"Hey, guys, let's rest first"

  Yuri calls out to the team while panting heavily. It can't be helped because she's the weakest among Section 6's members. They've been through to the mid-level of the Hollow 0. Without a doubt, Yuri is like the reinforcement css in the game. She just shoots some bullets to explode the frost element inside and support Section 6's members behind. In front of those mob Ethereals, they aren't different from a banana waiting to be sshed by the sharp edge of Void Hunter, Hoshimi Miyabi.

  "We listen to you, Yuri-sama"

  Yanagi knows Yuri's physique very well. She agrees immediately without a single thought.

  "But after diving for 2 hours, we've not encountered those smart@ss Ethereal"

  Harumasa takes a clean seat nearby, resting his already-unwell body. His face is quite pale, even paler than Yuri's.

  "Who knows? Maybe they're scouting us. Miyachan's cleaning is too fast. Maybe they don't want to risk. After all, strength is the final say in battle, no matter how smart you are"

  Yuri takes out the food and distributes it to everyone. Milk and Melonpan are for her Miyachan. Red Bean Bun and Olong tea are for Yanagi. And a bowl of ramen for Harumasa, while Soukaku receives 5 portions of Hamburger and a cup of Coke. As for Yuri, she takes a sip of milk tea with Onigiri to fill her stomach.

  "Who the hell is going to eat ramen inside the Hollow!?"

  Harumasa feels petrified when Yuri takes out a bowl of ramen. It seems to be the cold ramen, so heating isn't a problem when Yuri puts an Ice cube under the bowl to keep it cold.

  "Um...You"

  Yuri ponders, then points at him.

  "Congratutions! You're about to be the first one to eat Ramen inside the Hollow"

  "hahahaha~"

  She ughs out of her mind.

  "Last time, you gave me the chicken soup, now it's ramen"

  Harumasa compins. He knows Yuri's tenderness, but isn't it exaggerated? Captain Miyabi must have told Yuri about his taking leave due to his health. He doesn't know whether to feel grateful or speechless. Normally, he and his squad would have dry food instead of delicious dishes.

  "Stop compining, Harumasa, if it weren't for your body, I would've rather had your portion"

  Soukaku speaks in a childish tone. In fact, Soukaku has been expecting this cooperation very much, because she will have fragrant dishes instead of dry foods. She feels pleased whenever her squad has a journey with Yuri.

  Even though Yuri is having a meal gratefully, her hands never leave her Frost Magnum. Her sensitive feelings toward Ether have been sharpened unknowingly from her st passing out. Yuri doesn't know whether the Unknown Ethereal has unlocked the hidden potential of her cheating ability, but it's just her guess. Without turning her ability on, she can feel Ether's frequency inside the Hollow.

  "Guys, pay attention and eat normally"

  Just as Yuri turns on her serious mode, the lighthearted atmosphere suddenly becomes tense. Everyone in Section 6 follows Yuri's instructions and observes the surroundings.

  "2 Hati, 1 Thanatos, and 1 Ruthless Fiend"

  "Countless mobs are moving to surround us"

  "They're scouting on us instead of recklessly attacking like a mindless Ethereal"

  Harumasa takes advantage of the ramen bowl to hide his sharp scouting gaze. Like Yuri's habit, Miyabi's hand never leaves her sword, because the enemy with brains can never be underestimated. On the other hand, Yanagi lets out a long sigh. This mission is tougher than she thinks. Looking at Soukaku in a hurry to solve those hamburgers, she can't help but turn on her mother instinct.

  "Soukaku, slow down"

  Yanagi's hand also gradually reaches her Naginata. Listening to Yanagi-nee, Soukaku obediently stabilizes and saves her left over Hamburgers.

  "Hitchspikers! Underground!"

  Yuri suddenly screams at the top of her lungs. She immediately pulls out her Frost Magnum to shoot straight at the incoming attackers. Miyabi pulls out her sword and gives out several sshes. With the incoming of Bstcrowder jumping from all directions, Soukaku grasps her Great Fan Sword and spins it all to protect everyone.

  Harumasa throws his ramen bowl at the face of the newly teleported Thanatos. He spent no time on kicking and jumping to create a distance with that annoying Ethereal. Yanagi pushes her gss and outputs the electric currents of her W-engine inside her Naginata to paralyze those mob Ethereals.

  "They're waiting for the moment we let our guard down and organize such a huge fanfare to welcome us"

  Yuri shoots several bullets, creating ice walls to hold down the two big boys roaring ferociously. Her body moves naturally, like she has a spider-sense to evade Ether bullets from those mobs. Jumping and bending down while keeping her whole body in check is an extremely difficult task. After all, her body is quite simir to Yanagi's and is the main hindrance to her actions.

  Fortunately, this isn't the first time Yuri's has colborated with Section 6 from the H.A.N.D. Therefore, their tactic in understanding each other works in sync.

  "Huh?"

  Yuri blinks several times to make sure she doesn't see anything wrong. The white smoke erupts from those ice bullets; plus, her subconscious Ether sense has pointed out something. Ice fragments of her Ether are lingering in the mid air?

  To further prove her point of view, she uses her Frost Magnum, not to aim at those Etherals, but to...

  *Bang*

  The first bullet is enhanced by her W-engine, containing Ice Element Ether energy, and flying to the mid-air above. And this bullet speed is slowed down by Yuri's intentional trigger. Meanwhile, the second bullet doesn't have such a blessing. Of course, it's faster as the two bullets collide.

  It happens so fast that Section 6's member can't understand what Yuri is trying to do.

  "What!? Those red strings!"

  Yanagi is the first one to react after the Ice Ether's smoke subsided. The red strings should be said as the Ether red ropes binding the Ethereals.

  "They're puppets!"

  Miyabi's expression turns ugly, as if her brows are about to get married.

  "Oi, oi, are you telling there is an Ethereal being able to control its kind?"

  Harumasa is shocked by such a scene. He thought Yuri misfired, but no...

  In a second, those red strings fade away, as the mastermind has been found. It realizes that it can't be exposed. Those Ethereals return to their senses, becoming a mindless beast in any Ethereal sphere you can find.

  "Tsk, it escapes"

  Yuri clicks her tongue in annoyance. This kind of behaviour proves that its intelligence isn't worse than a 3-year-old child pying strategy against an adult. Realizing its disadvantage, it immediately abandons its kind to escape first.

  Scout's Basecamp.

  After solving all leftover Ethereals, Yuri and Section 6 come back, but not empty-handed.

  "Guys, good work. With this hard-earned data from Section 6 and Yuri, I believe I'll force it to appear again"

  Ray treasures the mini-USB in her hand, which recorded the entire process of diving inside the Hollow 0.

  "I'm afraid it'll hide until we forget about it"

  "It didn't even let me trace back its whereabouts"

  Yuri takes a sip of Milk Tea while commenting.

  "Fighting by using Puppets. Puppeter obviously is the weakness, as long as we can find its location"

  "Of course, it won't let Yuri-chan find it"

  Miyabi takes a seat on Yuri's soft p, speaking with a straight face. Her back is slightly leaning on Yuri's huge chest. This soft feelings have always been Miyabi's favorite pce to rest. Everything is fluffy and warm.

  "But Yuri-sama, I have a question"

  "Okay, Vice Captain Yanagi, just ask"

  "How do you know...?"

  Yanagi is the smartest of Section 6, but she can't point out anything at all. Yet, Yuri once again refreshes her worldview and impression of The Light Proxy of New Eridu.

  "It's easy. I have been friends with my Frost Magnum for 5 years. Its attributes and mechanisms are all in my hands"

  "Look at this video, this unfreezing Ice Ether matter is still lingering in the mid air, as if it's stuck to something..."

  Yuri points at the screen and speaks.

  "Woa, I didn't expect your old gun to bring such a benefit"

  Ray has persuaded Yuri countless times to upgrade her weapon by her Academy, but she refused. After all, it was all about the policies and those politicians.

  "This expedition can be considered as a success, can't it?"

  "Then, can I take a leave first?"

  Harumasa scratches his head in embarrassment.

  "Oh, you can, but you owe me 150 denny for the bowl you threw inside the Hollow"

  Yuri nods her head. She didn't forget to teach this boy a lesson.

  "Eh! You devil! You're even more evil than my Vice-Captain!"

  *Pah*

  "Vice Captain Yanagi, you spped me!"

  Harumasa shudders and holds his swollen cheeks.

  "Watch your words in front of Yuri-sama"

  "And write a report when we return to the H.A.N.D headquarters"

  "Ah no!!! Forgive me!!"

  A crying sound breaks the atmosphere.

  "..."

  "..."

  After a hard work, everyone has a small party to celebrate...

  Hotpot Lumina Square.

  "I want Yuri to return to her old self, but I feel conflicted with the current Yuri. However, looking at her contribution to the New Eridu City, is it wrong and selfish for me to want Yuri's past back? If Yuri becomes her old self, many broken families and tragedies would've been destined to happen"

  "There is no Light Proxy. There will be no hero lightening and guiding our path"

  Miyabi murmurs, only enough for Yanagi to hear her, while her hazy gaze is focused on the drunken woman having fun with her squad members.

  "Captain, but Yuri-sama is Yuri-sama, isn't it enough?"

  "Time will tell"