"What's going on here?"
Koleda glanced at the map on her phone, brow furrowing. Wasn't this just an ordinary plaza?
There was a tower in the center—or so she thought, until she looked closer… Wait—no!
Looking closer, Koleda realized it wasn't a tower at all—it was a monument!
"Hey, Sweet Peace, what's happening on your end?"
It wasn't just Koleda's group who noticed Big Ben acting strange—their headsets were still on, after all! Grace heard his troubled voice too.
Koleda pressed her earpiece and said truthfully, "Big Ben seems to have remembered something… Also, I'm the president!"
Halfway through, she suddenly caught Grace's casual tone and immediately flared up.
But Grace ignored her anger and pressed urgently, "Quit fooling around! Ask Big Ben what's going on!"
"Tsk, who's fooling around here?! Hey, Big Ben, stop zoning out and tell us what's happening!"
Knowing this wasn't the time for arguments, Koleda swallowed her frustration and focused on Big Ben.
"Let's talk as we move. No point wasting time," he said, climbing onto Hans's back.
"Everyone knows I'm one of Belobog Heavy Industries' oldest employees. I worked on many projects under the former president."
"One of them was the construction of [Memorial Square]… The monument in that photo? We built it ourselves."
He quickly added, "But when the Hollow outbreak hit and the Old Capital fell, Memorial Square was still unfinished—only the monument had been completed."
Koleda fell silent for a long moment before murmuring, "Why would the prototype be there…?"
She slowly turned toward Big Ben, eyes faintly glimmering with expectation—as if hoping he might have an answer.
But Big Ben didn't. He lowered his head with a sigh. "I don't know either. But for some reason, it gives me the creeps."
The long-lost prototype suddenly appearing at one of their own unfinished worksites—
That thought alone sent chills down everyone's spine.
The Belobog crew didn't dare think too deeply about it. It was starting to sound like the setup for a horror story.
Meanwhile, on Grace's side of the team, one member had a bolder—and odder—train of thought.
Ellen, biting at her lollipop with her shark tail lazily swaying behind her, gazed around the Hollow-ravaged ruins and suddenly said, "Hey, when they built this plaza, did they start with the central monument and build outward from there?"
Boom!
The question hit like a depth charge—everyone froze.
Grace's eyes widened, and Big Ben's group on the other route exchanged uneasy looks.
Yeah—who even starts construction from the middle? Was that monument really so important that everything else had to be built around it?
Big Ben felt two searing gazes land on him, his face heating up instantly. He waved his hands frantically.
"Don't look at me! I'm just an accountant—I don't decide construction schedules!"
"Fair point!"
Koleda clicked her tongue and urged Hans to pick up the pace. "Let's move! I need to see this for myself!"
"Got it! A man—no, a man like the wind!"
Hans roared, leaping forward several meters in a single bound.
...
On the other route, Grace leaned down toward lovestruck Greta and whispered, 'Speed up! A girl in love is unstoppable! Mr. White would be proud!!"
"Mm! Mr. White!"
Hearts sparkled across Greta's display screen, and she charged forward at full speed toward the plaza.
Time passed quickly, and by midday, the sun was blazing overhead.
The two teams—one riding Hans, the other on Greta—finally met after about an hour and proceeded together.
Eous frowned. "Strange… Where's Phaga?"
Grace muttered, "He should be ahead. He left before us."
"Huh? How do you know?"
"Because Ellen already ran off."
At that, Eous snapped her head around—Ellen, who had been riding with them earlier, was gone.
Looking ahead, they could only make out a faint blur speeding into the distance.
...
At the center of Memorial Square.
Phaga and Pile Driver Friday had arrived long ago and were carefully surveying the scene.
Before them lay heaps of rubble—broken bricks and shattered stone. Beside it stood a massive gray machine.
The machine's twin arms were gripping the monument tightly, forcing it into the debris as if trying to suppress something beneath it.
"The Ether readings keep spiking and dropping… Should I use Vampire Vision to check—hmm?"
Phaga hesitated, his pale face lit by the flickering light. Just as he debated whether to use the last of his strength, hurried footsteps echoed behind him.
He didn't turn. "What's the rush? Trying to win the Hollow's marathon, Shark?"
"It's because I was worried about you!"
Ellen snapped, baring her teeth but stopping herself from actually biting him. She crossed her arms, glaring.
"You always take on the Ethereal alone. Sure, when it's humans, you're confident — you can bleed them dry and recover afterward."
"But this time, there's a whole swarm of Ethereal — and you're the only one here who can fight!"
"Um… I know I haven't been much help, but I'm not completely useless…"
Pile Driver Friday spoke up timidly.
"Shut up!"
Ellen's glare hit like a knife, and Friday immediately went silent.
"Alright, alright — don't scare him."
Phaga patted Friday's foot, then stepped closer to Ellen. He rested his hands lightly on her shoulders.
"Actually," he said softly, "I do need your help with something."
"Tsk…"
Ellen turned her head away so he wouldn't see the blush on her face. "Then hurry up."
"Thanks."
Phaga lifted the hem of her shirt and bit down gently.
Ellen let out a muffled gasp, quickly covering her mouth. When she lowered her hands, she folded her arms tightly, pretending to look calm—but her puffed cheeks and faint blush betrayed her completely.
After a moment, Phaga released her, adjusted her clothes, and leaned close to whisper, "Thanks for the meal."
Ellen flinched, his breath brushing her ear. After a long pause, she muttered, "You really hurt me…"
"Did I?" Phaga tilted his head slightly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "You didn't even cry out."
"I— I was just holding it in!" she retorted, cheeks pink with defiance.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed around them. Both turned at once to see the two transport units approaching with the others in tow.
"Smack! Smack!"
Ellen slapped her cheeks twice, trying to calm her expression.