Byron laughed loudly when reading the reactions online about Sato. They were all mostly calling the young man a fraud, saying how there was definitely a real professional Grand Champion playing the game for him. Sato never really cared about such rumours. He just continued to play chess after dinner with Byron.
It was mostly fun and games, except when Sato decided to ask about something that has been stumping him for a long time to the wise old man. "Grandfather, can I you a question?"
"Go for it." Byron stopped focusing on the game as he gave his attention to the young man.
"How did you realised that the stock exchange and investment was your interest?"
"Oh, that's a good question," Byron leaned back on his chair as he placed his hand on his chin. Thinking about it, he answered as best as he could, "For me, my interest was never the stock exchange or investment. Rather, I loved the feeling of taking risks."
"Taking risks?"
"Yes. The best way to describe how I had lived my life for many decades was that I enjoyed staking everything I had on the line. I am a thrill seeker and I never stop taking risks even after receiving large profits. That was especially true when I was a young man around your age. This was why I had thought that playing in the stock exchange market was the best place for me as money comes and goes very quickly over there. It was exhilarating. However, as I grew older and I had more and more people that relied on me, I had to tone down such risks and set aside some backup plans."
"I see…" Sato entered a deep thought stage. The young man knew in himself that he did not have a specific interest in any industry. People like Marion Lee who had devoted their entire youth to wanting to create the best video game or Pete Kouglas who knew that fashion was their calling. Sato was not like them and more like Tobion Patriarch.
"What is your interest, young lad?" Byron asked curiously.
"I have been stuck on this question for the longest time. Hearing your story, I came to realise that maybe I don't just have to limit myself to one industry."
"That is correct."
"I..I would like to leave a lasting impact on this world." Sato dug deep and knew that this was what he truly wanted ever since he entered university. His greatest role models were the people that invented ground breaking technologies that help improve and better society as a whole. It was the reason why he had chosen Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science as a double degree. Hearing Byron's story had just greater solidified the plan in his head. "Does that count as an interest?"
"Of course it does. Who is to say that this is something that you cannot work towards? You dictate your own life and only you can decide what path you would like to head down on."
"Thank you, grandfather."
"Anytime, little Sato."
Back in the bedroom, Sato was lying on the bed, currently, using the Gateway tablet to do some research. He was in the midst of reading up current world problems that have been daunting on humanity. That was the best place he could start in figuring out what industry he should tackle first. The most striking problem in the 22nd century would definitely be the gradual depletion of natural resources, like precious metals. Over the past hundred years, humanity as a whole had advanced rapidly towards a technologically advanced society. This advancement required copious amounts of rare and expensive metals and as a result, the exhaustion of large mines around the world.
If Sato wanted to solve such an issue, how should he go about tackling it? The young man can't just create material out of air. This went beyond the laws of physics. He needed to acquire the metal from somewhere. Somewhere that mankind has been unable to figure out a way of retrieving such metals and transporting it back to the earth surface.
"Wait a minute. Earth surface? Earth?" Sato muttered to himself. In his thoughts, he realised that he had been thinking too much in the box. What makes him think that precious metals were only available on Earth? Why not just transport precious metals from other planets and use those to our advantage?
The young man proceeded to do some research using his university research database. Searching up about the current state of Space Mining, Sato noticed that many countries around the world had been conducting research on this topic for decades on end. Reading up on the more notable papers, Sato realised that, till this day, there has not been one successful invention of a sustainable and energy efficient space mining machine, much less a viable transportation solution.
"What are you looking at?" Gray asked. He had just finished showering and entered the bed with Sato.
"I am looking at my future." Sato smiled with anticipation.
"Space mining? You are thinking of entering this field of study?"
"Yes. This seems fun and interesting."
"Well, if you are up for it, I will be there to support you along the way." Gray said it with confidence. Anyone could tell that something like Space Mining expeditions would most definitely be equivalent to a black hole. No matter how much money someone places into the research, there never seems to be an end in sight. However, when it came down to believing Sato, Gray had full faith in his lover that he would be able to do it right. All they needed now, was time.