Raiha’s warning cry and the collapse of the ceiling occurred almost simultaneously.
As everyone froze, paralyzed by the sudden turn of events, the creature that had come crashing through the ceiling slowly rose to its feet.
"Gi, giiga, giga...!!"
The creature emitting that bizarre shriek bore a resemblance to the Flowermons, but it was fundamentally different.
While its body was still constructed from green briars, it lacked the unstable, swaying gait of its slender counterparts; instead, its form was much more human-like. The Bomb Fruit that once sat where its face should have been was gone, replaced by a distinct countenance. Its head was square and draped in a hood-like structure that made it look exactly like a squid, with sharply glowing eyes that exuded pure malice. However, what drew the eyes of Yugo and the others more than its face was the massive flower blooming on its abdomen.
A brilliant red flower bloomed where its abdominal muscles should have been. A few of the observers realized immediately that it was strikingly similar to an Explose.
The Magic Armor Beast stood tall, turning its gaze toward the group before assuming a defiant, wide-stanced pose.
"Gigu, gugi, gigi...!!"
"What is this? Something feels... very wrong...!!"
Peewee groaned, sensing an extraordinary pressure as she watched the Magic Armor Beast square off against them. The moment the aperture at the center of the abdominal flower opened, she saw something launch and screamed at the group.
"Everyone, get down!!"
She activated her magic even as she shouted, manifesting a barrier for wide-area defense. It was a hasty construction, but she judged it better than nothing; narrowing her eyes, she braced for the impact that shook her to the core.
"Guh, ah...!"
Just as I feared, Peewee thought.
The projectile that Magic Armor Beast had fired was a Bomb Fruit—the same weapon used by the Explose. She was stunned by the beast's evolution, having adapted a self-defense mechanism into a functional cannon, but an even greater surprise awaited her.
"Are you all right, Peewee?"
"Ye—yes, I managed."
Crimson lotus flames danced in Peewee's vision. The heat did not come from the beast’s explosion, but from the armor of the man who had suddenly appeared in front of her. Watching the flames flutter behind him like a crimson muffler, Peewee realized that Yugo had put his own body on the line to protect the evacuees.
"Yugo, what about you?! You took that bomb head-on!"
"Huh? Oh, this. Don't worry, it didn't do as much damage as I expected."
"That bomb was a flame-attribute attack, so your Flame Armor mitigated the damage! But it didn't cancel the impact completely, so stay sharp!"
Yugo had read the Magic Armor Beast’s intent the moment it took its stance and instinctively moved to shield Peewee and the civilians. Deploying the high-mobility Flame Armor had been the right call, allowing him to absorb the brunt of the blast with minimal injury.
"Why didn't you just attack the beast instead?" Peewee asked. "Its attention was entirely on us—you could have taken advantage of the opening."
"A hero doesn't fight just to defeat enemies; he fights to protect what’s precious," Yugo answered without hesitation. "Even if I’d taken him down by catching him off guard, it would’ve meant nothing if any of you had been hurt."
Peewee realized then that if he hadn't stepped in to act as a shield, her barrier likely would have buckled, resulting in casualties. She offered him a silent word of thanks and focused on reinforcing her defensive array.
"Gwah?! This... this thing's power is insane!"
"Verda, fall back!" Peewee shouted. "That thing has the same shock-absorption traits as the others. You’re a terrible match for it!"
While Yugo was shielding the group, Verda had attempted a flanking maneuver from behind, only to be effortlessly hurled across the room. It seemed this Magic Armor Beast shared the same molluscan physical structure as the Flowermons, allowing it to soak up kinetic force. Verda, whose combat style relied entirely on physical strikes, clenched his fists in frustration as his attacks were rendered useless.
"What is that thing? Another new species?" Verda groaned.
"No, it’s an evolution," Peewee replied, a cold sweat breaking out on her brow. "It evolved to survive just before the freezing process could take hold. It’s just like those Magic Armor Beasts that beat us at the Insect Museum."
The siblings who had handed them that bitter defeat had reached Level 2 and evolved in much the same way—by being pushed to the brink. This was an evolved Gigantrose, a creature that could only be described as a Gigantrose Level 2.
Yugo exhaled slowly. "Verda, sorry, but fall back. Use the communication device to report this to Jinba outside. Raiha, Peewee, I need you two to focus on the barriers. Hold the defense."
"Yugo..."
"Big brother, what are you going to do?" Fee asked, his voice trembling alongside Yui.
"Don't worry," Yugo said, giving them a thumbs-up to offer some reassurance. "I'll protect everyone."
He turned back to face the evolved Gigantrose. Deactivating the Flame Armor, he returned to his base form and walked a few steps forward until he stood directly in the beast's path. Then, he let his magic power surge.
"Super Transformation...!!"
Amidst a gale of swirling magic, the Blaster’s micro-particle metal surged forth to clad Yugo’s body. Now draped in heavy Purple Armor, Yugo glared back at the Gigantrose, his fighting spirit radiating like a physical weight as he let out a roar.
"Let's go, Squid Bastard. If you think you can stop me... just try it!"