Swords and Blades: An Actor’s Work Journal

As everyone knows, words possess a special power. The world inhabited by the Time-Space Administration and the sword warriors is one of the worlds affected by words from other dimensions. The administration, established in the cracks between time and space, keenly sensed that it was being observed and quickly identified a way to turn that fact to its advantage. It was true: they couldn’t directly change the fate of a world under observation. But what if, by following the branching paths in those stories, they could offer the observers, the fanfiction writers, better ways for the stories to unfold? By making the stories more dramatic. As one of the agents carrying out these undercover assignments, Imagawa Nagi already understood the core of the mission very well. Then... Off you go, young man! [Story One: The Two-Faced Tsurumaru] The Honmaru’s sortie unit found a blood-soaked Tsurumaru at the designated location. They had two options. 1. Gently bring him back, then demand an explanation from the Time-Space Administration. 2. Forcefully bring him back, then demand an explanation from the Time-Space Administration. With smiles that were “benevolent” in the most menacing sense, the Honmaru’s residents chose: 3. Drag him back by force, demand a very, very, very thorough explanation from the Time-Space Administration, and investigate that Honmaru while they were at it. Fortunately, this Tsurumaru had no memory of anything, so the Time-Space Administration narrowly avoided a full-scale disaster. Is that really the point? With an expression that said he had no idea what to say, Shokudaikiri pulled the troublemaking swordsmen away. But his thoughtfulness didn’t seem to help. The next day, everyone stared at the shocking pool of blood spreading across the empty room. And “Tsurumaru” lay in the middle of it, his chest rising and falling faintly. [Story Two: Kunihiro, Rejected by His Master] Because he seemed excessively insecure, this Honmaru’s Kunihiro was despised by his master. He had never been loved, but at least he’d managed to go unnoticed, and his master hadn’t cared about him. But after this story’s Yamanbagiri Chougi arrived, everything changed. The master forced him to become as confident as Chougi, using his brothers as leverage. He had intended to keep forcing himself to carry on like that, until the Time-Space Administration extended an invitation and sent Imagawa Nagi to him. Chougi: ... Chougi: Has he changed completely? This story’s Chougi, hereafter referred to as “Chougi,” gave him a skeptical look. Well, let him be skeptical. At least Chougi provided powerful support! Click to see Yamanbagiri’s version take down a pair of disqualified masters! The story will feature five or six secret identities. Future roles will be chosen from Yasusada, Izuminokami, Ishida, Hasebe, Higekiri, and Mikazuki. ＊Reading Guide 1. This is a slow-paced story. If it’s not your cup of tea, please leave right away! Take care of your energy! 2. This is not meant to target authors who enjoy writing angsty fanfiction. The scenes mentioned are included only because the plot requires them. The story is about rewriting tragedies, not criticizing bad endings. 3. None of the “original works” in this story exist in real life or have real-life counterparts. They were all made up by the author, so please don’t assume they refer to anything specific. Theme: Starting over takes more than courage.