My Joker System: From Low Mana Trash to the Mightiest Wizard!-Chapter 160: Exclusive Partnership

Maximus’ heart skipped a beat.

He couldn’t help but wonder what the Arcana Primis Cup champion’s "way better" business deal was.

"Before that, however, I want to introduce someone to you," Hal said with a mysterious smile, "but you must vow to keep the meeting a secret. Only two other people besides you know the man’s true identity, and those people have no reason to leak it. If it does somehow get out, I’m afraid the business deal is off."

The manager’s brows furrowed as his curiosity gnawed at him.

He suddenly felt a momentary urge to strangle the young man before him, tortured by all the mysterious shenanigans.

"I, Maximus, have always been a professional. Sharing the secret with me is safe, though I believe it would be better to sign a contract, depending on who this person is," Maximus nodded in all seriousness. "Is there someone waiting outside the establishment? Shall we move the meeting location?"

Hal merely shook his head, though, reaching for his sack bag and retrieving some item: a jester mask.

The moment he took it out, Maximus’ eyes widened, and the business professional couldn’t help but stand up in utter shock and disbelief, his mouth wide open as he pointed at the mask with a trembling voice.

"I-Is that...J-Joker’s mask?! Where is he?! If the business deal is about him, then I shall sign right away!"

Wanzin’s Arcane Emporium had long been waiting for the young arcanist to reach out, especially after the unexpected callout and advertisement at the Manaforge Initiate Cup’s closing ceremony.

The company had been willing to enter an exclusive contract with the young man, regardless of his conditions.

It would simply be impossible to suffer losses in such a partnership.

Unfortunately, Joker had suddenly vanished after the competition and had yet to reemerge, greatly disappointing the company.

All branches were advised to keep an eye on the young man, though, as there was a strong chance he was simply waiting for the hype to die down before making another move.

Escaping the aristocracy’s mad pursuit was incredibly difficult, after all.

Maximus didn’t expect that this fortune would land right on his lap.

If the Aeloria branch were the one to land a partnership with Joker, then his status within the company would soar.

To the already trembling manager’s bewilderment, Hal slowly put on the mask before taking it off with a smirk that all but confessed the truth.

"I believe you understand now, Manager Maximus?"

Maximus’ mouth was open, but no words came out.

The business professional was flabbergasted, dumbfounded, bewildered—every word one could think of.

His brain simply refused to work in those few moments.

All he could mutter five seconds later was: "No way...Impossible...how could someone..."

"Yes way, Manager Maximus. I’m simply that talented. I’ll let you in on another secret. I’ll soon be proclaimed a Magna Prospect, with Headmistress Isolde as my master," Hal suddenly added. "I believe we can pull each other higher in the financial hierarchy as long as we keep it simple and honest. Don’t you agree?"

Maximus knew Hal was subtly telling him that he had fangs as well, that it would be unwise to mess with him just because he was young, and that as long as their transactions remained simple and as agreed, everything could continue smoothly.

Naturally, the manager nodded repeatedly.

Maximus couldn’t agree more!

He didn’t have any dumb ideas that might strain or even damage the partnership, anyway.

"S-So, will you be entering the partnership as Hal Fennec or Joker?"

"Joker shall be your business partner," Hal confirmed with a satisfied smile. "But I’m not here to sell you an artifact yet. As you know, I’ve been busy with the Arcana Primis Cup lately and had no time to craft. I’m about to make around five hundred of them, though, and to do that, I’ve established a student union. My subordinates will gather the materials for me, but I need some juicy rewards for them. I’m thinking of a [Rare]-tier spellbook voucher. How much would one cost?"

The manager was impressed.

If the materials were procured in exchange for a mere "chance" to obtain a [Rare]-tier spellbook, then the young man would indeed be able to focus on making the artifacts and sell them at a profitable price.

After all, among those trying, only one would actually be able to obtain the spellbook.

The rest would have to exchange their contribution points for other, less enticing rewards if they weren’t fast enough in grinding points and redeeming their desired item.

"A [Rare]-tier spellbook voucher from the emporium would normally cost five gold coins. However, I shall offer it to you at a favorable three gold coins this one time. Furthermore, the price will stabilize at a twenty percent discount on all items once we’ve entered an exclusive partnership." Maximus offered.

Meanwhile, Hal’s heart raced beneath his composed exterior.

It seemed that he would be able to make his starting reward list far juicier than intended.

He had initially been ready to give up ten gold coins for a single voucher, slightly traumatized by the city’s prices in the past, which led him to overestimate it this time.

But he couldn’t be happier with the missed estimate.

"How about Uncommon-tier spellbook vouchers, then?" Hal followed up with another question.

"Uncommon-tier spellbook vouchers are much cheaper, normally priced at eighty silver coins. But I shall give them to you for fifty, for a one-time purchase deal."

Hal had heard enough and immediately stated his massive purchase.

Well, at least by his standards...

"Two [Rare]-tier spellbook vouchers and six Uncommon-tier ones, please. I shall bring the first batch of artifacts at the same time next week. Oh, and these items as well," Hal declared, handing a small list to the manager.

"Sure, please wait a moment. I’ll prepare the documents shortly. You’ll be able to get them at the agreed price after signing the exclusive partnership contract."

**

*

Leaving Wanzin’s Arcane Emporium with a satisfied smile after Maximus threw in another [Rare]-tier spellbook and four more [Uncommon]-tier ones, Hal donned his helmet and returned to the academy.

However, he was dumbfounded thirty minutes later, arriving at a chaotic Union Chamber filled with hundreds of students, each desperately trying to join.

’D-Damn... I might have underestimated our influence...’

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