Shinigami in the Ninja World

Chapter 158: Arrancar

The increased Hollow activity had been noted, but under the 12th Division's watchful eye, it barely registered as a minor spike on their graphs. Like the tides, Hollow activity ebbs and flows, and this spike just happened to occur now.

Feeling uneasy, Naruto decided to investigate. After Mayuri Kurotsuchi explained the situation, it became clear that this wasn't an anomaly, and the "special Shinigami power" they were monitoring hadn't shown up. The rise in Hollow activity didn't seem directly related to Aizen's experiments.

"Hollows may not be very smart, but they have some brains," Mayuri said coldly, his tone indifferent as he stared at the squad members in the Imaging Hall. "In fact, some Hollows are smarter than foolish Shinigami."

"If something changes in Hueco Mundo, the Hollows will flee too."

"For example, if a Menos Grande or something even stronger dies, creating a new ecological niche, weaker Hollows will flee to avoid being devoured."

Mayuri's words carried a subtle implication.

Naruto nodded thoughtfully. Creatures stronger than Menos Grande? The Soul Society's textbooks mention Menos Grande, but the information is basic and not exhaustive, meant for ordinary Shinigami.

Menos Grande are actually divided into three levels. The type Naruto encountered before, the one described in textbooks, is called a "Gillian," the lowest class of Menos, akin to "foot soldiers." They are numerous and almost identical in appearance.

The Menos that ordinary Shinigami know about or encounter are usually this type. Above them is a class known as "Adjuchas," the middle-class Menos. Compared to Gillians, these Hollows are smaller and have more humanoid features. They command the Gillians, much like captains command their squads.

But Adjuchas are not the pinnacle of Hollows. It's said that there exists a higher class called "Vasto Lorde," of which very few have been discovered or recorded. However, Adjuchas and Vasto Lorde are active only in Hueco Mundo, and ordinary human souls are of no use to them.

Naruto had never encountered them. Was Aizen experimenting on these creatures?

"Is it impossible to monitor Hueco Mundo?" Naruto asked after some thought.

Mayuri operated the controls on the workbench, bringing up several surveillance images on the screens and zooming in. The vast expanse of Hueco Mundo appeared on the screens, with yellow sand stretching endlessly. Occasionally, a few Hollows would scurry across the screen, leaving behind blurry traces.

"This is all we have," Mayuri said, his expression flat as he continued to operate the controls, zooming in further. "I checked when the activity spike occurred and found nothing."

Naruto frowned. So this is Hueco Mundo? It was even more desolate and ruined than he had imagined.

"The Soul Society's surveillance of Hueco Mundo is very limited," Mayuri explained. "These monitoring devices are all we have there."

"Do you want to review the records from the past ten years?"

Naruto shook his head. "No, I doubt anything significant will be found."

Mayuri glanced at the squad members and motioned for Naruto to follow him out of the Imaging Hall into another room. A barrier was erected, completely isolating the space.

"Thanks to the power of the Menos Grande you brought me earlier," Mayuri said in a low voice, "I have a guess about what that guy is trying to do."

Naruto responded with a questioning sound.

"Have you ever heard of 'Arrancar,' Captain Uzumaki?" Mayuri asked.

Naruto shook his head.

"Arrancar is something that only Menos Grande above the level of Gillian attempt," Mayuri began explaining. "They try to remove their masks."

Naruto was taken aback. "Remove their masks?"

"Aren't those masks crucial to Hollows?"

The textbooks mentioned that the masks are a symbol of the Hollows' hidden identities and their descent into evil. When Shinji Hirako and the others were Hollowfied, the first Hollow trait to appear was their masks. From their example, it's clear that the mask is closely tied to Hollow power.

"Of course, they're important," Mayuri confirmed. "But do you know how an Adjuchas is born, Captain Uzumaki?"

Naruto shook his head again.

Mayuri clapped his hands. "A normal Gillian is a chaotic creature born from the fusion of hundreds of powerful Hollows. But if one consciousness is strong enough to dominate the others, it can devour the other Hollow minds and integrate their chaotic power. When this happens, a Gillian evolves into an Adjuchas."

Naruto realized, "So an Adjuchas is a new individual?"

"Exactly. Since it becomes a new individual, the past of any one soul within it becomes irrelevant," Mayuri explained, speaking as if reading from a script. "They then break their masks,

~~~

Also I'm changing the Name Arrangements like before it's (Surname, Given Name) now I'll follow the wiki (Given Name, Surname)

Kuchiki Byakuya -> Byakuya Kuchiki

Kurotsuchi Mayuri -> Mayuri Kurotsuchi

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