Ether aptitude.
Anyone who lived in New Eridu had at least some degree of it.
The only difference was how high or low their aptitude was.
Normally, a person’s Ether aptitude was determined from birth.
There were ways to alter it later in life, but doing so carried enormous risks.
After Cael used the Talent Card and obtained [Intermediate Ether Aptitude], the Ether inside ordinary areas of a Hollow could barely affect him anymore, as long as he didn’t venture into regions with extremely high Ether concentrations.
With Ether aptitude, Cael even felt somewhat enhanced while inside the Hollow.
His thoughts were sharper, and his physical coordination had improved.
He still couldn’t use or manipulate Ether within his own body the way other Agents could, but against a severely injured Tyrfing, he might at least have a chance to fight back.
After exchanging only a few blows, however, Cael gained a much deeper understanding of just how terrifying Ethereals were.
An Ethereal with the [Gigantification] Trait received a massive increase to its physique and strength.
Even while severely injured, this Tyrfing was extremely difficult for Cael to handle.
Forget counterattacking.
Just blocking its attacks took everything he had.
Every casual horizontal sweep or downward strike carried a crushing force that was almost impossible to withstand.
With Ethereals this powerful, Cael couldn’t imagine how the higher-ups in this world managed to suppress Hollows.
Surely not every Executive Officer was as strong as Miyabi?
A Tyrfing that an ordinary person couldn’t defeat even by risking their life could be cleanly dispatched by Miyabi with a single slash.
Cael panted heavily, gripping the electromagnetic straight blade tightly with both hands.
His arms trembled slightly, and the webbing between his thumbs and index fingers had gone numb.
His eyes swept across the surroundings as he searched for a solution.
A direct fight was definitely out of the question.
Collapsed buildings surrounded him.
Chunks of concrete lay scattered everywhere, while twisted rebar jutted from broken slabs like thorns.
There!
Cael began drawing the Tyrfing toward a particular spot.
To keep it from losing interest in him, he occasionally picked up rocks from the ground and threw them at it.
The childish behavior looked more like kids provoking each other than an actual battle.
Any human would’ve immediately realized Cael was baiting it.
Unfortunately for the Tyrfing, Ethereals weren’t human.
“Come on, then!”
Cael grinned and raised his middle finger at it.
The Ethereal froze for a moment before letting out an enraged screech.
Then it charged at Cael like a speeding vehicle.
Hooked.
Just as the Tyrfing came within half a meter of him, Cael suddenly rolled backward.
Behind him was a narrow gap formed by several collapsed concrete blocks, with hard steel bars jutting everywhere.
Cael was small enough to slip inside and escape through another crack on the side.
The larger, irregularly shaped Tyrfing wasn’t.
It charged straight into the gap and became hopelessly wedged among the crisscrossing rebar.
The Tyrfing struggled to pull itself free.
Cael obviously had no intention of giving it that chance.
After emerging through the side opening, he raised the electromagnetic straight blade high with both hands and brought it down viciously on the Tyrfing’s Ether core.
Bang!
High-voltage current erupted instantly.
Blue-white arcs of electricity wrapped around the core, and the smell of scorching filled the air.
Unable to withstand the strain, the core abruptly shattered.
He won.
It hadn’t exactly been an honorable victory.
But a win was a win.
Only the winner got to decide whether the method had been honorable.
An Ethereal?
Just another thing he’d beaten.
Cael staggered back several steps and leaned against the ruins.
The electromagnetic straight blade in his hands no longer gave off any electrical arcs.
That final strike had drained all of its remaining power.
[World Integration +6%]
[Current World Integration: 37%]
World Integration had increased?
Because he’d killed an Ethereal?
Cael didn’t understand.
He still had no idea what World Integration actually represented.
All he knew was that raising it to certain thresholds seemed to grant him benefits.
Or perhaps unlock more functions of the system.
The Tyrfing’s body completely dissolved into Ether particles.
Thin strands of light began gathering toward the center, eventually forming a white card.
As expected.
Killing Ethereals really did have a chance to drop something.
That was one of the things Cael had wanted to verify for a while now.
He reached out and took the floating card.
[Name]: Minor Strength Enhancement (White)
[Type]: Ability Card
[Description]: Slightly increases the target’s physical strength upon use.
The stronger the target already is, the weaker the effect.
Not a Talent Card.
An Ability Card?
So the cards dropped by Ethereals weren’t always the same type.
According to the description, this one could increase his strength.
There was no need to use it immediately.
He could study it later.
Cael put the card away and stood up, preparing to return to Anby’s location.
Then he noticed several figures running toward him from nearby.
Nicole.
Billy.
And Eous.
Less than half a minute later, the group was together again.
“You guys okay?
No injuries?”
Cael looked at Nicole and Billy.
“We’re fine, we’re fine.
I jumped straight off the roof with Boss Nicole, then we used Eous to shake off those Tyrfings.”
Billy looked around.
“But why are you alone?
Where’s Anby?
“And…
isn’t that Anby’s sword in your hand?
What happened here?”
Billy immediately noticed the electromagnetic straight blade Cael was holding.
Nicole, meanwhile, quickly examined the surroundings.
Judging from the marks on the ground, there had clearly been a fight here.
Cael started leading them back toward Anby as he answered.
“Anby’s fine.
She’s over there.
As for the sword…
a Tyrfing found us.
Anby couldn’t fight, so I dealt with it.”
“You killed a Tyrfing?!”
The voice came from Eous.
It was Belle.
The employee they’d hired almost at random could not only enter Hollows, but could actually fight Ethereals too.
Wasn’t that basically the perfect employ—
…No.
That was a pretty rude way to think about it.
“I’m not that strong.”
Cael shook his head.
“It was already severely injured, and I only managed to kill it by using the terrain to trap it.
I wouldn’t stand a chance against an Ethereal head-on.”
“That’s still impressive.
Using the terrain like that means you’re smart.”
Nicole praised him without hesitation.
Cael led everyone back to the room.
Anby was naturally still fine.
Cael had already considered the possibility of another Ethereal attacking her while he was away.
That was why he’d never gone too far during his fight with the Tyrfing.
He’d kept Anby within the range of his perception the entire time to make sure nothing unexpected happened.
“Anby!”
The moment Nicole saw her, she nearly threw herself at her.
But remembering Anby’s injury, she stopped herself and instead grabbed both of Anby’s hands tightly.
“Don’t worry, Nicole.
I’m fine.
Cael also treated my wound very carefully.”
Anby answered seriously.
Only then did everyone notice that the injury on her leg had already been properly dressed.
It was enough to support her until they left the Hollow and reached the city for proper suturing and treatment.
Nicole stood up and grabbed Cael’s hand.
“Thank you!
From now on, you’re a VIP client of the Cunning Hares!
If you ever need anything, just come to us.
If it’s something I, Nicole, can help with, I’ll definitely do it!”
Faced with her enthusiasm, Cael could only nod repeatedly.
“Of course.
No problem.”
“We really owe you this time, Cael.
If something had gone wrong, we might’ve lost Anby forev—ow!”
Billy hadn’t even finished speaking before Nicole smacked him on the head.
Unfortunately, Billy had a mechanical body.
The blow hurt Nicole more than it hurt him, and she immediately started shaking her hand in pain.
“Shut up, Billy!
Can’t you say something less depressing for once?!”
“Ow…
Boss Nicole, you hit way too hard…”
“All right, all right.”
Wise’s voice came through Eous, cutting them off.
“I know everyone’s excited right now, but the mission isn’t over yet.
We can celebrate after we get out of the Hollow.
“Time is tight.
Let’s move.”
“Got it.”
It really helps the fic grow!