"You...!"
Yugo shot a look of pure disbelief at Lost, who had just gleefully delivered a line that sounded all too familiar.
Perhaps emboldened by that reaction, Lost's voice grew even more animated as he continued.
"Man, I’ve always wanted to say that! Besides, isn't it a classic trope? Another hero swooping in to save the day when the protagonist is in a pinch in the movie version?"
"...You’re no hero."
"Ahahaha! You've got me there! But come on, give me a pass just for today."
Yugo offered the ice-cold retort with perfect composure, yet he couldn't take his eyes off Lost, who seemed to be enjoying himself far too much.
As the rock walls created by Torin's attacks continued to crumble around them, Yugo finally voiced the question he had been holding back.
"...Why are you helping me? You're an ally of Abyss, aren't you?"
"Like I said before, I’m an ally, but not a comrade. Personally, I don't like the man very much, and I think it’ll be much more entertaining to watch you face him directly. And besides—"
Lost flashed a smile as he repeated his earlier answer.
Wearing a mysterious grin that seemed to bridge the gap between pure innocence and total depravity, he looked at Yugo.
"I like you. Personally, I'm rooting for you. I’d be in a real spot if your story ended here."
"........."
"Go on, get moving. Your friends are waiting, aren't they? I’ll handle this unsophisticated fellow for you."
Yugo narrowed his eyes, watching Lost as the man dismissively waved him off.
He was right; Yugo needed to rendezvous with his comrades as soon as possible. It was probably for the best to leave Torin to Lost.
A lingering sense of unease remained, born from the fact that he couldn't truly trust the man, but Yugo turned on his heel anyway. Just as he was about to sprint toward Hauvent Castle, he stopped in his tracks, turned back toward Lost, and spoke.
"...I don't plan on forgiving you for using Rush and Neid, or for any of the other stunts you’ve pulled. But... just for today, in this one moment, I’ll thank you for the help. Thanks."
"...!!"
Lost looked genuinely taken aback by Yugo's unexpected words.
Leaving only that behind, Yugo vanished. Lost watched him go, and the moment the boy was out of sight, the wall was pulverized. Torin, now transformed into a Magic Armor Beast, lunged through the wreckage.
"Hah? Where did Yugo go? Did he tuck tail and run?"
"...Heh! Hahahaha! What a lucky man I am! To think that not only did I get to speak with him directly, but he actually thanked me...! I am in an absolutely wonderful mood right now. If you vanish this very second, I might just consider letting you live."
"Hah...? What the hell are you talking about? For that matter, who are you? What are you?"
Having finally noticed Lost now that Yugo was gone, Torin hurled the obvious questions at him.
Torin found it bizarre that this stranger was laughing and spouting nonsense the moment they crossed paths... but upon hearing the question, Lost stopped laughing. He exhaled a short breath and turned squarely toward his opponent.
"...Since you aren't running, I’ll take that as your answer. In that case, without further ado... I’ll erase you."
His voice sounded joyful, yet it was saturated with a terrifying, childlike cruelty.
Even Torin, overflowing with the arrogance that came from the power of a Clear Plate, felt a bone-chilling cold settle in his marrow the moment he heard that voice. As Lost’s mouth twisted into a smirk of pure pleasure, he whispered a single word.
"—Transform."
At that signal, a shroud of black darkness swirled around Lost’s body.
Torin watched in a daze as the man was swallowed by the vortex. His heart hammered against his ribs as the darkness suddenly burst apart alongside a massive surge of magic power. From within the void, a sinister, silver form emerged.
"...You asked who I am? Can't you tell by looking?"
A silver warrior that seemed to embody both the divine and the diabolical.
Lost spoke in a flat, detached tone to Torin, who stood paralyzed before a transformation so horrific it made his skin crawl.
"I am—your despair."