At first, Ignis thought the "big job" Nicole mentioned meant joining her to help Phaethon take the Independent Investigator Exam at Hollow Zero—but their boss had different plans. She assigned Ignis and Anby to another request entirely.
It wasn't until they met the client that Ignis learned what they were really here for: retrieving a company seal that had been thrown into a Hollow.
The client was a middle-aged man named Kevin Stork. He was severely balding and wore thick glasses. One of the partners at Intellision Tech, he also served as its chief technical officer.
Kevin had posted a request for help on the Inter-Knot, and Nicole figured this was a simple enough job—perfect for Anby to familiarize herself with her new weapon.
The three of them waited near a Hollow entrance close to Twelfth Street for Kevin's hired Proxy to arrive.
Anby was wearing her headphones, quietly listening to music. From time to time, she tapped her thigh to the rhythm or lightly pressed the chainsword's trigger. She seemed perfectly at ease.
Ignis thought to himself that he should probably make a sheath for her weapon; otherwise, that constant vrrr from the rotating sawteeth every time she idly hit the trigger might make the client nervous.
"Why do you have to retrieve it?" Ignis asked, trying to ease Kevin's anxiety. "Shouldn't something like that be replaceable?"
Kevin froze at the deep voice, then looked up to confirm that it was indeed the towering giant speaking to him.
"Even if I wanted to, replacement requires filing an official report, then a thirty-day public notice before reissuance," Kevin explained, his posture slouched from years of desk work. "Considering the efficiency of the Public Security's General Affairs Division, we're looking at forty days minimum."
At the mention of the time frame, he shook his head in frustration.
"Marcel Group's acquisition offer is urgent. They're pushing us to sign contracts and complete financial audits."
He paused, straightening his glasses. "They're particularly interested in a new algorithm we developed. It improves the performance of older Combat Bangboos by around five percent."
When the Salamander heard him discuss technical matters, Kevin's entire demeanor changed—animated, proud of his work.
"Sounds like a major deal," Ignis said, genuinely pleased for him. "So why did someone toss the company seal into a Hollow?"
At that, Kevin's expression dimmed.
"Intellision was founded by me and my best friend, Victor. We started small—just the two of us taking outsourcing gigs, developing whatever we could. It took years to get the company off the ground."
"For the sake of growth, Victor had to give up hands-on development to focus on clients and networking."
"The prototype of the algorithm that caught Marcel Group's attention was actually his idea. But when the acquisition offer came through, his wife, Sophie—our finance manager—refused."
Ignis perked up immediately. Whenever there was a woman involved, stories got interesting.
"Oh? Didn't you say you and your buddy founded the company? Then doesn't his wife have no say in business decisions?"
"In theory, yes," Kevin admitted, scratching his shiny head in embarrassment. "But back when we first started out, we were broke. It was Sophie—then Victor's girlfriend—who supported us financially. Without her, we wouldn't have survived those early days."
"So, both of us take her opinions very seriously."
He gave a sheepish smile, clearly uncomfortable revealing company drama—even if it had already made the news.
"If I hadn't said all that, would you have turned down the job?" Kevin asked uncertainly.
"The Proxy you hired isn't here yet. We're just killing time," Ignis said, gesturing toward Anby. "She's got her headphones on; she won't hear a thing. And me? I swear, I don't gossip."
He mimed zipping his lips shut, though the gesture was hidden beneath his helmet.
"Well then..." Kevin sighed. "Sophie didn't want us to lose our independence—to become a subsidiary under Marcel Group. She fought with Victor over it."
"Honestly, being acquired would've given us more resources and contracts. Our lives would've been much easier."
"Maybe Sophie still longs for those reckless early days," he said with a wistful smile. "We were fearless back then. But we've all aged, and our fire's burned low."
He recalled those cramped days in a rented apartment, where he and Victor coded by day, took freelance jobs by night, and Sophie brought them home-cooked meals. The days were hard, but the three of them had shared one dream.
"Eventually, Sophie moved out after another fight. Then, a few days ago, she broke into the office at night, took the company seal, and threw it into a Hollow. She even recorded a video of it and sent it to our company chat."
"Someone leaked that video, and now it's all over the news. Victor's gone missing since then, the company's in chaos... If we don't push the acquisition through soon, Intellision could collapse entirely."
His voice trembled with frustration and helplessness—like a child watching the sandcastle he'd built get washed away by the tide. He wanted to save it all—not just the company, but maybe even the bond between his friend and his friend's wife.
"Rest assured, the Cunning Hares are professionals when it comes to Hollow work," Anby said, nodding. "Whether it's finding a lost cat or a lost seal, you can count on us."
"You said she couldn't hear us," Kevin muttered awkwardly, face flushing. It was embarrassing enough for a grown man to get emotional—being overheard by a young girl made it worse.
"No problem. Anby won't repeat a word," Ignis reassured him, just as his ears caught faint footsteps approaching. "Someone's coming. Hopefully your Proxy."
From the street corner emerged a tall figure clad in a deep-blue coat—the kind of blue that evoked the midnight sea, calm and mysterious. A full-face helmet of the same color concealed his features. Dark cargo jeans and mountain boots completed the outfit; only his hands were bare.
"Apologies for being late," the newcomer called before even reaching them. "Name's Anyu—the one who took this job on the Inter-Knot."
Judging by the voice, he was a young man.
"Employer, you didn't prepare a protective suit?" he asked after glancing at Kevin's casual attire. "The signal I tracked shows your item's deep inside the Hollow. The route might be long."
Kevin pulled a case from behind him—its markings indicated standard anti-corrosion shielding.
"This is probably my only trip into a Hollow," he said. "So, I didn't bother with a full suit. I brought anti-corrosion serum, food, and water instead."
"That's... not exactly reassuring," Anyu said, turning to the Cunning Hares. "No offense, but the employer looks more like he's headed on a picnic. Didn't you tell him Hollows are dangerous?"
Anby's amber eyes narrowed. She didn't trust this Proxy she'd never heard of. "That's not part of our job. We're here to ensure safety during the mission—not to hold lectures."
"It's fine. I trust the Cunning Hares," Kevin said sincerely.
He could have gone through official channels—the Hollow Investigative Association—but the backlog of requests there was enormous. By the time they got to his, it would've been faster to just reapply for a new seal.
"If you trust them, why go in yourself?" Anyu asked. "They could've retrieved it for you."
Kevin rubbed his neck awkwardly. "I read some mixed reviews on the forums... apparently they sometimes break the items they're supposed to retrieve. But their prices were fair, so I chose them anyway."
Ignis frowned. Does this guy ever stop talking?
"We don't have a problem, do we?" the Salamander asked, his tone sharpening. "You've been here five minutes and already started sowing distrust. Why should I trust you in there?"
Anyu chuckled dryly, seemingly used to suspicion. "I just like speaking plainly. That's why I've made a bit of a name for myself in the business." He pulled a tablet from his coat pocket. "But rest assured, my skills are solid."
He turned toward Kevin, sizing up the programmer's slight frame.
"After all, the final payment's what matters. Can't live off the down payment alone. A Hollow isn't a theme park—but for the sake of money, I'll get all of you out in one piece."
He raised the tablet toward Ignis. "Fair warning—the Hollow's been unusually active lately. Expect a high number of Ethereals. What he's paying doesn't really match the risk."
"No problem. I've been itching for a good fight," Ignis said, cracking his knuckles. "But if you keep running your mouth, I'll make sure you can't talk—and take that tablet myself."
"Alright, alright," Anyu muttered, shaking his head like a man who'd done his duty to warn them. Then he stepped into the Hollow first.
Ignis and Anby didn't immediately follow. Kevin hesitated too, glancing nervously between them.
"I didn't receive any reports about heightened Hollow activity," Anby said quietly. "If it had suddenly spiked, the Hollow Investigative Association would've issued an evacuation alert."
"Maybe it's a sudden surge?" Kevin suggested, anxious. "Spontaneous Hollow fluctuations aren't unheard of. Let's hurry—if the spatial structure shifts, we might lose track of him!"
Seeing the client's urgency, the two members of the Cunning Hares finally stepped inside—cautious and alert.