Elen struck.
The energy surged...
Point-blank.
Elric didn't dodge.
Didn't step back.
He stepped forward.
Into her.
The world bent...
The strike...
Slid past his side...
Close enough to burn...
But not enough to stop him.
Pix screamed from behind,
"HE CAN'T KEEP DOING THAT!"
Sera's voice cut in...
"…He's forcing probability drift."
Lyra added,
"…and pushing it too far."
But Elric...
Didn't hear them.
Because he was already inside her range.
Too close.
Too fast.
Elen froze...
Just for a fraction.
Her system...
Her control...
Didn't expect that.
"…unexpected input," she whispered.
Elric grabbed her wrist.
Not hard.
Just enough.
"…yeah," he said quietly.
"…get used to it."
Her arm trembled...
Energy flickering violently...
Trying to stabilize...
Trying to fire again...
But it couldn't.
Not like this.
Their eyes met.
Close.
Too close.
"…Elen," he said.
Her expression...
Cracked.
Just a little.
"…target…" she whispered.
Her voice...
Breaking through layers.
"…eliminate…"
Elric shook his head.
"…yeah, I heard that part."
A beat.
"…you're not great at it."
Mii shouted in the distance,
"THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR TRASH TALK!"
Pix muttered,
"…no no, it might be."
Elen's other hand moved...
Fast...
A strike toward his chest...
Elric twisted...
Barely avoided it...
But didn't let go.
Still holding her.
Still close.
"…you told me to run," he said.
Her body stiffened.
Just slightly.
"…conflict…" she whispered.
Sera's voice sharpened...
"…Good. Keep pressure on that."
Lyra held the others back.
"…Let him do it."
Kaida-9 stood ready.
"…Monitoring."
Elric stepped closer.
Now...
There was no space between them.
"…so which one is it?" he said quietly.
A beat.
"…you want me gone…"
Another step.
"…or you want me to get away?"
Elen's eyes...
Flickered.
Not system.
Not control.
Her.
"…run…" she whispered again.
The word...
Soft.
Fragile.
Real.
Pix's grin returned.
"…There she is."
But...
The figure behind them...
Didn't like that.
Its hand lifted higher.
The pressure...
Increased.
Elen's body jerked...
Hard.
Her arm snapped free...
Breaking Elric's grip...
She moved...
Faster than before...
Striking again...
Elric barely blocked...
The force sent both of them sliding apart...
The ground cracking beneath them.
"…control reinforced," she said.
But her voice...
Wasn't steady.
Not anymore.
Elric steadied himself.
Breathing heavier now.
"…yeah," he muttered.
"…figured."
He looked past her.
At the figure.
Still watching.
Still pulling.
"…you're really annoying," he said.
The figure tilted its head.
"…you are resisting analysis."
Elric smirked slightly.
"…good."
Behind him...
Pix shouted,
"I'VE GOT AN IDEA!"
Sera responded immediately,
"…State it."
Pix pointed at Elen.
"…She's breaking when he contradicts the directive!"
Lyra caught on instantly.
"…Force conflict."
Kaida-9 nodded.
"…Overload behavior."
Mii blinked.
"…Wait... so we confuse her harder?!"
Pix grinned wide.
"…Exactly."
Elric looked back at them.
"…you're making me the problem again."
Pix pointed at him.
"…You WERE ALWAYS the problem."
He sighed.
"…fair."
Elen stepped forward again.
Slower this time.
Less precise.
"…target… unstable…" she whispered.
Elric stepped forward to meet her.
"…yeah," he said.
"…join the club."
Their distance closed again.
The tension...
Thicker now.
Heavier.
Because now...
They all saw it.
She wasn't just fighting them.
She was fighting herself.
And she was losing.
For now.