The first thing Ignis thought of was that person who kept trying to add him as a contact on the Inter-Knot.
He had never revealed his identity, nor left any remarks.
Now that Markus mentioned someone was looking for him, his biggest concern was that it might be someone from Slaanesh's faction.
He has already infiltrated my dreams once... shown his presence… it's possible he's been asking around about me.
From the figure's form, it was a Daemonette of Slaanesh. But normal Daemonettes didn't have the psychic power to weave dreams. The worst case would be a Herald of Slaanesh—those things were far more dangerous.
As for Khorne, while his followers understood strategy and tactics, they preferred a far more direct approach—sending a squad to your doorstep to "test your mettle."
Still, the only one currently tied to Khorne was Razor, who was busy rebuilding his power and attacking Hollow Raiders throughout the Hollows.
The clues at hand were far too few to deduce anything useful. Fortunately, the Emperor had left his sigil of warding—if Chaos came near, it would burn hot. As long as he stayed vigilant, he shouldn't fall for the same trick again… hopefully.
When a situation yields no conclusion and no leads, the best approach is to set it aside for now. Maybe one day, when the other side can't hold back, they'll show their hand.
Shaking off these troubling thoughts, Ignis stepped out of the subway station. The familiar scenery of Sixth Street in Janus Quarter spread before him.
A few days ago, Ignis had borrowed the videotape "The First Cup of Soil" from a Proxy, wanting to learn more about the official version of New Eridu's history. Today, he was here to return it.
Passing by 141 Convenience Store, he bought a drink and some snacks from the Bangboo clerk, then sent a message to Belle, telling her he had arrived.
Their video store's door was absurdly small—it was a whole operation just to squeeze in. After that one time cramming in with Nekomata, the massive man had no desire to try again.
His phone buzzed—Belle had replied.
"Come to the parking lot, I'll open the door for you."
After paying by scan, Ignis crouched down to take his things from the tiny Bangboo's hands, giving the little robot a few pats for good measure.
Of all the Bangboos Ignis had encountered, only Phaethon's Eous had that soft, elastic feel—apparently made of a different material than the rest.
He had barely taken two steps from 141 when a gang of small-time feline thugs blocked his way. The leader was a black cat, flanked by three or four others of various colors, one already bold enough to rub against his pants.
It was true—there were far more cats around Sixth Street. The good security and solid economy meant residents had the leisure to care for them. Around the Cunning Hares' current hideout, cats and dogs were almost nonexistent; the rare one he saw was all bones, dragging a dead rat in its mouth.
These cats, though, were plump and glossy—well-fed, well-loved, even showing signs of evolving into properly spoiled housecats.
The fluffy creatures mewed and rolled, rubbing up against him, impossible to resist. Ignis turned back to 141 and bought several cans of cat food and treats.
The moment they saw their treasures, the cats went wild, nearly climbing up his legs. Fortunately, there was an empty patch of ground nearby where Ignis sat down, opened the cans, and squeezed treats onto the lids.
Once the "toll" was paid, the cats dug in eagerly, too busy eating to care about his big hands ruffling their fur. The soft warmth of the animals soothed him; the worries in his chest felt lighter.
He could understand now why Nicole liked brushing Nekomata's fur and scratching her chin when she had free time—it was truly relaxing.
"I was wondering where you went. Turns out you were playing with cats."
Belle's voice came from behind, startling Ignis—he hadn't even sensed her approach. Cats are dangerous, he thought wryly.
The short-haired girl was grinning mischievously, phone in hand, having captured the moment he was gently petting a cat.
"Nice shot, huh? Didn't think you could make a face like that." She turned the screen toward him. The image showed a massive black figure smiling softly, thick fingers tracing a cat's back.
"So in your eyes, what kind of person am I supposed to be?" Ignis rose, pulling a bottle of Bomb Cola from his pocket. "A gift for you and Wise. Couldn't come empty-handed."
"My, how polite of you! I'll thank you on my brother's behalf." Belle cheerfully took the bag. "You know, most of the time I see you, you're either fighting or cooking. A fierce warrior, and a skilled chef."
Her gaze drifted to the hammer on his belt. "Lately you've even picked up the craftsman title, but I've rarely seen how you actually live, Ignis. You always seem so busy. Even the black market logs show you leave right after business."
"Always busy, yeah. If I could, I'd like to enjoy life too." Ignis sighed. She wasn't wrong—since arriving in this world, his life had been constant motion, with no real rest.
Those carefree days, free of burden or battle, had vanished the moment he entered the Warhammer universe. Compared to those times, life with the Cunning Hares wasn't even busy—he could actually sleep every night.
For the Emperor, he had once fought nonstop for an entire week without rest. Yet to these Proxies, even that looked like he was wound too tight.
"Moments like this, playing with cats—it's good for you," Belle said, scratching the chin of a little black cat. The creature rolled onto its back, clearly delighted.
"How was the film? Find what you wanted?" she asked, still crouched down.
"It was good, though some things were clearly hidden," Ignis replied, recalling the tape. "The old civilization may have perished, but its traces remain. It's become part of the new one—flowing in the blood of everyone in New Eridu."
"And you? Does it flow in your veins too?"
"Me?" The blood in Ignis's veins was not of this world, his soul not of this dimension. "Maybe someday, I'll fade away—or merge into this new age, like the relics of the old."
"Sounds like you've found something. Care to share?"
"There are remnants of ancient myths everywhere. The word "Janus" in Janus Quarter—the god of doors. "Faunus", tied to the forest and fields. Even the names of the Ethereals—Tyrfing comes from a mythical sword, Satyr from a half-man, half-goat, and Alpeca… well, likely because it spits like a llama."
Ignis listed them off with ease. "Even New Eridu has roots in myth—the first city of the world. Fitting that this place should be humanity's last oasis."
"New Eridu, the final oasis." Belle rose as the cats finished their meal. The furry thieves licked their paws, meowed, and vanished into the alleys.
"Uh…" Ignis wasn't sure what to say. New Eridu always hovered on the edge of ruin—its people constantly struggling to survive while fighting back the Hollows that threatened to consume them.
He'd seen worlds like this before. Even angels of the Emperor could not stop annihilation—they could only save as many as possible. He still remembered the taste of ash from those left behind.
In those times, the sergeant would pat his shoulder, and the veterans would tell him he'd done enough. Yet, they had still failed to save the dying worlds.
"People of New Eridu… they're strong." Ignis thought of the news he'd seen.
There was a dark humor to them—they knew destruction could come any day, yet never stopped exploring or joking about life. They licked their wounds, laughed through the pain, and dragged their half-broken bodies forward. Hopeless, yet full of hope. As the Hollow Investigative Association's motto said—We will reclaim the world from the Hollows.
"Yeah, strong," Belle agreed, patting his side. "Come on, let's go to the parking lot. There's something I need to discuss—business."
She walked ahead, her steps less light than before.
Through the iron gate, Ignis followed, closing it behind them. Wise was already waiting, smiling as he took the snack bag from his sister.
"You're spending again? We're tight on funds this month." Wise tried to look stern, though his eyes betrayed affection.
"It wasn't me! Ignis brought them as gifts," Belle protested, feigning indignation.
The sibling bond was warm—but curiosity got the better of Ignis.
"Considering your rep as Phaethon, you shouldn't be short on money, right?" He remembered Nicole complaining how expensive their services were.
"Our old account went down with that hacker attack when we helped you escape the Hollow," Belle sighed dramatically. "Had to make a new one on the Inter-Knot. No more discount privileges, either."
"Without our old reputation, fewer clients reach out," Wise added calmly. "But some loyal customers still remember us, and they pay well. Plus, the video store's income helps us scrape by."
"So even Proxies have expenses that high, huh?"
"We recently upgraded our software—added an AI assistant." Belle rubbed her forehead. "Power bill's five times higher. It's good, but it's too power-hungry."
"Oh, that one you were arguing with? Didn't think it'd drain that much." Ignis recalled her spat with Fairy.
"Yeah. If it weren't for how useful it is, I'd have turned it off already. It's fast at scanning the entire network."
Ignis reached into his jacket and pulled out the paper bag containing the videotape.
"Almost forgot." He handed it to Wise. "I assume this visit isn't just about returning a tape?"
"You guessed it," Belle laughed. "Since we're now the independent investigation team of Hollow Zero, we've got a high-paying job—right in the Hollow itself."
Hollow Zero—the beginning of all tragedies, where the old Eridu was swallowed. A hellish place filled with Ethereals and spatial distortions, yet also a goldmine of ancient tech and relics.
"Dangerous, then?" Ignis asked.
"There's no such thing as 'safe' in Hollow Zero," Belle replied grimly. "Ether density's off the charts—most people can't last long before corruption sets in. Becoming an Ethereal is just a matter of time."
"You're the strongest fighter we know," Wise said, offering his deal. "This mission's worth a fortune. We really need the money—I'll increase your share."
"You've both saved me and the Cunning Hares more than once. If you need me, I'll help," Ignis said firmly.
Relief washed over the siblings.
"I'm also curious about Hollow Zero—the so-called beginning and end of everything," Ignis added, then shifted the topic. "About that officer Ollie—you're sure he's trustworthy?"
"Don't worry. He's a good officer—smart, brave, just underappreciated. He's leading the operation," Wise assured him. "Soon, he'll contact Nekomata for the final sting."
"See, told you he cares about her," Belle teased, smirking at Ignis. "Still not planning to take things further?"
"Maybe when I've truly settled into this world," Ignis admitted. "Then I'll tell her."
"Heh, I'll be waiting for that," Belle chuckled.
"Oh, right." She suddenly pulled out a handful of flyers. "Store policy—when the manager finds you a tape, you help us advertise on Sixth Street."
"Just passing out flyers," Wise added, handing him another stack.
So that afternoon, on Sixth Street, a nearly three-meter-tall giant wandered about with bulging pockets, approaching every passerby. His crimson eyes gleamed as he crouched and spoke in a low voice.
"Hey, brother… wanna buy a tape?"
Most people fled in terror. Some, though, hesitated and asked, "A real tape?"
"Got real ones, and… not-so-real ones. What're you into, brother?"
"Got anything spicy?"
"Oh, plenty—two-person, group, man and beast, even Bangboo specials."
"What—Bangboo ones too?!"
"Of course. Best selection in all of New Eridu."
The giant cracked open his jacket, pulling out a heavily folded flyer, pointing toward the street corner.
"Tell the owner you want something exciting—he'll know what you mean. He's seen it all."
Watching another mesmerized customer wander toward the shop, Ignis proudly patted his jacket. Heh, I've still got the touch.
"You there! Stop that! Illegal media trade is prohibited!"
The Public Security officer Jerrant charged at him, baton raised.
If only he hadn't closed his eyes in panic, Ignis thought ruefully. Could've slipped him a flyer too.
Still, being caught by a cop was troublesome, so the giant bolted. Jerrant could only watch as he vanished into the crowd with inhuman speed.
Moments later, from another corner of Sixth Street, a deep, enticing voice rose again.
"Hey, brother… wanna buy a tape?"