bopdog111: They managed to obtain info.
Ulrich362: Well, more like Emperor handed that information to them. Though now the question is what's going to happen next?
bopdog111: Maybe now they get the answers they needed.
Ulrich362: Hopefully they will, of course things are never that simple. Enjoy the chapter.
Disclaimer: We don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V, or VRAINS but we own the OCs!
Emperor sighed softly upon exiting Link VRAINS after giving Akira the promotion, and informing Playmaker, and Nyx of his involvement in the Lost Incident. He hopes they accept he's not an enemy.
Suddenly someone knocked on his door. "Permission to enter Emperor sir?"
Hearing that he turned to his door placing the helmet down answering, "Come in."
A SOL employee nervously walked in. "Sir... King has requested your presence in his office."
"My father wants me? Did he say why?" Emperor asked him curiously.
"No... just that you were to report to his office immediately." the employee answered nervously.
Nodding at this Emperor said, "Tell him I'm on my way."
The employee nodded before leaving the office quickly.
"Father doesn't call unless it's important... I wonder what that is." Emperor wondered before shrugging walking out to King's office arriving at the door before knocking on the door.
"Who is it?" a female voice asked from inside.
"It's Emperor, ma'am." Emperor answered from behind.
An employee from in the office opened the door as he bowed to the occupants walking in while the employee shut the door.
"So you finally show up." mentioned a man with a goatee. "The inner circle all together to discuss what happened, and how Playmaker got confidential information from our data banks."
Emperor sat down as the man said this nodding, "Akira informed me about it, and requested for me to allow him to protect the banks himself."
"A task he failed miserably at. And for some reason you chose to promote him instead of terminating him." mentioned a short man sitting at the table. "You're an ignorant child who clearly doesn't understand the way the world works."
"I'm in complete agreement, that's why I propose first and foremost stripping Sota of any power in SOL Technologies and firing Zaizen." mentioned a third man sitting next to the man with the goatee.
"My reasons why are justified." Emperor stated simply with closed eyes without flinching, "Kitamura slacks off instead of doing his job. Whenever the Hanoi attacks he doesn't do anything instead of protecting the VRAINS often on 'untimely breaks' as he so calls them. However Akira when he was the Security Manager does his job successfully placing every ounce of his body into it. And also Kitamura was away on those breaks when Playmaker, and his group obtained Ghost Gal's key to the Data Banks, and he wasn't present when that happened instead of enforcing Security to keep that key safe. And when those Pawn Drone Prototypes were tested on Playmaker, and Nyx he failed to take their greatest strengths into account, and they both failed to apprehend them despite being so much time on. If continued like this Link VRAINS, and in turn the entire company would've been in complete danger of being hijacked, or hacked due to a incompetent Security Manager."
He opened his eyes before adding, "And last I checked, Akira had been a really loyal employee of our's for years, and unlike Kitamura he was always ready to enforce Security in the VRAINS when needed, and I see no better canidate for the Manager of Security them him. He might've failed but he still protected it well since Playmaker did no hijacks or hacks in the Data Banks."
He crossed his arms, and closed his eyes with a smile saying, "So like I said, my reasons about Akira's promotion was justified."
"How can you say that?" questioned a woman with blue and green hair. "Yes Akira's work ethic is admirable and he did more than Kitamura but the fact remains he failed. A hacker infiltrated our data banks and stole vital information."
"However, that does lead to another concern... there may be a spy in our midst." mentioned a blonde man at the head of the table getting everyone's attention. "Your judgment regarding Akira Zaizen aside there's a more pressing matter. Nyx has been seen with Playmaker on multiple occasions and by your own account she fought alongside him against Kitamura's drones."
"Yes both Nyx, and Playmaker are seen a lot together. I do not yet know why exactly their seen together a lot." Emperor said to the man before saying, "But not to worry father, I'm sure that with Akira's performance at Security we can figure it out. Just allow Akira another chance, he really is a loyal employee. Despite his faults he always remained loyal to SOL, and when in charge of Security he puts his heart, and soul into it. As for this spy, I do had a somewhat mixed feeling recently. So far, I haven't found anything related but I'm sure we will get to the bottom of it father. So please give Akira another shot, and I promise he will be working hard into this matter."
The man closed his eyes hearing that. "Very well Sota, I'll give him this chance but I'll be keeping a very close eye on his performance. However, if he fails again you'll have to take full responsibility."
Emperor stood up bowing, "I understand. My head if something went wrong, that's how this works doesn't it." He smiled to father before adding, "Also may I request something?"
His father nodded calmly.
"I had also employed the Shepherd, and White Tiger for the job to find Playmaker, and his group. If it's fine with you, I would like for them to have some of SOL's vital codes for them to be anywhere in the VRAINS including to ability to prevent logging out when we find Playmaker, and Nyx." Emperor requested his father.
"Permission granted." the man nodded before his expression darkened. "Now, there is one other thing we all need to discuss."
"The Knights of Hanoi." the short man frowned.
Emperor bowed with a smile, "Well, if I'm not involved in this part of the meeting may I be excused? I gotta make sure that Akira does not waste his chance with us both capturing the Ignis, and finding this spy."
"Of course, but before you go I do have to ask you... what are your thoughts towards how we should deal with them?" his father inquired. "Considering your... unique connection to the Hanoi."
Emperor didn't move before he looked over his shoulder saying, "For my complete honest opinion... trap them in a area that their hacking can't get out of, and then using never ending Pawn Drones on them until their defeated."
"I see, you're dismissed Sota." the man told him.
"Thank you father. You too mother." Emperor said bowing to both him, and the woman before walking out leaving the Inner Circle. As he walked down the hall a memory reaches his mind.
Flashback (10 Years ago)...
"AH!" a younger Emperor screamed from being electrocuted dropping down whimpering as he looked seeing only juice was there as he whimpered sitting against the wall only for the power to go out, and looked seeing Paramedics getting him out of the facility.
He was in a hospital room staring up at the celling with an IV hooked to his arm kept staring when the door opened as he looked over seeing a younger Akira, Emma, a teal haired young man, and a white long haired woman with soft red eyes had just arrived.
"Are you feeling ok?" Emma asked walking over to him.
"Guys." Emperor said seeing them, "Where's... father, and mother?"
"Their on business as usual." the woman told him softly before grinning, "But hey it just means your stuck with us for a while."
Emperor smiled a little before looking a little troubled, "Well... I'm not really okay."
Akira frowned hearing that. "Well, if it means anything you're safe now."
The white-haired woman smiled softly. "Do you want anything? Water, or maybe something to eat?"
Emperor looked to her before answering, "Some... some water will be nice, Misaki."
She nodded walking out to get some water for him. Emma turned to the man who only stood on the doorway as she said, "Kenneth, aren't you gonna say something?"
Kenneth only grunted turning away before saying, "I only came, cause I wanted to make sure he's healthy."
Emperor only smiled knowing that's his words for saying he's worried for Emperor cause he cares for him. Kenneth may not look it but he would certainly care a great deal for Emperor underneath this tough act.
"Thanks guys..." Emperor smiled as Misaki walked back in, "I don't know what I do without you."
"You won't ever have to find out." Akira whispered to him.
1 Year Later...
Kenneth rarely shows true affection for Emperor. Despite his tough act he does give anything for him to be alright, and wishes no harm come to him. And now his true feelings of caring for him shows tonight.
While working late at SOLs a News Report came up catching the attention of Akira, Emma, Kenneth, and Misaki who were talking business as the news reporter said, "We have received word of a major car accident had just happened! The occupants of the crash was CEO of SOL Technologies' son, Sota Tarumaki, and his butler-" Kenneth froze in shock hearing that before paying attention, "Both are rushed to the hospital in critical condition, and-"
He immediately dropped everything he was holding and ran for the front door at full speed. "Damn it... another one of those things!"
"Hey Kenneth!" Emma cried startled.
Misaki shook her head saddened, "Poor guy... Come on we better follow." They nodded following Kenneth out the door to the hospital.
The hospital was busy before the door burst open as everyone looked seeing Kenneth arrived breathing heavily soaking wet from the rain.
"Where... where is Sota Tarumaki?" he questioned the receptionist.
"Huh? S-Sora Tarumaki sir?" the receptionist asked too confused but pulls herself together typing in as the other three arrived before the receptionist answered, "Room 816, sir ungoing surgery."
"What happened to him?" Kenneth asked quickly.
"From the reports we received the AI in his car malfunctioned, and-" the receptionist started.
Emma, Akira, and Misaki all could see Kenneth tense up badly hearing that before he clenched his fists.
Kenneth ran again arriving where he sees a stretcher holding Emperor heavily injured was there breathing on oxygen as he tried approaching only to be held back by some of the staff against his protesting as they moved the stretcher into the room.
It been passed a few hours, and the three never seen Kenneth looked so frantic about Emperor. They are wondering why he's acting like that. Well Akira, and Emma at least but Misaki knows full well what's going on.
"Damn it!" he growled punching a wall. "It's all their fault."
"Who's fault?" Akira asked wondering what he's saying.
Misaki at this answered, "The AI's."
Emma, and Akira turned to her confused before she asked Kenneth, "Should, I tell them Ken?"
"No… but I'm done with SOL Tech." he frowned.
"They have a right to know honey." Misaki said looking saddened to him softly patting his shoulder, "It's never easy but talking about it will make you feel better if you have someone to share your story too."
"Fine, do what you want." he told her as she could see the pure hatred in his eyes.
Misaki turned to Emma, and Akira saying, "Kenneth, and his mother... they got in a similar accident a while back."
Akira's eyes widened as Emma gasped in shock and horror.
"It was on her Birthday, and he wanted to make it the best but that happened, and it changed him into what you saw now. That's why he hates AI, and his arm has been replaced." Misaki said sadly to them before saying, "Hearing Sota got into an accident like this... it's reminding him of it."
"That... I had no idea." Akira frowned.
"Is there anything we can do?" Emma asked her.
"You just let me help Ken." Misaki said with a sad smile before frowning turning to the room Sota's in, "Now... we wait for Sota."
It had been a few hours but a doctor exited the room.
"How is he?" Emma asked as Akira was sending messages on his Duel Disk to Sota's parents.
The doctor stared before saying, "We did everything we could, and he is hanging on..." He then sighed, "But, I'm afraid our efforts aren't enough. You may want to say your goodbyes now."
Her eyes widened in disbelief hearing that before choking up and walking in along with Misaki. Emperor was laying on the bed with weak vital signs with a white blanket covering his body while bandages were around the right side of his face with an HIV in his arm.
"Sota..." Masaki whispered in disbelief seeing that before tearing up.
"Wasn't once enough?" Emma frowned. "His parents should be here."
Akira grunted trying to keep his emotions in check but Kenneth passed them walking over to Emperor staring down to him as the three watched him before Kenneth reached taking his hand in his grunting, "Again... This had to happen again... These damn AIs...!" He grunted holding Emperor's hand tight in his own before shutting his eyes tight before to the shock of the three some tears started to leak from Kenneth's eyes.
"Damn it... you can't die Sota... don't let that thing win." he whispered. "You're stronger than this... I know you are."
The doctor sighed before saying to the three, "I'm sorry... we did all that we could-"
"Doctor?" a nurse said suddenly looking shocked as he looked before she pointed where they looked except Kenneth who was too emotional to notice seeing Emperor's vitals are no longer weakening in fact going into stable condition.
"This... it's incredible." the nurse whispered.
"Quickly, we may just save him yet. Everyone give us room to work." the doctor told the four of them quickly.
Kenneth wasn't paying attention as his tears dropped on Emperor who slowly opened his uninjured eye feeling the tears seeing Kenneth was above with shut eyes crying as he asked weakly, "K-Kenneth...?"
Hearing that Kenneth slowly opened his eyes to find Emperor looking at him weakly as he said, "Sota..."
"Kenneth...? Are you... crying?" Emperor asked him as best he could in shock from never seeing Kenneth a fearsome Bounty Hunter tearing up.
"Of course not." he answered blinking them away. "I just... I'm glad you're ok Sota. You've suffered enough for a lifetime."
"Mr. Drayden please leave the room so we can rescue him." the nurse said ushering him out of the room closing the door.
After a few hours the same nurse exited the room looking immensely relieved.
"Well?" Emma asked fearfully as Akira was still sending messages to Sota's parents as Masaki saw him getting more and more frustrated with the lack of any response.
The nurse has tears before saying, "He'll live."
"Oh thank god." Emma whispered.
The nurse turned around as the four can see Emperor sleeping peacefully, "It was a lot of work, but we managed to save him. He'll be staying for a few weeks until he fully recovers." She then smiled with tears, "I don't know what happened that made that second wind happen... but I'm so glad that happened when it did."
The three of them all smiled hearing that.
End Flashback...
Emperor raised a hand that touched the scar on his eye upon remembering that. Since that incident the four had kept close touch on him, and he considers them his greatest friends, and Kenneth although tough, and hard has a spot exclusively for him (and for Misaki). Despite his parents' lack of company when his accident happened he felt no resentment towards them since his friend's company was enough for him. He walked into the Security room where he finds Akira talking with Hayami, and Emma as he smiled walking over to them.
"Huh, Emperor sir I didn't hear you come in." Hayami mentioned before bowing her head respectfully.
"At ease Hayami, no need to be so polite with me... as I told ya several times." Emperor said with a soft smile to her since Hayami is really polite but sometimes TOO polite for him.
"Of course sir." she said hearing that as Akira turned and smiled softly.
Meanwhile...
A Knight of Hanoi cried out as a copy of Crimson Knight Vampire Bram wiped out his life points.
"Damn it!"
A red haired woman walked in wondering what's going on, and sees Rosaly. She looked frustrated and there were close to a dozen defeated Knights of Hanoi near her. "How could I be so stupid? I had the key to stopping them and I didn't play it, I cost us everything!"
"Rosaly, what is going on?" the woman asked her.
"What's going on Baira, is I cost us the Ignis!" she snapped. "I went back over the duel to see how Varis and I could have lost and I realized I threw the match! I had the one card that could have stopped Playmaker in his tracks but I let them get under my skin. I was so focused on the field I ignored Playmaker's spell card, and my own Burial from a Different Dimension."
"Calm down young lady. We have another chance at taking the Ignis." Baira told her taking her shoulder softly.
She sighed. "I know, but with everything... we can't afford to make mistakes like that."
Baira saw her expression darken slightly as she looked worried.
"Well this time it won't be." Baira told her before saying, "Cause your father is now gonna use our last resort to catch the Ignis."
"That... you mean we're using that?" she asked in shock.
Baira softly nodded, "By this point with Playmaker, and Nyx's strength kept growing, and they successfully obtained information from the Lost Incident from our spy, he decided that it's time to use it."
Rosaly nodded. "I should go with them."
With that she turned to walk off only to pause before looking over her shoulder.
"And Baira... thanks for always being there for me."
Baira only nodded saying, "Your mother trusted me to help your father look after you, and your brother. And I will make sure you both will be safe."
Rosaly smiled warmly at that before walking to where her father and brother were talking.
Seeing her Varis turned to her, "Rosaly... Me, and father we're talking about the Tower of Hanoi."
"Baira told me, so it's true?" she asked. "We're resorting to that?"
Kiyoshi nodded to her saying, "Yes, Rosaly. With how much time had passed with the Dark, and Water Ignis being in Playmaker, and Nyx's hands we don't have much other choice."
They both saw her flinch at that before nodding.
"And... I want us to have a talk." Kiyoshi told the two as they looked to him before he sighed, "I am nearing the end of my journey you two... I might not even live to see the day the Ignis will be gone."
His kids both frowned at that but didn't say anything.
"But when that day comes... I want you two to know... I'm proud of you both. You two have done anything I asked without question, and had never once asked for anything despite me being hard on you both." Kiyoshi closed his eyes, "Your both a good son, and daughter. And I want you both to not mourn for me by the time I leave. Just destroy my greatest mistake for me in my place."
"Of course, the Ignis will be wiped out." Varis answered as Rosaly nodded in agreement.
Kiyoshi nodded before pressing some buttons.
Meanwhile...
Cafe Nom's truck parked outside of You Show as the occupants exited the truck. As they exited Yusaku looked at the data Emperor had given him as only his family saw him briefly shudder.
"Something wrong Yusaku?" Cal asked him seeing him shuddering while he, and Lilly help Jin.
"Just... the worst six months of my entire life... it's all right here in my hand." he answered looking at it. "I know we've been trying for ten years but... it scares me."
Celina softly pat her son's back at this.
"Thanks mom... and honestly no matter how much this data frightens me, we need to learn what the Lost Incident really was... and why it happened." Yusaku admitted. "Not just for me, but for Jin too."
Lilly felt Jin's hand tightening around her's as he said this. With that they walked in where everyone was waiting.
"You finally have it?" Yuya asked seeing them.
Yusaku nodded showing him the data. "It's all in here."
Skip typed projecting it on a screen at the side of the wall allowing everyone to see.
"Does anyone understand that?" Yugo asked.
"I can." Cal said reading it over while Skip scrolled down.
"So can us you know." Ai deadpanned to him.
Cal soon looked shocked, "Whoa, say what!?"
"Cal?" Yuri asked. "What is it?"
"The leader of the Incident... Kiyoshi Kogami... is dead." Cal answered turning his head to them stunned.
"Dead?" Celina asked in shock. "Does it say anything about what happened to him?"
Cal looked over the data before saying, "Says he's been infected with a virus to a comatose state."
Everyone looked shocked hearing that.
"Does it say anything... about why it happened?" Yugo asked him.
Cal checked over before frowning, "It's too coded for me to unclear."
"Let me see." Declan told him.
Cal moved as Declan looked over.
He looked through the data only for his eyes to widen slightly seeing something. "What in the world?"
"What is it Declan?" Riley asked him.
"Kiyoshi Kogami... has two children." he answered.
"Children?" Celina asked surprised.
"It would seem so." Declan nodded. "They're only mentioned briefly."
"Does it say anything about why the Lost Incident happened?" Yuto asked him.
Declan looked back before his eyes widened. "What? The Knights of Hanoi are former SOL Tech employees."
"That explains why Varis said SOL was behind the Lost Incident." the female Ignis said hearing that.
"Does it say anything else at all Declan? Yuri asked him.
Declan looked before shaking his head no.
"So even this won't tell us why the incident happened?" Yuya asked. "But what now?"
Hearing a beeping Cal ran as they followed where he looked before he said, "We will have to talk to Hanoi again cause their doing something!"
Hearing that everyone ran to look and see what it was. It looked as though their creating a Tower energizing it with Link VRAINS avatars while placing a virus on them.
"That... we need to head back." Yuri frowned.
"Should we go with you?" Yugo asked him.
Yusaku said to them, "At this point by what their doing you can."
"It'll take us a while to get everything set up especially with the kids but we'll be following as soon as we can." Rin mentioned. "Be careful you guys, this looks bad."
They nodded entering the truck going back to Den City.
Meanwhile...
Hearing an alarm Emperor ran in seeing something on the screens before turning to Akira saying, "Akira what's going on in the VRAINS!?"
Akira looked as his eyes widened seeing not only a tower but dozens of Knights of Hanoi. "This is, Hayami... send Kitamura's drones, they should at least be able to keep the citizens safe while I try and figure out something to stop this."
"Affirmative!" Hayami replied.
Emperor grunted before turning to Akira, "Kenneth, and Misaki won't be here until the next few days so us, and Emma are on our own for this battle here Akira." He then looked determined, "And I have a promise to keep with father, so now Akira, let's stop whatever the Hanoi is up to together with Emma!"
Akira's eyes widened at that. "Sota... ok."
Ulrich362: Things are about to get very interesting... the Hanoi are making their last desperate play.
bopdog111: And Emperor is planning to lead SOL to stop them from doing that.
Ulrich362: It would seem so, see you in the next chapter.
bopdog111: Be sure to review!