"『『Flying Blade: Spinning Axe』!!』"
"Gueoh!?"
"Gyauh!?"
A one-handed axe, spinning like a boomerang, sent several Demonic Sword users flying.
Firmly catching the weapon as it returned to his hand, a silver-haired youth walked leisurely down the path he had literally carved through the crowd. He approached Hugo and gave a sharp grin.
"Looks like I can finally settle my debt with you, Hugo. Mind if I join in?"
"Hex! You came too!"
"I heard the Security Force arrived at the academy, and then I saw you guys charging out in a huge hurry. I used that massive bat in the sky as a landmark to find this place, and well, this is what I found. My injuries are healed, and I'm well-rested! I plan to work hard enough to pay back everything I owe you, so don't look away."
Hugo patted Hex on the shoulder—the youth had rushed to his side right after Marcos—and expressed his gratitude.
The reliable reinforcements didn't stop there. A familiar woman's voice echoed from another direction.
"Everyone, don't panic! The students from Luminous Academy are holding the line, and the Security Force will be here any minute! This is the time to join hands and help each other!"
At the shout from the woman in the waitress outfit, the panicked crowd began to regain a measure of composure.
The sturdy men standing beside her positioned themselves in front of the Demonic Sword users to shield the citizens. Their presence alone seemed to provide a sense of security to the onlookers.
"Hugo, it’s been a while! Leave the guarding and evacuation to us!"
"En! And Sanga and the Shop Master too!"
After calling out to the people, En turned around and gave Hugo a V-sign.
She was an ordinary person, yet she had come to help in whatever way she could. Sanga was cautiously keeping the Demonic Sword users at bay, and remarkably, the Shop Master was brandishing a frying pan as a weapon with surprising skill. Hugo couldn't help but smile at the sight, just as a young girl brushed past him.
"Are you all right? Don't worry, I'll heal those injuries right away...!"
Claire, the golden-haired girl, spoke gently as she stroked the head of the child Hugo had rescued, beginning to treat the boy with recovery magic.
With a soft smile, she stood up and faced Hugo. After giving him a polite bow, she spoke.
"I apologize for the delay, Lord Hugo. I intended to bring Lord Zenon as well, but unfortunately, he remains shut inside his room..."
"No, this is a huge help, Claire. Thank you for coming."
"There is no need for thanks. We are all here because you saved us, Lord Hugo. If anything, we are simply glad for the opportunity to finally return the favor."
Hex nodded deeply at Claire’s words, which were offered with a slight, graceful smile.
Marcos, who had been watching the exchange, gave an affected snort and addressed Hugo.
"It seems you have continued your meddling ways while I was away from the city. It is truly just like you, my friend."
"Huh? Wait, Marcos? Why are you even here?"
"Have you only just noticed!? Listen well! I rushed to this crisis specifically to save my friend and rival, Hugo Clay! And I arrived earlier than any of them!!"
"Fufufu... Then Lord Marcos is the same as us. He came to help Lord Hugo as a friend."
Thrown off by Claire's giggling, Marcos let out a small groan and fell silent.
Meanwhile, Melt and the others had closed in around Hugo. They all nodded to one another while facing the approaching rioters and the airborne Isaac.
"Hugo, leave this place to us and go after Neid! With this many reinforcements, we'll be fine!"
"If you hurry, you can still catch him! We can't let the man who knows how to mass-produce Demonic Swords escape. Go, quickly!"
"Melt, Fee...!"
They had secured enough personnel to suppress the rioters and manage the evacuation.
Following the words of the two who assured him it would be no problem to leave, Marcos spoke up.
"Go, Hugo. I shall take charge of dealing with that Magic Armor Beast. Do not worry, my friend. Upon the honor of the glorious House of Borg, I shall protect these people until the end!"
"Don't get all high and mighty on your own! It’s not just you fighting, it's all of us!"
"Now, now, please calm down. We all share the same desire to fight for the sake of the people."
The situation had shifted from a desperate crisis to one where the group could afford a bit of banter.
Hugo nodded to his dependable companions, and finally, Anhel spoke to him.
"Hugo... please, stop Neid. He used his gifts as an engineer for all the wrong reasons. If he isn't stopped, many more will suffer, and the pride of every engineer will be dragged through the mud. I won't let that happen—I can't!!"
"Yeah, I know. I'll stop him, Ann. With this Blaster, fueled by my feelings, yours, and everyone else's, I'm going to put an end to Neid's plans."
Having canceled his transformation for a moment, Hugo spoke while looking straight into Anhel's eyes.
As Anhel nodded, sensing his firm determination and unwavering trust, the sound of the earth rumbling echoed from a distance.
"W-What is that? Another Magic Armor Beast!?"
The group tightened their vigilance as something approached. When they turned toward the source of the noise, they saw a pitch-black figure charging toward them with ferocious momentum.
Seeing the creature, Marcos shouted to Hugo in a panic.
"Hugo, get back! No matter who they are, I shall repel them with my Giga Scissors!"
"No, it's okay. Don't worry about it."
Marcos's guard was at its absolute peak, but Hugo laughed and restrained him, raising his hand in greeting to the approaching figure.
The dark figure leapt with incredible power, kicking off the earth and landing beside him with a heavy thud.
"...You came too, Skull. Every single one of you... I've got the best friends a guy could ask for."
A forceful snort answered him.
The Skeleton Horse—or rather, the black horse Skull—who possessed reason despite being a Magic Armor Beast, blew a puff of air from his nostrils.
Having rushed here to save his friend Hugo and repay the debt for Hugo's help in his own revenge, Skull tossed his head, wordlessly telling Hugo to get on his back.
Hugo mounted Skull and looked around at the faces of his comrades.
"Everyone, I'm leaving this place to you! And don't do anything reckless!"
"I should be the one saying that to you, Hugo! You're the one who always dives headfirst into trouble...!"
"Be careful, Brother. Once the Security Force arrives, we'll come to support you!"
"Yeah! Leave it to me! ...Oh, right. Marcos! I've got something important to tell you, so listen close!"
"Hmm? W-What? What is this important thing?"
Called out so abruptly, Marcos struggled to keep up with the shifting situation.
He fully expected some sage advice for his upcoming battle against a powerful foe... but what Hugo yelled was completely incomprehensible.
"Watch your buckle! Seriously, it'll be fatal if you don't!!"
"H-Huh? Hey, what does that mean!? I don't understand that at all!?"
"It means exactly what I said! A crab is fighting a bat, so that's the one thing you absolutely have to watch out for! Got it!?"
"Wait, hey! That makes no sense!? Explain it so I actually know what you're talking about! Hugo! Come back here!!"
It was advice that a tokusatsu fan would have understood instantly, but there was no way Marcos, who was entirely unfamiliar with such things, could grasp the meaning.
The sight of him shouting at Hugo’s back as he rode away, clutching at straws over nonsensical advice, was absurdly comical. Because of it, Melt and the others felt the last of their paralyzing tension melt away.
"What is wrong with that man!? He just confused me and then vanished!?"
"You really can't predict him, can you? Though that's the part of him that's so fun and that I love."
"Maybe he just wanted to tell you not to let your guard down. Even if he chose the weirdest way to say it."
After Hugo disappeared into the distance in pursuit of Neid, the companions shared their thoughts before turning back to face the enemy once more.
As they readied their respective Magic Items to join the fray, Anhel stared at Hugo’s retreating back for a heartbeat and murmured with a smile.
"We've entrusted our feelings to you... Go save the world, Hero!"