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

Sakurajima Mai looked at the closed door, gave a soft hum, and turned her gaze back to Genkawa Yu. "Genkawa-kun, your artist assistant seems very professional. Although she's a young girl, she has a very strong presence."

"That's true, Kato-san is very capable."

Genkawa Yu nodded, completely oblivious to anything amiss in Sakurajima Mai's tone.

"An artist's assistant should take care of your daily life, right? If that's the case, if I want to chat with you or catch up, do I have to make an appointment with your assistant first?"

"Uh..."

Genkawa Yu finally realized what was going on. He turned his head and looked at Sakurajima Mai's tsundere appearance—she was clearly a little unhappy, but she still had a smile on her face. He couldn't help but find it a little funny and a little helpless.

"Sakurajima-san is joking."

He smiled helplessly, trying to ease the tension, "If you call me, I promise I'll be there whenever you need me."

"is it?"

Mai Sakurajima pursed her lips noncommittally, clearly not entirely satisfied with the answer, but she didn't press further. However, the discomfort of having her "territory invaded" became more pronounced.

Today is clearly a very happy day.

The girl knew that she would be auditioning for a TV series with Yu Genkawa today, and that they would be able to play the male and female leads together. However, she did not expect to encounter such a thing, which made Mai Sakurajima feel a little complicated.

"Alright, then I won't keep you busy any longer. See you at the audition later. Do your best, [Arisu Ryohei]."

She deliberately called out the character's name in the play with a hint of teasing, then waved and left the lounge with an elegant demeanor.

Genkawa Yu watched the door close again, picked up his coffee and took a sip. It was mellow and slightly bitter, and the temperature was perfect.

He shook his head, but a complex smile appeared on his lips.

After a short rest, Megumi Kato and her staff came to guide him to the audition venue.

Unlike the usual crowded hall where actors waited, the audition area this time was quiet and orderly.

As he entered the waiting area, he immediately felt gazes from all directions—curiosity, scrutiny, envy, and so on.

Kato Megumi followed quietly behind him, like a silent shadow.

Upon entering the audition studio, the lighting was already set up.

Sitting directly in front was the main creative team led by director Akihiro Aoyama, along with several high-ranking executives and producers from the television station.

When Director Aoyama saw Yu Genkawa, a smile appeared on his face, and his eyes were full of expectation and trust.

Without much small talk, the audition began immediately.

The scene that Yu Genkawa needs to perform is the one where the protagonist, Ryohei Arisu, is in the bustling streets of Shibuya when everyone suddenly and mysteriously disappears, plunging the entire world into deathly silence.

His one-man show, from confusion and bewilderment to gradually realizing something was wrong, and ultimately being consumed by immense panic and a sense of absurdity.

This is extremely demanding on an actor's inner emotions and nuances.

Yuan Chuanyu stood under the light, took a deep breath, and in that instant, he seemed to become a different person.

The usual composure and gentleness on his face disappeared, replaced by the languidness and confusion of an ordinary young man with a slightly useless air.

He looked around, his eyes filled with confusion as he asked, "What happened?" and "Where did everyone go?" He was also unconsciously muttering his friend's name.

Then, his steps became hesitant and flustered, his pupils dilated slightly, and his breathing gradually became rapid.

[Production Sequence 1: Skilled Level Voice Actor Shape Chart]

Experience points: 1/100

Experience points: 2/100

Experience points: 3/100

Genkawa Yu tried to shout, but his voice was stuck in his throat and trembled slightly.

He vividly conveyed the immense sense of unreality and the gradually spreading chill brought about by the drastic change in his surroundings through subtle facial expressions and body language.

Finally, he staggered back a few steps, leaned against a table, and slowly slid down to sit.

He ran his hands through his hair, his shoulders trembling slightly, and a look of collapse, as if he were being choked by extreme absurdity and fear, appeared on his face.

The young man's once bright and clear eyes were now filled with unbelievable despair and a profound sense of bewilderment, as if asking, "What's wrong with this world?"

The performance ended three minutes later.

A brief silence fell over the audition room.

Immediately, several producers and TV executives couldn't help but whisper among themselves, their faces filled with amazement and admiration.

"That's amazing! This level of fear and confusion...it's so real!"

"Genkawa-san's eye acting is amazing! He's totally Arisu Ryohei himself!"

"Yeah, and I heard he recently gained popularity for his role as the 'Werewolf in a Romance Variety Show'? I think choosing him is perfect; he fits the intellectual battle background of the original work."

A producer brought this up, and the TV station executives standing nearby suddenly realized what was going on.

What they didn't know was that this producer was actually a member of director Aoyama's team, and that was a deliberate attempt to provoke their thoughts.

Yu Genkawa playing the male lead was a promise made by Fumio Suo. As the leader of the "burning" genre, he always keeps his word.

So no matter what everyone thinks, the final male lead will definitely be Yu Minakawa. However, thanks to Director Aoyama's deliberate guidance, some potential rumors can be eliminated in advance.

This is the safer approach; we can't let the show be tarnished in any way.

"Director Aoyama, you've really struck gold!"

One of the executive assistant directors, a long-time employee of the TV station, couldn't help but cast a satisfied glance at Genkawa Yu.

The next moment, Genkawa Yu slowly stood up from the ground. He quickly detached himself from the emotions of the character and looked again in the direction of Director Aoyama.

Aoyama Akihiro had already witnessed Minakawa Yu's special qualities in the dating reality show, and seeing him audition in person today only increased his satisfaction.

"Very good, Genkawa-kun. The audition results will be announced shortly. You can wait in the lounge."

Director Aoyama's voice came through the microphone, calm yet full of power.

Genkawa Yu bowed slightly: "Thank you, Director. I will continue to work hard."

"Next up, Haruto Yamazaki."

Volume 1 The Shining Morning Star: Chapter 82 Drinking, Male Friends, and Omens of Finding a House (Two-in-One 6k)

Accompanied silently yet ever-present by Megumi Kato, Yu Genkawa left the studio, still tinged with the warmth of the performance, and returned to his own private dressing room.

The girl smoothly handed him a glass of water at a comfortable temperature, then retreated to a corner as if blending into the background. She kept staring at the tablet in her hand, seemingly processing various work emails and scheduling.

Despite having only just started working together, Megumi Kato adapted to her role as an artist's assistant very quickly.

Genkawa Yu glanced at her before looking away, then reopened his laptop, which displayed the script for "Love Like a Bouquet."

The audition just now has earned me experience points for production sequence one; now it's time to collect experience points for production sequence two.

He refocused his attention on the script of "Love Like a Bouquet," where the delicate emotional entanglement between [Yamaon Mugi] and [Yatani Kinu] represents the various problems that young couples inevitably face.

As emotions flowed, the story's structure began to become more detailed, little by little.

[Production Sequence Two: Unceasing Writing]

Experience points: 3/100

Experience points: 4/100

Experience points: 5/100

After about an hour, the auditions for all the roles were finally over.

Staff members respectfully informed all actors involved in important roles to proceed to a large conference room to await the announcement of the final results.

The atmosphere in the meeting room was so heavy it was almost palpable. All the actors found their seats, and the air was thick with silent competition, anxiety, and intense anticipation.

Genkawa Yu and Kato Megumi sat down in the front seats, not far away from Sakurajima Mai, who was equally calm and composed, as if she were just attending an ordinary meeting.

Director Akihiro Aoyama stood at the front, without any unnecessary pleasantries, and directly picked up a finalized list, his sharp eyes scanning every face in the room, whether nervous or feigning composure.

"Thank you all for your hard work and dedication today. After the final evaluation by the directing team..."

Director Aoyama's voice, transmitted clearly and unequivocally through the microphone, resonated throughout every corner of the conference room.

"Now, we announce the final cast list for the main roles in the TV series 'Alice in the Land of the Dying'."

He paused deliberately, creating suspense, and then slowly read out the first name, which was expected by everyone, yet inevitably stirred up waves.

"The male protagonist - Arisu Ryohei, played by Yu Gengawa."

The moment the words fell, almost all eyes in the conference room were drawn to Yuan Chuan You, as if by an invisible magnet.

The gazes cast upon me were incredibly complex. Some were calm and collected, others were genuine admiration and appreciation, but most were barely concealed envy and burning jealousy.

After all, Genkawa Yu is too young; he has only just turned twenty this year.

His rise to prominence was meteoric, his resources were the envy of many, and now he has rightfully secured the lead role in this major production of the year.

These gazes, interwoven into a web, are enough to suffocate those with weak minds.

However, Genkawa Yu simply stood up calmly, with a humble and proper smile on his face, and bowed slightly to the director's seat and the surrounding area. His eyes were clear and steady, as if bearing the spotlight and complex scrutiny was the most natural thing in the world.

His composure, which was beyond his years, only made some resentful people feel more frustrated and powerless.

Today was just a formality, so Genkawa Yu didn't feel any psychological pressure.

"The female lead is Usagi Yuzuki (一?) Abandoned (衣?a?丝?丝巴?叶, played by Sakurajima Mai."

Mai Sakurajima rose gracefully, her smile bright and dignified. She nodded to those around her and to the director's seat, exuding an aura of power.

Her selection was a foregone conclusion, and few people were surprised. She received more admiring glances, after all, she is a female star who debuted as a child star, and her popularity and strength have always been among the top of her generation.

Next, Director Aoyama continued to announce the other important supporting roles in a steady manner.

Purple Breeze Koori, Sugiya Shuntaro, Water Chicken Hikaru

Each name uttered was accompanied by a low gasp, a sigh of relief, or an undisguised sigh of disappointment from a small area.

This is the trial of the audition process; no one can escape it.

When the name "Karibe Daikichi, played by Yamazaki Haruto" was announced, a young man sitting in the middle or back row, who looked cheerful and sunny, almost jumped up from his seat.

His face was filled with incredible surprise and excitement, and then he bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle, his voice booming.

"Yes! Thank you, Director. I will definitely do my best!"