Chapter 250 - Protect the Mediator 02

March 17th.

It was morning and negotiations between the two parties had already begun. Daichi and two other guards stood in the shadows while the second day negotiations were taking place.

Ryoma was sipping his tea as he looked at the two heads of companies accompanied by their managers/advisors. "I suggest that we begin this by addressing the primary concern that both sides have regarding this alliance and explore how we might resolve them for mutual benefit. Shall we?"

The two along with Ryoma discussed the disruption they've been causing to each other's business and product distribution network.

As the hours progressed Ryoma put forth an idea and the heads of the two corporations froze. There was tension in the room as the weight of years of rivalry hung in the air.

"You can't be serious. A merger. That's your proposal? That we merge our companies." The incredulity in Yamamoto's voice was mirrored on Tsuyoshi's face.

"What you're saying is impossible. Even if I were to forget what happened between our fathers I won't forget everything that happened the last few decades. So I can't accept that." Tsuyoshi replied.

The mediator chuckled as he looked at the two. "Look at that. You two can agree on something."

The two presidents weren't in a joking mood as both were sporting a stern expression.

Ryoma decided to explain his decision. "This rivalry began with your fathers. But they're both dead now and it serves no purpose to continue this feud. Your hate for each other stemmed from your fathers and I doubt I can do anything about that. But I can help your children."

"And how is that? " Yamamoto asked.

"While an alliance would make sure that your businesses aren't interrupted and help you with expanding your reach, it is not truly binding. It can be broken if someone were to put pressure on it or if someone sees an opportunity to take a massive advantage of the other. Now there are risks of course. If an alliance is formed and broken then the 3rd Minister Lord Taji would be less than pleased. Especially because your corporations are the two biggest civilian companies in the Land of Fire in resource management."

"And you think a merger will solve our problems?" Tsuyoshi slightly tilted his head and asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes. It might not solve all the problems but it will certainly help a great deal. You might not want a merger but it's in your best interest." Ryoma looked at the two and took another sip from his cup.

"What do you mean?" Yamamoto slowly leaned forward. Tsuyoshi too was waiting for the reply.

Ryoma took out two thick documents from his scroll and handed them to the two presidents. "Review that file and you'll understand."

The two presidents along with their advisors quickly flipped through the pages and their eyes widened after a few minutes of reading. "This is…"

"The growth rate and distribution control of your organizations this last decade and the projections for the next several years." Ryoma finished for them.

He leaned forward and spoke. "Right now the Satoru corporation controls 23% of the market in the northern region and the Rising Sun control 22% in the southern region and its borders. If the two of you form an alliance your production and distribution channels would expand to a little over 48%. But if you form a merger of your organizations then that increases to over 65% in the next few years. Your profits would soar and you'd be able to take over other competitors looking to take you on."

Daichi heard the numbers and did some rough calculations in his head. 'If the rumors about their current business turnovers are correct then a merger would definitely be in their best interests. They might be an excellent investment opportunity. With their expanded resources they'll be able to take over other competitors and will become the most prominent manufacturers in Fire country… Well aside from the shinobi contactors.'

The two presidents and their advisors looked at each other across the table. They looked at the numbers and realized the potential. Such profits would definitely help them increase their wealth and also with exporting their goods to other countries and competing with their businesses. But that was not all that was in the files Ryoma gave them.

The mediator was silent for a few moments and then continued. "If you do not merge and just form an alliance, it will set off a chain reaction that will force your competing businesses to make similar moves and they will try to overtake you. While this might seem like a good thing in the short term, in the long term it will become a problem. You'll be focused on battling enemies on two fronts. Ones from the outside and the ones from within your organizations that don't agree with an alliance. Your growth will stagnate."

"And if we stay the course and keep battling each other then the organizations will see a decline starting next year and within the next decade we'll be out of business." Tsuyoshi said as he looked at the papers in his hands.

Yamamoto put the file down and looked at the mediator. "But you can't know all this for sure. These are just numbers on a paper. This hasn't happened. How can I be sure that it will go the way you said?"

Ryoma smirked. "These aren't just some random numbers. Some of the best and brightest people came up with these after analyzing almost every aspect of your two organizations. They took all the data of your family and your business growth and transactions this previous decade and created a model that shows the growth these coming years."

Daichi, who was in the shadows, was surprised to hear that. He knew exactly who his client was talking about. 'He's talking about business analysts. Taking historical data and using it to predict what might happen in the future or how an organization can move forward. In a world where math and physics take a back priority, I didn't think they would have guys like that. Were people like that always present or is this something that came about because of my existence?'

Daichi decided to shove those thoughts to the back of his mind and concentrated on the meeting in front of him.

Tsuyoshi and Yamamoto looked at each other in silence and with a stern gaze. Ryoma spoke again. "I'm sure you'll want to discuss this with your families. So let's meet again in the evening."

With that the discussions had come to an end and Daichi escorted his client to his room.

—-

In a suite room on the upper floor of Paradise Inn, Yamamoto Hideshi, his wife Nayobi Hideshi, their two children and Yamamoto's advisor Kotei Nanaji were having a serious discussion.

"I don't agree with this, father. This could all be a ploy from Ryoma so that we would merge with the Satoru corporation." Yakumi Hideshi, the oldest son of the president spoke. He was not happy with the idea of an alliance and a merger even less.

"Could this be something he would do to bolster his reputation?" The younger son Yamaha Hideshi asked the family/business advisor.

"It's true that if we form an alliance or merger, it would increase Ryoma's reputation in the capital and thus his influence. But I'm not sure he would lie or make up the information on these documents to achieve that…" Kotei Nanaji gave his thoughts.

"So do you really think that if we don't form an alliance, we would be overtaken in the next few years?" Nayobi asked the man.

"It might be possible. There are many smaller companies looking to take a piece of our organization. But now that we know, if we adjust our strategies then maybe we can fight them…" Kotei replied.

"What do you think dear?" Nayobi turned to her husband.

"If we have to fight Satoru and everyone else, then we might not last past the next decade. But I'm sure Tsuyoshi has also come to this conclusion by now. To expand, we'll have to take over the businesses of the Satoru company. So a clash is inevitable. It's the same for them as well. But if neither of us attack the other we could shore up our resources and battle the others but with each year our company might stagnate in growth. An alliance is good but logically, a merger is better." Yamamoto replied.

Yakumi sighed, hearing that. "For the record I'm not happy with this…"

"Yes. You've made that clear my son… Still, I haven't decided anything yet. We'll see how these negotiations go… I'm sure an answer will present itself to us in time." Yamamoto said and leaned back in his comfy chair.

In another part of the building where the Satoru family was residing a similar discussion was taking place.

Mika was looking through the documents that her father had brought. After several minutes she closed the files and gave her opinion. "I have to give that man credit. He certainly did his research. These numbers aren't just random or fabricated. Based on the information present and the model they created, our profits would be in a decline starting within 13 months if we keep the status quo."

Tsuyoshi sighed. "As I feared. It seems at the very least an alliance is necessary."

"Pops you're not actually considering this are you?" Yusuke was in disbelief as he heard his father.

"Yes I am. We have to think about the future. If a merger is the only way to protect everything that our family built then I have to consider that option."

"Grandfather would disagree." Yusuke spoke in a cold tone looking at Tsuyoshi.

Hana Satoru was shocked. "Yusuke!"

The youngest son turned to his mother. "Am I wrong mother? You've known grandfather for a long time. Do you think he'd agree with this?"

At that moment Tsuyoshi spoke in a cold tone. "He is not here. The future of The Satoru corporation is my responsibility. And I will do what needs to be done."

"No. There has to be another way. We can't trust them."

The president narrowed his eyes at the rebellious nature of the youngest child. "I don't find your tone of voice acceptable Yusuke."

Yusuke clenched his fist and became silent hearing the cold edge in his father's voice. Before he could say something and make it worse, his friend who was standing in the back came beside him and spoke.

"Apologies, sir. Yusuke is just a bit emotional right now. I'm sure he didn't mean any disrespect. I'm gonna borrow him for a while." Yuta spoke and the next second he grabbed his friend and dragged him out of the room.

Kazuki sighed seeing the form of his younger brother and his friend disappear. "Those two…" The oldest son turned to his father.

"Yuta is right pops. Yusuke might seem angry but he has the company's best interests at heart."

Tsuyoshi sighed while his wife gently rubbed his hands making him feel reassured.

—-

"Do you think they'll go for it?" Daichi asked the older man.

"We'll have to wait and see. They're not blind idiots. They'll want to see what I have in mind for the merger. And I'm not sure they'll agree when they hear my proposal…" Ryoma gave the Genin a cryptic reply.

Daichi nodded and as they made their way to the upper floor the Genin asked another question. "Why did you ask me to accompany you to this meeting and not sensei?"

"It was actually your sensei's idea. You will understand when we reach my room."

The two soon came to the top floor and stood in front of Ryoma's suite. Kakashi was leaning against the wall and reading his book as they came up.

"Is there anything suspicious?" Ryoma asked the Jonin.

The silver haired ninja put his orange book back in his pouch and nodded his head. "I've examined the room thoroughly after you two left and I found something strange. It's in the bathroom."

Kakashi led the two to the bathroom and pointed at the bathtub. "Yesterday I used my Sharingan on every inch of this suite and today when I was inspecting everything I found some strange compound on the floor of the tub… Daichi, can you examine that?"

The Genin nodded and placed his hands above the floor of the bathtub and they started glowing blue.

He immediately found a very thin layer of chemical coating at the bottom of the tub. Daichi analyzed the foreign compound and in a couple minutes he knew what it was. He stood and turned to the two adults.

"It's a paralytic agent. It's a special custom designed one that activates when it comes into contact with water and it's absorbed through skin. It has no smell or color and finding it is difficult if you don't know it's there. If you didn't have the Sharingan then it would have been a lot more difficult to identify it." Daichi replied.

Ryoma narrowed his eyes as he looked down. "So essentially an almost untraceable paralysis poison. How did it get here?"

Kakashi was the one who answered that question. "It wasn't here yesterday or this morning when you took a bath or you would have suffered the side effects. My guess would be during the time we all had breakfast down in the pavilion."

Ryoma looked at the two and spoke. "There are 7 suites in this resort. Only Kotohaku knew I was staying in this room when we arrived. It was to minimize information leak and to avoid problems exactly like this. Only two families and guards of the corporations came and no one left since. So unless the other rooms were also marked with this poison we have to proceed on the assumption that I'm the target. Someone inside this building wants me dead or at the very least make sure this meeting doesn't end with an alliance."

"Yeah, but with all the guards around this place I can't believe someone managed to break into this room." Daichi said. He knew through his observation skill that the other guards the two families brought were far from incompetent.

Ryoma sighed and sat on a nearby chair. Daichi thought for a few seconds and another idea popped into his mind.

"Then again… I don't think someone broke in here... I found faint traces of chakra in this compound, I think this was part of a jutsu…" Daichi said to the two.

Kakashi was surprised when he heard that. 'My Sharingan saw miniscule traces of chakra but not anywhere near enough to identify it. To think Daichi could find such faint traces as well… His techniques are impressive.'

Daichi tapped his chin and thought about what to do next and he found a way. "Hmm… I might have an idea as to how it got here. Sensei with your permission, I'd like to execute a plan I have in mind."

"Let's hear it?" Kakashi and Ryoma paid attention as Daichi laid out his plan. After a few minutes they looked at each other and nodded.

"That could work." Ryoma said.

"Let's try it Daichi." Kakashi said with an eye smile.

—-

It was evening and almost everyone was in the pavilion. They made polite conversations but were mostly sticking to the ones with their group. At this time they saw the mediator entering wearing new luxurious eye-catching clothes. Kakashi and Daichi were with him and they were calm as usual.

Ryoma nodded to the people present and then glanced at the two family patriarchs. "Let's continue where we left off shall we?"

The Mediator, Daichi, the two presidents and their guards began making their way to the private room to resume their discussion. As this was happening someone who was standing somewhat away from them narrowed their eyes as they looked at Ryoma.

'Damn it. Did it not work? Did that man fail? From his appearance he looked like he took a bath in that tub. But he's fine. If he was poisoned, even if the two ninjas saved him they would have made a fuss over it. But they don't seem concerned or anything… It looks like that man must have made a mistake. I need to contact him.'

The unknown person clenched their fist under the table and waited for his chance to exit the room without seeming suspicious.

Kakashi was standing nonchalantly near the door guarding the meeting room with his book in his hand. Despite his aloof appearance he was aware of everyone's movements in the room. 'If Daichi is right, then there might be another attack and this might be our only chance to catch the culprit. If he comes into contact with the enemy I'll just have to trust that he can handle himself.'