Sunday 12 July 2000 Very Early in the morning.
Zaboru was now pedaling through the streets of Tokyo, riding away from the Renkonan household while enjoying the cool early morning air. The city was still quiet, not yet fully awake, giving him a rare sense of calm. Unlike most people, he didn't need much sleep—just two hours a day was more than enough for his enlightened body. Because of that, whenever he stayed at home, he naturally woke up early and often spent his mornings like this, cycling or doing other forms of light exercise to clear his mind.
There was something refreshing about these moments. Just the sound of the wind and the rhythm of his pedaling. It gave him time to think, or sometimes, to not think at all.
Now he rode his trusty steed, Silver Wrecker, through the streets of Tokyo. Despite being a billionaire, Zaboru had always been fond of riding a bike. He never really saw himself as a "rich man." Having already experienced death once, his perspective on wealth was different—he didn't chase it, nor did he feel the need to flaunt it. To him, money was simply a tool. What truly mattered was staying true to himself and continuing to fulfill his dreams, one step at a time.
For this ride, he already had a destination in mind—the old ZAGE offices, back when ZAGE Tower didn't yet exist. That place held meaning far beyond its appearance. As he continued pedaling, a few early risers were already outside doing their morning workouts. Some of them recognized him immediately.
"Hey, Zaboru!" one of them called out.
Zaboru chuckled and gave a small nod in return. "Good morning, Ruiko-san."
The interaction was simple, but natural. Around here, he wasn't treated like a distant figure—just someone familiar.
The ride itself didn't take long, but it was enough for him to settle into a calm rhythm. The quiet streets, the steady motion, the cool air—it all blended into a moment of peace that he rarely got during his busy days.
Before long, he arrived at his destination. Slowing down, he came to a stop in front of the old building and looked up at it. A small smile formed on his face, as if the place itself was quietly welcoming him back.
"Hehehe… it's been a long time." Zaboru parked his bicycle near the offices, taking a moment before stepping forward. He looked at the layout again, and from the outside, it still looked like a bit of a mess. The entire place was actually a combination of five separate buildings that had been merged together over time. Back then, he bought three of them directly from Akechi, and the remaining two from the landlord in 1993. It wasn't designed to be unified, which was why the structure felt uneven and slightly chaotic—but that was also part of its charm.
Right now, the offices were empty, no longer filled with the noise and energy they once had. Even so, Zaboru never let the place fall into neglect. He made sure to hire someone to clean the offices at least once a month, keeping everything from gathering dust. It wasn't about maintenance—it was about respect. This place wasn't just an old building. It was where everything started.
Zaboru stepped inside the offices, and the moment he saw the familiar layout, he couldn't help but smile. The place felt frozen in time. Every corner, every hallway, every slightly worn surface carried memories. He remembered his early days at ZAGE, back when everything was uncertain and fragile. The very first employees came to mind—Shinsuke Yamaguchi, Sayuri Yamaguchi, Yuna Kanai, and Yugo Kanai. Back then, he was still just a teenager.
Even though he carried the experience of a 50-year-old from his previous life, leadership was something he had never truly learned before. He had to figure everything out on his own—how to guide people, how to make decisions, how to build something from nothing. There were mistakes, doubts, and moments where everything could have fallen apart. And yet… they pushed forward.
So many memories were tied to this place. The release of the first ZAGE ZEPS 1, when it unexpectedly performed well in the market. The late nights, the stress, the excitement. And even more personal moments—like when Ayumi confessed to him and became his girlfriend. All of it happened here. This wasn't just an office. It was the starting point of everything he had now.
Zaboru slowly walked forward, taking it all in again, letting the past overlap with the present. "I wonder what I should do with this place…?" he murmured quietly. "It's a waste to just leave it like this… but it's too precious for me to sell. This is where the first chapter of ZAGE began…"
He paused, thinking, then his expression shifted slightly as an idea formed.
"Hmmm… Ah… I've got it."
At that moment, from within his Emulator Mind, the original Zaboru's ghost—Zaborn—appeared outside, as if responding to that thought.
"Yo, Zabo… man, this place really brings back memories, huh?" Zaborn said as he looked around, his tone filled with a strange mix of nostalgia and excitement.
Zaboru smiled faintly. "You've been with me since the ZAGE office was still here, haven't you?"
Zaborn nodded. "Yeah… I have. Even if you couldn't see me back then, I was still here, watching everything." He paused for a moment, glancing around the room again. "Honestly… it was exciting. Seeing my other self actually build something like this… a company, from nothing. It felt unreal, but also kind of inspiring."
Zaboru let out a soft chuckle. "So you were basically spectating my life the whole time?"
"Pretty much," Zaborn replied with a small grin. "I saw the struggles too, you know. Not just the cool parts. The late nights, the pressure… the moments where things could've gone wrong."
Zaboru didn't respond immediately, but his expression softened slightly.
Zaborn continued, his voice a bit more sincere now. "That's why I think it's even cooler. It wasn't easy… but you still made it work."
Zaboru smiled and nodded. "I'm thinking of turning this place into a small museum… not a public one, at least not yet. ZAGE hasn't even been around for ten years, so it would feel too early to call it a real museum but eventually i will make it even the theme park but now...." He paused briefly, looking around as if already imagining it.
"It'll be more like a personal showcase. A place to keep everything we've built so far—our IPs, our merchandise, early designs, maybe even some of the original prototypes. Not something grand… just something meaningful."
He let out a small breath, his tone softer.
"And no, this won't be open to the public. This one… is just for me."
Zaboru grinned. "I'll put all of our IP figures here—plushies, large life-sized action figures, everything. I want this place to feel alive, like every corner has a piece of our journey." He paused for a second, then added with a playful tone, "And honestly… I might even turn part of it into my own 'secret lab' or something, hahaha. Of course, from the outside, it still has to look like a normal office."
Zaborn's eyes lit up immediately. "A secret lab!? That's so cool! And you're going to fill it with ZAGE IP figures too? But… aren't those super rare?"
Zaboru chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "You're forgetting something."
Zaborn blinked. "Huh?"
"I'm the owner of ZAGE."
Zaborn froze for a second, then slapped his forehead. "Oh damn… I actually forgot that, lol."
Zaboru laughed, the sound echoing lightly through the empty office, making the space feel a little less empty than before.
Zaboru looked around the offices once more, taking in every detail. One day, he would definitely build a true ZAGE Museum—something much bigger, something closer to a full ZAGE Theme Park. But for now, he wanted to make use of this place first. He wanted to bring life back into it, to make it vibrant again, filling it with character figures, plushies, and all kinds of memorabilia. At the same time, parts of it would be reserved for his own use—a small "secret lab," though in reality it was just a private workspace where he could think and experiment freely when he's here.
Zaborn tilted his head, clearly intrigued. "Wait, you're planning a ZAGE Theme Park and a museum in the future too? That actually sounds insane… in a good way. But when are you planning to do that exactly?"
Zaboru smiled slightly, already thinking ahead. "Things like that take time," he said calmly. "I'll probably need a lot of land first, and proper planning. There's also the option of expanding something that already exists—like enhancing Disney Tokyo with ZAGE content—but those parks aren't actually owned by Disney here. They're managed by another company through licensing, so it's not something I can just change overnight."
He paused for a moment, then let out a quiet chuckle. "If we do it… I want a ZAGE theme park to be something completely different. Something that can blow people mind away hahaha."
Zaborn grinned. "That sounds interesting," he said, looking around with clear excitement. Zaboru chuckled softly and continued mapping the layout in his head, already forming a more detailed vision of how the offices should look in the future—where the displays would go, how the lighting should feel, and which areas would be kept quiet for his own work.
After a moment, Zaborn floated a little closer. "Hey, man… I've been struggling with some Unreal Engine stuff," he admitted, scratching his head out of habit even as a ghost. "Can you help me later if you've got time in the Emulator Mind? I think I'm close, but something's just not clicking."
Zaboru let out a small laugh, clearly amused but also pleased. "Yeah, sure. No problem," he replied casually. Then he glanced at Zaborn with a slightly curious look. "But hey, Born… are you actually getting into game development now? Like, seriously into it?"
Zaborn, floating around the offices, nodded excitedly. "Yeah! I'm really learning now! Honestly, thanks to you teaching me… but unlike you, I'm not that smart, so it's pretty hard for me to keep up sometimes," he admitted with a slightly embarrassed laugh. "Still… the Emulator Mind helps a lot. I can take my time, go back, retry things, and not mess anything up for real."
He looked around as if imagining something only he could see. "And being able to use your game source code as a reference… that's huge. It's like having access to a master's work directly. I can study how things are built, how systems connect, how everything flows together. So… really, thanks for letting me use all of that."
Zaborn paused for a moment, then scratched his head again out of habit. "But still… game development is insanely difficult. Like, way harder than I thought. Every time I think I understand something, there's another layer behind it."
He let out a small breath, but there was still excitement in his voice. "Even so… it's fun. Frustrating, but fun."
Zaboru chuckled and nodded. "Don't worry, take your time, man. It's actually good that you have a hobby now—not just playing games and eating gyoza in my Emulator Mind." He let out another small laugh, clearly teasing, but there was also a hint of sincerity behind it.
He added more casually, "Honestly, seeing you try something new like this… it's kinda refreshing. You're not just messing around anymore—you're actually building something."
Zaborn groaned immediately. "Hey! I do that for reference, okay!?" he protested, though there was no real anger behind it. He scratched his head, then smiled a little, unable to stay serious for long.
"But… yeah, thanks, man. I really appreciate it," he continued, his tone softening. "One day, I'll definitely make a game on my own. Like, something real… something people can actually play."
He paused for a moment, as if picturing it, then let out a small laugh. "Hehehe… though I might still need your help to bring it into the real world when that happens. Right now, it feels like I'm just practicing in a safe space."
Zaborn glanced around the office again before looking back at Zaboru. "Still… it feels good. Even if I'm slow at it."
Zaboru nodded again, this time more calmly. "Yeah, of course. When that time comes, I'll help you. No problem."
Zaborn's expression brightened noticeably, clearly happy and motivated, as if that simple assurance was more than enough to keep him going.
Zaboru and Zaborn then spent more time chatting while mapping out the office layout in detail, going over ideas, adjusting positions, and imagining how each space would feel once everything was brought back to life. The conversation flowed naturally between them, sometimes serious, sometimes light, as they built the vision piece by piece. It wasn't rushed—just two versions of the same person, sharing thoughts and slowly shaping something meaningful.
Before they realized it, time had already passed. The quiet morning slowly shifted as the city began to wake up, and by the time Zaboru checked the time, it was already close to 08:00.
"Guess it's about time," Zaboru said, glancing around one last time at the office. There was a sense of satisfaction in his eyes, as if the place had already begun changing, even if nothing physical had happened yet.
He stepped outside, picking up his bike again. The streets were no longer as quiet as before—people were starting their day, the city returning to its usual rhythm.
Zaboru mounted Silver Wrecker and began heading back home. This time, his pace was slightly more relaxed, his mind no longer occupied with plans, but with something simpler.
His family was definitely awake by now.
And he wanted to spend time with them.
To be continue
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