Chapter 87: The Mint Arrives

Medium Bunz has notified all three main that she received a notification from the system. It has in-depth details on the Mint. Tyr has to pretend like the rest that he is reading the in-depth analyses so that he can take advantage of the Mint. In his past life where he was a Mezmer this advanced class is formed when the Psion advances into a Bard. The class is known to use powerful instruments proved a continuous battle-related boost. However, Mezmers' like Tyr who chose the flute are attuned to mind control. 

They all agree to glance over the in-depth file that the system has provided on the Mint. The organisation has its history shrouded in mystery. Besides the vague introduction of how there are only a few Institutes older than the Mint.  Medium Bunz also reads about its mission to spread a single common currency throughout all the realms. This mission of there has been their driving public mission. She also reads about the various levels that the Mint offers to guilds. Guilds that agree to partner up with the mint in exchange for experience points. 

The Mint has a low level which are guilds between one and ten per cent of the experience. She plans to advocate for this level since they can get a lot of material support from the guild. Right now they will only become outer members who are affiliated to the mInt but not a partner. Though being an outer member will meet her immediate goal. The partnership is beyond tempting to her. She reads on the higher levels but the guild is still to small to take advantage of the higher level rewards. The Mints' partners are all supported by the Mint in various ways to ensure they grow quickly. She can already see the other guilds who also qualify to gain a huge advantage.  She skips over the missions tabs as there are too many and too varied. She also can't access the partnerships to list to see which other guilds are already associated with the Mint.

A few minutes before the arrival of the Mint. Tyr and Styx and SKY Ocean Hunter all agree on three points. No one is interested in partnership with the Mint. This point is basically pushed through by Tyr he even agrees to make future concessions for this point. His memories tell him that the Mint is an organisation with many interests that will be detrimental to them. The Mint purpose is try and dominate the realms and not in the way that everyone thinks. Greed is but a means to end a terrible end that players had to spend eight real months fight which is a few years in the game. The next point is from SKY Ocean Hunter as payment he prefers the Commissions methods. Commissions reward players with both real and in-game items his eyes are set on the implants they can get for many commissions. The Mint offers this because it is the biggest provider of Human Intelligence Tasks while A.I. is perfect for highly analytical jobs some tasks require creativity and with some implants, some humans can outperform machines on Human Intelligence Tasks. The Human Intelligence Tasks market uses the implant to reward their employees with both dopamine and cash making it extremely profitable for the customer and the employee. SKY Ocean Hunter is interested in these real benefits because even the top industries cant get some Cantos Implants. The final thing which is also set by SKY Ocean Hunter has to do with guild control. It would appear that most outer partners are bonded to the Mint. This bond allows them to place their agents in a guild and determine some mission they take. SKY Ocean Hunter has determined this is not favourable and she must find a way around it to through this provision. Lucky for her Tyr has already sent her a solution. 

Soon enough the Counter is made of a cooled dwarf star core. The smooth stone-like top is exploding with magic. The world outside the association comes to a standstill. Even pocket worlds like the dungeon Tyr, Nineth Immortal, Rena, Lucinda and Amalya are all frozen in time. This is mainly to prevent some factions in the Mint from appearing on the mortal realms themselves. The so-called man takes his seat behind the counter. Rings the small ornamented bell signalling he is ready for business. 

First to approach and quite wrongly is the manager of the Merchant Association. As a child, he has heard the stories of wealth the Mint has and throws around to any that qualify. He intends to use his position to ingratiate the Mint. If he can get his toe in the door it will allow him to become richer than any of his dreams.

He starts by bowing in front of the counter and says, "Great one I have summoned you here at the behest of this most insignificant issue." He has an idea of how to deal with agents of the Mint as it is part of their training in dealing with Realmic institutions. He hands over a note with a basic grievance that Medium Bunz has outlined. He also places a gold coin. A real gold coin worth at least a hundred thousand coppers. The manager awaits as the grievance is read and Medium Bunz has rightfully pointed out that as an outer member. The Sunken Reef is entitled to some protections which the Kingdom has breached. This is the threat she is hoping to impose, even though the Merchant association is a multinational it can't compare to a power that can wipe out the Kingdom of Asrugo.

If all goes well the manager who has overpaid intentionally will be granted an audience. Medium Bunz falls to her knee, face grey with pain. The man behind the counter had expressed his derision at the summons. He is Imperial Coin Merchant #324, a proud server of the Mint for over a thousand, thousand years.  Medium Bunz is compounded with the rules and what she should do. Like SKY Ocean Hunter feared #324 wants all three 'basic conditions' met first. This is unacceptable to her. Being bonded is totally off the block but first, she has to handle the issue of payment since Styx doesn't want to waste experience points. She writes a note detailing that they are will to do five commissions. Commission can only be done by guild on behalf of the Mint. 

The Note floats up to #324, He cuts it up Sunken Reef to him is the most insignificant amongst the new attendees. The commissions he will offer them will be the lowest since they're willing to do five commissions when they are only expected to do two for a summons means he is already winning. He sees an opportunity as he s keenly aware of Medium Bunz desires. This time he is more careful low-level entities are not used to the sharing. He pummels her again this time Medium Bunz is less phased but she losses a chunk of health. Even at his lowest #324 still damages her. This is also a mother risk if she dies her character will be deleted. A spirit that is pulled back into the Mints' realm will be pulled about by the natural forces. Medium Bunz can receive only four of these responses before she dies. In that time she must make their position clear and secure the Mints support.

#324 has asked her that she should agree to at least two of the basic conditions. In return, he will offer them higher equity in the loot sharing scheme. While this sounds wonderful in essence the protection of the Mint comes with many terms and conditions. If she was in charge she would agree who cares if the Mint gets first to pick on all the loot the Guild brings in. With their support running over this area will be easy as making a pie inside a lava pit.

She grits her teeth from the pain just being in his presence stops her from passive healing. She thinks about what she has to do. It is clear that commission is an acceptable term of exchange. This is because he didn't outright reject the proposal only proposing one he thinks is better. She has no choice to follow the edicts of her leaders. She notes down their demands, specifically this time listing that they seek outer membership. In return, the guild will undertake two commissions, followed by the restrictions they seek on experience and bonding for the other three commissions. Many powers over the years have wanted similar concessions from the Mint and #324 is particularly adept at roping these hesitant bodies. By offering normally protections they also inherit the enemies of the Mint. These superpowers will interfere in future allowing him to dig in deeper with the guild. He won't ever make the same error as #323 of overlooking a power just because they are new. 

The manager is growing increasingly agitated at the man behind the counter. He has received no indication that he is being accommodated at all. This is unacceptable he is also in a position of power the Merchant association may be smaller than the Mint but there is pride in the Merchant Association. The manager says, "Excuse me, good man..." 

A subtle barely noticeable wave of his serrated arm, with a whisper of a crackling sound the manager, is cut, into thousands of pieces each weighing exactly eleven grams. Eleven grams is the weight of a single copper Mint coin. Medium Bunz does her best to control herself doing business with the Mint often leads to death. #324 assails Medium Bunz the interruption by the manager must be paid for. The Mint holds strict rules about interacting with lowers. 

Again Medium Bunz falls to her knees, her teeth rattling in pain...