"Ughyaaaaaaaa! Guheh!!"
"Hah-hah-hah! It appears you're in dire straits, Yugo! It can't be helped! I, your greatest friend and lifelong rival, shall lend you my strength!"
"No, uh, Marcos? I'm not really in that much of a pinch. Besides, if you keep jumping in like this, I feel like this whole thing is going to blow out of proportion..."
"Do not be modest! No matter how capable you are, facing these numbers without your proper Magic Item is a tall order indeed! Simply accept my benevolence! Hah-hah-hah-hah!"
Equipped with his Giga Scissors, Marcos joined the fray right after Misery. He sent the male student who had been complaining to her flying with a single strike.
Yugo tried to restrain him with a weary voice as he laughed heartily, but Marcos, just like Misery, was far too motivated to listen to reason.
"I appreciate the sentiment, Lord Marcos, but there is no need for you to trouble yourself. My Master and I are more than enough for this lot."
"Nonsense! You should watch the teamwork of our Golden Duo closely and apply what you learn to your own training!"
"U-Um, you two? I really appreciate the help, but I think you're going a bit overboard. I’d actually be much happier if you just stepped back..."
"Y-You bastards! You think this is a game?! Are you mocking—gyapih?!"
While Yugo was preoccupied trying to stop his own allies, one of the seniors shouted out in indignation. However, a Purple Magic Power Sword struck him squarely in the head mid-sentence, knocking him senseless.
As the student collapsed from the impact, Melt—the one who had thrown the blade—glanced at Yugo and his companions before turning to grumble at Anhel.
"The Frontline Group has it so easy at times like this. They get to stand right next to him and feel like they're fighting by his side..."
"Now, now, providing support from the rear is a vital role too. I'm sure Yugo appreciates you, Melt."
"But I was Yugo's very first partner! Now I feel like there’s this... distance between us. I’m really not happy about this!"
Despite her complaining, Melt continued to rain down magic swords to support Yugo.
The members of the Fifth Dormitory were already terrified by the power of her attacks, knowing a single hit would strip them of consciousness. However, noticing that Fee was standing near Melt, they decided to change their strategy.
"We can't afford to play fair anymore! Take that kid hostage! That's the only way we're turning this around!"
Moving quickly and quietly, a separate unit attempted to sneak around and seize Fee. However, their movements came to a jarring halt at a specific point.
To be precise, it wasn't their entire bodies that stopped, but their legs. They strained with all their might to move forward, but their feet were stuck fast to the ground as if glued.
As the seniors struggled desperately, thrashing their upper bodies in confusion and panic, Presia—who had been leisurely sipping tea while observing the battle—finally spoke up.
"Trap Cooking: Sticky Oil. A little child was taken hostage once before, so I thought it best to have this ready just in case!"
"Gueh?! P-Presia?!"
"You really shouldn't do such cowardly things, you know. You should stay right there and reflect on your behavior... Oh, and a word of caution. That oil is highly flammable. I happen to be quite proficient with flame-attribute magic! I’m sure you understand what that implies, don't you?"
"H-Hieee...!"
While she likely had no intention of actually following through, the threat from a composed Presia while they were completely immobilized was enough. The students in the separate unit lost every ounce of their will to resist.
With their last-ditch desperate plan crushed, the remaining seniors could only stand there, pale-faced and trembling.
"It’s quite pathetic, really. If you had simply listened to my Master from the start, you wouldn't have had to go through this."
"Well, they brought this on themselves. Shall we give them a quick lesson and make them start talking?"
"U-Um... Lord Yugo? We'll tell you everything honestly now, so... could we maybe skip the punishment...?"
"Hmm. If you hadn't tried to lay a hand on Fee, I might have considered it. But it's a bit late for that now. Letting this slide just wouldn't feel right..."
Yugo felt a bit like he was bullying the weak at this point, but he knew that simply forgiving people who stole a Magic Item, refused to back down, and then tried to take his younger brother hostage would be a mistake.
Asking for forgiveness only after being cornered was far too convenient. Deciding that a firm lesson was necessary, Yugo made a declaration to the despairing students of the Fifth Dormitory.
"And so, the International Police... actually, they have nothing to do with this, but I'm going to resort to force against you thieves! Brace yourselves!!"
"H-H-Hieeeeee?!"
From that point on, it was nothing short of a one-sided massacre.
Avad, who had remained kneeling on the ground in a surrender pose with his hands high, watched in half-tears as his seniors were systematically dismantled by Yugo and his friends.
A few minutes later, the dust settled. As Avad stared at the heap of neutralized upperclassmen, Yugo—still clad in his Blaster armor—approached him. He gave Avad’s shoulder a firm pat.
"Now then, let's head back to the dorm. You're going to tell me the whole story this time, right? Right?"
Yugo didn't mean for it to sound like a threat, but given the carnage surrounding them, Avad could only nod his head frantically while shaking like a leaf.