Reinhardt relaxed in his office, swirling a glass of high-grade nectar while the reports of the Gremory territory's struggles rolled in. For months, the "Gremory Betrayal" rumor had acted like a slow-acting poison, and now, the Old Satan Faction was burning through Zeoticus's borders.
"Wait for the official civil war," Reinhardt instructed his circle. "Until then, we play the neutral merchants. If the Bael, Phenex, Agares, or Sitri families want contracts, give them the 'Family Discount.' Everyone else pays the premium."
The situation for House Gremory became so dire that Zeoticus, desperate and cornered, finally called his biggest backer: Zeckram Bael.
The Call of the Great King
Zeckram picked up the communication crystal, his expression unreadable. "What is it you want now, Zeoticus?"
"Ancestor-in-law!" Zeoticus pleaded, his voice cracking with stress. "I need the Bael clan to release emergency supplies. My territories are being hit on all sides, and our stockpiles are almost gone!"
Zeckram's eyes turned cold. He was well aware that Zeoticus had tried to strong-arm Reinhardt into giving up half his company for "protection" earlier. "Tell me, Zeoticus... does my grandson truly look like he needs your 'stupid' Anti-Maou Faction protection?"
Zeoticus froze, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple. "I... I didn't ask the Young Master Reinhardt for anything..."
"You asked for a 50% stake in Ashborn Enterprises, you blithering idiot!" Zeckram roared.
Zeoticus nearly dropped the crystal. "So... Ashborn is Reinhardt's company?"
"Yes," Zeckram hissed. "You asked a King for protection while he was already holding the sword to your throat. If you want those weapons and supplies, you will go to him, you will apologize, and you will buy them from him as a form of penance."
The "Merciful" Deal
Soon after, a formal apology letter arrived at the mansion, written in Zeoticus's own hand and sealed with the Gremory crest. He was mortified, begging for a chance to buy supplies to save his people.
Reinhardt looked at the letter and handed it to Venelana. "Lana, tell him we will sell him the weapons at the Standard Market Value."
Venelana paused. "Market value? After what he tried to do?"
Reinhardt smirked. "Trust me. To him, it will look like an act of extreme mercy."
When Zeoticus received the quote, he was stunned. He had expected Reinhardt to triple or quadruple the price as revenge. Instead, the price matched the official Underworld market rate perfectly. He felt a wave of relief and genuine gratitude, thinking Reinhardt was being a "magnanimous young man" who had forgiven his elder's arrogance.
What Zeoticus didn't know:
The "Market Value" had been artificially inflated by Ashborn Enterprises over the last three months. While Zeoticus thought he was getting a fair deal, the price he was paying was actually 3 times higher than what the Black Market had been charging before the war started.
Reinhardt wasn't just taking Zeoticus's apology—he was taking his entire treasury, and Zeoticus was thanking him for it.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[Quest: The Golden Noose]
Success: House Gremory is now financially tied to Ashborn Enterprises.
Profit: +4 Billion Devil Coins from the first shipment.
Current Balance: 10.43 Billion Devil Coins.
With the Gremory House stabilized but bankrupt, the Old Satan Faction realizes their "revenge" is being thwarted by your supplies. They send a high-tier assassin—the legendary 'Vanishing Dragon' descendant—to intercept the next shipment.
Reinhardt stood in the garden of the mansion, watching the sunset. The Underworld was in its dark, chaotic prime—centuries before the era of Issei Hyoudou and the modern peace.
"Master," Albedo whispered, stepping out of the shadows. "The Old Satan Faction has dispatched an elite interceptor. They've sent a descendant of the 'Vanishing Dragon' line to seize our latest shipment to the Gremory territory. He believes he can take what belongs to us."
Reinhardt didn't even turn around. "Let him try. He's caught in a loop of his own arrogance. Raiden Ei, Mordred. Come here."
The air crackled with ozone as the Shogun appeared in a flash of purple light, followed by the heavy, metallic clanking of Mordred's armor.
"The Vanishing Dragon's bloodline," Raiden Ei mused, her hand resting on the hilt of the Musou Isshin. "A relic of ancient power."
"Who cares about his bloodline?" Mordred grinned, slamming her visor down. "I'm gonna show him that my lightning is a lot more 'eternal' than his scaling! Let's go, Rein! Give us the word!"
"Go," Reinhardt commanded. "Don't just stop him. Break his spirit. Let the Old Satans know that Ashborn cargo is protected by Gods and Kings."
The Encounter: The Dragon vs. The Shogun & The Knight
In the jagged canyons between Bael and Gremory lands, the 'Vanishing' descendant sat atop a cliff, his wings of light shimmering as he watched the Ashborn carriages below. He dove down, expecting an easy slaughter—only for the world to turn purple and red.
The Clash: Mordred intercepted his first dive, her Clarent Blood Arthur meeting his dragon-empowered strike. The explosion of red lightning leveled the surrounding trees. "Hey, Dragon-boy! You're a few centuries too early to be this cocky!"
The Final Cut: As the assassin tried to 'Divide' Mordred's power, Raiden Ei stepped from the shadow of a lightning bolt. Time seemed to stop. "Secret Art: Musou Shinsetsu." A single slash of transcendent lightning cut through his dragon armor like paper, bypassing his defenses entirely.
The assassin didn't die—Reinhardt wanted him alive—but he was pinned to the ground by a dozen spears of lightning, his pride shattered before the absolute might of the "New World" warriors.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[Event: The Dragon's Fall]
Result: Total Victory. The Old Satan Faction's elite interceptor has been captured.
Reputation: Ashborn Enterprises is now considered "Untouchable" by the criminal underworld.
Bonus: You have acquired a fragment of Divine Dragon Essence from the battle.
[The Gremory Delivery]
The shipment arrived safely. Zeoticus Gremory, seeing the defeated "Dragon" assassin being dragged behind the caravan as a "message," realized just how outclassed he truly was.
The Inner Circle Grows
Back at the mansion, Katerea Leviathan was waiting with Venelana.
"Rein," Katerea said, her eyes glowing with newfound purpose. "The Old Satan Faction is crumbling. With their elite assassin gone, they are turning on each other, accusing one another of incompetence. The Civil War is about to move from the borders to the Capital."
Venelana smiled, showing him the latest ledger. "And since we own their supply lines, they are effectively paying us to kill them. We have reached 15 Billion Devil Coins."