oh! Big Brother! Don't even get me started!"
"The Tenryou Commission's Kujou Sara confiscated my Vision!"
"I'm heading to the Statue of the Omnipresent God to see where she put it!"
"Someone as amazing as me—"
"It has to be embedded right in the statue's forehead!"
"Yes! It definitely is!!!"
Itto was brimming with confidence.
"Alright, alright. You go do that. I'm going to look for Sayu."
With that, Lin Mo waved his hand and headed off in the direction Sayu had run.
"Hey, Big Brother! You're always like this—never joining Arataki Gang activities!"
"Next time, next time for sure," Lin Mo replied casually, without even turning back.
The underlings looked thoroughly displeased.
"Boss, just how strong is that guy? Why does he treat you with so little respect?"
"Yeah! And you just made him the second-generation boss out of nowhere!"
"Hahahaha!!"
"Then let me tell you all about my Big Brother's legendary feats!"
"Champion of Arataki Arm Wrestling!"
"Champion of Arataki Sumo!"
"Champion of Onikabuto Battles!"
"Champion of Arataki Card Games!"
"Champion of 'Loli King'!"
"Champion of Kids' King!"
"So—what do you want to hear first?!"
"…Let's start with 'Loli King,' I guess…"
After parting ways with Arataki Itto, Lin Mo followed the direction Sayu had fled and turned into a narrow alley.
He knew she couldn't have gone far.
After all, Itto's thunderous shout of "Big Brother" would definitely spark the little one's curiosity.
Sure enough, as Lin Mo stepped into the alley, he immediately spotted a wooden barrel.
The barrel looked brand new.
More importantly, a fluffy tanuki tail was sticking out from behind it.
Other than Sayu, who else would use such an obvious disguise?
Lin Mo walked over, crouched down, and gently placed his hand on the lid.
Poof!
A puff of white smoke rose.
The adorable Sayu appeared before him.
The hand that had been resting on the barrel lid now landed squarely on her little head.
"Teacher…"
Sayu lowered her head, looking utterly aggrieved as her head was being gently patted.
"Sayu can allow Teacher to pat her head…"
"But… but it still means she won't grow taller."
"And Sayu doesn't like that…"
--------
T/N:
You'll also get 5 extra chapters just for being a free member!
Access 40 chapters in advance on my Patreon : [email protected]/furinaimpact