Wednesday 2 April 1999 AKAI offices Japan.
Zaboru was now seated inside the sleek, modern AKAI offices, accompanied by two familiar figures—Hyoga Akai and Akechi Hamazou. The atmosphere was both professional and warm, as this company now stood as a shared venture between the three of them. ZAGE officially owns 40% of AKAI, while the remaining shares are split evenly between Hyoga Akai, the original founder and former majority owner, and Akechi Hamazou, a long-time friend and silent investor. Akechi had believed in Hyoga during AKAI's darker days, when the company was still struggling, poorly managed, and far from profitable. It was only after Zaboru stepped in with a vision and capital that AKAI began to rise from its slump and transform into a key tech player.
Akechi, ever the sharp observer, was genuinely intrigued today. His curiosity was piqued by Zaboru's visit, especially given how successful AKAI's latest release had been—the Z2-Flip phones. These were sleek, innovative clamshell devices featuring vibrant color screens and built-in cameras, a bold leap forward in portable communication technology. The Z2-Flip had generated a buzz in the market, surprising even industry veterans with its style and forward-thinking design. As a result, Akechi was eager to find out what new groundbreaking concept Zaboru had brought to the table this time, knowing from past experience that when Zaboru shows up unannounced, it usually means something big is brewing.
Hyoga then led both Zaboru and Akechi down the polished hallway toward the AKAI Lab, the heart of development for the highly anticipated Z-POD. Inside the lab, engineers were moving efficiently, testing various devices and reviewing diagnostic charts. In the center of the room stood several prototypes of the Z-POD, each enclosed in transparent casing for presentation. Hyoga turned to them and smiled confidently, "Well Boss, Akechi-san—right now, we've nearly completed development on the Z-POD. Our team has worked around the clock, and we're proud to say we're on track for a full release this coming July—just about three months from now. What remains is mostly testing, especially around its compatibility with your latest digital platform—the Z-Tunes website."
Zaboru nodded with a proud grin. He had already prepared the Z-Tunes ecosystem months in advance, carefully curating its foundation. On the site, users would find a sizable collection of his original music, including dozens of tracks from his old band Zankoku, which had quietly amassed a cult following. But Z-Tunes wasn't just a vanity project—it was designed as a practical and user-friendly interface where people could convert their CD music collections into compressed audio files suitable for the Z-POD. With a simple workflow, users could take physical albums, extract tracks through a PC interface, and convert them into formats like MP3 and AAC, then sync them directly onto their Z-POD via USB.
Hyoga gestured toward a nearby workstation showing the integration process in action—files being dragged from a CD ripper into the Z-Tunes converter, and then ported directly to the device. "We've been optimizing transfer speeds and audio compatibility. Our compression algorithm is solid, and the sound quality is remarkable even at lower file sizes. This is going to redefine how people carry music with them."
Zaboru watched it all with satisfaction in his eyes. This was more than just a product; it was a piece of his past reimagined through the lens of innovation.
Zaboru grinned and gave Hyoga a firm pat on the shoulder. "Impressive as always, Hyoga. AKAI has truly become something remarkable—your manpower is on a whole different level now. The team here feels sharper, more capable than ever."
Hyoga beamed with pride and nodded enthusiastically. "Ever since you stepped in and took the reins from me, we've been thriving more than I ever imagined. The employees are genuinely motivated, maybe because they finally feel like they're part of something big—a great company with a clear future. Plus, let's be honest, the salary and benefits don't hurt either! Hahaha!"
He chuckled deeply, then continued, "It's more than just the money, though. There's a real sense of pride here now. People talk about the projects like they're building the future, and that energy is contagious. The office isn't just a workplace anymore—it's become a place where people are inspired to grow."
Zaboru nodded with a satisfied smile, knowing full well that AKAI's transformation wasn't just about technology, but about culture too.
Akechi, feeling slightly left out of the technical discussion, leaned in with growing curiosity and asked, "Zaboru, what exactly is this 'Z-POD'? Can you explain it to me in more detail?"
Zaboru turned to face him and offered a calm, reassuring smile. "Well, Akechi-san, this here is the Z-POD," he said as he reached over and picked up one of the displayed prototypes. The device gleamed under the lab lights—sleek, white, and compact, easily fitting into the palm of his hand. It was an elegant piece of hardware, minimalist in its design yet packed with potential.
"This is a music player," Zaboru continued, holding it up for Akechi to inspect more closely. "It may look small, but don't let its size fool you. This little device can store up to 6GB of data, which means you can carry over 1,000 songs right in your pocket. Think about that—thousands of your favorite tracks all inside this single, portable device."
Akechi's eyes widened in disbelief, clearly taken aback. He was familiar with existing portable music devices, but they were mostly limited to pre-loaded albums or clunky portable CD players that could only hold one disc at a time. The idea of something this compact holding an entire library of music was astonishing.
"Over 1,000 songs?" Akechi repeated, nodding slowly as the weight of the innovation sank in. "That's... genuinely impressive."
His voice carried genuine admiration. Only someone like Zaboru—visionary, unafraid to push boundaries—could conceive of such a device so far ahead of its time. In that moment, Akechi realized just how far ZAGE's reach could go, and how this invention might revolutionize how people around the world experienced music on the go.
Zaboru grinned with visible excitement. "And not just that—you'll see, we at ZAGE are already deep into developing an entire digital platform built around this. It's called Z-Tunes. Right now, we've got a working version of the website, and the desktop application is in active development. The idea is to give users a seamless way to enjoy music—especially their own collections—on the Z-POD."
He picked up a nearby laptop and began demonstrating. "Let's say you own a legit CD album. You insert it into your computer, and with just a few clicks, Z-Tunes allows you to rip the tracks, convert them into MP3 or AAC files, and then directly transfer them to your Z-POD. Simple, clean, efficient. No need to rely on bulky physical media anymore. You're walking around with your entire music collection in your pocket."
Akechi's eyes widened again, processing the full implications of this. Then a skeptical thought crossed his mind. "Wait… isn't there a bit of a loophole here? If users can upload music like that, doesn't it mean others could download it too? That feels... risky."
Zaboru chuckled, fully expecting that question. "Technically, yes. That falls under piracy. But for now, we're keeping it open-ended. It's still a niche system with a small, curated user base. And remember—my own music is completely free to stream and download on Z-Tunes. All Z-POD owners can access it. In the long run, we're looking to partner with artists, bands, and record labels to offer officially licensed music through the platform. Think of this stage as the groundwork for something bigger. Right now, we're giving people freedom and flexibility. Soon, we'll give them a proper digital music marketplace."
Akechi nodded slowly, his expression marked with genuine respect. "Impressive... You've really thought this through, even planning steps ahead." He let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head slightly. In the underworld, Akechi might be known as the elusive and strategic 'Rashomon,' a man feared and revered for his cunning. But when it came to advanced tech like this—music compression, platform ecosystems, digital transfer protocols—he realized he was just an ordinary man trying to keep up.
That contrast only made him admire Zaboru more. It was precisely because he didn't fully understand this world that he loved being involved in it—tech, game development, innovation. He wasn't here to control it; he was here to learn, to witness brilliance in motion, and perhaps contribute.
Akechi leaned back slightly, arms crossed but grinning with a spark of excitement in his eyes. "I can already foresee it—this is going to be a massive thing," he said, his voice brimming with confidence and pride. Then, with a broader smile, he added, "Honestly, investing in you might be the most genius decision I've ever made in my entire life. No regrets."
Zaboru chuckled warmly, shaking his head. "Heh, come on now, Akechi-san. Don't say it like that—we're friends, aren't we? Even before I started dating Ayumi, you always seemed to look out for me, in your own mysterious way... Back then, I even thought you were, you know… Ga..."
Before Zaboru could finish his teasing sentence, Akechi slowly turned to him, his expression flat and unimpressed, eyes narrowed in a deadpan glare. "Try to finish the line…" he said with a tone that was both challenging and calm.
Zaboru burst out laughing. "HAHAHA! I'm joking! Akechi-san, I'm joking!" he waved his hands defensively, still grinning.
Hyoga, who had been quietly watching the exchange, broke into a nervous sweat. Even after years of knowing Akechi, few people dared to joke around with him so casually. But Zaboru, as always, was the exception. It was part of his strange magic—his natural charisma that disarmed even the most stoic individuals.
Akechi let out a short sigh but couldn't help the small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Idiot," he muttered, and then gave Zaboru a light smack on the back of the head—more brotherly than scolding.
At that moment, the air between them shifted. It wasn't just about business or tech anymore. There was a genuine bond, forged over time and trust, and strengthened by moments like these—simple, human, and filled with laughter.
This Z-POD was originally inspired by the iPod from Zaboru's previous life, but it had evolved into something quite different under his current vision. Unlike the original iPod, which relied on proprietary cables and a rigid interface, the Z-POD was designed from the ground up to suit the tech environment of this world. It supported USB connectivity—a widely adopted and standardized cable type across PC systems—which made syncing and data transfer both simple and universally accessible. Zaboru had made it a point to ensure that the Z-POD felt modern and intuitive, not just in form but in functionality. The user interface was sleek, animated with smooth transitions, and customizable to an extent that allowed users to personalize their listening experience. Menu navigation, playlist creation, and file browsing were all streamlined, aiming for a perfect blend of power and elegance.
In addition to these core features, Zaboru had also commissioned a unique equalizer visual system that responded dynamically to the music being played. It was a small touch, but one that gave the device personality. All of this was part of Zaboru's larger mission—not just to bring music portability to the masses, but to make it enjoyable, stylish, and integrated with future platforms like Z-Tunes.
After some time spent reviewing the latest design and trading thoughts on what was next, Zaboru, Akechi, and Hyoga lingered in the lab for a while longer, exchanging light banter and casual conversation. The atmosphere, now more relaxed, was filled with mutual respect and a growing sense of excitement for what was to come. Eventually, they each nodded in quiet understanding, their paths ready to diverge again. With a final handshake and a shared sense of accomplishment, the three men dispersed
To be continue
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