NOVEL WEB Chapter 23
National Defense Council.
The official name is the Korean National Defense Council (대한민족호국회).
This organization has been around since the era of the Korean Empire and continues to exist today. It’s a place filled with individuals who are imbued with somewhat radical beliefs centered on “protecting the Republic of Korea by any means necessary.” The group’s nature attracts a mix of people, from retired soldiers and former agents of the National Intelligence Service to hawkish politicians and simply those with a strong sense of patriotism.
Lee Yang-hoon is part of the Hongik Patriotic Group, commonly referred to as the Patriotic Group, which alongside the National Defense Council stands as the two pillars supporting the Republic of Korea. This group was also associated with Park Jinseong’s parents.
“Truly a fiery lot they are.”
The National Defense Council was abundant with extremists. From the very beginning, it was created with the goal of “recovering sovereignty through armed activities,” so naturally, it attracted many radicals who had suffered greatly during the brutal times of Japanese colonial rule and the Korean War. It was only natural that their emotions ran high, driven by immense rage and resentment.
As a result, their dislike for Japan bordered on hatred, and they were constantly on the lookout for any opportunity to take revenge. Before Jinseong’s return, they had spectacularly succeeded in exacting some revenge.
Before Jinseong returned, during the onset of World War III, they dispatched four capable individuals to exact retribution on Japan. One was Iserin, a member of the Patriotic Group, another was from the government, and the remaining two members belonged to the National Defense Council.
Iserin single-handedly laid waste to Kyoto, while the government agent moved through Tokyo like it was their home turf, paralyzing command structures with targeted assassinations.
And what did the agents from the National Defense Council do?
One headed towards Hokkaido, while the other went to Okinawa, establishing and supporting anti-government factions that ignited a civil war in Japan, both chanting for Ainu independence and the revival of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Thanks to these two groups, Japan fell into shock and fear. Meanwhile, Unified Korea was busy racking up victories against Japan.
Because of this, even after the war ended, Japan continued to express animosity towards the National Defense Council. They referred to the Council as the biggest stumbling block to Japan-Korea friendly relations, frequently engaging in media manipulation to belittle and attack the Council.
“The bait has been taken, so contact should be easy.”
And this National Defense Council could very well be the biggest hindrance to Jinseong’s activities. One might wonder why a group that claims to serve the country would be a hindrance to Jinseong, but their radicalism could potentially backfire on him.
A prime example would be the disappearance of magic.
Before his return, Jinseong had no opportunity to properly study Japanese magic.
Japan-Korea relations were at their worst. They were so strained that there was barely any trade, let alone exchanges with Japanese shamans. After the war ended, matters descended into chaos. Kyoto and Tokyo, where most of Japan’s magic was stored, were decimated, the Japanese imperial palace vanished without a trace due to Great Magic, and the royal family was completely annihilated. Meanwhile, the Japanese extreme right could say nothing about the magic they had stolen from Joseon during the era of colonial rule, as they all perished before revealing its location.
Anti-government factions shouting for Ainu independence and the revival of the Ryukyu Kingdom?
Due to the ruthless revenge of the Japanese government, the shamans who held leadership roles all met pitiful ends.
What remained?
Nothing.
If one were to search for magic in Japan now, they would find nothing but ashes.
Naturally, Jinseong was seeking ways to get over to Japan to retrieve the magic before it burst forth. However, illegal entry was impossible due to a tight blockade, and formal entry was out of the question. In a pinch, he considered joining as a mercenary, but for some unknown reason, he was rejected by both Korea and Japan.
Thus, Jinseong sought contact with the National Defense Council.
He needed an opportunity to retrieve the magic before Japan erupted!
Because of this, after killing a slew of loan sharks, he intentionally wrote many things that would appeal to the National Defense Council, and due to the heinous nature of the crimes and the peculiar contents of the letter, it seemed that the stories made their way to the Council eventually. If they hadn’t responded, he was even prepared to hunt a few more, so in a way, it was fortunate that they did.
“Gaining gold is good, but having too much is worse than having too little.”
Thanks to the guidance of the Divine Object, he was able to rake in considerable profits, so money was not an issue. In fact, it would last him well until he officially registered as a mercenary.
But for Jinseong, the most important thing was time.
Time to gather as much magic as possible before Japan erupted.
“A good omen, perhaps this changed future will serve as a blessing in disguise.”
Jinseong gazed intently at Iarin.
“The practical training has been canceled, so you must have some time off now.”
In response to this query, Iarin replied with a tone of excitement.
“They’re going to substitute it with international exchange! We’re going to experience foreign culture. How about it, are you envious? Jealous?”
“Foreign culture, huh.”
This was it.
Jinseong realized this was what his intuition had been telling him.
Iarin continued explaining.
With the cancellation of practical training, the entire period had opened up. Because of that, they decided to engage in international exchange with the specialization high schools for capable users from other countries. However, each country had a Table of Organization (T.O), and they would draw lots to select in order from 1 to 3 based on that.
Those who were academically outstanding would be freed from the lottery and granted privileges to go anywhere they wanted, while Iserin, being among the top, could choose her destination freely. Unfortunately, Iarin lamented that she, too, had to rely on luck.
Her explanation felt less like speaking and more akin to firing off words.
“Where do you want to experience foreign culture?”
“Oh, that would be China, of course!”
“China, you say?”
Currently, China was not particularly appealing to Jinseong.
What fascinated him were countries with unique magic or advanced magic systems, and China didn’t quite fit either of those criteria.
Due to its rejection of magic, branding it as ‘barbaric,’ China had failed to develop properly, and the Cultural Revolution had further destroyed remnants from early eras. While there were magic strands that still managed to survive, they were in a near-extinct condition, and even documented information was lacking in detail, requiring extensive trial and error to restore.
Because of this, China had resorted to heinous acts to fill the void left by the absence of magic. They began stealing magic from other nations with the assumption that if they could not have their own, they would take someone else’s.
They dispatched spies to magic research facilities and sent treasure hunters to ruins. The magic plundered was then rewrapped in a guise of domestic origin through a modification process.
This method required an astronomical number of sacrifices and expenditures.
However, this gruesome and appallingly inefficient way of operation had shown some effectiveness, resulting in remarkable successes within a short time.
China showcased the war-ready magic it developed, raising tensions and capturing surrounding nations in a fierce grip after the outbreak of World War III by wielding its powerful military magic.
Such military magic from China displayed a combination of uniqueness, convenience, and power from various nations’ magics, making it sufficiently interesting to Jinseong. However, the military magic of contemporary China had likely not yet been developed.
“I only began colliding with Chinese individuals in ruins after three years of mercenary life, so they must still only have outlines, not actual developments regarding magic.”
Nevertheless, it might be quite an attractive country for Iarin.
Unlike the magic that had almost vanished, martial arts were still well-developed in China. Even though martial arts had also faced attacks during the Cultural Revolution, strong warriors risked their lives to preserve glorious legacies, thus avoiding a future where everything would become mere fodder for flames.
Thanks to this, China currently held the undisputed number one position regarding martial arts.
“Priority One is China! Priority Two is Russia! Priority Three is Japan!”
All of them were countries strong in martial arts.
“Priority Three, Japan, huh?”
Iarin’s face lit up just at the thought.
Jinseong turned to look at Iserin.
“And you?”
“Oh, me? I… uh….”
Iserin glanced at him nervously before finally speaking up.
“Anywhere is fine… really.”
Anywhere is fine.
Hearing that, Jinseong couldn’t help but smile.
“Really? Then how about Japan?”
“Japan, you say?”
“Yeah, Japan.”
He whispered to Iserin,
“I have good information. You won’t regret wearing a mask.”
“Good information…”
Upon hearing that, Iarin leaned closer to them and said,
“Share some with me if you know something! Don’t be stingy with your secret! Brother, aren’t you favoring your sister too much?”
“Of course, it’ll be good for you too! It might not be as good as what I’ll share with Iserin, but you’ll be satisfied as well.”
At that, Iarin’s eyes suddenly sparkled.
It was a light stemming from a predatory instinct, mingled with a tinge of ominousness and anxiety.
The instinct derived from the martial arts that mimic beasts and absorb their strength was too animalistic to ignore.
“Then I’ll pick Japan as my first choice. I’ll go with Iserin.”
That instinct whispered to Iarin that she needed to follow Jinseong to Japan.