"Hah! Yah!!"
"Hmph, take this!"
Capitalizing on the momentum of the beast's leaping kick, Yugo drove a counter-thrust straight into its chest.
The Grasshopper Magic Armor Beast let out a pained groan as the weight of the blow sent it hurtling backward.
The creature scrambled back to its feet, ready to challenge him once more. Yugo tightened his fists, his Black Iron Armor shimmering under the pale moonlight as the battle raged on.
"Shi! Ha! Shii!!"
True to the insect that inspired its form, the beast relied on its powerful legs, basing its entire combat style around kicking maneuvers. It had the advantage in reach and raw power, but its strikes were slower than a well-placed fist. Yugo parried every blow with clinical precision.
"Hah! Yah!!"
"Tch...!"
Yugo spotted a fleeting opening and tried to close the distance, but the beast sensed the shift in his presence. It unleashed a flying kick, using the recoil of the impact to spring away and reset the range.
Yugo clicked his tongue, frustrated by a foe that refused to let him inside its guard. He took a moment to re-evaluate the monster.
It's clever... dangerously so. It’s only been active for a few days, yet it already knows exactly how to leverage its strengths.
Though it had received basic training from Gamba, its first taste of real combat had likely been the Arachlaw extermination just days ago. Despite that lack of experience, the Magic Armor Beast already understood its tactical advantages and was putting them into practice with terrifying efficiency.
Yugo felt a chill run down his spine. If this thing were allowed to grow even stronger, it would become a nightmare.
This creature was proving to be just as much of a threat as any human-transformed Magic Armor Beast. He had to finish it here.
I can't let this thing run loose. Not for Jasmine, and not for the other villagers. Time to step it up!
He didn't think he would lose in a straight brawl, but there was no reason to play by the monster's rules. Deciding to shift his strategy, Yugo channeled his magic power and forced a change in his Blaster’s form.
"Super Transformation!"
"Nu...!?"
A crimson crystal materialized on the chest of the glowing red Blaster. Having shifted into his Flame Armor—a form that pushed his fire affinity to its absolute limit—Yugo took a single breath and blurred toward the Grasshopper Magic Armor Beast.
"What!?"
"Haaaaaaaa!!"
His speed was now on a completely different level. Unable to track his movement, the beast was sent flying as a flame-clad punch slammed into its jaw.
The heat of the impact scorched its hide. While it groaned in agony, Yugo pressed the advantage, unleashing a relentless barrage of blows.
"Ora ora ora ora!!"
"Guuu, gu...!?"
The Grasshopper Magic Armor Beast was a specialist in long-range kicking; once its pocket was invaded, it had very few options. Yugo knew this, so he stayed glued to the beast, forcing an infight that gave it no room to breathe.
The monster had clearly never fought anyone more mobile than itself. It struggled to shake Yugo off, trapped in a cycle of frustration as he stayed stuck to it like a shadow.
Every attempt to flee was met with a punishing pursuit. Every lapse in its posture was exploited by a devastating assault. It was all the beast could do just to keep its guard up.
"Nuuuuuuu...! I won't allow this! Justice will not fall to evil! I will never allow it!"
The creature screamed its fanatical defiance and tried to counter, but a heavy straight from Yugo caught it flush, sending it tumbling back.
Yugo moved in to finish the fight, but as the beast staggered to its feet, a surge of blue lightning crackled through its antennae.
"Uoooooooo!"
"What!?"
Caught off guard by the unexpected discharge, Yugo leaped back to dodge the bolts. By the time the air cleared, the Grasshopper Magic Armor Beast was already bolting away.
It wasn't heading for the village outskirts—it was heading deeper inside. Yugo’s heart sank as he realized where it was going.
"That bastard!"
Sensing the beast's true target, Yugo sprinted after it at full speed.
Just as he feared, the Magic Armor Beast reached the doctor’s house where the wounded were sheltering. It let out a guttural roar as it began smashing through the front door.