"Hah~ What kind of accident could possibly happen to me?"
Zane waved his hand casually. His words reached Shin's ears, and she raised an eyebrow.
"Why do you sound so pleased with yourself?"
"Do I?"
Zane tilted his head slightly, meeting Shin's gaze with eyes clear and bright.
Seeing that he didn't even bother denying it, Shin shot him a sharp look. Here we are, all tense and on edge, and this guy—he looks like he just got back from having fun somewhere...
Noticing the expression on her face, Zane realized she'd misunderstood but didn't bother explaining. His expression shifted, eyes focusing on a distant point.
"He's coming."
The words were light, but they made Shin's expression harden immediately.
She knew exactly who Zane was referring to.
Without another word, Shin turned and left. Zane and Qingyi began walking toward the very center.
...
Moments later.
"Master, are you afraid?"
Zane glanced toward Qingyi. Now that they were alone, his tone was relaxed again, even carrying a faint smile.
"With you here, what is there to be afraid of?"
Qingyi's response was calm, almost nonchalant. The area around them was completely silent.
For nearly a kilometer in every direction, there wasn't a single living being left—no Ethereals, no soldiers. Everything had long been cleared out. Farther beyond that, Shin's elite Falkenhayn Mercenary held the final defensive line, keeping watch over the outer perimeter.
Right now, Shin's primary mission was to assist Zane in stabilizing Hollow Zero's control core. Only once that was done could the next phase of the plan begin.
Feeling the invisible, formless flow of Hollow Zero's energy core, Zane's expression grew more focused. His earlier playfulness had been nothing more than an attempt to lighten the mood.
He certainly wasn't careless.
His task was to erase Its will—to seize control of Hollow Zero before It could react, cutting off Its greatest source of power.
During his time here, Zane had been constantly attuning himself to Hollow Zero's unique structure.
It was an arduous process. Hollow Zero wasn't like any of the other hollows he'd ever controlled.
This wasn't a matter of it being a few times stronger—it operated on an entirely different level of existence.
In truth, every hollow in the world—aside from Hollow Zero itself—was merely one of its derivatives.
That was why it required so much effort.
But to Zane, it was worth it.
Once he acted, the Primordial would definitely sense it. That was exactly what he wanted—to lure "Him" out, ensuring the success of Shin and Tyce's operation.
The key was making Him believe that Hollow Zero was slipping beyond His control.
Without that provocation, the Primordial might have simply sent Ethereals and cannon fodder to wear down the Falkenhayn Mercenary from a distance.
Their plans, therefore, were built to complement one another.
"Is all we need to do just stay here?"
Qingyi's soft voice broke the silence. Her eyes lingered on Zane.
For some reason, a faint blush crept across her cheeks. She quickly averted her gaze, lowering her head slightly, avoiding his eyes.
But Zane—his focus locked on the pulse of Ether energy—didn't notice her subtle reaction.
"Yes, just as we discussed."
He nodded, then continued,
"Since we're snatching food from the tiger's mouth, there's bound to be some clash of wills. All you need to do, Master, is make sure I stay conscious if that happens."
"Of course," he added with a small smile, "it might never come to that."
Qingyi's presence as his emotional anchor was merely a safeguard, a failsafe in case things spiraled out of control. With luck, he wouldn't have to rely on her at all.
"Alright. Then it's all up to you now."
Qingyi nodded gently, her tone soft, her expression serene as she smiled.
She found a clean spot nearby and sat cross-legged.
Meanwhile, Zane—fully prepared—was soon enveloped by streams of radiant Ether energy, his body glowing faintly within the swirling current.
From the blood-red heavens above to the outermost defenses of the Falkenhayn Mercenary far below, ribbon-like tendrils of light began to appear, weaving through the air.
It was as though this entire space had been cocooned within an endless web of luminous threads.
Then, as an unseen wind began to stir...
The storm began to rise.
...
Outside the Core Region of Hollow Zero.
Tyce stood atop a floating skyscraper, gazing down at his subordinates advancing toward the core. At the same time, he directed countless Ethereals within Hollow Zero, commanding them to surge forward like a dark tide, crashing first against the Falkenhayn Mercenary's inner defenses.
At this stage, the Legion's formations were already fully exposed.
Suddenly, Tyce—whose expression had remained calm and composed until now—frowned and turned his gaze toward the core. A sharp glint flashed across his eyes.
"So... he really isn't that easy to kill."
He had suspected as much back then. Even at that time, he hadn't been able to confirm whether Zane—his greatest enemy—had truly vanished.
After all, he didn't believe that something created by the world itself to counter the Corruption could possibly be that weak.
And now, his suspicions had been confirmed.
What he hadn't expected... was that Zane would dare to set his sights on Hollow Zero itself.