I really just want to grind for entries related to crossover anime/manga.

Just then, a sizzling sound came from the kitchen. Genkawa Yu was frying beef, and the aroma quickly filled the entire living room.

"Akane~ The food is ready, come and eat."

Genkawa Yu carried a large plate of sukiyaki out of the kitchen and placed it on the dining table.

The beef and vegetables in the pot were stewed until tender and steaming, with a thick broth. Sprinkled with chopped green onions, it looked incredibly appetizing.

He also specially prepared sterile eggs and placed them in front of Akane Kurokawa.

"Try it, dip it in the sauce, it should taste even more tender."

Akane Kurokawa walked over and sat down, picked up her chopsticks, but had little appetite.

Yuan Chuanyou saw what she was thinking and took the initiative to put a piece of beef in her bowl. "Eat more. You've used up too much energy today. Get a good night's sleep after you eat, and everything will be better tomorrow."

He looked into her eyes, his voice full of tenderness.

"If you're still not feeling well, I'll quit my job tomorrow and go out with Akane."

"No need, Yu-kun's work is more important, I'm fine."

Seeing the concerned look on Minamoto no Yu's face, Kurokawa Akane suddenly felt a little guilty, so she changed her attitude and ate dinner with her boyfriend.

After washing up in the evening, the two lay in bed. Yuan Chuanyou hugged her from behind, his chin resting on the top of her head, his breathing even and warm.

Akane Kurokawa leaned against him, listening to his steady heartbeat, and a familiar sense of security welled up in her heart.

Not long after, the person next to me started snoring softly; it seemed he was really tired.

Akane Kurokawa gently turned around and, using the moonlight streaming in from the window, carefully examined Yu Minakawa's sleeping face.

After a while, she couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke his cheek, her heart filled with tenderness.

"Yu-kun, I really... really like you~"

"Never...never leave me, okay?"

Just then, her phone, which was on the bedside table, suddenly vibrated.

Akane Kurokawa quickly picked up her phone, put it on silent mode, went to the balcony, and saw that it was a reply from Megumi Kato.

"Hello, Kurokawa-san. I'm free tomorrow afternoon. Would it be alright if we met at the 'Cat Paw Cafe' in Shibuya?"

As an artist's assistant, Kato Megumi has work when Genkawa Yu has work, but Genkawa Yu's schedule for tomorrow afternoon is to go to the gym, so she will naturally be free.

Akane Kurokawa replied immediately.

"Of course, Kato-san, see you tomorrow."

She put down her phone, looked at the night view outside the window, and her thoughts gradually calmed down.

Akane Kurokawa knew that tomorrow's meeting might unravel the mystery in her heart.

A training room for the idol group Nokuchiru in Tokyo.

Even though it was already 11 p.m., the place was still brightly lit.

The four members of the group had just finished a three-hour extra training session. Sweat had already soaked the backs of their training clothes, and everyone's breathing was still rapid from exercise, but their eyes remained clear and determined.

That's all for today, everyone. Thank you for your hard work.

The dance teacher, wearing ripped jeans, glanced at the clock on the wall, clapped her hands, and said...

"Go back and stretch properly, take a bath, and don't be late for your vocal lesson tomorrow morning."

The four girls responded and began packing their belongings.

At this moment, Asakura Toru walked to the corner of the training room, picked up a towel to wipe the sweat from his face and the back of his neck, and took out a thermos from his backpack, sipping warm water.

Just then, the screen of her phone, which was on the floor, lit up.

Higuchi Madoka was standing next to her, and looked up when she heard the voice.

"Tou, is there any news?"

Toru Asakura picked up his phone and unlocked the screen.

When she saw the sender's name and the email subject, her pupils contracted slightly, and her fingers gripping the phone tightened unconsciously.

"what happened?"

Higuchi Enka noticed the subtle change in her aura, put down her dancing shoes, and walked over.

Asakura Toru didn't say anything, but simply turned his phone screen towards her.

Higuchi Enka leaned closer to examine it; it was an official email from the "Kamen Rider: Kyokujo Project Team" of Toei Company.

The email body was politely and formally worded, informing Asakura Toru that she had successfully passed the first two rounds of screening for the role in "Kamen Rider: Kyo Kusanagi" and formally inviting her to the Toei Building on a designated date to participate in the third round of on-site auditions.

The role she auditioned for was [Nene Kurama], the Kamen Rider Nene.

Congratulations, Tou!

Higuchi Madoka raised her head, a sincere and serene smile appearing on her pretty face; she was happy for her.

Asakura Toru stared at the few lines of simple yet meaningful text on his phone screen, momentarily lost in thought.

"Thank you."

Asakura Toru carefully put his phone away, a genuinely relaxed smile appearing on his face—the first one he had shown in days.

"I will prepare well and try my best."

The two girls packed their things and walked out of the training room side by side.

Tokyo was still brightly lit late at night, with the occasional vehicle passing by on the streets.

Asakura Toru looked up at the night sky, which was tinged with a dark orange by the city lights, and took a deep breath of the cool air.

She already knew that Genkawa Yu was confirmed to star in "Ukiyo Eiju". If she were to pass the audition, she could finally fulfill her initial idea.

Get closer to his world.

She has always been resolute in taking this step.

Volume 3: I Am a Knight of the New Era - Chapter 5: Kato Megumi Wants Him to Continue Being Willful (Two Volumes Combined, 6k views)

In the Tokyo afternoon, the sky outside the floor-to-ceiling windows of a high-rise apartment is a clear, deep blue.

In the entryway, Genkawa Yu was bending over to tie the white shoelaces of his sneakers.

Today he opted for a low-key sportswear outfit, with a charcoal gray T-shirt clinging to his upper body, black athletic shorts revealing his well-defined calf muscles, and a light, dark blue windproof jacket casually draped over it.

Genkawa Yu's hair wasn't styled as meticulously as it is when he's working. He simply wore a black baseball cap, exuding a casual vibe that was completely different from how he appeared on camera, like one of those high-profile athletic seniors in college.

I'm going out.

He straightened up, adjusted the sports watch on his wrist, and spoke to Akane Kurokawa in the living room.

Akane Kurokawa looked up upon hearing the sound and immediately walked over.

She was going out today, dressed very elegantly. She wore a beige knitted cardigan over a light apricot silk dress that reached her knees, revealing a section of her fair and shapely calves.

She looked gentle and quiet, like someone who had just stepped out of a fashion magazine.

"Be careful on the road."

The girl looked at her boyfriend, a little concerned about his schedule for the day. "Yu-kun, how long are you planning to stay at the gym today?"

"The plan is for about three hours."

Genkawa Yu adjusted the tightness of her shoelaces, and when she looked up, her gaze naturally swept over her outfit today, and a gentle smile appeared on her lips.

"After all, we're going to be filming Knights, and the fight scenes require a lot of physical ability, so it's always good to prepare in advance."

Upon noticing his girlfriend's outfit, Genkawa Yu complimented her thoughtfully, "Akane, you look beautiful today too. Are you going out to hang out with your friends?"

"Um... I've made plans to meet someone I haven't seen in a long time for coffee and a chat."

The person Akane Kurokawa arranged to meet was Megumi Kato, but she couldn't tell Yu Minakawa directly at this time.

"have fun."

Genkawa Yu nodded and didn't ask any further questions. "I'll be back around seven or eight o'clock. We can have dinner together tonight."

"Okay, Yu-kun, see you tonight."

Akane Kurokawa tiptoed and pecked her boyfriend on the cheek. After his tall figure left the apartment, she closed the door and went back to the living room.

She glanced at the delicate silver watch on her wrist; it was 1:45 PM.

The appointment with Kato Megumi was at 3:00 PM, at the Cat's Paw Cafe in Shibuya.

She has more than an hour to continue mentally preparing, or rather, to repeatedly rehearse those carefully prepared dialogues.

Akane Kurokawa walked to the full-length mirror that occupied the entire wall in the living room and examined herself in the mirror once again.

"I hope... I'm just overthinking it."

She squeezed her eyes shut, forcibly suppressing the unsettling thought deep into her consciousness.

Half an hour later, Genkawa Yu had arrived at the gym.

After swiping the black membership card embedded with a chip, the glass door slid open silently, and a refreshing breeze rushed in, creating a stark contrast to the heat outside.

The changing room was covered with dark gray non-slip floor tiles, and the lighting was soft. There were only two or three people there at the moment.

Genkawa Yu found his locker quite easily, quickly changed into a training vest and shorts, locked his belongings, and only took an absorbent towel, a sports water bottle and a heart rate monitoring bracelet before heading to the equipment area.

Because it's a weekday, there weren't many people exercising.

He first spent ten minutes doing systematic dynamic stretching. After his body gradually warmed up, he walked to the free weight area and glanced at the rows of barbell plates that were gleaming coldly.

Today's main training focus is on the lower body and core, so he decided to start with barbell lifting.

Standing under the squat rack, Genkawa Yu's shoulders firmly rested on the barbell covered with anti-slip pads. He took a deep breath, tightened his core, and used his leg muscles to smoothly lift the barbell. He took two steps back, opening his feet shoulder-width apart, adjusted his breathing, and prepared to start his first set of the day.

While training, Genkawa Yu kept an eye on his system panel.

Production Sequence 1: Body Enhancement (Green)

Experience points: 89/100