Chapter 5 Investment

Ren Fujimoto sat in his new office at PrimeKick Investments, the walls still bare, the furniture modern but minimal. His team was small but full of potential—Scott, his future CEO, ambitious and sharp, and Anna, the cautious, calculated financial analyst he had brought on board. They had been running numbers all day, diving into potential investments, but Ren's mind kept drifting back to one stock that had stuck with him for years: Freedom Holding Corp. (FRHC).

Ren remembered 2017 well. In his previous life, he had watched from the sidelines as Freedom Holding's stock had exploded, going up by over 4,500%. Back then, he didn't have the foresight, the knowledge—or frankly, the resources—to capitalize on it. But now? Now he had the opportunity, the money, and the confidence to take a chance that could change the course of his firm's future.

He glanced at Anna and Scott, who were sitting across from him, their laptops open, running calculations. They didn't know what was coming.

"I've been thinking," Ren started, his voice cutting through the quiet hum of the office. "We need to make a bold move. I want to invest a significant portion—let's say €30 million—into Freedom Holding Corp."

The room went still for a moment, the weight of what Ren had just proposed hanging in the air. Scott looked up from his laptop, his brow furrowed in confusion, while Anna's expression was a mixture of skepticism and disbelief.

Anna was the first to speak. "Freedom Holding Corp.?" she echoed, her tone cautious. "I mean, yes, they've been growing, but it's a niche market, Ren. It's risky to put such a large sum into a single stock."

Ren leaned back in his chair, his gaze steady. He had anticipated this reaction, but he was ready for it. "I know it sounds risky, but I got a hunch. They're about to explode in growth. I'm talking huge returns, and that's just within a year."

Anna blinked, her skepticism deepening. "Huge?" she repeated, incredulity creeping into her voice. "Ren, that's.... We're talking about a small business that's barely on most investors' radars. Sure, their stock has potential, but those kinds of gains are practically unheard of."

Scott, who had been quietly listening, now leaned forward, his fingers steepled as he spoke. "Ren, I get that you have a vision, but we're just starting out. We can't afford to gamble €30 million of our capital on a single stock. Diversification is what's going to give us stability and longevity. This... this feels like a gamble."

Ren smiled faintly. He appreciated their caution, but they couldn't see what he did—the future. He could almost feel the windfall from Freedom Holding's success already in his hands. But explaining that wasn't an option. He had to make them understand in terms they could grasp.

"Listen," Ren said, leaning forward, his eyes locking with Anna's first, then Scott's. "I know this sounds insane, and I get that you're skeptical. But this isn't just any gamble. I've done my research. This company is positioned perfectly to break into Western markets. They're growing faster than anyone can predict, and we're in the right place at the right time to catch that growth."

Anna shook her head, clearly struggling to reconcile Ren's enthusiasm with her own conservative instincts. "But Ren, even if they are poised for growth, you're talking about putting all our eggs in one basket. That goes against every principle of sound investment strategy. What if it doesn't work? We'd be sinking our entire operation."

Ren didn't falter. "That's why I'm saying we need to trust this. Sometimes the biggest returns come from the biggest risks. Think of it like this: if we invest the €30 million now, and I'm right—which I am—we're looking at a return of over a billion within a year. Do you know what that kind of capital would do for us? We wouldn't just be players in the market—we'd dominate it."

Scott, rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "But what if you're wrong? What if the market shifts? What if this company doesn't deliver? We're a startup—we can't afford a wipeout."

Ren stared at him for a long moment. Scott had a point, but Ren had lived through this timeline. He knew what was going to happen.

"I won't be wrong," Ren said, his voice calm but firm.

Scott and Anna exchanged glances, clearly unsettled by Ren's certainty. But before they could respond, Ren continued.

"Look, I didn't bring you both on to follow the textbook rules. I brought you on because I know you can think strategically. This isn't a blind leap—it's a calculated risk. We'll still diversify the rest of our investments, but this? This is the opportunity that will set us apart from every other firm out there."

Anna leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms as she processed Ren's words. "You're asking us to trust you on this without any historical precedent for those kinds of returns."

"I am," Ren said simply. "Because I know what I'm talking about."

For a long moment, the room was quiet, the hum of the air conditioning the only sound. Anna's eyes narrowed slightly, her analytical mind clearly racing through the possibilities. Scott remained still, his jaw clenched as he weighed the options.

Finally, Scott exhaled and looked Ren in the eye. "You're the boss, Ren. But just know that if this goes sideways, we're not going to let you off the hook."

Ren grinned. "It won't."

Anna let out a breath and nodded slowly. "Alright. If we're doing this, I'll start running the numbers. We'll buy the shares incrementally to avoid any market shocks. But you'd better be damn sure about this."

"I am," Ren said confidently, standing from his chair. "Let's make this happen."

---

The following week, PrimeKick Investments funneled €30 million into Freedom Holding Corp.'s stock. Ren watched with bated breath as the transactions finalized, his mind already racing ahead to the future. He could picture the company's meteoric rise, the numbers climbing higher and higher on the stock market as their investment grew exponentially.

Scott and Anna remained cautious, both checking the numbers constantly, ready for any sign that their gamble was about to backfire. But Ren was calm, his confidence unwavering. He had been here before, only this time, he was on the right side of history.