Mentioned Characters: Ichirin

Once a human, Ichirin Kumoi has since become a youkai monk. Over countless years, she has dedicated herself to her Buddhist training. Now, though, she has thrown herself wholeheartedly into cheerleading practice. With her steadfast nature, she performs with confidence, no matter how big the crowd.

Back when he rampaged as a mikoshi nyuudou, Unzan was defeated by Ichirin (who was still human at the time). Since then, the two have grown extraordinarily close. Unzan's quiet and shy by nature, but he'll happily adjust his appearance to match whatever Ichirin is doing. That said, it's only his looks that change. His voice is still so soft that only Ichirin can hear what he's saying.

"One, two, three, four..." Counting herself a beat, Ichirin practiced a move for the cheer routine. The move looked simple―a light kick off the ground to glide a set distance―but it was trickier than it seemed. If the cheerleaders weren't perfectly in sync, they wouldn't score well. That's what it means to turn a cheer performance into a competition. Would a pair who know each other as well as Ichirin and Unzan be able to pull it off? Sadly not. In fact, it wasn't even close. "Unzan! Your arm swings are out of time again!"

Cheering Saga: Genso-Rig Showdown "When I step here, Unzan, you throw both your arms straight up! That's what we practiced, remember? ...That isn't high enough! Really reach up!" The moment Ichirin raised her voice, the other cheerleaders turned to look. A few even wandered over, thinking an argument had broken out. But Ichirin paid them no mind and kept shouting. "Don't get shy on me now! Have you forgotten why we're doing this? This competition is ours! That's why we put so much effort into our outfits!" Her booming "pep talk" forced Unzan to focus up―as well as all the cheerleaders listening. "We're not leaving till we get this right. So straighten up that posture and let's get to work!"

"One, two, three, four!" Unzan moved in perfect sync with Ichirin's steady count. Together, their performance was bold and breathtaking. "Nailed it!" The moment their big finish landed cleanly, the crowd erupted. Thunderous applause rang out, and smiles bloomed throughout the packed venue. It was as if a bright spark had been lit in Gensokyo, where a dazzling spectacle was long overdue. "Heh. This is only the beginning!" Ichirin was right. Their performance was nothing more than a rehearsal. The real competition was about to begin. But for her and Unzan, there was no difference between practice and the real thing. No matter what, they always gave 110%.