After dropping out of school, I chose to join a girls' band.

But when she saw that enormous thing appear on the screen, Hinasaki still felt... that this was much more exaggerated than the projection she saw yesterday.

However, this was just the appetizer. Immediately afterwards, Morfonica's video appeared, and the style changed drastically, with the entire scene filled with a strong sense of adolescent fantasy.

"With Poppin'Party and Roselia as precedents, this video actually seems pretty normal?" Hinasaki thought to herself, feeling that her acceptance threshold had been completely raised by the previous videos.

She lowered her head and sighed softly, her lips twitching slightly. She couldn't help but laugh at herself inwardly: Sure enough, my mental state is starting to deteriorate...

--------------

However, the audience's reaction surprised everyone. As soon as the video was released, the comment section and bullet comments quickly appeared, instantly becoming a hot topic of discussion.

"The Popipa troupe is so cute! They can even fly in the sky!" This comment appeared frequently in the live chat, interspersed with countless words like "angel" and "dreamy," and some even joked, "What's with scattering chocolate shells in the air? Tell me where I can catch them!"

Some exclaimed that the scene was spectacular: "Popipa really pushed the limits this time! The light and shadow effects and the flight performance are like something out of an animated film."

But the topic quickly shifted to Roselia, and the tone changed abruptly.

"What's with Roselia's costume?" one audience member couldn't help but complain. "That huge silhouette, can anyone actually wear it on stage? And why not show the whole thing? Are you just trying to whet our appetites?"

As for Morfonica's performance, although it seemed much more "normal" compared to the previous two groups, it still sparked a lot of discussion.

"Morfonica's anime-like feel is really great. Compared to Popipa and Roselia, I think this is the real fantasy work!" another comment summarized.

Of course, some people joked: "Compared to Popipa's flying and Roselia's giant costume, Morfonica is really normal. I'm actually a little disappointed."

Clips from other bands were also hotly discussed by viewers, and the comment section was completely buzzing.

Every comment and bullet screen message made Xiaoyue feel even more complicated—was the organizer's idea too outlandish, or were the audience's acceptance levels too astonishing? Or... was she already out of touch with the times? She couldn't say for sure.

However, there is one thing she knows.

Seeing that BangDream's topics occupied almost all of the top 20 trending topics on her phone, she sighed, "Is it really true that the weirder the performance, the higher the popularity?"

BangDream: The final transition of Chapter 30

With the organizers' full-fledged promotion, the BangDream competition's popularity spread like wildfire across major platforms.

Within just a few days, related topics dominated the top spots on the trending search list. From the introduction of the competition to the highlights of the contestants, and the exquisite promotional PVs of each band, discussions and reposts about the competition can be seen everywhere on the internet.

The phrase "scattering chocolate snails in the air" quickly became a viral internet meme. The scene, accompanied by Poppin'Party playing music in the air, was edited and recreated countless times. Some people even set the scene to various "hit songs," generating millions of clicks and comments.

Roselia's avant-garde costume design, though only a blurry silhouette was revealed, has become the focus of heated discussion.

Fans are incredibly curious about the unrevealed full design, and various speculative images of the "true appearance of the costume" are popping up on forums. Some illustrators have even created detailed concept art based on the silhouette. Comments are flooded with messages like, "I'd be willing to pay a high price for a ticket just to see the full look of this costume in person!"

Faced with the overwhelming popularity and discussion, Hinasaki felt an increasingly strong impact.

The atmosphere of the competition has long transcended a simple band battle, and has even been elevated to a cultural phenomenon.

Whether it was the online frenzy or the enthusiastic offline support, all of this made her realize that an era belonging to all-female bands had truly arrived.

As she watched the constantly updated data and trending topics, she felt both excited and a complex mix of emotions.

The scale of popularity she had never imagined when she joined the band was unprecedented, but now it was unfolding before her in an unstoppable manner.

Amidst this celebratory atmosphere, some individuals with ulterior motives also surfaced.

--------------

"Is this ticket... really okay?" Hinasaki stared at her phone screen, her voice filled with undisguised shock.

Her eyes widened, almost pressing them against the screen to make sure she wasn't seeing things. The forum post's title was jarring and exaggerated: "Seeking tickets to the finals at a high price, starting at 30 yen. Serious inquiries only!"

Her fingers flew across the page as she clicked on the post, finding the comments section even more heated. Someone was bidding up to 500,000 yen, and someone even commented, "Tickets in hand, name your price."

“…What a joke?” Xiaoyue muttered to herself, her eyes fixed on the numbers on the screen, the ever-increasing bids making her feel utterly bewildered.

She had never imagined that a ticket to a band competition could be resold for such an exorbitant price. Several images flashed through her mind: people queuing overnight to get tickets, others frantically refreshing the official website but still unable to buy one, forced to resort to scalpers at inflated prices…

"This is beyond the normal range!" she muttered to herself, even wondering if she had opened a fake forum.

She refreshed the page and found that several new comments had been added to the post, with one buyer's offer soaring to 700,000 yen.

Xiaoyue was completely speechless. Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly before she finally managed to squeeze out a sentence: "Is this ticket for listening to music, or for storing gold...?"

She had never sold tickets for this many times when she was an idol.

"Are these people... really crazy?" she murmured to herself. Then she opened the page again, ready to follow up on the post and see what outrageous price it would eventually sell for.

However, after refreshing the page, the post offering to buy tickets at a high price disappeared. She was stunned for a moment, then quickly searched for other similar content, only to find that all relevant information on the entire website had been wiped clean almost instantly.

"What happened?" she frowned, a question rising in her mind.

Just as she was lost in thought, a notification popped up on her phone screen: BangDream official statement: We are determined to crack down on ticket scalpers and protect the rights and interests of our fans.

"Oh?" Xiaoyue opened the news, her eyes quickly scanning the content, and a look of realization gradually appeared on her face.

Almost simultaneously, she saw the latest rankings on the trending topics list—the second trending topic was the BangDream competition statement, while the title of the first trending topic was even more eye-catching: String Roll Group liked BangDream's official statement.

"I see..." Xiaoyue said softly, her eyes filled with relief and joy.

With the support of the String Scroll Group, sponsors have expressed their support, whether to demonstrate their stance to the outside world or to genuinely combat scalpers, they have all gone all out. Various measures targeting secondhand tickets have followed one after another, and the entire market has cooled down rapidly in a short period of time.

Moreover, a truly absurd news story emerged afterward: a company was found to have committed serious internal violations—some employees claimed that tickets were sold out, but secretly resold them at inflated prices.

——————————Wu Yiqi Ba Danling Qi Liuying Lingmeng————

The rampant online resale of tickets was finally brought to a swift halt thanks to the forceful intervention of the String Scroll Group, and the market gradually returned to calm. This controversy sparked by ticket sales has temporarily come to an end.

For the members of the participating girl band, this was just a small interlude during their intense practice.

The high ticket prices, the discussions on trending topics, and even the exposed ticket scalper scandals are mostly just topics of conversation during rehearsals, short-lived jokes to relieve tension.

But beneath this seemingly calm surface, the atmosphere is subtly shifting.

As the BangDream finals draw ever closer, the online buzz is only growing stronger, with related topics consistently dominating the trending lists on various platforms.

Fans were engaged in endless discussions, from predicting the winning band to analyzing the highlights of each band's performance, pushing the level of anticipation for the competition to unprecedented heights.

As the finale draws ever closer, the tension between the bands grows ever stronger. Xiaoyue has clearly sensed this change during recent rehearsals, and even the usually cheerful and relaxed Poppin'Party and Pastel*Palettes are no exception.

The members of Poppin'Party always attract people with their energetic smiles and playful banter, but these past few days, Xiaoyue has noticed that their smiles have become less relaxed and more focused and serious.

Of course, in such a serious atmosphere, there is one band that is always an exception—Hello, Happy World!

Whenever "Hello, Happy World!" appears, Xiaoyue can't help but feel a sense of relief.

With their bright smiles and unrestrained energy, they always manage to dispel the serious atmosphere of the rehearsal room.

Amidst this atmosphere of tension, laughter, and sweat, the final day of BangDream was finally approaching.

------------

I'll probably finish this book tomorrow. Actually, I've already finished writing all the drafts. After I finish the side stories and epilogues, I'll probably focus on writing my new book.

BangDream: Chapter Thirty-One - Our Future

Hinasaki looked up at the building with the egg-shaped roof in front of her.

Tokyo Dome – This iconic building located in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, stands in the heart of the city like a giant white eggshell.

Since its opening in 1988, it has become the venue of choice for countless large-scale events, from international sporting competitions to world-class concerts, as well as commercial exhibitions and cultural activities.

For many, Tokyo Dome is not just a building, but a symbol—a stage for dreams, a starting point for victory. Stepping onto it means one has at least reached the top of the Japanese entertainment industry.

Just a few hours later, they will be stepping onto the stage known as the sacred ground—the Tokyo Dome.

Standing before the enormous egg-shaped building, Hinasaki's feelings were indescribably complex. A few months ago, if someone had told her that a newly formed band could perform at the Tokyo Dome, she probably would have just scoffed and wondered if the person had lost their mind.

"How could that be? It's absurd even to imagine." That would definitely have been her response back then.

However, reality is always more incredible than fiction. They really did it. Although they performed at Tokyo Dome as a team, it did not diminish Hinasaki's excitement and pride in the slightest.

"We're really going to perform here..." Hinasaki let out a soft breath, her hands clenching into fists unconsciously.

She always felt a little dazed, as if she were on the edge of a dream, as if she would wake up at any moment and return to the self who was still working hard in the practice room.

"What's wrong?" A cool voice broke her thoughts, and a soft touch landed on her clenched hand, carrying a hint of reassurance. She didn't even need to turn around to know who it was.

Shiina Tatsuki.

"It's nothing..." Xiaoyue turned her head to look at Shiina Riki's beautiful face. Her long, dark brown hair was smooth and shiny, and the strands gently touched her cheeks, outlining her soft facial features.

Her eyes were as clear and captivating as pink cherry blossoms in the morning, with a subtle luster in the pupils. Her cheeks had a natural blush, and a small beauty mark could be seen on her left cheek, near her eye, adding a unique charm to her beauty.

Although she had seen this face countless times, she still couldn't help but sigh in her heart—it really was an icy beauty.

"It's nothing..." Hinasaki Tsuki shook her head gently, a faint smile playing on her lips, as if trying to mask her inner nervousness. She said softly, "It just feels a little unreal."

Her gaze fell once again on the Tokyo Dome before her, its massive arched roof appearing exceptionally solemn under the lights, as if silently watching over them.

Xiaoyue took a deep breath, and a gentle breeze brushed her cheek, causing a ripple on the hem of her clothes.

"The goal we set at the beginning... has actually been achieved so quickly," she murmured, her tone tinged with an indescribable sense of感慨 and dazedness.

Shiina Tatsuki stood beside her, gazing at her silently for a moment before her voice slowly echoed in the air: "Isn't this wonderful?"

“Yes…” Xiaoyue chuckled softly, but then a hint of confusion appeared in her eyes.

She looked up at the direction of the giant egg, her brows furrowing slightly, and asked softly, "So... what are we going to do next?"

She turned her head, her gaze fixed intently on Shiina Tatsuki, as if seeking an answer, and continued, "Trains have clear tracks and destinations, and they always reach the next station. So... what about us?"

Lixi was silent for a moment, her hair fluttering slightly in the wind. She raised her hand to tidy the hair behind her ear, and then spoke in a calm but firm tone: "I will go with Xiaoyue to find the next goal and continue to move forward."

This simple sentence was like a beam of light piercing through the fog, shining straight into Xiaoyue's heart.

She paused for a moment, her gaze flickering slightly.

“You’re right,” she said, looking at the magnificent Tokyo Dome.

After looking at him for a while, he turned his head and looked at Shiina Tatsuki standing next to him.

In the gentle breeze, a faint blush rose to Xiaoyue's cheeks. She lowered her head and hesitated for a moment, as if gathering her courage, before raising her head with a serious look and a hint of undisguised shyness in her eyes.

"Then... I look forward to your guidance on our journey ahead!" She took a deep breath and spoke a little faster, as if afraid that if she hesitated any longer, she wouldn't be able to say it.

After a pause, Xiaoyue finally mustered the courage to add a sentence, her voice as soft as a low murmur, yet it clearly reached Shiina Tatsuki's ears—

"だんな."

Shiina Riki was stunned, clearly not expecting Hinasaki to suddenly utter that word. Her originally fair cheeks were instantly flushed, the blush spreading from her ears all the way down to her neck.

“Please…please guide me…” Lixi replied subconsciously, but her stammering tone betrayed her panic.