Extra chapter for reaching 300 Power Stones.
...
The air inside the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan was thick with anticipation.
It was like a roaring energy that seemed to connect just below the surface of everything.
Haruya, his family, and Minako sat in their seats in the grand hall, the velvet chairs surprisingly comfortable.
Hiroko Seto sat with them, her presence a calming anchor in the room.
Tsumugi had gone backstage an hour ago to prepare, leaving her family to wait with a mix of excitement and quiet dread.
Haruya had been restless, his leg bouncing a little under the chair, until his dad, Kenjiro, had put a hand on his knee.
"Just relax, Haruya," he had whispered. "She's got this."
But it was hard to relax.
This was the moment Tsumugi had worked for, the culmination of all the late-night practices and the intense focus he had seen in the past few weeks.
His attention was focused on the stage, where a single, gleaming Yamaha concert grand piano sat bathed in a warm spotlight.
The rest of the stage was a dark, empty space, waiting to be filled with music.
The lights in the hall dimmed, and a soft murmur swept through the audience. A voice over the intercom announced the first performer.
One by one, they played their respective pieces.
A symphony of notes.
However, the most impressive ones were yet to come.
Haruya held his breath, and a moment later, a figure walked onto the stage.
He was a boy with spiky blonde hair that flowed up, like a crown of golden thorns.
His eyes were blue, and his face held a stoic expression, betraying no emotion.
He wore a simple black suit that looked perfectly tailored for him. He bowed to the audience, a quick, almost perfunctory nod, and sat down at the piano.
"That's Takeshi Aiza," Hiroko Seto suddenly whispered beside Haruya. Her voice was low and calm. "One of the best of his generation. His technique is flawless. They say he's a perfectionist, a master of every single note."
As if to prove her point, the boy began to play.
The music was a wild, aggressive storm. The notes came out in a furious, rapid-fire succession, a relentless torrent of sound that filled the hall. It wasn't a soft, gentle melody; it was a powerful, almost violent piece that demanded attention.
It felt like a hurricane trapped inside a bottle, a perfect, controlled chaos that was breathtaking to witness.
His hands flew across the keys, a blur of motion that seemed impossible to follow.
Haruya was impressed. This was a whole different level of playing.
Takeshi Aiza wasn't just playing the piano; he was conquering it, forcing it to bend to his will.
The music was technically perfect, every single note hit with a precise, almost mechanical accuracy that was stunning.
Hiroko Seto leaned in again, her voice a low murmur.
"He's been invited to Europe for competitions in the past," she said. "He's a true prodigy. He's been chasing something his whole life, something he can only find in the piano. That fire you hear, that's what makes him a genius."
The piece ended with a thunderous final chord that seemed to echo for a moment in the silence.
Takeshi Aiza bowed to the audience, his expression still stoic, and walked off the stage to a wave of applause. The applause was loud and long, a testament to the raw power of his performance.
Haruya clapped too.
He couldn't deny it; the boy was incredible.
As Takeshi walked backstage, he passed by a beautiful girl who was waiting in the wings.
She had long, waist-length black hair with soft bangs hanging above her forehead. Her reddish-brown eyes were focused on the stage, a look of intense concentration on her thin, elegant face.
As Takeshi walked by, he turned his head slightly and said, "Good luck."
The girl, Emi Igawa, just made a soft, disdainful "Hmph" sound and ignored him, her eyes still on the empty stage.
A moment later, the announcer's voice came over the intercom, and Emi Igawa walked out onto the stage.
She bowed to the audience, a graceful, almost theatrical gesture, and sat down at the Yamaha piano. She took a moment to close her eyes, and when she opened them again, they were filled with a burning intensity. She placed her hands on the keys and began to play.
Her music was a completely different animal from Takeshi's.
His had been a storm of raw power; hers was a swirling tempest of emotion.
It was a fast, complex piece, but it was filled with a sense of passion and feeling that made Haruya lean forward in his seat.
Her body moved with the music, her shoulders rising and falling, her head tilting to the side, as if she were wrestling with the emotions the song evoked.
The melody was a beautiful, melancholic dance that seemed to tell a story.
It was a song of longing and heartache, and Haruya could feel the emotions in every single note.
Hiroko Seto leaned over to him again. "That's Emi Igawa," she said. "Her piano teacher, Yuriko Ochiai, is a close friend of mine, a truly high-caliber pianist in Japan. Just like Takeshi, Emi is considered one of the best in her generation. But where Takeshi is focused on technical perfection, Emi plays from her soul. She puts her entire being into every performance."
Haruya could see it.
The way her hands moved across the keys, the way her entire body was in tune with the music, it was all a part of her performance.
He felt a deep sense of empathy for her, a connection to the raw, untamed emotions in her music. He felt a small pang of worry for Tsumugi, who would have to compete against such impressive opponents.
But then, he remembered the calm, confident look in her eyes just a few hours ago. He remembered the feeling of her playing, the warmth and joy she brought to the piano.
He knew she had a chance.
Emi finished her piece, and the final chord hung in the air, a silent, powerful echo of her performance.
The audience erupted into applause, and Haruya found himself clapping along, the sound filling the hall.
Emi bowed, her head held high, and walked off the stage, her expression still fierce and full of emotion.
The adjudicators, the judges of the competition, in the front row, a serious-looking group of older adults, nodded to one another and whispered, a quiet, conspiratorial conversation that discussed the girl in front of them.
As Emi walked backstage, she passed Tsumugi, who was readying herself, her hands clasped together.
Emi gave her a double take, her eyes scanning Tsumugi's face for a moment before she turned and walked away.
Then, the announcer's voice came over the intercom. "And now, our final contestant, Tsumugi Kotobuki."
Haruya's heart leaped into his throat.
His entire family, Kenjiro, Akari, and Minako, all locked in and stared at the stage, their gazes a tangible force in the room.
Tsumugi walked out onto the stage, her white dress a bright contrast against the dark curtain.
She looked small, a little nervous, but she held her head high. She seemed to feel their stares, her eyes scanning the audience until they found Haruya.
He gave her a small, cheering nod, a silent promise of support.
A small smile broke across Tsumugi's face, a nervous, happy little smile that reached her eyes.
She bowed to the audience, a polite, elegant gesture, and sat down at the Yamaha. She took a moment, just like Emi had, and then her fingers touched the keys.
The first notes of Chopin's Ballade No. 1 rang out, and Haruya felt a profound sense of relief.
Her playing wasn't as aggressive as Takeshi's, nor as tempestuous as Emi's. Hers was a confident, heartfelt performance.
It was a story of hope and joy, of quiet strength and unwavering resolve. Her hands moved with a graceful precision, a beautiful, flowing movement that felt so natural and so right.
The music was a true reflection of her, a beautiful, emotional melody that came from her very soul. The audience seemed to lean in, mesmerized by her playing.
Haruya could feel the emotions in the room shift; the shift in mood was replaced by a sense of calm and appreciation.
She played with a quiet passion, her face serene, her eyes closed in deep concentration.
The music built, rising and falling with a beautiful, natural rhythm. She wasn't just playing the notes; she was breathing life into them, making them her own.
The climax of the piece came, a thundering, powerful crescendo, and Tsumugi's hands flew across the keys, a whirlwind of motion that was both beautiful and terrifying.
But then, just as quickly, the storm passed, and the music softened, returning to its gentle, peaceful beginning.
The last note hung in the air for a few seconds, a soft, fading echo. Tsumugi's hands fell into her lap, and she gave a small, quiet sigh of relief.
For a moment, the hall was silent.
No one moved, no one spoke.
And then, a single, sharp sound cut through the silence.
Haruya, his heart pounding in his chest, stood up and began to clap.
A moment later, his entire family, Minako, and Hiroko Seto stood up, and the clapping became a roar.
The rest of the audience followed, a wave of applause that rose to a deafening crescendo.
Tsumugi stood up and bowed, her face a mixture of relief and pure, unadulterated joy.
She looked out at the audience, and her eyes met Haruya's.
He gave her a big, reassuring smile, and she smiled back, a beautiful, happy smile that made the entire world feel a little brighter.
"You've done it, Tsumugi," he mouthed at her, not knowing whether she understood or not.
...
Important Announcement:
My Patreon has now launched!
If you are interested in reading advanced chapters or participating in important polls, go to:
patreon.com/jaevi
Patreon members will be able to participate in a poll for my next side project.
I do plan on adding extra chapters for each tier, so don't worry about that much. My stockpile is just insufficient for now.
I will be writing a one-series only, non-harem or harem (depending on the series), as a side project while I write this one.
Options include the current different series I added to this book, or potentially any of these series listed below, which are also series I plan to add to this crossover, or to a future different crossover series that I write.
Teasing Master Takagi-san
Spy x Family
Assassination Classroom
My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU
Love, Chuunibyo & Other Delusions!
Nisekoi
Pseudo Harem
The Quintessential Quintuplets
Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun
My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999
The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten
Komi Can't Communicate
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian
Masamune-kun's Revenge
My Dress-Up Darling
Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend
Don't Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro
Boarding School Juliet
Tonikawa: Over The Moon For You
Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie
The Dangers in My Heart
Tsurezure Children
Eromanga Sensei
Bocchi the Rock!
Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
Horimiya
Himouto! Umaru-chan
Blend S
Gamers!
Hyouka
Hajimete no Gal
Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out!
Classroom of the Elite
The Way of the Househusband
I Want To Eat Your Pancreas
Aharen-san wa Hakarenai
The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You
The Dreaming Boy is a Realist
Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable!
When Will Ayumu Make His Move?
Fireworks
Your Name
Weathering With You
Tamako Market
Love Live!
Is the Order a Rabbit?
Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop
Josee, the Tiger and the Fish
BanG Dream!
Bungo Stray Dogs
Kanojo mo Kanojo
Medaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms
Gakuen Babysitters
Note: Not all have been added to the list. It builds up more and more as I explore different options. For my first side project, there is a bigger chance for me to only add polls for the currently added series in this crossover. I do plan on eventually writing for different genres instead of just slice of life, but I want to focus on this first and become the king of slice-of-life in Webnovel.
...
POWER STONE GOAL - 1 EXTRA CHAPTER WHEN REACHED:
100 POWER STONES (✔)
200 POWER STONES (✔)
300 POWER STONES (✔)
400 POWER STONES (X)
500 POWER STONES (X)
600 POWER STONES (X)