Substitute Toyokawa Shoko, you can become stronger by breathing

She tried hard to hide the trembling, but it only made it more obvious.

The girl's golden eyes were lowered, her gaze unfocused, as if she was looking at something far away.

Her lips had lost their color and were tightly pressed into a line, and even her breathing had become shallow and rapid. Ruoye Mu's face was pale to the point of being transparent, and fine beads of cold sweat oozed from her forehead.

"I'll be on stage in half an hour..."

Sanjiao Chuhua asked. The girl's short golden hair was very exquisitely styled, which contrasted beautifully with her mask.

"How is everyone preparing..?"

These words hit Ruoye Mu's heart like a heavy hammer. Her shoulders trembled violently and she almost fell off the chair.

Thinking of the thousands of pairs of eyes she was about to face, she felt dizzy, and her throat seemed to be tightly strangled by an invisible hand, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.

Visual phobia—Rukaba Mu's nightmare. On weekdays, she tried her best to avoid eye contact with others, even keeping her head down when communicating with familiar teammates.

And now, she was about to stand in the spotlight, being watched, judged, and scrutinized by thousands of strangers...the thought almost overwhelmed her.

Kujo Renji was tidying up his performance clothes, but his amber eyes keenly caught the figure that was almost curled up in the corner.

He noticed something unusual about Ruoye Mu—a state of fear that went beyond her usual nervousness. She looked not just nervous, but on the verge of collapse.

"Check the masks and costumes," he said to the others, his voice calm but powerful.

After saying that, he walked calmly towards the corner where Ruoye Mu was.

Instead of approaching her directly, he stopped within her sight first, giving her enough time to prepare mentally and avoiding scaring the sensitive girl.

Wakaba Mutsu seemed to be aware of his presence, his shoulders slightly tensed, but he did not look up.

Kujo Renji squatted down in front of her so that his eyes were level with hers instead of looking down at her from above.

This small adjustment in posture immediately relieved some of Ruoye Mu's pressure.

"Mu, look at me..."

He said softly, his voice gentle but with a power that could not be denied.

Ruo Ye Mu reluctantly raised his head, his golden eyes filled with panic and anxiety, like a small animal trapped in a corner.

"Breathe..." Kujo Renji instructed, his voice as calm as a lake: "Follow my rhythm, take a deep breath."

He began to demonstrate, breathing slowly and rhythmically.

Ruoye Mu hesitated for a moment, then subconsciously followed his rhythm, and his tense chest began to rise and fall regularly.

"very good.."

Jiujo Liansi encouraged softly:

"continue."

After taking a few deep breaths, Ruo Yemu's complexion recovered a little, but the fear in his eyes still did not dissipate.

"I...I can't."

She finally spoke, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz.

Jiujo Liansi tilted his head slightly, his eyes as gentle as flowing water, yet with a power that could not be ignored:

"Do you know what the true meaning of the mask is, Mu?"

Wakaba Mutsu shook his head in confusion, his fingers still tightly gripping the guitar.

"Masks are more than just decoration, more than just a concept."

Kujo Renji lowered his voice a bit, as if sharing a secret: "It's a barrier, a protection. When you wear a mask, no one can truly see you, and you don't have to see anyone."

A trace of confusion flashed in Ruoye Mu's eyes, and Jiujo Renji continued:

"You're not in front of an audience, Mu. You're just playing the music, just like you would in an empty studio."

He looked into Ruoye Mu's eyes, making sure she understood every word he said:

"Imagine that there is no one in the audience, only darkness. Or, if you must see something, imagine them as lifeless dolls, sitting there quietly, without eyes, without consciousness, without judgment."

This suggestion seemed to touch something in Wakaba Mu's heart, and her eyes lit up slightly.

"Doll..." she repeated in a low voice, as if testing the concept.

"Yes, it's a doll."

Kujo Renji nodded in confirmation. "Inanimate objects neither judge nor laugh at you. They simply... exist."

Ruoye Mu's breathing became steadier and the trembling of his fingers also eased a lot.

Kujo Renji could feel that she was accepting this idea and building this illusion of safety in her mind.

“Imagine that stage.”

He added softly:

"You are not standing there alone. We are all here together, the five of us. If you feel lost, just listen to my music. I will always be there to show you the way."

These words seemed more effective than all the previous comforts.

Wakaba Mu's eyes suddenly raised up and met Kujo Renji's gaze. He was slightly surprised by the long-lost direct gaze.

"You'll...always be there?" she asked softly, a hint of uncanny hope in her voice.

"of course."

Kujo Renji nodded affirmatively:

"I'm always going to be there. No matter what happens, I'm not leaving the stage."

This promise was like a shot of adrenaline. Ruo Yemu's shoulders visibly relaxed and the color on his face gradually returned.

She took a deep breath and lowered her head again, but this time it was no longer out of fear, but to collect her thoughts.

Jiujo Renji stood up and patted her shoulder gently:

"Now, let's show these 'dolls' what real music is."

Ruoye Mu finally smiled, the first one of the night, small but very real.

She stood up, gripping her guitar tightly, and her golden eyes were no longer filled with pure fear, but with a hint of determination.

At the moment when Jiujo Renji turned and left, Wakaba Mu whispered: "Thank you..."

Jiujo Renji's steps paused slightly, but he did not look back. He just nodded slightly and continued walking forward.

Ruoye Mu looked at his back, and the strange sense of security in her heart became stronger. She didn't know what this change would bring to the future.

But at this moment, in the tense moment before stepping onto the stage, she only knew one thing - this new "Xiaoxiang" gave her an unprecedented sense of security and courage.

And this may be enough.

“Now, Ave mujica…” His voice rose a few notes, carrying an electrifying force, “let’s go and create a performance that will not be forgotten.”

Ruoye Mu looked at this scene and stretched out his hand, as if he wanted to grab something.

But after a moment, the hand dropped.

.....

The stage lights suddenly went out, and the noise in the audience gradually dissipated into the darkness.

A low organ sound slowly rose from the darkness, like the sound of prayers echoing in an ancient church.

Then, a dark red beam of light descended from the sky, illuminating a figure in the center of the stage—a blue-haired girl stood there, an elaborate mask suspended above her head, her amber eyes gleaming mysteriously beneath the mask.

"ようこそ, おいでなさい... (Welcome to the world of masquerade, forget the truth tonight...)"

Kujo Renji's voice was like a whisper from another dimension, carrying a charm that did not belong to this world, echoing throughout the venue.

As these words fell, the curtain at the back of the stage slowly opened, revealing a huge set that resembled a Gothic church.

The stained glass windows cast mottled light and shadows, and a huge organ stands in the back, with stone angel statues on both sides, looking down at the audience below like guardians.

More dim red lights came on, illuminating the other four members - each of them had a mask with iconic features suspended in front of them, symbolizing their role in Ave Mujica.

Sankaku Hatsuka stood in the lead vocal position, holding a guitar, her short golden hair burning like flames under the blood-red light; Wakaba Mutsu was on the right side of the stage, her light green medium-length hair hanging down on her shoulders; Hachiman Kairin stood on the left, her short black hair and dark clothes blending into the shadows; Yutenji Wakamu was on the drums, her short purple hair glowing under the black light.

Kujo Renji's fingers gently slid across the keyboard.

"The territory is invaded... (The territory is invaded...)"

Sanjiao Chuhua's voice is high and penetrating, interwoven with the deep harmonies.

The drums suddenly exploded, and Yutenji Wakamu's hands danced on the drums like lightning, and the precise and wild rhythm instantly ignited the entire venue. Hachiman Kailin's bass followed closely behind, and the heavy bass sounded like an echo from hell;

Wakaba Mutsu's guitar is like a sharp blade, cutting through every piece of silence.

"そうプラットフォームはUP下する...(Yes, you can control the stage at will...)"

The sound of Kujo Renji's keyboard rose and fell, as if controlling the ups and downs of the entire stage. His figure looked particularly dazzling under the dim red light, his blue hair swayed gently with the rhythm of the music, and his amber eyes behind the mask flashed with a captivating light.

As the music progressed, a mechanism above the stage activated, and dozens of masks with different expressions descended from the sky, swirling and hovering in mid-air. Red ribbons dangled from the masks, dripping onto the stage like tears of blood. The suspended masks spun and rose and fell in time with the music, creating a surreal spectacle.

"新しく记されたmyバースデイ...(New record of the day of my birth...)"

Sanjiao Chuhua took a step forward, his golden hair dancing, and the guitar in his hand let out a sharp howl.

"I feel burning and stuffy tonight... (The pain of karma I feel tonight...)"

The entire stage was suddenly enveloped in an even richer red light, as if it were truly surrounded by flames.

The five members' performances were perfectly synchronized, and their music was like an invisible force, impacting the souls of every audience member.

At this moment, Kujo Renji's fingers danced across the keyboard, like a ruler commanding the entire world. He didn't leave his position, but his presence continued to expand, as if to absorb the entire stage into himself.

“Hmm, 生々しい艷かしい Mad Day Na... (Vivid, vibrant, voluptuous, and crimson crazy daily life...)”

Countless pairs of eyes in the audience were unconsciously attracted to Jiujo Renji, as if she had an invisible magnetic field.

Even though the performances of other musicians were equally wonderful, people's attention always involuntarily returned to the blue-haired girl.

Even the other band members would cast surprised glances from time to time - although they were all concentrating on their own performances, they could not resist the attraction and their eyes drifted towards the keyboardist's position again and again.

This aura...is different from the Shoko Toyokawa they remember.

“Secret めいたruler loo-la, cool, cool (The rules are full of mysteries, loo-la cool cool...)”

Kujo Renji's fingers danced across the black and white piano keys. As he played, all the floating masks on the stage suddenly spun simultaneously, casting a kaleidoscope of light and shadow, as if surrendering to his will. His voice became increasingly bewitching, carrying an irresistible gravity.

"ようこそおいでなさい"说げる...(Announce 'Welcome to come here'...)"

"The beginning of time..."

The music reached a high level, and the performances of the five people blended perfectly together to create an unprecedented auditory feast.

Yet, within this perfect ensemble, the sound of Kujo Renji's keyboard was like a thread, guiding the direction of all the other instruments. The audience cheered like a tide, but everyone's eyes were unconsciously focused on the blue-haired girl wearing the mask of oblivion.

One of Kujo Renji's hands briefly left the keyboard, tracing an arc in the air as if to embrace the entire world, before returning to the keys without a pause. At this moment, his presence was so powerful it almost overwhelmed everything else.

Music is a performance, and performance means there is room for personal expression.

As long as the aura is strong enough, some technical flaws will be covered up.

The dark red lights flowed like blood, the suspended masks spun like ghosts, and the church setting seemed to come alive in the changing light and shadow.

..

The last note on the stage dissipated into the air, and the audience's cheers surged like a tide.

Kujo Renji bowed slightly, her blue twintails swaying gently with the movement, and a satisfied light flashed in her amber eyes.

Sweat dripped down her cheeks, but she didn't care and still maintained that charming smile on her face.

As he exited the stage with the other members and walked into the passage leading backstage, the tension on stage finally relaxed.

"That's fantastic..."

Toyokawa Shoko's voice rang out in the space of consciousness, with an excitement and relief that was difficult to conceal.

Kujo Renji could feel her emotions blooming like fireworks in the mental space they shared.

"You did it, and it was much better than we expected."

Kujo Renji did not respond immediately, he let himself immerse in the afterglow of the performance.

He had experienced many life-and-death situations, but standing on the stage, being watched by thousands of eyes and swept by the torrent of music was a completely different feeling.

It was pure power, a sense of control that didn't require fear or violence, an ability to touch people's hearts directly.

“So this is the charm of acting…”