Episode 170 Kyushu Crisis (2)
While Hans was active on Earth, time in Auterica was flowing quickly.
The Talia Kingdom, now officially ruled by Hybrid.
They decided to keep the country's name and not change it for various political reasons and to minimize chaos.
It wasn't much different from before, when they were ruling from the shadows, so they just changed the regime while keeping the shell.
And they didn't hide the fact that the new ruling class was vampires, but they didn't openly announce it either, vaguely glossing over it.
They were mindful of their external image, as too drastic a change could cause strong resistance, but…
Naturally, they couldn't completely eliminate the shock with such a shallow trick.
"Hey, did you hear? They say the king of our country has changed."
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
The rumors that started to spread from the capital were just the beginning.
"What's that newly built building that's so shiny?"
"They say it's a blood donation center… They say they give you money and various benefits if you sell your blood."
"Blood?! Th-that's creepy. What if we get cursed?"
"Ah, they say it's officially run by the country. And they pay quite well, so it's not bad if you need money urgently. You get a bit tired, but it doesn't hurt, and they give you all sorts of good stuff afterward."
"Even so… Wait, how do you know so much? …Don't tell me?"
"Ahem, the economy is tough these days…"
As 'blood donation centers', the main bases of the vampires scattered throughout each region, started to open one by one, even ordinary citizens, who were too busy making ends meet to care about politics, gradually started to feel the change.
Of course, some were worried after realizing that vampires had taken over the country, but those who could become a center of resistance were already under Hybrid's control, so there wasn't much ordinary people could do.
They just watched the situation with worried eyes, as they hadn't suffered any direct damage yet.
But naturally…
There were those who couldn't be so optimistic about the situation…
"Huh, what's this… And at a time like this."
"…I had a feeling something was going on, but I didn't expect them to come out into the open so suddenly."
It was the neighboring countries bordering Talia and the Main God Church, which was practically the representative of the Ion Continent.
They didn't learn about it through their intelligence.
It was the envoy from the 'Talia Kingdom' who formally visited and informed them of everything.
And at the Roselia Cathedral in the holy land,
Duke Bright, who had also participated in the summit, was personally visiting as an envoy and facing the Church's higher-ups.
"I apologize for coming so suddenly, as I know you must be surprised."
"It's okay. We were a bit surprised… but we're grateful that you came."
Considering the gravity of the matter, the people present were all impressive figures.
The Cardinals, who oversaw the Church's affairs, Saintess Liesta, who was practically the face of the Church, and…
"These are turbulent times. It's only natural to prioritize dialogue in this situation. Isn't that the fastest path to peace and coexistence?"
"You're right, Saint."
…Even Saint Heinrich, who had been busy running around and happened to be at the cathedral.
The hero of the continent, who was rapidly gaining fame by accurately 'predicting' various incidents and successfully eliminating the evil forces that were suddenly appearing.
He looked at Duke Bright with a serious expression.
And the result of the discussion that followed was…
Naturally, it proceeded in a direction that satisfied both sides.
____________________
Hahoe Mask, who had been terrorizing the nights of Korea, had crossed over to Japan, but his influence didn't manifest immediately.
<I was almost killed by the Yakuza, but I barely survived.>
-I don't want to reveal the exact location just in case. I live in Fukuoka Prefecture, and this time…
-…And just when I thought I was going to die, the surroundings suddenly darkened, and someone appeared.
-I was so scared that I fainted, so I couldn't see him properly, but I think he was a man wearing a black outfit and a strange mask. When I woke up, I was in the hospital.
-I'm back home after being questioned by the police, but I suddenly feel like I've lost touch with reality, so I'm writing this. I wonder if I had a dream.
Of course, his activities led to encounters with many people, and some of them even posted their experiences online…
-Oh, that's interesting. When's the next chapter coming out?
-A masked hero, what an old-fashioned concept, lol. But it's my type (laugh)
-This patient escaped! Prepare the medication!
But the topic didn't become a big issue and was quietly buried because he avoided leaving any evidence of his appearance, just like in Korea.
On the internet, where all sorts of nonsense were rampant, even serious posts were often dismissed as delusions.
But Fukuoka City was one of the major cities in Japan, so many people were subtly feeling the change.
That things seemed strangely quieter than usual, for some reason.
And as time passed and the effect spread beyond Fukuoka to surrounding areas like Kumamoto and Nagasaki, more and more related posts started to appear in online communities.
It was still limited to a part of Kyushu, the third largest island in Japan, so it wasn't mainstream yet, but among those living in the same area, there were many who agreed.
But unlike the general public, those who were most acutely feeling the effect were—.
"What the hell is going on? Does anyone know?!"
"I asked the police I have connections with, and they said the place is a bloodbath! It seems like they're all dead…"
The underground organizations, who could be considered the parties involved.
Whether they were allied organizations or rival organizations, they were all on high alert at this sudden incident.
The forces that were starting to disappear one by one after losing contact.
This was clearly an attack targeting their industry, so they couldn't let their guard down, as they didn't know when they might become the next target.
And…
"So, report."
The next ones to react sensitively and start investigating were the Kyushu Regional Supernatural Bureau under the National Supernatural Committee, which managed Japan's awakened ones.
"Based on the on-site investigation and the testimonies of multiple witnesses, the reliability is very high. It's practically certain."
"Huh, so it was real? What was it again… Hahoe Mask?"
The director of the bureau, who was in charge of the awakened ones in the Kyushu region, muttered incredulously.
He had also heard of the awakened one who was famous in the neighboring country.
Of course, he had been convinced that Hahoe Mask's exploits were just Korean government propaganda.
"This is ridiculous. So you're saying that the guy who was rampaging in Korea came all the way to Japan and is causing trouble? While hunting criminals?"
The director's lips twitched.
Putting aside the morality of his intentions, how could any official be happy about a foreigner meddling in their country?
And it was happening in his jurisdiction, of all places.
'So he wasn't a fictional character. The unofficial strongest in Korea? What a joke.'
How much did they underestimate them to cross the border and cause such a mess?
It seemed like he was acting recklessly, trusting only in his insignificant title.
"Just one awakened one."
Now that things had come to this, it didn't matter if Hahoe Mask was a fabricated hero or if Korea was really being controlled by a single awakened one.
It had become a matter of their pride.
"Tamura."
"Yes! Director!"
"It'll be embarrassing if we can't catch him here. You know that, right?"
"Of course! We'll show them that we're different from those incompetent Koreans!"
"But contact the Returnee Association too. He's a guy who swept through half of Kyushu in just a few days. We have to assume his skills are real."
Of course, it was impressive, but it wasn't enough to make them back down.
The reason they had been leaving the underground organizations alone was because of their secrecy and the political factors involved with the higher-ups, not because they lacked the power.
'Come to think of it, it wouldn't be bad for us to catch the awakened one that Korea couldn't handle. If we use the media well, we might even be able to get promoted to the central office.'
It seemed possible if they just emphasized that he was the unofficial strongest criminal in Korea.
And so, the director, lost in his sweet dreams, formed a Hahoe Mask pursuit team, even bringing in the Guardians from the Japanese Returnee Association…
And for several days after they started moving in earnest,
His futile dream didn't come true.
Until Hahoe Mask was almost done wiping out Kyushu's entire underworld.
____________________
'Tsk, they're annoying.'
Hans inwardly complained and lightly swung his staff.
Countless demon hands shot out from the magic circles he had set up, sweeping the surroundings.
Gooo—
"Block them!"
"Grace of the Holy Spirit!"
Dozens of people were defending against it and even counterattacking.
But the group currently fighting Hans wasn't the criminal organization he was targeting.
The Japanese pursuit team, which had been persistently following him for days, seemed to have planned it, as they were hiding near his target and ambushed him.
'It's an island, so the remaining destinations are inevitably limited as time passes. And the guys I was targeting this time were the last target in Kyushu.'
Unlike Korea, where he had struggled to respond initially due to lack of information, the Japanese side had now grasped Hahoe Mask to some extent and knew where he was targeting, so they were pursuing him accordingly.
And the result was the current situation.
'There weren't any who fought this desperately in Korea.'
Hans had been active in Korea for quite a while, so it wasn't like he had never encountered agents from the Supernatural Ability Management Bureau or Guardians.
But he mostly avoided fights then, and the other side didn't actively attack either, so they often just glossed over it.
There were several reasons for that.
They might have been too scared to attack, or they might have inwardly sympathized with Hahoe Mask's actions.
And the basic policy of trying to persuade Hahoe Mask must have also played a part.
But Japan was in a different situation from Korea, so they had no choice but to fight desperately.
Their intervention was just annoying to Hans, who had been interrupted while hunting.
'If it hadn't been for these guys, I would have already cleaned up Kyushu and moved on to the next region.'
As he was contemplating how to shake off these annoying leeches and target his goal,
He suddenly felt a premonition and adjusted his grip on the bone staff he was holding.
His widened stance firmly planted his feet on the ground.
His lowered center of gravity stably supported his body.
His waist rotated with the help of magic power, as if bouncing.
And the staff, enveloped in dark magic power, moved gracefully…
"Gale Sword Style Secret Art! Whirlwind's… Ugh!"
Boom—!
He struck the idiot who had been trying to ambush him while concealing his presence, but then needlessly shouted the long name of his technique at the last moment, sending him flying.
With a perfect stance, even receiving indirect help from Heinrich's "Path of Martial Arts".
"That idiot, even in this situation!"
"And that guy, wasn't he a mage? What was that move…!"
Sighs and exclamations erupted simultaneously.
But unlike the awakened ones who were criticizing the one who had tried to ambush him, Hans was actually impressed.
'To think he would persistently shout the name of his technique even in this situation, he has conviction and a sense of romance.'
That inefficient act was the ultimate 'coolness' that a strong individual could only use against a weak opponent.
It was audacious of him to try that on him, but he could understand the thrill of successfully pulling it off against a strong opponent…
'No, that's not right! I almost succumbed to the temptation of 'Hans'.'
His instincts, driven by his attention-seeking and boasting, strongly desired it, but that was too much.
There was a limit to being useless.
[Hehehe— I have a busy schedule, so let's finish this quickly. Dark Shadow Corridor!]
…But maybe it wouldn't be bad to do it occasionally.
He could now understand Death Wizard Malcolm's feelings when he used to chant the names of his spells every time he used magic, at least a little.
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And at that moment, in the mountains some distance away from where the battle was taking place,
-[Hahoe Mask confirmed. Commencing operation. Everyone, to your positions.]
-[Confirmed.]
-[Okay.]
A group of people, concealing their identities, started to move stealthily.