[Hollowed Heart]
It had only been a single hour since he became a Hollow, but in that short time, he had already gone rogue, acting like a predator relentlessly hunting its prey.
_______________________
[First steps as a Hollow]
- Devour 100 Souls [28/100]
- Devour a Hollow {Optional} [0/1]
_______________________
He wasn't the fastest, but certainly faster than the average human. He relentlessly hunted down animal souls, and with each devoured soul, he noticed his Spiritual Pressure growing.
"System, show me my Spirit Power and how much has been added through the souls I devoured."
[Yes]
[Spirit Power: 500]
[+28 Spirit Power]
[Current Spirit Power: 528]
"I see... So the more souls I devour, the more Spirit Power I gain... Interesting." While the idea of devouring soul after soul didn't sit well with him, the thought of being able to kill without worry of being caught by authorities gave him a twisted sense of joy.
"Oh wait, these souls give 1 Spirit Power?"
[Certain Souls give different Spirit Power. However, due to the lack of exposure to entities with higher Spirit Power, they slowly lose their overall Spirit Power, granting the Host only 1 Spirit Power upon consumption.]
"I see..." He thought for a moment before continuing his hunt. In his focus, he failed to notice the foreign Spiritual Pressure emanating from a distant figure—one that silently observed him.
"Interesting... A Hollow whose Spiritual Pressure remains hidden even when exposed... How strong could it be?" The figure soon vanished, leaving no trace behind.
Iazkari continued his rampage, his System constantly notifying him of his progress as his Spirit Power increased.
[+1 Spirit Power]
[+1 Spirit Power]
[+1 Spirit Power]
[+1 Spirit Power]
[+1 Spirit Power]
[+1 Spirit Power]
"That's 6 souls down!" He kept his pace, unaware of the figure that continued watching him from behind.
[+1 Spirit Power]
[+1 Spirit Power]
[+1 Spirit Power]
[+1 Spirit Power]
However, the observer soon made its move, halting Iazkari's progress.
"I should stop you right here, Hollow." A man in black shihakusho and hakama, with a katana at his side, appeared before him.
"... Who are you?" Iazkari asked, feigning curiosity, though his mind was spiraling into panic.
"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!" If anyone could hear his thoughts, they'd wonder how he even became a Hollow.
"I am a Soul Reaper, sent here to kill you." The Soul Reaper dashed toward him with blinding speed. Reacting purely on instinct, Iazkari leapt aside, narrowly avoiding death. Knowing he stood no chance, he turned and tried to flee.
"Well, this ain't a good situation."
[New Quest Gained]
"Huh?"
_______________________
[Defeat the Soul Reaper]
- Defeat the enemy Soul Reaper [0/1]
Rewards: 10 SP, [Iron Body]
_______________________
"YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!?" The sudden quest threw Iazkari into further panic. The Soul Reaper, despite his speed, relentlessly pursued him.
"You're not going anywhere! Hado 31: Shakkaho!" The Soul Reaper unleashed a fireball at him, but Iazkari dodged it, narrowly avoiding death. The force of the blast made him realize he was lucky to be alive.
"What the hell was that!? Also, what's with its insane damage!?" He continued running, looking for a place to hide. He found an alley and quickly squeezed into it, hoping the Soul Reaper wouldn't be able to follow.
"You've trapped yourself, Hollow!" The Soul Reaper smirked, dashing after him.
"You're not going anywhere!" He leaped, preparing to strike with an overhead slash. Iazkari tried to dodge, but the blade severed his arm. A roar of pain escaped his mouth. In desperation, he swung his blade-arm, but the Soul Reaper was too fast.
Yet, the Soul Reaper had made a mistake. He began chanting a spell, leaving himself vulnerable.
"Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, ma-" The Soul Reaper continued his incantation, but Iazkari seized the opportunity, cutting him in half.
"Don't think I'm an idiot, you damned Soul Reaper!" Iazkari exclaimed as the Soul Reaper's body fell to the ground. Distracted by the bloody scene, he didn't notice the notification from his System.
[Quest Finished]
[[Iron Body]] x1
[+10 Status Points]
[+250 Spirit Power]
"System."
_______________________
[Hollow System]
Name: Iazkari Seurve
Age: 25
Race: Hollow
Rank: Fishbone {Grade 5} [Required Spirit Power to evolve (788/200,000)]
Stats:
Strength - 5
Dexterity - 5
Constitution - 10
Intelligence - 10
Spirit Power: 788
Status Points: 10
Passives:
[Spiritual Pressure Distortion]
- Continuously distorts hints of Spiritual Pressure surrounding the Host to hide their presence.
Abilities:
[Iron Body]
- Enhances body durability by 50% at the cost of Reiatsu. {60 Second Duration}
_______________________
"10 SP... System, put 5 on Strength and Constitution."
_______________________
Name: Iazkari Seurve
Age: 25
Race: Hollow
Rank: Fishbone {Grade 5} [Required Spirit Power to evolve (500/200,000)]
Stats:
Strength - 5 > 10
Dexterity - 5
Constitution - 10 > 15
Intelligence - 10
Spirit Power: 788
Status Points: 10 > 0
Passives:
[Spiritual Pressure Distortion]
Abilities:
[Iron Body]
_______________________
"Alright, now that's some progress..." Iazkari mused before glancing at the blood-soaked ground. He knew the blood was the only proof of the battle, but the [Spiritual Pressure Distortion] skill ensured no one would find evidence within a 50-meter radius of him.
"Now, to continue my quest that was interrupted." Iazkari mentally stated before rushing back into the forest.
"With Iron Body, I can last even longer in battles... But for now, I need to stay hidden." He reassured himself. But his recent actions had caught the attention of a certain organization... The Soul Society.
[Hollowed Heart]
"Are you serious!? A Hollow that can hide its Spiritual Pressure!?" A Soul Reaper exclaimed in disbelief, discussing the Hollow with his colleagues.
"Could he be like Grand Fisher? That Hollow avoided us for a long time." Another Soul Reaper remarked.
"No, this one's different. This Hollow can hide its Spiritual Pressure. One of Squad 7's members went after him and... well, he didn't make it." A third Soul Reaper added.
"The Hollow isn't too dangerous, but tracking it down will be a problem." The same Soul Reaper commented.
"I wonder if any of the captains will take the lead..." One of them mused, fiddling with his katana.
"As if, this Hollow isn't strong. The only thing we can't handle is its ability to hide its Spiritual Pressure." Another Soul Reaper muttered irritably.
Despite the Hollow's apparent weakness, its ability to remain undetected had the Soul Reapers on edge. And this Hollow had caught the attention of someone far more powerful.
A man dressed in a black shihakusho, hakama, and a white haori with a print on the back stopped in his tracks, staring into the distance. A smile crept across his face.
"Interesting... Quite interesting..." He murmured before continuing on his way. If this Hollow could grow stronger, he could become a real threat.
[Hollowed Heart]
[Quest Finished]
[[Enhanced Defence]] x1
[+10 Status Points]
"Hmm... Alright, System."
_______________________
Name: Iazkari Seurve
Age: 25
Race: Hollow
Rank: Fishbone {Grade 5} [Required Spirit Power to evolve (849/200,000)]
Stats:
Strength - 10
Dexterity - 5
Constitution - 15
Intelligence - 10
Spirit Power: 788 > 849
Status Points: 10
Passives:
[Spiritual Pressure Distortion]
[Enhanced Defence]
- Increases passive defence by 20%.
Abilities:
[Iron Body]
_______________________
"Good... The first few skills, though the bonus reward from the Soul Reaper encounter wasn't what I expected, have been focused on defense. Oh well. System, put all my SP on Dexterity."
_______________________
Name: Iazkari Seurve
Age: 25
Race: Hollow
Rank: Fishbone {Grade 5} [Required Spirit Power to evolve (849/200,000)]
Stats:
Strength - 10
Dexterity - 5 > 15
Constitution - 15
Intelligence - 10
Spirit Power: 788 > 849
Status Points: 10 > 0
Passives:
[Spiritual Pressure Distortion]
[Enhanced Defence]
Abilities:
[Iron Body]
_______________________
"Alright, this should be enough for me to last longer in battles. My speed... Let's test it." Iazkari prepared to make a quick dash. As he bolted forward, the sudden speed difference almost caused him to stumble.
"Ack!" He hit the ground, unable to stop in time.
"Now that's an improvement." He stood up and continued his journey.
The story of a Hollow... continues. HAHAHAHAHAHA
[Hollowed Heart]