The distance between the Northern Forest and the Central Forest was immense.
It took Sombravida and Nel more than a year to reach the Central Great Hollow Forest.
It wasn't that they were slow.
Most of that time was spent outside the Garganta, searching for Hollow gathering grounds and devouring prey so Sombravida could recover and stabilize his injuries.
After less than six months, his severed arm had fully regenerated.
Only then did he compress and refine his spiritual power to what he considered its optimal state before resuming their journey.
The remaining months were spent traveling and hunting until they finally reached the outer region of the Central Forest.
"Lord Sombravida… we've arrived."
Nel brushed against him gently.
"Shall we go directly into the core?"
Sombravida looked down at the small but powerful figure beside him.
"No. We advance slowly."
He scanned the forest ahead.
"We hunt from the periphery inward. I need to reach Adjuchas as quickly as possible. Until then, the Sub-Ranks in the core are too dangerous for you to face alone."
He flexed his regenerated arm.
"And this oversized body… is still a burden. I must regain agility."
"I will protect you," Nel said firmly.
Sombravida laughed softly and patted her head.
"Then I'll entrust my safety to you… until I evolve."
Together, they stepped into the Central Forest.
Why the Central Forest
Sombravida had not chosen this destination lightly.
First:
Compared to the Northern and Southern forests, the Central Forest held the largest Gillian population. The last Holy War had ended recently, and recovery was underway. The Gillian numbers were at their peak — along with a significant presence of Adjuchas.
Second:
The density of spiritual particles here was extremely high, making it an ideal environment for evolution and cultivation.
Third:
Based on the ten-year war cycle, the next Holy War would occur between the Central and Northern forests in less than nine years.
That was more than enough time.
Even if Gillian prey became scarce, Sombravida could use those years to establish dominance and prepare.
He was not someone who forgot humiliation.
The Northern Forest debt would be repaid.
Even if it took a decade.
On Time and Evolution
For Hollows, nine years was nothing.
But evolution from Adjuchas to Vasto Lorde could take hundreds or thousands of years.
Even those one step away often never advanced.
Some rare prodigies could evolve naturally — given enough time.
Whether the Sandworm Lord could achieve Vasto Lorde in nine years remained uncertain.
But Sombravida knew one thing:
If the Sandworm failed…
Sombravida would not give him another chance.
Beginning the Hunt
After entering the forest, traps became obsolete.
At Gillian level, simple snares were useless.
Sombravida abandoned them.
Nel's Adjuchas-level weapon mastery became their primary hunting method.
On the outskirts, no Gillian could survive a single strike from her Emerald Spears.
Within minutes, enormous masks lay at Sombravida's feet while the corpses were consumed by Nel's absorption ability.
No trace remained.
"Lord Sombravida, today's harvest is plentiful."
Nel placed six Gillian masks before him.
Sombravida did not stand on ceremony.
He devoured one immediately.
Warm spiritual particles flooded his core.
His refining speed had become astonishing.
Within half a day, the foreign energy was compressed and assimilated.
"Excellent work," he said, resting beneath a large tree.
Nel lay beside him.
Nel's Growth vs Sombravida's Growth
At her level, Nel would need to devour hundreds of Gillians to progress further.
Unlike the ancient Adjuchas who accumulated power over centuries, she had existed for less than a hundred years.
They could remain in the outer realm for centuries and evolve safely.
But Sombravida refused.
Time mattered.
The Northern Forest remained unfinished business.
And defeating the Sandworm Lord would provide a massive surge of peak Adjuchas spiritual power.
Guerrilla Territory
After a year in the Central Forest, Sombravida still had not established a formal domain.
Instead, they operated like guerrilla hunters.
They avoided Adjuchas territories and confined themselves to a hunting range of several dozen kilometers.
Any Gillian entering this region disappeared.
Eventually, none dared approach.
Sombravida's Rapid Growth
The year brought limited progress for Nel.
But for Sombravida—
it was explosive growth.
He devoured hundreds of Gillians.
His spiritual density reached terrifying levels.
He broke through the late-stage Gillian ceiling and now stood on the brink of Adjuchas evolution.
Ordinary Gillians would have evolved long ago.
But Sombravida's extreme compression made his spiritual particles incredibly dense.
Even early Adjuchas could not withstand a direct Cero from him.
If he faced Riat now—
the outcome would be very different.
Within half a month, he could advance.
Morning Ritual
Though time seemed meaningless in Hueco Mundo, Nel greeted him every time he woke.
"Good morning, Lord Sombravida."
Sombravida smiled beneath his mask.
"Good morning, Nel."
Hollows did not require sleep.
But resting stabilized spiritual flow.
Nel stretched slightly beside him.
"Relaxation is important."
Sombravida stood.
"How has hunting been?"
"Smooth," she replied.
"But prey numbers are declining. When we first arrived we could hunt seven or eight Gillians. Now only two or three."
Sombravida's eyes flashed red.
"They aren't decreasing."
"They're being redirected."
Nel tilted her head.
"They're cutting off our food supply," Sombravida explained.
"They want to force us toward their territory."
They had consumed hundreds of Gillians in one region.
That disrupted the ecosystem.
Local lords would not tolerate it.
"They're isolating us," Sombravida concluded.
The Lord Arrives
"Hmph. At least you understand."
A crushing spiritual pressure descended.
A humanoid Adjuchas, six meters tall, appeared before them.
"You filthy reptiles… you've eaten my snacks. Time to repay the debt."
Without warning, he fired a Cero.
Six months ago, Sombravida might have struggled.
Now—
he calmly fired his own.
The beams collided.
An explosive shockwave ignited the air.
When the smoke cleared—
Sombravida stood unharmed.
A Gillian with Adjuchas-level pressure.
The newcomer felt fear.
Such potential must be eliminated.
A gray spiritual staff formed in his hand.
But before he moved—
a spear pierced his chest.
Nel's Instant Kill
Nel's Emerald Spear struck first.
Her super-acceleration blurred beyond Sombravida's perception.
By the time he saw her—
the Adjuchas was already dead.
Mask in hand.
Corpse consumed.
Evidence erased.
Sombravida clicked his tongue.
"She's getting terrifying."
This Adjuchas had been mid-tier and non-combat specialized.
To Nel, he was no challenge.
She returned, mask in her mouth.
Still using her mouth despite possessing hands.
Sombravida accepted it and devoured the mask.
Spiritual power surged through him.
"It's good to be taken care of," he laughed.
Nel tilted her head.
"You spoke in a language I don't understand again."
"Don't worry about it."
"Ah. He did it again."
Sombravida fell silent.
"…Let's move."
"This territory will be contested soon."
"We push deeper."
Nel smiled.
"Yes, sir."
And together, they advanced further into the Central Forest.