Soon after breakfast, the group split up.

Nicole took Anby to the video store, while Billy drove toward the Cretan Companion Hollow.

"Billy, how much ammo did you bring?"

Sol sat in the passenger seat, turning to ask.

"Roughly five hundred rounds—plenty of firepower."

Billy patted the ammo belt around his waist, clearly satisfied with his loadout.

Sol shook his head and asked, "Got any more at home?"

Five hundred bullets weren't going to cut it. If Billy ran dry mid-fight, just standing there awkwardly would be a disaster.

"Nope, that's all I've got. I'll need to buy more next time."

Billy replied honestly.

"No next time—here, take this and go buy twenty pounds of bullets."

Sol casually handed over a stack of Denny.

"Uh... okay?" Billy blankly accepted the cash, but as he came to his senses, he cried out in shock. "Wait, WHAT!? Twenty pounds of bullets!?"

You could measure bullets by weight!?

Were they even talking about the same thing?

"It's just twenty pounds of bullets. Back in my hometown, everyone was sick—Firepower Deficiency Syndrome was practically a contagious disease. Totally normal."

Sol spoke with absolute calm.

If he didn't have the Infinite Ammo talent, he'd bring at least fifty pounds himself.

And if he weren't still new to New Eridu, he'd be hauling an RPG on his back by now.

Billy didn't know what to say—he could only give a thumbs-up. "Boss Su, you really are something else. Even your hometown's hardcore."

He was dying to know what kind of place Sol came from, where everyone had Firepower Deficiency Syndrome.

Even the chaotic Outer Ring wasn't that crazy.

"But Boss Su, I've got money for bullets. You don't have to pay for me."

Billy tried to push the Denny back to Sol.

Even though the Cunning Hares ran a constant deficit, salaries were still paid on time. Aside from splurging on Starlight Knight merch, he had more than enough to buy bullets and maintain his weapons.

"Don't worry about it. You're out here fighting Ethereal with me—you're my brother. It's only right."

Sol slapped Billy on the shoulder, full of bravado.

"Thanks, Boss Su! You're the best brother I've got!"

Billy was completely moved.

Just the other day, Sol had taken Anby out for dinner and a movie.

Now it was his turn, and Sol was giving him money for ammo. Truly a man of his word!

"Alright, alright, enough with the sappy stuff—go buy the bullets already."

Sol turned his face away, hiding his grin.

The poor fool didn't realize: everything had a price.

Billy's bullets came with a cost—a swarm of over a thousand Ethereal. Meanwhile, Sol got himself a cheat skill and waved goodbye to worries.

That's life. Gains and losses, side by side.

"Got it!"

Still oblivious to Sol's hidden schemes, Billy drove off in high spirits to buy ammo.

Not long after, armed to the teeth, Billy returned and drove them straight into the Cretan Hollow.

This time, they brought along a Bangboo exclusive to the Hollow Investigative Association—it contained data on the Cretan Hollow's Carrot metrics.

"Boss Su, where do we start clearing the Ethereal?" Billy asked, carrying a twenty-pound ammo box and radiating bloodlust. "My firepower's loaded—I'll make sure none of those creeps get away!"

"Just wander around. We'll find them soon enough."

Sol quietly activated his [Taunt] skill.

Using the card's unique mechanic, he adjusted the frequency of his mental waves.

Different mental frequencies attracted different targets.

Some drew in humans, some robots. What Sol needed was the specific wavelength that attracted Ethereal.

"Weird... why did I suddenly feel like attacking Boss Su just now?"

Billy reholstered his revolver, scratching his head in confusion.

That sensation had come out of nowhere—a sudden impulse to turn on Sol.

Fortunately, it passed quickly. Otherwise, he'd have ended up friendly-firing his own team leader.

"Got it."

Sol's fluctuating mental waves finally settled.

Two long pulses, one short—that was the Ethereal-attracting frequency.

And true to its purple rarity, the system-approved card showed instant results.

One Ethereal sprinted directly toward them, locked onto its target—it had been Taunted.

At the same time, every Ethereal within a ten-kilometer radius centered on Sol suddenly went berserk. Whatever they'd been doing, they dropped it—and began charging madly in the same direction.

"What the hell just happened?"

A nearby Hollow Raider stood in utter confusion.

He'd just been locked in an intense fight with an Ethereal—and now, out of nowhere, the thing just ran off!?

In all his raids, he'd never seen this happen before. According to the White Star Institute's research, Ethereal never retreated.

"Hey! Come back! Don't run!"

The Hollow Raider shouted in despair as the Ethereal he'd nearly killed disappeared over the horizon.

That core was his! He was just one hit away from cashing it in for Denny.

A cooked duck—flying away!?

Meanwhile...

"Boss Su, this spot's a real goldmine." Billy shot down two Ethereal with ease. "We don't even have to look—Ethereal are lining up to die."

"Yeah."

Sol watched a few suicidal Ethereal charge in and stroked his chin thoughtfully.

The Taunt skill affected everything within a ten-kilometer radius.

That was far beyond the size of this Companion Hollow.

Which meant... every single Ethereal inside the Hollow was heading their way. These few nearby ones? Just appetizers.

"Boss Su, let me take care of these small fry for you!"

Billy watched the scattered Ethereal approach and smiled like a god of mercy.

Come, little Ethereal—Uncle Billy's big barrels are ready for you!

But the smile didn't last long.

BOOM!

CRACK!

CLACK!

A cacophony of chaos erupted as Ethereal surged in from all directions—definitely over 1,500 strong.

"Why are there this many Ethereal!?"

Billy's smug grin vanished on the spot.

He'd thought 300 was the limit.

Turns out—there was a whole army hiding here.

Just a minute ago, he feared nothing.

Now? Ethereal-sama, I kneel before you.

"Don't worry, brother—we're in this together."

Sol deactivated the [Taunt] skill and turned to Billy.

Today's quota was more than filled. Any more, and it would be overtime—and Sol hated overtime.

"Right. Together!"

Billy looked at Sol standing firm beside him and felt a warm surge in his core.

What's a real brother? This is what a real brother looks like!