79. Workshop's Tour, Premier Night and The Promised Coronation.
Author's Note: Yeah. No disclaimer this time, I think after seeing it for over 75 chapters you guys are also bored of it as well. Now this note is very important so please bear with me and don't skip it, as it contains my heartfelt gratitude towards you guys (my readers) and also some changes I am making to my writing format.
I always knew how I wanted to end this book, the so-called "Endgame" was always clear in my mind and it still is. I was just stumped about how to get to it without making any mistakes that are too big or events that make no sense. But now I finally have gotten a clear path that Mark needs to follow to get to the "Endgame."
In the recent polls I asked for suggestions and ideas and you guys came up with some brilliant one's. When I was googling and looking up information on how to use these ideas and suggestions, I was able to think of this path. So I would like to sincerely thank all of you. Even though I am writing this story, it's your idea's that's driving this story forward.
Also from now on the POLLS will be held in the bottom of the chapter whenever I want to hold one, it will be at the bottom of the chapter in bold letters. So please vote, because now you guys are the one writing this story with me. It's kinda like a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure. There is a poll at the end of this chapter as well.}
.
..
_________________________
..
.
Recap of the Previous Chapter —
Joanne was sitting staring at her breakfast as she recalled the past night's embarrassing event. She gas taken Mark sightseeing, but in the middle of it Mark invites her shop his second gift for her – a dress. During their selection Joanne hears that Mark also wants to be with her and is very happy.
They reached her apartment and the special delivery had also arrived. He gave a few orders to his guard and then went up where he met Joanne's daughter Jess, who was dressed in giraffe onesie. He gave her the gift, a giraffe body pillow and accepted her request of telling her a new fairytale before she went to sleep. The tale of the beauty and the beast.
Later when he was talking with Anne there was some alcohol involved, she offers to sleep with him but Mark turns her down because she is drunk and he wants to clarify the harem situation with her before he gets sexually intimate with her. Later the POV of Chris Metzen is shown a few months back and his interview with Mark is shown.
.
..
_________________________
..
.
– Quote of the chapter –
As the universe infinitely expands, so does the harem.
– The Harem King.
.
..
~ Third Person's POV ~
.
Date: Thursday, 20th September, 1990
.
Location: Outside the GWG HQ in London.
.
Time: 09:43 am
..
.
'GWG' Joanne read in her mind, standing outside the huge building which looked like it was a warehouse before due its boxy design. She glanced at Mark who was waiting for his secretary to appear, he was wearing a mask, contact lenses and a wig.
While she considered it to be a bit of an excess, Mark remained paranoid about maintaining his anonymity towards the public. The mask covered everything from the bridge of his nose, leaving only his eyes to be seen.
Eyes that were also hidden behind coloured contact lenses, his beautiful verdant green was now a stormy gray. His ponytail, one of the most defining features of his look, was nothing but a wig, a professionally made one that easily fooled the masses.
It was a weird conversation she had with him, when he asked for her make-up kit. While not a professional, she had seen Mark apply the concealer quite skillfully to hide the edge where the wig met his head.
It just demonstrated just how much there still was that she didn't know about him.
But his honesty and sincerity with not wanting to take advantage of her in moments of vulnerability, had really won him some brownie points in her book. As her internal thoughts warred about the secrets Mark was still hiding.
A red-haired lady dressed in a professional business suit walked up to them and greeted Mark with a bow, "Good morning, sir. All the preparations have been made and the people of import have been gathered as well."
"Would you like to address them now or after the tour?" She asked with a cheerful smile.
"Good morning to you as well, Rose. Do you have a file on GWG, Nina must have sent it over by now?" He asked after greeting her.
"Of course, sir." She replied in affirmative and turned around to take it out of her bag. "Here it is, sir. After her deal we were informed and were able to do a comprehensive analysis on GWG's internal workings, financial statements, potential problems and more."
"Color me, impressed, Rose." He was really happy with her stepping up to the plate.
"Despite me being down two secretaries, you never let me feel it so. Always calm, cool and in control. I am a lucky man to get such a good secretary, who fulfills most of my needs before me even having to say anything."
"Thank you, sir. I just do my best and I would love to show you more of my capabilities to you in the future but I truly hope this is a temporary situation because micromanaging your work schedule and handling Eidolon ent. is simply beyond even me sir."
"Sorry for the trouble, but don't worry it's only a few more weeks at most. By the time I get back from this tour, Eva should have a list of candidates to select through again."
"Just hold on until then and after that you can take a paid 2 week vacation to a place of your choice that will be fully covered by us."
"Really?! Thank you, sir. That's very kind of you." She replied with a bow expressing her gratitude.
"Not at all, you have done so much for this company and me; you've gone above and beyond to prove your loyalty. This is the least I can do for you." He replied sincerely expressing how much he appreciated her loyalty towards him and the company.
[Loyalty Score: 78+1 → 79]
Mark checked up on his progress with her. It had barely been over two months but his progress with her was the fastest as they had constant contact and he got the most chances to do something good for her in return.
Rose had been an experiment to see which actions raised a person's loyalty the fastest or most efficiently. Unfortunately he found that it varies from person to person. As everyone has different values, priorities and principles.
"Hmm." He said flipping through the document straight to the problems section at the back.
His own advice to the GWG execs would be to just focus on expanding Warhammer and 40K lore and create more chapters and expansions. As he knew that was their most popular and well received product by fans around the world.
He saw a few things he already knew about but also some that were a bit worrisome. "I guess I will have to hold off on the tour for now. As there are some issues that need to be addressed."
"Just pretend that she is also my secretary and look after her." He said gesturing towards Anne.
"Wait, she will be present in the meeting as well?" Rose couldn't help but ask as that wasn't in the plans.
"Yup, I want her to experience it as well. She will just be a silent observer." Mark said to Rose casually.
He then turned to Joanne and asked, "How about it wanna see a different side of the world?"
"Huh? Sure." She replied a bit flustered at Mark's trust as she could tell this meeting was important for this establishment from Rose's reaction.
Mark had told her before that she needed to experience more things and expand her worldview if she wanted to become a better writer.
"Okay, let's head in. Rose, lead the way." Mark said and then they went in.
Meandering through the hallways behind Rose who was accompanied by a worker that was leading them to the meeting room. Mark couldn't help but smile as all the nostalgic memories of his related to Warhammer came to his forefront.
He knew he couldn't save humanity from the chaos and darkness in the Warhammer universe because that was the very premise it was built on. Warhammer and 40k are doomed universes where humanity is teetering between life and death.
And that is its charm, to fight against the odds and save as many as you can. To make a difference despite knowing you're up against demons, orks, void creatures and other monstrosities that weren't even thought of yet.
"Sir, we are here, please enter." The lady said and bowed as she gestured for Mark's entourage to enter the meeting room.
He stepped in to see just 5 people sitting around the table with a few more empty chairs. It was a casual setting but he liked it, it was more laid back but also more straightforward.
"Hello, I am Marc Spector, the new owner of Games Workshop. I am very new to this industry and obviously have a lot to learn." Many people listening to Mark's casual and humble way of addressing himself already had a positive look on their faces. Thinking maybe this new boss won't be that bad.
"So I won't pretend to know what I obviously don't and make a fool of myself. But I do know that this company has the potential to be the biggest miniature wargames producer in the world.
But for that we need more - more stories, more content to fill our games with."
"I think this is something all of us agree with. So I want you guys to think of ideas and pitch them to me towards the end of this meeting." He said turning his his head to establish eye contact with all of them as he said it.
He then turned to the one in-charge and said, "Now let's come to the problems, they are very few. You've kept a tight ship here, I must say, I am impressed, Mr. Kirby."
"Thank you, Mark." He replied with a smile, it felt good to be recognised and praised for one's hard work and dedication.
"From the moment you became the general manager, the company has been on an upward development curve and I see no reason to change this." The middle aged man left out a sigh of relief at hearing that.
"But I want to ask, how do you guys feel working for me? Is there any dissatisfaction amongst you with me being so young or half American?" Mark asked, completely frank and straightforward.
"Not at all, Mark. Actually, most of us here are fans of your work. Especially the Legends of Runeterra and we're so excited to actually meet you in person." He replied with a reassuring smile.
"Sir, what are your thoughts about turning the Legends of Runeterra into a miniature wargame as well?" He asked inquisitively as it was something that had been on his mind for months.
"The world of Runeterra is very expansive and from the way you're writing it. It feels like a long series, with many champions and factions yet to come."
"When you feel like the story is properly established, do you think we could turn into a miniature wargame?" He asked with an excited smile.
Marks eyes widened, 'a miniature wargame with the Legends of Runeterra?' he thought as he thought about the feasibility and how the different regions, kingdoms and factions in Runeterra could be potentially turned into a wargame.
'It might be possible, in the games we could put more focus on the factions and kingdoms behind the "Legends" rather than the legends themselves.'
'This game can be used to expand the background lore of Runeterra properly and earn me more money and fans.'
'Also when I create League of Legends, these fans will serve to bolster my player base even further.' Mark thought through it in a few seconds and promptly answered.
"It is definitely possible but there is still alot left for me to cover. Maybe when I am done with creating at least two major regions in Runeterra, then we can talk about the Wargame. But I really like the idea, Mr. Kirby."
"Please just call me Tom, sir. Also how many legends are still left to be written?"
"I guess 50 more to go, but as I keep writing. I get ideas for new ones so it keeps increasing."
"50." A lady at the side said as her eyebrows shot up.
"Yup, it's gonna be fun putting them all to paper." He replied casually as if it was a normal thing.
"Moving on, the legends wargame can be discussed later on." He said, trying to keep the discussion moving.
"What I want to know is what do you think is the right business move to make now, Tom? With me on board, capital is no longer an issue. So what do you think should be our next move?" He asked, staring at Tom wanting to see if he was prepared.
"Mark, I think we should refocus all our efforts on our miniature wargames and not waste our efforts on new games from others to sell."
"Instead we should double down on our own wargames like Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40k. As these have gotten the most positive response from our customers."
We should target a younger and more family-oriented market. As it has the larger demographic, this more commercial approach might make it a sure fire way to lose us some of our old fan base.
"It will ensure that we have a greater potential to earn profits due to targeting a wider market and not being stuck in a niche game genre."
"Hmm, great idea, a little risky but the payoff will definitely be worth it." Mark nodded his head and added his two cents.
"We can also try to create a more easier to understand strategic wargame with more younger audiences in mind. And later when they grow up we can get them hooked on Warhammer or any other games we come up with later."
The room fell silent. The idea seemed simple at first glance, but it played on the nostalgia factor and made the games become an integral part of their life from childhood to adulthood.
It was genius and something Disney did spectacularly to create an entire generation of diehard fans who were staunch supporters unwilling to hear any criticism against their favorite studio. Now, Mark planned to do the same as well.
"That's a brilliant idea, sir. As long as we create quality games like Warhammer, we will be able to slowly but surely create a huge fan base of staunch supporters who grew up playing our games." a younger lady chimed in with an excited smile.
The group nodded their heads in acknowledgement and looked at Tom to continue.
"Also, about the idea to expand our stories further, maybe we can pay writer's to create a guild or association like your own Mark. We will pay them to write stories to expand Warhammer's lore and they will be given due credits and paid a sizable upfront Writer's fee but no royalty."
"Hmm, it's pretty close to one of the ideas I had in mind. Good thinking, Tom." Another middle-aged man chimed in, nodding at Tom.
"It could work but they will be the one to complete the book. So not giving them royalty for it, might lead to some grievances down the line. We can pay royalties for the sales of the books, and smaller ones for the game."
"But no royalty for any adaptations based on their stories and we will obviously own the rights of all the stories."
"Now let's discuss the topic of fanfiction and how they're actually beneficial for a company like us." Mark said with a serious tone, as he stared them in the eye.
Then for over 10 minutes Mark expounded on them the benefits of fanfiction and how they could hire the person who wrote it to work for them if it's any good. That all they will need is a right of acquisition, in case they like the fan-made story and decide to make it canon or commercialize it.
Mark did this because he remembered how in the late 2009 Games Workshop issued multiple counts of cease and desist orders against various Internet sites. They were accused of violating GW's IP rights, generating anger and disappointment from its fan community.
This move destroyed much of the goodwill that GW had slowly cultivated in their fans through the decades of its operations and now with him as the majority owner of GWG.
He absolutely cannot allow them to go ahead with something this stupid, he ensured that his words today be written down as law and be remembered even decades later.
Mark was also very passionate about spreading the positive work culture he was trying to cultivate in Eidolon and the rest of his businesses.
After some time of doing just that he came to the part of explaining the problems or potential problems with the company.
"For now, I only see one problem. It is non-existent now but later on down the line it might even snowball into something that could shut down this company." Mark said in a solemn tone.
"What is it, Mark?" Tom asked, perplexed as he had been very careful about all things that go on in the company and didn't feel like he had missed anything.
Mark leaned forward as he began explaining the problem, Rose had complied. "It's the kind of metal you use for your miniatures. Originally, Citadel, your miniatures producer, used a white metal alloy that included lead in its composition."
"Three years back in, 1987, Citadel began to produce plastic miniatures as well under the name "Psychostyrene" and "Drastik Plastik"."
"But, Citadel has continued to produce white metal miniatures as the economics of plastic make it only suitable for large scale manufacturing."
"As money is no longer a problem we can build on a larger scale now with more exquisite figurines that will look more like works of "Art"."
"So we need to switch to a lead-free white metal alternative because of my concerns about lead poisoning in the future, particularly in children."
The moment they heard lead poisoning and children, they all collectively gasped or had a grim look on their faces.
"Now, now, this is only a possibility but if it ever happens and it goes to court it would be a devastating hit to our reputation." Mark had a grim on his face as well when he said this.
"So.. let's stop while we are ahead and work on developing an alternative immediately. I will be able to sleep better knowing that my company didn't cause childrens to have intellectual disability or various other issues that happen due to lead poisoning." he said sincerely as if making a promise to himself.
"Of course, Mark. We will get right on with it." Tom said sincerely as it was a serious issue and he would personally take care of it.
He raised his hand as if to draw attention to himself. "Well then, let's end this meeting on a brighter note. I have some news for you all, I have come to an agreement with Fourth Age Ltd. and was fortunate enough to acquire the adaptation rights for Lord of the Ring's."
"I still want you guys to focus on Warhammer 40K, but also don't forget that Lord of the Rings is now a near permanent part of your catalog."
"Think of it as a gift from me." Mark said with a flourish.
.
.
The meeting had gone really well, Mark had been stellar reputation in the world of writing. But they knew that he was only 20 years old, so they were a bit skeltical if all the success had changed him.
The Mark they met gave them the feeling of calm, collected always in control. Never did he interuppt anyone and was willing to listen to everyone's ideas patiently. Now it was Tom who was giving them a tour through the facilities, showing them how it was all done.
To his surprise, he found that Mark was an expert in painting the miniature models as if he had been doing it his whole life. The familiarity and fondness with which he looked at the models of Warhammer, told him that their new boss wasn't just a shrewd businessman but also a true fanboy at heart like the rest of them.
.
.
She didn't know why Mark had taken her along to see the meeting but as it proceeded, she was glad he did. Because of it, she got to see a newer side of Mark, the businessman side of him who was shrewd yet passionate, caring of employees, wanting to provide the best to his customers, ever cautious and a really good listener.
The ideas the group brainstorming together came up with were very new and foreign to her. Like Mark's – To arrange for a yearly writing competition with two divisions. Pros and amateurs, with a prizepool to the winner of the two divisions.
This was his way of promoting writing and also a way to garner a good reputation with the public. After the meeting that went on for over an hour was over, they got a tour of the premises from Tom Korby, the GM. He explained the history behind the place and how Warhammer came into existence.
She realised how a group of people together with a proper direction and motive behind their work could create something that was bigger than their individual capabilities. Mark's IWA was a more well thought approach to do the same, it made her feel glad that she him on her side.
They then got to Mark's favorite part of the tour, trying to paint the miniature models. Despite the mask, she was pretty sure that Mark had a smile on his face. His painting skills were top notch as well, he even taught her tricks on how to do the painting easily but still make it look like it was done by a pro.
It was a lot of fun, seeing this childish innocence hidden behind the experienced writer and shrewd businessman. Mark had a lot of sides to him and she wanted to see them all.
She kept looking at him as he was playing with the miniatures and enacting a mock battle with the employees and Tom.
She could tell that this was the real Mark, simply enjoying the game, with no schemes or plans running inside that genius mind of his. Even though he was wearing a mask, metaphorically he had finally taken off his own.
She had only seen him do it once before, the time he was interacting with Jess, her little ball of sunshine. And it made sense, because children have no ulterior motives and wear their emotions and thoughts on their sleeves.
After the tour was over he dropped her off at her apartment and told her that he will pick her up at 7 for the premier.
.
..
.
~ Joanne Rowling's POV ~
.
Date: Thursday, 20th September, 1990.
.
Location: In her apartment, in London.
.
Time: 06:49 pm.
.
She had spent the last 45 minutes trying on the dress seeing how it looked on her skin. It was beautiful, a stunning azure gown adorned with delicate silver embroidery, cascading gracefully to her calves.
The dress featured an elegant V-neckline and a flowing A-line silhouette, enhancing the wearer's poise. Subtle sequins catch the light, creating a mesmerizing effect, perfect for stealing the spotlight on the premier night of a movie.
It was a beautiful gift one she would cherish for she could see the thought Mark had put behind when selecting the dress.
"Mom, you look sooo beautiful!" Jess exclaimed as she went to the living room when she heard the bell.
"Really? Thanks, sweetie." she kissed her forehead.
"Yeah, mom, like a princess!" she replied jumping to hug her mom.
"Rachel will be here to look after you and tuck you in, darling. I might be bit late tonight." She held her up and hugged her as she combed her hair trying to tame her beautiful curls.
"Don't stay up too late, baby." She booped her nose as she said that and moved to open the door.
"Ah, Rachel, you're here." she invited in the teen who agreed to babysit her little one whenever she went out.
"Hello, ma'am." said a petite blonde.
Hello, Jess is inside. The dinner is already made. There is more than enough for you as well, just heat it up.
"Thanks for looking after her. I really appreciate it. Here, buy something for yourself." She handed her a bit more than the amount they had decided on and left the building.
Mark was already waiting for her outside, with a sleek black suit. He looked very dashing, the way his eyes lit up upon seeing her in the dress really made her day.
It made her feel that the practicing walk on the heels was more worth it, as she was able to confidently walk into his arms. They hugged and exchanged greetings as Mark stood back and took in her appearance.
"Joanne." He said, looking at her, taking a pause. "You can always look prettier, huh? You look very beautiful tonight." Mark said with a grin after admiring her a little.
She always felt that his compliments really came from the heart and that he really meant what he said.
In the spur of the moment she decided to tease him a little.
"So I don't always look good?" She asked with a smirk as she linked arms with him.
He rolled his eyes while opening the car door for her to step in as he replied with a light scoff, "Don't even start.. women.
She chuckled, finding amusement in their antics.
After they were both settled in the back seat of the car. Mark leaned in and whispered in her ear. "I forgot to tell you earlier. But only call me Dan when we are at the premier, I have already arranged for me not being able to attend the premier due to some minor health issues."
She could smell his cologne, when he leaned in and being whispered in her ear was doing some interesting things to her body.
"Got it. I will call you Dan for the night." She gently whispered back.
"Why are you nervous? it's just you and me here. Instead I should be one who should be nervous. I'm taking you to see my first movie." He asked, trying to relax her and take her mind off of the event.
"Promise that you won't hold back and be the harshest when you critique my film; and only give your honest opinion. I don't want you to pander to me, I already have my fans for that." Mark said with a sly smirk.
She chuckled and nodded, "I promise not to hold back."
"Good." He said with a pleased smile.
She looked out of the window, wondering about how drastically life had changed for her. Now she is a budding author still trying to find her path but she didn't just have Mark at her side but the IWA as well. Mark had already sent in her referral and a referral from him is a done deal.
While spending time with Mark, most of the time she spent telling him different versions of the story that she had come up with and he would tell her his favorite ones. This made it easier for her to decide on how to proceed with her story and if there was something she didn't like she could always start off.
This ease only came to her after her futile attempt in the writing competition. She finally realized the lesson Mark was trying to teach her. This is her first genuine attempt at writing a novel, so her first try would obviously be trash.
There really wasn't a reason for her to not give it a go now, it's not like a miracle was gonna happen and she would suddenly be able to write like Tolkien or Stephen King.
"Sir, we are almost there." the driver announced the arrival of their destination.
"Only a few more minutes." he said, taking a look at the car in front of them and the movie line.
When it was their turn, the car gently moved in and stopped right before the red carpet. Mark got out first, and turned around to help her out. She looked up at him and smiled, it felt like a date.
"Shall we?" Mark asked, linking arms and wrapping his fingers around hers.
She just nodded and took in the moment, she had a radiant smile on her face.
Mark was in an all black suit that would look right at home in a John Wick movie. It was sleek and gave a mysterious vibe to him. He didn't have his mask on or his wig or his contacts, he wanted to experience this premier as just Mark with her and not as the Mark Spencer of Eidolon.
Most of the people there thought he was a model with his perfect posture and great body.
They slowly made their way in, none of the media stopping them as they were unknown.
.
.
"Shit" Ransom said as he was dragged by the officers from Marta.
Joanne was at the edge of seat. She had already read the scene in the book but she never thought she would see it being played out in real life so beautifully. The added touch of the uncle being an accomplice in the crime was genius.
After all, killing Fran and committing arson in a public building alone wasn't really a one person job. The person who played Ransom did an excellent job, she genuinely felt disturbed by his vile nature. Even though she knew it was just acting, she couldn't help but believe.
The heart of the show was definitely Marta, despite knowing that she killed Harlan. Even if by mistake she couldn't help root for the woman. The star of the show was Blanc, the finale with his speech was just wonderful.
The person playing Blanc had an electric charisma and she couldn't help but look on as he gave his performance. But in all of this there was just one word, echoing in her mind.
'How. How. How.'
"How." she muttered quietly to herself as she saw the credits roll on the screen.
She wasn't as quiet as she thought she was as Mark heard her.
"What?" He asked, perplexed.
"How is it that good? This is supposed to be Mark Spencer's first movie. Then how is it that good, it makes no sense." she asked in disbelief but was still careful enough to talk about him in third person.
Mark just gave her a smile and explained. "A movie isn't made by the Director alone. It is made by the collaborative effort of dozens, sometimes even hundreds of people."
"The Director is just there to guide them, so that all this effort goes into the right place. My theory for why its that good, is because of –
1. He had a really good team of crew and actors.
2. He made a film based on a story that he wrote."
"A story that had lived inside his head for years, this should have given a clear vision of how he wants his movie to look like."
"If he were to do a movie based on a story that is completely new or foreign to him. I don't think he will be able to do that as well as he has with Knives Out."
"I guess it would also be my advice to him. Stick to directing movies that he himself has written at least for the first few years of his career."
"Knives Out is a very good start for him but it also puts a lot of pressure on his future movies, because topping Knives Out won't be easy. I'm really excited to see what story he decides to make a film on next."
"Me too." she replies with a smirk enjoying this by play that they were having.
"Do you have any idea what kind of movie it's going to be." she asked fishing for details to sate her curiosity.
"Not exactly there are only a few rumours circulating in the grape wine that the Spector is going to make a really dark film. It might even be R-18." He cleaned closer as he whispered in her ear, "maybe even that of a monster."
"R-18?!" She was shocked because Mark had never even given the inkling that he was working on such a story.
Most of his works till now have been geared towards children or young adults and their were mostly light hearted or adventurous in nature.
The darkest thing that Mark had written were the ones that came out in the more recent years with The Boys and The Invincible but even there Mark had told the story of a Hero.
But this time it seem like he was going to experiment with something different something for more sinister.
'what was he trying to do' she asked herself in her mind.
"Break the mold." he whispered in her ear as if he had heard her unasked question.
"How?" She asked baffled.
"It was right there on your face begging to be asked." He replied casually leaning back.
"Am I that easy to read?" she huffed, slightly annoyed that he could read her mind that easily.
Nope! mark replied with a smirk popping the "P",
"I'm just that good." he replied with the cocky smirk.
"Hmph." she huffed and looked away. Yet the smile at the corner of her lips gave it away that she was enjoying the game.
.
..
.
While normally, this would be where he would pounce on his prey and swoop them off their feet. He decided to hold back because tonight was a very special one it was time for his coordination after all.
"So.. Did you like the film Joanne?" He had a confident grin.
"It was beautiful. Thanks for taking me.. Dan." she said as she giggled at their secret.
"My pleasure. Come let me drop you off home." He got and took her arm as they went out.
After a long drive to her apartment that went by in companionable silence. Mark got out and escorted her to the door, "listen, Jo. I wanted to ask.. you something."
"What is it?" she asked back, looking at his expressions.
"I.. I want to invite you on a tour through a few European countries and maybe even Japan. If.. if you would like that." He asked showing a slight hesitation in his voice.
"I.." the rest of the answer died out in her throat as she looked at complications. She would have to leave Jess behind, as there really was no one she could put her with. While her mother was coming around now with her meeting Jess once and her being financially stable.
She wasn't sure if she could leave Jess behind with her mother.
"Can you.. give me some time to.. to think about it?" She crying out internally at trying him down.
"Of course. It's an important decision and you might even be away from Jess, from work for atleast a week or two. I will be leaving by the flight tomorrow at noon, so.. sleep on it and let me know in the morning." he replied understanding her problems.
"Okay. I will call you. Bye!" She said flustered at his kind and understanding behaviour. Her immediate response was to flee as she didn't trust herself not to kiss him.
"Bye, Joanne. I will be waiting for your call." he said as she turned around, he could clearly see her blushing cheeks.
He chuckled as he left for his hotel room.
.
.
Once back at the and refreshed, he decided to proceed with the big event of the night.
'Vani, do I have enough to buy the Harem King Skill?' he asked the system AI.
[Ofcourse, Mark. By 4:36 pm today, RE:3 your latest creative work had crossed the threshold to earn you the reward of 5 HP. Increasing you total HP to 161.]
"Nice." He said to himself with a grin.
"hmm" 'Vani, if I were to buy the skill right now. What will happen to me? This is the first passive skill that will bring changes to my body. So is it instantaneous? Or does it slowly do its job? Also is it any different from the Character Evaluation Skill I bought earlier at a discount?'
Mark had many questions regarding his purchase and he was an ever cautious man. Thankfully the system AI was there to answer them all, at least the ones that she was allowed.
[Because you already have enough HP to buy the skill, I am now allowed to give you its full details. Answering your questions in order.
Your body will be modified, it is not instantaneous.
Instead it is recommended to be used right before going to sleep and by the time you get up in the morning the changes will be complete.
The Harem King Skill is being purchased at full value so it will come with nearly all of its features and functions unlocked and will of the S Tier.
There won't be any need to slowly evolve the skill with use and experience. But most aspects of the skill does grow with time.]
'What aspect are we talking here?' Mark was intrigued by the development, maybe buying the Harem King Skill at full value might actually be worth it.
[The more woman you add to your "Harem" the more power certain parts of the skill will become. Like your charisma, your dominating aura, etc.
Here is the actual full description of your skill, Mark —
Unique Skill:–
Harem King's Template (S-Tier): A fragment of the Legendary Essence of The Harem King. Allows the user to obtain the following perks —
• A body at very the peak of your species in ability, one sculpted to match your original appearance with a few tune ups to make you look like the perfect version of you. (No one will suspect of a change as it will be like nothing has ever changed.)
• Greater willpower to go beyond your limits and tackle any foe, even bloody and broken you will not stopped.
• Greater enhanced endurance, flexibility, dexterity, senses, stamina, vitality, libido, and ability to disregard pain to a certain extent.
• Unmatched in the realm of sexual activities, even the most ennui stricken succubus or demoness of lurid passions could be left a mewling mess.
• Passively boosts the users lifespan making them age slower, women who are sexually intimate and active with the user enjoy the same perk but to a lesser extent.
• All of your fluids are like an aphrodisiac, even the iciest composed soul would be reduced to an utter slut begging for another taste. Luckily no one can overdose on it. (Can be toggled on/off or only have it effect certain fluids.)
• You have perfect control over your fertility/virility, your line will never suffer from any issues of inbreeding or unwelcome mutation.
• Heart shaped pupil effects optional. (Can be toggled on/off.)
• A signature bloodline with a few benefits up to your discretion. Can be passed onto a few descendants chosen by you.
• Perfect memory with almost infinite storage and perfect recall.
• Mastery of many weapons and unarmed martial arts and even just plain old brawling. (Must be actually trained for the muscle memory to properly integrate.)
• Immense skill in strategic and tactical warfare of any kind.
• A good handle of logistics and how to raise and train a force from a small band of soldiers to an entire spy network.
• A mastery of economics, logistics an understanding of politics, and other things needed to run a functional power.
• A Charisma that grows with every conquest which will eventually become powerful enough to bend the will of entire nations and provide the user with the sheer presence of a monarch that others would describe as divine.]
"Woah." Mark replied in shock unable to hold his words.
'How is that possible, Vani? This is too much. Not that I will be rejecting it but this. This changes everything.' Mark said in his as tried to get his excitement in control.
[This is the S tier version of the skill, Mark. All S tier skills are this powerful and for the lack of a better word - Game changing.
Mark, your best skill till now. The Character Evaluation (II) is still only considered an (A+ tier skill) and yet it has allowed you to root out spies, plant false information through the ones you left out on purpose, create an organisation with morally sound employees, get a peace of mind that all your past friends were actually good people and avoid any future backstabbers.
All this while its still just an A tier skill which through your personal use evolved into an A+ tier skill. But as I have mentioned before, it can't grow any more. The S tier is a rank only Unique Skills can attain through the use of an Upgrade ticket to upgrade an A+ tier skill to S.
But the upgrade ticket is something very rare and would have impact history in a major way. Do something that make your name resound through the world.]
'I am already a famous author and even have a highly successful movie.. I guess thats just not enough.. I need to do something even bigger.. Something which the whole world will remember for generations.'
'hmm, thats enough.' Mark thought as he made his way to his bed. 'Vani, buy the Harem King Skill when I go to sleep.' He thought as he got under the covers and made himself comfortable.
[Ofcourse, Mark.]
.
..
.
..
.
POLLS ARE HERE
♦ 1. What do you guys want me to use for Ms. JK Rowling's name that Mark will call her?
Option: 1. Joanne. (It's plain and simple and also causes no confusion or discomfort because it's her given name.)
Option: 2. Jo. (It's the name I came up with for Mark to call her in an endearing way as she is a friend of his now.)
Please Vote with a +1 against the option that you think is better.
♦ 2. Now some people might remember that Mark has a pen name called Marc Spector. But in his speech at the inauguration of Eidolon Entertainment. He revealed his real name to the public (only his name and not his face) but still I got a lot of feedback from you guys that think that Mark should have only used his pen name of Marc Spector as his "stage name" and never revealed his real name to the public. After a lot of thinking, I think so as well. But still, I would like to know what you guys think.
Option: 1. Marc Spector. (If you guys choose this then I will change the places where the other people use Mark's real name. So that only his friend's will know about his real name and maybe later a few trusted employees.)
Option: 2. Mark Spencer. (If you guys choose this then everything stays the same.)
Please Vote with a +1 against the option that you think is better.
♦ 3. The Last two chapters you guys might have observed that the 2/3rds of chapter is dedicated to covering Mark's story whereas the 1/3rd in the end is showing the POV of the side characters like Chris and Chris Metzen. This format will go on for a few more chapters but I want to ask you guys if you like this format of not just seeing Mark's side of the story but also the side characters because if yes then I will try to do it more often.
Option: 1. Divide the chapter in two. 1 with Mark's POV and 1 with side character POV.
Option: 2. Focus the story only from Mark's POV and only do side characters POV sometimes.
♦ 4. As you guys know Mark unfortunately had to lay off 2 of his personal secretaries if you what I mean ಡ ͜ ʖ ಡ. So now comes the interesting part, in this paragraph, I want you guys to suggest names of female celebrities that you guys think will do nice with being Mark's secretary in the 1990. They can be actresses, super-models, female writers, etc. I will give an example here – Monica Bellucci. She has already been featured in the story of someone that inspired me to write my own story UniVerseLessOne.
♦ 5. Even though it's off screen and not yet mentioned in the book. Jessica (Mark's friend) has been writing a new script for a horror/thriller movie. Her old one is also there which she wrote after being inspired by one of Mark's ideas.
So now I need you guys to mention your favorite horror/thriller movies that were made after 1990. I will choose two from the comments, also if the film is both a box office hit and critically acclaimed then I will definitely pick your movie suggestion.
Please vote and comment your suggestions, thank you for participating in this poll.