For a minute, I thought I wouldn't make it back to Japan alive.
I've risked my life on this journey.
And this is the pot you risked your life to get, Ogi?
Is there something in it?
Nectar.
Nectar?
What kind?
Listen, Sugio.
I got this nectar from a tribe I met.
They extract it from a peculiar kind of plant,
and they seemed to worship that plant.
This nectar tastes so good, it's as if it's imbued with the power of the gods.
It's that good, huh?
So sweet!
It's unbelievable!
Wanna try some?
Sure, I'll have a taste.
But first, I need to warn you not to be noticed when you eat it.
Don't be noticed?
By who?
The nectar god?
Well, something like that.
They were adamant about it, though.
Don't be noticed, they said.
It's good!
Hey, Ogi, are you home?
Kameda, what are you doing?
Don't worry about it.
Hey, the window's open.
Hey, that's not cool, Kameda.
He won't mind.
That's it.
Let's have a taste of that famous nectar while the master is out.
Just a taste, you guys.
Ogi will be pissed.
Who cares what he says?
Yum!
This is great, guys!
Have a taste!
You're right!
There's nothing I can compare it to, but it's delicious!
What is this?
It's great!
Delicious!
Just one taste isn't enough!
Let's eat all of it!
We shouldn't.
What about Ogi?
It's no fair for him to keep it all for himself.
Before we discuss that...
Do you smell something?
Yeah, like something's rotting.
Is it coming from this room?
Hey... What is this?
I don't know,
but let's get out of here.
Hey, you've got more, Kameda!
No, I don't!
Yum! That's so good!
What part of South America did he get this delicious nectar from?
Dunno.
I doubt even Ogi knows.
What just happened?
I-It's Yasumin...
L-Look...
Wh-Why is Yasumin completely flat?!
Let's call the police!
No!
That'll just make more problems!
Then what do we do?!
This is my room!
How did this happen?
We're having a dream.
This can't be real.
That's right.
It has to be a dream. It's impossible.
So is this nectar a dream, too?
I'd be sad if this weren't real.
R-Riruko...
It happened to Riruko, too!
It's the nectar.
If we eat it, we'll be flattened!
Th-That doesn't make any sense.
We all ate it!
Is the same thing gonna happen to us?
Ogi said...
not to be noticed when you eat the nectar.
He said the tribe told him that.
It's no use. It tastes so bad, I can't eat it.
Me, neither.
Since I ate that nectar,
everything else tastes terrible.
Yeah...
The nectar may have destroyed our sense of taste.
Also...
Have you seen the news?
They've found other flattened bodies besides Riruko and Yasumin.
I thought one might be Kame-chan,
but it wasn't.
A few of his friends have died, though.
They must have eaten his nectar.
He must have gotten scared and given away the nectar.
Long time no see, guys.
Kameda.
You guys have lost weight.
You can't eat the food here, right?
If only we hadn't eaten this nectar...
This nectar is the only thing that tastes good to us.
But that one thing is too dangerous to eat!
The problem is how to eat it without being noticed.
I've tested a few different ways
of being noticed and not being noticed.
Tested? What do you mean?
I mean, they kept wanting more.
So did you find a way?
No, I gave away the nectar and still have no idea.
Oh, that's it!
I can't stand it anymore!
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
It's so good!
Damn it! I'm having some, too!
So good...
I saw it.
Saw what?
I saw some giant thing crush Sugio!
Yes, something crushed him!
Why didn't I realize it before?
We just can't let it crush us!
Watch!
Yue!
See? I'll be fine in the water!
So good!
Sugio's wallet.
A map.
This map from his wallet...
It must lead to the source of the nectar.
Damn, there are so many mosquitoes...
What kind of plant is this?
Huh? One of its branches just disappeared.
Now it's back.
What's up with this tree?
This tree smells like the nectar.
Of course!
This tree makes that nectar!
Yahoo!
Nectar!
Smashed
Collection No. 116
Ohtsuka-kun is the target of the girls' affection.
We became an item.
I got the cold shoulder from the other girls, but I was still happy.
But then, last week,
Ohtsuka-kun was hospitalized with mysterious abdominal pain.
And now...
What a good idea!
Look!
I've got fangs!
Hey, what are you talking about?
She ignored me...
Hey, Souichi!
Is it true you deliver newspapers?
Couldn't be!
What? Why?
Oh, darn!
Who told you?
Huh?
It's true?
Have you heard?
Souichi joined an adult baseball team as a pinch hitter
and hit a home run!
Hey, listen!
I heard Souichi-kun helped an old lady he didn't know cross the street yesterday.
Hey, hey, big news!
What? What is it?
Wait 'til you hear this!
Souichi-kun's cousin is Kagawa Kentarou from the Smogs!
Class 6-1
An autograph, eh?
Don't tease us!
Yeah, yeah!
Get him to sign it as a favor to his cousin.
Oh, darn!
How did you find out?
I was trying to keep that stuff about Kentarou a secret!
Oh, well.
Okay, then.
I'll get autographs for all of you.
I love you, Souichi-kun!
You're so generous!
They love me, do they?
They sure changed their tune quickly.
I've got a good idea.
I'll say I could only get one autograph
and make them fight tooth and nail for it!
Collection No. 071
Rumors
Hospital
What do I do?
I brought flowers,
but what if he laughs at me?
But I'm going anyway.
Ohtsuka Hironobu
Hello!
Oh, Sakiyama!
You came to see me.
Ohtsuka-kun!
Midori-san.
Madoka-san, you came, too?
I was just passing by.
You didn't need to, either of you.
Are you feeling better?
Yeah, a lot better.
It doesn't hurt at night as much as before.
I'll be discharged soon.
Good.
More importantly...
Did you hear Souichi saved a kid from being hit by a car?
The principal was really impressed.
Souichi-kun had become a hero.
But I was thinking more about Madoka-san.
I wondered if she liked Ohtsuka-kun.
I heard Sakiyama Midori from Class 6-1...
likes Souichi!
I heard Sakiyama Midori from Class 6-1 likes Souichi!
Sakiyama Midori from Class 6-1 loves Souichi!
Love, love! Love, love!
Class 6-1
Hey, guys, big news!
Sakiyama and Souichi are a couple!
Really?
A hero and a heroine.
They're a perfect couple.
Hold on a minute!
That's a lie!
Listen, everyone.
Souichi-kun started that rumor himself!
I saw him talking to some girls behind the school
in a low voice that they could still hear.
He must have made up all those good rumors about himself, too.
Crap. Oh, crap.
Fangs!
What? Is that true?
So you're not Kagawa Kentarou's cousin, either?
Well? Well?
It's not nice to make up lies about people.
I've got the autograph right...
Smogs Kagawa Kentasetsu
here!
What is this? The writing is terrible!
It doesn't look anything like the autograph in the magazine.
Well, it makes sense.
There's no way he's related to someone famous.
Hey, where'd Souichi go?
He's running away.
A few days after that happened...
A bizarre photograph was put up in our classroom.
What is that?
It looks like it was cut out of a magazine, but it's...
Her face is so scary.
I know what it is!
What's with you? Don't yell like that!
It was in a fashion magazine my mom bought.
You've gotta be kidding.
Hydrating color for spring
There's no fashion model as creepy as that.
It's a lipstick ad, right?
She's a highly respected fashion model!
My sister slept for a week after seeing this.
Hurry up and tear it down!
The strange rumors started a few days later.
Three or so fourth graders were heading home from school,
when it appeared...
It was dark, so they didn't get a good look,
but they say it was a very tall woman.
She stood there in the middle of the dark road without saying a word.
When they turned to go back the other way,
she spoke to them.
What did she say?
"Am I beautiful?"
Their eyes adjusted to the darkness, and eventually they could see her.
But her face...
They got scared and tried to run.
But the woman chased them!
Her hair was waving, she was running so fast!
She yelled, "I'll catch you and eat you!"
The woman in that rumor sure sounds like the one in that photograph.
The woman in the photo?
You know, the one that was stuck to the blackboard.
That creepy woman?
It sounds like she really is a model.
Someone said she's going to the Maiden's Abyss at the edge of town.
Why?
Soaking in that swamp is supposed to make you beautiful.
It's famous all over.
It seems a lot of you are upset about some strange rumors that are spreading.
There is no truth to them whatsoever. Please do not be deceived.
Moving on, we have a happy announcement!
After a long stay in the hospital,
Ohtsuka-kun has returned!
Thank you.
The school seems a lot brighter with Ohtsuka-kun back.
You're right.
I don't even care about monsters anymore.
Yeah.
By the way, did you hear the rumor about Madoka-san?
No, what rumor?
Someone said she soaked in the mud of the Maiden's Abyss.
There's a rumor saying it makes you beautiful, right?
Look at her.
She's been standing there for a while, right?
Can you tell how eagerly she's watching Ohtsuka-kun?
What will you do, Midori-chan?
If you don't make a move, she's gonna take Ohtsuka-kun.
That surprised me.
But I have to do this,
if it'll make me beautiful.
It worked! It worked!
S-Souichi-kun!
What are you doing here?
I followed you.
You waded into the swamp, just like I expected!
You loach-girl!
From the monster on the road
to Taniyama Madoka wading in the swamp...
They were all lies I made up!
That magazine clipping was surprisingly effective!
Snap. Snap. Snap.
W-Wait, stop!
Don't take pictures of me!
No way I'll stop!
I'm gonna tell the whole school
how you came out here to wade into the swamp.
It's payback for you embarrassing me!
Stop it, you pervert!
I won't stop!
What the heck? A bunch of birds all took flight at once.
You there.
Who gave you permission to take my picture?
How did you know I was here?
What publisher sent you?
I'm a professional fashion model, after all.
Do you know what happens to people who take my picture without permission?
All right, I'll show you.
You look so tender and delicious.
Coincidences are terrifying.
That model really was in town.
What happened to Souichi-kun?
Wh-What a creepy...
beautiful lady...