Master of the Machete Style Manga

Chapter 156 Call Me President! (8400 words)
The black Lexus sedan drove smoothly on the roads of Tokyo, the scenery outside the window gradually changing from the somewhat chaotic Taito Ward to the Minato Ward full of high-rise buildings.

Ken Sakamoto leaned back in the soft leather seat in the back, closing his eyes to rest.

He was rapidly forming an image of the president of NESX Investment Company in his mind.

A leader who recognized the potential of "Chainsaw Man" when the manga had only been serialized for two months, overcame all opposition, and invested hundreds of millions of yen to create an S-class anime project...

This is definitely not an ordinary businessman.

He must possess an extremely keen eye and extraordinary courage.

Ken Sakamoto guessed that the other party was likely a middle-aged elite who had been immersed in the financial world for many years and acted decisively.

Such people invest solely for the purpose of generating returns.

My ostensible reason for coming here today is to "chat casually," but in reality, it is very likely that this is an "interview" with the president.

He wanted to personally investigate whether the author of "The Chainsaw Man" was worth a longer-term investment.

"Sakamoto-sensei, we've arrived."

Kyoko Hanabe's voice came from the front row.

Ken Sakamoto opened his eyes; the car was already parked on the side of the road.

He looked out the car window and saw a street he had never been to before.

Modern office buildings line both sides, their glass curtain walls reflecting the sunlight and appearing particularly dazzling.

"plz follow me."

Hanabe Kyoko got out of the car and opened the door for him.

Ken Sakamoto, carrying a backpack with storyboard drafts, followed her into one of the buildings.

The lobby wasn't particularly grand; it was just an ordinary office building.

On the floor directory on the first floor, Ken Sakamoto saw that name—

"14F-15F: NESX Investment Company".

This company occupies two entire floors.

The elevator ascended smoothly.

NESX's reception area is designed in a very minimalist style, with only the company's name embossed in metal on the background wall.

Kyoko Hanabe swiped her card to pass through the access control and then led Ken Sakamoto inside.

There aren't many employees in the office area, but each person has a spacious workstation. After all, it's an investment company, and the most important thing isn't the number of people, but the amount of money.

Kyoko Hanabe did not linger in the public office area, but instead led him directly to the innermost corridor.

"Please wait a moment in the office, the president will be right there." Kyoko Hanabe stopped in front of a heavy wooden door and knocked gently.

There was no response from inside, so she turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.

Ken Sakamoto walked into the spacious president's office.

Huge floor-to-ceiling windows occupy the entire wall, offering a panoramic view of the bustling port area.

A large black walnut wood executive desk is placed in the center, behind which is a black leather chair that looks expensive, facing the door.

There are two chairs for guests in front, and a sofa and a bookcase on the side.

"Please have a seat." Kyoko Hanabe poured him a glass of water and placed it on the table. "Please wait a moment."

"Okay, trouble."

Kyoko Hanabe bowed slightly, turned and left the office, gently closing the door behind her.

"Click."

The door closed, and the room fell silent once more.

There was nothing particularly noteworthy in the office. Sakamoto Ken took out the thick stack of storyboards from his backpack.

He reread the key plot points of the Leige chapter.

When the company president arrives later, it would be best to persuade him on the spot to adapt the Reggie episode into a standalone animated film.

Just as he was engrossed in the storyboard, a faint fragrance wafted into his nostrils.

It was faint, yet strangely familiar.

Ken Sakamoto frowned, pondered the matter carefully, but did not delve into it further.

at this time--

"Click."

The office door lock made a slight turning sound.

Ken Sakamoto closed the storyboard, turned towards the door, and prepared to greet the legendary company president.

The door was slowly pushed open.

The smile on Ken Sakamoto's face froze completely the moment he saw the figure in the doorway.

The first thing that catches the eye is a pair of small feet wearing elegant black high heels as they step into the office.

Looking upwards, one sees slender calves encased in black stockings, the material of which has a subtle and delicate dark sheen.

Further up, the skirt hem reached the thighs, and the lace trim around the top of the stockings created a striking visual contrast with the fair skin beneath.

Ken Sakamoto sat motionless, his gaze slowly moving upwards in shock.

Passing over that slender waist, then sweeping over her slightly immature chest...

Finally, his gaze settled on that face he knew all too well, now adorned with a sly and smug smile.

Mikazuki Haruna? !

"boom!"

Before Ken Sakamoto could recover from the shock of this massive information, Haruna Mikazuki slammed the office door shut behind him.

Immediately afterwards, a crisp "click" sound—

She locked the door from the inside.

Ken Sakamoto's pupils contracted sharply. He stared at the girl in front of him, his Adam's apple bobbing, feeling as if his brain was about to shut down.

"Haruna... Haruna? It's you?!"

Haruna Mikazuki walked towards him step by step, her high heels making a crisp "tap, tap, tap" sound.

She didn't answer immediately, but walked around Ken Sakamoto and went behind the large boss's desk.

The girl stretched out her finger and lightly traced it across the table, then nimbly turned around and sat down in the black leather chair.

She elegantly crossed her legs, rested her elbows on the table, interlaced her fingers, supported her chin, and squinted at Sakamoto Ken, who was still frozen in place.

Her smile grew even more smug, her eyes gleaming with the light of a triumphant prank.

"What Haruna?"

The girl parted her lips slightly, her voice clear and crisp:
"—Call me President!"

The moment Mikazuki Haruna appeared at the door, countless thoughts raced through Sakamoto Ken's mind.

He recalled the day of the JUMP live broadcast, when Mikazuki Haruna appeared and looked at him with a half-smile, a knowing look that suggested she had everything under control.

On the first day of school at Kanzaki Art Academy, when Natsume Mio excitedly discussed her future role as a voice actress in the Chainsaw Man anime, Mikazuki Haruna stood to the side with a smug expression that was both disdainful and even tinged with pity.

And when Ken Sakamoto herself mentioned the anime adaptation project, the way she pretended to be evasive while actually trying to cover up some secret...

I used to just think this guy was a bit strange, but now I understand.

Haruna, you rascal, so you've been secretly preparing all along!

Ken Sakamoto's thoughts returned to that outrageous contract: an S-level sole proprietorship, a monthly consulting fee of 200 million yen, and a penalty of ten times the amount for breach of contract.

He finally understood.

Why would an investment company dare to gamble so heavily, investing hundreds of millions of dollars and bringing in an industry heavyweight like Seiji Mizushima, when a manga has only been serialized for two months and hasn't even been released as a single volume?

Even if Chainsaw Man has great potential, this is not normal business logic.

Either they know for certain that their work will be a hit, like he does, or...

The motivation for investing is impure in itself.

"Ken, why do you look so nervous?" Mikazuki Haruna deliberately drawled out her words, "Surprised? I'm the investor in the anime adaptation of your work, you know."

Ken Sakamoto's expression had completely returned to calm.

Instead of being nervous, he crossed his legs.

“There’s nothing surprising about it,” Ken Sakamoto said calmly, meeting her gaze. “I expected this.”

"Huh?" Haruna Mikazuki's smug smile froze instantly.

"You expected this all along?" She straightened up slightly and said, "Ha, look how stubborn you are. I had Hanabe-san handle all the negotiations outside. NESX is a subsidiary of my father's group, and it was only recently transferred to my name. Even if you search online, you will not find any information about me."

Ken Sakamoto shook his head slightly and smiled.

"I don't need to check."

Sakamoto Ken leaned back in his chair with a leisurely air, observing the girl in front of him who was trying hard to maintain the dignity of a company president.

"In this world, besides you, I can't think of anyone else who would invest hundreds of millions of dollars to launch an S-class anime adaptation project when my work has only been serialized for two months," Sakamoto Ken said.

Haruna Mikazuki explained, "Could it be because the company sees potential in 'Chainsaw Man'?"

Ken Sakamoto maintained a perfect smile, then quietly gazed at the girl across the table. He said with a slight smile, "Because I know you like me, and it's the kind of liking you dream about, so even if you invest five hundred million or even a billion, I wouldn't be surprised."

"...?!"

Haruna Mikazuki's body froze instantly; she even held her breath.

Haruna Mikazuki was a little taken aback when he directly brought up the topic of "liking" someone.

After all, she only ever truly said the word "like" once.

That was when they were looking at apartments to rent a new studio. After testing various levels of sound in the soundproof room and finding that no sound could be heard from outside the door, she said that.

Moreover, his voice trailed off as he spoke the last few words, so Sakamoto Ken, who was behind the door, definitely didn't hear him.

In fact, Haruna Mikazuki's feelings for this "dream lover" who has appeared in her dreams from the very beginning, and who is even the original author of the manga she is currently creating, are very real and intense.

However, she discovered that there were other competitors, such as Natsume Mio.

To be honest, Natsume Mio, that big-breasted girl, is really strong, and she's always trying to seduce Sakamoto Ken.

Besides Natsume Mio, there was another blurry figure that she was always wary of.

In that memory, there were two other women. She could already confirm that one of them was Natsume Mio, but the other one had not yet appeared.

If that dream was about the "future," Haruna Mikazuki felt that she could appear at any moment.

Furthermore, Mikazuki Haruna had a vague premonition that if Natsume Mio's fighting power was 5, then that woman was probably at least 10.

Therefore, Haruna felt that she had to speed up the process.

If things continue like this, the best opportunity may not come, but Ken Sakamoto may have already been completely drained—no, he's been thoroughly exploited.

Although Mikazuki Haruna experienced that very long dream, in which she had a deep and intimate relationship with Sakamoto Ken.

But in reality, she has zero experience in romantic relationships right now.

So she actually had no idea how to face Ken Sakamoto in this situation.

"You...you narcissistic guy..." Mikazuki Haruna felt her cheeks burning slightly. She pouted and whispered, "What do you mean by 'like'? You're not me, so what right do you have to say I like...like you..."

The girl's neck and ears also caught fire.

All her pretense and self-righteous control proved utterly ineffective in the face of this man.

She's clearly here to confront everyone; she's the real president!

Why?
In that memory, he was clearly someone I could manipulate at will!

No, I can't lose!

We absolutely cannot lose to that big-breasted, brainless girl, Natsume Mio!
She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the panic in her heart, and raised her head to meet Sakamoto Ken's gaze.

"Yes, I like you." She simply admitted it. "So what? I like you, and I have money, so I invest in your work. In a way, I'm your sugar mommy, which is better than the guy who only brings you awful lunches, right?"

Ken Sakamoto shook his head and said, "First of all, Mio's cooking skills are pretty good, and her bento is delicious. Secondly, I didn't compare you to her."

"What do you mean?" Mikazuki Haruna sensed that Sakamoto Ken had left out some important information.

Sakamoto Ken smiled brightly, handsomely, and sincerely, and said, "So, Mommy, do you often think of me when you're alone in your room late at night?"

This information was obtained by Ken Sakamoto from Ai Hoshihara. Last week's events felt like a real dream, constantly replaying in her mind. And because only her memories of him were clear throughout the entire dream, her emotions became even more concentrated.

So she said that she actually had very strong feelings for him, especially at night when she was quiet, those images would always appear in her mind.

Ai Hoshihara said this, and Mio Natsume also said something similar, but not as clearly as Ai Hoshihara.

Since both of them are like this, then Haruna will be no exception.

Sakamoto Ken paused deliberately, and under the girl's nervous gaze, continued, "You're alone in your room, lying in bed thinking about me, and then secretly rewarding yourself..."

Hearing this, Mikazuki Haruna asked with some confusion, "Reward? What reward?"

She pondered for a full five seconds before she began to understand slightly, and then two seconds later, she suddenly opened her eyes wide in realization.

"Hey! What did you say?!" Mikazuki Haruna stared at Sakamoto Ken and said, "I didn't do anything like that! Who would want you to do something like that?!"

Ken Sakamoto shrugged and said, "Fine, fine, if you don't have it, you don't have it."

"You still don't believe me?"

“I believe you,” Sakamoto Ken said with a smile. Mikazuki Haruna turned her head away and said, “Don’t talk about these strange things. I came to talk to you about an animation project.”

Ken Sakamoto nodded and said, "So, President Mikazuki, what would you like to know?"

“I’ve read your storyboard, which Hanabe sent me. In short, I understand the plot of the first season,” Mikazuki Haruna said.

Ken Sakamoto asked, "How was it?"

"It feels like the romance hasn't progressed at all. Does Chainsaw Man even have a female lead?" Mikazuki Haruna said.

“It’s not a romance comic,” Sakamoto Ken said.

Haruna Mikazuki said, "What about Power? And..."

“Machima,” Ken Sakamoto finished for her.

This guy doesn't seem to really want to talk about Machima.

It's possible that because Makima has already been taken over by Natsume Mio, who even changed Makima's hairstyle and is going to be Makima's voice actress, Haruna has to find another character to take on.

Haruna Mikazuki said, "Denji-kun has always lived and fought with Power. Are you planning to draw a romantic storyline between them?"

Ken Sakamoto asked, "Do you think Power has romantic feelings for Denji? Or, conversely, do you think Denji likes Power?"

Haruna Mikazuki thought about it carefully, and then said, "Denji wanted to rub Pava's chest, didn't he? And Pava actually rubbed it for him."

Ken Sakamoto said, "Who wouldn't want to rub their breasts?"

Mikazuki Haruna paused slightly, recalling the plot, and realized it really was true.

Machima, Pava, and even Himeno who spat in his mouth—Denji seems to accept anyone who comes his way.

Reflecting on the previous storyline, Mikazuki Haruna felt that Makima was the woman with the highest status in Denji's heart.

However, she always had the feeling that Dianci treated Machima as a mother, not a lover.

Haruna Mikazuki said, "So you don't have a romantic storyline in 'Chainsaw Man'?"

Kenjiro Sakamoto: "If you mean the romantic storyline like in a romance manga, I'm afraid not. But take a look at these storyboards."

Ken Sakamoto originally intended to use these storyboards to talk to the company's boss about the Reige-themed animated film, but unexpectedly, it was Haruna who came out.

What can be done now?
The contract has already been signed and cannot be revoked; moreover, there is a penalty for breach of contract.

On the other hand, in some ways it would actually be better if it were Haruna.

After all, although this guy is stubborn, he's actually quite easy to manipulate.

Last time, she often suppressed him, since he was completely dependent on her money and was essentially her kept man.

But things are different now.

Although she was an investor, Ken Sakamoto didn't actually need the money.

Even without the royalties he received from her, Ken Sakamoto's income would still be substantial.

The Chainsaw Man manga is about to be released, and the manuscript fees will be arriving soon.

Besides, he can continue to create other comics.

Even if they don't become millionaires, they are certainly among the highest earners in Tokyo.

Haruna Mikazuki took the stack of storyboards, looked at the numbers, and said with some surprise, "Didn't you just finish up to chapter 38? How come you're already..."

Haruna Mikazuki quickly flipped through the storyboards, confirming the numbers marked on them, and then said with a shocked expression, "You've drawn from chapter 38 to chapter 52 in these three days?"

Ken Sakamoto shrugged and said, "It's nothing, just basic stuff."

Haruna Mikazuki recalled the time she was drawing storyboards because, in that dream-like memory, she had read the entire manga "Young Lady, Sniper Rifle, and Pantyhose!" by Ken Sakamoto, and more than once, so she had a vivid memory of the entire plot and visuals.

She drew it from memory, and her speed was far from the terrifying speed of someone like Ken Sakamoto.

Although she had some memory of the storyboard design, when Mikazuki Haruna was drawing, she felt that some parts of the storyboard actually needed to be redesigned, and there were also some differences in the depiction of the characters.

So, if her mind is completely clear, she can probably finish the storyboard for one episode in a day. After all, one episode is 20 pages long. After drawing a few pages, she needs to have a cup of tea and take a break.

Then the storyboard was handed over to four assistants for further work, such as outlining, drawing backgrounds, and adding halftone dots.

Without those memories of this comic, I probably wouldn't have been able to complete the task of updating twice a week.

Haruna Mikazuki began to look through the storyboard in her hands, flipping through it page by page.

She read very slowly.

I saw Leijie teaching Dianci to swim at night in the school, in the classroom, and in the swimming pool.

Haruna Mikazuki said with some surprise, "It's the romance storyline! Ken, you've finally started here? Is this the next heroine?"

Ken Sakamoto shook his head and said, "You should finish reading the manuscript in your hand first."

Mikazuki Haruna turned the pages one by one, her mood growing heavier with each turn, her expression fluctuating.

In the end, when she saw Denji and Reise fall into the sea together, she thought the manga was going to end there.

Fortunately, they escaped to the beach together, and then Reige invited Denji to leave with her again, but Denji still refused.

Haruna Mikazuki lightly pounded the table and said indignantly, "Why did you make Denji refuse Reisen's invitation? Wouldn't it be better to live a secluded life with him?"

She continued flipping through the pages and saw Reige and Denji's date appointment.

Dianci waited in the coffee shop.

The scene shifts to Reggie arriving at the coffee shop for a date, but as she walks through the alley, angels, demons, and Machima appear, and a long spear pierces through Reggie's body.

The camera pans forward, and Dianci is still sitting in the coffee shop, holding flowers in his hands, thinking of Leijie.

However, it's impossible for Leige to come on the date anymore.

Dianci waited in the store until closing time, and after returning home, he saw Pawa again.

Pava tried to take the flowers from Denji's hand, but Denji refused and even ate all the bouquets.

Haruna Mikazuki stared blankly at Ken Sakamoto. She remained silent for a long while before finally saying, "...just like that, he died?"

Ken Sakamoto nodded silently.

Haruna Mikazuki put the stack of storyboards on the ground and exclaimed, "No! No way! Reize will be resurrected later, right? After all, Makima died before, and even Denji died, but they were all resurrected! So they will be resurrected, right? They are demons, they can't die, right?"

Haruna Mikazuki was slightly agitated. She clenched her fists and said, "That's right! It's all because of Machima! That wicked woman!"

Once she had calmed down a bit, she said softly, "Actually, if we only talk about the plot, it's so amazing, and it's a very complete story. I think we could even make a theatrical version from these two volumes."

Ken Sakamoto said, "I originally thought the president of this company was a greasy middle-aged man who knew a lot about manga. I stayed up all night these past few days to finish the storyboard so that I could discuss my ideas for the Reise arc theatrical anime with him."

Haruna Mikazuki pouted and said, "What? Does he have to be a greasy middle-aged man? Can't he be a beautiful young girl?"

Sakamoto Ken smiled slightly and said, "If she's a beautiful girl, that's even better."

Haruna Mikazuki crossed her arms, looked at Ken Sakamoto, and said, "So what are your thoughts? If this content were to be adapted into an animated film, I'd be willing to invest."

Ken Sakamoto shook his head and said, "Our contract only covers the TV anime, and currently only the first season. What you're watching now is content after the first season. We haven't signed a contract yet."

Haruna Mikazuki got a little anxious: "Then do you want to consider other companies?"

Ken Sakamoto said, "When the manga becomes more popular in the future, it might become a global phenomenon, and then more capital might come to invest, and I could earn more money."

Haruna Mikazuki said, "What?! Do they know as much about Chainsaw Man as I do? What if you hand it over to another company and they turn it into a terrible animation?"

Sakamoto Ken chuckled and said, "That depends on President Mikazuki's sincerity."

Mikazuki Haruna looked at the stack of storyboards in her hand. She had originally intended to be a step above Sakamoto Ken in terms of status as the president of the company, but now she felt like she was the one asking him for help.

She spent a long time looking at the storyboard, and it's already past noon.

In fact, she had already ordered lunch in advance, and without asking Sakamoto Ken's consent, she simply had Hanabe deliver the lunch she had ordered.

Ken Sakamoto did not seem inclined to refuse.

However, he also paid close attention to the time. It was just past 12 o'clock, so there was still plenty of time. After all, his promise to Ai Hoshino was for a nap, which would be around 1 p.m.

Kyoko Hanabe brought in two sushi and sashimi platter meals, which looked like they were custom-made at a high-end restaurant.

Haruna Mikazuki boasted, "This was booked from a very famous store. How does it feel?"

Ken Sakamoto nodded and said, "It's fine."

"Then you should try it; these ingredients are very fresh."

Ken Sakamoto said, "I'm referring to cold dishes like sushi and sashimi, which are quick to eat and save time."

He simply picked up several slices of raw fish with his chopsticks, put them in his mouth, chewed them, and swallowed them.

Mikazuki Haruna looked at him in surprise and said, "Are you wolfing down your food like that?"

Ken Sakamoto said, "I'm in a hurry today, I have something very important to do later."

Mikazuki Haruna asked doubtfully: "Is it important?"

Ken Sakamoto replied, "I've been working on storyboards all night for several days, and now my head is spinning. If I don't get some sleep soon, I'm afraid I could die suddenly at any moment."

"The important thing you're talking about is sleeping?"

Ken Sakamoto nodded matter-of-factly: "Sleep is certainly a very important thing."

Ken Sakamoto then added, "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have stayed up so late these past few days."

Mikazuki Haruna asked, "How long do you usually nap?"

Ken Sakamoto shook his head: "I've been staying up this late, of course I'll just sleep until I naturally wake up for my afternoon nap."

In just ten minutes, Ken Sakamoto devoured the entire box of gourmet food.

Mikazuki Haruna looked at him like that, but didn't know what to say.

Ken Sakamoto said he stayed up all night because of her, and he did look extremely tired.

Mikazuki Haruna asked, "So, are you going back after you finish eating?"

Ken Sakamoto just said he was going to take a nap, and now I do feel a wave of drowsiness washing over me.

He yawned, and the yawn was contagious, causing Mikazuki Haruna to yawn as well.

Seeing that Sakamoto Ken didn't reply, Mikazuki Haruna asked him, "Natsume Mio isn't in your studio, is she?"

Kenjiro Sakamoto said, "I already told her not to make lunch today. As for whether she'll actually make lunch, I don't know. Should I ask her now?"

Ken Sakamoto made a move to take out his phone.

"No! Why are you asking this!" Mikazuki Haruna quickly stopped her.

Ken Sakamoto said, "Now that we've finished our discussion this morning, it's time to head back."

Mikazuki Haruna hadn't originally planned to stop him, but because Sakamoto Ken suddenly brought up Natsume Mio, she pouted somewhat unhappily, looked at the door in front of her, picked up her phone and sent a message.

Then, less than a minute later, a "click" sound was heard from the door.

Mikazuki Haruna sat in a chair, arms crossed, smiling at Sakamoto Ken, and said, "The door is locked from the outside now, so you can't go back."

Kenjiro Sakamoto actually got up and went to the door to turn the doorknob.

The door was locked from the outside and could not be opened from the inside.

Upon seeing the scene before him, Ken Sakamoto suddenly recalled certain moments from his previous playthrough.

He was locked in a small dark room and then ordered around by a young lady who wouldn't let him leave until the draft was finished, while she kept harassing him as he worked.

Ken Sakamoto sighed softly and looked at Haruna Mikazuki, who had already stood up and was walking towards him.

The way the corners of his mouth curled up made him look like he was about to play a prank.

Although he knew she wasn't really determined to lock him up and was just joking, Sakamoto Ken didn't force her to open the door.

I can't ask her for help; she'll take advantage of me. I should be the one to ask her for help.

Ken Sakamoto simply sat down on the sofa, then leaned sideways onto it, half-lying down.

"It's fine for me, I can rest anywhere. Or I could sleep in your office for a bit?"

Mikazuki Haruna was surprised that he didn't ask to go back, so she nodded in agreement.

Mikazuki Haruna said, "Alright then, you can sleep here."

"You wouldn't do anything weird while I'm sleeping, would you?" Ken Sakamoto said.

Mikazuki Haruna scoffed and said, "No way! What are you thinking? Are you expecting me to do something weird to you?"

Ken Sakamoto shook his head, ignored him, closed his eyes, and tried to fall asleep.

He was indeed tired today, after all, he had been staying up late for several nights in a row. He also got up very early today and immediately started working on his manuscript.

Gradually, everything went dark.

I don't know exactly how much time has passed.

When Ken Sakamoto's vision returned, he found himself sitting at a desk in an apartment, with some sketches and drawing tools on the desk.

Ken Sakamoto frowned, sensing that something was off about this dream.

He looked around and tried to stand up.

But just as she tried to stand up, she found that her feet were fixed to the chair legs.

Looking down, I saw that my feet were handcuffed, with the other end locked to the crossbeam of the chair.

Hearing a noise behind him, Ken Sakamoto immediately turned around.

Then I saw Mikazuki Haruna standing there with a look of surprise on her face.

She looked down at her hands and feet, lifted her skirt, and examined her outfit.

His gaze then fell on Ken Sakamoto, and the two met eyes.

(End of this chapter)