The massive explosion had shifted the spatial fissure, and recalculating its configuration would take considerable time. Ether activity surged violently inside the Doppelgänger Hollow, disrupting electrical signals. The more complex the network, the more likely it was to fail.
Predictably, the military's communication systems malfunctioned. Restoring them would not be easy.
Fortunately, Section 6 used an independent network with far fewer users, allowing them to avoid the disruption entirely.
As a result, they were the first to regroup.
Their reunion was steeped in silence.
Miyabi said nothing. Yanagi remained quiet.
Harumasa and Soukaku exchanged awkward glances—wide eyes staring at each other. Under normal circumstances, they'd crack a joke or make small talk, but with the atmosphere this tense, neither dared speak.
Even though beating Black senseless had felt cathartic, the outcome hadn't changed: he escaped again. His whereabouts were unknown, and they would now have to wait for the military to send an expert to locate the shifted fissure.
And that meant waiting for the military to restore communications.
"At least there's one bit of good news. The military has marked this operation as high priority. Communications should be restored in no more than three minutes."
Everyone fell quiet again. Finally, Yanagi sighed and stepped forward to lift their spirits.
Beside her, Harumasa lowered his head, counting on his fingers.
"Three minutes… Who knows how many Ethereals he's going to eat in that time? If he gets back to full strength we'll have to start from zero ag—ow ow ow!"
Yanagi had grabbed him by the ear, twisting sharply.
After a long struggle, she finally released him.
"Ow—!"
Harumasa rubbed his reddened ear, wincing. Turning away, he muttered:
"Hey, Yanagi! Even the Section Chief never pulled my ears growing up. How could you— Section Chief, that's not permission for you to try now. Please put your hand down."
Seeing the unusually curious look in Miyabi's eyes—as if she wanted to test the claim—Harumasa broke into a cold sweat. He raised both hands in surrender.
No way!
If Miyabi tried, she might twist his ear clean off.
He shot Yanagi a pitiful look, as if asking:
Why did you have to pull my ear in the first place?
"Because you were being pessimistic."
Yanagi planted her hands on her hips, raising a finger to lecture him.
"Since Section 6 was founded, it's never been smooth sailing. Don't lose heart over one small setback. Understood, Harumasa?"
"…Got it."
He turned away, uninterested in listening further.
I just want to go home and slack off…
Yanagi sighed, rubbing her forehead.
"Hey! Pay attention. You don't want the higher-ups to find out you used a fake medical slip to skip the meeting, do you—huh?"
"Wait—Deputy Section Chief, how did you know?!"
Panic flooded his voice. But Yanagi wasn't looking at him anymore.
"Who's that?"
Harumasa turned as well.
A figure drenched in blood staggered toward them, wrapped in thick layers of clothing—more serial killer than scientist. But his trembling steps lacked any threat; he looked more like someone at death's door.
Harumasa hesitated.
"Are you… Bern?"
The scientist limped closer. Hearing Harumasa, he shot him a glance before ignoring him, directing his gaze toward Yanagi and Miyabi—the only two present with authority.
"You… cough… how exactly were you surrounding Black? He just fell in front of me! cough cough—"
He complained between painful coughs, finally spitting out a mouthful of black blood.
Harumasa rushed to help, but Bern slapped his hand away.
"Stay back! Don't irritate me."
"Hey, you—"
"Enough, Harumasa. Step back," Yanagi ordered softly.
She turned to Bern. "Mr. Bern, you know where he is?"
"In the infirmary."
Bern gave her a strange look, then grinned.
"There's a squad of soldiers there. If they hadn't protected me, I'd be dead by now!"
Whoosh!
Before he finished speaking, Miyabi vanished—darting off on her own.
"Hey—Section Chief, wait!"
Soukaku, relieved she no longer had to deal with Bern, sprinted after her immediately.
"Boss! Harumasa! Hurry up!"
With half the team gone, Soukaku urged Yanagi.
She glanced at Bern, then at the direction Miyabi had gone—hesitating for only a moment.
Leaving the critically injured chief scientist behind… felt irresponsible.
"What are you waiting for? Go assist your Section Chief!"
Bern waved them off irritably.
"Hurry! I only came to tell you where he is. Go!"
Tsk… this guy…
Maintaining her polite smile, Yanagi mentally downgraded Bern to kitchen waste, then dragged Soukaku along.
Guided by Carrot, the two arrived at the infirmary five minutes later.
Yanagi gasped.
"How… could this happen?"
She covered her mouth, staring at the carnage.
Bodies lay strewn across the floor. Blood pooled in heavy streams.
Soukaku forced herself to examine them. Each soldier's neck had four punctures—identical. Every drop of blood on the floor had spilled from those wounds.
"Is that… Soukaku…"
A faint whisper drifted from inside.
Soukaku flinched, hair standing on end—until she recognized the voice. She followed it carefully, stepping over bodies.
A familiar face appeared, slumped against the wall.
"Harumasa!"
Yanagi rushed over. One look made her freeze—his body covered in wounds, soaked in blood.
But they'd separated only minutes ago. How—?
She knelt.
"What happened?"
He didn't answer. He couldn't; his breath was barely there.
Yanagi leaned in—catching a fading whisper.
"The intel was wrong… Black can drink blood… Go help the Section Chief…"
BOOM!
The infirmary exploded.
Yanagi drew her naginata instantly, sweeping away falling debris.
A dark figure shot out through the shrapnel, skidding across the ground.
"Yabi!"
Hearing Yanagi, Yabi turned—face twisted in urgency.
"Yanagi! Take them and—"
BOOM!
Another shadow burst free—like a meteor.
It stomped down on Miyabi's blade, forcing her to brace with all her strength.
Sliding dozens of meters back, Miyabi regained control and swept her blade through the settling dust.
Only then did Soukaku and Yanagi see it clearly:
A figure identical to Phaga—wreathed in black smoke.
Wings shattered.
And in each hand, a barely breathing soldier.
[Didn't blow you up? You're a pain to kill, Ice Fox.]
Black lifted one soldier toward his fangs.
[If one explosion won't finish you, you've got plenty more soldiers.
If one blast won't do it, I'll blow you up ten times.
If ten aren't enough—then a hundred.]
[Either way… you're going to die.]
Miyabi's pupils constricted. She became a streak of light as she lunged—
Too late.
Black's wings erupted anew—scarlet and blazing, tripled in size.
Then—
Boom.