[The Golden Gates Dungeon - Executive Suite]
The riots in the labyrinth below were shaking the foundation of Balthazar Greed's golden fortress. Outside his towering windows, the neon signs advertising "100% Free Admission" were currently on fire.
Agent Vane of the Astral Revenue Service materialized in the center of the office, his gray suit humming with sterile cosmic energy.
"CEO Balthazar," Vane's monotone voice was laced with bureaucratic disappointment. "Omni-Dungeon Corp's user sentiment has reached absolute zero. Your Pay-To-Win pivot has triggered a mass exodus. Your cosmic stock valuation has plummeted by ninety-four percent in two hours."
"I can fix it!" Balthazar yelled, chewing nervously on an unlit mana cigar. "Just give me a cosmic bailout! The ARS promised to fund me until Thorne was bankrupt!"
"The ARS does not subsidize failing management," Vane stated coldly. "We are reviewing our options to liquidate your assets."
The heavy, golden doors of the executive suite suddenly clicked open.
Victor Thorne walked into the room. His midnight-blue suit was immaculate, devoid of any soot or ash from the riots below. He was flanked by Princess Ignis and Seraphina.
"You!" Balthazar snarled, pointing a trembling finger at Victor. "You dare step foot on my property?! Agent Vane! He is trespassing! Invoke the Anti-Monopoly Protection Act! Erase his universe!"
Agent Vane raised his hand, gathering a lethal beam of gray cosmic energy to vaporize Victor. "You have violated the cosmic injunction, Principal Thorne. Physical invasion of a competitor's property is prohibited."
Victor didn't draw a weapon. He didn't even activate his Tycoon's Aura. He simply pulled his gold pocket watch from his vest, checking the time.
"I am not invading a competitor's property," Victor said smoothly. "Elara. Serve the paperwork."
Elara stepped around Victor, trembling slightly as she handed a thick stack of glowing, black parchment to the ARS Agent.
"Agent Vane," Victor adjusted his cuffs. "Take a close look at the purchaser of Omni-Dungeon Corp's crashing stock. It wasn't the Pantheon Group."
Vane scanned the document, his blank, gray face tilting in confusion. "The purchaser is listed as... Pantheon Holdings LLC. A shell company incorporated in the Shattered Void."
"Exactly," Victor smiled a ruthless, predatory smile. "While CEO Balthazar was busy fighting riots, his company's valuation hit rock bottom. My offshore holding company—which is legally outside of your tax jurisdiction—anonymously purchased a fifty-one percent controlling stake in Omni-Dungeon Corp across the astral exchange."
Balthazar's cigar dropped from his mouth, hitting the floor with a soft thud. "Fifty-one percent...?"
"You cannot erase my universe for trespassing, Agent Vane," Victor's voice dropped the temperature in the room to absolute zero. "Because I am not a trespasser. I am the Majority Shareholder. I legally own this building."
Agent Vane's cosmic energy dissipated. The universal laws of commerce were absolute. He lowered his hand. "The paperwork is in order. The Anti-Monopoly Act no longer applies, as this is now an internal corporate dispute."
Victor turned his cold, calculating eyes onto the terrified, excessively tanned CEO.
"Balthazar," Victor opened the Tycoon's Ledger. "Your performance this quarter has been unacceptable. You burned five hundred million gold on acquiring bot traffic. Your brand is toxic."
"Wait! Thorne, we can work together!" Balthazar pleaded, backing up against his desk. "Co-CEOs! We can rule the market!"
"I don't share equity," Victor slashed his fountain pen across the ledger. "You're fired. Clean out your desk. Ignis, escort the former CEO off my property. Throw him out the window."