"I see... So the Clear Plates were designed with a side effect that drains magic power. To think they had something like that built-in..."
"It seems they’re far more dangerous than we ever imagined. Just as Shepherd-san said, we need to recover them immediately."
Back in their room, Yugo briefed his roommates, Marcos and Ryuga, on what he had just learned.
Both men immediately grasped the gravity of the side effects and the potential threats they implied. They wore somber expressions as they processed the information.
"We already knew this, but simply collecting the plates won't be the end of it," Marcos muttered. "As long as the person who created them is still out there, the same thing will just keep happening. We have to crush the source."
"Exactly," Ryuga agreed. "But if we want to drag the mastermind out into the open, our first step has to be recovering every single Clear Plate."
"And we can only pray that their preparations aren't complete by the time we do," Yugo added.
The mastermind's blueprint was becoming clear: use the Clear Plates to transform humans into Magic Armor Beasts, cultivate them to maximize their energy, and then harvest that magic power to fuel the next phase of their plan.
To stop them, they had to gather every plate before the enemy obtained the amount of magic power they required.
"I’d also prefer to settle this before we return to the academy," Marcos said. "After being involved this deeply, it wouldn't sit right with me to leave Wind Island without seeing the case through to its conclusion."
"I feel you. We’re only able to help because we’re here on a school trip, but we can't stay here forever... Hm?"
"What is it, Yugo?"
"Well, the Magic Armor Beasts started appearing right after we arrived for the trip, didn't they? I’m starting to think that might not be a coincidence..."
Looking back on their time on the island, Yugo realized that the outbreak of the Clear Plate Incident almost perfectly coincided with their arrival. He couldn't help but feel suspicious.
The mysterious items had suddenly appeared on an island that had likely been peaceful until then. The timing felt far too convenient. As Yugo mulled over the foul scent of a conspiracy, Marcos spoke up.
"Your intuition might not be entirely wrong, but it might not be the whole truth either. It’s highly likely the mastermind wasn't waiting for us specifically, but rather for a large gathering of people on the island."
"A gathering, huh? I guess if you want to draw attention, the peak of the tourist season is the best time."
"No, I think there's more to it than that," Ryuga interjected. "This is just a hunch, but do you think it’s possible the Clear Plates are designed to find their way into the hands of those who can best draw out their power?"
"What do you mean?" Marcos asked, his brow furrowed.
It was an uncharacteristically occult suggestion coming from Ryuga, but the swordsman continued with total sincerity.
"It isn't that strange of an idea. In Yamato, we have legends of noted swords and cursed blades meeting their destined owners through what seems like fate. I’m not saying it’s literal magic; I’m saying it wouldn't be surprising if the creator of the Clear Plates built a similar mechanism into them."
"...I suppose that’s not entirely impossible. Come to think of it, I have some personal experience with that sort of thing myself."
Ryuga’s theory sounded nonsensical at first, but after a moment of reflection, Marcos thought back to his own fateful encounter with the spear Carlos had forged on Shandia Island. He retracted his skepticism and nodded in agreement.
Yugo, too, thought about the lore of his favorite superhero shows and found himself agreeing with Ryuga’s logic.
"Ryuga might be onto something. The Clear Plates are drawn to the people who become their owners. If you think about it, the compatibility between Gomez-san and his plate was off the charts. He was only able to draw out that much power because he was the one who ended up with Plate [S]."
"Let's ask Shepherd-san tomorrow for more details on the possessors we've arrested so far," Marcos suggested. "Maybe we'll find a pattern."
If this theory proved correct, it could be the breakthrough they needed to track down the remaining Clear Plate possessors.
In the midst of a dark situation filled with uncertainty, Yugo saw a glimmer of hope. He nodded firmly and whispered to himself.
"I’ll have to tell Melt and the others... Though it's a shame the timing was so bad."
Melt and the other girls were currently out of the room, having gone to the baths. Since there were so many of them, they were bathing in groups, and they weren't expected back for a while.
Yugo lamented the missed opportunity; if the girls had been there, they might have offered even better insights. But at that exact moment, the door to the room slammed open, and Melt and her group came bursting in.
"Yu-yu-yu-Yugo! We have a huge problem!"
"Whoa! What’s with the grand entrance? And wait, what happened to your bath?"
"Never mind that! He showed up!"
"He? Who showed up?"
Yugo looked at them with a bewildered expression as Melt and the others stood there, frantic and out of breath.
The girls screamed in unison, their voices echoing through the room.
"A peeper! A peeping tom appeared! The girls in the group right before us were targeted!"