The Darkness In Our Hearts (TDiOH Bk1)

Chapter 45.5: Fear Me

Chiya's POV 

"My guess is you've come for this?" I asked the woman who'd appeared with half a division at her back. I bared my teeth into a grin at the feel of her reiatsu battering at me.

Like that would scare me.

Kera was practically quivering in her boots from whoever this was and as I held her eye, I began to see why. The force she exuded, it reminded me of that brute Kenpachi, only a lot more disciplined.

"Release the soul reaper, Kera," the woman said, hand on her blade.

"Unfortunately, Kera can't come right now so you'll have to deal with me." I raised Paulo up and wrapped a hand around his throat.

I gave the gentlest of squeezes and he gasped like a fish out of water, hands clawing at my wrists. "Ah, ah, ah," I crooned to him, raising him higher from the ground. "Don't make me kill you." I rolled my eyes back to the woman and her posse. "And if any of you try anything funny, I'll gut him and then you. Hands off your weapons."

Hands relaxed from their blades. I relaxed my own grip, just enough to let him gulp down a few mouthfuls of air. "That's much better." I itched to render them bloody and broken with Dorangoháto but already Kera was trying to fight her way back to my body. Probably to run away.

"Chiya, stop now. You don't want to go up against her."

"What do you want, Hollow?" the woman said.

"Her name is Unohana. She's Captain of Squad Four, Chiya. You need to run."

'Kera, sometimes you need to learn when to shut your mouth.' I didn't need her fear polluting me in case this did turn into a fight. Which I'd gladly participate in. It had been a while since I had versed a strong adversary one on one.

"Unohana, is it?" The Captain stiffened. "Here's what's going to happen. I'm going to leave the soul reaper here and you're going to let me walk away scot-free. Should any of you make to follow me, well, I don't have to spell it out. I'm sure you and your squad have the brains to figure out the rest of the threat."

"We can't let you do that!" came an outcry from a silver-haired woman. Her head whipped between me and Unohana. "Captain, if we all attacked now, she won't be able to retaliate."

I grinned at them and made Paulo squeal, eyes bulging. It drained a little to do this but I pushed my reiatsu outwards, twisting it with the fire in my soul. Blue flames burst to life at my feet and along my arms, a pleasant warmth that had Paulo sweating profusely.

Unohana raised her hand to keep the other at bay. "Unfortunately, we don't know the full extent of her powers and what she is capable of," Unohana said. "Our best option is to abide by her rules."

The silver-haired one's lips pursed into a pale, thin line.

"Tell me, what are you doing here?" the Captain asked.

"For the same reason all Hollows are. To hunt, to kill, to maim." I licked my lips. "To tear a soul reaper to shreds, to devour souls. If I had my way, I'd raze this place to the ground." Their aghast faces sent a pleasurable shiver up my spine. "Does that answer your question?"

I was more dangerous than they could ever know.

"But right now, I'm needed to stop some blithering fools from make a stupid mistake so I'll have to save the killing until another time."

I cancelled the flames and put the boy on the ground. He breathed a sigh of relief. I kicked him over so he lay flat on his back and pressed my foot to his chest. He cried out in pain and I knelt closer towards him, smelling the fear rolling off him in waves.