Spoiler alert for JARS Chapter 40 and beyond.
January 27, 1639 Central Calendar (2018 AD)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Qua-Toyne Principality
"Yagou! I heard that you will go as one of the mission delegation members to the newly emerging nation called Japan! So envious, I also want to go there too."
A young staff member was called out by one of his coworkers.
Dispatching diplomatic missions to other countries was a common occurrence in a world teeming with numerous nations. In this global landscape, the rise and fall of governments and the transformation of countries were almost everyday affairs, particularly for mid-sized nations. It was not unusual for even large countries to fragment into smaller states, underscoring the inherent instability and unpredictability of the global order. There were many lands where the public order often deteriorated when national policies underwent restructuring, and in some places, the living conditions were worse than even those in Qua-Toyne. It was a frequent scenario that high mortality rates led to a decline in sanitation, which could adversely affect the members of a diplomatic mission. In other words, to be a member of a diplomatic mission was a work that was detested by everyone.
However, Yagou had scanned the documents that had been distributed beforehand to the delegation members and it offhandedly described unbelievable information. A high-speed flying object that could fly at an altitude that is impossible to reach by a wyvern or a large ship 250 meters in length, each utilized a tremendous level of technological prowess. There was even a reminder, "Don't underestimate the unidentified country, by all means, don't be discourteous," that prudence was demanded in the current task.
"How unbelievable…" Yagou racked his brain, but amidst his thoughts, the Chief of Diplomatic Missions entered the conference room and ordered everyone to start the meeting.
…
The strange timetable already strongly suggested Yagou and the others to not apply their common sense to this new country, and as the day came, surprise after surprise continued to assault their exhausted minds even if (or maybe because of) the things that were explained to them about Japan were the basic knowledge. A city overflowed with huge buildings, then large covered roads suspended up in the air called the 'expressway,' and the large-scale transportation systems called railway. This country called Japan which could build such tremendous structures startled them. When hearing that the city they were in, Fukuoka, was not even Japan's capital, the delegation wished that there was a word that conveyed surprise greater than 'shocked.'
And don't get them started on the military, which these Japanese call the Self-Defense Forces, of which a mere fraction of their capabilities was shown at a showcase of their air power the day after the arrival.
"We absolutely must establish a friendly relation with Japan," concluded Hanki, a Qua-Toynian general who was temporarily transferred to the Foreign Affairs to accompany the delegation, in his diary.
…
February 7, 1639 Central Calendar (2018 AD)
Shin-Nikko Hotel, Fukuoka, Japan
Yagou woke up from his sleep feeling incredibly pleasant, as if he himself was sleeping on a bed belonging to royalty. Once again, just this establishment which was a stark contrast to the lodgings he was used to back in his homeland left him paralyzed due to the sheer grandeur of it. While still getting used to everything, Yagou and the other Qua-Toynian delegations started today's itinerary by having breakfast.
Having his tastebuds tantalized by the appearance of the dishes that had been arranged in front of him, Yagou immediately reached for his fork and helped himself amidst the excited chatter that occasionally flew from the other Qua-Toynian delegation members.
"I think I just had the best sleep in my entire life last night," Hanki, to whom Yagou had quickly become a close acquaintance, commented good-naturedly from beside him as he savored his own morning meal.
Yagou hummed in agreement and nodded with a smile, his attention still on his plate. Indeed, with an affluent interior that seemingly controlled to stay warm by unknown means and the comfortable bed itself, one might feel to wanting to sleep in there forever. He might be exaggerating things, but this hotel's bed was just that comfortable. Meanwhile, Hanki continued to speak.
"Today… we are going to see Japan's capital in earnest, if a provincial city like this Fukuoka looks so magnificent, I wonder what kind of—!"
Alarmed by the strange interruption in his words, Yagou turned to look at Hanki, his eyes widening as he beheld the older man began to clutch his chest with pain, wildly thrashing with immense pain clearly etched on his face. When it reached the point of knocking over the neatly arranged plates and cutlery on the dining table, one didn't need to be told that something really, really wrong was happening.
"Sir Hanki, what is wr—GRK!"
It was at that moment, that Yagou felt it.
His chest felt like it was being struck by a hundred arrows. Bringing his hand to clutch it in reflex, Yagou's peripheral vision also witnessed in horror that the other Qua-Toynian delegates started to fall off their chairs in pain of something that struck them. It was a scene of chaos, where the others at the dining table seemed to fall victim to the same mysterious affliction.
In a matter of moments, however, their struggles ceased, and the bodies of Qua-Toynian delegates lay lifeless on the floor with painful expressions of horror accompanying their last moments.
…
Naturally, Japanese hotel staff in their immaculate uniforms rushed to the scene to see what had happened. They had expected to find their foreign guests enjoying their specially prepared breakfast, but instead, they were met with a gruesome sight. While some were ordered to call for medical assistance and security, some were dispatched to check on the guests as they tried to comprehend the situation.
A staff member approached Yagou who was lying on the floor with his hand still clutching his chest. He knelt down beside him and checked for a pulse, but it was clear that Yagou, like the others as they will soon find out, had already passed away.
"Kami-sama…" he muttered in dread, stumbling back in shock.
Whatever had claimed the lives of the Qua-Toynian delegates was beyond the scope of the hotel staff to handle. With that realization, the local authorities and the Japanese government would need to be notified at once.
The fact that the subsequent investigation revealed that there were no traces of poison whatsoever in the food they consumed only further exacerbated the chaos and confusion among the Japanese side, and then there was the question of what repercussions this mysterious incident might have on the first contact between their nation and Qua-Toyne.
Amatsu-Mikaboshi could never erase the haunting echoes of the Linto people's dying moments, when the flame of their existence was mercilessly crushed by the Yamut invaders sweeping in from the southern horizon. Their desperate cries resonated deep within the Star God's essence, ensnaring him in a heart-wrenching dilemma. He did nothing, however, as he was bound by the law that dictates that no deity should ever directly intervene in the affairs of the mortal realm, leaving him powerless to offer salvation to the Linto, the only people who loved him and thus loved by him in return.
Thus, burdened by the crushing self-loathing due to his powerlessness-induced inaction, Amatsu-Mikaboshi chose to depart from this world, his form soaring into the darkness that resides between the stars. He sought refuge amidst the cosmos, yearning for solace to mend his tormented existence.
Time passed, and the self-made wanderer chanced upon Earth once more. But to his fury, he witnessed a grievous breach of the very law of non-interference that used to keep him at bay from giving his people help. Amaterasu, the purportedly radiant and benevolent Sun Goddess and the Yamut's patron deity, had cast the nation of Mu into another world solely because she and a number of others viewed its existence as offensive. And worse, the consequence of doing so was instead fallen on other gods and souls in the afterlife that were presented as sacrifices to ensure their survival despite their heinous deeds, including the Linto.
This is no longer merely breaking the non-interference law; it's outright pissing on it!
The Star God's divine rage ignited like a star gone supernova. He confronted Amaterasu, demanding answers and justice. But Amaterasu, a master of manipulation more cunning than he expected, swiftly turned the tide. She rallied other gods in an intricate web of deceit and convinced them that Amatsu-Mikaboshi was the true threat. Outnumbered, outmatched, and with his name tarnished, the Star God was consumed by a grudge that burned brighter than a thousand suns, but realized that he had no choice but to leave once more. With a heavy heart and a mind clouded by vengeance, Amatsu-Mikaboshi disappeared into the cosmos once again. The universe itself bore witness to his departure, a god driven to the edges of existence, leaving behind a world embroiled in sinister intentions, and a deep-seated animosity that would linger for eternity.
In the boundless expanse of the universe, there was a moment that could change everything. A moment when the tides of fate might have shifted in a different direction. If only the Star God had chosen a slightly different path, if he had veered ever so slightly from his trajectory, he would have come across a suffering existence in desperate need of salvation.
Astarte, the Goddess of Fertility and the Blessed Mother of the Elven Race from a certain world, was ensnared in the cruel machinations of fate. She had a heart filled with compassion, but her innocence had been taken advantage of by malevolent beings and now her once radiant form was dimming with each passing moment. Had Amatsu-Mikaboshi taken that detour, he would have stumbled upon Astarte's plight. He would have seen the injustice that had befallen her and understood the extent of the Civilization Annihilation Game's corrupt reign over the mortals' fates, and the true root of Amaterasu's breach of the rule. In the ensuing fight to rescue her, Amatsu-Mikaboshi would have not only gained a kindred spirit, but also his lost heart.
However, in this scenario, that fateful encounter never occurred. The incomplete Amatsu-Mikaboshi remained on his solitary path, neither tempered by compassion and heart, and his zeal to avenge the Linto ironically strayed him away from a righteous path. Astarte's suffering continued unabated, and her existence was eventually drained to nothingness. The universe, indifferent to their individual struggles, bore witness to their separate fates.
And it just so happened that when Amatsu-Mikaboshi was beginning to find a home in a certain world that had almost forgotten their gods, the legacy of Shamash appeared before his gaze, thus igniting the embers of his grudge once again.
Meanwhile, the Civilization Annihilation Game was watching his handiwork with interest as Amatsu-Mikaboshi's curse started to plague Shamash's chosen "protagonist" for the Game's current season. Maybe there are some entertainment values that they can gain by allying with this entity, even if it means that Shamash must die.
日本国召喚 | 呪怨
What if…
The [R] in JARS stands for "Revenge" instead of "Reincarnation"?
Civilization Annihilation Game Rule
It doesn't matter what kind of entity; it doesn't matter if the esteemed Gamers, Sponsors, and Audiences want to choose a small nation, a superpower, a hyperpower, or even a galactic-spanning empire, the mortal world is a playground for you to toy with to your heart's content. Any notion of giving care for the sake of their 'happiness' is laughable.
Now, let's vote for the next entity you want to see as the next Game's circus animals, and let them all suffer under our will.
Sincerely
Game Production Manager
JARS Rule
If there is a deity who understand the suffering of their mortals and loves them unconditionally, may their desire for their happiness awaken the power to rule over time itself. Furthermore, gathering allies who share such strong wishes will help create an ideal world.