"You idiot..."
Zane spread his hands, giving Nekomata a helpless look before sighing softly.
"Didn't I specifically have Panta bring Nocturne over?"
"What did you think it was for? To lure you out with your favorite fish snacks."
He paused, then continued,
"Finding someone to deliver a message would've been too much trouble. If I'd gone back to the Janus District, there was a risk of something happening."
"This way was a lot more convenient."
"Besides, with Nekomata's sharp instincts, I knew she'd figure out it was me—and come running."
After the brief explanation and that last little compliment, Nekomata's earlier pout instantly melted away. Her face lit up with pride, her tail swishing in delight.
"Of course! I'm Nekomata, after all."
Hands on her hips, chin tilted high, she looked absolutely pleased with herself.
Zane could only shake his head, smiling faintly. This girl always acted like such an adorable fool.
"Snacks!"
Panta came scampering over to the small white cat, grabbing a few bags from the other cats before running back to Zane.
"That big sister told me these were what you asked me to buy, Boss!"
"Master, these are the special Mid-Autumn Festival treats from our favorite shop."
Strictly speaking, though, they were Zane's special order—something he had arranged long before the operation began.
Why was he ordering pastries when the winds of war were already rising?
Well... satisfying one's sweet tooth was an important matter.
And of course, he'd ordered plenty—enough for everyone, including the cats.
"Me! I want some too!"
The moment Nekomata spotted the pastries, she immediately leapt closer. She'd followed him all this way on an empty stomach, after all!
Soon, laughter filled the pavilion as Nekomata playfully gloated about snatching a piece of pastry straight from Zane's hand.
Nearby, Panta sat swinging his short legs on a chair. He didn't really understand what a "festival" was, nor could he eat the treats—but just being near his Boss made him perfectly happy.
His gaze wandered until he spotted Dennies hiding behind a rock, only half his head poking out. Panta waved at him.
He must have followed along but didn't dare come closer.
Watching Dennies approach nervously, Zane didn't mind the extra company. Having another Bangboo around didn't hurt.
His eyes drifted toward Nekomata and Qingyi, who were chatting idly nearby. A faint smile touched his lips as he leaned against one of the pavilion's pillars, his ice-blue gaze lifting to the sky.
His beloved Master.
His first companion.
The little housekeeper back home.
And the many others who made up that home.
Wasn't this, in its own way, a reunion?
The Tanuki House...
Perhaps, from the very beginning, he had given it a meaning—a hope called "family."
The wind whispered through the park. At some point, the thick, tangled clouds had been torn apart by the cold, eerie light of the moon, scattering into dark, tattered fragments.
Like battle-worn banners scorched by fire, they fluttered unevenly beneath the vast night sky filled with stars.
Strands of dim starlight spilled through the gaps—heavy, muted, and sharp—like the glint of blades flashing between torn flags.
...
...
...
Core Region of Hollow Zero.
"Watch the flanks!"
A sharp shout rang out. Just as a member of the Falkenhayn Mercenary squad was about to be struck, a fierce flash of azure light erupted from the ground. A blade of pure energy sliced past the squad's armored vehicle, striking directly at the Ethereal that had suddenly appeared.
BOOM!
With a thunderous crash, the high-risk Ethereal slammed into a nearby wall, its body half-embedded in the concrete.
Though the blade hadn't completely severed it, the wound it left was deep enough to nearly cut it in two. Ether energy gushed from the gash, its exposed core dim and lifeless. The creature could no longer move.
"It's Chief Hoshimi from Section 6!"
One of the squad members recognized her immediately. Over the past two days, Hoshimi Miyabi had been assisting with the Falkenhayn Mercenary's defensive coordination. Even if her face wasn't familiar, her name certainly was.
Because the work within the core region was classified, information about her movements hadn't reached the outside world.
"The Ethereal uprising has begun. Stay alert."
Hoshimi Miyabi glanced down at the team, gave a brief reminder, and continued toward the central sector.
She was only passing through.
After she left, the Falkenhayn Mercenary squad members' expressions grew grim.
"Another ultra-high-risk Ethereal..."
The captain frowned. They'd already encountered one earlier during their advance, and it had taken considerable effort to handle.
This one had appeared suddenly through a spatial rift—before they could react, it had nearly caused casualties.
Thank goodness Chief Hoshimi intervened.
"At this rate, with how quickly the Ethereals are multiplying and advancing toward the core, we need to reach the outpost for reinforcements immediately."
The others nodded and pressed forward, picking up speed once again.
...
Central Area.
"So, you two actually came back..."
Shin glanced at the two figures stepping out of the spatial rift, let out a quiet sigh, and spoke.
For a moment there, she'd thought something had gone wrong.