WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Our Precious Demon King ◈
Chapter 69: I Came to End the War
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The dungeon time reduction phenomenon.
After several rounds of this strange event, humanity had finally managed a proper response.
The worldwide total was in.
Only seven dungeons had suffered breaks.
With 89 people killed or injured, the general view was that this disaster had been successfully contained.
Dungeons were no longer hubs of the dimensional industry.
They had become bombs that needed to be removed as quickly as possible.
Even private companies, which had led dungeon clearing efforts, were beginning to shy away.
Exploring a dungeon and gathering its resources required keeping it open for as long as possible, but with no way to know when another time reduction might occur, companies were uneasy.
Buying exclusive rights also meant taking on the duty to clear the dungeon, so they were even more careful about bidding.
“Of the thirteen new dungeons, seven are D-rank or higher. Only two currently have bidders.”
“Sigh. This is a problem. It's not as if the Bureau has a large talent pool.”
The vast majority of hunters belonged to private guilds.
With those guilds reluctant to act, the government had to deal with the dungeons, but the Bureau had far too few hunters.
If things kept going this way, they might have to impose mandatory quotas.
“Fortunately, there are no A-rank dungeons.”
“Well, even if one appears...”
“True... We have the Adviser.”
South Korea no longer feared A-rank dungeons.
A large number of smaller dungeons would be more of a headache.
“Oh, Department Head. An A-rank dungeon has spawned in Japan.”
“Huh. That's serious.”
“It certainly is.”
“They'll ask us for help, won't they?”
“Probably. We're practically the only ones who can safely clear an A-rank dungeon.”
The whole world was in turmoil.
Logan and Ryu Jai had become ordinary rankers.
Arjun and Jose were missing.
Only four people remained who could deal with A-rank dungeons.
And only four countries had them.
The United States.
France.
South Africa.
South Korea.
No country outside those four could handle an A-rank dungeon.
Naturally, any country where one appeared had to ask them for help. Japan would likely turn to its allies, the United States and South Korea.
Of the two, South Korea was by far the more likely choice.
“The Korea-Japan summit is today.”
“I suppose it'll come up there.”
“I'm sure it will.”
Japan had been in an uproar not long ago.
A large-scale knife fight had suddenly broken out in Tokyo's office district. The official explanation was that the commotion had come from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department rounding up yakuza.
Soon afterward, Japanese Prime Minister Mishima Masanobu had issued an emergency statement declaring a “war on crime.”
He had vowed to wipe out every criminal organization in Japan. Any gang that failed to turn itself in and disband would meet the same fate as Orochigumi.
Immediately after the announcement, yakuza across the country had surrendered in huge numbers. The Japanese public called it Prime Minister Mishima's magic.
As members of the underworld, the yakuza heard rumors quickly. To avoid ending up like Orochigumi, they scrambled to get themselves locked up.
So many surrendered to save their own lives that detention facilities soon reached capacity.
Prime Minister Mishima then expressed his deep gratitude to the South Korean government for helping round up the yakuza. To strengthen friendly relations as soon as possible, he pushed for a summit and decided to visit South Korea himself.
Ryu Jai's fall and Kim Junyong's rapid rise in South Korea.
It was obvious whose hand Japan needed to take to handle future A-rank dungeons, so the Japanese public welcomed the prime minister's actions.
'We actually have a politician who does his job.'
'All the bad people in my neighborhood are gone.'
'Unbelievable! This is the first time a politician's policies have made my heart race.'
'Closer ties can't hurt. It's a little humiliating, but South Korea's the country to turn to now.'
'Exactly. Think about Taiwan's position in East Asia over the past ten years. The prime minister deserves praise for acting so quickly. We should sign an agreement on aid for A-rank dungeons before anything happens.'
For the first time in ages, the Japanese public praised their leaders in one voice as “a government that gets things done.”
And today, the very thing they had feared happened.
“Director! An A-rank dungeon has appeared!”
“Damn it! Where?”
“West of Kobe!”
“Excellent!”
“Pardon?”
The employee making the report was startled.
Kuroda Yunosuke, director of Japan's Superhuman Awakening Agency, calmly asked, “What is it?”
“Wh-why are you pleased?”
“Kobe beef is famous worldwide.”
“...?”
“What I mean is, these are ideal circumstances for inviting South Korea's special adviser.”
“Oh!”
“Go and get Sasaki.”
“Yes, sir!”
Kuroda Yunosuke smiled faintly.
By now, the prime minister should have arrived in Seoul.
He would be having a serious discussion with South Korea's president.
“Thirty minutes from now?”
The public Korea-Japan summit would begin soon.
The agency director had stressed this point over and over.
They desperately needed an agreement to send the special adviser whenever an A-rank dungeon appeared. With that alone, Japan would be safe.
“Yes, Director! Sasaki Yoichi, reporting for duty!”
“Oh! You're here, Sasaki Yoichi? Our future prime minister has arrived!”
“Y-yes, sir!”
Sasaki Yoichi's face turned bright red.
“Hahaha! Don't be so nervous! You might be my boss someday.”
“Gasp!”
He was shocked, but he didn't deny it.
Having thoroughly inflated Sasaki Yoichi's ego, the director leaned close and lowered their voice.
“Sasaki. I have another special mission for you.”
“Sasaki Yoichi is prepared to lay down his life for his country!”
“Good! Your loyalty is beyond question. Do you know what this is?”
It was information on the A-rank dungeon that had spawned in Kobe.
“Ah! Should I enter the dungeon at once?”
“No, no. Another team will handle the survey. You have something even more important to do.”
“What is it?”
“Bring over that big brother of yours who'll clear this dungeon.”
“My big brother? You mean Big Bro Kim?”
“Yes! That's the one.”
“That's right. He's my big brother!”
Kuroda Yunosuke spoke in a hushed voice, like a restaurant owner sharing a secret sauce recipe.
“According to information our intelligence headquarters obtained, your big brother has expanded his home. His older sister moved in right next door.”
“My big brother's older sister is my older sister!”
“Exactly! One of our agents has flown to Kobe and is having a top-quality Kobe beef set gift-wrapped right now.”
“Ah! What should I do?”
“Our future prime minister will take it to his big brother as a gift!”
“And then?”
“Just showing him your brotherly affection will be enough!”
“Yes, sir! Sasaki Yoichi will now begin Operation Premium Kobe Beef Delivery!”
“Japan's future is in your hands!”
“Yes, sir!”
Sasaki Yoichi immediately set off for Kobe.
From there, he could use base travel to go directly to Kim Junyong's home.
He could go whenever he wanted, but it wasn't a place he could tactlessly drop in on at any hour.
Whenever a good excuse came along, like a move, he needed to visit and make a good impression.
It was no exaggeration to say that Japan's future rested in Sasaki Yoichi's hands.
'Even if the prime minister and president reach an agreement, we'll be in trouble if South Korea's special adviser refuses to go.'
Still, close ties between the two countries were necessary.
The Korea-Japan summit was just beginning to air live, not only in the two countries but through media outlets around the world.
* * *
The Blue House, Seoul.
President Kim Seungtae let out a hollow laugh as he read the final statement they had just finished negotiating.
“Well, would you look at this.”
The public summit would begin shortly.
“Chief Kim, this isn't a dream, is it?”
“No, Mr. President. You've achieved something tremendous.”
“Well, would you look at this.”
He couldn't stop letting out little laughs of disbelief.
Japan had accepted every demand South Korea had made.
Even the conditions he had thought might be asking too much had all been accepted.
They wanted only one thing.
Slightly closer cooperation between the two countries on “dimensional gate management” and “hunter exchanges.”
Put simply, they wanted South Korea to send hunters whenever a dungeon became an urgent threat.
They were talking about exchanges between the two countries, but the real point was to have Kim Junyong sent over in a crisis.
'We're not in a position to order him around, either.'
Those words from the president had seemed likely to derail the negotiations, but the Japanese side had taken them as a given.
'We understand. It will be enough if you simply refrain from obstructing our channel of communication.'
With Japan taking such a humble position, they had reached the final agreement in no time.
Once this became public, South Korea would be in an uproar.
“Mr. President. It's time for the summit.”
“Hoho, all right. Let's go.”
President Kim Seungtae stepped forward to claim the greatest achievement of his presidency.
* * *
The Korea-Japan summit.
Some went so far as to call this sudden meeting, held after Japan's prime minister came all the way to the Blue House in Seoul, a humiliation for Japan.
But experts viewed it fairly favorably.
Just think of the influence Taiwan had enjoyed over the past ten years thanks to its G-rank hunter.
Now Taiwan had lost its weapon, while South Korea had gained one again.
It was obvious that East Asia's hunter society and political landscape would revolve around South Korea from now on.
The move felt a little hasty and one-sided, but many praised Prime Minister Mishima for acting quickly.
More than a hundred reporters had gathered.
Clickclickclickclick!
Between the South Korean and Japanese flags hanging on either side of the stage, the two leaders met and shook hands.
They stood silently for a while, holding hands as the cameras flashed, then took their seats.
Prime Minister Mishima Masanobu immediately rose again and stood alone before the reporters.
“Before the summit begins, as the prime minister representing Japan, I offer my deepest apologies to the world... and to the people of South Korea.”
With that, Prime Minister Mishima Masanobu bent at the waist in a ninety-degree bow.
Clickclickclickclick.
“Japan and South Korea share a painful history. I am well aware that the emotional divide between our nations has yet to heal.”
The reporters murmured.
They had never expected such an attitude from the prime minister representing Japan.
“As Japan's representative, I repent for our past wrongs and offer an apology for the sins of our forebears. I ask for your forgiveness.”
Prime Minister Mishima bowed his head once more.
Clickclickclickclick.
To the South Korean reporters, his shining bald head looked like a halo.
“I will not turn away from the atrocities Japan committed in the past. We will issue a formal apology to the victims of forced labor and the comfort women, and clearly acknowledge our legal responsibility.”
The reporters were stunned.
“Furthermore, we will abandon all claims and rights concerning Dokdo. We acknowledge that Dokdo is South Korean territory, both historically and under international law.”
Prime Minister Mishima Masanobu went beyond bowing his head. He placed his hands on the floor and prostrated himself before the cameras broadcasting to the entire world.
With all his heart.
'Mad Sovereign. Please don't hurt us.'
Mishima Masanobu.
For him, this was a huge gamble, with both his political career and his life at stake.
Clickclickclickclickclick.
The reporters went wild.
Their hands had never moved so quickly as they sent out their articles.
Their hearts pounded so hard with shock that they struggled to speak.
One South Korean reporter even shed tears.
And it wasn't just the reporters.
Countless people watching the summit through breaking news on television or on YouTube were stunned.
That day, a different kind of nuclear bomb went off in South Korea and Japan.
The bitter war of anti-Japanese and anti-Korean hatred
had come to an end.
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