The Hollow—Gillian!
A high-ranking Hollow born only after devouring hundreds of its own kind.
Besides its enormous size and overwhelming Spiritual Pressure—comparable to that of a mid- to high-level Soul Reaper Lieutenant—it also possesses a devastating technique known as Cero.
Cero is a highly concentrated beam of spiritual energy capable of leveling an entire street in a single blast, with destructive power comparable to a cruise missile.
Normally, dealing with a Gillian would require dispatching at least a high-ranking Lieutenant from one of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.
But this Gillian was different.
To ensure everything went according to plan, Lorde had deliberately restricted the Hollow’s strength during the fusion process.
In other words, despite its appearance, this Gillian was little more than an empty shell.
Its actual combat power was even weaker than that of some lower-ranked Hollows.
Even so…
It was still a Gillian.
Against the humans of this world, it was an opponent they had absolutely no hope of defeating.
The moment it appeared…
An overwhelming wave of Spiritual Pressure swept across the area like a collapsing mountain and a raging tsunami, crushing everything in its path.
The asphalt road was ripped apart by an invisible force.
Massive chunks of concrete rose into the air before being shattered into countless fragments by the violent shockwave.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Windows throughout the surrounding buildings exploded into showers of glass.
Streetlights bent under the immense pressure, while utility poles snapped apart, sending high-voltage cables whipping wildly through the air like venomous serpents.
Even the battle-hardened Agent Coulson couldn’t suppress the fear rising from the depths of his soul.
“This…
this is a Hollow?”
Every hair on his body stood on end.
Although he couldn’t see the monster, every instinct screamed at him to run.
His nerves, his body—even his soul—were warning him just how terrifying this unseen creature truly was.
Jack panicked and tried to flee, but Coulson grabbed him and shoved him back into the passenger seat.
“Don’t move!”
Holding Jack down with one hand, Coulson started the engine with the other.
“I can’t see it!
You’ll be my eyes!
Tell me where it is!”
The more dangerous the situation became, the calmer Coulson’s mind grew.
Jack couldn’t die.
He was the only person who could see the Hollow—their only chance of understanding what they were facing.
“Hold on!”
Coulson slammed the accelerator.
VROOOM!
The black Audi roared as its tires screeched against the pavement before spinning around and speeding away.
“Fuuuuck!”
The sudden acceleration threw Jack face-first into the windshield, nearly breaking his nose.
“Is it still behind us?” Coulson shouted.
“Yes!”
Jack looked over his shoulder, his face pale with terror.
“It’s…
it’s right above us!”
Before Coulson could react…
BOOM!
An invisible force slammed into the car, sending it spinning violently through the air.
“Get out of the car!”
Without hesitation, Coulson kicked the door open and leaped out before the vehicle hit the ground.
CRASH!
The instant it landed, an enormous invisible foot crushed the Audi flat.
The entire vehicle twisted like a crumpled soda can, compressed into little more than a sheet of metal.
“Hah…”
Coulson gasped, cold sweat dripping down his face.
That was close…
If he’d reacted even a second later, he’d have been reduced to a pile of meat.
Then…
He noticed blood slowly flowing from the wreckage.
The relief on his face instantly vanished.
“Jack…”
His heart sank.
He’s dead…
Thinking back, it wasn’t surprising.
Even he had barely escaped alive.
Jack had been nothing more than an ordinary civilian.
“It’s over…”
Coulson’s face turned deathly pale.
Without Jack…
He was effectively blind.
Forget completing the mission.
Simply surviving would be a miracle.
BOOM!
The ground shook violently.
Two enormous footprints appeared in the shattered road less than ten meters away.
“It’s coming.”
Biting down hard on his tongue to stay focused, Coulson drew his pistol and fired toward the massive footprints.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
He emptied the entire magazine before lowering the weapon, breathing heavily as he stared ahead.
“Did…
did I kill it?”
For several seconds, nothing happened.
A sliver of hope appeared in his heart.
Then…
His entire body suddenly stiffened.
Invisible fingers wrapped around him.
Five massive handprints appeared around his body as though an unseen giant had seized him in its grasp.
An overwhelming force squeezed in from every direction.
Bones cracked.
Muscles strained.
The sound alone was enough to send chills down anyone’s spine.
“AAAAAAAH!”
Coulson screamed in agony as every bone in his body felt as though it were being crushed into powder.
The Gillian let out a deafening roar.
Beneath its long white mask, its crimson eyes burned with savage bloodlust.
“Aaah…”
Blood seeped from Coulson’s eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
It looked as though all seven of his orifices were bleeding at once.
As consciousness slowly slipped away…
A flash of light appeared before his eyes.
For the first time…
He saw it.
A gigantic, blurry silhouette standing before him.
“This…”
“…This is…
a Hollow?”
High above, Lorde watched silently, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
“So…
he can finally see it.”
This saved him quite a bit of trouble.
After all…
This entire performance had been prepared specifically for S.H.I.E.L.D.
Jack had merely served as a messenger.
But Coulson…
Coulson was far more valuable.
“Not yet…”
Lorde made no move to intervene.
“It’s still not enough.”
Merely seeing a vague outline wasn’t enough.
He wanted Coulson to awaken completely.
He wanted him to see the Gillian clearly with his own eyes.
To witness the arrival of a true Soul Reaper.
Of course…
Lorde had no intention of letting Coulson die.
After all…
He was the only audience for this grand performance.
And what was a magnificent play without someone there to witness it?
Besides…
Wasn’t Coulson always jokingly called the “Village Chief of the Novice Village?”
Shouldn’t the village chief be responsible for guiding newcomers?
…Well.
Perhaps this beginner’s tutorial was a little too difficult.
But that’s what made it interesting.
“You can do it, Coulson.”
“I believe in you.”
“Don’t disappoint me.”