Chapter 37: Emergency Treatment

Yamabuki Haruto frowned as he examined the girl’s wound. He had studied Kaido under Kirinji Tenjirō, but this was the first time he had dealt with such a severe injury.

Treating a fish at Tenjirō’s hot springs was one thing… treating a pierced lung was an entirely different matter.

Sending her back to the Seireitei? Impossible. She would bleed out before they ever arrived.

There was no choice but to act here.

Haruto pulled out a short blade, cutting away her blood-soaked uniform. He forced himself to ignore the sight—normally he might have made a joke, but not now.

“What are you staring at?!” Yamabuki Haruto barked at the other recruits. “Eyes front! Stay alert. Haven’t you learned anything? The enemy doesn’t give you time to gawk.”

The four boys around him flushed with shame. They had let their guard down after completing their mission—and this was the price.

Haruto studied the Hollow’s jagged bone-blade still lodged through her chest. If he simply yanked it out, she’d bleed to death instantly. He had to seal the damaged vessels first with Kaido, then pull it free, and immediately flood the wound with healing reiryoku.

But Kaido wasn’t instant. A wound like this needed at least one or two minutes to stabilize—and whether the girl could survive that gap depended entirely on her willpower.

Sweat beaded on Haruto’s brow. I knew taking on recruits was a thankless job… damn it.

He steadied his breathing, cleaned away the blood, and pre-stitched her spiritual veins with Kaido. Then he gripped the bone blade.

“You’d better hold on.”

With a sharp pull, he tore it free. Blood sprayed. Haruto slammed his hands to the wound, pouring his reiryoku in as fast as he could, ignoring the spiritual drain.

Ninety seconds of agony later, the wound was sealed. The girl still lay pale and unmoving. Too much blood had been lost.

Then—

“Cough! Cough!—”

She convulsed, spitting out blood, her eyes fluttering weakly open.

Haruto finally let out the breath he’d been holding. He stripped off his coat and wrapped her in it. Then, lifting her into his arms, he vanished with shunpo, racing back toward Seireitei.

The four boys scrambled after him.

He crashed through the doors of Kirinji Tenjirō’s hot spring house.

“Hot spring. Now.”

Tenjirō already knew from Fenghara’s report. He plunged the girl into the healing waters, mixing crushed herbs into the steam. Hours passed.

By three in the morning, her eyes opened again. The wound was gone, though her body remained drained and limp.

She floated in the hot spring, clothed only in a thin white under-robe, the wet fabric clinging transparently to her form.

“You’re awake,” Haruto said softly, sitting nearby. Relief finally showed on his face.

The girl blinked, disoriented. Slowly, memory returned—the Hollow ambush, the blade through her chest. She had been certain she would die.

She tried to touch her chest but lacked the strength.

“Don’t move,” Haruto ordered. “You’ve lost too much blood. Rest. You’ll rejoin the team when you’re ready. And next time—don’t underestimate your enemy.”

The girl gave a faint nod.

Haruto leaned down, lifting her from the water. Only then did she realize how exposed she was, her face flushing scarlet.

He smirked to lighten the mood. “Now you’re shy? I already tore off your clothes during treatment. Didn’t expect someone so young to be… well-developed.”

Her blush deepened furiously.

“Hanako,” Haruto called to one of the female recruits nearby, “see to her care. I’m going to rest.” He turned back to the girl. “By the way—I never asked your name.”

The girl whispered, “...My name is Kano Chimaru, instructor. I… I’ll repay you someday.”

Haruto froze. Kano?

That surname was rare.

“Tell me—do you have a relative named Kano Chiharu?” Haruto asked.

Chimaru’s eyes widened. “Instructor—you know my sister?”

Your sister?!

Kano Chiharu, first captain of the 8th Division in the Gotei 13.

Haruto remembered her reputation. Outwardly refined, graceful, the perfect noble lady. But once she drew her blade, she cut down men with a ferocity rivaling even Unohana Retsu.

Haruto rubbed his temple. So she’s from a noble clan… no wonder. Why is it that noble daughters are either elegant saints or wild cats?

He smirked to himself. Well… I won’t name names.

“But why wasn’t Captain Chiharu here during recruitment?” Haruto thought aloud. There had to be a reason.

Finally, he straightened. “Very well. To avoid any further accidents, I’ll escort you home tomorrow myself.”

And maybe… convince your sister to join training. For purely professional reasons, of course. Definitely not because I’d like a daily sparring partner…

His grin widened. It’s decided.