Chapter 85: The Ponzer Plan
"How goes the distribution of the new products?" Don Jon asked whilst sitting on his sofa in his private chambers. Yukime stood before him whilst confidently exposing more cleavage than usual.
"It's been going very well… except for one minor incident involving a certain Boar. The nobles of various kingdoms loved them and has placed orders for huge amount of them." Yukime answered with confidence and poise she normally wouldn't show in front of him had she not changed her opinion of him.
"And how did Mitsugoshi respond?" Don Jon asked again.
"They haven't said nor done anything. Though I suspect they felt like we stole their business once again."
"Hmph. It's only natural. We are competing to release the same products in the same markets after all."
"That does remind me. How did you know these products? Where did you get the knowledge?"
"You think I would tell you?" Don Jon answered coldly, applying some mental pressure that would normally made Yukime tremble in fear and stopped asking question. But instead…
"Come now, Lord Claude. There's no need to be so cold, is there?" Yukime said as she winked at him seductively.
Hmph. She's so brazen and no longer fears me… But as long as she's loyal and useful, I'll tolerate it. Thought Claude.
"Hmph. They are knowledge from a realm far away from here."
"How far?"
"Too far."
"That far? I see." Yukime eventually gave up after receiving nothing but vague answers from him.
I must strive to get him to trust me more. The road ahead is still very long it seems. Thought Yukime.
"And the MCA? What of their movements?" Don Jon asked again. His question made Yukime lose her smile for a brief moment.
"They haven't done much besides the usual attempt to attack our distribution channels, which failed every time partly thanks to the Boar." Yukime answered professionally.
"Something's bothering you. What is it?" Don Jon asked curiously.
"If I may, Lord Claude. I don't see a reason why you showed interest in them. They are a dying breed and will soon collapse and forgotten."
"They have a plan that I was planning to make use of… but they are taking too long to execute it and thus I'm going execute my plan first."
"You have a plan?"
"Yes. A plan to slowly take over Mitsugoshi. With the MCA as collateral damage."
"Oh I like the sound of that, Lord Claude. Tell me more." Yukime regained her smile as she urged him to continue.
"Here's what we're starting with. We're going to commit a fraud!"
"Lady Gamma. Have you heard the news?" Nu asked whilst bringing the latest newspaper with her to Gamma's office.
"Yes. This Ponzer Plan… An investment opportunity where you invest your money in order to get high return later after the business that they're investing in becomes successful. The MCA, on the verge of bankruptcy, immediately flocked to invest their money to this… thing in order to get their rewards. It requires opening an account on Snow Fox Bank as well. It seems that Don Jon has made his move." Gamma answered, the very same edition of newspaper already in her hands.
"What are the odds of this being a fraud?"
"100%. It's Don Jon of Lawless City we're talking about after all."
"So all we need to do is to avoid investing in it and we won't be affected." Nu came to a conclusion.
"It'll be nice if that's all that will happen." Gamma retorted.
"What do you mean, Lady Gamma?"
"This plan is more sinister than I initially imagined. We've expected the MCA to simply collapse for a long time because they picked a fight against us but what happens if they suddenly bankrupted?"
"Umm… We'll simply take over their market?" Nu answered, unsure of her own answer.
"We could've done that without a problem… if Snow Fox Corporation didn't come into the picture and become such an annoying business rival that stole so much of our profits and market dominance. If this plan of theirs succeeded, the MCA will collapse and we will be forced to deal with the consequences." Gamma answered with a grim face.
"What do you mean, Lady Gamma?" Nu said, her face showing concern even though she still didn't get the full picture.
"Our policy is to only employ Shadow Garden members into Mitsugoshi whereas Snow Fox employs even thugs from Lawless City. When the MCA collapse, its remnants will no doubt be absorbed by Snow fox Corporation to avoid being jobless. That, with the addition of the funds that Don Jon would collect through his Ponzer Plan will make them stronger and the negative reputation we'll get from refusing to hire the bankrupted merchants, who still hate us more than they do the Snow Fox Corporation, will weaken us. We will be at an overall disadvantage." Gamma explained.
"But that won't be enough to destroy our operation, won't it?"
"Unless he came up with another scheme." Gamma's words made Nu become alerted and fearful of the future.
"Nu. Keep an eye on this Ponzer Plan of his. I never thought I'd say this but we need to prevent the MCA from collapsing."
"It shall be done." Nu bowed before leaving the room to carry out her orders.
"Haaah… What a pain in the…" Gamma's eyes went wide after she read the next segment of the newspaper.
"What!? They're already digging for Petroleum in Madlid before us!? Curse that fo—Aaagh!" Shouted Gamma before tripping on her high heels and falling on the floor face flat, giving her a nosebleed whilst nobody was around to tell her that her nose is bleeding.
"Ugghhh…"
"You did what!?" Shouted Gettan, whose wounds from his recent battle with the Boar has healed thanks to the Red Pills he consumed before slaughtering his own men. His vision was restored but only temporarily, thus he returned to wearing his usual black sunglasses.
"I-I think it'll be profitable for us to invest our money into this Ponzer Plan! With our constant failures, we barely have enough men and capital left and… we are desperate for more money!" His minion Garter replied, as nervous and sweaty as ever as he stood before Gettan, who's sitting on his desk.
"How are you so sure that Don Jon won't simply pocket your money and run?"
"I-I've had Feigling Corporation from the MCA test it out few weeks ago and they're already seeing some return on their investment! I believe we can profit from this as well!"
"Hmph. Make sure to be cautious when dealing with Don Jon. You're dismissed." Is all that Gettan can say with his current mental state.
"Y-Yes, Sir Gettan!" Said Garter as he rushed to leave the room.
"Aghh… First the paper money… and now this… Ponzer Plan… How did they come up with such cunning schemes? If I was that smart… or possess subordinates as smart as them… I wouldn't be in this situation." Muttered Gettan, frustrated and envious at everything his rivals has that he lacked.
The next day he heard that most the merchants who are part of the MCA has joined the Ponzer Plan and are already seeing some returns on their Snow Fox Bank accounts. Hearing the news, other members of MCA rushed to join, eager to be among the first investors of the Ponzer Plan so they can reap their rewards earlier than those who joined at a later date.
The promise of money was so tempting that they forgot that the host of this plan is a notorious crime lord from the Lawless City. The possibility of him betraying them didn't cross their minds as they convinced themselves that investing their money into the Ponzer Plan is worth it.
Gettan can only watch in horror as he kept seeing reports of the MCA merchants pouring more and more of their money into the Ponzer Plan, expecting high amounts of returns.
But he is still confident in his own plan to spread counterfeit bills to collapse the MCA and Mitsugoshi banks. He believed that as long as he took over Mitsugoshi for the Necromancer, his current predicament will become nothing but an afterthought once he sits on the 12th Seat of the Rounds.
With that in mind he ordered Garter to immediately withdraw the money he made from his investment, which is already double the amount he initially invested. Garter was reluctant to do so as he expected more rewards from his investment if he waited longer but Gettan was not having it.
Garter is once again meeting Gettan in his office room, sweating nervously as he got into an argument with Gettan.
"Sir Gettan! Please! I beg you to reconsider! We could have more funds if we-"
"We need to proceed with the counterfeit bills plan as soon as possible!"
"But Sir Gettan! If we wait a little longer, we surely could-"
"Remember that our mission is to take over Mitsugoshi, not to make money!"
"But Sir Gettan!"
"Silence, Garter! Remember your place! Remember who elevated your position into becoming the head of the MCA! Remember who stands behind you as you do business! Remember whom you're working for!" Gettan said, reminding Garter of the powers that lurks in the darkness.
"Y-Yes, Sir Gettan! Right away!" Said Garter as he left the room to fulfil his orders.
"Ponzer Plan? A Ponzi Scheme then? Heh heh heh. How interesting. Also, reeeeally original there, Don Jon. What are you, Chinese plagiarist?" Muttered John Smith as he leaned against a wall in the streets of Lawless City whilst reading a newspaper. He also made a bank by pick pocketing several people using the thinnest of his steel wires as they passed him by whilst reading.
"He's gonna make so much money scamming all those poor merchants. How do I turn this around? Heh heh heh. I know what I'm gonna do! But first, I need to go meet the miniboss fox lady." John Smith muttered once again as he walked to the direction of the White Tower.
As he entered the Pleasure District on his way to the White Tower, he passed through several beautiful and scantily dressed prostitutes who tried to seduce him and offer him their services. He ignored most of them as he is already used to being surrounded by beautiful women.
"Oi. Mister! Ain't you being rude by ignoring all these wonderful women?" A tall and muscular bouncer said as he blocked John Smith's path while glaring at him threateningly. The prostitutes surrounding them watched with mild amusement.
"Hmph. Out of my way, scum. I have no business with them. And neither do I have business with you." John Smith replied nonchalantly.
"Huh!? Who do you think you are, you scrawny little—AAAARGHH!" The bouncer screamed as both his arms suddenly fell off as if sliced cleanly by invisible blades even though all that John Smith ever did was move his fingers slightly. The women surrounding them fled the scene whilst screaming in fear.
John Smith walked towards the screaming man, grabbed his head and whispered "I am John Smith. There is only one lady I have business with and I want you to take me to her."
Author's Note:
Deciding Don Jon's plan is kinda hard. At first I almost had him just recycle the canon counterfeit bills plan but I changed my mind eventually and decided he should be original, thus I had him start with a Ponzi Scheme. How will John Smith turn things around? Find out on the next episode of The Necromancer in Shadow!
Anime0CC0Manga: i made a story that was inspired by you, its called the Disgraced One
Answer: Thank you for telling me. I'm glad my fic can inspire you. I'll check it out even if I don't know much about Jujutsu Kaisen.
DerTrap: Another interesting chapter.
It would be interesting if Necromancer actually manages to capture Alpha or maybe other members of the shades. So that he can do new experiments with Alpha, basically forcing her to relive her psychological trauma from back then and maybe he could turn them into his strongest sleeper agents.
Some interesting quotes for when he captures Alpha:
"Welcome back No. 001 follow me and meet your new friends!"
"Makes you nostalgic right? At least it makes me feel nostalgic?"
"All of your hardships, efforts and struggles and where did that bring you? Back to me."
Btw. seems like I accidently left 2 comments last time, sorry.
Answer: Alpha being captured may come later. For sleeper agent, I already have a plan. Also, no worries. One of your comments was a guest comment so it appeared late on the review page.
HundredMasks: nice, also, The boar is cool af, and there's not much to say here since this is a pretty straightforward chapter but I'm definitely seeing some set ups, and I'm excited for how they'll turn out
Answer: Glad you liked him. And hope you enjoyed what I cooked in this chapter!
