"That idiot... he’s a useless man to the very end! I told him time and again that carelessness is a fatal flaw!"
—The clock turns back a few moments.
Upon learning that Burn had been defeated, Hypno shared Dogma’s sentiment. He felt a surge of irritation that the "special" hostages—the ones closest to Hugo—had been effectively liberated, but he reclaimed his composure with a single, sharp exhale.
Tapping his forehead to settle his thoughts, he resumed his cold, professional demeanor just as Dogma’s instructions crackled in his ear.
"Hypno, I have an order for you," Dogma commanded. "Issue the suicide instruction to everyone under your hypnosis. Make those dreaming fools—Hugo Clay and his companions—realize that no matter how hard they struggle, no life can be saved."
"Understood," Hypno replied. "The plan has gone slightly off-script, but we must do what is necessary to reclaim the momentum from the enemy."
With Burn gone, the resistance would surely be emboldened. If left unchecked, the situation would only spiral further. It wasn't the ideal timing to reveal his hand, but he had to play this card now to break their spirit.
Agreeing with Dogma's plan, Hypno sighed once more and looked at the massive magic item standing before him. Its purpose was to amplify and broadcast his hypnosis, allowing him to issue a single instruction to every student in the academy simultaneously.
"My body double played his part well in deceiving the enemy," he mused. "There’s no way they could have discovered the location of this magic item. Our victory is as good as settled. Now, let’s turn the tables."
Hypno was currently hiding in a secret Academy Underground Space he had carved out beneath the school. It was a chamber unknown to students and faculty alike. To ensure his security, he had utilized a body double to draw attention elsewhere while he remained here in the shadows, waiting for the critical moment.
All of this was in preparation for the worst-case scenario. To think it had actually come to pass... Directing his lingering annoyance toward the failed Burn, Hypno finally activated his power.
"Now then, it's time for you all to die. For the sake of our triumph!"
Muttering to himself, Hypno began the process of broadcasting his will through the machine. He was just about to issue the suicide command to the hostages when he sensed a foreign presence and a sudden surge of magic power. He threw himself backward.
"Hiyah!"
"What...?"
A blade cut through the air where he had stood a second before. Hypno glared at the intruder. Zenon had appeared in a room that should have been invisible to anyone but his fellow masterminds.
"You... how are you here?" Hypno spat. "Information about this room is beyond the reach of a former hero candidate like you."
"Believe me, I'm surprised myself," Zenon said, his eyes scanning the chamber. "I never imagined a place like this existed. No wonder I couldn't find the hypnosis diffusion magic item anywhere else."
"What did you say? Then how did you find this place?"
"Because I took preventive measures, just in case. You really should have paid more attention to what you were wearing."
Hypno frowned and realized his jacket pocket felt slightly heavy. He reached inside and pulled out an unfamiliar magic item.
"It's a paired set," Zenon explained. "The ability allows me to teleport to wherever the other half is located. I'm glad I planted it on you—out of everyone, you were the one I had to be most wary of."
"Hahaha! I see. So you really were just a persistent gnat. I knew you were trouble; I should have dealt with you earlier."
Zenon had used the Teleportation Magic Items—the very tools intended for an escape—to track Hypno instead. Discarding his own safety to do what was necessary for victory, Zenon gripped his sword tightly and glared at the villain.
"I won't let you kill them. I'll give everything I have to stop you!"
"A lot of talk for a former hero candidate," Hypno sneered, his body beginning to change. "A mere pawn meant to be crushed by us shouldn't speak so boldly."
Moving past irritation into a sense of dark amusement, Hypno began his transformation. As Zenon braced himself against the rising pressure, Hypno dispassionately answered the transmission from Dogma.
"Hypno? What are you doing? Issue the instruction immediately!"
"I know, Dogma... Just give me a moment."
"What is the matter? Did something happen?"
Hypno completed his change, encased in his Mirror-like Inorganic Form—a featureless, silver armor that reflected nothing but the cold environment. He looked at Zenon, finding the boy's grand declarations merely annoying now.
"It’s nothing major," he told Dogma. "A single mouse just managed to scurry into my nest."