Chapter 297: Szayelaporro Granz

As Sung-Sun and Apacci continued to tease each other, Harribel's calm, emerald-green eyes flickered slightly with an unspoken ripple of emotion. However, she quickly noticed an anomaly in the most passionate and hot-blooded member of their group—Mila Rose.

"Mila?"

Harribel called out to her.

"Harribel-sama…"

Mila Rose quickly lifted her head, instinctively withdrawing her hands from her knee.

Harribel glanced at her, immediately noticing that Mila Rose seemed to be enduring some form of pain.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Mila hesitated for a moment before replying, "Harribel-sama, I… I'm sorry. My old knee injury is acting up, but it's nothing serious. I can keep going."

Despite Mila Rose's insistence, Harribel understood that she was only saying this because she didn't want to be a burden. With her strong-willed and boisterous personality, Mila Rose would never voluntarily show any sign of weakness unless it was unavoidable.

Harribel stepped forward and looked at her knee. On the surface, it seemed perfectly fine, but despite what her eyes told her, she chose to trust Mila Rose's words.

"If you're in pain, don't push yourself. Take a break," Harribel said firmly.

Mila Rose clenched her teeth. "B-but if I stay here, it'll delay your rendezvous with Asura-sama. I'll be fine, Harribel-sama."

Harribel closed her eyes briefly, considering her options before speaking in a tone that left no room for argument.

"Mila Rose will stay here and rest. Apacci will stay with her. Sung-Sun, you're coming with me. We will proceed to the location Asura mentioned. That's final."

"…Understood."

The three Adjuchas reacted with different expressions.

Unlike Mila Rose and Apacci, who were visibly disappointed, Sung-Sun—who resembled a white snake—seemed secretly pleased as she quickly followed Harribel, resuming their journey.

Apacci, on the other hand, watched Harribel and Sung-Sun disappear into the distance. Her jaw clenched so tightly it was as if she was about to break her molars. She turned to Mila Rose and shouted in frustration.

"Damn it! You weak idiot! Now I have to stay behind to babysit you!"

Mila Rose, usually defiant and strong-willed, ignored Apacci completely. Instead, she clutched her knee tightly, her brows furrowed in deep pain.

Apacci finally noticed that something was off.

"Hey, Mila, are you okay?" she asked, her usual rough voice laced with concern.

"It hurts…"

After a moment of silence, Mila Rose's voice turned hoarse as she gritted her teeth.

"My knee… there's something inside…"

Before Apacci could fully process her words, an eerie voice rang out behind them.

"What a shame… I couldn't stop Harribel."

Both Apacci and Mila Rose whipped around at the sound.

What they saw was a figure nearly indistinguishable from a human man, with pink hair, glasses, and an unsettling aura that was both refined and sinister.

With one hand adjusting his glasses, his eyes gazed downward, scrutinizing them with the detached curiosity of a scientist examining test subjects.

"You… who the hell are you?" Apacci instinctively stepped in front of Mila Rose, assuming a defensive stance.

But the pink-haired man showed no reaction to her hostility. He merely responded with arrogance and indifference.

"There's no need to be so tense. Especially since, now that you know the name Szayelaporro, you should understand that resistance is meaningless."

Szayelaporro Granz?!

The name sent a shudder through Apacci and Mila Rose.

Unlike Harribel, who had evolved into a Vasto Lorde in the past few decades, Szayelaporro was infamous throughout Hueco Mundo. His name had been well-known for centuries.

Szayelaporro Granz.

A Hollow who had reached the Vasto Lorde stage hundreds—if not thousands—of years ago. He had personally led hordes of Adjuchas-level Hollows in an invasion of the Soul Society, only to retreat unscathed.

Later, it was said that he was invited by the King of Hueco Mundo, Baraggan himself to join Las Noches.

After his induction, however, there were few rumors about him. Many lower-ranked Adjuchas speculated that Szayelaporro had been devoured by Baraggan.

But in Hueco Mundo, where hierarchy was absolute, an Adjuchas facing a Vasto Lorde had little chance of resisting.

Apacci, fully aware of this reality, tensed as she issued a warning.

"What do you want? We are Harribel-sama's subordinates. If you lay a hand on us, she won't let it slide."

Szayelaporro's lips curled into a sinister smile.

"Oh? If that's the case, then this is perfect."

Snap.

He snapped his fingers.

Mila Rose let out a piercing, agonized scream.

"Mila!!"

Apacci spun around in horror, only to see Mila Rose clutching her knee as it burst open.

A thick, pink tentacle—about the width of a thumb—slithered out from within her wound, twisting and writhing as it slowly forced its way out of her body.

"What… the hell is that?!" Apacci recoiled in shock.

Szayelaporro merely flicked his fingers. The grotesque tentacle shot toward him and seamlessly merged into his body.

He adjusted his glasses and answered in a calm, clinical tone.

"Nothing special. Just a little something for surveillance and tracking. Back when your group was being hunted by Baraggan's Adjuchas army, and that mysterious Hollow—Asura—rescued Harribel, I made sure to secretly plant these inside you three."

"What?!"

Both Mila Rose and Apacci went pale.

Panicking, Apacci frantically patted herself down, as if expecting more tentacles to burst from her own body.

Szayelaporro's eyes gleamed as he continued.

"That Asura seems to be quite the enigma. I embedded nearly a hundred of these little things inside you all, but only one managed to remain hidden this long. Still, what I've heard through it… is quite fascinating."

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