Epilogue
The wind in Valdheim had changed.
Not colder.
Not stronger.
Just… different.
Junya Mori noticed it when he drew his bow and the string trembled on its own.
A subtle vibration, like something in the air was warning him. That aiming… wouldn't matter.
They were on the outskirts of Mist Valley.
A "dead zone," according to the maps.
An anomaly, said the clergy.
A challenge, in his own words.
"You think there's something wrong here?" asked Judith, the blonde cleric of his team, gripping her staff tighter than necessary. Her hands were trembling. The place… unsettled her.
Beside her, Aira, the shield-guardian, patted her shoulder.
"Relax. If anything happens, Junya will take care of it. You just be ready to heal."
Junya smiled, lowering his bow.
"Chill out. If we're camping here tonight, might as well… spice things up a bit. Keep it interesting."
He moved behind Judith, wrapping an arm around her neck… his hands sliding far lower than appropriate. Too far.
She stiffened.
"Hero-sama… I… I'm a cleric. If I break my vow of purity… I'll lose the blessing."
"So what if you lose it? I'll protect you anyway. I am a hero, after all," he said, wearing a smug grin laced with disdain.
"Silence…" Aira muttered, glancing aside without stepping in.
Then something moved.
Not the wind.
Not beasts.
Something.
Judith shivered.
"There's something close…"
Junya sighed, unimpressed. He rematerialized his bow like it wasn't worth the effort.
"Don't worry. Probably just another Class B beast trying to show off."
But the wind didn't sound like a beast.
It didn't smell like magic.
It didn't taste like demon.
While the so-called hero and his party investigated the strange disappearances in Mist Valley...
They never imagined they were about to stumble upon something far more dangerous than wild monsters or demons.
~END~
Author's Notes
Hey there, dear readers!
I hope you enjoyed this journey through the Abyssal Pit as much as I did—watching Yamato (Rei Kanzaki) assemble his army of loyal followers… and maybe even two wives?
Anyway, I know this volume was pretty heavy in terms of lore and setup, but I really wanted you to get a solid feel for each character's role in Yamato's path of revenge.
And yes—if you were wondering, Volume 2 is coming, where he'll finally start taking that revenge outside the dungeon.
A little spoiler?
The first city to fall will be Arkenfel, since it's the closest to Mist Valley.
And how will it fall?
In the most poetic way possible—
Because Yamato plays chess on the most brutal board you can imagine.
He's the kind of character who tells you exactly what he's going to do… and then does it.
No excuses.
So I really hope I can count on your support for the next volume, and that this story grabs you the way it grabbed me while writing it.
Also! I'm currently working on another project called Phantom, and a few others that I'll be publishing in the future.
Don't worry—I don't plan to lock chapters. My only goal is to tell the stories I dream up and, with some luck, have people enjoy them.
Thank you so much for reading all the way to the end.
I truly mean it.
Hope to see you again soon!