Chương 104: Chapter C. Mana[C]orps.

"Profit for profits sake is as harmful as levels for levels sake. Should manaCorps run the-""I think you'll find manacorps is entirely within the local laws of each area."

"Laws are not the issue being brought into question here! I'm speaking of the moral obligations that ManaCorps has as a…" Excerpt obtained from one Court case in Timbuck – "in which it was found manacorps was purposefully leaking several kinds of experimental mana types, into the groundwater in the hopes of gaining multiple young crafters with advanced and rare classes". Krill walked stiffly through the central headquarters of mana corps.

He was being re-assigned to the middle of nowhere – everyone talked about how great of an experience this was, a chance to make profit! But Krill knew it was really a demotion. Hearing a loud 'Bzzt' from an open doorway Krill stopped and poked his head in slightly. He took in the glowing gore covering a shocked group of teenagers and his direct superior Helm.

"Okay class, This seems like a great learning experience. Name 5 things he did wrong. -Krill! Excited for your promotion to Silver branch manager?" Stepping out Helm closed the door behind him, clapping his arm around Krill and dragging him aggressively forward down the hall.

"The re-assignment is adequate Executive Helm." Krill hated how informally Helm always acted.

"Oh to be young again. I envy you Krill, I really do. This is an amazing opportunity. I wish I was in your shoes I really really do" Helm laughed while pulling Krill the last few feet into his office. If you envy me take my place. I dare you. I'm begging you.

"Now lets talk numbers. The market is in flux right now and I expect you to start taking advantage of the uncertainty provided…" … Krill stood in front of 'his' new branch office, a sleek black skyscraper surrounded by shining silver buildings in the new settlement. The transfer made his skin crawl. He needed to start pulling profits if he didn't want to be… reassigned to a job as bad as beta tester.

Krill shivered before stepping into the climate-controlled lobby and taking the lift up to his office on the top floor.

"Okay!" Krill slapped his hands against his face once he was sure he was alone.

"Let's brainstorm some profit avenues". … Krill's first plan was to expand the shuttling service being offered currently. Adventurers were bringing weak or non-combat-focused groups through the portals all willy-nilly and making bank. All he had to do was hire some of the subjugation department to provide a streamlined service. A professional booth on both sides. Illusion services to hide the dungeon and any fighting from the faint of heart. Another group with flashy [skills] to wow the adventurous.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. This was going to work! … Krill spun a statue of a crystal… otter? Some sort of furry four legged creature used only to please the masses. The blasted dungeon had put a stop to Krills machinery. Trials! Stupid unskippable trials. There were semi rare tokens the dungeon was using to provide a skip including the one in front of Krill now.

He just needed to figure out how to replicate this and their shuttle survice would be a go again! Krill activated an old skill that had been languishing since his [Researcher] days. [Arcane Projection] A truly massive web of glowing lines floated above his desk to his dismay.

"This is as convoluted as the credit formation. Each of these statues is as annoying to create as new currency!" Krill rubbed his face, a headache forming. … but it might be worth it if there weren't many tokens? The theoretical cost of this skip is based on how many people want to skip and what they are willing to pay… I might be able to work with this? … Krill had given up on copying tokens. They had finally forged a token's mana stream and shoved it in a crystal cube but the blasted dungeon wouldn't accept it.

One intern had mentioned it was probably due to not being in the shape of a cute animal but really, "Why would a dungeon – a glorified logic spell shoved in a rock – care about the shape of a statue?" The trials were a bust but there was still a foothold for Krill to maintain his position. You see the path to and from the portals was dangerous and annoyingly hard to market… … but the portals themselves were free. Wastefully free! Krill just had to set up a payment booth on both sides – on all sides of the portals!

A toll! Excited by the spinning image of [credits] rolling in, Krill called up a contractor to begin dungeon construction. … Krill was defeated. The portals had a vast enchantment written by some genius protecting them. A flicker of power would shoot out and disintegrate any blockade they attempted to create. Physically blocking the portals branded a tollman with a ticking countdown and no one knew what happened when it reached zero. Oh they had tested it!

The interns they had tasked with the job had simply gotten too afraid of the countdown – chickening out each time, the cowards. Holding one down didn't work either – it was hard for someone held down to be considered blocking the path disabling the countdown each time. Physical restraints were dissolved. Raw muscle in the form of [Thugs] were given the same brand instead and they all ran away... It was all so infuriating. Krill suddenly realized he was no longer alone in his office.

A small dark shape sat on his desk on a luxurious chair in miniature. The figure smoked a small pipe that puffed toxic looking green smoke into the air and shifted forward coming into the light.

"I heard you're having troubles with profit ventures?" The figure spoke and Krill felt a shiver run down his spine.

"Y... Owner! I didn't expect to see the most important person in the company in my humble branch. What can I do to help you?" Krill stuttered out awkwardly.

"Enough of that. I'm simply a chairmen on the board of directors. Being the owner implies responsibility and legal obligations. We are a collective are we not? Comrads in the search of the ever elusive profit?"

"Y…Yes sir".

"Now, why don't we go down to the portal and you can tell me all about the issues we are having?" …

"... and we haven't figured out what happens when it reaches zero." Krill finished his explanation – standing in front of the unopened portal. The owner stood silent, staring at the ringed shape before turning and sighing.

"Understandable. Head back to your office, This venture is a dead end. I expect you to start figuring out goods we can create from this dungeon and tourism options in the town."

"S... Sir!" Krill laughed relieved. He had half expected the owner to force him to see what the countdown would show…some sort of punishment. The owner really was a great guy – he was lucky to be working for him. Bowing repeatedly Krill turned and rushed back through the dungeon breezing through the lower floors before reaching his office once more. Still standing in front of the arch, the owner of manacorps glared daggers at the enchantments left by another gremlin.

"Why do you always ruin my fun, brother of mine. I'm so close to completing my Dao of profit. One more massive jump and my cultivation research will be complete!" Slamming his tiny hands into the stone floor the owner disappeared tantrum cutting out almost unaturally. Far away a certain adventurer found himself laughing as he wrote up a new review for the dungeon of seasons.