"What… devour you?"
Sombravida stared at Inora in disbelief. Never since arriving in Hueco Mundo had he heard such a request.
"Why? Don't you want to gamble on surviving after your evolution?"
Inora lowered her head.
"My King… I understand my own limits better than anyone."
"My spiritual pressure is not immense. My body was never suited to holding great power. Without my sensing abilities, I would have become someone else's prey long ago."
She paused before continuing.
"If I am fortunate enough to retain consciousness after becoming a Gillian, my chances of survival may improve slightly."
"But if I lose myself… then sooner or later I will become part of another Menos."
She lifted her head.
"Rather than that… I would rather become part of your strength and continue accompanying you on your path."
Sombravida's tone hardened.
"…What are you saying?"
Inora bowed deeply.
"A wise bird chooses its tree. A virtuous minister chooses his lord."
"My King, to become part of your spiritual power would be my highest honor."
"I ask that you grant this request."
Sombravida fell silent.
He had faced death countless times.
He had devoured enemies without hesitation.
But this…
This was loyalty.
This was trust.
"…Prepare for your evolution first," he said at last.
Without giving an answer, he turned and vanished into the forest.
Inora watched the direction he disappeared for a long time before finally turning toward the pit.
Two Days Later
Sombravida returned carrying several elite Hollow corpses and a high-level mask.
He tossed them into the pit.
These had been gathered from nearly the entire forest. It would take years for this land to recover.
"Inora. Will this be enough?"
"Yes, My King. Please step back."
She tore off an elite mask and consumed it.
At the same time, she began stabilizing and compressing her spiritual pressure, preparing for evolution.
Sombravida withdrew to a withered tree and watched silently.
Time passed.
Then—
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
The mournful howl of a Menos Grande erupted from the pit.
Spiritual pressure flooded the air.
Sombravida did not look away.
The massive figure rose slowly from the crater, back turned toward him.
"…Did she succeed?" he murmured.
"Inora!"
No response.
Sombravida's chest tightened.
He was about to leap down—
The giant figure moved.
Slowly, she turned.
The pointed nose.
The hollow grin.
The clown-like mask.
Sombravida's heart sank.
She had lost consciousness.
The Attack
"HSSSSSS!!!"
The newborn Gillian opened its mouth.
A dark red sphere began forming.
Cero.
Sombravida vanished in a burst of speed.
The instant he left, the withered tree behind him disintegrated under the blast.
"Damn it…"
He reappeared a hundred meters away, staring at the towering form.
Should he leave?
Or honor her final wish?
A second Cero gathered.
Its target remained him.
Sombravida turned to retreat.
Then—
Her words echoed in his mind.
A wise bird chooses its tree…
A virtuous minister chooses his lord…
Let me become part of your strength…
Sombravida stopped.
In a blur, he dodged the Cero and stepped forward.
He stood before the mindless giant.
His right claw trembled slightly.
Silence.
The Gillian raised its hand and smashed downward.
Execution
The impact never came.
Instead—
A massive hand spun through the air, severed at the wrist.
Blood rained down.
The Gillian screamed.
Sombravida did not retreat.
He flashed forward, severing both ankles.
The colossal body collapsed.
Before it struck the ground, Sombravida appeared at its neck.
His right claw glowed with compressed spiritual pressure.
Shattering Slash.
The head separated.
The gigantic mask crashed before him.
The red glow within the eye sockets faded.
Silence returned to the forest.
Devouring Loyalty
Sombravida stood motionless for a long time.
Then he knelt.
He tore away a chunk of flesh and consumed it.
It dissolved instantly into dense spiritual energy.
He did not stop.
Claw.
Tear.
Devour.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Like a starving predator, he consumed the fallen Menos.
Time lost meaning.
At last, only the head remained.
Sombravida split it apart and continued devouring until nothing was left.
This was the second time he had completely devoured another Hollow.
The first time, he had felt nausea.
This time—
there was only silence.
He refined the spiritual energy slowly, compressing it deeper and deeper.
When the process finished, Sombravida finally exhaled.
He looked toward the darkened sky.
His voice was quiet.
"Watch me, Inora."
He pressed a hand to his chest.
"I will surpass the Gillian realm."
"I will become Adjuchas… Vasto Lorde… or something greater."
"I will make your sacrifice meaningful."
Departure
Several days later, Sombravida left the forest he had ruled for years.
He headed west.
Toward the deeper reaches of Hueco Mundo.
The western wastes lay nearer to the Central Menos Forest, yet far enough from its core to delay the deadly summons that claimed mindless Gillians.
From Inora and Feslina he had learned:
Three great Menos forests exist — north, central, and south.
Gillians feel an irresistible call toward them.
The journey itself is a battlefield of endless predation.
There were even legends of a conscious Gillian who crossed half of Hueco Mundo, devouring countless Hollows along the way, evolving into Adjuchas before reaching the forest — and then becoming its ruler.
Whether that creature still lived was unknown.
Sombravida had once suggested traveling far west to delay the summons.
Inora and Feslina refused.
Survival as high-level Hollows was more dangerous than the Gillian journey itself.
With companions, escape became difficult.
Alone, Sombravida could survive.
So now he traveled alone.
Across the white wasteland.
No fortress could stop him.
Few Hollows could match his speed.
Only flying Hollows or acceleration-type abilities could hope to pursue him.
At this stage, Sombravida was one of the fastest predators in the outer circle.
And if he evolved into Adjuchas…
His speed and combat power would rise to an entirely new level.
The white desert stretched endlessly ahead.
Sombravida did not look back.