After working at the Foundation for some time, Haruno had fully realized the extent of the power and authority this organization wielded, an entity that transcended worldly matters and even stood above the entire world.
In Haruno's view, the only reason the Foundation hadn't become a global dictatorship was because of the moral character of its true rulers, the O5 Council—or rather, the President himself.
And today, being suddenly summoned by the President left Haruno feeling quite nervous.
But in the end...
This was it?
"President, is this... some kind of secret code?"
Haruno hesitantly asked.
However, Haruto simply shook his head in confusion.
Letting out a long sigh, Haruno finally relaxed, no longer keeping her body tense as she sat on a nearby chair.
"Why is the President so concerned about my sister's affairs?" Haruno asked curiously.
After all, one of the main reasons she had joined the Foundation was because Yukino was already a part of it.
As an ultimate siscon, Haruno wanted to do everything in her power to protect her little sister. Yet, despite having been in the Foundation for so long, she still hadn't figured out the exact reason why Yukino had joined.
Any records regarding her recruitment required Level 3 security clearance to access.
As for directly asking Yukino?
Knowing her sister's personality, Haruno figured she wouldn't answer her anyway.
Come to think of it, Yukino's joining seemed to have a lot to do with the President sitting before her.
Haruto sighed helplessly.
"It's just because I made a promise, so I came by to fulfill it."
He casually recounted the events that had taken place in class. After listening, Haruno showed a look of surprise.
She stared at Haruto for a long time.
"With your abilities, President, something this trivial should be solvable with just a snap of your fingers, right? Why bother making a promise, and then waste your time coming to this site just to talk to a lowly C-class administrator like me?"
Given Haruto's capabilities, achieving his goal would only require the slightest use of his abilities.
Honestly, why was the President of the SCP Foundation even going to school?
There couldn't possibly be anything left for him to learn.
But Haruto simply shook his head.
"The Foundation strictly prohibits the use of anomalous properties on people without cause, especially those that endanger physical safety or influence cognition."
Haruno couldn't help but click her tongue.
"You really are strict with yourself, President."
"Maybe." Haruto sighed. "Don't let my usual demeanor fool you, I actually enjoy a normal daily life. If I didn't have to, I wouldn't be running around all the time. Being a simple, pure-hearted high school boy isn't so bad. Speaking of which, your sister, Yukino joined the Foundation under similar circumstances, she had no choice."
Haruno had initially been feeling a bit sentimental, but upon hearing about Yukino, her interest immediately peaked.
Her mind was racing with thoughts.
Could it be that Yukino had some tragic backstory that forced her to join?!
But when she heard the truth from Haruto, Haruno was completely dumbfounded.
So it turned out that her sister had just been plain unlucky.
First, she stumbled upon a ghoul containment site and had her memory wiped with a Class-D amnestic. Then, she got caught in a memetic anomaly outbreak. She had encountered so many anomalies that she was developing a resistance to memory wipes.
Eventually, she ended up joining the Foundation.
After a long silence, Haruno suddenly laughed.
"I thought it was going to be some dark, twisted story. Yukino really is unlucky, huh?"
"I thought you'd be devastated or furious." Haruto raised an eyebrow.
Haruno, however, tilted her head. "Eh? Why?"
Haruto almost wanted to say, "Isn't it obvious? Because you're—"
But since that statement would've been way too offensive, he held his tongue. Yet Haruno simply pointed to herself and said,
"Because I'm a textbook example of an ultimate siscon?"
Haruto was momentarily at a loss for words before deciding to just nod. Well, if she admitted it herself, then there was nothing more to say.
Haruno continued to smile brightly.
This young man was different from anyone she had ever met before.
With him, Haruno felt like she didn't have to put on an act or maintain a façade in social interactions.
For the first time, she was able to have an open conversation without wearing a mask.
"By the way, what would you have done if I had refused to cooperate? If you couldn't fulfill your promise, President?" Haruno asked curiously.
Haruto sighed, rubbing his forehead.
"I probably would've gone to your mother. I'm sure I could convince her."
Haruno chuckled, waving her hand dismissively.
"No need, no need. I'll pick out a cat for Yukino myself, gotta increase my favorability score with her. As for my mother, I'll explain it to her. With you as my backing, there shouldn't be any issues."
Haruto's lips twitched.
"Did you really just say 'increase favorability score' like it's a game?"
Haruno shrugged. "Well, I am a siscon."
After fulfilling his promise, Haruto left the site.
Not long after, he received a message from a newly added contact—Haruno Yukinoshita.
It was a selfie.
She was holding a pure white Persian cat in her arms, smiling sweetly at the camera. Come to think of it…
Had this older sister been hogging all of her little sister's nutrients?
The difference in "development" between the two was on a whole other level.
Truly, an unfair weight distribution.
The Persian cat in her arms looked weak and helpless compared to those two enormous mounds.
Haruto simply sent a thumbs-up emoji in response.
Moments later, Yukino sent a message of thanks.
It was clear that she had received the cat.
As an ultimate cat lover, owning a cat was the highest reward imaginable for her. Haruto chuckled and thought nothing of it. Just as he was about to put his phone away—
A message from the Foundation came through.
Haruto opened it, scanned the contents, and immediately furrowed his brows.
A rural Foundation site had been attacked.
—
The site had been damaged, leading to a containment breach.
Given that this was a non-urban site, the anomalies housed there were naturally of high threat levels.
If even one anomaly escaped, it could trigger a mass containment breach.
Haruto recalled the entities stored there.
The Immortal Lizard (SCP-682) and The Shy Guy (SCP-096) were both contained at this site. In other words—
By the time Haruto arrived, the site had already begun repairs in an orderly manner.
Most of the escaped anomalies had been recaptured and recontained.
The attackers had primarily engaged in suicide attacks, many of them executed themselves before the Foundation even had to intervene.
This site housed a permanently stationed Nine-Tailed Fox task force.
Additionally, MTF-Demon Slayer was stationed nearby and had arrived on the scene almost immediately.
As a result, the initial containment breach was quickly suppressed.
The repairs proceeded rapidly. Within two hours, the site had moved on to cataloging contained entities and reviewing attack records.
—
Haruto entered the surveillance room to review footage of the attack.
On screen:
The site was calm, operating as usual.
In the Light Containment Zone, within a certain containment chamber, a humanoid entity with twenty tentacles sprouting from its back was engaging in daily activities.
Yes, it was Cthulhu f'UCK OFF! (SCP-2662).
Cthulhu was casually eating breakfast while reading the newspaper.
Shortly after, a security guard and a researcher entered the containment chamber, carrying a small pig.
Cthulhu: "Do you need something?"
The researcher, gazing at Cthulhu, gradually descended into madness.
"Oh, my Lord! Please accept this pure and innocent piglet, freshly orphaned from its slaughtered parents! May its lost soul nourish You!"
Then, right in front of Cthulhu, the researcher castrated the pig and placed its severed genitalia into the entity's breakfast.
Cthulhu: "Uh... no thanks. I'm full. You should go home. Your, uh, 'Lord' appreciates your offering."
Cthulhu tried to return to reading his newspaper.
The researcher slit the pig's throat, splattering blood all over the newspaper.
Cthulhu: "What the hell, man?! Can't you just read the Bible or something? Do you really need to do this?"
Cthulhu put down the newspaper and attempted to convert the researcher to Christianity.
The security guard promptly shot the researcher in the head, then began eating her corpse.
Cthulhu ran to the restroom and started vomiting.
Nine-Tailed Fox task force arrived and detained both the security guard and the researcher's body.