“Ryuga, you...!?”
Yugo’s heart swelled with a mix of shock and relief at the sight of his reliable partner. Ryuga stood there as coolly as ever, offering the same irritatingly composed remarks that usually defined him.
Judging by his current demeanor and the effortless way he’d just dispatched the Reincarnators who’d tried to swarm Yugo, it was clear that Ryuga wasn’t under Hypno’s control.
As if to confirm the situation, Dogma turned to Hypno, her voice sharp with growing impatience.
“Hypno, what is the meaning of this? Why is he defying your orders?”
“That’s what I’d like to know, Dogma! You specifically told me that Ryuga Renjou had used the Flame of Judgment!”
Dogma clicked her tongue, clearly irked by being answered with yet another question.
The Flame of Judgment was supposed to turn anyone who gazed into its fire into a mindless puppet. Marcos and the others were proof of its power—they were little more than marionettes dancing to Hypno’s tune.
Dogma had witnessed Ryuga activate the Flame and stare into its depths herself, just like everyone else. Or so she thought.
“Ryuga Renjou... what kind of trick did you pull? How are you resisting Hypno’s—”
“Didn’t I tell you not to ask me questions? Or are you so thick-headed that you can’t grasp the meaning of my words?”
“Tch...!”
Being met with another question was annoying enough, but Ryuga’s blatant mockery and refusal to explain himself were even more galling.
Only moments ago, Dogma had been laughing gleefully at Yugo’s agony. Now, her face was twisted with irritation and mounting fury. Ignoring her, Yugo asked almost the exact same question.
“Ryuga, can you fill me in? How did you dodge the hypnosis?”
“...I didn’t have any proof, but I didn't trust them. Blindly following the instructions of people like that seemed like a mistake, so I made sure I never actually looked at the fire.”
“You never looked at the fire...? Preposterous! You were staring right at it! I confirmed it with my own eyes!”
Ryuga was a primary threat on par with Yugo, a Target of Vigilance. Because of that, Dogma had watched him closely to ensure he’d truly fallen under their sway.
She had seen him gaze into the fire within the Flame of Judgment for more than enough time... To the woman shouting these denials, Ryuga merely snorted.
“No, you didn't confirm anything. You might have meant to, but your obsession with Yugo blinded you. You were so focused on him that you failed to notice what was happening right in front of you.”
“What you were doing...?”
As Dogma groaned, Ryuga tapped his temple with a finger.
“I suspected the flame was a trap, so I flooded my optic nerves with magic power to temporarily blind myself. I’ve done experiments like that before to try and understand how my sister experiences the world. I can do it in an instant.”
“Then, at that time, you were...!”
“I couldn’t see a thing, let alone the flame. As a result, I avoided the visual hypnosis, just as I’d hoped. It only worked because you were too stupid to see through it—and because my sister caught on and helped me.”
“Ah...!”
Everything clicked for Yugo. He remembered how Ryuga had relied on Yui to guide his hands when he received and returned the Flame of Judgment.
She’d been acting as his guide, ensuring his movements didn’t look suspicious while he was blind. Then, another realization hit him.
“Wait, if the fire doesn't work on people who can't see it, then Yui-chan is also...!”
“Yeah, Yui is fine. We’re both on your side.”
The Flame of Judgment relied on visual contact; its power was useless against a girl who couldn't see.
Yugo felt a surge of pure joy. He wasn't isolated. He wasn't helpless. He had allies again. In contrast, Dogma’s group was losing their cool.
“Hypno, wasn’t the plan to secure Yui Renjou? Where is she?”
“I have the hypnotized students and teachers searching for her, but she’s completely vanished...!”
“...So she’s gone to ground. Dammit!”
Burn’s outburst echoed the growing fury in Dogma’s chest.
The plan was unraveling, and Dogma’s composure was slipping. Ignoring the villains, Ryuga turned his attention back to his partner.
“I’m sorry, Yugo. I didn’t think they’d move this fast. If I’d stayed at the academy, I could have stopped them from taking Fee.”
“It’s okay. With you here, we can turn the tables in no time!”
Yugo squeezed his fists, hope reignited. But despite his defiant spirit, he was clearly at his breaking point—his body was a mass of bruises and exhaustion.
Watching Yugo struggle to stand for their sake, Marcos grit his teeth. He forced out a desperate cry, directing it not at Yugo, but at the man standing beside him.
“Ryuga, please! Take Yugo and get out of here! Just go!!”