AN : Don't think too much about these 2 chaps okay? lol
Saturday Night 5 November 2000
Zaboru chuckled softly. After pulling an all-nighter with the Bakudan Boys, he was surprisingly still in good condition, continuing his work inside his office on the 51st floor of ZAGE Tower. Despite the long night, his focus hadn't dropped at all—his fingers moved steadily across the keyboard as he reviewed documents and typed out notes. However, the atmosphere in the room was far from the usual quiet, work-focused environment. Ayumi and both of his children were there with him, turning the office into something warmer, more alive, almost like a small family space rather than a corporate room.
Arumi was sitting comfortably on the couch beside Ayumi, watching a cartoon with full attention, occasionally reacting with small giggles or excitement. Ayumi, relaxed and at ease, stayed beside her, occasionally glancing at Zaboru with a faint smile, clearly enjoying the rare moment where work and family blended together. On the other side of the room, Zenshin had discovered Zaboru's artbook. His eyes were filled with fascination as he flipped through the pages, completely absorbed by the sketches, concepts, and designs inside. The details, the imagination—it all captured his attention in a way that made him forget everything else.
After a while, Zenshin looked up and asked his father if he could borrow some drawing equipment, wanting to try drawing himself. Zaboru glanced at him briefly, then chuckled, nodding without hesitation. "Go ahead," he said casually, already understanding that spark of curiosity. Without interrupting his work too much, he handed over what was needed, letting Zenshin explore freely. Meanwhile, Zaboru continued typing, balancing his responsibilities effortlessly, as if this mix of work and family presence was something completely natural to him.
Ayumi casually asked Zaboru, her tone light but curious, "It's really rare for you to hang out with your employees like that… what's the occasion, Zabo?" Zaboru smiled faintly before letting out a soft sigh, his fingers pausing briefly above the keyboard as if the question had pulled him somewhere deeper. "Well… I just really enjoy playing together with people like them. It's fun, you know? There's something simple about it—no pressure, just the game and the moment."
He leaned back slightly, eyes drifting for a second before returning to the screen. "But with my status now… it's hard to have truly normal gaming friends. People tend to be careful around me. They think about my position, my feelings, or they keep their distance without even realizing it. It changes how they act… even if they don't mean to."
Zaboru chuckled quietly, though there was a trace of honesty behind it. "Still, it's fine. I don't really mind that much. I just want to play games with others like before… just as players, not as boss and employee."
He didn't say the rest out loud—the part about how much he missed those late nights in his previous life, playing DotA with friends who treated him like just another guy. That kind of feeling… was something that couldn't easily be recreated, no matter how much success he had now.
Ayumi smiled gently, her eyes soft as she looked at him. "I see… so you're feeling a bit lonely, huh, Zabo..?" she said quietly, not accusing, just understanding. Zaboru let out a small sigh when he noticed the slight sadness in her expression, and he quickly shook his head, turning his chair slightly toward her. "Hey, Ayumi, it's not like that," he said, his tone warm. "I'm with you, Arumi, and Zenshin, right? Honestly, I'm already having a great time today, hehe." He gave a light laugh, trying to ease her concern while also being sincere about what he felt.
Ayumi studied him for a moment before her expression softened into a smile again. She could tell he wasn't lying, but she also understood there were things he didn't say out loud. "Hehe… you're kind as always," she replied, her voice a little brighter now. Then, as if remembering something, she tilted her head slightly. "By the way, Zabo… do you know there are movies based on video games?" she asked casually. "And… they're actually really bad, you know?"
Zaboru raised an eyebrow slightly, his attention shifting.
Ayumi continued, a bit more animated now. "What's interesting is, one of those movies is actually based on a really good game from Europe—'Gorn The Warrior.' It's from a European studio, and the original game itself is solid, but the movie… it's just terrible. People are already talking about it a lot."
Zaboru looked genuinely surprised. "Gorn The Warrior? I know that game—it's a pretty solid title for a ZEPS 3 release back in 1998. It has a movie? How did I not hear about this?" he said, raising an eyebrow. The game itself was a 3D hack-and-slash centered around Viking themes—brutal combat, heavy weapons, and a gritty northern setting—and while it wasn't groundbreaking, it was a strong 7.5/10 kind of experience that did many things right. Zaboru had actually enjoyed it for what it was: straightforward, satisfying, and polished enough to stand out among similar titles. He leaned back in his chair, curiosity clearly piqued now, fingers pausing above the keyboard as his attention fully shifted. If a game like that had been adapted into a movie—and done poorly—then something had definitely gone wrong behind the scenes. With a thoughtful look, he turned slightly toward Ayumi, signaling for her to continue as he prepared to hear the full story.
"Well, I just found out about it because some developers in Akaishidan brought it up," Ayumi said, adjusting her posture slightly as she explained. "Apparently, there's some kind of legal loophole in Germany that can be exploited. Because of that, these kinds of movies can actually be made without the original creator's full consent, or at least not in the way we'd expect. It's… complicated, but the result is that the game developers don't really have control over how their work is adapted."
She paused briefly before continuing, her tone becoming a bit more serious. "And it gets even stranger. When disagreements happen between the director and the game developers, instead of settling it normally… the director actually challenges the game dev lead to a boxing match."
Zaboru raised an eyebrow slightly.
Ayumi nodded. "Yeah… and from what I've heard, that movie director is actually quite good at boxing. So it's not even a fair situation—it becomes more like intimidation than a real discussion."
She sighed softly. "Because of that, the whole situation has blown up on the ZAGE Forum. People are arguing, debating, and even making fun of it, but at the same time… there's a lot of concern too. It's not just about one bad movie anymore—it's about how game creators are being treated."
Zaboru's eyes widened slightly as the pieces clicked together. He had seen something like this before—in his previous life, there had been a director who became infamous for adapting video games into movies in the worst possible way. The pattern was almost identical. Studios would take recognizable game titles, rush out low-quality films with weak storytelling, poor pacing, and little respect for the original material, then still manage to secure funding because the brand name alone attracted attention.
More importantly, the real issue wasn't just bad filmmaking—it was the system behind it. There had been a loophole that allowed investors to profit through tax benefits even if the movies failed commercially. Because of that, success at the box office wasn't the priority. As long as the project existed, money could still be made. Video game IPs were simply used as bait—familiar names that made it easier to gather funding, even if the final product disappointed fans completely.
Zaboru exhaled slowly, his expression turning more serious. He also remembered how that same director handled criticism—challenging people to boxing matches instead of addressing the actual problems. It wasn't about improving the work; it was about control and intimidation. And now… it seemed something very similar was happening again in this world, just with slight differences in detail but the same core problem at its center.
But it seems its slightly different this time this guy is asking the video game dev to box.
"What's the director's name, Ayumi?" Zaboru asked, his tone calm but noticeably sharper. Ayumi thought for a moment. "I think it's… Uwe Boll or something like that?"
Zaboru chuckled under his breath and gave a small nod, as if a final piece of a puzzle had just clicked into place. It wasn't a coincidence—far from it. The pattern, the method, even the attitude… it lined up too perfectly. A faint grin formed on his lips, one that Ayumi recognized immediately.
"Well… we can't just leave this alone, can we?" he said, leaning back slightly, eyes narrowing with interest. "If it's a boxing match they want… then that makes things more interesting, doesn't it?"
He let out a soft laugh, already several steps ahead, quietly arranging ideas in his head—legal angles, public perception, industry impact, and how to turn this entire situation into something far bigger than just a single bad movie. It wasn't just about stopping one director anymore. It was about setting a standard—drawing a line that others wouldn't dare cross.
Ayumi only chuckled softly as she watched him. She didn't need to ask what he was thinking—she already knew. Whenever Zaboru made that expression, it meant he had already decided on something. And whatever it was… it wouldn't be small.
Zaboru's gaze returned to his screen, but his mind was no longer on his work. He couldn't let this slide. Video game movies already had a fragile reputation, and something like this could damage it even further if left unchecked. More importantly, it wasn't just about reputation—it was about respect. Respect for creators, for their work, and for the industry itself.
And Zaboru had no intention of letting anyone trample over that without consequences.
Ayumi then said, "Gorn The Warrior is made by Hun-Hun Tech, and they're based in Germany. Right now, they're still trying to sue Uwe Boll, but it looks like it might end up turning into that boxing match with the owner of Hun-Hun Tech instead." Her tone carried a mix of disbelief and quiet concern, as if even she couldn't fully accept how absurd the situation had become.
Zaboru nodded slowly, taking in the information, but his expression showed something else entirely—interest. "Well… let's make it a bit more interesting, shall we?" he said, a faint smile forming. "I was planning to check on Team OMNI in London anyway, so I'll be heading to Europe soon. Want to come with me? It's the end of the year, after all." His voice was casual, but beneath it was clear intent. This wasn't just a trip—it was an opportunity, one he had already started to shape in his mind.
Ayumi blinked for a moment, then her eyes lit up almost instantly. "Okay! Let's go! It's almost the holiday season anyway, right? Hehehe," she said, her mood brightening immediately at the idea. The tension from earlier faded, replaced by a sense of excitement.
Zaboru smiled and gave a small nod, already thinking several steps ahead. To others, it might look like a simple trip—but for him, it was the beginning of something far more interesting. Whatever was happening in Europe… he was about to step right into it.
To be continue
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