Conversion

Back at Triple cedar, Tenju, Taira, Safumi, and Doraaki all waited in the secret puzzle cafe.

"The hell is Michiko?" Safumi grumbled.

"I think she went to check on her friend," Doraaki stated.

"Then call me when everyone's here."

Before she could leave, Mizuse entered and decided to begin the emergency meeting anyway.

She revealed that Maestro Himitsu was thinking of changing the way the points are earned and introducing the option to use actual currency instead. Naturally, all forms of official currency worldwide.

"I don't know. Using currency like yen instead of the points seems like it would be more troublesome than its worth. Does that mean all the points people will earn from completing puzzles and winning 4-way chess will need to be converted to yen as well?" Doraaki asked.

"No, I'm saying all that will be eliminated. Rather, it will be more like a gambling hall where you ante up the money to challenge us SPCMs and Maestro Himitsu."

Everyone began to scowl.

"That's the dumbest shit the maestro's ever come up with, and she's come up with some pretty dumb shit," Safumi growled.

"Perhaps it would be best if the maestro explained things herself," Mizuse nodded as Ai entered decked out in her maestro outfit and smiled as she whipped out her fan. "Hello my lovely SPCMs. It's been a while since we all gathered like this."

"True indeed. Only Michiko and Himitsudono are absent," Tenju noted.

"Oh, I have no need of him. In fact, he's outta here. Now ladies, do you wanna become the greatest of all time?"

"What do you mean by that?" Doraaki asked.

"Like wanna become the rockstars of the chess world and live the luxurious harem life for the rest of our days?"

"H- HAREM!?"

"Yes, like you all become my wives!"

"Oi, you drunk or somethin!? Cuz you're spewin’ more shit than usual," Safumi cringed.

"Oh no, I'm always this horny. So, wanna take over the world and become a mega harem?"

"Maestro, with all due respect, I fail to see what you are implying we do," Doraaki glared.

"Simple, we become the best of the best and eliminate the competition."

"Yeah, I'm going home. I've had enough of all the bullshit," Safumi glared as she rose to leave.

"I actually see great merit in Maestro Himitsu's plan," Michiko stated as she entered the room.

Nearly everyone gasped in shock at her appearance. Save for her eyelashes, she was now just as bald as Mizuse.

"Oi, the hell happened to your hair!?"

"Oh, Ai-sama seduced me, that's all and welp, she likes her bitches bald, so bzz bzz."

"Yes, bald is indeed beautiful. Mizuse truly had the right idea kicking off this trend," Xiao lin sneered as she entered.

"The hell are you?"

"Oh, I suppose my hairless state has made me unrecognizable. I am Maestro Xiao Lin of China. Now with that out of the way, I'm here to announce that as China's maestro, and a frequent advocate of the currency proposition, I'm pleased to throw my support behind Maestro Himitsu."

"Y- You're on board with her plan!?" Tenju cried.

"Why yes. Would it not suit super grandmasters like me and Himitsu to make more of a living off our skill? That and we are offering to bring you all along for the ride."

"It feels wrong though. Like, it kind of feels like a money laundering scheme."

"You watch too many dramas. I myself am on board with the plan," Mizuse stated.

"Himitsudono said no, so I told him to get lost. How say the rest of you? Oh, and if your in, you'll need to conform to my new dress code and shave ALL your hair off!" Ai giggled.

Everyone cringed in disgust, but before they could leave, Taira suddenly spoke up. "I- I'm in. I'm- I'm going to help Maestro Himitsu. Sh- She's done s- So much for me."

Everyone stared in shock, yet Taira's willingness to join forced Tenju to stick with her, leaving just Doraaki and Safumi undecided. However, they clearly were leaning against it.

"So if we refuse we get fired like Himitsudono? Well then good riddance," Safumi snarled as she attempted to leave.

"Oh no, you see, I didn't fire Himitsudono, rather, I sent someone to ELIMINATE him! And your two never had a choice from the start!"

Before anyone could react, Michiko and Mizuse suddenly pulled out DESPERs and dragged Safumi and Doraaki, respectively, into matches.

"The hell's going on!?" Safumi fumed as she found herself seated across from Michiko in a pocket dimension.

"Our beautiful maestro showed me the way, and now I am her loyal girlfriend. As such, I joined the Desperado league and will soon recruit you. Now Safumi, before you try and refuse, I should tell you that should you beat me, the DESPER will be capable of fixing your body," Michiko sneered.

Safumi froze before turning to face Michiko. "So if I win, I'll finally have a normal body and I'll get to pound your face in a million times over?"

"Yes, though the phrasing-"

"Game on!"

"What a nasty look in your eyes, then if you lose..."

In a different pocket dimension, Mizuse finished telling Doraaki her fate should she lose.

"And what if I refuse to participate?" Doraaki glared.

"That would work, if you were higher rated than me, but you are not," Mizuse.

"What happened to you, Mizuse?"

Mizuse let lose a malicious smile before seductively kicking her leg up. "I just realized the DESPER was key to achieving peak femininity, that's all."

Doraaki clenched her fist. "Then when I win, you return to your damn senses!"

Back in the secret puzzle cafe, Tenju shuddered as she hugged Taira and was stared down by Xiao Lin and Ai. "E- Everyone's gone. "Taira! Let's get out of here!"

"No, you're gonna stay riiiight here," Taira ominously chuckled.

Tenju went pale with horror as she noticed a deranged smile plastered on Taira's face.

"T- Taira?"

"If you go runnin, I'm gonna kill myself, by throwing a match with THIS!" Taira threatened as she pulled out a DESPER.

Tenju began to go pale with horror as she came to a startling realization. "Last night-"

"Yeah, Ai-sama SPANKED me! Oh Tenju. You must join me! We'll take over the world with the DESPERs and live like QUEENS!"

As Tenju sunk to her knees in horror, everyone else reappeared.

"H- How!?" Safumi trembled as she groveled on the floor.

"Our ratings became stagnant ever since we took on the secret puzzle cafe gig. I've gotten much better. I dare say I'm higher rated than you. Or perhaps your rating does not reflect how much worse you've gotten at the game. Perhaps your intellect and memory are going too, ahahaha!" Michiko sneered.

"No! Damn you! How could you impose such a penalty!?" Doraaki nervously fumed.

"Oh, the nasty stuff was only if you failed to help us achieve my goal. Now then, are you all ready for a makeover?" Ai sneered as Michiko clapped her hands.

Sinister smiles appeared on the faces of Safumi and Doraaki as they said, "Yes, Madam. For Maestro Himitsu, we'll lay down our lives."

Tenju stared in horror. "The hell are you all saying!?"

"Oi, get with the program, bitch. With the DESPERs, we'll be able to do anything," Safumi sneered.

"But the Maestro-"

"Has it right. Come on, don't act older than your age and get with the times," Doraaki sneered.

Tenju began trembling, and after one more threat from Taira that she'd kill herself in a DESPER match if Tenju didn't join, Tenju agreed to join Ai on her own accord.

"Excellent! Then let's get you ladies nice and smooth. Then, we can begin our conquest," Ai sneered.