[ES!! Era Year 2] World Tour Arc – Prologue
Translation of the World Tour Arc: Prologue Chapters, featuring all ES units, as well as the tournament matches.
Note: This chapter kickstarts the World Tour Arc and introduces the tournament match-ups.
Season: ES 2nd Year, Autumn
My friends! I’d like to announce a brand new grand event to you all, held by Thunderbolt Entertainment and Ensemble Square as a partnership!
This will be a world tour to determine who shall be the “Icon of the New Idol Century”, known as “Megasphere Match”!
“Megasphere Match” — “MM” for short — is an event set up similarly to “SS”, with the objective of determining the idol industry’s cream of the crop.
Four units from each ES agency will be selected to take part in a tournament-style live showdown, held across several countries around the world.
The rule shared between the showdowns is that units will perform together with a song designated by the management team.
As for the winner of each match, it will be decided through the total number of votes casted online and in the live venue.1
In other words, over 8 billion people across the whole world will be the voters!
The proud winner of the tournament will obtain the title of “World’s Best Idols”, both in name and actuality!
Right now, the whole world has their eyes on idols after the success of Mega Stream. If you can grab all that attention to yourself, there would be no greater honor to your name!
Which unit will be chosen as the “World’s Best Idols”? I expect absolutely Nice battles all around~♪
(Yoshihide-kun’s blabberin’ on and on about nonsense, but — In short, this is just a battle for power between agencies, isn’t it?)
(And as for us, we were selected by our higher-ups and got forcibly dispatched to this lottery event, is all. They didn’t let us have the right to refuse.)
(But, well, it doesn’t sound like there’s a penalty if you lose, so I’ll take this nice and easy~♪)
Right then, let’s begin the lottery event to decide the matches. Could the leaders of each unit step forward, please!
In this box are strips of papers with the numbers 1 to 16 written on them.
Could you fill in the name of your unit in one of the tournament brackets, starting from whoever drew the lowest number?
There are eight match-ups in total. Those who write their name first will also earn the right to decide where the venue will be held, so this lottery is of utmost importance.
Hmph. Where it will be held doesn’t matter. Cease this silly charade already.
Now, now, Oshisan…
Alright, go ahead and draw the lottery…☆
…Fufu.
Now then, which team drew the lowest number?
That would be us, fine. Right, for the bracket… I suppose I’ll choose number “4”, the unlucky number. ♪2
Although it may be a bad omen, let’s say that this is a declaration of our intent — that we will demonstrate our capability and confidence to ward it all off.
This man truly utters nothing but meaningless statements, as per usual.
If you’re done here, withdraw yourself already. We, Valkyrie, are next in line.
Hm… We’ll have number 16.
Number 16? Is there some reason behind that?
I simply chose the farthest bracket away from this demonic man.
Oh my, have you gotten the jitters just from coming into contact with us?
I won’t fall for such cheap provocations. I simply deemed this the most optimal strategy.
Then it is time we decide the location of the venue, as well. Could you state the country you’d like to hold it in?
We’ll go with “Japan”. I’d like to preserve our stamina by minimizing all travels.
Then we will hold it in “France”. The reason why — Well, that’s quite clear without me saying it, isn’t it?
Such Nice choices! Next in line is—
It is UNDEAD’s turn. While the two were quarreling, we had already decided on the bracket and location. We shall go with number 9. As for the location…
It will be Adonis-kun’s homeland, “Boemika”.
We aren’t goin’ with my beloved UK!?
This was Adonis-kun’s one and only request, you see. ♪
Alright thEN, us Switch will choose number 14.
(I’d like to reduce the chances that we end up against a powerful uNIT. AlthouGH, we may end up fighting against Shu-niisan if we wIN.)
RigHT, for the locatiON…
Shisho~, Sora wants to go to “Egypt”! The movie Sora watched the other day was super duper interesting~♪
Ahh, you’re talking about “The Mummy”, aren’t yoU?
My turn nooow! ☆ Leeet’s see here, this is a pretty massive event and all, sooo…
Number 3! I’m gonna straight up challenge Eichi-san to a battle!
Fufu, the moment to bring you down has finally come. This will be quite the delight…♪
Up next is us!
Aight then… Number 1! ‘Cuz we’re number one! ☆
Dumbass, ya hafta give this more proper thought.
Nah, for somethin’ like this, you’ll only strike gold if ya don’t think about it! ♪
—We choose “USA” as our location. We’re quite acquainted with that country, so it should come to our advantage.
Hm, USA, is it. Perfect, we’ll choose number 2 then.
Crazy:B. We’ll put an end to the humiliation we faced in the Idol Royale, once and for all.
We were hoping to have a showdown with fine, the victors of the last SS, but since that’s not an option… Another bracket we could take is…
Hokuto-senpai. This is meant to be a showdown between agencies as well, so it’s best that you avoid any brackets with a unit from the same agency!
Then we’ll go with number 5.
As for the location… We choose “Italy”. We went through plenty struggles in the jungle back at SS, after all. I’d like to fight in an urban area this time.
(Uu, which country should we go to…? No, first off, which bracket should I even choose…!?)
(I can’t believe I’m the leader at such a crucial time like this… This is so depressing…)
Oh? Who’s next in line?
Ah—Um, yes! It’s me! The bracket number will be, um…
Ah, screw it. I’ll pick with my eyes closed. Let’s go with number 10…!
We’ll have to fight against UNDEAD in our very first match if you choose that one, you know!?
Eh!? Ah—! Then number 15…?
You’re putting us up against Valkyrie!?
I take that back too! We’ll go with number 11, and the location will be “Australia”. I want to see the koalas…
Then Knights will choose number 6. Please do go easy on us, Hidaka-senpai.
Our first opponent is Knights, huh. This should be a satisfactory battle for the both of us.
Erm, Ra*bits’ bracket will be…
The powerhouse units Eden and MELLOW DEAR US haven’t decided on their brackets yet…
Uu… We won’t know who we’re up against, but I’ll choose number 8. Can I let you guys decide the venue location?
I don’t know a thing about overseas, so I have no clue what to choose, you know~!? Um, ummm…
Then let’s go with “Hawaii”! ☆
You just said a tourist area you know of, didn’t you!?
Okay nooow~! Next up is 2wink~☆ We’ll take number 12! We’ll pick up the gauntlet against Ryuseitai!
If we want to blast through the first match, then we should target Ryuseitai — right, Aniki~? ♪
Mh—! We refuse to lose to you!
It’s finally our turn, huh. Right then, let’s see what brackets are left…
(Whatever you do, don’t choose number 7…!)
—We’ll choose number 15. We’re in your care, Valkyrie. ♪
(T-That was close~!)
…Hmph.
We choose number 7. Dear seniors in Ra*bits, we are in your care!!!!
This is gonna be a battle of cute! Yaaay~! ☆
What are you on about? “Cute” obviously means Spri will be the winner.
Couldja not pick fights before the match has even begun!?
…So what’s left for us is either UNDEAD or Switch’s match.
…Fufu. How about our two units fight — UNDEAD?
Oh? We’ll be fighting against Eden? This is going to be quite the intriguing battle~♪
That means ALKALOID will be fighting against Switch! We’re in your care!
Fufu, and now, we have our showdown brackets settled with!
1st Match: Crazy:B VS Akatsuki!
2nd Match: MaM VS fine!
3rd Match: Trickstar VS Knights!
4th Match: Special for Princess! VS Ra*bits!
5th Match: UNDEAD VS Eden!
6th Match: Ryuseitai VS 2wink!
7th Match: ALKALOID VS Switch!
8th Match: MELLOW DEAR US VS Valkyrie!
These will be all our unit matches for the first round!
What sort of dramatic events will take place in these battles? Which unit will manage to climb up to the top? We hope that you look forward to seeing the brilliance of all these idols!
Now then, it is time we open the curtains to the World Tour “MM”!
Note: Voting is purely an in-universe setting, and there will be no IRL voting that could affect the developments of the story. See below for the matches and a preview of their designated song!