After Satonaka had finished testing the UFO Catcher at Dream Catcher Arcade, the doors opened for the afternoon rush—just as school let out. Zaboru decided to stay and watch the players' reactions to the new machines. With his workload at the ZAGE office temporarily lightened, he welcomed the chance to observe the excitement firsthand. A break like this, he reasoned, was well-deserved.
Before long, a group of teenagers flooded into the arcade, most of them eager to dive into ZAS arcade games.
"I'm gonna beat your ass in Street Fighter today!" one of them shouted.
His friend laughed. "Yeah right, you're all bark!"
The arcade buzzed with energy as the kids either headed to the machines or rented ZEPS consoles to play together. But amid the noise and neon lights, one of them noticed something new.
"Hey! What's that thing?" a boy said, pointing at a brightly lit machine encased in glass. Inside were plushies, collectible toys, and prominently displayed in the center with words ZAGE UFO - Catcher
The players crowded around the machine, pressing their faces up to the glass in awe. "Whoa! Look at that Red Hawk and RoboCop action figure! That box design is insane!"
Then another group rushed over to inspect the machine.
"Boss! What's this?" they asked Satonaka.
Satonaka gave a proud grin. "You're looking at the latest ZAGE invention—the ZAGE UFO Catcher. Drop in 100 yen for three tries, and anything you manage to grab is yours to keep."
"Wait, for real? Even the action figures?" one of them asked, eyes wide.
"Yup. No tricks. If you catch it, it's yours," Satonaka confirmed.
They eagerly inserted their coins. A cheerful voice rang from the machine: "Are you ready?" Then, as they moved the joystick, it asked, "Where are you aiming for?" The claw descended and the machine made noise again "Let's see!"
One kid tried to snatch the RoboCop figure—but the claw missed by inches.
"Too bad! Try again!" the machine sang.
After three rounds, none of them won. The other machine yielded no prizes either.
Soon, more players tried their luck at the machines, but none of them managed to win—not even a single plushie, let alone the rare action figures. It started to feel like winning was nearly impossible!
Frustrated, the players began to grumble.
"This machine's a scam!" one yelled.
"Yeah, no way anyone can win!" another agreed.
Just then, a figure stepped forward—cool glasses, a face mask, and an effortless swagger.
"Maybe you guys just suck?" he said casually.
The group turned, clearly annoyed. "Oh yeah? Then let's see you try!"
The masked man shrugged. "Alright."
Satonaka watched with amusement. That brat Zaboru's having must be having blast, he thought.
The masked man slipped in a coin, studied the layout, and aimed for a Bulbasaur plushie.
"LET'S SEE!"
The claw dropped, gripped the plushie, and lifted it smoothly into the prize chute.
"CONGRATULATIONS!" the machine cheered.
Gasps echoed from the group.
"No way! You got that on the first try?!"
The masked man nodded coolly and picked up the plushie.
The players remained unconvinced. "It must've been a fluke—you won't get it a second time!" one of them challenged the Masked man.
He shrugs then Without a word, The masked man went again, this time grabbing a Mario plush with the same ease.
The kids were in awe—but still skeptical.
"Fine! But I bet you can't get that rare RoboCop figure!" one challenged.
The masked man tilted his head, unimpressed. With steady hands and sharp precision, he expertly maneuvered the claw on his next turn. The RoboCop figure shifted slightly between the display panel and its box, teetered on the edge—and then dropped cleanly into the near prize chute. The masked man had clearly done it on purpose, showing off his skill with casual precision while not wanting the prizes.
Gasps turned into stunned silence.
"See?" he said, adjusting his mask slightly. "It's not rigged. You're just need skill. Try harder. I'm not even keeping this one."
He left the prize behind as he walked off, leaving the stunned group speechless.
"Whoa... Big Bro's a legend!" someone whispered.
The arcade floor filled quickly with eager players, now desperate to test their skills. Coins clinked and cheers rose. The UFO Catcher had turned into a craze, even the sound of the UFO Catcher "Lets See!" "Too Bad! Try again!" become a nightmare to some people who can`t get the prize!.
Meanwhile, in the staff room, Satonaka chuckled as the disguised player returned and removed his mask—revealing Zaboru.
"You had your fun, huh boy?" Satonaka grinned.
Zaboru chuckled back. "Yeah, can't help myself Satonaka-san those innocent souls need guidance" Zaboru said shamelessly , Satonaka laugh "HAHAHA True True" he grinned look at the putting their 100 yen coins to UFO Catcher and sound of UFO Catcher ring "Are you ready?." are music on Satonaka Ears.
Across Tokyo, arcades that had already installed the UFO Catcher machines—especially those connected with ZAGE —were experiencing a similar frenzy. Crowds gathered, cheers echoed, and the unmistakable sounds of "Let's see!" and "Too bad! Try again!" filled the air.
And so, the first day of the UFO Catcher's launch was a roaring success—filled with laughter, frustration, awe, and just the right touch of magic.
To be continued
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