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All, every last one, advancing to Gillian?
Wayne’s words left all eight present stunned, Jekain included.
Every single one advancing to Gillian.
What did that even mean?
It meant Wayne would give up his own priority advancement, risk being attacked by mindless Gillians, and help these Hollows, allies of exactly one cooperation, all reach the next level.
“M-my King.
Are you serious?” Inora stumbled over the words.
If Wayne had merely used Jekain’s advancement to help the group hunt, Inora would have admired Wayne’s cunning and left it at that.
But helping everyone advance, had it not been for the seriousness in Wayne’s tone, Inora might have thought him mad.
Setting Jekain aside, there were seven remaining Hollows, and every single one of them risked becoming mindless upon evolving.
Seven evolutions.
That meant Wayne could face up to seven attacks from Gillian-class Menos Grande.
An elite-class Hollow against seven Gillians, this…
“Do I look like I’m joking?” Wayne shrugged, expression easy.
In truth, his thinking was nothing like what the others imagined.
Wayne simply placed extraordinary value on this cooperation.
Since reincarnating as a Hollow, he had long since lost count of how much time had passed without speaking to anyone conscious, anyone he could actually hold a conversation with.
Perhaps he had been starved of it too long.
When he found people to talk to again and struck an agreement to fight alongside them, that rush of excitement flooded every part of him, even though he no longer had anything that could technically be called a heart.
Beyond that, he needed to use this time to talk with these veterans, Hollows who had survived in Hueco Mundo for years.
There was still so much he didn’t know about his own kind.
About advancing.
And he needed to watch the others when they evolved, observe the changes up close.
“No questions?
Then let’s move.
Jekain doesn’t have much time left.” The Hollows exchanged glances.
It wasn’t that they didn’t trust Wayne, they were simply speechless.
After a brief stunned silence, all seven dropped to the ground at once and bowed.
“We obey our King’s command!” Without another word, Wayne rallied his group and fell in step behind the Menos Grande Jekain.
The journey had begun.
A journey to advance every last one of them.
“Inora.” Not long after setting out, Wayne called out.
“Here.” Inora stepped forward.
“My King, what do you need?” “While we travel, give me a rundown on what you know about us Hollows.” “Oh?” Inora was mildly surprised, then understood immediately.
Wayne was a Hollow from the World of the Living, of course he didn’t know much about Hueco Mundo.
In the World of the Living, not all Hollows made their way here.
Most stayed behind, hunting human souls.
Even those that slipped into the gap between the World of the Living and Soul Society rarely managed to open a Garganta and reach Hueco Mundo.
Cases like Wayne’s, Inora figured, were exceedingly rare.
What Inora didn’t know was that although Wayne had come from the World of the Living, it wasn’t quite the same dimension Inora had in mind.
“My King, what would you like to know?” “Let’s start with the ranking system.” Wayne had his own rough classifications already, but he wanted to be accurate.
Better to hear it from someone who actually lived it.
“Yes, my King.” Inora replied respectfully.
“I’ll start from the weakest.
First, the ones we all know as prey.
Beast Hollows…” And so, with Inora’s explanation filling the silence, Wayne and the others made their way slowly toward the heart of the Outer Circle, the Forest of Menos.
“…So the apex rulers of Hueco Mundo are the King Hollows.
The supreme existence in all of Hueco Mundo.
If more than ten Vasto Lorde-class Menos Grande dwell in the Inner Circle, then the number of King Hollows would never exceed three.
And even that is only legend.” Inora had given Wayne everything, a complete account of Hueco Mundo’s hierarchy, with examples for each level.
“Is that so…” Having heard it all, Wayne’s understanding of the ranking system deepened considerably.
It wasn’t too different from his own rough breakdown, only more precise in terms of Reiatsu distinctions.
He’d also picked up quite a bit about the Gillian level and above, things he hadn’t known before.
A solid gain.
“Now tell me about the Forest of Menos.” Wayne continued.
“Regarding the Forest of Menos, allow me.” Jekain cut in.
“From what I know, there are three confirmed Forests of Menos in total.
Located in the northern, central, and southern regions of Hueco Mundo.
All three are guarded by Adjuchas-class Menos Grande.
Gillians, driven by the desire to advance faster, heed the call of the Forest of Menos and converge there.” “Adjuchas?” Wayne’s expression sharpened.
“Don’t those only exist in the Inner Circle?” Based on what Inora had just told him, Jekain’s words didn’t add up.
“That is generally the case, my King.” Jekain’s footsteps were heavy as he spoke.
“However, not every Adjuchas chooses to head for the Inner Circle immediately.
Some stay in the Outer Circle.
They hunt the Gillians here and become its rulers.” “…” Wayne fell into thought.
The Forest of Menos was far less simple than he’d imagined.
Any Menos Grande that reached the Adjuchas level had necessarily awakened Sentience.
If the Forest of Menos truly housed several Adjuchas-class Menos Grande, then for Wayne, it was genuine killing ground.
“My King, perhaps your concern is unnecessary.” Jekain continued, as if he’d read Wayne’s mind.
“The Forest of Menos is vast.
Adjuchas-level powerhouses mostly keep to the core regions.
After becoming a Gillian, the journey toward that core is long, long enough that Gillians preying on each other along the way is sufficient for some of them to advance.
Once they reach the core, the Adjuchas can enter the Hueco Mundo Sands within it and step into the Inner Circle.
Of course, if a Gillian — or a low-class Hollow born somewhere nearby — is lucky enough to survive and reach the sands, they can enter the Inner Circle as well.” “Doesn’t that make things rather rough on them?” Wayne smiled faintly.
“Barely born and already facing death.” “Not entirely.” Jekain continued.
“Even though it’s called the sands, the structure there is nearly identical to the Garganta created by Adjuchas-class Menos Grande.
The only difference is that they aren’t directional.
So a Hollow born near the Forest of Menos doesn’t necessarily get hunted the moment it steps into the Inner Circle.
And those higher up don’t tend to notice prey that’s far too weak.” “Oh?” Wayne’s expression eased.
“So how many Gillians and sub-Menos Grande Hollows actually end up sent directly into the Inner Circle that way?” “Because the Reishi density near the Forest of Menos is higher, roughly ten percent of all Hollows are born in the vicinity of each one.
Three Forests of Menos, that’s thirty percent combined.” Jekain continued.
“Due to the non-directional nature of the sands, as long as two beings don’t enter and exit at the exact same moment, there’s almost no chance of running into each other.
The Inner Circle is several times more vast than the Outer Circle.
Those Hollows born within the sands who manage to enter the Inner Circle are precisely the ones given a chance to survive because of that.
Of course, if both parties know each other’s Reiatsu well enough, finding one another is still possible.” “I see.” Wayne understood.
The Inner Circle was where the apex rulers lived.
The Reiatsu they unleashed in battle was something Wayne and the others, weak as they currently were, couldn’t withstand.
“What about the situation inside the Inner Circle?” “I am sorry, my King.” Jekain shook his massive head.
“Regarding those at the higher levels, I know nothing more.” Wayne turned his gaze toward Inora.
Inora shook his head without a word.
“Well.
I have a rough picture now.
Whatever comes next, we’ll have to discover together.” Wayne let it go and addressed the group.
“Let’s go — together, we find our new base of operations!” ….
Several months later.
“My King, fifteen kilometers ahead there is a forest, radius of roughly ten thousand.
No Menos Grande-level Reiatsu detected.” Gis, dispatched to scout, dropped to one knee before Wayne and delivered his report.
Several months had passed since they set out.
In that time, Wayne and the others had cut through no small number of small forests.
But those areas had all been far too small, the Hollows inside nowhere near enough for Wayne’s group to hunt.
Every time, Wayne simply led the charge straight through.
One Cero from Jekain, and any Hollows that dared to resist were wiped out on the spot.
Below the Menos Grande threshold, very few Hollows could withstand a Cero backed by that kind of dense Reiatsu.
The hunting had been easy.
“Understood.
Good work, Gis.” Wayne nodded.
“Jekain, are you certain the route to the Forest of Menos passes through that forest?” “Yes, my King.” Jekain confirmed.
“The Forest of Menos is still far.
But it is indeed in that direction.” “Good.
Then that forest is our first stronghold on this journey.” Wayne made his call.
“Jekain, don’t stop, walk straight through the forest.
Suppress your Reiatsu as much as you can.
If you encounter more than five high-level Hollows moving together, release a Cero immediately.
Keep going until you reach the center of the forest, then use Soul Absorption to clear out the lower-ranked Hollows.
Inora, Fislina, you’re with me.
Help me sense Reiatsu at maximum range.
Everyone else waits outside the forest for Fislina’s signal.” “Yes.” The Hollows answered.
“No problems?
Then move out.” Wayne gave a nod and led the group forward at a quickened pace.
About half a day later, they arrived at a cliff overlooking the forest.
Below them stretched a vast, sweeping expanse of woodland.
Surveying the entire area, the forest pulsed with countless faint Reiatsu signatures.
Quite a few of them matched Wayne’s own level.
That was what settled it, this was where they would build their base.
“Jekain.” “Here.” Jekain’s voice was low.
“This is your last battle.
Ready?” “My King, I am sorry that I can only fight for you this far.” Jekain lowered his head.
“Don’t be.
You were the first companions I met after arriving in Hueco Mundo.
Without your help, I would likely have died from Reiatsu overload long before now.
We’ve survived life and death together.
Calling you my comrades-in-arms isn’t wrong at all.
But helping all of you reach Gillian is the limit of what I can do.
If fate allows it, we meet again in the Inner Circle, as Adjuchas.” “Yes, my King.
Believe in me.” Jekain kept his head low.
“I, Jekain, will advance to Adjuchas without fail.
I will not disappoint your expectations.
And I will be waiting for you in the Inner Circle.” “We will give everything we have — and not disappoint our King!” “We will give everything we have, and not disappoint our King!” “We will give everything we have, and not disappoint our King!” Like a vow, the Hollows all prostrated themselves before Wayne at once.
Wayne shook his head with a relaxed smile and gave the order.
“Alright, that’s enough.
Jekain, Inora, Fislina, move out.
Everyone else stays.” “Yes.” “Yes.” “Yes.” ➤ Next: Battle in the Jungle [FULL STORY ACCESS] Unlock (100+ Chapters) ahead of the public release!