One year later.
Hub City, Mechanical Gears Headquarters.
Inside the top-floor conference room, the atmosphere was as oppressive as a solid block of lead.
On the giant light screen, a continuously plunging red curve represented their market share over the past four quarters.
"…Last year, our market share for traditional custom Golems shrank by thirty-seven percent. This year, that number is fifty-two percent." The financial director's voice was dry and hoarse. "Our total profit is dropping every year.
"Wesren Heavy Industry's 'Spider Slayer' and 'Peacekeeper' series have eaten up the entire lower-end market. Their prices are only two-thirds of ours."
Bark's face was gloomy.
"Drop the prices! We'll drop ours too!"
"We can't keep the costs down," a deputy said as he pulled up another set of data. "They've acquired extremely cheap raw materials through some unknown channel. If we follow suit and lower our prices, we won't make a single penny of profit."
