The sun rose with the kind of quiet dread that usually signaled bad quests, ancient curses, or mandatory matching outfits.
Kazuki Taira stared at the costume rack in the Guild dressing room and blinked twice.
"Why is this glittering?" he asked.
Tala, arms crossed, smirked. "Because Smile designed it. And because the rules say we have to do a synchronized team performance for the final round of the Hero Idol Championship."
"I'm not even a performer!"
"You won by tripping into a stage light and launching a fireworks finale."
Kazuki tried to argue, but she had a point.
"Wait—where's Wolf?" he asked.
A low, dramatic whoosh echoed through the room. Wind swept in from nowhere.
Wolf entered with slow, deliberate swagger, a long cloak fluttering behind him. And on his face?
Sunglasses. Jet black. Glowing edges. Mana-forged.
He stopped, raised one paw, and lowered the shades slightly.
"I heard there would be dancing," he growled.
"…Why do you look cooler than the rest of us combined?" Kazuki muttered.
✦
The Team:
Kazuki – Reluctant lead, now with sequin-lined boots of tripping.
Tala – Dual blade dancer and choreographer (God help them).
Wolf – Apparently a disco enthusiast. Who knew?
Smile – Master of chaos. Not part of the team, but definitely the problem.
Hikari – Kazuki's baby dragon, now wearing a glittery scarf.
Slime – Still a slime. Somehow glows in seven colors today.
They were missing one more.
Just as Kazuki opened his mouth to ask—
A shimmer of golden mist swirled into the room.
Feathers. Light.
The Philippine Eagle descended from the ceiling, wings stretched wide, radiating divine presence.
"Sorry I'm late," he said in perfect baritone. "I was rescuing an opera house from collapsing due to a mana-quake."
"Of course you were," Tala muttered.
✦
The Challenge:
The final Hero Idol challenge was simple:
Perform a synchronized mana-enhanced group act in front of an international panel of celebrity judges.
Gain the approval of at least three out of five to win.
Penalty for failure: Slime bath, public roast session by Smile, and being placed on a year-long promotional tour for fried mana snacks.
"Oh gods," Kazuki said. "We have to win."
✦
The Judges Panel:
Lady Sonata – Elf opera diva. Gives points for elegance.
General Granako – Orc warrior. Loves big explosions and loud stomping.
Master Niko – Dwarf choreographer. Insists on rhythm.
Princess Luluri – Fae influencer. Obsessed with sparkles and animal mascots.
And finally—
A swirl of smoke and velvet fog rolled in.
The fifth judge appeared with glowing red eyes, silver hair, and a smirk that could curdle milk.
"Lord Belzeval, Demon Lord of Charm and Casual Catastrophe."
Kazuki leaned over to Tala. "Is it just me, or is he too attractive to be allowed?"
"It's not just you," she whispered back, pink in the cheeks.
✦
Backstage: Countdown to Performance
"Okay," Tala said, clapping her hands, "focus. I made this routine idiot-proof."
Kazuki raised a hand. "Define 'idiot-proof.'"
"I choreographed it using only four moves. You just repeat in a loop."
"Great. Four moves. I can do that."
"Also, the floor glows and changes elevation."
"…Less great."
Kazuki stared at the formation diagram. There were color-coded sparkles, slide paths, and a brief section marked "wing-assisted reverse triple spin."
"I'm gonna die," he muttered.
Wolf grinned. "Then die stylishly."
✦
The Performance Begins
Spotlights burst across the arena.
The team stepped onto the floating, rotating crystal platform, music already humming through the air.
The beat dropped.
Step One: Unity Spin.
Kazuki turned—tripped—but Wolf caught him by the collar and flung him upright mid-spin.
Crowd: oohhh!
Step Two: Mana Pulse Pose.
Everyone struck a stance. Slime bounced into place and released a rainbow pulse that exploded into fireworks.
Princess Luluri squealed.
"SO SPARKLY."
Step Three: Aerial Loop (Hikari Edition).
Hikari lifted Kazuki by the shoulders into the air—accidentally too high—and Kazuki panicked, flailing his legs while flying backward across the stage like a stunned potato.
Wolf leapt, caught him mid-air with a mid-spin flip, and landed perfectly, holding Kazuki bridal style.
A thousand fans fainted.
Step Four: Epic Finale—Team Echo Pulse.
Everyone gathered centerstage. Tala and the eagle summoned twin mana rings; Wolf howled into the sky. Kazuki, still upside down, raised his staff—
"NOW!" Smile shouted from the control panel.
All the companions released synchronized bursts of mana into the sky.
And in the center?
Kazuki sneezed.
Which triggered a chain reaction:
Slime bounced into the wrong mana circle →
Hikari panicked and sparked lightning →
Wolf snarled and summoned a mini-quake →
Kazuki got launched into the air… again.
He landed in the center in a kneel, surrounded by glowing energy and crackling light.
A beat of silence.
Then—BOOM.
A mana explosion painted the sky in gold and pink.
✦
Aftermath: Judging Panel
The judges conferred.
Lady Sonata: "Unexpected. Improvised. Strange grace in chaos. 9.5."
General Granako: "That slime detonation? Solid! 10."
Master Niko: "Rhythm was awful. But the wolf in sunglasses? 8."
Princess Luluri: "SO CUTE! DRAGON SCARF! 10."
All eyes turned to the final judge.
Lord Belzeval leaned forward, his smile deadly.
"I hate it when people try too hard," he said. "But I adore those who fall upward."
He tossed a rose onto the stage.
"10."
TOTAL: 47.5/50
The crowd exploded.
Confetti. Banners. Magical echo screens replaying Kazuki being flipped like laundry.
Kazuki groaned from the floor. "Did… we win?"
Smile appeared with a trophy. "You won. And now your real suffering begins."
"What?"
"You're booked for a continent-wide tour. With fan events. Interviews. And merchandise deals."
Kazuki sat up. "NOOOO—"
✦
Later That Night
The team gathered at the guild bar, Kazuki sipping juice like a broken man.
Tala patted his shoulder. "You survived."
"Did I?"
Slime jiggled. Hikari curled up and purred. The eagle toasted him with a glass of citrus mana. Wolf adjusted his sunglasses and nodded.
"You were the core of our chaos," said the eagle.
Kazuki blinked. "…Thanks? I think?"
Then Wolf raised a claw and said what no one wanted to hear:
"We should do a winter concert next."
Kazuki fainted.