Please Stop The Pope

Ground Zero

On the 2nd floor of an old building located near Ground Zero.

In front of the door of a teahouse that seemed to have been out of business for quite a while, Team Leader Kim Dong Shik of the Ministry of Ability Management straightened his suit once again.

Then, he carefully opened the door and entered inside.

Ding-

The door with a bell attached opened with a sound, and the interior scenery unfolded before Team Leader Kim’s eyes.

Inside the hall, there was only an elderly gentleman with white hair slicked back.

He was looking at the huge wall of Ground Zero visible through the window, with a cup of steaming coffee placed in front of him.

Team Leader Kim Dong Shik carefully approached the old man and bowed as he greeted him.

“Minister.”

At Team Leader Kim Dong Shik’s greeting, the elderly gentleman nodded and replied,

“You’re here. Have a seat.”

“Then, please excuse me for a moment.”

Team Leader Kim Dong Shik swallowed his saliva and sat in front of the elderly gentleman.

He tried not to be nervous, but it wasn’t as easy as he thought.

After all, the elderly gentleman in front of him was none other than the one leading the current Ministry of Ability Management.

Minister of the Ministry of Ability Management, Yoo Seon-ho.

Despite being a non-awakener, he was a master at coordinating the current awakeners of South Korea with his outstanding political skills.

If it weren’t for him, the Ministry of Ability Management would have surely become a nominal organization long ago.

“You must be having a hard time because of Kim Shi Yu these days, right? I heard you can’t even clock out properly. It’s tough for a father.”

Minister Yoo Seon-ho said while pouring coffee from the teapot into Team Leader Kim Dong Shik’s cup.

At his words, Team Leader Kim Dong Shik held the cup with both hands and bowed his head.

“No, sir. Since I joined the Ministry of Ability Management, I have never felt as rewarding as I do these days.”

“Haha, you’re quite the flatterer.”

“It’s the truth.”

“Alright, alright. The coffee is lukewarm, so wet your throat with it.”

Team Leader Kim Dong Shik took a sip of the coffee. Although it was served in an elegant cup, the contents inside were instant coffee mix.

A bittersweet taste began to spread in his mouth.

Thanks to that, the fatigue that had been building up seemed to recede slightly.

“I’ve always been like this, but I don’t like the coffee young people drink these days. I don’t understand why they bother drinking that bitter stuff.”

Minister Yoo Seon-ho smiled kindly, then met Team Leader Kim Dong Shik’s eyes.

“I heard you opposed my decision.”

“…I apologize.”

“I didn’t call you here to reprimand you. I just wanted to ask for your thoughts. Can you tell me the basis for your opposition?”

At the minister’s question, Team Leader Kim Dong Shik had no choice but to hesitate for a moment before answering.

However, he soon opened his mouth.

“It’s an area where at least five guilds are fighting. There are many risk factors that we have not yet identified. I judged that it was not right to deploy South Korea’s first irregular into such an area. Isn’t it an irregular being we have been waiting for for 5 years?”

Unlike disaster-class returnees or S-rank hunters whose measurements have been completed to some extent, the power of an irregular-class returnee cannot be measured.

Even among irregular returnees themselves, no one can gauge the outcome before they clash with each other.

That’s why irregular-class returnees possess deterrence just by their existence.

Just like the nuclear weapons of the old era.

Because the symbolism held by an irregular returnee was so immense, Team Leader Kim Dong Shik didn’t feel the need to expose him to unnecessary threats.

“Haha.”

Minister Yoo Seon-ho laughed briefly at Team Leader Kim Dong Shik’s story. Then, he soon looked at Team Leader Kim Dong Shik and said,

“As you said, he is the irregular we have been waiting for 5 years. But does it make sense for such an irregular to back down because he is afraid of a fight between major guilds?”

“But…”

“Think about why China’s irregulars are not properly recognized as irregulars in the international community.”

Even if an irregular’s power cannot be measured, a rough measurement through comparison is possible.

The irregulars from the United States and Europe have each proven their worth by resolving ultra-large chaos gates on their own.

Minister Yoo Seon-ho took a sip of coffee, then spoke in a much calmer voice.

“The National Awakener Alliance, centered around major guilds, is already demanding verification of Kim Shi Yu’s irregular grade.”

“That was sufficiently proven in the Yeouido Gate and Guro-gu Gate…”

“They raised the possibility of manipulation since both locations were areas our Ministry of Ability Management controlled from the beginning. I heard they are diligently preparing press releases as well. This is all because our Ministry of Ability Management lacks power.”

The balance of power had long ago shifted towards the major guilds.

The only way to stop the major guilds that boasted the capital of large corporations was through regulation, but they cunningly extended their reach to the political sphere and blocked regulations.

If it weren’t for Minister Yoo Seon-ho, even the Ministry of Ability Management would have been disbanded long ago.

“I had a phone call with the chairman of the National Guild Alliance yesterday. Do you know what he said?”

“I’m not sure.”

“He told me to be prepared to take responsibility for the manipulation and step down. They had already concluded that we had manipulated the situation. Even if it wasn’t manipulation, they intended to forcefully make it so. So, do you know what I did?”

“…No way?”

“I told him that Kim Shi Yu would enter Ground Zero today. Aren’t you curious about the result too? This old man’s heart is foolishly pounding.”

Team Leader Kim Dong Shik could understand why Minister Yoo Seon-ho, known as a born merchant, had swiftly accepted Kim Shi Yu’s request.

‘Of course, that’s how it is.’

Indeed, there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

Having reached that thought, Team Leader Kim Dong Shik followed Minister Yoo Seon-ho’s gaze and looked at the huge wall.

Then, he carefully asked Minister Yoo Seon-ho,

“If Kim Shi Yu finds out that we leaked the information, won’t he be angry?”

Then, Minister Yoo Seon-ho answered nonchalantly while drinking coffee,

“Hmm, you don’t need to worry about that. Kim Shi Yu already knows.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Even though I look like this, I’m a merchant with a conscience. Hahaha.”

A person named Yoo Seon-ho, the minister of the Ministry of Ability Management.

It seems that there weren’t many people in Eden who fit the expression “old but strong” better than him.

Last night. When I was quietly jogging alone, a dashing elderly gentleman suddenly visited me.

Since I had already greeted him once, it wasn’t difficult to recognize him.

I heard quite a lot from him.

The current position of the Ministry of Ability Management in South Korea, and even the reason why he granted me access to Ground Zero.

And he immediately proposed a deal to me.

-We at the Ministry of Ability Management will guarantee everything that Kim Shi Yu obtains from Ground Zero. In return, could you lend us a bit of your strength?

So I gladly accepted the deal.

Since I was going to enter Ground Zero anyway, it was better for me to gain more.

But you know what?

“Was I being fooled?”

No matter how I look at it, it seems like I got the short end of the stick.

I frowned and looked at the signboard with cracks all over it.

「National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul」

Perhaps because it was the area where the first gate appeared 5 years ago, it was difficult to find intact buildings.

This ruins, which was once an art museum, had also completely collapsed except for a few buildings.

Unlike the world outside the wall where a certain level of order was established, Ground Zero was a place that perfectly fit the word post-apocalyptic.

However, the problem was that not only the scenery but also other elements resembled a post-apocalyptic world.

[Your passive skill detects a clear hostility towards you.]

I raised the corner of my mouth bitterly at the mana of other players felt among the ruins and said,

“About thirty people? This really seems like a losing deal, Leo. What do you think?”

“For now, it’s better to resolve it through words. Force should always be the last resort.”

“It’s a bit unfamiliar to hear you say that, of all people.”

Despite me normally telling him to dress plainly, Leo insisted on wearing a priest’s robe until the end.

Naturally, his beastly upper body muscles were bulging over the tight-fitting priest’s robe.

Leo carefully put the monocle he was wearing into his pocket and said,

“But I really can’t understand why they harbor hostility towards us for no reason. Aren’t we all human?”

At those words, I patted Leo’s back and replied,

“It’s because we’re human. In Eden, there was a common enemy called demons, but there isn’t one on Earth.”

“As far as I know, Earth is also in a situation where monsters are invading.”

“That’s what I’m saying. Seeing them act like that, even in this situation, it’s really amazing. It means they haven’t come to their senses yet. Greed is originally like that, isn’t it? It makes even sane people blind. Well… But as you said, should we try talking to them?”

I lightly nodded, then slowly walked forward. And looking at the eerie ruins, I shouted,

“It’s a nice day, so let’s see your faces and talk!”

At my words, those hiding among the ruins didn’t even budge.

My patience isn’t that great.

So I just…

Kwaaang!

I lightly twisted my foot and completely collapsed the ruins in front of me. Then, the players hiding in the cracks began to reveal themselves one by one.

“Isn’t it better to come out when I’m asking nicely? It’s not tiring for both of us, right?”

When I only sensed them with mana, I couldn’t tell, but now that I visually confirmed it, I noticed something peculiar.

“Are you very shy? You’re all wearing masks.”

They were all covering their faces.

Those masks were also evidence proving what kind of things were happening in Ground Zero.

Things they couldn’t do with their faces exposed.

That’s why they’re hiding behind anonymity.

I glanced at them, then smiled and said,

“We just came to survey the temple site. Our Limen truly loves peace. So if possible, we would appreciate it if you could step aside, brothers and sisters.”

Was this gentle request for a conversation effective?

One of them stepped forward from among the group. Then, he abruptly took off his mask and proudly revealed his vicious face.

From his wicked eyes, the size of small millet grains to the bizarre tattoos proudly engraved all over his face.

It’s not easy to look that villainous.

Anyway, the villainous-looking man pointed his sword at me and said,

“I can’t step aside.”

“Why is that?”

“There’s no way I’ll let a fake cult leader into a precious place. I had high expectations when the National Guild Alliance offered a generous reward, but upon seeing you, you’re just a worthless brat.”

It seems they think all the powers I have shown so far are manipulated.

What Minister Yoo Seon-ho of the Ministry of Ability Management said seemed to be true.

What’s unique is the amount of mana that man possesses. His mana capacity was comparable to that of Leader Choi from the Demon Guild I saw last time.

If that’s the case, he’s an S-rank hunter, but I should know something about S-rank hunters.

I shrugged my shoulders, put on gloves, and casually asked,

“What is the basis for your judgment that I’m a worthless brat, brother?”

“I just called a moron a moron, do I need a reason? Hehe. It’s not my first time seeing scammer bastards like you.”

“Your face may look like a butt, but you definitely have a talent for spewing crap from your mouth, brother. It seems your mouth is an anus.”

“I wonder if that tongue of yours will still be the same after your arm is cut off. The National Guild Alliance has already ordered me to make you half-crippled.”

The man licked his lips as he said that.

One thing for sure is that those guys have killed quite a lot of people. I could easily tell that from the foul energy they were emitting.

I glanced at them, then slightly turned my body back and asked Leo,

“Do you still think conversation is the best option?”

Leo nodded and answered,

“I believe at least an opportunity to repent for one’s sins should be given.”

“Will those guys really repent for their sins?”

Instead of answering, Leo stretched out both hands into the air.

Then, soon…

Crack-!

“Aaaaargh!”

A masked person who was hiding around us with mana was folded in half by Leo’s hands.

Literally folded in half.

The person’s left shoulder and right shoulder touched each other, so if that’s not being folded in half, what is?

I asked Leo again, who suddenly performed a folding show.

“How is that giving them a chance to repent? A person dies if they’re folded in half.”

At my question, Leo answered with his usual stoic expression,

“Didn’t I leave the mouth intact so they could repent for their sins?”

“…Amazing.”

“You flatter me, Your Holiness.”

Oh, you crazy bastard.

It’s my fault for asking for this guy’s opinion.

I let out a deep sigh, then turned my gaze to the masked people who had frozen like statues and said,

“That’s why I told you to do it with words. You’re the ones who refused, right?”