The Jester's huge demon form was punched across the face and slammed into the ground, and more battles were ongoing across the city. Winged creatures targeting the Judge spewed hellfire onto his nape and face, leading Alex to actively retaliate. The demons hovering behind him, spitting fire against his neck, were cut to gory shreds that splattered against the ground they splashed against. Then, instead of dealing with the other fanged monsters, he went atop Icarus, grabbing him by the neck and pinning him against the debris-littered ground.
Over and over would his fist make contact with Chrollo's monstrous features, elfen ears breaking apart at the impact of another punch shattering the demon's skull. Icarus, hidden behind the hollow face of his demonic Giant, groaned repeatedly upon rapidly getting hurt. Half of his face started weakening, his hairs loosening and covering his vision while blood poured from his damaged temples.
'God… goddammit! I can't let this go on any further. I have to pull him into… my Territory.'
Just before initiating another punch right into his nose, Alexander halted. If this were any other fight, he'd continue fighting; hoping to kill this unwaveringly fearsome opponent. But he was effectively stunned for the longest split-second before Icarus's demonic face started retracting to reveal the tiny Jester within.
The Judge quickly covered his face, stepping back instinctively. However, his movements were too slow, and the second his hand had already raised, Icarus's nimble build flew through his fingers. Chrollo had already smashed through the Giant's face, taking Amara out the back of the artificial body before tumbling to the car-littered streets.
Crashing against a parked vehicle, Alex tumbled off the automobile's top, rolling off to lay against the road. After coughing out blood onto the gray street, he wiped his mouth of the crimson fluid with his hoodie's sleeve. Then, his eyes widened, and he suddenly rolled away. Standing up after finishing the action, where he formerly stood was appropriately decimated by the Jester's diving punch. Scattering concrete debris elsewhere, the Judge watched the fist exit the surrounding smoke and aim toward his fist. Immediately catching the knuckles, Alex changed his footing, swatting away Chrollo and thereby extending the hold into a throw.
Having been thrown into a building, Icarus ducked under an incoming kick, and then pounced onto the Judge's body. Pushing Alex onto the street behind him, the Jester clearly struggled, striving for more direct hits with continuous clear-cut punches soaring past Alex's face. Eventually, Alex gathered his conscience and kicked his enemy away with both feet. Landing gracefully on an apartment rooftop, the Jester summoned his strength: in other words, his innate technique.
'Ringleader's Supremacy: Puppet Master.'
Alex unraveled his hidden whip, looping it around his palm; watching as the metal conducted his Requiem energy with electrical crackling. Then, he vanished from his spot, speeding through the streets, leaving nothing but destruction in his wake. Rapidly sprinting forward, his head upturned, noticing the incoming projectiles aiming to mercilessly destroy him. Multiple plasma beams discharged from the Jester's fingertip, burning through the air and venturing toward Alex's self. Easily untangling his weapon's length, he deflected the incoming blast, leaving the whip steaming hot.
'Even those strengthened by my life energy aren't enough, huh? Well, then… I guess I'll have to switch out for this one,' Icarus mentally deduced, hand on his chin.
Lowering his arms, Icarus's aura spontaneously shifted, allowing the blackened shade to reign supreme, contrasting the snow-white spheres that replaced Chrollo's pitch-black retinas. Claw-like nails slithering through the air to just barely hover before his face, psychotic giggles escaped the vessel's throat; resounding ever further into the bottomless sky. If it wasn't obvious from his physical appearance, that laughter made it absolute. The one in control was no longer the Jester's ruthless sadistic personality. Rather, it was the methodical craziness of Naraku: The Heavenly Superior Emperor.
"AH, I'D BEEN WAITING FOR A TIME LIKE THIS!" Naraku examined his environment, features displaying excitement. "WHERE ARE MY VICTIMS?! The women… children… animals—"
Then, that familiar abnormality stung his soul. Incapable of turning away from even one second, Naraku's sight locked onto the imminent streak blitzing down the street. Without even being informed, he drew his arm back; like he was pulling back an arrow against an invisible bowstring. However, while it seemed like he was forming a projectile ready to fire, nothing was there. And so, the Superior Emperor fired his attack from behind the rooftop's ledge. Alex raised an eyebrow, having witnessed his rival's distant action.
'He just fired off another projectile. But what is it–?'
As he mentally pondered about the limitless probabilities on what Naraku's projectile could be, he was entrapped. Bound by invisible chains restricting his freedom, Alex properly struggled, jolting his arms one by one before realizing he was confined. Then, his pupils shrunk upon perceiving… the spell Naraku was currently vocalizing—if those cards were played right, it would mean his assured doom.
"Territory Envelopment…"
The Superior Emperor's fingers formed a hand symbol when invoking this legendary technique. Fingers contorted into the Karana Mudra, Naraku's soul expanded its reach, releasing his innermost realm.
"Heavenly Executioner."
The ground below him transmogrified entirely. The flat, hard road he was sprinting on earlier had been replaced by Heaven's godly clouds. Angels flew by overhead, melodic singing venting from their lips, wandering around the domain's artificial air before eventually wandering into Alex's tan-skinned ears. Instinctively, his hands went to cover his ears. Unintentionally, he muffled the deafening audio of castles rising to scrape the enclosed barrier's very summit, yet the ground shaking under him still piqued his curiosity. The Judge's shocked expression reflected the castles' unimaginable size, ingraining this inimitable scenery akin to a painting into his mind forevermore. Then, Al clicked his tongue.
"Shit," he swore.
"Right now, I'm just…" More clouds appeared behind Naraku's darkened body, "grateful to you."
'The inner machinations of the soul are only visitsable when the spirit is made into 'The Void'. However, that mental space can be expanded upon being imbued with Vita or an Artifact's innate technique. Doing so grants the invoker an incarnated version of their own soul… and blesses the user with a guaranteed win. Being in their soul's domain whole in the real world—Territory Envelopment is undoubtedly the peak of Vita mastery,' Alex explained upon witnessing the phenomena.
"You look surprised. Is this your first time witnessing the soul's unparalleled beauty manifested fully?" Naraku taunted with raised arms.
"I wish I could deny that. I mean, I'd heard stories about this technique from Hana and August but—it's unbelievable. Is this your domain or Icarus's?" Alex questioned.
"Since you're going to die, I think it's alright if I tell you. My domain. The territorial beauty of my spirit incarnated into the real world—I can only wish my brother were here to see it," The Superior Emperor replied.
"You mean dad? Or wasn't it Lucifer?" Alex asked.
"Doesn't matter. Now, I'll cut you to pieces, foul Requiem brat," Naraku declared.
Alex rolled his eyes. Upturning an eyebrow, he just barely spun between a projectile seconds away from piercing his heart through the back. Scraping his feet against the ground after he dodged the projectile, the Judge landed carefully and glared ahead at Naraku.
"And here I thought you'd at least feign staying still so I could kill you properly. Then again, it is fun when they squirm…" Naraku's voice enunciated sinisterly, smirking widely and mischievously.
Then, Alex lowered his guard. Instead of affixing his body into a battle stance with separated legs and raised fists, his lips continually parted, the familiar sounds of his masculine voice overtaking the heavenly domain.
"In a battle where you're consumed by someone's Territory, it's usually impossible to counter when the soul's domain is fully manifested like this. Eventually, I'll get tired of dodging and that'll be your chance to kill me," Alex's fingers formed the Ksepana Mudra while speaking, "However, there's another possibility. Some victims entrapped can have a strong soul and will to life, negating the guaranteed hit that comes with the Territory. So if my rebellion is what undoubtedly assures my survival without me even doing anything… what happens if I rebel further?" he asked.
The Superior Emperor's eyes widened, his arm extending as he hopelessly yelled to Alex, "DON'T!!"
"Territory Envelopment."
The surrounding environment had the air seemingly crack… before it was demolished wholly, shattering into multiple shards that instantly disintegrated. Standing against Heaven's clouds, the Requiem descendant of the angels rebelled further against God, even after His unfortunate demise. Naraku's inferior domain was overtaken by Alexander's superior soul. Abnormally, however, all that remained above the Superior Emperor; as far as the eye could see was black—darkness.
"Unlimited Judgment."
A spotlight enlightened the shadowed statue, revealed to be none other than the infamous Lady Justice holding a sword and scale in two hands. In one of the scale's cups was none other than him, the Judge's victim: Naraku, a mere puppet.
"What the… WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!" confusedly cried the Heavenly Emperor.
"It's my Territory. Not as beautiful as yours but it sure as hell gets the job done, don'tcha think?" Alex flashed arrogance at his enemy: smirking.
"Tch!"
After clicking his tongue, the Superior Emperor returned to his thoughts.
'If Alex's Territory is strong enough to overtake mine then I probably can't break out of here. I should play along until I find an opening and manage to slaughter him,' contemplated the angelic enemy.
"Alright then. Let's get started, shall we?" Alex banged his gavel against the table. "Order, order!"
Court was in session.
Trivia: Naraku's technique relies on invisible slashes that cut apart any target. Normally, it'd be enough to kill anyone, however because he invaded the New World and now resides in the Jester's vessel body, he is weaker. If Naraku were a naturally-occuring Incarnated spirit in his own body, his Territory would've instantly destroyed Alex. His technique is 'Divine Retribution: Bottomless Blessings.'