(P'coll Avens's POV)
In the forge of Demeria, an old man dressed in a blacksmith's outfit stained with grease, with a long, unshaven beard, disheveled white hair sticking out from the sides of his head, unfortunately the top of his head was smooth and shiny, more interesting about the man was his stature, he was 3 meters tall, but his features resembled those of a muscular dwarf.
Avens looked at the 10 kg of Makru, at his enthusiastic apprentice, and at the exasperated customer beside him.
Half an hour earlier, his apprentice had rushed into his room, slamming the door open and startling him so much that he jumped out of bed in fright.
He's an old man! Can't he sleep in peace?
Unfortunately, he knew his apprentice well enough to know that when she set her mind to something, she wouldn't let it go, he was immediately dragged out of bed, still slightly drunk from the previous night.
Now he was here, grunting with irritation.
-Kid, Maktru is really a good thing and I can exchange materials with you, but are you sure about that? The chance of failure isn't low and there's no refund!- Avens said irritably.
He knew that his apprentice had wanted to build that arrow ever since she found the blueprint among his things, but he never allowed it, not only because it was very expensive and useless, after all, you could count on your fingers the number of people in this star system who had both the money and the interest in the arrow.
She had forgotten a long time ago, but fate seemed to be playing a trick on them, Black Spider appeared.
-Alright.- Black Spider shrugged. -I imagine you'll help, with you by my side, I believe this arrow can be made.
The old man grunted, scratching his bald head and sighing. He reached for his waist, searching for his wine flask, but realizing he hadn't grabbed it in his haste, he grunted again, annoyed.
-So be it, it's your loss. This thing isn't easy to do. Come back in three days.- Avens waved his hand to Black Spider, dismissing him. Demeria was still excited, jumping away to grab the materials.
However, Black Spider didn't leave, his lips trembling, he raised the dagger with the Lich's Phylactery still attached. -Could you do me a favor?
//-//
Black Spider shook his head as he left the store, he had finally gotten what he wanted, but it seemed to have been much more expensive than expected.
Leaving that aside, he began buying materials compatible with the Lich Phylactery in Juberly Hub. Ironically, it was much easier to obtain them, because while mages focus on rarity and utility, pure merchants focus on quantity and demand.
Finding thousands of parts of crystalline living creatures was very easy, all very common, but whether they were common or not, it didn't matter.
Black Spider returned to the Trihexa. Elesis was still on the ship, she wanted to leave quickly, but Ringo still needed to wait for the Godorians, so she could only wait.
Black Spider went to his own room and began working on the Lich Phylactery, quantity perfectly replaced quality. In a few minutes, another Ancestor Lich Phylactery appeared in Black Spider's hands. Ringo came to retrieve it quickly. That was enough, he only needed to wait for Bradd to finish his order. He bet that guy wouldn't resist, and Ames was a useful subordinate.
This might pay off some of what he owed her, although the fact that she gave him a Planetary Cornerstone increased that debt.
//-//
The Godorian ship landed at Juberly Hub. A group of Godorians disembarked proudly. In the center of them, a Godorian dressed in official attire looked around with disinterested eyes, but with firm, measured steps. In his hand, a silver briefcase with a digital lock was securely fastened.
Nagakin, War Department officer, Grade A pugilist.
Nagakin didn't seem to take any of the passersby seriously, instead, he turned to the subordinate Godorian beside him.
-Where is this Black Spider guy?- He asked hurriedly.
Making a Grade A employee personally deliver items made him incredibly angry, but he himself had seen the video of Black Spider's fight, so he still respected the man.
In the end, he could only swallow his pride, in his mind, Black Spider was qualified to interact with him.
-Sir, Black Spider is in his spaceship in that same hangar.- the subordinate said quickly.
Nagakin nodded and spoke. - Lead the way.
The Godorian did not hesitate and began to head towards the dock where the Trihexa was parked.
//-//
(Ringo's Clone POV)
Yosak returned to the empty zone where the Dark Star ships were parked, so Ringo began to act as soon as he arrived there, leaving Yosak's body.
By keeping the Hidden Nightmare, he seized the right moment to pass it on to another Dark Star executive with a higher rank.
Then to another, and another, slowly he continued to climb to the higher echelons of Dark Star, always staying a short time to see the memories of these people, always picking up another fragment of what Dark Star was.
There were all sorts of people there, mostly Godorian Hybrids and a small portion made up of other races that had been brainwashed from a young age.
Just like Amber, although Ringo hasn't seen he yet.
Among the memories, Ringo saw those who were forced by their situations like Yosak, he saw those who didn't even have a choice, and he saw those who never truly cared, only desiring power and influence.
These guys' dream was to subvert all of Godora, in the future, they would be Godora, and they would be at the top of the command structure.
Ringo wasn't impressed, there were dozens of different reasons, but the result was the same, they were all part of a galactic terrorist organization. Although some of them could be saved, most weren't worth saving.
Ringo's clone was using his vision of the future to avoid the leader of Dark Star, he couldn't simply start a war with the man right there, because if he did, it would be very difficult to absorb Dark Star as he wanted.
He was slowly understanding Dark Star from the inside, that was the point, to prepare for the takeover. But for that, he first needed a chance. When the leader of Dark Star went out alone, that would be the moment of his demise.
Sure, he could simply lure Ames into making a move, but Ames' power could attract attention, the energy of a Grade S is like the full moon in the night sky, very easy to see, so Ringo still preferred to do it covertly.