Lycaon took a deep breath and said, "Hollow Zero is different from other hollows. Its Veil is exceptionally sturdy. Without specialized equipment, breaching the Veil of Hollow Zero here would be extremely difficult..."
But before Lycaon could finish his sentence, Venti slowly approached Hollow Zero. He merely extended his hand and lightly touched the hollow's barrier. Instantly, a spatial rift opened, leading straight into its interior.
"Alright, let's go in."
"..."
Lycaon was utterly dumbfounded.
He hadn't even seen what tool Venti used before the barrier was torn open.
Could it be... the harp? Was that harp actually some kind of disguised W-Engine?
Lycaon and Rina exchanged glances and immediately moved toward the hollow rift.
"Ellen, Corin, prepare for battle."
Corin clutched her chainsaw tightly. "I... I'm ready, Lord Lycaon."
Ellen yawned. "Then let's make it quick and finish this fast."
The next moment, the group stepped into the spatial fissure, entering the interior of Hollow Zero.
The instant they crossed over, the world around them changed abruptly. The once-blue sky turned murky gray, and the bustling cityscape became an endless field of ruins...
But what shocked them even more was what loomed ahead.
Not far in the distance, a colossal creature—over a hundred meters tall—was slowly approaching them.
Seemingly having noticed their presence, the massive Ethereal let out a low, distorted roar.
Lycaon's expression darkened instantly. "A Destruction-class Ethereal?"
Damn it.
They never expected to encounter such a terrifying entity so soon after entering Hollow Zero. With the current strength of Victoria Housekeeping, they were no match for an Ethereal of this caliber.
Rina quickly said, "Lord Lycaon, we should leave this place immediately..."
Lycaon shook his head. "It's already too late."
An Ethereal of this level had no weaknesses. Its speed, destructive power, and defensive ability were all monstrous... Just standing before it made one feel suffocated by the sheer pressure.
Lycaon knew full well that they stood no chance. But at such close range, with the creature already aware of them, escape was impossible.
Rather than retreat, they might as well risk everything in a desperate gamble. Perhaps there was still a sliver of hope for survival.
As the Destruction-class Ethereal closed in, Lycaon's tone grew firm. "Corin, Ellen, Rina, Venti—prepare for battle!"
He was already beginning to regret it. If he hadn't listened to Venti's ridiculous suggestion to open a separate front, they wouldn't have run into this Destruction-class Ethereal at all.
Seeing Lycaon's resolve, Rina took a deep breath. "We still have a chance."
Ellen grew uncharacteristically serious.
Corin gripped her chainsaw tightly, her voice trembling yet determined. "Corin... Corin will win. For New Eridu, for Victoria Housekeeping..."
Behind the group, Venti showed no intention of joining the fight. Instead, he held his harp and leisurely took a few steps back.
"Don't look at me. I'm not good at fighting. Leave this big guy to you—I'll play my harp to cheer you on."
As he spoke, Venti actually began strumming his harp, softly singing a song of freedom.
Lycaon was so furious he could barely speak. "..."
He regretted everything—recruiting Venti into Victoria Housekeeping, believing his nonsense, and agreeing to open a separate battlefront.
But now, regret was useless.
Ignoring Venti entirely, Lycaon clenched his fists and charged straight toward the Destruction-class Ethereal.
"Ellen, Rina, Corin—attack from the flanks!"
At that moment, Lycaon had already accepted death.
Even if he died, he would cripple the Destruction-class Ethereal—he would weaken Hollow Zero's power no matter the cost.
Moments later, Lycaon reached the feet of the towering Ethereal. He leapt high into the air and drove his fist hard against its leg.
CRASH!
His blow landed solidly, but the Ethereal's defense held firm. Instead, the creature lifted its leg and kicked Lycaon, sending him hurtling through the air for dozens of meters.
He hit the ground with a heavy thud.
A single strike—and Lycaon was already gravely wounded.
Yet... to his astonishment, his injuries weren't as severe as expected. Despite the devastating blow, he could stand again almost instantly.
Moreover, his wounds were healing rapidly.
"What... is this?"
Lycaon turned, eyes wide, toward Venti. The bard continued strumming his harp, his voice clear and resonant as he sang a song of freedom.
That melody seemed to possess a strange power.
Could it really awaken human potential... even heal wounds?
He didn't understand it, nor could he confirm whether it was Venti's doing—but he had no time to dwell on it. He threw himself back into the fight.
Unnoticed by Lycaon, a gem emitting a faint teal glow had appeared at his waist—or rather, a Vision.
At the same time, his speed had dramatically increased.
Facing the Destruction-class Ethereal's colossal attacks, he could now dodge its strikes purely through speed—and even launch counterattacks.
It wasn't just Lycaon.
The same phenomenon occurred with Rina.
Unlike Lycaon, she quickly noticed the gleaming Vision that had manifested on her person—and recognized it for what it was.
With both Lycaon and Rina now bearing Anemo Visions, their power surged once more.
Combined with Venti's harp melodies and his song of freedom, they finally had the strength to fight evenly against the Destruction-class Ethereal. Empowered by the wind and their newfound speed, they began to gain the upper hand.
As the battle around Venti and Lycaon intensified, chaos erupted across the rest of Hollow Zero. More Ethereal poured from the mist, clashing with the human army in brutal combat.
It was at this moment that Sam Li, Cloud Retainer, Moon Carver, Mountain Shaper, Xiao—and Hoshimi Miyabi's Section 6—finally reached the very heart of Hollow Zero.
...
As the decisive battle between New Eridu and Hollow Zero raged on, far away, deep within the boundless cosmos, a peculiar train sped through the starry sky—charting a course across uncharted worlds.
Inside the train, a girl named March 7th let out a frustrated sigh.
"Change the destination? I thought we agreed to explore that mysterious, fog-shrouded supergiant planet!"
The gray-haired girl beside her replied calmly, "Miss Herta just sent over new coordinates. Apparently, that planet holds two Stellarons. She's commissioned us to investigate what's going on there."