A Knight Struggle

I Take aim and pull the trigger.

BANG

A bullet flied quickly and pierced a bandit head on distance 70 meters. The bandit's body fall down to the ground.

Everyone around the area startled after heard the gunshots from a distance and soon realized that one of bandit has fall down with his head holed up. But, because they're still fighting, they keep attacking the knights without care with a shoot from me.

"Alright next target" I murmured, while took again another bullet, flick the lever down and a bullet casing come out from chamber, I reload again with another bullet, pull up the lever and ready to shoot.

BANG BANG BANG

I repeated again for three times with gap around 9 seconds to take aim. 4 people has died, I could see the knight keep on defensive position, I guess they don't want to take a risk because they must protect the royal family.

BANG BANG

I took another 2 bandits, and this time, they realized every single gunshots means that death for one of their comrades.

With six bandits died and the knights took another 4 bandits, they realized that it is impossible to defeat the knight. Even though they're still has a big amount that the knight, they choose to retreat due to loss half of their comrades and has a big fear from anonymous killer.

All of the bandit fled to the forest, left the knight and another 2 people.

The fight has over and the knights hurry up all the knight checked the two people left that avoided the fighting.

"Alright, everything has controlled I guess?" I thought.

I look up to the sky, the sun is aren't nearly set yet.

"I guess I've plenty of time… should I hunt all the leftovers" I thought. Looking back to the forest where the bandits fled.

"Alright… hope it could decrease number of their attack" I decided. Then I move to the forest where the rest of the bandit run away.

I don't need so much time to find their track, I started to use my detection magic again. I guess they're quite nimble because they've outside my detection magic range in only few minutes.

"They bark like a dog but also running like a coward heh?" I thought.

Following their tracks for one hour, I finally could find their position.

I speed up my movement and spotted them.

In distance 100 meters I could see clearly, then I search the right spot to take a fire.

I decided to hide behind a tree, so I could use stand position without afraid spotted out.

Take cover behind a tree while watch all the bandits, I take out one bullet and load it to the rifle.

Cling Klack Dop

The sound I pull out the lever, load the cartridge and pull back the lever. The rifle has ready to shot again.

While hiding behind a tree, I aiming using stand position and ready to fire.

BANG

The bullet come out from my barrel, go fast to the nearest bandit from me.

Crack

A hit right in his chest, probably hit his ribs.

Losing a balance and then started unconscious, one person has died.

All the bandits quickly react after heard my gunshot and one of their comrade fall to the ground. Only one answer inside their mind. 'It's keep chasing us!'.

Not willing to lose their life, they panicked and running randomly to avoid me.

Unfortunately, I still spot and detect them using my magic so fled away is useless anyway.

BANG BANG BANG

I kept repeated fired them from distance. Even though in the forest, because their fear couldn't detect me, I have a big advantage. Keep they fear without knew where the shooter was, they died one by one.

Until finally the last bandit got shot in his back. All of them couldn't detect me.

"Alright, I think that's all of them" I though after counted all the bandit that I've killed.

I realize that the clouds has orange color. Signed that this is nearly set.

"Let's end the hunt for today" I thought.

Then, I go back to the village, I don't know if the knight still there, but I guess They've arrived to the village.

Right after I could see the village gate, the sun has completely set. I can see the village guards and some people still there.

I arrived at the gate, this time I've clear vision that there are some people, not only my father who on guard duty, but also my mother, and another guards with fighting equipment.

They see me who walk to to them, my mother quickly run to me and hugging me tightly.

"Ohh… Ivy, you made me afraid you know…" Mother afraid something happen to me.

"Ehh… what's wrong mom?" I tried to ask back, even though I know probably because of the knight.

"Your mother afraid because we received some information that royal family got attacked on their way to this village, you mother keep insist to make a party for searching you" My father said while pointing at the knight who arrived first to this village. Look at me still in good condition then he tell other guards that I has arrived.

"Don't worry mom, you knew that your daughter could defeat orcs alone right?" I replied back mother afraid.

"Yes, I know… mom just afraid if you got hurt or injured" Mother said with a little smile and keep hugging me.

"Okay… okay" I replied back with gave a soft hug.

We keep hugging for another while until father break our silence.

"Alright, I think we should celebrate Ivy first solo hunting" Father said with clapped his hand.

"Alright… alright…" Mother feel disturbed with father, but she thought that's right. It's time to celebrate my succession.

***

Then we made a big cuisine for a little party. There are some food, no, so many food.

"Mom… do you think you did to much just for a small celebration?" I asked with a little smile awkwardly. I look at the dish as if glowing inside the dark.

"Why… this is smallest celebration you know?" Mom answered with a smile.

I look to the father, I can see him giving a gesture, 'how I could eat all this food…'

"Nah… you regret it now huh?" I thought on my mind.

"Alright… let's eat now!?" Mom started to dig up.

Followed by me and then father and we finally can dig up all the dish.

"Phew… I'm already full" I said.

"Yeah… same here" Mom said while lean to the chair.

"So… Ivy… what have you did for your first solo hunting?" Father asked to me.

"Nah… just a small hunt…" I answered.

Then I explained how I use the rifle to hunt group of goblins, orcs and also I've gathered some herbs to make a potion.

"Ahh right… I've heard that the knight got help from mysterious helper that help them killed when they suppressed by the bandits… is that your deeds?" Father asked to me, with a suspicious face of course.

Looked my father face. I couldn't lied anything. I just look away from father, try to avoid this topic.

"SO THAT'S YOURS?!" Father shouted to me, he shocked knew about this.

"Ahh… but you know… I keep a distance from them alright… Because I fired from distance more than 100 meters… I could fled away and catch the rest of bandits…" I answered. Ahh, Sh*t, I stacked more troubles.

"YOU EVEN KEEP HUNT THEM?!" This time, mother even shouted at me.

"Ah… Ahahaha…" I just answered awkwardly, I don't have any reason to avoid this topic.

And then they ask me about that part. After few minutes.

"So… you decided to help them?" Father asked to me.

"Yes…" I answered while keep facing down.

Then father look at mother and then look at me again.

"Sigh… Ivy… We don't have any objection if you want to help someone… But you must be careful if you want to help a noble or royal family alright…" Father said.

"Okay…" I answered.

"You know… why we live in this far away village. One of them because a noble but, I think it isn't the right time to tell about this" Father said.

I don't know what's going on between father and mother, but I guess both of them has experienced some bad term with them.

***

Meanwhile in another house in that village, inside chief village, there are a girl who keep thinking about what happen on that day.

"Your highness… I suggest you to not thinking deeply about that's matter" Said a knight with a afraid tone.

"No… I just couldn't understand that there are such a weapon that could kill people in the far distance" The girl still thinking.

She is the princess who scheduled to arrived to this village because the king. Unfortunately, her arrival is late from plan because she and her escorts got ambush by a bandit, luckily, there are a mysterious person who help them using an unidentified weapon that could kill from far distance.

"And you couldn't detect that person presence right?" The princes asked to the knight.

"Yes… My detection magic only could detect for 75 meters…" The knight answered sadly.

"I hope that person from this village. We really need some skill like that to reinforce our kingdom defense, I don't care if that's a children like me or an adult" The princess said.

"Yes, your highness" The knight said.

Unfortunately, not only princess that need her, there are also some people who targeting her.