Tokyo: Earth Online Manga Artist.

Eri Aragaki felt that after using this ability to create her Attack on Titan illustrations, her storyboards and drawing skills were a whole level better than Hajime Isayama's original work.

However, to be honest... Hajime Isayama's drawing skills really can't be considered good.

Surpassing him doesn't seem like anything to be proud of.

Even when he first submitted his work, the reason he was rejected was because the editor thought his drawing skills were too poor, not even reaching the passing grade of a professional cartoonist.

His strengths lie in his excellent storyboarding and his creation of the great story of Attack on Titan; his drawing skills are at best second-rate in the industry.

With the passive improvement in her learning ability, Eri Aragaki feels that her drawing skills are now starting to catch up with those of manga artists known for their drawing skills, such as Takeshi Obata and Kentaro Miura.

Every time I finish a Super Creation session and look at the drawing, I feel that the lines, perspective, and dynamic expression are simply not something a beginner could draw.

Like tonight, Eri Aragaki used her Super Creation ability again, and in less than half an hour...

The storyboard for episode 12 was completed this week.

Her hands were trembling slightly when she put down the pencil, but the dozen or so pages of storyboards spread out on the table, each panel was exactly the effect she wanted.

She quickly grabbed a few snacks and popped them into her mouth, then drank a few sips of tea to quickly replenish her body's sugar levels.

She seems to be doing well so far, and she hasn't even quit the Super Creation mode yet.

My mind was still clear, my thoughts were as clear as a cleaned window, and every thought could automatically generate a corresponding image and composition in my mind.

This feeling is so wonderful. Normally, she would spend ages refining a single storyboard.

In this state, she can go through several versions in her mind in a few seconds, and then pick the best one to draw directly.

"It's a bit boring."

But suddenly she felt a little bored.

The main issue is that the current artwork for Attack on Titan is getting a bit boring.

Even if you keep drawing the same manga, and you already know the rest of the story, and it hasn't reached the ending that Eri Aragaki wants to change.

Every week it's Eren, Mikasa, Armin; every week it's the Wall, Titans, and 3D Maneuver Gear.

She remembered the plot perfectly, so Eri Aragaki found the process incredibly tedious, like reciting an article she already knew by heart.

She was actually a little tired of this kind of boring and repetitive work.

At this point, she was still in the super creative state and did not want to start drawing the storyboard for episode 13 so soon, or start drawing the official artwork for episode 12 directly.

Anyway, the storyboard is already finished, and there's no rush for the final draft; we still have plenty of time.

She leaned back in her chair, a potato chip in her hand, and began to daydream.

Once she finishes drawing Attack on Titan, what manga should she draw next?

As a copycat, will you continue to hijack those popular comics that haven't even appeared yet?

For example, "Chainsaw Man", "Demon Slayer", and "Ju-on"?

These previous works were just as popular as Attack on Titan, and in some periods they even surpassed Attack on Titan.

Especially Demon Slayer, because the story is so good, the explosive power of the anime adaptation was simply phenomenal.

The sales of the collected volumes have far surpassed those of established popular works.

But it's somewhat unethical...

After all, she and Erina copied Attack on Titan because they were both heavily in debt, so it could be said that they were forced to copy it.

At that time, our house was auctioned off, our savings were almost gone, and the monthly debt installments were looming in front of us. If we didn't find a way out quickly, we would really have to become homeless.

Moreover, the ending of the giants in her previous life was somewhat unsettling to her, so she planned to copy it and change the ending as well.

She didn't expect it to be great, just that it wasn't disgusting, which is why she plagiarized it.

But now, with the giant in her possession, she can say that she will soon be financially independent.

Within about two years, around the time the Attack on Titan anime is released, she will become one of the most popular and highest-earning manga artists in Japan.

So, wouldn't it be wrong to preemptively steal someone else's work and cut off their source of income?

Eri Aragaki asked herself honestly, in this situation, the worst she could do was snatch "The Cursed Chapter".

After all, the later plot of "The Curse Returns" is somewhat unpleasant, so copying it in advance and changing the ending might be a good thing for manga fans.

Just then, she gave a self-deprecating laugh, shook her head, and said, "Forget it, why think about things that far ahead?"

Even if Attack on Titan were to become a weekly serial now, it would still take three years for the series to finish.

She can think about new installments in a couple of years; there's no need to rush.

Maybe by then she'll have her own original ideas and won't be a plagiarist anymore?

However, Eri Aragaki's mind wandered at this moment, and she suddenly thought of the Republic.

That's just how her thinking is; it jumps around a lot and she can easily connect things to other places.

Because... the market in the Republic is huge, so she could actually consider catering to the Republic's tastes.

While drawing action-packed shonen manga in Japan is certainly good, if you can simultaneously tap into the domestic market, the profits will be on a completely different level.

Then... how about she creates a Chinese-style comic like "Fog Hill of Five Elements"?

With its ink-splashing and watercolor style combined with hardcore action sequences, she thought this art style was unbeatable even in her past life.

Or perhaps... they could copy the popular novel "The Sun and the Moon Are Wrong" from later generations, whose cross-time narrative combined with the expressive power of traditional Chinese art style not only received a good response in the domestic market but was also very popular in Japan.

But it's still a bit unethical...

Why not change the story yourself, but be a pioneer in art style and such?

She could practice traditional Chinese painting techniques like those in "Fog Hill of Five Elements".

Suddenly, her mind jumped to a very unique comic book with a similar art style...

Although that comic was quite unique, the tension of the plot and the panel layout were breathtaking, and the impact of the expansive and dynamic visuals was overwhelming.

"Then let's give it a try!"

Eri Aragaki is someone who gets easily excited, but once she gets interested, she really gets right to it. She pulls out a new sheet of drawing paper, spreads it on her worktable, picks up a pencil, and starts sketching.

They could draw the storyboards quickly without even needing to draw them in advance.

When you're in a super creative state, you don't need to draft anything, especially since you already have a finished comic in your mind.

At first, I wasn't quite used to the Chinese-style comic book style, which was similar to "Fog Hill of Five Elements".

but……

[Professional Skill: Learning Ability (Lv.5): Chief, Chief, I've discovered that I learn everything incredibly fast, almost five times faster than my fellow companions!]

With her learning ability and the fact that she hasn't quit Super Creation, she can quickly learn and imitate the art style in her mind. In addition, this art style is not completely outside the comic book style.

Even with the foundation I had already built up over half a year, I still drew very quickly.

After drawing a few, she could draw so well that the tip of her pen knew exactly where to go when she reached out her hand. The outline of the figure, the background lines, and the dynamic poses were all done in one stroke, without needing any modifications.

However, two hours later...

"what……"

Eri Aragaki gradually withdrew from her super creative state, and at the same time, she began to see stars and felt weak in waves.

The drawing paper in front of me became a double image, my fingers holding the pen were trembling, and the emptiness in my stomach felt like it had been hollowed out.

She quickly picked up the lollipop that was placed aside, unwrapped it, put it in her mouth, and drank several mouthfuls of tea before the feeling was relieved.

The sweetness melted on my tongue, my blood sugar slowly rose, and the blurry vision gradually cleared up.

"It seems that Super Creator can't be used for long periods of time after all..."

After recovering, Eri Aragaki said, panting heavily.

She got completely absorbed in the moment and immediately started working on it, creating the practice piece she had originally envisioned in a state of super creativity.

I drove for more than two hours straight without stopping. When I came to my senses, there were several more pages of drawings on the table.

She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, feeling that the back of her clothes was completely soaked.

However, she was still very satisfied with the newly completed comic book drafts in front of her.

All I can say is... she's truly amazing!

Surprisingly, the artwork I drew in one go was quite decent, with well-defined character designs and a strong sense of tension in the storyboard. However, there was still a lot left to be done.

The background hasn't been added yet, and the halftone dots and blackouts haven't been applied either; many areas are still just pencil sketches.

But even with its current level of completion, the overall style and feel are already evident.

"Forget it, forget it, I can't keep drawing these myself."

Eri Aragaki quickly dismissed the dangerous thoughts in her mind.

Her hands are still shaking; if she were to start another Super Creation session, she'd probably collapse onto the table.

She tidied up the sketches and placed them aside, intending to examine them more closely the next day. Then she leaned back in her chair and drank a few more sips of tea.

But then she suddenly thought of something...

By the way, it's been a while since I checked the panel. Her job mechanics... her popularity should have accumulated by now.

Since the start of Attack on Titan's serialization, it has gained new readers every week, and its popularity ranking has been steadily rising.

Reader surveys and polls in comic magazines, along with discussions on forums, should all translate into so-called popularity metrics.

Popularity points can be used to upgrade her ultimate skill.

And this Super Creativity ability is already this powerful after only one level. How powerful it will become after upgrading is something that Eri Aragaki doesn't even dare to imagine!

She hadn't thought to check before, but since she'd already opened her studio today, she figured she might as well take a look.

Then a thought struck her.

The Earth Online panel appeared before her eyes.

Player ID: Eri Aragaki

Race: Forest ape (Late Homo sapiens)

Occupation: Creator (Special Occupation of Forest Apes)

Level: 18 (Currently 1 normal skill point, 0 ultimate skill points)

Popularity score: 89777

……

Ultimate Job Skill: Super Creation (Lv.1): Chief, Chief, my super wisdom tells me to use Super Creation!