stonecrandall Page 70
Page 70
"Hmm, all of Muse's songs are written and composed by Professor Baili, which makes it clear that he plays instruments. But... just how many instruments does he play? And to what extent? It's something to look forward to..."
"Shh, look, Muse and the others are coming out!"
Just as Baili Xiao finished his audition, nine eye-catching figures walked out from the edge of the stage.
Honoka, with her long, flowing hair styled into a bun, walked at the front of the group. She wore a white kimono with light green polka dots, and the tightly wrapped corset perfectly accentuated her slender waist.
Following behind her was Minami Kotori, wearing a bright red kimono with white stripes, a dark red sash tied with an exquisite bow at the back, and long, flaxen hair reaching her waist. Combined with her slightly flushed cheeks, she looked incredibly cute.
Not only the two of them, but the rest of the Muse were also wearing kimonos with flowers, maple leaves, cherry blossoms and other patterns printed on them. When they appeared on stage together, it drew a series of screams from the audience.
Many people don't know where to look, and even fans with clear supporters will linger their gaze on the rest of the Muse!
"Ahhh! Look, look! Nozomi-chan is so cute! So mature and charming! Mmm! After the concert, I definitely have to make Nozomi-chan wear this outfit and take a picture with me!" Machida Sonoko frantically shook Akane Akasaka's arm. Seeing her almost jumping up and down with excitement, Akane Akasaka smiled wryly and shook her head: "Hey, I'll help you persuade Tojo Nozomi later, so let's be quiet for now..."
As she walked onto the stage, Maki Nishikino's gaze immediately fell upon the performing group behind her—she didn't linger on the others for even a second longer, but instead focused directly on Xiao Baili.
Nico, who was behind her, noticed her movement and turned her gaze over as well. The moment Nico saw Bai Lixiao, she couldn't help but exclaim, "Teacher, he..."
The sound amplified through the microphone near her mouth, echoing throughout the venue. Nicole quickly stifled her subsequent exclamation—she had forgotten that she couldn't speak freely as usual at this moment.
Before the concert started, Baili Xiao casually mentioned while checking everyone's training, "Should I go up and accompany you on the instrument when you sing 'Gokuraku Jodo'?" Everyone thought it was just a casual remark and didn't pay any attention to it. But now, Baili Xiao is actually sitting there!
Nicole's exclamation drew the attention of the others and made them aware of Baili Xiao's presence—Minami Kotori, walking at the front, felt a sudden surge of nervousness for no apparent reason. In her mind, this situation felt like "taking an exam under the watchful eyes of one's parents"...
"Um, what should we do?" Gently holding the microphone, Minami Kotori lowered her voice as she whispered in Honoka's ear, "With Hyakusato-sensei playing in the background, I always feel a bit restrained..."
"No, it's okay, we've rehearsed so many times, we definitely won't make any mistakes! Yeah, we definitely won't..." Honoka replied, but her childhood friend Sonoda Umi immediately noticed that her body was slowly stiffening.
With a slight frown, Sonoda Umi gently patted Honoka's back with her left hand from an angle unseen by the audience: "Don't overthink it. Just do what you've trained for. The more you worry about Hyakusei-sensei, the less you'll perform. Honoka, I don't want you to be kept behind for individual training after the concert..."
"Individual training"—these four simple words sent a shiver down Honoka's spine.
Taking a deep breath, Honoka tried her best to return her body to normal... A few seconds later, she finally opened her eyes, and the light of "hesitation" no longer shone in them.
"Come on! I will definitely do my best to avoid being trained alone by the teacher!"
Chapter 0196 I was charmed by Nozomi Tojo! (Third update, please subscribe)
“Let’s begin!” Honoka, Kotori Minami, and Umi Sonoda exchanged glances and nodded in unison.
In the center of the stage, Minami Kotori knelt down in a half-kneeling position (everyone's kimonos were specially made, so there was no situation where "the bottom of the clothing was too tight and it was difficult to dance freely"). Sonoda Umi turned half her body to the side and maintained the same posture. The two faced each other, with their hands outstretched and clenched into fists, and Honoka stood behind them in the center.
The three of them formed a small group, and the rest of the group did the same—Rin Hoshizora, Hanayo Koizumi, and Maki Nishikino were in one group, while Nico Yazawa, Eli Ayase, and Nozomi Tojo were in another.
The three groups of people formed a "品" shape on the stage and took a deep breath at the same time.
In response to the others, Baili Xiao's breathing also slowed down. He gestured to the musicians who had been watching his movements, and then brought down his drumsticks heavily and quickly: "Dong dong dong!"
The upbeat drumbeats were transmitted throughout the venue through the playback equipment, energizing the entire performance team. At the same time, the dance of the Muse members slowly unfolded under the audience's gaze!
Her right hand slowly rose, drawing a semicircle around her shoulder, her fair little hand tumbling and dancing like a "flower," before slowly falling behind her.
Everyone's eyes followed the movement of the hand, and when the hand reached its final position, it suddenly retracted and returned to its front.
"Clap! Clap! Clap!" Under the bright and clear rhythm, the members of Muse opened their small hands, which were shaped like orchid fingers, and struck three completely different graceful poses. Then, the two who were half-squatting quickly stood up and stood in a row with the person in the center.
"Clap!" The sound of hands clapping together forcefully above their heads reverberated throughout the venue, instantly invigorating everyone—having just heard "Sakura Sakura, I Want to See You," they naturally couldn't quickly recover from their "sad" mood, but... the Muse's dance and passionate music forced them to do so!
A strong electronic music style suddenly arose, and following the rhythm of the electronic music, the legs of the Muse members crossed rapidly, dazzling the eyes—left foot forward, right foot slightly off to the side, then right foot forward, repeating the previous movement.
The hems of their kimonos, reaching below the knees, rose and fell with their movements, perfectly complementing their small feet, giving everyone the illusion that, "Am I watching butterflies fluttering in the air?"
If Baili Xiao knew what they were thinking, he would probably praise them without reservation, saying, "Wow, not bad!" because what Muse had just performed was a dance technique called "Butterfly Dance"!
With a faint smile on her lips, Honoka slowed her movements slightly, stretched her left hand out in front of her chest, and began to sing: "When the bright moon rises from the horizon, red lanterns are lit by fire."
With her right leg bent to support her body and her left leg gently kicking forward, Minami Kotori's flaxen hair swayed back and forth with her movements, complementing the smile on her face and creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene: "The music at the festival has begun, enticing butterflies to flutter about."
"A subtle, almost imperceptible glance, a quiet, furtive look." After the sound, perfectly blended with electronic music, comes Sonoda Umi's singing: "Once you're deeply immersed here, it's hard to escape."
"Since you're looking for pleasure, welcome to the Pure Land of Bliss!"
"Sing and dance as you please, let me hear your voice, dance and forget time, let's go wild and bloom together tonight!"
As the last syllable slowly faded, the positions of the Muse members changed—Honoka and the other two, who were originally at the front, moved to the left rear, and with the shift in positions, Maki and the other two stood at the front.
As if trying to grasp something, Maki Nishikino's hands moved upwards alternately: "Even the most beautiful and blooming flowers will one day wither and fade!"
Hoshizora Rin placed her hands on her heart, mimicking the beating of her heart, and said, "Why not seize this night and offer our love with even greater passion!"
Electronic music kicks off again: "Shall we do something 'wonderful'?"
Koizumi Hanayo's cheeks were slightly flushed, whether from the intense exercise of dancing or the undisguised lyrics of the chorus, her small pink cheeks looked so cute that you couldn't help but want to take a bite: "It's like a dream, it's hard to tell."
"There is no world of illusion or reality; let us journey together to the Pure Land of Bliss!"
"Sing and dance as you please, without worrying about messy hair or panting. Dance and forget about time, let's bloom wildly together tonight!"
The singing temporarily ended, but Bai Lixiao and the others continued to play. Following the sound of the music, the positions of the Muse members changed again. This time, the trio including Tojo Nozomi came to the front of the stage.
Nozomi Tojo, positioned between Nico Yazawa and Eli Ayase, bowed slightly and slowly extended her right index finger toward the audience in front of her—she knew that the studio's staff and Akane Kousaka, who had always maintained a cooperative relationship with the studio, were sitting there.
The moment she struck the pose, a synthesized electronic voice sang out the line: "~Let's do something 'wonderful'?"
However, unlike Koizumi Hanayo's shyness before, Tojo Nozomi, who already appeared mature and exuded intellectual beauty, made no attempt to hide her mouth shape that matched the lyrics of the electronic music!
The curve of his lips, the slow blink of his left eye, the teasing curl of his fingers, and the lyrics' irresistible "wonderful thing" all elicited roars and screams from the audience!
Among them, Machida Sonoko was the most excited!
Because... Nozomi Tojo's finger was pointing directly at her!
"Ahhh! I can't take it anymore! I can't take it anymore!" Machida Sonoko gripped Akane Kousaka and Yoko Tsubaki's hands tightly. Even though she didn't have the habit of "growing long nails" like some women, the sheer force of her fingers (so strong!) made the two of them frown.
"Thump!" Akane gently patted Machida Sonoko's head, then with a wry smile, withdrew her hand from the former's "violent grab," rubbing the spot where she had been grabbed, and warned with extreme seriousness, "Sonoko! Calm down! How old are you..."
Before she could finish speaking, Machida Sonoko suddenly turned to her with a serious expression. The last trace of hesitation in her eyes disappeared, replaced by a resolute gaze that said, "Even the end of the world won't change anything": "Akane! I've made up my mind!"
Seeing the expression Machida Sonoko had never shown before, Akane Akasaka felt a bad premonition: "What decision have you made?"
"I will never have another boyfriend in my life! Nozomi is my true love! Don't anyone try to stop me! Blame Nozomi! Because... Hikari!"
"She just completely captivated me!"
Chapter 0197 Baili Jun, please take responsibility! (First update, please subscribe)
"Baili-kun, please take responsibility!" Having just stepped off the stage and returned to his seat, barely settling in, Akane Kousaka's words completely stunned Baili Xiao—take responsibility? Take responsibility for what? Why should I be responsible for something just because I played a song?
"Ms. Kurosaka, what do you mean by 'responsible'?" Bai Lixiao asked in a low voice, his expression somewhat serious. He could clearly see that Kurosaka Akane's face was not joking at all. You should know that the latter rarely showed such an expression in front of him. Apart from the time she asked him to "save Latifa", this was only the second time he had seen her like this.
"..." Akane Kousaka didn't answer his question immediately. Instead, she slightly turned her body so that Hyakuri Akira could see Machida Sonoko beside her—Sonoko was currently staring excitedly at the muse on the stage, her hands cupped to her mouth, repeatedly screaming, "Nozomi-chan, I love you!"
Machida Sonoko was extremely fond of Tojo Nozomi, a fact that Baili Xiao already knew. Seeing the former's "obsessive fan" behavior, he merely glanced at her and didn't pay much attention: "Ms. Kousaka, Ms. Sonoko's behavior... is it alright? What? Is Ms. Sonoko the one I need to take responsibility for?"
“That’s right…” Akane Saka sighed softly, shrugging with a slight frown. “We all know that she favors Nozomi Tojo, but do you know what she just said to me? She actually wants to be with Nozomi Tojo… well, you should understand the situation between the two girls, right?”
(What...do you understand?) Baili Xiao was taken aback at first, then suddenly raised an eyebrow, a glint of light in his eyes as he looked at Machida Sonoko—just as some girls enjoy reading BL (boys' love) comics, there are quite a few boys who "like yuri" (girls' love), but most of them prefer "loli" or "student" types. He wondered if "mature women" like Machida Sonoko and Tojo Nozomi would like "younger mature women"...
(Well, at least I don't find it offensive. Just imagine Sonoko and Tojo Nozomi embracing each other while wearing black and white suspender lingerie, emmm... that image is just too beautiful...) The image that was generated uncontrollably in my mind continued Baili Xiao's usual meticulous and exquisite style, which was unmatched by anyone. Even every texture on the stockings and every subtle movement of the two people was shown to the fullest extent, as if it were real.
"Ahem!" Baili Xiao coughed lightly, suppressing the fantasies in her mind, then paused and smiled: "In that case... does Miss Hongsaka mean by 'taking responsibility' by hoping that I will pair them up?"
"!!!" Akane Akane stared wide-eyed in disbelief. When she saw the mischievous smile on Hyakuri Xiao's lips, she realized that he had just "deliberately said it to her."
With a slightly reproachful glare, Akane Akasaka smiled sweetly, her meaningful eyes fixed on his face: "Baili-kun, if you want to bring them all together, it'll be very difficult... You must know, right? What kind of feelings do those little Muse girls have for you? Of course, even the usually mature and composed Nozomi Tojo feels the same way..."
"Uh... um." Akane Akasaka's teasing reversal made Hyakuri Xiao grunt, and wisely chose to change the subject: "Let's not talk about that. How was that song 'Gokuraku Jodo' just now?"
"In terms of 'energizing the entire audience,' I think even 'Forbidden Borderline' can't compare to this song, 'Gokuraku Jodo.' But, Hyakuri-kun..." Akane Akane's lips brushed close to Hyakuri Akira's ear, her breath sweet as orchids as she continued softly, "The lyrics and the dance... I don't know why, but they give me the feeling that 'I'm on drugs.' If this were a video and not a concert, I think I'd choose to 'play it on repeat'..."
"Oh?" Akane's question made Baili Xiao raise an eyebrow—in his past life, "Gokuraku Jodo" (Paradise Paradise) was synonymous with "poison" in the minds of everyone familiar with the song; once touched, it was impossible to stop—Akane was able to discern this beforehand simply by attending the concert, and her keen insight made Baili Xiao feel a sense of dread...
(As expected of the woman who founded the entire club, she didn't hesitate to approach me for a collaboration the moment she saw me. I guess it's thanks to her keen insight, right?) With a sigh in her heart, Baili Xiao shrugged and spread her hands "helplessly": "It's just a simple song, why would I have such a strange feeling? Miss Kurosaka, you must be overthinking it."
"Really?" A faint smile appeared on Akane's lips as she turned her gaze back to the stage. But at the very end, in a voice no one could hear, she muttered to herself, "Well, maybe I'm just overthinking it..."
...
"I wonder if everyone likes this song, 'Gokuraku Jodo'?" Striving to regulate her breathing, Eli Ayase raised her right hand and asked loudly towards the sea of light sticks formed by the cheers below the stage—the only response in the venue was screams, but that was enough to answer the question.
"Thank you, thank you everyone!" Lowering her arms, Eli Ayase looked at the rest of the Muse—everyone had an undisguised smile on their face, which contained "excitement," "gratification," "excitement," and so on.
As idol singers, the greatest support for them is for their fans to like their songs!
Nozomi Tojo stepped forward slowly, standing at the very front of the Muse group—her appearance had once again triggered near-hysterical screams from the audience due to her outstanding performance just now—she gently smoothed the sweat-dampened hair on her forehead and revealed a charming smile: "The song we're about to sing, I'm sure many of you have heard before, is 'We Are Here,' our debut song. It holds special significance for us, and we'll be performing it for you again here. We hope you enjoy it!"
Chapter 0198 Epilogue: The Sensation Caused by the Muse Concert! (Two Chapters, Please Subscribe)
Muse's first concert was held at the Glorious Convention Center in Gan Hui Amusement Park. Entry was at 7:30 pm and the concert officially started at 8 pm. After nearly two hours, it finally came to a successful close!
During the concert, Muse performed a total of seven songs. Besides "Borderline," "Sakura Sakura, I Want to See You," "Gokuraku Jodo," "We Are Here," and "Renai Circulation," they also performed two new songs: "Instruction Manual" and "Even Though We Have Nothing."
The entire concert was streamed live on the official website of Shinazugawa Bunko. Of course, Chishima Publishing, which has a partnership with Hyakuri Akira, also broadcast the concert live.
According to data from the backend of the two official websites, the peak number of viewers online even reached 8.37 million!
There were only 10,000 tickets for the concert, but the number of people watching online was 837 times that of the audience... Even in an idol city, this number is extremely terrifying!
This is why, after Muse's first concert, it caused a huge uproar in the idol singer industry—Muse, who were not particularly famous or ranked highly before, actually broke into the top five of the [World Idol (Group + Solo) Ranking] with just one concert, ranking fourth!
It's important to know that the [World Idol Ranking] is the most authoritative ranking in the idol industry, officially released and updated in real time by Idol City! It evaluates idols based on many factors, including "fan support," "idol popularity," and "future potential," ensuring there are absolutely no opportunists on the list. Every idol or group that makes it into the top 50 is widely known worldwide!
But Muse... is just a newly debuted idol group! How could they break into the top 50 with just one concert? They even managed to reach fourth place?
Ordinary people may not know, but those who frequent the idol circle know very well what the top ten on this list mean!
Any idol in the top ten must possess "widespread fame", "a spotless background", "at least one song that is sung worldwide", and "extremely strong development potential"!
Many people have expressed strong protests and doubts about Muse's fourth-place ranking, with some even saying things like, "Muse originally lived in an idol city, so isn't this just the management deliberately inflating Muse's value to increase their own popularity?"
Finally, two weeks after the concert ended, under pressure from online criticism, Idol City revealed the reason why "Muse" was ranked fourth.
[1. "Fan Support": According to a report by Idol City's research team, the idol group [Muse] boasts a level of support far exceeding that of any other idol group in the world! Over 70% of those who have heard Muse's songs become Muse fans, and of the remaining 30%, 25% are fans of the idol group "Vocaloid," while the other 5% are "people who don't listen to music"! Rating: EX!]
The mere revelation of this reason caused an uproar among countless insiders. Some, unaware of the situation, consulted a veteran in the idol industry. After reviewing the report, the veteran pondered for a long time before finally uttering these words: "If this report is true, without any embellishment, it means... apart from Vocaloid fans who continue to support their idols, fans of any other idol or group, upon hearing Muse's songs, will immediately abandon their original idols and switch their support to Muse..."
Many people were stunned after hearing the expert's explanation—what does this mean? It means that if things continue this way, one day, music fans will only be divided into two groups: one supporting "Vocalist," and the rest... all supporting "Muse"...
[Second, "Idol Popularity": As a newly debuted idol group, Muse has nine adorable girls with distinct personalities and appearances, easily attracting fans' attention. Furthermore, due to their recent debut, their popularity is just beginning! Rating: A!]
0 ····Requesting flowers···· ·········
This reason is quite apt, and almost everyone who sees it would agree—newly debuted idols have considerable popularity, which increases (positive news) or decreases (negative news) over time. Considering that over eight million people watched a single Muse concert online simultaneously, a rating of "A" is truly justified...
[III. "Future Potential": The idol group [Muse] belongs to [Huaxia] Studio. Every member of the studio is a "master" in their respective field, while the studio's leader, Baili Xiao, possesses talent and potential that remains unexplored to this day! Rating: EX!]