"You are Takako Fuji?" Edward looked at the girl before him and immediately recognized her identity. After all, that face of hers carried an extremely strong sense of familiarity to him. The reason was simple—because in his previous life, the actress who played the terrifying Kayako in Ju-On was none other than Takako Fuji. That most iconic image of Kayako was forever tied to her.
The only drawback was that, even after makeup, Takako Fuji still looked a little too pretty. So when she appeared in a horror film, the sense of terror always seemed to be diluted just a bit.
"Yes, I am Takako Fuji. Director Edward, I'm very honored to be able to work with you on this film!" Takako extended her hand openly and confidently to shake his. Edward nodded slightly—her personality seemed good, her voice wasn't bad either, though for Kayako, speaking much wasn't necessary.
"Suppose you were a ghost—a woman whose neck had been twisted and broken, dying a painful death. What kind of sound do you think you should make?" Edward asked with great interest.
Beside them, Takako's mother looked at her daughter with unease. Director Edward's sudden question was indeed one that left people unsure of how to respond.
Although they had already signed the contract, it was now evident that Director Edward had his own ideas he wanted to test.
Hearing the question, Takako subconsciously touched her neck.
A broken neck?
In such a situation, it would be impossible to make normal sounds. Speaking properly would no longer be an option—the voice would be restricted. Once the vocal cords were destroyed, a person wouldn't be able to produce proper words anymore. What would come out instead would be…
"Uh…uh…" Takako tried to imitate the sound.
Edward listened without commenting. The sound wasn't bad, but it still lacked something.
Still, Edward wasn't dissatisfied. After all, this was not a question anyone could truly test. Generally speaking, no audience would bother to research what exact sound a person made when their neck was broken.
"No. I want you to make a gurgling, bubbling noise," Edward explained his request. "This sound will become a deathly proclamation—Kayako's signature cue. I want the audience to develop a conditioned reflex: whenever they hear that sound, it means Kayako has arrived."
"Gurgle…" Takako tentatively copied the noise.
Edward nodded with satisfaction. Yes, this was exactly the sound he wanted.
Seeing his approval, Takako and her mother both let out a sigh of relief. Clearly, the director was very pleased. Edward, meanwhile, studied her more carefully.
Takako's appearance was identical to the actress who had played Kayako in his past life—even the name was the same. Edward couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Could this be fate? Did Arceus itself want him to bring forth the most extreme kind of horror into this world?
For now, Kayako was settled, and he had already chosen an actor for Takeo Saeki. But he still needed other cast members to complete Ju-On. Still, filming Ju-On would take some time, as Edward had to first attend the awards ceremony for Buried and hopefully add a few more trophies to his shelf.
"Takako, let me tell you about your character's background. Think about it yourself, then tell me your own interpretation of this role." Edward smiled warmly.
He had already discussed the male lead Takeo Saeki's characterization with George before, but since Takeo's traits were fairly fixed, there wasn't much need for deeper exploration. Kayako, however, was different. She was the soul of Ju-On. Edward wanted to hear how Takako herself would perceive her.
Surprised, Takako nonetheless obediently sat down across from Edward. Zoroark politely led her mother out for tea, leaving the director and actress to talk alone in the office.
After all, this involved crucial plot details. Even Takako's mother couldn't know them. If something leaked later, she could end up blamed.
"Kayako Saeki. That's the character you'll be playing. She's the absolute female lead of my new project Ju-On—though she is a ghost." Edward chuckled lightly, easing her tension.
"This character… My current setup is this: she was born into an exorcist family. Kayako's mother was a famous shrine maiden in her youth, known locally for her powers. Every time someone came suffering from possession by evil spirits…"
Slowly and clearly, Edward narrated Kayako's backstory. Takako listened intently.
This was her role after all. And judging from the director's words, she had the sharp impression that he was planning for sequels as well. After all, Kayako's mother's story, or her younger sister's story—both could easily become spinoffs.
But as she absorbed Kayako's tragic background, Takako began to form strange thoughts. She didn't think Kayako was a simple villain or evil spirit. Kayako seemed more complicated than that.
Edward noticed her pensive look but said nothing.
He recalled how Ju-On also had a novel adaptation, which contained details not shown in the film.
One particularly vivid scene stuck in his memory: Kayako's reunion with her beloved, Shunsuke Kobayashi.
In the novel, Kayako appeared before Kobayashi, hoping for his comfort and compassion. But instead, Kobayashi screamed in terror and fled. That moment shattered her remaining humanity. Betrayed and devastated, her yearning twisted into hatred, and she killed him mercilessly.
Moreover, Kayako was capable of a certain degree of communication.
For instance, when some victims failed to understand why she acted with such cruelty, questioning her motives, Kayako would make them endure her pain firsthand. She let Takeo Saeki torture them in the exact same way he had tortured her. Eventually, those victims would break, wishing only for death—and in doing so, they too became fuel for the curse.
The film, of course, could only show a simplified version: Kayako being beaten and having her neck broken, a process shown in mere minutes. But in the novel, she had been tortured for a long time before her gruesome death, and her resentment had built to unimaginable levels.
Such details couldn't pass censorship on screen. Director Takashi Shimizu had also deliberately omitted the "Kayako hoping for Kobayashi's salvation" moment, likely to make her appear more monstrous and less sympathetic.
"Director Edward, I think Kayako's character…" Takako finally shared her thoughts.
Edward listened patiently. What surprised him was that she felt Kayako longed for love and attention. While that interpretation deviated somewhat from her image as an evil spirit, it still aligned with the original novel and Kayako's tragic circumstances.
"Your insight is good. But I want that tenderness, that longing, to appear only in the human Kayako—the living Kayako. Once she is a ghost, there must be none of it." Edward smiled, then handed her a notebook.
Takako looked at it in puzzlement.
"Filming Ju-On: The Gruge won't start right away. I have to attend the awards ceremony first. During this time, I want you to use your own handwriting to write a diary. Record Kayako's first meeting with Shunsuke Kobayashi, her feelings for him, her unrequited love, and finally, their tragic reunion. Write it as love twisted into obsession—love that grows distorted and abnormal."
Kayako's diary would be an important narrative device, helping reveal her background and driving the story. And Edward wanted Takako to write it herself.
In film production, things like newspapers, articles, or books often had to be fabricated by the crew. But a diary was different—it needed to feel authentic. Many directors would provide a sample. Edward, however, preferred his actress to write it in her own words.
"Understood. I'll do it," Takako agreed eagerly, clutching the notebook. The director had described everything so vividly—from Kayako's first meeting with Kobayashi, to her silent, obsessive crush, to their final reunion. She felt confident she could capture it.
Seeing this, Edward nodded, then let her leave. He told her that for now, she should practice her dance and yoga, to increase her flexibility. That way she could better embody Kayako's eerie, contorted movements.
After Takako left, Edward casually checked his Alien Fear Points.
[Alien: 89,874 (One draw available)]
"Almost ninety thousand already? The growth really is fast," Edward muttered, tapping to draw.
[You have obtained: Nightmare Possession]
"Huh? Nightmare Possession?" Edward blinked, puzzled. "Does this mean… making people have nightmares? That's all the word 'nightmare' usually implies."
[Nightmare Possession: Limited to once per film. You may designate one actor to receive possession by a story's character spirit. They will perform as if truly embodying that role. The higher the compatibility, the greater the effect. If compatibility falls below 50%, the skill cannot be used. Possession ends when filming ends. You may pause the possession state at will.]
"…Ah?" Edward widened his eyes, lost in thought. This ability sounded absurdly powerful. Possession by the actual story character?
Could it be that the actor would literally be possessed by the spirit of the character they were playing? To act as a ghost—by becoming one?
"Zoroark, call Takako Fuji back!" Edward shouted excitedly.
Zoroark, who had just brought him tea, rushed out and quickly returned with her. Edward glanced at her, and a system prompt appeared:
[Designate this actor?]
"Yes," Edward answered silently.
[Designation successful. Current compatibility: 65%. Suggest improving makeup to increase likeness. Possession may also be triggered immediately.]
His eyes lit up. It really worked! This was fascinating. Edward rubbed his hands together eagerly but first sent Takako to the makeup artist.
Although his film crew wasn't with him in the Unova region, the nearby film academy had plenty of makeup artists. Soon, under his instructions, Takako was prepared.
The makeup was simple: all exposed skin painted pale white, and dark shadowing around the eyes. But with that alone, compatibility soared to 85%.
This time, no further improvement suggestions appeared. Edward didn't hesitate—he activated the possession.
At that very instant, in another world, in Tokyo's Nerima district, inside a long-abandoned haunted house, Kayako herself was staring silently at three foreign students trespassing in her yard.
They were noisy, chattering about the local legends. Kayako simply watched.
Had they stayed outside, she wouldn't have touched them—they bore no grudge yet. But the three unlucky souls had stepped into her home.
"Gurgle…"
Kayako's bloodshot eyes glared. Her curse had already begun to cling to them.
But just as she prepared to act, a tremendous force pulled her away. In an instant, Kayako vanished from that house.
At the same moment, Takako's expression changed completely. Her gaze became unbearable to meet—anyone locking eyes with her would feel cursed. When she opened her mouth, the bubbling death rattle sounded far more terrifying and real.
If before her imitation had felt forced, now it was horrifyingly genuine. Up close, one could even smell faint blood—as if her throat had truly been broken.
"Pause," Edward whispered mentally.
Immediately, the aura of death around her disappeared. Edward exhaled in satisfaction. This ability was indeed incredibly powerful.
If earlier Takako had been acting as Kayako, then now she was Kayako. Just looking at her a moment ago had made Edward feel the impulse to run. Her eyes, filled with resentment and hatred, were unbearably terrifying, widened to an impossible degree—almost as if they were about to pop out.
"Takako, your presence… is absolutely perfect," Edward applauded.
Takako herself seemed unaffected, which pleased him even more. Clearly, the possession wouldn't rob the actor of self-control. That saved him a great deal of trouble.
Watching her smile with joy, Edward also revealed a grin. With such power at hand, if Ju-On didn't terrify audiences to death, then it would be his fault as a director. But Edward had confidence—he believed in his own skill.
(End of Chapter)