Another world Game Developers in Japan`s 1991-Chapter 397 - 353: ZAGE’s First Ever Event - Part 2

Saturday, 8 Nov 1992

After the concert ended, the atmosphere at the ZAGE Event Building (ZEB) was still buzzing with energy. The lights dimmed momentarily before flashing back on in a vibrant swirl of colors. Zaboru, still riding high from the concert, stepped back onto the stage with a wide grin on his face.

"Well, that was a good concert and some awesome music, right?!" he shouted, eliciting another cheer from the crowd. "Now, let's move onto the main event—the RC-PRO AM Competition!"

The excitement among the audience surged even higher.

"For the 16 participants," Zaboru continued, "please head over to the booths we've prepared!"

The participants—eight from Bakudan Arcade and eight from Dream Catcher Arcade—rose and made their way toward the side booths.

Zaboru then showcased something special: two customized ZEPS consoles connected to big projection TVs. "Each participant, please insert your RC-PRO AM cartridge into the special ZEPS," Zaboru explained. "Press the button when prompted, and your customized RC car data will be saved to our tournament system."

The audience gasped in amazement. The murmurs quickly spread across the room.

"Did you see that?!" one attendee whispered. "They made special hardware just for this tournament!"

"ZAGE really went all out for this," another added.

The players lined up. Sakaki, Sawada, and Rikki were among the Bakudan group, bringing their own precious cartridges. Endo, along with other top players from Dream Catcher Arcade, approached as well. One standout among them was Takayuki Kageyama, a humble supermarket cashier whose love for video games burned brighter than anything else in his life.

Each participant carefully inserted their cartridge into the Special ZEPS. The machines whirred to life, reading the data and saving the players' customized RC builds into the tournament system.

Zaboru clapped his hands with satisfaction. "Alright! All the cars are registered! Now, onto the matchups!"

He gestured dramatically to a screen behind him where randomized brackets appeared.

"There are two ZEPS stations. We'll divide the races accordingly. Each race will consist of four racers and five intense laps. The winner of each race will advance to the final showdown!"

The brackets were as follows:

Race 1

Sakaki

Bakudan Player 1

Dream Catcher Player 1

Bakudan Player 2

Race 2

Endo

Bakudan Player 3

Bakudan Player 4

Dream Catcher Player 2

Race 3

Rikki

Sawada

Dream Catcher Player 3

Dream Catcher Player 4

Race 4

Takayuki Kageyama

Dream Catcher Player 5

Dream Catcher Player 6

Bakudan Player 5

Zaboru's grin widened. "Alright, participants! Race 1 and Race 2, please head to ZEPS1. Race 3 and Race 4, head to ZEPS2. Race 1 and Race 3 will start first! Get ready!"

Sawada turned to Rikki, a serious expression on his face. "We settle it now, Rikki."

Rikki chuckled, twirling his controller. "Ready to get destroyed, Sawada."

The racers gripped their controllers tightly, their focus razor-sharp. Sakaki stared at the screen, determination burning in his eyes. "This is it. I'm winning this," he muttered.

The crowd counted down along with Zaboru. "Three... two... one... START!"

The races kicked off, broadcast live onto two massive projectors so the audience could watch.

Race 1: Sakaki's R. Revolver car blasted ahead immediately, his straight-line speed overwhelming the others. Meanwhile, in Race 3, the real fireworks were about to ignite.

Sawada's Rodeo Loco, with its blink ability, held a slim lead over Rikki's Mugen Canon. The two raced neck and neck, weaving through sharp corners and straightaways.

"Ooh, look at Race 3!" Zaboru commentated excitedly. "Sawada and Rikki are battling it out with barely any room between them!"

Sawada grinned, expertly dodging left and right to avoid giving Rikki a clear shot. "Try shooting me!" he taunted.

Rikki stayed calm, his finger hovering over the trigger. He bided his time, lap after lap, waiting for the perfect moment.

It came on the third lap—a tricky steep turn. Sawada relaxed, thinking there was no way Rikki could shoot accurately on a curve.

But Rikki grinned wickedly. "Take this!"

Activating his Mugen Canon's special ability—"Heavy Canon!"—he unleashed a powerful shot. The cannonball hit Sawada's Rodeo Loco squarely, sending it spinning off the track.

The crowd roared with amazement.

"WHOA! Did you see that shot?! Precision timing on a steep turn! Incredible!"

Sawada gritted his teeth, trying desperately to recover, even blinking forward to close the gap—but it was too late.

"The winner of Race 3: Rikki and the Mugen Canon!" Zaboru announced.

Sawada sighed, clapping Rikki on the back. "Good job, bro. You got me fair and square."

Rikki grinned. "Better luck next time, Sawada."

Meanwhile, in Race 2 and Race 4, Endo and Takayuki put on a masterclass.

Endo's F-1, modeled after the model F-Mega 001, showcased blistering speed and agile handling. He dominated his race with ease.

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Takayuki's Blue Romance, based on the sleek New Chronos model, wasn't far behind in his own race. His car's special ability—instant recovery paired with a temporary speed boost—allowed him to bounce back quickly from crashes and regain momentum faster than any other racer. When activated, after quick recover from the crash , the New Chronos surged forward with a sudden burst of acceleration, giving Takayuki a critical edge during the most intense moments of the race.

Both Endo and Takayuki crossed their respective finish lines to thunderous applause.

Zaboru returned to the center stage, the excitement palpable.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he announced proudly, "we have our four finalists!"

The screen flashed with their names:

Sakaki Revolver

Rikki Mugen Canon

Endo F-1

Takayuki Blue Romance

"Let's take a short break," Zaboru continued, "then we'll move on to the epic final showdown!"

The audience buzzed with speculation. Who would take home the trophy? Sakaki, with his blinding speed? Rikki, the tactical shooter? Endo, the speed demon? Or Takayuki, the comeback king?

People headed to grab refreshments, still chatting excitedly about the races they'd just witnessed.

Meanwhile, the finalists went to rest, check their controllers, and mentally prepare for the battle ahead.

With the thrilling semi-final matches concluded, the energy inside the ZAGE Event Building reached a fever pitch. The excitement was palpable—every conversation buzzed with predictions, cheers, and mounting anticipation for the grand final race. The entire venue felt alive, pulsing with the crowd's eagerness to see which racer would seize victory and etch their name into ZAGE history.

To be continued...

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