That density and toughness was like a blade tempered through a thousand hammer strikes.
Starrk even vaguely sensed an ancient and profound power within the boy's body, one that he himself could not see through.
'To be able to talk and laugh so cheerfully by my side... these two guys really are a bit different.'
Starrk thought silently in his heart.
"Hey! Starrk! How long are you going to sleep!"
Lilynette suddenly sprang up and threw a deck of cards at Starrk's face.
"Hurry up and get up! We need a fourth! This round is on you!"
'Looks like she lost a hand, throwing such a tantrum...'
Starrk sighed helplessly and slowly sat up.
He looked at the three faces in front of him.
"...So troublesome."
Starrk scratched his head, complaining verbally, but his body honestly shifted over.
"How do you play this thing? Let me say this first, no crying if you lose," he asked Lilynette.
"Ha! Who would cry! Just don't lose too badly, old man!" Kaien laughed heartily while dealing the cards.
Just like that, two lost Soul Reapers and this lonely Vasto Lorde who had naturally become an Arrancar...
In this corner forgotten by the world, they miraculously forged a bizarre friendship over a game of cards.
After a few rounds, the relationship between them had clearly grown much closer.
Asuka didn't have to do much; it was mainly Kaien's naturally sociable personality that played a massive role.
Not only did he make Lilynette roar with laughter, but even Starrk's perpetually decadent face occasionally revealed a very faint smile.
"Speaking of which, Starrk, have you guys always stayed here?"
Taking advantage of the shuffling break, Kaien asked seemingly casually.
"Yeah." Starrk looked at the cards in his hand and answered absentmindedly. "It's just a bit quieter here."
"I see... Then do you know any other Hollows? Gillian or Adjuchas or something," Kaien pressed.
Starrk arranged his cards expressionlessly. "...I don't know any. They're all the same. Anyway, wherever I go, the other Hollows just die."
These words sounded plain, but they revealed a bone-chilling sorrow.
Because he was too strong, he was lonely.
Because he was too strong, he couldn't even have companions.
But didn't this also mean... Kaien's plan was a bust?
Asuka looked at Starrk and suddenly spoke up, "Well, you don't necessarily have to stay here."
Starrk lifted his eyelids and glanced at him. "What do you mean?"
"The world is very big." Asuka put down the cards in his hand and said earnestly, "Besides this desert, there is the World of the Living, the Soul Society... and even other worlds."
"There will always be a place that can accommodate your power, and there will always be people who can stand by your side without falling."
Starrk froze for a moment.
He looked at Asuka, then at Kaien.
Come to think of it, these two Soul Reapers had been in his cave for several hours now.
Why were they so resilient?
They hadn't collapsed at all, and could even joke around and play cards with him.
He didn't think these two little guys had overwhelmingly strong Spiritual Pressure, so what was the reason?
Or was it just because of the constitution of Hollows, and the outside world would be more normal?
"...Who knows."
Starrk withdrew his gaze and threw down the cards in his hand.
"Double Jokers, I win."
"Ah?! How did I lose again!" Lilynette yelled in frustration.
Kaien wore a bitter smile. "Old man, your card-counting skills are way too good, aren't they?"
"It's not really that difficult." Starrk stretched and stood up.
He walked to the entrance of the cave, looking at the pitch-black sky outside and that inverted moon.
"You guys... want to return to the Soul Society, right?"
The sudden words made Asuka and Kaien's hearts leap into their throats.
Although Starrk didn't know much about the situation in the Soul Society, he had seen a few Soul Reaper squad members on duty in Hueco Mundo.
Without a Senkaimon, Soul Reapers would be trapped here too.
"Yes." Asuka didn't hide it, looking straight at Starrk's back. "We have a reason we must go back. There are people waiting for us there."
"People waiting..."
Starrk repeated the phrase in a low voice, a hint of imperceptible envy in his tone.
"How nice."
He turned around and looked at the two of them.
"To avoid trouble, although I can't send you to the Soul Society, I can send you to the World of the Living." Starrk scratched his head. "As for how you get back from the World of the Living, that's none of my business."
"Really?!" Kaien was overjoyed.
"But, there's a condition." Starrk held up a finger.
"What condition? As long as we can do it, we absolutely won't refuse!" Kaien patted his chest in guarantee.
Starrk pointed at the playing cards on the ground.
"Leave those with me."
"And... if we ever have the chance to meet again next time."
"Bring some of that thing called 'wine.' Hearing you hype it up so much just now, I want to taste it."
Kaien froze for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Of course! The drinking parties of our Men's Soul Reaper Association are famous!"
"Not only is there wine, but there are also all kinds of snacks! Oden, yakitori, fried tofu..."
He began to rattle off a list of dishes, making Lilynette's stomach rumble as she listened beside them.
Starrk listened quietly, a glimmer of longing shining in those eyes that were always filled with melancholy.
"Sounds lively."
He said softly.
"Lively! Of course it's lively!" Kaien slapped his thigh. "How about it? Old man, do you want to come hang out in the Soul Society with us? My treat!"
"Go to the Soul Society?"
Starrk shook his head, a bitter smile appearing on his lips.
"Forget it. If I went there... I'd probably be chopped to pieces by your comrades before I even got to drink any wine."
"That's true..." Kaien scratched his head, feeling a bit awkward.
After all, Hollows and Soul Reapers were enemies; this was an eternal law.
Coexisting peacefully like they were doing now was already a miracle among miracles.
Having said this much, Starrk didn't say anything more.
He led the two out of the cave and raised his hand toward the empty space in front of him.
"Descorrer."
Riiiip—!
The space tore open like paper under the Spiritual Pressure at his fingertips, and a massive Garganta materialized before them.
On the other side of the Garganta, the familiar night sky of the World of the Living could faintly be seen, along with the large bridge spanning the river in the distance.
It had actually locked directly onto the place where they had disappeared.
Fuyuki City!
"Go on." Starrk waved his hand and lay back down on that giant rock.
"You've played enough, so don't disturb my sleep anymore."
"Thanks! Starrk! And Lilynette!"
Kaien waved at the two of them and pulled Asuka toward the Garganta. "My name is Kaien! This guy is Asuka!"
"If you ever get bullied by Soul Reapers in Hueco Mundo one day, just drop my name!"
"Hey! Remember to bring the wine! If you're lying, I'll go to the Soul Society and chop you all up!" Lilynette shouted loudly, still tightly clutching that deck of playing cards in her hand.
"Don't worry!"
Right before stepping into the Garganta, Asuka looked back at the figure lying on his side in the shadows.
What a powerful, lonely, yet unexpectedly gentle man.