After several ambushes and counterattacks, all the Adjuchas in the area detected by the Automatic Handling Device were wiped out—Adjuchas-level Hollows were no match for the two of them.
Soon, Fujimiya Makoto and Saito stopped to rest.
"Click."
The campfire crackled.
The branches from the Great Hollows Forest, extending from the underground to the pale desert, burned well in the high-density reishi environment, making a perfect campfire.
Fujimiya Makoto and Saito sat on either side, wrapped in thick Hollow fur as capes, leaning against the wind-sheltered sand dune.
From a distance, they looked like two savages.
Halibel lay naturally a bit farther from the campfire.
If you looked closely, her body seemed slightly smaller.
—This was due to her spiritual pressure level increasing.
From the Gillian stage, Hollows gradually shrink in size.
Of course, compared to Fujimiya Makoto and Saito, she was still much larger, far from being "drivable."
However, unlike her initial wary demeanor, Halibel had almost completely let down her guard, her long, mermaid-like body coiled like a snake, enjoying the warmth of the long-lost firelight.
In Hueco Mundo, Hollows rarely light fires.
Not just due to low intelligence, but also because it attracts other Hollows.
The bright light in the eternal night of Hueco Mundo is too conspicuous, and many eyeless Hollows are especially sensitive to heat.
Perhaps even Halibel herself didn't realize that, thanks to Fujimiya Makoto perfectly keeping his promise, she had almost completely dropped her guard against these two "predators."
Fujimiya Makoto also looked at Halibel, inexplicably feeling a sense of evolution from wolf to dog.
If Halibel keeps eating like this, will she still look like the future Harribel?
"Hey!"
Just as he was thinking, his face was suddenly pinched, stretched like rubber.
Turning his head, he saw Saito staring at him with a strange expression, her gaze very odd.
She lowered her voice, unusually shy, and awkwardly asked:
"You... aren't really into Adjuchas, are you?"
"Huh?"
Fujimiya Makoto looked at her blankly, then at Halibel.
Thick, fish-like tail, streamlined cyan body, smooth, leather-like skin, a slightly feminine build, a Hollow hole in her lower abdomen, and a mask covering her beautiful face.
Which hero could fall for such a creature?
His gaze at Saito became strange, and he asked:
"Why would you think that?"
"Well, because..." Saito's words almost slipped out.
But the next second, her gaze wandered, as if changing the subject.
—Of course, because for the past few sleepless days, whether it was Makoto or the little broken sword, they kept commenting on Halibel, even her feet!
For Fujimiya Makoto, this was too strange!
Moreover, they had only dissected about half of the Hollows they killed, feeding the rest to Halibel.
Saito wasn't distrusting him.
On the contrary, because she trusted Makoto's preferences too much, she boldly assumed he could do anything.
After all, if you looked closely...
Adjuchas also had a somewhat human-like shape, right?
Fujimiya Makoto seemed to sense the unspoken meaning in her words.
He glared at her, his face dark.
Did he look like that kind of person?
But as he thought, he felt a bit guilty.
If Halibel became an Arrancar... actually, it wouldn't be...
Pfft!
It's all the little broken sword's fault!
For a moment, an awkward silence fell between them.
"Crackle, crackle."
The fire danced, quietly roasting the compressed dry cake Fujimiya Makoto had skewered on a branch.
It was the standard military ration of the Hueco Mundo expedition.
Though tasteless, it was compressed with a large amount of standard Soul Society reishi.
If calculated to the extreme, eating just one could instantly fill you up and sustain you for about a month without food.
Plus, Fujimiya Makoto had brought a box of pepper powder from Shutorara, adding a hint of aroma to the roast.
After a long silence, Saito mumbled, seeming uncomfortable:
"If... if you become weird..."
"I have an extra pair of tabi socks."
Fujimiya Makoto's face stiffened, weakly retorting:
"I said, I'm not that kind of person!"
Almost simultaneously, the little broken sword, for some reason, loudly agreed, rebutting:
[Right, right!]
[Who do you think I am?]
[Do I look like that kind of person?!]
Fujimiya Makoto's eyes lit up:
"See, even the little broken sword says so!"
Saito was also stunned, suspiciously looking at the little broken sword and Fujimiya.
As if seeing something strange.
Then, the little broken sword continued loudly:
[Mere tabi socks could never satisfy me and Makoto!]
[Even without using your feet to〇〇, at least use your thighs to〇〇! If even that's not possible, I'll have to make do with Halibel's fish tail to〇〇!]
"Stop slandering me!"
"Shut up!"
Fujimiya Makoto's eyes widened, immediately commanding loudly.
He suddenly realized.
Was he stupid just now? To believe the little broken sword would change!
But the little broken sword's mouth was too quick, and he couldn't keep up with his stop command!
Halibel, hearing her name, subconsciously looked at the little broken sword.
But seeing the two Shinigami engaging in pre-mating emotional warm-up, she looked away—she'd seen this many times in the past few days.
Instead, she lowered her head to continue compressing her reishi.
In contrast, Saito looked deeply shocked, staring at him.
Fujimiya Makoto panicked.
Could this idiot really believe what the little broken sword said?
Saito froze, seeming to hesitate for a long time, before finally stammering:
"Fish... fish and Hollows... is that a bit..."
"Makoto! If you have some strange illness, as a friend, I'll definitely help you!"
"Don't become someone who likes abnormalities!"
Saito grabbed his shoulder, her expression like Old Green Skin Shocked.jpg.
How wonderful human XP systems are!
Saito's gaze at Fujimiya Makoto was almost pitying.
"No!"
"Please don't look at me like that!"
Meeting her gaze, Fujimiya Makoto was sure Saito now saw him as a pitiful existence.
[Then stick your feet out!]
The little broken sword was alive again!