Chapter 84 Seed Of The Devil (4)
Sensing the chill wafting from the depths of the hole cave, Fiander gave himself a playful pat and grinned, " I truly regret not finding a cooler spot. "
"Reinhard! Reinhard, why are you just standing there? "
"Go, figure out how to bring a cave here, because our base camp will be established in this location moving forward. That run-down place of yours offers nothing; it's utterly pointless! "
"I apologize, Lord Fiander, I will take care of it right away! "
Once he concluded his reply, Reinhard swiftly vanished from Fiander's view, anxious that any delay would lead to repercussions from him..
As he observed him darting away, Fiander tilted his head, feeling a twinge of frustration. Had he really taken in a lackey who seemed a bit dense? But whatever, he had chosen to take him in.
'Sometimes, having a younger brother can be a challenge.' Fiander thought sarcastically.
With that thought in mind, Fiander decided to rest directly on the icy floor, relishing the refreshing sensation that brought him comfort.
Meanwhile, the expedition led by Jijima was utilizing the equipment provided by the Soul Society to locate the coordinates to the Menos Grande forest.
"Captain Jijima, the positioning coordinates for Hueco Mundo are unclear! " Koral, a member of the Eleventh Division, stood among the expedition members. A passionate follower of Kenpachi Soya, he aspired to become the mightiest shinigami and thus joined the Eleventh Division.
"There's no other option; after all, the last time our forces visited Hueco Mundo was over 300 years ago."
"So much time has passed; it's impossible to tell how Hueco Mundo has transformed. "
Jijima looked at the weary members behind him, instructing them to take a break where they were, while designating a few to keep watch. He set up a tent for himself to rest in as well.
Gazing at the blinking yellow light on the device, he recognized it was quite near his position, yet he couldn't understand why it remained undetected.
As Jijima wrestled with his perplexity, the team spent their first night in Hueco Mundo. By midnight, the winds howled ferociously outside the tent, sending swirling sand and debris crashing against the tarp, disrupting his sleep
throughout the night.
His insomnia wasn't solely due to the hostile environment; it stemmed from his unease about whether he could guide this small group to safety until the next rescue party arrived.
Surviving in Hueco Mundo would demand at least thirty years; an unfathomable duration, and he genuinely had no clue how many would remain alive by that time.
Consumed by anxiety, Jijima bundled his clothing and settled down on the ground.
As dawn broke the following day, the expedition team resumed their quest for the entrance to the nearby Menos Grande Forest, yet as hours went by, they found themselves still at a standstill, lacking any leads.
This search persisted for fifteen days. . .
"No, we've been stationed here for thirty days, and I'm beginning to doubt the effectiveness of the device left for us by the Soul Society! "
Inside the camp, in the makeshift meeting area, Jijima slammed his palm on the table in frustration, addressing his two assistants beside him.
"Shall we consider abandoning the camp here and resume the search elsewhere? " Asido was the first to suggest.
"An ongoing search has already depleted the team's strength significantly. We should consider scheduling a rest period to regroup before proceeding," Kosuke Hatori, another member of the 4th team, remarked thoughtfully from his seat.
"Then it sounds like we'll follow your recommendation, Asido. Let's inform the nearby search team to take a day off, and afterwards, we will explore different regions. "
"Do you want me to take the lead in locating a new campsite? " Kosuke Hatori offered to Jijima..
"Absolutely not! To mitigate any risks, our expedition consists predominantly of fighters. "
"At present, you are the only one in the entire team familiar with Kidō, thus you will remain on duty at the camp while I lead the search for the next location. "
"During my absence, you will manage personnel assignments and await my updates. "
With that, Jijima stepped out of the tent with his Zanpakutō slung over his shoulder, summoning four officers on duty to accompany him in the nearby search.
"Nishida, Yuta, and Koral, join me! "
"Understood, Captain! " they replied.
Clad in uniforms specific to the Expeditionary Army, the four set off in a southwest direction, proceeding cautiously.
Remarkably, the area they were scouring coincided with the site of the cave that Fiander had entered.
Rewind two weeks, when Fiander discovered the cave leading to the Menos Grande Forest and instructed Reinhard to relocate the original cave here, aiming to establish it as his base camp.
It took more than ten days for both to transport the surrounding mountains to conceal the cave. Precisely one hour before Jijima and his team arrived, Fiander led Reinhard through the cave and ventured into the heart of the Menos Grande Forest.
"Hmm~"
Surveying the desolate surroundings, Fiander tilted his head and gazed thoughtfully for a prolonged period, still puzzled about why this area was dubbed a forest.
There was not a single green leaf on the stark white trees; the only touch of green emerged from the denser sections of these white trunks, where a handful of shrubs remained, most concealing smaller juveniles. . .
"Is this truly the Menos Grande Forest? "
Fiander gave Reinhard's back a gentle pat and asked.
"I'm not mistaken, Master Fiander. We hollows has resided here since our inception. "
"It's merely that after becoming Adjuchas, there will be a special induction that teleports us to the desert above. This appears aimed at controlling the population of Gillians. "
Indeed, Adjuchas possess the exceptional ability to easily eliminate Gillians. If both stay together, the survival of Gillians becomes problematic under the relentless pursuit of Adjuchas.
"The aura over there feels unusual; take me to investigate! " As he spoke, Fiander gestured towards the northeast, urging Reinhard to lead the way.
"Yes, Master Fiander! "
Shortly after they departed, Jijima and his team successfully located Fiander's base camp.
"Huh . . why is it so chilly? "
Noticing the abrupt decline in the surrounding temperature, Jijima beckoned several members to accompany him as he cautiously approached a large cave entrance.
Seeing the ground frozen with ice despite the low temperature, Jijima was taken aback, then observed two medium-sized hollows hovering at the cave's entrance, standing guard.
After coordinating with his team, the four members grouped together, while Jijima made his approach towards one of the hollows.
"Bakudō No. 4 Rope! "
Simultaneously, all three team members focused on a flying hollow, pulling it down and plunging their Zanpakutō into its form.
Meanwhile, Jijima utilized Shunpo to dart behind another Hollow, withdrew his Zanpakutō, and declared: "Flow-Float! "
The blade of Jijima's Zanpakutō transformed into three black arcs that tightly ensnared the hollow, and as he unleashed his Reiatsu, the confined hollow swiftly shattered into dust, dissipating in the air.
"Done, Captain! "
"Yeah! Proceed, let's uncover what awaits within. Nishida, Yuta, you two remain here and observe the situation."
Restoring his Zanpakutō to its usual form, Jijima slowly sheathed it and issued a command.
"Understood! Captain! "
"Koral, come with me as we explore what secrets this mysterious cave holds. "
With that, Jijima and Koral ventured into the frigid cave first.
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