Wild West Showdown

The nightfall continued.

Kinda feeling like an outcast not gonna lie. From where Sanae told him to wait, Daichi observed the group of six as they conversed amongst themselves around a crackling campfire. Every so often the wind mage and paladin would both sneak mocking glances towards him, like they were belittling their loner of a new member. Only Hiro and Sanae seemed empathetic to Daichi's situation, looking as if they wanted to speak up but couldn't.

Then, after Makoto near her whispered into Sanae's ear, she waved for Daichi to come over.

Finally being accepted into the fold? While he ventured across the forest ground towards them, Daichi mused about how most of Lone Star’s members seemed like miscreants. He liked Sanae and felt Hiro was a good person, but the others, especially Makoto, didn’t vibe well. Daichi knew better than anyone when someone was two-faced.

He gravitated towards the cute, purple-haired Sanae who greeted him with a wholesome smile.

"We were just doing some guild stuff," she said. "Sorry for leaving you alone."

"Ah, it's fine, haha. I'm still an outsider sort of."

Obnoxious chewing sounds behind him turned Daichi's head around.

“Ya' ready, kid?” Makoto said. He chewed on a fresh Wombat while his breath reeked of alcohol. "Showtime soon!"

“Yeah. Just say the word and I’ll do whatever I need to.” Well, besides being bait or something.

The cowboy grinned before tipping his hat up. “Let’s get going then—Raid's right ahead.”

As Lone Star moved forward through the clearing, the small mountain that’d been looming over them came into full view. It looked like assortments of colossal boulders piled on top of one another like cobblestone rubble. Eerie winds permeated everywhere that resembled tortured banshee cries.

Soon, a prompt with an exclamation mark appeared in Daichi’s POV. He stopped just ahead of the cave entrance to read:

'WARNING! You are nearing Raid Dungeon: Domination—third floor entranceway. The recommended minimum Adventurer level is 80, with a full guild of seven. Exercise caution if you do not meet these requirements.'

Daichi's self-preservation kicked in. Does Makoto want to commit suicide? Even our highest level member is only 75! Forgetting the fact I'm only level 2! If everyone dies there’d be no one to revive anyone! His breath hastened as he gaped into the cave’s glowing mouth, a chilly hue of blue just within. If he wanted to run away, now was his only chance.

Then, a gentle hand comforted his shoulder. Daichi turned to see Sanae warmly smiling, as if she was his own guardian angel that'd just swooped in. 

“I’m here for you in case anything happens!” she proclaimed. “Have some faith in your healer!”

"T-Thanks! Yeah, I'm in your hands, haha." Daichi’s fears were swept away. Even now he still felt she was the only person he could trust. A light in the dark.

Makoto split from the guys ahead and came back towards Daichi and Sanae. “Woah there, partners! Don’t leave me outta the group therapy sessions! I need coddling too!”

She backed away from Daichi but kept him within arm’s reach. Her eyes were defiant, fiery, and devoted, like a protective mother's vigilance. It was clear Sanae didn't want anyone messing with her new friend.

"Lemme borrow him for a sec, darlin'!" Makoto latched his arm around Daichi’s shoulders. “Hey kid, don’t worry. Me and my crew of ultra badasses will protect you. Come check it out . . .”

After being ordered back out, Lone Star's members returned into the forest clearing outside the cave. Hiro trudged towards the clearing's center, while Makoto poised himself about twenty meters away. The ecstatic cowboy assumed a classical, western showdown stance: legs spread apart, hands hovering over his holsters, and duster coat wavering in the breeze. Only a passing tumbleweed was missing as he faced Hiro with a hyped expression.

“Uhhh, what’s going on?” Daichi asked Sanae. Both were standing far behind Makoto and with their backs to the forest. Lone Star's three other members all took similar spectator positions.

“Boys will be boys,” she replied with a tired sigh. "Let's just let them have their fun."

The muscular, black-haired Hiro reached behind himself and pulled out his monstrous excuse for a blade. It was as tall as he was and wide enough to double as a shield. Its crossguard displayed two gray snakes wrapped around one closed, stone eye embedded in the upper hilt. Hiro plunged the sword downwards and positioned himself behind it, maintaining an iron grip with an even more iron expression. 

“DRAW!” Makoto whipped out his revolvers and pointed them straight towards Hiro. Both guns glowed bright green and projected vertical, spell-like circles ahead of their nozzles. With a clear view, Daichi noticed they weren’t actually revolvers, but tree roots in the rough shape of revolvers.

Then a barrage of green blasts commenced. Makoto bombarded Hiro in an onslaught of green annihilation. Shot after shot hurled shockwaves everywhere, slicing branches off trees and denting boulders. Hiro was consumed by an ever-expanding dust cloud rapidly consuming the entire forest around them. 

"BAHAHAHA! We are EPIC!" Makoto's siege continued as a towering twister formed within the chaos.

Daichi couldn’t see anything anymore. Dusty shockwaves chipped away at his health and a violent one launched him backwards into Sanae's arms. She cast a healing spell on him and placed a protective barrier over both of them.

"Don't worry, I'm right here!" She held him close and used her body as an additional shield. Shockwave after shockwave lashed at the barrier but Daichi was focused on Sanae's magnificent beauty on the battlefield. She remained dignified while her lavender hair whipped around from a gust trapped within their dome forcefield. 

Then soon, a calm. The green blasts ceased and only Makoto’s wavering cowboy clothes could be heard. One of his guildmates casted wind magic, blowing the dust cloud away. What remained of the towering twister dissipated, revealing a massive sword still firmly planted into the ground. Hiro stood just as he was before—unfazed, unblinking, and unfettered by the whole ordeal. Only his black cape fluttered about within a dying breeze. 

"AHAHAHA! Hiro! You’re the ultimate badass!” Makoto yelled, still pointing his revolvers ahead. “No wait! We’re the ultimate badasses! You do not wanna mess with us!”

Sanae's dome barrier faded. She lifted herself off Daichi and tucked a locket of her long hair behind her ear. Even under dim moonlight, her sapphire eyes were still beyond enchanting.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "Not hurt?"

Daichi's heart raced more from her earlier close presence than from the fight. "Y-Yeah! Didn't know you could put up barriers though!"

"They're kind of needed in my line of work," she chuckled. "Good for protecting people in a pinch."

The sound of approaching footsteps turned Daichi's attention forward. Makoto was on his way over from the battlefield with a huge, sly grin. 

“Whatcha' think of our demonstration, kid?” He waved his wooden revolvers around like a giddy child. “We got swords, we got shields, we got sticks, bigger sticks, sharp sticks—all the ball breakers! State of the stick army!"

I think you're freaking nuts . . . Daichi got to his feet with help from Sanae. “Thanks for looking out for me," he told her.

"Mm! You can count on m—"

Without warning, Makoto suddenly pointed his gun at Daichi’s face point-blank. Its tip glowed a ghostly bright green and illuminated everyone nearby.

“Hey! What gives?” Sanae yelled. Abominable anger bubbled on her face as she likely resisted swatting away his arm. 

“This here’s called a revolvewand, kid," Makoto sneered. "Worked hard gathering the materials to craft 'em, but woo-boy were they worth it!”

This guy and his pranks . . . ! Daichi felt paralyzed. The wand gun's sharp tip exerted potent, green sparks that had disorienting effects. Just as it seemed Makoto was about to fire, he pulled his revolvewand back in a dramatic fashion. 

“Clearing Raids is all about comboing with your guildmates, see?" He started pacing around like a lecturer. "These wands got a crazy perk that kicks up crazy dirt easy with every shot! The dust traps up my enemies, while Hiro moves in to slice up anything still standing—plus, it drums up that wild west vibe! Yee-haw!"

Everyone stared with cringe expressions as Makoto struck various cowboy poses with his revolvewands. If there were cameras rolling, he'd already be on the cover of several western movies.

Oh man, thank God. Daichi let out a sigh of relief, aware he could have just died. Then, a tug around his arm and he was being led away by Sanae. She'd locked one of her arms under his.

“Sorry about him,” she said as they walked. “Makoto does weird stuff sometimes, but he won’t hurt you anymore while I’m around."

His heart raced again from her being so close by. Thankfully, she couldn't see his face blushing with nervousness. "I-I'd rather deal with cringe than pranks, haha. Thanks though!"

She turned back to flash a wholesome smile. "If you watch over me, I’ll watch over you.”

'But as long as you watch over me, I’ll watch over you.'

Daichi remembered Hanako’s last words she'd sent him after the hospital visit. What was she doing right now? Her memory felt distant, like an old song whose lyrics were slowly being forgotten. Would she even still care about him when he woke up? Would he? Almost all his thoughts were trained on Sanae now.

With curious eyes, Daichi glanced towards the lavender-haired girl tugging him along. What were the new feelings stirring inside him?

But it was time Lone Star head into the Raid. A wild, desolate frontier approached.