There are things humans can do, and things they cannot.
To hunt 100,000 monsters in half a year, how many would they need to kill each day?
For knights at their beginner level, it was an utterly impossible task.
"…"
The knights, who had been silent, turned their gazes toward Kaor. He should have been the one to protest, but he remained calm, holding his head high with an arrogant air of confidence. Judging by his expression, he seemed to have already been briefed.
'Well, that lunatic would think he could do it.'
'Maybe he believes he can actually kill 100,000 monsters?'
But the rest of them were normal people. Rational individuals. If something didn't make sense, it was their duty to say so.
Thus, the knights spoke up in Kaor's place, their voices rising in protest.
"This is absurd! How are we supposed to kill 100,000 monsters in half a year with our skills?"
"Does anyone in the world even have that kind of ability?"
"We're just beginner-level knights! Show some consideration for us!"
But Ghislain, unfazed by their complaints, responded nonchalantly.
"Have you tried?"
"We don't need to try to know it's impossible!"
"If you can kill them, kill them. Why wouldn't it be possible? Has anything been impossible for you so far?"
The knights couldn't refute that, so they shifted their argument.
Even if they could somehow grow stronger through training and manage the task, there was another issue.
"Do 100,000 monsters even exist?"
"They do. The Shadow Mountains are vast and deep. If the monsters here run out, more will crawl in from other areas."
Ghislain's voice was filled with confidence.
"If they spawn too slowly or their numbers drop, head to another mountain. If they're not there, check the next one. Find them, hunt them, and bring them down."
"…"
"Send 100,000 monsters' worth of hides back to the estate within half a year. Harvest as many tendons as possible, too. If you work hard, you'll manage. Once you meet the quota, I'll rotate you out with other knights."
As always, the lord's words were utterly unreasonable. So, the knights tried a low-level threat.
"Uh… have you considered that we might run away instead of completing the quota?"
"That's fine. If you want to spend the rest of your life running and hiding across the continent, go ahead. By the way, I'm a very persistent man."
The knights knew this well. They'd seen him pursue his goals relentlessly on several occasions. If they ran, he'd undoubtedly send trackers after them for the rest of their lives.
Resigned, the knights sighed heavily and pleaded.
"…We really don't think we're capable of pulling this off."
"You'll manage if you keep fighting relentlessly. That's how I trained here."
Ghislain smirked. This place held a special significance for him.
Before earning the title of Mercenary King in his previous life, he'd been known as the "Slaughterer of the Shadow Mountains."
'Ah, I killed so many back then.'
There was a time when he burned with rage, endlessly seeking battle. Life-threatening combat was the only way to rapidly improve his skills.
He couldn't venture into the Forest of Demonic Beasts since it was under the control of the Duke Delphine, so the Shadow Mountains became his alternative.
He had spent years training here, killing so many monsters that parts of the mountain range had been left barren.
'Even later, I'd come back here with my subordinates to earn extra money.'
In hindsight, they were fond memories. Returning here now with a new set of subordinates brought a wave of nostalgia.
Fond memories aside, training was training.
'Let's see them work themselves to the bone.'
The knights looked uncertain, torn by the absurdity of the task and Ghislain's confident demeanor. It was hard to grasp the reality of such a large-scale goal.
'He probably just wants us to try our best.'
'Our lord does have a tendency to think big.'
'Yeah, it's probably just a lofty target.'
Even as they clung to this hope, an uneasy feeling lingered. Everything Ghislain had done so far had been far from ordinary.
Seeing the knights waver, Ghislain spoke again.
"Don't be scared. You can do it. Get your weapons ready—we're heading out to hunt."
At his words, the knights brought out several large wooden crates and set them down.
Inside were enormous two-handed greatswords, so large that even a glancing blow from one would shatter or sever a monster's head.
Thud!
Ghislain grabbed one of the swords with one hand, let it crash against the ground, and grinned.
"Alright, let's head out. Time to smash some monster skulls."
***
Before leaving the fortress, Ghislain headed deeper into the city instead of toward the exit.
Kaor, puzzled, asked him, "Where are you going? The exit is in the other direction."
"The labor bureau."
"What for? Can you even find workers here?"
"We can't carry all the monsters we hunt ourselves. We need people to skin them and haul the materials. We're hiring porters."
"Ah."
Kaor and the knights immediately understood. Carrying too much weight would hinder their focus during battles.
The more they hunted, the more their load would grow, making mobility a significant issue.
"But are there many porters here, apart from hunters?"
"Of course. Where there's money, people gather."
"Man, you really do know everything. Truly the North's golden leech—ow!"
After a punch from Ghislain, Kaor obediently followed.
As Ghislain had said, many people gathered in this place to earn money. Merchants dealt with monster materials, and laborers handled menial tasks. Even hunters who preferred not to fight offered their services in other ways.
Wherever demand arose, business-minded individuals capitalized on it. Several merchant guilds not only traded goods but also operated labor bureaus that specialized in hiring porters.
When they reached the city center, Kaor and the knights were amazed by what they saw.
"Wow, so many people here?"
"It's no different from a big city in the North."
"Except dirtier."
The fortress's central district was as developed as the commercial districts of major cities, with shops lining the streets and people bustling about buying and selling goods. Workshops for dismantling monster parts were scattered throughout.
Small groups and solo hunters often found parties here.
Since porters were essential for any hunting expedition, the labor bureau area was noisy with voices trying to attract customers.
"Veteran porters with five years of experience!"
"Former hunters who can fight in emergencies!"
"S-class hunters working undercover as porters!"
Ghislain entered one of the larger labor bureaus and addressed a busy clerk.
"I'll hire 100 people."
"Ten people? Alright, just a moment! I'll gather them quickly."
"No, 100 people."
"…100?"
The clerk stared at Ghislain, astonished.
Most hunters hired around ten porters, as it was hard to sustain prolonged hunting anyway. Hiring more offered no real advantage.
Only large hunter guilds or massive parties hired significant numbers of porters.
Sizing Ghislain up, the clerk asked, "Are you heading to a war or something?"
"I like to bring back a lot in one go. And we've got plenty of people."
Seeing the 50 knights waiting outside with their enormous swords, the clerk nodded.
"We only have about 30 available right now."
"I'll take them all."
Ghislain toured multiple labor bureaus until he had hired a total of 100 porters. With his knights included, the group now numbered around 150, drawing astonished stares from the hunters.
"Didn't those guys just get here?"
"They probably don't even know the terrain yet. Aren't they overreaching?"
"They look skilled, but they're greedy. Those types die first."
"Let's see how much they actually manage to haul back. I bet it'll be less than half of what they're aiming for. Hahaha!"
Ignoring the hunters' sneers, Ghislain moved forward with a confident stride.
The porters, initially bewildered by the large group, seemed slightly reassured by their numbers.
"Alright, let's get moving. We need to sweep up the best hunting grounds before anyone else does."
Hunters referred to monster territories as "hunting grounds." While there were countless such areas, some were far more productive than others.
It was an unspoken rule to avoid areas already claimed by another party.
Of course, if someone thought they could kill everyone in the existing party without being caught, they could ignore the rule.
Kaor, still curious, asked Ghislain, "Are some hunting grounds really better than others? Isn't the point just to clear them out?"
"In a few days, the same area fills up again. The types of monsters may vary, but there's always an abundance. We're heading to an especially rich area."
"Wow, that's fascinating. But how do you know all this, my lord?"
Ghislain simply smiled, not bothering to explain. It was common knowledge among experienced hunters in this region.
Of course, his knowledge came from his previous life, when he had frequently hunted here. Even then, the exact reasons for the monster population patterns remained unknown.
At the massive gates leading out of the fortress, countless carts and drivers awaited.
These drivers provided transport to the base of the mountains, making it easier for hunters to reach their hunting grounds.
Horses couldn't go up the mountains, and walking to the base was time-consuming.
The carts saved time and energy.
"Five silvers per person for transport to the mountain base!"
"Fast and safe service guaranteed!"
"S-class hunters undercover as drivers!"
Kaor and the knights chuckled at the absurdity of the advertisements.
"This place has everything, doesn't it?"
To survive in dangerous environments, the local economy had evolved quickly. The fortresses of the Shadow Mountains all catered to hunters' needs.
The group split among several large carts and set off. While it was a quick and convenient way to reach the mountains, there was no guarantee they'd have such luxury on the return trip.
Drivers who disliked risk often left immediately after dropping off their passengers. Only those desperate for extra money lingered near the mountains.
Rumble!
The horses galloped powerfully, shaking the carts violently as they sped along.
Rattle! Rattle!
The ride was rough, as the carts were modified for maximum cargo capacity rather than comfort.
"Fast and reliable service! You can count on us!"
The drivers cheerfully urged their horses onward, heading for the nearest popular hunting grounds.
Hunters typically frequented specific areas, so the drivers didn't even need directions.
However, from the lead cart, Ghislain called out to the driver.
"Change direction. Head where I point."
"Huh? Why?"
"The usual place will already be crowded with hunters, and the monsters there will be fewer since they're hunted daily."
"W-what?"
The driver looked horrified. The usual hunting grounds were already dangerous, so heading elsewhere was unthinkable.
Areas with fewer hunters were naturally more dangerous due to the lack of regular culling, meaning the monster population would be much higher.
"But the usual spot has plenty of monsters! That's where most hunters go because it's the safest! Why go somewhere worse?"
"Why do you talk so much when your job is just to drive? I'll break the cart if you don't listen."
No matter how much the driver tried to argue, Ghislain was unyielding. Reluctantly, the driver changed direction.
"I'm leaving as soon as I drop you off!"
"Do as you please."
The porters looked uneasy. Going to an unfamiliar area increased the risk of danger, making it harder to escape if something went wrong.
But Ghislain looked completely unconcerned, and the knights seemed equally indifferent. Ghislain trusted his experience, while the knights, still not grasping the gravity of the situation, followed without question.
Finally, the carts stopped at a chilling, ominous location. The shadow of the massive mountain seemed to weigh heavily on everyone.
Here, they would face countless monsters. Standing before the unknown, even the knights began to show signs of tension and wariness.
But Ghislain leapt from the cart with a grin.
"Alright, lots of monsters here! Let's start sweeping them out and train hard. Don't worry—it's nothing like the Forest of Demonic Beasts. These monsters are just more numerous, that's all."
As Ghislain finished speaking, a monstrous roar echoed through the area.
KAAAAAAH!
"…."
The knights were speechless. They hadn't even climbed the mountain yet, but the monsters had already come to greet them.
"W-what the hell! Monsters already?"
The approaching monsters were a pack of owlbears. These fearsome creatures, with the body of a bear and the head of an owl, towered over the average adult male and were notoriously aggressive.
"It's an owlbear pack!"
"This is why we shouldn't have come here! Why didn't you listen?"
The drivers and porters panicked. The pack, numbering at least dozens, charged toward them.
A porter who claimed to be a retired hunter jumped back into a cart, shouting, "What are you doing? Let's get out of here! There are too many!"
The chaos spread as everyone started to panic. While the drivers could flee, the porters had already been paid. Running now would make it hard to find work again.
Even the knights flinched as the owlbear pack bore down on them.
'What… Why are owlbears coming down the mountain?'
'What kind of place is this? Are we really supposed to train here?'
'This place is as bad as the Forest of Demonic Beasts.'
Owlbears typically lived deep within the mountains. For them to come this far down meant they had been driven out by territorial disputes—or had gone mad.
KAAAH!
The lead owlbear, the largest and fastest of the pack, charged ahead, leaving the others behind. Its filthy drool and bloodshot eyes suggested it was truly insane.
Watching the beast, Ghislain grinned, clearly pleased.
"Well, looks like we've got some quality hides right from the start. Watch closely, everyone. I'll show you how to kill monsters easily and harvest their hides cleanly. Just aim for their weak spots."
The knights nodded. Every monster had weak points, and knowing how to exploit them made hunting much easier.
Even the drivers and porters paused. Ghislain's confidence was unnerving but also oddly reassuring.
Strong hunters could take on dozens of monsters alone. Maybe, just maybe, he was one of them.
Ghislain raised his hand and shouted, "Prepare for battle!"
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The knights drew their greatswords, readying themselves. However, they didn't charge in just yet—they were waiting for Ghislain to demonstrate his technique first.
Ssss.
Ghislain's eyes turned red. At that moment, it was hard to tell whether the crazed owlbear or Ghislain himself was the true lunatic.
BOOM!
Ghislain released his mana in a burst and charged forward.
[T/L: Please support me and read 320 extra chapters: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]