Harribel and her crew moved across the stark white desert, the group of five lost in the endless expanse. They kept their Reiatsu hidden, so their tracks remained concealed. This led them to get attacked by weaker Hollow, but Mila Rose's Zanpakutō made quick work of them.
The dead Hollows became easy food for Apacci in her conquest to become a Vasto Lorde.
Harribel observed Apacci devour the Hollow flesh with a stoic gaze. Sung-Sun had also grown an appetite, but it was nothing compared to Apacci. As much as she despised the sacrifices, she could empathize with Apacci’s hunger for power after that battle. She would be feeling the same if she lacked the power to protect Kazuya.
“Anyone else missing Skull, or is it just me?” asked Mila Rose, swinging her sword casually. “It’s been quiet without him…”
Apacci and Cirucci always stayed in their minds, only speaking when someone asked them something. Harribel rarely spoke. Sung-Sun and Mila Rose were the only ones who found things to talk about. It was like the old times before Kazuya and Apacci joined them.
“There is just so much I can talk about, Rose,” Sung-Sun responded solemnly. “If I'm being honest, this silence bites me… It’s like he took a part of our souls with him.”
“You are being overly dramatic.”
“You caught me red-handed,” Sung-Sun said with a giggle. “It wasn’t completely a lie. He took a part of Apacci’s soul and a small part of mine.”
A destructive Cero whizzed past Sung-Sun. Apacci cleaned herself with a blast of Reiatsu and glared at Sung-Sun. “Stop talking behind my back. It makes you look miserable.”
“Ara, I’ll say it to your face then. Kazuya is having fun out there, and you are stuck here, eating Souls for a chance at becoming Vasto Lorde. How does it make you feel?”
“Did you forget what he said before leaving? His goal is to find a safe place for us.”
Apacci didn’t fall for Sung-Sun’s blatant attempt to get inside of her head.
Sung-Sun narrowed her eyes. “I believe he had more than enough time to find shelter for us. He only had to travel to a deep forest where Shinigami wouldn't bother going. What is taking him so long… I wonder~?”
Apacci’s eyes widened, a flare of emotion breaking through her courageous demeanor. “You’re just pulling my leg. Kazuya won’t betray us. I know him better than you.”
“Unfortunately, all the signs point to his betrayal.”
“Fuck off!”
“Accept the bitter truth and the sadness that comes with betrayal, Apacci. It’s what we deserve for putting our trust in a shifting chameleon.”
The glint of amusement in Sung-Sun’s eyes was visible to everyone except Apacci. The very notion of Kazuya’s betrayal made her hopeless. She had been in tatters since Kazuya left, so much so that a few words from Sung-Sun exposed her fragile state.
Cirucci couldn’t help but wonder if Cyan Sung-Sun was her sister before they became Hollows. They both shared a passion for tormenting others — she preferred physical pain while Sung-Sun excelled in inflicting emotional pain.
“Is it fate?”
Nobody paid her any attention.
“That’s enough, Sung-Sun.” Harribel approached Apacci and patted her back with her sword arm. “You have a mind of your own. Don’t let others cast doubt on your heart.”
“Who the hell would believe in Sung-Sun of all people?” Apacci huffed and stomped ahead of them. “I’ll leave you all behind one day, stupid women!”
Mila Rose’s smile vanished. “That was a little too intense for a joke, Sung-Sun.”
Cirucci cast a look of disapproval at Mila Rose. “It was a perfect trap to make her suffer. An amusing display.”
“You give me too much credit, Cirucci.” Sung-Sun shook her head. “I did it to switch her focus. She will busy her mind in finding insults for me… instead of missing Kazuya. She needed something like that.”
Harribel narrowed her eyes at Apacci’s back. “Longing can strengthen resolve.”
They will need every bit of resolve to come out unscathed against the Godking of Hueco Mundo.
***
The Court of Las Noches lay in a deathly silence. Not a single Hollow, regardless of their stature or might, dared to utter a word. The formidable Reiatsu of their ancient sovereign hung heavy in the air like a suffocating shroud, despite it not being directed at them.
Baraggan's skeletal fingers drummed a rhythm on the armrest of his throne as he leaned his face into his palm.
"Worthless," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "Cirucci and Dordoni have done nothing but test my patience. Fetch me news of their whereabouts. As for the Vasto Lorde, I'll handle them personally."
He expected Tier Harribel and the new Vasto Lorde to be a pain in the ass but not strong enough to take down two old Arrancar. Cirucci and Dordoni were two of the best warriors in his army, easily on par with Vasto Lorde in their right. Their weeks-long silence could only mean one of two things — either they were outmatched and died, or they had turned traitor.
Regardless of the situation, he couldn’t rely on the remaining Espada's ability to handle two Vasto Lorde.
Szayel was more engrossed in his bizarre experiments than in actual combat.
Aaraniero, despite his immense potential, was still in the early stages of evolution.
Loly and Menoly were only just on par with an Adjuchas, their worth lying primarily in their roles as his mistresses.
And finally, Gantenbainne, Baraggan’s fanatic worshiper, was the only competent warrior among the Espada, apart from Szayel.
As the unchallenged God King of Hueco Mundo, Baraggan hadn't invested much time in strengthening Espada.
"Lord Baraggan going into the field..." the blonde Hollow standing behind him mumbled. "May I be so fortunate as to accompany you, Lord Baraggan?"
“You may, Evanya. Call upon Gantenbainne as well.”
Evanya pressed her hands against her masked face. “I’ll fetch him right away, Lord Baraggan.”
Baraggan clenched his scythe. He would be destroying a Vasto Lorde after so long.
He shook his head. “You just had to be a rebel, Tier Harribel.”
He would’ve just warned Tier Harribel if she came to his court. For all his grace and mercy, she challenged his authority together with another Vasto Lorde. Nobody who denied his authority would go unpunished.