A gentle breeze swept through the forest, carrying the fresh scent of grass and nature's fragrance.
Kagura Hitomi took a deep breath, relishing the refreshing sensation that filled her lungs.
The air here was so pure that it even surpassed the quality of Earth's most well-preserved nature reserves.
'Where is this place?'
One thing was certain—this was not Earth.
Even if Earth had landscapes like this, with forests and vast grasslands, there was no way it also had a towering Stargate the size of a mountain or a moon so massive that it looked like another Earth hovering in near orbit.
Actually, make that two moons. Two giant moons!
Sigh… Looks like I've become a stranded, humanoid, automatic on an alien planet.
Kagura let out a sigh.
'Now what?'
There was no spaceship in sight, and her combat suit wasn't designed for interstellar travel.
Even if she could leave the planet's atmosphere, she had no idea which direction Earth was in.
On the other hand, waiting around for another spatial anomaly caused by the "Convergence of Celestial Bodies" to transport her again was too risky.
If space-time distorted once more, she could end up in an even stranger place.
Not all realms in the Nine Realms were as hospitable to humans as Earth or Asgard.
If she were transported to Jotunheim, Loki's homeland, she'd freeze to death.
If she ended up in Muspelheim, the domain of the fire giant Surtur, she'd be incinerated.
What a miserable way to go!
Since the environment here seemed livable and there were signs of civilization ahead, it made sense to go find someone and ask for help.
The space-time anomalies caused by the "Convergence" were not universal.
They were restricted to the Nine Realms under Asgard's jurisdiction.
While vast, these realms were at least within Asgard's sphere of influence.
If she was lucky, she could find someone who could contact Thor. That would be her ticket home!
Determined, Kagura started walking toward the settlement in the distance, where a cluster of yurt-like buildings stood.
Before long, as she crossed a small hill, the village came into full view.
Asgard and the Nine Realms under its rule were truly peculiar places.
Take Asgard itself, for example.
It was a radiant, golden civilization built on a disk-shaped interstellar landmass, boasting highly advanced technology and ruling over a vast stretch of the universe.
And yet, the Asgardians lived like ancient Vikings.
Their clothing, daily routines, food, and even their combat style and weaponry all screamed an odd fusion of the primitive and the futuristic.
Especially their weapons, just as absurd as those of the Chitauri.
Asgardians had high-tech airships equipped with pulse cannons and homing missiles… but they designed them to look like open-decked sailing ships, without even a proper cover!
They could coat metal with plasma-infused alloys to slice through nearly anything, yet they still shaped their weapons into traditional swords and spears, as if melee combat was the height of battlefield romance.
This bizarre mix of old and new extended to the other realms as well.
And this civilization before her was no exception.
Through her holographic UI display, Kagura's sensors had already analyzed the distant village:
Building Materials: Unknown. Sensor analysis suggests structures can withstand a 120mm high-explosive armor-piercing round.
Chimney-like structures: Appear to be furnaces, but likely some form of plasma thermal exchange devices.
Unknown humanoid species: Likely farmers, but wielding high-temperature charged blade axes.
…
In short, these aliens had integrated advanced technology into an otherwise primitive lifestyle. It was baffling.
"Big sister! Big sister! What are you doing here? Who are you?"
A childish voice suddenly called out from behind.
Kagura immediately turned around, alert. "Who's there?"
The speaker, startled by her reaction, took a step back. "I… I'm Chisé…"
Seeing that it was just a little girl, Kagura relaxed. "Chisé?"
"Mm! That's me!"
The girl smiled and pointed toward the village. "I live here. Big sister, you're not from our village, are you?"
"Uh… no."
Kagura shook her head. "I… I got lost. So I'm trying to find my way home. Chisé, could you take me to your parents? Maybe they can help me."
At these words, Chisé's expression dimmed. "I… I don't have parents."
"Huh?"
Kagura was surprised.
"They say my parents died in a war thousands of years ago."
Chisé explained further. "Uncle Hogun says I might be the last of my kind. Our people committed terrible sins, but I'm a good girl, so everyone protects me and doesn't hurt me."
"Your… people?"
Kagura instinctively studied the little girl closely.
At first glance, the villagers resembled human, with black hair, black eyes, and slightly yellowish skin.
Even though her sensors identified them as an alien species, they looked surprisingly human.
But Chisé was different.
She had a pale, almost translucent complexion, pointed ears, and beautiful white hair.
Wait… she's a white-haired character like me!
After a moment's thought, Kagura had a guess. "Chisé, what is your people's name?"
"Uncle Hogun told me I shouldn't tell strangers. It could be dangerous for me."
Chisé answered honestly.
"Then… can you take me to see your Uncle Hogun?"
Even though Chisé was hesitant to reveal her race, Kagura had a strong suspicion.
This little girl was likely from one of the rarest surviving races in the universe—the Dark Elves.
After their war with Asgard millennia ago, the Dark Elves were nearly wiped out. Those who remained were constantly hunted, and only a few managed to survive in hiding.
For Chisé to live here peacefully, it was likely thanks to her pure-hearted nature and the protection of her so-called "Uncle Hogun."
Hogun—a name Kagura knew well.
He was one of Thor's closest friends, one of the Warriors Three of Asgard.
She had even fought alongside him once on Earth against the Destroyer.
"Okay, no problem!"
Chisé thought for a moment before nodding. "By the way, big sister, what's your name?"
"I'm Kagura Hitomi."
She smiled. "Your Uncle Hogun should recognize me."
"Oh, I see! Got it!"
Chisé cheerfully hopped forward. "Come with me, sister Kagura! This way!"
A vast grassland, a dense forest, a massive Stargate.
Yurt-like dwellings, a rustic lifestyle.
And now, a renowned Asgardian warrior living here.
Where was this place?
Kagura already had her answer.
This was Vanaheim—one of the Nine Realms, and the homeland of General Hogun.