manga artist Kirito

Page 114

Meanwhile, rumors suddenly spread that Eri Kashiwagi and Echizen Fujiwara would have to compete in sales. Although it was unclear who leaked the information, many people still believed that the annoying artist would be the winner of this showdown.

On the other hand, to ensure the fairness of this match, Kiritani's club deliberately did not promote it.

Of course, even without any promotion, Kirito's Twitter followers are now almost twice that of Eriri... Eriri will absolutely need some special methods to win.

Yes, Eriri is still very nervous.

"Speaking of which, Mr. Shang Baize, today is the release date of your new book, right? Are you sure it's okay?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha, who can be considered a fan of Asuna, is probably more focused on the release of Asuna's new book than on the CM convention. It must be very bad that it happened at the time of the CM convention.

"No problem!"

Asuna smiled in response. She never paid too much attention to sales figures, since it was genuinely out of interest. The timing of the release was also arranged by Shinazugawa Bunko, or perhaps Shinazugawa Bunko had some special plans. However, none of that mattered to her. Whether it flopped or became a bestseller, she would continue writing.

"That's it..."

Kasumigaoka Utaha nodded thoughtfully, seemingly lost in thought.

Eriri was emotionally devastated by what Kasumigaoka Utaha had just said, and after the necessary self-introduction, she remained in a state of deep thought.

...She was probably thinking about how to face her classmates who already knew she was an erotic artist.

Even before the visitors entered the exhibition hall, the venue was already bustling with activity, thanks to special channels that allowed entry. Thousands of clubs of all sizes were present, and even counting just a few members, there were still tens of thousands of people inside. At this stage, most of them were preparing their booths and artworks, while the people lingering around the various booths appeared to be staff members...

Actually, it's something that Akane and I often do while sitting down: taking advantage of the fact that there aren't many people around to assess the quality of some clubs and artists.

Of course, most people simply acquire their works directly, and it's rare to find someone like Akane Kosaka who is discovered and nurtured over time.

However, Akane Kosaka is now considered quite unpopular at CM conventions, after all, there are too many creators who have been ruined by her, and there are countless groups that can be considered her enemies.

"There's still some time before it starts, let's spread out and take a look first. I'll have Yui contact you later."

After checking the time, Kiritani-kun offered this suggestion.

"Alright, I'll go check how my stall is going."

Eriri nodded and left directly.

"Well then, I'll go check out my friend's stall too. Hmm, Mashiro's coming with me."

Asuna gently patted Kiritani's head, "Be good, don't run around!"

Kiritani-kun remained expressionless. "...You should say that to Sushi."

Kasumigaoka Utaha blinked. "Then... what about me?"

260

【NO.257 Summer CM Day 1 (Part 3)】

Is such that.

Eriri is going to check out her own booth, while Asuna is planning to take Shiina Mashiro to see her friend's booth. Kiritani is going to wander around with Kousaka Akane to see if they can find any good stuff. The rest... are only Kasumigaoka Utaha, a newbie who is attending the CM Expo for the first time.

Now, Kasumigaoka Utaha, still sporting the same white headband and black stockings, stood gracefully at the exhibition, her bewildered pretty face and voluptuous figure attracting many eyes.

But some things need to be made clear. Most of the people present are creators, and there are hardly any staff members. In other words, those otaku staring at Kasumigaoka Utaha here are guys who can conjure up a whole doujinshi about Kasumigaoka Utaha in a minute. Maybe Kasumigaoka Utaha has already become their next doujinshi heroine... Just kidding, you can take someone's portrait rights to court.

Hmm... I've heard that there have been cases where people have been sued because someone shared the same name as a character in a book?

Of course, at CM conventions, doujinshi are essentially derivative works and are traded, which to some extent infringes on copyright. However, there are unspoken rules in the industry, and not many people care about this. Look, that person known as the "God Master" directly calls his works "doujinshi," which means he has opened up the copyright and allowed derivative works... But I really don't understand, why don't you just focus on making animation and instead do music and games?

Please make a few hundred episodes of animation before you start making music and games, okay?

What are you looking at? I'm talking to you, Junya Ota!

…………

In the end, Kasumigaoka Utaha chose to follow Kiritani-kun and Kousaka Akane's team.

I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but it seems like Kiritani is intentionally keeping a slightly distance from them, standing a little ahead, while Akane Kosaka is half a step behind, and Utaha Kasumigaoka is practically following behind.

It's quite rare to see Kiritani-kun so enthusiastic today. When he saw some interesting works, he even took out a small notebook and asked the creators for their autographs—actually, it was just to leave an impression so he could ask them for it again later.

With the backpack on her back filled with more and more works, Kasumigaoka Utaha was a little confused. Kiritani-kun had only checked the image quality of many of these collected works before buying them, without looking at the content at all... Kousaka Akane's behavior was exactly the same as Kiritani-kun's - were these two just here to shop around?

Kasumigaoka Utaha, well, she just likes anime and manga, but she's far from being a fanatic. As for being like a certain famous blogger, that's out of the question. If she put all her energy into anime and manga, then there would probably be no "Love Metronome" for her. Maybe... she would become a gay-ish metronome.

Don't doubt it, every woman has the heart of a fujoshi (a female fan of male-male romance)!

Furthermore, Kiritani-kun did not extend an invitation to Kasumigaoka Utaha at this CM convention. Kiritani-kun simply mentioned in the discussion group that there should be some good doujinshi there... and then, she came.

Of course, another reason is that Asuna's new book was sold right next to the exhibition.

Riding the wave of popularity...

Kasumigaoka Utaha has figured out Shinazugawa Bunko's plans, now.

Well, anyway, CM Expo is meant to be visited, so following along like this is less useful than just watching.

Kasumigaoka Utaha stopped and turned her head to look at the stall next to her. Her gaze swept over the works that were roughly arranged, and while giving the stall owner a smile, she opened one of the works. Immediately, her eyes lit up... It seemed that she should participate in more of these kinds of activities.

However, when Kasumigaoka Utaha stopped, Kiritani-kun and Kousaka Akane both slipped away to the club's booth, handing over their backpacks and all their collections to Ayane for sorting and safekeeping. After glancing at Ichigo, who was still dealing with doujinshi that were about to be sold, Kiritani-kun decided to browse around a bit more. After all, once the entry time arrived, it would be really crowded. Whether it was because of his weak constitution or because Kousaka Akane couldn't overwork herself at this stage, it was a different story.

As she wiped away her sweat with a wet wipe, Akane Kosaka had a smile on her lips, and it was clear that she was thoroughly enjoying the feeling.

However, it was soon time for visitors to enter, which might be a little disappointing, but these things are unavoidable.

At Yui's call, the group regrouped. Asuna, Eriri, and even Kasumigaoka Utaha all carried bags containing doujinshi, with Kasumigaoka Utaha's two large bags being particularly eye-catching.

"Hmm, the show's about to start. Should we take a break now or what..."

"Wait a minute, isn't the main point why this golden retriever suddenly changed its template?"

It could be described as a rest area. Kasumigaoka Utaha interrupted Kiritani-kun, her wine-red eyes carrying a hint of deeper meaning.

"You...it's none of your business!"

Eriri pushed up her glasses, glaring at them with obvious displeasure, and many of her little fangs that hadn't yet appeared popped out.

Yes, that's right. Eriri has changed her disguise template, transforming from a slovenly and sneaky girl into a disheveled and glamorous woman. In middle school, she wore a green tracksuit with black-rimmed glasses, and her dazzling long golden hair was not tied into a ponytail but casually draped over her shoulders—to be honest, Kirito-kun thinks this version of Eriri is more charming.

But there are still some things that are really intriguing!

Do you carry a change of clothes with you at all times?

"Shut up! This is... my mother brought it along as a spare because she was worried I would sweat too much while visiting the exhibition."

"Your mom is very thoughtful in her preparations."

Kiritani nodded slightly and breathed a sigh of relief. When Eriri mentioned Sawamura Sayuri earlier, Kiritani thought that the dress was actually her mother's spare clothes... If that were the case, how terrible would that be?

She can even fit into her middle school gym uniform...

"But aren't you worried about being discovered now?"

"Then...then wasn't it already discovered?! Now that it's been discovered, there's no point in continuing to hide it."

"No, originally, probably not many people would have thought that way. After all, exhibitions are crowded, who cares what the booth owner looks like? At most, they'd only care about the creator's pen name..."

"...You mean, Kasumigaoka Utaha tricked me?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha calmly drank from the mineral water bottle, saying, "I didn't, it's just a guess."

Eriri snapped, "Eeeek! Kasumigaoka Utaha!!!"

Kasumigaoka Utaha reached out and pressed Eriri's head down. "Please don't shout in public. It will bother other people."

P.S.: Hmm, this kind of title is so convenient...

261

【NO.258 Summer CM Day 1 (Thursday)】

"I feel like that door in front is the entrance to the Sanzu River..."

"So you mean all these people around us are ghosts?"

Kiritani responded to Kasumigaoka Utaha's habitual mockery with a blank expression.

Although his current team looks very luxurious, with all the girls except for Kirito being extremely beautiful, as is customary, walking with them would inevitably put him under some pressure from the stares of those around him, but... something seems a little off, the way these people are looking at him.

However, everyone's attention was quickly drawn to the entrance.

"Well, shall we start exploring from the South Wing while we have this opportunity?"

Although Eriri was holding a map, her attention was completely elsewhere, and her eyes were noticeably unfocused.

However, Kiritani and the others didn't care too much. After all, it was better to leave now than to wait for tourists to flood in. Seriously, tens of thousands of tourists were still waiting outside, waiting for the time to enter. Once they flooded in... well, the only way to describe it was that if I threw a brick in, I could hit ten people.

So, everyone followed Eriri's suggestion and headed to the South Building.

"I did look at the catalog during my break, but doujinshi sales... Hmm, is CM convention only about doujinshi?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha followed closely behind the group, her expression slightly strange. When she was browsing around earlier, all she saw were R-18 doujinshi, and she didn't see anything else. This puzzled Kasumigaoka Utaha a lot. How could a CM convention that only sells doujinshi gather so many people?

Does this mean that doujinshi have now become an indispensable accessory for otaku?

"Of course not. Although CM mainly features fan works of comics and anime, some railway enthusiasts, designers of Gothic Lolita costumes, amateur singers and even amateur illustrators sell their works. There is also a Cosplay area outside the exhibition hall for Cosplay enthusiasts to take photos."

Kiritani shook his head in response, but judging from Kasumigaoka Utaha's expression, she really didn't know anything.

Gently stroking her long hair, Akane Kosaka calmly added, "Besides all of the above, CM is also a place where talented amateur manga enthusiasts or doujin circles can build their reputation. Some well-known manga artists today, from Fumi Saimon and Rumiko Takahashi in their early days to CLAMP, were discovered at CM—yes, that's how I discovered Kazuto."

Kiritani glanced at Akane Kosaka and said, "However, most of the doujinshi creators here are amateurs. Even if there are some artists with very high drawing skills, they won't pay attention to you if you try to recruit them."

Akane Kosaka glared at Kiritani-kun, "For example, this guy. When I asked him to his face who the artist was, he completely ignored me."

Kasumigaoka Utaha raised another question, "...Hmm, why do we have to gather here?"

"Well, strictly speaking, CM convention is actually a convention held by creators."

With her fingertip touching the corner of her mouth, Asuna explained, "Although there is an operating company, the staff, the clubs they participate in, and even the tourists are all autonomous—of course, the rules must be followed."

Seeing Kasumigaoka Utaha's rather troubled look, Eriri pouted, "Hmph! You probably wouldn't understand even if Yuuki said it like that. In short, it's just how otaku entertain themselves."

Emerging from the passageway, the group arrived at the South Hall. However, as soon as they stepped inside, a wave of heat hit them, mixed with various strange smells.

"The masks I prepared for you earlier can now come in handy."

Looking at the several wide-open entrances, although the venue was equipped with air conditioning, the temperature became increasingly terrifying due to the large number of people.

In places like this, you can easily get separated by the crowd if you're not careful, even if you're holding hands.

Kiritani instinctively pulled Asuna and Akane's hands. Asuna was his girlfriend, it was only natural, and Akane was still a patient... Ah, suddenly he felt like sending Akane back to the club.

To be honest, it was fine before, but now it's really not suitable for Akane Kosaka to continue shopping. It's hot, not to mention there's a slight odor even with a mask on, and it's so noisy.

However, Akane Kosaka still looked very enthusiastic, and you could even see a very obvious smile on her face.

"What would happen if we threw a can of herring here?"

"At least half of your country's youth will be wiped out—only a heartless person would do such a thing."

"Teacher, help me!!"

"……what?"

Slowly moving forward, Kiritani-kun heard Kasumigaoka Utaha's call and turned around in confusion. Before he could even see what was happening, a hand wrapped around his waist, followed by Kasumigaoka Utaha with her hair disheveled. Following the arm that Kasumigaoka Utaha was stretching back, he could see Eriri being held tightly by her...

Yes, that's right. Eriri was accidentally caught in the crowd. If it weren't for Kasumigaoka Utaha's timely help, she probably would have been taken somewhere by now. However, Eriri would rather Kasumigaoka let go immediately; she's in so much pain from being squeezed like that.

Looking at the face so close to his, Kirito felt a little embarrassed, but before he could speak, Asuna released his grip on Kirito's hand, stepped back slightly, and pulled Eriri over.

Be careful.

Asuna adjusted Eriri's crooked black-rimmed glasses, looking at her with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. She had barely finished speaking when Eriri was swept away... Well, that's probably the downside of being too petite.

With a look of utter dejection, Eriri rubbed her flushed cheeks and held Asuna's hand tightly. "Thank you! I was almost crushed..."

...No way, it wasn't there to begin with, making it even flatter would be tragic.

"Well, a group of six is ​​indeed a bit too big; they can easily be scattered."

Asuna returned Eriri's smile, then looked at Kiritani-kun and said, "How about we split into two teams? After all... our goals are different."

"Purpose?"

Kiritani raised an eyebrow slightly, then nodded. Asuna and the others were obviously there for fun, while he and Akane were wandering around with a purpose. Splitting into two groups wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

"Then... um, Asuna, you and Eriri, and..."

"Let's add Kasumigaoka-senpai. Mashiro will be in your care for now."

"Okay."

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