When I opened my eyes, I was in a desolate and eerie place. The sky was a dusky yellow, and the ground was cracked and barren. Ruins of buildings that seemed to have once been a city lay scattered everywhere. There was not a single sign of life. Just a chilling, deathly silence.
"...Is this Hueco Mundo?"
I muttered to myself. It was definitely the world of Hollows I knew from the manga and anime. The endless white desert... but this place was different. It was more like a ghost town. Thinking about it, Hueco Mundo is vast, and there are probably places like this too.
I tried to move. My body felt strange. I looked down at myself. I had a form, but it wasn't human. My body was covered in a white, bony substance, and instead of a face, I had a white mask. My hands had transformed into sharp claws.
'I'm really a Hollow now.'
I didn't feel any particular pain or discomfort. Rather, I felt a strange sense of power. It was a primitive instinct, different from when I was human.
'First, I need to figure out my situation.'
As I started to walk, a small Hollow appeared in front of me. It looked like a lizard, about the size of a dog, with a white mask. It must have sensed me and come out.
The small Hollow stared at me for a moment, then lunged at me without hesitation. It seemed to see me as prey. Instinctively, my body reacted. I dodged its attack and struck it with my claw. My claw cut through its body easily. The small Hollow dissolved into black particles and disappeared. At that moment, I felt something strange. A small amount of spiritual energy flowed into me. It was a very faint sensation, but definitely there.
'Is this how Hollows evolve... by eating each other?'
I recalled what I knew about Bleach. Hollows are beings that devour human souls and each other to grow stronger. And when they become powerful enough, they can tear off their masks and become Arrancars.
'So, that god sent me here to survive by eating other Hollows.'
I let out a hollow laugh. It was truly a brutal world. But giving up wasn't an option. As I had resolved in Chapter 1, I would become stronger and survive by any means necessary.
For now, I needed to find a safe place to hide and slowly grow. I was just a trash-grade Hollow now. If I encountered a strong Hollow, I'd be finished. I had to be careful.
As I walked through the ruins, I occasionally sensed other Hollows. I avoided the ones that felt strong and only hunted the small, weak ones when I was sure it was safe. Each time I defeated one, that faint spiritual energy flowed into me. My body was gradually changing. I felt myself becoming a little stronger.
After some time, I found a collapsed building that seemed relatively intact. There was a space underground that could serve as a hiding place. I decided to settle there for now.
'This is my new life. I'll start by slowly growing here and then move to a better place.'
I looked at my clawed hands once more. They were the hands of a Hollow. But these hands were now my only tools for survival.
'I'll become stronger. And someday, I'll become an Arrancar and surpass even the Vasto Lorde.'
With this determination, I began my life as a Hollow in Hueco Mundo.
End of Chapter 2