Master of the Machete Style Manga

Chapter 187 A Deal Between Girls
On the podium, a professor with gray hair was lecturing eloquently on art theory.

Ken Sakamoto sat in the back row of the classroom, listening attentively.

Although it was only the first day of formal classes, he had already become the center of attention in the entire art department without any doubt.

You don't even need to listen carefully; the whispers come from all directions.

"Hey, isn't that Ken Sakamoto?"

"It must be him! I've seen that face in a JUMP live stream, it looks exactly like him. I didn't expect him to be so handsome in person."

"Did you know? His 'Chainsaw Man' is said to be a bestseller, with bookstores having long queues to buy it."

"Really? I'm only a freshman..."

"Why is there such a big difference between people who both study art?"

"That's nothing. Didn't you see it this morning? Right downstairs, Mikazuki-senpai from the student council was holding hands with him..."

"Is this the world of the strong...?"

Ken Sakamoto rested his chin on one hand, while in the other hand he held a pen, twirling it deftly between his fingers.

Although he wants to keep a low profile, his abilities don't seem to allow it.

Is this what it means to live life all over again?
The same campus, the same classroom, even the professor's catchphrase on the podium was exactly the same as I remembered.

But my mindset and circumstances have undergone a complete transformation.

When he was first reborn, he envisioned severing all ties and becoming nothing more than a heartless money-making machine.

But now it seems that the gears of fate have their own agenda.

Whether it's Mio, Haruna, or Ai, no matter how he adjusts his course, he will eventually intersect with them.

The collision was even more intense than the last one, in every sense of the word.

but……

Ken Sakamoto's gaze swept over the students in the classroom.

Although there are many familiar faces here, we met last week, so there wasn't much of a stir in our hearts when we met again this time.

After all, he didn't have much interaction with these classmates back in school; he was mainly busy working, drawing, and dealing with the three of them.

This time, everything was still under his control.

Ken Sakamoto listened attentively and took notes in his notebook.

Just then, the phone in my pocket vibrated.

You're disturbing my studies.

Ken Sakamoto took out his phone and swiped the screen.

It's Natsume Mio.

In the chat history, the previous message was still his statement: "Mio, you came first. All of them combined wouldn't have more than you."

After I sent that message, Natsume Mio has remained silent ever since.

Mio Natsume: "Ken! Ken! I just asked my professor! And he's actually a partner in a famous voice actor agency!"

Mio Natsume: "I asked him for advice about voice acting and casting, and I even showed him our 'Lemon' video!"

Mio Natsume: "My teacher said this song is really good and the production quality is very high. If I take this piece to an audition, it will definitely be a big plus!"

Looking at the sentences marked with exclamation marks on the screen, Ken Sakamoto could imagine Mio Natsume's excitement.

Ken Sakamoto tapped his finger and replied, "That's great! I knew you could do it. Don't worry, you'll definitely get the role in Chainsaw Man."

The message was sent almost instantly, and the other party replied with an adorable cat emoji.

Then another message came in.

Natsume Mio: "Yeah! I'll do my best~ Let's talk again at noon~ I want to eat that newly opened omelet rice place, shall we go together at noon?"

Looking at the invitation, Ken Sakamoto's finger hovered above the screen for a moment.

Noon...

Ken Sakamoto thought for a moment and replied, "I'm afraid I won't have time at noon today."

Natsume Mio: "Huh? What's wrong? Is Ken doing anything for lunch?"

Ken Sakamoto: "I've already agreed to have dinner with her."

The identity of "she" here is self-evident.

Although the message status quickly changed to "read," the "typing is happening" notification at the top of the dialog box never appeared.

Ken Sakamoto stroked his chin, staring at his phone screen, lost in thought.

Doesn't saying it so directly make him seem like a total jerk?

but……

If you don't tell the truth and make up a reason to lie to her, such as going to the editorial department or rushing to finish a manuscript, you may be able to appease Mio temporarily, but once the lie is exposed, the consequences will be more serious, directly leading to a crisis of trust.

Moreover, his strategy is to be honest.

They need to get used to each other's presence, to the fact that his time is divided, rather than belonging exclusively to one person.

After thinking for a moment, Ken Sakamoto sent another message.

Ken Sakamoto: "How about the three of us go together? It's just a meal, after all."

Once the message is sent, it will instantly become "read".

However, Natsume Mio still did not reply.

At that moment, another avatar in the list suddenly jumped to the top.

Mikazuki Haruna.

Only two concise and powerful words.

Haruna Mikazuki: "No way!"

Immediately afterwards, another message came in.

Haruna Mikazuki: "We agreed that it would be just the two of us having lunch, and you were paying! Why did you have to invite her too?!"

It seems that Mio and Haruna must have had a private conversation during those few minutes of silence.

Ken Sakamoto replied, "If I go to lunch with you, Mio will be jealous, which puts me in a difficult position..."

He deliberately adopted a humble posture, appearing to be caught in the middle and in a dilemma.

Haruna Mikazuki: "What?! You're in trouble just because she's jealous? What about me? Won't I get angry too?"

Haruna Mikazuki: "You were the one who promised me this morning!"

Ken Sakamoto replied, "How about this, you talk to her properly, I'm fine with anything."

As a result, neither of the girls sent any more messages to Sakamoto Ken, presumably because they had started fighting in private chat.

I'm really curious to see what they'll say...

Ken Sakamoto put his phone back in his pocket and focused on his class.

Until the lunch bell rang.

"Jingle Bell--"

The professor hadn't even finished presenting the PowerPoint slides, but he immediately announced the end of get out of class, not wanting to linger for even a second longer.

The classroom suddenly became lively as students packed up their things to leave.

Ken Sakamoto calmly packed his backpack and stood up.

When he walked out of the classroom through the back door and into the corridor, he immediately saw the girl standing not far away.

Mikazuki Haruna.

The girl crossed her arms, leaned against the corridor wall, and raised her chin slightly, completely ignoring the gazes directed at her from those around her, her eyes fixed intently on Sakamoto Kenjiro.

The two exchanged a glance across the crowd.

Sakamoto Ken smiled slightly and walked towards her.

"It seems like a deal has been reached?"

Ken Sakamoto walked up to her and asked in a relaxed tone.

Mikazuki Haruna gave a soft hum, lowered her arms from her chest, and tidied the stray hairs by her ears.

"Why did you bring her up as soon as we met?" she grumbled, "It's such a downer."

Sakamoto Ken smiled and then asked further, "She came looking for me again, so she must have come looking for you too, right?"

“Yeah.” Mikazuki Haruna nodded, not hiding anything, “That guy is so annoying, he keeps sending me messages to bother me.”

"what did she say?"

"What else can I say? It's just that I should stay away from you..." Mikazuki Haruna said, pursing her lips.

"So what did you say?" Sakamoto Ken asked curiously.

“I haven’t been paying attention to her.” Mikazuki Haruna raised her eyebrows. “Besides, didn’t you promise me that you would treat me to lunch today?”

She stepped forward, naturally took Sakamoto Ken's hand, and pressed her body close to his.

"As for Natsume Mio, just forget about her! In short, she won't be bothering us at noon today," Mikazuki Haruna said with great certainty.

Ken Sakamoto looked down at the girl beside him.

The confident, all-knowing expression on her face piqued his curiosity. How could Natsume Mio give up so easily?
What exactly was the deal between these two?
However, since Haruna was unwilling to talk about it, Sakamoto Ken didn't intend to ask any further questions. This guy was known for his stubbornness, especially his mouth.

In any case, as long as the outcome is peaceful, that is the best outcome.

"Alright then." Ken Sakamoto nodded. "What would you like to eat for lunch?"

Hearing this, Haruna Mikazuki's smile became even brighter.

“Since you’re treating, we can go to any place you like to eat,” Mikazuki Haruna said.

Ken Sakamoto thought for a moment and said, "There's a Chinese restaurant outside the west gate of the school. The food is very authentic."

"Huh? You seem to know the area around the school very well?" Haruna Mikazuki asked as they walked. "It's only the beginning of the semester, isn't it?"

Ken Sakamoto shrugged and said meaningfully, "More familiar than you think."

Of course he was familiar with it.

Last week, this Chinese restaurant was one of my most frequent haunts. I went there quite a few times with Mio, mainly because the set meals were very cheap.

As the two walked through the corridor, Mikazuki Haruna still held onto Sakamoto Ken's hand tightly, as if afraid he would run away.

Ken Sakamoto subtly slowed his pace and took a half-step back.

Although the two appeared to be walking side by side, he cleverly used the difference in their positions to stay two-thirds of a body length behind Mikazuki Haruna, which was in her blind spot.

This is because women's field of vision is slightly wider than men's, while men's perspective tends to be more focused, so they need to be positioned slightly further back.

As Mikazuki Haruna was looking at the club recruitment poster on the wall with great interest, Sakamoto Ken quickly pulled his phone out of his pocket.

With one hand, I skillfully opened LINE and found Natsume Mio's chat box.

My fingers flew across the screen.

Ken Sakamoto: "Mio, did you just talk to Haruna?"

The message was read as soon as it was sent.

It seems she's been glued to her phone the whole time.

Immediately afterwards, Natsume Mio's reply popped up.

Natsume Mio: "Ken, if you go to lunch with her, it's just lunch, okay...?"

Sure enough, she made a concession.

Immediately afterwards, a second message came in.

Mio Natsume: "Haruna said she knows the production company behind the Chainsaw Man anime, and she said she'd recommend me to them to try and get me the voice actress for Makima."

Mio Natsume: "She said that as long as I don't bother you guys at noon today, she'll help me get an interview spot..."

Ken Sakamoto was slightly taken aback, then suddenly realized what was going on.

It turned out to be the case.

This is the deal they made.

Haruna really knows how to do business.

She was clearly the behind-the-scenes boss of the investors. The so-called "knowing the production team" and "recommending a spot" were just a matter of a word to her, a simple favor.

Moreover, Mio had already agreed to the interview when Sakamoto Ken had already confronted her about it.

In other words, she actually used something she had already promised as leverage to get a chance to have dinner with Mio alone.

It's practically getting something for nothing...

The key point is that Mio doesn't know this information yet, so it's an irresistible temptation for her.

With her connection to Mikazuki Haruna, Mio will definitely feel more at ease.

Ken Sakamoto replied, "She's already explicitly agreed to let you be a voice actress?"

Mio Natsume: "No, it's just that I can recommend them to people at the production company and guarantee they'll get an interview."

Mio Natsume: "Whether I get elected depends on my own abilities."

Mio Natsume: "But! Ken, if I can get into the interview, I'm confident!"

Ken Sakamoto stared at the screen, his fingers gently tracing the edge of the phone.

In fact, with Natsume Mio's current talent and the popularity brought by the online hit "Lemon," her resume would be fine even without Haruna's recommendation.

With my own recommendation as the original author, getting an interview was practically a done deal.

Haruna was indeed a bit cunning this time.

However, Ken Sakamoto had no intention of exposing her.

Since they have reached a consensus, let's maintain this balance.

Furthermore, Haruna's willingness to offer help suggests that her hostility towards Mio is not as deep as it appears on the surface.

This is a good sign.

Mio Natsume sent another message:
Natsume Mio: "Ken, see you this afternoon then."

Mio Natsume: "I see that you only have one class in the afternoon on your schedule, and I also only have one class in the afternoon. It just so happens that I have already finished practicing the latest version of Lemon."

Mio Natsume: "The arrangement for 'Uchiage Hanabi' is also finished. I'll borrow the academy's recording studio to record both songs together. You must come and listen to them for me to see if there are any problems."

Mio Natsume: "After all, this is something we created together /heart"

Ken Sakamoto immediately replied, "No problem, see you this afternoon."

Putting away his phone, Ken Sakamoto quickened his pace and returned to Haruna Mikazuki's side.

Soon, the two walked out of the art department building and arrived at the parking lot next to it.

Haruna Mikazuki walked straight toward her red Porsche.

Ken Sakamoto said, "Are you really going to drive even though it's so close? The West Gate is only a few hundred meters ahead."

“I don’t want to walk,” Haruna Mikazuki said matter-of-factly. “Besides, it’s quieter in the car.”

Ken Sakamoto didn't refuse; he opened the car door and got into the passenger seat.

Before getting on the bus, Mikazuki Haruna took a special look at the area downstairs from the Art Department building.

It was dismissal time, and groups of students were walking out of the building.

This red Porsche was already quite eye-catching, especially with Haruna Mikazuki and Ken Sakamoto, two of the most popular figures in the art club.

Countless eyes turned to this side.

Some were surprised, some were envious, and some were jealous.

Many people also raised their phones to take pictures in this area.

When Mikazuki Haruna saw the classmates watching from a distance, a subtle smile appeared on her lips.

She enjoys this sense of accomplishment.

Get into the driver's seat, close the door, and fasten your seatbelt.

"Ah Jian," she said casually, "after today, there will probably be a lot of rumors about us in the academy."

Sakamoto Ken turned his head to look at her, raised an eyebrow, and said, "What, you still care about this?"

"I do care." Mikazuki Haruna looked directly into his eyes. "What I care about is... what you'll think?"

She paused, then added, "This morning, you deliberately took my hand, didn't you? There were so many people watching."

Ken Sakamoto leaned back in his chair, smiling as he retorted, "So you didn't resist either?"

Mikazuki Haruna narrowed her eyes: "Does my lack of resistance mean I agree?"

Ken Sakamoto said, "So, do you agree?"

Mikazuki Haruna pouted, turned her head away, started the car, and said stubbornly, "It'll be alright."

With a roar of its engine, the red Porsche pulled out of the parking space.

Ken Sakamoto glanced at the time, then turned to Haruna Mikazuki and said, "By the way, you have a dedicated office in the student council, right?"

“Of course I do.” Mikazuki Haruna glanced at him with some surprise as she turned the steering wheel. “You know that too?”

“I know a lot more,” Sakamoto Ken said meaningfully.

He pointed to the road ahead: "After you finish eating, come back and rest in your office."

Haruna Mikazuki gripped the steering wheel tightly.

She noticed the emphasis in the last two words, "rest".

Mikazuki Haruna turned her head, stared wide-eyed at Sakamoto Ken, and her breathing quickened involuntarily.

Office... Rest...

A particularly huge idea suddenly popped into her mind.

Naturally, she thought of that day in the company office when Ken Sakamoto also said he wanted to "rest" before entering that dream that she still remembers vividly.

Cuff Ah Jian to a chair, and indulge in your dreams...

Is it possible to do it again?
In the student council office at school?!

Isn't this a bit too exciting?
Haruna Mikazuki felt her heart start racing.

She licked her lips, suppressing her excitement and shyness, and pretended to be calm on the surface.

She nodded slightly and said, "Alright then... I'll reluctantly let you take your lunch break in my office too."

(End of this chapter)