Chương 3: The Wild West

It wasn't long before the scenery began to change. The lush greenery of the forest gave way to dusty, sun scorched trails. In the distance, a town unlike any Mochi had seen before came into view. Wooden buildings with swinging saloon doors and a water tower looming overhead gave the area a distinct, rugged charm. As he entered the town, Mochi felt a strange sense of unease. The streets were empty eerily so. Not a single person was in sight.

The only sounds were the creak of the saloon doors swaying in the breeze and the faint whistle of the wind.

"Hello?" Mochi called out, his voice echoing across the empty town.

"Is anyone here?" Before he could take another step, a hand shot out from the shadows, grabbing him by the arm and yanking him into a nearby building. Mochi stumbled inside, blinking in the sudden darkness.

"Hey! What's the big idea?" The lights flickered on, revealing a room packed with people. All eyes were on him, their expressions a mix of fear and frustration.

"What the hell were you thinking kid!?" a man barked, stepping forward. He was older, with a weathered face and a stern gaze.

"Yelling out in the open like that are you brain dead?" Mochi frowned, brushing himself off.

"HEY! I was just trying to find someone, I was confused when I was nobody in this town.." The man sighed, his shoulders slumping.

"Listen, kid. You need to leave. This place isn't safe for you."

"Why not?" Mochi asked, crossing his arms. The man gestured for Mochi to sit. Once he did, he said..

"First off my name is James.. I am the Ex Sherriff of this town" Mochi said with a confused look "Ex? What happened?" James explained, "You see.. This town used to be peaceful. Until Drago showed up a few years back, he's a terrifying member of the legendary dragon race. Now, he claims this place as his own, and no one's allowed outside after 6 PM. Why? He does it for the love of the game.. And don't get me started on if he catches you…" The man trailed off, his expression grim.

"What happens if he catches someone?" Mochi pressed. The man's voice dropped to a whisper.

"Let's say they'll be in for a world of pain." Mochi's heart sank.

"That's terrible. Why don't you all just leave?"

"We can't" the man said calmly The man lifted his pant leg, revealing a device strapped to his ankle.

"Because of this. Drago forced us to wear these, if we try to leave town, it explodes. No one's ever made it out alive." Mochi clenched his fists.

"Then I'll help. I'll take down Drago... I can't stand by and watch you guys live your live in misery like this, it isn't fair!" The room erupted in murmurs, disbelief evident in their faces. The man shook his head violently.

"You're insane, kid. Drago's a one man army. Not even our strongest fighter can take him down and she's a power house."

"Then I'll fight your strongest fighter," Mochi declared, his grin brimming with confidence.

"If I win, you'll believe I can help you guys out." The man stared at him for a long moment..

"Fine... have it your way then" before calling out, "Amelia!" A few moments later, a girl with long blue hair and light yellow eyes descended the stairs. Her expression was calm but confident as she approached.

"You called James?" She said calmly"This is Amelia," the man said.

"She's the strongest in town, and even she couldn't beat Drago. If you can even stand a chance against her, maybe you two can defeat him together." Amelia crossed her arms.

"You sure about this? You want to help us?" Mochi grinned.

"Absolutely." James said "You two follow me" James led Mochi and Amelia down a set of stairs into a hidden training room. The space was small but functional, with a circular arena in the center and walls reinforced with metal plates. James said.

"The rules are simple," he explained.

"If you're knocked out of the circle, you're out. The match will last one minute. Think you can handle it?" Mochi smirked, stepping into position.

"I'm sure.." The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Amelia stretched her arms saying "You sure have some confidence, I'll warn you I wont go easy because you're kind" Mochi grinned saying "I don't want you to anyways if I'm going to take you down.. I'll do it with you at full power! A whistle blew, and Amelia dashed forward without hesitation. Mochi grinned, meeting her halfway. Their fists collided with a sharp crack, the force reverberating through the room.

"They're evenly matched!" James muttered, wide eyed. Mochi and Amelia exchanged blows at a rapid pace. Mochi launched a quick punch aimed at Amelia's ribs, but she sidestepped and retaliated with a swift kick to his side. He blocked it with his arm, sliding back a few steps but staying within the circle.

"You're strong!" Mochi said, excitement gleaming in his eyes.

"You haven't seen anything yet," Amelia replied with a smirk. Mochi leaped back, cocking his arm as flames began to swirl around it.

"Let's see how you handle this! I named this one myself... MAGIC SKILL: BURNING MOCHI!" he shouted, hurling the fiery attack directly at her. Amelia stood her ground, crossing her arms as golden light surrounded them.

"Magic skill: Cracker wall!" she called out. A shimmering wall of hardened magic materialized just in time to block the attack. The explosion rocked the room, sending dust and debris flying everywhere. When the smoke cleared, Amelia remained unharmed, her shield fading into nothingness. Mochi's eyes widened.

"What? That didn't even touch you!" Amelia smirked.

"That's the difference between raw power and ultimate defense." Before Mochi could launch another attack, the timer buzzed loudly, signalling the end of the match. Both fighters froze in place, breathing heavily as the tension faded. As they stepped out of the ring, Amelia approached Mochi.

"I have to admit, you were much better than I expected," she said with a smile.

"Thanks, you were too! I wasn't expecting you to be so powerful!," Mochi replied, scratching the back of his head. Amelia smiled saying "So...?"

"So?" Mochi replied confused..

"You haven't even told me your name, you know mine from James' introduction but I don't know yours." Mochi said "Oh, you're right.. my name is Mochi, nice to meet you Amelia!" Amelia gave a warm smile"Anyways.." Mochi said"What was that back there? You just brushed my attack off like it was nothing!" Amelia chuckled.

"Looks like you don't know much about magic skill types, huh?" Mochi with a confused expression said.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"There are three types of magic skills," Amelia explained.

"Offensive, Defensive, and Support. Every mage falls into one of those categories. Offensive types like you specialize in attacks that deal massive damage. Defensive types like me are all about resilience and barriers. Then there are Support types, who use magic to heal or enhance their allies or themselves." Mochi nodded slowly, taking it all in.

"So… I'm an Offensive type?"

"Obviously," Amelia said, crossing her arms.

"Your Burning Mochi attack? That's pure firepower. But power alone won't get you far if you don't understand the other types. Defense and strategy matter just as much as offense." Mochi looked thoughtful.

"Guess i've got a lot to learn."

"You sure do," Amelia said, walking past him.

"But you've got time. Get some rest. Tomorrow, after 6 PM, we'll go after Drago. That's when he's most active."

"Got it," Mochi said, determination sparking in his eyes James watch smiling saying "they've become friends so quickly.. I feel bad for Amelia.. since she never gets to keep her friends anyways" James called the two over "HEY YOU TWO! Let's eat okay?" Mochi and Amelia smiled saying "Coming!" The small wooden table creaked as the three sat around it. A simple meal of bread, stew, and roasted vegetables rested between them.

Outside, the village was unusually quiet, the fear of Drago keeping everyone indoors long before sunset. James took a bite of his food before looking over at Mochi.

"So, kid," he said, leaning back in his chair.

"Why are you travelling around on your own anyway? Most people your age aren't wandering through dangerous lands." Mochi swallowed his food and scratched the back of his head.

"Well, in two weeks there's a tournament I'm entering."

"A tournament?" James asked. Mochi nodded.

"Yeah. I'm part of a guild called the Voyagers. My guild master, Thomas, wants me to participate. Right now we're doing this little experiment." James raised an eyebrow.

"What kind of experiment?" Mochi smiled.

"Thomas thinks there's more than one way to get stronger. So while Ace is training directly under him, I'm travelling around the world. The experiment is basically figuring out what's more effective—having a master teach you, or having the outside world become your master." James let out a chuckle.

"Hah! That's actually pretty interesting. Sounds like a fun way to train."

"I'm not really sure," Mochi admitted.

"I've just started this morning but I can already tell it's going to be fun!." Across from him, Amelia quietly stirred her stew.

"I wish..." she muttered. Both boys looked over.

"I wish I could go out and travel too just like you." Her voice softened as she glanced down. One of her legs swung gently beneath the table before stopping. Her eyes settled on the metal device strapped around her ankle.

"It's been so long since I've seen the outside world." For a moment, the room fell silent. Mochi looked at her and smiled.

"Don't worry, Amelia." She glanced up.

"Tomorrow we'll defeat Drago and free everyone, I promise!." Amelia's expression didn't change.

"How can you be so sure?" Mochi blinked.

"Huh?"

"Sure, there's two of us now," she said.

"But I've experienced his power first hand. Drago is pure evil. He's stronger than anyone in this village. Worst case..." Her hands tightened around the spoon.

"We both die." The room grew quiet again. James looked away uneasily. Mochi stared down at the table for a few seconds. Then he slowly clenched his fist.

"When I was sparring with Thomas..." Amelia looked at him.

"He told me something." Mochi raised his head, his eyes calm.

"He said that courage isn't believing you'll win." The candlelight flickered across his face.

"It's moving forward even when losing is a possibility." Amelia remained silent. Mochi smiled.

"Maybe you're right. Maybe Drago is stronger." He looked toward the dark window.

"Maybe tomorrow he'll knock me down." His fist tightened.

"Maybe he'll break every bone in my body." Then he looked back at Amelia.

"But if I give up before the fight even starts..." His smile widened.

"Then I've already lost." Amelia stared at him for several seconds. The fear in her eyes didn't disappear. But for the first time in a long while... It felt a little smaller. James let out a laugh.

"You really are crazy, kid." Mochi grinned.

"That's what everyone keeps telling me." A tiny smile finally appeared on Amelia's face.

"... Yeah." For the first time that night, the three continued eating in peace, while outside the village slept beneath the shadow of tomorrow's battle.