Green plums cannot become lovers.

Two weeks ago, they were nervously scrambling on the small stage of STARRY. Two weeks later, they stood in the medium-sized performance hall of the Ring, facing five hundred audience members, and performed a song in its entirety.

Ichi Nijika held the drumsticks and gently exhaled.

Kita Ikuyo held her guitar, unable to suppress the smile on her lips.

Yamada Ryo remained expressionless, but his grip on the bass guitar loosened slightly.

Goto Ichiri lowered his head, looking at his hands. These hands, which would have trembled in the park a week ago, could now play an entire piece steadily.

They stepped off the stage, making room for the next band.

Next up is MyGO!!!!!

An and Asuka stood at the back of the audience, watching the five girls walk onto the stage.

Chihaya Aine walked at the front, holding her guitar and waving to the audience. Nagasaki Motoyo followed behind her, her expression gentle and composed. Takamatsu Akari held the microphone and took a deep breath. Kaname Rakuna, holding her guitar, remained expressionless as always. Shiina Tatsuki sat behind the drum set and gently tapped twice to test the sound.

Then the music started.

The song they chose was "Poetry Beyond the Boundaries," the song that had made a strong impression during the preliminary rounds.

As soon as Takamatsu Takayuki's voice came out, the audience fell silent.

That unique penetrating power, that feeling that came from the bottom of the heart, immersed the entire performance hall in the music.

An and Asuka stood below the stage, listening quietly.

This band is also improving. Chihaya Aine's rhythm is much more stable than in the preliminaries, Nagasaki Motoyo's bass line is smoother, Kaname Rakuna's solo is still amazing, and Shiina Tatsuki's drumbeats are precise and powerful. And Takamatsu Akari's voice sounds more composed than before.

When the song ended, applause from the audience continued.

An and Asuka also clapped.

The joint rehearsals over the past few days have been beneficial for both bands. They have learned from each other and been inspired by each other's progress.

This kind of healthy competition and cooperation is much more effective than practicing alone.

The girls returned backstage, and the atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant.

"How was it? How was it?" Chihaya Aine was the first to speak. "Weren't we alright?"

"Great!" Kita Ikuyo gave a thumbs up. "Especially Akari's high notes, I was amazed when I heard them backstage."

A little embarrassed by the compliment, Gao Songdeng whispered "Thank you."

Nagasaki Motoyo smiled gently as she looked at the girls from the band Yuujiro.

"You guys were great too. You weren't nervous at all in a venue with 500 people."

"Thank you."

The girls all laughed.

Shiina Tatsuki leaned against the wall and, unusually, took the initiative to speak: "If there's a chance in the future, we can continue to practice together."

“Great!” Chihaya Aine immediately responded, “We’re both on Ring anyway, so we can meet up anytime!”

“Then it’s settled!” Kita Ikuyo extended her hand.

Two hands clapping together, and then more hands.

They agreed to visit each other after the competition.

Seven days together, not too long, not too short, but enough to build a friendship. We shared the experience of having our mistakes pointed out, the nervousness on stage, and the practice sessions that lasted until dark. These experiences are more important than the length of time we've known each other.

An and Asuka stood to the side, watching them without saying a word.

-

On the day of the match.

The venue was significantly larger than during the preliminary rounds. The scale of the elimination rounds was different; the stage was wider, the equipment more professional, and there were more seats for the audience. Long queues formed at the entrance, with some people handing out support items and others holding up signs waiting for their favorite bands.

The competition consisted of twenty teams, divided into two groups, A and B, and was held over two days.

An and Asuka are in Group A, along with Poppin'Party and Morfonica. The End Band and MyGO!!!!! are in Group B.

The top five from each group will still advance.

When An and Asuka arrived backstage, the girls were already preparing. Marina was checking the drum kit, Ai was doing her final vocal exercises, Shizuka was tuning the bass, Kasumigaoka Utaha was sitting in a corner looking at sheet music, and Eriri was testing the keyboard.

"Asuka is here." Marina looked up and asked with a smile, "How's it going? Did you find out anything? Do you think we can make it to the finals?"

"Hmm, it's hard to say." An and Asuka put on a serious face and said, "Everyone here is very capable, are you nervous?"

"Don't be nervous!" Marina said with a smile. "Anyway, I've practiced for so many days and done everything I was supposed to."

Xiao Ai nodded: "Just perform normally."

An and Asuka nodded: "Alright, let's get ready then."

He had barely finished speaking when his phone rang. He glanced at it and saw a message.

Nijika Ichi: We're in the audience cheering you on!

An and Asuka smiled but did not reply.

Because it will be their turn soon.

When he stepped onto the stage, a cheer erupted from the audience.

"It's Asuka and his band again!"

"Great!"

"Praise the music! Keep it up!"

People were calling their names, and others were holding up support signs. The audience was a sea of ​​heads, but An and Asuka were used to this kind of scene.

He walked up to the microphone.

"We praise music."

Another round of cheers erupted from the audience.

Without further ado, the music started.

The piece we're playing this time is a new song called "Gunbō" (Gunbō). It was written by An and Asuka during a break from helping the band with their practice. The melody is more mature than their previous works, and the arrangement is more complex.

Marina's drumbeats opened the show, steady and powerful. Then came Ai's vocals, clear and warm. Shizuka's bass steadily supported the low notes, Kasumigaoka Utaha's guitar gently echoed from the side, and Eriri's keyboards spread out like a thin mist.

An and Asuka's guitar playing runs throughout, connecting all the players' performances.

The audience fell silent.

Everyone was captivated by this song.

As the song ended, applause and cheers mingled together, echoing throughout the venue.

An and Asuka bowed to the audience and led the girls off the stage.

-

Backstage, the girls' expressions relaxed.

"Asuka, how do you feel about our performance today?"

Mari asked, looking at An and Asuka.

“Very good,” An and Asuka said. “Even better than during practice.”

"If that's what you said, then I feel like we're definitely going to make it to the finals."

Xiao Ai also breathed a sigh of relief: "I felt like I was in a really good state when I was singing just now."

An and Asuka glanced at the rankings on their phones.

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All matches in Group A have concluded, and the rankings have been released.

First Place: Praise for Music

Second place: Poppin'Party

Third place: Morfonica

The three bands had very similar vote counts and all secured a place in the top five.

An and Feiniao put away their phones.

"You've advanced."

The girls exchanged glances and smiled.

It wasn't an exaggerated laugh, but a relaxed, gentle happiness.

Volume 1: End of Chapter 251

The next day was the match between MyGO and the End Band.

An and Asuka sat in the front seats, next to several girls praising the music. Marina held a glow stick for cheering. Although it was daytime, she held it up enthusiastically. Ai sat quietly, Shizuka looked at the stage gently, and Kasumigaoka Utaha and Eriri sat in the back row, their expressions calm but serious.

The Group B matches started in the morning.

MyGO went first. Chihaya Aine walked in front, holding her guitar, and waved to the audience. Nagasaki Motoyo followed behind, her expression gentle and composed. Takamatsu Akari held the microphone and took a deep breath. Kaname Rakuna held her guitar, her expression as blank as ever. Shiina Tatsuki sat behind the drum set and gently tapped twice to test the sound.

The music is ringing.

As soon as the intro to "Shadow Dance" began, the audience quieted down considerably. After several days of intensive training, their coordination was much better than during the preliminaries. Chihaya Aine's rhythm was much more stable, Nagasaki Motoyo's bass line was smoother, Kaname Rakuna's solo was still stunning, and Shiina Tatsuki's drumbeats were precise and powerful. Takamatsu Akari's voice, on the other hand, sounded more composed than before.

When the song ended, applause from the audience continued.

The closing band is at the back.

Ichika sat behind the drum set and adjusted her position. Kita Ikuyo hugged her guitar and took a deep breath. Yamada Ryo expressionlessly checked the bass's pitch. Goto Ichiri stood in the corner of the stage, holding her guitar and looking down.

Then she raised her head and looked in a certain direction from the audience.

An and Asuka nodded to her.

The prelude to "Four-Leaf Clover" begins.

This song has been performed on the Ring stage several times, but today it feels different. Goto Ichiri's intro is more steady than ever, with each note landing firmly where it should. Kita Ikuyo's voice is clear and bright, Ijichi Nikka's drumbeats are light and rhythmic, and Yamada Ryo's bass steadily supports the low notes.

The audience was completely silent.

Everyone was captivated by this song.

As the song ended, applause and cheers mingled together. Some shouted "End the band!" while others yelled "Clover!"

An and Asuka listened from below the stage, and they understood what was going on.

The rankings came out in the afternoon.

Group B rankings: MyGO fourth, End Band fifth.

Both bands made it into the top five without any major mishaps.

When the news spread, the girls were waiting backstage. Chihaya Aine was the first to see the ranking on her phone, paused for a moment, and then turned to look at the others.

"It's in."

On the other side, the four girls who had finished their band performance also saw the rankings. Ijichi Nijika stared at her phone screen for several seconds, then put it down and let out a long sigh.

"It's in."

Kita Ikuyo nodded vigorously, Yamada Ryo hummed in agreement, and Goto Ichiri, holding his guitar, smiled slightly.

The girls from the two bands came out from backstage and bumped into each other in the hallway.

"Congratulations!" Chihaya Aine was the first to run over. "We all made it!"

“You too!” Kita Ikuyo replied with a smile.

Nagasaki Motoyo said gently, "Let's cheer each other on in the finals."

“Yes!” Ichiji Nijika nodded.

Shiina Tatsuki, standing to the side, unusually took the initiative to speak: "See you in the finals."

See you in the finals.

The girls shared their joy with each other, and then went together to find An and Asuka.

An and Asuka were standing at the end of the corridor, leaning against the wall looking at their phones. Hearing footsteps, they looked up.

"Anwa-kun!" Natsumi Ijichi was the first to speak, "We're in!"