NIHM: Ch. 15

The third Kazuha looked older than both of them, probably around sixteen or seventeen. He wore a typical Japanese school uniform, white shirt, dark jacket, and slacks, but the clothes were torn and stained with something dark. His face was pale, and his breathing was shallow.

"Hey," Ninja Kazuha called out, moving toward the figure. "Are you alright?"

The third Kazuha slowly lifted his head. His eyes were unfocused. When he spoke, his voice was weak and hoarse. "I... I'm dead, aren't I?"

As his presence stabilized in the space, the familiar blue light panel projected upward from the center of the table, but the data had completely changed.

---

Name: Kazuha (Experience +3)
HP: 26,000 (+1/300)
MP: 26,000 (+153) (+5)

---

"SP?" Marine Kazuha read aloud.

Before anyone could respond, memories began flooding into their minds. Third Kazuha's memories hit them like a tsunami...

---

He was walking home from cram school at 9 PM. The street was empty except for the occasional car passing by. He'd always been able to see things others couldn't but had learned to ignore them.

The temperature dropped suddenly.

His breath came out in visible puffs despite it being late spring.

That was when he saw it.

The thing was massive, easily three meters tall, with a bone-white mask covering its face. Its body was spider-like, with six long, thin legs that clicked against the pavement. Where its mouth should have been was a gaping hole filled with rows of sharp teeth.

"A human soul... it's been so long since I've had fresh prey," the creature had spoken.

He'd tried to run.

God, he'd tried.

But those legs were faster than anything human. The creature had caught him in the small park near his apartment, one massive claw piercing straight through his chest.

But instead of dying immediately, something else had happened. His soul had begun to change, to hunger...

---

When the memories faded, Ninja Kazuha was the first to speak.

"You were killed by a Hollow and were beginning to transform into one yourself."

The third Kazuha, now they understood he should be called Hollow Kazuha, nodded weakly. "I could feel it happening. But then this place pulled me in."

Ninja Kazuha studied the data panel.

Over the years, through accumulated contributions, the HP values of Marine Kazuha and Ninja Kazuha had already reached parity. As for the "(+1/150)" value, that naturally came from Hollow Kazuha.

At this moment, he had just one sliver of HP keeping him alive by force.

However, after the systems were synchronized and began sharing functionality, his 1 HP began to recover at a speed visible to the naked eye. Before long, he would be fully healed.

Though this MP function was introduced with Hollow Kazuha's appearance, the data foundation came mainly from Ninja Kazuha.

Because chakra was a combination of physical and spiritual energy, he had 26,000 HP, and through training, he also possessed 26,000 chakra.

MP represented mana points, or energy values in general.

26,000 MP: Ninja Kazuha's chakra.

(+153): Pirate Kazuha's Haki.

(+5): Hollow Kazuha's Reiryoku.

But none of that mattered now.

What mattered was that MP and HP could be shared across the three versions of Kazuha just like their potential.

This meant that since Ninja Kazuha had 26,000 chakra, Pirate Kazuha could easily access 26,000 Haki, and Hollow Kazuha could just as easily possess 26,000 Reiryoku.

Moreover, Ninja Kazuha, who had the highest chakra pool, discovered that after acquiring the MP feature, his chakra gained some special traits.

For example, his control over chakra became more refined and well-rounded. When releasing chakra, the embedded spiritual energy now had an intimidating effect. Chakra-based defense or attacks also became noticeably stronger than before.

These were characteristics belonging to Haki and Reiatsu.

---

They spent several minutes discussing the implications. The System Space seemed to exist outside normal time, giving them the luxury of planning without immediate pressure.

"The question is," Ninja Kazuha said, "what happens when you go back? You were in the middle of becoming a Hollow."

Hollow Kazuha's expression grew troubled. "I can feel it even now. The hunger. It wants me to devour souls. But with this shared power... I feel like I can resist it."

Marine Kazuha said bluntly, "But you're still going to be a Hollow in a world full of Shinigami who kill Hollows on sight. What's your plan?"

"Hueco Mundo," Hollow Kazuha said without hesitation. "If I can get there, I'll have time to figure out how to use this power without being hunted. If I can establish myself there, build power..."

"I like it," Marine Kazuha said approvingly. "What about the transformation? Can you control it?"

"I think so." Hollow Kazuha held up his hand, and for a moment, his fingers seemed to elongate slightly, becoming more claw-like, before returning to normal. "The System is helping me maintain my consciousness, but I can feel the power. It's really intoxicating."

"There's something we need to discuss," Ninja Kazuha said seriously. "The hunger you mentioned, for souls. We've never killed innocents before."

Hollow Kazuha's expression darkened. "I know. I can feel it constantly now, this urge to feed. But I won't become a monster. I'd rather starve."

"You won't starve," Marine Kazuha said firmly. "Hollows can feed on other Hollows, right? And there are plenty of evil spirits out there."

"Yes, but..." Hollow Kazuha hesitated. "Consuming other souls changes you. The more you eat, the more you want to eat."

The three of them sat in contemplative silence for a moment.

"How much time do we have?" Marine Kazuha asked.

Hollow Kazuha concentrated, feeling his connection to his physical form. "Not long. My body is still in that park, and Shinigami will be drawn to the spiritual disturbance. If they find me mid-transformation..."

"They'll purify you," Ninja Kazuha said. "Which means death for real this time."

"Right. So I need to get to Hueco Mundo fast." Hollow Kazuha stood up, and immediately the others could see he looked stronger. The HP sharing was taking effect. "The question is whether I can open a Garganta with this power level."

"With 26,000 MP? Should be easy," Marine Kazuha commented.

"Hm..." Hollow Kazuha said. "Too much power will draw every Shinigami in the area. I need to suppress it, or make it look like I'm just a regular Hollow."

Ninja Kazuha nodded. "I know some chakra suppression techniques. The principles should be similar."

They spent the next few minutes sharing techniques for power suppression. Hollow Kazuha proved to be a quick learner, the shared memories allowing him to adapt their methods to Reiatsu.

"There's one more thing," he said. "Once I fully transform, I'll look different, and my personality might change too. Hollows are driven by their negative emotions and regrets."

"What was yours?" Ninja Kazuha asked quietly. "Your regret?"

Hollow Kazuha was quiet for a long moment. "My grandmother. She raised me after my parents died, worked three jobs to pay for my education. The night I died, I was coming home from cram school. She was waiting up for me, probably had dinner ready... She'll find out I'm dead and blame herself. Think she pushed me too hard."

The other two Kazuha exchanged glances. They'd both lost family.

"We'll find a way to let her know it wasn't her fault," Marine Kazuha said firmly. "Maybe not directly, but we'll find a way."

"Thanks," Hollow Kazuha said softly.

"Alright," Ninja Kazuha said, taking charge. "Here's what we're going to do. You'll go back, complete the transformation but maintain consciousness. Open a Garganta immediately, don't hesitate, and don't look back. Get to Hueco Mundo and find somewhere to lay low while you figure out your next move."

"What about establishing contact?" Hollow Kazuha asked.

"The System Space," Marine Kazuha replied. "We can meet here whenever we need to plan or share information. But for now, survival is the priority."

Hollow Kazuha nodded, then looked at both of them seriously. "If I lose control..."

"You won't," Ninja Kazuha said with conviction. "We're all the same person at our core. And that core doesn't give up, doesn't surrender to despair, and doesn't hurt innocents."

"Plus," Marine Kazuha added with a slight grin, "you've got the combined willpower of a guy who survived being raised by giants and another who infiltrated an organization of elite assassins. You're not exactly working with standard human resolve here."

Hollow Kazuha stood up from his chair, his form already beginning to fade as he prepared to return to his body.

"I'll be careful," he said. "And I'll try to check in within a day or two, once I've secured a position."

"Good luck," both of the other Kazuha said simultaneously.

The white space dissolved around Hollow Kazuha as his consciousness snapped back to his physical form.

---

Kazuha's eyes snapped open, and immediately he could feel the difference. His body was cold, and when he looked down at his hands.

The transformation was accelerating. His fingernails were growing longer, sharper. He could feel a hard substance forming across his face.

Most disturbingly, he could sense other souls nearby. The apartment building across the street was full of them, warm and inviting and...

"No," he said aloud, his voice already becoming deeper.

Drawing on the shared techniques from his other selves, he began suppressing his Reiatsu even as it grew stronger. The process was like trying to hold back a dam with his bare hands, but gradually, he managed to contain most of it.

But he couldn't hide it completely. In the distance, he sensed something moving, fast, and heading in his direction.

A Shinigami.

He raised his hand, now tipped with claws, and concentrated. He'd never opened a Garganta before, but the knowledge was there.

The air in front of him began to tear. Beyond the tear was endless white sand.

But the portal was taking too much energy to maintain, and he could sense the Shinigami getting closer. Desperation gave him strength, and he poured more Reiatsu into the technique.

The tear widened into a proper portal just as a figure in black robes landed in the park behind him.

"Stop right there!"

He didn't turn around. Instead, he leaped through the portal, feeling the strange sensation of traveling between dimensions. Behind him, he heard the Shinigami curse as the Garganta snapped shut.

---

Kazuha tumbled out of the closing portal and hit the white sand hard, rolling several times before coming to a stop.

He slowly picked himself up and looked around.

Endless white desert stretched in every direction. The air itself felt heavy with spiritual pressure, and in the distance, he could see the silhouettes of what looked like massive trees made of bone.

But he wasn't alone.

Three pairs of glowing red eyes watched him from a nearby dune, and he could hear the low growls of hungry Hollows approaching. His escape had landed him directly in predator territory.

"Well," he said, his voice now fully distorted by the mask that covered half his face, "at least things can't get any worse."

As if in response to his words, a bone-chilling roar echoed across the desert from somewhere much deeper in Hueco Mundo.

He sighed, flexed his newly formed claws, and prepared to fight for his survival.