"After we wrap production on The Outcast, I'm planning to shoot the Jujutsu Kaisen prequel movie. There's a character named Riko Amanai in it, and I think you'd be the perfect fit."
"A movie?" Ava's beautiful eyes widened, a look of pure, unadulterated surprise crossing her face.
Leo Vance nodded casually. "I'm looking for someone who can handle a tragic arc without losing their spark. Are you interested?"
Ava nodded frantically, her previous disappointment vanishing like mist in the sun. "Yes! Absolutely! I'm in!"
She had already learned from Lucas Miller that Leo was the true mastermind behind the JJK phenomenon. After seeing how Lucas's acting had transformed from "stiff teen idol" to "raw powerhouse" under Leo's direction, Ava was desperate for the same transformation. She wanted to be a real actress, not just a child-star footnote.
The auditions continued. Next was a one-on-one session for the role of Gus (Zhuge Qing/Shokatsu Sei), the elegant and slightly arrogant genius of the Outcast world.
A young man with a meticulous middle-part hairstyle, wearing designer overalls and a face full of heavy "idol" makeup, strutted into the conference room. From the way he tilted his chin, it was clear he thought the room belonged to him.
This was Caleb 'C.K.' King.
Before he could even open his mouth to deliver his prepared monologue, Leo spoke, his voice flat and expressionless. "Unqualified. Next."
"What?!" Caleb's face turned from pale to a sickly green as he glared at Leo. "You haven't even heard me speak! I'm a chart-topping idol!"
"I said no makeup for these auditions," Leo said, his tone indifferent. "You walked in here looking like a porcelain doll. If you can't follow basic instructions, you have no place on my set. Leave."
Caleb was enraged. In his world of "Pretty Boy" idols, directors were usually falling over themselves to cast him for his social media following. He pointed a trembling finger at Leo. "Do you have any idea who my father is? How dare you talk to me like that?!"
Leo glanced at him with the look of a man watching a particularly stupid pigeon. He turned to Sydney and asked, "What breed of dog is this? Why is it barking in my office?"
Sydney bit her lip to hide a smile, then whispered, "Leo, that's Caleb King. He's a junior in the Acting Department. His father is Arthur King, the CEO of Apex Media."
"Apex Media?" Leo racked his brain. He remembered the name. It was a mid-tier Hollywood production house, successful enough to be known, but compared to the Vance family's global empire, it was an ant beneath an elephant's boot.
Caleb saw Leo "whispering" and assumed he was scared. He smirked. "Don't think just because you got lucky with Gojo Satoru that you're some kind of kingmaker. My dad is about to take his company public. He could buy and sell-"
He didn't finish.
Leo turned his gaze toward him. For a split second, the "lazy" aura vanished, replaced by a surge of cold, focused killing intent. Caleb felt a shiver run down his spine, his breath hitching in his throat. It was the same look Gojo gave Jogo before ripping his head off.
"Get. Out." Leo's voice was quiet, but it carried an unyielding aura of ruthlessness.
"I... I'm going..." Caleb muttered, his arrogance evaporating. He practically scurried out of the room.
Leo watched him go, shaking his head. With that kind of resilience, he wouldn't last five minutes in the 'Shibuya' arc, he thought.
Once outside, Caleb took several deep breaths to stop his heart from hammering. He immediately pulled out his phone and dialed his father. "Dad! I was just humiliated! This Leo Vance guy... he tried to attack me! You have to stop him from filming his new show! He's a menace!"
"Leo Vance?" The voice on the other end went silent.
"Yeah! He's some 'Hellraiser' brat who thinks he's a director now. We need to blacklist him!"
Suddenly, Arthur King's voice exploded through the speaker. "You absolute idiot! I told you to stay low-key! Do you have any idea who Leo Vance's sister is? Do you know who his father is?!"
Caleb froze. "Dad, what do you mean? He's just an actor-"
"He is a Vance! If I even breathe the wrong way toward that family, Apex Media will be bankrupt by Monday morning! I'm warning you, kid, if you try any 'pretty-boy' tricks behind my back, I will disown you. If his sister Lauren gets wind that you insulted her brother, I won't just break your legs; I'll pretend you were never born! Do you hear me?!"
Caleb stood in the hallway, sweat soaking his designer shirt. His father had never sounded this terrified. He pouted, and tears of genuine, pathetic grievance fell from his eyes. "Okay... I'm sorry, Dad. Please don't disown me."
Two days later, the "JJK Fever" hit its peak.
Global Stream announced a double-episode update to appease the rabid fanbase. Furthermore, they announced an "Advanced Premiere" for the final two episodes of the season. For $15—the price of a fancy coffee, viewers could watch the finale forty-eight hours early.
Within one hour of the announcement, over eight million viewers had already pre-ordered the "Fast Pass."
Leo sat in a UCLA lecture hall with Chloe and her friends, watching the Ninth Episode premiere. He'd had to hire six security guards just to keep the "stalkers" away from the classroom door.
The episode was a tour-de-force of action. It focused on the tournament battle between Jade Lane's Maki and Riley Evans' Miwa Kasumi.
The weapon choreography was breathtaking. Whether it was Maki's staff-sword or Miwa's katana, the clashing of steel was visceral. The visual experience was unlike anything current television had to offer. Maki eventually won by shattering her own weapon, using the broken shard as a feint to disarm Miwa.
UCLA Quad.
"That fight was too cool!" Ava shrieked, her face flushed with excitement. "Maki is so badass! I want to learn the sword now!"
The other film students were watching with professional intensity. Gwen turned to Riley and Maya Lane. "Wait... how did you guys learn to move like that? Did you have a month of stunt training?"
Maya Lane shook her head, glancing at Leo. "Actually, we didn't have a month. We had Leo."
"Leo?" Gwen asked, stunned.
"Yeah," Riley added, nodding. "Brother Leo taught us every single move. He did private stunt lessons with the whole cast every morning at 5:00 AM. He even showed the stunt coordinators how to time the 'sparks' for the sword hits."
The students were floored. They had thought the rumors about Leo "knowing a little of everything" were just marketing hype. They didn't realize that the "Hellraiser" was secretly the most talented choreographer in the industry.