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Most people have a natural tendency to want to buy time when something bad happens until it can be resolved. This isn’t just due to an avoidant nature, but rather a decision stemming from what they perceive as “very rational judgment.”

If successful in managing the situation, they can treat the problem as if it never occurred, and if they fail to manage it, well, the problem would have exploded regardless. They think there’s no way to lose either way.

However, the reason this isn’t a ‘rational judgment’ but rather what they believe to be rational is that failing could lead to even greater losses.

After all, there’s always interest to consider.

Borrowed money accumulates, flesh rots if left out too long, and fruit becomes infested with insects, as if they were welcome guests.

Thus, the Republic of Korea’s government could not help but see themselves as also accruing such interest.

If it were simply a matter of them speaking directly about the situation, or if they were sharing information while managing things, it might be different. But receiving contact during the chaos? That only stirred ominous thoughts.

Especially considering the near-outbreak of chaos just recently… It is hardly something one would wish to imagine what it would mean to hand over control to a country that was moments away from war.

But perhaps they were fortunate?

The contact from Japan brought neither inquiries nor accusations.

[Let’s conduct a joint military operation.]

Joint military operation.

To be precise, it would be termed a ‘joint operation’ since Japan only had the Self-Defense Forces, but in essence, it was a proposal for reconciliation, suggesting that the two nations combine forces for military action.

For Korea, there was no reason to refuse.

Considering that evil spirits had emerged from the former North Korean territory and caused harm to others, they could hardly evade accountability. And here Japan was suggesting a collaborative purge… there was no logical reason to turn it down.

Moreover, that wasn’t all.

Thinking back to when they could have been enemies, conducting this operation together would allow them to reassess Japan’s military power, wouldn’t it? Or perhaps it would be an opportunity to accurately assess the capabilities and numbers of Japan’s special forces—spiritual capable persons and priests—making it difficult for both the peaceful-minded and militant-minded to find a reason to reject the offer.

So was Japan gaining nothing?

No, not at all.

The first benefit Japan received was seizing the initiative.

To summarize the current situation, Korea might be in a tricky spot, but Japan was also in a difficult position regarding inquiries.

Evil spirits?

Of course, they were on Korean territory.

Unlike in the past, when it was merely written that ‘the Korean Peninsula is wholly the territory of the Republic of Korea,’ now, following the downfall of the North, clear evidence of evil spirits found on the lands designated for Unified Korea was undeniable.

But the issue was that the concept of territory isn’t limited to land.

If one were to argue, these evil spirits had merely thrown objects into the territorial waters of the Republic of Korea.

It was Japan’s warriors who happened to retrieve those objects.

If the thrown items had belonged to Korea’s evil spirits, then it was Japan’s warriors who fished them out from Japanese waters…

So when it came to assigning responsibility, it was bound to be ambiguous.

Evil spirits are like natural disasters, hard to pin down for blame, and even if one did press, they could just argue, “Well, evil spirits or evil spirits aren’t owned by anyone, so how could liability for damages ever be claimed?”

Of course, if those evil spirits were experimental entities birthed from the hands of the Republic of Korea’s government or someone with Korean nationality—then the story would change… But that sounds absurd. What is this, a horror movie? You can’t propose such things!

One could easily become possessed, tortured cruelly by physical force, and suffer emotionally to boot.

No matter how crazy someone might be, it’s unlikely they’d resort to such acts.

And let’s face it, there are so many ghosts in Korea, so suspicion isn’t particularly rampant.

Haven’t they suffered because of evil spirits even on Dokdo?

Thus, Japan opted to secure the initiative.

Korea may have been at fault, but they offered their hand first.

Furthermore, considering they had been on the brink of war not too long ago, this slight edge could be… quite a significant advantage. They might tip the scale of the debts they owed each other.

On top of that, it also had the effect of revitalizing the societal atmosphere.

The current atmosphere in Japan wasn’t exactly positive.

The recent terrorist events and the severe incident of contamination in the capital…

Japanese society could hardly be described as peaceful.

After all, an unknown blade of ‘terror’ was aimed at them.

In such a context of pervasive fear, having arrived at the brink of war… it was only natural the citizens of Japan would feel intimidated.

In that context, to conduct a ‘peaceful’ military operation against evil spirits with a nation they almost went to war with?

That would undeniably be a symbol of peace and harmony.

Well, there were certainly also opportunities for espionage regarding Korea’s spiritual capable persons and military strength, but… the above two points were Japan’s top priorities.

Thus, Japan’s proposed joint operation proceeded smoothly and incredibly quickly.

Both sides’ interests aligned perfectly.

* * *

D-DAY.

Machines began to stir in both Korea and Japan.

The lenses of satellites started monitoring North Korea, and drones flew toward the ‘T Point.’

Aircraft carriers were launched, escorted by various other ships.

Countless armored vehicles gathered near the 38th Parallel to prepare for any evil spirits that might descend.

Veterans accustomed to driving away ghosts, utilizing every method possible, focused their minds to face the coming battle.

And amid this bustling movement…

The people of both nations met.

In Japan, there were priests from various shrines, onmyoji from the Onmyoji Association, and warriors and sorcerers brought along capable of physically combating evil spirits. Their numbers were small, but they seemed to be an elite group.

Korea mirrored this setup.

In preparation for battles against evil spirits, soldiers with artifacts and warriors gathered, alongside sorcerers for repairing artifacts and wizards proficient in combat magic. And… one young shaman, regarded as a precious resource in Korea.

They could truly be described as an elite contingent.

The atmosphere among this gathering of elites…

“Oh, Shaman Park Jinseong!”

“Ah. It’s nice to meet you.”

Surprisingly warm.

Of course, initially, those gathered exchanged wary glances in slightly awkward silence.

But perhaps thanks to the translation artifact eliminating the language barrier?

Some sociable individual broke the ice, and greetings began. Slowly, they started taking an interest in each other, and by now, were engaged in friendly conversations among a group known for their esteemed reputations or shared interests.

However, interest isn’t evenly distributed, after all.

There were certainly spots where people naturally gravitated towards.

One such spot was the gathering dominated by shamans and onmyoji.

Specifically, it was a group consisting of Korea’s Shaman Park Jinseong and the onmyoji from Japan.

“Though I’m an onmyoji, I cannot help but pay special attention to you, Shaman Park Jinseong. I hear you can wield remarkably powerful flame magic. I’ve heard you’ve reached a level comparable to that of Saigo Shinto Priest…”

“Haha, flattery! By the way, you mentioned Saigo Shinto Priest… Do you have an acquaintance with him?”

“Of course. He collaborates with the Onmyoji Association, so it would be hard not to know him. Although his fame hasn’t spread to the civilian sphere… well, that’s likely because he prefers to keep a low profile.”

The atmosphere among them was notably warm.

United by a common reference to ‘Saigo Shinto Priest’ and onmyoji who bore a sense of superiority recognized Park Jinseong’s capabilities, there was no room for friction, and Park Jinseong also demonstrated high regard for the onmyoji.

Thus, they seemed more like individuals socializing ahead of a military operation rather than warriors preparing for the upcoming mission.

Especially if one were to spot several onmyoji surrounding a particular shaman… it might as well appear like socialites flocking around a star.

And then there was another cluster comprised of priests and spiritual capable persons.

“…Hmph. This is quite uncomfortable, the divine power.”

“Ah, it’s an inevitability that one’s spiritual energy gets overshadowed by divine power.”

“Tsk.”

Even though they were gathered, real conversation didn’t seem to be flowing.

One might say they were conversing, but it felt as though each word bristled with thorns.

While they did speak, it wasn’t for the sake of friendship… rather, it felt more like a dialogue made out of mutual suspicion.

Could it be because of the nature of divine power and spiritual energy?

Or was it due to the disparity in the caliber of the entities they serve?

Perhaps it was both.

Thus did the two groups continue their uncomfortable exchange of words, which hardly qualified as conversation.

And yet another place.

The gathering of warriors holding weapons.

There, one could sense…

“Haha! Are you the famous Kazuo from Mount Gari?”

The unique ‘conversation’ peculiar to warriors began to unfold.

 

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