“…Ryuga, I found the third one over here.”
“So that’s all of them. I’m heading your way. You know the drill—don’t you dare let him get away, partner.”
Just as Marcos had engaged Migald, Yugo had tracked down the Magic Armor Beast responsible for the chaos. After cutting the transmission, he approached the creature, which was currently rampaging with apparent delight.
“Hey, you. I’m talking to you.”
“Haaaaah? You got business with me, punk?”
The Magic Armor Beast was a bizarre sight. Its body was composed of translucent ore, revealing what looked like human bones embedded within—like a skeletal specimen displayed in a glass case. It turned toward Yugo with the foul-mouthed, aggressive swagger of a rural delinquent.
Its head was capped in a dark, smoked-glass ore, out of which sprouted a strange, megaphone-like organ. Yugo noted the creature's bizarre appearance before issuing a stern warning.
“You’re the one driving the animals into a frenzy, aren't you? Knock it off right now!”
“Whaaaaaat? Why the hell should I listen to a word you say? I’ll kill ya!”
As the Magic Armor Beast roared, its temper flaring instantly, a massive blast of sound erupted from the megaphone organ on its head. Yugo clapped his hands over his ears at the deafening noise, scowling as he addressed the creature again.
“Damn, that’s loud! Is that your ability?!”
“That’s right! Noise is life! This is the Soul's Howling of Lord Yakaba, the Assault Leader of the tribe that’s gonna build a legend!”
“It's not a ‘howling’ if it's coming out of a machine! It’s just annoying, so shut it!” Yugo shouted back. To him, the explosive noise echoing from Yakaba’s head sounded like some idiot driver incessantly blasting his horn just to intimidate people.
While the sound didn’t actually cause physical damage, it was incredibly grating. Yugo winced, wanting nothing more than to make it stop. Yakaba seemed to settle down slightly, glaring at Yugo with a sharp intensity.
“Hey, listen here, kid. Just who do you think you are, giving orders to the great Lord Yakaba? Aaan?”
“Don't ‘Aaan’ me! That noise... No, because you’re manipulating the animals, everyone else is suffering! I don’t know what your end goal is, but stop this at once!”
“No way! I finally got 'em—the pawns I need to build the ultimate team!”
“Pawns? What are you talking about?” Yugo frowned, wondering if Yakaba actually intended to start some kind of biker gang.
Yakaba snorted—accidentally triggering another horn blast—and summoned the subordinates he had gathered.
“That’s right! These guys! These animals are the pawns that’ll make me the strongest, most legendary team leader!”
In response to a sound from Yakaba’s head that resembled the revving of an engine, the animals began to howl. Yugo watched, stunned, as lions, wolves, and other ferocious beasts assembled to surround Yakaba. Having subjugated them, Yakaba spoke with smug triumph.
“With the power of my Soul's Noise, I can dominate animals however I want! And once I use the Berserk Noise to draw out their fighting spirit, my legendary Animal Unit will be complete!”
“‘Soul's Noise’? You just admitted it’s nothing but static! And why are you dragging animals into this? If you’re so desperate for a gang, go find some human friends!”
Yugo had plenty of things he wanted to nitpick, but the most pressing issue was the fact that innocent animals were being driven mad and used as tools. He didn't condone delinquency, but if the villain wanted to play at being a gang leader, Yugo felt he should at least find human accomplices instead of enslaving beasts. Yakaba shot back a defiant answer.
“Haaaaaa? Friends? I don’t need any of that crap! I don't want friends, I want subordinates! Henchmen! Underlings! I need slaves who’ll obey my every command!”
“What...?” Yugo’s expression twisted into one of pure rage.
Yakaba continued, his voice rising to a frantic shout.
“With my ability, these animals do whatever I say! They see me as their master and never talk back! Sure, I can only give 'em simple orders for now... but I can make 'em go berserk, attack people, or smash whatever I want! I’m gonna use them to become a Legendary Bad Boy, spreading fear and destruction wherever I go! The legend of Lord Yakaba begins today!”
“Hah...! You’re a total moron. A guy like you is a third-rate thug at best. Don't go pretending you're some big-shot outlaw.”
“Aaaaaahn?! Listen here, brat! You really think you can talk down to me? Argh, you’ve done it now! I’ve decided! Lord Yakaba’s legend starts with me beating the life out of you!”
“Try it if you can! I’ll end your legend before it even starts!”
Yugo roared back, his voice easily matching Yakaba’s scream. He clenched his fists, glaring at the Magic Armor Beast. Striking a pose, he channeled his Magic Power into his bracelet, and his armor began to deploy.
“Trans...form!”