Jovian changed his approach again.
He had to.
Fighting Voss head-on wasn't enough. Matching him wasn't enough either.
So he stopped trying to match anything.
Vital Mirage moved without rhythm now.
Short bursts. Sudden stops. Strikes that didn't follow logic.
At first, it looked messy.
Then it worked.
Obsidian Fang hesitated.
Only for a moment.
But that moment was real.
Jovian took it.
A clean hit landed.
Then another.
Voss shifted slightly.
Not back. Not away.
Just enough to adjust.
Lucien noticed immediately.
"He's slower to respond," he said.
Alaric nodded. "Keep the pressure."
Iggy grinned, stepping in again. "Now this feels right."
Phantom Ember surged forward, this time coordinated instead of reckless.
The pressure built.
For the first time—
Voss had to move more than once.
Not retreating.
But repositioning.
Still, it mattered.
Jovian saw it clearly.
"We're pushing him," he said.
Lucien didn't agree.
"…No," he said quietly.
Jovian glanced at him.
Lucien's eyes stayed locked on Voss.
"He's letting us push."
That hit harder than any attack.
Because it made sense.
Too much sense.
And the moment that realization settled—
Everything shifted again.