Chapter 65: and translation of title, then ===GLOSSARY=== list

By the way, this is the Hollow Realm, right?

After the members of the Eleventh Squad gradually adapted to the spiritual particle density of the Hollow Realm, someone raised a question.

Isn't that nonsense? You didn't feel those two chilling spiritual pressures just now?

Upon hearing that, a squad member retorted to the one who had asked the question.

If this is the Hollow Realm, why is it that since we arrived, aside from feeling the spiritual pressure of a Menos Grande, we haven't encountered a single Hollow?!

At that moment, the Eleventh Squad member full of questions continued to voice his doubts.

Well, that's because—" The Eleventh Squad member who had been answering the question froze, thought for a moment, then nodded firmly: "You wouldn't believe it! Since we came to the Hollow Realm, we really haven't run into any Hollows. What's going on? Could it be that the Hollows, upon sensing our captain's spiritual pressure and aura, were frightened and dared not approach?

That's strange, because ordinary Hollows aren't that sensitive to spiritual pressure...

The Eleventh Squad member who had been constantly asking questions since arriving in the Hollow Realm heard this and showed a hint of doubt.

Everyone! Listen to me for a moment...

Just as everyone was puzzled, the captain of this Hollow Realm extermination squad, Huangmu, somehow brought over a huge stone and used it as a podium for his speech.

Oh, the captain is summoning us!

Seeing that Huangmu had something to say, the Eleventh Squad members gathered around, including the squad leaders Zhixing Naiwu Gang, Shanding Si Youbin, Niggu Cazang, Jiumian Jingyan Tie, Zhidao Zhiwu, who also came over.

I'll briefly say this: surely you've noticed that although we've been in the Hollow Realm for a while, we haven't seen a single Hollow appear before us, right?

Huangmu first sold a tease, then asked the crowd.

Indeed...

Upon hearing that, everyone nodded; this was exactly what they had been doubtful about.

Actually the answer is quite simple..." Huangmu looked at the crowd's expressions, smiled, and introduced the dark forest not far away: "The forest not far behind us is what you've likely seen; its name is the 'Great Hollow Forest'!"

'Great Hollow Forest'?! That name isn't very auspicious...

Upon hearing the four words 'Great Hollow Forest,' the Shinigami's faces all changed; although they weren't sure what the 'Great Hollow Forest' was, anything associated with the terrifying 'Great Hollow' was clearly ominous.

As you imagined, this forest behind us is where the Great Hollows reside! Because Hollows have a habit of cannibalizing their own kind, this forest is not only dangerous for us Shinigami but equally dangerous for weaker Hollows!

Of course danger often accompanies opportunity! Therefore, Hollows seeking evolution actively enter the forest, while those merely trying to survive stay away from it! That's why, since we arrived in the Hollow Realm, we've yet to see any Hollow...

In other words, the Hollows inside this forest behind us are the strong ones among Hollows; each one there has the potential to evolve into a Gillian, and even the potential to evolve into higher-level Great Hollows! Or they might outright be Great Hollows themselves...

Huangmu explained to everyone why they hadn't seen Hollows yet, though he didn't tell them half a sentence: that all Hollows within a twenty-spiritual-li radius had already been devoured by the Ji Ba who arrived early in the Hollow Realm, so of course they see none.

This...

Upon hearing Huangmu's words, the Shinigami squad members' expressions all turned shocked; they had never heard of such a dangerous place existing in the Hollow Realm.

The dwelling place of the powerful Hollows, this so-called 'Great Hollow Forest' in the Hollow Realm, is practically like the Seireitei of Soul Society—except one is where the strong Shinigami reside, and the other is where the strong Hollows reside.

And our target for this extermination mission is precisely that forest behind us where the powerful Hollows dwell! Correct, we came this time specifically to hunt Great Hollows...

You all better prepare yourselves mentally; you will face not ordinary Hollows, but Gillians and even higher-level monsters.

Huangmu laid out the entire plan of the Hollow Realm extermination squad to the assembled Eleventh Squad members.

Gulug...

When the Shinigami squad members heard that their extermination target was truly a Great Hollow, they all gulped.

Great Hollow... for Shinigami, that is an absolute taboo existence!

Even the lowest-level Great Hollow, the Gillian, has spiritual pressure comparable to that of a high-ranking officer or even a vice-captain Shinigami, and Gillians also possess the powerful universal skill Hollow Flash; facing that crimson light of destruction, ordinary Shinigami can only feel despair! Although the Eleventh Squad members often boast about taking on a Gillian single-handedly, the reality is that an ordinary squad member encountering a Gillian will be crushed to powder.

This is still the lowest tier of Great Hollow; the mid-tier Great Hollow, which only captain-level Shinigami can handle, already exceeds what officers can deal with; as for the legendary highest-tier Great Hollow, rumors say these rare beings in the Hollow Realm possess combat ability surpassing even captain-level Shinigami, and judging from the spiritual pressure emanating from deep within the forest just now, that rumor is still conservative...

And now their captain tells them that their hunting target in this Hollow Realm expedition is precisely this group residing at the apex of Hollows—how could this not make these Shinigami squad members' blood boil?! Their Eleventh Squad's fighting instinct seems to have been awakened at this very moment...

Oh!!

One battle-crazed member after another roared toward the sky; if they weren't all wearing Shinigami uniforms, they would practically be a pack of ferocious 'evil spirits'.

Bankai...

Huangmu watched his squad members' excited faces, the corners of his mouth slightly rising as he unleashed the Bankai of his Zanpakutō; instantly, the entire sky of the Hollow Realm seemed illuminated by Huangmu's Zanpakutō, with a glazed light descending from heaven, calming the racing hearts of everyone present.

Glazed Pond!

Immediately afterward, Huangmu, gripping his Bankai-released Zanpakutō, lightly touched the ground.

The next second, a huge bath made entirely of glazed ceramic appeared before everyone's eyes...

After the bath appeared, it continuously absorbed spiritual particles from the Hollow Realm's atmosphere, then produced an endless stream of spring water within the bath.

This bath water~

Maozhi Hua eyed the bath with narrowed eyes, a hint of suspicion in her gaze as she looked at Huangmu.

Cough cough, taking your 'Bankai' and the hot spring renovated from your 'airplane head'...

Huangmu sensed Maozhi Hua's skepticism; he first wiped the sweat from his forehead, then spoke softly.

The 'hot spring' of the 'airplane head' was also invented after I used my 'Bankai' to teach that guy a lesson.

Before I beat him up, that guy was the notorious 'biker gang' of Soul Society! He often relied on his lightning-like speed to cause chaos in the Seireitei.

Upon hearing that, Maozhi Hua gently explained to Huangmu.

Well...

Just from Maozhi Hua's flat tone, Huangmu sensed endless chill; surely back then Maozhi Hua had cut that guy from Qilin Temple to ribbons.

In short, as you can see, this pool can continuously provide you with restorative water! As long as you aren't killed instantly after injury, even a fatal wound can be healed through this pool water...

Of course the premise is that the pool's spiritual pressure is sufficient! In other words, if you want the pool's water to keep supplying healing water, you must go hunt Great Hollows! The more Hollow corpses you throw into the pool, the faster your injuries will recover...

Huangmu explained the abilities of this pool he created to the Shinigami squad members.

By the way, there's one more thing...

Right after, Huangmu seemed to think of something; he lightly waved his glazed light in the sky, and the next second, a line of transparent subtitles appeared above the pool's water, displaying the names of the Eleventh Squad and all the squad leaders, with a zero written after each name.

What is this?!

The Shinigami squad members looked at the transparent subtitles, puzzled, and asked.

"Ah, you mean this subtitle-like thing?"

"How should I put it?! Wait here a bit, okay!"

"Huangmu also didn't know how to explain to the Shinigami squad members; after thinking a moment, his body suddenly vanished from the spot."

"Huh?!"

"The Shinigami squad members looked at the vanishing Huangmu, all showing puzzled expressions."

"About five minutes later, Huangmu returned once again to before the Shinigami squad members."

"Captain, what did you go do?!"

"The Shinigami squad members looked at the returned Huangmu and asked doubtfully."

"Shh! Look up at the sky..."

"Huangmu, hearing this, calmly pointed at everyone's heads."

"Above?!"

"The Shinigami squad members followed Huangmu's finger and looked up; immediately, everyone's pupils trembled. They saw something falling from the sky..."

"The thing that fell from the sky had a massive, pitch-black body and a white bone face with a sharp nose like a clown's! One after another, they fell through the air and dropped into that pool..."

"Gillians?! So many Gillians?! Were these all slain by the captain within five minutes?!"

"When everyone clearly saw the face of that thing, they were all shocked in place; in their eyes, the Great Hollow that resembled a 'Demon King' was mere fodder in their captain's hand! Of course, it's not that Huangmu could only kill thirty-two Gillians in five minutes; it's just that in those five minutes he only found thirty-two Gillians..."

"Congratulations, Captain Huangmu, for slaying thirty-two Gillians! Accumulated three hundred twenty points~"

"However, what shocked everyone even more came after: the liuli-colored pool suddenly emitted a sound, announcing Huangmu's achievement to everyone, while the data on the Void Panel floating above the pool abruptly changed—Huangmu's name jumped to first place on the panel, and after his name the points displayed a large three hundred twenty."

"As you can see, that's how it is!"

"Huangmu pulled out the Points Trial System that would only appear in various 'web novels', 'manga', and 'mobile games' over a thousand years later."

"This is also damn cool!"

"After a brief silence, the members of the 11th Division, including the squad leaders, all looked at the pond before them and shouted."

"Today I'm going to really mock whoever ends up last in the points!"

"No one knows who first reacted to the use of the points ranking, but they let out a loud shout and immediately ran toward the Great Hollow Forest behind them."

"Can't let him get ahead!"

"The other 11th Division members' faces changed and they hurriedly followed that person; at this moment, the Great Hollow Forest in everyone's eyes was no longer a symbol of 'terror' but a walking point."

"Even Executor Naiwugang and the other squad leaders now looked at the Great Hollow Forest behind them with the gaze of a hungry wolf."

"Lie, I'll leave these guys to you—don't let them die~"

"Huangmu watched as the Guard Court 11th Division finally rolled up, the corners of his mouth slightly rising."

"All right! I'll take care of this here~"

"Maozhuohua Lie, hearing this, first nodded; she would not ask Huangmu what he was going to do, trusting him."

"Well then, what's next~"

"Huangmu stretched his limbs; he intended to capture a wild Hollow King named Baili Gang."

"(End of chapter)"