Episode 27: I’ll Do It!
Passing through the ticket gates, Kazuma and the others, who had boarded the train, headed towards the location Seiichi had specified. The filming location was in a mountainous area a little ways from the city.
Since it was inside the defensive walls, they wouldn’t be attacked by Ibinom, but that didn’t mean it was absolutely safe.
“We’re here~”
“I think someone’s supposed to pick us up…”
“Isn’t that him over there?”
Seiichi was standing in the direction Sakura Hakanai pointed.
Seiichi also noticed Kazuma and the others and approached while waving his hand.
“Hey, I’ve been waiting for you.”
“Yo, Seiichi-san. Thank you very much for inviting us today.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. No need for thanks. If anything, I should be the one thanking you.”
“Um, Senpai. We don’t have much time to talk, ‘ssu yo.”
“Ah, right. Well then, shall we get going right away?”
Getting into the car parked at the station, Kazuma and the others headed to the filming location.
“By the way, Seiichi-san. Who is that person with you?”
“Ah, he’s my junior. His name is—”
“I’ll introduce myself, Senpai.”
“Then, could I ask you to?”
“Yes, ‘ssu. My name is Azumaya Koutarou. Nice to meet you, ‘ssu.”
Koutarou, who was in the driver’s seat, looked at Kazuma and the others reflected in the rearview mirror. He had heard about them from Seiichi, but Koutarou was surprised by their appearances.
“Wow~, still, The Strongest Civilian and such beautiful ladies, huh~. If I recall, Kazuma-kun is your stepson, right? That’s amazing~”
“It’s not like I’m the amazing one, though. But I’m happy to have my son praised, I guess.”
“By the way, umm, Kazuma-kun. Is it okay if I call you that?”
“Feel free~”
“Thanks. Well then, there’s something I’d like to ask, what’s your relationship with those two?”
“They’re like business partners. A lot has happened since the Academy Battle Tournament~”
“Ah~, I see. Celebrities have it tough, huh. Are they scouts or something?”
“That’s a secret.”
“Right~”
The group headed to the location while engaging in small talk.
Arriving at the parking lot near the site, Kazuma and the others got out of the car and moved towards the location.
On the way, Kazuma approached Seiichi and spoke to him secretly in a low voice so Koutarou wouldn’t hear.
“Seiichi-san. Azumaya-san doesn’t know about us, right?”
“Yeah. I haven’t told anyone that you’re the Crimson Knight, Kazuma-kun. Of course, that includes the other two as well.”
“That’s a relief then.”
“I’m bound by Contract Magic, but make sure you don’t accidentally let it slip, okay?”
“It’ll be fine. Probably…”
“I’m worried~…”
Seiichi, knowing that Kazuma tended to go wild when he got carried away, decided to warn him not to accidentally reveal that he was the Crimson Knight.
If, by any chance, it was exposed that Kazuma was the Crimson Knight, it would undoubtedly lead to troublesome things.
“We’re here, ‘ssu yo~”
The place they arrived at was a gravel plaza often seen in sentai shows.
It was set up in a mountainous area, surrounded by grass and trees, and in front of Kazuma and the others were staff, actors, and actresses filming on the wide gravel expanse.
“Whoa, so this is a filming set.”
“Is this your first time seeing something like this, Kazuma-kun?”
“That’s right. It’s my first time.”
“Fufu, I see. Well then, shall we go greet the director?”
Led by Seiichi, Kazuma and the others went to greet the director, but since he looked busy, they asked a nearby staff member if it was okay to approach him now.
“Excuse me, is it alright? I contacted you beforehand, but can we speak with Saeki Director?”
“I’ll go check.”
The young staff member approached the director, who was discussing with the actors, and whispered something in his ear.
After a short while, the director came over to Kazuma and the others, bringing the actors with him.
“I’ve been waiting~. Kanou-kun. Are these the kids who wanted to observe today?”
“Yes. That’s right, Saeki Director. The people behind me are the ones who wished to observe today.”
“Hmm…”
Saeki Director stared intently at Kazuma and the others behind Seiichi.
He especially scrutinized Kazuma, and after looking him over from head to toe, the director smiled happily.
“You’ve brought some good kids! Especially Satsuki Kazuma-kun! To think you’d bring The Strongest Civilian, of all people!”
Laughing, the director slapped Seiichi’s shoulder repeatedly.
Seiichi, not understanding why Kazuma was being welcomed so enthusiastically, asked the director.
“Um, is there something about Kazuma-kun?”
“Actually, our stuntman got injured. We were just wondering what to do about a stand-in.”
“Hah, I see… Don’t tell me, you want Kazuma-kun as the stand-in!?”
“Indeed! So, what do you say, Satsuki Kazuma-kun!”
“Of course, ‘ssu!!!”
“Alright! Then, I’ll explain, so come over here.”
“Yessir!”
“W-Wait a minute, please! We were only supposed to be observing today!?”
Momoko tried to stop Kazuma, who was enthusiastically approaching Saeki Director. However, Kazuma didn’t stop.
“The set needs me!”
“Why are you getting so fired up over being a mere stand-in!”
“Even so, it’s a stand-in role!”
“Um! What kind of role is the stand-in for!”
She was trying to stop him by grabbing his clothes, but Kazuma’s strength was too great, and Momoko was being dragged along as she desperately asked about the stand-in role.
“It’s the role of an enemy monster.”
“In that case, it’s better if he doesn’t do it! There’s a risk he won’t be able to hold back and will annihilate all the heroes!”
“Eh, that would be a problem~”
“It’s fine! I can properly play the part of getting beaten too!”
“You’ve never even acted before, where does all that confidence come from!”
“With this passionate heart (HAATO), anything is possible!”
“You’re pointlessly overbearing! Can’t you be quiet for a bit!”
“As if I could!”
Shaking off Momoko, Kazuma reached Saeki Director.
“W-Well… For now, let’s have him try, and if it looks bad, we can just touch it up with CG.”
“Leave it to me. I’ll perform it perfectly.”
The entire filming crew, along with the actors and actresses who had witnessed the previous exchange, felt uneasy.
They wondered if he could actually act properly.
Their fears would soon be realized.
Kazuma donned the monster-role suit and stood imposingly before the heroes.
“Let’s go, everyone!”
“”Yeah!””
Since the voices would be dubbed in later, Kazuma began fighting the heroes in silence.
The hero roles were played by professional stuntmen, so the fight scenes were perfect.
“Hah!”
“…”
As he was instructed by the director to fight as he pleased at first, Kazuma did as told and started fighting however he liked.
Dodging a wide swing punch, he landed a roundhouse kick, knocking a hero down.
Grabbing the arm of a hero who jumped exaggeratedly to attack, he slammed him to the ground with a shoulder throw.
“Is that, uh, okay?”
“They’re pros too, so I think it’s fine, but… Satsuki-kun is really something else, isn’t he?”
The stuntmen also realized it was okay to go all out against Kazuma and got fired up for more intense action than usual.
Five of them attacked Kazuma relentlessly, only to be blocked, deflected, and counter-attacked.
Kazuma, starting to get carried away, tried to use magic to make the scene even flashier, but he caught sight of Momoko with eyes like a demon through his mask’s visor, and realizing going further would be bad, he restrained himself.
After that, Kazuma was “defeated” by the heroes who got back up, in a suitably moderate fashion, and fell.
“Wow~, that was awesome! But, I think we’ll have to scrap this take.”
“Eh, why is that, Director!”
“If it’s this intense from the beginning, the latter half will lack excitement unless we make it even more intense, I guess.”
“In that case, let’s go like this from start to finish!”
“The stuntmen’s bodies won’t last… Besides, there’s no one who can move better than you, Kazuma-kun.”
“Ngh…!”
Kazuma groaned, but he understood what the director was saying, so he reluctantly accepted it.