The Forest of Menos Grande, situated deep beneath a cliff, was shrouded in oppressive darkness. Only faint rays of light managed to pierce through the cracks above, barely illuminating the cavernous forest below.
White, pillar-like trees grew in this subterranean space. Though called "trees," they were fossil-like in texture—tall, branchless, and leafless, functioning more like support columns than living flora. These ancient trunks held up the earth above, preventing the collapse of the desolate upper Hueco Mundo.
This forest echoed with shrill, eerie howls. Occasionally, the air was tainted by the metallic stench of blood—the signs of Hollows feeding or being hunted. Despite its name, Menos Grande were not the only denizens of this forest. Numerous lesser Hollows dwelled here, though few lasted long. More often than not, they ended up devoured by stronger Hollows.
To avoid such a fate, Hollows had only three options:
1. Escape the forest altogether.
2. Devour others and evolve into Menos Grande themselves.
3. Or combine the two—go to the World of the Living.
There, in the human world, the roles reversed. The hunted became the hunters, preying on human souls to strengthen themselves. That's why most of the Hollows invading the Living World originated from this very forest.
Because of this, when the Gotei 13 launched expeditions into Hueco Mundo in the past, they always prioritized purging the Forest of Menos. The realm of Hueco Mundo was vast and barren—tracking down individual Hollows was inefficient. The forest, however, was a nest—a concentrated threat. Destroying it meant culling the largest share of Hollow numbers.
Historically, this forest was nothing more than a blood-soaked battleground. Even Menos Grande were prey here, constantly hunted by stronger beings. And yet, recently, a new predator had emerged—an outsider wielding a Zanpakutō.
This man appeared suddenly, cutting down Hollow after Hollow without hesitation. He looked like a Shinigami, perhaps one of those on crusade. But his methods were cold, mechanical. He wasn't here to purify souls—he was hunting.
He held a crimson-glowing blade and used it with terrifying precision.
At first, the Hollows did what they always did: they tried to devour him. A Shinigami's soul was rich and potent—worth dozens of their own. But they were quickly slaughtered. Even Adjuchas-class Menos fell in a single blow.
Eventually, some Hollows began to submit. Despite their evil origins, they weren't stupid. They understood fear, self-preservation, and hierarchy. If survival meant serving a Shinigami, they would bow their heads—even if it disgusted them.
The stranger was amused. He had come here to "feed" his Zanpakutō—yet now he had followers. So he spared those who submitted and gathered them, forming his own impromptu army of Menos.
Hueco Mundo may have been bleak and hostile, but to this man, it offered something precious: freedom and opportunity.
At that moment, standing in a clearing surrounded by looming white trees, the crimson-bladed man addressed one of his subordinates—a towering Adjuchas, humanoid in form but radiating dense, compressed spiritual pressure.
"Above this place… you said there's a palace?" he asked.
"Yes," the Adjuchas replied with a bow. "Las Noches. It is the domain of Baraggan Louisenbairn, the self-proclaimed King of Hueco Mundo."
The man chuckled—a dry, condescending sound.
"How interesting…" Tsunayashiro Tokinada murmured, a playful glint in his eyes. "A king, is it?"
He sheathed his Zanpakutō and looked up toward the unseen ceiling far above.
"What do you think, Adjuchas? How would Hueco Mundo fare under a new king—me?"
The Hollow hesitated—half in awe, half in terror. But Tokinada didn't wait for a reply. His ambition was already cemented. In the twisted silence of Hueco Mundo, his laughter echoed—dark, confident, and dangerous.
—
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the forest, Gosuke Shigure and Yoruichi finally reached the base of the cliff.
"This is the Forest of Menos Grande?" Yoruichi muttered, scanning the dark expanse. "The spiritual particle density is much higher than on the surface."
Gosuke nodded. "Of course. This is where countless Hollows are born and die. Every moment, new souls fall here, becoming Hollows. Every moment, others are devoured. It's a perpetual cycle of rebirth and death."
He narrowed his eyes, scanning ahead.
"Which means the probability of encountering hostile Hollows is also—"
Before he could finish, a pulse of spiritual pressure flickered nearby.
"—very high."
Yoruichi shifted into a ready stance beside him. The oppressive air of the forest had turned still. Something was coming.
And it had noticed them, too.