"Don't mock me! I would never betray my brothers-in-arms who fight for justice—nor would I ever betray Lord Kurotobari!"
"Guh...!"
Yugo let out a pained groan. Hearing the madness in Glonas's voice, he realized that no amount of reasoning would reach the man now.
Having soared into the sky, Glonas glared down at Yugo, his voice dripping with humiliation.
"I cannot best you as I am now. But in the end, justice shall prevail! Someday, without fail, justice will strike you down!"
"Wait! Don't run!!"
Flapping his wings as he shouted his parting words, Glonas ascended even further.
Flying to an altitude where Yugo could no longer reach him, Glonas attempted to flee the scene.
Yugo watched the man's retreating back as he ignored the shouts and fled at full speed. He clenched his fist tight.
If he let him escape now, he wouldn't just return to "purge" Mary later—the entire city would be in peril.
There was no other choice... Since persuasion had failed, he couldn't simply let Glonas go.
Having made up his mind, Yugo exhaled softly and muttered to himself while staring at the fleeing figure.
"Ann, Melt, Setsuna... I’m putting that new weapon you made to use."
He extended his left arm toward Glonas, leveling his index and middle fingers to take precise aim.
As he shifted a Flame Attribute Magic Crystal to his left wrist, two blades sprouted from the gauntlet. He whispered the weapon's name.
"Limb Transformation: Arrow Arm...!"
It was a Long-range Armament developed by Anhel. Taking Setsuna’s bow as its foundation, it utilized the magic blade generation techniques that were Melt’s specialty.
Activating this new weapon—which utilized various complex technologies despite its straightforward concept of firing an arrow of fire—Yugo nocked a blazing shaft of flame and sighted Glonas.
He steadied his breath, channeled his magic power, and locked his gaze... then his eyes snapped wide.
The instant his vision completely zeroed in on the target, Yugo loosed the arrow with a roar.
"Burn Arrow Maelstrom!!"
The arrow released from the bow transformed into a massive vortex of fire in midair.
It tore through the midnight gloom, lighting up the sky—or rather, scorching it a deep crimson as the flames surged toward their target with mounting intensity.
Glonas, sensing something approaching from behind, turned around only to see a massive crimson maelstrom that looked like a literal tornado of fire.
Judging by its speed and trajectory, he realized it would strike him directly. His face contorted as he cried out to the master he worshipped.
"L-Lord Kurotobari...! I... I am—!!"
Even Glonas himself likely didn't know what he was trying to say. Perhaps he was simply trying to cling to the being he viewed as a god in the face of the approaching threat.
A moment later, the raging vortex of fire swallowed Glonas whole. He screamed like a madman as the heat and the torrent of flames incinerated his body.
"Lord Kurotobari! Lord Kurotobariiiii!!"
A thunderous roar, a piercing shriek, and then—an explosion.
Having taken a hit that was more accurately described as being burned to ashes rather than being pierced, Glonas plummeted from the sky toward the city.
Black feathers rained down from his body as he fell, eventually smashing through the roof of a market stall before tumbling onto the cobblestones.
Glonas reverted to his human form before the eyes of Yugo and Sakura as they rushed over. His Black Feather badge—the catalyst for his transformation into a Magic Armor Beast—shattered into dust. Even then, he continued to mutter through a delirious, crazed smile.
"E-Even if I die, justice will not...! Lord Kurotobari is eternal...! Justice is immortal and indestructible...!! He... hehehehehe...!!"
"...I simply cannot fathom it," Sakura said, her expression heavy with sorrow. "What is it about this Kurotobari that drives people to such madness?"
"You don't need to understand," Yugo replied. "Some things are probably better left a mystery."
Once he confirmed that Glonas had completely returned to being human, Yugo turned his thoughts toward the city.
While calling for bystanders to report the incident to the Security Force and waiting for them to arrive, Yugo’s mind drifted to his partner, who was likely locked in battle with Kurotobari at that very moment.