"I know! But it’s not like she wanted any of this! Raiha is just as much a victim as anyone else!"
"What of it? It doesn’t change the fact that she killed my father."
Ryuga’s response to his sister’s desperate plea was ice-cold. Sakura, her complexion turning ashen at his words, stepped forward to offer her own frantic entreaty.
"Wait, please...! Stopping Zaraki requires a Dragon-powered Magic Item. But Koumaru stole the items belonging to me and Setsuna; we are weaponless. The only hope we have left is that katana at your side, Lord Ryuga!"
"...And so, you expect me to go play the savior? You expect me to do a favor for people who approached me under the guise of friendship while hiding such a monstrous secret? You expect me to just listen and obey?"
"Please...! If we lose Zaraki’s trail here, we’ll never have another chance to save Raiha. If that happens, she'll...!"
"The same applies to me. I have no guarantee that another chance to avenge my father will ever present itself. Are you telling me to cast aside my only opportunity for the sake of the woman who murdered him?"
Vengeance had claimed every corner of Ryuga’s mind. As he prepared to cast aside the pleas of Sakura and Setsuna, Yui spoke up, her head shaking in a slow, continuous rhythm.
"Are you really serious? You must know what will happen to Raiha if she’s taken away like this. Even knowing that, you would still choose revenge, Brother?"
"...It is simple karma. Whatever happens to her is no concern of mine."
"Raiha saved me! She shielded me when I tried to protect the Ryuo-ga. Even at the hospital, if she had just abandoned me, she could have kept her identity a secret. Are you really going to abandon the person who saved my life?"
"Yes, I will. She is the woman who killed our father. She is no savior of yours."
Cruel and unyielding, Ryuga spat the words at Yui. She let out a sharp intake of breath and fell silent for a fleeting moment before screaming at her brother.
"Could you say that to Yugo-san? Tell me, Brother! Can you say that to his face!?"
Ryuga’s expression twisted the moment she invoked Yugo’s name. As her brother averted his gaze and looked toward the floor, Yui continued to shout through her tears.
"The only reason you’re standing here safe and sound is because of Yugo-san! He put his life on the line because he believed in you! He trusted that if it were you, you would save Raiha!"
"Shut up, Yui...!!"
"It wasn’t just Yugo-san! Father, who entrusted you with the Ryuo-ga, and Mother, who gave everything to raise us—they both believed you would become a swordsman who saves people! Are you really going to betray them for the sake of revenge?"
"Shut up...! Don't say another word...!!"
"The way you’re acting right now is the absolute lowest! Is settling a score really that important!? Do you want to kill Koumaru so badly that you’d betray everyone who believes in you!? If you do this... how will you ever look Yugo-san or Father in the eye again!? Can you really hold your head high and say you did the right thing!? Answer me, Brother!!"
"Shut up!!"
Unable to withstand his sister’s interrogation any longer, Ryuga’s voice broke into a roar. He spun around, fists clenched, ready to snap back at Yui—but before he could utter a word, Marcos’s fist slammed into his cheek.
"Guh...!?"
"Marcos...!"
"That wasn’t me. It was Yugo. If he were standing here right now, this is exactly what he would have done."
Ryuga stumbled back several steps from the blow, glaring at Marcos. In return, Marcos looked at him with an expression filled not with anger, but with a deep, pervasive sorrow.
"Ryuga... you are strong. Strong enough to stand as Yugo’s equal. It kills me to admit it, but I understand why he entrusted the future to you. That’s why I’m telling you to think. Think about what Yugo was feeling when he left everything in your hands."
Ryuga reached up to touch the cheek where Marcos had struck him. Then, his hand moved to his chest—the spot where Yugo’s fist had rested until the moment he collapsed. It’s okay. If it’s you... He recalled those final, strained words Yugo had forced out, and his hands began to tremble.
"It’s not just Yugo-san," Yui pleaded. "I believe in you, and everyone else here believes in you too. So please, don't betray them...!!"
"No matter what any of you say, I am going after Koumaru. I will cut him down and avenge my father."
"Brother... deep down, you know the truth, don't you? You know what you should be doing, and you know how you really feel...!!"
Unable to answer his sister, Ryuga turned his back on his comrades. Just before he began to walk away, he uttered his usual catchphrase—though it sounded more hollow and sorrowful than it ever had before.
"Don't... ask me questions...!!"
With that final remark, Ryuga walked away. Setsuna watched his retreating back as he left the hospital to pursue his vendetta. She let out a low groan, her face a mask of absolute despair.
"It’s over... Yugo is gone, and now Ryuga is gone too. There’s no way left to save Raiha...!!"
The hero who had saved them and overturned impossible odds time and again was unconscious. Their final hope had turned his back on them. Setsuna lamented that all was lost, but Melt reached out and grabbed her hand, a fierce light burning in her eyes.
"It’s too early to give up. There are still things we can do. There has to be a way to save Raiha—I know it!"
"But we don't have our magic items—"
"Even so! Are you really going to just give up? Raiha is a precious friend, isn't she? Then we have to give it everything we've got!"
Melt squeezed Setsuna’s hands firmly with her own. As Setsuna gasped, Melt gave her a quick wink.
"Do you know the first rule? Hero's Condition #1: Never giving up. That’s why I’m not stopping. I believe that if we all work together, nothing is impossible!"
"Melt...!"
Melt gave a determined nod, a gentle smile gracing her lips. Setsuna nodded back, wiping away the tears that threatened to fall.
"You're right. It’s too early to quit... If there's even a chance, we have to take it."
"Exactly! Let's go together! We’ll combine our strength and fight for Raiha's sake!!"
"We can't just keep relying on Yugo for everything," Anhel added. "It's time we showed everyone what we're capable of!"
"Everyone...! Thank you so much! I will never forget this...!!"
Having regained her resolve through Melt’s encouragement, Setsuna squeezed her hand back. Anhel and Sakura joined them, the four of them forming a tight circle of newfound unity.
Nothing was over yet. They still had a part to play. With that belief held close to their hearts, the group set off in pursuit of Zaraki to bring their friend home.