Chapter 134: Welcome back, my queen──

[【Produce Master】It’s a battle! I’m not losing, Senpai! #StarsFlow2ndGeneration #KainoIzumi #NamikawaTsubaki]

[The rules of the battle are simple. Izumi and I will each choose five songs. After playing a total of ten rounds, the one with the higher score wins.]

“Master Mix difficulty, right…?”

[Of course.]

The difficulty levels in Produce Master are divided into five categories. 2Mix, 4Mix, 6Mix, 8Mix, and Master Mix. The number of notes you need to click increases with each difficulty, from 2 notes in 2Mix to 8 notes in Master Mix. However, Master Mix has more complex patterns than 8Mix, making it more difficult.

[Also, the deck you use can affect the score difference, so naturally, the card level will be fixed to Normal.]

“Got it, then.”

If the deck wasn’t fixed, the result would depend on the number of high-level idol cards each of us had. Of course, we’ve both been playing Produce Master for a long time, so our card pools are probably similar, but I guess Senpai just wants to settle this through pure skill.

[Hehehe… I’ll make sure to get my revenge on that wicked Chino producer!]

• I think Mei-chan really overdid it this time.

• Well, Mei-chan always does stuff like this, but still…

“What… What did I do wrong to deserve this?!”

I celebrated the victory of my idol and comforted the idol who lost. How is it that the Iztomo people are all saying this to me? I slammed my hands on the desk in frustration, but for some reason, there was almost no one supporting me.

[Now, before we start the match, let’s take a moment to introduce the charms of our respective idols. It’d be great if everyone watching cheered for the idols instead of us.]

“U-um, aren’t we idols too…?”

[Let’s start with the junior, Izumi-chan!]

Senpai lightly ignored my comment and moved on with the discussion.

…But wait, this person is naturally making me go first?! Since Senpai is the one who set up this event, shouldn’t Senpai go first to show an example?

But, as Senpai’s junior, I couldn’t resist the authority…

“Well, my idol, Suzuki Chino… Her soft, light blue hair and red eyes are just so charming.”

• How about her personality?

“Chino-chan’s personality? Well…”

Senpai told me to explain my idol’s charm, but honestly, I didn’t want to. There’s no way I could explain all of Chino’s charms in just a few minutes.

…But since it was a request from Iztomo, I had to put my all into explaining Chino’s appeal.

“Chino-chan is usually super shy and quiet, but… she’s more passionate about being an idol than anyone else. She always gives her best in her lessons. And when there’s something she can’t handle, she always relies on me, her producer, which is just so cute!”

[U-um… Izumi-chan?]

“For example, in the game, there’s an episode in the idol’s personal story where she leans against the producer’s chest and says, ‘As long as I can lean on this chest, I’ll always be able to look at the stars.’ It’s really cute!”

And then there’s the special CG where Chino is bathed in starlight. It’s truly a work of art. The scene where she looks up at the producer with the starry sky behind her… It’s a charm that words can’t even describe.

“Also, she’s really shy, so in the episode where we go on a date, just holding hands makes her face turn bright red! How could I not be her producer?!”

[Izumi-chan? Can you hear me?]

• Mei-chan really got fired up this time.

• When compared to Nacchan, who’s the better idol?

“Hah?! They’re both the best idols, obviously! Don’t compare them like that! …Honestly, I think Chino-chan’s a bit more to my taste though.”

• Nacchan Nanase☑: I’m disappointed, Izumi…

…Huh?

“N-Nacchan?! T-That’s not what I meant?! I like Nacchan’s singing better, okay?!”

• Nacchan Nanase☑: You’re not allowed to call me Nacchan for a while.

• Hahahaha.

…Is this how my life ends? Life really is fleeting.

“So… Chino-chan’s charm explanation time ends here…”

[Well then, I’ll start explaining Nodoka-chan’s charms. Of course, her appearance is great, but I think her tsundere side towards her producer is the best.]

Senpai began explaining with a gentle voice, but I couldn’t really hear it due to the mental damage I was feeling.

Why does the world impose such trials on me…
I’m not a bad person, am I…?

★

In the end, I couldn’t overcome the mental damage until the very end.

[Hehehe. It’s my victory, Izumi-chan!]

I had no choice but to accept my defeat by a total score difference of 5200 points.
Even with the cheat code of being a TS (transsexual) girl, the penalty of not being able to call Nat-chan by her name was so huge.

I wonder if Hong Gil-dong ever felt like this…

[No, I’ve succeeded in getting my revenge, Nodoka-chan!]

• Could Mei-chan not beat Tsuba-chan?

• She had been through a lot in the gray city too, huh?

[Since I won the match, Izumi-chan, it’s time for you to take your punishment, right?]

“Uh, could you, could you let that slide…?”

[No way.]

The penalty for losing this match was changing my Neator nickname for five days.
If I lost, my name would change from [Kaiono Izumi☆Star’s Flow] to [Kaiono Izumi☆Nodokap], and if my senpai lost, their name would change from [Namikawa Tsubaki] to [Namikawa Tsubaki ChinoP].
In other words, it was an important match where we were both putting our pride as producers on the line… but I ended up losing that match.

[Okay. Now change it quickly!]

“Understood…”

I’m sorry, Chino-chan. I’m so sorry for being such a weak producer…

In the end, I changed my Neator nickname to [Kaiono Izumi☆Nodokap], and when Namikawa-senpai saw it, she happily clapped her hands.

…But you know.
If Namikawa-senpai had explained Nodoka’s charm before me, would this have happened?

So, I didn’t lose to Namikawa-senpai in terms of skill.
If she had explained Nodoka’s charm first and then I had explained Chino’s charm afterward, this wouldn’t have happened.

No. Maybe I’m wrong.
She might have known that Nat-chan was watching the broadcast from the start and planned this out.

If that’s the case, then that’s really sneaky, senpai…!

But it’s fine.
I lost as a ChinoP, but not as Chino herself, so it’s okay.

“Well, anyway, the next event will feature Chino…”

[That’s right, Izumi-chan!]

“Hehe…”

It’s my victory, senpai!

★

[Well then, see you next time…]
[That’s all for today. Sayotsuba!]

• Bye Izumi!

• Sayotsuba!

And so, the ending video played on Izumi and Tsubaki’s broadcast screen.

[【Produce Master】It’s a competition! I will never lose, senpai! #StarsFlow2ndGeneration #KaionoIzumi #NamikawaTsubaki]

[You did a great job, Namikawa-senpai…]
[Izumi, you worked hard today too. It must’ve been overwhelming to suddenly get a collaboration like this.]

• What?

• Mei-chan didn’t mute her mic?

But for some reason, their voices kept coming through the broadcast.

[So, I have to work as Nodoka’s producer for five days, right?]
[Eh… I thought just changing the name would be enough…]
[With a name, comes responsibility.]

• It really feels like a mistake.

• Mei-chan really stutters a lot, huh?

• Mei-chan, hasn’t she made mistakes like this before?

[Ah, by the way, senpai, did you hear?]
[Hmm? What?]
[The third generation is debuting soon…]
[Ah, yeah. I talked to the manager about it.]
[It’s amazing that I’m becoming a senior…]

• What?!

• The third generation is debuting?

• Is this real?!

• Finally, it’s happening!!!

[Honestly, I don’t think I’m qualified for that yet…]
[That can’t be true. Huh? Wait a minute… Izumi?! Broadcast! Broadcast!]

• Caught!

• Bye Izumi!

★

[The 521st Thread Discussing Virtual YouTuber, Kaiono Izumi]

…

46. Seems like it’s the first time collaborating with Tsubaki.

47. The bad blood that started from the gray city has come this far…

48. Is Mei-chan a ChinoP?

49. No matter how I think about it, this time it’s Mei-chan’s fault, lol.

…

71. Nat-chan appeared, lol.

72. It’s been a while since I saw Mei-chan looking genuinely flustered.

73. I guess it’s more attractive because she’s out of reach…

…

97. This must be a mistake, right?

98. Tsubazumi Tee-hee-hee.

…

109. Third generation?!

110. Is it okay for this to be leaked, lol?

111. The video is going down right now.

[Virtual YouTuber Minor Gallery]

[Title: Izumi: I prefer Chino over Nat-chan]
[Author: ㅇㅇ]
As an idol, Nat-chan doesn’t compare to Chino (actual words spoken).

[Recommended: 85 / Not Recommended: 3]

Mei-chanLove: Don’t slander our Mei-chan, you *sshole.

ㅇㅇ: Is this real?
└ㅇㅇ: So, you think it’s fake?

OyaBung🔸: Arcade ON
uwu: Is this what it means to have a producer’s mindset?

EighthStar🔹: The funniest part was Nat-chan watching in the chat, lol.
└LO2: What did she say?
└ㅇㅇ: She said we’re banned from calling her Nat-chan for a while!
└EighthStar🔹: Her mood completely dropped when she saw that.
└ㅇㅇ: It was so cute, seriously.

[Title: The Third Generation is Debuting?]
[Author: ㅇㅇ]

[Recommended: 113 / Not Recommended: 6]

ㅇㅇ: Is this for real?
OyaBung🔸: We’re screwed, lol.
VillainousLady: Welcome back, Queen of the Abyss…
Dongbaek: She’s causing trouble again.

ㅇㅇ: Where did you see this?
└OyaBung🔸: The video has already been taken down.
└uwu: Check the concept post.

ㅇㅇ: The main site is burning up too, lol.

★

[【Important Announcement】Everyone ready?! #StarsFlow #NatsuneNanase]