I Alone Breed Dragons

Chapter 50: Punishment For Robbing My Village

"Throw your purses here, do it now," one of the bandits bellowed, pointing a hunter’s gun at a merchant.

The woman’s hand quivered as she raised her purse, hurling it to the bandit’s feet. The bandits booted the purse, the sound of coins rang.

The size of the purse was medium, but the amount of purses that laid at the middle of the ground could fill tens of chests easily. It was good to see the village was making enough money now due to the roads.

The bandits stooped to pick up the purse. It didn’t take long for the bandit to spot me, positioned at the edge of the market, just standing and watching them as they operated.

His face was masked but I could see his eyebrow knitted on landing on me. "You, what are you doing there. Now throw whatever coins is on you right now."

I swept through the market, the other bandits with guns also, faces masked at other stalls, eight total in number. People laid flat to the ground, or took cover squatting behind stalls.

I took a step forward into the market.

"Hey stop, take another step and I shoot you."

Randal was behind me, he recoiled on hearing the bandit’s words. "Walter, are you sure, you can take a bullet," his tone full of doubt. I didn’t reply, just took another step.

The bandit dropped his gun. "You have a death wish? I’ll grant you one," he cackled. Raised his gun back. Bang. His gun shot.

He dropped his gun back, expecting me to drop dead. His eyes bulged when he saw the opposite.

I stood whole, my palm was raised, blocking my face, the bullet stopped by my hardened ice, only a web crack spread on the ice.

"Magic?" the bandit said.

I lowered my hand, striding up to the bandit as he stiffened in shock. "Tonight I’ll teach you guys a lesson. Keep it to yourselves — it mustn’t leave your lips, but let it serve as a clear warning to anyone who dares rob Farmhills village."

I stood before the bandit in close proximity. His hand went slack on his rifle. Then he clenched his jaw.

"You’re not a god. Everyone, fire at him," he raised his gun back and unleashed in rapid fire, as others joined in.

I raised a barrier of ice, barricading myself from the pelting bullets, each bullet cratered, fractured the ice, on the edge of breaking through.

"You can’t hide behind your magic, you’ll die at the end, you suckers," the bandits were so confident, pressing the trigger on their guns, but their gunshots began to subside, some needing to reload, or gunpowder.

Fear began to seep in, the quivers in their hands, as they reloaded. I could see it all from behind the ice walls. I raised the ice wall, their leader quaked on seeing me advance him quickly. He finished reloading and raised his gun once more, pointed between my eyes.

I caught the mouth of his barrel before he could shoot, and bent the cold steel — easily, with mana enchantment.

The man sucked in breath. I drove my fist into his jaw before he could move, launching him flying. He tumbled on the ground, stopping at the feet of another bandit. He glanced down at their leader.

When he raised his head, I was already standing in front of him. Smack, I hammered him in the guts, his feet left the ground, then I whipped a roundhouse kick, sending him smashing into one of the stalls. He sprawled in the ruins of the wooden shop, unconscious.

’I should be careful, so I don’t end up destroying the market.’

"Shoot," another bandit barked, and two of them squeezed the trigger, two gunshots, sparks erupted from their barrels. I summoned ice and blocked both bullets.

Threw the ice brick, it smashed into one of them head. ’Second one down’, I lunged to the second, lifted a rifle from the ground, using the base to hit him from behind his head.

The rest of the four began to back up, lowering their guns. "You ain’t escaping now. You have punishment to receive," I surged to their midst, they all stiffened, dreaded to even point the guns at me. I swept their faces, wrapped in scarfs, their eyes — I could see it in them, fear.

I backhanded one with my palm. His body pitched to the side, towards a stall. A woman seated there recoiled at the incoming body, but I snagged his shirt before it crashed, yanked back to slam him down to the ground to avoid further damages.

One of them ran, two remained frozen in a spot. I streaked, sweeping him off his feet, struck his jaw, taking him out. I glanced down at the unconscious body, just two left.

Then I heard a scream. "Please, don’t shoot." I whirled around to see a bandit holding his rifle to a woman’s head.

I scowled. "Let her go now."

"Curse you," he snarled. "I’m taking this woman with me and leaving this place, don’t follow me. If I find out you’re — I’ll kill her! He looked at the money, I’m taking the money too, so just turn around and walk away. Move."

I didn’t. I watched as Mrs. Anoya — I remembered her name — sobbed. Tears rolled down her eyes, she tried her best to stay still, but fear took over her as she shuddered.

"That woman you’re holding is a widow and has three children, one still learning how to talk. Let her go now, and your punishment will be lighter."

He thumbed back his rifle. "I’ll shoot if you don’t let me go," frantic to survive.

I needed to be careful, with his hand on the trigger, any attack will cause his finger to squeeze on reflexes, and that would be bad for Mrs. Anoya. Her death would mean three children become orphans.

I kept my eyes locked on the bandit, then suddenly —

Bang! The bandit’s brain exploded, blood sprayed on Mrs. Anoya, she recoiled.

The bandit’s hand slackened, dropping by its side. It dropped to the ground, sprawled motionless, as blood oozed out of his skull.

I never intended to kill any of them, they had a greater purpose than death, but this one in particular deserved it. "Coward," I hissed.

I followed the gunshot to Randall. He gripped a rifle firmly, steadying his breath. He was standing from afar yet hit his mark perfectly. I was impressed, but not totally surprised, since Randall was a hunter, years of hunting games in the forest had honed his aim.

"Good job."

He dropped the rifle. "I guess."

Immediately he raised his rifle back. "Behind you." I pivoted around, a barrel was leveled between my eyes, the last bandit standing, his grip quaked on his rifle, he manufactured a calm stare on me, breath coming in short heaves.

"Come on, do it. Pull the trigger." I jammed my forehead against the barrel, the cold steel to my head.

"Have you ever seen a dead man walking," I maintained my face plain while speaking, "Pull the trigger, and you’ll witness one, and believe me or not, you’ll face far more suffering than the pain you’ll cause me." The aura of mana then began to radiate, enveloping me in supernatural light, which blazed in the dim light of the night. I stared into his eyes. "Now what’s your choice?"