Crack!
A sharp sound split the air as Zane's energy overwhelmed the replica's completely. The disparity between their power couldn't have been made clearer.
The barrier shattered under the immense pressure, and the duplicate was hurled backward by the force of the impact. Its Ether longsword slipped from its grasp, spinning several times through the air before plunging into the ground before Zane with a metallic clang.
The replica's body continued to tumble, smashing through several buildings before finally coming to a stop, buried beneath the collapsing debris and vanishing from sight.
Zane's gaze fell upon the mound of rubble. Indeed, the clone had been fierce in its final moments—but once its energy was overdrawn, it would quickly fall into weakness, hastening its own dissolution.
After two direct clashes with him, the replica was clearly near its limit.
...
A short distance away, Tyce, who had retreated earlier, watched the scene with a tense expression. His eyes shifted from the ruins to Zane, still standing unmoved, before he made a difficult decision.
He would claim the finishing blow.
After all, if the replica fell here but he wasn't the one to defeat it, the outcome of the "Will Clash" would be far less effective.
Losing to the "authentic" counterpart wasn't just a setback—it risked nullifying the already delicate psychological balance of the plan.
Testing Zane's reaction, Tyce cautiously approached the rubble. When he saw no response, he relaxed slightly and moved faster.
Shin's earlier words echoed in his mind.
"The Fire Picker is clever."
Maybe... that one over there already knew.
Setting aside his thoughts, Tyce reached the top of the ruins. After sensing the replica's faint energy signature, he began gathering Ether, preparing to end it once and for all.
After its battle with Zane, the replica had undoubtedly sustained fatal damage. Now, all he needed was a final strike to finish it.
It felt strange—claiming a kill like this—but as long as it ensured the plan's success, it didn't matter.
He was never much of a fighter anyway. The powerful body he now inhabited was nothing more than a vessel prepared for this purpose.
But just as he prepared to strike, an odd fluctuation rippled through the air. The eyes on Tyce's monstrous face widened, and the conical Ether crystals on his back trembled violently in warning.
BOOM!!!
A blinding white flash erupted. Tyce was sent flying once again—but this time, he didn't go far. Instead, his body crashed hard into the ground, leaving a massive crater.
At the pit's center, his monstrous form lay motionless for a moment.
Not far away, the clone slowly clawed its way out of the wreckage. Its body was mangled beyond recognition—both arms gone, one leg remaining. It struggled to regenerate, but its dwindling energy reserves were painfully obvious.
Then, a ripple spread through the air beside it, and Zane stepped forth from the distortion, appearing at its side.
"Quite resilient."
Zane's expression shifted slightly. In a way, this replica wasn't entirely worthless.
He shook his head faintly, then drove his sword cleanly through the replica's chest. The Ether Longsword dissolved into a streak of light, and the clone finally lost all strength to resist—though it still didn't fall.
Under the fading light of Hollow Zero, its shattered body glimmered faintly with a golden hue. Its eyes, however, remained hollow and lifeless.
Zane cast one last glance at the replica on the verge of disintegration before turning his attention toward Tyce, who was slowly rising from the crater below.
"Hurry," Zane said evenly. "Otherwise, you won't make it in time."
Without another word, he turned away. His hand formed the edge of a blade, slicing through space with a cross-shaped motion. The air split open, revealing the shimmering, dreamlike hues of the void beyond.
Zane stepped through without hesitation. He had no intention of lingering here any longer—after all, he hadn't held back that final blow.
As he disappeared, Tyce finally climbed out of the pit. He stared at the fading distortion where Zane had vanished, then at the collapsing remains of the replica. A complicated look crossed his face.
He had never been one to revere personal power.
But... it seemed that when strength reached a certain level, all schemes and strategies lost their meaning.
"Hmph... power like that isn't something that should even exist."
Tyce shook his head. The thought passed quickly. After sending off the replica with a final glance, he turned and left as well.
What came next... would be the most critical stage.
...
"Zane, you're back."
At the Falkenhayn Mercenary Troupe's headquarters, Shin looked up to see Zane appear as if from nowhere, a faint smile curving her lips.
Truth be told, when the large hollow vanished and no one could locate Zane, she'd panicked—just a little.
Fortunately, he'd returned without incident.
"Where were you just now? After the hollow disappeared, we couldn't find you... I was really worried."
Shin exhaled softly, her bright eyes fixed on him.
"Oh? Were you worried about me?"
Zane raised an eyebrow, his voice tinged with amusement.
Hearing that tone, Shin felt there was something more behind his words. His smile, too, made her slightly uneasy. Still, she nodded seriously, meeting his gaze.
"You're important to me. Of course I'd worry. Sure, you're strong, but Hollow Zero isn't exactly forgiving. I just didn't want anything to happen to you..."
By the end, her tone softened—almost coaxing, as though trying to convince him, or maybe herself, to move past the moment.
But Zane's expression didn't change. His smile stayed in place as he lifted both hands and grasped the base of Shin's wings.
Her body shuddered at his touch. Then, with a light but deliberate pull, he gently spread them outward.
"Miss Shin, has anyone ever taught you that when your kind lies or gets nervous, you should spread your wings?"
Zane's voice was soft, but the teasing lilt in it made Shin freeze on the spot.
He had long noticed that whenever she grew nervous or emotionally unsettled, her wings betrayed her mood—either retracting tightly or unfolding slightly.
When she was in a good mood, they spread.
When she wasn't... they shrank.
And lying clearly belonged to the latter.
With both pairs of wings at her waist caught in Zane's hands, Shin's body went limp. Between his closeness, his sharp, unrelenting gaze, and the warmth of his touch, she found herself shrinking back despite herself.
Honestly... if only she could win in a fight...
"Wh-what do you mean? I'm not lying! I really was worried about you!"
Her cheeks flushed crimson as she struggled to defend herself, wings trembling slightly.
"If you don't tell the truth," Zane said with a faint smile, "I'll pluck your feathers."
"You wouldn't dare!"
Shin's voice jumped an octave, her body jolting in alarm. But Zane merely ignored her protest, his smirk deepening.
"If you dare touch my feathers, I'll— I'll—"
"You'll what?"
Releasing his grip, Zane tilted his head, amused.
Shin looked up, ready to threaten him back—but faced with that unreadable smile, her words faltered. Nothing came to mind.
Damn it... if only I could beat him just once...
Knowing she couldn't do anything to him, Shin shut her mouth, turning her head to the side, eyes darting away.
"Come on," Zane said, his tone light but coaxing. "Tell me what's really going on."
His words brushed softly against her ear. After a brief hesitation, Shin sighed inwardly. Compared to trying to hide the truth, it was probably better to just tell him everything.
Besides, now that Zane clearly sensed something was off, there was no point keeping up the act.
And as for that threat of his—"If you don't tell the truth, I'll pluck your feathers"—she had no doubt he'd actually do it.
Maybe this was his way of keeping promises: saying what he meant and following through.
Still, this kind of "interrogation" felt far too... intimate.
Shin shook her head to calm herself, forcing her pulse to slow. She straightened, coughed twice, and the flush on her cheeks slowly faded.
"Let's talk somewhere else."
...
A few minutes later, they arrived at an empty tent. Shin gave orders to keep everyone out, then lowered the curtain.
Inside, the lantern light flickered softly. Zane sat in a chair, eyes scanning the dusty interior—it looked like it hadn't been used for some time.
He withdrew his gaze and turned to her, waiting silently.
Shin approached, stopping just in front of him. Her expression shifted, the playfulness gone.
"Zane," she began seriously, "the truth is... everything started back during the accident in the underground of the Mars District. At the time, I didn't know the details, but something felt off. I only pieced it together later."
Zane nodded quietly. Though he already knew fragments of what had happened, her version was more cohesive, and hearing it all in order helped fill in the gaps.
As she spoke, the full scope of her plan became clear. It wasn't far from what the woman in the consciousness micro-world had told him, though hearing it from Shin's perspective gave it more weight.
When she finished, Zane rested his chin lightly on one hand and asked, "Since you already have a complete plan and it's in motion, what's still uncertain?"
He blinked at her, puzzled. During her explanation, there had been subtle pauses, hints of doubt. She didn't seem entirely confident in what she was doing.
Shin met his gaze quietly.
"It's simple," she said. "The only uncertain factor now... is you."
"While I can guess what you'll do, I can't be absolutely sure. After all... no one can truly restrain you."
Her calm words hung in the air. Zane paused, then gave a short laugh as the meaning sank in.
True enough. If he really wanted to play along with that woman's scheme—to turn the plan against itself—he'd have to take charge and rewrite parts of it himself.
But no one could restrain him?
For a moment, an image of a terrifyingly familiar figure flashed through his mind—one who regularly tugged at his ears without mercy.
Zane quickly shook his head, driving the thought away before focusing again.
"Well, putting me aside," he asked, "how confident are you in this plan of yours?"
Shin fell silent for a while, then lifted her head.
"Seventy percent."
"Seventy percent chance to bury that entity completely. The remaining thirty percent... to severely wound it and reclaim the Old Capital that Hollow Zero occupies."
Zane raised an eyebrow.
"Seventy percent? You sound a lot more confident than that."
Shin gave a faint, almost tired smile.
"Zane, with something like this, we can't really talk about certainty. We don't know the full picture—we can't make the most rational predictions."
"For humans, plans like this have only two outcomes: total success or total failure."
"If we fail... we're finished."
"Then why go through with it?" Zane pressed, his brows furrowing. "Wouldn't waiting be safer?"
Shin lowered her gaze slightly, her voice soft but firm.
"Zane... according to Tyce, we don't have much time left."
"Your existence is the world's countermeasure—but the being behind the Hollow Disaster won't sit by quietly. It won't let you grow. Ever since you appeared, it's been trying everything to descend—no matter the cost."
"Tyce is a high-ranking member of the Church. He knows more than we do. The Church is already preparing to welcome its arrival."
"For now, we're merely using the Church's plans to push our own forward—it's not as proactive as you might think."
"Can't you stop the Church?" Zane asked, frowning deeper.
"We could," Shin admitted. "But even if we stop the Church inside New Eridu, there are still branches elsewhere. They'll continue the summoning regardless."
She sighed quietly.
"And besides... the Church isn't essential for its arrival. They have other ways."
"Unless we could completely eradicate the Church—uproot every branch and believer—it's impossible. Their influence in New Eridu has been spreading for years."
"Not to mention the members hiding outside the city—those who fled, or went underground..."
She shook her head slowly.
"If that thing descends somewhere else in the world, we'd be powerless. Acting now still gives us a chance to control the outcome."
Zane nodded slightly as understanding settled in. The situation had already spiraled beyond repair. His questions were little more than attempts to piece together the fragments for his own clarity.
His gaze hardened a little.
"So then," he asked quietly, "how many people are backing this plan of yours? Something this large can't be the work of just a few."
Shin's lips curved faintly as she nodded.
"You're right. Of course, I couldn't mobilize the Falkenhayn Mercenary Troupe alone, and Tyce doesn't have enough influence to pull off something on this scale either."
"The supporters of this plan span the military, political, and business sectors. My father—the old general. The president of the White Star Institute, Professor Muse. The Secretary-General of the Financial Alliance..."
She listed a few names, then fell silent.
Zane leaned back slightly, his expression unreadable, watching her as the weight of her words lingered in the dimly lit tent.