"You’ve proven yourself quite the strategist, Zenon Ash."
"Am I to take that as a compliment?"
They had walked some distance from the gymnasium—now a hollowed-out prison—when Hypno suddenly spoke. Zenon’s reply was smooth, polished with an air of refined courtesy.
Hypno came to a halt, his irritation with the man’s attitude clearly mounting. He turned to face him.
"How you interpret it is your business. However, your performance back there looked suspiciously like you were shielding the hostages. Wouldn't you agree?"
"It was a matter of logistics. To achieve your goals, it was the only logical course of action, wasn't it?"
Zenon maintained his composure as he faced Hypno’s piercing gaze, though his pulse quickened with silent apprehension.
As if trying to probe for any crack in his armor, Hypno pressed him with a rapid-fire series of questions.
"Then why refuse the power of a Magic Armor Beast? If it’s a reward you’re after, surely you should be fighting on the front lines."
"Because if I did that, the other Reincarnators would tear me apart in a fit of jealousy. If a latecomer like me tried to swoop in and claim the female characters they've been eyeing, those bastards would unite just to put me in the ground. In this game, doing nothing is the best way to stay alive."
"So you intend to simply wait at the academy? Your motivations are remarkably opaque."
"It’s quite simple. I returned to find that you’ve seized control of the school and that Yugo—the man I despise—is on the verge of death. Naturally, I’ve chosen to side with the victors. I only care about seeing Yugo suffer; nothing more."
Zenon delivered the prepared explanation with practiced fluency.
Hypno’s suspicion only deepened, but he eventually fell silent, his eyes narrowed behind his glasses.
"Very well. But mark my words: I do not trust you. At the first sign of treachery, I will dispose of you instantly."
"I will keep that firmly in mind."
I’ve cleared the first hurdle, at least... Zenon thought, allowing himself a silent breath of relief.
He turned and walked away, knowing full well that earning their trust would not be so easy. Behind him, Hypno’s doubting eyes followed his every step.
"Is he truly such a concern, Hypno?"
"Yes, of course. Why did you allow such an untrustworthy man into our circle?"
"There is no need for such caution," Dogma replied, her lips curling into a malicious smile. "The extent of what that man can achieve is negligible. Think of him as a pinch of black pepper—a bit of spice to liven up the performance."
Dogma’s assessment was dismissive; to her, Zenon’s power was trivial and hardly worth guarding against. Though Hypno still looked unconvinced, she continued.
"A single man cannot overturn the board at this stage. You understand that, don't you? Besides... we have our trump card. Have you forgotten?"
Dogma glanced over her shoulder, gesturing toward the massive magic circle engraved into the floor.
Hypno remained silent for a long moment, then let out a heavy sigh.
"Yes, you are right. Our victory is unshakeable. We have the hostages, the students are under our control as Hypnosis Soldiers, and we have even manipulated public opinion to our side. With our hidden trump card, our position is rock solid."
"Precisely, Hypno. Now, the House of Clay has been quite vocal since hearing of Fee-kun's scheduled execution. I intend to use the Imperial Decree of the Central Church to silence them, but I need you to use your hypnosis to buy us more time."
"Understood."
As the decisive battle approached, the masterminds continued their preparations. In the shadows, they moved with arrogant certainty toward the ending they had scripted.
The conclusion would come tomorrow. The moment of impact was drawing closer with every passing second.