Wednesday 1 March 1997.
Zaboru was now at the ZAGE Campus in the USA, staying in his private suite located on the 15th floor. This entire floor was specially designated for him, much like how the ZAGE Tower in Japan reserved floors 49 to 52 exclusively for his use. However, the 15th floor of the U.S. campus was even more expansive. It included luxuries such as a private basketball court, leisure rooms, and advanced office space—perfectly tailored to meet both his personal comfort and professional needs.
At that moment, Zaboru had a special guest visiting him—Walt Disney himself. Zaboru chuckled as he noticed how Walt had begun treating him like one of his own grandsons. Truth be told, Zaboru didn't mind it at all.
Walt Disney grinned warmly. "You've got some great offices here, Zabory! And by the way, our three movies are coming along nicely. Let me fill you in—The Lion King is scheduled for release in June, Hercules will follow in September, and The Iron Giant is on track for a January release next year. Everything is progressing smoothly."
Zaboru nodded, remembering clearly how he had greenlit those three films the previous year. It all began after the overwhelming success of The Little Mermaid, which had taken the world by storm and reignited public interest in Disney animation. The positive reception had been massive, and many people were delighted by Disney's return to form. That success gave Zaboru the confidence to move forward with more animated projects.
He smiled and responded warmly, "That's good to hear, Mr. Disney. As I expected, Disney is truly unmatched when it comes to animated movies. Your team never fails to deliver quality."
Walt Disney shrugged modestly but smiled proudly. "Of course, Zaboy. I mean, we used to be at the top of the food chain in animated films—and now, with your help and fresh ideas, we're starting to climb back up there again. Hehehe."
Zaboru nodded in agreement, pleased by Walt's energy and optimism.
Walt leaned forward with a grin and added, "Ever since ZAGE took over, Disney stopped struggling—especially in creativity. The workplace has become lively again! The artists are excited. The entire studio feels like it has a pulse again. And that's because of you, Zaboy."
Then Walt Disney said, "You should come to my house occasionally, Zaboy. We often have big feasts—how about tonight?"
Zaboru smiled but politely declined. "I'd love to, Mr. Disney, but I have some meetings tonight."
Walt raised an eyebrow. "With whom?"
"With Bill Gates," Zaboru replied. "He's reached out a couple of times already, and it seems kind of urgent."
Walt sighed and leaned back. "Don't trust him too much, Zaboy. I know the type. Gates has 'True Businessman' written all over him—always calculating, always looking for the edge. And that kind of mindset usually comes with a willingness to backstab if it serves the deal."
Zaboru nodded thoughtfully. He was already well aware of Bill Gates' reputation especially come from his previous life. That's why he remained cautious whenever they interacted, especially when it came to ideas or sensitive plans. Even with potential collaboration on the table, Zaboru kept his guard up—always watching, always one step ahead.
Walt Disney stayed for a little while longer before finally taking his leave from the ZAGE Campus, heading back to his office at Disney to continue his work. Once he was gone, Zaboru found himself alone in his spacious office once again. The quiet returned, allowing him to refocus on his tasks.
He opened his computer and saw the pending email from Bill Gates—one he had been meaning to reply to. Gates had requested a meeting at a luxury hotel for the following day. After reading through the message, Zaboru typed a short but formal confirmation, agreeing to meet.
As he hit send, he leaned back in his chair, exhaled, and muttered with a half-smile, "I wonder what this guy wants…" He chuckled softly, then turned his attention back to his desk, diving into his workload once more.
Thursday 2 March 1997 Luxury Hotel - Near California.
Zaboru arrived at the luxury hotel dressed casually—no tailored suit today, just a relaxed shirt paired with long, dark training pants. Despite his informal attire, no one on staff dared to question or comment on his appearance. Everyone there knew exactly who he was: Zaboru Renkonan, the youngest billionaire in the world, a global phenomenon in both the tech and entertainment industries. His reputation alone commanded a quiet respect, and his confident presence only reinforced it.
Even without dressing to impress, Zaboru looked effortlessly striking. His natural charisma and sharp features caught the attention of nearly everyone he passed. At one point, a young female server, clearly flustered, discreetly slipped her phone number beneath his plate while serving him a drink. Zaboru noticed, let out a small sigh, and offered a polite but distant smile. He had long since grown used to this kind of attention—but it meant nothing to him.
He was already deeply committed. He had an incredible wife waiting back home—his best friend, partner, and the future mother of their child. The thought of betraying her never even crossed his mind. Fame, admiration, temptation—it all paled in comparison to what he already had. He was loyal, grounded, and focused on the life he was building, not the distractions that came with status.
Soon after, Bill Gates arrived at the hotel and made his way directly to Zaboru. Like Zaboru, he had opted for a casual look—wearing just a simple polo shirt. With a friendly grin, he extended his hand and greeted him warmly.
"Long time no see, Zaboru. How have you been? You seem incredibly busy these days."
Zaboru smiled and replied, "I'm doing great, Bill—never better. But let's not waste each other's time. We're both busy men, so how about we cut to the chase? What exactly did you want to talk about?"
Bill Gates chuckled and nodded. "Alright, let's get into it. Do you remember back in 1994 when you were developing PC games specifically for Windows 94?"
Zaboru nodded, recalling the collaboration well. Microsoft had paid ZAGE handsomely to produce games that would be featured during the Windows 94 showcase. It had been a successful venture, elevating both the visibility of the operating system and ZAGE's growing reputation in the gaming industry.
Bill Gates leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "I'd like to do a collaboration like that again. Windows 97 is already complete, and we plan to unveil it around August this year—so that gives us about five months. I want ZAGE to develop a game exclusively for the new OS. Ideally, something on the same level of quality and impact as Diablo, which you released for Windows 94."
Zaboru chuckled and nodded. "That's doable, Bill. But of course, we need to talk about the terms. What's the contract look like?"
Bill smiled and handed over a folder. Inside was a formal agreement. The key points were outlined as follows:
ZAGE will create a game specifically for Windows 97.The game must be completed and ready before the official showcase in August 1997.The quality of the game must be top-tier—no compromises.Microsoft will pay ZAGE $10 million for the development.All rights to the game will remain exclusively owned by ZAGE.
Zaboru chuckled. "Well, ten million is a bit on the low side for what we usually do—but it's fine. I love getting early access to Windows builds anyway, just like we did with Windows 94."
Bill laughed and nodded. "If possible, I'd like you to come by the Microsoft offices. We'll provide you with Windows 97 and everything you'll need to get started."
Zaboru nodded in agreement. "Sounds like a plan. How about tomorrow?"
Bill nodded again, and with that, the meeting came to an end. Once more, ZAGE and Microsoft were back in business—ready to make waves in the tech world.
To be continued
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