As I reached the main gate area, I found more than a hundred knights standing in formation alongside ten Bronze Knights.

Their backs were straight, hands resting on their weapons, and every face carried a serious expression. They looked like a wall of steel standing before the estate.

Anyone foolish enough to stand against them would regret it.

I also noticed several guards and maids who had no interest in staying within the territory and were preparing to leave. They were carrying bags and small bundles of belongings, but the moment they saw the assembled force, they paused and stared.

Their eyes widened as they looked at the ranks of armored knights gathered beneath the Blackstone banner.

I stepped forward and raised my voice.

"Warriors, prepare. Today, we are going to remove the pests from our land."

My gaze swept across the formation.

"The same land where our families live."

"The same land where our children grow up."

THUD.

Every knight struck a fist against their chest armor.

"AS YOU COMMAND, MY LORD!!!"

Their voices exploded outward and echoed throughout the entrance area.

Several maids flinched in surprise.

Even the departing guards looked stunned by the sheer unity in the knights’ response.

I turned and began walking toward the main gate.

Without hesitation, the knights followed behind me.

STEP.

STEP.

STEP.

Hundreds of synchronized footsteps echoed across the stone road as we left the lord’s estate.

The sound was heavy and rhythmic, causing nearby servants to instinctively move aside.

Dust rose lightly beneath the marching formation while the Blackstone banner fluttered above us in the morning breeze.

After traveling for some time, we entered the market district.

The streets were crowded as usual.

Merchants pushed wagons loaded with goods.

Vendors shouted to attract customers.

Children ran between stalls while adventurers and travelers moved through the busy streets.

However, the moment people noticed more than a hundred armored knights marching through the district, the atmosphere gradually changed.

Conversations slowed.

Merchants stopped arranging their goods.

Customers paused in the middle of bargaining.

Many people stepped aside to clear a path as we advanced.

Curious gazes followed our every movement.

"What’s happening?"

"Why are so many knights here?"

"Did something happen?"

Whispers spread through the market as more and more people turned their attention toward us.

Although they looked nervous, curiosity quickly overcame their fear.

One by one, people began following behind our group to see where we were going.

I didn’t stop them.

After nearly two minutes of walking, we finally arrived in front of a large pub.

People continuously entered and exited through its doors. Some were merchants taking a break from work, while others were adventurers enjoying a drink after finishing commissions.

Then I looked toward Osric.

Besides the knights, he was the only person I had brought with me.

Osric looked at the building before giving a grim nod.

"Yes, my lord. This is one of their main gathering locations."

The moment people entering and leaving the pub noticed us—and the growing crowd following behind us—they immediately stopped.

Confused whispers began spreading through the area.

"What are they doing here?"

"Do you think they’re finally going after the Blackstone Jackals?"

"What are you talking about? I heard the lord is useless. She never dared to touch them."

"Your information is outdated."

Another person quickly interrupted.

"I heard a new lord appeared and was personally chosen by the exiled princess."

He pointed toward me.

"Look at the front. That black-haired guy is supposed to be the new lord."

Immediately, dozens of eyes landed on me.

Some carried doubt.

Others carried curiosity.

But among the commoners, there was something else, Hope.

Several vendors exchanged glances.

A vegetable seller tightened her grip on the basket in her hands.

"Do you really think they’re going to punish them this time?"

Her voice trembled slightly.

Before anyone could answer, another voice suddenly spoke.

"They sold my son."

The surrounding chatter gradually died down.

A thin middle-aged man stepped forward.

His clothes were old and worn, and his face looked malnourished from years of hardship.

Tears slowly gathered in his eyes.

"They took my daughter too."

His voice cracked.

"I complained day and night."

"I reported it everywhere I could."

"But nobody listened to me."

Silence spread through the crowd.

Several people lowered their heads.

Others clenched their fists.

A few stepped forward and gently patted the man’s shoulder.

Nobody laughed, Nobody mocked him.

Because everyone knew he wasn’t the only victim.

Osric heard those words.

And so did I.

My expression remained unchanged, but the anger inside me grew even colder.

"Surround the pub. I don’t want anyone escaping."

I ordered my knights, and they instantly moved into action.

The formation split apart as armored knights rushed in every direction, quickly surrounding the entire building.

Those who were about to enter immediately stopped and backed away when they saw rows of drawn swords blocking every exit.

The atmosphere around the pub instantly became tense.

Meanwhile, a man with a jackal tattoo on his neck happened to glance out from a second-floor window.

The moment he saw knights surrounding the building from every side, his expression changed.

Cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

"Boss! We have a problem!"

He shouted before turning around and running toward the leader’s room.

Inside the room, a burly man was playing cards with several other hooligans while some drank loudly and others chatted around the tables.

Laughter and the sound of clinking mugs filled the room.

The moment they saw the man’s panicked expression, the noise gradually died down.

Several gang members looked up.

Others frowned.

"What happened?"

The boss lowered the cards in his hand and fixed the man with a sharp gaze.

The man took several rough breaths before shouting loudly,

"Boss! We’ve been surrounded by knights! I also heard them talking about some new lord!"

The boss’s hands stopped moving.

A dangerous look appeared in his eyes as he stared at the panicked man.

However, before he could say anything—

BANG!

A deafening explosion echoed throughout the building.

The front entrance burst open.

The sound shook the entire pub.

Several mugs fell from tables.

Customers jumped from their seats in shock.

"What the hell?!"

Everyone immediately stood up.

Some gang members grabbed their weapons while others hurried toward the stairs.

At the same time, I lowered my leg after kicking the door open and stepped inside.

The interior of the pub was far larger than it appeared from outside.

Rows of tables filled the hall.

Customers occupied nearly every corner.

Waitresses dressed in revealing clothing moved between tables carrying drinks.

The place was large enough to accommodate hundreds of people.

Then they saw us.

Hundreds of armored knights entered behind me with weapons in hand.

The metallic sound of armor echoed throughout the hall.

Clang.

Clang.

Clang.

The atmosphere instantly changed.

The laughter disappeared and the conversations stopped.

Even the drunkest customers suddenly looked sober.

I swept my gaze across the room before speaking.

"Everyone who is not a member of the Blackstone Jackals..."

My voice echoed through the hall.

"Leave. Now."

For a moment, nobody moved.

Many simply stared at us in shock.

Then several knights stepped forward with their swords drawn.

SHING!

The sharp sound finally snapped everyone awake and panic erupted.

People rushed toward the entrance.

Chairs overturned and tables were pushed aside.

Several customers nearly tripped over each other while trying to escape.

"Don’t do anything to us! We’re not members of that gang!"

People screamed and begged as they ran toward the exit.

I didn’t stop them.

Every gang member carried a jackal tattoo on their neck.

There was no need.

Soon, only the gang members remained inside.

STEP.

STEP.

STEP.

Heavy footsteps echoed from the upper floor.

More than fifty men emerged with murderous expressions on their faces.

I looked toward their necks.

Each one carried a different colored jackal tattoo.

Some held swords. Others carried axes and clubs.

A bald man stepped forward first.

"We always paid money to the territory."

His eyes narrowed.

"Then why have you come today with this force?"

I didn’t answer.

Instead, I waited until the last civilian left the building.

At that moment, my knights already had their swords pointed toward the gang members.

Seeing that I completely ignored him, the bald man’s expression darkened.

Then a larger figure stepped forward from behind him.

A burly man with a bronze jackal tattoo on his neck.

The leader.

"You seem to be the new lord people have been talking about."

He studied me while observing the surrounding knights.

"Seems like he can’t sense their aura," I thought as I noticed him releasing his Mid Bronze Realm aura.

A wave of pressure spread from his body, causing several gang members to smirk proudly.

Then he spoke again.

"If my lord finds out that you’re disrupting his business, he will be very angry."

His voice carried an obvious threat.

"And if he gets angry..."

A cruel smile appeared on his face.

"You can forget about this little territory of yours."

I looked at him for a moment before speaking.

"Kill them."

My order was calm and straightforward.

Since all the civilians had already left the building, there was no reason to wait any longer.

The gang members blinked in confusion.

Many looked at each other in disbelief.

"Didn’t he hear what our boss just said?"

That thought appeared in almost every mind.

Then—

BOOOOOOM!

A terrifying pressure exploded throughout the pub.

Every knight released their aura.

The air itself seemed to become heavier.

Several gang members immediately staggered backward.

The confidence on their faces vanished.

Fear quickly replaced it.

Because they could finally sense the strength standing before them.

Ten Peak Bronze Knights.

Hundreds of Peak Iron Knights.

The overwhelming difference nearly crushed their spirits.

Some people’s legs immediately began trembling.

Others subconsciously stepped backward.

Several even dropped their weapons.

CLANG.

CLANG.

The sound of steel hitting the floor echoed throughout the hall.

STEP.

The knights took a single step forward.

That simple movement completely shattered the remaining courage of the gang members.

Many stumbled backward and fell onto their knees.

"My lord!"

"Please forgive us!"

"We surrender!"

"Don’t kill us!"

Almost more than half the gang members immediately began begging for their lives.

Some lowered their heads.

Others looked ready to cry.

Even the leader’s expression became extremely ugly.

He lowered his voice and spoke to the members closest to him.

"We have to escape."

His trusted subordinates instantly understood.

"We return to our lord."

"He’ll deal with this."

BANG!

The moment he finished speaking, he exploded into motion.

The stairs shattered beneath his feet as he rushed toward the upper floor.

Wood fragments scattered everywhere.

Several gang members followed him toward the stairs while others rushed toward nearby windows.

BOOM!

BOOM!

But the knights moved as well.

Five Peak Bronze Knights instantly leaped upward.

The upper floor exploded under the impact.

Wood splintered and support beams cracked.

Dust filled the air.

THUD!

The leader dropped back down from above.

"WAIT!"

He shouted desperately.

Unfortunately for him—

SHING!

More than five swords pierced through his body at the same time.

His eyes widened as blood flowed from his mouth.

Then the light gradually faded from his eyes.

THUD.

His corpse collapsed onto the floor.

The remaining gang members froze.

Panic spread through their ranks.

Any remaining thoughts of resistance disappeared.

One by one, every fleeing member was hunted down and killed.

The sounds of battle echoed throughout the pub.

Clang!

Shing!

Boom!

Screams mixed with the sound of steel.

Yet the fight ended almost as quickly as it had begun.

Soon silence returned.

THUD.

A Bronze Knight knelt before me.

"My lord."

"What should we do with the remaining members?"

The surviving gang members immediately looked toward me.

Their faces were filled with fear and several had tears in their eyes, while others looked completely defeated.

I narrowed my eyes before giving my order.

"Destroy their Aether Seeds."

The remaining prisoners instantly went pale.

Then I added,

"And take them away."

"We need more prisoners for the mines."

The expressions of the surviving gang members changed completely.

Destroying an Aether Seed wasn’t death.

But for knights, it was often worse.

Years of training.

Years of effort.

Years of sacrifice.

All erased in an instant.

Their future path would end here.

Yet despite the despair in their eyes, none of them dared resist.

Outside, people were gathered around the pub, waiting nervously for the outcome.

"Do you think those gang members will just bribe them and get away again?"

One vendor asked quietly.

The man beside him shook his head.

"Doesn’t seem like it. Otherwise, the lord wouldn’t have brought this many knights."

BOOM!

BANG!

BOOM!

As they were talking, loud sounds suddenly echoed from inside the building.

Everyone immediately stopped speaking.

Several people instinctively stepped back.

Others stared at the entrance without blinking.

A few minutes later, the doors finally opened.

Hundreds of knights marched out.

At the very front stood the new lord.

Many people looked around in confusion.

"Where are the gang members?"

However, their doubts were answered almost immediately.

Corpses began appearing behind the knights.

One after another.

All of them carried jackal tattoos on their necks.

Behind the corpses came dozens of gang members bound with ropes.

Blood leaked from the corners of many mouths.

Several looked completely defeated.

The crowd fell silent.

"Wow..."

"They really took out the gang."

Someone muttered in disbelief.

Another person stared at the prisoners.

"Does this mean the Blackstone Jackals are finished?"

Many people felt their eyes becoming moist as they looked at the corpses and prisoners.

For years, these criminals had terrorized the territory.

And now they were gone.

I looked toward the crowd and stopped walking.

The knights behind me also came to a halt.

I raised my voice with mana and spoke loudly.

"I am Luke Voidheart."

"The Lord of Blackstone Highlands."

"And the husband of Aurielle Valmont."

The crowd immediately became silent.

Everyone looked toward me with serious expressions.

I continued.

"THIS IS MY TERRITORY."

My voice echoed throughout the market.

"IF YOU WANT TO LIVE HERE..."

"IF YOU WANT TO DO BUSINESS HERE..."

"THEN DO SO FREELY."

I paused briefly before my expression turned colder.

"BUT IF ANYONE DARES TO BREAK THE LAW..."

"IF ANYONE DARES TO PREY UPON MY PEOPLE..."

"THEN THEY WILL FACE MY WRATH."

Many people unconsciously looked toward the prisoners behind me.

I lowered my voice slightly before adding,

"From today onward, there are no more Blackstone Jackals."

"You no longer need to pay unnecessary protection fees."

"You no longer need to fear harassment."

"You no longer need to bow your heads before criminals."

As I observed the crowd, I noticed many people’s eyes becoming red.

Several merchants smiled in relief.

Even adventurers looked visibly satisfied.

For the first time in years, they no longer had to worry about the gang’s oppression.

Then suddenly—

"LONG LIVE THE LORD!"

A voice erupted from somewhere within the crowd.

Nobody knew who started it. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

But another voice quickly followed.

"LONG LIVE THE LORD!"

Then another.

And another.

Soon the entire area was filled with cheers.

"LONG LIVE THE LORD!"

"LONG LIVE THE LORD!"

"LONG LIVE THE LORD!"

The sound echoed throughout the market.

People raised their fists.

Merchants shouted loudly.

Even several children joined the cheering.

I nodded slightly with a faint smile.

Then I turned around and began walking back toward the lord’s estate.

The knights immediately followed behind me.

As we moved forward, the crowd naturally stepped aside.

A long path opened before us.

People stood on both sides of the road, watching us pass.

Some cheered while some bowed.

Others simply looked on with admiration.

For a brief moment, it almost felt like a victorious king returning from battle.

[Chapter End]