Time passed quickly.
Several months had gone by since Sombravida advanced to the level of a Gillian.
Unlike the countless mindless Gillians wandering Hueco Mundo, Sombravida — though summoned by the Forest of Menos — was able to remain within the forest by choice.
When other Hollows advanced, even those who retained consciousness were compelled to follow the call toward the Menos domain. Yet Sombravida experienced no such irresistible pull.
There were several possible explanations.
Perhaps he had already been within the Forest of Menos when he evolved, sparing him the forced migration.
Perhaps, as the mysterious voice had implied, his existence differed from other Hollows.
Or perhaps this very forest had been the one that called him.
Whatever the reason, it was good news.
Knowledge of the Hollow World
During Nel's hibernation, Sombravida fully absorbed the knowledge granted by the consciousness of the Forest of Menos.
Hueco Mundo was far vaster than he had imagined.
It contained countless opportunities — and dangers to match.
Even the hierarchy of Hollow evolution was more complex than he had believed.
Vasto Lorde was not the ultimate limit.
Beyond the level of Hollow kings, further evolution was theoretically possible…
…but for millennia, no Hollow had ever reached that realm.
Adjusting to a Gillian Body
Over the past months, Sombravida gradually adapted to his fifteen-meter Menos body.
He discovered why Gillians moved so slowly in the early stage of evolution.
There were two reasons:
First: their enormous mass.
Second: their spiritual energy had been dispersed into a vastly larger vessel.
A high-level Hollow's internal energy is like a bucket of water.
Pouring that bucket into a swimming pool leaves it nearly empty.
This hollowness creates an overwhelming hunger.
That is why newly evolved Gillians instinctively use Soul Absorption.
They are starving.
As spiritual energy accumulates, mobility gradually improves.
Mindless Gillians adapt to this slow, energy-conserving movement and never learn to move differently. Only extreme danger might trigger instinctive bursts of speed.
Sombravida was different.
Since his earliest evolution, he had compressed and refined his spiritual energy.
This not only eased his advancement but also prevented instability after evolving.
Within a single month, he had regained functional mobility.
Though he could no longer use Shadow Step in his Menos body, it hardly mattered.
Within the Great Hollow Forest, only Adjuchas posed a true threat — and most creatures here were slower than he was.
Hunting as a Menos
Crack!
Beneath a towering tree, Sombravida struck the head from an unfortunate Gillian, seized its mask, and swallowed it.
He departed immediately, ignoring the corpse as it dissolved into spirit particles.
Sombravida's hunting style remained simple: ambush and withdraw.
This method was enabled by his unique innate ability.
Ability: Concealment
The ability Sombravida possessed did not increase strength or speed.
Instead, it was a support-type trait:
Concealment.
This was not merely suppression of spiritual pressure.
It granted:
spiritual pressure concealment
physical presence suppression
Cero concealment
Ordinary Hollows fire crimson Cero.
Nel's Cero is pink.
Sombravida's Cero…
is colorless.
Invisible.
Only the distortion of air reveals its existence.
However, he had not yet mastered it fully. True concealment — eliminating even the faint ripple of release — would likely only be possible after advancing to Adjuchas or Vasto Lorde.
The ability also had limitations.
Because of its concealment nature, it did not amplify destructive power.
Its advantage lay in stealth and precision.
Sombravida did not mind.
He had time.
Until that person arrived.
The Question of the Northern Forest Lord
Leaning against a massive tree, Sombravida let out a satisfied burp.
Months had passed since Nel entered hibernation. During that time he had:
fully recovered his spiritual power
adapted to his Menos body
resumed compression of spiritual energy
Now he pondered a troubling question.
Did this forest truly have a ruler?
"The Lord of the Northern Forest…"
Was that title referring to:
the ruler of this region, or
the ruler of the entire northern Forest of Menos?
The distinction was enormous.
If the former, the being might be a late-stage Adjuchas.
If the latter…
even a Vasto Lorde would not be impossible.
Until he could protect himself, Sombravida intended to avoid attracting attention from such a being.
Caution and Preparation
At his current level, encountering a conscious Gillian of similar strength could still lead to unnecessary battle.
Growing along the forest's periphery was safer than venturing toward the core.
And Nel was still asleep.
Perhaps when she awakened…
Sombravida stopped himself.
Speculation would not help.
Building a Defensive Perimeter
Near the clearing where Nel slept beneath the sand, Sombravida began constructing traps.
As a Gillian, he was more agile than ordinary Menos, allowing him to create simple pitfalls and spike traps.
These would not injure enemies at this level.
Their purpose was:
to restrict movement
to create noise warnings
to detect intrusions
Like a spider sensing vibrations in its web, Sombravida would feel any disturbance.
After establishing a perimeter nearly a kilometer wide, he finally allowed himself to rest.
He hollowed out a massive pine trunk and settled inside.
The trees of the Great Hollow Forest were colossal — large enough for a fifteen-meter Menos to live within them like a normal creature.
New Abilities: Soul Absorption & Anti-Membrane
Upon evolving, the Forest had granted Sombravida more than Cero.
He gained two additional abilities:
Soul Absorption
A fundamental Gillian skill.
The reishi density in the Forest of Menos was immense.
Each use absorbed spiritual particles equivalent to devouring a lesser Hollow.
A hundred cycles could equal consuming a Gillian.
Advancing to Adjuchas might require hundreds.
For Sombravida, whose spiritual reserves were unusually vast, the amount required would be far greater.
Anti-Membrane
A far rarer ability.
Once deployed, it creates an absolute barrier that cannot be broken even by captain-class Shinigami.
Yet it carries a fatal drawback:
it cannot be cast on oneself
it must be deployed by a trusted ally
the protected target becomes the focus of all attacks
it persists until dismissed, the user is defeated, or spiritual energy is exhausted
Because of these conditions, the ability is rarely used among Hollows.
Its effectiveness depends entirely on trust and will.
Sombravida understood immediately:
alone, the skill was useless.
With the right partner…
it could be decisive.
Absorbing Reishi
Seated within the tree hollow, Sombravida opened his mouth and activated Soul Absorption.
Spiritual particles streamed toward him.
After resting briefly, he resumed absorbing.
Hollows do not tire — especially when their spiritual power is abundant.
The sensation of reishi flowing into his body was calm and comforting.
Safe.
Efficient.
But peace never lasts in Hueco Mundo.
The Summons
Without warning, a distant roar echoed through the forest.
A massive surge of spiritual pressure followed.
Sombravida jolted awake.
"…An Adjuchas summons?"
The command vibrated inside his mind, compelling his body to rise.
He gripped the tree's interior to steady himself and forced the impulse down.
"What level of Adjuchas can project a summons this powerful?"
He estimated the range.
It likely covered a quarter of the forest.
"The sound came from the core…"
His gaze hardened.
"Could this be the Lord of the Northern Forest?"
If the roar affected even him, the source must be an extremely powerful being.
Decision
Should he go?
If he did, he might learn the true power structure within the forest.
If he did not, he would remain safe — but blind.
He hesitated.
Then the second summons echoed.
Sombravida stood.
He began walking toward the source.
Not because he was compelled…
…but because he understood its meaning.
The summons carried a single message:
War.