"Geno, are you alright?!"
Twiggy rushed forward, embracing Geno, who had already reverted to his human form, her face full of worry.
"I'm fine. Look at me, aren't I perfectly okay?"
While comforting Twiggy, Geno even struck a muscle-flexing pose, making Twiggy want to laugh even as tears welled up in her eyes.
"Pfft, you bastard! You jerk! What time is it, and you're still joking!"
As she said this, she didn't forget to pound on Geno's chest.
Just as Geno had said before, his Twiggy really wasn't some gentle girl. But that didn't stop him from loving her.
"Good news! The Hollow warning for Sixth Street has ended! Everyone is safe and sound."
Eous (Belle) brought back good news. She had just learned from Wise that the spatial distortion phenomenon on Sixth Street had disappeared. The residents of Sixth Street were all safe, though they would have to cooperate with Public Security for an investigation later. Belle then disconnected herself from Eous first.
Belle's news made everyone present heave a sigh of relief. However, Nicole and the others, having recovered their wits, had other questions they wanted to ask Geno.
"You guy... are you human or a ghost? That appearance just now was obviously an Ethereal. And before, you seemed to..."
Nicole recalled that during the day inside the Hollow, Geno had transformed right in front of her and Nekomata. At the time, he claimed it was equipment made by Twiggy, and she had actually believed him. Thinking back on it carefully now, it was full of holes.
"I will explain this matter to you in detail later. For now, just let me rest a bit. Fighting two Level 4 Ethereals in a row today... I'm really exhausted."
Geno made a 'spare me' gesture, but Twiggy, having caught the key information, couldn't sit still anymore.
"Wait? What do you mean fighting two Level 4 Ethereals? What exactly happened during the day?"
Instantly, chatter began to erupt around Geno, making his head swell.
While Geno was besieged, a small kitten sneakily bypassed them and arrived next to the Dullahan.
"You are Miguel, right?"
Nekomata looked at the Dullahan, who was pinned to the ground yet still vainly attempting to struggle, and asked this question.
"You should have already forgotten me. I am Nekomata, your daughter."
However, the Dullahan still gave no reaction, merely repeating the motion of trying to get up. But with its Core damaged and its Filth absorbed by Geno, it was merely lingering on its last breath.
Nekomata's monologue continued.
"You guy... you weren't a good person when you were alive, and after you died, you're still a scourge. I really don't know why a guy like you makes me care so much."
Nekomata's voice grew smaller and smaller, with a faint hint of sobbing emerging.
"But... but..."
Clenching her silver teeth, Nekomata finally couldn't hold it back anymore.
"You bastard! Why did you just die like this! I haven't even had the chance to beat you up properly yet! And you just died like this! Died inside a Hollow and became an Ethereal! Answer me, you bastard!"
Emotions suppressed for a long time were finally allowed to erupt. For Nekomata, the pain was undoubtedly immense.
No matter how much Nekomata hated Miguel for leading the Red Fang Gang astray when he was alive, the emotions she vented in this moment were incomparably real.
Yet the Dullahan still paid no heed, repeating its single action as if it heard nothing at all.
"Bastard! Just let it be! Along with your sins, dissipate right here in this Hollow."
Nekomata's emotions gradually returned to calm, but the tears sliding from the corners of her eyes wouldn't stop no matter what.
"Goodbye, Dad."
Hearing this sentence, the Dullahan's body finally stopped struggling. It collapsed onto the ground, looking calmly at Nekomata.
The dissipation of its body accelerated, and in the blink of an eye, only a head that bore no human resemblance and a Core that had stopped fluctuating remained.
'Take care of yourself... stupid daughter.'
"!?"
The sudden voice made Nekomata's ears perk up sharply. She looked in disbelief at the Dullahan that had already thoroughly dissipated.
However, there was nothing left there to respond to her anymore.
"What are you still dazing out for? Let's go."
Geno walked over from the side and patted Nekomata's head, signaling her to prepare to leave. If they didn't go now, the Public Security officers would arrive, and then even a hundred mouths wouldn't be able to explain the situation clearly.
"Oh, coming, meow."
Perhaps it was just an illusion.
Nekomata thought this in her heart. But regardless, starting from today, she had one less tie to this world.
At the same time, new bonds were slowly being born from the bottom of her heart.
Sixth Street, Random Play.
Geno and the others, having safely returned from the Hollow, gathered together once again.
The small workspace was completely packed, yet not a single person raised an objection to this. It was full of the joy of victory.
"You guys really did it! That's amazing!"
"Indeed. But what surprises me more is that Geno's identity is actually an Ethereal. That's truly incredible."
Compared to the great battle in the Hollow, Wise was more concerned about Geno's identity as an Ethereal.
To be honest, this was a rather large shock to his worldview. But the facts had already happened right before his eyes; what could he do? Accept it, of course.
And Geno also requested these life-and-death friends to keep his secret.
"Rest assured, Geno. The Silver Squad will be watching them at all times."
This was Number 5, speaking shocking words with an expressionless face.
"True. After all, they can't distinguish between us and Captain Anby. If we were to assassinate them, they would be completely defenseless."
This was the mischievous Number 6.
"Please stop talking! That's scary!"
Belle, who had just been cuddling with the sister pairs of the Silver Squad, now felt the hair on her body standing on end.
"Don't tease them, Little Five, Little Six. Belle will take it seriously."
Twiggy felt it necessary to defend her best friend, yet she received taunts from Number 5 and Number 6.
"Correction: Your number is smaller than ours. You are the younger sister. You are not allowed to address us as Little Five and Little Six. You must call us Big Sister!"
"Hah? Haven't been beaten in a few days and your skin is itching?!"
Facing Number 6 who dared to be insubordinate, Twiggy didn't hesitate to wrestle with them.
In the past year, it could be said that Twiggy had pulled this fragmented family and team together, and the rest of the sisters had no complaints about Twiggy's leadership.
However, since Anby, the substantive captain, had returned, Number 6 acting naughty like this was also because she was truly happy in her heart.
Anby is here! The blue sky is here! Anby is here! The Silver Squad is at peace!
Number 6, who couldn't beat Twiggy, had to ask Anby for help.
"Captain Anby, look at her~~"
"Don't be like that, Number 6. I feel a bit nauseous."
Anby didn't react much, but Number 5 to the side was already feeling a bit queasy; it was too affected.
On the other side, the more mature and steady Number 1, Number 2, and Number 3 were chatting enthusiastically with Nicole.
"Let me tell you, when we first picked up Anby, she was..."
Listening to Nicole chat about secret trivia regarding Captain Anby that they didn't know, several of them took out small notebooks and started recording.
This is important intelligence! Must record it!
Of course, there was a fee.
'Just the right opportunity to recover some funds.'
No one could stop Nicole's business instincts anymore!
And there was Billy. He and the equally foolish Number 9 and her group also shared similar interests.
"Have you guys seen the two hundred and sixtieth episode of Starlight Knight Season 5? That episode was god-tier! Did you know?!"
"Of course! No Knight-stan would miss that episode!"
Between people with common topics, friendship was just that simple.
Watching her sisters getting along so harmoniously with her friends, amidst the roughhousing, Anby also revealed an incomparably reassured smile.
This scene, perhaps, had once only appeared in her dreams. But now, the dream had come true.
Author's Note:
"Achoo! Sniff~ Damn it, when will those guys remember me!"
Number 4, who was currently lurking in a mysterious organization, silently shed tears at this moment.
Sharing the same treatment as her was Number 11, who was slurping super spicy ramen in the Obsidian Camp.
Thinking about it, the two of them probably wouldn't mind waiting another few dozen chapters to make their appearance. (Laughs)
____
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