To Pull or Not to Pull the Trigger

Thud.

The carpet settled onto the ground.

The two ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠allies, their faces blank with shock, couldn't tear their eyes away from the four craters.

"Carmina? Yulia?"

No response. They must be like dolls.

Time to recite a magic spell.

"Chimaek."

"Slurp."

"Beer? Where is it?"

One surefire effect.

The two snapped out of it and started making a huge fuss.

"Ah! Ahh! We should've filmed it!"

"Just... how far does His Holiness's power extend?"

Who knows? As long as there are Skill Cooldown Reset Tickets, right?

Down to one less in total. Originally four, used three, replenished with two.

It hands them out generously, that's for sure.

But human greed knows no bounds.

While it's giving, why not stock us up to 40 or 50?

"Master, you've grown a conscience fur!"

"I've had that since I was a kid."

"You two, more importantly, shouldn't we check this first?"

We huddled together in front of the message.

"Hmm, wonder what'll come out."

"Whatever it is, my expectations are maxed! An ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠item never issued before!"

"Future sight? Trial creation? Score multiplier? Hopefully something that directly helps His Holiness and the Korean parish."

"My thought is—"

Lively discussion flying back and forth.

All dopamine chasers, so we sync up like ghosts at times like this.

Gift boxes are most thrilling before opening, right?

We debated like stern, serious scholars.

"Most useful would be a utility item."

"No! Public item! Universe Octopus Summon Ticket!"

"I think equipment item odds too?"

"Ah! Utility item!"

"Public! Public!"

If it looks like kids bickering, you're wrong.

Just your imagination. Anyway.

After fully savoring the appetizer.

"Confirm reward."

Ding!

A blue orb appeared in his hand.

After reading it carefully, it turned out to be a type no one had predicted.

The effect description is pretty long.

Summarizing roughly.

"Super Tai Chi Fist!"

"Kinda that vibe, yeah."

Blocks offensive items.

Nullifies activation outright.

Or twists it in our favor.

And even if we use the orb, they won't know.

An attack item flies off ineffectively.

Or they stare baffled at the worst scenario unfolding before them.

Not bad at all?

Perfectly suited to the current situation, actually.

"Spot-on item! The System must be a fan of Master!"

"Even the System's a devotee of His Holiness?"

Satan mentioned some factions inside the System before.

Eh, no other info.

No judgments possible.

"Just chalk it up to my gacha skills."

"Ah, gacha's just luck—"

"Not luck. Skill."

Anyway, back to the main point.

One week ago.

Or rather, the day before China got fleeced by the Korean negotiation team and handed over Manchuria.

China's intelligence HQ fired off an order via the Korean branch network.

Summary:

「'Giant Monster Tartaros Summon Ticket' passed to Japan side.」

「Tartaros summoning in Korea likely to hit the mainland peninsula high probability.」

「Pre-investigate Korea's infested zones.」

「High chance of hitchhikers for Tartaros subjugation. Prepare accordingly.」

And on negotiation day.

[Beep—!]

China sees the classified docs on screen and realizes.

Their Korean branch had been compromised long ago, info leaked all along.

They must've panicked. Especially after sending the Tartaros order the day before.

Korea? Knows the ticket exists.

China? Aware ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of this fact.

One question remains.

Did China tell Japan, who currently holds the summon ticket?

Answer: NO.

Torture results from Sintaro-whatever in the Truth Room at the Agency.

Japan's Management Bureau is completely unaware.

"Ah! China deliberately didn't tell them?"

"Yep. From China's view, just get Japan to use the ticket, done."

Even if Japan knew.

Wouldn't change them using it.

They think it's a sure win probabilistically.

If the ticket gets used?

Tartaros x1 in Korea.

x1 in Japan.

x1 in random nation.

Summons in a random tower in infested zones.

And if all scenarios twist to Japan's worst?

"I can guess where the Tartaros will spawn each."

"Ah! Me too! I can picture it!"

"His Holiness, what about the random nation?"

"No big worry there either. Probabilistic, but I know where it'll hit."

Only concern? Civilian casualties abroad.

Advancing Tartaros.

Spawns in infested zone, heads to nearest uninfested.

But not super fast.

Casualties won't be huge.

Plus, I already settled my stance during the Lycanslope incident.

Too busy protecting Koreans.

No time for other countries.

If a thug swings a knife wildly and chops his own foot, that's on him.

Most crucially: This is a counter item.

In other ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠words, Japan does nothing stupid, nothing happens.

"Whether they flip the bomb switch themselves or not."

"Flip it! Or not!"

"That is the question?"

Will Japan play nice?

After the holy water auction, officials from each nation returned home satisfied.

No more trips to US/China/Japan shops.

With holy water supply secured, why buy malicious overpriced stock?

Internet mockery continued.

Hottest topic online: US/China/Japan shop statuses.

But change hit.

Auction winners started climbing with holy water.

Regular folks had no clue.

The auction in outer Gyeonggi was under strict embargo.

No news, no articles.

Management Bureaus, plus hitchhikers, untouchable Korean sanctuaries.

No media dared defy.

Sightings spread as rumors at best.

Anyway, holy water climbs' result.

Massive shakeup in mid-ranks clustered tightly.

China shoved mercilessly through the crowd.

Poke! Excuse me.

Poke poke! Blocking the way?

Poke poke poke! Ugh, move already.

Result.

Blasted out in seconds.

Top 100, gone.

Chinese public opinion boiled.

Traffic surged, but most opinions mild.

Heavy censorship stifled overt complaints.

Online hooligans crashing. China's whole country in chaos.

Online or off.

China felt utterly wronged.

Price gouge if possible via hoarding, obvious right?

Can't get treatment? Their fault for missing info.

Removing rivals in auction this bad?

By Greater China thought, world way off track.

They screamed bloody murder.

But opinion dead opposite.

Korea? Pure praise articles.

Pouring in real-time.

Already trending, but yesterday-today exploded.

Reason? Clear.

Hitchhiker nation.

Holy water supplier.

No reason not to favor, morally or practically.

Overseas articles flooding net left Koreans baffled.

Nakayama was in a foul mood.

Churning stomach. Rising nausea.

Because they'd hastily decided to use the Tartaros ticket.

Glanced at rankings.

Damn holy water!

Shameless Koreans!

Germany, stuck at 4th, chasing scary fast because of you!

3rd rank.

Lose it, massive loss.

Bigger issue now.

・Use condition: Lv60+

・Nation in top 3

Most tactical items have these.

"...Huuuuh."

Trembling eyes scanned rest of Tartaros ticket.

Other tactical items.

Own plenty.

But considering conditions.

Hide identity, solid damage to Korea: Only Tartaros ticket.

Use soon.

Before Germany snags 3rd.

So early morning today, met PM directly, ended talks.

Today, use the ticket.

Location: Bureau command center.

All top officials, awakeners gathered solemnly.

Nakayama handed ticket to Sato.

Lv65 S-rank, Japan rank 1.

"Use now?"

"Wait, hold on."

Final checks.

Korea's Tartaros most likely Gangwon-do.

Tower distribution in infested zones.

Advances to Seoul, holy water 2-3 supply disrupted somehow.

Just not Jeju tower.

Others all mainland.

Wherever, Korea takes fatal hit.

Japan?

Blessed tower positions.

99% chance spawns affiliated islands.

Extremely low odds under Tokyo: Yokohama.

Muttering.

"...S-rank bomber squad, trap island-spawned Tartaros, claim 1st reward. Got it."

"Y-yes! All personnel ready!"

Plan checks boosted Nakayama's grin uncontrollably.

"Uhihihihi."

Confidence charging.

Laughter leaked.

Yes. Foolproof op.

Recent bad luck just shrank him temporarily; he's always success road guy.

"Uahahahahaha—!"

Nakayama burst laughing.

All followed suit.

Tense command center revived instantly.

Tears from laughing, Nakayama said.

"Haa, haa, no matter how I think, this one move crosses Korea's irreversible river."

"Quite right. Holy water? Meaningless if nation destroyed."

"Hitchhiker can't stop. Human facing hundreds-meter monster advancing?"

Desires, curses.

Spilled freely.

Nakayama's grin split to ears.

"Yes, we normalize the world. Fix this wildly wrong order and rules."

Blazing eyes.

Dopamine surging brain.

Irresistible anticipation for what's coming.

China? Clumsy amateurs unlike superior Japan.

We calculate all probabilities meticulously.

Japan has no failure.

Only success.

"Rip them."

"Yes!"

And Korea.

Screeech!

Only ruin ahead for you.