Chapter 36: Promise to Rukia Kuchiki
Narrator's POV
Akira watched in silence, his gaze sharp yet calm. His perception, sharpened by leveling up so much, had begun to pick up on more than movements and spiritual presences—it sensed emotions.
Though faint, he could feel the aura of feelings that surrounded Rukia.
Fear…
Sorrow…
Guilt.
He wasn't sure if she feared her brother, the thought of Ichigo or himself getting hurt… or perhaps all of it at once. What he did know was that she carried a burden she didn't deserve.
"Rukia…" Akira sighed, scratching the back of his head.
He completely ignored Byakuya, who remained silent in the background, and approached her with steady steps. Stopping in front of her small frame, he gently crouched down to her level.
"I know we barely know each other… that we've only exchanged a few words. But that doesn't mean I'm indifferent to what happens to you. And even less so… when they treat you like a criminal for something you clearly did out of kindness."
Rukia averted her eyes, unable to meet his gaze. She didn't understand why Akira insisted on protecting her. It was strange… and at the same time, comforting. Like a warm breeze in the middle of winter.
Then, her eyes widened in surprise as she felt Akira's arms wrap softly around her. It wasn't a possessive or forced gesture—it was sincere, protective. A hug that asked for nothing in return.
For a moment, Rukia didn't know how to react. She stood still, barely breathing, as a lump of emotion tightened her throat.
"It's okay… I'll let you go. But listen carefully." Akira whispered calmly beside her ear. "Maybe it won't make sense… maybe you won't even believe me. But I'll save you, Rukia. I don't need a great reason. If I can do it… I will. I promise."
Then, without saying anything else, Akira smiled softly and, with the same tenderness he had spoken with, wiped away a single tear that had rolled down Rukia's cheek.
The former shinigami girl didn't know what to say. She simply lowered her gaze… and allowed herself, for a moment, to rest in those arms.
Renji, his body aching from the blow Akira had dealt him, was slowly getting up. Every movement drew a grimace of pain, but his attention wasn't on his wounds—it was on the scene before him.
Akira was still kneeling before Rukia, holding her in that gentle, protective embrace. Renji clenched his teeth. There was something about that closeness that deeply unsettled him. Rukia wasn't resisting. She wasn't pushing him away. On the contrary… she seemed calm. At peace.
That trust, that closeness… bothered him more than he wanted to admit. He didn't like what he was seeing. That gesture… that connection… that strange bond forming between them. He felt jealous. Not just because Akira touched her so naturally, but because Rukia—the Rukia who rarely let anyone that close—seemed comfortable. Too comfortable. For Renji, that was unacceptable.
(Since when…? Why does she look so… at ease with him?)
His brow furrowed slightly, and though he said nothing, his aura betrayed him. Jealousy burned in his chest, mixed with the frustration of having been defeated so easily.
Byakuya, on the other hand, remained unmoved. His expression was the same as always—cold, stoic. He didn't seem to care about the scene before him. But his eyes were fixed on Akira, analyzing him. There was something unusual about this human. Something he still couldn't quite decipher.
Rukia, a bit uncertain, timidly returned the hug. She wasn't used to receiving that kind of affection. Her body trembled slightly at the gesture, but she didn't reject it. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, allowing herself that brief feeling of protection she had long needed.
Byakuya, meanwhile, remained still, his demeanor as serene as ever. If what he was seeing bothered him, he didn't show it in the slightest. His gaze stayed the same—cold, distant… yet watchful.
"A-Akira…" Rukia murmured softly, her voice trembling. Unsure, unaccustomed to such closeness. But even so… she returned the hug. Awkward, timid, but sincere. "Please… take care of Ichigo and help him. He's a reckless fool."
With that, her heart heavy and her resolve firm in her steps, she pulled away from him and walked slowly toward her brother and Renji, who still looked at her with a mix of pain and confusion.
Akira did nothing to stop her. He could have. With his current power level, he could easily defeat both shinigami. He could prevent them from taking her. He could change everything.
But he didn't.
Because Akira knew well—some events needed to happen.
Rukia's capture wasn't just a personal tragedy. It was a catalyst. The push Ichigo needed to awaken his true power. The chain of events that would eventually reveal Aizen's betrayal and set into motion changes far beyond the personal.
It wasn't resignation. It was strategy. For now… he would let the original course continue. Just for now. But, just in case…
A subtle gleam flashed in Akira's eyes as a faint shadow slipped unnoticed beneath Rukia's feet. He had embedded one of his soldiers into her shadow. Silent. Undetectable. A safeguard… for when the time came to intervene.
Ichigo lifted his head with effort. His body, shattered by Byakuya's attack, wouldn't respond—but his spirit refused to yield. With one last effort, he forced his neck upward. And he saw her. Rukia… walking away.
Through the rain beginning to fall, her figure blurred as she was escorted by the two shinigami. His hand trembled. His soul screamed.
"R-Rukia… Akira… do something!" he shouted desperately, his voice filled with helplessness.
Akira, standing beside him, looked down seriously. Not with coldness, but with understanding—and an unshakable resolve.
"Calm down, carrot-head…" he said, placing his foot gently on Ichigo's chest to keep him from getting up. "You're only speeding up your death. —The rain drenched his black hair and clothes, but he didn't move. He didn't care about getting wet. —Don't worry. We'll save her… but in your current state, you can't do anything.
"I can't… but you can! Stop them!" Ichigo shouted, stretching his arm out desperately, grabbing Akira's ankle as if that could stop reality itself.
Akira looked at him calmly, unmoving. Then, in a low voice, he simply muttered:
"Three… two… one…"
At that moment, Ichigo's strength completely collapsed. His fingers slipped from Akira's foot, his eyes clouded. The last thing he saw was Rukia… disappearing on the horizon with the shinigami.
And then… darkness.
The rain poured harder, but Akira didn't flinch. He made no move to shield himself. He just stood there, a steady shadow amid the water and silence.
"Are you going to come out… or just keep watching?"
The question was cast into the air calmly. It wasn't a guess—it was a certainty. He already knew he was being watched. A figure emerged from the shadows, the sound of sandals on wet ground, a yellow umbrella opening softly.
Urahara Kisuke.
"You detected me. Very impressive, Akira… Not only can you stand against a lieutenant and a captain, but you also have excellent perception." He approached slowly, placing the umbrella over Ichigo's unconscious body to shield him from the rain. "I think you and I… have a lot to talk about."
Akira frowned slightly. He wasn't stupid. He knew Urahara Kisuke well—the man with the striped hat and the carefree smile. A cunning type, seemingly well-intentioned, but one who liked to move pieces from the shadows. And Akira wasn't a piece.
"Forget it, crazy hat. I've got nothing to say to you." His voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. He turned around without looking back, his steps calm but full of resolve. "I trust you'll help Ichigo… and make sure he doesn't die."
And with that, he walked away under the rain, as if the weight of the world could no longer reach him.
Urahara slowly lowered his fan, his carefree expression breaking for a moment, revealing a far more serious and analytical gaze. He had felt that aura.
That dense, dark… powerful energy. He wasn't a simple human. And what intrigued him most was that Akira was only just beginning to reveal his true potential.
(Yoruichi wasn't lying… This boy really is something special.)
A faint smile crossed his lips, but his eyes told another story—interest. Strategy. Caution.
"Ururu, quick. Take Ichigo, before we lose him."
He returned to his relaxed tone, waving his fan with the same casual gesture as always. But in his mind, Akira was no longer a mystery he could ignore. He was a variable he couldn't afford to leave off the board.
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End of Chapter.