Zongman I fight weirdness in everyday world

Yozora looked at the members present and smiled.

"So, the destination for our trip is set for Tokyo. Everyone in the Hyperdimension Neptunia Club should try to participate as much as possible. Saki, you'll be in charge of contacting Kitagawa-san, and Yui, you'll be in charge of Yuki no Shita-san."

"OK."

"That's it for today, everyone is dismissed. Futaba, Miko, Yui, Mai, Menma, the five of you come with me, and the rest of you are free to do as you please."

......

Meanwhile, at Yukino Shita Yukino's house.

"And this too... needs to be put up."

Yukino Shita Yukino stood in the living room, muttering to herself.

On the wall in front of her, there were dozens of printed documents densely packed together.

Some were reports from online self-media, while others were official announcements from the Metropolitan Police Department.

Arranged in chronological order.

《Kyoto City Crime Rate Rises Sharply! Heinous Incidents Occur Frequently!》

《Superintendent General Yagami Soichiro of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Metropolitan Police Department Issues Announcement, Advising Kyoto Citizens to Reduce Nighttime Outings and Try to Avoid Appearing in Secluded Areas.》

《Major Case that Shook the Sakura Province! Gun-wielding Hostage Crisis at Kyoto Municipal Kindergarten!》

《A Miracle Occurs! Not a Single Teacher or Student Injured in the Kindergarten, All Kidnappers Shot Dead on the Spot! No Damage Except for the Collapse of the Building Due to the Explosion!》

《Kyoto Municipal Museum Invaded by Unidentified Individuals, Metropolitan Police Department Acts Swiftly and Responds in a Timely Manner, National Treasures Including Onimaru Kunitsuna are Safe and Sound!》

《Bloody Scene of Violent Gangs! Righteous Two Heroes, or Gang Feud!?》

《Interview with Person Involved in Train Suspension, Gun-wielding Man in Black Appearing in Tunnel? Savior Hero, or Culprit of Train Malfunction?》

《"Mask" is More Than Just a Legend! In-depth Analysis of Kyoto Television's Live Broadcast Footage, Dark Hero VS Serial Killer's Rainy Night Battle!》

......

These news reports were all collected and organized by Yuki no Shita Yukino.

For the past week, she hadn't even left the house except to go to the convenience store, and had devoted herself entirely to it.

"The rise in the crime rate..."

Yuki no Shita Yukino circled the first news article and Yagami Soichiro's announcement, then looked at the report on the Kyoto Municipal Kindergarten incident, muttering to herself.

"Holding a kindergarten hostage with a gun, such insane behavior... doesn't make sense."

"If 'Mask' is involved in all of these strange incidents..."

"This guy's logic, overall, leans towards justice... Chaotic good?"

Yuki no Shita Yukino analyzed in her mind, and she also noticed something.

According to rumors on the internet, only "Mask" appeared in the Kyoto Municipal Kindergarten incident.

By the time of the violent gang incident, witnesses at the scene said that in addition to "Mask", there was also a mysterious person of similar height, around 1.8 meters, wearing ornate white clothing.

And in the recent sunny doll killer incident, there were a total of four people appearing in the live broadcast footage, not including the person in the ornate white clothing.

Leaving aside the possibility of changing costumes and freely adjusting height for disguise.

Judging by normal logic, "Mask" has at least four confirmed assistants.

Yuki no Shita Yukino had a vague feeling.

As time goes on, the number of capable assistants around him is gradually increasing.

But...

Is "Mask's" purpose to combat criminals in Kyoto, or to fight some unknown culprit that is causing the rise in Kyoto's crime rate?

Even Yuki no Shita Yukino couldn't deduce the other party's motives based solely on online rumors and a few words in news reports.

However...

Yuki no Shita Yukino looked to the side, at the three news reports that she had placed separately.

《Accident-Prone Construction Site? Cursed Chiba Prefecture Construction Company?》

《Yuki no Shita Construction Company Contracts Office Building Project, Resuming Construction, First Step Out of Chiba Prefecture!》

《Major Event Shakes Sakura Province! Promotion by Former National Idol Actress Sakurajima Mai? Yuki no Shita Company's Deep Connections!》

Yuki no Shita Yukino's gaze carefully observed these three news reports.

The content of these three news reports had absolutely no connection to "Mask".

But if Yozora was involved in these things in some unknown way, the doubts that Yukino had always had in her heart would be answered.

Why he knew her older sister, Haruno, how he got in touch with the older Sakurajima Mai, and why Sakurajima Mai, who had been retired from the entertainment industry for so long, would suddenly come out to promote Yuki no Shita Company's completion site.

Everything was connected.

Just then, Yuki no Shita Yukino's phone rang.

She answered the phone and spoke in her usual calm tone.

"Hello."

"What do you mean, 'Hello'..."

Yui Yuigahama on the other end of the phone chuckled.

"Yukino-chan, you have my phone number saved, why are you being so polite like you don't recognize me?"

"It's basic etiquette."

"Geez, you're always like this, huh."

After complaining, Yui Yuigahama smiled and said.

"Hey, we just decided to take advantage of the summer vacation and go on a trip to Tokyo with everyone in the club. Umi-chan has already agreed, you're the only one left, wanna come? Please, please."

"I'm..."

Yukino Shita Yukino never had much interest in such so-called group activities.

Just as she was about to say half a word of refusal, she glanced at the various news reports she had collected during this time, and after a few seconds of silence, she said softly.

"Okay."

"Eh? Really? That's great!"

Yui Yuigahama smiled sweetly.

"I'll call you when the specific time is set, that's it, bye-bye."

"Yeah, bye-bye."

After hanging up the phone, Yuki no Shita Yukino looked at the news reports on the wall, muttering to herself.

"A relationship without any falsehoods... Only within the Hyperdimension Neptunia Club... does it exist...?"

......

An hour later, Shopping Street.

"Old man, I'm back again."

Hearing this familiar voice, Oda Noto raised his head, looked at Yozora walking in with a carefree attitude, as well as Sakurajima Mai, Futaba Rio, Yotsuya Miko, and Yuigahama Yui following behind him, and couldn't help but shake his head helplessly.

"You're all here? Don't tell me you're here to hold a tea party?"

Yuigahama Yui waved her hand and smiled apologetically.

"Um... Sorry to bother you again, I'm really sorry."

"Eh, it's nothing, it's nothing."

Oda Noto waved his hand and returned with a smile.

"What would you like to drink, tea? Or a beverage?"

"Plain water is fine."

"Alright, I'll pour it for you."

Everyone here was quite familiar with Oda Noto.

Although Yuigahama Yui had only recently awakened her spiritual power, in the early days of the Hyperdimension Neptunia Club, she also worked part-time, comparing the requests within the school with the exorcism requests at Oda Noto's place, finding the area with the greatest possibility of a real paranormal event, and then handing it over to Yotsuya Miko to handle.

That is, the so-called information screening, so naturally she was no stranger to Oda Noto.

"You're here again."

Hearing the commotion outside, Granny Kyōmu, who was originally resting inside, also came out.

Yozora revealed a meaningful smile.

"Ho ho, are you two living together now? Golden years?"

"You brat, don't talk nonsense."

Granny Kyōmu rolled her eyes and said unhappily, then paused for a moment, her gaze turning to the four girls standing behind Yozora.

"You four..."

Granny Kyōmu took out a stack of tarot cards from her bosom, arranged them into a fan shape with extremely practiced movements, and said in a deep voice.

"You four, each draw one."

Sakurajima Mai and the others looked at each other, and finally Yotsuya Miko stepped forward first, carefully drawing a tarot card.

"Strength."

Granny Kyōmu stared at Yotsuya Miko's golden pupils with a thoughtful look, and slowly said.

"From you, I sense courage, bold decisions, a firm will."

"And also, the courage to overcome the fear in your heart, no longer being timid and hesitant."

"The transformation from the reversed Strength to the upright."

Hearing Granny Kyōmu's analysis, Yotsuya Miko was surprised.

"You... You're right."

Yozora couldn't help but nod his head in admiration.

"Ho, you have this skill?"

The reversed Strength represents the fear and cowardice in one's heart, corresponding to Yotsuya Miko's situation before awakening her spiritual power, when she could only pretend not to see the terrifying evil spirits every day.

But now she corresponds to the upright Strength card, and is the one among all the members who is most determined to eliminate the bizarre, and also has the most courage to face the evil spirits in battle.

"Eh? Is it that accurate?"

Futaba Rio maintained a calm appearance, but as a girl, she was naturally still a little curious about tarot card divination.

Seeing that Granny Kyōmu really had some ability, she couldn't help but step forward and draw a tarot card, spreading it out on the table.

"The High Priestess."

Granny Kyōmu stared at Futaba Rio's face and slowly said.

"From you, I sense the torment of self-esteem represented by the reversed High Priestess, a biased judgment of oneself."

"But now, you have used some kind of opportunity to transform this card from the reversed to the upright, representing..."

"Deep thinking, keen insight, and the realization of one's true potential."

The third to draw a tarot card was Sakurajima Mai.

Whether it was a coincidence or an arrangement of fate.

The order in which the members drew the tarot cards was completely consistent with the order in which they joined the Hyperdimension Neptunia Club.

"The Empress."

"The reversed, an unsolvable predicament, a conflict with family, a predicament where no solution can be found."

"Similarly, now you have overcome all of this, transforming the reversed Empress into the upright success, harvest."

When it was Yuigahama Yui's turn to draw a card, she seemed a little nervous, taking a few deep breaths first before carefully drawing a tarot card.