"No anomalies in the village. Magic Armor Beast, suppression complete. No escapees confirmed. Justice Under Execution..."
Outside the village walls, the Grasshopper Magic Armor Beast stood over the corpse of a goblin. It kicked the body aside, appraising the current status of its surroundings with a cold, mechanical detachment.
Following its directives to thoroughly eliminate any evil that threatened the village, the creature fully perceived itself as a Being of Justice. What had started as simple obedience to a command had transformed into a rigid conviction—a core that defined its entire existence.
The beast believed that protecting the village was synonymous with upholding its own identity. It would brook no interference. Even a young child was to be judged as evil and struck down if they obstructed its "righteous" path. It would not permit anyone to flee, either. If the villagers left, the beast would become a hollow, purposeless thing. That was unacceptable. Their role was to remain in the village as subjects under its protection, validating its existence.
Driven by self-interest rather than true virtue, the monster was, in many ways, the most depraved entity of all. An evil among evils who remained blissfully unaware of its own corruption, it sought only to bend the world to its whim while masquerading as a guardian.
Suddenly, a sight it could not ignore caught its eye. Without warning, a plume of fire erupted from the heart of the village. Whether the cause was an arsonist or a thief taking advantage of the chaos, it didn't matter; there was evil afoot, and that was all the justification the beast needed.
The monster leaped. Utilizing its powerful grasshopper legs, it soared high into the air, crossing the distance in a single bound. It landed amidst the houses, its gaze fixated on a structure engulfed in flames.
"...Gone. Where is the evil?"
The beast spared the burning building only a cursory glance before scanning the shadows. It peered into the darkness, its irritation mounting as the perpetrator seemed to evade its Gaze of Justice. Just as it let out a dissatisfied grunt, a voice cut through the roar of the fire.
"You didn't even stop to wonder if someone might be trapped inside, did you?"
The beast whirled around. A man stood near the inferno, looking on with cold, unimpressed eyes.
"Was it you?" the beast demanded. "Did you burn this house?"
"Yeah. The village chief gave me permission. It’s an abandoned place—no risk of the fire spreading. Just a little bait to lure you out."
Yugo glared at the creature, his voice quiet but heavy with disdain.
"I figured as much, but you really aren't a hero. A real hero would’ve checked for survivors first. You didn't give that a single thought, did you?"
"I am the one who destroys the evil that plagues this village. I act only upon that mission."
"Hah! 'Destroying evil,' is it?"
Yugo let out a dry, mocking laugh. He knew arguing logic with a creature this far gone was pointless. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a silver coin, and began flipping it casually with his thumb.
"I found this during the day. I kept it as evidence... but I guess from your point of view, I'm just a thief who stole someone's money."
"Precisely. You are evil. And evil must be punished."
"Hahaha! 'Evil,' huh? Well, it's a step up from being called the lowest piece of trash."
Yugo continued to flip the coin, watching it spin in the air as the monster's killing intent began to spike. He snatched the silver medal from the air, his expression hardening.
"From where I stand, you're the monster. You hurt Jasmine, you're a bully, and you're just wallowing in your own ego. You don't give a damn about the people here. You're just a selfish bastard."
"Silence. I am justice. Yours is the talk of a hypocrite."
"Say whatever you want. I don't care about labels. There’s only one thing that matters... I’m fighting for the guy who cried and begged me to save his sister."
"Then he is evil as well for wishing for my destruction."
"Your opinion doesn't matter. A man decides his own worth."
Yugo flicked the silver medal high into the air. As it caught the moonlight and flashed with a brilliant, sharp light, he shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Transform!!"
His arms moved in a practiced, fluid motion—his right arm sweeping down to the left while his left arm crossed to the right side of his face. A brilliant transformation crest formed from the overlapping light. Stepping through the radiance, Yugo emerged in his armored form, his fist already moving to intercept the monster’s desperate charge.