The streets of the Edo period bustled with life, alive with the chatter and energy of the crowd.
Street vendors lined both sides of the road, selling everything from street food to medicines to performing arts.
The crowd was a sea of humanity, weaving through the alleyways, brushing past one another like old acquaintances.
Cries from hawkers echoed through the air, their voices overlapping in a symphony of commerce. Lanterns swayed gently in the breeze, casting warm glows on the bustling throng. The atmosphere was lively with the noise serving as the backdrop to the thriving heart of the city.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion shattered the harmonious scene. Panic erupted as people scattered in all directions, fearing an earthquake.
But in a realm unseen by ordinary eyes, a towering, shadowy figure rampaged through the streets, its immense form dwarfing everything in sight. Among the fleeing figures were men in black Shihakushō, swords at their waists, indistinguishable from the rest—except that they, too, fled in terror.
As he ran, Ren glanced up at the colossal monstrosity chasing them.
Why did it have to come to this? he thought bitterly. Damn, Sōsuke and his jinxed mouth.
Their pursuer was a Gillian, a massive Hollow born from the merging of over a hundred souls consumed by hatred and despair. It was the lowest tier of the Menos Grande but still a formidable threat.
In the original anime, Gillians were initially depicted as terrifying giants. However, against protagonists like Ichigo Kurosaki, they eventually became little more than cannon fodder—mere fodder for a single swing of his blade.
But according to the lore, Hollows of this calibre required at least a shinigami of Lieutenant-Class to engage safely, or at the very least, a seated officer. Their spiritual pressure alone could rival the most elite warriors.
Today was Ren's first mission in the World of the Living. He had joined the 5th Division with a group of newly graduated Shinigami, expecting a simple reconnaissance assignment. Instead, they had encountered a Gillian.
Crash!
The Gillian's enormous body smashed through rows of wooden houses. Though unintelligent, its raw power and spiritual pressure were undeniable. Ren found himself completely outmatched, lacking any means to deal meaningful damage to such a colossal being.
"Mommy—!"
Amid the chaos, a little girl tripped and fell, reaching out to her terrified mother for help.
The street was a scene of utter pandemonium, filled with screams and wails that painted a vivid picture of despair—like a glimpse into hell itself.
The two Shinigami accompanying Ren were equally paralyzed with fear. They had never faced anything like this in the academy. The kido spells they cast barely fazed the Gillian, barely creating scratches on its enormous frame.
Ren's eyes scanned the terrified crowd. These people had no idea what was happening. All they knew was fear and hopelessness.
These were ordinary people who had awoken that morning expecting an uneventful day. They could never have imagined that this would be the end.
As the ground trembled, husbands clung to wives, wives shielded their children as if such gestures could grant them courage in the face of death. Yet their twisted expressions betrayed their terror.
Glancing at the timer counting down his remaining time in this world, Ren tightened his grip on his blade. With a sharp slash, he shouted, "Head east! I'll cover you and draw it away!"
Activating his Shikai, Ren's blade transformed, its aura radiating power. His comrades stared in shock as he charged toward the Gillian with blinding speed.
Leaping onto the creature's massive body, he dashed across it, leaving a trail of glowing cuts with every strike.
Ren fought his way to the Gillian's head, leading it away from the town as he carved into its grotesque form.
"Damn it! Why did we have to encounter a Gillian? Hoshino probably—"
One of the Shinigami paused, panting as he watched Ren and the creature grow distant. His voice trembled with both fear and regret. "Hoshino-san's Spiritual Power isn't strong enough to handle this up close....he'll be killed."
"No! Look!" the other shouted, clenching his fists. "He's still fighting! He's injured the Gillian!"
But their excitement was short-lived. A dark portal began to open behind the Gillian—a Garganta. The Shinigami's face turned pale as he whispered, "No....it's retreating to Hueco Mundo....and Hoshino-san is still on it!"
As they watched in horror, Ren's silhouette disappeared into the black maw of the Garganta, dragged into the Hollow's domain. The portal sealed shut behind them, leaving no trace.
"He's gone..." one of the Shinigami muttered, tears streaming down his face. He slammed his fist into the ground in frustration. "It's our fault! If we'd been stronger, Hoshino-san wouldn't have had to stay behind!"
------
Meanwhile, moments before the portal closed, Ren felt the ticking timer in his mind finally hit zero.
A strange lightness overtook him as his surroundings turned a blinding white. It was as though he was floating through a warm tunnel.
When his vision cleared, he found himself standing in a stark, square room. A voice echoed in his ears.
[Exploration successful. No major injuries detected. Trial world completed. Would you like to begin settlement?]
Stretching his limbs, Ren marvelled at the precise timing of the EndSpace system. It had pulled him out of the Shinigami world exactly the second the timer hit zero with no delays or errors.
"A strong man has no obligation to protect the weak, but he has the right to," his master had once told him during training.
Back then, Ren found the statement abstract. Even now, it felt elusive, yet somehow, he was beginning to understand its meaning.
A warrior seeks clarity of the heart.
If saving a few families was within his reach, why wouldn't he? And after being chased by that Gillian for so long, he couldn't leave without testing his blade against it.
"So this is the EndSpace?" Ren muttered, surveying the small, sterile 4x4x4-meter room. "A bit underwhelming, don't you think?"
[This is the private room of Official Explorer 404040404. No unauthorized individuals may enter. It is your absolutely secure personal space. You may customize it according to your preferences. Expanding the room's size or adding special items requires EndCoins, but basic furniture is free.]
Ren nodded in understanding. So, this was his personal room, a safe haven. Following the system's guidance, he rearranged the room to resemble the martial arts dojo from his past life.
"Does becoming an Official Explorer change anything compared to before?" Ren asked, settling into the sofa he had selected.
[Endspace unlocks the Explorer's Mark for Official Explorers. This mark serves as a symbol of identification and provides a personal storage space, the size of which depends on your Explorer Rank.]
[Official Explorers also gain access to enhanced system assistance, designed to better support task completion in various worlds. For a detailed explanation, refer to the Official Explorer's Handbook under your new permissions.]
Glancing at his wrist, Ren noticed a faint, pale green vine-like tattoo wrapping around it. With a bit of focus, he found that he could resonate with the mark. A small storage space was accessible through it, allowing him to store and retrieve items with ease.
"EndSpace, begin settlement," Ren commanded.
With his surroundings confirmed as safe and his curiosity about the room satisfied, his thoughts turned to the rewards for his recent trial.
[Commencing reward settlement for the derivative world...]
[Derivative World: Bleach]
[Difficulty: lv3–??? (Hard–Certain Death)]
[World Exploration Rate: 13.6%]
[Assessing the completion status of Explorer 404040404's tasks...]
[All mainline tasks completed. Rewards: 3,500 Coins, Asauchi*1 (converted into Zanpakutō: Shūkonrasetsu)]
[Outstanding performance in completing mainline tasks. World evaluation upgraded.]
[Calculating overall score for this mission's world...]
[Explorer's Mark Level detected to be significantly lower than the world's difficulty level. Adjusting score accordingly.]
[Explorer experience increased.]
[Overall Rating: S-]
[(Note: Ratings range from E- to S+. Ratings are based on world exploration rate and task completion. Explorer rank and world difficulty comparison also influence the score.)]
[Rewards:]
[S- Honor Medal: One medal earned, which can be used for special permission exchanges.]
[Explorer level increased to lv.3.]
[Based on your overall score, you may select three rewards from the following six options:]
A. 5 points to allocate to any attribute.
B. 10,000 Endspace Coins.
C. Rare-tier random equipment chest.
D. Rare-tier random item chest.
E. Small Inheritance Crystals x3 (Note: Legacy Crystals can be used to enhance skills, bloodlines, or expertise).
F. Title: Fearless One.
_________
[T/N] - While we fell short of our Powerstone goal by 7, still, here's the extra chapter.
But only this once. If you guys want the next extra chapter be sure to Vote 75 Powerstones by tomorrow!