After plunging Szayelaporro into despair once again, the King of Hueco Mundo sent Bone Fish sinking back into the lava.
Hearing Szayelaporro's screams, the King of Hueco Mundo showed no reaction.
Because, one after another, several more Bone Fish surfaced.
On each Bone Fish's head sat a wretched Vasto Lorde.
Only Vasto Lordes were large enough to be carried by Bone Fish.
Every Vasto Lorde here had once been an opponent the King of Hueco Mundo encountered while conquering Hueco Mundo.
He could kill Adjuchas-level Hollows as he pleased, of course, but Vasto Lordes were different.
They needed to be gradually worn away in a place like this hell, until the Reishi that formed them returned to Hueco Mundo.
He wasn't as merciful as Soul Society, nor as "cruel" as Soul Society!
What he needed was to ensure that Hell gained not a single bit of powerful fighting strength.
And opposite this hell of lava was another Frozen Hell, where the temperature was almost below absolute zero.
The Hollows frozen here were all Vasto Lorde subordinates who had died in battle for the King of Hueco Mundo.
To keep them from falling into Hell after death and becoming his enemies, the King of Hueco Mundo had frozen them all here.
If one day they completely took over the real Hell, perhaps they could all be fully revived!
That was what the King of Hueco Mundo hoped.
And because of these two entirely opposite "hells," this place could also be called the "Vasto Lorde Graveyard"!
Aside from the King of Hueco Mundo, only Ulquiorra knew about this place!
Only his empty heart could fully accept the "cruelty" here.
If the other Vasto Lordes who had pledged themselves to him found out, it could cause some unnecessary trouble.
Abarai Renji was a graduate of this year's Shino Academy class.
After several assessments, he had finally managed to join the Gotei 13.
However, he had joined the 11th Division.
Although it wasn't the 13th Division, he was relieved just to have avoided being eliminated.
His grades weren't as good as Hinamori's or Kira's, and quite a few classmates who had scored higher than him were still awaiting their assignments. He'd thought he would be eliminated!
As long as I do well, I should be able to apply for a transfer later, right?
But the 11th Division... Renji had heard that everyone here was a battle maniac. He was worried they'd beat him to a pulp with his current strength.
And sure enough, just as Renji approached the 11th Division Barracks, something flew past him and slammed into the wall.
He touched the sudden warmth on his face and realized it was blood!
Turning around, Renji saw that the thing that had flown past him was a person!
No, they were wearing a Shihakusho. They were a Soul Reaper!
Renji was about to run over and check on them.
But just then, he heard someone calling to him from nearby.
"Hey, kid. Who are you? Breaking into the 11th Division—are you looking to get yourself killed?"
Renji was still wearing white clothes, not a Shihakusho, so he couldn't yet be considered a proper Soul Reaper.
At the sound of the voice, Renji turned and saw a Soul Reaper standing on a square training platform, looking down at him.
Dozens of Soul Reapers sat around the four sides of the square platform.
Under the gaze of so many Soul Reapers, Renji instinctively bowed. "I'm Abarai Renji, a graduate of Shino Academy. I'm here to report to the 11th Division."
"Oh~ a rookie!"
The Soul Reaper on the platform, Aoto, looked at the green Renji and remarked with a sigh.
The other squad members and seated officers all burst out laughing.
Renji felt a little insulted.
"Ganjuro, bring him over!"
"Yes, sir!"
A response came from behind Renji, and before he could react, he was suddenly on the training platform.
Renji couldn't even begin to react to a Flash Step that fast.
Only when he saw the bloodied Soul Reaper return to an empty spot did he realize who had brought him over.
That Soul Reaper got beaten up so badly, and he's still that strong... Everyone in the 11th Division really is amazing!
Aoto walked up to Renji. "You graduated from Shino Academy. How did you do in Hakuda?"
Asked about his grade, Renji tensed. "Good!"
Would I be sent back if I didn't get an excellent?
Aoto nodded. "Perfect! Toshiro, come out! There's an opponent here who's right for you!"
Then Renji saw a child stand up and walk over to face him.
"Let me introduce myself. I'm Hyakume-ki Seikyo, Fourth Seat of the 11th Division." Aoto turned to Renji. "Your task is to defeat him using only Hakuda. If you lose... you know what that means! Now, begin!"
With that, Aoto used Flash Step to move to a corner of the training platform.
Renji hadn't quite figured out what he meant when Shiro was already charging at him.
With Flash Step forbidden, Shiro's short little legs made him very slow.
Renji finally reacted before Shiro could hit him.
He thrust out his palm to block the other boy's fist.
But just as his palm was about to meet Shiro's fist, a sudden chill of terror gripped him. Renji quickly pulled his hand back and dodged the attack with all his might.
The punch struck the air without showing its true force, but the squad member directly in front of it felt a cool breeze brush across his face.
That gust of wind had come entirely from the punch itself; it didn't carry any of Hyōrinmaru's power.
Though this kind of strength wasn't a threat to the other squad members who were skilled in Hakuda, it could definitely break Renji's arm with a single punch.
Otherwise, Aoto wouldn't have said Shiro had found a suitable opponent.
Renji was panicking. If he couldn't win, he'd be sent back!
Looks like I have no choice but to go all out!
Renji had grown up in District 78 of South Rukongai, where he'd been fighting since he was little. In truth, he was more skilled at brawling.
Now it looked like he had to give it everything he had!
After taking a couple of deep breaths, Renji decided to attack first.
He'd only received a good grade in Hakuda because he couldn't shake his childhood fighting habits and couldn't make his movements look exactly like the formal techniques.
His teacher had called it rough-and-ready and given him only a "good."
But his blows were no weaker than those of his classmates who'd earned "excellent" grades.
And most of the time, he won!
Because he knew how to make sacrifices!
He left an opening for Shiro to break his left arm, then landed a full-strength punch with his right hand on Shiro's head.
Then... it froze over?
Looking at his frozen right fist, Renji didn't know what to think.
Fortunately, Aoto stepped forward. "Toshiro, you cheated! So the winner is... the rookie! Rookie, tell me your name again. I didn't catch it earlier."
"Yes!" Though both his fists were injured, Renji still spoke loudly. "My name is Abarai Renji. I'm a new member of the 11th Division. I look forward to learning from all of you!"
The squad members around them nodded, acknowledging his courage... Renji's gutsy, charging-into-the-fray personality was just the kind of thing the 11th Division members liked.
By contrast, Shiro had cheated...
If he weren't Fourth Seat Hyakume's student, there'd be plenty of people giving him the stink eye right now!