The comments section all think I'm a really good person.

Because today, she is not the main character of the play.

She looked up at the stage and saw the faint reflection of the camera lens flickering in a hidden spot.

Not only here, but many other cameras were also pointed at the stage.

Only after confirming that the camera was ready did Nana Ohba smile.

140. If there has to be a villain, why can't it be me?

"...What do you want us to do?"

Upon hearing the unfamiliar girl's voice, Asagami Shinku immediately perked up her ears and tail, turning her full vigilance toward the blonde girl who had suddenly appeared in the audience.

Mari Yagawa, who was dressed as a demon beside her, also gave her a hostile look.

The blonde girl, who was being watched with such wary eyes by the two men, was dressed no differently than an ordinary person.

Her blonde hair was tied into twin ponytails, her emerald green eyes were clear and calm, her figure was graceful, and her appearance was outstanding.

The type of person you'd notice at a glance, even on a crowded street.

Nana Oba should have been the center of attention, but for some reason, her presence in this theater was not as strong as usual.

Only when the theater's owner looks over do you feel her extraordinary presence.

The lights were blazing, the audience seats were so close together, and the gazes of the audience were so intense that it was almost frightening.

Both Asagami Maku and Yagawa Mari, who were standing on the stage for the first time in their lives, were unable to adapt to the atmosphere.

They instinctively glanced at Karen Aijo, who was still sitting in her seat, talking to Nana Oba in a shocked tone.

The latter immediately called out the unfamiliar girl's nickname: "banana?! What are you doing here? And this stage..."

"Karen-chan, keep quiet in the theater." Nana Oba simply smiled and raised a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture.

Karen Aijo, whose voice was usually very loud, blushed and shut her mouth, staring at the blonde girl's eyes, hesitant to speak.

Although they hadn't known each other for very long, Asagami Maku and Yagawa Mari knew Aijo Karen's personality well. This carefree and somewhat oblivious person rarely showed such a mixture of unease and panic.

Moreover, Aicheng Hualian's abilities seem to manifest in a similar way.

It's similar to this theater, but not on this scale.

What exactly is going on?

The two members of the National Team noticed the worry in Aijo Karen's eyes as she turned to look at them.

This doesn't seem like a good thing.

"Revue... is about to begin." The theater master's voice was soft and gentle, and she always seemed to be in a good mood when she spoke. She tilted her head slightly towards Aijo Karen and began to explain.

Karen Aijo's expression was even more complicated: "This is... Revue?"

“Yes, a captivating stage woven from song and dance…” Nana Ohba tried to imitate the giraffe’s deep, magnetic voice from her memory, but after realizing that she probably wasn’t quite right for it, she returned to her calm tone.

She then changed the subject, saying, "Although I'd love to say that."

"...?" Karen Aijo was puzzled. She looked up and met Nana Oba's meaningful gaze.

The latter paused slightly before continuing, "But neither of these two meets the requirements to become a 'Stage Girl.' They haven't received systematic training, don't have beautiful singing voices, and have no stage experience. They're hesitant and awkward on stage... So, they can't be excellent stage performers and present the best shows to the audience, can they?"

"Then why..." The pressure on her throat, which had been constricted by the theater, eased slightly, and Karen Aijo couldn't help but ask the question that had been on her mind.

Nana Ohba saw right through her question and interrupted her directly, continuing her explanation: "Why did I build this stage? And why did I choose you all to come here?"

She sat down next to Karen Aijo, casually draped her arm over Karen Aijo's shoulder, and leaned in slightly with a smile.

The two were so close that Karen Aijo could feel Nana Ohba's warm breath and count the blonde girl's eyelashes.

Nana Oba whispered something in Karen Aijo's ear, but no one else could hear it clearly.

Then, her smile softened, and she released her hand from Ai Cheng Hua Lian's shoulder with satisfaction, keeping her distance from her.

She announced her purpose in launching this theater and inviting guest performers: "Just for fun."

"...Fun? You mean this makes you feel really fun? You bastard..." Asagami Maku felt a surge of anger at being fooled. She wanted to rush towards Ooba Nana, but her body wouldn't move no matter what she did.

Mari Yagawa also realized that her body was restricted to one spot and she could not move.

The two of them are now like puppets, placed rigidly on the stage, and neither of them can move until the play begins.

Faced with the actor's rude shouts, Nana Oba gradually suppressed her smile.

She could still be somewhat polite to Ai Cheng Hua Lian, but now, facing two [stage props], she had no interest in speaking to them in a friendly manner.

"It's so noisy." The theater owner said in a suddenly low voice, her face showing dissatisfaction. "These two defective products can't even meet the requirements and can only appear on stage as props. If we don't arrange them like this, they won't even be able to get on the stage."

Her change of expression was faster than turning the pages of a book. Just moments ago, she was gently explaining things to Karen Aijo, but in an instant, she transformed into a tyrant with the dual identity of theater ruler and audience member.

"You... must act according to my script."

This is neither a request nor a command; it is simply a statement of facts.

The blonde girl leaned back comfortably on the soft cushions in the audience area, sitting in the best viewing angle and adopting the most comfortable viewing posture.

She looked down at the two actors she had brought into the theater, and said with great interest: "If I try my best to satisfy the audience (me) and present the best story, then I might consider granting you one wish."

"...Huh? Where did you get the Holy Grail from? You just randomly ask people to put on a battle show for you, who do you think you are?!" Asagami Shinku was furious. She shouted at Ooba Nana, then turned to Yagawa Mari for support, "Hey, Yagawa, you think so too, right? Who would believe... Yagawa?"

Asagami Shinku noticed the faint red light emanating from Yagawa Mari's eyes and sensed something was amiss.

“…Yagawa?” she hesitated, calling out to her companion.

"Hmm?" Nana Oba made a sound of interest, noticing Mari Yagawa's suddenly empty gaze and feeling a little disappointed. "So fast..."

It seems tonight's match won't be successful.

Feeling utterly bored, Nana Ohba sighed softly.

Mari Yagawa is too easily manipulated... This makes no sense at all.

Her listless voice echoed on the stage: "Well then, that's it."

"Cannibal revue, show begins."

141. The Director's Days Are Numbered

During the Taisho era, stories of demons eating people circulated.

These evil spirits, resembling ordinary people in appearance, feed on humans and only appear at night. When the morning light shines on them, they vanish like dew in the sunlight.

Evil spirits would break into human homes in the dead of night or on gloomy days without sunlight, slaughtering the entire family, chewing on children's bones, swallowing adults' marrow, and then holding their eyeballs in their mouths like candy.

Ordinary people rarely see ghosts; most people would think of them as stories of mothers coaxing naughty children to make them obey.

But ghosts truly exist.

The civilian demon-slaying organizations that specialize in slaying evil spirits and maintaining order are called "Demon Slayer Corps".

The Demon Slayer Corps and demons are utterly hostile.

"Asagami is a swordsman in the Demon Slayer Corps. As one of the Nine Pillars, he is the Thunder Pillar and uses Thunder Breathing." Nana Ohba had already assigned roles to the two of them beforehand, so all that was needed now was to announce them and give a brief introduction to their settings.

"Yagawa is one of the Twelve Demon Moons. When he was human, he was a friend of Asagami Shinku."

All the two of them need to do on this stage is one thing.

That is to fight with all one's might.

Then, the demon will devour one of the swordsman's legs.

All you need to do is follow the script and act accordingly.

As soon as Nana Ohba finished speaking, Shinku Asagami almost immediately realized that the heavy feeling as if someone was holding her down had disappeared, and her body was able to move freely.

Before she could even turn around and glare at Nana Oba, who was orchestrating all of this, she was thrown into disarray by the furious attack of the irrational Mari Yagawa.

The ghost lunged at them.

Instinctively lunging to the side, Asagami Shinku executed a remarkably skillful dodge.

But she sensed something was wrong.

He found himself in a dense forest under a full moon, the ground covered with fallen leaves as he rolled over, making a rustling sound.

The scene changed instantly, and my body seemed to become lighter and more agile. As I subconsciously reached for the sword at my waist, my mind also subconsciously connected it to the next strategy.

The breathing method changes unconsciously, the body feels warm, and with this special breathing method, energy is transported to every corner of the body.

This is a combat skill that Asagami Shinku has never learned before, let alone mastered so skillfully that it has become almost instinctive.

It was as if another soul had possessed him, controlling his body to perform this wonderful show.

Isn't it just acting?

Asagami Shinku couldn't understand why she had actually used the "breathing technique" from the script.

This is a power system that does not exist in this world, but on this stage, the actors can use it as long as the theater's ruler allows it.

Then, Asagami Shinku unleashed a lightning flash that pierced the night sky.

Dark purple lightning flickered across the blade, somewhat like the sensation of using one's own abilities, but more like the feeling of "the body moving on its own."

Then--

—It all came to nothing.

Although Asagami Shinku adapted to the current situation as quickly as possible, she was still a step slower than Yagawa Mari, who had lost her mind and was completely at the mercy of the script.

Moreover, the plot of this scene is...

"You fucking really bit me?!...Hiss—" Asagami Shinku was caught off guard by her opponent's trick. She only saw a flash of lightning with a very clear trajectory before she dodged it.

She was slammed hard into a tree. Despite her training, her weak human body was no match for the superhuman physical abilities of a demon.

Furthermore, Asagami Shinku was not in character to begin with, and had no desire to fight.

Before Mari Yagawa ripped a piece of flesh off her calf, she naively thought it was all just acting.

But a sharp pain swept through her nerves, and she cried out in pain before turning pale with fright.

She instinctively looked in the direction of the pain, desperately trying to pull her leg out, only to be met with an even more ferocious devouring display from the demon.

"Out of pity for his former friend, the swordsman held back in battle, but his opponent seized the opportunity to exploit his weakness."