"Kid."

  A deep, heavy voice rang out. Caius looked over and saw a towering, muscular man standing up. At a height of 2.3 meters, his sheer size made the surrounding crowd instinctively step aside as he approached Caius.

  "Our boss isn't someone just anyone can meet—let alone some clueless kid from who-knows-where who dares to call him by name."

  Standing in front of Caius, the man loomed over him, his massive build making Caius look comparatively smaller. His face was full of sharp, menacing features, exuding an intimidating aura.

  The little catfolk Kiki hid behind Caius, her fur bristling slightly. But Caius, on the other hand, simply smiled and asked, "Then what would it take for me to be able to call your boss by name?"

  The burly man clenched his fists, his sharp gaze growing even fiercer. Caius narrowed his eyes as well. For a moment, it felt as if sparks were flying between the two giants.

  Ten seconds later.

  "Place your bets! Place your bets!" The bartender called out, setting up wagers across the entire tavern. Mercenaries shouted excitedly, and the entire Iron Tavern erupted into a frenzy of cheers.

  At the center of the commotion, a heavy wooden table was set up. The two burly men sat across from each other, their hands clasped together, grinning in anticipation.

  "Iron Tavern’s rules—if you want to drink and take jobs here, you’ve gotta have an arm of iron!" The massive man bared his teeth in a wide grin.

  "Alright, kid, let’s see if you’ve got what it takes! Let’s arm wrestle!"

  "Haha! Now that’s a rule I like!" Caius laughed heartily, his right arm flexing, bulging his sleeve to the limit.

  "Who’s your bet on? The rookie kid, or Iron Kong John?" the bartender bellowed. "Bets are closing soon! Get in while you can!"

  The crowd eagerly placed their wagers, with the majority clearly favoring Iron Kong John.

  Kiki blinked her big eyes, watching the scene unfold. She had thought a fight was about to break out!

  But soon, she got swept up in the excitement and began cheering as well—before promptly betting all her money on Caius.

  Caius laughed at this and turned to John. "Ready?"

  "Bring it on!" John locked eyes with the bartender, who immediately closed the betting pool and flicked a coin into the air.

  The coin spun rapidly on the table. The instant it fell flat, the match would begin.

  The entire tavern held its breath, eyes fixed on the two titans.

  A few seconds later, the coin toppled over.

  In an instant, a surge of force exploded from the two men, their muscles swelling. The heavy wooden table creaked under the immense pressure.

  "Not bad, kid!" John’s lips twitched as he struggled. He hadn't expected this slightly smaller guy to possess such terrifying strength. His arm, which usually felt as solid as a crane’s lifting arm, barely budged.

  Veins bulged on John’s bald head.

  Meanwhile, Caius grinned wildly, his biceps swelling so much that his sleeve ripped apart.

  "I'm about to get serious," Caius warned.

  "Do it!" John gritted his teeth.

  The battle between the two titans intensified, with the crowd chanting John's name to support him.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  But as the struggle continued, the chants grew quieter. Soon, silence fell over the tavern as everyone watched in shock.

  John’s arm was… being forced down.

  He was clearly going all out, his veins bulging, his face turning red like a boiled egg.

  Caius, on the other hand, while exerting effort, still maintained a grin.

  Finally, John's hand hovered just inches above the table. Everyone knew—there was no coming back from this. The newcomer was about to win.

  But just as Caius was about to slam John's hand down—

  CRACK!

  The heavy wooden table gave way under the sheer force, shattering into pieces.

  "Oh no," Caius feigned surprise, then shrugged at John with a playful smile. "Guess that makes it a draw."

  John blinked, then burst into laughter, shaking out his sore arm. "No need!"

  "A loss is a loss. Everyone saw it!"

  "That’s right! A bet’s a bet!" someone shouted, and soon the entire tavern erupted in cheers for Caius.

  Though, instead of calling his name, they simply chanted, "Rookie kid!"

  As for the lost wagers? It was clear no one cared. Most had only bet small amounts—ten, maybe twenty gold coins at most. No one in the tavern took these little gambles too seriously. It was all about the thrill of participation.

  Caius laughed heartily, while Kiki gleefully ran up to him, hugging a massive sack of gold.

  "Big guy, we hit the jackpot, meow!"

  "Eighteen thousand gold, meow!"

  "So much money, meow!"

  While most had only bet small amounts—and nearly all had bet on John—Kiki had gone all in. She had put down her entire 1,800 gold fortune on Caius.

  With the 10x payout, the little catgirl had just made a fortune.

  Caius roared with laughter, ruffling Kiki’s fluffy head. "We’re newcomers—shouldn’t we treat the old-timers in the tavern to a drink?"

  Kiki immediately understood, nodding excitedly.

  With her approval, Caius turned and shouted, "Bartender! Drinks on me! Fill every glass in this place with the finest rum!"

  The tavern fell silent for a brief moment—before the mercenaries exploded with cheers.

  Even the tavern’s band immediately picked up the tempo, playing a lively tune.

  Now, this was a real party.

  Losing a few gold coins didn't matter anymore—because now, they were drinking premium rum that cost ten gold a glass. It was like paying half price for a top-tier drink.

  With over four hundred people in the tavern, the tab quickly soared past four thousand gold.

  But Caius didn’t even blink.

  Because it wasn’t his money.

  It was Kiki’s.

  But the little catgirl had clearly been corrupted by Caius’ carefree attitude. She wasn’t thinking about the money at all. She was dancing on Caius’ shoulder, swaying along with the music as the tavern roared with laughter and song.

  "Hahaha, kid, I like you!" John, even bigger than Caius, downed his drink and clapped him on the shoulder with a hearty laugh.

  "Thanks, but I like women," Caius replied with a grin.

  John blinked—then burst out laughing. "Screw you, I like women too!"

  "Hahahaha!" The tavern erupted with laughter.

  "What’s your name?" John asked.

  "Caius."

  "You’re Caius?" John’s eyes widened in surprise.

  The crowd reacted as well, looking at him in shock.

  "Wait… is this the same Caius who wiped out the Serpent Gang?"

  "No wonder he beat John in strength!"

  "I’ve heard rumors about a monstrous mercenary from the Outer City—but I didn’t think he was actually a monster!"

  Caius chuckled. "Didn’t think my name had spread to the Inner City already."

  "Haha, kid, you’re making waves," John said, eyes filled with admiration.

  Caius had only been in Ocean City for less than a month, and he had already rocketed from Brass rank to Gold rank. But everyone here knew—Caius’ strength was far beyond Gold.

  Otherwise, he wouldn’t have single-handedly annihilated the Serpent Gang—and he sure as hell wouldn’t have overpowered Platinum Two-Star Iron Kong John, a man famous for his sheer brute strength.

  "Come with me," John said, finishing his drink. "Boss Raymond’s been waiting for you."

  Caius nodded and followed him to the second floor, Kiki riding on his shoulder.

  Soon, they arrived at a private room on the second floor.

  Pushing open the door, Caius immediately noticed a man sitting on the sofa—a well-built gentleman around 1.8 meters tall with a neatly groomed beard, exuding a rugged charm. One of his arms gleamed with a metallic sheen, undoubtedly the "iron arm" that Sean had mentioned.

  The private room had one-way glass windows, allowing a clear view of the first floor below while ensuring those outside couldn’t see in.

  The moment the middle-aged man saw Caius, he broke into a smile.

  "Boss, he's here," John announced.

  "You can step out for now. I’d like to have a chat with this young man," Raymond said with a grin.

  John nodded and shut the door behind him.

  Meanwhile, Caius plopped down on the sofa with Kiki beside him, making himself comfortable.

  "This is way better than those wooden chairs."

  "If you like it, Iron Tavern can reserve a private room just for you—same setup," Raymond chuckled as he poured two glasses of liquor—one for Caius and one for Kiki.

  Seeing that Raymond hadn’t overlooked Kiki, Caius nodded in approval, his impression of the tavern owner improving a notch.

  With a smirk, he said, "Sounds tempting, but I’d better hear your terms first. After all, nothing comes for free."

  Hearing this, Raymond’s gaze toward Caius grew even more appreciative. He nodded.

  "Then I'll get straight to the point."

  "I want you to work for me."

  Caius: "I refuse."

  Raymond: "…"