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Just as the national audience was recovering from the laughter induced by Asher Reed's spectacular moonlit "bird-strolling" feat, something unexpected happened.
As the Raten Taishou moved into the next round, the audience began to speculate on what "despicable" or "shameless" methods Asher would use to win his next match. They expected more "bird" antics or perhaps a fake injury.
But Asher Reed decided to flip the script.
"Good morning, Big Brother Tang," Asher said with a polite, chilling smile.
Before the white-haired young man, Tang, could even finish his reply, Asher's figure transformed into a streak of blue-white lightning. He moved with a speed that made the previous episodes' "cowardly" running look like a joke. In just three high-speed moves, Tang was engulfed in a crackling electrical discharge.
A thick plume of smoke billowed out of the arena, and the sharp scent of ozone permeated the air. Tang Wenlon, a character the audience had been told was a first-rate master was charred black and defeated in seconds.
The audience was stunned into silence.
It seems Asher Reed is even stronger than we imagined.
At the same time, Jo's (Riley Evans) battle against her opponent began. When the High Priest's younger brother, Timothy, noted that Jo's eyes resembled those of a master who had achieved "Internal Brilliance," the mystery deepened.
The veteran Marcus Thorne (Lu Jin/Riku Kin) added more fuel to the fire, mentioning that there was once a "Demon" who reached that realm at a young age. Even the High Priest seemed wary of this historical figure.
Who was the demon? And what is Jo's true age?
As the episode concluded, the live chat was a battlefield of theories.
[Wait... did Asher intentionally act like a pervert just to lower Tang's guard?]
[If that's true... Asher Reed is a super-invincible perverted genius!]
[You guys are missing the point! He's been hiding for years; you don't survive the Outcast world without being a shark. This is 'Great Wisdom appearing Foolish'.]
[Oh, sure! Ten minutes ago you were calling him a scoundrel, and now he's a genius? Make up your minds!]
Leo Vance, sitting at the hotpot restaurant, watched the arguments with a satisfied smirk. He had guided Asher's acting to perfectly balance that line, making the audience "ignore" his potential right up until the moment he unleashed it.
Restaurant.
With the two episodes finished, the group prepared to leave. Leo stood up to pay the bill.
"Hello, sir," the restaurant manager, a sharp-looking young woman, said with a bright smile. "The meal is on the house! It's been an honor to have Gojo Satoru and Jo dining with us!"
"On the house?" Leo shook his head, pulling out his phone to scan the QR code. "That's not right. We ate a lot."
"No, really, Director Vance! It's Tuesday night, and we're usually quiet. But once the word got out that you were here, we had a line around the block. You've given us millions in free advertising tonight! We should be paying you!"
In the end, Leo couldn't be persuaded and insisted on paying the full amount. The manager, blushing and clearly star-struck, whispered, "Teacher Leo... can I take one photo with you? Please?"
Leo had no reason to refuse. After the photo, the group returned to his penthouse to prepare for the big day ahead.
The Next Day, 5:00 PM. Hilton Hotel Conference Room.
The speed of the assembly was beyond Leo's expectations. He had originally thought the cast wouldn't be fully gathered until late at night, given that some were flying in from overseas vacations.
But the "JJK Movie" was the most anticipated project in the industry. No one wanted to be the one to show up late to a Leo Vance set.
The schedule for the week was tight:
Wardrobe and Poster Shoots.
Script Reading.
Commencement Ceremony (The "Presser").
Principal Photography.
Leo had arranged a high-end dinner gathering at the Hilton, using the time before and after the meal for the critical Script Reading.
The main focus of the night was the introduction of the new key players: Andrew Stone (Toji Fushiguro) and Tiffany (Yuki Tsukumo).
As Leo entered the conference room, the atmosphere changed instantly. The original students from Season 1, Lucas Miller (Yuji), Bella Brooks (Nobara), Steven Grant (Megumi) were already there, talking animatedly.
But it was the newcomers who drew the eye.
Andrew Stone sat in the corner, wearing a tight black T-shirt that did nothing to hide his terrifying, dense musculature. He didn't say much, but his gaze was heavy, cold, and professional. He exuded the "Sorcerer Killer" aura so naturally that the younger actors were unconsciously avoiding his direct eye contact.
Tiffany sat across from him, looking ethereal and elegant in a silk blouse. She held a cigarette (unlit, per hotel rules) between her fingers, capturing the "Sister Full Responsibility" vibe of Yuki Tsukumo perfectly.
Ava sat next to Chloe, clutching her script with white-knuckled excitement. This was her first major film role since being "freed" from her agency, and she was determined to make Riko Amanai a character the world would never forget.
Julian Cross (Suguru Geto) greeted Leo with a nod. He'd been training hard to match Leo's "Teen Gojo" energy for the prequel.
Leo took his seat at the head of the table. "Alright everyone, settle down. Food is coming in an hour. Until then... let's find out how the 'Strongest' fell."
He opened his script to the first page of Hidden Inventory.
"Andrew, let's start with the sequence at the gate. I want the audience to feel the cold steel before they even see the blade."
Andrew Stone looked up, his eyes narrowing into the predatory gaze of Toji Fushiguro. "Director. Let's begin."
The air in the room seemed to drop ten degrees. The "Hollywood Hellraiser" was no longer just a director; he was a conductor of a tragedy that was about to set the global box office on fire.