The underground facility was far more expansive than Zhong Yan had anticipated—an eerie testament to the time, effort, and secrecy poured into its construction. It was hard to imagine how long this group had labored to complete it beneath the depths of Hollow Zero.
Every captured individual was held at the very heart of the stronghold. The security in this central zone was overwhelming—so much so that even elite Hollow Investigative Association agents would likely fall here without backup.
But Zhong Yan had Kamui.
As long as he didn't teleport directly into an enemy's lap, he could infiltrate undetected.
At this moment, inside one of the facility's core holding cells, five prisoners sat in confinement—Nicole, Billy, Belle, Wise, and Nekomata.
The guards administered regular doses of anti-corruption meds to prevent them from turning into Ethereals due to prolonged exposure to residual ether. Say what you would about the enemy's morals—they still maintained a twisted sense of humanitarian decency. Meals were provided. There were even toilets in the cells.
Aside from the looming fear of the unknown and the monotony of captivity, conditions weren't entirely inhumane.
Among the five, the most desperate to escape was undoubtedly Nicole.
She'd already been locked up for days. Who knew how many calls she'd missed from clients? How many commissions had slipped through her fingers?
For someone as money-obsessed as her, every second wasted was like losing gold by the handful. This was torture—worse than death.
Currently, she was clinging to the iron bars, yelling at the two lazy guards lounging nearby. "You better let me out right now! If you don't, I swear I'll call in backup to teach you a lesson!"
The bored guards perked up at her threat, sauntering over with smirks on their faces.
"Oh? Backup? Who're you calling in—the Public Security Bureau? They wouldn't dare come this deep. That's suicide."
Indeed, this area was completely off the Hollow Investigative Association's radar. The Bureau would never risk an unsanctioned incursion.
And Nicole, a mere Hollow Raider, was hardly the type to go crying to officials.
"Ever heard of Uchiha? Yeah, that Uchiha. He's a friend of my friend, and he's definitely coming for us. You two better start praying."
She crossed her arms, sounding far more confident than she felt. Truthfully, she wasn't sure if Uchiha could find them. But she trusted Zhong Yan would do whatever it took—and that meant Uchiha was in play.
The guards burst out laughing, utterly unimpressed.
"A Hollow Raider? Big deal. If that guy dares show up, I'll make sure he leaves in pieces."
They didn't know who they were mocking.
Nicole's rage boiled—until a strange sound echoed through the corridor.
Her anger flipped to elation.
Before the guards could react, a deep, cold voice rang out behind them.
"...Heard someone said I wouldn't leave in one piece?"
Both men spun around—and froze.
A figure in a deep blue robe and a white mask stood silently just meters away.
An intruder.
One guard reached for the alarm—but before he could touch it, black flames erupted across his body.
He screamed and fell, flailing to extinguish them—but nothing worked.
The other guard drew his weapon—too late. He, too, was engulfed in the same unnatural fire.
Neither had time to react.
Zhong Yan—masked, cold—ignored their agony and stepped toward the cell.
"Zhong Yan sent me. I'm here to get you out. Hold out your hand."
Nicole, nearest the bars, shoved her hand out without hesitation.
The moment their palms touched, a swirling vortex of space opened up and sucked her in—vanishing without a trace.
The others stared in shock for a beat. But realizing this was their rescue, they followed suit, each one offering their hand in turn.
Only Belle hesitated, eyes narrowing.
"Zhong Yan didn't come himself, did he?"
She knew all too well how powerful their enemies were. Even with Uchiha at his side, Zhong Yan might not survive a head-on confrontation. The last thing she wanted was him throwing his life away to save them.
"What's he doing right now?"
"He's not reckless," Zhong Yan said beneath the mask, gaze steady. "He knows his limits."
That was all Belle needed. She let go of her doubt and reached out, vanishing into the vortex.
Once everyone was inside Kamui's dimension, Zhong Yan activated it again, stepping in himself.
He dropped them in a sealed holding space inside the pocket dimension. After giving them a moment to acclimate, he began sending them out.
One by one, they reappeared—not in the underground facility, but on the familiar streets of Sixth Street in New Eridu.
The twins recognized it instantly. Home was nearby.
Relief swept through them. They were safe.
But that joy was tinged with anxiety.
Could Uchiha really fight them alone?
Their enemy was no ordinary foe—these were ether-enhanced monsters. The Cunning Hares had been overwhelmed within seconds during their first encounter.
"We need to get back to the video store," Wise said quickly. "Fairy might be able to pinpoint that region inside Hollow Zero. If they already attacked once, they'll try again."
They all nodded. After this, there was no turning back.
This was war now.
And they needed to know—
Was Uchiha still alive?