Have You Made Up Your Mind? Are You Really Going to Shoot? / Surprised-And That's All

"Chief, Wyper went down to the White Sea. Those Blue Sea People came up right afterward, but Wyper never returned."

The only woman among the four stepped forward and said anxiously, "We're afraid something happened to Wyper.

"So we've come to ask your permission to leave the village and question those Blue Sea People."

Wyper was their leader. Though he was often rude to the chief, the rest of them respected the old man.

With Wyper gone, the chief had been the first person they thought to seek out.

"Hmm."

The chief lowered his head and thought for a moment. Then he looked up at the woman. "Go. But don't start a fight. We don't know how strong they are. If they really were capable of stopping Wyper, there may be nothing you can do."

His gaze swept over the three men before returning to her. "Laki, whatever happens, remember not to clash with those Blue Sea People. You're the calmest of the group. I want every one of you who leaves to come back."

"Understood, Chief."

Laki nodded, turned, and pulled Kamakiri toward the exit. The other two followed: one wore an army-green coat and a hat that hid his eyes, with a short gun in his hand; the other was a heavyset man, bare-chested beneath a tall, chef-like hat, carrying an enormous cannon barrel. They hurried out of the tent.

Both men had been Wyper's friends since childhood, as well as his trusted subordinates.

They were Braham and Genbo.

Together with Kamakiri, who wore his hair in a mohawk, and Laki, the only woman,

Wyper's four strongest companions had assembled.

Outside the tent stood more than a dozen Shandia, armed with all kinds of weapons.

Every one of them watched the four emerge with an anxious face.

Kamakiri