"So, how can I help you, Mr.Tony?" Leo asked, leaning back into his own chair as he mimicked the punkish behavior of the man in front of him.
"Well you see Mr.Skyshard, you have been making quite some waves around town recently.
Your new product line is widely successful and the rumors suggest that you are making a pretty buck with your business–" Tony said, fiddling with his toothpick as he spoke rather uninterestedly.
"Yes, business has been good–" Leo replied curtly, urging the man to go on.
"And you have also widened your gap to common players, becoming number two on the leaderboards with a solid margin–" Tony added, as he tried to mask his own jealousy over the comment, however, Leo caught wind of it anyway.
"Well yes…. I have been rather fortune lately" Leo replied, gesturing for the man to get to the point.
"So based on your recent performance, we at the Uprising wanted to give you an opportunity to join our faction, for trust me when I say, it's an opportunity of a lide-time" Tony said, leaning forward towards Leo's table as he smiled wickedly in anticipation.
"And why might it be an opportunity of a lifetime? What's so special about your organization that I absolutely can't afford to not join it?" Leo asked sarcastically, never expecting what Tony was about to tell him.
"So… tell me what you make a month? One million gold coins? Five? Ten?" Tony asked, putting up fingers as he threw those numbers as Leo shrugged his shoulders in response and said "Ball-Park".
He did not wish to give an exact number to Tony, however, the 1-10 million range seemed accurate.
"The uprising made upwards of a hundred million gold coins just during the Grand Tournament, in the span of under a month–" Tony revealed, as listening to this number Leo felt genuinely shocked for the first time in this conversation.
"What?" Leo said, frowning, as he had never expected The Uprising to be so formidable.
"Yes. We made upwards of 120 million gold coins during the Grand Tournament alone and our current cash-flows are not even comprehensible.
Currently we legally own a small business shop on every street of the capital and have millions of armed active members that can make-up an entire army of soldiers when called upon" Tony further revealed as he gave Leo a smug smile.
"If you join us, I will reveal to you more details about our goals, however, know this….. that by joining us you won't be at a loss, afterall we already have more influential players in our organization who are already part of our upper management" Tony said, as he seemed to be very satisfied about the soft power that their organization wielded.
"But if you have such money and resources then why haven't I heard of you before?" Leo asked, feeling genuinely curious as he had never seen 'The Uprising' take any major action within the world of Terra Nova.
"You know…. Leo, there are few people who rule from the light. However, the real power is always within the shadows.
Currently we are in the shadows because we were slowly gathering strength, however, soon our deeds will be for the whole world to see" Tony said, as he seemed to be very enthusiastic about the organization's future.
"So, who are these 'influential' players already affiliated with your organization?" Leo asked curiously, eager to see if Tony shared the same confusion as Cervantez about 'TheBoss' supposedly being part of their group.
"Well, the number one player is naturally part of our group. In fact, he is one of the top management. During the Grand Tournament, he ordered us to always bet on him to win, and that's how we made over 120 million gold coins, by consistently betting on his victory from the preliminaries to the finals," Tony revealed.
Leo was left speechless by this revelation as although he knew that he wasn't part of the uprising, the entire situation seemed so complex and amusing to him that he couldn't think of a proper response to give Tony.
"So, let me get this straight," Leo began, choosing his words with care. "You're saying that joining The Uprising will not only bring me immense wealth but also align me with the most influential players in Terra Nova?"
"Exactly," Tony confirmed, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. "We offer security, resources, and a network that no other faction can match. With us, your current success will seem like mere child's play."
Leo nodded slowly, pretending to consider the offer more deeply. "And what would my role be in your organization? What do you expect from me?"
Tony leaned forward, lowering his voice. "We need someone with your skills and influence to help us expand our operations. Your business acumen and reputation will be invaluable in helping us secure new territories and resources, when our real mission starts.
In return, you'll have access to our extensive network and the full support of The Uprising."
Leo kept his expression neutral, though his mind was racing. "It sounds like a tempting offer, but I'll need some time to think it over. After all, this is a big decision."
Tony smiled, leaning back. "Take your time, Mr. Skyshard. Just remember, opportunities like this don't come around often. We'll be in touch."
With that, Tony stood up, giving Leo a nod before exiting the room, leaving Leo alone to his thoughts.
"What the fuck…." Leo muttered to himself, as he had not expected the uprisings offer to be so tempting before this meeting, however, after meeting Tony, Leo felt as if this shadow organization that had not yet made a big impact was on the cusp of making some big waves.
"I need more information before I make a decision…." Leo muttered to himself, as he felt enlightened after this meeting with Tony.
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/// A/N - Chapter 9/15. We are already at the 3/day normal point, everything from here on out is a bonus! ///