Training and Hunting in The Wasteland

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His thoughts then turned back to his confrontation with the four Vasto Lorde. Esteban couldn't help but wonder, a sense of exhilaration creeping into his veins,

"What if I had been stronger? Would I have instantly shattered them into oblivion as soon as I activated my ability? Could I have disintegrated the very fabric of their spiritual energy or even caused fragments of space itself to cut them down?",

The potential power that his Campo del Caos could hold if he continued his growth was staggering to consider. It could be a weapon of unimaginable destruction, rending reality itself and laying waste to even the most formidable of foes. This realization stirred something deep within him. The sky was no limit for him. It was just the beginning.

"I could become a force so powerful that nothing could stand in my way...", He thought, a fierce ambition blazing in his eyes. The sheer magnitude of such power... it sent shivers of excitement down his spine.

A smirk crept onto his face, feeling the raw, untamed power thrumming within his being. It was then he knew that he was a superior entity, a being of chaos and power, destined to rise above the mundane.

His potential was immense, his power, divine. He felt a surge of gratitude for his abilities, a sense of satisfaction that his belief in his superiority was reaffirmed.

The thought brought a wicked grin to his face, a sense of delight bubbling within him. The sky above seemed to mirror his mood, its ashen tones growing darker, more ominous, as if resonating with his dark aspirations.

And he knew that this was just the beginning. His ability, the Campo del Caos, was only the first of what he believed to be a few similar unique abilities he would unlock in the future.

His thoughts echoed with ambition, "Campo del Caos is merely the opening act... I am not an ordinary Hollow. There are more hidden depths within me, more chaos to be harnessed, more abilities waiting to be unlocked."

He was not just any Hollow. He was Esteban, an entity who dared to aspire for the summit of spiritual power. He was the Hollow who intended to stand at the very apex of all spiritual beings in the universe.

And so he steeled his resolve, a determination burning brightly in his eyes. He would not be satisfied until he had achieved that pinnacle of power, until he was looking down at the world from the highest peak.

He would grow stronger, he would hone his abilities, and he would unlock every last bit of potential within himself. His path was clear: he would rise, he would reign, and he would make the universe tremble beneath his might.

However, gradually Esteban's thoughts turned serious and wandered somewhere else, coming to rest on the most significant potential threat in Hueco Mundo - Aizen.

Through the memories of countless hollow souls he had consumed the moment he transmigrated here inside of that vortex, he had pieced together the current timeline of this world. He came a few months before the original plot started and Aizen betrayed the Soul Society later.

Aizen had already dethroned Baragan and usurped the throne, marking the beginning of a new era in Hueco Mundo with the grand castle Las Noches and the formation of the Espada.

"Early days yet for Aizen...", Esteban mused, his voice a quiet murmur in the stillness of the night, "He's yet to merge with the Hogyoku from Rukia Kuchiki... His Espada, still in their infancy and not up to their fullest potential lacking those powers the Hogyoku provides."

The thought brought a faint smirk to his face. There was a certain comfort in knowing that Aizen and his two Soul Reaper Captain subordinates, for the moment, were occupied with the machinations in the Soul Society, leaving Hueco Mundo relatively unguarded.

He wasn't brave enough to face a being such as Aizen face to face yet and it would be best for him to just avoid contact now.

He knew that he basically sent either Tosen or Gin once a week to check on the construction of Las Noches and the last time they went there was just yesterday so he had some space.

Time was his ally now, a precious gift in his quest for power. He would ravage Hueco Mundo, devour the hollow souls, grow stronger, bathing in the reishi-rich realm, "I'll turn Hueco Mundo into my training grounds...",

However, despite the lure of this opportunity, Esteban was not blind to the potential risks. His powers, though unpredictable and confusing for his enemies, were a double-edged sword. If faced with an enemy substantially more powerful, he would need a backup plan.

"Nevertheless, should I really come against some insurmountable force...", His words trailed off as his gaze fell on the desert beneath him. He picked up a handful of sand, letting it slip through his fingers, "My chaos field can buy me time and create confusion and then the Garganta will be my escape route."

The Descorrer, an unique ability of the high-ranking Hollow Arrancars, allowed to easily tear open the fabric of space to travel between realms. It was way superior and stable method than the one ordinary lower-ranking Hollows used.

An innate ability manifesting within him as well, it was his surefire escape route. It was a contingency plan he hoped not to resort to, but knowing he had this option was reassuring.

However, Esteban's focus then shifted inward, performing a Pesquisa—an advanced hollow technique that allowed him to sense the spiritual pressure of his surroundings. His senses radiated outward, touching on the flickers of reishi from hollows inside the wide radius.

"Seems like they learned their lesson...", He smirked, noting the retreating reishi signatures of the hollows in the vicinity. Content with the quietude, he stood, his eyes blazing with determination, "Time to get to work then."

The first part of his training was to get more familiar with his powers. The chaos that flowed within him was raw, unpredictable. To use it effectively in battle, he needed to understand it, control it, and most importantly, channel it.

Moving towards an isolated area, he began to unleash bursts of his chaotic energy, watching the effects carefully. Each pulse was different—some caused mini sandstorms, others shattered the rocks, while few vibrated through the ground causing tremors.

"Unpredictable... Yes, but not uncontrollable...", He muttered to himself, slowly beginning to see a pattern. Each burst was a response to his emotional state and the intensity of his focus.

Apart from his unique chaotic powers, Esteban was aware that as a natural-born high-ranking Vasto Lorde Arrancar, he also possessed inherent abilities, he learned instinctively how to use from the moment he was born, that needed to be harnessed. They were vital tools in his arsenal, and neglecting them would be a grave mistake.

His first focus was Sonido, an equivalent to the Shinigami's Shunpo or the Quincy's Hirenkyaku. It was a technique that allowed Hollows to move at extreme speeds, making it seem like they had teleported. Although he had used this instinctively, Esteban knew he needed to train to increase its speed and efficiency.

He began by setting himself small goals - a specific distance to cover, and a number of steps to execute within a specific time. Gradually, as he kept pushing his limits, he noticed a remarkable improvement in his Sonido.

He was faster, more agile, and could move longer distances in the blink of an eye. The desert around him blurred into streaks of sand and sky as he practiced, his figure nothing more than a gust of wind.

Next came Hierro, the iron-skin defense that made a Hollow's body incredibly tough and resistant to damage. Esteban found this ability intriguing. He spent hours focusing his Reiryoku, hardening different parts of his body, and then testing its strength against the jagged rocks scattered around.

Despite the initial failures, his persistence paid off. His Hierro improved significantly, allowing him to withstand powerful blows. He could feel the newfound resilience in his skin, a solid shield that was part of him. His confidence surged as he relished the invincibility that came with his hardened exterior.

Lastly, he turned his attention to High-Speed Regeneration. This ability could heal any injury almost instantly, a vital tool for survival in battles. However, it was also one of the trickiest to master. Healing needed more than just raw power; it required precise control over one's spiritual energy.

Esteban started by inflicting minor injuries on himself, then concentrating his Reiryoku to mend them. At first, the process was slow, painstaking. But with relentless practice, his control improved. Wounds began to close up quicker, and before long, he could heal major injuries within moments. The process was draining, but he knew its worth in the long run.

He didn't forget his hand-to-hand combat skills either. Although his chaotic powers gave him a unique advantage, he knew better than to rely solely on them. He practiced his strikes, each one swift and precise, against the towering rocks, reducing them to rubble.

Esteban's final task was to practice the usage of the Descorrer. He opened a tear in the fabric of space, and then another, swiftly moving from one portal to the next. This exercise was designed not just to perfect his technique, but also to prepare him for an abrupt escape, if ever necessary.

As he ended his training for the day, Esteban was a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction. He felt stronger, more in sync with his powers. The path of chaos was tough, unpredictable, but he knew he was ready to walk it. After all, chaos was his realm, and he was its master.

Yet, despite the productive training, Esteban wasn't quite satisfied. He felt the constant yearning for more power, an insatiable hunger that drove him into the heart of Hueco Mundo.

He began to hunt other hollows, traversing the vast expanse of the hollow's world— the desert-like surface, the sprawling underworld, and the eerie Forest of Menos with towering, bone-white trees.

With each hollow he consumed, he grew stronger, his chaotic energy pulsating with more vigor, his stature more imposing, however, he never stopped training too. His reputation skyrocketed.

The hollows learned to fear him, to run from him. He was the embodiment of chaos, an unpredictable force that none could withstand. A couple of days passed like a blur of endless hunts and relentless training.

Yet, during this period of ceaseless predation and training, Esteban eventually began to sense a persistent presence trailing him. It wasn't the regular, feeble reishi of a standard hollow, but rather a group of distinct, powerful spiritual pressures, far more formidable.

Intrigued, he halted his hunt. He stood in the desolate expanse of Hueco Mundo, his senses sharpened to the pulse of reishi around him.

The stillness of the desert was pierced as several figures came into view, kicking up dust as they moved toward him with a purposeful stride.

His gaze landed on a group of individuals radiating a unique spiritual pressure. As they moved closer, Esteban could make out their distinct appearances.