The giant earthworm Hollow was enormous. Even with only the lower half of its body remaining, it still towered over Ren , its sheer mass making him seem like nothing more than an insect in comparison.
Yet, despite the vast difference in size, Ren did not hesitate. His instincts screamed at him to consume, to absorb every last scrap of the potent spiritual energy the corpse had to offer. He tore into the flesh with ravenous hunger, swallowing each piece as though his very survival depended on it. If not for the fact that the blood-soaked sand was inedible, he might have even devoured that too.
He had once considered the possibility of consuming the very sand itself, given that the entire Hueco Mundo was made of high-density spiritual particles. But after nearly choking himself to death on multiple occasions, he had long since abandoned the idea.
Within moments, the massive remains had been reduced to nothing, fully devoured. As the last morsel slid down his throat, an unfamiliar sensation washed over him—a long-forgotten feeling of fullness.
Then, it happened.
A surge of dark golden spiritual energy erupted from his body, wrapping him in a swirling vortex of power.
"ROAR!!!"
An uncontrollable bellow escaped Ren's throat as the force of his evolution overtook him. His entire being trembled under the immense transformation.
"Am I… evolving?" he muttered, a slow, sinister grin forming beneath his mask.
Warmth spread through his body, a sensation so foreign yet deeply satisfying. It was as if every fiber of his being was being reforged in the crucible of spiritual energy. For a brief moment, he felt as if he had returned to his past life, where he had once enjoyed the luxury of a full-body spa—only now, the pleasure of renewal was infinitely greater.
Dark golden light enveloped him, surging outward in towering waves. It only lasted for ten seconds, but within that short span, his entire form underwent a complete metamorphosis.
As the golden light faded and the dust settled, Ren stood in his new form.
His once four-to-five-meter-long body had nearly doubled in size. Now spanning seven or eight meters in total—counting the centipede-like tail that stretched behind him—he was a force to be reckoned with.
Golden lightning patterns now adorned his centipede limbs, crackling with suppressed energy. Even his mask, which had previously been a blank, pale white, now bore intricate golden streaks, forming jagged markings that hinted at newfound power. The rest of his humanoid upper body was intertwined with alternating black and golden streaks, making his form even more striking.
He examined his reflection in a small patch of glassy sand and let out a deep, guttural chuckle.
"I evolved into a Strong Hollow!"
Excitement coursed through him like fire in his veins. This was only the beginning. He could feel it in his very core—this was but a stepping stone on his path to ultimate power.
Over the past half-month, through both exploration and firsthand experience, Ren had begun to grasp the classification of Hollow evolution. His knowledge from his previous life's understanding of the original story had given him insight, but it was only now, through personal growth, that he truly understood the hierarchy.
In the original lore, Hollows were categorized into two broad groups—regular Hollows and the Great Hollows (Menos). However, Ren had come to realize there were far more detailed stages in between.
The First Stage - Newly Born Hollow: These were weak, newly formed Hollows that had not yet devoured enough of their kind or human souls to gain real strength. The Lizard Hollow he had first encountered, along with others like it, had belonged to this category.
The Second Stage - Strong Hollow: This was where Ren now stood. No longer just a fledgling, he had begun to develop a distinct form and greater power.
The Third Stage - Giant Hollow: This category included massive creatures like the earthworm Hollow. Though powerful compared to lower-tier Hollows, they still lacked true intelligence and individuality.
The Fourth Stage - Gillian (Menos Grande): These terrifying beings were formed when at least a hundred Giant Hollows cannibalized each other, merging into a singular, towering monster. Most Gillians lost their individuality, becoming mindless killing machines. However, the rare few that retained their intelligence had the potential to continue evolving.
The Fifth Stage - Special Gillian: Some Gillians were not born from the standard evolution process. Instead, they were former Adjuchas who had been critically wounded during battle and degenerated back into Gillian form. Unlike ordinary Gillians, they retained much of their former power, making them far more dangerous.
The Sixth Stage - Adjuchas (Intermediate Menos): These Hollows had successfully evolved beyond the Gillian stage while maintaining their intelligence. They were far more powerful and capable of utilizing advanced combat abilities, including Cero attacks. However, Adjuchas had one fatal weakness—if even the smallest part of their body was devoured by another Hollow, their evolution would halt forever. No matter how many they consumed afterward, they would never progress beyond Adjuchas rank.
The Seventh Stage - Vasto Lorde (Superior Menos): The pinnacle of Hollow evolution, Vasto Lordes were exceptionally rare. They were humanoid in size and possessed immense strength, rivaling the Captains of the Soul Society. Only the most exceptional Adjuchas, after consuming countless Hollows, could reach this level.
Ren clenched his fists, feeling the raw power surging through his body.
"The road ahead is still long…"
Despite his advancement, he knew he was still far from his goal. If this were the late stage of the storyline, even a Vasto Lorde-ranked Arrancar would not be enough to stand at the top, let alone his current form.
Survival demanded strength. If he wanted to avoid becoming collateral damage in a battle between stronger Hollows, he had to keep growing. His new abilities gave him a much-needed edge.
Ability 1 - Concealment: Ren could now suppress his spiritual pressure to an almost undetectable level. Only those with spiritual power a hundred times greater than his own could sense him.
Ability 2 - Thunder Surge: He could generate arcs of electricity along the joints of his centipede-like lower body. Though currently limited to close-range attacks, this ability had great potential for future development.
A grin spread beneath his mask. These abilities, combined with Hueco Mundo's vast desert terrain, made him an ideal predator. He could hunt undetected, devour his prey, and accelerate his evolution.
But he still lacked a proper ranged attack.
Ren raised his right hand, recalling the Cero attack he had witnessed from the alien Gilian. He focused his energy, pointing a pale index finger forward. A swirling mass of black and red spiritual pressure gathered at his fingertip, growing denser by the second.
Five seconds later, a beam of pure destruction erupted from his hand, tearing through the air like a spear of annihilation.
"BOOM!"
The dunes ahead exploded in a thunderous blast, scattering sand and debris in all directions.
Ren's glowing eyes narrowed in satisfaction.
"This… this is just the beginning."
With renewed determination, he turned and vanished into the vast, endless desert of Hueco Mundo, ready to hunt, devour, and evolve once more.