"Ah… what is this mess…"
After walking out from backstage, Kamishiro let out a sigh. He really should have just stayed quietly at the hot spring inn today.
It was all because he couldn't resist the temptation!!!
And Ikegoshi, too!
Getting him a golden ticket for what
…Forget it. He really couldn't complain about that.
If he were in the same position if he knew such a thing existed he would've gone crazy trying to get his hands on it too.
If you didn't know about it, fine. You'd just laugh it off and move on.
A fan appreciation event for an AV actress was pretty normal in that industry. At most, you'd feel a bit jealous while watching.
The problem was that it only applies when you don't know!
Now he was on-site!
If the ticket in Kamishiro's hand had been an ordinary one, and then he learned about the golden ticket…
He felt certain he would be even crazier than these guys!
What? Real-name registration for private tickets?
Even if you got the ticket, if you weren't the person registered, you couldn't film with Momo-san?
Heh. If you think that's enough, you're far too naïve.
Naïve like that big idiot Fujiwara!
Sure, stealing the golden ticket wouldn't let you replace the winner.
But!
You could make sure the person who had the golden ticket lost their chance too!
If you couldn't obtain it, the simplest solution was to destroy the one who did.
Looking at the crazed expressions in the eyes of the "beasts" around him, Kamishiro didn't believe they only wanted to take the golden ticket.
Their eyes were already filled completely with jealousy and desire.
They wouldn't allow anyone at the venue to be more favored by their goddess than themselves!
When the time came, it would probably be another bloodbath.
Of course, that was only for ordinary people.
For Kamishiro… if it weren't for the group waiting outside, he'd be very confident in escaping.
But now that he knew the location of the secret door, even with those certain high school "beasts" outside, he was still confident he could get away!
As long as there was a path, the master of escape would never be caught!
As for why he wasn't leaving now…
Of course it was because he was a man who honored his promises!
It definitely had nothing to do with that dog director guarding the secret door!
"Ah…"
Kamishiro sighed again. But he wasn't blaming Director Hase.
The cameraman had just tested it, the secret door still worked and no one was outside. It led straight into an alley, perfect for escape!
So whether he escaped early or late didn't really make a difference to Kamishiro.
He could even thoroughly toy with those beasts from that high school!
Hmph!
Trying to catch Kamishiro?
Come back in a hundred years!
Even Lupin the Third couldn't catch him!
The real reason he was sighing was…
"Iori: Are you going to talk or not?!"
"Nojima: Don't try to brush this off, bastard. You're definitely hiding something from us!"
"Mitari: Spill it, and we'll give you a quick end!"
"Fujiwara: For justice!"
"Kouhei: My head hurts… where am I…"
"Yamamoto: Mmmph !!!"
"…"
(…)
Yes.
The reason Kamishiro was so troubled… was these idiots!!
If it weren't for them, he'd be happily planning how to mess with those high school beasts later.
Instead, he was watching these fools play interrogation games!
The kind where they stuff the suspect's mouth shut!
Judging by how vicious they looked, Kamishiro felt they weren't really interrogating just venting their frustration.
The surrounding crowd quietly kept their distance.
These guys looked insane.
If they got dragged into it, they might end up getting beaten for nothing.
Seeing this, Kamishiro walked toward them.
It was impossible to keep hiding anyway. Might as well go over openly.
Besides, he'd need their cooperation for his escape plan later.
After all… if these idiots fell into the hands of those high school beasts, he wouldn't be able to escape cleanly either!!!
"So are you guys executing him or interrogating him?" Kamishiro asked.
The sudden voice made Iori and the others stop. They turned around.
"Of course we're interrogating him!"
"It's just that Yamamoto's being way too stubborn, so we're loosening him up first."
"…"
Kamishiro wiped sweat from his forehead and looked at Yamamoto.
Yamamoto had been roughed up so badly he barely looked human anymore.
When his tiny eyes saw Kamishiro, they lit up with excitement as he let out muffled cries.
The sound was so pitiful that Kamishiro almost felt a sliver of sympathy.
Almost.
Then Kamishiro seriously suggested,
"Why not just kill him? Once you know what he did, you'll end up there anyway."
"MMMMPH !!!"
Yamamoto began struggling violently.
This guy wasn't here to rescue him!
He was here to send him off!
You're the real demon king!!!
Kamishiro smirked mockingly.
As if he'd feel sorry for Yamamoto. After what he'd done, he didn't deserve pity.
Chased him for so long and even wanted the golden ticket?
Dream on!
Iori and the others looked at Yamamoto, then at Kamishiro.
Something definitely happened between these two.
And their sixth sense told them
It was important.
They exchanged glances and pulled the smelly sock out of Yamamoto's mouth.
(It was his own sock.)
"Kamishiro, you bastard! The golden ticket is with you, isn't it?!"
The moment the seal was lifted, Yamamoto roared.
The keyword "golden ticket" instantly drew the attention of the surrounding beasts.
Kamishiro: !!!
He hadn't expected Yamamoto to be this excited. He immediately grabbed the sock and stuffed it back into Yamamoto's mouth.
What the hell?!
Can this guy predict the future?!
How did he know?!
Cold sweat dripped down Kamishiro's forehead as he quickly thought through what had gone wrong.
Then it hit him.
The only possible exposure point was when he showed the ticket at the entrance.
But he had done it quickly and discreetly!
And Yamamoto had been far from the entrance in line!
He couldn't possibly have seen it!
Then
Kamishiro froze.
Yamamoto didn't know he was disguised as staff.
He saw Kamishiro enter and assumed he was staff.
Later, through Kitahara and the others, he realized Kamishiro wasn't staff.
And Yamamoto also knew about the golden ticket.
Conclusion?
This idiot guessed the rest!!!
Kamishiro stared down at Yamamoto.
Unbelievable. This bastard actually figured it out.
And to make things worse, Kamishiro had already removed his disguise because he was about to go on stage. Director Hase wanted him to walk around naturally with his handsome face so everyone would remember him so it wouldn't look rigged later.
Thorough planning.
Except they forgot about Yamamoto.
Just now, if Kamishiro hadn't reacted quickly, Yamamoto would've exposed his identity as the "staff member" who'd been chased earlier.
And then…
Kamishiro didn't even want to imagine the outcome.
Feeling Kitahara and the others' suspicious gazes, Kamishiro dragged Yamamoto aside, planning to explain everything in a corner.
But he'd underestimated the situation.
After Yamamoto shouted those words
Leaving quietly was no longer simple.
Looking at the suddenly appearing Kamen Rider, Ultraman, and other costumed figures blocking his path, Kamishiro's eyelids twitched.
"Uh… what's this about, everyone?"
Please don't recognize me.
He prayed desperately.
If he got exposed, Director Hase would definitely drag him down with him.
Kamen Rider spoke.
"The golden ticket is with you?"
Though phrased as a question, everyone had already decided.
The golden ticket had to be with this handsome guy who appeared out of nowhere.
They hated to admit it.
But Kamishiro looked way better than them.
Like the difference between an average otaku and a 2D protagonist.
The ultra-handsome male lead in an otome game.
What girl wouldn't like that?
It hurt but they acknowledged the goddess's taste.
If they were girls, they'd choose him too.
But acknowledging his looks didn't mean they'd let this jerk cooperate with their goddess!
You're already a normie!
Go enjoy your pink, romantic life!
Why steal our goddess too?!
Their resentment intensified.
Kamishiro, however, secretly relaxed.
So they were only suspicious about the golden ticket not his identity.
That was manageable.
"Haha, you're mistaken. I don't have it… I only won a consolation prize."
He stepped back, smiling awkwardly, and signaled Director Hase in the distance.
Time to announce it.
Director Hase gave an OK sign and moved into position.
The plan was clear
The moment Kamishiro went on stage would also be their retreat.
They needed a little more time to prepare.
So Kamishiro stalled.
"If you don't believe me, I can show you everything I've got."
"Look camera, water of life, vodka, tequila, gin, Four Loko…"
"…"
Everyone went silent.
Was this guy an alcoholic?
Who brings all that to an actress's fan meeting?
Mixing drinks on-site to invite the goddess for a drink?
Ridiculous.
But effective.
The beasts were successfully distracted.
Meanwhile
Yoshitake, who had just come back from the restroom, stared blankly at the crowd.
"Has the goddess started interacting with fans?!"
His breathing quickened.
He rushed forward without even finishing adjusting his pants.
Finally pushing to the front
He froze.
This wasn't the goddess.
It was
"Kamishiro?!!"
!!!
That shout successfully interrupted Kamishiro's spellcasting. He looked up and saw a familiar figure in front of him.
"Holy crap?! The Three Idiots?!"
Yoshitake: (▼皿▼＃)
As expected, this guy was still as detestable as ever!
"The ThreeIdiots" was the nickname Kamishiro had given to Yoshitake and his two buddies.
Actually, Kamishiro wasn't that close to them. They were in different grades, after all.
And they weren't girls, so there was no need to get familiar!
But!
The reason for that nickname was simple they were way too active online.
So active that Kamishiro had often wanted to jump into the threads and destroy them himself.
It wasn't just posts about Kamishiro. No matter what the topic was, the three of them would show up.
Like three cheap assassins permanently squatting in the bushes.
So Kamishiro slapped the title "ThreeIdiots" onto them.
Who would've thought the nickname would gain overwhelming approval from most of the school?
Clearly, those three weren't exactly popular at school either~
They had it worse than Kamishiro disliked by both boys and girls.
(??ω??)
Seeing the culprit who had given him that nickname, Yoshitake really wanted to rush up and smash his smug face in.
But when he noticed Iori and the others standing around Kamishiro…
He quietly shrank back.
He hadn't forgotten the demon-like expressions those guys had earlier!
Calm down, Yoshitake!
Right now, the most important thing is to spread the news. Once Kamishiro gets caught, you can take revenge later!
With that in mind, Yoshitake pulled out his phone and opened the forum to notify everyone.
Clearly, being fully focused on the goddess, he had no idea that everyone was already gathered outside the entrance, discussing how to break in by force.
When he opened the forum, he froze.
Everyone already knew?!
They were just blocked outside?
…
Yoshitake scratched his head, suddenly feeling powerless.
So… his first discovery bonus was gone?
The beasts at school had never taken a capture operation this seriously before.
There were generous cash rewards and even date invitations from girls!
Even if he wasn't the one who caught Kamishiro, being the first to spot him would've earned him a nice prize.
But now…
It was all gone!
Damn it!
Who was the one trying to become vice-captain?!
Stealing his first merit!
Out of spite, Yoshitake quickly snapped a photo of Kamishiro and posted it.
That should count as a contribution, right?
Unlike some others, Yoshitake and his buddies Tadakuni and Hidenori didn't actually hate Kamishiro that much.
Mostly just jealousy.
More than beating him up, Yoshitake wanted the reward.
Of course, if he could have both, that'd be perfect!
Certain High School Forum
"Head of the School – Yoshitake":
"Brothers! Look what I found! Hurry and rush in!
Kamishiro_shocked.jpg"
"Head of the School": Whoa! Yoshitake, you're inside?!
"School Godfather": What are you waiting for?! Go beat him up!
"Black Wing": If you take him down, it's your first merit!
"FFF": Don't chicken out! We're coming in soon!
…
Yoshitake's eyes twitched.
If he could beat him, he would've already done it!
Stop talking big and get in here!
He typed again:
"Head of the School – Yoshitake":
"Ahem, the situation's complicated. Just get in here fast! I've already controlled him. He can't run!"
"Black Wing": Well done! As expected of the Sword Saint!
"Yamanaka Sawako": Um… Yoshitake-kun, could you hand Kamishiro over to me? I'll reward you~"
"Need a Rental Girlfriend? Ask Me": Give him to me, little brother~ I can compensate you with a girlfriend~"
"I'll Always Love Loli sensei Komoe": Don't believe them! They just want to save that scumbag Kamishiro!"
"Tokyo's Richest": Give him to me! I can help you lose your virginity in another way!"
"Komoe sensei": !!! Don't let me find out who you are!!!
…
Warrior!
Seeing "Tokyo's Richest" comment, Yoshitake was shamelessly tempted.
But he still had some sense. This was basically real-name posting for him.
If he dared reply publicly, Komoe sensei would probably show up at his house that very day.
Never underestimate a teacher just because she looks like a loli!
Thanks to her love of browsing forums, Komoe sensei had basically become the discipline committee of the school forum.
Better not provoke her.
So
Yoshitake chose to send a private message instead.
"Please elaborate on this 'other way.'"
As private messages flooded in with offers, Yoshitake felt himself floating.
This was life!
Should he pick a date with a girl who used to ignore him?
A rental girlfriend?
Or go straight to the final step?
What a difficult choice~
But just as he was lost in fantasy, a reply shattered everything.
"Escape Master Kamishiro":
"Are you sure you've controlled me?
Kamishiro_and_Yoshitake.jpg"
In the photo, Kamishiro had an arm around Yoshitake's shoulders, smirking mockingly, while Yoshitake wore a lecherous daydreaming expression.
Yoshitake: !!!
He finally realized someone had their arm around him.
Turning his head Kamishiro was smiling kindly at him.
Around them stood a group of impatient, hostile beasts.
"Ka… Kamishiro…"
Feeling the overwhelming strength on his shoulder, Yoshitake's voice trembled.
Height, muscle, fighting experience there was no way he was a match for Kamishiro.
At the very least, he knew he could not survive even one round of being hunted by those beasts.
Kamishiro's smile widened.
"Heard you've controlled me?"
Yoshitake shook his head frantically.
"No, big bro, you are the one controlling me…"
"Oh?"
Kamishiro glanced at Yoshitake's phone.
After the photo was posted, countless people were tagging him.
"Tokyo's Richest": ??? This is what you call controlling him?
"School Godfather": Pretty sure you are the one being controlled.
"FFF": Are you teaming up with that scumbag to scam us?!
"Black Wing": You betrayed me! Do you know what you've done?! Traitor!!!
"Yamanaka Sawako": Yoshitake, I'm very disappointed in you.
Yoshitake: (*?????)
All his beautiful fantasies vanished with that single photo.
Like a dream that came fast and left just as fast.
Couldn't they let him fantasize a little longer?
He wanted to cry.
He hadn't even done anything!
How did he become a traitor?!
But he didn't dare say that aloud.
Given his reputation at school, speaking up would probably just invite harsher attacks.
Kamishiro, meanwhile, had no intention of letting him off easily.
If you wanted to expose him, you had to be ready for the consequences!
This time, Kamishiro started typing again.
But he wasn't going to keep driving a wedge between Yoshitake and the beasts.
With Yoshitake's reputation, one stab was enough.
More would backfire.
"Escape Master Kamishiro":
"Thanks for everyone's concern~ Yoshitake and I came together~
Also…
@Komoe sensei We're attending Miss Momo's meet-and-greet. You know, that famous AV actress~"
Yoshitake: =????(??? ????)
"What the hell did you just do?!"
Yoshitake turned in despair.
What kind of monster does something like that?!
There was no need to show that off to the teacher!
"Relax, young man. I'm helping you~" Kamishiro said teasingly. " Komoe sensei's a loli. I'm giving you a chance to get close to a loli. Shouldn't you thank me?"
"Thank you my ass!!!"
Tears of regret streamed down Yoshitake's face.
He finally understood how much of a scumbag Kamishiro truly was.
It wasn't just about stealing people's goddesses!
"Oh my, you're so moved you're crying~" Kamishiro handed him a tissue and showed him the phone. "Look, Komoe sensei replied instantly."
Yoshitake: !!!!
He prayed she did not know what an AV actress was.
Unfortunately, she was at least in her thirties.
She probably knew more than him.
"Komoe sensei": "Yoshitake!!! You actually went to that kind of place!
Looks like I need to have a talk with your parents!
And Kamishiro even if you've graduated, you should not be going either!"
Kamishiro burst out laughing.
Komoe sensei hadn't changed at all. Still adorable.
Yoshitake, meanwhile, looked like a hopeless salted fish.
"It's over… it's all over…"
"Come on, it's not that serious," Kamishiro said.
"Not serious?! She's telling my parents! Aren't you scared?!"
Kamishiro shrugged.
"Scared of what? I've already graduated. And this is Japan. If parents find out their son watches this stuff, that's pretty normal, right?"
If Komoe sensei told his parents, they might even ask him to bring back a signed photo.
Yoshitake's eyes lost all light again.
"You don't get it… Some things even if everyone knows they can't be said out loud…"
"…Fair point."
Kamishiro sighed.
Because of him, Yoshitake was now famous across the whole school.
A little tragic.
So
Kind-hearted Kamishiro decided to compensate him.
"Alright, cheer up. Here."
"Huh?"
Before Yoshitake could react, a card-shaped object was placed in his hand.
The air around them seemed to grow heavier.
Looking down, his eyes nearly popped out.
A golden card lay in his palm.
Gold?! The golden ticket!!!
He knew it!
It had to be with Kamishiro!
But
Why give it to me?! He looked up.
Kamishiro wore a shocked expression.
"Yoshitake! So the golden ticket was with you all along?!"
"Wha ?!!"
Cracking sounds echoed nearby.
The beasts' eyes glowed red as they approached.
Yoshitake trembled. He finally understood why Kamishiro gave it to him.
When he looked back Kamishiro was smiling and waving.
(▼皿▼＃)
He really wanted to smash that infuriatingly handsome face.
But
More urgent matters awaited. Without hesitation, Yoshitake ran for the entrance.
"Kamishiro, you scumbag! I'll be back!"
"Stop! Don't run!"
"You yellow-haired bastard!"
"Die!"
"Dynamic Light Wave!!!"
…
Watching the chaos erupt again, Kamishiro smirked mockingly.
Idiots~
Didn't anyone think to check carefully whether that golden ticket was real?
(??ω??)