The first thing I felt was… sand.
Dry, cold sand under my face.
And a massive headache.
"Ugh… where the hell am I?"
I sat up—or tried to. My body felt weird, heavy, and awkward. Like I was wearing an ill-fitting mascot costume. My hands… weren't hands anymore. Long, pale, clawed fingers. And when I looked down—yep, white bone mask covering my face.
"I… what?"
[SYSTEM BOOTING…]
[Welcome, Host! Congratulations on your reincarnation as a Hollow in Hueco Mundo.]
[Activating Bonus System: "Earn EP for Stupidity"]
[System Explanation: Earn Evolution Points (EP) by doing exceptionally stupid things. Reach 10,000 EP to evolve into a Gillian-class Menos.]
Current EP: 0 / 10,000
I blinked. Or, at least, I think I did. Hard to tell with a mask.
"You've got to be kidding me…"
Apparently not. I wasn't a badass Vasto Lorde or some cool Arrancar. Not even a low-tier Gillian. Just a basic, garden-variety Hollow with a goofy mask and a body that felt like a rejected Halloween decoration.
I sighed. Which, in my new form, came out as a weird, echoing growl.
[SYSTEM NOTICE: Sighing dramatically for no reason — +10 EP]
Current EP: 10 / 10,000
Wait.
That actually worked?
I looked around. Endless white desert. Massive, pale moon hanging overhead. No trees, no buildings, just dunes and scattered bones. A place so boring even a rock would file a complaint.
Alright.
If the only way to get stronger is to be an idiot — fine.
I picked up a rock.
Held it high above my head.
"BEHOLD! THE LEGENDARY HUECO MUNDO PEBBLE!"
And then I licked it.
[SYSTEM NOTICE: Licked a random rock — +50 EP]
Current EP: 60 / 10,000
Hell yes.
I grinned under my mask. This was going to be easy.
I spotted a cactus nearby. Well, technically it was just a pointy stick, but in my mind, it was a cactus. I sprinted toward it, tripped over my own foot, and faceplanted straight into the sand.
[SYSTEM NOTICE: Tripped over yourself like an idiot — +100 EP]
Current EP: 160 / 10,000
I lay there for a moment, considering my life choices. Then I remembered I didn't have a life anymore.
Just this new, stupid afterlife.
"Alright… if I'm gonna be stuck as a Hollow, might as well be the dumbest one here."
I sat up again. Somewhere in the distance, I saw a bunch of other Hollows wandering aimlessly. Some were howling at the moon. Some were eating bones. One was trying to chew its own foot.
Amateurs.
I cracked my knuckles.
Time to out-stupid them all.
"HEY YOU!" I shouted at a boulder.
[SYSTEM NOTICE: Yelled at an inanimate object — +75 EP]
Current EP: 235 / 10,000
Perfect.
I had no idea what my name used to be, but from now on, I decided to call myself Kenta.
It felt right.
And thus, Kenta the Hollow began his glorious, idiotic quest for evolution.
Next stop: Gillian.
10,000 EP.
And a lifetime supply of dumb ideas to get there.
"GRUOOOOH!!"
(Let's do this!)
[EP: 235 / 10,000]