The two Void Hunter powerhouses entered a companion Hollow. Inside, the Ethereals became their test dummies.
In the storm of flashing blades, even people outside the Hollow could see it.
On that deep, semicircular barrier, two clearly visible slashes appeared—one a blue strike exuding icy frost, the other a black-and-white strike with an ink-wash sheen.
There were many investigators who entered Hollows, but someone strong enough to damage the Hollow as a whole with their own power alone was as rare as a phoenix feather or qilin horn.
"What incredible power," Yijiang sighed, then pulled out two Path-denial seals.
Even if the weapon in hand was extraordinarily powerful, if the wielder was a weakling, they still wouldn't be able to cut open a Hollow.
"Still, the threat of Hollows is even more terrifying."
"Humanity will definitely overcome the Hollows in the end," Koji said.
Two Void Hunters plus two divine weapons—together they plunged into the Hollow's core, completely resolving this companion Hollow. The move directly alarmed forces on every side.
Those two highly distinctive attributes—Blazing Frost and Profound Ink—had already made it perfectly clear to everyone who had done it.
And precisely because they knew, no one found it strange. Two Void Hunter-level elites joining hands to deal with a companion Hollow was not an impossible feat.
But two Void Hunter powerhouses gathering in the same place made many people feel that something was off.
Wei Feidi going to HAND Headquarters was a very long trip. Why would Hoshimi Miyabi run all the way there? That was… intriguing.
The overwhelming strength of Void Hunters could protect humanity, but some people would fear that very strength.
After all—can you really feel at ease with a powerful existence you can't control?
The answer was no. It would only be met with apprehension and vigilance.
The moment even the slightest opening appeared, some people would move—like sharks catching the scent of blood. That was inevitable. Turning inward and fighting each other was also something humans did.
…
After making up for a few regrets, Koji and the others returned to Teyvat.
"Mei… I'm sorry. I forgot you were still here."
Koji remembered Acheron—the one he had brought to Teyvat—and headed straight to Inazuma.
"It's fine. During this time, I've found it quite nice. A relaxed, familiar kind of life… I haven't felt that in many years," Acheron shook her head.
In Inazuma, she could find a faint sense of home—but in the end, it wasn't the homeland of hers that had already vanished.
"So… do you know your way around now?" Koji asked with a grin.
Acheron fell silent.
How was she supposed to answer that? Her hopeless sense of direction was still exactly the same. If she didn't fly up into the air, she couldn't even locate Tenshukaku or the Grand Narukami Shrine.
Koji understood immediately. Sure enough, Acheron was still directionally challenged.
That's more like it. If you could recognize roads easily, then you wouldn't fit your "can't find the way" lost-girl character setting at all.
"Mei, every time you ask for directions, does someone always point the way for you?" Koji asked.
"Sometimes kind people point the way. Sometimes… there are people who want to make a move on me," Acheron replied.
Koji understood. That was because Acheron was too beautiful.
But trying to make a move on Acheron? That was truly courting death.
A Nihility Self-Annihilator at Emanator level could wipe out a whole crowd of Pathstriders with a casual move.
"And how did it end for them?"
"I killed them."
Acheron said it flatly. She didn't know them, and she wasn't the one who went looking for trouble—so why would she spare them?
Was that too cold-blooded? Only an idiot would ask that. In the cosmos, there were countless people and civilizations destroyed for no reason at all.
To Emanators, to Aeons, mortals were nothing but ants. Even those who were slightly stronger… it was still far too late.
The weak are prey to the strong—that was the brutal dark forest.
Weakness was the original sin.
"In the cosmos, Mei… which faction do you think can be called 'good'?" Koji threw out a sharp question.
Acheron fell into silence as memories she knew rose little by little.
The Interastral Peace Corporation? Flying the banner of protection, yet stopping at nothing for profit.
The Xianzhou? They hunted the Abundance's followers, but war inevitably dragged innocents into the flames.
Geniuses? Most of them lacked empathy.
…
"Seems that to Pathstriders… ordinary people are essentially irrelevant."
In the end, Acheron shook her head. None of them really deserved the word "good."
Knights of Beauty. Galaxy Rangers. Fortress Builders…
"I think the Fortress Builders—the protection-aligned faction—seem pretty decent. They're basically imitating Qlipoth," Koji said.
"And the Nameless are fine too—aside from a few particular Nameless."
Acheron didn't disagree. She had met Fortress Builders before. Compared to the vampire-like corporation, they were the true orthodox line of protection.
As for the Nameless, they often wandered into all sorts of trouble, but most of them were warm-hearted good people, helping the Trailblazing-aligned side resolve crises.
"Simple good and evil can't describe an organization. Even an absolutely righteous organization will definitely have treacherous, vile people inside," Acheron said.
"What you're saying is right. Back during the Archon War era, every clash between gods was a natural disaster. Ordinary people could only struggle desperately."
Yae Miko lay on her side, speaking lazily.
If you had to sum it up in one sentence: beneath the strong, all are ants.
"Miko, have you all gone back recently?"
"Nope. You locked this little fox up here while you went out to have fun. That's really too much," Yae Miko complained. Even though the Shogun handled affairs, she was still bored to death.
"Why didn't you go?" Koji was a bit puzzled. If Yae Miko had wanted to go, Raiden Makoto and the others wouldn't have opposed it.
"Don't even start. A couple days ago I was going to go, but…" Yae Miko sighed softly.
"A story, huh? Tell me."
Koji was interested now. There really did seem to be a reason she hadn't gone along.
"Ei asked me to taste-test her cooking. I refused. So she force-fed me a bite, and I ended up unconscious for several days."
"And once I woke up, I had absolutely no desire to run off to Natlan on my own."
At the mention of Ei's cooking, sheer terror filled Yae Miko's expression. That wasn't cooking—it was poison.
Koji understood too. No wonder she hadn't gone with them. So that's what happened.
"This Miss Acheron here—no idea how her cooking is, but not being able to find the kitchen is just hilarious," Yae Miko said with a smile.
Somewhere between "can't cook" and "cooks well," Acheron chose "can't even find the kitchen." That was honestly impressive.
Acheron: "…"
Oh, so I can't find the kitchen—how very sorry I am.
Koji nodded. For Acheron, getting lost was basic daily life. Not being able to find the kitchen was perfectly normal, too.
(End of Chapter)
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