[300] A Stomachache Sensation

In the shadows, following Shiki Ryougi, it had been several days.

Araya Souren had confirmed that this girl was far from normal.

Her body was the most direct connection to the root, and even... if this girl wanted to go to the root, to fulfill the magus's long-cherished wish.

It should be a relatively simple matter.

The world was so unfair; countless people pursued things, put in a lifetime of effort, just for that one in a million, one in a billion chance, yet someone could achieve it effortlessly.

Some might fall into despair, thinking that no matter what they did, they couldn't bridge the innate gap.

And so, their journey would end there.

Efforts might not guarantee returns.

No efforts definitely meant no returns.

Except for the protagonist.

Araya Souren understood these sentiments well.

With the passage of time, he had gradually forgotten why he pursued the root. The reasons were long gone, but he continued nonetheless.

However, just as he was about to succeed.

The counterforce activated once again.

At least in Araya Souren's eyes, Kurokawa Kazuya was the counter forces.

The person preventing him from taking action.

"I must come up with a foolproof plan."

Back in his residence, Araya Souren pondered.

He had tested Kurokawa Kazuya several times, lurking in the shadows to guide others into action... Before understanding the true Kurokawa Kazuya's strength, he wasn't planning to act himself.

It wasn't that he feared death; it was just a simple matter—dying would mean he couldn't continue pursuing his goal.

So, he wouldn't die until his wish was fulfilled.

However, having said that, abnormal individuals weren't that easy to come by. In the previous attempts, apart from a pseudo-Servant, the rest were just thugs.

Moreover, the person to be tested wasn't just Kurokawa Kazuya.

There was also Shiki Ryougi—

This girl wasn't without combat capability.

No, quite the opposite. As someone connected to the root, how could she lack combat capability?

At most, it was a question of whether she had awakened or knew how to use it. But... the weapons were there, and even if she couldn't use them, her sharpness couldn't be denied.

To complete all these tests, a few more chess pieces were needed.

But he wasn't in a hurry.

His life had already spanned several decades...

Moreover, Barthomeloi Lorelei's cooperation with the Mage's Association successfully continued the leyline, and he had at least a dozen more years. As long as he accumulated strength little by little during this process, seeking opportunities.

There would be—that day.

...

"Animation, huh... I see." Takehiko Inoue, who learned this news through the editor, wasn't excited, didn't rejoice, and didn't feel troubled. All of this was expected.

"Slam Dunk."

This manga now held a special position in JUMP, even to the point of being indispensable.

No matter how popular other manga might be, the theme of Slam Dunk was different.

The theme was different.

The audience it attracted was different.

JUMP's circulation had already surpassed 7 million copies, which meant that in this country with a population of approximately 100 million, every fourteen people had one JUMP. If there were disruptions or exchanges, the numbers might even increase.

One thing, if one person in ten thousand did it, it was non-mainstream. If one person in a thousand did it, it could be considered a trend. If one person in a hundred did it, it was undoubtedly mainstream. If... one person in ten did it.

Then, it was core.

In this country, manga had long become the core of the core.

After all... manga magazines weren't exclusive to JUMP alone. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that one in ten people read manga.

Among these magazines, Slam Dunk played a significant role.

His chief editor had told him several times, "Extend it a bit, draw a bit more, like Dragon Ball. If it could be like KochiKame, that would be even better."

Such words...

But Takehiko Inoue didn't think like that at all. He wanted to draw a perfect ending! Whenever he wanted to conclude, he'd conclude. At the most appropriate time, he'd give it the most perfect ending.

That was what he desired!

But...

Hopefully, the animation production company won't be too shabby.

Takehiko Inoue sighed slightly in his heart, as he was just a manga artist and couldn't change anything.

Thinking about it, he felt a bit envious of someone he saw at the annual meeting a few years ago—Kurokawa Kazuya.

A few years ago, he was just a mangaka.

But now, he had the qualifications to cooperate equally with JUMP.

The animation produced by the company he founded, Takehiko Inoue had also watched. It was truly perfect!

This was the form a mangaka most wanted to see their work presented in.

However, when he unintentionally heard about the money burned for the production of the animation he created, he could only smile bitterly... Not everyone could achieve such a thing.

His only worry in his heart was...

Whether his Slam Dunk could get the production of "JOJO Animaton." Now, with the cooperation terms between JUMP and JOJO, his editor had mentioned it once.

Every quarter, JOJO Animation might choose one of JUMP's manga for animation.

And so, his manga Slam Dunk was submitted this quarter.

"So." Looking at his editor, Takehiko Inoue said, "Which animation company is going to produce my manga? It's so mysterious..."

"Inoue-sensei, congratulations in advance." The editor, looking at Takehiko Inoue, smiled and said, "Animation, huh?"

"Yeah, not just that, but the company that accepted the animation of Slam Dunk this time is JOJO Animation."

"Huh?"

...

"What's this?" Shoji Asami looked at the book in front of her in surprise.

"Setting collection." Iwamoto Yu smiled wryly. "Sometimes, I really don't understand Kurokawa-sensei's thoughts. He says he doesn't want to draw Fate anymore, yet he prepares such a thick setting collection..."

"Uh... so, I can draw manga related to Fate, but..."

"That's right. You can add to the setting, but not subtract. And try to make it reasonable."

Shoji Asami's mouth twitched slightly.

She felt a bit of a stomachache.

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