At times, certain military operations must proceed without informing the public.
Or, even if the government is aware, there are situations where the public must remain uninformed, and problems must be resolved while information is being suppressed.
This is one of those situations.
[Stop! Halt! If you come any closer, we will respond!]
South Korea’s territorial waters, near Jeju Island in the southern sea.
Two submarines exchange sonar signals with each other.
These signals are transmitted using special wavelengths that only those underwater can understand, ensuring that those on land remain unaware. However, this could hardly be called a conversation.
[Stop! I told you that if you come any closer, we’ll fire!]
[Go ahead, fire.]
[What?]
[We have three S-Class Hunters aboard this vessel.]
When someone employs what is commonly known as a “madman tactic”—
[Are you really going to fire? At a Chinese submarine?]
[These lunatics…! Do they realize this could become an international crisis?!]
Why is this conversation happening?
Why are these submarines communicating in real-time rather than merely exchanging short sonar messages?
[You seem to be just a B-Class Hunter. Why don’t you back off?]
[It’s not shameful to step aside when facing stronger opponents.]
[That’s right. Do you really want to die at the bottom of the ocean?]
[Tch… these bastards…!]
A conversation using mana.
There were ordinary crew members aboard the submarines, but instead of simple electrical signals, an actual dialogue was taking place between the Hunters.
[Aren’t you afraid of the consequences?]
[Do you really think the South Korean government can handle the fallout?]
[Exactly. They already failed to clear the Jeju Tower.]
[If we succeed in clearing it, the Koreans won’t be able to say anything. Heh.]
[That’s why I’m telling you—the very attempt is unacceptable!!]
On what grounds does a B-Class Hunter dare to confront three S-Class Hunters?
At least in this situation, he has the justification on his side.
[If you’re so confident, why don’t you just fly into Jeju Airport and attempt the raid openly? Why sneak in with a submarine?]
Common sense, principles, international order—
All of these were on the side of the South Korean B-Class Hunter aboard the submarine.
[Are you trying to secretly raid an S-Class Tower in another country, huh?]
[Of course.]
[Why even ask the obvious?]
[There’s nothing quite as exhilarating as succeeding in a raid that others have already failed.]
However, common sense and principles only work for those who choose to abide by them.
[Only the results matter.]
[People might say we illegally raided the Tower, but so what? What are you going to do? Try to push us out with a submarine? Fire a missile at us?]
[If you do that… do you even realize what will happen on land? You’d be the one triggering World War III. Haha.]
[You…!]
Lunatics.
The South Korean B-Class Hunter clenched his fists, trembling, but there was no way for him to physically stop them.
At that moment, a message from the Joint Chiefs of Staff came through.
– The field commander should respond according to the situation.
A vague, ambiguous order. The B-Class Hunter instinctively reached for the missile launch control.
One press of a button, and the submarine would explode.
Before any retaliatory missile could be launched, the enemy submarine would be gone. Only the three S-Class Hunters aboard would survive.
And if they returned to China and claimed, “We were only planning a WWE-style fight, but South Korea’s B-Class Hunter, Choi Pyeong-sik, thought it was WW3 and pressed the missile launch button,” then…?
WW3. World War 3.
The Third World War would begin in East Asia, with a submarine strike near Jeju Island, between China and South Korea.
No matter how history recorded it, Choi Pyeong-sik would be remembered just like Gavrilo Princip, the man who triggered World War I with the Sarajevo assassination.
[Instead of that, how about switching sides, my friend?]
[What?]
[There’s nothing strange about someone moving from China to South Korea for money. Why not take this chance to naturalize? If you get close to the right people with money and power, life gets a whole lot easier.]
[You’re telling me to betray my country and turn a blind eye to your actions?]
[Well, whether you close your eyes or keep them open, the result is the same. We’re going to land on Jeju Island, disembark, and raid the Tower—]
[That’s not happening, darling☆]
BZZT.
A sudden jamming signal interrupted the conversation.
Every electronic display aboard both submarines flickered with error messages.
A single phrase appeared on the screen:
[The S-Class Tower on Jeju Island belongs to a cosplay-loving maid, you see.]
[W-Who are you?!]
[This level of hacking… don’t tell me—it’s the Guardian, who was supposedly defending the area?!]
[Heh. Looks like you’ve got some awareness. I didn’t expect complete control, so I see you’re not totally incompetent.]
[…You talk too much.]
The Chinese S-Class Hunters, annoyed, began interrogating the mysterious hacker.
[Whether you’re American or someone else, why are you interfering with our actions?]
[Because my boss doesn’t want you to proceed.]
[Is your “Cosplay Maid’s Master” afraid of China raiding South Korea’s S-Class Tower?]
[Not really. But if you really want to raid it, you should fly in like normal people. Just like Mr. Choi Pyeong-sik suggested.]
Unlike when Choi Pyeong-sik issued his warning, this time, the S-Class Hunters remained silent, tense.
Their submarine no longer responded.
For a moment, it seemed like they were holding an impromptu strategy meeting in silence.
[Oh dear. Do you really think whispering in Cantonese will keep me from understanding you?]
[W-What…!!]
[Why? Are you afraid that if you officially declare your raid and fail, you’ll be humiliated? If not, then why insist on sneaking in like thieves? Hmm?]
[Trying to provoke us with insults? That won’t work. Crush them.]
The submarine began moving—
[What the hell?!]
[…Did it stop?]
It didn’t.
The submarine remained still, floating in place without moving.
[What a shame. Did you really think I was just having a conversation with you this whole time?]
[You…]
[I’ve taken control of your submarine. So, what now? Should I send you all the way to an American aircraft carrier?]
[You’re a man, aren’t you?]
The mysterious voice suddenly went silent at the remark from one of the Chinese S-Class Hunters.
[You’re a guy pretending to be a girl online, right? A man acting like a woman. Did you think no one would notice? Or wait… are you perhaps the Maid’s Master?]
[Heh… Trying to provoke me into revealing information, huh? Fine, I’ll be generous.]
With a snap—
[I sent you some pictures. Can you see them?]
[!!!]
Images suddenly flooded the displays inside the Chinese submarine.
[W-Where did you get these?!]
[When were these taken…?!]
Some of the Hunters were shocked at the content of the photos they were in, while others were simply stunned by the fact that they had been photographed at all.
[What the hell…?]
One Hunter, though not in the pictures himself, had a grim expression when he saw a familiar face in them.
[So, should I spread them? With just one click of my mouse, these pictures will be all over the world☆]
[W-Wait! What do you want?!]
One of the Chinese S-Class Hunters suddenly took a more submissive stance.
[A-At least… about the photos—]
[Tell me who took them, and I’ll withdraw.]
[…I’d prefer if you just sent them to my phone.]
Their reactions varied, but one thing was clear: the S-Class Hunters had lost all interest in heading to Jeju Island.
[Fine, I’ll do that. Oh, and one more thing—this is a message from my boss.]
As the hacking ended—
[Instead of trying to steal another country’s Tower, why don’t you focus on clearing the Towers in your own country and reassuring your people?]
The submarine abruptly turned around, forced into retreat, speeding back toward China.
To the South Korean B-Class Hunter Choi Pyeong-sik, it looked more like they were fleeing.
He swallowed hard.
[T-Thank you…?]
[No problem☆]
Click.
With that, the signal was cut off, and the South Korean submarine’s screens and communications returned to normal.
[So this is… American power.]
A misunderstanding had taken root, but the one who could correct it had already disappeared.
Late that night, the commotion beneath the waters near Jeju Island ended with the Chinese submarine making an emergency return home.
* * *
Hacker Drei.
When she said she’d take on three S-Class Hunters, I thought she meant she’d put a bullet through their heads.
‘But to think she would kill them socially first.’
She could have eliminated them physically.
Drei might be an android doll, but if I were to compare her to Elaine, she was at the level of a fully upgraded, fully reinforced unit.
However, Drei chose a different method to solve the problem.
[Ah, it’s nothing much, Commander. I just sent them a few photos—like an F-Class female Hunter and a big-shot enjoying some femdom play, or a guy dancing naked to K-POP in a private villa, or a man who promised marriage spending the night at a club with multiple women.]
“I have nothing to say to that.”
Drei.
She wasn’t just a powerhouse in terms of combat.
The modern world thrives on social media.
And there was no one else as deeply entrenched in the shadows, no one else as skilled at using that darkness to eliminate enemies.
“Good work, Drei. Want to return to the aircraft carrier?”
[I can move with my gear, but where do you want me to go?]
“Jeju Island.”
While she was busy dismantling the Chinese Hunters with just a few pictures, I had been negotiating.
“President Luigi has arranged for an American-owned five-star hotel on Jeju Island to be reserved for us.”
[The whole hotel?]
“Yep.”
Not just the suites—
“The entire hotel. Reserved exclusively for us.”
For our sake.
“We’ll set up a temporary base there and look into who sent those three S-Class Hunters.”
[China?]
“Yeah.”
We’d use their own methods against them.
“I’m sure there’s at least one video of them badmouthing their own leaders. Let’s send that as a gift—straight to the top.”
