NOVEL WEB Chapter 597: Chapter 545: Guitar Hero
Saturday, 1 December 1994 – ZAGE Offices, Tokyo
Although it was a Saturday and technically the weekend, a surprising number of employees had gathered at the ZAGE Tokyo office — not for work, but out of sheer excitement. Zaboru had just returned from the U.S. the day before, and the ZAGE Tokyo employees were buzzing with anticipation. They were eager to witness their boss attempt Through Fire and Flames on Expert difficulty in Guitar Hero — a spectacle none of them wanted to miss. Little did Zaboru know, the whole thing had been planned behind his back.
Many of them had already tested the arcade version, thanks to ZAGE Japan receiving the machines three days ahead of the official release from ZAGE USA. While the gameplay was undeniably exhilarating, Through Fire and Flames — even on Normal difficulty — proved brutally difficult for most players in the office. Some couldn't even get past the opening solo, and only a few dared to try Hard mode. It had become an unspoken challenge among staff — the ultimate test of rhythm, reflexes, and endurance.
Zaboru had been in his personal workshop since early morning, immersed in his usual routine, when he noticed something unusual — the ZAGE Tokyo building was unusually busy for a weekend. Curious, he peeked out and was surprised to see the lobby and hallways filled with employees. It wasn't normal for the office to be this crowded on a Saturday. He didn't mind their presence, but the reason behind it puzzled him. Leaving his workshop, he made his way toward the ZAGE game area. As he stepped inside, he spotted his father, Zanichi Renkonan — ZAGE's CTO — standing among the crowd, smiling knowingly.
"Dad, why's it so packed today? Is this some kind of last-minute overtime thing for the Guitar Hero release? That wasn't really needed — I'm pretty sure all the arcade units were shipped out yesterday, weren't they?"
Zanichi chuckled. "No, Boss, we're here for you."
"For me?" Zaboru asked, puzzled.
Most of the Tokyo team — including iconic figures such as Satoru Iwata, Hideo Kojima, Shinji Mikami, Yugo Kanai, and Eiji Aonuma — were present as well, their faces lit with anticipation. Alongside them were dozens of employees, some clutching coffee cups, others whispering excitedly — all of them united by curiosity and weekend freedom.
Yugo grinned and said, "We want to see you play Through Fire and Flames on Expert difficulty, Boss!"
Everyone else nodded. Hideo Kojima added with a smirk, "Honestly, I think it borders on superhuman. Perfecting that song on Expert? That's really humanly impossible I think."
Zanichi nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's true. Can you really do it, Boss?"
Zaboru chuckled. "Sure thing — but you do realize I play the real guitar version of that song, right?"
Satoru Iwata nodded and replied, "We're well aware, Boss — but playing on the Guitar Hero controller you designed is a completely different thing."
Yugo blurted out, "And Boss! We've got bets going! Some are sure you'll crush it, others think you'll crash and burn!"
A collective groan swept through the room — that was supposed to stay under wraps.
Zaboru raised an eyebrow, amused. "And what are the odds?"
Zanichi laughed and pulled out the list with a grin. "So far, it's 8 to 2 — 80% think you'll fail, 20% believe you'll pull it off."
Zaboru let out a low chuckle, his grin widening. "Good. I always did like proving people wrong."
Yugo shouted, "I bet on you winning, Boss-sama! Isn't that obvious?!"
Zaboru laughed and gave Yugo a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Alright then — I'll make sure you're not disappointed."
He took off his suit jacket and unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a simple black t-shirt underneath. After a few quick finger stretches and a roll of his shoulders, he stepped up to the Guitar Hero arcade cabinet. With the crowd watching in silence, he picked up the custom controller and navigated the menu with practiced ease. He selected Through Fire and Flames on Expert difficulty. As the intro riffs burst from the speakers and the note highway lit up, Zaboru's fingers sprang into motion — hammering the colored buttons and working the strum bar with precision and flair.
He hit every note flawlessly.
Everyone watching stood frozen in disbelief, their mouths agape. Then, to their utter astonishment, Zaboru began to sing — live. Even though the in-game vocals were already his own recording, he layered his voice on top, flawlessly syncing each lyric with raw intensity. He was performing live vocals while shredding Through Fire and Flames on Expert with pinpoint precision. The sheer audacity of it left the entire room speechless — it was nothing short of insanity.
Hideo Kojima stood speechless. "T...That's absolutely insane."
Zanichi's eyes widened with disbelief. "Well, I'll be damned... he's actually doing it."
Yugo jumped up, pumping his fist in the air. "Yeah! Boss-sama! You're a legend!"
Zaboru continued his streak, never missing a note while delivering flawless vocals in perfect sync. His presence radiated confidence — he looked like a badass rockstar fused with a machine. Shinji Mikami stared in stunned awe. "Un...believable." As the final note rang out, the screen flashed 100% completion. Zaboru had nailed the song. Not a single miss. Not even one.
He grinned and looked at the audience. "So...? I can do it, right? Satisfied now?"
Yugo jumped again, practically vibrating with excitement. "YEAH! Boss-sama, you're so COOL!"
Not once had Yugo ever doubted him. Zaboru smiled and held up his hand. Yugo grinned and met it with a crisp high five, the smack echoing through the room as the crowd erupted in cheers.
Meanwhile, the official release of Guitar Hero was underway — and players were hooked. Interestingly, it wasn't the most technically difficult tracks that won their hearts. Songs like Dear God and Seven Nation Army quickly became crowd favorites thanks to their catchy riffs and easy to play. Arcades buzzed with excitement as groups gathered around the machines, cheering each other on. Of course, many brave souls still attempted Through Fire and Flames — but after a few brutal defeats, most jokingly labeled it "impossible." The song became a challenge that can't be overcome at least for now.
As for the Guitar Hero arcade unit itself, it featured two controllers for head-to-head or co-op play, and its audio system was the most advanced of any ZAGE game to date. The cabinet boasted high-fidelity speakers designed to showcase the game's rich soundscape — fitting, given its core focus on music and performance.
Overall, players had a blast. The co-op mode — which allowed two players to either jam together on bass and lead or compete for high scores — proved to be a major hit in arcades. Friends challenged each other nonstop, drawing crowds with every face-off. Even though many were still getting used to the unconventional controller, that didn't stop them from returning again and again to master their favorite songs. Guitar Hero had clearly struck a chord with audiences, and it was already shaping up to be one of the most beloved arcade games of the year.
Meanwhile, at Sonaya HQ, Hikaru Kurata stood silently in front of a Guitar Hero arcade unit he had personally acquired for the office. He watched one of his engineer playing Dear God on Normal, his arms crossed and a bitter smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Junpei Hoshida, Sonaya's Head Game Designer, let out a long sigh. "It's really something else, Boss. Totally groundbreaking arcade design. Fresh mechanics, instant player appeal... ZAGE and Zaboru just keep raising the bar, don't they?"
Kurata sighed, rubbing his temples. "Yeah... I'm too tired to even be mad about it. Let Zaboru have his moment. For now, let's just put our energy into the Amaterasu Project, Junpei. We've got our own things to build."
Junpei nodded, then grinned. "Well... a few rounds of Guitar Hero wouldn't hurt, right, Boss?"
Kurata sighed again. "Suit yourself."
He took a sip of his wine and leaned back, watching as Junpei played through the Safari Songs setlist on Normal. Despite himself, Kurata found the tracks surprisingly enjoyable. Still, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of irritation — the unmistakable voice behind the vocals belonged to none other than Zaboru himself.
With Guitar Hero, ZAGE was once again making waves in the gaming world — and not for the first time. Their ability to innovate and capture hearts had become a pattern, and Guitar Hero was now the latest entry in a growing legacy of their Greatness.
To be continued
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