章 73: Chapter 72.5: Akira and Hina
*This is a filler chapter to explain a glimpse of Hina and Akira's relationship.*
~Many years ago~
Another lonely day has passed.
The criminals were actually decimated by a rival gang.
The Kobayashi dragons were on the verge of the defeat as they called for a tactic retreat.
Hina, the best soldier they had, was wounded on her abdomen by a flying bullet to protect their leader Akuma Kobayashi, the man who "raised" her to be a skilled assassin.
But despite that, she kept running and running like nothing happened until she fell on the floor , unconscious.
Considering her injuries and by the all the blood that she had loss, she would've surely been dead.
But she was no ordinary person.
Akira, the woman who once was a skilled soldier and medic, immediately rushed to help her.
Losing Hina would've meant a very bad thing.
But there was more, way more than that.
Akira deeply cared for that girl, just like a little sister.
So, when she was finally face to face with Hina, Akira's heart clenched.
Hina was laying there, motionless, her fierce, determined expression now softened by unconsciousness.
Blood pooled around her abdomen where a bullet had torn through her, and Akira knew there was no time to waste.
Without hesitation, Akira dropped to her knees beside Hina.
She quickly assessed the wound that was bleeding profusely, but not immediately fatal if she acted fast.
The world around them was a battlefield, but Akira pushed everything aside, focusing solely on saving Hina.
"Stay with me, Hina," Akira murmured, her voice a low, steady command. "I'm not letting you go that easily."
Akira's mind raced as she took out a small, hastily assembled kit from her belt.
She knew that in the underworld, there was no room for weakness, and medical help wasn't coming. She had to do this herself.
She quickly sterilized a blade over the flame of a lighter, the heat from it scorching her fingers as she worked with the urgency of desperation.
Hina's breathing was shallow, her skin pale from blood loss.
Akira knew she couldn't afford to lose her.
Not just because Hina was the best fighter in the gang, but because she was like a sister to her.
"I'm sorry, Hina," Akira whispered, her voice wavering for just a moment before she steeled herself. She was about to do something that would cause Hina unimaginable pain, but it was the only way to save her.
There was no time for anesthesia, no time for hesitation.
With a deep breath, Akira made a small incision near the wound, her hands steady despite the racing of her heart.
Hina's body jerked involuntarily, a groan escaping her lips as the pain cut through her unconsciousness.
Akira worked quickly, expertly removing the bullet with a pair of tweezers. Blood continued to flow, and Akira's hands were soon slick with it, but she didn't stop.
"Hold on, just hold on," she muttered under her breath, as much a plea as a command.
She reached into her kit for a vial of alcohol, pouring it directly into the wound to disinfect it.
Hina's eyes fluttered open briefly, a gasp of pain escaping her before she slipped back into darkness, but Hina never screamed.
She was trying her best to endure.
Akira's own hands were trembling now, not from fear, but from the sheer intensity of the situation.
She knew she had to move fast before the wound could get infected.
And she also knew that if she wouldn't have closed it properly, Hina would've been dead for sure.
She took a deep breath and threaded a needle with surgical thread, her movements precise and practiced.
She began stitching the wound closed, every pull of the needle through Hina's skin a battle against the clock.
She could hear the distant sounds of the retreating enemy, but her focus remained unbroken.
Minutes passed like hours as Akira worked, the world narrowing to just her and Hina, the woman she was determined to save.
When she finally finished, she sat back on her heels, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps.
The wound was closed, but Hina was still far from safe.
Akira wrapped Hina's abdomen tightly with gauze, securing it as best as she could.
Then, she lifted Hina into her arms, cradling her close.
Hina was heavier than she looked, but Akira's adrenaline-fueled determination gave her strength.
She had to get them both out of there, away from the battlefield and to a safe place where Hina could recover.
As she carried Hina through the chaos, Akira whispered fiercely, "You're going to be okay, you hear me? You're not leaving me. Not now, not ever."
The night air was thick with the scent of gunpowder and blood, but Akira pushed through it, her only focus on getting Hina to safety.
Every step was a struggle, every moment a test of her endurance, but she refused to give up.
Hina had fought too hard, survived too much, to be lost now.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Akira reached a secluded hideout of the Kobayashi dragons.
A small, almost non-existent building on the outskirts of the city, one of the gang's many safehouses.
She kicked the door open and hurried inside, laying Hina gently on a makeshift bed.
The room was dimly lit, the air stale, but it was safe.
Akira quickly checked Hina's pulse, relieved to find it still strong despite everything.
She took a moment to catch her breath, wiping the sweat and blood from her brow with the back of her hand.
The hardest part was over, but Hina was still in danger.
Infection, blood loss... There were so many things that could still go wrong.
"I'm here," Akira whispered, sitting beside Hina and brushing a strand of hair from her face. "You're safe now. Just rest."
She stayed by Hina's side throughout the night, watching over her like a sentinel, ready to jump into action if anything went wrong.
She knew it would be a long road to recovery, but as long as Hina was alive, there was hope.
And Akira wasn't about to let that hope slip away.
So many questions lingered into her mind.
How could she still feel such human and good emotions despite being a criminal?
Perhaps she was a good person who had taken the wrong path, driven by deep disappointment and a thirst for revenge.
Akira had always wondered how it was possible for her to feel so much affection toward Hina.
She never understood the reason, but she knew that from their first meeting, a kind of protective, almost sisterly instinct had sparked in her heart.
She kept watching and caring for Hina, still being scared that her situation could've been worse.
But deep down, she felt devasted.
Hina was always seeking reassurance from her, asking things like "When will this be over? When are we gonna have a normal life? When are we going to live as human people? I don't like hurting humans... please... Am i a good girl? What should i do?"
And Akira always gave her answers to keep her mouth shut, like the lies that mothers tell their children.
She always said things like "Very soon, we almost done... one more step..." But this loop kept going for years.
Hina was slowly losing hope.
During the night, Akira remained very close to Hina, looking at her with sadness in her eyes.
She also wanted a normal life, but her destiny was already signed with the devil.
She had chosen the wrong path, and going back would've meant death.
But... her lies, all the false hopes that she was giving to Hina were leading to a more dangerous path...
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