[Events unfolded exactly as your meticulous, almost cold-blooded planning had predicted, meshing with the predetermined gears without the slightest deviation.]
[During the phone negotiations, when you tore away your disguise completely and, in "Toji Fushiguro's" supremely arrogant, oppressive tone, mercilessly told the Time Vessel Association's leader that you, the assassin himself, had personally orchestrated this outrageous round of price hikes behind the scenes, and explicitly stated that you would keep raising the price like a bottomless pit, the atmosphere on the other end changed instantly.]
[Even through the cold radio waves, you keenly caught the disruption in his breathing and the fleeting, unconcealable panic and trembling in his words.]
[In theory, any man who had risen to lead a religious organization as vast and deeply entrenched as the Time Vessel Association, even if he was essentially only a high-ranking puppet pushed into the spotlight, should long since have developed the composure to weather any crisis through countless trials.]
[But this time, the situation was entirely different.]
[The shadow of the day of the Star Plasma Vessel's assimilation was approaching at a visible pace, like a Sword of Damocles hanging over everyone's heads.]
[As its leader, he knew better than anyone how terrifying the "Mysterious Woman" lurking behind the scenes was.]
[If insufficient funds prevented him from recruiting Toji Fushiguro, causing the mission to assassinate the Star Plasma Vessel to fail completely... that price was absolutely not something a mere mortal like him could bear.]
[This overwhelming terror of an unknown death finally shattered his psychological defenses, inevitably exposing a fatal weakness.]
["Mr. Toji... please, do reconsider! This figure is simply..."]
[On the other end of the line, the leader's voice even carried a trace of humble, desperate pleading.]
[He tried every negotiating tactic he knew, hoping you would show mercy