"Tsk. Seems my earlier guess was right. This attack on Mars District was nothing but a complete charade..."
Zane spoke evenly, his thoughts clicking into place. Someone was attempting to install a massive destructive device, and current evidence pointed to Hollow Zero as the target.
But if that thing were planted beneath New Eridu...
Zane dared not imagine the devastation it would unleash.
Of course, this remained only a remote conjecture—perhaps even needless worrying. After all, should such an event occur, the consequences would be immense, the destruction catastrophic.
The Defense Force might have been fractured in the power struggle, but that didn't mean they were mindless fools.
Especially with so many Defense Forces acting in concert.
Still, caution was unavoidable.
...
"Mars District... What should we do?"
"This is utterly insane."
Wise frowned, his expression grave. The situation was dangerous from every angle.
"Shin should know something about this."
Zane spoke softly, his eyes flickering. He had never sought to pry into Shin's affairs—whether operations, dealings, or anything else—because there was no need.
But now, uncertainties were piling up.
Still, he trusted Shin's nature. She would never harm others—certainly not the innocent. If she knew the truth, Zane would actually feel more at ease.
"You two start investigating the underground Test Tower in New Eridu. Leave the rest to me."
"Even if something unexpected happens, there's no need to worry too much. The situation in New Eridu is far more stable than before."
Zane looked at Wise as he spoke. After all the recent upheavals, at least until the next municipal government completed its transition, New Eridu would remain relatively calm.
As for the current matter...
"Also... I suspect their target isn't New Eridu..."
His gaze shifted toward a specific direction—the location of Hollow Zero. It was as if his eyes pierced through layers of barriers, fixing on the hollow itself.
Since Belle had witnessed that thing inside Hollow Zero, it meant the grand scheme was centered there.
If so, the sense of looming crisis pressing on him eased somewhat.
After exchanging a few more words, Wise and Belle set to work, while Zane left the video store, intending to find Shin once again.
...
Evening.
Zane walked the streets after leaving the mansion. The snow had melted, traffic flowed steadily, people bustled in crowds, and skyscrapers loomed above. Beams of light cut across the skyline—not gaudy, but a restrained kind of brilliance.
At last, the city resembled a neon metropolis.
"The rebels were indeed disguised as the Defense Force. The details are still under investigation, but because the matter is complex, it will take time..."
Zane murmured to himself, repeating what Shin had told him in the study. Suspicion lingered in his expression.
"Something's off..."
The explanation felt like a cover, unnatural. Her attitude hadn't been right either.
"What could possibly be so important that it needs to be hidden from me..."
His eyes drifted upward, resting on the shopfronts along the street as thoughts churned within him.
If it needed hiding, it must concern him directly.
But since Shin didn't wish to say, he had no intention of forcing the matter. Playing dumb and going along might be the wiser choice.
Suddenly, he recalled her words in Mars District.
"Prepare to receive Hollow Zero..."
The phrase surfaced, threading the scattered clues together. Perhaps Shin hadn't truly hidden anything—only spoken in a veiled way.
"That's quite the undertaking."
Zane chuckled softly and shook his head. Taking over a hollow of Hollow Zero's scale was no simple feat. He had no experience—how was he supposed to prepare?
It sounded simple enough, but the combined strength of every hollow under his control likely didn't amount to even a third of Hollow Zero's power.
The only preparation he could make was to remain at full readiness at all times.
...
"It's you!"
As Zane drifted in thought, a somewhat familiar voice called out from nearby.
Footsteps followed quickly, drawing closer. Realizing the shout was directed at him, Zane turned his head.
His brow arched.
It was Ellen—and her three sisters.
"I remember you! The magician!"
"No, wait—the magician!"
Monna exclaimed, delighted to see him again. Ruby and Lynn each wore different expressions of surprise.
"Magician? Huh?"
Lynn raised an eyebrow, confused. She had only spotted Zane by chance, planning to introduce him to the others.
"You know him?"
"You know him?"
The two voices overlapped. Ruby and Lynn locked eyes, staring one another down.
For Lynn, Zane was a customer she'd met at her shop back then. Because of the underground black market incident, the memory remained vivid.
For Ruby, it was entirely different. Beyond being the "magician" she'd encountered with Monna, Zane was also her savior.
Back in the Dead End Hollow...
"You go first."
"You go first."
Again, they spoke in unison. After a pause, Ruby began explaining.
Meanwhile, Monna chatted with Zane, trying to coax him into performing another magic trick. Ellen stood to the side, watching.
Why did it feel like those three were so close to Zane?
Weren't they supposed to be her friends?
"So that's how it was..."
After hearing Ruby's story, Lynn was stunned. She and Monna had never heard a word of this before.
Lynn turned her gaze toward Ellen.
My sister's actually been hiding this kind of connection?
A thought struck her then—if Zane was as strong as Ruby described, could he have been involved in the underground black market incident back then...?
"Watch closely now..."
On the street corner, Zane raised a hand. Strands of strange colors flowed and shifted around it. Monna's small request for a "magic trick" was easily fulfilled.
Monna stared wide-eyed at the swirling hues. Ruby and Lynn, still mulling over their thoughts, found themselves equally entranced.
Even Ellen, lollipop in mouth, glanced over curiously, wondering what trick Zane was about to pull.
Though their real task tonight—roping Zane in—was more pressing, a little magic show wouldn't hurt.