The Shareholder III
-We will prepare here.
A very old version of myself said this, holding a fire axe.
The party members murmured in the corridor before the last set of stairs.
-Here? Why? The fairy said the final stage is just a bit further down.
-...
-Jae-hee, don't doubt him. The savior will guide us.
Lee Jae-hee, Uehara Shino, Jung So-hee.
Their professions were swordsman, alchemist, and zealot, respectively.
Just looking at the classes, you might think it was a doomed party. Yet, these were original members who had been with me since the 3rd run, maybe even longer.
They looked at me with their dirty, unkempt faces, having not properly washed for days.
A mess. But these were the best the "Busan Station Tutorial Dungeon" had to offer.
-...
I made eye contact with them one by one. The version of me in their memory was much more gaunt than I was now.
-Three days ago, there was a scout secretly watching us.
-A scout...?
-It must have been sent by Lee Baek. The only other survivor group that made it down here is his.
The party members flinched.
-They intentionally let us clear the monsters on our path. But to get credit for defeating the final boss, they have to kill it themselves. So, they're waiting for us to weaken ourselves in the boss fight before attacking.
-What a complete asshole.
-If we defeat the boss first, their plan is meaningless. They'll know this and are probably running here at full speed. Hide below the stairs. We'll attack them when they're tired.
-...
-I will lead.
"I will lead."
The déjà vu disappeared in an instant, like a wave briefly touching and then retreating from a beach of old, white pebbles.
Then, something squirmed beside me.
"..."
It was Oh Dok-seo.
The kid, barely tall enough to reach my collarbone, had a baseball bat slung over her shoulder, still stained with goblin blood.
"What are you doing, Dok-seo? Step back."
"No."
Oh Dok-seo chewed her gum loudly.
"I killed 14 monsters today. You? Eight. Isn't the hunter's world based on merit? I don't follow orders from anyone weaker than me."
"..."
Sometimes, something was so absurd that it made me laugh. Before my laughter could fade, footsteps thundered down the corridor.
A group of over a hundred people. Predictably, Lee Baek was at the forefront.
"You bastards. Missed me?"
The surprising thing was that Lee Baek could talk. How? His vocal cords had been shredded like a pizza.
"Uh, uh...."
The answer lay with Sim Ah-ryeon, who crouched beside him, looking dejected.
Despite being a healer, Sim Ah-ryeon was wrapped in bandages (made of cloth), with bruises on her cheeks and shoulders.
It wasn't hard to deduce the situation.
'She refused to heal and got beaten up by Lee Baek, now reduced to a slave who needs permission even to heal herself.'
It was pitiful. Poor Ah-ryeon, a potential S-rank getting bullied by an E-rank... What a waste.
Even the followers who should have been suffering from 'vocal cord pizza syndrome' were talking normally.
"That's the guy! He crippled us as soon as he saw us!"
"They took all the supplies in the waiting room!"
"Fuck, look how clean they are. Just three of them hoarding all the supplies... bastards. We're struggling and splitting food..."
"It's a fairy! There's a fairy over there!"
As the instigators stirred the crowd, someone screamed and pointed at the fairy.
Lee Baek seized the moment, stepping forward with a sly smile.
"Those bastards are with the fairy!"
With that, his voice echoed through the corridor, loud enough for over a hundred people to hear clearly.
That was his ability.
[Lion's Roar], or [Amplifier].
"They're not on our side! They're with the fairy and betrayed us! Look! They're with the fairy! Traitors! Traitors!"
Though it merely amplified his voice, in a tutorial setting where everyone was of similar level, it was quite useful.
The saying "the loudest voice wins" held true in emergencies.
While other survivors mumbled, he alone shouted into a megaphone, seizing control.
His ability was useful not just for politicking but also in combat. In chaotic fights involving dozens of civilians, simple commands like 'Attack!' or 'Retreat!' were often missed, but his [Lion's Roar] ensured his orders were heard.
A useful skill, especially in the tutorial.
"Traitors...?"
The tutorial refugees murmured.
"It's true, there's a fairy."
"So Lee Baek was right. Those bastards took all the supplies and sided with the fairies..."
"Bastards. Instead of working together, they live well alone..."
I understood them.
People who had just fallen into the apocalypse—hungry, cut off from the outside world, worried about their families, stressed from having to form groups with strangers, fighting monsters, and witnessing people die before their eyes—such people were easily swayed by Lee Baek's [Amplifier].
Maybe if Seo Gyu were here, he would have yelled back, 'What bullshit, you fucking asshole!' while raising the dungeon's average decibels.
'What! Bullshit!'
Imagining Lee Baek and Seo Gyu shouting curses at each other made me laugh. I had to try it someday.
"Huek. Th-This is bad. If they find out I favored specific players, it's execution! We need to retreat...!"
Poof. Fairy number 264 disappeared in panic, not through teleportation but by turning invisible.
To the survivors, it seemed like the fairy had vanished. Those traumatized by fairies saw it as a sign.
Lee Baek shouted.
"The fairy disappeared! Everyone! Now's our chance! Attack them! Take their supplies, regroup, and let's get out of this damned dungeon! Let's go see our families!"
"Uwooo—"
As the crowd roared and tried to muster courage, I took a step forward.
Dark aura spread from my footprint like a tidal wave, brushing past the 117 opponents in an instant.
"―――!"
"...? ...!"
Silence.
The people who were about to charge looked around in confusion. No sound came from their open mouths.
The underground corridor fell silent.
When aura mastery reached its peak, such tricks were possible.
"Oh, OP MC..."
Oh Dok-seo muttered beside me. I ignored her and spoke.
"Sim Ah-ryeon."
"....!"
"Stop hiding. Come here. We're stronger. We'll save you and won't beat you for not using your healing ability. We'll provide three meals and a comfortable bed. Switch sides."
"..."
"You have three seconds."
One admirable thing about Sim Ah-ryeon was her decisiveness in such moments. Before Lee Baek could react, she dashed to my side.
Lee Baek and the survivor group scowled.
"Heal yourself."
"Yes, yes. Oh, I can speak..."
People pointed and yelled at the traitor, but the corridor only echoed silent screams.
It was excellent anger, giving Sim Ah-ryeon ample experience as an 'Aggro-Drinking Bird.'
Smiling warmly, I took another step forward.
"Lee Baek, I'm sorry."
"..."
"I wasn't considerate enough. Knocking you out too quickly didn't properly demonstrate our power difference. So, I'll give you a chance."
"...?"
"See this red-haired kid?"
I put my hand on Oh Dok-seo's shoulder.
"Fight her one-on-one. If you win, we'll give you all our supplies and let you fight the boss first."
"...!"
"Don't worry. No traps, no backstabbing. But if you refuse, I'll permanently take your voice this time. Or are you too scared to fight the kid?"
"..."
Voices were strange. Regardless of right or wrong, the 'last person to speak' always seemed justified.
Having enjoyed the magic of his voice countless times, Lee Baek had no rebuttal. The survivors, intrigued by my words, stared at him.
Silently, 116 pairs of eyes bore down on him.
"..."
Lee Baek scrutinized Oh Dok-seo. Perhaps he thought it was manageable. He stepped forward, clutching his stick.
"Hmph."
Oh Dok-seo glanced up at me.
"Fine. I thought a hundred times while reading the novel that I wanted to punch that guy."
She could have asked why I was making her do this, but she seemed to find it fun, swinging her bat as she approached.
In the one-on-one duel, many people watched from a distance as the two faced off.
I nodded.
"Accept the outcome, whatever it is. Anyone who complains afterward will lose their ankles. Begin."
As soon as I finished speaking, Oh Dok-seo charged.
Lee Baek's expression turned fierce, surprised that the smaller kid would attack so fearlessly.
This bitch—his silent mouth seemed to say.
Using his superior reach, Lee Baek swung his stick. The nails in it aimed for Oh Dok-seo's head.
Kaang—!
They only aimed. His stick bounced off an invisible shield.
"...?"
Absolute Defense.
Not only human attacks but also monsters' invasions were repelled by her shield. Oh Dok-seo swung her bat.
The metal bat glowed faintly with a red aura.
For the past few days, I had personally tutored Oh Dok-seo on aura control. It was a special lecture not available anywhere else in the world.
I snapped my fingers, withdrawing the aura around Lee Baek. Sound was unmuted. My disciple should enjoy the victory.
"Die, you potato bastard!"
"Fuck...?"
Unfortunately, Lee Baek couldn't scream properly. The bat shattered his stick and hit his jaw precisely.
It was a home run.
"Ogh, ugh... uhoook..."
Lee Baek fell, clutching his jaw. White corn scattered around.
Oh Dok-seo belched long and loud, like a weight had lifted off her.
"Wow. When Jae-hee died because of him in the 3rd run, I threw the novel. Bastard. Shithead. Fucking asshole."
"Ugh..."
"Shut up, bastard."
Oh Dok-seo kicked Lee Baek, who swam on the floor. He collapsed, unconscious.
Late to react, Lee Baek's six followers charged.
"Uwaat!"
"Hey, attacking a kid all at once?"
But that broke the rules. I swiftly used my aura to slash their ankles.
"―――!"
"...! ...!"
All six fell simultaneously, their screams silenced.
Fear mingled in the survivors' eyes. Some in the back were already running.
Sim Ah-ryeon watched the seven writhing on the floor with a strange look, like a bird spotting a worm.
"...Ah-ryeon. Don't play with them, threatening to heal or not just to feed your ego."
"Oh, yes... Huh? W-Wait. How did you know my thoughts? Could it be... mind-reading?"
I had a mind-reading skill, but rarely used it. Fun at first, it quickly lost its appeal.
But mind-reading had led to new connections.
From the 555th run, I took on a red-haired disciple, watching her approach now.
"See? Don't worry, mister."
My reader and disciple spoke fearlessly.
"I'll make sure you reach a happy ending."
"...."
"You're the original protagonist, and I'm the one who possessed a character in the novel. We have two protagonists. We can do anything together. Even if you're different from the novel's image, you're still my favorite character!"
I chuckled.
"Alright. I trust you."
"Yeah!"
Hurry, Dok-seo.
I'll always be here, waiting.
Epilogue.
"Hueeek? M-Mister! Save me! Please! Really save me! I used my skill on Lee Baek, so I don't have my shield! Hooook? It grazed me! It really grazed me! I'm going to die to the tutorial final boss! Mister! Misteeerr! Protagonist, save meee!"
"Undertaker-san, shouldn't we help Dok-seo-chan?"
"..."
I sighed.
It seemed like this chuunibyou otaku kid needed a lot more time before I could rely on her.
-x-X-x-
The Pedestrian I
There is no such skill as [Teleportation] in this world.
The fairies of the Tutorial do pop out of thin air, but as mentioned in the last episode, that is merely invisibility magic.
Anomalies like the 'Isekai Truck' appear suddenly beyond the horizon. However, the trucks do not actually [Teleport]; they merely 'generate' from blind spots out of human sight.
To reiterate, there is no such skill as [Teleportation] in this world.
However, phenomena that come quite close to [Teleportation] do exist.
[Mr. Undertaker, it seems you need to urgently head to Busan.]
"What? What's going on?"
[Well, it's hard to explain…]
The Saintess hesitated.
The mere hint of hesitation was enough to make me extremely anxious. The Saintess was a near-obsessive perfectionist who always paused time to rehearse her lines before talking to me.
But I only discovered this secret in the 713th cycle, and this was only the 141st. So I asked without much thought.
"What's the matter?"
[…A tunnel has appeared in the sea off the coast of Busan.]
"What?"
[Quite literally, an undersea tunnel has appeared. I think you should come see for yourself, Mr. Undertaker.]
Have you ever heard of the 'Korea-Japan Undersea Tunnel'?
It doesn't matter if you haven't. It's a structure that doesn't exist in reality anyway.
The blueprint for 'connecting Korea and Japan with an undersea tunnel!' has been suggested continuously for a long time, but its practical benefits, which would outweigh astronomical costs, have not been proven.
The originator of this project was no ordinary person.
Later, he became the Prime Minister of Japan. His notable achievements during his tenure included the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Battle to Recapture the Philippines, the Tokyo Air Raid, the Battle of Iwo Jima, and the Battle of Okinawa.
The fact that the 'Undersea Tunnel Collapse Disaster' was not added to his illustrious lineup was perhaps his one stroke of luck.
A fanciful paper plan.
So when I received the Saintess's urgent message and arrived in Busan, I couldn't help but be dumbfounded.
"No way… It really is an undersea tunnel."
There were no seagulls off the coast of Busan.
Instead, there was a tunnel.
More precisely, a tunnel had popped up on the coastline where the old Sinseondae Pier once stood.
But there were several differences from the original plan. As often happens with grand projects when they compromise with reality, the originally conceived 'railroad tunnel' had significantly shrunk.
It had shrunk a lot, to be honest.
It was so narrow that not even a freight truck could pass through properly.
"Ah, you've arrived, sir?"
Yellow "Do Not Enter" tape was already draped around the tunnel entrance.
While members of the National Road Management Corps were busily moving around, Noh Do-hwa greeted me with her morning coffee in hand.
"Thanks for your hard work. I came immediately after receiving the Saintess's message. What's going on?"
"Well, as you can see, a pedestrian tunnel popped out of the sea. The first report came in at 5 a.m. A crazy road management officer who likes to jog early in the morning was the first to find it…"
"Is it really connected under the sea?"
"We had divers do some snorkeling. They reported that coral has appeared in the waters off Busan because the tunnel slopes down like a… you know, into the seabed."
"Sexual harassment? I'll sue you."
"Ha, a 1,000-year-old geezer saying that. So, Undertaker, what do you think this is?"
"It's an anomaly."
I looked up at the plaque at the tunnel entrance.
"It's also a Void."
The tunnel was dirty with graffiti and doodles, but it wasn't hard to identify its name.
犬鳴隧道.
Inunaki Tunnel.
This wasn't a Korean anomaly.
It was Japanese, from across the sea off the coast of Busan.
I had to be on edge because an area-type anomaly without legs or wings had crossed the sea into another country.
Its danger level was continent-class. It was an anomaly comparable to the World Tree 'Udumbara'.
"…You didn't order the road management officers to explore inside, did you?"
"Ha. Of course not."
Noh Do-hwa smiled brightly.
"I sent death row inmates…"
Behind her, Yu Ji-won was waiting. On a makeshift folding table, a nautical chart titled 'Straits of Korea and Surroundings' was spread out.
"How's it going, Captain Yu? How far have the death row inmates gone?"
"Surprisingly, they've already passed Tsushima. Ah, welcome, Mr. Undertaker."
Click. Yu Ji-won, who possessed the [Mini-map] ability and was the Operations Control Room Captain of the National Road Management Corps and a psychopath, saluted me.
She did this in front of her immediate superior, Noh Do-hwa. What a remarkable brat. Every time I saw her, I couldn't help but be amazed.
But right now, it was more important to focus on the report than on Yu Ji-won's personality.
"They passed Tsushima?"
"Yes, Your Excellency. Look."
On the nautical chart, chess pieces marked 'Kim Jeong-rip' and 'Lee Eun-joo' were moving inch by inch. They must have been the names of the death row inmates.
Dozens of pawns (♟) were scattered around the chart.
"You sent two people into the tunnel?"
"No, Your Excellency. We deployed 72 death row inmates in 12 teams of 6 each. Half of them, 36 people, were given bicycles."
"…So you just cleaned out the prison of the National Road Management Corps?"
"It was the order of the Corps Commander, Your Excellency."
"That wasn't a criticism. Given the continent-class danger level of the anomaly, it was the right decision."
"I also judged that the order was extremely appropriate, Your Excellency."
This brat…
Anyway, right now, Yu Ji-won's personality wasn't the main issue. Excluding the parts of her brain that dealt with morality and ethics, Yu Ji-won's intelligence was quite exceptional.
"When did you deploy them?"
"We started the exploration operation at 07:10 today. It has been 3 hours and 16 minutes since the operation began. The two surviving ones are among those given bicycles, and considering the environment of the Void, their movement speed is quite good."
"…If they are people the National Road Management Corps kept on death row, they must be somewhat familiar with the Void?"
"That's correct. Out of the 72 death row inmates, 69 have at least one experience of exploring the Void."
"But they were annihilated in just 3 hours."
At that moment.
Click-click! The chess piece that was passing the northern tip of Tsushima suddenly crossed the sea.
"Huh?"
"…?"
Both Yu Ji-won and Noh Do-hwa, along with me, looked at the nautical chart at that strange movement.
The chess piece labeled 'Kim Jeong-rip' swiftly moved to the vicinity of Fukuoka. Specifically, to the center of the map marked Hisayama-machi and Miyawaka-shi.
Regardless of how far the distance from Tsushima to there was, it was certainly not a speed any human could achieve.
Thud-
While everyone was gaping, the chess piece for 'Kim Jeong-rip' fell limply.
"..."
"..."
The surroundings fell silent.
There were only two cases where a chess piece controlled by Yu Ji-won on the mini-map fell over.
Either the person corresponding to the chess piece went beyond the map's boundaries, or they died.
Noh Do-hwa muttered.
"Fuck, what is this…?"
Click-click!
Now it was the turn of the last remaining chess piece, 'Lee Eun-joo'. That piece also suddenly moved from Tsushima to near Fukuoka.
As if being dragged by something.
Click! Clack! The chess piece darted back and forth around the northwest and northeast of Kyushu. This way, that way, now southward. Like a ping-pong ball, the chess piece bounced, then thud-
It fell over.
Silence ensued for a while.
"…With all due respect,"
Yu Ji-won spoke up.
"There is nothing wrong with my ability, Your Excellency."
It was indeed with all due respect.
"…Ji-won. Didn't you say you had cycled across Japan?"
"Yes? Yes, I did."
"If you have a map of Japan in your trunk, could you get it out? Preferably a large one."
"Understood, Your Excellency."
Yu Ji-won opened her ever-present trunk bag.
The trunk, fully opened, was a testament to her psychopathic obsession with neatness or perhaps an extremely efficient organizational ability.
Maps of the entire Korean Peninsula, city maps, nautical charts, and world maps were stacked in layers.
Yu Ji-won pulled out a map of Japan in less than 10 seconds.
"Spread it out. Make it connect to the nautical chart of the Korean Strait."
"Yes."
Although the scales were different, the two maps overlapped.
Then something strange happened.
Thud-
The chess piece for 'Lee Eun-joo' was dragged. No, that wasn't all.
The chess pieces scattered around the table, dozens of corpses, started being pulled somewhere as if by a magnet.
Thud- thud- thud- thud- thud-
"..."
"..."
Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Hiroshima, Okayama, Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, Shizuoka, Tokyo, Sendai…
The locations where the corpses moved were all different. In other words, the bodies of 72 people were scattered all over Japan.
Among them, the chess piece for 'Kim Jeong-rip' was particularly strange.
Rattle, rattle, rattle!
The chess piece that had fallen near Fukuoka trembled violently. It was an inexplicable phenomenon. Then, in a moment.
Crack-
The chess piece broke in two.
The pawn's 'head' remained near Fukuoka, while the 'body' rolled and stopped near Osaka.
The silence grew longer.
This time, Noh Do-hwa spoke.
"Hmm. Should I go get more death row inmates…?"
I shook my head.
"I will upgrade the threat level of the anomaly 'Inunaki Tunnel' to continent-class. We'll contact the Magical Girl Association in Japan. They are the experts. A joint investigation team will likely be formed. Be prepared, Noh Do-hwa, Corps Commander."
"Are you talking about the Inunaki Tunnel? That place is really fucked up nyan."
As expected, Japan's awakened ones were already well acquainted with this anomaly.
A former shrine maiden who received divine power from the Cat God by swearing to always end her sentences with '-nyan' or '-nya' until her death. Now, a magical girl.
The golden-haired awakened one called Manyo Neko responded earnestly to our inquiry.
"There are quite a few mountains around here and there, right? Unless you're a pervert who gets a strange pleasure from climbing mountains, it's convenient to drill a tunnel nyan."
But who could have predicted?
The location of the tunnel, once the lights are off, easily transforms into a space that is 'dark, damp, and feared by people' all year round, and this location condition is a hotspot for anomalies.
Unfortunately, the officials of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport did not have the ability to foresee the future. In fact, their ability to perceive reality wasn't that great either. As a result, tunnels were drilled all over Japan like earthworm holes.
Then came the Void.
"Keyotaki Tunnel. Ikoma Tunnel. Inunaki Tunnel. They were all famous haunted spots from the old days."
The places renowned as the top three haunted tunnels in Japan.
"But after the advent of the Void, these tunnels started to 'fight' each other nya."
"Fight? The tunnels?"
"Yap. I'm telling you this specially because you're Undateikeo…"
The magical girls in Japan referred to me as Undateikeo. It meant the same as the 'Undertaker.'
"There was a perfectly normal tunnel in our area. But one day, when we woke up, the signboard had changed to 'Keyotaki'!"
"..."
"Keyotaki Tunnel is quite far from our area. A year passed, and then suddenly, the signboard changed to 'Inunaki' nya!"
A territorial competition among anomalies.
A fight to determine which among the three haunted spots was the true 'tunnel anomaly.'
"It wasn't just our area. Tunnels all over Japan, including underpasses, all turned into 'Inunaki Tunnel.'"
"…It's been infected. The concept of 'tunnel' was completely consumed and destroyed by 'Inunaki Tunnel'."
"Exactly. It's fucked up nyan."
The magical girl added, 'That's why no one in Japan uses tunnels anymore nyan.'
In fact, Inunaki Tunnel not only occupied Japan but also began to invade foreign lands.
Even the 'Korea-Japan Undersea Tunnel,' a fictional tunnel that never existed in reality, was devoured and made its own.
Manyo Neko sighed.
"Originally, the real Inunaki Tunnel was at most 150 meters long nyan. But now it has consumed all the tunnels in Japan, and according to Undateikeo, it has even devoured a fictional undersea tunnel, so its total length is…"
The longest anomaly in history.
That was the continent-class anomaly I had to deal with in the 141st cycle.
-x-X-x-
The Pedestrian II
The subjugation was not a choice but a necessity.
If this situation was left unattended, tunnels worldwide would sequentially become infected by the 'Inunaki Tunnel.'
The awakeners of Korea and Japan agreed to unite their forces. Even in this apocalyptic era, where distribution networks had collapsed, losing the tunnel routes altogether was unacceptable.
But what kind of people are the nations of East Asia?
"Now that an undersea tunnel has appeared off the coast of Busan, let's just do the subjugation in Busan…?"
"Nyaang. I appreciate the suggestion, but cleaning up one's own mess is the proper attitude of an adult. Our Magical Girl Association will take the lead in the Inunaki subjugation, nya!"
When three East Asian countries hold a meeting, Koreans call it 'Korea-China-Japan,' Chinese call it 'China-Korea-Japan,' and Japanese call it 'Japan-China-Korea.' Such is the etiquette of East Asia.
Questions about whether nations have long since fallen are meaningless. People always come first, and nations follow.
Even though the nations had already fallen, or perhaps because they had, those who claimed to represent each region clung to their authority even more.
"Ha. Your spirit is commendable, but I've heard things are not going well on your end lately… We've just had an undersea tunnel suddenly pop up, but hasn't your entire nation turned into an anthill? We're always ready to help…."
"Nya haha. Thank you for your concern. If we had an extraordinary awakener like Undateikeo, it would have been much easier, nya! Alas, it's just bad luck compared to our neighboring country. How sad, nya!"
Their friendly conversation seemed so entertaining. Even the Chinese awakeners, who had not yet been infected by Inunaki, subtly hinted, 'Hey, hey? What are you doing? Why are you having fun without us? Can't we join in? Huh? Let's play together.'
As both sides' faces began to sour, I intervened politely.
"The lead in this subjugation will be neither the National Road Management Corps nor the Magical Girl Association. It will be me, Undertaker, personally. I want to invite each of you, awakeners I know personally, to form a temporary party. I would appreciate your attendance, considering our connection."
"Hmmm…."
"Nyaang."
This was also in line with the Korean tradition of 'volunteer soldiers.' Respecting traditions, my proposal was easily accepted.
Under the premise that participation was voluntary and in an individual capacity, a multinational party was formed. The party members were as follows:
- Korea: Undertaker (Party Leader), Saintess (Secret Participant), Yu Ji-won (Deputy Party Leader)
- Japan: Manyo Neko (Deputy Party Leader), Phantom Blade
Some might think that the team was too small considering the grand plan for a joint Korea-Japan subjugation, but this was more than sufficient.
Frankly, I, the Undertaker, was like a walking army. I only needed talents to cover areas I couldn't handle alone.
As for the Magical Girl Association, well. Since we said, 'We can manage with two or three people,' they could only match that number.
"Excuse me."
"Nya! Feel free to stay, nya!"
While leading us to a high-end ryokan in Japan, Manyo Neko whispered to me.
"Undateikeo, Undateikeo."
"Yes?"
"I know that Yu-san is the Operations Chief of the National Road Management Corps, but who is that woman with the blue hair? I've never seen her before, nya…."
The person she pointed at was the Saintess. Even in Korea, only Noh Do-hwa and I knew her true identity, so it was natural for the Magical Girl Association to be clueless.
"She's my girlfriend."
"…!"
"We've been dating for two months. She insisted on coming along because she was worried about me going to Japan. She'll stay here until the operation is over, so please take care of her."
"Wasn't your girlfriend the diva of Samcheon World, nya?"
Damn it. How did that rumor spread across the sea?
"…That's completely unfounded. She's my first girlfriend."
"Ah, I see, nya. My apologies. Among the Magical Girls, a few are from Walpurgis… Anyway! Since she's your girlfriend, we'll treat her as a VIP, nya!"
The Saintess tilted her head, confused, as she watched our whispering. She was the only one in our group who didn't speak Japanese.
After settling into the inn, we began the formal meeting.
"The subjugation will proceed in Japan. However, if this operation is successful, I will expect compensation from the Association."
"Compensation? What do you mean, nya?"
"A spirit camera."
"Ah…"
"Specifically, a Polaroid OneStep. The 1977 model."
"Nya haha, Undateikeo, you're really fixated on that item, nya?"
Manyo Neko scratched her cheek.
"I'd love to give it to you, but it's one of the three rare treasures we have, nya… I'll try to get approval from above, nya."
As the name 'Magical Girl Association' suggests, the hierarchy among Japan's awakeners was not strict.
Each shrine had a Magical Girl blessed by the gods, and these girls managed their own territories.
Although the Association's headquarters were located in the Noto Peninsula, it was more nominal compared to the status of the National Road Management Corps in Korea.
In other words, it was more accurate to say, 'Three Magical Girls who own spirit cameras are members of the Association,' rather than 'The Association owns three spirit cameras.'
Unless they were persuaded individually, it was unlikely they'd part with such a rare item.
Knowing the Association's workings well, I made a difficult request first and then subtly backed off.
"Then, could you at least tell me where the Polaroid camera was initially found?"
"Nya?"
"I'm a huge fan of that item. Please understand my collecting passion. If I can't get the actual item, I'd like to gather as much information as possible."
So I could grab it myself in the next cycle.
Manyo Neko's expression brightened.
"Nyaa! If that's the case, I'll make sure to get the information, nya! Leave it to me, nya!"
Although it would typically be confidential, we had declared our intention to exterminate Inunaki in Japan, not Korea.
Sure enough, a few days later, Manyo Neko returned with good news.
"I found out the farming location, nya. And…"
"And?"
"Tadaa-nya!"
Manyo Neko dramatically revealed what she had hidden behind her.
"Gasp."
It was a camera. A Polaroid OneStep (Land Camera 1000) released in 1977.
It was the item I had been eyeing for dozens of cycles, now in the hands of the cat Magical Girl.
It was the same camera that would later prove useful when Sim Ah-ryeon and I went on a vacation to the Tower of Sauron.
My eyes widened.
"No way, Manyo Neko, you…"
"Nya haha. Even though the Undertaker came to our country with his girlfriend and confidant, it wouldn't be right to just tell you the farming location and leave it at that. So… Ahem. The owner agreed to give up the camera under the condition that we exterminate Inunaki Tunnel, nya!"
"Manyo Neko. We're friends now."
"Yay! Tomodachi, nya!"
We high-fived.
The morale of the subjugation team was at its peak.
The Saintess stayed at the inn while Yu Ji-won, Manyo Neko, Phantom Blade, and I set out—the first official joint operation party of Korea and Japan.
Upon arrival at the destination, the two local Magical Girls stepped onto a podium (rock).
"Nyaang! Thank you for deciding to help with this subjugation, nya!"
"..."
Manyo Neko pointed with her umbrella. There lay Inunaki Tunnel.
The entrance was about 90% blocked by a stone wall, covered in all sorts of colorful graffiti and scribbles.
"This place was originally the Soroji Tunnel, nya. But as you can see, it's been infected by Inunaki, nya!"
"..."
"Since it wasn't a busy path, we just left it alone, thinking people could take a detour. Nya haha. Actually, the god I serve resides in a shrine nearby, so it's been bothering me nya."
With a flourish, Manyo Neko opened her umbrella.
The umbrella was strange. The outside was painted gold, but the inside was black, like a night sky dotted with stars.
It wasn't just a fashion item; it was Manyo Neko's sacred artifact. All Magical Girls had such treasures.
"Thanks to Undateikeo and the Korean awakeners, we can challenge the surgery to remove this tumor from our land again, nya! Let's do our best, nya!"
"…! …!"
"We also look forward to working with you. Although we haven't been working together for long, misunderstandings may arise. In such cases, please stay calm and we will explain. I hope you will also understand."
"Of course, nya!"
"…! …!"
At that moment, Yu Ji-won, who had been quietly holding her trunk bag next to me, raised her hand. By the way, Yu Ji-won was also fluent in Japanese.
"I have a question."
"Nya?"
"Why does the awakener next to you keep saying '…! …!' without making any sound? Is she mute?"
Our eyes turned to the person next to Manyo Neko.
There stood a lone figure, trying hard to make their presence known, unable to join our conversation.
Indeed, all the '…' dialogues in the conversation represented this mute Magical Girl's attempts to express herself.
For the record, this Magical Girl was not only mute but also had no arms. If there was a god in heaven, it was good evidence that the deity was a sadist who found pleasure in torturing humans.
"Ah. Phantom Blade, did you forget to use the telepathy spell? We can't hear anything, nya."
"…!"
At Manyo Neko's remark, the mute, armless Magical Girl jumped. Then a voice started to echo in our minds.
[Oh my, I'm so sorry. Undateikeo-san, Yu-san. I mistakenly thought I was already sending telepathic messages? Haha, I thought you were deliberately ignoring me. How foolish of me.]
Her way of speaking was archaic and didn't match her cute appearance at all.
Phantom Blade.
The 'Armless Swordswoman,' literally.
I was used to her manner of speaking. Keen readers might recall that Manyo Neko and Phantom Blade were the Magical Girls who fought alongside me against UFO aliens in the 99th run.
They were the Japanese awakeners I trusted the most.
"Hmmm…"
On the other hand, Yu Ji-won seemed to see the Magical Girls as a bunch of crazy lunatics. Her expression was peculiar.
It was an undeniable fact.
Yu Ji-won whispered in Korean.
"Your Excellency. Why do all the magic-type awakeners have mental issues? Witch Cosplayer Dang Seo-rin, School Uniform Cosplayer Cheon Yo-hwa, and now Magical Girls? Even the awakeners from the neighboring country are a mess."
"Indeed… I didn't realize [Mini-map] was a magic-type ability."
"…?"
I looked around.
"Alright. Although we are only four, each of us is a hundred warriors strong. Today, the deepest known void in Japan will be exterminated. Manyo Neko, are you ready?"
"Nyaang! From today, Inunaki Tunnel will be renamed Nekonaki Tunnel, nya!"
"Phantom Blade?"
[Yes! The Magical Girl Association has attempted the Inunaki subjugation four times before, and all the data is stored in my head. We are fully prepared!]
"Yu Ji-won."
"I will follow your orders, Your Excellency."
I glanced at the sky. As if on cue, the Saintess's voice echoed.
[I'm ready, Mr. Undertaker.]
Perfect.
Rarely did I feel so confident before tackling an anomaly. We moved forward with a very positive atmosphere.
'I have a good feeling.'
We boldly broke down the stone wall at the entrance and entered the tunnel. The tunnel's comforting darkness enveloped the four of us.
66 minutes later.
The joint Korea-Japan awakened party was annihilated like dogs.
Again.
The 142nd run.
"Nyaang! From today, Inunaki Tunnel will be renamed Nekonaki Tunnel, nya!"
"Good spirit. Excellent. But before that, we need to check something first."
"…Nyaa?"
I made a serious face in response to the party member's cry to boost morale, lowering the surrounding temperature by about one degree.
Of course, I didn't suddenly awaken to a temperature manipulation ability. Literally, the temperature around the entrance of Inunaki Tunnel was dropping in real time.
"That damn anomaly has already noticed our approach. Manyo Neko, did you bring the spirit camera?"
"Nya? I did bring it…"
"Take it out and take a picture."
"…Got it, leader."
Sensing the shift in my demeanor, Manyo Neko's face also turned serious. Without a word, she took out the camera from her backpack.
Yu Ji-won, familiar with my attitude, remained expressionless. Phantom Blade stayed calm.
Manyo Neko carefully lifted the spirit camera, one of the only three in Japan, with one hand.
"Where should I take the picture, nya?"
"The tunnel entrance. Include the surrounding scenery in the shot."
"Roger, nya."
Click-
The flash went off. The instant camera soon printed a film with a faint whirring sound.
The five of us—Yu Ji-won, Manyo Neko, Phantom Blade, the Saintess (who wasn't physically present), and I—looked down at the photo.
Phantom Blade's expression hardened.
[This is…]
In the spirit photo.
Bodies were nailed to the cedar trees lining the tunnel, like columns of a temple. The bodies wore elaborate costumes, decorated with frills and ornaments, which would be quite burdensome for ordinary people.
They were the bodies of Magical Girls.
"Do you recognize them?"
[…Yes. Although the photo quality isn't great, judging by the costumes, they appear to be colleagues who went missing in previous subjugation attempts. Some of them I haven't seen in seven years.]
Just as I thought.
I maintained a calm expression. The leader of the subjugation team had to remain steadfast.
The question was asked by a team member instead of me.
"What the heck, nya? How…?"
"It's a provocation. As I said, that anomaly has already noticed our approach. It's challenging us to come closer."
"But… That makes no sense. Neither I nor Phantom Blade are weak in spiritual power. How could we not notice anything until we took the picture…?"
[Wait a moment.]
We turned our heads.
Phantom Blade was staring at one corner of the faint instant photo.
[Look at these bodies. The ones hanging next to the stone wall.]
"Nyaang?"
[Although it's blurry… Don't they look like us?]
"..."
The sound of cicadas filled the air.
The Japanese called this sound 'kanakana' (カナカナ). But like all languages, it was a unique sound that couldn't be fully captured in writing, a wheezing that couldn't be called a cry. The sound echoed from the cedar forest surrounding us.
"Take another picture, Manyo Neko. This time, focus on the stone wall."
"Got it, nya."
Click.
The flash went off.
At that moment, the sound of cicadas stopped throughout the forest. It might sound strange, but it felt like thousands of insects were staring at us all at once.
Bzzzz—
The Polaroid camera slowly printed the photo with a bit too much noise.
We looked at the photo again.
"..."
The bodies in the photo had become lighter.
They were the same as in the first photo but now hanging from the cedar trees without heads and arms.
No, upon closer inspection, there was another change.
On the stone wall at the tunnel entrance, covered in various scribbles and graffiti, a bright red word that hadn't been there in the previous photo was now visible.
-Welcome back (おかえり).
-x-X-x-
The Pedestrian III
Inunaki Tunnel was cursed in every way imaginable.
The very location of the tunnel induced fear. Urban legends, vengeful spirits of workers buried during construction, murders and disappearances occurring within...
I had underestimated the difficulty of dealing with an anomaly that had reached across the Korea Strait. We stepped back from the tunnel entrance to resume our strategy meeting.
"Is it impossible to destroy that tunnel from the outside?"
"Probably impossible, nya."
Manyo Neko sighed.
"Our Association also attempted to destroy the tunnel physically when we decided to attack it, nya. We even used bombs from the old Self-Defense Forces to blow up 72 tunnels simultaneously, nya."
"And the result?"
"We observed that Inunaki Tunnel was restored within as short as four minutes and as long as four days nya. We speculate that the only way to subjugate it is to walk through it from the entrance to the exit, nya."
"I see."
There were sometimes anomalies that couldn't be subjugated by physical force alone.
The outer god 'Infinite Void' was one such anomaly. To briefly summarize the method of exterminating Infinite Void:
1. Seal the 99 ghosts of the Hyakki Yagyo at Baekhwa Girls' High School.
2. Descend to the 4th basement level and place 100 candles at the location reached after walking 4,444 steps.
3. Two or more people must exchange ghost stories about the sealed ghosts.
4. Approach the Infinite Void that appears and have someone capable of playing the role of a 'shaman' seal it.
5. Help the shaman by striking an unpredictable blow to Infinite Void, using a special sword like 'Do-hwa' made by Noh Do-hwa.
…This method was insane enough to make anyone wonder, 'Did they really expect us to beat this?' Even the Saintess, upon seeing this strategy, muttered with a frown, '…That's really something.'
But turning the tables, even an anomaly that defied the world's rules, like the outer god Infinite Void, could be subjugated with enough effort.
So, there was no need to even mention Inunaki Tunnel, a continent-class anomaly.
Even if physical force was ineffective, anomalies always had a weak point.
"Got it."
"...Nya, but why are you standing up with your cane-sword, Undateikeo?"
"If there's an anomaly that can't be subjugated by physical force, I tend to wonder if it's because we didn't use enough firepower."
From that day, Inunaki Tunnel entered a season of severe trials.
"Secret Art: Tunnel Destruction."
Boom—
I unleashed my aura, collapsing the tunnel entrance.
As Manyo Neko had mentioned, the tunnel structure was restored in less than 40 seconds (likely stronger and with increased restoration power than in the past). However, my blade didn't care about such trivial resistance.
"Secret Art: Tunnel Destruction but I keep doing it."
Boom! Bang! Boom!
Every time Inunaki Tunnel restored itself, I bombarded it relentlessly. Not just the entrance, but the entire mountain ridge the tunnel passed through was blown away.
"Nyaaa! What are you doing, nya! This whole area is dedicated to our god, nya!"
"Calm down. This is just collateral damage."
"How is it collateral damage when our shrine's property is being destroyed, nya?"
Although Manyo Neko was jumping up and down, there was some progress.
After 40 seconds, with the mountain completely gone, the tunnel stood alone in the barren wasteland. It was like a bald scalp with the tunnel structure clearly exposed.
"Just as I thought."
As expected, Inunaki Tunnel was an anomaly that parasitized the tunnel. The void it controlled didn't extend beyond the tunnel to the surrounding mountains.
Seeing the exposed tunnel structure, Phantom Blade admired it.
[Oh, indeed, Undateikeo-san. Impressive power. The tunnel is fully exposed.]
"The fear of a tunnel is concentrated in its darkness. It's the vague fear of not knowing how far you have to walk to find the exit and the hopelessness of being surrounded by concrete with no way out. But look."
I climbed onto the tunnel's outer wall and walked to the middle. Then, I slashed through the tunnel's middle like tofu.
"When the structure is exposed, if an explorer gets lost, they can be rescued from the outside like this. Although the wall will restore in 40 seconds, if they are rescued within that time, there's no problem."
[Ah… Certainly. Thinking that way, it doesn't seem so scary.]
"Anomalies are mold that feeds not only on the void of reality but also on the gaps in our hearts. If we can eliminate even a bit of unconscious fear, we should use every means possible."
[Hmm. Truly golden advice.]
"Well, it's understandable since actual gold has flown away, nya! Oh my nya, oh my nya!"
Click—
I took the spirit camera from Manyo Neko and photographed the tunnel entrance again.
Now. I had responded to the anomaly's provocation with a provocation of my own, but how would it react?
Soon, the photo developed. Last time, it had hung torsos from the cedar trees, but now, since the forest had been completely cut down, it had nailed heads to the stone wall at the tunnel entrance.
This time, only the heads.
The severed heads were pinned with tiny nails, fixing their lips and eyelids. The nails forced the heads into grotesque smiles.
The writing 'Welcome back (おかえり)' remained on the wall, now written in the blood dripping from the heads of the Magical Girls.
"…It's still taunting us."
No matter.
"Nyaa?"
"Just talking to myself. You don't need to look at the photo. It's just playing with the bodies of your fellow Magical Girls."
"..."
Manyo Neko nodded slightly.
I picked up the radio. Although the radio itself had no special functions, I had deceived others into thinking it was a 'cursed radio' to avoid suspicion.
"Saintess."
[Yes.]
"Please contact Commander Noh Do-hwa and ask her to start the operation."
[Understood.]
A moment later.
"Your Excellency, the chess pieces are moving."
Yu Ji-won said, standing by the table at the tunnel entrance.
"The first group is entering the Busan Undersea Tunnel."
"Good, keep me updated. Saintess? Please keep monitoring the death row inmates' vision. Share their reactions, dialogue, and actions with me. It's crucial for devising the strategy."
[Yes.]
Click. Click.
The 72 chess pieces on the table slowly moved. These were the death row inmates we had lost in the previous cycle.
Me, Noh Do-hwa, the Saintess, and Yu Ji-won. The strongest support team began to control the numerous chess pieces.
This time, the prisoners' lives would be used more valuably.
A real tunnel is a passage you can enter from the entrance and walk to the exit.
Meanwhile, a void tunnel is a maze where you can never reach the exit, even if you enter from the entrance.
To defeat a tunnel anomaly, one must enter and safely exit. This proves, 'This place is no longer a void but reality.'
Here's a guide to safely passing through Inunaki Tunnel, or more accurately, the communication records exchanged during our operation to establish the guidelines.
These records will later be registered in the [Library Society's Encyclopedia of Anomalies] on SG Net.
Although the survival rate of those entering the tunnel is never high, if you follow the 'strategy' diligently with a clear mind, you can survive.
On the record.
[Mr. Undertaker, all exploration teams have been equipped with radios. I introduced myself as the team leader of the National Road Management Corps and instructed the explorers to follow my orders.]
[Advance party entering.]
[Destroying the stone wall is deemed to attract unnecessary attention from the Inunaki Tunnel. The explorers climbed over the wall.]
1. When death row inmates climb over the wall, they will immediately smell a foul 'garbage odor.'
It resembles the stench of decaying leaves soaked in summer rain all season long.
The musty smell of the damp cave will cling to your body like mites, but do not panic.
In fact, the presence of that smell indicates a 'safe zone.'
[Two explorers reported an unbearable stench.]
[6th inmate reported that it smells not just like a cave but like abandoned corpses. What should we do?]
"Tell them to find the bodies."
[Understood.]
1-1. If you smell 'blood' or 'rotting corpses' instead of garbage or moss, immediately turn back and climb back over the wall.
However, if you have already taken more than 'seven steps' after entering the tunnel, do not attempt to return. In this case, your torso will be severed as soon as you climb over the wall.
Do not attempt to locate the corpses emitting the smell.
Ultimately, you will realize that the smell comes from inside your own body.
Five death row inmates were required to draft Strategy 1.
[An explorer has died.]
[The remaining team is slightly confused but there are no issues with continuing the operation.]
[Requesting to deploy the next team as planned to Commander Noh Do-hwa.]
[Proceeding.]
[Advance.]
2. Never walk past the middle of the tunnel on the right side. Always move along the left side.
[Mr. Undertaker, I've relayed this instruction to all explorers, but why must they use only the left side of the passage?]
"Ah. In the last cycle, the four of us walked side by side in the passage. But Phantom Blade, who walked on the far right, and Yu Ji-won, who walked in the center, suddenly died."
[What?]
"Ah, Yu Ji-won, you don't need to listen to this part. Just focus on watching the mini-map. Anyway... They started gasping for breath, as if they were completely submerged in deep water, and soon after, they collapsed."
[....]
"When we examined their bodies, their esophagus and lungs were filled with filthy water. They died of drowning."
2-1. If you smell 'water' or 'sewer' while walking, it means you are leaning too far to the right.
Immediately shift a bit more to the left.
If you find it difficult to breathe or feel a strange difficulty in walking, also move to the left. In such cases, mimic the movements of swimming rather than walking.
To be safe, wear a life jacket when entering the tunnel.
No death row inmates were needed to draft Strategy 2.
[No issues. I'll instruct them to continue advancing.]
"Yes, thank you."
3. The inside of Inunaki Tunnel is covered with various graffiti and scribbles in vibrant colors.
The walls are painted from top to bottom. The graffiti is as dense as shells clinging to seaside rocks.
The scribbles may look like Latin letters, but they resemble no language on Earth.
If the graffiti seems to wriggle when you look at it or if you smell 'blood' from the red parts of the graffiti, immediately avert your gaze.
The deeper you go into the tunnel, the more vivid and complex the graffiti becomes.
As long as the graffiti still looks like 'scribbles,' the area is safe. But if the graffiti starts to appear as beautiful 'art,' especially 'beautiful creatures,' immediately look away.
This phenomenon is presumed to be due to the confusion of the 'corridor' of the tunnel and the 'corridor' of a gallery.
[Mr. Undertaker, some explorers are showing excessive interest in the graffiti.]
"Are any unusual behaviors detected?"
[Yes. They are approaching and moving away from the graffiti as if admiring artwork in a museum, muttering phrases like 'beautiful,' 'pretty,' 'exquisite.']
[Ah.]
[14th inmate is showing abnormalities. He keeps repeating, 'The colors here could be a bit deeper.']
[The surrounding explorers are trying to stop him, but it doesn't seem to help.]
[14th inmate confirmed to be self-harming.]
[He's cut open his abdomen and is using his blood to paint the graffiti.]
"I see. Saintess, make sure you don't look at the graffiti."
[Understood. I'm changing my view periodically. The 14th inmate has gouged out his eyes and smeared them on the graffiti on the tunnel wall.]
[Confirmed deceased.]
3-1. If someone stands in the middle of the tunnel admiring the graffiti and shows no reaction, immediately kill them.
If tattoos appear clearly on their arms or neck, you've already missed the window to kill them. Escape from them as quickly as possible.
Individuals infected in this manner are referred to as 'observers.'
If you no longer smell blood and instead detect moss, basement, or cave scents, you've entered a safe zone.
3-2. If you feel an observer is chasing you, use a knife to cut off a finger or toe, draw tattoo-like patterns on your face, and hold the severed part in your mouth.
Press yourself against the tunnel wall without making any sound.
Even if you hear footsteps, do not look down the tunnel's corridor. Do not make any noise. Remain pressed against the tunnel wall until the footsteps have completely disappeared. It is recommended to hold your breath for at least 30 seconds.
Eleven death row inmates were required to draft Strategy 3.
[An explorer has died.]
[No issues.]
[Advance.]
-x-X-x-
The Pedestrian IV
The 'strategy' continued to unfold.
It was like a chaotic chess match on the board.
Black was the anomaly. White was humanity.
But unlike a typical game where the number of chess pieces is fixed, Inunaki Tunnel had an innumerable amount of pieces.
It had devoured all the tunnels throughout Japan. This meant it had monopolized all the fear and urban legends associated with those places. There were more than enough chess pieces to put on the board as there were stories.
On the other hand, we, the human side, had only 72 pawns. However, I was not in a hurry.
After all, my chess pieces were replenished with each new cycle. Even if we failed this time, I could press the 'Retry' button and keep playing the game with more knowledge and a richer strategy.
[An explorer has died.]
[No issues.]
[Advance.]
Cycles 141, 142, 143, 144, and 145.
Over five cycles, I strategized against Inunaki Tunnel. However, I didn't invest all my time solely in Inunaki Tunnel.
Leisurely, I also exterminated other anomalies, consuming only the 72 death row inmates.
As the cycles accumulated, the strategic game increasingly favored me. No more death row inmates died at the tunnel entrance. Fewer were enchanted by the graffiti.
The records of the strategic battles between the anomaly and me, the chess game logs, remained as the strategy.
Thus,
[The exit is visually confirmed.]
[Mr. Undertaker, inmate 66 died approximately 20 meters from the exit. Right before death, the inmate looked back.]
I grabbed the radio.
"Did they exhibit any other peculiar behavior besides looking back?"
[No.]
"Then it seems the myth of Orpheus has been intertwined. Seeing the exit of the cave and looking back, resulting in the lover being dragged away and dying… It's common for myths to be distorted and applied to anomalies."
[Ah.]
"We need to add to the strategy that you must never look back once you can see the exit. Saintess, that was the last explorer, right?"
[Yes. There are no more available death row inmates. Should we postpone to the next cycle?]
I shook my head.
"No. With only 20 meters left, let's finish it this time. It's better for the operation's overseers to go through this last part to validate our strategy."
I glanced back.
"And for the Association's dignity as well."
Yu Ji-won, Manyo Neko, and Phantom Blade, the three awakened ones, were looking at me.
"Yu Ji-won. You stay here and keep watching the map. It's okay if you just stare at the map."
"Yes, Your Excellency. I will keep my eyes fixed on the operation map without blinking."
"There's no need to go that far. Anyway…"
I locked eyes with the two Magical Girls. Their gazes held a mix of emotions.
Anxiety. Wondering if they had almost entirely handed over the subjugation to the Korean awakened ones.
Excitement. Hoping the chance to deliver the final blow to the anomaly that had tormented Japan might finally come.
Sadness and guilt.
These emotions didn't need explaining. They weren't feelings directed at us or living humans.
"Let's go. Manyo Neko, Phantom Blade."
"..."
"Let's avenge your fallen comrades."
Their eyes turned cold.
Soon, the final exploration team set out.
"We were too complacent during the first subjugation, nya."
Tap. Tap.
The sound of human footsteps trickled down the tunnel's dark walls like rainwater. Mud splashed onto the Magical Girls' shoes.
"Well, because it remained quiet without spitting out anomalies or causing havoc, nya. Compared to other anomalies that wreak havoc on villages and cities, it seemed weak, nya?"
[Five shrines around Nagoya and Kyoto formed the first subjugation team. We didn't expect it to become the 'first,' though.]
"My childhood friend was part of that team, nya."
[She was also my close friend.]
Tap.
Outside, the cicadas' noise from the distant hills was almost deafening, but inside the tunnel, there was a malevolent silence.
Each step echoed off the walls, making the strange graffiti wriggle like glowing worms. But no one looked at the patterns.
"Stars—guide—the dawn."
As the darkness deepened, Manyo Neko lightly shook her umbrella. The outside of the umbrella glowed faintly blue.
It was magic. Before the unparalleled witch Dang Seo-rin developed Cursed Song Incantation, it was the only known method of casting spells in this world.
It was spellcraft, assembling words to manifest the caster's imagery, with the number of phrases interwoven determining the mage's caliber.
"Though the second, third, and fourth subjugation teams were organized afterward, the results were similar, nya. Ah, look at this, nya."
Manyo Neko pointed her umbrella at the floor.
On the relatively unblemished concrete floor, Japanese characters were engraved. Though mostly damaged, some were decipherable.
-Die.
-No. I don't want to be here anymore. Where did everyone go? Why did they leave me, die. LCNA. 1199.
-To future explorers or Association members, I leave this message. Never walk down the center. Do not listen to the sounds from the center, and if you sense a presence.
-Please save me.
Manyo Neko raised her umbrella, and the letters on the floor were swallowed by the eternal darkness again.
"They are all traces of previous subjugation teams, nya."
[This must be Gamma Point, right?]
"Yes. We left markers in relatively safe zones from Inunaki Tunnel's erosion, nya."
They, too, had attempted to create a strategy. Like I did.
"But 'relatively safe zone' isn't the same as 'completely safe zone,' nya. The fourth subjugation team was annihilated following these guidelines, nya."
"…Document corruption, then."
"Exactly, nya. That damned thing did nothing during the third subjugation, but when the fourth team arrived, it started playing tricks, nya."
It was not rare for anomalies in the void to mimic human language. They mimicked not just language, but voices, behavior, and appearance.
Just like now.
-Manyo Neko!
-Phantom Blade? Phantom Blade, is that you?
-You really came to save us!
-My student, well done. I always believed in you.
Phantom Blade's cold smile surfaced. The mute Magical Girl did not voice her derision, but the smile's chill was unmistakable.
[Bullshit.]
"Do you know them?"
[Ah, comrades and my mentor. She was the leader of the fourth subjugation team. They said her lower body was found at Gamma Point. I'm glad her voice is intact.]
Tap.
The Magical Girls continued walking without looking back.
Suddenly, their footsteps felt like muted screams.
The anomaly pulled out all sorts of trap cards, but none deceived us. The 'Inunaki Tunnel Strategy,' recorded from 1 to 77, guided us to the exit.
When the light of the exit began to appear in the distance,
-Manyo Nekooo.
Suddenly! A forearm shot out from behind us as if to embrace us.
The wrist was adorned with a dainty bracelet. The sleeve had frills.
-What's wrong? Take my hand.
-Didn't you come to save us? The Association? Did headquarters abandon us?
-Let's go back together, Manyo Neko. No, Rika.
The stoic expressions of the Magical Girls showed slight cracks.
-We promised to gather again when the first snow fell this year, remember? On Mount Yahiko.
"...."
-I still remember our promise, Rika.
Manyo Neko halted her steps.
She and I both knew that looking back now would end everything.
But I chose not to remind her. Phantom Blade didn't use telepathy either.
"…This is truly fucked up, nya."
A mutter echoed through the tunnel.
"That promise was made seven years ago, nya. But you didn't even set a clear criterion for the first snow before you left for the subjugation, nya. Is the first snow the one in Hokkaido? Or is it the one in the village we were in? That was the shittiest promise ever, nya."
-....
"So when it snowed in Hokkaido, when it snowed in the village, when it snowed in your hometown, I climbed Mount Yahiko three times, nya. It was hell, nya. And you were never there. I thought I'd die from the cold, nya."
-....
"I was wondering where you died that they couldn't even find a piece of your body, but here you are, trying to lure harmless humans into this shitty tunnel? Where did your vow to serve the gods and protect people go? You're a real bastard, you know that?"
I could never forget what I saw then.
The 'hand' that had emerged from behind us, which had merely flailed in the air, gently held Manyo Neko's hand.
Interlocking fingers.
-Gomen. Let's go back together.
"...."
-Rika.
Human voices trickled down the tunnel's dark walls like rainwater. The rain poured heavily.
Tap.
We walked.
The light came closer and closer. The mossy and corpse odors that plagued our noses gradually gave way to the scent of fresh leaves. By the time the muted screams had changed to cicadas' cries,
[We've arrived, Mr. Undertaker.]
We exited the tunnel.
Without exchanging words, we instinctively turned back. The exit of the tunnel. The plaque once inscribed with 'Inunaki' now bore a different name.
Soroji Tunnel.
This was the tunnel's original name before it was consumed and corrupted by the anomaly.
Under that name, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of corpses were strewn beyond the tunnel.
"...."
[....]
Most of the bodies wore the extravagant attire of Magical Girls. However, their dresses were rotting from the dark mud of corpse poison and the ravages of time.
Manyo Neko knelt before a corpse missing one arm.
I later learned that Manyo Neko was part of the first subjugation team but had survived because she was assigned to wait outside the tunnel.
Anomaly:Inunaki Tunnel
Aliases: River Styx, Hell Gallery, Orpheus's Underworld Path.
Threat Level:Lv.3 Continental-class.
Subjugation complete.
Epilogue one.
All the tunnels in Japan returned to normal one by one, but for some reason, the undersea tunnel crossing the Korea Strait remained intact.
Of course, 'intact' meant it could only be used if the strategy was meticulously followed. All the dangers that the Inunaki Tunnel once possessed remained within the undersea tunnel.
Noh Do-hwa frowned.
"How strange. The undersea tunnel was a fictional structure to begin with, so it should disappear, shouldn't it?"
"Well, I don't know. Even though I'm an anomaly expert, I don't know everything."
"Hmmm…"
Noh Do-hwa squinted at the undersea tunnel peeking out from Busan's coast.
"Well, if it comes down to it, it's not bad to have another means of exchange with the other side…"
The story related to this undersea tunnel will be told in the next chapter.
Epilogue Two.
From the 145th cycle onward, I decided to visit Japan early whenever possible.
The purpose was simple. To exterminate Inunaki Tunnel in advance before the Association suffered heavy casualties.
And also to farm my precious spirit camera.
So in the 146th cycle, after obtaining the camera and arriving at Inunaki Tunnel, I sensed a familiar presence approaching from afar.
"Hunya? We have an early visitor, nya?"
It was Manyo Neko.
A slightly younger and less mature face than in the previous cycle.
Thus, instead of an umbrella, Manyo Neko was holding something else.
"What should we do, You? The High Priestess told us to block the tunnel entrance."
"Shouldn't we just warn them to retreat for now?"
"Yes, but that person looks really powerful, nya… Ah. It seems they've noticed us, too."
"It's dangerous, so stay back, Rika."
I raised my hands to show I had no hostile intentions and approached.
Contrasting with the golden-haired Manyo Neko, a black-haired Magical Girl stared at me.
"Who are you? Never seen you before. You're not from the village, right? This place is off-limits to civilians starting today. A missing person report has been filed."
"I'm an awakener from Korea."
"Korea…? What brings you here from Korea?"
Hmmm.
Her eyes were filled with distrust and wariness. But as the Undertaker, I was a seasoned regressor adept at forming relationships.
About four minutes of conversation and four packs of snacks later,
"It's delicious, nyaaa!"
"Chocolate after so many days… The genuine richness of cocoa's flavor…"
"Ah, I'm melting, nya…"
"So, are we friends now?"
"Yay! Tomodachi, nya!"
The Magical Girls eagerly wrapped the tunnel entrance with sacred ropes. They repeatedly emphasized not to enter, then leisurely departed.
The sun was setting. I watched the two walk away, holding hands, for quite some time.
"…Should I take a picture?"
Click.
It was purely on a whim that I raised the spirit camera and photographed Inunaki Tunnel.
I wanted to capture this moment as a keepsake.
Zzzzz— The photo developed. Since Inunaki Tunnel hadn't yet devoured all the tunnels in Japan, the photo was much calmer than before.
There were no Magical Girls' bodies, nor were limbs or heads grotesquely displayed.
Just the stone wall blocking the tunnel entrance.
On it, bright red letters were written.
-Welcome back. This is the seventh time, isn't it?
I froze momentarily with the camera raised.
Cicadas sang from the cedar forest.
…It wasn't just chilling because it seemed like the anomaly knew I had been regressing repeatedly.
Such a trick could simply be a hallucination showing what the opponent feared. An anomaly with advanced illusion abilities, like Inunaki Tunnel, could easily do that.
The problem lay elsewhere.
The first time I encountered Inunaki Tunnel was in the 141st cycle. 142, 143, 144, 145… I had returned to confront the tunnel in the 146th cycle.
Six times in total.
Yet Inunaki Tunnel welcomed me as if this was the 'seventh' time.
Where did the remaining encounter disappear to?
-x-X-x-
The Tenant I
There has been a long-standing question that has plagued me for ages.
'How should I build a hideout to receive praise for it?'
A hideout. My personal secret base.
As everyone knows, I have one major trauma.
It happened in the 89th cycle when a pink-haired alien named Go Yuri raided my base in one fell swoop.
Since that incident, a corner of my brain has been perpetually haunted by the ASMR full voice of Go Yuri saying, 'A pathetic ♡ infinite regressor raided with just one hypnotic beam ♡ pathetic hideout ♡.'
Of course, there's no way Go Yuri actually spoke like that. If she knew about my trauma, she'd probably tilt her head in confusion. It showed how severe my mental scars were, to be tormented by such fantasies.
I needed a solution desperately.
Hence, today's story revolves around an episode about my sweet home.
Though I hadn't mentioned it directly to everyone until now, the truth is that I had explored my own El Dorado across many cycles.
There were various kinds of utopias.
I tried setting up a luxury yacht as a mobile sea fortress and even started a life on an uninhabited island.
Skyscrapers, underground bunkers, subway tracks, railguns—if people could imagine a form of a hideout, I had tried it.
Yet, none of these hideouts ever completely satisfied my aesthetic sense.
2%. It was always missing 2%.
"Oppa's standards are too high."
Puppeteer Lee Ha-yul grumbled.
Of course, her lips were tightly closed. She spoke through the maid marionette she always carried.
Lee Ha-yul, the daughter of a notorious traitor (former mayor of Busan), had a talent for pulling puppet strings from under her fingernails.
Her puppet strings were almost superconductors in the realm of aura, capable of transmitting aura with almost no loss to the tip of the string. This miraculous superconductor was very useful for hideout security.
In constructing an impregnable hideout, her cooperation was not optional but essential.
Not just me, but Noh Do-hwa and Cheon Yo-hwa also always hired her when renovating their base buildings.
Even such an expert showed difficulty with my requests as the building owner.
"Tell me honestly. Without lying. What is your ideal guild building?"
"First and foremost, it should be able to withstand prolonged physical attacks from the outside."
"Like an underground bunker?"
Lee Ha-yul nodded.
"Possible. That's what all guild leaders want. What else?"
"I'd also like it to be able to adequately deal with intruders who use non-physical means."
"Possible. We can make it difficult to enter, like a maze."
"But guild members should also be able to deploy quickly. There need to be many secret passages."
"...?"
"And I don't want to force harsh living conditions on my guild members. They should be able to lead a more affluent life than members of other guilds. For example, if they want to take a walk along the Han River, they should be able to do so immediately, and the view should be nice if possible."
"...."
Lee Ha-yul closed her notebook and looked up at me with her golden eyes.
"Oppa. Where is your conscience?"
Surely, it was a shameless demand.
To completely block the invasion of the alien Go Yuri, perfect security was needed.
But security and convenience, once they surpassed a certain level, were difficult to coexist. It's like expecting five-star hotel room service on a nuclear submarine.
If I just treated Go Yuri as a non-existent entity—ah! In my head! The pink voice in my head! Iä! Iä! Become one with me, guild leader!
In the end, the days of suffering from the echo of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's chorus continued.
Then, one day in the 196th cycle.
I was brooding, sitting at a table by the Han River, staring blankly at the water.
At that moment, a man I had never seen before approached on a mountain bike. He had two pistols at his waist, a backpack, and a rifle slung over his back. It was the latest fashion in the apocalypse.
"Huh…? Is this not the place?"
The biker stopped about 600 meters away and looked around.
"That's strange. SG Net definitely said it was here…"
The mention of SG Net piqued my interest.
At this time, I had given up on security entirely and built my hideout under the Han River. It was near the convenience store where I first met the Saintess.
And in the vicinity, there were no buildings except my hideout. The so-called 'Summer of Seoul' incident had devoured most of Gangnam south of the Han River along with Old Man Scho's wife.
In other words, the place the biker was looking for was most likely my guild hideout. As the owner, I had to inquire about his intentions.
"What's the matter?"
"Eek!"
The biker flinched. I had approached and spoken to him while masking my presence.
The man reflexively reached for his rifle but soon decided against it, realizing it would only provoke me.
"Ah, well, I heard there's a café around here that serves fantastic coffee…"
"A rumor?"
"Yes. Um, do you know SG Net? I'm an awakener. SG Net said there's a famous café along the Han River. This is the only building that looks like a café."
"A café?"
I tilted my head.
…It was only later that I learned by searching SG Net that the culprits behind this rumor were none other than Dang Seo-rin and Cheon Yo-hwa.
They had posted about it competitively on the forums.
-[Baekhwa] FourthGrader: Hwee (>_<)! The cream latte while looking at the Han River is the best (>_<)!!
(Certification shot. No face, just holding a cream latte cup in her left hand, toasting towards the Han River)
-[Samcheon] WitchJudge: The preciousness of tasting coffee with more flavor than before the world fell apart. Magical autumn.
(Certification shot. Only a witch hat and a coffee cup on the table, taken with the Han River in the background)
Occasionally, Dang Seo-rin or Cheon Yo-hwa would visit my hideout. Since my hobby was being a barista, I naturally served them coffee.
Their competitive posting of these on SG Net caused a rumor to spread that 'there's an amazing café in Gangnam!'
-OldManGoryeo: Morning Coffee.jpeg
The final blow was delivered by my direct guild member, 'Bird Drinking Aggro.'
-OldManGoryeo: I can't function without my morning caffeine fix.
-OldManGoryeo: Today's Café Mocha.png
-OldManGoryeo: Surely, there's no one in SG Net too poor to drink coffee, right? If there is, your presence lowers the forum's class, so kindly commit suicide at your earliest convenience ㅇㅇ...
-OldManGoryeo: This hyung's barista skills.jpg
The composition of the photos posted daily by Sim Ah-ryeon overlapped suspiciously with the certification shots by Dang Seo-rin and Cheon Yo-hwa, increasing the credibility of the 'Gangnam café' rumor among SG Net users.
Our biker had been lured in by this rumor and had come all the way from Gangwon-do to Seoul.
"There's no café around here. As you know, all proper shops in Gangnam are gone. There's only the Tower of Sauron over there, but that's a void."
"Oh… I see."
The biker's expression darkened.
He looked barely in his early twenties.
I smiled.
"But I can make some coffee. It's a coincidence that we met, so how about a cup?"
"Pardon?"
At first, he hesitated, but after I insisted, he couldn't hide his joy and accepted.
As a result,
"Wow, this is… really good. Wow, sir. This tastes way better than that Gangnam café must have…"
"Thank you."
"Wow, really, thank you so much! This is incredible!"
"It's nothing. If you ever get coffee beans, feel free to come by. I'll make you some then, too."
"Ah. Thank you so much…!"
The biker tried to offer me bullets and emergency rations as thanks, but I politely declined. They were of no use to me.
He left, bowing repeatedly even while mounting his bike.
As his bike glided over the scarred asphalt road, I realized that today's unexpected encounter had been quite enjoyable.
"Ah."
At that moment, enlightenment struck.
I finally understood what kind of hideout I wanted and why I had always been dissatisfied with the ones I had tried.
'A café. It's a café!'
Indeed.
I had always wanted to run a café.
After a long time, the passion in a regressor's heart burned brightly.
"Oppa. So, you mean you want to run a café alongside the guild hideout?"
"Yes. A café-style hideout."
"What the hell is that, you otaku?"
Lee Ha-yul did not understand my idea at all, but I was not disappointed.
Pioneers are always scorned by the ignorant masses.
The café I intended to create had never existed in the history of the world. It could only be born from my design, from start to finish.
"It's unpleasant. Cafés are shops. Accessibility is everything for a shop. Don't you agree?"
"Hmm."
"What you want is physical security. Plus, security that can never be breached by mental or hypnotic means. How? How can a café and a hideout coexist?"
"Ah, Ha-yul. You're too bound by conventional thinking. In this world where anomalies and voids run rampant, we can't cling to such outdated approaches."
"…I'll let you in on a secret. Sometimes Noh Do-hwa, when she's drinking, calls me over to rant about you. For three hours straight."
"...?"
"Her drunken habits are a hassle… But, recently, I might be starting to understand her feelings."
"...?"
Ignoring the unreasonable slander, I presented my solution.
"We can achieve a two-for-one with an anomaly."
"An anomaly?"
Lee Ha-yul blinked.
"…How?"
Like this.
That day, I took Ha-yul and headed to Busan. The last remnants of the Japan-Korea undersea tunnel, Inunaki Tunnel, remained in the waters off Busan.
Inunaki Tunnel. This anomaly was the master key to achieving both a café and a hideout with accessibility and security.
Click. First, I took a picture of the undersea tunnel entrance with the spirit camera.
-Welcome back. It's already the 57th time?
Though it had been a while since I last took a photo, Inunaki Tunnel continued to update the number of our meetings.
I didn't understand the mechanics, but it seemed a continuous relationship was being maintained.
Wouldn't it be possible to communicate as well?
"Can you understand my speech?"
Click. I asked the question aloud and took another picture.
-Welcome back. It's already the 57th time?
Unfortunately, there was no change in the spirit photo.
I attempted communication again.
"Inunaki. If you understand me, leave a different mark at the tunnel entrance. I have an interesting proposal for you."
Click.
-Welcome back. It's already the 57th time?
"Hm."
Ordinary communication was a failure.
No matter how much some anomalies seemed to use human language, they didn't think like humans.
But who was I? A regressor who successfully bred dinosaurs in the void by crossbreeding horses in the 380th cycle.
"…Oppa, I'm genuinely curious. Why are you making giant dumplings?"
"Just wait and see. It's all a meticulously designed process."
That day, I embarked on finding a way to communicate with Inunaki Tunnel.
Day 1: Given that it seemed to have an abnormal preference for decapitated heads, judging by how it killed magical girls, I prepared meat-filled dumplings like Zhuge Liang did in the southern lands and offered them in front of the tunnel.
(No reaction.)
Day 3: Thinking it might have a secret hobby of tearing apart human bodies, I prepared human-shaped dolls and placed them deep inside the tunnel.
(I found them thrown outside the entrance the next day. Response confirmed.)
Day 5: Suspecting that it had a preference for magical girls, I collected pre-apocalypse magical girl figurines and displayed them in the middle of the tunnel.
(They were torn apart and ejected from the entrance. Communication success.)
"Look! It's responding! Ha-yul! Anomalies have their own ways of communicating, and humans can discover them!"
"…No, it just seems angry."
Day 10: Since the 'magical girl figurine strategy' worked, I brought in numerous posters of old magical girl series. The Magical Girl Association cooperated actively. I plastered the tunnel walls with posters.
(The graffiti came alive and tore the posters apart as soon as they were put up. Real-time communication success. The Saintess urged me to stop.)
Day 17: With the help of the National Road Management Corps, I continued plastering the tunnel with posters using death row inmates. Additionally, I recorded magical girl anime OSTs and played them through radios at the entrance, midpoint, and exit of the tunnel.
(The graffiti throughout the tunnel wriggled. Noh Do-hwa was displeased.)
Day 25: Alongside the previous efforts, I requested help from the Baekhwa guild leader Cheon Yo-hwa and released the hundred ghosts into the tunnel.
(Flooding was confirmed throughout the undersea tunnel. The graffiti not only wriggled but also moved fiercely as if screaming. Cheon Yo-hwa was displeased.)
Day 30: Finally, a change was observed in the inscriptions on the stone wall at the tunnel entrance.
-Don't come (来るな).
-Go away (帰れ).
I was thrilled by this great progress.
Of course, it was hard to say that the anomaly understood the semantic meaning of the language, but it seemed to remember the human reactions to certain words.
The most common and frequent sounds heard in the void were 'Help me!' and 'Save me!' for the same reason. They had learned these words were effective in luring humans.
Click. In the spirit photo, alongside 'Don't come' and 'Go away,' countless other words were realized.
'Bad guy,' 'Noise pollution,' 'Why,' 'Die,' 'Nuisance,' 'Incomprehensible,' 'Curse,' 'Stop,' 'Annoying,' and 'Hate,' among others.
What a dazzling discovery!
It was worth the contemptuous looks from many people to pursue communication with Inunaki Tunnel.
Couldn't we further develop this method of communication?
Inunaki Tunnel was a Japanese-born anomaly. Japanese, like Korean, had a culture of honorifics.
In Eastern Asia, it was a virtue to remember the character for respect (禮) even in personal friendships.
Day 60: The number of posters on the tunnel walls was increased by fifteen times, and the anime song playback was extended to 24 hours.
The Magical Girl Association expressed reluctance, saying they had no more posters to export, but I did not underestimate Japan's potential. Since the depletion of silver from the Iwami mine, Japan's main export product was otaku culture.
Using not only death row inmates but also ordinary prisoners, I plastered the tunnel. No matter how much Inunaki tried to tear the posters, it was futile. The humans plastered posters faster.
The undersea tunnel connecting Korea and Japan had become a comic market in terms of interior design.
(Lee Ha-yul, Noh Do-hwa, the Saintess, and Cheon Yo-hwa visited me together, requesting I halt the operation.)
Day 70: The radios playing anime songs placed throughout the tunnel were destroyed. I requested cooperation from the Magical Girl Association again and held a magical girl concert in the middle of the tunnel. The live music echoed grandly underwater, a level above recorded sound quality.
(Manyo Neko and Phantom Blade were displeased.)
Day 77:
The inscriptions at the entrance changed.
-Please don't come (来ないでください).
-Please go back (帰ってください).
-I'll do anything (何でもするから).
-Please (お願いします).
I shivered with excitement.
Finally, even the anomaly had engraved the concept of respect. I was now certain that this was a worthy companion for serious interaction.
"Ha-yul, you've waited long. I finally succeeded in persuading Inunaki Tunnel. Now, we can create a hideout with perfect security."
"Sorry, can it wait until tomorrow? I have a dinner appointment with Noh Do-hwa unnie tonight. Drinking."
"Of course. Have a great time!"
"...."
Next cycle.
A neat sign hung at the entrance of Inunaki Tunnel, replacing the messy graffiti.
[Café Hideout]
[New Opening Soon!]