Today's final update!
For a full month, I spent my days slaughtering and devouring Hollows and Huge Hollows. Once I evolved into a Huge Hollow myself, standard Hollows became easy prey, but fighting my own kind was a different story. Those were life-and-death struggles—true desperation followed by a feast. My first encounter with a common Hollow hadn't been as terrifying or difficult as I'd expected. The disparity in power was too distinct. But after killing and consuming dozens of them, the first time I squared off against a Huge Hollow—a beast with the same massive frame and Reiatsu as my own—it filled me with a mixture of terror and pure, unadulterated ecstasy. That electric moment of life on the edge!
"Hahahaha! Is this what a real fight feels like? Is this what it means to kill?! Hahahaha!"
The sensation of victory over my first true rival sent a jolt of adrenaline surging up my spine and into my brain, screaming of triumph. Fists against fists, feet against feet, teeth against teeth—we utilized every primal weapon we possessed until I stood the victor. That feeling of my hand piercing through the enemy's heart for the first time... the sensation still lingers at my fingertips. Through that combat, I completely cast aside my humanity and became a Hollow in every sense. Now, a month later, I feel a thrill that equals—no, exceeds—that moment.
"Is this finally the stage for the birth of a true Menos Grande?!"
I had followed the scent of powerful Reiatsu only to find four Hollows far larger and more potent than any I had encountered so far. These four, who looked as if they had each already consumed hundreds of their kind, stood glaring at one another. The ground was a grotesque mosaic of mangled flesh and blood from the Hollows they had already scavenged. Without a word, the four split into pairs and lunged into a frenzied battle.
"Krawaaaaargh!"
Having devoured hundreds of souls, these four seemed to have lost any semblance of reason or ego. They were nothing more than instinct-driven beasts, desperate to kill and consume the rival in front of them. Seeing them, I let a grin spread across my mask.
"I can finally become a Menos Grande!"
Over the past month, I hadn't even reached a hundred kills. My record was about twenty Hollows in the first week, but after that, I was lucky to find two or three a day. As time passed, the Hollow population in my immediate vicinity plummeted, and my food supply dwindled accordingly. I had begun to worry that the rank of Menos Grande was drifting further out of reach.
But then I stumbled upon this. I had been suspicious of the erratic, fluctuating Reiatsu I felt, but coming here was a stroke of absolute luck. It doesn't matter which of them wins. In fact, I need them to finish this quickly. When only one remains, I just have to let myself be eaten.
Thinking back, I was an idiot for thinking I had to be the one doing all the eating. My goal is to become a Menos Grande. If that's the case, I don't need to do the hunting myself—I just need to be part of the final fusion. If I get swallowed by the Hollow destined to become a Menos Grande, I'll be part of that collective consciousness. Considering my human ego is still intact, I'll be the one to take the driver's seat. I'd spent a whole month hunting like a maniac when there was such a simple shortcut. The only consolation for my stupidity was that I'd learned how to fight and tasted the joy of the slaughter.
"Two left!"
While I was lost in thought, two of the four were dead. The victors finished eating their respective opponents and immediately locked eyes, entering a combat stance once more. Without reason to hold them back, their predatory instincts identified each other as the final obstacle. The carnage resumed.
"Incredible! To think this is just the gateway to becoming a Menos Grande (Gillian)! That Adjuchas I saw before was amazing, but I see now that it was only a glimpse of true power!"
My ability to sense spiritual pressure had grown far more refined over the month. I realized that the Reiatsu I'd felt from that Adjuchas before was likely just a fraction of its true output. Finally, a winner emerged from the two remaining beasts.
"Krawwwgh!"
By tearing out its rival's throat, one Hollow finally earned the right to evolve into a Menos Grande. The moment a victor was decided, I made my move.
Thud!
I flared my Reiatsu and attacked the beast just enough to get its attention. It noticed me instantly and, driven by mindless hunger, unhinged its jaws. I didn't dodge. I dove headfirst straight into its gaping maw.
Gulp!
The creature swallowed me whole without even bother to chew. Luckily, I didn't have to experience the agony of being ground between teeth. My consciousness began to fade as I experienced something beyond a simple blackout—this was the sensation of death itself.
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The chapters are short because of my part-time job!
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Lululala~ The protagonist has finally started the preparations to become a Menos Grande! Ooooh! At this rate, he might surpass Adjuchas and reach Vasto Lorde within the week. Hehehehe.