Re-written date: 7 / 2 / 2025
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Chapter 17: Explosion Magic
Early the next morning, the crew set out once more to the grassy plains outside town, ready to shoot the next big scene.
The field was just as wide and empty as before—except for the massive slime from yesterday, which still rested there lazily. A few patches of grass had been torn up, indicating that it had moved around at some point, though not far.
From across the plains, Lawrence's wagon slowly rolled into view, carrying a fresh new giant slime—another "guest actor" for today's shoot.
The moment they arrived, Edward didn't waste a single second.
"Today we're filming the second monster-hunting scene," he announced. "The key focus is on showcasing Explosion Magic. Helena, I remember you scored full marks on the Fire Magic practical exam back at the Academy, right? Just bring that same energy to the screen. But watch your angle when you cast—we can't afford to blow up our precious slime extras. I'll frame the shot so it looks like you hit it."
Hearing this, Helena's eyes lit up.
"Explosion magic?! But that's a hybrid spell—a combination of fire and wind, right? Edward, you know I've only got the elemental heart for fire. I can't cast a dual-element spell like that."
"Don't worry. I'll back you up with a wind spell on my end."
"Really?! I've always wanted to try a high-tier area of effect spell like Explosion! And that chant—it's so cool! Did you write it yourself?! It's amazing!"
"..."
Edward chose not to comment. She was way too easy to get into character, and at this point, that was a blessing.
Satisfied, he popped open the lid on the Magic Video Recorder and gave the final briefing. "Anyway, everything else is in place. Your performance yesterday was great—let's try to nail this in one take today."
With the actors ready, the crew quickly cleared the area—well, everyone except for the three leads. Edward had warned them that today's shoot could be dangerous, and no one wanted to be in range of a literal explosion.
. . . . .
After joining Zat and Aqua's party, Megumin had promised to demonstrate her true power during their first real quest together. So, the group returned to the very same plains from the previous mission—to finish the job they couldn't complete last time.
And now, with her belly full and her pride on the line, Megumin would finally show them what she could do.
As Zat and Aqua engaged the slime to keep it occupied, Megumin took her stance and raised her staff skyward.
Then she began her incantation.
"Darkness blacker than black and darker than dark, I beseech thee, combine with my deep crimson. The time of awakening cometh. Justice, fallen upon the infallible boundary, appear now as an intangible distortions!"
With each chuunibyou-infused word, the flames around her flared. Elemental energy churned across the field. And as expected of Helena—an advanced fire mage in real life—her aura swelled with raw power.
Behind the camera, Edward added his part—an expertly timed Wind Surge spell to simulate the wind element that Megumin lacked. Without it, the result would've been a glorified fireball. With it? They were about to make cinema.
Helena clearly felt the boost. Her confidence rose with the storm, and her chant picked up pace.
Now, even the crew members who didn't understand magic began to feel it—that terrifying force swelling in the air. Instinctively, they all took a few more steps back.
As the chant escalated, sweat streamed down Helena's temples. But her eyes shone with manic glee, like a general about to fire the ultimate weapon.
Then, at last, the tip of her staff lit up with a blazing red glow.
That brilliant light began to concentrate—compressing, pulsing—until it became a blinding orb of pure destruction.
And in that instant, Helena's eyes snapped open.
"Dance, dance, dance! I desire for my torrent of power a destructive force: a destructive force without equal! Return all creation to cinders, and come from the abyss! This is the mightiest means of attack known to man, the ultimate attack magic! EXPLOSION!!!"
A beam of light shot across the open plains like a meteor ripping through the heavens.
And then, the brutal force of the explosion magic unleashed its wrath upon the world. With a thunderous roar that made even the very air tremble, the most destructive offensive spell erupted in glorious devastation.
Edward had to hunch over and shield the Magic Video Recorder just to keep it from being blown away by the shockwave.
When the smoke and dust finally cleared, what lay before Megumin (or rather, Helena in costume) was a massive crater—easily over twenty meters wide—etched deep into the earth. The sheer scale of destruction was awe-inspiring.
"Cut!" Edward barked, instantly shifting back into director mode. "Zat, Aya—reset to your positions! Lawrence, check if the slime's been hurt. Helena, how's your mana? If you're running low, down a mana crystal right now—I'll reimburse you later!"
As everyone moved to follow his instructions, Helena—still in-character as Megumin—collapsed dramatically on the spot.
Clearly, even for a high-level mage like her, unleashing that kind of firepower in one blast had taken its toll.
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"Nice work, everyone! That's a wrap for today's shoot," Edward finally declared.
"The next filming session will start once the new actors are in place. Until then, feel free to take a break, explore Nosrick City, or even head home—just let me know in advance if you need teleportation coordinates set up."
It was barely past noon, but they'd already wrapped the entire battle sequence for the episode.
As he floated the slime prop back onto Lawrence's wagon with magic, Edward mulled over the next scenes.
Truth be told, he'd need to make some adjustments to the script. Without CG effects, a lot of his ideas were just impossible to pull off right now.
Still, he'd just have to make do with practical effects and clever cinematography.
Then, while munching on her bento, Aya suddenly piped up, "Hey, magic is really amazing... Do you think we could learn it too?"
At her question, everyone—literally everyone—turned to look at Edward.
Apparently, she wasn't the only one who'd been wondering.
"Well," Edward said thoughtfully, "not everyone can become a mage, but at the very least, everyone has a chance."
He gestured slightly, beginning to explain. "Just like how everyone has a different kind of intelligence, people also have different levels of attunement to the elements. The first hurdle to becoming a mage is whether you can perceive those elements at all. We call this the 'awakening of the Elemental Heart.'"
"Elemental Heart…?" Aya echoed.
Even Lawrence—who normally didn't care much for scholarly talk—was now watching with genuine interest.
Seeing their curiosity, Edward grinned and said, "Well then, since you all seem interested… how about I test you?"
"Let's see who among you has what it takes to wield real magic."