Chapter 2 - Unconventional Take

"Dududu..."

The phone on the desk rang, jolting Xu Mo from his thoughts. He picked it up and checked the caller ID.

"Drizzt, I know you've been in a bad mood lately, but you can't keep this up. The company still needs you. You've been MIA for a week, and now some cartoonists are jumping ship."

A stern voice crackled through the receiver. Xu Mo sighed at the blunt reprimand.

"Uncle Andy, I'll head to the company today. If they jump ship, I'll find better comic artists."

"Better? Well, let's see when you get here."

With that, the line went dead. Xu Mo hung up, retrieved a stack of white paper from the drawer, and stashed away the One Piece sketches. He then typed four words into the search bar and began to draw.

According to his memories, Uncle Andy was a good friend of his father and the current manager of the company.

The company, despite its grand-sounding name, was actually quite small—four comics artists, six assistants, and a few other employees, totaling fifteen people. It was essentially a small studio.

This was a typical state for comic companies today. The market was saturated with heroic themes inspired by Captain America, leaving little room for innovation. Most artists feared financial loss from trying something new and preferred to stick with the familiar.

As a result, the industry had stagnated, with few competitive forces and a general lack of motivation. There were several such companies in New York alone, all privately owned and merely paying salaries.

For Xu Mo, who had a magical tool at his disposal, this was the perfect opportunity to showcase his talents and build his own comic empire.

Soon, Xu Mo finished drawing the four words, packed them into his backpack, and left for the company.

New York in 2008 was the center of the world. The streets buzzed with people and traffic. Xu Mo looked up at the brilliant sunlight, feeling a world away from his old life.

The company was located near Times Square, the heart of Manhattan's bustle. Known as "The Crossroads of the World," this area was packed with businesses, theaters, and entertainment venues. Its location was prime.

Since the company was still a bit of a distance from Times Square, Xu Mo hailed a taxi. The driver, a jovial black man, chatted incessantly, but Xu Mo remained silent. Once they arrived, Xu Mo paid without waiting for change, leaving the driver to sing loudly about yet another rich passenger.

A few minutes later, Xu Mo stood in front of a tall building, his comic journey about to begin.

7th Floor

The space was leased by Tengman Company, though only part of it was utilized. When plans were made to expand, the unexpected death of the person in charge had thrown the company into disarray. Now, the staff was deeply unsettled, teetering on the brink of crisis.

A man with disheveled hair walked into the office, handed a resignation letter to Andy, the manager, and said flatly, "Andy, here's my resignation."

"Not considering staying?"

Andy took the resignation letter, trying to maintain composure.

The man shook his head and left without another word.

"Oh, this kid."

Andy understood the cartoonist's frustration. It wasn't just that Xu Mo had not been to the company since inheriting it; this absence was perceived as irresponsibility by others.

Without any sense of security or binding interest, combined with the comic industry's current downturn, many employees felt it was futile to stay.

"Uncle Andy, how is the company doing now?" Xu Mo asked as he entered.

"You've shown up! Currently, we have no comic artists, just two assistants and five other employees. The rest have left," Andy said, his frustration evident.

"They left."

Andy's face darkened with anger. "Without comic artists, the company can't survive."

"I'm not." Xu Mo slowly pulled out the sketches from his backpack and laid them on the table, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"I'll handle it myself."

The departure of the other artists was just what Xu Mo needed. In his view, their comics were outdated and lacked value, even if their drawing skills were good.

"You're going to do it yourself?" Andy's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're a college student—what makes you think you can draw?"

Andy picked up the drawings, starting with the cover page featuring a bald man in a cape, drawn from behind. The artwork was reminiscent of the previous artists, giving Andy a glimmer of hope.

As he flipped through the pages, his frown deepened.

The story began in a devastated city, where a monstrous creature wreaked havoc. Ordinary people perished beneath its destructive power.

The scene shifted to Saitama, wearing a white cloak, reading a report at home. He remarked, "Justice will prevail."

The quality of the art captured some of Andy's interest, but the premise seemed odd. Saitama, a seemingly ordinary hero, rescued a girl amidst a bizarre confrontation with a creature named Vaccine Man—born from pollution and environmental degradation.

The oddity of Saitama's character and the narrative felt strange to Andy. Despite the hero theme being prevalent, the comic's unique approach was both unsettling and intriguing.

Andy shook his head, trying to comprehend the new direction. The industry was ripe for something new, and perhaps Xu Mo's unconventional take might be exactly what was needed.