"Wh...at?"
At those words, Isaac let out a stunned gasp as he realized Yugo was already right in front of him.
The gap between them should have been significant, yet it had vanished in an instant. Caught off guard by a speed that defied logic, Isaac tried to mount a defense, but a left fist struck faster, slamming into his chest and sending him flying backward.
"Gah...! You... Damn you!"
The high Isaac felt from the power of the Demonic Swords evaporated. His excitement turned to boiling rage as he swung his twin blades.
He unleashed a flurry of reddish-black magic slashes at a speed the eye could barely track, yet Yugo evaded every strike with minimal, fluid movement while once again closing the distance.
"Wha...?! How... Gafuh!"
Watching the flickering flames draw near, Isaac felt a sensation that went beyond shock—he was beginning to feel true terror. Yugo was effortlessly matching his absolute maximum speed.
Isaac’s confidence in his "strongest" agility and reflexes shattered. As he wavered, Yugo advanced, leaving scorched footprints in his wake. Another punch landed, slamming Isaac into the arena wall and forcing a pained groan from his lungs.
Wheezing heavily, Isaac looked up, his face a mask of mingled fury and dread. He couldn't comprehend how Yugo could possess strength that far eclipsed his own newfound power.
"What is that?! What the hell is that thing?!"
"A-Ann. That Blaster... what on earth is it?!"
In the spectator seats, Fee was also questioning Anhel about the mystery behind the transformation and the strange power that had completely turned the tide.
Even though Yugo was dominating the fight, Anhel watched with a pained, heavy expression. She answered in a somber voice.
"...It’s an unfinished function. It doesn't even have an official name yet. If I had to call it something, it would be 'Flame Armor.' Do you see the magic crystal on the Blaster's chest?"
"Y-Yes. That’s the flame attribute crystal he got from Skull, isn't it?"
Fee nodded as he answered.
The crystal on the Blaster’s chest pulsed with a vibrant red and orange glow. Anhel continued her explanation as Fee noticed the flames erupting from the armor’s neck and the crimson lines of magic power surging toward its limbs.
"Think of it as a heart. Just as a heart drives blood circulation, that crystal acts as the pump for the magic power flowing through the Blaster and Yugo’s body. By circulating that heat-infused mana, Yugo’s cardiopulmonary system and muscles are pushed to their absolute limits, drastically boosting his physical capabilities. Simultaneously, the Blaster channels that amplified flame attribute mana into the crystals in its limbs. The synergy between the two creates an exponential jump in performance."
"That's incredible...! So that's where he's getting all that speed!"
"Yugo’s really something else," Melt added. "If he had a trump card like that, he should’ve used it from the start."
"...Yugo never intended to use it," Anhel cut in, her voice trembling. "And I never intended to let him. It’s too dangerous. That form is a disaster waiting to happen."
"Wait... what do you mean?"
The others, who had been marveling at how Yugo was overwhelming even the power of the Demonic Swords, turned pale at Anhel's words.
The Flame Armor possessed enough power to surpass swords that corrupted the soul, but it came at a terrible price. Anhel continued, her expression darkening with grief.
"I told you it was unfinished. The moment he activates that form, the flame attribute magic crystal starts ramping up its power without limit. The longer the fight goes on, the stronger the Flame Armor becomes... but that rising heat and pressure place an impossible burden on both the armor and Yugo himself. Right now, he’s essentially fighting while carrying the sun on his back. Once his body can no longer withstand the swelling heat... he’ll start to break apart."
"No... Then that five-minute limit he mentioned...!"
"That’s the absolute limit he can survive. But that doesn't mean he'll be fine if he finishes in under five minutes. From the very second he activated that armor, Yugo's body has been suffering catastrophic damage."
"...So, Lord Isaac is such a formidable opponent that Lord Yugo had no choice but to sacrifice himself to win?" Claire whispered.
She assumed Yugo had unleashed this forbidden, double-edged power because he judged it the only way to defeat Isaac. But Fee shook his head.
"No... that’s not it. Big brother didn't activate the Flame Armor to save his own life. He’s doing it to save Isaac."
"What...?"
As Claire gasped in surprise, Melt—who understood Yugo's heart as well as Fee did—spoke up.
"You see it, don't you? Isaac’s body is already falling apart because he took in the power of two Demonic Swords. That’s why his nose and eyes are bleeding. If this continues, he’s going to die. Yugo is using the Flame Armor because he has to stop this fight immediately. He’s disregarding his own life to save his enemy's."
"How... Why would he go that far?!"
"Isn't it obvious?" Melt replied firmly. "Because there's someone in trouble right in front of him. That’s what a hero does. It might seem like a small thing to some, but for Yugo, that’s more than enough reason to put his life on the line."
Melt's words struck Claire like a physical blow. She turned back to the arena, watching Yugo fight.
She realized once again that his willingness to take on the request of a woman who had abandoned him for another man was born from a pure, selfless desire to help. Her eyes welled with tears as she clasped her hands in a desperate prayer.
"Lord Yugo... please, please come back safe...!"
It was her fault he was in this life-threatening battle. Regret for her own helplessness gnawed at her as she and the others watched Yugo unleash another devastating strike upon Isaac.