Aurora Studios, Ishtar Country, Hécate City.
The atmosphere in the office was… awkward, to put it mildly. The success of The Third Journey, the latest fantasy TV series dominating prime-time in Ishtar, had propelled almost everyone involved to stardom overnight.
Aurora, the studio head, paced near the floor-to-ceiling windows, clearly eager to finalize a contract with the actress Emily, who had just walked in. Mark, the lead actor of the previous series, lounged in a corner chair, exuding an unmistakable "keep your distance" vibe, while Emily, a little tense, discreetly swallowed hard.
Earlier that morning, Ishtar's entertainment news cycle had been shaken by a bombshell: Emily, one of the rising young stars known as the "New Four Leading Ladies," who had portrayed Artemia in The Third Journey, had broken up with Alex.
Alex.
Anyone who followed Ishtar's television dramas and blockbuster series would know exactly who he was.
The charming Eric Tucker, the heroic figure in The Blue Lantern Legacy.The brilliant and untouchable Owen Miller in Snow of King.The intense and commanding Gabriel Hawk in World's Finest.The carefree and magnetic Leo Shaw in Legends of the Original Heroes.The witty and sharp detective Ryan Benete in Detective Conan: Chronicles.
Every one of these high-rating, nostalgic roles that had defined a generation of viewers across Ishtar had been played by him.
There was no exaggeration in calling him a national heartthrob.
The only reason his fame hadn't yet become global was that his work hadn't fully crossed over to international markets. Otherwise, he could easily rival any top star worldwide.
Even Mark, who was sitting not far away, couldn't help but call him "boss."
And Mark was older than Alex. More importantly, Alex had been the catalyst for Mark's career.
Years ago, during the filming of The First Journey, Mark had only been an extra.
But Alex, already confirmed for the lead role of Leo Shaw, personally recommended Mark for the supporting role of James Cormie to the director.
That single recommendation had catapulted Mark into instant stardom.
Now, Emily's situation mirrored Mark's early days. She had been dating Alex while studying at the Ishtar Academy of Performing Arts. He had taken her under his wing, promoting her with strategic precision.
The result was almost immediate:
By the time she was twenty-five, Emily had already become a prominent young actress, shooting up the ranks faster than anyone could have predicted.
Unfortunately, they had broken up.
Originally, the role of Artemia had been intended for Lydia Evans, a well-established A-list actress.
Thanks to Alex's insistence, however, Emily had secured the part.
"He really likes them eighteen…" Mark muttered under his breath, shaking his head slightly.
He and Alex had a long history. During the filming of The Journeys and Snow of King, Alex had dated several actresses, then moved on quickly.
And now Emily was the latest in the pattern.
Mark had started to notice it after so many years: Alex's romantic choices always gravitated toward girls aged eighteen to twenty. Past twenty, things tended to end soon after.
Vzzz~
Mark's phone buzzed.
It was a message from Alex:
[Do you have time to meet? I have a new script and I want you to be in it.]
Mark froze.
Almost simultaneously, Emily received the same message.
Yes, Alex had sent it to both of them.
The next day, Mark found himself in a chic bistro in downtown Ishtar City, sitting across from Alex and Emily.
Seeing them together, Mark felt an involuntary shiver run down his spine.
He wanted to scream his inner refrain:
"Holy crap!"
He had always known Alex was ruthless, but this… this was audacity at another level.
Calling an ex to act alongside him?
As expected, Emily leaned back slightly, adopting a deliberately sharp tone:
"Oh, I really didn't expect our great Alex to call me, his ex, allegedly 'past my prime,' for a role. Truly honored."
Mark could only blink, unable to suppress a grin.
Emily wasn't even twenty-five yet; "past my prime" was absurd.
And Alex? He remained perfectly composed, his face calm and flawless, like the kind of perfection that could dominate any premiere in Ishtar—or anywhere else.
With deliberate calm, Alex took out two scripts and placed them on the table in front of Emily and Mark:
"These are my scripts. I want you two to play the supporting male and female roles."
Mark, finally breaking from his stunned curiosity, grabbed the script immediately.
Emily, though still slightly annoyed, started reading carefully.
There was a saying in Ishtar's entertainment circles:
"You may question Alex's character, but never his looks."
And another:
"Anything produced by Alex is guaranteed excellence."
Indeed, from the very beginning of his career, Alex had taken on countless roles, and not once had he failed to impress.
Upon hearing Alex claim that the script was his own creation, both Mark and Emily froze.Alex had never written a script before. This… was completely unexpected.
Bleach.
The moment their eyes fell on the title, they both paused.A horror movie? Could it really be?
Curiosity won, and they began flipping through the pages.
The protagonist, Ichigo Kurozaki, appeared at first glance to be impulsive, even violent—but beneath that rough exterior beat a kind and steadfast heart. His life was simple, ordinary, spent with his father, who ran a small clinic, and his two sisters.
But everything changed the day he met a shinigami named Rukia Kuchiki. That encounter triggered a chain of extraordinary events, twisting his world into something entirely unrecognizable.
As they turned page after page, Mark and Emily were drawn in completely. Every detail, every twist, gripped them like a vise—they couldn't stop reading.
"And Rukia… what happens to her in the end?"
Emily's voice was tense as they reached the final pages.Rukia, it turned out, was taken back to the Soul Society by her brother, Byakuya Kuchiki, and the story concluded there, leaving no further threads untied.
Alex only smiled faintly, his expression unreadable."Just kidding… we haven't even officially started production yet. How could I possibly give away the rest?"
Mark leaned forward, asking the question that weighed heaviest on everyone's mind:"Alex… you're not playing Ichigo Kurozaki, are you?"
"No. Ichiro will be you. I'm playing the villain," Alex replied, a mysterious, almost dangerous smile curling at the corner of his lips.
"Villain?"
The word hit Mark and Emily like a cold gust. Instantly, they recalled the final scene in the script—Byakuya defeating Ichiro in a single, merciless strike.Sheer power. Cold. Unyielding.
Was this the villain Alex intended to portray? It fit… yet there was a deeper layer they hadn't realized.
The true antagonist Alex was preparing to embody was not just any villain.He was the ultimate nemesis of the story, the legendary, unforgettable SUPER BOSS from the classic anime that had shaped generations:Sosuke Aizen.