Stage Performance!

Kamira
...Is it almost time for the stage? Haah~ I'm getting nervous even though I'm just watching.

Kamira
Towa probably doesn't need to worry, but I wonder if Mitorin will be okay? Even though she had rehearsal, she was more tense than during a regular stage performance...

Chiho
...

Chiho
Towa-chan.

MC
-Thank you all for waiting! We'll be sharing "Phantasma" update information! Now! First, please take a look at this footage!

Kamira
Oh! It's starting~!

Mito
...Hah. The stage...it's finally starting.

Mito
(Towa-chan is waiting in another area with the producer... She seems completely relaxed, talking with them normally.)

Mito
(I've memorized the flow we did during rehearsal, but to avoid making mistakes...maybe I should simulate it one more time.)

Mito
(Let's see, after the update information PV ends, Towa-chan and the producer will come on stage...)

Mito
(They'll talk for a while, then Towa-chan will play the game. After that, they'll start discussing Dina's new story, and that's when I'll be called...)

Mito
What should I do...my hands are starting to shake... If Iroha-chan were here like usual...maybe I'd feel more at ease.

Mito
...I need to do my best...

MC
And that concludes Motosu Towa-san's brilliant gameplay! The audience was quite heated, wasn't it!

Towa
Ehhhhh, it's over already!? There are still so many maps I haven't played and weapons I haven't used-!

Game Producer
Well, I've seen Motosu-san's gameplay on streams before, but I'm surprised at how knowledgeable you are...I'm truly grateful.

Game Producer
You must be busy with your acting career, yet you seem to play "Phantasma" quite a lot. Thank you very much.

Towa
O-of course~. After all, "Phantasma" is so much fun~

MC
Motosu-san was in the highest rank this season too. You're very strong!

Towa
Strong? Thank you for the compliment♪ Actually, I've been playing since release and have maintained my rank almost the entire time.

MC
Since release...!?

Towa
Ahaha~ Well, it was really popular at school for a while! I've been playing almost every week since then...

Game Producer
Wow, that's amazing. Your friends must be surprised by your gameplay! Perhaps you could even aim to be a professional gamer!?

MC
Right~. I really think so too!

Towa
Could I become a pro gamer? That might be nice, or something like that...

Towa
(Sigh, it's such a hassle having to put on an act when speaking in public. The MC and producer are handling things well, but...)

Towa
(I accepted this because I could play the update content early, but now that the gameplay demonstration is over, I wish my part would end soon...)

Towa
(The next highlight should be Mito appearing in cosplay. Maybe I should bring up the topic earlier.)

Towa
By the way, I didn't use her earlier, but...

Towa
"Dina's" story is being added in this update, right?

Game Producer
Ah! Yes, as revealed in the PV earlier. In this version, we'll delve into Dina's past, which many users have been curious about. Please look forward to it!

Towa
That's nice~ I like gunners, so I mostly use characters from the non-powered faction. But swords have that romantic appeal, don't they~

MC
They really do! Especially the abilities of powered faction characters like Dina are all based on magic and are so wonderful~

MC
If I recall correctly, she has the ability of "electricity," right? Somehow that seems close to the name of your troupe...?

Towa
Ahahaha...

Game Producer
Yes. The effects are colorful, and the attack motions are cool too. Our designers paid special attention to the skill activation scenes!

Game Producer
Speaking of Dina, there's also-

Mito
(Towa-chan's early gameplay demo is over...I think? Huh...? They're talking about Dina sooner than I expected...?)

Mito
(This flow means I'll be called soon...!? What should I do, what should I do...)

Chiho
For instance, being conscious of switching on. Count to 3, then "click." Imagine that this is how you enter the role.

Mito
Switching-!

Mito
......

Mito
Alright.

Mito
"Combat preparations complete. Mission details understood, proceeding as planned."

MC
-Now let's call her! Northern Lights organization member, Dina! Step forward!

Kamira
Oh, is this the part where Mitorin comes out...!? The cheering is so loud... Wait, is that smoke they're using? The production value is insane...!

Mito
"-Don't move!"

Kamira
Huh?

Mito
"Make even the slightest movement and I'll cut you down. I don't favor unnecessary bloodshed. Retreat now and I'll let you go."

MC
Ohhh! Our squad leader has arrived!

Towa
...Hmm~

Audience Member A
Her accuracy is so high! Who is that cosplayer?

Audience Member B
I believe she's Shiromaru Mito from Gekidan Denki. It was announced on social media.

Audience Member A
So she's an actor. Doesn't it seem like...Dina herself just walked out?

Chiho
...Fufu.

Kamira
Is that really Mitorin...!? Amazing...!

Mito
"..."

Kamira
(Wow... What is this...? Just being looked at by Mitorin is giving me chills...!)

Game Producer
The level of completion is incredible...Shiromaru-san, thank you for appearing today.

Mito
"Yes, there's no issue with my schedule. If this is a mission only I can accomplish, I have no choice but to accept it."

MC
Oh...? You're going to continue speaking in character?

Towa
Ah, she's often like this~ Once she gets into a role, she doesn't really come out of it...

Game Producer
As expected... Her tone and mannerisms are very close to the character. To see Dina recreated to this extent is truly moving.

Mito
"I'm glad to have exceeded expectations. By the way...who will give the order to start the operation? Do you need backup?"

Towa
No, everyone's backing YOU up. The operation has already started!

MC
Ahaha. Well, this is my first time working with Shiromaru-san, but she's an interesting person.

MC
Well then, let's move on to the next program! About the new story focusing on Dina's past, which is a highlight of this update-

MC
-With that, we conclude the "Phantasma" update information reveal!

Towa
...You...

Mito
Eep...! I'm sorry for causing trouble, Towa-chan!

Towa
Geez! This request was for you to be a cosplayer! Why did you answer as Dina when asked for opinions about Dina's story!

Towa
It worked out somehow because I covered for you. But the MC was confused!

Mito
I thought I understood that it was different from acting on stage, but once I got into the role, I just...

Kamira
Now, now. The audience loved it, didn't they? The producer was happy too! Besides, this was Mitorin's first experience with something like this.

Mito
That's true. I think I learned a lot this time...

Towa
...Sigh.

Towa
Well, the fans were happy, so I guess it's fine.

Towa
But seriously, talk about being misleading. You were saying you were anxious about doing well at first, but once it started, you were completely immersed.

Kamira
That's right. We didn't need to worry at all. You really embodied the character!

Mito
...Um. Before getting on stage, Mito remembered Chiho-chan's advice.

Towa
Chiho?

Mito
Yeah. Um...she said to create a routine for getting into character. Like flipping a switch...

Mito
When I focused on that...I felt like it worked a little bit.

Towa
...Hmm? Advice from that girl... You talked that deeply with her.

Mito
Well, maybe not that deeply... But we did talk.

Towa
Have you forgotten that Olympus was the troupe that tried to buy out Denki?

Mito
...Huh? Oh, um...

Kamira
Hey hey, Towa~! Chiho-chan is from Olympus, but she has nothing to do with the buyout, right?

Kamira
Besides, it seemed like Chiho-chan was just talking to us because she respects you and wanted to talk to people from the same troupe as you...

Towa
...

Mito
...S-sorry, Towa-chan. If I made you feel uncomfortable...

Mito
But Mito was just...trying to talk to Chiho-chan as a fellow actor...

Towa
-Haah.

Towa
Whatever. I'm not completely clueless as to why that girl would be interested in you...

Mito
Eh?

Towa
Nothing.