Chapter 29

Chapter 29. The British Doctor as Iron (1)

"That one is a harmful Transcendent."

Wouldn't the Patriot have said this, if he'd been here?

<Thanks to our savior, Lord Shin Si-woo, three of Japan's Transcendents have regained their freedom!!! Restoring the land around Mount Fuji…>

What Shin Si-woo had brought about raised Japan's national power exponentially.

Because the three SSS-rank Transcendents of Japan, who had been bound by the corrosion of the lava Gate, had regained their freedom.

Starting with the Japanese media, [WorldNet] went into a frenzy.

—A benefit for Japan?

—If the Patriot sees this, he's going to have a fit.

If the Patriot and his Constellations had seen this, they might have spat fury and declared Shin Si-woo a traitor to the nation.

But the Patriot was currently inside a Gate.

One might have assumed the South Korean citizens — heavily influenced by the Patriot — would think along similar lines, but…

<Our government has officially announced the annihilation of the Red Sea's parent body, a colossal Gate.>

The reality was different.

With Shin Si-woo's dealing with Gye Man-hwi, even the last trace of unease lingering in South Korea had been completely erased.

More than Japan's gains, the disappearance of a threat to Seoul hit home harder.

—When the Patriot comes and sees this, won't he let it slide?

—Probably. The biggest threat to Seoul has just disappeared, after all.

The citizens, while anxious about whether the Patriot's trigger button might get pressed, were still relieved at the perfect end of the [Red Sea].

Shin Si-woo had done what even the Patriot couldn't.

On top of that, the disappearance of a catastrophe in the faraway country of Japan became a source of pride in a corner of the public's hearts.

—The Patriot tears Japan apart!

—Lord Si-woo is Japan's savior!

South Korea's two Transcendents.

One was Japan's natural enemy, the other, an eternal benefactor.

—Japan won't be able to make a peep now.

In other words, South Korea had gained a tremendous diplomatic advantage over Japan.

—Will tourism open up for us too?

—That damned Ggampre broad kept blocking it and Korea got totally shafted on tourism…

Tourism using [Mystery]-based teleportation had resumed a few years ago.

And yet the volume of tourists to South Korea was practically nonexistent.

That was because teleportation was a technology applied from the Japanese Transcendent Yuki's [Spirit World].

While the Japanese government couldn't openly antagonize Korea, they'd been quietly obstructing it through their Transcendent.

—That Ggampre's passed out and being carried on Lord Si-woo's summon right now, isn't she?

—Looked at the video, the demon even ate the gate to the Spirit World lol

South Korea was ecstatic over Shin Si-woo's power.

To the point where they felt a sense of familiarity even toward those vile, horrifying demons.

—Staring at demons, they kind of look cute.

—????

—That's a bit much…

Not long after he'd debuted, they had reached the point of breeding fanatics within South Korea.

—Jesus's brother.

—Bizarre-killer.

—The great achievement of putting an end to the Red Sea and the Molten Sea.

That was how staggering his accomplishments were.

He had annihilated the Red Sea, ended a Gate-less corrosion, and even placed Japan in massive debt.

—Isn't this a level that deserves EX?

At last, opinions arose that he wouldn't be out of place compared to the world's sole EX-rank, Jesus.

Of course, that was pushing it.

—Matching up against Jesus is rough.

—How do you keep up with the living Jesus Christ, who splits the Pacific Ocean in half and roams around?

Naturally, Christians and Catholics pushed back.

—Jesus split the sky and tore out the heart of the Black Dragon.

—At Jesus's footsteps Necropolis vanished, and the radiation-contaminated Manhattan was saved—

—A—men.

The devout believers, already zealous from the start, only grew more devout at the sight of the living Jesus.

Their fanaticism was famous everywhere in the world.

—Ever since Jesus actually appeared, the Jesus-freaks are running wild with no end in sight.

Jesus existed in reality, so religious dialogue was impossible to compete with.

If they said 'Jesus said so, didn't He?' it explained everything.

The tide naturally shifted.

As always, the WorldNet communities wrapped it up with over-the-top nonsense.

—Time to decide his epithet? He saved Japan, so isn't he the Father of Japan?

—That's a bit…

When a large number of people thought of the same name in response to a single person's achievements?

Then <the world> would announce it.

This was called an 'epithet.'

Jesus, the Patriot, the British Doctor, and so on.

All of them were names that had been acknowledged and settled by the world.

—If the Patriot came back and found South Korea's second Transcendent called something like 'Father of Japan,' he'd probably make a National Ideological Education Act or something?

—If the majority of our people call him that, that's how it'll get settled…

—The people will bear the responsibility too. Shudder.

The people knew the Patriot's radical nature all too well.

It was a trend that couldn't be resisted.

In today's world, where one or two Transcendents drove everything, it was only natural.

—Nothing quite sticks as an epithet yet.

—The epithet's going to need more thought.

In the middle of all that, an odd article suddenly appeared.

<J-just in! A breaking report! The British Empire's 'British Doctor' is reportedly headed to the Japanese Prime Minister's residence to meet Korea's Transcendent, Shin Si-woo!!!>

The British Doctor, Britain's SSS-rank Hunter and Transcendent.

To South Korean citizens, his was a name no different from a grim reaper's.

The man who had broken the Sword of SS-rank Hunter Sword Emperor, inflicted a crushing defeat, and led him to eventually go missing—

—Why is the Transcendent Gatekeeper coming?

The British Doctor was the man known by the nickname 'Transcendent Gatekeeper' — because he went around visiting the world's SS-rank Hunters, broke their hearts under the pretext of surgical duels.

—Brits roaming around outside is strange to begin with…

The British Empire was a nation surrounded by a Gate-less corrosion called the [Ring].

A true Bizarre — one of those that even Mystery-based teleportation wouldn't penetrate.

And the British Doctor was the lone Transcendent who roamed the world, out of that isolated British Empire.

To the point that there were suspicions he was actually EX-rank.

For such a powerhouse to be looking for Shin Si-woo…

—Isn't he going to pull that crappy surgical duel and break Lord Si-woo's sword again?

Everyone fell into worry.

_______________________

—Ep. 11. The British Doctor as Iron

The reception room of the Japanese Prime Minister's residence.

"—Si-woo-sama, hontō ni arigatō…"

I let the Prime Minister's long-winded thanks wash over me and focused on waking the [4th Sword, Muratan].

'Muratan, even Mysteries don't get a reaction?'

In [Raise a Sword], there had been nothing like Mysteries.

I'd figured he'd react to a metal he was seeing for the first time, but no such luck.

【Master, that dwarf's completely absorbed in playing with the demon this maiden gave him!】

According to Iris, Muratan was deeply engrossed in the demons.

Just how the world of swords had been rearranged, I couldn't say.

'So the world really did change…'

The moment the Baby Sword obtained its home, a message had appeared saying the world of swords had grown more vivid.

Through Iris's explanation, I'd learned the precise changes.

'Each of them got what they needed?'

For the 1st Sword, Reinhardt Euclid, a 'Sealed Chamber' and 'Starvation Pellets' for cultivation had been provided.

For the 2nd Sword, Yuria Lanestia, a 'Prayer Room' for training the heart had appeared.

For the 5th Sword, Iris Ruzbella, a 'Throne of Blood' had been born.

And for the [4th Sword, Muratan]…

'Don't tell me that horrible thing has appeared?'

A dwarf forge had appeared.

Call it a forge, but it was fundamentally different from the blacksmith forges we imagine.

To Muratan, iron was a living being.

And the iron he loved above all else was the Dark Gods and Outer Gods.

'He probably won't react until the demon breaks.'

I'd raised him that way.

So I knew.

【The dwarf has tied a demon to a pillar and is wildly beating it!!! This maiden's subject!!!】

The 4th Sword, Muratan, was a sword that had given me endless grief.

A sword who refused to listen to a damn word anyone said and, the moment he fixated on something, would see it through to the end no matter what penalties he had to bear.

Of course, if he saw something extraordinarily special, his mind could be turned…

'Mysteries don't work.'

I was the [Sword Master], and my swords could watch over my world.

I had set it up that way.

So Muratan was deliberately ignoring my words while knowing full well.

Just how much grief had I gone through disciplining Muratan in [Raise a Sword]?

'Do I have to re-educate him again?'

If [Mysteries] didn't sway him, there was no easy answer.

As I was having these somewhat irrelevant thoughts—

"He says he's tremendously grateful!"

The Prime Minister's long speech had ended, and Seol-a noona had summed it up in a single line.

"What about compensation?"

Since I'd handled Japan's single greatest problem, it was a natural demand.

"He says he'll meet any request you have. Within reason, he'll compensate materially. Money, that sort of thing!"

I nodded at noona's words.

But…

"Ahem. Material… in a sense, not wrong. There is someone I'd like to introduce."

The SSS-rank Japanese Hunter Yacha, fluent in Korean, suddenly cut into the conversation.

It seemed Seol-a noona's interpretation had left something out.

"An introduction?"

At the abrupt statement, I tilted my head, and Yacha rose his enormous body and cautiously said to me,

"Yes, another Transcendent in Japan."

After briefly gauging my expression, he had suddenly brought up a new Transcendent.

'Wait, could this be?'

There had been a similar case before.

When I'd met the Saintess of Fate, Im Ji-a.

'A new Transcendent — weak in power but capable?'

I was curious.

The Saintess of Fate's tarot cards had a pretty uncanny performance.

If this was something similar—

"This is Japan's unofficial Transcendent, the S-rank Hunter Sato Masaki."

As if prepared in advance, a portal appeared in empty air, and out of it emerged a person in bizarre attire.

A being clad in full-body armor, their sex — let alone their build — impossible to make out.

'Were they on standby in the Spirit World?'

No wonder there hadn't been any presence at all…

I gazed at the unidentified figure before me.

"Hello. I greet Japan's benefactor! My name is Sato Masaki."

By the voice, it was a young man.

When he lifted the face guard of his helmet, red pupils were revealed.

At the moment I was thinking his bow-curved eyes were rather charming—

Paat!

[The spirituality transcended by the Oath of the Chaste nullifies the Authority of 'Brainwashing.']

For a brief instant, I had indeed thought I wanted to listen to what this person had to say.

It seemed he had tried to do something to me with a mental attack.

'What the hell kind of gall got him to try that?'

The name 'Brainwashing,' and the term 'Authority.'

I was convinced that the man before me was a being similar to the 'Saintess of Fate — Im Ji-a.'

A Transcendent weak in combat power.

Of course, similar yet on an entirely different level in terms of ability.

'At the very least, the Saintess could draw [tarot cards].'

The man called Sato Masaki had nothing.

That was simply all there was.

"Lord Si-woo, would you not push forward a Korea-Japan alliance?"

"Why would I?"

When I answered flatly, the man before me abruptly removed his helmet.

He even threw off the full-body armor he'd been wearing.

A skinny, bony string-bean of a man stared at me steadily and asked again,

"Didn't Korea and Japan promise with me to form an alliance?"

Zhing——.

Something vaguely friendly toward him stirred in me.

But the power of the oath dwelling in me scattered that strange energy entirely.

"Don't resist — just carry out the promise."

Apparently, he thought I was bluffing.

I couldn't even feel the sense of friendliness anymore.

"Th-the promise with me — everyone's like this, aren't they?"

He wobbled.

And then suddenly shouted.

Wondering what the hell he was on about now, I glanced around.

'He's even sweeping the surrounding atmosphere?'

A ridiculous sight met my eyes.

Yacha, the SSS-rank Transcendent, nodding continuously.

The Japanese Prime Minister, the same.

And…

"Ngh! N-no, but — r-right!"

For some reason, Seol-a noona was reacting similarly.

It seemed this 'Brainwashing' had, beyond controlling individuals, the power to affect the surroundings too.

"That crude power doesn't work on me."

"H-h-how…"

He stared at me with stunned eyes.

I spoke very flatly,

"Go back, so we can finish discussing compensation."

Sato Masaki reeled from the shock.

"E-even Jesus listened to me for a moment — and you're rejecting me like this?"

He gazed at me with tears welling in his eyes.

It seemed there was some kind of side effect.

"I-I'm going to visit the Tower. You just watch!"

Vvvng—.

Then, suddenly, he vanished through a portal leading to the [Spirit World].

Now we could finally get back to the main point.

"Ha… Lord Shin Si-woo is only the second person his power hasn't worked on."

"And the first?"

"That would be Lord Jesus. Of course, at first he did fall for it halfway—"

The Japanese Prime Minister swallowed his words.

Well, knowing Jesus's eccentricity, I suspected he had just played along on purpose.

Anyway, the Prime Minister's words were tantamount to a confession.

"First, let me explain what Japan will offer Lord Shin Si-woo."

And yet he'd just glossed over that issue as if nothing had happened and got down to business.

Since this was a problem I had half-anticipated — and since I intended to resolve it on a larger scale — I held my silence for now.

To begin with, wasn't what he'd demanded through brainwashing the Korea-Japan alliance?

The whole thing was too absurd to process.

"A path that connects the world — we will open that path in the Republic of Korea."

"The one the Patriot blocked?"

He was talking about spatial transit.

Honestly, I didn't care much.

'I could take it or leave it…'

—No sooner had I thought that than the Japanese Prime Minister offered a tremendously bold proposal.

"We shall transfer to Lord Shin Si-woo all rights to [Mystery] spatial transit conducted within the Republic of Korea going forward. We shall even hand over an exclusive Spirit-World corridor."

The origin of spatial transit was managed directly by Japan.

It was the reason Japan had been able to maintain its power after the Gate crisis.

Handing that over to me was an absurd, unprecedented proposal.

And that was only the beginning.

"We shall offer the Roppongi Hills Aman Tokyo penthouse. Furthermore, we shall designate that entire district as Lord Si-woo's territory and grant the right to collect taxes on it as well."

He was ready to turn me into something like a medieval aristocrat.

Roppongi was, in Korean terms, like the old Hannam-dong or Cheongdam-dong.

Wealthy districts the Patriot despised.

For reference, Hannam-dong's top-tier luxury apartments had been converted into residences for Gate orphans and national merit-holders.

South Korea's finest educational facilities had been established in that area.

For reference, all of it free of charge.

But Japan was different.

'An immense wealthy district, exactly as in the past.'

Roppongi Hills — and within it, the apartment called Aman Tokyo — was an ultra-high-end mansion whose sale price ranged in the hundreds of billions of won, among the most expensive in the world.

But rather than being pleased, another thought came to me first.

'Are they insane?'

The compensation was all Japanese land and Japanese houses.

The intent was too transparent.

"Are you telling me to fight the Patriot?"

"……It was too shallow a trick."

There had to be a reason for such a transparent move.

I conveyed my intent through Seol-a noona.

In important conversations like this, noona would forgo summarizing and convey the exchange as it was.

"I dislike roundabout talk."

"In truth, I wished to tell you this from the beginning… but I could not bring myself to say such a thing to the benefactor who saved our nation, so I expressed it obliquely."

Better this than trivial compensation.

I went straight to the main point.

"What's your objective?"

What the Japanese Prime Minister wanted was beyond my imagination.

"Korea and Japan must cooperate! With China carrying on those horrific deeds, how long can we remain hostile?"

He was demanding genuinely friendly cooperation with the Republic of Korea.

Preparing brainwashing for just that one thing?

Come to think of it, that made sense.

'China.'

Above the 38th Parallel, the former North Korean land.

There, the source of the Dark God Necribas lay.

'Reinhardt's sworn enemy.'

And China was a factory that mass-produced [Awakened].