The next morning, at the New headquarters of Kazuno Technologies, a few heads of the research department and some people from the security department were sitting on the conference room. They were waiting for two people to join in. The mysterious CEO who barely shows up and the even more mysterious owner of the company who hasn't showed up since the company began.

"Hey Matsumoto, do you think Winter's going to show up?" Matsumoto Kippei, otherwise known as Void Android was asked by the head of network security who was known in game as Squid G.o.d.

The two of them have been with the company since the beginning. Even though they preferred to bury themselves in their works, they were very concerned about the company, especially when it involved their benefactor and the future wife that he left to take the lead.

"Probably not. It's already rare enough that he joins conferences like these. He's a research nut like me so he'll only show up when he really needs to. I wouldn't even be here if it weren't needed" he replied.

The pioneer members of the company were still very much interested in Kazuya but from the start of the company to the present, their schedules have not allowed them to have time to be distracted. The pa.s.sionate workers Kazuya was able to recruit, completed their tasks non-stop and helped the company grow at a pace that even Kazuya had not expected.

They a.s.sumed that Kazuya had buried himself in research because he was always one of the main contributors to all the research projects that were released. He always played a key part while taking none of the credit for everything they released which everyone found strange.

Since Kazuya had taken care of some of the key parts of their research, he felt no need to take the credit away from the original developers. This was the reason why he remained in the background while helping them with the projects they would eventually complete even if it weren't for his help.

Due to his help, people were free to help with the other researches which increased the productivity of everything they had been working on. Of course, the main projects still needed to be perfected and their releases needed to be timed correctly so the company had been releasing some of their minor projects which have been gaining popularity that no other company had expected.

"Hey Mame-san, how about you? Have you met with the big boss? and I don't mean the CEO" Squid G.o.d who was known as Muni Ika in the real world asked one of the security employees that were with them as they waited. "I heard that most of the members of the special security personnel were tested by him"

"I have but… I cannot disclose anything about the young master" Mame shook his head. It was already a known fact that Kazuya had been young but only the ones recruited by Kazuya knew who he was. This gave them a sort of superiority over the researchers who were supposed to be recruited by him as well.

"d.a.m.n… Winter is really a thorough guy. I wonder if I should just hack him" Ika grinned. He was usually busy with handling the systems, helping with the programming or goofing off with games so it was only at times like this when he wasn't on the game with the Kazuya did he think about his real ident.i.ty.

"Don't do it. You'll only get yourself in trouble like last time" Kippei warned this former hacker friend of his.

This impulsive guy tried testing the waters and attempted to infiltrate the server that Kazuya used to send large amounts of research data to the research center. He was curious as to where Kazuya was doing his work so he tried tracing the source of the information but the system found out before he could do anything and Ika almost got his personal computer fried.

[Get Back to Work] was the message appeared on his screen before his computer really broke down and it made him learn his lesson to not mess with the big boss.

Of course, this was also his own handiwork from Kazuya's past life. This was one of the most ruthless anti-hacker programs that he sold to one of the biggest security firms in the world. It was what protected Kazuya's connection and the main files of their company. It would not have been that merciful if the connection came from an unknown source.

"Ugh… aren't you curious? Winter has been responsible for most of the successes of all the main projects while still being in school. I don't think even I would have the time to develop such a ruthless security system while doing all that research and attending school at the same time" Ika raised a point which made Mame look up to Kazuya even more.

"(You guys are going to faint if you find out how old the young master is and his capabilities in martial arts as well)" he tried holding back a laugh.

"No one should be more curious than me. You should know that when everything started, I was the very first person who joined him out of curiosity. I would probably still be locked up in my old apartment trying to make sure a cup of ramen would last me for a day if I haven't come across winter and Autumn that day" he reminisced.

Two years had already pa.s.sed since they met. No one expected that a bunch of people who met up in an online game would successfully form their own company. Most of the researchers have already lost hope when they stubbornly held onto their respective projects that were deemed unprofitable but the appearance of one 'Winter Fog' changed the course of their lives forever.

"You haven't asked him to meet yet?" Ika asked. If there was one person in their group who could make Kazuya meet them then it would be Kippei.

"I asked at last year's end of the year gathering. It took a little while to make him come clean but the real reason he can't attend such gatherings is because of his mother. The big miss has already confirmed it as well. Her mother-in-law doesn't let her son go during that time"

"For real!?" Ika who couldn't believe such juicy gossip had eluded him for a long time reacted. Before he could ask for more details however, the doors of the conference room opened and Mei who had just arrived came in with her a.s.sistant who everyone was most familiar with as the one who has the most authority when Mei wasn't present.

"Apologies for the wait" Mei looked at them with her usual cold demeanor before sitting down at one of the two seats at the head of the long table.

*Blip Blip* she immediately pressed a series of b.u.t.tons on the table in front of her and the chair beside her started to make sounds. A hologram appeared soon afterwards which showed the character avatar of Winter Fog who every researcher was familiar with.

"Is everyone finally here?" the avatar that represented Kazuya looked around the room and confirmed that everyone that had been called was present.

He was currently inside his storage room turned research s.p.a.ce located in the Kouzuki Household. The technology he was using was a prototype that they were developing that was designed for disabled children or those confined in the hospital to be able to attend cla.s.ses at a regular school from where they were.

Kazuya used the appearance of Winter Fog to appear because they have still yet to develop the system to replicate one's complete appearance. This was also the most recognized appearance of him to the researchers so he simply used this form.

"I hope everyone has been well these past few days. The release of the 'Rucy-chan Project' is almost here so I hope that everyone is looking forward to this as much as me" Kazuya spoke. His image was being broadcasted throughout their building so everyone paid attention since it was rare for them to hear from the real person behind the creation of Kazuno Tech despite it being named after their CEO.

"I'm here today to talk to everyone about the recent incidents that I have gotten word of. This should not have been an issue because all of you are well aware of the contents of the contracts that you have signed to join the company. I am here to give everyone a report on the current situation because I expect that this matter will most likely escalate" Kazuya turned towards Mei to take over the broadcast.

"Good morning everyone. As all of you are aware, our company has been growing at an unexpected pace. While it is good news for this to be happening, it does come with a few troubles. With our fame rising, the big companies have started to turn their eyes towards our direction.

Yes, they are the same companies that have labeled the projects which made our company grow 'unprofitable and useless'. These companies have already tried prying into our company's projects and capabilities. While all of it is indeed normal, some of them have already been trying unscrupulous means to gather information about our main projects.

One such example is with the research head of the Rucy-chan project. Though we encourage those who want to be known for their accomplishments to step up whenever there is a release, please be reminded that letting your name be known will also attract this sort of attention" Mei turned towards Kippei who turned towards the camera that had s.h.i.+fted towards him.

"I have been receiving calls from numbers that are both familiar and unfamiliar to me recently. Those who I am familiar with were the ones that I have once in the past memorized. I memorized them because at some point in my life, and I'm sure that at some point of my other colleagues' as well are the numbers we've waited on when we were waiting for our inventions or research work to be evaluated.

These were the numbers that made me wait anxiously for weeks to months only to receive a call telling me that I should give up on my life's work and find something else that is more useful or profitable to society.

These people have tried contacting me after recent attention that my project had gained ever since it's announcement and demo. Some of them tried inquiring about the company and some of them even tried to blatantly asked how much it would take for me to take my project and move it over to their company. I find these people repulsing and I feel insulted that they would think that I would just take their offers after what they said to me and how they judged my research that is now getting the attention it deserves.

Most of you already know me here. I have been one of the very first people who joined before the company officially existed. I may not think I'm a very good person but I am not an ungrateful person. I don't need the contract to remind me that I would never join them no matter how much they offer" Kippei finished and turned over to Mei who had been surprised at how pa.s.sionate and serious he had been. Kazuya told her that most of the people he recruited from the game were from the 'visions' he had of the future so this gave her a lot to think about.

"This is not a single incident but one of the many that we have been hearing with for the past couple of weeks. Even some of the project heads responsible for our previous releases were approached by such people.

We are informing everyone of this because we want you to be prepared in the event that they ever try and approach you to initiate such transactions. This reminder is also to congratulate everyone, we had done it, we have proven them wrong and the work and pa.s.sion that everyone here has been ridiculed for in the past was not useless as they have declared.

Our company will continue to grow and it will not be long until we are able to stand in line with those companies by using the research they had deemed unprofitable in the past. This has been one of the goals that the people that started this company set and we are on the fast track to completing them. We want everyone to be able to stand by their own creation and tell the companies that shunned them that they were wrong and look enviously at the company that was created to cater to pa.s.sionate researchers such as yourselves.

With that, we have implemented additional security measures that will be discussed by a leader of your group and department in the coming days. We have also placed additional people and functions in the living s.p.a.ce that the company has for our researchers. Please do not be afraid to inform any of your leaders or security personnel if you have experienced or encountered some of these incidents.

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Thank you for all your hard work and we hope that there won't be any people that would be blinded by greed enough to break their contracts" The broadcast ended with that and everyone in the room was finally able to relax.

"Good job Kazuno-sama" Yumi who come with Mei served a gla.s.s of water. She was not a stranger to existence of Kazuno Tech because Mei had already informed her that she would be taking over her position as Kyouko's support.

Yumi was initially shocked to find out that the person she idolized was going to leave her post. It was only until Kazuya agreed to share the secret with her that she understood why Mei was doing it and calmed herself. She found out that the evaluation she gave Kazuya on her mind was underestimating the capabilities of her young master. She was flattered that Kazuya had agreed to let her be Mei's successor while also sharing the secret that only Mei had known.

"Thanks" Mei took a sip and turned towards the hologram. "Now then, what do you plan to do?"

"First of all, I'd like to inform everyone here about my recent discoveries. Although we shared the incidents happening to give them a vague reminder that we are aware of the bribes going around, I'm not really worried about major information leaks because the levels of secrecy are quite strict. They would only dig themselves a deeper pit if they reveal ident.i.ties or even more sensitive information.

I'm here to remind everyone to remain vigilant because there is no limit to human greed. It can turn close friends and even families against each other. I am sure that even if people are aware of the consequences of breaking the contract, sweet words from companies offering enough money and the guise of protection will be enough to sway some of them to think that they will be safe enough" Kazuya spoke and turned towards everyone slowly. The members attending the conference were the people leading their own teams so they would be able to pa.s.s on the message.

"You don't need to worry about the security here young master. You can count on us" Mame declared. He looked up to Kazuya the most so he spoke with confidence and honesty.

"Oh believe me, anyone who betrays the company will find out that the repercussions of breaking their contract would be the least of their worries"

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