"Like hell I'll let you do that!"
"Ngh!?"
Gomez, who had fully intended to fall to his death, couldn't hide his shock when Yugo's hand clamped firmly around his arm.
Understanding that the immense heat of his Purple Flame Armor would only injure the man, Yugo had already deactivated his transformation. Now back in his human form, he strained every muscle to pull the massive man back from the brink.
"Let go, Yugo! This is the only way I can settle the score!"
"I told you... to count your sins! I haven't heard them yet! You can't count them if you're dead! If you truly want to make amends, then stay alive and do it!!"
Yugo hadn't defeated Gomez to kill him. He had fought to stop the man before the side effects of the Clear Plate's power pushed him past the point of no return. Having fought so hard to save him, there was no way Yugo would stand by and watch him die now.
Gomez’s resolve wavered at the boy’s plea, but he let out a low, pained groan, his fists trembling.
"...It’s no use. It's too late to count anything. If I don't do this... my granddaughter will die."
"There's still a way! As long as you don't give up, you can see her again!"
"I don't want to hear your empty—!"
To free his granddaughter from the criminal organization that ruled the island, Gomez believed his own death was the only currency left. He was about to snap back at Yugo’s words, dismissing them as hollow comfort, when a voice cut through the air.
"Grandpa!!"
"What!? T-that voice...!?"
Gomez's eyes went wide. He scanned his surroundings, but when he saw no one there, he began to wonder if he was merely hallucinating. Then, the voice rang out again.
"Grandpa! It’s okay now! I’m safe!!"
"C-Cocoa...!?"
The realization that the voice belonged to his captive granddaughter hit him like a physical blow. Where was it coming from? What was happening? As Gomez stood there in a daze of confusion, a different man's voice joined the transmission.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Yugo-kun. But thanks to you, we've successfully rescued Gomez-san’s granddaughter."
"That voice...! Kruger? Is that you? How...!?"
"I’ve been monitoring the situation through the communication device. Cocoa-chan is safe, Gomez-san."
"......!?"
Gomez still couldn't wrap his head around the logistics, but he understood the one thing that mattered: his granddaughter had been saved. As he struggled to process the news, Shepherd began to explain over the radio.
"Before Yugo-kun and his friends boarded the ship, he handed me a communication device. He told me he would definitely drag the truth out of you, and if the problem was something we on the island could handle, he wanted me to lead the Security Force in resolving it. Yugo-kun kept his word. As soon as we learned the reason behind the sea-jack, we mobilized a special unit immediately."
Yugo and his team had started with three communication devices. One stayed with Yugo, one went to Anhel, and the last had been entrusted to Shepherd before the group set out for the sightseeing boat.
Yugo would take care of the trouble at sea. In return, he asked the Security Force to handle the crisis on land that he couldn't reach. Shepherd, accepting the device and the weight of that request, had acted the moment he heard that Gomez’s granddaughter was being held by the gang.
"But how were you able to move so fast? No matter how hard you worked, there’s no way you could have recovered a hostage that quickly...!"
"The identification was easy, thanks to the members of the entry unit you defeated earlier. Information regarding the gang Biran and Guruto belonged to was provided by officers from other jurisdictions. Beyond that, we had undercover investigators, elite officers, and even informants and ordinary island residents who weren't even part of the force volunteering to help."
"Why would people like that... go so far...!?"
"...Isn't it obvious? Every person who took part in this operation—myself included—was saved by you at some point. You’re the hero of this island."
"......!!"
To protect the beautiful island and its people, Gomez had spent his life fighting monsters and disasters. The spirit of justice he had shown had taken root in the hearts of those who looked up to him. The people he once saved had grown into heroes themselves, and now they had come together to rescue the man who had protected them for so long.
"Grandpa! I'm safe now, so please stop! You don't have to do bad things anymore!!"
"Cocoa...!"
"Gomez-san... were we able to be heroes for you? Did we manage to repay even a fraction of the debt we owe you?"
"...It’s more than enough. Thank you... thank you...!"
The weight on his chest had vanished. His reason to die was gone. Yugo, still bracing himself as he pulled with all his might, spoke to the man.
"You're not going to say death is your only option anymore, are you? You can start over! So please, don't add 'making your family cry' to your list of sins!"
"...Yeah. You’re right. You’re absolutely right..."
Unclenching his fists, Gomez reached back and gripped Yugo’s arm.
He grabbed the edge of the ship, and with their combined strength, he hauled himself back onto the deck. Gomez looked down at Yugo, who had collapsed onto the floorboards, completely spent.
"...It’s my loss. You’re a magnificent hero, Yugo. You far exceeded anything I imagined."