Novel Full Chapter 1073 Vultures
Chapter 1073 Vultures
For the past few days, the Reborn company experienced smooth sailing. Their automobiles were selling even more than hotcakes, if it did exist in this world. And thanks to the ever growing automobiles in New Sparta, the hunger for fuel also grew, creating great revenue for the company.
There were some hiccups along the way. A couple of sabotages here and there, some attempts to steal fuel from the gas station, but not as big and outward as the destruction of the first automobile factory. Those were just par for the course. All companies experienced that on a daily basis.
This period of peace and growth was all due to the fact that the main head of the Anti-automobile campaign was nowhere to be seen.
The Tri-star company was truly in a dire situation. So much so, that their presence in New Sparta almost completely vanished.
Last Michael heard of them, they’d retreated back to the Upper part of the Royal Continent as they tried to recuperate from their damages.
“Hmph. They dared to attack us, and now they just get to leave?” Sheina harrumphed. “Lord Michael, just say the word and I’ll storm their base to finish them off!”
Their ‘war’ with the Tri-star company was anticlimactic. Michael expected there to be a lot more clashes with them, but it seemed that they had lost far too much against automobiles to even defend themselves.
Now normally, this would have been cause for celebration. The bully was gone. And now, the Reborn company could keep on continuing this steady growth.
But for Michael, this wasn’t satisfying. There was no justice.
He almost hoped that the Tri-star had more things up their sleeve. After all, this was their chance to finally show the world that they were no mere upstart company. They were an organization that could stand toe to toe against even the best Upper Echelon companies.
Unfortunately, they weren’t given that chance.
“They’re afraid,” Yuna said.
“What do you mean?” he asked her.
“At this point, it’s well known that they were the perpetrators of the destruction of the automobile factory. But even after doing that, they still weren’t able to stop the spread of automobiles. An Upper Echelon losing to a Lower Echelon company in the market… is not a good thing for pride.
Because of that, they are now in a completely desperate state. They could either cut their losses and go back to their main base— or they could issue an officially sanctioned duel with the Reborn company.”
Michael was surprised. “So, they could have challenged us to a Sanctum Duel?”
She nodded. “Yes, but because of the differences in cultivation, the Tri-star company would have to limit their powers to the same level as Reborn.
And in this Sanctum Duel, they could easily wager anything they want. Compensation ranging in the millions. Or even the control of the automobiles and everything else in the Reborn company.
But in turn, they would have to wager the same thing. If they wanted to get all of Reborn’s assets when they win the Sanctum Duel, then it’s only natural that you would get all of Tri-star’s resources if you win.”
This was a very dangerous thought. An all or nothing gamble.
Of course, in such a case, Michael was confident that they would win. In fact, he may even want this exact wager to happen, just so that he could fast track his way to the Upper Echelons.
If he could have all of Tri-star’s resources, then he would gain a permanent spot in the Upper regions of the Royal Continent, making him an Upper Echelon!
“Why didn’t they?”
Upper Echelons were very sure of their own strength. From their perspective, dealing with the Reborn company in such a manner should be as easy as stealing candy from a baby.
“They wanted to. Aunt Claudia warned me that the Patriarch of the Tri-star company came to her with the idea of an all or nothing Sanctum Duel against Reborn.
As a Diplomat, my aunt did her job and reported this to the Montgomery main headquarters.
Usually, this kind of request would take months, if not years to process. There was a lot of bureaucratic tape that needed to be crossed when it came to dealing with such an important Sanctum Duel—especially since it’s coming from an Upper Echelon company.
But guess what happened. They rejected it.”
Michael gathered from Yuna’s expression that this was highly irregular.
“She didn’t even have the opportunity to present this proposal to a panel of Montgomerys, which was supposed to be the rule. They just said no. Plain and simple.”
Who? Michael asked himself. And the answer became plain and clear as he thought about it more.
Who would not benefit if the Tri-star and the Reborn company fought in an all or nothing Sanctum Duel?
It was the other Upper Echelons. Whatever would happen in that fight, they would ultimately lose.
If Reborn won, then that meant that they’d just let a lion into their own bedrooms. With Reborn becoming an Upper Echelon, their expansion would become near unstoppable.
And if the Tri-star company won, then they would have gotten ahold of the automobiles, making them a very formidable power. They’d shoot from the bottom of the Upper Echelon, straight to the top nearing the Conglomerate level.
It was a no win situation. So, the Upper Echelons had to block this Sanctum Duel from ever happening.
And it seemed that Yuna was of the same opinion.
“Those Montgomerys who rejected the proposal must be employed by the Upper Echelons,” she muttered. “But this is good. At least now, I know who to look out for.”
…
…
…
The days passed and the death of the Tri-star company became all but decided.
When they retreated back into the Upper regions of the Royal Continent, they were met with a siege that left them scampering off into the woods.
Their other Main Farms were destroyed, their castles invaded, their people killed.
It was as if the vultures had finally sensed the death in their prey. And within a few days, they systematically picked off the pieces of their target.
No doubt, it was the same Upper Echelon companies who had kept quiet all this time.
These were the same ones who didn’t join the Anti nor the Pro automobile factions in New Sparta.
They chose to lie in wait, until the perfect opportunity presented itself. If it was the Reborn company who had been on the other end of this stick, surely they would have done the same to them.
It became a feast. The Tri-star company was an Upper Echelon organization, after all. Even their gaunt, sickly body was still worth a lot.
“We aren’t able to survey everything in great detail, bu to to…,” said Narito in a disappointed tone.
“We felt many a great presence exceeding that of the Body Formation realm, rah ta ta. If we had come nearer, they would have detected our presence.”
Of course, Michael had the Shadows of Reborn gather everything about the situation in Tri-star.
And right now, almost everything in Tri-star was claimed by the other Upper Echelon companies.
Except for one. A small unmarked territory that was located at the very edge of the border separating the Lower and Upper regions of the Queens region.
This territory used to be a small farm for Tri-star, but it was now ransacked and burned, turning it as a prime territory ready for the taking.
The reason why the Upper Echelons have yet to claim this was because it was not so valuable compared to the other territories owned by Tri-star.
But as Michael looked over the territory on the map, he couldn’t help but think that this would have been the perfect place for him to start his expansion to the Upper regions.
It would make for a perfect hub for his Road System, finally connecting him to the rest of the Royal Continent.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t join the fight to obtain this piece of land.
Or could he?
After all, Jimmy suddenly rushed into the Reborn meeting room to tell him something important.
“Michael! You have to look at this!”
Jimmy presented Michael a single piece of paper. A poster, to be exact.
{Sumptuous Draconian Feast Festival}
It was an advertisement for a festival that was intended for customers from all over the globe to partake in this sumptuous feast.
Every single Conglomerate and Upper Echelon would participate in this festival, presenting the public with their own products and services to sell to the people visiting the venue.
“What is this?” he asked Jimmy.
“It’s a competition, that’s what! I’ve heard rumors that the vultures picking on Tri-star’s dying body are trying to settle their fight against each other using this festival.
The Montgomerys aren’t happy with the fact that too many people are dying. Xere warned the Upper Echelons, and their solution was this festival.
Whoever sold the most products will gain most of Tri-star’s territory!