[Through the Dark]

"This is the Forest of Menos", the creature answers, "Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say this was the Forest of Menos. Only a century ago, these caves held a hundred giants for each Shinigami in existence. Now there are close to none."

Senshi can feel the creature is moving its arm, gesturing at unseen walls and stone pylons. How it can perceive them remains a mystery to him.

"One might think that against such overwhelming odds, Shinigami should've surely lost. Yet you didn't. Indeed, such balance remained in place for hundreds of years. The world didn't end, in fact, it was never in danger of ending."

The creature lets its hand drop. "We know what rhetoricians on your side were saying. They said you were at war. But nothing could be further from the truth. Like your 'obligation' to stand and fight, it was founded on a false premise. Menos Grande are not animals. They are not living things. They fight for neither sustenance nor survival."

"We've seen countless of beings tripping themselves on that. They came to the Forest and threw their weight around. Tried to establish dominance. Tried to make themselves powerful and scary. But all that did was attract endless hordes of opponents to them and they died fighting a futile fight."

"The survivors were those who learned to hide their presence, to walk away from the hopeless fight. Those who realized the hunger of Menos is not for food, but for completeness. They were created from masses of Hollows throwing themselves at each other in the vain hope of fixing the holes in their souls. In turn, they would gladly be destroyed by a stronger opponent if that would give some hope of achieving that dream."

"Menos are not predators. We don't prey on the weak. We are not repelled by strength. There was never any chance of us going after someone who can't fight back. We have no use for weak souls."