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As the final end credits of Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory scrolled across the massive screens of theaters worldwide, the figures of Suguru Geto and Gojo Satoru faded into a white abyss.
The audience's already hollowed-out hearts felt as if another piece had been gouged out. As the lyrics of the ending theme, "Light," began to pulse through the sound system, the detail-oriented fans in the front rows of the Grand Theater in New York became visibly agitated.
"Did anyone else see that?!" one fan shouted to his friend. "In the opening credits, two young birds flew across the sky together. But in the ending sequence, only one bird grew up and took flight. The other one just... disappeared! It was right there in our faces the whole time!"
"It's the fish!" another girl cried out, pointing at the screen. "At the beginning, there were two bettas swimming. One was a Blue-eyed Half-moon Betta representing Gojo, and the other was a Black Lion King Betta for Geto. Do you know anything about bettas? They're called 'Siamese Fighting Fish' for a reason! You can't keep two males in the same tank, or they'll fight until one dies! Leo Vance literally told us the ending in the first ten seconds!"
"And Suguru Geto was the only one who didn't look back during the beach parting," a film student added, shaking his head. "He was the only one standing in the shadows. The use of light and shadow in this movie wasn't just aesthetic, it was a funeral march. The one who truly leaves... never looks back."
The theater was a cacophony of realization and grief.
"I can totally understand Suguru," one guy muttered as he stood up. "It's like being a guy who has to swallow a pound of filth every day for the sake of humanity. Eventually, you're going to stop wanting to save the people who made the mess."
"While that's true," his friend replied, "did you have to use that analogy? It's a bit too blunt, isn't it?"
The Theater Lobby: A Clash of Realities.
As the Hidden Inventory crowd emerged, red-eyed and emotionally drained, they bumped into the audiences leaving the other two major "Spring Blockbusters": Node 0 Frontier and Old Bones.
The Node 0 Frontier audience also looked distressed, but for a very different reason. The sci-fi movie, starring the idol Justin Lee, was an absolute disaster, a waste of ticket money and two hours of their lives.
When the Node 0 Frontier viewers saw the grim, tear-streaked faces of the Jujutsu Kaisen fans, they felt a sudden, malicious surge of relief.
"Heh, looks like the movie next door was a flop too!" one girl whispered to her boyfriend. "I feel much better now."
"Hey, why are you two looking so depressed?" a girl named Ruby asked her friends, who had just come out of the JJK screening. Ruby was a loyal "Stan" of Justin Lee and had forced her boyfriend to watch Node 0 Frontier first. "Was the anime that bad?"
"People died! My favorite character betrayed everyone! Do you think I'm happy?!" the other girl snapped, her voice thick with pained anger.
Ruby misunderstood completely. She thought "People died" meant the movie's plot was a mess and people were walking out. She felt a smug sense of satisfaction. Justin Lee was her GOAT, and if Leo Vance's self-directed project flopped, her idol would remain at the top of the industry.
"Well, I told you," Ruby smirked as they parted ways. "Tomorrow, I'll suffer through JJK with you since I promised, but don't expect it to be as 'deep' as a sci-fi blockbuster like Node 0 Frontier!"
The Industry Report: Day 2.
The next day, the "Ruby" types of the world were silenced.
In just two days, the global box office for Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory officially broke through the $1 Billion mark. It shattered the record for the fastest film to reach that milestone in history.
On the Global Stream app, the popularity value hit an unprecedented 36,000, and the total clicks for the franchise reached 45 Billion.
While Node 0 Frontier, Old Bones, and the comedy Second Chance had much larger marketing budgets and more high-profile stars, they were being demolished. Leo Vance had used the System to cut production costs to just over $100 Million, while the others had spent triple that for a fraction of the quality.
By the fifth day, the box office hit $3 Billion.
The screening rate for Hidden Inventory was bumped up to 50% of all global theaters. Critics were calling it the "Best movie of the decade," and the contrast provided by the "garbage" competitors only made Leo's work shine brighter.
One of the biggest winners of the film's success was Ava. After Leo helped her resolve her contract issues and signed her to Celestial Peak, her role as Riko Amanai made her the "National Regret." Producers who had previously ignored her were now lining up at Leo's door just to get a meeting with her. She had found her "Second Spring" in a single role.
Celestial Peak Headquarters. Leo's Office.
While the world celebrated, Leo Vance was leaning back in his chair, staring at a whiteboard.
He was planning. He didn't want to just make movies; he wanted to create a Celestial Universe, a Marvel-style ecosystem. He was thinking about "The Big Three" - The Reaper, The Ninja, and The Pirate. He imagined a crossover variety show or a movie where the strongest sorcerers met the strongest Ninjas.
But those were long-term goals. For now, he needed a palette cleanser. He needed something that didn't involve cursed energy or world-ending stakes, but still packed an emotional punch.
"I want to create a 'Healing' series," Leo muttered to himself, looking at the calendar.
It was currently early February. If he moved quickly, he could have a project ready for an April release.
He looked at three titles on his list: Anohana, Your Name, and Your Lie in April.
Finally, his eyes settled on the last one.
"A beautiful memory in April," Leo whispered, a faint, "Hellraiser" smile playing on his lips. "I think it's time to teach the audience that a piano and a violin can be just as lethal as a Hollow Purple."
He picked up the phone. "Sydney? Contact the music department. We need a blonde lead who can play the violin like her life depends on it. We're going to give the world a memory they'll never forget."
The "Winter" of the sorcerers was over. The "Spring" of the musicians was about to begin.
If you're enjoying the story, consider dropping some Power Stones.