Chapter 115
The strategy I explained to Emma and the other gunslingers was very simple.
It was “While you cover me from the second floor, I'll take care of everything and come back”.
"W, w-what?"
"Someone just passed by!"
"Kyaahhhh!!"
While the other gunslingers bought time from the second floor of the inn, I dove into the crowd of villagers and quickly maneuvered my body.
"C-catch him!!"
"B-but if we shoot..."
Because of this, the other Indians couldn't easily shoot for fear of hurting the villagers.
Meanwhile, I lowered my body to move where their eyes couldn't reach and then...
Whoosh—!
Suddenly, like a jaguar pouncing from the bushes, I attacked an Indian on horseback.
Stab.
"Aaaaghhh!"
When I stabbed his leg with a knife, the surrounding Indian warriors aimed their guns at me.
As expected of Indians, their shooting stance was excellent and their quick draw was flawless.
But...
Swish.
"...!"
When I naturally put a nearby villager in front of me, they hesitated to pull the trigger again.
Click.
In the West, if one hesitated, one died.
Especially in front of me.
Bang bang bang bang bang bang—!
While they hesitated, I fired 6 shots and 6 people fell from their horses.
"You bastard!!!"
Angered by the death of his subordinates, the one who looked like the leader of the Indian group charged on horseback.
But...
Swish—
As he charged, I hid again among the bush of villagers.
"...Kugh!"
The leader of the Indian group was quite young.
About 4-5 years younger than me.
"I'll definitely kill you!!"
The younger one was, the harder it was to control your emotions.
Thud thud thud—
"Kyaahhhh!"
"R-run away!"
Excited by the death of his comrades, the young Indian charged at me, regardless of the villagers blocking the way.
A running horse was a weapon in itself.
As the horse forcibly pushed through people, the crowd became chaotic.
Among them were villagers who fell and were almost trampled by hooves.
This is...
Then a pretty good idea came to my mind.
This could be useful.
I led the Indian leader deeper into the crowd, like a matador luring a bull.
Bang—!
Bang bang—!!
Killing other Indians while diving through the crowd was a bonus.
But I absolutely didn't kill the excited Indian leader.
That fact must have severely scratched his pride.
"You bastard!!"
Thinking I was going easy on him, the red-faced Indian leader raised his Winchester rifle.
And without delay, immediately...
Bang.
Indians were excellent marksmen.
But in that excited state... with his body shaking severely, crowded by people...
Above all, with people surrounding me like waves, there was no way I would get hit if he fired.
Thud—
I didn't even dodge the bullet and stood still.
The bullet fired by the Indian leader hit something next to me, not me.
It hit an unnamed middle-aged male villager of Peace Town.
"Kyaaaaghhhh!"
The villager who was shot in the chest fell backwards.
As soon as I saw that, I shouted so everyone could hear, "The Indian fired! The Indian killed a villager! We've been tricked! The Indians are going to kill us all-!"
Just like when Joshua killed a villager and the village was turned upside down.
"Kyaaaaaaahhhh!!"
"The Indians shot us!"
Since a villager actually fell and blood spurted like a fountain around him, it added a visual effect.
Add to that the original image Indians had.
"R-run away-!!"
"Uwaaaaah-! M-move!"
"I-I knew it, those Indian bastards! They were planning to kill us!"
A great confusion broke out.
"N-no. I didn't mean to shoot you..."
The Indian leader came to his senses belatedly, but it was already too late.
This place soon became chaotic due to villagers trying to flee to their homes here and there.
"Neigh—!!"
The Indians' horses, which were the most fearsome weapon on the plains, were rather a burden in this square crowded with people.
The Indians, all on horseback without exception, became unable to move due to the fleeing people.
And...
Bang bang bang bang bang bang—!!
I had no intention of missing this opportunity.
"Kyaaaagh-!"
"Guhuck-!!"
At this moment, the Indians were like immobile targets.
The Indians died without even knowing where the bullets were coming from.
Bang bang bang bang bang bang—!
Bang bang bang bang bang bang—!!
Bang bang bang bang bang bang!
I had 6 revolvers on me now, including holsters and pockets.
I quickly dealt with the Indians without needing to reload.
And when I thought the number of Indians, which had been in the dozens, had decreased considerably...
"Hmm...?"
While taking down Indians, I could spot the village chief of Peace Town trapped in the crowd, unable to move.
"Hooh..."
As soon as I saw him, I stopped shooting Indians and approached stealthily.
"Chief."
"Huck...!"
The chief, whether he saw what I had been doing until just now or knew why this chaos had broken out... begged as soon as I spoke to him, startled, "S-spare me-! I was wrong...! P-please spare me...!!"
"Pardon? Chief, what are you saying?"
"...Huh?"
I pointed to the remaining Indians around and said to the bewildered chief, "I'm in the middle of stopping the Indians attacking the village and saving the village, why would I kill you?"
"..."
The chief was dazed hearing my words, but soon nodded as if he grasped the situation.
The chief was quite quick-witted.
"...T-that's right! You were killing the Indians attacking the village...! Thank... you for saving the village."
"Ah, it's nothing."
I smiled nonchalantly and then wiped the smile off my face and continued, "Let's talk about the village demolition after this is over."
"..."
"Ah, and I'm planning to do some investigation on my own too."
"...Investigation? W-what investigation are you talking about…?"
At some point, respect towards me had seeped into the chief's words.
In contrast, I, who had been pretending to be a quite proper young man until now, made my voice cold.
"Isn't it strange that the Indians could enter the village center so easily? There must be people who colluded with the Indians. We need to find them."
"...What do you intend to do with those who colluded with the Indians..."
"What else?"
Click.
"...!"
I put the gun muzzle to the chief's forehead.
"Bang!"
"Huck...!!!!"
Of course, I didn't pull the trigger, but that alone made the old chief's face turn pale.
"Shoot them dead."
"Huuuk...."
"I'll give you a week. If you don't leave the village within that time..."
Swish.
You'll end up lying next to those Indians.
Nod nod.
Even without saying the last part, the chief nodded while shedding tears.
As soon as I heard the chief's answer, I got up again, satisfied.
"Well then, Chief. I will push forward with eradicating the Indians who invaded the village along with my companions."
"...I-I'll leave it to you."
Anyway, less than half of the Indians remained now.
I leisurely finished reloading my revolvers and...
Step.
Moved towards the Indian warriors who were still isolated.
***
"Kyaaahhh!"
"Guhuckkk!"
"Ah..."
Krigasen, who led the warriors of the Aranga branch, could only watch his comrades fall.
That was because...
W-where on earth is the enemy…?
He couldn't tell where the enemy was due to the chaotic crowd.
The one shooting was certainly that gunslinger from earlier, but Krigasen couldn't find the gunslinger even with his good eyes.
It wasn't because Krigasen was incompetent.
It was because Noah was too skilled at hiding his body in the crowd and moving stealthily.
Thud—!
"Kyaaghhh!"
Even while Krigasen was confused, the Indian warriors kept falling without rest.
The body of Krigasen, who was a young but brave warrior, started trembling.
Seeing his comrades fall one by one... the childhood fear resurfaced.
The Aranga branch that Krigasen belonged to was originally the largest sub-branch within the Shoshone tribe.
The Aranga branch, with thousands of brave Indian warriors, was strong enough to wage war against the U.S. Army.
But the cunning U.S. Army came up with a scheme to break the power of the Aranga branch...
It was to use a gang.
Fortunately, there was a gang in San Francisco that would do anything for money, so the U.S. Army could move that gang by paying a large sum.
Krigasen still vividly remembers that night.
The burning village, falling Indian warriors, and...
The “White Ghost” who massacred the tribe members as if hunting buffalo.
The only reason Krigasen, who lost his parents' hands that day, could survive was...
Click.
Ah... it's ambiguous.
Because Krigasen was a bit too young to be considered an adult at that time.
The White Ghost put the gun muzzle to Krigasen's forehead, pondered for a while, and eventually spared him.
But why is that memory coming back now?
Bang—!
Soon the last gunshot rang out, and when Krigasen became the only survivor among the Indian warriors...
Swish—
The gunslinger who had been hiding in the crowd and freely shooting the Indians revealed himself.
Click.
He raised his gun muzzle and aimed at Krigasen's forehead.
...Ah.
That appearance overlapped with the White Ghost from back then.
This might be just a simple intuition, but... Krigasen was certain that the White Ghost and this gunslinger were the same person.
The trigger that the White Ghost didn't pull back then...
He was pulling it now.
Even though the distance between them was quite far, Krigasen didn't think that gunslinger would miss him.
But...
Click, click.
"Huh."
"...!!"
When the gunslinger pulled the trigger, only the sound of the chamber catching was heard, but no bullet was fired.
It was an empty revolver that had fired all 6 shots.
The gunslinger seemed flustered and looked for another revolver, but those must have been empty too as he couldn't easily draw another gun.
This is a chance...!
What is this?
This was surely heaven-sent luck given to Krigasen for revenge.
Clop clop clop clop—
Click.
"White Ghost-!! I am the great warrior of the Shoshone tribe, Kriga..."
Krigasen rode his horse and raised his Winchester rifle to aim at the gunslinger.
But...
Swish—whoosh.
...Huh?
Faster than Krigasen aiming and pulling the trigger... the gunslinger picked up an Indian bow and arrow scattered around and fired.
The gunslinger drew the bowstring with a faster and more accurate posture than any Indian warrior...
Thud.
It accurately pierced Krigasen's neck.
Thud.
The last remaining Indian fell from his horse.
It was the moment Noah saved Peace Town from the Shoshone tribe's attack.