IBHJ Chapter 752

The Valkyrie Network was the most crucial and problematic aspect of this connection point. It had the capability to monitor the entire land and link the brain waves of all Valkyries, meaning that controlling the Valkyrie Network was tantamount to controlling the whole region. However, what Shirou didn't expect was that Morrigan actually had a way to hack into the Valkyrie Network.

Morrigan had him bring the Valkyrie over, hypnotizing her as if she were a test subject and laying her down on the ground. She put on a mask and white gloves, then took out a large pile of golden needles. She began inserting them into the Valkyrie's head, like some kind of bizarre acupuncture. The needles stuck out all over her forehead, trembling slightly, making her look like a human pincushion. Chloe felt a shiver run down her spine at the sight. Illya, on the other hand, seemed unfazed. Being an old aunt in her late twenties, she wasn't easily rattled by such things.

Once she finished inserting the golden needles into the Valkyrie's forehead, she pulled out a pair of golden bracelets and handed them to him. "Put these emitters on, and no one will suspect a thing."

Shirou took the bracelets, skepticism written all over his face. "It can't be that easy, can it?"

"Trust me, I've done my research," she assured him. "This Valkyrie Network is basically just a modern information network. The only difference is that instead of optical fiber, they're connected by each other's wavelengths. I've contained this Valkyrie's soul and guided her wavelength out. Wear these bracelets, and you'll emit her soul wavelength. The Valkyrie Network's terminal system won't suspect a thing."

"Terminal system?" Shirou raised an eyebrow.

"She means the hall of Valhalla," Sigurd chimed in.

Shirou shot him a puzzled look. "You know about this?"

"Valhalla and the Valkyrie Network are interconnected," Sigurd explained. "Without Valhalla, the Valkyries probably wouldn't even exist."

Brynhildr, who was standing beside him, nodded in agreement. "He's right." As Odin's eldest daughter and the first Valkyrie, she was in charge of managing Valhalla. When Odin first entrusted her with the place, there was only one Valkyrie. Later on, to expand the army, Odin began selecting young girls with a certain temperament from among ordinary humans. He would then use Valhalla to reincarnate them as Valkyries.

But Valhalla served another purpose as well. It allowed the Valkyries to connect their wavelengths, enabling them to communicate with each other and share their thoughts and computing power. This interconnected system became known as the Valkyrie Network.

So, in a sense, Valhalla served as both the base of operations for the Valkyries and the server for the Valkyrie Network. As the army grew to include hundreds and thousands of Valkyries, the human thoughts and emotions that the young girls carried with them during their reincarnation began to flow into Brynhildr's mind through the network. 

Exposure to these human experiences sparked Brynhildr's curiosity and fascination with mortal emotions and love. The influx of these foreign thoughts left her mind in a state of constant agitation, making it impossible for her to return to her previous state of tranquility. As a result, she began neglecting her duties.

In response, Odin made the decision to expel Brynhildr from the Valkyrie Network and seal her away. He put her into a deep sleep, hoping that it would restore her divine rationality. Unfortunately, things didn't go according to plan. The young and reckless Sigurd managed to breach the seal and awaken the slumbering Brynhildr. The story ended in tragedy, with Brynhildr killing Sigurd and then taking her own life.

"So, if I wear these bracelets, I can use this Valkyrie's identity to get past Valhalla's security system. Is that right?" He asked.

She nodded. "Yes. You'll also be able to connect your mind to the Valkyrie Network through the sensor. But I wouldn't recommend doing that. Your essential soul wavelength can't be masked, so the moment you link your mind to the network, you'll be exposed."

"In that case, I'll leave it in your capable hands, Eternal King," she smiled.

With a nod, he activated his Noble Phantasm, tapping into Merlin's records to cast an illusion on himself. In an instant, he transformed into A-46, his tall, handsome form replaced by that of a gentle-looking, bespectacled blonde Valkyrie.

Everyone appraised his new appearance, unable to find any flaws. They couldn't help but express their admiration. Chloe, who hadn't grown up at all, even teased, "Oniichan has become Oneechan, and she's quite the beauty!"

His face darkened at her words. He grabbed her hand and pressed it against his chest.

"Eeep! I'm not into any weird stuff, so don't make me do this," Chloe protested. "Wait a second... It looks voluptuous, but why does it feel flat and cold, like steel?" She gave him a puzzled look.

"Because it's an illusion," he explained. "Only my appearance has changed in your eyes. In reality, I haven't changed at all. You thought you were touching my chest, but you were actually touching my armor."

"Oh, really? Well, that's a letdown," Chloe said, her face filled with disappointment, "I thought something interesting was about to happen."

Illya's voice took on a stern edge as she chided, "You're not a child anymore, Chloe. Stop causing trouble for others. Besides, our top priority right now is saving Skadi."

"I knew you'd start lecturing me. Old women are so boring."

Several annoyed veins popped out on Illya's forehead. She forced a smile and said, "Excuse me for being a boring old woman in my late twenties. But don't forget, your real age can only be older than mine, not younger."

"What are you talking about? Sure, we've been through a lot together, but don't forget that this body of mine was created by Atlas Academy as a homunculus just ten years ago. If you want to get technical, I'm only ten years old. I'm a lively, cheerful little loli fresh out of the oven, not some old, decrepit woman." Chloe covered her mouth with her hand, teasing Illya. She gleefully watched as Illya raged internally, even though she maintained a smile on the outside.

"I'm done talking to you," Illya declared, feeling that getting angry with Chloe was far too childish. She turned to face Shirou and Sigurd, her expression growing serious. "Shirou-niisan, I'm entrusting Skadi's rescue to you and Sigurd."

Shirou nodded in acknowledgment. Sigurd, on the other hand, arrogantly raised his head, refusing to look at her. Isn't this a given? If he responded too easily, wouldn't it ruin his cool image? However, when Illya mentioned that she would help prevent Brynhildr from killing him in the future, Sigurd immediately nodded like a chicken pecking at rice. Pride? What pride? Compared to avoiding Brynhildr's deadly love, his pride wasn't worth a single penny!

Shirou shot Sigurd a look of contempt, seeing how readily he discarded his pride.

With the hopes of the entire village resting on their shoulders, Shirou and Sigurd set out for Asgard once more. The only difference from their previous departure was that this time, only the two of them were returning, with Shirou escorting Sigurd back.

But would this plan be enough to fool everyone? Even Shirou had his doubts. However, as they re-entered the forest below Asgard, the Valkyries standing guard showed no reaction whatsoever. One of them even addressed him as "sister." As a man made of steel, Shirou found it difficult to accept, but he had to admit that Morrigan's tricks were indeed powerful. They had truly allowed him to impersonate A-46.

With this realization, Shirou's confidence grew, and his acting became more natural. He carried himself as if he were a true Valkyrie, easily passing through the forest and entering the passageway leading to Asgard.

However, he didn't think it was because he was good at pretending to be a woman. Rather, impersonating a Valkyrie was simply too easy. After all, he had two genuine Valkyries in the Black Network, which he had created using the black mud. He asked them a few questions. With their help, infiltrating Asgard had been a piece of cake.