That's exactly why we arranged for fine, one of the Big Three from ES to be here. If things go like I'm thinkin', they'd end up bein' the ones who achieve utmost victory in the qualifyin' round.

It'd practically be the same as gettin' seeded. Tenshouin—or rather, the Tenshouin Conglomerate, has spent a pretty hefty amount of resources to manage ES for this year's SS.

They're bein' favored 'cause they're stockholders. They dropped a lotta money on us, so 'course, we're lettin' the son of the distinguished Tenshouin family have an easy win.

Smells like corruption... In the end, as you've got the money for it, you can buy your way anywhere long.

Yup. That's exactly what money's for.

The poor can't stand the rich. But it's 'cause money exists that even talentless people can make themselves look promisin' in the eyes of others, and it's even possible to turn the tables around with it.

If you get your hands on some cash, you'll have a shot to get the things ya want. If society were to lose a merit-based system like that, people who aren't born blessed with some kinda good fortune won't have any opportunities at all.

It'd become a real survival of the fittest, and the weak would die as they got preyed on.

That's what true hell's like, yeah?

Without the help of dirty money, even idioms like "the world's your oyster" are nothin' but the whines an' whimpers of sore losers.

If you're a dimwit who can't even get that fact through your thick skull, don't talk about dirty money or despicable methods like ya understand 'em.

You'd choke to death without money, lowlife.

.........

Anyway, any idol who might've had a shot of gettin' in fine's way has been sent away from the Kanto region.

Whether or not it's a large area, the committee's got a certain degree of influence over which idols manage to pass the qualifiers.

fine'll win by a landslide in Kanto. There ain't no other outcome.

Because, other than fine, all the idols who ended up in Kanto are small fry.

There's no way I'd bring over an idol who's worth spendin' money on knowin' that they're gonna fail in the qualifiers against fine and disappear, yeah?

We've gotta avoid losin' money. The idols that got sent to Kanto are a sacrifice for that.

Basically, the idols placed in other areas are idols that we, the committee, have deemed worth movin' on.

That's something they oughta take pride in.

Hold your horses. So you're telling me you think Ra*bits isn't worth it?

That's what you're saying? We wouldn't cause a monetary loss, so we got sent to Kanto?

If that's the case, I'm not gonna allow it. We aren't worthless trash you can just throw away that easily.

Hah. You only got angry when it started concernin' you, Nito. Even though you didn't bat an eye when I was mockin' everyone else sent to Kanto.

.........

Well, that's normal. Only weirdos worry 'bout whatever tragedy might be happenin' to someone they ain't got a thing to do with.

You ain't a villain or a hero. You're just some regular human being that can be found anywhere at all in the world.

.........

Don't get the wrong idea though. We've deemed that Ra*bits are idols worth investin' in.

Despite that, your appearance in Kanto was demanded by the partner who signed a contract with us—or more simply put, by fine.

fine did? Why?

Do they plan on having a power trip by stomping all over us?

Beats me. I haven't a damn clue what their intention is, which is why it's a pain in my ass⁠—

We've got no pretext to refuse a demand from fine, so the committee had no choice but to accept.

To be more specific, it was Tenshouin who forced us to do that.

Tenshouin... What the heck is he thinking?

How 'bout we make that our chit-chat? I've got no intentions of dancin' on the palm of his hand, so I wanna know what the hell he's up to.

Only a fool'd strike a deal without figurin' out what's going on with the other side of it.

We are talking about Tenshouin here, though. There's a chance it's all just a simple prank. He's been real namby-pamby lately.

Just a simple prank, you say? He's doin' a pretty good job if even someone like you, who doesn't seem to think too highly of him, has got that goin' through your head.

......?

A crime won't be considered a crime unless you're found guilty of it. Tenshouin's probably workin' with that fact in mind.

I'm the same way, so I get it. It's how bastards like us work.

People like us know that no light reaches every nook and cranny of the universe.

Justice and goodwill are nothin' but fleetin', sparklin' lights that'll be consumed by darkness in the end.

Ultimately, evil will always triumph. As long as death and decay exist in this world, everything'll eventually reach an end—that'll never change.