Monday 1 March 2001.
Apple Offices.
Zanki Zagashira is now sitting alongside Steve Jobs inside one of Apple's eting rooms, discussing the recent reveal of Microsoft's console, the X-BOX, which is scheduled to release on 13 March. The timing alone has shaken the room. Apple and ZUSUGA had been preparing their own console strategy carefully, expecting Microsoft to move later, but the sudden announcent has forced everyone to reconsider their plan.
Inside the eting room, several Apple higher-ups responsible for the console project are present, along with representatives from ZUSUGA's side, including Zanki himself. Docunts, projected images, hardware comparisons, and market projections are spread across the table, but no one looks relaxed. The atmosphere is tense, heavy with irritation and urgency, and Steve Jobs is clearly pissed. His expression is sharp, his posture restless, and every person in the room can tell that Microsoft's move has struck exactly where it hurts: timing, public attention, and launch montum.
"Now… do you understand what this ans?" Steve Jobs asked, his voice sharp as the projector displayed several images of the X-BOX on the screen. The boxy console, the green logo, the feature list, and Microsoft's release date were all laid out clearly in front of everyone, almost like evidence in a trial. Jobs stood beside the projection with his arms crossed, visibly irritated, his eyes moving from the screen to the people seated around the table. "It ans we absolutely cannot release later than Microsoft. The last report I received said Microsoft was aiming for an early April launch, which gave us room to move. We planned around that. We built our schedule around that."
He began pacing across the room, each step tense and controlled, as if he was trying to contain his frustration through movent. Then he stopped and stared at every participant in the eting one by one, making sure they understood the seriousness of the situation. "But now? They revealed it at the beginning of March, and they're releasing it in the second week of March. That changes everything. It ruins our original timing, our promotional rhythm, and the advantage we were trying to secure." His tone grew colder as he continued. "We were planning to release before Microsoft because the first serious new console to reach the market would have a strong psychological advantage. Curious players would spend their money on whoever arrived first, especially if the hardware looked powerful enough. Once that money is spent, we can't assu they'll imdiately buy another machine. Microsoft understood that too, and they moved faster than we expected."
One of the eting participants, an Apple executive responsible for monitoring Microsoft-related movents, adjusted his glasses and spoke carefully. "It seems Microsoft is far better at hiding their intentions than we expected. Their ability to mask their release schedule is honestly quite insane. Our intelligence said they were planning to launch in April, and every signal we received supported that assumption. Supply chain movent, partner communication, public silence—everything pointed there. But now, here it is. They revealed the X-BOX earlier than expected, and they are releasing it almost imdiately."
His words only made the room feel heavier. Several people exchanged uneasy looks, because this was not a small mistake. If Microsoft had truly hidden their schedule this well, then Apple and ZUSUGA had not rely misread a rumor—they had been outmaneuvered. The problem was not only the date itself, but the ssage behind it. Microsoft had shown that they were willing to move aggressively and keep even major partners and competitors guessing until the last possible mont.
Zanki leaned back in his chair, looking calr than most of the people in the room. Unlike the Apple executives, he did not appear panicked. His expression remained controlled, almost thoughtful, as if he had already accepted that Microsoft was never going to be an easy opponent. "It's okay, Mr. Jobs," Zanki said in a steady voice. "Microsoft is too experienced for us to perfectly predict every move they make. They have been fighting in the technology industry for far too long. If we assu we can read them completely, that arrogance will hurt us more than their strategy."
He folded his arms and glanced toward the projected image of the X-BOX before continuing. "Instead of staying angry about how they moved, we should focus on what cos next. The question is simple: what is our plan now? Do we accelerate our reveal, adjust our launch window, or change the way we position our console against them? Microsoft has already made the first strike. Now we need to decide how we answer."
Steve Jobs fell silent, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the projected image of the X-BOX. Inside his mind, several possibilities moved at once, each one carrying its own risk. "We need to release our console faster… or we release it later," he thought. The first option was the safer path. If Apple and ZUSUGA moved quickly, they could still steal back attention before Microsoft fully dominated the news cycle. They could present their console as a direct rival, force the market to compare both machines side by side, and prevent X-BOX from becoming the only major topic among gars.
But the second option had its own temptation. If Microsoft's console turned out to be weak, if the launch titles were disappointing, if their online services failed to impress, then Apple could wait, study their mistakes, and use the failure as leverage. They could position their own console as the smarter, more polished alternative, the machine that learned from Microsoft's arrogance. It would be a powerful strategy if X-BOX stumbled.
The problem was uncertainty. Microsoft was not a small company. Even if they made mistakes, they had money, influence, and enough technical strength to recover quickly. Waiting too long could an giving them ti to build montum, secure third-party partners, and shape the public conversation before Apple even entered the field. Jobs tapped his finger against the table slowly, frustration hidden behind a cold expression. "The later option can work… but only if Microsoft fails. If they don't, we lose the initiative completely."
Zanki finally spoke again, his voice calm but firm. "Then we should at least accelerate our release trailer. Waiting too long is too risky now." He frowned as he looked at the X-BOX specifications projected on the screen, comparing them with Apple and ZUSUGA's own machine in his mind. "From what I can see, their console and ours are slightly similar in terms of performance. Maybe there are differences in architecture, maybe we have advantages in certain areas, and maybe they have advantages in others, but to the public, the gap may not look dramatic enough at first glance."
He tapped his finger lightly against the table. "That ans what separates us from them will not simply be raw power. It will be gas, design, branding, user experience, and trust. We can be confident in our gas, especially with ZUSUGA's lineup, but confidence alone is not enough. There is always risk. If Microsoft controls the conversation first, people may start comparing everything to X-BOX before we even introduce ourselves properly. We cannot allow them to define the battlefield alone."
Steve Jobs nodded slowly, the irritation in his expression sharpening into decision. "Okay. Then we accelerate things. Next week, the announcent trailer for our console must be released." His gaze swept across the room, making it clear that this was no longer a discussion. "Marketing, hardware presentation, software footage, naming, ssage, everything. I want it tightened imdiately. We will not let Microsoft stand alone in the spotlight."
A few people around the table sighed inwardly, already imagining the overti that would follow. Late nights, rushed revisions, ergency approvals, endless polishing—it was all inevitable now. But no one argued. Everyone understood the situation. Microsoft had moved first, and now Apple and ZUSUGA had to answer quickly or risk losing montum before the fight even began. With that decision settled, the eting slowly ca to an end, though the tension in the room did not disappear. It simply changed shape, turning from frustration into urgency.
After the eting ended, Steve Jobs returned to his office alone. The room was quiet now, far removed from the tension of the conference table, but the pressure had not disappeared. If anything, it felt heavier in the silence. He stood near the window for a mont, staring out at the city while the image of Microsoft's X-BOX remained fresh in his mind. ZAGE was already a massive obstacle in the gaming industry, a company with overwhelming software power, loyal fans, and a terrifying ability to dominate attention. And now, Bill Gates had entered the sa battlefield as well.
Jobs let out a long sigh, his expression tightening. "ZAGE is already enough of an obstacle… and now that bastard cos to bother as well?" he muttered under his breath. He knew Bill Gates very well. Their rivalry in the operating system industry was not sothing shallow or new; it had been built through years of competition, frustration, grudging respect, and constant attempts to outmaneuver one another. Now, it seed that sa rivalry would carry over into the video ga industry too. The thought irritated him, but it also sharpened his focus.
He walked toward his desk, picked up one of the printed X-BOX specification sheets, and stared at it for several seconds before setting it down again. "You really love getting under my skin, don't you, Bill?" he said quietly, his voice colder now. Then his eyes narrowed, and his expression hardened into determination. "But don't worry. We won't lose this."
For Steve Jobs, this was no longer only about launching a console. It was about positioning Apple as a serious force in a new entertainnt battlefield, proving that Microsoft would not be allowed to define the future alone, and showing that even ZAGE's shadow could be challenged with the right product, the right presentation, and the right timing. There was too much to do, too many decisions to tighten, too many teams to push, and too little ti left. With that thought, Jobs finally left his office, already preparing for the storm of work that would follow.
anwhile, on Sonaya's side, the atmosphere was far more relaxed. Unlike Apple and ZUSUGA, who were now rushing to adjust their console strategy, Sonaya did not show much panic over Microsoft's X-BOX reveal. They were still in the middle of critical developnt for one of their major gas, and for now, their focus remained there. Microsoft entering the console market was important, of course, but Sonaya had already learned not to react emotionally to every movent in the industry. They had been burned before. They had been humbled before. And because of that, they understood that panic rarely created good decisions.
Inside Sonaya's office, Junpei leaned back slightly and chuckled while looking at Hikaru Kurata, the CEO and one of Sonaya's major shareholders. "Well… they really copied a lot of ZAGE's stuff, didn't they?" he said, sounding amused rather than surprised. "Online services, digital store, forums, recording features… well, it was going to happen sooner or later. Everyone watches ZAGE now."
Hikaru Kurata smiled and nodded calmly. His expression carried none of the old desperation he used to have years ago, back when Sonaya had tried too hard to chase ZAGE directly. "Yup, just like we expected," he said. "The question is not whether Microsoft copied ZAGE's features. The real question is whether they can release gas strong enough to challenge ZAGE's ecosystem. Hardware and features can attract attention, but gas are what make players stay."
Junpei nodded, though his smile beca a little more serious. "Still, they really insulted ZAGE on stage, huh? That was a bad move. ZAGE will definitely retaliate."
Hikaru's smile deepened, but there was sothing quiet and emotional behind it, sothing shaped by experience rather than arrogance. "They'll beco an example again," he said softly. "We already know what they don't. Don't antagonize ZAGE like that. ZAGE itself never antagonizes anyone first. They compete, they innovate, they release good gas, and they let the market decide. But if soone attacks them openly…" He paused for a mont, rembering the past. "Then ZAGE and Zaboru answers. And when they answer, it hurts."
Junpei looked at him for a while before chuckling gently. "We really made peace with ourselves, huh, Boss? Especially you. You've changed so much."
For a brief mont, Hikaru did not answer. He simply looked toward the window, watching the city beyond the glass. There was a ti when hearing about ZAGE would have made his chest burn with frustration his forehad bulging. There was a ti when he would have taken every success from Zaboru as a personal insult, every new release as a challenge, every praise from the public as sothing stolen from Sonaya. He had once wanted to beat ZAGE so badly that he nearly forgot why he entered the entertainnt industry in the first place.
But ti had changed him. Failure had changed him. Watching Zaboru continue to build, help, and create without needing to crush others had changed him too. As Sonaya's CEO and major shareholder, Hikaru now carried responsibility not only for profits, but for the people who believed in the company. Developers, artists, writers, musicians, families depending on salaries—he could no longer afford to let pride guide him like before he know the best way for Sonaya is not to challenge ZAGE but to be their Rival
Hikaru chuckled quietly, though this ti the sound felt warr than usual. "I guess I got clarity… hehehe." He turned back toward Junpei with a softer smile. "Back then, I thought winning ant standing above ZAGE. Now I understand that winning ans making Sonaya strong in its own way. We don't need to beco ZAGE. We don't need to hate them either. We just need to create sothing we can be proud of."
Junpei's expression softened as well. "That sounds much healthier, Boss."
"It is," Hikaru replied. "And honestly… it feels lighter."
For the first ti in a long while, Sonaya's calm did not co from ignorance or weakness. It ca from acceptance. They knew Microsoft's arrival would shake the industry. They knew ZAGE would respond. They knew Apple and ZUSUGA would not stay quiet either. But Sonaya no longer needed to panic at every storm. They would keep working, keep improving, and keep searching for the kind of gas only they could make.
To be continued.
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