The plan I explained to Emma and the other gunslingers was very simple.
‘While you cover me from the second floor, I’ll handle everything and come back up.’
“Wh-what, what is this?!”
“Someone just passed by!”
“Ahhh—!!”
While the other gunslingers bought time on the second floor of the inn, I slipped into the crowd of townspeople and quickly moved through.
“G-get him—!!”
“B-but if we shoot…!”
Because of that, the other Indians hesitated to shoot, fearing they might hurt the townspeople.
Meanwhile, I crouched low, moving out of their sight, and then…
Whoosh—!
I pounced on an Indian riding a horse, like a jaguar leaping from the bushes.
Thud.
“Ahhh—!”
As I stabbed his leg with my knife, the surrounding Indian warriors aimed their guns at me.
True to their reputation, their shooting stance was impeccable, and their quick draw was flawless.
But…
Swish.
“……!”
I naturally pulled a nearby townsfolk in front of me, and they hesitated to pull the trigger again.
Click.
In the West, hesitation means death.
Especially in front of me.
Bang bang bang bang bang bang—!
While they hesitated, I fired six shots, and six of them fell from their horses.
“You bastard—!!”
Enraged by the death of his subordinate, the leader of the Indian group charged at me on his horse.
But…
Swish—.
As he charged, I slipped back into the bushes among the townspeople.
“…Ugh!”
The leader of the Indian group was quite young.
About 4-5 years younger than me.
“I’ll kill you for sure—!!”
The younger they are, the harder it is to control their emotions.
Thud thud thud—.
“Ahhh—!”
“R-run away—!”
The young Indian, perhaps excited by the death of his comrades, charged at me without caring about the townspeople blocking his way.
A running horse is a weapon in itself.
The horse forced its way through the crowd, causing chaos.
Some townspeople even fell and were nearly trampled by the hooves.
‘This is…’
Then, a pretty good idea popped into my head.
‘This might work.’
I led the Indian leader deeper into the crowd, like a bullfighter luring a bull.
Bang—!
Bang bang—!!
Killing other Indians while moving through the crowd was a bonus.
But I made sure not to kill the enraged Indian leader.
That must have really hurt his pride.
“You bastard—!!”
Thinking I was sparing him, the Indian leader’s face turned red as he grabbed his Winchester rifle.
And without hesitation…
Bang.
Indians are excellent marksmen.
But when they’re this agitated… in a crowded area where their bodies are shaking…
And with people swarming around me like waves, there was no way he could hit me.
Whoosh—.
I didn’t even try to dodge the bullet and stood still.
The Indian leader’s shot didn’t hit me but something beside me.
An unnamed middle-aged townsman from Peace Town.
“Ahhh—!”
The townsman, shot in the chest, fell backward.
Seeing that, I shouted loud enough for everyone to hear.
“The Indians shot! The Indians killed a townsman! We’ve been betrayed! The Indians are going to kill us all—!”
Just like when Joshua killed a townsman and the village turned upside down.
“Ahhhhh—!!”
“The Indians shot us—!”
With one townsman actually falling and blood spurting like a fountain, the visual effect was amplified.
Combined with the Indians’ already bad reputation.
“R-run away—!!”
“Ahhh—! M-move aside—!”
“T-these Indian bastards—! They were planning to kill us!”
Chaos erupted.
“N-no, I didn’t mean to shoot you…”
The Indian leader came to his senses too late.
The place quickly turned into a madhouse as townspeople fled in all directions.
“Neigh—!!”
The Indians’ horses, terrifying weapons on the plains, became burdens in this crowded square.
Every single Indian on horseback was immobilized by the fleeing crowd.
And…
Bang bang bang bang bang bang—!!
I wasn’t about to miss this opportunity.
“Ahhh—!”
“Ugh—!!”
At this moment, the Indians were like sitting ducks.
They had no idea where the bullets were coming from and fell one by one.
Bang bang bang bang bang bang—!
Bang bang bang bang bang bang—!!
Bang bang bang bang bang bang!
I had six revolvers on me, including holsters and pockets.
I didn’t even need to reload as I quickly took down the Indians.
And when I thought the number of Indians had significantly decreased…
“Hmm…?”
While taking down the Indians, I spotted the chief of Peace Town, trapped in the crowd, unable to move.
“Ohhh…”
Seeing him, I stopped shooting at the Indians and stealthily approached.
“Chief.”
“Gasp…!”
The chief, startled by my sudden appearance, begged for his life.
“P-please spare me! I was wrong…! P-please spare me…!!”
“Huh? Chief, what are you talking about?”
“…Huh?”
I pointed to the remaining Indians around us and said to the bewildered chief.
“I’m just stopping the Indians who attacked the village and saving the town. Why would I kill you?”
“…….”
The chief, dumbfounded, soon nodded as if he understood the situation.
He was pretty quick on the uptake.
“…R-right! You’re killing the Indians who attacked the village…! Thank you for saving the town…”
“Ah, it’s nothing.”
I smiled innocently.
The smile disappeared from his face in an instant, and he continued speaking.
“Let’s talk about the village demolition after this is over.”
“…”
“Ah, and I’m thinking of conducting my own investigation as well.”
“…Investigation? Wh-what kind of investigation are you talking about…?”
At some point, the chief’s words carried a tone of respect toward me.
In contrast, I, who had been pretending to be a decent young man until now, turned my voice cold.
“Don’t you think it’s strange that the Indians made it so easily to the center of the village? There must be someone colluding with the Indians. We need to find them.”
“…What do you plan to do with those who colluded with the Indians…?”
“What do you think?”
Click.
“…!”
I pressed the gun barrel against the chief’s forehead.
“Bang!”
“Gasp…!!!!”
Of course, I didn’t pull the trigger, but that alone was enough to turn the old chief’s face pale.
“I’ll shoot you dead.”
“Ugh…”
“I’ll give you a week. If you don’t leave the village by then…”
Swoosh.
You’ll be lying next to those Indians.
Nod nod.
Without needing to say more, the chief nodded with tears streaming down his face.
Satisfied with the chief’s response, I stood up again.
“Then, Chief. I’ll join my comrades and speed up the extermination of the Indians who invaded the village.”
“…P-please do.”
After all, less than half of the Indians remained.
I leisurely finished reloading my revolver…
Step.
And moved toward the isolated Indian warriors.
“Kyaa-!”
“Keugh-!”
“Ah…”
Krikasen, who had led the warriors of the Aranga tribe, could only watch as his comrades fell.
And for good reason…
‘Where on earth is that enemy…?’
Amid the chaotic crowd, he couldn’t tell where the enemy was.
The one shooting the gun was clearly that gunslinger from earlier, but even with his sharp eyes, Krikasen couldn’t find him.
It wasn’t because Krikasen was incompetent.
It was because Noah was too skilled at hiding in the crowd and moving stealthily.
Thud-!
“Kyaak-!”
Even as Krikasen was confused, the Indian warriors kept falling one by one.
Krikasen, a young but brave warrior, began to tremble.
Watching his comrades fall one by one… the fear from his childhood resurfaced.
The Aranga tribe, to which Krikasen belonged, was originally the largest faction within the Shoshone Tribe.
With thousands of brave Indian warriors, the Aranga tribe was strong enough to wage war against the U.S. Army.
But the cunning U.S. Army devised a plan to break the Aranga tribe’s strength…
And that was to use a gang.
Since there was a gang in San Francisco that would do anything for money, the U.S. Army paid a hefty sum to mobilize them.
Krikasen still vividly remembers that night.
The burning village, the falling Indian warriors, and…
The ‘White Ghost’ who slaughtered the tribe members like hunting buffalo.
The only reason Krikasen, who had lost his parents that night, survived was…
Click.
‘Ah… it’s ambiguous.’
Because at the time, Krikasen was just a little too young to be considered an adult.
The White Ghost pressed the gun barrel to Krikasen’s forehead and hesitated for a long time before finally sparing him.
But why was that memory resurfacing now?
Bang-!
As the last gunshot rang out and Krikasen became the sole survivor among the Indian warriors…
Swoosh.
The gunslinger, who had been hiding in the crowd and freely shooting the Indians, finally revealed himself.
Click.
He aimed the gun barrel at Krikasen’s forehead.
‘…Ah.’
That figure overlapped with the White Ghost from back then.
It might just be a gut feeling, but Krikasen was certain that the White Ghost and this gunslinger were the same person.
‘The trigger the White Ghost didn’t pull back then…’
He’s pulling it now.
Even though there was quite a distance between them, Krikasen didn’t think the gunslinger would miss.
But…
Click, click.
“Huh?”
“…!!”
Even as the gunslinger pulled the trigger, only the sound of the empty chamber echoed—no bullet was fired.
It was an empty revolver, all six shots spent.
The gunslinger, seemingly panicked, searched for another revolver, but those were empty too, making it hard for him to grab another gun.
‘This is my chance…!’
What is this?
This was clearly divine intervention, a stroke of luck given to Krikasen by the heavens to seek revenge.
Thud thud thud-.
Click.
“White Ghost-!! I am Krikasen, the great warrior of the Shoshone Tribe…!”
Krikasen dashed forward, aiming a Winchester rifle at the gunslinger.
But…
Swoosh-, thud.
‘…Huh?’
Krikasen’s aim and trigger pull were slower than the gunslinger picking up a nearby Indian bow and arrow and firing.
The gunslinger drew the bowstring faster and more accurately than any Indian warrior…
Thud.
And it struck Krikasen’s neck precisely.
Thud.
The last remaining Indian fell from his horse.
It was the moment Noah saved Peace Town from the Shoshone Tribe’s attack.
