"Don't worry, Nicole! Even if Zane isn't here, you still have me!"
Billy twirled his dual pistols and crossed them in front of him. Shaking his white hair with flair, he looked seriously at Nicole.
"As someone who upholds the will of the Starlight Knights, I'll protect the manager and our team no matter what!"
He struck the classic Starlight Knight pose used when facing adversity. Nicole watched him for a moment, her mouth twitching before she rolled her eyes.
"The sense of security you give me isn't even a ten-thousandth of what Zane did."
Maybe it was because of the Dead End Hollows incident last time, but Nicole had developed a near-blind faith in Zane.
If Zane was around, nothing would go wrong!
There was nothing Zane couldn't handle!
...Though he wasn't here right now.
"Huh? Nicole! How could you say something so cold and heartless... it's like stabbing a machine right in the heart..."
Billy covered his face with one hand, acting deeply wounded, as if her words had genuinely shattered him.
"Alright, alright, let's focus on the mission. Zane has his own stuff to handle..."
Belle, speaking through Eous, cut in at that moment. Anby, still clutching her blade with one hand, stood quietly to the side, seeming disconnected from the world around her.
"Yeah, yeah, let's get this over with!"
Carrying her briefcase, Nicole followed behind Eous. The three of them headed off to rendezvous with the investigators.
...
Meanwhile, elsewhere...
"Even though these are the same type of Ethereals, the ones here are clearly much stronger than what we've seen in other Hollows..."
"Is it because of the higher Ether concentration?"
Zane raised his hand, summoning a pitch-black crystal spear lined with pale green markings. The tip gleamed cold and sharp.
Whoosh—
A fire lotus bloomed at the tip. Zane spun the spear twice with ease, tracing fiery circles in the air. With the spear resting across his back, the flames burned quietly.
Low, raspy growls echoed around him. A small group of Ethereals was drawing near.
Zane didn't flinch. He didn't even lift the spear—just raised his other hand to catch a floating stone in midair.
"A gravitational anomaly… but why can't I feel it?"
Abandoned buildings, train cars, and shattered walls all floated above. Logically, he should be floating too—or at least feel lighter.
But right now, everything felt the same as the outside world.
The others were no different. Nicole hadn't started floating after entering Hollow Zero, and cautious as Anby was, she hadn't brought it up either.
Even the regular Ethereals were unaffected.
It was as if...
The gravitational and spatial distortions only affected inanimate objects.
It could be a unique trait of Hollow Zero, or maybe... someone was doing this on purpose.
Just like Wise said—Hollow Zero hid too many secrets.
And Zane was deeply intrigued...
He looked up. Reflected in his glacial eyes was an Ethereal lunging at him, claws outstretched. Calmly, Zane spun his spear and thrust it forward.
"Polearms all share certain principles. Mastering them means doing more with less effort."
"Longer weapons mean greater reach. If you've got the advantage, hold your ground and adapt."
"Watch closely—every attack and defense should leave you a way out. Never lock yourself into a single move."
Qingyi's voice echoed in his mind. Zane stayed composed—there was no rush. A little self-training wouldn't hurt.
Qingyi was a great teacher, no doubt about it.
And Zane's growth was obvious.
The Ethereal faded into nothing. Zane didn't pull back his spear. Instead, he swept it sideways like a whip, striking a hyena-type Ethereal.
Without missing a beat, he released the spear. It spun twice in the air and returned to his grip—just as a dark shadow loomed above.
Zane stepped aside lightly. The Ethereal crashed down with a thud, its thick front limbs slamming toward him—only to be dodged again with ease.
"If there's a clean kill opportunity, take it. Don't hesitate—but don't throw everything away either. You can't afford to trap yourself."
The tip of the spear ignited. Standing to the side of the gorilla-like Ethereal, Zane gripped the shaft and plunged it deep into its body.
Even buried in flesh, the flames didn't die.
Suddenly, a flash of lightning cracked through the air.
A small shockwave burst out, ruffling Zane's hair. He withdrew his crystal spear as bursts of multicolored sparks exploded around him.
The Ethereal had been blown apart and vanished.
As more enemies gathered in the distance, Zane exhaled slowly. Arcs of electricity danced across his body.
In the next instant, he shot forward like an arrow released.
...
"Remember—just because your body can take hits doesn't mean you should trade blow for blow. You used to do that all the time with me."
Four.
...
"You've got great reflexes. Combat's like a game of chess—sometimes you can lead your opponent into a trap."
Eleven.
...
"Don't get greedy or overconfident. Know when to pull back. You're setting up moves—but maybe your enemy is too. See? You just fell for your master's trick again..."
Nineteen.
...
"Like brewing tea or pouring wine, battles can be slow and steady. It's not passivity—it's control."
Twenty-five.
...
"Once a fight starts, enemies expose their intent—even mindless Ethereals. Read them, and you'll have the upper hand."
Thirty.
...
"Aiyaa, I'm slacking off—no, it's break time. Come here, good disciple, and massage your master's shoulders... this old part's about to rust..."
Bang!
The spear drove deep into the ground. Cracks split outward from the impact point, spewing fire from below.
"I've never seen an Ethereal like you before."
Zane released the spear and rubbed his wrist, then slowly walked toward the large Ethereal in the plaza.
Its body was lizard-like, limbs shaped like a mantis's. Beyond its front legs extended two curved blades, and a long, pointed spike hung from its thick tail.
"Come. Let me test your strength in human form... I hope you won't disappoint."
Zane spread his arms, stretching his shoulders, a grin of anticipation and excitement spreading across his face.
Behind him, the embedded spear stood still—but the flames underground surged even higher.
Cracks widened, encircling both Zane and the large Ethereal. Then, the fire exploded upward, forming a wall.
The large Ethereal turned and roared twice, slowly advancing.
The small plaza now resembled an ancient coliseum.
The only thing missing... was an audience.
Or perhaps, there was one.
But just one—
Hollow Zero itself.