As the two Obol Squad members leaned against the wall, trying to rest while keeping a watchful eye on the street outside, Soldier 11—who had been lying unconscious—suddenly stirred.
Then, she abruptly opened her eyes.
"Anby, get out of the way...!"
She tried to sit up in a panic, but the severe injuries covering her body made it impossible. She collapsed back down with a thud.
It hurt—badly.
Soldier 11 stared at the crumbling building in front of her, confused.
"Where... where am I? What happened to Anby?"
Her mind was still stuck on the battlefield.
She remembered a massive hand suddenly reaching out from behind a building, grabbing toward her and Anby. There had been no time to dodge. That ambush was the last thing she recalled before blacking out.
Beside her, the two Obol Squad members noticed she was awake and rushed over.
"You're awake—finally..."
"Keep your voice down. We don't know if the Ethereals are still nearby. Don't draw them here..."
"Lie down. You're badly hurt. We're taking you out of the Hollow and getting you to a hospital in New Eridu."
...
Hearing their voices, Soldier 11's face turned pale.
"Our mission isn't done... Who ordered you to retreat?"
One of the squad members whispered, "It was Zero. She told us to take you away. Said you were too badly injured, and if you didn't get treated soon, you'd die on the battlefield..."
That made Soldier 11's expression darken.
How could this happen?
It was her mission—and yet, she'd been dragged away like a coward.
Anby had only come to help, and now she was left to face everything alone. How had it come to this?
She couldn't accept it.
She let out a harsh cough and spat up blood.
"Take me back... don't let me become a traitor..."
The other two looked at each other, helpless.
They could see the truth plainly—Soldier 11 couldn't even stand. Fighting was out of the question.
They themselves were just as drained. Even walking was hard, let alone facing off against the low-level Ethereals still roaming outside.
When neither of them responded, Soldier 11 collapsed in despair, whispering,
"Zero... I'm sorry..."
Normally cold and stoic, the toughest of them all—
Now, tears gathered in the corners of her eyes.
As she murmured to herself, a tear rolled down her cheek and hit the dusty floor.
She had risked everything to protect Anby.
Given up her freedom.
Endured the stigma of betrayal...
And still failed to protect her.
Then one of the squad members sighed.
"Zero said she could handle the Ethereals... Maybe she has another way."
The other nodded.
"Yeah. Maybe Zero didn't die."
Soldier 11 didn't speak. Her eyes were hollow.
No one knew better than she did just how dire the situation had been.
Even with several of them working together, they'd barely held off two Ethereals. They hadn't even had room to breathe.
And now there was a third.
After they'd left... Anby was alone.
There was no way Anby could handle three elite Ethereals on her own.
That thought extinguished the last bit of hope in her heart. She shut her eyes.
...
Just then, a faint rustling noise came from outside.
The two squad members tensed instantly.
"Shh! Quiet—something's out there."
In their current condition, they were in no shape to deal with even a regular Ethereal.
They held their breath, listening.
Soldier 11 lay motionless, hopeless and silent.
But then, two figures stepped through the ruined doorway.
The moment they came into view, the two Obol Squad members' eyes widened in disbelief.
One of them was Anby.
The other was a spotless man in vintage attire, holding a birdcage. He looked nothing like a fighter—more like a noble strolling through a city garden.
He stood out completely in the chaotic danger of the Hollow.
One of the squad members gasped,
"Zero... you're alive! Thank goodness!"
The other hurried over to help Soldier 11 sit up.
"She's alive. Zero is alive!"
Hearing that, Soldier 11 slowly opened her eyes—
And saw Anby standing there.
In that instant, she was overwhelmed with emotion. Tears welled up uncontrollably.
She almost called out Anby's name aloud—
But caught herself, realizing she'd lost her composure.
She quickly wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, and looked at Anby and Sam Li with a steadier expression.
"Zero," she said quietly, "thank you. You saved me again."
Anby replied coolly,
"It was Sam Li who defeated the three Ethereals."
She didn't need to say more.
Soldier 11 already understood—Sam Li had arrived just in time, taking down all three monstrous Ethereals and rescuing Anby.
She had once thought even someone as skilled as Sam Li couldn't possibly fight two, let alone three, of those horrors at once.
But clearly, she had underestimated him.
She turned to Sam Li, her face softening into a rare smile.
"Knight of the Hollows, bird-walking enthusiast... thank you. Once we return to the Defense Force, I'll make sure you receive a generous reward."
Sam Li clearly didn't care for such things.
He answered plainly,
"It was nothing. Don't mention it."
Then he added,
"Now that we've found Soldier 11, let's get her to a hospital immediately."
Anby nodded.
"Leave it to me."
She moved to lift Soldier 11 onto her back.
One of the Obol Squad members warned,
"There are still Ethereals outside..."
Anby replied calmly,
"Sam Li and I already dealt with them."
Hearing that, the squad members immediately understood.
If the two of them could defeat three elite Ethereals, then whatever stragglers were outside posed no threat.
As Anby hoisted her up, Soldier 11 blushed faintly.
"I..."
"Don't speak," Anby said firmly. "Your body's still weak."
"..." Soldier 11 fell silent.
Before they departed, Sam Li used elemental power to stabilize Soldier 11's condition, ensuring her life wouldn't be in danger on the way out.
...
Along the road, Soldier 11 rested against Anby's back.
Her expression was tangled—
A mix of reluctance, embarrassment, discomfort... and maybe a little nostalgia.