005 - Naptime

The thug leader sneered, his scarred face inches from Shiro's. "Back for more, runt? Maybe we didn't teach you a proper lesson the first time."

Shiro forced himself to stand tall, despite trembling legs. He'd hoped to avoid this confrontation, but the men were blocking their only path through the squalid maze of shacks. Now, more than ever, he needed that system upgrade.

"System," he whispered, so low that even Rukia wouldn't hear, "What unlocks the next function?"

A flash of translucent text appeared:

Energy Cost: Medium

Sufficient Energy Available: Yes

Choose Function: 1) Basic Enhancement 2) Skill Mimicry [LOCKED] 3) [LOCKED]

"Enhancement!" Shiro blurted, then winced as the thugs lunged forward. He scrambled backward, their rusted blades glinting cruelly. One nicked his arm, the sting sharp. Fear fueled him, but he focused inward, on the strange system that was his only hope.

The warmth he'd felt after his last sleep intensified. This time, it wasn't pulling him into unconsciousness, but spreading through him like liquid fire. His muscles thrummed, a strange lightness making his movements seem almost effortless.

He dodged a clumsy swing, surprised at his newfound agility. Could he... He risked a counter-punch, the move sloppy but infused with unexpected strength. The thug stumbled back, swearing, a trickle of blood blooming on his lip."What the–" the leader growled, his bravado replaced by a flicker of unease. They pressed the attack, but Shiro felt faster, his body responding with a speed that defied his usual clumsiness. A kick connected, not the flashy moves he'd envisioned, but enough to stagger one of the thugs.

Rukia watched from the sidelines, her eyes wide. She'd seen him collapse against the Hollow, but this... this was different. He was fighting back.

Yet, he couldn't keep this up forever. Every dodge, every frantic punch fueled the exhaustion gnawing at the edges of his senses.

"System, NOW!" he mentally screamed, risking a glance at the men closing in on them again.

Another flash of text – a countdown:

Deep Sleep Initiated: T minus 10 seconds

Ten seconds? He laughed, a sound closer to a sob.

Rukia, sensing his distress, acted. She'd picked up a jagged piece of wood from the ground and now charged, small and swift. She bashed it over one thug's knee, drawing a howl of pain. It was a distraction, a precious few seconds.

Shiro needed a plan, however stupid. The system wasn't giving him super strength, just a temporary boost – he had to use his brain, not just flail.

As the thugs reacted to Rukia, he spotted it: an overturned barrel half-submerged in the filthy dust. In a desperate gamble, he lunged, the enhanced strength helping him heave it upright. It rolled, slow but unstoppable. The men, focused on Rukia, were too late to react.

The barrel smashed into them with a satisfying crunch of wood and bone. They fell in a tangle, cursing. It wasn't a clean win, but it was enough. His eyelids fluttered. Five seconds, the system had warned.

"Rukia...run!" he managed to gasp before the world went gloriously dark.

When he awoke, it was again to the blank white void. The system greeted him:

Function Unlocked: Skill Mimicry [Basic]

Skill Available: Basic Hand-to-Hand [Observed]

Exhaustion still seeped into his bones, but excitement surged through him. He'd leveled up! Sure, 'basic hand-to-hand' wasn't exactly flashy, but maybe, just maybe, it was the start of something real.

This time, when his body demanded rest, Shiro finally let it claim him, hopes for the future swirling in his sleep-filled dreams.