"I understand. Thank you, Haruki!" Shinji bowed to Haruki.
"Of course, of course," Haruki said modestly.
Just then, Belial Dusk, held in Haruki's hand, spoke to Shinji:
"Hey, you look like an interesting kid."
"Want to take me and cut something down?"
Remembering Zero's earlier clash with Belial Dusk, Shinji didn't want to do that.
Besides, looking at Belial Dusk... Shinji didn't particularly want to hold him...
"Thank you, but I'll pass," Shinji politely declined.
Belial Dusk snorted. "Hmph. Boring."
While Shinji was talking to Belial Dusk, Limings, who was enthusiastically explaining how Greeza worked, happened to glance at Z and Zero, his audience.
Zero was propping his chin on both hands, his eyes already vacant. His thoughts had probably drifted twenty thousand light-years away...
Z wasn't much better. He had listened eagerly at first, but now his head was swaying from side to side. He had clearly checked out too.
Looking at the two goofballs before him, Limings helplessly rubbed his angular head.
He cleared his throat twice, then shouted, "Tartarus is here!"
"Tartarus? Where?!" Zero snapped awake.
"That guy is ultra-dangerous!" Z immediately came back to his senses too.
Then they saw the furious look on Limings's face.
"Could you two pay attention? Especially you, Zero!" Limings said, a little angry.
"You wouldn't want Z to find out you don't understand how Greeza works at all, would you..." Limings leaned over to whisper in Zero's ear.
"Sorry, sorry..." Zero hurriedly apologized to Limings.
"That's more like it..."
"Forget it. I'm finished anyway. Z, you understood at least some of it, right..."
"Yes, I've basically got it, Limings."
"By the way, Limings, you made those Capsules enhanced with Medal technology, didn't you?" Zero draped an arm around Limings.
"Huh?! How did you know, Zero?" Limings, who had planned to