Tokyo: The evil god doesn't want to be the top star

Horie Tsubasa walked towards the gymnasium with Hoshina Hanami, who was wearing sunglasses and a mask.

"Did you get into a fight with Hatchet-senpai because of that bet? The class monitor's competitive spirit is stronger than it looks."

Xia Fan pushed the electronic keyboard silently and followed behind.

"Quick, all of you, take down those cameras. Three camera positions should be enough... The others are on the stage, so there's no need for a lighting board..."

Yoshihide Higashino skillfully directed two staff members who arrived late and began preparations for filming.

"Gymnasium, where is it, over there?"

"I heard it's free to watch, and seats are on a first-come, first-served basis, so hurry up and grab the first row!"

"Wait for me, the sign is about to fall out..."

At the same time, young people in twos and threes rushed in from the school gate and ran towards the gymnasium.

"Hmm? Is the recent campus singing competition so popular?"

Higashino Yoshihide took a curious look.

"Hehe, maybe it's because they released a 'project preview' on their video account in advance."

"Usually we take street photos, but this time it's a formal stage, and we also have to promote the new song, so naturally we have to take some lively photos..."

Tachibana Ryoko leaned against the car door and smiled slyly.

……

"Dear audience, I declare that the second round of the District 11 Campus Singer Competition, Tokyo University of the Arts Division, has officially begun..."

Inside the stadium, on a temporary stage with bright lights, the host excitedly announced the start of the game.

On the day of the auditions, after a uneventful "temporary break", the remaining contestants also completed their performances smoothly.

In the second qualifying round, the top ten contestants in the audition scores are eligible to participate and can choose to invite a "guest singer" to enrich the program content.

On this day of the competition, due to some special reasons, the choreography, technical staff and stage hardware configuration remained unchanged, but there were obviously fewer "staff" to maintain order and clean the grass.

Since the number of contestants was only one-fourth of the number in the auditions, no one found it strange.

But compared to the decrease in contestants and staff, the audience at the scene has somehow become several times more than during the auditions...

In addition to the original "inside court" of the basketball court, even the "outside court" consisting of stepped seats on both sides was full of people. A rough count showed that there were at least a thousand people.

"There are so many spectators... There are so many of them. They don't look like students from the school. They must have come out of nowhere..."

In the waiting corridor, Makoto Shibata, who was about to appear next, secretly glanced at the situation outside the venue.

The audience was filled with many young men wearing masks and carrying backpacks, who looked like they were already working.

Chapter 118 Old acquaintance

2024-07-13

"Could it be that these suspicious people are fans who came here specially because they knew about Terada Risa-senpai's schedule?"

Thinking of a possibility, Shibata Makoto looked curiously at Risa Terada beside him, who was wearing a silver rock-style stage costume.

For female group members who have debuted for many years, no matter how much their popularity declines, they will still have fans "following their schedules".

"This is just a normal warm-up for the song, there is no special publicity. Normally there will be some fanatical fans who will follow, but the number will not be large unless someone spreads the news in advance."

"No matter what, having a large audience is a good thing. Let's work hard together, everyone in Cheng Band!"

Risa Terada shook his head noncommittally and gave a businesslike smile to the members of the "Seira Band" beside him.

"Oh!!!"

"When Sister Terada said that, my whole body started to burn!"

"Go all out!!!"

With the encouragement from the "active idols", the members of the "Makoto Band", including Makoto Shibata, suddenly became full of energy.

……

"Hey, President Tachibana, long time no see."

Below the stage, Matsumoto's agent, standing in the aisle, met an acquaintance.

With her well-developed muscles, thick stubble and leopard print dress, Ryoko Tachibana is so eye-catching even in the crowded audience seats.

"Matsumoto-kun? Long time no see. How have you been since you went to J Club?"

Ryoko Tachibana, who was directing her assistant to adjust the camera position, turned around to see who was coming and walked up to shake hands with the other person.

"Just get by so-so. I've helped a few artists debut, which is considered a small achievement. But it can't be compared to starting your own company and being the boss."

"Thinking back to the days when we were together in the 'Burning Department', I really appreciate your care."

Looking at the "beautiful" Tachibana Ryoko, Matsumoto was full of emotion.

Before switching to J Company, he also worked for a period of time at the Burning Company under B Company, and was an old acquaintance of Tachibana Ryoko, who was just an ordinary agent at the time.

"Why, are you here at Tokyo University of the Arts today to select talents for the singing competition?"

Looking at the three cameras set up by Tachibana Ryoko in the inner field, Matsumoto was a little curious.

"No, my child will be singing a few lines on stage soon, so I'll help record some material."

Tachibana Ryoko confirmed the camera position and answered casually.

"Your trainee participated in the competition? That's really unlucky..."

Hearing him say this, Matsumoto smiled subtly.

"The trainees I led also participated in this competition."

"It just so happens that our J-company and S-company-co-created girl group 'Tetsudo AK' has a promotional plan for their new song, so we invited one of the members, Risa Terada, to come over as a guest singer..."

"In a campus competition, active idols are the guest singers. Whether in terms of stage effects, popularity or atmosphere, it is a dimensionality reduction blow. Those students who asked their seniors from the same school to sing with them must be very disappointed. It's really pitiful."

Looking at the stadium which was almost full with more and more spectators, Matsumoto said this with a smug and nonchalant expression.

When he and Ryoko Tachibana worked together before, there was internal performance competition. Now, the J company and B company they each work for are even more irreconcilable.

Although it was an accidental encounter, I was secretly happy to be able to defeat the other person.

"Oh, you see, it must be a fanatic who leaked the news of Terada Risa's activities. Otherwise, how could there be so many spectators at a mere campus singing competition?"

Since he entered the stadium, he had observed that many of the audience were young men, with light boards and glow sticks sticking out of the gaps in their backpacks. They were obviously die-hard fans of their idols.

If it's not aimed at Terada Risa, who else could it be aimed at?

"'Tetsudo AK'? A hybrid girl group formed by taking members from the AK group and the Railway group whose rankings have dropped?"

"They don't even let go of this kind of 'mosquito leg' promotion. It seems that they are determined to get the new single album."

Ryoko Tachibana smiled noncommittally.

"What kind of hybrid girl group? That's the first fusion of the AK and Railway groups. It's a 20-member group that was carefully selected..."

Matsumoto was about to refute...

"...The next group to appear is the group No. 13, Chengle Group, who performed well in the audition!"

On the stage, the host has already read out the name of "Cheng Band".

"Dear audience, this is the Makoto band, and I'm the lead singer Makoto Shibata!"

Makoto Shibata led the "Makoto Band" and walked onto the stage with high spirits.

"Today, we have invited a special 'guest singer'. She is my idol and also my predecessor in the music industry..."

After each member introduced themselves, Shibata Makoto announced his identity as the "backing singer" in the loudest voice: "Please join us in welcoming Risa Terada, the vice-lead singer of "Kaedozaka48" and "Tetsudo AK", who is known as the 'energetic angel'!"

"Hello everyone, I'm Risa Terada, how are you?!"

Risa Terada walked out from the side of the stage with a bright smile, and greeted the audience with full of energy, acting like a typical "female idol".

"What, that member of 'Kaede 48'?"

"They actually invited members of a top female band to sing for the campus competition?"

“Chengle Group, what kind of divine connections are these!”

The students in the audience were immediately in an uproar, responding with warm applause and lively responses.

"Sori-chan is so cool!"

"Zori, Zori, we love you!"

Several men wearing masks took out a sign with the name "Riza Terada" printed on it and shouted enthusiastically.

"I've heard of Kaedozaka 48 and Railway AK, but who is Terada Risa?"

"You don't know if you don't promote girl groups. They've been members of girl groups for several years."

"Terada Risa is a sweet and energetic secondary vocalist. She has a good appearance but average singing and dancing skills. She debuted at the bottom of the list in the general election two years ago, ranking 20th in popularity. Later, her popularity declined as she got older. She is not as good as the main C position, Hirate Mitsuki..."

There were also many students who didn’t usually pay attention to girl groups and didn’t know Risa Terada, so they asked others for advice in a low voice.

After all, companies in every sub-sector in District 11, from the entertainment industry to the showbiz circle, and then to animation, idols, models, cards, adult action films, etc., are artificially creating countless complicated "common sense" and "rules" as "entry and exit barriers" to avoid user loss.

The idol girl group in District 11 is even known as the "Idol Warring States".

Currently, there are more than 3000 registered idol girl groups, divided into a variety of factions such as AK series, railway series, goodnight series, galaxy series, love return series, Osaka series, DJ group, funeral series, and adult series. Fans have to learn a huge amount of "common sense" before "getting into the pit", which is more than the first subject of driving school, and they cannot easily change factions.

Therefore, although Risa Terada was born in a first-line girl group, she is only ranked at the bottom of the group. Many viewers who don’t watch AK series or railway series only know individual C-position members, so it is normal that they cannot recognize her.

Chapter 119: Big Chrysanthemum

2024-07-13

"What's going on with this on-site reaction?"

"These 'fanatic fans' have come all the way here, why haven't they started cheering yet..."

Faced with the audience's reaction of "more enthusiasm than excitement, but not boiling enough", both Shibata Makoto on the stage and Matsumoto in the audience had dull expressions.

Because, according to their expectations, these "otaku fans" who got the news from nowhere and flooded into the scene should have taken out their brand names from their bags and let out heart-wrenching roars the moment Terada Risa appeared...

But apart from a few people who took out light boards, the other "suspected fanatical fans" lurking in the audience remained as calm as a rock.

These idiots are still holding on to their branded bags and refusing to take them out. Are they going to wait until she finishes singing?

"Today, I am very happy to be the guest singer and feel the youthful atmosphere of campus again..."

"Our newly formed group "Tie Dao AK" will release its latest single "You Are My Favorite" at the end of this month online and in stores. Please give us your support!"

Risa Terada, who is experienced in performing in various environments, did not pay any attention to the audience's reaction that was less than expected, and perfectly completed the "new song promotion" rhetoric.

"The next song we bring to you is 'Infinite Jump'!"

"Let's get high..."

"1! 2! 3! 4!"

Regardless of the audience's subtle reactions, Shibata Makoto followed the procedure, strummed the guitar, and kicked off the performance...

The song "Infinite Jump" performed by "Seikaku Band" this time is the famous song released a few years ago by the girl group "Kaede 48" that Risa Terada previously belonged to.

The choice of this song was naturally made after careful consideration.

Firstly, the guest singer Risa Terada is “one twentieth of the original singer”, so he does not need any special preparation and can perform normally based on muscle memory.

Secondly, the style of this song is more rock-oriented, and many of the lyrics are sung separately, which is very suitable for the instruments and personnel configuration of Cheng Band.

Thirdly, this song has long been at the top of the "karaoke singing request" list and is very popular, and can easily resonate with and be sung along by the audience.

Sure enough, with the dedicated and hard-working singing of Risa Terada, the "active idol" and "one-twentieth of the original singer", and the excited performance of the "Seikatsu Band" members "who were "on the same stage with professional artists for the first time", the atmosphere in the venue quickly heated up.

The reaction from the audience became increasingly enthusiastic, and many audience members couldn't help but sing along.

"Thank you everyone, I am Risa Terada, please come and support our latest single "You Are My Favorite", love you all."

After the song ended, when Risa Terada promoted the new song again, the response from the audience was much more enthusiastic than before.

"Thank you Ms. Terada and the 'Makoto Band' for presenting us with this classic piece! Next, it's time for the judges to give their scores..."

"The judges gave it a score of 9.5!"

"Just like in the auditions, Chengle Band once again gave us a high-scoring performance! Will any of the groups that come after us be able to break this record? Let's look forward to it together..."