Yugo caught his breath at Gomez’s answer.
While gazing steadily at the visibly shaken youth, Gomez continued to speak dispassionately.
"I love this island. That’s why, in my younger days, I fought the monsters despite the risks. All to keep the peace of Wind Island in this vast sea. And I am grateful, too. It was because of the glory I found back then that I met the woman I loved... and even now, having stopped fighting, I’m able to live a life free of want. But—"
Gomez paused, tensing his entire body.
Though he was an old man well over sixty, his massive frame had lost none of its youthful vigor. The moment his muscles surged with strength, his shirt shredded, exposing the flesh beneath.
"...Look at these wounds. These are the scars from being bitten, gouged, and slashed by monsters in the heat of battle."
As he spoke, countless scars were visible across Gomez’s body.
Just as he said, among those wounds—likely sustained from a lifetime of monster attacks—hardly any two marks looked the same. On his sun-tanned skin, scars of all sizes remained vivid. Showing them to Yugo, Gomez spoke.
"I fought on the brink of death while sustaining this many injuries. Letting me live a life of comfort after retirement is a small price to pay, isn't it?"
"..."
"However, Yugo... you’re still young, so you probably don’t understand, but the title of 'hero' is something that sticks with you for life."
"...I know. I know that once someone carries that name, they have to remain a hero until the day they die."
At Yugo’s reply, a flicker of surprise crossed Gomez’s face.
Even after one finishes playing the role of a hero, it doesn’t truly end. Once you have taken up that name, you must uphold its ideals and live as a hero until your final breath. To Yugo, who answered while recalling the words of an actor he respected, Gomez continued.
"...I see. Then you understand, don't you? The suffocation of having to live under such constraints even as an old geezer like me. I’d been thinking for a while now that it was about time I threw away a title like 'hero'."
"So, that’s why you did this?"
"Yeah. I was lucky to find a Clear Plate. I gained power that exceeds my prime, and it brought me together with comrades to carry out this sea-jack."
Gomez shrugged and turned his gaze toward Yugo, observing the boy's reaction as he spoke.
"I... I was waiting for someone who would kill the version of me that is a hero. The one chosen for that role was you, Yugo. That is why I hijacked this ship and called you here. Are you satisfied now?"
"..."
Under Gomez’s provocative stare, Yugo quietly lowered his head.
While Gomez continued to watch for his reaction, Yugo raised his face again and met his gaze. He spoke out in a clear, firm voice.
"...No, I’m not satisfied. You’re a liar."
"...!"
Gomez looked startled by Yugo’s blunt refusal to believe his story.
Addressing the older man, Yugo spoke from the heart.
"I don’t have proof. But I can just tell. That you want to throw away your life as a hero, that it’s suffocating, that you think you have a natural right to live in comfort... it’s all a pack of lies. However, in that sea of lies, there was one thing I knew for certain was the truth."
"...And what is that?"
"That you love this island... that part alone is absolutely certain. Those were your true feelings, straight from your soul."
At Yugo’s words, Gomez showed a faint, somewhat happy... yet resigned smile.
Unable to tell if he felt joy or sorrow, the man simply continued to listen as Yugo spoke.
"If you really wanted to cast off your status as a hero, you could have just run wild. You have plenty of hostages. You could have hurt or killed some of them if you really wanted to. But you didn't. If what you just said was true, your actions and your words are a total contradiction."
"...I'm beaten. So you've developed an eye for people along with that courage of yours."
Gomez whispered quietly.
As the man shook his head and exhaled, Yugo continued to shout.
"There’s some other reason for this, isn't there? Tell me! I... I don’t want to fight you!"
"...What good will it do to hear the reason? If a criminal has a tragic story, will you let them go? Is that what a hero does?"
Gomez spoke quietly, yet his voice carried a heavy air of intimidation.
Staring straight at Yugo, who caught his breath at the pressure that felt like being plunged into the deep sea, the man said:
"I’ll praise you for dropping the polite speech now that we're facing off. Keep it up and cast aside your softness. No matter what your opponent is carrying in their heart, show them no mercy."
"..."
"You have the face of someone saying they can't do that. You've got a good spark in you; I don’t dislike it. But—"
Just as Gomez was about to say more, a vibration ran through the ship.
To Yugo, who looked at his feet in surprise, Gomez continued to speak dispassionately.
"...It seems my comrades have reached their limit as well. Shall we begin?"
"Gomez-san, I—"
"Enough talk. If you absolutely can't accept this... then defeat me and drag out the answer you're looking for."
A fight was no longer avoidable. Now that the other hijackers had begun to run wild inside the ship, stalling for time was pointless.
More than anything, Gomez was resolute. No words would reach him now that he had forged his iron resolve.
As Yugo watched him slowly hold up his Clear Plate and saw the character engraved upon it, he let out a pained groan as if cursing a cruel fate.
"Of all the letters... it had to be that one!?"
S... A man once hailed as the hero who protected this island now held a transformation item engraved with that curved character.
What kind of fate was it that he, who aimed to be a hero, would have to face such a man? Amidst the heart-wrenching pain Yugo felt, Gomez used the power of the plate to transform into a Magic Armor Beast.
"Now... let’s begin, Yugo. You, too, must prepare yourself."
"...!!"
The Magic Armor Beast, calling out in a low, growling voice, clearly inherited the characteristics of the man Gomez once was.
It had a black body that looked like sun-tanned skin dyed even deeper. Its massive frame was imposing and muscular. And across its entire body, silver scars were engraved.
The figure of the scarred warrior, Scarknight, who had once protected this island... stood before him.