King of Games C45 Rival's desperation

Shinro's eyes flickered over the sales report, his gaze flicking back and forth between the columns of numbers. He couldn't help but let a satisfied smile creep onto his face. The figures spoke for themselves; their console, the Nerve Gear Zero, had not only met but surpassed their expectations. Swiping a hand through his slicked-back hair, he glanced up at Mira, his beautiful and smart secretary.

Mira stood before the large holographic display, her own charming smile brightening her features as she presented the report with practiced ease. "As you can see," she began, "our new console, Nerve Gear Zero, has been outperforming the rival consoles of companies like Sony and Microsoft, who have been in the market for years." She paused, her eyes glinting with pride. "Their consoles, the PS3 and Xbox 360, simply cannot compete with ours."

Shinro raised an eyebrow, and a smirk played on his lips. "Is that so?" he mused, tapping his fingers on the glossy table. "That's very good," he finally said, his voice laced with satisfaction.

Mira bit her lip, a frown creasing her otherwise flawless features as she digested the information. "Honestly, even though I know my original world was just... inside your small aquarium," she gestured with her manicured fingers, "and this is the real one... this world," she swept her arm outward, "lacks the technologies my original world had."

Shinro couldn't help but smile at her bewilderment. It was only natural she'd be taken aback, considering she was a resident of his miniature world, "Tiny World", while they were now in the real world, "Earth." Earth was indeed decades, if not centuries, less advanced in terms of technology.

"Well," he began, leaning back in his chair, steepling his fingers, "I did accelerate your world's timeline by a million times. So, for every day that passes here, dozens, if not hundreds of years, pass in your world." He added. "Over time, it's only natural that your world would surpass ours in terms of technology."

Mira's eyes widened with understanding, and she nodded once. "I see..." She hesitated, then added, "So, you've just been using our world to advance it's civilization and technology... for the benefit of your company?"

Shinro didn't respond, but the curve of his lips and the glint in his eyes were answer enough.

The thick silence in the room was suffocating, and Mira coughed, breaking the tension as she continued her report. "The sales of our games are quite promising as well. The titles we imported from my world have captivated the gamers of this world." She couldn't help but smirk as she continued, "Not only that, but the sales of our competitors' games and consoles have plummeted."

Shinro's smile widened, and he nodded, a menacing glint in his eyes. "That's what they get..." he muttered under his breath.

As he steepled his fingers, he couldn't help but reflect on the past. He remembered the rejections from Sony and Microsoft when he'd approached them. "To think they turned down my partnership offers," he thought with a derisive snort. "Serves them right."

---

[Microsoft, Japan branch]

Panic hung heavy in the air as the Microsoft executives gathered for an emergency meeting in their sleek, modern Japanese office. On the large holographic screen, multiple charts and graphs displayed the grim reality: the Xbox 360 and their games were plummeting in sales faster than anyone could have predicted.

"This is unbelievable," the lead executive muttered, pressing his fingers to his temples. "If this keeps up, we'll hemorrhage money like never before." He turned to the marketing team, desperation in his eyes. "Have you reworked the marketing strategy?"

The marketing team exchanged nervous glances before their leader cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, but we've tried everything we could think of. The problem is, the gamers in this country are entranced by our new competitor, KiShin." His voice cracked as he continued, "Their games and console are spreading like wildfire, and we can't seem to compete."

The others around the table nodded grimly, and one of them spoke up, "Did you know that gamers from all over the country are flocking to Tokyo just to get their hands on the Nerve Gear Zero and KiShin's games? Stores can't keep up with the demand."

Another executive chimed in, "It's not just locals either. We've got tourists from all over the world descending on Tokyo to experience this new console for themselves. It's like a modern-day pilgrimage!"

One of the more seasoned executives, a skeptical look on his face, interjected, "Guys, it's called tourism. It's nothing new. Just because they're buying a video game console doesn't mean we should panic." He straightened his suit jacket, adding, "Let's wait for instructions from the main headquarters. I'm sure they'll have a plan to counter this... fad."

---

In Sony's R&D laboratory, a hive of activity had taken over. Researchers in crisp white coats huddled around various workstations, their brows furrowed in concentration as they studied the disassembled parts of the mysterious Nerve Gear Zero. Sony's top minds had been called in to unravel the secrets of the new console, but so far, they were stumped.

"It's like nothing we've ever seen before," one scientist muttered, running a probing instrument over the unfamiliar circuitry. "The CPU alone is leaps and bounds ahead of anything on the market. It's processing power is off the charts!"

Another researcher joined in, his eyes wide with disbelief. "And just look at the UI system! It's like it's alive, responding to our every thought." He shook his head, perplexed. "This AI technology is years ahead of anything we've ever seen."

A hush fell over the room as the gravity of the situation sunk in. If they couldn't figure out how this newcomer, KiShin, had managed to develop such groundbreaking technology, it could spell the end of Sony's dominance in the gaming market.

Meanwhile, in a high-rise office, the top executives of Sony convened, their faces etched with worry. "We've been the undisputed leaders in the console market for years," the CEO said, gripping the table tightly. "We can't let a small-time upstart like KiShin take that from us!"

"But sir," an executive ventured, "even if we pull out all the stops, it could take us years to develop something that even comes close to KiShin console!"

"I know, I know," the CEO interrupted, his hands gripping the table tightly. "But we don't have a choice. I want you all to prioritize this over everything else. Our very survival in the industry depends on it."

The silence in the boardroom was deafening as the gravity of their situation set in. "Why don't we... try to partner with KiShin instead?" One executive tentatively suggested, hesitatingly. "Perhaps we can learn from their technologies?"

Nods of agreement rippled through the room. "It's worth a shot," the CEO conceded, "but we must remember that the chances of them considering us after our previous negotiations are slim."

Reluctantly, Sony swallowed their pride and once again reached out to the founder and CEO of KiShin, Shinro Suzuki, to discuss a possible partnership. They sent their best negotiators, starting with Ryu Saburo, the very same man who had previously negotiated with Shinro before.

However, their efforts were met with one cold shoulder after another. Shinro declined to meet with them, and when they tried to send more representatives, he outright rejected their proposals. Even Microsoft, their competitor, suffered the same fate.

The doors to KiShin's cutting-edge technologies, it seemed, were firmly shut.

With no other option in sight, Sony and Microsoft were left with no choice but to release their own consoles, which were still in development, much earlier than planned. To divert the attention of the gaming community in Japan and around the world, Sony unveiled a trailer for their upcoming PlayStation console— the PS4.

The trailer showcased visually stunning gameplay from their most popular franchises such as "God of War," "Uncharted," and "Resident Evil," along with the promise of exclusive titles that could only be played on the PS4.

The announcement sent shockwaves through the gaming community, and the hype train was in full force. Eager gamers flocked to watch the Japanese trailer on YouTube, and the views skyrocketed.

Anticipation for the PS4 soared, and in the ensuing commotion, the hype around KiShin's "Nerve Gear Zero" and its games took a temporary hit. Sales of the console and its games experienced a decline as players turned their attention to the new challenger.

Despite the stir that Sony's PS4 trailer had caused, Shinro remained unfazed. He knew that while the PlayStation was popular and had its fair share of hit titles, it couldn't compare to the raw power and graphical prowess of their "Nerve Gear Zero" console.

However, the Suzuki family, the powerful conglomerate related to Shinro, didn't share his nonchalance. His father, Shiro Suzuki, personally called him, offering his support and the resources of their number one company, Suzuki Group.

Shinro hesitated for a moment, knowing that accepting his father's help would mean the Suzuki Group would have a stake in his company and his dreams. But in the end, he remained firm in his decision. "No, I don't need money for my company for now," he said, trying to sound more confident than he felt.

His father's voice betrayed his concern. "Are you sure, son? Every company needs investment. Why not think about it? Let me help you grow your company even further."

Shinro appreciated his father's concern, but he knew that accepting the Suzuki Group's help would mean losing control over his company's and his dreams' future. "I'm sorry, pops. But no can do." His tone left no room for negotiation.

"Shinro, you're up against Sony! You need all the support you can get!" Shiro pleaded, but Shinro hung up before his father could finish.

Shinro sighed, shaking his head with a chuckle. "Sony's bluff can only last for so long..." he muttered to himself.