The Ever-Confident Frog in the Well
Shiraishi stepped out of the Garganta.
Previously, he had been forced to evacuate Hueco Mundo to escape an unfamiliar Reiatsu, but now he had returned.
He took a deep breath.
Ah… Hueco Mundo is wonderful! Even the air carries the fragrance of freedom.
The concentration of Reishi here was far higher than in Soul Society, and the difference was especially noticeable when moving between the two realms.
No wonder powerful Hollows are reluctant to enter Soul Society. To them, Soul Society must feel like some poor, barren backwater. Only those Hollows unable to compete among their own kind would stoop to scavenging there.
"Is that… a building?"
Zaraki Fuuya appeared nearby as the Garganta closed behind him. He gazed into the distance.
Atop the desolate white sands stood a snow-white palace, bathed in the waning moonlight, exuding a sacred aura.
Would Hollows really imitate humans and build something on this scale?
No—it had to be Aizen's doing. That man's influence in Hueco Mundo was far greater than anyone imagined.
Zaraki Fuuya's eyes flickered thoughtfully.
In all the files he'd reviewed, Aizen had never once mentioned Hueco Mundo. At most, there were notes on his Hollowfication experiments—attempts to transform Shinigami into Hollows, none of which had gone well.
Because of this, Zaraki had underestimated Aizen's reach, believing him to merely be allied with a powerful Hollow.
Now, it was clear Aizen's ties to Hueco Mundo went much deeper.
"That building screams 'final boss.' Best to avoid it for now. What about that sheep-headed Hollow?"
"I've fused with it. I can summon it whenever needed," replied Zaraki Futaro calmly.
Originally, he hadn't wanted to fuse with a Hollow, but with the situation shifting, continuing to control one externally would have only gotten him caught by some superior Hollow. Fusing was his only choice.
"A wise move. Let's continue the hunt."
Shiraishi spread out his spiritual senses. About twenty kilometers to the southwest, he detected the Reiatsu of four Adjuchas. He immediately set off.
Zaraki Futaro glanced at Las Noches in the distance, deciding it would be better to learn more about Hueco Mundo before making any rash moves.
Purifying Hueco Mundo isn't something to be done in a single day. Step by step.
A mocking voice rang in his head.
"Actually, you're just a coward. Afraid Aizen's setting a trap? Hah! Pathetic. A man named after a sword, yet too scared to swing it. Why not just scurry back to Seireitei, where you're invincible—so long as Old Man Yama doesn't decide to burn the whole place down?"
Yu Lu Takuliu, as always, picked the perfect moment to ramble.
"I just don't want to be reckless," Zaraki Fuuya retorted mentally. With that, his figure blurred and vanished as he caught up to Shiraishi.
By the time he arrived, the battle was over.
Four massive Adjuchas collapsed into the white sands, their bodies breaking down into spirit particles.
Shiraishi elegantly sheathed his blade and checked his inner dashboard. His experience points had risen to 585.
At this rate, he'd soon reach Level 12.
Excitement gleamed in his eyes as he spread his senses again, hoping to locate another group of Adjuchas.
"Come take a look at this," Zaraki Fuuya suddenly called out.
Shiraishi abandoned his search and, with a flash step, appeared beside him. Behind a jagged quartz outcrop, hidden from the moonlight, was a cave leading downward.
From the angle of Las Noches, the cave was completely invisible.
Zaraki Fuuya peered into the depths. The cave was shrouded in darkness, impossible to see clearly.
Shiraishi thought for a moment. If he recalled correctly, beneath Hueco Mundo's white sands lay the Forest of Menos.
The anime had depicted it, even featuring Shinigami trapped there. Though the manga had only briefly mentioned it, it was known as the gathering place of Gillians.
But which would yield more experience? Gillians or Adjuchas? Definitely Adjuchas.
"Probably just a natural sinkhole," Shiraishi shrugged. "Don't worry about it."
But Zaraki Fuuya shook his head. "Didn't you notice? Those four Adjuchas seemed to be guarding this place."
"I didn't," Shiraishi replied flatly.
Zaraki gave him a look but didn't press the matter. "Fine. Let's split up. I'll head down and investigate. Better to understand Hueco Mundo properly."
As if to punctuate his words, the sheep-headed Hollow manifested beside him and leapt into the cave.
"I'll wait here. We're brothers after all," Shiraishi said, though in truth he didn't want to wander Hueco Mundo alone.
The Hollow plummeted into the abyss, and Zaraki followed. "I'll take a look."
"I'll go too." Shiraishi jumped after them. Even if it's Gillians, I can grind them for points.
After half a minute of darkness, a faint silver glow came into view. It emanated from massive tree branches, thick as walls.
Similar trees stretched endlessly, forming a breathtaking subterranean forest.
Shiraishi felt words fail him. "It's… beautiful. Fucking beautiful."
Landing lightly with a buffered slash, he looked around. "It's lively here."
"Hmm. The Reiatsu down here isn't from low-level Hollows. It's clashing everywhere."
Zaraki brushed a hand across one of the trees, scraping away silver-gray moss. He tossed it aside. "If we keep going forward, could this lead directly under that palace?"
"Maybe. But if so, it's definitely guarded. I wouldn't recommend it," Shiraishi answered.
"True," Zaraki muttered. Then he called out into the shadows, "No need to hide. Come out, mid-level Hollow."
A calm voice echoed back. "Ah, I had no intention of causing trouble. I'll simply watch you leave."
From the darkness, a pseudo-Arrancar stepped forward.
His appearance was telling: the closer a Hollow was to human form, the more successful their transformation.
This one was striking—about 1.8 meters tall, handsome, with long golden hair flowing to his waist. His right eye was covered by a mask fragment shaped like a silver masquerade mask. His right side was encased in heavy white armor, his hand a massive claw. His left side bore a white uniform and a smaller clawed glove.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Fendor Kelias, servant of His Majesty Baraggan."
His tone hardened.
"And now, I must ask you to die here. I'd rather not cause unnecessary trouble. His Majesty has ordered caution."
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