Aldred and the others looked around the planet for half an hour before they quickly looked for the Mercenary branches.
When they arrived at the branch, they saw a long line of people registering to become a mercenary.
"There are a lot of people here," Aldred said.
"Mercenary is a high incentive job after all," Salamander said. "So long as you don't mind dying that is."
They quickly entered the queue and waited. The queue progressed at a rapid rate which indicate that becoming a mercenary wasn't that complicated.
Aldred looked at the strangers around him, silently looking at their armor and weapons. Most of them wore some kind of armor and Aldred could tell that their armor could activate space mode which would let them survive in space if needed.
However, not all of them seem to be able bring armor. Most of them wore small amount of protection that only protected their stomach and chest area. They also brought a sub-par version of the laser gun that Aldred saw the guardsmen used.
"Those that joined the mercenary are usually battle-hungry or eager to find thrill and excitement. But on the other side of the coin, desperate men or women joined for money. These people are not good enough for the military, so they become a mercenary."
Aldred could understand. Desperate people will take desperate measures.
He, in fact, could be said to be desperate to return to his wives.
That was why he was crazy enough to go after Lord Malgorth despite knowing his immense power.
After an hour of waiting, Aldred and the group finally got their turn to register.
The receptionist presented them a tablet with a digital form that Aldred had to fill. It was just basic information such as their name and address. Shockingly however, Aldred did not even need to show his ID.
After they were done, Aldred asked about this to Salamander.
"Most mercenaries die during their first job. With untold billions of mercenaries dying every single day, the Galactic Mercenary Group just simply stop counting."
"It's that bad, huh?"
"With the lack of training and equipments most mercenaries have, it just makes sense," Salamander said.
"But how would they repay their loan for the spaceship they leased?"
"Uhhh… there are different class of mercenaries. Those who can afford to lease, and those who cannot. Those who cannot lease a spaceship work for those who have spaceships."
"So… they are cannon fodder?"
Salamander quickly shut his mouth. "Hush. Lower your voice."
Suddenly, the line became hectic and people murmured loudly.
"What's going on?"
Aldred checked what was up and saw a woman with commanding stature and undeniable presence walked in with 12 guards in full armor protecting her.
The guards walked with such certainty that the people moved to the side by instinct.
"Is that who I think that is?" Cleome was shocked.
"I think you're right. That's Commander Thiharri!" Shinari widened her eyes.
"Holy shit! I cannot believe I would see her here of all places." Salamander was shocked as well.
On the other hand, Aldred had no clue who that person was. "Who is she?"
"I forgot that you're not from here," Salamander started. "That is Commander Thiharri. She is the leader of one of the most powerful Mercenary group in the whole galaxy. Her organization is so powerful that she no longer need to answer to Galactic Mercenary Group instead she worked as an equal partner with them. She has proved to be a vital figure in eradicating demons and aliens and named her organization as Galactic Sentinel Mercenary as a conviction that she will guard humanity from harm."
"Wow." Aldred was amazed and humbled immediately. He was once a powerful figure on a planet capable of waging war on a whole kingdom by himself with his numerous undead army and hundreds of thousands robots under his command.
But still, even at the peak of his power, he could only influence one or two continent at most. But that woman could probably influence an entire stellar clusters by herself.
The amount of power and influence needed to do that must be immense.
"I wonder why she's here," Cleome said. "And… I wonder if I can get an autograph."
"Are you a fan of her?" Aldred asked.
"Are you crazy? Everyone is a fan of her. I've been watching her since I was a child. She's one of the figure that inspired me to work so hard to fight for humanity."
Commander Thiharri talked with the branch manager for a few minutes, and then she faced the people in the queue.
"I am sure all of you already know who I am."
The people in line cheered and roared in excitement.
"First, let me praise you all for taking a brave step in defending humanity. All of you are brave souls."
She paused for a few seconds. "I will tell you my purpose of coming here. I need your help. Humanity need your help. The Empire is stretching its resources thin, and the demons are invading our territories, so I need you humans of NovaSphere to take arms and fight with me."
"YEAH!!!"
The people roared in excitement as they waved their weapons in the air.
"NovaSphere?" Aldred asked.
"That's the name of our Stellar Clusters."
"What's that?"
"In short, Stellar Clusters are group of stars that are gravitationally bound, often containing thousands to millions of stars. Our star system and the star system of Astralonis is within NovaSphere."
"I can say I learned a lot of things now."
"We will never stop learning. No matter how old or smart you are, the universe always offers something new to learn."
Commander Thiharri continued, her voice carrying the weight of the galaxy's struggles. "Now, I know the life of a mercenary is tough, and many of you might have doubts. But remember, we are humanity's last line of defense. We are the ones who stand between our civilization and the darkness that threatens to consume it."
A hush fell over the crowd, each person hanging on to her every word.
"You might be risking your lives, but you are also defending your families, your homes, and everything we hold dear. We are not just soldiers; we are protectors. Protectors of our way of life, our freedom, and our very existence. And together, we will prevail."
The spirit in her eyes was contagious, spreading like wildfire among the aspiring mercenaries. The atmosphere was charged with newfound resolve.
Aldred felt a surge of determination within him as well. He might be an outsider, a stranger in this galaxy, but the call to defend humanity resonated deep within his core. He clenched his fists, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
