Edward wasn't surprised—after all, Pikachu was incredibly popular in the Pokémon world. This naturally meant that the number of Pikachu registered in the Pokémon Actors Guild was also quite high. However, only a handful of them had actually made a name for themselves.
That's because most Pikachu looked almost identical. Aside from some minute physical differences—which only professionals could spot—they were basically the same. As a result, competition among Pikachu actors was incredibly fierce. A few top-tier ones got most of the roles, while the rest were left scrambling for scraps.
Worse still, there was serious homogenization. If one Pikachu got famous for pretending to trip and act cute, the next day you'd see hundreds of Pikachu doing the same thing, hoping to stand out.
"Did you make it clear to them that this time the role requires a special type of Pikachu?" Edward glanced at the file in front of him. There were over three thousand applications for the Pikachu role.
That might not seem like a lot, but considering they were all Pikachu—and some of them even being famous actors Edward had heard of—it was no small deal.
Now, their trainers were all eager to get them a part in Edward's movie. Even though it was a horror film, they still wanted in. It was honestly a bit ridiculous.
"I did tell them, Boss. But all of the Pikachu's trainers still expressed strong interest in working with you," Zoroark replied with a grin. As it spoke, it transformed into a blonde woman with a beauty mark at the corner of her eye.
Edward didn't even bat an eye. He was used to this. Ever since his string of successful projects and the revelation of his identity as the heir to the Devon Corporation, he had become incredibly popular among actors and agents. After all, no one disliked money.
Working with Edward had become one of the fastest ways for up-and-coming actors to gain fame.
Even if they didn't land the role, simply passing the first-round selection process at Ghost Film Pictures was a big deal. They could use that as proof of their acting chops when auditioning elsewhere.
Everyone in the industry now knew that Director Edward didn't care about looks or fame—only acting ability. The massive acting competition he held last time had made stars out of dozens of new actors. Even those who didn't win still saw their appearance fees go up.
That's why, once again, applications were pouring in. Many people were hoping Edward would host another talent show.
But Edward had no such plans. One big talent show was enough. If you did it too often, audiences would get bored. Eventually, you'd have to resort to scripted drama or fake tension to keep people watching. Too much of a hassle.
"Same process as always—screen by acting ability. This time, I need a cruel, savage Pikachu. As long as they can pull that off, I'm good."
Edward massaged his temples. Casting was always the most troublesome part.
But this time, he wasn't looking for a cute Pikachu. He wanted a feral and violent one. With Zoroark's illusion powers and a few props, this Pikachu would become the first-ever Pokémon Xenomorph.
This twisted version of Pikachu would actively attack and devour humans. That was the role Edward had in mind—completely different from the Pikachu everyone was used to. In fact, the complete opposite.
Turning the epitome of cuteness into the most terrifying monster—this was Edward's little dark twist. He was genuinely curious to see how audiences would react to that jarring contrast.
"Got it, Boss. Oh, by the way—the finance department needs your signature for a tax review report, and Secretary Kennedy also sent you a file," Zoroark said, placing a document in front of him.
Edward raised an eyebrow and picked it up.
He glanced briefly at the tax review—he wasn't an expert in this area, but he had always been strict about financial reporting. Every bit of income had to be reported and taxes paid on time. Even top stars like Daniel had to pay up precisely and honestly.
Edward had no intention of letting tax evasion scandals ruin his studio's reputation. To him, the company's integrity wasn't something that could be bought—even for billions. Once your public trust collapsed, it would be incredibly difficult to win it back.
A company caught evading taxes would carry that stain forever, and that was something Edward absolutely could not accept.
He knew better than anyone: once trust was broken, regaining it would be an uphill battle.
As for Secretary Kennedy's document...
Just glancing at it made Edward feel a headache coming on.
But he still opened it obediently. It was a detailed handover schedule and transition plan. Starting tomorrow, Edward would officially begin taking over all of Devon Corporation's operations and assume the position of Chairman.
Though he would be Chairman in name, in reality, the Stone Family, holding 90% of the shares, were the true decision-makers. The remaining 10% was held by the League, as a way to earn their trust.
"Even though I'll be Chairman, most of the day-to-day stuff doesn't actually require my input. I'll just need to review key documents."
He read through the plan. Kennedy had laid everything out clearly.
Kennedy would continue to serve as his secretary for a while, helping him get up to speed—and also mentoring Zoroark, who had done well so far but was clearly still a bit green in the eyes of someone like Kennedy, who had been Devon's secretary for years.
"So tomorrow, I officially become the head of a top League-affiliated company, huh?"
Edward stretched lazily. He wasn't particularly excited. Starting a company from scratch was hard, but running a fully mature, top-tier one was relatively easy.
Put simply, even a dog could sit in the position and keep the company running.
His real responsibility was to steer the ship—set the research and development direction of Devon Corporation. And that just so happened to be something Edward excelled at.
Not to brag, but given the current state of technology in the Pokémon world, Edward already had a clear vision for the future.
Though smartphones were already dominated by others, he could shift toward electric vehicles and clean energy. So right now, he already had a complete plan for how to guide Devon's future development.
(End of Chapter)