Saturday, 26 June 2001
By early afternoon, Zaboru was already standing outside Sonaya's Tokyo headquarters with an entire television-grade recording crew gathered around him.
The setup was far more elaborate than anything normally associated with an internet livestream in 2001. There were several high-quality digital cameras, portable lighting equipment, wireless microphones, a mobile production station, backup recording devices, and enough cables to make the sidewalk look as though someone had attempted to trap a giant electronic spider.
At first, Zaboru had assumed that high-quality live broadcasting through the internet was still too inconvenient with the current technology it can live stream but it's quite limited especailly for real life recording. Then he remembered that this world's communication infrastructure was already several years ahead of what it should have been.
A proper livestream was possible.
It was simply expensive.
It required state-of-the-art equipment, a strong dedicated connection, experienced television technicians, and a production crew capable of adjusting the video quality in real time so the broadcast would not collapse whenever the network became unstable.
Then Zaboru remembered something extremely important.
He was rich.
More accurately, as he would usually insist, ZAGE was rich.
Either way, the distinction did not matter when he could simply contact one of Japan's experienced television-production teams, pay them well for a weekend broadcast.
The crew had agreed almost immediately.
Some accepted because the payment was excellent.
Others accepted because filming Zaboru inside Sonaya headquarters sounded like the kind of event they would regret missing for the rest of their lives.
The livestream began several minutes before Zaboru entered the building.
Standing before the camera in casual black pants, sneakers, and a buttoned outer shirt, Zaboru looked directly into the lens with a bright grin. Behind him, the enormous Sonaya headquarters rose proudly into the Tokyo skyline.
Zaboru lifted one hand toward the camera and greeted the viewers. "Well, hello, everyone! Long time no see. Today, we're going to do something that sounds completely impossible, extremely full of respect, and honestly very entertaining."
He paused dramatically, allowing the camera to move closer.
Then he pointed toward the Sonaya building behind him.
"I'm going to enter Sonaya headquarters, play Sheriff Juan 5 in front of its developers, and review it live!"
The online audience exploded almost instantly.
YouTube's live-comment section began moving so quickly that the production team had difficulty selecting messages to display on the secondary monitor.
"ZABORU IS LIVESTREAMING FROM SONAYA!?"
"This is not a review. This is an invasion."
"Whoa, what a flex!"
"Sonaya: Wait, aren't you our rival?"
"Only Zaboru promotes his competitor's game harder than the competitor."
"He looks handsome as hell today."
"Will Sheriff Juan 5 really be that good?"
"Hikaru Kurata agree to this?."
"Someone check Sonaya's security. Their greatest enemy is already outside."
Zaboru glanced toward the laptop held by one of the crew members and laughed. "Hey, don't call this an invasion. Hikaru-san invited me."
Several crew members quietly laughed behind the cameras.
Zaboru ignored the disrespect and turned toward the headquarters again. Sonaya's main office was undeniably impressive. The building carried a grand, professional design, with polished stone, reflective windows, and a large Sonaya emblem displayed prominently above the entrance. As one of Japan's biggest entertainment and technology companies, Sonaya had every reason to be proud of it.
Zaboru studied the structure for several seconds.
Then he looked directly into the camera and said casually, "Nah. ZAGE Tower is better."
The chat became even more chaotic.
"HE HASN'T EVEN ENTERED YET!"
"Sonaya employees watching this from inside: Turn him away."
"Zaboru came to review the building before the game."
"Hikaru-san, protect your blood pressure!"
Zaboru chuckled before casually unbuttoning his outer shirt.
The cameraman instinctively zoomed out, uncertain what Zaboru was planning.
Underneath the shirt it showcase his impressive physique and he was wearing a custom black T-shirt.
At first glance, the familiar words printed across the front read:
I'M YOUR NIGHTMARE COME TO LIFE
It was the infamous phrase connected to Zaboru's legendary appearance during the 1997 Sonaya Expo, when ZAGE had revealed ZEPS 3 directly on its rival's stage. The moment had become one of the most remembered attacks in the history of the video-game industry.
However, someone had drawn a thick white line through the original words.
Beneath them, in large cheerful letters, the shirt now read:
I LOVE SONAYA!
For several seconds, the camera remained focused on the shirt.
Then the viewers lost their minds.
"HOLY SHIT! HE ACTUALLY WORE THAT!"
"THE NIGHTMARE HAS RETURNED!"
"HE TURNED AN INDUSTRY THREAT INTO A FRIENDSHIP SHIRT!"
"This somehow feels more insulting than the original."
"I can already hear Z&Z Nightmare playing in the background."
"Sonaya security should legally be allowed to tackle him."
Zaboru proudly pulled the outer shirt aside so the message remained fully visible. "See? I came in peace."
One of the television crew members muttered quietly, "That does not look peaceful."
Zaboru heard him perfectly and glanced back. "Don't undermine the host."
Before the cameraman could respond, the entrance doors opened.
Hikaru Kurata walked toward them wearing a simple dark polo shirt and casual trousers. Beside him was Junpei Hoshida, the lead developer of Sonaya Game Department.
Hikaru's two children, Higashi and Inari, followed several steps behind them.
The moment the children saw Zaboru, their excitement became impossible to hide. Higashi tried to maintain a calm expression, but he was already staring at the camera equipment with shining eyes. Inari was even less successful. She immediately waved toward Zaboru before remembering that the entire moment was being broadcast around the world.
Hikaru, meanwhile, stopped in front of the recording crew and stared at the cameras, lights, microphones, and portable broadcasting equipment surrounding Zaboru.
His expression remained impressively controlled.
However, his eyes clearly said, This bastard really brought an entire television station.
Zaboru greeted him cheerfully. "Good afternoon, Hikaru-san! Thank you for inviting us."
Hikaru gave him a tired look. "I invited you. I don't remember inviting half of Japanese television."
Zaboru gestured toward the crew with complete innocence. "They're necessary for high-quality content."
Hikaru sighed. "Of course they are."
Junpei's gaze moved toward Zaboru's shirt, and his grin immediately widened. "Zaboru-san, that's an interesting message. But what are those words you crossed out?"
Zaboru looked down at the shirt as though noticing the original text for the first time. "Those? Don't worry about the small details. The important part is that I love Sonaya."
Junpei chuckled. "The crossed-out part is much larger."
Zaboru smile innocently "You imagining things Junpei-san hahaha!"
Hikaru stared at the shirt for several more seconds. Although his expression remained relatively calm, a slight twitch appeared near his eyebrow.
Zaboru noticed and proudly pointed toward the new text. "Look, Hikaru-san! I even made a special shirt for today. 'I Love Sonaya.' Isn't that thoughtful?"
Hikaru replied flatly, "It would have been more thoughtful if you hadn't left the threat visible underneath."
Zaboru laughed "You focused on small stuff Hikaru-san!"
Inari could no longer restrain herself and hurried closer to Zaboru. She bowed politely before greeting him. "Good afternoon, Zaboru-san."
Zaboru smiled warmly and crouched slightly so they could speak more comfortably. "Good afternoon, Inari-chan.
Higashi stepped forward next, trying to sound more composed. "Good afternoon, Zaboru-san."
Zaboru looked at him seriously. "Higashi-kun Hello!."
Hikaru Kurata sighed fortunately Zaboru don't do too much to his child as he just talk with them as the camera is actually not record them right now its record Hikakru Kurata as he talked why he invite Zaboru then not for long He turned toward the building entrance and motioned for everyone to follow. "Come inside. We prepared the tenth floor for the broadcast. The camera crew has permission to record there and along the designated route."
Zaboru quickly looked toward the camera. "Did you hear that, everyone? Only the tenth floor of Sonaya headquarters is allowed to be recorded."
Then he leaned closer to the microphone and lowered his voice.
Unfortunately, his whisper was loud enough for every person nearby to hear.
"They're definitely hiding something on the other floors. Don't worry. One day, I'll find it."
Junpei laughed openly.
Hikaru kept walking without turning around. "If you attempt to explore restricted floors, security will remove you."
Zaboru followed cheerfully. "Hehehe that's if they know"
Hikaru only sighed.
The group entered Sonaya headquarters together.
The main lobby was wide and beautifully designed, featuring displays dedicated to Sonaya's history. Employees, security guards, and weekend staff stood along the sides, many of them pretending not to stare at Zaboru and the cameras.
Zaboru, however, treated the walk as though he were hosting a travel program.
When they passed a wall displaying Sun Knight 5 artwork and its GOTY award, Zaboru became far more sincere. He stopped and studied the illustration for several seconds before turning toward the camera.
"This one is genuinely excellent. Sun Knight 5 was one of my favorite releases this year. Sonaya absolutely cooked with it."
Several employees standing nearby smiled proudly.
Hikaru's expression softened slightly. "At least you can behave occasionally."
Hikaru continued walking.
Throughout the journey to the elevator, Zaboru commented on paintings, architectural choices, employee uniforms, the cafeteria menu, hallway colors, and even the design of Sonaya's visitor badges. Somehow, he managed to turn every small observation into entertainment.
The livestream audience continued growing.
By the time they entered the elevator, tens of thousands of viewers had already joined.
When the elevator doors opened, Zaboru was greeted by far more people than he expected.
Dozens of Sonaya developers and engineers had gathered in the open presentation area. Some belonged to the Sheriff Juan 5 team, while others worked on different Game Station projects but had volunteered to attend the weekend event.
Many were clearly Zaboru fans.
Some attempted to maintain professional expressions.
Others failed completely.
One developer was wearing a ZAGE DOOM shirt beneath his Sonaya jacket. When he noticed the camera pointing toward him, he quickly zipped the jacket closed.
Zaboru saw everything.
He pointed toward the man and laughed. "Don't hide it! There's nothing wrong with having good taste."
The entire floor erupted in laughter.
Hikaru closed his eyes briefly.
The employee slowly unzipped the jacket again, now looking both proud and embarrassed.
Zaboru turned toward Hikaru with exaggerated surprise. "Whoa, there are a lot of people here today. Hikaru-san, you're paying them overtime, right?"
Hikaru's eyebrow twitched again. "Yes. I'm paying them, bastard."
The room became silent for half a second.
Then several developers began laughing.
Zaboru gasped dramatically and placed one hand over his chest. "What did you call me?"
Hikaru stared at him. "You heard me."
Zaboru turned toward the camera with a wounded expression. "Did everyone hear that? I came here wearing a shirt declaring my love for Sonaya, and their president called me a bastard. This is what happens to pure souls in the corporate world."
As he spoke, he pulled his outer shirt wider, once again exposing the crossed-out words I'M YOUR NIGHTMARE COME TO LIFE beneath the cheerful message.
The viewers understood the hypocrisy immediately.
"PURE SOUL!?"
"The shirt literally threatens Sonaya underneath!"
"Hikaru-san was correct."
"Zaboru entered enemy territory and became the victim somehow."
"Protect this innocent multibillionaire."
Even his own employees laughed at that.
Junpei guided the group toward the main presentation area. Several sofas and chairs had been arranged around a large television. A Game Station console was already connected, and a small table beside it held multiple sealed copies of Sheriff Juan 5.
Zaboru immediately picked one up.
He inspected the cover, opened the case, checked the manual, and nodded approvingly.
Then he tucked it beneath his arm and announced casually, "This copy is mine. Hikaru-san is paying for it."
The developers laughed again.
Hikaru barely reacted. "Take it."
Zaboru blinked. "That was too easy."
"You were going to steal it anyway."
Zaboru frowned "Steal is a strong word Hikaru-san!"
Hikaru sat down and replied, "Sit and play the game."
Zaboru turned toward the camera and held up the case.
"Okay, everyone! Before we begin, I want to say something honestly. Sonaya has been cooking recently. You guys remember Sun Knight 5, right? That game was goated. Absolutely excellent."
Several Sonaya developers applauded lightly.
Zaboru then looked at the Sheriff Juan 5 cover and continued, "But Sheriff Juan 4 disappointed me."
The applause stopped.
Several developers exchanged nervous glances.
Zaboru spoke without hesitation. "The older Sheriff Juan games had a strong identity. They felt like a cool cowboy version of Megaman—fast, colorful, mechanical, stylish, and filled with strange western technology. But the fourth game tried too hard to become a generic 3D shooter."
Hikaru remained calm, but his eyes focused more sharply on Zaboru.
Zaboru continued, "At the time of release, the 3D graphics looked impressive. But if you compare it now to ZAGE games like Resident Evil or Syphon Filter, or Half-Life and Duke Nukem even X-box HORI the weaknesses become obvious. The camera was awkward, the movement felt heavy, and the shooting lacked personality. It was not a terrible game, but it forgot what made Sheriff Juan special."
The Sonaya employees looked surprised by how directly he criticized the previous game while sitting inside their own headquarters.
One developer whispered, "He really said it."
Another quietly replied, "That's why people watch him."
Junpei did not appear offended. Instead, he leaned toward the microphone with a confident smile.
"We know, Zaboru-san," Junpei said. "The fourth game chased technology before deciding what kind of game it wanted to be. We learned from that mistake. For Sheriff Juan 5, we focused on restoring the identity of the series while using 3D to strengthen it rather than replace it."
Zaboru looked toward him with visible interest.
Zaboru grinned. "Now that sounds promising."
Junpei smiled back. "We believe this is the best Sheriff Juan we've made."
Hikaru folded his arms and added calmly, "So review it as honestly as you like."
Zaboru looked at him.
Hikaru's expression remained completely serious.
Nearby outside the camera vision Inari giggled, while Higashi leaned forward eagerly.
The recording crew adjusted the camera positions. One camera focused on Zaboru and the people around him. Another captured the television screen directly. A third remained wide enough to record the developers' reactions whenever Zaboru praised or criticized something.
Zaboru sat in the center of the sofa and picked up the Game Station controller.
Junpei handed him the opened copy of Sheriff Juan 5.
Zaboru inserted the disc into the console.
The Game Station logo appeared on the television, followed by Sonaya's introductory animation.
The room gradually became quiet.
The online comment section continued racing past, but Zaboru no longer looked toward it.
He leaned forward, rested his elbows against his knees, and focused completely on the screen.
The title appeared.
SHERIFF JUAN 5
A mechanical revolver spun across the screen before firing directly toward the camera.
Zaboru's eyes immediately brightened.
He tightened his grip around the controller and smiled.
"All right, Sonaya," he murmured. "Show me what you've been cooking." then he shout to camera "Zaboru the gamer is ON Guys!"
To be continued.
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