Though Hoshimi Miyabi hadn't moved yet, Nineveh—tail lashing through the sky—was already pressing the assault.
The building pierced by Zane's fall now had a gaping hole through it, yet remained standing, likely due to its sturdy construction.
Nineveh dove down through the breach, her body spiraling gracefully—each motion exuding an elegant fluidity.
Her arms folded in front of her as the core inside the flower bud on her head flickered violently, gathering energy for a devastating strike.
On the ground, a section of building crumbled with a loud crash. Debris scattered, and Zane pulled himself free, bracing with one arm.
"What the hell is going on?"
Through the smoke and dust, he looked up at the descending Nineveh, baffled by her sudden shift.
If she wanted to attack, why wait until now?
A terrifying energy converged. The core in Nineveh's head swelled nearly a size larger—Zane could feel the threat rising and lowered his stance.
That blast would be no joke.
Given the terrain, dodging was hardly an option...
So he'd take it head-on!
The twin axes that had vanished earlier reappeared in his hands. Gripping one heavy, razor-sharp axe, Zane extended his other hand to channel Ether energy.
In an instant, a pitch-black crystal shield formed over his arm, its surface pulsing with Ether energy—reinforcing its defense and regenerating against damage.
Black and red streaks collided. Nineveh raised an arm to strike, but Zane met the blow with his shield. A dull thud echoed through him.
His knees bent slightly, but he didn't flinch. He swung his axe upward, coated in frost, surging with elemental energy.
Clang!
The axe blade struck Nineveh's body with the sound of metal hitting steel. Still, it wasn't without effect—the blade dug in slightly, slicing through part of her surface.
From that point of contact, an icy blast exploded outward. Frost rapidly crystalized, trying to lock Nineveh down.
Behind the shield, Zane's eyes glinted coldly. He accelerated the flow of ice-element Ether, aiming to restrict her movement.
Fighting her in the sky was far too troublesome.
He couldn't fly, after all.
Then—a surge of danger pulsed through him.
Zane looked up from the unshielded edge of his defense. The core in Nineveh's head blazed like a multicolored beacon, glowing with an intense halo.
Her attack was nearly ready.
Zane hadn't underestimated her for a moment. Spotting this, he pushed hard with one hand—his axe carved across her body, opening a gash from which light poured.
At the same time, the Ether crystal shield expanded, enveloping Zane entirely. Outside, sharp tendrils pounded the shield, spreading cracks through its surface.
Nineveh's core flashed violently—she was at her limit. She aligned it with the faltering shield, preparing to unleash her full power.
High above, Hoshimi Miyabi arrived. She looked down at the deadlock below, unable to decide:
Should she intervene?
When?
And against whom?
As she furrowed her brow, Nineveh's charged energy hit its peak—exploding outward.
At that instant, the Ether shield shattered—not from the outside, but from within.
Zane had broken it himself!
The moment the crystal burst apart, his twin axe, swung in a perfect arc, traced a pale blue crescent through the air, crackling with lightning.
Boom!!!
The axe slammed into Nineveh's upper body. With the added momentum of electrical energy, the force was brutal—her chest caved in, her body arching backward.
Her core now fully exposed, energy burst skyward!
A brilliant column of multicolored light erupted from the ground, piercing the dim atmosphere of Hollow Zero.
The blast soared into the clouds and exploded.
In a flash, the hazy sky split open, revealing the eerie pale heavens beyond.
...
Far off, the members of Hare's House and Hollow Special Operations Unit 6 also saw the spectacle. The light column was impossible to miss.
"What the hell happened over there?"
Harumasa clenched his jaw. His body still ached from the Dennies' explosion—he couldn't join the fight even if he wanted to.
Soukaku and Tsukishiro Yanagi weren't in much better shape.
"There's no way your section chief caused something that massive…"
Nicole stared up at the light column. Was that Zane's doing?
No—it didn't match his fighting style.
While the others speculated, Hoshimi Miyabi watched the aftermath with a grim expression.
Nineveh's core flickered—but not with explosive power. It was dimming, weakening.
The light pillar thinned out. The core blinked feebly, still struggling, but it couldn't produce the same overwhelming force again.
As the column faded, Nineveh's many tentacles dropped. She had remained aloft while fighting Zane, never touching the ground—but now she couldn't stay up. Even the flower at the tip of her tail wilted and collapsed.
Her massive body crashed to the earth, kicking up a thick cloud of dust. That single blow had drained her completely, leaving her frail and vulnerable.
And still—her final beam of light, even in her fall, sliced off a corner of a distant skyscraper.
The rubble fell with a deep, echoing crash.
...
Through the smoke, Zane slowly approached the collapsed Nineveh. His eyes were icy, his tall frame radiating intimidation.
He glanced at the sky—clouds slowly regathering. Then he looked at the severed corner of the building.
If he'd taken that attack head-on…
Yeah, no chance.
"Why the sudden shift in personality...?"
His gaze dropped back to Nineveh. The petals around her head slumped down, dimming the light of her core.
Should he finish her off?
He hesitated.
Her change in behavior likely pointed to something deeper. This wasn't random.
...
Suddenly—something sliced through the air.
Zane instinctively conjured an Ether longsword and raised it sideways to block.
Clang!
A shockwave burst from the clash, sweeping away the lingering smoke.
Hoshimi Miyabi emerged, robe billowing, her blade crackling with energy as it clashed with Zane's Ether weapon. The energies sparked and canceled as they met.