Hoshino and Sugiura exchanged a glance.
They knew that Takuya Nakayama's recent achievements had become increasingly difficult to ignore at Tokyo Headquarters.
With Jupiter's sales leadership and Silicon Valley Online's epic IPO, Takuya Nakayama's entry into the Board of Directors' inner circle was all but a certainty.
In fact, many directors were already privately discussing who would succeed President Nakayama Hayao after his retirement.
"Managing Director," Hoshino said in a low voice, "the President mentioned on the phone that after you're done with the US matters, he'd like you to return to Tokyo to lead a comprehensive strategic expansion meeting."
Takuya Nakayama smiled without taking the bait. "My father is overseeing things in Tokyo, and I'm very confident in his capabilities. My schedule is quite tight, and I plan to visit Blizzard and NVIDIA in person."
He stood up and buttoned his suit jacket. "After Silicon Valley Online's IPO, the follow-up work—including settling accounts with Goldman Sachs and transferring acquisition funds to Frank—will require your close communication with Tom Kalinske."
"Rest assured, we'll handle it," Hoshino said, standing up to give his assurance.
Takuya Nakayama glanced out the window at the streetscape of Redwood City.
The Internet wave had only just begun to crest; the true tide was still far behind.
"Then I'll leave it to you two," he said. "I'll be heading out."
The next day, Takuya Nakayama arrived in Irvine.
Blizzard's offices were still their usual state of chaos.
In the hallway, someone paced with a stack of printed drafts. In a conference room, two people hunched over a whiteboard, sketching out maps. Near the breakroom trash can, empty takeout containers piled up, untouched.
Takuya Nakayama registered as a visitor at the front desk and followed an assistant through the disarray, heading straight for Mike Morhaime's office.
"Welcome, Managing Director!" Mike greeted him, dressed in a loose T-shirt with his hair looking like he'd just rolled out of bed. "Are you here to take us to the cleaners?"
"Don't worry, I'm not touching your budget," Takuya Nakayama said, shaking his hand. "But your hair—"
"Stayed up till two last night," Mike said dismissively. "The balance for the third stage of Black Tide is completely messed up. I couldn't sleep until it was fixed."
Takuya Nakayama didn't press the issue. He followed Mike on a tour of the various departments.
The development zone was bustling with activity, with artists, numerical analysts, and scripters each occupying their own territory.
Takuya Nakayama stopped by Mason's area for a moment.
The "Children of the Storm" team had covered an entire wall with materials—geographical divisions of the continent of Azeroth, historical timelines of various races, and biographical sketches of key NPCs. The papers stretched out in a dense, cascading flow, one sheet after another.
Seeing Takuya Nakayama, Mason stood up and pulled over a chair. "Takuya, would you like to sit down and take a look? We're currently working on the narrative logic for the Blackhand Clan and are stuck on a few points. Perfect timing."
"No need," Takuya Nakayama waved his hand, glancing at the wall. "You're doing excellent work."
Mason blinked in surprise. The comment was too brief, and he didn't immediately grasp its meaning.
"I'm serious," Takuya Nakayama pointed at the papers. "The fact that you've managed to put it all together like this shows you're on the right track. I didn't come here to guide you, just to see it."
Alan Adham, standing nearby, leaned over and teased, "You flew all the way here just for a 'quick look'?"
"It was on the way."
The group burst into laughter.
After walking around, Takuya Nakayama returned to Mike's office, and the two sat down facing each other.
"What's the current progress?"
Mike picked up an internal document and handed it over. "The overall progress on Black Tide is on track. Art is ahead of schedule, but balance and level design are the bottlenecks. We're still iterating on the balance for the new race units in the second chapter. We won't move forward until they meet the standards, as they form the foundation for subsequent level design."
"No need to rush that," Takuya Nakayama said, flipping through the document without reading it closely and placing it back on the desk. "You know the rhythm best. I'll handle the external pressure."
Mike nodded and casually asked, "Any issues from accounting?"
"I'll check with them later. But first, tell me—how many people didn't shower last week?"
Mike spun his pen on the desk, his expression unchanged. "We need to define 'showering.' Does three days count as showering or not showering?"
Takuya Nakayama stared at him silently.
"Fine, three people," Mike said, putting down his pen and pushing open the office door. He shouted to the outside, "Kevin! Steve! And Fat Tony! Every one of you, go take a shower before you leave today, or don't bother coming in tomorrow."
A muffled commotion erupted from the hallway.
"We're a development company, not a primitive tribe," Mike said, settling back into his chair with a calm expression. "Though sometimes it's hard to tell the difference."
Frank Pearce, who had been peeking in to watch the commotion, couldn't hold back any longer.
Takuya Nakayama suppressed a smile and continued, "Mike, you still need to pay close attention to their health. I know everyone is enthusiastic, but only by staying healthy can we keep the project moving forward steadily."
Mike nodded. "Right, I will."
Grant, the financial manager sent by Sega of North America to Blizzard, was waiting for Takuya Nakayama in a small, partitioned office. A stack of printed reports lay on his desk.
Seeing the preparations, Takuya Nakayama nodded to Grant, signaling him to begin the report.
"Overall, the finances are in good shape," Grant said, flipping open the first page. "Daily administrative costs, office supplies, and equipment maintenance are all within budget. The only thing I need your input on is this." He pushed over a reimbursement summary. "I've double-checked these expenses—the items were received in good condition, and the prices don't seem inflated. But—" he paused—"I'm not sure how to categorize them."
Takuya Nakayama took the summary and glanced at it.
Several board games, two telescopes, a box of science fiction novels, and a batch of "Large LEGO Sets."
"File these under 'Creative Materials and Inspiration Reserves'," Takuya Nakayama pushed the list back. "For expenses of this nature, as long as the individual amounts aren't outrageous, don't hold them up."
Grant jotted it down, hesitated, then asked, "The telescopes—"
"Someone's writing world-building lore related to astronomy."
"Ah." Grant closed his notebook, his expression a mix of understanding and confusion. "And the LEGOs?"
"For modeling," Takuya Nakayama stood up and straightened his jacket. "Some spatial structures are quicker to build than to sketch. If you notice anything unusual, report it directly to Tom Kalinske. If he thinks it needs to be discussed with Mike, he'll handle it. Don't approach the development team directly. That could lead to unnecessary speculation and disrupt their workflow."
Grant nodded, neatly writing this note in his notebook.
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