One week later.
Tokyo, Sega Headquarters Building.
A cautious knock sounded on the heavy wooden door of the Executive Office.
"Come in," Takuya Nakayama said without looking up. He held a cup of warm latte in one hand, his eyes fixed on a North American market research report on his desk.
The door pushed open, and Chuta Mitsui walked in.
He clutched a thick manila envelope, his face etched with exhaustion. The confident, commanding aura he had displayed the previous week had completely vanished.
"Executive Director Nakayama," Mitsui said, stepping up to the desk. He bowed deeply and held out the envelope with both hands. "This is the draft merger intent letter, rushed out by Bandai's Legal and Finance Departments."
Takuya set down the report, took the envelope, and slowly untied the cotton string, pulling out the thick stack of papers inside.
He didn't speak immediately, only flipping through the pages rapidly.
The rustle of paper was painfully clear in the silent office, each sound grating against Mitsui's frayed nerves.
Mitsui stood rooted to the spot, his hands hanging stiffly at his sides, his thumbs nervously rubbing the seams of his trousers.
Takuya Nakayama finished flipping through the pages and tossed the draft onto the desk with a light thud.
"So, this could be done after all," Takuya said, leaning back in his leather chair. He interlaced his fingers and beamed at Chuta Mitsui, his tone as casual as if they were chatting over tea. "Makoto Yamashina must be truly desperate this time, willing to surrender full control of the overseas distribution channels. I'm surprised Bandai's conservative faction—the ones who always preach about 'dignity'—didn't slam their fists on the table in protest."
"President Yamashina fired two people on the spot to assert his authority. He was ruthless," Chuta replied, his voice dry and raspy. "No one dares cross him now. Everyone knows that if we drag this out any longer, the company won't even be able to pay next month's salaries. No one wants to be the one responsible for that."
Takuya laughed heartily, stood up, and walked over to the coffee machine, grabbing two elegant porcelain cups.
"Mitsui-san, you look quite disappointed," Takuya teased playfully as he operated the machine. "What's wrong? Unhappy you didn't get to personally oust Makoto Yamashina? Or are you worried you've failed to deliver the results I wanted?"
Chuta Mitsui's expression shifted, and a cold sweat instantly broke out on his forehead. He quickly lowered his head.
"I wouldn't dare! The mission failed because of my own incompetence. I underestimated Makoto Yamashina's will to survive." He gritted his teeth, steeled his resolve, and finally asked the question that concerned him most. "Managing Director, what about the terms we agreed upon—the share swap for the Mitsui Family—"
"Mitsui-san, business is built on reciprocity. That's the rule." Takuya Nakayama pressed a button on the coffee machine, which hummed to life as the aroma of coffee gradually filled the air. "You failed to deliver on your promise, and Bandai's stock price never fell below my predicted floor. Sega will no longer offer a premium for the shares held by the Mitsui Family. We'll proceed at market value. That's the absolute minimum I can justify to the Board of Directors."
Chuta Mitsui closed his eyes in anguish.
He had known this outcome was possible, but hearing the words spoken aloud by Takuya Nakayama still felt like a knife twisting in his gut.
He was going to have a hell of a time explaining this to his family.
"However..." Takuya Nakayama returned, carrying two steaming cups of coffee. He gently placed one in front of Chuta Mitsui, his smile as warm as a spring breeze. "I've always been a man who rewards merit and punishes failure. You may have failed to bring down Makoto Yamashina, but you did help Sega uncover Bandai's final trump card. Besides, compared to those stubborn old fools at Bandai—who are so obsessed with saving face and reading the room—you're far more pragmatic and intelligent."
Chuta Mitsui's eyes snapped open, staring at Takuya Nakayama in disbelief.
"Managing Director, does this mean—"
"The position I promised you is still on the table." Takuya sat back down, taking a leisurely sip of his coffee.
Chuta Mitsui froze, a surge of wild joy sweeping through him. He nearly lost his composure.
He had been certain he'd completely blown it this time, forfeiting the powerful position and condemning himself to a marginal role at Sega. He never imagined Takuya Nakayama would still entrust such a critical business unit to him!
"Thank you for your patronage, Managing Director!" Chuta Mitsui bowed ninety degrees, his waist bent low, his voice trembling with emotion. "I will not disappoint you! I guarantee I will manage the merged toy business for Sega flawlessly, without a single mistake!"
"Don't thank me just yet. This coffee wasn't free," Takuya Nakayama said, setting down his cup. His smile remained, but his eyes held a new, inscrutable depth. "I'm using you because you're unburdened by all that ideological baggage. You know how to make money for the company. But not everyone at Bandai is as sensible as you."
Takuya tapped the merger draft on the table with a single finger.
"The general framework of this draft is fine. We can negotiate the details and pricing later. But I have one additional requirement, and you are to relay it to Makoto Yamashina exactly as I say it."
Chuta Mitsui immediately straightened his posture, holding his breath as he waited to hear the words.
"Tell Yamashina to prepare for a major internal purge," Takuya said with a smile. "Once the merger is complete, Sega will have no room for dead weight. All those old Bandai fossils—the ones who do nothing but argue in meetings, cling to seniority, and pass the buck whenever a problem arises—must step down from their decision-making roles. They can go to the front lines, to the operational level, and experience real life for a while."
Chuta Mitsui gasped.
They're using Makoto Yamashina to completely purge Bandai's upper management! Sega is refusing to play the villain, letting Yamashina be the "cleaner" instead!
"What if—what if they refuse?" Mitsui swallowed hard, his voice cautious.
"Refuse? That would be perfect." Takuya Nakayama laughed, spreading his hands. "Sega's Legal Department isn't just for show. They're desperate to meet their year-end quotas. If those old bones dare to slack off or sabotage us from their positions, I'll have Legal bring in external auditors to scrub their books from the last few years. We'll audit their entertainment expenses, their kickbacks, and their back-channel dealings with suppliers!"
The smile on Nakayama's face grew even brighter, but to Mitsui, it looked more demonic than any devil.
"By then, I guarantee they won't get a single yen of their pensions. They might even spend a few years in prison eating free meals. What do you think they'll choose?"
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