Chapter 650: Legendary Space Bloodline (I)
Vlad’s eyes sharpened instantly upon hearing Elder Damian’s words. He took a deep breath, steeling his resolve as his concentration peaked. Quietly, he sat down, and silence dominated the office for several tense moments before the negotiations began.
Immediately, Elder Damian and Vlad entered into a fierce, intricate clash of wits. Each man tried to gauge the other’s absolute limits, carefully stating demands and restrictions, inserting clauses, and cleverly retracting them, all while maneuvering for more advantageous terms.
Vlad quickly realized that Elder Damian’s cunning was truly extraordinary. Had it not been for the constant assistance provided by his A.I. Chip, he likely would have fallen victim to the elder’s numerous subtle traps.
Elder Damian also felt pushed to his absolute mental limits, as even the smallest lapse in concentration threatened to tilt the negotiations decisively in Vlad’s favor. The elderly strategist remained exceptionally focused, unwilling to concede even an inch unless absolutely necessary.
Marshal Maximo, initially curious about the progress of negotiations, glanced back and forth between the two negotiators. However, within five minutes, he became utterly lost.
Numbers, conditions, and strategic clauses flew rapidly from one side of the table to the other, completely overwhelming the battle-hardened general.
Soon, Maximo gave up trying to follow along entirely, relaxing instead in his chair with a bored expression. He cared little about who "won" or "lost" the negotiation—as long as the empire ultimately received the newly developed Darkness Devouring Runic Formation, he would be satisfied.
Finally, after half an hour of intense negotiations, both Vlad and Elder Damian sat back in exhaustion, their foreheads glistening with sweat, making them appear as if they’d just completed an intense physical battle.
Elder Damian stared at Vlad with an annoyed yet respectful expression before finally nodding in reluctant acknowledgment.