(The Grand Ambition of the 'Shockwave Training Plan')
However, Kuroha Akira hadn't dissected the voice actors' shortcomings behind the characters merely to show off his otaku pedigree.
Numerous anime aired during the prime 8 PM slot. He'd specifically chosen Star Pretty Girl because the three main girls perfectly represented the three career stages of a female voice actor.
The rookie 'Little Red,' the seasoned pro 'Little Blue,' and the jaded veteran 'Little Yellow' corresponded to three levels: Beginner (Entry), Pillar (Intermediate), and Top-Tier (Advanced).
These were the three 'imaginary rivals' he'd prepared for Shinomiya.
While fame had to be accumulated slowly, a voice actor's skill could be built starting now. Proficiencies needed to be leveled up first.
The path to professionalism might have shortcuts, but without solid foundational strength, one would quickly be overtaken by more capable rivals. True strength could only be forged through immense practice—independently mastering vocal techniques, delving into a character's psychology, and then performing with genuine heart.
Effort might not guarantee success, but it would never betray you.
"Shion, your first assignment is to 'complete' these three characters. In other words, you need to perfect the parts where their vocal performances fell short."
"Huh? I'm going to complete them?" Shinomiya pointed at herself, her voice a mix of disbelief and shaky confidence.
"Correct. Now that you understand where their vocal issues lie, the next step is to solve them."
That morning, Kuroha Akira had mentioned starting with lung capacity training, so Shinomiya assumed the initial lessons would involve basic enunciation exercises. She never expected to leap directly into fixing the flaws of three professional voice actors.
This was practically like saying: "Great! You've mastered hiragana and katakana. Now go challenge the Akutagawa Prize!"
Even the rookie 'Little Red,' whom he'd criticized for flat delivery, was a professional voice actress!
And Shinomiya wasn't even a rookie—she wasn't even a trainee yet…
Kuroha Akira saw right through her apprehension. His expression turned serious, his voice firm with encouragement.
"Don't be timid. Don't assume you're inherently worse than them. The only gap between you and them is 'experience.' In terms of raw talent, you are far superior."
A single sentence dissolved the fog of Shinomiya's self-doubt.
She might not yet be able to fully believe in herself, but she was willing to believe in Kuroha Akira—the one who had brought her home.
"…Yes! I'll do my absolute best!"
Shinomiya clenched her fists over her chest, the shadow of inferiority gone from her eyes.
That's right. Believe in Akira-kun.
He chose me!
"Excellent, that's the spirit. Now, let's rewatch that episode. This time, you need to read along with the dialogue. Start with one character you feel you can imitate."
Kuroha Akira hadn't forgotten to record the episode earlier—a common practice in Japan, where copyright was strict and one couldn't freely stream shows online like in his past life. Resources were limited!
"Let me be clear: it's not just a single rewatch. You need to watch it repeatedly until you've mastered all three characters. Memorizing all their lines would be ideal."
He further explained the importance of line memorization: "Because you'll often face situations later where you need to read lines cold during auditions. Many poor performances stem from inadequate preparation and not knowing the lines well. So, on top of voice acting, you must also train your memory."
"Understood. I'll memorize the lines first."
"Repeatedly watching the same episode is a tedious, monotonous process. But with our limited resources right now, it's the best we can do."
"I don't mind. I can watch it a hundred more times if I have to."
"Good. Start with imitation and learning, then we'll make adjustments. I'll give you clear directions for the adjustments, but you also need to find your own feel for the character."
"Okay."
Hearing that Kuroha Akira would be actively listening and guiding her, Shinomiya immediately felt at ease.
As long as I do exactly as Akira-kun says, I can't go wrong!
"Perfect! Then this grand undertaking shall be named… The 'Shockwave' Voice Actress Training Plan!"
"'Shockwave'…?" Shinomiya tilted her head, unfamiliar with the term.
"You can interpret it as: 'She who does not speak, when she does, will send shockwaves through the world.' It's about making everyone see you in a new light, reaching the pinnacle upon your debut. My acknowledgment alone isn't enough. You need to make everyone recognize you."
"…Yes!"
"Finally, let's set a simple 'graduation goal.' By the end of this, you should possess the solid skills to audition alongside those three voice actresses and wrest those roles from them."
Shinomiya pictured herself in an audition room, standing alongside those three industry seniors. The stark reality of competing on the same stage as professionals crashed over her, bringing with it a fresh wave of nervousness.
"To put it bluntly, I want you to surpass them," Kuroha Akira declared, his voice steady. "After all, you're the one I chose. How could you possibly be inferior?"
"YES! I will definitely surpass them!"
Shinomiya, who had never dared utter such bold words, now made this grand declaration.
As long as I become a professional voice actress, earn lots of money, and share it with Akira-kun, I can prove his judgment was right!
I have to make him proud of choosing me!
"Don't worry, I won't actually make you watch it a hundred times," he assured her, his tone softening slightly. "Later, I'll find a way to get some funds to rent more anime for reference. For now, just bear with it."
Even a genius like Shinomiya Shion needed resources to grow. This 'diamond in the rough' still required investment—money and time. She needed to rent DVDs to study various anime archetypes, broaden her horizons, and fully unleash her acting and vocal talent. Kuroha Akira had been pondering where to find the initial capital, but the Literary Club's private light novel competition had arrived just in time.
As long as I defeat Shirai Shiori and secure Aizono Moe as my exclusive illustrator, I can start earning money from light novels.
Speaking of money, Shinomiya remembered the 10,000 yen Kuroha Akira had given her. The tiny shorts of her gym uniform had no pockets, so she'd folded the remaining bills and tucked them securely into the waistband of her top. Now, wanting to return the leftover money, she reached for the hem of her shirt.
Kuroha Akira, thinking she was about to undress, was momentarily taken aback. But Shinomiya only lifted her shirt just enough to reveal a sliver of her flat stomach, her slender waist, and a glimpse of her cute navel—nothing more.
That slender waist was truly exquisite; it would look mesmerizing in motion. He even felt an impulse to touch it… but a young girl's stomach wasn't something to be touched casually.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, Shinomiya took his hand and guided it to her lower abdomen.
So smooth… Wait, is that a slight lump?
Looking closer, the obstruction under his fingers was three folded banknotes.
Shinomiya lowered her head slightly, pointing with her index finger. "Akira-kun, this is the 10,000 yen you gave me… there's some left after shopping…"
By meticulously saving the money, she hoped to hear Kuroha Akira's praise—perhaps for being thrifty. Her mother had always loved hearing those words, and now she wanted to hear them from him, too.
"Oh? There's actually some left?" Kuroha Akira was genuinely surprised. He'd initially worried she might overspend, which was why he'd wanted to accompany her shopping. It seemed his concern was unfounded.
After purchasing all the daily necessities, she still had 3,000 yen remaining.
She's not extravagant at all—if anything, she's overly frugal.
Instead of taking the three bills, which carried the faint, warm scent of a young girl, Kuroha Akira gently closed Shinomiya's hand around them.
"Spend it when you need to. This is my investment phase in you, so there's no need to be so frugal. Saving money isn't your concern right now."
Having confirmed Shinomiya wasn't a spendthrift, Kuroha Akira already felt he'd made an excellent deal. He had no use for that small amount anyway—it couldn't buy much. Convenience store bentos certainly couldn't compare to the Class President's homemade ones.
Though she didn't receive the specific praise she'd hoped for, Shinomiya was still delighted that Kuroha Akira trusted her to keep using the money.
"Then… can I use it to buy milk?"
"Do whatever you want. You don't need my permission for that. But you really like milk that much?"
"Yes, milk is delicious."
In truth, Shinomiya had never been particularly fond of milk before. The bottle Kuroha Akira gave her made her realize for the first time that milk could taste so good.
However, the more pressing reason was… that morning, Kuroha Akira had stared so intently at Tomita Haruka's prominent… assets.
It made her feel a little upset.
She didn't want him to look at other women…
The thought surfaced abruptly, startling even herself.
So, I need to drink more milk. At the very least, I need to become bigger than Tomita Haruka.
That way… he'll only look at me!
A new, quietly fierce ambition took root beside her vocal training goals. The path to becoming a top voice actress was now paralleled by a far more personal, and slightly embarrassing, mission of growth. The duel was on multiple fronts, and Shinomiya Shion was preparing to fight with everything she had.