Full-time comic artist

He fulfilled his responsibilities as an ace.

Hibiki Higashino and the audience member next to him exchanged a glance and gave each other a bitter smile.

They didn't watch a single second half of the game, what a waste!

“But look at their cheers, just like in the manga.” Higashino snapped his fingers at the stadium.

……

The game was won.

Ayako, Kogure, and the substitutes all cheered with joy.

They embraced each other, loudly expressing their joy.

"We can finally participate in the national competition!"

"We are the strongest!"

Even Rukawa Kaede couldn't suppress his current emotions.

Sakuragi unleashed the joy he felt while dunking, standing still and laughing wildly.

"By the way, four-eyed brother, thanks to my genius, you don't have to retire so early."

He said to Kogure Kiminobu in a show of bravado.

Sakuragi had this on his mind before the match, or even before it started.

His brilliant maneuvers also motivated Kogure, Akagi, and the other third-year students to secure tickets to the national tournament.

"Don't make me cry, you problem child."

Kogure didn't cry, but Akagi shed tears.

It was a tearful, unsightly cry of uncontrollable joy.

He didn't cry when he lost the game against Hainan, but now that his three-year dream has come true, Akagi finally couldn't hold back anymore.

There can only be one winner in this game. Compared to Shohoku's joy, Ryonan's players could only tremble with sadness and shed tears.

In the end, Akagi and Uozumi embraced each other, blessing one another, revealing an equally ugly expression, like a gorilla crying.

……

The audience began to leave in an orderly fashion. Higashino Hibiki and his loyal reader walked to the entrance and bid each other a reluctant farewell.

"I had a very pleasant chat today, so the professional competition isn't that important anymore," he said magnanimously.

“Yes,” Hibiki Higashino nodded, “As long as they’re happy, that’s enough.”

Hearing the voices of readers is more meaningful than watching professional basketball games.

“By the way, we’ve been chatting so enthusiastically,” the audience member said, “young man, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Koichi Kamii, a composer.”

“I am Hibiki Higashino,” Hibiki Higashino introduced himself. “I am 22 years old and a student.”

"Higashino... Hibiki Higashino..."

Hibiki Higashino said goodbye, revealing his departing figure. Koichi Kamii was still pondering; the name sounded strangely familiar to him.

"Where have I seen this before..."

"profound!"

He recalled that when he was composing music for an animation production company, he learned the name of the company's founder.

"The president of that company is named Hibiki Higashino."

The company's name is "Mirai-sha".

"The founder is also... a manga artist, and his pen name is... Tori Akino Mirai!"

Koichi Kamii was shocked. He looked up at Hibiki Higashino, his pupils dilating violently.

"It turns out that today's kindred spirit is the manga artist of 'Slam Dunk,' my favorite author, Akino Mirai!"

He found it hard to believe that, in order to meet Hibiki Higashino, he collaborated with Mirai-sha to compose music for the anime with the very long and strange title, "Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day".

Surprisingly, Akino Mirai never appeared at "Mirai-sha".

We tried so hard to meet, but now we've met by sheer coincidence.

It left him somewhat dumbfounded.

"Although we didn't know each other before, I've said everything I wanted to say and expressed all my feelings today, so it's time for me to leave."

In his final gaze, you can see Higashino apologizing to his female companion, just like an ordinary person, spreading his hands in distress.

"Goodbye, Ms. Toriakino Mirai."

……

For a full half hour of the subsequent professional match, Higashino Hibiki completely ignored him, which made his girlfriend, Akemi Akemi, feel that he should act a little temperamental.

But seeing his troubled expression, Akemi Akemi's heart softened instantly. She took Higashino Hibiki's hands and walked towards the parking lot.

She said, "Because I also want to be a cartoonist, I can experience the joy of communicating with readers. So I forgive you this time."

Chapter 210 Millennium Actress

"It's finally over."

Kazuki Takahashi rubbed his temples and breathed a sigh of relief.

He witnessed a miracle.

When this miracle first began, Kazuki Takahashi took it for granted;

But as the miracle intensified, his mouth opened wider and wider.

One month, two months, three months...

This miracle lasted for more than three months.

It has finally come to an end today.

"First place in sixteen minor exams...that's terrifying."

In April of this year, Toei Animation's "Yu-Gi-Oh!" aired, and he only managed to get first place in the main series. His results have been mediocre ever since.

Winning first place consecutively is something that is simply impossible for him, no, for any cartoonist.

But Slam Dunk did just that.

"That's terrifying."

……

"Sixteen times!" Eiichiro Oda exclaimed in astonishment. "Tori Akino-sensei is getting more and more terrifying."

The man in his heart hadn't seemed unusual when they first met. He was just an ordinary guy, like a friendly, homebody.

But now, the image that Oda remembered is gone. Now, only his outline can be recalled; the image is becoming increasingly blurry, seemingly a dark shadow, like a major villain.

An insurmountable villain, he himself trembled at his feet, lacking even the courage to struggle.

"How could I think like that?" He slammed his hand on the table and stood up, his tone very firm.

"Defeat Akino Mirai! The world belongs to Eiichiro Oda."

He was looking forward to the day when he could proudly declare, "I am the king of the world."

“Impossible, impossible,” the assistant waved his hand. “Tori Akino-sensei is unsurpassable.”

Oda immediately lost his temper.

"Whether it's Xiaozheng's grades or the sales of his collected volumes, the teacher is far behind," the assistant added.

"Pfft!" Oda seemed to have coughed up three liters of blood, clutching his chest and remaining motionless.

……

With the basketball games over, the manga then consisted of daily life content for three or four months, requiring only five days of work per week, which made Higashino Hibiki's job much easier.

He also started working a nine-to-five job.

Sometimes I get bored.

When I'm tired, I feel terrible, and when I finally have some free time, my body doesn't adjust.

Higashino Hibana felt that he was destined to be a workaholic.

Fortunately, he now has toys to pass the time.

"That's really half-hearted."

Higashino Hibiki held a card in his hand, turning it over and over to look at it.

"It lacks detail, the design on the back of the card is unremarkable and looks rather cheap, no wonder it didn't produce good results."

This card is Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

Unlike what most people are familiar with, this Blue-Eyes White Dragon is a product of Bandai.

Previously, Bandai purchased the card copyright for Yu-Gi-Oh! and produced a set of two hundred cards.

However, this did not cause a stir in the market.

They only produced three versions before stopping.

Higashino Hibiki wanted to buy it, but couldn't find a place to buy it.

This set was a gift from Kazuki Takahashi.

"Even Yu-Gi-Oh! cards have their low points," Hibiki Higashino muttered to himself.

This set of cards didn't form any game rules; it was only for collecting. After looking at it for a while, he put it away.

"Higashino, the TV! The TV!"

While Higashino was silently criticizing Bandai, Akemi Akemi ran over and shouted loudly.

"Asahi TV, hurry up."

As she spoke, she excitedly sat down next to Higashino Hibiki.