A flush of warmth hit Kurisu's cheeks, and she looked up at Hachiman with immense delight.
"Well, I certainly don't appreciate the idea of random strangers staring at me either. I only want Hachiman-sama looking at me."
"You shouldn't be showing it off to me either!"
"Personally, I wouldn't mind..."
"Absolutely not. Period. And another thing!" Hachiman pointed an authoritative finger at her. "When it's time for the live roundtable broadcast, do not—under any circumstances—wear a skirt like the one you usually wear in-game. Got it? Absolutely do not!"
"Right, yes. Understood," Kurisu replied, a soft, knowing chuckle slipping through her lips as she nodded obediently.
Satisfied, Hachiman finally leaned back and cleared his throat to get down to business. "Alright, let's break down XeXeeD first."
"I am listening."
"In my opinion, the guy is thoroughly ordinary. There's no denying that he heavily relies on the raw stat advantages of his top-tier gear, but his fundamentals are rock solid, and he maintains a surprising amount of composure during high-stakes combat."
Kurisu nodded along, though a flicker of surprise crossed her features. "You actually rate him quite highly. I wasn't expecting that."
"I've never underestimated his capability as a player."
"Yes... that is a very fair point."
"If you're going to commit to that specific tank-and-spank archetype, prioritizing STR to wield the heaviest, high-damage equipment is objectively the correct optimization path. However, there was a period not too long ago where he was publicly singing the praises of the ultra-high AGI build. It's going to be highly entertaining to see how he squares his past statements with his current build. You should absolutely press him on that topic. In fact, make it a point to corner him on it. Yamikaze is way too polite to bring it up, so the task falls squarely on you."
"Understood. I will press the issue."
"Next up is Yamikaze..."
Hachiman crossed his arms, his expression turning thoughtful as he voiced an unexpected critique. "Honestly, I get the distinct impression that he hasn't even come close to unlocking his true potential yet."
"Really?"
"Yeah. It's just a theory, but I'm convinced he's capable of moving significantly faster than he currently does. I don't know if it's because conventional gaming logic is holding him back, or if his brain simply can't process the sensory input at absolute maximum velocity. Whatever the bottleneck is, his movement patterns—while incredibly optimized—are still just an extension of standard human kinetics."
"I think I understand what you mean, conceptually..."
"Through his part-time work with us, he's beginning to realize that it's possible for a human to execute movements that defy standard logic. If he manages to successfully translate that spatial awareness into GGO's physics engine... the guy is going to become an absolute monster."
"I see," Kurisu mused, her eyes sparkling with analytical interest. "So his own subconscious assumptions about the limitations of human movement are acting as a psychological limiter."
"Exactly. Hopefully, that gives you enough ammunition to work with."
"It does! Immeasurably so!"
For the rest of the evening, the conversation flowed effortlessly. Kurisu, determined not to let a single second of their time go to waste, masterfully deployed an arsenal of conversation topics she had meticulously prepared beforehand. To her, the entire briefing felt indistinguishably close to a dream date, and she savored every moment of Hachiman's undivided attention.
Meanwhile, across the digital divide, the remnants of Laughing Coffin were deep in the throes of a frantic, dark preparation.
"Did you secure XeXeeD's real-world address?"
"Flawlessly. Brother and I conducted a thorough sweep, and we managed to pinpoint the exact location. It's a perfect match."
"Excellent. That is spectacular news."
"We need a mask to completely obscure the face, a heavy mantle, and something to fully conceal the arms."
"And then there's the choice of firearm. We need to maintain a strict distinction between standard operations and that specific moment."
"In that case... how about this?"
Spiegel stepped forward, presenting a specific handgun with cold precision. It was a Tokarev—often referred to as the "Black Star." It was the exact make and model of the weapon Shino had used all those years ago to shoot the bank robber. Spiegel had meticulously dug up the details of the trauma that haunted her at school, deliberately sourcing the weapon for this very operation.
Though he voiced none of his twisted intentions out loud, his ugly, transparent motive was obvious: he believed that by confronting Shino with the physical manifestation of her deepest trauma, he could finally force her into total submission.
Two days later, the live roundtable broadcast officially commenced within the virtual world of GGO.
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