Berserk: The Prophet

"...Oh, isn't that Pickett who achieved a fifty-man kill in the Hundred Years' War?"

"...Yeah, wait a minute?! Sharpshooter Geek is here too!"

"Ah! It's that Gikkel, the double champion of crossbows in Baldian?! He's the idol of all archers! Born into a hunter's family, his life story is simply legendary! I heard that when he was just a toddler at the age of 6, he could shoot a rabbit a hundred meters away with his foot while drawing a bow!!"

"Huh? That's amazing?"

“That’s right, he’s practically the pride of us Baldians! At just 12 years old, he single-handedly shot and killed a fully grown brown bear in the wild, and since then he has served in the Northern Duchy.”

The mercenaries around him stared at the people and whispered among themselves, as if the winter hunt had attracted quite a few formidable figures.

Listening to the discussions among the mercenaries around them, Green and Gus couldn't help but feel curious about the hunt. The fact that it attracted so many skilled individuals suggested that this bear hunt was indeed extraordinary, and perhaps even more lucrative was hidden behind it.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with North, the advisor clapped his hands and raised his voice, saying, "Warriors, I'm sure you're all looking forward to this hunt. But before that, let me first introduce the rules and rewards of the hunt."

Everyone immediately fell silent, pricking up their ears to listen. The advisor cleared his throat and continued, "This hunt will be conducted in teams of ten. The team that hunts the most bears and deer will receive a thousand gold coins from His Excellency the Duke, as well as an honorary medal bestowed by Duke Roman of the North—a truly unparalleled honor. Furthermore, any other prey caught during the hunt will belong to your respective teams."

Upon hearing of such a generous reward, a murmur of excitement immediately arose from the crowd.

"However..." the aide changed the subject, "The Icefield Giant Bear is extremely ferocious, and His Highness the Duke does not wish to see you all die needlessly. Therefore, during the hunt, if you encounter danger, please act according to your abilities. If you find that you cannot cope with the situation, retreat immediately."

After explaining these details, the staff gave some specific instructions on the hunting process and the meeting time, and then told everyone to rest on their own until the appointed day arrived to begin the official hunt.

The Bear Gang was given a spot in a hunting party, so this bear hunt was more of a formality. While the staff was giving instructions on the hunt, North had already met with Duke Roman, and six large chests full of gold and silver were moved into Duke Roman's bedroom.

"Haha, well done! This is the reward I promised you, a total of three thousand gold coins. Commander North, if you don't mind, come and serve under me." Duke Roman placed a small box full of gold coins into North's hands; the gold coins alone weighed thirty pounds.

This is a huge windfall for an ordinary mercenary group. Even if it's split equally, each member of the Fierce Bear Group would get three gold coins.

North looked at the full box of gold coins, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and said with a smile, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Grace. However, our mercenaries of the Fierce Bear Group are used to their freedom and are mostly rough men. I'm afraid they will find it difficult to adapt to military rules. But rest assured, if needed in the future, the Fierce Bear Group will do its best to help."

Duke Roman raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes, but he quickly regained his smile. "In that case, I won't force you. I hope your Fierce Bear Clan will also have some success on this hunt."

North nodded in agreement and then had his men carry the chests of gold coins out of the Duke's bedroom.

"We've struck it rich, Commander!" North's confidant, Reno, stared at the treasure with gleaming eyes.

North's lips curled up. "This is just the beginning. Many dignitaries have come to this hunt. We must also strive to achieve good results and make the Fierce Bear Gang famous."

Renault scratched his head. "Captain, although our Fierce Bear Gang is strong, there are too many experts here this time. It won't be easy to win the championship."

North patted Renault on the shoulder, "We can't give up easily. Everyone, prepare well and do your best. I heard that Green brought back some really good shooters, and they even hunted bears and deer. This might be a good opportunity to test the newcomers."

"You two can take twenty of these gold coins to keep for yourselves, but hide them well so no one else can see them." North gave his two trusted men a large share before they even left the lord's hall.

"Hehe, of course, Captain!" Renault and his companion counted the gold coins and put them into their small pouches, which were already quite full.

“These days, the soldiers who take turns guarding these treasures and those who supervise the work at Blackrock Prison will each be rewarded with five gold coins. As for the other soldiers who are not specifically involved, just pay them two gold coins each as commission, as we agreed before. The rest of the gold coins are up to me to handle.”

Renault and his companions nodded quickly, carefully putting away the gold coins. They followed North back to the Bear Clan's camp, excited all the way.

Back at camp, North, as previously instructed, began distributing the gold coins. The soldiers who had participated in escorting the treasure and those responsible for overseeing the Blackrock Prison each received a reward of five gold coins, and they cheered.

The ordinary soldiers were very happy even though they only received two gold coins, and they were very grateful to the new commander, North.

In short, everyone except Green, who joined the team halfway through, received gold coins, including Gambino, who received five gold coins.

"Wow, Green, look! This is the first time I've ever seen what a gold coin looks like!" Guts showed off to Green the gold coin he had just bitten with two baby teeth marks on, his eyes shining.

Green couldn't help but laugh at Gus's excited expression. Those two gold coins were indeed enough to keep a child well-fed and clothed for a long time.

"Yes, our brother is really amazing. These two gold coins can indeed solve a lot of problems. After this hunt, we can start making plans for the future."

Gus carefully put the gold coins away and nodded, saying, "Yes, by the way, Green, do you think our hunt will be successful?"

"I heard that the archers who came with you were selected by Uncle North to join the hunting team. The reward for this hunt is a thousand gold coins, and if we win, they all go to the team members."

Green said confidently, "Hmm... Although many experts have been invited to this hunt, I believe in the strength of those black-armored archers. Even if they can't win the championship, they can still make a name for themselves. They will definitely win!!"

Gus nodded. "Although I can't join them, I'm quite looking forward to seeing them succeed in their hunt."

“Now that the payment has been made on time, Gambino is not short of money. It’s just that after we leave, there will be no one to take care of us.” Guts’ mood dropped, even though he was already prepared to leave.

Green patted Gus on the shoulder and comforted him, "Don't worry, Gambino is a seasoned veteran who's been through thick and thin, and with Uncle North looking after him, he'll definitely be able to take care of himself. Besides, once we go out and make some money, we can come back and bring him back to live a good life together."

"...I just don't know if Gambino is willing, after all, he doesn't consider us family."

Gus nodded, managing a weak smile.

Just then, a black-armored archer rushed over and said excitedly, "Green, Gus, North says they want you to come over; they say they have something important to discuss."

The two followed the archer to North's tent. North looked at them and said seriously but expectantly, "I just received news that each squad is allowed to bring two pagemen to help in the hunting grounds and do some logistical work during this hunt."

"I'm thinking of having you guys come with the team. It's dangerous, but it'll be a good opportunity for you to train. Are you willing?"

Gus's eyes lit up, and without hesitation, he said, "I do!"

Green nodded firmly. It seemed Gus was very interested. He didn't dislike participating in such activities; enjoying hunting was in a man's nature!

North smiled with satisfaction and began to explain the precautions for hunting and the division of labor within the team.

At night, a campfire was lit in the camp, and everyone sat around it, making final preparations for the upcoming hunt and celebrating the settled commission with drinks.

As Green and Gus gazed at the blazing flames, they were filled not only with anticipation for the hunt the day after tomorrow, but also with a surge of excitement for their unknown future.