The innkeeper stared blankly at Ghislain, and the knights and hunters around them blinked in disbelief. Normally, people either paid for a room or left; who ever heard of "taking over" an inn? Ghislain clicked his tongue, looking irritated. “What are you waiting for? Pack up and clear out, all of you.” The innkeeper was dumbfounded. Did this man even understand what he was getting himself into? Maybe he thought numbers were enough to pull this off. Testing Ghislain, he asked, “Do you even know who I am?” “Why would I care about that?” Ghislain replied, as if he were stating the obvious. At that, the innkeeper burst out laughing, followed by the nearby hunters. “Is he nuts?” “He must be fresh meat if he doesn’t know who he’s dealing with.” “This is what happens when clueless hotshots show up,” one hunter said, still chuckling. Kaor glanced at the others, then asked Ghislain, “What are you doing here, exactly?” “Securing a place to stay.” “Oh, so you’re a bandit now? Well, you could’ve at least warned me—I’d have mentally prepared myself,” Kaor muttered, almost amused. Kaor had once been infamous as the “Mad Dog” in his mercenary days, known for his wild temper and tendency to cause trouble. But even at his lowest, he’d never stooped to outright robbery; his pride wouldn’t allow it. Ghislain responded with a casual shrug. “Are you scared?” Kaor bristled. “No, I’m not!” Ghislain smirked. “They’re bandits themselves, Kaor.” “...Really?” “This whole place is a lawless zone. It didn’t start like this, but someone took it, then someone else took it from them, and so on. Look around. Does this look like a regular inn to you?” At Ghislain’s words, Kaor and the knights examined their surroundings. The old, decrepit inn had countless dried bloodstains all around. Seeing this, Kaor narrowed his eyes and nodded. “‘No killing,’ huh? I’m sure that’s just a formality. With so many criminals here, it’s hard to believe there’s no bloodshed. Some may not die officially, but unofficially, that’s a different story.” The knights cracked their necks, warming up as they noticed the suspicious glares from the hunters around them. The innkeeper, laughing until now, spoke up, “Ten gold per person.” Ghislain raised an eyebrow. “For the room? That’s steep. Is it because we’re new here?” “No, that’s the price of your lives,” the innkeeper said with a smug grin as he rang a small bell in front of him. The faint sound of bells echoed from the upper floors. Moments later, numerous hunters began filing down the stairs, weapons drawn. Trapdoors in the floor opened as even more emerged from below. The innkeeper eyed them and spoke to his men. “Put the blades away. Kill this many, and the kingdom’s bound to intervene. Just beat them senseless and toss them outside. Take anything valuable.” Even here in this lawless zone, there were rules. Excessive violence could destabilize the place, which wouldn’t benefit anyone in the long run. For this reason, the hunters were careful to keep some semblance of order, though they were ruthless about enforcing their own version of it. And when newcomers disrupted that order, they made an example out of them. About two hundred hunters surrounded Ghislain and his knights, filling the spacious first floor. Smirking, the innkeeper addressed Ghislain. “Look, I can tell you’re some noble. But if you want to avoid lifelong shame, you might want to pay up. Or we can settle this the hard way.” Most of these hunters had trained in real combat, earning their skills in countless battles. They weren’t the average foot soldiers; many were at least at a quasi-knight level, with some even able to wield mana. Ghislain surveyed the crowd, then let out a chuckle. With a loud crash, he smashed the innkeeper’s head onto the bar’s wooden countertop, shattering it. The innkeeper slumped, blood streaming from his forehead as he lost consciousness. The hunters froze. Ghislain turned to the others and spoke, almost disappointed. “What? I thought we were starting.” Kaor let out a hearty laugh, realizing why his lord had brought him here. This place suited him perfectly. After spending time in the well-mannered environment of Ghislain’s domain, he’d tried to follow their example, adopting their values. But he didn’t need to. The Mad Dog should act like a Mad Dog. Even he had his own role to play. Embracing his true self, Kaor kicked a nearby hunter and shouted, “Come on, you bastards! Bring it on!” The hunters snapped out of their shock and lunged forward. “Take them down!” Bam! Chaos erupted as the two groups collided, breaking furniture and shattering anything in their path. The knights swung chairs and whatever they could get their hands on, their mercenary instincts kicking in. This was familiar territory for them. Crack! “Ugh! Who the hell are these guys?” Despite outnumbering them, the hunters began to falter. The knights, unlike ordinary soldiers, could all wield mana. But the hunters were no pushovers. Used to fighting monsters, they formed tight ranks, some holding off the knights while others launched coordinated attacks. Blow after blow, the knights sustained bruises and minor injuries as the brawl intensified. Ghislain, meanwhile, stood to the side, watching with a satisfied smile. “Good. This counts as training. Plus, it’s a quick way to establish connections with the hunters and secure a base.” To stay here for any length of time, it was essential to establish authority, and this skirmish served Ghislain’s purpose perfectly. Wham! Wham! Wham! “Damn it, you freaks! Do you know where you are?” “I don’t care! Just die already!” The fight became even more brutal as both sides refused to relent. Without lethal weapons, some would get up after being knocked down, fueling the intensity of the battle. One by one, limbs broke, and more and more fighters fell, incapacitated. Kaor was particularly outstanding. He fought like a madman, flooring everyone who came at him. His right eye was swelling shut, and blood trickled down the back of his head, but he continued without hesitation, relishing the brawl. Savagely, he stomped on fallen opponents, bit into necks, and broke limbs without mercy. This was the Mad Dog in his element. Bloodied and grinning, Kaor’s ruthless attacks made some of the hunters start to back away in horror. “What’s with this guy? He’s a damn savage.” “Are they actual knights?” “Fall back! We need to regroup!” The remaining hunters scrambled toward the door. But they stopped dead in their tracks. Ghislain was blocking the exit. “It was easy enough to come in, but leaving? Not so much,” he said with a smirk. One hunter rallied his comrades. “There’s only one guy! Just push him aside!” “What did you say?” Ghislain replied. With one swift punch, Ghislain struck, and the hunter’s head whipped around before he dropped to the ground, half-dead, foaming at the mouth. The other hunters froze, staring in shock. Behind them, Kaor and the knights approached, panting and glaring. With Ghislain in front and fifty knights at their backs, the hunters had nowhere to go. “Charge!” another hunter shouted, and Ghislain chuckled, his fists flying forward to meet them. Thud! Thud! Thud! With each blow, a hunter went down, the timing of each strike impeccable. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞 Splat! The last one fell to the ground, whispering to himself, “Monsters... every one of them...” The inn was filled with the sound of heavy breathing and groans of pain. Ghislain looked down at the beaten hunters littering the floor and spoke. “Satisfactory?” Kaor and the knights laughed, disheveled and bruised, but exhilarated. It had been a while since they’d fought like this, free of restraints. The brawl was closer to a game than actual combat, and it doubled as an effective way to establish their dominance. Ghislain flashed a grin at his men. “This is our base now.” The defeated hunters were tossed outside, forming a pile that stunned everyone who saw it. Almost two hundred hunters had been left in shambles, scattered around the inn’s entrance. Ghislain strode out and addressed the onlookers. “We’ve claimed this place. Spread the word. If anyone has a problem, they’re welcome to stop by. Room rates are one hundred gold per night.” The onlookers nodded, quietly accepting this new reality. Arnold, the former innkeeper, had wielded considerable influence here. Yet this newcomer had effortlessly beaten his forces and tossed them out. In this place where strength reigned supreme, no one dared challenge the victor. “Arnold got taken down just like that?” “These new guys are reckless... but strong.” “If they negotiate with Donkard, they could become a serious force.” Few had shown up with such a bang. Ghislain’s group was likely to carve out a niche in the fortress. The crowd didn’t disperse, curious about the sudden rise of a new power in Ironcliff. Meanwhile, Ghislain and his knights got to work, busying themselves with cleaning up the inn. “Finally, it looks a little more livable. People shouldn’t live in filth,” Ghislain commented, pleased as he looked around the now somewhat cleaner inn. After a full day of rest, Ghislain called everyone together to discuss their objectives. With their base now secured, it was time to put plans into action. Looking at his gathered knights, Ghislain addressed them. “Alright, we have a solid foothold here, so let’s clarify what needs to be done. Follow these goals while you’re here.” One knight spoke up, puzzled, “Aren’t we just supposed to hunt monsters and collect hides? Isn’t that why we’re here?” “True,” Ghislain said, nodding. “But the territory needs a lot of leather. Once we’re established, I’ll head back. You’ll stay here and continue sending hides and other materials to the territory.” The knights exchanged knowing looks, imagining what it would be like without Ghislain’s strict supervision—fighting monsters just enough to fulfill the quota while indulging in some hard-earned relaxation. Their eyes lit up as they answered enthusiastically. “Yes! We’ll make sure to work hard and send plenty back!” Ghislain grinned at their enthusiasm. “I’ll also make sure you keep up with training while you’re here. Fighting these monsters will do wonders for your skill level.” The knights chuckled, amused by Ghislain’s apparent underestimation. “Lord Ghislain, we’re experienced mercenaries. We’ve taken down plenty of monsters before,” one said confidently. “We even have mana training. A few monster hunts won’t make that much difference.” “Didn’t we already go through the Forest of Beasts?” But Ghislain wasn’t thinking about a few easy skirmishes. “It won’t happen with casual hunting,” he replied. “To see real improvement, we’ll set a target.” The knights’ confident faces fell as one asked cautiously, “What’s the target?” Ghislain’s response was calm but firm: “One hundred thousand monsters. Within six months.” The knights’ faces turned pale at the impossibility of the goal.