Substitute Toyokawa Shoko, you can become stronger by breathing

A female voice with a hint of teasing came from the side.

PA-san had been leaning against the bar with a cup of coffee in hand. His deep black eyes were observing the "silly smile" of his store manager with great interest.

She was still wearing a simple and capable black outfit today, which made her long, shiny black hair look even smoother like silk.

PA-san's sudden words hit the nail on the head. The smile on Yidizhi Xingge's face froze instantly, and her cheeks turned red. She glared at PA-san in anger and said viciously:

"What do you mean by finally getting an appointment?! As the store manager, I'm inviting important shareholders to come and learn about the Live House's operations! I finally secured the opportunity to renovate, so shouldn't I report back?!"

She tried to straighten her back and used this righteous tone to try to hide the little thoughts in her heart.

"Then why did you mention Nijiya and Pochi-chan?"

Hearing this, PA-san supported his face with his hands and said with a smile:

"Didn't Miss Xiangzi always come here to end the band? Isn't this the right remedy for the problem?"

"Uh..."

Ichichi Hoshige was so choked by PA-san's precise analysis that she was speechless.

Her cheeks turned even redder, and her eyes began to wander, not daring to meet PA-san's eyes.

Indeed... when she sent a message to Miss Xiangzi, she specifically mentioned that the band would have a regular performance after the show ended. She did have a little bit of the idea of ​​using this to attract the other party.

After all, that Miss Xiangzi does seem to have an extraordinary interest and... fondness for ending the band?

But if I were to say this kind of thing out loud, wouldn't it make me seem...too...too something?

Isn't that a bit too deliberate?

"I just mentioned that by the way!"

Ichichi Xingge defended herself, but her voice was a little weak:

"Closing the band is also part of STARRY! Isn't it normal to update the shareholders on the band's recent situation?!"

She forced herself to explain, but she herself felt it was a bit far-fetched.

She simply stopped nagging him and fiercely warned PA-san not to make fun of her about this matter again, otherwise she would deduct her bonus for this month!

Seeing that she was angry and embarrassed but could not make any real threats, PA Sang raised his hands and made a gesture of surrender.

Although he said this, his eyes were still filled with a teasing smile.

........

A few days passed like water dripping from the eaves, sliding down silently without leaving any trace.

In the blink of an eye, it was the day agreed upon with Ichichi Xingge.

On this day, the sky over Tokyo rarely washed away its usual grayness, revealing a clear blue.

The sun is not as scorching as in midsummer. Instead, it has a warm feeling unique to autumn, lazily shining on the streets and alleys.

Kujo Renji's mood was just like the weather, with a rare sense of relaxation.

He was still dressed in his slightly androgynous attire. He wore a loose, off-white linen shirt, the sleeves casually rolled up, revealing Toyokawa Shoko's fair, slender wrists. He wore dark grey, cropped wide-leg pants and a pair of simple white canvas shoes.

The iconic blue twin ponytails were not tied up as neatly as usual today, but hung loosely on the shoulders, adding a sense of laziness and casualness.

It was still early when he arrived at STARRY. The slightly worn iron door of the Live House was ajar, and through the crack he could faintly hear the intermittent sounds of instrument tuning and the slightly immature laughter of young girls.

Kujo Renji pushed open the door and walked in.

It seems that STARRY has really undergone a small-scale "renovation" as Ijichi Xingge said.

The walls had been repainted, and while the hues were still a bit dark, they were much cleaner and tidier than before. The bar counter was polished to a shine, and a few pots of green plants dotted the space, adding a touch of life to the somewhat cramped space.

The lighting equipment on the stage seemed to have been replaced with new ones. At this moment, some staff were busy on the ladder, adjusting the angle.

"Ah! Miss Xiangzi!"

A voice that sounded slightly surprised and a bit flustered came from behind the bar.

Yidizhi Xingge was bending over, as if tidying up something. When she heard the noise, she suddenly stood up, and the golden hair on her forehead shook a few times because of the violent movement.

When she saw that the person coming was Kujo Renji, the majestic expression of a "store manager" on her face was instantly replaced by a complex look mixed with nervousness and joy.

"Good day, Miss Xingge." Kujo Renji said with a smile, "It seems that the renovation project of STARRY is going quite smoothly."

"Ah, yeah! Yes!"

Ichichi Xingge responded somewhat incoherently, subconsciously tucking the hair around her ears with her hands, trying to hide her inexplicable nervousness.

“Just messing around.”

She paused, as if remembering something, and quickly added:

"Hongxia and the rest of the band are here today, rehearsing backstage. They're saying they're preparing something for tonight's performance... well, a surprise..."

surprise?

He was somewhat curious about the so-called "surprise" of these girls.

What is more important is the "authenticity points".

He did not forget that he gained a lot from watching their performance last time.

"Oh? I'll have to look forward to it then."

There was just the right amount of anticipation in Kujo Renji's tone:

"Speaking of which, the 'Starry Sky' Miss Xingge made last time was quite delicious. I wonder if I'll have the chance to try it again today."

When Ichichi Xingge heard Kujo Renji mention what happened last time, her cheeks turned slightly red again.

She pretended to be calm and cleared her throat, trying to make her voice sound calmer:

"Of course! If Miss Xiangzi wants to drink it, I can make it anytime."

As she spoke, she hurriedly took out cocktail shakers and various bottles and jars from under the bar.

However, the pair of hands that were usually steady and deft when mixing cocktails now seemed a little clumsy due to nervousness, and almost knocked over a bottle of syrup.

Jiujo Renji looked at her slightly embarrassed appearance, a smile flashed in his eyes, but he did not point it out.

He just sat leisurely on the high stool in front of the bar, quietly watching Ichichi Xingge busy herself.

In STARRY's backstage rehearsal room, at this moment, it is a scene of... well, a lot of excitement.

"Slow down the pace a little bit here! Yes, yes, yes! That's the feeling!"

Ijichi Hongxia was directing with her hands and feet dancing, her golden side ponytail swinging with her movements, and her signature ahoge hair swaying up and down excitedly.

Goto Ichiri was still huddled in the corner, burying herself in her guitar. Her long pink hair covered most of her face, revealing only a pair of large, twinkling blue eyes. She stared nervously at the sheet music, her fingers moving awkwardly across the strings.

Hearing Hong Xia's instructions, she murmured "hmm" softly and tried to adjust her rhythm.

The new lead singer and guitarist, Ikuyo Kita, is now facing a small mirror, carefully adjusting her hairstyle and makeup.

While humming a song, she would occasionally cast inquiring glances at Hongxia, as if confirming the fingering of a certain chord.

"Are we really going to perform that...that new song?"

Goto Ichiri asked in a voice as thin as a mosquito, his tone full of uncertainty:

"I feel...I feel like I'm not very proficient yet..."

"Don't worry, Pochi-chan!"

"But...what if...what if it goes wrong..."

Time flew by.

The girl's worries did not affect the smooth progress of the performance.

Ijichi Nikka was still the energetic drummer, and Yamada Ryo's bass supported the rhythm of the entire band. She still looked calm and composed.

Kita Ikuyo's singing is full of infectious power.

But what Kujo Renji cares about the most is still Goto Ichiri.

This girl, who usually has difficulty communicating with others, seems to become a different person once she picks up the guitar and stands on the stage.

Although her face still showed some nervousness and shyness, and her body still trembled slightly because she was not used to the gazes of the crowd, the moment her fingertips danced on the strings, an indescribable, pure and powerful power emanated from her.

Her guitar skills may not be considered flawless, and her stage presence may still seem a little immature and clumsy.

However, her solo contains a sincerity and primitive impulse that touches the heart.

It's like wanting to convey something to someone.

Kujo Renji listened and watched quietly.

His gaze remained on Goto Ichiri most of the time.

at the same time...

[Harvested "True" points: 1 points]

[Harvested "True" points: 2 points]

...

In the field of vision, the translucent words appeared again, and jumped upwards at a speed that was more stable and continuous than last time.

Sure enough! His guess was correct!

This "authenticity point" is indeed related to these girls, or in other words, to the "purity" and "sincerity" they show in their music!

He could clearly feel that when Goto Ichiri was completely immersed in her performance, when she forgot everything around her and focused only on the blending of her fingertips and strings, the "authentic points" emanating from her would become particularly strong.

It's a completely different feeling from "Original Sin Points".

If we say that the acquisition of "original sin points" is often accompanied by the darkness of human nature and the sinking of desires.

Then, the acquisition of "authenticity points" is more like a resonance, a cleansing, a pure joy that comes from the depths of the soul?

The show is over.

The girls stood on the stage, breathing slightly, with beads of sweat on their foreheads, but their faces were filled with a kind of hearty satisfaction and joy.

And in Kujo Renji's vision, the jumping numbers finally stopped.

Current "True" Points: 7

Adding the 8 points he gained from watching the performance at STARRY last time, as well as some sporadic gains he had made before, his current total of “authenticity” points has accumulated to 15 points.

At this moment, a cold, emotionless system prompt sounded suddenly in his mind:

[It has been detected that the "True" points have exceeded the limit of 10 points, meeting the conditions for fusion with the "Original Sin" points.]

【Do you want to perform point fusion? 】

Jiujo Liansi couldn't help but be stunned.

Fusion?

This word instantly solved Kujo Renji's confusion.

He never understood the meaning of this inexplicably appearing system and the two completely different points.

Now, he seems to have grasped a clue.

"Original Sin Points"... "Authenticity Points"...

One represents the darkness and depravity of human nature, the other represents the purity and sincerity of the soul.

And what will happen after the fusion?

Kujo Renji's heart began beating violently uncontrollably.

He had a strong premonition that this "fusion" might be the key to solving his current predicament!

[Once the fusion points reach a certain level, the host will have the opportunity to return to his original body.]

The system prompt sounded again.

Returning to... my original body?!

Kujo Renji's breathing suddenly became rapid!

He dreams of getting rid of this body that belongs to "Toyokawa Shoko"! He wants to return to his real body!

And now, the system actually told him that as long as he merged enough points, he would have a chance to realize this wish?!

In an instant, all his previous resentment and forbearance seemed to have found an outlet!