Chapter 407
--At least, I don't want to give up before even taking the stage.
Unexpectedly, a strange yet tacit silence filled the meeting room, as if everyone had unanimously decided to wait until the winner was decided before giving their answers.
Astrid paused for a moment, sensing the atmosphere, and her perfectly synthesized face, like that of an AI, revealed for the first time the smile she wore as the Dream Weaver Rabbit. She whispered:
"It seems my expectations for you have not been disappointed."
"Since everyone still has the intention of going all out on stage, then I'll announce the details of the next round of matches in advance."
"The 50 contestants who advance this time will be divided into ten teams, and will debut next week as official girl groups to participate in the next round of <Flashdance> and prepare for a global tour."
As soon as the words were spoken, discussions erupted in the meeting room. This news was like a flame thrown into a pot of boiling oil, causing the previously silent emotions to surge like waves.
--Debut? It's actually a debut!
The Talent Show "Shining Stage" has never mentioned the number of Debut Spot from its initial promotion to its ongoing updates.
Even though, based on references to other Flash Dance competition regions and the published rules, it can be predicted that the Great Xia region's Flash Dance will at least produce one girl group, the exact number of members remains unknown.
Therefore, based on the contestants' best-case scenario, six or seven debut spots each in the Capital and Sea Capital regions would be considered "many".
Now, that number has increased nearly tenfold!
In other words, they don't need to think about the subsequent competition format. As long as they can get a ranking today, they can fulfill their initial dream and successfully debut through this talent show!
In addition...
If one of the final 50 winners chooses to Withdraw from Competition, will trainees ranked later be brought in to fill their spots?
If so, the probability of achieving one's dream will increase again. Compared to the past "Flash Dance" competition, which was strict, cruel, exciting, and seemingly endless with no end in sight, this Public Performance has given almost everyone a glimmer of hope to embrace their dreams.
At this moment, even those contestants who initially felt they had little hope were suddenly filled with even greater fighting spirit, temporarily ignoring the risks of becoming Magical Girl and brimming with anticipation for the future.
Astrid added:
"Furthermore, although Chu Yuanqing is unable to participate due to injury and has implicitly taken one of the qualifying spots, her qualification is separate and not counted among the 50 qualifying spots, so everyone can rest assured."
The contestants in the audience didn't seem to have any other opinions on this.
Chu Yuanqing's contributions to humanity are immense. Given her popularity and strength, advancing would be a piece of cake. Even if she were to openly use connections, so what?
Furthermore, if the opponent were to participate in Public Performance, their level of "Flow State" would completely captivate the audience, causing them to lose their sense of direction. This would be even more terrifying than the final act of Great Demon King. For such an opponent to advance directly would be considered giving them an opportunity.
Astrid didn't give everyone much time to think. After waiting for a while, she began to explain the Public Performance format, drawing numbers for the 36 teams present to assign opponents and performance order.
Afterwards, everyone dispersed in groups, leaving the venue and returning to the waiting area with their own makeup artists to prepare for the next stage performance.
"Debut! I'm really looking forward to our group name and debut song."
The girl's eyes sparkled as she was surrounded by three young stepmothers. She couldn't help but imagine the dazzling scene when they officially took the stage after their debut.
To start fantasizing about the taste of victory before the competition has even begun seems a bit too overconfident.
However, Little Sakura, who is the most humble and values the stage the most, did not point this out.
Because advancing was inevitable, and setting aside off-stage factors like popularity, their team consisted entirely of Magical Girl, all of whom had already [Flower Bloom].
To put it another way, [Flow State] has been completely sublimated into a complete Shine Magic. This is a complete dimensional reduction attack in the Third Performance, which is a bit too much of a bully.
Even in the most conventional sense, the strength of Magical Girl is not the same as the purity of an idol.
The Magical Girl nurtured from <Flashdance> have some connection to idol purity, and coupled with the surge in Heart Tide intensity that comes with it, their stage presence is completely beyond human comprehension.
If they still can't advance, that would be the ultimate upset and terrifying story.
The light in Tang Liuli's eyes subsided, and she withdrew her Soul Manipulation probing. While offering her Little Cotton-padded Jacket the suggestion of a "Super Tyrannosaurus Rex Team," she recalled the results she had just witnessed.
Aside from the five who just "Lighting Up" in Capital, and Chen Yining's team, there are also Magical Girl sent by the Countermeasures Bureau to protect everyone in the meeting room; judging by their souls, they are all "fully blooming"...
"Excuse me, are you contestants for Flashdance?"
The sudden sound interrupted my thoughts. A staff member blocked my way, raised her employee badge to the crowd, and said apologetically:
"You can't go in here for now; your rest room has been assigned to number 1008."
As soon as the words were spoken, the Dream Weaver Rabbit Countermeasures Bureau popped up on everyone's phones, indicating that there were three Captain-Class Witch in the lounge responsible for Chu Yuanqing's close protection, and that the area was temporarily sealed off.
As for the reasons...
Charlotte used a spacetime magic technique to separate the buildings in this passage into another dimension.
Theoretically, this is like creating a small Mortal Realm Barrier, but because she used [illusion] magic to define the distinction between reality and illusion, stepping inside still allows you to see the original resting room. It can extend infinitely and transform between reality and illusion at any time.
In addition, Iris cast a spell called [Dragon's Treasure], which transformed the outside of the rest room into a random mechanical city, inside which was layered Xie Qingyu's [Butterfly Dream] and the [Golden Temple] for the Relief Witch.
The advantage of this extreme defensiveness is that even if multiple nuclear weapons were to bombard the Public Performance venue, the dressing room would remain safe and sound.
The downside is that if you want to temporarily let someone in, you have to dispel a series of spells, and rebuilding them is extremely troublesome.
So, the four of them exchanged glances, confirmed with the Dream Weaver Rabbit, and then used special equipment to make phone calls to Chu Yuanqing and Charlotte inside. After exchanging ideas for a few minutes, they went to the 1008 dressing room to put on makeup and change clothes, preparing to go on stage.
Half an hour later,
Chu Wangshu's jet-black hair was skillfully braided by the makeup artist, making her look quite adorable. She smiled at the mirror, and when the corners of her eyes turned up, the faint shimmering powder, like fish scales, was particularly alluring, making her stage outfit look even more youthful and lively.
The girl nodded in satisfaction. She picked up the sunflower that was fast asleep on the dressing table, looked into its golden eyes like her Dad's, her pink lips curled into a radiant smile, and she said expectantly:
"Dad is super safe now, and she said she'll be watching my performance."
"So, Sunflower, let's cheer each other on!"
Volume 1: 380. The Unpermitted [Sange], Enemies from Heaven.
Late summer, at noon.
As the audience took their seats, they surrounded the giant stage, creating a magnificent and impressive sight. Virtual screens displaying the broadcast stage were positioned above each area, providing an excellent viewing experience.
Pei Xiaotong sat next to Xu Ling, her face flushed from the sun. She was half-closing her eyes, enjoying the cool air from the central air conditioning. She casually stuffed the small fan back into her bag, and after a while, she looked up at the sky and sighed:
"Wow, it feels just like being outdoors! The atmosphere is amazing! Is the dome made of glass? That's incredible!"
Under the bright sunshine, the sky was exceptionally clear, and the fish-scale-like clouds flowed like water. This scene could be seen through the glass-like material, making the entire audience area and stage seem like a miniature world covered by a transparent dome in a fairy tale.
Most incredibly, even the sun seemed to have been filtered, so looking directly at it wasn't glaring. The indoor lighting was perfectly controlled by Flash Dance using some kind of technology.
At this moment, the stage, located in the center, spirals upward and transforms, changing into seven or eight different postures, resembles a kind of civilized spectacle, extremely fantastical. Even the cool, transparent seats with a gel-like texture seem simple and unadorned.
Xu Ling squeezed the chair, utterly astonished.
After getting off the bus, they didn't go directly to the audience seats. Instead, they lined up to sit in these nano-seats equipped with an intelligent system. As soon as they got on, they were enveloped in a sphere and smoothly driven to the venue as if in a small car. They then matched their seats with the appropriate slots and took their places.
Yes, it transforms into a ball carrying people, somewhat resembling the Mercury Ball that Qing Bao built on Carinthon Street to protect pedestrians and teammates; it looks quite endearing.
This chair is therefore very popular among the viewers.
Massage, medical care, lifesaving, entertainment...
Looking at the various buttons on the seat, Xu Ling sighed inwardly. If she hadn't known that this thing was definitely not for sale, she would have really wanted to buy it and take it home.
"This Public Performance is completely different from the previous ones. It feels like <Flash Dance> has actually applied all the ether technology that was officially announced?"
Pei Xiaotong blinked, thought for a moment, and then answered:
"This is the real state of Flash Dance after it stops pretending. You see, there are actually a lot of high-tech gadgets in the show, but the camera focuses on the contestants, so they don't stand out much."
After the girl finished speaking, she noticed a group of beautiful young Little Idol on the stage in the distance, and she immediately looked over excitedly amidst the enthusiastic cheers.
As the teams were introduced on the big screen and the rules of Dream Weaver Rabbit were explained, the first team to take the stage quickly began their first performance in a lively and enthusiastic atmosphere.
Thus, under the blue sky, spotlights, stage, audience, idols, and the thunderous drumbeats and roars together compose the prelude to the Third Performance, allowing harmonious notes to resonate across the land.
At the same time, the field of vision expands, passing through the transparent dome, over the azure sky, reaching the troposphere where wind, clouds, thunder, and lightning are born, and then to the distant high place where the air is thin, the temperature is cold, and meteor particles are everywhere, as well as noctilucent clouds.
Finally, after passing through again and reaching beyond the atmosphere, what awaited them was not the deep space of outer space, but Pocket Dimension covered with hand-drawn graffiti, as if it had been directly reduced to a lower dimension, and a hand that... encompassed everything.
Sea Capital, under Tianpu Bridge, bus hub.
Dorothea sat on the platform, her eyes as vibrant as a rainbow, like shimmering opals in water. Her silky, honey-colored hair was tied into lively pigtails, and her chubby, adorable face radiated a cheerful expression.
This popular idol from Red Stone Country, the Fairy Tale Witch of the Countermeasures Bureau, looks only a little older than Iris. She is swinging her slender legs and humming a tune cheerfully, the melody of which sounds like Charlotte's latest song.
The actual Public Performance venue was inside the Fairy Tale Book she was holding in her arms.
--Unlimited Spell · Fairy Tale Land.
This is the magic that can transform large-scale buildings and objects into two-dimensional planes and incorporate them into Fairy Tale Book.
Normally, she would draw her enemies into the game and use the rules of [Lonely Fairy Tale] to engage in a battle with them.
But things are different today.
Dorothea's Fairy Tale Land cannot simply be reduced to a two-dimensional plane and placed on paper, representing Public Performance venue that can accommodate tens of thousands of people.
Because this is different from fighting an enemy, whether it's converting from three-dimensional to two-dimensional or from two-dimensional to three-dimensional, the slightest mistake could lead to irreparable consequences.
Furthermore, once transformed into two dimensions, everyone's art style will change, making it impossible to hold the Public Performance normally.
Therefore, the current situation is the result of her collaboration with the illusory Witch, Charlotte.
Simply put, the Public Performance venue is indeed in Fairy Tale Book, but it's wrapped in a [faux pas] Space-Time Bubble. As soon as the bubble bursts, the Space-Time Coordinates will jump back to the original location, restoring everything to normal.
The advantage of doing this is that even if the Sea Capital explodes, the venue will be safe, protecting the younger generation, the audience, and the newly appointed General Captain.
The downside is that Dorothea cannot stray too far from the original location of the venue, otherwise it would lead to a loss of Space-Time Coordinates.
Now, all the fans who came from the surrounding area hoping to wait outside and catch another glimpse of their idol have been promptly cleared out by the military, leaving the area within a ten-mile radius deserted.
As for the original venue, it was in a Schrödinger's Quantum State. To the naked eye, everything was the same as before, except that there was no one there. This flaw could be made up for by Virtual Projection technology, making it perfect.
Upon closer inspection, from the fake Public Performance venue to Dorothea's Fairy Tale Land, and then to the inaccessible lounge, these Magical Girl have already gone through three nested dolls in order to protect Chu Yuanqing.
But that's not enough.
Dorothea patted the Fairy Tale Book, turning it into a two-dimensional cartoon sticker, and casually stuck it on the back of the platform seat. She then constructed her Magic Armor and instantly flew to the original site of the Third Performance, beaming with joy as she greeted everyone:
"Sister Charlotte, Iris, Sister Xiaoyu, I've come to play with you!"
"A reckless fool." That was Iris's assessment.
"Please don't shout in public." A friendly reminder from Violet.
"Hmm~ Dorothea is so cute, and her makeup is great today too. Did you keep our secret well hidden?"
Charlotte's greeting style was as always; she helped the lively little girl comb her hair, then smiled and handed her a candy, patiently listening to Dorothea's report.
At this moment, apart from the Relief Witch Ji Qianju was saving the day, Xie Qingyu, Iris, Charlotte, and the five [fully blooming] Magical Girl who remained in the dressing room, returned to the empty Public Performance venue.
--To make the whole thing a charade.
This is the countermeasure proposed by the Doomsday Diva.
Those apostles and believers are not easily fooled. Only by treating this as a real Public Performance and seeking their protection can Chu Yuanqing be truly safe.
To this end, Charlotte bestowed a radiant blessing upon the town a day in advance, and together with a group of musical notes and instrumental friends, she fully materialized the already extremely realistic projection, creating a grand scene that was both real and tangible.
The goal was to create the illusion that the Countermeasures Bureau was doing everything in its power, dispatching numerous Captain-Class Witch to protect the Public Performance.
Dorothea glanced curiously at Charlotte's beautiful Wedding Ring, but her attention was quickly drawn to the candy Charlotte was popping into her mouth. She raised her iridescent eyes, patted her chest, and said with overwhelming confidence:
"Of course! Iris and I play hide-and-seek, but she's never won against me."
Iris blinked her grey eyes, staring intently at the Fairy Tale Witch. Her cheeks puffed out, her pink lips parted, and she said with a hint of sullenness:
"Dorothea is a scoundrel."
Dorothea tilted her head, then suddenly hugged the soft little girl, as if taking it as proof of reconciliation, and said with a bright smile:
"Sorry, but now it's time for the rascals to step in. Let those bad guys play Hide-and-Seek with us."
Charlotte's eyelashes drooped, she suppressed all her gloom, revealing a childlike smile, and said solemnly in a serious tone:
"I hereby declare the 17th Annual Hide-and-Seek Competition of the Magic Countermeasures Bureau officially open!"
"The winner will receive a Charlotte - Autographed CD and a case of 'Squeeze Jelly,' a special product from Ideal Country supplied to the Emperor, with flavors like strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate... all sorts of flavors!"
In an instant, Dorothea and Iris's eyes sparkled with anticipation and desire, and even the other Magical Girl were inexplicably ignited with a strange fighting spirit.
After thinking for a moment, Xie Qingyu also became very interested in the Squeeze Jelly specially supplied to the Emperor — Teacher Chu —and joined Violet in the discussion about which flavor of Squeeze Jelly was the best.
Iris restrained herself, refraining from proclaiming the authority of the Vanilla Party, and instead looked at Charlotte with concern, asking:
"Sister Charlotte, is Sister Ji enough by herself?"
The Relief Witch is not suited to stay on the front lines; holding the rear is the correct decision.