Joshua sat down at his desk, staring at the brokerage account balance. Victor Stone's independent weekend trading—the skirmishes—had turned $2,500 into a profit of over $300.
The $12,112 in liquid capital had grown to $12,421.15.
Joshua felt a cold spike of dread mixed with profound awe. Victor was no longer a civilian client. He was a self-directed, successful financial predator, utilizing the System's passive data and his own aggressive T-Rank instinct. He was too smart to manage passively, and too successful to be scolded.
Victor, already seated and waiting, looked up from his notepad—a detailed schematic of his latest Call of Duty tactical victory.
"Counselor," Victor said, dismissing the digital arena entirely. "The weekend exercises confirm my command efficiency. But the profit is minor. Now that my financial discipline is honed, I require a target that yields the highest Trophy—the largest acquisition of Tangible Honor."
Joshua took a deep breath. He couldn't stop the aggression, so he had to harness it. He needed a plan that was aggressive, stabilizing, and satisfied the warrior's fundamental need for ownership.
"Victor, we will launch a Dual Campaign," Joshua declared, activating Concept Transfer and bringing up two distinct sets of data. "We will achieve maximum strategic dominance and acquire permanent physical territory simultaneously."
The Decisive Battle (Corporate Takeover)
"Your current capital is insufficient to seize a major Clan," Joshua explained. "Therefore, we will identify a smaller, fundamentally Flawed Clan—one that possesses valuable resources but is currently suffering from inefficient Terran leadership."
Joshua deployed his Economic Insight (G-Rank) skill. It instantly flagged a local, regional logistics company (Ticker: LOGS) that was publicly traded but small. The company owned numerous delivery vans and warehousing space, but its stock was stagnant due to laughably poor route optimization and management oversight.
"This is our target," Joshua announced, pointing to the LOGS ticker. "We call this the Decisive Battle. LOGS is a transportation Clan—they control movement. However, their internal logistics are slow and disorganized. We will deploy your liquid capital—$12,000—to acquire a majority, controlling share of this Clan."
Victor's eyes lit up. "A Hostile Acquisition? We seize the command structure and enforce T-Rank efficiency to multiply its value?"
"Precisely," Joshua confirmed. "Once you command this Clan, you will implement T-Rank discipline—optimal routing, maximum efficiency, and zero tolerance for waste. The market will reward this swift structural improvement, and your capital will multiply tenfold."
The Permanent Settlement (Real Estate)
"But command of a Clan, however profitable, remains purely theoretical," Joshua continued, bringing up a property listing. "We must also secure The Ultimate Trophy: Physical Territory—a claim that cannot be wiped out by market fluctuation."
"We will immediately earmark the projected profits from the LOGS takeover to acquire a piece of Terran land. This is your Permanent Settlement. A physical asset that generates continuous Victory Marks through rental income. It is Tangible Honor that lasts beyond the battle."
Victor studied the two plans—the intense, short-term conflict of seizing control of a logistics company, paired with the long-term goal of acquiring physical territory. Both were driven by ownership and dominance.
"I approve the Dual Campaign," Victor stated, his voice ringing with approval. "The Decisive Battle will fund the Permanent Settlement. Execute the acquisition of the LOGS Clan immediately."
Joshua wasted no time. He knew that for Victor to succeed in the takeover, he couldn't just have tactical awareness; he needed to understand how to enforce his will within a Terran corporate structure.
Acquire Organizational Efficiency (G-Rank), Joshua commanded mentally.
[SKILL ACQUISITION INTERFACE (SAI)]
[Current SP: 125]
[MANAGEMENT UTILITY]
Organizational Efficiency (G-Rank) [Cost: 75 SP]
Description: Provides immediate knowledge of organizational structures, optimal team sizing, resource allocation principles, and efficiency metrics, enabling the user to immediately identify and correct systemic business flaws.
[ACQUISITION CONFIRMED. COST: 75 SP. BALANCE: 50 SP.]
[INSTALLING: ORGANIZATIONAL EFFICIENCY (G-RANK)...]
A flood of organizational charts, lean management principles, and supply chain diagrams filled Joshua's mind. He was now fully equipped to advise Victor on running his newly acquired company.
Joshua initiated the stock purchase. The $12,000 deployment was executed, securing Stone Acquisitions LLC a 51% controlling stake in LOGS.
"The Decisive Battle is won, Victor," Joshua announced. "You are now the Warlord of LOGS. Your first order is to address the inefficient leadership. You have secured a meeting with the existing management team tomorrow morning. They are expecting a Terran investor. They are not expecting a T-Rank warrior arriving to enforce absolute efficiency."
Victor Stone is now the majority owner of a small logistics company. Joshua has 50 SP remaining.