The rustling of papers in the conference room finally ceased.
Ken Kutaragi abruptly lifted his head, his eyes behind his glasses glinting with an almost obsessive light.
He didn't even look at Takuya, but instead turned directly to Maruyama Shigeo, his voice suppressed by excitement.
"Mr. Maruyama, Mr. Mitsui, I request... we need to discuss this internally immediately."
This sudden request instantly tightened the atmosphere a few notches.
Maruyama Shigeo's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, but seeing Ken Kutaragi's completely engrossed demeanor, he eventually nodded.
"Very well."
Mitsui Chuta, meanwhile, gave Takuya a meaningful glance, a hard-to-read smile playing on his lips, and also agreed.
The three Sony representatives stood up and walked to a smaller meeting room nearby.
As soon as the door closed, Ken Kutaragi could no longer hold back.
"Mr. Maruyama, Mr. Mitsui, this proposal... it's simply a godsend, tailor-made for LD."
His tone was filled with undeniable excitement, his hands even trembling slightly, as if he still held the burning hot proposal.
"Kutaragi-kun, calm down."
Maruyama Shigeo was initially displeased with Ken Kutaragi's somewhat "unbecoming" excitement, raising a hand to signal him to compose himself.
"I apologize, I lost my composure," Ken Kutaragi bowed his head in apology to the two, but then immediately continued, "However, this proposal is truly not to be missed for Sony!"
"Its understanding and utilization of LD's large capacity and high-definition characteristics are truly spot on."
"I dare say that several core technical aspects within it can currently only be perfectly realized with Sony's technical reserves."
"This perfectly aligns with the strategic direction that Mr. Morita has always emphasized: 'Hardware must be combined with excellent content.'"
After Ken Kutaragi clearly analyzed several key technical points in the proposal, especially those highly related to Sony's unique patented technologies, the caution in Maruyama Shigeo's eyes gradually gave way to a sharp glint.
The scales in his mind began to swing wildly.
Mitsui Chuta was more direct; he tapped the table, his gaze fixed on Ken Kutaragi.
"Technically, if Sony commits fully, how confident are we in realizing the ideas in the proposal?"
Ken Kutaragi did not hesitate.
"As long as Sony participates, there will be absolutely no technical problems."
"In fact, it can be said that it's impossible without Sony."
These words resonated powerfully.
Maruyama Shigeo and Mitsui Chuta exchanged a glance.
In that instant, a consensus was reached.
Sony must secure this project.
Maruyama Shigeo pondered for a moment before speaking.
"The preferred option is to try and buy out this proposal."
"At any cost."
The brief recess ended, and both parties resumed their seats.
Director Yoshikawa and Suzuki Masao could clearly sense the change in aura from the three Sony representatives; it was a compelling pressure, indicating their determination to win.
Mitsui Chuta wore a gentle smile on his face as he looked at Takuya, his tone carrying a hint of appreciation.
"Takuya-kun, your proposal is truly excellent."
"Sony has a great deal of interest in it."
He paused, then dropped a bombshell.
"We are willing to offer twenty million US dollars to buy out this LD game proposal and all related rights in a one-time payment."
Twenty million US dollars.
This figure exploded like a thunderclap in the ears of Director Yoshikawa and Suzuki Masao.
Suzuki Masao even subconsciously clenched his fists, sweat beading in his palms.
Director Yoshikawa's heart also skipped a beat; this price, for a game proposal that hadn't even been implemented yet, was astronomical.
A nearly imperceptible curve appeared at the corner of Takuya's lips.
Sony had finally taken the bait.
He exchanged a reassuring glance with Director Yoshikawa beside him, signaling him to remain calm.
Then, he met Mitsui Chuta's gaze and, with composure, gently shook his head.
"Mr. Chūta, thank you for Sony's generosity."
"However, the value of this proposal cannot be measured by twenty million US dollars."
His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness.
"Its potential to ignite the LD market, its strategic significance for promoting Sony's hardware, and the immense commercial benefits it might generate in the future are immeasurable."
"More importantly, Sega also needs this game to demonstrate our strength in new technological fields and consolidate our position in the industry."
Mitsui Chuta's smile did not fade, but his eyes sharpened slightly.
He had clearly anticipated that Takuya would not give in easily.
"Takuya-kun, I understand your ambition."
"However," he changed his tone, gesturing to Ken Kutaragi, "some technical issues may not be solved by enthusiasm alone."
Ken Kutaragi immediately understood; he pushed up his glasses, his tone carrying the precision characteristic of a technical professional and a hint of almost imperceptible arrogance.
"Mr. Nakayama, if I may be frank, your proposal's concepts for real-time reading of ultra-large capacity data, dynamic compression and decompression technology, and seamless interactive experience of high-quality audio-visual streams all deeply rely on Sony's core patents and long-term accumulation in LD optical disc drive technology, signal processing chips, and related audio and video codecs."
"Without Sony's comprehensive technical support, it would be extremely difficult for Sega to complete it independently and achieve the effects touted in the proposal."
"Indeed, some key interactive experiences might not be perfectly realized at all."
These words carried an undisguised pressure of technical barriers.
The implication was that without Sony, the value of this proposal would be greatly diminished.
The air in the conference room became tense once more.
Director Yoshikawa and Suzuki Masao's hearts were once again in their throats.
Takuya, however, remained as steady as a mountain, a faint smile even playing on his face.
"Mr. Kutaragi's technical analysis is very professional."
He first acknowledged the other party, then changed his tone, speaking as calmly as if discussing the weather.
"If Sony insists on a buyout, rather than choosing a win-win cooperation with Sega."
"Then, while Sega would face some technical challenges, we are not without other options."
He picked up the teacup in front of him, took a light sip, and his gaze inadvertently swept over Maruyama Shigeo.
"For instance, we could explore in-depth content cooperation with Columbia Records in the United States."
"After all, they possess a massive library of high-quality music and film copyrights, which aligns perfectly with the entertainment positioning of LD players."
Maruyama Shigeo's hand, holding his teacup, paused almost imperceptibly.
Sony was actively seeking to acquire Columbia Records; this was no secret among industry executives.
Takuya put down his teacup and looked at Mitsui Chuta again, his tone still casual.
"On the hardware front, we could also consider some technical exchanges with Philips."
"After all, Philips is also one of the main proponents of the LD technical standard, and in certain technical areas, they also possess considerable accumulation, and it seems they would be quite happy to see powerful content emerge in the market that could challenge Sony's LD position."
Upon hearing this, Mitsui Chuta and Maruyama Shigeo's expressions truly changed slightly for the first time.
Philips, that was Sony's direct competitor on the LD standard.
Takuya's understated remarks had undoubtedly pinpointed Sony's Achilles' heel. While Sega might not dare to approach Philips given Sony's size, approaching Columbia Records would also be quite problematic. If the game boosted Columbia Records' stock price, it could mean spending a lot more money next year.
This not only implied that the proposal was not exclusive to Sony but also highlighted that if Sony forcefully monopolized it, they might not only miss an opportunity but also potentially benefit a competitor, disrupting Sony's own comprehensive strategic layout in content and hardware.
The conference room fell into a suffocating silence.
Only the faint "whooshing" sound from the air conditioning vent quietly reminded them of the passage of time.
Mitsui Chuta's deep gaze and Maruyama Shigeo's sharp eyes met in the air, engaging in a silent exchange.
A moment later, Mitsui Chuta took a deep breath, the smile on his face receding, replaced by a complex and unreadable expression, his tone carrying a hint of imperceptible weariness and more reluctance.
"It seems we both underestimated Takuya-kun's resolve and preparation."
"In that case, let's collaborate on development."
"We need to renegotiate the specific terms."
Though unwilling, rationality told them that collaborating with Sega to jointly bring this LD game, which perfectly aligned with Sony's strategy, to market was the choice that maximized Sony's interests at that moment.
A more difficult and specific negotiation was about to unfold, focusing on the proposal's leadership, profit sharing, and mutual rights and obligations. But the broad direction of cooperation had, at this moment, finally been painstakingly reached.