Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-28096256-20160413001736/@comment-27392440-20160508205825

I actually do think what you said is accurate and mentioned something similar before but there is still evidence that there is a single inner hollow spirit that represents those powers (the vizards admitted to having one after hollowfication despite never having eaten a single soul, so it's likely other hollows have one too but just don't know and usually can't communicate with it in the first place), so it should be possible to communicate with it and seeing as it's part of your soul get power from a deeper bond.

To note, I mentioned Starrk/Lillynette's possible method of evolution as specifically their own and believe there might be a few very different paths to vasto lorde that doesn't include bonding with your inner hollow (such as eating shinigami or somehow managing to eat a vasto lorde despite being an adjuchas). Though I think what you pointed out above about having to face all the different hollows you've eaten may be something universal to all paths to vasto lorde.