Monday morning arrived with far more momentum than Alexander initially expected.
The weekend demonstration events had exceeded even his most optimistic projections, and most importantly, the interest persisted even after the events ended.
Inside the rear passenger seat of the car, Alexander calmly reviewed several handwritten reports while Roland drove through downtown Los Angeles traffic heading toward the Promethean Academy.
"Kingsley Toys & Hobbies requested another shipment yesterday morning," Roland informed him. "The comic stores also contacted Elizabeth before opening hours for a renewal of the supply contract."
Alexander nodded slightly while scanning the papers, thinking, 'That matches what I expected...'
Among all the stores that hosted demonstrations, hobby shops, comic stores, and fantasy-oriented retailers showed the strongest response by far.
Which is not surprising, as those environments already attracted collectors, hobby enthusiasts, strategy gamers, and fantasy fans.
Duel Monsters naturally fit there.
The toy stores, however, reacted more cautiously.
Most managers agreed only to small shelf sections, limited stock tests, and short-term observation periods.
But honestly, that alone already represented a huge success.
Shelf space was valuable, especially for completely unknown products, and now Duel Monsters officially occupied some of it.
Alexander slowly leaned back into his seat thoughtfully.
During the weekend test run alone, total revenue already reached roughly $2,300 to $2,500.
Objectively speaking, not an enormous number; it doesn't even cover part of the expenses he has invested until now, but for a completely new product, with no established audience, no major publicity, no distribution network, and only localised demonstrations, the result was extremely promising.
More importantly, the products actually moved.
Customers returned. Stores reordered. Children kept playing.
One particular report from a comic store in Pasadena caught Alexander’s attention.
According to the owner, several teenagers had remained inside the shop nearly three hours after the demonstration officially ended.
They traded cards, argued over rules, and demanded rematches.
One customer had apparently purchased three additional booster packs using money originally intended for lunch.
The store owner’s final handwritten note was short but meaningful: "Whatever this game is, kids are getting obsessed with it."
Alexander reread that sentence twice before setting the paper down quietly.
That was exactly what he wanted and mattered far more than immediate profit.
The car eventually slowed near an intersection while Roland glanced briefly toward Alexander through the rearview mirror and commented, "You look pleased with the results."
Alexander’s lips curved slightly upward, "I am."
Then, after a brief pause, he added, "The important part is that people are coming back wanting more of it."
Roland smiled faintly while thinking, 'Exactly... One-time curiosity means very little. Recurring interest is everything.'
~~~▽~~~
Over the following days, Alexander rapidly entered a far busier phase, which started with the official formation of his own company, Industrial Illusions.
The name was an obvious callback to Maximillion Pegasus' company in the Yu-Gi-Oh! world.
Naturally, Elizabeth Cooper was the one taking care of all the relevant paperwork.
The finalised incorporation documents arrived two days later.
Industrial Illusions was officially recognised and legally operational.
Alexander stared at the company name for several silent seconds.
In another world, that name belonged to Maximillion Pegasus, but here, it belonged to him.
The feeling was strangely surreal.
In another life, Industrial Illusions belonged to a fictional mastermind, but now it existed in reality under his control, and somehow, that realisation was incredibly exciting.
Alexander also immediately contacted Merriweather Commercial Printing & Design to begin preparing a second, significantly larger print run of Starter Decks, Booster Packs, promotional material, and rule sheets.
Everything increased.
At the same time, Alexander revisited the most successful stores personally alongside Elizabeth to establish proper recurring restock agreements before competitors or larger distributors could interfere.
Several hobby stores immediately accepted after they learned of the successful demonstration events. Comic stores proved similarly enthusiastic.
Toy stores remained more reserved, but even there, the successful demonstrations already softened many managers considerably.
However, not every meeting went smoothly after all; he was only able to convince four mid-sized but reputable stores to hold the demonstration events, and that is nowhere near enough to move the more sceptical.
One toy distributor outright dismissed Duel Monsters as "another temporary fantasy fad."
Another questioned whether children would really spend money on "paper cards with dragons on them."
Alexander simply listened calmly throughout those conversations.
He had no interest in convincing everyone, only enough people.
Once momentum reached critical mass, the industry would convince itself.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth and her firm handled contract drafting, inventory agreements, liability protections, and payment structures with frightening efficiency.
Honestly, Alexander was beginning to understand why Roland trusted her so much, naturally, in addition to the fact that she was his niece.
"She’s terrifying when negotiating," he quietly commented one afternoon after leaving a meeting.
Roland looked mildly amused from the driver's seat and said, "You should see her during lawsuits."
Alexander silently decided not to imagine that.
At the same time, another important realisation slowly formed in Alexander’s mind.
Selling cards alone would not be enough in the long term.
People needed reasons to keep playing, keep collecting, and keep returning, and this naturally led to the next step: Tournaments.
Official local tournaments specifically.
The idea itself was simple: hold scheduled events, structured matches, organised rules, and most importantly, exclusive rare cards as prizes.
Alexander knew perfectly well that card games differed fundamentally from ordinary toys.
Toys were purchased once, then eventually forgotten, but competitive games were different.
Competition created repetition, repetition created attachment, attachment created communities, and communities created longevity.
If players started identifying themselves through Duel Monsters decks, strategies, rivals, and local reputations, then the game would stop being a novelty product, and it would become part of their lives.
That was when true permanence began.
Alexander calmly reviewed several handwritten ideas inside his study one evening.
Rare promotional cards would create prestige, competition, collectability, and stronger community attachment.
The stronger the local Duel Monsters communities became, the harder the game would be to uproot later, and Alexander fully intended to make Duel Monsters impossible to ignore.
Still, community growth alone was not enough either, as people first needed to hear about the game, which meant it was finally time to invest in proper publicity.
Coming to that conclusion, Alexander immediately started preparing outreach packages targeting various comic magazines, fantasy magazines, hobby gaming publications, collectable enthusiast magazines, and local event circulars.
The packages themselves included a few promotional photographs, Starter Decks, review samples, event schedules, product information, and retailer contacts.
Nothing overly extravagant, but he ensured that it looked professional, polished, and legitimate.
The goal was simple: Make Duel Monsters look real enough that people would begin treating it seriously before they even touched the cards themselves.
By the end of the week, dozens of packages had already been mailed across California.
The speed of the expansion honestly surprised even Alexander himself.
Only a month earlier, Duel Monsters had existed as little more than an experimental concept created inside his study.
Now stores were requesting inventory, retailers were negotiating contracts, children were forming local play groups, and magazines across California would soon begin reviewing the game.
Momentum was no longer theoretical, but it was real.
And for the first time since starting this entire endeavour, Alexander finally felt like the game itself was beginning to move independently of him.
That realisation felt strangely satisfying.
~~~▽~~~
Late that same night, Alexander quietly entered his study before locking the door behind him.
The room remained illuminated only by the desk lamp near the window.
Books, documents, materials for prototype cards, store reports, and tournament notes.
The evidence of rapidly accelerating growth was neatly arranged and covered nearly every available surface.
Alexander slowly sat down before exhaling softly, and then he finally focused inward.
A familiar translucent interface materialised before his eyes shortly afterwards, the YGO System.
[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: 107
2. Duel Points (DP)
• Acquired through victory in duels.
• Used for system transactions and upgrades.
• Current DP: 52
____________________________________
Without hesitation, Alexander checked his current resources first and seeing the numbers, Alexander nodded thoughtfully, "One hundred seven DE already…"
A faint smile appeared on his face as he commented, "That should finally be enough to summon a single Level 4 monster."
Even that represented a major increase in survivability, as a manifested Level 4 monster possessed enough strength to easily overpower ordinary humans and likely even enhanced ones, which would enable it to act as meaningful protection in case something happened and significantly increase Alexander's overall safety.
Very useful.
Especially considering several hostile Duel Spirits had already attempted to devour him during recent card-binding attempts.
Still, that was not tonight’s priority.
Alexander shifted his attention toward the System Shop before scrolling down the list to find the Personal Upgrade section.
Almost immediately, one particular option appeared before him.
__________________________________________
— Personal Upgrade: Spirit Capacity Enhancement
• Increases Ba reserves
• Improves Ka stability
Effect:
• Reduces strain from high-output actions
• Improves compatibility with high-tier entities
Cost Scaling:
• First upgrade: 50 DP
• Next: 100 DP
• Next: 200 DP
• Next: 400 DP
• Next: 800 DP
• Next: 1600 DP
________________________________________
Alexander studied the information silently for several moments and quickly concluded, 'This is another crucial upgrade... Without that, it is very likely that I won't be able to create higher-level monsters...'
Then, without hesitation, he made his selection.
The moment the purchase was finalised, a powerful surge erupted throughout his entire body.
Alexander’s eyes widened slightly.
Unlike previous upgrades, this one felt deeper, far deeper.
It was as if invisible pressure suddenly expanded outward from within his soul itself.
Warmth rapidly spread through his limbs, chest, mind, and spine.
At the same time, Alexander felt his Spirit Energy increasing rapidly both in quantity and density.
His Ba strengthened, and alongside it, it is very likely that his Ka would stabilise further.
The sensation was difficult to describe as it wasn't painful but overwhelming.
Like suddenly trying to contain far more energy than before.
For one brief moment, Alexander genuinely wondered whether his body would fail to contain it.
The pressure inside him continued rising, making his heartbeat accelerate, and even the desk lamp flickered faintly, but then, several seconds later, the pressure finally began stabilising, and Alexander slowly exhaled while flexing his fingers experimentally.
Immediately, he noticed subtle differences.
His body felt lighter, sturdier, and more responsive, not to a supernatural level, not yet, but undeniably improved.
Alexander quietly touched his chest thoughtfully and muttered, "…So the body improves alongside the Ba."
Alexander started to casually swing his limbs and move around, testing the changes while thinking, 'That honestly makes sense. In many "sacred texts" that my other self read, the concept that the vessel naturally adapts to support the spiritual energy contained within it is quite common. Which likely means that the stronger my spirit becomes, the stronger my physical body will gradually become as well. Interesting. Very interesting. I wonder what the limits are...?'
Then, slowly, Alexander smiled. It was a sharp, ambitious smile because now he could finally begin creating Level 7 monsters.
In many instances, those monsters represent real power, the kind capable of fundamentally changing dangerous situations around.
Alexander slowly looked toward the scattered prototype cards resting across his desk, then he summoned the System interface and looked at the Card Database
Several names immediately surfaced within his mind.
Dark Magician.
Red-Eyes Black Dragon.
Gaia the Fierce Knight.
Each one represented an entirely different threshold of power compared to the weaker monsters he had manifested previously.
These were not disposable creatures.
They were elite entities.
High-level Duel Spirits that were capable of overwhelming ordinary opponents through raw presence alone.
Even attempting manifestation would likely place enormous strain on both his spirit and body, but now, for the first time, the possibility no longer felt distant.
For the first time since obtaining the system, Alexander truly felt like he had finally crossed into a completely different stage and couldn't wait to see what awaited him there.
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