"—And that covers the information I gathered during my infiltration. I hope it proves useful."
"So, the majority of the students have been brainwashed into a fighting force, Lord Marcos and our other friends are being held hostage in the gymnasium, and Fee—their final trump card—is being kept right next to Dogma..."
"They’ve scattered everyone quite effectively. It’s devastating that Lord Marcos and the others have been separated from Fee," Claire added, her voice heavy with concern.
A short while later, Zenon had once again used a magic item to manifest his mental body before Yugo and the others, sharing the intelligence he had gathered within the occupied Luminous Academy.
The group sat in silence for a moment, processing the fragments of Dogma's Group's plans and intentions. Finally, Yugo spoke up.
"In this situation, Hypno is the one we have to take out first. If he’s eliminated, everyone should be set free!"
"I agree," Ryuga said with a firm nod. "If we take down the caster, he’ll at least be unable to issue further orders. The problem, however, is exactly how we get to him."
Zenon sighed, his spiritual form flickering slightly. "To be honest, Claire and I aren’t much use in a fight. If we went up against Dogma's Group, we’d just be one-sidedly crushed. To defeat Hypno, either Yugo or Ryuga will have to be the one to engage him."
If they could just defeat Hypno—the most troublesome enemy who possessed the hypnotic power binding the hostages—the tide of battle would surely turn in their favor. The issue was that Dogma’s side understood this perfectly well. It was hard to imagine Hypno simply walking onto the battlefield, yet they had to find a way to drag him out.
"I wish I could have helped you two sneak in and eliminate him through an assassination or something similar," Zenon continued, looking genuinely pained. "But judging by the security, that seems impossible. I'm truly sorry."
"There's no need to apologize," Yugo reassured him. "The enemy is on high alert for exactly that, and you're the one in the most dangerous position right now."
It seemed they had no choice but to engage in a direct confrontation. Dogma's Group had not only weaponized the students but had also established a perimeter of barrier-like magic to sense any intruders.
On top of that, Zenon was under Hypno's constant suspicion. Any wrong move would result in his immediate execution.
As the group wrestled with these strategic hurdles, an unexpected voice broke the silence. Yui raised her hand tentatively.
"Um! I have a suggestion!"
Ryuga looked at his sister, surprised by her sudden interjection. "...What is it, Yui? Let's hear it."
Encouraged by her brother’s trust, Yui began to explain her theory. "This is only a possibility, but... is it possible that Hypno has to stay within a certain range of his targets for his hypnosis to work?"
Ryuga considered this, looking back on their past encounters. "There is certainly that possibility. At the very least, he didn't seem like the type who could control people across any distance purely through thought."
Zenon’s eyes sharpened as he integrated this new variable into his mental map of the academy. "If that’s the case, we can narrow down Hypno's location during the assault. He’ll either be waiting in the gymnasium so he can threaten the hostages, or he’ll be on the front lines to direct the hypnotized students. Or..."
"—Or he'll be stationed near something that amplifies his range so he can control everyone at once, right?" Yugo finished.
The details were slightly different, but the logic felt identical to their battle with Abyss. Abyss had remained within the castle he’d remodeled into a giant artillery battery, keeping his subordinates near the magic items that generated his protective barrier. In a sense, the heart of that operation hadn't been the battery itself, but the barrier-generating magic items—a fact Abyss had tried to hide until the very end.
It stood to reason that Dogma's Group would employ a similar tactic. They had likely installed a magic item somewhere in the academy specifically to cover the inherent weakness of Hypno's ability.
"Hypno wouldn't risk coming to the front lines when his hypnosis is the core of their strategy," Ryuga reasoned. "If they just want to torment the hostages, sending someone like Burn is more than enough. Hypno is likely staying close to whatever magic item they're hiding so he can maintain control from a safe distance."
"If we can just pinpoint that location, we can corner him," Yugo said, his resolve hardening. "And once we defeat him..."
"I understand," Zenon said, his voice ringing with newfound conviction. "Leave it to me. I will find Hypno's hiding spot, no matter what."
A glimmer of hope had finally appeared. Yugo looked around at his companions, meeting each of their eyes in turn. He took a steadying breath.
"Alright! Let’s go over the strategy for tomorrow's battle. We’re going to rescue everyone and bring down Dogma and her crew!"