Chapter 52: All Knowing

The low hum of the helicopter's engines filled the cabin as Ellen and the rest of Section 6 sat in their designated seats, secured by harnesses. The interior was dimly lit, the occasional flicker of cyan lights casting shadows across their uniforms. The atmosphere was tense, but controlled—each member focused as the mission briefing played through the built-in speakers.

"Reports indicate the Hollow's spatial fluctuations have increased exponentially as we approached," the operative from the command center stated. "The ether density is unstable, forming a mist around the perimeter that rapidly corrodes those without high resistance. Outer ring civilians have been evacuated to an outpost further back, and under no circumstances should you attempt to enter the Hollow itself. Your mission is reconnaissance and containment. Stay out of the mist."

Ellen leaned back slightly, arms crossed, absorbing the information. She felt the steady vibration of the helicopter beneath her, her fingers tapping idly against her forearm. This was standard procedure, yet something about this mission felt different. The closer they got, the more a faint unease settled in her chest.

The helicarrier descended, touching down on the outskirts of the outpost. The ramp lowered with a hydraulic hiss, and the team stepped out onto firm ground. The air was thick with the residual presence of Ether, an almost tangible force pressing against their skin. Standing at the landing zone, waiting for them, was a white-haired woman with a sharp, almost emotionless expression.

She wore a sleek, military-inspired outfit with a high collar and a tight-fitting bodysuit, a long, flowing cape billowing slightly from the downdraft of the carrier. A massive sword rested against her back, its sheer size making it clear she was more than just an ordinary soldier. Her piercing gaze settled on them as they approached.

"Section 6," she greeted, her tone crisp and professional. "I am Soldier 11, leader of the Obol Squad. Follow me."

Without another word, she turned and led them toward the operations tent. Inside, the atmosphere was thick with urgency. A large hologram of the Hollow flickered in the center, surrounded by floating charts and fluctuating data streams. Standing before it, hands clasped behind his back, was an older man with graying hair and a battle-hardened presence.

He turned as they entered, his gaze sharp but welcoming. "Miyabi Hoshimi," he acknowledged. "Section 6. You got here quicker than expected."

"We move with urgency," Miyabi replied, stepping forward. "What's the current status?"

The commander exhaled, gesturing to the display. "We've been tracking the Hollow's expansion rate. It's growing at an inconsistent pace, but every time we mobilize closer, the fluctuations spike. We suspect there's an external factor at play. Your team is to assess the outer perimeter and report any anomalies. I trust Section 6 can handle itself."

Miyabi nodded, engaging in further tactical discussions while the rest of the team remained attentive. However, Ellen found herself zoning out. A strange sensation tugged at the edge of her perception, a whisper that grew louder.

Mother…

Ellen blinked. Her surroundings dimmed, the tent fading into a haze of darkness. The air grew thick, suffocating, as the world around her seemed to freeze.

Mother, I'm hungry…

The voice was neither human nor familiar, yet it reverberated through her bones. Ellen's body moved on its own as she stepped outside the tent. The world had changed. The sky had darkened to an abyssal black, the stars swallowed by an unseen force. A suffocating stillness surrounded her, and then—

Two massive eyes, glowing like distant stars, locked onto her.

A silhouette loomed over the land, larger than any creature she had ever seen, slightly smaller than the Hollow itself. It didn't move. It merely watched her, studying her.

Ellen's breath hitched. She wanted to speak, but before a single word could leave her lips—

It lunged.

A flash of movement, an overwhelming presence crashing down—

Ellen gasped, eyes snapping open. The tent was back, the sounds of the briefing filtering into her ears once more. Miyabi and the commander had just finished their discussion, their conversation resuming as if nothing had happened.

Ellen clenched her fist, exhaling slowly. Whatever that was, it wasn't just in her head.

She forced herself to focus, eyes locking onto Miyabi. No distractions. They had a mission to complete.

The command tent was tense as Miyabi continued her briefing, laying out their plan for the Hollow's containment. Section 6 members stood in formation, listening intently as she detailed their approach, strategies, and safety precautions regarding the fluctuating Ether mist. However, before she could finish, the entrance flaps burst open, and Soldier 11 stepped inside, her sharp, emotionless expression betraying a hint of urgency.

"Commander," Soldier 11 reported, standing at rigid attention. "We have incoming hostiles. Multiple armored vehicles and mechs, along with a battalion of unidentified soldiers. They are approaching from the north."

The room fell silent for a moment, tension thickening. The commander turned from the holographic display, brow furrowed. "Do they bear any known insignia? Any attempt at communication?"

"Negative," Soldier 11 responded. "They do not carry any markings that match known factions. All hails and warnings have been ignored. Their soldiers wear tactical armor and helmets with glowing red visors, and their equipment suggests urban guerrilla warfare. They are heavily armed and advancing at an aggressive pace."

The commander exhaled sharply, clearly caught off guard by the unexpected complication. His eyes flicked to Section 6, weighing the situation in mere seconds before coming to a decision.

"Section 6, you're up," he ordered firmly. "Engage the hostiles and buy us time to rally our forces. I want prisoners—high-ranking ones, if possible. We need to know who they are and why they're here."

He then turned to Soldier 11. "Get the defenses online and make sure no reinforcements are slipping through the cracks. Once things are secured, join Section 6 on the battlefield. We need to end this quickly."

Soldier 11 saluted without hesitation. "Understood, Commander." Without another word, she pivoted and exited the tent, already relaying orders to her squad.

Miyabi nodded at her team. "You heard him. Move out. We intercept before they reach our position."

Section 6 wasted no time, breaking into a sprint toward the incoming force. The distant rumble of engines and mechanized footsteps grew louder, accompanied by the unmistakable hum of energy weapons charging. As they closed in, they saw the enemy formation—a combination of fast-moving armored transports, towering mechs, and a well-coordinated infantry squadron marching with lethal precision.

Then, without warning, the mechs fired.

A barrage of rockets streaked through the air, screaming toward Section 6. "Scatter!" Miyabi ordered as the team broke formation, narrowly dodging the fiery explosions that erupted upon impact. The ground trembled beneath them as smoke and debris filled the air.

Through the haze, Ellen gritted her teeth, her instincts kicking in as she dashed forward, her massive scissors gleaming with frost energy. Miyabi surged beside her, nodachi at the ready, while Mira remained in the rear, her eyes locked onto their enemies, prepared to provide support.

The battle had begun.

The battlefield erupted into chaos as Section 6 engaged the incoming army, their presence like an unrelenting storm sweeping through the enemy ranks.

Miyabi unsheathed her odachi, the blade igniting in spectral blue flames that danced with an ethereal chill. With every swing, she cleaved through enemy soldiers, their bodies freezing before shattering like glass. Bullets and blades meant nothing against her fluid, untouchable movements. Each slash left behind a crystalline trail of frost as she cut through the battlefield like a silent reaper, her fox-like features illuminated by the cold fire of her blade.

Ellen gritted her teeth, tightening her grip on her massive scissors. Her attacks were ruthless, tearing through soldiers like a shark in a feeding frenzy. Blood sprayed as she carved through armor and flesh alike, her movements relentless and brutal. Rockets fired from the mechs above, but she dodged them with practiced precision, her instincts guiding her through the storm of destruction. Every opponent who crossed her path met the same fate—torn apart in a violent, merciless display of power.

Behind her, Mira moved with lethal grace. Ice coated her legs as she skated through the battlefield, effortlessly weaving between enemy fire. She wielded massive ice-forged weapons—one moment a hammer that shattered armor and bone, the next a scythe that danced through the air with deadly precision. Her strikes were cold and methodical, sending enemies flying before freezing them solid. The blood on her clothes stood in stark contrast to the icy mist surrounding her, the battlefield bowing to her chilling wrath. The three's once-blue scarves were stained red, a testament to the carnage they left in their wake.

On the other side of the battlefield, Harumasa remained untouchable, his bow a storm of lightning. Every arrow he loosed became a streak of crackling energy, piercing through multiple enemies before detonating in bursts of electric fury. When close combat demanded it, he split his bow into twin swords, cutting down those who dared approach before seamlessly reforging his weapon, resuming his deadly precision. His every motion was calculated, his every strike an execution.

Soukaku's presence was like that of a force of nature, her Oni Blade Banner sweeping across the battlefield, sending soldiers flying with bone-shattering force. Her oni mask, eerily grinning, struck fear into those who faced her. She called upon the icy winds, creating mini tornados of frost that swallowed enemies whole, their bodies freezing solid before shattering into dust. Laughter echoed from behind her mask, a terrifying contrast to the destruction she wrought.

Yanagi moved alongside her, her naginata flickering between Jougen and Kagen stances, each shift in her fighting style weaving lightning through the air. Every sweep of her weapon sent arcs of electricity surging through the enemy ranks, cooking them alive in their armor. Soldiers and mechs alike were helpless against the sheer intensity of her attacks, their final moments spent in agonized convulsions before collapsing as charred husks.

The battlefield belonged to Section 6. They were an unstoppable force, a storm of ice, lightning, and blood. Nature itself struggled to contain them, the winds howling, the air thick with Ether and the scent of destruction.

And yet, they did not falter. They did not hesitate. They moved as one, a single entity of death and destruction. To stand against them was to be swept away by the wrath of gods.

The enemy, no matter their numbers, never stood a chance.

The battle had raged on for what felt like an eternity, but as the last echoes of gunfire and Ether-infused clashes faded, the aftermath was frozen in time. The battlefield was a shattered wasteland of ice, scorched earth, and lifeless bodies. Some soldiers remained frozen in crystalline statues, their faces twisted in horror. Others twitched on the ground, their bodies still convulsing from the lethal charge of lightning that had coursed through them. The air was thick with the lingering scent of burning ozone and the biting chill of frost.

Section 6 stood triumphant amidst the devastation, their bodies stained in blood, their once-blue scarves now dyed a deep crimson. Before them knelt a single remaining soldier—one who bore the armor of a general. He trembled but remained silent, glaring up at the team with defiant eyes.

Miyabi stepped forward, her glowing odachi resting against the soldier's neck. Her expression was unreadable, her piercing gaze cold as the ice around them.

"You have two choices," she said, her voice sharp as steel. "Talk, and you live to see another day, locked away in a cell for the rest of your life. Stay silent, and we take what we need in ways you won't enjoy."

The soldier remained unmoved, his hand subtly shifting toward his pocket. In a blur, he pulled something free—but Miyabi was faster. With a single, clean stroke, she severed his arm, then his head, the blood painting the frozen ground beneath him.

As the body collapsed, the item he had pulled fell to the ground—a small, old-fashioned tape recorder. The play button was already pressed.

A familiar voice crackled to life, sending a chill through the already freezing air.

"Ah… Section 6. If you're hearing this, then congratulations. That means you survived my little test. It's good to see you haven't gotten rusty during your little break."

The voice belonged to him—the doctor. The same one they had been chasing in the shadows for so long.

He chuckled lightly through the tape before continuing, his words dripping with unsettling amusement.

"I imagine you're wondering why an entire army came out of nowhere to attack you. Simple. It was to deliver this message personally—and, of course, to test you. To see if you've improved… or if you've begun to wither. Judging by the fact that you're hearing this, I'd say you've passed."

The message shifted, the doctor's tone turning almost wistful.

"Ever since humanity discovered Ether, everything changed. New races emerged—humans with animalistic traits, full-blooded Thirens, and even beings once thought to exist only in myths: elves, demons, oni, and more. The world spiraled into chaos. Uprisings, wars, and catastrophes shook humanity to its core. And just when we had reached the fragile illusion of peace… the Hollows appeared."

There was a long pause, the sound of static crackling in the background before the doctor spoke again.

"A war against the Hollows—a war humanity could never win. We lost irreplaceable technology, knowledge that slipped through our fingers like sand. What remains is a mere fraction of what once was, scattered and hoarded by the lucky few. But… that was then. This is now."

Miyabi's grip on her sword tightened as she listened, her gut already telling her that the doctor's words were leading somewhere far worse.

"I've spent my life searching for a way to bridge the gap," the doctor continued. "To bring humanity and the Hollows together, to guide us into a new age. For so long, it seemed impossible. But then… something changed. Something unexpected."

The voice on the tape grew quieter, almost as if the doctor were speaking to himself.

"When you ask a scientist if they believe in God, they rarely answer directly. Instead, they speak of logic, of knowledge. They turn the question back onto you. I was no different. Even when faced with so-called deities, I remained skeptical."

A long pause. Then, a soft chuckle.

"But then… I felt the gaze of something greater. And when I gazed back, I did not see divinity. I saw something… hungry. Something insatiable. A being that seeks only knowledge. A god of erudition."

The voice took on an almost reverent tone.

"And in that moment, I understood. With its guidance, with the answers it has given me, I can bring forth something truly magnificent. Something terrifying. Something beautiful."

The tape ended with a click, leaving only silence in its wake.

A voice crackled through Section 6's earpieces, cutting through the eerie silence that followed their battle. It was the commander.

"We've got a situation. We couldn't provide backup because another army showed up right after you left. That's not the worst of it—I've got eyes on two missiles heading straight for the Hollow. You need to clear out of there. Now."

Miyabi's expression hardened. "Missiles?"

"One glows blue. The other, black," the commander confirmed. "I don't know what they're meant to do, but I don't plan on finding out with you in the blast zone. Get to safety, now."

Without hesitation, Section 6 sprinted, retreating to a safe vantage point as the missiles struck. At first, nothing seemed to happen. The Hollow stood still, eerily silent.

Then, reality shattered.

The Hollow began to collapse in on itself, folding into an abyss of its own making. A deep rumble shook the ground, and the space where the Hollow once existed imploded, leaving behind a vast, writhing lake of black ooze. The corrupted liquid churned unnaturally, tendrils of darkness stretching and retracting as though alive.

From the depths of the abyss, something rose.

A heavy heartbeat echoed through the air. A massive Ethereal core, pulsating with ominous energy, was lodged in its chest. The creature's form was serpentine, stretching into the sky as its massive, tattered wings unfurled, dripping with spectral mist. Its scales shimmered with a deep, dark hue, tinged with faint blue streaks of ghostly light. Its long, razor-sharp snout glowed with sinister intent, its piercing eyes resembling an endless night sky. Along its spine, jagged bony plates jutted out, forming a natural armor.

And atop its head, an eight-spoked wheel—an eerie, floating Dharmachakra—slowly turned, each rotation accompanied by a haunting clinking noise.

The moment its gaze locked onto Section 6, the air grew suffocating. The wheel spun faster, and with a single, mighty gust of its wings, the creature launched itself forward, slamming into the ground before them. The impact sent shockwaves through the ruined battlefield, forcing Section 6 to brace themselves. The beast let out a deafening roar, its cry rattling the very air around them, filled with raw, unrelenting malice.

Miyabi stepped forward, gripping her odachi as blue flames licked along the blade.

"No time for hesitation," she ordered, her voice steady despite the overwhelming presence of the beast before them.

Ellen cracked her neck, tightening her grip on her frost-covered scissors. Mira's ice-coated legs shifted into a battle stance. Soukaku spun her Oni Blade Banner, her breath forming mist in the frozen air. Harumasa nocked an arrow crackling with lightning, while Yanagi's naginata crackled with deadly precision.

The wyvern reared back, its core pulsing with immense etheric power.

And just like that, the battle began.

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I realized that I never thanked you guy's for your support and I apologize for that I thank each and everyone of you that enjoyed this story. This story wasn't suppose to go on this long but look at it now 50+ chapters with more coming in the future and that's thanks to you and I appreciate that. I hope you continue to enjoy this I have some plans that are going to happen next chapter that you probably aren't going to like no spoilers! See you until then.