Chapter 98
The veteran's method was on a different level.
『 I'm not asking you to say much. It would be stupid to expect a young guy like you to know a lot in the first place. How much could you possibly know? What I want isn't anything grand, you know, it's just something like that. Let's just have a chat. Oh my. You must be hungry after being caught, why don't you have a bite of this boiled corn (кукуруза)? You seem to be having trouble holding and eating it, so I'll separate the kernels and feed you myself. 』
『 You know, we know quite a lot about you. Things like your name, age, family relationships. Ah, it's not a threat. What could we do even if we knew about your family? Of course, the anti-terrorism unit has threatened with terrorist families before. But we're not such barbaric guys, so don't worry. Well, depending on your answer, you might end up being handed over to those anti-terrorism unit bastards again. 』
『 We could do ordinary torture too. For example, comparing the information we've obtained with the information coming out of your mouth. And if it seems wrong, doing things like stabbing skewers into your body and burning you with electricity. But if we keep doing this, we fall into mannerism, you know. We're not torture technicians, we're just people who need to get information anyway. Huh? Let's take it easy. It wouldn't be pleasant for you either to go through several torture cycles and then sit here listening to my questions. 』
『 You just need to answer insignificant questions. Yeah, I'll start with questions that a low-level guy like you can answer. Just tell me in detail about your daily life from a week ago until today. 』
First, he sweet-talked the one who seemed to be a newbie with fear and persuasion.
『 I know guys like you well. Dominated by the desire to climb up, deeply immersed in the ideology injected by the organization with heavy lips, and yet knowing how to endure with clumsily accumulated experience. 』
『 Pig bastards like you only think about backstabbing people no matter how well we treat you and try to persuade you. Everything that comes out of your mouth is a lie, and you're the kind that can never be persuaded with sweet honey and nice words! 』
『 I won't ask you any questions. Instead, I'll play with you as I said earlier. Well, let me first show you a taste of the KGB legacy that your superior so despised. 』
『 Precious teeth might be pulled out in the process of grinding your face, so I'll neatly arrange them with this chisel and needle. 』
He tortured those who seemed to have some experience right away.
『 You retarded Slav-Nazi bastard. 』
『 I won't ask you anything. 』
『 You won't have your face ground like that, nor will your body be cut up. 』
『 Except for a little beating, you'll get out unharmed. 』
『 Watch and listen carefully. Watch carefully as your subordinate becomes a cripple because of you! 』
He made threats to break the spirit of the Ukrainian who had provoked him.
And this terrible method seemed to be effective as answers started flowing smoothly.
『 Right, let's see. You were trying to crush some mafia bastards trying to extend their reach into Ukraine? 』
『 In the process, you kidnapped a few fat-bellied businessmen and threatened them a bit? 』
『 That was the basic plan, but you tried to have some fun with it. Yeah, that can happen. 』
『 Oh, this is some good information. You were trying to sabotage the Russian State Mana Energy Research Institute? 』
『 And you were trying to disguise it as Chinese action? Right. I wondered why all the equipment you were carrying was nothing but Chinese junk. Hahaha. Even if you were trying to disguise it, come on, using such trash. The grenades don't even explode properly, and the guns jam after firing a few times. Isn't that why you were caught so easily by the anti-terrorism unit? 』
『 But how did you get information about the research institute? There's no way trash like you could know. Oh, Japan? 』
『 There are people in Japan who praise Hitler? Didn't you despise yellow people as monkeys? 』
『 You can accept it because Japan was recognized as honorary Aryans by Hitler and has a history of forming an alliance and fighting together? Hahaha! 』
But the answers stopped there.
There was no sign of any content related to sorcery coming out. Whether they were under a curse that would kill them if they spilled it, or whether they had been used without knowing it themselves, not even the word 'sorcery' came out.
Even when he tortured and sweet-talked them again just in case, the consistent answer was only 'I don't know'.
After pondering for a moment, the middle-aged man decided to use a time-honored method used since the KGB days.
The magical method that some called fabrication, and the KGB called creation.
* * *
Viktor listened to the recorded sound coming from the other end of the phone.
『 Kuh.... Kuhugh.... Our Azov Battalion.... cooperating with an organization made up of Japanese honorary Aryans... 』
『 Sabotaging the Russian State Mana Energy Research Institute.... acquiring data.... 』
『 With the help of.... Japanese.... sorcerers.... using human sacrifice to activate sorcery.... 』
『 We were trying to carry out terrorism.... 』
The voice speaking with groans was weak and small, but there was no problem for Viktor, who was a strong martial artist, to hear.
[ How is it. Is it the content you wanted? ]
"Yes. Thank you."
[ If you're grateful, give me some of that alcohol you have. ]
"Right, I got some good quality vodka recently, I'll send it with my subordinate."
[ Hehehe, alright. Don't be stingy and send just one, send about a whole box generously. ]
"Understood."
After finishing the call, Viktor tapped on the desk and thought.
Japan, Japan, huh.
Japan.
A country full of martial artists and sorcerers.
There were many high-level martial artists in Japan.
If it was a renowned martial artist, it wouldn't be difficult to block or dodge Viktor's attack.
After all, the attack Viktor had thrown wasn't an attack meant for martial artists, but a long-range attack meant for sorcerers or mages.
Work of the Japanazi, huh. It seems somewhat fitting...
After pondering for a moment, Viktor came to a conclusion.
Our relationship isn't good because of Sakhalin, but a warning should be fine, right?
They were not friendly countries, and there was always friction due to territorial disputes.
Moreover, they were the ones who pulled out first instead of helping when Russia was in trouble, and lately, their arrogance has been rising and they've been trying to test the waters, which was quite irritating.
"I guess I should bring it up first."
* * *
The whole world was rapidly shifting to the right.
Nationalistic colors were strengthening, people longing for the 'glorious era' of the past and wanting to return to that time were increasing, and those trying to show off their power to their surroundings by expressing force were overflowing.
China shouted that it should lead the world order by spreading the power of Chinese civilization to all directions, the United States increased its defense budget saying that it should take on the role of coordinating the world in the future as it had done in the past, and European countries reduced their investment in NATO forces and poured money into independent national defense. Especially Britain was pouring money into its navy and air force as if trying to bring back the glory of Rule Britannia.
And Japan was no exception.
Economic recession following the bubble economy.
The leadership wanting to become a normal country.
Citizens' dissatisfaction growing due to increasing taxes and economic recession.
Ability users who gained strong powers due to blessed environments.
All of these were pushing Japan to the right.
Originally, when life became difficult, nationalism strengthened and radical claims gained power.
And once they started gaining power, those who raised their voices rode on it and it became the mainstream opinion. And if it became the mainstream opinion, it became the opinion that dominated the whole.
Return to a great empire.
Return to the Taisho era, which was the most brilliant and romantic.
Reproduction of the golden age when divided Japanese united and achieved miracles.
The Japanese right wing, the forces accelerating the shift to the right, shouted that they should return to the brilliant era.
Their goals were varied.
The powerful wanted more power and honor.
Like their ancestors who led the imperial era, they wanted to leave their names in history books and be recorded as great people who raised Japan again, which was now declining. And in the process, they wanted to gain wealth and power and live like nobles.
The wealthy wanted more money.
Like their ancestors who bathed in gold, had maids and servants, and lived in mansions so large that it would take a full day to walk around, they wanted to gain unimaginable wealth. They wanted to live a dream-like life again where they could achieve everything with a single word, have delicacies served every day, and sleep with different world-class beauties every day.
The citizens wanted their lives to improve.
Gradually increasing taxes and a tough environment to live in.
Living in a small single room that wasn’t even properly soundproofed, with little left after paying rent, and having to buy 60 yen nametake to eat when payday approached due to lack of money–they wanted to escape from such a life.
The ability users with power wanted to show their strength.
They wanted to demonstrate their strength as the great martial artists of old did, and wanted to raise the name of their family and school by achieving martial feats.
Perhaps this was a very natural phenomenon that occurred when survival was threatened and instincts
are stimulated.
After all, living things tended to express desires when their lives were threatened.
Desire.
To live wealthy.
To live surrounded by beautiful and handsome people.
To eat more delicious things.
Such natural desires inherent in human nature.
Perhaps saying that they were shifting to the right was the same as saying that such desires were getting stronger.
Then it would be natural for those who want desires to be dominated by desires.
"Kannushi-sama, Kannushi-sama..."
Rise prayed.
"I'm managing well as you commanded..."
In front of Rise, who was praying with her hands clasped reverently, was a slime. The slime was generously supplying divine power to Rise as if to say she was doing well.
Behind Rise, fox tails were swaying slightly, and Narumi, dressed in clothes that a maid might wear, was grooming those tails with a high-quality comb.
"Please come back soon and make me happy."