The parents' visiting day had ended when a girl dressed as a magical girl appeared right behind Ryu. He sensed at once that she was immensely powerful—around the same level as Harribel and Grimmjow. She was neither Hollow, Shinigami, nor Quincy.
Damn it, he thought. Her spiritual pressure felt eerily similar to the student council president… Sona, was that her name?
Ryu didn't even need to turn around when she called out to him.
"You're Ryu-sensei?" the girl said in an amused tone, pointing at him. "I'm Sona-tan's older sister. I'd love to know how she's doing at school."
Ryu turned to her with a sigh. She was undeniably beautiful—though not quite Nel's level, but very lovely all the same.
"Ah, yes. Shitori has excellent grades," Ryu replied in a clipped tone, making it clear he had no interest in chatting. "If that's all, I'm leaving. My shift is over."
He turned his back on Serafall, ignoring her.
"Mooou, you're no fun at all!" Serafall called out, pointing at him. "Here's a beautiful girl dressed as a magical girl, and you just ignore me!"
"I'm married," Ryu answered indifferently. "So I'd advise you to leave before the school closes. The principal can be quite unpleasant."
Serafall froze, staring at him in shock.
Did I just get rejected? She hadn't even been flirting with him, and yet… Rejection hit her so hard her mind went blank for a moment.
"Wait a minute—former Hollow King!" Serafall shouted, annoyed, and ran after him. "I want to talk to you!"
Ryu's eyes went wide with surprise, then he sighed, realizing exactly what had happened.
"Nel talks too much," he muttered, smacking his forehead in exasperation. "Seriously…"
"Hey, it's not her fault! Don't be mad at her!" Serafall said quickly, looking concerned for the former Hollow Queen, who'd become fast friends with her.
"Don't worry," Ryu sighed and shook his head. "Nel's always been loose-lipped. You're hardly the first person she's told things she shouldn't have."
"That bad?" Serafall's eyes widened in disbelief. "How on earth did she become the ruler of an entire race?"
"She was the strongest female Hollow in existence. And she married me," Ryu said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Of course she did."
"So—what do you want here?" Serafall tried to keep the conversation going, fishing for more information about the former Hollow King.
"Because if I'd stayed in Hueco Mundo," Ryu said, gazing into the distance with clear distaste, "those idiotic Hollows would never have let Harribel rule. They'd have called her reign illegitimate."
Serafall opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again—but no words came out. She didn't even know this Harribel, but she already felt a twinge of envy toward her.
"But—doesn't this new Queen have your support and Nel's?" Serafall asked, still confused.
"She does. But she's weaker than me and Nel. Hollows will never be ruled by anyone who isn't the strongest," Ryu replied with an irritated sigh. "The weak get devoured and trampled underfoot."
"Wait—are you saying the strongest among your kind torture and kill the weaker ones just because they're stronger?" Serafall asked, outraged.
"That's right. Though things have started to change under Harribel's rule," Ryu said evenly. "Now that you have your answers—goodbye."
Serafall couldn't even bring herself to follow him… She couldn't understand it.
"Wait—you were their King! And you just let this happen to your people?" Serafall called after him, indignant.
He only glanced back over his shoulder, looking at her with utter indifference.
"I was. That's exactly why I say Harribel is a far better ruler than I ever was," Ryu said with a shrug. "Nel never liked how our people behaved, either. But it wasn't our problem."
Serafall gasped and took a step back—then two more. She tried to speak, to yell, to curse him, but her voice failed. Her hands trembled, and her power began to spiral out of control; the very air around them shuddered with the sheer magical energy pouring off her.
"Not your problem?" she whispered, her eyes hollow with shock. "You were their King. That was your problem."
"If you don't rein in your pressure, you'll kill everyone in the neighborhood around the school," Ryu commented, still completely unbothered.
Serafall's eyes flew wide. She quickly suppressed her surging magic, then glared at him, tears pricking at her eyes.
"You're no different from them," she said, her voice trembling. "No different from the Devils who supported the old Satans' faction."
"I have no idea who those people are," Ryu said dismissively. "But like I said—Harribel's a better ruler than I ever was."
And with that, Ryu left Serafall standing there, lost for words.
(-)
Finally, the day of the peace conference between the three factions arrived.
Seated around the table were Michael, Serafall, Sirzechs, and Azazel.
Rias began recounting the events she'd witnessed, with Sona adding details to her testimony. They spoke of everything—the masked figures, and even Sung Sun.
"This is deeply concerning," Michael said, his expression grave. "The fact that Kokabiel could control those masked beings is something we never thought possible."
"Indeed. Everything we thought we knew was wrong," Azazel sighed. "Who would have guessed those giant masked creatures were only the lowest rank of their entire race?"
"More importantly—Kokabiel tried to assassinate someone important to them," Sirzechs said, clasping his hands tightly beneath the table. "If he'd succeeded in killing those children, we'd be facing serious trouble. Do we know who they are?"
Sirzechs looked to Rias's group, but she could only repeat what she'd already told them.
"They are the younger sisters of their former King," Serafall spoke up, finally breaking her silence. "The race is called Hollow, just as Rias-chan said."
Everyone fell silent and turned to look at her.
"Are you certain?" Sirzechs asked, intrigued.
"I am," Serafall replied with a sigh.
"What proof do we have?" Michael asked, stunned. "The Hollows have a King?"
"They have a Queen now," Serafall said, glancing toward the door. "Come on in, Sung Sun-chan."
She called out in a cheerful tone, and the door swung open to reveal Sung Sun.
(-)
A few hours earlier…
Sung Sun was searching for any trace of clues about Velorio when she felt it—a massive spiritual pressure, far stronger than her own. She looked up to see Serafall watching her.
"Tch." Sung Sun clicked her tongue, torn between fear and anger. She released her spiritual pressure, and dozens of gaping maws tore open all around her. At least thirty Hollows appeared—most of them Gillians, along with five Adjuchas-class beings.
"What do you want?" Sung Sun demanded, her gaze sharp and judgmental. She pulled her sleeve up to cover her mouth. "Why have you cornered me?"
Even facing an enemy she knew was vastly more powerful, she remained calm, poised, and unshaken.
"Oh, nothing like that! I didn't come here to fight!" Serafall said brightly. "I just wanted to open up communications with your people!"
"Why?" Sung Sun narrowed her eyes, rising into the air to hover beside her Hollows. She wasn't about to be tricked.
"Your kind has always been a mystery to us," Serafall said, growing more excited. "But now we've learned there are intelligent, civilized beings among you. We'd like to negotiate for peace."
"And why should I agree to that?"
"Because you're the person closest to your Queen that I've met," Serafall said, spreading her bat-like wings and floating up to meet Sung Sun at eye level. "We want to open a proper channel to discuss politics, trade, and alliance."
"You have the authority for this?" Sung Sun asked, probing for information.
"Absolutely! I handle all foreign affairs for my people," Serafall beamed, giving a peace sign with a bright, almost childlike smile. "And I also want to apologize—on behalf of one of our three factions—for everything that happened."
"Apologize to Ryujin-sama," Sung Sun replied, her voice cold and direct. "They were his sisters."
"Ryujin?" Serafall had no idea who that was.
"Ryu-sensei," Sung Sun clarified. "That is what he is called here. But to the Hollows, he is Ryujin-sama—the greatest and most powerful King Hueco Mundo has ever known."
"The greatest King?" Serafall asked, incredulous. "He let his people suffer! He let the strong hunt and kill the weak!"
"Hueco Mundo has always been this way," Sung Sun said, completely unfazed. "And of the four Kings our world has ever had, Ryujin-sama was the kindest and most merciful. Harribel-sama aside, of course."
Serafall didn't know what to say. How could someone who'd sat back and let his people slaughter one another be considered the greatest King?
"How can he be the greatest, if he just let the strong prey on the weak?" she demanded, unable and unwilling to understand.
"Because this is how Hueco Mundo has existed since time immemorial," Sung Sun said simply. "Ryujin-sama saw no reason to change it."
"Honestly… I don't think I'll ever understand your people," Serafall said, her tone softening into a plea. "But please—come to the conference. We want peace. And if possible, we want to form an alliance."
"I will see what I can do for you," Sung Sun replied indifferently and departed. Naturally, Serafall did not follow her.
(-)
Stepping into the room and taking everyone by surprise, Sung Sun stopped beside Serafall, who immediately pulled out a chair for her.
"You must be the masked one who helped hold Kokabiel in check," Sirzechs said in a gentle tone, looking at Sung Sun. "Thank you very much for ensuring our sisters were not harmed."
He bowed his head to her, leaving Rias's entire group stunned—especially since Sung Sun had considered negotiating with Kokabiel and abandoning them to die more than once. The only reason Rias's group was still alive was that Kokabiel had refused the deal.
"Do not thank me," Sung Sun replied indifferently, covering her face. "My only goal was to protect Karin-sama and Yuzu-sama. If I could have simply ignored your sisters and taken Karin-sama and Yuzu-sama away, leaving your sisters behind to fend for themselves, I would have done so."
"Hahaha, you are certainly honest! May we ask you some questions about your people?" Azazel asked, amused. "But what a surprise—to find a masked being as cute as you. To us, you were nothing but giant monsters."
Everyone looked at Azazel; it was obvious he was laying out bait, trying to draw information out of Sung Sun.
"With Harribel-sama's permission, I will answer any reasonable questions," Sung Sun replied evenly. "Your information is not incorrect. Only the Vasto Lorde—beings like Harribel-sama, Nel-sama, and Ryujin-sama, the most powerful class of Hollow—possess human forms."
"You do not count yourself among them?" Azazel asked, curious.
"I do not. I am an Adjuchas," Sung Sun said, and as she spoke, a massive mouth tore open in the air.
Everyone gasped as a masked creature nearly three meters tall stepped out from within it.
"Introduce yourself," Sung Sun commanded the Hollow.
"I am Alyosta, an Adjuchas-class Hollow," the creature said, bowing to the beings seated at the table.
"Ohhh—it can speak!" Azazel was growing more eager to ask another question, when Sung Sun suddenly reached out and tore the Adjuchas's head off with a single blow, killing it instantly.
"Why did you do that?!" Serafall cried out in shock.
"It was planning to attack them," Sung Sun said, gesturing toward Rias's group. "Make no mistake—Hollows are beings that must consume souls in order to evolve. Adjuchas must eat souls constantly, or they will regress, losing their evolution and turning back into a Gillian."
"But you yourself said you are an Adjuchas," Azazel said, watching the Hollow's body begin to fade away. "You do not seem hungry."
"That is true—but I am also an Arrancar," Sung Sun said, keeping her face partially hidden. "The second King of Hueco Mundo, Aizen, discovered that by removing a Hollow's mask, one could make them more human—and eliminate their need to consume souls entirely."
"Wait—if such a King existed, why do you call Ryu the greatest King when he did nothing for your people?" Serafall grew more indignant by the minute.
"That is irrelevant," Sung Sun replied dismissively. "Next question."
"Why did you not turn your entire race into Arrancars?" Azazel asked, intrigued.
"Because more Hollows are born than we could ever possibly convert," Sung Sun answered, just as calmly. "Do you know how Hollows come into being?"
"No," Sirzechs said, leaning forward. "Please, tell us."
"When a person dies and their soul lingers in the mortal world, unable to pass on to Heaven or Hell," Sung Sun began to explain the process of Hollow formation.
Eyes went wide all around the room—especially Michael's.
"Are you saying… every single masked being we have killed was once the soul of a person who never got the chance to reach Heaven?" He was visibly shaken.
"That is correct," Sung Sun said. "But do not pity them. Hollows are dangerous, troublesome creatures."
"But if Hollows are born so quickly and in such numbers…" Azazel asked, his curiosity glowing in his eyes. "Do you force them to fight and kill one another, and compel the strongest to become Arrancars?"
"Aizen did," Sung Sun replied, looking straight at Azazel. "But Harribel-sama has changed all of that. She transforms those who do not wish to live as beasts into Arrancars."
"So… Aizen was not a good King?" Serafall asked, stunned.
"Did you not listen?" Sung Sun said, her tone edged with disdain. "There has never been a 'good King' in Hueco Mundo. Now that I have answered your questions, I will take my leave."