Video Game Tycoon in Tokyo-Chapter 979: It Would Be Best If Time Could Stand Still

If Takayuki were standing in front of the three of them now and heard their description, he would instantly recognize what kind of game they were talking about.

Wasn't that just the classic Musou-style game from his original world?

And the source of enjoyment was exactly what Aiko said: the thrill of mowing down hordes of enemies.

In this type of game, enemy stats and difficulty weren't the point—the key was the feeling of domination.

As the metaphor "mowing grass" implied, large groups of virtually harmless enemies were just like a field waiting to be cleared.

Takayuki had once thought about making such a game too, but with so many ongoing series and projects, he had put the idea on the back burner.

Still, he wouldn't feel any regret. If anything, he'd be pleased to hear the conversation among Kazumi, Oto-chan, and Aiko.

People in this world were now beginning to explore new styles of gameplay, rather than staying inside the boundaries he had already established.

Choosing to step outside their creative comfort zones—now that was a very encouraging sign.

...

...

At 8:00 AM sharp, the park opened its gates.

The opening ceremony was held at the very center of the park. Visitors had the choice to explore the various attractions or go straight to the heart of the venue to witness this once-in-a-lifetime event.

After all, many important guests would appear there—it was a rare opportunity to see them up close.

The guests knew this, of course, and as soon as the gates opened, the crowd surged toward the central plaza marked on their maps, hoping to claim a good spot to witness history being made.

"President, over half of the 50,000 guests are already inside. It's time to get ready."

This was the first park, and it was themed entirely around Mario. The park's total area was 0.7 square kilometers.

To go from selecting a site, confirming contractors, and completing construction in just three years was something of a miracle.

But Takayuki had no shortage of funds. As a very generous financier, he never skimped on spending. With plenty of money, no delays over budget disputes, and full green lights from the Japanese government, the construction progress was jaw-dropping.

In just three years, a fully realized Mario-themed park had risen.

The construction itself was fairly conventional—it featured well-known, globally popular rides. That helped speed things up.

Roller coaster variants, pirate ship rides, bungee jumping—each reimagined in Mario's style.

Takayuki wasn't an expert in theme park design or operations. He hadn't done this kind of work in his past life either, so it wasn't like he could dream up endless original ideas for park attractions the way he did for video games.

"All right. I'm ready."

At that moment, Takayuki was wearing an oversized Mario mascot costume. Next to him was a large Mario headpiece he'd soon put on.

He would appear in front of the crowd as Mario himself—a gesture he felt carried the most ceremony and meaning.

"Oh man, this really brings back memories. Remember when we used to stand in front of kids' parks in these costumes to promote game consoles?" said Airi Hayasawa with a nostalgic smile.

Seeing Takayuki in costume reminded her of the early days, hustling side by side to sell hardware.

Originally, Aya Tsukino was also scheduled to appear in costume as Princess Peach.

The two were husband and wife, and their relationship was a favorite story among fans—a brilliant game designer and a genius programmer. Their partnership symbolized the rise of video games themselves.

Airi Hayasawa felt a tinge of sorrow.

Even after all these years... it still lingered.

But she didn't show it. She buried the feeling deep in her eyes.

Aya Tsukino had pulled out of the opening ceremony for personal reasons.

So now, only Takayuki would be appearing.

But that didn't matter much.

Takayuki smiled and said, "Looking back, it really does feel like yesterday. That was one of the most exciting times in my life."

"It was. But I think today is just as exciting. Games are getting better and better."

"You're right about that."

At that moment, the director of the ceremony approached Takayuki and said, "President, ten minutes to go."

"Got it."

Takayuki stood up, picked up the Mario head, and followed the director toward the ceremony stage.

...

...

Carson now had a loving wife who shared his passion for gaming. He was a coach for a European esports team specializing in football games, while his wife coached the Street Fighter division of the same club.

The esports industry had developed into a healthy, thriving ecosystem, with frequent tournaments providing them with substantial and steady income.

They also had two adorable children together.

This time, all four had come to Japan.

It wasn't their first visit, but previous trips were for the Gamestar Carnival and the Esports World Cup.

Back then, they were always either competing or coaching, so they rarely had time to stay and enjoy the country.

But this time, they were here purely for fun.

Oh, and the tickets? Gamestar Electronic Entertainment had gifted them.

Every previous champion of the Gamestar Carnival had received an invitation to witness the grand opening.

"Daddy! Daddy! Look—it's Bowser! I want to take a picture with Bowser!"

Perched on Carson's shoulders was his red-haired young son, his eldest child.

Carson smiled and said, "Hang on, kiddo. The opening ceremony is about to start. Once it's over, we'll go take that photo, okay?"

"Okay!" the little boy said in his sweet voice, obedient and excited.

Carson's wife stood nearby, cradling their baby daughter—just six months old.

"Can you believe it? We were just two ordinary people, and now we're here, attending the opening of something this grand."

"It's our reward for loving video games," Carson replied with a smile.

And you, and the kids—you're the greatest reward I've gotten from that love.

Carson thought to himself, eyes full of affection.

He was completely satisfied with his life. So satisfied, he wished time could stop right now.