Rise of the Darkness Tycoon

Chapter 22- Valuations of Power

‘So these are the ones sitting at the top in these parts… and these ones are either dependent on them or trying to break away.’

He noted how some mid-tier corporations showed repeated patterns of sudden growth followed by stagnation, often aligning with shifts in ownership stakes from the larger groups, suggesting controlled expansion rather than organic development, while smaller companies appeared frequently as acquisition targets or subcontracted entities feeding into larger industrial chains.

Without needing anyone to explain it to him, the structure began to form in his mind.

‘There are a few dominant groups anchoring each sector, while everyone beneath them adjusts according to their movements.’

Shaking his head lightly, he muttered under his breath, “It’s the same everywhere.”

Calvin walked over to another terminal, looking at financial flow indicators that showed cross-sector investments, quickly noting how capital from some top corporations was being funnelled into other top corporations in other sectors, reinforcing the same dominant groups across multiple domains.

By the time he’d stepped back from the terminal, he already had a rough internal map forming in his mind.

It wasn’t a complete picture, but it was enough to identify which corporations held structural dominance, which ones were dependent extensions, and which ones were still operating independently without strong external control.

‘Well, this is just for the listed companies.’

Such thoughts crossed his mind as he walked past the central indices area, heading to another trading hall.

Above the entrance of this inner section, a designation was etched into the wall.

[Elementalist Guild Listings.]

‘On to Agenda Item Number 2. Let’s see the guild power dynamics.’

The flow of brokers and analysts gradually reduced the closer he got to this trading hall, where the information structure was no longer focused purely on industrial output or corporate profit margins, but on combat capability, rift activity, and ranked elemental personnel strength.

When he entered the hall, he was greeted with a layout similar to the one behind him, but here, not all terminals were publicly available.

Moving past the restricted access terminals, he looked up at the screens displaying a different kind of data entirely.

Guild names replaced corporate titles, alongside metrics that tracked rift clearances, elemental beast subjugations, territory stabilisation records, and the number of high-rank elementalists registered under each organisation.

It wasn’t a separate system from what he’d just studied in the previous hall, but an extension of it.

Elementalist Guilds operated as private entities backed by investors, their valuation rising and falling based on performance in rift incursions and the strength of the elementalists they could retain or recruit.

High-ranking rift clearances spiked the valuation of some guilds, while loss of key members or failed operations dropped the valuation of others.

From what Calvin could tell at a glance, investor distribution was clustered heavily around a small number of dominant guilds, those with constant access to high-ranking elementalists and a greater number of rifts within the state, while mid- and low-tier guilds fluctuated aggressively depending on rift activity and recruitment cycles.

Having sponsored a few guilds during his previous life, Calvin knew the ins and outs of this industry, so he didn’t need to spend too much time here.

He already knew that guild strength was not only measured in individual power but in financial reinforcement, where funding directly influenced recruitment capacity, equipment quality, and the ability to secure higher-rank rifts, which in turn generated more returns for investors.

Calvin left the stock exchange building shortly after, but instead of returning home, he went across the city, stopping at multiple guild offices, collecting brochures, reviewing their posted recruitment conditions, and observing the flow of elemental energy signatures within each building.

After several stops, he redirected his path toward the largest building in this district, standing over every guild facility, Dand City’s Elementalist Management Association branch.

When he got close, he immediately noticed a difference in the elementalist presence within the building, with far fewer high-ranking signatures compared to the guild buildings he'd just passed.

This didn't come as a surprise to Calvin, as he'd seen time and time again how investor-backed organisations could expand their capabilities far more aggressively than a government body constrained by fixed allocations and bureaucratic budget limitations.

Guilds could reinvest directly from rift profits and outside funding, allowing them to attract and retain stronger elementalists, while the official association had to operate within controlled spending limits.

He didn't enter the EMA building, turning away after noting the much lower elementalist density.

It was already evening, and Calvin was feeling a bit hungry, so he decided to stop by a diner and get something to eat.

Although Martha had prepared lunch for him, it was back at home, and he'd spent the entire afternoon outside without eating anything. His body, while gradually approaching the level of a superhuman, was still far from being able to go for days without any kind of sustenance.

While he ate in silence, he scrolled through his phone, checking the investment app he had installed earlier and purchasing a few stocks in companies that had caught his attention during the day, after reviewing their market history over the past few years.

Once he was done, he paused for a few seconds before deciding to look up CalCorp, a company that was very familiar to him, naturally because it had originally been founded for him many years ago by the late mother of Calvin Osborn.

He noticed that CalCorp’s stock price had fallen heavily in the past few days, and he could only exhale softly, fully aware that this was partly his fault.

After all, he had destroyed his headquarters along with several other major branches when he was attacked by the Osborns, and had also wiped out a warehouse containing hundreds of millions worth of goods prepared for export.

It was a decision made out of spite and in the heat of the moment, but it had also been the most effective way to stop Warren Osborn from trying anything with CalCorp immediately after his death.

Multiple coordinated bombings would imply a level of terrorism, something that would inevitably attract government involvement.

Even the Osborn family, despite their international power and influence, wouldn't want to fall out of favour with the government of the country they were based in by making moves against a company already under terrorism-level scrutiny.

When Calvin thought of the government, a few old friends came to mind, and he exhaled softly, thinking about the day he would return to the capital city, Aegall, and whether he'd have the chance to see those old friends again.

Just as that thought crossed his mind, he felt a few heavy stares on him, and he turned in their direction, immediately meeting the eyes of a pair of teenagers seated at a table not far away.

They looked young, probably junior high school students, and the moment they realised they'd been noticed, both girls quickly flushed in embarrassment and looked away.

Calvin watched them silently for a moment, blinking in faint confusion, before lifting his phone and using the screen as a mirror.

‘What are they looking at—Oh.’

He chuckled lightly when he saw his own reflection on the screen, then glanced back toward them as they sneaked another look in his direction. He raised a hand and waved lightly with a faint smile before returning his attention to his meal.

After finishing his meal and paying for it, he left the restaurant immediately and called a taxi to take him home.

In the back of the cab, Calvin refined his plans, deciding how he would move forward from here, especially when it came to Martha.

‘I’m going to increase my personal strength a little. At least reach D-rank, maybe C-rank, then I’ll explain everything to her. Well, as much as I can explain.’

As the cab passed a real estate billboard, he glanced out the window and noticed it, then added internally with a wry smile, ‘Before that, I should probably start looking for a house to move us into when the time comes.’

With those thoughts in mind, Calvin arrived home, took a shower, finished the food Martha had left for him that morning, and then went to bed.