Shibuya sang.

Neku often took off his headphones to listen to what he could hear of her Song. It was a faint buzzing, an almost non-existent humming, but it was pleasing to the head and ears.

Except for today. Today, the city seemed to wail an eerie tune of rare despair, a haunting ring of panic that set her occupants off in depressing ways and worried Neku to no end. Because the only thing that could change the melody was the Composer himself.

Neku could fathom nothing that could come close to upsetting the prissy, god-complexed Master of Shibuya so badly that the very city screamed in displeasure.

"Neku! Watch yourself!"

A beam of light nearly singed the young grafitti artist as it shot out right next to him on its way to the true target, a monstrosity that looked like a kangaroo Noise crossed with a Reaper. This stranger was engaged in an activity Neku knew was ever possible, but he'd yet to see unfold before his own eyes.

"You're weak in that form! Your seat is mine!"

This crazy high-ranked Reaper was Challenging the Composer. No wonder the city screamed in protest. The Proxy knew full well that there were those very few rebels who really hated the way Joshua ran things, and it didn't surprise him to find out after several instances of Josh crawling into WildKat that those same rebels were well equipt in making a change in management if the Composer would just back off slightly in his overpoweredness.

As the battle raged on, Neku found it curious how Josh never actually went full Composer on the Reaper, and actually tanked several lightning-based psychs to the face that he could have easily avoided. In fact, it wasn't until the reaper narrowed his eyes and pointed his hand at the fascinated Proxy that the Composer even gave a hint of wanting to fight full power.

This was not missed by the challenger. With a sneer, the older man shot a bolt of lazer energy straight at Neku's chest. The teen barely registered the threat before a hand shoved him down, and a pained grunt reached his ears. He turned to see Joshua on his hands and knees, chest and back smoking as he coughed blood onto the pavement.

"Joshua!" Neku shouted, dashing towards his partner. The ash-blond raised his hand in warning, his face contorting in a mix of rage and I-Am-So-Done-ness.

"Out. Of. The. Way."

Neku had zero objections to the growled command, especially when the venomous look was turned upon the smirking, fang-licking Reaper, and the body of Yoshiya Kiryu began to grow, and whisps of Imagination began to curl off the cracking skin.

"You had a legitimate Challenge in play, Saratoshi. But you decided to foirfeit your chance of seizing my throne. A pity. I was rather enjoying the challenge this time. You had real potential. Unfortunately for you, my wrath has been provoked."

The cracks emitted blinding light, and suddenly, the true form of the Composer stood there, his ethereal voice dangerous, murderous eyes piercing through the reaper's arrogance, Imagination, Soul, and Power flaring in a roaring display of pure malice.

"You attacked a bystander, and not only did that go against the very rules of the Challenge, the bystander was my Proxy, thus doubling your disgression. I have full rights to utterly defeat you now, according to the Higher Law...but you attacked and could have easily killed Neku Sakuraba, and Law or no Law, that action alone grants you erasure."

He teleported himself directly behind his rival, smirk firmly in place as he snarled softly, menacingly in the terrified Reaper's ear,

" Be greatful Neku watches, Saratoshi. You owe him your thanks that this is going to be painless. Had he turned his back, I would have made an example of you."

Neku gulped as the fight was concluded when the Composer plunged his hand into his rival, erasing him from the inside.

Shibuya's music washed over him like a sigh of relief, but in her tune was a dangerous note that lingered at least two hours later. The proxy shivered as he felt this note like a bur in his head, he almost wanted to put his headphones back on, except it was slightly comforting in a strange way.