So much happened in the singular moment of defensive movement’s initial pause. The weapon adorning his arm – the Zeus Cannon – had its cherry popped metaphorically as the weapon’s first live-fire exercise had begun. The appendage which it had been equipped had shot up like a lightning bolt with a synchronicity to the movement that could only be described as fluid – like the arm had already been there. At the same exact moment, the mass of black began to shift; an illumination came into existence, its intensity that began to move over his vision by starting from one periphery into the other in a sweeping motion that would begin and end near simultaneous in its speed. Additionally, an intense wave of sound would focus itself on his position in what would be an effective and debilitating retaliatory action. *Mazono's left eye - the first to meet the blinding illumination - swiftly shut in response to the brilliant intensity that threatened to remove his visual prowess all together if not for two unique variables.

The first, his eyes. Though the light was swift, the enhanced flow of neurons and unique nature of Mitsu’s visual capabilities had already been active for the majority of the fight as the young man – intent on examining his weapon’s attack – had been pouring all his visual prowess into a single hyper-focused moment. This heightened control of his optical verification allowed him to deviate certain focuses and functions of his eyes; this was made manifest in his unique resilience to his own attack’s bright nature and in how he was able to visualize the world around him at a much slower pace. *As such, the eyes would’ve resisted the initial blinding effects of the powerful beam of energies sweep, yet even still the initial action had caught him somewhat off-guard and due to this his left eye's full functionality had been reduced due to the blinding after-effect causing a blur to his vision and spots to fly before his left eyes sight. Luckily however, this wasn’t the only boon… 

The other variable was simple. Mitsu had never intended on standing in that one spot to examine his attack. There was no need to remain stationary as the shot fired was easily observable to him on the move thanks to his former aforementioned ability. Once more the stored kinetic energy released, this time from the heel of both feet accelerating him towards the scaffolding at double his previous speed; a trail of lightning following in his wake as the movement was made faster by the imbuement of his Thunder God Speed. His swift burst of enhanced movement carried him out of the path of the lasers most harmful effects simply by re-positioning him out of the way – *allowing him to continue his examination of the shot as intended through his unaffected right eye. The focused attack of vicious sound waves having caused a slight nauseating feeling to well in his stomach. However, this effect seemed to fade almost as swiftly as it had begun the moment his movement removed him from the focus point.

His enhanced vision, hindered by the loss of his left eye redirected all non-essential processes to intensify focus on his right eye. His electrolocation supplementing this temporary impediment of sight which allowed him to continue – due to the hyperfocus of his ability – observing the path of the enhanced VERTBRINIUM round soaring towards the target. Watching as the mass of darkness began to react to the shot, what he saw was far more insightful – and telling – than he’d have hoped. The defensive field surrounding the round impacted against the darkness as he had expected; the shadow massing against the projection to slow its fast-moving electrons much as it had his lightning bolt in the start of this fight. However, it seemed to fight with itself momentarily as two distinct masses of the darkness split off from one another creating two unique forms. This action alone was the most revealing occurrence in the fight thus far and one he took heavy note of as he watched the shroud fight with itself on gathering its mass on the object…and not.

The impact of the round – even somewhat slowed – caused a loud boom to fill the room as large stones and debris from the impact exploded outward in random directions; a large gaping hole having caused the single entrance to now seem larger than it had when the two figures entered the room. Ancient stones flew off dangerously behind the wall of black – unseen by the man in white due to the nature of the strange shadow. The protective field of his unique round had done its job and assisted the projectile in its passage, nearly unabated. The mass of darkness had done its best – but now the man in white had a game plan.

As the high-speed movement ended, Mazono had traversed the additional ten-foot distance separating him from the sweet embrace of the Scaffolding’s cover ended, a brilliant flash of light emanating from the top of his spherical defense struck down atop of his head engulfing him in a momentary blinding light, lines of electricity spreading out like spider webs from his feet outward. The event dissipated as swiftly as it had happened revealing the form of Mitsu brightly glowing gold. The radiance of his form made it hard to visually see facial contours; the fedora atop his head hiding glowing gold strands. Even his long white coat seemed to vibrate with a brilliant intensity of light. 

Though he was unaware of it prior his decision to keep moving had saved him once more from being engulfed in the green gas that had been used to attack him prior. Though unlike before the defensive field projected around him at all times seemed to be unresponsive to the mist; its energy being redistributed elsewhere as the floating iron granules all simultaneously began to glow and clump together into large glowing red soccer ball sized spheres, about fifty in number. Each sphere projecting its own variation of the red field that had engulfed Mazono only moments prior, protecting and enhancing the iron sand’s density as well as causing them to remain stationary in mid-air, maintained by his magnetic control. The hum of gathering energy filling the room as Mazono’s glowing form stood next to the pillar, seeming ready to jump behind the pillar for cover if needed as he prepared for his powerful attack, inspired by the mass of darkness itself.


ooc: * denotes the edit