CH 204

*** Change and Conflict ***

The mechanical robots’ massacre of human life was eventually suppressed by the Masters, who appeared after receiving a new mission request two hours after the initial attack; however, by that point, the damage was already done. The number of people who died worldwide was close to 100,000. These weren’t casualty numbers from a war zone or an underdeveloped country; they were from the epicenters of the modern world. The mechanical robots targeted and attacked areas with high [population densities], such as Seoul, the Liberation Monument Square in China, and the Eiffel Tower in Paris, which Merlin had visited in the past. Hence, most people around the world couldn’t push aside the losses and reality as a [distant matter].

The world’s people fell into a state of shock.

Outside of the mind-blowing casualty numbers, the most shocking aspect for most people was that they didn’t know or understand who the ‘enemy’ was.

The national organizations, who retrieved the mechanical robots that invaded their respective countries and tried to initially suppress the release of any information regarding the mechanical robots, knew that the level of technology possessed by the mechanical robots was beyond that of modern human technology. However, since there were many people who got their hands on the mechanical robots’ parts during the chaos of battle, this fact was soon announced by various news organizations, and countless reporters began to write numerous articles on the subject.

Existence of mechanical robots that seemed like futuristic weapons… who was their creator?

There were many opinions. There were opinions ranging from aliens to the deployment of a covert United States experimental war machine. However, nothing was clear, so all reporting was speculative in nature.

“And the appearance of Masters presents another problem.”

At first, there were signs that some countries were trying to take steps to control the media narrative, but there were too many eyewitnesses, as the mechanical robots attacked densely populated places across the Earth. Moreover, DIO Masters were often well-known individuals, like sports stars, so they were easily recognized by the general public. Furthermore, the Masters themselves remembered what they had done, so it was impossible to hide the fact of what had truly transpired.

As a result, Yongno watched the following news broadcast on his television.

/[Apologize Noblesse! Apologize!!]

[The Noblesse, shrouded in so much secrecy, reveal all the facts and compensate the victims!] 

[Aliens, leave Earth!!]/

A quick look at tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w will leave you more fulfilled.

On his television screen, Yongno saw countless numbers of people demonstrating in front of Noblesse office branches spread across the world. These people eventually concluded that the mechanical robots’ attack was related to DIO. Since these protestors possessed limited information, they couldn’t come to any other conclusion.

“Well, actually, they’re kind of right.”

After hearing Eunhye’s comment, Yongno nodded in agreement. Eunhye’s commented was correct. The protestors had reached their conclusion by luck, like a cow stepping backwards and unintentionally killing a rat; however, it was true that if the Noblesse hadn’t launched and serviced DIO on Earth, Legion’s terrorist activities against humans wouldn’t have occurred.

“But if one was truly concerned, one should have brought this issue up from the start. Wasn’t the whole idea and execution of the over-technology virtual reality game shrouded in mystery? Shouldn’t people have spoken up sooner?”

The virtual reality game DIO, and virtual reality at large, was a concept that couldn’t have been realized at modern humanity’s current technological and scientific development level. It was rather strange that the United States and other powerful countries across the world didn’t push and pressure the Noblesse organization to find out their secrets. Reaching this point in his thoughts, Yongno frowned.

‘Hmm. Perhaps… it could be that Noblesse did something to keep everyone quiet and at bay until now. There’s no way of knowing if they conducted mental interference, like what I was able to do onto others, right?’

However, an essential question remained.

‘Then why is it becoming an issue now? Even if there are a great number of people, running mental interference shouldn’t be impossible or difficult for the Noblesse… unless… perhaps…’

Yongno raised his head and looked at Eunhye. Eunhye tilted her head. Yongno felt that Eunhye’s response and expressionless face was cute, but he soon shook his head and said, “Eunhye, I’m going to use Magic Eyes on you and ask you to do something. Can you try refusing it?”

“Refuse?”

“Yeah. Say that you don’t want to do it.”

“That shouldn’t be difficult.”

After obtaining permission, Yongno began to gather magic power. Unlike in DIO, the process of gathering and circulating magic power in reality was complicated. Once the ‘Heaven’ seal engraved on his forehead was activated, Yongno could activate the mana on the magic circle drawn on the back of his right hand, but then, he needed to exert his intended effect back through the ‘Heaven’ seal.

Ting!

With reddened eyes pulsing with aura, Yongno looked at Eunhye. Yongno then stated, “Oh Eunhye, kiss me on the cheek.”

“…”

At Yongno’s words, Eunhye stared at Yongno’s Magic Eyes without any reaction. Yongno couldn’t help but feel confused.

‘Did it work, or did it not work?’

Although Eunhye wasn’t refusing, it was impossible for Yongno to draw any conclusion because there were no tell-tale signs of Eunhye being affected by his Magic Eyes. However, when Yongno had thought up to here, Eunhye raised her arms.

“E-Eunhye, what… huh?!”

She grabbed Yongno’s head and kissed his lips.

“…!!!”

Greatly taken aback, Yongno struggled to free himself from Eunhye’s grasp, but he couldn’t shake her off. Since he could use internal energy, he should have been able to easily suppress Eunhye with one hand, but for some reason, he felt overwhelmed.

“Uhm, uh, Eunhye, wait a minute… uh?!”

Yongno’s body suddenly became rigid. He was overtaken by the soft feeling he felt between his lips.

“Uh…”

Yongno’s body shook. He tried to put up a resistance, but his resistance weakened and then stopped altogether. His widened, surprised-filled eyes were slowly closing.

It was then that Eunhye stepped back.

“… it didn’t work on me.”

“W-what?”

“Your Magic Eyes didn’t work on me.”

“Oh, it didn’t? But… you… but… why…”

Thoroughly confused, Yongno stuttered, but Eunhye just watched the ongoing news broadcast without a change in expression.

“Uhm. Well. Okay. I guess my Magic Eyes isn’t working. It seems something is blocking the Magic Eyes’ effects. Martial arts and other abilities don’t seem to be affected, so the fact that my Magic Eyes and its mental interference attacks aren’t working means…”

Yongno continued his thoughts… on the softness he had felt moments ago on his lips.

‘No, that’s not it.’

Yongno shook his head to escape from his current thoughts. What he had to think about was who was preventing mental interference measures while not blocking an individual’s talents and abilities. He thought it might be the transcendent he had previously met; the one that passed judgments like a judge. That transcendent was as deadly as Eunhye’s tongue, which was able to push past his lips and…

“Ah!”

“Yongno? Are you alright?”

“Hahaha! Uhm… hmm. Critical… a critical hit…”

Yongno muttered incomprehensible words and sounds before he took deep breaths to control his chaotic mind. Fortunately, his Golden Pill Immortal Technique had the side benefit of stabilizing his mind.

“Uh, anyway, can you help me a bit more?”

“Sure.”

With Eunhye’s help, Yongno learned about the newly created [Restrictions]. It was still possible to hypnotize people using his Magic Eyes, but it was restricted to the realm of illusion; it was no longer possible to control other people’s memories or minds through Magic Eyes as it was before. Since the process of planting false memories was now much more complicated than before, Yongno concluded that it would be practically impossible to subdue the minds of influential people in each country to protect himself and Eunhye, as he did before.

‘The important issue is whether the memories and thoughts that I’ve already implemented are still in effect or if they’ve been released.’

Yongno began to organize his thoughts. It didn’t matter if his previous mental suggestions and effects were released, but if those who were previously influenced by him retained a memory of being [hypnotized by Yongno], Yongno would have to face some serious backlash. The various powers that had protected him and Eunhye until now would likely start to strangle their necks.

“Then…”

Crackle!

Just as he was about to come up with countermeasures, his television screen became distorted with static. It wasn’t a mechanical breakdown. Some sort of powerful jammer was forcefully blocking the existing broadcast signal and taking over the television screen.

/[Ah. It's the first time I’ve spoken out in public like this. Nice to meet you all. My name is Tan. You could say I’m DIO’s chief operator or president.]/

The newly emerging image on the television screen showed a man in a bowler hat sitting on an antique-looking wooden table. Tan, who had never exposed his face, except to Yongno and a few other Masters, was one of the original, founding members of the Noblesse Senate, so he wielded considerable influence within the Noblesse organization.

“What’s going on…”

Yongno never expected that Tan would publicly present himself, so Yongno watched the television screen with a sense of nervousness. Eunhye also frowned, perhaps feeling the same way.

/[It’s been a bit noisy lately, but most of your assumptions are incorrect and unfounded. To say that we, DIO, orchestrated this attack is outrageous. Rather, I am saddened by the fact that you humans died in such large numbers.]/

Though Tan was explaining his side, the atmosphere he exuded and his tone of speech didn’t quite fit with his act of explaining something or commiserating with people who had lost loved ones. Rather, Tan’s preachy attitude probably enraged the victims’ families, whether the victims’ deaths were Tan’s fault or not. Seeing Tan’s response, Yongno gritted his teeth.

‘He’s completely abandoned the idea of hiding behind the scenes! The restraints are much looser than I thought!’

Yongno modified his thinking about the Enforcers, the transcendent judges he saw previously, once he understood that anything outside of directly influencing humans seemed to be acceptable. The only thing that still tripped Yongno up was that the Enforcers had prevented the mental interference of his Magic Eyes.

‘No. I can’t be sure of this. I’ve only experimented on Eunhye… I guess I’ll have to widen my testing.’

Regardless of whatever Yongno was thinking, Tan continued speaking.

/[Ah, there is one thing you all got right.]/ 

Tan laughed on the television screen.

/[We are aliens.]/

“He’s really exposing everything…”

It looked like Tan was having immense fun. His laid-back attitude and casual remarks were to the point of being dismissed as a joke. But even so, no one watching the television broadcast took his words lightly. The aura and energy that Tan’s image emitted was weighing down on all the people who watched him.

/[Anyway, I need to get to the main point. Humans, especially Masters, listen carefully. This is an announcement.]/

The pressure Tan transmitted through the television screen was so powerful that it made it hard for one to properly breathe. It wasn’t just a feeling; it was a clear, tangible pressure.

‘As expected, if one is a transcendent, it doesn’t matter whether one has spiritual pathways or not to utilize one’s powers. Well, those guys were able to use their powers freely on Earth when I saw them before, so it doesn’t come as that much of a surprise.’

When one reached the level of a transcendent and gained a basic mana control ability, one could control mana itself in the natural world or materialize the power deep inside oneself, so transcendents literally transcended Earth’s environmental penalties. This phenomenon occurred because transcendent beings were basically [Complete] existences.

/[There will be more attacks. This is something that can’t be helped as long as DIO operates on Earth. If you all want, we can close all DIO’s services immediately and go back. If that happens, my ‘enemies’ will no longer target you all.]/