But here was the problem.
Judging by the power Andrew had displayed in their previous contest of strength, monsters of this caliber shouldn't even exist around New Eridu.
One would have to place a question mark even on those existences deep within Hollow Zero.
After all, even with his own strength, he had never encountered an Ethereal he couldn't cut, let alone Andrew, whose strength was far superior to his own and whose swordsmanship was equally fierce.
Exactly what kind of living environment and terrifying monsters could bring about such danger to make Andrew develop an attack logic that was completely different from the common sense of New Eridu?
However, Hoshimi Miyabi buried all these doubts in the bottom of her heart and did not ask.
Everyone has their own secrets.
Perhaps before accompanying him on the journey to crusade against Nineveh, Hoshimi Miyabi would have been somewhat guarded, but now that the two were already moving forward inside Hollow Zero...
As long as the other party remained a righteous person, these irrelevant trivial details were not important to Hoshimi Miyabi.
Moreover.
After witnessing these few small battles where Andrew didn't hold back at all, Hoshimi Miyabi, as a genius of swordsmanship, discovered something very clearly.
Every single move of Andrew's did not exist for the purpose of dealing with humans at all.
A person's daily personality can be deceptive; it can be a disguise.
But the sword in his hand cannot lie.
This also made Hoshimi Miyabi involuntarily trust Andrew more and more.
Undoubtedly, the other party was absolutely a comrade-in-arms to whom she could entrust her back, on the same level as Tsukishiro Yanagi.
As the two continued to traverse through Hollow Zero along the route, the distance to Nineveh became closer and closer.
Because of her incredibly intense Ether activity, the Ether energy in the air also became incomparably massive.
Even though the area beneath their feet still belonged to the outskirts of Hollow Zero.
Merely due to Nineveh's approach, the overflowing energy formed an Ether concentration that would typically only be found in the depths of a Hollow.
And the higher the concentration of the Ether environment, the faster ordinary Ethereals could achieve further evolution.
For Ethereals, this situation was akin to someone scattering money on the street, attracting countless Ethereals to swarm over. Although Nineveh's footsteps in the air did not stop, causing most of the Ethereals on the ground to be unable to catch up with her pace...
Even so, the massive Ether energy caused a huge number of Ethereals to gather around her at all times.
Under these circumstances.
Even with Belle constantly helping the two find the route with the fewest monsters, by the latter half of the journey, the Ethereals the two encountered began to appear endlessly.
Looking at the number of Ethereals in front of them, which greatly exceeded expectations, and the Ether concentration that spiked sharply every time they crossed a new node.
Andrew's expression involuntarily became a bit grave.
The concentration of Ether energy in the air now had already greatly exceeded the concentration estimated at Scott Outpost. Nineveh's ascension speed far surpassed the speed Ray had analyzed.
Then the Ether concentration around Nineveh...
Although even if the Ether concentration continued to rise, it wouldn't have too much impact on Andrew himself.
But whether for the Defense Force's defensive line or for Hoshimi Miyabi, it was a trouble that could not be ignored.
He looked at 'Wuwei' in Hoshimi Miyabi's hand. In the high-concentration Ether environment, the obsessions of the past sword-wielders hidden within Wuwei had already begun to show uncontrollable signs of minor restlessness.
Even the will of the demon blade itself had begun to become impossible to suppress.
The fact that Ghostfire hadn't emerged from the scabbard yet was purely the result of the aura emitted by Icebrink earlier being too powerful.
Standing before the last spatial rift they needed to pass through, Andrew couldn't help but speak up out of concern:
"Is it really okay?"
Regarding Andrew's concern, Hoshimi Miyabi's eyes flashed slightly, and then she nodded without hesitation and said:
"No problem. I will pay attention to my state at all times and won't affect the upcoming battle."
Looking at Hoshimi Miyabi, who still had no expression on her face but whose fingertips gripping Wuwei were already slightly pale, Andrew knew.
The other party's current state was definitely not as good as she made it out to be.
But the determination shown in her eyes made Andrew understand that persuading her to turn around and leave dejectedly at this position was impossible.
Moreover, Andrew also believed that Hoshimi Miyabi could indeed do as she said.
Without any hesitation, the two stepped out directly.
The next moment, a slightly spacious plaza appeared in front of them.
This was the most suitable combat terrain for dealing with Nineveh, selected simultaneously by the three of them in logistics.
It wasn't the empty square usually found in Slash-and-Burn Operations, but a large commercial street that was once as prosperous as Lumina Square.
However.
The wreckage of cars on the ground had long been recycled during past Ethereal clearing activities, and the original sculptures had turned into piles of ruins amidst the Ethereals' activities.
As the two stepped out of the spatial rift and entered the plaza, the high-rise buildings of the surrounding commercial street formed a Colosseum-like environment for the terrain beneath their feet.
After rapidly clearing all the Ethereals on the scene in advance, a brief silence enveloped the plaza.
However, the time of silence was always incomparably short.
Just half a minute later, Nineveh, dragging her lower body that resembled a flower bud, appeared in their line of sight.
Traversing between the huge high-rise buildings, Nineveh was like an Alice who had mistakenly entered Wonderland, frolicking with the Ethereal Wasps surrounding her as she flew toward her target.
She did not actively regard Andrew and Hoshimi Miyabi, who were not far away, as her enemies.
Or rather, she almost never actively hunted or attacked humans.
But as long as she existed there, even without any movement, she would become the most ruthless harvesting machine for all life.
Her existence itself was a disaster belonging to humanity.
Watching Nineveh in the air getting closer and closer to them, about to enter the already designated combat zone.
Andrew turned his head and signaled to Hoshimi Miyabi beside him:
"Full power strike, end it quickly?"
Hearing this, Hoshimi Miyabi froze for a moment. Realizing that Andrew had seen that her condition wasn't great, Hoshimi Miyabi immediately realized Andrew's plan.
Nineveh was the largest source of Ether.
Fighting her, Wuwei could be said to be no different from being soaked in high-concentration Ether energy at all times.
Under these circumstances.
Compared to using it cautiously, to the point where she might only be able to perform ordinary slashes in the end to maintain Wuwei's stability...
It was simply a slow death.
Since the normal method of crusade was like boiling a frog in warm water.
Then why not take advantage of the fact that Wuwei was still in a stable state right now, and directly pour out everything to unleash her full-power strike within a controllable range?
Hearing this, regarding Andrew's proposal, Hoshimi Miyabi nodded without hesitation and said:
"Okay."
Since he obtained Hoshimi Miyabi's approval, the two immediately distributed their tasks.
Years of Slash-and-Burn crusade battles had long allowed the Defense Force to figure out the locations of all the cores on Nineveh's body. The two, having seen the intelligence in advance, had long since memorized this information in their hearts.
Looking at Nineveh, who was about to reach the stable zone, Andrew unhesitatingly selected the most difficult core.
"Leave that tightly protected one on the chest to me. You take the others exposed on the outside. How about it?"
The Core.
It is an important organ for an Ethereal to exist within a Hollow, and it is also an absolute weakness possessed by all Ethereals.
It could be said that as long as one could destroy its core, that Ethereal would immediately fall into unavoidable demise.
This is also the main method by which humans can achieve the crusade against powerful Ethereals in most cases.
Or, it could be said to be the only method.
The more powerful the Ethereal, the terrifying Ether energy within its body would grant it equally terrifying vitality.
Not to mention anything else, simply speaking of the Level 4 Ethereal, the Dead End Butcher, could demonstrate this characteristic possessed by high-level Ethereals to the fullest from a side perspective.
As long as its core is not shattered, the Ethereal will often only become stronger as it recovers.
At the same time, Ethereals are also very clear about what their own weakness is.
The more powerful the Ethereal, the more perfect its protection of the core.
When an Ethereal is powerful to a certain degree, they can even forge their own cores, making them hard to distinguish between real and fake and difficult to eliminate.
But Nineveh is a special case among special cases among all Ethereals.
As a rare plant-type Ethereal, she possesses plural cores in the true sense.
Not only the one in the position of an ordinary Ethereal's head, but there is also one on each of the tentacles behind her.
And her largest main core is firmly protected within her abdominal cavity.
The pure white shell protects this main core strictly, making it impossible for ordinary weapons to achieve destruction.
Regarding Andrew's arrangement, Hoshimi Miyabi did not have any objections.
It was just eight small cores fixed in a small range of space with almost no special trajectory. For Hoshimi Miyabi, who had cut down the Lernaean Hydra—it was not a problem at all.
The brief discussion ended.
The very next moment after the two arranged their targets, Belle's voice came from their ears:
"Nineveh has entered the stable spatial range from the chaotic zone. Crusade operation, start!"
As Belle's voice fell, in the next instant, Hoshimi Miyabi disappeared from her spot after a jump.
Watching Hoshimi Miyabi, who was already leaping toward the rooftop via the buildings, Andrew shouted a reminder to remember to hold her breath.
The grappling hook in his hand also shot out at this moment, jumping onto the middle of the high-rise.
The two, having discussed their targets long ago, had a very clear goal: to destroy the cores that were their targets at the fastest speed.
And Nineveh, dancing in mid-air, still wandered forward as if she hadn't noticed anything.
Although Nineveh had no reaction, the dense swarm of Ethereal Wasps surrounding her body rioted the instant the two appeared.
These Ethereals, guarding Nineveh like worker bees, held incomparably huge hostility toward any existence that might pose a threat to her.
Before the two could get close, all the Ethereal Wasps around Nineveh swarmed toward them.
The dense mass of Ethereals blotted out the sky and sun, like a moving black cloud. In the air, the buzzing of countless Ethereal Wasps flapping their wings superimposed on each other, causing the simple buzzing to start becoming deafening.
The stingers of countless Ethereal Wasps emitted a cold glint. Under the enhancement of the Frenzy Virus...
Quantitative change was sufficient to form a qualitative change at this moment.
However, Andrew was long prepared for all of this.
For this situation where a large number of Ethereals were crowded together, compared to cutting them down one by one with a sword, blowing them up directly was definitely more satisfying, and also more efficient!
Swish! Swish swish!
Accompanying his palm lightly brushing over the Slinger on his arm, the Armor-Piercing Grenades specially made by Andrew using Blastnuts were loaded into it.
Although, because it wasn't a Heavy Bowgun, he had to reduce the charge amount to lighten the weight, which also shortened its explosion time...
Even so, its power was still not to be underestimated.
The Slinger in his hand fired continuously, and the projected Armor-Piercing Grenades rapidly cleared the Ethereal Wasps surging over in a swarm.
In just a few seconds.
Relying on the projection hand speed of an old Hunter, Andrew directly emptied the three sets of specially made Armor-Piercing Grenades he had prepared in advance.
The projection method, akin to carpet bombing, perfectly utilized the maximum killing range of every Armor-Piercing Grenade.
Under Andrew's perfect control, these grenades did not go to waste in the slightest.
The violent firelight almost dyed the sky orange-red; even Nineveh dancing in the air was affected somewhat by the shockwaves.
In Scott Outpost outside the Hollow, the high-energy warning signal directly enveloped the entire outpost.
If not for Belle, as Phaethon, giving a forecast in advance, Roland and Isolde would have thought Nineveh had succeeded in evolving at this moment.
Until the smoke dispersed.
The remaining Ethereal Wasps rushing toward the two were left as only a scattered two or three, no longer able to delay their footsteps.
Sensing the Ethereal Wasps surrounding her side gradually turning into nothingness under Andrew's attack...
The fury of her companions being killed instantly enveloped Nineveh.
At this moment, she finally regarded the two humans appearing in front of her as her enemies.
But, for Andrew and Hoshimi Miyabi...
Nineveh's brief reaction time earlier was simply the most perfect damage-dealing opportunity for the two.
A lit Armor-Piercing Grenade, specially saved, was fished out by Andrew and thrown between himself and Nineveh. As the fuse burned continuously, Andrew sheathed the Icebrink emitting a scorching red light at his waist.
Andrew's body bowed slightly, infinite power gathering throughout his body.
Like a bow pulled to the extreme limit waiting poised for the moment of release, Icebrink at Andrew's waist was ready to strike at this moment.
Hoshimi Miyabi was facing Nineveh's head; doing a Spirit Helm Breaker at this time would be purely trolling his teammate.
Then since that was the case, it was time for the Long Sword user's other strongest move to make its debut!
The next moment.
Accompanied by the explosion of the Armor-Piercing Grenade, violent firelight enveloped Andrew's figure in an instant. This action, resembling suicide, made even Nineveh stare blankly for a moment.
But very quickly, facts proved that Andrew's goal was not that.
Terrifying sword qi cut through the flames of the explosion; following the sharp blade light was that unrivaled sword qi.
In an instant.
A slash that seemed as if it would cut space itself apart sliced open Nineveh's abdominal cavity. The shell that countless shells of the Defense Force could do nothing against was easily split apart in front of this blade, like butter facing a hot knife.
This blade did not only cut through Nineveh.
As the blade light dissipated, even the skyscraper behind her was split into two halves at this moment.
Beneath the smooth and new cut surface, the upper half of the building slid directly from its original position, crashing heavily onto the ground and kicking up countless clouds of dust.
BOOM!!
It wasn't until the ruins of the high-rise fell to the ground that Andrew's steady voice passed through the not-yet-fully-dissipated firelight and fell into everyone's ears through the goggles.
"Iai Spirit Slash!"
____
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