*SHINODA FAMILY DINER - VENUS FORT - ODAIBA - TOKYO*
*LIVE STREAM: STAGE - EVENTS VENUE - HAKODATE - HOKKAIDO*
AKI: "Haruka, Himeno... Please..."
In two minutes, these two leaders had gone from leading the cheers for me to possibly...leading the charge against me.
All because of Kanon.
This was Liella!'s-
No...
More specifically, this was Kamijou's goal all along.
To take the territories of school idols and wave them like a red cape to attack me with.
That bastard! Is there no depth that he won't sink to?!
[PLAY MUSIC]
KANON: "But what does that mean for the rest of you? You know... The school idols from outside the capital. The same rules apply, defeat Nijigasaki, except... As a reward, we won't visit your home and take your territory like we did with Saint Snow."
JENNIFER, AKIRU, REINE: "?!"
KANON: "I know what you're thinking, 'Aw, she's all talk! She's just another orange haired leader who makes empty promises! She's harmless!
Don't believe me...? I'm serious. I promise. We can take everything from you."
Huh? Wh-What is she doing?
Kanon used her hands to brush her orange hair back.
No... She wasn't brushing it back!
KANON: "We can, and..."
LIELLA!: "...WE WILL!"
?!
I looked in horror. It was as if the once innocent, shy, and kind Kanon Shibuya had shed her skin to reveal a much sinister shade...
CHIKA: "..."
AKI: "Kanon..."
What happened to you?
[MUSIC ENDS]
But I couldn't theorize for long because the school idols were again banded against me. Not out of hatred...but out of fear. Usually, an animal would flee from a predator. However, they decide to fight back when in a pack to outnumber the predator. Out of the fear of what that beast would do to their herd.
Humans...are a little more complex than that. We can be bought with the promises of rewards beyond our wildest imagination. Or, in this case, blackmail.
These school idols were not standing against me out of their fear of me.
No...
They were forced to take up arms against me out of fear of what Liella! would do to them and their friends.
I'll give Kamijou credit; it's a genius plan. But it's morally corrupt in every way, so I cannot admire it. This man claims to be the most powerful in the idol industry, yet he resorts to cheating and taking shortcuts.
Fucking shortcuts against a school idol group!
WHAT A FRAUD!
HARUKA: *Sob* "I'm... I'm so sorry, Akihiko... But if we defeat you, we'll finally get Shinagawa back..."
AKI: "..."
HIMENO: "We... We want to challenge you. We're not doing this to hurt you... We're just worried about what Liella! will do!"
AKI: "Haruka... Don't do this. What about your sister?!"
HARUKA: "I know, and I don't like it... But this day was going to come one day... I need to show her that I can stand on my own two feet."
AKI: "Please... *Sob* I'm begging you! *Sniff* Haruka, this will tear her apart... Don't do this... DON'T DO THIS TO HER!"
HARUKA: "I'm sorry. but this is just the way things are. Shinonome can't beat Liella! But... I'm sure we can beat you!"
???: "Liella! aren't the group you should be worried about."
Huh?
HARUKA, HIMENO: "Huh?"
H-Hey... Wait a second; I noticed a girl sitting at a table alone. She was wearing glasses and a face mask, but I thought she might have been another customer or something, so I didn't want to bother her.
But you're telling me that she's another school idol or something?
HARUKA: "Who are you?"
HIMENO: "What school do you represent?"
???: *Giggle* "Then you'd better keep this a secret, okay?"
She removed her face mask and took off her glasses.
She opened her eyes...
EVERYONE: "?!"
N-No way...
NO WAY!