Chaotic ZZZ Chapter 17 (Patreon)

It was rather weird that there were so few Ethereals in the area. But this was a small Hollow anyway soooo... Yeah, it was actually very weird not having to carve down a monster at least once every other minute.

The apartment tower we were supposed to clear was actually also meant for larger Thirens as I noticed the metal doors were actually larger than normal doors. "Is New Eridu thinking about breaking down this hollow or something?" I asked curiously.

A shrug left Nicole's shoulders as she threw back her voluminous pink hair before she said. "No idea, Jake. The client has their own agents, but they very specifically don't want us to cause any structural or major property damage. So this is mostly going to rely on you and Anby."

We moved the heavy crates out of the way of the front office section of the apartment tower. And the moment we did, a loud screech rang out as a large Ethereal, a Thanatos, shot out from the shadows as it rushed towards us.

An even louder screech of lightning rang out as Anby shot forward and as she met its arm blades with her lightning-covered sword. I followed up with Kubikiribochi, smashed into its chest, and cutting it in half as the legendary blade was covered in ether energy.

As the Ethereal faded away, I couldn't help but chuckle as I said. "Dear lord, having a W-Engine makes all the difference when it comes to cutting through these things."

And Nicole's dry voice rang out as she said sharply. "That's why even the worst agents all have a W-Engine before even thinking about going into a Hollow. You are just the weirdo!"

"Ahem... I am a poor undocumented immigrant. I literally was homeless when I got to New Eridu, remember?" I retorted to defend myself.

Anby patted my shoulder and said softly. "It's ok, Jake... I am an illegal clone as well. We are all weird in the Cunning Hares."

Nicole then retorted as though actually offended. "Hey! I am not also part of your guys' weird little collection."

But then Billy happily added on. "Jake is a weird magical Thiren, Anby is a walking crime against humanity, I am an awesome killer robot, and you. You collect debt notices like they are order slips at a dinner haha!"

Nicole had no rebuttal besides stomping forward with a huff. But I could tell she wasn't offended or anything.

As we cleared out the rest of the front area from out of the corner came a well-dressed and decorated Bangboo, and I waved and said. "Hey Eous. I almost thought you guys weren't coming at all."

"It's the manager!" Billy yelled out joyfully as he ran forward to pick up Eous, and Belle's voice came out of the Bangboo with a cry as Billy threw the Bangboo up in the air several times and caught it.

Then Belle, who was controlling the Bangboo, said hurriedly in annoyance. "Wait! Stop throwing me, Billy I need to talk!"

As Eous was put down, Belle, controlling it, made a coughing noise before she said hurriedly. "I did a bit of scouting around and with the carrot data we were able to collect. We found that this hollow is riddled with ether portals which are all pointing at the same general direction, it seems. Which is why all the ethereals have disappeared." 

"So all the ethereals are bunched up somewhere else? What if... Someone to kill all of those bunched-up-together ethereals?" I asked as I felt heat in my blood. If I could actually close a hollow, I could definitely get a strong Gacha Ticket for sure!

But then my face pinched as Belle let out a snort and said flatly. "No way the City would let this baby hollow get closed. There aren't any big dangerous ethereals here, so it's easy for the TOPS corps to get at easy Ether minerals for power and stuff."

Well, there went my idea... Yeah fuck the TOPS; I wanted to try to get a Platinum or even Diamond Tier ticket!

"Screw the evil corpos! We should totally save New Eridu by destroying this hollow!" I said with bravado.

But seeing the others' dull expressions, I could only sag in place with a sigh. And with that, I munched down on a piece of squid jerky, which cleared up the little bit of Ether corruption.

As we reached the second level, where the first level of apartments were. I quickly realized these apartments were also two-floor apartments at that. And after clearing the third apartment, I asked curiously. "So why are these apartments so tall?"

To which Nicole replied with a lazy tone. "This apartment building was aimed for Thirens with bigger builds. They have, for example, several dozen bear Thirens working for them that are on average more than eight feet tall."

So yeah, having a fifteen-foot clearance for the rooms even the bathrooms made sense.

And speaking of the bathroom, I went to open up the bathroom to the master bathroom of the apartment I was clearing only for another one of those sneaking wraith ethereals to try to jump me with it's bladed tail coming for my face.

It's bladed tail almost skated across my helmet's armor as I jerked my head back. And then a loud crack rang out as Billy pistol-whipped the ugly off of the ethereal while Anby then cut it down.

"Bathroom jump scares are against the rules dammit," I muttered with annoyance.

Then my annoyance turned in exasperation as Nicole said helplessly. "That's one level done... We still got fifty more apartments to go through today. It's a good thing we got some 'ether purging meds'." Nicole said with false cheer.

Then, as we reached the top level of the apartments after four hours of work, and the sun had set. Nicole spoke out thoughtfully. "I didn't think we would actually get to the top in one day. So we can actually deal with the second commission that is taking place in this tower. There is a safe we need to bring back to a client." 

Billy and I shared a look and I wanted to cry for a second as I said helplessly. "We... We are going to carry an entire safe out of here?" 

Nicole gave me and Billy a look before she said flatly. "Oh, don't be a big baby! It's a tiny wall safe, that I will carry as it's not like I use my suitcase much in here." 

We then pushed up into the next level where there weren't any more Ethereals. Not because we were lucky or anything. But purely because this large apartment tower's upper levels pierced through the Hollow itself.

And standing in the penthouse room of the tower with Billy and Nicole working to rip the wall safe out of the bathroom wall, it was hidden inside of. I leaned slighty against the metal pole that separated the large windows from another and just stared out across New Eridu.

"New Eridu looks pretty nice when the sun is going down, huh?" Belle said as she bounced over towards me.

I nodded slowly. There was a beauty in this cityscape as the sun went down... But it was bittersweet, especially seeing as I grew up in a more modern city in my past life. I was used to the night city life and seeing the sun set from a high tower. That wasn't anything special.

But in this world. From this large apartment tower that was built outside of the main downtown section of New Eridu. I could see just from this one window's direction several dozen Hollows in the distance. Land and territory that had been stolen from the people of this world.

'Welcome to the Hoyoverse... If it isn't the Honkai corrupting and killing you. It's the Abyss corrupting and killing you. If you are lucky, it's just the friendly Antimatter Legion here to destroy your planet and then reap your soul to literally turn you into their cannon fodder.' I thought helplessly.

On the bright side of these death worlds/universes. They had some hot waifus at least.

I was then poked in the leg, and I heard Belle speaking again but in a quieter tone. "You alright, Jake? You looked rather... Melancholic, I guess is the word?" 

My lips twitched as I thought my moment of introspection was truly my own, especially with Billy screeching as he beat his head into the tile of the bathroom wall to dislodge the safe.

"I am fine. Just got lost in some thought." I said thoughtfully before I shrugged and said more honestly. "I was thinking about how many hollows were going to show up in New Eridu in the coming years."

Anby, who had been watching the front door to as it was the only vulnerable entry, also moved over towards the two of us. "Jake, while we are safe here for the moment. Please give me a cheeseburger to resupply my energy stores."

With an eyeroll, I pulled off my backpack and handed over the requested food, with the silver-haired clone happily going 'Munch Munch' at high speed as she held the smaller smash burger with both hands.

Then a loud crunch rang out as Billy cried out happily. "Ahaha! We broke the connecting bolt to the frame! The safe is ours!"

And I couldn't help but dryly say. "Wasn't the whole goal not to cause property damage? Isn't messing up that bathroom and stealing a safe literally breaking our contract with our first clients?"

To which Nicole coughed and said hurriedly. "Ahem! No, no Jake. WEEE never stole this safe, we found some other hollow raiders who also took this contract. And it's not like Belebog Industries owns the contents within the safe either!"

Utterly shameless, I tell you. But I loved it.

I shrugged at that before I paused as a sound rang out in the distance. Like a door being smashed open.

And even Anby twitched as she heard it clearly even as Billy and Nicole started sniping at one with with Belle goading it on.

"Shush!" I called out sharply, with everyone going quiet.

And then we could all hear it from the door we left open. The sounds of other people talking and heavy-booted footfalls on the stone tile flooring.

I gave Nicole a look, with her nodding as she moved towards the side, fire escape entrance with Euos the bangboo in her arms, which was an ultra-compressed staircase that could also get back down to the lower levels besides the main stairwell.

And from the main stairwell came... Literally dozens of hollow raider gangster's armed with melee weapons and more quiet ranged weapons like crossbows and silenced firearms.

I shifted my large sword in front of us, to block the doorway and I shouted out. "Yo! We got here first! Bugger off!"

The gangster's yelped and threw themselves against the walls. Clearly thinking I was going to throw a grenade or something at them... But after a moment of no grenade exploding or a hail of gunfire.

They threw themselves upwards, and my face twitched as several of them just started yelling slurs at me before the leader came out. And seeing the leader, I actually paused as I barely recognized him!

'Isn't that... What's his face, Silver's or whatever? The guy who was Nekomata's adoptive dad? Is this the start of Canon at this point?' I thought as I looked over at the safe that Nicole was carrying in her arms.

Then Miguel aimed a large katana at me and shouted. "Who gives a damn who was here first! I accepted the contract off the Interknot first! So you are just stealing our job in general!"

I then shouted back. "You white-haired tool, it was an open commission for whoever could get it first! And we spent the whole day clearing out the Ethereals to get up here! You sure you want to fight a crew who actually can throw hands and has real weapons?"

Miquel waved his sword at me with an evil grin as he said with a cackle. "You hear that, boys? They are all tired and out of ammo haha! Get em!"

But any thoughts of charging at us were shattered as screams rang out as with a flash I had closed my eyes while he was talking to build up magic. And then, with an ultra burst of my weakened Gorgon Eyes, their bodies were flashed with petrifying rainbow light.

"Walk away dumbass; all of you guys are wearing eye protection at least. Walk away with the worst sunburn feeling of your life. Or I will literally turn all of you to statues of stone!"

The screams of people sloughing off clothes that shattered into dust and the top layer of skin still came through, with Miguel still yelling out as he held his hands over his junk as his pants had shattered.

"What the hell are you? You can't use a W-Engine outside of a Hollow!?" 

Well, actually that was just patently wrong. It just required the user to have a very high-end W-Engine that could create it's own Ether field to do its reality-bending nonsense.

Still I had the ultimate bullshit as I said coldly. "I said piss off. Or do you want to step on Krampus's toes? The safe is TOPS property, and I rather not clean some blood off of my shoes as we walk down the stairs."

The hallway filled with goons, and goons who hadn't gotten blasted were hiding on the stairwell, went silent besides the hisses and sniffles of the pain they were in.

Before Miguel finally let out a quiet. "Fine, fine... Thank you for not killing us. We will leave, don't... Do whatever the hell that was again." 

Yup, Krampus's reputation worked all to well. Just got to make sure I didn't get Promeia coming over to shank me in my sleep for using their name.