After dropping out of school, I chose to join a girls' band.

Side Story: A Trip to Hikami Mountain: Chapter 40 The Protagonist and the Villain

"The love triangle has now come together on this stage."

The giraffe's voice is deep and resonant.

"What happens next... is unpredictable and unpredictable—which is why this stage is all the more anticipated." He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over the three actors, his eyes sparkling with delight.

"So, actors, rehearsal is over—now, let's begin this stage performance called 'Love'!"

As the final announcement was made, the stage lights suddenly blazed on, converging on the three of them like a torrent, signaling the official start of this emotional power struggle.

Under the lights, Shiina Riki took the first step, tapping his two sticks lightly against his palms, his eyes revealing a resolute sharpness.

She slightly raised her head, her gaze sharp as a knife, her voice low and resolute: "Following the love in my heart, tonight I will eliminate all my opponents on stage."

At the same time, Momoko Kurosawa slowly raised the katana in her hand, the blade reflecting a cold light under the lamplight, illuminating her face.

Her gaze was steady and resolute, and her voice carried an undeniable pride: "I was here first, and tonight, I will reclaim my lover—what I lost is destined to be mine."

With their fighting spirit rising, Shiina Tatsuki and Kurosawa Momoko launched attacks on Hinasaki almost simultaneously.

With a low growl, Li hope swung his two sticks, their shadows snaking like snakes as he aimed straight for Hinasaki's side.

Riki's twin sticks closed in, their shadows crisscrossing in the air like venomous snakes, aimed directly at Hinasaki's defenses. Her roar echoed across the stage: "I will never let you lose me again!"

At the same time, Momoko Kurosawa's katana gleamed with a cold light, its blade shooting straight for Hinasaki's heart like a meteor, accompanied by a piercing whistling sound, declaring her determination: "The battle of love is destined to be a fight to the death!"

Hinasaki's eyes were sharp as she quickly assessed the combined attack of the two. She slightly turned her body, deftly dodging Ritsuki's attack, and felt the chill of the blade grazing her hair.

Her sword bravely blocked Momoko's katana, and the clanging of metal against metal rang out on the stage, deafeningly loud.

"They talk about fighting each other, yet they launch such dishonest attacks against me."

Riki and Momoko exerted their combined strength, trying to corner Hinasaki. Hinasaki's heart tightened slightly, realizing that the complexity of this battle far exceeded her expectations.

The two worked together more and more seamlessly, their attacks coming in waves, leaving her breathless.

Her reaction was extremely fast; the blade drew dazzling arcs in the air, forcing Lixi and Taozi to retreat slightly.

Nevertheless, cold sweat involuntarily seeped from her forehead, dampening her hair. "I... I was a little too overconfident..." she thought to herself, feeling a growing sense of nervousness.

The atmosphere after the stage officially began seemed to transform into a giant net, tightly enveloping her.

After the two previous attempts to stop her, Lixi and Taozi had roughly figured out her attack methods.

Hinasaki had to concentrate fully at this moment, her sword blade moving like light across the night sky as she constantly adjusted her position, trying to find a safe angle between the two of them.

But the enemy's offensive came like a tidal wave, and Hinasaki had almost no time to catch her breath. She retreated quickly, and every tiny movement of her body had to be precise.

"Really, we can't let them continue like this!" Hinasaki thought to herself.

Each defense left her feeling exhausted, her clothes soaked with cold sweat, and the soreness in her wrists became more pronounced with each swing of her sword, as if an invisible clamp was binding her every movement.

But at this crucial moment, Momoko Kurosawa revealed an excited expression, her eyes gleaming with burning fighting spirit. "Is this not enough?"

Her voice was clear and firm, seemingly full of anticipation for Hinasaki's resistance.

As she finished speaking, Momoko's attacks became increasingly fierce, raining down on Hinasaki like a storm.

"Let me see again!" Momo's eyes burned like flames, and the sword in her hand seemed to carry invisible pressure as it slashed fiercely at Hinasaki's weapon, producing a clanging sound.

In that instant, Hinasaki's wrist was jolted painfully, and the weapon almost slipped from her hand, causing her to panic.

"Let me see how dazzling you were just now!" Momoko Kurosawa's tone was full of provocation, as if she was enticing Hinasaki to fight back with all her might.

At this moment, she seemed unconcerned about the consequences of her counterattack, and instead enjoyed it, striving to extract the full potential from Hinasaki.

Hinasaki barely managed to steady herself. She could feel how fierce Momoko's almost frenzied attacks were, as if every strike was forcing her to push her limits.

Momoko's sword strikes came like lightning, relentless and continuous, and Hinasaki could only do her best to parry.

Each clash of the blades caused her body to tremble slightly, and waves of pain surged through her wrists, making it almost impossible for her to concentrate.

During a fierce slash, Hinasaki felt her weapon shift slightly, almost causing her to lose her balance.

The recoil from the sword was like thunder, booming in her ears and making her heart tighten.

She was frantic, but had no way to exert her strength. The sounds of battle around her seemed to gradually fade away, and all her attention was focused on the impending attack.

In that instant, Momoko Kurosawa pounced like a hungry wolf, seizing the opening and delivering another heavy blow.

Hinasaki was caught off guard and dodged almost instinctively, but was still forced to take a few steps back, looking disheveled. Cold sweat trickled down her forehead and wet her hair.

Her breathing became rapid, her lungs desperately drawing in air, each breath seemingly incredibly heavy, as if she were struggling in raging waves.

Hinasaki's vision blurred for a moment, and the stage around her became distorted in the flashing lights. She tried to concentrate, but found that her wrist was stinging from the counterattack she had just fought back.

"Again!" Peach's voice rang in her ears like a whirlwind.

Faced with Momoko Kurosawa's relentless pressure, she could neither back down nor escape.

The flame in my heart burned ever brighter, extinguishing all my weariness and hesitation.

Pushed to her limit, Hinasaki seemed to break through some psychological barrier and finally began to fight back against Momoko.

Surprisingly, she didn't even notice that a smile had unconsciously spread across her face.

"Hey..." Shiina Riki stared intently at the two people locked in fierce combat before her, a sense of unease creeping into her heart.

She could sense that the two people in front of her seemed a little off, even showing a hint of fanaticism, as if they were engrossed in this struggle and had forgotten their original purpose.

Bonus Chapter: A Trip Up the Mountain - Chapter 41: Is it reasonable for a couple to fight two against one?

On the stage, Shiina Ritsuki witnesses the "battle" between Hinasaki and Kurosawa Momoko.

No, this can perhaps no longer be called a battle.

Perhaps the word "fighting" would be a more accurate description.

The two moved like a storm, their swords clashing with deafening sounds, accompanied by dazzling flashes of light and shadows, filling the air with a tense and fierce atmosphere.

That's right.

Fighting.

As Shiina Ritsuki watched the two fight, this was the word that came to mind.

"You're so dazzling! Let me see more of you, Xiaoyue, let me see you shine even brighter!"

Momoko Kurosawa's gaze was intense as her katana flashed like a meteor, producing a crisp whistling sound.

Her attacks were merciless, each sword strike filled with power and determination, as if she wanted to transform Hinasaki's dazzling moment into her own light.

"I want to see you, Xiaoyue, reach the top and compete with me for the Top Star position."

Peach's voice was particularly high-pitched during the battle, carrying a hint of excitement.

Each of her attacks was an attempt to tear apart Hinasaki's defenses, and whenever the blade clashed with Hinasaki's sword, sparks flew like dazzling fireworks blooming in the night sky.

"Do you know how boring I am without your stage!" Momoko Kurosawa's laughter was as clear as a bell, yet it sounded incredibly eerie amidst the fierce battle.

"That's true!" Hinasaki smiled slightly while defending, a slight curve appearing at the corner of her mouth. She then swung her sword, the blade reflecting a dazzling light as she blocked Momo's attack.

The swords clashed, producing a "clang" sound, like a crisp musical note echoing in the air.

As Peach's offensive intensified, the air was filled with the sound of metal clashing, as if the entire stage was vibrating.

Each collision was accompanied by a dull echo, followed by a surge of air that caused their robes to billow like sails, forming a beautiful streamline.

"As expected, Momoko, you're quite dazzling." Hinasaki pressed down hard on her weapon to block Momoko's heavy blow, her eyes flashing with the sparks of battle.

"Of course!" Momoko raised her head high, and the katana she swung struck Hinasaki's sword like a thunderbolt.

The sound was like a loud crash of metal striking metal, making her arm tremble slightly.

"If it's not dazzling enough, how can I push you to your limits, Xiaoyue, and see your most radiant self?"

Hinasaki gritted her teeth and retreated quickly, her sword slicing through the air in a smooth arc before slashing at Momoko once more.

The two weapons clashed again in an instant, producing a crisp clang that echoed across the entire stage. A chilling metallic aura filled the air, as if even the light itself trembled in response to the battle. Each collision sparked tiny sparks, like shooting stars streaking across the night sky, instantly illuminating the entire space.

Shiina Tatsuki stood aside, watching the two fighting nervously, a faint sense of unease creeping into her heart.

She tried to intervene many times, but the pace and intensity of the battle made it impossible for her to find a suitable opportunity.

Hinasaki and Momoko Kurosawa's offensive came like a tidal wave, showing no signs of stopping.

Each attack was like a raging storm, layer upon layer, suffocating the enemy.

"This...something's definitely not right..." Li hope thought to himself, his gaze shifting between the two girls.

Compared to the "battle of wits" between herself and Momoko in the past, the current confrontation between Hinasaki and Momoko Kurosawa is a merciless battle.

"Seriously! I don't care anymore!" Shiina Riki felt a surge of anxiety. The murderous intent in the eyes of the two people in front of her made her realize that if she didn't intervene, the fight might really get out of control.

Lixi took a deep breath, took a step, and charged towards the center of the battle.

Her heart was pounding, and every step she took was accompanied by an uneasy tremor.

The struggle between the two was like a violent storm, showing no signs of abating.

"Stop!" Li hope's voice drew a clear arc in the air, revealing her inner determination and unease.

However, Hinasaki and Momoko Kurosawa were so focused on their fight that they completely failed to notice Riki's arrival. Their attacks continued relentlessly, like a surging wave.

Lixi's heart tightened, realizing she had to be more decisive. She tried to insert the two sticks between the two men, hoping to interrupt the fight that was almost reaching a frenzy.

"You can't keep fighting like this!" Lixi shouted, trying to rouse the two from their fighting frenzy.

Her voice, like a crisp bell, rang out loudly in the tense atmosphere.

Just as Hinasaki turned around to dodge Momoko's attack, Riki finally found an opportunity and quickly stepped between the two.

With a sharp flick of her wrist, her two sticks traced an elegant arc in the air. She secretly vowed to stop this pointless fight no matter what.

Momoko and Hinasaki were stunned by her aura and stopped what they were doing, slightly taken aback.

But this brief pause didn't last long; Momoko Kurosawa quickly snapped back to reality, a smile of excitement playing on her lips.

"Lixi, you're here too? Let's all come together!"

Momoko Kurosawa's laughter rang out amidst the clamor of battle, carrying a hint of excitement and provocation.

Her eyes blazed with a fanatical fire, as if she saw Lixi's arrival as a challenge, and the sword flashed towards her like lightning.