Marlena''s eyes widened slightly. "We spent five hundred million dors on advertising alone," she said.


    “But the return was massive. With almost all of Prussia participating, we made no less than twenty billion this round."


    Alex smiled faintly. "So after subtracting advertising costs and the Bluthelm acquisition, we''re still deep in profit."


    “Exactly,” Marlena confirmed. "What about the thirdpetition? If we open betting again with Phantom, we could earn several more billion."


    Alex shook his head. "Phantom doesn''t have a driver."


    "But you do, sir,” Marlena said carefully. "If you pilot it yourself, that would be a guaranteed win."


    Alex chuckled. "Tempting. But no. It stops here."


    He straightened, his tone turning cold and final. “We don''t need trouble with Eisenwall. That''s bad for business. Let Phantom lose. Bluthelm and Eden Group need to lie low for a while. That fits us perfectly."


    "As you wish, sir," Marlena said, bowing her head as Alex turned and walked out.


    When Alex returned to the ss reunion hall, chaos greeted him.


    Tables were overturned. ssy shattered across the floor.


    Tobias was down.


    Hey sprawled on the ground, blood streaking his face.


    "Don''t you dare feel proud about that cheating stunt earlier!" Ragnar roared.


    He grabbed Tobias by the cor and hurled him into another table. Wood cracked on impact.


    "You think winning the secondpetition makes you somebody?" Ragnar shouted, contempt dripping from every word.


    He drove his fist into Tobias''s face. "Make sure Phantom doesn''t enter the thirdpetition. Keep it down. Keep it quiet."


    Ragnar kicked him hard. "When this tournament is over, you''re selling Bluthelm to me. I''ll tear Phantom apart right in front of you, with everyone watching."


    "I will never sell it to you," Tobias said, spitting blood onto the floor.


    Ragnar leaned in close, pping Tobias''s cheeks hard. "You don''t want to sell? Then wake up. You still owe me twenty million. Pay it today—or refuse—and I''ll make sure your entire family ends up six feet underground."


    Tobias was a low-ranking noble-a disgraced count one step away from losing his title. Standing before the son of Duke Eisenwall, he didn''t dare fight back, even as humiliation crushed him.


    He could only bleed.


    "Thirdpetition," Ragnar roared. "If Phantom dare to appear, I swear I will kill you. Do you hear me?"


    For Ragnar Eisenwall, victory was not optional. Eisenwall had to win the annual mobile suit tournament. Especially this year.


    His family had ced the responsibility directly on his shoulders.


    For three straight decades, Eisenwall had dominated thepetition. That legacy could not break under his watch.


    If Phantom won the thirdpetition, Bluthelm would take the overall title.


    And Ragnar?


    His father would hang him upside down-figuratively, or worse.


    Ragnar grabbed Tobias by the cor, breath hot with panic. "You heard me!?"


    Tobias stared at him, blood sliding down his jaw. "You sound scared."


    "I''m scared of you?" Ragnar snarled. He grabbed a bottle of wine. "Why don''t you just die here!” He swung it straight at Tobias''s head.


    That was enough.


    Alex had seen all he needed. He released his aura.


    Before the bottle could connect, an invisible force mmed into Ragnar.


    He felt it instantly-like a colossal predator fixing its gaze on his life.


    Pure, animal terror crushed him.


    He screamed, lost control of his body, and copsed hard onto the floor. His pants darkened as fear overwhelmed him.


    The room froze.


    No one spoke. No one moved.


    Tobias didn''t look back.


    He bolted out of the reunion hall, heart pounding, and ran straight for Marlena''s room.


    He mmed his fist against the door.


    Marlena opened it, her expression calm and unreadable. "You''re bleeding," she said.


    Tobias wiped his face with the back of his hand. "Yes," he replied tly.


    "I''ve been beaten, threatened, and nearly killed in thest ten minutes."


    "And?" Marlena asked coolly, stepping aside to let him in.


    "A deal," Tobias said. "I want to make a deal with you."


    Marlenaughed, slow and delighted. "A deal?"


    She looked him up and down, taking in the blood, the bruises, the barely contained rage. “You show up half-beaten, clearly not thinking straight, and now you want to sign a contract?"


    She smiled wider. "That''s my favorite kind of client."


    Tobias met her eyes without flinching.


    "My father is dead," he said coldly. "Congrattions to me. I''m now the head of the Bluthelm family. And that means Bluthelm Company is entirely under my control."


    He drew a slow breath. "I''ll sell Bluthelm to Eden Group. Exactly as written. I keep twenty percent."


    Marlena nodded once. "That use is already in the contract."


    "I''m adding two conditions," Tobias I two said, his voice tightening. "First, you protect my family from Eisenwall. Second, Phantom must win the thirdpetition. I want Ragnar and the Eisenwall pride crushed. I''m tired of being looked down on. I want to see him broken."


    Marlena lifted an eyebrow. "The first is easy. We can shield your family withwyers, media pressure, and influence. Even the king would think twice before touching you."


    Her expression hardened. "The


    second is not. You don''t have a driver. Finding a top-tier pilot this close to the match is nearly impossible. Skilled drivers aren''t something you can simply buy-especially one who already knows how to handle Phantom."


    "I don''t care," Tobias said tly. "Isn''t Eden Group known for making the impossible possible? If you want Bluthelm, Phantom wins the thirdpetition. You make it happen or tell me now if you don''t it."


    Marlena smiled slowly. “Then you came to the right ce.”


    She tapped her bracelet, and a new holographic document unfolded between them. "Let''s sign the deal."


    She scrolled through the uses. “I''ve added your conditions—your family will be protected. And if Phantom takes first ce, you sell Bluthelm to Eden Group."


    She tapped the document again. “To make that happen, Phantom will be transferred


    to us immediately. Our driver needs time to synchronize with it before the match."


    "Who is the driver?" Tobias asked.


    Her eyes locked onto his. "You will not know who the driver is. Ever.”


    "A nameless pilot?" Tobias frowned.


    Marlena nodded. "The best ones rarely wanted to be known."


    Tobias whispered, “Even I wouldn''t know who saved me?"


    Her answer was gentle. "Or who damned you."


    In the world of mobile suits, elite pilots were rarer than weapons-grade alloys. Even


    if Eden Group seed to recruit famous drivers- there were less than thirty minutes left before thepetition.


    Every mobile suit had its own control logic. Its own response curve. Its own instincts. Switching drivers at thest minute was almost impossible.


    No sane pilot would ept these conditions.


    Tobias knew that.


    But the image of Ragnar''s arrogant face-of the way he mocked him, humiliated


    him, treated him like dirt—burned hotter than reason. The need for revenge


    drowned out every warning in his mind.


    He wanted to win.


    "Deal," Tobias said. "I''ll deliver Phantom wherever you want."


    Marlena studied him. “You understand what you''re giving up.”


    Tobias signed the contract anyway.


    "I''m done running." He turned and walked away without looking back. "I don''t need forever. I just need once. Once in my fucking lifetime—I will not bow or kneel ever again."


    Marlena watched him go, amused. “You''re lucky you ended up in the right hands," she said lightly. "Otherwise, you would''ve wasted your damn life for nothing."


    Minutester, Alex entered the room.


    Marlena exined everything—quick, precise, no wasted words.


    “So, boss,” Marlena concluded, "the only way to acquire Bluthelm is to win thepetition."


    She paused, already calcting the next move. "The final round is scheduled as a one-on-one duel to decide first, second, and third ce. But if Phantom enters and Eden Groupunches another wave of betting and advertising-the organizers may change the rules."


    "Change how?" Alex asked.


    Her eyes narrowed. “Duke Eisenwall has controlled this tournament for decades.


    He''s a power yer, and he''ll use any excuse to make sure Alpha wins. Quality checks. Safety concerns. He can justify anything."


    She leaned forward. "They can turn it into a free-for-all under the pretense of fairness. But the truth is simple. If Phantom wins this tournament, it takes first ce. So Phantom has to be eliminated first-for Alpha to secure the winning position."


    Alex finally spoke. "What''s the probability they''ll change the thirdpetition into Phantom versus all nine of them?"


    "One hundred percent," Marlena replied without hesitation.


    Then she smiled—sharp, predatory. “But the greatest risk brings the greatest profit. I canunch a one-billion-dor advertising blitz within the next twenty-five minutes. And if we still win under those conditions, Eden Group won''t just be rich."


    Her smile widened. "We''ll be obscenely rich. I''m talking top ten wealth in all of Prussia."


    Alex said nothing.


    This was the crossroads.


    Push Eden Group into direct conflict with Prussia''s Duke.


    Or y it safe.


    A long breath left his chest.


    "Soon I''ll be facing an entire country," Alex said quietly. "Why would I be afraid of


    one duke?"


    He lifted his gaze, steady and cold. "I''ll drive the Phantom."


    Marlena studied him. "What are your odds against nine of them?"


    Alex met her gaze without blinking. "Just prep the suit. If they want a free-for-all..."”


    A faint smile touched his lips. “...then I''ll show them what fear looks like."


    Marlena said nothing, already calcting. In her mind, the advertising budget doubled then tripled.