My Name is Hiroshi Nohara, Star of Neon Film and Television!

Chapter 101: Killing with Excessive Praise Again! Petty Tricks of the Tokyo Faction!

TV Tokyo, Production Bureau Headquarters Building, that Executive Deputy Bureau Chief office situated at the apex of the power pyramid, at this moment yet exactly like the eye before converging storms, suffocatingly quiet.

Takada Toshihide turned his back towards the door, standing before that massive floor-to-ceiling window, holding a cup of top-tier Blue Mountain coffee that had already gone thoroughly cold long ago inside his hand.

Outside the window, is the mottled light and shadows cast by this steel giant beast Tokyo underneath the afterglows of the sunset, that interlacing of light and shadows, exactly like that complex and intricate power chessboard inside his heart at this moment, every single vein, all leading towards a future full of unknowns and murderous intents.

Intelligence exactly like silent electrical currents, had already efficiently through that nervous network of his spreading across the entire television station, accurately transmitted perfectly right here.

Tanaka Kei, that defeated general of the Kanto Faction personally arranged to be struck into hell by him, originally supposed to perfectly rot inside the corners exactly like a puddle of mud, actually... assembled his old subordinates anew.

And what glued this group of residual soldiers and defeated generals together anew perfectly, is exactly that name causing him to be unable to sleep peacefully at night recently—— Nohara Hiroshi.

"Variety shows..." Takada Toshihide's knuckles, lightly tapping upon the icy glass window, emitting muffled and also oppressed sounds.

He slowly turned around, upon that face always carrying several fractions of gloominess, unable to see joy or anger, but inside those pair of bottomless eyes, yet sparkled icy coldness exactly like deep sea cold currents.

He pressed the button of the internal telephone line, voice plain, yet carrying a kind of majesty allowing no room for interference.

"Let Yasui and Ito, immediately come to my office."...

In less than ten minutes, two entirely distinct silhouettes, exactly like two unsheathed sharp blades, one front one back, slicing apart the tranquility of the corridor, appearing exactly at the doorway of this room symbolizing the will of the Tokyo Faction.

Yasui Takashi is identically still that playboy posture, a set of bright blue Versace suit, the buttons at the collar casually undone three precisely, revealing the bronze skin underneath and a somewhat faintly visible gold chain, upon that handsome and unruly face, hanging a smear of cynical smile.

While Ito Choan beside him, then exactly like his opposite, an impeccably stitched deep grey suit, those pair of eyes underneath the gold-rimmed glasses, sharp exactly like a falcon, the entire person radiating a kind of exactly like a scalpel icy aura, adept at calculating.

They are the true twin stars of TV Tokyo's variety show domain, are exactly the sharpest, also most proud two variety show trump cards inside Takada Toshihide's hands.

"Deputy Bureau Chief Takada, looking for us so urgently, is there any good news?" Yasui Takashi sat his buttocks upon the sofa, unceremoniously pouring himself a cup of whiskey, that posture, casual as if exactly here is his own office.

Ito Choan then merely quietly stood at the side, pushing the gold-rimmed glasses upon his bridge of the nose, those pair of sharp eyes, yet exactly calmly and collectedly, observing every single minute expression change upon Takada Toshihide's face.

"Good news?" Takada Toshihide lightly scoffed a sound, inside that laughter, yet carrying several fractions of icy mockery.

He entirely lightly tossed a briefing, exactly just delivered by a trusted aide, regarding the abnormal movements of Tanaka Kei's team, upon the tea table.

"You guys look for yourselves right."

Yasui Takashi absent-mindedly picked up that document, only taking a single glance, that cynical smile upon the face exactly instantly solidified.

Ito Choan also leaned over, when he saw clearly those several keywords of "Nohara Hiroshi", "Variety Show Project", "Tanaka Kei Team Reorganization", "National-level Project" upon it, inside those pair of eyes always lacking ripples upon ancient wells, exactly also for the first time, flashed past a trace of difficult to perceive solemnity.

"That bunch of guys from Kanto Faction... truly hasn't given up ah." Yasui Takashi tossed the document back onto the desk, sneering a sound, inside that voice, full of absolute confidence belonging to kings: "That old fox Asumi, this is being beaten to the point of fear, preparing to change tracks a bit, playing variety shows with us?"

"Overestimating oneself." Ito Choan's evaluation then was even more concise, also even more acerbic.

He looked at Takada Toshihide, inside those pair of sharp eyes sparkling with sarcasm: "Deputy Bureau Chief, forgive me for speaking bluntly, you completely don't need to be vexed because of this matter. Variety show programs, and television dramas, animations, are entirely completely different two worlds."

"What are variety shows? The essence of a variety show, is never creativity, but rather habits! Is stickiness! Is the dependency feeling of audiences fixing the time every week, turning on the television, seeing familiar faces!"

He stretched out a single finger, that posture full of a sense of superiority.

"We Tokyo Faction managed the variety show domain for tens of years, from the cultivation of comedians, to the signing of idol stars, then to the in-depth cooperation with various major agencies, had already constructed a, massive ecological barrier they Kanto Faction fundamentally unable to shake!"

"That Nohara Hiroshi, perhaps possesses a bit of talent in narrating stories. But variety shows, speak of 'Atmosphere', is 'People', is 'Punchlines'! These things, exactly require time to precipitate it, require connections to stack them! He a young punk having just entered the industry for less than a year, even if he conceptualized some world-shocking creativities, what good is it exactly?"

"Exactly!"

Yasui Takashi also at this time took over the topic of conversation, he swayed the wine cup inside his hand, upon that handsome and unruly face, hanging a smear of vile smile: "The viewing habits of audiences, once completely nurtured, exactly very difficult to alter. 'Hilarious Wednesday' and my 'When Stars Shine in the Starry Sky', have already occupied Wednesday and Sunday these two most important variety show positions. He exactly wants to snatch audiences from our hands? Simply is a fool's dream!"

"Even if that program of his truly possesses a bit of interestingness, then what?"

Yasui Takashi shrugged his shoulders, that posture, like a cat currently playing with a mouse:

"Variety shows are one episode a week, we entirely possess the time to research his routines. As long as we slightly adjust the program links a bit, 'drawing reference' from his bright spots over, then utilizing top-tier star resources inside our hands, conducting an all-encompassing upgrade. Arriving at that time, audiences will exactly only feel, we are exactly the originals, while he, exactly merely is a clumsy imitator."

This spiel, full of entirely undisguised arrogance, yet also exactly spoke out a, cruel industry reality.

First-mover advantages and platform barriers.

Before these two massive mountains, any single-handedly riding challenger, all appear entirely this insignificant.

"Very good." Seeing them this confident, upon that gloomy face of Takada Toshihide, finally revealed a trace of satisfied smile.

What he wanted is exactly this confidence, this absolute confidence belonging to trump cards.

"Since you guys possess this much confidence, then I exactly also rests assured." He picked up that cup of coffee already gone completely cold long ago before him, lightly taking a sip, those pair of icy eyes, yet exactly like knives, landing upon the bodies of the two: "However, let me lay the ugly words up front. The programs of you two, exactly are our Tokyo Faction's final face inside the variety show domain, absolutely, cannot occur any problems whatsoever. Otherwise..."

"You rest assured, Deputy Bureau Chief!"

Yasui Takashi and Ito Choan almost simultaneously stood their bodies up, facing him, deeply bowing, inside that voice, carrying an unquestionable resoluteness: "We, absolutely won't give that young man, any chances!"

...

When those two silhouettes full of confidence and arrogance, disappeared at the doorway of the office, that portion of satisfaction upon Takada Toshihide's face, yet exactly like tidewater quietly fading away.

Substituted by it, is a patch of even more profound depressed color.

He pressed the button for the internal telephone line anew.

"Let Iwata roll inside."

This time, he exactly even was too lazy to use the honorific "kun".

Very quickly, a completely crestfallen silhouette, exactly like a ghost, appeared at the doorway of the office.

Is Iwata Masao.

He had already lost that haughtiness and flamboyance of the past long ago, the entire person thinning by a whole circle, that suit originally supposed to be considered decent, at this moment yet wrinkled exactly like a piece of dried salted vegetable, inside those pair of eyes formerly full of ambitions, at this moment only remaining a kind of, numb hollow after being thoroughly crushed by reality.

He right now, under the "care" of Takada Toshihide, became a supposedly "External Liaison Officer".

Speaking plainly, exactly is a high-ranking odd-job man entirely responsible for running errands and doing chores, handling some dirty and tiring works incapable of being brought onto the table.

Of course, this also is much better compared to being fired or kicked out of TV Tokyo.

"Deputy Bureau Chief... you looking for me..." His voice was hoarse, full of humbleness.

"En." Takada Toshihide didn't look at him, merely tossing a document, before him: "This is a promotional press release I exactly just drafted, regarding 'Kanto Faction actively innovating, bravely pioneering new variety show domains'. You, think of ways, to exactly 'inadvertently', reveal it toward several medias possessing quite good relationships with us."

Iwata Masao's body violently trembled once, he picked up that document, only taking a single glance, inside those hollow eyes, exactly instantly floated up a smear of unable to believe astonishment.

"Deputy Bureau... Chief... you... you this exactly is...?" He stutteringly, utilizing an almost bordering on sleep-talking tone asking: "You this exactly is... helping that Nohara Hiroshi, do promotions?"

He exactly didn't comprehend.

He truly didn't comprehend.

Clearly is an enemy, why exactly still proactively helping the other party wave the flags and shout battle cries?

"Promotions?" Corners of Takada Toshihide's mouth, hooking up an icy, arc exactly like a venomous snake.

He slowly stood his body up, walking to before Iwata Masao, extending his hand, heavily, patting that still slightly trembling shoulder of his, that voice, light exactly like whispers of demons, yet also carrying a kind of cruelty sufficient to make anyone feel terrified shivering not from the cold.

"Iwata-kun, you are still excessively young."

"You exactly think, holding the higher, exactly the more glorious?"

"No."

He shook his head, inside those pair of icy eyes, sparkling with a kind of heart-palpitating madness.

"Holding the higher, when plummeting downwards, exactly will... be the more miserable."

"What I want, exactly isn't simply defeating him. What I want, is exactly killing with excessive praise! I want to let the entire Neon, to all harbor the highest, most completely unrealistic expectations towards that supposedly 'Variety Show Mythology' of his! I want to let all medias, to entirely flatter him into an omnipotent, cross-domain deity!"

"Then..."

His voice abruptly raised high, that gloomy face, appearing somewhat twisted due to extreme excitement.

"Then, after that destined to fail, laughable program of his broadcasts, then personally, ruthlessly, kicking him down from upon that divine altar I constructed for him!"

"I want to let everyone entirely see, this supposedly 'Genius', after departing television dramas and animations, exactly is how completely incapable of withstanding a single blow!"

"I want to let the entire Kanto Faction, to entirely due to this public execution personally directed by me, sweeping face completely entirely upon the floor, never capable of raising their heads anew entirely!"

"This, exactly is what I truly want, victory."

Iwata Masao blankly looked at this man looking like exactly insane before his eyes, upon that face already numb long ago, all blood color, all in a single instant, faded entirely clean.

He felt a gust of chilliness, from his own tailbone, shooting straight toward the crown of the head, letting his heart exactly already riddled with a thousand gaping wounds originally long ago, thoroughly, frozen into ice.

He finally comprehended.

He finally comprehended, that insurmountable layout chasm exactly between himself and this man before his eyes.

He exactly still feeling self-satisfied because of the gains and losses of a single city or pool, while the other party, already at an even higher dimension long ago, set up an, earth-shattering killing layout sufficient to play all enemies exactly within the palms of hands entirely.

"I... I comprehended..."

Iwata Masao's body, uncontrollably, commenced slightly trembling.

Inside those hollow eyes, after experiencing brief fears, actually slowly, ignited anew a trace of, exactly like ghost fires, viciously resentful and also excited, weak radiance.

He knew, his own chance for revenge, came.

He will no longer be exactly a simple odd-job man.

He exactly will be within this, public execution directed toward that young man striking him into hell, exactly the most important, person passing over the butcher's knife... executioner.

"Please you rest assured, Deputy Bureau Chief."

He facing Takada Toshihide, deeply, deeply, bowed once, that voice hoarse, yet full of an unprecedented, resoluteness sufficient to entrust life and death.

"I, definitely will not, let you be disappointed."

Takada Toshihide looking at this appearance of his, upon the face finally revealed a smear of satisfied, demonic-like smile.

He knew, this chess piece of his already abandoned long ago, finally, found its new, also final value anew.

While that, raging blazes named "Killing with excessive praise" personally ignited by him, also exactly will after not a long while, utilizing a kind of starting a prairie fire posture, burning towards that, far away inside another office, towards this, still entirely completely ignorant, young prey.

...

Inside the office of the [Nohara Hiroshi Special Production Team].

Nohara Hiroshi currently holding a cup of warm black tea, leaning beside his own office desk, gaze, full of interest, sizing up the micro-expressions of every single person inside the office.

He exactly like an expert chess player, after placing the pieces, then exactly no longer cared about the slaughters upon the chessboard, instead taking more joy in observing, those exactly chess pieces whose destinies were stirred by him, presenting out, the most authentic, also most interesting human nature.

"Director Tanaka."

He slowly opened his mouth, voice peaceful, yet carrying a kind of energy capable of calming people's hearts: "Your team, are they entirely completely assembled?"

"Yes! Section Chief Nohara!"

Tanaka Kei, that man exactly having just experienced a baptism of the soul, at this moment exactly like a javelin, perfectly straight, standing before him, inside those pair of eyes having already faded away all decadences long ago, burning two masses of, raging blazes sufficient to start a prairie fire.

"My former team, core members total twelve people. Aside from three pieces of trash already completely thoroughly having given up, incapable of being contacted, the remaining nine people, have perfectly all already exactly at the meeting room downstairs, awaiting your inspection!"

His voice, no longer hoarse, no longer numb, but rather full of exactly like surviving a disaster, resonant possessing ample breath.

"Very good."

Nohara Hiroshi satisfactorily nodded his head, he put down the teacup inside his hand, standing his body up, inside those pair of clear eyes, sparkling with a kind of, high spirits of a general impending to rush toward the battlefield.

"Then let them entirely see, how exactly my 'Kasou Taishou' is completely!"

PS: Continuing to request some recommendation tickets. Next preparing to write a bit of daily life. The family members in Nohara Hiroshi's hometown indeed exactly also should be time. Everyone rest assured all possess~