"Ah, no, there's nothing like that here."
Sensing the mood shift, Wise quickly stepped in to clarify, then added to smooth over the awkwardness,
"Fairy, do you have a way to forcibly extract data from the Bangboo?"
"If you mean converting visual logs into video output, Fairy can do that."
"Huh? Who just spoke?"
Nekomata jumped at the unexpected voice, scanning the room in confusion. She definitely heard something that sounded like "Furry" again.
"Don't worry. It's just the new computer assistant we installed."
After Wise confirmed it, Fairy began the data conversion, its electronic voice continuing:
"Retrieving data. Please say: 'I'm so dumb, I should've asked you sooner...'"
Wise's mouth twitched slightly.
"I'm so dumb, I should've turned you off sooner..."
Moments later, the converted footage from Amillion's visual data played on screen. Zane, still pressing an ice pack to his nose, turned to watch.
In the footage, Nicole was being harassed by Red Fang Gang members. One of them foolishly opened her safe—and then passed out on the spot.
That's when Nekomata made her entrance.
She rescued Nicole from the ambush, offered her support, explained that she was the client from the earlier call—this was the "meeting" she'd referred to.
As for the odd method of contact, it was due to a delay caused by Zane's incident, which had distracted Hare's House and made her forget the agreed time and place.
The reason the trio from Hare's House was near Red Fang's turf was to investigate the origin of the safe for "Phaethon."
And their forced split-up? That was Billy's cyber cold acting up.
Nekomata then explained her new commission and filled in the details she hadn't clarified earlier.
After a brief standoff involving trust and money, and Anby's wild theories about Nekomata—like "new companions are always suspicious" and "they might turn into terrifying monsters later"—a Red Fang member tracked them down.
Just as he was about to expose Nekomata's identity, she knocked him out cleanly.
Anby caught on to the situation, but Nekomata's quick improvising helped keep things from spiraling.
Once Billy voiced Anby's frustration with "I was here first," and after Nicole's confident pitch, the two sides reached an agreement.
They searched two bases for Nekomata's family relics but came up empty. That left only one place: the Dead End Hollow.
Unlike in the original storyline, possibly due to the butterfly effect from Zane's involvement, Hare's House didn't wait until the next day. After a short rest, they headed out.
At the computer, Nekomata blushed furiously as she watched herself trying to act cute in the video. So embarrassing!
Meanwhile, a news segment about Vision played on the TV.
When the report announced that the last demolition train had already departed, Nekomata panicked.
"Oh no! If we don't stop the explosion, Nicole's going to end up buried under construction debris!"
Realizing the urgency, the siblings quickly strategized. With Fairy's help, they planned to enter the Hollow and intercept the train.
Zane, still lounging on the couch, quietly observed the scene.
This world... it still had a way of correcting itself.
He had already introduced a major butterfly effect. The disappearance of the Cretan Hollows had dramatically impacted the entire Janus District.
And since the Dead End Hollow was a companion Hollow also located in Janus, there was no way it wouldn't be affected.
Yet events still unfolded in a way that felt familiar to him.
After the plan was set, Nekomata left for the Dead End Hollow with Eous. Zane decided to go too.
"Eh? Zane, you're coming with us?"
Belle turned to him, pleasantly surprised. If Zane was going, then the whole mission suddenly felt a lot more secure.
Wise glanced at Zane. Being sharp, he had already guessed why Zane wanted to go.
"If that enemy shows up, we'll count on you to handle it."
He was referring to the Dead End Butcher.
Nekomata looked at Zane, puzzled. He was coming too?
The Hollows were dangerous, and this guy didn't look like much of a fighter...
"Um... the Dead End Hollow's going to be blown up. It's dangerous. Plus, Perlman's people are there..."
Nekomata was still feeling guilty for crashing into him earlier, and now she was genuinely concerned.
Belle glanced at Zane and chuckled quietly to herself.
Dangerous? For Zane?
The Defense Forces were nearly overwhelmed. Even if the Dead End Butcher was strong, he was still just a Notoriety-class Ethereal in a companion Hollow.
There were limits to that.
Seeing that neither Belle nor Wise objected, Nekomata relaxed. She prepared to head out with Zane and Eous—only for Panta to trot along enthusiastically.
"Mm-mm! (Fight, fun!)"
It was coming too! It wanted in on the Hollow action!
For some reason, after waking up, Panta felt stronger. Like it could actually help this time—even if it was up against those terrifying foes Zane had fought before.
"Alright, come along."
Zane didn't mind. Panta was his Bangboo, after all. Whether it helped or got in the way didn't matter.
As long as Panta was happy.
Zane had a special bond with it—it was his first companion in this world.
Soon, the four of them left the video store.
Belle began prepping the HDD system.
...
Along the way, after some introductions, the group went mostly quiet—just responding briefly to Belle's voice, which came through Eous.
"Zane, you must be really strong, huh?"
As they neared the Dead End Hollow, Nekomata realized something. If Phaethon didn't object to Zane going, they clearly trusted his strength.
If two legendary Proxies trusted him this much, he had to be a force to be reckoned with.
"Just average."
Zane rubbed the bridge of his nose. He hadn't needed the ice pack since the video store—the regenerative ability from his enhancements had already kicked in.
He was fine now.
"Just average?"
Nekomata didn't buy it. That was obviously just him being modest.
In her mind, Zane's image grew more and more mysterious.
She'd never met him before, so she had no idea...
That the guy she was now so curious about was the same one who once threatened to neuter the little black cat.