"Are you all right?" Eous turned to look at Ignis, who was holding his forehead.
"After downing another batch of suppressants, it's eased up a bit," Ignis said. "But we've burned through all the anti-corrosion doses we brought. I still feel lightheaded… it's making me uneasy."
"Let me see… the Defense Force supply point is about one or two kilometers from here. It's not far if we walk," Belle checked the coordinates—just then, a message popped up from Fairy.
"Hm? There was a spatial transfer phenomenon nearby? Then those two soldiers might have been caught in it… if so, their chances of survival are slim."
"What do you mean?"
"The Ether radiation intensity inside Hollow Zero is extreme. After coming face-to-face with Nineveh, they were likely already infected with Pollen Fever—it was only a matter of time before it turns into the Wilting Syndrome. Unless they were lucky enough to get warped directly to a White Star Institute or Defense Force base, we can basically declare them dead."
"The final monitoring data from the data spire showed that their mental state was extremely unstable. Inside a Hollow, negative emotions accelerate corrosion symptoms."
"Then it's as good as confirmed," Ignis muttered, shaking his head. He tried to stay focused, but his thoughts were blurring—his head heavy, the world spinning.
"Ignis? You okay? Answer me!"
"I'm… dizzy. My reflexes are way slower. Damn." He stood still as the floor seemed to sway beneath him. "Feels like the space around me is twisting."
"Warning—spatial transfer phenomenon detected!" The Phaethon unit's onboard AI blared, "Secure all stable objects and pray you don't materialize inside a wall."
"Just our luck!" Belle shouted. "Ignis, brace for impact!"
"Look at it this way—maybe this'll drop us right where those two soldiers ended up."
The surrounding space warped violently. Ignis's balance completely vanished—his vestibular system failing. He could only cling to the ground, waiting for the distortion to end.
More than once, he felt like vomiting, but his stomach was empty—the suppressants and glass ampoules long digested.
He had no idea how long it lasted before gravity and balance finally returned. Slowly, he got up, removed his helmet, and retched violently—only acid came up, hissing as it corroded the floor.
At least he hadn't been dropped from midair or into something lethal. Looking around, he realized he was inside a shopping mall. The catastrophe must've struck suddenly—most of the storefronts were intact, frozen in time. Only the Ether crystals growing from the floor had shattered parts of the décor.
His condition wasn't great, but he could still move. Eous, though, was nowhere to be seen. A single transfer usually didn't scatter people far apart, so she had to be close.
Ignis began scanning for traces. Dust blanketed everything; even the slightest mark stood out. After a few minutes, he found footprints near a stairwell entrance. Pushing open the door, he spotted empty ration packs and several drained anti-corrosion vials.
The ration bags bore Defense Force Type-C markings—definitely the missing soldiers.
The footprints were uneven—one leg pressing deeper than the other. Either an injury or weakness had thrown off their balance. Either way, they were in bad shape.
Switching to Fire-Sight, Ignis detected faint residual heat signatures. The trail was old, but clear.
He wanted to follow it immediately—but without Eous, he'd likely wander the Hollow forever. As he considered leaving a marker, the elevator behind him chimed.
It was moving.
Ignis instantly raised his autocannon, aiming at the doors. The undead weren't smart enough to use elevators—but Hollow Zero had no shortage of outlaws. Being ready for a fight was only prudent.
The doors opened—and out rolled Eous's Bangboo and the cargo vehicle carrying their supplies.
"Whoa-whoa-whoa! Don't point that thing at me!" Belle's avatar on the Bangboo's screen threw up exaggerated hands. "I'm just a talking robot!"
Ignis chuckled and holstered the cannon. "I was wondering how to leave a signal—but you beat me to it."
"I rebooted the backup power here—amazing that it still works. Fairy tracked your signal, so we came to get you," said Belle, circling him with the cargo vehicle. "You look fine."
"Besides throwing up a little, yeah." Ignis pushed open the stairwell door. "Look—those soldiers went downstairs."
"The elevator's too small for me, so I'll take the stairs," Belle said.
The cargo cart descended smoothly—its all-terrain treads handling stairs with ease. Handy little thing, Ignis thought. Maybe I should get one to haul ammo instead of a servitor.
They followed the tracks down to the first floor and emerged into the main hall.
"See how the steps alternate heavy and light?" Ignis observed. "He was staggering. There are drag marks too—one of them was being pulled."
"So one soldier was already incapacitated. We'd better be ready—they might've turned."
"Yeah." Ignis nodded. "Better to give them a quick end than a drawn-out torment."
The trail showed frequent pauses—rest points every few dozen meters. Sweat stains dotted the ground; the one doing the dragging had even removed his helmet.
"The intervals between rests are getting shorter. I think we're close," Belle said, tracing the marks. "Here—he tripped, tried to catch himself."
"Not just that—look here." Ignis pointed at a faint scrape. "That's a rifle butt dragging across the floor. He either spotted an enemy… or was preparing to end it himself. Or…"
He didn't say the third possibility. The floor was too clean—no blood.
Belle followed the trail into a pharmacy. "This time, the distance he covered is long—he must've found something that kept him going. Maybe he was hoping to find anti-corrosion meds. But before the Fall, no such drug existed—this place wouldn't have had any."
"He collapsed at the doorway, then forced himself up again," Ignis noted. The metallic tang in the air hit his sensors. "Blood. He was done for."
Based on the traces, Ignis replayed the scene in his mind: one soldier dragging the other, collapsing from exhaustion, then seeing someone ahead. He raised his weapon, fired several unstable shots, missing every one. The far wall bore laser burns—Defense Force-issued Ether Rifles.
Then both had been dragged inside.
Following the final tracks, Ignis found the bodies in the corner of the shop—headless, gear stripped, pockets turned out.
It looked like a robbery—but the decapitations were too deliberate. And the Mountain Lion Gang's recent activity reports pointed to ambushes inside Hollows.
So they ran into the Mountain Lion Gang, Ignis thought grimly. And the bastards took trophies.
"Don't come closer," he warned. He didn't want Belle to see the grisly scene. She stopped, understanding.
Ignis picked up the blood-stained dog tags and inspected the wounds. The cuts weren't clean, but the weapon had been large and heavy—single, brutal swings.
He recalled the blood god-corrupted Lions he'd fought before. They favored oversized cleavers and axes. The marks matched.
"Definitely the Mountain Lion Gang," he concluded. "Judging from the residual heat, they lingered after the kill. They've only just moved on."
"So… they're dead too?" Belle asked softly, staring at the tags in her robot's hands. "That's their whole squad… gone."
The Bangboo patted the cargo vehicle. "Then we'll make sure they go home."
"That's the end of every mission here. Now we just need to find an exit," Ignis said. "Proxy, it's your show."
"No problem—scanning nearby Hollow topology," Belle said, trying to sound upbeat. "Interesting… several rifts nearby, but not sure where they lead yet. Give me a sec."
"I've got bad news too," Ignis added. "The Mountain Lion Gang are here. A lot of them. I found their traces."
"You mean the Mountain Lion Gang—the ones that clashed with the Public Security Bureau last week and killed a dozen officers?" Belle's tone wavered. "I'll hurry up—I'd rather not meet them."
The Bangboo froze; its screen flashed "FAIRY" as the AI took over the calculations.
Silence fell—only Ignis's reactor hum and his steady breathing filling the mall.
After a tense minute, Belle came back online. "Found a rift. Not certain, but odds are good it leads near a Defense Force outpost. Want to take the gamble?"
"It's all we've got." Ignis nodded. "Let's move."
The cargo vehicle rolled forward; Ignis followed, each step heavy but steady. The Ether density here was lower—the corrosion no longer worsening.
The rift lay on the first floor, across the mall's main hall.
They advanced slowly through rows of deserted luxury stores—cosmetics, jewelry, electronics, even a few high-end patisseries.
"Proxy," Ignis said suddenly, "if we make it out alive, how about dinner? You and your brother. My treat."
"That's… nice of you, but…" Belle hesitated. "You realize that's death-flag dialogue, right? The guy who says that never makes it."
"Please. These punks aren't nearly enough to kill me." Ignis flexed a massive bicep, making her laugh.
Just as she was about to reply, Ignis motioned for silence.
"My armor picked up something… voices." He lowered his tone. "Quiet. Let's listen."
The suit amplified distant sounds—
"Where's the stuff the boss ordered? This is all you brought?"
"Can't help it. Those idiots started a fight at the black market last time. Now Grey Street won't deal with us. Moving stolen goods is a nightmare."
Ignis recognized the voice immediately—Jane Doe, the so-called cat-ratgirl hybrid.
"Well, if it isn't poetic justice," he thought grimly. Not even trying to avoid me this time.
"I told the boss—we should've just butchered those black market scum and taken their heads," another voice snarled.
"Oh, sure, and then where would we get supplies? Try using your brain for once. The Blood God's got you foaming at the mouth, but we still need to eat and dose up."
"I don't care. The boss said to get more, and this isn't enough. You'd better find some quick, or that pretty head of yours'll be mounted on someone's pauldron."