Chapter 104
Chapter 104
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: Walker II
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Shin Noah
4
The subjugation wasn't a choice—it was a necessity.
If we let this situation slide, the infection would spread from the entire Korean Peninsula to tunnels across the world, one after another, turning them into 'Inunaki Tunnels.'
The Awakeners from both Korea and Japan agreed to pool their strength. In this post-apocalyptic world where supply chains had already collapsed, losing tunnel routes entirely was unacceptable.
But what kind of people were the East Asian nations?
"Perfect timing—a sea tunnel just appeared off the coast of Busan. Why don't you handle the subjugation there...?"
"Nyaang. Thanks for the kind offer, but cleaning up your own mess is the proper way of an adult, nyaang. We'll take the lead on subjugating Inunaki with our Magical Girl Council, nyaang!"
When three countries hold a meeting, it's called 'Korea-China-Japan' in Korea, 'China-Korea-Japan' in China, and 'Japan-China-Korea' in Japan—that's East Asian etiquette.
Asking if nations hadn't collapsed long ago was pointless. The people come first, and only then does the country follow.
Even if they'd already perished—no, precisely because they had—the self-proclaimed 'representatives' of each region clung desperately to their authority.
"Hmm. Admirable spirit, but I've heard your side's been in dire straits lately... We've just punched through a new sea tunnel here, but isn't your entire country turned into an ant hill? We're ready to help anytime..."
"Nyahaha. Thanks for the concern, nyaang. It would've been so much easier if we had a peerless Awakener like the Undertaker! Man, we're just unlucky compared to the neighbors—it's so sad, nyaang!"
Hahaha, hohoho—the pleasantries continued.
They must've looked too fun. Even the Chinese Awakeners, uninfected by Inunaki so far, subtly signaled: 'Hey? What're you guys up to? Why're you having all the fun without us? Can't we join in? Huh? Let's play together!'
As both sides' faces soured more and more, I stepped in politely.
"The ones leading this subjugation aren't the National Highway Management Corps or the Magical Girl Council. It's me, the individual known as the Undertaker. I'd like to invite a few Awakeners I know personally, one by one, to form a temporary party. I'd be grateful if you'd join, considering our connection."
"Hmm..."
"Nyaang."
This was another long-standing Korean tradition: 'volunteers.' We all respected tradition, so my proposal passed easily.
It was strictly as individuals, under the premise of voluntary participation, that the multinational party was formed. The party members were as follows.
-Korean Peninsula side: Undertaker (party leader), Saintess (secret participant), Yoo Ji-won (vice party leader)
-Japanese Archipelago side: Manyeobmyo (vice party leader), Phantom Sword.
You might think it's a skimpy lineup for all the fuss about a joint Korea-Japan subjugation force, but it was more than enough.
Embarrassing as it is to say myself, I, the Undertaker, was practically a one-man army. I just needed people to cover the gaps I couldn't.
As for the Magical Girl Council side—well, they'd said first that two or three of them would suffice, so they could only dispatch a matching number.
"Pardon the intrusion."
"Nyaang! Make yourselves at home, nyaang!"
As Manyeobmyo guided our group on business in Japan to a luxury ryokan, she whispered slyly.
"Undertaker, Undertaker."
"Hm?"
"That Yoo over there is the National Highway Management Corps director, right? But who's the silver-haired lady? Never seen her before, nyaang..."
Manyeobmyo nodded toward the Saintess. On the Korean Peninsula, only No Do-ha and I knew her true identity, so it was natural the Magical Girl Council was clueless.
"My girlfriend."
"......!"
"We've been dating two months now. She got worried when I said I was heading to Japan and insisted on coming along. She'll stay here until the operation ends, so take good care of her."
"Wasn't the Undertaker's girlfriend the songstress of Three Thousand Worlds, nyaang?"
What the hell. Why had that rumor spread across the sea?
"...Completely baseless. She's my first girlfriend."
"Ah, aah. Got it, nyaang. Sorry for the rudeness, nyaang. There are a few Valkyries among the magical girls too... Anyway! Since she's the Undertaker's girl, we'll treat her like total VIP, nyaang!"
The Saintess tilted her head with a "?" as she watched our whispering. She was the only one in our group who didn't speak Japanese.
We unpacked at the inn and got down to the serious meeting.
"The subjugation will proceed on the Japanese side. However, if this operation succeeds, the Council owes me compensation."
"Compensation? What do you mean, nyaang?"
"A spirit camera."
"Ah..."
"Specifically, a Polaroid OneStep. 1977 model, please."
"Hiyahaha, nyaah. Undertaker, you're really obsessed with that thing, nyaang?"
Manyeobmyo scratched her cheek.
"I'd love to give it, but nyaang—it's one of the ultra-rare treasures, and the Council only has three... Nyaaang, I'll check with the higher-ups first, nyaang."
As the name 'Magical Girl Council' suggests, the Japanese Archipelago Awakeners weren't big on strict hierarchy.
Each shrine had one magical girl who received 'divine descent,' managing her own domain.
Though the Council's HQ was on the Noto Peninsula, compared to the National Highway Management Corps' prestige on the Korean Peninsula, it was more nominal.
In other words, rather than 'the Magical Girl Council possesses three spirit cameras,' it was truer to say 'three magical girls who own spirit cameras have joined the Council.'
No way they'd hand over precious items without individual persuasion.
Of course, I knew the Council's situation inside out. That's why I threw out a tough demand first, then gracefully backed off.
"Then, can you at least tell me where the Polaroid camera was first farmed from?"
"Nyaang?"
"I'm a huge fan of that item personally. Think of me as a collector. I'd prefer the real thing, but if not, I want as much info as possible."
That way, I could cut in line next loop and snag the item myself.
Manyeobmyo's face brightened.
"Nyaah! That much I can definitely get approval for, nyaang! Leave it to me, nyaah!"
Normally, 'important item farming spots' would be classified too, but we'd publicly offered to subjugate Inunaki on the Japanese Archipelago, not the Korean Peninsula.
Sure enough, a few days later, Manyeobmyo returned with good news.
"I found the farming spot, nyaang. And..."
"And?"
"Tadaaaaan—nyaang!"
Manyeobmyo dramatically revealed the item she'd hidden behind her back.
"Gasp."
It was the camera. The Polaroid OneStep (Land Camera 1000) released in 1977.
The item I'd eyed dozens of loops ago was now in the cat magical girl's hands.
It was the very camera that would shine during my resort vacation with Sim A-ryeon at 'Sauron's Tower' in the future.
My eyes wavered.
"No way, Manyeobmyo, you...?"
"Nyahang. Even we couldn't just give farming info and send you off when the Undertaker brought his girlfriend and aide to our turf. So... ahem. Under the condition of subjugating Inunaki Tunnel, the owner agreed to hand over the camera, nyaang!"
"Manyeobmyo. We're friends from now on."
"Eeeee—! Tomodachi da nya!"
Clap! We high-fived.
The subjugation team's morale was at an all-time high.
Leaving the Saintess at the inn, the first official Korea-Japan joint operation party—me, Yoo Ji-won, Manyeobmyo, Phantom Sword—set off.
5
Upon arriving at the destination, the two local magical girls climbed onto the podium (a rock).
"Nyaang! Thanks so much for agreeing to help with this subjugation, nyaang!"
"....... ......"
Manyeobmyo pointed to the back with her umbrella tip. There lay the Inunaki Tunnel.
The entrance was about 90% sealed by a stone wall, scribbled over with colorful graffiti and scrawls, filthy.
"This was originally the Sorodani Tunnel, nyaang. But as you see, it got infected by Inunaki, nyaang!"
"....... ......!"
"It's not a path with much foot traffic, so we figured just detour around the mountain road—nyaang. Nyahang. Truth is, the god I serve is at a shrine nearby, nyaang. It's been bugging me nonstop, nyaang."
Snap! Manyeobmyo opened her umbrella.
The umbrella was bizarre. The outside was painted gold, but the inside was pitch black like the night sky, twinkling with stars.
It wasn't fashion—it was Manyeobmyo's divine treasure. All magical girls carried one such relic.
"Thanks to the Undertaker and the Korean Peninsula Awakeners' cooperation, we can finally attempt surgery to remove this archipelago tumor once more, nyaang! Nice to work with you, nyaang!"
"......! ......!"
"The pleasure's ours. We're not longtime partners who know each other's rhythms, so there might be minor mistakes or misunderstandings. I'll stay calm and ask for understanding each time, so please forgive in advance."
"Of course, nyaang!"
"......! ......!"
That's when it happened.
Yoo Ji-won, who'd been quietly holding her trunk beside me, raised her hand. For the record, she was fluent in Japanese too.
"I have a question."
"Nya?"
"Why does the Awakener next to you just go '......! ......!' flapping her mouth? Is she mute?"
Our gazes turned to Manyeobmyo's side.
There, the loner who'd never joined our chats was tiptoeing desperately. Probably trying to assert her presence.
That's right.
The dialogues marked '......' throughout had actually been this mute magical girl flailing about.
For the record, besides being mute, this magical girl also lacked both arms. If there was a god in heaven, this was prime evidence they were a sadist who got off on tormenting humans.
"Ah. Phantom Sword, did you forget to use telepathy magic, nyaang? I can't hear anything right now, nyaang."
"......!"
At Manyeobmyo's point, the mute no-armed magical girl bounced up and down. Then voices started in our heads.
[Whoops, sorry about that. Mr. Undertaker. Ms. Yoo. This humble one mistakenly thought she was sending telepathy all along, haha. I figured you were deliberately ignoring me.]
Her cutesy appearance clashed with the archaic speech.
Phantom Sword.
Literally, 'sword with no hands.'
I was used to her manner. Sharp readers might've noticed already, but in loop 99, the magical girls who fought UFO aliens with me were these two: Manyeobmyo and Phantom Sword.
They were the Japanese Awakeners I trusted most.
"Hmm..."
Meanwhile, Yoo Ji-won seemed to see the magical girls before her as full-of-themselves crazies. Her expression turned odd.
Couldn't deny it.
Yoo Ji-won whispered in Korean.
"Your Excellency. Why do all magic-type Awakeners have mental issues? Witch cosplay Dang Seo-rin, sailor uniform cosplay Cheon Yo-hwa... Now magical girls? It's spreading to the neighbors now."
"Tell me about it... I didn't know [Minimap] was a magic-type ability either."
"......?"
I scanned the group.
"Alright. We're only four, but each a one-man army hero. Today, the archipelago's deepest void-depth monstrosity gets subjugated. Manyeobmyo, ready?"
"Nyaang! Today, Inunaki Tunnel becomes Nekonaki Tunnel, nyaang!"
"Phantom Sword?"
[Yes! The Magical Girl Council attempted Inunaki four times before, and all data's stored in my head. Fully prepared!]
"Yoo Ji-won."
"I'll follow Your Excellency's orders."
I glanced up at the sky. As if waiting, the Saintess's voice rang out.
[Ready, Mr. Undertaker.]
Perfect.
I'd rarely felt this secure before a monstrosity raid. We advanced in excellent spirits.
'Good vibes.'
We boldly crumbled the entrance stone wall and entered the tunnel. The tunnel's cozy darkness enveloped our four backs.
66 minutes later.
The Korea-Japan united Awakener party was utterly annihilated.
5
Again.
Next, loop 142.
"Nyaang! Today, Inunaki Tunnel becomes Nekonaki Tunnel, nyaang!"
"Good spirit. Excellent. But first, something to check."
"...Nyaah?"
I met the party member's morale-boosting shout with utmost seriousness, dropping the surrounding air temperature by about 1 degree.
Not that I'd suddenly awakened temperature manipulation. Literally, the area around Inunaki Tunnel's entrance was chilling in real time.
"The monstrosity already noticed us approaching. Manyeobmyo. Got the spirit camera?"
"Nyaang? I brought it, but..."
"Take it out and snap a photo."
"...Got it, nyaang. Leader."
Sensing my shifted aura, Manyeobmyo's face hardened too. She pulled the camera straight from her backpack without protest.
Yoo Ji-won was impassive, used to my demeanor. Phantom Sword stayed calm.
Manyeobmyo carefully lifted Japan's one-of-three spirit cameras with one hand.
"Where do I shoot, nyaang?"
"Tunnel entrance. Include the surrounding scenery in one shot."
"Roger, nyaang."
Click-
Flash burst. The instant camera spat out the developing film from its thin lips.
Me, Yoo Ji-won, Manyeobmyo, Phantom Sword, and even the absent Saintess—we five peered down at it side by side.
Phantom Sword's expression stiffened.
[This is...]
In the spirit photo.
Cedar trees lining both sides of the tunnel like shrine pillars were impaled with corpses nailed by huge spikes. The corpses wore outfits too ornate for ordinary folk—frills and decorations galore.
They were magical girls' corpses.
"Recognize them?"
[...Yes. The photo quality's poor, so not 100% sure, but judging by the costumes, they seem like comrades missing from past subjugation ops. Some I haven't seen in 7 years.]
As expected.
I kept a straight face. A subjugation leader must always stay firm.
The question came from a teammate instead.
"What the nyaang. How is this...?"
"Provocation. As I said, the monstrosity knows we're approaching. It's daring us: come if you dare."
"No, but... That doesn't make sense, nyaang. Neither I nor Phantom Sword are shrine maidens who get outdone in spiritual power anywhere. How didn't we notice anything before the photo...?"
[Wait a moment.]
I turned.
Phantom Sword was staring at a corner of the blurry instant photo.
[The corpses here. The ones right by the stone wall.]
"Nyaang?"
[Blurry, but... don't their faces resemble us?]
"......"
Cicada cries echoed.
Japanese call it kanakana. But like all languages, some unique sounds can't be captured in text—perhaps not even cries, just ragged gasps. They reverberated nonstop from the surrounding cedar forest.
"Take another, Manyeobmyo. Center on the stone wall this time."
"Got it, nyaang."
Click.
Flash burst.
In that instant, the entire forest's cicada cries halted. It sounded eerie, but it felt like thousands of grasshoppers turning to stare at us all at once.
Ziiiiing-
The Polaroid camera slowly, noisily—excessively so—developed the photo.
We peered again.
"......"
The corpses in the photo were lighter.
Identical to the first, but headless and armless, dangling from the cedars.
No—closer look, one more change.
On the tunnel entrance's stone wall, covered in colorful graffiti and scrawls, red letters glowed that weren't in the previous photo.
-Welcome home (おかえり).