Friday, September 19, 1991 – The morning of the big day had finally arrived. The ZAGE team was anxiously waiting for the official launch of the ZEPS. Shinsuke had already assigned six stores to sell the first batch, and today was the day they would officially go on sale.
Zaboru, however, was anything but calm. He paced back and forth across the office, unable to contain his nerves. Meanwhile, Yugo, Yuna, and Sayuri were busy at the office computer, making last-minute checks. Eventually, Yuna couldn't take it anymore.
"Boss, please calm down! Everything will be all right!" she huffed, exasperated.
Zaboru flinched at her words, his face turning red in embarrassment. Sayuri, watching from her desk, smiled knowingly. "If you're that restless, why not go check one of the stores yourself? Shin-san is monitoring all six, but it wouldn't hurt for you to see one in person. There's a Dekapon! Electronics store just 30 to 40 minutes from here—quicker if you take your bicycle."
Zaboru's eyes lit up. "You're right, Sayuri-san! I'm off!"
Yugo immediately jumped from his seat. "Boss-sama, I'm coming too!"
Before he could take another step, Yuna grabbed his ear and twisted it. "You have work to do, you dumbass!"
Yugo whimpered, slumping down in defeat.
Zaboru chuckled. "It's fine, Yuna. Let him come along. I might need some help."
Yugo's face brightened instantly. "Yes!" he cheered, quickly following Zaboru out the door. Yuna sighed as she watched them leave, while Sayuri simply chuckled at the whole exchange.
Meanwhile, at Dekapon! Electronics, store owner Daichi let out a sigh as he glanced at the newly stocked ZEPS units displayed on the shelf. A promotional banner hung above them, showcasing the console and its launch titles.
"Will this thing even sell?" he muttered under his breath. "I don't even know what it is... I'm just doing Shinsuke-san a favor."
Dekapon! was selling the ZEPS for 11,000 yen per unit, earning Daichi a 2,000 yen profit per sale. The game cartridges were priced at 7,000 yen, with a 1,000 yen cut per unit. While the deal seemed decent, Daichi remained skeptical. "I'll give it a month. If it doesn't sell well, it's out of my store," he decided.
Nearby, Zaboru and Yugo arrived outside Dekapon! Electronics. They observed the store from a distance, but to Zaboru's disappointment, there were no customers gathered around the ZEPS display.
Yugo, oblivious to the tension, blurted out, "Boss! It looks like nobody's buying our stuff!"
Zaboru shot him a glare. "Shut up! It's still early, you idiot!"
Yugo tilted his head in confusion. "But I was just stating the obvi—"
Zaboru ignored him, clenching his fists to keep his blood pressure from rising, even though he was still a teenager!
At that moment, a college student named Sakaki Yukimura was walking toward Dekapon! Electronics. He worked part-time at Bakudan Toki Arcade and was a die-hard fan of Zaboru's work.
"Hehehe! I heard Zaboru made a home console! I can't believe I'll be able to play ZAS at home!" he thought excitedly.
Sakaki had saved up some extra money thanks to Toki-san increasing the arcade price for ZAS to 50 yen per play but adding an extra life, Toki-san also very generous lately! "I hope the ZEPS isn't more than 30,000 yen with at least one game included. If it's too expensive, I'll have to pass…" he worried.
As he approached the store, his eyes widened when he saw the promotional banner.
"Wait… SIX games?! But ZAS only had four! That means there are two new games?!" His excitement skyrocketed, and he practically sprinted inside.
Daichi, the store owner, greeted him. "Welcome! Looking for anything in particular?"
Sakaki grinned. "I want the ZEPS! The one from the banner outside!"
Daichi smirked. "Of course! We have two options: the ZEPS with three games for 32,000 yen or the ZEPS with all six games for 53,000 yen. Which one do you prefer?"
This was Shinsuke's strategy—offering a bundle deal to maximize initial sales.
Sakaki froze. "32,000 yen for three games… that's a pretty good deal. But... but if I buy the full package, I get all the games! I NEED all the games!" He started sweating. "But if I do that… I'll have to survive on cheap food for weeks! , and say goodbye to delicious food!" He thought.
He clenched his fists in determination , and shout "Screw it! A real man can survive on one piece of bread a day! I'll take the full package!"
The entire store went silent. Daichi raised an eyebrow but decided not to question it. "Very well! Excellent choice!" He quickly packed the bundle while other customers in the store whispered among themselves, curious about what ZEPS was.
After completing the purchase, Sakaki held the bag like it was treasure. "YES! Can't wait to play this at home! Even Toki-san gave me the day off! It's like the universe is telling me to play all day!"
Meanwhile, outside, Zaboru grinned. "Wait… isn't that Sakaki from Bakudan Arcade?"
Yugo raised an eyebrow. "You know him, Boss-sama? He seems like a weird guy."
Zaboru twitched. "You have no right to call anyone weird, Yugo."
As Sakaki skipped home like an overjoyed child, Zaboru couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. His console had made its first official sale. And this was only the beginning.
To be continued…