“...If I said I can’t do that, what do you plan to do?”
Yugo met the man's gaze head-on. Jinba stared back, his expression just as unwavering as he replied.
Yugo’s face darkened at the predictable response, but Jinba wasn't finished.
“That’s the burden of being a common grunt. No matter how absurd the orders or who the target is, you can’t defy your superiors. If the command is to bring you in for the sake of public safety, then that's exactly what I have to do.”
“Jinba-san...”
He had been a mentor and a reliable ally through countless cases since the day they met. Now, that same man stood before Yugo as an adversary.
It cut Yugo to the core to be pitted against him—the very man who had entrusted him with the Memento Crossbow, his late partner’s legacy, and the hope for a better future.
Sensing his friend's distress, Ryuga shifted, his hand moving toward his katana as if to step in and shoulder the burden himself. But Yugo reached out, silently stopping him.
Holding Ryuga back, Yugo turned his focus toward Jinba. He stepped forward and raised his voice, ensuring every member of the Security Force arrayed behind their leader could hear him.
“Listen to me, Jinba-san! Everything Dogma told you is a lie! This claim that the world will end unless Fee is executed is nothing more than a fabrication to frame me. She's the reason everyone at Luminous Academy can't fight back. If we don’t save Fee and stop her group, that’s when the world will actually be destroyed. Please... step aside!”
“...I'll ask you again. If I refuse, what are you going to do?”
“...!!”
Jinba remained disturbingly calm in the face of Yugo's desperate plea. While the young man stood there, lost for words, Jinba produced a cigarette and struck a light. Between puffs, he continued.
“Don't think I trust that woman for a second. And don't think for a moment that this doesn't tear me up inside. But as a member of the Security Force, my duty is to eliminate threats to the public. Since the brass has officially labeled you a Dangerous Element, our hands are tied.”
“……”
“Yugo... every person standing here owes you something. You've helped us close cases, you've saved our lives in the field... the list goes on. And that goes double for me. It might sound sentimental, but I think of you as my own son. I'm damn proud of the man who stands up to evil, no matter the odds. So, when men who feel that way about you still choose to stand in your path... you understand the weight of our resolve, don't you?”
Jinba took a long drag, perhaps trying to steady his own nerves. He exhaled a thick cloud of smoke with a heavy sigh and stepped forward, mirroring Yugo's stance.
“Now it's my turn to ask a question. Is there any part of you willing to turn around and vanish? We could say we never found you. That you never showed up at the academy and simply fled into the night. That’s the most we can offer you as officers of the law—a chance to run.”
The message was clear: if he insisted on the rescue mission, the Security Force would stop him with everything they had. But if he chose to walk away, they would let him go.
It was a final, desperate act of mercy and compromise from Jinba. But Yugo only gave a slow, solemn shake of his head.
“I'm sorry, Jinba-san. I can't do that. I'm going to save my brother and my friends.”
“...Even if you have to go through me?”
“Yes. Even then. If I run now, it isn’t just Fee and Melt who are lost. The entire world will burn. You, the men behind you, every person I hold dear... Dogma's Group will destroy it all. I'm the only one left who can stop her. I'm the only one who can do this.”
He had people he loved. He had a world worth protecting. Running would spare him the agony of striking down his mentors and friends, but that peace would be a hollow lie bought with the death of the world.
He had made his choice long ago. He was going to be a hero in this world. He was going to be an Older Brother He Can Be Proud Of.
So, he would not run. No matter the cost, no matter the heartbreak, he would fight for everything he loved. That was what the hero of his dreams would do, and he would do no less.
Jinba watched him in silence, searching the depths of Yugo's resolve. Finally, he flicked his finished cigarette aside and spoke.
“...I see. You really are prepared to go all the way.”
“Just like you, Jinba-san. I'm not running. I'll fight everyone and everything if I have to. That's my decision.”
He knew he wasn't wrong. Even through the pain, he believed Jinba would see the truth. He trusted that if anyone could understand the necessity of fighting for what truly mattered, it was the man standing before him.
“I hear you, Yugo. If that's how it's going to be, then there's no helping it.”
Jinba's voice was heavy with a mix of resignation and quiet satisfaction. He had seen enough to know that Yugo wouldn't budge.
He locked eyes with Yugo, now only inches away. He reached out slowly, his hand coming to rest firmly on Yugo’s shoulder. Then, without warning, a massive grin split his face.
“In that case... I'm coming with you!”