While the mbers of Hollow Special Operations Unit 6 joined forces to slay a high-ranking Ethereal and rushed to assist other battle zones...
On the other side of the Hollow in the Federer District—
It was Soldier 11 and Anby's turn to hold the line.
What they faced was far worse than in other areas: not only were there two Ethereals stronger than Notoriety level, a swarm of lesser Ethereal minions had also appeared, cutting off their mobility again.
Soldier 11 felt utter despair.
She knew that reinforcents would never co in ti.
And yet, sowhere in her heart, a faint hope flickered—maybe soone would show up.
She didn't even know who she was hoping for.
Anyone who could help would do.
She slashed through a vine with a flaming arc of her blade—
Only to be sent flying by another.
She crashed hard into a concrete wall,
Then slumped amid the rubble.
A mory flashed through her mind—
That battle in the C97 Hollow. She had felt just as hopeless back then, facing a Notoriety-class Ethereal.
But that ti had been different.
Back then, the people from Hare's House had cheered her on from behind. And Sam Li had descended from the sky to help...
This ti, Sam Li wouldn't co.
She didn't want him to—
These two Ethereals were far stronger than the last, a whole tier above.
Even if Sam Li showed up, how could he defeat both?
Still, Soldier 11 gritted her teeth, pushed herself up using her sword, and forced herself to stand.
Ahead,
She saw that Anby was holding off the two monsters alone—buying her a few precious seconds to recover.
But Soldier 11 could tell: Anby was running out of ti.
She grabbed her sword and charged forward, the blade sparking against the ground as it reignited in fla.
"Anby! That's enough!" she shouted. "You're not needed here anymore—there's still ti to escape!"
Anby, gripping her sword with both hands, dodged the Ethereals' attacks with agile footwork.
"I told you—just like before—I'm taking you with ."
That's what she'd said when she decided to leave the Defense Force. Soldier 11 had agreed back then—
But when the mont ca,
She hadn't followed Anby.
"You're still as naive as ever, Zero!" 11 yelled back. "You think we can escape together? Stop talking and go!"
Anby didn't answer. She just moved.
She didn't leave—
Instead, she rushed forward, sharing the burden of battle with Soldier 11.
"…Damn it," 11 muttered.
After all this ti,
Anby hadn't changed one bit—
Still the sa stubborn pain she'd always been.
Soon,
Soldier 11 was gasping for air. She could barely hold her sword, the flas on its blade long gone.
Even if Anby tried to escape now,
11 couldn't hold back the two monsters any longer.
As one of the Ethereal's giant hands ca crashing down—
Soldier 11 knew: she couldn't dodge this ti.
Still, her instincts made her try.
Boom!
The giant hand smashed down—
But to her shock, she had dodged it.
Nearby,
She heard her squadmates shouting:
"Did anyone else feel that? The Ether concentration just dropped!"
"Must be a fluke—hold them off! I'll check with the portable scanner..."
"No way it's just us—my breathing's easier too..."
"It's real! The Hollow's weakening! The Ethereals aren't as fast or strong as before..."
"That can't be right. The monsters are still alive—how is the Hollow receding?"
"Maybe the battles in other sectors are over—if we hang on a bit longer, backup might really co..."
...
Realizing the Ether levels were falling, hope flared again among the team.
Suddenly—
11 and Anby both looked up, sensing sothing.
A golden light glimred in the distant sky.
They couldn't see what it was—
But they both recognized the warm, gentle glow.
It was the sa golden radiance that had appeared when Sam Li ca before.
A spark of joy lit up in Soldier 11's heart.
"Sam Li's here?"
She didn't want him to throw his life away—
But still, seeing him now made her happy.
Anby stared silently at the distant light.
As it slowly descended, her eyes dimd.
She wished—
That glow wouldn't fall.
She wished it would fly toward them—like it always did—
And take down the Ethereals again.
But just as their guard slipped—
A massive hand burst from a nearby building.
Soldier 11 couldn't react in ti—
She was snatched up by the hand before she even realized it.
It had all happened too fast.
Neither of them had expected a third high-ranking Ethereal to be hiding in the ruins.
By the ti Anby reacted, it was already too late.
But she didn't hesitate.
She launched herself high into the air toward the monster.
A giant hand swept toward her—
But Anby didn't flinch.
She drove her blade deep into the creature's palm, then used it to leap again.
Midair—
She poured everything she had left—
Every ounce of strength,
Every last drop of power from her backpack battery—
Into one final strike.
Electric light exploded from her blade.
With a deafening crack—
Anby's sword tore through the Ethereal's arm.
The blast faded.
A severed arm hit the ground, shattered, and crumbled into black crystal.
Anby landed, breathless.
No ti for a follow-up.
She rushed to Soldier 11, pulled her free—
Only to find her unconscious.
No ti to wake her.
She turned and handed 11 off to a teammate.
"Take her and go."
Soldier 11 had always wanted Anby to leave the Hollow.
And Anby had wanted the sa.
The teammate hesitated.
"But the mission's not finished—"
"I'll handle the rest," Anby said firmly. "Just get her out of here."
"But can you hold them off?"
"I can."
Anby nodded without hesitation.
Her expression was unshakable—
And the team mber finally gave in, slinging 11 over her shoulder and leaving.
But she didn't see—
Anby's hand was trembling.
She could barely keep her grip on her weapon.
That last strike had drained everything.
Still—
She didn't let go.
She would buy 11 ti.
She would finish the mission for her.
Anby stood tall, refusing to collapse.
Facing three terrifying Ethereals,
She raised her trembling blade—
And pointed it straight at them.
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