Disaster Shaman.
A title so fearsome that just hearing the name sends shivers down one’s spine. The nickname alone evokes an image of a villain who brings storms and earthquakes, intent on destroying the world.
But in reality, far from this grandiose moniker, Kenneth was a scholar.
Before becoming interested in magic, Kenneth, the Disaster Shaman, was a well-known geologist in academic circles. He earned his Ph.D. with papers related to geophysics and significantly contributed to paleontology through numerous fossil excavations.
When he unearthed complete fossils of sauropod dinosaurs, he even appeared on the news, and many of the fossils he discovered were displayed in natural history museums across America. In the field of paleontology, his status was immense.
That was not all. He also achieved significant accomplishments in structural geology, the hallmark of which was the “Measurement of Unilateral Action Accompanied by Seismic Waves Using Magical Reflection Lines.” This study began with an inspiration he gained while tinkering with radar sensor equipment at a colleague professor’s house. It allowed for far more precise earthquake predictions, turning an unpredictable calamity into something that could, to a certain degree, be foreseen.
The lives and property saved because of this discovery were immeasurable.
What’s more, Kenneth was also wealthy.
His knowledge of geology was profound, and he didn’t hesitate to use it to earn money. He had a talent for resource exploration, which he leveraged to amass his fortune.
Naturally, resources attract powerful interests. The power behind the discovery of resources like oil alone is colossal.
Kenneth had everything.
Money.
Power.
Fame.
All of it.
But even with such apparent abundance, people always feel some deficiency. Greed knows no bounds, and neither does satisfaction.
Kenneth wanted to contribute to the world beyond merely researching. He wasn’t content with just aiding in the development of earthquake prediction devices. He aspired to create world peace with his own hands and alleviate the suffering caused by calamities.
But such a goal wasn’t easy, even with immense financial backing. Disaster preparedness was uncertain, and how could an individual accomplish what even organizations or nations found difficult?
Many considered Kenneth’s aspirations to be unrealistic, advising him to focus more on his research instead.
Nevertheless, Kenneth found a way.
Magic.
He concluded that by employing this strange and mysterious power, he might be able to control disasters.
Thus, at an older age, he entered the arcane world of magic and became a shaman. It wasn’t difficult.
Magic wasn’t something one was born talented at. As long as one performed the ritual properly and could bear the cost, anyone could wield it.
Using his extensive network, Kenneth gathered and memorized spells, expanding his abilities as a shaman, while simultaneously beginning research into spells related to disasters that connected to his aspirations.
Of course, it wasn’t easy.
Disasters are cataclysms created by nature itself. The magic involving such calamities inevitably falls into the realm of Great Magic.
Great Magical Rituals.
Rituals that require the expenditure of a nation’s budget and demand insane amounts of resources to perform.
It wasn’t something one could call easy, even in theory.
To use such magic once required enormous funds, time, and collaborators willing to carry out the Great Ritual.
Yes, collaborators willing to share the terrible cost of the Great Ritual.
How could such a thing be simple?
But Kenneth did not give up. He used his own wealth, his network, and his fame. He also actively engaged in profit-making activities not solely for research funding, pouring all the profits into magic.
And with astronomical sums of money spent—
Without any national support, he successfully performed the Great Ritual.
The magic he performed brought a year of abundance to a specific region.
Although the area was less than the size of a large farm, the impact was immense.
There were three reasons.
First, Kenneth live-streamed the Great Ritual online.
Second, the area where the ritual was conducted was being ravaged by a massive tornado at the time.
Third, his Great Ritual caused the tornado to vanish.
A spell capable of dispelling a tornado!
Being able to witness it live on the internet!
Of course, the shockwaves were immense.
Especially given that the one performing the ritual was a highly respected scholar in academic circles!
Through this single Great Ritual, Kenneth gained tremendous fame. Using this newfound renown, he traveled across the entire United States, researching disasters, preventing them, and gradually becoming even more famous.
But there was a problem.
A major one.
The special ability Kenneth used was magic.
Magic always demands a cost.
Great or small, always.
Given Kenneth’s focus on disasters, his interest inevitably led him to the realm of Great Magic, with its astronomical costs.
The once-healthy body of Kenneth, who had never been ill before becoming a shaman, deteriorated quickly. His glossy hair fell out, his skin became dry and brittle, and his once-robust body grew emaciated. His organs began to fail, causing his belly to bloat, and he suffered from various neuralgic pains and complications.
Had he not wasted his excessive wealth maintaining his health, it would have been unsurprising for him to lie bedridden.
As his physical health declined, so did his mental well-being.
His stubborn personality shifted into eccentricity and began leaning toward extremes.
Whereas before he was like a solid stone, now Kenneth became comparable to a weapon honed from that very stone.
The intelligence agencies observed these changes in Kenneth with concern.
And not long ago, an incident finally erupted.
“I’VE TOLD YOU!!! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY IT!!!”
“NOT TO DUMP WASTE INTO HIGHLY ACIDIC HOT SPRINGS. HOW MANY TIMES DID I SAY IT?!”
“DIDN’T I WARN YOU THAT THE WILDLIFE SUFFERED DAMAGES BECAUSE OF YOUR TRASH?! SO YOU STILL THROW WASTE INTO HOT SPRINGS?! HOW MANY TIMES MUST I WARN YOU BEFORE YOU STOP?!”
“YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO RESEARCH SUCH A PRECIOUS PLACE WHEN YOU ACT LIKE THIS!!! LEAVE HERE IMMEDIATELY!!!”
“AND ALL OF YOU, GET OUT NOW! HOW DARE YOU CALL YOURSELLEN ‘MANAGERS’ WHEN YOU’RE POLLUTING THIS SACRED SITE?! FROM NOW ON, NO ONE WILL COME IN HERE!!!”
The researchers and officials who acted without common sense infuriated Kenneth, and he expelled them all.
Even when they tried to complain—
“I’LL FLOOD THE PLACE WITH SUPERHEATED ACIDIC HOT SPRING WATER!! LEAVE NOW IF YOU WANNA STAY ALIVE!!!”
In an instant, he inundated the area with water corrosive enough to erase a person entirely. He even used it to create waves that engulfed their equipment, allowing them to escape with nothing but their lives.
“From now on, no one enters here. If you do? Feel free to fight my water-made golems!”
And that wasn’t the end.
Using the acidic hot spring water as material, he created golem-like constructs and placed them all over Yellowstone National Park, preventing anyone from entering. Initially, they lightly warned away intruders, but if anyone tried to enter by force, Kenneth’s constructs would subdue them, inflicting some injuries, and throw them out of the park.
Occupation.
Yes.
Yellowstone National Park was now occupied by Kenneth, the scholar and shaman.
To the U.S., this was confusing and embarrassing, an utterly baffling situation beyond evaluation.
Deploying the police didn’t seem sufficient, and they would need the army. Yet, given Kenneth’s fame and network, deploying the military might cause an uproar among those connected to him.
Even without that, higher-ups likely wouldn’t approve such an action outright.
Who could harshly treat such a precious scientist and magician of America?
How about sending capable individuals to infiltrate and subdue him?
Perhaps possible.
Though possible, capable people who willingly desired to battle a shaman were few.
It was troublesome and irritating, and the potential for vengeance was daunting. Moreover, considering that a shaman could become a valuable connection, few would want to create such ill-fated ties.
Furthermore, the deployment of capable persons wasn’t a straightforward decision either. If a battle ensued, it would necessitate the use of magic, surely shortening Kenneth’s lifespan and worsening his deteriorating health.
His acquaintances would never wish for that.
Therefore, Yellowstone National Park was currently occupied by Kenneth.
…In a rather absurd manner.
