Oh, it finally has? It has become such a sensitive case that I thought it was cursed. I never imagined it to be this messy when we first accepted the request to appear on the show.

Yeah. The show had changed directors, scriptwriters, and various other staff members multiple times, and each time it happened, the content was fundamentally changed, too.

The one thing that was admirable about it was its ambition to make a blockbuster that would go down in the history of the tokusatsu world, and that did make me have very high hopes for it…

But after actually delving into it, I realized it’s turned out to be a terrible project. I won’t be surprised if they bury it in the ground as a dark time for them, due to all the disputes that led to lawsuits, among other problems.

How did it come to this?

Haha… I knew from the very beginning that there would be some trouble with the rights to the show, to be honest.

Nonetheless, this blockbuster in which various famous heroes, whether local or overseas, gather to fight…

Am I right to assume that the title of said project has been confirmed to be ‘Supervillains’?

Yep. At first, even the title kept changing, from “Comet-something” to “Superhero-something” to some other variations.

But they finally removed the “tentative” disclaimer from the title in the documents.

So yes, I think it’s safe to say that the title is at least finalized now.

There is not much time left until its release in spring, yet the title is only just now confirmed? That is freaking nuts.

yes~ it is freaking nuts~♪

Kanata, no! You shouldn’t use slang words like that. Little kiddos will copy after you.

wha~? i was simply [copying] what shinobu said, though…? so it is fine when he says it?

Yeah, because he’s cute.

gwah~!? so i am not cute?

Don’t ask to be called cute with a stature as huge as yours.

uwaahh~! shinobuu… chiaki has been so cold lately…

There, there~ Don’t cry, Shinkai-dono. Don’t you worry, you’re adorable!

really? can i really believe that…?

Of course! Nothing has been going well lately, with only dissatisfactory results in the process, so even someone like Morisawa-dono must be getting frustrated by now.

I’m certain that deep down, he also thinks that you are the cutest in the whole universe!

……(looks at Chiaki with anticipation)

……(Pats Kanata’s head for now)

Right, so. We went extremely off-topic for a moment, but — ‘Supervillains’ will feature all of Japan’s world-famous tokusatsu heroes.

That was part of the original plan, at least.

The characters that were going to appear were not only life-size transformable heroes, but also giant robots, monsters, and even comic book characters that were to have their first adaptation.

It’s like every fan’s dream: an all-star tokusatsu show.

That’s what it was first advertised as.

There have been collaboration projects in the past with certain sets of heroes, but it was just for a one-time-only celebratory movie.

The plan this time, however, was to have a year-long super-interesting epic drama with a star-studded lineup of famous heroes.

The show wasn’t only going to get a movie, but also have multiple other shows broadcasted and distributed on the Internet and TV.

The project’s concept was the same as those movies with all the heroes from American comic books, but instead they were trying to do a local version.

they were trying to catch a rare fish1, weren’t they?

Yeah… It was careless of them to try to fish up such a rare catch, but…

The production team had an unusually high budget, and various companies, including ES, invested in the project — so I felt that they were genuinely serious about it.

Plus, it was a dream project for me, as well. A blockbuster in which superheroes all across history would be active in every direction — just imagining it was enough to make me drool.

But in the end, it’s going to be a much more scaled-down show, though not entirely far from the ideal that they had.

Indeed. The companies that own the rights to the heroes who were scheduled to appear have been in constant dispute with each other, after all — but eventually, the plan just disintegrated.

ahaha… it is as if the [dream] had to be [adjusted] in order to fit [reality], yes…?

no matter what, [reality] is never as [satisfactory] as a [dream].

Indeed~… In that sense, the SSVRS was a groundbreaking invention. It allows us to experience dreams as dreams.

I’m sure everyone would rather have a happy and convenient dream than an uncontrollable reality.

But it’s the special effects of tokusatsu that turn a dream into a reality. Isn’t that right, Sengoku?

That is indeed true. I, too, had my dream become a reality for the first time thanks to that, but mostly because of Ryuseitai.

And that would be — by becoming a true ninja.

by turning your [dream] into a [reality], yes? that is something chiaki has been doing since long ago.

if there are no heroes in this world, then we will become the heroes.

Chapter 2

Yeah… While we do tend to get beat up in the face of reality… That’s the sort of ambition we, Ryuseitai, are working under.

That’s exactly why we’re the one group that can’t, at any cost, abandon ‘Supervillains’, as it also has been suffering countless injuries in the face of reality.

This is a matter of our identity.

Or no, rather, it’s mine. I can’t force you guys to go along with my selfish desires…

I always think this, but you truly do not have to be so reserved, Morisawa-dono.

exactly~ you heard him, chiaki. let’s [keep] the [water reservoirs] for me, only~♪

all for one, and one for all—

But… that very premise for Ryuseitai has long been on the verge of collapse. Nagumo and Takamine haven’t been participating in our unit activities at all recently, for one thing.

They’re both absent today, too… Even though we told them beforehand that we’d have a meeting.

mm~ i believe midori may simply be [skipping] out on the meeting, but i do not think there is [much] we can do about tetora, is there? after all, things are like that for him right now.

Ahh, indeed. It seems that Tetora-kun has found himself in an unforeseen position. I don’t know how exactly it happened, however.

But even if we are physically far apart, our hearts are always one and the same. I’m certain it is. I believe in that!

Although, it seems like Midori-kun mainly cannot stand to participate in any Ryuseitai activities, and thus has been running away from them…

Takamine likely doesn’t mean to run away either, though.

When all five of us gather, the atmosphere becomes uncomfortable, and he likely doesn’t like that, so he’s been avoiding it altogether.

ah~ yes, midori has that side to him…

Were this the past, Morisawa-dono would drag Midori-kun over by the collar like he always would, regardless of Midori-kun’s grumbling, but…

Yeah… I’m not sure I can emotionally handle that kind of thing right now.

Anyway, during the time Comet Show happened, we agreed to appear in the tokusatsu show that is now called ‘Supervillains’.

Therefore, it would be against my sense of duty to leave now. And personally, I want to give it my all and see through the end, as well.

It’s in a pretty dire state, but it’s still a dream show for me.

Though, due to the show’s content being changed multiple times, all the practice we’ve put in will probably be for naught…

Apparently, even the scripts that were prepared for the show have all been rejected and will be rewritten.

We had been rehearsing our scenes according to the script, though…

Yeah… That’s unfortunately going to have been a waste of our time, since it looks like they’re going to reassign the cast and all.

We’re contractually obligated to perform at some point, but I still don’t know what kind of roles we’ll be cast in yet.

I would like to be casted as a ninja.

i love [fish]~♪

Mhm, I’ve already made our wishes known to them. So… I’d like to think that it’s unlikely that we’ll be given an unreasonable role.

But the content is… Well, I’m a little anxious about it, to say the least.

There’s a chance our character titles in the show won’t be “heroes”.

It means that we might be cast in a role that wouldn’t reflect well on us, the idol-hero unit.

To be honest, I feel as though only you are particular about that, Morisawa-dono. Regardless… Erm, does that mean that we might end up playing villains depending on how the script turns out?

About that… All the heroes in ‘Supervillains’ are actually supposed to be villains in the story.

…? …? they are heroes, but they are evil? what does that even mean…?

I haven’t properly examined all the documentation on its worldbuilding to fully understand it yet, either.

But I heard that justice and evil are reversed in the story’s world, due to some sort of final boss that appears in the story.

The world within ‘Supervillains’ is ruled by evil. In there, justice becomes evil and evil becomes justice.

The heroes in the story are predestined to be hunted as evil in that world.

Ah, that actually sounds interesting! Wow, so it involves people who are meant to be righteous heroes, but are actually considered villains in that world…

Yep. For us viewers who are outside of that world, the tokusatsu heroes are obviously the ones who are on the side of justice.

But in the story, they are treated as evil.

Normally, when a hero appears, the general public applauds them, but in the world of ‘Supervillains’, they scream in fear.

The protagonist of the story will be the very first hero in a world where values have been overturned, when they realize that something is wrong about their world.

The protagonist then helps other heroes who are being hunted as evil in other areas, and then they fight together to defeat the root of the evil that’s causing the world to go mad.

That’s the basic plot of the story.

In a sense, it’s good versus evil, through and through. Showing good in a world where evil rules.

Yeah… But while the gist of the story has been decided, there seems to be yet another dispute over how it will be presented.

Depending on what scenario they choose, one of them will be that the heroes become tainted with evil to the core and cause havoc and mayhem.

Then, when the heroes become fully evil, the protagonist beats them to get rid of the brainwash, and brings them back to their senses.

they get fixed by being hit? they are like [electronics] from the olden days.

Hmm… In that case, the setting where the world values are inverted is no longer relevant, and it will simply be the trope of a righteous person having an “evil era”.

That would be visually easier to understand, after all. They’ve made an overly-optimistic calculation that action figures and toys for the “Villain Version” might also sell.

But… I don’t know how I feel about depicting the hero, who should be a perfectly righteous existence for children, as being tainted with evil.

Of course, evil Kamen Riders, evil Ultramen, and various others alike already do exist, and I’m well aware that they’re popular.

But what the kids — No, what I want to see are cool, virtuous heroes.

Chapter 3

You’re having a weird tokusatsu talk again…

It’s embarrassing being seen with you whenever you do that, so could you stop…? I’ll be mistaken for a nerd…

Eep, Midori-kun!?

Takamine! You little rascal~ You’re late! ♪

fufu, you have not been [showing] up lately, so we have been [worried] about you, you know?

I’m sorry Shinkai-senpai, sorry Shinobu-kun… I couldn’t stand to read messages sent from anyone in Ryuseitai, so I couldn’t bring myself to check the chat until the very last minute…

I got the courage to check just a moment ago, and rushed here as soon as I found out it’s a meeting… Sigh, I broke a sweat for no reason…

I know I sound insistent by constantly saying this, but you need to be more diligent about checking business-related messages! Promise your Taichou2 that you’ll do that!

Ha, ha… “Taichou,” is it…

Hm? Don’t mumble, tell me what you want to say clearly!

I’ll accept anything you tell me.

Hmph… Maybe you’d be fine with it, but as for the insect crashing into you—

M-Midori-kun? How about you take a seat next to me for now? ♪

i will go make us [tea]~♪

Um, I have a solo job coming up soon, so if you aren’t talking about anything important, then I’d be glad if you could send me the gist of it later…

I just showed up as part of my duty as a unit member… I kinda wanna avoid meeting up with everyone in Ryuseitai as much as possible, but I also don’t wanna be scolded, so…

midori, it sounds like your [schedule] has been tightly packed lately, hasn’t it?

Yeah… It’s good to keep yourself busy, but are you alright? You’ll hurt yourself if you keep on working nonstop, y’know? Are you sure you aren’t overdoing it?

No… I think I’m closer to breaking down emotionally rather than physically, so I’ve been keeping myself busy to get my mind off things…

I know it makes no sense… I don’t get myself, either… I mean, I’m the one who wanted it to be this way.

Everything’s turning out exactly as I wanted it, so I get that I shouldn’t be throwing a tantrum…

But to be completely honest with you all, it’s practically impossible for me to do Ryuseitai activities right now.

Don’t misunderstand, Takamine.

You did nothing wrong. So you don’t need to fret yourself over any of this.

There you go again; it’s ‘cause you never let us bear any of that burden that—

—Mm, mm!!

Ah, sorry, it got tense again… It’s really painful to see, right…

I’m not a kid, so I know that…

I know that nobody’s in the wrong, nobody’s at fault… I know that we just need to suck it up and accept the situation, and keep on going with our heads held high…

But I just can’t switch gears that easily…

N-No, not that! Look at this news article that was posted right now…!

Shinobu-kun, you’ve been looking at your phone instead of paying attention to our important conversation…?

N-No, no, of course I was listening! But you see, I asked Yuuki-dono to install a certain app for me, since he’s extremely knowledgeable of electronics—

So I now have a way to automatically compile all information about Ryuseitai on the internet, from all sorts of places.

You can check that kinda stuff just fine, huh… I could never… any post I read on social media ends up stuck in my head for days, whether it’s a compliment or slander…

Heh! It is a ninja’s duty to excel at intellectual gathering!

you just keep being more and more [reliable] lately, shinobu~ good boy, good boy~♪

Ehehe~

…Wait, this isn’t the time! You have to look at this!

What…? Is it more flaming ‘cause of the slander from Crazy:B…?

I know we managed to extinguish the fire by now, but once something’s been lit up, it’s easy for it to burst into flames again… They really did the worst damage to us in summer.

……Huh? What is this?

Gah—! Don’t lean over me, Midori-kun! You’re crushing me~!

Sorry, I’ll look at it on my phone… Ahh, wait, I muted words like “Ryuseitai” and “Takamine Midori”—…

T-Then let us read it together! Look, this is from a pretty huge news site, and I believe it should be relatively trustworthy—

I’ll look at it from my phone. Let’s see here…

What the…!? What is this…!?

“Is Nagumo Tetora leaving Ryuseitai at long last!?” Leaving? What’s this about? Did anyone hear about this?

“After Nagumo leaves, he plans to become the leader of the new group, RB (Ryuseitai Black?)”

——What!? Whaaat!? What on earth…!? I haven’t heard anything about this…!

Chapter 4

The next day. Okinawa prefecture, in one of the downtown alleyways, far away from the headquarters building of the agency, “Crimson Production”…

—An intruder?3

Is it another one of those incomprehensible local punks causing a ruckus around the area again? Like from that descendant of Oni or something—4

No? They’ve been relatively quiet since their boss left for the US? But there’s been talk that there’s still some guys left over around here?

There’s also rumors that they’re regaining power, while the local powerhouses have been flattened across the board in SS—

Hmmm… Well, even if they’re just a bunch of troublemakers, we should be on the lookout just in case.

Yeah. For the time being, I’ll leave it to the B squad of the battle branch to deal with the intruder.

I know. We’ll also settle our matters as fast as possible, and then return to the headquarters building. We’ll discuss countermeasures against the mysterious intruder after that.

——Right then, time for another fun day of work at the “evil organization”.

Next morning. Near the whereabouts of Crimson Production’s headquarters…

Hello, Taichou-dono? This is Sengoku Shinobu speaking, over.

As per our plan, I have reached the area of the company that Tetora-kun was dispatched to, which is called, erm… Right, the Crimson Production headquarters.

T-The air it emits is so grandiose that it is a little scary… A modern-looking building stands alone in the middle of a primeval forest, as if it were nothing more than a picturesque view.

There are no signs of dwelling anywhere nearby; only a majestically vast wilderness that stretches on.

Around the building is some sort of training ground… This may sound like an exaggeration, but it sort of looks like a military facility.

Ah, yes, I am aware of that. I have not forgotten that there are US military bases in Okinawa, so I will be extra careful not to trend anywhere close to them and risk myself.

There is no need to worry. When we were in Okinawa for the SS qualifying rounds, I had already mastered the geography and other various details about the region.

Indeed, I will not take any chances. I shall simply observe the situation, as we will be conducting a thorough investigation tomorrow.

Yes… This would have been easier if we managed to make contact with Tetora-kun through HoldHands or something, but we have not gotten any response for some reason.

Ah, no, actually… I can see a glimpse of someone who looks like Tetora-kun through the window of the building, and he seems to be doing rather well.

For some reason, he is leaning back on his chair with his legs propped up on an expensive-looking desk—

Is that really Tetora-kun…? He seems unusually different somehow…

Mhm. Regardless, I can assure you that Tetora-kun is alive and well. Although, I don’t know why he’s refusing all contact with us.

It does not help that we have no knowledge of Tetora-kun’s current situation, either.

I tried to gather some information about this so-called “Crimson Production” from locals on the way, but it appears that there is not much information known to anybody here, either.

Apparently, it used to be a well-established entertainment agency in Okinawa, but there has been little to no activity in recent years.

Indeed, it is as you say — Despite this, they have built a new building, and the land around here is apparently all owned by Crimson Production.

Mhm, mhm… I truly do wonder where they acquired the money to buy such extravagant property, when they have not even produced anything worthwhile. It’s quite obviously fishy.

There is definitely something going on here, Taichou-dono.

Oh, yes, of course. I am but a humble ninja idol, not a detective or police officer. I assure you that I will not do anything that could stir up problems for myself.

For the time being, it’s more than enough if we can simply confirm Tetora-kun’s current status.

Hm? No, no, please leave this all to me!

As we know, Midori-kun is taking on more personal work than he should, but you and Shinkai-dono have a lot of work to do as well, correct?

There is no need for you to cancel your schedule and come all the way to Okinawa. Is that not the agreement we had in yesterday’s discussion?

Mhm, mhm. It seems that the upperclassmen at Yumenosaki Academy are in dispute these days, as it is graduation season.

However, I still have one more year to go as a highschooler, so my yearmates and I are practically left out of the loop regarding all of that.

I have got the time to spare for all of this. That’s why you need not worry, I’ll be alright.

Hmm? What about my work as a Student Council member? Ohhh~ Yes, well, we’re stuck in one place right now, so even then, I have a lot of availab—

Hmm?

Huh? Oh no, erm, it’s just that I thought I saw something move in the bushes…?

A-A wild animal, perhaps? Or is it a security guard…?

E-Either way, I have a bad feeling about this, so I must conceal myself at once! Yes, I’ll provide you a full report later — For now, I will excuse myself!

Chapter 5

At the same time — Near the ES building, inside ESTele’s studio…

S-Sengoku!? Sengoku, can you hear meee~!?

I lost signal… I-Is everything going to be alright…?

mm~ i feel as though we should have gone to [okinawa] too, after all.

the [atmosphere] felt far too alarming…

No, we’ve all made our decision yesterday. We said that we’d leave it all to him based on the fact that he’s been extremely reliable these days.

And also, that we’ll do our best with our regular duties in Ryuseitai, while Sengoku is investigating what’s happening over on the other side.

I’m concerned about what’s happening with Nagumo, but we can’t afford to take a loss in our work. That would only worry the fans and the involved staff even more.

Unlike the heroes on TV, we can’t live our lives fighting all the time… That’s always the harsh reality about life, huh…

yes… but still, we will do what we can.

Yup. Of course, we’ll ensure full backup for Sengoku while doing our job. I would like to think that even though we’re physically far apart, our hearts are always one and the same.

Takamine is still prioritizing his personal work as we speak, though…

But, well… I suppose he can’t boycott the work he had already agreed to do, so there isn’t much we can do about it.

Takamine used to have no motivation, but now he works hard on his jobs no matter the reason. Personally, I don’t want to oppose that.

The one who kept telling him to do his best, and to keep going is me, after all.

I refuse to become a two-faced person who changes what they say depending on the time and place.

fufu~ that would not be cool to do after all, right?

Yeah… Anyway, we have a scene to shoot, but I’d like to support Sengoku by gathering information in between.

In the meantime, I’m trying to contact the ever-knowledgeable Tenshouin on HoldHands to see if he knows anything. I’ll try other people, as well.

me too, i will ask [rei] if he knows something, since he is always so well-informed on everything.

Yeah, please do. There are also various rumors and speculations circulating on the Internet, but they seem to have no basis, so I think we should take them with a grain of salt.

yes~… the [internet] is so scary. i have come to understand that during the [summer].

Yeah, but I don’t think we should stay away from it excessively like how Takamine is. It’s how you utilize the enormous power you’ve been bestowed that determines whether you’re an ally of justice or a villain.

I learned that from Kamen Rider.

Tokusatsu shows taught me everything important in life.

…is tetora really going to [leave] ryuseitai entirely…?

That’s what the rumors say, but I don’t think so.

what makes you [say] that?

The ES rules. If you wish to withdraw from your unit, you must have the approval of the leader first. Those are the rules.

And I, the current leader of Ryuseitai, have not received any request form of withdrawal from Nagumo, nor have I approved it.

Since staff readjustments will create an issue with salaries and other aspects, it requires a report to ES — in other words, to the agency — as well as following official procedures, and so on and so forth.

And when I talked to Tenshouin, the verified head-manager of the current StarPro office, he also said that Nagumo hasn’t submitted any documents related to the matter.

I’ll ask Tenshouin to investigate as much as he can within his authority, and if he comes up with nothing, then it proves that there really is nothing to those rumors.

uu~… all these things about [rules] and [procedures]… it is a difficult [topic], isn’t it?

Human society is a complex and tiresome place, Kanata. No matter where you go, you’ll find documents, documents, and more documents.

That being said, I think it’s much more peaceful and upscale than a society where everything is decided only by feelings and impulse.

There isn’t any way to confirm how someone else is feeling or thinking, but with documents, you can.

even though chiaki is exactly the [type] to act only through [impulse]…

I’m not young anymore… Achieving anything through impulse alone only works until elementary school.

My point is, the online news about Nagumo leaving Ryuseitai and creating a new group called “RB” is likely a downright lie without any basis whatsoever.

that is what is called [fake news], yes? we have been constantly suffering from such reports since the [summer].

No, let’s instead look on the bright side here and think, “After facing such hardships during the summer, we can now use those experiences to benefit ourselves.” None of the things we went through, and none of our effort, will be in vain. They never are, nor will they ever be.

Anyway, the question here is, how did this news come about?

How will the public react to it? And how should we deal with it?

in a similar way to “we have [trouble], a [monster] has appeared,” yes?

Yeah. Everything in life would’ve been so much easier if we could’ve simply assumed that “it’s all Gorgom’s doing!”5, but—

Just as there are no heroes in this reality, there are no purely evil monsters or villainous organizations, either.

Chapter 6

Nearly an hour later. Okinawa, in the Crimson Production agency office…

—Now then.

You really put us in a tight spot, “Sengoku-kun”.

Trespassing on our private property, investigating the area… I can’t simply let that slide, you know? That’s why I had a subordinate restrain you.

……………

I suppose it’d be silly to ask why you’re here, so let’s get straight to it — Is it because you were worried for me?

You guys are a meddling lot as always.

—Okay, seriously, who are you!?

Hm? What do you mean?

What is up with the way you talk!? It sounds so weird!

Where did the Tetora-kun who would always say “Uu~myu” and “Ossu!” and “‘Sup!” go!?

Um, I am Nagumo Tetora, though? Quit yapping, it’s embarrassing.

Our Tetora-kun would never say that! What is going on here!? Have you been brainwashed by aliens or some kind of evil organization!?

Or has a ghost possessed you, by any chance?

Ah—! Is it like NEGI-dono—

Look, that’s besides the point right now.

I’ve got matters of my own to sort through, so I can’t stick around and chat with you.

I’ll give you an option, though. If you sign here on this document, indicating that you promise you’ll never spill anything you’ve seen or heard here, I’ll let you go unharmed. So, what’s it going to be?

Uuu~ I cannot promise that! I must report to Taichou-dono and Shinkai-dono about how absolutely strange you’ve been acting!

“Taichou-dono,” huh? Hmph. …Fine, I’ll just have you confined here for longer, then. Relax, I’ll get you food and whatnot. Just stay put.

When it comes down to it, Ryuseitai was still my old home. I don’t really want to fight with you guys either, m’kay?

(Ughh… Seriously, what is going on here…? What is happening in Okinawa…!?)

(The deadly war that was the SS is already over, so peace should have returned here…)

(That is why, based on the policy of ES, it seems that starting from the coming year, some form of ES branch will be established in the regions where the SS qualifying rounds took place.)

(SS was the sole domain of ES, after all… ES beat all the local powerhouses in the qualifying rounds, proved its capabilities, and spread its influence across each region.)

(They are trying to maintain this momentum in order to conquer the whole country.)

(They will create branches in each region, which will then join forces with each other to spread their dominance throughout the nation.)

(However, I heard that the construction of the branch in Okinawa was not able to commence due to the strong opposition of the local people.)

(Even now in Okinawa, the local idols are doing quite well, it seems. But that is exactly why—)

—Tetora-kun.

Mm, what is it? Do you need the bathroom or something?

Ah, no, I’m alright. Tetora-kun, I have one question I would like you to answer, at the very least.

And what would that be? I guess I’ll answer it if I can.

Tetora-kun, are you still a member of Ryuseitai?

……………

There has been strange news spreading that you will quit the unit and make your own group… is that simply unfounded gossip?

I have come here to ascertain the truth behind those rumors. We have been anxious to know, as we could not get in contact with you for some reason.

…You do know my situation, right?

When it was decided that we would return to the previous formation, with Morisawa-senpai in the center of Ryuseitai—

All the new members the three of us had inducted into this unit and fostered on our own… Every single one of them decided to leave Ryuseitai.

Some then made their own units, some are still in the process of finding their position, and some… simply got sick of it all, and quit being an idol altogether.

……………

And most of the members who split from the unit — or in other words, those who were to inherit the blood of Ryuseitai — created a group known as “Anti-Stars”.

The ones that gathered to this unit were some of the wilder troublemakers of Ryuseitai-N, the group that I was a leader of.

I’m sure you can tell from the meaning behind the name, “to deny the stars” — Anti-Stars have a grudge against Ryuseitai.

They loathe us. It’s only natural, and we have no choice but to accept their hatred.

We did horrible, awful things to those kids.

We gave them so much hope, only to waste time within their precious youth that they have but one chance to experience… and then, we mercilessly threw them away, leaving them empty-handed.

We deserve to be punched in the face by their rage. Don’t you think so?

Chapter 7

I mean, I came all this way just to get beat up by them.

All the members of Anti-Stars left ES and found a new home here in Okinawa, the prefecture that stubbornly continues to resist ES.

Then they joined this entertainment agency, Crimson Production, which has become the largest force in the region. Just recently, actually. I think it was right after SS.

In here, you’ll find tons of determined local idols, who haven’t lost their spirit even after they were ripped to pieces by ES during SS.

I think that’s why the former Ryuseitai-N kids, who are also anti-ES, saw this agency as a place they can thrive.

ES has been steadily expanding its reach nationwide, but because of their overly-aggressive methods, there has been a rise in what you could call “anti-ES groups” in various parts of the country.

T-That is why… you could not overlook the fact that the former Ryuseitai-N members joined such a dangerous group?

Thus, you have come here to tell them to stop doing something so ridiculous, correct?

What, so that I can tell them off? So that I can say, “there’s no way you guys can win, anyway”?

Well, that is how I explained it to ES and Taichou. On paper, I am an emissary whose purpose is to coordinate ES and Crimson Production.

ES is trying to subdue anti-ES organizations such as Crimson Production by offering them technology and funds.

It’s easier to silence them with money and the like than to start an all-out war.

And as the guy who once led Ryuseitai-N, I was the perfect choice for the job of placating Crimson Production, since it has many former members of that unit.

And some of the former Ryuseitai-N kids actually wanted me to come over, anyway.

They asked me to save them. Crimson Production is an anti-ES group, after all. The former ES members of Anti-Stars feel inferior by default.

With such a distressing situation they’ve found themselves in, they can’t seem to do their practice sessions or work properly, either. And so, they asked me for advice on what they should do.

Even though I no longer have any authority, nor am I even a leader anymore, they came to me.

I can’t just ignore their pleas, you know? I didn’t even once think, “You all betrayed ES, and now you’re asking this from me?”

If they’re in trouble — if they call for my help, I’ll drop everything and come rushing for their sake.

That’s the least I can do for them, if nothing else. …Do you have any problems with that, Sengoku-kun?

For now, I would simply like you to cease speaking to me like we’re strangers, including that strange tone of yours… Anyway, erm, is that why you came to Okinawa, Tetora-kun?

You are here to save your former teammates… to protect your former subordinates once and for all, whom you once failed to protect and caused to suffer horribly.

(Mm~… Did he slowly get dyed by those ideas the more he came into contact with these kids, who have been entrenched in anti-ES ideology…?)

(Is that why his persona has changed so drastically?)

(Tetora-kun’s so pure and straight-forward, and he always absorbs everything he comes into contact with… That is how the black color comes to be, and it is most certainly his strong point, but…)

(I do not think he should absorb dangerous ideas as well and make them his own, to the point that he is entirely tainted by them.)

(Has he truly become a villain — an enemy of ES by being stained with anti-ES ideology?)

(No, that cannot be… He isn’t a character from a comic book or something…)

(Is it even possible for a person to change so easily, in the same vein as an ally of justice who has been brainwashed and turned evil…?)

(Something is not right here. There is something very off about all of this.)

—Oh, I have to go now. My pals are calling for me.

…? Could it be — Have Shinkai-dono and the other members arrived?

Ah, you misunderstand. The people I consider my comrades now are the guys from Crimson Production.

Oh yeah, I’ll answer your question from earlier now. You asked me if I’m still a member of Ryuseitai, right, Sengoku-kun?

On paper, that would of course be “yes”. I haven’t submitted a unit withdrawal form yet, nor my resignation from ES to the office.

I’m still Nagumo Tetora, Ryuseitai’s Ryusei Black.

But, hmm… If I were to put aside what the documents say for a moment, and only consider the emotional aspect of that statement — I don’t know how true that really is.

I don’t think I can say that I’m on your side now.

What on earth…? You really have been tainted by a dangerous ideology—

Haha. What dangerous ideology?

We have people here who just want to live a normal, peaceful life — and then we have ES, who’s trying to force the whole world to be dyed in their color.

So tell me, which side is the one with the dangerous ideologies? Who’s the real villain here, hmm?

……………

Chapter 8

Content Warning

Casual suicide mentions.

Location: Starmony Dorm, Takamine Midori’s dorm room

Next day, early morning…

(Sigh… A new morning, huh…)

(I’m so depressed. I wanna die. I don’t wanna get up.)

(What’s the point, anyway… It’s only gonna get messier and more complicated as time goes on—)

emergency~! emergency~!

It’s a brand new day, Takamine! Goood mooorning~! ☆

Oh… I’m in a dream, huh…

Now, now, you shouldn’t escape reality so quickly, Takamine!

Open your eyes! Look around you! The reality known as “us” has arrived! Fuhahahaha!! ☆

What do you want so early in the morning…?

Not only Morisawa-senpai, but even Shinkai-senpai… Unlike that guy over there, you aren’t the kind of insane person who would attack someone in their sleep, right?

yes! of course i am not! it is also completely [normal] to puka puka in the [fountain]! that is how an ordinary person [behaves]!

Oh, right, our unit’s just full of airheads…

Yup! Now that you’ve come to accept that, get up, Takamine! We’ve got trouble!

What do you want, seriously… I apologize for neglecting everyone yesterday by prioritizing my own personal work, okay?

I’m begging you, please don’t terrorize my peaceful daily life… Are you two a natural disaster or kaijuu or something?

Why, of course we aren’t kaijuu! We’re allies of justice! We’re trying our hardest to be that!

However! You have to take a look at this! This is the latest news article published online—

Mm…?

Wha— What is this…?

“Following after Nagumo Tetora, Sengoku Shinobu also leaves Ryuseitai!?”

“The mystery deepens! Ryuseitai, the unit that was said to be the oldest powerhouse in Yumenosaki Academy, is unable to stop its impending disintegration” — Mmm~?

What? What’s going on here? Why’s the situation getting even worse before our very eyes…?

Naturally, we’re puzzled too! Yesterday, we had Sengoku fly to Okinawa to investigate the situation—

But then he found himself in some kind of trouble, and we never heard from him again.

I can’t even reach a signal, no matter how many times I phone him.

It’s not ‘cause you were so annoying that he blocked you… right?

Nope! I think it’s only you who’d do something as cruel as that to me, Takamine!

I’ll have you know, it’s a burden to always ask for a mediator like Kanata to relay my messages whenever I want to contact you!

It’s an honor to know that I was able to become special to you, Senpai.

Mhm! I’d love it if we could become special in a more positive way! You little rascal~! ♪

mm, so, we were [worried] about shinobu since [yesterday]. and once it became today — as you can see, this is what ended up happening.

And that’s why it’s now sounding like even Shinobu-kun is quitting Ryuseitai for whatever reason, huh…?

But I mean… This is just fake news, isn’t it?

A lot has happened, so I guess it kinda makes sense in Tetora-kun’s case, but… Shinobu-kun would never abandon Ryuseitai under any circumstances, so…

Actually, you could probably say that if even Shinobu-kun of all people gave up on Ryuseitai, then we really are done for.

It’ll mean we’ve become the absolute worst group in the world, that even Shinobu-kun, who finds good in everything, can’t find any good in us at all.

Yeah… It’s hard for me to believe, too. But you’ll find a picture of Nagumo and Sengoku shoulder-to-shoulder in this article, smiling and posing together.

They’re both wearing idol costumes from Crimson Production, the agency that Nagumo was transferred to.

If one were to say that this is proof that the two have left Ryuseitai and belong to a new group, it would be hard to deny that statement.

Or rather, that’s what the article is trying to make you think.

While the interview in the article could be easily faked, a photo like this can’t.

Well, to be more specific — with today’s technology, people can easily edit two different photos together, but I don’t understand why they would do such a thing.

Something is definitely going down in Okinawa.

well, we already knew since [yesterday] that something is going on there. but it sounds much more alarming than we first expected, yes?

Yeah. It seems that the upper management of the agency is just as perplexed about this matter, and I’ve had numerous inquiries coming in since this morning, asking us what’s going on with Ryuseitai.

we are the ones who want to ask that, you know~?

Yeah, seriously. Regardless, I’m sure you also understand that we can’t just stand around and do nothing, right, Takamine?

Well, yeah, obviously… But what’re we even planning to do? You can’t get contact with either of them, right?

You’re not gonna suggest going to Okinawa ourselves to find out, are you…?

Yep, that is exactly what we’ll do! Worry not, Takamine! I’ve already contacted our agency, and any staff involved with our jobs!

We can now leave our work aside, and focus on the main issue at hand!

It’s only when it’s least necessary that he’s super fast to work…

In fact, this is what I should’ve done yesterday! I regret not taking action earlier…! Due to my careless decisions, even Sengoku has fallen prey to them!

Erm, he’s not dead or anything though, right? Isn’t he smiling and doing a peace sign in the photo…?

And anyway, I dunno what’s going on in Okinawa, but won’t the same happen to us if we head over there…?

Won’t we also look like we ended up quitting Ryuseitai…?

That’s definitely a possibility. But just in case, I asked Tenshouin to officially deny it all should such news spread.

StarPro should protect their own agency’s idols, at least from time to time.

fufu. mr. [emperor] is a [nuisance] when he turns against you, but he is very reliable when he is your [ally], isn’t he?

Yeah. Although, we shouldn’t assume that he’s completely on our side.

He’d probably cut us off just as easily if it’s in the best interest of the whole agency.

However, that’s exactly why, while we’re still one of the most valuable assets that he and the agency must keep protected—

While we’re still Ryuseitai, one of the biggest money-makers in StarPro—

We have to solve this unprecedented problem.

Translation Notes

↑ This is originally referring to an idiom that goes, “you won’t find a loach under the willow”, meaning just because you were lucky to succeed once, doesn’t mean you’ll succeed again with the same method.
↑ “Taichou” refers to leader (sometimes translated as Captain). It literally means “Commander”.
↑ Tetora speaks differently starting from here, and will continue to do so for the majority of this story. He doesn’t use his typical “Ossu”, and “~ssu” ending speech quirk. He instead talks more plainly, without any particular speech quirk.
↑ “Oni” means ogre or demon. It refers to a type of demon found in Japanese folklore, and it typically looks like this.
↑ Gorgom is a fictional criminal group from Kamen Rider Black. For more information, go here.