All of this was observed by two people watching from a distance.
Terry chewed on a blade of grass, watching Cloud spar effortlessly with Mai while improving at astronomical speed. His face showed genuine happiness and amazement.
"This kid... is a real monster. Even I didn't improve this fast back in the day. South Town's about to get a lot more interesting because of him."
Meanwhile, Andy silently gripped the short staff in his hand, his expression complicated.
He watched Mai on the training ground, "flirting" with Cloud, her face lit up with a radiant smile he'd never seen before.
An indescribable sense of loss and bitterness welled up in his heart.
He knew that his heart—so barren except for training and revenge—was watching something important quietly slip away.
And he had no idea how to hold onto it.
...
South Town's night had, for once, shed its usual violence and darkness.
In its place was unprecedented fervor and noise.
Tens of thousands of young people poured toward the outdoor stadium in the city center like pilgrims.
They waved glow sticks, painted support colors on their faces, and excitedly chanted a single name—
"Athena! Athena! ATHENA!"
The wave of voices crashed together like an ocean, threatening to flip the night sky of this city of sin.
Tonight was the concert of Asia's mega-popular idol singer, Athena Asamiya.
"Wow—! So many people! Athena's popularity is insane!"
In the crowd, Yuri Sakazaki's face was flushed with excitement.
She wore a light-up cat-ear headband, held an Athena fan, and had transformed into the most devoted fangirl, bouncing in place with glee.
Beside her, Cloud, Mai Shiranui, Terry, and Andy wore expressions of "forced participation."
"I'm just saying... a bunch of fighters at a pop concert—doesn't this feel off?" Cloud looked at the frenzied fans around them, feeling completely out of place.
"Blame Yuri for dragging us here!" Mai crossed her arms with mild exasperation.
She wasn't keen on loud, chaotic events like this, but she couldn't resist Yuri's pleading.
"Athena's singing gives people courage and hope! That's totally in line with the spirit of martial arts!" Yuri argued passionately.
"Besides, these tickets are VIP seats! I had to fight so hard to get them!"
Terry didn't mind either way. He chewed on a toothpick and grinned. "Nothing wrong with relaxing once in a while. Plus, I hear this Athena girl is pretty cute."
Andy maintained his usual icy demeanor, silently following along.
The group pushed through the packed crowd and found their way to the front-row VIP section.
The view was excellent—they could see every detail on stage.
At exactly eight o'clock, amid the countdown chants of the eager crowd, the entire stadium's lights went dark.
In the darkness, only the blue sea of countless glow sticks remained.
After a single second of silence, explosive music drumbeats thundered to life!
At center stage, a dazzling spotlight descended from above, landing precisely on a slowly rising platform.
A girl in a gorgeous performance outfit held a microphone, descending like a goddess amid thousands of rays of light!
Her purple hair flowed like a waterfall, silky smooth. Her delicate features, illuminated by the stage lights, were breathtakingly beautiful.
Those eyes, clear as water, seemed to hold entire galaxies—pure and kind.
Her smile was sweet and healing, capable of melting away all the coldness in the world.
She was Athena Asamiya!
"KYAAAAAAH—!"
The atmosphere exploded the instant Athena appeared! Screams and cheers were deafening!
"Athena! I love you!" Yuri joined the fans, frantically waving her support fan, screaming until her voice went hoarse.
Even Cloud had to admit—this girl possessed incredible charisma.
She wasn't just pretty. More importantly, there was this pure, sunny, positive energy about her that stood in stark contrast to South Town's darkness.
She was like a beam of light in the shadows, effortlessly capturing hearts.
In the seat beside him, Mai watched the radiant Athena on stage and pursed her lips slightly, a hint of sourness creeping into her voice.
"Hmph. So she can sing a few songs. What's the big deal? In terms of figure, she's got nothing on me."
As she spoke, she subconsciously puffed out her impressive assets.
Cloud caught this from the corner of his eye and nearly burst out laughing. Women's competitive nature really is everywhere.
[Ding! High-potential "Bond" target detected: Athena Asamiya!]
[Generating character profile...]
[Name: Athena Asamiya]
[Title: Psychic Idol]
[Combat Rating: A- (Can reach S-rank when psychic powers are fully unleashed)]
[Charm Rating: SS+ (Top-tier idol advantage)]
[Bond Potential: SSS (Pure, kind, ally of justice)](As SNK's beloved daughter of the King of Fighters series, giving Athena SSS-rank potential seems fair, right?)
[Notice: This target possesses rare "Psychic Powers." Plunder potential is extremely high!]
[Affection System activated!]
[Target: Athena Asamiya]
[Current Affection: 0 (Complete stranger)]
"Psychic powers..." Cloud's eyes lit up instantly.
This is way rarer than any fighting style or staff technique! If I could plunder that, my power system would undergo a qualitative transformation!