Tokyo Sound

"Hey! Wait for me!" Kashiwai Ippei stretched out his hand and called out loudly.

The fat donkey in the elevator raised his head, revealing his handsome face like a Greek stone sculpture. He smiled after a brief moment of surprise. Then, his right hand pressed the elevator button frantically, just like he was playing the arcade game "Three Kingdoms War" and playing the level of eating buns in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms". The speed was so fast that a shadow appeared.

Why are you so anxious? Hey, this guy who looks cold but has a warm heart really cares about me.

Seeing this, Kashiwa Ippei smiled with relief, and then he saw the elevator door slowly closing in response to human desires...

Damn, this guy was pressing the close button instead of hold open!!!

"How dare you, you rat!" The agent was so excited that he launched himself from the spot and ran towards the elevator, wishing he could catch the person inside with a death grip. But he didn't catch up in the end, and he could only watch the elevator door close perfectly with a light bang.

……

Ding dong.

The elevator opened, and the man stepped out refreshed. Then he saw a man in a suit and gold-rimmed glasses waiting at the door, panting and supporting his knees. His clothes were disheveled, and he was holding a torn tie in his hand. His pupils were as blood-red and sharp as a venomous snake.

Yin Ze paused for a few seconds, then made a look of surprise, as if he had gone to the wrong floor. He pretended that he hadn't seen anything and wanted to go back to the elevator.

The office worker then threw out his tie and launched a chokehold from behind the fat ass.

"Why did Brother Bai Jing hit me so hard?!" Yin Ze seemed to have just recognized him and was extremely surprised.

"Do you think I'm really nearsighted? The main reason for wearing glasses is to add intelligence and style!" Kashiwa Ippei subdued the fat donkey with a grim smile, and moved him deeper into the corridor. "The next thing you said was, 'How did you teleport to this floor?'"

"How did you teleport to this floor!" Yin Ze asked loudly and unwillingly.

"This is a secret. I was on the track and field team in middle school. I should have been wearing the national flag and competing with the world's top athletes for the title of the fastest legend on earth. However, I have always been indifferent to fame and fortune, and I did not follow the path of the God of Wind."

"Instead of going to the Olympics to make a name for yourself, you're just here as a small agent, squeezing your people to make a living?!"

“This is The Layers.”

"Blow, keep blowing. Give me two sips of cooking oil, and you really managed to break through the first cosmic speed. What's so great about climbing to the second floor?" Yin Ze said while struggling and pointing at the floor number on the wall.

"So you're so greedy that you want to murder me even on the second floor?" Kashiwa Ippei increased his strength and hugged the other person tightly.

The two of them wrestled closely like jiu-jitsu players as they entered the company under the HR lady's gaze which was 50% suspicious and 50% admiring.

A few minutes later.

"Why are you here at the office today? You usually don't show up." Kashiwa Ippei, who was very particular about his appearance, tied his tie again, sat down at his seat, turned on his computer and checked his emails and schedule. At this time, he noticed someone's eyes were very subtle, and asked in confusion, "Why are you looking around everywhere?"

"You have your own workstation?" Yin Ze said in surprise.

"…Nonsense, I'm an employee here." Kashiwai Ippei was speechless.

"Me too, why don't I have one?"

"This is called flexible management. Voice actors run to different sets and stand on different stages every day. If there is no work, they will go to work on their own. This is a perfect interpretation of the flexible working system. Who would work in a company?"

"Speaking of which, how is your salary as an agent?" Yin Ze was a little curious.

"Keep your voice down. We are not allowed to discuss salaries within the company." Kashiwa Ippei looked around and whispered, "It's not bad. There is a lot of room for advancement. As the saying goes, a brave general must start from the ranks, and a prime minister must start from the prefectures and counties."

"Does that mean the initial salary is relatively low?" Yin Ze nodded.

"What am I talking about? This is called a competitive salary level." Kashiwai Ippei muttered.

"I see. Probably the average level of my peers."

"There are also option rewards, which you can't envy."

"Isn't this an enhanced version with a lot of room for improvement? While making promises, it can also keep wages lower. Besides, it hasn't been listed yet."

"Don't be so stubborn. We are already planning to raise funds." Kashiwa Ippei shook his head, his tone somewhat disdainful. "Don't mention these things. Is money the only thing you care about?"

"Of course not. I am actually a person with philosophical thinking and feelings. In my opinion, houses, cars, and marriage are not necessary. They are only temporary possessions, including this body of mine. Once I die, everything will turn to ashes." Yin Ze said slowly.

"That's a great point. Could you tell me the password for your bank card?"

"Aren't you indifferent to fame and fortune?"

"Yes, but that doesn't stop me from bending over backwards for a living."

"It's okay, I'll leave first."

"Wait a minute, why are you here today?" Kashiwai Ippei asked.

"Brother Nakajima was inspired by me and also wanted to taste the authentic Chinese fermented tofu with rice porridge. I specially bought a box of pure goods from overseas and came here specifically to give him a few cans." Yin Ze said frankly.

"Well, I've said it before, our IM and our parent company Arts Vision have always been famous for training the so-called 'idol voice actors'. You're actually promoting stinky tofu, a non-idol food, in the company. It's really damaging to the company's morale," Kashiwai Ippei reprimanded.

"It's fermented bean curd." Yin Ze corrected, and then said, "Even though you said that, I think our agency's style is to follow the Happy Comedian route, right?"

"Whatever happens, where's the stuff? Leave it to me first, and I'll give it back to you when you grow up." Kashiwa Ippei stood up and tried to see where the fermented tofu was hidden. While searching, he asked, "Why are you so prejudiced?"

"Okay, okay, I'll give you a bottle to try." Yin Ze reluctantly gave up and continued, "Senior Yoko has made a great contribution to comedy. Her own funny words even won the silver award in last year's JK Mobile Buzzword Awards. As a humorous beauty, she is also a voice actor loved by high school students and was invited by NHK to host a show called "Shuobao Shudao". What's wrong with that?"

"Oh, that scissor hand gesture and tongue sticking out to apologize cutely, I've seen it before. I still remember when she first joined the agency, she was disliked because she thought it was a bit disgusting... You must not take her as a role model. Once you completely become a funny character, it will be difficult to turn back." Kashiwa Ippei sighed, "No matter how much you cry, no one will sympathize with you, because you don't know when you have put on the mask of a clown. And humans will not sympathize with clowns."

"Haha, why are you still pretending to be a good person now? It was you who started it, Sir." When Yin Ze talked about this, he remembered the Silver Knight who still haunted him and the increasingly uncontrollable ghost videos on N Station. He smiled coldly, "I am just following the beginning you set and rushing along this road without regrets."

"?"

What's with this rebellious child-like statement?

"Nothing, I'll leave first." Yin Ze waved goodbye.

"Now that you're here, take the document and then run away." Kashiwai Ippei activated the Grasp of the Undying, pressed down on the young man's shoulders, and then stuffed a stack of photocopied paper into his arms.

"Sword Sanctum?" Yin Ze lowered his head and flipped through it, muttering.

"The Dream Tapir Girl is almost finished, right? So I have a new job for you. I took a look at the production lineup and follow-up plans, and it's quite extraordinary. Put in some effort and try to get the male lead. If it doesn't work, if you have amazing fake voice skills, it's not impossible for you to be the female lead..." Kashiwa Ippei rubbed his hands snobbishly.

"What subject matter?" Yin Ze asked.

"Urban, games, science fiction? Anyway, the novels are selling well, and the sales volume speaks for itself. This must be something that young people like." Kashiwai Ippei said simply.

"Only auditioning the male lead?"

"Not really. The audition is quite flexible. It depends on the attitude of the sound supervisor. But there are only a few main male roles, so there's nothing to pick."

"Why are there only so many male characters in such a large work? How can the plot be advanced if there are not enough characters?" Yin Ze asked.

"How should I know? If there are not enough male characters, then of course the gap will be filled by female characters. Will it be filled by monsters?" Kashiwai Ippei answered unhappily.

“So, this is a work with more female characters than male characters.” The man’s eyes flashed, and his whole aura gradually changed.

"Not bad." The agent nodded.

"——In other words, this is, the harem!" The man thought about it for a long time, and finally spit out the truth with excitement and trembling.

Kashiwa Ippei looked at the guy steadily for a few times, and then he also raised his voice, "Yes! That's right! Although I don't want to push you into this, fate is really unpredictable. Just treat this as a test! If you can grasp it, it's your good fortune, but if you fail, it means you don't have the talent in this area, and you can only find another way! No complaints, right?!"

"What are you talking about? I'm a professional voice actor, I don't have any dark thoughts at all. I try my best for every audition, and this time is no exception." Yin Ze said sternly, "In my opinion, there's nothing special about it. The protagonist and the supporting role are essentially the same. What I have always done is to pursue synchronization with the two-dimensional world and act."

"This audition is not easy and the competition is very fierce." Kashiwai Ippei sighed.

"The land of comfort is the grave of heroes. I never put myself in a comfortable environment. I just like challenges." Yin Ze raised his head.

"it is good!"

"Okay, I need to go back and study the script carefully. If you have nothing else, please don't disturb me!"

"it is good!"

Kashiwa Ippei silently watched the back of the man who was burning with vigorous fighting spirit and determined to win or die walk away. He poured a cup of hot tea and drank it slowly.

……

Matsuoka Yoshitsugu read the text message sent by his agent word for word, pondered for a long time, then put on his coat and hurried out, found the nearest bookstore, and asked the clerk as soon as he entered the door, "Excuse me, do you still sell the novel "Sword Sanctuary" here?"

"Also, what do the guests want?"

"Full set."

Chapter 141: Victory and Ambition

The plastic alarm clock I bought from the dollar store doesn’t look good, but the piercing sound of the ring, like a shrew’s nails scratching on glass, is so powerful that it will wake up the owner even if he is sleeping soundly, so overall, it is worth the money.

The alarm clock dings and dongs, hammers bang wildly, gongs and pots clang, and the evil sound fills the air. This terrifying and hateful noise is definitely the ultimate enemy of sweet dreams.

Matsuoka Yoshitsugu raised his messy head slowly and reached out to stop the old clock. This thing was so dedicated to its work every day, and who knew when it would be broken to pieces.

The arm fell naturally, and the man in shorts and shorts lying on the floor lay on his side, and there was no sound again.

As if it had seen through the laziness of human nature, after a few seconds of silence, the old alarm clock that had stopped suddenly started to ring wildly again.

Matsuoka Yoshitsugu stood up straight as if he had been summoned, kicked off the thin blanket, and covered his forehead sadly due to lack of sleep. The floor was scattered with light novels of different series with different covers. He read almost all night and fell asleep halfway through.

Fortunately, I set two alarms in advance, otherwise it would have been terrible.

Matsuoka Yoshitsugu shook his head, stood up and walked into the bathroom, quickly cleaned and tidied himself up. He sipped his breakfast milk, checked the doors and windows, and rushed to the audition with his small backpack filled with materials.

He has been preparing for the role these days, and bought all the original novels that have been released on the market and read them all night. At first, it was to fill in the impression, but gradually he was really attracted by the story, and unknowingly he had finished two large chapters. The dream was a floating city of steel - he was holding a sword, slashing the slime that looked like jelly, and his best friend in the distance was wearing a modern field uniform, throwing medical kits to raise blood, and Nobunaga was standing in a safe area insidiously with a lead rifle firing. In the end, it rained in the wild area, and all the team members were killed by lightning.

It’s a dream dungeon that mixes various elements... Of course, the original version does not have the thunderstorm mechanism, nor does it have advanced firearms and magic.

In the crowded carriage, Matsuoka Yoshitsugu closed his eyes and silently drew a portrait of the character, murmuring softly, adjusting his voice and tone.

...It's really annoying. I suddenly feel nervous. My heart is beating faster like when I was a student taking a final exam, and I feel uneasy walking home from school with the girl I had a crush on in middle school.

It seems that drinking only a box of milk and not eating anything else is the right choice. An empty stomach will not cause excessive vomiting.

A few dozen minutes later, he looked at the small building where the recording studio was located, took a deep breath, and walked in quietly. Compared with the previous ones, there were quite a lot of people coming to audition this time. The atmosphere was a little noisy, but this actually made people feel at ease. Communication was always better than being stressed and bored.

Matsuoka Yoshitsugu looked around, feeling as if he was meeting a fellow villager at a train station. Finally, he saw two familiar faces.

"You are here, when did you arrive?" He came forward to greet them.

"Eight o'clock." said Shimazaki Nobunaga, who was sitting upright on the sofa.

"I'll be there at half past seven." Yin Ze raised his lips slightly, declaring his victory quietly.

"So early? The door isn't open yet? Are you so diligent?" Matsuoka Yoshitsugu was surprised.

"This is just the most basic requirement of being punctual and arriving early. It's far from being dedicated." Shimazaki Nobunaga held the script and pushed the glasses on his nose with his middle finger. His voice was full of the meticulous rigor of a scholar.

"That's right, it's just a few hours of less sleep. I've overcome my sleepiness, but it hasn't reached the level of perseverance and diligence, so there's no need to make a fuss." Yin Ze also held the script, his face full of struggle and conquest.

Matsuoka Yoshitsugu felt that these two people were very different from usual.

"The fast food emperor doesn't seem to be in good shape today? Doesn't he catch up on sleep at this time in the past? Why is he still reading materials? Could it be that he has finally overused his brain and is overwhelmed and can't recite the lines? So he is desperately cramming?" Shimazaki Nobunaga teased.

"It's ridiculous. I have the ability to visit monuments at a glance. I have never missed a card when playing Landlord or Mahjong. What uncle or aunt in Chinatown would not be scared of me? The reason I am still reviewing is, of course, to seize every opportunity to figure out the script. But you big idiot Owari, why are you pretending to be such a gentleman today and dressing up like a scoundrel? What on earth do you want to do?" Yin Ze asked back nonchalantly.

"Haha, you ask even though you already know the answer. Of course I am giving my all to my work. You should know that a good appearance can also be reflected in your mental state. You took a shower and changed clothes before coming down. Now you feel refreshed from the inside out and in great shape. You will be able to fully demonstrate your strength in the next battle." Shimazaki Nobunaga smiled.

"Oh? The spokesperson for Honnoji Fire Department [Note: He is a character from the famous "Honnoji Incident" by Oda Nobunaga, where the protagonist is teasing Shimazaki Nobunaga], and he seems to be very motivated today. I wonder which role he wants to compete for?" Yin Ze turned a page.

"Of course it's the hero, Kirito Kojuto." Shimazaki Nobunaga raised his palm and chanted, laughing, "Mr. Minotaur, to be honest, this battle is predestined for me."

"You are possessed by a demon, my friend. I have seen through this work. It is nothing more than a story about a young man with two swords who relies on the fast local network speed to travel the world as a lone wolf to steal experience. There is neither the criticism of feudal superstition in traditional literature nor the humanistic thinking of science fiction under the starry sky." Yin Ze shook his head, "Shimazaki Nobunaga will sooner or later stand on Earth, no, he will be a great talent at the top of the Milky Way literature. He should voice various animations adapted from famous works. Don't seek temporary happiness and lose the immortal spirit of becoming a god. That would not be beautiful. It is better to give up quickly."

"Your understanding is really laughable. You are unworthy of being a student of literature at the University of Tokyo." Shimazaki Nobunaga said disdainfully, "Although popular literature is a commodity literature that operates according to the market mechanism and aims to satisfy readers' pleasure consumption, it does not mean it is inferior. Alexandre Dumas's "The Count of Monte Cristo" is a leader among them. From the court of Louis XVIII to the gloomy and terrifying prison, there are luxurious balls with extravagance and wealth, as well as the poor life of citizens. It is bizarre and mixed in one. While combining the plot and structure, it also satirizes the darkness of the July Monarchy, which is both popular and popular. "Sword Sanctuary" was published in October I started writing it years ago, and at that time I used the setting of an immersive online game. In the early stage, it tells the sensitive thoughts of young people, in the middle stage, it turns to detective-style decryption, and in the later stage, it begins to explore the technological revolution of artificial intelligence, the next generation. The writing is full of the author's own simplicity, and there are unremitting thoughts. The character creation is also colorful. It is a rare masterpiece in light novels and can become a representative symbol of the animation industry at this stage. Since I am destined to become the rising star king of the future light novel industry, I naturally shoulder the heavy responsibility of carrying forward the industry. Let me ask, who else can be the voice actor of the protagonist but me? "

"What Brother Shimazaki Nobunaga said is all specious arguments, not the truth. No one is interested in the "Legend of the Pluto in the Magical Otherworld" that he wrote with great care. It is clear that it is all just talk and is not worthy of discussion with the sages." Yin Ze snorted.

"It's a pity that today's liberal arts students always talk about classics and ancient teachings, and are busy with writing all day long. I think these people can only criticize others and play with words." Shimazaki Nobunaga sneered.

"So, are you determined to be an annoying obstacle?" Yin Ze narrowed his eyes.

"Such a masterpiece cannot be entrusted to someone who only has petty skills and who has thousands of words in his pen but no plan in his mind. Otherwise, he will be a hindrance for generations to come, and it will be too late to regret it!" Shimazaki Nobunaga snorted.

"Madman, do you want to try whether my sword is sharp?" Yin Ze narrowed his eyes.

"My sword is not bad either!" Shimazaki Nobunaga also had a fierce look in his eyes.

The two men were on both sides, with wind and clouds rising, and behind each of them appeared the white-browed tiger with hanging eyes and the Meng Zhang God with waves as high as the clouds.

"I've never seen you guys like this before... Are you all so eager to be the protagonist of this work?" Matsuoka Yoshitsugu, who was sandwiched in the middle, looked at the Azure Dragon on the left and the White Tiger on the right. He felt a little overwhelmed by their fiery fighting spirit, so he wiped the sweat from his forehead and asked.

"I have gambled my life, there is no way back." Shimazaki Nobunaga said.

"Do you want to be a clown throwing colored balls for the rest of your life, or be a gentle man for two quarters?" Yin Ze sighed.

"Although I don't mean to criticize you, I saw a lot of famous seniors." Matsuoka Yoshitsugu sighed, "All the powerful people are here."

"Even if all the eighteen princes gather together, with Liu, Guan and Zhang as the vanguard, I am not afraid." Yin Ze's fingers were so white as he pinched the pages of the book with such force, "My courage today is no less than that of Lu Bu at Hulao Pass!"

“Even if it’s Imagawa Yoshimoto’s army coming and 40,000 men attacking the city, I am not afraid.” Shimazaki Nobunaga’s fingers were clenched and made a crackling sound. “My courage today is no less than that of the Sixth Heavenly Demon King of Okehazama!”

"This is Hulao Pass!" Yin Ze corrected dissatisfiedly.

"Okehazama!" Shimazaki Nobunaga emphasized.