Zongman I fight weirdness in everyday world

"Alright, in that case, I'll let you all see the true power of the God of the Harem!"

Yukino Yukinoshita looked at Rio Futaba, unable to resist a slight smile, and said softly.

"As expected, Rio, you understand this guy's personality very well."

"What do I understand?"

Rio Futaba put down her coffee cup, sighed slightly, and said with a helpless expression.

"Do you really think this guy doesn't want to help? Takanashi-san is so cute, and her sister Toka is also a beauty. Tell me, the Yozora we know, would he really hesitate when he encounters such a thing?"

"He's just deliberately pretending to be unwilling, wanting us to coax him into going, and then if something 'accidentally' happens with Takanashi-san or Takanashi Toka in the process, he can use this reason as a shield."

"Right? Great God of the Harem? Hmm?"

Chapter 581: The Phantom Thieves Who Steal Sadness and Regret

"Even if you see through my thoughts, you won't get a reward."

Hearing Rio Futaba's psychological analysis of him, which was as precise as a clinical surgery, Yozora neither denied nor admitted it, but vaguely glossed it over and immediately activated the skill—Topic Diversion大法 (Great Art of Topic Diversion).

"After all, even if I appear in front of Takanashi-san as 'Phantom,' it will only make her determination to find the 'Invisible Boundary Line' even stronger, right? This is contrary to Toka's request."

"Oh? Toka..."

A glint flashed in Rio Futaba's eyes beneath her glasses, and she said meaningfully.

"You have a little habit, which is that you always address people by their last names when the relationship isn't very close. Not Takanashi-san, but Toka... Interesting."

"Don't nitpick here. It's just because there are two Takanashis, so I have to distinguish the names."

After making this excuse, Yozora sat back by the window. Obviously, the so-called remarks about letting everyone see the power of the God of the Harem and personally going into battle to unravel Rikka Takanashi's knot were just joking with Rio Futaba.

"Actually... a situation like Takanashi-san's is indeed most suitable to be handed over to us, but it has nothing to do with our abilities."

"Nothing to do with abilities? What do you mean?"

The other members present were somewhat puzzled, but Yui Yuigahama looked at the smile on Yozora's face, and a faint ominous premonition suddenly arose in her heart, and she tentatively asked.

"You don't think... Toka-neechan gave us this request... because many members of our club... are..."

"That's right!"

Yozora gave Yui Yuigahama a thumbs up for her keenness, and said bluntly.

"First to appear is the president of the Supernatural Quantum Mechanics Research Society, a second-year student in Class A of Sobu High School, orphaned, with only one page in her family register, and no blood relatives, Kyoto Batman, Yozora!"

"Next, is Rio Futaba, a lonely girl living alone in a large apartment, with excellent living conditions, but unable to hide the emptiness in her heart!"

"Also, Yotsuya Miko, who lost her father just before entering high school, but endured this pain and heaviness, resolutely devoted herself to the exorcist career, and has golden pupils and the Yin-Yang eye to protect all the good in the world!"

"Although she has a father, and her father may still be alive, she has never seen him. Her mother is away from home all year round. Although she is not an orphan, she is better than an orphan. The piano genius, Touma Kazusa!"

"Orphaned, in order to maintain her younger brother's tuition and living expenses, she didn't even go to high school, secretly ran to McDonald's to work, and spent her days with hamburgers and fries, and almost became a sacrifice to the God, the tragic Weather Child, Amano Hina!"

"Her mother sacrificed her life to protect Itomori Town, and her father also left home. She can only rely on her grandmother Ichiyo with her young sister Yotsuba. Her monthly allowance is not even enough for afternoon tea in a better coffee shop in Kyoto, the impoverished shrine maiden from a remote mountain area, Miyamizu Mitsuha!"

"Suffering from severe heart disease, most of her childhood was spent in hospital wards, bearing the jest of fate, but with a mature mind and strong personality, Makinohara Shoko!"

"Suffering from congenital hearing impairment, abandoned by her own father, her mother alone supports the family's life, and is also shunned by the people around her, once in pain, feeling that the world seems to have lost its sound, and her life has lost its meaning, Nishimiya Shoko!"

"The most, most, most, most heavyweight contestant, because of her overly outstanding talent, she was envied by her father, Makise Shoichi, and was even almost killed by her own biological father, the genius scientific girl cursed by fate, Christina, Makise Kurisu is also here!"

Hearing the last sentence, Makise Kurisu sighed slightly speechlessly.

"No... If I had known there would be such a link today... I might as well have continued to work overtime in the laboratory... I only come here occasionally and I'm still being named..."

"Everyone, please think carefully."

Yozora scanned the members of the Hyperdimension Society present and slowly opened his mouth.

"The members of our club who have both parents alive and a happy family are in the minority! Even so, even if you all bear painful and unfortunate fates, you will still transform into the Phantom Thieves of Mom when night falls, and mete out iron-fisted sanctions against the evils of the world. Wouldn't Takanashi-san, as our fan, be moved and inspired when she hears this inspirational story?"

Rio Futaba: "...I feel like there are many things to complain about in this sentence, but it's just because there are too many points to complain about... I don't even know how to complain for a while..."

Yukino Yukinoshita sighed slightly, and said somewhat helplessly.

"To translate it into adult language, you want us to appear in front of Takanashi-san in our action forms, and then tell her our true identities, in order to encourage her to break away from the past and continue to move forward? It would be better to just say it directly, really."

"Actively exposing our true identities is nothing. Takanashi-san, as a supporter of 'Phantom,' will definitely not tell anyone. Even if she accidentally blurts it out, no one will believe it, but..."

Yui Yuigahama said worriedly.

"How should I put it? If we say it too bluntly, wouldn't it feel like we... oh no, you are using the act of telling your own suffering experiences to forcibly pull her out of the past, like a moral kidnapping? After all, no one stipulates that if someone in this world has experienced more tragic things than themselves, they are not qualified to feel sad... Persuading her by comparing tragedies... might have the opposite effect..."

Hearing this, the members of the Hyperdimension Society all nodded, thinking that Yui Yuigahama was indeed a master of emotional intelligence.

What she said seemed to be true.

Most of the Hyperdimension Society members have experienced tragic things. Rikka Takanashi's father's death is indeed not as tragic as those of several heavyweight Hyperdimension Society members, but the problem is... this is not a competition of tragedies.

You stood up again after a tragic experience. You are very strong and worthy of admiration. That's no problem, but you can't ask others to do the same, and you can't blame others for being weak because of this.

"It's really troublesome."

Touma Kazusa crossed her legs, her expression slightly impatient.

"The psychological problems of high school students are getting more and more serious now."

Everyone: "..."

It seems that your psychological problems, Touma Kazusa, were much more serious than those of Takanashi-san before you met Yozora, right?

At least she can still communicate and talk with the classmates in the class. You were fine, you just isolated the whole world alone.

"After all, if we could find the spirit of Takanashi-san's father and let the father and daughter meet, things would be much simpler..."

Hearing this, Makise Kurisu looked thoughtful, and a thought arose in her mind. She looked at Yozora, who was sitting by the window, and asked.

"If I remember correctly, you can replicate the abilities of the evil god Izanami, and then guide out the dark side of ordinary people's hearts, so as to create the so-called 'Palace,' right?"

Yozora nodded slightly: "Yes, there's no problem with that."

After receiving a positive answer, Makise Kurisu asked again.

"In the 'Palace,' there will be things related to the 'Palace' owner, right? Such as scenes, words, and... people."

"Huh?"

Hearing this, Rio Futaba had already roughly guessed what Makise Kurisu wanted to do, and frowned.

"Let's not talk about the evil spirits that appear inside the 'Palace,' all of which symbolize the dark side of the 'Palace' owner's heart. The most important thing is that the 'Palace' is a mental projection of humans in the real world, causing changes in the Reverse World, thus producing a phenomenon. Now that the Reverse World has disappeared, it's impossible for 'Palaces' to appear again."

"No, Kristina's plan might be possible to achieve."

Yozora restrained his usual frivolous and lazy tone, and analyzed earnestly and seriously.

"I've been feeling strange for some time. Clearly, the Milk Training is only effective for those with psychic abilities, but why are Umi, Natsumi, and Shoko, who are ordinary people, also able to have their physical fitness enhanced and their physical ailments healed? Has my ability changed... or is it that my ability itself has caused such a change?"

Rio Futaba thought for a few seconds after hearing this, before murmuring.

"You mean... because in your subconscious, you wanted Umi and Natsumi to have the power to protect themselves, and you wanted to heal Shoko's hearing impairment... so that power to turn fantasy into reality guided such a situation? This also means... even if the existence of the Reverse World has completely disappeared, and wild 'Palaces' will no longer appear, as long as you want to, you might still be able to guide ordinary people's hearts through Izanami and the End of All Things, even without the Reverse World, and turn them into 'Palaces'? If that's the case... Rimi's plan is indeed worth a try."

Yukino Yukinoshita took over the conversation and added.

"However, we must think of a way to ensure that in Takanashi-san's 'Palace,' an image of 'Father' composed of her memories and impressions will appear, and it cannot be a negative existence with aggressiveness like Kaguya. We have to ensure that we can have normal communication with Takanashi-san. Rimi, regarding this point, can you think of any way?"

"Hmm... I can try."

Kurisu Makise said while thinking.

"After she falls asleep, I, Maho-senpai, and Amadeus will monitor her brainwave fluctuations through professional instruments. I can't guarantee that the plan will be successful, but at least, we can ensure that there won't be any problems, such as causing damage to Rikka Takanashi's brain or mind. But in the end, the most crucial part of this plan depends on whether Yozora can successfully guide Rikka Takanashi's 'Palace' and make her feel that she should see her father somewhere in the 'Palace.'"

"Hmm... I have seen a movie with a similar theme."

Yozora showed a smile, stood up from the window, waved his hand, and said with full momentum.

"Then great, the Dream Thief Group, move out!"

Yui Yuigahama muttered in a low voice: "Aren't we the Phantom Thieves... why did we change our name again..."

"Oh right, then, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts move out, the target is..."

"To steal Rikka Takanashi's sadness, which is deeply hidden in her heart and disguised with chuunibyou!"

...

An hour later, inside that familiar high-end Western restaurant.

"I've brought out Rikka's notebook."

Toka Takanashi placed a thick notebook with a black cover on the table, looked at Yozora sitting opposite her, leisurely drinking iced Coca-Cola and eating the free filet mignon, and a rare look of worry appeared on her face, which was usually expressionless to the point of being on par with Miko Yotsuya.

"Will the plan you mentioned really not hurt Rikka?"

"Hard to say."

"What do you mean, hard to say?"

Seeing Toka Takanashi's frowning appearance, Yozora shrugged and explained in a relaxed tone.

"Takanashi-san is, after all, a serious chuunibyou, and if I guide out her 'Palace,' it's equivalent to temporarily turning the fantasy in her brain into reality. Although we have this diary recording her chuuni settings, no one can say what will happen when we infiltrate the 'Palace.' Besides..."

Yozora looked directly at Toka Takanashi's beautiful red eyes and slowly said.

"Forcing Rikka to break away from the fantasy of chuunibyou, isn't that itself a kind of harm?"

"I don't want her to break away from the fantasy of chuunibyou."

Whenever Rikka, her younger sister, is mentioned, Toka Takanashi seems to finally show her true self, with a hint of sadness in her eyes.

"If she likes to immerse herself in that kind of fantasy... I don't mind... but I... as her older sister, I just don't want her... to be immersed in that pain that caused her fantasy. It's been almost four years... Rikka needs to move on from that time."

"With your words, I'm relieved."

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"What I mean is..."

Yozora put down the iced Coca-Cola in his hand and replied with a smile.

"Takanashi-san actually won't be at any risk of getting hurt, but after the plan ends, her chuunibyou won't disappear, and her personality won't change in any way. After all, what we're doing isn't a real 'change of heart,' but just letting her have a very realistic dream, finding the 'Invisible Boundary Line' in the dream, and there, saying a final farewell to your two's father. In other words, after the farewell, she will most likely still be a chuunibyou."

"That... doesn't matter anymore."

Toka Takanashi shook her head.

"As long as Rikka doesn't get hurt and can move on from that pain, she can continue to be a chuunibyou if she wants to."

"That's right, that's what a good older sister is like."

"Even though you're just a high school student, you're acting like you're very mature."

Toka Takanashi replied unhappily, reaching out her hand to take away the empty plate of steak, but at this time, Yozora also reached out his hand, intending to take the black notebook placed on the table. The two's fingers accidentally touched.

"Sorry."

Toka Takanashi's expression remained unchanged, but the slight tremor in her beautiful red eyes still betrayed her true emotions. Even so, she didn't know why, but she didn't withdraw her hand. Instead, she moved closer, gently placing her slender white index finger on top of Yozora's index finger, and then said softly in a rare gentle tone.

"Thank you... for being willing to help me."

"You're welcome."

Yozora took the black notebook placed on the table, opened it, and read Rikka Takanashi's various imagined chuuni settings, and said with a chuckle.

"If it weren't because you're good-looking, have a good figure, and are a cook, so I can come and eat and drink for free anytime, I would definitely not help."

"I've said it so many times, I'm not a cook, I'm a head chef."

"Oh, I see, which means you can't chop vegetables."

Toka Takanashi: "... Spit out the filet mignon I just made, and all the dishes I made for you before..."

Yozora didn't panic at all when he heard this. He was still looking down at the notebook, but said in a meaningful tone with a hint of a smile.

"Oh? So, every time I come to eat, you personally make the dishes I order? If I remember correctly, Western head chefs usually don't need to cook themselves. They are mainly responsible for tasting dishes, supervising, and developing new dishes, right? That's strange."

Toka Takanashi's face couldn't help but turn slightly red when she heard this. Seeing that Yozora was looking down at the notebook, she thought that he shouldn't be paying attention to her expression now, and after secretly breathing a sigh of relief, she replied in a flat tone.

"Are high school students nowadays already able to praise their older sister for being good-looking, having a good figure, and making this kind of ambiguous joke to her face? It seems that I'm really outdated."

"I'm not an ordinary high school student. If you take me as the standard for ordinary high school students, you would be very wrong."

"That's true. If every male high school student was like you, this world would become abstract."

"Speaking of which, what I just said wasn't a joke. I was just stating a simple fact. You feel it's ambiguous because your behavior itself is ambiguous, and you yourself said it's ambiguous, which means you know this behavior is ambiguous, but you still did it. What does that mean?"