"Whoa! This is incredible! There’s just something about Japanese-style armor... it really strikes a chord in my soul!!"
Hugo’s eyes sparkled beneath his helmet. He looked like a boy staring at a new toy as he gazed upon the three men’s armor—or rather, their Gusoku.
Perhaps noticing that his excitement was at a fever pitch, the heirs of Yamato began to show off their armored forms with a hint of pride.
"Fuhahahaha! Are you captivated by our battle attire, Hugo Clay? Your eye for aesthetics isn't half bad!"
"Compared to that crude plating of yours, it’s only natural you’d yearn for our elegant and powerful Gusoku."
"Hey, knock it off! Don't you dare badmouth my Blaster! My brother and my friends worked their tails off to customize and maintain this thing. It’s the ultimate armor! Yours are cool too, sure, but I'm not losing to you!!"
While he was captivated by his opponents' gear, Hugo made sure to fire back at Masanaga’s insults. He wouldn't let anyone mock his precious Blaster.
Still, he couldn't help but think that Japanese-style warrior armor really was something special. He continued to carefully observe the Yamato group's magic items.
"Nuhahahaha! Behold my majestic figure, Hugo Clay! Sear it into your very memory!!"
Katsuyori shouted as he gripped an odachi nearly as tall as himself in each hand, shifting into a dual-wielding stance.
Exuding a sense of power that matched his massive frame, he was clad in rugged blue Gusoku that perfectly suited his physique and fighting style.
The colors were different, but Hugo nodded to himself, making mental comparisons. He looks like those ninjas who rampaged rather than hid in their super-powered forms—or perhaps even the giant robot castle that served as the massive combat force for the ninja masters of old! After admiring Katsuyori, he turned his attention to Masanaga.
"Hmph... Well, feel free to look all you want. It is a masterpiece that someone like you could never hope to obtain, not in a hundred lifetimes."
The Gusoku worn by the condescending Masanaga was colored a vibrant yellow.
In terms of style, it brought to mind the Nanban Gusoku, incorporating Western influences. The helmet was shaped like a conical hat, and a large family crest was emblazoned across the forehead.
He looks like some kind of Great, Great, Great, Great, Grand Shogun! Hugo thought. Still, it feels a little lacking without a bunch of fruit depicted on the chest plate.
He mused that the look only really popped because of the simple, noble silver color scheme of the original inspiration. A flashy color like yellow didn't quite suit it.
Since the weapon was a simple longsword, the overall vibe was somewhat restrained. Hugo’s inner tokusatsu geek began to nitpick. If you're going that far, you should be using a wide variety of weapons—spears, one-handed guns, shields, hammers, and saws! After venting his silent grievances, he shifted his gaze to the final man, Enji.
"Fufufufufufufu...!!"
Enji, who continued to laugh meaningfully, wore armor that was shaped differently from the other two.
His was green. The design wasn't traditional Japanese or Nanban-style; it felt more Chinese in influence.
While the other two heirs had armor plating on their gauntlets and greaves, Enji’s Gusoku lacked protection in those areas entirely. Even his helmet had been replaced with a light hat. Instead, the defense on his torso was exceptionally thick. It didn't look like the equipment of someone intended for the front lines.
Is he a long-range fighter like a certain Grape Dragon...? Hugo wondered. However, Enji wasn't holding a gun; he held what appeared to be an iron war fan—a gunbai.
So he’s not a long-range specialist, but a commander type who gives orders from the rear... As Hugo revised his assessment, his gaze drifted to the people standing behind Enji, and he suddenly froze.
"Wait... hang on. Your side has way more people now. Who are those guys!?"
Exactly as Hugo pointed out, a large group of samurai clad in dark green Gusoku had lined up behind Enji.
There had only been three of them a moment ago. When did they multiply? Hugo was shocked, wondering if this wasn't supposed to be a three-on-three duel, but Enji only smirked triumphantly.
"Hahaha, you finally noticed? These are the members of the warrior band who serve as my subordinates. I have no intention of doing something as tedious as fighting myself. I plan to leave everything to them."
"You're leaving it to them? Is that even allowed!? This is a three-on-three duel, isn't it!?"
"There is no problem. I called these men forth using my own ability after the duel began. It is fundamentally no different from using a magic item to create duplicates during a match."
"Oh, I see! It's like Elena's summoning magic! I get it, I get it... Wait, hold on! That many people is a total cheat, isn't it!?"
Recalling how Rush had used a ring to create duplicates in their previous fight, Hugo almost accepted the explanation—before realizing that summoning an entire squad of dozens of subordinates was a bit much. He called out the unfairness immediately.
However, Enji didn't listen. Wearing a smirk that mocked Hugo's confusion, he added a cryptic teaser.
"Hahaha! I'm sorry to surprise you, but this is only the beginning. Simply summoning subordinates isn't the limit of my power... when I combine my abilities, things get much more interesting."