Chapter 26: Base of Operations
At the appointed time, Riri, Seika, and Josuke had already gathered at the meeting spot. As Hayato approached, Riri waved her hand energetically.
“Hayato, good morning!”
“Morning. Looks like everyone but Tsuyoshi is already here.”
As Hayato greeted them, Josuke, looking at his smartphone, replied.
“There’s a message from Tsuyoshi. He says he’ll meet us directly at the location.”
“I wonder what kind of place it is,” Seika said, her voice filled with anticipation.
“Let’s go see.”
Guided by Josuke, the four of them headed towards a high-rise building about a ten-minute walk from the station. The modern building, constructed from glass and steel, had a particularly luxurious feel even among the surrounding structures.
Upon entering the building’s lobby, the marble floor was so quiet it seemed to absorb our footsteps, and the warm lighting created a calm atmosphere.
“This is…”
“According to Tsuyoshi’s message, it’s apparently the 12th floor of this building.”
When we took the elevator up to the 12th floor, we saw an impressive door at the end of the hallway. It seemed that was our destination.
“Oh, you’re here! I’ve been waiting.”
The door opened, and Tsuyoshi greeted them with a beaming smile. He wasn’t in his usual business suit but was dressed casually.
“Come on in.”
When we all stepped inside, we found a space that far exceeded our expectations. The spacious office, occupying an entire floor, was furnished with luxurious furniture, and the latest office equipment was neatly arranged. A panoramic view of the city skyline stretched beyond the windows, and natural light brightly illuminated the interior.
“Whoa!” Riri gasped. Seika’s eyes were wide open too.
“Tsuyoshi, this is…”
As Hayato began to ask, Tsuyoshi spread his arms proudly.
“Iron Village Entertainment, or IVE for short. It’s a new production agency I’ve established as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Tetsumura Group. Actually, it’s already been registered as a company.”
At those words, everyone exclaimed in surprise.
“You started a company? That’s just like you, Tsuyoshi,” Josuke said, looking impressed. As a company owner himself, he seemed to immediately understand the meaning and impact of such a move.
“That’s right, it’s an official company. The capital was invested by the Tetsumura Group, and we’ve got the office and all the equipment set up. From now on, I’d like you all to operate as talent affiliated with IVE.”
Tsuyoshi’s explanation continued. According to him, the production agency he launched, as a subsidiary under the Tetsumura Group, would have a stable business foundation, making it easier to procure expensive equipment and secure personnel.
“But, something this large-scale…” Hayato couldn’t hide his bewilderment. Initially, he had thought it would be a small-scale activity among friends, but before he knew it, a professional setup was in place.
“I want to support this endeavor with everything I’ve got,” Tsuyoshi’s voice was sincere. “Conveying our memories as stories—I felt that such an activity required the best possible environment. Now, let me show you around the facilities.”
Tsuyoshi led us further into the office. In one corner of the large floor, there was a space lined with the latest PCs, high-performance cameras, recording equipment, and more.
“This is the streaming studio. We’ve lavishly equipped it with the latest technology from our group’s electronics division.”
As soon as Riri heard the explanation, she approached the equipment and began examining it with an excited expression.
“Amazing! This is the latest capture system, isn’t it! And this editing software… even using this with a corporate software license is incredibly expensive!”
Her eyes sparkled, and her hands operated the equipment as smoothly as an expert’s.
“Glad you like it,” Tsuyoshi smiled, satisfied.
Next, the office space was introduced. Each member had a dedicated desk, and there were also fully equipped meeting rooms and reception rooms.
“We’re also considering future expansion. Arrangements have been made so we can rent the floors above and below if necessary.”
While explaining this, Tsuyoshi led us to another room. Several people were waiting there.
“And these are the staff members who will be supporting you all from now on.”
Following Tsuyoshi’s introduction, the staff members greeted them one by one. They were a lineup of specialists in their respective fields, including editing professionals, sound engineers, and marketing managers.
“They’ve been assigned here from the Tetsumura Group on ‘secondment.’ We solicited volunteers from within the group.”
“Volunteers?” Seika tilted her head.
“Yes, actually, quite a few employees are interested in VTuber activities. We received many applications, especially from younger employees.”
As he explained, the staff members nodded. Among them were young people knowledgeable about VTuber culture, as well as veterans with extensive experience in media production.
“We look forward to working with you,” Hayato and the others exchanged greetings with the staff, and a friendly atmosphere filled the air.
Once the tour was over, everyone gathered in the meeting room. Hayato was once again astonished by the sheer scale of the situation.
“Tsuyoshi, I didn’t expect you to go this far.”
“Of course. We’re telling our story; I didn’t want to do things halfway.” Tsuyoshi said with a serious expression.
“Besides, this has potential as a business. I want to establish it as a proper enterprise, not just a hobby.”
Josuke nodded, impressed. “That’s Tsuyoshi for you. You haven’t forgotten the business perspective.”
“Regarding individual contracts and compensation, I’d like to discuss those with each of you separately.”
Tsuyoshi took out some documents from his desk.
“It will basically be a service consignment agreement with the Tetsumura Group, but I plan to adjust the remuneration, activity conditions, and so on to suit each person’s situation.”
Josuke was already starting to look through the documents, and Seika was peering at them with interest. Riri looked a little nervous, but her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
“When do you think we can start?”
“Once Riri’s preparations are done, we should be good to go anytime, I suppose,” Tsuyoshi replied to Hayato’s question. Then, everyone’s gaze turned to Riri.
“I think my preparations will be done soon too. I just need to bring over the data for my 3D modeled Avatar, adjust the movements, and then review the streaming software settings and such—”
“We’ll move forward with promotions, announce the first stream, and with that, we should be able to start streaming in about a month,” Josuke adjusted the schedule after hearing Riri’s status. Hearing this, everyone began to grasp the plan. It was a surprisingly fast development towards realization.
“Alright, it’s settled then! From now on, as Iron Village Entertainment, let’s take the first step of a new adventure!”
When Tsuyoshi extended his hand, the other members followed, placing their hands on top of his. The moment their five hands overlapped, the memory of the vows they had exchanged, risking their lives in another world, resurfaced vividly. Determination and nostalgia intertwined on each of their faces.
It was as if heralding the dawn of a new “Hero’s Adventure” in the modern world.