Bleach: Reborn — Chapter 301 - Forced Conscription

Chapter 301, Forced Conscription

One day later, Wayne received word that Timd's clone had been killed.

Expected. Even if Subusuru could accept surrender, the high-ranking Hollows under him would never submit that easily. An escape attempt was inevitable, which was precisely why Wayne had only sent a single Adjuchas-level clone of Timd to scout in the first place.

Based on the memories Timd had recovered, Subusuru hadn't pushed for escape at all. He had been going through the motions of a detailed intelligence handover with Timd, methodical and cooperative. But the process dragged on far longer than it needed to, and Timd could see through it, Subusuru's real goal was to buy time.

The ones who had actually tried to flee were several of his low-tier Vasto Lorde subordinates. They couldn't stomach watching their leader surrender without a fight. Subusuru himself wasn't genuinely willing either. He hoped to stall long enough for his people to slip away, and to spread word of what had happened here so that other factions would know what had befallen his tribe. In the end, for the sake of getting as many of them out alive as possible, Subusuru chose to stay behind.

As for Timd's death, too many Hollows had tried to run at once. Once Subusuru realized he could no longer keep up the pretense, he moved to kill Timd.

What Subusuru didn't know was the full reach of Wayne's abilities. On the very day Subusuru had brought Timd back to the core territory, Wayne had already used his spatial abilities to plant Timd's clones at positions scattered across every corner of the faction's outer perimeter. Any Hollow that tried to escape would be found. No exceptions.

Using Garganta was even less of an option. Setting aside the Reiatsu fluctuations that opening one produced, Jekain's spatial-sealing ability alone completely suppressed the formation of any Garganta within the area, and Wayne's spatial power could sever a Garganta outright. Anyone who dared to try would find Wayne and Jekain coordinating to yank them straight to the surface in front of them.

That was exactly what happened. The moment Timd's message came through, Wayne moved. Four low-tier Vasto Lordes. Seven peak-tier Adjuchas. More than a dozen high-tier Adjuchas. A large mob of mid-tier and below Adjuchas-class Hollows. He swept up every single fleeing target.

In the end, only two mid-tier Adjuchas made it out. Wayne had let them go on purpose. Everything else was caught. To eliminate the threat quickly, he opened spatial rifts and unleashed Baraggan, Starrk, Jekain, and the rest of his high-tier combatants all at once.

When the dust settled, every fleeing Hollow had been eliminated and converted into rations. The two mid-tier Adjuchas he had released were subtly marked using his Illusion Laws. Now all that remained was to wait for them to run back to their own territory and deliver the news.

With those marks for guidance, Wayne could find other strongholds without wasting much time at all. The reason he only let two go was control, if too many strongholds learned about this simultaneously, he might not be able to manage them all.

It took two full days to finish sweeping up the defectors. When it was done, the forces under Wayne's command had grown further.

On the third day, when Wayne moved to formally consolidate the territory, more than just Baraggan, Nel, and Starrk were at full strength. Timd had officially recovered his Vasto Lorde-level power. Jekain had broken through as well, aided by the Hōgyoku and a sufficient supply of spiritual energy, he had crossed into the Vasto Lorde ranks. Szayelaporro seized the opportunity to recover his Vasto Lorde-level strength. And the two peak-tier Adjuchas Hollows that Wayne had kept at his side through campaign after campaign both broke through under the influence of the Hōgyoku and the spiritual energy supply, reaching the low-tier Vasto Lorde level.

That brought the Vasto Lordes under Wayne's command to eight. And that wasn't counting the Hollows not yet consolidated.

Before long, Wayne arrived at Subusuru's core territory. Subusuru hadn't fled. It looked like he was still trying to buy his subordinates more time to get out.

Wayne had no intention of giving him any.

"Whether you were trying to let your subordinates slip out and spread the word, or simply trying to get them beyond my reach — either way, you made the wrong call." Wayne stood before Subusuru as his Reiatsu pressed down from every direction, bearing on him completely. The Vasto Lordes and peak-tier Adjuchas under Wayne's command released their own Reiatsu in turn, and the pressure shook the entire area to its core. The weaker Adjuchas-class Hollows didn't dare move a muscle.

"Wouldn't it have been simpler to just accept my offer? Why be so stubborn about this — why court death?"

"Now that you've already found us, there's nothing left to say." Subusuru's tone was level, neither servile nor defiant. "Some high-tier Vasto Lorde with no clear origin shows up and expects me to hand over territory I've spent years building. Heh. You must still be half-asleep."

"The reason you didn't engage me head-on was to give as many of your people a chance to escape as possible, wasn't it?" Wayne said. "Did you ever stop to think that doing it this way would only get them killed?"

"That my forces can't match yours in a straight fight — I'll admit that. But expecting us to simply hand over everything we've built without resistance? That we can't do. You want it? Pay for it in blood." Subusuru's full Reiatsu erupted and he charged. A sharp spike had formed in his hand at some point. He drove it straight at Wayne's chest.

CLANG!

The metallic ring cut through the air as Nel flashed to Wayne's side in an instant, intercepting Subusuru's strike with her Lanzador Verde. She then detonated her Reiatsu and blasted him back.

"I respect your courage." The corner of Wayne's mouth curved faintly. "But unfortunately, your courage and your loyalty to your subordinates haven't earned you any points with me. My team needs to grow stronger, and it needs to happen fast. So..."

SNAP!

A crisp click of his fingers, and a spatial rift tore open at the throat of every Adjuchas-class and above Hollow throughout Subusuru's entire faction. In an instant, a chorus of agonized wails tore through the air.

Some Hollows were ripped apart outright by the dimensional rifts, heads and blood scattering across the ground. Others reacted fast enough to dodge the killing blow but were left critically wounded. Fewer than one in ten had the ability or raw strength to withstand it. Only those with high-speed regeneration or ultra-rapid regeneration managed to come through at all.

One strike. Hundreds of Hollows crumpled to the ground. Nearly everything still standing had lost its fighting capacity.

"Damn you — what did you just—" Subusuru pressed a hand to his wound and forced the words out. He had been Wayne's primary target and had taken the full brunt of the sudden strike. A savage, gaping tear had opened across his throat, blood pouring from it in a torrent. Fortunately for him, he did possess high-speed regeneration.

"Tsk. Wide-area attacks really do reduce the precision of the Illusion Laws." Wayne clicked his tongue. The strike had been formed by combining Illusion Laws with Spatial Laws to mimic the technique Fūshi Suibaku, though regrettably, it fell well short of the effect Aizen's Bankai achieved. Still, a decent strike. Against rabble, it would be very effective.

"You never had any intention of letting us go, did you." At this point, Subusuru had seen Wayne's true goal clearly. "Then why give us three days at all? Don't tell me it was for the sake of some notion of legitimacy. That would be pathetic."

"Without giving you time, how else would your people go out and notify the other strongholds for me, lead me straight to them?" Wayne gave a slight shake of his head. "The central region has too many factions, too spread out. Tracking them down one by one would waste a lot of time. Having your people guide the way saves me the trouble."

"You,!" Subusuru seethed. But in the face of absolute power, there was nothing he could do. "Hmph. Don't get too arrogant. I can't do anything to you, but there are those who can. Just wait, the ones lurking deeper in the central region will come for you. Let them show you what we're capa, mmpf!"

Before he could finish, Wayne crossed the distance in a Sonído and clamped his hand around Subusuru's throat. At the same time, he drove the power of the Illusion Laws into Subusuru's body. Subusuru went completely limp, his chance to self-destruct gone in an instant.

"You, what did you — do!"

The words scraped out of Subusuru in a strangled rasp. Had his face not been hidden behind his Hollow Mask, it would surely have been a deep, bruised purple by now.

"Rations in hand. I'd rather not have them disappear on me." Wayne didn't answer the question. He tightened his grip. Subusuru's neck crushed in an instant. The Illusion Laws detonated inside his body, and in a single moment, Subusuru's life faded, his body going completely limp.

"Tsk. What a waste." Wayne clicked his tongue, then opened Tsukishiro's passage. Over a hundred Hollows poured out in a steady stream. Within three minutes, the area was packed wall to wall, their overwhelming presence making every Hollow in the surrounding region tremble.

"Those willing to submit, kneel, and your lives will be spared. All others, kill them."

"Yes!" Hundreds of voices thundered back as one, Reiatsu splitting the sky, as every Hollow dispersed in an instant to find their opponents.

There was no shortage of Hollows in this territory. But the ones under Wayne's command were stronger. And with Wayne's single opening strike having left every powerful fighter among the enemy critically wounded, those who had survived through regeneration crumbled entirely under the combined assault of Nel, Baraggan, and the rest.

The entire engagement lasted less than half an hour. Not a single Adjuchas-class Hollow was left resisting anywhere in the core territory.

"My King, this engagement netted us two low-tier Vasto Lordes, eight peak-tier Adjuchas, and six high-tier Adjuchas Hollows." Jekain began his report once the battle was done. "The remaining Adjuchas at mid-tier and below almost universally chose not to resist. They are the backbone of this territory's strength, so we held back from killing too many of them. How would you like to deal with them?"

"Were there any on the verge of breaking through after the battle?"

"Yes." Jekain nodded. One peak-tier Adjuchas was in the process of crossing into the Vasto Lorde level and had already entered a dormant state, Szayelaporro was on his way there now, prepared to use the Hōgyoku to catalyze the breakthrough. Three high-tier Hollows had entered a peak state. Seven mid-tier Adjuchas had crossed into the high-tier range.

"For those that have submitted, have Szayelaporro implant embryos in each of them and help them enter the Arrancar state. After that, let them continue operating within this territory, grant them their due rights, and have them feed intelligence on the entire central region back to us. All Adjuchas-class and above are to be branded with our mark. Szayelaporro will oversee things here for now, you and Timd will assist him. In two days, I want intelligence on the next stronghold."

"Yes, my King." Jekain received his orders and withdrew, leaving a group of Vasto Lordes behind to stand by.

"Kid, can you actually make this arrangement work?" Baraggan settled into his Skull Throne, chin resting in one hand, and fixed Wayne with a sideways look.

"It'll be fine." Wayne waved it off. "The Hollows here being willing to submit is good for us. Even if some of them defect later, it doesn't matter. What I'm leaving behind is all Timd's clones, plus some of our non-core members. Eventually, the entire central region will become our feeding ground. Recruiting useful talent is part of it, but more than that, I still want to take care of the people who have been with me from the start."

"Providing resources to build up strength?" The old man's face gave a faint twitch. "Kid, when it comes to ruthlessness, you're no worse than this king. I once had my subordinates fight each other constantly out of sheer boredom, just to keep myself entertained."

"Every world's resources are finite. Consolidate them and use them efficiently, that's the right approach." Wayne smiled faintly. "The central region is a massive piece of territory. Before long, word of what we've been doing here will spread. When it does, we may well be walking straight into a major battle."

"Then let those insects come." Something sparked behind Baraggan's eyes.

"I've been raising these troops long enough. Time to put them to work. Let my men take the lead on the next stronghold, they need the chance to sharpen themselves."

"Fine." Wayne had no interest in clashing with Baraggan over a single territory's resources. Whatever else he was, Baraggan was one of his own. Among his own, whoever had the talent and potential would be the one to advance first. Wayne didn't like to keep a short leash on his subordinates, as long as no one below him was triggering all-out wars involving dozens of Adjuchas-class Hollows, he would generally look the other way. Keep them caged too long and they'd lose their edge, and their combat strength would suffer for it.

After Szayelaporro arrived, Wayne laid out his plans with him. Once he had Szayelaporro's confirmation, Wayne gathered his high-tier combatants back into the spatial barrier Tsukishiro and set out toward the next Hollow stronghold.

With the marks to guide him, the new location came without much trouble at all.

The Hollows here were somewhat weaker overall than Subusuru's forces. That made sense. If Subusuru had reached out to a stronghold stronger than his own for help, the aftermath would likely have seen Subusuru absorbed by them rather than liberated.

Wayne assigned this territory to Baraggan. Baraggan's methods were noticeably more brutal. He had Wayne bring his Las Noches subordinates straight in, and after his high-tier combatants cut down the few low-tier Vasto Lordes present, what followed was one-sided slaughter. Had Wayne not stepped in, Baraggan would have killed every last Hollow in the territory. Every high-tier Adjuchas-class and above was wiped out, not one was spared. All of them became rations.

Even with Wayne holding him back, nearly seventy percent of the territory's high-tier Hollows were dead. Baraggan also relocated some of his direct subordinates into the area, turning it into an established stronghold outright. It raised their overall strength in a single stroke, but as for when this territory would ever recover any semblance of vitality, that was anyone's guess.

➤ Next: Ancient Traces