Anby froze—not just because the Ethereal before her could speak, but because of what he had said.
Killed in action?
Her mind flashed back to the finger that had tapped her forehead just moments ago, and suddenly, she had an idea of what he meant.
She had experienced simulated combat before, and this "death" felt eerily similar to that.
Even so, Anby wasn't about to drop her guard over a single sentence. She didn't slow her charge toward the Ethereal.
Unfortunately, the gap in their combat ability was far too great.
...
"Hare's House, you'd best behave yourselves."
Zane stood in place, calmly watching the trio from a short distance away. One hand firmly gripped Eous, who didn't dare move a muscle, while his voice carried a quiet authority.
Through this brief exchange, he had already gauged his own strength. Though he wasn't entirely sure of its limits, one thing was clear—he was far stronger than Hare's House as a whole.
"What now, Boss Nicole? I'm almost out of ammo, and now our guide's been taken hostage."
Billy turned to Nicole. Things were looking bad.
Not only could this Ethereal talk, but it even knew their name.
He had considered the possibility that this wasn't an Ethereal at all, but the sheer level of Ether activity coming off it was undeniable.
Even the strongest Ether-adapted individuals wouldn't be able to withstand this level of corruption.
"Anby, you watch a lot of movies—do you have any idea how to talk to an Ethereal like this?"
Nicole's eyes were filled with wariness. She had always assumed that talking Ethereals were just a movie trope, something exaggerated for dramatic effect.
She never thought she'd actually encounter one.
Their brief clash had already proven how powerful this enemy was. Escape was nearly impossible, and now their "navigation" was in its hands.
Anby thought for a moment, then raised her knife and pointed it at Zane from a distance. Her voice was cold.
"You'd better let go right now. Otherwise, before you get the chance to harm anyone, I'll—mmph!"
"Anby, what kind of negotiation is that?! We're not filming a movie—we can't act like we are!"
Nicole, realizing the absurdity of Anby's words midway, quickly reached out and clamped a hand over her mouth.
Meanwhile, Zane ignored the three entirely. Instead, he lifted Eous with both hands, observing it with curiosity.
"You're not just a Bangboo, are you? You're one of the Phaethon siblings."
His pale-blue eyes gleamed coldly, his dark armor reflecting a faint golden hue under the light.
"Let me guess—are you the brother or the sister?"
...
Sixth Street, Video Store
"Brother! It knows who we are!"
Belle shot up from her seat, slamming her hands on the table. She turned to Wise, her voice urgent.
There was no way this thing was a normal Ethereal.
But the scan results didn't lie.
"Phaethon's name is well-known, and the consciousness link between Bangboo and its navigator is a defining feature. It's not surprising it recognized us."
Wise frowned, his gray eyes filled with thought. His reasoning was sound, but that wasn't what troubled him the most.
This was an Ethereal.
How could an Ethereal know Phaethon's identity?
"Brother… do you think this could be connected to what we've been investigating?"
Belle hesitated, staring at the Ethereal's face through the monitor.
"I don't know. But we should look into it. At the very least, Nicole and the others don't seem to be in immediate danger."
Wise nodded slightly. So far, this Ethereal hadn't shown the same bloodthirsty aggression as others of its kind.
"But it sure seems interested in Eous."
Belle sighed, rubbing her forehead as she slumped back into her chair.
There was no way to come up with a solution right now.
And to make matters worse, her body felt strange.
Because of the sensory link, the way the Ethereal was holding Eous made her feel like she was being held, too...
The sensation was unsettling. Forbidden. Dangerous.
Her heart pounded, a wave of unease washing over her.
Shaking her head, she pushed those thoughts aside, trying to focus on an escape plan—but she was drawing a blank.
Just as she frowned in frustration, the screen flickered. The camera angle shifted slightly as the Ethereal adjusted its grip on Eous.
It almost looked like it was holding them more comfortably.
...
"So, you're the sister."
Zane's voice carried a hint of amusement. The first thing Belle had said had transmitted through Bangboo's connection.
"Hey, big guy, we don't want the safe anymore. How about you just give us our guide back?"
Nicole spoke up, her tone cautious.
Between the safe and Eous's life, the choice was obvious.
She still didn't understand why the Formed Ethereal guarding the safe had suddenly been replaced by this powerful, articulate one, but one thing was clear—it wanted to keep the safe.
...
"Relax, everyone. I'm not your enemy."
Zane straightened his posture and turned to face Hare's House directly. His voice was calm, yet his sharp gaze sent shivers down their spines.
"A pleasure to meet you. My name is Zane."
He took a step forward.
The crisp sound of his footsteps echoed through the silence, unnervingly loud.
Nicole, Billy, and Anby instinctively took a step back.
This was an instinctive fear—a primal terror of a top predator.
Even though Zane showed no signs of aggression, the suffocating difference in power was undeniable.
A rabbit will never feel safe near a tiger, even if the tiger is merely watching.
Even in silence, its very presence was oppressive.
"Haha… Are you that afraid?"
Zane let out a soft chuckle, then stopped walking.
In his arms, Eous remained frozen.
And in front of the HDD system, Belle—who had briefly considered severing the sensory connection—felt like she was drowning under an invisible pressure.
A rabbit will never feel at ease near a tiger, even if the tiger is asleep.
The mere sound of its breathing is enough to instill fear.
"Heh... Are you really that scared?"
Zane chuckled softly and came to a stop.
In his arms, Eous remained rigid, paralyzed by the suffocating atmosphere. Even Belle, watching through the HDD system, felt as if she were submerged under immense pressure, unable to move.
"Tsk, how dull."
Zane shook his head in disappointment and sighed. Each word he spoke sent a shiver down Hare's House's spine.
That tone... Why did it feel like something bad was about to happen?
"I look forward to our next meeting. But when that time comes, I hope you'll show me an attitude that actually satisfies me."
"But before that... you should focus on figuring out how to leave the Hollow alive."
With that, Zane set Eous down, locking eyes with it for a brief moment. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away.
...
This encounter with Hare's House had been nothing more than a whim on his part. But it had yielded some unexpected insights.
At the very least, he now had a personal impression of these people—characters who had previously only existed in his mind.
There was Anby, highly skilled in combat but a little slow on the uptake. Nicole, obsessed with money but even more devoted to her companions. Billy, lively and unpredictable but reliable when it counted.
Then there was Eous, small and unassuming. And, of course, the adorable Belle watching from behind the scenes.
Everything around him confirmed that this was real.
He really had crossed into this new world, one filled with disaster.
This wasn't just a dream.
As he walked, his gaze swept across the Ether Crystals scattered throughout the Hollow. He lifted his hand, and wisps of Ether energy coalesced at his fingertips.
His control had improved yet again.
Compared to fighting Ethereals, sparring with people was far more effective.
Ethereals, while powerful, lacked combat technique. They relied purely on instinct.
Perhaps in the future, he could seek out stronger opponents.
There was someone—someone powerful enough to be worth a fight.
Hoshimi Miyabi of the Hollow Special Operations Section 6...
Maybe, one day, their paths would cross.
...
Hare's House's trio remained frozen, watching Zane's figure disappear into the distance. Only when he was truly gone did they finally exchange glances, regaining the courage to move.
Nicole frowned, recalling Zane's parting words.
"Did he seriously just leave like that?"
Something about this whole thing felt... off.
"Wait, is that—?"
Just as Anby was sheathing her knife, she caught sight of a familiar figure.
The black-and-white Bangboo.
It was trotting along behind Zane, and the latter didn't seem to mind at all. The two moved together as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"So we were being watched ever since the manager got back?"
Billy finally pieced it together, his voice filled with realization.
"No," Anby said calmly. "It was even earlier than that."
The figure she had glimpsed just before leaving the Hollow...
That had to have been the same Bangboo.