"…I hate fair fights."
The moment the words left his mouth.
Everything moved.
At once.
Lyra launched first.
Blade cutting forward...
Not toward Elen...
Past her.
Straight for the figure.
Kaida-9 followed...
Heavy steps cracking the ground beneath her.
A direct charge.
Sera moved with them...
Precise.
Controlled.
A three-point assault.
Pix grabbed Mii's arm...
"Stay back!"
"HEY!"
Too late.
Elen reacted instantly.
She turned...
Not toward Elric this time...
But toward Lyra.
Intercept.
Her movement...
Perfect again.
She slipped between Lyra and the figure.
Blocking the path completely.
Lyra didn't slow down.
"…Move."
Elen didn't.
Their clash...
Exploded.
Steel met force...
A sharp burst of energy rippled outward...
Kaida-9 slammed in from the side...
Elen twisted...
Redirected...
Used Kaida-9's momentum...
Threw her into Sera.
Both staggered.
Formation...
Broken.
Pix winced.
"…Well that lasted two seconds."
Mii peeked around her.
"…Is this the part where we panic?"
Pix grinned.
"…We're way past that."
Elric stood...
Watching it unfold.
The plan...
Collapsed instantly.
"…yeah," he muttered.
"…figures."
Elen turned back toward him.
Her target.
Always him.
"…priority remains," she said.
She stepped forward...
But this time...
Lyra didn't let her go.
A fast strike...
Elen blocked...
Sera came in low...
Kaida-9 recovered...
Pressed from behind...
They forced her back.
Not winning...
But holding.
Barely.
Pix pointed forward.
"GO!"
Elric blinked.
"…What?"
Pix shoved him.
"GO BREAK THE THING CONTROLLING HER!"
Mii grabbed his arm.
"I'LL PANIC LATER... GO NOW!"
Elric hesitated...
Just for a second.
Then...
He ran.
Straight toward the figure.
The crowd shifted violently...
Faces flickering...
Bodies moving...
Not random.
Blocking him.
"…oh come on," he muttered.
A man stepped into his path...
Face shifting rapidly...
Then locking...
On Elric's.
Again.
"…you really don't learn," the figure said.
Not the same one.
Another construct.
Elric didn't stop.
"…yeah," he said.
"…I'm improvising."
He stepped forward...
The world bent...
The man's movement...
Missed.
Elric slipped past...
Barely.
Behind him...
More figures turned.
More faces...
Watching.
Tracking.
Pix shouted from behind...
"DON'T STOP!"
Elric didn't.
He pushed forward...
Step by step...
Toward the unmoving figure.
Still ahead.
Still calm.
Still waiting.
Behind him...
The fight escalated.
Lyra's blade flashed again...
Faster now...
More aggressive...
Kaida-9 pressed harder...
Sera adjusted...
But Elen...
Adapted.
Always adapting.
She slipped through their attacks...
Countered...
Pressed back...
Breaking them apart again.
Mii flinched.
"…they're getting pushed back!"
Pix's voice sharpened.
"…Then we push harder!"
She stepped forward...
Finally joining the fight...
Her hands moving rapidly...
Signals...
Interference...
Trying to disrupt.
Elen paused...
Just for a fraction...
"…interference detected…"
Pix grinned.
"…yeah, hi."
But...
The figure in the distance...
Moved its hand again.
And Pix's interference...
Collapsed.
"…rude," she muttered.
Meanwhile...
Elric was close now.
Closer.
The figure stood just ahead.
Still not moving.
Still watching.
"…you're really persistent," it said.
Elric slowed slightly.
Catching his breath.
"…yeah," he said.
"…you're really annoying."
The figure smiled.
"…you misunderstand."
A pause.
"…this is necessary."
Elric tilted his head.
"…forcing her to attack me is necessary?"
The figure nodded slightly.
"…to understand you."
Silence.
Elric's eyes narrowed.
"…that's messed up."
The figure tilted its head.
"…from your perspective."
Behind him...
A shockwave hit.
Hard.
He stumbled...
Turning...
Just in time to see...
Elen break through.
She slipped past Lyra...
Dodged Kaida-9...
Ignored Pix...
And came straight for him.
Again.
Pix shouted,
"ELRIC... MOVE!"
Too late.
Elen was already there.
Right behind him.
Hand raised...
Energy forming...
Stronger than before.
No hesitation.
No delay.
The figure didn't move.
Didn't react.
Just watched.
"…now," it said softly.
Elen struck.