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"KiShin Foundation successfully saved thousands during the earthquake, earning praise from both the people and the government."
On television, a news report highlighted the KiShin Foundation's assistance during the devastating event in Hyōgo Prefecture and Kobe City.
Shiko watched the report on television and couldn't help but comment, "The company is receiving praise again."
---
In Itori Tanaka's office, after watching the news, he shook his head and sighed, saying, "Not only smart in business but also compassionate."
Kenji, who was nearby, remarked, "Compassionate? I didn't expect you to see him that way."
Itori Tanaka chuckled, "Haha, there's nothing wrong with praising good deeds."
"I guess so..." Kenji replied with a smile.
---
In the Sazama mansion, Sazama dialed his old friends to brag about his youngest grandson, prompting a sigh from Kumiko.
"Did you see the news? My youngest grandson, with the KiShin Foundation, has truly made a significant impact! The Suzuki genes are really showing in him!" Sazama enthusiastically shared with his old friend Toyoda, indulging in a bit of bragging.
"Yeah, yeah, that's great," Toyoda replied somewhat helplessly.
"What about your youngest grandson?" Sazama inquired, aiming to both boast and compare with Toyoda.
"I don't think there's a need to..." Toyoda hesitated, seemingly reluctant to discuss it. He couldn't bring himself to admit that his youngest grandson spent most of his time at his father's house, watching anime and playing games in his room.
---
A few months passed after the Great Hanshin Earthquake.
In the KiShin Rules conference room, Shin, along with the executives, deliberated on the various companies under KiShin Rules. Simultaneously, they discussed the KiShin Foundation's contributions to the areas affected by the earthquake.
"Thanks to the KiShin Foundation's assistance in the areas affected by the Great Hanshin Earthquake, our overall reputation at KiShin companies has risen, and public opinion towards KiShin has significantly improved. The sales of our KiShin Rules subsidiary companies have also experienced a slight boost," an executive reported with a positive demeanor.
"I never anticipated that our KiShin Foundation would have such a positive impact on both the main and subsidiary companies of KiShin," another executive acknowledged with a nod.
"It's all thanks to our Chairman for establishing the KiShin Foundation, a foundation with the ultimate goal of helping and assisting those in need," another executive added, smiling and nodding.
Lee Han nodded in agreement and said, "Three months have passed since the Great Hanshin Earthquake, yet the damage and casualties it inflicted on the people in Hyōgo Prefecture are devastating."
Shin concurred, saying, "While our company's reputation has improved due to the KiShin Foundation, leading to increased sales nationally and internationally, it's crucial to remember that our primary focus is helping people, not just for profit."
The executives nodded, exchanging glances, feeling a bit guilty for momentarily prioritizing profits over the welfare of the affected people.
"Now, enough about that. Mr. Han, how are the negotiations with SamStar progressing?" Shin calmly inquired as he looked at Lee Han.
Lee Han leads the negotiation team for KiShin in discussions with the South Korean market. He reported, "SamStar is insisting on the same terms as our initial agreement."
Shin nodded in understanding, while the executives displayed a slight frown. KiShin had been in talks with SamStar for about a week, discussing the distribution of the KS1 and video games in the South Korean market.
With a serious expression, Shin advised, "Then go ahead and agree to it." Shin was familiar with SamStar from his previous life, knowing the company's significant success. Due to this, he was willing to accept their terms, recognizing the importance of establishing connections with them.
While SamStar might not be as large as it would become in the future, its current status as a substantial company with a net worth of about 13 billion dollars outweighed KiShin, still a private company, along with KiShin Rules and its subsidiaries valued at around 8 billion dollars.
Considering KiShin's relatively short existence since its founding in 1990, these numbers were indeed impressive.
Considering that the $8 billion worth of KiShin represented the sole wealth of Shinro Suzuki, given his ownership and control of the company, it could be asserted that Shin might be ranked among the top 100 richest individuals globally if his wealth were ever made public.
This evaluation doesn't even factor in Shin's investments in other companies such as WWW, NVIDIA, Rebolt Technology, Apple, Amazon, Pixar, etc. (Jeff changed the name of his company for certain reasons). While many of Shin's investments are not yet generating profits, including Rebolt Technology and Apple, some of these companies are poised to become industry giants in the future.
For instance, when Jeff required additional funds for Amazon, Shin provided more funding, resulting in Shin gaining a larger share of the company. Furthermore, WWW is also displaying signs of profitability as the internet's global user base continues to grow, and the use of browsers and websites becomes increasingly evident.
There are approximately 25 million online users, a figure significantly underestimated by other companies.
---
A few months after the release of KS1, KiShin launched several console games. In February, they released Crash Bandicoot and Tomb Raider.
Within a few days of their release, both games were also made available in the USA market.
Following this, the Castlevania series was introduced to KS1. Castlevania III and Super Castlevania were released for SKES and KS1, while Castlevania: Rondo of Blood made its debut on PC and KS1, supporting platforms like Microsoft and Apple.
Simultaneously, PC gaming witnessed significant growth. Many people in the USA, even those without internet access, engaged in online play of Warcraft: Orcs & Humans using KiShin's latest software, KiShin Plays (KP), designed to support game matchmaking.
With a required internet speed of 28 kbps, players could engage in basic gameplay with others.
Hundreds of individuals had already embraced KiShin Plays, purchasing the software CD from the KiShin Store. Many Warcraft gamers were among the first to experience online play, marking the emergence of the first generation of PC online gamers.
