Central Government Castle, Dominatus — The Vanguard Residence.
Inside the temple, Johan stands before the window, gazing at the view below, beyond the chamber.
The curtain cloth continues to billow, lightly brushing his hair. His eyes are closed.
Light sits in his chair while Johan stands motionless before the window. They face away from one another. Several papers are scattered across the table—some stirred by the wind, some unmoving, and several held in Light's hand as he studies the documents filled with the latest information.
Light forms a faint smile.
"Heh."
A quiet laugh escapes him.
"The battle has truly begun, hm?!" Light says, staring intently at a particular word that captures his interest.
Light closes his eyes, leans back, and rests his face against one hand, his elbow propped against the chair.
"Entertain me, Johan… Explain to me what you are planning. What are you concealing?" he says, tilting his face slightly.
They continue facing away from one another.
Johan draws a breath.
"Huft."
A long exhale follows.
He opens his eyes and places both hands into his pockets.
"In only a short time—merely a week—the magic I possess has developed far fewer weaknesses compared to the old sorcerer who wielded this magic before me," Johan explains, beginning to turn.
DUK—DAK—DUK!
Each step produces an elegant sound beneath his shoes across the magnificent floor.
Light closes his eyes again, offering no reply, waiting for Johan to continue.
Johan keeps walking.
DUK!
Light opens both eyes.
Before him, Johan sits, his posture slightly open.
"They are no longer driven into paralysis when hearing or witnessing something familiar to them, because that occurred only after the old sorcerer failed to completely seize the remnants of their true souls," Johan explains, leaning back.
"And that will occur in reverse, will it not…" Light replies.
Johan nods faintly.
"That foolish sorcerer failed to consider the possibility that they could regain awareness through what remained of their souls," Johan adds, resting his face upon his fist.
Light shakes his head and smiles faintly.
"I know where this leads," he replies, his brows furrowing as his smile widens.
"Heh. You truly do everything according to your own will, hm?" he says.
"I am not a perfect man… and I have just made a mistake, something I have always tried to avoid," Johan replies.
"That is why I removed their souls entirely, leaving only subconscious bodies moving wildly, unable to adjust their strength to their opponents—" Johan explains.
He lifts his head, staring toward the ceiling.
"—they will continue doing whatever remains bound to their experience in life, until the threat disappears, or more precisely… dies!" Johan adds.
"Hhmhmm…" Light laughs quietly.
PLAK—PLAK—PLAK!
"Worthy of praise!" he says.
His hands stop clapping. His raised brows narrow.
"However, that explains your advantage, not your weakness."
Light stares deeply.
"And what of your weakness?" he asks.
---
Nico does not remain still for long—
CKHWAAAMN!
—he charges immediately.
Loki does not move at all.
"From what I know of you, I did not expect you to lose to the Mad Fighter."
Nico targets Loki's head, twisting his body as he drives a kick—
—intending to slam Loki into the ground.
But before him—
Loki shows no reaction but anger.
Nico furrows his face and grits his teeth.
—And Loki is silently prepared.
PKTHAAAAAAAAAHMN!
Loki's leg lashes into Nico's chest.
Nico receives it, endures the extraordinarily fast and powerful strike from Loki, who intercepts the attack Nico had already prepared.
Loki remains with one leg half-folded near his abdomen before Nico—
—from chest to head.
PKTHUUUUUUUHUMN!
Another strike lands fully and fatally.
Nico's head snaps—
HWAM!
—and his body is hurled some distance away.
He nearly loses consciousness, his eyes and mouth thrown wide open—fortunately regaining awareness and shutting his mouth again.
Loki charges—
CLHAMN!
—Nico twists his body.
Heart line—
—Loki stands before him, unaware that Nico's leg is already before Loki's chest.
CKTHAAAAAAAAHMN!
Nico kicks his chest and thrusts himself away.
SHHHSHH—
Both feet drag across the ground.
—SCH.
And stop.
"Heh. Very cunning," Loki mutters.
Nico lowers himself into a stance.
"Your agility is truly dangerous… and troublesome…"
That fierce and brutal kicking—
—moves with skill.
Technique.
Loki smiles faintly.
"Technique, hm?"
DUK… DAK… DUK.
He begins stepping closer, trying to recall something familiar in the technique he has just witnessed.
His eyes narrow—
—SCKHAM!
Loki charges.
Nico holds his stance.
Loki closes in.
Nico lowers his body, nudging his front foot forward, drawing the rear foot back slightly.
Loki leaps briefly into the air—
CKTAAAAAAAAAHMN!
Nico launches a powerful kick—
—too late by a fraction of a second.
Loki blocks it.
One foot digs into the ground, not yet fully balanced—
—SRTHAAAAAAAHMN!
A heavy kick as fast as lightning—
CLHAMN!
—Nico catches it.
PKHAHMNN!
The impact still shakes his defense.
Loki grits his teeth, pressing continuously.
An opening—
—PTHAAAAHMN!
Nico's side opens—immediately struck and driven out of range.
SWAASH!
Nico is flung back.
"It would be strange if you had not pushed the Mad Fighter that far," Loki shouts while rushing him.
Loki charges again.
Both feet press into the ground, Nico's momentum stops instantly—he immediately twists.
Loki leaps, drawing his leg fully back.
His foot is a breath away from Nico's face.
Before the strike lands—
BKHAAAAAAAAAHMN!
Nico drives a straight kick into Loki's heart line—
CKH—Nico hisses through clenched teeth.
PKHUUUUUUUUUHMN!
Loki redirects the attack and smashes into the ground.
KRAAAK!
The earth cracks.
BHAAAAAAHMN!
It collapses instantly, no footing left—
—PKHAMN!
Loki kicks off the crumbling ground beneath him—
SWHAMN—
—and launches himself away.
Nico falls, swallowed into the rubble.
"I thought you were dangerous enough to the Mad Fighter… that he had to end it quickly."
He rises again before Nico.
Loki adopts the very stance Nico used moments before.
"Indeed…"
Nico does not move at all.
He has already understood the line of attack—
and its impact.
SLASH—
Loki kicks toward Nico's heart.
Nico has already moved aside.
"…extremely dangerous."