I took the opportunity to ask Blossom-san for a general overview of how this Singing Battle actually worked.
The fundamental rule was that one had to fight while singing, but there were several other regulations in place as well.
First, participants couldn't just sing whatever they liked. Each match had a specific Assignment Song that would be played in the venue's Performance Area. Participants were notified of the songs for their matches in advance, and those who weren't familiar with a particular track could practice in the Waiting Room beforehand.
The contestants would battle while singing, and a panel of judges—including Blossom-san—would score their vocal performance to determine the winner. While the actual combat didn't directly influence the final score, taking significant damage or focusing too much on offense and defense would naturally cause one's singing to falter, leading to a lower score.
If a participant managed to knock out their opponent through combat, they would receive a Special Bonus, but that extra credit was really more of a token gesture. Since the matches didn't cover full songs—usually just the first verse and the final chorus—each round lasted about two minutes at most.
The match ended the moment the song finished, and the scoring followed immediately after. In other words, because the victor was decided in a mere two minutes, it was almost impossible to actually defeat an opponent within that time limit unless there was a staggering disparity in Combat Power.
In practice, the format was a points-based competition where two people sang the same song while trying to interfere with one another.
"……You know, hearing the details, it actually sounds like it could be quite entertaining," Aoi-chan remarked.
"Yeah, definitely……"
I found myself agreeing with her. While it was a far cry from the Singing Battle we had initially imagined, it sounded like it could be fun in its own right.
If you could aggressively attack and disrupt your opponent's rhythm, you might have a chance to beat someone with superior vocal talent. However, becoming too obsessed with the fight could ruin your own performance, so it seemed like there was a fair bit of tactical depth involved.
Walk-in participation was allowed, but there was a cap on the number of entrants, and registration for the current block was already closed. If we wanted to join, we would have to sign up for the next time slot. Incidentally, if there weren't enough general participants to fill the bracket, Blossom-san’s subordinates would step in to fill the gaps.
Since none of us were particularly eager to get on stage, we decided to enjoy the show as spectators and headed over to the Spectator Seats.
"……Oh, it looks like they’re even taking bets," Luna-san noted.
"Ah, you’re right."
I followed her gaze and spotted a booth labeled Betting Reception. It seemed they were taking wagers on things like predicting the tournament winner. The current bracket appeared to be a fourteen-person tournament, including the general participants.
I didn't have any intention of gambling, so we moved past the booth to the seats, but even from a distance, I could see the Large Signboard displaying the current odds.
"……Aren't those odds a bit bizarre?"
"They certainly are. It’s incredibly skewed, or rather……"
"Number 9 is just way too overwhelming."
I looked up at the board while chatting with Luna-san. Because most of the contestants were general participants, the board only listed Entry Numbers rather than names, but the numbers were still absurd.
Number 9 was so overwhelmingly popular that the payout odds had dropped below 1.0. Betting on them would actually result in a net loss even if they won.
While there were various betting formats—like predicting the top three or the Best 4 in any order—the single-win odds were a complete blowout. Number 9 was the absolute favorite, and the payout for the second-most popular choice had already rocketed past a hundred times the stake.
"……I wonder if they're some kind of legendary favorite?"
"What should we do? I'm sure we could find out the names of the participants if we went to the reception desk……"
"Hmm, it's pretty crowded over there, so let's skip it. Besides, the very first match is between Number 4 and Number 9, so we’ll see what they're capable of soon enough."
If we went to the desk now, we might not make it back before the start. I was curious about the overwhelmingly popular Number 9, but I figured we’d find out the truth momentarily.
Given that level of popularity, I wondered if it was a famous singer or a well-known celebrity.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting! The Singing Battle First Round, First Match…… is about to begin!"
The announcer’s voice rang out via Amplification Magic, signaling the start of the event.
"First to the stage is Number 4! A contestant with supreme confidence in their vocal prowess—!"
The first participant to enter was Number 4, a person who looked like a Spirit and was introduced as having a great reputation for singing. However, maybe it was just my imagination, but their face looked deathly pale. They had the look of someone filled with absolute despair, as if they were walking into a battle they knew they couldn't possibly win.
Wait, was the gap really so large that they were giving up before the fight even started? Just who was this Number 9……?
"Next to the stage is Number 9! The undisputed favorite to win! Not only is their singing voice exquisite, but above all else, they possess Overwhelming Combat Power! The one whom many are certain will be crowned our champion! It is 'War King Megiddo Argetes Borgness-sama'!!"
……Of course it’s you!
My surprise was immediately replaced by total understanding. Well, of course the odds were like that. Given the rules of this contest, you wouldn't even be able to finish your song unless you could survive against Megiddo-san for two minutes.
In fact, Megiddo-san looked like he could probably flatten every other contestant through pure combat alone without even opening his mouth to sing…… but the thing was, he actually was a great singer. I really couldn't see a single timeline where any of the other participants came out on top.
Mystery Entity: "Ballad Gorilla?! If it isn't the Ballad Gorilla!"
Serious-senpai: "……A top champion candidate that makes all too much sense. I feel genuinely sorry for the other participants."