The streets of the Edo period were bustling, packed shoulder to shoulder, filled with noise and life.
Stalls of every kind lined the roads—street performers, medicine peddlers, snack vendors—everything imaginable. People flowed like a tide, weaving through the streets and alleys, brushing past one another, strangers yet somehow familiar.
Vendors shouted to advertise their wares, their voices rising and falling without end. Lanterns swayed gently in the breeze, casting warm light across the faces of passersby. The street was crowded with stalls on both sides, the cries of commerce overlapping in lively chaos.
Boom—
A deafening explosion shattered the peaceful scene.
Panic erupted as the crowd scattered in terror, many believing an earthquake had struck.
But from a perspective invisible to ordinary people, a colossal shadow—towering like a high-rise—was rampaging through the streets. And those wearing shihakushō, Zanpakutō at their waists, looked no different from the fleeing civilians. They, too, were running for their lives.
Kurosaki Rei sprinted at full speed, glancing back at the monstrous figure pursuing them, a bitter thought flashing through his mind.
How did it end up like this…?
Sōsuke's jinxed mouth—damn accurate.
Chasing Kurosaki Rei and several other Shinigami was a Gillian—a giant Hollow born from resentment, formed by the mutual devouring of over a hundred Hollows. It was a lower-class Menos Grande.
In the original anime, aside from its debut—where its sheer size and presence conveyed overwhelming pressure—it later became little more than fodder in front of the protagonists, something Kurosaki Ichigo could cut down several at a time.
But in the actual setting, a Menos Grande was a monster that normally required vice-captain-level Shinigami to deal with safely. At the very least, it demanded seated officers to contend with it. Its reiatsu easily reached ten ranks or higher.
Today was Kurosaki Rei's first time in the Human World. He had been dispatched on a mission together with several newly graduated Fifth Division Shinigami. He'd originally thought of it as little more than sightseeing.
And yet—they had run straight into a Menos Grande.
Rumble—
The Gillian's massive body plowed through rows of wooden houses. As the lowest class of Menos, it lacked intelligence—but its reiatsu and physical durability were very real. Faced with such a behemoth, Kurosaki Rei had no truly effective way to harm it.
"Mommy—!"
Amid the earth-shaking chaos, a little girl stumbled to the ground, reaching out in terror toward her equally panicked mother.
The streets had descended into utter chaos. Cries and wails blended together, forming a soundscape straight out of hell.
The two Shinigami on the mission with Kurosaki Rei were pale with fear. They had never witnessed anything like this in the Shin'ō Academy. The Hadō they fired at the Gillian barely registered—like scratching an itch.
Kurosaki Rei glanced at the crowd ahead.
These people didn't even know what was happening—only fear and despair filled their eyes.
They had woken up this morning believing it would be an ordinary day, never imagining it would be their last.
As the ground trembled, husbands clutched their wives, wives shielded their children—believing that such embraces might grant them the courage to face death. Yet their twisted expressions spoke only of terror.
Kurosaki Rei checked his remaining stay time.
There wasn't much left.
He turned, slashed once, and shouted,
"You head east and evacuate! I'll draw it away and cover the rear!"
With Prison Demon released, Kurosaki Rei charged straight at the Menos Grande under the stunned gazes of his fellow Shinigami. At extreme speed, he ran along the Gillian's body itself, blade flashing as he carved wound after wound into its flesh.
He fought his way up to the Gillian's head, deliberately guiding it out of town.
"Damn it—how could we run into a Menos!?" one Shinigami gasped, stopping to catch his breath as he watched Kurosaki Rei and the Gillian growing more distant. Fear and regret churned in his chest.
"Kurosaki Rei… he's probably—"
"No—he's still fighting!" the other Shinigami clenched his fists, voice trembling with excitement.
"He made it to the top of its head! He actually hurt it!"
But his excitement lasted less than two seconds before his face turned ashen.
"A Garganta—damn it! The Menos is retreating! But Kurosaki Rei is still on it!"
Before their eyes, Kurosaki Rei looked like a berserk war god hacking wildly atop the Menos's head—only to be dragged helplessly into the Garganta as it opened.
Once a Menos returned to Hueco Mundo through a Garganta, Kurosaki Rei's chances of survival were virtually zero.
As the Garganta closed, swallowing both Kurosaki Rei and the Menos completely, one Shinigami dropped to his knees, tears welling up.
"Damn it… it's because we're too weak. That's why Kurosaki Rei had to stay behind!"
But for Kurosaki Rei himself—
In the instant before the Garganta fully sealed, his remaining stay time hit zero.
As the countdown ended, his body suddenly felt weightless. His vision washed out into pure white, as though he were drifting through a warm tunnel.
When clarity returned, he found himself standing in a perfectly cubic, empty room, while the voice of the Terminal Space echoed in his ears.
[Detection complete. Explorer shows no significant injuries, no negative status effects, and has passed the trial world. Begin settlement?]
Kurosaki Rei moved his arms and legs, marveling at the precision of the Terminal Space. When it said it would pull him out on time, it truly meant on time—not a second late.
His master had once told him:
A strong person has no obligation to protect the weak—but they do have the right to.
As a child, Kurosaki Rei had found those words abstract. Even now, they still were—but he felt he understood his master's feelings a little better.
His family had been destroyed by the "Company." More than anyone, he understood the suffering of orphans.
If saving a few families only required him to act on impulse—then he was more than willing.
And besides, being chased all that way by a Menos Grande had been infuriating. Leaving without landing a few cuts just wouldn't sit right.
Fortunately, the Terminal Space hadn't disappointed him. As promised, it had forcibly extracted him from the Shinigami world with flawless timing.
"So this is the Terminal Space?"
Kurosaki Rei examined his surroundings.
A bit small, isn't it?
A 4×4×4 meter room… this is the Terminal Space?
[This is the personal room of Formal Explorer No. 404040404. Unauthorized entry is prohibited. This is your absolutely safe private space.
You may decorate it according to your preferences. Expanding its size or adding special items requires Terminal Coins. Ordinary furniture is free.]
Kurosaki Rei understood—it was simply his personal room.
Following the system's guidance, he quickly rearranged the space, transforming it into a replica of the martial arts hall he had trained in during his previous life.
"Is there any difference between being a Formal Explorer and before?" he asked, sitting down on the sofa he'd chosen.
[Formal Explorers unlock the Explorer Mark, signifying identity and affiliation.
The Explorer Mark provides storage space, the capacity of which varies by Explorer rank.]
[Formal Explorers gain access to more advanced system assistance to better complete missions across worlds.
For details, consult the Formal Explorer Handbook for newly unlocked permissions.]
Kurosaki Rei looked down at his wrist.
A faint cyan vine-like tattoo now wrapped around it.
With a brief focus, he found he could resonate with the mark effortlessly. Inside was a small storage space, accessible at any time.
"Terminal—begin settlement."
Now that he understood his situation and confirmed he was safe, Kurosaki Rei turned his attention to the rewards from this trial world.
[Beginning settlement of Derivative World rewards…]
World:Bleach
Difficulty: Lv.3 ~ ??? (Hard ~ Certain Death)
World Exploration Rate: 13.6%
[Calculating task completion for Explorer No. 404040404…]
[All main quests completed. Rewards: 3,500 Terminal Coins, Asauchi ×1 (converted into Prison Demon).]
Main quest performance outstanding. Overall world evaluation increased.
Beginning comprehensive evaluation…
Explorer Mark level far below world difficulty. Evaluation increased. Experience gain increased.
Overall Evaluation:S-
(Note: Evaluations range from E- to S+. Based primarily on world exploration rate and quest completion, modified by the disparity between Explorer level and world difficulty.)
Reward: S- Honor Medal ×1
(Can be used to exchange for special privileges.)
Explorer level increased.
Current Level: Lv.3
[Based on overall evaluation, you may choose three of the following six rewards:]
+5 Free Attribute Points
B. 10,000 Terminal Coins
C. Rare Random Equipment Chest
D. Rare Random Item Chest
E. Inheritance Crystals (Small) ×3
(Used to enhance skills, bloodlines, and specialization techniques.)
F. Title: "The Fearless"
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