"First of all... you might have mocked Abyss, but his plan wasn't half bad. And as for my betrayal, simply taking down a Berserk Reincarnator didn't exactly tip the scales against him in any meaningful way. He lost because of My Hero's sheer, explosive potential... and because of the openings Abyss himself chose to leave. Surely you understand that much?"
The first point of his rebuttal concerned Abyss and his grand design.
Locking eyes with Dogma and her companions, Lost continued while they remained silent.
"He lost the game, true. But he stayed true to his role as a Mastermind right to the end. He played the part of the world-ending evil while simultaneously embodying the Villain Who Should Lose. That performance is exactly why the climax was so spectacular. Abyss was an Entertainer through and through. That’s why he could die with a smile on his face."
"..."
"You could call him a fool for arrogantly leaving a path to victory open for his opponent... but he was also the Greatest Mastermind. Don't be so quick to look down on him. None of you have earned that right yet."
"Lost..."
Drop stared at him, her eyes wide with shock. She knew they hadn't exactly been friends, so hearing Lost defend the man so passionately was unexpected.
Thinking back to Lost’s expression as he watched Abyss fall at Wind Island, Drop realized he had harbored a genuine respect for the man. Maybe it was a form of gratitude for building the Stage where his Favorite Hero could excel. Regardless, she agreed with him on one thing: Dogma's group had done nothing but watch from the sidelines, so they had no business mocking the man who had actually played his part.
"I see," Dogma said. "It is unpleasant to be lectured by the person who betrayed him, but I will take your words to heart. And? What was your second point?"
"Oh, that... Well, to be perfectly blunt, your plan sounds dull! I can already see the ending from a mile away. There's no spark, no thrill. You follow?"
"Huh...?"
The tension evaporated, replaced by Burn's low, guttural growl as his temper flared at Lost's dismissive tone. Ignoring the man's murderous look, Lost kept up his casual banter.
"No, really. I get that you’ve been preparing, and I can imagine the nasty tricks you have in store. But... how do I put this? You’re practically radiating a Loser Aura. You’ve got that unmistakable stench of a mid-tier thug about to get his teeth kicked in by the hero."
"You bastard...! You think you can talk big just because you're behind bars?! You think we’re losers? Are you mocking us?!"
"Calm down, Burn. Stop barking," Hypno said, intervening to keep a lid on Burn’s fury, though even his composed facade showed signs of irritation. "That's just the Loser's Howling coming from Lost. He’s only trying to provoke us so he can enjoy the reaction."
"Think what you like," Lost shrugged. "But I’m putting all my chips on you guys failing... even if we don't have a Betting System in this place."
As Lost threw those words at Dogma, she maintained a serene smile, though the air around her grew cold.
"Is that all you wanted to say? Is there anything else?"
"Actually, yeah... mind if I give you one more piece of advice? Think of it as a prophecy."
"By all means, proceed."
Even Dogma was showing cracks now. Her forced composure couldn't hide the sharp edge of her displeasure. Seemingly oblivious, Lost gave a lazy stretch and laughed.
"Despite everything I've said, we’re still fellow Masterminds, so I am rooting for you in my own way. But the way things are going, I suspect you’re going to lose to the very man you’re ridiculing... try not to let that happen, okay? That’s all."
"Thank you for the advice. We are busy people, so we will be going now. I hope you enjoy your time in this cell."
"Thanks. Good luck out there. I'm looking forward to the results."
Her displeasure was palpable as Dogma turned on her heel, signaling Burn and Hypno to follow. Lost waved at their retreating backs.
Once they were gone, Drop looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"What did you mean by that? Losing to Abyss instead of Hero-kun... isn't that a little backwards?"