Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: The Era of Overflowing Towers (2)
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[West Coast of the United States, California shoreline.]
"What a waste of budget. Total waste."
A B-Rank American hunter known publicly as Jetman shook his head as he gazed at the crowd gathered along the coast.
"Do we really need this much fanfare?"
"This isn't even enough."
Standing beside Jetman was his supporting hunter, a young woman who could be called his 'sidekick'—Polybora. She replied in a soft, gentle voice.
"A sister ship to one that fought in World War II, and one that was never even completed, is crossing the entire Pacific like that. We've got no choice but to cheer our hearts out."
"Most of the people here are Korean, aren't they? I see nothing but black hair everywhere."
"Sure, but what are you gonna do, not welcome her? Block her from coming to America like some people want to?"
"You think I'm that much of an idiot, friend?"
Jetman grumbled and tilted his head toward the sky.
"So, can Master conquer that tower up there in the sky?"
"Who knows. But at least she'll tackle the S-Rank towers in America first before going after the one hanging over this 'America.'"
"Ha..."
Jetman pulled up a photo on his smartphone.
The gallery contained a single image sent out uniformly by the U.S. government to all hunters. It captured not just America, but the entire world.
The peculiar detail was that the world was divided into seven colored zones, as if segmented into districts.
While East Asia, including the Korean Peninsula, was blanketed in white, America and the surrounding regions were covered in green.
And the sky.
The sky that should have been shining blue was now flickering with a translucent green something.
Gigantic towers had appeared in skies not just over East Asia, but across the globe.
Dubbed 'SS-Rank towers' by the public—or perhaps something even greater—people lived in fear of them.
And yet, that fear fueled their fervor.
For the owner of the ship crossing the Pacific straight to America, who had cleared every S-Rank tower in her own country and rushed here even faster than scheduled.
"Hey, Poly. Think Master can pull it off?"
"If she can't, then you'll have to. You up for it?"
"No chance."
Jetman gave a wry smile and shook his head.
"All we can do is hope that hero from the East saves not just America, but the whole Americas—no, the entire world."
Whoosh...
Ahead.
Five battleships were approaching the California shoreline.
"Hey, isn't that the lead Iowa-class ship, Iowa? The one on display at Los Angeles harbor?"
"...So it's coming here on purpose? Escorted by those other ships?"
"That's right."
Whoosh...
"Wow..."
Even under the escort of the latest warships, the battleship at the forefront cut an even more sturdy and refined figure. As the Illinois drew nearer, Jetman clicked his tongue in awe.
"Seeing a ship I've only watched in movies show up like that... damn, it really is cool."
"Right?"
"Master's ability is presumed to be 'summoning,' yeah?"
"Yep."
"...Kinda jealous."
Jetman sounded genuinely regretful.
"If it were me, I'd summon New Jersey, Belfast, Illustrious, something like that."
"...What the hell are you talking about?"
"You know, those kinds."
Jetman covered his face with one hand.
"At least it's not a ship geek. Could've been bad if Elaine was my favorite. Whew."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ [A short while later, Los Angeles harbor.]
"They do look alike."
Beside the Iowa-class lead ship Iowa, displayed next to the harbor turned museum, the similarly sized Illinois pulled in and docked right alongside.
Click-click-click-click.
Outside, people clutching cameras with massive lenses like cannons snapped away endlessly at the incoming battleship.
With a decommissioned battleship parked next to what looked like a cutting-edge replica placed as close as possible, who wouldn't be amazed?
Some among them were surely thinking it.
Ah.
I wanna climb aboard.
Even with a shiny new car, you can't help but think, "Give me a ride." If it's the tragic uncompleted fifth ship of her class, no true American could look away.
'Even putting myself in their shoes, I'd feel the same.'
What if an American, Adam Peterson, suddenly awakened summoning powers and conjured a ship from the sea? Who knows what he'd be thinking deep down, but if it was a turtle ship?
Some would wonder what the inside of a real turtle ship looked like.
Others would want to analyze how its main guns turned an S-Rank hunter into a mana cripple.
And some would just want to hop on board simply because it was a turtle ship.
The Illinois I'd summoned was in exactly that spot right now.
Which meant precautions were naturally in order.
"Commander. Preparations are complete. Core sectors are sealed off, and any hacking attempts will shut them down immediately."
"Good work, Dray."
Dray displayed a screen on the bridge's front monitor, showing various zones.
The areas marked in green, yellow, and red indicated classification by 'access level.'
"Zones for authorized personnel. Spaces where we stay that U.S. supporters can enter. And these red zones..."
"Are our private areas that they must never enter."
"Exactly. Even if they deliver beds, it'll only go up to the yellow zones, and Elaine will handle it from there. They won't come in."
"What about you, Dray?"
Elaine set down a mug of coffee for Dray, eyeing her with half-lidded eyes.
"You're subtly trying to paint me as just manual labor to Master, aren't you...?"
"We're entrusting household management to the flawless Perfect Maid. You're better at interior design than me anyway."
"So you're dumping furniture moving and appliance setup on me too?"
"You gonna leave it to a normal human commander? Oh, sorry. I'm an intel type."
"An android who can crush a normal human arm just by gripping it."
"It's more efficient for someone who can use mana to swiftly move loads than for one android unit to haul them physically. Duh."
Dray smirked as she picked up the steaming coffee.
"Or would you rather watch U.S. officials tromp into your cozy space with Master wearing their boots?"
"Would you just sit there?"
"Of course not. Fine, we'll do it together. But we agree on the zones since we're splitting it?"
"Agreed. First..."
The two dove into some important discussion.
Butting in would just give me a headache, so I turned my thoughts to other complications.
Click.
A photo in my smartphone gallery.
Inside the photo loomed a massive sphere, positioned at the heart of the red no-entry zones.
"Not some sleeping beauty inside there, nya?"
Kiharu, perched quietly on my shoulder, stretched out a paw with a sly grin.
"You think I'm the type to cruise around packed with nothing but beauties?"
"But considering even the summon management AI is a beauty spec, maybe this one's tuned to Master's tastes and defaults to beauty mode."
"That's troubling."
"Troubling? More beauties joining the crew?"
"Means I need to build up my stamina first... Why the creepy grin?"
"Heh heh. Humans."
Kiharu stretched with a knowing chuckle.
"Still, I like that about you, nya."
"Huh?"
"From what I've seen of humans since my origins, the ones who pair up, have kids, and strive for a world where those kids can live happily—they're the ones who live diligently and happily."
Kiharu hopped down to my thigh and gazed up through the bridge at the sky.
"What's the greatest driving force letting them live on without despair or giving up, even before such massive threats? Their children."
"...Dunno."
"Really? Then shifting your mindset that way isn't a bad idea."
Kiharu extended her paws toward my hand and tapped eight fingers—excluding the thumbs—with her pads.
"Pretend you're wearing eight rings and go all out, nya."
"...Does that include the goddess standing right here?"
"Whether you stack 'em all on your index finger or spread to the ring finger... even I gotta watch to find out."
Kiharu giggled and leaped from my thigh to the panel.
"In any world, if humanity despairs and crumbles, that's the end. But I'm the type to bet on their hope."
"...Then I suppose I should live up to that expectation."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ A new alert has arrived. I had no clue what lay inside that massive sphere in the Illinois's engine room, or what the gigantic tower spanning the sky truly was.
"President's coming aboard soon, so let's go greet him. In person."
"Gonna go out, nya?"
"My face is already out there. No point hiding."
It might make me a target of hatred and rage for some.
"If they're jealous, they can awaken summoning powers themselves and stand against humanity's crisis alongside me."
Right now, I had work to do.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ [A short while later, inside the Illinois reception room.]
"I'm delighted to meet you again like this, Master."
President Luigi extended a handshake with flushed cheeks.
"Your Korean's improved."
"Can't just chat in English forever. Of course..."
"Speak however you're comfortable. Things have changed since then for me too."
I gestured to Elaine and Dray standing behind me.
"Even if we speak English, it'll sound like Korean to me."
"I see. I don't know the method, but then I'll speak freely."
President Luigi cleared his throat and stared straight at me.
"Welcome to America, Master."
It was in Korean.
"America will support Master actively. But off the record, there's something I must convey."
President Luigi held up two fingers with a serious expression.
"Two years."
"Two years...?"
"Just live here for two years. Don't get too attached to this country."
"Is that something the President of the United States should say?"
"It's exactly because I'm the President. As the leader of the nation that upholds not just America's order, but the world's."
President Luigi pointed two fingers at himself.
"My term has two years left."
"......."
"America now and America in two years may be different. So don't pour everything into it. The America two years from now might treat you like your homeland did. As long as I'm guarding the White House, I'll prevent that."
President Luigi's eyes brimmed with sincerity.
"And if the next president goes mad, pulls something like 'Iron Blood' did, then act as you will without mercy. Return home, or go elsewhere."
"You sure that's okay?"
"Of course. What kind of land of the free crushes freedom?"
Fair point.
"But if this country ever becomes that way someday, hate those who oppress your freedom—but don't hate or abandon everyone here. That's my first and last word to you as a 'friend.'"
"...Yeah, I get what you're saying."
Whatever President Luigi said, the blood of a Korean ran through these veins. Fact.
"Give me the list of S-Rank towers. From the officially known ones to the secret ones hidden from the world."
"...Already?"
"Yes."
📜 NEW QUEST 📜 Fifth Quest
📍 Objective: Conquer 6 S-Rank Towers
⏰ Unlock: New Summon
"The more people, the better."