An hour later, Nakayama Hayao once again convened the core investment decision-making team, including Hoshino and Sugiura.
The atmosphere in the meeting room was somewhat strange.
Hoshino and Sugiura thought the president was about to get angry and had already prepared themselves to push back again.
However, Nakayama Hayao's opening words were completely beyond their expectations.
"Hoshino-kun, Sugiura-kun, I know both of you have great passion and talent for the financial market. That is something I truly admire."
The two were stunned, a bit confused about what he meant.
Nakayama Hayao changed his tone slightly and gestured toward Takuya beside him.
"But a truly top-tier hunter should not keep his eyes limited to his own backyard."
Takuya stood up and projected Buffett's report onto the screen.
He didn't go into a long speech, but calmly analyzed, "Director Hoshino, Director Sugiura, both of you are experts in financial investment. But Japan's market has already overheated and is filled with unpredictable policy risks."
He then projected a second report, showing the recent exchange rate trend between the yen and the dollar.
"Since February, when the Federal Reserve began three consecutive rounds of interest rate hikes, the yen's attractiveness has been weakening. Continuing to put all your eggs in the yen-asset basket—both of you know better than I do how dangerous that is."
"And once the yen depreciates, those high profits in the domestic market will be heavily diluted by exchange rate fluctuations."
"And once profits are diluted, domestic hot money will begin to flee. The market enthusiasm will naturally drop quickly, and those high profits will no longer be high, right?"
"Right now is the peak of the yen-to-dollar exchange rate."
"Like Mr. Buffett, who searches globally for undervalued assets and uses strong U.S. dollars to bottom-pick premium investments—that is the real big move, a world-class play!"
Every word from Takuya was like a bullet, striking precisely into the hearts of Hoshino and Sugiura.
He paused for a moment, then threw out the final killer proposal.
"I propose that the first batch of funds recovered after cashing out the company's domestic assets be immediately converted into U.S. dollars to establish the 'Sega Overseas Value Investment Fund,' dedicated to investing in American blue-chip stocks such as Berkshire Hathaway and Coca-Cola."
"And as for who will head this fund, I suggest that Director Hoshino, who has the sharpest instincts for the financial market, personally lead the team!"
This proposal was like a silent heavy hammer that slammed hard into the hearts of Hoshino and Sugiura.
They instantly fell into a logical trap they couldn't escape.
Oppose?
Opposition would mean admitting their narrow vision and lack of ability—that they couldn't play on the global capital stage and could only splash around in a small pond. For people as proud as them, that was an insult worse than losing money!
Agree?
If they agreed, they would have to personally—and quickly—liquidate their domestic high-leverage assets, convert them into dollars, and invest overseas.
Isn't that exactly the result Nakayama Takuya wanted from the start?!
Hoshino's face turned the color of pig liver. His mouth opened and closed several times, but not a single word came out.
He was pinned to the spot by a seemingly brilliant opportunity—a trap he couldn't refuse, nor find any reason to.
Nakayama Hayao observed the scene, his sharp eyes sweeping across the room before delivering his final verdict.
"It's settled then! Hoshino, I'll give you one week to liquidate the first batch of high-risk assets. This will serve as both the start-up capital for the overseas investment fund and your opportunity to prove your ability to the board."
"Yes, President." Hoshino squeezed the words out between his teeth.
At the end of the meeting, Nakayama Hayao seemed to remember something and casually added,
"Oh, by the way. The investment in that British company, Argonaut Software, will also be included as one of our first overseas strategic investment targets. Allocate part of this start-up fund to that as well."
"No objections, right?"
This time, the meeting room was dead silent.
After the meeting, the atmosphere in the Asset Management Department was as heavy as the sea before a storm.
In Hoshino and Sugiura's office, smoke curled through the air.
"That brat completely played us like fools!" Hoshino slammed a newspaper onto the table, his face full of anger and humiliation.
Sugiura held a cup of coffee, his expression equally dark. "Utter nonsense! He wants us to abandon our domestic goldmine and send money to the Americans? Ridiculous!"
But despite their words, Nakayama Hayao's commanding gaze and that damned title—"Head of the Overseas Investment Fund"—hung around Hoshino's neck like a chain.
"Check!" A fierce glint flashed in Hoshino's eyes. "I don't believe it! That young punk can't possibly see further than those of us who've fought in the financial markets for decades!"
"Dig into every single number he mentioned! I want to find evidence—proof that he's talking nonsense!"
It was both defiance and their final act of dignity as seasoned financial veterans.
They activated every private channel they had—pulling raw, real-time international capital flow data and exchange rate trade logs from major banks, securities firms, and even overseas information brokers.
At first, smirks lingered on their faces. They were convinced they'd soon find flaws in Takuya's report.
However, as one fax after another came in from overseas, the air in the office gradually froze.
Sugiura, who was analyzing yen exchange rate data, stared at the charts before him. The lines representing yen sell orders showed small but steady spikes at seemingly unnoticed time points.
The trading volumes weren't large—but the sources? All from the top-tier hedge funds of Wall Street.
"Hoshino…" Sugiura's voice was dry. "Look at this—Tiger Fund started quietly offloading yen assets in small batches last week."
Hoshino's heart sank heavily.
He snatched the data from Sugiura, his eyes fixed tightly on the numbers.
If one fund was a coincidence, what about three, five?
Those international financial predators—like sharks smelling blood—moved silently, but lethally!
And they, still indulging in Japan's domestic asset frenzy, had no idea at all!
"Check Buffett again!" Hoshino clung to what felt like the last straw, frantically flipping through Berkshire Hathaway's data.
Takuya had given them this report earlier, but he had dismissed it as a joke.
Now, as he stared at Berkshire's steady growth curve stretching over more than ten years…
A chill, rising from the depths of his soul, spread through his entire body.
It was a kind of intelligence that completely crushed their so-called "genius speculator" wisdom—something higher, colder, terrifyingly beyond them.
Clatter.
The coffee cup slipped from Sugiura's trembling hand, hitting the expensive carpet with a dull thud.
His face turned pale as paper. His lips trembled as he pointed to a line of small text in the report.
"Hoshino-kun… we… we might be the frogs at the bottom of the well…"
Hoshino didn't reply.
He slowly leaned back in his chair, feeling the strength drain from his body.
Cold sweat poured from his temples and back, soaking his expensive shirt in an instant.
He finally understood.
The "Overseas Investment Fund" Nakayama Takuya proposed wasn't an opportunity—nor was it a sign of trust.
It was a ticket to Noah's Ark.
A ticket won through their arrogance and prejudice—the only ticket!
That young man had stood from the very beginning at a godlike vantage point, watching coldly as they, the self-proclaimed clever ones, scrambled for gold coins on a ship about to sink.
A fear like never before gripped Hoshino's heart.
It wasn't just fear of market risks—but of Nakayama Takuya's almost demonic, all-seeing intellect!
The two looked at each other and immediately reached a silent understanding.
"Start liquidating immediately! Begin selling all high-leverage assets in batches. Don't let any of the other companies we know catch on!"
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