Friday 4 December 2000 ZAGE Tower Japan.
Now the Bakudan Boys—all four of them—are ready to game after office hours. They had already booked one of the gaming rooms in ZAGE Tower, something that was perfectly fine and even encouraged by Zaboru as long as it was done after work ended. For them, this wasn't just about playing games—it was a small ritual to unwind, blow off stress, and spend time together after a long day of development work.
The room itself was well-equipped, filled with high-end PCs, comfortable chairs, and a setup that made it easy for group play. The atmosphere felt different from the office floor—less tense, more casual, almost like a second home for those who stayed late. The lights were softer, the noise more relaxed, and the usual pressure of deadlines faded into the background.
As they settled in, the Bakudan Boys prepared their stations, logging into their systems and adjusting their setups like they had done countless times before. Despite their constant arguments and chaotic personalities, moments like this reminded them why they stuck together—they genuinely enjoyed this time, even if they would never openly admit it.
And now, with everything ready, the Bakudan Boys were set to start their PC gaming session together, just like any other night—loud, messy, and full of energy.
Sakaki sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Bro… should we just play Age of Mythology today? I mean, we're only four people again, right… we're still one short for DotA." He glanced around as if hoping someone would magically appear.
Kumogi groaned loudly, rubbing his temples. "This is all because of damn Rikki. First, you creep out the guys who want to join our group… and then when a female coworker like Hana-chan actually wanted to join, you act like a complete creep!" He leaned forward, clearly getting more heated. "Do you even realize how hard it is to find decent players, and you just scare them off like that?"
Rikki instantly snapped, sitting up straight. "What did you say?! Who's the one smelling like f*ck and making Hana-chan uncomfortable, huh? You tall idiot bastard!" He pointed a finger at Kumogi, clearly not backing down. "At least I talk to people, you just sit there acting like some silent creep!"
"Oi, at least I don't stare like a weirdo," Kumogi shot back without missing a beat. He crossed his arms and added, "And at least I don't ruin our chances every single time someone new shows up. You're basically sabotaging us at this point."
Meanwhile, Sawada only sighed deeply, clearly used to this routine. "At this point, it's almost impossible for anyone to join us… you three are just freaks," he muttered under his breath, not even bothering to look at them.
Sakaki immediately protested. "Hey! I'm not!"
"Yeah, you're just the least bad one," Sawada replied dryly.
For a brief moment, silence hung in the room—then suddenly, all of them burst into laughter. Despite the insults, the shouting, and the constant bickering, there was no real malice behind it. This was just how they were.
Even if they argued like enemies… the Bakudan Boys were, in their own chaotic way, completely comfortable with each other.
Then Sakaki sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Man… I really want to play DotA though… damn. I think we need to invite one random again…" He glanced at the others like he already knew what kind of reaction was coming.
Rikki immediately reacted, leaning forward with disbelief. "Damn, random again? Dude, do you remember last time? That guy built Dagon on Rikimaru—DAGON! I almost uninstalled the game right there," he said, throwing his hands up in frustration.
Kumogi sighed, clearly just as annoyed but trying to stay calm. "Yeah… that was painful. But then what should we do? Do we even have any coworkers left who can actually play properly? At this point we either gamble with a random… or don't play at all."
He adjusted his glasses slightly, thinking harder. "And if we get another troll, the whole match is basically over from the start."
Sawada let out a long, tired sigh, leaning back in his chair. "Maybe we should just play something else… seriously. We keep forcing DotA with four people like this, and it always ends the same way." He glanced at them with a flat expression. "Either we lose because of a random… or we tilt before the game even starts."
Sakaki frowned, clearly conflicted. "But… DotA is the point of tonight, isn't it?"
Rikki clicked his tongue. "Yeah… but not if we're getting griefed again."
For a moment, the room fell into an awkward silence, all of them thinking the same thing—but none of them wanting to give up on the idea completely.
The Bakudan Boys were starting to get a serious headache. Being one person short might not sound like a big deal, but for them, it completely ruined the plan. They needed a fifth player—someone reliable—but the problem was, they had no one left to invite. Anyone they knew was either busy, already in another group, or… had already been scared away by their own chaotic reputation.
Inviting a random player was technically an option, but in their experience, it was almost a guaranteed disaster. Ninety percent of the time, it ended in frustration—bad builds, poor coordination, or someone outright trolling the game. It wasn't just about losing; it was about wasting time and killing the mood entirely.
"Man… this sucks," Sakaki muttered under his breath, clearly annoyed.
Just as the frustration was starting to settle in, a faint sound broke the silence.
Footsteps.
They echoed from the hallway outside, slow and steady, getting closer with each step. All four of them instinctively turned their heads toward the door, confusion written across their faces.
Then—click.
The door opened.
And in that moment, all of the Bakudan Boys froze, their mouths slightly agape.
Standing there, as if it was the most normal thing in the world…
Was Zaboru himself.
Their boss.
The owner of ZAGE.
Casually opening the door like he had just dropped by for a visit.
Zaboru walked in carrying a large bag filled with gyoza, the warm smell instantly filling the room. He grinned casually as if this was the most normal thing in the world. "Sup, everyone? I heard you're missing one person for a five-man DotA party… mind if I join?"
For a split second, time seemed to stop.
All of the Bakudan Boys froze, their hearts practically skipping a beat. Their boss—the Zaboru—just casually asking to join their game?
What were they even supposed to do in this situation?
Sakaki slowly turned his head toward Sawada, as if asking for help without saying a word. Sawada, however, was no better—he was sweating bullets, his usual calm completely gone. Kumogi adjusted his glasses nervously, while Rikki looked like he had just seen a ghost, his earlier loud attitude completely evaporating.
The tension in the room became almost unbearable.
And yet…
Zaboru only chuckled softly, clearly amused by their reaction, as if he was enjoying watching them struggle to process what was happening.
"Hey, relax—it's not like I'm going to fire you all or anything," Zaboru said lightly, raising a hand as if calming them down. "Besides, we've known each other for quite a long time, even before all of this, right? Heh… Sakaki-san, you even knew me before I owned ZAGE, so just relax."
It was true. Even before ZAGE existed—back when Zaboru was still in high school—Sakaki already knew him. Sakaki used to work part-time at Bakudan Arcade, and their paths had crossed many times there. Even before ZAGE grew into what it is now, before the Bakudan Boys officially joined the company, they had already been familiar with Zaboru in a much more casual setting.
But now… things were different.
Now, he was their boss.
That simple fact made everything feel strangely tense, no matter how casually Zaboru acted.
Sakaki gulped, trying to steady himself before speaking. "O… okay then, boss… you can join," he said, forcing out the words while still processing the situation.
Zaboru chuckled softly, clearly amused by their reactions. Without hesitation, he walked over and sat beside Sakaki at the far-left PC, placing the bag of gyoza on the table. He casually picked one up and started eating as if he had always been part of their group.
Then, while chewing, he pulled out his phone and made a quick call.
The others watched silently, still slightly stiff, as Zaboru spoke briefly—before the woman on the other end hung up just as quickly.
The atmosphere in the room shifted again, now mixed with curiosity and lingering disbelief.
"Ayumi, I'm not on the 51st floor—I'm on the 23rd floor right now. I'm playing with my employees; they short one person so i will join. So if you want to meet me, you can come to the 23rd floor gaming room, okay?"
The moment they heard that, all of them gulped.
Their boss's wife… was coming here?
The Bakudan Boys instantly stiffened. Ayumi wasn't just famous around ZAGE because she was the wife of the company's owner—she was known for far more than that. She was incredibly beautiful, calm, and elegant, and on top of that… she was also a game developer herself.
For many people in the company—especially the gamers—she was practically a dream figure.
And now… she was coming to their gaming room.
The pressure in the air instantly doubled.
Then Zaboru grinned. "Alright, let's go. What roles do you guys play? Mind if I take mid?"
For a split second, Sakaki froze.
Mid… was his life. His pride. The role he would fight for no matter what—even if it meant arguing for ten minutes straight before a match.
But this time…
"I'm… Support, boss!" Sakaki said immediately, forcing a smile that looked slightly painful.
The other three nearly burst out laughing, desperately trying to hold it in.
Rikki covered his mouth, shoulders shaking. Kumogi turned away, pretending to adjust his glasses, while Sawada just looked down, biting his lip to keep a straight face.
Rikki was the next to speak, still struggling to stay serious. "I'm Carry, boss."
Kumogi cleared his throat, regaining some composure. "I'll take Offlane…" he said, pushing his glasses up properly this time.
Sawada leaned back slightly. "I don't mind playing Semi-support or Semi-carry. I'll fill whatever's needed," he added calmly.
Zaboru looked at all of them for a moment, then let out a small chuckle, clearly understanding what had just happened. "Okay… that's perfect. I'll go mid then."
Sakaki quietly exhaled, as if he had just sacrificed something important… while the others finally lost it and let out suppressed laughs under their breath.
Then all the Bakudan Boys logged in, settling into their usual routine as the familiar Warcraft interface appeared on their screens. Zaboru quickly added all four of them as friends, moving through the menus with ease.
What surprised them, however, was his account.
They had expected something extraordinary—some insanely high-level account filled with rare stats, exclusive unlocks, or anything that screamed "top player." But instead… it looked completely normal. No special icons, no flashy records, nothing that stood out at all.
Even his nickname was simple.
"John DotA."
It felt random. Almost too ordinary.
Meanwhile, the Bakudan Boys' accounts were the complete opposite. Each of them proudly carried their group tag—BkB—followed by their nicknames. Rikki was "BkB Rikk," Sakaki was "BkB RodeoS," Sawada was "BkB Secret," and Kumogi was "BkB Tower." Compared to them, Zaboru's name felt almost out of place.
Zaboru noticed their reactions and chuckled softly. Without saying much, he opened a hidden console within Warcraft—something only a few would even know existed.
Then, with a few quick inputs, his name changed.
"I guess I'll be BkB for today, huh?" he said casually.
A moment later, the new name appeared:
"BkB John DotA."
Zaboru leaned back slightly, laughing to himself. "Hehehe… admin privileges. Changing nicknames is easy," he said with a grin.
The others could only laugh along. Not jealous at all.
Definitely not jealous.
Not long after, the door opened again, this time more gently. Ayumi stepped in, carrying a bucket of fried chicken and a few bottles of soda. The warm aroma filled the room instantly. She smiled softly. "Hello, boys—here, some snacks for you," she said, placing everything neatly on the table.
For a moment, the Bakudan Boys were completely mesmerized. It wasn't just that she was Zaboru's wife—Ayumi had a calm presence that drew attention naturally. Elegant, composed, and effortlessly beautiful, she carried herself with a quiet confidence that made the room feel… different.
Rikki blinked twice. Kumogi forgot to adjust his glasses. Sawada sat up a little straighter. Even Sakaki, who usually had something to say, went silent.
Zaboru only smiled, clearly used to this reaction. "Thanks, Ayumi," he said casually.
Ayumi leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the lips, then waved lightly. "Have fun, Zabo~" she said with a playful tone.
Zaboru looked at her for a second. "You'll be okay heading back alone?"
Ayumi shook her head gently. "I'm with Junjou, so it's fine. Don't worry."
"Alright," Zaboru chuckled, nodding.
She gave one last polite smile to the group before turning and leaving the room just as smoothly as she had entered.
Only after the door closed did the Bakudan Boys finally exhale—like they had been holding their breath the entire time.
Rikki groaned internally, trying his best to keep a straight face. 'I'm not jealous at all… not even a little,' he told himself, even as his eyes briefly drifted toward the door Ayumi had just left through. He quickly looked away, clearing his throat like nothing had happened.
Beside him, Kumogi smirked slightly, clearly noticing but choosing not to say anything—for once.
Zaboru, on the other hand, only chuckled softly as he picked up another piece of gyoza. "Go on, eat the food, guys. Don't just stare at it," he said with an easy laugh. "It'll get cold if you keep acting like statues."
The casual tone broke the remaining tension, and one by one, the Bakudan Boys finally reached for the food—still a bit awkward, but slowly returning to their usual rhythm.
Then the Bakudan Boys and Zaboru finally entered the match, and soon the hero selection phase began. The atmosphere immediately grew more intense, all of them focusing on the screen as picks started going through one by one.
Rikki, who had already decided from the start, was aiming for Razor—a strong meta pick at the moment. His eyes were locked onto the selection screen, ready to click the moment the chance appeared.
But then—
Someone else picked Razor first.
"F*CK! Razor is picked!" Rikki shouted instinctively, slamming his mouse lightly in frustration.
The moment the words left his mouth, the entire room went silent.
Slowly… the others turned their heads toward him.
Sweating.
And Rikki… also started sweating.
"…Umm… boss, sorry about that," he said awkwardly, scratching his head as if trying to undo what had just happened.
Zaboru, however, only laughed.
"Hahaha, don't worry about it," he said casually. "Seriously, just play normally. You can swear all you like—I won't mind."
That single sentence instantly broke the tension again.
Rikki let out a relieved breath, while Kumogi quietly smirked and Sawada shook his head slightly, already used to this kind of chaos.
Meanwhile, Zaboru calmly looked at the hero pool… and without hesitation, he chose Kael The Invoker - The Arsenal Magus.
.
To be continue
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