Master of the Machete Style Manga

Chapter 74 Delicious Woman (Please continue reading!)

"It is said that writers incorporate their own thoughts and beliefs into their works, and I think that's true. Hmm... Denji is the male protagonist I created."

Last week, Ken Sakamoto had actually considered using similar language with them.

But since they had already confirmed their relationship, saying such things would be pure scumbag talk.

However, at present, the two are just classmates, so it's perfectly fine for them to say such things.

Anyway, since we've already come this far, if you're willing to go further, then it's obviously not my problem anymore.

Natsume Mio's expression shifted from brief surprise to a gentle smile as she said, "Well, Ken really does have the same kind of conviction as a manga protagonist."

Ken Sakamoto nodded in agreement and said, "That's how writers are. If they don't share the same beliefs as the protagonist, they definitely can't create excellent works."

"Okay, okay, what I'm saying is that reality and comics are definitely different..."

Before Natsume Mio could finish speaking, Sakamoto Ken interrupted her: "By the way, would you like to see the short manga you're currently working on?"

"Eh? Is that okay?!" Natsume Mio's eyes immediately lit up.

Ken Sakamoto picked up a stack of manuscript paper and flipped it onto the table next to Mio Natsume: "Actually, it's not finished yet. There's still the best part left. You can take a look at the beginning."

Natsume Mio looked at the original manuscript papers, which had a completely different texture from the printed versions, and carefully picked up the first page.

"It's the texture of the ink and brushstrokes! Ken's drawing is so delicate," Natsume Mio said.

While Natsume Mio was reading, Sakamoto Ken sat back down at his desk, took out a new sheet of manuscript paper, and continued drawing the next page.

The soft sound of pages turning behind her was slow, and Natsume Mio didn't seem to have the same intense emotional fluctuations she had when watching Chainsaw Man.

At that moment, Ken Sakamoto heard her sniffle softly.

Turning around, I noticed that Natsume Mio's eyes were already brimming with tears, and she had deliberately moved the manuscript paper away to avoid her tears dripping onto it.

"Jian, they'll probably work together again after they part ways, right..."

Natsume Mio turned the pages one by one, a very ominous thought rising in her mind.

"Could it be... a knife?"

"At noon today, an incident occurred on the campus of Yamagata City Art University in Yamagata Prefecture where a homeless man attacked students with an object resembling an axe."

Mio Natsume placed the manuscript directly on the table, not daring to hold it in her hand, afraid that she might accidentally damage it.

I turned the page with bated breath.

I saw a notice of publication suspension, as well as a portrait of a deceased person in a bouquet of flowers.

When I tried to flip to the next page, it was gone.

Natsume Mio whispered, "Ken, this... there'll be a twist later, right?"

As he drew, Ken Sakamoto shook his head: "No, Kyomoto is indeed dead."

"Ah...but, but..."

"There's still about 30% of the content left to be drawn, so you can look forward to it."

"But Kyomoto is already dead, the sword has already been used..."

"It's okay, we can cut deeper and make another horizontal cut."

"Eh?"

Natsume Mio glanced at Sakamoto Ken's retreating figure as he drew, then at the stack of manuscript papers, and dared not watch the rest of the story.

The comic begins with the friendship and cooperation between two girls, followed by their separation.

When it came time to part, she was already on the verge of tears. But when she realized that they would be separated by death, she finally couldn't hold back her tears.

She was so empathetic to the emotions in the work. Ah Jian said, "We need to cut deeper later, but the person is already dead, how can we cut deeper?"
Mio Natsume turned to the cover page.

There was a line of small print, which should be about the main theme of the whole article: Heartbreaking Blow.

Knew it……

But can Ah Jian really create works like this?

Chainsaw Man is supposed to be a high-octane action manga...

hiss……?
Natsume Mio suddenly had a terrible thought.

That is, even if she had read Ken's draft beforehand, she had only read up to chapter 16 of "Chainsaw Man," which was just the beginning for a long-running series.

Behind us... is there a knife?!
It can't be scarier than a knife, it has to be a chainsaw, right?

Ken Sakamoto put down his pen; he had just finished drawing the next page.

Fujii returned to her old house in her hometown of Kyomoto and stood at the door of her room.

Place this page of the original manuscript on top of the stack that Natsume Mio just arranged.

Natsume Mio saw the female protagonist's expression on the screen, and her expression was almost exactly the same.

Her eyelids were lowered, her lips were tightly pressed together, and her eyes were full of sadness.

"Why does Ken draw tragic works..." Natsume Mio asked.

"Most of the most famous works in the world are tragedies," Ken Sakamoto said calmly. "Power stories are about gaining things, like money, beautiful women, or power, but not everyone desires these things. They are just experiencing a kind of mental stimulant with the protagonist in a fictional story."

“But if it’s about losing… losing someone you love, then the reader will remember it for a lifetime,” Ken Sakamoto explained.

“Losing…the person I love…” Natsume Mio murmured, repeating the phrase.

Ken Sakamoto continued, "For example, a character in a manga might stab someone they like, kill them, then regret it and cry... such a plot would be remembered by readers for a lifetime."

"what?"

Natsume Mio paused slightly, clenching her fists, her arms trembling slightly, the feeling of eating it so vividly in her memory... the feeling of the knife piercing the other person's body, all came back to her.

Looking at Ken Sakamoto in front of him, a sense of regret welled up from the bottom of his heart.

"No, no! I don't want this kind of plot!" Natsume Mio said. "Ken, it's normal for short stories to have knives and stuff, but 'Chainsaw Man'..."

It's okay, Denji-kun isn't wielding a knife, he's wielding a chainsaw.

And I didn't regret it at all; on the contrary, I found it particularly delicious.

Kenjiro Sakamoto smiled slightly and said, "What are you thinking? A short story is a short story, and a novel is a novel. The creation of the two kinds of works is different."

“Phew…” Natsume Mio breathed a slight sigh of relief and said, “That’s right, a woman as good as Machima will definitely end up happily together.”

Seeing the strange smile on Sakamoto Ken's lips, Natsume Mio asked again, "Ken, what kind of woman is Machima, the character you created?"

Sakamoto Ken pretended to ponder for a moment, then said, "A delicious woman."

"A delicious woman?" Natsume Mio asked, puzzled. "Does that mean a kiss?"

Ken Sakamoto didn't elaborate much: "I haven't even thought about the plot of Chainsaw Man yet."

"Ah, I'm sorry... Ken, that's not what I meant. I didn't want to interfere with your creative process." Natsume Mio knelt properly on the tatami mat and bowed slightly to Sakamoto Ken.

Ken Sakamoto stretched and said, "Alright, I still need to keep drawing. If I delay any longer, I'll be staying up all night again."

Natsume Mio quickly tidied up the empty bento box, checked the time, and said, "Then I won't disturb Ken's work any longer! I'll take the trash downstairs for you~"

Ken Sakamoto sat by the window, watching Mio Natsume walk out of the apartment building and quickly disappear around the corner.

(End of this chapter)