The relationship between Soul Reapers and Hollows wasn't necessarily one of mortal enemies.
It wasn't always a matter of "you die, I live"—not some irreconcilable blood feud.
Although Genichi was a Soul Reaper, with his current strength, only the mindless Hollows would attack him.
The more intelligent Menos had no reason to pick a fight they might not win.
After all, this was an era where Hueco Mundo hadn't yet come under Baraggan's rule.
There was no unified government—just endless in-fighting among Hollows.
No one was going to form a team just to hunt Genichi.
That was the foundation that allowed him to survive in Hueco Mundo.
As for Yhwach—formerly that rampaging Menos Grande—they'd encountered each other multiple times.
Possibly sensing the Soul King fragment inside Genichi, Yhwach had attempted to devour him more than once.
But Genichi had escaped every time.
Eventually, the Hollow gave up the idea of consuming him and set his sights on a greater target—the Soul Society.
Unlike Genichi, who could move and evade like a bug, the Seireitei couldn't run.
Once he got there, he could devour to his heart's content.
And in the original Bleach timeline, that's exactly what happened.
Yhwach launched a full-scale assault on the Soul Society, and it took the combined power of Royal Guard members like Ichibē Hyōsube and Ōetsu Nimaiya to finally seal him away.
> If he invades again… should I take advantage of the chaos?
Genichi had grown rapidly thanks to the Soul King fragment within him—but relying solely on it to break through his limits wouldn't be enough.
There was a ceiling to the strength of the soul.
According to Aizen's theory, only Hollowfication of Soul Reapers or Shinigamification of Hollows could transcend those limits.
And Genichi had no access to Hollowfication techniques.
His only path forward was to force evolution using more Soul King fragments—to push himself into the realm of the transcendent.
The fragment inside him resonated with his soul, and somehow he could sense it:
More fragments meant more power—far beyond what he had now.
He had spent many years in this world.
His memories of the 20+ years in his previous life had long faded compared to over a century here.
Considering the natural longevity of a Soul Reaper, he could very well live for thousands of years.
> So what does one do with endless time?
He'd always scoffed at the so-called "curse of immortality" portrayed in stories from his previous world—what melodramatic nonsense.
Now that he was the one with that kind of time, he wasn't about to get all emotional about wanting to die.
Instead, he needed clear goals to strive toward.
---
His objectives:
1. Live until the modern era — He wanted to witness the start of the main storyline. Otherwise, what was the point of transmigrating here?
2. Become a Transcendent, and one day rise to the level of beings like Yhwach or even the Soul King.
---
Training and cultivation—concepts that had been completely foreign to his previous life—were now his lifeblood.
And with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he wouldn't waste a second.
If it meant seeing a higher, grander world—then this entire journey would've been worth it.
As for avenging himself against the Tsunayashiro Clan?
That was only a short-term goal, and one he'd likely achieve soon.
> "Let's hope they've gathered enough Soul King fragments for me."
Genichi let out a cold chuckle.
As a test subject of the Tsunayashiro Clan, he knew full well what they were like.
If he didn't rob them blind now, it would be a disgrace to all the years they'd spent hoarding Soul King fragments.
---
He walked across the endless sea of reishi sand.
The stark white ground mirrored the pitch-black sky above.
Trapped between them, he strolled alone—unhurried and calm.
Eventually, he came to a low valley, shaped like a massive crater.
All around him were piles and piles of Menos corpses, stacked like mountains.
> "It's been a while… or maybe this is the first real meeting."
Genichi ignored the grotesque mass of dead Hollows.
He stepped straight into the crater and looked downward.
> "Starrk," he said.
There, seated on the sands, was a man with long black hair, gazing skyward at a forty-five-degree angle.
Even as Genichi approached, the man didn't move.
> "You're still here?" Starrk spoke in a flat tone—less a question and more a statement.
"Hueco Mundo isn't a place for Soul Reapers."
> "I know," Genichi nodded with a soft laugh.
"But I've got nowhere else to go."
> "The Seireitei, the supposed home of Soul Reapers, is nothing but a demon's lair to me. And as for the World of the Living… well, the nobles treat it like their private backyard."
> "After thinking it through… aside from the Dangai, there's only one place I can truly exist—Hueco Mundo."
> "So, you plan to stay here forever?" Starrk asked.
> "Maybe." Genichi shrugged casually.
"Who can say what the future holds? But for now, I need to return to the Soul Society for a bit."
Starrk said nothing.
Genichi sighed.
> "Don't be like that. Do me a favor, will you? Just open a Garganta to the Soul Society for me—and wait. I'll be quick."
---
The first time Genichi met Starrk had been at least ten years ago.
Back then, Genichi had just reached Level 48, unlocking his Bankai—his first Awakening—and
becoming Great Dark Heaven.
In that boundless white desert, he encountered a humanoid Hollow—Starrk.
At the time, Genichi was terrified.
A Menos that could take human form and had achieved Resurrección on his own?
That was far beyond anything Genichi could handle.
At first, he didn't even think of Starrk as the Starrk from the original story.
After all, the plot wouldn't begin for another two thousand years.
But then he reconsidered.
Hollows lived longer than Shinigami.
What were two thousand years to a Vasto Lorde?
He knew Baraggan had already been active for tens of thousands of years, ruling Hueco Mundo with an iron fist.
Yhwach—aka the rampaging Hollow from before—was even older.
So, a being like Starrk, who surpassed Baraggan in rank among the Espada and was praised by Aizen as "truly powerful," appearing this early in history… wasn't impossible.
---
Their first encounter had been anticlimactic.
Starrk hadn't attacked Genichi, despite knowing he was a Soul Reaper.
He simply walked past him—treating him like air.
Grateful to have survived, Genichi made sure to memorize Starrk's spiritual pressure.
Years later, after reaching Level 54 and hitting a plateau in strength, Genichi sensed Starrk again during his travels.
He had been trailing him ever since.
Before the story began, Starrk had rarely encountered any opponent on his level—
Not even Hollows he could consider equals.
By staying near Starrk, Genichi didn't have to worry about constant attacks or ambushes.
He knew Starrk sensed him—but never drove him away.
Maybe, to Starrk, having someone nearby who could withstand his spiritual pressure didn't feel so bad.
They rarely saw each other.
But there was a silent understanding between them—until today, when Genichi finally approached him directly.
A Soul Reaper…
asking a Hollow for cooperation.
In the history of this world—
This might be the first time it's ever happened.