"Follow" said Fredrick, and they followed him.
Reaching the doors, Fredricks turned to them.
"As I have things to do, Nathan shall guide you"
With that, Fredrick left, but not before adding a few more words.
"Away from this building, you have never seen me before. Am I understood?"
They nodded.
"Good"
His exit was followed by sighs of relief. The four couldn't be happier, because his presence was suffocating.
They looked at Nathan.
"Don't ask any questions" he said, shutting their mouths before they could open it.
"Does this mean you're our senior now?" asked Killigard.
Nathan smiled.
"You can be at ease my friends. It's good to see you're all doing well"
With that, they board carriages, arriving at the slums minutes later.
There, they saw numerous figures, dirty and dusty, building a fence around it.
It piqued Mirahan's curiosity.
"What is this?" he asked.
"Our newest construction, but that's not what we're here for"
He spotted his target deep into the slums.
"Cabrera"
Cabrera turned in their direction and approached them.
Nathan pulled Cabrera up to speed on the ongoing events.
He released the workers, created by amalgamating the slaves and slum dwellers, for a break and left with the group.
The guild hall laid in front of them, and the four scanned it with their eyes.
A short line of people laid at its front. A quick look found most looking dreadful and haggard, with a few disabled.
One would never think to use such adventurers for anything other than menial labor, but Ezra had other ideas.
Nathan groaned.
'I still can't believe we're going through with this'
Cabrera just stared. He had seen the mountain of mana stones, so he had no doubt.
They marched in, attracting gazes or wonder and curiosity.
"Who are they?"
"How should I know?"
And of course, anger.
"Hey! Get in line!"
But Cabrera's glare had them quivering as none dare speak henceforth.
The guards made way with a slight bow.
Entering, they found it filled with people, some pale and skinny, others haggard and rough, but they were all dirty and were eating hot bread like ravenous beasts.
The four found themselves swimming in bafflement. What was this absurdity?
From the looks of it, most were F and E ranked. Why were they being fed?
More importantly, why were they here?
But they kept silent and didn't voice their questions.
Still walking, they meet Kron, who was on his way to meet them.
"Cabrera, you're here early" Kron initiated a handshake.
"Not my choice. Anyways, how's the recruitment going?"
"As you wanted, we kept the requirements illogically constrictive"
Nathan raised a brow.
"Yet we have these many people?"
Cabrera replied in place of Kron.
"It seems you're underestimating war"
"Hmm?"
"You have half of the Empire's forces fighting at the war front"
Nathan held his chin, his eyes widening.
"So…we have half as many adventurers fighting twice as many beasts"
"Exactly. When you consider that G, and F ranks would never voluntarily go to war, or even risk their lives, and that they held the largest numbers…I think you get the point"
He maintained eye contact with Nathan, whose brain was spinning.
"With that many numbers, and how cowardly they are, they would have targeted beasts of the lower ranks and herb gathering!"
Cabrera nodded.
'Many died, so the rest are scurrying over like rats'
Nathan didn't stop.
"So, with everyone killing the same beasts, the price of its body parts plummeted, and since food prices have been jacked up as well, many would starve!"
The analysis left the four in deep thought.
'I see…no wonder we have so many members just on the first day'
Cabrera was surprised.
'I didn't know that'
He remembered Fredrick's wordd the other day.
"Loyalty is the utmost priority. We have more than enough to turn them into strong warriors. Prioritize the poor, desperate and helpless. For a hearty meal is enough to have them lay down their lives"
'How lucky'
War brought the perfect atmosphere to push many into desperation.
'What are you planning?' Cabrera wondered, before wiping the thought away.
Biting the hand feeding you was not a good idea.
"Have them continue recruitments tomorrow"
Recruitments were promptly halted, and those recruited were arraigned in neat rows at the main hall.
Cabrera walked in their midst, his gaze fierce and stern, addressing them.
"It seems you all had a hearty meal"
They gulped nervously.
"As stated, we will provide you wish shelter, food, clothing, and a monthly wage"
"In return, you will be loyal to no other, and lay down your life whenever asked"
They began to whisper.
He stepped to the front.
"Most of you are but burdens, wrecked garbage with little to no use"
He smiled…
"But you like eating hearty meals do you not? Wearing nice clothes like the rest of us? After all, it's not your fault you were born useless…or is it?"
"What I give you is a chance. A chance to be powerful, rich, healthy and wealthy. Only, you have to be willing to take it"
"Here, you'll grow powerful or die trying. After all, it's never going to be easy"
Some had their tones escalate.
"I didn't come here for this!"
"Let us go!"
Guards reached them swiftly.
*Crack!*
Their bones were snapped like twigs, but they were unable to scream because the guards knocked them out, subsequently dragging them away.
That crushed the lingering resistance, for most were cowards in the first place.
Cabrera continued…
"You have families do you not?"
They wondered where he was heading.
"It must be easy watching them starve…is it not?"
Eyes reddened in anger-
"Oh? You're angry?"
Suddenly, Cabrera released his aura.
"Come out and show it to me"
-but none dared to move.
Cabrera huffed, how miserable.
'Done with the stick. Now for the carrot'
"Lay down your lives, pledge your loyalty, and your days of starvation shall end. Your days of poverty shall end"
Then one spoke.
"You expect us to fall for the same trick again?!"
Cabrera dashed to his front and raised his palm.
The man closed his eyes awaiting his inevitable fate.
But…nothing happened.
He opened his eyes to see small yellow items shining as they fell to his feet.
He steps back, surprised.
Only then did he see the item clearly, and upon doing so, his mind went blank, as did the others.
The sound of metal ceased seconds later, leaving the hall in silence.
Even the guards - Cabrera's boys - were astounded.
Gold coins.
They were GOLD COINS!
So many that it formed a small mound.
Cabrera kicked it, letting it splatter all over.
Such an act baffles them.
He retreated, leaving a few words as he pulled out a small hourglass.
"Go on, take it. The one with the most coins at the end of five minutes gets five more. Oh, and try not to die"
Everybody froze. Literally!
Their eyes darted about as they watched those beside them, when suddenly, someone took a dive.
Like a spark, their greed was ignited.
The hall fell into chaos as they fought, jumped, pushed, dodged and shoved each other in lieu of getting gold.
Cabrera watched from above, having told the guards to stay away.
Bones were fractured and dislocated with blood painting the floor boards.
With a gesture from Cabrera, the guards intervene at the end of five minutes, beating them into docility.
"Get up!"
One way or another, they got up, with few sitting because their legs were broken.
This allowed for a clearer view of the situation.
For one, ten people were dead.
Unlike expected, none of them were skinny and pale, but had decent musculature, while three were female.
The dead were taken away as Cabrera came down.
He clapped his hands with a smile.
'I envy that man's resourceful thinking'
He remembers the other reason why they chose such people.
"Make sure all of the recruits are below D-rank"
Cabrera raised a brow.
"Why?"
Fredrick gave a sad smile.
"Because they're easy to train and easier to dispose of"
Those of C-rank and above, or even up and coming D-ranks, would have their deaths looked into. Lower ranks though, too many died per day for anyone to care.
"Well done, very well done. Now, who has the most coins?"
They gazed at one another before slowly, people began bringing out the fruit of their efforts.
The results were surprising, to say the least.
There were initially sixty recruits, but there were now fifty.
Thirty-five were unable to get a dime, and surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, they were those with the most injuries.
The last fifteen came in all shapes and sizes, each with more than one coin.
At the end, ten had two gold, two had three, one had four and two had five.
Cabrera tapped his chin, wondering how to decide a final winner.
Suddenly, the one with four gold - a boy, skinny and lanky in patched armor - started hurling.
A minute later, he puked out two gold coins.
Cabrera was surprised, because he watched the proceedings carefully and hadn't seen him swallow any.
Without any fanfare, he announced him the winner.
Yet, Cabrera took his coins, causing everyone else to exchange glances.
"I promised five extra coins. But, due to your ingenuity, take this instead"
In his palm appeared a ring, one not shabby, but unassuming nonetheless.
The boy wore it with suspicion, before quivering slightly. He knew how to conceal his emotions.
Cabrera smirked at him.
"As promised, you have been rewarded. Does anyone still wish to leave?"
They gulped, glancing about.
"No? Good, your lives will be better for it"
"Boys, get them and this place cleaned up"
"Yes!"
With that he walked away.
Killigard and co were having talks with Sebastian.
Kron had gone to the slums to supervise in Cabrera's place.
Like so, the day swiftly passed.
The next morning saw Bolton experience one of his worst days, because Kogar, the Sentinel, arrived.
