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

Chapter 118 Old acquaintance
"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, look, it must be the fanatical fans who leaked the news of Risa Terada's activities. Otherwise, how could there be so many spectators in such a mere campus singing competition?" From the moment he entered the stadium, he observed that many of the spectators were young men, with light boards and glow sticks sticking out of the gaps in their backpacks. They were obviously the kind of die-hard fans who promoted 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.

(End of this chapter)