The Gillian marked by Sombravida suddenly accelerated.
Sombravida had no choice but to activate Shadow Step to keep pace. As he drew close, he reached out and grasped the hem of the giant's black robe, quickly wrapping a fold of the cloth around himself.
From the Gillian's current urgency, it was clear:
It no longer cared about anything trailing behind it.
Clinging to the robe, Sombravida made a rapid assessment.
Perhaps it had sensed the summons of an Adjuchas.
If war had erupted within the Great Hollow Forest, the journey here would not have been so quiet. The entire forest would be in turmoil.
Therefore, at this stage, the probability pointed toward a summons.
The Summons Confirmed
After several tens of minutes, the giant slowed.
It continued forward with low, uneasy hisses.
There was fear in its cry.
Sombravida released the robe and dropped silently to the ground, resuming his pursuit from behind.
Moments earlier, he had sensed an immense surge of spiritual pressure — nearly identical to the shark-like Hollow he encountered shortly after arriving in Hueco Mundo.
That memory now clarified itself.
That shark Hollow…
had almost certainly been Adjuchas.
At the time, it was likely newly evolved and preparing to move toward the inner circle.
But times had changed.
Sombravida was no longer the same being.
That suffocating pressure no longer crushed his soul.
Now, he felt something else:
He might not win…
but he would not be instantly killed.
Assessing the Adjuchas
From the fluctuations, Sombravida confirmed the presence of an Adjuchas.
Likely one that had remained in the Hollow Forest rather than advancing inward.
Adjuchas that linger near the outer regions generally fall into two categories:
First: those that have not encountered the sand caverns leading to the inner zones — a rare occurrence.
Second: those unwilling or unable to advance further.
Weak Adjuchas, or those ill-suited for combat, often remain on the outskirts, slowly accumulating power by preying on Gillians.
Upon reaching the Adjuchas level, Hollows enter a new watershed.
Even within this rank, strength varies enormously.
Adjuchas are commonly divided into:
low-tier
mid-tier
high-tier
Each tier further splits into early, middle, and late stages.
The gulf in power between tiers is enormous.
The pressure Sombravida sensed was roughly that of a low-to-mid Adjuchas.
Before, such power had been unfathomable.
But after reaching peak high-level Hollow strength and surviving Yammy's pursuit, Sombravida's understanding had sharpened dramatically.
Battle, he realized, was the truest measure of strength.
Why Summon Gillians?
Why would an Adjuchas summon Gillians?
Easier feeding?
Sombravida followed silently behind the gathering giants.
As long as he avoided direct attention from stronger Adjuchas, escape remained possible.
Unlike Yammy's relentless pursuit, this environment worked in Sombravida's favor:
Gillians and Adjuchas were everywhere.
No predator would waste energy chasing a mere high-level Hollow when easier prey surrounded them.
A Second Presence
After traveling further, Sombravida's body stiffened.
Another spiritual pressure appeared.
Another Adjuchas.
His vigilance spiked instantly.
If there were only one, escape remained possible.
With two…
his chances dropped to nearly zero.
But there was no hostility between them.
Could they be hunting together?
Most Adjuchas possess intelligence to varying degrees.
Cooperative hunting was not impossible.
But why summon multiple Gillians?
Seven or eight had already gathered.
Even a mid-tier Adjuchas would show caution around such numbers.
Two low-tier Adjuchas summoning them?
That made no sense.
The Clearing
When Sombravida finally reached the summoning site and saw the scene with his own eyes, everything became clear.
This was not cooperation.
This was a game.
Hundreds of meters ahead lay a clearing carved unnaturally into the forest.
It looked deliberate.
On opposite sides stood two Adjuchas, radiating oppressive spiritual pressure.
They did not fight.
They faced each other like rival spectators.
Behind each stood Gillians slowly gathering.
A battlefield was being assembled.
A mass battle was imminent.
"Clever," Sombravida murmured.
"Using pressure to force Gillians into combat… then harvesting the survivors."
A predator's convenience.
The Two Adjuchas
Sombravida studied them carefully.
To his left floated a spherical phantom beast, suspended in the air. It had no limbs — only bone spines swaying behind it to stabilize its form. A massive mask covered half its body, and beneath it, its eyes flickered with mocking red light.
To the right stood a half-human, half-serpent Adjuchas. Its powerful arms pressed against the ground while its eyes gleamed with boundless greed, as though it wished to devour every Gillian present.
Sombravida's suspicions were confirmed.
Pairs of Gillians faced each other.
Spiritual pressure condensed.
Ceros began to form.
The First Clash
A beam fired.
Then another.
Then a third.
The clearing erupted in deafening explosions.
Shockwaves slammed through the forest.
The air filled with the stench of burned flesh.
Sombravida's eyes widened.
The combined power of dozens of Gillian Ceros was the most destructive energy collision he had witnessed since arriving in Hueco Mundo.
He suppressed his spiritual pressure completely.
When the smoke cleared, he intended to act.
The giant he pursued was among them.
If he failed here—
months of effort would vanish.
Discovered
As the smoke thinned, Sombravida stepped onto the battlefield.
Using his spiritual imprint, he located his target.
Instantly, he was detected.
They were on different levels.
Hiding was impossible.
"Oh? A little insect wandered onto our dining table," the floating Adjuchas remarked.
Sombravida remained calm.
To beings at this level, he was irrelevant.
"Haha… an ant hoping for scraps?" the serpent Adjuchas sneered.
"Too early. He might have gotten a fragment otherwise."
The floating Adjuchas brightened.
"Hey, Nigi… shall we make a wager?"
"A wager?" hissed the serpent Adjuchas. "What kind?"
"Which side's Gillian kills that ant first. Stakes… seven Gillians."
Nigi flicked his tail irritably.
"Kaslanin, don't think I'm ignorant. Your mental control over Gillians far exceeds mine. I would lose."
Kaslanin chuckled and relented.
"Then how do you propose we bet?"
"A wager should rely on chance," Nigi said coldly.
"We do not interfere. We bet how many rounds the insect survives the chaotic Cero."
Kaslanin's enormous eyes narrowed.
"Interesting… I wager he won't survive the third round."
"Five rounds," Nigi replied.
"Oh? You favor him?"
"No. But the first volley has ended. The second is forming. His spiritual pressure hasn't fluctuated. Judging by its density, he is near Gillian evolution. He may endure."
Kaslanin laughed.
"Very well. Seven Gillians. I accept."
The Gamble
Thus, the two Adjuchas wagered on Sombravida's survival.
Sombravida heard every word.
He did not panic.
As long as they did not attack directly, he remained safe.
Direct hits from Gillian Cero were lethal.
But shockwaves?
He believed he could endure them.
A faint smile formed beneath his mask.
Sombravida moved among the towering Hollows, weaving through the battlefield.
Waiting.
Calculating.
Preparing for the moment to strike.
The second volley of Ceros was about to begin.
And he stood at the center of a predator's game.