Chapter 29: Tier Harribel
Narrator POV
Akira smiled softly, shrugging at Harribel's question. What could he even tell her? That he had followed a Gillian into Hueco Mundo and was now feeding one's remains to a living shadow? Yeah… obviously, that wasn't something he was going to say.
"I don't know… the last thing I remember is someone dragging me here," he replied casually, as if the matter were of little importance.
Harribel didn't answer immediately. Instead, she studied him in silence. The energy radiating from him was strange—powerful… too powerful for a mere human. Yet it was also dark, dense, as if something ancient and malevolent coiled beneath the surface.
It wasn't reiatsu. It wasn't Hollow energy. It wasn't human spirituality. It was something else entirely.
Her gaze drifted downward—to the ground. More precisely, to Akira's shadow. For a few seconds, she could see shapes moving within it—shadows with eyes staring back from the depths of the impossible. And among them, two stood out:
the towering figure of Igris… and a whole Gillian, swallowed by darkness.
"Are you human?" Harribel finally asked, lifting her gaze to meet Akira's eyes. "Because your energy… and the things you hide in your shadow… tell a different story."
Akira suppressed a grimace.
"Damn it… she already sensed my cursed energy—and my shadow soldiers."
His mind began racing. He needed an answer. Something convincing. Something that wouldn't draw more attention from someone who could easily kill him if she felt even slightly threatened.
"Well… let's just say I'm one of a kind," he replied with a faint smile, though deep down he knew that testing Harribel's patience would be a terrible idea.
Even if she seemed calm, her mere presence screamed danger.
"Unique?" she repeated in her neutral tone, her sea-green eyes analyzing him quietly. She could tell he wasn't a direct threat—even if he unleashed all the shadows hidden within his own. "Come."
Without another word, Harribel turned and began walking away—her steps steady, serene, never looking back. Akira raised an eyebrow, confused.
Was that "come" meant for him? Or was she talking to her Hollow companion?
"She meant both of us. So start walking," clarified the serpentine Hollow, already slithering after Harribel.
Her body, still partly covered in remnants of her Resurrección, moved with the grace of a serpent gliding through the sands of Hueco Mundo.
"She wants me to follow her…? Why?" Akira asked as he quickened his pace to keep up.
"You caught her attention. Lucky you," Sung-Sun replied, her tone calm but edged with intrigue. "She might even protect you while you're here. Harribel isn't the type to kill indiscriminately—she often lets those she encounters live. But talking to them… that's something she rarely does."
She could feel it—that dark, deep energy emanating from Akira. It wasn't just unusual… it was attractive, in more ways than one. A darkness that wasn't hollow, but alive—pulsing, vibrant.
As if it belonged in this world.
Akira said nothing, merely following along, unable to stop wondering what Harribel saw in him.
And yet… part of him couldn't deny a growing curiosity—an expectation for whatever was coming next.
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When they reached Harribel's lair, Akira slowed his steps, taking in the surroundings.
The place was a natural rock formation, its entrances carved by erosion, filled with deep shadows that hid the presences dwelling within.
It didn't take long for him to notice—they weren't alone.
Before him stood three imposing figures.
The first was a majestic deer-like Adjucha. It had a single horn on its forehead, large antlers curving backward, and gray skin partially covered in brown fur that gave it a wild, regal presence.
The second was a massive lioness—dark-skinned, clad in thick white armor covering her limbs, with a dark brown mane flowing down her back and merging into a powerful tail. Her mask and hair were golden, giving her an aura both royal and fierce.
Lastly, there was Sung-Sun—now in her true form, an enormous serpent with pale gray scales and a white underbelly. Her head bore three pink markings on each side, and her mask covered the entire upper part of her skull. From her sides hung three pearl earrings that jingled softly with every motion.
(So… she already has her group. What were their names again…?) Akira wondered, frowning slightly.
He remembered hearing or reading about them somewhere, but the names escaped him—probably because they were so uncommon.
"They're my companions. All of them female. Adjuchas," Harribel stated plainly, her tone as calm as ever but with a firmness that allowed no argument. "Males… always go after females. They're easier to devour."
Sung-Sun slithered to join the other two, her expression remaining neutral, though inside she couldn't hide her surprise. Harribel rarely spoke this much—not even to them. For her to share that kind of information with an outsider… was unusual. Very unusual.
Akira, for his part, said nothing. He simply observed the three Adjuchas closely. They weren't just powerful—they were organized. And that made them even more dangerous.
Yet in that moment… He didn't feel threatened.
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End of Chapter.