Chapter 130 – Next Stage

A couple of weeks had passed since the Los Angeles riots and, surprisingly, the city was already beginning to feel normal again, not completely normal, obviously.

There were still buildings with boarded-up windows. Some businesses were closed while repairs were being made. Burn marks remained on streets and walls, and there were plenty of empty lots where something had once stood, but the screaming sirens had stopped, and the constant news coverage had died down.

People were going back to work. Schools had reopened. Stores were reopening their doors.

Life, as it usually did, was moving forward.

The aftermath of the riots had produced some unexpected consequences for Industrial Illusions.

The company's popularity had exploded, but Alexander had never intended for that to happen.

He certainly hadn't spent millions of dollars arranging emergency supplies, transportation, shelters, security, and other forms of assistance because he wanted better public relations, but people remembered the help and support the company gave in their time of need.

Industrial Illusions had been one of the companies that had actually done something when Los Angeles needed help, and that reputation spread quickly, and once politicians realised that the company had both money and a demonstrated willingness to cooperate during emergencies, the government became considerably more interested in working with them.

Tax breaks appeared. Incentives were offered. Certain bureaucratic procedures became noticeably faster. Permits that might normally have taken weeks suddenly moved through offices with suspicious efficiency.

When Alexander had looked at some of the paperwork, he simply stared for a moment and observed, "That's a hell lot of money."

Roland had merely nodded and added, "And considerably more influence... Congratulations, Master Alexander."

Of course, Roxxon benefited even more, and because of that, Hugh Jones' already considerable network had expanded significantly during the crisis.

Companies wanted Roxxon involved. Government officials wanted Roxxon involved. Organisations wanted Roxxon involved. People who previously would have needed several meetings just to get an appointment were suddenly calling Hugh directly.

Alexander couldn't exactly complain.

He just found it amusing that a disaster he'd desperately wanted to prevent had ended up making his company and his father even more influential.

At least the money he'd spent helping people had been worth it, not that money had been the reason.

That wasn't even a question.

~~~▽~~~

Alexander's school life eventually settled back into its usual rhythm, yet somehow, the school year was already approaching its end.

That meant exams, assignments, projects, and enough academic pressure to make many students question why they'd ever thought their teachers were human beings.

His mornings usually began with picking Ginny up. She would climb into the car, greet him with a kiss on the lips, and immediately start talking about something that had happened at school or some other random topic.

Sometimes it was important, sometimes it wasn't, and usually it wasn't, but Alexander didn't mind.

After everything that had happened, ordinary conversations were something he appreciated more than he would have expected, especially if he shared a laugh with his girlfriend.

Classes filled most of the morning, then came lunch.

Alexander usually sat with Ginny and Chuck.

Chuck was still as energetic as ever, although the approaching end of the school year had apparently convinced him that studying was now a necessary evil, especially since he was now a junior, which meant that the following year he would be a senior, and with it would come the preparations for applying to college.

"Do you understand this?" Chuck asked, pointing at his textbook.

Alexander casually looked at the page and replied, "Yes."

Chuck stared at him and asked, "Can you explain it?"

"Pretty easily."

"Will you?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because watching you suffer puts a smile on my face... And suffering helps build character."

Ginny covered her mouth to hide her laugh while Chuck looked betrayed as he muttered, "I thought we were friends."

"We are."

"Then help me."

"I'm doing it. I'm helping you build character."

"You're an asshole."

"I know."

Ginny laughed openly this time.

After lunch, Alexander took his remaining classes before he once again joined Chuck and Ginny, and together they went to the school's Duel Monsters club.

The Duel Monsters club was another matter, as the Inter-School Duel Monsters Championship was entering its final phase and the final stage was roughly a week away, and because of that, everyone involved was becoming more serious.

Even Chuck, especially Chuck.

Although Alexander still found it amusing that Chuck had remained a reserve player, that didn't mean he wasn't taking the competition seriously; if anything, it meant he could focus entirely on crushing his fellow team members on the principle that tough love would help them improve.

And Alexander had to admit that, in part, he was right; after all, one of the best ways to improve in the game is by playing against better opponents, as that will force you to constantly reconsider and review your deck until you find the right combination to overcome the obstacle that works for you.

The club was busy with testing decks, practising matchups, and discussing strategies.

Alexander participated when he could but still limited himself to giving advice and sometimes joining Chuck in giving some "tough love."

On top of that, he also had plenty of other things occupying his attention because while everyone else was preparing for a school tournament, Alexander had an entirely different project nearing completion.

After school, Chuck usually went to pick up Julia from her school, then the young couple would spend most of the afternoon studying together, and after that they likely relaxed, enjoying the evening together.

Alexander occasionally wondered how Chuck managed to balance studying, dueling, and dating. Then again, Chuck probably wondered how Alexander managed to balance school, running Industrial Illusions, dueling, dating, training, creating new cards, and whatever else happened in his already very busy schedule.

Meanwhile, Alexander would drop Ginny off at home before heading toward Industrial Illusions.

Normally, Ginny would accompany him as she had gotten used to spending time at the company, and she was familiar with many of the people there, she would even accompany him in his "research sessions" where played with random people in disguise while farming DP and DE.

Lately, however, her studies had become more demanding, so she stayed home more often.

Alexander didn't mind, as he wanted her to focus on school and, besides, it gave him more time to focus on other things, and he was going to need it.

After dropping Ginny off one afternoon, Alexander drove toward Industrial Illusions.

He spent some time going through reports.

Production numbers. Development updates. Financial information. The expansion in the Mexican market.

Nothing particularly exciting, at least, not compared to the projects he was personally interested in.

Eventually, he met with Roland.

The older man handed him another set of documents and said, "These require your attention."

Alexander looked at them with dread as he asked, "More paperwork?"

"Yes."

"I thought being a genius CEO meant I wouldn't have to do boring things."

"Whoever told you that was lying."

Alexander sighed and declared, "This is cruelty."

"This is business."

"Same thing."

Roland ignored him.

Once they finished, Alexander left the building, but instead of going directly home, he drove through Los Angeles.

He wasn't looking for anything specific, not exactly; he was looking for a good place.

Somewhere with a lot of people playing Duel Monsters. Somewhere he wouldn't be easily noticed with his usual disguise. Somewhere he could play a few games like a normal teenage boy while farming DP and DE from the duels he won and the ones happening all around him, so the more people playing, the better. Thus, a public place like a park or a medium- to big-sized store dedicated to Duel Monsters was the best option.

So Alexander changed his appearance, found a good location, and spent some time "bullying" other duelists and giving them advice as an apology.

Once he was finished, he returned home.

Training came next, then a shower, and a bit later dinner. After that, he went to his study and finally started to create new prototype cards.

Like that, Alexander sat at his desk late into the night, working on new prototypes.

The familiar process continued.

Design. Check. Adjust. Complete. Negotiate. Occasionally duel the Duel Spirit. Rinse and repeat.

He kept working until exhaustion finally won, then he went to sleep.

~~~▽~~~

The next morning was almost identical.

Wake up. Get ready. Pick up, Ginny. School. Classes. Lunch. Duel Monsters club.

The usual, but after school, after dropping Ginny off at home, Alexander did something different; Instead of heading toward the Industrial Illusions offices in the heart of the city, he turned the car toward the outskirts of Los Angeles.

The further he drove, the more the city seemed to change.

The busy streets gradually gave way to wide industrial roads lined with warehouses, loading yards, and factories. The sidewalks became almost nonexistent. There were fewer pedestrians, fewer cars, and almost no businesses that had any reason to advertise themselves.

Even the buildings seemed different.

There were no glass towers or polished office fronts here. Most were enormous concrete or steel structures with faded paint, roll-up loading doors, and small windows positioned high on the walls. Trucks came and went through fenced-off lots, while the occasional forklift could be seen moving pallets beneath the harsh glow of industrial lights.

Alexander continued deeper into the district, and eventually, he turned onto a road that appeared almost deserted.

At the end of it stood a large warehouse.

It was difficult to tell exactly what the building was used for.

There was no enormous Industrial Illusions logo mounted on the exterior. No colourful advertisements for Duel Monsters. No posters featuring famous cards or tournament champions. If anything, the building looked deliberately forgettable.

It was a massive rectangular structure made primarily of reinforced concrete and dark steel, with a flat roof and almost no windows at ground level. Several loading bays were built into one side of the building, but all of them were closed. A tall chain-link fence surrounded the property, topped with coils of razor wire.

Security cameras were positioned at regular intervals along the perimeter. There were more of them than the building seemed to need.

A guard station stood beside the only vehicle entrance, protected by a reinforced gate. Two security guards were posted outside, while another could be seen inside the booth monitoring a bank of screens.

There were no company signs telling people who owned it. No indication of what was stored inside. Even the small plaque beside the entrance contained nothing more than a building identification number. It looked less like a corporate facility and more like a place designed to be overlooked.

Alexander slowed as he approached the gate, and one of the guards stepped forward.

He was dressed in a dark security uniform, with an earpiece tucked beneath one ear. His eyes briefly scanned Alexander's car before his expression relaxed.

He recognised him.

The guard touched a hand to his earpiece and spoke quietly, "Safe... It's the boss."

A moment later, the gate began sliding open, and Alexander drove through.

Inside the property, the warehouse seemed even larger.

The parking area was mostly empty, with only a handful of vehicles occupying the spaces nearest to the building. Most of them were company vehicles, although unlike the cars parked outside the main Industrial Illusions headquarters, none carried the company's logo.

Alexander parked near one of the side entrances and stepped out, and for a moment, he simply looked at the building while thinking, 'I still think Roland went a bit too far... This looks like something out of an action movie... Yet, I can't deny that such security is necessary.'

He walked toward the entrance.

The door was made of thick reinforced steel, with a card reader mounted beside it. Alexander pulled a security card from his wallet and held it against the reader, and soon a green light blinked.

The lock released with a heavy metallic click before Alexander opened the door and stepped inside.

The atmosphere changed immediately.

The muted sounds of the city disappeared behind him, replaced by the low hum of machinery and the faint vibration of ventilation systems. The air smelled faintly of metal, dust, and something chemical.

The entrance opened into a narrow corridor rather than the warehouse floor itself.

Plain grey walls. Concrete flooring. Fluorescent lights overhead. There were no advertisements here either. Only security cameras.

Another door waited at the end of the corridor and another card reader.

Alexander swiped his card again and the door unlocked.

Beyond it, the true purpose of the facility began to reveal itself.

The warehouse floor stretched far farther than Alexander had expected. Tall metal shelving units filled much of the enormous space, disappearing into the shadows near the ceiling. Large wooden crates and sealed containers were stacked in organised rows, each marked with codes and inventory numbers rather than recognisable product names.

Some were small enough to be carried by hand.

Others were large enough to require forklifts.

Several sections of the warehouse had been divided off by reinforced metal partitions. Alexander could see workers moving behind them, all wearing company identification badges and following procedures that were considerably stricter than anything used at the public Industrial Illusions offices.

A forklift passed several meters away, its warning alarm echoing through the building.

Alexander continued forward.

Nobody stopped him. Nobody questioned why he was there. The employees who noticed him simply stepped aside or offered a brief, respectful nod of acknowledgement; after all, he was the boss.

Further inside, he found Roland waiting. "You're late."

Alexander looked at his watch and said, "I'm two minutes early."

"By your standards."

"Exactly."

Roland shook his head and said, "The R&D team is waiting."

Alexander followed him inside, and the moment they entered the main development area, he noticed something.

The researchers looked exhausted.

Not merely tired from a long day at work. These people looked as though sleep had become an optional luxury over the past several days. Some had dark circles beneath their eyes, others were nursing cups of coffee that had long since gone cold, and more than one researcher had the distracted, almost manic expression of someone who had spent too long staring at the same problem. And yet, beneath the exhaustion, there was something else, excitement. A tremendous amount of it.

People were talking in hushed, hurried voices. Engineers moved between workstations carrying small notebooks, tools, and components. Several researchers were gathered around computer terminals, comparing readings and discussing numbers that meant nothing to Alexander.

Whatever had happened here, something had changed.

Phineas Mason stood near the centre of the room.

The engineer looked even worse than the others.

His shirt was wrinkled, his hair was dishevelled, and his eyes were bloodshot. He looked like he hadn't slept properly in days, but judging by the smile on his face, however, he didn't seem to care.

Alexander walked toward him. "Phineas."

"Alexander."

After exchanging a quick greeting, Alexander looked around at the exhausted researchers before returning his attention to the engineer. "Please tell me you have good news."

Phineas smiled. "We have good news."

Alexander raised an eyebrow. "How good?"

The smile on Phineas's face widened before he gestured toward a nearby door, "See for yourself."

Alexander didn't need to be told twice as he followed Phineas across the development floor.

The door opened, and there it was.

The Battle Box.

Alexander stopped walking, and for a moment, he simply stared.

He knew the schematics by heart, but they hadn't prepared him for seeing the real thing.

The prototype occupied a large section of the room.

At first glance, it looked less like a finished piece of technology and more like several different machines that had been forced to work together.

A large rectangular platform formed its base.

At the centre sat a simple dueling metal table, flanked by two chairs positioned opposite one another. The table itself was surprisingly ordinary, at least by the standards of everything surrounding it. There were no elaborate decorations, no polished surfaces, nothing that immediately suggested it was supposed to be revolutionary.

The real marvel was the structure surrounding it.

A transparent enclosure rose from the platform, forming a large box around the table and the two seats.

Clear panels made up the walls, extending several feet above the seated players' heads. From a distance, the panels almost looked like thick glass, but they weren't quite glass. They were made from a specially engineered transparent material designed to serve as the projection surface for the system.

Metal supports held the panels together at the corners and along the upper frame.

Unlike the sleek designs that would eventually become associated with the Battle Box, this one was unmistakably a prototype.

The framework was bulky.

Several sections of the outer casing were missing entirely, leaving bundles of cables visible beneath them. Wires ran from the base of the enclosure to various pieces of equipment positioned around the platform, some neatly bundled together and others temporarily secured with clamps.

Small diagnostic screens had been attached to the frame in places where there probably shouldn't have been screens at all.

A few panels were clearly temporary replacements.

One corner had been reinforced with a piece of metal that looked as though it had been added only hours earlier.

There was nothing elegant about it, as it was an engineering project still in the middle of becoming a machine, and yet Alexander could see why everyone in the room had been so excited.

Alexander walked around it slowly and muttered, "This is..."

"Not finished," Phineas said.

"I can see that."

"But it works."

Alexander looked at him and asked, "Actually works?"

Phineas nodded. "We've tested the basic functions repeatedly."

Alexander smiled and declared, "Then let's test it."

Phineas's expression became almost childlike. "That's exactly what I was hoping you'd say."

~~~▽~~~

The testing area had been prepared specifically for them.

Alexander sat on one side, and Phineas sat opposite him while several members of the R&D team stood nearby, watching.

Alexander placed his deck on the table, one given to him by one of the engineers, as the current Battle Box could only work with specially marked cards, and asked, "Ready?"

Phineas nodded and said, "Ready."

The system beeped as it recognised the prototype cards they had created specifically for this test, and that alone was enough to make Alexander grin.

They had spent months developing the technology. They had spent countless hours designing the hardware. They had experimented with the interaction between Duel Monsters cards and the system. And now they were finally going to see whether all of that work actually meant anything.

The Battle Box activated, and a low mechanical hum filled the room.

Alexander looked down at the table and drew his opening hand before muttering, "Okay... Let's do this!"

He picked one card and then placed it onto the designated area.

The moment the card touched the surface, the machine's hum changed, and Alexander's eyes widened as a small light appeared above the card.

Then a holographic image formed.

It was crude compared to what Alexander knew future technology would eventually achieve, but it was there.

A monster.

Visible above the card. Moving. Alive in appearance.

A sound accompanied it.

A roar echoed through the testing area.

Alexander's grin slowly widened while Phineas and the others stared.

Nobody said anything for several seconds.

Alexander looked at the holographic monster, then at the card, then back at the hologram.

He laughed the only way such a historical moment deserved, with the iconic three-stage Kaiba laugh, "Huhuhu! Huahaha! HAHAHA!!"

They had done it. They had actually fucking done it.

This wasn't the supernatural manifestation of a card through a Shadow Duel. This wasn't a Duel Spirit. This was pure technology. Human technology.

A machine. A prototype built by people. And it worked.

Alexander leaned back in his chair, still grinning before he said, "Phineas..."

"Yeah?"

Alexander looked at the holographic monster again and declared, "We just made Battle Box real."

Phineas smiled while Alexander corrected himself, "No."

He looked around the room and said, "We made the next stage of Duel Monsters real."

Alexander's grin grew even wider as, for the first time, the future didn't feel quite so far away.