Martian Archer

Leon clenched his fists, frustration boiling inside him.

No money, no bow. No bow, no academy.

He had escaped Mars, fought his way off the planet, only to hit another dead end.

Maybe I really can't do this...

Just as he was about to leave, the door to Bolt & Feather slammed open.

A group of five men in tattered Martian clothes stormed inside, their faces covered with crude masks. They wielded makeshift weapons-metal pipes, electric prods, even sharpened pieces of scrap metal.

"Alright, old man!" One of them barked. "Hand over the best bows you got!"

Hugo, who had been lazily polishing a bow, froze.

"Oh, dear."

The leader of the gang, a tall man with cybernetic eyes, sneered. "You sit here in this fancy shop, selling overpriced weapons while Martians starve. You owe us, rich boy."

Hugo immediately raised his hands. "Ah, gentlemen, please! Let's not be hasty! I'm just a humble businessman-"

One of the robbers grabbed a bow from the wall and snapped it in half.

"Hasty? You should be thanking us for keeping this fair. You know how many of us can't afford these?"

Leon's stomach twisted.

Martians. Just like him.

But he wasn't about to stand there and watch them destroy the only place that could help him.

"You don't have to do this," Leon said.

The leader turned, looking him up and down. "Hah? Another Martian kid? You just got here, didn't you?"

Leon nodded.

"Then learn something fast. Earth doesn't give a damn about us. They'll spit on you, just like they did to us."

One of the thugs shoved Hugo against the counter. "Hand over the credits or we start smashing."

Leon's eyes darted to the wall behind the counter.

A row of high-tech arrows gleamed under the

shop's lights.

Electric arrows.

He took a deep breath.

Then he moved.

Leon lunged forward, snatching an electric arrow from the display.

Before anyone could react, he grabbed a bow from the counter, nocked the arrow in a single motion, and took aim.

The gang leader spun toward him.

"What the-"

Leon fired.

The arrow shot through the air and struck the metal floor at their feet.

BOOM!

A burst of electricity exploded outward, sending the thieves staggering back as their weapons short-circuited.

Leon wasn't done.

He fired again, this time hitting the leader directly in the leg. The shock sent him collapsing onto the ground, twitching.

The other thieves tried to run-but Hugo, suddenly much braver now that he wasn't the target, pressed a hidden button under the counter.

Heavy metal shutters slammed down, sealing the doors.

"Ohoho! Not so tough now, are we?" Hugo grinned. "You morons picked the worst store to rob."

Leon took a deep breath, lowering the bow.

The gang was finished.

Minutes later, police officers stormed the shop, arresting the thieves.

Hugo dusted himself off, turning to Leon with a smirk.

"Well, well, well. Looks like you're not completely useless."

Leon didn't respond.

His hands were still shaking from the adrenaline.

"I did it..."

But he had no idea what would happen next.