Canon Fodder

CHAPTER 237 THE 5TH WORLD

I really had no idea if Crangston was large. I was used to towns with millions of people in each city. I had plenty of time to count the buildings as we rode up. There were maybe a hundred. No gate around the town there was a stone one around the castle further in. Even the castle was lackluster though. I felt like I was in some medieval history town, where they left out the few people they could convince to work there. 

As we got closer it appeared busier, but I wasn’t all too impressed. A main road through the town, there was plenty going on around it. People stepped through mud, trading this or that good. Yelling at one another to try to get a deal. Everything appeared dirty and diseased to my eyes. 

“Where to?” Mary asked. 

I thought back to my youth in the world. I remembered 3 instances of Bands coming through. They were typically civil, but most people didn’t trust the mercenaries so they stayed at home. The mercs would set up a table if they were recruiting. Usually at a pub or some such thing, I doubted it would work for me. 

“Make sure everyone is wearing the armor,” I said. “Ask around. See if anyone is interested in joining. Keep it to women. Make sure no one mentions the armor. That will be something for only those we trust.”

“Duh,” she whispered. I chuckled, she was all for not being bogged down with men. Especially the type of men that typically joined mercenary groups. Scum and the low lifes with nothing to live for, the good ones were few and far between. If you were any good, the Band would do what they could to keep you. 

“Cooks, women that can read, a quartermaster,” I reminded her. 

“Yeah, yeah,” she said. “What’s the pay anyway?” 

“What’s fair?” 

“I have no fucking idea,” she hissed.

I looked back to Oscar. “What do you pay guards?” 

“Meals, 4 silvers a month,” he said. “But people in a Band are long term.”

“Meals, and 3 silver and 10 copper,” I said. “And a part of the spoils for winning.”

“Okay,” she said. Waving to the other girls they were soon setting up at a building I guessed was some kind of grocer. 

“You’re with me,” I told Oscar. He grumbled but nodded as Liza stuck to the other girls. We headed toward the small castle at the end of the main road. The barrier around it was a gray stone about 8 feet high. Inside, the castle itself was the same gray stone, about 2 stories tall it was the biggest building in town. 

I knew that we had a king, so we were a monarchy. But we were also supposedly under a feudal system. There were counts, dukes, viscounts, archdukes and all that but I had no idea what the order of their rule was supposed to be. At the top was the king, below him were the nobles and the church figureheads, then the knights, and finally the peasants. 

As we headed toward the castle I was surprised to get some notifications. 

I had only ever had 5 worlds on my Status Screen. I guessed I was supposedly getting a quest from Berserk. I went through my list and clicked Hunter x Hunter. I didn’t plan to go back there for a while. Not until I ran into a wall with my own Nen training anyway. I really wanted to get my own way to attack then go back to train with Biscuit. That wouldn’t be for a while.

“Cool,” I mumbled as we closed the distance to the castle. I was in Berserk for money. My shadow clones had already stolen me quite a bit, but I wanted more since it could be used everywhere. 

“Ho there!” A guard said from behind the wood gate. “Who approaches?” 

“I am Weston. I am forming a new Band,” I said. “I was told to come here.” 

“Another Band?” The guy grumbled. Opening the gate he directed us to a side entrance into the castle. Inside I was surprised how easy it was to complete. After paying a fee for filing paperwork I had me listed as the Bandleader. They then gave me a standard Band agreement where I could fill in the blank on terms. People could sign it and would be legally beholden to me. 

I thought it was a little odd how quickly everything moved, but Oscar explained it to me as we waited for this or that assistant. “Mercenaries don’t have the best reputation. If your members fuck up, they want to be able to hold someone responsible. Your member rapes someone or breaks a chair in a brothel, they need someone legally obligated to pay for damages. This absolves the local lord of having to pay for any damages you cause. They want you to form Bands, otherwise you are just brigands.”

“Then why didn’t they help you when you said Liza was kidnapped?” I asked. “If they’re liable-”

“Across the river, remember?” He asked. “If I had gone to the lord of that side of the river I could have asked for his assistance. But I hear he taxes goods, and then charges you for doing anything. This lord at least acts like he listens to his people.” 

“Bullshit,” I grumbled as another scribe charged me to write up a copy of my articles. He then asked for a copy of my flag. I drew it up and we were official. Almost official anyway. I was wondering why I got such a sweet quest when a big man in armor walked up. 

“You him?” The knight asked. He was a good 6 and a half feet tall in a full suit of armor. 

“Probably?” I asked. 

He nodded and beckoned me to follow. We were escorted throughout the small castle until we came to a very lackluster throne room. The carpet was a dirty red, and the throne looked more like a chair. 

“You are Weston?” The lord asked. He was a fat man with stains on his shirt that drew my eye as he studied me. 

“Yes…my lord,” I said. 

“Band of the Heart, is it? Does not matter to me. How do you want to do this, boy?” He asked. 

“What exactly is that?” I asked. 

“This your first time in front of a lord, boy?” He asked. I turned to see Oscar had bowed slightly. I chewed my lip and left it. They waited, but I didn’t bow. I could kill them all in the matter of a few seconds. They were lucky I was playing a role. 

“There are dozens of Bands out there, boy,” he said, moving on. “Plenty of work too. Someone is always stepping on another’s toes. The king has been at war for years, but the capital is far away. I can point you in the direction of someone willing to take on people with…a large lack of experience.”

“Oh you want a bribe,” I said, putting it together. I chuckled to myself as I pulled out my Chikyugi Necklace. “Will this do?” I pulled him into my dungeon and I soon had way more information than I asked for. The room was in a stunned silence as I put the necklace away. The lord started to cry as I turned and walked away. My quest finishing, I received a nice chunk of gold and was on my way. Oscar asked me this or that question, but I was in too bad of a mood to answer. We headed into town and I found our horses outside the pub. 

“Time to go,” I told Mary as I walked in. She was currently sitting on the chest of a very round man. Inside the pub it had been easy to find them after I heard the yelling. 

“Weston, these men were just telling us how much they wanted our company,” the auburn haired woman said. 

“How much they offer? A few copper?” I asked.

“They said that we should pay them,” Mary said. There were 4 in total. 3 weren’t moving after they had been hit by Mary or one of the other girls. I guessed they were getting very used to the Gantz armor. 

“Should I charge you?” I asked her. She flipped me off as I laughed. “You pay your tab? We are on the move.”

“Already? We just got to town,” she said, offended. 

“I pissed off the lord,” I said. “But I know where we are going now. Hire anyone?” I asked as I pulled her up. 

“I found a very lovely cook. Her husband died of a plague last year,” Mary said. 

“Perfect. You get food squared away?” She nodded. “Let’s head out. We are in the wrong fucking part of the country.” 

“What?” She asked. I ignored her as we got out. After securing the cart and verifying that we had plenty of food we were off on the road again.

One of the many things the lord told me was that we were technically in the kingdom of Balden. The world of Berserk was based on a continent that was shaped much like Europe. Lots of countries all around we were to the Northeast. What I would call Poland back in my world. We needed to get to Midland to be part of the main story. Which was far to the Southeast. Southern France if I was on Earth. It would be a long trek to get to the main story, but I hoped to start hearing stories of the Band of the Hawk as we made our way there. 

—

“Holy fuck that was good,” Mary whispered into my chest as we finished the 2nd round. She hadn’t been as vocal as the last time. Forcing herself to stay quiet it had been a fun game to get her to yell out while we continued our fun. 

“I agree,” I said. “Again?” 

“You can still go?” She asked, a wide smile on her lips she began to stroke me up and down. 

“I could go all night,” I said. 

“I’ll hold you to that,” she said, kissing my chest again. Speeding her hand movements up I guessed I went a little easier on her. My hand on her ass I was about to pick her up for another go when my tent flap opened again. 

2 girls stepped in. “Priscilla, Nisse, what’s up?” I asked, unashamed by my state of undress. Mary groaned as she sat up. Looking to the girls they were rather nervous as they looked to the ground. I understood. 

“Come here,” I said. The girls hesitated but were soon walking over. Shy, they wore more clothes than Mary had her first time there. But not much more. 

Priscilla was a shorter girl, older than me she was 18 and had been a farmer’s daughter. Kidnapped a few days before I showed up, her virginity was ripped from her. Short black hair tied back in a ponytail she had the largest rack of any of the girls. Easily D-Cup. I had wished to seduce her. Not make her come to me under such pretenses. 

Nisse was a darker skinned girl. It was said that some ancestor of hers was from the East, and she was judged because she had a tan at all times. Dark brown hair draped over the front of her body she had perky B-cup breasts. In a long brown dress, she had at least tried to dress it up a little. I wasn’t too sure what her backstory was though. 

“You don’t have to do this,” I told them. “You can stay with us, you know.”

“I want to,” Priscilla said quickly. “I um…want to.”

I looked at Nisse. She was a little more nervous as I studied her, but I turned to Mary first. “What did you tell them?” 

“What you told me,” she said. “These 2 are the only others that are worried about that sort of thing.” 

“You do know they will probably like it as much as you do, right?” I asked. Mary frowned, rolling her eyes she didn’t answer, but didn’t make a move to get up either. 

“Okay,” I said standing up. Increasing the temperature in the tent I stepped up to Priscilla. The girl looked up at me, shivering despite the heat. I released a Lust Aura around us. Moving my hands to her sides she let out a slight moan as I moved under her thick shirt. I didn’t hesitate anymore. My hands lightly touching her skin I made it to her naked breasts as I began to kiss her. 

Moaning louder I let the chakra build up as I touched her. Just barely running my fingertips along her nipples she jolted as she melted to my touch. Suddenly her legs crossed and she dropped down a little as she began to cum. Yelling out one of my hands whipped around and grabbed her ass to keep her up. 

As the orgasm finished in her she let out a long sigh. “My god,” she mumbled. 

“That’s just the start,” I promised, kissing her on the lips again. Picking her up in a princess carry she blushed deeply as I laid her on the bed. Mary didn’t appear too happy about it, but she got up and moved to the chair next to my table. Watching, she had a predatory gaze. I would have to make sure she understood her place, but for now I wanted to give Priscilla a good time. 

After showing her how to kiss I wasn’t shy as I opened her legs. She shook the whole time but it wasn’t long until she was yelling my name as I dove into her over and over. My hands all over her body and chest there was something about a farmer’s daughter that scratched an itch for me. My lips on her nipples, chest, and everywhere I could reach she came over and over as I pounded into her. 

“Oh god, oh god, oh god,” she screeched out in a very high pitched voice as another orgasm built up in her. I moved us to a sitting position. My hands on her hips as I controlled her every movement. She stared deeply into my eyes with nothing other than love as I made her body spasm with each orgasm. 

When I finished inside of her she let out a long sigh as she rested her head on me. Tears in her eyes she came again as chakra awoke in her. It wasn’t long until she was passed out on the bed. Nisse was on me then. Impaling herself she didn’t hesitate to take all of me. Her juices building up over the short session she came just as loudly and often as Priscilla. 

I was surprised how much Nisse knew. Moving us into different positions she was far more adventurous than the other 2. Almost a different person she took it all and even helped by moving her hips into me. When chakra awoke in her she pulled my face to hers as our tongues swirled around one another.

When both were sleeping I looked to a very annoyed Mary. “What?” I asked. 

“You planned this,” she said, squinting her eyes. 

“Planned what?” I asked innocently. 

“You planned this, didn’t you? You’re making your own little harem,” she said. “You’re going to be fucking all of us by the end.”

I couldn’t help but smile wide. “And if I did fuck all of you, what do you think would happen?” I asked. She looked at me confused. “I’d still have more than enough for you.” I stood up towering over her as she sat in the chair. Still annoyed, her eyes were drawn to my still rock hard dick. “Come on, Mary. You know you want to be a part of this. I’m building something here. With all of you. This is just a start. Whether it is a Band or a family, who cares? I will be there for you. And be ready to fuck your brains out whenever you want.”

“God you’re crass,” she mumbled but stood up. I grabbed her hips. Picking her up she didn’t fight it as I entered into her. She was soon yelling my name again as the night wore on. With my Haki I could tell there were more than a few that lingered by the tent. Considering joining in on the fun. I would give them all time. We had a few weeks to get to Midland. There was plenty of opportunity to work on all of them.