Chapter 113
"Indians? Why are the Indians…?"
"Well, it probably isn't for a good reason."
Peace Town had been settled for decades already.
The Indians wouldn't suddenly raid this place now.
Then...
Our demolition targets included not only this Peace Town but also the Indian village.
Their target might be us.
Perhaps the villagers brought in the Indians to eliminate us.
Whatever the case, it was a fact that the Indians were coming this way.
"...Emma, go inside right now and wake up all our guys."
"...Don't tell me it's a fight?"
"I hope it's not that either."
But shouldn't we prepare for the worst-case scenario?
"Wake everyone up, set up barricades at the entrance, gather as many guns as possible and give them all to me. Quickly, it's urgent."
"...Yes, I understand."
And so our busy morning began.
***
Clop clop clop clop—
Clop clop clop clop—
The dozens of Indians didn't enter the village directly but circled Peace Town once.
The sight of the Indians surrounding the village in a single line was truly spectacular, but at the same time felt like a huge threat.
"V-Village chief... Will it be okay? To let them into the village."
"What choice do we have? To protect the village, we have no choice but to borrow their strength."
While the village men and the chief were whispering anxiously, someone approached them.
"Chief...! What's going on with these Indians all of a sudden...!"
It was Claire, the sheriff of Peace Town.
She had been severely injured after being shot twice in her recent battle with Noah and was recuperating alone at home.
Because of this, she was completely unaware of the villagers' decision to bring in the Indians.
"We called them."
"...What? Don't tell me it's to catch the gunslingers with them."
"That's right."
The chief answered calmly, but Claire knew better than anyone that this choice was wrong.
"N-no, you can't!"
"Why not? You know that Michael was killed a few days ago, don't you? If we don't drive those bastards out right now, we'll all die!"
Claire also agreed that the hired thugs threatening the village should be driven out.
But the problem was allying with the Indians to deal with them.
"T-that's true, but we must defeat them with our strength alone...! Don't bring in the Indians!"
Uncivilized Indians were not American citizens.
Especially tribes like the Shoshone who were uncooperative and disobedient to the government.
If it became known that they joined forces with such anti-national Indians, it would give the railroad company a justification to exert more force on this village.
Perhaps next time, it might not be hired thugs but state militia that come.
"I know what you're worried about. But you see."
But the experienced village chief had already considered that possibility as well.
"If we eliminate all witnesses so that the fact we allied with the Indians doesn't leak out, there's no problem, right?"
"...Pardon? You mean..."
Claire asked back, but she knew better than anyone what the chief was saying now.
"If all the hired thugs in the saloon die, no one will know what happened in this village."
"..."
"So people outside the village will never know that we brought in the Indians."
The chief was saying they should not just drive out the remaining 6 hired thugs, but kill them outright.
At this, Claire flinched for a moment.
Of course, people killing each other happened frequently in the West.
Claire herself used to make a living by killing people in the past.
But...
She couldn't help but feel a huge disconnect from the chief, who had always seemed kind and warm to her, casually suggesting killing someone.
...Right, the chief is someone who survived decades in the West too, why did I think he was innocent?
While Claire was briefly lamenting, the Indians who had been surrounding the village slowly started entering.
The Peace Town residents welcomed the Indians without showing hostility, though they were anxious about their appearance.
The Indians also just entered politely with their weapons slung behind their backs.
Their procession soon reached the chief.
The chief welcomed them with his usual friendly smile.
"Welcome! I am the chief of this village who contacted you! Welcome to Peace Town!"
"I am Krigasen, son of the chief of the Aranga branch of the Shoshone tribe."
"Krigasen?"
The name of the young Indian leading the warriors was unusual, like other Indian names.
"In your language, it would mean something like 'Guardian of the Blue Hawk'."
Guardian of the Blue Hawk.
Befitting that name, Krigasen had a lithe but solid body.
Behind him were an Indian-style bow and spear, and a Winchester rifle, and the other Indians behind him were also heavily armed as if prepared for battle.
Indians were generally good at riding horses and had excellent marksmanship.
With dozens of such Indian warriors, the chief couldn't help but feel reassured.
With these guys, they could protect the village even if there were a few thuggish hired goons.
"I have received your intentions well. You want to join forces with us?"
"That's right. We heard that your village, like our village, received a demolition notice from the railroad company. If two villages experiencing the same crisis join forces, couldn't we overcome any threat that comes?"
Falling for the chief's eloquent words, Krigasen nodded contentedly and answered, "That's right! Although we were once at odds, if we join forces and rely on each other, we can face any great threat that comes. I heard some ruffians have come to the village now?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Our warriors will drive those bad guys out right away. Where are they?"
"They're over there. I'll guide you."
The dozens of Indian warriors turned their horses' heads following the chief's guidance.
Because it was such a rare sight, the villagers also followed behind them to watch.
When the villagers and Indian warriors combined, their numbers became enormous.
That huge group headed towards a saloon that doubled as an inn at the village entrance where the hired thugs were stationed.
Claire also followed behind the group for now.
The brave Indian warriors looked so strong that they seemed like they could wage war against a gang controlling a region without any problem.
If those merciless hooves trampled all at once, the mere 6 remaining hired thugs would quickly turn to dust.
But...
"..."
Claire kept feeling uneasy.
It was because of the existence of one gunslinger who had fought a decisive battle with her a few days ago.
Claire was an executor of TKK.
Not just anyone could become an executor.
Only those whose skills were verified among TKK, which was already composed of elite gunslingers, could become executors.
Claire took pride in her own shooting skills and combat abilities.
In fact, there were hardly any gunslingers who could match her.
But the gunslinger she met a few days ago easily subdued her as if it was nothing.
Above all, what bothered her was his fighting style.
The way he charged forward fearlessly even as bullets were flying, and the ridiculous marksmanship of intercepting and shooting down incoming bullets in mid-air.
...It was too similar to someone she knew.
No way... it can't be.
Even while telling herself that he absolutely couldn't be here, the uneasiness in her heart wouldn't go away.
— Leah, I have a mission for you for the organization.
If that gunslinger really was that person...
No matter how many Indian warriors were here now, it would be meaningless...
Stop.
As Claire was trembling with anxiety, the procession arrived in front of the inn.
Swish—
As soon as they arrived, the Indian warriors began to surround the inn in a semicircle as if pre-arranged.
Watching the warriors surround the inn, Krigasen whispered secretly to the chief beside him, "...Chief. If there's something coming, there should naturally be something going, right?"
"Of course. Is there anything you need?"
Seeing the chief's friendly face that seemed willing to grant anything, Krigasen answered with a face full of determination, "The invaders have no intention of leaving us alone. If we keep holding out on this land, a big fight will break out someday."
"..."
"We are preparing for war. When that time comes, we'd like this village to take our side."
"Of course, Mr. Krigasen."
It was obviously a lie.
The chief only needed them right now and was just using them, of course he had no intention of continuing the relationship with the Indians.
But the young and naive Krigasen didn't detect the chief's lie and only looked touched.
"...Thank you. In return, I'll handle this matter thoroughly."
Soon, as the surrounding of the inn was completed, he rode his horse forward.
The warriors made way as he came out.
Standing at the head of the warriors, Krigasen shouted at the inn.
"You ruffians who dared to disturb the peace of the village, all come out and surrender!"
Since Krigasen was young, the history of the Indians had been a series of invasions.
Because of this, Krigasen, who had a deep aversion to driving people out and taking their land, had no intention of forgiving the ruffians inside the inn.
***
Meanwhile, inside the inn, busy movements continued.
The saloon owner couple were hugging each other and trembling in the kitchen, and the other gunslingers were preparing for the impending battle.
But...
"Damn it...! There are too many...!"
The number of people gathered outside was overwhelming enough to make them lose their will to fight.
"We, we should surrender..."
"Will they spare us if we surrender? Those Indians...?"
"Damn it, we're all going to die."
Therefore, it was inevitable that Vogue and the other gunslingers were gripped by fear.
But amidst all this, there was one person quietly and busily checking his weapons...
It was Noah.
Emma, who had finished preparing for battle like the others, approached Noah and asked, "Boss. People have gathered outside. At least dozens of Indians are surrounding this place, what do you plan to do?"
"..."
At Emma's question, Noah opened the cylinder of his revolver to check it once and then...
"What else can we do?"
Click.
He answered nonchalantly, "Is there any other choice? If we want to live, we have to kill them all."
"..."
If someone else had said it, it would have sounded absurd, but Noah's words carried a different weight.
Although dozens of Indian warriors had gathered outside to kill them, Emma, who had spent over 4 years with Noah, wasn't afraid of the current situation at all.