1

Parallel World.

Northern Film Academy.

In the classroom, an eye-catching pair attracted the attention of all the students.

The innocent beauty Julia James had been voted one of the school beauties of the new generation at the Northern Film Academy by the students as soon as she entered the school.

Behind the scenes, many praised her as one of those rare beauties that only appear once in a thousand years.

But the boy next to her did not lose to her in terms of appearance or temperament.

Dressed in white, Lucas Nolan looked sunny and handsome, clean and pure.

As soon as he entered the Northern Film Academy, he too became one of the most admired students.

The combination of the two was dazzling, making them the center of attention wherever they went.

A while ago, the Northern Film Academy had announced a school-wide film and television creation competition, and both Lucas and Julia had entered.

However, over the past few days, neither of them had come up with a good script. The filming progress? Zero.

Julia sighed, laying her delicate face on the table. She muttered gloomily, "Lucas, it seems like we're going to miss out on this competition. I can't think of anything…"

Lucas looked at her with a faint smile. "Not necessarily."

Julia lifted her head and stared at him with wide, curious eyes. "Why? Did you come up with something?"

Lucas nodded.

Julia immediately perked up and sat upright. "Let me see it!"

Lucas reached into his bag, took out a script, and placed it on the table.

Julia eagerly snatched it up and began reading, her lips moving as she muttered the title, The Forest of Fireflies.

"What a strange name," she murmured.

Lucas smiled but didn't explain.

That's right—Lucas was a time traveler, and he had arrived in this world just a few days ago.

After observing his surroundings, he realized that film and television in this world were painfully outdated. The plots lacked innovation, and there wasn't a trace of two-dimensional animation or anime culture.

Animation and anime as industries simply did not exist here.

At first, Lucas thought he would pioneer the world of animation, but to his surprise, his system was designed for live-action adaptations of animations from his previous life!

The concept sounded impossible. After all, animations were often highly aesthetic and imaginative. Translating them into live-action required advanced special effects, perfect set designs, talented actors, and top-tier acting skills—all of which were hard to achieve.

Countless failed live-action adaptations in his past life proved this.

But when Lucas explored the features of his system, he realized it was more than capable!

The system provided him with the most advanced special effects, editing tools, set designs, makeup capabilities, and even the ability to enhance an actor's performance.

As long as he directed it, any anime could be perfectly recreated in live action!

The thought of those classic animations from his previous life being brought to life made Lucas feel exhilarated.

Compared to the stale TV dramas of this world—such as formulaic romances and uninspired fantasy tales—animations like The Forest of Fireflies, Dead Sea of Fire, Spy House, Fate, Demon Slayer, Titan, and Violet Everlasting were in a league of their own.

For the Northern Film Academy competition, Lucas had decided to start small. The Forest of Fireflies was a simple yet profound story, perfect for the resources he had at his disposal.

As Julia continued reading the script, Lucas studied her reaction with a smile. An idea suddenly popped into his mind.

He wanted to cast the unattainable stars of his previous life as his cosplay actors!

Take Julia James, for example. In his past life, she had been one of the biggest stars, but in this world, she was just a student. She had the perfect figure and a stunning face—an ideal candidate to bring an anime heroine to life.

The more Lucas thought about it, the more excited he became.

Meanwhile, Julia was deeply engrossed in the script.

The story was simple yet captivating. A young girl named Sophie loses her way and is rescued by a mysterious young man named Alan, who wears a mask. Alan isn't human—he's under a curse that makes him disappear if touched by a human.

The two form a bond, spending summers chatting in the forest, flying kites, and sharing quiet moments. As their relationship deepens, Sophie falls for Alan, and Alan feels the same.

At first, the story felt warm and healing to Julia. She imagined herself as Sophie, meeting such a kind and gentle boy in a dreamy, romantic setting.

But as she read further, her heart began to ache.

Because of Alan's curse, the two had to keep their distance, unable to touch despite their growing feelings. The bittersweet tension tugged at her emotions.

Then came the heartbreaking climax.

Tears welled in Julia's eyes as she read. Though it was just a script, she couldn't help but feel deeply moved.

She looked up at Lucas, sniffled, and suddenly exclaimed, "Lucas, how could you do this to me?!"

Her outburst immediately drew the attention of the entire class.

Everyone turned to look, their expressions full of curiosity and gossip.

What was going on? Did the school's most admired pair have some emotional drama?

Lucas sighed, feeling the weight of everyone's stares. "Julia, please keep your voice down. People will think I've done something to you…"

Julia wiped her tears and pouted. "Why couldn't you write a happy ending? Alan just disappears! You owe me an Alan!"

Lucas coughed awkwardly. "Calm down. It's the bittersweet ending that makes the story perfect."

"Perfect?!" Julia glared at him, her eyes still red. "How is Alan disappearing perfect?"

Lucas shook his head. "Everyone's youth has regrets. That's what makes it memorable."

Julia thought about it, snorted softly, and didn't argue further. Deep down, she already loved the story.

She quickly straightened up and urged, "Lucas, we need to start filming The Forest of Fireflies right away! The competition deadline is in two months—we don't have time to waste!"