Chapter 6: Operation: Clueless Friends

"Recruit her for what?" Shouka typed back frantically, trying to appear casual as Yuki patiently explained the plot of a new anime she was watching.

Spicarie: To fight. I need a team. And I want you to build it for me.

The message landed in Shouka's brain like a meteor. Him? Build a team for the best player on the planet? It was the most terrifying and exhilarating thought he'd ever had.

The next few days were a masterclass in awkward, plot-twisted comedy. Shouka was now tasked with an impossible mission: convince his MOBA-playing friends to join a top-tier, high-stakes Delta Strike team without telling them who they were actually playing for.

His first target was Yuki. Since Spicarie herself had "chosen" her, he figured it would be easy. He was wrong.

"You want me to do what?" Yuki asked, blinking at him over a plate of takoyaki they were sharing at a local festival.

"Join a team! For Delta Strike!" Shouka said with forced enthusiasm. "It's for this new… uh… amateur league! The… the 'Amateur Champions League'! It's got a huge prize pool!"

Yuki gave him a skeptical look. "Shouka, I don't play Delta Strike. I play League of Champion. It's a completely different genre. I'd be terrible."

"No, you wouldn't!" he insisted. "You have amazing reflexes! And… and Spicarie thinks you have potential!" The name slipped out before he could stop it.

Yuki's eyes lit up. "Wait, Spicarie? The real one? What does she have to do with this?"

Shouka’s mind raced, sweat beading on his forehead. "Uh, she’s… she's the secret sponsor! Yeah! She wants to give back to the amateur community! It's all very secret, so you can't tell anyone."

This was, surprisingly, the perfect lie. The idea that their idol was secretly sponsoring a tournament for up-and-coming players was just plausible enough to be believable. Yuki, a massive Spicarie fan herself, was instantly intrigued. "Well… if Spicarie is involved… I guess I could try."

One down, three to go. He assembled the rest of the group-Mina, Emi, and Akiro-in a League of Champion voice chat that night.

"Absolutely not," Emi said flatly before he could even finish his pitch. "That game is for caffeinated teenagers who think shouting makes them aim better. It lacks elegance. It lacks strategy."

"But there's a huge prize pool!" Mina countered, her interest piqued. "We could buy so many cool skins! And if Spicarie is sponsoring it…"

Shouka had fed them the same line, and it was working its magic. Akiro, ever the peacemaker, was already trying to see the bright side. "It might be fun to try something new together. And if we're doing it to support Spicarie, it feels like we're helping her in a way."

The debate raged on. It was a surreal experience for Shouka, listening to his friends passionately discuss the legendary gamer, all while he was secretly working for her. The dramatic irony was so thick he felt like he could choke on it.

In the end, it was an external event that sealed the deal. Kenji and Vortex Fury released their official challenge video. It was a slickly produced montage of their best plays, intercut with Kenji trash-talking Spicarie directly to the camera.

"Spicarie has been hiding at the top for too long," he sneered. "She's never faced real hunger, real ambition. We are Vortex Fury, and we are here to end the myth. We challenge you, Spicarie. You, and any four players you can scrape together. Let's see if the legend can handle a real storm."

The video went viral. The gaming world exploded. And in their little voice chat, the mood shifted from skepticism to righteous fury.

"That arrogant jerk!" Mina shouted. "Who does he think he is?"

"Someone needs to teach him a lesson," Akiro said, her gentle voice now firm with determination.

Even Emi was incensed. "His form is sloppy and his attitude is unprofessional. To insult a champion like that is a disgrace to the entire esports community."

Shouka saw his opening. "This is it," he said, his voice filled with fake bravado. "This 'Amateur Champions League'? The final match… is against them. It's a special exhibition match. Spicarie set it up to teach them a lesson in humility, using a team of talented amateurs."

It was a ridiculous, convoluted lie. And they bought it completely.

"We have to do it," Mina declared. "For Spicarie's honor!"

"Let's show them what MOBA players are made of," Akiro added.

"Hmph. Fine," Emi conceded. "But only because I want to see the look on that Tempest idiot's face when he gets sniped by a 'boring' MOBA player."

The team was formed. Shouka let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. He sent a message to Spicarie.

MrJanitor: They're in. We have a team.

The reply was instantaneous.

Spicarie: I knew you could do it. Now the real work begins. I’ll be your coach. But for now… I’ll remain a secret. They can’t know who I am. It’s better this way.

Shouka agreed, his heart swelling with pride. He had a secret, a mission, and a team of completely clueless but fiercely loyal friends. What could possibly go wrong?