Chapter 1963 – 1963. Fiery
‘I have to stop it.’
Hase gritted his teeth, glaring at Seong Yu-jin, who was trying to detonate the Phoenix’s heart on the ground.
He had to stop it, no matter what. That completed Phoenix’s heart was a treasure among treasures. Literally, it was a perpetual motion machine that could generate energy forever with just a few conditions. It wasn’t just that the Phoenix’s heart was special. It had taken a full five years to create a heart in that state. And it was something he would never be able to get his hands on again.
So he had to stop it, no matter what. He had to stop it, but he couldn’t.
‘Those stupid yokai bastards…!’
Hase was suppressing the yokai. His and Baekrim’s goal was the development of Japan. If he released these guys now? Even the barrier and ice wall set up by S-class hunters Koyori and Han Ah-young would be destroyed in an instant, and the yokai would scatter all over Japan as if returning to their hometowns. And they would cause problems that were incomparable to monsters.
On the one hand, he also thought it might be a good thing. If he could wipe out these uncontrollable yokai all at once.
‘Still, the Phoenix’s heart is too precious.’
The yokai were making a fuss. Some tried to run away, while others rushed to kill Seong Yu-jin. But the yokai couldn’t get close to Seong Yu-jin. The heat of the Phoenix’s heart and the constant stream of lightning. Just getting close was enough to kill most yokai.
-This won’t do.
-It’s dangerous if we stay like this. We must subdue him.
Two yokai, who had been quietly watching from behind as if assessing the situation, stepped forward. They were great yokai comparable to S-class hunters. As they quickly raised their yokai energy, a powerful pressure was exerted on the surrounding area. The yokai scattered in all directions.
Hase sneered at them.
“It’s already too late.”
In his eyes, the Phoenix’s heart was about to explode.
“A suicide attack. It’s not a bad way to die.”
Hase was an immortal, so he could think like that. But what about that guy? He wasn’t immortal like him, yet he was going to commit suicide.
‘Is a Korean committing suicide for Japan? He was annoying and crazy, but he was a great guy in many ways.’
Hase was inwardly impressed, and before the great yokai could do anything, the Phoenix’s heart exploded.
Hase wrapped his body in Onmyōdō and endured it for now. He wanted to survive to the end to avoid the worst-case scenario of some yokai surviving.
A huge explosion erupted, and flames soared. The crimson flames instantly burned the yokai who had endured the explosion and shot high into the sky. Hase had resistance to flames, so he didn’t turn to ash immediately and was able to endure. He was the Onmyōji who had created the current Phoenix’s heart.
‘Even the great yokai couldn’t withstand it. They were too close to endure even a little.’
The flames soared into the sky. Koyori’s barrier was shattered in an instant. Hase’s body was also burning. The only saving grace was that the ice wall set up by Han Ah-young prevented the flames from spreading in all directions. The ice wall was melting, but the flames were quickly dying down.
‘It was lucky that it was a good match. This should prevent Kagashima from burning down.’
Soon after, Hase also burned away and disappeared.
* * *
“Hmm.”
Somewhere overseas. In a place known only to Baekrim’s executives, Hase groaned. Rimju, who was next to him, asked Hase.
“How did it go? Did you fail?”
“I failed. That guy detonated the Phoenix’s heart and committed suicide. I saw with my own eyes that all the yokai, including the great yokai, were annihilated.”
“It’s a relief that there’s one less troublesome thing.”
“…They took the artificial intelligence core of the Machine Emperor. I don’t know how they’ll use it.”
“Give up on the Machine Emperor.”
Hase felt regret. How much investment had he put into artificial intelligence? But Rimju said firmly.
“The Machine Emperor betrayed you. You must have realized the problems with machines through this incident. Japan must develop through the power of people. Your mission failed, so help me.”
“…Rimju. With just the artificial intelligence core of the Machine Emperor, Japan could quickly shed the disgraceful name of being an analog country.”
“To make all Japanese people familiar with machines, we need to change the policies first. The reason why Japan is clinging to analog now is because the older generation can’t escape their old nostalgia. We need to push them out and innovate.”
“Rimju’s plan was to become prime minister. Do you think that’s realistically possible?”
“If I were going to give up because it was difficult, I wouldn’t have started in the first place. How are you doing now? It’s the first time all four of your clones have been defeated at once, isn’t it?”
Hase sighed.
“Three were sealed. The fourth was caught in the explosion and died, so I can create a new clone. Because the soul has returned.”
Hase’s ability was soul clones. It was the ability to divide his soul into five and create clones. They were called clones, but in reality, all five clones were like the main body. The clones all shared thoughts and acted together. Thanks to this ability, Hase could work or train five times more efficiently than others.
Originally, when a clone died, its soul returned to the remaining ones. And he could create a new clone again after some time. This information was only known to Hase himself and Rimju.
“If they were sealed, can’t you create new clones? Can’t you just summon the souls? Didn’t you say that your clones’ essence is their soul, so they don’t die even if their heads are cut off or their hearts are destroyed?”
“The one who sealed them is probably Amatsuka Koyori. The best Onmyōji in Japan and the miko of Fuka Shrine. The solidity of that seal is beyond words. I don’t even know where those souls are now.”
“If Amatsuka Koyori sealed them, they must be at Fuka Shrine.”
“Amatsuka Koyori has already had the Tenyo Orb, a treasure of Fuka Shrine, stolen from us. If I were Amatsuka Koyori, I would have hidden them in a secret place other than Fuka Shrine. That’s what I would have done.”
Rimju nodded in agreement. Moreover, there were three sealed clones. Rather than keeping them all in one place, she would have hidden them separately in different places.
In reality, they were buried in the deep sea. Seong Yu-jin had thrown them somewhere in the Pacific Ocean because they were annoying. And he had stopped caring about them. Seong Yu-jin didn’t know where the three sealed clones were in the deep sea.
“In the case of your clones, I’ll focus on gathering information.”
“Then what should I do now?”
The Machine Emperor project had failed, and Hase had nothing to do. He had been running forward for the Machine Emperor project for several years, but that goal had disappeared in an instant.
“Hmm. For now, restrain yourself. It’s better not to move rashly and focus on training here.”
“I’ve passed the stage where I grow through training.”
“There is no end to training and research. You need to be diligent to develop further.”
“……”
He couldn’t argue because it was the right thing to say. Rimju was sometimes too conservative.
“And if you act externally now, Baekrim will be in trouble.”
“…What does my activity have to do with Baekrim being in trouble?”
“Child porn Hase. That’s the nickname the media is calling you. The internet… is even worse. You’ve already become a laughingstock around the world. Even other Baekrim colleagues are cursing you.”
Hase’s face turned red. He was ashamed and furious at the same time.
“I don’t watch child porn! It’s all a frame-up!”
Hase, who was always calm and collected, was now shouting as if he was about to lose his mind, vehemently denying it. His reaction was so extreme that it made him suspicious.
“The truth doesn’t matter. They just want to slander us and you. …But your reaction is too strong. You’re not really watching child porn, are you?”
“Absolutely not!!”
“Is that so? Anyway, there’s nothing for you to do now. I’ll call you when something comes up. The nickname ‘Child Porn Onmyōji Hase’ will disappear over time. People’s fickle nature is all the same.”
Rimju left.
Hase, left alone in the secret hideout, frowned and picked up his smartphone. He went online. He knew that people would be cursing him, but he couldn’t help it. He had nothing to do here. Maybe it was because the Machine Emperor plan had failed, but he didn’t feel like training or researching.
“Those damn bastards…. I don’t watch child porn…!”
The internet was as he expected.
But there was nothing he could do. Report it for defamation? The public viewed Baekrim as a terrorist organization. There was even a bounty on them. If he reported it, he would be captured instead.
Hase searched for the Machine Emperor.
Contrary to Hase’s expectations, the Machine Emperor’s evaluation was surprisingly good. Hase felt proud for no reason. It was because people were recognizing the masterpiece he had created.
-Honestly, the Machine Emperor is so cool.
-I’m showing off my Machine Emperor figure.
-I’m a resident of Kagashima, and it wasn’t bad when the Machine Emperor ruled. The bullying at our school disappeared completely back then. If you bullied even a little, you’d get caught.
-What’s it like now?
-Of course, bullying has revived! The criminals who were caught are also being released. Kagashima is a mess now. I really miss the Machine Emperor.
“So there are some enlightened Japanese people who recognize the true value of the Machine Emperor.”
But of course, there weren’t only compliments about the Machine Emperor. He gritted his teeth when he saw people criticizing the Machine Emperor. The Machine Emperor was the best masterpiece he had created over several years. In a way, it was his child.
-It’s just a killing machine. How dare a machine try to stand above humans? This is crossing the line.
-The Machine Emperor eventually betrayed the child porn Onmyōji Hase, didn’t he? It means he knows what’s right.
-Didn’t he say something about being the sex master?
-Who’s the sex master? Is it me?
-Breaking news!!! The Machine Emperor is currently broadcasting with Amatsuka Koyori!!!
“What?!”
Hase hurriedly clicked on the link and entered the broadcasting site.
There was a woman on the broadcast. A woman with black hair and an expressionless face. She looked more like a 2D character than a 3D one. Next to her was a roughly taken photo of Amatsuka Koyori.
The broadcast title was ‘Machine Emperor Madoka’s First Broadcast! Special Guest is Amatsuka Koyori!’
“A VTuber, which is popular these days? How dare they impersonate the Machine Emperor?”
The moment he was about to get angry, the avatar opened its mouth.
“Many of you are doubting me. I am the Machine Emperor. Madoka is my new name.”
“She is the Machine Emperor. I, Amatsuka Koyori, guarantee it.”
Hase’s eyes widened. What kind of crazy person would impersonate Amatsuka Koyori in Japan? As soon as he heard Amatsuka Koyori’s voice, his trust in the broadcast skyrocketed. The reaction in the chat was the same.
“Is it real?”
