Full-time comic artist

"Sasaki, when will Yoshihiro Togashi start his new serialization?" Nobuhiko Horie asked impatiently.

Akira Toriyama has decided to stop drawing long-running battle manga. After thinking it over, he concluded that only Togashi can step up and save Jump.

“He won’t budge an inch,” Sasaki replied.

He secretly resented that he had fallen out with Yoshihiro Togashi and was now being made to mediate between them.

He used to be called Togashi the old scoundrel, but now that's necessary, we call him Teacher Togashi.

“I happily play video games and mahjong every day, and I have no desire to draw manga at all,” Sasaki said.

He looked on with envy; this person was so free.

Watching horror movies, doing what he wants. Compared to the mature Hibiki Higashino, Togashi is more like a child.

"Tch," Horie Nobuhiko said through gritted teeth, clearly annoyed. "Fine, you can get out now."

“Yes.” Sasaki nodded.

Chapter 86 How many people have claimed the title of emperor, how many have claimed the title of king?

"It will be finished in May!"

Hibiki Higashino put down the manga he was reading, answered a phone call, and then suddenly spoke very loudly.

Oda was surprised. What is it that's going to end?

He held the cake and listened intently.

The "Bird Akino Future Studio" offers great perks, allowing you to order takeout from nearby shops to your heart's content.

He has gained a lot of weight recently and no longer has the handsome appearance he had in high school.

Therefore, Oda decided that he would only eat cake once a week and never eat more than that.

"Are you surprised?" Akira Toriyama said with a smile.

He was leaning against the wall, holding the phone receiver, looking very relaxed.

It's been serialized for a long time since 84, and now it's 95. I really don't know how they managed to get through it.

It's finally coming to an end.

He looked radiant, as if he were a completely different person.

“No,” Hibiki Higashino glanced at Oda and replied, “The author has been troubled by the long serialization. He can’t draw the works he likes. He draws entirely for Jump and Bandai.”

Once I understood this, I knew this day would come sooner or later. And I've been waiting for it for a long time.

"Teacher?" Oda's ears twitched.

“Haha, you know me best,” Akira Toriyama laughed heartily. “Compared to drawing Dragon Ball or Dr. Slump, I prefer the days when I was designing characters for Dragon Quest, at least I could create to my heart’s content.”

“Actually, it should have been finished last month according to the original plan,” Akira Toriyama said. “But you gave me some inspiration, so I drew it for two more months.”

“It’s my honor,” Higashino Hibiki said. “But it’s really a shame that, since it started serialization in January last year, with 70 chapters, it has never surpassed Dragon Ball to take first place in the best-selling series.”

"Dragon Ball!" Oda exclaimed in surprise, and with a "splat," his beloved cake fell to the ground.

Oda, however, was not paying attention to the cake. What did he hear?

Is Dragon Ball ending?

He clutched his chest, feeling a heart-wrenching pain that made him feel like he was suffocating.

This is a work that accompanied him as he grew up, his favorite comic, and the one that guided him onto the path of drawing comics.

So, it's going to end?

I was in disbelief, as if I were in a dream.

"The plot has indeed been progressing very quickly lately..." He muttered to himself, looking down. "It'll probably be at least 20 years before this gets over..."

He shed tears, his sorrow beyond words.

Akira Toriyama laughed heartily, "You won't have a chance in the future either. I'm going to finish with first place in everything."

“That’s easy for you to say,” Higashino Hibiki shook his head. “But you really do have the ability, teacher.”

He felt a pang of sadness, happy for Akira Toriyama but also saddened that he would never see his long-running serialized works again.

"The Akira Toriyama of the future will be the real Akira Toriyama."

Without thinking about anything else, he said this, and after saying goodbye, Higashino Hibiki hung up the phone.

"Phew~" Higashino Hibiki let out a long sigh of relief.

We're entering the post-Dragon Ball era.

Jump's glorious days are coming to an end, and his own future is about to begin.

He suddenly had a feeling of "a strong wind rising and clouds flying".

Heroes vie for supremacy, vying for dominance in the Central Plains.

Who will be the next pillar of Jump?

He glanced at Oda, who was standing there dumbfounded, and frowned. "What are you still spacing out for? Hurry up and clean the floor."

It's April now, which makes it easy to attract ants and flying insects.

“…Yes…” Oda finally realized.

He was sweeping the floor when, after a while, he looked up and asked unwillingly, "Is Dragon Ball going to end?"

Hibiki Higashino held "Slam Dunk" in his hand and studied it. Looking at the female characters in it, he narrowed his eyes and wondered how they could be drawn so beautifully.

"Huh?" He didn't hear clearly.

“I mean,” Oda said, clearly annoyed, “is Dragon Ball the one that’s going to end?”

"Mhm." Higashino Hibiki nodded perfunctorily.

"I really don't understand why Mr. Toriaki is so calm." After wiping the floor clean, he grabbed the sweet-smelling rag and rushed to Higashino Hibiki.

“Once you start serializing it, you’ll understand,” Hibiki Higashino replied.

Afterwards, he looked at the drawing and marveled at it, saying that today's cartoonists are really something.

Exquisite, meticulous, and full of craftsmanship; the amount of work done is visible to the naked eye.

That's terrifying.

Oda remained silent.

At this moment, he really wanted to become a comic artist and serialize a work.

……

If Dragon Ball ends in a month, Hibiki Higashino won't have much time left.

One chapter has already been submitted to Jump, and there's still some content that's halfway through drawing.

Therefore, the only thing that can truly be decided is the last two episodes.

He decided to remove some of the filler, everyday scenes from the original work and jump straight to the climax.

on Monday.

Shinoda, a fourth-dan player, bought a copy of Jump; he had been looking forward to it for a long time.

Because every time a new person becomes a professional Go player, there will be a "New First Dan League".

This is a match between the top players, 9-dan, or holders of titles such as "Kisei" or "Honinbo," and 1-dan players in Yugen.

Shinoda was very curious: who would Hikaru's opponent be?

After buying the magazine, he simply sat on a bench in a nearby park, enjoying the spring breeze carrying the scent of cherry blossoms, and quietly began to read it.

"Hikaru's opponent is actually Touya Kouhiro!" Shinoda excitedly adjusted his glasses.

Touya Kouhiro holds five of the seven titles.

He is the most powerful Go player in Japan in the manga, and also a world-class Go player.

In modern times, the person closest to the realm of "divine hand".

He was also the invincible character created at the very beginning of "Hikaru no Go".

This character is clearly here to compete against Fujiwara no Sai; both were the strongest Go players of their era.

One day we'll play against each other. It seems like the match that Shinoda has been looking forward to for so long is finally here.

Fujiwara Sai looked at Touya Kouhiro and sat down in Shindo Hikaru's fighting position.

His eyes were bright and piercing, and he desperately wanted to be one of the black and white factions.

He could no longer hear Hikaru's voice telling him to get up; his eyes were fixed only on Touya Kouhiro's figure.

It wasn't until Touya asked Hikaru, "What's wrong?" that he realized this match belonged to Hikaru.

So she apologized to Xiaoguang, stood up with tears in her eyes, and walked alone to the side.

In this match, due to the significant difference in strength, the newcomer will be given a 5 point komi and will play black first.

Shinoda, a fourth-dan player, understood that with such a significant advantage, Fujiwara no Sai could easily defeat Touya Kouyo.

When that time comes, it will definitely cause a huge mess.

The tone of "Hikaru no Go" will also change.

Therefore, his gaze dimmed; he knew he would not be able to see this game of chess.

I felt a little disappointed for a moment.

However, Hikaru Shindo was a very clever child, and he quickly came up with an idea.

If Sai plays, he will have a significant advantage. He can then use a 15-point komi to compensate for this advantage and turn it into a disadvantage.

His strength wouldn't be revealed to others, and he could also put Sai and Touya Kouhiro to a fight.

Chapter 87 Getting Better and Better

Even with a 15-point komi, Higashino Hibiki could defeat Yamazaki Akira.