Chapter 20 - Money Moves

The morning light washed over Coruscant. Within the guild hall, the golden warmth bled in through the windows. On the top floor, a delicious smell permeated through the air. Emily slowly opened her eyes, roused by the aroma. She stretched her arms and sat up. She was still completely nȧkėd from the previous night.

She went to Tyler's closet and borrowed a robe. With nothing but that on, she exited the bedroom and went towards the kitchen. The smell grew stronger and more appetizing as she approached.

Within the kitchen, Tyler was cooking breakfast for the two of them. Emily walked over and hugged him from behind, wrapping her arms around his torso. Tyler laughed. "Good morning sleepy head."

Emily pouted and pulled away. Before she could, Tyler spun around and caught her in a hug. He tilted his head down and kissed the top of her head. She was a decent amount shorter than him so her head stood even with his shoulders. "How'd you sleep?"

She smiled and buried her head in Tyler's ċhėst. "Like a baby. Whatcha cookin?"

Tyler grinned. "Well, I was cooking breakfast but I think I found a better meal." He gave her a teasing look.

They laughed. Emily looked up at him. "We could go for another round if you want."

Tyler shook his head. "If I had time, I would. However, there are some important things I need to take care of today."

She frowned. "Okay…"

Tyler chuckled. "We can do something tonight if you want."

Emily looked up at him and smiled. "I'd like that." Tyler smiled back at her and snagged a quick kiss.

Currently, it was about 8AM. At 10AM, there will be a meeting with potential business partners. Various major corporations from the real world were sending representatives to secure a partnership with one of, if not the, top guilds in Galactic Expedition.

Tyler and Emily enjoyed breakfast together before he sent her on her way at around 9:30. He then returned to his room and got dressed.

He quickly got dressed in semi-formal attire. He wore a buŧŧon down beige linen shirt with a navy blue cardigan over it. Under the cardigan, he wore his OWB holster. Recently, some of the guild craftsmen started to create joggers. He put on beige joggers and his leather boots. He then strapped on his tactical belt and clipped his two purple sabers to it.

Lastly he equipped Darth Revan's cloak. To preserve the fit, he hid the cloak on his appearance. Once he was dressed, there was only a few minutes before the meeting was set to start. Thus, he headed over to the meeting room.

Within the conference room, Xander was waiting with the representatives. Aside from the head of the table, every seat was filled. Representatives from companies in various fields were present. They included fashion, tourism, food, and sports.

The door slid open revealing a blonde Jedi. "First, I would like to thank you all for coming. I hope there were not any issues in getting here."

Xander shook his head. "They didn't tell me about anything. We had some transports waiting for them anyways."

Tyler smiled and nodded. "That is good to hear." He took his seat. "My name is Lord Draco, Jedi Knight, Guild Leader of Limitless, Sovereign of Kessel, and Former Senator to the Galactic Republic. I am going to kick off this meeting by explaining a few things. After that, I'll open things up to questions."

"As I am sure you already know, Galactic Expedition is a gold mine that has yet to be touched. Players have only scratched the surface of what is available in this game. In fact, it would probably be more accurate to call this another reality rather than a game. This might sound weird but just think about how real this all feels. Once you reach level 10, players even need to do things like sleep and use the bathroom."

"What I'm trying to get at, is that there are legitimate opportunities available for exploitation. However, there is no such thing as free lunch. This galaxy is a dangerous place. There are pirates, bounty hunters, terrorists, and other mysterious powers. In this galaxy, strength is almost everything. Even if you have vast wealth and influence, someone who is strong enough is guaranteed to come and take it."

"That is where Limitless comes in. At this moment, there are very few powers that can match or exceed us. In addition, two of those powers are galactic governing bodies. We also have a vast network of resource channels and connections. There is no other group of players that can compare at this point in time." He then clicked a buŧŧon on the control panel in front of him. A hologram of Scarif materialized over the middle of the table.

"This is the second world that we have acquired. It is known as Scarif. The entire planet is a tropical paradise. It is also quite remote so the risk posed by enemies is vastly reduced. There is a large amount of untouched resources there. I plan to have it used for tourism and research. Currently, we have a fleet stationed in high orbit and troops on the ground securing the planet. There is not a native sentient species so the operation has been very simple."

"Now that you have a basic understanding of where Limitless stands, I will define the general terms of agreement. Firstly, our cooperation is that of a partnership. There is no option to purchase shares of my guild. Secondly, Limitless will ȧssist you with resource acquisition, transportation, and construction. Lastly, the worlds that your ȧssets will be based on are under the control of Limitless. Thus, we will handle security and defense of the ȧssets. Any questions?"

One of the representatives quickly raised her hand. "Lord Draco, what is leading you to believe any of us are unable to acquire shares?"

Tyler chuckled. "You are mistaken. Limitless is not your usual group. I possess 100% of the shares. I promise you, I am adamant about not giving away any of them. What else?"

Another representative called out. "What do the financials of Limitless look like? We would not be interested in partnering with an organization that does not have the capital to back up its infrastructure."

Tyler nodded. "That is a great question. Currently, we are bringing in a daily revenue of 59 million credits at the minimum. This is only from our mining operations as the revenue from other sources is immediately reinvested. For reference, one credit is approximately equivalent to four US Dollars. Compared to our income, our daily expenses are negligible. Does that help?"

He nodded. "A follow up question then. You mentioned a fleet earlier. Can you delve into what you mean by that?"

Tyler smiled. "You are on a roll with these good questions! Currently, Limitless currently has four fleets. Each is composed of three Venator-Class Star Destroyers, an Acclamator-Class Assault Ship, escort frigates and cruisers, and a full complement of both ground and air ȧssets. To put this into perspective, a bombardment from one of my fleets could level New York City in the space of a few hours. In addition, each fleet runs me about 600 million credits or 2.4 billion dollars."

The representatives were shocked. They began to suspect that Limitless might be trying to take over the galaxy! Tyler laughed. "You are mistaken if you think I have aspirations of ruling the galaxy. Even a few hundred of these fleets would not be enough to do something like that. What else would you guys like to know?"

One of the tourism representatives spoke up. "Lord Draco, please excuse me if this sounds rude, but what can you tell us that can boost our confidence in the future of Limitless? Are there other acquisition targets?"

Tyler nodded. "Of course. That is completely understandable. Currently, we have another two targets. Unfortunately, I am not willing to disclose which systems they are. The first one is a snow world. This one would be primarily for tourism and research. This would be an acquisition target. The second is a jungle planet. This would also be for tourism and research. However, this world is a part of the Galactic Republic. Therefore, it would be a partnership rather than an acquisition."

All of the representatives were in quite an awkward spot. They came into this thinking that they'd be dealing with some clueless kids playing a game. It was their intention to just dangle a large amount of money in front of his face and take control of the guild. However, they were not prepared for the tycoon that sat before them.

Tyler smiled. "If there are no more questions, I will now define the financial terms. In exchange for the resource channels, land, construction, transportation, and protection, 30% of the profits from your ventures in Galactic Expedition will go to Limitless. In addition, you can not partner with or acquire any other guilds while partnered with Limitless."

Almost immediately, one of the reps stood up. "That is outrageous! What makes you think you're in a position to demand that much?"

Tyler laughed. "You are clearly mistaken. I don't think you understand how generous I am being in this offer. In addition, you clearly don't realize just how much money can be made through this. Unlike what you may think, players that log in from the real world aren't the only customers that will be patronizing your services."

"The trillions of non-player characters are also potential patrons. I can almost guarantee that the majority of your customer base would be made up of this group. In addition, they will almost surely outnumber your patrons in the real world quite quickly."

"With my reputation and your experience in your respective fields, our combined resources will amount to unimaginable profits. You will definitely make more in this game than in the real world. There is a lot more to this galaxy than you are aware of. You will not reach the top without my help."

The other representatives pulled back. They seemed to be more understanding of their position. However, the one that complained stormed out of the room. Tyler chuckled. "Well that decides the hotel partnership then. If you don't like these conditions, you may see yourselves out."

The room was silent. Not a single representative moved. Tyler smiled. "Great! I look forward to doing business with each of you. For now, we will sign a preliminary agreement. Essentially, we will help you start developing your operations immediately."

"This agreement will remain in place until the official contract is signed. If you end up deciding to not partner with us, all ȧssets that we help you secure will be transferred to Limitless and you will reimburse us for the expenses wasted."

He then distributed the preliminary contracts around the room. They all scanned through them quickly before signing and handing it back. For fashion, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, and Gucci signed on. For tourism, Marriot signed on. For food, 6 chefs representing different groups signed on. For sports, the Olympic Committee signed on.

Tyler was satisfied with this. An unexpected outcome was the Olympic Committee. They came up with the idea of Limitless backing a competition between systems in the Galactic Republic. They would handle the planning and coordination while Limitless would take care of the logistics. The Senators would love that idea so Tyler put them in contact with his mom.

News quickly got out regarding the partnerships. Players swarmed to guilds that were partnering with or being acquired by corporations. It is rumored that of the top 10 guilds in the republic, 7 of them were bought out by investment groups. The influx of resources to these guilds began to threaten Limitless's position at the top.

Once the meeting was over, Tyler had the representatives cooperate with guild elders to begin developing their operations. Tyler and Xander were currently in an elevator together. "Draco, we have received 7 insane offers from investment groups since news about the partnerships got out. How should we respond?"

Tyler laughed. "What do you think would piss them off more? Ignoring them, or declining instantly?"

Xander sighed. "Why do I feel like you are trying to make enemies?"

Tyler shook his head. "I just want to make sure that the other guilds and these obnoxious investors know their place. They are no more than ants under my boot. But if it makes you happy, you can decline them politely."

Xander nodded. "At least you are being somewhat sensible in this matter. If it weren't for me, you'd be sitting atop a mountain of credits with the galaxy burning around you."

Tyler shrugged. "I don't think that sounds so bad." They laughed as they arrived in the lobby area. They had received a message that someone was here to meet with Limitless. Since they were around and didn't have anything better to do, they decided to entertain this visitor.

Tyler and Xander entered a private reception room. Inside were three players. Two were standing up. They were level 20. One was a Protector, and one was an Assassin. Sitting down was a nicely dressed man. He was level 10. He wore a look of contempt on his face.

Tyler walked in. "Welcome. How may I help you today?"

The man scoffed. "Bring me your guild leader. Don't waste my time."

Tyler raised his brows. Internally he was excited. It would seem that someone had so generously arrived to alleviate his boredom. "That would be me. I will repeat myself. How may I help you today?"

The man sighed. "I would have thought that you would have more of a presence. Anyways, I am here to purchase your guild. From my firm's analysis, you guys are worth 200 million dollars. That is what you will get." Tyler currently had his information hidden with his cloak so this guy doesn't realize how wrong he is.

Tyler shook his head. "My friend, you haven't even introduced yourself yet. I am Lord Draco. Who might you be?"

The man laughed. "Oh yes. My name is Eric. I am a board member for the Forest Group. Now, Draco, I ask that you sign the contract and hand over Limitless." He then slid a contract across the table.

Tyler laughed. "Eric, I am Lord Draco to you. And also, I am going to have to slightly change that valuation. 200 billion dollars sounds more sensible." He penned in the correction.

Eric nearly coughed up blood. "Are you insane? Do you have any idea who you're dealing with?"

Tyler nodded. "I think so. The real question is do you?"

Eric rolled his eyes. "You clearly do not realize the position you are in. All I have to do is make one call and your shipping operations will be crippled. I have multiple groups waiting for the signal."

Tyler laughed hysterically. He then picked up the contract, crumpled it up, and threw it back in Eric's face. "Do it. I'm begging you to try me."

Eric scoffed. "Is that a threat?" The two players behind him unsheathed their weapons.

Tyler shook his head. He casually raised his hand and used the force to pick up the two players. He then swiped his hand to the left and threw them into the wall. "I find it quite peculiar that you threaten me and then complain when I don't take it lying down." He then revealed his level.

*Draco, 18 years, Jedi Knight*

*Level 47*

Upon seeing this, the color left Eric's face. "Now now, let's not be too hasty. I'm sure we can work something out."

Tyler laughed. "How comical it is that you're backpedaling now."

Eric shook his head. "Clearly you are too confident of your abilities. One man can not carry an entire guild. I'll be waiting with a new contract that will have an even lower valuation of Limitless for when you come crawling back to me. I'll be leaving now."

Tyler nodded as he ignited his lightsaber. "Yes, you will be leaving now." With his free hand, he pulled Eric towards him and skewered the idiot with his purple blade. The two players watching this were cowering in the corner. Tyler turned to them and pointed his lightsaber at them. "You have 20 seconds to be out of this guild hall or I'll kill you back to level 1."

They immediately sprinted out of the room and boarded the airspeeder that they arrived in. Tyler turned to Xander. "That, my friend, is how you handle those types of people."

Xander sighed. "Why do I feel like this is going to be a headache?"

Tyler shook his head. "It will be no more than a minor inconvenience."

As he said that, he received a call. "Guild Leader, we have received reports that multiple transports have been attacked."

Tyler smiled. "That is fantastic news. Mobilize everyone. Find out which guilds are ȧssociated with the Forest Group and fuċk their shit up. Every kill is worth 1k credits. Every vehicle destroyed is 10k credits. Every outpost or guild hall damaged or demolished will be 50k credits. Lastly, every kill on that dumb fuċk of a board member named Eric will yield a million credits. Send out the message to all guild members."

The guild member nodded. "It will be done, Guild Leader." He then hung up. A few minutes later, there was a commotion in the guild hall. People were excitedly rushing to join the hunt. Shortly after that, players started logging in by the thousands to participate in the fun.

Who in their right mind would ignore this opportunity? Firstly, most Limitless players are multiple levels higher than the general player base. In addition, the players in Limitless are of a higher standard than others. With these two things combined, each member can easily take on multiple players on their own. They could easily make thousands of credits by essentially pulling weeds from a garden.

Unfortunately, they quickly found out that the Forest Group had acquired the number 3, 5, 6, and 10 guilds in the Republic. This meant that their targets weren't just cannon fodder. However, after they started wreaking havoc, they realized that there was a chasm lying between the standards of these guilds and Limitless.

Tyler sat in a lounge on the rooftop. He lazily watched his credit balance rapidly decline. Despite the thousands of credits flying out of his account, it was bȧrėly a dent in his current fortune. The message that went out was in the form of a guild quest. This meant that the rewards would automatically be distributed.

He also entertained himself by reading through the forums. There was a hoard of posts about people leaving the guilds ȧssociated with the Forest Group. In just the few hours that had gone by, 30% of the players in those guilds had disaffiliated. In addition, Tyler had dished out about 21 million credits in rewards.

Tyler smiled. It was money well spent. All he was doing was lounging around with a drink in his hand as his enemies were dismantled. Suddenly, his tranquility was disturbed. Four players led by John walked over to Tyler. These were the guild leaders of the four guilds that Limitless was currently curb stomping.

A player named Beowulf stepped forward. "Lord Draco, I beg of you to cease your hostilities against our guilds."

Tyler raised his brow. "No."

Beowulf was confused. "What do you mean, no?"

Tyler laughed. "In case you weren't aware, Eric came by earlier. He tried offering me 200 million dollars for Limitless. I mean, let's be real. That is about .1% of the actual current value of the guild."

Beowulf shook his head. "What does that have to do with us?"

Tyler sighed. "You do understand that your guilds are just ȧssets to Eric, right? I am removing his group's presence from the galaxy. I have no need for pompous ȧssholes that think they can walk in here and act like they own the place."

Beowulf dropped to his knees. "We're finished. Because of Eric, my guild won't exist anymore by this time tomorrow."

Tyler laughed. He couldn't sense hostility towards him from any of the guild leaders present. Their anger was being directed elsewhere. Most likely towards Eric.

Beowulf looked up. "What is so funny? This is no laughing matter. Everything I have is about to be gone."

Tyler shook his head. "You misunderstand. I like you guys. Instead of being irrational and getting angry at me, you all recognize who is actually at fault in this situation. How would you like to join Limitless?"

The four guild leaders were stunned. Beowulf stood up. "What do you mean?"

Tyler smiled. "I mean exactly what I said." He sipped his drink. "Gather all of your loyal supporters and come join me. Everyone you bring will be guaranteed a spot in the guild but will be ranked based on our standards. You four can be elders. How does that sound?"

Beowulf sighed. "That is an enticing option."

Tyler nodded. "Indeed it is. We must band together and make sure that the Forest Group never touches this game again. To honor our agreement, I will name a capital ship after each of your guilds."

Beowulf nodded. "I guess I really have no choice. I'll send out a message now." He looked totally defeated. He was helpless.

The other three guild leaders also agreed. Their names were Toshinori, MonkDonalds, and Mcree. Tyler smiled as he welcomed 4 more great names into his guild.

Much to Tyler's surprise, each of them brought thousands of players with them. In total, Limitless gained 31k new members. This brought the grand total of members to 130,543. That is a massive number.

Tyler promoted the four of them to elder and had John show them to their personal quarters. To finish off his day, he received a report from Governor Khan regarding the developments on Kessel.

As per their last discussion, a multitude of researchers and engineers have been hired. In addition, a university had been constructed. They named it University of Kessel. It would provide higher education to people and double as a research organization.

For the matter of the welfare of the people, they managed to get everyone off the streets. In addition, it would only be a matter of days before they were able to secure employment for every citizen. Kessel was quite close to becoming a self-sustaining world. Streets have been repaved, technology has been upgraded, public services have been introduced, and the availability of resources has improved tremendously. Nowadays, it was not uncommon to see an airspeeder flying around their cities.

Lastly, the mining operations. With the massive influx of credits, the operations were expanded and improved even further. In addition, the refineries were fully operational and new ones were being built as well. This brought the daily net profits from Kessel to 160 million credits.

With this, Tyler decided it was time to start rewarding his guild for their hard work. Guild members would now get salaries. Each week, normal members would get 1k credits, elites would get 5k, core members would get 10k, elders and ambassadors would get 50k, and the vice guild leaders will get 100k. When totaled up, this amounts to about 40 million credits each week in wages.

After the deduction of that and the cut of Kessel's profits that goes to the government, Limitless is profiting about 88 million credits each day! For comparison, after a conversion to dollars, this is about half of Amazon's daily revenue.

Tyler then instantly purchased the remainder of the building that their guild hall was located in. In total, the building had 1,127 floors. Considering that Coruscant has 5,127 levels, it is not that huge. That ran him about 300 million credits since the floors got cheaper as they went down.

A few hours later, it was sunset. Tyler was standing on the roof with Emily in his arm and a drink in his free hand. He gazed out upon the setting sun over Coruscant. It was a magnificent sight.

Only one thing came into his mind. "It's good to be the king."