Thursday 14 May ZAGE Tower.
The media in Japan was still busy talking about ZAGE, but for Zaboru, he didn't really care about it. Right now, his focus was somewhere else entirely. He was currently inside his office on the 50th floor instead of his usual workshop on the 51st floor. The reason was simple—he was waiting for someone. Someone he had recently noticed on the ZAGE forum, a Pokémon player whose dedication was so insane that it even caught his attention.
"Heh… let's see what kind of guy he is," Zaboru muttered with a faint grin. He continued working on his laptop, preparing his latest game plans while occasionally glancing at the time. Beside him, his ZGBA was already prepared, placed neatly on the desk along with several cartridges. It was clear he intended to check something personally.
The person he was waiting for went by the name "Pokemon Enjoyer." That was his forum name, and despite how simple it sounded, the achievement behind that name had already shaken the entire community.
A couple of days ago, he made a thread that completely shook the community. So far, across all Pokémon games from ZAGE—Gen 1, Gen 2, and Gen 3—there had already been rare color variations of Pokémon. However, these were extremely hidden because there was no official explanation for why some Pokémon had different colors compared to others execpt in some Zaboru post he called them this different color pokemon are way rare and called "shiny" . Most players simply assumed it was either a visual glitch or some random variation with no deeper meaning.
Because of that, the general belief among players was that these rare-colored Pokémon could only be encountered in the wild, and even then, they were considered almost mythical due to how rarely anyone actually saw them. Very few people even tried to seriously hunt for them, since there was no confirmation they were an intended feature.
But what nobody realized was that even starter Pokémon—those given at the very beginning of the game—could also appear in this rare "shiny" form. It was something so unlikely and so unexplored that no one had ever seriously documented it before. And then, this single post shattered all of those assumptions, proving that shiny starters were real and could be obtained with enough persistence.
The post called "9 Shiny Starter" was written by Pokemon Enjoyer, and he began to explain his story in detail. "I'm one of the biggest Pokémon lovers. Ever since the first Pokémon released on ZGB, it became my favorite game of all time. The creatures are so cute, and they can also grow stronger, and then there's the anime too… it made me love the game even more. Because of that, I played a lot, replaying the game again and again without getting bored. Then one day, I got really lucky. When I was about to start my third playthrough in Pokémon Green on ZGBA, I went to choose Bulbasaur… and I noticed something strange. Its color was slightly different."
He continued, explaining his confusion at that time. "At first, I thought my ZGB was bugged, but honestly… I liked the color. It looked better. So I didn't reset it and just kept playing. Then during that playthrough, I encountered another Pokémon with a different color—it was a 'Blue Voltorb.' That's when I got really surprised. I started wondering… is this a bug? Or is there some kind of rarer version of Pokémon that nobody talks about?"
He then continued with more certainty. "Later, during Gen 2, Zaboru casually mentioned something in a thread. He said there are rarer versions of Pokémon called 'shiny.' They have different color palettes and are much rarer than normal Pokémon. That was the moment everything clicked for me."
From that point on, the term 'Shiny' became official within the community. Not because of any in-game explanation, but because Zaboru Renkonan himself said it. And for players, his words carried enough weight to turn a hidden mechanic into a recognized feature, something real that people could chase and prove.
Then I started noticing more and more threads where people showcased their shiny Pokémon, but something felt missing. There were almost no shiny starters being shown. That's when I realized… I had one. I had a shiny Bulbasaur, and later even evolved it into Venusaur. That moment changed everything for me. If I could get one… then maybe it was possible to get them all.
So I decided to do something insane. I wanted all the shiny starters. From that point on, I began my journey seriously. I reset my games again and again, spending hours just to check the starter at the beginning. It was exhausting, repetitive, and honestly frustrating at times, but I didn't stop. I even bought four additional ZGB consoles just to increase my chances and speed up the process.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Slowly, one by one, I started collecting them. First from Pokémon Gen 1, then Gen 2. Every time I saw that different color appear, it felt unreal, like I was witnessing something rare that only a few people would ever experience.
Then Pokémon Gen 3 and ZGBA came. At that point, I was already fully committed. I continued the same grind, resetting over and over again, refusing to give up. And finally… after months since its release… I did it. I completed everything.
I have shiny Charmander, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip. All of them. All shiny. All mine."
Then the post showcases the image of the total 9 starters and the 9 starters alread yon their strongest evolution form which is really insane.
The post immediately exploded across the community, gaining insane reactions from players. "Holy shit! I didn't even know starters can be shiny!" "No way this is real!" "This guy is crazy!" "How many resets did this take!?" The forum was flooded with replies, theories, and even arguments. Some players were in disbelief, thinking it might be fake, while others started testing it themselves, restarting their games again and again just to see if it was possible. Within hours, the thread became one of the most viewed posts in the entire ZAGE forum, spreading even outside into early online communities and discussion boards.
But what made the situation escalate even further was when Zaboru himself appeared in the thread with his official account. The moment his name showed up, the entire forum went silent for a second before exploding even harder.
"Whoa, this is really insane. Good for you, man. That's some serious dedication. I'll invite you to ZAGE Tower. I'll give you a gift. and damn You are Very cool!."
That single comment changed everything. Players went wild. "ZABORU REPLIED???" "NO WAY THIS IS REAL" "HE GOT INVITED???" "BRO WON LIFE" The thread turned from admiration into pure hype and envy. Many players began to see this as more than just an achievement—it became a legend, something to chase not just for the game, but for recognition itself.
And because of that single reply, Zaboru was now waiting for this "Pokemon_Enjoyer" to arrive.
Meanwhile, outside ZAGE Tower, a young man with glasses stood in front of the entrance, swallowing nervously. He was none other than "Pokemon_Enjoyer," whose real name was Tsuneo Harada.
He fidgeted slightly. 'I… I can't believe it… I was invited here…' Before stepping inside, he looked up at the building again. From this close, ZAGE Tower felt even more overwhelming. The glass reflected the sky cleanly, and the massive logo stood proudly at the top. People walked in and out with confidence, busy but not stressed. It felt different from any office building he had ever seen.
Then he stepped inside… and froze.
The lobby was nothing like he expected. It was filled with decorations of ZAGE characters—statues, posters, and large digital displays playing animations from games and shows. Employees walked around casually, some even chatting about games while working. There was laughter, energy, and creativity everywhere. It didn't feel stiff or suffocating like a normal workplace.
Tsuneo swallowed hard.
"…this place… is amazing…" he muttered under his breath.
For a moment, a thought quietly formed in his mind.
'I… want to work here someday…'
But reality quickly followed.
He remembered his current life… working in a black company, long hours, low pay, no passion, no respect. His expression dimmed for a second.
"…yeah… that's impossible…" He shook his head lightly. "No… at least… today…"
He took a deep breath and forced a small smile.
"I'm invited here…"
That alone was already enough to make him happy.
He approached the receptionist and spoke nervously. "I… I'm 'Pokemon_Enjoyer'…" The receptionist smiled politely. "Okay, please wait a moment."
Not long after, someone approached him.
"Hello, my name is Yumi Ichijou, Zaboru Renkonan's secretary. You are Pokemon_Enjoyer, and your name is Tsuneo Harada, correct? Please come with me. Our boss is already expecting you."
Tsuneo nodded quickly, slightly flustered. He couldn't help but blush a little—the secretary was extremely beautiful. Yumi then led him through the hallway.
As they walked, Tsuneo kept looking around. Every section of the office was filled with creativity—concept art, character designs, and teams working passionately. It didn't feel like a workplace… it felt like a dream environment for creators.
By the time they reached Zaboru's room, Tsuneo's heart was already beating fast—not just because he was about to meet Zaboru, but because this place had already changed how he saw "work" itself.
Zaboru gestured for him to sit in front of him.
Zaboru smiled. "Relax, Pokemon_Enjoyer… or should I call you Harada?"
Tsuneo tried to speak, but he was completely star-struck. His mouth opened slightly before he forced words out. "U-uh… Zabo… no, Mr. Renkonan… it's an honor…" his voice shaky, clearly overwhelmed just by being in front of him.
Zaboru laughed lightly. "Relax, man. Just call me Zaboru." He leaned back a little, his tone casual and easygoing, which made the situation slightly less tense. "Still… those achievements are impressive. Did you bring all of your ZGB and ZGBA?"
Harada nodded quickly and immediately started showing everything he brought. "Y-yes!" he said, placing them carefully on the table. There were four ZGB units, two ZGBA, and multiple Pokémon cartridges, all in good condition. It was clear he had taken great care of them.
Zaboru picked one up and began checking it personally. He examined the cartridges, opened the save files, and tested the systems one by one. His movements were calm but precise, showing he was seriously verifying everything.
After a few minutes, he placed them back down.
"…all clean," he said.
There were no signs of modification, no editing, no shortcuts. Everything was real.
Zaboru then looked at Harada and grinned. "You really did it… finding all shiny starters manually…" He shook his head slightly, clearly impressed. "That's insane. Most people wouldn't even try, and even if they did, they'd give up halfway."
He leaned forward a bit, his gaze sharper now. "So… what made you want to go this far, Harada?"
Tsuneo scratched his head, still nervous. "I… I guess I just love Pokémon games…" he said honestly, his voice soft but sincere.
Zaboru chuckled. "You really are something else." He turned slightly and opened a drawer, then took out a small case. When he opened it, a high-quality gold badge was revealed. It had the words "First All Shiny" engraved on it, coated with real gold, and below it were the words "Pokemon_Master" and "Tsuneo Harada." The craftsmanship was detailed, almost like a trophy rather than just a simple reward.
Zaboru handed it to Tsuneo.
"This is for you. The First All Shiny Badge. It contains about 3 grams of gold as well. If you ever want to sell it, that's fine too. Here's the certificate." Zaboru smiled casually, as if it wasn't a big deal.
But for Tsuneo, it was everything.
His eyes widened the moment he held it. His hands trembled slightly as he looked at the badge, then at the certificate, then back again.
"…this is real…" he whispered.
Suddenly he stood up abruptly. "It's an honor, sir! I would never sell this!" His voice was louder now, filled with emotion, almost like he couldn't control himself.
Zaboru laughed softly. "Good. That's the right answer."
Then he gestured to Yumi. "Let's take a picture."
Yumi nodded and prepared her portable camera. Zaboru stood beside Tsuneo and casually placed a hand on his shoulder. Tsuneo froze again for a moment, completely star-struck, holding the badge tightly in his hand like it was the most precious thing he had ever owned.
"Ready?" Yumi said.
Tsuneo nodded quickly.
Click.
The moment was captured—a simple picture, but for Tsuneo, it was something he would remember for the rest of his life.
This truly made Tsuneo Harada's day. The moment he left ZAGE Tower, he could barely contain himself. As soon as he got home, he rushed to the ZAGE forum and created a new post, uploading the picture with Zaboru, the badge, and even a short explanation of what happened during the visit. The title alone shook the community: "I met Zaboru… and this happened."
Within minutes, the thread exploded. "NO WAY THIS IS REAL" "HE ACTUALLY GOT THE BADGE???" "IS THAT REAL GOLD???" "BRO WON LIFE FOR REAL" Players flooded the post with replies, likes, and shares. Some couldn't believe it and asked for more proof, while others were simply jealous and amazed at the same time.
Tsuneo replied to some comments, still overwhelmed. "It's real… I still can't believe it either…" he wrote, even uploading close-up pictures of the badge and certificate. The engraving, the shine of the gold, and Zaboru's signature made everything undeniable.
The impact spread quickly across the entire forum. What started as a single achievement had now become a legendary moment. Players didn't just talk about shiny hunting anymore—they talked about recognition, about being noticed by Zaboru himself. And the fact that ZAGE gave a real gold badge made everything even more insane.
Not long after, Zaboru replied, "You deserve it. You are very cool." That simple message made the community admire him even more.
To be continue
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