Kyouji Yuuki and his daughter, Yuuki Asuna, sat across from Nozomi and Haruno in the serene atmosphere of a quiet café, where the soft clinking of cups and gentle background music framed the tension in the air.

Each ordered a cup of coffee. Asuna's eyes sparkled with a mixture of curiosity and subtle anxiety. After all, wasn't she invited here by Miss Haruno herself? So why did the boy sitting beside Haruno keep glancing at her like she was some kind of rare Pokémon he had finally encountered in the wild?

"Mr. Kyouji Yuuki," Haruno began calmly, her tone smooth and deliberate, "this is the person you wished to meet—Nozomi. He's my junior."

A brief pause. The corner of her lips lifted with faint amusement.

"We're planning to get engaged at the end of this month."

Kyouji raised a brow, visibly surprised. "Oh? Young man, so you're Miss Haruno's fiancé? That's quite unexpected."

The businessman then gave Nozomi a meaningful look.

"Moreover, Miss Haruno actually brought you to this meeting... That must mean you're the true owner of the game company's shares."

Nozomi responded with a casual, knowing smile. "Correct. But you could say they're Sister Haruno's too. Since we'll be family soon, what's mine is hers."

He leaned back slightly in his seat, relaxed and exuding quiet confidence.

"Though I must admit, I was surprised to hear Mr. Kyouji Yuuki wanted to discuss cooperation. So, Mr. Yuuki, what exactly are you hoping to achieve?"

Kyouji glanced subtly at Asuna before responding.

"In that case, I'll leave you two to talk shop," Haruno interjected with a wink. "Miss Asuna, could you accompany me for a walk? I have a few things I'd like to discuss with you."

"O-of course," Asuna said, standing up quickly. Though she was curious about the business talk, she understood that certain discussions were best left to her father.

After the two women exited, Kyouji wasted no time.

"Mr. Nozomi, as you may know, my company is the largest local supplier of high-grade electronic components. I currently own about 20% of the shares in the virtual reality game sector. Our equipment and materials are critical to the production of VR hardware."

He adjusted his tie slightly, eyes locked on Nozomi.

"To put it bluntly, whether the game launches or not depends heavily on whether our components are delivered on time. I'm looking for a win-win situation here."

Kyouji 's tone became more probing. "Miss Haruno mentioned that your game company holds the technical core. Are you the one supporting it?"

Nozomi sipped his coffee calmly. "Yes. One day, a strange, data crystal appeared on my phone. I passed it to Akasaka Ryunosuke. I believe he's now one of your lead researchers?"

(About the data crystal, I think the Kryptonian tech is the most closely related. Call it anime bullshit science.)

"Indeed. With that core technology, Akasaka's become the chief assistant. The lead developer remains Kayaba Akihiko."

At the mention of the name, Kyouji 's gaze sharpened. "Mr. Nozomi, let me speak plainly. I want to know your degree of control over that technical core."

His stare was hard, calculating. He didn't believe the core just "showed up" one day. He suspected the boy before him was someone with a genius that possibly eclipsed even Kayaba Akihiko.

Nozomi's lips curled into a wry smile. "Sharp instincts. Is this what makes you a business titan? You're right. I do have full control over the technology. Even if the game launches successfully, its continued operation hinges entirely on my will."

He paused, letting the gravity of his words sink in.

"Of course, I won't deny Kayaba's genius. He might unravel the mechanics behind the core and build his own VR paradise... but by then, the core will have already bonded with my system. I'll simply take control again."

Kyouji 's eyes gleamed with understanding.

"In that case, I believe we can work together more effectively. I'll transfer my 20% stake in the game company to you. In return, you'll ensure that only my company's electronic components are used in all production going forward."

"Agreed," Nozomi answered without hesitation. The technical logistics were beneath him. His mind played in far higher realms than soldered circuits and production lines.

Kyouji 's motives were transparent. By monopolizing component supply for the booming VR market, he'd crush competitors and boost his company's influence. He didn't care about developing new tech—he'd leave that to geniuses and mavericks like Nozomi. As long as the Yukinoshita family held sway over most research institutions, he wasn't planning to challenge them directly.

Instead, he would ride the tide they created.

"So, we have a pleasant cooperation?"

Kyouji extended his hand.

Nozomi smiled calmly as he shook Kyouji Yuuki's hand, exuding the quiet confidence of someone who always held the upper hand.

Then, as though asking about the weather, he posed an unexpected question. "Mr. Yuki, is your daughter, Miss Asuna, currently engaged?"

Kyouji Yuuki's brows knit together. He hadn't anticipated that line of inquiry.

Still, he replied truthfully, if cautiously. "She is. Her fiancé is a junior of mine—a capable young man named Nobuyuki Sugo. He's working as a researcher on the beta operations of the game project."

(Asuna's politically arranged fiancé (from her father's plans for her future) is Keiji. However, the name "Keiji" is not as prominently detailed in the series, and his role is not heavily expanded upon in the story. He is primarily mentioned in the Sword Art Online light novel Aincrad (Volume 1).)

Nozomi's expression remained placid, but his next words struck like lightning on a clear day.

"Then, as a condition of our cooperation, Miss Asuna must cancel her engagement with Nobuyuki Sugo."

Kyouji Yuuki froze, stunned. "Is... is there a particular reason for that? You and Asuna...?"

Nozomi didn't hesitate. "Yes. I like her. I would prefer that she not belong to anyone else."

Kyouji Yuuki's jaw slackened. He stared at the boy with disbelief. "Aren't you already engaged to Miss Haruno Yukinoshita?!"

He was aghast. Was this boy really trying to juggle the daughters of two powerful families? Was he serious—or just wildly reckless?

Nozomi gave a faint, dangerous smile. "Mr. Kyouji Yuuki, do you think someone capable of producing the core of true virtual reality technology is just some average kid? This world is far more complicated than it appears on the surface."

There was a strange weight to his words—something that made Kyouji Yuuki's heart skip a beat.

"What... do you mean?" he asked, his voice slightly hoarse.

Nozomi's eyes gleamed with something ancient and knowing. "The Yukinoshita family is already preparing to betroth their daughters to me. Oh, and I forgot to mention something important... I used to go by another name—Masachika Suo."

Kyouji Yuuki shot to his feet, knocking his chair back. "Masachika Suo?! You—!"

"Relax," Nozomi said smoothly, gesturing for him to sit. "I wouldn't deceive someone I intend to partner with. But I recommend you consider things carefully."

Kyouji Yuuki's mind spun.

Suo Masachika. The name was almost legendary among the more traditional families. A being rumored to be the Son of God. He granted the wishes of those who approached him with sincerity—and calamity befell those who tried to use him for greed.

Later, Nozomi met up again with Yukinoshita Haruno.

He still looked puzzled.

"Haruno-senpai, I did what you said. I dropped the name Masachika Suo, and Mr. Yuuki immediately caved. What's the deal? Is that name really that influential?"

Haruno merely smiled, mischievous yet mysterious. "Why think so much? You got what you wanted, right? Besides, I'll be sure to invite Asuna over often. You'll have plenty of chances to win her heart."

Even Haruno didn't know why the name held so much power. Her mother had simply instructed her: if negotiations ever hit a wall, and the opposing party came from an old family with real roots—use the name Masachika Suo. Success would be almost guaranteed.

Of course, if it were a nouveau riche family with little tradition, the name might mean nothing.

But the Yuki family wasn't new. They were clawing their way back to their old glory, and it showed in everything they did.

Yuki Kyouko's strict upbringing of Asuna, the refinement in their manners—they weren't just putting on airs. They remembered what it meant to be noble.

And if Masachika Suo truly had returned in the form of this calm, cunning young man named Nozomi...

Then the Yuki family's future was about to burn bright once more.

***********

I called him Masachika Suo to show his surname rather than Masachika Kuze.

Anyway fam, if you find any errors with the lore here, please notify me immediately. I'm out of my depth especially with these minor characters that can't be found on wiki easily.