Several days had passed since the sea-jack incident.
The major crime that had sent shockwaves through Wind Island was successfully resolved thanks to the combined efforts of Yugo’s group and the Security Force. Along with that victory, the gang operating in the shadows had been dismantled as an added bonus. It was a happy ending that far exceeded expectations, and the relief across the island was palpable.
Since then, sporadic crimes committed by those who had scavenged Clear Plates continued to crop up, though none escalated to the scale of the sea-jack or the initial attack on Shandia Island. Most of these perpetrators were either suppressed by the Security Force or intercepted and defeated by Yugo and his companions, frequently ending with the criminals behind bars.
By this point, the Security Force had secured and seized more than half of the twenty-six known Clear Plates. Observing the diminishing scale and frequency of these crimes, the island residents began to feel that the worst of the crisis had passed.
Naturally, some remained unconvinced—namely Shepherd and his Security Force, as well as Yugo’s group, who had faced the Clear Plate possessors firsthand. The threat posed by those transformed into Magic Armor Beasts could not be underestimated. More importantly, the identity of the mastermind who had manufactured and distributed the plates remained a mystery.
The methods behind their creation were unknown, as was the motive for scattering such dangerous items across Wind Island. Even if every current plate was recovered, there was no guarantee that more wouldn't appear.
While tracking the mastermind was an urgent priority, the Security Force simultaneously treated the investigation of the plates themselves as a vital mission. As of yet, they had found no way to destroy or even scratch them.
Should the seized plates fall back into criminal hands, Wind Island would be in peril once more. To eliminate that risk, the Force sought to destroy them. A few samples for research would suffice; mitigating any potential danger was only logical. Yet, all efforts proved futile. Physical force and magic alike failed to leave so much as a mark.
The only remaining path was to extract the method of destruction from the creator. But just as the Security Force was settling on this strategy, a startling truth came to light.
"They found a side effect to the Clear Plates!?"
"Yes, that's right. And it’s far more troublesome than we imagined..."
Yugo received the call while resting at his hotel. Though his recent opponents had been easier to handle than Gomez, consecutive battles with Magic Armor Beasts had taken their toll. He was recuperating when word arrived that Shepherd was trying to reach him.
Fearing another incident but noting the call came via the hotel’s communication device rather than a direct summons to headquarters, Yugo assumed it wasn't an immediate emergency. Once a staff member guided him to the receiver, he learned that the research team had uncovered a side effect.
"I say 'discovered,' but it wasn't through our tests. To put it plainly, a time bomb has gone off."
"A time bomb?" Yugo echoed, frowning at the heavy implication.
He recalled that in his past life's knowledge, transformation items used to turn people into monsters often carried grave consequences. Shepherd continued.
"The Clear Plates appear to have a side effect that forcibly expels the user's magic power. Once a certain amount of time passes after transformation, the user is drained of their mana to the point of near-death."
"You mean their magic power is being drained indefinitely? Wait! What about the officers who volunteered for the tests? Or Gomez-san and the others!?"
"They’re safe for now. This effect only triggers if the user goes too long without using a Clear Plate again. As long as they transform periodically, the side effect doesn't manifest."
"I see... That’s a relief, then. I think?"
"We can't be optimistic. The safe interval between uses is steadily shrinking. The reason I prefaced this by saying they're okay for now is due to that specific trait."
Yugo caught his breath. Gomez and his group could be trusted with the plates, but the same couldn't be said for the criminals they had apprehended. The thought of them suffering a fate that might be worse than death left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Shepherd’s voice pulled him back through the receiver. "Given all that, what are your thoughts, Yugo? I’d like to hear your perspective."