CKHAM—CKTKHAAMH!
—Lithoovert plants his hand against the ground and propels himself forward.
SCKLWAAAAAHHMNH!
He spins through the air once more and closes into striking range.
Jiza grimaces.
Lithoovert swings his left arm in a wide arc from the side.
KRKK!
His left fist clenches tightly, channeling the full rotation of his body and all of his strength into a Haymaker—
KCTPCKHAAAAAAHHM!
Jiza evades it completely.
"It's over for you, Lithoovert."
However—
"EHEH?!"
His breath catches again.
At such an incredibly close distance—
—Lithoovert has already swung his right fist upward from below. There is no avoiding it—
KRTKHAAAAAAAHMM!
—the strike lands squarely in Jiza's abdomen.
"ARKGHT!"
Jiza hisses, bending forward slightly with one hand pressed against his stomach.
KRAK—KCTAHMNNHH!
Lithoovert leaps far backward with a massive jump.
"BASTARD!"
he shouts.
The distance between them widens dramatically, dozens of steps apart.
"YOU STILL HAD TIME FOR THAT?!"
he groans in pain.
Jiza straightens his body once more, both fists clenched tightly as he endures the lingering pain.
"DO YOU NEVER GET TIRED?!"
he shouts again.
Lithoovert remains hunched over, supporting himself with his elbows while steadying his violently ragged breathing.
"Damn it," he mutters quietly.
DAK!
Jiza takes a slow, slightly unsteady step forward, though his breathing has already begun to calm.
DUK!
He lowers his head briefly.
"Huft."
A long, heavy breath escapes him.
BRAK!
He stops and stands in silent thought for a moment.
"Alright, then."
He raises his head and fixes Lithoovert with a sharp stare.
"This is the perfect time for it."
DAK!
He resumes walking slowly toward the exhausted Lithoovert.
DUK!
"...In that case, I will make you my experimental subject."
BRAK—BRUK—BRAK!
"Hmm?!"
Jiza murmurs, turning toward the source of the sound.
Lithoovert furrows his brows. Both of them turn toward a horse-drawn carriage emerging through a cloud of dust as it approaches.
WRAAKKK!
The horses come to an abrupt halt not far from them.
The atmosphere falls silent.
From behind the curtain covering the carriage door, someone emerges and begins to step down.
DUK—BRAK!
Two feet touch the ground.
Dust clings to a worn sweater. The figure's head remains lowered while one hand grips the side of the carriage.
Lithoovert's face twists with fury at the overwhelming presence radiating an even wilder threat than Jiza's.
Slowly, the figure raises his head.
His eyes are pupil-less.
His gaze sweeps sharply across both of them.
"EHEMPH?!"
A sharp breath escapes.
Jiza freezes in disbelief.
His body begins to tremble.
"Is this... actually real?!"
—before him stands Leon, slowly approaching from the distance.
Jiza raises his brows, staring through the bandages covering his face.
"Is that really you—"
He falls silent.
GLUK!
He swallows hard.
KRKK!
Both fists clench tightly.
"—JOHAN?!"
---
Central Government Castle, Dominatus — Vanguard Residence.
Inside the chamber, a long table stretches between two of the four grand seats, both of which are occupied.
The table is covered with scattered papers and a chessboard lined with opposing black and white pieces.
"Didn't I already say that their locations were close enough that these battles would begin and end quickly?" Johan says.
His brows rise.
"However, there is something that concerns me."
"Hmm?" Light murmurs.
He glances toward the window behind him.
SWAK—SWUK—SWAK!
The sound of flapping wings approaches.
A carrier pigeon flies through the wide-open window, a message tied to one of its legs.
SWLAK!
Johan raises one hand.
SCHWLASH!
The bird lands on it.
His other hand retrieves the message and removes the binding.
"Go on," Light says.
"The first envoy I dispatched was meant to serve as a diversion, drawing them away from their peak condition. Eventually, that envoy will abandon his own battle and turn toward another of my envoys instead," Johan continues.
CLWASHH!
The message comes free.
SCWASH—SWAK—SWUK—SWAK!
The pigeon takes flight again, crossing the room before disappearing through the window.
SWUK—SWAK!
The sound of its wings gradually fades into the distance.
Johan unfolds the paper.
For a moment, he silently studies the contents covering the page.
"How could that happen?" Light asks.
"It happens because the external energy of one envoy differs from the others. The original envoy shifts his attention toward the newer one because that threat appears greater," Johan explains.
He falls silent.
His brows furrow.
His eyes stop on a particular word in the middle of the message.
Then—
He rolls the paper up and lowers it from view.
Johan turns his attention back to the chessboard.
"In that case, a white piece that was originally meant to engage a black piece..."
He lifts one black piece and moves it toward another black piece standing on the board.
"...the arrival of another white piece would cause the first white piece—" Light begins.
BRAAAK!!!
—The black piece in Johan's hand knocks over the stationary black piece.
"—to turn away, making the battle one-sided and disadvantageous. Is that what you mean?" Light finishes.
Johan studies the board for a moment.
"Yes. That is the most likely outcome."
"Whether the term sounds ridiculous or reasonable, isn't that simply the result of the difference between the magical souls inhabiting your first and second vessels?" Light asks.
Johan smiles faintly and folds his arms.
"Correct. And that battle will be brief and ultimately beneficial. The time has already come. The perfect diversion has served its purpose, creating an equal opponent for them to face while they are no longer in peak condition."
Johan's gaze remains fixed upon the chessboard.
"From the perfect diversion... comes the equal opponent."