Free Web NovelChapter 1218: Lion’s growl
"Have any of you heard about what happened in New Sparta?" asked Sinclair. The pink-haired woman’s voice echoed in the silence amongst them.
"Ah, yes. The gathering of the Beastfolks," said Wracken. "That place had become even more important than we originally thought."
"That one, I can agree with," said Zander. "Our Oscorpe sub-branch has reported many things about that place."
Every single one of the Conglomerate leaders all nodded their heads. Except for the man at the top spot of the circle.
"Hm? Has something happened while I was gone?" Yze asked with a smile on his face. He seemed excited, like a dog having been told that he was about to get something juicy.
They all looked at the Vanderbilt Lion.
"You’ve been enjoying your retirement way too much, my old friend," said Zander Oscorpe. "There have been major developments in New Sparta. Things that, I have no doubt, you will be interested in."
Yze Oscorpe leaned on the table. "Oh, like what?"
"Like that automobile," said Uveira Goldstone. "It’s been a gift of the heavens. Our profits have been steadily increasing because of people traveling through my different territories. With that automobile, even peasants can go where only royals could previously go. Wrachen. Have you seen it?"
The Hephaestus leader shook his head. "It is a marvel of an invention. I desire to meet the maker of it. The insights that I learned while dissecting the automobiles have allowed me to progress my knowledge in nature. And here I thought I reached the peak."
Everyone turned to him. "So you can reproduce those automobiles?"
The stout man nodded. "Yes. But I’m sure you all can too. Replicating the automobiles is as simple as rewriting a letter. Your researchers will be able to reproduce it themselves in no time."
His guess was correct, of course. As soon as they saw the automobiles, they spent a lot of resources trying to reverse engineer its design.
Yze Vanderbilt began to laugh. "HAHAHAHA! Looks like I’ve truly been missing out. To think that there’s such a thing that would make the infamous Hepheasteus leader impressed!"
It wasn’t long before Yze began to deduce what they were talking about.
"I’ve seen those machines," he said. "Hahaha, I see, I see."
The other Conglomerate leaders paled once they’d heard that. Yze might have been late to the knowledge about automobiles. But that wasn’t enough reason for them to underestimate him. In fact, even with their headstart, they knew that Yze would quickly catch up and surpass them in no time. That’s what made him so scary.
He had an innate understanding of business.
"The business lies in what makes those things move," he said to them.
"Crude oil," replied Zander Oscorpe. "We have found a few mining spots. But not enough to share or sell. I wonder where that company gets their fuel from?"
Now, they were finally getting to the very topic of their conversation.
"The Reborn company," Uveira Goldstone muttered. "They’re quite the upstart one, aren’t they? Be careful there, pinky. They might surpass you and take your Conglomerate spot soon, hahaha."
Sinclair’s Elixir was the lowest ranked Conglomerate amongst them. But even so, the prospect of a new company could surpass them was a laughable thought.
Heck, even the 6th ranked company in the Golden Rankings couldn’t even get a whiff of Sinclair’s Elixir.
"The youngest Nascent Spirit cultivator. The only Maugnetic demi-humans... and the Ancient Roar. Maybe they do deserve to have my spot," said Sinclair.
At the mention of Reborn’s accomplishments, everyone turned silent.
"Anyone know where this Michael kid came from? Makes me want to gobble him up," said Uveira Goldstone.
"Hey, I’ll have dibs on him," said Wrachen Hepheasteus. "I’ve heard that this kid has some interesting works in his smithy. That bow alone is certainly something that would make me want to put him under my company. Then, there’s also that automobile."
"Are they even going to accept our invitations?" asked Zander Oscorpe.
As these Conglomerate leaders engaged in friendly arguments about who was going to get the Reborn company, they felt someone growl.
It wasn’t voiced out. But they felt it, like it came directly into their minds.
They turned to Yze Vanderbilt, who had a crazed expression on his face.
They all upped their guards. They hadn’t seen that look on Yze’s face in a long time.
That only appeared during the early days of the Vanderbilt company. Back when they were a fledgling little company, back when they weren’t at the top of the world.
It was a time when the lion was just a pup. When Yze was hungry. When he wanted to consume and devour everything in his path in order to become the greatest company in the entire world.
And right now, Yze was having that same look on his face.
It was as if thye were looking at a lion. That focus on his eyes made him look like he was just about to pounce. That smile... wasn’t actually a smile. It was him baring his fangs.
Somehow, mentioning the Reborn company had made the lion wake up.
"Ha...hahaha...hhahahhaha!" freёwebnoѵel.com
Yze’s laugh sent shivers down their spines. What made him act this way, they wondered?
The answer was clear.
The lion had found himself a prey. Yze had found himself an opponent.
It was at this point that they felt pity for the Reborn company. If Yze was acting like this, then there were just two options.
Either they get devoured by the Vanderbilt company, or they get destroyed by them.
Soon, the meeting between the Conglomerates came to a close.
Yze Vanderbilt was alone in his room, sitting at his desk with a smile on his face.
"Reborn... hahahaha... my youngest son." freёwebnovel.com
He’d remembered that kid. He’d remembered hearing about a talented young genius from the furthest ends of the Royal Continent.
He’d remembered Michael, for he was the only one who seemed to have the talent to inherit his company for.
And now, it looks like the kid was living up to that expectation.
"Come on. Grow. Grow more," Yze muttered. "And let me see if you’re truly the descendant of a lion..."
