Another world Game Developers in Japan`s 1991-Chapter 398 - 354: ZAGE’s First Ever Event - Part 3

Saturday, 8 November 1992

After the electrifying concert and intense semifinal races, the crowd at ZAGE's first-ever event was reaching a fever pitch. It was time for the grand finale of the RC-PRO AM tournament.

The four finalists—Sakaki, Rikki, Endo, and Takayuki—sat down at the main stage, controllers clutched tightly in their hands, faces a mix of excitement and intense focus. Zaboru, full of energy, strode confidently to the center stage.

"Alright, everyone!" he announced. "For the winner of this race, not only will you be crowned champion and get the prizes, but you'll also earn the special privilege to race against me!" he grinned. "And if you manage to beat me—well, let's just say the prize will be something very, very special!"

The audience erupted in cheers. Cameras flashed. The tension skyrocketed.

Sakaki's eyes lit up. "Hey, Rikki, what do you think the special prize is?" he whispered.

Rikki snorted. "Hell if I know. Just get ready to lose to me, bro."

Sakaki smirked back. "Dream on."

Endo leaned back casually, his confidence hidden beneath a calm exterior. He knew Rikki and Sakaki were good—they had raced countless times at Bakudan Arcade before—but he'd faced fiercer, sharper opponents in his gaming journey. To him, this was just another challenge to overcome. Still, he kept an eye on Takayuki. Endo didn't know much about him; the guy had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, storming the Dream Catcher arcade tournaments with raw skill and winning streaks.

'I need to be careful with him,' Endo thought, studying Takayuki's calm yet slightly nervous posture.

Meanwhile, Takayuki, dressed modestly and looking slightly out of place among the competitive fire of the others, felt a knot of nerves tightening in his stomach. But he clenched his fists, whispering to himself, "Give it your best."

Zaboru raised his hand dramatically. "Alright, without further ado—LET'S START THE FINAL RACE!"

The crowd roared as the race countdown began.

Three... Two... One... START!

The screen lit up with vibrant tracks as the four racers launched from the starting line the long straight line

"Oooh! Look at that! Sakaki takes the early lead!" Zaboru's excited voice echoed through the hall. "Endo and Takayuki are close behind, while Rikki is struggling a bit!"

Sakaki's R. Revolver dominated the straightaways, taking full advantage of its speed boost ability. However, Takayuki and Endo remained calm, knowing the race was long and full of technical sections.

Then came the first sweeping curve. Endo executed a flawless drift, his Endo F-1 sliding past Sakaki like a knife through butter. Almost simultaneously, Takayuki mirrored the move, his Blue Romance gliding elegantly around the bend.

"Beautiful drift by Endo and Takayuki!" Zaboru shouted. "Sakaki's being overtaken!"

Meanwhile, Rikki gritted his teeth, his Mugen Canon struggling to catch up. He bided his time, waiting for an opening.

The race heated up as Takayuki and Endo fiercely maintained their hold on first and second positions, battling neck-and-neck through every curve and straight away. Sakaki, gritting his teeth, pushed his R. Revolver to its limits in a desperate attempt to close the gap, while Rikki, eyes locked in determination, trailed close behind, looking for any slip-up to exploit. The tension was thick, every move and every mistake critical as the final showdown looms ever closer.

As the racers hit another long straightaway, Sakaki saw his chance to reclaim the lead. He gripped his controller tighter.

"Now or nothing!" he growled. "Revolver, full throttle!"

His R. Revolver blazed forward like a bullet.

But Rikki smirked. "Not so fast bro , Mugen Canon Heavy Cannon!"

He activated Mugen Canon's Heavy Cannon special ability, firing a perfectly timed shot that crashed into Sakaki's speeding car.

"Damn you, Rikki!" Sakaki shouted as his car spun out.

The audience gasped and then roared in excitement.

Rikki laughed. "At least I'll beat you for third place!"

Sakaki restarted quickly. "In your dreams!" he snapped back, his car reseted and raced again, launching into an intense personal duel with Rikki for third place.

Meanwhile, the true battle for first place raged on between Endo and Takayuki.

Endo expertly activated his F-1's special ability—the Energy Shield—creating a shimmering, electrified aura around his car. Any opposing vehicle that dared to make contact with the shield would be violently flipped and momentarily disabled, forced to halt and lose precious seconds. It was both a defensive wall and a psychological weapon, daring others to challenge him at their peril.

Takayuki, seeing the opportunity, triggered Blue Romance's Quick Recovery ability. His plan was simple: deliberately brush Endo's shield to trigger a crash, recover instantly, and slingshot past.

But Endo had anticipated this. With a sly grin, he muttered, "Got you." At the very last second, he slammed on his brakes, throwing off Takayuki's timing completely—a bold and risky gamble that paid off brilliantly.

Takayuki's car, expecting contact, instead lurched awkwardly when none came, losing precious speed and balance. His Quick Recovery ability failed to trigger, completely throwing off his rhythm. "What the heck!?" Takayuki cried out in shock, struggling to regain control.

"WHAT A MOVE BY ENDO!" Zaboru cried out, practically leaping with excitement. "Absolute mind games! Endo purposefully slowed down to throw off Takayuki's crash timing—brilliant play!" The audience roared in amazement, the entire building buzzing with energy from the incredible maneuver.

Seizing the opportunity, Endo surged forward, leaving Takayuki scrambling to regain control.

Five laps flew by in what felt like seconds.

Finally, Endo's F-1 crossed the finish line with a clean victory.

"THE WINNER IS ENDO Endo F-1!" Zaboru announced, nearly deafening the crowd with excitement.

Takayuki finished second, while Rikki edged out Sakaki for third.

Sakaki groaned. "Damn you, Rikki! That cannon shot was dirty!"

Rikki grinned, throwing an arm around Sakaki's shoulder. "All's fair in love and racing, bro."

Zaboru returned to the stage with a flourish, carrying three gleaming trophies shaped like classic remote controllers.

He handed the gold trophy to Endo, along with a fat envelope.

"First place winner: Endo! You get the Gold Trophy and 250.000Yen!"

The crowd cheered wildly. Endo couldn't believe he got this much money! He then thought 'With this I could buy plenty of new games! My parents better not know this or they might "Keep" this money!'

This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.

Next, Zaboru awarded the silver trophy and 125.000 Yen to Takayuki.

Takayuki couldn`t believe it as well 'I`ve got 125.000 yen? Oh my god this is a lot of money. I could eat something nice after so long. Takayuki is really grateful to Zaboru.

"Second place goes to Takayuki Kageyama! Great racing!"

Finally, Rikki received the bronze trophy and 70.000 Yen.

"And third place—Rikki! Excellent tactics out there!"

Sakaki stood nearby, arms crossed and scowling.

"That should've been my money," he grumbled.

Rikki clapped him on the back. "Cheer up, bro. My treat tonight—we're hitting the best yakiniku in town with Sawada and Kumogi too. We'll celebrate like true champions!" Rikki laugh

Sakaki sighed, but a reluctant grin broke through. "You better be damn!"

As the trophies were lifted high and the camera flashes lit up the hall, Zaboru grinned mischievously.

"And now, the real fun begins!" he announced. "As promised—Endo, you get the honor of racing against me!"

The audience roared again, chanting both Endo's and Zaboru's names.

The tension and excitement in the air felt like it could shatter the walls of the ZEB building.

Everyone knew—this race wouldn't just be another competition.

The audience buzzed with curiosity, eager to see just how skilled Zaboru really was at gaming. Whispers filled the room—could the legendary founder of ZAGE hold his own against the tournament champion? Everyone leaned forward, eyes locked onto the stage, ready to witness the ultimate showdown.

To be continued...

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