Chapter 247: The Great Buddha Faction

Meanwhile...

In Hueco Mundo, at the exit of a certain Forest of Menos leading to the surface.

"Thump... thump... thump..."

Amidst a series of harsh, unrestrained footsteps, a massive Adjuchas, its body covered with sinewy muscles and supported by four limbs, slowly emerged.

Herald. This was the name this hulking Adjuchas had chosen for itself.

The faint moonlight spilling through the exit ahead reflected in Herald's cold, bloodthirsty eyes, causing them to ripple with a rare hint of emotion.

After decades of mutual devouring in the Forest of Menos, the self-awareness that Herald had painstakingly awakened drove it to leave that chaos-filled forest of endless consumption and carnage.

As the moonlight of Hueco Mundo illuminated Herald's mask-covered visage, it licked its lips instinctively and murmured:

"The taste of other Adjuchas... should be far superior to those lowly Gillian, right?"

After all, the corrupted and muddled flavor of Gillian was nothing but unappetizing scraps to a proud Adjuchas.

However, in the next moment, Herald's cold gaze stiffened.

Before it sat a Menos Grande, vastly different from the typical hulking forms of its kind. Its humanoid shape resembled humanity by at least ninety percent, one hand pointing to the heavens and the other to the earth, its body radiating a strange and dazzling golden hue.

Flanking this golden Menos were over ten Adjuchas, each exuding a potent spiritual pressure.

"???"

Herald froze in utter bewilderment.

What was going on?

Adjuchas were supposed to devour one another—such was their nature. Yet, the Adjuchas before it appeared to be following this peculiar golden Menos.

Sensing Herald's inner turmoil, the golden Menos, whose appearance mimicked a golden Buddha sculpted from radiant spiritual energy, exuded an air of serene authority. This was Sparx, who had grown exceedingly adept at handling situations like this.

With practiced ease, Sparx drew his hands in a graceful arc before pressing them together in front of his chest, forming a symbolic Buddhist hand seal. A deep, resonant hum echoed as he spoke:

"Amitabha. You are truly fortunate, wanderer. Today, you have encountered the gateway to bliss. You should join the Great Buddha Faction and henceforth enjoy eternal tranquility and harmony, free from the fears of regression and annihilation."

"What?"

Momentarily stunned, Herald quickly regained its composure, adopting a battle-ready stance. It growled, "What nonsense are you spouting? Do you intend to fight?"

Despite its aggressive display, Herald's heightened awareness and intelligence had already set a retreat plan in motion. After all, facing over ten Adjuchas was no trivial matter. Herald may have confidence in its strength, but it was no fool.

Yet, Sparx, seated calmly under the moonlight, emanated no hostility. Instead, his form shone with a captivating golden glow, exuding an air of peace that contrasted starkly with Hueco Mundo's bleak and desolate landscape.

"Misunderstand me not, wanderer," Sparx said with a compassionate tone. "We of the Great Buddha Faction worship the Supreme Compassionate Eternal Joy and Peace of the Thousand-Armed Great Buddha, known also as the Great Buddha of Leshan."

Pausing briefly, he continued:

"We are all devotees of the Leshan Buddha, committed to upholding peace and rejecting the endless slaughter and futile evolution that plagues our kind."

Herald, still wary, asked incredulously, "What kind of nonsense is that? Killing and evolving is our destiny and instinct as Adjuchas."

Sparx's voice, like an endless Buddhist chant, reverberated in Herald's ears, carrying an inexplicable sense of persuasion.

"That may be true, but it is precisely because of this that we must transcend such entanglements of destiny and instinct to attain the blissful state of enlightenment."

These words struck a nerve, causing Herald's wary gaze to flicker.

Adjuchas were indeed powerful—enough to rival the lower-tier captains of the Shinigamis. Evolved from countless devoured Gillian, they possessed natural combat abilities and unique powers.

But Adjuchas were also fragile.

They lived in constant fear, loneliness, and dread, endlessly devouring their kin to maintain their individuality and avoid regressing back into mindless Gillian.

Thus, despite its guarded and hostile stance, Herald couldn't help but waver at Sparx's words.

Sparx, sensing Herald's shifting emotions, remained unfazed.

After all, just as no knight could resist the lure of becoming a dragon rider, no Adjuchas could resist the fear of regression.

Without moving his lips, Sparx emitted a deep, resonant "Om" that echoed in Herald's mind.

"To attain the blissful state, one must devote oneself to the Leshan Buddha, offering the purest faith. In doing so, you will never fear regression and loneliness again. Together, we can build the paradise envisioned by the Leshan Buddha."

"Come... join us," Sparx beckoned, his golden Buddha form radiating even brighter under the pale moonlight, standing out as the most striking figure in the bleak surface of Hueco Mundo.

"There is no need for endless slaughter anymore..."

"We are all beings who have evolved from Gillian, gaining independent consciousness. Why must we remain trapped in a cycle of mutual destruction and despair?"

"Even if you evolve into a Vasto Lorde after countless slaughters, then what? Will you continue slaughtering Vasto Lorde to evolve further?

"If so, what meaning remains in the consciousness you forged from countless devoured Gillian?"

"Turn back from the sea of suffering, wanderer! Salvation awaits!"

These three consecutive questions shattered Herald's mental defenses, plunging it into a deep existential crisis.

For Herald, whose self-awareness was still relatively new, Sparx's words were particularly impactful. Like a naïve child stepping out into the world, Herald found itself overwhelmed by Sparx's relentless persuasion.

"Can faith in the Leshan Buddha truly spare me from slaughter and regression?" Herald hesitantly asked.

"Indeed, wanderer. Join our Great Buddha Faction, and you will enjoy eternal bliss," Sparx replied with boundless compassion.

Herald, clinging to a shred of skepticism, asked, "What proof do you have?"

"Our very presence, along with the other disciples of the Leshan Buddha, is proof enough," Sparx answered, his serene tone unwavering.

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