At the corner of Sixth Street, Ignis held an oversized bottle of Bomb Cola, taking slow, steady sips. Today, he wasn't wearing his power armor—instead, he had on the black, studded jacket Nicole had bought him, the kind of thing a gangster might wear. His forge hammer hung heavily from the wide belt around his waist.
"You said you weren't going with her into the Hollow, didn't you?" Belle came out of the nearby café, holding a steaming cup of coffee.
"Yeah," Ignis replied, leaning against the wall, eyes fixed on Nekomata, "but that doesn't stop me from coming to see what kind of plan this Ollie has prepared."
Today, Nekomata was wearing a black T-shirt, one size too big, tied at the hem to reveal her midriff. Her shorts were light-colored, with a small opening for her twin tails, and she wore white thigh-high socks. Against her dusky skin, the contrast created an irresistible absolute territory. Her Roman-style sandals made her look just like any other Thiren cat girl.
Except ordinary Thiren girls didn't eavesdrop on Public Security officers while pretending not to. Or, as Nekomata would put it, gathering intelligence.
"That Ollie guy—the Public Security officer—personally, I think he's pretty reliable." Belle took a sip of coffee, only to flinch when the heat hit her tongue. "I thought a guy built like you would treasure those muscles and stay away from carbonated drinks like cola?"
"Cola's tasty." Ignis blinked, caught off guard by her sudden question. "What else do you think suits this look?"
Belle circled around to face him, eyeing the giant whose current appearance could easily be mistaken for that of a mob enforcer. She rested her chin on her hand, thinking seriously. "Well, I can guess Nicole picked this look for intimidation. But if you want to crank it up a notch…" She squinted, recalling a few old movie tapes. "Maybe try a cigar between your teeth and a cheap bottle of whiskey in your hand. That'd sell the menace."
Ignis sighed. His current look was already intimidating enough—a bald, sunglass-wearing giant nearly three meters tall, in a spiked gang jacket, with a hammer bigger than a human head hanging from his belt. On his way to Sixth Street, he'd already been stopped multiple times by Public Security officers checking his citizen pass. Especially with the hammer, he felt he'd evolved from a "plus sized thug" to a "terminator" level upgrade.
"I'm no thug…" Ignis exhaled. "Anyway, I've been in touch with a decent tailor. Planning to get some new clothes made. I appreciate Nicole's gift, but… it feels weird wearing it."
"Yeah, I saw that on the Inter-Knot." Belle's gaze fell to the hammer at his waist. "A new master from the Blacksmith Association—capable of forging high-end weapons entirely by hand using multiple techniques. One of your blades even made it into the association's vault with a six-figure price tag."
"It's already on the Inter-Knot?" Ignis scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "I haven't seen those posts myself."
"Mhm. Plenty of Hollow Raiders are discussing whether to commission weapons from you." Belle fished out her phone and opened the Inter-Knot app. "Look, hundreds of comments! Though… with that pricing, even veteran Hollow Raiders have to think about it twice."
Ignis and Belle chatted idly. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Nekomata stretching, twin tails swaying as she walked toward them.
"Hey there, Proxy!" Nekomata called out cheerfully to Belle. "Heard some juicy news!"
"So, how'd it go? Did it beat Ollie's four-hundred-seventy-six-page Public Security training manual?" Belle joked.
"I'm not actually becoming an officer," Nekomata giggled. "Just helping Ollie out. I only need to pick up enough from his chatter to know how the department thinks."
Then she noticed Ignis, head down, pretending to scroll through his phone.
"Big guy, you really not coming with me?" Nekomata tilted her head. He was acting weird today—avoiding her eyes. Last night's sudden scream had woken everyone in the Cunning Hares.
"You still haven't recovered from that nightmare?" she asked with concern, stepping closer.
Ignis didn't know how to answer. The dream had been one of coin and corruption, guided by Slaanesh—and she had been the dream's centerpiece. Remembering what happened made him flush with shame. Especially since the real Nekomata stood here, innocent and trusting.
"Ah… yeah…" Realizing his fake phone-checking wasn't working, Ignis sighed. "Didn't sleep well. And no—I'm not coming with you. I'm sure you'll handle it just fine."
"Then why'd you tag along?" Nekomata crossed her arms, tilting her head. "Don't tell me you were worried about me? It's fine, you know! Going on missions with me isn't embarrassing, nya~!"
Her oversized T-shirt shifted slightly as she moved, the loose collar revealing a teasing glimpse of cleavage. Instantly, the image of her—in that silken nightdress, straddling his chest—flashed before his mind.
He'd never hated his enhanced senses more. Ignis quickly looked away.
"I've got other things to do… I only came to tell Ollie I'm withdrawing from the next mission." His gaze wandered to a convenience store poster nearby.
Huh. That banana looks kinda… apple-shaped.
"Did you know," Belle said to Nekomata, "Ignis's work is super popular on the Inter-Knot?"
"Of course I know!" Nekomata grinned proudly. "He made me a pair of custom short blades—perfectly balanced for my fighting style! I still don't know how to thank him properly."
You already did, Ignis thought bitterly, trying to banish the memory of Slaanesh's illusion from his mind—the fake Nekomata's seductive form. But the memory lingered… too vivid, too perfect. It wasn't easy to face the real her afterward.
"Whoa…" Belle nudged his thigh. "So, you are paying close attention to Nekomata, huh?"
She meant it teasingly, but Ignis felt his skin burn. Thankfully, his dark complexion hid the blush.
"She's the Cunning Hares' most reliable partner. No doubt about it."
Nekomata's gaze then shifted toward two men chatting by the newsstand. Though dressed like office workers, something in their bearing betrayed them—not weary salarymen, but undercover officers.
"Hmm…" she purred, spotting new prey. "Those two are definitely Public Security in plainclothes. I'll go sniff out some intel."
She sauntered off, tails swaying, and pretended to read a newspaper by the stand.
Once she was gone, Ignis finally breathed out. Belle, however, wore a sly grin and tugged at his pant leg.
"Ignis, you like Nekomata, don't you?"
Ignis nearly choked on his cola. The carbonation shot up his throat, but his augmented third lung quickly filtered it, restoring his breath.
"That obvious?" he coughed.
"Painfully obvious," Belle smirked. "Nekomata's just too focused on Ollie's job to notice your reactions. Or maybe she's in too deep to realize it herself."
She shrugged. "Still, if you really like her, you could always tell her. It's not like Nicole bans office romances."
Ignis shot a nervous glance toward Nekomata—the catgirl's ears were perked up, listening intently to her targets. She hadn't heard a word.
"See? You're worried if she hears you. Don't even try to deny it," Belle teased. "So, when's the confession? Those six-figure blades would make quite the love gift."
"I…" Ignis hesitated. Belle might be teasing, but she was also a trusted comrade—one who'd fought by his side before. She had earned his honesty.
"I won't go that far," he finally said with a sigh.
"Huh?" Belle blinked, unsure she'd heard right.
"You know what I am—a gene-forged warrior from the Old Era. My real age is… much older than hers. Could be her grandfather's generation." Ignis's tone grew heavy. "Besides, we're built differently. And I still have my own mission to complete. I can't afford distractions."
Even here in New Eridu, Chaos had followed. He had to find and purge its taint before it rooted itself. This world—this fragile, bright city—could never withstand a Chaos incursion.
He truly believed now that his arrival wasn't random. It was The Emperor's will. Someone had to serve as a sentinel in this dimension—to sense and destroy the earliest seeds of corruption. Among all the Adeptus Astartes, he alone had the adaptability to blend into this strange new world.
At least he didn't go berserk upon seeing elf-like Thirens on the streets, torching them with his flamethrower until they were medium rare.
Through his sunglasses, Belle could see the truth in his eyes—the iron sincerity behind his words.
"Hollow raiding's a dangerous job," she said quietly. "Aren't you afraid you'll regret it someday? Maybe one day she'll disappear into a Hollow and never come back." Her tone softened. "You really plan to hide your feelings forever? I don't think Nekomata would reject you."
"I…" Ignis murmured. He truly hadn't considered it before. "I don't know."
"If you don't seize the moment now," Belle sighed, "the future will slip right through your fingers." Her voice carried a wisdom beyond her years.
"Maybe… when the time is right." Ignis nodded slowly. First, he had to confirm whether his feelings were real, or just lingering echoes of Slaanesh's corruption.
Just then, someone ran up to him and shoved a flyer into his hand.
"Wanna learn about the Holy Love Behavior Correction School?" A purple-haired girl flashed a sunny smile, instantly dispelling the heavy mood. "We help wayward teens become good kids again!"
"Sjal?" Belle blinked in surprise. "Your gigs keep getting stranger."
"They pay well! Double the usual rate." The girl handed Belle another flyer. "Wanna check it out? It's run by retired Defense Force officers—pretty much a military-style reform school."
"We're good, thanks." Belle accepted the flyer, then turned to introduce them. "Sjal, meet Ignis—the Cunning Hares' part-time king. He'll take any job."
"Correction—legal ones only," Sjal said quickly, shaking Ignis's massive hand. "You look really strong. If you ever need side gigs, hit me up."
"Ignis. Member of the Cunning Hares." He nodded respectfully.
"Alrighty then, see ya! Gotta hand out more flyers!" Sjal waved and jogged off.
"She once juggled multiple jobs in a single day," Belle said, watching her leave. "Most of her money goes straight into blind boxes, though. But hey—at least she's happy when she opens them."
"I understand," Ignis replied. He caught the subtext—Sjal, young as she looked, probably carried a past heavier than she let on.
At that moment, Nekomata bounced back toward them, visibly pleased—clearly, she'd found something useful.
"So," Belle asked first, "what'd you hear?"
"Just the usual Public Security gossip—people whining about stolen credit, bloated reports, that sort of thing." Nekomata giggled. "These officers are so funny!"
"Ignis," she turned to him, "you really not coming with me? Ollie's teaming up with Section 11, bringing two members from the General Affairs Department to mark the decoy sites in the Hollow. It'd be a lot safer if you came."
"I'm not going." Ignis reached out and gently ruffled her hair. "I need rest—and I've got several orders waiting."
He withdrew his hand and started toward the subway entrance of Sixth Street.
Nekomata's phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and laughed softly.
"This guy…" she said, showing Belle the message.
"I'll cook something delicious. I'll wait for your triumphant return."
"If he's that worried," Nekomata chuckled, locking the screen, "he might as well come along. Come on—I'll change into my combat gear in your room, then we'll meet up with Ollie."