Reincarnated With The Degenerate System-Chapter 208: CH:

Normally, I would have found a reason to turn him down or postponed it to another day.

But he was the only one smart enough to stay on my good side and come personally, so the least I could do was listen to what he had to say.

"There’s an important meeting lined up after this. If you don’t mind, we can talk now."

"That’s fine by me," he nodded.

I checked the time on my watch, the second hand ticking methodically, then signed the required documents.

Mr. Hans followed, his pen moving without pause. He didn’t rush, every stroke precise—like a man used to making quick decisions.

My legal team would handle the transfer of funds, and any sponsorship would go directly to the guild.

Being the sole owner, it didn’t really change anything for me, aside from having a convenient way to reduce taxes without looking like a criminal.

It wasn’t tax evasion, but tax avoidance.

With one final stamp, the sponsorship was finalized. The sound of it hitting the paper was almost ceremonial, echoing slightly in the high-ceilinged room.

"I’m ready for those other matters you wanted to discuss,"

Mr. Hans studied me for a moment, then gave a short nod. He raised one hand toward the Vice President of Marketing and his own legal team.

"Leave us." he ordered.

They all exited without a word. I did the same, signaling for my aides to step outside.

The door closed behind them, sealing the room in silence.

The sudden quiet made every sound; the faint hum of the air conditioning— more noticeable.

For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.

I felt tempted to use my ability on him and turn him into a pawn. A CEO of his level, with influence stretching across industries, could be powerful ally.

However, my ability never worked well for males. It demanded far more effort, relied either on fear, or required constant reinforcement over a long stretch of time.

Such strategy only worked on people I could keep as captives, or on those who worked under me.

Plus, I could tell from his eyes that he had seen a lot in his life. Those experiences made him resilient.

Mr. Hans opened his mouth, ready to speak.

"I’ll be direct. I would like to personally offer your guild an exclusive job."

His offer caught my attention. Exclusive jobs rarely came even for Top Tier guilds.

"What kind of job?"

"An expedition in the Northern Region. There’s a Tower there that no one has been able to climb past the 20th floor for decades"

My fingers stopped moving.

Northern Towers were a different breed. They were governed by a logic different from what we were used to.

The worst ones stood near or on the ocean itself. The second were buried in regions of extreme cold. (The North)

Desert zones followed after that. The least dangerous were those surrounded by forests like our city.

To even attempt climbing past the 20th floor, a guild needed at least five S-Ranks. For Towers in extreme cold environments, that number doubled.

That was only the bare minimum, not a guarantee.

"The Northern region is too far and too dangerous. Even veteran, top-tier guilds don’t dare to venture deep into it." I pointed out.

He closed his eyes and exhaled.

"I’m well aware of it. That’s why I came to see you here in person. No one else is willing to take this job."

Figures. Anyone dumb enough to take it was practically signing their own death certificates.

"Sorry, but I don’t think my guild is ready."

"I’m not in a hurry," Mr. Hans went on. "I’m willing to wait."

I raised an eyebrow. "Wait until when?"

"Until your guild is strong enough to take down the boss. Maybe it’s just the gut feeling of an old man, but I think your guild has something others don’t: the guts to go against the rules. That announcement of yours... it really impressed me."

"What makes you so sure about my guild? And why would you think I would agree?"

He smiled, faint and knowing.

"Because people like you don’t stop halfway. I’m also willing to pour my wealth into your guild—just as long as you agree to my terms."

I stood from my seat and pressed a button. The glass fog vanished, revealing the city’s outline beyond the window. Steel towers and distant lights stretched across the horizon.

My hands rested behind my back as I stared outside, letting the silence settle before my next words came.

"Mr. Hans, you’re so invested in this expedition. If you’re willing to spend that much, why not just create your own guild?"

"I already did it... more than a decade ago. I built my own guild, sent a team to that very tower... and they all died. After that, no one wanted to join it anymore."

Not shit... because they wanted to live a little longer.

"What do you want from that Tower to push you this hard? And don’t lie to me. If you do, this conversation ends here."

There was no way this was just about an item. I could see it in his expression—it was more personal.

He didn’t answer right away. His gaze dropped to the table, and the silence stretched longer than before.

When he finally spoke, his voice had lost its earlier confidence.

"It’s about the victims of the floor boss, and the rumors surrounding it."

I returned to my seat and waited. "Go on."

"Someone survived that floor by pure luck. According to him, every Seeker who faced the boss was frozen on the boss room instead of dying."

I frowned. "Frozen?"

"Preserved," he corrected.

"They’re conscious?" I asked.

"That part is unclear," he replied. "Some scientist say yes. Others say no. Either way, their body remained intact."

I crossed my arms. "And the rumor?"

He lifted his head and met mine. "Once the floor boss is defeated... everyone trapped there is released."

I blinked. "That’s a hell of an assumption."

"It is," he agreed. "But it’s not without precedent."

My interest was piqued. Clearly, he knew things I wasn’t aware of—probably top-secret information that only someone with his wealth and status could access.

"In one tower, deep in the desert, an entire team vanished into a mirage. When the boss was finally defeated, they reappeared exactly where they had disappeared. No time had passed for them."

"Tell me more." I urged.

"Another boss monster," he added, "turned people to stone. Same deal. Boss defeated, survivors got freed."

"How many made it back?" I asked.

"Few," he said. "Most teams never made it far enough to find out."

I exhaled slowly, running a hand along the edge of the table. "So... you’re hoping the same thing happens here."

"Yes... I prayed for it to be the case."

I studied him. The man’s posture was still solid, commanding even, but now I saw cracks in it—an undercurrent of emotions he didn’t bother hiding.

Fear for something greater than himself, something personal, something that made even him feel powerless.

"Then tell me," I pressed, "who do you want save?"

His jaw tightened. The faint tremor in his fingers showed his emotions like an open book.

"I want you to retrieve my granddaughter. She was an S-Rank who joined that expedition when she was just nineteen."

I understood now. All this talk was really about a grandfather longing for his grandchild.

Not money, not prestige, not power—just family. And I couldn’t judge him for that. Such selfless devotion was... rare.

I made up my mind.

"I’m not promising anything," I said, keeping my voice steady. "But I’m willing to climb that tower in the future."

His eyes brightened, and a genuine smile spread across his face. "That’s more than I could have hoped for!"

He leaned back slightly, a laugh escaping him—a mix of relief and excitement. "Thank you... truly."

I met his gaze, letting him see I understood the risk—but also that I wasn’t committing blindly.

"Good then. For the time being, I hope you can support my guild. The faster we grow, the sooner we can take on that tower."

"It won’t be a problem. Just tell me what you need, and I’ll see what I can do."

"Anything?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Anything," he confirmed.

"Then what if it’s about Dark Rock?" I asked.

His expression didn’t falter; instead, a small, knowing smile appeared.

"You don’t have to worry, Mr. Mercer. I’m not fond of those vultures either. I’m sure you felt the same way after the hostile takeover of your family’s company."

So, he had done his research. I already half-expected that he wasn’t affiliated with Dark Rock or Darkness when he was willing to work with me. Hearing it straight from him was far more reassuring.

"That’s good to know, Mr. Hans. I promise you won’t regret choosing my guild. We’ll do our best to clear that floor as quickly as possible."