"Lord Sombravida… why must we hurry to advance?"
Nel's question startled Sombravida slightly.
For her to ask something like this meant her intelligence had reached an extremely high level. Her thirst for knowledge rivaled that of humans.
No wonder she possessed the potential to become a Vasto Lorde. Higher intelligence meant greater evolutionary potential.
Yet her innocence was a flaw.
Such purity was ill-suited to this treacherous world.
It belonged beneath sunlight… not in Hueco Mundo.
Whether that was fortune or tragedy was impossible to say.
Sombravida smiled and leaned back in his stone chair, resting a hand on Nel's head.
"Nel, do you know what the Human World is like?"
"The Human World?" she repeated softly. It was clearly a new concept.
The Three Worlds
"The Human World is where humans live. The Soul Society is where the Shinigami reside. Hueco Mundo… is the space between them."
Sombravida spoke slowly.
"We Hollows have no hearts. The place where our hearts once existed is now an empty void. Our masks replace that heart — becoming our core, our Spirit Core."
Nel nodded.
"That knowledge existed in my consciousness from birth. If a Hollow's mask is destroyed… death or regression follows."
"Exactly," Sombravida replied.
"That is why we devour one another. Intelligent Hollows struggle to become rulers. The weak grovel for survival."
He looked at her seriously.
"That is not the life I want."
Nel tilted her head.
"But Lord Sombravida, your strength already ranks among the strongest in the Outer Sphere. Why not become king here?"
Why Advancement Cannot Stop
Sombravida's gaze hardened slightly.
"Becoming a Gillian is inevitable for every high-level Hollow. After that, some continue evolving… Adjuchas, Vasto Lorde… perhaps even the legendary King Hollows."
He paused.
"Others remain Gillians forever."
"Playthings."
"Food."
He met her eyes.
"I refuse to become prey."
He continued quietly:
"I also sense… that a catastrophe will one day befall Hueco Mundo. I intend to gather strength before that day comes."
Nel's ears twitched.
"You can foresee the future?"
Sombravida chuckled.
"If only."
He scratched her chin gently.
"Time will reveal the truth. For now, we grow stronger — faster than everyone else."
Why Shinigami Fight Hollows
"Why do Shinigami oppose us?" Nel asked.
"Because our nature is to devour," Sombravida answered.
"We grow stronger by consuming souls — human, Shinigami, Hollow alike."
He continued:
"If Hollows slaughter humans unchecked, the Human World collapses. Without souls, Soul Society collapses. Eventually the balance between worlds fails… and everything ends."
Nel absorbed the information slowly.
"So… Shinigami and humans are good, and Hollows are evil?"
Sombravida smiled faintly.
"It's not that simple."
"We devour because it is our nature."
"They kill us because they protect their world."
"Both sides believe they are right."
The Human World
Sombravida looked toward the distant horizon.
"The Human World has green mountains, clear rivers, sunlight, laughter… and food that actually tastes like something."
Nel blinked.
She could not imagine such a place.
"Do you long for it?" she asked softly.
"Yes," Sombravida admitted.
"That's another reason I must grow stronger."
He leaned closer.
"After becoming a Gillian, some Hollows learn to open a Garganta — a passage between worlds."
Nel's tail twitched.
"We… could go there?"
Sombravida smiled.
"Wouldn't it be boring to see such beauty alone?"
"Your personality belongs beneath sunlight, Nel. I want you to see it."
Her tail wagged wildly.
"Really?"
Sombravida laughed.
"Then grow stronger. We'll go together."
Sudden Attack
BOOM!!!
The stone bed beneath Sombravida exploded into fragments.
In the instant of impact, Sombravida seized Nel and vanished with Shadow Step.
But carrying her slowed him a fraction too long.
The shockwave scorched his back.
"Hmph! Where did these insects come from, babbling nonsense on my territory?!"
A rough voice thundered through the smoke.
"You think you can claim my land while I sleep?!"
The dust cleared.
A gigantic insectoid Hollow emerged from the shattered ground — nearly five meters tall, its carapace glistening like black iron.
"Nel… are you alright?"
"I'm fine… but you—"
"I'm fine," Sombravida said calmly, though his back burned.
He stared at the creature.
Its spiritual pressure rivaled his own.
Sombravida's eyes narrowed.
"…Who are you?"
The creature sneered.
"Remember my name before you die."
"Yammy Llargo."
Recognizing the Threat
Sombravida's heart tightened.
The Wrathful Beast… the Tenth Espada.
What terrifying coincidence.
Beside him, Nel's spiritual pressure began to rise.
"I'll hold him off. Can you cripple him with one strike?"
"No."
Sombravida spoke firmly.
"We cannot defeat him."
"We retreat."
He stepped forward.
"This esteemed one, we trespassed unknowingly. We will leave at once."
Yammy laughed.
"You leave… and insult me?"
He grinned.
"Leave the Hollow beside you… and I might spare your life."
Nel trembled.
"Lord Sombravida…"
Sombravida lowered his head.
"As you wish."
He seized Nel by the neck and dragged her forward.
"No! Please don't!"
She struggled helplessly.
The difference in power was overwhelming.
Sombravida whispered softly:
"Sorry, Nel. I don't want to die yet."
"If you don't either…"
The Feint
"Super Acceleration!"
Nel's spiritual pressure exploded.
She slipped free and shot forward.
Yammy laughed.
"Good! Run to me, little girl!"
Nel struck him head-on.
The impact staggered the giant.
Before he could react—
A deep wound erupted in his chest.
"Shattering Slash!"
Sombravida appeared beside the strike point, driving his full spiritual pressure into a devastating slash that tore flesh to bone.
"Retreat!"
Nel instantly returned.
She scooped Sombravida onto her back and accelerated into the forest.
Behind them, Yammy roared.
"You dare trick me?!"
Coordinated Combat
This had been rehearsed countless times.
Sombravida had trained Nel to respond to verbal cues.
Negotiation.
Retreat.
Ambush.
Emergency escape.
Months of repetition had carved reflex into instinct.
Trust had formed without either of them noticing.
The Wrathful Beast Awakens
"Why are we running?" Nel asked while fleeing.
"You matched his pressure. He's wounded."
Sombravida's voice was urgent.
"He grows stronger the angrier and more injured he becomes."
"He accumulates spiritual pressure endlessly through sleep and feeding."
"He just woke up — and he's already this strong."
Behind them—
"You lowly insects! DIE!"
Yammy's spiritual pressure surged violently.
The air itself grew heavy.
His power leapt toward the threshold of Adjuchas.
Nel's legs faltered.
"Lord Sombravida…"
Sombravida grabbed her and flashed forward again, burning spiritual energy without restraint.
Behind them, Yammy advanced in monstrous strides, condensing dark red spheres in his fists.
Bala.
Faster than Cero.
Relentless.
Explosions erupted around them as Sombravida pushed Shadow Step to its limits.
He knew the truth:
If Yammy predicted his movement pattern…
the next blast would end them.