I planted a sacred tree in Tokyo.

Chapter 54 Undercurrent
Yokosuka Military Base
"Lieutenant General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the island."

"Just tell them I'm already asleep!"

In the office, the cheerful white lieutenant general waved his hand, but the clerk who came in to report looked troubled.

"Sir, the island nation's Deputy Foreign Minister is right outside the base: his exact words were that he would wait until you had a chance to meet him."

It was obvious that if he didn't appear, the Deputy Foreign Minister would continue to stand outside the base gates.

"Those damn monkeys"

After uttering a curse, the white lieutenant general waved his hand.

"Let him in."

As the successor to the island nation's 'Five-Star Emperor,' the white lieutenant general could, most of the time, disregard the island nation's will.

But when it comes to the extraordinary, the interests involved are too great, so great that they could determine the direction of the next era. The island nation will never let this go unpunished.

really--

"Your Excellency Lieutenant General,"

The visitor was a typical middle-aged or elderly politician from an island nation, dressed in a dark suit, with a tense expression, questioning him in a fluent New York accent.

"We need an explanation for your actions in Kawasaki City!"

"It's the Kawasaki sea area. Watch your wording."

The white lieutenant general was prepared for the island nation's questioning and remained seated without even getting up.

"We have the right to conduct military operations at will in the Gulf of Tokyo, and you have no right to interfere—even if we haven't notified you!"

"Is the ruins of Pier No. 6 in Kawasaki also part of the sea?!"

Faced with the 'Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs' suppressing his anger as he pressed on with questions, the white lieutenant general impatiently stood up, leaned forward, and stared at the other man with a piercing gaze.

"Horie. Right?"

“Four months ago, the District Attorney’s Special Investigation Department found 876 million in political funds of unknown origin in your account.”

"Before you question me, you'd better explain where this money came from!"

"you--"

His face turned pale, and the 'Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs' moved his lips a few times, but couldn't utter a single word.

876 million is a drop in the ocean for someone of his rank! It could even be seen as proof of his 'integrity', but:

"If I wanted to, tomorrow all the TV stations, newspapers, and online headlines would be about your corruption!"

The white lieutenant general raised his hand and viciously poked the other man's chest.

This made the island's Deputy Foreign Minister tremble.

"Now, get out of here!"

If the United States personally takes the lead in promoting this, then a mere 'bow' won't suffice. The only outcome will be utter disgrace, being shot seven times in the back, and committing suicide.

What a joke! America has already taken the meat, so why would it allow others to covet it?
"Mr. Horii,"

“You know, we are also under a lot of pressure.”

On the way to see the other party off from the base, Brigadier General Thomas talked at length.

"On the issue of the supernatural, the Donkey and Elephant parties are in complete agreement, both advocating that all supernatural beings and objects be sent back to the United States for research."

After first using the familiar 'Void' seal to intimidate the other party, the brigadier changed his tone:
"It was through our mediation that those extraordinary beings were able to remain in Tokyo."

“You have already acquired a ‘primordial’ transcendent being and developed a ‘transcendent serum’.”

"Since this extraordinary discovery appeared on the high seas, shouldn't it be under the jurisdiction of America?"

Faced with the brigadier general's words, the island nation's vice minister for foreign affairs sighed.

“Mr. Thomas, you are a distinguished friend of our island nation.”

"But what you did this time..."

Not only did they completely exclude the island nation, they didn't even inform them!

"Because of your reckless behavior, the battle was filmed and uploaded to the internet by a content creator."

Moreover, there were a large number of workers and residents at the Kawasaki docks at the time, and the event was witnessed by more than a thousand people. Many of them also subconsciously took photos and posted them on their personal social media accounts and various platforms.

Although the island nation realized what was happening, it immediately deployed its cyber police to delete a large number of images and posts.

but:

"This matter has had such a huge impact that we simply can't suppress it."

The convenience of the internet,
It makes many things 'transparent'.

In the era of print media, it was incredibly easy for those in power to cover up something.

Those truly top figures are like 'invisible beings,' never appearing in any newspapers, television, or radio, controlling capital in a detached and otherworldly manner.

However, with the advent of the internet, everything from the dirty dealings between powerful figures to wars, assassinations, natural disasters, and man-made calamities is presented to the public in a very clear way. Although many secrets are hidden within, it is still far better than being completely unaware of such events.

This is why people are so numb to news stories circulating online about thousands of people being buried by mudslides and landslides in some places, or about officials embezzling more than 10 billion yuan.

As for the other minor incidents with death tolls in the hundreds, they seem insignificant.

This is the convenience brought by the internet, which people have taken for granted.

But the extraordinary battle army—

Still enough to shock the world!
“That’s your problem, Mr. Horii.”

Brigadier General Thomas could only shrug helplessly in response.

"I believe you can make these news stories disappear from all platforms: just release another batch of 'celebrity gossip' and other similar news, and they will disappear from the public eye."

As for not having any scandals? Wouldn't they just create them right away?

"What about other countries?"

Vice Foreign Minister Horii pressed further,

"Your reckless actions today will certainly be noticed by other countries."

"Would others not have noticed if we hadn't taken action today?"

He raised an eyebrow.
Brigadier General Thomas, who was playing the 'good cop', frowned.

"Do I have to tell you how many lackeys of other forces are in your government?"

Aren't the majority your American dogs?! He cursed inwardly, but Vice Foreign Minister Horii had to maintain an attitude of 'learned lesson' on his face.

"In that case——"

"We request that we send someone to participate in the research on that 'stone giant'."

If the previous anger, resentment, and questioning were only three parts genuine and seven parts acting, then regarding this point:
"If you do not provide a response, I will have no choice but to resign."

"I will discuss it with His Excellency the Lieutenant General,"

Thomas gave only a vague answer to this.

Although we will eventually agree, we can't agree too quickly: otherwise, that island nation will take advantage of us!
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Setagaya Ward.

"Humph,"

With a heavy slap on the wooden table, the white-haired old man suddenly stood up.

"Damn American beasts, those are our island nation's superhumans! What right do they have—"

"Of course, it's about relying on strong ships and powerful cannons, just like 170 years ago."

The handsome Tatsumi Ichihashi casually replied that they had also watched the 'live broadcast' and could naturally guess what happened next.

"Back then, America opened the door to the island nation with its ironclad fleet; now, their aircraft carriers are still stationed in Yokosuka. To be honest, you big shots have been busy for over a century, and it seems that nothing has changed."

"That was before, things are different now."

Suppressing his anger, the white-haired old man looked sincerely at the three people in the room.

“The three of you are all heroes of our island nation.”

"If we allow these American beasts to run rampant like this, where is the semblance of a nation? We urge you all to prioritize righteousness—"

"Mr. Onoda,"

The voice from the mountain interrupted the elderly man's impassioned persuasion.

“We are just ordinary people, we don’t understand these national affairs.”

"But in my opinion, if even the livelihood of ordinary people cannot be guaranteed, the so-called prosperity of the country is nothing but a castle in the air."

The elderly man with gray hair was well aware of the plight of the middle-aged man before him: a once happy family destroyed by a cult would move anyone.

If in the past, he could only make 'pressure cooker bombs' and 'homemade pistols' on the mountain, then after he mastered superhuman powers, he can do much more!

"I understand,"

The elderly man with gray hair nodded heavily.
"Leave the Unification Church matter to this old man!"

Of course, this doesn't mean he committed murder: in the mountains these days, there's no need for others to do it.

Instead, he used his power to gather the members of the Unification Church and wipe them out in one fell swoop!
It would win over the people on the mountain, fulfill the mission of that 'master', and give 'justice' to those people who had been exploited to the point of ruin and death. It was a win-win situation!
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Yokosuka Base
Hundreds of meters below the base, in a laboratory that no detector can find.

"Come, do as I say,"

"Stack these two blocks together."

Inside a huge glass container filled with inert liquid, an octopus covered in various metal wires and battered all over is stacking two building blocks together in the water under the guidance of a person in a white coat.

"good very good!"

"You did a great job, good children deserve a reward."

As the doctor in the white coat finished speaking, the metal side of the glass container opened, and a seashell was placed inside.

With a flick of its remaining tentacles, it scooped up the shell, tossed it directly into its mouth, and swallowed it whole, shell and all!
The previous battle had almost exhausted its chakra, and now this extremely weak octopus only wanted to eat: however, in order to eat, it had to complete the special actions prescribed by the two-legged beast in front of it.

"Next, pour the glass marble out of the bottle."

"Pay attention to the way I open the bottle."

"Incredible, incredible!"

After a classic Denver development screening test, the doctor in the white coat exclaimed in amazement, as if he had seen God himself.

"This octopus easily passed the IQ test for a 6-year-old. If it weren't for the fact that it can't speak yet, I would have suspected that it was a human wearing an octopus mascot costume."

Although octopuses are already known for their intelligence among animals, this one is far too intelligent: it can understand the meaning of almost any project after the white coat has demonstrated it three times. This is not a conditioned reflex formed by external stimuli like ordinary animals, but a true understanding of the meaning!

These are highly intelligent beings, equivalent to humans.

“Dr. Stephen,”

"I am not interested in intelligence tests."

The white lieutenant general looked at the octopus, which was controlled by inert liquid and various electrodes, and asked in a condescending manner.

"All I care about is whether you can tame this octopus that caused me a loss of 20 billion dollars."

"No, no, no, he's not an octopus."

The gray-haired doctor shook his head and gesticulated wildly in rebuttal; as an American biology expert, he was not intimidated by this lieutenant general.

"He is a miracle in the history of biological evolution, a being worthy of being recorded in history!"

"Unfortunately, there will be many such miracles."

The white lieutenant general interrupted the excited doctor.

"I just want the answer!"

"YES, NO?"

"Of course, of course—"

"You will soon have a loyal subordinate, I guarantee it."

After saying that, the professor waved his hand impatiently to shoo the person away.

“Little guy,”

The doctor walked up to the glass container and stared intently at the battered, five-meter-long octopus before him.

"It seems we'll have a long time to get along well."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

P.S.: This book will only cover Japan and America, for reasons you probably all know.
(End of this chapter)