The moment Buratsuta laid eyes on Ryan's breathtakingly handsome face on the screen, the excitement in his heart surged even higher.
Wonderful… absolutely wonderful.
To think he even has a face this good-looking there will definitely be countless women willing to open their wallets for him.
Pair that face with his terrifying strength, polish him up a bit with proper packaging and promotion, and he could become Japan's very own Beckham in the football world.
At this moment, Buratsuta was completely immersed in beautiful fantasies of the future.
He imagined himself swimming in an ocean made of banknotes, money raining endlessly from the sky. All he had to do was stretch out his hand, and he'd scoop up piles upon piles of cash.
Ego watched Buratsuta standing there grinning foolishly and thought to himself, has this old man gone senile? He looks completely out of it.
Ego cleared his throat lightly, instantly pulling Buratsuta back from his fantasy into reality.
To cover up his embarrassment, Buratsuta pretended to examine the screen carefully. Suddenly, his eyes stopped on the player's name.
Ryan Hoshino.
This name… felt incredibly familiar.
He was sure he'd heard it somewhere before, but for some reason, he just couldn't recall where.
Buratsuta turned to the secretary beside him and asked,
"Yamamoto, have you heard this name before? It feels extremely familiar to me."
Being suddenly called out, Yamamoto immediately stood up and began reporting.
"Yes, Chairman. This player, Ryan, has dominated national tournaments ever since middle school. From middle school through his first year of high school a total of four years he won four national championships."
"Almost every month, football-related newspapers feature interviews and articles about his growth on their front pages. Relying on his overwhelming strength and outstanding appearance, he has amassed a massive fanbase. He can be said to be the future star of Japanese football."
Hearing Yamamoto's report, Buratsuta instantly remembered who Ryan was.
Cold sweat began pouring down his forehead.
Not because he was frightened by Ryan's shocking achievements
but because he was suddenly terrified.
Ryan Hoshino.
The young master of the Hoshino Group currently the world-class, number-one company in all of Japan.
That was an existence he could only look up to from afar. Normally, he'd only get the chance to exchange a few words with such figures at elite upper-class banquets.
Buratsuta pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Who would've thought that a super-rich second-generation heir, instead of managing his family's vast fortune, would come play football instead?
What kind of rich person enjoys such a bitter and exhausting sport? Aren't they all supposed to be leisurely playing golf instead?
The dream of making a fortune off Ryan shattered instantly, leaving behind only lingering fear.
Luckily… luckily I noticed in time.
If he had done anything out of line and angered this young master, then the seat he was sitting on right now would be far from secure.
Since Blue Lock housed such a colossal figure, there was no way absolutely no way Buratsuta would allow this project to be terminated.
He looked at Ego. All the arrogance from earlier had vanished, replaced with unmistakable caution.
Still, he didn't lower himself excessively. After all, he was still the highest-ranking official present; his authority couldn't be thrown on the ground, or how would he command people in the future?
"Ego… I've seen the results of the Blue Lock project as well. Since there's such an outstanding player like Ryan participating, it proves that this plan is indeed effective."
Ego noticed that Buratsuta's attitude had undergone a full one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn in an instant. But he wasn't surprised; he simply assumed Buratsuta had recognized the necessity of Blue Lock after seeing Ryan's performance.
The others also noticed the change in Buratsuta's stance and immediately began whispering among themselves.
Ego smiled faintly as he looked at Buratsuta.
"So should the Blue Lock project still be terminated?"
"No, no, not at all. The Blue Lock project will continue."
Hearing Buratsuta suddenly reverse his decision and allow the project to proceed, the previously hushed murmurs gradually grew louder throughout the room.
At that moment, a relatively young-looking man stood up.
"C-Chairman, in our previous meeting, we had clearly agreed to terminate this project. Why did you suddenly change your mind?"
Buratsuta hadn't expected someone to openly question him.
He couldn't afford to offend Young Master Ryan but did this mean he couldn't deal with this person?
It seemed he had been far too easygoing lately.
Buratsuta shot the young man a sharp glare. The oppressive authority of someone in power crashed down on him like a heavy weight.
"Do my decisions require your approval?"
The young man immediately realized he had spoken out of turn and hurriedly tried to explain.
"N-No, Chairman, that's not what I meant "
Buratsuta ignored him completely.
The young man, realizing he was finished, collapsed back into his seat, utterly dispirited.
Buratsuta then turned back to Ego and continued,
"However, you still need to find a way to deal with the public opinion outside. You can't just act like nothing's wrong and let all the pressure fall on us."
As if he had anticipated Buratsuta would say this, Ego adjusted his glasses and replied calmly,
"Chairman, this will be a grand spectacle."
"The moment Blue Lock reforms Japanese football has arrived."
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