Chapter 53 - First Job

(A/N: Back to short chaps for a bit until I have a day off again. Once I hit the 30 day mark of my personal writing challenge - ignoring my missed day - I will drop to 5 public updates per week. I will still post daily on Patreon. Might even post more than that if I'm feeling spunky. Anyway, enjoy the chappy.)

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Back in the Study Chamber beneath Urahara's shop, two light circles split apart. Once again, Jin found himself back in his homeworld. A wry smile crossed his lips. He truly enjoyed his time in the One Piece world, as short as it was. He hoped the Chat Group would allow him to return there of his own volition at some point.

Upon recalling the Chat Group, he checked the message log for the first time in a few days. A few discussions took place between the members, but most of the discussion consisted of what happened during their respective tutorial missions, which left Konan without much to say most of the time. Because of that, Jin decided that aside from easing any hostility from her later, he would also try to open her up to talking more in the chat.

Other than the missions, they occasionally discussed non-secret aspects of each others' worlds. Finally, he noticed a ping directed at himself.

Railgun: [@Jin, when are you gonna send me manga? It's been more than a week.]

Jin: [Not even two days have passed in my homeworld since I left yours. I've been busy with the missions, too. If I have time today, I'll grab some.]

Railgun: [Yes! Please do! I've been stressing out about it since you left.]

Jin chuckled, but then glanced down at the bandages covering his wounds leftover from both the tutorial mission and training with the Straw Hats. Recalling a previous discussion, he typed a message for Jellal.

Jin: [Hey, @wizard-san, you still got any healing items you mentioned.]

Wizard-San: [Sorry, I assumed you no longer needed them since you didn't mention them again. I wasn't able to get any potions, but I got my hands on a few one-time-use scrolls inscribed with healing magic. I can send them over if you still need them.]

Jin: [I'd appreciate it. Just let me know if there is anything I can send in return later.]

Wizard-san: [Don't worry about it. They aren't that valuable.]

"Hm. Yeah, right. I doubt that, considering I hardly remember seeing such things in Fairy Tail's story," Jin mumbled to himself, rolling his eyes.

Wizard-san: [Also, the Crimson Despair showed up randomly in front of us earlier to ask if you would visit anytime soon…]

Railgun: [Who is this Crimson Despair? That's a scary title.]

Jin: [She is one of the most powerful people from @wizard-san's world at the moment. She helped teach me magic while I was there. Anyway, you can tell her… that I'll try to visit soon I guess? I'm not a hundred percent sure, but it might be possible after the tutorials end.]

Wizard-san: [I see. I will convey the message if she shows up again.]

"Hm. It would be nice to see her again. Might be able to learn gravity magic next time."

"Gravity magic?" A voice asked from behind him.

Jin flinched and turned his head. Behind him stood a familiar shaggy dude wearing a green hat and robe.

"Well, it's not really a secret, I guess. I was just mumbling to myself about meeting the person who taught me magic again."

"Those barriers of yours?"

Jin nodded.

"You can learn more than that?"

"If I have an affinity for it and time to learn it, then probably."

"Is it possible to meet this teacher of yours?" Urahara casually asked as though not expecting a positive response.

"Honestly, I have no idea if that is possible or not."

'...I actually kinda want to see that happen now,' Jin thought, briefly imagining Irene causing chaos all over the place. On second thought, perhaps bringing her here would be a terrible idea.

Urahara studied Jin's expression for a few seconds before saying, "I see. Well, welcome back, in any case. I've got a job for you, if you're not busy."

Jin checked the time on his phone. It was close to noon. As such, he answered, "If it doesn't take too long. I've got some plans for this evening."

"No problem. It's just a stray hollow that is a bit beyond Ichigo's current abilities."

"...It's not a Menos, is it?"

"Just an Adjuchas."

"..."

"Haha. I'm joking. It's just a normal hollow, albeit one stronger than most other hollows below the Menos tier."

"I figured. Where is it?"

"South of town. Actually, it showed up in a neighborhood near where you live."

"Did it go for my family?" Jin asked, narrowing his eyes.

"No. Here."

Urahara tossed a small device similar to a walkie-talkie to Jin. It had a small radar on it indicating the hollow's potential location.

"How does this work?"

"It'll display where a hollow intends to manifest so long as its Reiatsu has already been registered."

"Got it."

Jin nodded at Urahara and followed him outside. Along the way, he said hello to Tessai, Ururu, and Jinta. He didn't see Yoruichi, though.

Since the hollow did not show up just yet, he rode the train back home. Along the way, he texted his mother to decide on the time they would meet at the cafe they used to visit often as a family while Jin was growing up in and adjusting to this new world.

Not long after he reached his home, the device Urahara gave him beeped. Then, a hollow roar echoed in the distance. In order to avoid drawing attention from the general public, Jin laid down on his bed and entered his soul form before flying toward the target on his barrier board.

"Isn't this the neighborhood where all those super rich families live?" Jin muttered to himself while flying into an area with large homesteads with more acreage than anywhere else. Some of the homes looked more like mansions than simple homes. "I've never actually gone up this way, but I think some of the regulars at Mom's tea house live here."

Following the radar, he eventually picked up on the eerie aura indicative of a hollow. From there, he flew straight toward it, all the way to one of the largest mansions in the area. The walls on the first floor burst as though wrecked by an explosion. A body flew outward, black hair whipping about in the wind. From the hole in the building, a large centipede-like hollow with two muscular mantis arms rushed out from the mansion.

Without hesitation, Jin flew down and caught the woman. Then, he clapped his hands together.

"Barrier Magic: Prism Guard."

The hollow slammed against the cylindrical barrier. It roared angrily and slashed at it. Only a few cracks spread slowly. The barrier held strong.

"Eh? Hideyoshi-kun?"

Eyes widening, Jin looked down at the woman in his arms.

"Huh? Hiratsuka-sensei?"

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(A/N: I don't think this applies to every reader or anything, but I've noticed a rather common misconception that because the current chat group missions are labeled as 'tutorials' that the real plot has yet to begin. Perhaps calling them tutorials was disingenuous on my part, but the main plotline is very much underway with several hints peppered throughout the story so far. I haven't seen people comment about those hints that much aside from the appearance of the void beasts, though, so maybe many of them were too vague to pick up on. Either way, the tutorials are very much proper chat group missions, albeit with a different goal than the ones that will soon follow as 'main missions'. Anyway, that's all I had to say about that for now. Hope this can clear up any potential confusion on the subject. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.)