Chapter 132. The Mercenary Corps Prepares to March.
Chapter 132. The Mercenary Corps Prepares to March.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Ahem... did I go on too long? Anyway, that's how it took roughly three hundred years to kill the Heaven God."
"For it to take you that long, Representative... it must have been a truly formidable opponent."
"Not really. I wasn't using a sword."
"Excuse me? You didn't use a sword...?"
"I hunted down the celestials one by one and tore their wings off with my bare hands. I suppose that's when people started calling me the 'Disaster' in earnest, because of that brutality."
"Good heavens..."
"Plenty of celestials did flee to the Lower Realm to escape me while I was slaughtering them indiscriminately. No matter how ruthless I was, I didn't hunt down the ones who hid away in other nations."
Well, it's a common enough story: after that, the people who'd been exploited gathered one by one and formed the Dragon Corps. Unlike the demons, the celestials were vicious bastards who meddled directly in human lives.
There had always been a few people gathering around me from the beginning, but I remembered Ariel was running a clinic, so I protected them on the strength of my name alone.
"Ariel's gone to a good place."
"As you say, a good place..."
"?"
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"No. It was at that point the power of Chaos finally stabilized, and I became able to tear space within the same dimension. So I opened the gate to the Underworld and personally guided Ariel there myself."
"Ah..."
"Who knows? If Earth fuses with Titan and the gate to the Underworld opens, perhaps I'll actually meet Ariel again..."
"I see..."
"Anyway, I think we need to talk a bit about China."
"But... you said you merely stripped them of their power and came back. If the celestials presumed to be in China go to North Korea and learn what happened, wouldn't that be dangerous?"
"That won't happen."
The celestials' fear of me runs deeper than that of any other race. They felt it firsthand—no matter what tactics or strategies they prepared, they were helpless before overwhelming power. I made one of the prideful ones kneel at my feet and declare with his own mouth that he was not a god.
In that process, some were consumed by shock, and others coped by deluding themselves that they'd had no choice because of me.
"If anything... they might come looking for us first."
"Pardon...?"
"They aren't fools who'd pick a fight they can't win. They might just propose some sort of pact."
To be precise, those bastards do pick fights they can't win. But if the target is me, they'll rationalize it on their own, salvage their pride, and choose survival.
"First, not all of the celestials crossed over."
"How do you know that?"
"If a force that massive had crossed over all at once, there's no way I wouldn't have felt their mana surging as they gathered. They probably only sent a few over, just like last time with the demons."
"Representative, should we launch a preemptive strike before they do, then?"
"..."
If it were up to me, I'd wipe out every last one of them. Even if I say my loathing for celestials has lessened compared to the past, I still can't stand them. As I was mulling it over, someone offered an opinion.
"The rage of the North Korean people must have reached its peak. What if the celestials, stripped of all power, were killed by the residents? In that case, the celestials in China wouldn't know it was your doing, Representative."
"They'll probably question the residents. The residents saw us, too, so they'll have a rough idea it was our doing. Then the celestials will descend to find those who killed their kin."
'If they descend and try something stupid, that would be like sticking their heads into a tiger's mouth.'
At that moment, the chief of staff stepped out briefly and returned with a bundle of documents. The President took the documents and spoke to me.
"In truth, while you were in North Korea, Representative, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan were investigating regions where the terrain has been altered or strange structures have appeared."
"Are these documents about those regions?"
"Yes. There were cases of dwarves, so they couldn't approach closely; these are reconnaissance photos taken from a distance."
"I see South America here."
"Yes, there are likely survivors in South America as well, but the government there is effectively annihilated. So it seems the U.S. sent drones that far to reconnoiter."
"Quite a lot of altered terrain. In particular, the Amazon in Brazil..."
"There's been a massive increase in trees nearly as tall as buildings, but they haven't been able to confirm whether it's rapid growth under special conditions or an entirely different species."
From what's been confirmed, the countries that still have functioning governments include the U.S., U.K., Japan, European nations, Russia, Canada, Australia—all major powers before the apocalypse seem to have surviving governments.
'Even so, the countries with enough leeway to cooperate with other nations are the U.S., the U.K., Japan...'
The United States, perhaps thanks to the firearms already in households, was reclaiming its national territory faster than any other country. We are making progress bit by bit, too, but our weapons are limited, so we can't move as fast as the United States.
'Though it's at least fortunate that people, however few, are steadily making their way here.'
It isn't always upstanding people who come. Whatever your past profession, however much money you had, we're all equal here. But there are those who don't realize the world has changed, who strut around demanding special treatment and stirring up trouble.
'There really was a guy who, when we tried to kick him out because he was uncontrollable, wailed and clung to my pant leg.'
"By the way, is Russia also unable to reach us by radio at the moment?"
"Yes... however, it's not a complete blackout like with China and North Korea. It's really just enough to exchange the bare essentials."
"Europe is gathered around the U.K., you said?"
"Correct. Beyond that, we are sharing information in a constructive manner with Canada and Australia."
"Did you also share the facts about the dimensional fusion?"
"We did. But they didn't seem to fully believe it."
No matter how topsy-turvy the world has become, the representatives of nations aren't fools who'd just say, "Ah, is that so," and swallow it whole. The idea of fusing with another world is so absurd, it's a relief they didn't cut off contact and tell us to stop spouting nonsense, and instead listened.
"Have there been any places where conflict with other races has broken out?"
"There haven't been any races that appear to speak a language, fundamentally. There are lifeforms classified as demon beasts, as you mentioned before, Representative, but they've reported being able to respond sufficiently with their current weaponry."
"Hm..."
Earth has probably now entered a transitional phase of dimensional fusion. Things are fine for now, but later, if threats they can't handle cross over, the world will likely be divided into rulers and the ruled.
"The Yong Tribe and dragons..."
"Pardon?"
"If we had their help, things would be a little easier..."
The question of which race was stronger, the Yong Tribe or dragons, was a constant topic back on Titan. The Yong become stronger through ceaseless training and enlightenment, then ascend; dragons are powerful from the moment they are born. Put simply, the Yong Tribe has the higher ceiling, while dragons have the higher floor.
Since the Yong Tribe are beings who gained enlightenment through training, they display wisdom close to that of the Sage. Dragons, conversely, have deep knowledge.
"I'm not sure such lofty beings would help us..."
"The Yong Tribe is all right, but dragons, by nature, do not deeply involve themselves in human lives."
"We can't exactly offer compensation tempting enough to sway such beings, either..."
As expected, the biggest problem in building a society is the issue of manpower. Countless lives have already been lost, and they're still dying.
'In the end, we have to fill those numbers with people from Titan...'
I leaned back deep into the chair and let out a sigh.
"Whichever way you turn, the problem is always a lack of manpower whenever you try to do something..."
"Yes, the ongoing restoration of the national territory and the communications network alone is already overwhelming."
"When the people from Titan cross over, we could put them into simple labor, but specialized work would require training... and that would also take time..."
It's dizzying. This sort of thinking and brainwork truly doesn't suit me.
In the Dragon Corps, there were people who were absolutely brilliant at this kind of brainwork, but having to do it myself, I just can't find an answer.
* * * * * * * *
At that moment, on Titan.
The Advisor was climbing a desolate mountain, empty of any human presence, clutching a bouquet in both hands. Despite his aged body ascending the steep mountain path, he showed not the slightest sign of strain.
The Advisor's footsteps halted at a barren clearing where only two graves lay—mound-like, the only features. Without the headstones, you wouldn't even know they were graves.
They looked like shabby headstones, but if anyone learned the true nature of the mineral used for those stones, grave robbers the world over would seek this place out. The Advisor laid the bouquets down before each headstone, then drew a handkerchief from his breast and carefully polished the stones.
"It has been a long while. I greet the Count and Countess."
As if they were nobles he had known in the past, the Advisor paid his respects with all due formality, continuing to wipe the headstones.
"You, who loved your domain's people more than anyone and cared for them as your own children... why you had to be falsely accused, and why it had to be you of all people, I do not know..."
There was already no dust on the headstones, but he silently kept wiping the same spot.
"I, who had gone without meals for a time, railing like a madman to the central government about your injustice, was on the verge of being killed myself when I met that person. Thus, I completed your revenge and came to serve a new lord."
His wiping hand stopped, and the Advisor laughed quietly.
"He said that where he lived, there were no nobles or kings, and everyone was equal. He was much like the two of you, who used to say you were only nobles by the fortune of being born to noble parents, and remained humble."
Tucking the handkerchief back into his bosom, he sank down onto the spot.
"Now I intend to follow that person to his homeland. This will likely be my final visit."
The Advisor drew a small pendant from his bosom and placed it before him. Inside the pendant was a portrait depicting an old man and a middle-aged couple.
The Advisor stood solemnly before the graves and bowed.
"That person taught me that this act is a sign of respect and condolence offered to the deceased, a way of showing proper courtesy to the spirits of the departed."
The Advisor gazed at the graves for a long while, then turned and began his descent down the mountain. Once he'd fully descended the steep slope and reached the mountain's entrance, several people approached him.
"Advisor. All preparations are complete."
"Good. What of the corps members?"
"They are already assembled and awaiting only your orders, Advisor."
"Let us go. To where that person is."
The Advisor, who had been gazing at the graves with warm eyes, soon set his expression with firm resolve and began returning to headquarters with his party.
'Whatever path the Commander walks, I shall follow him to the very end.'