Takuya returned from Yokohama to Tokyo, stepping into the MD launch command room where a wave of coffee, sweat, and exhilaration hit him. The whiteboard's dazzling figures no longer held focus—everyone craved new victories.
The head of Development Team 1, a scruffy tech enthusiast, was gleefully arm-around the sales manager, waving a fax. "Told you Fujita's my best mate from college! We built software together, made some cash, and he used family money to start a company!"
"Fujita? Which Fujita?" a marketing staffer asked.
"NCS's Masaya Fujita!" the team head slapped the fax on the table. "They're in as our third party! Their Masaya studio is thrilled with MD's capabilities!"
"Masaya?" a young planner mused. "The ones behind *Elthlead* on PC? Their games are solid!"
Takuya's eyes lit up, recalling NCS—lesser-known but tied to *Front Mission* and *Langrisser*. Masaya's action game *Assault Suits* was *Front Mission*'s precursor, distinct from CREA-TECH's RPG *Metal Max*. *Elthlead* was *Langrisser*'s root, a beloved SRPG.
"Exactly!" the team head slapped his thigh. "Fujita says they're planning a new SRPG, but Famicom's limits stifle them. MD's perfect for it!"
Amid the clamor, the president's secretary rushed in, handing a file to the sales manager. The room hushed—the file came straight from upstairs. The manager's hands shook as he read, his face morphing from stern to ecstatic. "It's… Konami!"
No more needed saying. Breaths held. "President Nakayama nailed it!" he roared. "Konami's first MD game—*Contra*!"
"YES!" Cheers erupted. If NCS was an elite squad, Konami was a full armored division. *Contra*'s arcade fame and Famicom sales were legendary, not to mention Konami's roster of hits.
Takuya leaned against the wall, smiling. His father's reliability shone. Then, the international fax machine beeped, spitting paper. The overseas liaison lunged, ripping it off, rapping, "North America! EA! Hawkins signed on! They're making an Olympic sports game for MD, EA Sports' big gun!"
The barrage of news sent morale soaring. Watching the team dance, Takuya shook his head, grabbed coffee, and returned to his office. Before he could sit, the phone rang. "Moshi moshi."
"Executive Nakayama, Mitsui from Bandai," came a polite voice. "President Yamashina's very interested in MD. Can you meet tomorrow to discuss?"
"No problem," Takuya replied calmly.
Hanging up, he returned to the command room. The sales manager had just written three new partners' names. Takuya patted his shoulder, pointing to a blank spot by NCS. "Save this space." He tapped the whiteboard with his knuckle. "For Bandai. Wait for my news tomorrow."
The next day, Takuya's Mazda RX-7 parked at Bandai's headquarters. Chuta Mitsui waited in the lobby, his enthusiasm a notch higher than last time. "Executive Nakayama, welcome! The president and executives are ready."
Takuya followed Mitsui into the meeting room, its lineup identical to the *Super Robot Wars* talks. President Makoto Yamashina sat at the head, flanked by executives, including the development head, whose gloomy face Takuya remembered.
All rose, nodding respectfully, the mood polite yet eager. "Executive Nakayama, please," Yamashina gestured.
Takuya sat, setting his briefcase aside without pulling files. Yamashina cleared his throat. "Congratulations on Sega's stunning success. MD's first-week sales—truly staggering."
Takuya smiled. "President Yamashina, are you referring to last week's results or yesterday's?"
The room paused, puzzled. Takuya leaned forward, hands clasped casually. "Just yesterday, we confirmed new partners. Konami's bringing *Contra* to MD. EA in America joined, planning an Olympic sports blockbuster. Oh, and NCS's Masaya studio signed on—Masaya Fujita's excited about MD's capabilities."
The names detonated like bombs. Konami, a Nintendo heavyweight! The development head's gloom deepened—he knew what these firms meant for tech and reputation. Yamashina, a seasoned leader, regained composure, though his eyes grew heavier. "Sega's circle of friends grows fast," he said, cutting to the chase. "Bandai wants in. But," he glanced at the development head, "our strength is IPs, not game development expertise."
His candor bared Bandai's weakness, making the development head squirm.