New York was always hustling and bustling, and Central Park was the only place for people around to recover from the stress and terror of monsters.
Somewhere in the park where giant stone monuments and green grass flourish, a group of movie crews were filming. Several 4k cameras zoomed in on a pink-haired man and a beautiful woman.
Klaus monitored the filming process from a distance until they finished a scene.
When the director shouted "cut", the crew and actors dispersed to take a break.
The actor with pink hair drew close to Klaus. "I thought we would never meet again. You changed your mind, huh."
"Let's find a nice place to talk."
They moved to a tent reserved for the actors, to chat privately.
When Klaus sat down on a folding chair, he handed Justin a document and asked him to sign them.
Justin frowned as he read the title of document.
"What's this? Mors Industries? I've never heard of this company before."
"It's a company that my father just formed. And I'm the CEO. You'll be working for me," Klaus replied.
Justin squinted. "What? I don't think this is what we talked about on the phone."
During the incident in the gymnasium locker several weeks ago, Justin begged Klaus to teach him to be an awakener, so that the celeb could pass the certification test.
Of course, Klaus refused, but Justin insisted. That man gave him his number, if Klaus ever changed his mind.
And last night, Klaus called him and said that he would help Justin pass the certification test and practice combat.
However, what they were talking about now was different.
Justin looked uncomfortable. "Look, I know your background, but I don't expect anything from you, Klaus. I thought we could be friends or something."
"And I don't want to be your friend."
"Huh?" Justin furrowed his brow.
Without further ado, Klaus told Justin to read the contract in detail, which the pink-haired man did.
Justin was wide-eyed, as he saw the salary he would get. "WTF!? 20 million USD per year? Are you serious?"
Klaus grinned upon hearing that.
An awakener who joined a guild or company usually received a fantastic salary. If an awakener had an A-Class rank, they got a salary of around 10 million USD per year before taxes and other fees.
Klaus was considered to have made a fantastic offer to Justin Law.
"You didn't put the wrong amount, did you?" Justin still couldn't believe it.
"Of course not. I've calculated everything."
Justin was shaking as he held the contract. In his entire life as a celebrity, he had never been paid such a fantastic amount.
Though the pink-haired man never expected this.
Klaus clasped his hands together. "Don't get hung up on amount on the paper. I will not only give you money, but also responsibility."
He told Justin the truth that the money offered to him was the guild master's salary.
Klaus would make Justin as the leader and figurehead of the guild.
Justin was a well-known celebrity, his name was often reported in the media. By making him the guild master, the guild's popularity would be boosted.
"At least people will notice my guild," Klaus thought.
Of course, he wasn't just using Justin for that. This celeb had tremendous potential.
"I don't know, Klaus. I can't. I'm not even certified yet. You'd better find someone else more suitable." Justin was not confident in his abilities.
Klaus let out a long sigh, and then he leaned in.
"Hey, listen to me," Klaus said. "I know you're not ready for something this big, because I'm not ready either. But, I'm doing it. You'll never be ready if you never start."
There was silence for a while. Justin held the contract paper for a long time.
"I will consult—"
"You have to decide for yourself," Klaus snapped. "You're not a child anymore. Do it now, or I'll leave. I'll give you 10 seconds to decide."
Klaus started counting silently, but but when it was five, he took the paper in Justin's hand and walked out of the tent.
Naturally, Justin stood up. "Okay, I'll take that offer!"
Klaus grinned.
Smiling friendly, he handed Justin the contract and pen, and the celeb signed it immediately.
They shook hands.
"I want you to clear your schedule for next month. If necessary, cancel all of your schedule."
Justin frowned. "For what?"
"For your training session, of course. In one month, I'll turn you into a warrior."
Hearing Klaus' words, Justin suddenly became excited. After that Klaus left with the contract in hand.
One thing Justin didn't know was that Klaus had put a hidden clause in the contract. If at any time, Justin lost control, Klaus would use it.
…
Buildings lined up under a stretch of blue sky, while below them were streets filled with pedestrians passing by. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the city, Klaus stood in front of a building with large windows, looking up to see how tall it was.
He was not alone, a blonde woman with sunglasses and a red dress stood next to him, and behind them was a shiny black limousine.
"What do you think? This is the only place in SoHo that has a nice view."
Klaus nodded. "Yes, mom. Not bad."
"Thank goodness. I don't know any good buildings in SoHo anymore. This neighborhood isn't what it used to be."
"Let's go in, let's see the inside."
Inside was like a typical empty building, the walls and floors still clean from any stains or scratches. The rooms were empty and bright, with large windows that let in sunlight.
Anna touched the wall as she walked around the room, and then rubbed her thumb and forefinger together.
"They really cleaned this place up," she said. The woman turned to Klaus. "So, what do you want this building to be, your guild or the new company?"
"Of course, this building will be the place for my guild," Klaus replied.
He bought two buildings in Manhattan. One building was in the Wall Street, where the main headquarters of Mors Industries operated, and the other was in SoHo, where Klaus and his mother were now.
"I thought you were going to make this place the main headquarters of your company, if you did, I'd go nuts. Chinatown is better than this neighborhood."
Klaus laughed. "But, why would you think so?"
"Well, you had my friends come here for a business meeting. Of course I thought that."
Anna was not only a businesswoman, she was also a member of a socialite group. Her friends were the wives of the elite or wealthy businesswomen.
Unlike his mother, they were crazy women who had no idea how to spend their money. Klaus saw that they had potential that could be utilized for the future of his guild.