Hueco Mundo.
Beneath the unchanging moonlight, a pitch-black, bottomless rift appeared above the desolate desert. Vast quantities of white sand were swallowed into it, instantly ground into fine spirit particles and reabsorbed into the atmosphere.
Small animal Hollows that failed to evade it were also crushed by the immense spiritual pressure rapidly approaching from within the darkness. Their bodies shattered, turning into white sand.
As the spiritual pressure drew near, several figures rushed out of the Mimic Garganta and landed steadily atop the white sand.
"Why would a Kōtotsu appear at this time?"
Su Feng looked toward Mayuri Kurotsuchi beside him. "You'd better have a reasonable explanation."
"Well now, the Department of Research and Development's research into the Dangai is still only scratching the surface."
Mayuri spread his hands, an utterly unconcerned smile appearing on his black-and-white-painted face, the corners of his mouth nearly reaching his ears.
"The Cleaner only comes once every seven days. An occasional irregularity is still within the acceptable margin of error."
Just moments ago, when their group had entered the Dangai through the Mimic Garganta, they had run straight into the massive, rushing Cleaner within it.
The Kōtotsu was a unique being of the Dangai that did not survive on spiritual pressure. It resembled an eerie creature formed from countless streams of solidified black fluid, erasing all matter that appeared along its path.
With their current methods alone, they had no way of harming it.
Thus, the captains and Seated Officers had fled for their lives through the Dangai, reaching Hueco Mundo as quickly as possible.
"Though this isn't my first time in Hueco Mundo..."
Mayuri turned to look into the distance, where several dead trees with quartz-like structures stood ahead. "These unchanging colors are truly tedious!"
"The spirit particle density in the atmosphere is