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Chapter 106. Infinite Love
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"What's wrong, Caesar? Are you also worried about Gintoki?"
It was as if he could feel the heavy atmosphere enveloping the entire crew.
Although he had seen the formidable subconscious strength of Wamuu, this made Akiyuki Shinbo deeply concerned about the upcoming scenes they were about to film.
If they genuinely felt incapable of carrying out the scenes from the bottom of their hearts, the filming might really fall apart.
As an experienced director, Shinbo understood very well how an actor's mindset could influence full-dive filming. This influence was even more significant than in traditional filming.
After all, what drives actors in a full-dive state is their subconscious mind. Victory or defeat is also determined by their subconscious and their desire to win.
That's why Shinbo wanted to ease the tension a bit, attempting to shift the topic slightly as he spoke to Caesar: "It seems like you've been getting along well with Gintoki recently."
"With a friend like you by his side, Gintoki will probably fight Wamuu to fulfill the promise he made to you."
Indeed, Shinbo had specifically brought Caesar, who had just finished filming recently, back for this very purpose.
After Caesar took the lip ring from Wamuu, the narrative in "Battle Tendency" shifted. Joseph's fight with Wamuu was no longer just about retrieving the antidote to the poison from the death ring on his heart. It became a quest for revenge! To fulfill the promise between him and Caesar! To protect the things Caesar wanted to protect until his dying breath!
Joseph had to defeat Wamuu and let Caesar's soul find peace!
Simply put, this was about utilizing the bond between Caesar and Joseph within the script's world. Their subconscious minds, initially at odds, gradually became true friends as filming continued, transcending the scripted storyline.
Just like two people who truly love each other would go beyond their limits to accomplish seemingly impossible feats to defeat a formidable enemy.
Though the concept of "infinite love" is usually found only in fictional works, the principle here is the same, even though Caesar and Gintoki's friendship isn't romantic.
Having worked on many JUMP series with hot-blooded themes, Shinbo certainly knew how to ignite that belief in his actors during filming.
What could be more exhilarating than having a dear friend's "soul" fighting alongside you, facing formidable enemies together?
Nothing!
Before the filming began, Shinbo intended to plant this very subconscious suggestion in Gintoki's mind. However...
"No, I don't think Gintoki can win," Caesar shook his head. "As much as I hate to admit it, I was fighting with all my might back then, but in the end, I still lost..."
As mentioned before, in full-dive filming, the most important thing is not the script but the actors. The script exists only as a general framework for the actors to work within.
In most cases, this isn't a problem. But for Caesar, who was brimming with golden spirit, and Wamuu, who was burning with dark determination, the script could no longer constrain their resolve.
In other words, during the filming of his battle with Wamuu, Caesar wasn't following the script; he genuinely intended to kill Wamuu. He nearly succeeded in doing so.
But the final result...
The episode of "Battle Tendency" that aired, along with Caesar's current state after finishing filming, made it clear.
He lost.
Even when he broke free from the constraints of the script and fought with all his might, he ultimately lost to Wamuu, who had also broken free from the script and was even more skilled in combat.
So, even though it might be hurtful to say, after confirming that Gintoki and the others had donned their full-dive helmets and entered the script world, Caesar still quietly voiced the words that would shatter Shinbo's illusions.
"..."
Hearing this, Shinbo sighed, not too surprised. "I see, so even you think that way, Caesar. I thought with your relationship with Gintoki, you might say something to reassure me."
"...Huh!?"
This time, it was Caesar's turn to be stunned.
It was true; Joseph, played by Gintoki, might not be able to defeat Wamuu. Although Shinbo hadn't entered the script world himself to fight Wamuu, his years of directing experience were not for nothing. He could tell at a glance that Caesar and Wamuu's performances weren't following the script.
He also found Wamuu's performance truly unbelievable!
Just look at Wamuu's combat instincts. Before becoming an actor, Wamuu was supposedly a researcher working with Kars on biological studies!? "I'm just a scientist; I don't have their kind of strength. JPG"
Where on earth did Pucci find such outrageous actors!?
"But for now, all we can do is trust in Gintoki's subconscious."
Even though his hope for reassurance was dashed, the resolve to abandon illusions and prepare for battle had indeed been communicated.
Now, there was no room for any wishful thinking; either they successfully carried on with the plot of "Battle Tendency," or they failed, leading to the protagonist Joseph's death and a disastrous ending.
The industry of full-dive filming was just that brutal, which was why Jolyne Cujoh had hastily devised the third filming plan and immediately started shooting.
"The only good news is that Gintoki successfully defeated Esidisi earlier. Although that battle relied on Esidisi's overconfidence and, in the end, Gintoki didn't actually manage to kill Esidisi, who turned the tables on him..."
"But a win is a win. Let's hope this time, Gintoki's subconscious cunning will work a little more in his favor..."
As Shinbo and the others thought this, they saw on the screen showing the script world...
…
"JOJO, what are you doing? The moon is about to come out!"
In the tense chariot duel, everyone, including the surrounding vampires and Lisa Lisa, was looking up, waiting for the moon to reappear from behind the clouds, signaling the start of the race.
Only Joseph, played by Gintoki, was crouched beside his chariot. He neither looked up at the moon nor stood on his chariot pulling the reins. He seemed to be doing something on the ground.
"I know! But the start is crucial, you know. I have to check if there are any pesky rocks under the wheels!"
Otherwise...
"This is...!!?"