Chapter 74: Chapter 72: Negotiator

“I think…” Aven muttered to himself as he looked at more than just what his eyes allowed him to see, “It’s ready.”

Putting his words into action, he landed on top of the IUM main control console, closed his eyes, and entered an intensifying meditation to enhance his sensitive energy talent as much as he could.

Vaguely, slowly, his awareness started spreading beyond his body into a complicated network of energy.

Starting from the production area where nothing but the massive IUM was located, he reached the adjacent storage area and the assembly area, then he touched upon the design area and the control area, and it just continued spreading…

It was all fuzzy and indistinct, weird and warped, as if a nearly blind man attempted to see, but it was like the entire Rainbow IRC, from the walls to the cable network, had finally been united into one thing.

And what united it was Aven’s energy.

When his energy reached the tech turbine area, it was being consumed extremely quickly to allow the 4 tech turbines installed there using mainly tech energy as fuel to provide enough electricity to the rest of the building.

This electric power was then used everywhere, traveling through the same cable network that Aven was able to indistinctly see and feel.

“It’s a success… Not a preliminary one, just a straight success,” concentrating more than he ever had, all the knowledge he could access was mobilized and seeped into his energy which then departed from his small body to join the integrated Rainbow IRC.

Anything he could think of, from the concrete formula used in making up the wall to the functioning of the tech turbine that burned tech energy to supplement their electricity production beyond what they consumed, to the refrigerating units cooling the hard-working computing area, and to how each and every integrated manufacturing unit of the IUM worked…

All his technical knowledge in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering… Could theoretically be used, there were no limits.

Or rather… Aven’s knowledge application skill and the complexity of the integrated production lines installed were the only limits, time-related limits.

“Now that the center is online, it’s time to start making the 2nd IUM iteration,” opening his eyes, he used his energy telekinesis as if it was a part of him and triggered the “Reproduction Program”.

The moment he launched this program, the IUM that had been on standby from the moment it had taken residence in the production area flickered to life.

Even without purposely trying to, Aven’s sensitive energy felt the sudden apparition of an enormous energy sink just below his feet.

This energy sink greedily swallowed a large part of the energy passing through it, and as the one who had provided this energy, Aven knew he hadn’t had the time yet to fill the building adequately.

“Well, that’s the price, right? Any other grade 3 tech super would never have had the energy necessary to clear the permanent energy upkeep cost of this huge place, but I’m not any grade 3 tech super~” Stretching his finger as he bragged while doing nothing, he took a long breath and started preparing himself.

His fairy bloodline, his acquired talents, his knowledge, once all were combined… They formed the foundation on which all of Aven’s projects and ambitions rested.

…

With the IUM working for the first time at its intended tech-production rate, the entire Rainbow IRC came to life.

The storage area automatic ore dispenser made itself known in the form of huge double bucket trap claws traveling between the production area and the raw ore reserves, coming to replenish all the quickly consumed ores.

The chemicals were directly routed via underground pipes, ensuring the continuous production of special alloys needing them or the maintenance of special environments and mechanical processes.

The electric power necessary to generate heat and maintain the whole digital network that constantly checked if problems arose was taking place just a few areas away.

The IUM itself could do all the rest, it had been designed to produce all the basic integrated manufacturing units whole after all.

Only the production process of its biggest “unit assembly” unit and the massive alloy and electrical structural pieces were split into multiple parts due to their size.

As for sending everything produced to the assembly area, that clearly wasn’t even a concern here.

The entire building was connected, and thus, even when Aven returned to the design area to continue working on editing his introduction episode, he had a screen open just next to him informing him at all times of what was happening back in the production area.

“I should have 30 hours before needing to go assemble the 2nd iteration… Then 25 hours once it’s online and the final 3rd iteration IUM starts production…” Calculating for the first time in a long time a precise timetable for himself, he found the result more than interesting.

“So, at worst… I’m merely 2 cycles away from recording the bike episode~” He concluded with a happy smile, proof of his excitement at finally being on the verge of taking his first firm step on the public stage that was the entire world.

There was only one language used on Green, the ancestral language the fairies transmitted to the humans when they educated them, so the moment he released an episode… Anyone with access to the internet that had already covered the whole planet via satellites would potentially watch and discover who he was.

“And once I’m done with the bike episode, the most likely following project is the cultivation resources universalization and intensification one… The first undeniable true hurdle, sigh…” He admitted before his eyes lost focus.

Accessing his knowledge, he found the extremely theoretical energy attuning complexity scale bits that had given him the necessary confidence to seriously consider this project.

“Anyway, back to editing,” coming back from his spiritual journey through his infinite ocean of knowledge overflowing with discovered phenomena he was excited about sharing a practical application of to the world, Aven’s energy threads moved again.

He had a script under his eyes that crystallized his effort over weeks to render the best ever introduction episode, he only had to follow it and allow his imagination and creativity to express themselves while doing it.

…

The White eventually set, plunging the side of the world where Elandia was located into pure darkness, cut off from the supremely comforting and hot light from White, the star at the center of the Rainbow stellar system.

This night, nothing special or extraordinary was bound to happen, and for Aven, the only change the coming of this night caused was a shift from being lighted in artificial light instead of natural light.

His work was continuing smoothly, the introduction episode had been completely edited, and he had started working on editing all the wild footage he had intermittently made over the last few cycles.

The mouse linked to the main modeling computer moved, a few keyboard keys were pressed, the background music never stopped.

Aven simply worked without saying anything other than a few rare mutters when he found something to think about or had difficulty in understanding how he should organize what he was seeing.

The 2nd iteration of the IUM was still more than 5 hours away from having its parts produced, so he didn’t bother with checking in detail what was happening on that side.

It had worked perfectly fine for the previous 25 hours, so why would there be a problem now?

But then…

The sound of the mouse softly rubbing the mousepad due to its quick movements and the keyboard keys presses disappeared, leaving behind only the background music.

“Ho…” Turning his head left and right, Aven didn’t blink in confusion but still felt weirded out by something, “Why is it so silent all of a sudden?”

He should still be able to hear the faraway sound of the IUM hard-at-work producing the last few remaining structural pieces necessary to assemble a better copy of itself, and its absence only made it more noticeable that…

Something wasn’t right.

Mobilizing his energy, hundreds of energy threads extended in all directions, piercing through the wall and allowing him to see the energy realm side of the dark corridors and secondary design rooms.

And as if on cue, a disturbance, then disturbances appeared in his pseudo energy domain.

A dozen humanoid figures were walking towards where he was, unhurriedly, nearly casually, as if they owned the place.

Focusing all his energy threads in their direction, his indistinct image quickly became a clearer one.

‘A dozen grade 3 supers helmed by a grade 4…’

Evaluating their energy signature as best as he could, and he was fairly confident he was right, Aven couldn’t come up with a lot of scenarios involving a dozen such people visiting him in the middle of the night, uninvited.

‘It was unavoidable that I would one day have to meet face to face with the inefficient hidden factions, right?’

Rationalizing his situation with a bitter smile, both the Canopy and the Invisible enemy passed through his mind as plausible candidates.

One was an ancestral underground authority that embodies all the dark aspects of humanity, from the endless thirst for power to the supreme selfishness that some people could exert just by virtue of their perceived authority.

The other was a total unknown, but an unknown that could threaten Eland itself through means he didn’t know yet and certainly didn’t want to experience before reaching his best possible state.

Not giving him much time to think, the dozen people reached his door, and the one with the most distinct and intense energy signature went forward to open the door himself, only for the door to automatically open.

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“Greetings on this fine night, gentlemen and gentlewomen~ Are you seeking something in particular? Someone maybe? Me?” A voice welcomed the dozen intruders from beyond the door and into a lighted room filled with screens and computer gears.

Turning to look at the opened door, Aven didn’t show a single emotion on his face other than a smile even when his eyes told him nothing and no one was present behind the door he had just opened.

Facing an unexpected scenario before the team of a dozen men even contacted their target, their professionalism shone through quickly as they all entered, a few silently surrounding Aven himself, a few remaining at the door to guard it.

Finally lifting whatever they all used to hide from his eyes, the grade 4, surely the leader, appeared in his physical form, a masked one, before him and did a traditional noble greeting before opening abruptly on the subject he had come here to deal with, “I’ve been sent to negotiate with you, Aven Amias.”

“Very straightforward, I like it~” Replying positively, he looked around, appraising everyone that only his energy threads could see.

 

Chayil Boyd

Faction: Tale Tell Paper

 

Boden Barry

Faction: Violet Amethyst Group

 

Jamil Odom

Faction: Family and Friends Security Firm

 

Oleg Dominguez

Faction: Elandia Social, Law, and Economic University

 

Iker Hull

Faction: Eland Signal Media

 

Girard Donovan

Faction: Justin’s Electronics

 

‘I know you’re useless appraisal, but you can’t even tell they’re obviously not normal society workers? Sigh… I really hope for you grade 4 will be exclusively dedicated to that.’

“A Canopy branch, I presume?” Keeping his smiling poker face, he looked at the masked negotiator and inquired.

“We don’t have much time, fairy,” the negotiator neither agreed nor disagreed, “My branch wants to seek an alternative path, and that’s why we are here to negotiate today.”

‘Yup, a Canopy branch who wants to join the bright side, I believe you so much~’

“How rational of you~” Aven praised, “I doubt negotiations are normally done with so many people at the same time nonetheless~”

The masked negotiator didn’t react and simply reasoned, “Negotiating with a fairy is historically one of the hardest things to do, so I had to secure as many advantages as I could on my side. I hope you can understand.”

“And here I was, looking forward to the first assassination attempt of my life. Sigh… I’m disappointed,” using sarcasm as an answer, Aven never left his guard down and even mobilized more of his energy to verify that he hadn’t missed anyone.

“Assassinating a fairy isn’t a task anyone knowing of its consequences would accept doing,” the negotiator displayed his utter confidence in the situation being under control by even explaining something obvious, ”You should know what happens when a fairy dies, and the royal family you’re part of knows that if they show even the slightest weakness in that department, things could go bad very fast.”

“That doesn’t change me looking forward to my first ever assassination attempt,” utterly unimpressed, Aven flatly countered.

“I guess it doesn’t…” Even the negotiator couldn’t have expected that answer, and he was forced to agree with the logic.

“Anyway~ Do you want some refreshments? Discussing with a negotiator from the Canopy was not on my list of things to do, but I’m not against losing some time to it. I really want to ask if all the problems of the world really originate from you as everyone and even my knowledge says it does,” he proposed to take a step back to build trust.

“I would prefer to remain in this position where you can’t call for reinforcement or play tricks,” refusing his offer without even giving it any thought, he exposed that this wasn’t the sort of negotiation the bright side would ever participate in.

“Then let’s stay here and still have some refreshments?” Aven tried again, giving him a second chance.

“I will have to refuse, I didn’t come here to eat or drink,” he rejected once again, with the same static tone.

“Okay…” His smile not disappearing, the sacred vibe he emitted from actively using the pure energy system intensified just a bit, “Let me hear what you have to say then.”

“We would like to invest both means and manpower in your various endeavors,” the masked man stated the basic negotiation goal, “In exchange, you’ll provide us with a privileged access to the technologies you’re developing, opportunities to exchange our services for your products, and we’ll also make sure that the Canopy in Eland will stop fanning the underground flame and reduce civil casualty and open conflicts to a minimum…”

The man had obviously prepared all sorts of arguments that touched upon all manners of sensitive subjects, and not even Aven was impervious to the ones that echoed the most with his own sensibilities and principles.

‘If only you had proven to me you were trustworthy… And not just a gathering of power-hungry people who don’t show any hesitation in cornering a grade 3 fairy.’

“Depending on the circumstances, we’ll also provide you with intel on the other canopy branches' location and personnel,” the negotiator finished listing everything they were willing to give him if he accepted.

“Hum…” Aven rested his head in one of his hands as he thought about all the clauses brought up in this forced negotiation, relegating his doubts and suspicions to the background for now, “Those are certainly interesting terms. But take it for the ravings of a young fairy if you want: If I get the opportunity, I don’t think the Canopy as a hidden part of society will continue existing by the time I’m done accomplishing what I project to do.”

Misinterpreting his answer, the masked man countered using logic, “Destroying the Canopy isn't possible. You shouldn’t use such an absurd argument to try and lower our price.”

“Hoh?” Aven looked around at the still hidden man and then back at the grade 4 super before him as he deduced something really interesting.

‘They didn’t come with a lie detector innate ability wielder?’

Not feeling too proud even after this discovery, he continued playing his part as the overly ambitious young fairy, “I’m not joking~”

Becoming silent in answer to this playful reply, the negotiator whose face couldn’t be seen seemed to be trying to see beyond Aven’s slightly smiling face, unveiling his truth and stripping his confident look.

“If that is really the case, then either you are delusional, or we’ve underestimated your ambitions. In either case, you still haven’t given your answer to the terms we offered,” he ultimately stopped questioning him and returned back to the negotiation talk.

“I think there’s no problem with most of them,” Aven offhandedly said, “You want to contribute? You’re welcome! You want to have the opportunity to be employed by me? That’s a non-issue! The only trouble I have is that you’re implying you’ll continue belonging to the Canopy even when I start whatever I’m planning on doing. And you can guess what my problem with that is.”

“Do you really understand what the Canopy is?” A bit fed-up at the very weird returns he was receiving from Aven, the negotiator slowly asked, hoping to resolve a misunderstanding and pursue the negotiation efficiently.

“Do I understand it? You thought I would say no because I’m not part of it?” Instinctively finding a way to test how explosive the situation was by combining his knowledge of psychology and speechcraft, Aven directly initiated it.

“Well, you’re wrong, I even understand it better than all of you combined,” he stated with some steel in his voice, “The Bright Canopy, as the supreme underworld authority, dates from another era, it’s centuries-old, and most of its institutions are unchangeable and rigid, unable to adapt to the times.”

“The fact that it still hasn't completely reformed how it works is a miracle for me. Permanently hiding in the shadows is the worst state a person and an organization can ever be, and your continued use of deceit, lies, and murder to achieve your goals only makes it worse,” summarizing all the problems the Bright Canopy had, Aven purposely emphasized all its decadences, “You probably can’t even understand how outdated and inefficient your lives and methods are, that’s what my understanding is. And it’s supported by facts.”

“You’re a bit impudent for a whelp with only potential to his name…” The masked man’s voice finally had his noble persona cracks faced with what Aven had said about him and the world he had lived in for decades.

“Only potential? Ah! As if!” Keeping the provocation going, only pure disdain filled his voice as the characteristic sound of a fairy box opening echoed out and his energy threads filled the whole room and touched upon the clothes of everyone hiding, making them all float a bit, “You’re one whole energy grade and half a year too late to say that to me.”

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