I became a girl group idol for my sister.

"I'm not a pervert! Isn't it normal to like touching girls?!"

She protested, but soon remembered why she had come.

"Oh, right, Nana-chan, hurry up, we have a Tuesday performance on TV soon. Today you not only have a dance performance, but you also have to participate in a variety show. This is your last performance here for now!"

Miyamoto checked his watch; there was still about half an hour left. He never expected that Naoki Sakurako would come to call him personally.

“Okay, senpai, I’ll be off now.” Miyamoto nodded, then looked at Nanase Touka, who was still nervous: “I’m going to the performance first, Nanase. Besides training, please take good care of yourself, and remember to prepare your luggage properly…”

He even took out his phone as he spoke.

"Let's add each other as friends first, and I'll send you a message to remind you later."

"Um... okay." After hesitating for a moment, Miyamoto took out her phone, and they added each other's email and Line accounts before leaving with Naoki Sakurako. Nanase Touka watched the two leave and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Just a short while ago, she felt her heart beating wildly at a rate far exceeding her usual speed, as if it were about to overload.

However, it seems that Miyamoto-senpai is quite easy to talk to, while Naoki-senpai is a bit too enthusiastic.

"You could have just given me a call, there was no need for you to come all this way," Miyamoto said to Naoki Sakurako on the way.

"Nana-chan, I came here specifically because there are some things I want to tell you."

Naoki Sakurako paused as she spoke, then looked at Miyamoto Sei. Miyamoto Sei noticed that Naoki Sakurako's expression was somewhat somber and serious.

Did I do something to offend her?

Miyamoto thought with some doubt.

“Actually, I could feel it. When you were dancing with Nana-chan, the aura you exuded was very strong,” Naoki Sakurako said, her tone calm and serious. “It was like you were issuing a challenge to me.”

"Huh?! I was just told by Tenbei P that aura is something like confidence."

“Yes, you can interpret it that way, but I can also sense that you are indeed challenging me.”

Miyamoto Seimoto initially denied this statement, but his own inner self directly rejected it.

He was indeed challenging Naoki Sakurako, who was in first place in the general election!

Naoki Sakurako looked at Miyamoto Sei like a queen.

"I've received your challenge, and today I'll show you the difference between us!"

This is a response to being challenged!

Does it originate from the display of true strength by the strongest person who holds the top position?

Miyamoto Sei couldn't help but feel excited, and he immediately bowed.

"Senior, I beg you! Please, on this last stage where we'll be together in Tokyo in a short time, show your full potential!"

"Don't be scared!"

"I'm not so scared that I'd quit the idol industry," Miyamoto said with a grin.

"it is good!"

When the two arrived backstage and changed their clothes, Naoki Sakurako took a deep breath.

"apple."

"what happened?"

"Could you check on the other people for me later? I'm going to give it my all this time."

Sakagami Minami was taken aback, then looked at Miyamoto Sei behind her.

"Is it possible that you..."

"Yeah, I got provoked! I'm not one to back down!"

Sakagami Minami wanted to say something, but in the end, she could only nod.

"Okay, I understand. But your temper is also..."

In the distance, from her staff's seat, Risa Tenbei watched this scene with a smirk on her face.

"Teacher Tenbei, this Sakura, she..."

"Her? She wants to be a boulder blocking Miyamoto Nana's path. But in a way, it's also a sign of her unwillingness to admit defeat, haha!"

"A megalith?"

"Yes, the greater the difficulty overcome, the stronger the aura that the overcomer will generate."

Chapter Twenty-Two: Embarking on the Path

Just how strong is Naoki Sakurako when she's fully unleashed?

That is an absolute being that can completely suppress the entire field!

Almost everyone had the same misconception: that Naoki Sakurako was the only one on stage, the only one performing, and naturally, they would focus on her rather than anyone else.

That was an overwhelming presence!

When Naoki Sakurako completely liberated herself and fully expressed herself, Miyamoto Seitou felt powerless for the first time, as if a tiny human being had encountered a giant from mythology. She stood in front of him, blocking almost all his path.

To move forward, we must defeat it!

Sakagami Minami glanced at Miyamoto Se, who was sitting backstage with a very unpleasant expression. She wanted to go up and say something, but in the end, she didn't. Right now, the other person needed to come out on her own.

"Sakurako, isn't this going a bit too far?" she whispered to Naoki Sakurako beside her.

“No, if she wants to be number one in the general election next year, then she has to overcome this hurdle…” Naoki Sakurako’s expression wasn’t particularly good either, more worried than anything else: “Otherwise, as more and more people leave, what do you think will happen then?”

"..."

Sakagami Minami also fell silent. She knew very well that what the other person said was correct. In fact, the impact of Higashikuze Ogiko's graduation had already appeared. Many voices were questioning how far SKR could go without Higashikuze Ogiko. It was foreseeable that more people would graduate in the future. If a true ACE could not emerge, then SKR would indeed have a difficult time going forward.

While idol girl groups may seem to rely on the team's overall strength on the surface, ultimately, it's the individual members' abilities that matter most. This is especially true for groups like SKR, which have internal competition like a general election, where individual talent becomes even more crucial.

Are you planning to graduate?

"Hmm, if she can beat me, I'll graduate right away."

“I don’t know whether to let her defeat you or not.” Sakagami Minami smiled. “But I will continue to stay in SKR and support it until I can’t support it anymore.”

……

"Is it okay..."

Mika Komatsu asked in a low voice.

She and Miyu also got the opportunity to appear on the variety show, so they were both there. Although they didn't participate in the dance, she saw the scene and truly felt the immense power.

“It’s nothing…” Miyamoto said softly, then gave a wry smile: “It was fake…”

"Did you sense any obstacles?"

“No, rather than saying it’s an obstacle that can be overcome, it’s more like seeing a high mountain… or an insurmountable abyss…” Miyamoto carefully recalled the feeling at the time: “It was as if I was saying that what I usually do is just playing house, and now I have truly stepped into a place called the battlefield.”

"Are you afraid?"

"Fear? There is definitely fear in my heart." Miyamoto gently touched his heart. "Even now, my heart is still pounding wildly because of the aura that the other party released, which completely suppressed the power of the entire area... If I were an animal, I would probably follow my instincts and avoid them, or choose to submit..."

"I've been thinking about it, and I think you look pretty good lying on the ground with your belly showing."

"...I'm not a dog..."

Miyamoto rolled his eyes, then smiled.

"Actually, it's okay. Although I was scared, now that I've truly discovered the gap, I know what level I need to reach. This gives me a clear goal. Before, I was more like someone who simply wanted to break through my own limitations, whether it was a slow or fast breakthrough, as long as I broke through, that was enough. Now that I have a clear goal, I know that I need to continue to accelerate."

"Isn't breaking through one's own limits the strongest thing in general?"

"No, no, no, self-breakthrough is about pursuing further progress, and it's actually more suitable for people who have already reached the top. Ordinary people like me need to surpass those who are in our way before we are qualified to say that I want to seek self-breakthrough."

“So self-breakthrough is indeed stronger, but you need to clearly define and break through the goals in front of you now.” Mika Komatsu said, raising her hand and clenching her fist: “I will continue to break through, Sakurako Naoki has really given me a great role model!”

"You're scared too?"

"Who do you think I am? I'm someone who's going to enter the European and American markets. I won't be afraid of this kind of pressure!" Mika Komatsu said with a smile, though the smile looked a little forced.

Clearly, she, who was also exceptionally talented, had also sensed that terrifying aura.

……

The next day.

Miyamoto stood on the Shinkansen platform, waiting for the train to arrive.

There were quite a few people waiting for the bus around. Miyamoto looked at Nanase Touka, who was carrying a suitcase, and asked, "Is everything packed?"

He nodded slightly, using gestures instead of words.

"Yes, it's all set up now." Miyamoto Seya nodded and glanced at his watch. "It should arrive in a little while."

Miyamoto's suitcase wasn't very big. It contained four sets of clothes to change into, several sets of shoes, and some other things like glasses for changing clothes. Of course, she also brought some daily necessities such as beauty and cosmetics.

Besides these, there are things like band-aids, antibiotics, adhesive tape, and disinfectant.

When traveling, it's always a good idea to bring these things with you.

Just as she was thinking about what she should say to Nanase Touka, a startled exclamation suddenly came from afar.