The hit landed.
Clean.
Solid.
Real.
Obsidian Fang took the impact head-on, but the force pushed Voss back a full step.
A single step.
But it was enough.
Everything stopped for a fraction of a second.
Even the field around them loosened slightly.
Behind Jovian, the others saw it clearly.
"He moved…" Iggy said, almost laughing.
Lucien didn't smile. "…No. He was forced to move."
That was new.
That had never happened before.
Jovian didn't waste the moment.
Vital Mirage followed up instantly, striking again with even more precision.
This time, Voss reacted faster.
Obsidian Fang intercepted, deflecting the blow with minimal movement.
But the difference was obvious now.
He wasn't untouched anymore.
"You've crossed the line," Voss said calmly.
Jovian met his gaze. "Yeah. Took a while."
Another exchange.
Faster.
Closer.
No distance left between them.
Vital Mirage and Obsidian Fang clashed repeatedly, each strike sharper than the last.
The battlefield changed completely.
No wide attacks.
No layered control.
Just direct combat.
Exactly what Voss had avoided until now.
And yet—
He didn't look pressured.
If anything—
He looked more focused.
"…So this is your answer," Voss said.
Jovian didn't respond.
He was watching now. Closely.
Because even here—
Something felt off.
Voss wasn't losing control.
He was adjusting again.
Always adjusting.
Another clash.
This time, Obsidian Fang didn't just block.
It shifted the impact slightly to the side.
A small movement.
Almost nothing.
But it changed the angle of everything.
Jovian's footing slipped for a fraction of a second.
That was all Voss needed.
A counter came immediately.
Fast.
Precise.
Vital Mirage barely intercepted it in time.
The force pushed Jovian back several steps.
Not far.
But enough to break the momentum.
The field around them didn't return fully—
But parts of it did.
Thin lines began forming again at the edges.
Controlled.
Measured.
"He's rebuilding it…" Alaric said.
Lucien's voice stayed low. "…While fighting him directly."
That shouldn't have been possible.
But Voss wasn't normal.
Jovian steadied himself.
Breathing controlled again.
"…So even this isn't enough," he said quietly.
Voss tilted his head slightly.
"Did you think it would be?"
Not mocking.
Just honest.
That annoyed Jovian more than anything else.
Vital Mirage stepped forward again.
Stronger this time.
More focused.
"Then I'll go further," Jovian said.
Behind him, the others moved into position again.
Not rushing in blindly.
Not waiting either.
They understood now.
This wasn't a fight you won in one move.
It was a fight you built.
Piece by piece.
Until something finally broke.
Voss watched all of them.
Carefully.
"…Good," he said quietly.
The field sharpened again.
The pressure returned.
Stronger than before.
And this time—
It wasn't just a test anymore.
It was the beginning of something worse.