Black Flames

Before crossing over, Yato had heard a saying—

"Change your environment, and you might even grow a little taller."

That saying was probably true in the world of Soul Reapers as well.

Though he had been in Hueco Mundo for only five days at most, the boy had benefited greatly.

The unusual air and desert, the Reiatsu entirely different from that of the Soul Society, prolonged contact with Menos Grande—especially a Vasto Lorde like Harribel...

All these factors layered together, constantly shaking Yato's soul and greatly shortening the time needed to complete his Second-Stage Shikai.

The power of the Uchiha Clan had once again opened its arms to him.

Within his eyes, six-pointed stars of red patterns against black slowly rotated with the fluctuations of his Reiatsu.

A thread of bright red blood flowed from the corner of his eye, streaked down Yato's cheek, and fell onto Hueco Mundo's white desert sand with a soft plop.

The sound seemed like a signal. From that moment on, some terrifying monster was born into the world.

Yato opened his left eye and slowly uttered a single word.

"Amaterasu!"

There were no unnecessary movements, no exaggerated gestures, and no special incantation.

He merely opened his eye and looked at a massive Adjuchas.

The next instant, black flames rose where his gaze focused.

The agony of intense burning gnawed continuously at the Adjuchas. He howled uncontrollably and slammed his body against the ground, trying to extinguish the flames.

Yet the black fire possessed not only terrifying heat, but also clung to the Menos Grande like maggots to bone. No matter what he did, he could not put it out. Instead, it burned ever more fiercely, spreading across his skin and bone armor.

He rolled in pain and shrieked in despair until he was reduced to charcoal.

The entire process lasted less than ten seconds.

And during that time, the slaughter spread to every Adjuchas.

With his left eye open, Yato slowly turned his head. As his gaze passed over each enemy, Amaterasu's flames abruptly appeared and clung to their bodies.

The inextinguishable blaze became a scythe that harvested life, swallowing the Menos Grande one by one.

At some point, Yato finally closed his left eye. In the darkness, the Mangekyo first regressed into Three Tomoe, then finally returned to an ordinary black eye.

By then, there were no other living creatures around him and Harribel.

The snarling Menos Grande had all been burned to ash by the black flames. Only scattered, cracked bones silently proved that they had once existed.

"It really hurts the first time you use it..."

Yato shook his head, feeling as though ants were gnawing at his nerves. The intense drain on his Reiatsu made him dizzy, and he stopped forcing himself to stay upright, falling backward.

Harribel caught him in her arms.

"You don't have much Reiatsu left."

The golden-haired Menos Grande awkwardly stroked the boy's head. Since it was her first time caring for someone, she unconsciously held him tighter and tighter.

"You need to sleep."

"...So you're trying to choke me unconscious?"

"Ah?"

"Let go, Big Sister Harribel." Yato helplessly pointed at his throat. "You're pressing on my windpipe."

Harribel hurriedly loosened her grip and held Yato without moving again.

After seeing the boy slaughter the Adjuchas with such powerful and cruel means, she did not show any negative emotions.

At most, she was simply shocked that Yato could perform a Second-Stage Shikai.

Killing and being eaten were the prevailing themes of Hueco Mundo under Barragan's rule. Harribel had long since grown used to them.

After lying in her arms for a while, Yato patted her arm to signal that he wanted to get up.

"Where do we run next?" Yato asked as he took healing medicine from his pack and applied it to his wounds.

Harribel thought for a moment, then shook her head.

"There's no need. That Menos Grande just now was called Lys Gallagher. He was already the strongest Adjuchas under Barragan. Now that we've wiped out this pursuit force, Las Noches won't send anyone else here to die."

"They won't send Vasto Lordes?"

"Even if such powerful beings obey Barragan's orders, they wouldn't take on this kind of troublesome task. Besides, they fear that I might launch a final counterattack before dying."

"Oh..." The boy's eyes lit up, and he smiled. "So you're out of danger?"

A trace of unreadable emotion flashed through Harribel's green eyes. She turned her head aside and exposed the implication behind Yato's words.

"Soul Reaper, are you leaving Hueco Mundo?"

For some reason, the boy suddenly felt a little awkward.

"Like I said from the start, I'm not a Soul Reaper. I'm a sixth-year student at Shin'ō Academy, still a reserve who hasn't graduated yet. Do you understand?"

He took out his identification badge and showed it to her.

"For students, being late or leaving early is terrifying. What if—just what if—I don't get back to the Senkaimon in time? The academy will deduct my points! Maybe they won't even let me graduate on schedule..."

"The Seireitei would not do that," Harribel said coldly.

"At your age, you are already very strong. You have outstanding marks in all four disciplines of Zankensoki. You are destined to join the Gotei 13."

"Huh? How do you know my grades? I don't remember telling you about that."

"Your identification badge." The golden-haired beauty rarely furrowed her delicate brows, showing a touch of indignant annoyance. "I can read!"

"...Fine, you're an educated Menos Grande." Yato scratched his head with a wry smile. Just as he was about to say something, Harribel cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"Since you are returning to the Soul Society, then we will part here."

She stared deeply at Yato's identification badge, seeming to want to imprint every piece of information on it into her mind.

"Besides, I don't know how Rose and the others are doing. I need to return to the cave."

Harribel raised a hand and brushed the strands of hair stuck to her neck behind her. She turned away and no longer looked at Yato.

Then, her usual husky voice entered the boy's ears.

"My promise still stands, Uchiha Yato. You saved me, so I will help you as well."

"But remember, I am still a part of Hueco Mundo. If war breaks out with the Soul Society again, then the next time we meet, we will be enemies... Soul Reaper."

Harribel's graceful, slender figure swiftly vanished into the wind and sand.

Watching the direction in which she left, Yato remained silent for a long time before muttering helplessly,

"What a cliché way to say goodbye, Big Sister Harribel..."

"Not going after her, Yato?"

With a bang, the Scarlet Eye girl in crimson Sengoku armor appeared at his side.

"Go after her, hold her, kiss her, and tell her—No! Even if the Soul Society is your enemy, I, Uchiha Yato, will always offer you my chest as a shelter from the storm! Then you can reach out your hand and—"

The boy hurriedly cut off Scarlet Eye's nonsense and glared fiercely at her.

"Did I burn your brain out when I used Amaterasu? She's a Vasto Lorde! You want me to hug her with my life on the line?"

"Tch, only those who dare to think and act can achieve great things, man."

"Stop making me angry." Yato's brow throbbed as he rubbed his forehead. "I just used the left-eye technique of my Second-Stage Shikai, and I still haven't recovered. Damn it, I never knew using Amaterasu could hurt this much..."

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