Full-time comic artist

……

Another hour passed, and the organizers asked Higashino Hibiki if he needed a break. Higashino Hibiki looked up at the endless crowd and shook his head.

He worked diligently and conscientiously.

The excited voices of readers could be heard from time to time.

"Tori Akino-sensei, your Slam Dunk drawings are absolutely amazing!"

"Thank you so much for your hard work in creating this artwork!"

"Coach, I want to play basketball!"

Higashino wanted to be moved by these words, but because he had heard them so many times, his threshold for being moved had been raised.

He could only nod to show that he heard and silently sign autographs for them.

I don't know how much time has passed.

"Tori Akino-sensei, thank you for your help."

It's a very beautiful female voice.

Most readers of "Slam Dunk" are male, so Hibiki Higashino looked up in surprise.

With her long, thick black hair and refined, elegant face, she looked very familiar. He had seen her before, not in Japan, but in China.

"Looks like a celebrity." Higashino nodded thoughtfully.

After signing the "Slam Dunk" manga, the person didn't leave even with the manga volume in hand.

She gave an awkward smile and took out another volume from her backpack, which was also "The Garden of Words".

It seems that the main reason she went to the book signing was because of this work.

"please!"

She clasped her hands together and bowed to Higashino Hibiki.

Higashino was speechless for a moment. One guy, Chaimen Wen, had left, and now another great master had arrived.

“Okay,” he nodded with a smile on his face, inwardly cursing.

"Please write: 'I hope you will also find a beautiful love.' From Akino Mirai to Takeuchi Naoko."

Hibiki Higashino looked up in surprise. The beautiful woman in front of him was none other than Naoko Takeuchi, the author of "Sailor Moon".

When "The Garden of Words" was being serialized, Naoko Takeuchi even recommended the work to her readers.

So he stood up again and thanked Naoko Takeuchi.

“Oh, it’s alright,” Naoko Takeuchi waved her hand. “I just like this work, and of course I have to tell my beloved readers about it.”

After saying that, she put on a stern face and pretended to be angry, saying, "When I contacted Mr. Tsubakihara to get your phone number, you refused, teacher."

Hibiki Higashino said with a wry smile, "After all, my girlfriend is right here, I wouldn't dare to talk to a beauty like you."

Naoko Takeuchi's eyes suddenly lit up, like a cat that had spotted a dried fish.

She burst with intense curiosity: "Girlfriend! Something like Yukino and Takao's relationship!"

Naoko Takeuchi had been curious for a long time; such an immersive manga didn't seem fake.

Hibiki Higashino smiled and nodded. "Ah."

"That's amazing!" Naoko Takeuchi clenched her fists and jumped up happily. "This is love that is not affected by worldly conventions! I'm so envious."

Higashino glanced at the restless crowd and sat down to sign copies of "The Garden of Words".

"Sorry to bother you today, but I've learned a little secret that I won't tell anyone."

Naoko Takeuchi blinked and gracefully left.

Higashino Hibiki breathed a sigh of relief.

"Let's continue!"

He didn't want any more surprises and hoped that the signing meeting would end quietly.

But the next middle-aged man earned Higashino Hibiki's respect.

"Hello, Mr. Toriakino, I'm Kazuki Takahashi. Do you remember me?"

Hibiki Higashino was surprised. "I have long admired Takahashi-sensei, the author of Yu-Gi-Oh!."

The first time I learned of this name was when I heard the news that this teacher had sacrificed his life after performing a heroic act.

A billionaire who would risk his life to save others—this teacher is truly a role model.

He possesses noble character.

A spirit as precious as gold.

But at this moment, Kazuki Takahashi excitedly asked Hibiki Higashino, "Do you still remember my name?"

"Of course I remember. I naturally remember the author of Yu-Gi-Oh!."

Hibiki Higashino stood up again.

It would be impolite to sit there any longer.

The readers behind Kazuki Takahashi looked ahead in surprise.

What's going on? Why is Mr. Toriakino standing up again and again?

Could this seemingly ordinary middle-aged man be an important figure?

"I hesitated for a long time, but I still came. I just want to ask Mr. Akino, why do you think that Yu-Gi-Oh! will become the future of Jump?"

"What I said actually has some problems."

Kazuki Takahashi's gaze dimmed.

"It should be the future of Shueisha."

"why?"

"Yu-Gi-Oh! is a work that is in line with the times. In the future, with a declining birth rate and diversified entertainment, relying solely on print magazines, Jump, and Shueisha will soon lose its current status."

Hibiki Higashino explained, "To grow bigger and stronger and achieve greater success, we must explore the IP value of our works. And Yu-Gi-Oh! is, in my opinion, the most promising Jump manga so far."

"Perhaps such a game element will be depicted in Yu-Gi-Oh!, and it will be welcomed by players all over the world."

Kazuki Takahashi's eyes widened; he hadn't considered this factor.

I only chose to create game-oriented comics because of my work and hobbies.

He just didn't expect why Akino Tori was so certain that Yu-Gi-Oh! would produce such an influential game.

He didn't ask any questions. After taking the signed copy of Higashino Hibiki's manga, he left, feeling even more motivated.

Kazuki Takahashi hopes that the manga content will be more popular with readers, rather than just the game he designed becoming a hit.

But hearing these words now makes him very happy, after all, he's gotten used to failure.

Chapter 150: Book Signing Event, "Napoleon" in a Pot, and Achievements

The Mandarake branch in Ikebukuro.

The Tunghai University basketball team entered the stadium at 2 PM. Four hours have passed, and it's now 6 PM. They are finally getting close to Tori Akino Mirai.

"I didn't expect it to take so long." Kyoko Akagi clutched her stomach. "I didn't eat much for lunch, I'm so hungry. I regret it. I have to suffer so much just to see Akino."

She felt there must be something wrong with her brain to queue for four hours just for fun.

Wouldn't it be very simple for Hana to arrange a private meeting? After all, everyone is in Tokyo.

Baba was displeased. "This is Tori Akino, a great manga artist. It's not easy to meet him."

He recalled leaving after receiving the autographed booklet from Nihon University and Nihon Sports School.

Yagami stroked his chin and nodded steadily, "This might be our last chance, we can't miss it."

Kyoko Akagi was astonished. It was hard to believe that the captain, who usually shouted "Run!", "Strive!", and "To dominate the nation!", would actually waste her free time.

Hua Chao stroked her hair and said calmly, "We're almost there."

Kyoko Akagi stopped moving and immersed herself in her boyfriend's caresses.

The team continued to move forward, and the Donghai basketball team finally arrived at the front row. Baba squinted and carefully examined Tori Akino Mirai in the autograph session area.

"This looks familiar; I've seen this face before," he muttered to himself.

"Could we have run into each other by chance?" Yagami also found it hard to believe; he had the same feeling.

Tianbei, Xiaolin, and several substitute players, some said they had seen them before, and some said they seemed to have seen them before.

Seeing their bewildered expressions, Kyoko Akagi covered her mouth and chuckled. After waiting four hours, this was finally happening.

"What are you talking about?" Only Kanda Takehito was confused, as he had no recollection of the person on stage, Tori Akino Mirai.

"They might have watched our matches," Yagami said after a long pause.

Their commotion drew surprised glances from others.

Night God then calmly asked the team members to be quiet.

Another ten minutes or so passed before it was finally their turn.

Baba took the lead and went up first.

"Please, Mr. Toriakino."

Higashino Hibiki glanced up, nodded slightly, and saw that it read, "Good luck in the National Tournament! Tori Akino Mirai."

“Mr. Baba,” Hibiki Higashino said with a smile, handing over the manga, “I hope the Tokai basketball team can dominate the nation.”

Baba was startled. "Does Tori Akino-sensei know me?"

Higashino nodded.

After a long pause, Maba finally remembered.

He blankly accepted the single-volume book that Hibiki Higashino handed him.

"So, Teacher Tori Akino is Hanacho's friend."