Jovian didn't rush in.
That alone set him apart from the others.
While Iggy still carried that instinct to strike first and force a reaction, Jovian understood something now. Voss wasn't someone you overwhelmed. He was someone you had to read, piece by piece, until a flaw appeared.
Vital Mirage stood close, its presence steady and focused.
Voss watched him approach without moving. Not tense. Not relaxed either. Just aware.
"You've adjusted your timing," Voss said calmly.
Jovian didn't answer. He stepped forward one more pace.
Then he moved.
Vital Mirage struck fast, aiming directly for Voss's center.
The space shifted.
But this time, Jovian didn't fight it. He followed it.
His second strike curved with the distortion instead of resisting it.
It landed.
A clean hit against Obsidian Fang.
The sound echoed sharp and brief.
For a moment, everything paused.
Voss's expression changed just slightly. Not pain. Recognition.
"…You're learning," he said.
Jovian didn't stop.
Vital Mirage pressed forward, its attacks no longer predictable. Each strike came from a different angle, a different rhythm. No pattern to read. No timing to exploit.
Behind him, the others caught on.
Lucien moved first. Midnight Sontana slipped into the gaps between Jovian's attacks, striking where Voss's attention shifted.
Alaric followed with precision. Golden Cavalier didn't rush. It controlled space, forcing Voss to react instead of dictate.
Even Iggy adjusted.
For once, he didn't charge blindly. Phantom Ember flared at the edges, cutting off escape routes instead of forcing direct clashes.
For the first time—
They were working together.
And it showed.
Voss stepped back.
Just once.
But it mattered.
Because until now, he hadn't needed to.
Jovian saw it immediately.
"He's not untouchable," he said.
Lucien's voice stayed low. "…No. But he's still ahead."
Because even as they pushed forward—
Voss wasn't losing control.
He was adapting.
And that meant the real fight hadn't started yet.