Chapter 230 Otohime and Uta, Part Two
Strictly speaking, the gender composition of this audition's final victors was somewhat unbalanced.
Three males, five females.
No helping it—during the audition, the audience members who had voting rights naturally favored the beautiful and charming females.
The only three exceptions—the Longarm, Longlegs, and Snakeneck victors—had only successfully advanced because Tesoro rigged things.
If he'd known, he should have just made a girl group and not worried about being criticized for gender ratio issues.
Not everywhere in this world was open-minded. Some regions were relatively conservative.
Regardless, a total of eight people—three men and five women. This group was about to begin operating.
And now was these future superstars' first meeting.
Queen Otohime showed considerable enthusiasm, annoying the young songstress with red-and-white hair.
After pestering the songstress Uta, Otohime's attention turned to the team's three males.
They all happened to have already arrived.
The predetermined Longarm champion Apoo—needless to say, the team's instrumental specialist.
The Longlegs champion was a very handsome man with excessively long legs. He had deep attainments in dance. Tesoro meant for him to target female audiences—he was the team's main dancer.
The Snakeneck victor also looked quite good. His singing voice was very moving. Though probably far inferior to Uta's, he was at least several grades stronger than half-baked singers like Otohime. He was the male lead vocalist.
Otohime, acting quite familiar, grinned and came over to chat with them.
The champions from three different races showed Otohime very respectful attitudes.
Everyone knew this woman represented Fish-Man Island. Warlord Jinbei was standing at the door right now! And behind them stood the Emperor who ruled the deep sea.
Finally—
"Oh, how cute! You're called Mansherry, right? Princess of the Tontatta Kingdom!"
Queen Otohime circled around the petite girl with golden hair, her face full of enraptured smiles. "The Tontatta—I had no idea such a cute race existed in the world before!"
The little princess shyly covered her face.
"The Tontatta have been friends with Dressrosa's Riku royal family for generations," Tesoro said with a smile at this point. Actually, his originally designated Tontatta victor should have been Leo. He had a good relationship with Tesoro, and at least that kid was an devil fruit user. The ratio of four men and four women would have been more appropriate too.
But somehow this little princess, after seeing Leo register for the audition, also registered together.
That left no choice—how could bringing this Heal-Heal Fruit ability user to his side possibly be a loss?
Leo? Didn't know him well.
Honestly, Princess Mansherry's abilities in all aspects were worse than Otohime's, but that didn't matter. She just needed to be cute—that was enough.
She was that kind of silly, can't-do-anything type who needed the big brothers and sisters to protect—the team mascot.
"They live like sprites in the neighboring Greenbit. Honestly, I hesitated for a long time over whether to expose them to the world's eyes."
Tesoro said with a smile. "Brett said rather than letting them come to the seas and encounter the discrimination and contempt other minority races have experienced, better to let them live peacefully without worldly concerns in their homeland."
Apoo and the other two males' expressions changed slightly.
They'd almost never left their hometowns, but they'd heard about what their people encountered at sea.
Even Uta frowned slightly, not knowing what she was thinking.
Queen Otohime suddenly looked at her with surprise.
"But ultimately, we still let them join the Heptagonal Alliance and this audition," Tesoro said somewhat proudly. "Because we already have the power to protect them!"
He added another sentence: "The power to protect everyone!"
"Oh! Worthy of President Tesoro! So moving!"
Apoo took the lead in applauding.
He was the one who'd nearly been killed by Brett back then. Of course he knew how terrifying the man Tesoro relied on was.
"Anyway, the last two members should arrive soon," Tesoro clapped his hands. "Everyone get more familiar with each other. After that, we can begin formal rehearsals. The performance isn't far off. We need to hurry."
"Please wait a moment, President Tesoro." Uta who'd been acting quite cold until now spoke up. "There's still one question. Though everyone is colleagues in the same team, who's the main character? Who will be the lead vocalist?"
This question made Tesoro somewhat uncomfortable.
If this were before Red-Haired came knocking, he'd definitely answer now that they should respect seniority, young people still needed tempering, so the center position would naturally go to the oldest, Queen Otohime.
Joking aside—though this little girl was indeed exceptionally talented, his friend was Brett, and Fish-Man Island was his most solid partner.
But the problem now was this girl was Red-Haired's daughter.
This required considering things a bit more carefully.
No one in this world was better at reading expressions than Queen Otohime. Even Brett couldn't match her. This woman smiled freely. "Then let's have a competition!"
"Whoever performs better will be the lead vocalist!"
The three males didn't dare speak. Queen Otohime, if you say so, then so it is.
Little Princess Mansherry blinked innocently, not yet grasping the situation.
"Bold words!" Uta sneered coldly. "Then of course I'll see it through to the end!"
What an ignorant woman.
Did she think I haven't watched her competition?
With that level, she dares challenge me?
Tesoro shook his head somewhat helplessly. Red-Haired's daughter had quite an unfriendly temperament.
He nodded. "Then it's decided! Anyone interested can participate."
Of course, besides Queen Otohime and Uta, no one wanted to join.
Soon, the remaining two members arrived—respectively a beautiful giantess, heroic and vigorous, spirited and dashing, and a fox mink girl from Zou, tall and slender, covered in snow-white fur. Her popularity among all contestants was second only to Uta's.
They had no interest in competing with their companions, so ultimately only Queen Otohime and Uta would compete.
Both were determined to win the lead vocalist position.
Then now they'd settle it with singing.
In Tesoro's private recording studio, the two stood facing each other.
"Well then, you'll both use this song. No problem, right?"
As manager, Tesoro naturally served as referee, designating a song for both contestants.
Neither objected.
Uta first picked up the microphone. She glanced sideways at Otohime.
"Prepare to experience what despair means!"
The little girl was extremely arrogant.
Queen Otohime just looked at her with a smile.
"Hmph." After discovering her provocation was ineffective, Uta snorted lightly, gripped the mic, closed her eyes, and took a slight breath to prepare.
Then the next second, the world's most beautiful music flowed through the microphone.
Everyone irrepressibly showed smiles on their faces in the first instant.
Undoubtedly, this was singing that reached directly into hearts, enough to move anyone.
"This is too amazing!" The singer from the Snakeneck tribe couldn't help feeling ashamed. "Making people despair really isn't a joke!"
This little girl was only in her teens. If she continued growing, which singer wouldn't feel despair before her?
Tesoro couldn't help but sigh internally.
Maybe I really should stop singing in the future?
The song ended. Uta, who'd thrown herself wholeheartedly into singing, noticed everyone's reactions.
Exactly as she'd anticipated.
She glanced at her competitor. Queen Otohime was now in tears.
Heh, moved to this state?
Now you know, right? The weight our singing voices carry is different!
I'm going to use my singing to make the entire world—
A warm embrace pulled her in.
"Eh?" Uta blinked in confusion.
"Waaahhhh!" Queen Otohime's arms tightly held the girl. She was crying loudly.
"Hey, you! Let go!"
Uta struggled with all her might.
She heard a cracking sound from this woman's arm—probably dislocated.
Just how fragile is your body? And even though it's dislocated, why aren't you letting go?
Queen Otohime sobbed. "It hurts, doesn't it?"
"Every time you sing, it hurts, doesn't it?"
"..."
Uta's eyes widened.
What is this woman saying?
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