There was still an hour left until the broadcast began.
A massive, eager crowd of viewers had already flooded Global Stream, refreshing the page in anticipation. Many had tried to distract themselves with other shows, but after the high-octane quality of the first three episodes, they couldn't bring themselves to watch generic romance dramas anymore. Their only choice was to re-watch Episode 3 or spam the comments.
[Gojo's 1998th Wife]: "I thought the 'one episode every three days' thing was a joke. Now I realize I'm the joke for actually counting the minutes!"
[JJK-Stan-4-Life]: "Director Thorne! Do you know how I spent these seventy-two hours? It's been a psychological desert! Update the show!"
[Thirsty-For-Sukuna]: "If you release the next three episodes tonight, I'm willing to name my firstborn Julian Thorne. I am dead serious."
...
Starlight Management, West Hollywood.
Maya West, Della Rose, and several other top-tier celebrities were gathered in their usual spot. However, the room was noticeably more crowded today. Word of the show's quality had spread through the agency like a wildfire.
"Sigh!" Della Rose let out a long, dramatic sigh, her face full of sorrow like a resentful widow.
"What now? Why the long face?" Maya West asked, amused.
"It's about that contact info you gave me for Leo," Della said, her voice sounding like she was physically pained. She hesitated before blurting it out. "Don't laugh! I tried to message him nine times. Nine! He blocked me on every platform... he even called me a 'crazy scammer' before hitting the button."
"Pfft!" Maya covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking as she burst into laughter. "Sorry, Della. I just... I didn't think the 'Hollywood Hellraiser' would be the one playing hard to get!"
Della snorted. "Forget it. I don't care anymore. Let's just watch the show. Next time I see him in person, I'm going to make him apologize!"
Maya checked the clock. "It's almost seven. I haven't been this hooked on a series in years. Let's see what the fourth episode brings."
...
UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television.
The multimedia classroom was no longer just "full." It was packed to the rafters.
While the previous viewing had thirty people, this time there were over a hundred. Students were standing in the back, sitting in the aisles, and peering through the door. The energy was electric, partly due to the show and partly because Lucas Miller, the man playing Sukuna, was right there.
"Whoa, look at this crowd," Lucas Miller said, his eyes wide.
"It's a madhouse," Ava whispered. "We're going to have to show up two hours early next time just to get a seat."
Chloe Vance nodded silently, her cap pulled low. She was trying to remain unnoticed, but her attention was fixed on the screen.
"Senior Lucas, could I get an autograph?" A beautiful junior approached him shyly, holding a pen.
"Of course! No problem," Lucas said, grinning.
As he signed, the junior's face turned crimson. She whispered, "Could you... maybe get me an autograph from Teacher Leo Vance? I'm not trying to be a bother, but if it's possible..."
Lucas froze. He realized then that half this crowd was here for the mystery of Leo. Feeling a surge of bravado, he waved his hand grandly. "Small problem! I can get you signed photos, posters, whatever you want! Leo and I are like brothers!"
Within minutes, he was swamped by other students making the same request. In his excitement, Lucas agreed to all of them, figuring he'd just bug Leo for a stack of signed headshots later.
...
Leo's Penthouse, West Hollywood.
The mood was much more intimate in Leo's living room. He was hosting a few key cast members: Bella Brooks (Nobara), Jade Lane (Maki), and the younger Maya Lane (Mai). Riley Evans was busy setting out a spread of snacks.
"Leo, I saw the raw fight on set, but I haven't seen the final CGI yet!" Bella said excitedly, taking a bite of an apple.
Jade Lane nodded. "Watching it with the whole score and the VFX makes it feel like a different show. I'm actually nervous for us."
Leo sat back, observing the group. He had a secondary motive for this gathering; both Bella and Jade were either free agents or approaching the end of their current contracts. He wanted to see if they were the right fit for the new entertainment empire he was building.
"It's seven!" Bella shouted. She immediately turned on the high-end projector.
...
The Episode Begins.
The scene picks up exactly where it left off. Jogo, the cursed spirit with a volcano for a head, descends from the sky like a meteor.
Leo's Gojo Satoru dodges the impact with ghostly ease, floating in mid-air as he asks calmly, "And who are you supposed to be?"
Jogo doesn't answer with words. He waves a hand toward the sound barrier wall behind Gojo. A miniature volcano manifests instantly.
BOOM!
A massive, roaring pillar of fire erupts, incinerating everything in its path, from the asphalt to the trees in the distance. Gojo's figure is completely swallowed by the inferno.
The special effects are staggeringly realistic. The "Budget Explosion" tags immediately flood the live chat.
Jogo looks at the scorched highway, a smirk on his face. "Hah! Nothing more than that!"
But his single eye widens as the smoke clears. Gojo is standing there, his black uniform perfectly clean, not a single hair out of place.
The battle resumes. Whoosh! Jogo vanishes and reappears at Gojo's side, his palm glowing with a vortex of superheated magma.
BOOM!
To the audience's horror, Gojo's head is struck directly. It turns into a flaming ball of white-hot fire.
The screen is filled with the roar of the flames. It looks devastatingly real.
[Wait... is he dead?]
[No way! Gojo can't be out this early!]
[Did they actually set Leo Vance on fire for this shot?!]
[Jogo is a beast! Can he actually win a high-level match?]
[Wuwuwu! RIP Gojo-sensei... it was a good four episodes!]
The world held its breath as the flames licked the screen. Was the "Strongest" really defeated so easily?