Chapter 13
A low buzzing rang in Adam's ears as consciousness slowly returned. His eyelids felt unbearably heavy, like slabs of lead, and he could barely force them open into a thin slit. The world around him swam in a haze, shapes blurring together.
He tried to move.
Instantly, pain surged from his abdomen—a sharp, burning sting followed by a wave of cold numbness. Every muscle screamed in protest, and he realized his limbs were restrained, or perhaps just too weak to move.
"Miss Himeko!" a familiar voice called out, laced with urgency. It was Hua.
Someone grasped his arm gently, their touch careful, almost fragile.
"Hm? The kid's awake?" Himeko's voice responded, calm yet alert. "Move aside, Hua."
Adam sensed a shift beside him as someone new approached. Cool hands began to examine his injuries with practiced efficiency.
Relief settled into Adam's heart as he heard Hua's name—if she was safe, then Carole was likely with her too.
His right eyelid was suddenly pried open, and his blurred vision sharpened just enough to register his surroundings. He was lying inside what looked like a transport truck. The ceiling was dimly lit, the metal interior rattling softly with motion.
To his left was a Fire Moth soldier—most likely a combat medic—checking his condition. On his right sat Himeko, watching silently, her eyes flickering with a complicated mix of emotions.
Wincing, Adam mustered what little strength he had and weakly lifted his head.
"What's… wrong with my body? And the Honkai Beast I was fighting—what happened to it?"
His voice was hoarse, strained.
Before he could say more, his neck gave out, and he slumped back onto the makeshift bed. He unconsciously turned his head toward Himeko, seeking an answer.
She didn't respond immediately.
"So, you even know about the Honkai…" she muttered under her breath, suspicion darkening her gaze.
Then, her demeanor shifted. Gone was the gentle concern; in its place was the authoritative presence of a senior officer.
"Answer a few questions first, Mr. Adam," she said coldly. "Who are you? And what were you doing in Sapphire City?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"You're clearly not a local. Not with that face and the way you fight."
Adam fell silent. His mind raced. What could he say?
The truth was absurd—he wasn't a native of this world. A transmigrator, ripped from Earth and thrust into a collapsing world he barely understood. But that answer would only sound like lunacy.
Should he lie?
No. Fire Moth had the resources to cross-check any identity against the global database. And he had none. No records. No background. No paper trail. Any fabrication would unravel quickly.
As Adam remained silent, struggling to construct an answer, Himeko's expression grew more severe.
She analyzed every twitch of his face, every hesitation, calculating.
At first, she had suspected he might be a Herrscher—but that theory had collapsed the moment she saw him battling the Honkai Emperor. The energy he wielded was wrong—unnatural—but it wasn't Honkai energy.
It was something else.
That left one logical possibility.
An experiment.
In her position, Himeko had access to more than just public intelligence. She knew what lurked in the shadows—how desperate humanity had become in the face of Honkai. Behind closed doors, the Fire Moth and even the United Nations sanctioned countless secret experiments—unethical, unregulated, and terrifying in their implications.
If Adam wasn't registered… if he possessed combat ability well beyond human levels… if he knew about Honkai without ever being formally trained…
Then he had to be a product of one of those experiments.
Born in a lab. Created as a weapon.
And for some reason—an escape, a failure, or a security breach—he had ended up on the battlefield.
Everything fits.
Even his amnesia-like confusion. Even the way he clung to those two girls. It all pointed to someone who had just broken free from a cage.
"Uhm… would you believe me if I said, I don't know?" Adam said after much hesitation and thoughts.
Himeko, with her gaze still sharply scrutinizing him, suddenly sighs and says,
"As expected."
"Regardless." She said as her sharp gaze softened slightly and she suddenly lowered her head. "I still have to thank you for your help. Without your help, neither I or my squad will survive this time."
The sudden interrogative air around Himeko instantly vanished and was replaced with gratitude. This sudden shift is too jarring for Adam as he could only nod.
"It's… nothing. I only help you because you and your squad is the only one that can help Hua and Carole." Adam said truthfully.
"Speaking of them, are Hua and Carole alright?" Adam suddenly remembered and tried to lift himself up to look for Hua.
Hua is an important figure for the future and a member of the 13 Flamechasers. Her survival is paramount for Adam while Carole ranks behind because he remembers he needed to keep the two safe to complete his mission.
Seeing Adam suddenly try to climb out his bed despite the severe injury that would leave anyone else paralyzed in pain. Himeko smacked his head lightly and pushed him back down to rest.
"Don't worry about your two little girlfriends. They are both safe." Himeko reassured Adam as she recalled how Adam, on the verge of passing out, crawled up to her with sheer willpower, begging Himeko to save the two.
Adam could hear the flustered sound of Hua while Carole seems to be having fun teasing her friend behind him.
But Himeko's face suddenly soured by the atmosphere while her other squad mates were chuckling and holding back laughter under their masks.
"You all…" Himeko's face darkened by the reaction.
As for Adam, knowing his task had been completed successfully. He relaxed his body and closed his eyes to rest. His body felt mostly numb probably due to anesthetic medication to numb the pain.
Rather than further aggravating his injury, he better rest and let his body heal faster.
'System' He whispered in his mind before a series of notifications suddenly appeared.
[Task completed. Completion rate, Grade C]
Huh? Just grade C?
Adam asks the System why his completion rate was so low and it appears that the Honkai Beast was not killed by his own hand but by a third party. His completion rate only accounted for the part of rescuing Hua and Carole successfully.
[Claim reward?]
[Yes / No]
'Claim'
[Reward claimed.]
[Congratulation to host for obtaining,]
> +3 to all physical attributes.
> +15 Reiatsu
> +200 Reiryoku
> 5000 System Points
[Host's Reiatsu reached the minimum threshold to begin Jinzen and Kido training.]
The rewards from his last task were underwhelming. Still, a gain—no matter how small—was a gain.
Rather than complain, Adam opened the System Shop and began browsing through what his modest budget could afford. Among the available items, two caught his eye: the [Onmitsukidō Hakuda Training Manual] and the [Kido Corps Training Manual].
Both were useful in their own right. His current knowledge, after all, was only at the basic level taught in the Shino Academy. True mastery—Division-level techniques—required specialized instruction. First Division for Zanjutsu and Hakuda. Second Division for Hakuda and Hohō. Kido Corps for advanced Kido spells.
But after some thoughts, he set those aside.
The System had just announced he was ready to begin communication with his Zanpakutō—and that changed everything.
There was no point scattering his efforts. Strength didn't come from dabbling in every skill; it came from mastering one suitable technique to the zenith and the others are merely auxiliaries to complement.
For spiritual beings like Shinigami, Quincy, or Hollows, power wasn't measured by techniques or abilities. But by Reiatsu.
With overwhelming Reiatsu, one could crush weaker foes to ashes with mere presence. The body becomes impervious to any attacks. A simple and most basic slash can cut through any fancy abilities.
And the path to that overwhelming spiritual pressure lay through the Zanpakutō. At least this is true for Shinigami.
Mastering Shikai and Bankai didn't just unlock powerful abilities but also multiplied their Reiatsu control. Each release deepened the connection to one's soul, drastically amplifying the Reiatsu one could unleash.
But power without stamina is also hollow. Reiatsu must be sustained by Reiryoku—and both could only be raised through time, effort, and pressure.
That pressure... only existed in one place.
The battlefield.
Only in the face of death could one temper their will, sharpen their clarity, and draw out true potential just like Ichigo bursting with power with each near-death encounter. For Adam, there was no classroom, no manual, and no shortcut that could match the crucible of war.
So, his next goal is to join Fire Moth as a soldier. Preferably under Himeko's squad because he only trusts Himeko's leadership.
In the story, the Fire Moth's higher-ups are known for their adamant use of outdated tactics and constant struggle for interest.
Who knows how many had died in vain under their incompetency and pointless struggle.
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