Post by Eshin Sōtō on Jul 9, 2023 12:06:50 GMT -5
In the vast expanse of the desolate white desert that stretched into eternity, Eshin roamed with a starkly different demeanor than before. No longer weakened, starved, and injured, he now exuded an aura of arrogant superiority. The sands of Hueco Mundo, the breeding ground of the weak and the newly born hollows, were his dominion. He, an outlier among his kind, possessed power equivalent to, and even greater than, some Menos. Yet, for one reason or another, there was a delay with his Hollow evolution, retaining remnants of his former humanity within his sunken and monstrous form as opposed to progressing to a Menos. This guise of feebleness and unassuming weakness served him well, allowing him to deceive others and strike when they least expected it.
As a part of this guise, he had been hiding the full weight of his spiritual pressure. Suppressing the malicious intent and hunger was relatively easy amidst the desperation and starvation within the endless white birthing and feeding grounds of the white desert. He had been searching for prey to devour, yes, but mainly to assert his own dominance over. This was the privilege benefiting the strong after all, and it was part of his journey to transforming himself from a monstrous bodhisattva to an Asura or even a Buddha himself.
The teachings of Buddhism in his past life had taught him of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment. These factors helped humanity grow spiritually and turn them away from a path that would lead them to human weakness and flaws. These factors were a force that grew the power of humanity in one direction, but training in one aspect alone was stifling and limiting, as well as it was detrimental to the development of true power. To increase his power even further, would he not need to draw upon the power of said flaws? After all, he was not limited by humanity any longer, therefore the hindrances are nothing but boons for the wraith. These thoughts led him to begin to mold what kind of martial arts he would develop now, but until then, he needed to put his abilities to the test.
Upon stumbling upon a group of jackal hollows, who had gathered in the desert with the intention of preying on the newly born, Eshin saw an opportunity to sate his insatiable hunger for power. These jackals were nothing more than scavengers and bullies, and they foolishly believed he was an easy target. Their laughter filled the air as they circled him, taunting and jeering with contemptuous glee. "Frail and old, aren't you?" one sneered, while another mocked, "Lost, old timer? You look quite old for a new hollow, don't you?" Eshin remained still, a venomous smile playing upon his lips. "Wouldn't you help a poor old man like me?" he spoke with deceptive innocence, his words laced with a dark undertone. "I am rather hungry," he added, a veiled threat hanging in the air.
In an instant, Eshin unleashed the full weight of his overwhelming spiritual pressure upon the jackals. They were ill-prepared for the speed at which he moved, their feeble minds struggling to comprehend his swift actions. Eshin materialized behind one of the jackals, his form gliding like a wraith, an embodiment of predatory grace. With a single fluid motion, he sank his teeth into the jackal's arm, rending it from its body. The hollow shrieked in agony, its pain fueling the malicious delight that surged within Eshin. The jackal retaliated, striking him across the face, but Eshin felt nothing. Instead, the souls he had devoured over months of insatiable feasting lashed out, their collective malice manifesting as ethereal blades that sliced through the jackal's arm, causing it to writhe in agony.
In that moment, Eshin seized the opportunity, his hunger and greed insatiable. With relentless savagery, he devoured the jackal's head, relishing the surge of power that coursed through his being. One of the four jackals that had dared to cross his path had met its demise at his merciless jaws. And yet, hunger still gnawed at his core, urging him onward to consume the others. The dark desert became his hunting ground, a stage upon which he reveled in his sadistic pursuit of dominance and power. The jackals had underestimated him, and now they would pay the price for their arrogance and foolishness.
Consumed: 1 Class 8 Hollow
As a part of this guise, he had been hiding the full weight of his spiritual pressure. Suppressing the malicious intent and hunger was relatively easy amidst the desperation and starvation within the endless white birthing and feeding grounds of the white desert. He had been searching for prey to devour, yes, but mainly to assert his own dominance over. This was the privilege benefiting the strong after all, and it was part of his journey to transforming himself from a monstrous bodhisattva to an Asura or even a Buddha himself.
The teachings of Buddhism in his past life had taught him of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment. These factors helped humanity grow spiritually and turn them away from a path that would lead them to human weakness and flaws. These factors were a force that grew the power of humanity in one direction, but training in one aspect alone was stifling and limiting, as well as it was detrimental to the development of true power. To increase his power even further, would he not need to draw upon the power of said flaws? After all, he was not limited by humanity any longer, therefore the hindrances are nothing but boons for the wraith. These thoughts led him to begin to mold what kind of martial arts he would develop now, but until then, he needed to put his abilities to the test.
Upon stumbling upon a group of jackal hollows, who had gathered in the desert with the intention of preying on the newly born, Eshin saw an opportunity to sate his insatiable hunger for power. These jackals were nothing more than scavengers and bullies, and they foolishly believed he was an easy target. Their laughter filled the air as they circled him, taunting and jeering with contemptuous glee. "Frail and old, aren't you?" one sneered, while another mocked, "Lost, old timer? You look quite old for a new hollow, don't you?" Eshin remained still, a venomous smile playing upon his lips. "Wouldn't you help a poor old man like me?" he spoke with deceptive innocence, his words laced with a dark undertone. "I am rather hungry," he added, a veiled threat hanging in the air.
In an instant, Eshin unleashed the full weight of his overwhelming spiritual pressure upon the jackals. They were ill-prepared for the speed at which he moved, their feeble minds struggling to comprehend his swift actions. Eshin materialized behind one of the jackals, his form gliding like a wraith, an embodiment of predatory grace. With a single fluid motion, he sank his teeth into the jackal's arm, rending it from its body. The hollow shrieked in agony, its pain fueling the malicious delight that surged within Eshin. The jackal retaliated, striking him across the face, but Eshin felt nothing. Instead, the souls he had devoured over months of insatiable feasting lashed out, their collective malice manifesting as ethereal blades that sliced through the jackal's arm, causing it to writhe in agony.
In that moment, Eshin seized the opportunity, his hunger and greed insatiable. With relentless savagery, he devoured the jackal's head, relishing the surge of power that coursed through his being. One of the four jackals that had dared to cross his path had met its demise at his merciless jaws. And yet, hunger still gnawed at his core, urging him onward to consume the others. The dark desert became his hunting ground, a stage upon which he reveled in his sadistic pursuit of dominance and power. The jackals had underestimated him, and now they would pay the price for their arrogance and foolishness.
Consumed: 1 Class 8 Hollow
