c3 - Void Level
The giant earthworm Hollow was incredibly massive. Even with only a portion of its body remaining, it still dwarfed Ye Chuan, its sheer size making him seem insignificant in comparison.
Ye Chuan ravenously devoured every piece of flesh and Reishi-rich matter. If it weren't for the indigestible blood mixing into the sand, he might have attempted to consume that as well. However, he had already experimented with consuming the white sand of Hueco Mundo, only to nearly choke himself to death several times before conceding that it was futile.
Soon, the enormous corpse—far exceeding his own body in size—had been entirely consumed. This time, unlike his previous meals, he felt an unfamiliar sensation: fullness.
"ROAR!!!"
Dark golden Reiryoku surged around Ye Chuan, and he let out a triumphant howl toward the desolate sky of Hueco Mundo.
"I'm evolving?"
A wicked grin formed beneath the pale mask covering his face as he felt his body undergo an overwhelming transformation.
A dark golden pillar of energy erupted from his body, illuminating the surrounding sand dunes as his form underwent rapid evolution.
The surge lasted only a few moments—perhaps ten seconds—but when the dust settled, Ye Chuan's new body emerged from the glow.
His previous form, a four-to-five-meter-long humanoid with a centipede-like lower half, had grown significantly. Now stretching seven to eight meters in length, his new body was nearly twice its former size. The pale, chitinous limbs of his centipede-like lower half now bore intricate dark golden lightning-like patterns. Even his bone-white mask, which enveloped his entire head like a helmet, was etched with the same golden markings.
His humanoid torso was now adorned with crisscrossing golden and black streaks, making him appear more ominous, yet strangely refined.
"I've evolved into a stronger Hollow!" Ye Chuan exulted.
Having spent the past half-month exploring Hueco Mundo, combined with his prior knowledge from Bleach, Ye Chuan had pieced together a clearer understanding of Hollow evolution.
The original story only outlined two broad classifications: normal Hollows and Menos Grande (Great Hollows). The Menos were further divided into three main evolutionary stages: Gillian, Adjuchas, and Vasto Lorde.
However, through personal experience and field observations, Ye Chuan realized there were additional sub-stages leading up to the Menos-class evolution:
Hollow Evolution Stages
1. Newborn Hollow (Shinsei-Hollow):
Freshly formed Hollows that have only just turned from human souls.
Limited intelligence and weak combat abilities.
Strength depends on the soul's prior power before becoming a Hollow.
Ye Chuan and the Lizard Hollow he previously devoured were both at this stage.
2. Lesser Hollow (Kyōryoku-Hollow):
Hollows that have started consuming souls or other Hollows to strengthen themselves.
Ye Chuan, after his initial evolution, currently belonged to this category.
3. Giant Hollow (Kyodai-Hollow):
Much larger and more powerful than standard Hollows.
The giant earthworm Hollow he devoured previously belonged to this tier.
4. Gillian (Menos Grande):
The first tier of the Menos-class.
Formed when at least a hundred Hollows engage in a battle royale, devouring and merging with each other.
Most Gillians lose their individuality and become mindless killing machines.
Mindless Gillians are typically under the control of Adjuchas-class Hollows.
Exceptionally rare Unique Gillians (Tokubetsu-Gillian), such as the one Ye Chuan encountered earlier, retain their intelligence and seek further evolution.
Fallen Gillians (Shita-Gillian): Former Adjuchas who failed in their evolution and regressed back into Gillian form. Unlike typical Gillians, they retain their unique appearance and possess greater power.
5. Adjuchas (Intermediate Menos):
Evolved from Unique Gillians through continuous battles and consumption of their kin.
More compact and humanoid in form compared to the massive Gillians.
Able to utilize advanced techniques like Cero and Sonído.
Must continue consuming others to prevent regression; even a small bite from another Hollow at this stage will permanently halt further evolution.
6. Vasto Lorde (Superior Menos):
The pinnacle of Hollow evolution.
Can either be natural-born in Hueco Mundo or evolve from an exceptionally strong Adjuchas.
Their humanoid-sized bodies belie their immense power, rivaling the Gotei 13's Captain-class Shinigami.
"The road ahead is still long."
Despite his recent evolution, Ye Chuan felt no satisfaction. In the late stages of Bleach, even Vasto Lorde-class Arrancars struggled against powerful Shinigami. If he remained complacent, he would be nothing more than an insect before the true powerhouses of this world.
Uncertain of the exact timeline he had entered, the only way forward was relentless evolution. Otherwise, the mere shockwave from an Adjuchas-level battle might one day shatter his fragile existence.
With renewed determination, Ye Chuan began testing his new body. To his delight, he discovered two new abilities:
Ability 1 - Reiryoku Suppression (Reiryoku Gensoku):
Ye Chuan can suppress his spiritual pressure to near-undetectable levels.
Only entities with at least one hundred times his own Reiryoku can sense him.
Ability 2 - Thunder Surge (Ikazuchi no Kōshin):
He can generate arcs of dark golden lightning along his centipede-like limbs.
Currently, the electricity is confined to his body and lacks long-range application.
These newfound abilities thrilled Ye Chuan. With them, combined with Hueco Mundo's desert terrain, he had become a perfect ambush predator. His devouring rate would now accelerate significantly.
"And as for long-range attacks…"
A wicked glint flashed in Ye Chuan's masked eyes. He recalled witnessing the Cero unleashed by the Unique Gillian earlier.
Raising his pale right hand, he focused his Reiryoku, pointing his index finger forward.
Dark red and black spiritual energy began gathering at his fingertip.
Five seconds later, a pulsating beam of crimson destruction roared forward, striking a distant sand dune.
"BOOM!!!"
A thunderous explosion erupted, sending tremors through the desert and kicking up a massive cloud of debris.
Ye Chuan lowered his hand, a smirk playing on his lips beneath his mask.
"With this, my hunt truly begins."