Tuesday 6 June 1997 ZAGE TOWER Japan.
Zaboru was working in his personal workspace on the 51st floor of ZAGE Tower, deep in thought as he brainstormed ideas for his next game projects. The room was quiet, filled only with the soft tapping of keys and the occasional flicker of his monitor. Suddenly, a bell rang—an internal signal from the 50th floor. It was most likely from his secretary, Yumi Ichijou.
"Hm? Why would Yumi-san be signaling me?" he muttered. She rarely interrupted him unless something was truly urgent. With a mix of curiosity and mild concern, Zaboru stood up and headed down to the 50th floor.
Zaboru then approached Yumi, who had rung the bell.
"Yes, Yumi-san, what's wrong?" he asked.
Yumi Ichijou smiled and adjusted her glasses. "Sorry to bother you, boss, but someone is here looking for you."
Zaboru raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Well, don't people usually need an appointment to meet with me first?" he chuckled.
Yumi sighed. "True, boss. But you always say, at the very least, I should tell you who the guest is, right?"
Zaboru laughed and nodded. "Yes, yes. Anyway—who is it?"
Yumi's expression turned serious. "It's Zanki Zagashira, sir. He says he's the CEO of ZUSUGA."
Zaboru was surprised—Zanki Zagashira was, biologically speaking, his uncle. But since his father had long ago cut all ties with the Zagashira family, Zanki himself had no idea about the connection.
"Why is he looking for me, though?" Zaboru muttered under his breath. He sighed, brushing the thought aside. "Fine, let him come up to this floor. We'll talk."
Yumi nodded and promptly set off to carry out the request.
Meanwhile, Zanki Zagashira sat patiently in the waiting room, sipping on a freshly brewed cup of tea. To his surprise, the tea was not just decent—it was genuinely good, fragrant with a smooth finish. As he leaned back in his seat, he took a moment to scan his surroundings and found himself quietly impressed by the atmosphere of the ZAGE Tower. "Well, this place is quite impressive," he muttered under his breath.
The interior design stood out immediately. The walls were filled with vibrant artwork, game posters, and life-sized character displays from ZAGE's most successful titles. From bold Robo-cop to cutes mascot Hello Kitty and many more, the visuals reflected the rich creative output of the company. The space felt alive, a curated blend of professionalism and imagination.
Zanki's eyes shifted toward the employees as they trickled into the office space. Even though it was already 10:00 AM, people were just now arriving, casually walking in with coffee cups and calm expressions. "This seems a bit too relaxed," he thought, raising an eyebrow.
But there was a reason behind it. Zaboru's management philosophy didn't revolve around strict check-in times. As long as the employees completed their daily work hours and delivered results, he allowed them the flexibility to arrive as late as 10:30 AM. For Zaboru, creativity and freedom went hand in hand—and a rigid schedule wasn't always conducive to innovation.
After a short wait, Yumi Ichijou stepped into the waiting room and approached Zanki with her usual professional demeanor. "Zagashira-san, please follow me. The boss is ready to meet you in his office now," she said with a polite bow.
Zanki smiled warmly and gave her a nod. "Thank you," he replied, rising from his seat. With calm, composed steps, he followed her down the hall toward the elevator. The walk was short but gave Zanki a moment to take in more of the tower's interior design, subtly admiring the blend of modern and creative elements unique to ZAGE.
Soon, they arrived at the 50th floor and approached a large door marked with the emblem of ZAGE's executive suite. Yumi opened it smoothly and gestured him in. Inside, the atmosphere changed—spacious yet focused, sleek but filled with energy. Behind the desk stood Zaboru, who greeted him with a confident smile.
Zanki returned the smile as he stepped forward, already sensing the weight of the meeting to come.
"Good morning, Zagashira-san," Zaboru greeted with a polite nod and a calm tone.
Zanki chuckled lightly. "If you keep calling me that, it's going to get a bit much. Just call me Zanki—it's simpler."
Zaboru smiled, returning the sentiment. "Fair enough. Then you should call me Zaboru too. No need for formalities between us. Anyway, please, have a seat."
Zanki accepted the offer, lowering himself into the sleek black chair across from Zaboru's desk. As he settled in, his eyes wandered around the room. The office was striking—modern yet warm, lined with polished wood panels, framed concept art from major ZAGE titles, and a subtle scent of coffee and cedar in the air. Floor-to-ceiling windows behind Zaboru offered a breathtaking view of Tokyo's skyline.
"Pretty impressive office you've got here, Zaboru," Zanki said with a half-smile, genuinely impressed. "It speaks volumes about the man behind the company."
Zaboru gave a small, appreciative nod. "Thanks. I've made it my own over the years."
He leaned forward slightly, his voice turning more focused. "But let's not waste time with small talk. You didn't come all the way here just to flatter my interior decorating. So, tell me—what brings you here, Zanki-san?"
Zanki grinned. "Quite direct, are we? I like that. Well then, let me get straight to the point. I'm here today to propose a collaboration—ZUSUGA and ZAGE, working together." He leaned in slightly, his voice smooth and confident. "This isn't just a casual idea. Let me tell you why it's a win for both sides."
He gestured with one hand as he continued. "Our handheld console, the ZUSUGA Reborn 16, is currently the only 16-bit handheld system on the market. It's compact, powerful, and has been gaining traction across several key demographics. We already have a fair number of third-party developers creating titles for us, but let's be honest—when it comes to games, more is never enough. The demand is growing faster than we can meet it."
Zanki's eyes lit up with enthusiasm. "That's why I came to you. ZAGE has a stellar reputation, a strong portfolio, and a loyal fanbase. If ZAGE were to start developing titles for the Reborn 16, not only would your brand reach expand into the 16 bit handheld market, but you'd also gain access to an entirely new segment of player."
He paused, letting the weight of the pitch settle in, then smiled knowingly. "It's a rare opportunity to create a long-term partnership that benefits both sides. Your games will drive hardware sales for us, and in return, we'll offer marketing support, platform optimization, and priority placement."
As he spoke, Zanki subtly activated his unique ability—Voice Persuasion. It wasn't loud or flashy. Instead, it worked through tone, rhythm, and cadence, gently nudging the listener toward agreement. In most cases, it worked almost instantly, bending negotiations in his favor before the other party even realized what was happening.
Zaboru thought for a moment, seriously considering the proposal. It was a solid idea—Zanki clearly had experience and knew how to pitch a mutually beneficial opportunity. But before Zaboru could form a response, a sudden, instinctual pulse radiated from within him.
Without any conscious effort, his Aura of Influence activated.
Being inside the ZAGE Tower—his home turf—greatly amplified the effect. An invisible field of energy, strong yet subtle, formed around him. The room seemed to still. At that exact moment, Zanki's Voice Persuasion faltered. The smooth, persuasive energy that usually pulled others toward his way of thinking… simply vanished. It was as if it had hit a wall.
Zanki blinked, confused, and instinctively recoiled a bit. "What the hell? It's like my ability was completely neutralized… repelled outright!"
Across from him, Zaboru gave a small smile, but his thoughts were sharp. "Just as I suspected. The Zagashira family always has something strange up their sleeve. He tried to use his power on me... but it won't work here. My aura protects me—especially inside ZAGE. tower"
Clearing his throat calmly, Zaboru finally responded aloud.
"That's quite a good idea, Zanki-san," he said, his tone polite but firm. "But unfortunately, I don't plan to pursue that path right now."
He leaned back slightly in his chair, hands folded in front of him. "ZAGE is already fully committed to our in-house projects. Our resources, manpower, and creative bandwidth are already stretched thin. As much as I'd like to explore new opportunities, we simply don't have the time to dedicate to developing for a platform we're unfamiliar with."
He continued, "Getting accustomed to new hardware takes time—especially if we want to maintain the quality and consistency ZAGE is known for. Learning its specs, building toolchains, optimizing for performance... all of that would take a huge investment. At this point in our roadmap, such a shift would be risky and inefficient."
Zaboru maintained eye contact, not aggressive, but resolute.
"I hope you understand, Zanki-san. It's not a reflection on your platform—it's simply a matter of focus and timing."
Zanki began to sweat slightly, his usual confidence beginning to falter. "How is my ability being repelled? Something's not right here," he thought, eyes narrowing. There was something—some kind of overwhelming, invisible force—shielding Zaboru. Zanki didn't understand what it was, but he knew it was powerful. Too powerful. His Voice Persuasion had failed completely, and that was something he had never experienced before.
"I don't know what kind of protection is around him… but I can't push forward like this. This wasn't in the plan. I need to fall back, fast."
Forcing a calm smile, Zanki stood and adjusted his jacket. "I see. That's fine, Zaboru. I understand where you're coming from, and your reasons are perfectly reasonable."
He chuckled lightly and added, "Actually, I just remembered I have something extremely important to take care of. I'll excuse myself for now, but hopefully, we can work together in the future when the timing's better."
Zaboru nodded with his usual calm expression. "Sure thing, Zanki-san."
Zanki gave a small wave, turned around, and walked toward the elevator. As the doors slid shut behind him, his smile vanished. He stared ahead, deep in thought. "Who exactly is this Zaboru guy? Could he really have an ability? That aura… it completely overpowered mine."
His mind raced. "But he's from the Renkonan family. They've never been known to perform God Offering rituals… there's no history of abilities from that bloodline. At least, none that were ever recorded."
A wave of unease settled in his gut. "I need answers. I need to talk to my father—Zenzou Zagashira. He might know something the records don't."
Meanwhile, back at his office, Zaboru exhaled slowly and leaned back in his chair. "He definitely tried something," he murmured to himself. "But in the end… he failed."
He gave a quiet chuckle, then stood up and made his way toward the elevator, heading back to the 51st floor. There was still work to be done—and whatever that encounter was, it hadn't shaken his focus. If anything, it confirmed he was on the right path.
To be continue
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