Chapter 154
In the Pacific Ocean, there existed an island unknown to any Hunter. It was an island that emerged from a Gate after the Great Cataclysm, enveloped in immense magic energy. Unless one deliberately ventured inside, from the outside, only the magic energy was visible, making it unknown to anyone. And on this island, the Sins, who could be considered the next generation of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Axis of Evil, were holding a meeting around a Round Table.
“Who would have thought Gluttony, who had only just been born, would meet such a futile end?”
The woman with light pink hair, exuding a mature charm and known as the Sin of Envy, said so, shaking her head. Following her, the other figures seated around the table also offered their opinions.
“Being the last among us to be born, she was weak and got herself killed by acting rashly.” “Even if she was weak among us, was she really weak enough to be defeated by a Saengdo?” “Envy. Come to think of it, didn’t Gluttony call Yu Eunha Aži Dahāka?”
The individuals present were the Sins. Specifically, there were four of them: two men and two women.
“Yu Eunha’s abilities are certainly similar to Aži Dahāka’s, but Aži Dahāka was active even after Yu Eunha was born.” “Even so, the power to defeat a Sin cannot be ignored.”
The one who responded to Envy’s words was the Sin of Pride. Aži Dahāka disappeared and there has been no news since, but the timeline doesn’t match for Aži Dahāka to have reincarnated as Yu Eunha. More importantly, Aži Dahāka would have had to die for reincarnation to be possible, yet Aži Dahāka only disappeared in China, where it was last sighted. There was no news of its death. In other words, the ‘Aži Dahāka = Yu Eunha’ theory cannot be established.
“Speaking of which, what happened to Gluttony Pingtao?” “They say Yu Eunha buried her alive. That girl Pingtao was deeply engrossed in Sinocentrism, tsk tsk.” “And what are you doing lying down?”
Envy asked, looking disdainfully at the tired-looking Man playing a game on the sofa. Gluttony was dead, and Lust’s whereabouts were unknown. Could he really be so carefree in such a situation? She doubted if he was even a Sin like them.
“Hey, don’t ignore me!”
When his game console was finally snatched away, the Man scratched his head, got up, and retrieved it.
He was the Sin of Sloth.
“What’s going to change by just talking? I was half-forced to come here, so I’ll just wait until your meeting is over.” “Pathetic fool. If we want to completely cover the Earth with magic energy, we need to step up.”
When the Sin of Pride scoffed at Sloth, Sloth returned the scoff.
“Will Gluttony, who died from all that talk, come back to life? Or why don’t you go find Lust, who’s probably building a harem somewhere, screwing or getting screwed, whether with Men or Women?”
“Do you think we’re just here to gossip about Gluttony like a bunch of old women?”
“Then what is it?”
“Wasn’t it?” Sloth tilted his head, and the other Sins shook theirs.
“Korea’s power is stronger than we thought. It is even more so than during Yu Jinseok’s time. The Baekhwa Cult possesses weapons that can practically dismember the Yellow Dragon, and there’s even a Mutant who can bind and tear apart that Yellow Dragon. We might win if we invade Korea, but our grand dream would fail. It’s time to change direction.”
Despite being there for a meeting, the blonde girl, who had been nobly sipping tea alone amidst the Sins’ squabbling, opened her mouth.
“Know your enemy, know yourself, that’s the rule for knowing your enemy, knowing yourself. We still need to increase our Subordinates through Gates. Now is the time to build our strength.”
“Hmph. So, does our Noble Lady from Germany have something in mind?”
When the Sin of Envy, who usually disliked the blonde Girl, pressed her, the Girl spoke in a flat tone.
“The global situation is changing rapidly, especially centered in East Asia. First, a young Hero has emerged from China’s Northwest Warlords. With the fall of the Beijing Warlords, the Northwest Warlords took over Beijing and appointed a new Hunter named Xue Li. It’s said that Chiwoo is her Constellation. Perhaps due to the Constellation’s influence, she is mature beyond her years, knows how to manage Subordinates, and wields various weapons and powers. She is revered as the young Leader of the Northwest Warlords, and the Special Forces Chiwoo Unit is reportedly advancing on Beijing.”
“Wow! Japan has its Shogunate, and China has Chiwoo. East Asia is truly regressing to the past!”
Sloth, who had been listening quietly, clapped his hands.
“Korea’s War Hero Yu Eunha has been assigned to the Baekhwa Cult as a Special Hunter, due to Ha Jeongseok’s checks. Baekhwa, the original Leader of the Baekhwa Cult, is currently missing, and Yu Eunha has effectively taken charge of the Baekhwa Cult.”
“To place a War Hero, even if it’s in an Autonomous Region, as a Villain Leader. How amusing.”
Pride was also dumbfounded. Indeed. If one desires a dictatorship of power, that would be desirable. But isn’t it laughable to see them checking a girl young enough to be their child?
“Japan is also in an uproar. Because Japan couldn’t intervene this time in the Korea-China War, it couldn’t enjoy the War Boom. Now, Right-wingers are criticizing the Shinohara Regime and aiming for a Restoration of the Monarchy. Hunters affiliated with Right-wing forces carried out terror attacks but were massacred by the Shinsengumi in broad daylight.”
Perhaps what Sloth said in jest was true. Northeast Asia truly seemed to be regressing to the past. China had Chiwoo, who fought Emperor Xuanyuan; Korea had something akin to past Factional Strife; Japan had its Shogunate. It was truly a return to the past. Considering this, do the Sins really need to rush?
“Well, at this rate, it doesn’t seem like we need to rush either, does it? Even if Gluttony died, do we really need to step in?”
The Sin of Envy, now more relaxed than before, shrugged.
“That’s true. Let’s observe a bit longer.”
For now, it’s a time to be cautious.
* * *
China, Beijing
A Hunter Unit, bearing red flags emblazoned with the image of a Dokkaebi, fought fierce battles against the Monsters that had occupied Beijing. The one leading the unit was a woman, just twenty years old, with her black hair tied back. The army of the Goblin Flag, morale boosted by the girl’s command, annihilated the Monsters, and the woman leading them aimed her Crossbow of Light at the last Monster.
“Gwoaaaaah!”
“Leave the land of Chiwoo.”
Despite her high-pitched voice, typical of girls her age, the Monster was startled by its gravitas and died as its head was destroyed by the Arrow of Light shot by the Woman. After confirming the Monster’s death, the Woman shook the crossbow in her hand, and it transformed into a sword, attaching itself to her waist.
“Beijing has been recaptured from the Monsters!”
“Long live the Chiwoo Unit!”
It was the moment the Chiwoo Unit reclaimed Beijing, which had been lost to the Monsters after the fall of the Beijing Warlords. But at this very moment, someone came to find the Woman, seizing the opportunity.
“Leader, someone has come from Nanjing.”
Nanjing means the Presidential Palace. It’s obvious who sent them. The woman coldly greeted the Chinese Public Security officials who had come from Nanjing.
“Are you trying to persuade me again?”
“That’s right, Xue Li. If you surrender to the Nanjing Government, you will be put in charge of the Hunter Unit established by the Chinese Public Security. We will also give you enough money and land to live comfortably for generations. This is President Zhang’s will.”
Xue Li. That was the name of the woman, the rising star of the Northwest Warlords after the fall of the Beijing Warlords, and the Leader of the Chiwoo Unit. Xue Li smiled coldly at the Public Security’s proposal.
“The Chinese Communist Party, the Axis of Evil, which, by threatening neighboring countries with their vain delusions and greed to become emperor, caused corruption, extravagance, and the deaths of over 1.3 million lives in the war with Korea, wants me?” “That was General Zhang Wei’s sole decision.” “Do you think I don’t know the Presidential Palace is behind that? Moreover, an emperor in this era? It’s laughable. If you come looking for me one more time, Zhang Xueti’s head will fall to the ground.”
The Northwest Warlords were already rebelling against Nanjing’s Presidential Palace. Until now, they couldn’t stand tall because of the Beijing Warlords, but with the fall of the Beijing Warlords, Zhang Xueti’s Reform Failure, Corruption, and War Defeat, the Northwest Warlords could no longer remain silent. Furthermore, China was diplomatically isolated from the world. Thus, the Northwest Warlords virtually declared independence. In the end, the Public Security officials from Nanjing had to return empty-handed. As the Public Security officials left, the Chiwoo Unit Hunters praised Xue Li.
“As expected of our Leader. Well done. If Korea has Yu Eunha, China has our Leader.”
Korea’s Yu Eunha, the one who plunged into the battlefield with patriotism and defeated the main force of the Beijing Warlords, along with a few Saengdo including Choi Siwoo. Furthermore, she was a formidable woman who even defeated Gluttony Pingtao, the Sin that the Beijing Warlords had kept as their ultimate weapon. Xue Li had been hunting monsters in the Northwest Region, but as she recently expanded her sphere of influence to Beijing, she frequently encountered the name Yu Eunha.
“Isn’t Yu Eunha the woman who captured Beijing Hunters in the Battle of Pyeongyang and Pyeongseong, and defeated Pingtao in a duel with indomitable will, leading the war to victory?”
“Most of the troops were decimated by missiles launched by the Baekhwa Cult, but by then, the war was effectively over.”
I know that. The million ragtag soldiers who followed were useless. She is Korea’s talent, the greatest contributor to the war, and the one who made Zhang Xueti of the Presidential Palace hand over the Northeast to Korea.
“Hmm… I’d like to meet her sometime.”
A faint smile played on Xue Li’s lips.
* * *
Shinohara Castle
Recently, news has frequently been reaching Shinohara Yuzuki.
“House Head. Right-wing forces are once again running rampant in Kyoto. They carried out terror attacks against Shinohara’s Hunters but were suppressed.”
The Right-wingers are rebelling against Shinohara. It’s laughable. These people, who only have the Self-Defense Forces as a legacy of the old generation, are rebelling against Shinohara. It’s not the first or second time. It’s probably the Prime Minister’s doing.
“The Prime Minister is playing foolish games again.”
“Shouldn’t we depose the Prime Minister?”
Shinohara Mariko was worried that the Right-wing forces might become a threat to her. If Shinohara’s authority wavered, it would be the end. However, Shinohara Yuzuki herself was calmly polishing her sword.
“Enough. There’s no need to create trouble.”
“But they keep inciting.”
“Pfft. Even so, are the Japanese people following them?”
“No, they are not.”
Perhaps in the past, but now Shinohara controls the Nation itself. Although there are some Right-wing forces, no Japanese Person would side with them in an age of information unless they Control the Media and Incite. Moreover, Shinohara has not made any mistakes.
“She hasn’t made any mistakes to begin with. Although we couldn’t enjoy the War Boom, we gained a profit by mediating the war, and along with Improved Relations with Korea, we also secured investment rights for the Northeast Three Provinces, which became Korean territory. Did any of our Hunters die on the Peninsula? We only saw benefits, no losses.” “Yes.” “There’s no need to rush. The Prime Minister, on the contrary, wants us to rise up with force. If we don’t provoke them, they will collapse on their own.”
Thanks to China’s actions, East Asia is practically in a State of Tension. If Shinohara were to mobilize Hunters and wipe out all the Right-wing forces, it would only diminish the Shinohara Regime’s Reputation in the International Community for no good reason.
“Then what about Hanseong Academy?”
Hanseong Academy… Although Gluttony, the Sin, is dead, relations with Korea are more important now than ever. War Hero Yu Eunha, it turns out, is the Woman designated as the next Leader of the Baekhwa Cult by Baekhwa, its current Leader. We’ve also secured investment rights for the Northeast Three Provinces Gate. Putting Ha Jeongseok aside, our relationship with Yu Eunha is more crucial now.
“Befriending Yu Eunha would be beneficial for Shinohara. I should go. I also need to discuss investments in the Northeast Three Provinces with that man, Ha Jeongseok. Hmm. Inviting her to Shinohara Castle wouldn’t be a bad idea either.”
“In that case, should we just monitor the Self-Defense Forces and the Prime Minister for now?”
“Yes. Have the Shinsengumi monitor them.”
“Understood.”
There’s no need to rush. On the contrary, if they self-destruct, that’s what Shinohara wants. We will completely end the Prime Minister and the Royal Family and usher in Japan’s New Era.