Zongman I fight weirdness in everyday world

“I… I understand!”

“Very good.”

Seeing the determination in Eight-Shaku-sama's eyes gradually strengthen, Kunihiro Onimaru didn't say anything more. After all, as a sword, she didn't possess the skill of domain expansion herself. Besides reinforcing the other party's resolve, she couldn't offer any further effective assistance.

“Master…”

Kunihiro Onimaru gazed into the distance at Nightstar, who was battling the Weather God, a complex look in her eyes.

She knew that her master's approach to exorcism was primarily cautious.

Eight-Shaku-sama had the potential to master domain expansion, but it was impossible for Nightstar to place all his hopes for this battle on her.

There must be other backup plans.

What were they?

Kunihiro Onimaru didn't know and couldn't guess.

After all, she was just a sword.

…

Meanwhile, in Kyoto Prefectural Police Headquarters, in the office of the Criminal Investigation Department Director and Special Operations Team Leader.

“That’s strange.”

After sitting down, Souichirou Yagami pulled out a few tissues and wiped the wet parts of his suit. Listening to the sound of the heavy rain hitting the ground outside the window, he sighed helplessly and muttered to himself.

“This damn weather, it really changes whenever it wants, damn it.”

The first thing Souichirou Yagami did after sitting down was to turn on the computer in front of him.

Just as he was about to start working, a notification popped up in the lower right corner of the computer screen, indicating that a USB drive had been inserted.

“Hmm?”

Souichirou Yagami frowned. He remembered very clearly that this USB drive was not in the computer before he left work yesterday.

Hacker?

Probably not.

What kind of low-level hacker would insert a USB drive and then be exposed by the computer's notification?

That would be too stupid.

Besides, to insert a USB drive into his computer, it would either have to be an internal member of the police headquarters, or…

Thinking of this, Souichirou Yagami's heart sank. He immediately moved the mouse and clicked on the contents of the USB drive.

There was only one video file inside.

After double-clicking, the video started playing.

As Souichirou Yagami had guessed.

Appearing before his eyes was that familiar jet-black mask, and ringing in his ears was “Mask's” smiling voice.

“Director Yagami, hello.”

“By the time you see this video, I should already be fighting a god.”

Souichirou Yagami was immediately stunned by this opening.

Huh?

God?

What was “Mask” talking about? Was it some kind of metaphor?

But then he thought, since so-called evil spirits existed in this world, then the gods in legends, could they also…

Souichirou Yagami was stunned.

Damn it!?

You're serious!?

Killing evil spirits wasn't enough to satisfy you, kid?

You had to pick a god to mess with?

The words in the video didn't stop because of Souichirou Yagami's shock.

“If I'm not mistaken, Kyoto should be experiencing a once-in-a-century heavy rain right now.”

Souichirou Yagami was stunned again.

Good grief, did “Mask” also have the ability to predict the weather?

This was much more accurate than the weather forecast.

“Director Yagami, I need you to do something for me…”

…

Meanwhile, in the shopping district.

“No…”

Oda Noto looked at Yotsuya Miko, Futaba Rio, Yuigahama Yui, Sakurajima Mai, and Yukinoshita Haruno in front of her, noticing that they all had very serious expressions on their faces. She couldn't help but reveal a bitter, helpless smile.

“You guys suddenly want me to tell you which shrine in Kyoto is the oldest and related to the weather, early in the morning? I'm an exorcist, that's right, but I don't know things like that. Looking up information takes time, right?”

“No!”

Yuigahama Yui, the Supernatural Club's ambassador, who was usually gentle, sweet, and very polite, whom Oda Noto had a good impression of, was very anxious at this moment, and even her words began to become forceful.

“It has to be as soon as possible, preferably right now, or it will be too late!”

“Even if you say that…”

Just as Oda Noto looked embarrassed and didn't know what to do, Granny Kaede's voice came from the room behind the counter.

“Hmph, useless old thing.”

Granny Kaede lifted the curtain and slowly walked out, holding a map of Kyoto in her hand.

She looked at Yuigahama Yui and the others in front of her and slowly said.

“It's a very important matter, isn't it?”

“Yes, very important!”

“Alright.”

Granny Kaede unfolded the map in her hand and placed it on the counter. After taking a few deep breaths, her old, wrinkled finger slowly pointed to the location of one of the streets.

“It's probably this area. With your abilities, after arriving here, you should be able to sense the traces left by spiritual power.”

“Thank you, Granny!”

After saying thank you, Yuigahama Yui and the others hurriedly left, not stopping their footsteps at all, even in the heavy rain.

Granny Kaede looked at their backs. Although she had consumed a lot of spiritual power due to the divination, a hint of a smile couldn't help but appear on her slightly tired face.

“Old timer.”

“What?”

“Youth is good.”

…

Fifteen minutes later, inside Kyoto TV station.

“Thank you for your trouble, Director.”

A middle-aged man in a suit, hearing Souichirou Yagami's words, saw that he was still planning to bow to himself, quickly stepped forward two steps, held Souichirou Yagami's shoulders, and smiled kindly.

“Director Yagami, you are being too polite. You are helping us. The public speaking video of ‘Mask’ will definitely become a hot news item.”

Souichirou Yagami forced a smile.

“Well… but the content in this video may make you feel a little bizarre, and I can't guarantee its authenticity…”

“Hey, don't worry about that.”

The director of Kyoto TV station waved his hand and smiled.

“As the media, we are only responsible for conveying the content of ‘Mask’s’ speech to the public with an absolutely objective attitude, neither supporting nor opposing it. After all, he is also considered a public figure, and any behavior can become news. As for the truth of the content? That is a matter for the public to judge for themselves, and it has nothing to do with us.”

“Well… that’s true…”

Souichirou Yagami didn't like dealing with the media. After all, as the Criminal Investigation Department Director of the police headquarters, he had seen too many unscrupulous reporters.

Those who deliberately set traps with questions, those who put pressure on when the case investigation was in a bottleneck, and even those who secretly took photos of the scene and uploaded them to the Internet.

Of course, mainstream media like Kyoto TV station still couldn't do such despicable things.

During the period when the crime rate in Kyoto was rising sharply, that is, the period when Souichirou Yagami, as the Criminal Investigation Department Director, was under the greatest pressure, Kyoto TV station also fulfilled its media responsibilities and tried to appease the emotions of the citizens.

And this time…

Kyoto TV station's help was needed again.

Five minutes later.

“Next, we will broadcast an emergency news item.”

Due to the sudden heavy rain and inconvenient transportation, almost all residents of Kyoto were still staying at home at this time.

“We have received an anonymous express delivery. After inspection, it has been confirmed that it is a video recorded by someone suspected to be ‘Mask’.”

Kyoto TV station's statement was impeccable.

Why was “Mask’s” speech video in Souichirou Yagami's hands, and why was he the one to hand it over to them?

The director of the TV station wasn't stupid either, and could already guess that this Director Yagami had some kind of unknown connection with “Mask”.

But, was there any need to say it?

Putting aside the identity of the director…

He himself, like most people in Kyoto, was a supporter of “Mask”.

A hero hidden in the dark, cooperating with the director on the surface…

Just thinking about it made the middle-aged director's hidden chuunibyou spirit completely burn up.

“Hello everyone.”

The picture on the TV flickered, changing from the original live broadcast room scene to a pure black mask, and what came out was a smiling voice.

“I am ‘Mask’.”

Just hearing this familiar opening, those citizens who had watched the Sunny Doll Killer incident couldn't help but reveal a hint of a smile.

Although they didn't know what he looked like, and the voice was a little blurry and difficult to distinguish…

But this familiar tone, it seemed that it was indeed “Mask” himself.

“Next, I am going to tell everyone a story.”

“A story about a twisted being called a god who manipulates the weather, using the weather as a threat, wanting to make innocent girls into living sacrifices.”

“You can listen to it as a fictional story, but in fact, this is a real thing that is happening.”

…

Five minutes later, the video played to the end.

Of course, Nightstar didn't reveal the identity of Amano Hina, but simply told the legend of the Weather Maiden.

In the end, he only used the simplest sentence to end.

“As ‘Mask’, I am not a hero.”

“But, I will never compromise, and I will never give in.”

“The twisted being that threatens humanity with the weather, calling itself a god, must be completely eliminated.”

After the video ended, the picture switched back to the live broadcast room of Kyoto TV station.

The host didn't speak, seemingly giving the viewers in front of the TV time to think.

And in this silence, almost all viewers had the same thought at this moment.