[DISCONTINUED] Strive | Bleach

Chapter Thirty-Three: Game Face.

Chapter Thirty-Three: Game Face.

This is the second-to-last chapter before Abaron’s departure to Hueco Mundo. I’m afraid her point of view won’t be available, as this is where her Vizard training begins. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, so if you enjoyed reading it, let me know! I’m always happy to hear what you think.

This chapter is dedicated to everyone who has voted, commented, and just read this story. When I woke up this morning, I found that Strive has reach over 6000 reads! Thank you very much, everyone! It sure has come a long way, and I’m still in denial that people actually like this story…

I’ve updated Abaron and Shōri’s Character Bios in the first part of the book, so if you’d like, go ahead and check it out. When this story is completed, I will be editing EVERYTHING, and once that’s done, well…

***

Plucking the unconscious girl up from the ground, Shinji Hirako tossed her over his shoulder. Her head lolled several times before rocking still, landing where Shinji had hoped it wouldn’t.

“How the hell’d you get yourself into this mess?” He sighed before turning her head away. He didn’t want to look at her. Not while she was like that.

“You didn’t exactly give her time to process everything,” Love Aikawa said.

“We can do that after she learns to control her Hollow,” Shinji replied. He then turned to Hachigen Ushōda, who had just stood up with the others. “Hachi, open the door, would you?”

“Of course, sir,” Hachigen Ushōda said in compliance. Snapping his fingers, a large space appeared in the middle of the floor with a loud rumble and a very unsubtle creak. “Would you like me to place barriers, too?”

“Yeah, a four-tier around the warehouse and when we get down below, a five.” Hachigen’s eyes widened.

“A five? Will she really need it?”

“I’d say,” Lisa Yadomaru said with a laugh. “If she’s anything Kisuke told us she was, it’s not safe to tame that Hollow of hers below a three-tier, unless you’re looking to die?”

“V-very well,” Hachigen said, gulping.

“So then who’s gonna be the first one to train her after?” Hiyori Sarugaki asked.

“I’ll do it,” Shinji said. He made for the stairs, beckoning for the others to follow him. “After all… she’s still my Lieutenant.”

***

Shinji didn’t want Abaron’s fluctuating spiritual energy to leak uncontrollably, so he had the master Kidō user prepare to place his personal technique – Hachigyo Sogai – to keep it from doing just that. And, he suspected that if her friends felt how unbalanced and powerful it would become once they began, surely they would come to her aid, believing she was truly in danger, as it might suggest.

“Alright, Hachi, put ‘em up.” Clasping his hands together, the man then slammed them against the ground. Two barriers – though only one was able to be seen, as the other was out of view – formed around the warehouse and the basement training grounds.

“We’ll do an eight minute rotation between the seven of us,” said the former Squad Five Captain. “If things get more serious, we’ll decrease the time to five on my second turn.”