Today's release is served!
It has been two years since I was reincarnated as a Hollow, and I have finally ascended to the rank of Vasto Lorde. Now, all that remains is to become an Arrancar. No, that's not enough—once I reach that peak, I must go even further. There is a realm beyond even the Arrancar. Aizen, who reached those heights using the Hogyoku, and Ichigo are the living proof of that.
"My goals are simple: reach Ichigo's level, become the Supreme Overlord of this wasteland, and then… there's Halibel. Heh."
Now that I've reached the Vasto Lorde stage, my form has shifted entirely. I have become a complete human shape. Though I can't see exactly what I look like yet, there is no mistaking the change in my physiology. Now, I have two tasks at hand: wooing Halibel and devouring the rest of Hueco Mundo.
"What should I do about Ichigo?"
My initial plan was to hunt him down and kill him before he could grow. However, even if I were to kill Ichigo now, he would just become a Soul Reaper. If he dies and ends up in the Soul Society, his immense spiritual power will inevitably awaken, and he'll join the Gotei 13 anyway. Of course, that's assuming I don't eat him. Hmmm. Honestly, I'm conflicted.
"Well, with this power… I don't feel like I'd lose to anyone."
The sheer weight of the Reiatsu I command now makes me feel like I could handle even Ichigo. Naturally, I know Ichigo and Aizen are monsters. They both eventually transcend the boundaries of Soul Reaper and Hollow, reaching a dimension entirely their own. But how should I put it? Even beings like them cannot escape Death. And I am Death. If I wish it, I can deliver their end whenever I choose.
"I guess it's better to just let him be for now."
Leaving Ichigo alone feels a bit like leaving a loose thread, but I won't regret the decision. I have far too many other things to take care of first.
"I have thirteen years until the main plot starts. Maybe I should spend that time reorganizing Hueco Mundo. Kehehe."
Thirteen years until Ichigo becomes a Soul Reaper. I'll spend that time bringing order—my order—to this desert. And once Aizen finally makes his move, I'll simply tear the Hogyoku from his grasp and end him.
"P-Please, have mercy! Save me!"
A desperate scream for mercy was cut short as an Adjuchas crumbled into Reishi dust, fading into the void. Standing over the dying beast was Lucifer La El, his face obscured by a jet-black Hollow mask.
"That makes five hundred."
Over the past two years of roaming the wastes of Hueco Mundo, I've personally slaughtered five hundred Adjuchas. If I count the lesser Hollows, Huge Hollows, and Menos Grandes, I've purged and assimilated nearly a thousand of my own kind.
"Ah, I suppose it's about time I headed back."
My two-year hunt meant I'd been away from Halibel all this time. It started as a casual diversion, but using the power of Death turned out to be far more exhilarating than I expected. I even ran into another Vasto Lorde once. The result? My absolute victory. That pathetic creature's attacks couldn't even scratch me before I tore its soul apart and made its strength my own.
"I thought eating a Vasto Lorde was the trigger to become an Arrancar, but I guess not."
I'd honestly expected to evolve further by cannibalizing another of my rank, but surprisingly, that Vasto Lorde was quite weak, and I didn't undergo any transformation. My first guess is that the thing had only just ascended to the Vasto Lorde class. My second theory is that it hadn't yet manifested a true Aspect of Death.
"If I'm going to eat another one, it'll have to be someone who's been a Vasto Lorde for decades—someone with a properly solidified Aspect of Death."
While fighting, I noticed that I couldn't feel that signature aura—the essence of a specific type of demise—emanating from my prey. Since I possess the power of Death myself, I can sense these things naturally. I knew the moment I saw him that he was technically a Vasto Lorde, but his form was hollow, devoid of that specific conceptual weight. Devouring him confirmed it; he lacked an Aspect of Death entirely.
"It seems Aizen had very specific standards when he was selecting his Espada. Or maybe that's just how the author's setting works."
Either way, the difference in combat power between a Vasto Lorde with an Aspect of Death and one without is massive. At any rate, my solo trip was over. It was time to return to Halibel. This boring vacation had finally reached its end.
Please provide lots of recommendations, bookmarks, and comments!
Throwing them out! Throwing them out! Throwing them out!
The promised mass release!
Author's Note: There is indeed a power gap among Vasto Lordes, and I've determined that gap is based on whether they possess an Aspect of Death or not. Anyway, the protagonist spent two years on an indiscriminate slaughter spree throughout Hueco Mundo. If we skip about 11 more years, we'll finally hit the original story's timeline!!!