"Now, for the next one. Let’s see if you can endure this."
(Now!)
As Hypno’s voice reached him, Zenon lowered the blade he had been holding, leaving himself completely exposed.
He stopped trying to parry the incoming strikes as he had done before. Instead, adopting a posture of total surrender, he closed his eyes and desperately tried to clear his mind, praying that his hypothesis was correct.
One second passed, then two... when ten seconds had gone by without anything happening, Zenon finally opened his eyes.
He turned his gaze toward Hypno, who was simply staring at him in silence. Zenon caught his breath and spoke.
"I knew it... those attacks from before weren't real magic, were they? They’re all illusions created by your ability!"
"Hoh...? So you noticed, did you?"
This was the True Nature of the Discrepancy Zenon had felt. The answer to why Hypno hadn't used his signature Hypnosis was simple.
He had been using his ability from the very start. The flames, the ice pillars, and the gale—none of it truly existed. They were all illusions born from his masterful manipulation of Zenon's mind.
"Have you heard of this experiment? A man is tied to a chair and shown a branding iron glowing in the forge. Then, he is blindfolded, and a simple spoon—unheated—is pressed against his skin. The result? He suffers a horrific burn in that exact spot. The man sustained physical trauma solely from the conviction that he had been branded. It proves that for a human being, it is even possible to die from a mere conviction."
"Those earlier attacks were just the setup to plant an image in my head... The more I felt Fear toward your illusions and perceived them as a threat, the stronger that conviction became. By making me believe the phantoms were real, you intended to amplify the effects of your Hypnosis!"
"Full marks. I must admit, I'm a bit surprised," Hypno said, offering a half-hearted round of applause. "To think someone like you could reach the truth of my ability."
Zenon pointed the tip of his sword at him, sensing the lingering arrogance in the man's posture.
"But the trick is revealed! Your attacks are nothing but formless illusions. As long as I understand that, I have nothing to fear—!"
"...Do you truly believe that?"
The fire, the ice, and the wind were all illusions born from his own Fear. As long as he remembered that, Hypno’s attacks couldn't hurt him. Zenon had momentarily nullified the assault by refusing to see or feel anything, but Hypno spoke as if to shatter that hope.
"Even you must have felt a jolt of shock or terror while watching a horror movie, haven't you? You understand it's a fabrication, that it isn't real, and that you aren't in any actual danger... and yet, people still feel dread and tension. Even if the mind understands, the heart does not. For a human being, absolute control over one's emotions is an impossibility."
"...!"
Zenon knew exactly what the man meant. If he allowed even a sliver of belief that Hypno's illusions were real to take root... in that moment, they would stop being fake.
To feel Fear was to acknowledge a threat. To acknowledge a threat meant that, somewhere deep in his heart, he believed the danger was real.
If that happened, it was over. Zenon's consciousness would accept the phantom as a legitimate attack, and he would suffer Damage from conviction upon his physical body.
"I’m sure you realize this, but I was being merciful earlier," Hypno added. "While you were standing there defenselessly with your eyes shut, I could have easily approached you and taken your head. Besides, my ability isn't some cheap trick that can be defeated just by closing one's eyes."
"Yeah... I know that."
"Excellent. So? What do you plan to do now?"
"Even so...! I’m still going to challenge you!"
If he felt even a hint of Fear—if he succumbed to the Weakness of the Heart—it would mean instant defeat. Fully aware of this, Zenon chose to face Hypno head-on.
He wanted to confront his own fragility and overcome it. But more than that, his heart was set ablaze by the desire to repay Claire's devotion—the girl who had sacrificed everything to support him.
"I know I'm a pathetic person. But even so, I'm a man! Claire put her life on the line to fight; there’s no way in hell I’m going to let myself cower and run away!"
"I see... A truly idiotic reason. A foolish sentiment fit for a fool about to die."
Hypno spat the words out. He couldn't begin to comprehend the idea of acting for someone else's sake. Despite the overwhelming difference in their strength, Zenon tightened his grip on his sword and charged straight ahead.