When Belle arrives at the Random Play's parking lot, Wise, Nicole and the rest of the Cunning Hares are already there waiting for her.
"Here you are." Nicole greeted her. "We've figured out where the strongbox is. What about the task I gave you?"
Wise instantly knew what she was talking about. "You mean the flash drive? The data has been recovered." He replied. "Just like you guessed, it contains the password to the strongbox."
With the confirmation that the password had been recovered, Nicole called Billy and Anby. "OK, everyone! Thanks to the Proxies' help, preparations are complete. It's time for the next step!"
Nicole then points at Anby. "Anby! Explain the plan!"
Anby pulled out a map and showed it to everyone. "Okay. Everyone, please look at this map of New Eridu." She points out. "Our plan is: Enter the Cretan Hollow and defeat the superior Ethereal Dullahan, then recover the strongbox." She then went silent.
Confused at the abrupt end, Belle asked, "That's... it?"
"Yes. What's wrong?" Anby simply replied.
"So what's with the map?" Wise questioned.
"Nicole says we have to show some professionalism. We can't let our partners look down on us. Otherwise, it'll be hard to bargain with th- mpffh...!" Before she could say anything further, a hand enveloped her mouth.
"Saying too much again? Billy, why weren't you paying attention?" She points angrily at Billy.
Billy only looks offended at her. "It's not my fault! How was I supposed to know this was Anby's idea of a "professional" meeting..." Billy's eyes then went wide with realization. "Oh! That's why she watched all those crime investigation movies before the meeting!"
Belle, who has been watching the scene unfold, awkwardly interjected. "We can still hear you guys..."
"Ahem. Anyway, as Anby said, the goal is simple: Find and retrieve the strongbox!" Nicole explained after awkwardly clearing her throat. "Since there's no way to monitor the real-time situation from the outside, we'll need your support and guidance inside the Hollow!"
Belle and Wise looked at her silently before letting out a sigh. "Alright. Wise? Let's get ready. The faster she completes her commission the faster we get paid."
"That's the spirit. Billy, Anby, come on, we have a commission to complete." Nicole said.
"Let's do this./Affirmative." Both Billy and Anby said at the same time.
.....
Arriving in the Cretan Hollow, Nicole decides to speak up. "Alright, we made it into the Hollow! Now let's find my strongbox."
"Speaking of which, Boss, who told you about the location of the strongbox?" Billy asked, curious about how she had managed to get the information.
Nicole smirked at Billy in response. "Hah! That's a trade secret! You thought I'd just spill the beans like that? But, since we're on the same side, I guess I can let you in on a little secret."
"I'm all ears," Belle said, similarly curious about how she managed to get the information.
"I'm surprised you didn't take the chance to tease her. Is it because you know she gets pretty sensitive at times like this?" Said Wise.
Nicole looked at Phaethon in suspicion. "What... What are you suggesting?"
"Nicole, you just want to show off, right?" Belle guessed.
"Please don't put her on the spot like that. Nicole gets super sensitive in times like this." Anby casually blurts out causing Nicole to blush in embarrassment.
"Hey! I told you to stop blabbing so much, Anby!" Nicole chastised Anby. "Ahem! Actually, it was really easy! I have a few contacts at the Association who just so happened to have the records of routine observation missions and Ether resources for this Hollow."
Nicole then explained further. "I gave them an offer they couldn't refuse and asked them to help compare data from the last two mutations. Locating the strongbox was as simple as circling up the difference!"
Billy was impressed by how much connection Nicole must've had to pull some strings like that. "Sheesh, Nicole, you're good!"
"̶.̵.̸.̵D̸a̸t̷a̸ ̷f̵r̶o̷m̵ ̸t̸h̵e̶ ̸l̷a̷s̸t̴ ̴t̸w̸o̵ ̵m̶u̴t̵a̵t̶i̸o̷n̷s̶.̴ ̵L̴o̸c̵a̴t̵i̵n̶g̸ ̵t̷h̸e̷ ̷s̴t̴r̵o̸n̶g̴b̷o̶x̷ ̵w̷a̵s̶ ̵a̷s̴ ̸s̴i̵m̷p̴l̵e̶ ̷a̵s̷ ̷c̷i̵r̵c̷l̸i̸n̴g̷ ̶u̶p̷ ̵t̵h̵e̸ ̷d̶i̵f̷f̵e̸r̵e̶n̴c̴e̶!̴"̶
̶"̴S̴h̵e̶e̴s̷h̴,̶ ̵N̵i̵c̷o̵l̸e̴.̷.̶.̶ ̸g̵o̸o̴d̸!̶"̵
Belle was confused as to why the two would repeat the same sentence again. "Huh? Why'd you say that again?
"Proxy? Are you daydreaming? Isn't it time to go? I may know the approximate location of the strongbox inside the Hollow, but it's up to you to get us there!" Nicole said in confusion.
With that little bout of confusion, the group made their way to the location of the strongbox although with a little bit of unease in their mind.
.....
After dispatching a few Ethereals, the group decided to stop to gather their thought.
"Hmm... the air around here seems to have grown thicker," Anby observed.
Billy taps his head a few times. "Yeah. The resolution on my video sensors just dropped, too."
"That means we've..." Whatever Nicole was trying to say we're interrupted by static. "Right, Proxy?"
"Sorry, Nicole! I couldn't hear you. What was that?" Asked Belle.
Nicole looked angry at that. "Hey, don't drift off while guiding us! I paid top dollar to hire the best Proxy around, Phaethon! Watch out or you might just get a negative rating on Inter-Knot!"
"Watch out or you might just get a negative rating on Inter-Knot!"
"That had better be a joke. Though... I think there really might be a problem on our side."
"It's not "might," Belle, there really is something wrong with the HDD, it's reporting an error," Wise reported. "Wait a sec, I'll sync and try a debug."
"Manager? Do we wanna keep going?" Asked Billy.
"Listen up guys, the Ether activity has impacted our HDD signal. Hold tight!" Wise tried to want them. Whether they heard or not was anyone's guess as Belle suddenly disconnected from Eous.
.....
"Huh? Belle? Why did you disconnect?" Wise asked his sister, confusion laced in his voice.
Belle put her hand on her head in frustration. "I didn't disconnect, I got kicked off. The connection between the HDD and the Hollow was severed!"
"Start a debug. Now!" Told Wise.
"Right!" Belle agreed as she got started right away. She tried just about anything to restore the connection before frustration got the best of her making her give up. "Uh, it's no use. I've tried everything, but I can't restore the connection."
"Strange. The Hollow... shouldn't so easily affect the HDD." Wise turned to Belle. "The real issue is Nicole and the others. Without the HDD, we have no way of contacting them inside the Hollow."
"No Carrot, no Proxy... Even with a good aptitude for Ether, they'll be corrupted if they stay in the Hollow too long." Belle said.
An idea then struck her head. "There's one more thing we can try..." Raising her hand, she pressed a button on the desk. "Reset it!"
"Haven't you heard the saying? Turning it off and back on again can fix anything..." Belle stated.
Wise could only shake his head at his sibling's behaviour. It was then he noticed something strange. "Belle, didn't you shut it down? Why is the screen still on?"
It finally dawned on them what was happening. "So, the connection problems..."
"Aren't on our side," Belle concluded.
"Hmph. I thought you'd never figure it out..." Another voice then spoke out to the siblings as they watched a logo appear on the screen. "Phaethon!"
"Oh, so this is all the famous Proxy Phaethon can do?" The voice taunted them. "As you can see, the system is mine now."
"What do you want?" Asked Belle simply.
"What do I want? Hehe, my request is simple — I want the code to the strongbox."
"What strongbox? What code?" Belle replied while simultaneously trying to retake control of the system. 'We can't let this guy take control of the HDD, we have to find a way to take the system back!'
"Oh, playing dumb? Do you not understand what's going on? Just give me the code to the strongbox. And, if you think being subtle will keep me from detecting an attempt to take back control, you're sorely mistaken. Don't waste your energy. I'm getting impatient. Give me the code." The hacker demanded.
"Repeat yourself all you want, but if we don't know what it is, we can't give it to you." Wise talked back.
"Wrong answer." The hacker stated. "Hmph, so you're playing dumb. Okay, I'll have to refresh your memory." The hacker then went silent for several seconds. "This device I've taken control of seems to be important to you."
"Wait! What are you doing...?" Exclaimed Belle as several files were opened in quick succession.
"Your punishment for lying."
System notification: Database formatting in progress...
Database formatting complete.
"This isn't good, there's no way to save the alpha database..." Wise said quietly as he watched years of hard work go down the drain.
"Get it now? A few taps on the keyboard, and I can turn everything you're so proud of into meaningless ones and zeroes." The hacker boasted. "I'll only delete some of it this time. But remember, your fate is in my hands now."
"Your clients are messing with the wrong person. They've gone after something they shouldn't. The strongbox. I know you got the password from Silver's drive. Think carefully before you reply."
"Dammit, this guy..." Wise said, frustrated at the turn of event
"Speaking of your clients, that unlucky crew is wandering around aimlessly in the Hollow right now. I happened to have recorded something interesting. Maybe this video will change your mind." A file was then sent to them. "I sent it to you, Phaethon. I'll leave the video access function for you, so find another way to play it, and hurry up!"
Wise looked confused for a moment. "Another way? But we don't have... Oh, the TV! Okay, I'll transfer the video to a tape.
While Wise is preparing to watch the tape, Belle laments about the whole situation. "The timing on this hack is terrible, Wise. What are we gonna do? What do they want from us..."
"This could have something to do with the commission." Wise implied.
Belle nodded in agreement. "Let's get in touch with Nicole, pronto. We have to see what that guy's sent, ASAP!"
.....
When the tape played, the TV showed the Cunning Hares fighting Ethereals.
"Get out of the way!" Nicole shouted as she swung her weapon.
Billy then noticed several more Ethereals creeping up from behind. "Whoa, more enemies behind, too!"
"Watch the side!" Said Anby as she sliced an Ethereal with her sword.
Nicole then turned to Eous. "Hey! Is this really the right way?" She got no replies from the Bangboo as Eous continued walking forward aimlessly.
"Hey. What's going on with the Manager? Walking around all like absentmindedly and ignoring the fight..." Questioned Billy.
"Proxy?" Nicole once again asked.
"Angry perhaps? Because Nicole haggled on the deposit?" Assumed Anby.
"Really? Is that it?" To be honest, it wouldn't be surprising to him.
Nicole looked offended at that. "Of course not!"
The three observed as the Bangboo continued on as if nothing was happening at all.
"Strange. Ever since we entered the Hollow, it's like the Proxy hasn't been leading us." Nicole Noted. "Are they in some kind of trouble on the outside?
Nicole then blocked Eous's path. "Hey! Is everything alrigh..."
Yet, Eous only looked at her with a pair of empty red eyes, reflecting Nicole's appearance on its screen.
"Don't go over there!" Warned Nicole as she hit an Ethereal that managed to sneak up behind her.
The Bangboo is seemingly unresponsive as it walks straight into a group of rushing Ethereals.
"Come on, stop them! Protect the Proxy!" Nicole instructed her team.
As they were fighting the Etherals, Nicole was still calling the Bangboo, hoping to snap it out of its trance. "Proxy? Proxy? Dammit... What on earth is happening?" She lamented. "Ugh, today's been a nightmare!"
Eventually, after much fighting and running, they managed to hide behind a train carriage, making the Ethereals lose sight of them.
"Those Ethereals are still here," Anby said after peeking a little to see the situation.
"They're like our landlord on rent day." A ding then is heard from his pocket as he pulls out a device. "Hm, there goes the timer again, we've already stayed in the Hollow four times the recommended amount."
Nicole picked up Eous in frustration. "If you don't get in contact soon, you can forget about me paying my bill!"
"Hide!" Anby said after noticing something.
Billy was startled as he gripped his weapons tight. "W—What? Are those monsters back again?"
"Not the Ethereals. There's a Hollow Investigation Squad, up ahead."
"Of course... It's the Investigators. Wait, Investigators?!" Billy exclaimed. "Boss, we're saved! They're from the Investigative Association. They have a Carrot! We can ask them for help and follow them out of the Hollow!"
"Don't be stupid. Don't you see those Public Security guys with them?" Nicole pointed out. "We're Hollow Raiders. Even if they help us, they'll arrest us right afterwards."
"That might be true if it were just us." Billy gestured to Eous. "But with that..."
Billy then reminded Nicole of some information. "Don't you remember? Public Security's policy? If you report a Proxy, they may expunge your record..."
Anby agreed with Billy. "As things stand, Billy's proposal is quite feasible. Trade the Proxy's identity for our safety or continue pacing around waiting for the Bangboo to return to normal."
"Ok, Boss... It's your call to make. Whatever you decide, we'll follow your orders." Assured Billy.
Nicole looked at the Bangboo before closing her eyes before making the decision.
"Boss?"
Nicole put Eous down on the ground. She watched as it started to wander straight forward.
"Enough chatter... We can't stay here any longer." "Let's go."
"Wait, Nicole." Anby called out.
"Hmm...?"
"You might want to hear this."
Nicole was curious as to what she was talking about so she decided to eavesdrop on the Investigator.
"Alright people. Stay sharp." The leader addresses. "Keep an eye out for any sign of Fallen Angel, If any of you managed to find something, report it back to me. Understood?"
"Understood, sir."
With that, the Investigators continue with their search, oblivious to the Cunning Hares nearby.
Nicole, Anby, and Billy looked at each other in concern before silently going back to following Eous, who had wandered a bit farther away."
.....
Back at the video store, Belle and Wise had just finished watching the tapes.
"I have to say, I'm touched. Proxies and Hollow Raiders are wolves stealing profit from the Hollows behind the Investigative Association's back. All constantly ruining each other in the name of greed." Stated the hacker.
"But to protect your secret identity, they actually gave up the chance to escape, hahaha. Unfortunately, the ones being rescued don't seem to plan on returning the favour." The sibling could feel the sarcasm dripping from the taunt
Belle had enough of the taunting. "Enough, hacker, I get it now. I'll give you the code."
Wise looked at Belle with shock. "Huh? Wait, what are you..."
"But I can't just give it to you. It's an electronic code, and it was saved to the database you just deleted."
"What?! Are you joking?" The hacker shouted in panic at possibly screwing themselves over.
"Ahem... Don't panic. The password was recovered using Inter-Knot's computing power, and there's a backup on the network. We can get the password if you give us back system control..." Wise assured.
"No way! Proxies, Hollow Raiders, none of you can be trusted. Including Phaethon. I know you've been secretly trying to take back control."
"Huh? Wait, there's "a backup on Inter-Knot?" The hacker picked up on what Wise said. "Hand over your Inter-Knot account. I'll retrieve the strongbox password myself."
"....."
"Hey, answer me! Ah, I almost forgot. Inter-Knot is the foundation of a Proxy's business. Losing the account is losing any proof Phaethon ever existed. But to save those in the Hollow, you'll have to think quickly. They'll become monsters if they stay there too long."
"If we give you the Inter-Knot account, then what?" Wise angrily called out. "You ruined our system, so who'll save them?"
"I promise I'll save them. How's that? You have no choice but to trust me."
Wise relented at that. "Okay, I'll give you our Proxy account. But if you go back on your word, I'll make you pay!"
[Confidential data transfer complete]
"Even the source authentication code page was transferred. Good, looks like you've given up completely." The hacker sounded pleased.
Belle turned to the screen. "We'd like to ask a question."
"Since you're cooperating, I'm in a good mood. Ask me."
"What's in the strongbox that's so important?" Asked Belle.
"It's something someone like you will never get your hands on, but I guess I can reveal a little. As you know, the Hollows are changing all the time. The Carrots used to get out function by calculating a huge amount of Hollow data." The hacker explained to them.
"However, Hollow observation equipment accumulates errors. So to ensure data remains valid, it must be re-calibrated using the Hollow master data every few days, the single copy of 'Rosetta Data' that's in the hands of the city's rulers. Inside the strongbox is something comparable to that Rosetta Data. With it, you can enter and exit the Hollows freely." The hacker revealed.
"I see, so it really is valuable." Said Belle, impressed at the information she received.
"For Proxies and Hollow Raiders, it must be a dream find. If not dealt with, it could shake the very foundations of New Eridu. But it has nothing to do with you. Okay, enough talk. Tell me where the code is.
"Have you activated your Proxy certification yet?" Asked Wise.
"Yes."
"With that said, we have one final question. For real this time." Said Wise.
"Whoa now, don't misunderstand. We aren't 'friends,' so don't push your luck.
A smirk formed on Wise's lips. "My question is, since you're such a master hacker, why not just steal the password from our system? After learning the password is backed up on Inter-Knot, why not just hack the network and steal it?"
"What? I'm warning you, don't make me forget my promise." The hacker sounded defensive at that.
Wise continued his verbal assault. "Now that I think about it, other than taking control of my system, you haven't implemented anything else a hacker would. Instead, you just blackmailed us with Nicole and the others' safety like some kind of 'kidnapper'."
Belle then attempted to further the intimidation. "A word of warning. You've already made a big mistake. The life and death kind."
"Shut up! Just tell me where the backup is."
"Don't worry, mystery hacker. We're helping you. Listen carefully, can you hear sirens nearby?" Wise points out.
"W—What did you do?"
"We're just fulfilling our duty as model citizens of New Eridu." Wise explained casually. As the election approaches, the city administration is calling for citizens to actively report dangerous individuals such as Proxies and Hollow Raiders. They even opened a hotline!"
"Answer my question! What did you do?"
"To be precise, I just called Public Security and gave them information about a certain Inter-Knot account."
The hacker seemed to realise what was going on. "Oh, I get it... So, that's it! It was planned! You'd even abandon your identity as Phaethon to trick me!"
"No, you're wrong. We aren't giving up our identity, just our account." Belle corrected.
"T-This isn't over! You'll pay!" With that, the hacker seemingly disconnected, their logo disappearing from the screen.
"We did it!" Belle joyously cried.
Wise looked proud at himself. "We've regained full control of the HDD now."
"Well done, bro."
"You too."
Belle sat down and began to prepare the HDD. "You know, that was some pretty good acting right there."
"You're one to talk! You offered to give them the password out of the blue. Weren't you afraid I wouldn't understand?"
"What can I say? We are Phaethon, after all. Great, connection restored! Let's get Nicole and the others out of there!" Belle proclaimed.
.....
Back at the Hollow, the morale of the group was at an all-time low as they sat on the ground. "howl I've mutated into a monster. Rawr~"
Billy only sighs and pulls his hand from Anby. "Anby, don't bite my hand... You're gonna hurt your teeth..."
"Sorry, I was just trying to cheer Nicole up. I guess I'm not so good at this." Said Anby.
"But you're right. We've been in the Hollow for a long time. Even with our Ether aptitude, it just means we'll become monsters slower..."
"Tch... This isn't like me..." Nicole looked rather down. "The Cunning Hares only care about money... Not caring about others is my motto."
"So you're secretly a good person?" Said Belle.
"Heh, good person, huh? Losing my life in a Hollow for a title like that. I must be stu..." Before she could finish speaking, she finally realized who had just spoken to her. "Aaaahhhh!"
"Little late to be screaming..."
"Proxy?! Is that really you?!" Nicole asked with a tinge of relief in her voice.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. We've actually been online for a while now." Wise said. "Anby and Billy were both making a fuss. You were probably so busy being sentimental that you didn't notice~"
"So you heard everything... Ughhhhh..." Nicole blushed in embarrassment.
"Don't be embarrassed, it happens to all of us." Belle assured, trying to soothe Nicole.
"I-I'm not embarrassed!" Nicole looked to side, trying not to make eye contact with Eous. "Enough chit-chat! Proxy, what happened just now?"
The Phaethon siblings then went on to explain all that had happened to them.
"...Is that so? The manager cut off all comms with us because a hacker penetrated their device." Billy summarised.
"So it wasn't because of Nicole haggling on the price." Nicole looked angrily at Anby at her comment.
"I may be a Proxy but I'm not THAT merciless!" Expressed Belle.
Nicole hugs the Bangboo in joy. "I knew I wasn't wrong about you two!" She then put Eous down and began to think about the commission. "Hmmm... So the Proxy thinks there's something up with the flash drive holding the password. Is that hacker using it to trace you?"
Wise confirmed Nicole's suspicion. "We checked the HDD for security risks, and that was the most likely."
"If that's the case, the Red Fang Gang didn't snatch the strongbox for themselves. They're working a commission for someone else..." Deduced Nicole.
"Just like us!" Exclaimed Billy.
"If it weren't for the Proxy's intervening, we'd be the ones on the firing line," Anby added.
"Thank Starlight we got you, Manager! Why you're as reliable as the Starlight Knight's sidekick, Meteor-Mutt!"
"Uhh, thanks... I think?" Belle responded, not sure if that was a compliment or something else.
"Coming from Billy, that's about the highest praise you can get." Anby assured Belle.
"Well... judging by the fee, I assumed it was just a simple stolen goods job. But it's just another scumbag sticking their nose in other people's business again. I'm never trusting another agent ever again! I gotta ditch this like a hot potato once I get back. And I gotta charge double my price to that agent!"
Anby turned to Nicole. "Nicole, I suggest speeding up the search. We're reaching the limits of our Ether aptitude in this Hollow. If our combat strength drops again due to corruption, I'm afraid we won't be able to take care of any accidents we come across on the way to finding this strongbox."
"Accidents? You mean like that Red Fang dude who mutated into that superior-level Ethereal?" He still remembers how quickly and brutally Silver had transformed.
Anby nodded. "Yeah. That Dullahan is probably still looking for us in the Hollow."
"Anby's right. We have to speed things up and find the strongbox before that monster does! C'mon Proxy! Lead us to our target!" Said Nicole as Belle began leading them to their destination.
.....
After some time had passed, the group finally reached the location of the strongbox although, the place looked like it had seen war.
"Shesh... You two really tear this place up huh." Commented Nicole. "Found it!"
Anby and Billy looked at each other in confusion. They were pretty sure this place was intact the last time they were here.
Before they could question it however, Anby sensed something coming up behind her. Turning around, she barely manages to parry a slash from the Dullahan.
"Found it!" Anby's eyes widened a little when she saw that the Dullahan was missing its shield. It was as if something had cut its arm off.
Billy also seemed to notice it. "Jeez. Whoever this guy fought must be strong."
"That's MY strongbox!" Nicole declared as she and her team readied their weapon.
The Dullahan rushed at them at an almost breakneck speed, swinging its sword at Nicole.
Anby rushed to the front, parrying it while Billy circled around the Ethereal, carefully shooting it while it was distracted.
"Anby, get back!" Anby retreated from her fight as Nicole launched an Ether Grenade at the Dullahan, stunning it.
Without missing a bit, after the blast had worn off, Anby went right back at it with a finishing blow.
"Fracture!" With a burst of electricity, Anby launched her body upward, slashing the Dullahan in its torso before coming down to the ground and slicing and electrifying it at the same time.
After she finished, the now defeated Dullahan disintegrated into nothingness as the group sighed in relief.
"Phew. Thank Starlight the guy was weaker than the last time Anby and I fought." Billy said, wiping his sweat.
"Haha! Finally... Finally!" Nicole raised her arms as she ran straight to Anby and Billy who thought that Nicole was trying to high-five them. "Found you!" Only to have their hope dashed as Nicole went past them and to the strongbox instead.
Belle climbed the strongbox to directly address Nicole. "I hate to spoil your fun... But it's a little soon to be celebrating! Nicole, could you calm down and listen... It's that stupid hacker's fault! They deleted the extraction data I'd prepared."
"You mean we can't get out?!" Screamed Nicole, her body slumping onto the ground. "Haha, all that trouble to get here... but we're no closer to getting out. I didn't expect this would be the end."
Billy cried out in despair at the hopelessness of the situation. "Damn, so unfair. I didn't even get to have dinner with Monica... but it's been a good life."
Anby attempts to calm them down. "Calm down. We'll figure something out."
Belle shakes her head at how dramatic the Cunning Hares is being. "There's no need for dramatics. I have another solution, I just need the nod from Nicole."
"Go for it!" Agreed Nicole without hesitation.
"Agreeing a little early, yeah?" Belle said. "The mysterious person who hacked into my system said the strongbox contained something like the Rosetta Data, something that could be used to get in and out of the Hollows." Explained Belle to the trio. "If that's true, we can use it to get out of the Hollow! But you'd have to agree to letting me open it..."
"Uhm, I already said yes!" Nicole repeated.
Belle eyed Nicole in suspicion. "Are you sure it's okay? What will you tell your client?"
"It's life and death here! Besides, if I don't get out, who's gonna bring him the strongbox? Just open it! You already know the code right?"
"Yeah, I do! But I don't know exactly what's stored inside. I'm not sure what the consequences of forcefully accessing the data might be..." Answered Belle as she keyed the password in, opened the strongbox and pulled out a chip inside.
Anby had one last question. "Wait, there's one thing I don't understand. Why risk coming back to help us when your real body was already outside the Hollow? You could have just left? What are you planning?"
"Anby!"
"What a strange question." Stated Belle at the rather weird question from Anby.
"I'm your Proxy. I promised to get you out, so that's what I'll do."
"And, if for some reason I fail, the H.D.D. system will automatically post a commission to get you out on the Proxy Network. If that happens, I'll..."
Nicole assured Belle with her words. "Don't worry, whatever happens, we'll go to the store and save you!"
"You can say what you want, you're not getting a discount!"
Inserting the chip, an intense light engulfed the Bangboo making the three Cunning Hares close their eyes.
When the light died down, Eous lay there quietly, not moving a single inch of its robotic muscle.
Worried about what had just happened, Nicole cautiously approached Eous and slowly made it stand upright. "Proxy? Are you there?" She questioned.
When the Bangboo only remained silent, panic and worry began to take hold. Her thoughts were filled with regret at taking this stupid commission in the first place and guilt at probably dooming the rest of the Cunning Hares to a fate worse than death.
"Follow... Me..." A voice emanated from the Bangboo before seconds later, it began to walk from the group.
"Boss come on, the Manager is probably leading us out of here." The voice of Billy took Nicole out of her stupor as the group hurriedly followed the Bangboo.
And so, they followed it, from turn after turn, to fissure after fissure while also making sure Eous was safe from any stray Ethereals.
"Hollow exit... approximately... 500 meters."
"Did you hear that boss, we're so close to escape." Billy cheered up, making Nicole smile.
Before they could make their way to the exit, a loud roar rang throughout the Hollow. And then another, and then another.
"The sounds are coming from 12o clock, 3o clock, 6o clock, 9o clock," Anby observed. "We're surrounded."
"Warning... High counts... Ethereal... Proceed... Caution..."
The group looked at their surroundings, finding them completely filled by an assortment of Ethereals from the smallest Tryfing to a few of the bigger ones.
"Dammit. There are too many, boss. What should we do." Billy asked, already pointing his gun at the many Ethereals surrounding them.
"Not only that, at this point, we have been in the Hollow for far too long." Added Anby, hands ready at the handle of her weapon.
Looking at her two companions, Nicole gave them a smile of encouragement. "Come on guys, we've already come this far, what's a few more Ethereals?" She then readies her weapons, ready to wreak havoc.
"Boss!" Billy cried out while Anby gave Nicole a faintest of a smile.
With that, the Ethereals are finally done waiting and rushed straight towards the group, intending to take them apart.
"Bang!" Billy shouted as he fired his gun straight into a Tyrfing's Core, killing it instantly. He then went on, picking any small target he could find so they would not overwhelm the group with their numbers.
Anby meanwhile is busy fending the bigger Ethereals. She slashed her way through the smaller Ethereal should any get close while dodging and parrying the bigger Ethereal attack.
While the two were busy with their fight, Nicole was busy trying to protect Eous. She wildly swung her briefcase around, killing any and all stragglers who got too close while making sure to use her Ether Bombs on any of the big ones.
Yet, even while managing to fend off a few of them, it wasn't enough as more kept on pouring from all sides. Eventually, coupled with them being weakened from Ether Corruption, a few cracks slip in their defences.
"Billy! Watch out!" Nicole warned as she saw a Hoplitai charged straight at him.
"Huh?" Billy reacted too slowly as the Ethereal slammed into him, knocking him into the air and into the side of a train carriage. "Ugh... The repair is going to be expensive..."
Anby was only distracted for a split second as she watched Billy get damaged yet it was enough for a Metro Goblin to slam its fist to her side, flinging her right beside Billy.
Nicole rushed straight to her two injured teammates. "Billy, Anby, are you both alright?!" She checked their bodies, finding numerous injuries on them.
She then turned around, finding the Ethereals slowly encroaching on their position.
"Nicole... Ugh... Just get out without us." Anby breathed out.
"Anby's right, we'll cover your escape..." Billy followed up.
"Are you both crazy?! I am not leaving you two here!" She then turned to Eous, still somewhat quiet. "Proxy! Think of something!"
"Calculating... No other... way..."
Nicole almost yelled in frustration at that, yet suddenly, an idea sparked in her head. Standing up, she looked up at the moon before breathing in as hard as she could.
"Boss... What are you...?/Nicole?"
"Please, save us!!!" Nicole yelled out with all her might, her shout echoing throughout the Hollow.
Silent engulfed the area after her yell and for a moment all hope was lost as a Metro Goblin ran straight at them. Nicole clutched her weapon tight, ready for a final stand.
Just before the Ethereal arrived however, a spear made out of Ether crystal pierced the Metro Goblin's upper body, killing it instantly as a large silhouette engulfed the area in shadow.
"Warning... Unknown threat..."
Looking up to the source of the shadow, the three's breath hitched at the sight.
"Fallen Angel..." Nicole muttered quietly as she took in the sight of the Ethereal that managed to elude even veterans of the Hollow Investigative Association and, if the rumour is true, even H.A.N.D's Section 6.
The Ethereal possesses 6 pairs of wings on its back made of pure Ether Crystals. Its arms and legs are heavily armoured with small, gnarly-looking spikes protruding from them. Its body meanwhile is the same as any Ethereal safe for a fact that it resembled human more than any other Ethereal.
Yet, what caught them by surprise was how it had a head with a very human face on it. The face features an unnatural paleness to it along with no discernable feature making it very androgynous. Its eyes and hair, however, were unique as they glow with colours very much resembling Ether energy.
To top it all off, on top of its head sat a halo or some kind that is also made of Ether.
All in all, it was no wonder that anyone who caught even a tiny glimpse of it called it an angel.
If it wasn't for an Ether core in its chest, Nicole would have assumed this thing was a completely different being altogether.
"Do not be afraid." If its appearance wasn't enough, its ability to speak in a very male voice definitely made the Cunning Hares members even more speechless. There was never any news that it could speak. "Looks like the corruption hasn't completely taken over you. Good. Let me do my thing a bit."
It then proceeded to stretch its arms/claw toward them and their bodies began to glow as some sort of energy began to be absorbed into its hand.
When it was finished, the Cunning Hares felt their body rejuvenating. In fact, they couldn't feel any symptoms of Ether Corruption at all!
After observing them for a while, Fallen Angel turned his back on them to face the other Ethereal, who, with a roar, charged not at the Cunning Hares, but Fallen Angel itself.
Nicole, Billy, Anby and Eous watch as a spear of Ether crystal materializes in Fallen Angel's hand... Claws? as it charged straight toward the horde.
They watched as Fallen Angel killed a Goblin with a single stab to its core. It then dislodged the spear, somehow turning it into a sword, and began swinging it in a wide arc, cutting down a number of smaller Ethereals that had begun to surround him.
When a Farbauti swings its hammer-like arm downward to smash Fallen Angel, the one in question casually grabs its arm before cutting it from the Farbauti. It then proceeded to swing it towards the Farbauti's core, with any Ethereal unfortunate enough to get caught in its way being smashed to pieces.
When a Hati lunged at Fallen Angel, it discarded the now-destroyed arm and grabbed it by its mouth. The two wrestled for a while with Fallen Angel winning by throwing the Hati to the ground and then spearing its core while its mouth was still wide open.
The Cunning Hares could only watch in amazement as Fallen Angel killed Ethereals after Ethereals with ease. Yet, the number of enemies is still not decreasing.
"This ends now!" Shouted Fallen Angel. With a flap of its many wings, it flew into the sky. It then materialises a very big hammer before speeding back down again with an incredible speed... wait.
"Warning! Ether activity increasing rapidly!"
"Boss, get down!" Before it hit the ground, Billy and Anby got in front of Nicole and used their body to shield her and Eous from the incoming impact.
BOOM!
The impact caused the entire area to shake as if it were being hit by an earthquake. Any and all Ethereal caught in its blast was instantly turned to dust while others slightly outside the blast were sent flying everywhere. Even a few train carriages were overturned to their side.
Seconds felt like minutes as the Cunning Hares waited for the shockwave of the devastating attack to subside. When the dust settled, the four of them got off the ground, dazed.
"Boss? Am I in heaven?" Billy asked. It was rather hard to tell if he was serious or joking.
"Negative. There are no burgers here, we must be somewhere else." Anby replied.
Finding her voice again, Nicole was about to chastise the two for joking at a time like this when a large shadow loomed over her. Turning around, she comes face to face with her saviour? as Fallen Angel hovers just above her.
Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see Billy and Anby grabbing their weapons in anticipation of a fight. As much as she wants to scold them for being hostile towards their saviour, she ultimately couldn't blame them. After all, the being in front of them is still an Ethereal.
"Why are you still here? You should get out of here while you still can." Fallen Angel said to her, its claw still clutching onto its weapon.
"It's because ummm... Uh..." Nicole stuttered over her words. It's not every day you get to talk to an apparently sentient Ethereal. Hell, she probably is the first person to ever do so in the history of the world!
A hand grasped her shoulder, taking her out of her stutters as she saw Anby looking at her. "Nicole. Fallen Angel is right. We need to get out of here."
Billy, still with his pistols aimed at Fallen Angel, nodded in agreement. "We've been here long enough, Boss. Let's get out of here before any more Ethereals show up."
Getting up, she dusts herself off before asking Phaethon for directions. "Proxy, where's the exit?"
"Follow... Me..." The Bangboo then begins to lead them to the exit once again when they hear a distant roar.
"You all better hurry up." Fallen Angel urged them. "It won't be long before they come back."
"And uhh... thank you." Nicole thanked Fallen Angel. Even if Fallen Angel is an Ethereal, it still saved them after all. They then started running as fast as they could, only looking back once to see Fallen Angel one last time as it once again readied its weapon.
.....
With a thud, the group were thrown out of the Hollow after running straight toward a brick wall.
"We... We're alive, haha!" Billy cried out in joy after confirming that they indeed had made it out of the Hollow. "Manager... You did it... We got out..." Exclaimed Billy with tears of joy as he hugged the now limp Bangboo.
Anby however, looked at Nicole in concern. "Nicole. Is something bothering you?"
"Hmm... its nothing. Just thinking." Said Nicole. "Hey, do you two remember the 1000000 dennies bounty posted by the HIA asking for any reliable information regarding Fallen Angel?"
"Pretty hard to forget boss. What of it?"
"Let's just say we don't have to worry about rent this month."