"Guh!" A precision strike made Ragna stagger a little. Frost spread to his weapon.
Jin prepared to attack again, hand hovering over the handle of the resheathed sword. All the while, his expression barely shifted from uncanny happiness. "What's the matter? Already hit your limit?"
"Hardly…" he grunted, retaining his focus on Jin's movements. Keeping up with this speed was not a problem, but the growing cold made it more difficult than it should. Anytime his brother drew out his blade, a thin layer of ice formed over his gloves when he blocked the attack. He could hardly feel the tips of his fingers now.
Without pause, Jin stepped forward.
Pieces of broken floor tiles flew as Ragna reacted just on time to swing his sword at Jin. For a split second, their weapons clashed. But rather than risk a prolonged close-quarter struggle, he had put enough force behind this counterattack to shove Jin back by a fair bit.
Sliding to a stop, he kept the Nox Nyctores aimed at Ragna. His glee only increased after being pushed away. "This is more like it, Nii-san! Being enthusiastic makes it more fun, doesn't it?" Unbothered by the distance put between them, Jin struck his sword at the ground. A burst of energy shot out. Tendrils of cold energy spread and flew across the surface, homing to its target.
Ragna saw it. Outrunning the ice speeding towards him was impossible. With a wide swing, gathering his strength into his weapon, Ragna aimed to cut the attack directly. A blur tore the air as it followed after the arc of his blade. Where the ground had been ripped apart, translucent spikes protruded out of the floor like frozen waves.
The lingering ice served as a barrier, giving Ragna some space. White puffs followed each breath he took. "…I'm sick of this shit, Jin. We've been over this. Go back to the Library! You're not supposed to be here!" Whatever promise he had made before no longer mattered.
Tilting his head, he shot him a petulant glare. "What do you mean? Don't be ridiculous. Why would I go back when you're right here? Besides, we're only getting started!"
"Tch, why did I even think you'll listen…" He'd most likely kill him before changing his mind. Pulling his weapon back, Ragna set it back onto his belt. "If you keep this up, then I won't—Now what?" Somewhere, he felt a new presence making its way into the premises.
Jin also became aware of the third party, scowling in the direction of it. "Who's there?! It's no use hiding!"
Emerging from a dark corner, a man with a golden mask stepped into the light. "Am I interrupting something? From my standpoint, it seems I've arrived right on time." Not far behind, a looming figure followed him, hidden by a simple traveling cloak.
"Relius…You dare show your face in front of me again!?" For the first time, Jin's focus shifted away from Ragna.
The name stirred up an uneasy feeling within Ragna. The sight of him was an echo of the kid with the monocle. They had to have some kind of connection to one another. Something about the both of them felt off but more strongly so with this man.
With his attention split between Jin and the man that appeared out of nowhere, Ragna considered a worse case scenario. The possibility that both of them could target him simultaneously at any moment existed. And he would much rather avoid getting caught in a messier situation. His initial plan was to leave the city quietly, and he wanted to stick to it before things got worse.
A single gloved hand emerged from beneath Relius' cape. "My curiosity was piqued by the commotion happening down here. I couldn't possibly miss such a vital opportunity to quicken the procedures." At the snap of his fingers, the cloak covering the tall figure behind him vanished. "Now, I would appreciate it if all of you were cooperative."
"Nii-san has nothing to do with you!" Jin glowered at the man, preparing to face a new foe. "I'll make you regret interrupting us, starting with spilling your guts out for the world to see…"
While they had their little exchange, Ragna saw his chance to slip away—better to let those two take care of their unfinished business instead of dealing with both of them at the same time. Without even a glance behind him, he snuck away as quickly as he could, determined to find an alternative exit.