The unification of North Forest consumed far less energy than the Holy War itself.
Once the Sandworm Lord fell, resistance collapsed rapidly.
Void Beast Thunder deployment, coordinated Anti-Membrana rotations, and the overwhelming spiritual pressure suppression from Sombravida and Nel made organized rebellion impossible.
Within five days—
No Adjuchas dared rise.
Of the forest's remaining forces:
~80 had fled during the Holy War
~200 Adjuchas remained
Most were low-tier
Slightly over 80 attempted resistance
Under toxin paralysis windows and coordinated execution, those eighty failed to even inflict fifty casualties before being crushed.
When the ten-day deadline arrived:
Sombravida's total losses: 42 Adjuchas
Enemy Adjuchas: eradicated or captured
The North Forest had fallen completely.
Securing the Base
Captured Adjuchas were sorted immediately.
Those with specialized abilities were transferred under Timd's supervision.
The rest were confined separately.
Sombravida did not slaughter them.
He would need them.
Report to the Throne
Inside the former Sandworm's central nest, Timd knelt.
"My King, all resistance has ceased. No organized force remains in the forest."
Sombravida nodded quietly.
Clearing the forest had never been about revenge.
It was about stability.
North Forest would not be a temporary conquest.
It would become infrastructure.
A rear stronghold.
A supply base.
A breeding ground for future evolution.
No dissent.
No instability.
Address to the Army
Sombravida rose from the throne.
"Comrades."
"We have conquered this forest."
"It is now our homeland."
Low-tier Adjuchas listened silently.
Some had reached their evolutionary ceiling long ago.
Sombravida did not ignore them.
"In Hueco Mundo," he continued,
"once a Hollow evolves into Adjuchas, growth slows. For some, it stops."
Several lowered their heads.
He did not soften his tone.
"That is not weakness."
"It is reality."
"This forest will be sanctuary for those who can no longer ascend."
A murmur spread.
Relief.
Gratitude.
Then Sombravida's tone shifted.
"But I cannot remain."
Silence fell instantly.
Why He Must Leave
"In the outer forests, we are dominant."
"In the deeper regions of Hueco Mundo…"
"We are prey."
This was not exaggeration.
The deeper deserts beyond the forest territories housed:
High-tier Adjuchas
Rare Vasto Lorde-class entities
Ancient Hollows who had survived centuries
And above even them—
Arrancar.
Even without formalization, natural Arrancar existed in Hueco Mundo long before Aizen.
Sombravida continued:
"The peak of Hollow evolution is not Adjuchas."
"It is Vasto Lorde."
"And beyond that—"
He did not elaborate further.
There were things even his subordinates were not ready to hear.
Call for the Vanguard
"I will enter the inner regions."
"Those who still possess growth potential—stand."
Roughly seventy Adjuchas rose immediately.
Mid-tier and above.
A few low-tier with exceptional adaptability.
Even several plateaued Adjuchas stood—
Choosing loyalty over safety.
Sombravida did not forbid them.
But he made no promises.
Timd's Role
"Timd."
"My King."
"This forest becomes your responsibility."
"Fortify it."
"Organize it."
"Create identification emblems—imbued with your reiatsu fragments."
This was crucial.
Hueco Mundo lacked structured recognition.
With Timd's splitting ability embedded into insignia:
Each bearer could be tracked spiritually
Death could be detected
Friendly forces could be distinguished in chaotic engagements
An intelligent logistical innovation.
Structure of the Expedition
Within one month:
Fifty mid-tier-or-higher Adjuchas selected
Captured Adjuchas designated as expendable reserves
Void Beast Thunder production accelerated
Defensive infrastructure completed
Sombravida would not march blindly.
Inner Hueco Mundo required mobility.
Not territory.
Private Discussion
After the assembly dispersed—
Sombravida slumped into his throne briefly.
Nel moved beside him.
Jekain sat nearby.
Timd listened quietly.
"Why rush?" Jekain asked.
"We still have resources."
Sombravida answered calmly.
"Because stagnation is death."
"In forests, Adjuchas compete for limited prey."
"In the inner desert, evolution accelerates."
Stronger prey.
Stronger predators.
Faster growth.
He added quietly:
"And time is short."
Future Threats – Manga Grounded
"The Shinigami."
"The Quincy."
"And the Hollows who will one day abandon their masks."
Nel looked up.
"The masked ones abandon their masks?"
"Yes."
Natural Arrancar exist."
"In time, organized ones will appear."
He did not mention Aizen directly.
But he knew.
Soul Society would not ignore Hueco Mundo forever.
Quincy remnants still existed in the shadows.
The balance of souls would destabilize.
When that happened—
Forests would not survive.
Only power would.
Strategy Clarified
"The vanguard does not conquer."
"It scouts."
"It evaluates."
"It grows."
"We recruit."
"We avoid unnecessary confrontation."
"If a Vasto Lorde appears—"
"We retreat."
He was not arrogant.
He understood the scale.
Even at high-tier Adjuchas, he was not yet ready to challenge a true Vasto Lorde.
Emotional Undercurrent
Sombravida's hand rested on Nel's fur.
"I remember when I was Gillian."
"In the Graveyard."
"Watching giants clash."
"I swore I would not remain small."
He looked toward the distant horizon.
North Forest was secure.
Central Forest stable.
But Hueco Mundo stretched infinitely beyond.
And somewhere in that endless white—
Monsters far older than him watched.
Final Order
"One month."
"Prepare."
"Fifty advance with me."
"The rest build our empire."
When the time came—
The vanguard would step beyond the forests.
Beyond the known territories.
Into the true wasteland of Hueco Mundo.
And there—
Evolution would begin again.
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