"Raiha is the Mad Dragon...? What... what does that even mean!?"
Even as he realized his suspicions had been correct, Yugo stood in a daze, his mind struggling to process a reality his instincts had already feared.
Amidst the shock, Ryuga, who had heard Raiha's confession, trembled as he clenched his fists. When he finally spoke, his voice was a volatile mix of grief and cold fury.
"...I had heard the whispers. Rumors that there was some kind of connection between the Mad Dragon and the House of Utsusemi. They weren't particularly credible—just stories that surfaced for a fleeting moment and vanished—but the seed of doubt stayed with me. I enrolled in the Yamato academy and came here as an exchange student for one reason: to get close to you and uncover the truth."
"The rumors are true," Raiha replied, her head bowed in resignation. "We of the House of Utsusemi have hidden many crimes. My past, these eyes... they are but a fraction of what we have concealed."
Ryuga had previously told Yugo that he had come to Luminous Academy to achieve great deeds and secure a good career. That hadn't been a lie, but it was only a partial truth. He had simply remained silent about his soul's true purpose.
"Why did you attack our castle that day? Answer me, Raiha Utusemi!!"
"I have no defense. Five years ago, I was too immature to control the dragon's power. I lost myself to the rage... and I took everything from you. Nothing can change that fact."
Raiha accepted her guilt in silence, staring at the ground. Ryuga watched her with eyes burning with a frigid, murderous fire. His killing intent permeated the air, thick and suffocating.
"I see. Then... I take it you’re prepared to face the retribution?"
The beast that killed his father, the monster that destroyed his life—to find it was the girl standing before him pushed Ryuga to the brink. He looked ready to draw his blade and end her where she stood.
Sensing the impending violence, Yugo forced his own chaotic thoughts aside and grabbed Ryuga by the shoulder to hold him back.
"Stop it, Ryuga! Don't do something you'll regret!"
"Don't get in my way, Yugo... I don't want to have to cut you down, too."
"Calm down! If you kill Raiha right here, what happens to Yui? Do you even care what this would do to your mother back home!?"
Ryuga flinched. The mention of his family acted like a bucket of cold water, making his frame tremble.
Yugo desperately tried to reach him, knowing that while Ryuga’s hatred for the Mad Dragon was genuine, his devotion to his family was equally real. But before he could say more, two other figures stepped into the fray.
"Don't move, Ryuga Renjou."
"Raiha, get behind me."
"Setsuna? Sakura!?"
Yugo’s eyes widened as Setsuna and Sakura appeared, brandishing a bow and a naginata to shield Raiha and keep Ryuga at bay.
Ryuga let out a sharp, derisive laugh at the sight of them. "So you two were in on it, too. You knew this woman was my sworn enemy, and yet you let us play at being friends? How utterly despicable."
"I have no excuse," Setsuna said, her voice steady but somber. "I know you have every right to curse us. However—"
"Be quiet. I have no intention of listening to anything you have to say. I see now that every last one of the Warrior Shrine Maidens is my enemy. That is the only thing that matters to me."
Ryuga’s killing intent crackled in the air like static electricity. The surrounding crowd began to murmur, sensing the lethal tension. Desperate to keep the situation from exploding, Yugo spoke up.
"Everyone, just... just calm down for a second. I don't understand half of what's happening, but I can't stand seeing my friends turn on each other like this. If there’s more to the story, then explain it! Please!"
"...You're right," Setsuna conceded. "We've already dragged you into this. We owe you a full explanation."
"My apologies, Yugo-dono," Sakura added, lowering her weapon. "We never intended to deceive Lord Ryuga so cruelly, but we have failed in our duty nonetheless."
Seeing them stand down, Yugo felt the murderous pressure from Ryuga ease slightly. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
"We’ll find a more private place to talk," Setsuna said. "Ryuga... please, just listen to what we have to say."
Ryuga stared at her in stony silence before looking away without a word.
A horrific truth had surfaced at the final moment, casting a dark shroud over the group. Yugo could only stand there, watching the back of his best friend as the boy walked away into the shadows.
"Man, that went better than I ever expected. Using that former Hero Candidate like that was a stroke of genius."
"Now Ryuga knows the truth. Soon, My Hero will learn exactly what those Shrine Maidens have been hiding, too. But that’s secondary. The real point is—"
"The narrative pace, right?"
"Bingo. Spot on, Drop."
The figure in the black hood and the girl in the gothic lolita dress watched the fallout from a distance. Lost and Drop, the masterminds of the chaos, shared a satisfied grin.
By placing Egos under a hypnotic suggestion, they had manufactured a crisis that forced Raiha to reveal her dragon form. They were delighted with the result.
"We've gathered data on several Level 2 Magic Armor Beasts, plus the results of the new species experimentation. As the masterminds of this story, we've secured everything we need. It’s a bit ahead of schedule, but I think we can move into the final phase of the plan."
"On the flip side," Drop added, "those so-called Hero Candidates are a joke. They could barely handle the Level 2s that showed up. At this rate, they're heading for a total Game Over."
"Oh, I can guess what they'll do. They won't sweat it. They'll just leave Ryuga to die and call it a day. That's how those types think."
The two of them, privy to the future of the scenario, discussed the likely moves of the players. Lost began to kick his feet back and forth, unable to hide his giddiness.
"I can't wait! Thinking about the look on those scumbags' faces when My Hero smashes their expectations... I’m shaking with excitement!"
"I suppose. That man definitely has a knack for plunging Hero Candidate Scum into despair. But what happens after that is the real question."
"What are you talking about, Drop? The fun starts after that. Just imagining another legend being carved into his Heroic Saga... it gets my blood pumping!"
Lost’s eyes gleamed with an innocent, almost childlike adoration for Yugo's exploits. Drop sighed, but the smirk on her face suggested she was just as invested in the coming drama.
"Well, let’s see how he handles it. I’m looking forward to seeing what your hero does next."
"I’ve never doubted him for a second. Let's sit back and watch the show together."
Since they hadn't directly intervened much this time, they could truly enjoy the unfolding tragedy as the Audience. Like moviegoers with popcorn, the two masterminds leaned in, eager to see the next chapter of the disaster they had set in motion.