Part 1
From the night sky, an impossible bird soared above Valheim.
It wasn't a creature. Nor a summoned beast.
It was an aircraft—cloaked, silent, with wings sharp as blades and engines fueled by dark matter cores.
Its hull reflected the starlit sky like a sheet of liquid glass.
Yamato piloted it from a floating cockpit with no visible controls. Only his thoughts guided the flight path. Beside him were Selka and Lina, dressed as Junya's former comrades: Judith and Aira.
"We're entering Arkenfel's perimeter," Seraphina reported from the holographic panel projected before them.
"Scanners detect three layers of magical surveillance and one aerial patrol. Infiltration route calculated."
"Activate illusion camouflage," Yamato ordered, his tone unchanged. "We'll descend into the forest. I don't want to trigger alarms."
"Magical signature masked. Descent trajectory confirmed," Seraphina replied.
The aircraft dropped with surgical precision.
As it touched down among dense trees, the hatch opened in absolute silence.
Yamato stepped out first—his feet barely leaving a mark on the damp earth.
With a simple motion of his hand, the entire vessel dissolved into a stream of black.
Thousands of nanobots retracted like a living swarm, drawn back into his palm until no trace of technology remained.
Lina watched, fascinated.
"Were things like this common in your world? It doesn't even feel heavy in flight, and the speed… It only took us ten minutes to get here. By cart, that's at least three days."
Yamato looked at her—not with pride, but with a serenity that seemed to span centuries.
"If this all ends one day… and we make it back to my world… I'll show you things far more wondrous than this."
"I'd die to see it…" Selka whispered, her gaze fixed on the star-strewn sky. "Yamato's world…"
He said nothing. He simply closed his eyes for a moment and let his body change.
Where Yamato had stood now stood Junya Mori.
Same face. Same arrogant swagger.
Even his voice carried that careless, annoying edge that used to infuriate him.
"Let's go. The outpost's just ahead."
He walked as if nothing mattered.
The two women followed, perfectly in step—veteran escorts to a returning hero. No one would question their authenticity.
As they reached Arkenfel's secondary gate, a guard spotted them from the watchtower and descended immediately.
"Welcome back, Hero of the Bow, Junya Mori!" the man barked, saluting stiffly.
"We're back. Nothing exciting, as usual," Yamato replied with a performative yawn.
The guard glanced at the two women, suspicion in his eyes.
"And they are…?"
Selka stepped forward. She snapped her fingers.
A golden wave rippled through the air like an enchanted sigh. Invisible, yet absolute. The city's perception was gently rewritten—memories altered in real time.
"Judith. Cleric of the Church and A-Rank adventurer," she said evenly. She gestured to her partner. "And this is the paladin Aira."
The guard frowned for a moment.
"Was the paladin always… that short?"
"Leon, come on," Yamato interrupted, draping an arm around both women. "We've had a long trip. I'm tired… and so are they."
The guard stiffened.
"Y-yes! My apologies, sir!"
He turned and called up to the wall.
"Open the gate!"
The heavy doors began to rise with a slow metallic groan.
And as the shadows of the three infiltrators passed beneath the archway… Arkenfel had no idea what it had just let inside.
Yamato walked with Lina and Selka at his sides, arms draped casually around their waists—just as Junya would have done. His smile was the same. So was the relaxed tone.
Even his stride carried that same insolent arrogance.
The illusion was flawless.
They arrived at a two-story house near the defense headquarters.
It was the official residence assigned to Junya by the Kingdom—royal seal on the door, well-kept garden, and a clear view of the command tower.
"You two know what to do," Yamato said, slipping free of their embrace as if it were second nature.
"I'm heading to the Ministry of Defense. I need to report to Balliard."
Both nodded without a word and entered the house like it had always been theirs. In mere minutes, the web of intelligence would begin spinning from within.
Yamato continued down the cobbled streets, melting into the rhythm of the city.
The gazes he received were respectful—some even admiring.
To everyone around him, he was Junya Mori: the bow-wielding hero who had gone off on a mission and returned, unharmed, arrogant, and triumphant.
None of them knew that what walked among them… was not a hero.
It was the Void, dressed as a savior.
At the Ministry of Defense, his arrival posed no problem.
He was known. He was respected.
No one stopped him.
He climbed the white marble stairs to the top floor—where the operations hall awaited.
And there, he saw him for the first time.
General Balliard.
Just as Yamato remembered him from Junya's memories: a burly man, his face forever frozen between disdain and self-satisfaction.
His uniform gleamed with unnecessary medals. His eyes were cold, hollow… predatory.
A man who wielded power like a bludgeon.
A sadist disguised as a strategist.
A wolf in general's clothing who took pleasure in breaking cadets simply to affirm his dominance.
And now, he stood before him.
"Ho, Mori!" Balliard called out with a strained smile, spreading his arms as if he were truly glad to see him. "Welcome back to Arkenfel."
Yamato didn't flinch.
He simply walked over to the chair across from the desk and slumped down heavily.
He crossed his legs, threw his boots up on the desk, and let out a long, theatrical yawn.
He mimicked Junya Mori's carefree arrogance to perfection.
"No need to be so formal, General. I'm exhausted. And honestly… bored."
"The mission you gave me was a waste of time. Just a few minor beasts roaming Mist Valley. Nothing worthy of my rank."
"I see…" Balliard murmured, eyes narrowing.
"We're only waiting on reports from Nanami and Yui. If everything stays on schedule, we'll strike Zvukograd within the month."
Yamato leaned his head back, gazing at the ceiling like he couldn't care less.
"Zvukograd? Ugh. What's so special about that kingdom, aside from a name that sounds like choking on gravel?"
"Their empress, for one. Her control over ice is legendary. She would make a valuable asset to Valdheim. And their charming bards have disrupted more than a few comms networks in the southern region."
As Balliard rambled on, Yamato silently released a swarm of micro-spiders from his coat.
They slid into the corners of the office like shadows, clinging to walls, magical seals, and communication artifacts.
Every word the general spoke was recorded.
Every secret, archived.
All while Balliard spoke with a comfort so blind, it was almost pitiful.
Yamato said nothing. He simply listened.
And smiled on the inside.