Wednesday 3 December 1999 Sonaya Offices.
Hikaru Kurata was genuinely pleased for once, and the reason was simple. Sonaya's latest game, Sun Knight 5, had finally launched, and the results were better than even the optimistic projections. It sold well, the player reception was strong, and the success spilled over into hardware too, pushing up Game Station sales in a way Sonaya hadn't felt in a long time. For Hikaru, that secondary effect mattered almost as much as the game itself. A hit title is good, but a hit that moves consoles changes the whole mood inside a company.
It also felt personal. Sun Knight 5 was the first major proof that his new approach wasn't just coping, it was correct. After years of trying to chase ZAGE's shadow and failing to match that impossible pace, Hikaru had finally stopped treating ZAGE as the finish line. Instead, he chose to focus on doing Sonaya's best work, even if that meant releasing only one or two games each year. Fewer projects, tighter schedules, more polish, more confidence. Sun Knight 5 was the result of that shift, a game that didn't feel rushed, didn't feel half-baked, and didn't feel like it was trying to imitate anyone else.
For the first time in a while, Hikaru wasn't smiling because he was forcing himself to look strong. He was smiling because the numbers, the buzz, and the quality all lined up, and Sonaya had something undeniable to show for it.
Now Hikaru Kurata was inside the office with his two key leaders, Ken Kutaragi and Junpei Hoshida. The mood in the room was lighter than usual. Papers and reports were spread across the table, but for once nobody looked exhausted by them.
Hikaru let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding and said, "We did it, gentlemen. We really did it, and honestly… it feels really good."
Ken Kutaragi nodded with a grin that he didn't bother to hide. "Hehehe. And we didn't just do it quietly either. Sun Knight 5 got a 10/10 in Famitsu. A perfect score." He lifted his chin as if the number itself was a trophy. "Meanwhile, even ZAGE's November releases were mostly topping out at 9/10. For once, we outclassed them on pure quality."
Junpei smiled too, but his tone stayed measured. "It's a huge win, yes. But we can't get ahead of ourselves." He tapped the sales report with one finger. "Part of these insane sales, and even the Game Station hardware bump, is because of Zaboru's comment on the ZAGE forum."
He flipped the page and pointed to a chart that showed the spike like a clean blade cut. "The timing was almost perfect. He posted while the hype was still fresh, right when people were deciding whether to buy the game now or wait. He praised it openly, and he went as far as recommending people buy it."
Junpei's eyes narrowed, not in anger, but in careful analysis. "That kind of endorsement doesn't work when it comes from a marketing account. It works because it came from him, and because he wrote it like a player." He tapped the report again. "His influence in the gaming world is ridiculous. When he speaks like a gamer instead of a CEO, people listen like it's the final verdict."
He exhaled through his nose, half impressed, half wary. "Fans trust him because he doesn't hand out praise like candy. If he likes something, it usually means the systems are solid, the pacing holds, and the game respects the player's time. So the moment he said Sun Knight 5 was worth it, a lot of people treated it like a signal."
Junpei glanced at Ken, then back to Hikaru. "And it didn't just sell software. It pushed hardware. People weren't only buying the game, they were buying the Game Station to play it. That's why I'm saying we can't inflate our egos too quickly. We earned this win, but his voice amplified it. We should be grateful for the wave, and smart enough to learn how it happened."
Hikaru's smile tightened into something more thoughtful. He glanced at the numbers again, then back at the two of them. The success was real, but Junpei was right. The wave had a current underneath it, and that current had Zaboru's name written all over it.
Ken Kutaragi scratched his head. "I still never understand that guy, man. How can he promote our game for free? I mean, sure, our video game division can't beat ZAGE, but we're Sonaya. We're still one of the elite companies in the world. He should know we still have a bite in this industry."
Junpei chuckled. As a Zaboru fan, he knew he had to translate Zaboru's mindset into something Ken could accept. "Ken-san, I don't think Zaboru is promoting our game."
Ken frowned. "Then what is it?"
Junpei smiled, like the answer was obvious. "He's just being himself. If he plays something and thinks it's genuinely good, he talks about it. That's it. No deal, no secret favor, no calculation."
He leaned forward slightly, choosing his words carefully. "He's been like that since his early career. Even when ZAGE was smaller, he still praised other companies when they made something worth praising. That's why fans love him. They don't see him as a distant CEO who only cares about market share. They see him as a gamer first, and a boss second."
Junpei's smile widened. "And honestly, he really is a monster as a player. People joke about it, but it's true. Even top e-sport players can't beat him when he's serious. That's why his words carry weight. When he says a game is good, it feels like the verdict of someone who actually understands the mechanics, not just the marketing."
Ken stayed quiet, listening.
Junpei continued, softer now, like he was explaining something personal. "Also… I think he likes it when other companies land a real hit. Not because he's scared of competition, but because he hates boring years."
He spread his hands a little, as if the idea should be obvious. "If the only good games come from ZAGE, then the industry gets lazy. Players get fewer choices, developers stop taking risks, and even ZAGE loses the pressure to innovate." He paused, then added with a small laugh, "And not just that. He wants good games made by other companies because he actually wants to play them. He's selfish in the most harmless way."
Junpei shrugged. "When Sonaya drops a masterpiece, it forces everyone to wake up. It forces ZAGE to respond with quality, not just power. It makes the whole year more interesting."
He leaned back, imagining it clearly. "I can picture Zaboru playing our game like it's homework, smiling because he finally has something new to chew on. A different kind of combat rhythm. Different boss design. A different way to build tension. It's not 'threatening' to him, it's refreshing. Like someone finally served a meal he didn't cook himself."
Ken's expression shifted, still skeptical, but less annoyed. "So he's praising us because he wants us to keep swinging… and because he wants to play good games?"
"Exactly," Junpei said. "He enjoyed it, and he respects it. He wants more games like Sun Knight 5 to exist because he wants the industry to stay alive, not comfortable."
Junpei's smile returned. "That's why his praise feels different. It's not PR. It's not a corporate handshake. It's a gamer talking."
"So yeah," Junpei finished, "we can sometimes get a 'free endorsement' like this, but only if the game earns it. Zaboru doesn't do charity. He does respect. If we make something good enough that he wants to play it, then he'll talk about it, because he genuinely wants more good games to exist. That's the kind of man he is."
Hikaru Kurata chuckled. "From a business standpoint, he's an idiot," he said, half-joking, half-serious. "But from a player's perspective, they think Zaboru is one of them. That's why he has so many fans in the first place. He doesn't talk like an executive. He talks like a gamer who just wants good games."
He waved a hand, cutting off the topic before it turned into another long debate. "Still, enough about Zaboru. We should start our next project while the momentum is still hot."
Ken grinned and nodded, clearly enjoying the confidence in the room. "Hehehe, yeah. Our next project will be the Sheriff Juan sequel." He leaned forward, tapping the table as if he was already laying out milestones. "We'll release it next year, and this time we'll plan it thoroughly from the start. No messy mid-development panic. If Sun Knight 5 proved anything, it's that polish wins."
Junpei nodded as well, but his eyes stayed on the technical notes beside the sales reports. "And after this… our engine is almost ready, Boss." He hesitated a beat, then asked carefully, "Should we call Zaboru to review it when we reach the final build? If we want the engine to compete long-term, having him test it could expose weaknesses early."
Hikaru Kurata sighed, the kind of sigh that meant relief and responsibility at the same time. He had already made a deal with Zaboru: Z-POD, the collaboration between ZAGE and AKAI, would gain access to songs from Sonaya Music Records, and in exchange Zaboru would personally review Sonaya's latest video game engine. That engine wasn't just another internal tool. It was the backbone of Sonaya's game division moving forward, and it was quietly tied to their longer plan for the next generation of hardware as well.
Hikaru nodded, thinking through the order of priorities. "Yes. I'll reach him when it's ready. But not now. First, we perfect the engine. If we show him something half-finished, he'll tear it apart, and he'll be right."
He turned toward Junpei, shifting from deals and politics back to development strategy. "And the next game in the Sheriff Juan series… after we finish it, what do you think? Do we start a new IP, or do we elevate our old IP further?"
Junpei nodded, already prepared for that question. "I think we can do a little bit of both," he said. "But if we have to choose the main focus, then after Sheriff Juan we should start a new IP. When Sheriff Juan 5 releases, our fanbase will grow. Those new fans won't just want more Sheriff Juan. They'll want to see what else Sonaya can do."
Hikaru smiled and nodded slowly. "Heh. Yes. We'll do it properly this time." He looked at the reports again, then back at his team. "And it feels good. I don't think I need to frown all the time anymore after we completely gave up the first spot to ZAGE in the video game industry. Chasing them was killing us."
Junpei laughed. "Hahaha, yes, Boss. It's good for your health, and it's good for the company's health too, isn't it?" He tilted his head with a grin. "Besides, if Zaboru is still inside ZAGE, then there's a 99% chance ZAGE will stay like this. No other company will even touch him. The smartest move is to stop trying to fight the mountain and start building our own city."
Hikaru Kurata's expression hardened, and the casual mood in the room faded. "Still… one thing is true," he said. "ZAGE has become too big. And Zaboru still holds 100% of it."
He tapped the table once, slow and deliberate. "That kind of control is rare, and it makes powerful people uncomfortable. Especially in the USA. The elite over there don't like a single man holding that much influence with no leash. So yeah, he needs to be careful."
Ken and Junpei listened without interrupting.
Hikaru continued, voice low. "But it's not my problem. If he falls just because of political pressure and business games, then he wasn't worth that much to begin with. The business world is hard. Nobody stays on top forever just because they're talented."
Junpei gave a small nod, understanding the warning underneath the blunt words. Ken nodded too, less convinced but not arguing.
Hikaru exhaled and straightened his posture. "Now, enough. We got our win. Let's turn it into momentum."
With that, the Sonaya team dropped the topic and quickly returned to work, the room filling again with the quiet sound of pages turning, pens moving, and plans being written.
Meanwhile, at ZAGE Tower, Team FUMA was nearing the finish line on their current duty: the farewell games for ZGB and ZEPS 2. Most of the heavy work was already done, leaving them in the final stretch of bug fixing, balancing, and polish. Normally, Zaboru would have thrown the next assignment at them immediately to keep the production rhythm aggressive.
This time, he didn't.
Instead of rushing them into another project, Zaboru shifted Team FUMA into a short transition phase. Their new focus was to learn, test, and tinker with the ZGBA hardware that had already completed development. He wanted them to understand the handheld from the inside out: performance limits, loading behavior, battery considerations, and how the new cartridge format behaved under real development pressure. If ZGBA was going to become ZAGE's next handheld standard, then at least one team needed to master it early, before the rest of the company fully moved in.
Team FUMA would become the specialist group for ZGBA games. Other ZAGE teams could still develop for ZGBA in the future, but FUMA would be the most focused and experienced, the team that could build the first best practices and solve the early headaches before they spread across the whole company. That was also why Zaboru needed them to be as versatile as possible, not just good at one genre, but capable of adapting to whatever ZGBA demanded.
For now, Zaboru planned to hold back their next major assignment until after the ZGBA was released to the public next year. He wanted their first true ZGBA projects to be built with real market feedback in mind, not just internal excitement.
To be continue
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