Chapter 16 - 15: The Debut of ZAS
The air outside Bakudan Arcade buzzed with excitement. Zaboru stood proudly near the entrance, inspecting the promotional poster he had painstakingly designed. Its striking black-and-yellow design was bold enough to catch the eye of anyone passing by. Mario, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong stood prominently on the poster, with images of the sleek ZAS machines and the enticing slogan:
"NEW ARCADE MACHINE! ZAS! Offering a New Kind of Fun! Comes with a Brand-New Type of Controller!"
Satisfied, Zaboru took a step back and admired his work. He adjusted the poster slightly, ensuring it was perfectly positioned, then turned his attention toward the arcade. A small crowd of early birds, including a mix of kids and adults, was already gathering outside, eager for the doors to open.
When the shutters finally rolled up, a wave of eager customers surged inside. Many glanced curiously toward the new section where the ZAS machines gleamed under the arcade lights.
Among them was Genta, a 10-year-old boy with an insatiable love for arcade games. Sundays were his sacred gaming days, and with 100 yen safely tucked in his pocket, he was ready to conquer his favorite—Space Invaders. But something new caught his eye.
At the far corner of the arcade, a new section stood out with a sleek row of machines unlike any he'd seen before. His curiosity piqued, Genta hurried over to Toki, the arcade owner.
"Toki-san!" Genta exclaimed, pointing toward the shiny new machines. "What are those? Are they new arcade games?"
Toki grinned, clearly enjoying the moment. "That's right, Genta. Brand-new machines. They're called ZAS. Each one has four games in it."
Genta's eyes widened in disbelief. "Four games in one arcade machine?! That's crazy! What kind of games?"