──After that, I was then made to participate in a variety of club activities, including soccer and basketball, where I was forced to play games similar to baseball before, but…
"Wherever I kick it, he stops it!"
"Oh, come on, can you shoot it from that distance and score?"
"What kind of power does he have to make a volleyball explode?"
"Speaking of which, the ping-pong ball shattered!"
"In tennis, the racket's string was burned out…"
For the time being, I tried not to exaggerate, but I did my best in my own way.
However, as for volleyball and ping-pong, Kitaraku-senpai knew what happened in the ball game tournament and made a strange request to make the ball burst or shatter.
I myself have been able to control my power more than before, thanks in part to the fact that I can now handle my spiritual power, but I never thought that I would be forced to do the opposite here…
But seeing me move like that, Kitaraku-senpai seemed satisfied.
"Hahahahaha! It's more than I imagined! I knew I was right to ask you, Tenjou-kun!"
"Yu-Yuuya-san was indeed amazing, but is this really what you want…?"
"Hmm? Is there something on your mind, Houjo-san?"
"Um, I'm also happy to see Yuuya-san's achievements, but Yuuya-san is in the going-home club, and I think it would be a problem if students joined their respective club activities for the sake of this experience…"
"It's all right! I've properly told them in advance that he's a special guest for today only and that they can see him in action during the explanation of the school festival and sports events! Maybe they'll be interested in seeing him there."
"Yo-you're very well prepared…"
"No, no, no, what do you mean, see me?"
I don't want them to make an important decision like choosing a school for that reason.
W-well, even without me, this school has a lot of club activities, interesting classes, and fun events to participate in.
Most of all, it is full of good people, and I can recommend it with confidence.
Then Kitaraku-senpai gave a fresh smile in response to my words.
"Of course, it would be a problem if they enrolled just for the sake of it. I've already advertised the good points of this school. Besides, the school idol show seems to have been a success."
"T-That's right! How did everyone else do?"
I was so focused on introducing the club activities that I didn't pay much attention to it…
"Don't worry. As I said, the Open Campus stage was also a success. According to Nekota, who was there to support the girls, it was even better than the last time they performed."
"I see…"
I was relieved to hear that the stage was a success because everyone had practiced hard.
Then Kitaraku-senpai's smile deepened.
"I'm convinced this time. I knew I was on the right track! So, as a new plan, I'm thinking of forming a 'male idol unit' as well."
"M-male idols?"
While I was surprised by the unexpected words, Kitaraku-senpai nodded.
"That's right. So, Tenjou-kun! I want you to be a part of this male idol unit!"
"Eeeehhhh!?"
"Yu-Yuuya-san being an idol?"
Seeing that Kaori was also surprised by Kitaraku-senpai's words, this must have been another out-of-the-box idea of Kitaraku-senpai's.
"No, no, no, wait! It's impossible for me to be an idol! I've been approached by Star Productions before about joining the entertainment industry, but I turned them down…"
"That's because it's a full-fledged entertainment business, right?"
"That's right, but…"
The only reason I turned it down was because I wanted to have a normal student life.
And I also didn't think it was right for me, who had no idea about the future, to do this to people who were seriously trying to become idols.
"As you know, I'm only talking about school idols. This is not a typical idol group where the focus is on TV appearances. That's why it's possible to balance your life as a student with your idol activities."
"I-I know that, but…"
"I can understand why you might want to step aside and think about those who take their idol work seriously. But don't you think it would be a waste to refuse a challenge in a world you haven't even touched? Even if you don't feel like it now, you might be interested in it when you try it. In that sense, I think this male school idol project is perfect for you."
"….."
"Yu-Yuuya-san…"
I couldn't say anything back to Kitaraku-senpai's words.
Right now, I am not thinking about the future, and I am not even trying to challenge myself.
Besides, the environment that surrounded me now was pushing me to find something I want to do, but…
I was so surprised that I fell silent, and Kitaraku-senpai smiled gently at me.
"…Well, take it easy."
──So, I ended up participating as one of the school idols with a somewhat confused feeling.
＊＊＊Just as the open campus was being held at Ousei Academy, the rival school, Nittei Academy──.
"──School Idol, you say?"
In the student council president's office at Nittei Academy, the student council president, Mirei Kamiyama, was receiving a report about Ousei Academy from her butler, Shirai.
"That's right."
"No way, such a plan…"
"Maybe it was the idea of their student council president."
"It's that eccentric son of the Kitaraku group, isn't it?"
Hearing Shirai's story, Kamiyama immediately pictured the face of Kitaraku, the student council president of Ousei Academy, in her mind.
This was because Kamiyama had known him personally before, not just as the student council president.
"I was surprised to hear that the son of the Kitaraku group had enrolled in Ousei Academy instead of with us… but he hasn't changed at all."
"The Kitaraku Group started out as a toy store. They must have a bloodline that likes to do interesting things."
"Among them, Sou-san stands out."
As Kamiyama said, Sou Kitaraku was originally the heir of a prominent family who attended the Nittei Academy.
But it was natural for him to choose Ousei Academy, where he could act freely, over Nittei Academy, where tradition was more important.
"…People around him made fun of him back then, but I guess that his free thinking is what we need in this day and age."
Kamiyama let out a small sigh as she said this.
"By the way, I wonder if they will use Yuuya-san for the school idol thing after all?"
"I heard that's… the female school idol."
"Huh?"
Kamiyama's eyes widened at Shirai's words.
Because Yuuya was the most prominent figure at Ousei Academy and it had never occurred to her that Kitaraku was not taking advantage of him.
"T-That means… Yuuya-san is not participating?"
"That seems to be the case…"
"…By the way, which schoolgirls have become idols? Is Kaori Houjou one of them?"
"No, it seems that Kaori Houjou-sama is not participating. However, it seems that… most of the members are foreign students."
"That's an unusual group. However, the fact that they decided to do School Idol with these members means that they are so spectacular…"
In the last school festival showdown, they ended up losing to Ousei Academy.
Although Nittei Academy used to be considered the best high school in Japan, Kamiyama was now desperate to regain its old position at any cost because, nowadays, the best high school in Japan is called Ousei Academy.
Kamiyama, who showed some signs of thinking, finally made up her mind.
"I've made up my mind. We're going to have our own school idol group!"
"What did you say? Will it be okay?"
"Of course, there may be some backlash, but as long as the other side is using innovative methods to increase the number of students, we can't afford to lag behind. And if Yuuya-san is not participating, then we still have a chance… Shirai! Recruit all the students to become school idols now!"
"Understood."
Thus, the school idol project that began at Ousei Academy began to affect Nittei Academy as well.
＊＊＊
──Again, the open campus had just ended, and the students at Ousei Academy were starting to go home.
Yuuya also went home after helping with the cleanup.
Meanwhile, Kitaraku, after finishing some of his work, left the rest of the work to the other student council officers and went to a certain place by himself.
That place was…
"I've been waiting for you, Kitaraku-kun."
──It was the president of Star Productions.
"I heard about that. It seems that today was the open campus of Ousei Academy, right?"
"Yes. Thanks to you, it was a great success."
"Ara, I'm glad to hear that. How was the stage?"
"It was also a great success."
"So everything is going well… So? What brings you here today?"
The president nodded her head in satisfaction and asked.
Then Kitaraku smiled with a refreshing yet somewhat implied smile.
"──I've been thinking about creating a public entertainment department at Ousei Academy."
"Huh?"
The president's eyes widened at those unexpected words.
"Pu-public entertainment, you say…? Wait a minute. Are you serious?"
"Yes, I'm serious."
"The school idol project may have been a success, but you're suddenly saying… you're going to create a whole department?"
"That's right. However, I have already spoken to the board chairman, Tsukasa-san, and have his approval."
"You're a trailblazer, aren't you?"
The president was astonished by Kitaraku's power of action, which was so far out of the ordinary.
"I mean, did the board chairman even give his permission? Seriously?"
"Yes. I made a passionate presentation, and he gave his approval with a smile at the end!"
"I think that's a forced smile…"
The president herself twitched her cheeks when she said that.
But, Kitaraku continued, not caring about such a situation at all.
"Well, that's okay. The fact remains that I have the permission of the chairman. But more importantly, what do you think?"
"W-what?"
"…Do you want to cooperate with us?"
"…What do you mean?"
The president's mood changed drastically when she heard what Kitaraku said.
However, Kitaraku spoke in his usual tone.
"It means exactly what it says. What we need to create a public entertainment department are instructors and people with expertise in the entertainment industry… I was wondering if we could ask Star Productions to provide such people for us."
"I see… It's like a vocational school run directly by another agency, isn't it?"
"Yes, that's right. Star Productions doesn't have a vocational school yet, does it?"
"Yes, well. Basically, we only scout for talent or select talent by auditioning selected individuals from the big vocational schools, you know?"
"That's why we'd like to take on the role of a vocational school."
When Kitaraku said that, the president's eyes narrowed.
"What advantages would there be for us to do this at Ousei Academy?"
"Of course, it's an exclusive contract for the school idols we have now. In addition to the previous stage, I think we got a lot of publicity from this open campus. Also, we had reporters on stage at the open campus, so I am sure that the news will continue to spread after tomorrow. That's how you sign a contract with a group like this."
"Hmm… but isn't that a bit weak? After all, we are already supporting you."
"Exactly. Star Productions can get a famous idol group with a small amount of money. On top of that, you can choose from a variety of other options. That includes Tenjou-kun, of course."
"You've hit on exactly what we want. But even if they become school idols, it doesn't necessarily mean that they will pursue a career in the entertainment industry, right?"
"That's true. But the possibility is not zero."
When he says this, Kitaraku's smile deepens.
"…Actually, Tenjou-kun has also been chosen to be one of the school idols in the next group to be formed."
"What did you say?"
The president involuntarily stood up at Kitaraku's unexpected words.
"Well, what do you think? You might be able to sign a contract with an idol group that he will join, you know? Besides, if we set up an entertainment department, talented kids who aspire to the entertainment industry will gather in that department, so we will be more certain to get the talent the president is looking for. I don't want to put it this way, but there are a lot of talented kids in our school."
Kitaraku closed his mouth as if to say that he had already told the president what he wanted to say.
Faced with such a Kitaraku, the president broke out in a cold sweat.
"…Did you foresee this from the beginning?"
"No? I'm just doing what I think is fun."
The president let out a sigh while relaxing her shoulders at the indescribable words of Kitaraku.
"Sigh… That's okay. I'll take your suggestion…!"
──With that, a lot of things started moving without Yuuya's knowledge.
＊＊＊
At that time, in "Between Worlds."───.
"──So? What about the rest of the world?"
A bald, muscular man asked softly.
The masked man behind him bowed respectfully.
"The invasion is complete."
"I see… They are fragile. If I give my power to a pawn, he can easily defeat even himself in a parallel world."
"…That makes me wonder more and more about the defeat of the previous pawn."
"…Oh, the piece that uses that strange power."
The piece that the masked man and his master were talking about was the very Yuuya of the parallel world.
"Even though I didn't give him my power, when he lost his life, he had obtained a strange power called spiritual power. Therefore, I don't understand why he was defeated by the same being in the parallel world. I thought our pawn, with the same specifications and the power available to him after his death, would have been stronger…"
"…I don't know the details either, but it seemed that the counterpart in that piece's parallel world had acquired another unknown power that our piece did not have."
"Unknown power… I couldn't take away that spiritual or mystical power either. This time, I hope to get that power… but that's okay. But more importantly, where is the world you invaded?"
"This way. The rest is yours to eat as you please…"
At that moment, countless worlds were laid out like soap bubbles in front of the man called Master.
The bald man grabbed one of the worlds with his hand, brought it to his mouth, slurped it down, and immediately absorbed it into his body.
Then he took the other worlds one by one and opened his mouth happily.
"…A little more, a little more."
"I wonder, will this world be the last?"
"Yes. If we can absorb the world we failed to invade; we will be able to achieve our long-cherished dream."
The bald man said so clearly, while the masked man opened his mouth somewhat uneasily.
"…Is that really possible?"
"What?"
"Do you really think… we can create a world we can live in?"
"….."
In response to the masked man's words, the bald man kept his mouth shut for a moment.
"…We have no choice but to create it. You know that, don't you?"
"….."
"We have been rejected by the world since we were born, and we have lived in this "Between Worlds." I can only look at the workings of the world from the outside. But I have gained the power and the means to intervene in the world! …But only for a moment. Did you feel that when you killed that pawn?"
"Yes, I did. As soon as I killed that pawn, I was thrown out of that world."
"Yes. No matter how much power we gain… or rather, the more power we gain, the more the world rejects us. In the end, there is no world for us to live in."
The bald man said this with sadness, but his eyes were immediately filled with anger.
"But! We were lucky. What has happened is that the dimensional boundary that even we could not cross has disappeared, and the worlds floating in this "Between Worlds" has doubled!"
After saying this, the bald man clenches his fist.
"If the world rejects us, then we must absorb it and use its power to create a world we can live in! …We have no choice but to do so."
"….."
"…First of all, for this purpose… I will take the power I just ingested completely into my body. And once that is done… I will eat the last world."
──In "Between Worlds," the preparations of the invaders were in full swing.