Rather than concentrating the Rokumori Gas in a specific area to increase it's potency, Noctis let it flow freely out into the streets and into the sector, threatening to consume the entire financial district in due time with a noxious purple haze. As people scrambled to evacuate, Noctis felt more at ease knowing that those who remained were likely to be enemies, staunch defenders of the district.

Such men, predictably, appeared; maneuvering their way through the poison gradually from a nearby building, making headway towards the longleg a good deal faster than the average civilian would be able to. Whatever the cause was, be it their fortitude or their own supernatural abilities, Noctis looked to test the waters while simultaneously seeking to conclusively deal with them.

As the two individuals came closer to 30m away from him, Noctis gathered some of the Rokumori Gas generated into his palm, compressing it into his Teibaku, which had served him well in dealing with grunts up to this point. The moment the grouped men crossed the threshold, Noctis pivoted to throw the orb of purple gas, which neatly concealed itself in the already gaseous environment around them. Even if they were able to somewhat withstand the exposure to Noctis' toxin, the concussive force of his attack would serve to set a good baseline for their physical durability, while also serving to expedite his Rokumori Gas output.

Regardless of the outcome, the longer higher ups took to reach his position, the longer Noctis would have to recuperate and acclimate to the injuries he sustained fighting Lust, much of the pain he felt in his body already starting to fade, outside of his right leg which took a bit more of a beating.

As the men continued towards Noctis, the longleg found anger from their tenacity, as his body turned to face them; and while they were perturbed from the assault, it paled in comparison to Noctis' own irritation, something that quickly shifted into a near tangible bloodlust that poured out of him much like the gas in the air. Noctis eyes narrowed underneath his mask, his cloak begining to flutter chaotically. Though the men couldn't see it, the longleg's face became stoic and empty, something he hadn't slipped into since his days as a slave fighter, picking off the opposition with little care for their status as living, thinking people.

This feeling of pure predation would reach the two men shortly before Noctis himself would, rushing them at his own leisure. It was quick, but not up to the point of exertion [4] for him, as he looked to cleave through the two men with one swift kick, a small portion of the gas in the air curling around his foot like the lengthy blade of an axe. All the while Noctis continued his flow of gas, another Teibaku coming to form within his hand in preparation for further resistance. Whatever happened, the two men served as the perfect avenue to both vent his anger and draw an even greater picture with what remained of them in the end.

Though Noctis' composure had faltered momentarily, leaving a bloody message in it's wake, the sheer number of devout followers that began to make their way towards the longleg drew him back to reality and his purpose in being there, to instill fear and unease and draw out the sin priests.

Yet as the mass continued down the street, it became clear they were steadily overcoming Noctis' output at the cost of their own lives. Even if it was unintentional, it was certainly unnerving as Noctis struggled for a moment to overpower them, only to recognize the futility of the effort. Thinking quickly, Noctis drew Kuroi and partitioned the gas he had released thus far in the range of his ability, the gas that hung within the street and surrounded the crowd of people, and the gas that had covered the rest of the sector.

Directing the full focus of his Rokumori gas generation onto the street, Noctis tossed the Teibaku he had used down the center to temporarily offset the crowd's consumption as well as disperse any who may have clustered. Pulling the ignition stone from his pocket, Noctis struck the flint against his blade, creating a shower of sparks that quickly ignited the gas in front of him, sending a torrent of fire down the street and igniting the buildings that resided next to it. Those unfortunate enough to be left in it's path would be little more than ash after the brunt of the assault.

Noctis had no way to be sure of survivors or those who remained, but given the flashy nature of the current engagement, it was time to reposition slightly. Having separated a good bulk of his gas in the sector from the street where the crowd had gathered, the cloaked longleg slipped into what remained unignited and continued his generation of gas at his previous position remotely, floating up to the roof of a nearby building, only twenty or so meters away, under the cover of the smoke and poison in the air, where he could observe those who came to investigate the "source" of the from a birds eye view, his gaseous body fading into the air to further hide his presence while he began to rack up the body count in the financial sector.

Noctis watched on from above as those who remained and those who had been drawn out recklessly entered the Rokumori gas the longleg had begun generating at his previous position, it's toll immediately becoming apparent as civilian cultists hacked and wheezed in between short bursts of words to their den den mushi. Is this what it's like to have a greater calling..? Noctis thought to himself, wondering if it was faith that drove these men and women to die like drones, or something greater and altogether more sinister.

Either way, what he offered them now was a mercy, for what he could provide. He wasn't versed in sophistry and the abstract, unable to bring them out of their delusions in any other way aside from simple death. Soon, the newcomers who hadn't exposed themselves nearly as long came across the visceral scene of the two men who had been slaughtered by hand rather than by gas, which seemed to strike an even greater chord with those in Los Diablos, as if it weren't strictly some well thought-out, tactical assault on the Sixth District, but rather that of a fickle and enraged predator, nearly indiscriminate in his targets. No one was safe, and they weren't entirely wrong to think so.

This only meant that the pursuit for whomever was responsible was to intensify, something well within the realm of expectations for Noctis, even if he had gotten sloppy for a moment. As more people packed into the gas, they were left completely unaware of the danger it still presented them, as if they hadn't learned from the crowd that had burnt to death moments ago. The flames from burning buildings and the embers it poured out had been slow to ignite what was left of the partitioned gas, but it was inevitable given the scale of the destruction.

Noctis took a few steps back and held off on generating anymore Rokumori gas as flames circled from both ends, eating up the gas and turning the remnants of the surrounding buildings into a burning hellscape all it's own, including the facility the longleg had found as a roost. Quickly ascending a few meters into the air, he distanced himself from the blaze and it's heat, looking on as screams quickly became silenced. Still, maintaining flight put a sort of unnecessary strain on his lower body, something that had sparked agitation in his previously wounded leg.

Descending to a notably less on fire causeway, Noctis knelt down to give himself a moment's respite against his better judgement, using his blade to prop himself up. Though he was far from well versed in using it, Noctis took a deep breath to activate his Observation Haki, simply on the off chance his judgement held merit.

[Haki Stamina: 12/13]

As Noctis opened himself to the influx of information, he immediately regretted his decision as his body shivered from head to toe, and goosebumps started to form on his skin. It was a sensation he hadn't felt before, but it was familiar nonetheless. It was sickly and concerning, as if his life was in danger. Still, it wasn't as immediate of a sensation as he had felt facing Garrolt Taylor, nor as intense. It was far more foreboding, warning the longleg to cease his actions, or else.

Yet, through all of the unease he felt, the sensation itself poked and prodded at Noctis' buttons. Anger and irritation began to swell from within; the sheer audacity of whatever entity or group that had caused him to feel such a way only served to fuel the fires inside of Noctis, quickly burning away whatever hesitation it might have granted him, and bolstered his will in turn.

Having a newfound drive, the cloaked figure brought himself to his feet and stood tall, making no effort to conceal or temper his malevolence and animosity towards those who called themselves Los Diablos. His wounds ached but were dull in comparison to his rage. Hoisting Kuroi to rest on his shoulder, Rokumori gas began to form and concentrate and cling tightly to the edges of the blade, creating an ominous and energetic outline around it. With his observation maintained, the emboldened Noctis readied himself to face whatever threats came.

[Haki Stamina: 11/13]

Noctis' eyes narrowed and his zeal was tempered as the earth quaked with explosive force coming from the distance, beyond the damage the longleg had caused himself. "Lust..?" he pondered to himself, well aware that her survival was all but impossible. Still, her penchant for explosives is what defined her, but the feeling of fear that struggled to draw itself to the surface within him was something foreign entirely. Screams bellowed out from behind the smoke and gas, but these were not screams of the unknown panic Noctis had generated. They were screams of dread, as if their fates had been sealed too soon.

The Rokumori Gas around Kuroi began to disperse as Noctis brought himself low, observing the developments from above. Perhaps subconsciously, he dispelled his Kenbunshoku Haki in order to do so, so that he might further resist the temptation to simply flee without learning anything. The quakes began to intensify steadily alongside the screams, growing closer with every second. Then, without reason or provocation, the smoke and gas that was left on the street were uplifted and dispersed, torn away by a force beyond his sight.

Though the fires still burned and smoke soon quickly filled the air, Noctis stood firmly at the edge of his building, ready to submit to his base desires and retreat at a moment's notice, his body already becoming closer to transparent in preparation.

[Haki Stamina: 11/13]

Noctis clung to his composure as more of the creature's carnage found it's way through the smoke and into his field of view, the corpses no worse for wear than what he had done only moments ago. Still, they offered him nothing in terms of identity or location. If the titles of sins were given based on their occupations and personalities, surely the monster acting now wasn't the likes of greed or envy. Still, that assumption wasn't something Noctis was willing to act on, at least not with only anecdotal evidence. He'd need to get closer.

Then, as if reading his thoughts and concerns, a man in a suit came into the fray, seemingly unconcerned with the destruction that had transpired. "Greed? Envy?" he wondered to himself. There was no way to tell for sure, but Noctis began to float the perimeter, clear as the air itself, of the still standing buildings. Keeping nearly a 50 meter gap in distance between himself and the newcomer, Noctis entered the smoke all the same in order to keep an eye on the man from the rooftops above, as well as potentially getting a peek at the source of the calamities beyond.

[Haki Stamina: 11/13]