Chapter 157. Dimensionality Reduction Strike!
[The big one is coming!!]
[Hope it really is a big one.
Don't give us some little indie like last time.]
[What, are you dissatisfied with my Plants vs. Zombies that already sold over 50 million?]
[Bro, my bad.
I'm dissatisfied with the other one.]
[Lol, at least Bronya is Old Thief Masato's partner.
Give her some face, yeah?]
[I'm~ ready, I'm~ ready~]
[Bro, I was hyped, and then your laugh ruined it.]
[Why can you send voice?
Get out of my head!!!]
[SpongeBob, let's go catch jellyfish together!]
[...]
Morning.
Just as he arrived at the office and hadn't started working yet, Xander scrolled through the comments that quickly went off the rails, and he couldn't stop grinning.
Every netizen is a talent.
They talk so nicely.
He loves it here.
"Didn't expect Gensokyo Company's brand power to be this strong already?"
The social-media metrics made Bronya click her tongue in surprised awe.
Elysia and Eden hadn't even reposted yet.
Just from games-media push and heated player discussion, in the single night after Xander put up that post, it rocketed straight to the top of the trending list.
It even squeezed some rock singer who likes leather pants down to second place.
"Looks like we underestimated how influential Pokémon and Plants vs. Zombies are."
Sitting beside her, Kaguya sighed with feeling.
And those two games are Gensokyo Company's biggest cash cows.
After they loosened up IP licensing recently, the money's been coming in faster than printing it.
"Isn't that great~"
Hearing that relaxed tone, Bronya shot him a glare.
"The higher you stand, the harder you fall.
Players can put you on a pedestal, and they can smash you down too."
"Relax~"
He walked behind Bronya's workstation, wrapped his arms over the chair back and around her neck, and his hand fell into the abyss.
Bronya shot him a sharp look, but said nothing.
She quietly shifted her chair, hiding her body more securely.
"I'm not the type to placate players with lip service.
I do understand that water can carry a boat, and it can capsize it too.
In Gensokyo, the only ones who can actually make final calls are you, me, Kaguya, and Seele.
Anti-Entropy just takes a profit cut and doesn't meddle.
No investors with minds full of fatty intestines pointing fingers.
Don't worry."
Then Xander cracked a joke.
"At worst, I'll just weld the pedestal to my feet.
Then I can't fall off."
"Pfft~ Weld it to your feet?
So vain."
Kaguya snickered on the side, and Bronya couldn't help laughing too.
She gave Kaguya a reproachful look; that hint of charm made Xander unable to resist lowering his head—
Click.
The office door opened, and Mei came in hugging a file folder.
High-waisted jeans tucked in a pure-white shirt hem, a pair of purple glasses on her face—curves in all the right places, statuesque—an intellectual beauty.
The company hasn't adopted a uniform yet.
Six months in, Mei lost the novelty of OL outfits and naturally switched to clothes that make her comfy.
As soon as she walked in, she noticed the scene at the workstation.
She pushed her glasses up, not surprised at all.
She's seen this at home plenty.
She walked over, set the file on Xander's desk, first smiled and greeted Kaguya, then looked toward Bronya's spot.
"I don't really want to comment, but save that for home."
Bronya, a little dazed, suddenly heard Mei's voice.
She shoved Xander away, cheeks red, shot a glance full of helplessness at Mei, then tucked her head and hid in her station.
Xander pulled his hand back from Bronya's chest and smiled a greeting to Mei.
Only Seele, Mei, and Kiana can enter this office without knocking.
He had nothing to worry about.
"Sorry, sorry.
I got carried away."
He sat back down, flipped open the file Mei brought, and asked while reading, "Something up?"
"The Schicksal Game Expo application has been approved.
A lot of friendly companies sent us invitations to talk.
They hope to have an in-depth chat at the internal exchange on day one."
"...What a pain.
Can I not go?"
The first item already made Xander's head throb.
But seeing Mei's smiling gaze, he knew he was the only one who could front this.
Chin in hand, he grumbled, "These events are just business collabs.
You have to put on a face and go through the motions.
It's not real tech or game-design exchange.
What a pain.
Designers connect privately for that.
Who would do it at this kind of event."
"But the only ones qualified to represent our company are you and Bronya.
So you want Bronya to go?"
"...Forget it.
I'll go."
He sighed and leaned against the chair back.
Mei could handle it too, but she's already busy enough.
Xander couldn't bear piling more on her.
Suddenly he thought of something, looked up at Mei, and asked, "Mei, if it were a vice president, would that qualify to represent us?"
"Vice president?
Should be fine.
But those VPs Anti-Entropy sent to help only know management.
They don't know games that well."
Frowning in thought, Mei answered slowly.
Hearing that made Xander instantly exhale in relief.
He waved to Kaguya with a smile.
"Kaguya, help me call Ken Sugisaki over.
Mei, go on."
"Mm."
Kaguya nodded lightly, stood up, and left the office.
"Ken Sugisaki—he's the team lead of Hakugyokurou, right?
What are you calling him for?"
"I think the kid's good.
It's time to give him more to carry.
Don't mind it.
Go on, Mei."
Nodding without quite understanding, Mei continued her report.
Outside, the Hakugyokurou office area.
The space is filled with sakura décor.
Walking in, you can almost smell the flowers.
It gives a tranquil, far-reaching vibe.
A few newbies who were spacing out snapped into their most diligent poses when they noticed Kaguya approaching.
Only when she walked past did they sneak a glance or two, marveling at their leader's stunning beauty.
"Looking for me?"
Ken Sugisaki, fiddling with a PV character animation rig, blinked and pointed at himself.
"Mm, hu—
Xander has something for you."
Kaguya nearly said "husband," but calmly corrected herself.
"Xander's looking for me?
Okay.
Hey, Kirin—help me keep working on this rig.
I'll go over."
Not far away, Grandpa Kirin gave an OK sign.
"What do you think Xander needs me for?"
"I do not know either.
Go see for yourself."
"Got it~"
Seeing the two of them walk off, the Hakugyokurou staff all exhaled in relief.
"Feels like among the bosses, Boss Houraisan has the most presence."
"For sure, for sure.
She looks like the prettiest one, but she's ice-cold."
"Prettiest?
Nonsense!
Our Big Sis Bronya is the prettiest!!"
"Big Sis Bronya number one under heaven!!"
"Shut up!"
"Ahem!"
Hearing the newbies' chatter, Kitahara coughed once.
They immediately shut up.
They thought Vice Lead Kitahara was scolding them, but he sneakily moved closer and whispered, all mysterious, "If you say that, you're clearly green with no experience."
"Oh?
What's your take, Lead Kitahara?"
"Even if you're Lead Kitahara, you can't refute our topic, right?!"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk—shallow, too shallow.
You're way too shallow."
Kitahara shook his head and, after looking around, said even more cautiously, "If you ask me, the strongest one upstairs is actually that secretary called Seele."
"Who's Seele?"
"Idiot, our Boss Masato's secretary!"
The newbie sniffed.
"A secretary, so what?
How can she beat our Big Sis Bron— mmph..."
Kitahara hurriedly clapped a hand over the newbie's mouth.
Only after confirming nobody else was around did he let go.
"You trying to die?!
Bad-mouthing Goddess Seele?!"
"Goddess Seele?"
"Goddess Seele, Boss Masato, and Big Sis Bronya are family."
A hint of lingering fear flashed in Kitahara's eyes.
He continued, "One time I went to our boss's house to hang out.
When I walked in, guess what I saw?"
"What did you see?"
All the newbies leaned in curiously.
"I saw Boss Masato and Big Sis Bronya both kneeling on washboards.
Goddess Seele stood in front of them, scolding angrily.
When I stepped in, she glanced back at me.
That look—like a scythe chopped into me.
I'll never forget it..."
He shivered all over and spoke with cryptic weight.
"Hiss~"
"Hiss~"
The office was filled with the sound of sharp intakes.
To make the company's most respected Boss Masato and Big Sis Bronya kneel on washboards—and when you think of how cute, soft, and harmless Seele looks daily—truly, people are not what they seem.
Gua—this one is a true powerhouse indeed!
Mei's briefing ended just as Ken Sugisaki walked into the office.
She stepped back and gave up her spot.
"Looking for me?"
With no outsiders present, Ken didn't need to put on airs when talking to Xander.
"Heh~"
Xander transformed into Commander Ikari (Gendo).
Hands steepled under his chin, he wore the glasses swiped from Mei; the lens glare hid his eyes.
In a steady voice, he said slowly, "Ken, given your ability to complete work with excellence and your great peer reviews, I feel it's time to give you more to carry."
"What are you up to?"
Ken took a wary step back.
He felt there was a pit in Xander's words.
Xander chuckled and said evenly, "Promote you to vice president.
Give you a raise."
"Got it, bro!"
Ken bent at the waist with a grin.
Xander relaxed, leaned back, and crossed his legs.
"You'll still lead Hakugyokurou.
It's just that, when we need a game-savvy VP to show up for certain things, you cover.
No problem, right?"
"Just covering and showing up?"
"Otherwise?
You know how to manage?"
"...Fine."
Mei, standing aside, was a little stunned.
So that's how you solve it?
Too slick!
No game-savvy VP?
Then make one.
Okay, okay—so that's how we play it.
Mei's mouth twitched.
She strode up, snatched back her glasses, hugged the file, and walked out without a word.
"What's up with Mei?" Ken asked, puzzled.
"No idea.
Maybe her time of the month."
Thunk!
A flying cushion smacked Xander in the head.
...
As time fermented, the hype for Gensokyo's new game grew by the day.
After reposts from Elysia, Eden, and others, it hit a fever pitch.
Eden's repost in particular pushed it beyond the circle entirely.
[Eden reposted Gensokyo's new game again.]
[It's tradition at this point.]
[Think there's any chance Eden will compose for it this time?
I'd take even a single track.]
[Lol, dream on.
I even say Eden joined Gensokyo Company.]
[It's Gensokyo time!]
Kohei Imamura was the one joking that Eden had joined Gensokyo Company.
Listening to the professor droning on up front, he yawned and scrolled his phone.
He'd fought tooth and nail in high school to get into St. Freya University, only to discover there's no beautiful JK club on campus.
That truth almost made him go limp with despair.
Luckily, he'd made a friend—maybe a bad influence, maybe not.
That guy rarely came to class, always off working, but they got on pretty well.
He'd even invited Kohei to go try diving together.
After the New Year break, he'd go check it out.
It sounded fun.
If he remembered right, that guy worked at Gensokyo.
So nice, to be in a game company like that.
Right then, his phone began vibrating like crazy, nearly making him fling it away.
He hurriedly killed the vibration and was surprised to find a flood of replies to his last post.
[Prophet?]
[Knifed, knifed!]
[Dude, you went and did it for real?]
[Insane—you actually called it!]
Baffled, Kohei scrolled up—
and saw a new post on Eden's blog.
...
"This time we're absolutely going to make that company eat dirt."
In a conference room, a middle-aged man at the head of the table spoke with fury.
Hearing it, each attendee looked around at the others and saw the same thick resentment in their eyes.
They were higher-ups from Schicksal-affiliated game companies.
Their AR-glasses debacle had slammed them hard.
Everyone built roughly the same basic features for AR glasses.
So why such a huge sales gap?
After comparing every kind of hardware and software, and controlling variables, it was crystal clear where the drag came from.
And so, the giant blame pot got slammed on the game division's face, and they couldn't even protest.
Any time they tried to explain, the higher-ups shot them down with the same line:
"Anti-Entropy can do it, but you can't?
Is Schicksal's resource pool worse than Anti-Entropy's?"
One question, and they fell silent.
They could only swallow the bitterness.
Naturally, they were full of resentment toward Gensokyo Company.
When a new tech drops, everyone can just cope and score a passing grade.
Why did they have to min-max like bulls, exploding the curve?
What are the rest supposed to play at?
Pokémon has developed to that level already.
Catching up is basically impossible.
No one can just conjure a mega IP.
Still, even if they can't replicate Pokémon, they certainly don't plan to let Gensokyo's new game off easy.
Could the new game recreate Pokémon's miracle?
No way.
That kind of thing needs heaven, earth, and people all aligned—pure serendipity.
You can't have that luck every time.
And this time, the Schicksal Game Expo is theirs to run.
They've already got the home-field advantage.
How could they lose?!!
They'd been drooling over Gensokyo's massive traffic for ages.
If they could crush Gensokyo's new game with metrics at the expo, they could step on Gensokyo's head—step on the designer who created Pokémon, Designer Masato—and make a name for themselves!
As for consequences from targeting them?
How could there be?
Schicksal and Anti-Entropy are rivals by nature.
No way Xander Masato goes and marries some Schicksal princess, right?
Amused by his own thought, the lead exec suppressed it and prepared to start today's agenda.
At that moment, his secretary rushed in.
Under his frown, she handed over a tablet.
"Don't be so flustered.
Be steady."
So many colleagues were watching.
If this spread, it'd hurt his face.
But since it was his seasoned secretary, coming in this anxious surely meant something important.
He didn't press further—he looked at the screen.
A blog page.
Only a short sentence on it.
"Eden: Thank you, Mr. Masato, for selecting me as Gensokyo Company's Music Director.
I hope to create more outstanding works in this new position."
Below were a handshake photo of Eden with Xander Masato and an Apex PV countdown promo image.
"..."
Seeing his boss go silent, the secretary asked carefully, "Sir?"
He exhaled lightly—then his face twisted in an instant.
He gripped the tablet and smashed it to the floor, roaring:
"**, f* you!!!!"
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