"Ahem… Did I just completely empty my spiritual pressure in one shot?" he muttered, a mixture of satisfaction and exhaustion creeping into his voice.
The destruction caused by his Cero was nearly half as powerful as the attack unleashed by the alien Hollow he had faced before. The sheer force of it left him astounded.
"I've actually learned to fire a Cero at the Strong Hollow stage?" Ren's masked face split into a wide grin. "Am I a genius or what?"
He scratched his head with his pale, clawed hand, pride swelling in his chest. However, his excitement was quickly tempered by a realization.
"Still, the range isn't quite long enough… and the charge time is too slow. At this stage, I can only use it as a trump card, not in regular combat."
Feeling the complete depletion of his spiritual pressure, Ren decided to retreat. His centipede-like tail twisted into the sand, drilling his body downward until he was fully submerged beneath the surface.
Hueco Mundo was composed entirely of high-density spiritual particles, meaning he could naturally replenish his energy simply by existing within its environment. However, to avoid potential attacks from other Hollows while his power was at its lowest, he activated his "Concealment" ability. Hidden beneath the sand, he remained undetectable, waiting patiently for his spiritual energy to recover.
Several hours passed. Only when he felt his spiritual pressure fully restored did Ren finally emerge, bursting through the sand in one fluid motion.
His half-month of exploration had granted him a deeper understanding of the distribution of Hollow ranks within Hueco Mundo. The deeper one ventured into the sands, the greater the danger became. Gilian hordes and even Adjuchas could be found in the heart of this desolate world. Knowing that he was not yet strong enough to survive such encounters, Ren made the strategic decision to return to the outer perimeter.
"First, I need to consume more low-level Hollows, build up my strength, and evolve into a Giant Hollow before I advance further."
With this plan in mind, Ren began to move through the sand, his nearly eight-meter-long body weaving soundlessly beneath the surface. The combination of his new abilities made him a silent predator, one perfectly adapted for ambush.
Then, the ground trembled.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"BOOM!"
The distant sounds of battle echoed through the desert, sending vibrations through the sand. Ren halted, his senses sharpening.
"A Hollow battle… and a fierce one at that!"
Curiosity piqued, he carefully moved toward the source of the disturbance. The ability to conceal his spiritual pressure allowed him to approach without being detected.
As he neared the battlefield, his eyes widened in shock.
"This… this is a Baixu Ghoul Battle!"
Baixu Ghoul Battles were a rare phenomenon in which over a hundred Giant Hollows became entangled in a chaotic battle for dominance. The last one standing would devour the others and evolve into a Gillian.
"I didn't expect such a fortunate encounter!"
Ren remained hidden beneath the sand, his mind racing. This was a golden opportunity. If he played his cards right, he could feast upon the defeated, accelerating his evolution.
His gaze swept across the battlefield. Giant Hollows clashed violently, tearing into each other with savage ferocity. The air was thick with the scent of blood and spiritual pressure. Yet, despite the chaos, none of them sensed his presence.
"This Concealment ability is more useful than I thought."
Ren waited patiently, observing the ongoing struggle. He needed to be strategic. Diving in too soon would be suicide.
His attention was drawn to an intense skirmish unfolding nearby. A massive octopus-like Hollow was locked in battle with two black-furred hyena Hollows. The two hyenas were nearly identical in appearance, except for one key difference—the size of their fangs.
The shorter-fanged hyena was engaged in a direct assault, keeping the octopus Hollow occupied, while the long-fanged hyena circled behind, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
"These two have intelligence… They're working together."
His eyes narrowed as he observed their tactics. The short-fanged hyena feinted an attack, lashing out at the octopus's many tentacles, forcing it to defend itself. Then, in a flash, the long-fanged hyena lunged from behind.
"Puchi!"
Its two massive fangs pierced deep into the octopus Hollow's head, eliciting a screech of agony. The enormous tentacles flailed wildly, thrashing through the air. In a last desperate attempt to retaliate, the octopus Hollow released a torrent of bubbling energy from its mouth. The moment the bubbles made contact, they detonated in a series of powerful explosions.
"A counterattack?" Ren muttered, intrigued. "Not bad… but still foolish."
The resulting blast engulfed all three combatants, sending chunks of flesh flying through the battlefield.
When the dust settled, the octopus Hollow was barely clinging to life, its body shredded and broken. However, its sacrifice had not been in vain—the long-fanged hyena had suffered as well. Blood gushed from deep wounds across its body, dripping onto the sand like a crimson waterfall.
A howl of rage tore through the air as the long-fanged hyena staggered upright. Its right claw suddenly expanded, the muscles bulging as sharp, steel-like talons emerged. With a furious roar, it lunged toward the wounded octopus Hollow, aiming to deliver the final blow.
"This is it," Ren whispered, his own hunger stirring.
Now was the time to strike.
A dark grin spread beneath his mask as he readied himself.
"Time to feast."
Four deep, jagged wounds tore across the back of the massive octopus Hollow, sending dark green blood gushing out in violent streams. The thick liquid splattered onto the sand below, creating eerie, steaming pools. More than just flesh had been severed—its bone-white mask, once intact and imposing, had been shattered. A massive fragment, nearly half the size of its head, broke away and plummeted to the sand dunes below with a dull thud.
The short-toothed hyena Hollow, having barely escaped the writhing grasp of the octopus's flailing tentacles, let out a triumphant snarl. Its eyes burned with excitement as it rushed forward, eager to claim the precious mask fragment. This was a valuable prize—devouring it could accelerate its evolution significantly.
Just as the hyena Hollow was about to sink its fangs into the fragment, the sand beneath it trembled.
Whoosh!
A shadow burst forth from the dunes at terrifying speed—a humanoid upper body atop a sinuous, centipede-like form. It was Ren. Without hesitation, he snatched the massive mask shard in one swift motion, his clawed hands clutching it tightly. Before the hyena could react, he vanished back into the depths of the sand, disappearing without a trace.
"AAAAAHHHH!"
The short-toothed hyena Hollow froze, its mind struggling to process what had just happened. A moment later, realization struck, and it erupted into an enraged howl.
It had been robbed.
And worst of all, it couldn't even sense the presence of its thief.
The long-toothed hyena, still locked in battle with the wounded but defiant octopus Hollow, caught sight of the commotion. However, it had no time to intervene. The octopus, despite its grievous injuries, was launching a desperate counterattack, forcing the hyenas to stay focused on their current prey.
Meanwhile, miles away, beneath the undisturbed layers of sand, Ren came to a halt.
"Hah… wealth and power favor the bold," he murmured to himself, casting a satisfied glance at the large, dark-white mask shard in his grasp.
"This haul… is a major win."
Though the two hyena Hollows weren't the brightest, Ren knew better than to underestimate their tracking abilities. He had taken no chances—after snatching the mask, he had swum through the sand for nearly two hours in the opposite direction. Only now did he finally allow himself to relax.
Carefully, he floated up until only a small portion of his body broke through the sand's surface. His sharp eyes scanned the area, confirming that there were no other Hollows lurking within several kilometers. Satisfied, he slipped back beneath the sand, descending about ten meters before finally stopping.
Now, it was time to feast.
With an eager grin beneath his mask, Ren brought the mask fragment to his mouth. His sharp teeth sank into it with a satisfying crunch.
"Mmm… not bad!"
He chewed thoughtfully, the flavor oddly reminiscent of seaweed-flavored soda crackers from his past life. The texture was firm yet brittle, dissolving into a rush of potent spiritual energy as he swallowed.
It didn't take long for him to notice the stark difference between this meal and his previous ones. The spiritual essence contained within this mask fragment was leagues beyond what he had consumed before—far richer than the giant earthworm Hollow's remains. Though both belonged to the Giant Hollow classification, there was a fundamental difference.
One was a discarded limb, a mere byproduct of battle.
The other was a mask fragment, the very core of a Hollow's power.
Ren's body trembled slightly as he absorbed the potent energy, feeling it flow through him, refining him, strengthening him.
He licked his lips, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"If this is what a mere fragment tastes like… I can only imagine the feast that awaits when I devour an entire Hollow of this level."
For now, he would continue consuming. He would continue evolving.
Because in the end, only the strongest survived in Hueco Mundo.
And he had no intention of being prey.