His foot plants.
BOOOOM—
Pressure slams into the ground.
—WHAAHMN!
His body launches forward.
"Reports say… a government envoy, including one genius fighter—" Loki says halfway through.
Fast.
The distance closes instantly.
A straight kick—
CTKHAAAAAAAHMN!
It strikes Nico's chest.
"—failed to bring him down before I arrived, and that report was buried immediately…" he continues.
Nico blocks with his arms, covering his chest.
But in doing so—another opening appears.
Another kick follows—
CKTHAAAAAAAAAAMN!
It strikes the side of his jaw.
The attack turns—
SHWKHAAAAAAAHMN!
It kicks him far beyond Loki's range.
"…So it was you—the genius fighter from the government who reached him before I did, eh?!" Loki asks.
SHHHSH—
Nico's feet and fingertips drag across the ground.
SKH!
Then stop.
Nico's face tightens hard, teeth gritted. His body lowers slightly, yet his face lifts, locking his gaze onto Loki.
BOOOOM—
Pressure strikes the ground.
—WHAAHMN!
Loki launches again.
Fast.
Very fast.
Too fast.
But this time—
the distance is closed by Nico instead.
"HUH—" Loki freezes.
A side kick—
CPTKHAAAAAAAHMN!
It lands fully on Loki's spleen.
Nico retracts his leg.
The next kick strikes Loki's face—
PCKHAAAAAAHMN!
Sending him flying.
BRAAAAAAAK!
Loki slams both feet into the ground.
SPLAAAAAAHM!
His momentum stops.
But he charges again immediately.
Very fast.
"I see now—" Loki mutters.
Too fast.
In the blink of an eye—
his knee is already before Nico's face.
PCKTHAAAAAAAAHMN!
It lands cleanly.
CKLHAAAHMN!
"—That expression of yours…" Loki says.
Nico is driven back half the distance.
BLAAAHMN!
Loki keeps pressing.
"You are provoked by hearing his name, aren't you?" he asks.
He leaps briefly—
but without realizing it—
Nico's foot is already aimed at his flank.
"Ehmph?!" Loki stiffens.
BLKTHAAAAAAAAHMN!
A direct hit.
"AAARGHTTH—" Loki hisses.
SHWAAAHMN!
Nico kicks him far away.
BRAAAK!
Nico drives both feet into the ground.
BRUUUK!
Loki also forces himself to stop.
They stare at each other.
Nico lowers himself, elbows resting on his thighs, breathing hard.
"Very well, very well—I will fight you like a man, then!" Loki says.
Nico exhales heavily.
Very heavily.
He has already lost control.
Blood drips from his nose.
His chest rises and falls without pause.
Nico is already exhausted from continuously exceeding his limits, while Loki has toyed with him this far.
Nico remains lowered, both elbows on his thighs, breathing fiercely, burning, yet his face stays raised, eyes locked on Loki.
And yet—
Loki lowers half his body as well, both hands swinging loosely between his legs…
And yet—
…he keeps his head raised, returning Nico's locked stare.
Mentioning Merpecho and speaking of him is making Nico exhaust himself faster.
And with that—
Loki smiles broadly at him.
"Yes, that man was a formidable opponent, and now I understand why you could not defeat him…" he says.
Loki gives him a cynical smile, continuously provoking his anger.
"After all, you possess nothing beyond his techniques," he adds.
Nico steps forward.
DUK!
DAK!
"Hmm?" Loki mutters.
DUK!
SHWAAAAHM—
He charges.
Fast.
Loki grins.
"Angry, are you?" Loki calls out.
Very fast.
Too fast.
In a single blink—
"HUH?!" Loki freezes.
Nico is already in front of him.
SPKHAAAAAAAAHMN!
Stomach.
"DAMN!" Loki shouts.
SKWHAAAAAAAHMN!
Side.
"I—" Loki hisses.
RTKHAAAAAAAHMN!
Ribs.
"UKH—I wanted to play around—" he hisses again.
PKTHAAAAAAAAHMN!
"EKH—With you!" he hisses again and again.
Heart.
"HUH?!" Loki stiffens.
The tip of Nico's foot is already before his face.
He cannot evade—
CPKHAAAAAAHMN!
Face.
Without openings.
Without pause.
"—AAAAAKH!" he hisses again and again.
CTHAAAAM—
The final kick sends Loki flying.
SLSHHSHH—
His footing drags.
SLSH!
Stops.
His body leans backward, both feet braced, hands clawing at the ground before him.
"You bastard—" Loki says.
WRAK.
Bones crack.
He pulls his body forward from the rearward strain.
—BLUARH!
Blood spills from Loki's mouth.