"Are you ready, Loki?!" asks the figure in the shadows, seated on his grand chair.
"The time has come, brother," Loki replies.
"So my brother has been watching this man named Hiro all along?!" Loki asks.
"My guess—there's no case he doesn't solve, except this one. So…" The figure rises from the grand chair. "This is your stage to prove yourself, Loki."
Loki stands from his own grand chair, slipping both hands into his pockets.
"I will bring it back."
"And if you don't?!" the shadowed figure shoots back.
Loki stops mid-step.
"I don't know. I think I should."
He continues toward the exit, lifting one hand in a wave.
"See you, brother."
He closes the door.
Another room lies half in shadow, half in light. Loki heads for the stairs.
"What if Paragon awakens?!" Albert asks, emerging from the shadows, arms crossed, staff beside him.
Loki looks at Albert for a moment and smiles broadly.
"Then I'll beat him down, Albert," Loki replies.
Albert's gaze sharpens. Loki exhales softly.
"I'll finish it before he awakens, Albert."
Loki keeps walking, pulling on his cloak.
"Hey," Albert calls.
Loki turns.
"You're my brother too. Take care of yourself," Albert says.
Loki answers only with a smile.
---
The figure behind the cloak looks unclear—another Vanguard, I assume.
Loki starts to remove the cloak.
"I thought my brothers would have already come to face you. I'm curious what it feels like," he says, tying the cloak around his waist.
I lift my hand slightly toward Rose, signaling her not to do anything—stay behind me.
Loki pulls something out.
"Doesn't this sound fun?" he says, placing a pipe in his mouth and lighting it. Smoke coils into the air.
"Can you entertain me?" Loki asks, staring at me sharply.
Loki walks forward slowly, both hands in his pockets.
I step forward as well. I close my eyes. Loki rushes in without a weapon.
But it isn't a punch—my vision shows it clearly. Loki attacks with his legs.
I open my eyes as he charges.
Head—his kick snaps toward my head. I block it hard, my eyes shutting again.
Ribs—from my head he shifts to my ribs in an instant. I barely manage to stop it in time.
"All you ever do is defend, huh?!"
A fighter who uses his legs—my sight struggles to find an opening. I have to endure long enough to strike back.
Then something small comes to mind. A trivial thought, but it creates a gap.
"Your brothers couldn't beat me. What makes you think you can?" I say as he switches his attack from his left leg to his right. I block it again.
"Huh?!" he mutters.
There—an opening.
"You think you're tough?" My sight guides me to use his technique—Paragon.. He freezes.
SKLAK—The gap is his pipe. I kick it out of his mouth.
No more openings. At this range, the distance isn't in my favor. My vision guides me to create space. I step back a few paces.
His face twists with anger.
Amusement to fury in a single breath,
"You know," he says, "I thought I was the one who'd be entertaining you."
The fight has only just begun.