Chapter 1141: Chapter 1074 Old Faces - New Employee.
Right now, Zaboru was inside ZAGE Tower Japan, continuing his work on the 51st floor. He would return to guiding the MYTH team tomorrow, but for today he chose to stay in Japan first, as several ZAGE development teams still needed his direct input and guidance.
Not long after, his secretary, Yumi Ichijou, entered the room. She walked in with her usual composed expression before speaking. "Boss, I have a report regarding an applicant who applied to ZAGE. This applicant is someone you knew before."
"Hmm... someone I know?" he said, slightly curious as he leaned back in his chair.
Yumi adjusted her glasses before answering, her tone calm but slightly more serious than usual. "Do you remember the Kobe victim who punched you in the face? The one who came here later to apologize to you?"
Yumi continued, "You told him to focus on his studies first, to become a proper game developer before coming back. And... you also secretly paid for all of his college tuition."
"Hahaha Him? yeah I remember him," he said with a small smile. "Yuki Ryonaku, right?"
Zaboru looked back at Yumi, more focused now.
Yumi smiled. "Apparently, he is the cum laude of Tokyo University this year, boss. He has a perfect GPA of 4.0, and he even graduated early from Computer Science. It’s quite impressive. There are also many electronics companies in Japan that are interested in him, but it seems he is waiting for you, boss. He has been contacting us since last week. It looks like he really wants to join ZAGE."
Zaboru chuckled and nodded slowly, clearly impressed but still composed. "Impressive. Very impressive," he said, tapping the desk lightly. "Alright, Yumi-san, call him here."
Yumi nodded with a faint smile, already understanding what Zaboru meant. "Understood, boss."
Meanwhile, not long after, Yuki Ryonaku stood in front of ZAGE Tower. He carried himself with quiet confidence, his posture straight and his body well-built from years of hard work. He knew very well that Zaboru had paid for his tuition, but he never took that for granted. Instead, he treated it as responsibility.
On top of that, he also took on side jobs related to computer science, which paid much better and helped him grow his technical skills at the same time. Over the years, his efforts paid off. Now, his family was able to live a stable life through the money he earned on his own, and that gave him a sense of pride that couldn’t be replaced.
For a moment, he just stood there, taking it all in. Then he shook his head lightly, refocusing himself before stepping inside. Even though he was impressed, he reminded himself why he came here.
The receptionist smiled and nodded. "Alright, please wait a moment." She quickly made a call to notify Yumi.
Not long after, Yumi arrived. She smiled professionally as she approached him. "Yuki Ryonaku, right? Please follow me."
Soon, they reached the upper floors. Zaboru was already on the 50th floor, his usual place when meeting people. The atmosphere grew quieter as they approached, giving the moment a more serious tone as Yuki prepared himself.
Zaboru stepped forward to greet him. "Hohoho, Yuki-kun, you’ve really grown well," he said with a light, teasing tone.
Zaboru laughed. "Hahaha, maybe. But I’m still handsome, so it balances out. Thanks, Yumi-san."
Zaboru gestured for Yuki Ryonaku to sit down. Yuki took the seat and immediately bowed his head. "First of all, thank you, Zaboru-san, for paying my tuition at Todai," he said, his voice steady but sincere.
Yuki nodded and smiled, though there was a hint of emotion in his eyes. "They’re doing well. My sister is in her third year of high school now. She’s working hard," he said. He took a short breath before continuing. "Honestly, Zaboru-san... I still don’t know how to repay you. Without your help, I don’t think my family would have made it this far. I just... did everything I could to make sure your support wasn’t wasted."
Zaboru nodded. "Don’t think too much about that. Let’s talk about something more interesting, shall we? So, you’re a cum laude from Todai? That’s impressive. That’s an achievement even I couldn’t get." He smirked slightly, clearly teasing but also acknowledging the effort behind it.
He continued, a bit more confident now. "I spent a lot of time analyzing systems, mechanics, and design patterns. Not just playing games, but breaking them down and understanding why they work. I wanted to make sure that when I step into this industry, I’m not starting from zero."
Zaboru watched him quietly, clearly interested. The way Yuki spoke showed not just knowledge, but intent.
Over the past two and a half years, I’ve been working on my own game. It wasn’t easy balancing everything, but I kept going step by step. And... I actually released it on Steam today."
Zaboru’s eyes widened. "You made your own game? Alone?" he asked, clearly surprised, his tone carrying both curiosity and a hint of admiration.
For a brief second, the atmosphere shifted, as if the room itself grew heavier.
The image didn’t fade. It never did.
For a brief moment, a faint sense of regret and helplessness passed through him, something he rarely allowed himself to feel. But just as quickly, he steadied himself, keeping it contained beneath his calm expression.
But Zaboru had already grown stronger now, not just in ability, but in control over his emotions. He didn’t let the past hold him down for long. Taking a slow breath, he shifted the mood back to the present.
Yuki smiled slightly. "It’s called Yuusha Monogatari."
Without wasting time, Zaboru purchased and downloaded it right away. He didn’t hesitate at all. To him, the value wasn’t in the price, but in the effort behind it.
This wasn’t just about testing a game. It was about seeing the result of someone’s determination, someone who had walked a difficult path and still chose to build something meaningful at the end of it.
The game opened with a story screen, combining text and simple illustrations. Zaboru read it carefully.
Zaboru stayed silent for a second, taking in the tone. It was simple, but sincere.
Yuki smiled softly as he looked at the screen. "It’s based on what my brother used to draw back then," he said quietly, his voice carrying a hint of nostalgia.
Without saying anything else, he continued playing the game, now paying closer attention, not just as a player, but as someone evaluating the heart behind it.
Even the spirits act like small companions. They constantly comment on everything that happens, reacting to battles, exploring the world, and showing curiosity toward even the smallest details. Their presence adds personality to the journey, making it feel less lonely and more alive. It also seems that only Yuusha can see and hear these spirits, which gives them a more personal and intimate connection to him, almost like they exist just for his journey and no one else.
The large gauntlet was not just for visual design, it served a real purpose in combat. It could be used as an additional melee weapon to stun enemies, giving players another option besides standard attacks. It also came with its own set of separate skills, allowing for different combat styles and strategies depending on how the player chose to use it. This added a layer of variety to the gameplay, making the combat feel more dynamic and flexible rather than repetitive.
After a while, he leaned back slightly and grinned.
He paused for a moment, then added in a more serious tone, "But what really impresses me is that you made all of this alone. That’s not something most people can do."
"Your brother would definitely be proud."
Zaboru laughed lightly. "Alright, you’re hired."
Zaboru leaned back slightly, a small grin forming on his face. "Yes, just like that. You fulfilled all the requirements. But more importantly, you proved something most people can’t."
"Making a complete game alone isn’t easy. It takes discipline, persistence, and real understanding. That tells me more about you than any degree ever could."
"If you came here just to flaunt your degree and say something like ’everyone wants me, but I chose ZAGE,’ then I probably wouldn’t hire you. That kind of mindset doesn’t matter here. I’ve never really cared about degrees. What I care about is ability and passion.
And the fact that you made this game alone, with limited tools, already shows your passion clearly. Not just interest, but real commitment."
You didn’t just learn, you applied what you learned. You didn’t just think about making a game, you actually finished one. That alone puts you ahead of a lot of people."
"So yes, you’re hired. Welcome to ZAGE."
Yuki nodded. "Yes... I really want to," he said, his voice firm but filled with excitement that he tried to keep under control.
But just as he was about to leave, Zaboru stopped him and gently grabbed his shoulder.
It wasn’t a loud compliment, but it carried weight.
Yuki froze for a second, clearly not expecting that. Hearing Zaboru give him his signature praise His heart warmed instantly, and a quiet sense of pride filled him. He straightened slightly and nodded.
With that, he headed toward the HR division. But after a few steps, he suddenly stopped and turned back, scratching his head a little.
Zaboru looked at him for a moment, then grinned.
After saying that to Yuki, Zaboru smiled and returned to playing "Yuusha Monogatari" again. Tomorrow he would head back to China, so he took this moment to enjoy the game a little longer and think about everything that had just happened.
ZAGE had just gained another talented developer, someone with both skill and real passion. That alone made this day worthwhile.
But then, suddenly, something felt off.
"Huh? New ability and why the name is so absurd?"
Zaboru frowned slightly, his focus no longer on the game.
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