Yuno circled back from the far side of the island, stepping into the dense forest behind the security zone. Once he reached the back hills, he stopped worrying about the aftermath of the battle.
He had worn a mask throughout — no one had seen his real face.
His appearance had been subtly altered: height, weight, even his voice. The blade he'd used had already been discarded, swallowed by the sea. Just a forged iron sword. Not worth grieving.
Every trace that could lead back to his true identity had been erased. As long as he didn't reveal the same techniques again, no one could tie the masked assailant to Yuno.
He wasn't stupid enough to repeat himself.
Yuno brought up his system interface.
> [Ding — Defeated the Vinsmoke Family: +200 Achievement Points]
> [Ding — Conquered the Germa Kingdom: +350 Achievement Points]
> [Achievement unlocked: "Behind the Scenes" — Reward: [Special Category] Lottery Draw x1]
Another alert sounded in his mind, like a prize chime in a game.
"…Another Special Category draw? And again, from a title-based achievement…"
Yuno frowned thoughtfully.
He had only earned a few "title" achievements so far. The first was 'Beast Hunter,' which gave him nothing but raw points. Later came 'Hundred Kills' — again, just points.
But then came 'Evil Slayer.' That one triggered his first lottery draw.
Now, "Behind the Scenes" gave him a second.
"…What's the pattern here? Are some titles secretly flagged to be milestones?"
If he could figure out the mechanism — could he exploit it? Chain achievements like quests and farm them for draws?
It would be like min-maxing in an RPG. He liked the sound of that.
But reality wasn't that kind. The deeper he got, the harder it became to earn points. Rabbits, beasts, even bandits — they were worthless now. The system no longer acknowledged them.
Just like a level 50 character grinding level 3 mobs — no XP.
"…Don't tell me I'll have to defeat a Yonkō just to get a single draw next time…" he muttered dryly.
Still, there was no point waiting.
"Draw."
He tapped the option on his panel.
> [Ding — Acquired [Artificial Gigai] (1/1)]
"…Artificial Gigai?"
Yuno's eyes narrowed. He knew what that was — it came from the Soul Society, an item used to house the soul of a Shinigami while their spirit was away from their physical shell.
But this wasn't an item drop…
He glanced at the panel again and noticed something strange.
> [Special Category]:
> • Shunpo (Proficiency 50)
> • Artificial Gigai (1/1)
"…Not a skill level. It's a count. One out of one?"
He tapped the icon, opening a brief description.
> [Artificial Gigai]: A synthetic vessel designed to carry a spiritual entity.
"…That's all?" Yuno blinked. "That's barely a tooltip!"
It told him nothing. What could he do with it? Would it allow soul transfer? Remote control?
He sighed. "Only one way to find out."
He checked his surroundings. No one.
"Use: Artificial Gigai."
A strange energy flowed through him.
A flicker of light pulsed in his chest — a sudden jolt in his soul. Like being yanked backward by a tether of reishi. The sensation vanished as quickly as it came.
Yuno opened his eyes — and froze.
Standing opposite him was… himself.
Same hair. Same outfit. Same mask. An absolute copy.
His breath caught. He checked the panel again.
> [Artificial Gigai]: (0/1) — Consumed
"…It's a clone. Not an item — a skill."
Yuno's eyes narrowed.
A soul-infused replica of himself?
Not a shadow clone. Not an illusion. This was a true vessel — something like a Gigai in Bleach, but with actual combat application.
"But… what can it do without an active soul?"
Yuno studied the doppelgänger. It stood still, lifeless, like a puppet awaiting strings.
'Does it need me to possess it? Or… is this a contingency body?'
A dozen scenarios sparked in his mind — reconnaissance, misdirection, assassination, soul jump survival…
The implications were endless.
But for now… he needed answers.
Yuno looked left, then right.
But in the next moment, Yuno suddenly felt an inexplicable sensation—an unseen connection awakening from deep within his mind.
He watched as the other self, who had been sitting with closed eyes, suddenly opened them.
Yuno didn't panic. Instead, he grinned. "So this is it!"
"It's like... having a second body?" the other Yuno said with the same smirk.
"And it doesn't feel like a clone either—more like two bodies sharing one consciousness."
The two spoke in unison, identical in tone and rhythm.
"But... we need to test it."
...
Yuno spent the entire morning getting used to this alternate body. Their physical capabilities were nearly identical—strength, speed, reflexes... all the same.
The sensation was fascinating: being able to control two bodies at the same time, as naturally as moving two arms. One mind, two vessels.
Even more surprising—both bodies could see the system panel. Skills activated by one could be used by the other. Everything was synchronized.
The downside? It consumed quite a bit of energy... and spirit.
Draining, but manageable.
Fortunately, the second body could be retracted—collapsing into a shimmering black bead that hovered silently. When inactive, it minimized the toll on his energy.
With a thought, the bead could reshape into his exact likeness once more.
"With this ability..." Yuno murmured, storing the bead away. A mischievous smile tugged at his lips. "So many possibilities."
He turned and made his way toward the far side of the mountain.
There, the villagers had taken refuge.
Now that the Germa soldiers had retreated, the island was safe again.
He should probably let the villagers know he was alright—no need to let them worry.
...
News of Germa's defeat quickly spread across the island, courtesy of the navy.
But for some reason, the navy deliberately concealed Yuno's involvement. No official statement mentioned him at all.
All the islanders heard was a vague account: the navy had repelled Germa's forces.
No details. No names. Not even exaggerated claims of valor.
Yet the absence of information only fed the flames of imagination.
After all, anyone from the North Blue knew how terrifying Germa was.
How could a force like that be defeated so easily?
Just how strong had the navy become?
Whispers turned to cheers. Gratitude and awe surged toward the local navy garrison, and for a time, their prestige soared higher than ever.
...
Yuno arrived at the shelter, answered the villagers' flood of questions with calm reassurance, and soon accompanied them back to the village.
From their chatter, he'd picked up on the navy's censorship.
His expression remained composed, though his eyes flickered subtly.
It was a sensible move.
Rather than spotlighting an unknown individual—one whose motives and background were unclear—it was far safer to promote the navy's own strength.
Besides, judging by his actions and demeanor... Yuno didn't exactly appear to be a righteous hero. For all they knew, he could be a wanted criminal.
If it turned out that Donzik Island had been saved by a pirate, what then?
Wouldn't that be an embarrassment?
What would that say about the navy's purpose?
Thinking along these lines, Rear Admiral Bastiu made a swift decision:
Bury Yuno's existence in silence.