Just as Hayate Shiranui finished devouring the offerings, a knock sounded at his door. He opened it to find Hotaru standing there, looking radiant.
"What is it?" Hayate asked.
Hotaru stepped into the room, her excitement palpable. "Boss, your investment is about to pay off—massively. Tony Stark just held a press conference. He announced that he's shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark International immediately."
"The moment he said it, Stark Industries' stock began a freefall. You're going to make a fortune. But the question is: when do we close our short positions to lock in the profit?"
Hayate thought back to the movie. If he remembered correctly, the stock dropped somewhere between 40% and 45% in the wake of that announcement. Following the rule of not trying to squeeze out every last cent, he replied, "When the stock drops by 40%, close all the short positions. Then, use every bit of the profit to buy in and go long."
Hotaru wasn't surprised by the prediction of a 40% drop, but the idea of going all-in on a "Buy" immediately after seemed almost reckless. However, having witnessed Hayate's "miracles" firsthand, she didn't argue. Instead, she stepped closer, resting a hand on his shoulder.
"Boss," she whispered, her breath warm against his ear, "is this another one of your... mysterious abilities?"
Hayate felt a sudden jolt of surprise. Between the scent of her perfume and the closeness of her body, he felt a flicker of genuine attraction. Just as he was considering leaning into the moment, Umino Iruka appeared in the doorway.
The two had forgotten to close the door when Hotaru entered, and Iruka had come up only seconds behind her. Iruka stood there, hand raised to knock, and the three of them locked eyes in a very awkward silence. Finally, realizing that if he didn't intervene, this "business meeting" might last for hours, Iruka gave the door three firm knocks.
Knock, knock, knock.
Hotaru straightened up instantly, smoothing her clothes. She felt a surge of annoyance at the interrupted timing—she felt she had been seconds away from "claiming" her boss. She gave Hayate a lingering wink before making her exit.
Once she was gone, Iruka sighed regretfully. "My apologies, Lord Hayate. I seem to have interrupted something... favorable."
Hayate felt a bit of awkwardness himself. You know you interrupted me, and yet you did it anyway... it's rare for me to actually feel a spark like that. Still, he kept his expression neutral. "You didn't interrupt anything, Iruka. I assume you're here because something important has come up?"
Iruka nodded. "Lord Hayate, two guests have arrived. One is the Bowery King, and the other is Wilson Fisk—the Kingpin. Both are here to see you."
The lingering regret over Hotaru vanished instantly. Romance was fine, but it couldn't compete with the hunt for the "Dragon Bone."
"Lead me to them," Hayate commanded.
In the Agency lobby, Hayate greeted his guests with a smile. "Welcome, my friends."
Seeing his good mood, both men returned the greeting. Hayate turned to Iruka. "Iruka, lead Mr. Fisk to the meeting room first. I need a moment with the King of the Bowery."
Once Fisk had left, the Bowery King dropped to one knee. "Elder Hayate, I have completed the task you set. Here is the data you required." He pulled a hard drive from his pocket.
Hayate took the drive and nodded. "I see your sincerity. The Bowery remains yours."
The Bowery King placed his hand over his chest. "I shall forever be loyal to the High Table and Elder Hayate. My life is yours to command."
"I accept your loyalty," Hayate said. "You may return now. If there is work to be done, an Adjudicator will find you."
Entering the meeting room, the first thing Hayate noticed wasn't the Kingpin, but the bottle of The Balvenie 50-Year-Old Single Malt sitting on the table. He had expected Bullseye to deliver it, but Fisk had brought it personally.
"Iruka, bring a blank mission scroll," Hayate said as he sat down. "I suspect Mr. Fisk has a commission for us today."
As Iruka left to fetch the scroll, Hayate turned to the large man across from him. "So, Fisk, have you made up your mind?"
Fisk was silent for a moment before speaking. "Hayate... if I wanted to completely eradicate the Hand in New York and kill Madam Gao, what would be the price?"
Hayate wasn't surprised. He knew the rift between Fisk and Gao was inevitable, but his "token" had clearly given Fisk the confidence to strike sooner.
"You've heard of the Hand's... unique nature, I assume?" Hayate asked. "An organization that has existed since the 16th century without ever changing its leadership. The water there is deep. What do you think is a fair price to sever one of the 'Five Fingers'?"
Fisk contemplated. He knew the rumors of the Five Fingers being immortal. He thought about his multibillion-dollar empire and spoke slowly.
"Two billion dollars. I will pay two billion to have the Hand's power in America wiped out and Madam Gao dead."