I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

"Not really, though a little silly." Kasugano Sora stretched out her warm little hands and pinched his cheeks with a snap. Her pale eyes in the darkness were very bright, somewhat like a cat's pupils.

So, do you want to go on stage?

"They've already invited me, I can't just pretend I didn't see it, can I?"

As this was said, the narrator also spoke up, essentially telling someone to hurry up and take over the role, otherwise the pitiful village girl would be killed by the sickle.

Ayaka Totsuka on stage also looked over, smiling wryly with a hint of helplessness and apology, but still maintaining the posture of supporting Adler.

Her large, bright, watery eyes blinked twice, her gaze seeming to anticipate his arrival and the stalemate that was about to end.

Even if he could ignore this farce, Yuu Tenkuji couldn't ignore his friend's request—besides, he had already told Yui that he would fully cooperate with their performance, so he naturally wouldn't go back on his word.

The fact that the hardworking and dedicated support staff are forced to perform on stage is a little annoying.

"I'll be right back."

With a soft sigh, Yuu Tenkuji stood up under the watchful eyes of everyone, casually ruffled the bun on Yui Yuigahama's head, and walked towards the stage.

The moment he crossed the red line, the executioner of death, whose movements were slower than a sloth's, suddenly snapped to attention, taking a wary step back, the scythe tip pointing directly at him, and shouting indignantly:

"Who goes there! Death is at work here. Any unauthorized person who approaches will be in grave danger!"

Tenkuji Yu watched his performance with a strange expression.

This tone jumps straight from the Victorian era to Edo period dramas...

Looking around, no one was secretly wielding a weapon behind the scenes—or rather, they were all happily watching the show from behind the scenes.

He shrugged helplessly and could only go on stage empty-handed.

"It's just a card I happened to be passing by and decided to play."

Upon hearing this overly casual reply, the executioner was taken aback and instinctively asked, "And what about your belt?"

"Hey, even the Grim Reaper watches Kamen Rider...?"

"Ha ha ha ha--"

A burst of laughter came from the audience. It seemed that quite a few students knew about Kamen Rider and were amused by the sarcastic remarks.

Yuu Tenkuji was too lazy to complain anymore. He walked over to Ayaka Totsuka, pulled him away from Adler, patted his long skirt, and then asked with concern.

"Are you alright? Luckily I made it in time, it was a close call."

"Uh, no, it's nothing... Thank you, stranger."

Stared at by his gentle and caring gaze, Totsuka, who currently resembled more of a girl than a boy, seemed a little shy. Her cheeks flushed red under the spotlight, making her look quite charming.

Unfortunately, having seen so many shy expressions from beautiful girls, Yuu Tenkuji didn't feel like he was about to be turned gay at all; he just nodded with feigned reassurance.

"That's good."

"Hey!" Ignored, Adler nearly fell to the ground. After getting up, he frowned in dissatisfaction. "I'm the one who's in trouble, okay? Aren't you going to check on me?"

Yuu Tenkuji rolled his eyes: "I'm here to save the village girl, not to save the Grim Reaper."

Then, with a disdainful wave, he stood in front of Death in her place.

"Alright, I'll handle things here. You should hurry up and prepare for your own funeral... You've already said you're going to die, so don't linger on until the next season."

"You bastard! You think I won't kill you?!"

Adler gritted his teeth angrily, gripping the scythe tightly in his hand, his eyes wide open as he glared at him, looking like he wanted to defect on the spot and gang up on him with the other Grim Reapers.

Indeed, not all girls at this school would respect and admire him because of his looks and abilities.

Adler, an outgoing student, is a case in point. Although the two don't interact much, they get along like ordinary classmates who are on friendly terms. They can chat normally and joke around like this, without treating each other differently because he is the national kendo champion or has the best grades in the school.

"You can talk to me after you can beat me. You're just a minor leader in the drama department. You're not even worth a finger of mine."

"Alright, I'm switching sides." The lead actor said without hesitation, and the next moment he was fully revived, standing in the opposing Shinigami team, staring menacingly at Tenkuji Yu with a cold smile on his face.

The number of enemies suddenly increased from three to four, while he was only backed by a slender and frail "village girl".

The laughter from the audience grew even louder, as if they were watching a comedy performance.

Totsuka Saika seemed a little embarrassed by the laughter, and secretly tugged at his sleeve from behind, whispering, "Yu, how are we going to end this? Following the original script...?"

"Don't worry, I know more about acting than you do." With that confident statement, Tenkuji Yu, without turning her head, loudly proclaimed to the funeral procession before her:

"I don't know what happened here. All I know is that what I have to stop now is not death itself, but an executioner who takes lives at will!"

His clear and resolute voice was like a curtain, sweeping across the entire classroom and instantly silencing all laughter, allowing no disrespect whatsoever.

"..."

The audience below the stage were stunned and then unconsciously turned their attention to him, as if they were attracted by his serious expression that instantly became the part of the drama, and gradually quieted down.

The actors facing him felt an even stronger aura from him, and they were all speechless and stunned. They only snapped back to reality after he coughed lightly to remind them.

"A mere human being, do you think you can stop our Death Squad from judging sinners?!"

The black-robed Grim Reaper, leading the group, shouted the lines of a lowly underling with a lack of confidence, while his henchmen behind him echoed him noisily.

It even includes the original protagonist, Adler... What a bunch of nobody.

Yuu Tenkuji suppressed his urge to make a sarcastic remark and was about to continue delivering some high-sounding lines when someone threw a plastic sword from behind the scenes, which spun and rolled to his feet.

He turned his head and saw that the blond double-helix drill bit had disappeared behind the background.

'Is this a signal for me to wrap things up quickly...? Knowing she couldn't mess with me anymore, she decisively adjusted her plans. This woman is quite clever.'

With a wry smile, Yuu Tenkuji withdrew his gaze, then suddenly kicked with his toe, sending the plastic sword soaring upwards in a magical arc before being firmly grasped in mid-air by his right hand.

Snap, snap, snap—

Even with simple props, this dashing and stylish move naturally won applause from the audience.

"Whether you're a judge or a vigilante, whether you're the Grim Reaper or a dubious group... there's only one choice: advance or retreat."

Amidst the applause, Tenkuji Yu slowly raised the tip of his sword, his smile gradually fading from his lips, his sharp eyes fixed on the four people.

"And I will do everything in my power to protect everyone who stands behind me."

The Grim Reaper team: "..."

Even though it was just a plastic sword, they somehow saw a cold glint in the blade, and a feeling of dread inexplicably rose from the bottom of their hearts, as if being cut would really cause them injury.

Like pigs waiting to be slaughtered in a sty, no one dared to speak first, for fear that if they opened their mouths, they would be chopped in two by that plastic sword.

The silence lasted for several seconds. Suddenly, Adler broke away from the Grim Reaper team and ran up behind Tenkuji Yu as if nothing had happened.

Then, with decisive movements, he clutched his chest and collapsed to the ground with a thud.

"Thank you, stranger swordsman... Please protect this beautiful and kind village girl... Pfft."

After speaking in a weak voice, she turned her head away and began to play dead, not daring to look at the condemning gazes of the other three Death Gods.

'That despicable bastard!'

'As expected of the drama club's leader, his ability to adapt to changing circumstances is also at a leader's level!'

'What should I do? I'm thinking of defecting to the enemy too…'

Seeing through their hesitant expressions, Tenkuji Yu maintained his solemn and dignified demeanor and spoke in a voice audible only to those on stage: "What are you afraid of? I'm not really going to fight. It's just acting. How are you going to wrap things up if you're all so timid?"

"R-really?" The leader of the Grim Reapers hesitated as he raised his scythe. "Well, here we come?"

"Of course it's true, I have no interest in messing with my own classmates..." Tenkuji Yuu paused, then suddenly asked, "By the way, what if I accidentally break the props?"

Like a little rabbit, the leader of the Grim Reapers blinked innocently: "Uh, we have backups, just a few if..."

"That's good."

He tilted his head slightly to hide his expression from the audience.

Tenkuji Yu gave them a bright smile.

"Is this your planned impromptu performance? Then come at me with all your might, give me 100% acting skills and momentum... Otherwise, I can't guarantee I won't accidentally hurt you, okay?"

He lowered the sword tip and, as he spoke, he had already assumed a starting stance.

As if sensing the threat of death, the Grim Reaper team couldn't help but let out a mournful cry.

"How...how terrifying!"

Although he said these words with a smile, everyone who heard them felt the coldness and ruthlessness in his voice, as if the Grim Reaper had truly reached out his scythe from behind and hooked his neck.

No one dared to doubt whether he was joking or trying to scare them—they simply raised their scythes high in fear, their faces, hidden beneath their black robes, filled with tragic grandeur, and charged towards him while shouting.

"How dare you speak so arrogantly! Prepare to die!"

"Whoosh!"

May the gods protect us!

Yuu Tenkuji almost couldn't keep his composure: "You guys are serious Shinigami, aren't you...?"

Then, facing the three who rushed at him without any coordination, he suddenly took a step forward and swung his arm out forcefully, as if he were tearing the air apart, and a sharp, short sound of wind breaking rang out.

A three-hit combo sword technique with a single hand – "Sharp Claw"!

Pop, pop, pop.

With three crisp sounds, amidst the unseen trajectory of his swordplay, he strolled through the encirclement of the three men, and four objects simultaneously flew high into the air.

Once their feet were firmly planted, the three sickle heads and the broken sword blade landed on the ground, scattering around the edge of the stage.

"Death is nothing special. Before you start harassing innocent women, you should obediently go back to hell and cultivate your mind and body."

He slowly turned around, glanced indifferently at the three black-robed figures standing there, staring blankly at the weapons in their hands, and casually tossed aside the broken sword hilt.

Then, looking at Adler and Totsuka Saika, who were also standing there dumbfounded on the stage, Tenkuji Yu gave a deeply emotional smile.

“Death, girl, I can feel the unwavering bond between you.”

"But that's precisely why you should live well—not to find a place to be buried, but to find a home where you can keep your memories, a home you can recall whenever you want..."

"Well, I personally prefer this kind of story ending."

A gentle and pleasant voice rang out clearly on the stage.

However, no one answered or responded to his lines.

Time seemed to stand still in the classroom, and he was the only one in this quiet world, turning away with a carefree air.

"After all, death is not the cause of love's death; forgetting is."