"What's wrong, Mr. Chubachi?"
Kamizuki Keimasa poured him another cup of sake. The clear liquid flowed into the cup with a pleasant sound.
"Is the wine not to your taste? Or perhaps the food?"
"No, it's excellent," Chubachi Ryoji set the cup down and forced a smile.
"I just didn't expect President Kamizuki to have such… thorough knowledge of industry movements."
"Haha, when you get old, you start liking fresh gossip to pass the time."
Kamizuki waved his hand dismissively, as if it were nothing worth mentioning.
"But that said, times really are changing fast. You think you're holding a winning hand—only to discover that under the table, someone else may already have a straight flush."
He raised his cup slightly toward Chubachi in a distant toast.
"Sometimes, the one running the fastest also becomes the easiest target.
Don't you agree, Mr. Chubachi?"
At that moment, Chubachi Ryoji finally understood completely.
Kamizuki Keimasa hadn't accepted this meeting merely to hear Sony's plans—nor simply to discuss cooperation.
He was showing cards—cards that Konami didn't even consider its trump cards—making it unmistakably clear:
Your hidden cards? I know them all.
You want Konami to board your ship? Fine.
But first, show us something real.
Show us whether your ship is bigger, more stable than Panasonic's—
and whether it can even surpass Nintendo and Sega.
This meal was no longer something he could stomach.
Chubachi took a deep breath, stood up, and bowed deeply.
"Thank you for today's hospitality, President Kamizuki—and thank you for your 'reminder.'
I have urgent matters to attend to and must return to Tokyo immediately. Please excuse me."
"So urgent?" Kamizuki showed just the right amount of surprise before returning to his gentle smile.
"Very well. I won't keep you. Please convey my regards to President Ohga."
Only after stepping outside, hit by the cool night breeze of Osaka, did Chubachi realize his back was completely soaked with sweat.
He glanced back at the elegant restaurant hidden deep in the alley.
It looked like the open maw of a gigantic beast.
Wiping cold sweat from his forehead, he abandoned all decorum and nearly ran toward the car parked at the street corner.
Immediately.
Right now.
He had to inform President Ohga and Ken Kutaragi at once.
---
Tokyo – Sony Headquarters
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of President Norio Ohga's office, illuminating the polished black walnut desk.
The aroma of premium Uji gyokuro tea filled the air.
Ohga calmly held his teacup, looking at Chubachi Ryoji and Ken Kutaragi, who sat rigidly across from him. Amusement flickered in his eyes.
It was just dinner in Osaka—why do they look like the sky is falling?
Even if Konami had signed an exclusivity deal on the spot, it wouldn't warrant this level of urgency.
Kutaragi, freshly dragged out of the lab, still had PlayStation schematics running through his head and felt Chubachi was overreacting.
"Well?" Ohga sipped his tea.
"What kind of spell did President Kamizuki cast on you, Chubachi?"
Chubachi ignored the teasing.
He hadn't slept well since returning. Kamizuki's smiling face had haunted him all night.
He inhaled deeply; his voice came out hoarse.
"Panasonic is entering the market."
The room fell silent.
Kutaragi's impatience froze instantly, his brow furrowing.
Ohga paused midair with his teacup, then casually set it down with a soft click.
Chubachi continued, tossing out a second bomb.
"And EA's founder, Trip Hawkins, has resigned. He's preparing to start a new company."
Even Kutaragi's breathing grew heavier.
One was Sony's lifelong enemy in consumer electronics.
The other was the godfather of North American game software.
Either piece of news alone would shake the industry. Together—especially when casually linked—it carried terrifying implications.
"Panasonic…" Kutaragi spoke first, instinctively analyzing.
"They don't have our experience supplying Sega and Nintendo, but their technical reserves and cash flow are monstrous. With Japan's economy down, they could buy struggling game companies outright and brute-force their way in with money."
Ohga listened, but showed no tension—only a faintly amused smile.
"Isn't Panasonic's interest proof that we chose the right path?" he said calmly.
"If it's a golden road, it's only natural others want to walk it. Besides, having worked with Nintendo and Sega for years, we know how hard this industry is. No need to worry about Panasonic riding over our heads."
The atmosphere relaxed.
"Still," Ohga said, placing his cup down, "Kutaragi's point reminds me—if acquisition is a shortcut, why shouldn't Sony move first?"
He leaned forward slightly. His tone was mild; the content, shocking.
"We already took pressure from the board after acquiring Columbia Pictures. Large overseas acquisitions are difficult right now.
But domestic game companies? That's cheap."
"These firms aren't incapable—they were strangled by cash flow. Japan's economy is weak. Even major corporations like us must be careful with liquidity, let alone mid-sized firms intoxicated by the bubble."
"As long as we inject capital and let them continue development before our console launches, profitability isn't an issue."
He looked at Kutaragi.
"Didn't Technos Japan overextend itself building a new headquarters?"
Kutaragi's eyes lit up.
"Exactly! Brilliant as always, President.
Though honestly, I don't understand those guys—wildly aggressive in real estate, yet ridiculously conservative in game design."
"The Mega Drive's been out for two years, and their MD titles are still just FC-era Kunio and Double Dragon with better graphics. Zero innovation."
"Feels like all their development budget went into wall tiles."
Even Ohga laughed.
"That's easy enough," he waved it off.
"Once we acquire them, development direction is ours. Sega's produced so many creative titles lately—even old IPs evolve better than Technos' current half-dead state."
"As for other acquisition targets, Chubachi—start scouting. Once Kutaragi confirms, submit proposals to the board."
"Yes," Chubachi nodded.
The mood fully eased.
Ohga shifted his gaze back to Chubachi.
"As for Trip Hawkins—Kamizuki was likely hinting that Hawkins may build his own console, and Panasonic could be his partner."
"We don't need to panic," Ohga tapped the desk rhythmically.
"Intelligence must keep up, but our rhythm must not falter. PlayStation development proceeds step by step. Rushing only invites mistakes."
His eyes grew sharp.
"Look at Sega—Mega Drive and Game Pocket launched flawlessly. Every step precise.
Then look at Nintendo's SFC—massive foundation, tens of millions of FC users—yet half a year in, sales are weak and market presence is faint."
"How could players get excited?"
What began as a crisis meeting turned into a clear strategic deployment under Ohga's calm leadership.
Final decisions:
Chubachi Ryoji: Monitor Panasonic and Hawkins, scout acquisition targets, submit proposals.
Ken Kutaragi: Eliminate distractions. Focus entirely on PlayStation—deliver the true next-generation performance monster.
After the meeting, Kutaragi felt fired up, ready to sprint back to the lab.
Chubachi left with calm restored—replaced by deep admiration for Ohga's foresight.
Kamizuki thought two bombs would raise Konami's price and pressure Sony?
Instead, he had accelerated Sony's acquisition strategy.
Sony might even owe him thanks.
---
Tokyo – Sega Headquarters
In Takuya Nakayama's executive office, afternoon tea—black tea and wagashi—sat beside a stack of intelligence reports from Sega of America.
Relaxed, he skimmed through them—until a name caught his eye.
"EA founder Trip Hawkins announces resignation, seeks external investment, plans new company—"
Nakayama's hand froze midair.
Hawkins?
A buried memory surfaced.
3DO.
A system remembered less as a success than a case study.
A grand vision led by a software titan—standardized hardware, profit via licensing and software.
He almost laughed, recalling the absurd launch price and chaotic multi-manufacturer licensing.
Idealistic to the point of delusion.
But his smile faded.
This was not the same world.
His butterfly effect had reshaped the industry.
Sega's dominance.
Nintendo's defensive posture.
Sony's Trojan horse lurking in the shadows.
Now add two electronics giants and the man who best understood the North American market.
Panasonic wasn't alone—Samsung had joined 3DO before.
Just because it failed once didn't mean it would again.
If Panasonic threw money recklessly—and Hawkins learned from past mistakes—this could become dangerous.
"One Sony was bad enough," Nakayama murmured, eyes gleaming—not with worry, but excitement.
He pressed the intercom.
"Matsuda. Come in."
His assistant entered quickly.
"Yes, Executive Director."
"The Hawkins intelligence," Nakayama gestured.
"Create a standalone file."
"Yes, sir."
"I want records of everyone he meets, every company he contacts—especially funding sources. Focus on Panasonic and Samsung."
Matsuda paused in surprise, then wrote quickly.
"Raise the priority to board level. Weekly updates. Code name—"
Nakayama thought briefly.
"Hawkins New Console Project."
"…Understood."
After Matsuda left, silence returned.
Nakayama sipped the now-cool tea and gazed outside.
I wonder how Sony will react.
They thought they were the only Greek warrior inside Troy—
never realizing other armies were gathering outside the walls.
"Interesting."
He drained the cup.
The next-generation table was finally full.
Nintendo. Sony. Panasonic.
And himself.
Now this game is truly getting fun.
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