"Found him! Hey, Jinba!"
"Ah, you guys. I figured you’d show up."
At that same moment, just outside the hospital, a crowd of onlookers and members of the Security Force swarmed the perimeter. Melt called out to Jinba, who stood with his back to them, staring up at the building now swallowed by strange vegetation. He turned as she and the others ran toward him, only to be immediately bombarded with questions from Melt, Marcos, and Sakura.
"What on earth is going on? What are those plants?"
"Is there a plan for a breach? Can we even get inside?"
"What about the people trapped? Have you been able to see how they're doing?"
"Whoa, slow down. Don't all talk at once, or I won't be able to keep anything straight."
With a weary expression, Jinba tried to settle the frantic teens. Beside them, the more level-headed members of the group were already piecing the situation together as they surveyed the building.
"That flower blooming on the roof is the source," Setsuna noted. "It has wrapped the whole hospital in those briars, cutting off the interior from the outside. Breaking in looks like it'll be a challenge..."
"And if we try to burn our way through, the hospital will be caught in the crossfire," Anhel added. "It's a real mess."
"You’re both right," Jinba agreed. "The briars regenerate almost the moment they're cut, and any wide-scale attack risks collateral damage to the structure. Even a roof entry is blocked by that massive flower. But there's an even bigger problem..."
As Jinba prepared to elaborate, Ryuga brushed past him, his hand already resting on the hilt of the katana at his waist.
"Wait! What do you think you're doing?"
"Don't ask," Ryuga replied shortly. "I just need to carve an entrance through the briars and the wall without hitting anything vital, right? That much is simple enough."
Ryuga readied Ryuo-ga, intent on literally cutting a path inside. Jinba lunged to stop him.
"Stop! That flower is an Explose. It's covered in explosive fruit made from its own magic power. One wrong move and the whole place blows!"
"What...?"
Ryuga froze in shock. As he stood there, fist clenched in frustration at the realization of why the Security Force was paralyzed, Melt spoke up in disbelief.
"That giant thing is an Explose? I’ve seen them in books, but they aren't supposed to grow to that size!"
"I've never seen one like this either," Jinba admitted. "But the instinct to protect its territory is a perfect match for the species."
"It's not just an overgrown specimen," Anhel chimed in. "It's a Magic Armor Beast. Judging by the size and the way it uses those briars like tentacles, it’s fused with a Kraken."
"A Kraken and Explose Magic Armor Beast? There’s no record of such a thing. It's a completely new species...?"
The group stared at the monstrosity in astonishment. The lack of a known counter-strategy was clearly why the guards were at a standstill. Ryuga, however, let out a low, frustrated growl.
"I don't care what kind of Magic Armor Beast it is. It just needs to be cut down."
"Calm yourself, Ryuga. I know you're worried about your sister, but you heard the man. Reckless action will only make things worse."
Yui was currently inside the hospital. The thought of his little sister's safety had clearly cost Ryuga his usual composure. Marcos gripped his shoulder, forcing the swordsman to look him in the eye.
"Now is the time for logic, not emotion. If we rush in, we'll only accelerate the disaster. We solve this one step at a time."
"But—!"
"It’ll be okay. Yugo is in there. He won't let your sister or anyone else come to harm. Trust him, Ryuga."
"...Right. You're right." Ryuga exhaled, the tension finally leaving his shoulders. "I'm sorry. I let the blood rush to my head."
Marcos nodded as Ryuga regained his cool. Sakura and Setsuna added their voices to the reassurance.
"Yugo isn't alone. Raiha is with him," Setsuna said. "She's a Warrior Shrine Maiden. She'll be reliable in a crisis like this."
"Exactly!" Sakura added. "We must have faith in them and focus on what we can do out here!"
Ryuga gave a silent nod. With their resolve solidified, the group decided to handle the perimeter while trusting Yugo with the interior. Anhel then pulled a communication device from her cleavage.
"Well, since we're all on the same page... let's check in. I want to exchange information and see how they're holding up."
"Will it reach?" Melt asked anxiously.
"Don't insult me," Anhel grinned. "The interference is thick, but at this range? My tech won't fail."
She adjusted the settings on the device. After a few tense moments, the connection clicked into place just as she had promised. From the speaker came the voice of the man holding the other end: Yugo.