Everyone realized that Duanmu Huai was indeed quite kind to Yao Lenna.

He even gave Yao Lenna a spare key so she could stay here whenever she wanted. According to Duanmu Huai, "It’s not good to have no popularity at all. Having someone here can at least bring a little popularity."

However, Yao Lenna didn’t turn the place into a party den as others might have worried. Most of the time, she just played music improvisationally, rested when tired, went out to find food after waking up, and then came back to play again until she was tired.

How should I say it... she’s like a stray cat.

But there’s no denying, this cat’s guitar skills are quite exceptional.

Fukawa Shoko considered whether to bring Yao Lenna into their band. After all, dual guitars are pretty common in many bands, but Duanmu Huai refused.

The reason was simple.

"Do you think you can control her?"

Faced with Duanmu Huai’s question, Fukawa Shoko pondered for a moment and then lowered her head in defeat.

Training a dog requires skills.

Training a cat—impossible.

However, Yao Lenna’s presence wasn’t entirely useless for the band. Several times during practice, Yao Lenna would suddenly join in and perform an improvisational segment. Normally, in a typical practice session, she would get scolded for this. However, her impromptu performances always managed to take the song to a higher level, so no one complained.

Moreover, this kind of improvisation often brought them more inspiration, though it did mean changing the song repeatedly. Luckily, they were all professionals, so no major issues arose because of it.

Duanmu Huai was even less concerned, as he didn’t even perform.

However, this was just a side note.

Soon, it was time for the band organized by Duanmu Huai to officially take the stage.

Tokyo Idol Band Grand Prize.

Shortened to TOKYOIDOL.

Although it’s called Tokyo, it’s actually a grand festival featuring the most famous girl bands throughout Japan, lasting three days. During these three days, the most popular girl bands showcase lively and bustling performances. Each night’s finale is reserved for the most spotlighted band of the day.

The first night’s finale band was Roselia, and the second night’s band was Hello, Happy World. These two bands were famous in every sense, undoubtedly bringing great enjoyment to everyone.

However, the band for the final night’s finale surprised everyone.

Inquisitor.

A completely unknown band, in fact, one that nobody had ever heard of.

Initially, when people saw the notice for this band as the night’s finale on the advertisement boards, many were bewildered. Some searched online but couldn’t find a shred of information about the band.

Why was such a band chosen to be the closing act of the festival?

Many were shocked, but soon, insider information leaked from official personnel further stunned everyone. According to insiders, this band was temporarily formed, with pressure from higher-ups to take the last night’s spotlight. With both organizer and sponsor backing, other staff reluctantly complied.

Once this news leaked, it immediately blew up online. Many criticized the contest organizers for favoritism, and numerous people commented under the organizers’ accounts, angrily stating that if this unknown band wasn’t canceled, they would never attend again!

Thus, the third day of the band grand prize, commenced under such a noisy and chaotic atmosphere.

"Whoa... why did it turn out this way?"

Meanwhile, Fukawa Shoko, scrolling on her phone, was ready to pop some antacid medication.

"This is so troublesome..."

"Troublesome? What’s troublesome?"

Duanmu Huai yawned, leaning back in his chair. By the way, they had arrived at the venue early. Duanmu Huai didn’t want to squeeze in with others, so he simply bought an RV through the company, and now they were waiting inside it.

"The internet is filled with bad things about us, saying we’re a backdoor band, that we’re bullying others and forcibly changed the schedule..."

"That’s true, isn’t it?"

Duanmu Huai shrugged.

"Without my intervention, a band like ours, formed last minute, would never have made it to this stage. And we indeed canceled the originally scheduled band for our appearance. What’s the issue?"

"No, no, no. People will have a very bad impression of us this way."

"Why do you think I care about their opinions?"

"...Eh?"

To be honest, Duanmu Huai’s response left Fukawa Shoko completely speechless.

"We’re a band, shouldn’t we consider everyone’s feelings?"

"Why should we? We’re just here to sing. Whether they like listening or not is their business, I’m not begging them to listen."

Duanmu Huai snorted.

"It’s like acting. Acting is my job. My role is to portray the character. If someone likes me because of this character, that’s their business, not mine. I’ll do whatever I want, who cares? Just because they like me, do they think they own me? Who do they think they are? My mother?"

"This..."

"By the way, I had someone deliberately leak that news."

"Why?"

"Haven’t you heard? Infamy is still fame."

Faced with Duanmu Huai’s stubborn reasoning, Fukawa Shoko was at a loss for words.

"Xiao Ai is really the same as always."

Hearing Duanmu Huai’s contemptuous remark, Hei Chuan Chi Yin chuckled softly, while Fukawa Shoko looked speechlessly at Hei Chuan Chi Yin.

"Isn’t this bad, Chi Yin?"

"Hmm? Although I apologize, actually many performers are like this. Serving the audience or giving back to fans are things they disdain to do and are unwilling to do."

"So what do we do now?"

"We don’t need to do anything!"

Duanmu Huai forcibly interrupted Fukawa Shoko’s words.

"These mere insignificant things are not worth mentioning, let’s use music to completely crush them!"

"...This isn’t a war...... "

Fukawa Shoko had never seen a musician like Duanmu Huai before. To him, the audience didn’t seem like his lifeline but more like his enemies. Music wasn’t a means for him to express his emotions but more like a weapon. What Duanmu Huai wanted to do now was use music as a weapon to defeat those dissatisfied audience members, making them beg for mercy and completely surrender......

This is totally not what a band should think.

Fukawa Shoko glanced at Yahata Miru, who smiled slightly.

"I think it’s interesting."

"......Mutsu?"

.........

Ruoya Mu, who was playing the guitar, looked up, stared at Fukawa Shoko, and then nodded slightly.

"We’ll win."

"???"

No, is that what I meant?

"Haah........."

Fukawa Shoko sighed quietly.

Returning to the stage once again, it felt like starting off as an enemy to the entire audience.

If I had known it would come to this, I wouldn’t have agreed to Duanmu Huai’s invitation back then!

Time passed by second by second, the night concert was about to start, and the audience was already packed below the stage. However, the current atmosphere was different from before.

In the previous two nights, because the band was announced in advance, the audience below held support sticks of the band’s color to heat up the atmosphere. However, today, the crowd under the stage was noisy and chaotic, with no apparent order.

"The atmosphere is really terrible."

As the closing ceremony, the members of the girl bands participating in this festival naturally also attended. Watching the hostile venue nearby, they felt a wave of unease. As performers, they were well aware of how intimidating this kind of environment is. None of the audience below came to cheer for them; instead, they came to mock and insult them. Just imagining it made some girls with weaker mental capacities want to leave the stage.

"Is Inquisitor okay?"

Standing at the edge of the stage, looking at the venue below, Junta Manaka of the idol group SUMIMI whispered anxiously.

"I’ve read the comments online. People are really slamming that band hard."

The girl with pink hair and dressed in a light idol outfit next to her shook her phone.

"Honestly, it’s terrifying. If something like this happened to Pastel*Palettes, I wouldn’t know if I’d have the confidence to go on stage."

"Frankly, I’m very annoyed by staff randomly leaking information."

The girl with cool black hair streaked with highlights on the other side crossed her arms and huffed softly.

"Although I understand that snatching the closing act in this manner is despicable, it doesn’t justify casually leaking participants’ details."

"By the way, I feel like something is strange about this whole thing."

The petite girl wearing cat-ear headphones frowned.

"Even with leaked information, blowing it up to this extent in just one day is excessive. It feels like someone is deliberately trying to spread it."

Just then, the silver-haired girl who had been silent the whole time spoke softly.

"Maybe, Inquisitor could give us a pleasant surprise."

"Really?"

———————!

At this moment, the lights on the stage suddenly went out, signaling the arrival of the night band. Usually, this would be the moment the audience erupts into cheers, but instead, the stage fell into dead silence, as if antagonizing the situation.

It was almost like a hellish venue.

The band girls participating in the performance also halted their conversation, staring intently at the stage. They were also concerned in their own ways about this unknown band, wanting to see to what extent it could perform amidst such rumors and malice.

The entire venue was silent.

Then, the music began.