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Chapter 10: Hollows and Heartbeats
Kazana trudged through Rukongai District 10, his sandals kicking up dust as he followed Captain Unohana and a small team of Fourth Squad medics. The rogue Hollows reported by Hitsugaya's squad had left the air heavy with tension, and Kazana's new Observation Haki pinged faint traces of chaotic reiatsu in the distance. "This is way above my pay grade," he muttered, gripping his Asauchi. "I'm a healer now, not a Hollow-slaying badass like Ichigo." His empathic bond with Unohana buzzed softly, picking up her calm yet vigilant aura, which both soothed and unnerved him. Why does she keep me so close? he wondered, his face warming at her earlier promise of more "lessons."
The System's blue screen flickered, as if eager to complicate his day:
Mission: Assist in Treating an Injured Soul Reaper During the Hollow Skirmish.
Reward: Enhanced Medical Intuition (Low-Tier).
Bonus Mission: Defend a Civilian from a Hollow Without Sustaining Major Injuries.
Reward: Random Defensive Ability (Mid-Tier, e.g., Hierro from Bleach).
Kazana's eyes widened. "Defend a civilian? Against a Hollow? System, I'm not even in a squad yet!" He glanced at Unohana, who was scanning the horizon with her serene smile, and swallowed hard. "Okay, fine. I've got Kaido, Haki, and telekinesis. I can do this. Probably." His lazy side begged him to hide behind a rock, but Unohana's presence—and the chance to impress her—kept him moving.
The team reached a ravaged village, where wooden huts smoldered and terrified residents huddled in alleys. Captain Hitsugaya was already there, his zanpakuto drawn as he froze a snarling Hollow with a burst of ice. "Fourth Squad, over here!" he barked, pointing to a wounded Soul Reaper leaning against a wall, blood seeping from a gash on his arm.
Unohana nodded, directing her medics. "Kazana, assist with the injured," she said, her voice soft but firm. "I'll handle the Hollows with Captain Hitsugaya." Her eyes lingered on him, a flicker of something—trust? Affection?—making his heart skip.
"Y-Yes, Captain!" Kazana stammered, rushing to the wounded Soul Reaper, a lanky Tenth Squad member who grimaced in pain. "Uh, hang in there, dude," Kazana said, kneeling beside him. He channeled his Kaido #3, his hands glowing green as he focused on mending the gash. The wound closed slowly, and the Soul Reaper sighed in relief.
"Not bad, kid," the man muttered. "You're new, right? Didn't expect a rookie to pull that off."
Kazana grinned, his confidence spiking. "Yeah, I'm full of surprises!" The System chimed:
Mission Completed: Assist in Treating an Injured Soul Reaper.
Reward: Enhanced Medical Intuition (Low-Tier).
A subtle instinct clicked in Kazana's mind, letting him sense the man's stable condition without checking. "Cool, I'm like a walking triage now," he whispered, but his moment of pride was cut short by a scream from the village square.
A Hollow—small but vicious, with a bony mask and claw-tipped limbs—had cornered a trembling Rukongai girl, no older than ten. Kazana's bonus mission flashed, and his Observation Haki confirmed no captains were nearby—Unohana and Hitsugaya were busy with larger Hollows. "Oh, come on," he groaned, gripping his Asauchi. "I'm not a hero, but I can't just watch this."
He used Soru to dash forward, his cloaking technique dampening his reiatsu to avoid drawing more Hollows. "Hey, ugly!" he shouted, tossing a pebble with telekinesis to distract the beast. The Hollow turned, snarling, and lunged at him. Kazana activated his Armament Haki, hardening his arm to block a claw swipe, then stretched his Gomu Gomu no Mi limb to grab the girl and pull her behind a crate. "Stay there!" he yelped, dodging another swipe.
His Asauchi hummed, its voice dry: "Don't die, idiot. Swing harder." Kazana gritted his teeth, channeling his reiatsu into the blade. A raw burst of energy flared, slicing the Hollow's arm clean off. It screeched, and Kazana fired a Byakurai lightning bolt, blasting its mask. The Hollow dissolved, and the girl sobbed in relief.
Kazana panted, checking himself for injuries—just a scratch on his cheek. "Not major, right?" he muttered, hoping the System agreed. It chimed:
Bonus Mission Completed: Defend a Civilian from a Hollow Without Sustaining Major Injuries.
Reward: Basic Hierro (Mid-Tier Skin Hardening).
His skin tingled, growing slightly tougher, like a faint armor. "Sweet, I'm tankier now!" he said, helping the girl to safety. But before he could celebrate, a familiar reiatsu washed over him—Unohana, approaching with Hitsugaya. Her smile was serene, but her eyes locked onto his scratched cheek with an intensity that made him freeze.
"You're unharmed, I trust?" she asked, stepping closer. Her fingers brushed his cheek, inspecting the scratch, and Kazana's empathic bond picked up a surge of concern laced with… possessiveness? "You were reckless, Kazana, but brave."
"I-I'm fine, Captain!" he squeaked, his face burning under her touch. "Just, uh, doing my part! No big deal!" His charisma boost failed miserably, and Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by the flustered rookie.
Unohana's smile softened. "No big deal, yet you saved a life. You're proving yourself, Kazana. The Fourth Squad could use someone with your… unique spirit." She withdrew her hand, but her gaze lingered, making his heart race.
Hitsugaya snorted. "If you're done flirting, we've got cleanup to do. These Hollows weren't natural—someone's tampering with them." He glanced at Unohana, who nodded, her expression unreadable.
Kazana's stomach dropped. Tampering? Aizen. He kept his mouth shut, his fear of the villain spiking. As the team wrapped up, Unohana pulled him aside. "You've done well today," she said, her voice low. "But these disturbances are growing. Stay vigilant… and stay close to me." Her tone was protective, almost forceful, and Kazana's empathic bond hummed with her unspoken affection.
"Y-Yes, Captain," he said, nodding dumbly. As she walked away, he clutched his Asauchi, whispering, "She's gonna propose or kill me, I swear."
The blade's voice chuckled: "Maybe both."
Back at his quarters, Kazana didn't collapse or sleep. He sat on his futon, staring at the ceiling, his mind buzzing. The Hollows, Aizen's shadow, Unohana's touch—it was all too much, but his new skills and her belief in him sparked a flicker of determination. "I'm not just surviving anymore," he muttered. "I'm… kinda kicking butt. And maybe, just maybe, I can handle her."
He grinned, dreaming of a future where he was strong enough to stand beside Unohana—not as a flustered rookie, but as someone worthy of her heart.
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End of Chapter 10
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