Tengu City. This was the final city for Miku's concert tour. As the performance began at the grand theater in the city center, Miku, dressed in magnificent attire, walked onto the red carpet and, accompanied by a group of dancers, made her way to the center of the venue.
"Everyone... good evening."
With the projection of three holographic images, the 100,000 people in the grand theater erupted into a roar of cheers like a mountain torrent or tidal wave.
"Miku-sama!"
"Miku-neesama!"
"We love you so much, Miku-sama~!"
Ryuya's group of over ten people arrived neither early nor late. By the time they got there, the concert was about to begin.
Besides the countless audience members, there were also many lesser-known female celebrities specifically there to ride on Miku's popularity.
Well, although this was the Date A Live World, phenomena from the real entertainment industry were still common and quite normal.
Seated in the central VIP box, the one-way transparent glass offered a panoramic view of the entire concert. Looking down at the sea of people waving glow sticks below, a hint of envy flickered in Kaguya's eyes, "It's so wonderful. I wanted to stand on a stage like that too."
"Supplement. Kaguya means she wants to stand on that stage with Ryuya."
Bluntly stating Kaguya's true inner thoughts, Yuzuru, as her sister, knew her best.
"Du-dummy Yuzuru! Don't say it so plainly!"
Her face slightly flushed, Kaguya spoke somewhat shyly.
"Standing on that stage together? Seems quite interesting."
As if some wonderful scene had appeared in her mind, Nia took out her Angel, Rasiel, and began writing and drawing something on it.
"The same stage?"
A similarly beautiful scene also appeared in another's mind. The young woman with the stunning face was chilling.
No, perhaps 'chilling' wasn't the right word. But just looking at her, you could feel the emotion revealed on her smiling face was not joy or kindness. Rather than a smile, it was more like the tension of a predator.
Her perfectly neat raven-black hair hung freely down her back without restraint. On her beautiful face, within her heterochromatic eyes, the clock dial in her left eye ticked rhythmically.
Sitting silently to the side, speaking little, Kurumi's aura was so strong that only Westcott could match her.
"Hey, hey, what does Sensei think?"
Having no particularly strong feelings about these Spirit girls so much younger than themselves, Karen and Ellen, sticking close to Ryuya, asked.
"Me? I'm fine with it." Having little interest in showing off, Ryuya had sent Miku more than just songs in his letters… there were also many comforting words.
His feelings towards Miku weren't solely as a Spirit 'tool'. Mostly, it was sympathy and pity.
Ryuya didn't want this girl, with her bright youth, who had worked hard and refused to submit to industry exploitation, to lose her entire life.
He had genuinely put effort into his conversations with Miku. Their relationship was like that of familiar online friends, separated by the internet cable, discussing each other's lives.
"Ah? Just 'fine with it'?"
Hearing Ryuya's words, they were clearly disappointed. Staring wide-eyed to express Ryuya's lack of enthusiasm, Karen and Ellen turned away simultaneously, "We don't want to talk to you. Let's ignore each other."
Of course, saying 'ignore each other' didn't last long.
Ellen and Karen quickly snapped out of it, continued holding Ryuya's arms, and watched Miku's performance on stage, unable to help but nod slightly, "You have to admit, this girl sings quite well."
As the musical rhythm began, Miku's voice filled the entire opera house.
"The first time I went to the Louvre, I didn't feel anything special."
"Because the Mona Lisa that belongs only to me, I had already met..."
Listening to Miku's singing, Itsuka Shiori was excited, "I'd heard before that Miku's live concerts were great, but I didn't expect the effect to be this good."
Nodding in agreement, Mana added beside her sister, "Yeah, I've heard many celebrities sound good on recordings but have poor musical sense live, making their actual performances hard to listen to."
Kotori laughed, "That's true. But Ryuya-nii, what's your relationship with Miku? Why can we sit here?"
Having also heard that Miku never allowed male audience members at her concerts, she initially thought this spot was bought through Westcott's financial power. But now, it seemed that wasn't the case.
Hearing Kotori's question, the other girls also looked at Ryuya, wanting an answer.
"Miku? Her relationship with me is actually quite simple. It's..."
"Good evening, dear audience members."
Interrupting Ryuya, Miku finished her opening number. Holding the microphone under the spotlight, watched by thousands, the girl known as the world's most beautiful songstress looked with starlight-filled eyes towards the location where Ryuya and the others were seated.
"Everyone, today's concert will be my final performance in Japan."
"Many friends have asked me why I only perform in Japan. The reason is actually very simple."
Her artfully smiling expression was full of happiness. Miku carried no idol's pretenses. Only wanting to see Ryuya, she unhesitatingly took out the phone that marked the beginning of their connection.
"One year ago, my career and life had hit rock bottom. What I faced was despair, depression, and death."
Her calm voice began narrating her past. For the first time publicly presenting the history of Yoimachi Ysukino, with Ryuya's help, Miku no longer viewed her past as a dark secret.
As a matter of course, she acknowledged her fate. She never believed the idol named Yoimachi Ysukino had done anything wrong, because she understood that no matter what others said, no matter how many people claimed she was at fault, they were the ones who were wrong.
Truth is never determined by the mouths of the majority, but by actions.
"Faced with my manager's betrayal, the entertainment industry's exploitation, and those people who only knew how to watch performances and then started insulting me... at that time, I truly felt despair."
"But!"
Reaching this point, Miku spread her arms wide. Her intense love even caused the spiritual power within her to boil, making countless people sense it.
"But... it was only with my Darling's help that I could break out of my cocoon and become the true me!"
She began recounting how Ryuya had helped her face those challenges step by step.
What Miku was now revealing was her strong, independent heart.