Strongest Superhuman System - Chapter 723

Chapter 723: Superhuman Tournament
“The French Superhuman Alliance is going to send someone with the data for the sales of the anima and how they are going to be handling the distribution. I want you to oversee it with Hector. He knows about the current state of the market better than anyone, so he’ll be able to make sure we get a good price for everything. I’ll call you when I’m done here.”

Louise nodded to Mark’s order and then left to meet up with Hector in the Vanguard Guild headquarters, while Mark gave a nod to the Superhuman Alliance agent who greeted him at the entrance. The agent saluted Mark respectfully before leading him to the meeting room.

Mark had changed into a black t-shirt and a pair of straight-cut jeans with white Nikes on his feet. On his hands, he wore a pair of black gloves that were an artifact crafted by the Superhuman Alliance.

The gloves were a gift from Luna a few months ago. They had been crafted from the skin of an Elder Eldritch monster, so they had very high durability and wouldn’t tear as long as he didn’t use too much power while wearing them. Mark ran a hand through his hair tiredly as the elevator they entered started to go down. The elevator stopped for someone before getting to the floor where Mark needed to get off, and the woman who had pressed the button to stop the elevator felt her eyes bulge in shock once she saw who was inside. She hesitated to get in with Mark, but Mark just moved a bit to the side and told her that it wasn’t a problem while waving her in.

Mark asked her what floor she was going to once she was inside, and the woman told him before he clicked the button and the elevator continued on its way. The woman beside Mark was a pretty blonde woman with a small mousey face and a short stature that made her look a little too young in her business suit. She kept stealing glances at Mark throughout the ride, and after a while, Mark spoke up.

“Is something wrong?”

“Eek! N-No!”

The woman made a cute sound in shock once she heard Mark speak up, and her blush increased in intensity before she chuckled nervously while putting her hair behind her ear shyly. When she spoke up again, it was with a shy disposition that made Mark think of a little mouse.

“I-I just can’t believe I’m riding with you. I’m one of your biggest fans. I followed your guild expansion over the past few months, and I can’t help but be impressed. Most guilds need years to get the kind of reach you got in five months.”

Mark just smiled and told her that she shouldn’t be so impressed. Mark still wasn’t where he needed to be. The woman turned to look Mark in the eye, and for a moment, it was almost like she could see right through him. Mark felt like she was capable of viewing his innermost thoughts, and even though she was just a stranger in the elevator, someone that Mark would never meet again in his life, Mark could tell that she understood him.

The woman smiled softly.

“I-I see. You are working very hard for our sake, GHOST. Thank you for everything.”

Ding!

The elevator door dinged open at the floor Mark was going to be exiting from, and Mark hummed in response to the woman’s words and smiled at her before leaving the elevator with the Superhuman Alliance agent that was escorting him.

They made their way to the meeting room, and Mark entered to see Luna leaning back in her chair with the rest of the room busy doing their own thing. But once Mark entered, everyone in the room perked up and turned towards him. Mark raised a hand in greeting to most of them and walked up to Luna to give her a kiss, getting a smile in return before he went to sit down at the head of the table, opposite from where Henry Ford was seated. Mark allowed his eyes to scan across the room calmly as he took notice of everyone there before he finally turned back to look at Henry.

Henry spoke up with a grin on his face.

“I’m glad to see you could finally fit us into your busy schedule, Mr. Vanitas.”

Mark shrugged but didn’t say anything in response to that. Henry called on George to bring a coffee for Mark as well, and even though Mark refused, Henry insisted and the coffee was brought before they continued.

Henry was the first to speak up again.

“I’ve been hearing from the other branches of the Superhuman Alliance that I’ve visited about how impactful your guild activities have been. In fact, the Superhuman Alliance has been complaining that your guild seems to be doing a little too much around the world and there haven’t been many situations that required our intervention. I know it’s a silly complaint since it’s regarding the safety of the citizens around the world, but I don’t suppose we can renegotiate the price of the anima corpses you sell to us?”

Mark eyed the coffee on the table for a moment before he took a sip and sighed. Mark then looked up at Henry with a look of irritation in his eyes.

“If that is what you invited me here for, then I think it’ll be better if none of us waste our time. The amount you pay us for the anima corpses we sell to you is far lower than any other guild out there. We had a deal, Henry. We sell you the corpses at a discounted price, and you allow us to continue our actions outside the country without excessive interference from you. Don’t try to break this relationship now by getting greedy.”

Henry nodded slowly to Mark’s words, and he raised his hands to placate Mark and tell him that he understood. Henry didn’t really come here to talk about money, and he was only bringing that up because he didn’t know when next he and Mark would be able to sit down at a table like this. If Henry didn’t bring it up then the other Directors would think that Henry didn’t care about the wellbeing of the Superhuman Alliance.

Henry knew just as well as everyone else that Mark didn’t like him, so for Mark to be here at all and talking to him in such a civil manner just meant that Mark was at least willing to put aside their differences for the sake of business. Henry did not like Mark either, but at least Henry respected him because of his work ethic.

Henry finally decided to bring up the topic that he really wanted to talk about today.

“Tell me, Mr. Vanitas. What have you heard about the Superhuman Tournament that is organized by the Superhuman Association?”

Mark’s brow furrowed and he turned to look at Luna, who seemed to have the same confused expression on her face. But Luna’s eyes seemed to widen in realization sooner than Mark’s own did, and Luna spoke.

“You mean that yearly tournament? The one they brought up to replace the World Cup?”

Henry nodded to Luna’s statement, and Mark also gained a look of realization on his face once he heard Luna say that. Mark immediately knew what it was that Henry was talking about.