"Don't make it too simple? Hmph, those guys are in for a big surprise!"
Overhearing a few male classmates dismissing Sekiro, Himawari Izumi, sporting a face mask and a fisherman's hat, wrinkled her nose in annoyance. As she stepped out of the school gates, she spotted her best friend, Yumi Kongo, squatting by the roadside, holding two melting sundaes with a grin as wide as a Tanabata festival float.
"Finally, you're out! Hurry up, these sundaes are about to turn into soup!" Yumi called out, her voice as lively as a summer matsuri.
After a summer of track practice, Yumi's already tanned skin had darkened to a rich bronze, drawing curious glances from passersby. Unfazed, she handed a strawberry sundae to Himawari with a playful smirk, as if sharing a secret joke at a neighborhood hanami party.
The sundae was cool and sweet, a perfect antidote to the scorching Tokyo summer. Himawari took a lick, her tongue dancing like a koi in a pond, and teased as they headed toward the subway station, "Didn't you say you were watching your diet? What's with the sundae?"
"No need to stress about it anymore!" Yumi replied, rolling her eyes. "Our new coach is a total drill sergeant. Practice is so intense I'm sweating buckets—feels like I'm losing a hundred kilos a day. With this kind of workout, who needs to diet?"
Yumi shot a glance at the students streaming into the subway station alongside them and grinned. "By the way, while I was waiting at the gate, I overheard a ton of people talking about the game expo. The hype feels bigger than last year, don't you think?"
"No surprise there," Himawari said, her voice bubbling with excitement. "Tetsu-san mentioned this is a huge year for games. Europe and the U.S. might be quiet, but here, it's not just NTsoft—big players like Sate are dropping major titles too."
As they swiped their cards and entered the subway, Yumi's eyes widened. "That's some stiff competition, then, right?"
"Yeah, it's intense," Himawari admitted, shrugging with a smile, though a flicker of worry crossed her eyes. She didn't know much about games, and Tetsu rarely talked shop at home, but she'd pieced together how crucial Sekiro was from little hints—like how last night, Tetsu had tugged her twin tails a bit harder than usual, leaving her eyes watering.
The memory brought a flush of embarrassment, softening her concern. But as they stepped into the subway car and overheard more chatter about Demon Hero Saga dominating the game talk, her worry crept back, like clouds gathering over a Kyoto temple.
Then, Tetsu's words from last night echoed in her mind: "There's an old saying: 'With a fair wind, I'll soar to the heavens.' Don't worry, today's the day the wind rises."
Her heart steadied, like a lantern floating calmly on a festival night. The worry in her eyes melted into trust, as unwavering as a shrine maiden's faith.
---
The Tokyo Game Show (TGS) is the world's second-largest gaming expo, held twice a year—once in winter, focused on Japan's domestic developers, and once in summer, a global affair. The summer event, far grander in scale, moves from Akihabara's cozy venues to Chiba City's massive Makuhari Messe, a 30-minute train ride east.
Chiba City might not ring a bell for casual anime fans, but for hardcore otaku, it's practically sacred—nicknamed the "City of Sibling Love." Why? Because iconic series like Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru and Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai were set there, their settings as recognizable to fans as Kyoto's Fushimi Inari shrine.
Riding the Keiyo Line, Himawari and Yumi arrived at Makuhari Messe in under half an hour. Stepping out of the station, they were hit by a tidal wave of people, a crowd as overwhelming as Shibuya Crossing during a festival.
The summer TGS at Makuhari Messe is a beast—too big for Akihabara's smaller venues. Spanning 210,000 square meters, Japan's second-largest convention center was packed to the brim with attendees, a sea of excitement rivaling an Obon festival.
Thankfully, the crowd dispersed across multiple entrances, easing the chaos. Once they reached the open plaza outside the venue, the density thinned, though the energy remained electric, like the buzz before a sumo match.
"Hey, Yumi, look! That's Tetsu-san's work!" Himawari squealed, pointing at posters plastered on pillars. They featured Sekiro's iconic sword-drawing pose and Dave the Diver's vibrant ocean art, gleaming like festival lanterns.
Her excitement dimmed, though, as she noticed something else. While Sekiro and Dave the Diver were relegated to pillars, Demon Hero Saga had a massive banner sprawled across the venue's outer wall, drawing throngs of fans snapping photos and posing for selfies.
Seeing Himawari's pout beneath her mask, Yumi chuckled. "That's just how it goes. My sister mentioned that prime ad spots at expos like this cost a fortune and require clout. Demon Hero Saga is a huge IP—even I've heard of it, and I barely game. Of course they'd snag the best spot."
"Hmph, they'll regret it!" Himawari huffed, her cheeks puffing like mochi.
TGS's summer expo was a magnet for gamers, and the entrance lines were daunting, like queues for a popular ramen shop. Luckily, Tetsu had hooked them up with staff passes, so they slipped through the employee entrance like ninjas.
Inside, the air-conditioned halls were a relief, though the sheer number of people made it feel stuffy, like a packed summer shrine. TGS was prepared, though—near the entrances, they offered "visitor guides" (booklets detailing exhibitors and their games) and stacks of small uchiwa fans for cooling off.
But when Himawari grabbed a fan and saw Demon Hero Saga's protagonist plastered on it, she groaned. "Ugh, how much money did these guys spend on marketing? Is Miyano even trying? Their promo game is totally crushing us!"
She stormed back to swap the fan, only to find no Sekiro or Dave the Diver designs. Grumbling, she settled for a pink fan with a cute anime girl, fanning herself while darting her eyes around. Yumi, ever the calm one, let Himawari drag her by the arm while flipping through the guide.
"Sekiro… let's see, it's in Zone 1. Not a bad spot, actually," Yumi noted, nodding like a wise tea master.
Himawari perked up, leaning over to peek at the map. Seeing Sekiro's booth near the main entrance with a decent-sized area, her face lit up with a sweet smile. "Heh, Miyano's not completely useless—wait, what? The booth's right across from Demon Hero Saga?!"
Her brows furrowed at the map, but her excitement quickly took over. "Come on! We're going to boost Tetsu-san's crowd!"
"Whoa, slow down!" Yumi laughed, her 172cm athletic frame barely keeping up with Himawari's enthusiasm. Clutching the guide to keep it from flying away, she teased, "Geez, mention that guy, and you turn into a whirlwind."
Zone 1, right by the main entrance, was where the big dogs played—top-tier game studios from around the world. The foot traffic was insane, like a New Year's crowd at Meiji Jingu. It wasn't just game companies either—hardware giants like ROG, Razer, and NVIDIA had booths showcasing their latest tech. Games, after all, were the ultimate showcase for cutting-edge hardware. While research labs might buy chips, the real money came from consumers chasing high-res graphics and beefy CPUs for the latest titles.
Zone 1 was a frenzy, especially around booths with eye-catching female cosplayers, where crowds clogged the aisles like a festival parade. Thanks to Yumi's track-star strength, they navigated the chaos with ease.
Yumi led the way, pulling Himawari through the throng while she craned her neck to take it all in. Then, a commotion to the right caught her attention.
"They actually did it! Demon Hero Saga 4! My youth is back!"
"Dirina! My waifu!!!"
"Ugh, why's the trailer still half an hour away? I can't wait! I'm posting a selfie first!"
"Let's show the world what a real action game is!"
The Demon Hero Saga booth was a spectacle—models of gear from past games lined the area, and stunning cosplayers struck poses for a swarm of cameras. The crowd was so thick it nearly blocked the path, like a festival float stuck in traffic.
By contrast, Sekiro's booth across the way was quieter, almost serene. At its front, Mitei Miyano stood with arms crossed under her "snowy mountains," calmly observing the chaos opposite, as composed as a tea ceremony master.
"That woman! How's she so chill?!" Himawari fumed, her inner dragon roaring like a sumo wrestler entering the ring.
Unleashing her full force, she barreled through the crowd and stomped over. "Hey! Why are you just standing there?!"
"Hm?" Mitei's eyes flashed coldly at the outburst, but when she saw the panting, mask-wearing Himawari, her gaze softened. Glancing at her watch with a playful smirk, she said, "You're here early."
"Cut the chit-chat!" Himawari snapped. "Look at them! Their booth is packed! And us? Nothing! Are you even trying? A grade-schooler could do better than you!"
Her tirade was cut short as Mitei pinched her cheek through the mask, like squeezing a fresh mochi.
"Hey!" Himawari swatted, ready to unleash her fury, when Tetsu appeared, rocking a dark red Sekiro-branded T-shirt and jeans, with Sayoko in a light blue Dave the Diver tee by his side.
The soft feel of Himawari's cheek was pleasant, even through the mask, but with so many people around, Tetsu let go after a gentle pinch. He nodded at Yumi with a smile before turning back to Himawari. "What's with all the shouting?"
"I-I'm just worried, okay?" Himawari mumbled, her fire fizzling in front of Tetsu. Outside the house, she was as docile as a shrine maiden, her eyes brimming with concern.
Noticing the stark contrast in crowd sizes but seeing the Sekiro demo PCs still offline, Tetsu ruffled her hair with a grin. "Remember what I told you last night?"
"Huh?" Himawari blinked, tilting her head. "That poem?"
"Yup," Tetsu nodded, crossing his arms. He glanced up at the massive Sekiro poster above their booth, then surveyed the sea of top-tier games around them, including Demon Hero Saga.
His eyes gleamed with fierce ambition, like a wolf sizing up its prey.
With a fair wind, I'll soar to the heavens!
This TGS summer expo, Demon Hero Saga, and all these game studios were his 80,000-ri wind, ready to lift him to the top!
---