"Aaargh! I can't take it anymore! I've waited long enough—it's time for a rampage!"
"I-it's him! That monster is back!"
Aboard the sightseeing boat Sunlight, Melt and Anhel had located the captives and were hurrying through evacuation preparations.
They prioritized the children and the injured, ushering them into the ship’s lifeboats and launching them into the waves. While it sounded simple enough, the sheer number of people made it a grueling task. Furthermore, they had to painstakingly inspect every boat to ensure no bombs or traps had been planted.
Even after Marcos arrived with Fee and Yui in tow and enlisted the help of the uninjured crew members, it was clear that getting everyone to safety would take time they didn't have.
The group scrambled to load as many hostages as possible, hoping to hand them off to Elena’s sea-horses or the approaching Security Force vessels. But their time ran out—the hijackers finally chose that moment to bare their fangs.
The first to move was the man who looked as thin and fragile as a wire: Lorence.
With bloodshot eyes scanning the crowd, he thrust a Clear Plate engraved with the letter 'V' into his own chest. His body warped and expanded, transforming into a grey Magic Armor Beast that appeared to be carved from solid concrete.
The deck groaned under the heavy thud of his footsteps. A surge of destructive impulse washed over him, and he bellowed his target’s name for all to hear.
"Where’s that brat?! Where’s the shitty brat who dared to get in my way?!"
Searching for Fee—the boy who had defied him earlier—Lorence charged toward the cluster of children from the Luminous Academy Elementary Division.
As screams rang out, he scanned the terrified faces before howling in frustration.
"Urgh! Every last one of you looks the same. What a pain! I’ll just kill you all and be done with it!"
"E-everyone! Get to the boats, quickly! I’ll hold him back! Go!"
A female teacher stepped forward, desperately trying to shield her students. However, she was clearly no combatant. Her magic was swatted aside like a nuisance, and as Lorence bore down on her, she turned pale, her face frozen in terror. Then, a golden wall manifested before her.
"Gah?! What the hell are you?!"
"Is it not obvious? I am the one who will stand in your way."
Lorence clicked his tongue in irritation as Marcos intercepted his strike with a shield.
He hammered his black, iron-ball fists against the Giga Scissors repeatedly, but Marcos held firm against the onslaught. Waiting for the perfect opening when the brute’s balance wavered, Marcos threw his weight into a powerful parry.
"Ugh?! Y-you bastard!"
His fists were knocked wide, leaving his torso completely exposed. Marcos drove a sharp kick into the monster’s midsection, sending him reeling.
As Lorence glared at him while groaning in pain, Marcos looked back with a cold, analytical gaze.
"'Violence'... So the Clear Plate has unleashed your inner brutality," Marcos said. "Or rather, it is more accurate to say you have grown arrogant now that the Plate has granted you the strength your frail self always lacked."
He didn't use weapons, nor did he manifest the traits of a beast or an element. Lorence had become a literal monster of pure destruction, driven only by the urge to break whatever he saw or disliked.
Lorence must have loathed his own weakness. His desperate craving for power had been answered by the Clear Plate, and now that he had it, his ego had inflated to match his new form. He intended to use that power to satisfy his every selfish whim.
A man consumed by such mindless destructive impulses could not be allowed to run free. Marcos had to stop him before he could break another thing or hurt another soul.
Marcos steeled his resolve, ready to declare his challenge, but—
"All right, all right. You step back for a second."
"Whoa?! W-what are you doing, Ann?"
Marcos was yanked backward by his collar as Anhel shoved her way past him. She shot a glance at the struggling Lorence before looking over her shoulder at the bewildered Marcos.
"You stay out of this. I’m taking this one."
"Wait! You are a student of the Industrial Department! Regardless of your training, I cannot allow this. If you think I am still hindered by my previous injuries, you are mistaken—they have long since healed!"
"I know that. That’s exactly why I’m stepping up."
"What...?"
Marcos frowned, confused by her logic. Anhel ignored him, loosening her muscles by rolling her shoulders as she explained.
"Did you forget, Marcos? There are five hijackers. Besides Gomez and this guy, there are three more Magic Armor Beasts with unknown abilities lurking around. We don't know when they’ll attack or how they’ll target the hostages. But if a defense specialist like you is standing guard, we can keep the people safe. Right?"
"..."
"For that to work, we need you at a hundred percent. So, leave this big lug to me."
"...I understand. I'm counting on you."
There were still three unidentified Clear Plate possessors on the two ships. If they launched an assault, Marcos’s specialized defensive skills would be the only thing standing between the hostages and disaster. Lorence’s ability was simple, raw power. There was no need to waste their most versatile defensive asset on an opponent with such a predictable style.
Marcos nodded, accepting that Anhel—who possessed the highest raw power among them—was the better tactical choice. He helped the teacher to her feet and turned his attention back to guiding the passengers.
"So, that’s how it is," Anhel said, turning back to the beast. "I’m your opponent now. I’m going to beat that rotten attitude right out of you, so come on."
"You...! You’re just a girl! How dare you defy me!"
Lorence, feeling belittled by her casual provocation, glared at her with pure venom. Anhel ignored his hatred, scanning the environment as she calculated her moves.
(The interior is cramped, and there are kids everywhere. Not the best place to be swinging a heavy weapon.)
If she used her usual hammer here, she risked hitting a bystander or causing structural damage to the ship. She needed something more precise. She cracked her knuckles.
"I didn't think I'd get to use this so soon... but I might as well show off the results of my special training!"
She struck her palms together with a sharp clap. A burst of light erupted above her head, flowing down into her hands and coalescing into a pair of heavy, orange gloves.
She flexed her fingers, testing the grip, before dropping into a low fighting stance. She shot Lorence a defiant grin.
"Seventh Tool: Fourth Form: Strong Arm Gloves! Get ready—it's time for the debut of Yugo's Personal Martial Arts!"