Old and New Friends

 Complete "Light Nap Battle (II)"

---

In the middle of the discussion, someone reported that Ethereals had escaped from the Hollow and reached the outskirts of Blazewood. No time to waste—take them out first.

Outer Ring Hollow

(Light Nap Battle (II) is selected)

Fairy: You've got a new companion "Frenzied Maniac"! Check out its details.

Fairy: Here are your companion's specialties — use them wisely to defeat enemies more effectively

Fairy: Here you can check your companion's skills and their corresponding effects.

Fairy: You can also open the "Companion Database" to check info on your current companions.

(Start Light Nap Battle (II))

(Open tutorials Ethereal-Specific Mechanics: Marks and Monster Category Counters)

Hollow Deep Dive AI Assistant: Units act according to the action bar order. Hold on a target in the action barHold on a target in the action barMobile/Press C/Press to view their status and details.

Hollow Deep Dive AI Assistant: Click on enemy monsters in the scene to switch targets; Or click on enemy monsters on the action bar to the right to switch targets.Click on enemy monsters in the scene to switch targets; Or click on enemy monsters on the action bar to the right to switch targets.Mobile/Scroll the mouse wheel, or press EQ to switch targets.Scroll the mouse wheel, or press EQ to switch targets.PC/Press , then use and to switch targets; Or use , to switch targets.Press , then use and to switch targets; Or use , to switch targets. Tooltip for Press 24px|alt=Controller LT|link=, then use 24px|alt=Controller DPAD Up|link= and 24px|alt=Controller DPAD Down|link= to switch targets; Or use 24px|alt=Controller DPAD Left|link=, 24px|alt=Controller DPAD Right|link= to switch targets.ⓘController

Hollow Deep Dive AI Assistant: Press the action barthe action barMobile/E/ to switch the target to the enemy Light Patroller

Hollow Deep Dive AI Assistant: Category counters are shown to the right of the health bar, and a blue arrow means a successful counter

Hollow Deep Dive AI Assistant: Marks increase damage taken, skill 2's quick-time interaction can apply a mark

Hollow Deep Dive AI Assistant: Frenzied Maniac's Skill 3 can remove marks to trigger a follow-up attack.

 See Lucia's "new friend"

---

Lucia seems to have made a "new friend". Go talk to her and find out more.

Blazewood

(Idle, by Steeltusk)

Member of the Sons of Calydon: H-how am I supposed to get this down!?

(Talk to the Member of the Sons of Calydon, optional)

Member of the Sons of Calydon: Can someone take care of this little brat, Caesar?!

Up there... is that a motorcycle?

What kind of performance art is this?

Member of the Sons of Calydon: That's my beloved bike, Carrot! It's all that brat Big Daddy brought back—he snuck a twist on my throttle and sent it flying right onto Steeltusk's head.

Member of the Sons of Calydon: What a headache... How am I supposed to get it down from there?

(Idle, near Lucia)

Andron: Big Daddy, damage report ready. Critical supplies are intact, just lost a few crates of Nitro-Fuel.

Big Daddy: Ah... My Nitro-Fuel...

(Interact with the Suspicious Books, optional)

Among the junk pile lay a few notebooks marked with the "Night Horror" sigil. One of them might hold a clue...

"Reborn: Raising Ethereal in the Hollow"

The novel tells the story of a girl called the Night Emissary, who stumbles into the Hollow and, by forming bonds with her Ethereal companions, gradually challenges the Four Lords of the Hollow.

"Night Emissary's Story of Seasons"

Inside was a detailed guide on raising and caring for different kinds of Ethereals, covering everything down to the smallest detail—even a glossary translating Ethereal vocabulary.

"The Ethereal Girl's Guide to Wealth"

It seems to be a sequel to Raising Ethereals in the Hollow, telling the story of the Night Emissary opening and running an Ethereal zoo inside the Hollow.

Looks like Yidhari must've peeked at Lucia's fantasy novel—no wonder the Ethereals in her dream see her as some kind of Master Ethereal Trainer.

(Talk to Lucia)

Lucia: Hey, (‍WiseWiseText for Wise / BelleBelleText for Belle‍), check it out! I named my Ethereal buddy — from now on, it's called Tiny Tiki.

What do you mean by "Tiny"?

What do you mean by "Tiki"?

Komano Manato: That's totally a pet's name!

Lucia: No way, that's my buddy's name! Hey, Manato? Weren't you supposed to be helping Big Daddy and the others sort through the damaged cargo?

Komano Manato: Yeah, I just finished cleaning up, and then some piece of work showed up at the corner.

Some piece of work?

Komano Manato: A fierce-looking, massive guy with bulging muscles. He was talking with his underlings about the state of the Outer Ring Hollow.

Lucia: Uh, I can hardly imagine Manato describing someone else like that.

Lucia: Whoever it is, let's go take a look. He seems to know something about the Hollow anomaly.

 Go meet a "real piece of work"

---

Manato says a "real piece of work" has returned to Blazewood, bringing news of multiple Hollow anomalies. Meet him to investigate.

Blazewood

(Approach the motorcycles)

Return of the Overlord

 Meet with Yidhari in the dream

---

Yidhari seems to feel guilty about her decision not to wake up. With a major threat looming, talk to her first and ease the tension.

Blazewood

(Idle)

Big Daddy: Looks like the next wave of Ethereal attacks is about to hit.

Andron: Mm, I can't explain it, but ever since that girl Yidhari showed up, the attacks have gotten way more intense...

(Talk to Pompey and Mors, optional)

Mors: Why are you being so nice to them, Boss? Their previous leader was a total lunatic.

Pompey: Alright, alright, that's all in the past. I'm sure they had their own hardships they couldn't really speak of.

Mors: But Boss, they're still part of Calydon, aren't they?

Pompey: I get what you mean, but I've known Big Daddy for a long time. Sure, he fights like a raging wild boar, but in everyday life, he's actually a pretty kind guy.

Pompey: Besides, they're now the Sons of Calydon, not Calydon. If they had no intention of changing, they wouldn't have bothered changing the name.

Pompey: If you, like me, still hope to see The Vanquishers rise as the Overlord crew of the Outer Ring, then it's time to let go of those old grudges.

Mors: Alright! But Boss, I'm trusting you, not them!

(Talk to Lucia)

Lucia: I think we should respect Yidhari's wishes. After all, boosting her mental stability is the only way we'll have a chance to wake her up.

Yidhari: Sorry, I feel like my selfish decision has caused you all a lot of trouble.

No, no, it's fine.

Lucia: Yeah, when you get the chance to look back and face your past, anyone would want to resolve those lingering knots in their heart.

Yidhari: I'm sorry, but I've always cared about what happened to my parents. All I remember from back then is them leaving by boat... and never returning.

Yidhari: As I began to recover my forgotten memories in the dream, things about my parents' past gradually became clearer...

Yidhari: It feels like the deeper I dig, the more Ethereals come after me, trying to devour and corrupt me.

Lucia: No way! The Night Emissary will wipe out every Ethereal born from these discordant frequencies!

Lucia: What do you say, Proxy? Let's wipe out Yidhari's nightmare together!

Let's go! Time to fight!

Hang on, let me get ready.

(Talk to Lucia again, if exited)

Lucia: What do you say, Proxy? Let's wipe out Yidhari's nightmare together!

Let's go! Time to fight!

Hang on, let me get ready.