The blast had knocked Benny off his chair and onto the floor.

Disoriented Benny sat up with his glasses all lopsided. He could hear screams and yells but it was hard to see as his glasses got dusty and clouded his vision.

“Tenryu…Cough*…Nia!” Benny coughed, spitting out rubble that got into his mouth.

Hearing no response, he tried to call out to them again.

“Answer me! Tenryu! Nia! Are you guys alright?”

This time one of them answered

“I’m right over here!” says Nia, luckily she was unhurt.

Nevertheless, Benny approached her just to be sure, “Are you okay? You’re not hurt?”

“I’m fine, thanks…” she says, sitting up, “Where’s Tenryu?”

“Blistering Blazes!” shouts Tenryu’s irate voice.

Both of them jolted as they turned towards Tenryu’s voice.

As the dust settled, Tenryu was revealed to have toppled backward over his chair. And in a strange yet comical twist, he was covered in food scraps, probably because the table fell in his direction.

“What the blitz is going on?!” yells Tenryu, brushing off some of the scraps off his hair, “And why am I covered in leftovers?!”

“Can you not see what’s going on around you?”

Benny wiped the dust off his glasses with his sleeve. As soon as he put his glasses back on he could see how bad the damages to the restaurant were. The tables were upturned! Broken plates were everywhere! And the buffet table turned into one messy food display! Someone from the outside was screaming.

“It’s them! It’s the Cactus Gang!”

“Run for your lives!”

Nia looked very alert, “Bandits! They must be the ones that were hiding out in Marble Forest!”

The panic was contagious as fear stared to well up inside Benny.

“Shouldn’t we hide?” Benny couldn’t help but notice his voice quivering in fear.

“What are you saying?” Tenryu stands up, grinning broadly, “Finally some action!”

Benny stared at him in disbelief. “What are you talking about? Isn’t it danger-?”

“Y’all freeze! This here’s a robbery!” Someone shouted from a huge hole where the entrance used to be.

The bandit was wearing old West-style clothes, complete with a cowboy hat, a bandana masking his mouth, as well as spurred boots. He was also holding what looked like a combination of a Tommy-gun and an assault rifle, either way it looked extremely dangerous to Benny. He was accompanied by two others who were wearing the same outfit as he was and also holding similar rifles!

“Listen up y’all! Hand over yer valuables and nobody gets hurt!” The bandit spoke with an old Western drawl to his voice. “And if any of you try to resist…”

He aimed for the ceiling and shot the roof.

Several of the restaurant’s customers screamed fear. Two of the men went approached the customers, with their guns pointing at them and one-by-one, they began robbed the customers.

Tenryu’s hand flew to the hilt of his sword. “I’m gonna grill ’em!”

“Don’t!” Nia quickly grabbed him in the shoulder. “If we attack now they’ll attack the customers or hold them hostage!”

“Then what the blitz are we supposed to do then? I can’t just sit here and do nothing!” snapped Tenryu.

At that same moment, a family of four was approached by a bandit. The father, a well dressed man wielding a crystal-topped cane, stood bravely between the bandit and his family.

“You stay away from my family!”

“Eh? A tough guy, huh?”

The bandit pointed his gun at the man and fired!

The man swished his cane. The crystal on his cane glowed and a blue circular Magic Seal appeared, defending him from the attack.

“Whoa!” Benny stared in awe. “Is that Magic?”

“A Magic user, huh?” the bandit turned towards his gang, “We gotta fighter here!”

The rest of the bandits aimed and open fired at the man. The man’s Defensive Magic managed to protect him but the barrage of attacks was too much for his barrier. Cracks spread throughout the Magic Seal and shattered!

The man was knocked off his feet and fell backwards with his cane rolling away from him.

“Dear!” the wife screamed.

“Daddy!” one of the girls tried to get to her father but her mother held her tight. .

“What a weakling! That sure didn’t last long!” The bandit laughed mockingly.

That guy had his group gang up on the man! Benny glared at him outrage.

The man tried to get up, “Please, I’ll give you my money, just leave my family alone!”

He reached into his coat and held out his wallet.

“Well, thank you very much! Not!”

The bandit snatched the wallet gleefully then cruelly kicked the man in the stomach.

The man crunched up on the floor crouching in pain. His wife stifled a scream in horror. His children were wailing loudly.

The bandit then approached the wife with a greedy look in her neck. Benny could see himself that she was wearing some kind of jeweled pendant.

“Nice necklace! Fork it over lady!” the man pointed his rifle at her

The woman held her children behind her. “No please! It was my grandmother’s!”

“All the more reason to sell it to the highest bidder!” the thief made his hand towards he neck.

“Leave my wife alone!”

The bandit stepped on the man’s arm, who yelled in pain. “Let go or else I’ll shoot yer arm off!”

SMASH!!!

Tenryu had thrown a plate at the bandit’s head.

“Tenryu, what the hell?!” yelled Benny disbelief.

“Why, ya little varmint?!” snaps the bandit in anger. He then aims at him. “Take this!”

But quick as a flash, Tenryu rushed in at such speed that Benny thought that even Ace (or even a motorbike) couldn’t muster! The bandit had not time to retaliate as Tenryu’s fist was planted right in the guy’s stomach! The impact sent the man flying several feet, dropping his gun in the process and landing right in the heaping of debris. Tenryu picked up the gun and amazingly he easily bent it into a knot!

What kind of vitamins Tenryu has been taking? Benny thought.

When the bandit’s companions saw what happened they tried to retaliate

“Yer gonna pay for that!”

They both aimed and fired!

Right away, Benny could tell it was no ordinary bullets! They looked like a pair of glowing cannonball flying right at warp speed. But Tenryu didn’t move to avoid them!

Benny was about to yell for Tenryu to jump for cover, when Nia’s hand grasped his shoulder.

“Don’t interfere! Tenryu can handle himself!”

“What? But-”

Nia nodded towards Tenryu, “Just look.”

In a move quicker than Benny could see clearly, Tenryu had already drawn his sword and slashed. The glowing cannonball-like bullets were sliced in half and flew off in different directions, completely missing Tenryu and crashed into the walls behind him.

Benny hadn’t notice his jaw had dropped until Nia closed it for him.

Even the bandits were stunned that their own jaws were dropping.

“What?”

“Our attacks-”

“-were sliced in half?!”

“Is that all? Well, it’s my turn!” Tenryu holds his sword out in front of him and it burst into bright red flames!

The bandits quickly backed away as they see his sword on fire!

“His sword’s on fire!”

“Don’t tell me…he’s an Adventurer!”

“I’d prefer Swordsmage. But you got that right!” Tenryu’s grin became wider, “And here’s what’s coming to you!”

“Everybody!” shouts Nia, pulling Benny with her behind a table! “Take cover!”

Everyone else began to scramble for cover! The customers had managed to hide behind tables while others managed to jump out of the broken windows. The bandits, who were too close to Tenryu, did not have time to react!

“Flame Dragon Style: Dragon Fang Slash!” yelled Tenryu, as he swung his sword.

A wave of flaming energy erupted from Tenryu’s sword swing. The bandits screamed as the flames engulfed them!

Behind the table, Benny and Nia could feel the intense heat surge around them. As the flames subsided, Benny peeked around the table. A large portion of the restaurant had been scorched. Luckily the customers and bystanders managed to hide behind something solid and that saved them from the flames!

The bandits, however, not so much….

They were still standing when the flames subsided, but they were no different from a badly grilled burger patty. They soon collapsed to their knees and fell to the floor.

There was a stunned silence.

“Is that all? I thought they’d be much more of a challenge!”

Benny blinked at what he saw. “W-What just happened?”

Nia made a sound that seemed between a chuckle and a sigh. “That’s Tenryu for you! He fights first then thinks later! And as usual…” she turns her gaze to the ruined restaurant.

“What power…and the damages!” says Benny, shuddering at the extent of the damage. “Is he even a human or a beast?”

“I heard that!” Tenryu glares at Benny, “I can handle myself you know, so no need to worry about it!”

“That’s now what I meant…”

Suddenly Tenryu heard one of the bandits stirring! It was the one he had punched but he managed to escape being burned by lying on the ground (even though he was already lying there in the first place.)

Tenryu then turned his attention to the man. “You’re asking for more?”

“Ya little varmint…the Boss…is going to make ya pay for this!” The bandit said the words, still clutching his stomach and twitching.

“Boss?” repeats Benny, Tenryu and Nia.

“You mean there’re more of them?”

“What’s taking ya greenhorns so long?” says another Western-drawled voice.

A group of heavily armed men were standing there at the ruined entrance. Once again these guys looked like bandits straight out of an Old West movie. They wore cowboy themed clothes similar to the bandits on the floor. Each of them wore spurred boots and cowboy hats. They were also carrying some kind of rifles that looked a little different as the rifles all had large crystals attached to their barrels. Each of them had a bandana over their mouths, but this time Benny could the drawing of a cactus printed in the cloth.

They were all huge and muscular, apart from the bandit in the middle who stood out among them. Unlike the rest, he wore a ten-gallon hat. He didn’t have a rifle but a pair of pistols that also had some kind of crystal in the handle.

But what really sets him apart is that he was the shortest person Benny had ever seen! In fact, he didn’t even reached the height of Tenryu’s waist!

Benny would’ve found their quite amusing if it weren‘t for the fact that they were real bad guys!

Benny looked at his friends. To his surprise once again, neither of them looked afraid.

Tenryu looked excited and raring to go. His grip tightened the hilt of his sword. Benny thought that even with Tenryu’s flaming sword it were no match for a gun.

Nia’s expression was calculating and tense. It was like she was wondering on how to properly deal with these hooligans.

The short bandit approached one of the fallen bandits.

“Boss!” the bandit on the ground, “I’m sorry…but this kid!”

“Shut yer pothole!”

The man in the ten-gallon hat kicked him aside.

“Hey!” Tenryu shouted, “Isn’t that guy your comrade?!”

Benny sweatdropped upon hearing that, “Weren’t you the one who punched him just now?”

The bandit boss looked at Tenryu, “What’s this? A pipsqueak’s acting all tough?”

Did he just call Tenryu a pipsqueak? Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black? Benny thought.

The bandit on the floor stirred “Boss, listen! This kid’s a-”

“I said shut up!”

The man pulled out a pistol and shot him in the leg. It wasn’t like being shot with a regular gun from his world. The bandit’s leg was enveloped by some kind of swirling wind ball and it exploded. The man screamed in pain before the lead bandit pointed his gun again.

“One more sound and I’ll shoot yer in the head!”

Tenryu, Benny and Nia stared in shock.

Tenryu’s shock however quickly melted into fury!

“STOP THAT!!!” Tenryu yelled in outrage, he practically shouted his words so loudly that the whole town must’ve heard him. “ISN’T HE A FRIEND OF YOURS?!!”

“So noisy!” the man snorted and spat on the floor. “He failed when I gave ‘em the chance to prove himself and now he’s paying the price!”

Instead of sympathizing with their comrade the bandits laughed in agreement.

Tenryu shook in anger. Benny cowered at the sight of him. He never saw something as scary as the look on Tenryu’s face! Benny could not see the resemblance between each other anymore.

Tenryu looked feral almost like a wild beast!

“Uh oh…this is bad.” says Nia, looking worried.

“What is it, Nia?” Benny

“Tenryu has a very low tolerance level so things are gonna get nasty.”

As she said that, Benny could feel waves of heat coming from where Tenryu stood. Tenryu’s grip on his sword tightened,

“Why don’t you all shut up and show me what you’re made of?!”

The bandits found one boy fighting back against a group of armed bandits rather ridiculous and laughed.

“Fight back? You?!” He laughed as though this were this stupidest joke he had ever heard.

“This kid’s the one who’s talking big!”

“Why don’t you go home and play with your toys!”

The short bandit spat again.

“It’s clear you don’t know who you’re messing with little boy.”

While all the other bandits were large and muscular, he was easily the shortest and scrawniest of the lot. But it was clear to anyone that he was the boss.

“I’m Cactus Hun and we’re the Cactus Gang!”

“Cactus Hun?” breathes Nia. “I’ve heard of him!”

“You do?” Benny whispers back.

“Yes, I hear he and his gang has been robbing towns and villages all across the Sixth District. The Magister of the Sixth District has already issued a large bounty for their capture!”

“They have a bounty on their heads?!” exclaims Benny.

If people are so desperate to put a bounty on these guys, then these guys are dangerous!

Cactus Hun aimed his gun at Tenryu. “And as you can see we’re armed and dangerous! So why don’t you be a good little boy and sit back in the corner where little boys like you belong?”

The emphasis on the “little” was pretty obvious. It was clear to Benny that this bothered Cactus Hun, so he was hoping beyond hope that Tenryu wouldn’t insult the man in regards to his-

“What’s with all the “little” taunting? You’re shorter than I am, Shorty!”

Benny felt a huge block of iron stamped with the word “faux pas” just fell on his head.

The bandits stopped laughing. They were now looking at their boss in fear. Something seemed off. Why would these huge guys be afraid of someone who was a little as Cactus Hun, Benny thought. In fact, why was this guy their leader in the first place?

Cactus Hun was now turning a deep color of puce just like Tenryu’s hair.

“Why…ya little…”

“Did I touch a nerve, you cowboy short-stuff?” Tenryu taunted.

Nia slapped her forehead, “That idiot!”

“Tenryu!” groaned Benny.

“Oh, you’re a wise guy, huh? Alright, you asked for it!” Cactus Hun turned to his bandits, “What are ya’ll waiting for? Shoot ‘em!”

That’s when the bandits began to open fire. Sensing that it was too many for him to handle, Tenryu quickly jumped out of the way and hid behind a toppled table right next to where Benny and Nia were hiding!

“HA! Where’s yer bravado now?!” Cactus Hun laughed. “Don’t stop firing! Keep shooting ’em till they’re good as dead!”

“Nia!”

“I’m already on it!”

Nia grabbed her umbrella. She tapped it on the ground and an orange colored Magic Seal appeared!

“Rock Wall!”

A wall of earth erupted from the ground and thankfully shielded them from all their attacks!

“What? One of them is a Magician too?!”

“Doesn’t matter!” roared Cactus Hun, “Keep firing!”

“Blast it! He’s not even firing! He’s letting his grunts do all the work!”

“You’re the one who angered him!” snaps Benny, “Now what are we going to do?”

Tenryu shook his head, “How should I know?”

“We have a problem.” says Nia peering from behind the table. “I’m pretty sure those rifles are different from the other bandits. They must have the I.R.M. feature.”

“Blast it! That of all things?” cursed Tenryu.

“The I.R.M. feature?” asked Benny.

“It’s the Instant Reload Feature. It’s a recent development for Guns-type Magic Tools. They can fire their guns continuously without manually changing the Magitite cartridge in their weapons due to the new mechanism that easily switches used cartridges with another while the used ones charge up.”

“Kinda like a machine gun?”

“Blast it! How long are we going to wait?” Tenryu gritted his teeth impatiently.

“Can’t you guys use your Magic to stop them?” asks Benny as a large energy bullet just passed between their tables.

Nia’s hand was at the handle of her umbrella, “I can’t use my Nature Manipulation Magic unless I am near a plant to invoke it! I could use my Earth Magic but there are innocent people still out there…” She turned her gaze in dismay towards a group a potted plants that were clearly out of her range.

Benny looks at Tenryu who was gritting his teeth in frustration. Though Tenryu is no doubt powerful but Benny deduced he was basically a close combatant. If he jumps in there with his sword he’ll but shot into Swiss cheese.

So they were technically sitting ducks!

Thankfully, the rock shield was sturdy enough to defend them against the bullets but even they seemed to have reached their limit. Benny felt his hand brushed on something on the ground. He looked down to find the three flasks Nia showed him earlier. Luckily, all the flasks seemed to be intact and sealed. As he looked at the flasks an idea came to his mind! He was just not sure it was a brilliant one.

“Nia, these are for offensive use right?” Benny held the flask with red powder in it.

“Yes, but it’s useless unless you can get near enough to throw it at them!”

“I have an idea.”

Benny quickly rummaged his bag and found the elastic wristband that Ace gave him awhile back! Using a trick Ace had taught him by hooking his fingers with the wrist band, Benny carefully placed the flask in the garter.

“What are you doing?” says Tenryu.

“Making an improvised slingshot!” says Benny pulled on the elastic. “We can shoot this flask at them even from this distance!”

“But don’t you need to look at where you’re aiming?” asks Nia.

“All I have to do is use a little physics and a little perfect timing! Now this will be our chance!”

From the looks of their faces they did not get a single word he was saying.

“Look! I don’t know if this will really reach them or not, but if broken this will still release a cloud of powder, right?”

Nia’s eyes seemed to glitter with understanding. “I see! So that’s what you mean?”

“He means what? What do you mean?” asks Tenryu looking at them both, still not getting it. “How’s a bottle of dust supposed to help?”

“It’s not dust!” both Benny and Nia chided him.

Benny and Nia looked at each other surprised for a moment.

Benny shook his head and explained further, “The cloud of powder can distract them long enough to give you two an opening for a counter-attack! Maybe it can take some of them down in the process!”

“I still don’t get it!” said Tenryu to which both Benny and Nia sweatdropped.

“He really is slow in the uptake, huh?” says Benny.

“You have no idea…”

Tenryu glared at them both, “Very funny, don’t you have something to do Benny?”

“Right, you two get ready!”

Benny position himself holding one end of the elastic wristband and holding the other with the flask in it. Remembering where exactly the bandits where and judging the trajectory of his aim, he aimed upward. Praying that his calculations were correct, he released the garter!

Whoosh!

The flask was sent flying in the air and flying towards one of the bandits. When the bandit saw what was coming to him, he aimed and shot right at it!

They heard a breaking of a glass and the bandits stopped their shooting. They could also hear a loud yell of pain.

“Move back! Move back!”

“What’s wrong ya? Quit hopping around!” snapped one of the bandits.

“It itches! It itches! It itches!” the bandit screamed, a sound of intense scratching could be heard.

“Ya pea-brained idiot!” one of the bandits was yelling but at the same time sounded as though he were in pain, “What were you thinking shooting at that thing?!”

“It was flying at me!”

“What the heck was that?!”

“What in tarnation? What’s going on with yer face?!” yelps a bandit.

“Aaargh!!!” yelled another.

Benny peeped around the table. He saw not just one but five of the bandits completely covered in deep red and oozing rashes. Benny tried not to throw up his lunch but at the same time he couldn’t help but admire the effects that little flask held!

“Nice shot, Benny!” grinned Tenryu, gripping his sword. “Now it’s time to get things heated up!”

“Now’s your chance, move!” breathed Nia.

He didn’t need telling that as Tenryu had leapt from behind the table and rushed in at the bandits with his sword ablaze! The bandits where completely caught off-guard and were too late to notice when Tenryu already reached them.

“Flame Dragon Style: Triple Claw Slash!” Tenryu slashed his sword and struck down one bandit. “Flame Dragon Style: Blitz Claw!”

Tenryu struck down several more bandits! Benny watched from behind the rock in amazement. It was amazing watching the whole action take place! Compared with Tenryu’s demonstration earlier this morning, seeing a real Magician (or Swordsmage) fight was a sight to see! Even though he couldn’t help but worry for Tenryu’s safety. And speaking of other’s safety, Benny noticed a couple who were still cowering in fright behind a table. They must’ve been trapped in the crossfire unable to escape!

“Benjamin, where are you going?” Nia says to Benny when she saw him trying to sneak away.

“There are still people trapped here! We need to help them escape!”

“I’ll help you!” says Nia,

“No! You have to go to the plants on the side. Then you can use your Magic to help Tenryu out and take out those bandits!”

“But…Wait!”

Nia tried to make a grab for Benny’s arm but he already made his way towards the trapped people. He noticed that they weren’t the only ones as there were more people than he thought that were caught in the crossfire! They could get hurt if a shot misfires! Benny wished he could use Magic like his new friends. He wasn’t even that good at hand-to-hand combat or any other physical activity!

A key to surviving any bad situation was strategy and quick thinking! Benny surveyed the area just now and was able to quickly form an evacuation plan in his head! Benny quickly wove his way around the tables, careful not to attract the attention of the bandits. He approached the first pair of customers nearest to them.

“Follow me!” he says to them as he quickly explained to them that his friend will keep the bandits busy while he helps them escape! Though they looked scared they followed him nonetheless and snuck by the bandits.

Benny quickly ushers them towards the nearest exit: a large broken window. After he helped them through the window, he quickly moved onto the next group hiding behind a pillar. Seeing what Benny was doing, they followed him as well and escape through the window.

Nia watched him wonder as he moved from one to another to help the bystanders escape. Usually people would be too frightened to move in a situation like this. In fact, she thought Benny was albeit panicky awhile ago. It was strange how he somehow just “forgot” being afraid as his concern shifted towards others. Deciding to trust Benny on what he had to do, she gave him a brief smile before she quickly headed towards the potted plants on the sides.

Benny quickly did what he could do. He made sure he and the customers avoided attracting attention as he helped them escape through the window. Luckily, Tenryu was doing his own thing (and defeating every foe he can) was working well to his strategy. The bandits tried to retaliate but Tenryu was quick for them as he quickly jumped into their ranks and slashed at their rifles. The rifles quickly melted at where they were slashed causing the bandits holding them to drop them in shock.

“Our guns!” the bandit looked in disbelief at his melted weapon.

“Don’t tell me this kid’s a-”

“An Adventurer!” shouts Cactus Hun.

“Swordsmage!” corrects Tenryu.

The bandit from earlier groaned. “That’s what I was trying to tell ya!”

“Ya should’ve said so!” Cactus Hun growled at him.

“C’mon! Is that all you got!” Tenryu was grinning widely as he slashed down some more of them. The other bandits pulled out machetes and daggers.

“Well, that’s new. But if you’re gonna fight me with blades, let’s see you try!”

“Get him!” they yelled.

SMASH!

A glass vial had flown in the air and smashed right at them! Nia had aimed another vial, this time it was the vial containing the green and yellow glitter glue-like substance! The contents went spraying onto the rest of the bandits. Just as Nia describe its effects, soon enough the bandits started break out in boils!

Tenryu managed to avoid getting splashed with potion by leaping away just in time.

“Watch where you throwing that! You nearly got some on me!” yelled Tenryu.

“You’re welcome for saving your hide!”

“And don’t interfere…These guys are mine!”

However, Tenryu did not notice that several of them had managed to sneak behind him!

As Benny helped a little girl through a window and into the arms of her mother, he saw the bandits closing in on him. Even though it would give him away, Benny was about to shout for Tenryu to look out! That’s when suddenly, a gigantic wooden hand, similar to the one before fell upon them and pounded them like a chef crushing garlic! It also generated a force that knocked Tenryu off his feet! Benny saw that wooden hand was connected to a shrub. Nia was directly beside it, she was holding her umbrella aloft with its crystal tip glowing brightly!

“She’s an Adventurer too!” one of the bandits yelled.

“Hey! I just said these guys are mine!” Tenryu yelled in annoyance.

Nia frowned, “Is that how you thank someone who just saved you? And you might want to look beside you!”

On that note, Tenryu quickly turned and managed to block a bandit aiming a machete at him.

“Too slow!” says Tenryu as he slashed, knocking the machete of bandit’s hand. He then clenched his fist and gave the man a left hook to the jaw!

Meanwhile, the rest of the bandits decided to go for Nia.

“She’s just a little girl! Go after her!”

“Get her!”

Some of the bandits rushed in at Nia.

“Get this you brutes!”

Nia waved her umbrella towards them.

Several more shrubs began extending their branches in rapid pace! It was like someone had poured instant growth fertilizer in them! The branches twisted together and formed a forest of gigantic wooden knuckles!

At the sight of this the bandits froze in their tracks!

Nia has her Wand pointing towards the bandits, “Hundred Knuckle Forest!”

The wooden fists began punching the bandits in rapid succession. A large number of them were pummeled into the floor and beaten to a pulp! Several of them, however, managed to avoid getting hit by the wooden knuckles and were now approaching Nia. But Nia waved her Wand downward, a potted bonsai exploded and its roots quickly dug through the floor!

“Natural Pillory!” says Nia, with an upward twirl of her Umbrella.

In a flash, roots began shooting out of the floor and entangled the bandits before they could get any closer!

Benny stared at her completely in awe. For someone who is supposed to specialize in healing, Nia is quite skilled in the offensive.

Knowing he had little more to go, Benny quickly headed for the last group of people caught in the crossfire: the family with the injured father. They were pretty near to the fighting area now and one wrong move can alert the bandits to their presence.

“Are you all alright?” Benny said in a low voice.

The woman looked at him franticly, “Please! Help my husband!”

Benny could see for himself that the man wasn’t okay! Benny thought it was the injury earlier when the bandit gave him in the stomach, but Benny saw a small pool of blood on the floor. It was clear that during the crossfire, the man was clearly hit by a stray bullet on his leg!

Seeing Benny was not on the side of the Bandits, the father grasped for his hand, “Please, take my family and get them out of here!” He winced as he tightened his hand over his leg.

“No! Dear, I don’t want to leave you!”

“No!”

“Daddy!”

Their two girls were crying, clearly they don’t want to leave their father either.

“I don’t want any of you to get hurt! You have to get out of here now and leave me! I’ll just slow you down!” says the man in agitation.

“Nobody’s is going to get left behind here!” Benny says urgently, quieting them down. He quickly reached into his bag and pulled out a first-aid kit he always carried. “We better treat that wound and splint it up…”

“Are you a Remedician?”

Remembering that word was akin to a doctor, Benny glanced back at Nia who was one. He did not know how wounds like these were treated in this world. Nia could help this guy up but she was rather busy at the moment. Luckily Benny remembered studying first-aid in Physical Education Class.

“No, but I do know first-aid!” says Benny as he pulls out a first-aid kit out of his bag. He couldn’t tell if they knew what he was saying or not but decided to trust him on that as well.

Benny quickly searched around.

He found a long piece of a broken he could use for a splint. He then took out some disinfectant and antibiotic on the wound and cleaned it with a piece of gauze. The man shuddered and gasped in pain but kept quiet. His wife and two daughters kept their eyes on what Benny was doing. It did not help his nerves that he had an audience. Benny was already hard pressed to treat the guy and still think of a way to help him and his family out of here, plus worrying about an ongoing battle just a few feet away. The wound was still pretty deep and fresh blood kept trickling. The gauze he had wasn’t enough to staunch the wound.

Benny reached into his bag to find a spare handkerchief when he spots the healing ointment Nia gave him. It was stuck between the pages of the book. Remembering how it instantly healed up his wounds, he quickly took it out and slathered some on the man’s wound. Immediately, to Benny’s relief (and the man’s as well) the wound had started close up. The deeper part of the wound was still there but the rest of the surrounding flesh had staunched and stopped bleeding. Benny grabs a bandage from the first-aid kit and starts wrapping the wound. He then grabs the wooden stick and makes a splint.

“That will do for now but we still have to get you out of here! Can you get up?”

“I think so...” the man’s voice sounded stronger which also brought relief to his family. “But I’m in no shape to run…”

Benny already realized that there was no way he could get this guy to the window. The opening was too narrow and with that injured leg there was no room to easily slip out without alerting the bandits. He needed think of another way out. Benny searched around for another exit and his attention fell on the doorway behind the bar! They can use that! There had to be a backdoor in this joint!

“We’ll use the back door! We have to be quick though.” Benny whispered to them as he packed all the material back into the bag.

He then caught sight of a long stick with a crystal top. It was the man’s Magic cane!

He didn’t know why but Benny snatched up the cane as he supported the man on one arm. The man’s wife quickly ushered their daughters. Benny hoped that the racket Tenryu and Nia were making was enough a distraction.

In careful but hurried steps, Benny led the family through the sides. Things were going well as they nearly reached the bar. He was sure they were going o make it when a bandit came zooming in the air and barely missed them. The man was already unconscious but it did give them quite a shock.

Unfortunately, it scared the youngest daughter who was at the breaking point already. She started bawling out loud. And that brought unwanted attention.

“There’s someone over at the bar!” someone from the bandit group yelled.

Benny felt his blood grow cold.

“Oh shoot!” Benny cursed.

“They’re trying to escape!”

“Shoot them down!”

The bandits who weren’t fighting Tenryu and Nia had aimed their rifles right at them.

“No!” cried Nia. She tried to send some plant arms to tackle down the bandits.

Tenryu also saw the situation. He slashed away the bandits he was fighting with and shot a flaming ball of fire towards the bandits. Even though Tenryu and Nia’s spells quickly took down the bandits…

Unfortunately, they were too late! Some of them had already fired some initial shots!

It was like a video in slow motion. Like the climax wherein the protagonist was about to suffer a deathblow but was saved in the last minute. But this wasn’t a movie, it was the real thing! Benny was sure those cannonball-like bullets were going to be the end of him! He wasn’t the only one who was going down. The family he was trying to save was going to suffer the same fate!

At that moment Benny wished for a miracle. Not for himself…but to saved the family in the very least.

Benny felt his arm moved. As though it were a reflex, he pointed the cane.

The crystal glowed with soft golden light!

Just as those attacks were about to hit Benny and the family a glowing, gold-colored Magic Seal appeared! It appeared transparent, almost glass-like! It was a large circle with many intricate markings and symbols within several smaller circles.

The attacks slammed right at the barrier making a loud sound like an amplifier muffled by surrounding wall, but otherwise did not penetrate the barrier. It seems it was stronger than the one this man generated. The whole fighting seemed to have gone into a standstill. The barrier itself was emitting a glowing light that caught everyone’s attention.

The loud sounds snapped Benny from his reverie.

Realizing the opportunity, Benny had turned his attention to the momentarily stunned family.

“Let’s hurry to the back!”

His words also had the same effect. It snapped them out of their reverie. Benny quickly ushered them onward. Thankfully, the barrier followed them as they walked.

“Stop right there!”

A bandit fired a shot but again the barrier blocked the attacks.

Angered that the bandit tried to attack them again, Tenryu aimed a blazing sword attack on him!

“You’re going to pay for that! Flame Dragon Style: Blitz Fang Blade!” roared Tenryu as he slashed and took down the bandit.

Again the fighting resumed.

Nia was also momentarily stunned by the sudden appearance of the barrier but she regained her focus and fought back the bandits coming towards her. She twirled her umbrella, causing the flowers to shoot their petals like a machine gun! Even though they were just petals, it was clearly from the expression of her foes that those flowery projectiles were clearly very painful!

Benny and the family finally reached the bar! He quickly ushered them through the backdoor! And just in the nick of time too!

The cane stopped glowing. The barrier faded away as they made it through door closed.