There are things that humans can and cannot do. To capture a hundred thousand monsters within half a year... how many would they have to kill daily? For low-ranking knights like themselves, it was absolutely impossible. “......” The silent knights stared at Kaor. He should have been having a fit, yet there was no reaction. Instead, he just arrogantly raised his head, as if he already knew something. ‘Well, he’s a madman too, isn’t he?’ ‘Does he really think he can kill a hundred thousand?’ But they were ordinary people, sane. It was their duty to speak up when something was absurd. So the knights went into a frenzy instead of Kaor. “No! How is this even possible? How are we supposed to kill a hundred thousand monsters in half a year?” “Is there anyone in the world who could do that?” “We’re just low-ranking knights! Cut us some slack!” Ghislain didn’t even blink as he replied indifferently. “Have you tried?” “We don’t have to try to know it’s impossible!” “If it can be done, then do it. There’s no such thing as ‘impossible.’ Has anything ever been impossible so far?” The knights couldn’t argue with that, so they changed their angle of attack. Even if they trained harder and somehow managed to improve enough to kill that many, there was another issue. “Are there even a hundred thousand monsters living around here?” “They are. The Shadow Mountains are vast and deep. When we clear out monsters in one area, more will keep coming in from elsewhere.” Ghislain continued in a confident tone. “If the spawn rate seems too slow or their numbers drop, move to a nearby mountain and hunt there. And if there’s none there, go to the next one. Find them somehow and kill them.” “......” “Within half a year, send in a hundred thousand monster hides. Try to secure as many tendons as possible, too. If you put in the effort, you can manage it. Once you meet the quota, I’ll swap you out with other knights.” As usual, their lord’s reasoning was beyond them. So the knights tried a gentler form of intimidation. “Um... have you thought about what would happen if we failed to meet the quota and decided to run away?” “Fine by me. If you want to live your life hiding and wandering the continent until you die, go ahead and run. For the record, I’m very persistent.” They knew that well. They’d seen him pursue something he set his sights on, no matter what. If they ran, he’d undoubtedly hunt them down until the end. The knights let out deep sighs, practically pleading. “... Our skills really aren’t enough to manage this.” “If you keep fighting relentlessly, it’ll work out. I trained like that myself here.” Ghislain grinned. This place held some special memories for him. Before he earned the title of Mercenary King in his past life, he had been known as the “Butcher of the Shadow Mountains.” ‘Ah, I did catch a lot back then.’ There was a time he was driven by rage, seeking endless battles. Betting his life in each fight had been the quickest way to improve. He couldn’t go to the Forest of Beasts, as it was under Duke Delphine’s control, so he had settled on the Shadow Mountains as the alternative. He had lived and trained here for years, hunting so many monsters that parts of the mountains were left desolate. ‘Later on, I’d even bring my subordinates here for some quick cash.’ In hindsight, those were actually fun times. Being back here with new companions made those memories resurface. Memories aside, training was training. ‘Let’s see them push themselves to the limit.’ As Ghislain spoke about how relentless combat would make them stronger, the knights looked uncertain. The scale of what he demanded was staggering, and his confidence left them feeling a bit detached from reality. ‘He’s just saying to give it our best, right?’ ‘Our lord has always had a... larger-than-life perspective.’ ‘Yeah, maybe he just set a big target.’ Even as they held on to that hope, they couldn’t shake a sense of foreboding. Everything Ghislain had done so far had been anything but ordinary. Seeing the knights’ hesitation, Ghislain spoke up. “Don’t worry. Just do it. We’re heading out to hunt right now, so grab your weapons.” The knights hauled out dozens of massive wooden crates and set them down. Each box contained oversized greatswords, powerful enough to crush or decapitate most monsters in a single blow. Thud! Ghislain picked up one of the greatswords with one hand, slammed it into the ground, and grinned. “All right, let’s go. Time to smash some monster skulls.” Before setting off, Ghislain didn’t head toward the wilderness; instead, he moved deeper into the city. Kaor watched him, puzzled. “Where are you going? The exit is the other way.” “The labor office.” “Why? You can find people here?” “We can’t carry all the monster parts ourselves, can we? We need people to handle dismantling and hauling. We’re hiring porters.” “Ah, I see.” Kaor and the knights quickly understood. Carrying heavy loads would inevitably hinder their ability to focus on fighting. The more they hunted, the more supplies they’d accumulate, which would limit their mobility. “Are there really that many porters here besides hunters?” “Of course. Where there’s money to be made, people gather.” “Wow, our lord really knows everything. The ‘Moneygrubber of the North’... Ugh!” Kaor rubbed his eyes, silenced by a quick smack from Ghislain. As Ghislain said, the place was teeming with people eager to earn money. Many were merchants who bought monster parts from hunters, while others offered general labor services. There were also hunters who chose not to fight and instead focused on supporting roles. It was a basic law of economics: when there’s demand, there’s always someone ready to meet it. Some merchant guilds provided not only goods but also operated manpower agencies, specializing in hiring porters. When they arrived at the center of the fortress, Kaor and the knights were astonished by the bustling crowds. “Wow, there are so many people here.” “It’s like a big city in the North, just... dirtier.” Due to the fortress’s size, its center had developed into a commercial hub similar to those in major cities. Shops lined the streets, with people bartering for goods. Monster dismantling workshops were scattered all around. Smaller groups and individual hunters often came here to find parties. Porters were essential for hunts, so the area around the manpower agencies was noisy with people advertising their services. “Experienced porters with five years in the field!” “Former hunter! Capable of fighting in emergencies!” “S-Class hunter undercover as a porter!” Ghislain approached a large agency and spoke to a busy staff member. “I need a hundred porters.” “Sure! Ten? I’ll have them here right away.” “I said a hundred.” “A... a hundred?” 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖 The staff member blinked in surprise. Hunters typically hired around ten porters on average. Since hunts were often short, hiring more was rarely cost-effective. Only large guilds or massive parties would hire that many porters. The staff member eyed Ghislain up and down before asking again. “Are you going to war?” “My policy is to bring as much as I can in one go. We have a sizable group.” Seeing the fifty knights holding greatswords outside, the agency worker nodded. “We currently only have about thirty available.” “I’ll take them all.” Ghislain visited a few more agencies, eventually rounding up a hundred porters. With the knights included, his group now totaled around a hundred and fifty. The hunters watching them couldn’t hide their shock. “Didn’t those guys just arrive here?” “They don’t even know the area well. Aren’t they pushing themselves too hard from the start?” “They seem capable, but greed will get them killed first.” “Let’s see how many they manage to catch. Bet they won’t even get halfway. Haha!” Ignoring the hunters’ snickering and muttering, Ghislain led his team forward confidently. The porters, initially nervous, seemed reassured by the large group. “Come on, let’s hurry up! We need to clear out the good hunting spots before anyone else.” Hunters called monster territories “hunting grounds.” Though there were countless hunting grounds, some were more suitable for hunting than others. It was an unspoken rule to give way if another party was already in a spot. Of course, one could stay if they were sure they could wipe out the other party without getting caught. Kaor asked Ghislain again, sounding curious. “Is there really such a thing as a ‘good hunting ground’? Isn’t it just a matter of exterminating monsters?” “Within a few days, the area fills up again. The type of monsters might vary, but either way, it’s a place that’s suspiciously crowded with monsters.” “Wow, that’s fascinating. Are there really that many monsters? How do you know all this?” Ghislain didn’t answer, simply smiling. It was common knowledge among veteran hunters in this region. In truth, he knew from his past life. He’d visited these areas often before, though the exact reason for the monster population boom remained a mystery. At the fortress’s massive gates, numerous wagons and drivers waited. They would take hunters as close to the mountains as possible. Since they couldn’t bring horses up the mountain, it was necessary to cover the considerable distance on foot. It was also impossible to build the fortress right at the mountain’s base due to the ever-present monster threat. Returning with a load of monster parts was even harder. Naturally, there were those who capitalized on this situation. “Five silver per person to the mountain base!” “Fastest and safest ride to the foot of the mountains!” “S-Class hunter moonlighting as a coachman!” Kaor and the knights couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. “Seriously, they have everything here.” Living in such a dangerous place meant adapting quickly to the environment. The fortresses near the Shadow Mountains had evolved to make hunting as convenient as possible. The group piled into large, wagon-like carts, moving swiftly toward the mountains. Though their journey out would be relatively easy, the return trip wouldn’t be as comfortable. Coachmen who didn’t wish to stay in danger would immediately head back after dropping them off, leaving only those who hoped to make extra money at the mountain base. Thud, thud, thud! The horses galloped ahead, causing the carts to shake wildly. Clunk, clunk, clunk! The ride was rough. The wagons were designed to carry as many people and goods as possible, not for comfort. “Quickest way up! Just trust us!” The coachmen, pleased with their large haul of passengers, sped toward the nearest mountain base. Hunters frequently visited this area, so it was their default destination. But from the front cart, Ghislain called out to his driver. “Change direction. Go where I point.” “Huh? Why?” “Other hunters are already there, right? They hunt daily, so the monster numbers will be lower.” “W-what?” The driver looked horrified. The planned route was already dangerous. For other areas, the monster density would be even higher since they weren’t regularly hunted. “I’m telling you, the place we’re heading to is packed with monsters! They descend from the mountains on that path the most! That’s why hunters choose it!” “If the customer says go, just go. Why so much backtalk?” “Is this your first time here? Why go somewhere even more dangerous? Let me just guide you.” “It’s not my first time. I’m going where there are more to hunt. Change direction or I’ll break the wagon.” No amount of persuasion could sway him. The driver finally complied, albeit reluctantly. “I’m leaving right after we arrive!” “Suit yourself.” The porters looked uneasy. An unfamiliar terrain meant they’d have a harder time escaping danger if things went south. Yet Ghislain and the knights seemed completely unfazed. Ghislain had experience, and the knights simply hadn’t grasped the situation yet. They still hadn’t fully realized the scale of what lay ahead. Finally, the wagons stopped at a chillingly eerie spot where cold winds blew. The enormous shadow of the mountains loomed over them all, pressing down like a weight. Setting foot here meant they’d be facing countless monsters. Seeing the unknown threat up close, the knights’ expressions grew tense and wary. But Ghislain just jumped down from the cart with a grin. “Come on, there are plenty of monsters here, so let’s train while we clear them out. Don’t worry—there’s nothing as twisted as in the Forest of Beasts. Just a few more of them here, that’s all.” As soon as Ghislain finished speaking, a monstrous howl echoed through the air. Screeeeeeech! “......” The knights said nothing. They hadn’t even climbed the mountain yet, but the monsters were already rushing out to greet them. “W-what the heck? They’re already here!” The monsters emerging were a horde of owl bears, towering creatures with the body of a bear and the head of an owl, standing far taller than an average adult man and with massive, hulking bodies. “Owl bears are coming down the mountain!” “I told you we shouldn’t have come! Why didn’t you listen?!” The drivers and porters were panicking. There seemed to be dozens of owl bears rushing toward them. The former hunter-turned-porter, who had supposedly concealed his strength, jumped back onto the cart, shouting. “What are you waiting for? Let’s get out of here! There are too many of them!” The others began to scatter in panic. While the drivers could flee, the porters had already been paid. If they ran now, they’d have a hard time finding work in the future. Even the knights looked a bit shaken as they watched the owl bears charge forward. ‘What... owl bears coming down from the mountain?’ ‘What kind of place is this? We’re really training here?’ ‘It’s just as messed up as the Forest of Beasts.’ Normally, owl bears lived deep within the mountains. For them to descend like this meant they’d been driven out of their territory or had gone mad. Screeeeeeech! The lead owl bear was the largest and fastest among the group, charging forward with an intensity that left the others trailing behind. It was truly mad, drooling foul liquids from its mouth and with eyes tinged red. Watching it, Ghislain grinned, looking pleased. “Looks like we’ve got some quality hides to start with. Watch carefully, everyone. I’ll show you how to kill monsters easily and cleanly get their hides. Just attack their weak points.” The knights nodded in understanding. Knowing a monster’s weaknesses always made things easier. The drivers and porters hesitated momentarily, as Ghislain’s relaxed demeanor was unnerving. A skilled hunter could handle dozens of monsters alone. Maybe, just maybe, he could manage it. Ghislain raised his hand and shouted. “Everyone, prepare for battle!” Clang! Clang! Clang! The knights readied their greatswords. But they didn’t charge in right away. Ghislain would demonstrate how to target the weak points first. Swish. Ghislain’s eyes turned crimson. Just by looking at them, it was hard to tell if it was the owl bears that were mad, or if Ghislain himself had lost his mind. Boom! Ghislain surged forward, mana exploding around him.