254 Comeback II

In the USA, mainstream magazines promote the Tora-Suzuki TSX Fusion. Readers who purchased these magazines saw images of the TSX Fusion console and controller, accompanied by written praise and evaluations. Opinions varied among readers as they encountered this promotional content.

"I had almost forgotten about Tora and Suzuki... Did they really form an alliance and develop their video game console?"

Others who had forgotten about Tora and Suzuki's presence in the video game sector slowly began to recall.

"It's about time..."

"I've been waiting for this!"

"Yeah, me too. I always felt that KiShin would not be enough to satisfy my thirst for video games..."

Those who read about it felt quite excited as they learned that Tora and Suzuki were catching up.

---

Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Japan, gamers who recently acquired the TSX Fusion and its video games had the chance to experience firsthand the gameplay of 'Happy: Mythical Island.' They found the gameplay and plot of this particular game more interesting compared to the other two equally captivating TSX Fusion video games.

The sales of TSX Fusion in Japan didn't see a significant decline within the first few days of its release. In fact, it was already surpassing KS1 in daily sales in the country.

This achievement was a result of Tora-Suzuki's successful marketing in Japan, despite the considerable cost. Tora and Suzuki considered it worthwhile due to the profits generated from their video games.

In a meeting room organized by Tora-Suzuki, Itori Tanaka, alongside Tora executives, convened with Shiko, Seki, and the Suzuki executives. Seki wore a confident smile as he examined charts depicting the recent sales of TSX Fusion consoles and video games.

"This is excellent. It seems we are surpassing KS1's estimated sales," Seki exclaimed excitedly. He added, "We are winning!"

Shiko nodded in agreement and stated, "It's only natural. When we compare KS1 to our TSX Fusion, our console outperforms it, making it a superior choice despite both being 32-bit."

The other Tora and Suzuki executives concurred with the assessment.

President Taro Ikeda of Tora, who was also involved in the video games sector and the Tora-Suzuki alliance, nodded and remarked, "Indeed, it won't be long before we overtake KiShin in the USA too."

While most Tora and Suzuki executives agreed, there were some who didn't share the same perspective. This was true for Itori Tanaka, who observed most executives in the Tora-Suzuki alliance aligning with Seki and Shiko's viewpoint.

"I don't believe we should become complacent just because we've achieved a small victory in these past few days," Itori Tanaka cautioned, pausing before adding, "It will still require much more effort from us to truly reach the same level as KiShin in the video games sector."

Seki and Shiko reacted to Itori Tanaka's words, and the sentiment echoed among Tora and Suzuki executives who sided with Seki and Shiko.

"Mr. Tanaka, we're not expressing this out of complacency. I say this because, even if it's as you described, a 'small victory,' it's still a triumph worth celebrating," Shiko explained with a faint smile. He continued, "Moreover, it's meant to boost our morale after the prolonged struggle with KiShin."

Upon hearing Shiko's explanation, most Tora and Suzuki executives also nodded in agreement.

Itori Tanaka nodded in understanding and remarked, "I comprehend. However, asserting that we'll overtake KiShin in a short time is presumptuous." He paused, letting the executives absorb his words before continuing, "We must stay vigilant against KiShin, innovate to genuinely surpass them, be more creative than KiShin, and only then can we truly overtake them. I must emphasize that achieving this won't be easy."

Upon hearing Itori Tanaka's words, the executives maintained silence, particularly Shiko and Seki.

Seki perceived Itori Tanaka as presumptuous for considering himself the sole leader of the Tora-Suzuki alliance.

Shiko, although feeling uncomfortable, along with Seki and the Suzuki executives, refrained from outwardly expressing much response. Their appearances suggested attentive listening, although a subtle sense of annoyance gradually surfaced.

"It won't be easy to overtake KiShin. It might take time, perhaps even months or years, before we secure the number one position in the video games industry from KiShin," Itori Tanaka concluded with a serious expression.

"I agree. KiShin, especially its leader, is quite cunning. They might be preparing something to disrupt our ongoing sales success with our TSX Fusion," added another Tora executive, who had been monitoring KiShin since 1992, with a serious tone.

"That's why we need to stay constantly aware of KiShin's video game development," Itori Tanaka stated, pausing for emphasis. "Fortunately, our spy successfully infiltrated the KiShin Rules Headquarters as the secretary of one of their most influential figures."

The excitement was palpable among the executives, whether from Tora or Suzuki, including Shiko and Seki.

---

Inside the Chairman's Office at KiShin Rules Headquarters,

Shin, reviewing the sales report brought by his secretary, examined the sales figures for KS1 and the estimated sales of TSX Fusion.

"Based on these sales figures, the executives believe we need to take swift action to maintain our dominant position in the country's market," Shin's secretary, a person of striking beauty, reported to him.

Shin, resting his head in his hands, lazily perused the report and yawned, saying, "There's no need to worry. Besides, we are ahead in video game development."

The beautiful secretary, Hana, appeared slightly concerned as she gripped the documents. She pondered, 'I initially thought Shinro Suzuki was an upright and diligent individual, but now he seems carefree.'

From her perspective, she witnessed Chairman Shinro engrossed in playing unreleased KiShin PC video games on his computer, followed by attending important meetings. Despite Hana's insistence on accompanying him, Shinro politely declined each time.

'How can I provide information to Tora if it continues like this?' Hana couldn't help but wonder.

She was one of the fortunate Tora spies who managed to infiltrate the company, securing a position as the chairman's secretary at KiShin. Her hiring was attributed to both her professional skills and appealing appearance, earning her a spot on the KiShin Rules executive support team.

Throughout her tenure as a secretary, she didn't come across much information worth reporting to Tora, except for the unreleased KiShin PC video games frequently played by the chairman.

The unreleased PC KiShin video games proved to be genuinely valuable, sparking interest from Itori Tanaka and the executives when the information was relayed to Tora. KiShin's expansion into PC game development, alongside their console endeavors, served as inspiration for both Tora and Suzuki.

Motivated by this, they decided to incorporate additional development in their video games, specifically focusing on PC gaming.