"I'm in Tokyo, and this is some kind of movie star comeback system?!"

After an hour's drive, we arrived at the Karuizawa mountain road.

Looking out the car window, a group of staff members had already begun making preparations.

The film crew closed off a small section of the road for filming.

In just 200 meters, three mobile cranes were used to suspend the PVC spray pipes, which were then connected to high-pressure water pumps.

Four industrial-grade blowers are positioned on the outside of the curve, with an elevation angle of about 4 degrees, to simulate crosswinds in the mountains.

Anti-slip particles are sprayed in the water spray area to ensure stable driving.

On one side of the safety fence, two Nissan Patrols acted as guides, controlling traffic flow and the pace of filming.

The van came to a stop, and Sakamoto Yu and Ono Hitomi got out.

A production assistant was already waiting on set. As soon as he saw Sakamoto Yu arrive, he quickly walked towards him, waving and calling out:

"Sakamoto-san, over here, over here!"

Sakamoto Yu looked up and saw him, then walked straight toward him.

After getting off the bus, Hitomi Ono didn't follow. Instead, she went to find the staff to ask where the rest area was. She was busy arranging folding chairs, getting things ready for rest, getting water, and collecting snacks like chocolate to replenish Sakamoto Yu's energy.

Led by the production assistant, Sakamoto arrived at the film set.

He glanced around and saw Director Nakagawa and a middle-aged man in a suit.

The two stood facing each other, neither of them looking too pleased.

Nakagawa's face was cold and stern. He gripped the megaphone in his hand and spoke in a stiff tone.

The middle-aged man waved his hands repeatedly, clearly rejecting his suggestion.

Both suppressed their emotions and did not argue loudly, but their expressions were cold and their tone was harsh. They insisted on their own positions and neither would give an inch.

Upon seeing this, Sakamoto Yu subconsciously slowed down.

With the intention of avoiding trouble, he stopped five meters away.

Turning around, I arrived at the makeshift sunshade.

He had barely stood still when Nakagawa's barely suppressed anger rang out:

What do you mean the stunt drivers aren't coming?

The sudden angry shout startled Sakamoto Yu.

"The budget won't be approved." The brand manager slammed the budget sheet onto the equipment box. "If you want to hire someone, you can deduct it from your director's fee."

The director's lips twitched violently, and the surrounding staff members quietly took a few steps back, not daring to get involved.

"Deduct it from my director's fee?" the director's voice was forced out through clenched teeth. "Do I have to pay out of my own pocket to make this ripped movie?"

"So what do you want me to do? Conjure up money?"

"Go talk to the department head," the director said, passing the buck back. "Tell him that if he wants to save money, he can shoot with a green screen and do the special effects. That's what he got for his money."

The brand manager stood still, without moving.

"Go ahead," Nakagawa said.

"I won't go."

Why?

"You know perfectly well," Nagai said, suppressing his anger. "What will you say if the department head asks where the budget shortfall is?"

Tell him you absolutely have to have that stunt driver who pays 500,000 yen a day?

Upon hearing this, the director fell silent instantly, and the atmosphere on set froze completely.

The staff passing by wished they had two extra legs, handling things with utmost care, afraid of making a sound.

The director pursed his lips, his face grim.

"Fine! If you insist on being so serious, are you still going to film this GG or not!?"

The entire crew instantly stopped what they were doing and turned to look at the source of the sound.

Nagai was under the spotlight, and a surge of embarrassment and anger welled up inside him. He was caught off guard by Nakagawa's words and couldn't back down.

His face turned from pale to red, his emotions surging, and he was about to explode.

Sakamoto Yu stood there, caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to stay or leave.

His gaze unconsciously fell on the black Fairlady Z31 Turbo parked by the roadside.

The car body has sharp edges, like a lurking beast, quietly sitting there.

He silently brought up the panel, looking at the [Vehicle Driving Mastery] skill with some hesitation.

He carefully surveyed the scene out of the corner of his eye.

With all this dragging on, when will filming finally be finished?

He glanced at the two locked in a stalemate, and having no other choice, he stepped out of the shadows of the shed.

"Please let me try."

The sound wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to every corner of the film set where you could hear a pin drop.

Nakagawa turned his head upon hearing the sound and looked Sakamoto Yu up and down.

The middle-aged man also looked over, a clear look of surprise flashing in his eyes.

The director squinted: "You can?"

Sakamoto Yu did not reply, but turned around and walked straight to the Z31, opened the car door and got into the driver's seat.

The moment his palm gripped the steering wheel, an innate sense of familiarity instantly spread throughout his body; the sports car seemed to be an extension of his own.

Sakamoto Yu already holds a driver's license, but compared to his talent for "vehicle driving proficiency," his everyday driving skills are as immature as a baby learning to walk.

Feeling that excitement emanating from the depths of his heart, Sakamoto Yu's lips slowly curled up into a smile.

He reached out and turned the car key. With a "click" of the starter engaging, the engine suddenly roared with a deep and solid sound.

That deep, metallic bass note, with its pre-compression turbocharge, was like a wild beast being instantly awakened.

Sitting in the leather seats, you can clearly feel the subtle vibrations transmitted from the chassis.

Sakamoto tried lightly pressing the accelerator, and the engine speed increased linearly, with the sound gradually climbing from low frequencies to a metallic, crisp sound at mid-to-high RPMs.

At that moment, the middle-aged man in a suit and Director Nakagawa walked over quickly together.

"Sakamoto-san, are you serious?" The middle-aged man's voice was strained, his hands resting on the car window, his face full of disbelief.

When Sakamoto Yu was about to personally take charge, Nakagawa was also stunned.

Even though he didn't particularly like the actor, he absolutely didn't want an accident to happen, and quickly tried to dissuade him:

"Sakamoto-san, this bend is very sharp. Don't push yourself. I'll pay for a driver myself. You should get off here now."

Sakamoto Yu did not respond immediately. He lightly pressed the accelerator to 1500rpm, listened to the "whoosh" of the turbocharger releasing pressure, and felt the power response. On the other hand, he pressed the clutch, shifted into 1st to 5th gear in sequence, and then returned to neutral, confirming that the shifting stroke was clear and without play.

The entire sequence of actions, performed with effortless grace and as if by muscle memory, left the two of them stunned.

This... looks quite professional.

Could it be that he really knows how to drive?

After completing the vehicle self-inspection, Sakamoto Yu turned to the two men and reassured them in a calm tone:

"I'll drive it slowly first to familiarize myself with the route and the vehicle's condition."

Seeing this, the two recalled Sakamoto Yu's skillful operation just now and did not insist any further.

"Then you must be very careful," the middle-aged man solemnly advised.

Nakagawa didn't speak, but he silently moved aside, his gaze into the car complex and unreadable.

Sakamoto Yu nodded slightly and turned to look at the winding mountain road ahead.

His aura changed instantly; he lost his previous nonchalance and gained a new focus.

After a moment of silence, he suddenly moved.

Lightly press the brake with your right foot, depress the clutch fully with your left foot, and smoothly shift into first gear.

As you slowly release the clutch, steadily move your right foot from the brake to the accelerator.

Lightly apply the accelerator to keep the engine speed stable at 1800 rpm, and using the momentum of the downhill slope, the car slowly slides forward.

Ahead lies a series of downhill bends, and from the filming studio, one can have a clear view of the entire mountain road.

The tense atmosphere inside the shed vanished instantly, and everyone's eyes were fixed on the black Z31 on the mountain road, with even their breathing subconsciously becoming softer.

On the mountain road, Banbenyu skillfully downshifted and revved up, raising the engine speed in advance. Fifty meters before entering the curve, he lightly applied the brakes to slow down, pressed the clutch with his left foot, and prepared to enter the curve.

The crew members on set all forgot their work, standing there dumbfounded, clutching their tools. Some quietly tiptoed to peek, while others subconsciously held their breath and muttered to themselves:

"He really dares to drive like that? That curve is no joke..."

The other staff members also kept a straight face, staring intently at the movement of the sports car, and no one dared to make a sound to disturb them.

Nakagawa's brows furrowed as he stared intently at the mountain path, his thoughtful expression revealing his underlying tension.

He was both afraid that something might happen to Sakamoto Yu, and inexplicably looking forward to something; his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

Nagai, however, had lost his previous toughness. He leaned forward slightly, his hands unconsciously resting on the railing of the shed, anxiously watching the moving car, muttering to himself without thinking:

"Is this kid... really up to the task?"

A sense of regret arose in both of their hearts.

But now it's too late for regrets.

On the other side, Hitomi Ono had just finished tidying up the rest area and rushed to the film set.

Seeing everyone gathered around the railing, gazing intently, she scanned the area but couldn't spot Sakamoto Yu. A sense of foreboding washed over her, and she quickly ran over.

When she saw the familiar figure in the driver's seat of the black Fairlady Z31 Turbo, her pupils suddenly contracted, and she almost screamed.