Although Bakudō No. 58: Kakushitsuijaku ("Slap Toe Chasing Sparrow") is a spell used to perceive Reiatsu and track individuals, its effective range is not vast. If Shinigami are scattered too far apart—especially in a spiritually dense realm like Hueco Mundo—then its efficiency drops sharply.
That's because Hueco Mundo is teeming with Hollows, and each one emits Reiatsu, forming a thick fog of spiritual interference. In this sea of conflicting signals, locating a single Shinigami signature becomes incredibly difficult.
So, the fact that Gosuke Shigure could sense someone now meant only one thing: the other person was very close.
And the Reiatsu he was sensing… belonged to Yoruichi Shihōin.
On her side, Yoruichi had also locked onto Gosuke's spiritual pressure. Ever since she learned the true nature of Shunryū from him, she'd dedicated herself to mastering it, especially pouring effort into Kidō, which she'd previously found uninteresting.
While her Kidō skill still hadn't reached the heights of elite spellcasters like Tessai Tsukabishi or Hachi, she had progressed impressively—far beyond someone like Abarai Renji, whose Kidō abilities were… notoriously unreliable.
Yoruichi hadn't lacked talent in Kidō; she'd simply never cared to train it. Now, with purpose and guidance, she was refining her abilities swiftly.
Guided by mutual detection, the two Shinigami converged through the dunes and finally met again in the wide, hollow desert of Hueco Mundo.
This place—an endless expanse of lifeless yellow sand—offered few landmarks. No forests. No rivers. No shade. Only bleak, scorching desolation.
"Teacher," Yoruichi called out first, her voice steady despite the grim landscape.
"Just you?" Gosuke asked, scanning the horizon. "Where's Captain Shihōin?"
"Grandfather and I were separated," Yoruichi replied, brushing stray sand from her shoulder. "I've no idea where he landed, but finding you is already good news."
There was a flicker of relief in her smile. Despite the danger, she wasn't concerned about her grandfather, Shihōin Kongchan—he was experienced and formidable.
Gosuke exhaled quietly. "It's just like the Boundary—unpredictable. Let's hope Captain Shihōin and Zaraki are unharmed."
Yoruichi nodded solemnly, then asked, "What now, sensei? Should we regroup with them first, or proceed directly to find Tsunayashiro Tokinada?"
Though Yoruichi was now a strong and independent leader of the Second Division's Onmitsukidō, in this mission she was accompanying two captains. The chain of command still mattered, especially when the enemy was a cunning noble fugitive.
"We'll try to locate Captain Shihōin and Zaraki first," Gosuke said, "but if we can't find them soon, we pursue Tokinada. Delay too long, and he'll vanish."
Yoruichi agreed. The two immediately began sweeping the nearby area with Kidō-enhanced sensory spells, hoping to detect familiar Reiatsu signatures.
But they found nothing.
Their own proximity had been luck. The others had likely fallen much farther away. Hueco Mundo's size and chaotic spiritual pressure made it near impossible to pinpoint even a captain's energy signature from this distance.
After realizing the futility of continuing the search, they shifted focus.
"We'll track Tokinada while staying alert for their Reiatsu," Gosuke decided.
Yoruichi accepted without hesitation.
As they discussed Tokinada's possible hiding places, a sudden thought stirred in Gosuke's mind.
He turned and said, "The Forest of Menos."
Yoruichi blinked. "The Forest of Menos Grande? Why there?"
"Just a hunch," he replied cryptically.
What he didn't say was that he'd felt a faint tug—a resonance deep in his soul—the same way he had when encountering the Shiba battle suit crafted by Shutara Senjumaru.
That subtle pull stirred again here in Hueco Mundo, as though something ancient and hidden was calling to him from the shadows.
What's summoning me now…? he wondered.
Inexplicably, his thoughts drifted to Senjumaru. How is she faring in the Royal Guard?
Pushing the thoughts aside, he motioned for Yoruichi to follow.
⸻
The Forest of Menos Grande is not simply a forest—it's the massive, cavernous underlayer beneath Hueco Mundo's surface. Technically, calling it "underground" is misleading.
Hueco Mundo can be divided into three main regions:
1. The Outer Circle – the endless desert wasteland, where most common Hollows roam.
2. The Forest of Menos – nestled within a vast hollow beneath the desert's surface, between the outer and inner rings.
3. The Inner Circle – a floating platform suspended atop white, towering trees; it houses Las Noches, the palace of Hueco Mundo's king.
The "inner circle" is not true land—it's more like a suspended continent, supported by the tops of the vast trees growing within the Menos Forest. The forest itself extends deeply into the hollowed ground, forming something like a massive subterranean dome.
It makes sense, Gosuke mused. Why would the king of Hueco Mundo build his palace there? Because it sits atop the very birthplace of countless Hollows… their nests.
Soon, the two arrived at the cliff's edge, where the sand abruptly dropped off into a vast darkness below.
Yoruichi peered down. The abyss was pitch-black and seemingly endless.
"So that's the Menos Forest? Just looking at it gives me the creeps. How are we supposed to get down there?"
"There's a descent path nearby," Gosuke said calmly. "Come on—we'll go around to it."
Yoruichi nodded but gave him a curious glance. "You sure know your way around for someone who's never been here."
Gosuke didn't flinch. "The 11th Division has historically organized several expeditions into Hueco Mundo. Before this mission, I reviewed the records thoroughly. That's how I know."
"Ah, that explains it," Yoruichi said, satisfied.
But deep inside, Gosuke wasn't entirely sure how he knew.
Something within him… remembered Hueco Mundo far too well.
JOIN MY PATREON TO READ 90+ CHAPTERS BEFORE PUBLIC RELEASE OR PURCHASE FOR LIFETIME ACCESS!
WE ARE CURRENTLY ON CHAPTER 203 ON PATREON.
Patreon.com/HACKDWORLD