February 18 - Monday 1998.
ZAGE Hub Korea Floor 17.
Now it has been around two weeks since the ZAGE Korea offices officially started operating, and most of the departnts aside from ga developnt are already hard at work. Administrative staff, legal teams, finance departnts, security personnel, marketing, HR, and all other essential support functions have settled into their roles. The developers, while planned to eventually spread across floors 15 to 18, are currently all working together on floor 17, which happens to be right next to Zaboru's personal lounge — making it convenient for him to drop in frequently.
Despite the progress, many of the employees are still in their learning phase. This includes not only the new hires but even so of the senior developers, who are still adjusting to ZAGE's workflow and expectations. Recognizing this, Zaboru made the decision to personally stay involved on-site. He committed to guiding and ntoring the team for at least a month — possibly longer — after their two-week transition and onboarding period concluded. His presence was intended to set the foundation for ZAGE Korea's culture, encourage direct communication, and provide hands-on support as they ramped up into full production mode. With his experience, leadership, and unique approach, he knew this early guidance would have a long-term impact on the team's growth.
Now Zaboru is living at the ZAGE Korea Hub on the 20th floor, where his private apartnt is located. The space offers both comfort and convenience, allowing him to stay close to the team during these early stages of developnt. His apartnt is minimalist but functional, equipped with everything he needs to live and work comfortably. Large windows provide a panoramic view of Seoul, reminding him daily of the scale and importance of the mission he's taken on.
Though he's based in Seoul for now, he still manages to return to Tokyo from ti to ti to maintain close ties with his family and oversee key aspects of the ZAGE Japan too. Thanks to his private jet, the flight between Seoul and Tokyo takes just under two hours, allowing for quick and easy travel whenever needed. Whether it's a quick weekend return or a short eting with Tokyo executives, the convenience of travel ensures he's never too far away from either responsibility.
This setup gives him the perfect balance between presence and mobility. He can lead the Korean team directly, offering ntorship and day-to-day oversight, while still staying connected to ZAGE's core leadership and his personal life in Japan. It's a demanding routine, but one Zaboru handles with calm efficiency, driven by his vision for what ZAGE Korea can beco.
Now the employees, especially the team of Dynasty Korea developers, are still in their early phase of formation and growth. Currently, the entire group consists of only around 80 mbers, including both designers and developers. Although small in number, they represent the starting core of what Zaboru envisions as a powerful creative force in ZAGE's expansion into Korea.
Zaboru has taken on the task of personally guiding them. He's fully prepared to assign their first major responsibilities and shape their developnt journey. His overarching plan for the Korea team is ambitious — he wants them to eventually lead ZAGE's entry into online gaming. Although Korea's and rest of the world internet infrastructure still lags behind in speed compared to his previous life Zaboru believes that ZAGE is already technologically capable of supporting online gas at a stable level for now.
There are already strong ongoing ZAGE gas like Counter-Strike and Diablo have proven the potential of online gaming even under limited bandwidth. Additionally, with the help of Red Falcon — one of ZAGE's sister companies — mirror servers have been set up in various offices to strengthen the connectivity across regions, especially between China and Korea. With this infrastructure in place, ZAGE is ready to begin its online gaming push.
However, Zaboru isn't rushing into it. He understands that building a successful online ga requires more than just ambition and infrastructure — it requires experience. That's why he won't imdiately let the Korean team dive into developing an online ga. Instead, he's designed a more gradual approach. First, they'll work on offline or semi-online gas to build technical skills, team cohesion, and developnt discipline. This phase will help them build a strong foundation and prepare them for the more complex demands of online ga developnt.
In parallel, the online gaming platform that Zaboru intends to use for this team is still being finalized by the ZAGE USA team. While that system is being developed, the Korean developers will have ti to sharpen their skills and explore different genres. Zaboru also wants the Korean team's portfolio to be as diverse as possible — not just to prove their range, but also to find what style and genre fits their strengths best. He will personally lead and supervise their progress, ensuring they evolve into a well-rounded, experienced team capable of tackling any challenge that cos their way.
Zaboru was especially effective at teaching, thanks in part to his unique ability known as the Aura of Influence. This passive skill allowed him to naturally inspire and energize those around him whenever he was present in the ZAGE offices. His aura seed to boost morale, sharpen focus, and make it noticeably easier for others to absorb new information and learn new skills. Employees felt more motivated just by being near him.
Combined with his deep expertise in ga developnt and production, Zaboru's presence created a powerful learning environnt. He wasn't just a figurehead — he actively trained the Korea team, guiding them through real challenges with practical advice and hands-on involvent. Under his ntorship, Dynasty Korea was growing at an exceptional pace, both in confidence and capability.
Zaboru smiled warmly at all the employees gathered around him on the 17th floor of the ZAGE Hub. Most of them already knew who he was — and many were big fans, inspired by his work and leadership. The group was a diverse mix, with the majority of developers being Korean, along with a few Chinese developers and several Japanese staff mbers from ZAGE's main branch. Zaboru didn't focus on where anyone ca from. What mattered to him was their shared passion for ga developnt and the mission ahead. In his eyes, they were one united team — the foundation of Dynasty Korea.
"Okay! So I get it — you guys already got the gist of how we work here at ZAGE, huh? That ans you're ready for sothing bigger," Zaboru said with a wide grin, standing confidently in front of the assembled group. The room buzzed with quiet anticipation as the developers leaned in.
He continued, "Let ask you sothing — how many of you here love video gas?" As expected, most of the employees raised their hands, so even smiling or nodding excitedly.
Zaboru chuckled. "Hehehe, that's good to hear. And if I asked you what your favorite gas are, I bet a lot of you would say so of our ZAGE PC titles, right? Maybe Diablo II, Counter-Strike, StarCraft, Warcraft II, Half-Life, The Sims — or even so of the arcade gas we've published. I'm sure many of you have played on our consoles too."
He paced slowly as he talked, making eye contact with the developers. "But here's sothing important. In Korea, PC bangs — those internet cafes — are growing rapidly. The culture is shifting, and more people are getting access to gas than ever before. That creates opportunity. And that brings us to your first real assignnt." The employee are nodded clearly agreed.
Zaboru raised a finger and grinned. "This isn't going to be just one project. No, this is two simultaneous tasks."
A ripple of surprise moved through the team.
He nodded. "That's right. You'll be divided into two teams. One team will work on a simulation-managent ga — Roller Coaster Tycoon. You'll focus on gaplay systems, economic balance, creativity, and player satisfaction. The other team will work on sothing entirely different — Thief. A stealth-based, first-person imrsive experience. Atmosphere, AI, level design, and tension will be key."
He gave them a mont to digest it all. "These aren't small assignnts. They'll push your creativity, your coordination, and your technical skill. But I chose them carefully because I believe these two projects will give your teams a strong start. A balanced challenge — one creative and system-driven, the other atmospheric and chanically tight."
Zaboru clapped his hands once. "So, this is it. Your first mission. Dive into it. Experint. Collaborate. Fail fast. Learn faster. I'll be here to guide you all the way — but this will be your foundation."
Zaboru then began to thoroughly explain what each of the two projects was all about. He walked the team through the concept and vision behind Roller Coaster Tycoon, emphasizing the importance of player creativity, intuitive design systems, and the satisfaction of building sothing personal. He described how the ga should give players not only the tools to design imaginative amusent parks but also the challenge of managing them effectively — balancing budgets, custor happiness, and resource managent. It needed to be visually appealing, chanically smooth, and rewarding to play for long hours.
Then he shifted focus to the other project, Thief, a stealth-based first-person experience. Here, Zaboru painted a picture of a darker, more atmospheric ga, where tension and subtlety were key. He spoke about the importance of imrsive environnts, smart enemy AI, sound design, and level layout that encouraged exploration and creative problem-solving. He emphasized how stealth chanics should feel natural and rewarding, and how the story needed to pull players into the character's world without forcing them.
Beyond the project goals, Zaboru had already held private briefings with the leadership of the Korean Dynasty team to ensure alignnt. At present, Dynasty Korea had four heads of developnt — experienced leads who would help anchor the teams. One of them, Tomohiro Kata, ca from ZAGE Japan and had transferred specifically for this role. The other three were Korean: Seth Kang, known for his sharp design instincts; Hyun-Woo, an expert in systems architecture and programming; and Ji-Hye, the only female lead, praised for her leadership. The four of them were split across the two projects, each pairing complenting the other's strengths. Tomohiro and Ji-Hye were assigned to Thief, while Seth and Hyun-Woo took charge of Roller Coaster Tycoon.
Zaboru made it clear that while he was guiding the teams closely, he was giving them plenty of freedom to explore and experint. He set a rough internal target to complete both gas by December or early January of the next year. But he also reassured them that there was no pressure to rush. Quality mattered more than speed, especially since these were the first official projects of the newly ford Korean Dynasty team. He encouraged them to treat this as a learning experience and not just a deadline. If they managed to finish ahead of schedule, that would be great — but the main priority was building a solid foundation and setting a high standard for all future projects to co.
After just a week of working under these new conditions, the employees were genuinely surprised by how quickly their skills had improved. Zaboru's constant presence didn't just motivate them — it transford the way they worked. What caught many of them off guard was how casual and approachable he was. Despite being the head of the company and the creative force behind many of ZAGE's biggest successes, he didn't create a barrier of authority. He didn't hover silently or pressure people with his title. Instead, he made himself available. He chatted with everyone as if they were equals, answered questions with patience, and gave practical feedback when needed.
He also regularly ordered a wide assortnt of food, snacks, and drinks for everyone, treating his employees generously — sotis even to an extre. The team couldn't help but be amused by how much Zaboru could eat himself. His appetite was legendary, and altis often turned into light-hearted monts as they watched him devour portions that would leave most people stuffed.
Despite his voracious eating habits, Zaboru would always offer the sa bit of advice with a grin: "Don't overdo it like — unless you're also spending hours at the gym." What the employees didn't know was that behind his casual warning lay a secret — Zaboru's body possessed a special ability called Enlightennt Body. This unique trait dramatically increased his calorie consumption requirents while also make his body to peak perfromance always, making his high intake of food not just a preference, but a necessity. It was one of the hidden effects of his reincarnated powers, allowing him to operate at superhuman levels of stamina and recovery — but only if he maintained that extre level of energy intake.
And also If a team finished a task earlier than expected, the developers would often scramble to look busy, pretending to work so they wouldn't seem idle. But Zaboru would notice imdiately, chuckle, and gently scold them. "If the work is done, don't pretend to be busy," he told them. "Play gas, rest, explore ideas. Productivity isn't about sitting in front of your screen — it's about knowing when to sprint and when to breathe."
This philosophy resonated deeply with the employees. It made them feel trusted and respected, which only pushed them to work harder and smarter. With Zaboru leading by example — sharing his expertise, offering hands-on help, and giving direct feedback — the Korea team was thriving. And with his Aura of Influence always active around the office, their focus, creativity, and morale skyrocketed. The results were undeniable: productivity levels were climbing fast, and skill levels across the team were rising at a pace that even surprised the team leads. What started as a new office full of nervous recruits was quickly evolving into a cohesive, confident developnt force.
To be continue
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