"So far, it's a disaster in the making," Rai muttered, arms crossed as he leaned against the command table. The room was mostly deserted—just a cleaner mopping near the door and a few clerks working silently in the far corner.
Jake nodded. "Yeah. But it ain't unsalvageable. Especially now that we know we've got potential buyers."
Rai turned to him, brows furrowed. "Buyers? What do you mean?"
Jake pulled a chair around and dropped into it, casual but focused. "I've been thinking. Got a plan for our situation, but it's going to take a few major shifts. Hope you're ready to follow through."
Rai let out a dry chuckle. "I got kicked out of a family my mother fought tooth and nail to keep me part of. And I sold off the only leverage I had for a stack of raks. You really think life-changing moves scare me anymore?"
Jake smirked. "Heh. Fair enough. Then here's what we do."
He leaned forward, voice lowering.
"First—we gut this place. Disband the MHC and sell the base to your sister. With her new ambitions, I bet she'll be happy to take it off your hands. We could even squeeze a good price."
Rai blinked. "You think she'll go for it?"
Jake nodded. "I'd bet on it. Second—we call the War Council. Withdraw the mercenary license. It's only a Tier 1, no one's gonna raise eyebrows. Just another failed group folding—clean and quiet."
Rai crossed his arms. "Alright. And the third?"
Jake's tone turned a bit sharper. "We open a new manufacturing plant. But somewhere... less obvious."
"How less obvious are we talking?" Rai asked, eyes narrowing.
Jake's gaze locked with his. "Nexus County. Nalenda State."
Rai froze. "The fuck?! Wenistain Province? That's under Council of Heaven control, Jake. We'd be setting up shop on enemy soil."
Jake shrugged. "Technically, yeah. But Saigon has neutral ties with them for now, and the Argoria front's keeping their eyes elsewhere. I've got contacts, people who can help us push this through under the radar."
Rai looked down, sighed, then lifted his gaze. "You and your damn contacts…"
Jake grinned and stood, brushing the dust from his coat. "We'll also need to meet the Duke of Winchesta, in Cholqia. Word is he's shutting down some old weapons plants. Small-time outfit, but with the baron's backing, they might have access to older blueprint archives, maybe even 1- or 2-star grade weapons."
"Even if we can't produce 'em yet," he continued, "we lock down the blueprints now, use 'em when our income pipeline's steady."
Rai considered that, nodding slowly. "That part I might have a solution for."
He turned to face the dusty window overlooking the compound.
"We'll pivot the northern steel plant to start producing serrated armor plates. If I'm right, they'll be in high demand soon. Iron and coal prices are also about to spike, we buy up every supply contract we can get our hands on."
He paused, then added, "Luko still holds the Haiden family's mining rights. I'll talk to him, see if we can wrest a few contracts from under him."
Jake raised an eyebrow. "You sure he'll play along?"
"No," Rai replied flatly. "But I'll make him."
A beat passed.
"And if we're seriously going down the weapons route," Rai added, "I know someone. A specialist. Might be just the kind of person we need."
Jake's grin widened. "That's what I like to hear."
The plan was dangerous, desperate even, but for the first time in days, the wreckage around them didn't feel like an ending, but as a new beginning for Rai.
***
Spring had just set in, brushing the air with new warmth as the last traces of winter faded. And in that short span of a few weeks, everything had changed.
Carleon Weapons, the new company founded by Rai, was now officially registered with the Security and Trade Commission. Their first product, a high-grade Level 1 chest armor, had already received approval from the War Council. Within days, contracts started flooding in. Three Tier-1 army units placed orders for immediate supply.
The implications were clear: the demand for military-grade equipment was rising sharply. War was no longer a distant threat, it was a growing fire, and every faction was desperate to stock their arsenal before it spread further.
Rai had wasted no time. The funds from the sale of the Mystic Hawk Corps compound, along with a loan secured from the Bank of Nalenda, provided the liquidity they needed to move fast. The bank had agreed to a year-long line of continuous credit, an unusually generous deal, helped along by a bit of careful persuasion from the local baron.
The baron's assistance hadn't come without strings. In exchange for helping secure the year-long credit line from the Bank of Nalenda, he'd demanded a percentage of Carleon Weapons' future profits, disguised of course, under the polite label of "gifts."
It was the kind of arrangement Rai had come to expect. Polished hands hiding claws beneath golden gloves.
But the more decisive gain came during their trip to Cholqia, under the guise of negotiations with the Duke of Winchesta. Officially, they walked away with three sanctioned blueprints: a Level 1 chest armor, a standard-issue single-barrel marksman rifle, and the accompanying Level 1 ammunition type. Not exactly cutting-edge, but practical, reliable, and, most importantly, in high demand by low-tier battalions.
That night, however, Jake had secured something very interesting.
Under the cover of darkness, and after slipping past the warded archives, he returned with two additional schematics, both stolen. One was a Level 2 Marksfield Divergent Sword. The other, far more valuable, was a Level 3 Skyhog Cannon.
The Divergent Sword was versatile but unremarkable compared to its peers.
The Skyhog, though, was something else entirely.
Unlike traditional cannons, the Skyhog was built for sustained airborne bombardment, firing continuous waves of explosive ordnance to flatten enemy outposts or choke points. While its tier level placed it on the lower end of high-grade artillery, its tactical potential made it a deadly asset—especially in the right hands.
But there was a catch.
The blueprint was incomplete. The arcane control sequences required to operate its magic core had been erased, likely a built-in failsafe triggered during the heist. And acquiring those details by legal channels was out of the question. Transferring restricted military-grade magical schematics was a violation of multiple international accords. Exposure would mean a swift end to their fledgling enterprise, and likely, their freedom.
They couldn't afford that risk.
Still, Rai remained optimistic.
"Well, that's still a damn good haul if you ask me," he said, arms folded as they walked down the dim corridor of their newly leased office. "We got a Level 2 blueprint for free. We can always track down the Skyhog's magic operations later."
Jake shook his head. "No. We can't wait."
He stopped, glancing back over his shoulder.
"With the war spreading, everyone's desperate. Small armies don't have the clout for sanctioned high-tier weapons. They'll look to black markets, shadow vendors, off-grid suppliers, anyone who can arm them quick."
He stepped closer, his voice lowering.
"And that's where we come in. A single Level 3 blueprint can pull double the profits of all our low-tier contracts combined. You remember what I told you, Rai..."
Rai nodded slowly.
"...We don't just sell weapons. We sell chances. Power. Leverage. And in times like these, people pay anything for that."