Monday, 5 September — ZAGE Tower Japan . Today, Zaboru was scheduled to meet with several key ZAGE official distributors representing regions across the globe. These included Risa Miller, who manages Flocks, the ZAGE subsidiary responsible for overseeing operations across European countries. She had been instrumental in handling ZAGE's expansion and partnerships throughout the EU region.
Next was B.E.A.K., the official distributor covering Brazil and the broader Latin American market. The CEO of B.E.A.K., Carlos Busujima, had a reputation for being both aggressive in negotiations and deeply connected within the entertainment industry across South America..
Then there was Red Falcon, the subsidiary focused on Korea and China. Headed by the sharp and forward-thinking CEO Park Woojin, Red Falcon had spearheaded multiple successful campaigns in the highly competitive East Asian market. Park had a keen sense of industry trends and had managed to turn cultural insights into effective regional strategies that made ZAGE's presence stronger in both nations.
And of course, attending the meeting would be Yuna Kanai, head of ZAGE's Subsidiary Management Department. As the one overseeing the daily and strategic operations of all three subsidiaries, Yuna was there not just to observe but to ensure proper alignment with the company's global vision. Despite Zaboru's own oversight, these three branches were mainly handled by Yuna and her team, meaning Zaboru hadn't received much direct reporting from them in recent months. That was why this meeting was important—not just to get updates but to reconnect and assess their current positioning and momentum going forward.
Zaboru prepared the meeting room on one of the upper floors of the ZAGE Tower, ensuring everything was in place—from the presentation screens to refreshments on the table. It wasn't long before the guests began to arrive. The first to step in was Risa Miller.
"Hello, Zaboru. Long time no see," she said with a warm smile as she approached him. Zaboru returned the smile, nodding respectfully as he shook her hand.
Not long after, Park Woojin and Carlos Busujima entered the room together. Both greeted Zaboru with friendly enthusiasm, their presence adding to the room's energy. Zaboru exchanged brief pleasantries with them as well, glad to see such strong figures from the ZAGE global network gathered in one place.
Finally, right on the dot at 10:30 AM, Yuna Kanai arrived. As always, her punctuality was flawless—not a minute early, not a second late. It was one of the many things Zaboru admired about her. Her timekeeping was legendary within the company, reflecting her overall precision and discipline in work.
With everyone now present, the meeting was ready to begin.
Zaboru then began the meeting by turning to Risa. "So, Risa, do you have any updates or new information for us?"
Risa smiled brightly and responded, "Well, to start off, I'm happy to announce that ZAGE has successfully acquired a 20% share in LEGO. In exchange, LEGO has agreed to incorporate ZAGE characters into their building block sets. It's already proving to be a great move. The LEGO-based ZAGE toys are selling extremely well . On top of that, the LEGO team is thrilled—they mentioned that this collaboration helped them significantly bounce back from the brink of bankruptcy. It's a win-win situation."
Zaboru chuckled and nodded in approval. A few months ago, he had considered buying out LEGO entirely. However, since the LEGO team was persistent about maintaining their independence, he had entrusted the negotiation process to Risa. Seeing how well she handled it reassured him of her sharp business acumen.
Risa grinned and continued, "There's more. My newly expanded Flocks subsidiary team has successfully contacted and negotiated deals with top-tier football leagues across Europe. We even managed to strike an agreement with UEFA. It wasn't an easy task—there were a lot of back-and-forth discussions—but we secured the rights to use their branding and assets for at least the next five years. Sayuri-san already has the detailed financial breakdown and documentation."
Zaboru's eyes lit up with excitement, and he nodded again. With the secured rights and partnerships now in place, this marked the perfect opportunity to begin developing a football video game under the ZAGE brand. The idea had been simmering in his mind for months, but without the proper licenses and authenticity, it never felt viable. Now, with access to league data, official team likenesses, and real-world branding, the project could finally be greenlit with full confidence. "That's fantastic. I knew I could count on you, Risa. Actually, this aligns with another initiative I'm planning. We're setting up a dedicated subsidiary to manage all our intellectual property licensing and permissions—especially for projects like this that require close legal handling. The team will officially be established next year. Would you be interested in joining?"
Risa chuckled and shook her head gently. "I'm flattered, boss. But even though Flocks can probably run just fine without me at this point, I still love it there. It's where I belong. So I'll stick with Flocks as ZAGE's European wing."
Zaboru smiled and nodded warmly. "All right then, that's perfectly fine. I'm just glad to know I've got people I can trust in the right places."
Risa then added with a thoughtful expression, "One more thing, boss—across the rest of Europe, there's a growing appetite for sports games, especially football. The demand is huge, and we're seeing communities of passionate fans who are always looking for new, high-quality titles. If possible, I strongly believe ZAGE should develop its own football game tailored specifically for the European market and also appealing to global audiences."
Zaboru nodded, his expression turning serious with focus. "That's exactly what I've been planning. Now that we've secured the proper licenses and partnerships, we can officially move forward with development. This will be our opportunity to make a real mark in the sports genre—not just in Europe, but worldwide."
Zaboru then turned his attention to Park Woojin. "Park, how's the situation progressing with the future ZAGE offices in Korea?"
Park had been assigned to scout suitable land or buildings to serve as ZAGE's official base in Korea. These offices would house the ZAGE Korea team and serve as the company's anchor in East Asia. Zaboru envisioned a local headquarters that operated with the same energy and efficiency as their main office in Japan, but with its own Korean flavor.
Park grinned confidently. "So far, everything's moving smoothly, boss. We've already locked in a solid building, and renovations are well underway. It's got excellent infrastructure, room for team expansion, and is situated in a prime location close to Seoul's tech corridor. If construction keeps pace, we'll be ready to open by early next year, right on schedule."
Zaboru smiled and nodded. "That sounds perfect. It's always great to see everything progressing on schedule. We'll handle the recruitment process a bit later, but of course, we'll need your support and expertise for building out the Korean branch as well."
Zaboru then continue "What about Market updates—any new insights or shifts we should know about?"
Park leaned forward, eyes bright. "Absolutely. At Red Falcon, we've been tracking consumer trends closely across both the Korean and Chinese markets. One major thing we've observed is that while traditional arcades and console gaming are still around, they're nothing compared to the booming success of PC Bangs. Our officially branded PC Bangs in Korea are performing incredibly well. The cash flow has been strong, and the player feedback is overwhelmingly positive."
He chuckled. "People are obsessed with PC gaming here. Multiplayer titles are the kings. StarCraft remains the most dominant game in Korea—it's practically a national sport. Meanwhile, in China, Diablo continues to hold the throne. The buzz surrounding its sequel has created a storm."
Park's grin widened. "And there's more. Our Dance Dance Revolution 2 arcade machines have sparked something huge. They've become a cultural wave. In both Korea and China, there's a noticeable surge of new boy bands and girl groups, and a lot of insiders say they were inspired by DDR2's music, choreography, and visual style. It's not just a game anymore—it's become a platform that's influencing pop culture, fashion, and even youth behavior. We may have unintentionally kicked off a music movement."
Zaboru raised his eyebrows, clearly impressed. "Wow, I didn't expect DDR2 to have that kind of impact. That's fantastic news. Great job, Park. Thanks for the comprehensive update."
Then Park Woojin suddenly added, "But boss, don't you have a problem with that? I mean, it's your game and your original idea—creating concepts like boy bands and girl bands with unique styles and musical direction through Dance Dance Revolution 2. Doesn't it bother you that others might be copying it?"
Zaboru smiled calmly. "Not at all. In fact, I'm glad it's having that kind of influence on the music scene. As long as they're not creating a direct carbon copy, it's just a reference, not theft. Inspiring others is part of innovation. If our game sparked creativity in another industry, that's a success in my book." Park smiles then nods.
He then turned his gaze to the next person at the table. "Carlos-san, can you tell me about the current situation in Brazil and the rest of Latin America?"
Carlos grinned, ready to give his report.
To be continue
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