Master of the Machete Style Manga

Chapter 131 Ah Jian Has Me in His Heart! (5th Update, Please Vote!)
Ken Sakamoto nodded and said, "Actually... it's basically confirmed that it will be adapted into an anime, but the project has only just begun."

"Really?!" Natsume Mio stopped in surprise. "It's getting an anime adaptation?! So fast?!"

"We don't know exactly when production will begin, so please don't tell anyone," Sakamoto Ken warned.

“I’ll definitely keep it a secret!” Natsume Mio immediately said, “But she’s your competitor from the same year, Ken. Is it okay to say it in front of her?”

"Haruna will keep it a secret, right?" Sakamoto Ken looked at Mikazuki Haruna.

“Of course~” Mikazuki Haruna said with a chuckle.

Then, feigning agreement, he said, "That's really impressive. It's only been serialized for less than two months and they've already confirmed it's going to be adapted into an anime."

Natsume Mio completely ignored Haruna. She excitedly grabbed Sakamoto Ken's arm and bombarded him with questions: "So, have you started recruiting voice actors yet? Can I go for an audition?! Ken, you have to recommend me!"

Seeing Natsume Mio's excited state, Sakamoto Ken could only try to calm her down: "The animation project has only just started, and the voice actor selection is still a long way off. Besides, casting is mainly handled by the production company and the director. All I can do is offer suggestions to the editor."

Mio Natsume said, "Ken, you've heard the promotional video where I voiced Miss Machima—it was really good, wasn't it!"

Ken Sakamoto nodded: "Yes, I'll recommend him to Editor Kaji. Besides, you and Editor Kaji are quite familiar with each other now, right?"

"Yes, yes! I've talked to Editor Kaji a bit, and we're fairly familiar with each other!" Natsume Mio nodded vigorously, already planning how to get along with Editor Kaji.

Haruna Mikazuki, who was listening nearby, interjected, "It's not so easy to get a voice actor role in an anime adaptation. For such a popular work, there will definitely be many veteran voice actors competing for the lead role. As a newcomer who hasn't even officially debuted yet, it won't be easy for you to get the role."

Natsume Mio immediately straightened her back and retorted without backing down, "Then let's have a match with them! I believe in my abilities and I'm definitely no worse than those seniors!"

Mikazuki Haruna clicked her tongue and said, "Even if it's an editor's recommendation, it doesn't ultimately determine the voice actor selection."

Natsume Mio frowned: "Then who can make that decision?"

Haruna Mikazuki said, "Of course, it's the director, the sound director, and most importantly... the investors."

“Oh…” Natsume Mio nodded thoughtfully, “Anyway, as long as I get the chance to audition, I’m sure I can land the role of Machima!”

She is very confident about this.

Her understanding of the work "Chainsaw Man" and the character Makima far surpasses that of others, and she has practiced every single line of Makima's dialogue countless times.

This is absolutely incomparable to those voice actors who simply treat voice acting as a job!
The three of them chatted as they walked.

Ken Sakamoto was still being held by the two men, one on each side.

However, after the conversation, the two little hands that had been secretly straining relaxed and were now naturally holding each other.

The two of them seemed to have completely ignored each other's existence.

After all, they were each walking on one side of Sakamoto Ken, and his view was blocked from them, so they couldn't see what was happening on the other side.

Just then, a couple walking towards them, also holding hands, came along.

The couple stared wide-eyed at the sight of Sakamoto Ken and his two companions holding hands, their eyes following their every move.

Sensing the strange gaze directed at them, Natsume Mio and Mikazuki Haruna subconsciously glanced in each other's direction.

The two almost shook off Sakamoto Ken's hand.

Ken Sakamoto: "..."

He casually put his hands in his pockets, as if nothing had happened, and continued walking forward at his original pace.

Mio Natsume and Haruna Mikazuki exchanged a glance and quickly followed, walking on either side of Kenjiro Sakamoto, but neither of them reached out to hold his hand again.

Natsume Mio looked around at the scene in the forest and felt that the scene in front of her was somewhat familiar.

It's an impression from that dream memory.

Although she doesn't remember the specific details of the forest, certain fragments, certain memories related to Ken Sakamoto, seem to have occurred in such an environment.

She remembered it was a moonless, pitch-black night when they walked here and embraced and kissed under the dense shade of the trees…

The atmosphere was just right, and she was in the mood, so she even took the initiative to cling to him, wanting to be with him right there...

But Ken Sakamoto rejected him.

He pulled her away from the school and found a nearby couples' hotel where he finally satisfied her desires.

Looking back now, I'm glad Ah Jian refused.

Although the path here is quiet most of the time, people still pass by occasionally, and if you were to be seen by someone... that would be too embarrassing.

Mio Natsume glanced at Ken Sakamoto and saw him calmly looking ahead at the road, seemingly unaware of those events at all.

That makes sense; he probably doesn't remember those dreams, right?

What a pity...

If Ah Jian remembered that too...

No, no! It's better if Ken doesn't remember! Natsume Mio immediately rejected her own idea.

After all, there were two other women in that memory!

One of them is Mikazuki Haruna, who is standing next to her!
Back then, Ah Jian was a despicable scumbag who was cheating on his wife with three women at the same time!
She was dating me while also flirting with other women!
I wonder if anything happened between Ah Jian and this guy in this grove of trees...

Of course, this time, such worries should be unnecessary.

Ah Jian just went to the vocal music department to find me, which means he definitely cares about me!
He definitely won't be like that in my dream again!

Thinking of this, Natsume Mio felt a little more relaxed.

She asked, "Jian, you're already serializing a comic book, what are you going to do about your schoolwork? Will you be able to manage?"

Ken Sakamoto said, "I will definitely go to school. I also want to continue to improve my drawing skills. There is no end to art. It's always good to learn more."

Mio Natsume nodded: "That's true. Actually, I thought that since Ken had already debuted as a manga artist, he might consider taking a break from school or not going to university at all."

Ken Sakamoto smiled and said, "If you don't need to go to university if you have a job, then rich people need to go to university even less."

Haruna Mikazuki chimed in from the side, "That's right, going to university is just..."

She originally wanted to say "it's just about experiencing life," but she swallowed the words back and changed her words to "going to university allows you to meet a lot of people, and expanding your network is also very important."

Mio Natsume immediately said, "Ken must have many other plans for his career!"

Ken Sakamoto hadn't really thought through his specific plans for the future. Aside from drawing manga, he genuinely wanted to experience university life without the chaos of college life again.

Well... a chaotic situation doesn't really matter, as long as there's no danger to life.

Or... it could also be to better "manage" the current situation.

The three walked through the grove and arrived at the artificial lake.

After passing the artificial lake, you can see the art department building not far away.

Haruna Mikazuki's car was parked in the parking space next to the building.

The group finally arrived at the car. Mikazuki Haruna looked at the art club building, then at Sakamoto Ken and Natsume Mio, and said, "How about... you wait for me here?"

Ken Sakamoto asked, "Is there anything else?"

Mio Natsume answered quickly: "She needs to go to the toilet."

Mikazuki Haruna pursed her lips but did not refute.

Ken Sakamoto nodded: "Alright, let's wait."

Natsume Mio tugged at Sakamoto Ken's sleeve: "Why don't we take the train back? Waiting for her is too much trouble, who knows how long it will take."

Upon hearing Natsume Mio's words, Mikazuki Haruna immediately opened the driver's side door.

She sat down and said, "Who said I needed to use the restroom? I just wanted to say hello to my classmate... Never mind, I'm not going!"

She glanced at the two of them and said, "Get in the car, what are you standing there for?"

Ken Sakamoto sat in the back seat as usual, while Mio Natsume reluctantly got into the passenger seat.

Mikazuki Haruna started the vehicle and drove out of the campus.

The vehicles merged into the traffic on the main road and headed towards Ken Sakamoto's studio.

The car slowed down noticeably as soon as it entered the Akihabara area.

The cars ahead formed a long line, their red taillights stretching as far as the eye could see.

The car moved forward at a snail's pace, stopping and starting intermittently.

As time ticked by, the atmosphere inside the car became somewhat awkward.

Ken Sakamoto, sitting in the back seat, could clearly hear the increasingly rapid breathing coming from the driver's seat in front.

He saw that Mikazuki Haruna's knuckles were turning white from gripping the steering wheel, and her body was shifting uncomfortably in the seat, her legs pressed together but forced apart to control the accelerator and brake.

She pursed her lips tightly, her brows furrowed, and she looked extremely uncomfortable.

Natsume Mio, sitting in the passenger seat, naturally noticed Mikazuki Haruna's unusual behavior beside her.

She turned her head to examine Haruna's tense profile and slightly reddened ears, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

Then, feigning concern, she asked, "What's wrong? Haruna-senpai, you don't seem to be feeling well~"

　It's all burned out!! I've been writing all day, and now my brain is completely drained...

　　Hey everyone, it's almost the end of the month, do you still have any monthly tickets left? I'm begging for monthly tickets!!!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)