As I parked my car in the house parking lot and arrived near the Pentagon Soft's lodging after calling a taxi, I leaned back on the chair installed in front of the convenience store. Even on a scorching summer day, the weather now carried a touch of autumn, and the night air felt refreshing.
I pondered whether to start with the canned beer on the table. In the midst of my contemplation, I caught sight of Morita and Hayashi emerging from the lodging.
"Chief. Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Oh, no. I should be the one apologizing for calling you out suddenly during your break."
Handing Morita and Hayashi the canned beer while maintaining a friendly smile, I was about to offer it when Hayashi, perceptive as ever, spoke with a skeptical expression.
"Chief, what grand scheme are you planning again?"
"Oh, caught on, did you? Hayashi, you're sharp as ever..."
"You called us out on a whim during our time off, and suddenly the workload triples because of a new scenario for 'The Empty Streets.'"
Hayashi's jab made me feel a bit sheepish.
Morita, on the other hand, had been inexplicably cheerful and spoke up with a bright smile.
"Still, Chief, whenever you call us out like this, you always have interesting ideas. I'm looking forward to it."
At that, Hayashi, standing nearby, shot Morita a sharp look.
"Is it worth dying over because of those ideas?"
"Even though you grumble, you always end up doing everything anyway."
"Huh? You've been less grumpy lately, and look at you, giving me attitude?"
Three years of sharing meals seemed to be rubbing off on both of them.
"So, what kind of plan have you concocted this time?"
As I wet the lid of the canned beer in my hand, Hayashi asked me. After taking another sip, I turned to Morita and Hayashi with eyes full of anticipation.
"We talked about it during the last meeting, didn't we? The battle system in Psych Battle is almost perfect, but there's a sense of emptiness, right?"
"Yes. We've tried increasing the speed, even decreasing it, modifying the trajectory of the bullets, but it still lacks something. It's definitely intense in battles, but it feels like a game where you're just shooting from afar, not engaging directly like in Spaw 2. I'm not sure how to describe it, but something's missing."
"The variability of close combat strikes is lacking."
"Exactly. That's it."
"So, I thought, what if we tried this?"
At my words, Hayashi finally seemed to catch on, his expression changing.
"Huh... how?"
"Dream 8-person battles."
"Whoa!"
"Wow!"
As expected, the illustrator drawing characters and the programmer actualizing the dream had starkly contrasting reactions.
"That's such a fantastic idea! Even in one-on-one battles, it's chaotic enough, but an 8-person battle would be absolutely mind-blowing."
"Wait a minute, Chief. To me, it's a battle of 3 to 4 people. Honestly, that's challenging enough. But 8 people? Do we really need to use eight machines? Even in the game center, using too many machines might not be welcomed."
"Hmm. Hayashi, have you watched WWF?"
"Is that American pro wrestling with Hulk Hogan and Warrior?"
"Yeah. Since 1988, they've had an event called the Royal Rumble, where 30 wrestlers enter the ring one by one, and the last one standing wins."
"Isn't that staged for entertainment? I don't get stronger just because Hulk and Warrior clash."
Quietly listening to Hayashi's words, Morita, who had been silent, spoke up excitedly.
"No, it's not staged! It's actual fighting!"
"Come on. Why do real fighters tear their clothes in front of the audience when they have opponents in the ring? And why does that almost dying guy raise his hand when the count is shouted? Does that make any sense?"
"It's the performance and spirit of the fighters!"
I intervened at that point, sensing the conversation heading in an odd direction.
"Are we discussing whether the Royal Rumble is staged or not? The point isn't that. It's like this: Psych Battle, just like the Royal Rumble, will have gamers endlessly challenging in 8 machines. The probability of one winner holding a machine for a long time is slim, and anyone can immediately participate in the battle, so the turnover rate will be astounding. In conclusion, if you're a game center owner, this is a gold mine."
Morita wore an expression of delight just imagining it, her eyes sparkling.
"Players directly join the battle in 8 machines. That's really amazing!"
"To achieve that, we'll need larger map configurations."
"Wait a sec, Chief. If eight characters fight now, what about the camera angles? And we'll need to adjust the trajectory for the bullets..."
"For sure, we'll need to readjust the bullet count with the increased number of characters."
As soon as I opened my mouth, the daunting workload seemed to increase. When Hayashi's face turned pale, I casually tossed the finished beer can into the trash.
Glancing at my watch, it was already 11 PM. Yuki had told me to watch the broadcast at midnight, so it was about time to head in, right?
"Well, it's getting late today. Let's plan the strategy when we come in tomorrow."
"Yeah. I need to think about what to modify once I'm in."
"Chief, shall I call a taxi for you?"
"Yeah, please. Morita."
"Yes,
Chief?"
"About the Royal Rumble, I'll lend you the VHS tape next time. I think it's still in the box somewhere."
"Thank you. I'll watch it!"
After giving my goodbyes to Morita and Hayashi, I left the house parking lot and took the taxi back to the office. But as I entered the room and turned on the TV, a certain announcement caught my attention.
"...In other news, the rumors of a ghost at the local game center continue to spread. Witnesses claim to have seen a shadowy figure wandering the halls, vanishing without a trace. The owner of the game center denies any paranormal activity, but local residents remain spooked..."
I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. Ghost stories? In a game center? It was a curious coincidence given my recent idea about the chaotic 8-person battles in Psych Battle.
I settled down on the couch, waiting for the clock to strike midnight and the much-awaited broadcast to begin. Little did I know what awaited me in the next few hours—perhaps not a ghost, but a series of unexpected events that would lead me down a path I hadn't anticipated.
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