The metal case did not open completely; it only developed several tiny hairline fractures along its body. Furthermore, these cracks persisted for only a few seconds before sealing shut once more.
Two indentations, two rings...
It seemed he would have to find the other ring and press both into the indentations at either end simultaneously to truly unlock this metal case. As for the whereabouts of the second ring, Byrne recalled his experience in the underground limestone cave a few days ago while investigating Tzeentch cultists with Renee.
The other ring was likely in the possession of the "Child of Doomsday."
Unfortunately, his "cheat" could only manifest items from the worlds where his other clones resided. It would have saved a lot of trouble if he could have manifested the other ring directly. Byrne shook his head, dismissing the impractical fantasy.
He placed the ring back into the drawer and turned his gaze toward the stack of notebook fragments. Over a century of decay had rendered these already incomplete notes entirely unreadable. Byrne thought back to the newest clone from the last gathering, the one with the ability to rewind death.
If only I had the power to turn back time, I could restore these notes to their original state.
Wait, turning back time...
A sudden spark of inspiration hit him: Doraemon. He remembered that Doraemon possessed a gadget called the "Time Kerchief," which could restore an object covered by it to its past or future state. However, in recent gatherings, the Young Byrne had never mentioned the Time Kerchief.
Whatever, I'll try it first.
With that thought, Byrne closed his eyes, spread his hands, and envisioned the appearance of the Time Kerchief in his mind. Minutes later, he opened his eyes to find his hands empty. Although his attempt failed, Byrne wasn't discouraged. He had another plan.
Since the last gathering, he had accidentally discovered that he seemed to possess the ability to manipulate the White Mist Space. He wanted to find a way to actively enter that space after returning to reality. Previously, entering the White Mist Space had been passive; he would be forcibly summoned there in his sleep when the gathering time approached.
Fortunately, after several attempts, Byrne actually found a way. The method was simple: he only needed to concentrate, recalling the scene of the round table gathering in the White Mist Space. The dormant golden energy within his body would resonate, guiding his soul into that foggy void.
The golden energy vibrated gently, and a warm pulling force rose from within him, wrapping around his soul as it slowly detached from his physical body. The scenery of his bedroom blurred and dissipated rapidly, replaced by the familiar boundless white mist and the solitary round table standing within it.
This time, it wasn't the scheduled gathering hour. The area around the round table was empty, with no sign of the other clones. Byrne walked to his seat, sat down, and tried once more to summon the Time Kerchief. After a while, he opened his eyes again, but his hands remained empty.
Heh, failed again.
Just as Byrne was feeling a bit dejected, he caught a glimpse of golden light emanating from the back of Young Byrne's chair. Before he could investigate further, an inexplicable suction force pulled from the backrest. The force wasn't violent, but it carried an irresistible momentum, dragging his soul toward the chair.
He instinctively reached out to grab the edge of the round table, but his fingertips only touched nothingness. Everything in the White Mist Space seemed to distort with this suction, even the outline of the round table becoming blurred and ethereal. Finally, Byrne's soul was swallowed by the chair.
The sensation of weightlessness and darkness was fleeting. When Byrne regained his composure and opened his eyes, the surrounding scenery had changed completely. He was not in the White Mist Space, nor was he in his rented bedroom. He was in a completely unfamiliar room.
Strange, where was I transported to?
Byrne sat up, looking around in confusion. A second later, he noticed something was off. Why has my line of sight become lower?
Looking down, he saw that his hands were much smaller. No, this wasn't the world of Warhammer. Recalling how he had been sucked into Young Byrne's seat, a bold thought immediately surfaced.
Could it be that I've arrived in the world of Doraemon?
He pushed himself up to stand. He could clearly feel that his height had decreased significantly. The bedroom he was in was decorated with a sense of childhood wonder. Comic books and stationery were arranged on the desk against the wall, which was covered in various cartoon stickers. A blue wind chime hung by the window, letting out a crisp sound as the breeze blew through.
After a brief moment of daze, a new surge of memories flooded his mind. Upon processing them, Byrne confirmed that he had indeed traveled to the world of Doraemon and occupied Young Byrne's body.
Heh, is this a possession or an incarnation?
He raised a hand to touch his cheek; the skin felt youthful, perfectly matching the appearance of Young Byrne in his memories. To be precise, it felt more like his soul had returned to its proper place rather than a forced takeover.
Just as Byrne was adapting to this new body, a voice came from outside the door. "Byrne, are you up yet? Come downstairs for breakfast."
It was the voice of Young Byrne's mother. In his memories, she was a gentle and meticulous woman. Byrne steadied himself and mimicked the boy's usual tone, replying, "Got it! I'm coming!"
Although he was surprised to have traveled to Doraemon's world, he didn't know how long he would stay. His primary task now was to find Doraemon and borrow that magical gadget—the Time Kerchief. However, he first had to find a suitable reason to convince Nobita.
Byrne walked to the desk and checked the calendar. Today was Saturday, so there was no school. Nobita and Doraemon should both be at home, which made things much easier. After washing up, Byrne went downstairs to the dining room. His father had already finished eating and left for work.
The dining table was set with rice, grilled fish, and miso soup. His mother, wearing a cream-colored apron, placed a freshly made plate of Tamagoyaki on the table. Seeing Byrne, she waved with a smile. "Sit down quickly. If you don't eat now, the food will get cold."
Byrne sat down as instructed and picked up his chopsticks to take a piece of the Tamagoyaki. The dense, sweet aroma melted on his tongue—a stark contrast to the coarse, synthetic food in the Warhammer world. While eating, Byrne calculated his plan of action. Although he wasn't Nobita's immediate neighbor, their houses were only two streets apart—less than a fifteen-minute walk.
As Byrne was thinking, his mother, sitting opposite him, seemed to remember something. "By the way, it's Saturday. Didn't you agree to go to the park with Nobita and the others?"