Chrysheight

A government bureaucrat. He belongs to the Second Special Office of the Advanced Telecommunications Network Promotion Division, Telecommunications Business Department, General Communications Infrastructure Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (internal name: Virtual Space Management Division within the Communications Network, internal nickname: Virtual Division). His position is unknown. He claims to be a "career bureaucrat who was sidelined to a window seat department after falling off the promotion track." His birthday is December 9 in the story. As of 2024 in the story, he is in his early 30s.

During the SAO incident, he served as the leader of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' SAO Incident Victim Rescue Task Force (commonly known as the "SAO Incident Task Team"), organizing the reception system for hospitals where victims were transported. Immediately after SAO was cleared, he rushed to Kazuto, who had just awakened, to conduct an interview. After the spread of "The Seed," he was responsible for administrative tasks related to the investigation and monitoring of the chaotic virtual worlds. He plays ALO as part of his research on VRMMO games and, recognizing Kazuto's skills as a gamer, requested him to make contact with "Death Gun." Although Kazuto finds him suspicious, he cannot refuse his requests due to the various conveniences Kikuoka has provided, such as contact information for people Kazuto met in SAO and overlooking the possession of a NerveGear that was supposed to be disposed of.

He is seconded to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, but his original status is that of a Ground Self-Defense Force officer with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was the promoter of Project Alicization and the highest responsible person of the disguised company "RATH." He had been paying attention to full-dive VR technology since the NerveGear was released, sensing its potential to fundamentally change warfare. His reasons for volunteering to be seconded to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications were to witness the outcome of the SAO incident with his own eyes, to avoid regulations on VR technology, and to secure clues and personnel to advance his plans. He secretly had Kazuto cooperate with Project Alicization under the guise of a part-time job and, under the pretext of treating Kazuto, who had fallen into a coma due to the remnants of "Death Gun," secretly transported him to the "Ocean Turtle." He attempted to treat Kazuto by having his mind dive into the UW again. After resolving the series of incidents in the UW, he anticipated being held accountable and entrusted the position of highest responsibility to Rinko. He faked his death by taking advantage of the injuries he sustained during Gabriel's attack and decided to support RATH from the shadows. However, Kazuto suspects that he has not given up on the military use of the project. In the UR, with Higa's help, he created a fictional identity as Seijirou's twin brother "Reizaburou Kikuoka" to disguise his status.

Although he himself feels friendship towards Kazuto and the others, due to his various behind-the-scenes maneuvers and making Kazuto cooperate in the investigation of Death Gun and RATH's research, he is generally treated coldly by them.