After spending time with the developers of Lo Siento, Zaboru remained in Brazil for around three more days. His schedule was packed, but it was not the kind of work he disliked. In fact, he found himself enjoying it more than expected because Brazil in this world felt very different from the Brazil he remembered from his previous life.
His first priority was checking B.E.A.K.'s manufacturing capabilities. Under Carlos Busujima's leadership, B.E.A.K. had grown far beyond a simple distributor. It now had multiple manufacturing facilities across Latin America, including Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and several other important markets. Some factories focused on assembling game hardware and accessories, while others handled packaging, repair parts, storage, regional distribution, and even early-stage electronics production.
Zaboru personally toured one of the main Brazilian facilities and was honestly impressed. The factory was not on the same level as ZAGE's highest-end production bases in Japan or the United States, but it was efficient, well-managed, and clearly improving year by year. Workers moved with confidence, supervisors understood their production lines, and the quality-control rooms were more serious than he expected.
Carlos walked beside him proudly and explained, "We still have a long way to go, Boss, but we're not just moving boxes anymore. B.E.A.K. can actually support Latin America now."
Zaboru nodded with satisfaction. "Good. That's exactly what I wanted. If Latin America only depends on imports forever, it will always be treated like a secondary market. Local capability matters."
Carlos grinned widely at that. For him, those words meant a lot. B.E.A.K. had started as a distribution company, but under ZAGE's trust and funding, it had slowly become something much larger. It was no longer just a bridge between ZAGE and Latin America. It was becoming one of the pillars of ZAGE's global presence.
Aside from manufacturing, Zaboru also spent time visiting local gaming arcades and PC rental shops. Some were clean and modern, while others were noisy, cramped, and filled with the smell of sweat, cheap snacks, old computers, and youthful chaos. Honestly, Zaboru liked both types.
In one PC rental shop, he watched a group of teenagers play Counter-Strike while shouting at each other so loudly that it sounded less like a game and more like a military disaster. In another place, several players were gathered around a fighting game cabinet, cheering like they were watching a football match whenever someone landed a difficult combo.
Zaboru stood behind them quietly at first, wearing sunglasses and a cap to avoid being recognized too quickly.
What he saw in Brazil made him happy. Compared to his previous world, the condition of Brazil in this world was different. It was still not perfect. Poverty still existed, crime still existed, inequality still existed, and many people still struggled every day. Zaboru was not naive enough to think a few video games and factories could magically solve a country's problems.
But there was less suffering than he remembered.
There was more opportunity.
More infrastructure.
More technology access.
More young people gathering in arcades and PC shops instead of being swallowed by worse environments.
The world was not healed, but it was moving differently.
And Zaboru felt glad.
Aside from B.E.A.K.'s business development, Zaboru also checked the ZAGE Foundation's projects in Brazil. One of the most important projects was the cancer hospital network that had been built to help poor people receive treatment they normally could never afford.
The first hospital he visited was clean, busy, and surprisingly warm. It did not feel like a cold corporate charity project created only for publicity. The staff looked tired, but dedicated. The doctors moved quickly from room to room. Nurses spoke gently with patients. Children sat in colorful waiting areas filled with books, toys, and small game stations donated by ZAGE.
Zaboru walked through the hospital quietly, accompanied by Carlos, several hospital administrators, and Foundation staff. He saw families who looked exhausted but hopeful. He saw children wearing masks, some playing handheld games while waiting for treatment. He saw parents who bowed their heads deeply when they realized who he was.
One mother held her child's hand and thanked him with tears in her eyes.
Zaboru did not know how to respond for a moment.
He smiled gently and said, "Please don't thank me too much. The doctors and nurses here are the real heroes."
The mother still cried.
Zaboru quietly told the hospital director afterward to increase support for patient-family housing and food assistance. If poor families were traveling long distances for treatment, then medicine alone was not enough. They needed a place to stay, food to eat, and enough dignity to endure the process.
Carlos listened silently from the side.
He had known Zaboru was generous, but moments like this reminded him that ZAGE Foundation was not just a reputation tool. Zaboru genuinely cared.
After the hospital, Zaboru visited one of the ZAGE Schools in Brazil.
That visit made him even more satisfied.
The school was large, clean, and full of energy. The classrooms were bright, the laboratories were modern, the library was impressive, and the sports facilities were better than many private schools in the region. There were computer rooms, language-learning rooms, music rooms, art studios, and even a small game-development club supervised by teachers trained through ZAGE's education program.
The curriculum was global, but not blindly foreign. Students learned Portuguese, English, mathematics, science, history, computer literacy, art, physical education, and practical skills. There were also optional Japanese ,Chinese and Korean classes because of ZAGE's influence, and apparently many students joined those classes because they wanted to understand games, anime, and ZAGE-related media without translation.
What made Zaboru happiest was the entrance system.
The school did not care whether a student came from a rich family or a poor one. If they were talented, hardworking, or showed strong potential, they could enter. Some students paid full tuition. Some received partial support. Others studied completely free through ZAGE Foundation scholarships.
The test was not designed only to reward children who had already received expensive private education. It measured raw ability, effort, curiosity, discipline, and learning potential. Zaboru had insisted on that structure because he hated the idea of poor children being rejected simply because their families could not afford preparation.
Because of that, the school had become one of the safest places in the region.
Strangely enough, both local law enforcement and even several criminal gangs avoided touching it.
The police protected it because of its importance, reputation, and international attention. Meanwhile, the gangs knew that harming ZAGE School would bring consequences far beyond what they could handle. B.E.A.K., the ZAGE Foundation, local communities, politicians, parents, and even rival gangs who benefited from the school's presence would turn against them.
It had become neutral ground.
A place where children from complicated backgrounds could study without being dragged into adult conflicts.
When Zaboru learned that, he became quiet for a while.
Then he smiled.
"That's good," he said softly. "Children deserve at least one place where the world doesn't immediately try to crush them."
Carlos looked at him and nodded.
During the school visit, Zaboru also met several students. Some were nervous, some were excited, and some looked as if they might faint from standing in front of him. One boy asked whether ZAGE would ever make a football RPG. Another girl asked whether she could work for ZAGE someday even if she came from Brazil.
Zaboru smiled and answered, "Of course. Talent can come from anywhere. If you become good enough, ZAGE will welcome you."
That answer caused several students to whisper excitedly among themselves.
By the end of his Brazil stay, Zaboru was genuinely satisfied with the development of ZAGE's presence in the country. B.E.A.K. was growing, the Foundation projects were working, schools were producing results, local gaming culture was becoming stronger, and new developers like Lo Siento were beginning to appear.
For a moment, Zaboru even considered opening a proper ZAGE Latin America branch one day.
Not just B.E.A.K. as distribution and manufacturing support.
A real ZAGE development branch.
A place where Latin American developers could create games with their own culture, humor, music, sports, myths, cities, monsters, and imagination.
Brazil alone already had enough creative energy to produce something unique.
But not yet.
Zaboru had too much happening right now Opening a new major development branch required careful preparation, not sudden excitement.
Still, he wrote the idea down.
Future Plan: ZAGE Latin America Branch.
Maybe one day.
Then came Thursday, 8 July 2001.
Zaboru departed Brazil and flew to Argentina, where B.E.A.K. also had a branch. His schedule there was supposed to be shorter. He needed to check the B.E.A.K. branch, visit another ZAGE School, review local distribution reports, and then continue toward Italy to check on Inter Milan.
However, there was one unexpected name in the Argentine report that made Zaboru stop reading for several seconds.
The ZAGE School in Argentina was located in Rosario, the same city as the B.E.A.K. branch.
And among the students listed in the special scholarship and athletic-support program, there was a name that made Zaboru chuckle.
Lionel Andres Messi.
Zaboru stared at the name.
Then he leaned back in his seat and laughed softly.
"Well, well, well…"
Apparently, Messi had joined ZAGE School in Rosario. Not only that, he was already quite famous locally because he was playing for Newell's Old Boys academy and scoring an absurd number of goals even at his young age.
Zaboru immediately became interested.
In this world, Lionel Messi had been born in 1992, five years later than in Zaboru's previous life. That matched Zaboru's expectations. Unlike other entertainment industries, football in this world was only around five years behind instead of ten. The football timeline had shifted, but not as drastically as games, movies, anime, or music.
That meant Messi was still a child right now.
A small, terrifying football genius waiting to grow.
Zaboru's excitement rose rapidly.
He remembered his previous life clearly. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had created one of the greatest rivalries in football history. Their era, especially during the Real Madrid versus Barcelona years, had been absolutely insane. Two monsters pushing each other, breaking records, dominating headlines, and dividing football fans across the world.
Zaboru had watched many of those moments.
Now, in this world, he had a chance to meet them before history fully happened.
Maybe even change their paths.
Zaboru already owned Inter Milan, and the thought naturally appeared in his mind.
Could he bring Messi and Ronaldo to Inter?
Could he make both of them grow together instead of becoming eternal rivals from opposite sides?
Would that create the strongest club team in history?
Or would putting two future monsters on the same team create a beautiful disaster that gave every coach permanent headaches?
Zaboru grinned.
Honestly, both possibilities sounded entertaining.
For now, however, he decided not to think too far ahead. Messi was still a child. Zaboru did not want to treat him like a trophy or business asset. First, he simply wanted to see him play.
Ronaldo could wait. Zaboru would likely see him soon, especially once he traveled through Europe for Inter-related matters.
But first, Messi.
After arriving in Argentina and finishing several initial greetings with B.E.A.K. staff, Zaboru arranged a visit to Newell's Old Boys training ground in Rosario. The club had been informed that an important international guest connected to ZAGE School and Inter Milan wanted to observe one of their youth practices.
Naturally, they accepted immediately.
By the time Zaboru arrived at the training ground, he was wearing casual clothes, sunglasses, and a calm smile, though his eyes were already searching the field.
Several youth players were training under the afternoon sun. They were small, energetic, and loud, chasing the ball with the chaotic seriousness only children could possess. Coaches shouted instructions from the side. Parents and club staff watched quietly.
Then Zaboru saw him.
A small boy with dark hair, moving with the ball at his feet as if it belonged to him.
Zaboru crossed his arms and start watching excitedly.
He had come to Argentina to check B.E.A.K. and ZAGE School.
But now, standing beside a football field in Rosario, he found himself watching the childhood of a legend.
To be continued.
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