[Lobotomy Corporation] I'm an Abnormality...

I'm a fool.. EP.22

"Go! Nothing-Pooch! Body slam!"

'Nothing There' sounded too lame, so I came up with a new name on the spot, and I think it's pretty good.

'Nothing Pooch' is way cuter and sounds stronger.

"Nothing Pooch? What kind of bizarre nickname is that?!"
"Isn't it much better than 'Nothing There'?"
"..."

Michael must be deeply moved by my incredible naming sense.

- Awooooo~

The wolf on the other side finally noticed us and let out its signature howl, charging towards us.

And 'Nothing There,' following my command, charges towards the wolf.

"Ooh... I'm excited. I wish I had some popcorn right now."
"Would you like some?"

As I was lamenting the lack of popcorn, Michael called out to me, so I turned around.

I don't know where he got them, but Michael was holding two large popcorn buckets.

Then, he handed me the bucket labeled 'Caramel Flavor.'

Peering inside, I saw the bucket filled to the brim with warm popcorn. Where did he get this from?

"Ms. Michael, where did you get this?"
"...Huh? Isn't it natural to have popcorn in this situation?"

That wasn't what I meant... At this point, I'm tired of being surprised.

I guess the common sense I know is very different here.

Who knows, there might even be an Abnormality like an 'Infinite Popcorn Machine.'

"...Forget it, let's just watch the fight."

Michael and I munched on popcorn as we watched the battle between the 'Big and Bad Wolf' and 'Nothing Pooch.'

...

"..."
"...I thought this would be more fun."

But there was one problem. The fight was incredibly boring.

- Thud.

- Whack.

- Thud.

One was just body slamming repeatedly as ordered, and the other was taking the hits and slapping with its front paws.

...And it just kept repeating.

"You idiots! Dodge some attacks and fight more dynamically!"
"Well said!"

Unable to bear it any longer, I stood up and shouted, and Michael chimed in beside me.

As if understanding my words, the fight became more intense.

Hmm. That's more like it. Now we're going to see a proper match.

Satisfied, I sat back down.

And only now did I realize that my standing height was the same as Michael's sitting height.

...This is so depressing.

"Uh... um, 'Little Girl'?"
"...Just calling me that is much better. What is it?"

What now?

As I looked at Michael with a questioning expression, he silently pointed in one direction.

Feeling puzzled, I turned my head in the direction he was pointing.

The 'Nothing Pooch' and the 'Big and Bad Wolf' who were fighting just moments ago were nowhere to be seen.

What? Where did they go?

"Suddenly, the 'Big and Bad Wolf' turned into smoke and ran away..."
"And 'Nothing Pooch' chased after it?"

Michael nodded as if confirming my words.

Nothing is going right.

...

...

And at the same time, inside the control room.

The Manager was clutching their throbbing head, dealing with the escaped Abnormalities.

In one hand, they held a notebook with the title [Changes in Abnormality Work Due to Malkuth's Outburst], filled with various notes.

Insight becomes Instinct, Instinct becomes Insight.

The Manager didn't know how Attachment and Repression changed because the 'Little Girl' had escaped. But the information above was enough.

If assuming the existing work had changed, Attachment would have become Repression and Repression would have become Attachment, so there shouldn't be a problem.

The problem was remembering these changed tasks while simultaneously handling the escaped Abnormalities and managing the existing ones.

To maximize stability, the Manager formed teams centered around personnel with the strongest E.G.O, the 'Team Leaders,' to handle the Abnormalities.

[Ma... Manager! 'All-Around Helper' has appeared!]

A call came from Team A, who went to handle the HE-class Abnormality, 'Forsaken Murderer.'

"What's wrong? That Abnormality is an HE-class, the same as 'Forsaken Murderer,' isn't it?"

An experienced 'Team Leader' shouldn't have much trouble dealing with two HE-class Abnormalities at once.

[That's... 'All-Around Helper's' attack patterns are completely different from before!]

The attack patterns changed?

The Manager was taken aback by this sudden news but quickly regained composure and manipulated the screen to show the corridor where 'Forsaken Murderer' had escaped.

"What is that?"

'All-Around Helper' on the screen was distinctly different from its usual form.

Instead of its round body, its center was dented as if it had been hit.

Moreover, unlike its previous spinning charge, it was now swinging sawblades in place, slowly advancing towards the employees.

[Manager! Emergency situation!]

Before the Manager could sort out their confused thoughts, a call came from Team B, who were suppressing the 'King of Greed' Abnormality.

What now? The Manager hastily switched the screen to the corridor where Team B was suppressing.

"This is insane."

On the screen, 'Nothing Pooch' and the 'Big and Bad Wolf' were fighting each other.

At the end of the corridor, the 'King of Greed' was slowly approaching, and the employees caught between them had dumbfounded expressions.

Even more astonishing, when one employee attacked to get past the fighting duo, both Abnormalities dodged the attack and counterattacked.

...The Abnormalities. They 'counterattacked.'

"Nothing is going right."

What's happening? Why did the Abnormalities suddenly become more threatening?

The Manager clutched their head, deeply contemplating the cause of this situation.

And then, a thought flashed through the Manager's mind.

"...'Little Girl.'"

The Manager's gaze quickly scanned the interior of the company, filled with burning anger.