Nozaki Shuhei - Auditor of Bank (監査役野崎修平)

Will merge with Yotsuba and Hikari on an equal footing.

I intend to remove President Kyogoku, who is privatizing the bank,

from his position at the helm and work to dissolve the merger.

You're going to be the CEO.

Nozaki.

NOZAKI SHUHEI, AUDITOR OF BANK

Final Episode

Cancel the merger?

Yes.

Ozora, Yotsuba, and Hikari have very different corporate cultures.

It's impossible to make this one bank in the first place.

Actually, we were thinking the same thing.

So you thought of that?

Yes.

So let's start by thinking about how to proceed...

with exiting the merger.

This is a coup d'état.

If this gets leaked to the CEO,

we'll get crushed.

You're going to be the CEO.

Nozaki.

You have to be prepared to do that...

to defeat Kyogoku.

I understood.

Takeda-san, please become the new CEO.

Excuse me.

I'm sorry.

- Nozaki-san! - It's been a long time.

I was going to come say hello to you.

No, it's fine.

I've heard rumors, Wada-kun.

You're working hard as the union president.

No, thanks to you watching over me from afar,

I've grown a little since before.

Really?

But you seem to be busy.

Yes.

The unions are now busy with the merger process.

But in the end, it's all a battle for the position.

Which union will take the lead?

What is the reaction of the ordinary employees to the merger?

They are in a serious situation.

Since the system failure, their morale has been declining,

and it seems that everyone is questioning the merger.

Is that so?

Please gather information...

with the progress of the merger in each department,

and feedback from the field.

I would like to quantify whether they are for or against the merger.

Nozaki-san, you must be...

We're looking to dissolve the merger.

That's you, sir!

Everyone is pretty frustrated.

Please get to work on this right away.

- Yes, sir! - Yes, sir!

All right.

Reconsider the merger?

You must be kidding here.

The new Bank of Japan will be launched soon.

Next week, we will even start a three-line director exchange program.

If we were to withdraw from the merger, we would become a laughing stock.

But I don't think it's going to work out like this.

The stock prices are also falling.

This means the market doesn't value it.

But even if we were able to escape,

it would be strenuous for Ozora to survive on its own.

That's right.

If the company scale becomes smaller,

it will be difficult to expand the business,

and it's possible that it will withdraw from international operations.

Reduced to a SME financial institution?

That's absolutely impossible!

That may be the case if the current system continues.

However, once the merger is dissolved,

we will create a new Ozora!

There is no need for old management.

We will be reborn under new, young, and innovative management!

Who would do that?

We are considering Auditor Nozaki.

Nozaki!?

Huh!?

No way. I was wondering who it was.

Nozaki, you say?

Certainly.

He's always the only one who can speak frankly to the CEO.

It might actually be interesting.

I see.

Nozaki-san, huh?

What's this?

What's wrong?

A declaration?

We are Ozora Bank volunteers.

"Ozora Bank should immediately withdraw from the three-bank merger"?

Hey.

"That is the only path left to us."

"I hope that we can invigorate our activities to create a new Ozora."

All volunteers from Ozora Bank...

Where is it! Where did it come from!

- Investigate this right now! - Yes, sir!

Contact each branch and collect this now!

Make sure this doesn't get in the media!

Yes, sir.

It's unusual for you to call me out to a place like this.

We had a confidential talk.

Confidential?

Finally.

I think it's going to happen soon.

I would like your cooperation at that time.

What's going to happen?

That's still not clear.

But with the merger approaching, bank employees...

are feeling extremely stressed.

If the employees express a desire to dissolve the merger,

I would fully support that.

Are you serious?

Our CEO will crush you right away.

If I'm the only one who thinks so,

then it must be true.

But what if that's what the majority of employees want?

No matter how much he may be as the CEO,

it's impossible to destroy him.

It's an amusing strategy,

but I doubt that a sheepishly docile banker...

would be so brazen.

Bankers don't stay sheep forever.

When cornered, even a sheep will fight back.

I've already pushed them back.

Did you flush it out?

Yes, I did.

It's not like you...

playing tricks.

I changed my mind.

We will do whatever it takes to achieve our goal.

To defeat Kyogoku,

you must be prepared to get your hands dirty.

We're going to dissolve the merger and create a new Ozora.

I'll be asking for your cooperation.

Yes, you're calling from the Audit Office.

I understood.

Sir.

The CEO is calling for you.

I hear something like this is circulating.

It's the dissolution of merger.

Do you think you can do that?

I hear that some department heads are sympathetic to the cause,

and you should give them some advice.

Now,

with the merger, we will have to drastically reduce our workforce.

I think it's in your own best interest to think this through.

I understood.

That's strangely upfront of you.

I'll give you my advice.

But no one wants to take an auditor's word...

who's going to be fired in a few months.

That may be true.

Oh, right.

I've also heard rumors that you'll become the CEO...

after the merger is dissolved.

I'd like to see you as the CEO.

It would be really interesting.

The chairman is privy to the activities of the board of directors.

Are you saying that I'm leaking information?

I know that the CEO meets with you frequently.

We are talking about business here.

What evidence do you have?

No, I'm not blaming you.

I have a favor to ask.

A favor?

I want CEO Kyogoku to misinform the public.

"The department heads are not united."

"Many are rather cautious about dissolving the merger."

And I want you to let me know about his movements.

So you want me to become a double agent?

Yes.

I can't believe those words from you.

What happened to you?

I've reached a point where I can no longer care about my image.

I intend to defeat CEO Kyogoku by any means necessary.

I only ride winning horses.

It's up to you to decide which one to bet on.

Hello.

This is Wada speaking.

Do you have time tonight, sir?

It's at the second from left in the back.

I see.

Sir.

What's going on?

We're having a rally.

What?

These are volunteers who are young bankers.

We support this manifesto.

I'm in favor of the merger to be withdrawn.

Are you serious about this?

Yes, I am!

If things continue as they are,

the new Bank of Japan will surely sink even if it merges.

We all think it makes sense to go back to the original Ozora.

The union has also received many voices in support of this manifesto.

I also believe that Ozora should withdraw from the merger.

- All right! - That's it!