manga artist Kirito

Page 219

"Please wait a moment, Asada-kun?"

"For the sake of harmony and friendship, you should continue your disputes!"

As they boarded the Shinkansen, the manga club members attracted the most attention, with many looking at them as if they were a harem group traveling together—which made it clear whether or not Kiritani-chan was of a different gender—after all, there was no one in the group who wasn't dazzling.

Yes, even Kiritani-chan is always dazzling.

Although she wasn't dressed up and was only wearing ordinary clothes, her gentle eyes, beautiful face, and long, flowing hair made her look like a girl. If the situation weren't a little off, Kiritani-chan, who was sitting alone, would probably already have someone approaching her.

Naturally, Kiritani-chan felt these gazes, but with his headphones on and sketchbook in hand, he didn't care at all. Behind him, Asuna, Alice, and Shiina Mashiro calmly shared Kiritani-chan's various embarrassing stories, thus engaging in quiet and peaceful communication, truly a model of the main heroine world.

Sitting by the window, Kiritani-chan looked away from the rapidly receding scenery outside and instead looked at Shino-san who was walking slowly towards him. Just from the backpack on her shoulder, the art supplies in her hand, and her disgusted expression, Kiritani-chan could guess what had happened. Although he felt somewhat helpless, he knew what to do even if Shino-san didn't say anything.

Pulling the headphones down around her neck and placing the sketchbook on the small table, Kiritani-chan stood up very gentlemanly and reached out her hand to Sinon-san.

Shino tilted her head in disbelief, glancing out of the corner of her eye at Asuna's location. After confirming that Asuna was alright, she hesitantly placed her hand on Kiritani's palm and gently squeezed it.

It feels so soft, what a surprise... oh my god!

This is something only Shiina Mashiro would do, right?

Kiritani-chan's face remained indifferent. "I meant the backpack. I'll help you put it on. What are you doing giving me your hand? Are you asking me to put you on it? It's not impossible, but with my current strength, I can't do it."

"...Ah, sorry!"

Realizing she had made a mistake, Shino gave an awkward but polite smile. She didn't panic, but calmly withdrew her hand and handed the backpack to Kiritani-chan.

"sorry to bother you!"

"fine……"

What did that guy mean just now?

They actually reached out their hand... No, no, no! Although it's not really applicable anymore, we still need to remember the three great illusions of life.

After putting her luggage upstairs, Kiritani-chan sat down, staring blankly at her sketchbook, feeling a bit lost. She really had absolutely no desire to draw.

(It's like when I used to travel by plane, I would take out my laptop early to prepare some drafts, but by the time I got off the plane, I hadn't finished a single page. Maybe this is pre-trip anxiety?)

"Well, I think if you really can't draw a sketch, then don't force it. Forced inspiration is not as good as a sketch drawn with a relaxed and freehand feeling. After all, although the work we are going to draw is somewhat dark, it is not the kind of work that is extremely depressing."

Kiritani looked at the girl with deep feeling and said with great empathy, "...Assistant, your theory really resonates with me! If only the editor were as easy to talk to as you..."

Sinon changed the subject abruptly, "Then the magazine went bankrupt."

"Uh……"

"By the way, Fujiwara-sensei might not know this, but you've had a lot of readers urging you to update your Twitter account lately!"

With a warm smile, she said, "Many readers say that if I draw a new work before finishing the Sword Art Online series, they will come to my door with razor blades—it is said that Fujiwara-sensei's address has already been exposed."

"Nani yo?"

With a shocked expression, Kirito quickly pulled out his phone, while Yui had already opened his Twitter page for him. Just as Sinon had said, there were all sorts of posts on Twitter urging him to update, most of them asking him not to be distracted by drawing new works while serializing Sword Art Online. Then, Kirito saw Togashi's comment that was highly upvoted.

Yes, this is a message supporting creation!

In other words, this guy is just here to watch the show, hoping to see Kiritani-chan's Twitter account become like his, except for constantly urging her to update.

...These readers feel like they're criminals in training. Even if they love it deeply, they shouldn't be treated like this just for starting a new work, right? Besides, Sword Art Online has always been known for its high update frequency, three chapters a week. Can other manga artists do that?

However, compared to these posts urging for more updates, Kiritani-chan can already foresee that when the next chapter is released, the posts on Twitter will definitely turn into a barrage of hate mail—she's already prepared to open a razor blade factory.

Because, my sister is going to die!

A game without death is not a good game, and a story that is not a tragedy is far less memorable than one that is tragic.

Besides, these guys don't seem to know that I can go through the internet cable and beat people up, right?

"Yui, those guys who posted this, help me hack their system."

With a kind smile on her face, Kiritani-chan gave her youngest daughter the most decisive instruction she had given in a long time.

P.S.: I'm a man...

Furthermore, I'm not entirely clear on what you mean by "satisfaction" (I'm just a dog food wholesaler).

460

[NO.455 The journey remained calm midway]

The girl sitting next to me is named Shino Asada. She is the assistant to the manga artist Echizen Fujiwara. She is sitting next to Kiritani-chan, working on her recently acquired manuscript.

If Kiritani-chan were less capable, like that ruthless Togashi-san who just draws a rough sketch and leaves the rest to his assistant, then Sinon-san would definitely not be here quietly completing the work that belongs to her assistant.

She was mainly responsible for coloring. Apart from when she was drawing Dark Souls, when she had Shiina Mashiro and Eriri as her assistants, she was used to doing everything herself when drawing other works. Although most creators, if they have assistants, will only draw the characters and not the background, or they will just outline the general positions of the background and objects and leave it to their assistants.

However, the background itself isn't that troublesome; the most troublesome part is still the coloring. And it's not just about blacking it out. Kiritani-chan plans to draw Danganronpa as a full-color manga, which will naturally take a lot of effort. But with this unique art style and the story... the visual experience will definitely be much better if it's rendered in color.

It's like the difference between taking a photo and depicting something from a perspective—the sense of presence!

Moreover, the post-production of Danganronpa is much more complicated than that of a regular black-and-white manga. Kirito isn't the kind of person who has no principles, so the final production work wouldn't rely entirely on his assistant. Adjusting his headphones, Kirito tilted his head and nodded slightly at Sinon, who was drawing auxiliary lines. He had to admit that his assistant was quite easy to manage and had a very good work attitude, unlike other artists who were so impetuous.

This is the gap!

He took a small sip of the hot milk tea, the warmth sliding down his throat. He couldn't help but squint his eyes slightly. Having an assistant really made things much easier. He should have found an assistant when Sword Art Online was being serialized, so he wouldn't have had to stay up all night to finish the manuscript so often.

Hiratsuka Shizuka, the editor in charge, is different from other editors. Other editors might be a bit shameless, but Hiratsuka Shizuka is the kind of person who will let you run 39 meters first, and then she'll come at you with a 40-meter-long sword. She'll let Kiritani-chan do whatever she wants before the deadline, but if she doesn't see the manuscript by the deadline—she'll either kiss her iron fist or obediently lock herself in her study and draw the manuscript.

Alas, I've met the wrong person!

It would be better for Xigua to be the editor, since she can also serve as an assistant.

Even though she had the magazine's boss and the owner of the Kousaka Group as her assistants, Kiritani-chan still felt... it was still too terrifying!

"Give me."

"Huh? What do you want?"

Looking at the girl's outstretched hand, Kiritani glanced sideways. Just then, Shino-san finished drawing the guidelines for this page, her eyes fixed on the hot milk tea he held in his hands. Kiritani forced a smile. "I've had some..."

"You can ask the train conductor for it later."

The woman snatched the milk tea from Kiritani-chan's hand and drank most of it in one go. She then casually shoved the milk tea back into Kiritani-chan's hand, turned to the next page of her sketchbook, and continued working.

"..."

Looking at the milk tea in her hand with some hesitation, Kiritani-chan's expression gradually became somewhat complicated. However, Shino-san seemed completely unconcerned... no, it would be more accurate to say that she was now completely absorbed in her manga and had no interest in most things in the outside world.

Thinking this, Kiritani-chan pictured a blue-haired girl holding a large sniper cannon in her mind. Her focused expression as she lay in wait to snipe her enemy, undisturbed by the outside world, was quite similar to Sinon-san's current state—or rather, not similar, but exactly the same.

However, the girl beside him was not the blue-haired sniper, but a comic book artist's assistant.

Listening to the soothing music in her headphones, Kiritani-chan silently recalled the story of the Sword Art Online series, or rather, the story of the black-clad swordsman. The name Asada Shino appeared in it; she was a very strong sniper and also... a member of the harem.

What exactly is it?

Ultimately, I still can't figure out the authenticity of this memory.

However, compared to the colorful adventures of that black-clad swordsman, isn't this ordinary daily life surprisingly comforting?

Holding the last bit of milk tea in her mouth, Kiritani-chan slowly sipped the sweet, warm milk tea through the straw—it was just the milk tea that was sweet, not that Sinon-san's mouth was sweet, thank you!

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Kiritani-chan caught a glimpse of Shino-san's gaze as she looked up. Shino's eyes seemed somewhat unfocused, but she quickly lowered her head and continued working...

They still care, don't they? And yet they pretend to be so generous, really...

It's noticeable that from this point on, Shino's pace of refining the manuscript slowed down. She was clearly unable to fully concentrate, but to be fair, she didn't blush or shout, which is quite composed, isn't it? If it were Eriri, I reckon everyone in the carriage would have been instantly drawn to her.

I tilted my head slightly and looked at the situation on the side. There weren't many people in the carriage, so it wasn't too noisy. There were only a few hushed conversations. After all, most people choose to rest while traveling, and anyone who makes a racket in this situation would stand out and look particularly silly.

Yes, even Eriri and Kasumigaoka Utaha, two girls who have never gotten along, became much quieter in this situation.

Eriri rested her chin on her hand, turning her head to look at the scenery outside, a faint smile unexpectedly appearing on her lips. Perhaps she had seen some beautiful scenery. Meanwhile, Kasumigaoka Utaha sat one seat away from Eriri, placing her laptop on the small table in front of her, her slender fingers constantly tapping on the keyboard—perhaps this is what a true creator is like, still able to have enough inspiration to create even while traveling.

Turning her head slightly, she could see Asuna and Alice still chatting, both wearing serene smiles—if they didn't share the same goal, Asuna and Alice would probably become very good friends? Well, Asuna is always very gentle, and she's quite adept at making friends.

Honestly, aside from the period when we first met, I rarely saw Asuna act arrogantly or aloof.

Shiina Mashiro, sandwiched between the two of them, was surprisingly not drawing manga. Her little face showed a hint of fatigue, and she was leaning against the cushion with her cheeks puffed out as if to express her dissatisfaction—probably because they had finished all the Baumkuchen and hadn't received any new ones yet.

Seeing Shiina Mashiro's expression, Kiritani couldn't help but smile. Asuna seemed to sense this and looked up as well, playfully sticking out her tongue at Kiritani. Alice, who was chatting with Asuna, was stunned by Asuna's sudden action. Then she turned her head and looked over, and in the next moment, she reached out and pulled Asuna close, kissing her on the cheek before Asuna could react.

Asuna, with a helpless expression, tried to push Alice away, but Alice grabbed her arm tightly. Then Alice pressed her face against Asuna's, giving Kirito a defiant look...

However, compared to the sudden scent of lilies, Kiritani-chan was more worried about Shiina Mashiro, who was sandwiched between the two of them.

However, while Alice was having a great time, Asuna was not oblivious to Shiina Mashiro's situation.

Therefore, after shaking her head blankly, Kiritani-chan slowly closed her eyes.

Well, let's take a break first!

Sleepiness soon followed, and he quickly fell asleep, his head resting on Shino's shoulder as if carried away by the current, which also made her stop drawing.

After staring at Kirito's sleeping face for a few seconds, Shino pursed her lips, closed the sketchbook in her hand, picked up the small blanket that had been placed beside her, folded it slightly, and then gently lifted Kirito's head, placing the blanket on her shoulder so that Kirito could rest more comfortably.

Gently shifting her body to a more comfortable sitting position, Shino leaned against Kiritani's head, slowly closed her eyes, and unconsciously curled up the corners of her mouth.

It was probably a laugh.

…………

"Hmm~!"

Around 9:30, the girl with shoulder-length hair groggily opened her eyes, gently rubbing them with the back of her hand, then lazily stretched. The blanket covering her slipped off with the movement, perfectly revealing her beautiful figure.

What time did you go to bed last night?

Was it three or four o'clock? I can't quite remember anymore. I only know that after finishing the work for the next two days, I was too exhausted to stay awake and fell asleep as soon as I lay down on the bed.

Ah! If it were Akane or Kazuto, this matter would definitely be handled much more quickly, right?

Xiaoqian, on the other hand, said that she really didn't know how such a kid could do that... It's like there's an old monster hiding inside him.

Well, if you're going to say that taking one more step is genius and taking two more steps is madness, then Kazuhito is probably this level of madness, right? Anyway, not many people can achieve this much at this age, and his reputation in the industry is still rising...

I glanced at the bedside table and found the alarm clock had been tossed somewhere. I had no choice but to pull out my phone from under the pillow to check the time. My expression turned somewhat resigned. I still had things to do today…

"As expected! I still want to have a very ordinary, leisurely weekend..."

However, such an opportunity simply did not exist.

Scratching her messy hair, Yukinoshita blinked. Speaking of which, Soubu High School is holding a sports festival right now. If it were Yukino-chan, even if she didn't become the vice-chairperson like in the school festival, she would definitely participate, right? Even if she didn't participate, Shizuka wouldn't let Yukino-chan have too much free time.

Tsk! I'm getting more and more envious of people's lives!

I woke up really late today, and I still have things to do. Even if I wanted to be lazy and stay in bed, I didn't have the time or opportunity. If my mother saw me, she might scold me for it—that would be so annoying!

She quickly got up and tidied her messy hair. Thankfully, she'd taken good care of it. Even though she'd been lying haphazardly in bed last night, a little tidying would restore it to its original state. She hurriedly washed up; the large house seemed completely deserted, but Yang Nai was used to it. Given her mother and father's habits, they'd already gone out long ago…

Well, it's actually quite good not to get scolded, isn't it?

After changing her clothes, Yang Nai quickly checked the items she needed to take before heading to the garage. Although she usually rode in the butler's car, there were times when the butler wasn't around, so Yang Nai also had her own car. Feeling the slightly chilly wind, Yang Nai tightened her scarf, quickly got into the car, started the engine, and turned on the heater.

"How can we live without heating..."

Suddenly, she fell silent, slightly conflicted. "I chose the wrong gift. Wouldn't a kotatsu have been a better choice for this?"

"Forget it, I'll find another excuse to send it another day... This guy is probably already on the train to Hokkaido, traveling with those girls..."

Silently planning her next trip, Yang Nai thought it would be better to go to Soubu High School to see Yukino-chan at noon to replenish Yukino's energy. Afterwards, she could call Suzu to chat—for example, tell her if the food she made was good or not.

Hmm, they'll definitely give me a hard time next time we meet, so I'd better just let it go.

As Yang started the car and drove out of the house, he pondered what tasks could be completed ahead of schedule.

Then, at a certain intersection, she saw a familiar Ferrari sports car—yes, it was Ms. Xiaojing's car.

However, under normal circumstances, Hiratsuka Shizuka, who is in charge of the sports festival, should have arrived at school by now. Why is she still outside?

"Yo, Haruno!"

While waiting at a red light, the Ferrari's window rolled down, and Hiratsuka Shizuka waved at them. "Where are you going?"

"Going to the company, I'm very busy, after all."

Yang Nai smiled and said, "How about you tell me, Xiao Jing, where are you going right now?"

"JUMP, I forgot to buy it yesterday..."

Hiratsuka Shizuka tilted her head. What happened yesterday was too embarrassing. She ran straight home after class and left most of her things to Sakura-sensei to look after—but apparently, she didn't do a good job.

That's true, how could that idiot Sakura-sensei do it well?

"You hot-blooded idiot."

"What can I do? Although I need to look after things at school, most of the work is done by the students. I can't exactly bring a game console to play, can I? So I just end up reading JUMP."