Sky-High Fees

The truth was, Saitama and Skye weren't the only ones taking part in the rescue mission for Tony Stark.

After all, Tony Stark owned Stark Industries and had enormous wealth. In this world, countless people were willing to pay any price for money—even their lives. That was especially true of mercenaries who risked their lives for a paycheck.

So before Saitama and Skye arrived, plenty of mercenaries had already come to Stark Industries to take the job of rescuing Tony Stark.

In fact, almost every day, mercenaries came here to accept the mission, then hurried off to the Middle East to search for Tony Stark.

This time, when Skye and Saitama were shown into a large conference room, many people were already inside. They all looked distinctive—more accurately, they looked downright intimidating. Firearms and other weapons weren't allowed inside Stark Industries, but these people had a fierce air about them that no ordinary gang of thugs could match.

The moment Skye and Saitama opened the conference room door, nearly every mercenary inside turned to look at them.

Skye immediately recoiled like a frightened cat and hurried behind Saitama. As for Saitama, well, these men might have looked terrifying to ordinary people, but to him, they were nothing. They weren't even worth calling small fry.

When the mercenaries saw Skye and Saitama, most of them wore mocking, derisive smiles. The two didn't look like capable mercenaries at all. Saitama was strong, and his muscles were well-developed, but they weren't as pronounced as those of a bodybuilder. In his clothes, he looked utterly ordinary—not remotely imposing.

And Saitama's vacant stare was enough to make people want to laugh. Then there was Skye, who had been frightened by a mere look and was now hiding behind him.

Not one of the mercenaries in the room thought those two posed any threat.

"Hey, what are you two doing here?" asked a burly man built like a bear.

"We're here to take the job of rescuing Tony Stark," Saitama answered honestly.

"What? You're here for the job too? Don't make me laugh. This is a dangerous mission. The two of you should go home and drink your milk."

"Look at those baby-soft faces. You two think this is a game?"

"A pair of amateurs pretending to be mercenaries."

The mercenaries in the room jeered at Skye and Saitama.

The mercenaries here either knew one another or knew each other's reputations. They were all well-known names in their circles. They hadn't seen or even heard of Skye and Saitama before.

So they had no reason to think the two were capable. They figured Skye and Saitama were frauds—foolish ones, at that.

With so many mercenaries staring at her and mocking them, Skye felt a little intimidated. But then she remembered how strong Saitama was, and her confidence returned. Just as she was about to fire back, the conference room door opened again.

A woman walked in. She looked to be around thirty and wore a smart, practical suit. Her expression was stern, but her eyes betrayed her anxiety and worry, along with a hint of unease.

"I'm Pepper Potts, Mr. Tony Stark's secretary. You're here to rescue Tony Stark, so I'll get straight to the point. Each of you can collect a hundred thousand dollars upfront, then head to the Middle East to rescue Tony. Use whatever means you like. Whoever brings Tony back will receive a hundred million dollars. Sign the contracts, and you can set off."

Pepper Potts was brisk and efficient. She didn't waste a word, laying out the entire process in one go.

This wasn't the first time Pepper had handled things this way. At first, she had tried to offer the mercenaries advice and encouragement, but it had made no difference and only slowed things down. So she changed her approach and focused on keeping things simple and efficient.

Everyone received a contract, including Saitama and Skye. The terms were simple: Stark Industries would pay them to find Tony and bring him back. Whoever rescued him would receive a hundred million dollars.

The hundred thousand dollars paid in advance was just a deposit—or travel expenses. Stark Industries was undeniably loaded. A hundred thousand dollars per person meant a million for ten people, ten million for a hundred, and a hundred million for a thousand.

Of course, the mercenaries who came to Stark Industries were all elite, and Tony Stark was extremely important. Stark Industries didn't consider the expense much of a concern.

"Ms. Potts, you can rest assured. We'll find Mr. Tony Stark and bring him back safely. We're all experts here—well, maybe with one or two exceptions." A mercenary made a pointed remark, and most of the others turned their eyes toward Skye and Saitama.

Potts followed their gazes. She saw a bright, bald head, a vacant expression, and Skye, who looked delicate and frail. Her brow furrowed. Frauds?

Looking at the pair, the first thought that came to Potts's mind was that they were con artists. They simply didn't look like mercenaries.

"Ms. Potts, we really are good at this. If anyone here can find Mr. Tony Stark, it's us," Skye blurted out. She didn't want Potts to think they were frauds. After all, just by signing a contract, she and Saitama would receive two hundred thousand dollars, not to mention the hundred million they could earn later.

But Skye's words didn't just annoy the mercenaries. They also made Potts take them for boastful frauds. After all, only con artists tended to make sweeping promises.

Noticing Potts's expression, Skye started to panic. Should she have Saitama show off his strength right there? But having him demonstrate it in front of everyone wasn't a good idea either. Her eyes shifted as she thought quickly. "We were invited here as experts by Mr. Obadiah Stane. He was the one who brought us here."

Hearing Skye mention Obadiah Stane, Potts was taken aback, then looked puzzled. Maybe Saitama and Skye really were exceptionally capable. Otherwise, why would Obadiah Stane have let them in?

And even if they were frauds, it would only cost twenty thousand dollars. That was a lot of money to ordinary people, but hardly anything to Stark Industries. So Potts nodded, provisionally accepting the two of them. After all, what if they really were good? Well, it was possible.

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