Chapter 80 – Another Day at Industrial Illusions

The meeting with the Research and Development Division concluded shortly afterwards.

With the roadmap approved and every department eager to begin working on the first phase, Alexander and Roland quietly excused themselves before making their way back toward the executive office.

The excitement generated by Phineas Mason's presentation still lingered in Alexander's mind, 'A year, huh... Assuming everything proceeds according to plan, Industrial Illusions could possess the world's very first functional Solid Vision prototype within twelve months, maybe even faster if I can help them. It sounds almost unbelievable... I can't wait to see it with my own eyes.'

Unfortunately, reality proved far less inspiring as the moment Alexander opened the office door, his optimistic mood immediately deflated.

"..."

His eyes slowly drifted toward the small mountain of documents neatly stacked upon his desk.

Contracts. Invoices. Financial reports. Supplier agreements. Budget proposals. Personnel documents.

It looked taller than when they had left that morning. Alexander was almost certain paperwork possessed the supernatural ability to reproduce when left unattended, as every signed document seemed to attract three more in retaliation; he was even starting to suspect that paperwork was the work of Hydra, a way to break someone's spirit before brainwashing them or something along those lines.

Alexander silently closed the door again, looked at Roland and asked, "Can we pretend nobody noticed we're back?"

Roland looked at him with his usual composed expression and replied, "I'm afraid that strategy rarely succeeds. And unfortunately, many have already seen us anyway..."

Alexander let out a dramatic sigh and said, "You know... I think I prefer dealing with Marvel-like situations..."

One of Roland's eyebrows rose ever so slightly as he observed, "I never imagined I would hear those words leave your mouth."

Alexander pointed accusingly toward the paperwork, "At least that kind of trouble doesn't require signatures."

"...That is a surprisingly reasonable argument."

Alexander chuckled before reluctantly sitting behind his desk and commenting, "I can't believe I'm forced to write this much during my summer break."

Roland calmly adjusted the cuff of his shirt and dryly replied, "Most teenagers spend their summers earning pocket money. You are signing contracts worth several million dollars."

Alexander sighed and said, "When you put it that way, it somehow sounds even less relaxing... Sooner or later I have to find someone who will take care of this in my place..."

Without another complaint, the two resumed working.

The office gradually returned to silence, with only the occasional turning of paper and scratching of pens disturbing the otherwise peaceful atmosphere.

Nearly an hour passed before the silence was interrupted.

Ring... Ring...

The office telephone began ringing, but Alexander barely looked up before Roland naturally reached for the receiver instead.

Although Alexander remained the owner and president of Industrial Illusions, legally he was still a minor; thus, whenever formal business required an adult representative, Roland continued serving in that capacity.

"Industrial Illusions," Roland answered evenly. "Roland Cooper speaking."

After a short moment where the person on the other side was likely speaking, Roland replied with a plain, "Yes..."

Alexander continued signing documents while absentmindedly listening.

"I understand."

"...Indeed."

"Mm."

A brief pause followed.

"I see."

Another pause.

"Excellent."

Alexander finally glanced upward and saw that Roland's expression hadn't changed in the slightest, but only someone who knew him well could notice the faint hint of satisfaction hidden beneath his professional composure.

"Very good."

"Thank you for your work."

"I wish you a pleasant day."

He gently returned the receiver to its cradle, and a curious Alexander immediately asked, "So... Good news?"

Roland looked toward him before giving a small nod, "Quite. Your father has been rather busy."

Confused, Alexander blinked and asked, "My father?"

Roland nodded and explained, "Using several business and personal contacts and calling in a number of favours."

He retrieved a folder from his briefcase before placing it upon Alexander's desk, "We have successfully acquired the land you got your eyes on."

Alexander's eyes immediately widened as he asked, almost in disbelief, "Already...?"

"Indeed. The negotiations concluded this morning."

Opening the folder, Alexander quickly found several maps, and among them, one location in particular had been circled.

Palos Verdes Peninsula, more specifically a considerable area near Rolling Hills Estates.

Roland folded his hands behind his back and said, "The property is considerably larger than we originally anticipated. And thanks to a combination of factors, which include the recent real estate bust, the state budget deficit, the owners' financial issues, and your father's assistance, the final price was exceptionally favourable."

Alexander couldn't help smiling as he observed, "So we finally have somewhere to build."

Roland inclined his head and confirmed, "Indeed."

Alexander leaned back in his chair and relaxed a bit before commenting, "That's great... Our rented offices are already beginning to feel cramped."

That wasn't an exaggeration, as only a few months earlier, several floors had seemed excessive, but now entire departments were competing for office space.

The newly established R&D division alone occupied far more room than initially expected. Storage space had become another growing concern.

Industrial Illusions had expanded far faster than anyone originally predicted, and a permanent headquarters had become less of a luxury and more of a necessity.

Alexander suddenly remembered something and asked, "What about my sketches?"

Roland already knew what he meant and replied, "The architect has reviewed them."

"And?"

Roland allowed himself the faintest smile, "He was... greatly impressed."

Alexander relaxed slightly as Roland added, "Apparently he has never encountered anything resembling your proposal."

"That's understandable."

Considering he had essentially handed over conceptual drawings inspired by Apple's future headquarters, Alexander hadn't exactly expected a normal reaction.

Then Roland continued, "He believes the overall structure is entirely feasible."

Alexander's expression brightened.

"However..."

"There it is."

"...Translating your sketches into proper architectural blueprints will require considerable time. The structural calculations alone will likely occupy several months. And construction itself..."

Roland briefly glanced toward the window before he revealed, "...Considerably longer. Years even."

Alexander slowly exhaled before he said, "I expected as much."

A futuristic design still had to obey present-day engineering.

He closed the folder before handing it back to Roland while telling him, "Tell him to begin immediately. The sooner work starts... The sooner Industrial Illusions will finally have a proper home."

"I'll notify him this afternoon."

Alexander smiled as another piece of the future had quietly begun moving into place.

~~~▽~~~

The afternoon eventually arrived.

Once the day's work concluded, Alexander and Roland headed toward the company's parking lot.

Unlike usual, Alexander walked directly toward the driver's side of the sedan while Roland calmly entered the passenger seat without comment.

Alexander adjusted the mirrors and the seat.

"So..." Roland asked, "...How does it feel?"

Alexander smiled while fastening his seatbelt and replied, "Honestly? Pretty normal."

After saying that, Alexander casually started the engine, changed gear, and slowly lifted his foot from the clutch pedal while lightly pressing on the accelerator pedal.

Like that, the sedan smoothly pulled away from the curb.

Traffic remained relatively light.

Alexander carefully checked every mirror before merging.

No sudden movements, no unnecessary acceleration. Everything appeared surprisingly natural.

Several minutes passed before Roland finally spoke, "I must admit... Your progress has exceeded my expectations."

Alexander couldn't hide a slightly smug smile as he said, "One advantage of inheriting another version of myself's memories."

His sixteenth birthday was only a short time away, and naturally, he had already begun the process of obtaining his driver's license.

Thanks to Industrial Illusions' growing reputation and a few discreet family connections, the administrative side had progressed considerably faster than normal.

Even so, certain requirements simply couldn't be bypassed, or at least he didn't see the need to actually bypass them.

The written examination. Mandatory supervised driving hours. Practical evaluation.

Fortunately, knowing traffic laws wasn't the difficult part, as his older counterpart had accumulated years of driving experience.

Road signs. Traffic etiquette. Defensive driving. Parking.

He already understood every concept.

The only remaining challenge lay in teaching his own body what his mind already knew, but fortunately, even that process proved far smoother than expected.

Roland quietly watched Alexander confidently navigate another intersection.

Proper mirror checks. Smooth braking. Predictable lane positioning. No wasted movement.

Then he genuinely praised him, "Very good, Master Alexander. I've observed adults drive considerably worse."

Alexander laughed, "I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should."

Their destination was one Alexander had visited many times before.

A neighbourhood park where Duel Monsters had quietly become a regular afternoon activity.

Children immediately recognised him once he appeared wearing his usual disguise, and within minutes several makeshift dueling tables had already formed.

Alexander spent the next hour moving from duel to duel.

Some opponents were returning players eager to test newly acquired cards, while others had only recently discovered the game.

Parents gradually became curious. Grandparents watched from nearby benches before eventually accepting invitations to play themselves.

The atmosphere remained cheerful throughout.

Nearby, Roland occasionally accepted challenges himself.

His calm demeanour and gentlemanly manners somehow made every duel enjoyable regardless of the outcome, and even adults who had initially claimed they were "only watching" eventually found themselves laughing over their first matches.

Alexander silently smiled as watching Duel Monsters bring together children, parents and grandparents alike never became old, and the steady increase in Duel Energy certainly didn't hurt either.

By early evening, the two returned to the Jones mansion.

Alexander changed into more comfortable clothes before heading toward the small training area.

A short run. Stretching. Strength exercises. Nothing excessive, but simply enough to maintain a healthy body.

After everything he had experienced since waking up with the memories of his other self, Alexander had learned one important lesson.

Intelligence alone wouldn't save him if another supernatural incident suddenly erupted, nor would it help much if another rogue Duel Spirit decided violence was the answer.

A healthy body remained worth the effort, or better yet, quoting a certain comedy movie: Rule #1 to Survive the Marvel Universe - Cardio: When danger or world-ending calamities strike, for obvious reasons, the first ones to go are the fatties and those out of shape.

Once finished, he enjoyed a hot shower before joining Roland for dinner and only afterwards did he finally retreat toward the room where he probably spent more time than anywhere else in the mansion, his study.

The familiar scent of paper and ink greeted him as he entered.

Blank cardstock waited patiently, occupying one side of the room and all his other tools were neatly organised on another.

Alexander closed the door before sitting behind his desk, but before reaching for a pencil, he mentally summoned the familiar interface.

[Ding!]

___________________________________

User Identified: Alexander Maximillion Jones

System Type: Duel Interface

Primary Functions:

• Resource Management

• Card Database

• Card Manifestation Authorisation

• YGO System Shop Access

Resources Identified:

1. Duel Energy (DE)

• Generated through duels involving the user.

• Output increases with emotional and cognitive intensity.

• Used for manifestation and high-output actions.

Current DE: 2481

2. Duel Points (DP)

• Acquired through victory in duels.

• Used for system transactions and upgrades.

Current DP: 150

____________________________________

Alexander studied the numbers for a few quiet moments before smiling to himself and muttering, "150 Duel Points..."

He leaned back in his chair and added, "... I'm almost back where I started."

Purchasing the Battle Box blueprint had nearly emptied his reserves, but now, after weeks of steadily dueling across Los Angeles, he had recovered almost everything.

The investment itself had already proven worthwhile, as without it maybe Phineas and the others of the R&D team would have focused mostly on the microchips and without the means to use them, it would have diverted their attention to much; luckily, he realised his mistake early and had enough DP to fix it.

Now he simply had to continue accumulating resources for whatever the future demanded.

Before beginning another long evening of drawing, Alexander performed the same small ritual he had unconsciously adopted months ago; he pulled out a card from the YGO System's Card Database and spent 1 DE to summon the Duel Spirit connected to it, "Come on out, Kuriboh."

The card shined brightly before bursting into countless golden motes of light.

"Kuriii~!"

With a cheerful little cry, the tiny furball appeared above the desk before immediately darting through the air in an excited circle.

Alexander couldn't help smiling, "You're in a good mood today, aren't you?"

"Kuriii!"

As though proudly confirming his observation, Kuriboh happily circled his head several more times before lightly bumping against his hair.

Alexander laughed softly and said, "You've gotten into the habit of greeting me like this."

The tiny Duel Spirit answered with another happy chirp before floating directly in front of his face.

Its large eyes stared expectantly, and Alexander already knew exactly what it wanted.

He reached upward and gently scratched beneath the fluffy creature's fur.

"Kuriii~"

Kuriboh immediately relaxed, its entire round body somehow becoming even fluffier as it happily drifted in place beneath Alexander's hand.

Watching the tiny Duel Spirit's obvious satisfaction made him chuckle.

No complicated conversation. No grand adventure. No hidden meaning. Just several quiet minutes shared with an impossibly fluffy companion.

Somewhere along the way, Alexander had stopped thinking of these moments as a simple bonding activity with Duel Spirits.

Instead, they had quietly become part of his daily routine.

Before Kuriboh appeared, his thoughts inevitably revolved around contracts, production schedules, engineering challenges and whatever new problem tomorrow intended to deliver.

Afterwards, those thoughts always seemed just a little quieter.

The tension lingering in his shoulders gradually disappeared, and his breathing slowed; even the endless stream of responsibilities waiting beyond the study door no longer felt nearly as overwhelming.

Perhaps that was why he continued doing it every evening.

It was only a few minutes, yet somehow they marked the end of one part of his day and the beginning of another.

Eventually Kuriboh floated upward before settling comfortably upon Alexander's shoulder.

The tiny Duel Spirit gave one final content little chirp.

"Kuriii..."

Golden particles slowly gathered around its body before it gently transformed back into a card as the summoning time limit quietly came to an end.

Alexander carefully caught it before returning it to the safety of the System's Card Database and saying, "See you tomorrow."

The room returned to silence.

Only then did he reach for his pencil, and one blank prototype card slid into place before him.

The future of Duel Monsters, as always, would begin with a single stroke of graphite.