Chapter 388: BSUS Chapter 391: Ghost Stories for Brats

Tsukishima’s sudden, minor provocation was easily defused by Hiroe. A hint of amusement flickered in Hiroe’s eyes, accompanied by a fleeting look of regret. He wasn’t someone who could be toppled by just a few simple words.

As the instigator, Tsukishima merely shrugged slightly. At best, this was just a petty prank, an insignificant interlude.

Ichigo didn’t overthink it. In his eyes, Hueco Mundo held no mysterious beauty; it was purely dangerous. Especially after hearing Hiroe’s explanation, that sense of danger had become much more concrete.

“Are you saying the upper layer of Hueco Mundo is entirely filled with Adjuchas and Vasto Lorde class Menos, Mr. Chōzuka?”

“While nothing is absolute, yes, you can understand it that way,” Hiroe replied affirmatively after a moment of thought.

“Then are the Espada all Adjuchas? Or are they Vasto Lordes?”

If that guy named Grimmjow who had appeared before him was merely an Adjuchas, Ichigo couldn’t even begin to imagine how terrifying the higher-tier Vasto Lordes must be. Perhaps it really was just as Renji had said—ten Vasto Lordes could destroy the entire Soul Society.

Thinking about it this way, Ichigo actually hoped he had faced a Vasto Lorde class Menos, because then the gap between them wouldn’t be as massive as he feared.

“Among the Espada who have made a move so far, there is only one we can confirm is a Vasto Lorde—the guy who almost took Inoue away. Out of the rest, there are at most two or three Vasto Lordes. The others are all Adjuchas.”

Ichigo couldn’t help but gasp. The ones guarding Inoue had been Aikawa Love and Ushōda Hachigen. He had a solid grasp of their strength. To think there was an entity capable of instantly crushing those two… Ichigo couldn’t help but mentally compare that Espada to Aizen.

*In that case, Grimmjow definitely isn’t a Vasto Lorde, right?* Ichigo knew the answer in his heart, but he still couldn’t resist asking for confirmation. “What about Grimmjow?”

“That little guy who fought you twice? He isn’t a Vasto Lorde, but he’s among the very top tier of Adjuchas. Strictly from the perspective of Reiatsu, after becoming an Arrancar, he’s already extremely close to a Vasto Lorde.”

It was like a bucket of cold water being poured over him. Even though he had braced himself, Ichigo still felt a sudden jolt of dread. The expressions on everyone else’s faces also grew heavy. Not only did the enemy vastly outnumber them, but there was also a visible, gaping disparity in their strength.

Hiroe noticed this shift in mood. It was similar to when Ichigo first invaded the Seireitei, and Urahara had deliberately avoided explaining the Shinigami power hierarchy in too much detail. Sometimes, knowing exactly what you were up against wasn’t a good thing. It would inevitably affect your mindset, whether you admitted it or not—that was just a fact.

Just like right now. None of them slowed their pace because they all understood their mission, but the silent, oppressive atmosphere between them proved that inner strength couldn’t lighten the heavy burden on their shoulders, could it?

“But those few Arrancar I captured were also Adjuchas.” Excessive caution would only amplify their fear, and Hiroe didn’t want that to happen. “Don’t you guys find it strange? Why is the gap between them and the Espada so massive?”

*That’s right, why did we automatically equate Adjuchas with the Espada?* Kaien suddenly realized, as if waking from a dream. He wasn’t a dull-witted person; on the contrary, he was exceptionally smart.

“Gillian, Adjuchas, and Vasto Lorde aren’t just progressions in power levels, right? No, rather, we shouldn’t subconsciously associate these three classes with the hierarchy of unseated members, lieutenants, and captains.”

“Exactly. The three classes of Menos are actually three different types of lifeforms. It’s more akin to the biological progression from a caterpillar to a butterfly. Can you really say a butterfly is ‘stronger’ than a caterpillar?” Hiroe smiled, offering an analogy. “If a butterfly emerges from its chrysalis but cannot fly, its vitality might not even match that of a mere worm.”

“Gillians are the ugly caterpillars, and Adjuchas are the chrysalises. It’s a highly unstable transitional phase where even the slightest injury can rob them of their future. As for Vasto Lordes, they are the completely transformed butterflies. You could say that Menos undergo changes and gain certain things in those latter two stages, but you can’t simply summarize it as an increase in power.”

Tsukishima seemed to understand. “So you’re saying that, while it might be rare, it’s possible for a Vasto Lorde to be weaker than an Adjuchas?”

“Of course it’s possible. After all, starting from the Adjuchas stage, they exhibit a rich diversity. Not just in abilities, but their personalities, thoughts, and so on are entirely different from the gluttonous monsters you’re familiar with. How should I put it? Aside from evolution, they seem to develop certain aspirations. And the closer they get to becoming a Vasto Lorde, the more pronounced this becomes.”

If Ikkaku were here, he would definitely agree with Hiroe’s words. That guy who had once urged him to surrender and even considered letting him go was absolutely nothing like the Hollows in his impressions.

The others didn’t feel it as deeply. Renji, in particular, wore a look of utter disbelief, even though this was coming straight from Hiroe’s mouth.

“The Spiritual Arts Academy and the captains of the various squads have never taught us that. This isn’t just some unverified theory between you and Captain Kurotsuchi, is it, Mr. Chōzuka?”

Hiroe’s words completely contradicted everything Renji and the others had learned. From the moment they entered the Spiritual Arts Academy and were introduced to knowledge regarding Hollows, Menos were always painted as entities requiring extreme caution.

“If you were a teacher at the Spiritual Arts Academy, or the captain of a squad, how would you establish a standard of judgment for a danger that is inherently unstable and highly unique?” Instead of answering, Hiroe posed a question to Renji.

Renji opened his mouth to reply, only to find he couldn’t answer at all. It seemed this standard was something no one could provide on behalf of another; it had to be judged individually.

“You can’t answer, right? Starting from the Adjuchas class, Menos can be strong or weak, simple-minded or cunning. Dealing with them requires a certain amount of contact and observation, which means the person engaging them must possess the matching intellect and strength. Otherwise, the price paid would be disastrously high.”

Hiroe spread his hands helplessly. “And for hot-blooded, inexperienced youths like you, we only need to let you know what kind of danger you absolutely cannot handle. For example, if you aren’t a seated officer, you should obediently retreat the moment you see a Menos. Doing so ultimately prevents a lot of unnecessary casualties.”

“If you don’t know whether a gun is loaded, it’s safest to treat it as if it is,” Tsukishima quipped with a smile.

Renji’s eye twitched slightly. “So, all that ‘common knowledge’ about how terrifying and unstoppable Adjuchas are… it’s all fake? Just ghost stories meant to scare brats into going to sleep at night?!”

“It can’t be helped. Who told most brats to refuse to sleep obediently at night?”

A profound sense of absurdity washed over them. Shinigami like Kaien and Rukia wore bitter smiles, at a loss for words. Ishida Uryū tried desperately to hold back his laughter, because his friends looked truly foolish right now—especially Ichigo, whose dumbfounded expression was absolutely comical.

“Then what about the saying that ten Vasto Lordes could destroy the entire Soul Society? Is that fake too?!”

“Use your brains. If that were true, would the Seireitei have ever halted its subjugation of Hueco Mundo? Do they think their own history is too long and want to end it?”

“But what about the captains?” Renji attempted one last struggle. “We’re lieutenants now! Do they still need to keep feeding us these lies?!”

“It’s precisely because there are people like you who take being a lieutenant so seriously that this lie still needs to exist.” Hiroe showed no mercy, then shifted his tone. “However, even among the captains, this is an unspoken agreement. No one goes out of their way to clarify it. A lie is just a lie in the end. After enough time and experience, you naturally figure it out.”

“And now?” Ichigo asked aloud.

“I believe you will all eventually forget this lie, so there’s no reason to let it become an inexplicable source of fear in your hearts.”

Hiroe finished with a smile and pointed forward, where a speck of light was growing larger and larger. “Forget all that alarmist talk. That right there is Hueco Mundo. Not the one from other people’s mouths or textbooks, but the real Hueco Mundo.”

“Now, use your own eyes and bodies to judge it, and find your own truth! You don’t just have the swords in your hands; you also have each other. Your enemies are not invincible!”

As long as they kept moving forward through the darkness, they would eventually reach the end. The light, like the end of a tunnel, was already right before their eyes.

Hueco Mundo… they had finally arrived!