Hueco Mundo, Silent Dunes.
More than ten Gillians had gathered here, forming a loose circle, seemingly engaged in some sort of discussion.
A year ago, a group of uninvited guests arrived at this place called Silent Dunes.
This area was far from Las Noches, and counted among Hueco Mundo's rare low-spirituality zones, with a low concentration of Reishi.
Like the endless sands above and the Forest of Menos below, the upper layer of Hueco Mundo stretched endlessly.
But areas like Silent Dunes—with scarce Reishi—did exist.
Even so, they were few in number.
And comparatively speaking, Silent Dunes was already one of the closest low-spirituality areas to Las Noches.
At the center of the gathered Hollows, six Gillians stood prominently.
These six central figures resembled a toad, a gecko, a scorpion, a centipede, a giant serpent, and a leopard.
"I've decided to lead you all to the World of the Living," said the toad-like Gillian, Veyron.
"We're just going to forget that damned mantis? We have to take back Las Noches and inherit Lord Baraggan's will!" the centipede-like Gillian, Arbel, objected.
"I support this," said the serpent-like Gillian, Ivo coldly.
"Ivo, you're usually the smartest of us. How can you agree with this madness?" Arbel demanded.
"Hmph. It's precisely because we must retake Las Noches that we need to go to the World of the Living!" Ivo chuckled darkly. "With our current strength, we can't match Nnoitra. We must devour more souls and continue evolving if we ever want to slay him and his followers."
The Gillians gathered at Silent Dunes were the remnants of a defeated army driven out of Las Noches.
When Baraggan led his expedition, he hadn't brought along his most loyal direct subordinates.
That was because his objective had been to eliminate troublemakers who had defected from the Forest of Menos, and he didn't want to risk the lives of those who were truly loyal to him.
However, Baraggan died in that forest, and the Gillians who remained in Las Noches suddenly found themselves leaderless.
With their king gone, Las Noches quickly descended into chaos.
The mantis-like Gillian they mentioned—Nnoitra—had originally also come from the Forest of Menos.
But while Baraggan was alive, he had feigned loyalty, enough that Baraggan considered him part of his trusted circle.
After Baraggan's death, however, Nnoitra rallied the Gillians returning from the front lines and expelled Baraggan's old followers from Las Noches.
Fortunately for them, Nnoitra and the returning Gillians weren't entirely united—otherwise, they wouldn't have escaped.
Now, Las Noches was no longer theirs.
"Devouring souls in the World of the Living?" Arbel shook his head repeatedly. "That'll quickly draw the attention of the Shinigami!"
Having served under Baraggan, they were all too aware of why Baraggan had restricted Hollow incursions into the World of the Living.
"I already sent Voy to scout the high-density Reishi zones in the World of the Living," said Veyron. "The stationed Shinigami there aren't very strong. With Voy's abilities, they won't even notice us right away. All we'll be doing is devouring a few spiritually gifted souls. There are so many humans—losing a few won't even be noticed."
Gecko-like Gillian Voy had the ability to bend light and interfere with Spiritual Perception—extremely useful for their plan.
"Are you sure we won't be discovered…?" Arbel still hesitated.
"Arbel, are you so afraid to die? Or have you forsaken your loyalty to Lord Baraggan and no longer wish to carry out his will?" Veyron demanded.
"Of course not... Fine. I'll go with you," Arbel finally relented.
"And you, Pika?" Veyron turned to the scorpion-like Gillian.
"You all agree, so I'm in too."
Pika didn't have much of a mind of his own and agreed immediately.
The five turned their attention to the last one—the silent leopard-like Gillian.
"Grimmjow, you have no objections, right?" Veyron asked.
"Boring," Grimmjow sneered. "I'm not Baraggan's servant. What happens in Las Noches has nothing to do with me. And I've no interest in the World of the Living."
Grimmjow was not originally part of Las Noches—he had simply run into these defeated stragglers by chance at Silent Dunes.
"You can only devour more souls and evolve into a more perfect form by going to the World of the Living!" Veyron said sternly.
"Heh. You need spiritually gifted souls to grow, right? Then isn't the Forest of Menos a better buffet than the World of the Living?"
Grimmjow bared his teeth in a grin. "You cowards are just too afraid of the Shinigami stationed at the forest's entrance. That's why you're not going there!"
"I'm not like you cowards. My next stop is the Forest of Menos!"
He turned to leave.
He had only stuck around to hear their so-called 'method' for continuing evolution.
But what he heard was laughable.
To a Gillian—
The World of the Living was where cowards went.
The Reishi-rich zones there might have high concentrations, but humans with true spiritual potential were too few. Finding one among billions was like searching for a needle in the ocean.
Grimmjow had a path to walk—one that bore the weight of his comrades' beliefs.
He wouldn't be playing house in the World of the Living with these losers.
The Forest of Menos—that was where he would evolve.
"You think you can leave after hearing our plans?" Veyron blocked his way.
"Heh. Then I'll just use you as fuel for my evolution!"
The Leopard King bared his fangs.
Not far from Silent Dunes, within a hidden cave, several members of the Onmitsukidō were observing the Gillians' every move.
Baraggan's death and the subsequent chaos in Las Noches had been long anticipated by the Shinigami.
The Soul Society had deployed the Onmitsukidō to monitor every disturbance.
Even the Gillians that fled Las Noches were being watched.
"What the hell? Why are they fighting now?"
"Hollows are like that. Without someone strong like Baraggan to suppress them, their bloodlust is uncontrollable. It was only a matter of time before they turned on each other."
"Good for us. Less threat means mission complete."
"Seriously. I haven't had a day off in forever. I've been stuck in this forsaken place for a whole year!"
"I heard from the captain that Captain Katori will be bringing a disciple to Hueco Mundo soon. They'll probably use this batch of Gillians as target practice."
"For real? Lucky disciple. Captain Katori personally escorting them into Hueco Mundo for combat training?"
"I'm jealous. Captain Katori treats their disciple so well. I'd kill for that kind of mentorship."
"I just want a vacation. Let's hope Captain Katori shows up soon."
As the Shinigami chatted idly, a Senkaimon opened behind them.
Two figures, cloaked in black, stepped out of the gateway.