At the same time as Zhong Yan was investigating the Hollow Zero, in Sixth Street—
That silver-gray-haired boy, after leaving the video store, walked straight in the direction of the Hollow Zero.
But as he walked, he realized something was wrong.
Someone was following him.
His sharp perception immediately made him realize that this wasn't a simple matter. So, without hesitation, he changed his path and slipped into a deserted open space.
When he was finally blocked by a wall with no way out, he stopped and, without turning his head, said, "You've followed me all this way, and you still don't plan to show yourself?"
After he spoke, the air fell into a brief silence. Then, a figure suddenly appeared not far behind him, eyes locked intensely on him.
If Zhong Yan were here, he would've immediately recognized the person—it was Chi, the one assigned to protect Wise and Belle.
Chi had chosen to follow the boy because he sensed something unusual in him.
That aura was strangely familiar, yet he couldn't place where he'd encountered it before.
With such a suspicious figure approaching Wise and Belle, Chi naturally had to verify his identity and intentions—following Zhong Yan's orders.
"You carry a dangerous scent. State your identity and purpose. Otherwise, don't blame me for using force." The moment he finished speaking, a sharp spear suddenly appeared in Chi's hand.
At the same time, a strange black mist began to leak from his body—power stemming from the Demon God within him.
Faced with Chi's threatening words, the boy didn't respond immediately. He slowly turned around and said with a helpless expression, "Among his subordinates, you're by far the most loyal. If not, you wouldn't have ended up as a sacrificial member of Akatsuki."
Chi was momentarily stunned. The organization Akatsuki was a secret known only to its own members—how could this boy possibly know about it?
And more importantly... why did he say Chi was the first one to die in the organization?
Before his questions could be answered, the boy's pupils suddenly changed dramatically.
His originally blue-white eyes turned blood-red in an instant, adorned with three black tomoe.
"Those eyes?!" Chi's heart clenched at the sight. Before he could react, a deep glimmer flashed in the boy's eyes.
The next moment, Chi's vision blurred, and his consciousness was drawn into a separate space.
In that space, a hellish scene unfolded—countless Ethereals poured out from the Hollow, devouring what should've been a thriving city.
Many people fought back, but as mere mortals, how could they possibly stand against the overwhelming Ethereals?
Before long, chilling screams echoed throughout the city, and even the sky turned blood-red from the carnage.
An unprecedented sense of despair rose deep within Chi's soul.
Then, his thoughts were abruptly yanked back to reality.
The ruined city returned to its original state, and the boy stood where he was, unmoved.
His eyes had returned to normal, as if what Chi had just witnessed had been nothing but an illusion.
But it wasn't just a fantasy—those blood-red eyes were real.
Chi had been caught in this kind of illusion before, so he knew exactly what was happening.
What he couldn't understand, however, was how someone other than Zhong Yan could possess those eyes.
After a long pause, Chi finally recovered and asked in a suspicious, uncertain voice, "What's your relationship... with him?"
By "him," he naturally meant Zhong Yan.
"That's a hard question to explain clearly... but I must find him now. From what I remember, you... should have a way to contact him, right? Then I'll ask you to do me this favor."
Chi looked hesitant upon hearing that. He didn't trust the boy in front of him, but something about him didn't feel evil.
He knew well that the Sharingan could read memories—if the boy had ill intent, he would've attacked outright instead of releasing him from the illusion.
With that in mind, Chi no longer hesitated. He nodded and said, "Alright. I'll contact him now."
...
At the same time, deep within the Hollow Zero—
Looking at the massive expanse of city ruins before him, Zhong Yan's mood had hit rock bottom.
"That guy... is gone."
He had come here to find the ruler of the Ethereal horde. He thought the task would be simple, but no matter how he searched, he found no trace of the target.
It was as if the being knew he was coming and deliberately went into hiding.
"Is this another trick from those so-called Exaltists..." Zhong Yan muttered. The situation was growing increasingly unfavorable for him.
If he kept wasting time like this, he might not even get the chance to regret it later.
Just as he was feeling lost, his communicator suddenly vibrated.
It was a device meant for communicating with Akatsuki members. In the Hollow, it could only send alerts, not detailed messages.
"It's Chi contacting me? Could something have happened with Belle?" As soon as he saw who it was, Zhong Yan's first thought went to Belle and Zhong Lan.
With no progress on this side, after a brief moment of thought, Zhong Yan decided to leave the Hollow Zero.
The moment he returned to New Eridu, he dialed Chi's number.
Soon, Chi's voice came through the other end: "Chief, I'm on Sixth Street right now. There's something I need to talk to you about. Can you come?"
"You actually have something to talk to me about..." Zhong Yan was surprised. Chi rarely contacted him of his own accord.
With that thought, Zhong Yan didn't hesitate. Activating Kamui, he appeared at Chi's location within a few breaths.
Same deserted ground, same two figures—Chi and the boy. With Zhong Yan's arrival, the atmosphere at the scene grew subtly tense.
Chi wanted to explain, but didn't know how. He had no idea about the boy's identity or purpose.
After hesitating, he finally pointed at the boy and said, "Boss, he says he's here to see you."