Master of the Machete Style Manga

Chapter 122 Animation Adaptation
Ken Sakamoto turned the doorknob and pushed open the door.

Outside the door, Natsume Mio, who was about to knock, was startled by the sudden opening of the door.

She instinctively took a half-step back, her little face full of surprise.

"You're here again?" Ken Sakamoto stood inside the door, looking at her calmly.

"Huh?" Natsume Mio said somewhat awkwardly, "Ken... how did you know I was outside?"

Ken Sakamoto turned slightly to the side and pointed to the location of the door lock.

A brand new smart lock has been installed there, and above the lock, an inconspicuous little black dot faces outwards—that's a camera.

"I just replaced the door lock with a smart lock this morning, it has a camera," he explained. "If someone lingers outside, the screen inside will automatically display the image."

"what……"

Natsume Mio let out a small gasp, her cheeks flushing slightly.

So, he saw me eavesdropping at the door?!
Oh no, this door lock is terrible! Now I can't eavesdrop anymore...

So embarrassing...

However, she quickly composed herself, maintained her smile, raised her hand and waved at Ken Sakamoto, saying, "Um... Ken, I'm here to pick something up!"

"I forgot to take the bag I used to pack my lunch yesterday back..." she added softly, her gaze wandering slightly.

“Oh, I noticed that too.” Ken Sakamoto nodded, his expression unchanged. “I’ll give it to you right now.”

As he spoke, he turned and walked into the studio.

Seeing this, Natsume Mio immediately took off her little leather shoes in the entryway as if she knew the way, stepped onto the wooden floor inside the house, and followed her in quietly.

Ken Sakamoto took the canvas bag from the drawing table, turned around, and was about to hand it to Mio Natsume.

The two stopped at the junction of the entrance hall and the studio.

Ken Sakamoto, carrying a bag, fixed his gaze on the girl in front of him.

Mio's style of dress seems to have undergone a subtle change today.

She wore a pristine white ruffled blouse and a knee-length pleated skirt.

What's most striking is her legs.

Today, Natsume Mio is wearing a pair of white stockings, and they are the thin kind, probably only 30D thick, so that you can see her tiny toes through the fabric.

The pure white silk fabric tightly hugged her shapely and slender legs, extending all the way down to the hem of her skirt.

Upon seeing Mio's white stockings, another figure came to mind for Ken Sakamoto.

Mikazuki Haruna.

That guy has a particular fondness for black, while Natsume Mio is different; she doesn't have any particular fixed preference.

He wears black and white, it's all up to his preference.

However, it must be admitted that this pure white color perfectly matches Natsume Mio's gentle and slightly naive temperament, making her look even more innocent and cute. The whole girl standing here is like a little white flower that is unaware of the ways of the world.

In reality, Little White Flower is quite frivolous inside.

Ken Sakamoto's gaze lingered on her legs for only about two seconds.

Mio Natsume keenly caught this brief glance.

I saw it! He really was watching!
Hmph, Ah Jian, you really are a foot fetishist!
You must have secretly taken those white socks from yesterday and used them for something weird!
Natsume Mio had already made up her mind about this idea.

but……

She secretly observed Sakamoto Ken's expression.

Why did he look so calm?
It's as if...nothing ever happened?
Is it...

A guess flashed through Natsume Mio's mind:
Did he secretly take my white socks? Now there's only a lunchbox in this bag?
He pretended not to know anything, but just wanted to steal my socks and keep them for himself?!
but……

If this is really the case...

Mio Natsume was thinking quickly.

If Ah Jian really did that, should I expose him?
Or... should we just pretend we don't know?
It's just a pair of socks anyway... If Ah Jian really likes them that much...

Let's just consider it a small gift for Ah Jian!

After all, the fact that he likes my underwear proves that he likes me.

Mio Natsume's thoughts had already drifted far away.

At that moment, Ken Sakamoto interrupted her reverie.

"Here you go." He handed over the canvas bag. "I'm about to head out now."

"Huh?" Natsume Mio took the bag, subconsciously weighing it in her hand, and asked, "Where are you going, Ken?"

"Editorial Department".

Ken Sakamoto didn't say much, turned around and grabbed a shoulder bag, which he slung over his shoulder.

“Oh…” Natsume Mio nodded. “It’s good that I came over now, otherwise Ken wouldn’t be home.”

She quickly followed and put on her little leather shoes in the entryway.

The two walked out of the apartment one after the other, and Sakamoto Ken casually closed the door behind him.

The alleyways in the residential area remained as quiet as ever.

Mio Natsume walked side by side with Ken Sakamoto, her head down, her attention focused on the canvas bag she was carrying.

She could clearly feel the lunchbox swaying gently inside the bag as she walked.

But... what about those little white socks?
Is it still inside?

The white socks are so light that their weight is almost negligible; you can't even feel them when you're carrying them.

She felt like a kitten was scratching at her heart, she was incredibly curious, but too embarrassed to reach in and check in front of Ken Sakamoto.

Soon, the two left the residential area and arrived at the main road of Akihabara.

Ken Sakamoto stopped and took out his phone to book a taxi.

He turned to look at Natsume Mio: "I'm going to Shueisha, do you want to come with me?"

"Ah...no, no need!" Natsume Mio shook her head and said, "I'll just wander around Akihabara for a bit and then go back."

"Hmm." Ken Sakamoto nodded; he had only asked casually.

Soon, a taxi stopped in front of him.

"Goodbye, Ken." Natsume Mio stood by the roadside and waved to him.

Ken Sakamoto opened the car door and got in. The car quickly merged into traffic and disappeared at the end of the street.

Natsume Mio watched the taxi until it was completely out of sight before letting out a heavy sigh of relief. The girl gripped her canvas bag tightly and hurried into the nearest shopping mall.

The objective is clear—the restroom!

In the last stall of the women's restroom, Natsume Mio locked the door. She took several deep breaths before carefully opening her canvas bag.

She first took out the insulated bag and placed it aside.

Then, she reached her hand to the very bottom of the canvas bag...

Touched it!
Natsume Mio quickly took out the packaging bag.

The transparent plastic bag contained a pair of pure white cotton socks.

Natsume Mio was stunned.

Why does it look exactly the same?

She took out the pair of white socks.

I brought it close to my nose and took a light sniff.

There was no strange smell.

There was only a very faint leather smell.

That's because I wore leather shoes all day yesterday, and they inevitably picked up a little bit of that smell.

Although she is clean and takes good care of herself, some of the leather's original smell will still remain.

Nothing else.

this means……

Ah Jian didn't do anything to those socks at all!

So he's not the kind of pervert I imagined?

But why do I feel a little disappointed...?

how so……

I thought I had finally caught him in a little secret, and I was even prepared to indulge him...

It turns out I was just overthinking things?
He wasn't interested in my white socks at all?

Natsume Mio felt inexplicably empty inside.

Her gaze fell on the insulated bag containing the lunchbox.

and many more……

Another possibility is that Ah Jian didn't even open the bag to check.

She unzipped the insulated bag.

A faint, pleasant fragrance wafted out.

When I opened the lid of the bento box, it was spotless inside.

Eh?
Natsume Mio was slightly taken aback.

Ah Jian washed the lunchbox?!

In other words, Ah Jian definitely opened this canvas bag!

He even took the lunchbox out to wash it, so he definitely saw those little white socks!
I saw it, but it's still here untouched.

A thought even worse than "Ken is a foot fetishist" suddenly popped into Natsume Mio's mind.

This was one of the possibilities she had considered yesterday...

The reason he didn't touch those socks was because... he disliked them?!

Do you think it's too bland? Or do you think it's... too ordinary?

Yesterday at the studio, after he saw her wearing lace stockings, his gaze changed noticeably; he kept looking at her legs.

And today, at the entrance, he immediately noticed the white stockings on his legs and stared at them for several seconds!

So that’s it!
Ah Jian wasn't complaining about me; he just thought these white socks were too ordinary.

He prefers more interesting styles.

call……

Mio Natsume let out a long sigh of relief.

She put her things away again, and then she thought about her wardrobe. It seemed that there really weren't many "interesting" legwear items in it.

Most of them are mid-calf or knee-high cotton socks, since this style is breathable, comfortable, and versatile.

Looks like it's time to update the inventory!

After leaving the restroom, Natsume Mio went straight to the women's clothing section.

I have to buy some clothes that Ah Jian will like today.

It has to be me; I always think of Ah Jian first.

As for that Haruna-senpai...

The face of Mikazuki Haruna appeared in Natsume Mio's mind.

You haven't thought about Ah Jian at all since you left his house, have you?
Then, after you went back, you were drawing your "Young Lady" comic and had long forgotten about Ah Jian!
……

at the same time.

Haruna Mikazuki is holding her phone and answering a call.

Mikazuki Haruna: "Hanabe-san, how did the talks go? What did the editorial department say?"

On the other end of the phone came a calm and capable middle-aged female voice: "Miss, we have basically reached an agreement with Shueisha. We can acquire the exclusive animation adaptation rights for 'Chainsaw Man' and have secured our priority as the main investor."

"In addition, regarding the production company," the female voice paused, then continued to report, "Bones Studio happens to have a production slot available, and we have already contacted their senior management, and a preliminary agreement has been reached."

"I'm currently at Shueisha, having a meeting with their copyright and editorial departments. I've also notified Mr. Ken Sakamoto, and he's on his way."

"Very good!" Mikazuki Haruna said. "Hanabe-san, I'm entrusting the entire 'Chainsaw Man' project to you! Make sure it's done to the best of your ability!"

After hanging up the phone, Mikazuki Haruna nestled in the soft sofa, a smile playing on her lips.

Ken Sakamoto...

Next, I'll be your sugar mommy!

(End of this chapter)