Chapter 23: Concert (Part 2)
The white scale icon, visible only to players, shone clearly under the spotlight.
[Neutral Faction Player: Uta]
So it was true.
The last trace of wishful thinking in Mikoto faded. This girl whose voice had swept across the world was, just like her, a "player" from another world.
While Mikoto was studying Uta, the songstress on stage seemed to sense something as well. Her gaze passed over thousands of ecstatic fans and landed with precision on a single spot in the front rows.
There, a girl with short, brown hair sat quietly, completely out of place amid the frenzy.
In Uta's eyes, a soft green shield icon hovered above the girl's head.
[Guardian Faction Player: Misaka Mikoto]
A flicker of surprise flashed through Uta's mismatched eyes, followed by a playful little smile. She lifted her hand and gave a small, almost imperceptible wave toward Mikoto.
The motion was subtle and swift, lost beneath the blaze of stage lights and the roaring crowd. Almost no one noticed.
Except Gwen.
"Peter! Oh my gosh! Did you see that?" Gwen grabbed Peter's arm with both hands and shook it wildly.
"Uta! She looked this way! She waved at me!"
Her glowstick spun like a windmill, and she looked ready to launch herself straight onto the stage.
"Hey, hey, easy," Peter muttered, dizzy from her shaking. "There are so many people. She probably just waved in that direction."
"No! I'm telling you, she was looking right at me!" Gwen's face glowed bright red from excitement.
Mikoto paid no attention to the commotion beside her. She kept her eyes on Uta, watching the innocent yet faintly mischievous smile curving her lips.
That wasn't an idol greeting a fan.
It was a player acknowledging another player.
I see you.
Mikoto picked up the message beneath the smile. She didn't respond, simply withdrawing her gaze, expressionless, as if nothing had happened.
Uta raised the microphone, and her clear and penetrating voice instantly swept through the entire stadium.
"Tired of the same old melody~"
"Bound by rules, unable to breathe~"
The moment her song began, the entire atmosphere inside Madison Square Garden shifted. If what came before was feverish worship, then this was pure, immersive bliss.
Her voice carried a strange charm, something that seemed able to bypass the eardrum and go straight to the nerves, smoothing out anxiety, dissolving restlessness, and stirring up the deepest desires hidden in the heart.
The stage lights and holographic projections transformed into magnificent scenes with the music, sometimes soaring musical notes, sometimes blooming candy flowers.
Uta sang and danced freely. Every gesture, every glance radiated a captivating allure no one could resist.
She didn't look at Mikoto again, as if that meaningful greeting had been nothing but a trick of the light. She fully immersed herself in her performance, using her songs to weave a perfect world of only happiness for everyone.
Mikoto had to admit the singing was impressive.
Setting aside the eerie psychological effect, the music itself — the composition, the arrangement, her technique — all stood at the very top. It was no wonder people went crazy for her.
As the only person in the arena who remained fully aware, Mikoto sensed something the others couldn't.
Her electromagnetic perception made one thing perfectly clear: Uta's voice carried no abnormal energy waves. No psychic push, no mental suggestion. It was simply… singing.
A song executed with flawless skill, emotion, and talent.
That alone made Mikoto more cautious. Unlike Shokuhou Misaki's abilities, which needed a medium and left distinct traces, Uta's influence felt natural, seamless.
She couldn't even tell if this sea of adoration was the result of Uta's power or her personal charm.
"She's incredible…"
Peter whispered dreamily beside her.
Mikoto cast Peter a glance. The same guy who had grumbled about concerts earlier was now staring at the stage with glazed admiration, and the glowstick he'd complained about was moving in perfect rhythm to the beat.
His motions still looked robotic, as if his joints needed oiling, but the expression on his face was pure, unchecked joy.
When the first song ended, thunderous applause and shrieks erupted across the arena. Uta gave a bright smile and bowed, then shifted straight into the next song, I'm Invincible.
If New Genesis was the anthem guiding everyone into her utopia, then I'm Invincible was the battle cry that ignited the fire in every heart. The pounding rhythm and powerful lyrics made the floor of Madison Square Garden tremble ever so slightly.
Peter had tossed away all hesitation by now. He stood shoulder to shoulder with Gwen, mimicking the moves of the fans around them. His glowstick sliced clumsy arcs through the air, and he hummed along to a melody he clearly didn't know.
Harry watched with amusement and even took out his phone to capture Peter's rare "silly side."
Mikoto leaned back in her seat, watching the three of them fall completely under the spell of the music. A strange feeling stirred inside her.
She couldn't blend in, but she didn't dislike what she was seeing. It felt like watching a beautifully made, deeply immersive movie.
The songs continued one after another. Upbeat songs made people's blood boil, while slower songs flowed like clear springs, soothing the heart.
When "Backlight" began, the entire venue quieted down, leaving only Uta's clear, slightly melancholic voice, echoing in a sea of glow sticks.
Mikoto focused on the small figure at the center of the stage. For a moment, she sensed something different. Maybe Uta wasn't as simple as she had assumed. There was a loneliness in her voice far too deep for someone her age.
Two hours passed, and the concert approached its end with the final encore.
Uta stepped to the edge of the stage and offered a deep bow.
"Thank you, everyone!"
With that, she sank slowly into the floor amid a wash of white light and vanished beneath the stage.
When the venue lights came back on, the crowd snapped out of the dream she had woven.
"It's over… that's really it?" Gwen dropped into her seat, her voice raspy while her face glowed with satisfaction and longing.
"I could listen to a hundred more songs."
"Your throat wouldn't make it through a hundred," Harry chuckled and handed her a bottle of water.
Peter slumped down as well. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, still staring blankly ahead like someone who'd just finished a marathon.
"That was… something else," he murmured.
Mikoto stood and rolled her stiff neck.
The confrontation she had expected — probing, tension, maybe even a clash — never happened. Uta simply put on a flawless concert and bowed out.
And she never looked at Mikoto again.
That greeting at the start felt like an illusion.
"Neutral faction…" Mikoto repeated quietly in her mind.
Maybe she had overthought it. Maybe this player truly wanted nothing more than to stand on stage and sing for the world.
The tension that had been gripping her all night finally eased slightly.
"Let's go," she said, her tone steady and calm. "Aunt May's waiting for us to come home early."
"Oh, right!" Peter snapped back to reality and quickly pulled Gwen to her feet.
The four of them followed the flow of the crowd toward the exit, leaving behind the arena that still echoed with fans shouting Uta's name.
Walking at the rear, Mikoto turned and glanced once more at the massive stage.
Hmph. Not a bad performance…
She muttered inwardly.
Under the lights, Uta had been like a living star, capturing every gaze. Each movement, each smile radiated confidence and charm.
She loved the stage. She loved the cheers. She loved bringing joy to everyone with her voice.
That sincerity wasn't lost on Mikoto.