The wind, same and eternal darkness, still the eternal melody of Hueco Mundo.
After spending a full half year, Harribel and the others finally mastered their surging power and adapted to their new ways of fighting.
And during that same half year, Rosse had completely figured out the current situation in Hueco Mundo.
Hueco Mundo, for all its vast emptiness, was enormous. Its total area exceeded even the entirety of the Red Line.
But for beings of monstrous might, traveling such distances was hardly any effort.
As things stood, there were three known Vasto Lorde-class Hollows on record, and two additional locations where Vasto Lorde-level presences were suspected.
The three confirmed ones were: the King of Hueco Mundo, Barragan; the only researcher in Hueco Mundo, the mad scientist Szayel Aporro; and the kind-hearted female Vasto Lorde, Nelliel.
Barragan and Szayel Aporro were in league with each other. Nelliel, much like Harribel, roamed the far reaches of Hueco Mundo with a few weak followers, her whereabouts elusive and uncertain.
Aside from these three, there were two regions referred to as forbidden zones of the Hollows: one a forest, the other a desert of dunes.
Any Hollow that entered those places, whether Adjuchas or lesser, without exception, never came out again.
And because they were so remote, even Barragan himself showed no desire to go.
After a few Adjuchas envoys sent there were killed, he simply acted as if the matter had never happened.
For that reason, those two areas were speculated to be home to Vasto Lorde-level Hollows.
All of this information had been gathered by Sung-Sun through Adjuchas within the Forest of Menos, not by Rosse personally.
The Forest of Menos lay underground in Hueco Mundo, a colony of Gillians and Adjuchas, tens of thousands of Gillians and hundreds of Adjuchas crowded into a space not especially large.
Because Adjuchas possessed higher intelligence and lived long, as long as one had sufficient strength, communication wasn't difficult, making them ideal sources of information.
And since he already had subordinates, of course Rosse made use of them. There was no need to do everything himself.
At this point, his new beginning wasn't much worse than when he had been within the World Government.
———
[Forest of Menos]
"So we're finally leaving this place?"
Mila tore apart a ten-meter-tall Gillian with her bare hands and looked in delight at the approaching Sung-Sun.
She was sick of the Forest of Menos.
If not for the sense of improvement she felt every time she killed and devoured one, she might have already lost her will to go on.
"This is Lord Rosse's command. Starting tomorrow, we will stand above Hueco Mundo itself."
Sung-Sun covered her face with her sleeve, smiling modestly yet seductively.
"Ha, look at you, bet you snuck a taste again."
Mila gave her a sidelong glance, immediately guessing her mischief.
Among them, apart from Harribel who was somewhat special, all had already "played" with Rosse. Sometimes the three even went together, lying in front of him, waiting for his favor.
That feeling, truth be told, had its own peculiar charm, leaving one yearning for more.
Though she herself wasn't overly obsessed, Sung-Sun was definitely the most eager, constantly hovering around Rosse, practically unable to eat or rest without being near him.
"Well, not this time," Sung-Sun said with a teasing smile, "Today it's Lady Harribel's turn, she's finally mastered that special rule-like power."
Though it was true she hadn't today, she had seen Lady Harribel somewhat unsure earlier and had "helped" by guiding her position with her hands, pushing gently against Rosse's back to assist.
Watching Harribel's faintly embarrassed expression at that moment, it had its own kind of flavor.
And as expected of Lady Harribel, her first time lasted a full three hours. The rest of them combined couldn't endure that long.
Even with strong stamina, sometimes the body's reactions simply ignored logic, an hour in and it was already unbearable.
"Tch! With that face? Who's gonna believe you," Mila crossed her arms and snorted, but still followed Sung-Sun toward their temporary dwelling.
———
"You're back."
Rosse and Harribel had already finished. Harribel stood beside Rosse, face faintly flushed, and nodded politely to Sung-Sun and the others as they arrived.
Their previous "exercise" hadn't affected her much.
If anything, the warm-up had just helped her reach peak performance.
And she didn't mind "group activities." In fact, she thought that next time, including Mila and the others might make it even better.
Good things were meant to be shared. At least, when it came to Rosse.
If it were anyone else, though, even another Arrancar, she wouldn't do such a thing, nor even consider it.
Her body and heart already belonged to Rosse.
"All right, get ready, it's time to move."
Rosse glanced toward the distance, where Apacci was arriving last with her squad, and smiled.
Sung-Sun suited the role of strategist; Mila, the reckless vanguard. But it was Apacci who surprised him the most.
He hadn't expected Apacci to have leadership talent.
In just half a year, she, along with Paraki (the monkey Hollow) and Yavon (a special Gillian subject from another fruit experiment), had made quite a name for themselves in the Forest of Menos, forming a team of several dozen Adjuchas.
Each Adjuchas was at the weakest A– rank, but after undergoing Arrancarization, they had all reached A-level strength, enough for both morale and battle.
After all, Barragan's forces consisted of himself as the sole powerhouse, with the rest being Adjuchas-level Hollows. They weren't even Arrancar, just fodder that could be buried under sheer numbers.
"Lord Rosse! Lady Harribel!"
Upon arriving with her Adjuchas, Apacci immediately bowed respectfully to the two.
Vasto Lordes, two of them.
With a lineup like this, they were already stronger than Barragan. Even knowing they were about to confront him, none of them felt fear.
What a joke, those grotesque lackeys around Barragan dared to call themselves royal retainers?
They, the Arrancar, were the true image of those worthy to serve a king.
Hueco Mundo was about to welcome its new ruler.
"Let's go!"
Rosse smiled and nodded, taking the lead toward the exit.
Their temporary base wasn't far from the central region of Hueco Mundo where Barragan resided, just a short journey beyond the Forest of Menos.
Since they were here and fully prepared, of course they were going to challenge the strongest.
And this time, at last, Rosse didn't need to fight personally.
In his previous world, there had been few who could stand at his level.
But now, like a trillion-dollar chairman starting from the bottom, with a world as his reserve power, things were finally not as difficult as before.
Under Rosse's lead, the mighty Arrancar squad surged out of the Forest of Menos.
Though they numbered fewer than thirty, their sheer power made it feel as if hundreds were marching forth.
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