Occultic;Nine

March 1st (Tuesday)

An unbelievable sight spreads in front of our eyes!

It's been about three or four hours since the first body's been found!

The scene is in an uproar with even more investigators!

The birds-eye view of Inokashira Lake is enveloped in a strange feeling of sorts!

Even now, in various places, bodies are being pulled out of the water by the investigators!

POLICE

There are many bodies that seem to be of women and children, as well!

There is no other way to put this than... a nightmare!

MITAKA CITY MASS SUICIDE 70 BODIES FOUND SO FAR IN INOKASHIRA PARK

Is it okay to show corpses?

I don't think so.

Sorry, I'm late!

But then, an emergency meeting from this early in the morning—

Huh?

Good morning.

Makabe, the meeting hasn't started yet?

Hey, Makabe...

MITAKA CITY MASS SUICIDE 70 BODIES FOUND SO FAR

Seventy?

We have new information!

According to the police report, the number of corpses found has passed 100 now!

Ascension...

There are quite a few corpses still sunk in the lake,

and the possibility that the total casualties will top 200 is said to be high!

The process of pulling them up is making slow progress,

and they have not yet been able to identify any of the bodies!

Look at that!

A power shovel is trying to pull something out of the water!

Idiots! Don't thrash about the scene any more than this!

A clue to figuring out the mystery of the crime might still be there!

Jeez...

What in the world happened?

Why are there so many corpses...

Editor-in-chief, is this an occultic phenomenon?

I saw it! I saw it with my own eyes!

I saw all the people going into the lake!

Please give us the details!

There aren't any details! They all went into the lake as if they were going on a walk!

It sure felt eerie, I tell you!

Editor-in-chief, is it too easy to think of this along the lines of mass hypnosis?

In any case...

this is a catastrophic situation!

Hey, Hirata! Take a few with you and go to Kichijoji!

S-Sure! Ishikawa, get the camera ready!

Got it!

Are we going to follow this story on Mumu?

We're not a gossip magazine. But we're still going to follow this story?

If we don't get moving, we can't figure anything out.

Should we go look for the woman who was giving her statement on the news?

Hey!

For now, Sumikaze... just go look!

- Sure! - Sure!

March 2nd (Wednesday)

On the 1st of this month,

concerning the case where a massive number of corpses were found from a lake

within Inokashira Park in Mitaka City, Tokyo,

the Musashino Police Station of the Metropolitan Police Department

finished searching for the bodies in the evening of the 2nd.

They announced that the final body count was 256.

They're going ahead right now with identification of the victims,

but only 34 have been identified to present.

The cause of death for most of the 256 is drowning,

Inokashira Park's body count to 256, cancelling investigation

and no bodies were found with external wounds.

Huh?

NEET God

No foul play? Are they saying this as a gag?

This announcement goes way out of left field!

The media is trying to guide public opinion into the mass hypnosis theory!

Ino-Ino-kashira, Inokashira!

What are they gonna do about this? There.

A mass suicide case in Inokashira Park...

It's not Inogashira, it's Inokashira!

This is the perfect case for Kiri Kiri Basara!

It's like telling us to make money off of affiliates!

It's not the god of stomachs, it's Inokashira!

I'm sure the number of site views will skyrocket with this!

I'm glad I live in Kichijoji.

From here, this is my turn... the turn of NEET God!

Twirl, twirl, twirl!

At this rate, I'll make enough to treat Ryo-tas to Woodbusters!

Wait, wait... Why are you watching from so far away?

I'm totally just turned off by all of it!

The manager aside, Ryo-tas and Myu-pom are both Basara Girls,

so you should help me out a bit more!

More like Gamo-senpai... You're totally full of energy again.

Right. Gamota not showing up at my place is something that's never happened before.

C-Can it be that y-you're worried about me?

Right. Well, I guess so.

The Myu-pom is worrying about me! I'm so glad I've been the NEET God!

But, Gamo-senpai...

I don't think it's good to poke fun about this case.

No, but, Kiri Kiri Basara has always taken this stance of operation until now.

B-Besides, don't you think it's strange?

I mean, on TV and on the internet, everyone is like occult this, occult that!

They're making a big deal! Isn't it a bit too unnatural?

I don't think you can help that, right? The occult is booming lately after all.

Inokashira Park's Mass Death Investigation to End

Besides, Gamota, you're a lot happier if the occult is booming, right?

Of course, but it's obvious that this is staged by the media and those above them!

Mass Drowning, Investigation to End

In other words, the government!

It's the same as the fashion industry!

Gamotan is very very spirited today, more than usual!

One and a half times? Twofold? Tenfold?

Hundredfold!

Fo-fo-fold!

In any case, you shouldn't believe in what everyone is saying

on the media and the internet.

Even I'm not planning on believing in curses or the doings of ghosts, but...

In the first place, they don't really understand how 256 people died off, right?

You weren't watching TV?

The lady that claimed to be the eyewitness was talking.

No, everyone is unconditionally taking her story hook, line and sinker a bit too much.

She can merely be someone that's using this opportunity to become famous, right?

So the mass hypnosis by a religious cult theory is bad, too?

Well, I think mass hypnosis is a well-balanced theory

that goes right in between the occult and reality.

You sound so lofty with every word.

You're cute in a gross way!

I am the NEET God!

Then, Gamo-senpai, what do you think is the truth behind this case?

I don't think it was mass hypnosis.

This is...

mass suicide!

What's different about that compared to mass hypnosis?

It just means there wasn't anyone who hypnotized any of them.

So-called conspiracy theories of that sort are, in reality, just fighting invisible enemies.

The logic behind that is just being scared of being cursed by ghosts.

Too many people are not realizing this.

I mean, isn't it incomprehensible?

Let's say someone mass hypnotized them and made them commit suicide!

What does that guy gain? Is there anything? There isn't, right?

Gamo-senpai, calm down.

Gamota, you're so gross!

I'll toss those words right back to you!

The truth behind the case is precisely...

an offline meeting of suicide volunteers at Kichijoji!

The recruitment header is like this...

"Let's have an offline meeting with only suicide volunteers attending!

After having a blast with everyone else harboring the same feelings you have,

let's all commit suicide in the same place!

That way, you can adorn the end of your life with a news that shakes Japan!"

How imprudent, Gamota!

So close! The manager is so close!

So...

So, what after that?

After that...

With the numbers being what it is, there might be a commotion.

So, they split up into groups and headed to their deaths a few people at a time.

It wouldn't be strange to have staff that help form the lines and stuff.

In other words, it's an event.

Can people stay that calm right before committing suicide?

By fellow suicide volunteers gathering around,

some kind of an atmosphere would be created, right?

It makes you think you can die if you're together with these guys.

Japanese society is one that you have to take hints from the atmosphere.

So they take the hint and die.

Nice and cynical there.

In any case, there's no conspiracy theory!

Everyone is fighting an invisible enemy,

and they want to bask in the pleasures of their deduction being the correct one!

It can't be that Chi, too...

Gamonosuke!

Ryo-tas!

The samurai, Gamonosuke Hikojuro Gorozaemon...

Wh-What?

How do you know there aren't any hidden enemies out there?

You're going to pull out his tooth!

Right now, you can get away! Get out into the hallway!

What if the real culprit had noticed me?

What if they thought about killing everyone at Seimei Academy in order to hide the crime?

What if it's proven that those involved in the mass suicide are affiliated with the academy?

Gamotan?

You are acting strange, Gamonosuke-samurai!

N-No, I'm fine.

I-I know! There's someone I'd like to introduce you to!

Well, I'm not sure if it's a person, but oh well, just take a look at this!

Actually, this radio talks to me in a girl's voice!

Hey, Zonko? You there? I know you're there.

I'm sorry, but can you introduce yourself to everyone?

Zonko-tan? Are you alive?

It's Ryo-tas!

Poyaya!

KIRYU KUSAKABE

Do you know what kind of a place the world of the dead is?

It seems like charismatic psychics and pompous scholars

cook up random stories and create convenient world views.

But of course, things of that nature are all lies.

Most humans who live proper lives don't know of the afterlife.

However, I know of that afterlife.