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A headless human.

No, a collective of insects that cannot be called human.

Yet, there stands a peculiar figure talking to a wizard wearing a gas mask.

“However, that color resembles oil that does not easily mix with water. It is not the spectrum of countless particles of water dancing to create a rainbow, but rather the form of a membrane floating atop, separating the water. It resembles a lotus that does not get wet yet appears to have lost its hue from being soaked, indeed an unharmonious color.”

Park Jinseong slowly regenerates his body and speaks to the man.

“What do you intend to do with such color? Do you wish to cover it over the water, preventing the light from entering fully below? Or do you intend to paint the entire world with it, making it look pretty and colorful while rendering it uninhabitable?”

As he posed the question and his regenerated body took a complete form, the polluter let out a sharp breath through the exterior of his gas mask and responded.

“Do not interfere with my work, shaman.”

That was not an answer to the question, but a warning.

“I would prefer if you would disappear, unless you wish to oppose me.”

That was not a gentle remark, but a highly violent and aggressive warning.

*Thwack!*

The polluter pulled the trigger of the artifact as if to affirm that his words were not mere threats, unleashing his mana into the air to create a three-dimensional object.

This time, it took the form of a spiky sphere, layered with countless triangular pyramids.

“Quick and precise. However, seeing no overt deviations from the norm, it seems you have not transcended your level, have you?”

“You aren’t responding to my words, are you?”

The polluter glared at Park Jinseong, who continued to babble unresponsive to his warning.

He then began to infuse mana into the magical circle at his fingertips, which trembled as if it were about to explode.

“Impressive, but your words contain no substance. They complicate the minds of men, yet in essence, they are merely a diversion, shaman. Are you truly trying to oppose me?”

“Haha. It isn’t strange to speak of this and that before getting to the point, nor is it odd that such talk strays from the main topic. How could the art of conversation, used throughout human history, be regarded as trivial? Sorcerer, you are truly desperate and lacking in patience….”

Park Jinseong jested towards the impatient wizard and posed the ‘real question.’

“Since you seem unable to resist my urging to get to the point, sorcerer, what is the reason for your attack here?”

“It is related to your pollution.”

“And what is this pollution?”

“I aimed to spread infectious cancer worldwide; it was only right for you to die.”

While the conversation seemed to flow, an oddly disjointed feeling lingered.

The wizard technically answered Park Jinseong’s question but maintained an attitude that insisted he should ‘leave immediately and cease entanglement.’ In the meantime, Park Jinseong disregarded the wizard’s warnings as he sought what he desired.

Their interaction resembled more a probing rather than a true conversation—a mutual espionage before the onset of war.

Is this what it looks like when two beasts circle each other, observing?

“Had you disposed of it properly, it would be one thing, but polluting indiscriminately like this—especially when it’s not even difficult to deal with, merely due to costs—is utterly disgusting, don’t you think? Even more so, the aftermath being left for everyone across the globe to bear.”

Public property belongs to everyone, and thus to no one. Hence, the act of dumping trash in shared space or misusing it is not perceived as a crime; I understand that. But that does not make such actions forgivable. No, it makes it all the more crucial that they must take responsibility for their actions.”

“Indeed.”

“Shaman, you must not turn against me. Do you know what impact this country has on the environment? Do you realize how much it has destroyed the ozone layer, polluted the seas, and devastated ecosystems?”

The ozone layer, restored through global efforts, was nearly destroyed because of this country. The marine ecosystem has become a mess, and in pursuit of rare earth elements, toxic chemicals have been sprayed and soil tainted.

Yes, that is related to livelihoods, so let’s consider that justifiable.

But wouldn’t it be crossing a line when one chooses to release waste, alleging it’s too expensive to dispose of properly?”

Anger resonated in the polluter’s voice.

Then he suddenly seemed to recall something from his past, his eyes shifting leftward.

“Shaman. I think I understand what you’re trying to say. Yes, when I say such things, people always raise the same question. What wrong has China done? Like the ‘world’s factory’ it is called, were they not simply providing outsourcing for developed countries? Is it so wrong for them to strive to improve their lives, even at the expense of environmental degradation and cheap labor?”

Indeed, as you said, China’s pollution cannot be solely blamed on developed countries—especially Europe, which has been a disruption since olden times. No, they are even more detestable.

With factories placed in places like India and China, while turning a blind eye to pollution, they hypocritically speak of being eco-friendly and the protection of the environment in their home countries.

Those damned hypocrites are truly revolting.”

With each word, hatred seeped through.

“But does that mean other countries are okay? It’s not at all. While making others work towards environmental conservation, the United States nonchalantly discards waste, burying it in the ground. Developing countries shout that they need to progress at the cost of pollution just as developed nations have. And Europe, shouting that it is clean while claiming others are wrong—full of hypocrisy.

Shaman.

This world is wrong.

It’s on its way to ruin.”

“Hmm.”

“Thus, within this mad world, I move only with one criterion. Yes. I have decided to bring down the hammer of justice upon those who pollute for trivial reasons, even if it’s non-force majeure. However, rest assured. Although China has acted filthy, if they show remorse, I am willing to let it all go.

So I think of teaching them a lesson by eliminating those involved in this affair and polluting a few water sources.”

The polluter then turned his gaze to Park Jinseong.

As if they had coordinated, their gazes locked in a tense silence, and the three-dimensional magical circle the polluter had suspended in the air began to hum and rotate slowly to assert its existence. Yet, even with this spectacle unfolding, Park Jinseong stood there without showing the slightest disturbance, as if declaring he was a being untouched by the sun.

Silence tangled them.

The atmosphere was thick, almost like the calm before a storm, and the distant shouts and screams seemed to bounce off the silence, swirling around aimlessly before fading away.

Like the echoes of reverberation disturbing the ear before dissipating, resembling cotton candy dissolving upon contact with water…

Then the wizard broke that silence with a single line.

“You were aware, weren’t you?”

And Park Jinseong nodded, as if he understood, rebuffing the lack of subject.

“Indeed.”

A chuckle escaped Park Jinseong as he continued,

“You were on guard, sending warnings. Yet, when I did not retreat, you began to spout odd remarks.”

He seemed like a person with radical thoughts, unburdening their emotions, or potentially a madman beginning to ramble. Or perhaps it was as if he poured his fury and hatred onto Park Jinseong, who bore the appearance of an ordinary Chinese person.

But upon closer examination, it was clear that it wasn’t an impulsive emotional display; there was a distinct intent behind it.

You guard, you warn.

But if I don’t retreat.

If the chances of enmity are remarkably high.

Then what should be done?

“Hey, sorcerer. I realize you’re stalling for time.”

Indeed, the polluter was stalling for time, cautious of facing a likely opponent in Park Jinseong.

Threatening with rapidly usable three-dimensional magic, while secretly building up his mana and combining it to devise some potential force that might overpower the shaman.

The polluter nodded in agreement with Park Jinseong, and with a subtle movement of his fingers—

———!!!!!

At that moment, the spell the polluter had prepared was activated, tearing apart his surroundings once again.

The explosion of mana.

The compressed mana erupted suddenly, expanding, and the tangible mass of mana sliced through the air like blades. It began pulling in all broken fragments, grinding everything within it to dust, forming a sort of whirlpool.

*Crack-crack-crack!*

With a massive thunderous sound, the magic unleashed by the polluter turned into a blender that crushed, mashed, and shredded everything inside.

This colossal calamity was hard to believe as something created by humans.

If there were a hurricane made of mana, it would undoubtedly resemble this horrifying scene, causing the wizard to grimace.

“…Huh.”

What came to the wizard’s mind was the shaman’s words just before being swallowed by the storm.

Though buried beneath the noise of the unfolding magic, the words were unmistakably…

‘What you and I desire is quite similar, you see.’

…yes.

The polluter, recalling the smile on the shaman’s face, mumbled discontentedly.

“…Tch. Those wretched shamans.”

 

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