Under the Grim Moon

Uchiha Yato tried all sorts of positions and found that when fleeing with someone, carrying them on his back was still more suitable.

Though Harribel was tall and slender, making her easy to hold or carry, she had yet to become an "Arrancar," and her body still bore obvious Menos Grande traits. For example, from below her right elbow, there was a broad greatsword wide enough to serve as a shield!

With such physical traits, Yato really had to carry her on his back.

Beneath the ghastly white hook-shaped moon, the two quickly left the cave entrance. In the distance, the Reiatsu of Harribel's three subordinates began to erupt. They were doing everything they could to hold off the enemy and buy time for the woman they served to escape.

"I'm not familiar with this place." Yato glanced at the golden hair hanging over his cheek, which made his skin itch.

"Which direction should we go?"

"Anywhere is fine, as long as we don't head toward the moon." Harribel's voice was still weak.

"Las Noches lies beneath it. The strong of Hueco Mundo all gather there."

"Fine. I'll improvise."

A tomoe appeared in Yato's eye. At his current level of Reiatsu, maintaining this state did not consume much energy.

He looked around, determined the direction, and began sprinting with Harribel on his back.

The monotonous desert scenery flashed past. With the Sharingan's help, Yato's control over his body improved again. Even as he ran across the sand, he left behind not a single footprint.

Time passed quickly. Yato immersed himself in his frantic escape until he felt warm liquid trickling down his back, forcing him to slowly come to a stop.

Harribel behind him had been stained red with blood once more.

She had already been gravely injured, with most of the bones in her body shattered. She needed to lie flat and rest, otherwise Rose and the others would not have kept her lying on the ground.

But now that Yato was carrying her as they fled, her injuries could no longer be suppressed. Blood kept seeping through her skin, making her look utterly miserable.

"...You could at least say something, Sister Harribel."

"It would hinder you."

"Tch. You Vasto Lordes are really too tough."

Yato shook his head, found a concealed depression beneath a sand dune, and set the golden-haired woman down.

"I need to treat you first." Yato placed his hand on Harribel's abdomen and pressed lightly.

"I'll say this first: I wasn't very good at Responded. There might be some pain during the treatment, so bear with it."

"Mmph..."

Harribel's fingers suddenly trembled. Instinctively, she grabbed Yato's shoulder. The intense pain made her let out a low cry, and her slender waist arched upward.

—If she had not clearly felt herself getting a little better, she would have thought Yato had blasted offensive Kidō into her body.

"You... you..." Harribel panted heavily.

"You call that 'some' pain?"

"Uh, judging by your reaction, it does hurt a bit." Yato looked somewhat embarrassed.

"No wonder my Responded teacher gave me the lowest grade. I was wondering why such a burly man still cried after I treated him... But don't worry, the results are excellent."

As he spoke, the young man took a small item from his pack.

"A sugar cube, want one? Every living thing likes sweet flavors." He spoke as if coaxing a child.

"Once you eat it, it won't hurt anymore."

"...Give it to me."

Harribel glared at Yato with her emerald eyes, feeling that this young Soul Reaper was truly strange.

The Vasto Lorde Menos Grande tilted her head and, by some unknown method, swallowed the sugar cube.

The Responded treatment continued, and pain continued to be inflicted upon Harribel. Unable to endure it any longer, she began talking to Yato to distract herself.

"Soul Reaper, your eyes are very special."

"You mean this?" Yato grinned and showed off his Sharingan.

"You've got a good eye. Red really is beautiful, and the tomoe inside even spin around the pupil."

"No. I mean your original eyes."

"Uh?"

"Before your Soul-Cutter Sword's Shikai, those black eyes." Harribel's voice was soft.

"They were resolute and fearless, as though there was no one you cared about, yet as though you cared about everything. They're very different from the Soul Reapers I've seen."

Uchiha Yato froze slightly.

"You mean my eyes resemble a Hollow's?"

"Most Hollows are extreme and mad. You are very rational."

"Rational enough to treat a Vasto Lorde-level Menos Grande, you mean? If this gets back to the Seireitei, I'll be dragged to Sokyoku and executed."

"If that day comes, I will save you."

"You're getting ahead of yourself, Sister Harribel. Besides, the Gotei 13 has plenty of experts who have mastered Bankai. You've heard of Captain-Commander Yamamoto, right? That old man is ridiculously strong. Ryujin Jakka would burn you to ashes."

"That would be fine too."

Moonlight fell across Harribel's face. Her expression remained calm, as though she were merely stating some trivial fact.

"We would die together."

Yato opened his mouth, but not a single word came out.

He felt that this trip to Hueco Mundo had been utterly inexplicable. Not only had he saved Harribel and fled for his life with her on his back, but this Vasto Lorde-level Menos Grande had even promised to die alongside him.

—Tia Harribel's pursuit of [sacrifice] truly remained constant to the end.

Perhaps, for her, such fierce and reckless devotion was the only way to fill her [emptiness]?

By then, Harribel had adapted to the pain brought by the Responded treatment. She released Yato's shoulder and silently gazed at the ghastly white moon.

Dark night, white sand, and a waning moon hanging overhead.

The black-haired Soul Reaper and the golden-haired Hollow faced each other in silence, neither able to guess the other's thoughts.

Yet both Yato and Harribel felt that this moment was not bad.

At least the breeze brushed against their faces, neither scorching nor freezing.

"Cough, um..." After a long while, Yato cleared his throat and raised his hand.

"The treatment is finished. This is the best I can do. How do you feel?"

Harribel remained cold and indifferent. Upon hearing this, she merely nodded slightly.

Then she propped herself up with both hands, planted her greatsword into the ground, and swayed as she rose to her feet.

"I can move a little. Setting aside the added pain, your Responded skill is indeed very high."

"That's good." Yato let out a long breath, looking somewhat expectant.

"How much of your fighting strength has recovered?"

Harribel narrowed her eyes and carefully sensed the feedback from her muscles and nerves.

"Less than half of one-tenth, but dealing with ordinary Adjuchas won't be a problem."

Uchiha Yato smiled. His smile was admittedly a little wicked, but because of his exceptionally handsome appearance, Harribel did not find it unpleasant.

"Just in time. I was thinking that if the treatment didn't work well, we'd have to keep running."

"Hmph... So, will you hide, or fight alongside me?"

"Together." Yato closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, the three tomoe in his scarlet eyes were already spinning wildly.

"My ability is also exceptionally good at supporting from the side."

"Don't hold me back, Soul Reaper."

"Show some manners to the person who saved your life, Hollow."

The two inexplicably traded barbs, then looked into the distance at the same time.

Thick smoke had already risen from the distant wasteland. Several streams of Reiatsu converged and intertwined there, radiating undisguised malice.

The pursuers had arrived.

Add bookmark

Return to contents