After dropping out of school, I chose to join a girls' band.

Her heart was racing, and her palms were sweating.

"Could it really be a ghost story scenario..." Aine gritted her teeth, trying to stop herself from having such wild thoughts. She quickened her pace, hoping to find a familiar place as soon as possible.

Finally, she saw a signpost placed by the roadside, with only one destination in both directions—the stage.

When the Stage Begins: Chapter 109 Escape?

“Stage? What does that mean…” Ai Yin frowned, feeling even more confused, but at this moment there was no better choice.

She decided to go in that direction, silently praying that she could find someone to ask for directions as soon as possible.

No... in this situation, what appears in front of her might not even be a person...

Chihaya Aine continued walking forward. The streetlights gradually transformed into stage lights, and the buildings on both sides of the street seemed to gradually become stage backdrops. The originally solid cement pavement had now become a wooden floor on a stage, and Aine's footsteps sounded particularly clear on it.

Suddenly, a huge building appeared in front of us.

Aiyin stopped and looked up at the building, feeling both nervous and curious.

"Is this... the theater that the road sign said?"

"No matter what...at least there's a clue..."

Although rushing in like this feels like something bad might happen like in those horror movies, standing outside isn't a good option either.

"...Where exactly is this place?" she muttered to herself, her heart filled with doubt and unease. But at this moment, she had no other choice but to bite the bullet and go in.

Pushing open the door, Ai Yin entered the building, but what she saw was not the theatrical stage she had seen before, but a place that was both strange and familiar to her—the classroom she had stayed in when she was studying in England.

The dim lighting in the classroom gave off an eerie atmosphere. Ai Yin's heart raced, and she looked around, feeling uneasy.

On each seat in the classroom sat a black cardboard cutout of a person. These cutouts sat there silently, like a group of silent spectators, each one seemingly staring at her, making her feel a chill run down her spine.

Why...why here?

She walked into the classroom step by step, her footsteps echoing in the empty space.

"Ann, please start introducing yourself."

The spotlight shone on the cardboard cutout on the podium, and the familiar female voice coming from it made Chihaya Aine feel her heart stop. It was her teacher from England, and it was from this self-introduction that she realized the gap between herself and her classmates, which led to her desire to escape.

"Ann, please start introducing yourself." The teacher's voice rang out again, and all the spotlights above turned on, shining on Ann and making her the focus of the entire room.

Aine felt a strong sense of oppression, as if she were trapped in an invisible cage and could not escape.

Her breathing became rapid, her heartbeat quickened, and she could almost hear her own heart pounding in her ears.

She forced herself to calm down. Although so much time had passed, she still remembered her self-introduction from back then. She took a deep breath and tried to make her voice steady, "My name is Anonchihaya..."

However, as she spoke, Aine's voice grew softer again. Although no one around her was saying anything, and the people around her were just life-sized standees that didn't make any noise, she still felt like she was being mocked silently.

Her voice became intermittent, and the unease and fear in her heart surged up again. She gripped the edge of the table tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force, her eyes revealing helplessness and panic.

“Ann, hurry up. Please continue.” The teacher’s voice was devoid of any emotion, as if it were a cold command.

Aine's vision blurred, and sweat rolled down her forehead. She tried to concentrate, but found that her voice was getting softer and softer until she could barely hear herself.

“My name is An…” she tried again, but her voice was almost a whisper. Her throat felt dry, and the pressure in her heart grew stronger, as if she were about to suffocate.

The black signboards seemed to be getting closer and closer, as if they were silently approaching her. Each signboard's eyes were filled with indifference and mockery, making her feel utterly isolated and helpless.

A strong urge to escape began to well up within her; she wanted to turn around and flee this terrifying classroom, away from the suffocating gazes and oppressive atmosphere. But her feet seemed nailed to the ground, unable to move.

"Ann, are you running away again?" the teacher's voice questioned Ai Yin mercilessly.

Ai Yin bit her lip tightly, her heart filled with pain and struggle. She knew she could no longer run away, she could no longer let the shadows of the past bind her. She had already done so much mental preparation before, and she had said that she would not run away anymore, hadn't she?

Her vision blurred with tears. She tried to calm herself down, took a deep breath, and tried to find her voice.

“i…”

“Ann, speak up!” The teacher’s voice was cold and stern.

Ai took another deep breath, trying to make her voice firmer, "My name..."

But her words caught in her throat again, and her voice became weak again, as if she didn't even believe her own words.

“Ann, look at yourself!” The teacher’s voice was full of sarcasm. “You are nothing but a coward, afraid to face the truth, afraid to face yourself! You only know how to escape.”

These words struck Aine like a heavy hammer, filling her with immense pain and despair. Tears streamed down her face silently, her heart overflowing with helplessness and self-reproach.

"Don't say anything..." Ai Yin said softly.

"what?"

"I told you to stop talking, I'm not going to run away anymore!" Ai-yin's voice gradually grew louder, as if she were speaking to the "teacher" while also seemingly trying to persuade herself.

She took a deep breath, trying to make her voice firm and strong, and slowly recited the self-introduction she had always memorized: "My name is Ann Chihaya. Not ann!"

As her voice gradually became clearer and stronger, the classroom lights softened, the black signs seemed to blur, and the darkness in the surrounding classrooms was gradually dispelled.

When the Stage Opens: Chapter 110 - Revue of Guidance

“Anon, well done.” The teacher’s voice softened, with a hint of approval.

Before Aine could even understand what was happening, the life-size cardboard cutouts of what appeared to be her former classmates vanished, and the wall with the blackboard hanging on it was lifted up by the stage equipment on the ceiling, revealing the door behind it.

The gate is also marked in small print: simply insert a sparkle to open it.

“Shining?” Ai Yin murmured to herself. Although she had a general understanding of what shining was, it didn’t seem like a coin that could be inserted into anything, and there was no coin slot in the door.

"Let's give it a try anyway?" She tentatively placed her hand on the doorknob.

Aine's fingers gently touched the cold doorknob, and she felt an indescribable presence flowing from her fingertips into the doorway.

————The dividing line for reproduction————

Pushing open the door, Aine suddenly noticed a change in her clothes. Her original school uniform was gone, replaced by a set of military attire resembling that of an old-fashioned era, and she was holding a katana.

Ai Yin examined her own clothes. The delicate embroidery shimmered slightly under the light. The dark blue coat with gold buttons made her look dignified and heroic.

A bright red cape was tied around the shoulders of the coat, its edges carefully sewn with gold patterns, fluttering gently in the wind and adding to its dashing and heroic air.

She looked down at herself; the fabric of her clothes was soft and comfortable, yet it strangely made her feel full of power.

Ai Yin still felt her head was full of questions, "What is this?"

As Aine called out, the theater lights gradually came on, and soft light filled the entire space. After the lights came on, Aine realized that Hinasaki was sitting right in the center of the stage.

Yue slowly opened her eyes, as if she had just woken up from a deep sleep. She yawned, rubbed her eyes, and then looked up in the direction of Ai Yin.

"Aiyin..." Yue's voice carried a hint of languor from just waking up.

"moon?"

Aine called out Yue's name uncertainly. After all, she had just experienced such strange things, and who knew if the Yue in front of her was one of those fake beings?

Aine slowly walked towards the stage, her eyes filled with a hint of doubt and wariness. "Moon, where exactly is this place? How did you get here? And what happened just now?"

"This is the stage." Yue's words did not resolve Aine's doubts; instead, they only confused her more.

Aine asked, "I know this is a stage, but I mean, what kind of stage is this for performances?"

"Aine...didn't you ask me before what exactly Shining is?"

When Yue stood up from the stage, Aine noticed that there was a knife next to her. Aine had no idea what type of knife it was.

"This stage is for showcasing your brilliance," Yue said slowly, drawing her Mo Dao (a type of long-handled sword) from its sheath. The blade gleamed coldly under the lights, as if it could slice through the air in an instant.

"Through the reproduction just now, Aine, you have proven that you have the ability to shine. Now, come and show it on stage."

"So, how exactly should we showcase something as dazzling?"

Aine was still somewhat annoyed by Yue's riddle-like behavior.

"Well... I'm not really sure how to explain it. Aine, you should experience it for yourself, just like Riki."

As soon as Yue finished speaking, she began reciting the lyrics, announcing the start of this Revue: "Dazzled by the brilliance, lost on the stage. Keyboardist of the nameless band, Hinasaki Yue! On this stage, reborn as before, guiding the future for the fruits of new life."

After saying that, Yue immediately rushed off the stage with her sword and swung it at Aine below.

"What what what!" Aine exclaimed in shock. Seeing the moon's blade drawing ever closer, she didn't even think about resisting; she turned and ran. Her heart pounded, her steps hurried, yet her sense of danger made her exceptionally agile.

The moon's blade drew a silver arc in the air, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, almost grazing Aine's back.

After discovering that the door behind her was locked, Aine felt that chill again and hurried toward the stage in fear. If the door behind her was blocked, then there should be another door on the stage leading backstage.

Yue questions Ai Yin with her lyrics: "Face your own heart! On this stage, show your true brilliance."

Aine dashed around the stage, trying to find a way to escape, but after hearing what Yue said, her steps gradually slowed down, and she eventually stood on the stage waiting for Yue.

A hint of relief flashed in Yue's eyes, and then she brandished her knife and attacked Aine once again.

Aine nervously reached out her knife to block Yue's attack, but to her surprise, her body reacted before her brain could react, and her hand naturally took the correct defensive stance to block Yue's attack.

The glint of blades and the shadows of swords intertwined on the stage, the clanging of metal echoed in the air, and Aine's sword shimmered in the moonlight. Although each of her attacks seemed somewhat hasty, with practice she gradually found the right moment to counterattack.

The fight between the two on stage was like a magnificent dance, with flashing swords and shadows.

Seeing that Aine was gradually getting used to the stage, she began to explain to Aine, "This is the stage. As long as you can shine on it, the stage will respond to you."

Yue finally stopped holding back, her attacks suddenly quickened, and her blade flashed like raindrops. Aine gritted her teeth and went all out, her sword drawing streaks of light in the air as she blocked Yue's every attack.

Although she hadn't learned the lyrics for the stage performance, the words she wanted to say came out naturally in her voice: "Since we can't escape, we can only face it."

"Facing the blade, I fight back fiercely, searching for my own shining moment on this stage."

Her sword drew a perfect arc in the air, heading straight for the moon's blade.

"While I really want to congratulate you, Aion, on finding your own brilliance, on this stage, simply not running away is far from enough."

Yue forcefully deflected Aine's blade, then used the blade to slash the ropes binding the cloak behind her.

The moment Aine's cloak touched the ground, the stage curtain also fell.

"Position zero! Today's guidance has come to a perfect end."

When the Stage Begins: Chapter 111 The audition must be over by now...?

After leaving the revue space, Aine brought Yue to her home. (The rest of the text appears to be unrelated and possibly machine-generated gibberish.)

After Yue Jiandan greeted Ai Yin's mother, Ai Yin led her to her room. The room was filled with a faint floral fragrance and a clean and tidy atmosphere, which made people feel relaxed, a stark contrast to the damp and dark place she had been in the day before.