As Steve Jobs and Zanki quickly walked toward the engineer's computer, the screen was already showing ZAGE's official YouTube channel.
The video had been uploaded only around ten minutes ago.
And it already had hundreds of thousands of views.
That number alone was absurd, but at this point, absurdity had become normal whenever ZAGE did something. Every time ZAGE uploaded anything, people treated it like an event. A game trailer, a product announcement, a joke video, a developer interview, even Zaboru randomly eating Z-Donuts while talking about patch notes—somehow, everything turned into discussion material.
Steve Jobs stood behind the engineer's chair, arms crossed, his eyes narrowing.
Zanki stood beside him, silent for once.
The video title was simple.
AKAI New Phone Announcement + ZAGE August Games Preview
Steve's jaw tightened slightly.
"Play it," he said.
The engineer clicked.
The screen turned black.
Then slow, dramatic piano music began playing.
For several seconds, there was nothing but darkness.
Then Zaboru appeared.
He walked slowly into the frame wearing a black suit, a serious face, and an expression so heavy that it looked like he was about to announce the end of civilization. The lighting was cinematic. The camera angle was dramatic. Wind somehow moved his hair despite the fact that he was clearly indoors.
He stopped in the center of the screen.
Then he looked directly into the camera.
"Some people will never quit…"
His voice was low.
Melancholic.
Almost inspirational.
"They fail…"
The camera slowly zoomed in.
"They fall…"
Zaboru looked down sadly.
"They embarrass themselves in front of the whole industry…"
Steve's eyebrow twitched.
Zanki's eyes narrowed.
Then Zaboru raised his face again.
"But still… they try again."
The music swelled.
Zaboru placed one hand over his chest.
"And honestly…"
He paused.
A single fake tear appeared at the corner of his eye.
"I play feelings."
The room went completely silent.
Steve's face darkened.
Zanki slowly exhaled through his nose.
The pun was not even subtle.
It was clearly aimed at iPlay.
Zaboru stared into the camera with a painfully sincere expression.
"I play feelings," he repeated, even softer this time.
Then a tissue suddenly flew from off-screen and hit him in the face.
Zaboru blinked.
The camera zoomed out slightly.
From somewhere off-screen, Zaborn's voice shouted, "Bro, stop acting like you're in a funeral commercial!"
Zaboru's serious face broke instantly.
He pulled the tissue off his face and grinned.
"Okay, okay, sorry."
The piano music stopped with an ugly record-scratch sound.
Suddenly, cheerful ZAGE-style music blasted instead, and colorful text exploded onto the screen.
ZAGE AUGUST GAME SHOWCASE!
Zaboru spun around once, pointed at the camera, and smiled like a man who had just committed a crime but wanted everyone to know he enjoyed it.
"Guys! Did you really think ZAGE was going quiet because we're busy with ZEPS 4 development?"
He leaned closer.
"Well… technically, yes."
A loud buzzer sound played.
Zaboru raised both hands defensively.
"But that doesn't mean we don't have games! Because this month, ZAGE is releasing not one, not two, not three…"
He paused, squinted at his fingers, and pretended to count badly.
"Wait, hold on. I know numbers. I own accounting departments."
Zaboru sighed dramatically, then turned back to the camera.
"Anyway! This month, ZAGE is releasing five games!"
The screen exploded with fake fireworks.
The first title appeared.
DOOM 3 — PC
The trailer shifted immediately into dark corridors, flickering lights, metallic walls, blood stains, and horrifying demons crawling from shadows. The graphics looked ridiculous for 2001. Dynamic lighting made every hallway feel alive. Shadows stretched across the walls as monsters moved behind broken machinery. A soldier fired into the darkness, muzzle flashes lighting up the entire room for split seconds.
The sound design was brutal. Every shotgun blast echoed through the corridor. Every demon roar felt close. The atmosphere was oppressive, cinematic, and technically far above what most PC gamers expected that year.
Steve Jobs frowned.
Even Zanki's expression became tense.
One Apple engineer whispered, "That lighting…"
Another muttered, "On PC?"
Zanki clicked his tongue quietly.
The screen cut back to Zaboru wearing sunglasses indoors.
"DOOM 3," he said confidently. "For people who think sleeping peacefully is overrated."
A fake disclaimer appeared under him.
Warning: ZAGE is not responsible if you scream and pretend it was your chair.
Then the second title appeared.
WE 2001 — ZEPS 3
The screen shifted to a football stadium packed with cheering fans. The camera showed smoother player movement, sharper passing animations, improved crowd reactions, and better ball physics. Players slipped, collided, shouted, and moved with more personality than previous yearly football games. The commentary sounded livelier too, reacting more naturally to close chances and dramatic goals.
A striker received a through ball, cut inside, dodged a sliding tackle, and curled a shot into the far corner.
The stadium erupted.
Zaboru appeared again, now wearing a whistle around his neck like a fake coach.
"WE 2001," he said. "Because football fans deserve joy, pain, arguments, and controller abuse."
The screen showed two fake friends sitting on a couch. One scored a last-minute goal, and the other immediately stood up and pointed at the screen.
"That was offside!"
The replay showed he was clearly onside.
The losing friend whispered, "The game is rigged."
Text appeared:
Friendship sold separately.
The third title appeared.
NBA 2K1 — ZEPS 3
This one made Steve's frown deepen because the timing was almost insulting.
The footage showed improved player models, smoother dribbling, better crowd energy, sharper court reflections, and more physical contact near the rim. Michael Jordan appeared in-game, wearing the Chicago Bulls jersey, driving past a defender and finishing with a graceful layup. Another clip showed a powerful dunk, a blocked shot, and a fast-break pass that made the crowd roar.
The presentation looked significantly more polished than last year's version.
Then Zaboru appeared on a basketball court, spinning a ball on his finger.
"NBA 2K1," he said. "Now with better defense, better movement, and more ways to blame your controller when Michael Jordan destroys you."
A fake quote appeared on screen.
"This game cheated." — Everyone who lost by 20 points
Instead, slow-motion replay showed the miss three times from different angles while sad violin music played.
Steve's lips pressed into a thin line.
One of Apple's engineers accidentally snorted.
Steve slowly turned his head toward him.
The engineer immediately looked down.
The fourth title appeared.
Bomberman World — ZEPS 3
The mood shifted into bright, chaotic multiplayer gameplay. Four characters ran through colorful arenas, placing bombs, collecting power-ups, trapping each other, and accidentally destroying themselves in spectacular fashion. The explosions were bigger, the maps more interactive, and the multiplayer looked fast, silly, and addictive.
Zaboru appeared wearing a small cartoon bomb hat.
"Bomberman World," he said. "The perfect game to discover which of your friends secretly wants you dead."
The screen showed four players screaming at each other.
"You trapped me!"
"No, you trapped yourself!"
"Why did you kick the bomb at me!?"
"Because I panicked!"
Then all four exploded at once.
Text appeared:
Friendship damage: Critical.
The fifth title appeared.
Cyborg Kuro-chan — ZEPS 3
The trailer became wild and comedic. Kuro-chan ran through colorful stages, firing weapons, dodging enemies, smashing through obstacles, and fighting ridiculous robot bosses. The animations were exaggerated, the humor was loud, and the gameplay mixed action-platforming with cartoon chaos.
One clip showed Kuro-chan using a giant cannon that was clearly too big for his body. Another showed him being chased by an army of tiny robots while screaming. Then he turned around and blasted them all into smoke.
Zaboru appeared beside a Kuro-chan mascot, both of them wearing sunglasses.
"Cyborg Kuro-chan," Zaboru said. "For children, adults, and people who think cats should legally own bazookas."
The mascot nodded seriously.
A fake government warning appeared.
ZAGE does not recommend giving bazookas to real cats.
Then Zaborn's voice added, "Cowards."
The showcase returned to Zaboru standing in the middle of the studio.
"So that's our August lineup!" Zaboru said cheerfully. "DOOM 3 for PC, WE 2001, NBA 2K1, Bomberman World, and Cyborg Kuro-chan for ZEPS 3!"
He spread his arms.
"Five games. Five reasons to stay busy. Five reasons your wallet may look at you and ask, 'Why are you like this?'"
The video then showed quick montage cuts of all five games again. DOOM 3's terrifying shadows. WE 2001's dramatic goals. NBA 2K1's smooth court action. Bomberman World's explosive chaos. Cyborg Kuro-chan's cartoon destruction.
Then the music suddenly changed again.
The lighting became dramatic.
Zaboru's expression turned serious.
"And one more thing…"
Steve Jobs' eyes narrowed.
Zanki's shoulders stiffened.
Zaboru looked directly into the camera.
"Everyone…"
He paused.
"Please remember."
The screen slowly faded to gold.
"In search of silver…"
Zaboru stepped forward with a calm smile.
"You should not lose gold."
Then the camera zoomed out.
For one second, it looked like Zaboru was about to deliver a serious philosophical message.
Instead, he suddenly grabbed a black fedora from off-screen, tilted it over his face, and began dancing like Michael Jackson.
Steve Jobs stared.
Zanki stared.
The engineer stared.
On-screen, Zaboru moonwalked backward across the studio floor while the words appeared behind him in shiny golden letters.
DON'T LOSE GOLD IN SEARCH OF SILVER
Then he spun once, pointed at the camera, and said, "Hee-hee."
The comment section exploded in real time.
[ZAGEFan1990]: BRO REALLY SAID "I PLAY FEELINGS" AND EXPECTED APPLE NOT TO CRY 😭
[PCDemonHunter]: DOOM 3 looks illegal. My computer started sweating.
[FootballNerd88]: WE 2001 looks better than last year already. My brother is about to accuse me of cheating again.
[JEF]: NBA 2K1 WITH MJ REAL LOOKS CRAZY. TAKE MY MONEY.
[BombVictim]: Bomberman World will destroy families. I am ready.
[CATSU]: "Cats should legally own bazookas" Zaboru 2001. Historic quote.
[Whitdm]: Wait… is silver supposed to be iPlay? 💀
[--Kiriku]: The Dark Guild still looks amazing though! But damn ZAGE timing is brutal.
[Z–aG3]: Zaborn throwing tissue at Zaboru is peak cinema.
[BlueHol]: HOLD UP. NEW AKAI PHONE MONDAY??? SAME DAY AS DARK GUILD???
[WALLZ]: Please stop. I have children.
[ZAGE FAN10]: "In search of silver, don't lose gold" is the most polite corporate murder I've ever seen.
[DOOMGUYZ]: I bought iPlay and I feel attacked. But also I laughed. Damn it.
Then Zaboru returned to the center of the screen, still wearing the fedora.
"But we are not done yet."
The music stopped.
The background shifted from gold to deep black and red.
The AKAI logo appeared behind him.
Zaboru slowly removed the fedora and smiled.
"On Monday, 12 August 2001, AKAI will showcase a new type of phone."
The screen showed only a silhouette.
A wide device.
A screen.
A full keyboard.
No clear details yet.
Just enough to make people curious.
Zaboru continued, "It will be revealed live at ZEB. It will also be broadcast on YouTube and television."
He leaned closer to the camera.
"If you like games, watch it."
He leaned even closer.
"If you like technology, watch it."
Then his grin became mischievous.
"And if you are a certain fruit company releasing something important on Monday…"
He paused.
"Maybe don't watch it. It might hurt your feelings."
Steve's face turned red.
Zanki's eyes widened slightly.
Zaboru stepped back, placed the fedora back on his head, and smiled one last time.
"Stay tuned."
Then he moonwalked out of the frame.
The screen turned black.
Golden text appeared again.
DON'T LOSE GOLD IN SEARCH OF SILVER.
Then, after three seconds, another tiny line appeared below it.
Also, please buy responsibly. Sayuri-san forced us to add this.
The video ended.
For a long moment, nobody inside Apple's meeting room spoke.
The early comments kept moving rapidly on the screen, hundreds appearing every second. The view count continued climbing like a broken elevator. The trailer for The Dark Guild had been strong, genuinely strong, but ZAGE had not simply countered it with one game.
They had countered it with five games, a comedy ad, a direct insult disguised as a motivational message, and a mysterious AKAI phone showcase scheduled for the exact same day as The Dark Guild's release.
Steve Jobs stared at the screen.
His jaw was tight.
His fingers curled slowly into a fist.
Then he exploded.
"That smug little bastard."
The room froze.
Nobody dared to move.
Steve pointed at the monitor.
"He did this on purpose. Of course he did. The timing, the jokes, that damn 'I play feelings' line, the silver and gold quote, the phone showcase on Monday—every second of this was planned to step on our launch."
Zanki sighed deeply, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Well…" Zanki said carefully, "yes. This was definitely planned."
Steve snapped his gaze toward him.
"Do not say it like that makes it better."
Zanki raised one hand slightly. "I'm not saying it makes it better. I'm saying we should not panic."
"Not panic?" Steve repeated, his voice dangerously low. "We finally release a trailer people actually like. We finally create momentum after months of embarrassment. We finally have one good clean window for iPlay, and Zaboru dances into the room wearing a hat and urinates on the entire week."
One engineer's eyes widened.
Another looked at the floor.
Zanki did not laugh.
This was not the time.
Steve continued, voice sharp with anger. "He didn't even attack the game directly. That's what makes it worse. He didn't say The Dark Guild looks bad. He just made the entire conversation bigger than us. Now people are talking about DOOM 3, NBA 2K1, Bomberman, Kuro-chan, the AKAI phone, the moonwalk, the damn tissue, and that gold-silver line."
He slammed his hand on the table.
"The bastard buried us under entertainment."
Zanki's expression tightened.
That sentence was accurate.
Painfully accurate.
Zanki exhaled slowly.
"Boss," he said carefully, "The Dark Guild is still solid. The game itself is strong. The trailer response is positive. ZAGE's video will steal attention, yes, but attention is not always the same as conversion."
Steve glared at him.
Zanki continued, "The phone showcase is dangerous because we do not know the magnitude of the product yet. But it is still a phone announcement, not a game release. We should not cancel or delay The Dark Guild now. If we delay, it will look like fear. If we continue, we can still ride the hype from the trailer."
Steve remained silent.
Zanki leaned forward.
"We must hold the line. Push The Dark Guild harder. Increase television ads. Highlight online co-op. Get reviewers early copies. Emphasize that this is iPlay's first true must-play game. If ZAGE wants to turn Monday into a battlefield, then we should not run away."
Steve looked back at the screen.
Steve's eyes darkened.
"Zaboru Renkonan…" he muttered.
His voice was full of irritation, but also something colder beneath it.
"He thinks everything is a stage. He thinks he can make jokes and people will forget we exist."
Zanki said nothing.
Steve turned away from the screen.
"Fine," he said. "We continue."
Zanki nodded. "Good."
"But increase everything," Steve said. "Ads, previews, interviews, store displays, online discussion, everything. I want The Dark Guild in people's faces until they cannot ignore it."
"Understood."
Steve looked at the screen one last time.
Zaboru's frozen smile from the video thumbnail stared back at him, fedora tilted, grin smug, golden text shining behind him.
Steve's mouth twisted.
"And someone tell our marketing team," he said coldly, "if they let one dancing Japanese game emperor with a phone destroy our launch week, I will personally make their next career questionable."
Nobody laughed.
Zanki slowly nodded.
"Yes, Mr. Jobs."
Steve turned and walked away, still visibly furious.
Behind him, the ZAGE video continued gaining views.
And Monday had not even arrived yet.
To be continued.
Please give me your power stone and if you want to support me and get minimum 50+ advance chapter and additional 1 chapter a week for 4$ considering subscribe to my patreon patreon.com/Zaborn_1997
Or buymecoffee https://buymeacoffee.com/Zaborn_1997 which same with patreon
current Patreon/buymecoffe chap 1310
Also Join my discord if you want https://discord.gg/jB8x6TUByc