Episode Twenty-Two: The Gathering of Phantoms

Hueco Mundo, the domain of a certain Adjuchas.

In this barren wasteland where not a single blade of grass grew, two Adjuchas, both bearing heavy wounds, huddled together.

“Damn it… How could that guy be so strong…” One of them, resembling a gorilla, wiped the blood from its arm and spoke weakly to its companion.

“Who the hell brought him here…” The other, coiled on the ground like a serpent, let its head droop, clearly drained of all strength.

“In any case, it was only a matter of time before this place was found. We should leave quickly.”

“Oh? Where exactly are you two headed?”

“!”

“!”

At the sound of the voice, the two Adjuchas were instantly terrified—though whether their faces could truly show fear was uncertain. Regardless, their dread for the speaker was undeniable.

“Not planning to take me with you?”

A brown cloak fluttered in the wind, revealing a tattered shinigami uniform beneath, and in the stranger’s hand was a Zanpakuto, cold as ice, making the Adjuchas tremble.

White, dusty short hair, a face smudged with dirt from a long journey—none of it could conceal the mocking gleam in the intruder’s eyes as he looked at the Adjuchas.

“Y-y-y-you… how did you follow us?!”

“Ah, isn’t that beside the point? The real question is…”

He raised his sword, aiming it at the two Adjuchas.

“Are you ready?”

“!!”

“Aaaahhhhhhh!”

The two terrified Adjuchas screamed in despair…

…………………………………………………………

“Really, I thought those five would help me get back…”

Nagatsuro sat gloomily atop a sand dune.

After taking down Gigalode, five Adjuchas had appeared. He’d hoped luck would be on his side, and that one might help him return.

But when he eliminated one to prove his strength, the other four immediately fled. With no other choice, Nagatsuro had to hunt them down—though “hunt” wasn’t quite right, as he hadn’t wanted to kill them, only to get their help.

Ordinary Hollows rarely went to the Soul Society. Menos Grande had the power, but lacked intelligence, so Nagatsuro couldn’t control them. Adjuchas were his best option.

Yet Hueco Mundo, vast as it was, had precious few Adjuchas—encounters were rare. So far, Nagatsuro had met seven, which was incredible luck, but none had agreed to help him. Reluctantly, he had to kill them.

Now, he was truly at a loss for where to go next.

“Huh? What’s that?”

Nagatsuro’s mood shifted when he spotted a group of a dozen or so Hollows rushing in a certain direction. Hollows sometimes moved in packs, but such scenes were rare, usually involving weaker Hollows or Adjuchas desperate to avoid regressing to Menos Grande. But Nagatsuro sensed that these Hollows had strong spiritual pressure—not the kind a shinigami with an Asauchi could easily defeat.

Why were such powerful Hollows gathering here?

……………………………………

“Oh? They’ve arrived?”

A humanoid Hollow, standing atop a dune, slowly rose to greet the newcomers. He spoke calmly, “That’s everyone, right?”

“We are one thousand and seventy-eight Hollows.”

One thousand and seventy-eight!

Nagatsuro, hidden in the shadows, was shocked. What was the purpose of gathering so many Hollows here?

“Reis, you called us all together—are you ready?”

“Of course. But…”

The humanoid Hollow, Reis, sat back down on the dune, surveying the group’s leaders. “Why haven’t Gigalode and the others shown up?”

“Haven’t seen them in ages,” rasped a bird-shaped Hollow.

“Is something wrong?” grunted a boar-like Hollow.

“We don’t have time to worry about them now.” Reis waved his hand and lowered his head, eyes glittering with malice. “Prepare yourselves—we set out for the Soul Society now.”

“!!”

Not only the few powerful Hollows in front of Reis, but even Nagatsuro in the shadows was startled.

One thousand and seventy-eight Hollows were going to the Soul Society?!

Excitement, astonishment, fear… Nagatsuro’s mind was a whirlwind. At last, he had a chance to return, but he alone could never stop so many Hollows. If they truly invaded the Soul Society, only Yamamoto himself could hope to intervene.

Though none of these Hollows reached the Vasto Lorde level, there were dozens at the Adjuchas tier; and the humanoid leader, Reis, possessed unfathomable power—even Nagatsuro couldn’t gauge his strength.

He was surely a match for a weaker Vasto Lorde.

In other words, ordinary captains would be no match for this humanoid Hollow.

“Isn’t it a bit too soon?” the bird-shaped Hollow hesitated, though they’d formed an alliance and chosen Reis as their leader, such a reckless invasion was a grave matter, not to be decided by Reis alone.

“It’s not too soon,” Reis replied coolly. “Not just those present—I’m bringing a hundred Menos Grande along.”

Not only dozens of Adjuchas and a thousand ordinary Hollows, but a hundred Menos Grande were joining the invasion!

How could the Soul Society possibly withstand such force?

“Well, does anyone have any objections?” Reis raised his hand, clenching it into a fist in the air, as if consumed with hatred for someone; his body trembled slightly.

“Our power will turn the Soul Society into a wasteland.”

“The souls there shall become our feast.”

“Let those contemptible shinigami know that all they do is but the overture to their own destruction.”

“We, the people of Hueco Mundo, are the only true rulers of this world.”

He spread his fingers, raised his head.

“Ravage them without restraint.”

Reis’s mask parted at the mouth, exhaling a plume of white smoke.

“There shall be no enemy before us!”