Zongman I fight weirdness in everyday world

“You've fallen for it again. He must be busy with something lately. The fact that he's called us together for a meeting tonight means he's made progress. He's just waiting for us to take the bait, so he can first let us criticize him, and then turn the tables, watching our expressions of regret and guilt for wrongly accusing him, satisfying his twisted desires, right?”

“Hey, Senior Mai, look at what you're saying.”

Yexing waved his hand and chuckled.

“Can't I just be calling you over for a simple orgy?”

“You're saying something outrageous again…”

Sakurajima Mai glared at Yexing with feigned anger, and pointed to Yukino beside her.

“If you were really thinking about something lewd, you wouldn't have called Yukinoshita-san over, right?”

Yukinoshita Yukino: “……”

She didn't know what an orgy meant, but seeing Yui Yuigahama and the others' embarrassed and angry reactions, she could roughly guess it wasn't a good thing.

She wouldn't be invited to participate… which was clearly good news.

But why did she feel like Senior Mai was mocking her?

“Then let me report to you on the progress of my recent activities.”

Hearing Yexing's words, Yui Yuigahama, Yukino Yukinoshita, Mai Sakurajima, Rio Futaba, Miko Yotsuya, and Shoko Makinohara, who hadn't spoken, all looked serious, holding their breath in anticipation of the main topic.

Who knew that what he said next would leave them all dumbfounded.

“I formed a band. Setsuna Ogiso is the lead singer, Kazusa Touma is the bassist, and I'm in charge of sending the audience off pleasantly when we perform.”

Before Yui Yuigahama and the others could react, Yexing exclaimed in surprise.

“Oh? A triple tail-press without realizing it? As expected of me, so talented.”

Amidst the speechless expressions of the girls, Rio Futaba noticed the details.

“Are you trying to guide Touma-san to awaken her soul manifestation ability?”

“That's right.”

“Okay.”

Rio Futaba didn't say much about it.

Among the members present, the one with the best relationship with Kazusa Touma… well, not the best, but the most familiar, was Yukino Yukinoshita, who was both a rival and a friend, disliking each other but secretly cooperating.

However, although the relationship was average, not even familiar, anyone in the club would give the exact same answer to the question of whether Kazusa Touma was trustworthy.

She could be trusted without reservation, and she wouldn't abuse her soul manifestation ability after becoming a spirit user, nor would she rashly reveal her special abilities.

A very suitable candidate.

“Also, I've resolved Menma's issue. She's regained the missing part of her soul and has grown into a young woman.”

“She had a good friend in life named Naruko Anjo, who also seems to have the potential to be a spirit user.”

Before Yexing left that mountain, he noticed a detail.

The evil mountain god had been killed by him, and its unique domain had dissipated.

Logically, Naruko Anjo, who was just an ordinary person, shouldn't be able to see Menma anymore, but the opposite was true.

As for the reason…

A small part of Naruko Anjo's soul had been in the evil mountain god's domain for more than five years, and it had probably been tainted with some spiritual power.

At the very least, she could now “observe” like Miko Yotsuya before.

Of course, none of this was the most important thing.

What is the most important quality of a professional exorcist?

It is the courage to overcome inner fear, face terrifying spirits, and still dare to resist.

From this point of view, Naruko Anjo, who returned to that mountain to revive her childhood friend Menma, fully meets the standard.

She is a new harem waiting to be developed… a new spirit user candidate.

“Also, Yukaigawa Hana also has the qualifications to become a spirit user. Plus, she's also good friends with Menma and has known about our club for a long time, but she's never mentioned it to anyone. She's trustworthy and can also be considered as one of the new member candidates.”

“Oh right, have you heard about the Kuchisake-onna legend in Kyoto lately?”

Hearing Yexing's question, the girls all nodded. Rio Futaba pushed up her glasses, her expression somewhat heavy.

“Yeah… Chief Yagami has already issued an announcement in the name of the Metropolitan Police Department. This matter has indeed caused a lot of buzz, but I personally believe that the culprit is not the real Kuchisake-onna, perhaps it's a human imitating the Kuchisake-onna.”

“Of course, the real identity of the culprit is not important. What's important is that we must stop the so-called Kuchisake-onna as soon as possible, otherwise, in the Reverse World, a Kuchisake-onna spirit will be born, formed by the negative emotions of the people…”

Before Rio Futaba could finish speaking, Yexing interrupted.

“Alright, stop analyzing. There's no Kuchisake-onna. That announcement issued by Chief Yagami is fake. It's just an experiment I conducted.”

“Experiment?”

Rio Futaba frowned slightly upon hearing this.

“Then what's the purpose?”

“Of course, it's to recruit new members.”

Listening to Yexing's nonchalant tone and seeing the relaxed expression on his face, the girls present were stunned for a moment, then their expressions changed.

“The new member you're talking about… couldn't it be… the Kuchisake-onna in the Reverse World?”

“What else could it be?”

“You…”

Looking at the complex expressions on Yui Yuigahama and the others' faces, Yexing said indifferently.

“It doesn't matter. If she can have the awareness like Hachishaku-sama, a good bird chooses a tree to perch on, and a good minister chooses a master to serve, that would naturally be the best.”

“If she's unwilling to submit, it doesn't matter. At worst, I'll just eat her, and take you guys on a sweep of the Reverse World to gain some combat experience.”

Speaking of this, Yexing paused for a moment, and smiled as if he was looking forward to it.

“Of course, I hope she chooses not to join. I really want to taste it…”

Looking at Ye Xing's appearance, Rio Futaba was speechless, secretly complaining in her heart.

Are you sure you're really trying to recruit new members by using Director Yagami's help to create the Slit-Mouthed Woman?

Why do I feel like you're just being greedy?

"So, when are we going?"

"Let's go on Sunday. With Tamamo-no-Mae watching, that Slit-Mouthed Woman won't be able to run anywhere."

Listening to the conversation, Hachishaku-sama, who was originally curled up in the corner, sipping milk, suddenly revealed a look of excitement and joy in her eyes.

New ghosts are coming?

A Slit-Mouthed Woman?

Doesn't that mean... I'm about to get promoted?

And I'll have a buddy who speaks the same language.

Most importantly...

I can drink the boss's milk together!

This makes Hachishaku-sama so happy.

But happiness aside, Hachishaku-sama also feels a bit heavy-hearted.

Times have changed.

What was the state of the Overlimit Club when she joined?

Ye Xing, Rio Futaba, and Yotsuya Miko, only three people in total, one of whom didn't know the truth and thought they were adding settings to a chuunibyou fantasy world, Rio Futaba.

And one who could see evil spirits and ghosts but had no abilities, and even after awakening her spiritual power, couldn't last even a minute under Hachishaku-sama's hand when they first met, Yotsuya Miko.

At that time, the Overlimit Club could be said to be eager for talent, plus Hachishaku herself had the special nature of merging with the "Gate," so she "voluntarily" signed the contract and became a contract worker.

What about now?

Yotsuya Miko, Yuigahama Yui, Sakurajima Mai, Rio Futaba, Amano Hina, and Yagami Light in Tokyo.

And these are just the human members.

There's also the golden goat head of the shrine, the guardian deity of Itomori Town, the Slaughtering Oni who was robbed of food by Ye Xing and had no choice but to leave his hometown, and Hachishaku-sama herself.

With this lineup, even without counting Ye Xing, how luxurious is this!?

A mere Slit-Mouthed Woman, even if Hachishaku-sama assumes that her power at birth was stronger than her own when she merged with the "Gate," she would only be a patrol guard in the current Overlimit Club, not to mention drinking milk, probably wouldn't even have a salary.

If she was as foul-mouthed as I was back then, would the boss be able to tolerate it?

Wouldn't he just swallow the Slit-Mouthed Woman whole?

Hachishaku-sama is really eager for a promotion.

At this moment, she made a decision.

I have to think of a way to ensure that the Slit-Mouthed Woman joins the Overlimit Club, instead of becoming food.

"Regarding the situation on your side, is there any progress?"

Sakurajima Mai looked helpless, thinking that she had guessed correctly.

Ye Xing was just pretending to be slacking off, but actually secretly did so many things, waiting for the members to be unable to bear it anymore, criticize him, and then make a counterattack.

What a twisted taste...

"Yukinoshita-san, please introduce the situation of Kaguya Shinomiya."

"Okay."

Yukinoshita Yukino nodded, flicking her long black hair behind her ear.

"Based on the communication during this period, we initially judged that the reason why Kaguya Shinomiya suffered from puberty syndrome is the same as Mai-senpai, both coming from inner conflicts."

"Compared to Mai-senpai's rejection of her former idol actress identity, Kaguya Shinomiya also has a similar identity recognition crisis, but the situation is different."

"She herself may not even realize that after that joint exam ended, two completely different ideas arose in her heart."

"The first is that as the eldest daughter of the Shinomiya Group, she must be more outstanding than anyone else."

"The second is the stimulation brought by failure."

"If it were only this, it wouldn't be so strong as to trigger puberty syndrome."

Speaking of this, Yukinoshita Yukino paused, looked at Ye Xing, who was sitting there looking like it was none of his business, and sighed slightly.

"Fortunately, our most respectable club leader not only defeated Kaguya Shinomiya in the joint exam, but it was also a crushing defeat where the difference in strength was so great that she felt powerless and desperate."

"Thus, Kaguya Shinomiya, as the eldest daughter of the Shinomiya Group, who had always accepted the idea that she must be more outstanding than anyone else, and the fact that no matter how hard she tried, she could not defeat Ye Xing, created a strong conflict, which then triggered puberty syndrome."

Rio Futaba took over the topic and stated the final conclusion.

"In summary, there are only two solutions."

"The first is to let Kaguya Shinomiya win against Ye Xing once, and it has to be a victory where she sincerely believes that Ye Xing didn't hold back and fought with all his strength before finally losing."

Ye Xing was about to speak, but saw Rio Futaba waving her hand helplessly.

"I know that the success rate of this plan is too low. After all, your performance in that joint exam was too shocking. Even if Kaguya Shinomiya puts in more effort, she can't surpass the strength you had already shown at that time, so this plan is a pass."

"Then, there's only one left."

Rio Futaba picked up her coffee cup, took a sip, and then slowly said.

"Let Kaguya Shinomiya change her deeply rooted concept, let her accept the idea that it's okay even if she loses."

"Oh."

Ye Xing nodded.

"Then good luck to you guys, I really can't leave here."

"Didn't expect you to help anyway."

Rio Futaba rolled her eyes.

"Don't stimulate Kaguya Shinomiya again after seeing you, or she'll go from split personality to having doppelgangers, that'll be the end."

"Little Futaba, originally, you were supposed to have doppelgangers."