In the eerily quiet Hollow, Ethereals wandered aimlessly across the land that bound them.
Suddenly, spatial turbulence stirred in a distant corner. A Hollow gateway tore open with a dull thud, and a small figure was flung out like a rubber ball.
It was Eous—the same Bangboo Zhong Yan had just hurled through the spatial node.
Once Belle confirmed they were safe, she quickly turned Eous's head toward the node, eyes fixed tightly on the rippling portal.
Five seconds… ten… thirty… The node slowly shrank and vanished, yet Zhong Yan still hadn't appeared. Belle immediately began to panic.
"Brother, Zhong Yan hasn't come through yet. Should we go back and save him?" Inside the video store's archive room, Belle looked at Wise with visible anxiety.
Though she and Zhong Yan were merely partners, he had saved her life—well, technically Eous's life—multiple times. No matter the circumstances, she couldn't just abandon him now.
Wise didn't immediately know how to respond to Belle's plea.
Of course they could go back. But if they did—could they make it back again?
Eous had virtually no combat ability. As a Bangboo, it was a direct target for Ethereal attacks. Returning would not only fail to help Zhong Yan—it might end up dragging him down.
Moreover, judging by the final image they saw, a high-risk Ethereal had likely entered the scene. That would only escalate the danger.
Inside a Hollow, a single high-risk Ethereal was enough to wipe out 99% of New Eridu's Hollow Raiders and investigators.
Other than the seven Void Hunters who'd appeared in the world setting PV, not even all playable characters in the game could singlehandedly defeat a high-risk Ethereal.
So, saving Zhong Yan wasn't something they could rush into.
Seeing Wise remain silent, Belle's nerves frayed further. "Brother! If this keeps up, Zhong Yan could die in there!"
Belle's shout finally pushed Wise into action. He offered a solution immediately: "Let's take Eous back first. Then we'll head to the Cunning Hares and ask for Nicole's help."
The Cunning Hares had long partnered with Phaethon. As of now, Nicole still owed the siblings a significant amount of money.
On top of that, the overall strength of the Cunning Hares wasn't weak. Just two days ago, they'd taken down a giant Ethereal inside a Hollow.
Their longstanding partnership—and Nicole's mountain of favors owed—meant convincing them to help rescue Zhong Yan wouldn't be too difficult.
The only concern was whether Zhong Yan could hold out until they arrived.
...
While the siblings scrambled in worry over Zhong Yan's fate, elsewhere inside the Hollow—
Zhong Yan stared at the Ether blade embedded deeply in a nearby wall, the corner of his eye twitching.
Just moments ago, his head had nearly been split open—only to be saved by the sudden activation of his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. Kamui's intangibility kicked in automatically, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow.
If this were the game, it would've been a perfect dodge.
As for the one who attacked him—he'd gotten a clear look now.
It had a towering body and two arms—its left was a durable Ether shield, and the right was the very Ether blade it had hurled. Its face bore the signature Core marking of an Ethereal.
But most of all, the Ether pressure radiating from its body was far stronger than any of the others nearby.
Dullahan—the first elite enemy introduced in the game. It had effortlessly pushed back the supply-depleted Anby and Billy, making it a high-tier Ethereal.
Though it didn't compare to the boss-level giants dwelling deeper in Hollow space, it was more than capable of wiping out a full squad of investigators on its own.
Unfortunately for it… today, it encountered Zhong Yan.
Back when the protagonist siblings were nearby, Zhong Yan had deliberately held back his true strength. But now, with no need for restraint—he could go all out.
His gaze sharpened. A faint, ghostly red glow flickered deep within his lotus-shaped pupils.
In the next instant, a deep blue, iron-hard skeletal frame enveloped his entire body. Faint blue light pulsed across the bone structure's surface.
Before the creature—Dullahan—could even retrieve its thrown blade, a giant skeletal hand extended swiftly from Zhong Yan's armored frame, slamming it to the ground.
Dust erupted around them as nearby Ethereals launched an all-out attack against him.
Yet every blow was repelled by the skeletal armor encasing Zhong Yan. No matter how they tried, not even a single crack formed.
Dullahan, flattened by that massive hand, was soon lifted and crushed within a tightening grip. The force was so immense, it popped like an overripe fruit.
One of the most troublesome upper-tier Ethereals for Hollow Raiders and investigators alike—erased just like that.
The others clinging to the skeletal shell were effortlessly flung away by Zhong Yan with a flick of the spectral arm.
Having finished, Zhong Yan didn't bother wasting time cleaning up the stragglers. He dispelled the skeletal frame and his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, then dove into the spatial node before him.
As ripples like waves spread before his eyes, his vision refocused—he had arrived on the Hollow's other side.
Ethereals still roamed the area, but they hadn't noticed him yet, making the situation relatively safe.
Oddly, though, Eous—who should have arrived first—was nowhere to be seen. No matter how Zhong Yan searched, he couldn't find even a shadow of the Bangboo.
"Did they ditch me here?" A question mark practically floated above Zhong Yan's head. Given the personality of the protagonist siblings, they definitely wouldn't leave him behind on purpose.
The only reasonable explanation… was that they'd gone to find reinforcements.
If that was the case, his best move now was to stay put, wait for help, and come up with a good excuse when they arrived.
Sure, the siblings might notice something off—but they'd never suspect he was an Uchiha. Not with what they currently knew.
As for the safe carrying Fairy... since the Red Fang Gang wasn't present, he'd have to reconsider his approach.
Kamui could technically allow for spatial warping, but without knowing the exact coordinates, pinpointing a target location was impossible.
Still, this Hollow mission had one major benefit—Zhong Yan had successfully deepened his connection with the protagonist siblings.
That would prove invaluable for what came next.