As Zane lifted the long sword forged from ethereal crystals in his hand, faint ghostly light shimmered along its hilt, giving it an eerie, otherworldly aura.
"So, a battle of attrition, is it..."
He muttered, standing firm as the colossal dragon beneath him clashed with the giant Ethereal. Yet he remained immovable, eyes glowing with dazzling brilliance.
"In that case..."
Snowflakes drifted slowly from the sky above, though their numbers dwindled with each passing moment. At the same time, four Hollow rifts rushed toward Zane, rapidly shrinking as they drew near.
Raising his hand, Zane summoned torrents of black energy surging from Hollow Zero toward him. From the four closing voids, Ether energy also poured out in abundance.
He lifted his sword high, countless streams of Ether converging at blinding speed. Black mist swelled, engulfing his entire figure until not even his silhouette was visible.
As if sensing his growing threat, the Ethereal Giant bellowed. Energy swirled within its gaping maw, while its mountain-like arms amassed vast clusters of ethereal crystals.
With a single punch, it struck the dragon aside, exposing Zane above. Then, the energy in its mouth locked directly onto the black mist.
Danger enveloped him.
The dragon, after all, was merely Zane's construct—pure ethereal crystal shaped by his control, not a living creature. The giant Ethereal, however, was alive.
Yet Zane did not move.
The dragon roared once more as its mountain-sized body shattered apart. The endless shards of ethereal crystal rushed together, forming a shield that severed him completely from the giant Ethereal.
That crystalline barrier stood tall, cutting them apart. At the same time, the energy in the monster's maw could no longer be restrained.
A blinding burst erupted. The massive energy cannon, crushing in its intensity, slammed directly into the shield.
Crack—shards splintered under the onslaught. Each wave of energy tore chunks from the barrier, steadily shrinking it beneath overwhelming force.
The black mist still gathered, but the shield was close to collapse. Defense was always harder than offense.
Worse still, the Ethereal Giant was pouring out energy recklessly. Not only was Hollow Zero fueling it, but its very body was visibly shrinking, consumed by the outpour.
The shield and the monster's beam locked in deadlock. Seconds dragged on, until at last—crack! With a sharp crack, the crystal barrier shattered.
...
Far below, Hoshimi Miyabi watched, her heart pounding. She trusted Zane, but the spectacle was terrifying.
It was as if two beings on a completely different level were clashing overhead.
"Wahhh! Chief, what do we do?!"
The ground trembled as shockwaves tore across it. Soukaku planted her banner to block the blast, and the three of them huddled behind it like turtles retreating into their shells.
Their shields could block physical strikes, but shockwaves? The little black orb clearly wasn't interested in handling those.
Miyabi stood firm, long hair whipping in the storm, eyes fixed on the battle above. At Soukaku's words, she glanced down briefly and replied,
"What else can we do? All we can do is trust Zane. If he loses, this will be the end of Section 6."
She didn't understand the deeper mechanics at work, but Zane's attitude alone told her—this wasn't some accident.
Crossing Hollow Zero in their current state without the protection of a powerhouse?
Tsk. Impossible.
At that, Harumasa let out a breath and sat down, leaning back against the banner.
If the burden had been on him, he'd be panicked, searching for a way out. But since it wasn't...
Might as well relax.
...
High above, the Ether Shield shattered completely. The energy beam ripped straight into the swirling black mist.
The fog dispersed instantly, and Zane's body was swallowed by white radiance, vanishing from sight.
The pillar of light roared for more than ten seconds. When it finally faded, the scene within was revealed.
Zane's Ether longsword now gleamed gold, its tip aimed skyward. His expression was calm, his body utterly unscathed.
He hadn't forgotten what he'd learned in the Dead End Hollow from that white Ethereal. By flickering his body between space and void, attacks from either side could not strike him.
Of course, such a technique demanded immense control. What he had done now was simpler—merely slipping his body into the void.
Simple and efficient.
"Huff..."
Zane exhaled lightly, eyes calm as they fixed on the giant Ethereal. Then, with a sharp motion, his blade came down.
Yet nothing happened.
Everything remained as it was.
Only the golden glow on his black Ether sword faded away, leaving it in its original form once more.
He watched the towering Ethereal rooted to the earth for a few seconds longer, then turned away.
A spatial fissure opened. Zane stepped through and emerged beside Section 6.
"Zane? You're back so soon? That..."
Miyabi's eyes widened as she pointed toward the distant giant Ethereal. She wanted to ask, but no words came.
"Let's go. I'll take you out."
"The spatial attributes here are abnormal. Ordinary means won't work."
He didn't answer her question, only gave the group a calm statement. Ether surged beneath their feet, forming crystalline platforms. Guided by spatial power, they began to rise.
Soukaku wobbled, nearly stumbling, but Zane caught her, steadying her quickly.
"Careful. I won't catch you if you fall again."
He smiled faintly before letting go, moving to stand at the very tip of the crystal. Tilting his head back slightly, he gazed at the sky.
Miyabi stood at his side, glancing once more at the massive Ethereal below with a complicated look.
Better not ask. Better not say.
Better to stay silent.
"Chief, look—up there."
Tsukishiro Yanagi's voice reached her ears. Miyabi followed her gaze, and her breath caught.
"What... is that?"
Her eyes widened. Against the crimson heavens stretched a long, slender rift of blue-white light, cutting across the endless sky with no end in sight.