After rethinking his words a few times, Leone spoke his thoughts out loud.
"Does it mean they can't attack us as long as we pay the tribute?" Leone asked.
"Not openly," Gundar corrected. "But they can pressure you, intimidate you, even provoke you. As long as you strike first or refuse to pay the tribute, they will have the justification to attack.
"You might find it silly, but even the high-ranking tribes can't just attack the tribes weaker than them without proper justification. They could, but they wouldn't. Doing so means losing face and prestige.
"Not to mention, it could crumble the delicate balance of power in the Borderlands. And no one wants to see that happen. This is also why a tournament is held every ten years. It's the fairest way to decide who gets the larger share of resources extracted from Eden.
"Unlike the middle-ranking tribes engaging in petty fights, the higher-ranking tribes are focusing their attention on the upcoming tournament."
