They couldn't outpace him.
So they changed the game again.
Jovian moved first—
But not with intention.
Not with strategy.
With instinct.
Vital Mirage struck in a way that didn't follow logic.
Not clean.
Not efficient.
But real.
Voss reacted—
A fraction later than before.
Small.
But noticeable.
Lucien caught it immediately.
"…That's it," he said.
Alaric understood too. "Remove the pattern."
Iggy grinned. "Finally something I'm good at."
This time, they didn't coordinate perfectly.
They didn't try to.
Their movements overlapped. Interrupted. Collided.
Messy.
Unpredictable.
And it worked.
For the first time—
Voss had to react.
Not plan.
Not control.
React.
Obsidian Fang moved faster now, but with less certainty.
The field flickered slightly.
Not gone.
But unstable.
Jovian stepped in again.
Vital Mirage struck—
And this time—
Voss blocked late.
The impact pushed him back again.
Further than before.
A real step.
A real shift.
And this time—
Everyone saw it.
"…We're getting to him," Iggy said.
Lucien shook his head slightly.
"…No," he said.
But there was something different in his tone.
Not doubt.
Recognition.
Because even now—
Voss wasn't losing control.
He was adapting again.
Just slower this time.
And that meant—
They were getting closer.
Whether he liked it or not.