Chapter 170: It Failed Successfully, but my Face is Awesome

The enormous soundstage had been transformed into the aftermath of a rift disaster.

Half-collapsed buildings leaned against one another. Burned-out cars littered the streets. Fake cracks ran across the asphalt while green screens surrounded the entire set. Artificial smoke drifted lazily through the ruined city, and dozens of cameras hung from cranes and rails.

Crew members hurried back and forth.

"Lighting ready!"

"Camera Three online!"

"Monster animatronic is in position!"

Victor Hale clapped his hands.

"Everyone! Positions!"

The director, a short man in a baseball cap named Marcus Doyle, stepped into the middle of the set with a megaphone.

"Listen up!"

He pointed toward Chloe.

"We’re starting with Miss Montreal."

The first commercial scene was simple. A squad of hunters was supposedly trapped by a horde of monsters. Everything seemed hopeless.

Then, the temperature dropped, a gentle breeze swept through the destroyed street, as Chloe slowly walked into frame. She wore the white-and-blue version of Aureline’s Hunter Series armor.

Unlike ordinary combat suits, hers had long flowing fabric around the waist resembling a winter coat, while silver-blue patterns glowed faintly beneath the material.

Marcus nodded.

"Excellent."

"Action!"

One of the actors screamed.

"We’re surrounded!"

Another fell dramatically.

"I-I’m out of mana!"

Right on cue, Chloe raised one hand. She didn’t actually use Absolute Zero, of course. The production team didn’t want an entire city block frozen.

Instead, she just circulated a tiny amount of mana. Immediately, tiny snowflakes appeared. The air itself seemed to become quieter. Her long white hair gently floated behind her.

Without changing expression, she looked forward. The cameras zoomed in. Her pale blue eyes reflected the artificial flames surrounding the ruined city.

She slowly drew the crystalline sword strapped behind her waist and, with one elegant swing. compressed ice mana surged outward.

Hidden machines launched dozens of pre-made ice crystals across the battlefield while CGI markers recorded everything.

The actors reacted perfectly.

"The monsters are freezing!"

"We’re saved!"

Marcus pointed excitedly.

"Beautiful!"

"Hold it!"

"Perfect!"

"Cut!"

The entire studio burst into applause. Victor couldn’t stop smiling.

"I knew she’d be perfect."

Elena nodded. "She doesn’t even feel like she’s acting."

One makeup artist whispered,

"She’s literally an ice queen."

Chloe tilted her head and asked, "Was that okay?"

Marcus almost dropped his megaphone.

"Okay? Miss Montreal... That was phenomenal."

She just nodded. "Good."

Then quietly walked off the set. Silas stretched his shoulders.

"So... My turn?"

Marcus grinned.

"Your turn."

He handed Silas the script.

"This one’s a little more... energetic."

Silas glanced through it. His role consisted of running through the battlefield, saving civilians, blocking a monster’s attack, drawing his weapon, striking a cool pose, and delivering one line.

Simple enough.

"I can do this."

Marcus smiled confidently.

"I have complete faith in you."

Five minutes later...

"Action!"

Silas sprinted into frame. He looked incredible. The black-and-crimson Hunter armor fit him perfectly. His pink hair fluttered dramatically. Every camera immediately focused on him.

"So far so good..." Marcus whispered.

Silas reached the first mark. According to the script, he was supposed to stop, turn left, draw his weapon, and point it toward the incoming monster.

Instead, he completely missed the mark.

"Where am I supposed to stop?"

One cameraman blinked. "He forgot."

Silas looked around.

"Oh. There."

He casually jogged backward. Marcus pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Keep rolling."

Silas reached the correct spot and dramatically reached for his sword only to grab empty air.

"..."

"..."

"Wrong side."

The prop sword was hanging from his left hip. He’d reached toward the right. One assistant quietly buried her face in her clipboard.

Silas awkwardly switched hands.

"Found it."

SHING!

He drew the sword. Unfortunately, he drew it far too enthusiastically. The blade slipped from his hand and spun through the air. Everyone froze.

"..."

Fortunately, Silas caught it again without looking. Pure instinct. The motion was unbelievably smooth. One of the cameras accidentally captured the entire thing.

Marcus blinked.

"Keep."

"What?"

The cameraman nodded frantically.

"That looked intentional!"

"It looked amazing!"

Silas blinked.

"Really?"

Marcus immediately shouted, "Continue!"

Silas shrugged.

"Okay."

He charged forward. According to the script, he was supposed to perform three choreographed slashes. Instead, his hunter instincts took over.

One spin, a low slide, then he leapt over a chunk of rubble, used it as a foothold, and flipped over the CGI monster marker. He landed perfectly, then casually rested the katana on his shoulder.

"..."

Nobody had choreographed that. The stunt coordinator slowly lowered his notebook.

"I... didn’t teach him that."

One assistant whispered,

"Is he improvising?"

Victor smiled.

"I don’t think he knows he’s improvising."

Marcus didn’t yell "Cut."

He just watched. Silas looked around again.

"What’s my next line?"

The script supervisor shouted, "’The future belongs to those who stand their ground!’"

"Oh."

Silas nodded. Instead, he looked straight into the main camera, smiled naturally, and said,

"If monsters want this city..." He casually twirled the katana once. "...they’ll have to get through me first."

Silence.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Marcus slowly lowered his megaphone.

"That wasn’t the script."

Silas scratched his cheek.

"Oops?"

Victor looked toward Elena. She looked toward Marcus. Marcus looked toward the camera crew. Every single cameraman had thumbs raised. One of the editors practically screamed.

"USE THAT!"

"It sounds way better!"

"It feels natural!"

"It feels real!"

Marcus burst out laughing.

"You failed every instruction I gave you..."

Silas smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry?"

Marcus pointed dramatically at him.

"And somehow, you accidentally made a better commercial."

The studio erupted into laughter. Even Chloe quietly covered her mouth.

"He did."

Silas looked confused.

"I failed successfully?"

Victor laughed so hard he had to remove his glasses.

"Mr. Ashard... I’ve worked in advertising for twenty-three years. I’ve seen trained actors, celebrities, S-Rank Hunters."

He pointed at Silas.

"I have never seen someone ignore an entire script, and still produce marketing gold."

Elena nodded in agreement.

"People won’t remember the armor. They’ll remember the pink-haired hunter who looked like he genuinely belonged on a battlefield."

Silas blinked.

"Is that good?"

Marcus grinned.

"It means..." He held up both thumbs. "...you’re impossible to direct, but absolutely perfect on camera."

Across the studio, Chloe glanced at Silas before quietly murmuring to herself, "He really does fail upward."

Silas heard her.

"I did not."

"You did."

"I looked cool."

"You forgot which side your sword was on."

"Details."

"You failed."

"It failed successfully, but my face is awesome."