Business. Nero's face didn't so much as twitch as he spotted the approaching Alphard and her American charge. As the two groups gave their explanations, he was still running over the information he'd been given and had collected on his own. In fact, he had insisted to Kazaro that the expedition be run by the three strongest knights, save for Heathcliffe, and anybody else they felt a need to recruit. Kimi was more of an accidental invite; it was disgusting to him how close his information broker was to her sword-for-hire. It meant he was no longer the only one getting her outrageous player-based information. Kimi, however, got it for free merely because the girl called "whisper" couldn't keep her mouth shut around her new best friend. He still wasn't quite sure how she talked such a big circle around him, but somehow she tricked him into having Kimi along. She was certainly strong, but god was she a pain in his ass.

He pulled the scimitar from his hip, the back edge of it softly shimmering in jade. As the group began to move, as usual, it was impossible to tell whether Nero was focused or completely distracted. His mind was always working in a multitude of impossible-to-follow paths. Finally, after practicing their group dynamics a bit against the monsters on the way to the Tower, the entire party stood outside the menacing structure, breaking for a short bit to prepare. Nero swiped his free hand through the air passively, scrolled through his options, and selected... something. Moments later, it materialized in his hands and his eyes lit up for the first expression he'd shown since the group actually connected. In his hand was a mere sandwich, but he had been looking forward to eating it specifically. While his material hunting was what caused his amassed fortune, any new ingredient he got that was of high-level would go to him first, then he would sell any after it. This one held a particularly strange combination of ingredients... In all honesty, he had just handed over the stuff that he got from a job and Yuna looked at the details. Apparently, whatever it was that he had taken to her, it was going to make at least one extremely good meal. She sent it with him today, and a single bite later, he froze and stared into the Void. He could taste it in the very core of his tongue, the savory flavoring and delicate mixing of ingredients was spectacular. He didn't even care that several pairs of eyes looked at him as he involuntarily groaned; it was so delicious, he nearly swallowed the sandwich whole within the next several bites. He tried to taste every crumb, every succulent bite... But it was funny how things that tasted good never lasted very long...

Kazaro laughed and shook his head, "Oh dear god, how do you do that? Absolutely nothing outside of town - not even your smart-ass comments - and you pull out food and suddenly you're Enlightened. It's impressive," He teased with a sigh.

Kimi rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, "You don't hear the smart-ass comments... But you were late," Her voice was full of pseudo-venom and Kazaro didn't hear a word of it.

Nero cleared his throat, letting out one final sigh of relief, wiping his mouth before looking to his Vice Commander, an eyebrow quirked. "Eh? Oh. I suppose so," He said, pretending as though he hadn't even done anything. "it was a good sandwich," He added flatly with a shrug.

Kimi interjected in irritation, "Can we get on with this?" Kazaro only laughed against as they pushed into the Tower.

The young solo-girl barely participated in any group-related combat. She zoned everybody else out while she focused on the opponent in front of her, her rapier swiftly driving through the AI and pulling back out. She struck with absolute precision, dancing around each <<Dark Reflection>> as though they were mere toys. She even appeared to be having fun, despite how they spawned almost-human. She spent less time with her feet on the ground than she did in air. Her jumping height was outrageous, giving her strong advantage. At one point, she sprung into the air over a reflection, using a single-strike sword skill to hit with efficiently before yanking her blade out, letting gravity carry her feet down into the Reflection's head, and kicking herself off of it. The moment her small feet hit the ground, kicking up a tiny cloud of dust, she was off again, her blade shining in pink as she struck the same opponent directly in the chest once, twice, thrice in the shape of a triangle. It exploded around her rapier and she elegantly landed just beyond the glimmering shards.

Kazaro's fighting style used less acrobatics and almost seemed to be more of an actual dance. There was a complicated number of circles in his movements as the momentum of his katana didn't stop for a moment, even when he fought the same enemy. It was clear to tell that he had spent countless hours since the start of the game learning how to connect any sword skill he could to provide the most fluid set of attacks. It wouldn't have taken Suto long after their duel to realize how lightly he had fought during the altercation, but he was happy to guide the young boy to what he was now. Suto had turned into a Grade A fighter since then, and it was stunning, even to Nero, the way that he took up his own growth. Blue, green, yellow, and nearly any other colour you could think of flashed around his blade as he moved from single-strike moves seamlessly into his strongest five-hit combos. It was almost humiliating to the AI the way that he would strike, carry to a sidestep, and let his blade hit yet again while slipping in a seamless sidestep and not stopping his blade. It was quite obvious that he unconsciously made the most noise, seeing as he had the most offensive blocks, striking away his enemy's weapon, the clangs echoing off of every wall with every connection.

Nero fought more efficiently than Kimi and Kazaro, every move clearly seeming planned out and with every ounce of force he could muster. It was simply a purposed way of combating his foes. When he drew his blade, just as when he raised his voice or did so much as take a step, every single movement held determination and certainty. As opposed to Kimi's constant jumping around and strike-dodge techniques, comparable almost to Jason, and Kazaro's constant motion, Nero would strike, block, strike, block in an extremely structured and clearly strategic method.