After returning from AKAI HQ, Zaboru quickly dove back into his work. But after a while, curiosity got the better of him. He decided to visit the Quality Control floor—a section dedicated to screening games from third-party studios. Today, six games had been submitted to ZAGE for evaluation. Initially, Zaboru had told himself he wasn't interested in knowing what these games were. He didn't plan to play any of them. But now, he couldn't resist the urge to at least see what titles had come through the door.
Zaboru grinned to himself. "I wonder what kind of games they've developed," he muttered with a chuckle. Unable to resist, he made his way to the Quality Control department, the floor responsible for screening third-party titles before they were greenlit. The area was filled with the sound of game audio, clicks of controllers, and the occasional shout from playtesters.
As he entered, Shino Uzaki—the team leader for third-party game evaluation—looked up from his workstation, clearly surprised. "Huh? Boss? What are you doing here?" On his screen, Zaboru noticed a colorful 3D platformer playing. It was a title he didn't recognize.
Zaboru smiled and waved a hand. "Relax, Shino. I'm just checking in. I heard there were six new game submissions from six different studios?"
Shino sighed deeply, already bracing himself. "Boss, remember what you told me the last time we talked? You said—and I quote—'Don't give me any spoilers, even if I ask.' So, please don't ask me for more than I'm allowed to say."
He took a breath and added, "All I can confirm is yes, we've received six games from six different studios."
Shino sighed again, clearly amused and a bit exasperated. Back when ZAGE still worked from the main ZAGE offices, he used to frequent the QC room almost daily, eager to get early hands-on time with whatever new builds had come in. But then, not long after moving to ZAGE Tower, Zaboru had done a complete 180—he told Shino to block him from testing anything early, no exceptions, not even for him.
Now, watching his boss squirm with curiosity, Shino couldn't help but smirk a little. He was still holding that promise—much to Zaboru's annoyance.
Zaboru scratched his head. "Yeah, yeah, Shino—you're doing the right thing... But um, just one last thing. Could you at least give me the names of the games and the studios that made them? I've been dying to know!"
Shino sighed and nodded. "That much is fine. Here's the list."
Zaboru looked at the list, and his eyes widened in shock. Shino, still unaware of Zaboru's reaction, began explaining casually.
"First studio is from BANZ. They've already built a bit of a reputation with us, especially known for releasing their games through our channels. Their specialty is shoot-'em-up games, and this time, their title is Busters 44. I won't spoil the game itself, per your request, but it's looking sharp."
Shino scrolled down the list and continued, "Next up is a name you'll recognize—Kogane Studio. They're bringing a new title called Diorino. You might remember them from a couple of other submissions over the past year."
"After Kogane, there's a new player in town—Bing-Bingo. They're a small indie team, but they've submitted a game called Bugs Metal. It's pretty unique, if I said so."
He kept reading. "Then we've got a more familiar name again—Wasanebo. They're submitting Flame Chef and that's all I can say.."
Shino paused to glance at Zaboru, who was still visibly processing something. Then he continued, "Next is Akaishidan. Their submission is Hayate: Master Ninja 2, which is the sequel to their Master Ninja game from our ZEPS 1 launch lineup. We've seen a big leap in quality from them. I think this one could really stand out."
Finally, he landed on the last entry and chuckled. "And here's an interesting one. The studio used to be known as Han Software. But they've rebranded. Now they're calling themselves From Software. And their game? It's called King's Field."
While Shino continued explaining, Zaboru was listening—but his mind had already drifted elsewhere. The name "FromSoftware" wasn't new to him. In fact, it hit him like a jolt of electricity. He recognized it immediately. FromSoftware had been one of his all-time favorite video game developers in his previous life. It was the very studio where Hidetaka Miyazaki had worked and eventually created some of the most influential games of that timeline.
What made it more surreal was that their submitted title, King's Field, shared the exact same name as the franchise FromSoftware had launched back in his old world. The connections were too precise to ignore. This wasn't just a coincidence—it was like watching history play itself out again, but through a distorted mirror. The name, the game, even the timeline felt familiar.
Zaboru couldn't help himself. He turned to Shino with a look of mild awe. "Do you know why Han Soft decided to change their name to FromSoftware? Honestly, it's a great name."
Shino nodded and replied, "Yeah, one of their representatives mentioned that they originally wanted to focus on PC game development. That was their whole vision early on. But when we launched ZAGE ZEPS 3, they changed course and decided to focus on console development instead. Apparently, King's Field was already in progress on their end, which is why they were able to submit it so early they just need to shift from PC to our ZEPS3"
The explanation only deepened Zaboru's thoughts. He now knew that FromSoftware wasn't just echoing the past—it might end up recreating the same magic. And maybe, just maybe, even creating something entirely new.
Zaboru nodded, then said, "Okay then, good luck with your work, Shino." With that, he turned and left the Quality Control floor, heading back to his office at a brisk pace. As he entered and sat down, he leaned back in his chair, still grinning to himself.
"I can't believe it," he muttered. "This is the first time a video game company from my previous life has appeared here with the exact same name as in my old world."
In this world, he'd already come across many companies that mirrored ones he knew—some nearly identical in function and style, but with slightly altered names. Sonaya was clearly Sony, Nanco resembled Namco, HanDai had to be Bandai. Ninzendo still focused on trading cards and was now under ZAGE's control, a curious version of what should've been Nintendo. Triangle Soft stood in for Square Soft. These resemblances were common, but none of them had carried the same exact name—until now.
FromSoftware.
And not only the name—the game they submitted was King's Field. That wasn't just a familiar title. It was the title. In his past life, it was the franchise that laid the foundation for many of FromSoftware's future innovations.
Zaboru's mind raced.
"This changes everything," he thought. "This is a chance to steer the future. If they've already started down the path of King's Field, what happens if I push the process? What if I fast-track their other iconic games? What if I take control of the timeline myself?"
The possibilities were endless. He could imagine Armored Core, Kuon, and even titles that had never seen the light of day until much later. But what if he brought them to life early? What if he got ahead of them—released versions of those games first under ZAGE's banner? It would shake up the timeline completely. FromSoft would be forced to pivot, and knowing their talent, they wouldn't just stop. They'd innovate. They'd go beyond.
He could see the path clearly now. If he didn't act, FromSoft might follow the exact same route they did in his past life. But if Zaboru jumped ahead, publishing their classics himself, then FromSoftware would be pushed to create something entirely new—something he'd never seen before. And that thrilled him. He trusted their quality. He trusted their madness. And that unknown future? That's what really got his blood pumping.
The idea made his heart race.
"Hehehe… this might actually get better," he said aloud, his grin widening into something more mischievous. "It's time to release those games ahead of schedule and let FromSoft cook up something I can't even predict. Something fresh. Something untamed."
He leaned forward at his desk, eyes glowing with anticipation.
"And that," he said, "makes the game even more exciting."
To be continue