Albert's brows knit tightly, and he grits his teeth.
However, both gradually fade away. What he needs now is calmness.
"Huft."
A long, heavy breath escapes him.
"Calm down, Albert," he murmurs quietly, soothing his entire being.
"Huft..."
Another long, light exhale follows.
Suddenly, his brows furrow again.
CKTHAAAAAAHMNH!
He forcefully tries to rise, pulling his lower body free from the rubble—
"EKH..."
He continues dragging his legs from beneath the crushed stones.
"Everything—"
The more he pulls, the more soil and rocks sink around him, making the struggle increasingly difficult.
"—must"
His face twists. His teeth grind together as he strains with all his might.
He forces his lower body to move again.
"—BE OVERCOME!" he shouts loudly, gritting his teeth, furrowing his brows as sweat drenches his body.
And he is almost free—
"TO—SAVE—LOKI!" he roars once more, his voice echoing through the air and piercing the heavens.
CKHTAHMN—CTHAAMN—PKAAAAANMMMHHH!
He finally breaks free from the rubble completely.
"Huh... hah... huh..."
His breathing grows ragged. Sweat runs down his face and soaks his entire body.
Remaining seated for a moment, he begins trying to stand.
"EKH!!!"
He continues forcing himself upward.
Again and again.
"Please..."
His body bends forward, supported by both hands resting on his knees.
"...there is no time, AKH—"
His body finally straightens fully.
Yet moments later, he staggers from side to side.
"...to remain here any longer!"
He forces himself to stand still.
Tilting his head slightly upward, he gazes at the blue sky and watches birds flying beneath clusters of white clouds.
Then he lowers his gaze to the dust covering his body.
He looks forward once more.
"In that case—"
A faint smile forms.
"—I am coming to you, Loki."
He begins walking unsteadily.
"Wait for me."
A sincere smile filled with determination is clearly etched across his face.
And he continues moving forward despite his staggering steps.
Jiza lowers his face slightly.
"So you truly are playing with me, JOHAN?" he mutters.
He draws a rough breath.
"The one who replaced me in Vanguard..."
He steps forward.
DUK! DAK! DUK!
The large and broad figure now becomes clearly visible.
"A solid wall... the god of combat..." Jiza says.
BRAK!
The ground beneath Jiza's feet compresses before erupting outward in all directions.
"...Marshal of Gaelvorn—"
Jiza charges.
KRAK!
The ground beneath the figure's feet cracks under pressure.
The figure charges as well.
Earth and dust scatter into the air.
Jiza narrows his eyes as both rush directly toward one another.
Very close.
At the closest distance—
Jiza's fist shoots straight toward the figure's face.
"LITHOOVERT."
Likewise, Lithoovert drives his fist straight forward—
—CKHTAAAHMNH—CTKPHAAAAAAAAHNM!
Both fists crash directly into each other's faces.
KHWANM—CKHAHMN!
Both immediately pull their fists back at the same time.
Jiza does not stop.
SLHAAAHMM!
He fully draws his fist back once more.
—SWHAAAMHH!
Lithoovert does the same.
Jiza's second strike comes from the side.
SCKWAAAAAAMHH!
The wind surges—
Lithoovert's second strike comes straight from the front.
SKCLHAAAAAAAAHM!
—the wind intensifies further.
Both enter striking range.
"I did not expect your body and face to still be this young!"
Lithoovert's right fist shoots forward.
Jiza tilts his body—
PKHAAAAAAAAAHMN!
—the punch tears through empty air.
However—
—his hips have already rotated first. His feet have not even fully planted before the motion is completed. Power gathers within his core and transfers into his left fist, released through the synchronized movement of hips and shoulders.
Jiza freezes in place, unable to evade—
CKAAAAAAAAMHHMM!
—the punch lands squarely on his chest.
"AAARKKHH!" he hisses.
His jaw hardens.
His teeth clamp together as his face twists.
KCAM—KTAAAMH!
The shock reverberates deep into his skeletal structure.
Jiza's body is driven backward.
He furrows his brow.
"You truly are a formidable opponent for me!"
A smile filled with excitement forms beneath the bandages covering his face.
In an instant, he retaliates.
KRTHAAAAAAHHMMH!
His left fist crashes into Lithoovert's right ribs—directly along the lower rib line near the liver.
"I DIDN'T EXPECT YOU TO STILL BE THIS STRONG EITHER!"
The flesh compresses inward.
Vibrations spread throughout his chest cavity.
Lithoovert's breathing falters momentarily.
BRAAAKKKK!
His left foot plants firmly on the ground.
He draws his fist back once more—
KRTCHAAAAAAANMM!
The punch slams into Jiza's ribs.
The devastating impact lands cleanly.
WRAK—WRUK—KRAK!
Bone resonance spreads clearly throughout his body.
"AARKTH—"
Jiza hisses again and again.
His body shifts only a single step.
His hand moves once more.
PKTHAAAAAAHHMNN!
A straight punch drives into Lithoovert's abdomen.
Deep contact.
The abdominal muscles compress violently inward.
Air bursts from his lungs uncontrollably.
"Did Johan truly send someone like you TO COME FOR ME THIS EARLY?"
Lithoovert grits his teeth.
He advances again.
His steps remain short.
Fast.
Stable.
A right punch.
KCTHAAAAAAAMHHH!
A left punch.
KTCHAAAAAAAMHHH!
A hook to the stomach.
STCKHAAAAAAAHMM!
Every strike targets a vital point.
However—
CTTRKAAAAAAAAHHM!
"And for what?"
Jiza's elbow rises sharply from below at a narrow angle, striking the spleen area along the left side of Lithoovert's body.
The impact penetrates deeply.
"I thought he was diverting something toward me before going after the others."
The sudden pressure against the spleen triggers a reflexive contraction.
A sharp pain rapidly spreads through the center of his body.
"What exactly is he planning to bring upon us?!"