I spun the lottery wheel, and out popped the number two. This wasn't one of the EX prizes, but rather one of the slots I had set aside for five mysterious senders—people I didn't know the details of—to present their gifts to me personally.
The moment I recognized the number, the lights vanished, plunging the venue into sudden, total darkness.
Or so I thought, until a beam of light like a massive spotlight poured down from above. To my astonishment, the scenery around me had completely transformed. I was standing in what looked like a colossal concert hall. There was a stage equipped with a massive monitor, and I was positioned at the end of a long flower path extending out from it.
...Eh? No, what's going on!?
I scanned my surroundings in a panic and saw everyone else sitting in spectator seats. Their faces mirrored my own confusion; clearly, no one else was prepared for this sudden turn of events.
Then, music began to swell. It was a light and upbeat pop tune that sounded just like an idol song.
A powerful light flared on the dim stage, revealing a silhouette. Because the light was behind them, I could only see an outline, but the figure appeared to be dancing.
Multi-colored searchlights swept through the hall, and spheres with cat ears began to zip through the air. They were similar to the speaker I’d received earlier, but instead of speaker grilles, they were fitted with camera lenses.
The cat-ear devices projected beams into the air, manifesting holograms like those from a sci-fi movie that painted the venue in vibrant colors.
It felt like a concert from the near future. I had no idea how any of this was happening, but it was so flashy and gorgeous that I couldn't tear my eyes away.
The others seemed just as captivated. They watched with wide-eyed curiosity as holographic flower petals and water splashes shimmered in the air.
The music gradually grew louder, shifting into a high-energy, high-tempo track. At that moment, several of the cat-ear devices clustered together, aiming their lights at the space above the stage.
Cy
Colorful, three-dimensional holographic text flickered to life. The stage lights died for a moment, and just as the platform became invisible, a frenzy of colorful beams swept over it, occasionally illuminating the hands or feet of the dancing figure.
ber
Multi-colored lights lanced across the hall in a chaotic web of irregular reflections, pushing the high-tech, electronic atmosphere to its peak.
An
The song seemed to enter its chorus and increased in intensity as holographic meteors streaked across the ceiling.
gel
Once the four massive holographic characters were floating in place, the giant monitor flared to life. It was a blindingly brilliant display, reminiscent of the jackpot graphics on a pachinko or slot machine that I’d seen on video sites despite never having played one myself. A name scrolled across the screen in massive letters.
Electrone
At the exact moment the name appeared, a seven-colored explosion erupted behind the stage. The lights that had been scanning the room all converged on a single point in the center, revealing a woman striking a pose with her hands shaped like a heart, just like an idol.
Her outfit was purely futuristic. She wore arm covers equipped with mini-monitors and mecha-like shoes designed to look like they had jet thrusters. Her glossy jacket and skirt had built-in LEDs that glowed to trace the lines of her silhouette. On top of that, she was adorned with all sorts of electronic ornaments. Her entire body was a shimmering display of light, yet strangely, the glow wasn't blinding.
Even her long hair reminded me of a high-end gaming PC, its colors cycling through a spectrum of hues. Honestly, there was so much visual information packed into her design that I didn't even know where to begin to process it all!
...H-How should I put it... someone truly outrageous has arrived...
Serious-senpai: "There's no need to even think about it; I'm sure she's incredibly hyped up right now. After all, she’s the Hardcore Love Faction's Oshikatsu God..."