As the CEO of an electronics manufacturer, Shouzo Yuuki knew all about "virtual holograms." But as he stood there, watching the Golden Dragon circle Seiya, he could feel its palpable presence and majesty, and he knew with 100% certainty that this was not some soulless visual effect. When the golden dragon looked down at him, Shouzo felt the primal fear of a creature facing a top-tier predator.
"Mr. Yuuki, is everything okay? Are you alright? Do you need help?"
The office had been noisy, and Shouzo's secretary's voice could be heard lightly from outside.
Clack!
Just as she was about to open the door, Seiya snapped his fingers. The moment the secretary entered, the majestic Golden Dragon that had been circling the office completely vanished. The young, beautiful secretary in her office attire saw her boss slumped on the floor and Seiya standing calmly to the side. She was shocked to see her boss like that and the shattered desk.
"Who told you to come in! I'm in the middle of a very important conversation with a guest. Get out! And warn everyone else—nobody is to come near this office without my orders!"
The shocked secretary was about to ask what happened, but Shouzo suddenly cursed at her and threw her out of the office. After being scolded, she looked hurt. She had come in because she was worried about him, but her good intentions were completely ignored. As she sulked, she felt a bit suspicious. In all her years as his secretary, Shouzo had always been a good-tempered man. Why was he so angry today? And who was that black-haired boy? Her desk was right outside his office, but she hadn't seen anyone go in.
"That boy looks about the same age as Miss Asuna... Could it be one of those TV show tropes? Like a secret illegitimate child has come back to fight for his inheritance, and that's why Mr. Yuuki is so angry and told me to stay away and not to tell anyone!" The secretary's imagination ran wild. She had been watching a show with a similar plot and knew that rich people could be a little wild. Shouzo seemed so proper, but maybe he had more than one illegitimate child.
Shouzo, in his office, had no idea his secretary had imagined him as a scandalous playboy. He was too consumed by the intense fear and anxiety that Seiya's presence caused him. As a materialist, he never thought his worldview would be shattered like this. It was normal for humans to fear what they couldn't understand. Although Seiya was still just a boy, Shouzo could no longer see him that way.
"I knew that showing my hand would be more effective than any words. What I just did was out of necessity, and I hope you can keep it a secret, Mr. Yuuki. After all, I want to live a quiet life."
"Now, let's get back to the point. After seeing my power, you should understand that I have no reason to covet anything your family has. The only reason I came to you is that I'm Asuna Yuuki's friend, and the reason she's in a coma is, ultimately, because of you."
If this were a few hours ago, Shouzo would have scoffed at Seiya calling himself his daughter's friend. But now, he felt completely different. He was happy that his daughter had such a powerful friend.
"Mr. Wenren..."
"Just call me Seiya. I'm actually a year younger than Asuna. You're her father, and I'm her friend. It feels weird for you to use an honorific."
Shouzo felt both relieved and happy to hear this. Seiya might have supernatural powers, but he wasn't a reckless madman. Since his relationship with Asuna was so good, he wouldn't have to worry about his family's safety.
"Since you're Asuna's friend, I'll take the liberty of calling you Seiya. But you said the reason Asuna is still in a coma is because of me. What do you mean?" Shouzo no longer questioned Seiya's words. He knew his family had some wealth, but to a person like Seiya, it was nothing. It would be an exaggeration to think Seiya had a motive against them. But if Seiya wasn't lying, Shouzo couldn't understand how he was to blame for his daughter not waking up.
"Didn't you notice? All 300 of the players who are still in a coma, including Asuna Yuuki, have their NerveGear devices monitored by your company, RECT. If someone didn't tamper with the devices, why would everyone else wake up except for those under your company's supervision?"
Two years ago, to find a way to free the SAO players, several electronics manufacturers had researched the NerveGear. RECT, as a famous company in the industry, was one of them. Two years had passed, and the technicians had come up with nothing, and the project was abandoned. Now, with Seiya's reminder, Shouzo suddenly remembered that because of his connections, the players assigned to RECT included his own daughter.