In the viewing area on the opposite bank of the river, the large, dark screen flickered a few times before settling down.
Before the long-waiting audience could even cheer, they discovered that the content of the screen had completely changed—the footage that was supposed to show the competition inside Satsuki-do Hall was now showing an aerial view of the exterior.
The camera zooms out extremely high, offering a commanding view of the burning Satsuki-do Hall, which resembles a giant torch, its flames illuminating half the night sky.
Thick smoke billowed up, intertwining with the mist from the cliffside waterfall, creating a bizarre yet spectacular scene.
Flames licked at the ancient wooden building, and burning fragments fell from the sky every now and then, disappearing into the dark lake.
"This...this is special effects, right?" A guy in the front row wearing an anime-style bodysuit pushed up his glasses. "Has AR technology become this realistic now?"
His female companion snatched his glasses away: "Idiot! It's really on fire! Chairman Achiba is still inside!"
The entire venue erupted in chaos.
The crowd stirred like a hornet's nest that had been poked. Several high school girls frantically pulled out their phones, only to find that everyone was live-streaming and the network had crashed.
Just then, a dark shadow slid across the night sky.
"Po~"
With this clear cry, the waterfall that was flowing down the cliff suddenly stopped—as if it had been paused.
Millions of tons of water suspended in mid-air are frozen, creating a spectacle that defies the laws of physics.
Then, the water began to flow upstream, condensing and transforming in the air, eventually turning into a huge water dragon, its crystal-clear body shimmering in the moonlight.
The moment the water jet soared into the air, the entire viewing area fell into an eerie silence.
Everyone stared wide-eyed at this surreal scene—the surging waterfall flowed upstream, condensing in the air into a crystal-clear dragon shape, baring its fangs and claws as it lunged at the burning Satsuki-do Hall.
"I must have stayed up too late playing games last night..." the nerdy guy mumbled, pinching himself in a daze. "I'm hallucinating..."
"I think I saw a really big bird!"
"Has the Celestial Bird God come to save the world?"
The crowd was buzzing with discussion. Several girls exchanged glances and smiled knowingly at the same time.
"It's Bobo!"
Xiao Lan said softly, her voice full of joy.
"Wow!" Sonoko exclaimed excitedly, "I knew Nana was missing!"
The women realized what was going on.
The tension they felt when they saw the fire instantly subsided. With Nan there, they had nothing to worry about.
In the night sky, water dragons and raging fire collided with a deafening roar.
White steam billowed and rose like a sea of clouds, the flames retreated steadily, and the fire visibly diminished.
Just when the crowd thought the crisis was over, a spotlight suddenly shone on the edge of the cliff—several drones had somehow formed a circle in the night sky, casting spotlights on a figure on the cliff.
In the audience, Ai's fingers flew across her laptop screen, controlling the switching of images on the big screen while muttering to herself, "One or two of them, none of them are easy to deal with, all they do is play..."
Most importantly, they don't even let her play with them, that's just too much!
The camera zooms in, and a figure appears clearly on the big screen—Akiba Reiko, wearing a long white dress, stands on the edge of a cliff. The evening wind blows, making her long hair dance and her dress flutter.
It's breathtakingly beautiful.
She stood with her eyes closed, as if she were contemplating something.
"It's the famous soprano, Reiko Akiba!"
Someone in the audience recognized her and exclaimed in surprise.
The atmosphere in the venue was instantly ignited.
Compared to the relatively niche sport of competitive chorus, singers who are currently enjoying great popularity are clearly more likely to resonate with the general public.
"Ahhh! It's Ms. Akiba!" Several female fans were so excited they almost fainted. "I actually saw my idol at a karuta tournament!"
"Is this a special program by the organizers? They actually invited Ms. Akiba!!!"
"日あなたのお马さん, I won't retreat."
The guy who was arguing with the staff about getting a refund just a second ago ran back to his seat the next, leaving the staff dumbfounded and looking at each other in disbelief.
Chairman Achiba didn't tell them about this part at all!
Under the stage lights created by drones, Akiba Reiko, who had been resting with her eyes closed, slowly opened them. Her red eyes were brighter and more dazzling than raging fire, stunning everyone.
She recalled what Yuzuru Nanami had said to her that morning when he handed her the sheet music, and a slight smile appeared on her lips.
"Reiko-sensei, we might need your help tonight~"
A clear singing voice penetrated the night sky: " Send りTim う二人に君がオーバーラップ~"
"色なき风思いChiせて~"
The song began, melodious and graceful.
In an instant, the entire Achiba Park fell into an eerie silence.
Even the firefighters who were putting out the fire stopped and stared blankly at the cliff.
The sounds of the rushing waterfall, the clamor of rescue efforts, and the whispers of the crowd all vanished in that instant, leaving only the clear and melodious tune echoing in the night sky.
"I've been thinking about you~
I've been thinking about you~"
As the song reached its climax, Akiba Reiko's voice suddenly soared, a level of high note that was effortless for this "Queen of High Notes."
Bobo also fell from the sky to join in the fun.
With a flap of its wings, it stirred up a sky full of maple leaves that swirled around her.
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