The final candidate, a middle-aged human by the name of Gerald Silt, stood out not just due to his mastery of logistics or supply chain but rather his straightforward manner. Instead of boasting about his previous employers, he'd simply laid out his skills and capabilities without any flair.
A rare honesty in the sea of boastful mediocrity.
In the days that followed his hiring, Gerald settled into his role swiftly and quietly. No grand declarations, no endless stream of questions—just a quiet dedication to his work. This suited Zark'thul just fine; his patience for mortal chicanery was low.
A new relevation had emerged in the meantime.
Employees hired from the city didn't count towards his overall Agent Pool Size. This limit was purely reserved for Agents summoned through the Tower's mechanisms, such as his REDLINEs.
By contrast, employees were beings from this world, operating under a vastly different set of rules. They didn't consume 'slots' in his Agent Pool and were bound by contracts and the mortal law of the land.
That also meant paying them.
Zark'thul glanced at the budget report on the screen again, noticing a new line item in his expenditures: employee salaries.
Weekly Profit & Loss Report:
Business Capital: 550,000 Credits (cr)
Other Capital: 844 gold coins; 1,315 silver coins
Income:
? Resource Sales: 17,000 cr (Aetheroot, Siltstone Cores, Mirecrystal Eggs, various)
? Trade Deals: 30,000 cr (Ongoing trade deal with Kaldeck Company for Sathonic crystals)
? Total Income: 47,000 cr
Expenses:
? Personnel Salaries: 24,000 cr (16 non-combat personnel)
? Departmental Overhead: 1200 cr (Infrastructure, upkeep, resources)
? Miscellaneous Costs: 800 cr (Repairs, maintenance, utilities)
? Total Expenses: 26,000 cr
Net Profit: 21,000 cr
At the moment, he was barely scraping by. But that would change quickly. With Xashai's expertise, the initial purchase of Sathonic crystals had been secured at a steep discount. According to Gerald's forecast, these crystals would be sold for a 200% profit in the city. If everything went as planned, the first batch would arrive in a couple of days. The crystals were relatively uncommon in that realm, but in the city, they had great value.
He inspected the crystals' attributes that appeared on his console:
Item: Sathonic Crystal
Type: Resource
Value: 500 credits
Description: A cluster of translucent, angular shards that emit a soft, blue-white glow. These crystals are valued for their unique properties and are commonly used as a power source in various artifacts and devices.
Attributes:
? Power Conductivity: Enhances the efficiency of energy transfer and storage in powered devices.
? Stability: Remains stable across a wide range of temperatures and pressures.
? Durability: Resistant to physical impacts and adverse environmental conditions.
Uses:
? Energy Source: Can be integrated into devices and contraptions to provide a steady and reliable power source.
? Illumination: Radiates a gentle luminescence, offering a clean and efficient lighting solution.
? Artifacts: Often employed as a crucial component in the construction of magical artifacts due to their conductivity and stability.
Availability:
? Scarcity: Found in specific regions of the realms, particularly in underground crystal caves.
? Accessibility: Extraction requires skilled labor or specialized equipment due to their growth within complex crystal formations.
Market Value:
? Niche Applications: In high demand among artisans, engineers, and alchemists for their unique properties, which allow for the creation of durable and reliable contraptions.
? Premium Pricing: Often commands a premium due to their scarcity and the technical expertise required to extract and utilize them effectively.
Once again, Xashai's shrewdness had prevailed. These crystals might be commonplace in their original realm, but here, their value skyrocketed. The anticipated 200% profit margin meant he could repay his initial investment swiftly and build up a significant reserve of wealth.
The main bottleneck was acquiring the currency needed to establish the trade deal in the first place. That realm bartered in gold and silver. Hard currency. He'd had to turn to the goblins to procure the necessary funds through looting whatever they could find during their missions.
Xashai had proved her worth again.
Not only had she brokered an incredibly favorable trade deal with the merchant company, she'd also pointed him towards the opportunity to sell the resources he'd acquired from previous missions. All that looted material had piled up without a real purpose, as he had no need for it internally.
Rare resources like the Aetherroots, Siltstone cores, and Mirecrystal eggs he'd gotten from the marshland had now found a use in the local market, being sought after by artisans and collectors for various purposes. Xashai had managed to offload them to interested buyers in Ichthys, providing an initial influx of gold and silver coins into his coffers.
Zark'thul checked his financial statement again. Despite the limited time frame, his resources were already starting to build up. The stream of profits, combined with the resources flowing in from the missions, meant that he would soon have the capital to make further investments.
Elspeth entered the room, breaking the silence with a cheerful tone, "Sir, the squad has returned. Squad 1 is in the nexus room, and Xashai has settled in her quarters."
He nodded, dismissing the document with a wave. "Good. Any notable findings during their outing?"
"Yes," Elspeth replied. "Agent Warren was especially resourceful in gathering information about the city. He discovered some crucial details regarding the Illegal Trafficker Directive and made substantial progress in finding a potential culprit."
"Oh? Let's hear it, then."
"Warren managed to find documents in Vholux's warehouse that mentioned a criminal named 'Bottuf.' Apparently, he's a notorious figure involved in illegal activities around the port of Ichthys. His gang seems to be at the center of much of the city's underworld dealings. It seems Vholux, the target in the directive, is not the big fish, but rather part of a larger network controlled by Bottuf."
She placed a document in front of Zark'thul. A picture of a bulky, scarred individual adorned the page. The image showed a humanoid with coarse, dark fur and a flat, broad face, along with a series of symbols and annotations detailing his known associations and activities. He was identified as a Khibrath, a race of bipedal, bovine-like beings known for their strength and resilience. Bottuf's image seemed to portray a particularly brutish example of the species.
"Bottuf is a known racketeer, smuggler, and extortionist, running various illicit operations in Ichthys," Elspeth continued. "Warren suggests he is the key figure behind the smuggling operations. The directive initially identified Vholux as the target, but it's likely that he's just a pawn in this bigger operation."
"Where is Bottuf located?" Zark'thul asked, scanning the document.
"It's not clear. He seems to operate from the shadows, never showing himself openly. Warren is still gathering information on that front."
He drummed his fingers on the desk.
The directive only stipulated extracting information from Vholux. Eliminating Bottuf wasn't part of the directive.
He checked the status of the directive again:
[Directive 2-3: Extract Information from a Suspicious Merchant. Status: Complete. Rewards have been allocated to your account.]
On the surface, the directive appeared complete. However, his instincts were telling him there was more to this story. And so far, his instincts hadn't let him down.
Nevertheless, four out of the five directives were done, and Squad 2 was dealing with the last one. It was only a matter of time until the sixth directive would be revealed—most likely another floor guardian to contend with.
Zark'thul dismissed the status page. "Keep me informed. Once Squad 2 completes their mission, let me know. I want to be prepared for the next phase."
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
He turned his attention back to the budget reports. They might be a tedious necessity, but he was already formulating strategies to turn these mundane numbers into an advantage. As he delved into the documents, Elspeth departed silently, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
[Directive 2-5: Capture a Rogue Mage. Status: Completed; Rewards have been allocated to your account.]
[You have advanced to Level 6]
Just as he'd expected, the last directive was done by the afternoon of the following day. At this point, the goblinoids were an oiled machine. It hadn't been long, but already they'd lost much of their initial awe and fear of the Tower's advanced technology. They were adapting to the new lifestyle, some a bit too eagerly. Although they weren't as polished or regimental as the REDLINEs, they got the job done.
Zark'thul arrived at their section of the barracks and looked around. Filu and Urgan had been engaged in an arm-wrestling match when he walked in, their match forgotten as he stood at the doorway. Rakk, Vraza, and Skitters were playing a game of dice, but their game halted as everyone stood up to greet him.
"Boss!" The twins hailed in unison.
"Hoi! Welcome, boss, to our little corner," Urgan boomed out. "To what do we owe the honor? Did ya come for a quick brawl to keep the edge sharp?"
"I didn't," Zark'thul said, his tone dry. "I'm here to check on what you've learned from the captured mage."
"Ho, now that's the fun bit. Ya should have seen it," Skitters replied, a bit too enthusiastically. "Broke easily, he did, not much to 'im."
Filu approached the corner of the room, picking up a leather-bound book from a shelf. "This is what we recovered. He was carrying it with him." She turned it over in her hands before holding it out to him.
He took the tome, inspecting it. Ledgers, details of dealings—it was a meticulous account of transactions, deals, and connections belonging to the Northmen Traders Guild. No doubt if he returned this to the guild, it'd bring him more into their good graces.
Now how the Tower managed to fabricate Zark'thul's identity as a member of that guild, going by the name Lawrence Mycroft, remained a mystery. Elspeth had been less than forthcoming on the topic when questioned. All she offered was a non-committal assurance that he wouldn't be exposed as a fraud and that he was a legitimate member of the guild.
Zark'thul turned his attention back to the goblinoids. "What else have you learned?"
Filu crossed her arms, leaning back against the wall. "The mage fought using something like dark magic. Nothing Filu seen before, it was different. He warped the flesh of his allies, turning them into abominations." Her voice carried a hint of disgust at the memory.
Urgan added, "Yeah, fought hard 'e did, but we brought 'im down, didn't we? A few of those mindless, drooling bastards we had to put down, though."
Rakk and Vraza shot to their feet, making exaggerated slicing motions. "We cut them to ribbons!" Vraza exclaimed, and Rakk nodded vigorously.
That got Zark'thul's attention.
Dark magic was a broad term. There were many ways in which this could manifest. But if this mage could warp flesh, the coincidence was too great.
He returned his gaze to Filu. "What did the mage look like? Did you see any symbols or marks on him?"
She thought for a moment. "He was thin and pale. Had a bald head, white beard, and some symbol on his amulet."
"What symbol?" Zark'thul pressed.
"Ho, it was the star with the tentacle eye, wasn't it?" Skitters interjected.
Filu confirmed, "Yes, that was it. Filu saw it clearly."
Zark'thul closed his eyes and searched the memories from the cult member he'd subsumed not too long ago. The recollection of the symbol was clear, the octopoid sigil engraved in the cultist's mind.
There was little doubt. The mage was a cultist. But if that was the case, then all the directives really were linked to them in some way—or at least most of them.
Zark'thul opened his eyes again, "You've done well."
The twins beamed at the praise, Skitters grinned, and Filu and Urgan exchanged pleased glances.
Vraza couldn't resist adding a comment. "Hoi, Boss! When can we head back out? We's got a lot more smashing to do."
"Ho, that's right," Rakk echoed his twin, his head bobbing in agreement.
This elicted a chuckle from Zark'thul.
Unlike his REDLINEs, whose morale would diminish after repeating the same missions, these two... no, all the goblinoids... they could repeat the same mission ad nauseam, always retaining the same level of enthusiasm and enjoyment. Perhaps the low complexity of their brains made this possible.
Filu was an exception, and Skitters to a lesser degree. They had a spark of cunning that set them apart. Still, that savagery was refreshing to him, who was accustomed to the cold, detached orders of his previous minions.
"Soon," he replied, handing the book back to Filu. "I need to confirm a few things, but soon enough, you'll be back to wrecking more havoc."
Vraza sauntered over and threw an arm around Zark'thul, with Rakk following suit.
"Hoi, boss! You's the best!" the two of them crowed in unison, each hanging off one of his arms.
Zark'thul blinked.
"Why are you hugging me?" he asked, his voice betraying his discomfort at the unexpected show of affection.
The goblins looked up at him, their eyes glittering.
"You's is one of us!" Vraza exclaimed. "Strong and fearless!"
"We like you!" Rakk added, squeezing tighter.
Vraza pivoted and wrapped her legs around Zark'thul's waist, straddling him from the front. "Ride you hard!" she cackled, grinding suggestively against him.
"Oi!" Filu barked out from the side, a hint of warning in her tone. "Show some respect!"
Skitters joined in, laughing hysterically at the scene unfolding before him. "Ho ho, boss! You gonna take 'er up on that offer or what?"
"Off with you!" Urgan chuckled, stepping forward to pry Vraza away.
The goblin girl dropped down from his waist with a disappointed huff. "Maybe next time, then!" she winked. "You ever get lonely, you know where to find us, hoi?"
Rakk agreed, his tongue peeking out between his teeth.
Zark'thul stood there, trying to make sense of what had just transpired, while a playful scuffle broke out among the goblins. It was odd, to say the least, and something he wasn't quite sure how to deal with. Elspeth had once warned him about the goblins' playful nature and unpredictability, but he had never expected... this.
His prestine suit was now creased and in need of cleaning. Great.
"Hoi! Vraza! Watch the teeth!" Rakk's shout interrupted Zark'thul's reverie.
"I was just playin' a bit with you," Vraza protested. "Don't be such a wimp!"
"Both of you, enough!" Filu commanded, and the siblings reluctantly ceased their squabble.
Zark'thul cleared his throat. "As I said, you did well with the mission. You all can have the rest of the day off. I might need you all again soon enough."
"Hoi! Free time! We's gonna make use of that." The twins jumped up again, no doubt already plotting mischief.
Before he could admonish them, Filu stepped in. "Don't even think about it. You're not getting into trouble, understood?"
"Ho, spoil our fun, will ya?" Rakk grumbled, but Vraza nudged him in the ribs before he could say more.
"Right, we's good. We's good," she said, a little too quickly, casting a glance at Filu's stern expression. "Filu, relax."
He left the goblin quarters behind and made his way to his office. Elspeth was already there when he arrived. She was in the midst of filing a bunch of reports into the various trays on his desk, her attention on the contents of the papers rather than him, a rare occurrence.
"Sir," she began, without looking up, "Squad 3 has also returned, they're settling in and resting from the mission. Shall I notify you when the new directive has been revealed? It should happen momentarily."
Zark'thul sat at his desk, and Elspeth handed him a cup of the hot, bitter brew she'd brought to him earlier in the day. "Yes. And arrange another meeting with Xashai once it is available."
"Understood, sir."
Just as Elspeth had predicted, it didn't take long for the notification to arrive:
[Directive 2-6] Eliminate the Floor Guardian
[Objective] Defeat Bottuf, the Khibrath criminal mastermind lurking in the city of Ichthys. He will be located in Warehouse 18, Dockside district, city of Ichthys
[Difficulty] ★★☆☆☆
[Success] Kill Bottuf and his cohorts.
[Failure] Wipeout of all field agents deployed.
[Reward] 250 Experience (EXP), 50 Quintessence Shards, 6 Experience Cores (Basic), 4 Skill Books. Access to Tower Floor 3. In addition, a cache of rare quality materials and gear will be provided.
[Repeatable] No
So, Bottuf really was the next Floor Guardian. He'd expected this, even though it had not yet been made obvious. What were the odds that the cult of Nai'hum would also be involved? Slave trading, smuggling, and now, this? Did he even need to ask?
He closed the prompt, replacing it with his status screen:
[Name] Zark'thul
[Role] CEO
[Level] 6
[Experience] 11,250/16,500
[Accolades] None
[Health] 750/750
[Essence] 160/160
Attack (ATK): 37.5
Magic (MAG): 105
Defense (DEF): 52.5
Magic Resistance (MRES): 90
Speed (SPD): 25
Crit Rate (CRIT): 8.5%
Dodge Rate (DODGE): 10.5%
Block Rate (BLOCK): 10.5%
[Agent Pool Size] 15/30
[Deployment Slots] 4
[Abilities] Voracious Maw of the Abyss (Rank 1), Eldritch Fortitude (Rank 1), Thousand Eyes of Dark Beyond (Rank 1), Aura of the Eldritch Terror (Rank 1), *new* Eldritch Blast (Rank 1)
[Eldritch Blast] A concentrated burst of eldritch energy directed at a single target. The nature of this energy allows it to bypass most forms of conventional defense, inflicting direct damage to the target's essence.
Each blast is a focused assault, requiring precision and a clear line of sight. This ability, rooted in the cosmic essence of your eldritch nature, showcases your growing command over the alien energies that permeate the cosmos. Cost: 10 Essence; Cooldown: 10 seconds; Activation Word: Na'hlath'ih
Yes... YES!
Finally, an ability that befit an entity of his caliber, one that dealt damage. He could finally do something other than act as a glorified punching bag for his foes. He could return the favor in kind.
This was an opportunity. He'd had his fill of sitting behind the scenes. Let the others bumble about trying to manage the day-to-day affairs; it was time he got back to the one thing he enjoyed most—violence.
It was time for him to wreak havoc.
"Elspeth," Zark'thul began, "cancel my meetings for tomorrow. I'll lead the assault on the floor guardian myself."
As if resigning herself to his whims, Elspeth sighed. "Yes, sir."