Inside the Steam Forge's illusory quantum space, faint green Star Energy runes slowly flowed across the floor. The air was filled with the mildly warm scent of metal and energy blending together.
"Crunch, crunch, crunch."
Danica was perched on a giant gear, hugging a plump bag of potato chips like a small squirrel clutching a nut, swinging her feet idly.
She munched away, occasionally glancing up at the twelve Gear Guardians nearby, who stood motionless like wooden figures.
After a moment, she put down her chips and looked at Tendo nearby.
"Mr. Tendo, is setting the forging fee at a thirty percent Star Energy Crystal cut a little too high?" Danica asked indistinctly, small chip crumbs clinging to the corner of her mouth.
Tendo, while waiting for the figure who was about to arrive at the Steam Forge's quantum space, gave a calm reply.
"Danica, many things in this world cannot be measured by price."
"What they care about is never the price, but whether they can get what they want after paying a sufficient price."
"As for the process... it's not important."
Danica tilted her head, clearly not understanding such a statement.
Tendo didn't expect her to understand, either.
Not long after Tendo finished speaking, a piercing whoosh suddenly tore through the space!
At the entrance to the Steam Forge, Liam arrived alone.
He looked towards Tendo in the distance and said gravely, "Speak. You specifically brought this old man in alone; what exactly is your game?"
Gazing at the grim-faced and stubborn Liam, Tendo smiled indifferently, then held up three fingers.
"Thirty percent. As long as the Steam Branch can vouch for me, you, the Steam Branch, can extract thirty percent from the forging fee for every future forging session at the Steam Forge."
Liam was stunned for a moment, then sneered, his voice full of mockery: "Commander Tendo, you're trying to negotiate a deal with us using our own things? Do you take this old man for a three-year-old?"
Tendo didn't waste any more words.
"You have five minutes to consider."
Liam frowned, seemingly pondering why Tendo had the confidence to make a 'deal' with him.
Liam was keenly aware that whatever Tendo was doing, it might not necessarily be a bad thing for the Steam Branch, or even the entire Star Envoy Association, even though Liam wasn't entirely sure of Tendo's overall plan.
The General Association had tried multiple times to make the Twelve Bronze Nobles open up the Steam Forge's forging authority, allowing more Star Envoys in the New Federation to acquire more powerful weapons and equipment.
After all, the purpose of the Steam Forge was to hammer, activate, and strengthen the 'Mechanical Soul' within weapons and equipment.
This further enhanced the equipment's effectiveness while ensuring the material integrity remained unchanged.
Although the enhancement effect was limited to three times and was only effective for weapons below the Calamity-level, the Steam Forge remained an irresistible temptation for the vast number of Star Envoys below Calamity-level in the New Federation, especially the Machine Envoys.
When the Twelve Bronze Nobles controlled the Steam Forge, the price for a single forging was not only expensive, but whether the forging could even proceed depended on their mood.
Consequently, many Star Envoys who came to forge equipment had to pay a basic forging fee and give the Twelve Bronze Nobles a very substantial hidden benefit on the side.
This latter part of the profit was entirely kept by the Twelve Bronze Nobles.
It was only the rules set by the General President fifty years ago that protected them.
Otherwise, Liam, who was already frustrated by the long negotiations, wouldn't have needed Tendo to act; he would have likely stepped in long ago to show those nobles what the Iron Fist of Justice of the Star Envoy Association meant.
Despite being somewhat swayed by Tendo's suggestion, Liam didn't immediately agree.
"Thirty percent is too little. At least seventy percent, because we not only have to maintain the daily operation of the Steam Forge but also protect you, who has just committed a monstrous crime. It's a lot of trouble."
In response, Tendo directly exposed his 'lie.'
"Monstrous crime? I doubt it."
Tendo said with a half-smile, "The General President is much more flexible than you or I think, especially when the result is quite good."
Liam fell silent.
Having fought alongside the General President fifty years ago, he knew that person's temperament better than anyone.
And though Tendo was only eighteen, his talent and potential were shocking even to Liam, who was meeting him for the first time.
Not to mention the General President, who naturally loved nurturing geniuses.
With this in mind, Liam roughly deduced Tendo's confidence.
Therefore, after weighing the pros and cons, Liam made a decision.
"Fine. Then let's negotiate, because you should know that seventy percent is absolutely impossible."
"Agreed."
Star Orbit Corridor: An Afternoon Spar
Meanwhile, in the Star Orbit Corridor, the First Floating City.
On a rainy afternoon, inside an ancient martial arts dojo.
Enite was stripped to the waist, standing in a horse stance, constantly throwing the most basic punches. Each punch carried a muffled thump as the air was forcefully compressed.
"Whoosh!"
The punch swept through the air. The bamboo forest at the edge of the dojo suddenly rustled, and the bamboo leaves fell in unison as if brushed by an invisible hand, yet the bamboo stalks themselves didn't bend an inch more than necessary.
The damp moisture permeating the courtyard evaporated into a thick white mist the moment it touched his bronze skin.
Upon closer inspection, the Star Energy covering Enite's body seemed so vast that it looked ready to tear space apart, yet it was perfectly locked within an inch of his body. Not even the wooden floor beneath his feet had a single scratch, showing his astonishing control over his body.
And this was the true horror: compared to reckless and wanton release, the ability to effortlessly control power capable of destroying the world was the true mark of a powerhouse.
Because it meant he was controlling the power, not the power controlling him.
"President."
Just as Enite was about to throw his next punch, a clear, cold female voice suddenly sounded.
The next second, Enite's punch, wrapped in vast Star Energy, whistled with terrifying sharpness straight toward the speaker's face!
Valentina didn't even flinch. Her expression was calm, completely unmoved.
Boom!
The phantom punch stopped an inch from her nose. Her waist-length black hair was whipped back by the punch's wind.
Immediately afterward, the bamboo forest far behind her rattled like a turbulent sea, and the rainwater on the ground vibrated.
Although the punch was dramatic, it caused absolutely no harm to Valentina, clearly intended more as a 'scare' than an attack.
Enite retracted his fist and stood straight. Sweat dripped down his chiseled jawline. He said, clearly bored, "No fun. Valentina, you didn't even try to dodge."
"Speak. What do you need?"
Valentina held up a tactical tablet, the cold light of the screen reflecting on her delicate face.
"This is news from the City of Steam. I guessed you might be very interested, so I wanted to show you."
Hearing this, Enite looked curious.
Since striking a deal with certain parties fifty years ago, he had remained completely still in the Star Orbit Corridor for a full fifty years.
In this peaceful time, very few things could genuinely move him.
But if Valentina said so, there must be a reason.
Enite then curiously took the tactical screen and began to read intently.
A moment later, his seemingly dim old eyes suddenly shone with a keen glint.
Valentina was right; he truly was very interested in the information.
At the same time, the camera angle of the scene cut over Enite and Valentina's shoulders, taking a wide shot of the courtyard.
The dojo courtyard was a mess, looking as if it had been swept by a Category 5 hurricane.
However, what was more shocking than the mess was the sky above the courtyard.
The dark clouds that had covered the dojo were now split open by a perfectly straight, conical rift.
And what cut through the clouds was none other than the punch Enite had just thrown to 'scare' Valentina.
The fact that a mere playful attack could produce such an exaggerated effect was a testament to the terrifying strength of the current strongest Star Envoy.
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