138: Retaliate

I won’t disclose the details of this strategy here, as we have no way to know who might be listening in.

You’ll find out soon enough. Our counterattack begins in just a short while, on the Eve of the MDM.

And I would like ALKALOID to be our vanguard.

Ahaha, we really have become soldiers, huh?

Well, there’s no need to take it so seriously. You’ll still be singing and dancing on the stage as normal idols would.

As long as our pawns carry out their role, we’ll deal with the difficult things.

We’ll issue our instructions for you in a timely manner, as well. All we ask is that you don’t misunderstand the command and act rashly.

And of course, that you don’t run away—I hope you will stay and fight until the bitter end.

Hm. I’m not very good at thinking anyway—It’s easier to just focus on what’s ahead of me.

Of course, if you ask me to do something akin to killing Nii-san, I’ll refuse.

Naturally, you all have the right to refuse. We live in a modern, law-abiding society, after all.

It isn’t as though we signed a contract, so you’re free to act based on your own judgment in the moment—to a certain extent.

It may be that you will be treated as the leading actors at the MDM, but you still are just one of our pawns.

If worse comes to worst, we’ve prepared a strategy that will bear fruit even without you.

It seems that Crazy:B will stop at nothing to achieve their goals… We are prepared for many sacrifices.

But I pray that it doesn’t come to that.

However, I’m still having trouble understanding. Why did you choose us?

Even if you limit it to just StarPro, there are probably countless other units who have the ability to deal with Crazy:B.

Just off the top of my head, there’s fine from the Big Three, and of course Trickstar is always acting as protagonists, themselves…

And Ryuseitai also seems to be quite strong. I can’t imagine they will keep quiet about things now that Crazy:B has sullied their reputation—so they, too, have reason to fight.

Yeah, seriously. It’s kinda weird that you’ve put us up on a pedestal like this. We only just made our debut at Bon Festival, and we have like, no track record.

Fufu. In this situation, your track record doesn’t matter.

Rather, because Ryuseitai does have such a long history, they are more susceptible to Crazy:B’s poison.

Ah, I see now. It’s because Crazy:B nitpicks their opponents, tears them apart with slander, provokes them—all in order to lure them out onto the battlefield. And all that waits for them is a trap that works in Crazy:B’s favor.

That appears to be their basic strategy, at least.

But we’ve just started our activities. There’s no weak spots for them to exploit.

It kinda stings to admit, and it’s a little disappointing, but… we are just normal guys with no dark pasts or anything.

(And the idol industry is all just based on how the public sees us, so I don’t think anyone’s gonna go off on me for being biracial.)

(And if that kinda thing does come up, I’m sure Crazy:B will be the ones getting criticized…)

(Or that’s what I want to believe. I can live with my head raised high within the idol industry.)

…Huh? But that reminds me, isn’t Tattsun-senpai a total veteran compared to us?

Not that I think Senpai’s ever done anything wrong, but isn’t it possible that Crazy:B will target him?

Yes, there certainly is that possibility. There was even a time during my time at Reimei Academy that I was quite the little rascal.

If they bring that up, I imagine the outcome might not be so pleasant.

Of course, I don’t believe I’ve done anything to stir up gossip behind my back, but…

Considering the catastrophic examples of Ryuseitai or Akatsuki, I can’t say I’m very optimistic.

No need to worry about that. It’s true that Crazy:B might aim their stingers at your throat, given that you were extolled as the former revolutionary of Reimei Academy.

But if they sting you, you just need to sting them back.

? What do you mean?

Fufu. It’s quite irritating to be beaten down over and over. And so, to compensate for the injury we’ve suffered at Idol Royale—

I’ve asked Crazy:B’s direct superior, Saegusa-kun, to provide me with some information about them.

You can think of it like a plea bargain. And as a result, I’ve gained information which could deliver a fatal wound to all of the members in Crazy:B—

Amagi Rinne, Shiina Niki, Oukawa Kohaku, and of course, HiMERU.

In other words, I’ve obtained their weaknesses. And so, should Crazy:B attempt a repeat of their cowardly tactics from Idol Royale…

Then we’ll play by their rules and disclose this information—their shameful secrets—in order to bring them to their knees.

And so rather than a poison stinger, I will give you the final nail to hammer into their coffin. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth—

If they try to ruin your reputation, then you only need do the exact same thing in return.

Kazehaya-kun, your past is intimately related to HiMERU-kun’s.

If Crazy:B tries to bring up anything concerning your past, we will expose to the world secrets that HiMERU-kun doesn’t want anyone to know.

No. If they lay siege to you, Kazehaya-kun, they will only be digging their own grave.

Curses are like processions: They return to whence they set out. They’ll be burying HiMERU alongside you.

Oh dear. I suppose it’s a little odd to consider it my… golden age, but it was the period when I was most active as an idol.

And it happened to coincide with the period when HiMERU-san was most prominent, as well, but…?

Ahh, you don’t know anything about it, do you? It’s probably better that way. Because it seems that under HiMERU-kun’s pretty face is something repulsive.

In all honesty, there’s no need to go searching for trouble like that.

Hm…?