North America and Japan not only had a time difference, but their game releases were also staggered. The MS Game Console in North America wouldn't be released for another two weeks, as priority was given to ensuring adequate supply for the Japanese market before shipping overseas.
This meant it would be two weeks before Americans could play Demon Tower.
When the first-day sales figures from North America came in, Atlas erupted in excitement.
Kobayashi Tetsu answered the phone, nodding continuously, and finally raised his hand to write the North American numbers on the whiteboard beside him.
"Guys, let's get straight to the point—this news came directly from President Isao Okawa himself, so it's basically confirmed and can't be faked."
Tetsu left a string of fluid Arabic numerals on the whiteboard, the final digits soaring upward in a flourish.
Kobayashi Tetsu's excitement was palpable!
"Over two million game coins sold in North America on the first day!"
Silence.
Still silence.
Even Atlas Studio, which had just created a miracle, was momentarily stunned.
"The first week!" Naka Yuji said. "That's amazing! Americans don't have Golden Sonic or any offline puzzle events, yet they still sold so many game coins! Americans are so great!"
Kobayashi Tetsu shook his head.
"It's not the first week—it's the first day!"
Naka Yuji: ——??
In that instant, Naka Yuji's mind exploded with a deafening buzz, nearly knocking him off his feet. Two cartoon characters materialized in his mind, juggling drumsticks like microphones and chanting:
Three million! Three million! More money than you could ever spend!
More money than you could ever spend!
Kobayashi Tetsu looked around the room. Everyone's eyes were wide, their mouths agape, their expressions as exaggerated as Leonardo da Vinci's caricatures.
Masanobu Endo took a deep breath, feeling faint.
Even Iwata Satoru, usually so composed, had to grip the table to keep from collapsing.
He was doing his utmost to maintain composure.
But Iwata Satoru had to say it:
This is in dollars!
In Japan, each game coin cost 100 yen, while in the United States, it was 25 cents per coin, meaning four coins equaled one dollar.
In other words, the revenue amounted to $740,000, which seemed far less valuable when converted from yen.
But.
Still the same "but."
This is in dollars!
Even after accounting for overseas distribution agreements and multiple layers of royalties, the final sum was still a substantial amount.
After all.
This is in dollars!
"Alright, alright, I know you're all excited, but let's stay calm. Naka Yuji, wake up—stop sleeping! Go contact the journalists and issue a press release next week saying we've sold ten million game coins in North America."
"Iwata-kun, wake up too. It's only about $700,000—small change. The good days are yet to come."
"Endo-kun—"
Kobayashi Tetsu paused and shook his head.
Masanobu Endo should stay asleep. He was under far greater pressure than Tetsu. After all, Tetsu knew Demon Tower was guaranteed to succeed, but Endo-kun didn't!
Masanobu Endo was about to lose his mind. The game hadn't even been released, yet they were already shouldering a 260 million yen debt!
Kobayashi Tetsu raised his hand and made a downward motion.
"In any case, after the decryption competition ends, I'm giving everyone two weeks off. Each person gets a $5,000 bonus—go out and have some fun. I have only one request: I don't care if you go to Africa or America, whether you hunt lions or get seduced by a local 'Black Pearl.' Just make sure you're back on time when your vacation ends! Anyone who doesn't return on time is no longer welcome at Atlas."
Once everything was settled, Kobayashi Tetsu slipped his hands into his pockets and strolled leisurely into his office. He closed the door behind him and lowered the blinds.
Naka Yuji snapped out of his daze and couldn't help but marvel, "That's our President for you! Not even the slightest hint of agitation over such a huge crisis. I'm impressed!"
Iwata Satoru nodded in agreement.
He hadn't expected such composure from Kobayashi Tetsu at such a young age. This kid's future was limitless!
Inside the office, Kobayashi Tetsu's hands and feet moved wildly, one hand clenched into a fist.
Yessss!
"Thrilling!"
Kobayashi Tetsu opened the mini-fridge and downed a can of cola in one gulp. The icy liquid burned his throat with the sharp sting of carbon dioxide, leaving a refreshing tingle as it slid down. Only then did Kobayashi Tetsu exhale deeply.
After half a month off, he deserved to go out and have some fun!
Even spending money can be stressful!
Of course.
He had more important things to focus on right now. The decryption competition wasn't over yet!
Atlas Headquarters, Final Day of Kobayashi Tetsu's Challenge
A female reporter from Asahi TV held her microphone, her enthusiasm palpable.
"Ladies and gentlemen, with the end of Kobayashi Tetsu's challenge, the four-month interactive competition finally comes to a close!"
"In the final round of the challenge, we witnessed something extraordinary. Countless players spent day and night hunched over arcade machines, repeatedly playing and testing, all to find the ultimate solution. Overseas, three million game coins were sold in just one day!"
"Today, Atlas will announce the champions from the six major regions, and President Kobayashi Tetsu himself will present the Golden Sonic Statue trophy to the overall champion with the highest points!"
"The suspense over who will claim the grand prize is truly unbearable!"
"We will hold the award ceremony at the banquet hall on the fourth floor of the Shinjuku Mitsui Building!"
The camera pulled back to reveal performers dressed in Sonic and Little Monster plush costumes on stage. In the distance, Kobayashi Tetsu was giving brief instructions to the staff.
The reporter gazed at Kobayashi Tetsu, her eyes practically glowing with adoration.
Young, handsome, and wealthy—who wouldn't like him?
But Kobayashi Tetsu didn't even glance at her.
Old woman, keep crawling! Kobayashi Tetsu's unwavering love belongs to JK!
Of course, he also liked JKs who had grown old, as long as he had first encountered them when they were still JKs.
The main guests at the event were Naka Yuji, Iwata Satoru, and Masanobu Endo. In addition, Yamashina Makoto had been specially invited from Bandai, and President Kadokawa, who had nothing better to do than stir up a fuss, was also present.
There was also one extremely special guest: Higashino Miki.
Although she was still a student, Kobayashi Tetsu had already secured numerous compositions from her for Atlas.
For example, the century-style opening music for Demon Tower was contributed by Higashino Miki.
Kobayashi Tetsu needed to give her a proper introduction to prevent her from going to Konami after graduation.
The lights in the banquet hall gradually dimmed as several performers in plush mascot costumes began their warm-up stage performance.
Stage plays are a classic form of entertainment in Japan, and many famous actors got their start in this medium.
But those who could perform stage plays in plush costumes were even rarer. These actors, known as "suit actors," don't reveal their faces, but their physical stamina and body language skills are paramount.
Kobayashi Tetsu had hired these performers from Toei.
As for why he didn't go to Tsuburaya...
The current president of Tsuburaya, Tsuburaya Kou, charged exorbitant fees, and Kobayashi Tetsu had no intention of lining his pockets.
A thunderous voice boomed from the banquet hall speakers.
Amid the whooshing sounds, the actor in the Sonic costume threw a punch, and several monster actors fell in coordinated sequence.
The heavy costumes, lined with metal frames weighing dozens of pounds, looked exhausting even to Kobayashi Tetsu.
But there was no time for him to dwell on it; he was already backstage, preparing to take the stage.
The Sonic actor's voice echoed from the speakers:
Whoosh—He's here! Who is it? A bird? A plane? Lightning? Or Sonic?
None of the above!
It's him!
Kobayashi Tetsu!
The lights went out. When the spotlights came back on, Kobayashi Tetsu stood alone on the stage. Both Sonic and the monsters had vanished without a trace.
Behind Kobayashi Tetsu was a red-draped display platform, its square, bulging shape raising intriguing possibilities.
Kobayashi Tetsu surveyed the banquet hall. Among the invited media journalists, Atlus Studio staff, and players, he recognized several familiar faces.
After eliminating duplicates and dropouts, around five to six hundred victorious players remained from the three rounds of competition. Among them, only six could become regional champions, and only the lucky one who found the hidden gold coin—secretly hidden by Kobayashi Tetsu himself—would win the Golden Sonic.
Kobayashi Tetsu tapped the microphone.
"It's an honor to be with you all on this special day. I'm Kobayashi Tetsu, President of Atlas."
"After four months of companionship, I'm delighted to see everyone here, having journeyed all the way to the end."
"You've all been gifted an MS Game Console and all the game cartridges Atlas has produced to date."
"But these gifts alone cannot possibly compensate for your hard work over these past months!"
"Let me humbly announce that every person here today will receive a special Demon Tower arcade machine. Instead of the usual hand-drawn Demon Tower artwork, the cabinets will be emblazoned with the animated characters from this challenge, along with all your names! These custom arcade machines will be delivered to your homes within a month!"
Though they were Demon Tower arcade machines like any other, these were special prizes!
Only five hundred were made in all of Japan—not a single one more.
Before Kobayashi Tetsu could even finish speaking, the crowd erupted in spontaneous applause.
Amidst the thunderous applause, Kobayashi Tetsu raised his hand and made a downward motion, and the crowd gradually quieted.
"Now, it's time to present the awards to the champions of the six major regions!"
Behind Kobayashi Tetsu, lights suddenly illuminated, revealing the complete list of scores from the competition. The most prominent names were those ranked first in each region.
Kanto: Tajiri Satoshi Kansai: Okita Shibu Kyushu: Kajiura Kazuto
Six names in total, each accompanied by their respective scores.
Kobayashi Tetsu personally presented the championship prizes to each of the six winners.
Kobayashi Tetsu gave Tajiri Satoshi an extra glance. Under the spotlight, this unusually handsome player was no longer the object of disdain and hatred, but rather the center of all attention.
Kobayashi Tetsu subtly signaled, and the spotlights shifted slightly.
In truth, Tajiri Satoshi was quite intimidated by the bright lights.
"I know what you're really here for—it's not the championship trophy, but the most important thing of all... And yes, it's right behind me!"
Kobayashi Tetsu raised his hand.
Swish.
The red cloth fell, revealing the resin case behind him.
Resting on a redwood base was the Golden Sonic statue.
Three spotlights converged on the sculpture.
Even though the audience had already seen the statue on TV, witnessing it in person still left them breathless.
Radiant, gleaming, dazzling.
Under the spotlight, the transparent resin refracted brilliant light.
The Golden Sonic statue—a masterpiece worth sixty million yen!
No words could adequately describe its value. A single glance made it clear that this treasure far surpassed its already staggering price tag.
Please Support me by becoming my patreon member and get 15+ chapters.
[email protected]/Ajal69
change @ with a
Thank You to Those who joined my Patreon