9.

We have reached the walls of Fiore after 3 more days meaning we are early at our schedule which is completely what I wanted by all means.

Usually, it takes a week or two from Riverwood to Fiore but we reached it in 6 days. Jura told me to follow him to get the rewards for the bandit king. Apparently, the bandit king is notorious in that area as the only raider who steals from those who cross the main road and never got caught. I declined saying that we are good, in terms of money.

"How could I do that? You were the one who captured the bandit king. I also need take you with me as a witness that a massive beast tide is coming this way." Jura said as I sighed and raised my hands in defeat. With Jura's fame and Lamia Scale's reputation, the adventurer's tower would immediately believe him. He just used the excuse of me being a witness to divide the bounty with me.

"Fine. You win. But let me settle down my daughters first." I said to Jura.

"Sure, we're going to unload the cargo here anyway. Just meet me back here." He said as I asked him about a place that is kid-friendly.

"Well, if you're looking for a place that can take care of your daughters while you're away, then head to Snowdrop Tavern. The owner there is an old grandma and her granddaughter. The owner was once a famous adventurer too. Just follow the street down there and head left at the first intersection, you can see the tavern by its sign." He said

"I see. Then, we'll take our leave." I said as we followed his direction.

We ealked fir 5 minutes before I saw a sign named Snowdrop Tavern and entered the place.

"Welcome!" A bubbly voice sounded.

"Thank you." I said as I saw a teen girl coming to our direction.

"The prices are stated in the board and the only available room are those of two beds. Is that fine with you?" The girl said.

I then looked at the prices of the tavern. The prices are reasonable and if you are a customer, you are entitled to three meals everyday. Erza and Kagura can also play at their yard. I paid a rent for a week because I need to scout the place where I'll build my tavern. Which means I'll be venturing the wasteland of death.

I met back with Jura as we head to the adventurer's tower. We handed the Bandit king and I was surprised that the two are twins, not like it matters now. Jura reported the massive beast tide and I became the witness and confirmed that a massive beast wave is coming. Since I'm also there, I asked the clerk.

"If I commissioned people to build something in the wasteland of death, how much would it cost?" I asked and the clerk and Jura were both startled.

"Y-you do know what kind of place is the wasteland of death right?" Jura asked.

"Yeah. I do." One of the things that the wandering Noctis wants to do is to explore the entirety of wasteland of death and uncover all of its secrets. Unfortunately, he became a cripple before he stepped on the wasteland of death.

"Sir, although the request is doable, the price range would be doubled or tripled, depends on how fast you wanted it done. Also you would need to hire some adventurers of A-rank to protect the workers from harm." the clerk said

"I see. Thanks for letting me know. I'll come back if I need anything." I said to the clerk.

"Absolutely sir." The clerk replied.

When we got out of the place, Jura immediately asked me.

"What are you doing in that cursed place? Although the price of land there is nearly free, the dangers of that place is unprecedented. What are you going to build in that place anyway?" He asked.

"Well, I'm planning to build a tavern in there." I said simply.

"A tavern? Why there? You can buy a plot of land here and build the tavern in the capital. Why do you insist in going to that place?" He continued asking me.

"Thanks for your warning, I appreciate it. but I will still do it regardless." I said firmly and Jura didn't speak anymore.

"I guess we'll split up here. Do your best in repelling the beast tide." I said as I split ways with Jura

I went back to the inn and told them that if they got hungry, they can eat in the kitchen. I also told them that I would not be able to come back early because of 'work'. Erza understood that I am earning money for them to eat but Kagura doesn't have an understanding mind like Erza, yet. I consoled her for about 5 minutes before she stopped.

After consoling Kagura, I went to the adventurer's tower to ask if they are lending some horses to which they do. I pulled the brown horse at the north entrance and continued riding until I reached the border according to the map and saw a vast barren land.

'This should be the wasteland of death.' I thought as I looked over the land that emits some eerie presence.

I tied the horse to a tree before traversing the wasteland myself. In the map I acquired, the wasteland of death is like a big wall separating Alakitasia where Alavarez Empire resides and the Kingdom of Fiore. If I were to build my tavern here and got famous, my customers would be from Alakitasia and Fiore, meaning I would have customers from Alvarez Empire and Fiore, and surely fight would break out.

I need to be strong for me to manage the tavern.

I traversed the wasteland of death and was met with low level beast like goblins.

And as I thread deeper into the wasteland of death, I spotted gnolls, orcs, trolls, hobgoblins, and wolves. I evaded all of them with ease.

After a few hours of roaming, I saw the valley where Natsu and Zeref duked it out in the future. I asked the system the place where the tavern would be built.

[walk 50m north]

I was surprised, I only intend to look at this mini-valley but it seems like the tavern would be built here. I looked around at the place where the perfect spot would be and thought that placing it in near the hill would be the best. I don't want my tavern to use the valley walls to make a cave tavern.

The sun was about to go down when I decided to go back with the help of the marks I did in the rocks and barks of trees. What I didn't expect was being blocked by a pack of dire wolves. They are not your average dire wolves because they are much bigger than the norm from what I saw from my predecessor's memories.

If I would compare them to your average dire wolves, this could be considered an elite hunting pack. What I don't know is if their pack leader is here or not. It would be troublesome if their leader is here because he could organize and form strategies. Having an elite party at his disposal doesn't help me as well.

A howl was heard from the distance as the wolves started rushing down to my position. Thinking of my dire situation, I calmed down and thought of my next moves before the wolves started attacking.

I positioned myself with my fist in front and the first wolf jumped to bite me.

"Impact knocking"

I dodged the wolf's claw and rammed my shoulder at its side before following it with knocking. Since it is my first time using impact knocking on the dire wolf, I rammed the wolf first to get a feel for their nerves and used impact knocking.

I cursed because I missed with a few mm error, barely hitting the point at all. I didn't get disheartened as it is the first time I used it on dire wolf. The wolf that attacked me smashed to a tree but it stood up and attackrd me again like a rabid dog he is.

This time it attacked me by swiping me with his claws which I dodged and it followed me as it opened its jaws to bite me. I dodged to the side and sent a pinpoint finger strike in its left shoulder to knock its consciousness out and it immediately fell down.

Seeing me taking their comrade down, the wolves started attacking me altogether and it certainly made my life harder as it only opened a few opportunities for me to counter. I didn't have an opportunity to be on the offense because waves of attack swarmed me in all angles.

What surprised me was the durability of this body, as expected of a body that was bathed in dragon's blood. The claws of the wolves didn't manage to pierce the skin at all. Mind you that Dire wolves are D-rank beasts and these pack were the elites. Their attacks should wreck a C-rank adventurer with ease.

As I took down wolf after wolf after wolf, I finally had some breathing room and I took the offensive and even took down more from the pack. When I finished, the sun had already gone down but I didn't let my guard down. Their leader hasn't revealed itself yet. I didn't notice if it is their pack leader or just a hunt leader because my mind is occupied on countering swift and fast attacks.

After waiting for a minute of waiting I breath a sigh of relief but that moment of carelessness was enough for the wolves' leader. It pounced on me aiming to tear my neck with its fangs but I have managed to dodge it, just barely as its fangs grazed the cloth covering my arms.

When I looked at the one who attacked me, I was stumped. For all this time I thought that their pack leader is just a bigger dire wolf than them. But this dire wolf... is massive. It could rival one story house in height. Its muscles are bulky as well.

He stood in the rock majestically, its fur is white as snow, its eyes were like the color of a deep black raven. It then howled into the night sky before looking at the knocked wolves and the man who did it.

In my predecessor's memories, this wolf is a legend in the Wasteland of Death as the king of this place. It is said that whoever saw this wolf, would be a dead man for sure. Who would've thought that the wolf king would be the one leading the hunt?