Chapter 27: Mating?


    <span style="font-weight:400">M Rose halted a few paces from the cave entrance and locked eyes with Kazuya.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Caught off-guard by her fierce gaze, Kazuya gasped dramatically. “Such aggressiveness! Have you gone into heat after your transformation? Am I going to be pushed down and vited in the Amazonian position? I-I refuse to be defiled in such a manner!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Rolling her eyes, M Rose scoffed, "Amazonian position what? I swear, I''ll vite your ass if you don’t stop spitting nonsense."


    <span style="font-weight:400">He instinctively ced a protective hand over his rear, shivering. “That ce is off limits. If you insist on viting my rear, I will fight you to death. It’s not a question about my fetish or my affection for you. It’s about my honor as a man!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">M Roseughed at his melodrama and gripped his shoulders. “Shove your manliness down the drain. I didn’t bring you here to mate or whatever filthy stuff you’re cooking in your mind. Besides, what’s the point in two Hollows mating? We can’t make babies as far as I know.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">She saw no logical reason for Hollows to engage in reproductive activities.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Ahem, sex is an act of pleasure… I think?” He slipped into his naive, innocent personality and assumed a thoughtful look oozing with curiosity. “I believe sex feels good.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">M Rose’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Did you remember some significant memory?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">If he was as handsome as he looked in his human form, M Rose could imagine Kazuya having a beautiful partner when he was a human. He must be recalling some memories of his past life.


    <i><span style="font-weight:400">‘Hmph, I am miles better than anyone he ever had in his life.’</i>


    <span style="font-weight:400">A dark, envious urge overtook her,pelling her to put down anyone who had been close to Kazuya.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Lost in thought, he murmured, “Why does that matter? I''m a ruthless, bloodthirsty Hollow now, just like you.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“That is true.” She yfully punched his chest. “Hey, how did youe to learn about mating?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“How do <i><span style="font-weight:400">you </i><span style="font-weight:400">know about mating?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I was born with the memories,” M Rose mused, her fingers scratching her chin as she delved into the depths of her mind. “Or I overheard it in my Hollow tribe. Yes, that must be it. Someone mentioned the legend of a Hollow tribe living in the darkest shadows of the abyss. They all belong to the same species and engage in mating rituals, spawning more Hollows of their kind… that’s how the legend goes.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Kazuya''s eyes shed with recognition. Ulquiorra might be born in such a tribe, surrounded by Hollows of a singr species. That’s how he believed Ulquiorra’s story went.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You imed Hollows can''t bear offspring. But now you speak of a Hollow tribe capable of reproducing. What are you trying to say, Rose?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">M Rose widened her eyes. “I never thought about it before.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Grinning slyly, Kazuya spread his arms wide, beckoning her. “Well then, shall we attempt to create some offspring of our own?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Absolutely not.” M Rose shuddered at the thought of having babies. “Even if I am capable of it, I am not having a baby. Not ever.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">He mockingly sneered at her decision. “Why not?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">M Rose spread her arms. “Look around us. We’re barely scraping by here. Our child will only suffer if we bring him into this hellhole of a ce.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You want a better ce for our child?” He raised a brow. “Let’s wait until I kill Baraggan. That should make Hueco Mundo more peaceful.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">He wasn’t in any hurry to get into a rtionship. After all, he would miss out on the rest of the group if he got too deep in a rtionship with M Rose and others decided to give up. He had to seduce each and every one of them and open their eyes to the wonderful world of romance and sex.


    <span style="font-weight:400">A tough but equally rewarding task.


    <span style="font-weight:400">M Rose hesitatingly nodded before she widened her eyes. “Wait, why am I discussing having babies with you?! Fuck, run after me! We have something important to talk about.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Without waiting for a response, she leaped gracefully over the hill and sprinted toward the next one. He chuckled and trailed after her, using his Sonído to keep up with her shenanigans. Together, they sped across the stark white expanse, covering kilometers in mere minutes before halting near a cliff’s edge.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sheughed, pure bliss on her face. “Tell me. That was fun, wasn’t it?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Kazuya stared at her, unamused. “What do you want to do here?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">"This spot is quite lovely for sitting and rxing." She settled down on the edge of the cliff, her legs dangling over the side. She patted the space beside her. "Join me, Skull."


    <span style="font-weight:400">M Rose had gone to great lengths to keep this conversation hidden from the others, especially Sung-Sun, who would never let her live it down. As skilled as M Rose was inbat, she couldn''t outwit Sung-Sun, Kazuya, or even Api in a verbal spar. Her only chance of victoryy in a contest of words against the soft-spoken Harribel, which had never happened to this day.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Kazuya quietly sat down beside her. She clearly had something on her mind, but instead of addressing it, she began to whistle, swinging her legs back and forth like a carefree child.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Lala~.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Can you try stating your point before I die of old age?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">M Rose cleared her throat and looked at him, her green eyes reflecting his vicious skull mask. “Skull…”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Yes, I love you if you are thinking about confessing to me. Let us fly to church and put rings on each other.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“PLEASE BE SERIOUS FOR ONCE. It’s about my transformation.” M started slow, her voice husky with emotions, and her heart rate hiking. “Everyone’s Reiatsu was fluctuating wildly when it happened… But you, you didn’t show a single change… Why was that?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">His apparent indifference to her life-and-death struggle made her ufortable. Despite their recent conflicts, she had hoped that he would show some concern after they had resolved their misunderstandings. She was willing to risk her life to protect him and Harribel. A minor concern in return was nothing much.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Kazuya tilted his head back, his gaze settling on the silvery moon above. "I had unwavering faith that you would seed."


    <span style="font-weight:400">M Rose had no idea that he had known her long before their first encounter in Hueco Mundo, that he had recognized her potential as an Arrancar from the start.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Somehow, she felt her cheeks bing hot. “Where the hell did that truste from?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">He chuckled, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Can you exin every emotion and thought that courses through your mind? No, right? Some things simply exist without exnation, or for reasons beyond our understanding."


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Ohhh… I—”


    <span style="font-weight:400">He leaned in, gently cradling her chin in his hand. In an instant, his mask vanished, revealing his human form beneath. The instantaneous transformation happened at his will. After a lengthy first time, he could switch between both races at will without even opening the Race Editor.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Rose.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Y-Yeah?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Their close proximity and his sweet, whispery voice clouded her thoughts, causing her to stammer.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Instead of questioning me, shouldn’t you reward me for helping you?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah, you’re right.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">"So let me," he whispered, drawing nearer until their lips hovered a hair''s breadth apart. “Embrace you.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">M Rose closed her eyes, allowing herself to be swept up in the moment''s intensity. Their breath mingled as their lips met in a sweet, innocent kiss.