Denonbu Novel Part 2

**Denonbu Novel Part 2** is a series of novels that began on April 4th 2022. The author is Kuji Masamune, with episode illustrations drawn by kiato. See individual article for Novel Part 1.

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## Summary

### Prologue

* Prologue: pp.1-27 (Characters: Akiba, Shibuya, Kabuki)
* Prologue 2: pp.1-22 (Characters: Akiba, Harajuku, Kabuki)

Shinjuku used to be the economic and political center of Tokyo. In one corner, however, there was a remarkably unsafe neighborhood, ostensibly one of Asia's best entertainment districts. And people call this area Kabuki. Efforts by police and officials were futile and attempts to clean up the area failed. The next thing the administrators did was to divide Shinjuku into several parts and abandon Kabuki. From such a Kabuki area, Ogami Matoi looks out at the outside world. A huge holographic monitor shows the news that Houou Karin has won the NEW LEGEND. Apparently, Matoi is an old acquaintance of Karin. Abeno-Shakuji-Maya appears from behind her and scowl at the monitor after hearing Matoi likens Karin to the god of all the electronic music clubs. Seeing Karin, who has found a formidable enemy in STACK BATTLE and is happy to be interviewed, Matoi mutters that in the eyes of the blessed ones, no existence struggling against an unfortunate fate can be seen. Furthermore, when Karin says that she wants the strongest enemy, not money or status, Maya says that she is a pompous guy, though she succeeded thanks to the achievements of her parent. As they turn their backs to the monitor and start walking, Reml comes from in front. She punches Pomemori in the stomach, what is floating next to her, and that spits out her phone. Then, while showing the schedule app, she tells them that she has come to pick them up because they didn't show up for the meeting she had planned. Suddenly, Matoi hears that Karin mentions the electronic music club of Akiba, and she is interested in that because she has never heard the club exist there. But the other two don't care. Reml can't contain her excitement as she imagines her plan succeeding and making herself popular. When Maya is told by Matoi to live as she desires like Reml, she replies that her desire is to support Matoi. Conversely, when asked by Maya what she wants to become, Matoi answers that she will replace Karin, the old god, and become the new god. Maya knows that there is uncommon anger and despair behind her pure eyes, and she expects it to destroy the world. Since Reml interrupts the conversation and complains about the deference in treatment nevertheless she works hard, Matoi thanks her for the "object" and information she brought. The girls are planning to make courtesy calls to other schools as part of their strategy, and Matoi expresses interest in Harajuku, which Reml mentions as a candidate. It seems Matoi has some kind of relationship with Harajuku and Maya knows it.

Karin visit Narita International Airport for short-term study in European countries to interact with overseas schools’ electronic music club, and to participate in large festivals. Hidaka Reina, Shinonome Kazune and Kayano Futaba from Akiba, and Seto Mitsuki also come to see them off. When Reina heard that Karin was going abroad, she wanted to see her off, and Mitsuki told her the departure time. As a condition of her study abroad, Karin was requested by Teion H.S. and NEUCOM to bring a DJ Unit set up specifically for her. However, when she opens her suitcase, Mitsuki finds not equipment but Taiga Lucia inside. She wanted to battle, so she planned to stow away, and discarded the equipment. She then yelled by Mitsuki and runs away in a flash. Karin dismisses Mitsuki’s comment that she will send the DJ Unit as soon as she finds it, without interest, and heads for the departure gate. After Karin has left, an awkward silence falls between Reina and Mitsuki. The purpose that Kazune comes is to enjoy this atmosphere like “love each other but can’t confess it” created by the beautiful sisters. On the other hand, Futaba summons up the courage to suggest meal to give the sisters a chance to converse. Mitsuki refrains, but Kazune manages to convince her on the pretext of asking musical questions. In the restaurant, the sisters talk albeit awkwardly, and Kazune and Futaba secretly discuss their next move, such as going to a sweets store. However, they are intercepted by an airport announcement that Lucia is looking for her "mother" Mitsuki. Mitsuki greets the three and heads to the cash register in anger taking the receipt. The three Akiba members laugh at each other. And Reina is relieved to know that Mitsuki seems to be enjoying her life and says hopefully that she has a feeling many fun things are waiting for her in the future.

The day after seeing Karin off, the three Akiba girls are in the club room studying for the final exam coming up next week. Kazune, suppressing her usual impulses, strictly teaches Reina and Futaba how to study. Reina then remains alone for practice. She becomes aware of her personal growth through her interactions with Harajuku, Azabu, and Shibuya. Reina, on the other hand, thinks about her inability to have the egoism to push out her own “likes.” And she is reminded of Karin's greatness. In the end, Reina leaves without being able to practice a single song and closes the door. Then, she stares at advertisement featuring Karin. At that moment, a certain girl smiles and speaks to her. When asked by a girl if she likes Karin, Reina talks about what she admires about Karin. However, the girl seems to be concerned about the word "godly." Reina is curious about her now and asks if she is from Teion, but the girl is silent. Even Reina, who is sensitive to the emotions of others, does not know what she is thinking. When Reina gets impatient, the girl teasingly says, "No, I don’t.” The girl tells Reina that she has heard that there is an amazing DJ in Akiba who fought with Karin on equal terms. Reina, however, is humbled, saying that even though they are close in terms of scores, there is a huge difference between her and Karin. When she confirms that Reina is the rumored DJ, the girl tells Reina that her name is Ogami Matoi, and Reina identifies herself as well. Reina asks what area she lives in, and Matoi replies that she does not want to be tied to an area, and that everything under it is her area as long as the sky continues. Matoi asks Reina, who is puzzled, to show her around Akiba. They look around Akiba and find a taiyaki store recommended by Futaba on the way. Matoi then hands the clerk a coin, saying she will buy her one instead of guide fee. Reina wonders about Matoi using cash, but Matoi says it's because cash isn’t traced. Reina still does not understand the meaning, but they head for Sotokanda, where Kazune is supposed to be, while enjoying the taiyaki. However, since outsiders are not allowed to enter, they decide to return to the station. After a short conversation, Matoi turns her back and raises one hand to say goodbye as she crosses the street. Feeling left out, Reina calls out Matoi's name, but a wave of cars interrupts them. Across the street are Maya and Reml. Matoi visited Akiba because she took the wrong train. Matoi tells Maya that she was under the impression that Reina was a child raised in happiness, with a face of complete faith in goodness, conscience, justice, and peace. And that, she says, is why she wants to teach them the true nature of this world.

Harajuku hosts regular DJ parties. Shian DJs with her usual nonchalant expression in front of a crowd that is unmatched in previous. Mimito is proud to say that the turnout is thanks to her cuteness and DJing, but Hina says that it was Akiba's achievements, no matter how you look at it. Thanks to the dedication DJ with Akiba, and Akiba's rapid progress, Harajuku's reputation naturally rose as well. Mimito, however, says this is their own merit, since they are the ones actually entertaining the audience here. Hina points the word "their own merit" out, and Mimito immediately corrects that it is her own ability, but Hina teases her that Mimito can do without Hina and Shian. Mimito is worried and declares that the two are not allowed to leave the club, and vows to protect the club, which is the place where the three of them belong and where they have dreamed of for a long time and finally found. As Mimito stands in the DJ booth, dreaming about the future of the club in many ways, something leaps into her field of vision.
### Episode 1

Characters: Harajuku, Kabuki

Who appeared on the floor was Maya, her face hidden by a fox mask, dancing eerily. Matoi and Reml come from behind her too. They go on the stage and Maya stops the music Mimito was playing. Reml insults Mimito and the floor goes silent. Mimito is too scared to argue. Reml then pulls out an unfamiliar DJ Unit from Pomemori and declares that if Harajuku loses in the STACK BATTLE, they will take over the party. Seeing Hina and Shian shudder with fear, Mimito tremblingly decides that she must protect this place. Matoi looks entranced when connects the DJ Unit to her wrist with a cable. DJ Unit lights up and her MusicCrystal emerges. Mimito notices that her DJ Unit also has a pink MusicCrystal floating on it, and the monitor display is out of whack. Mimito notices that her DJ Unit also has a pink MusicCrystal floating on it, and the monitor display is out of whack. When Matoi forcefully initiates the battle with a heavy bass that sounds like a shout, Mimito's crystal cracks and shows 80%. Matoi tells her that when the crystal shatters, the heart also shatters, and she will never rise again. As Mimito increases the volume of her music in defeat, the volume of Matoi's song decreases. And Mimito's crystals are recovered by 90%. Matoi changes her tune, and her track comes to the fore again. After a rap-battle-like attack and defense, a beautiful red glow flutters in the air. Then Harajuku’s students begin to destroy the room in praise of Kabuki's music style. The three members of Kabuki incite the students. Unable to stop the destruction, and not allowed to escape, Mimito's heart is finally broken. Matoi then cuts off Mimito's twin tails. Hina and Shian are shivering in the corner trying to hide. Matoi tells her that it is because she joined Denonbu that she got into this mess, and Mimito cries, apologizes, and says she will quit Denonbu. Reml throws the twin tails in the trash and the three leave. After that, the students gradually panic and run away. Hina and Shian call Mimito in a muffled voice, but she just cries out.

### Episode 2

Characters: Akiba, Shian, Tama, Matoi, Maya
Note: Utsusemi means this world or the people living in it, the shells of cicadas, the state of emptiness, and so on.

Reina and Kazune are relieved after the final exam. But Futaba jumps in with blood on her hands. Looking at the phone she shows, they see that people are talking about the Harajuku's party-jack that occurred yesterday on social media. Reina is greatly shocked and runs out of the classroom. Kazune and Futaba catch up with her on the platform of Akihabara station, and they board the train. The social media is filled with disturbing rumors with no official information whatsoever. Upon arriving at Harajuku's clubroom, they see a hologram that reads "KEEP OUT." Seeing that Reina cannot hide her upset, Kazune takes advantage of her position as student council president to ask the female teacher who is Denonbu's advisor what is going on. However, no information is obtained beyond the fact that the party-jack happened, that the three Harajuku members were not injured, that none of the parties involved including them comes forward, that all the video recordings are corrupted, and that the three are taking today off. The three Akiba members head to Kamizono Jingu to ask for Shian, the only one whose address is known. Shian was surprisingly cleaning the grounds as usual. However, she doesn't respond at all when they call out to her. Reina stops calling out to Shian when she looks into her face and goes back the way she came. It was because Reina, who is sensitive to emotions from people's moods, realized that Shian was now empty. Reina wants to find the culprit, but Kazune persuades her by saying that she will gather information through the Internet and her contacts. On the train ride home, Kazune continues to rack her brain, driven by the fear that this may be just the beginning.

At night, Kurogane Tama is taking over for her father at BABEL, a bar in Roppongi. Then Matoi and Maya enter there. Tama, angered by being mistaken for an elementary school student by them, tells them that she is the ace of Minato Shirokane's Denonbu. The two decide to beat Azabu before crushing Roppongi in STACK BATTLE. However, when Tama asks Maya for fight money, Matoi laughs uproariously saying that they are outwitted. And when they learn that Tama has an ambition to make money and rise to power, and that she is a believer in money that does not betray her, they find common ground between Tama and themselves. They leave the bar, telling to come visit Kabuki when she feels like it, but Tama mutters that she has no intention of going to such a lawless place.

### Episode 3

Characters: Akiba, Azabu

The next morning, words spread online that Denonbu's party in Roppongi area has been attacked. Again, there was no official information, and the data captured by surveillance cameras and smartphones was destroyed. Kazune wakes up to a mass notification on her phone about the case. Reina also hears about the incident and sends her a message. She tries to go to Roppongi, so Kazune tells her to come to her house for a calm discussion. After Reina arrives at the house, Kazune tells her that the only thing she will get from her trip to Roppongi is a sense of satisfaction. She asks Reina if she has been in touch with Harajuku and is a little surprised to hear she says that she has send messages every day. However, Kazune refrains from pointing out that, believing that holding Reina down too much will cause her to lash out. They then meet up with Futaba as they walk through the early morning streets to the club room. After discussing the case with her, Reina again sends a message to Mimito. She contacts her with a ray of hope. But Kazune can't help but think that she may never hear back.

Four days after the incident in Roppongi, Mitsuki is in a cab heading to Akiba. Last night Kazune asked her if she could come for Reina who was feeling down. As Mitsuki makes excuses that she is not worried and wonders about the relationship between Kazune and Reina, she arrives at Akiba. After conversing for a while with some tea and sweets, Mitsuki are taken a tour of Akiba's facilities. Futaba plays a song in place of Reina, who has refused to touch DJ Unit since the Harajuku incident, and then Mitsuki advises about acoustics. When Mitsuki mentions Harajuku's party-jack, Reina starts crying. She then reveals her painful inner thoughts. Mitsuki looks pained but tells her to leave Harajuku alone. She also sternly states that Reina is obligated to intercept her because she won her at DJing and must only think of herself. Mitsuki tells Kazune that she needs to talk to her before she leaves, and they leave the soundproof room. The moment the door closes, Mitsuki grabs Kazune by the shoulders and slams her against the wall. She blames Kazune, Reina's friend, for why this is happening. In answer to the words that put the onus on her, Kazune says that maybe Reina doesn't trust them as much as they thought and tries to walk away. However, Mitsuki interrupts and asks her to tell the details of the situation almost compulsory.

A year before Tama came to Azabu. Shirokane Aki sees Haijima Ginka chatting with several students in the school hallway, and as the responsible daughter of the Shirokane family, she calls out to them, keeping her emotions in check. The girls, who have been spoken to by Aki, felt honored and shrunk, scatters to escape when they hear that she wants to speak to Ginka. Ginka smiles at Aki and says she feels sorry for the girls who were intimidated, but Aki loudly contradicts her and rushes to hold her own mouth. Aki finds herself annoyed at her more and more as Ginka's eyes narrow at the sight of her.

### Episode 4

Characters: Azabu

Ginka left Aki's team in Denonbu and joined another team. When asked why, she says that it would be better for the entire club to have the first and second place in ability each lead a separate team. When Aki counters that she cannot take such a long time to give Azabu not only economic value but also cultural value, Ginka points out that something other than DJ also can achieve that purpose and that Aki does not have to DJ herself. Aki argues that she is using herself as a symbol of Azabu, but deep down she understands that it is risky to do so in her ability as a DJ. Ginka says she is saying this for Aki's sake. And that if Aki, sitting on the throne, orders her to get the top of Denonbu, she will do so with all her might. For Aki, however, that is not the enough. Ginka almost leave the place, so Aki tries to keep her with a financial contract. Hearing this, Ginka, knowing that it is an impossible task, offers a condition that Aki or a member of her team must win against her in the STACK BATTLE.

Aki goes to a cheap bar in Roppongi for a non-alcoholic cocktail to relieve her exasperation. Ginka is the only person at Minato Shirokane with no connection to the Shirokane family. And there is no one at the school who can beat her. As she ponders such things, a small girl starts playing Eurobeat. Aki hears the girl, called Tama, and the customers arguing as fighting, and she knows that this bar, BABEL, will be closing tonight. Then she is amazed at Tama's ability to smoothly cross genres such as Eurobeat, disco songs, and house in response to the audience's requests. Suddenly the master, Tama's father, speaks to Aki from behind the bar counter. After Aki hears what happened, she tells him that she wants the bar and Tama.

Tama is brought to the large mansion where Aki lives. At first, she suspects she has been tricked, but by the time she arrives at Aki's room, she begins flattering her because Aki is so wealthy. Aki demands that Tama work as her maid, transfer to Minato Shirokane's junior high school, join Denonbu, and beat Ginka. When Tama shows that she has no problem doing so, Aki realizes that it is contradictory for her to feel this way since she is the one who discovered her talent, but she is annoyed at her cheap shots.

### Episode 9

このコンテンツはファンメイドコンテンツです。ファンメイドコンテンツポリシー（https://denonbu.jp/guidelines）のもと制作されています。

## References

1. ↑ Official Twitter announcement on the start of Part 2
2. ↑ Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Spain, U.K., etc.

## Links

* Asobistore Book
* BookLive Page
* Fan-translated in-depth summary of Part 2