207 Stan Lee

Shin journeyed to New York to visit Marvel Comics' current headquarters on Madison Avenue.

Following a meeting with Orio Masayoshi, Shin proceeded to the Marvel Comics headquarters.

Upon entering the office, Shin received greetings from recently hired employees. He nodded in acknowledgment and noticed a middle-aged man, wearing glasses, observing him.

In a hushed tone, Shin asked Orio Masayoshi, "Where can I find Stan Lee?"

Initially perplexed, Orio Masayoshi refrained from questioning Shin's inquiry. Instead, he gestured towards a middle-aged man in the distance. The office buzzed with employees diligently working, attempting to project an image of discipline.

In the employees' minds, there was a perception that Japanese individuals valued hard work and discipline. The presence of Shinro Suzuki, the renowned founder of KiShin, heightened their excitement. After greeting Shinro Suzuki and Orio Masayoshi, the employees seamlessly transitioned into diligent work mode, all the while discreetly observing Shinro Suzuki from the corners of their eyes.

Meanwhile, Stan Lee emerged from his office, casting a curious gaze at Shinro Suzuki. Having heard of Shinro's substantial achievements in the burgeoning video game industry, where he crafted several widely popular games, Stan Lee was intrigued.

Stan Lee delved into one of KiShin's video games, "Super Mario," and found himself captivated by its allure. Curiosity piqued, he explored other KiShin video games, genuinely fascinated by the creativity they embodied. In this moment, Stan Lee couldn't help but admire Shinro Suzuki for his pivotal role in pioneering the video game industry.

While pondering this, Stan Lee noticed Shinro Suzuki and the other Japanese man, Orio Masayoshi, making their way toward him.

Panicking slightly, Stan Lee worried that his extended observation of the young man without focusing on his work might have displeased Shinro Suzuki and Orio Masayoshi. Hastening towards his office in an attempt to rectify the situation, he was halted by Orio Masayoshi's firm command, "Wait."

As Orio Masayoshi stopped him, Stan Lee felt a sense of helplessness and let out a sigh, fearing that this might mark the culmination of his tenure at Marvel Comics.

Stan Lee turned towards Shinro Suzuki and Orio Masayoshi, and as the employees, who had been feigning diligence, discreetly observed the unfolding situation, mixed conclusions started to form in their minds. Some employees, who had survived KiShin's previous company-wide purge, and certain writers and artists at Marvel Comics, looked at Stan Lee with evident concern.

In silent prayers, they hoped that the seasoned veteran wouldn't face dismissal like others who were let go for incompetence. Stan Lee, distinguished from those let go, elicited worried glances as Orio Masayoshi stopped him. Simultaneously, some employees noted that Stan Lee didn't react swiftly to feign productivity; instead, he stood there openly gazing at the bosses, raising additional concerns among his colleagues.

Facing Shinro Suzuki and Orio Masayoshi, Stan Lee offered a wry smile as he greeted, "Good afternoon..."

Upon hearing Stan Lee's greeting, Shin and Orio Masayoshi exchanged glances with furrowed brows.

Observing their reactions, Stan Lee sensed a mistake and recalled the Japanese tradition of bowing. Without hesitation, he swiftly corrected himself, bowing in a manner reminiscent of the Japanese custom he had seen in cinema and television.

Witnessing their comrade and the venerable Stan Lee bowing, those who observed felt a palpable sense of pity in their hearts.

In the midst of this, Shin perceived that Stan Lee might have misunderstood their approach. To allay any concerns, he flashed a reassuring smile and inquired, "Are you Mr. Stan Lee?"

Upon hearing this, Stan Lee nodded. Despite feeling a tinge of nervousness about potential dismissal from Marvel Comics, he affirmed, "That I am..."

Shin responded with a warm smile, providing a sense of reassurance. He then extended his hands towards Stan Lee, signaling for a handshake, and said, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Lee..."

Stan Lee was pleasantly surprised when Shinro Suzuki extended a handshake, and the other employees discreetly observing were equally taken aback by this unexpected turn of events.

"Umm... Yeah, nice to meet you too, Mr. Shinro Suzuki..." Stan Lee responded, promptly clasping Shinro Suzuki's hands and shaking them respectfully.

Orio Masayoshi, too, was somewhat surprised as he observed Shin treating the middle-aged Stan Lee with unexpected warmth.

Shin nodded, noticing the confused expression on Stan Lee's face, likely a reaction to the unexpected warmth. Excitedly, Shin expressed, "I have been a fan of your works, sir."

Orio Masayoshi, Stan Lee, and the employees, including writers and artists in their respective workspaces, were taken aback upon hearing Shinro Suzuki's statement.

Shinro Suzuki, reading the works of the esteemed veteran? The employees, writers, and artists who had known Stan Lee for a long time collectively thought with astonishment.

Simultaneously, the predominantly newly recruited employees, who had been anticipating Stan Lee's potential departure from Marvel Comics, found themselves even more surprised upon hearing Shinro Suzuki's words.

Meanwhile, Stan Lee found himself astonished, thinking, "Shinro Suzuki liked my works!?" Filled with excitement, he exclaimed, "Really?"

Shin nodded eagerly and replied, "Absolutely. I enjoyed your comic published in 1962, 'Amazing Fantasy.' Peter Parker, the character you created, was truly remarkable!"

Stan Lee, exhilarated by the revelation that a prominent figure in the video game industry admired his work, exclaimed, "It's Spider-Man!"

Shin nodded in agreement, saying, "Yeah."

Amidst the astonished expressions of Orio Masayoshi and the employees, including writers and artists, who observed the discussion about comics, Shin eventually suggested, "We've been standing here for quite a while. Why don't we head to your office and continue our conversation?"

Upon hearing this, Stan Lee promptly agreed, saying, "Of course, of course, it was my pleasure..." He then led Shinro Suzuki and Orio Masayoshi to his office.

As the Marvel Comics employees reacted with a mix of jealousy, happiness for Stan Lee, and indifference, the overall atmosphere was filled with diverse emotions.

Meanwhile, upon entering Stan Lee's office, Shinro Suzuki, Orio Masayoshi, and Stan Lee took their seats on the sofa. Positioned beside them, Orio Masayoshi, Shin, and Stan Lee delved into discussions, primarily focusing on Marvel characters, particularly the creations of Stan Lee, slated for cinematic adaptation. Stan Lee, learning of Shinro Suzuki's plans to bring his works to the screen, couldn't contain his excitement.