"Hmm? Oh, I remember you. You were with the Genji Army, weren't you? You've got a good head on your shoulders. That's right, I'm the one and only Mr. XeXeeD."
(Why the hell is he adding a 'Mr.' to his own name? God, I can't stand this guy…)
Despite his internal loathing, Spiegel didn't let a hint of it reach his face. Instead, he kept his expression bright and struck up a conversation with XeXeeD.
"Seeing you fight up close again today... it really drove home how much of a different league you're in compared to everyone else."
(Well, I certainly was watching you—mostly just to set up this conversation.)
"Ho? You've got a keen eye, kid."
"Thank you. But more than that... that gun of yours is just incredible, isn't it?"
In that instant, Spiegel caught the fleeting shadow that crossed XeXeeD's face.
(Just like my brother said. He hates being told he's only strong because of his gear, even though his actual skill is mediocre. In that case...)
Spiegel didn't miss a beat. "But then again, a world-class player wouldn't settle for anything less than world-class tools. They have to match, after all."
XeXeeD blinked, taken aback for a moment, before a wide, self-satisfied grin broke across his face.
"Exactly! See, you get it! You're spot on. For a player of my caliber, I need a gun like this just to keep up with my own skills."
(Good. The hook is set.)
From there, Spiegel continued to heap praise upon him. Watching from the sidelines, Yukko and Haruka were mildly surprised to see that XeXeeD actually had fans. To be fair, XeXeeD did have a small following, so their silent judgment was perhaps a bit rude—but only a bit.
(Now then, it's time…)
Spiegel expertly steered the conversation toward the upcoming second Bullet of Bullets (BoB) tournament.
"By the way, XeXeeD-san, what did you choose for your prize in the last BoB?"
"Oh, that? I actually screwed up a bit. I went with the in-game currency. I figured with my skills, I could make money whenever I wanted, anyway."
Yukko and Haruka exchanged a skeptical look. In reality, XeXeeD was notorious for blowing through his credits the moment he got them. He was perpetually broke, and when he had won the BoB, he had looked genuinely moved by the windfall. (Though currently, he had a bit of a cushion thanks to his earnings from the latest event.)
"Is that so? That does sound like a bit of a waste."
"Yeah. I don't really have any trouble in-game, so I probably should have gone with the real-world model gun prize instead."
(Bingo. There it is.)
That was the exact opening Spiegel had been waiting for. He had been prepared to nudge the conversation in that direction himself, but it seemed the man's ego had done the work for him.
"That sounds amazing! If you're going to do it, why not get a model of the gun you're using now?"
"Hmm. Oh, yeah. That actually sounds like a great idea."
In truth, XeXeeD had been planning to pick up a Photon Sword unit next. He clicked his tongue inwardly, but maintained his boastful facade.
"Actually, I check your Twitter every single day! If you get that model gun, please post a photo of it. I'll make sure to spread it everywhere!"
"R-really? You actually follow my account...?"
"Of course! You're my idol, XeXeeD-san!"
(Honestly, I'm impressed my brother even managed to find this guy's Twitter account.)
XeXeeD's vanity was thoroughly stroked. Then, Spiegel moved to close off any remaining exits.
(Now, to drag these two into it...)
"Don't you guys agree? Yukko-san, Haruka-san?"
"Eh? Oh... yeah, definitely."
"O-of course."
Caught off guard, the two girls had no choice but to nod along. To deny it now would have been incredibly awkward.
"Guess he's pretty much locked into the model gun now," Yukko whispered.
"Well, why not? It suits him," Haruka whispered back.
Basking in the collective approval, XeXeeD beamed at Spiegel. "Alright, alright! I'll take your advice and go for the model gun this time."
"Yes! It's going to look so cool!"
"Hah, you bet it will!"
(Perfect. Now all I have to do is 'coincidentally' run into him on the day of registration. Last time he registered on the first day, so if I stake out the terminal then, I'll have him.)
Mission accomplished, Spiegel moved to wrap up the conversation. He found it physically painful to keep uttering these empty flatteries and wanted to leave as quickly as possible.
"Thank you so much for giving someone like me your precious time today. If we meet again, I'd be honored if you could give me some pointers."
"Haha, I didn't realize there were still good kids like you around. Leave it to me next time!"
XeXeeD gave a friendly wave. Had this been the Spiegel of old, it might have been difficult to maintain such malice toward someone acting so cordially, regardless of how arrogant they were. But Spiegel was no longer that timid boy.
Living in isolation with his brother, Sterben, had changed him. Sterben had spent twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, whispering poison into Spiegel's ear. Now, Spiegel was convinced that what they were doing was an act of "justice." He felt no guilt—only a cold, unwavering determination to drag XeXeeD down into the deepest, darkest depths.
"That was fun! Let's do this again sometime."
"Yeah, it really was. Shary-san, let's keep in touch!"
As the three of them stepped outside in a warm, friendly atmosphere, Spiegel had already vanished into the crowd. And so, in a place beyond Shana's sight, another seed of malice began to sprout.
"How did it go?"
"Perfectly. Now we just wait for the next tournament."
"I see. Well done."
"Yeah. It's all for the sake of justice."
"...Right."
As if to hide the complicated expression on Sterben's face, Noir spoke up in a cheerful voice.
"Hey, take a look at this."
Noir held out a strange, metallic object Spiegel had never seen before.
"This... looks like some kind of metal."
"According to the description, it's the hardest metal in this world. Armor plating from a spacecraft."
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