Chapter 4: Uchiha Rebound

"Apologies, everyone from Cunning Hares. I ran into some trouble on the way and spent a bit too much time trying to pinpoint your location—that's why I'm late."

Emerging from the swirling vortex, Zhong Yan immediately offered his apology to the three before him—members of Cunning Hares, the team that had accepted the official commission on his behalf.

Cunning Hares consisted of three members: their pink-haired, twin-tailed leader Nicole; the robot Billy; and the expressionless, logic-defying girl Anby.

In the game, these were the first three characters players obtained, earning them the nickname "The Starter Trio." They weren't particularly powerful individually, but early in the game's life, their utility was unmatched—especially Anby, who specialized in Impact-type abilities.

Guess that's the privilege of being a mascot character.

"Uchiha... You finally showed up!" Nicole exclaimed with a voice on the verge of tears, her tense expression finally softening.

She knew that with Zhong Yan's arrival, they were no longer in danger.

"So, it really is Uchiha..." Anby murmured, mouth slightly agape in astonishment as she recognized the now-famous figure from New Eridu.

Billy, too, was taken aback. "Whoa, I can't believe the boss actually got the legendary Hollow Raider to help us! We're saved!"

Ever since he appeared a few months ago, Uchiha had quickly risen to infamy. In a short span of time, he had cleared more than ten Companion Hollows of their giant Ethereals.

Not even the most elite squads from the official Hollow Investigation Association could match that kind of speed. Gradually, this unrecognized rogue became a household name—a hero, even.

Some even dubbed him the Legendary Hollow Raider.

"Heh, you three have done well. Leave the rest to me." Zhong Yan offered a small chuckle, paying no mind to Anby and Billy's shock as he turned his gaze to the towering Ethereal, he'd just knocked down.

The massive creature slowly rose from the ether-soaked ground. Burn marks covered its body, proof of the sheer damage inflicted by Zhong Yan's earlier fire technique.

But Ethereals lacked any semblance of consciousness. It felt no fear—only instinct. And its instinct drove it to attack any visible lifeform.

In the next moment, it raised both arms. The Etheric energy in the air began to gather around its mouth, forming into a massive sphere of pure destructive force.

That gathering energy sent violent tremors through the entire Hollow. Structures began collapsing, warping, and dissolving into chaos.

The members of the Cunning Hares felt a chill creep up from their spines to the tops of their heads. They knew—if that energy hit them, not even dust would remain.

The power of this giant Ethereal was beyond anything they had anticipated.

Yet beneath the mask, Zhong Yan's expression remained perfectly calm.

He had fought more than his shares of giants like this one. Sure, this attack was enough to frighten Nicole and her team—but to him, it was hardly a threat.

Without a word, he reached behind his back and casually raised the war fan.

As the Ethereal finished charging, the massive energy blast launched from its maw at a speed the naked eye couldn't follow.

The ground cracked beneath the pressure. Everything in its path disintegrated—until it slammed directly into the war fan.

In that frozen instant, even the air seemed to pause. A flicker of eerie light danced across Zhong Yan's lotus-patterned Sharingan.

"Uchiha Reversal."

At his quiet utterance, the seemingly unstoppable blast was absorbed into the war fan—then redirected, amplified as a devastating wind-element shockwave.

The feedback storm exploded back at the Ethereal with several times the original force.

Boom!

A blinding flash surged forth as the shockwave engulfed the creature and the entire surrounding street. The explosion howled like a hurricane, hurling debris like shrapnel in every direction.

Nicole, Billy, and Anby were forced to cover their ears and shut their eyes, overwhelmed by the sheer sensory onslaught.

But Zhong Yan remained unmoved, a lone figure amidst the raging tempest, watching his handiwork in silence.

Minutes passed before the storm and blinding light began to fade.

When the three opened their eyes again, they were stunned by what they saw.

The world had been split. On Zhong Yan's side of the battlefield, the ground, the ruins, the Etheric matter—all of it had been obliterated.

It looked like reality itself had been sheared in half—a breathtaking display of overwhelming power.

As for the giant Ethereal? Gone. Not even a trace remained.

"It... it's really over?" Billy blinked in disbelief. The creature that had hunted them through the Hollow—completely annihilated.

Could the tales of this Legendary Hollow Raider truly be that exaggerated?

"No wonder the Investigation Association is so desperate to recruit him," Nicole murmured, her voice tinged with awe. "That kind of power... I doubt even [Limbo], the Hollow Zero that's existed the longest in New Eridu, could contain him."

And that wasn't just hyperbole. The Association had officially acknowledged that signs of Uchiha's presence had once been detected inside the fabled Hollow Zero.

Back in the present, the Hollow began to collapse around them. As the Ethereal died and the street was obliterated, the entire space began to shrink at a visible pace.

When it finally stopped, the Hollow had lost nearly half of its size.

They now stood outside the zone of influence—mission complete, with terrifying efficiency.

But for Zhong Yan, someone who regularly dealt with giant Ethereals, this was just another day at the office. Nothing worth making a fuss over.

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