Nepher stared at the scene before her, both shocked and horrified. The man whose limbs were locked in place by mechanical arms was not being torn apart—instead, he was pulling the arms toward the center of his body.
"What's going on? Increase output!"
She instinctively believed it must be a mechanical failure. Otherwise, how could Hao still be alive, looking at the execution ground crowd with that mocking smile?
The mechanical arms used to execute Hao were Type II models. As a new generation of exoskeletons, they had always sold well on the market. A single arm could output up to 800 kilograms of force, and with overload mode, even surpass 1000 kilograms.
Some had calculated that the ancient Eastern method of execution known as Dismemberment exerted about 375 kilograms of force on a human. The instantaneous ripping force might have reached 600 kilograms.
But horses and mechanical arms were worlds apart. Every mechanical arm acting on Hao exerted 800 kilograms of force. Theoretically, Hao should've been torn apart instantly!
"Th-This is maximum output already!"
The executioner wiped the sweat from his brow. He had already pushed the output to its limit—the arms were overheating—and yet Hao remained intact.
What they were witnessing defied all scientific understanding. After capturing Hao, they had thoroughly studied him. Scans confirmed he was a pure human from the old era, with no mechanical implants of any kind. How could he possibly withstand such force?
Nepher had heard stories of strongmen from the old era who could hold up 300-kilogram stone pillars with both arms. But even setting aside how that feat only required resisting collapse, those men were far larger than Hao.
Since his restraints had been removed for the execution, Hao was now lying on the execution rack wearing nothing but underwear. His body was well-proportioned—nothing like the bulky, grotesque musculature of the stereotypical strongman.
On the machine rack, Hao slowly retracted his limbs, like a massive winch winding steel cables. Blood streamed from where the mechanical claws pierced his wrists and ankles, yet they couldn't stop him.
Yes—he was born with divine strength.
Earlier, he had told Nepher a story from a comic, which she misunderstood. He wasn't the one who relied on skill without strength. He was the one whose strength overwhelmed all!
The rotating mechanical arms began to whine like dying beasts. Some parts overheated and began emitting black smoke. The guards around the execution site quickly realized the gravity of the situation. They didn't know how Hao was doing this—but they couldn't let the execution fail.
They loaded their weapons and took aim at Hao on the rack. If the execution failed, they were to kill him on the spot.
"Don't shoot!"
A middle-aged man in a suit, standing on the high platform, shouted. His face was excited and manic.
"This is it… this is the truth! The truth!"
Like a zealot witnessing a god, he stared at Hao with fervent eyes.
"It's genetic evolution! He must've used a successful gene serum! My god—someone actually succeeded! Restrain him—I want a live sample!"
Hao almost laughed aloud at the man's words. Only he knew the truth—there was no rebel organization behind him, no genius scientist supplying gene serums.
He had always been this way. He had never used any kind of technology.
BANG—
As Hao exerted even more force, one of the mechanical arms broke first, snapping at a joint. His right arm was free.
Being strapped to the execution rack made it difficult for him to exert force. If the mechanical arms had been still, even he couldn't have broken free, divine strength or not. But since they were pulling, they had essentially helped him escape.
The moment his right hand was free, Hao ignored the pain, twisted his body, and grabbed the broken mechanical arm—swinging it down hard.
BOOM BOOM BOOM—
Amid the clash of metal, explosions rang out. Smoke and dust billowed. A figure rose from the haze, his joints cracking as he moved.
He couldn't break free of the highly resilient restraint suit. But in a contest of force against a rigid, exoskeleton-grade mechanical arm, he would never be the first to break.
He crouched, sprinted, and leapt.
He soared—like he was flying!
Stepping on the armored guards' heads, Hao darted through the execution ground like a graceful dancer.
Tens of meters passed in an instant. His gaze locked onto the robed elder standing atop the wall. Hao gripped the broken mechanical arm like Odin holding the spear of fate.
"Open fire! Shoot him!"
The robed elder finally lost his composure. Grabbing the suited man by the arm, he shouted, cursing him inwardly for his stupidity.
A live capture? Hesitation would get everyone here killed!
He never imagined that the truth behind the slaughter of those ten martial masters would be so simple. Hao was not only a martial prodigy—but possessed godlike strength. How could men relying on exoskeletons ever hope to defeat him?
Where had did his master found this monster? Or… did he actually use some unknown gene serum on Hao?
The sound of the air being torn apart echoed—
The black-robed elder stopped thinking.
The fanatical expression on the face of the man in the suit froze, and hot, crimson liquid splashed across his body. Terrified, he screamed, "Kill him!"
Gunfire erupted in rapid succession, but the figure in the arena moved like a ghost dancing.
Fast—he was too fast!
Muzzle flashes blazed like the scythes of death, yet they couldn't keep up with the prey.
No— as soldiers began to fall one after another, they suddenly realized: this man named Hao was the true death god in the arena.
The blaring alarms didn't cease. Hidden ports on the high walls revealed themselves, and rows of lasers swept across the field. In an instant, the remaining soldiers were sliced clean in half. Only Nepher, who had collapsed in her own filth, trembling on the ground, managed to survive by sheer luck.
She looked up in terror, expecting to see Hao cut down—only to find him mid-leap, reaching the peak of his jump.
Their eyes met for just a breath—then parted.
All she saw was the cold, indifferent killing intent in the man's gaze.
The next moment, in Nephir's despairing eyes, eight flaming missiles descended from the sky.
The suited man who had been standing atop the high wall grinned cruelly as he retreated toward the safety zone—but his expression turned to absurd disbelief when he saw that one of the missiles was heading straight for him!
BOOM—
The entire execution ground was consumed in the explosion...
---
[Explorer, welcome to the Terminal Space]
A low, female voice echoed in Hao's ears, making him open his eyes.
He looked around in confusion. All he saw was darkness. He touched his head. Wasn't I shot through the skull?
Not dead?
[Explorer, would you like to sign a contract with the Terminal Space?]
The voice spoke again. This time, glowing blue text appeared in front of his eyes.
Terminal Space?
What was this place? Could the resistance have rescued him?
But he knew himself better than anyone. He didn't know any resistance members, and he seriously doubted the resistance had the power to rescue someone from the company's headquarters prison.
"Where am I?" Hao asked warily. His first suspicion was that he hadn't died and had been captured alive.
The company's virtual helmet tech had become very advanced over the years. It was said the latest neural engine could simulate up to 95% realism. Could I be in a virtual dive state?
[Explorer, your time in your original world has come to an end. Terminal Space grants you new life.]
Hao was silent for a moment, feeling the weight and presence of his body. He'd used the company's virtual headsets before. No matter how immersive they claimed to be, they still didn't compare to real life.
He was sure—this was his real body. The company's tech couldn't replicate this level of realism.
So… he had really come to another world?
"Sign a contract? What do I have to do? What do I get in return?" Hao asked calmly, though deep inside, he felt a strange excitement.
Because he could sense—this might truly be a supernatural phenomenon.
And if this was another world… could he achieve the dreams he couldn't fulfill in a world where martial arts had declined?
[Once the contract is signed, Terminal Space will send you to various worlds to complete missions. You'll gain World Exploration Points and be rewarded based on mission performance.]
Hao grinned. "Sounds interesting. Will I get worthy opponents?"
Terminal Space paused for a few seconds before replying:
[You will face challenges unlike any before.]
Hao nodded. "Alright, I'm in. I just need to become this 'Explorer' and I can travel to different worlds?"
[You must first pass a Trial World to become a full Explorer. Your performance in the Trial will determine your rank and benefits in Terminal Space. It could improve—or worsen.]
"Sounds fair. What happens if I die in the trial?"
[Then you die.]
Those simple four words told Hao everything. This place was as cruel as the world he left—but perhaps here, he could finally get what he wanted.
[Preparing to initiate Trial World. Explorer, get ready…]
Hao wanted to ask more questions, but the transfer had already begun. He felt his body go weightless—and then the world spun wildly.
---
When Hao opened his eyes again, he found himself sitting on the worn wooden steps of a dilapidated shack. On the empty street, a few ragged, gaunt figures wandered aimlessly.
The summer sun blazed down. The oppressive heat seemed like it could dry up the whole world.
[Explorer, please check your mission.]
Once Hao confirmed the area was temporarily safe, he called out silently in his mind: "Terminal."
A translucent screen immediately appeared before him, displaying various data.
---
[Mission World: Bleach]
[World Type: Derivative]
[Difficulty Level: Lv.3 ~ ???]
World Summary: The Soul King has fallen. Balance among the three realms is fragile. Millennia-old grudges fester. A trial awaits in the end.
Shinigami (Soul Reapers): High-spirit-energy beings living in the Soul Society, fighting Hollows to maintain balance.
Zanpakutō: A spiritual weapon system crafted by Ōetsu Nimaiya. Each Soul Reaper must communicate with their Asauchi to learn its true name and grow stronger.
Hollows: Spirits whose desires have corrupted their souls, turning them into monstrous entities. They evolve along unique paths.
Quincy: A faction descending from Yhwach. They seek to completely eradicate Hollows and oppose the Soul Reapers.
---
[Current Exploration Progress: 0]
[Current Location: Soul Society - North Rukongai, District 80]
[Note: Trial World has granted you fluency in the local language]
[Warning: Explorer is strictly forbidden from revealing any Terminal Space information. Violators will be eliminated.]
---
Hao scanned through the world introduction and was shocked to realize—this so-called "Derivative World" was based on a real-life manga.
Due to the changing times, manga had become nearly forgotten in his world. Hao had only read them as a kid, sneaking into his master's storage after training.
His master's collection was small, but coincidentally, Bleach was among them.
He knew a fair bit about this world. What he didn't know yet was—what part of the timeline he'd landed in.
Steeling himself, Hao opened his mission info.