"Harribel-sama, Oswell is closing in fast!"
At the sound of the urgent cry, the lion-like hollow, Franceska Mila Rose, looked even more anxious. Her already fierce expression was now filled with worry as she kept a tense watch on their pursuers, issuing a warning to Harribel at her side.
Harribel, however, showed no sign of surprise or panic upon hearing the news.
But the snake-like hollow, Sung-Sun, standing nearby, couldn't help but blame herself. "It's our fault for holding Harribel-sama back. If not for us, there's no way someone of her strength as a Vasto Lorde-class Hollow would be caught so easily by those guys…"
Before she could finish, Harribel shot her a sharp look, a silent warning to drop the subject.
Sung-Sun immediately realized her mistake, her face flushing as she lowered her head in guilt. Internally, she sighed, Harribel-sama is always like this. She may seem quiet and reserved, but she's truly kind. Even if we were to give up on ourselves, she would never abandon us.
Harribel gently shook her head but didn't reprimand Sung-Sun further.
She turned toward the distant horizon, where thick clouds of dust and smoke swirled. A massive horde of Hollows surged forward like an unstoppable tidal wave, racing toward them.
A quick assessment told her that the gap between them was closing at an alarming speed.
Her mind worked rapidly to assess the situation. Oswell was one of the most powerful subordinates of Hueco Mundo's king, Baraggan, and a rare Vasto Lorde-class Hollow. His strength was nearly equal to her own.
If she were alone, she might still have a chance to escape from Oswell and the Adjuchas under his command.
But now, she had Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun with her—all of them still Adjuchas.
No, at this rate, we'll be caught soon…
If they were forced into battle, the overwhelming numbers on Las Noches' side would put them at a dire disadvantage. If the three of them fought, survival would be near impossible. They could very well die here.
Harribel slowly lowered her gaze, her sharp eyes sweeping over the massive blade in her hands, as if searching for the power and fate hidden within it.
Her once-calm eyes now burned with an unshakable determination, filled with an unyielding fighting spirit.
She recalled how it had all begun—how she had refused Baraggan's demand to become his subordinate, only to be met with endless pursuit and hatred.
In the end, it was her decision that had led to this. But Sung-Sun and the others… they were simply caught in the crossfire.
"Sung-Sun, take everyone and go!"
Harribel gritted her teeth, her voice low but resolute.
She clenched her fists before turning sharply, raising her massive sword high, bracing herself for the storm ahead.
"Head to the Forest of Death. If I don't join you within three days, don't wait for me."
Her words rang with unwavering determination.
Right now, the only way forward was to buy enough time to ensure the others could reach safety.
With her own strength, she still had a slim chance of breaking through Oswell's forces. If she could hold them off, the others' chances of survival would increase dramatically.
A dazzling golden Reiatsu gathered around her greatsword, condensing into a brilliant, spherical mass.
In the blink of an eye, the golden light shot forward like a pillar piercing the sky!
A deafening roar followed—
BOOM!
The energy beam crashed down like a falling meteor, striking the left flank of the advancing Hollows.
A massive explosion erupted, sending a shockwave surging outward, tearing through the battlefield.
Not far away, Oswell staggered slightly from the impact, the white sands of Hueco Mundo whipping through the air like a torrential downpour, rustling as they fell.
"That woman… she's holding back? In a situation like this?" Oswell scoffed. "Does she think so little of us?"
His white mask, shaped like a dragon's maw, sat atop his head, and his body was clad in hardened bone armor, giving him the appearance of a medieval knight. In his hands, he gripped a massive lance, several meters long.
Brushing the sand from his forehead, he smirked. The black cloak draped over his back billowed wildly from the lingering shockwaves of Harribel's attack.
Despite his taunts, Oswell couldn't deny a certain respect for her.
She wasn't just strong—she never abused her power to oppress the weak.
Even when facing those who sought her life, she never struck to kill unless absolutely necessary.
To Oswell, Harribel was a knight in her own right.
But as Baraggan's knight, his duty was absolute. No matter how much he respected his opponent, he would not hesitate.
"Pegasus, faster! We're almost on her!"
Oswell patted the massive, horse-like Adjuchas beneath him before turning to the Hollows trailing behind.
"Pegasus and I will engage her first—catch up when you can!"
"Yes, sir!" the Hollows responded in unison.
With a sudden burst of force, Pegasus galloped forward, azure Reiatsu flaring around its hooves. In an instant, Oswell and his steed vanished from sight.
Harribel cast a quick glance at Sung-Sun and the others retreating into the distance, feeling a moment of relief.
But as she turned back to see Oswell and Pegasus closing in, flickering through the air with blinding speed, her brows furrowed.
Baraggan's most loyal knight was formidable, and he wasn't alone—his squad of Adjuchas was following close behind.
This would be a brutal fight.
Something about this pursuit had always seemed strange. Baraggan had sent hunters after them before, but those had been minor skirmishes.
Yet in recent years, the number of pursuit squads had grown alarmingly. And it wasn't just Harribel and her group being targeted—wild Adjuchas were disappearing as well.
With a flash, Oswell and Pegasus appeared in midair.
CLANG!
The sharp ring of metal echoed as Harribel's greatsword clashed against Oswell's massive lance, sending brilliant arcs of energy cascading through the battlefield.
Oswell tilted his head slightly, glancing past Harribel before chuckling.
"Letting them escape again? I admire your self-sacrificing nature, but do you really think they can get away?"
"If I had to guess, their destination is the Forest of Death, isn't it? You spent quite a bit of time there before."
Harribel's pupils contracted. "I'm the one you're after."
Oswell smirked. "Lately, a lot of our forces heading to the World of the Living have gone missing. Szayelaporro-sama is running low on test subjects, and he's… quite displeased."
He spoke with a level of formality when referring to Szayelaporro—respect reserved for the powerful.
Harribel's eyes burned with fury. "So you've been sending the Adjuchas you've captured straight to his lab!?"
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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