Chapter 141: The Gathering of the Tomies—Anomaly Outbreak!

Lately, her little sister had been acting strange.

Yukinoshita Haruno was an extreme siscon.No matter what, she wanted to protect her sister, Yukino.To the point that Haruno's control over Yukino sometimes went too far.Whether it was her sister's social relationships or academic matters, Haruno wanted to be involved, ensuring everything went smoothly.This intense need for control made Yukino rebellious during her adolescence.Haruno was aware that being overly controlling wasn't good.But… she just couldn't help it.Lately, however, Haruno had been deeply troubled.Her sister had become mysterious.Before, no matter what Yukino did, Haruno could easily dig up every last detail.But now, she was hitting a wall.The problem seemed to have started not long after Yukino entered Sobu High.Her sister would periodically disappear, and no matter how much Haruno investigated, she couldn't find any traces.Then, not long after, Yukino suddenly requested a school transfer to Shuchiin Academy.As a siscon, Haruno understood her sister's personality very well.When Yukino first entered high school, she should have attended an elite school like Shuchiin, which aligned better with the Yukinoshita family's status.But Yukino had her own sense of justice.As someone who firmly believed in her own ideals, she was socially inept and had no patience for the rules of high society or the aristocracy.So, when she decided to attend Sobu High instead, Haruno didn't oppose it.In fact, it was Haruno who convinced their mother to agree.Yet now, Yukino suddenly wanted to transfer to Shuchiin?Something was definitely wrong.Haruno, who had graduated from Sobu High herself, had deep-rooted connections there.But after investigating thoroughly, she still found no clear reason for Yukino's sudden transfer.This made her uneasy.And now, Yukino was showing an unusual level of aversion to the banquet.With all these anomalies piling up, Haruno was growing restless.Just then, as the three of them entered the venue, two young girls hurried toward them.Upon seeing the two, both Mrs. Yukinoshita and Haruno were surprised.The eldest daughter of the Shinomiya family?The Yukinoshita and Shinomiya families rarely interacted, having little to do with each other.Neither Haruno nor her mother could recall having a close enough relationship with the Shinomiya heiress that she would come over to greet them.But Yukino, upon seeing the two approaching girls, had a sinking feeling.She recognized them.Since transferring to Shuchiin, she had naturally heard of Shinomiya Kaguya.And as for Hayasaka Ai, she had seen her before at the Foundation site. Both were C-class investigators, and they had crossed paths a few times.'They're not here for me, are they?!'Yukino's heart dropped.And just as she feared—Kaguya gave a slight bow to Mrs. Yukinoshita before smiling and saying,"Madam, I met Yukino at school, and we've become friends. I came to find her at the banquet."The moment those words left her mouth, Mrs. Yukinoshita was visibly surprised.Her younger daughter?If Kaguya had been referring to her eldest daughter, Haruno, Mrs. Yukinoshita wouldn't have been surprised in the slightest.But her younger daughter, Yukino?Haruno, too, widened her eyes in shock.Did something possess her sister?The completely unsociable Yukino… had somehow befriended the heiress of one of the Four Great Conglomerates?Meanwhile, Yukino felt like crying.Her heart was sinking rapidly."Well, well, that's great. You girls have fun."Mrs. Yukinoshita, after recovering from her surprise, waved them off before stepping aside to give her daughter and Kaguya some space.Even though she wasn't sure what was going on, her daughter making a friend—especially one like Kaguya—was definitely a good thing.Haruno also excused herself with a slight bow and walked off.But she didn't go far—she kept a close watch on the conversation from a distance.Yukino turned to Hayasaka Ai."There isn't an anomaly here, is there?"Clinging to the last shred of hope, Yukino asked for confirmation.But Hayasaka Ai shook her head without hesitation, crushing that hope completely. Yukino's face darkened, she was already numb to it.Honestly, her luck was just too terrible.Who else would stumble upon anomalies three times in a row?Hayasaka Ai pointed to the elevated platform in the distance where Shinomiya Tomie was seated, then handed her phone to Yukino.She gestured for her to read the investigation report on Tomie.Meanwhile, Kaguya watched from the side, growing increasingly puzzled.It was Hayasaka who had dragged her over to see Yukino.And now, after sending others away, the first thing Yukino asked about was whether there was an anomaly.Anomalies…The term was fitting for Tomie.But why did Hayasaka seem to have a personal connection with Yukino?And why did they both seem to know so much about anomalies?A faint suspicion arose in Kaguya's mind—Hayasaka was hiding something from her.And it had to do with "anomalies."As Yukino finished reading Tomie's investigation report, she was completely stunned.She had seen many anomalies at the Foundation.But Tomie… was beyond bizarre!Just a single glance at her could make men fall in love and women burn with jealousy, ultimately leading them to dismember her.Yet, after being dismembered, every severed piece of her body could regenerate into a new Tomie.Even the blood she shed on the ground or walls could spontaneously grow into another Tomie.This was absolutely insane!Seeing Yukino put down the phone, Hayasaka Ai wasted no time—she lowered her voice and asked:"Investigator Yukino, did you bring any Foundation-issued equipment?"The reason Hayasaka had sought out her fellow Foundation member was precisely to check if she was armed.Even though standard Foundation equipment wasn't as powerful as what Mobile Task Forces used, it was still far superior to conventional weaponry.Even a C-class investigator would be issued some gear.With Foundation equipment, containing Tomie would still be impossible, but at least they would have some means of resistance.Hearing this, Yukino shook her head.Hayasaka sighed, but she wasn't surprised.The Foundation's standard equipment for C-class investigators wasn't particularly compact or easy to conceal.And this was a high-society banquet in Japan—carrying any conspicuous weaponry was out of the question.Hayasaka herself hadn't brought anything for the same reason.Now, Yukino was starting to panic.More and more guests were arriving.If Tomie's anomaly triggered here…Hundreds—no, thousands—of lives could be snuffed out like paper.And if everyone here died…Japan itself could be thrown into utter chaos.The financial elite gathered here essentially controlled the country's economy. If they perished, it would trigger massive upheaval.Not to mention, her mother and sister were here too."We have to do something," Yukino said anxiously.Hayasaka shook her head."I've already contacted the Foundation. They should be mobilizing a containment team as we speak. Acting recklessly now will only alert the anomaly and cause it to trigger prematurely—that would be the worst outcome."Yukino frowned, wanting to argue.How could they just do nothing?Trusting everything to the Foundation?She had always been wary of the SCP Foundation.They erased people's memories by force, used human lives as test subjects (D-Class personnel), and acted as an authoritarian entity, wielding supernatural power without regard for human lives.She couldn't entrust her own life—and her family's—to such an organization.Noticing Yukino's unease, Hayasaka furrowed her brows."Following the Foundation's orders and cooperating is the most basic duty of an investigator. I had my doubts about the Foundation's legitimacy too at first. But in reality, they are far more just than you think."Yukino was momentarily stunned.And at that moment—The Suzuki Conglomerate and the Senzaemon Conglomerate both arrived.Much like the Shinomiya family's entrance…The first to step out of the luxurious central cars were not the heads of the families.But rather—flawless young girls.Suzuki Tomie.Senzaemon Tomie.These two girls were indistinguishable from the Tomie seated on the main platform. From their looks to their figures to their mannerisms, they were utterly identical. Even identical triplets wouldn't be this perfectly matched.As the remaining conglomerate families gathered—