September 14th. Takuya Nakayama stepped into the investment department at Sega Headquarters once again.
Unlike his previous tense and restrained visit, the air now buzzed with near-hysterical excitement.
On the massive whiteboard, the red curve representing the British pound's exchange rate was plummeting, while nearby news updates clearly marked the latest developments:
Finnish Mark Plunges First!
Italian Lira Under Pressure!
Cracks in the European Exchange Rate Mechanism!
The entire department was charged with frenzied energy, each face radiating excitement yet restrained by strict discipline—a peculiar atmosphere of controlled euphoria, like the night before a gold rush.
Hoshino's eyes lit up the moment he saw Takuya Nakayama. He practically jogged over, holding a freshly brewed coffee, and respectfully offered it to him.
"Managing Director! You're here!"
His enthusiasm was so overwhelming, one might mistake them for long-lost father and son reunited after years apart.
"Hmm." Takuya Nakayama accepted the coffee, his gaze fixed on the whiteboard. "It seems London is quite lively."
"Lively? It's more like a feast!" Hoshino's voice pitched up an octave as he pointed at the string of numbers on the whiteboard, excitedly reporting. "Managing Director, you're practically a god! The moment the Finnish Mark devalued, those market fence-sitters went wild, joining Soros and his pack of hungry wolves in pouncing on the British pound! Our informants in London say the system is nearly grinding to a halt from all the sell orders flooding in!"
He paused, then lowered his voice, his tone bordering on reverence. "Most crucially, those British banks you singled out earlier are dumping the hardest! They're stripping their own houses bare—it's utterly disgraceful!"
Takuya Nakayama calmly took a sip of his coffee, seemingly unaffected by the cacophony of ringing phones and keyboard clicks in the office.
"How's our position building coming along?"
"Fully executed your instructions, completed the staged positions, and kept costs under control!" Hoshino puffed out his chest, his face brimming with pride.
"The British Prime Minister was still on TV today, swearing that the British pound would never leave the European Exchange Rate Mechanism, let alone devalue," Hoshino added, a hint of mockery in his voice.
Takuya Nakayama finally smiled.
"The more emphatic he sounds, the weaker his hand and the less confidence he has."
He set down his coffee cup, gazing at Hoshino's flushed face from excitement. "Do you remember the final signal?" he asked calmly.
Hoshino shuddered, his smile vanishing instantly. He stood ramrod straight, like a soldier awaiting inspection, and answered with decisive authority: "I remember! A sharp interest rate hike! Once the Bank of England announces a significant rate increase, it means they've run out of options. That's their last bullet!"
"Good." Takuya nodded and turned toward the door.
"Prepare the champagne, Hoshino."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly across the bustling office.
September 16th, Wednesday.
When news of the Bank of England's abrupt increase of its base interest rate from 10% to 12% reached Tokyo, a deathly silence fell over the Sega Investment Department, followed by an eruption of suppressed exclamations.
All eyes turned toward the figure casually seated on the corner sofa.
"Managing Director—" Director Hoshino's voice trembled imperceptibly as he stared at the newly updated numbers on the whiteboard, as if they were not interest rates, but a death sentence.
Takuya Nakayama, coffee cup in hand, gently blew at the steam without even looking up. "No need to panic. John Bull hasn't reached the end of his rope yet."
His words had barely faded when the international dedicated line rang shrilly again.
The operator's hands trembled as he covered the microphone and shouted in a strained voice, "Urgent telegram from London! The Bank of England has just announced an emergency rate hike to 15%!"
15%!
Even the sound of breathing vanished from the command center.
Everyone understood what this meant.
This was a desperate, all-or-nothing gamble—a mad move that pushed all the chips to the center of the table.
Hoshino whipped around to face Takuya Nakayama.
This time, he couldn't even speak. His eyes brimmed with fervent admiration, mixed with a reverence one might reserve for a deity.
The prophecy had been fulfilled.
To the very letter.
"The final bullet has been fired," Takuya Nakayama said, finally setting down his coffee cup. He stood and calmly walked to the whiteboard.
He picked up a marker and gently drew a downward-pointing arrow on the red line representing the British pound's exchange rate.
It was a simple gesture, yet carried the weight of a command.
"Hoshino."
"At your service!" Hoshino snapped to attention, his body going rigid.
"Notify Sugiura in London to prepare for the haul. We need to catch the fish before anyone else. Let's be the first to land it." Takuya Nakayama's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an authority that settled the entire room. "Remember, leave in staggered groups. Don't disturb the market. Slip away quietly."
"Yes, sir!"
Hoshino immediately grabbed the red phone and relayed the preparation order to Sugiura in London.
The next few hours stretched into a long, agonizing wait.
The entire investment department was brightly lit, but apart from the rhythmic tapping of keyboards and occasional hushed whispers, it was eerily quiet.
Everyone moved like precision machines, their eyes fixed on the screens, tracking every minute fluctuation in the numbers.
Takuya Nakayama and Hoshino remained at the command center, waiting for the end of the London trading day.
Finally, when the clock struck 7 PM in London and 2 AM in Tokyo, the long-awaited news arrived.
The British government had officially announced its withdrawal from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism!
The British pound was in free fall!
On the screens, the red line plummeted like a waterfall, crashing downward with unstoppable momentum.
"Get out! Close all positions immediately! Execute now!"
Hoshino practically roared, his voice hoarse from tension and excitement.
In that instant, the command center filled with a symphony of rapid keystrokes, merging into a thunderous chorus reminiscent of harvest season combine harvesters—the golden anthem of Sega.
When the final liquidation trade was completed and the profit figure on the screen finally settled, the entire department fell into an eerie silence.
Then, as if someone had given the signal, the pent-up emotions erupted like a volcano, a deafening cheer that nearly tore the roof off Headquarters!
Some embraced in excitement, others collapsed into their chairs, exhausted. Still others stared at the astronomical numbers, laughing so hard that tears streamed down their faces.
After all the closing work was done, Hoshino accompanied Takuya Nakayama out of the Headquarters building.
A cool morning breeze, carrying a hint of freshness, swept away the fatigue from the all-night work.
Hoshino exhaled a long, deep breath, glancing at Takuya, who remained composed beside him. Unable to resist, he cautiously asked, "Managing Director, the profit we made this time... it should cover the development costs for the next-generation console, right?"
Takuya glanced up at the pale, fish-belly white sky, stretched lazily, and replied casually, "Mm... probably."
"..."
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