It was over.
Watanabe Satoru thought to himself.
He took a deep breath, lowered his hands, tilted his head back, and looked up at the concert hall ceiling.
The resplendent decor and lights were so bright they made it hard for him to keep his eyes open.
His back had long since been drenched in sweat.
It truly was an incredibly challenging piece.
But I did it!
A surge of exhilaration rose within Watanabe Satoru.
He stood, walked to the front of the stage, and bowed.
In an instant, thunderous applause erupted throughout the hall!
Even audience members who knew absolutely nothing about piano found it difficult not to be stunned by that performance!
"(This piece wasn't as nice as I imagined, but he played it so well!)"
"(Yeah, the notes leap around so wildly, but he connected everything perfectly—and he was insanely fast!)"
"(Just listening to it makes me think his hand speed is terrifyingly good!)"
"..."
Because it was an etude, it had originally been composed solely as a technical exercise for pianists.
As such, it could not compare with other pieces in terms of listenability or emotional expression.
But that did not stop the audience from recognizing Watanabe Satoru's formidable technique!
Being able to play a piece that might not even sound particularly pleasant to the point where listeners felt thoroughly exhilarated afterward—
That in itself was an exceptionally impressive skill!
In truth, only outsiders would think Watanabe Satoru's performance was merely impressive.
The professionals were practically ready to kneel.
At that moment, in the lounge, Williams, Lloyd, and the others who had already performed were also marveling at Watanabe Satoru's performance.
"(I never expected a newcomer to possess such a powerful technical foundation.)"
"(With such frequent interval leaps and technically complex rapid runs, even I might