The next day,
Upon receiving the message from Bai Zhi Heavy Industry, Ling brought Hoshimi Aya to the Bai Zhi Heavy Industry outpost.
"Proxy, you've arrived."
Koleda looked at the two people who had arrived and spoke.
"Yes, we are here."
"Has the matter been decided?"
Ling looked at the few people in front of her.
"Yes, we have decided to choose the Prototype Unit."
"However, the specific matters still need to be handled by Grace."
"Grace is the one among us who understands the Prototype Unit best."
"Proxy, you can coordinate directly with Grace."
"I have some other things to attend to, so I'll take my leave first."
With that, Koleda left immediately.
Grace, who had seemed perfectly normal, nervously clenched her hands after Koleda departed.
"Grace, what's wrong?"
"You look very nervous?"
Ling asked doubtfully.
"Ah, let's not talk about that now."
"Proxy, let's discuss the matter of the Prototype Unit."
"Currently, we can faintly capture the Prototype Unit's signal through those three machines from before."
"Proxy, you just need to set up the safest and best path for us."
"I will connect the signals captured by the three machines to you shortly."
Grace said seriously, as the equipment on the Prototype Unit was too important to them.
"Understood."
"I will definitely guide you to the most suitable route."
Ling patted her chest and assured them.
"Etheralss can all be left to me. You all just focus on traveling."
Hoshimi Aya patted the box on her back, equally serious.
"Uh... Aya."
"Anton and the others didn't even get a chance to act before, you snatched up all the Etheralss yourself, alright?"
Ling was somewhat speechless.
Although she knew that Hoshimi Aya cutting Etheralss could increase the Ether energy in her blade, and she surely felt an exhilarating sensation from it, she was still a bit speechless when it was stated so directly.
"Exactly, bro."
"Leave a few for your brother to warm up with!"
Anton agreed. Every time he saw a Etherals, he wanted to step up and deal with it, but Hoshimi Aya always got there first, finishing them off incredibly fast, almost wiping them out in a single exchange.
"..."
"If your hand is quick, you get some. If your hand is slow, you get none."
Hoshimi Aya replied silently.
Although she wanted to, the moment she saw a Etherals, she inexplicably just wanted to cleave it. This feeling wasn't there when she first arrived, but since there were no adverse reactions, she didn't bother dwelling on it.
...
Soon, the group began entering The Hollow.
They split into three teams:
Ling and Ben in one group.
Koleda and Hoshimi Aya in another group.
And Grace paired with Anton.
Each group carried one machine.
The group encountered nothing particularly dangerous along the way, besides Etheralss. Thus, they located the Prototype Unit very smoothly. With Hoshimi Aya joining, Grace was not alone; she had Anton with her, so they avoided the danger they would have faced in the original plot.
The group arrived smoothly at a plaza and saw the white Prototype Unit.
"Is that the Prototype Unit?"
Hoshimi Aya looked at the white machine.
She remembered there was a rather peculiar Etherals here, one that seemed to have fused with some kind of machinery.
She recalled it being quite difficult to fight the first time in the game. However, with Aya, it was nothing more than a weak mob.
As for now?
She was physically present and had absolute confidence in her strength. Even if there were two such special Etheralss here, she was confident she could instantly kill them within three minutes! She could even, if she wished, charge up for a moment and cleave it in two with a single strike!
"According to the signal source, this should be correct."
"This is the Prototype Unit."
Grace looked at her tablet, then back at the white machine.
Then, the three machines they brought began to move, pushing away the stone pillars pressing down on the Prototype Unit, preparing to drag it away.
Hoshimi Aya, however, kept her gaze fixed on the ruins next to the Prototype Unit, with her hand resting on the hilt of her blade.
She remembered that special Etherals was near this spot. As soon as it appeared, she would immediately cut it at the waist. This way, they wouldn't lose the three machines.
She clearly remembered that special Etherals became very strong because it had fused with three machines, making it an opponent Bai Zhi Heavy Industry couldn't handle.
In the original story, if Koleda hadn't driven the Prototype Unit to impale it on the sharp stone pillars behind it, the people from Bai Zhi Heavy Industry would have sustained some injuries.
"Miss Ya, what are you looking at?"
"Is there something strange over there?"
Ben asked doubtfully, noticing Hoshimi Aya staring intently at the ruins.
There was clearly nothing there, just a pile of rubble.
Suddenly, a piece of stone fell from the ruins, and a special humanoid Etherals, previously concealed by the stone, was struggling beneath it.
"Is that a Etherals?"
"It doesn't look quite like one!"
Ben was confused. Everyone else was also drawn to the noise and looked over.
In a moment, the special Etherals broke free from its restraint and charged towards the group.
But after only a few steps, it was struck at the waist by Hoshimi Aya's blade, leaving a huge gash through which its internal Ether energy could be seen.
"I think it's dealt with, right?"
Hoshimi Aya sheathed her blade, looking at the Etherals which now had a massive opening cut into its waist, a bit puzzled.
Shouldn't a Etherals in this condition have already dissipated into Ether energy?
Why was it still moving forward?
With that single strike, any other Etherals would have been gone. But because this one was special, Hoshimi Aya had intentionally used a bit more force. Yet, this one felt like it was about to die, yet it wasn't dead.
If one said it was dead, it could still walk. If one said it wasn't dead, such a huge gash at its waist didn't look like something survivable.
"Is this thing dead or not?"
Ben was somewhat perplexed.
"Who cares if it's dead or not, we'll know after one more hit."
Saying that, Anton rushed over, preparing to deliver a finishing blow. But just then, the gash on the Etherals began to heal, dodging Anton's attack, and charging toward the nearest piling machine.
However, it was immediately pinned to the ground by the excavator. Seeing this, everyone gathered around to observe.
"What kind of Etherals species is this?"
"It doesn't match any known species."
Ling scanned the Etherals, sounding confused.
Everyone else also crowded closer, somewhat curious.
Suddenly, the Etherals erupted with a strange light, enveloping the three machines and forming them into Ether Energy Stones.
Then, it reassembled the parts of the three machines, appearing in the form of a giant mechanical creature.
---------------------------------
I hope you're enjoying the fanfiction so far! If the fanfiction has you hooked and you can't wait to see what happens next, you can unlock 30 or more chapters in advance over on my patreon: patreon.com/FTLGenBen
Also every bit of support means the world to me so if you're loving the ride, don't forget to drop a Power Stone, Thanks.