Bonus Chapter
Six weeks had passed since the first public demonstration events.
In hindsight, Alexander probably should have expected things to spiral, but what he had not expected was the speed.
At some point, without him even noticing exactly when, Duel Monsters had stopped being "that weird new card game" and started becoming an actual presence in daily life.
Nowhere was that more obvious than school.
"…I’m telling you, Flame Swordsman beats Battle Ox."
"You only say that because you don’t understand tribute efficiency."
"That’s not even a thing! You can Special Summon it using the cards in your hand and Normal Summon another monster on top of that! That's way better!"
Alexander walked through the hallway carrying his bag over one shoulder while trying very hard not to stare too obviously.
Binders, there were binders everywhere.
Cheap plastic sleeves filled with carefully organised cards. Students traded near lockers before class. Two boys near the stairs argued loudly enough to attract half the corridor over whether a particular card was actually "short printed." Someone further away nearly shouted in excitement after opening a booster pack.
It had spread steadily and naturally, like roots growing underground before finally breaking through the surface.
The strangest part was that Alexander hadn’t pushed most of it.
The stores did, the players did, the communities did.
He slowed his steps slightly as he watched two students crouched near the windows comparing cards with the intensity of stock brokers negotiating a merger before he moved one.
Near the cafeteria entrance, a group of students sat around a table covered in cards.
"You're not allowed to change decks between matches."
"Since when?"
"Since everyone agreed last week."
"That wasn't everyone. That was you and Kevin."
"It was still a majority."
The argument continued immediately, but Alexander walked past without interrupting while thinking, 'A month ago, that conversation would have involved questions directed at me. Now it doesn't. They are already creating house rules.'
Elsewhere, another group was debating card values with complete confidence despite being objectively wrong.
One student insisted that certain booster boxes contained better pulls depending on where they were shipped from.
Another claimed a particular rare had become impossible to find because Industrial Illusions had secretly stopped printing it.
Neither statement was remotely true, but neither seemed likely to disappear anytime soon.
Alexander found himself smiling while thinking, 'Rumours, local metas, player traditions. The strange little myths that formed whenever enough people gathered around a shared hobby. No company could manufacture those things. They only appear once a community starts belonging to itself. This is no longer a project I manually controlled, but it is becoming culture.'
"…Hey Alexander!"
He blinked as a younger student hurried toward him holding a small stack of cards before he asked, "Do you know if Dragon Capture Jar actually works against summoned dragons too or only those monsters already on the field?"
Alexander stared at him for a moment, but he replied, "…It says all Dragon-type monsters."
The student nodded and muttered, "Oh..."
After a brief pause, he finally understood Alexander's words and looked horrified as he exclaimed, "…Wait, that’s broken."
Then he rushed away before Alexander could answer further.
Alexander sighed while thinking, 'Right... This is my life now. And I love it!'
~~~▽~~~
Several miles away, inside the upper executive floors of Roxxon Energy Headquarters, the atmosphere was significantly calmer.
The office remained quiet except for the faint sound of papers shifting.
Hugh Jones sat behind his desk with his usual composed posture, one hand resting against the armrest while the other slowly turned a page within the report Roland had prepared.
Roland himself sat across from him, relaxed but professional.
Unlike most people inside Roxxon, Roland did not fear Hugh, as years of friendship had made such things unnecessary.
"…Interesting." Hugh closed the report halfway before he continued, "The publicity tactics worked better than projected."
Roland allowed himself a small nod and said, "They created momentum faster than expected."
He adjusted his tie slightly before continuing, "After the initial demonstration events, stores began requesting additional stock independently. Students started carrying binders regularly. Local events became increasingly crowded. Some stores reported customers remaining inside for hours after purchases simply to trade or discuss strategy."
That earned Hugh’s full attention immediately as he realised that repeat foot traffic was very valuable.
Roland continued calmly, "Arguments over rare cards have become common. Regional hobby magazines have begun mentioning the game’s increasing popularity. Several local stores even started organising unofficial gatherings without prompting."
Roland turned another page before adding, "There is another factor contributing to the growth."
Hugh gestured slightly for him to continue, and so he did, "Several of the larger hobby stores accepted Alexander's proposal to host small local tournaments."
That earned a brief look of interest as Hugh asked, "Tournaments?"
Roland nodded, "Nothing extravagant. Weekly events, usually held on weekends. Entry requirements are minimal, and participation remains local."
He allowed himself a small smile before continuing, "The incentive structure proved remarkably effective."
Hugh already suspected where this was going, "Prize support?"
"Exactly."
Roland tapped the report lightly, "Alexander allocated limited quantities of specially designated rare cards as tournament rewards. Not enough to destabilise the market, but enough to create demand."
Hugh considered that for a moment, "Players want the cards."
"Yes, but more importantly, they want the opportunity to win them."
Roland leaned back slightly, "Attendance at participating stores increased almost immediately. Players who previously purchased a single deck began refining collections. Booster sales rose as competitors searched for stronger cards. Spectators frequently became customers after watching matches."
A faint note of admiration entered his voice, "The stores benefited from increased traffic. The players gained a competitive environment. Industrial Illusions sold additional product. Everyone involved had a reason to support the system."
Hugh's fingers rested against the arm of his chair, "A self-reinforcing cycle."
"Precisely."
Roland glanced down at the report once more, "Several stores have already requested permission to expand their events. Others have begun asking whether future promotional cards might be tied to organised play."
For a brief moment, Hugh said nothing, then he quietly observed, "He's turning retailers into community centres."
Then a faint smile touched Hugh’s face as he commented, "This is social propagation at its finest."
Roland nodded once, "Yes."
Hugh leaned back slightly and said, "He identified the correct demographic pressure points."
Scarcity, collection incentives, competitive engagement, and social participation.
Individually, none of them was revolutionary, but combined together? They were very effective, especially for younger consumers.
"For a child," Hugh said calmly, "Alexander understands behavioural reinforcement disturbingly well."
Roland almost smiled at the wording, almost, but he held back and said, "I had similar thoughts."
Hugh’s eyes moved briefly back toward the report, "Continue."
Roland opened another section of the folder and announced, "Moving on, Thomas Merriweather made a move that no one anticipated."
That caused Hugh’s expression to sharpen slightly as he asked, "The owner of that small typography? Merriweather Commercial Printing & Design?"
"The same."
Roland folded his hands together and said, "After observing the early demand trends, he concluded the project had long-term potential. He secured a sizable loan, acquired a manufacturing facility that had been struggling financially, and began rapidly expanding production capability to meet Alexander's ever-expanding needs."
Hugh’s eyebrows lifted slightly as he mused, "That's a considerable gamble."
"Yes." Roland’s tone remained even as he added, "But also a calculated one."
Then he further explained, "He leveraged his previous working relationship with Alexander to negotiate an exclusive production contract with Industrial Illusions that includes printing, packaging, distribution materials, booster wrapping, starter box production... Basically everything."
Hugh remained silent for several seconds, but not because he disliked the development, quite the opposite, as independent investors only gambled like that when they sensed genuine momentum.
"Any legal vulnerabilities or hidden threats?" Hugh finally asked.
Roland shook his head immediately and replied, "Elizabeth reviewed everything personally."
That answer alone carried weight.
"Industrial Illusions is fully protected contractually. Intellectual property ownership remains entirely secured. Merriweather receives manufacturing exclusivity, nothing more. On top of that, he offered a very fair price. It is clear that he wants to bind his rise to Industrial Illusion's success."
Hugh gave a slow approving nod while thinking, 'This is good. Very good. It seems that Alexander has surrounded himself with surprisingly competent and daring people. Or perhaps— No. More likely the boy intentionally selected them.'
That thought lingered unpleasantly in the back of Hugh’s mind.
Roland flipped another page and reported, "Approximately two months after the demonstration campaign, active product distribution expanded to roughly twenty to forty local and regional stores."
"Hobby shops?" Hugh guessed.
Roland nodded, "Primarily. Hobby stores, comic stores, toy stores. A few speciality retailers also began carrying limited stock."
He glanced briefly at the figures, "Current average weekly movement across all stores is approximately one hundred to two hundred Starter Boxes, five hundred to one thousand Starter Decks, and roughly two thousand to five thousand Booster Packs."
Even Hugh looked genuinely impressed at that while thinking, 'Those numbers are absurd for such a young product with almost no established infrastructure...'
After a very brief pause to digest the new information, Hugh asked, "And revenue?"
"Twelve to fifteen thousand dollars gross weekly."
Roland paused briefly before adding, "Net profits currently fluctuate between three and six thousand weekly depending on manufacturing expansion costs."
Silence settled across the office, then Hugh slowly leaned back into his chair again and commented, "That's very impressive."
At the same time, he thought, 'Especially considering the project had started as little more than an idea from my son.'
"A toy product recovering initial investment that quickly would already be noteworthy," Hugh murmured.
Roland looked toward him carefully before he said, "He has already done considerably more than recover the investment."
That made Hugh glance back up and see that Roland’s expression remained calm, but there was something else beneath it now, something closer to genuine admiration.
"At first," Roland admitted quietly, "I believed this was simply a successful product launch."
He shook his head once before he revealed, "I was mistaken."
Hugh said nothing and waited for his most trusted person to expand that affirmation.
"Stores now reorder inventory without persuasion. Players actively recruit new players themselves. Booster sales already exceed starter sales consistently."
For a moment, Hugh said nothing.
His eyes lingered on the numbers printed across the page while thinking, 'Most products follow predictable patterns. A successful launch generates excitement. A strong advertising campaign generates sales. Then eventually the novelty fades, and the customer moves on to the next thing. That cycle is so common that entire industries have been built around restarting it repeatedly. Yet the trend in front of me appears to be moving in the opposite direction. The more players enter the ecosystem, the more attractive participation itself becomes. Every new customer increases the value of existing customers. Every tournament creates new competitors. Every competitor seeks stronger cards. Every prize card generates prestige. Every store becomes a gathering point. Every trade encourages further collecting. Every discussion creates more interest. It is an unusually efficient feedback loop... And feedback loops, when left unchecked, have a tendency to become very powerful.'
Slowly, Hugh closed the report and muttered, "Interesting."
Roland’s fingers tapped lightly against the folder as he continued, "Communities form naturally around the stores carrying the product."
That sentence lingered in the air, and slowly, Hugh’s eyes narrowed slightly because he understood exactly what Roland was actually saying, 'Alexander had not merely created a product; he created a self-sustaining ecosystem. Consumer retention. Community reinforcement. Organic expansion. Repeat engagement. That's the kind of thing corporations spend millions trying to manufacture artificially. And my fifteen-year-old son had stumbled into it almost accidentally... Or perhaps not accidentally at all.'
A faint smile appeared on Hugh’s face before he hid it behind composure almost immediately and murmured softly, "He was able to do all that at his age..."
Roland noticed, but he wisely pretended not to and continued with his report, "Considering the scale of his success, there are naturally some complications beginning to emerge."
Hugh raised an eyebrow and guessed, "Copycat products?"
Roland nodded and said, "A few. But the most malicious attempts were quickly shut down through trademark and copyright enforcement."
Then he continued, "Counterfeit concerns have also started appearing. Several stores requested exclusive promotional products. Supply shortages still occur periodically, though they are becoming less severe as Merriweather’s factory expands production capability."
Hugh listened quietly, not showing much reaction.
"Parents have begun complaining occasionally about excessive spending habits among children. Local media outlets are also starting to notice the trend."
At the end of Roland's report, Hugh asked, "And Alexander?"
Roland allowed himself the smallest smile as he replied, "He predicted all of it."
Hugh’s eyes sharpened again before he further asked, "Every single emerging issue?"
Before answering, Roland hesitated briefly but not because he lacked a response; rather, because he was considering how best to phrase it.
Over the past several months, he had watched Alexander negotiate contracts, coordinate production schedules, manage public demonstrations, handle legal concerns, and prepare contingency plans for problems that had not even appeared yet.
The experience had forced Roland to reevaluate several assumptions.
Chief among them was what a fifteen-year-old should realistically be capable of.
"You know," Roland said quietly, "when this project started, I assumed we would eventually reach the point where experienced adults would need to take over."
Hugh glanced toward him.
Roland allowed himself a faint smile and said, "I'm no longer certain that's true."
"He did not necessarily predict every individual incident," Roland corrected calmly, "but he did predict every category of issue."
Supply strain, counterfeits, competitive scarcity, parental backlash, retail negotiation pressure, media attention.
Alexander had apparently prepared contingency responses for all of them beforehand.
For several seconds, Hugh remained completely silent, then finally a quiet chuckle escaped him.
It was brief, controlled and extremely rare for him.
Roland stared for exactly half a second before looking away politely.
Hugh shook his head slightly and said in a tone that didn't hide what he was feeling, "Heh... It seems my son understands markets better than some senior executives."
There it was again, that pride that was small and restrained but unmistakably real, and for a man like Hugh Jones, it meant far more than open praise ever could.
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