Master of the Machete Style Manga

Chapter 98: Royalties Received (Please Subscribe!)
Ai Hoshihara has a very deep memory of Ken Sakamoto in her mind.

At the time, she considered Ken Sakamoto her soulmate, since the two shared a lot in common regarding science fiction.

Moreover, she could clearly sense that Ken Sakamoto was special.

It wasn't just because he was quite vigorous that she was captivated by the time they spent together.

More importantly, Ken Sakamoto gave her a very special feeling.

This guy's attitude towards life is like playing a game; it seems like he doesn't particularly care about many things that are very unfavorable to him.

For example, his family situation was very bad, and it was only later, thanks to comics, that things got a little better.

She searched for the manga, but it didn't seem to be a work by Ken Sakamoto, which is a point of suspicion that needs further investigation.

In that memory, she didn't really like the manga called "Miss, Sniper Rifle, and Pantyhose!"; she had just flipped through it casually, so she didn't remember any particularly specific scenes.

This time, both "Chainsaw Man" and "Looking Back" by Ken Sakamoto are very unique comics, especially the latter, which really touched her.

Even when he was in dire financial straits, he didn't feel weak at all because of his poverty. When facing her, he still maintained that confident and assertive attitude.

Moreover, even though she was clearly his older sister, several years older than him, he didn't act like a younger brother. Instead, he always seemed to be on top of her, not just in bed, but also in their everyday conversations.

These thoughts might make Ai Hoshihara wonder if Ken Sakamoto had a particularly rich romantic history and was a seasoned player in the dating game...

Of course, the final conclusion is that Ken Sakamoto really is a damn scumbag.

He was dating three people at the same time, and he treated each of them with the same attitude until the affair was exposed.

Although only the image of Ken Sakamoto was clear in that memory, and she couldn't see the faces of the other two women, she was still very angry.

But this time is different. It's 2015 now, and I know in advance that he'll be dating two other women, so... I'll just have to win him over beforehand.

The last time the two were together, they were just like any other couple.

If we can catch him this time, we'll definitely have to study him thoroughly.

……

Ken Sakamoto had been waiting for March 25th, the day he would receive his payment, ever since he submitted his work in mid-February.

When he woke up this morning, he would pick up his phone every now and then to check his bank app balance.

He desperately needs this money.

Although the money will arrive sooner or later, I always hope to see that string of numbers appear in my account as soon as possible.

After all, all my savings are less than 5 yen, which is only enough to pay one month's rent, and may not even be enough for next month's living expenses.

Moreover, his initial experience in the last playthrough made him particularly concerned about being short of money. Although spending their money was fine, he was still indebted to them and there was a risk involved.

Initially, he worked with Natsume Mio, and because he was drawing manga, Natsume Mio worked longer hours and earned more than him.

Later, I got to know Mikazuki Haruna through a reader group, and I was completely stunned by the string of numbers she threw at me.

The economic problems remained unresolved until the very end of last week's run.

Therefore, after being reborn, Ken Sakamoto's first thought was to draw a best-selling manga for the future and make money.

Finally, around noon, my phone screen lit up and a text message notification from the bank popped up.

Mitsubishi UFJ Bank:

"You have a transfer notification. Time: 03/25, 11:02"
Amount: 3015000 yen

Remitter: Shueisha Co., Ltd.
Postscript: Manuscript Fee
Post-transaction balance: ¥3051145.14

coming!

More than three million!

This amount of money is definitely considered an extremely high salary, even in the context of Tokyo as a whole.

After all, for most cartoonists, this manuscript fee has to cover the salaries of three to four assistants, rent a house that can accommodate a small studio, and other related expenses, which would probably amount to more than 150 million.

He single-handedly handled all the work and submitted a large number of manuscripts.

Ken Sakamoto let out a long breath, feeling as if some of the pressure on his body had suddenly disappeared.

Soon after, Keiko Kaji sent a LINE message.

Keiko Kaji: "Sakamoto-sensei, have you received your payment for the manuscript?"

Ken Sakamoto immediately replied: "Just received it! Thank you, editor-san~"

Keiko Kaji: "The royalties will be even higher in the future, and once the collected volumes sell well, Sakamoto-sensei will make a fortune! So, what are Sakamoto-sensei's plans for the future?"

Ken Sakamoto: "I'm going to Akihabara to buy some equipment."

Keiko Kaji: "Sakamoto-sensei should really get a computer. A lot of work isn't convenient on a phone. By the way, are you still planning to live in that apartment?"

This question gave Ken Sakamoto a lot to think about.

He looked around his tiny 1-room room...

The environment was really terrible. The furniture inside was old and worn out, the soundproofing was practically nonexistent, and there wasn't even a separate bathroom.

More importantly, the space is too small. Once you set up a professional drawing table, computer, scanner, and bookshelves, there probably won't even be enough room for bedding to sleep on.

Since we're going to buy new equipment anyway, we might as well move to a bigger house.

Kenjiro Sakamoto's message to Keiko Kaji: "I also think it's time to move to a different place. Let's find a suitable house first and then buy the necessary equipment."

Keiko Kaji: "Mmm~ If you need any help, just let me know!"

As for what conditions a new house should meet?
There should be at least three bedrooms, right?
If it's just a large bedroom with a big bed, it's somewhat inconvenient, and it can cause conflicts if everyone sleeps together every day.

Last week, I could only meet one person at a time, while keeping it a secret from the other two.

I've never experienced living together with others before...

The four of them first met on that rooftop, and it was also the last time.

No, no, no...

Ken Sakamoto rubbed his temples, feeling his thoughts beginning to slip towards the edge of danger once again.

Although he felt he could never repeat the same mistake this time, he also knew he couldn't be so radical.

Everything should be done step by step, so let's start by renting a suitable house.

(End of this chapter)