"Good grief! There is never a dull moment with you! Everywhere we go, we end up in the middle of some disaster!"
"Give me a break, Marcos! I'm actually pretty self-conscious about it!"
Just as Cyan’s party was being decimated by the Magic Armor Beast Siblings, Yugo and his friends were locked in their own desperate struggle against a sudden swarm of monsters.
They had been taken aback when the monsters—initially looking like giant beetles—suddenly shifted into humanoid, goblin-like forms. Regardless, their mission remained unchanged.
Fortunately, the evolved monsters weren't particularly formidable. Yugo crushed the final creature with a flawless combination attack alongside Marcos. Once he’d confirmed the area was secure, he turned to his companions and the group of Elementary Division Students they had rescued.
"Looks like we've cleared out the ones in this area for now. But I have no idea what the hell is happening. What’s the situation?"
"Communications are down, too," Anhel replied. "A little while ago, we got word that Cyan and the others were engaging two Magic Armor Beasts, but we haven't heard a peep since."
"Cyan and his group, huh... I hope they've managed to pull through."
Yugo wanted to believe in Cyan's victory, but he couldn't help but remember the incident with Rush. Even if they defeated the source, the creatures spawned by the Magic Armor Beasts wouldn't necessarily vanish.
As Yugo realized this commotion wouldn't settle down easily, Melt spoke up, her voice trembling with anxiety.
"Wait... wasn't the group Cyan is leading the one with Yui and Fee? That means they're right in the middle of the fight with the Magic Armor Beasts...!"
"Even with Professor Castle looking after them, it’s a terrifying thought. I just hope everyone is safe," Ryuga added.
The thought filled Yugo with dread. Right now, his little brother was likely feet away from the monsters responsible for this incident. Witnessing the creatures' sudden, unnatural transformations only fueled his panic.
Ryuga clearly felt the same; a look of suppressed agony flickered across his face.
Yugo felt trapped by the dilemma of wanting to find the children immediately while needing to escort the rescued students to a Safe Zone. Sensing his hesitation, Marcos spoke up.
"Hmph! Why are you just standing there? If you’re that worried, hurry up and go find Fee and Yui."
"Marcos, but—!"
"But what? Do you think we can't handle a simple escort mission? Or are you looking down on us? Don't underestimate me, Yugo. Having you two around while you're too distracted by your siblings to focus would just be a nuisance. We'll take care of these children, so you two get moving and find them."
Marcos snorted dismissively, but Melt and Anhel both nodded with encouraging smiles.
Though his words were blunt, Yugo understood the underlying concern. He nodded deeply, feeling a surge of gratitude. "Thanks, Marcos. I'm leaving the rest to you all."
"Yeah, leave it to us. Go protect those who are precious to you."
"Yugo, take this. I don't know if it'll work, but it's better than nothing."
As she spoke, Anhel pulled a communication device from her usual hiding spot—the valley of her cleavage—and pressed it into Yugo's hand.
After thanking them one last time, Yugo and Ryuga sprinted off together.
"You have wonderful friends," Ryuga remarked as they raced through the building. "I truly mean that."
"Yeah," Yugo replied. "They're one of the few things I can really brag about, right along with Fee."
The two sprinted through the museum, grateful for the allies who had pushed them to go even in the middle of an emergency. Eventually, they reached a fork in the corridor and skidded to a halt.
"We don't know which way Fee and Yui went. We should split up."
"I agree. Yugo, give me the communication device you had from the start... not the one you just got from Ann."
With a wry grin, Yugo tossed Ryuga his original device, keeping the one Anhel had provided for himself. They stood at the junction, trusting each other implicitly.
"Find them—but don't forget to help anyone else you find along the way."
"Understood. If the signal comes back, let's stay in touch. Be careful, Yugo."
"You too, Partner."
The two bumped fists and charged down their respective paths. Searching for those seeking help and the faces of their siblings, they plunged headlong into the heart of the chaos.