[Two Hours Later]
A lounge inside the Hollow King's Palace.
Neliel had been transformed into an Arrancar, becoming a tall-bodied girl.
But compared to Harribel and the others, whose humanoid forms were completely humanlike, Neliel still retained two gazelle horns atop her head; rather than spoiling her looks, they added a touch of charm.
"So this is Arrancar… it feels so strange," Neliel, not caring that Rosse stood nearby, kept reaching out to touch her body.
When she had been in her gazelle form, there were many places she simply couldn't reach herself.
Now she was humanoid and could finally touch her own back and butt.
Rosse didn't interfere; he just quietly watched her toy with herself.
Occasionally watching a beauty admire herself was, for him, a kind of enjoyment.
He had long noticed that Hollows had no boundaries in this regard.
Essentially, before becoming Arrancar, Hollows didn't have that function at all.
"Lord Rosse, can my companions also become Arrancar?", After she'd mostly adapted, Neliel looked up at Rosse expectantly.
"You have the right to make three subordinates Arrancar; the rest must earn it themselves through contributions, or you can exchange your contribution points for them. Sung-Sun handles the accounting, when contributions reach the required amount, you can request the fruits from her," Rosse explained offhandedly.
Those who followed him at the very beginning of this enterprise, naturally, became Arrancar upon arrival.
But now that they ruled Hueco Mundo, the rules had to change.
When a Vasto Lorde-class Hollow joined, they could make Arrancar, Rosse was even willing to grant three extra slots to such a Hollow.
If an Adjuchas had power comparable to the Espada, he'd be willing to grant them a slot as well.
But anyone else who wanted Arrancar would need to contribute to the Hollow King's Palace over time.
Hueco Mundo was desolate but vast; Hollows numbered in the billions, and the number of hidden Vasto Lordes and Adjuchas was unknown.
To get contribution points you had to slowly expand the Hollow King's Palace's influence and manage Hollows professionally, there was plenty of work here.
If someone truly had nothing to do, they could learn culture and later help build things in his world.
This time he came to the Shinigami world alone; next time he wanted to experience the joy of leading an army.
"Understood, Lord Rosse," Neliel had already expected such an answer.
If you want something, you must first give something, this made sense.
Rosse was willing to provide a peaceful environment, which was already much better than Barragan.
"Lord Rosse, will you protect the weak Hollows?", Neliel looked to Rosse and asked about his ideals.
Although she was willing to join the Hollow King's Palace, how far she'd serve Rosse depended on their shared principles.
Still, she would always remember his favor in making her an Arrancar.
"Evolution for Hollows comes with devouring. I can only ensure that the Hollows under the Hollow King's Palace don't slaughter each other. If I forbid them from devouring others, I'd actually be forcing them to stagnate," Rosse said calmly.
"Not slaughtering each other is enough. I only hope to shelter those who need our protection," Neliel nodded slightly; she followed a knightly spirit, not a saint's.
Hollows also had good and bad among them, she wasn't truly impartial.
But for her part, unless a Hollow had committed an unforgivable sin, even if they tried to attack her, she would ultimately spare them.
"Enjoy life in the Hollow King's Palace. I will grant you the title of the Third."
Rosse smiled and stepped forward, giving Neliel a hug to welcome her formally into the Hollow King's Palace.
"Lord Rosse, I will faithfully guard the Hollow King's Palace," Neliel nodded heavily, committing Rosse's scent to memory.
This was her first time being hugged; it felt quite unique.
And Rosse smelled nice, a scent that made one want to stay beside him.
———
Ten days after Neliel's induction, the Hollow King's Palace's influence had expanded to the forest where Ulquiorra resided.
Faced with Ulquiorra, who had long remained in the forest, Rosse chose to take the initiative.
He was about to head to the Soul Society soon; this counted as one of the last matters he needed to resolve.
This time he brought only Harribel and Starrk, leaving Neliel and Sung-Sun to guard home.
Sung-Sun was now the palace's chief steward and had many daily tasks, essentially replacing Zannie's position beside him.
Without her, Rosse wouldn't be so easygoing.
"Entry forbidden!"
As Rosse and his party reached a desolate stretch of forest, a dark silhouette, like a demon, appeared before them.
"You're the owner here? Your spiritual pressure is strong, kind of like Arrancar, but not fully Arrancar," Lilynette sat on Rosse's shoulder, casually sizing up the suddenly appearing Ulquiorra.
At that moment Ulquiorra's face bore no bone fragments of an Arrancar mask, but he wasn't as pure as Starrk either.
His skin was pale, black demonic wings spread behind him, and a long demon tail drifted lazily.
Except for the lack of a mask, traces of Hollowness remained across his body, he looked much like Aizen's experimental subjects.
In short: Arrancar, but incomplete.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Leave this place!"
Ulquiorra's expression was icy; his black fingertips pointed at Rosse as black-green Hollow flashes began to condense at his fingertips.
Clearly, if they didn't leave, he was prepared to strike.
"If you stay here, you'll gain nothing and sense nothing," Rosse's voice suddenly sounded before Ulquiorra.
In the blink of an eye, Rosse appeared before Ulquiorra and used his palm to dispel what was in Ulquiorra's hand.
"Who are you?", Ulquiorra's pupils contracted sharply, but he showed no fear. He only leapt back several dozen meters and watched Rosse warily.
Rosse's speed had been too fast for him to react.
"You don't even know him? He's the master of the Hollow King's Palace, the king of all Hueco Mundo!", Lilynette pointed at Rosse and praised him, looking at Ulquiorra like a country bumpkin who didn't follow current events.
She got along well with the palace's members, though mainly limited to the Vasto Lorde-class Hollows.
Among Adjuchas, only Sung-Sun had a good relationship with her. After all, Sung-Sun fed her every day.
Lilynette valued these companions; after days of excitement, she never wanted to return to her previous lonely life.
"You're the new king of Hueco Mundo, huh!", Ulquiorra narrowed his gaze at Rosse; he wasn't surprised by Rosse's strength.
Barragan had harassed him before; although Barragan's speed wasn't as great as his, Barragan's raw strength was something Ulquiorra admitted he couldn't match.
Someone who could effortlessly topple Barragan must indeed possess considerable power.
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