When Adam woke up once again, he felt incredibly refreshed and his body oddly pleasant—like the soothing warmth of a hot spring after a long and grueling day of training.
As he lay there on his bed with his eyes open, he recalled everything that had happened before he passed out. The sterile white walls, the faint tang of disinfectant in the air, and the hushed silence told him he was in the hospital.
Sitting up, Adam summoned his System panel.
Reading each of them, Adam quickly understood the situation of his body and tore away the blanket covering his leg.
The purple veins that signifies his Honkai Corruption had vanished and what was left behind was his unblemished and smooth skin. A little too smooth, he should say.
Returning to his System panel, he saw another surprise.
His stats had improved greatly!
Nearly all stats had doubled!
Adam couldn't contain his excitement and joy especially after seeing the new skill listed on his stats panel.
[Shikai Release: Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu.]
Effect: Absolute Hypnosis
> Manipulation by altering all of the senses of the targets that saw the Shikai Release. The extent of the manipulation depends on the Reiatsu used.
"This really is Kyoka Suigetsu…" Adam mutters, resisting the urge to slap himself on the face to see if he was dreaming.
He was too happy to the extent that he didn't even question why Adam is in possession of Aizen's Zanpakuto when it was supposed to be unique to each Shinigami.
Adam then quickly summoned his Zanpakuto which appeared in his hands.
It appears as an ordinary katana with a metallic-gold handguard that is of hexagonal shape, green wrapping wrap around its handle leaving rhombus gaps and finishes with a golden pommel.
Gripping it in his hand, he felt the Reiatsu inside him flowing into his blade seamlessly as if it was an extension of himself and the Zanpakuto is very eager to serve him for some reason.
He also can instinctively tell that with the release of his Shikai form, he will be even more powerful than before and he could kill a hundred of his previous self with ease.
Suddenly, he felt something was pulling his consciousness away and the scenery around him changed. Shadows bled into the corners, and then, in an instant, he was no longer in the hospital room. Instead, he stood in an endless field of glass-like water reflecting a dark, starless void.
"Here again…" Adam muttered, scanning the surroundings. His grip instinctively tightened on his sword.
Then she appeared. A woman cloaked in elegance and mystery—long hair like black silk, eyes half-lidded yet sharp, lips curving in a faint smile.
She is definitely Kyoka Suigetsu.
"You woke up faster than I expected," she said, her voice smooth like ripples on still water yet contain an untold worry within.
Adam frowned, trying to make sense of her cryptic words. "You… What have you done to my body?" He asked out of curiosity rather than accusing.
Her smile turned dangerously sharp for a moment, her gaze radiating intense killing intent but disappeared like a veil slipping but quickly readjusted.
"What have I done?" she echoed. "Naturally, it's what I should do."
"You are my Master. I cannot allow those filthy things to defile your body."
"Besides… I still have something I want from you."
He narrowed his eyes. He could sense something in her tone, something beneath the surface, but he wasn't good at reading emotions.
Kyoka Suigetsu circled closer, her steps silent, graceful. "You still don't understand, do you? Even when I'm right in front of you."
"Understand what?" Adam said, his eyes puzzled by such cryptic and riddle-like words that he hates.
She stopped in front of him, close enough that the air between them felt taut with tension. For a fleeting second, Adam thought he saw a flicker of raw emotion—longing, maybe?—but he shook it off. He must have imagined it.
"Dense as ever," she whispered, almost to herself as her smile softened for a brief moment.
Before Adam could respond, her hand reached out and, without hesitation as she held his chin in place. Her grip might look forceful. But it actually is not.
She moved her face closer as she stared into his eyes as Adam nervously waited.
It's not unusual for a Zanpakuto Spirit to display eccentric acts and Adam expects she is probably trying to intimidate him to gauge his willpower? A test?
But suddenly, he felt her lips sealed against his. The kiss was sudden, soft yet charged with an intensity that froze him in place. His eyes widened, mind blank.
By the time he began to process it, she had already pulled away with a faint silver string connecting them. Her face showed an expression of reluctance as she closed her eyes and turned away.
And then, just as abruptly, the world cracked like shattered glass, and Adam felt himself yanked out of the inner space.
The hospital room returned around him in a blink. His lips still tingled, his chest tight with confusion. "What… just happened?" he muttered, his hand brushing against his mouth. He couldn't understand it—was it a game? A test?
Meanwhile, back in the fading void, Kyoka Suigetsu lingered alone in the courtyard. Her elegant mask slipped for the briefest moment. Her hand rose to her lips where the warmth of the kiss still lingered, and her eyes trembled with longing and affection she could not allow herself to show.
"Idiot…" she whispered with a faint, bittersweet smile and also sadness.
"It matter not if you remember or forget. This Kyoka Suigetsu is always your one and only sword."
———
Walking down the quiet hospital hallway, Hua carried a small food container in her hands.
It had been two days since Adam was hospitalized after the incident, and he had yet to wake up. She had been coming here daily—partly because Carole was also admitted, but mostly because she couldn't bring herself to stay away.
Every afternoon after her grueling training sessions, Hua would stop by. The hospital was only a short walk from the training facility, and visiting had become part of her routine.
The food she brought wasn't for Adam, of course, but for herself—a way to refuel after pushing her body to its limits.
As always, she chose to check in on Adam first. Carole could still talk, but Adam remained locked in his silent state. A brief visit, nothing more. After all… what could she possibly say to someone in a coma?
Reaching his private ward, Hua slipped inside and quietly shut the door. With a sigh, she placed her food on the nearby desk and made her way to the bathroom sink to wash her hands.
Her movements were practiced, almost instinctive, shaped by days of repetition. Lost in thought, she didn't notice the pair of eyes watching her.
"Oh, hey Hua."
"Hello— Huh?"
She froze mid-motion, her head snapping toward the bed so quickly it almost hurt her neck.
"Adam? You're awake?"
"Should I not be?" Adam asked, voice tinged with humor as a faint chuckle slipped out.
"No."
The word came firm, almost trembling. Hua crossed the room in quick strides, her head lowered as she stopped beside him. Before he could say anything more, she wrapped her arms around him.
"H—"
Adam's attempt to speak died in his throat when he felt her shoulders trembling. Warm tears streaked her face, soaking lightly into his gown.
For a moment, her grip was too tight, almost desperate, as if afraid he might vanish again if she let go. Adam exhaled softly, understanding without words. They had been through so much together, and in her eyes, he was one of the few bonds she still had left in this world—alongside Carole and Himeko. Of course she'd been worried sick.
Silently, Adam raised a hand and gently rubbed her head, letting her cling to him until the storm passed. He didn't notice the way her breath caught at the gesture, or how long she hesitated before finally releasing him.
When she did pull back, Hua quickly looked away, tucking stray strands of hair behind her ear as if to hide the redness in her cheeks. She sank into the chair beside his bed, her eyes still glassy but her voice carrying more steel than usual.
"You! Do you have any idea how terrified I was when I found you screaming—bleeding from your face like that?" she scolded, her anger sharp but laced with something warmer, something she couldn't quite mask.
Adam scratched the back of his head, wearing a sheepish, guilty smile.
"I'm sorry, Hua. I really am. But it was safe—otherwise, I wouldn't have done it." He lied smoothly.
He explained away her account of the incident with a fabricated excuse—that he had been testing a method to purge the Honkai corruption using his power.
Hua frowned, lips pressing into a thin line. She wasn't the type to press further, but her gaze lingered on him longer than necessary, as if trying to read something in his expression.
She lacked the knowledge to challenge him, and in the end, his unique abilities were his burden to manage. If it had worked, then she had little ground to argue.
Still, her glare softened before she looked away, a faint flush coloring her cheeks. She masked it with a scoff, but her heart was still pounding far faster than she wanted to admit.
Adam only saw her usual strictness—comrade to comrade, rival to rival. He didn't realize there was more hidden beneath the surface.
As Kyoka Suigetsu said, he is quite dense.
Furthermore, he never sees Hua in such a romantic way or had any of such thoughts since his actual age is almost double Hua's age. Not to mention her *cough* …assets are a 'little' lacking.
At most, he sees her more like a younger sister or junior and more likely to feel attracted to Himeko than Hua.
"Anyway, take care of yourself. Himeko will visit you soon." Hua stood abruptly, fleeing the room with burning cheeks.
Adam waved as she vanished. His smile faded, replaced with seriousness.
"So, my plan to stay lowkey had failed, huh?" He mumbles before he takes out his Zanpakuto that he hides under his blanket.
"No matter, with Kyoka Suigetsu as my Zanpakuto. My old plan to stay lowkey is basically a waste of time."
"Going into the HQ and approaching the important people is the better option right now and this opportunity is literally godsend."
His eyes gazing at his Zanpakuto sharpened and flashing with a dangerous glint as he caressed the blade which vibrated in response.
—————
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