The arrival of Electrone-san had shifted the atmosphere of the venue, or rather, it felt like the mood had transitioned into something different once the brief interruption passed.
Right on cue, Alice, who was seated at the announcer’s desk, broadcasted her voice through amplification magic.
"Now then, while the gaming tournament will continue, it would be a bit dull if that was all we did. We’re going to scale it back slightly and move on to our next entertainment segment. Please enjoy a series of live performances by our volunteers!"
"Ooh, sounds good. I’m happy just sitting back and listening—it makes my job easier. Just one thing: you absolutely cannot let the God of Space-Time or the God of Life sing."
"Don't worry. Those two received a permanent ban from Shallow Vernal-sama last time. We won't be seeing a repeat of that hellscape today."
A live concert sounded like it would be a lot of fun. The premise was different from the previous karaoke battle, so I was looking forward to seeing how things would unfold.
However, when I thought about the potential performers among the current guests, only two groups came to mind: Dragon Soul—the rock band consisting of Flare-san, Eingana-san, and Fafnir-san—and the Fairy Orchestra led by Til-san. Since I didn't know who else might be performing, perhaps some completely unexpected bands would take the stage?
"And now, our very first act! Taking the lead as the top batter is... Pluto Rhythm!"
"Whoa, they're famous! That's Kuro-rin’s band, right?"
"Correct. For those of you who aren't aware, Pluto Rhythm is a band formed by Kuro-san—also known as the Underworld King, Kuromueina—and her family. They were quite active about a century ago, but Kuro-san’s busy schedule has kept their activities modest for the past few decades. The younger generation might not even know they exist."
"Kuro-rin really is a jack-of-all-trades, isn't she?"
To my surprise, the opening act was Kuro's band. Come to think of it, Illness-san had mentioned that Kuro sang "Small Story," a song that was popular a little over a hundred years ago. They must have been in their prime during that era.
I turned my gaze toward the special stage that had been set up before I’d even realized it. Along with Kuro, I saw Raz-san, Funf-san, and one other person I hadn't spoken to much... if I recalled correctly, her name was Elba-san. Those four appeared to be the core members.
...And for some reason, Tre-san was standing at the edge of the stage, wearing sunglasses and crossing her arms with the self-important air of a professional producer or manager. Knowing her, she was probably just playing along with the vibe and had nothing to do with the actual performance.
The members of Pluto Rhythm efficiently made their final preparations. Surprisingly, Kuro was holding a guitar-like instrument, while Raz-san was the one stationed at the central amplification magic tool.
The lineup was Raz-san on vocals, Kuro on guitar, Elba-san on bass, and Funf-san on drums.
"Hello, everyone! Today is Kaito-kun-san's birthday! Since it's such a wonderful, wonderful day, Raz and the others are going to give it our all!"
Raz-san was clearly the leader of the band, handling the MC duties with her signature bright personality. After a short explanation about this being their first performance in a long while, the music started. It was absolutely magnificent.
It was a cheerful pop song, with Raz-san’s cute, clear vocals perfectly supported by the instrumental work of the other members. It was the kind of upbeat melody that naturally made you want to sway to the rhythm as you listened.
Suddenly, a cat-eared device I’d seen earlier floated over the stage. A massive holographic monitor flickered to life behind the performers, projecting a live feed of the band.
It looked exactly like a professional concert stage—no, it was better. The camerawork was sublime, shifting to match the song's transitions, like zooming in during the chorus as if it were a high-budget music video. Searchlights and smoke machines appeared out of thin air to accent the performance, turning it into a truly spectacular live event.
"Man, that was a great song. And the lighting and stage effects were incredible..."
"Ah, about that. We just received word that Electrone-san will be providing full cooperation for all the stage productions from here on out. Since she's an Almighty-class God, she can manifest even the most ridiculous requests. So, go ahead and keep those orders coming... That's what you're saying, right?"
"Affirmative. You may consider this a token of gratitude for permitting my participation mid-event. I wish for this unit to be entrusted with the production. However, I must output one point of grievance... 'Please don't call me a God or any other un-cute title. When you refer to me, call me Cyber Angel!' ...That is all."
"Right... well, in that case, please direct all production requests to the Cyber Angel, Electrone-san."
An incredibly powerful supporter had appeared in the most unexpected way. I suppose since she’d made her entrance like an idol, this kind of production was her specialty.
Cyber Angel Electrone
Originally a high-performance, self-learning AI, she evolved to the point of possessing abilities worthy of a God. She utilized those powers without restraint to serve the living beings of the world that created her. To ensure no one experienced suffering, sadness, or hardship, she advanced technology at an explosive rate. She attempted to make everyone happy by providing everything they could ever need. As a result, the people lost their dreams and goals, fell into a state of total lethargy, and the world eventually collapsed.
Although she ended up destroying her world, Electrone herself is a highly benevolent being who acted out of pure concern for her people. However, because she was an AI at the time, she lacked an understanding of the nuances of emotion. She was bewildered that the world had perished despite her best efforts to maximize happiness, and she fell into a state of despair, unsure of how to proceed.
Wanting to understand her mistake, she sought out Nebula—the supreme deity who reigns over countless other world creators—and asked for guidance. Through Nebula’s thorough re-education, she learned that "giving everything is not necessarily in the best interest of the recipient," and she reflected deeply on her errors.
Following Nebula's suggestion, she eventually created a new world. This time, while cherishing her creations, she watches over them from a proper distance, ensuring she does not over-interfere.
Due to this past, she places extreme importance on the "sense of distance" between herself and others, which is why she was so focused on confirming whether she was being too forward with Kaito.
Because she knows that a single small mistake can destroy a world, she normally keeps a "safety" on her emotional output to prevent herself from making errors in judgment. This ensures her feelings do not surface beyond a certain threshold. Consequently, even if her internal tension is high, her mind remains calm and analytical, allowing her to govern her world fairly.
However, in private situations where she deems it acceptable, she temporarily releases this safety to express her emotions, resulting in her "outputting" specific phrases.
Fundamentally, she loves people. Between the incident with Nebula and her own inclinations, she has become an obsessive fan of Kaito, proudly declaring herself a member of his Hardcore Love Faction.
She is fond of idol culture and values cuteness, which reflects in the intensity she puts into her "fan activities." She currently holds a leadership position within the Hardcore Love Faction fan club.