Saturday 22 April 1997.
Hikaru Kurata was now inside one of Tokyo's largest and most prestigious event venues, a sleek and modern complex that hosted some of the biggest international showcases in Japan. The room had been rented out by the event organizers specifically for the Tokyo Electronic Showcase, an annual gathering that brought together the most influential names in the tech and electronics industry. Every year, this event serves as a platform for top-tier companies to unveil their latest innovations — from televisions and cameras to cutting-edge computing hardware and audio gear.
This year's showcase was especially grand, with attendance from nearly all of Japan's top electronics brands. Sonaya, of course, wasn't just attending — they were the primary investor and biggest backer of the entire event. With multiple divisions in electronics ranging from consumer audio to high-end video equipment, Sonaya had every reason to dominate the spotlight. For Hikaru Kurata, this wasn't just business — it was a public stage to display their dominance in the electronics world and reaffirm their market supremacy across multiple sectors, including gaming, which he had major personal stakes in. This was their arena — or so he thought.
Hikaru Kurata sipped from his glass as he mingled among the higher-ups of some of Japan's most powerful electronics companies. Laughter filled the air — the kind of easy, polished laughter shared between seasoned businessmen who knew they were at the top of their game. The energy in the room was smooth and celebratory.
Soon, the event officially began. First on the schedule: Sonaya's product display. They unveiled a line of new electronics, including a next-gen camera, redesigned high-fidelity headphones, advanced speakers, and several other sleek innovations. Each product demonstration was clean, stylish, and technically impressive. Hikaru nodded along, quietly pleased with what he saw.
Beyond the video game industry, Sonaya had carved out a strong presence across multiple electronics categories. In fact, they had a mild but growing dominance in consumer tech — a foundation that Hikaru considered vital. As he surveyed the glowing reactions from the crowd, he allowed himself a confident grin. "Not for long," he thought. "Sonaya will soon lead in the video game sector as well."
Finally, it was time for the most anticipated segment of the event — the unveiling of Sonaya's newest video game for their latest 32-bit console. The game, titled Bottle Bomb, featured a quirky 3D bottle-throwing battle mechanic where each bottle acted as a timed explosive. The concept was unusual, even odd, but the gameplay demo was slick, colorful, and full of fast-paced action. Exploding bottles flew across a stylized battlefield as players dodged, aimed, and detonated projectiles with chaotic precision.
Many gamers in attendance had shown up specifically for this moment, eager to see how Sonaya would release new game for their newest console's hardware. The showcase didn't disappoint — at least on the surface — and it stirred plenty of interest from press and tech enthusiasts alike.
Following the game reveal, Sonaya had another surprise in store: a limited collector's edition of their console, named the Game Station: Sun Knight Edition. The sleek, gold-accented design and premium finish made it stand out visually, and it came bundled with exclusive accessories and game-themed decals. Priced at a hefty 50,000 yen, it was clearly marketed toward collectors and hardcore fans, and the premium price tag reflected that.
To add to the spectacle, the entire event was broadcast live on multiple TV stations, allowing viewers across Japan — and even internationally — to witness the product announcements in real time. The air was electric with excitement, and for Sonaya, everything appeared to be going according to plan.
Hikaru Kurata nodded, clearly satisfied with how the event had gone so far. The product reveals had landed well, the crowd was buzzing, and the entire showcase had flowed exactly as he'd envisioned. Everything was under control — or so he thought.
Then the host's voice rang out across the auditorium. "That's almost it, everyone! But—there's one more performance!"
Kurata's brow lifted sharply, his sense of ease instantly disrupted. "One more performance?" he thought, eyes narrowing. "Why wasn't I told about this?" A chill of unease slipped down his spine. Kurata hated surprises — especially at an event he believed he owned.
Then, without warning, the massive ZAGE logo exploded onto the main screen, accompanied by the tolling of a deep, resonant bell. The room fell into a stunned silence for half a second—then a thunderous guitar riff shattered it. The crowd erupted. Shouts, cheers, and gasps filled the air as heads turned toward the stage, trying to make sense of what was happening.
Hikaru Kurata's eyes widened in disbelief. His jaw tightened.
Suddenly, the stage lights burst to life, and stepping through the swirling mist came Zaboru—flanked by the roaring presence of the Zankoku band. Without hesitation, Zaboru grabbed the mic, his voice tearing through the venue like a battle cry.
"NIGHTMARE!!!" Zaboru roared into the mic, his voice ripping through the sound system like a thunderclap.
His bandmate and bassist, Jun Hasegawa, stepped forward for the vocal harmony, growling into his own mic, "I'M your nightmare come to life!"
With that, the metal music kicked in hard — a relentless wall of drums and screaming guitars erupted from the speakers. Behind them, the giant LED screens blazed to life with Clips of Video games and the Songs are Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare Only now, the lyrics had been rewritten entirely by Zaboru himself — to suit Sonaya. It wasn't just a song. It was a declaration. A warning. A direct shot at Sonaya's pride.
Got your stuff done, think you're the main show
You think it'll last forever (Peace of mind is better than ever)
Hate to twist your mind, but you should've already realized
There's no way this is forever (You should know your place is second)
You thought it was fine to insult, so you went too far
You tried your best to be a jerk, spreading false rumors — always doing what you feel (feel)
But now you'll realize it was all in your head
You'll be second as long as I exist
Nothing can stop this truth because it's real
Haunting, yearning, and full of desire!
While the clips played, they showcased gameplay from ZAGE's newest lineup of games — all unreleased titles for the upcoming ZEPS 3 console. The footage looked absolutely insane, with a wide variety of genres represented across multiple titles. There appeared to be stealth-based gameplay, sprawling JRPGs, fast-paced platformers, a 3d Mario game, Starfox game, Harvest Moon game , Adventure game with Female with Two handGuns, and even what looked like a full 3D Zelda action RPG.
The variety and quality on display instantly electrified the audience. Players watching from the venue and at home were stunned. These weren't just teasers — they were full gameplay reels, and every second hinted at ZAGE's ambition to redefine the console generation. The crowd's excitement was no longer just hype — it was awe.
Then the song Continue
You should've known your prices are evil
And it hurts to know that you belong here, yeah
Ooh, it's your freaking nightmare
I'm your nightmare come to life!
Then the song erupted into a blistering guitar solo, and the massive screen behind the stage shifted to display a bold announcement: "ZEPS 3 — Launching April 29th, Saturday." And it shows the design of ZEPS 3. Beneath it, the price appeared: 32.100 yen. The crowd collectively gasped.
That wasn't all. More text faded in underneath: "Total Launch Titles: 13 Games! Buy the full bundle for 130,000 yen!" A breakdown followed, listing the individual game prices at around 8,000–8,500 yen each at retail.
As the solo came to a screeching crescendo, smoke cannons fired off onstage, engulfing everything in thick white fog. When the smoke began to clear, the Z&Z band was gone — vanished like ghosts. In their place, the LED screen displayed one final message in bold, pulsing letters:
"I'M YOUR NIGHTMARE COME TO LIFE."
The audience was absolutely losing their minds. Cheers, screams, and gasps filled the venue like a stadium during a championship final. "WHAT THE HELL! It's ZAGE ZEPS 3!" one of the fans shouted at the top of his lungs, practically shaking with adrenaline. Dozens of others followed suit, shouting, clapping, some even standing on their chairs in disbelief.
The excitement was raw and contagious. It wasn't just the unexpected reveal — it was how good the ZEPS 3 looked. Sleek, modern, powerful — and compared to Sonaya's Game Station, it was on another level entirely. The visual design, the lineup of launch titles, the sheer energy behind its presentation — it was a gut punch to the competition.
And then came the price. Whispers turned to roars. "It's cheaper too?!" one gamer yelled, pointing at the screen. "This is insane!" The ZAGE ZEPS 3 wasn't just making a splash — it was detonating expectations, and in the eyes of the gaming community, a new king had just entered the arena.
Meanwhile, Hikaru Kurata stood agape, completely unable to process what had just happened. For several seconds, he was frozen in place, jaw clenched, mind racing. Then, with a sharp inhale, he tried to steady himself — but the veins on his forehead were already bulging with fury.
Without saying a word to anyone, he stormed out of the venue and made his way straight to his car. Slamming the door shut, he gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. The silence didn't last long. In a sudden outburst, he smashed a nearby glass in the car's cup holder, shouting with pure rage: "DAMN YOU, ZABORU!!!"
It was a classic Kurata eruption — raw, loud, and bitter. He would find out who allowed this to happen later. Right now, he needed one thing before retaliation: to calm his mind.
To be continue
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