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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: The Reverse Scale
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Chapter 91
Due to the typhoon that accompanied the emergence of the Doom-grade Gate, Oda City in Japan’s Shimane Prefecture was reduced to ruins in an instant.
The fierce, ceaseless winds made it impossible to even open one’s eyes properly, and abandoned cars and signboards were tossed about wildly.
And now.
To minimize the damage from the Gate, the Japanese government dispatched the majority of its S-rank Hunters to Oda City, Shimane Prefecture…
The on-site command had been entrusted to the minister of the General Affairs Ministry, the Japanese government agency equivalent to Korea's Awakener Management Bureau.
“Status report, please.”
The Japanese Minister of General Affairs, forcing a solemn tone, began to wipe the beads of sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
An employee of the General Affairs Bureau, his eyes fixed on the documents in his hand, began to report on the events following the Gate's appearance.
“First, signs of the Gate’s emergence were detected at approximately 5:00 AM today. Civilian evacuation and access control were immediately implemented.”
“And then?”
“Simultaneously with the Gate’s appearance, the nation’s second-ranked Hunter, ‘Oni Minami,’ and a large number of Hunters from the Demon Slaying Corps Guild were deployed, but…”
The employee added.
“It appears they were annihilated…”
At those words, Minister Taketa licked his dry lips, glanced around furtively, and asked again.
“What is the assembly status of the suppression forces?”
The employee answered promptly.
“Our nation’s S-rank Hunters have already arrived on-site and have begun a meeting at the hastily prepared ‘Emergency Response Camp.’”
“In that case…”
“However, due to the severe weather, the arrival of reinforcements dispatched from the various allied nations of the World Awakener Association is expected to be delayed.”
Minister Taketa muttered, “Damn,” and began to gaze at the massive rift situated far out at sea.
It was as if someone had drawn a single, long line with a brush from just above the water’s surface to the high heavens.
Moreover, because of the violent typhoon that accompanied the Doom-grade Gate, it seemed even the reinforcements had no choice but to reroute their approach.
“It will be fine…”
Minister Taketa was recalling the precedent set by the Doom-grade Gate that had appeared in Seoul, the capital of South Korea.
In Korea’s case, a Doom-grade Gate had opened in the heart of its capital, yet they had escaped without any damage, hadn’t they?
He was subconsciously harboring a vague hope that this Gate, like the last one, would end up “vanishing on its own.”
“What exactly do you mean, ‘it will be fine’?”
A man in a martial arts uniform, a long, straight scar etched across the bridge of his nose, spoke while looking out at the distant sea.
Nuclear Samurai.
He was Japan’s number one S-rank Hunter and the leader of the globally influential Shogun Guild.
Presently, several dozen Hunters dressed in similar uniforms appeared, each with a sword at their waist.
“You’ve come…”
At the arrival of Nuclear Samurai, who was known to have a poor relationship with the General Affairs Ministry, Minister Taketa greeted him cautiously.
Instead of replying, Nuclear Samurai gave a single nod, his eyes fixed on the sea as he continued.
“If we leave it like this, there’s no telling when a Wave Phenomenon will occur. We must deploy a second subjugation team immediately.”
The minister immediately tried to dissuade him.
“Hunters from the allied nations will be arriving soon. Perhaps it would be best to proceed with the suppression alongside them…”
Nuclear Samurai, showing no intention of bending, replied curtly, “No,” and continued his explanation.
“Even from a distance, it’s clear that a ‘Wave Phenomenon’ could occur at any moment without it being the least bit strange.”
He finished by adding.
“For now, we must form a second subjugation team with the Hunters we already have and deploy them immediately.”
At that, Taketa’s brow furrowed deeply as he began to retort in a sneering tone.
“Japan’s second-ranked S-rank Hunter, ‘Oni Minami,’ and all the Hunters of her Demon Slaying Corps Guild have already been wiped out!”
“I too find that regrettable, but if you are considering the public good and the safety of our citizens, you must, right now…”
“No matter how important the public good and the safety of our citizens are, shouldn’t you also consider the aftermath of suppressing the Gate?”
To succeed in suppressing the Doom-grade Gate while not losing the nation’s Hunters, whose very existence was a measure of national power.
That was the ultimate goal of the Japanese government, which the Minister of General Affairs represented.
“Furthermore, considering the case of the Doom-grade Gate in the neighboring capital of Seoul, we could hope for it to vanish on its own…”
Nuclear Samurai muttered, “Fool,” then shifted his gaze to meet the minister’s eyes and asked.
“Seeing you stand there so calmly with your hands behind your back, scheming away, you must still be feeling quite relaxed, Minister.”
“Wh-what…”
“There is no guarantee the Gate will vanish on its own, and even if it does, you must consider the damage that will occur until then.”
While it was true that the Doom-grade Gate in Korea had vanished on its own without causing any damage, as the minister had said…
There was also the case of the New Delhi Gate, which had conversely annihilated several countries and only disappeared years after its appearance.
“In a situation where we should be focused solely on suppressing this Doom-grade Gate, why are you already worrying about what comes after?”
Minister Taketa sharply turned his head, avoiding his gaze, and began to speak again in a rather authoritarian tone.
“Surely you haven’t forgotten that all on-site decision-making authority rests with me, the Minister of General Affairs?”
“You…”
“I will absolutely not grant permission to enter the Gate until all the allied Hunters have arrived.”
In response, Nuclear Samurai drew his sword and pointed it at the minister’s throat.
“If the great Minister of General Affairs were to die in an unfortunate accident on-site, I wonder to whom that authority would be delegated.”
The minister let out a sharp gasp, “H-Heup-!” his face pale as he managed to ask a question.
“P-p-pointing a sword at the throat of the Minister of General Affairs. A-a-are you out of your mind?”
One of his subordinate Hunters, as if to stop him, called out, “Shogun,” and added.
“He should have gotten the message by now.”
At that, Nuclear Samurai pressed the blade of his sword even tighter against the minister’s throat and asked in a quiet tone.
“Have you found the will to follow my words?”
Minister Taketa’s lips trembled, unable to answer readily. Finally, he gave a reluctant nod and said hastily.
“I-I will follow them…”
Only then did Nuclear Samurai withdraw his sword and neatly sheathe it.
“We will handle the formation of the subjugation team ourselves. You can just keep standing there with your hands behind your back and watch.”
Just as he finished speaking and was about to head toward the tent designated as the temporary headquarters for the Emergency Response Committee with his Hunters…
*Whoooooosh*
For a moment, the ceaseless wind grew even stronger, until finally, the sea parted in two, creating a path.
The sight was reminiscent of the ‘Miracle of Moses’ recorded in the Bible…
And through that path, a woman who looked like a drenched rat, her whole body trembling, walked out briskly along the path.
“That person is…”
Nuclear Samurai, who had been staring blankly at the woman walking toward the shore along the suddenly formed path, muttered as if groaning.
“Oni Minami…”
She appeared to be badly injured, unable to run and limping continuously as she made her way to the shore…
But as if she were being chased by something, she hurried her steps, repeatedly glancing back and stumbling several times.
“S-someone… is looking for someone…”
As she set foot on land, she spoke nonsensically like a mad person, her gaze unable to settle in one place.
“Calm down. Can you give me more details?”
At Nuclear Samurai’s calm words, she swallowed hard and repeated the same words.
“H-h-he is looking for someone…”
“Who is looking for whom? Speak clearly…”
“If we can’t find them, we are all dead…”
Just then, her eyes suddenly rolled back completely, revealing only the whites.
“Where is ■■■?”
From between her slightly parted lips, a low, deep voice that was not her own began to emerge.
It was a voice that seemed to overflow with an immense presence…
The moment that voice echoed, everyone present was crushed by a dreadful fear.
Even the Hunters of the Shogun Guild, and Nuclear Samurai himself, were no different.
‘H-how…’
It felt as if someone was gripping his neck with all their might, making it impossible to even breathe properly.
All he could do was stand frozen like a statue and listen to the voice.
“I will grant you some time.”
A smile graced her lips.
“If you fail to find ‘■■■’ and bring him before me before my patience runs out, I will obliterate this entire dimension without a trace.”
As the overbearing voice concluded, she lost consciousness and collapsed on the spot like a puppet with its strings cut…
Those who had been watching the scene in silence were now gasping for breath, too preoccupied to do anything else.
Nuclear Samurai, the quickest to regain his composure, clutched his neck and managed to speak.
“C-call the medical team…”
Although he couldn't fathom what was happening…
‘This is dangerous.’
He could tell from the voice alone.
The being beyond the Gate…
It was on a completely different level from any enemy they had faced before.
‘If we fail to suppress the Doom-grade Gate in its early stages, the annihilation of Japan will be…’
He found himself lost in deep thought, entertaining a negative scenario he had never considered before.
‘…just the beginning.’
Susanoo.
A being of immense narrative and myth, he was a high-ranking deity belonging to Takamagahara, one of the great constellations of the Abyss…
As a highly belligerent god of war, he possessed the power to freely command waves and typhoons.
The reason he had suddenly descended upon Earth, a dimension isolated on the outskirts of the Abyss, was to avenge his mother's humiliation.
This…
It had happened during a recent divine assembly of the great constellation Takamagahara.
His mother, Izanami, had appeared, weeping sorrowfully for some reason…
When the other deities gently tried to console her and asked why she was crying, his mother hesitated before reluctantly revealing the whole story.
“During the last Netherworld Conference, I suffered an unforgettable humiliation at the hands of ‘■■■’…”
His mother said she had been threatened by ‘■■■’, who told her that if she opened her mouth one more time, he would rip it wide open.
Because of that, she couldn't utter a single word throughout the Netherworld Conference, and the incident felt so humiliating that…
Since that day, she had been unable to stop crying for days on end, sobbing her heart out.
“Insolent whelp…”
Unable to control his fury, Susanoo clenched his fists and began to roar at the empty air.
“■■■, show yourself before me at once!”
He had been holding a grudge ever since that bastard had snatched the myth he had his eye on, the ‘Master of the Strongest Serpent in the World.’
Although many gods were too intimidated by the fellow to make a move…
He was confident that it was no match for his own martial prowess, as the most renowned war god and god of armies in all of Takamagahara.
“■■■!”
As his anger mounted, the waves outside the Gate swelled and the winds grew ever fiercer.
“After I kill you, I will find every last one of your kin, inflict upon them an indelible humiliation, and sever their heads!”
His voice echoed throughout the dimension.
Kang-jun, who had just left his house, frowned deeply.
“Ah…”
The wind was causing the fully bloomed flower petals to flutter down like rain.
“This won’t do.”
Just then, a “*Ding!*” rang in his ear, and a system message appeared before his eyes…
[The high-ranking deity of the constellation Takamagahara, ‘Susanoo,’ is shouting your name with a voice full of resentment.]
[The high-ranking deity of the constellation Takamagahara, Susanoo, screams that he will kill you and hunt down all your kin to sever their heads.]
As Kang-jun read the system message from top to bottom, his expression instantly hardened.
“Family…?”
Muttering softly, Kang-jun zipped up his tracksuit all the way and quickened his pace.
Family.
A word of just two syllables.
That word…
Was Kang-jun’s ‘reverse scale.’
