After being elected as the governor of Tokyo, he will debut as a band!

When the performance ended, all three performers on stage were covered in sweat.

Rakuna, being a junior high school student, obviously lacked stamina. Hiroi Kikuri had previously exhausted herself waving her racing tickets wildly at the racetrack. Majima Goro was even more adept at both drumming and fighting, truly living up to his reputation as an old man who was still going strong.

"Wow—"

Led by Ms. Tsuzuki, who was seated as a special guest, and several well-known singers, sparse but impactful applause began to ring out in the conference room.

Although most people here are still taking a wait-and-see approach to the three's outrageous behavior, the number of people who support them is not as small as they had expected.

"Little Lenai, well done!"

Hiroi Kikuri wiped her sweat and gave Rakuna a thumbs up.

I'm hungry... Is there anything to eat?

Lena looked at her expectantly.

"Well……"

Hiroi touched his body and found only an unopened box of Demon Slayer Sake.

Oh, right, Shima seems to have brought a lot of sweets today, saying she wanted to apologize to me or something... But given the current situation, sweets are obviously not enough to apologize. In that case, we might as well just eat them.

So she shouted at Shima, who was hunched over the table in the corner of the conference room:

"Shima? Do you still have those matcha-flavored snacks you brought this morning?"

"Alas!"

A group of people turned around in the direction Hiroi was waving, startling Shima into letting out a strange scream.

"That guy... I'm going to make sure he dies when we get back!"

Shima was filled with shame and anger, and even felt a chill run down her spine.

"Shima, didn't you hear me? Iwashita-san? Did you have any matcha sweets this morning?"

Perhaps because he was too far away, Hiroi was completely unaware of Michishima's anger and continued to twist and turn on the stage, shouting.

Sitting next to Shima, Iji Tomoka couldn't help but cast a pitying glance at Iwashita Shima.

This is practically a public execution!

If I were in that situation, I'd probably just cover my face and run away, right?

"Hey! Senior! Why can't Shima hear me? Did she faint from being amazed by our performance? Could you please put your hand over her pockets and see if there are any leftover snacks from this morning, and then bring me a few pieces?"

All eyes that were originally focused on Iwashita Shima shifted to Iji Tomo Seika.

This time, it was her turn to be publicly executed.

Just when the two were feeling extremely uncomfortable, Ms. Sawamura Haruka stepped forward like a hero.

During the group discussion this morning, Shima Iwashita gave Haruka Sawamura a confectionery gift box as an apology (it was originally intended for Goro Majima), and now she has it in her handbag.

Seeing that Shima and Hoshika were both in a state of paralysis due to excessive shame and indignation, she quickly opened the dessert gift box, then ran to the front of the stage and handed the dessert to Hiroi.

"Matcha financiers and matcha sweets from Hyakubi Seika!"

Kaname stared wide-eyed at the packets of sweets in Hiroi's hand.

"this is for you."

Hiroi used the wooden clips that came with the gift box to pick up a piece of matcha daifuku and handed it to Rakuna, wanting her to reach for it. But Rakuna, like a cat, simply opened her mouth and snatched the matcha daifuku, then swallowed it in a few bites. After showing an expression of enjoyment, she looked at Hiroi eagerly again.

Hiroi was generous and picked out another financier for her.

This time, Lena didn't pick it up with her mouth directly. Perhaps it was because financiers are a dessert somewhere between cookies and cakes, and eating them too quickly could cause choking. So she took out a tissue from her pocket, took the financier from him, and found a nearby seat to sit down and savor it.

Just then, discordant voices arose from the crowd below the stage.

"After the performance, they begged for food from the audience. Was this also part of the performance? I never thought that in the 21st century, I would still see this kind of fundamentalist street performance... It's a pity that the three of them are not dressed up properly. Why don't you go to the garbage room of the Ochanomizu Hotel and see if you can find what you really need?"

The speaker was a middle-aged man with a head of striking curly hair.

Those who could be in this conference room were basically people in the music industry, so someone quickly recognized him.

Taco, in his youth, was a famous visual kei rock singer, whose dazzling dance skills and glamorous makeup were the main ways he attracted fans.

However, as he got older, his appearance became less and less suitable for the requirements of a "visual kei" singer. In addition, his personal lifestyle was quite dissolute, and in recent years he has been involved in several lawsuits because of this, which has affected his income. Therefore, he began to emphasize the importance of so-called stage art and improving the audience's musical taste, trying to build a moat for his status and vested interests in the industry.

If the officials from the Bureau of Culture and Tourism who were hosting the seminar were still here, he would never have dared to make such sarcastic remarks in front of them. But those officials had long since disappeared, and the sparse applause he had just received gave him the courage to think that "everyone is on my side," so he spoke these clearly sarcastic words without any restraint.

As for what those officials were doing, well, they were obviously trying to shirk responsibility.

This includes, but is not limited to, writing in the post-event report things like, "Although we had conducted a thorough review and risk assessment of the on-site security beforehand, the unexpected situation still exceeded everyone's expectations," "We took measures immediately to ensure the personal safety of the participating experts," "Although the on-site staff were unable to completely contain the situation, their positive work attitude was gratifying," "Of course, I did not do a good job in the acceptance of the security quality, which needs to be reviewed," and "Fortunately, no one was injured throughout the process, which is commendable."

So at this moment, only a poor clerk remained in the huge conference room, continuing to record the situation. After all, doing the job well didn't necessarily bring credit, but if...

If you're a step slower than others at shifting blame, the burden you'll have to bear will likely be much heavier... Shifting the blame onto an unfortunate individual and then forcing them to take the fall through collective silence is a hallmark of Japanese officialdom.

The atmosphere at the scene froze at the taunts of the Great City Taco.

But Goro Majima wasn't going to let him get away with it. He strode up to Ooshiro Takko, grabbed him by the collar, lifted him into the air, and held the drumsticks upside down, the tips pointing directly at Ooshiro's eyes.

"Mr. Ooshiro, after I became like this (referring to the one-eyed person), I feel that I can see more clearly than before. Would you like to try this change too?!"

"What are you doing?! This is a seminar hosted by the Bureau of Life and Culture. You've already damaged public property, and if you dare to hurt anyone, the Metropolitan Police Department won't let you off the hook when they arrive!"

Ooshiro Toko also knew a little about Majima Goro's background.

But the Tojo Clan had already been destroyed, and only a handful of yakuza members remained in Tokyo. The former Tojo Clan legend's influence was no longer what it used to be.

Make way for me: 094, the most senior player in the entire venue, can do whatever he wants.

"Using the Metropolitan Police Department to threaten me? Ha, I've been to prison before... If I go in now, I might even see some acquaintances there."

Despite the threat from Ooshiro Tak, Goro Majima remained completely unmoved, and even felt a slight urge to laugh.

The drumstick in his hand continued to steadily approach the eyes of the great city of Taco.

"Don't worry, I'll go very lightly. I'll let you really experience what it feels like to have something churning in your eye socket... That feeling is truly intoxicating."

The madness in Majima Goro's eyes was so real that at that moment, Ooshiro Tou could truly feel his killing intent, and it seemed that his left eye might really lose its sight forever.

"Alas!"

Even with all his might, Oshiro couldn't push away Majima's hand that was gripping the drumsticks, and could only let out meaningless screams.

Meanwhile, in the study on the second floor of the Tokyo Governor's Office, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Chief Secretary Takuya Utsunomiya watched the chaotic scene on the monitor, cold sweat dripping down his forehead.

"Governor, the Metropolitan Police Department's Mobile Investigation Unit is on its way to the Ochanomizu Hotel and should be able to arrive at the scene before any violence occurs."

"With one attendee about to be blinded in the eye, you can still say without batting an eye, 'The Metropolitan Police Department should be able to arrive at the scene before the violence occurs'... Secretary, your ability to lie through your teeth is truly astonishing."

Qingshan glanced at him sideways and casually made a sarcastic remark.

Whether I am lying through my teeth depends on how the Metropolitan Police Department defines 'violent incidents' at seminars in its law enforcement reports... Generally speaking, if two opposing sides have a slightly excessive physical altercation during a debate, it will not be defined as a 'violent incident'.

Utsunomiya explained.

"Hmm, that makes some sense. The people attending the seminar are all artists who don't stand on ceremony. For them, it's perfectly normal to communicate through music, painting, or abstract art when language can't fully express their inner thoughts, right?"

"Of course, but the premise is that no one in the venue will actually be injured... or rather, no one will actually suffer injuries that can be recognized by a judicial appraisal institution."

"...Then I'm relieved."

Aoyama knew that Majima Goro wouldn't actually blind Ooshiro Tako; he was just trying to scare the insolent guy.

Of course, don't think that he was being cautious or trying to avoid trouble, but was only doing it out of respect for Aoyama.

Before the Tojo Clan was disbanded by Aoyama, Goro Majima and Aoyama's father, Yuki, were both leaders of the Tojo Clan's direct subordinate groups. The two had a close relationship, and Aoyama was more like a promising junior to Goro. Furthermore, now that the Tojo Clan has disbanded, many former members still rely on the Toyama Holdings Group, which is led by Yuki, for their livelihood. Therefore, Goro Majima would avoid causing Aoyama any major trouble with his actions.

However, avoiding big trouble doesn't mean avoiding small trouble.

Just because he didn't injure the Great Pagoda at the expert seminar hosted by the Bureau of Life and Culture doesn't mean he will continue to abide by the law in private afterwards.

Sure enough, just as Goro Majima's drumsticks touched Taco Oshiro's false eyelashes, Lady Tsuzuki, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke up—

"Enough! What do you think this place is? Some dusty dead-end alley in Kamurocho? A managing director of a major company and a veteran singer who's been famous for thirty years, both over fifty! And you're all tangling up here like thugs, is that even right?!"

Mrs. Tsuzuki's seniority is so high that she was among the first in Japan to open a performance hall. Almost all the musicians of her generation have died out, so no one can find fault with her for standing up and criticizing others.

People like Mika Nakashima and Takuya Kimura may have impressive fame, but they lack experience. If they were to actually show off, someone like Takao Oshiro or Goro Majima could easily shut them down, and they wouldn't be in the right.

So what if you're famous? You're famous because your seniors have made way for you, giving you the opportunity to shine. If they hadn't made way for you, you'd probably still be stuck in some small firm.

(There really is this kind of common sense in the Japanese entertainment industry: seniors should make way for juniors, and juniors, no matter how famous, should respect their seniors. However, this common sense has almost died out in the last two years, so you see a bunch of middle-aged men and women in their forties and fifties still playing leading roles in the Japanese entertainment industry...)

"Oh my, isn't this Ms. Tsuzuki?" Majima Goro casually tossed Oshiro aside, grinning strangely as he approached Tsuzuki. "It's been so many years since we last met! How have you been?"

"Don't try to get close to me. Don't you know you reek of alcohol?"

Tsuzuki covered his nose, making no attempt to hide his disgust. "Shimano's mad dog, huh? Back in '88, when you were still the 'Emperor of the Night' in Sotenbori, I went to support you quite a bit, didn't I?"

"of course."

"Since you still consider me an acquaintance, won't you give me the honor of sitting down as the executive director of DY Entertainment and having a proper chat? And while you're at it, tell me how you managed to bring my adorable granddaughter here?"

“Your granddaughter…” Majima Goro turned his head to look at Hiroi with some hesitation, then turned his gaze back to Rakuna’s face.

“That little girl is your granddaughter,” he said with a look of sudden realization. “No wonder.”

Having dealt with Majima Goro, Tsuzuki then looked at Ooshiro Tako, who was slumped in his seat, panting heavily.

"I want the police to arrest this violent thug. It's a disgrace to breathe the same air as such a barbaric guy!"

“Mr. Ooshiro, that’s enough. A little kid is tired from playing and wants to eat something, but you call that begging? What about your behavior thirty years ago when you were selling yourself on the street on the way home from school for the eldest daughter of the Maeda family? Did you want to sell yourself into slavery but couldn’t?! It’s a disgrace for you to breathe the same air as Majima, but it’s a disgrace for us to breathe the same air as a guy like you who seduces married women and his friends’ wives.”

"you you you……"

Ooshita hesitated for a long time without saying anything further, and he really didn't dare to mock this Ms. Tsuzuki...

At this moment, someone nearby, who couldn't stand Ms. Tsuzuki taking sides, asked her a question.

"Mrs. Tsuzuki, you applauded when the three performers on stage finished their piece, didn't you? Do you support this kind of... performance style? This kind of performance style that involves breaking into homes, damaging property, and assaulting people?"

"Don't try to change the subject. The topic of our meeting is pop music, so let's just talk about pop music. Tell me, how was the performance just now? How was the music? How was the singing? How was the musicians' performance?"

Ms. Tsuzuki asked three questions in a row.

Make way for me: 095 Who wouldn't have some doubts in this situation?

In fact, in terms of playing musical instruments technically, the performances of Hiroi Kikuri and the other two were not outstanding.

Even if Lena is a junior high school student and a guitar prodigy, the number of years she has practiced is limited, and there is still a significant gap between her and a true professional musician.

Goro Majima is only at the level of a third-rate band drummer.

Only Kikuri Hiroi can reach the level of an excellent professional musician.

Such a band would certainly have no problem performing in front of an ordinary audience, but in front of this group of seasoned music professionals in the conference room, their skills are somewhat lacking.

However, this "performance" is modeled after a street performance, not a music appreciation event in a celebrity salon, so the musicians' playing skills are not that important.

Street performers pay for tickets in advance, and there are no performance halls to promote the show beforehand. They attract audiences entirely based on the content of the performance, so the first priority for street performers is to attract attention.

In this respect, the three people, led by Kikuri Hiroi, did a good job.

The three men burst through the door on a flatbed cart, smashing the podium, a symbol of authority, in half, and the spokesperson, representing capital and conservative forces, fled in disarray.

This picture alone is full of artistic beauty.

However, many people still believe that this is a crooked and heretical approach.

Using unconventional behavior to attract attention goes against the original purpose of musical performance.

The most vehement opposition came from the spokesperson who was nearly hit by the flatbed truck.

"If attracting attention is the most important factor in evaluating the success of a street performance, then we might as well send every musician to the circus for two years of training. A new guitarist riding on a bear's back and playing the guitar will definitely attract more attention than a veteran guitarist playing the guitar in an ordinary way."

Those who admire Kikuri Hiroi and her group immediately refuted this statement.

"According to your logic, does that mean that everything unrelated to music should no longer appear in musical performances? Lighting, smoke, musicians' costumes, makeup, jewelry, and dance moves can all be canceled. In the future, musical performances will only allow a few musicians to sit on a high stool on stage and then just sit there and force themselves to play and sing, right?!"

“That’s not what I meant, and street performance and stage performance are two different things.”

"For stage performances with a fixed audience and pre-promotion, it's fine to attract the audience with various non-musical elements. But for street performances without a fixed audience and pre-promotion, attracting the audience with non-musical elements is considered sensationalism? I think you're discriminating against street performances!"

"This is not discrimination! This is just stating the facts. My comments just now were only directed at the farce that happened earlier, and had nothing to do with the actual street performance."

"What do you mean by discussing the matter at hand? I think it's clearly a flexible standard, with one set of arguments that are favorable to you and another set that are unfavorable to you!"