“Gah?! Yu-yu-yu-Yugo?! What are you doing here?!”
Already in a state of total disarray, Woz and his companions plunged deeper into panic as Yugo appeared before them with a thunderous shout. They let out a series of high-pitched, frantic shrieks.
Why was Yugo here? Was he trying to peep just like them? As those questions raced through their minds, Yugo let out a long, lamenting groan. His face was a contorted mask of fury and pure disbelief.
“Seriously, what is wrong with you guys?” he muttered. “I get that you want to blow off some steam on the night of a school trip, but targeting the girls like this? That’s low.”
Yugo was a high school boy himself; he understood the surge of adrenaline that came with a school trip and the urge to do something reckless with friends. However, understanding didn't mean he could overlook a criminal act like voyeurism. The fact that such a massive group of boys had coordinated for such a pathetic deed left him more exhausted than angry.
(And of course, it’s the usual suspects from the Hero Candidates! Good grief, these guys are really something...)
Seeing that the boys staring back in shock were the very students hailed as the elite Hero Candidates—including the likes of Woz and Torin—Yugo felt his frustration transform into a profound sense of sadness. To think that young men held in such high regard by their peers would band together just to try and sneak a look at naked girls...
As Yugo lamented their lack of character, a startled Woz finally found his voice. “W-What’s going on here?! Don’t tell me those... those reeking, naked men we saw were your doing?!”
“That’s right,” Yugo replied flatly. “We’ve been on standby here to catch a Peeper with a lot more skill than you lot.”
“There is a trick to this fence,” Ryuga added, his voice cold. “If you try to peek through a hole, a specific enchantment redirects your line of sight to the Security Force men's shower room. You end up seeing exactly what is happening inside there instead.”
“Basically,” Yugo continued, “no matter how much you idiots strain your eyes at those peep-holes, you aren't going to see any girls. You’re just going to see a bunch of hulking, sweat-drenched guards.”
“Ugh?! Why would a trap like that even exist?!” Woz cried out, clutching his head in confusion.
Yugo and the others let out a collective sigh. They were supposed to be catching a Clear Plate Possessor, yet they had snared a pack of lecherous fools from their own class instead. Before they could decide how to handle the mess, Woz and his group suddenly doubled over, clutching their faces.
“Ow?! Ow-ow-ow-ow!”
“My eyes! My eyes!! Aaaaagh!!”
“Don’t tell me you’re only just realizing it now?” Yugo asked, unimpressed.
“Is this your doing toooooo?!”
A vibrant Rainbow Color Spray had been triggered right in their faces. Only now, in their frantic confusion, did Woz and the others notice the dye stinging their eyes as they began to roll around on the ground.
Watching the unnecessary bonus Peepers writhe at the Crime Scene, Yugo exchanged a look with Marcos. They consulted each other silently, wondering what the best course of action was—until Ryuga cut through the noise.
“Yugo, Marcos... that’s enough playing around with these fools. Let’s face our main event.”
“Wait, the main event?” Yugo narrowed his eyes.
Ryuga ignored the question, instead using Ryuo-ga to point toward a specific spot in the clearing. When Yugo and Marcos followed his gaze, they saw shimmering flecks of Rainbow Color Paint convulsing and twitching in mid-air.
“It looks like the fool’s been found,” Ryuga noted.
“So it wasn't just these utter morons who took the bait!” Marcos exclaimed.
The Clear Plate Possessor they had been hunting was indeed present. Just like Woz and his group, it had blundered straight into the trap they had meticulously laid.
“Hey, you! I know you’re there!” Yugo shouted toward the empty space. “That paint doesn't come off easily. Give it up and surrender!”
Yugo waited for the invisible Peeper to show some sign of compliance, but he wasn't optimistic. His instincts were proven right a moment later when a sudden wave of exploding hostility washed over them. Sensing the danger, the three of them immediately leapt back into evasive maneuvers.
“W-What’s happening?! Oof?!”
“...?!”
The Hero Candidates, still blinded and rolling in pain, had no idea what was happening. One student stood there with a vacant, bewildered expression, only to let out a sharp cry of agony as he was suddenly sent flying by an invisible force.
The hostility was unmistakable now. Seeing the male student tossed aside confirmed that the enemy was ready to fight. However, the enemy remained completely invisible, its movements a mystery. As Yugo and his companions struggled to track an opponent they couldn't see, the Magic Armor Beast began to rain down a relentless barrage of attacks.