"Tomorrow, we finally say goodbye to Wind Island. Our stay ended up being extended, but it feels like we’ve been here much longer than we actually have."
"Yeah. A lot happened... honestly, way too much happened."
From the clash with a radical environmental group to the discovery of the Clear Plates, and from solving a sea-jack incident to hunting down a peeper in the women’s bath—it had been a whirlwind. Finally, it all culminated in a desperate struggle against Conductor Abyss, the mastermind behind every disaster on the island.
The damage to Wind Island had temporarily halted ship operations, which was why their stay had been lengthened, but even so, the sheer density of events was staggering.
Yugo gave a wry smile, knowing these intense experiences would remain burned into his mind, making the actual duration of the trip feel like a secondary detail. Fee looked over at him and spoke.
"I’m glad the Clear Plates are gone, but it’s a bit of a letdown that the X-Blaster’s power is gone, too. It was strong enough to crush an attack that could have leveled the entire island. If you still had it, I’m sure it would have come in handy later on..."
"Well, it can't be helped. Personally, I thought the idea of transforming using the same power as the enemy was pretty hype... but things like that are best when they're temporary. It’s what you’d call a movie-exclusive form."
"...Is that another one of those 'Hero’s Conditions'?"
"Nah, just my own personal aesthetic. Or maybe just an otaku’s obsession?"
With Abyss’s death, the power of the Clear Plates he had manufactured had vanished entirely. Naturally, the X-Blaster—born from the power of the [X] Clear Plate—had lost its strength as well. Currently, Yugo couldn't even trigger a transformation.
However, Yugo didn't feel the slightest bit of regret over losing that immense power. If anything, he felt a sense of closure. As he had maintained from the start, that victory was achieved because everyone, including his brother, had fought as one. It wasn't something he had seized with the power of the X-Blaster alone.
The moment Abyss was defeated and peace returned to the island, the X-Blaster had fulfilled its purpose. There was no need to cling to it anymore. He was content to send it off with his deepest gratitude—a final thank you to the trump card that had come to him when he needed it most.
(Thanks, [X]. I wish I’d realized you were there for me a bit sooner... but we only won because you showed up. Thank you, seriously.)
Sending a final thought of gratitude to the power he had fought alongside, Yugo stood up and gave a long, deep stretch before turning back to his brother.
"Even without the X-Blaster, I’ve still got the amazing transformation items my awesome little brother gave me! So there’s absolutely no problem at all!"
"I see...! In that case, I’m going to work even harder on my research so I can make armor that’s just as incredible as the X-Blaster! One day, I’ll invent a Blaster that’ll blow your mind, Brother, so just you wait!"
"Haha, I’m looking forward to it, Fee!"
Yugo laughed heartily, reaching out to give his energetic younger brother’s head a playful rub. As the two shared a quiet moment as brothers, the rest of their friends began to gather around.
"Ah! There they are! Hey, Yugo!"
"Fee is with him, too. Perfect timing."
The friends who approached were all, like Yugo, people who had been volunteering their time for the restoration of Wind Island. Yugo greeted them with a grin, relieved to see everyone safe and sound without any major injuries.
"Hey, guys! What’s up? Why the big gathering?"
"What do you mean 'what’s up'? Haven't you heard, Yugo? There’s a fireworks display tonight!"
"Wait, seriously!?"
"Apparently, once the islanders heard we were leaving tomorrow, they organized it so we could have one last good memory before we go."
"It seems there was supposed to be a festival around this time anyway, but it was postponed because of the Clear Plate crimes."
"The scale will be a bit smaller than usual, but the people of the island are just happy they can actually set off fireworks this year!"
"I see! That’s great to hear!"
Yugo nodded, a warm smile spreading across his face as he realized that the people of Wind Island hadn't lost their spirit and were already looking toward the future.
Melt spoke up, her voice brimming with excitement.
"So, that means we’re all meeting up at the beach near the hotel tonight! Elena and the others secured us some prime seating, so let’s all watch the show together. It’s the final night of our school trip, so let’s go all out and make the best memories possible! And with that... it’s decided!"