Ten days had passed since my conversation with Eira and Zeke. Now, I found myself in the office of Darius. The room was more lavishly furnished than ever before, a tasteful blend of rich mahogany and polished marble. It had been completely redecorated since my last visit. As he sat behind a glossy, intricately carved desk, Darius was sipping an expensive-looking drink, the glint of his glass catching the chandelier's light.
He seemed to be in a good mood. However, despite the outwardly cordial atmosphere, tension hung heavy in the air. Darius was not a man to be trifled with, and I had to tread carefully. I was fully aware of how dangerous it was to make a deal with him; after all, he practically already had everything he would ever want. My options were limited, though. If I didn't make this move, all that potential profit would slip away.
I sat across from him, my back ramrod straight, my gaze meeting his unflinchingly. I chose my words carefully, outlining the plan I had in mind. "Darius, we're going to flip the market," I began, leaving no room for doubt about the seriousness of my proposal. I needed to catch his attention, or he might reject me outright.
His eyes flickered with interest at my bold proclamation, but he remained silent, his gaze never leaving mine. It was clear he wanted to hear more. As long as it was interesting, he would at least hear me out.
"We're creating a market of new weapons. I'm not talking about different versions of existing weapons but a set of completely new ones. However, the materials required for this project are rare and expensive. In the last auction, we lacked the funds to acquire them." We did have funds, but they weren't enough to compete with the elite.
"You want my help in acquiring these materials, then?" he ventured, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Yes, and more," I answered, my voice unwavering. "To gain influence, we're creating a single weapon with overwhelming might. I need your help in advertising the weapon once it's created. We have plans to create an entire market of weapons, each with different tasks. Creating those weapons isn't the problem; the problem is advertising them. By creating one overwhelming weapon, the entire market itself will be hyped up."
Darius hummed thoughtfully, his fingers drumming a steady rhythm on the desk. He was silent for a moment before breaking into a wide grin, his eyes alight with an undeniable thrill. "Hahaha, boy, I can't take you seriously. I'm not trying to offend you in any way, but most kids your age are out in school while you're over here making deals with devils."
I sighed at his words. Honestly, I couldn't blame him; who in their right mind would work with a kid my age, especially considering his power? "Well, you're not wrong. I am attending the Academy of Equinox. I understand if you're unwilling to work with me, but please allow me to give you our proposal."
Darius threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing through the luxurious office. He took another sip of his drink before looking at me again. "Hahaha, who said I'm unwilling to work with you? You already made your previous project a success, didn't you? Although the empires decided to start selling devices themselves, you managed to gain a considerable amount of income for your age. Because of you, everyone is starting to get their own devices. Hahaha, you should've seen the look on that bitch's face; she was furious. She came to me demanding answers and nearly died of anger. Truly a great day."
I'm glad it left a good impression. I just hope she doesn't come after me. "So, does that mean you're willing to work with us? If you are, please know that you're the one that would gain most of the profits. We will only request 1% of the profits from the gun, which will be called the Dragon's Eye." I pulled out a couple of files and handed them over.
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I accepted the files with a nonchalant wave, maintaining the cool, indifferent persona I'd spent years perfecting. The kid, Kael, might be young, but there was an undeniable spark in him that drew my attention. He'd proven himself capable with his last endeavor. Not to mention, he'd thoroughly pissed off that harpy of a woman. That alone earned him my respect.
I flipped open the topmost file, peering at the sketches and technical jargon that filled the pages. Diagrams of a gun, one that looked nothing like anything I'd seen before, filled the papers. The details on the designs were intricate, the explanations laden with a mix of magical theory and mechanical engineering. Though I had a keen sense for business, the technical aspects of the invention were lost on me. Regardless, I did my best to maintain a stoic expression, the occasional appreciative hum slipping past my lips as I browsed through the documents.
"You kids have outdone yourselves this time," I responded, managing to sound intrigued despite not fully grasping the enormity of the design. "However, some of these materials... particularly the dragon's blood... That's going to be tricky to acquire. It could take about half a year, even."
There was a pause before Kael nodded in understanding. "I'm aware. This project isn't simple. While we wait for the materials, we'll increase our stock for large sales once the advertisement is done. Are you in, Darius?"
I took a final glance at the blueprints before closing the folder, leaning back into my plush chair with a contemplative hum. Truth be told, I had no idea how this 'Dragon's Eye' was supposed to work, no to be more precise I have no damn clue what these papers mean. but I was no fool. I recognized potential when I saw it.
Not to mention, it would give me another opportunity to ruffle some feathers among the high and mighty. An image of that witch's scowling face flashed in my mind, and a wicked grin spread across my face. "I'm in, kid. And let's piss off some more pompous asses while we're at it, shall we?"
With a hearty laugh, I extended my hand towards Kael, sealing our pact in the grandeur of my lavish office. Despite the unconventional proposition, I felt a thrill of anticipation. Money wasn't the problem; some of these materials would require me to personally retrieve them. This gun had better be worth the trouble.
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Stepping out of Darius's grand office, the door closing behind me with a solid thunk, I breathed out a sigh of relief. The air outside was considerably lighter, the heavy tension that had filled the room dispersing as I distanced myself from it.
Darius was an intimidating man; there was no denying that. His power and influence were matched only by his ruthlessness in the underworld. I was glad I'd left a good impression beforehand.
As I began my walk down the luxurious corridor, my thoughts turned to the future. Our project would take half a year to complete, with acquiring the dragon's blood alone taking up most of that time. However, that didn't mean we'd sit idle during the wait. Our plan was to increase our stock and prepare for a large-scale sale once the Dragon's Eye was ready for unveiling. We'd decrease the price of the TSI's to maintain the market's attention and keep the funds rolling in.
The more I thought about it, the more it felt right. Yes, there was a risk, but the potential payoff was too enticing to pass up. With this, we could revolutionize the market, introducing weapons like never seen before. Although most of the profits for the Dragon's Eye sniper Eira and I designed would be kept by Darius, we would still profit from it. If it all went according to plan, it could even be classified as a national treasure. Eira went all out designing an SS~tier gun.
Now that I have completed all my tasks I better prepare and start heading to the academy, I'm slightly worried about Des but I had a chat with Eira, and she promised to talk to her every day and make sure Zeke doesn't scare her too much in training. Dammit, I really wanted to use that damn flower but I guess Zeke is going to absorb it all.
With that thought, I turned on my heel and began making my way to the Academy. It was a long walk from Darius's office, so I decided to take the Dwarven train. As I looked out the window I could see the streets were bustling with activity, a stark contrast to the secluded tranquility of Darius's office. Merchants shouting out their wares, children running around with laughter echoing in the air, the city felt vibrant, filled with life. When I finally arrived, the majestic structures loomed above me, no matter how I think of it, the academy is too damn cool. Seriously I hate school but this place is filled with fun events, I don't plan to join any tournaments but being a spectator doesn't sound too bad.