My girlfriend is Saiki Kusunoki

Putting everything else aside, your status as the strongest comic artist of the current generation of young people is already beyond what an ordinary high school student can describe, right? What's the difference between this and lying through your teeth?

Have you ever seen a high school student create artwork that looks so realistically fantastical?

"Ha, one day I will unravel the secret of your painting, and then I will challenge you again. Naoto Yamashita, remember this: I, Akira Nagumo, though I lost, will one day win back my title!"

"I'll see."

Chapter 188: Eriri Joins the Creation Club

"Wow, it's Naoto-kun! He actually came to class today!"

"I heard that he won the gold medal at the art competition held by the five major art academies. It's amazing that a high school student could achieve such a high level of success."

"What's a gold medal in the arts? I heard he was even praised by the Minister of Culture."

"The key is that this person's comic book skills are extremely high, and the recent One-Punch Man storyline is simply amazing."

"No, I have to go get an autograph right away!"

Naoto was walking to school, enduring the strange looks from the students around him.

Although Naoto was a celebrity at school before, this kind of discussion is a first for him.

It felt like he had become a giant panda in a zoo. Why were these people looking at him so irritatingly?

Naoto was supposed to travel with Nanako, but Nanako refused him before leaving the house and went to school first.

"Naoto, I have to do my duty at school today, so I'll head over first."

"Okay, I'm going to school soon too. Nanzi, can you take me with you?"

At the time, Naoto didn't think much of it, simply assuming that Nanko was just going to clean the house ahead of time.

But when Naoto turned around, he found the whole house empty.

Nanzi actually used teleportation to go straight to school.

Then Naoto realized why Nanko didn't want to go to school with him today.

This feeling of being treated like a rare animal is utterly shameful.

"What's going on?! It's just a lousy art award, why are so many people paying attention to it?!"

Naoto was particularly annoyed at this moment. He had never been so exaggerated when he won the Nebula Award before. Why did so many people know about this art award?

Soon, Naoto realized why the discussion was going on so ridiculously.

Congratulations to our outstanding student Naoto Yamashita for winning the Gold Award at the Art Grand Prix!

At the school gate, a large banner was placed in the most conspicuous place. Any student passing by could see it at first glance.

At this moment, Naoto felt as if a string of reason in his mind had snapped completely.

"You guys are trying to kill me, aren't you?!"

Under the watchful eyes of countless people at the school gate, Naoto couldn't help but blurt out a curse.

Naoto felt a wave of shame when his name was displayed in such a place by the school and stared at by everyone.

Although he had seen people who won awards in various competitions in China before, and their names would be displayed on banners, he never expected that Japan would do the same thing.

The key question is, why does being hung up there feel so bad?

Feeling the strange looks around him, Naoto hurriedly ran away, not even going to the classroom, and hid in the creative club instead.

Naoto made up his mind that unless it was a class he absolutely had to attend, he would stay here all the time.

"Wow, our famous person looks so sad. You're really something, being hung up at the school gate by the school leaders. As far as I know, this is the first time PK Academy has done this."

At noon, Sakuta looked at Naoto, who had a sad expression on his face, and couldn't help but start talking to him.

Although right now, I really want to punch this guy in the face.

But in the end, I gave up.

"Get lost, leave me alone, that's enough. There are so many ways to talk about this, why do they have to use this one?"

"Hey, they're not the ones who should be ashamed, right? But Minister of Culture, Naoto, how do you feel? Does that guy look at you in a new light?"

Sakuta couldn't help but become interested when the news reported that the Minister of Culture was very optimistic about Naoto's prospects.

After all, the Minister of Culture is usually only seen on television news. Now, even a straight person is being valued by him. Straight people are really going further and further away from this.

"I don't know, I didn't look carefully. Besides, I'm just an ordinary high school student, how could I possibly be valued by others?"

"Heh, an ordinary high school student? What are you pretending for in front of me? Confess now!"

"Boom!"

Just as Naoto and Sakuta were playfully fighting, the club's door was suddenly opened.

At that moment, Eriri, with her blonde hair and a terrifying expression, walked into the club.

When Eriri stepped into the club, everyone in the club felt an inexplicable pressure.

(Wow, what a terrifying amount of resentment! What's wrong with this person?)

(Isn't that Eriri, the ace of the art club? Is she here to challenge us?)

(Huh? Didn't Hachiman and Naoto invite her to the creative club last time? Why is she here today...?)

Eriri's uninvited arrival, especially with such a terrifying aura, caused panic throughout the entire creative club.

"Um, I just remembered I still have two manuscripts to finish drawing, I'll head back now."

"I just remembered I haven't done my homework, I'm leaving now!"

"Huh? It's already this late, seniors, I'll be going now."

Upon realizing that Eriri had come with ill intentions, the remaining members of the club heartlessly left first.

Only Naoto and Sakuta were left staring at each other in bewilderment.

"Uh, Naoto, I just remembered I already made plans with Mai-senpai, I'll go first..."

"Don't even think about leaving!"

Just as Sakuta was about to start using Jun, Naoto pulled him back.

"You scoundrel, you actually think you can leave? Don't even think about it!"

"Let go of me! This is all trouble you and Hachiman caused, don't pull me away!"

"They say true brothers walk together for life, how can you disregard brotherhood!"

"Stop joking! I want to live a few more years!"

Watching Naoto and Sakuta's antics, Eriri's resentment seemed to intensify.

Even Nanko, hiding in the shadows, couldn't help but feel how terrifying this resentment was.

Under Eriri's death stare, Naoto and Sakuta could only slowly sit up straight and face Eriri.

"Um, Eriri-san, is there anything I can do for you here today?"

Seeing Eriri's expression, Naoto's first thought was that after he defeated Eriri in the competition, she was holding a grudge and planned to take him down with her.

"You idiot, you actually forgot?!"

"Forgot? What did you forget?"

Naoto was stunned for about ten seconds upon hearing Eriri's words.

"Of course, I'm here to join the creative club!"

"Hey?"

Chapter 189: The Furious Art Department Head

Inside the creative club, Eriri was sitting alone in a chair, exuding a strong and terrifying aura.

Previously, Yukino had said that this would allow Eriri to join the creative club, and the others were somewhat skeptical. However, after Naoto actually defeated Eriri, Eriri actually joined the creative club.

Although Eriri looks a little dissatisfied, she at least kept her promise, so she seems to be a person of integrity.

"But then again, the fact that the art club president actually managed to send Eriri over is what surprised me the most."

“That’s true. I can already imagine how angry that minister must be.”

The thought that Eriri, who had won the bronze prize in the art competition, had actually left the art club and joined their creative club made them all imagine how angry the art club president must be.

Just as Naoto and the others had guessed, Eriri, as the head of the art club, was overjoyed when she heard that she had won the bronze prize.

Even the fact that Naoto won the gold medal was completely forgotten by the department head, as if he had completely forgotten about it.

Before the art club was established, the art department was arguably the best in the school in terms of art.

However, when Naoto arrived at PK Academy and even established a creative club, he put immense pressure on the art department.

They are clearly the experts in art, so why is it that Naoto Yamashita, who is a novice in the field, can win awards so many times?

But now, their art department finally has someone who can win an award, and it's in a top-tier national competition. How could the head of the art department not be happy?

You should know that these are all indispensable parts of his life experience.

But to my surprise, when I arrived here today, Eriri announced her withdrawal from the Art Club and joined the Creative Club.

When the head of the art department heard the news, he was practically in tears.

"Naoto Yamashita, I will never forgive you!"

Inside the art club, the club president unleashed a deafening roar, scaring the members who hadn't yet entered into their seats so much that they dared not come in.

"Tell me, what kind of person do you take me for?! I said I'd join you if you won, and I'm not the kind of person who goes back on their word. Are you suggesting I join the club just to make fun of me?"

"No, no, no, how could that be? I was just a little surprised that you came so quickly. Welcome to the creative club, Eriri-kun."

Although he was somewhat worried about Eriri's attitude, Naoto wouldn't give up on a genius artist so easily now that Eriri had chosen to join the art club.

Who wouldn't want a genius picked up for free? This is a real genius, not someone like Naoto who has cheat codes.

"However, let's make this clear first: although I've joined the creative group and am now a member, we still need to discuss payment for the illustrations! Is that alright?"

"Yes, that's definitely not a problem."