"Aya, we need to go to the control room now to modify the track layout and stall for some time."
Said Belle, who was controlling Eous, as she moved toward the route, followed by Nekomata and Hoshimi Aya.
"Mm, being able to stall for some time is good."
"Belle, let's hurry up."
"You can leave all the Etheralss on the road to me. There shouldn't be any Etherals in the Dead End Hollow that I can't handle."
Hoshimi Aya nodded.
At the same time, the group quickened their pace.
Soon, after several left and right turns, they finally arrived at the train track control room.
Through Fairy, they cracked the control room's password and successfully changed the original track the train would pass through.
"Alright, next we need to find the train."
"Make the train stop running halfway."
Belle stood on the control room's console and looked at the two of them.
"Then what are we waiting for?"
"Let's set off quickly!"
Nekomata urged.
Suddenly, a loud boom echoed from the surroundings.
"Meow?!"
"That noise... is the Dead End Butcher coming?"
Nekomata said with some panic.
"No, the train is almost here,"
Wise reminded.
"Alright, let's go."
After saying that, Belle jumped off the console and then began to lead the way according to the route.
Eventually, after twisting and turning, they encountered a large number of obstacles halfway, blocking the road.
However, it wasn't completely blocked; there was a hole beneath the obstacles.
"Stopping the train according to the original plan requires crossing the obstacles."
"Master has a petite figure, and the client has 'cat' in her name, so perhaps you can crawl through."
"However, it might be difficult for Miss Hoshimi. But based on previous calculations of Miss Hoshimi's combat power,"
"She should be able to destroy it directly, though I do not recommend doing so as it would consume too much time."
Fairy's voice came through.
Hoshimi Aya:...
Hoshimi Aya silently measured the hole, then measured her own figure.
"Belle, let's go."
"A little squeeze and I should be able to crawl through, right?!"
Hoshimi Aya said speechlessly.
She indeed could directly cut a path, but as Fairy said, that would definitely consume some time.
Moreover, she currently couldn't casually unleash such powerful blade energy like Hoshimi Miyabi; her synchronization with Kyuubi wasn't good enough yet, and there was a risk of losing control at any time.
It was clearly unrealistic to risk losing control just to unleash such powerful blade energy to clear a path, so it was better to crawl through.
If only she had a figure like Nekomata's, then she could crawl through at will.
She had seen Hoshimi Miyabi's first design version; Hoshimi Miyabi's original design template was Little Leiyin Temple.
If she were a Little Leiyin Temple, she could definitely pass through smoothly. What a pity.
"Is it really okay?"
Belle asked.
After confirming Hoshimi Aya was fine, Belle and Nekomata passed through the hole in turn.
Hoshimi Aya, on the other hand, had to exert a tremendous amount of effort to squeeze through.
"I didn't expect having a good figure could also be a source of anxiety,"
Wise teased.
"Next time there's a route like this, let's just go around it."
"The squeezing was too painful."
Hoshimi Aya complained while rubbing her chest.
It was almost squashed flat just now, but fortunately, she got through.
"Aya, it's your own fault for being so well-developed."
"I'd want it but don't even have it,"
Belle laughed.
Then, after just a few steps, the group found the path they were supposed to take was blocked by a train carriage.
"Is it really this way?"
"We didn't take a wrong turn, did we?"
Nekomata looked at the road blocked by the train in a bizarre posture and asked doubtfully.
"Nekomata, your route is correct."
"Looking at the state of this train, it's very likely it was thrown here by a Etherals."
Wise pondered.
"Meow-wu, this kind of power is truly terrifying."
Nekomata said fearfully.
"It looks like crawling through is definitely unrealistic."
"It seems the only option is to split the train open."
"Give me a minute."
After saying that, Hoshimi Aya placed her hand on the hilt of her blade. Suddenly, a timid voice came from the other side of the train.
"Um, excuse me, are you Hollow Investigators, sirs?!"
This sudden voice gave Nekomata a start.
"Who's speaking?"
"Could it be the carriage? Or a cute girl?!"
Nekomata looked at the carriage, somewhat surprised.
Hoshimi Aya, listening to the voice, frowned. Didn't this voice sound a bit familiar?
The person on the other side of the train was stumped by Nekomata's response.
For a moment, she didn't know how to answer.
"Miss Carriage, we're really in a hurry right now."
"Could you please lift your leg and let us pass?"
Nekomata requested.
"Please, Miss Carriage, lift your leg."
Belle chimed in.
"Wait, I think I know the person on the other side."
"Her voice sounds familiar to me."
"Who are you, please?!"
Hoshimi Aya said with a frown.
She had no acquaintances in this world, except for the game characters in the game.
So either this was someone related to her coming here, or it was a game character she knew.
But she leaned more toward the latter; after all, so far the only clue related to her arrival here was a name: Carole Arna.
So running into someone related to her background just like that was clearly unrealistic.
Belle and Wise were stunned by Hoshimi Aya's words, and Nekomata also looked at Hoshimi Aya in confusion.
"K-know... know me?!"
"Hello, I'm Corin!"
The person on the other side introduced herself.
Hoshimi Aya was stunned to hear this name. In her memory, it seemed she indeed met the Matcha Cupcake Corin at such a location.
"Corin, come over first."
"Let's talk in person."
Hoshimi Aya said.
If it was Corin, there was no need to exert effort to break it open with a blade, since Corin had a chainsaw to saw it open.
Corin on the other side responded and swung her chainsaw, sawing through the train carriage.
But after Corin came over, she found no one she was familiar with present.
"Eh?!"
"Are you that youngest Lord Void Hunter of New Eridu, Miss Hoshimi Miyabi?!"
Corin looked at Hoshimi Aya in shock.
"Meow! What! Void Hunter!!"
Nekomata looked at Hoshimi Aya in shock.
"Sorry, I'm not the person you think I am."
"I have some impression of you; maybe I've seen you somewhere before."
"Why are you in The Hollow alone?"
Hoshimi Aya asked back, clearly not wanting to chat more on this topic.
"There was a very dangerous Etherals nearby just now, and I got separated from my companions."
"May I act together with you?"
"I don't have a Carrot, so I can't leave The Hollow alone."
"Please!"
Saying so, Corin gave the group a 90-degree bow.
...
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