°HIDEO°

An abandoned traditional Kabuki theater made of dark wood. Old, life-size puppets stand frozen on the stage.

A mimic doll controlled by the spirit of jealousy and anger (Hannya). She can temporarily "freeze" people with her gaze, turning their bodies into motionless wood.

The agents make their way through the dressing rooms and backstage. Noh masks hang everywhere, seemingly following them with their gaze. Space is distorted: the theater stage seems endless, and the auditorium is filled with faceless wooden figures.

As they walk onto the stage, a heavy oak beam under the ceiling breaks due to the ropes being cut by the puppet. The female agent notices the fall too late. The structure collapses right on top of her, pinning her feet to the wooden stage floor. A terrible crunch of wood and bone is heard.

She finds herself trapped center stage, illuminated by a single, dusty spotlight that has turned on by itself. From the darkness of the wings, the puppets, led by Hannah, slowly emerge with creaking joints.

The agent tries to lift the beam, but it's too heavy. His hands are slippery from her blood, and the monsters are getting closer. The girl, realizing that saving her legs is impossible right now, hands him an incendiary grenade:

— Burn the stage. Along with them. And me, if you have to.