January 3, 1991.

  After the substantial sales in December, Billy could finally breathe a sigh of relief. While the ic book season sold slightly less than projected, the money was enough to provide some relief. The process of seg a 6 million loan had been initiated, aligning with the pany's i. The 7 millio could be settled in jun with all potential business ventures for the year.

  With a bit more financial leeway, if these ventures succeeded, Lux ics could reap the bes and the mueeded freedom. Of course, there was a tingen in pce, reizing that iments don't always go as smoothly as hoped. Ehe bets.

  Among them were the famous ercial bets with Las Vegas os for the 1991 championship in favor of the "Red Bulls," with a stake of 250,000 against 9 major bettors, and the bet on Michael Jordan as the tour's best pyer, wagering 100,000 against 12 high rollers. These bets were suffit to provide extra financial gains that could offset expenses in case the iments didn't pan out as perfectly as expected.

  The o involves bets among individuals with rge sums of money, and all of them participate until the bet is closed. Thomas initially gave a three-hour timeframe, which turned out to be a mistake. Within three hours, the odds had increased to 9 to 1 and 12 to 1 respectively. Now, he hopes that his son won't make the same mistake.

  Raimon was reviewing statements from various panies for stock purchases. Billy, or Lux Animation, had ied a total of one million dolrs in shares, representing the earnings accrued over these three months that could be allocated for iment. He was to make a direct purchase of a certain number of shares, prioritizing the more affordable options among all the avaible stocks.

  -We'll see you iernoon, Raimon. Billy will arrive after school, and you deliver a direct report, - Anne said, handing him the purchase authorizations.

  -Very well, I'll do everything I , - Raimon said, feeling somewhat dejected. The stock purchase process was quite bothersome, involving reviewing numbers repeatedly.

  After about six hours of work...

  Among the hy purchases, he acquired shares in Home Depot, spending a total of 200,000. He ied 200,000 in Microsoft and bought 400,000 worth of General Electric shares at 14.94 each. Iments iricity have proven to be a sound choice.

  These panies have room frowth and are franchises that are still testing the waters. Acc to agreements with General Electrid Frahere's potential for electricity systems to be upgraded. His subsequent purchases were in Cisco Systems and Oracle. These stocks were priced is, requiring only a few dolrs to accumute a good number of them. However, spending a million dolrs in a day is a luxury only the wealthy afford. Even the 70,000 he spent on both panies is a year's sary.

  The direct purchase has been pleted; now it's a matter of waiting for the necessary procedures. The open-market iment group allows for autonomous portfolio ma without the o respond directly to the panies. For an annual fee of 14.00, the advantages include lower ission costs to third parties. The intermediation involves the iment pany directly, without agents iween. This service is only used by major buyers.

  Raimoered the Lux Animation factory as the evening approached.

  -I've done everything you asked for. Here are the receipts for the stock purchases and the permissions you handed me this m. Billy, you'll be pleased – I bought everything you requested. I hope they give me a raise. They're selling new Marvel stock figures – the limited-edition Thanos pau from the Avengers fight. I spent st month's sary on it, - Raimon said.

  -What? -excimed Billy.

  -That I spent st month's sary, - Raimon crified.

  -You mentioned something about the new Marvel releases and the Thanos gau, - Billy said.

  -Yeah, the new Avengers crossover. You won't believe it – supposedly, there are power stones scattered throughout the universe, and these stones could alter the fual aspects of the universe, - Raimon expined.

  -That's not it. These are the special editions they're selling, - Billy crified.

  -Ah, I see. It's a new series with incredible produ – they're new special items with seven intriguing designs. They e with different movemeures, and there's a special gau for personal use with the infinity gems, - Raimon expined.

  -Since when did these special editions start? - Billy inquired.

  -Well, they began releasing collector's editions in July, - Raimon said.

  Raimon pyfully imitated the cover photo of Thanos raising the gau, resembling the purple Martian.

  -It has begun, Ahe sales of various Marvel franchises have started, - Billy announced.

  -What are you talking about? - Raimon asked, puzzled by the tacit agreemeween Billy and Anne.

  -Our dear Billy here has the idea that Marvel is creating a ic bubble that will start rising until te 1992 and into mid-1993, - Anne expined.

  -A bubble... I don't see anything unusual in the ic market, - Raimon said, giving Billy a strange look.

  -Well, I share the same opinion, - Anne said, wearing a know-it-all expressioe surprising Billy, there's no doubt that she found no fws in the research about a possible ic crisis. She even dug a little deeper, but no one gave her a definite firmation about the so-called bubble.

  -What's your basis? There are usually rules to detect bubbles, though the problem often lies in the invisibility of these factors, - Raimon said. -Of course, we don't have official Marvel data, but it's possible to start iigating whether such a bubble might burst. Even if there's a bubble, Marvel's leadership won't want to expose a crisis. They'll keep it hidden as long as they , making it sustaio prevent a meltdown. -

  -So, it's impossible to know if there's a crisis from a theoretical standpoint, - Billy noted.

  -Exactly, at least years in advance. Maybe with some thh study, you could catch wind of the problem a few months before it bees evident. Are there any indicators in your expnation of the bubble? - Raimon asked.

  Billy got up from his seat, someuzzled. The theoretical expnations of eics make sense, but he 't cim to know the future.

  -Intuition. The alerts bee a bit clearer. I noticed it when our sales began to double sinber of the previous year, - Billy said.

  -That doesn't sound very reasonable, - Raimon responded.

  -Raimon, what if Marvel's boss doesn't care if a real estate bubble bursts? What if this person wants to wait long enough for the bubble to burst? - Billy questioned.

  -Then it would be detrimental for everyone," Raimon replied. "In that case, the pany would go bankrupt, and it would affect the entire market uhere's something distinctive about it, - Raimon tinued.

  -Something distinctive? - Billy inquired.

  -We're talking about ics; people buy them for the pleasure of reading, for eai. We would be affected by sequences like a national crisis, but in the world of ics, our product still hold its ground, - Raimon expined.

  -So even if the crisis sts three years, it wouldn't impact us as much as a pany, - Billy cluded.

  -It doesn't matter. Nobody knows how the market is. But you did see some signs from st year that indicated the creation of this bubble, - Raimon said.

  -You mean, from November two years ago, - Anne chimed in.

  -Yes, exactly! Two years ago, the eicrease started rapidly. And since we're a new, unsolidated pyer in the market, it's strange for the statistics to rise so quickly. I've also gathered some signifit details from neers, and some of my thoughts are ected to it, - Billy added.

  -Well, it sounds like paranoia to me. But go ahead, success is often eople ck the ce to see with on sense, - Raimon said, ing up the versation as he was eager to make the most of his time. - If that's all, I o head out. -

  -Wait a moment, - Anne said.

  -Miss Anne, do you need something else? - Raimon asked.

  -Well, I saw your proposal on how to expand our franchises. I want you to give Billy a summary of yrowth perspectives, - Anne expined.

  -Ah, sure, that's simple, - Raimon replied, thinking they might be assigning him more work. - What we o do with Toys and ics is diversify our services. We could implement a small dy store that attracts kids, as well as advertise in childreertai ters. We could distribute our products in parks, emas, video stores, and schools while respeg the anizations involved. We've already introduced some dies, but the idea is to establish a proper dy store withioy and ics shop. -

  >>As for T-Box Burgers, the burger o capture market share from petitors. The burger market is more plex. There are pces with good market flows that ck good burger joints, like the food court in San Francisco. However entering these markets is costly in the initial months. The product must build a er base. I've tried the burgers, and they're deliuch better than many franchises in San Francisco's food court. So, it takes time and space for people to get to know T-Box Burgers.

  >>Therefore, strengthening the delivery services of both restaurants is a good idea that doesn't require too much money. It's something that be initiated right now. With the financials from T-Box, we're in the green to improve the delivery system. Lastly, the burger cart, which is my st option, is still in the refining stages. In terms of location, I'm looking for a better food trupany. Los Angeles and San Francisco aren't as updated as New York, Chicago, and Houston, - Raimon expined.

  -That's a good expnation. I accept it, - Billy said.

  -Start the inquiries and arras for dy distributors tomorrow. I want the best dies iore. And we'll talk to Jaon about improving the delivery system, - Anne directed.

  -Wait, Anne. Inquiries! There's Lucas and Mr. Cloud, - Raimon excimed.

  Anne looked up with a serious and cold gaze.

  -Well, talk to both. I want the best-selling dies in California to be avaible at the toy store week. Get to work, Raimon, - Anne said.

  Raimon hurriedly left the room, gesturing words as he ran back to his workspace.

  -I see why he's afraid of you, - Billy ented.

  -Hahaha, you know, - Anne replied, a wide smile on her face.

  -As for you, you o keep w on your ics. The Iron Giant, Doom, and Power Rangers series had det sales, but they didn't reach the target of your main series. Neon Genesis Evangelion had low sales among the public; it hasn't covered the market's sales yet, - Anne informed.

  -I uand. Keep them for now. I believe sales will pick up eventually, - Billy said.

  -State-

  Billy Carson:

  [Drawing: 28.72

  Literature: 26.12

  Performance: 24.98

  Points: 123]

  [Art Supplies Store

  Purchased:

  Samurai Jack 15 pointsHellboy 22 points. 1993Sm Dunk. 30 points 1990Yu Yu Hakusho. 40 points. 1992Dexter's Laboratory. 21 points 1994.Rugrats: Adventures in Diapers 25 points.Pinky and the Brain 15 points 1992.Animatics 1992. 15 pointsJohnny Bravo 15 points 1994Rurouni Kenshin 25 points 1994.Evangelion 20 points 1994.Doom 15 points. 1993.The Lion King has 30 points. 1991Hercules. 15 points 1997Shaman King. 20 points 1997.The Iron Giant. 15 points.Power Rangers. 20 points 1993.Trigun 15 points 1995.The Hunchback of Notre Dame. 15 points 1996.]There have been a good number of points accumuted from the various id the Terminator movie. The wish fulfillment has improved signifitly. All these points are being used to buy series; the regur point costs are quite high, and only the points from

  [8. Turn a ito a TV show. 180 points. To discover your repressed wish, you must fulfill the first one.

  9. Have your iown throughout the Uates. To discover your repressed wish, you must fulfill the first one.

  ...]

  His wish includes something he never sidered as a repressed desire: donating money, being a subject of donation, and creating a foundation might not be a bad idea for his future idustry.

  [12. Donate 1,000,000 to a charitable anization. 210 points.

  To discover your repressed wish, you must fulfill this one.]

  ...