It goes without saying that the situation of a Shaman occupying Yellowstone National Park has turned into a secret. It’s beyond imagination that such news would be reported, and they’ve even barred tourists from entering the park under the pretext of needing to manage it.
Not only that, but they also blocked scholars trying to enter for research purposes and made patrols to prevent any intruders. Furthermore, rumors started circulating about dangerous wild animals roaming Yellowstone, making others think twice about venturing in.
But secrets are hardly ever kept easily, are they?
This is a secret tied to the vast expanse of Yellowstone National Park.
Those with a bit of power and information soon learned about the incidents occurring in Yellowstone, and well… they figured out just how wild a Shaman could become when pushed to a breaking point.
And that might just be the reason why those targeting Lucas changed their plans.
“Thinking back, Kenneth hasn’t been in Shamanism for very long either. Yet, he wields enormous magic effortlessly…”
“Of course, having a lot of money and connections plays a huge role in how quickly Kenneth could get strong. With all that cash, he amassed power by collecting various sources of magic, making his capabilities as a Shaman skyrocket.”
“Now that you mention it, Park from Korea has a similar background… While he’s much younger than Dr. Kenneth, other factors align remarkably well… He hasn’t been in Shamanism for long, comes from a wealthy family, and has an extensive network… Hmm. That’s interesting.”
Especially Jinseong’s similar background to Kenneth played a part in this too.
Kenneth started immersing himself in Shamanism barely a decade ago. However, with overflowing wealth, connections, and power, he replaced the experiential learning that Shamans gain while wandering the world. By focusing solely on disaster-related magic, he became quite powerful.
Of course, that’s not inherently wrong.
Whether one accumulates experience through travel or achieves goals through sudden realizations while living a mundane life, or by pouring every ounce they have into reaching those goals… As long as they reach their objectives, that’s what matters, right?
Even if others deem it inefficient, look foolish, or regard it as wasteful… What’s important is that you reach your goal.
Everyone has their own path and pace.
But from the outside perspective, Kenneth’s actions sparked enough alarm.
The occupation of Yellowstone National Park served as a clear demonstration of what a rich lunatic might do.
And naturally, this scrutiny also applied to individuals with similar conditions.
A young Shaman from Korea.
Coming from a wealthy family, newly initiated into Shamanism, and just from what can be inferred through collected materials, there’s something distinctly off about him. Furthermore, he has a wide network in Korea making it easier to broaden his connections, and is presumably linked to a Great Witch from Germany—
It’s all too similar.
Similar enough to warrant caution.
Thus, Jinseong became a target for those setting their sights on Lucas.
Especially when Lucas, known for his intense caution and for not giving a hoot about people lacking value, allowed him to stay in his building, all caution turned into certainty.
That Shaman is someone to watch out for.
“Especially with the caution regarding Park, it’s likely they also worried about the dangers of any magic he may have performed on Lucas’s behalf. What if Lucas had requested some powerful magic like Kenneth? What if the Shaman conjured guards to roam the building or fortified it to the point that intrusion was utterly impossible? What if he went so far as to ensure Lucas’s safety? Yes, then it would undoubtedly become a huge problem.”
“Yet, even so, this incident feels a bit excessive…”
“Indeed, it’s excessive. Chaotic and certainly over the top. It’s rather different from the usual undercover, refined operations of the Machine Cult. The reason for this… Yes, could you please look at the next data?”
The hologram changed once more.
This time, logos of companies affiliated with the Machine Cult appeared.
They were arranged like a set taught in school mathematics—gathered together as if displaying a collection.
“As you can see, the Machine Cult is divided into various factions. While they share a similar grand objective, the ultimate goals of the members forming the Machine Cult are anything but singular. This inevitably leads to their actions.”
“Right. Those with similar goals tend to become close…”
“This faction serves as both an asset and a liability for the Machine Cult. Thanks to the formation of factions, there’s at least some self-regulation and minimal diversity, but the existence of factions also brings unavoidable side effects.”
Beep.
The hologram data switched again.
“Especially when unexpected situations arise and opinions become divided, those side effects tend to erupt much more significantly. Just like now.”
“So, this incident wasn’t a full-on initiative from the Machine Cult—rather, it emerged from individual factions?”
“That’s correct. It came from multiple factions, not just one.”
Naturally, if multiple groups exist within one force, they will have different dispositions.
“This incident was… yes, executed by those classified as hardliners within the Machine Cult.”
“Hardliners.”
“Please look to the left. The faction on the left consists of businesses based in the area known as the Rust Belt. They operate from regions with poor public safety and have ties with criminal organizations. Not just any ordinary gangs, mind you, but organizations formed by Capable People.”
Commonly known as the ‘Rust Belt’ faction.
“Of course, since the government is keeping an eye on the Cult itself, they mainly employ those who exist on the ambiguous line between the lawful and unlawful, often referred to as ‘grey.’ Regardless, the fact remains that they have ties to criminal organizations and can contact them whenever they want.”
Beep.
The hologram changed again, now displaying a peculiar photograph.
It looked like a snapshot of rebellious mercenaries or perhaps members of a motorcycle gang.
There were men in leather jackets typical of bike riders, along with one dude posing in nothing but his underwear, flexing his muscles as if competing in a bodybuilding contest. One guy seemed to be a model student, showing only the back of his head as if he wanted to avoid the camera, while others donned hippie-like attire.
Some appeared to be wobbling as if under the influence, and there was a man looking up at the sky, armed with submachine guns in both hands, roaring like a protagonist from a movie.
“Buffalo 8. It’s a gathering of Capable People being monitored by intelligence agencies.”
Buffalo 8.
Their name derives from a pun that plays around with ‘Buffalo,’ a term that becomes challenging to explain in short.
A questionable term to describe a group barely resembling any strong organization is more akin to a casual social club.
But once you understand their true nature, you’d hesitate to even recognize it as a ‘social club.’
“This group is formed by two Alchemists, three Sorcerers, and three Warriors. Yes, a whole unit made up of Capable People.”
The presenter paused briefly.
“Of course, this isn’t some major feat. It’s common for Capable People to gather and enjoy themselves. Just look at the Warriors; even under a single sect, thousands can be a member.. so just eight members might not seem like much.”
However.
“The problem was their ideology. The principles of those who founded this group were no different from that of criminals. They show little respect for the law and consider it a nuisance. They think that if they can avoid getting caught, committing criminal acts is acceptable, and under the banner of their own self-gain and pleasure, they might just consider law-breaking permissible as long as it goes unnoticed.”
These were individuals gathered under anti-social inclinations.
Or, perhaps even ‘anti-social’ would be minimal.
They were folks living as if tomorrow didn’t exist.
“Because of this, four of the initial eight members of Buffalo 8 died during conflicts involving police or vigilantes while committing their crimes. One Alchemist caught distributing drugs, one Sorcerer who died attempting to kidnap a researcher from a major smartphone corporation, one Warrior who charged a gang alone while being loaded, and one Warrior who died trying to hijack a cash transport vehicle… that makes it a total of four deaths.”
And that’s how half of their number was lost.
Half was gone.
And once that half was reduced, the remaining members began to wisen up.
While it’s debatable whether it was wise to call it ‘gaining awareness’…
In any case, they adopted a much more cautious approach than before, as if they were beginning to understand the law’s terror.
They increasingly avoided clear criminal actions and only dabbled in obscured operations.
Even when they did commit crimes, they tended to focus more on white-collar crimes rather than violent ones like assault, arson, or murder. Meanwhile, they started nurturing ties with conglomerates and power holders, choosing to operate under their protection.
A wild boar acting recklessly in the wild had suddenly turned into a cunning serpent.
“And Buffalo 8 has ties to the Rust Belt. It’s because they’ve connected with two companies that operate within the Rust Belt faction. Intelligence agencies suspect that one of these companies—yes, the vehicle company famous for high-quality trucks—commissioned Buffalo 8 to ambush Lucas.”
The presenter changed the hologram again.
This time displaying a faction on the right.
“But there were those acting alongside Buffalo 8. Those who entered with them…the zealots from ‘The Shepherd and the Sheep.’ They had ties to another faction displayed on the right— a group composed of three Internet companies known as the ‘Data Collectors.’ They processed information to suit the tastes of ‘The Shepherd and the Sheep,’ delivering it to them through cunning means. Subsequently, they produced a significant number of narrow-minded individuals due to their data, naturally pushing Lucas into more extreme actions. Their methods were quite crafty, and the sheep of the shepherd, having a blind faith, couldn’t even catch on.”
But then, their plans went awry.
When the Shaman had suddenly appeared.
“When the Shaman Park showed up, they completely revised their plans. There was no variable of a Shaman in their scheme. The ‘Data Collector’ faction gave up on skillfully manipulating them, deciding to only use them when they found a purpose for them. Thus, they hastily created a radical form to lure them into M Point. While it may have been hastily planned, it was a decent operation, thus leading to their success in the intrusion. However…”
Beep.
The hologram changed once more.
A photo of a burning building—M Point.
“…And that’s what happened. This serves as a lesson that when factions act on their own without communication, it inevitably leads to tragedy.”
Furthermore, the tragedy doesn’t end there.
“Moreover, it’s not just the building that burned down. Their target Lucas is currently lying in a state of coma, hospitalized in a major university hospital with remarkable security. For them, this is truly a tragedy—you can’t kidnap him to extract information, and even if they managed to extract his brain for information, they lack the technology—and even if they had it, they couldn’t bring him out of the hospital. Yes, the situation has grown multiple times more difficult.”
“Quite a pleasant outcome then. So… well. I suppose we can sit back and relax now?”
“Yes. Let’s give a taste of retribution to those fools who dared to commit terror right in the middle of New York with none of their goals achieved.”
Beep.
The presenter responded, wearing a bright smile, before shutting off the hologram.
Then he stated that the presentation had concluded, took a few questions, and stepped down…
Another man ascended, starting a presentation with different materials.
It was a discussion tied to the national interests of America.
And so, the presentation continued…
Finally, when the presentation wrapped up, everyone returned to their duties.
The once-bustling room emptied out, leaving it void of life and shrouded in silence, suggesting a looming storm of power ahead.
