"Why choose me?"
Hoshimi Miyabi lifted her gaze to meet Zane's eyes, her voice soft.
Zane raised an eyebrow and replied quietly, "Is that question even necessary?"
Hearing this, Hoshimi Miyabi silently shook her head.
"Let's go. We'll retrieve the key from the central hub."
Sensing the direction, Zane led Hoshimi Miyabi toward their destination.
...
Meanwhile, under the cover of night, the Phaethon siblings' plan was proceeding smoothly.
Just as they had anticipated, some classified intelligence within the restricted zone did indeed bypass many eyes and was secretly transmitted elsewhere. However, due to its extreme secrecy, seizing it directly was no simple task. With Shin's cover, though, a bit of "clever maneuvering" was enough to get the job done.
After considerable effort—and with the help of their comrades—the siblings managed to duplicate the hidden data files from within the restricted zone.
The information, however, was incomplete. When pieced together, it offered little of real value.
Still, Belle and Wise weren't about to give up. There were two more zones left, and they moved on to the next one to continue gathering intel.
Since the hollows within these three zones had already vanished, defenses and stationed troops had been greatly reduced, making their movements much easier.
As for the remaining two zones, they would deal with them after completing the current hollow retrieval operations.
At the same time, as the siblings carried out their mission, Shin began to sense that the matter Hoshimi Miyabi had mentioned earlier—something concerning the New Eridu Outer Region—was very likely connected to the current situation.
With that thought, Shin immediately returned to begin his investigation.
Everyone was proceeding methodically, following the plan step by step.
The next day, after Hoshimi Miyabi obtained the other half of the secret key, she wasted no time leaving Hollow Zero.
She hadn't forgotten her primary mission—two hollows were still waiting to devour vast amounts of natural Ether energy.
...
"Let us join the glorious evolution together!"
A deep, resonant cheer echoed through a vast, dimly lit chamber, faintly illuminated by several flickering candles.
Every face beneath the wavering flames appeared to shift between light and shadow.
Their expressions were fervent—men and women alike. Outside, their ranks and power varied, but here, without exception, all were equal.
This was a difference rooted in the essence of life itself.
This was one of the Church's gathering points, and at this very moment, they were undergoing a new round of "baptism."
This baptism came from the "Divine Being." With enough of these rituals, they could transform into a superior form of life—completely shedding their frail human shells.
As vials of potion were distributed, some eagerly injected themselves, while others, though their eyes burned with longing, restrained their impulses.
More cheers erupted. This pursuit transcended wealth, power, and personal gain—and it was what secured the Church's absolute loyalty.
To its followers, the current situation couldn't have been better.
The entire New Eridu seemed firmly under their control.
They cheered. They rejoiced. They were confident. They dreamed...
But none of them realized that a colossal wave was already gathering strength—ready to sweep away everything in its path.
...
Days passed.
At the outpost, the Belle and Wise siblings were hard at work inside their tent, infiltrating the last restricted zone together.
Securing a hollow was never easy. The garrison troops weren't fools—they'd already caught on to their intent by the second attempt.
The fourth hollow had been incredibly difficult to obtain, and the last one had even forced them into a failed retreat. That was why things had dragged on until now.
This was now their second, meticulously planned operation.
Outside the tent, Shin stood quietly, his gaze fixed on the distant Hollow Zero.
The final decisive battle... was about to begin.