C2
"How much longer?"
"It will still take a while. A couple of months or so."
"It fits within our timeline. Progress is steady and going."
"Agreed. It will all come to fruition soon enough. And the other thing? The Red Fang hasn't updated us yet on the device."
"They're looking for it. The clue you gave them isn't exactly detailed, you know?"
"The sooner we get it back, the better our chances are."
"You mean, the better chances our heads will roll. The object is worth more than the entirety of T.O.P.S., just one mention we had a hand in this and all of this will be for nothing."
"Don't remind me."
"Good, now heel. Progress is smooth, and our intel is good. Let's just play the waiting game, alright?"
"Whatever… oh, take a look at this."
"What is it?"
"This is interesting. A new message from The Red Fang. It seems they found something. They're asking for more information about the device."
"What do we do?"
"We need to be careful. We can't give them too much information. We need to ensure they don't know what we're after. But we also need to keep them on our side. We need them to find the device."
"What should we tell them?"
"We should tell them that the device is a powerful artifact, but we don't know much about it. We can say that we believe it's important to keep it out of the wrong hands."
"That sounds like a good plan."
"Good. Let's get this done."
"I'm ready."
"Excellent. Now, we wait."
______________________________________________________________
The Hollows are an odd phenomenon that randomly appeared some decades past. Nobody knew what they were, why there are here, and what purpose they had. All anyone knows is to avoid them and let the professionals handle them.
And yet, it seems Hollow has a mind of its own. It just has a habit of appearing out of thin air.
In one part of New Eridu, a Companion Hollow suddenly appeared and swallowed an entire district. The HIA and Public Security cordoned off the area and called in Agents to take care of the Hollow.
Companion Hollows are Hollows formed from existing, larger Hollows. These Hollows spontaneously appear near larger ones, and it is up to Agents to clear out all the Ethereals inside and destroy them from within.
The more Ethereals materialize inside a Hollow, the bigger it grows. So the best way is to eliminate all the Ethereals inside a Hollow to lessen its size.
As Public Security began cordoning off the area, an HIA-issued jeep pulled up nearby. The driver emerged with the gait and air of a powerful agent. He wore a dark shirt, tight vest, and form-fitting jeans. His bright red jacket swayed with the winds and the clinking of chains on each of his arms. By his waist were short, hook blades that swayed with him as they carried a dangerous air.
Before the man could enter, a PubSec officer stopped him. "This area is off-limits. Please leave."
Rex pulled out his ID, the HIA logo gleaming under the harsh fluorescent lights. "Agent Rex Harlow," he announced, his voice firm, "here to rescue and eliminate the Companion Hollow."
The officer, a burly man with a tired expression, glanced at the ID, then back at Rex. "Understood, Agent. Good luck." He gestured towards the entrance of the building, a stark contrast to the vibrant city outside.
Rex took a deep breath, the weight of his first mission settling in his stomach. A week ago, he was just another rookie, now he was thrust into the heart of a Hollow, a pocket dimension where reality warped and danger lurked around every corner.
"Agent Rex, I presume?" A man, clad in the familiar HIA uniform, approached him, a friendly smile on his face. "We'll have the Carrot and Bangboo ready soon. I understand this is your first time in a Hollow."
"That's right, sir," Rex replied, trying to keep his voice steady. "I was told to expect the unexpected."
"That's putting it mildly," the man chuckled, his tone turning serious. "If not for Lady Sunbringer, we would have all died long ago. Anyway, reports say the civilians are quite deep inside the Hollow. And since this is your first time, an experienced Hollow Investigator will accompany you."
"May I know who they are?" Rex asked, his curiosity piqued.
Just then, sirens blared in the distance, cutting through the tense silence. A patrol car screeched to a halt, and a woman stepped out, her presence commanding attention. She was tall, with long hair tied back in a neat ponytail, and streaks of red highlighting her dark locks. Her Public Security uniform fit her perfectly, a small cape bearing the N.E.P.S. insignia trailing behind her.
Her eyes, sharp and alert, met Rex's, and a smile played on her lips. "Officer Zhu Yuan," she said, her voice calm and authoritative, "Agent Rex, is that correct?"
Rex nodded, feeling a surge of both nervousness and admiration. "I am, ma'am. I assume you are the one accompanying me today?"
Zhu Yuan nodded, her smile widening. "First-time Hollow investigating is meant to be accompanied by a senior Investigator. Although this Hollow is small, it is no less dangerous than any other. So what I say is critical, understood?"
Rex nodded again, his gaze fixed on her. "Understood."
Zhu Yuan's smile softened. "In that case, stay close to me at all times. The inside of a Hollow is unpredictable and dangerous."
Rex felt a knot of apprehension tighten in his stomach. He had trained for this, but nothing could truly prepare him for the unknown. He took a deep breath, his eyes meeting Zhu Yuan's once more. "I'm ready, Officer."
Just then, a small black, mechanical rabbit sauntered over with an HIA Agent following it.
"Carrot is ready, and Bangboo is good to go. Good luck, Investigators."
Rex and Zhu Yuan nodded as they headed towards the surface of the Hollow, with the black Bangboo leading the charge.
Despite seeing it in person, Rex felt no worry in his mind. He would adhere to caution but Rex was confident in his abilities and the system to see him through in this ordeal. He has too, to get stronger and stronger.
His eyes wandered to the screen beside him, showing a mission no one but him could see.
[Daily Mission]
- Complete a Hollow Mission
- Train for 1 hour
- Walk for 10km
- Eliminate 50 Ethereals
Rex received this as soon as he was called in, so he hopes Hollow can meet his quota or that partnering up with someone can help.
"Hey." Rex turned to see Zhu Yuan giving a reassuring smile. "I know it's scary. I am too. But I promise you, no one will die so long as I am here."
It seems his contemptuous face when looking at his mission brought a slight misunderstanding to Zhu Yuan. But Rex didn't mind as he responded.
"Thank you. Let's do this."
Zhu Yuan then pulled out her weapon, a small pistol that rested comfortably in her hands. Her W-Engine, placed on the back of her uniform, whirred to life, bringing the strength and energy to handle Ether.
Rex, similarly, pulled the Blades of Chaos from its holster and let it hang in his hands. His W-Engine whirred to life as the idle Ether around him began to coalesce.
Without a word, the two Hollow Investigators entered the Companion Hollow. The swirling black and purple portal swallowed them whole.
______________________________________________________________
The inside of a Hollow doesn't seem all that different, if not counting the amounts of Ether Crystals emerging around the place, or staying here too long can severely damage your body and brain. If one isn't too careful, they might run astray a creature of the Hollow.
Ethereals.
Gross, mutated humans. Unrecognizable, only by their deadliness and jagged appearance. Any human semblance has been utterly corrupted and has only left its base instincts.
Such as attacking.
Blam!
The bodies of numerous Ethereals fell, pixelating into dust as a sign of death. No one knows how or why they do that. A popular theory is that they are being absorbed into the Hollow to create more Ethereals or their stronger variants.
One Ethereal, likely retaining some human knowledge, attempted to retreat and let its companions deal with the strong humans that invaded their grounds. It pushed away any who attempted to get in its way, to see refuge and to fight for another day.
Unfortunately, it did not get far.
Shink!
A large blade jutted out of its chest, its design was meant to embed itself deep into the target and be painful to rip out. Connected on its handle was a long chain that reached deep on the other side.
With a sudden yank, the escaping Ethereal was pulled back into the fray and struck many of its allies with its body.
Before it could think of doing anything, a loud shot rang near it, and immense pain flooded its core before succumbing to its injuries.
Zhu Yuan expertly dispersed the recalled Ethereal and kicked another one with her strong legs before putting another one with her gun. She jumped back a bit, grabbed an attachment from her uniform, and upgraded her gun to a shotgun with a handle. She pulled the trigger, and out came a large cluster of Ether bullets that struck against the Ethereals.
Rex came in with his blades, spinning to gain momentum, and unleashed a large fiery slash against the Ethereals. He hooked his blades on one of them and pulled himself to the Ethereal, bashing with his shoulder and wrapping the Ethereal with chains. He jumped high into the sky, carrying the bound Ethereal, and injected it with his fire. Creating a small fire-infused Ethereal. He then slung the Ethereal into a horde of them and watched as an explosion rocked the landscape he was in.
Rex landed near Zhu Yuan, the officer nodding as the two ventured further into the Hollow.
Time and space worked differently inside the Hollow compared to outside, but thanks to the constant efforts of the government and mayor of New Eridu, certain equipment can work inside a Hollow. Including a watch to see how much time has passed.
"It has been only 5 minutes and yet the encountered Ethereals exceeded initial departure." Zhu Yuan noted, keeping an eye on Rex, the Bangboo, and the surroundings. "How much farther until we reach the civilians?"
"Eh-na. Na Eh-Na!" The Bangboo exclaimed, using its unique language to communicate. It pointed a bit further ahead with its stubby arms before continuing onwards.
Rex, who guessed on the body language, replied to Zhu Yuan. "I think the Bangboo says we're close by. Hopefully, we can rescue them on time."
Zhu Yuan nodded. "So far, so good. How are you holding up, Agent Rex? Is the Hollow affecting you in any way?"
"I'm feeling fine so far, ma'am. I can work, fight, and think normally. So I'm not turning into an Ethereal anytime soon."
"Remember. No matter how good your Ether aptitude is, prolonged exposure inside a Hollow is never good for anyone. The maximum time spent inside a Hollow is around 30 minutes or so. Beyond that is when you experience symptoms of turning into an Ethereal."
Zhu Yuan lectured to Rex, who absorbed the knowledge like a sponge. He didn't exactly need to know about this, but more knowledge is always welcome.
Rex looked at his [Daily Tasks] and saw that he was almost finished, required the complete safety of the civilians was complete.
If it was anything like the gacha games, then completing the [Daily Tasks] would reward him with 60 gacha points, or GP, to spend on gambling.
Any other activities that he does will also likely give him more points. Like an Achievement System, where completing significant tasks will earn him points.
"Hm." Rex felt his [Nen] go off nearby. It coincides with the Bangboo's direction, so he turned to Zhu Yuan. "I think they're nearby. The civilians."
Zhu Yuan, who looked at Rex for a moment, nodded and motioned him to pursue.
Rex broke off into a sprint with Zhu Yuan and the Bangboo following closely. The dilapidated structure and Ethereal crystals that hindered their paths proved worthless.
As Rex got closer towards the location, a wave of bloodlust came nearby which brought him to a halt. Zhu Yuan was about to ask before pulling out her gun and aiming nearby.
"Careful. We got ourselves a powerful Ethereal." Rex nodded, pulling out his weapons and standing by Zhu Yuan. The Bangboo had long hidden away from the fight and waited for the event to turn out.
The wait didn't last long. From under the rubble nearby, a powerful scream echoed in the place. What stood there wasn't a typical Ethereal but a stronger variant.
It was longer, stronger and sported a great shield on one arm and a long sword on the other. It stood on its thin, sharp legs and looked at Rex and Zhu Yuan.
"Damn it. That's a Dullahan." Zhu Yuan cursed under her breath. Her form was unyielding, but sweat began to form. "We aren't prepared to handle an Ethereal like that."
Rex kept his eyes on the Ethereal, Dullahan, and waited for instructions from Zhu Yuan. He can tell the Ethereal is strong and confident in his abilities, but Rex is unsure how the fight will end.
It was only a week ago did he first came into this new world. And now, he has to fight an Elite Enemy for his first-ever mission.
"Agent Rex." Zhu Yuan said, ordered. "The moment I engage, you take the Bangbo and rescue the civilians. I will handle this, Ethereal."
"Miss Zhu Yuan. As much as I would love to safely escape the Hollow, we both know that our chances of saving the civilians and getting out alive lie in us working together."
This momentarily surprised Zhu Yuan; the character of Rex forming in her mind had already pegged him as the stubborn type. And Zhu Yuan, familiar with them, sighed before regaining her focus.
"Cover me. Wait for any openings. And take care of yourself."
"Yes, Ma'am."
The Dullahan Ethereal took the affirmation as a sign to start the battle. It rushed into battle, keeping its shield up intending to bash against the Agents.
Rex and Zhu Yuan dodged in time, a practiced dance of survival as Zhu Yuan unleashed a barrage of bullets from her sidearm. The Dullahan roared in frustration, its glowing core fixated on Zhu Yuan. The bullets, though numerous, barely scratched their crystal armor, but they served their purpose – drawing its attention.
The Dullahan charged again, its legs pounding against the ground. This time, it reared back its massive sword, a gleaming blade of pure energy, aiming for a deadly slash at Zhu Yuan.
Zhu Yuan, her eyes locked on the Dullahan's movements, took a step back, and Rex appeared behind her, a blur of motion. With practiced grace, he parried the Dullahan's attack, his twin blades clashing against the energy sword with a resounding clang.
The Dullahan, momentarily stunned by the unexpected resistance, stumbled back, its head swiveling to focus on Rex. This was Rex's chance. He launched into a whirlwind of attacks, his blades a blur of silver as he danced around the Dullahan, each strike aimed at its vulnerable points.
The Dullahan, caught off guard by Rex's speed and agility, struggled to defend itself. Its armor, though tough, couldn't withstand the relentless assault. Rex's blades, infused with fiery energy, carved through the Dullahan's defenses, leaving streaks of glowing light on its crystal form.
The Dullahan roared in pain, its flaming skull flickering as it tried to retaliate. But Rex was too quick, too agile, too relentless. He pressed his attack, each strike more precise, more powerful than the last.
Zhu Yuan, watching Rex's performance with a mixture of awe and admiration, knew this was no ordinary rookie. But she could see he was losing steam. The Dullahan, an Ethereal with no concept of tiredness, fought back with more ferocity than Rex could handle.
"Rex!" He nodded. As the Dullahan slashed with its elongated sword, Rex switched back for Zhu Yuan to perfectly dodge the oncoming attack.
Zhu Yuan then added additional modifications to her gun to turn it into a grenade launcher. She fired a dozen rounds of explosive Ether and dealt a big blow against the Dullahan.
That was Rex's moment. He charged in, his [Blades of Chaos] had ignited its fiery flame, and struck against the Dullahan's core.
The combined attacks and decisive blow were enough for the Dullahan to scream in agony before succumbing to its injuries. It fell to one knee before pixelating into oblivion.
Rex breathed hard, his heart thumping out of his chest after the battle. He checked himself for any damage, only to find some cut-off sections of his clothing and burnt ends. But nothing dangerous and life-threatening.
"Agent Rex." Rex looked up to Zhu Yuan, who extended her hand to him. "Good work today."
Rex gave a wry smile before clasping his hands. "Thank you, ma'am."
Zhu Yuan gave a smile, with the black Bangboo coming in. It was dragging Zhu Yuan to a location, and she surmises it is the civilians of the Hollow.
Zhu Yuan and Rex then completed their mission: Saving the trapped civilians and destroying the Companion Hollow. The Dullahan acted as the cor,e and with it dead, the Hollow shrunk itself into oblivion.
Even though Hollows like these would be inevitable in the far future, ultimately encompassing the entire Earth. Small victories like these is enough to keep the fight going.