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Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.

The return of Itachi

I am Sasuke. Why should I defect from Konoha.

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***

On July 28, 2002, the Milwaukee Bucks’ internal power struggle came to an end.

After failing to make the playoffs, the management ultimately decided to trade Glenn Robinson, who was rebellious and disliked training.

The Atlanta Hawks seemed to have gotten a bargain, acquiring the All-Star forward by sending Tony Kukoc, Leon Smith, and a 2003 first-round draft pick.

Before the sportswriters could comment, Ray Allen, who had long since returned to Milwaukee, happily accepted an interview and, in passing, transformed into a straightforward boy:

“I promise the Milwaukee fans that the new Milwaukee Bucks will make it to the Finals.”

“I can’t wait to train with my new teammates. This offseason, I will throw myself into the training gym. Next season, the team will get back on track!”

Head Coach George Karl was not pleased with this trade.

He had always disliked Ray Allen’s big mouth and firmly believed that internal team matters should be resolved in the locker room.

Unfortunately, when the management made its choice, the diligent Ray Allen ultimately became the team’s future.

Head Coach George Karl quickly made his stance clear.

This coach, who preferred tough guys, did not forget to once again PUA Ray Allen:

(*Meaning: manipulative or emotionally abusive behavior. Psychological manipulation.)

“I don’t want to discuss this trade, but what I do know is that if the Milwaukee Bucks want to break out of the Eastern Conference, our core players must strengthen their Defense.”

“The team leader must lead by example. He needs to give his all in every game, not just on offense, but also on Defense.”

“Barbie dolls can’t achieve anything in the league!”

These words naturally angered Ray Allen again. Privately, George Karl, disliking Ray Allen’s “elegant” playing style, had simply called him “Barbie doll” within the team for the past season.

The sports media was not yet aware of this, but after this public statement, everyone knew Ray Allen’s new nickname.

Soon, the two began to exchange words through the media, starting a new round of bickering, and now everyone knew about the conflict between the core player and the Head Coach.

Some teams were naturally eager to act.

Ray Allen might not be untouchable!

At the end of July, the Milwaukee Bucks’ trade truly enlivened the free market.

Young fans could also follow the gossip on the internet.

Online news updates quickly, and regardless of the truthfulness of these news stories, as long as they were interesting, it was enough!

As for the New York City onlookers, the FBI arrested a female lawyer named Lynne Stewart, accusing her of having ties to extremist organizations and transmitting terrorist messages.

As soon as this news was reported, it immediately startled the sensitive New York City residents.

Already, a large number of financial institutions were rapidly relocating to Midtown Manhattan, and many residents were choosing to leave Manhattan.

The breaking of this news proved that there were still unsafe factors in the city, and it was predictable that the residential vacancy rate in Lower Manhattan would continue to rise!

This weekend, Lee, along with Melinda and Kim, hosted some business partners.

The yacht departed from Chelsea Pier in the morning, sailing along the Hudson River, offering views of the New York City skyline and landmarks.

Through American Express’s services, Lee and Bobby rented a large luxury yacht.

The standard was similar to that of WorldCom CEO Bernard Ebbers’s yacht, also equipped with a helipad, and all other facilities were complete.

Naturally, everyone brought their families to the weekend gathering.

Melinda and Kim were both wearing white dresses and chatting with the “wives’ circle.”

Citadel hedge fund was founded by Ken Griffin.

Although this Harvard University graduate billionaire was young, he was definitely among the elite of the elite.

In just a few years, his personal assets exceeded 500 million US dollars.

Achieving this at the age of 34 was not easy.

Of course, making big money was inseparable from his family’s support.

Ken Griffin’s wife, Anne Dias, was a 30-year-old blonde French beauty.

She was also not just a pretty face.

After graduating with honors from Georgetown University, she worked as an analyst in the investment banking division of Goldman Sachs in New York City.

After earning her MBA from Harvard Business School, she joined Soros Fund Management as an analyst and was later promoted to portfolio manager.

Last year, Anne Dias had just founded her own fund in New York City, and Julian Robertson, the founder of Tiger Management, provided her with startup capital.

Their union could be described as a powerful alliance, and Lee was able to meet these two primarily through the introduction of a Republican Party bigwig.

Both of them had provided funds to the Republican Party, with Ken Griffin leaning more towards conservatives.

Ken Griffin was only wearing a casual suit.

He had already taken off his jacket and was leaning on the sofa, chatting casually and laughing.

Anne Dias, on the other hand, was wearing a striking red dress, seemingly preferring to be the center of attention.

These two were considered elite, while the three brothers on the other side were representatives of those who “fully relied on their father.”

The three Ziff Brothers, Dirk, Robert, and Daniel, from Ziff Brothers Investments, were all present, and their girlfriends were also chatting in the “wives’ circle.”

The three brothers were also discussing the recent movements of the White House, joining in the boasting.

These three were the sons of American publishing magnate William Bernard Ziff.

In 1994, their wealthy father officially retired after selling most of the family business shares to Forstmann Little for $1.4 billion.

The reason he sold the company to a private equity firm instead of having his sons inherit it was mainly because the three brothers were not interested in the publishing industry.

The three then established an investment company, ready to make a big splash and, incidentally, prove their abilities.

The three brothers currently also leaned towards the Republican Party and often attended Bloomberg’s gatherings.

The family members they brought were also intelligent women, all graduates of Cornell Law School.

Although their looks were not as beautiful as the French businesswoman on the other side, they were still considered beauties.

Just last week, Mayor Giuliani gave a public speech, commenting on the incident investigation report released by the joint congressional committee, and then called on business leaders to provide some financial support.

Ken Griffin responded to the call, and the couple provided some support, but he was not very satisfied with New York City’s mere slogan-chanting behavior, so he quietly lamented a few words:

“The rich have too little influence in politics. Look at this Mayor Giuliani, how many times has he called for support this month?”

Former Mayor Giuliani rose through the ranks from the South District Federal Prosecutor’s Office.

Therefore, he gained widespread support for his iron-fisted approach to sorting out New York City’s public safety.

Bloomberg spent tens of millions of US dollars and secured the position of Mayor Giuliani, but he encountered more constraints.

Currently, he gives the impression of being overwhelmed.

Although Ken Griffin’s face looked kind and his eyes were bright, giving a sense of friendliness, he was actually like some hardline conservatives.

On the other side, the three brothers had somewhat similar faces.

Dirk casually ran a hand through his short gray hair and chuckled:

“Are you planning to run for office in the future? I think the current market is great, full of opportunities, and more suitable for us to make a big splash.”

“In less than four years, I plan to take the company public and make more money. No matter which party it is, they will welcome us with open arms.”

From publishing to finance, although the span was considerable, the three brothers were extremely confident because they had “insiders,” and many transactions were guaranteed to be profitable!

Daniel was the youngest of the three brothers, only five years older than Lee.

Seeing Lee return to their side, he immediately asked with a smile:

“Clay, why didn’t you choose the NFL? Seriously, although Manchester United’s financial statements look good, will English football continue to develop so rapidly?”

“That’s our question. Funds are not really an issue. Everyone just doesn’t understand sports industry investments very well. Although we can repurchase shares, we don’t want to personally operate this club.”

“I even suspect they might try to deal with us by cooking the books, just like those Hollywood guys!”

Lee sat down next to Bobby, took the beer offered by Ken Griffin, took a sip, and casually said:

“There is indeed a risk in that regard, but we can make money through financial means. I’m also too lazy to manage the internal affairs of the club. Anyway, the debt is their problem.”

“The interest income can be considered a gift from everyone’s help. Subsequent dividends, consulting fees, refinancing, re-IPO, and share sales are all ways to make money.”

“Lengthen the time, I believe this is a win-win investment!”

Bobby also raised the beer in his hand and added simply, “We have actually investigated the market and stayed in the UK for a month. The fans there are extremely loyal, and the club’s performance is very stable.”

“And the English football league is unlikely to experience significant negative fluctuations in the short term, so even if we really can’t repay the debt, it’s still extremely cost-effective for everyone to acquire Manchester United at a 30% discount.”

“The loan’s security is extremely high, and all of us can profit. Of course, if you’re interested, you can also go to Europe to watch football, which is also a good vacation choice.”

Robert had clearly researched this investment in depth.

Among the three brothers, he appeared extremely stable.

At this moment, he chuckled, raised the beer in his hand, and agreed:

“I agree with the plan. Cheers to a win-win!”

The three brothers all had short gray hair, deep-set features, and their jeans and dark gray short-sleeved T-shirts showed off their well-exercised physiques.

When they raised their glasses, they all laughed heartily.

As for the minor troubles encountered in the acquisition, none of them took it to heart.

At worst, they could just “fully rely on their father.”

Bobby Axelrod’s Axe Capital’s scale was already close to catching up with Citadel hedge fund, and its industry-leading returns attracted more investors.

Everyone chatted amiably on the surface, but in reality, they were all potential opponents.

The “technical routes” taken by both sides were both similar and different, but the several people present were all worth over $300 million, so they naturally maintained respect for each other, respect for the dollar.

The six people stopped talking about investment matters.

After confirming that everyone would make money together, they started bragging and joking again.

The three brothers repeatedly invited everyone to go skiing in Colorado in the winter, while Ken Griffin hoped that they could attend an art auction in Chicago.

After Anne Dias swayed back to sit in Ken Griffin’s arms, she playfully remarked:

“Clay, how about I help you secure funding from Goldman Sachs, and I become the Football Director? After learning about this position, I quite like it.”

Noticing the blonde girl’s somewhat serious gaze, Lee shrugged, “Spare me! Ken wouldn’t bear to part with such a beauty like you! The weather in England is terrible!”

“Oh!”

As the girls returned, everyone cheered and then stopped discussing the topic.

Lee would obtain the other portion of the funds through Morgan Stanley.

Although he also had money himself, the Republican Party bigwigs introduced so many people, the purpose was to share the spoils.

Lee didn’t care either.

For him, the scenario he hoped to see was:

“After the acquisition, when I go to Europe, to Manchester, and hear Red Football Ltd., the common people’s eyes will be filled with awe.”

It was already 9 PM after seeing off the partners in the evening.

Returning to the yacht at this time, one could enjoy the bustling night view of Manhattan.

The chef on board prepared a late-night snack, including seafood and barbecue.

Melinda had changed into a loose white T-shirt and was eating barbecue while complaining about the beautiful Frenchwoman:

“I knew I should have prepared a red dress today too. She was clearly from a diplomatic academy in college and has only been in the financial world for a few years. I don’t believe Julian Robertson thinks highly of her!”

Kim was also happily eating the barbecue, her hair let down, and her high heels kicked off to the side.

She jokingly complained, “Falling for her husband is like falling for her. Anyway, Griffin will definitely invest in his wife, and the two will share resources.”

“One is headquartered in Chicago and the other in New York. Just treat it as a branch office. I wonder if they signed a prenuptial agreement!”

“Ha!”

Melinda rolled on the sofa with laughter.

She truly disliked that overly superior Frenchwoman.

Lara, beside Bobby, felt a bit down.

Most of this “wives’ circle” came from law schools, so she naturally couldn’t chat with them.

She seemed a bit lonely.

Lee noticed her mood, patted Melinda, who was still laughing, and then spoke,

“We should maintain our confidence. There’s no need to envy others. Right now, what everyone has is just money, but in the end, this money will eventually become wealth.”

“Even the old money will fall on hard times. We are still young, and opportunities are always for those who are prepared!”

Bobby hugged his girlfriend, chewing on a sandwich, and whispered:

“Lee is right. In less than two years, I’ll surpass them. We’ll live better, and we won’t need to rent yachts like this anymore!”

Lara smiled at them, finally kicked off her high heels, and said with a smile, “It’s rare to see such a beautiful night view. Let’s stay up late tonight!”

The three girls took out their cameras, ready to take some photos.

Lee had almost finished eating when he suddenly spoke up to remind them:

“Have you noticed the abnormality in Silicon Valley housing prices? After the dot-com bubble, housing prices didn’t fall but rose instead. This might be a problem.”

“Old Mike and Nacho are collecting some data on site. You can also pay attention to mortgage information if you have time. In short, perhaps another opportunity to make big money has arrived.”

Housing prices in Silicon Valley had also made headlines.

Bobby had also paid attention to them.

He seemed to have thought of something, frowned slightly, and said, “It seems we still need partners! I will continue to follow this news.”

On August 1, the White House signed the Corporate and Financial Criminal Responsibility Act.

This bill was aimed at combating financial fraud by American companies, hoping to restore investor confidence.

Although the media followed suit and praised it, industry insiders knew that this thing couldn’t control the bigwigs and would most likely end up as a superficial project.

The Los Angeles Times recently reported on Shaquille O’Neal’s concert, and to the delight of the public, most of the Lakers players attended to show support, but Kobe was nowhere to be seen.

More and more people began to believe ESPN’s reports, thinking that after winning the championship, the conflict between the two was becoming irreconcilable.

Phil Jackson originally didn’t want to answer questions about this, but he was cornered by the Los Angeles Times at the beginning of the month, and in the end, he could only play mediator:

“Every team has conflicts, and every player has different demands.”

“Actually, I’m happy to see such a phenomenon, which indicates that both sides are competing. This competition for victory will make the Lakers even more dominant!”

“The two just have some different basketball philosophies. I believe Shaq and Kobe will handle these issues.”

He was originally in Los Angeles with General Manager Kupchak, discussing how the team should recruit, but after Phil Jackson said these words, he was quickly contradicted by Kobe.

Trainer Tim Grover’s guidance made Kobe understand how to prove himself!

At 4 AM in Los Angeles, Kobe had been constantly pushing his body to the limit recently.

Women would only affect his shooting, and Vanessa was also cast aside.

The day after Phil Jackson made his statement, Los Angeles sports media had already cornered Kobe early.

When asked why he didn’t appear at Shaquille O’Neal’s concert, Kobe instead asked in return:

“I don’t understand why he would choose such a boring way to celebrate.”

“We only won one championship. Looking back at the three home games in the Finals, we won very luckily!”

“If Shaq had missed a few more free throws, perhaps the result would have been completely different.”

“I don’t trust his free throws, so I’m going to throw myself into the training gym and continue to hone my basketball skills. I will make up for Shaq’s free throws through my own efforts.”

“Report whatever you want, I will lead the team to defend the title next season!”

These words made sense and were well-reasoned.

For a time, the fence-sitters changed their tune and started criticizing the lazy Shaquille O’Neal again.

The Lakers had been holding back for a long time during the offseason, but so far, they had only given up Brian Shaw and added some atmosphere players, with no major players joining.

The big fish in this offseason were limited, but sports media still hoped to get some big scoops.

On August 2nd, sports media didn’t wait for news from the Lakers. Instead, the 76ers sent away their All-Star center.

The Nets sent Todd Mcloach and Keith Van Horn to the 76ers, ultimately getting Dikembe Mutombo, whose age was unknown.

This trade was not well-received.

Most sports media did not believe Mutombo’s condition could continue.

Although he was selected for the All-Star Game last season, it was largely because the Eastern Conference truly had no excellent big men left.

The Nets signed Dikembe Mutombo, clearly to break out of the Eastern Conference.

Van Horn was locked down by Ron Artest in the Eastern Conference Finals, a situation the management absolutely would not allow to happen again.

Jason Kidd seemed quite pleased with the trade.

In an interview, he quickly expressed his welcome to his new teammate:

“The Nets currently lack experienced veterans. Dikembe Mutombo is a big-game player; he has been to the Eastern Conference Finals, and I believe he can bring help to the team!”

Adding Dikembe Mutombo, whether the Nets can break out of the Eastern Conference remains an unknown.

Allen Iverson, who had recently been avoiding interviews, also suddenly made a statement:

“I just hope the management can add talent around me as the core. We’ve made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, and I hope the team can be patient!”

“Making it to the Eastern Conference Finals” and “scoring champion” had become Allen Iverson’s excuses.

Facing more doubts, this rebellious small player became increasingly disliked.

Even 76ers fans, who liked to “trust the process,” no longer blindly supported the team as they used to.

Everyone knew that with Allen Iverson as the core, it would be difficult to break out of the Eastern Conference.

The Knicks also made a move, but to the disappointment of New York fans, the team only added a “hype man.”

After his poor performance in the Summer League, Matt Barnes was waived by the Cavaliers and diligently searched for work in the market.

After half a month of struggle, the Knicks finally welcomed him, signing him to a temporary contract.

The team’s “hype man” from last year was released after getting paid, and now they are looking for a replacement.

New York fans hoped to see a “major trade,” but unfortunately, all the teams seemed to be laying low.

From Cleveland to New York, Matt Barnes still had to keep fighting, otherwise, by October, the Knicks would likely waive him again.

The national team training camp had already started, and the selected players began to report in succession.

Lee, having achieved his stage goals, happened to attend the premiere of the movie “Signs” in New York.

When media reporters at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York saw Lee with a familiar blonde woman, after a greeting, some New York Media started to jeer and shout:

“Why another blonde? Lee, is this your new friend again?”

Lee, dressed in a black suit, waved his hand.

Katheryn, in a white gown beside him, secretly twisted him twice.

Her grip was strong, which made Lee quickly respond:

“I’m just here to watch a movie. Sci-fi movies have always been my favorite!”

Katheryn, holding Lee’s arm, smiled sweetly at the media below, then reverted to her “mature older sister” expression, and twisted Lee twice more.

Most of those who came to the premiere tonight brought their families, some even appearing as a family of three.

The movie was about crop circles, and children loved to watch it!

The main actors, Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix, were both in formal wear, pulling little Brycelin along to greet the attendees.

Lee showed a nostalgic expression when he saw the movie poster.

Crop Circles, an unsolved mystery of the world, used to be his favorite.

Even if much of the content was fabricated, he still watched it with great interest back then.

Mel Gibson really didn’t expect Lee to like Crop Circles.

When he pulled the little one over, he didn’t forget to tease him:

“I guarantee you’ll love this movie, and by the way, I have news for you: there are really alien elements in the plot!”

“Hey! Don’t spoil it! I’m full of anticipation!”

Lee hugged and greeted the other party while complaining a bit.

After so many years of media reports, everyone knew Lee hated “spoilers.”

Phoenix also stepped forward to hug him and then chuckled as he introduced the plot:

“To make this movie, the creators also researched relevant materials. You can chat with them if you have time!”

“I’m even more excited! Hello, little princess!”

Lee complimented her, then used his “head pat” move on the little one who followed.

Katheryn noticed that Lee genuinely liked this genre and was immediately surprised.

In her impression, Lee never had such a childish side.

After the movie started, Lee knew the ending from the beginning, but the old-fashioned plot combined with good background music still kept him thoroughly entertained.

Katheryn was also watching intently until Lee whispered in her ear, which made her face flush and she twisted him again.

The story was a bit cliché, but it was undeniable that with the hype of Crop Circles, the box office performance should be good!

When they returned to Katheryn’s apartment that night, the white gown became a prop.

After an intense battle, it was already midnight.

The two, having showered, returned to bed to drink some sweet wine.

Leaning on Lee, Katheryn, still flushed, suddenly asked in a low voice:

“Do you remember your childhood dream? Do you like aliens?”

“No, I like beautiful girls. My dream has never changed. I want to make a lot of money!”

Lee hugged the super-energetic blonde, noticed her eyes were a bit hazy, and kissed her fiercely.

Gently pushing Lee away, Katheryn straddled him and asked in a low voice:

“You’re already very rich, aren’t you? Why don’t you relax?”

Although Lee’s skills improved through “passive talent,” he still took time every day to exercise diligently, and he also controlled his diet, only indulging on weekends.

Katheryn naturally noticed these habits.

Looking at the blonde’s curious gaze, Lee frankly said:

“Money is not wealth. I like to be the one paying salaries, not watching others wave checks at me.”

“As for my body, that’s the foundation of everything. I don’t want to be pinned down by you!”

Although she didn’t get the answer she wanted, Katheryn pushed Lee down again, then leaned close to his ear, put on a fierce expression, and whispered:

“Tonight, you’re going to tell me the truth!”

Laughter filled the room again.

Their strengths were comparable, so it was destined to be a sleepless night.

On sunday, August 4th, Lee, somewhat weak in the legs, attended the Nike street basketball event held at Washington Square Park.

The event had been promoted for over half a month.

In the 3-on-3 competition, the winning team would receive a $100,000 prize and a golden basketball hoop commemorative trophy.

With the lure of money and Lee’s popularity, the atmosphere was naturally incredibly enthusiastic, or rather, the scene was already wild.

The event venue was packed with people, all “fully armed,” a glance revealing a sea of gear-heads.

The opening act was Lee playing a game with two other players, serving as a warm-up for the event.

Every three-pointer and every dunk made the surrounding hype men roar with excitement.

When Lee performed a series of continuous between-the-legs dribbles, suddenly faking a drive, then pulling back with a wide crossover, instantly making his defender sit down, the cheers became unstoppable.

The moment he shot and made the three-pointer, the streetball players watching rushed onto the court, surrounding Lee and shouting:

“MVP! MVP! MVP!”

Ron Artest was certainly not good at flashy moves, but Lee was absolutely a dimension-level attack, not to mention that such a game also allowed for occasional “showboating.”

After the event officially began, the atmosphere on site exploded.

3v3 was already intense, and with the added incentive of prize money, the game almost turned into “Hot-Blooded Basketball.”

Clay Lee wore sports pants and a black Nike T-shirt.

After a slight warm-up, he immediately felt much better.

Chris, still feeling down after his grandfather’s accidental death not long ago, came to the event with his father, which had a huge impact on him.

After Lee finished taking photos with fans, Chris also came up to him with a ball and said seriously:

“I’m going to play at Wake Forest University in the future, Lee. Thank you. I learned a lot at your training camp.”

The atmosphere at the event was still lively.

Lee patted Chris, who had grown quite a bit, and offered his blessings:

“NCAA is just the beginning; you will become a big star!”

(A/N: Guess who??)

…..

By the way, don’t forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me 🙂

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep