After the intense and business-heavy ESRB meetings concluded, Zaboru, Zanichi, Ryan, and James returned to the Emerald Wings office. Unlike the earlier formalities, the atmosphere in the meeting room now felt casual and lighthearted. The tension had cleared, and the four men settled into plush leather chairs, surrounded by dark wood panels and many artistic paintings.
"Zanichi, do you drink? And I can call you Zanichi, right?" Ryan asked with a friendly grin, leaning back and loosening his tie.
Zanichi chuckled. "Yes to both. I drink, and you can call me Zanichi."
"Well then, that's good!" Ryan said cheerfully. "Because Zaboru doesn't drink. He doesn't even like the taste! I still can't fathom that."
Laughing, Ryan stood up and unlocked a glass cabinet in the corner. From it, he pulled out an expensive bottle of wine with a vintage European label. "Only for special occasions," he added. James joined him, bringing out four crystal glasses.
"What about you, Zaboru? Want to try a sip this time?"
Zaboru smiled and shook his head. "Still a no. You three enjoy the wine. Let's just get down to business."
With drinks poured, the others nodded and took a moment to savor the first few sips.
"So," Zaboru began, crossing his legs, "does Emerald Wings have any presence in Europe or Latin America? Any offices or partners we might be able to tap into?"
Ryan and James exchanged a look. James answered first, "Unfortunately, no. We've historically kept our operations domestic. Emerald Wings never went public, so expansion wasn't a priority—at least until now."
Ryan leaned forward, glass in hand. "But things have changed, right James? With ZAGE as a partner and Zaboru holding equity, we now have the incentive and capital to expand internationally."
Zaboru chuckled, setting his notebook on the table. "Expansion can wait a little, but what I really want is to increase ZAGE's global footprint. Outside Japan and the U.S., our network is still undeveloped. Europe, Latin America, and even Southeast Asia are all territories we haven't touched."
Zanichi nodded in agreement. "That's why we're bringing this to you two. Do you have any trusted contacts abroad we could connect with?"
Ryan tapped his chin, thinking. "Well, my sister moved to France and ended up founding a music distribution company in London. It's not game-related, but she's well-connected in entertainment circles. She could be a good starting point."
"Interesting," Zaboru said. "Even indirect connections are useful. We'll start there. Meanwhile, we'll continue exploring leads through our internal channels and any other partners we can identify."
Zanichi leaned in. "Let's pursue everything. We can`t rush things lets planned it properely."
"Alright," Ryan said, clapping his hands. "Now let's shift gears. Enough dry talk. Let's talk about something fun—arcades!"
"Yes! The ZAS-ARCADE!" Ryan's eyes lit up. "I still can't believe you engineered a full-blown arcade system. When James told me, I thought he was pulling my leg."
James grinned. "I wish I was. But it's real, and it's fantastic. The gameplay experience is revolutionary!."
"I've been dying to try out your latest arcade titles—Street Fighter, Streets of Rage, Rampage!. But I haven't had the chance to visit Japan. I'm swamped," Ryan said, waving his arms for effect. "James is the one who always gets to fly out."
Zaboru laughed. "You two are interested in bringing the NEW-ZAS arcade platform to the U.S., then?"
"Absolutely," Ryan and James said in unison.
Zanichi folded his arms. "Arcade distribution is far different from console or handheld. Even in Japan, demand is outpacing production. Many arcade centers are asking for more units, but they're on backorder. That's because Nanco is handling manufacturing—not ZAGE."
Zaboru nodded. "Exactly. ZAGE isn't producing NEW-ZAS directly. We handed manufacturing over to Nanco. If we want to distribute in the U.S., we'll have to coordinate with Nanco's CEO, Nando Michio."
"Understood," Ryan said. "We'll need to fly to Japan then. Might be a good excuse for a vacation."
"I'll make that trip," James said. "I'm due for another on-site check anyway. I'll get in touch with Nando."
"Perfect," Zaboru replied. He opened his notebook and jotted a reminder. "Oh, and about ZAGE USA. We're planning for next year to be our formal entry into the American by creating ZAGE official office here. The building you suggested I buy? I already did. We'll use it as our U.S. headquarters."
"You work fast," James said, clearly impressed.
"That's not all," Zaboru continued. "Once ZAGE USA is established, we may need Emerald Wings' help onboarding staff and handling local operations. You've been here longer. You know how the market behaves."
"You've got our support," Ryan said. "But don't underestimate how tricky U.S. bureaucracy can be. Especially if you're not a U.S. citizen. There's a lot of red tape. And... well, some subtle racism still floats around in business circles. Just a heads-up."
"None taken," Zaboru said firmly. "That's why I plan to involve a U.S.-based legal team. I'll make sure we're covered."
Zaboru then added, "Oh yeah, James, Ryan—how's the progress on my latest PC game, Warcraft? I gave you the software last week, right?"
James nodded confidently. "Don't worry about it. Since you delivered the files last week, I've already been working on shareware and packaging. Everything's moving smoothly. We're estimating the official release in three days. Should be right on schedule."
Zaboru smiled. "Fast as always, James."
Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Zaboru, I've been meaning to ask—why aren't there any TV ads or flyers for Warcraft? That's not like your usual marketing approach for ZAGE's PC games."
Zaboru chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "It's fine, even if it doesn't sell well. Honestly, I just made it because I wanted to. This month's been so packed that I couldn't carve out the time to prepare proper advertising."
Ryan nodded slowly. "Got it. That makes sense. Sometimes it's about passion, not promotion." Then, flashing a grin, he added, "Well, I bet anyone who hears 'New ZAGE Game' immediately grabs their wallet. That name alone is practically a guarantee."
Zanichi nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I think at this point, the ZAGE name is just too strong. It's become synonymous with quality in the video game industry."
Zaboru grinning ear to ear "you think so?"
The conversation shifted into logistics, staffing strategies, tax structure, and marketing rollouts. They brainstormed new titles, discussed promotional ideas, and even shared their dreams about where the gaming industry might go over the next five years. It was a rare mix of practical strategy and creative enthusiasm.
They even found time to joke. James suggested a mascot costume of Zabo-man for conventions. Ryan wanted to name a drink after Mr. Driller—his new favorite character from the latest lineup of ZAGE games—and have it stocked in the breakroom vending machine with custom branding. The idea of a sugary, neon-colored energy drink named "Driller Fuel" made everyone burst into laughter.
After nearly two hours, Zaboru and Zanichi stood to leave. They shook hands with Ryan and James, promising to keep the momentum going.
As the doors closed, Zaboru and Zanichi go inside the car and they want to back to the hotel .
Zaboru on steering wheel ask Zanichi "Not a bad day, huh?"
"Nope," Zanichi said with a nod. "Anyway, James and Ryan are good men, Zaboru. You're really lucky to have found them—you have no idea how rare people like that are in this business."
Zaboru smiled, eyes still on the road. "I guess I was."
Zanichi glanced at his son, watching him drive with quiet confidence. "Sometimes I wonder if heaven itself is guiding you. Your path has been so smooth—smoother than anything I could've imagined. Honestly, I'm impressed. Not just with your luck, but with your talent."
He paused for a moment, then chuckled, shaking his head. "I know you're my son, and I know what I'm capable of—I'm no slouch myself. But you... you're something else entirely. A different level altogether."
Zaboru grinned. "Well, maybe it's just because I'm your son—so heaven decided to cut me some slack?" he said with a wink. Both of them burst into laughter.
Back at the hotel, Keiko, Ayumi, and Sanika were lounging in the suite with magazines and snacks, enjoying their "Girl Talk" waiting for the men to return.
To be continued.
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