Due to the rather special nature of their particular dungeon instance, the group had spent most of the day clearing it, the number and levels of their targets far surpassing the usual, though not breaking the supposed level cap of the entire thing, nor messing all that much with the preset layouts, not yet at least. All that Jack would mess around with once he would get his hands on a much larger force. He would first need to prepare them obviously, equipping them with weapons of his make, then push them through the dungeons, slowly ramping up the difficulty. All he would have to do to open the option to mess around with the settings of any dungeon of choice was to clear said dungeon once, link with its dungeon core by touching it and then adjust its difficulty and so on and so forth. The only thing he could not mess with was the monster base- that was set in stone, so if the dungeon was originally filled with goblins and kobolds, like the one he was in currently, the same species would spawn no matter what else he changed. There was near infinite amount of surplus mana that the combined dungeons of the steppe had amassed during the last few millennia, or however long it had been like this, allowing him to mess around until he would get sick of it.

  Once outside, the group headed towards the same place they had camped last night, once again ignoring the Fort Beginner for a less populated place. They saw plenty of beastmen around though, as numerous parties were also calling it quits for the day, numerous individuals having a small pouch at their belts, clearly stuffed with something, or a rare few could be seen with a bundle of weapons on their backs, clearly the spoils they had earned during the day. Jack's group kept their distance, ignoring all those returning, though at least Jack himself was perfectly aware of the numerous glares shot his way. he ignored them all for the moment. Due to season of calm, assuming the general rules were followed, no serious conflict was allowed outside of cities, with the usual arena slave fights and the like being an obvious exception, though there were always those who worked with a 'dead men tell no tales' approach, robbing and looting much like they would during a season of conflict.

  For better of for worse, their second night also passed without any issues, not a single brave party of beastmen deciding to try their luck. Not that Jack was all that disappointed, his current focus aimed towards a couple more clears of the place to get a slightly bigger sample size, before heading out towards the outer area of the steppe, searching for the free folk.

  The next three days passed by in a blink of an eye, with two of them spent just like their first go around, Jack tagging along and documenting the run, while the third day Jack felt confident enough to send maids and Spartacus in on their own, only for the group to emerge a couple hours later, recounting just how much easier it had gone. Less monsters, lower average level and even the boss had felt like a pushover, or so Sindu explained, confirming Jack's suspicion that his special class was the reason for such a difference in difficulty. Loot wise, it also went in a similar manner, with the runs that had Jack in them yielding a rare completed item, and only a regular uncommon ones dropping as a rewards for the servant only runs. It was clear that profit wise, it was much smarter to do runs with Jack present, for while it did take considerably longer, assuming Jack himself did not take part in the actual clearing, a single complete rare item was much, much more valuable than even a dozen uncommon ones. Stats were just that much of a premium after all.

  With the small experiment done and having the sample size Jack needed to draw conclusions, the group departed, heading back towards Avalente, though they would not stay for long. Along the way, their group encountered more than one group of beastmen, all coming and going their own way, though all that came from Avalente seemed to keep a respectable distance, indicating a likelihood of Jack's portrait circulating the whole town with 'Warning! Do not approach. Armed and dangerous.' warning written on it. Or something along those lines.

  Avalentes gate guards barely slowed his group down, almost bending over backwards so Jack would not be annoyed and decide to do to them what he had done with Grimka the Wicked.

  The city itself had not changed one bit during their near weeks absence, save for the much more cautious beastmen around him, once again indicating about an information campaign regarding his danger level. Since Jack had no desire to stick around, he headed first for Frank's Curiosities, ready to acquire a bit more information of the outer zones where he would spend the following period of time.

  "My, my, how may this humble merchant help you sir this fine day?" Frank asked, almost tripping as he rushed over to Jack the moment he entered the old mans shop. For anyone but Jack it would seem like the action of equal parts frightened and excited merchant noticing a powerful and loaded possible patron entering their shop. Jack saw something else though- a cunning clint in the single eye of the elderly man, years of doing business with all manner of people forging quite the skilled actor.

  What followed was a masterful spectacle as Frank seemingly danced around Jack, singing him praises while advertising his best items, all while guiding him towards a seperate room meant for VIPs' only- something that all self respecting establishments within Avalente had. Once out of eyes and ears of the patrons in the shop, Frank's demeanor changed, the calm and shrewd man returning.

  "I do apologize for the spectacle." he began "but there are rules I have to abide by if I want my head to remain on my shoulders. Were I to act with less fear around you, connections that should not be made could emerge as possibilities, threatening my livelihood."

  "You do what you must to survive, that much is clear, but do tell me what it is that you wanted to inform me about? I picked up that much at least. And while you are at it, do gather what you have on the outer regions of the steppe, and Deadlands as well while you are at it." Jack replied, once again getting straight to the point.

  "Of course. It is always a pleasure to work with someone sharp and direct." Frank replied, beginning to dig through his storage equipment.

  "While you were gone, Sol- Char clan spies had been looking around for you, gathering information and what not. I have heard whispers that someone of their upper echelons wish to talk with you, though I know nothing more than that. of course, the rest of the clans are also running around, with many of those not among the ruling class starting to gather funds with increased urgency." Frank explained as he once again stacked several parchements on the table. much like he had done the first time around.

  "I do hope you got paid well enough for that bit of info." Jack smirked, earning a grateful nod from Frank.

  "That I did, that I did indeed."

  "Here, for the information this time." Jack did not mince words, pulling out the rare weapons his group had acquired in the dungeon during the last few days, earning a raised eyebrow from Frank.

  "I am in need of a healer and I believe you can find one for me." Jack spoke, understanding dawning on Frank's face regarding the value of the items displayed before him.

  "Anything more specific I should be aware of?" he then asked, slowly finishing his rummaging and pulling out a piece of paper to jot down said specifics.

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  "A slave, obviously, and not of beastmen variant, even if that could ever happen here. Female, relatively young, or belonging to a long living race. Nothing else comes to mind. How fast could you get it done?"

  "With this amount of money paid? A couple of days, maximum and I will have an exquisite specimen delivered to you." Frank replied, handing Jack another two pieces of paper "Head here" he pointed to an address written on one of the paper slips "and hand this one to the innkeeper there." he pointed towards the other slip of paper "With this you will get the lodgings and the healer will be delivered to you there so the transfer can be finished."

  "Excellent. Anything else? Something to sell your previous act better?"

  "if there is nothing else you need, then no." Frank replied, adding a second later "Then again, may I 'sell' the information of the inn I just suggested to you to the ruling clans?"

  "Sure, not like they will risk an altercation." Jack shrugged, not the least bit bothered. Worse case scenario, the clans will send someone to request his services or something. He is supposedly playing a mercenary, even if only in passing through this particular city.

  With that little exchange over, Jack and his group stood up to leave, guided by Frank with all the necessary theatrics that had to go along with it, all the way until they left Franks Curiosities. Through his spirit sense Jack could track Franks seemingly frantic movement towards the back of his shop where he quickly scribbled a few notes, then rushed back to the shop and out on the street where he caught one of the runners and paid it a fair few coins to deliver said notes, all no doubt sent to the major clans, the old merchant clearly 'doing the smart thing' and reporting Jack's return to the powers that be. Can't fault the man, he was living in a place where same said powers that be could decide to make an example out of him should he earn even a bit of ire of said groups.

  Finding the place marked on the note Jack had received was quite simple, the establishment in question being quite famous across the town and known by all. Proud Lion was run by, as one might have guessed by the name, a family of lion beastmen. They supposedly had the best rooms, the best service and most expensive and hard to acquire reservations, with plenty of local celebrities- those that did not belong to any of the major clan but were still quite influential either through personal might or through acquisition of wealth.

  Just as expected, the building the Proud Lion was stationed in- a complex more like it- was rather impressive indeed, only second to the great clan houses. Light, warm yellow colored walls, seemingly chasing the chill away from ones bones just by looking at it, could be seen further past the rather large garden that surrounded the establishment, with plenty of tables and stools of quite high quality make placed around, providing with plenty of spots to sit down for a nice conversation with ones companions, or just to drink in the calm of nature, recharging ones batteries.

  No rowdy or rugged feeling could be felt as one walked across the neatly maintained path through the garden, no sense of an imminent brawl of conflict in sight. Whatever methods the owners used, it had been made abundantly clear that one has to behave while within their walls, or garden.

  'Interesting.' Jack mused in his mind, his senses picking up the faintest traces of an array affecting the garden, though the nature of said array was to soothe one's mind and assist on plant growth and development. Clearly, whoever was responsible here placed a great deal of importance on the ambience of the place.

  The first building the path they walked had led to seemed to be the main one, notably larger than the ones Jack could see right behind it, all sharing the same warm yellow color, with plenty of windows lining their walls. If one were to open the curtains, plenty of daylight would fill them up. With his sharp senses, Jack could even catch a glimpse inside one, clearly not yet occupied, else the curtains would be closed. light brown colored furniture, each piece seemingly made with care and attention to details, small scenes carved into them- be it some sort of a hunt, a scene of fishing or even beast families playing. It seemed both chaotic and yet felt natural in the wilds, with each creature having its own agenda and goals.

  Just like his senses had implied, once entering the main building, not a single troublemaker was in sight, the supposed bar filled with a select few individuals, though none that Jack would recognize, not that he would care either way. And unlike Jack, who casually ignored the patrons, he and his party was locked on by those already present, such a large group of humans a rarity, even more in a famous and high quality place like Proud Lion.

  The counter was manned by a lioness by the name of Munsan. According to Jack's appraisal she was an innkeeper class(rare), of level twenty. Clearly, their levels rose in more than the normal way, slaying monsters and whatnot. Jack was quite sure that the prestige of the place somehow was multiplying the experience gained, no other explanation made sense. The beastmen woman herself was almost two meters tall, with average build, lion head rather striking, almost glowing white eyes, not at all like the usual eyes of beastmen who seemed much like their animalistic counterparts. Still, Jack found their appearance- beastmen in general- rather meh, preferring only minimal beast features on his female candy. Something like cat ears and tail, perhaps cat eyes and what not. Most definitely not the full on fur and beast heads.

  "What brings you here traveler?" Munsan asked once Jack was right at the counter.

  "Need a place to stay for a night or two for me and my servants." Jack calmly replied, as though he had done this song and dance a million times.

  "Under what name is your registrations sir?" Munsan calmly asked, placing a rather thick book on the table and opening it up, ready to find the name that would follow soon enough. Instead, Jack placed a slip of paper on the counter, sliding it towards Munsan.

  "This should do right?"

  Munsan raised her eyes from the book with a slight frown, only for it to immediately disappear once she beheld said paper slip.

  "Oh. Of course sir." she replied, her hand reaching out and taking the slip, leafing through her book for a moment, marking off something there and then proceeding to explain in detail about the rules they like observed and obeyed while someone stays. There was nothing special someone with modern common sense would find strange- no fighting, killing, stealing and so forth, while on the premises, with any and all developed grudges to be settled off their property. Munsan then explained about meals and cleaning staff, if extra cleaning was necessary in their assigned home during their stay. All in all, the service here could be likened to that of a rather high level hotel of modern times.

  Thanks to the paper slip Frank had given him, no other issues arose, so just a few minutes later Jack had a key, with a number 'seven' on it, in his hand, as well as a instructions about the small buildings location within the property. In less than five minutes time, his group stood before the relatively small, though large enough for them all, house with number seven, coated in the same warm yellow color as the rest of the buildings here.

  A couple clicks later, the door was unlocked and opened, not the slightest creak escaping it as more and more of the interior was revealed through the ever widening door gap. Much like what Jack had seen through the window, a rather cozy place came into view, warm brown coloured walls with paintings of nature and wildlife aplenty, all telling a compelling story of life in a steppe, with plenty of paintings focused on lions and their life. Proud lion indeed.

  What caught Jack's attention was the small magical instrument by the door, placed inside a small, yet elegant box, clearly the magical tool to summon a servant should they decide they would like to have their meals brought to them, instead of having to head over to the central building and feast there. Or for any other needs to be fulfilled, including, but not limited to- assistance in bath, for plenty of the rich patrons would often want special treatment for their furs, massages, specially chosen dishes and near everything else, even hiring companions for the night, though on the latter Jack would be in a pinch- not that he would ever even think of making such a request- for there were no human companions kept on staff, for good reason as well. Beastmen found humans, and their kin, rather disgusting- the lack of fur and noble beastmen blood more than enough of a reason.

  "Settle in and feel free to relax." Jack spoke once the group was all inside "We might have to spend a couple of days here until your new healer arrives. Once she is here, and I am satisfied with her, we will head out for the outer regions, just like planned" he added, his servants quickly finding beds for themselves while leaving the largest room for Jack.

  Jack Raja(?)

  Age- 27

  Species- human(?)

  Level- 30

  Class- Awakened twin aspect of Creation and Destruction(Ex)

  Stats unassigned: +4

  Attributes:

  Strength- 34 (14+7+13(gear))

  Vitality- 28 (12+8+8(gear))

  Dexterity- 29 (15+6+8(gear))

  Intelligence-20(15+ 5(gear)

  Spirit- Spirit- 30 (20+10)

  Skills- Wisdom of Creation and destruction(EX), Choice of the creator(EX), Eyes of procurer(EX), Matter storage(EX), Arukain language(C), Spark of inspiration(EX), Origin of matter(EX), Unbound by laws of the lessers(EX), The end made manifest(EX).

  Spells- none.

  Titles(unlocked): The real Monster, Big Game Hunter, The brilliant rookie, The insane Solo. Monster debugger.The actor. Executioner. Survivor. Pioneer, Record breaker.The new champion supreme. Slavemaster.

  Gear: Two handed sword(t3)+ 5 str +5 vit: Armor 3str +3 vit +3 dex; Ring 1 - spatial storage, ring 2 +5int, ring 3 +5 str; amulet +5 dex.