Please Stop The Pope

20. Landing on the Archipelago

A thief broke into the house. And that thief is threatening their life and trying to burn down the house, and a kind neighbor who saw it came to help.

If you’re a human, in this kind of situation, you would usually be moved or express gratitude with a warm gaze.

Even bending over backwards, let’s say you express gratitude after defeating the thief.

But how on earth.

“All team members, form a defensive formation centered around Awakener Kim Shi Yu. If they forcibly use violence, respond immediately.”

“Yes!”

Why are they committing such evil deeds to the people who came to help, starting from the runway?

I looked at the Team 1 Awakeners who quickly surrounded me and laughed in shock.

And I lightly clenched my fist while looking at the Japanese Awakeners blocking our way.

“Mr. Kim.”

“Yes, Shi Yu.”

“Can you roughly explain the situation? I really can’t understand it with my head.”

Usually in such absurd cases, there are many intertwined interests, especially political interests.

But I haven’t even fully grasped the knowledge about Korea’s Awakener society yet. How would I know about Japan’s complex political structure in this situation?

They probably attached Team Leader Kim to this dispatch team in case something like this happened.

Of course, if it’s Team Leader Kim, he would know…

“…I’m sorry. We didn’t know they would come out like this either.”

I see. Even the Korean government didn’t expect this development?

“However.”

“However?”

“I think I know which group those Awakeners belong to. We never imagined that the Japanese government would put them at the forefront. They are Awakeners belonging to an organization called the Rising Sun Association.” (TN: sigh)

“The name alone clearly reveals their identity. I understand. Are those kinds of guys the mainstream in Japan these days?”

“Not everyone belongs to the Rising Sun Association, but you can think of them as a force slightly inferior to Korea’s Former Awakeners’ Association.”

So that’s why those guys attached a small Rising Sun flag on their right shoulder.

Originally, I was too busy making a living to be particularly interested in anti-Japanese or pro-Japanese sentiment, but no matter what, this crosses the line by a long shot.

“Your Holiness. Just give the word.”

At some point, Leo had put the monocle he was wearing into his pocket.

It was Leo’s own battle preparation.

“We cannot leave alone those who dare to be rude to Your Holiness. You must thoroughly punish them and set an example.”

“That doesn’t sound like something a pacifist would say.”

“I am not foolish enough to discuss peace with rude people, Your Holiness. That is closer to submission.”

“Submission.”

Did he also receive the ability to use vocabulary when he received the ability to speak Korean from Limen?

Leo has been saying very pleasing things since last time.

I nodded at Leo’s words and then slowly walked forward, saying,

“Anyway, you stay still, Leo. Those guys talked to Korea’s Irregular, not the Pope of the Limen Denomination.”

“I also acquired Korean nationality a week ago.”

“Is a subordinate talking back?”

“…I understand.”

You have to be this honest.

Leo nodded at my words and stood in his place, and I continued moving forward.

And I said to Kang Chae-ah, who was preheating her mana circuits to use magic at any moment,

“Miss Kang Chae-ah. I will handle this.”

“Awakener Kim Shi Yu.”

“Even though I may not look like it, I am the Pope. I love peace. I will try to have a conversation.”

I said that and passed by the Korean Awakeners. Then, the Rising Sun Association’s Awakeners with very tense expressions came into view.

In a situation where Japanese swear words were flying around, I said with a smile,

“Anyone speak Korean?”

Then, the samurai who looked like he would be the worst at Korean (he’s a real samurai. He’s holding a sword in his military uniform!) shouted in Korean,

“Kim Shi Yu! If you obediently follow our instructions now, there will be no innocent victims! You are now stepping on Japanese soil!”

“This is my first time in Japan, is this how Japan usually treats guests?”

“Some government guys think of you as reinforcements, but we don’t think so. You are no different from a nuclear bomb.”

In wook’s insight is truly excellent. These guys were really treating me like a nuclear bomb, weren’t they?

First, a few clues were caught.

Judging by the expression “some government guys,” it seems they are not representing the Japanese government’s position right now.

If they were, they wouldn’t have urgently sent a chartered plane to Korea.

I quickly made a judgment and then slowly nodded.

“That’s a relief. I thought even the Japanese government thought this way.”

“The Japanese government personnel you are talking about are already being blocked by us from outside, so don’t expect their help!”

“Let me ask again. You do not represent the Japanese government, correct?”

“Our great Rising Sun Association follows the will of this land! The weak government guys-“

That’s enough conversation.

I lightly swung my hand, and a large amount of divine power flowed out from my body.

The divine power that flowed out instantly dominated the surroundings.

Then, groans began to flow out from among the Rising Sun Association’s Awakeners who were confronting us.

[Activating skill .]

[Your divine power overwhelms the opponent!]

Originally, it’s a skill mainly used on pagans or heretics who don’t listen, Teaching (敎示).

The effect of the skill is literally to teach and make them see.

However, it is a skill that exists to teach those who resist, so force is accompanied.

“Yo-you really did this to us…”

“You were the first to be rude, so kneel down first.”

My divine power forcibly makes the 50 or so Rising Sun Association’s Awakeners kneel on the ground.

Two or three who seemed to be S-grade resisted until the end, but they could no longer resist the constantly applied pressure.

I looked at them kneeling towards me and said,

“It’s not me, but you guys who need to expect the Japanese government’s help. Honestly, I think it’s okay for me to kill you guys here.”

“Yo-you dare to Japanese Awakeners in Japanese territory…”

“As a peace-loving Pope, isn’t it natural to deal with terrorists who arbitrarily occupied a Japanese airport? Look, look, the planes that need to take off are stopped because of you guys.”

I spoke slyly and walked towards them.

They looked at me with an expression filled with even more fear than before, kneeling on the ground.

“But there’s the face of the Japanese government that asked us for help, and many eyes are watching, so I’ll let you live this time… is what I’d say as the Pope. This is Korean Kim Shi Yu’s share.”

Crack-!

“Aaaargh!”

“Urgh.”

The right shoulders of the guys kneeling twisted all at once. Screams burst out from all directions, but the guys only flinched.

Even in the midst of that, my divine power was pressing down on them.

“Even if the US or other countries aren’t particularly interested, I’m very interested. When I was young, my father and mother often read history books to me. So in the future, when you meet me, either remove that mark or make sure to hide it. Oh, and.”

I approached the samurai who boasted fluent Korean, slowly lowered my waist, and brought my mouth to his ear.

“Go and tell them. If you know it’s a nuclear bomb, don’t touch it. If you touch it one more time, it will explode.”

This is truly a peaceful conversation.

At least no one died, right? Right?

The Japanese government personnel that the Rising Sun Association guys mentioned could only be met after entering the airport.

“I’m truly sorry for making you go through an unpleasant experience. It’s all our fault.”

Height that looked about 180cm.

Sports hair with thin eyes. And pupils that shone heavily through the cracks of those eyes.

At first, I thought he was a Japanese person fluent in Korean.

But after hearing the greetings he exchanged with Kang Chae-ah, I realized my thoughts were wrong.

“Long time no see, Mr. Ryu Jin-young.”

“Long time no see. I’m so glad to see you looking healthy.”

The identity of that man was none other than Ryu Jin-young.

The Disaster-grade returnee who crossed over to Japan, who is called Ryu Wan-yong in Korea.

Ryu Jin-young certainly possessed a tremendous level of mana befitting the words Disaster-grade returnee. The same went for his mana circuits.

One questionable point is that the relationship between government personnel, including Kang Chae-ah, and Ryu Jin-young didn’t seem very bad.

I’m seeing him for the first time in my life, but isn’t he no different from a traitor to them?

“How is your mother doing?”

“She’s in Tsushima Island. She says she can see the sea of Busan from afar, and she’s been there since moving to Japan.”

Kang Chae-ah and Ryu Jin-young seemed to be close enough to know each other’s families.

The two were politely greeting each other, but their gazes were quite different.

‘…It’s like the gaze of looking at an old lover.’

Especially, Kang Chae-ah had a gaze that was affectionate yet regretful. But that was only for a moment, and Ryu Jin-young turned his head and greeted me.

“Awakener Kim Shi Yu. Please forgive our faults. I am Ryu Jin-young from the Japanese Ability Agency.”

“I’m Kim Shi Yu. Will what I just did be a problem by any chance?”

“How could that be?”

“But from my perspective, it seems like guys you could have handled alone, Mr. Ryu Jin-young.”

Compared to this man, those guys earlier were really just cockroaches. I don’t think Ryu Jin-young was blocked by those kinds of guys.

I smiled faintly while looking at Ryu Jin-young, who looked troubled.

“It’s really hard to live with common sense in this world. Right?”

“I agree. And I’m really… sorry.”

“The one who should apologize is not you, Mr. Ryu Jin-young. I have a lot of personal questions, but let’s ask later.”

One thing is certain, Ryu Jin-young is not the kind of person people say he is.

Traitor to the country, betrayer.

I heard Ryu Jin-young was once a government-affiliated returnee. If he really betrayed and left his colleagues like that, there’s no way Kang Chae-ah would make such a regretful expression.

Because Kang Chae-ah was a patriot.

And the traitors to the country or betrayers I know usually don’t apologize like that. They rather act brazen and confident.

After exchanging greetings with me like that, Ryu Jin-young looked at Team Leader Kim standing behind me. Were they also acquainted? Ryu Jin-young greeted with a truly delighted voice.

“Team Leader Kim Dong-shik. Long time no see.”

“Jin-young.”

“If it wasn’t for the situation, I would have welcomed you more warmly… It’s a shame.”

That’s good. I can ask Team Leader Kim later.

Like that, Ryu Jin-young exchanged greetings with our dispatch team evenly and then said in a polite voice,

“The American Awakeners, including Aiden Howard, have already arrived at the base camp. I will escort you there.”

“I know Yamata no Orochi appeared north of Sendai City, isn’t rail travel faster?”

“Currently, the Tohoku Shinkansen is unavailable. Some railways were damaged and emergency restoration work is underway. Therefore, we plan to move by vehicle.”

It’s clearly felt that it’s not just Korea that is noisy.

After giving us a brief explanation like that, Ryu Jin-young immediately started leading us out of the airport.

As we exited the airport through a passage that only VIPs could use, we soon encountered luxury sedans and vans waiting for us.

The luxury sedans had protective magic cast on them like the vehicle President Seo rode in, and the vans were the same.

“Awakener Kim Shi Yu can ride in the sedan, and the rest can board the vans.”

“Those guys from the Rising Sun Association or whatever treated me like a nuclear bomb, but I guess the government side doesn’t?”

“It’s just a small courtesy for those who readily stepped up to help a neighbor in crisis.”

“Can I ride together with Team Leader Kim?”

“Do as you please.”

I nodded at those words and then beckoned Leo with a gesture. And in a voice small enough for only Leo to hear, I said,

“You ride in the van and protect our Awakeners. Just in case, bless the vehicle body too. Okay?”

“…Okay.”

“It’s absolutely not because you’re big and I don’t want to ride in the same car as you. So don’t misunderstand.”

“I won’t misunderstand, Your Holiness.”

“Your eyes don’t say that though?”

“…That is a misunderstanding, Your Holiness.”

Let’s say it is for now.

Like that, we divided the personnel and boarded the vehicles. And at the moment I was about to close the sedan door, Ryu Jin-young personally closed the car door and said,

“Welcome to Japan once again.”

A welcome greeting as if to a person who came to travel.

I could only smile at his words.