"Human man... Die, everyone must die..."
An enormous figure with a human-like body but much larger walked slowly toward where Hisagi had been thrown by its blow. Its steps were slow but incredibly heavy, causing cracks where it walked.
Unlike the cursed spirits, which could be sensed due to their cursed energy, this monster didn't release any such energy. Instead, its energy was similar to the one Hisagi used.
"Everyone must die..."
Hisagi had already stood up, but his face and chest bore the marks of injuries from the strike. That sudden energy, which made him feel disgusted, momentarily froze him in place. It was only now that he reacted.
"What is an intermediate Hollow doing here without me sensing it earlier?" Those were Hisagi's words before standing up.
The Adjuchas, literally known as Intermediate Hollows, are Menos that have evolved from the Gillian state to a superior one, becoming much more powerful and gaining greater intelligence and combat abilities.
Unlike the Gillians, Adjuchas can vary significantly in appearance, ranging from muscular, human-like creatures to others with more animalistic features.
For Hisagi, these monsters weren't unusual. Many of them had appeared near him, trying to kill him, and it all started when he took the power of the sword that had previously been sealed.
Nevertheless, this hollow was far stronger than the others, so he had to take even more critical measures.
"I can't fight in this place, so I'll lead it to a more remote area." With this thought, Hisagi used his Shunpo to leave the site, maintaining a speed that allowed the Intermediate Hollow to follow him.
The Hollow thought Hisagi was fleeing, so it immediately pursued him, leaving the area behind. As they reached an uninhabited place, Hisagi had enough time to reflect on how things had spiraled out of control, no matter how much he had planned.
"Alright, I think this place will do..." Hisagi stopped when he believed there was enough space to avoid being disturbed or seen by others.
"Serpo. Kill the human man."
Boom!
The Hollow rushed toward Hisagi instantly, and simultaneously, the Riatsu in its body subtly moved through its hands, ready to strike. The immeasurable power of the Hollow exposed itself to the air without reservation, aiming to pierce its enemy's chest.
Crash!
Knowing this was another opportunity to improve his combat skills, Hisagi fought hand-to-hand with this powerful Hollow. The ground beneath their feet sank, and the shockwaves from their blows shook the surroundings.
By sheer brute force, Hisagi didn't use any dominant techniques. However, it worked in his favor as cracks formed on the Hollow's body, which tried to level with Hisagi's power.
"You will die; you must die!" The Intermediate Hollow growled, opening its arms to reveal a chest that suddenly split open, from which numerous hands emerged, surprising Hisagi.
"Senka!"
Flash Blossom!
Seeing something unfamiliar, Hisagi immediately put distance between himself and the Hollow, moving behind it.
Senka is a special Shunpo technique where one moves behind their opponent to strike directly at their back. The movement is so fast that the enemy cannot tell if they were attacked from the front or the back. Even an external observer might find it impossible to determine what just happened.
Once behind his enemy, Hisagi kicked it, sending it flying into the distance.
Crash!
"I'm going to end up naked at this rate." Hisagi glanced at his torn pants and shook his head, a bit uncomfortable.
"Die, you must die!" The grotesque voice of the Hollow echoed again as it sped toward Hisagi.
"This time, I'll use a new technique. Hopefully, it's strong enough." Hisagi didn't need his sword to fight this enemy, as his power was enough to eliminate it.
Moreover, this would help him get used to his strength and remind him that he must be ready to fight even without his powerful sword. With these thoughts, Hisagi prepared himself.
"One finger is enough to finish you off..."
Faced with such a powerful attack, Hisagi's tone grew serious. With a terrifying monster before him, he decided to end it quickly to avoid further complications.
As the Hollow rushed toward him, Hisagi's soul energy exploded and concentrated at the tip of his index finger, taking on a fearsome appearance.
"Oni Dekkopin!"
Demon Flick!
A technique where a simple finger movement has enough physical force to send an opponent flying a considerable distance.
Crack!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Hisagi used this technique repeatedly, striking different parts of the Hollow's body almost simultaneously, breaking its limbs before it could react. The parts of the hollow touched by Hisagi's finger shook and then exploded as if a bomb had gone off in those specific areas of its body.
Hisagi's energy burst again, but this time it concentrated around his body, providing him with greater protection against any potential surprise attacks.
"Ahhh!!!" The Hollow groaned, and within a few seconds, every part of its body was destroyed by a force it couldn't stop.
"It's my responsibility to deal with things like you." Hisagi's sword was unsheathed in seconds, and the Hollow's body was sliced into more than a thousand pieces.
Moments later, the Hollow's remains were incinerated by flames, and particles of light flew toward Hisagi's body.
The pure energy that resulted from this took shape, and within seconds, Hisagi absorbed it, gaining new insight into the source of his power and the energy driving his strength to new levels.
[Congratulations! You've eliminated the first Hollow you encountered and fulfilled one of the major requirements of being Yamamoto's heir!]
[You have killed an Intermediate Hollow and gained 1600 soul points!]
Fight with honor and bleed in battle. You have obtained the Hook of Hollows and Cursed Spirits, an artifact used to attract Cursed Spirits to a specific point when activated!
That systematic voice echoed in Hisagi's head.
The Hook of Hollows and Cursed Spirits looked like a silver coin with seemingly runic inscriptions on the back. It activates when broken. It appears relatively easy to break, though its fragility may depend on who tries to do so.
"I suppose it's too late to return now..." Hisagi murmured as he stored the coin he had materialized out of curiosity. Glancing in the direction of the school, he sighed, and his body vanished in the blink of an eye.
At this moment, Hisagi was already home. If everything followed the normal trajectory, there shouldn't be any major issues, despite things spiraling out of control.
Hisagi didn't know why a hollow would appear in this world. Not only did this hollow lack cursed energy, but its appearance was similar to those he was familiar with. However, in this world, where he knew little, something more must be happening to cause the Hollows to appear, especially targeting him.