Chapter 230: The Ozaki Eight challenges or something, are they fake?

Naoko Nagayama's phone call finally came through.

A minor daughter taking her best friend to her older brother's place in Tokyo, and then playing so wildly that she forgot to go home—even if she wasn't worried herself, the best friend's parents would be.

"Eh, Okasan, there are still many places in Tokyo I haven't been to yet."

"Tsuruko, didn't you already go play once in the first half of the year? What's with taking a friend and always staying at Naoki's place playing wildly during the holidays! Besides, you're already in your second year of high school, and Nana-chan still has cram school to attend!"

"Hai, hai! I know already~ I'll be back tomorrow!"

Although Hezi seemed to want to play for a while longer, she ultimately yielded under her mother's suppression, and aggrievedly told Naoki Nagayama: "Nii-chan, Mom is making me go back tomorrow."

"Go back if you want, it's not like you can't come over again~" Naoki Nagayama comforted her with a smile. "If you really like staying in Tokyo, just pass the exam for a university in Tokyo next year."

"That will still take a long time." Tsuruko pulled Nana's arm and lay on the sofa, dejected like a squid on a cutting board.

And Tsubakiya Nana covered her mouth and giggled.

"By the way, Tsuruko, I almost forgot to say, when you go back this time, take Eitaro back to the old home to stay for a while too~"

"Eh? What's wrong?"

"I plan to go travel to Honolulu later."

Tsuruko's envious little eyes immediately went online, full of "Take me! Take me!" meaning.

"Don't even think about it!" Naoki Nagayama refused mercilessly. "Father and Mother won't let you go out. This time I'm going out for about half a month, and by that time you should be starting school too."

"How can this be..." Tsuruko turned from a lively squid into a hopeless salted fish. "Eitaro, your master is going to abandon you again. From now on, it's just the two of us depending on each other~"

She touched the dog head of Eitaro, who was grinning foolishly beside her. This guy had no idea what had happened.

And he didn't know even more that his master was going to dump him at the old home in Shizuoka again.

After sending Tsuruko and Nana—two people and one dog—to the station, Naoki Nagayama came to the base camp of Tree Friend Films—the studio—for the first time in a long while.

Unexpectedly, there were very few people in the studio, especially the staff related to filming, who were basically not there.

Shuichi Ido, who usually stayed in the studio, wasn't there either, and Yoshimura Otomo, who usually ran around everywhere, was actually drinking tea leisurely in the office.

"Otomo-san, it's really rare to be able to run into you in the office." Naoki Nagayama greeted him. "Shuichi-san isn't here, and everyone from the filming crew is out too."

"Ha, it's rare for Naoki-san to come to the office." Yoshimura Otomo poured tea for Naoki Nagayama. "Shuichi-san and the stars of 'Hachiko Monogatari' are running around promoting it."

"What does it have to do with me? I'm just a screenwriter~" Naoki Nagayama said shamelessly. "How come I don't see anyone else either?"

"Ah, the filming crew." Yoshimura Otomo seemed to remember something. "Shimizu-san was very strange to see that the filming crew actually had nothing to do after the movie ended, so he lent the filming crew out."

"Eh? Lent out?"

"Hai, he contacted other film crews and let the filming crew go help out." Yoshimura Otomo said. "Although the money earned is a little less, at least there is income, instead of raising people for nothing."

"Sure enough, it's from a capitalist company." Naoki Nagayama sighed. "The ability to exploit employees is not small."

Yoshimura Otomo said: "This is what a normal company looks like. Although it was easy when there were no projects before, everyone's hearts were also floating."

Naoki Nagayama forgot that in this positive Showa era, working hard to make money is the mainstream for workplace personnel. Being a salary thief, slacking off at work, and not seeking progress would be ridiculed.

"Well~ Since everyone is working so hard, then let's give more red envelopes at the end of the year~"

Naoki Nagayama didn't care about the dividends of some small projects. The big money earned by Tree Friend Films was all from his own movie projects. Naoki Nagayama, Yoshimura Otomo, and Shuichi Ido had enough. The money earned by workers doing odd jobs should be regarded as fighting for their year-end bonuses.

"Hahaha, I thank Naoki-san on behalf of the employees~" Yoshimura Otomo laughed. Sure enough, this is the Naoki Nagayama he knows.

"By the way, Otomo-san, I came here today because I have something I want to say."

"Nani?"

"I plan to go travel for a period of time, to Honolulu~" Naoki Nagayama informed him of his travel plan. "About a month or so."

By the way, he expanded the deadline, meaning he didn't want to manage anything for a month.

"Eh? Are you going to travel again? I'm really envious~" Yoshimura Otomo was jealous. He clearly went out to roam for a month in the spring, and now he is actually going out again...

"Hahaha, the summer in Tokyo is too hot~"

Since there was no reason to stop him, Yoshimura Otomo rolled his eyes: "Since Naoki-san is going out to play, then let's arrange some things first, so as not to be disturbed when playing halfway."

"Of course that's good. I came today to get the things that need to be solved done first." Naoki Nagayama was very happy to hear this. It is naturally very unpleasant to be found by work when on vacation.

"Naoki-san, speaking of which, Ito Junko's second song has also been released for quite a long time. Does she have any arrangements for the next songs?" Yoshimura Otomo's eyes looking at Naoki Nagayama were full of hope.

Ito Junko can be said to be a very successful idol launched by the GG agency. Her debut song and the following songs have achieved top ten results on the Oricon chart. If she makes persistent efforts, there is a great possibility of becoming a national-level idol.

With such a precedent, Yoshimura Otomo was also full of confidence in the development of the idol agency, and was already calculating whether to expand manpower and sign a few more artists.

"... Otomo-san, why are you hitting on me again?"

Naoki Nagayama was speechless. Shuichi Ido was calculating his script, and Yoshimura Otomo was calculating his music library. Although he had just recalled a song two days ago, he felt reluctant to give it to Ito Junko.

"Ito Junko's popularity is still rising continuously. If there are more famous songs, maybe she will become a top idol!" Yoshimura Otomo said excitedly.

Naoki Nagayama interrupted his fantasy: "Otomo-san, look at which top idol only sings songs from one creator? Now, rather than saying Junko-chan has the potential to become a top idol, it's better to say that the songs I create have the ability to make people become top idols."

"That's true~" Yoshimura Otomo said. "However, is there any difference? Isn't this a win-win thing? Junko-san is our artist after all."

"However~" Naoki Nagayama sighed. "Has Otomo-san considered that my creative ability is not stable? What if I have no inspiration? Will the national idol collapse?"

"No inspiration?"

Yoshimura Otomo frowned. This point was indeed not considered. Since starting the business, everything has been smooth sailing, which also made him never consider that relying on Naoki Nagayama was too heavy.

"So, we still have to find other sources of songs~" Naoki Nagayama reminded. "We must also create a sustainable method of cultivating idols."

Yoshimura Otomo was silent for a while. "I understand!"

After chatting about some other issues, Naoki Nagayama left the studio with a relaxed expression on his face: "Finally fooled Otomo-san!"

If everything depends on himself, wouldn't he become a worker again?

That absolutely cannot be done!

The sun in Tokyo in August is simply like turning on the maximum power, scorching everything under the sky, making the road surface slightly distorted, making the edges of the leaves curl and turn yellow, making the grass in the corners of the walls wither and dry...

High-rise buildings and low-rise detached houses all maintained the same silence in this weather, holding on and waiting for the high temperature to pass.

Only the green plants that are occasionally watered by municipal greening personnel, and the tall trees with deep roots in the earth, stubbornly maintained a vibrant green, casting a little green shade for insects under this scorching sun.

With the scorching sun overhead, even humans, as the masters of all things, will turn red after being shone on the skin for a while if there are no protective measures, and will be at least one shade darker after a day.

So the city in broad daylight seems to have been pressed with a pause button, appearing empty and quiet, with only a few figures having to walk out of the air conditioning's cold air due to work requirements, facing the scorching sun directly.

Naoki Nagayama waited in the shade for a long time before he could hail a taxi, and with a small suitcase, he rushed to the airport in Tokyo.

After reporting to the relevant personnel, he officially embarked on the journey to vacation.

From Tokyo to Honolulu International Airport in Xia Weiyi, it takes about 6-7 hours. Basically, you go in the morning, and you can start enjoying the sun, beach, and waves in the afternoon.

Along the way, except for the plane being slightly delayed, there were no other problems. By the time Naoki Nagayama arrived in another country, the sky had already darkened.

After coming out of the international airport on Oahu, he took a taxi for more than an hour before arriving at the booked Xia Weiyi Royal Hotel, The Royal Hawaiian.

Naoki Nagayama, who got off the taxi, looked at this hotel that had experienced half a century, and couldn't help but be amazed by its Moorish style and special pink appearance.

In fact, pink was a popular color in American modern architecture during the era when the hotel was built~

"Mm, macho pink, it really is the choice of a real man!"

It was already late when he checked in. Naoki Nagayama changed into Xia Weiyi's iconic floral shirt, big shorts, and flip-flops in his room. Except for his skin being too fair, he already looked like an authentic Hawaiian native.

When night falls, it is the moment when the real carnival banquet begins.

Entering the banquet venue, Hawaiian beauties wearing grass skirts will present you with garlands made of shells and flowers.

Next, it is the unique Hawaiian-style roasted wild boar banquet at the Azure restaurant of the Xia Weiyi Royal Hotel, which is a delicacy that people who have just arrived here must try.

The production method is said to have been learned from the indigenous people. You have to dig a large pit on the ground, surround it with a circle of stones, use fire to bake the stones hot, and at the same time, marinate and prepare the wild pork, put some hot stones into the pig's stomach, wrap the whole pig with large banana leaves and put it into the pit, and finally cover it with soil and wait for the temperature of the stones to steam it until it is cooked.

The production process of up to 6 hours, the heating process of internal and external attack, allows the taste of seasonings and the fragrance of banana leaves to slowly soak into the meat. The whole production process is equivalent to roasting, stewing, and steaming together. The final wild boar meat is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, delicious and fragrant!

The steaming wild boar meat is fragrant and tender, fat but not greasy, paired with sauce, salad, dessert, and staple food, which is the best welcome for tourists coming to Xia Weiyi!

Under the dim night, local actors will also perform Polynesian music, songs, and dances.

It's a pity that this time it's not the famous hula dance, but several strong men, wearing local characteristic clothing, and then turning the fire knife dance with short sticks burning at both ends.

The strong men started to dance and spin with the rhythm of the drums. The clothing that only covered the vital parts highlighted the masculine spirit in the dance, and when the flames connected into a piece, it really looked like holding a circle of fire wheels in their hands, causing exclamations from the audience present.

It has a bit of the feeling of Monkey King turning the golden cudgel!

On the first night in Xia Weiyi, Naoki Nagayama slept very peacefully. Not to mention anything else, just the sound of the waves is the best white noise to help sleep.

Early the next morning, Naoki Nagayama enjoyed the local hot pancakes as breakfast, which were fluffy, smooth, and fragrant, and then brought his camera, unable to wait to start his Xia Weiyi trip.

Coming to Xia Weiyi, naturally, you have to enjoy the sun, beach, and waves. Outside the Xia Weiyi Royal Hotel is the famous Waikiki Beach. The parasols here are pink, and the surfboards are also pink.

Between the light blue sky and the clear ocean, the white beach and green coconut trees are dotted, and this place is known as the most beautiful beach on Oahu.

Naoki Nagayama rented a parasol here, and by the way, found a training class that can teach surfing nearby. Several adult tourists and a group of local brats were learning how to surf here together.

"Coach White, don't worry, I can swim and have a diving certificate." Naoki Nagayama said to the surfing coach who was understanding the progress.

"Very good, then William, you can go learn the theoretical course."

Most of the people who come here to learn can swim, so everyone is listening to boring theoretical knowledge, how to carry a surfboard, how to enter the wave area, push the board to cross the waves, lie on the board, stand up, types of standing posture, and standing on the surfboard, etc.

Theoretical learning is naturally boring and dull. The coach is also reading from the script and doesn't care much about the people underneath. Before long, several tourists started chatting.

There are really quite a few Japanese people coming to Xia Weiyi. On the surfboard, he also met a guy named Ozaki Takao, who was also in his 20s, looked like a rich second generation, and was a chatterbox, but obviously didn't recognize Naoki Nagayama.

"Ozaki-san, is this your first time in Honolulu?"

"Ah, yes, is Ozaki-san also here for the first time?"

Ozaki Takao is not here for the first time, but he has been in a hurry for the past few times and has never made an effort to learn surfing.

"Although it's not the first time I've been here, every time I want to learn surfing, it will be delayed because of various things." Ozaki Takao laughed at himself. "Speaking of which, I'm actually afraid of the sea~"

"Eh? Afraid of water? Deep sea phobia?" Then you can swim?

"It's not that. How should I put it? I always feel that people are so small in the sea, and I can't raise the idea of conquering the sea." Ozaki Takao said a bit trance-like. "Humans want to fly like birds, swim like fish, and go against their own nature. I always feel that they have lost their awe of nature."

I just asked casually, how did it pull up to the philosophical height?

"Haha, every progress of mankind is actually a conquest of nature, right? Maybe this is human's own nature? Conquering nature? Hahaha~" Naoki Nagayama also chatted nonsense. When it comes to mouth escape, Naoki Nagayama is not afraid of anyone!

"That's true. The power of nature needs awe. Only after passing the test of nature can people welcome a new life!" Ozaki Takao muttered.

Hearing this kind of remark, and then thinking of this guy's surname... Ozaki Eight? Is it fake? Should this kind of challenge be fabricated by the movie? Or is it made by extreme enthusiasts?

However, it seems very interesting...

"Ozaki-san, have you heard of a theory about the eight extreme challenges..."

"The fourth challenge is Life of Water, surfing in huge waves, feeling the vitality and vitality given by the sea..."

"The last is the ultimate faith."

Naoki Nagayama started to chatter and popularize the "Ozaki Eight" theory he had heard of in later generations to this guy. Because the two chatted too happily, and some sentences were said in English, it actually attracted the attention of several people around.

Then Naoki Nagayama started to introduce it in pure English. Anyway, this rich second generation Ozaki Takao's English is also very smooth, otherwise he wouldn't be traveling to Xia Weiyi alone.

By the time Naoki Nagayama came back to his senses, the whole training class was actually listening to him. After all, in 1982, extreme sports had basically not started to become popular. The theory he said was actually similar to religious stories.

However, extreme off-road, extreme peak umbrella jumping, wingsuit flying, downhill skiing, and extreme diving, etc., sounded dangerous and exciting. Just the description could make adrenaline rise, and finally combined with the power of awe of nature in a god-like way, and finally put forward the concept of Nirvana sublimation.

If he didn't have the idea of trying extreme sports, Naoki Nagayama even felt that he could even create a small religious sect, and then be the leader himself, just called "Physical Ascension Sect" or "Natural Sublimation Sect" or something.

"William, is what you said true?"

I don't know when, Coach White also came to the side, listening very carefully, his eyes shining.

Why does it feel a bit wrong?

This guy White, wouldn't he really believe it?

In this era, the era of internet information explosion has not yet come, and people's concepts are actually still very constrained, especially the masses at the bottom of the United States. There are actually many superstitious people. Coach White might really believe it.

"Ah, this is just a theory I've heard, I'm actually not very clear about the specific truth..." I told you, I just heard about it. If it's wrong, don't blame me!

Coach White is specifically teaching surfing, so he is naturally very familiar with surfing spots: "The huge waves of the Sea of Cortez? Are they high? I've never heard of them!"

"I heard there are waves more than 20 meters high." Naoki Nagayama recalled.

"This is really... Life of Water, must go to see it!" Coach White seemed to have made up his mind.

Ozaki Takao quietly poked Naoki Nagayama's arm on the side and said in a low voice in Japanese: "Naoki-san, are you lying to him?"

"Not at all, I really just heard it."

Everyone discussed these eight extreme challenges endlessly, what kind of challenge is the easiest, what will happen after the challenge is successful, etc.

It was not easy to hear a very interesting thing, everyone was very interested, and everyone put forward their own views.

In the end, Coach White didn't forget his duty.

"Alright, alright, everyone can take the skateboard and try it in the shallow water area." ===== CHAPTER 231 =====