A few days later
COL
1
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Owner of COL

Oh, you both made it over.

2
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Ken

Sorry we're late.

Our event went on longer than expected, and we got caught up in traffic.

3
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Kohane

It's so nice to see you again.

4
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Kohane

I really need to thank you for opening your live house today just for me.

5
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Owner of COL

I was pretty surprised when Ken said that he wanted to use this place for training. But I feel a lot better after seeing your smiling face.

6
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Ken

Wait, why does she get the royal treatment and not me?

7
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Kohane

(COL...

Where Nagi and her team held RAD WEEKEND.)

8
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Kohane

(I still can't believe that I get to train here.)

9
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Kohane

(I should be able to get a good sense of what she and her team felt as they sang here.)

10
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Kohane

So...

Where is this special coach that you mentioned?

11
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Ken

Oh, they should be here soon.

You wouldn't think so from the look of them, but they like to be punctual.

12
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Ken

That must be them.

13
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Kohane

...!

14
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Kohane

(I'm hearing a lot of footsteps...

It's more than just one person?)

15
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RUST Member A

Oh, you guys already got everything set up. And it's great to see that you're still alive, Granny.

16
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GLaP day Member A

Is this Taiga's prized pupil?

It's great that we finally get to meet her.

17
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Kohane

(Huh...?

W-Wait a second, they're...)

18
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Nagi

Next, we have RUST!

They're all yours!

19
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RUST Member

♪————————!!

20
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GLaP day Member

Thanks, everyone!

21
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Kohane

You all performed during RAD WEEKEND...!

22
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GLaP day Member B

Oh, you recognize us?!

Thanks for remembering!

23
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RUST Member B

Haha! RADder sort of dominated everyone's minds, so people sometimes forget that we were also there.

24
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Ken

What are you talking about?

You guys are way more famous now. Not a day goes by without me hearing one of your songs.

25
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Ken

Anyway, these guys are going to be your special coaches.

26
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Kohane

What...?!

But they were such an integral part of RAD WEEKEND! Are you sure about this...?!

27
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Kohane

Th-Thank you all very much for doing this...! But you must be very busy people...

28
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RUST Member A

Yeah, we are pretty busy, but Ken made a personal request.

29
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RUST Member A

He asked, “Some kids want to see what lies beyond Nagi's dream, so would you mind giving them a hand?”

30
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GLaP day Member A

We sorta couldn't refuse after hearing that.

31
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GLaP day Member A

We were able to grant Nagi's request for one last event...

32
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GLaP day Member A

But we've never done anything about her other last request. Helping the next generation carry her dream forward, that is.

33
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Kohane

Oh...

34
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Kohane

(Right...)

35
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Kohane

(They also want to help fulfill Nagi's final wishes.)

36
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Kohane

(Then...)

37
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Kohane

I-I'm looking forward to working with all of you!

38
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Group Members

...!

39
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Kohane

My goal—our goal—is to take Nagi's dream and carry it forward! Until we're standing on top of the world!

40
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Kohane

So, please help me become strong enough to make that happen!

41
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Ken

What did I tell you?

See that look in her eye?

42
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RUST Member B

Yeah, you were right...

43
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RUST Member B

She's serious... And all fired up.

44
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GLaP day Member A

Then, why don't we start explaining what we're gonna have you do?

45
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Kohane

...!

Y-Yes, please do!!

46
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GLaP day Member A

There's no need to be so formal.

I know you're training, but this is still meant to be fun.

47
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Kohane

Fun...?

48
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Ken

Yeah.

Originally, this was a game that we liked to play.

49
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Ken

The rules are simple.

We'll play some music and take turns singing a few bars each, freestyle.

50
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Ken

We'll repeat that until it's finished, and the person who did best will be declared the winner. We'll all act as the judges.

51
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Kohane

I see...

52
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GLaP day Member A

RADder was always so good at this.

You guys won basically every time we played.

53
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GLaP day Member A

But we managed to snag a few wins along the way. I mean, everyone here usually puts up a good fight.

54
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RUST Member B

I mean, we wouldn't be here otherwise.

55
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GLaP day Member A

So, first...

You need to become strong enough to defeat us.

56
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GLaP day Member A

Otherwise, you'll never be able to surpass the energy of that night. Not even for one second.

57
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Kohane

Y-Yes, understood...!

58
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Ken

That's what I like to hear.

That being said... Winning consistently against these guys is unbelievably difficult.

59
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Ken

So, your goal will be to beat each of them one time. If you do, then you'll pass.

60
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Kohane

...!

61
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Ken

All of these guys were basically on the same level as Nagi. If you can defeat them, then your chances of blasting a hole in that moment will increase significantly.

62
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Kohane

(I'm supposed to beat people who were on the same level as Nagi...?)

63
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Kohane

I'm looking forward to singing with all of you!!

64
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GLaP day Member A

Alright... Let's get started.

65
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GLaP day Member A

♪ーーーー!!

66
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Kohane

...!

67
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Kohane

(I don't believe it...

He's singing off the cuff, but he still sounds incredible...)

68
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Kohane

(And I'm supposed to defeat all of them...?!)

69
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Kohane

♪————————!!

70
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GLaP day Member A

Hey, not bad...

71
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RUST Member A

Then, lemme kick it up a notch.

72
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RUST Member A

♪————————!!

73
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Kohane

...!!

74
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Kohane

(Wait, that sort of felt like...)

75
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Kohane

(It's how I felt that time...)

76
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Kohane

(No, don't get overwhelmed...!

You need to try to win!)

77
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Kohane

♪...ーーーーーーーー!!

78
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Kohane

Huff... Huff... Huff...

79
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RUST Member A

You sounded pretty amazing, but this first bout's a loss for you.

80
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Kohane

Yes...

81
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GLaP day Member A

You still did really well.

I'm looking forward to seeing how you grow from here.

82
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RUST Member A

Although, you definitely weren't singing at a hundred percent. I'd say around fifty. You totally pulled your punches back there...

83
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Kohane

Huh...?

84
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GLaP day Member A

I didn't want to take it seriously before giving my throat a chance to warm up. I won't hold back next time.

85
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Kohane

...

86
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Kohane

(He held back... That wasn't everything he had...?)

87
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Kohane

(This is so frustrating...

I don't stand a chance against them at my current level...!)

88
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Kohane

(But wallowing in my frustration isn't going to solve anything.)

89
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Kohane

(I have to keep growing.

I have to get stronger...!)

90
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Kohane

(In order to surpass RAD WEEKEND!!)

Two weeks later
91
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Kohane

Huff... Huff... Huff...

92
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GLaP day Member A

Hey, your breathing is pretty ragged.

Wanna take a break soon?

93
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Kohane

N-No, I'm okay!

I can keep going!

94
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GLaP day Member A

You sure?

Then, let's go another round.

95
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Kohane

Okay...!!

96
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Kohane

(What do I do...?)

97
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Kohane

(It's already been two weeks.

We've been doing this for two hours every single day, but...)

98
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RUST Member A

♪ーーーー!!

99
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Kohane

(I can't win...!

I can't even imagine myself beating them...!)

100
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Kohane

(If this keeps up, I'm never going to make any progress...!!)

101
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Kohane

(Focus... You need to focus more...!)

102
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Kohane

(Think back.

How did it feel when you sang with everything you had...?)

103
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Kohane

(That time, I...)

104
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Kohane

(I took what all the locals were feeling and sang in a way that resonated with them.)

105
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Kohane

(Then, all I have to do now is remind myself of our resolve and express that by singing...!)

106
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Kohane

♪——————————————!!

107
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GLaP day Member A

Oh...?

108
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GLaP day Member A

In that case...

109
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GLaP day Member A

♪ーーーーーーーーーーーーーー~~~~~!!

110
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Kohane

...!!

111
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Kohane

(That still isn't enough...?!)

112
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GLaP day Member A

I thought I saw something there for a moment... But, I guess you're still not there yet.

113
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GLaP day Member A

If you can take what you just did in that moment and replicate it a hundred times, then you might be able to eke out one win.

114
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Kohane

But...

115
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RUST Member A

You don't have time to be feeling bad about yourself.

116
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RUST Member A

Because that night was nothing like what we're doing here.

117
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Kohane

...

118
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Kohane

Right...!!

Next Chapter: Growth From Defeat