Guardian rushed towards the place where his workers got attacked. The bandits were already gone with all of their loot, only beaten up and unconscious lizardmen littered the street. One of the lizard kids them rushed towards the Guardian from the shadows.

“Guardian!”

“Yes. It seems that they took it all. This is no good.” Guardian managed to read the situation.

“They did, and we got a good beating but…”

“But?”

“Some of us stalked them carefully from the distance back towards their lair. We know where is your stuff!”

Guardian could not believe that the lizards would risk stalking the bandits who were kind enough to let them off only with the beating. Lizards did so because they feared being punished and kicked out for losing Guardian’s goods.

“What are you waiting for, lead me to it!”

Guardian followed the young lizard hoping to find his shipment intact. They ran through narrow slum district streets. The boy stopped near an abandoned warehouse and pointed his finger towards it. Guardian got the meaning of the gesture, they were there.

The warehouse was booming with people even in the middle of the night. It looked like this was a den of thieves and bandits. Two bulky beastmen guards stood protecting the only entrance.

Guardian approached the men nonchalantly, he was about to teach them a lesson. They should know better than steal from him.

“Hey, you! What do you want?” A guard asked.

“I want my stuff back. A large number of crates must have reached this place recently, no?”

“I have no Idea what are you talking about. Bugger off now.”

“Do you mind if I go inside and check?”

“What?!”

“Look, if you want no trouble you should leave. Now!” The other guard gave a friendly advice.

“I see…”

Guardian turned around but he had no intention of leaving. He swung his tail towards the guards, slapping their faces forcefully and knocking them over.

“This was easy.” Guardian was surprised. Either he got better or those beastmen were just for a show; they seemed inexperienced fighters.

Still, there was no time to idle around. He slashed a guard’s throat with his sharp claws and grabbed the other, deciding to use the beastman as a meat shield. He carefully went inside, being cautious not to get ambushed from above or a side. No one was waiting to ambush him inside so he went in deeper.

“Oi! Where all of you disappeared?”

The warehouse was large, lined up with dusty crates and shelves, clutter was all around. There was plenty of space to hide. Just as he said those words a great number of various men from bestial races emerged from all over the place.

“Who are you and what do you want?” A large tigerman asked.

“I want my crates back. The ones the lizardmen were hauling.”

“Ohhh, so you boss those kids around. You have stolen the crates from the dock and I stole them from you. What you gonna do, call guards?”

“I am going to kill this man and then you!” Guardian pointed at his captive.

“So you are here to pick a fight, eh. How foolish... Men!” The tigerman commanded his men to attack.

Guardian feared there might be some nobles involved but this was not the case, there were no mages present. These men were just common bandits. The ones attacking him were armed with knives and iron-banded maces.

In response to their attack, Guardian raised his meat shield in the air and threw the man. The body hit Guardians targets knocking a few men down.

“Back off you scum!” Guardian threatened.

“Or else? You will call your mother?” The tigerman taunted him, he was observing from the distance.

The bandits were awfully close to Guardian they have almost surrounded him, but he knew what he had to do. He will use what proved to work every time, well almost.

“Or else I will cook your ass! Taste this.” He blasted the men with his magical attack.

The force slammed into the beastmen sending them flying away from the Guardian.

“A mage?!” The bandit leader guessed.

“Yes, and a deadly one.”

Guardian ran straight past the knocked men towards the leading tigerman. The beastman put his hands up ready to take on Guardian’s assault. Both he and the beastmen punched at each other. Unfortunately to the beastman Guardian was much more powerful than him. Their fists connected with each other and tigerman got his hand fingers completely broken.

“Why did you even do this?” Guardian found the beastman actions extremely foolish. He wondered if the tigerman was trying to prove something.

The beastman clutched his fist in pain. Guardian did not waste this opportunity and kicked at the tigerman. He did not put all of his strength in, just enough to wind the man. When he grabbed the beastman in a neck lock, preventing him from moving.

“Tell your men to back off!” Guardian ordered the tigerman threateningly. He squeezed the beastman's neck demonstrating that he can break his throat if he wished so.

“Ok, ok… Guys! Stay clear from him!”

“Good, very good. Now you apologize.”

“Get fucked!”

Guardian squeezed his arms choking the man. The tigerman almost passed out, his men stood on edge unsure what to do.

“Apologise!”

“Sorry that we stole from someone who is already a thief.” The beastman blurted out dejectedly.

Guardian did not steal that. He had a deal with the Islanders, but to a passer-by, all of this might have looked differently.

“Properly!” Guardian grabbed the tigerman's arm, forced it behind the tiger's back and dislocated his shoulder.

“Uaaa!... Sorry, sorry. I apologize. What now?”

“Well you took it from me, so you better bring everything back where it belongs.”

“What?” The tigerman could not believe Guardians demands, this sounded silly.

“What you heard. Order your men to get my stuff, all of it, and carry it to my place.” Guardian squeezed the beastman’s neck to encourage him to act.

“Okay. Men you heard him.”

“Yes, boss.”

The beastmen gathered the crates from the warehouse and were following the Guardian.

“One bad move and I will kill your boss and you. Do not forget I can cast magic.” He warned the beastmen.

The stolen goods were returned to where they belong, that is Guardians dungeons.

“My men did their part, now let me go.” Demanded the leader.

“Ohh is that so… Who said I am letting you go.” Guardian whispered in a beastman’s ear. “Attention!” He shouted to the men around him.

Once he got everyone’s eyes on him Guardian continued. “I challenge your boss to a duel! Winner takes all.”

“You are crazy where is no way I…” The tigerman complains were rudely interrupted.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Guardian grabbed hold of the tigerman's head and twisted it. There was a loud cracking sound; the neck got broken. Guardian did not stop and kept twisting and pulling, eventually separating the head from the body. Then he raised the head above for everyone to see.

“I am your boss now! Isn’t how it works with you people?”

Guardian was not too far off, but not exactly right either. The leadership in bestial gangs could indeed be achieved by duelling, but this had to be done fairly. The way he did it was a dirty play, yet no one was keen to object to him.

“Those who disagree can challenge me. I assure you will meet the same fate.”

The bandits muttered in between themselves, they clearly did not like that but no one was stupid enough to challenge a mage.

“Noone? Well, then disperse. I will come to see you in your place a few hours past dawn.”

“Yes, boss…” one of the beastman said with a frown of displeasure; they left.

“Now then…”

Guardian had other things to sort out. Since he will be busy in the morning he won’t be able to fish this time. This, however, was only a minor Issue. He will just push this task to someone else. He got Tiramisu to do and she was happy to help him, she was a good fisher after all. Guardian also told her to select two helpers to come with her and start training them in spearfishing. She alone could not hope to get enough food for everyone. He had also promised to get the youngsters proper fishing spears later this day. Also, he planned to purchase small hand blades for all of the lizards, they needed them for self-defence. If they had some weapons to begin with maybe this ambush would have not happened.

Guardian double checked all of the crates and its contents making sure he has everything. Then he went back to the bandit’s warehouse. All of the thugs were there and they were bickering and shouting at each other. The place was very noisy, noisy until the point they have noticed him; then it was dead silent.

“I am back. I see you are not too happy with a leadership change. So, do I have a challenger?”

Noone came forward, but Guardian could see discontent in their eyes.

“Hmm, let me ask differently. Those who object to my position raise your hands.”

Almost a half of bandits did so.

“I see… So why don’t the opposition elect the new leader so we can duel properly? No dirty tactics this time.”

The silence was broken and the men began bickering between each other once again. They could not agree on the new leader. Some even did not want to be a part of this gang anymore, but they had to out of fear of being ostracised.

“How troublesome. I will give you some more time by the evening.”

He left the men to sort themselves. He had to get the crates to the market and sell the goods.

Guardian did so and with great success, once again he managed to sell everything. His business plan was proving to be working. Ithayiga came to him on a couple occasions bringing good news. The beast boy told that Iustitia managed to get him a few more deals with Islanders, this meant that there will be even more crates to pick up this evening.

He wrapped the thing up, counted his coins and went to a local weapons merchant. He had some blades to purchase, a buttload of them. This will probably cost him a good coin, since good metal was very expensive. This expense was fine because this was a necessary investment. He had also purchases some other goods he will need for the future, some poison included.

The lizards were pleasantly surprised about receiving the blades. They did not expect an expensive gift from him, but this was not a gift. Guardian told that this will be a payment for their services. He handed out the blades and took all of the lizards with him. He hoped Tiramisu would be back by now from fishing, he could use her skills, but she still was not.

Guardian went back directly to the bandit's den. The lizards were ordered to follow him, but at a distance.

“I am back. Have you decided on it yet?” He announced loudly stopping the bandits from doing whatever they were doing.

“Yeah. We will duel you but this will not be one on one!”

“How unfair. But I accept!”

His answer somewhat shocked the bandits, they did not expect him to agree. They did not need his permission anyway, they would have attacked him regardless. It was not all of the bandits who attacked him, it was not even a half, it was clear that some were too hesitant to challenge his position as a boss, and this was good. Once this will be over he will have some minions to command.

He knew that he can take the small group of a dozen or so men. It was not the first time he did so, they stood no chance and they will find out this soon. Guardian soaked up the damage whilst punching and kicking the men back. He was careful not to overdo things, he needed this scum alive for research purposes.

Guardian’s choice not to kill meant that he got injured slightly more than usual, but this was not anything serious. Few cuts and bruises here and there. He tired the bandits out and this was a time for the second part of his plan. He was not planning to play fair from the beginning. Guardian roared for the lizards to come to him and help finish this..

The young lizard men flocked from all over the place and took the bandits by surprise. The lizards cut at the bandits with their poisoned blades. It was a poison which drained stamina. Bandits being already low on it collapsed within seconds.

“I won! Do any of you want to keep at this? No? Good!”

Some bandits recognized him as one to be reckoned with, others still didn't. But those others could not object him, not yet as it would be suicidal.

“I am not letting these rebels go. I am taking them as prisoners to pay for their crime of offending me.”

Guardian ordered the lizards to bind the men with rope.

“I am your boss now, so you better obey my orders then I am back. For now, do as you please.”

He took his prisoners back to his dungeon. Lizardmen pressed their blades against bandit’s throats so that they won’t even think of escaping. Living in the slums had its perks too; City Guards did not care what he did here.

He locked prisoners in the cages within his research hall. The men did not seem too happy about the turn of events but Guardian did not care. He forcefully grabbed a random beastman and bound him to a stone table, which oddly looked like a sacrificial altar. The bandit flailed and tried to resist so Guardian had to make the man quiet with a good bang to his head; the bandit became quiet and obedient once unconscious.

Then Guardian opened the leather-bound book and read from it out loud. It said he would need a magic crystal and at least a dozen mages to make this work, but he tried it alone regardless. He was curious about what sort of spell this is and what does it do. After reading the notes he continued with the ritual incantation. The incantation was awfully long and drained his mana almost completely. Just as he thought that nothing will happen, it did happen.

Wispy blue threads of light moved from his body towards the beastman, going inside his flesh. More and more of threads floated towards the bound man. The beastman's body absorbed all of the mana and then it convulsed and contorted in a series jarring motions. The beastman's whole body was shaking and trembling, his flesh began to shrink in mass as if it was being consumed from the inside. The blue-tinted light spilt from all over his body, especially from his mouth. The man was no longer sleeping, he was letting out an unholy scream as if his very soul was being ripped away.

The blue energy gathered above his body forming a ghostly figure vaguely resembling the beastman himself. It floated there for few tens of seconds, there was no crystal or any other conduit to suck the excess energy. Having nowhere to go the transparent body of energy exploded in a shower of light, spewing raw mana all around the hall.

Guardian had to shield his eyes not to get blinded by it. The overpowering light stopped; it left behind multiple glowing orbs which were floating all around the room. They too emitted a blue glow, it was not as intensive and the orbs themselves seemed to be shrinking slowly with time.

What once was a bulky beastman, now was a shrivelled mummy devoid of any life. Guardian observed the body with keen interest, he had never heard of a spell which could do that. It seemed quite powerful, being able to destroy a body in such a manner. However, it was clear that this was not a destructive spell. Or an enchanting one for that matter because he could not feel any buffs bestowed upon him. Guardian concluded that the spell has failed or something like that, since he did not have a conduit which was used to collect the energy the dying body released.

Regardless of that Guardian touched one of the orbs with his hand. His fingers went straight through, and he was unhurt. They were completely harmless; if he kept his fingers in only a slight tingling sensation could be felt.

Then he had an idea. He put his hand back inside the orb and tried to suck the energy towards his body. This was a complete opposite of how he used his magic before, usually, he would will it out of his hands. This was not an easy task and it was hard to remain concentrated, he was inexperienced in what he was doing, but he kept pushing himself to try to make this work. And it did, he felt mana clinging to his fingers and slowly going through his body inside his mana core. His mana pool was replenishing slightly.

He kept doing it, his whole body felt strained. The process was very slow, but it worked. Within two minutes he managed to restore half of his mana, this was amazing. One orb was capable of that and the entire room had few tens of them. This magic ritual was converting human life force into raw mana.

Guardian was very happy about his find. Now he only needed to learn how to collect it all efficiently. For now, he had no such means and the orbs will dissipate given some time. It was fine he had more prisoners locked up.

…

Meanwhile, somewhere deep within the city, Tiramisu was skulking about. She was trying to find a particular person. Well, if she just asked about this person in a certain place she would get an answer straight away but she could not do that. She was looking for a liazardwoman named Shazzara. They have met only once but Tiramisu considered her as her arch nemesis, probably one-sided feeling but it did not matter.

She was scouting the city checking every corner and dark alley. She was at it for hours already. She could not give up otherwise she would not be able to sleep in peace.

Finally, her sensitive nose picked a foul smell, a smell a lizardwoman would emit then she was in heat. Tiramisu followed her nose which led her deep inside the narrow alley. It was quite dark and she had to strain her eyes to see, not too far from where she was she noticed a beastman’s back. He was just standing there leaning on the wall with his hands like a drunk would, so that he does not fall.

She saw a beastman but she clearly could smell the foul juices of immoral female lizard nearby. Tiramisu carefully sneaked up behind the man and then she saw that Shazzara was crouched in front of him. She was doing something naughty to him with her mouth.

‘That slut!’ Tiramisu has finally located her quarry.

She carefully got right behind the man and in a swift motion slit his throat whilst holding his mouth shut so he can not let out a gurgle. She did it so professionally that the lizard below him did not even notice. At least not for a couple of seconds.

“Eh, why are u shrinking all of the sudden? Am I not good enough?” Shazzara mumbled through the meat inside her mouth.

Instead of a rough male voice, she heard a feminine one and it startled her.

“You will never be good enough!” Hissed Tiramisu releasing the beastman from her grasp.

The body dropped to the ground with a thump. The turn of events and especially the one standing in front of her terrified Shazzara.

“Wha-what do you want?” Slazahe stuttered in panic.

“…”

Tiramisu did not have anything to say to her. Instead, she jabbed the dagger in Shazzara’s neck backside; she twisted the dagger and pulled it out. The spinal column was severed and the Shazzara dropped dead there and then. Tiramisu had her sweat revenge, she no longer will have to feel threatened by this obscene female. She had to do it before Shazzara could tell that she was pregnant with Guardians children. After all, Tiramisu was convinced that Shazzara was pregnant. Shazzara mated with Guardian and why else would she use only her mouth to service the customers.

She wiped her bloody dagger on the fur of the beastman she had just killed. Her victims were left there to rot. She had to come back home before Guardian could miss her, after all, she was supposed to be fishing.