"Good grief, Yugo. You get wrapped up in some bizarre incident every single time. It’s reaching the point where I don’t know whether to be impressed or just laugh."
"Don’t say that, Jinba-san. It’s not like I go looking for this kind of trouble."
It was shortly after noon on the day following Yugo’s victory over Naruru when the Security Force, led by Jinba, finally arrived in the village.
Yugo had sent word during the night, and he was grateful to Jinba for coordinating the men and rushing here so quickly. Even so, he couldn't help but offer a weary expression in response to the captain's teasing.
It had been the same at Mount Yumyum. It felt like every time he stepped outside, he was destined to be swallowed by some new disaster.
The incident with En had been no different. Just as Yugo was beginning to wonder if he’d been placed under some sort of curse, Jinba’s expression shifted, his tone turning serious.
"So? This was another case of a human obtaining the power of a Magic Armor Beast, wasn't it? Is that Black Hood fellow the one behind it all?"
"No. I did some digging before you got here, and it seems the mastermind this time isn't Lost."
"What? What do you mean?"
"Naruru—the culprit—said the person who gave her the Slime Power was a woman. Her name is Drop. She was dressed in black, but Naruru saw her face clearly. She described her as being young... more like a child, around our age."
Jinba’s face darkened instantly.
Confronted with the reality that someone other than Lost was now distributing items capable of transforming humans into Magic Armor Beasts, Jinba’s demeanor shifted fully into that of a professional protector of the peace.
"I suspected as much, given how much support was provided to Neid to manufacture those Demonic Swords... but it seems this group targeting Luminous Academy is a far larger organization than we initially feared. The fact that we still don't know their ultimate goal is what makes them so unsettling."
"...I can't quite put it into words, but to me, it feels like they’re just playing. They enjoy causing suffering and spreading misery... I can't stand by and let people like that run wild."
They weren't looking for profit, nor were they committing acts of terror to further a specific creed.
Looking back at every incident involving Lost and his associates, the only motivation that fit was a desire to drive people to madness and despair.
When Rush and Neid had been defeated by Yugo, Lost had executed them without a second thought. If his goal had been to recruit them into a lasting organization, he would have stepped in to save them before they fell. Instead, he had watched their defeat in silence.
To Yugo, it felt as though they were merely testing the strength of their newest creations. They were like children playing a Simulation Game.
Faced with the terrifying reality that such people possessed the power to shatter lives on a whim, Yugo felt a chill. Jinba placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Yugo, I understand how you feel, but you’re just a student. You shouldn't have to shoulder all of this. That’s the job of the Security Force. Normal classes will be resuming at Luminous Academy soon. Don't go throwing yourself into danger trying to hunt down these masterminds on your own."
"...Right."
In truth, Yugo felt that he couldn't simply turn a blind eye to their schemes after being dragged into them so many times.
However, he recalled the words of a Hero he deeply admired—that the range in which a person can truly save others is only as far as their own hands can reach. To think he could do more might be nothing but arrogance.
He knew that an arm-only partner who could grant him a reach-anywhere arm and a handful of colorful medals didn't actually exist in this world. Still, he raised his gaze and looked toward his friends. They were currently helping the members of the Cooking Club provide food and relief to the villagers.
Without their help, rescuing Shiroi would have been nearly impossible.
Grateful for the companions who stood by him, filling in for his weaknesses as they fought together, Yugo turned back to Jinba.
"You're right, Jinba-san. I'll take your advice. I'm leaving the rest to you."
"Yeah, leave it to me. We’ll be taking Naruru into custody. We’re also transporting Cyan and Egos back to the city; they still haven't woken up after having their Magic Power drained."
The two of them had remained unconscious ever since Naruru had struck them down the previous night.
Presia had speculated that their recovery was likely delayed because their Magic Power—a vital component of their Life Force—had been completely depleted.
They lay there now, groaning in their sleep as if haunted by nightmares, but hardly anyone spared them a look of concern. The members of the Cooking Club, who had once admired the pair so much, had been completely disillusioned after witnessing their behavior over the last few days.
Yugo had no intention of forgiving them for how easily they’d tried to sacrifice Shiroi, nor for the way they’d tried to pressure Presia into becoming a killer. He felt no need to defend them.
If Lost and Drop were the kind of villains who actively sought to make others miserable, Cyan and Egos were the more insidious type—those who spread misery through pure, thoughtless selfishness. With a final nod to Jinba, Yugo walked toward his friends.
He didn't immediately join Fee and the others who were eating with the villagers. Instead, he approached Hao, who was standing alone a short distance from the group, and called out to him in a cheerful voice.