New Eridu – Side Street near Lumina Square
A Gray-haired figure stood dazed by the sidewalk.
Boy? No—girl. Her expression was blank, like her mind hadn't caught up yet.
The crowd bustled around her, jolting her back to awareness.
She glanced around. The neon-lit skyline, the Hollow-resistant architecture, the unmistakable pulse of New Eridu…
"Wait… Did I just transmigrate? Into Zenless Zone Zero?!"
Heads turned. Her outburst earned a few curious stares.
Flustered, she ducked into a nearby alley.
Once her brain finished buffering all the incoming data, her face twisted into pure confusion.
She looked down at herself—blue martial arts gear, and a pair of glasses that seemed more decorative than functional.
"Memory fusion initiated~"
The phrase popped into her head unprompted.
Before she could react, a flood of memories surged in—combat techniques, ancient philosophies, echoes of battles long past.
If not for some mysterious force shielding her mind, she might've ended up like a certain Herrscher of Sentience—completely scrambled.
Even so, the pressure was overwhelming. Her head throbbed like it was about to burst.
She clutched it and groaned, then promptly passed out.
Some time later – Hospital Room
She woke up in a sterile bed, blinking at the ceiling.
Groaning, she sat up and rubbed her temples.
Beside her, a teal-haired girl sipped tea calmly.
"Oh, you're awake?"
She turned to see a twin-tailed officer in a sleek uniform, sipping from a ceramic cup.
"Where… am I?"
"You collapsed in an alley. I was on patrol and heard your fell. So I took you here."
Her tone was calm, almost indifferent.
"Thank you…"
"No trouble. You seem fine now."
The girl gathered her thoughts, trying to make sense of the system messages still lingering in her mind.
"May I ask your name?"
"Fu Hua."
"Ah. I'm Qingyi, From Security Bureau."
Fu Hua nodded slowly, still processing everything.
"I've covered your medical fees. Once you're stable, you're free to leave. I've got work to do."
Qingyi finished her tea, stood up, and turned to leave.
"Wait—about the fees. I'll repay you. Could I get your contact info?"
"Just visit the Bureau."
With that, Qingyi walked out, leaving Fu Hua alone.
She stared at her pale hands, still stunned.
"I've become Fu Hua… and that voice earlier…"
Just then, a glowing panel appeared in front of her.
[Welcome, Host, to Zenless Zone Zero.]
"Uh… hello? What's going on?"
[Correct. You've been granted Fu Hua's body, partial memories, and combat abilities.]
"So… do I have a mission?"
[No. You're free to explore. The system shop includes all Fu Hua forms and a gacha wheel. Currency conversion available via Dennies.]
"Got it. And my power source?"
[Your strength comes from the Imaginary Tree.]
Fu Hua froze.
"That's…"
[Currently, your form is Valkyrie: Accipiter.]
"Got it."
[Enjoy your stay.]
The voice vanished but the panel remained.
Fu Hua got out of bed, adjusted her blue outfit, and put on the red-rimmed glasses from the nightstand.
She walked to the window, gazing out at the vibrant cityscape of New Eridu.
"Alright then… One step at a time. First up—Dennies."
She opened her system inventory.
Then two unfamiliar items caught her eye.
"These are…"