Shinigami: Medicine Can't Save The Soul Reaper Society

There was no denying it—Sparx's words carried far more weight than any amount of empty flattery ever could.

Adjuchas… Except for rare cases like twins or symbiotic entities, they were inherently solitary predators, perpetually hunting their own kind.

Normally, unless a Vasto Lorde explicitly recruited and enforced rules to prevent mutual slaughter among Adjuchas, it was almost impossible to see more than a dozen living peacefully together.

Yet, in Herald's perception, Sparx was clearly no stronger than an ordinary Adjuchas. There was no way he could have subdued over ten Adjuchas purely through brute force.

If Sparx were truly that powerful, hunting Herald would have taken no effort at all, and there would've been no need for this drawn-out dialogue.

As Herald lowered its head in contemplation and then looked up again, it was stunned to realize that the ten Adjuchas who followed Sparx had silently spread out, blocking every possible escape route.

At this point, whether Herald liked it or not, only one option remained.

"I… I am willing to join the Great Buddha Faction…"

"Excellent!"

Sparx nodded and, with a serene tone, said, "Wanderer, please come before me. There is a ritual to formally initiate you into the Great Buddha Faction."

Herald hesitated but eventually approached Sparx.

Sparx extended a massive hand—large enough to rival half his own body—and gently rested it on Herald's head.

"Once the ritual is complete, wanderer, you shall no longer fear regression or the burden of evolution…"

As this unfolded, the Adjuchas who had surrounded Herald earlier exchanged subtle, knowing smiles.

Yet, oddly enough, Herald felt its apprehension ease. It began to anticipate the future Sparx had described—a vision so enticing it rivaled a human being promised limitless wealth.

In the next instant, before Herald could react, Sparx's true form emerged from the glowing palm of the golden Buddha and, with lightning speed, bit into Herald's mask.

Herald's previously closed eyes shot open, filled with shock and disbelief.

The sensation was akin to a man on a date, only to discover something utterly unexpected—a moment of sheer terror, as if that "unexpected surprise" left an irreversible mark on his soul.

Sparx wasted no time. In a blink, his true form retreated back into the golden Buddha's hand, leaving Herald in stunned silence.

It was over.

For an Adjuchas, having even a small part of their body consumed by an equal or higher being meant losing the ability to evolve—forever.

"You bastard! Is this your solution to the problem of evolution? Go to hell!"

As Herald erupted in rage, four Adjuchas leaped onto Sparx's massive golden form, pinning Herald in place. Each one gripped his shoulders and limbs with unyielding strength, ensuring Herald could not retaliate.

"Amitabha," Sparx said calmly, his voice imbued with a strange serenity. "We of the Great Buddha Faction resolve conflicts through reason, not violence. Wanderer, simply answer this: has the worry of evolution been resolved?"

"I'm going to kill you, you scum!!"

Herald's voice trembled with fury, humiliation, and despair—like a man freshly betrayed by the cruel realities of life.

"Wanderer, do not let anger consume you," Sparx said, his voice steady and compassionate. "Just as the ritual shaves away the burdens of the world, this act removes your fixation on evolution. Once you join the Great Buddha Faction, there will be no room for such desires to corrupt your heart."

To Herald, these words were no different from a sinister coaxing, akin to convincing someone to willingly mutilate themselves.

The realization was terrifying: without the possibility of further evolution, Herald would remain a lower-tier Adjuchas forever. Worse still, this meant eventual consumption by a stronger Adjuchas.

Terror and fury collided within Herald, who had once dreamed of rising from the Forest of Menos, stepping over countless corpses to become a Vasto Lorde, and reigning supreme over Hueco Mundo.

Now, that dream lay in ruins.

Finally, with its mental defenses shattered, Herald let out a hysterical laugh.

"Just eat me already, you bastard! Ha! Take my hatred with you and see if it helps you evolve further!"

Yet, to Herald's surprise, the Adjuchas restraining it made no move to attack.

Instead, Sparx calmly reached up, tore off one of his golden Buddha form's enormous arms, and placed it before Herald.

"...??"

Herald stared blankly at Sparx, who continued to speak with unwavering compassion.

"Amitabha. My Buddha, Leshan, is merciful. Hunger drives us to hatred and endless slaughter. Let me bear that hatred so that we may end this cycle."

The sight of Sparx offering up his own arm was as shocking as the story of a hawk being fed with a monk's flesh.

Around them, the other Adjuchas bowed deeply to Sparx and chanted in unison:

"Amitabha. Merciful is the Buddha, Leshan."

The Adjuchas then calmly sat in a circle around the golden arm, sharing the meat in an orderly fashion.

For a moment, Herald felt something foreign yet strangely soothing—peace.

Like the souls of Rukongai, who grow hungry without sufficient spiritual energy, Adjuchas too suffer from hunger when deprived of high-quality souls. Over time, this hunger drives them to madness, regression, and slaughter.

Slowly, unconsciously, Herald sat by the golden arm, tore off a piece of flesh, and placed it in its mouth.

The hunger subsided.

Tears welled in Herald's eyes as its hatred for Sparx dissolved into gratitude and awe.

Though Sparx had taken away its future evolution, he had also sacrificed a part of himself to feed the others and stave off their regression.

In that moment, Herald became a true believer.

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