The two rotating attacks closes in, sparks of friction flew across the sand. The scene was otherworldly, the shockwaves emitting by the collision was enough to warp Reishi and air itself.
The onlookers had their eyes wide open, seeing such a one sided fight for the first time.
The fight came to a close, Darwin's drill subsides and Delina had retreated.
Delina's figure was a mess, her knees buckled as she grips onto the knees for stability.
Her stomach had large whole as she tries tugging at it. Then a rain of blood spills out from the critical injury.
"What a powerful move—" Her voice carries a hint of pain, though her pride doesn't allow her to lose consciousness at that moment.
Darwin walks over, patting her shoulder, "You are strong."
He was quite appreciative of Delina's spar. Nothing beats the real thing for experience.
'If I had such power… Could my previous encounters be different?' Delina laments at this fight, at his overwhelming capabilities. She could tell he was still hiding a huge portion of his powers. This only made her ego feel crushed like none other encounter had.
Walking towards the fiery, purple campfire, Delina staggers with each step though maintaining her independent facade.
"I certainly didn't ask for pity," She replied.
"Impressive feat."
Mies walks up in front and gestures Delina to have a rest. He then asks Darwin, "How are you feeling right now, did fighting Delina help assimilate your capabilities?"
"…Probably." Darwin answers while tensing his muscles.
His eyes could see through the physique of an individual be it their nerves, their muscles, bones, and organs.
"It feels pretty good."
He was a Hollow X-ray scanner.
"What a useful tool you have there."
Mies continues to help Darwin practice his new powers.
During his tutoring, Darwin asks Mies, "How did you practice your powers."
He replies, "Meditation."
"Why is that?"
"Well meditation fights off your chaotic desires. Everyone but you have to do it in order to stay sane."
Darwin ponders on his wisdom, but before he could ask anything else, Mies said, "You don't need to meditate. It's pointless if you meditate and fight off nothing of concern."
"There are different ways for hollows like us train in order to fight against these dark desires on a daily basis."
"Delina and Donny for example, they fight either me or each other to stay sane and conscious."
'So that's why they attack me from out of nowhere.'
"And..."
He points to a certain direction, stirring quite the chaos.
"Bala Barage."
Ronny shoots out multiple cero balls aiming at Donny show as flying in the sky.
"You won't be able to hit me with such predictable moves." Donny snarkly said.
Not succumbing to his antics, Ronny replies, "Let's see about that, target dummy."
"Muscle Punch." With astonishing muscle control, he manipulates unused muscles and have them travel to his right arm. His right arm increases in size, overshadowing his entire muscular figure.
Delina retaliates with a cero from her mouth, "Agresiva Cero." Bright yellow cero aims at the incoming gargantuan fist.
"Its common knowledge for individuals to seek stronger opponents to gain something."
Mies then points north, "Come back when you are stronger. I will personally fight you myself. But before you begin your journey, you should explore Hueco Mundo to its fullest, there are a few individuals you need to worry about. I will give you a hint: Las Noches is your next destination in pursuit of power."
Darwin bowed towards Mies, something he had picked up from him.
"I appreciate your help and knowledge."
A short laughter, Mies then waves him farewell.
With his back facing the opposite direction, Darwin proceeds to go on separate ways, for now.
Travelling through this endless forest, Darwin encounters multiple foes ranging from normal Hollows to Adjuchas.
Though, some refrain from attacking him while others succumb to their desires in wanting to eat him.
As usual, Darwin kills them without batting an eye.
With each kill, he feels his power grow stronger inside him.
A few of them causing him a little trouble like the Cuatro Secuaz, four Lower Class Adjuchas who have recently obtained their transformation.
"My, my, what strong spiritual pressure emanating from this magnificent creature." Jozea commented.
With a nod of affirmation from the rest of the other Cuatro Secuaz, they kept praising Darwin's physique and looks.
"Indeed, exquisite muscles, exquisite mask, exquisi—" With Darwin's right back hand, he knocks Dozea away before finishing his sentence.
The three flabbergasted, they began to charged in to attack Darwin from different sides to avenge their fallen comrade.
"How dare you attack our junior."
All of them were hit with quick succession, resulting in the same fate as Dozea.
Scared witless at his power, they grabbed their fallen comrade and left the vicinity in a blink of an eye.
"We will come back for you, magnificent creature," as they hurriedly ran to another direction.
"Weird shenanigans indeed…" He openly sighed.
Time passes by, Darwin reaches to a peculiar location.
'What is this place?'
Into the distance, Darwin saw an open door castle, something out of a medieval times.
'Open door castle… That's a first.'
The castle had an arch open door, wall torches placed neatly on the walls surrounding the door, and many rooms inside.
This castle had less things than an average home, truly minimalistic.
'Who built this? Must be an ancient remnant of the past.'
"Anyone live here?"
Before he made another step through the front gate, he was greeted by three mysterious female Adjuchas.
"Identify yourself, insignificant male," the Deer Adjucha asked, her voice laced with unnerving distain.
Intrigued by the tranquility surrounding Darwin, an unknown Snake Adjucha appeared in front of him. She stood in front relaxed as a way to show respect. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."
'Quite an interesting Adjucha I must say.' She analysed.
"Likewise… Though, I can't say the same for the other two."
Surpised by her sister's hospitality, Lioness Adjucha went silent before she said anything.
"I am Darwin. I am searching for Las Noches. Do you guys perhaps know how to get there?"
His whole body felt an extremely powerful presence. Seeing who it was, he couldn't but feel shocked.
Like the wind, she appears as the last of the four directly in front of Darwin.
'When did she get here?!'
"Las Noches you say?" She crosses her arms, though it was a tad bit uncomfortable wearing all the thick carapace on her body.
'Is she perhaps?!' The power emnanting from her was stronger than his mentor.
The person in front of Darwin had jagged yellow hair, an entire figure armoured with bones.
"May I know your names?" Albeit a little tensed, Darwin reveals his amicable side to the four unknown silhouettes.