I really just want to grind for entries related to crossover anime/manga.

Friday, at the headquarters of Shinazugawa Bookstore, in the conference room for copyright negotiations.

Thanks to the efficient filming model of "episode-based series interspersed with main storyline" adopted by the "Kamen Rider Fox" production team, Yu Genkawa's role arrangement has a certain degree of flexibility.

On Friday morning, after completing his scheduled filming, he was able to meet up with Kasumigaoka Utaha, who was already waiting, thanks to Kato Megumi's seamless schedule coordination. Together, they drove to the headquarters of Shinazugawa Bookstore.

For Yuu Genkawa, this was not an unfamiliar place.

As an author who has published "Love Letters" and "The Wind Rises" here, both of which have achieved good market response and literary reputation, he has been here several times.

Upon entering the high-ceilinged, spacious, and brightly lit hall, one's gaze is involuntarily drawn to the meticulously designed "current best-selling and ever-popular boutique display wall" on one side.

Genkawa Yu's gaze swept around, and soon he saw the covers of his two works, which had simple designs but profound meanings, in a prominent position on that wall of books.

Then there's the book that exudes a unique artistic atmosphere, "Calling for Love in the Center of the World".

The three books are ranked almost side by side, as if silently telling a wonderful story of fate.

"It seems we've left some traces here."

Genkawa Yu turned his head and smiled softly at Kasumigaoka Utaha beside him, his tone carrying a rare hint of ease.

Because today is a formal occasion, Kasumigaoka Utaha's outfit is particularly elaborate.

She wore an exquisite off-white long dress that accentuated her tall and straight figure, and her long, black hair was neatly tied up in a bun at the back of her head, exuding feminine grace and elegance.

Upon hearing this, her wine-red eyes swept over the wall of books, and a knowing smile appeared on her lips.

"It's actually quite good."

Guided by a female employee, the two arrived at a medium-sized conference room located deep in the corridor.

Pushing open the door, the interior view came into view.

Four people were already seated on one side of the long conference table.

Genkawa Yu quickly recognized two familiar faces. One was Machida Sonoko, an editor with an outstanding temperament and gentle eyes. She had been in charge of the publication of Genkawa Yu's novels and was professional yet humane.

Another smiling middle-aged woman sitting near the head of the table is a senior representative of Kodansha, the parent company of Shinazugawa Shoten. She has shrewd eyes and a calm demeanor.

Sitting on the other side of Machida's editor was a middle-aged man with a serious expression, wearing a dark suit. Judging from his posture, he was probably a member of the decision-making team at Shinazugawa Shoten responsible for this major copyright negotiation.

Seated on the other side of the long table, facing off against the Kodansha representative, was a middle-aged man, also dressed in a suit, with sharp eyes that held a hint of scrutiny and arrogance.

He stood alone, with only a thin folder and an expensive pen in front of him, his posture exuding an air of unwavering confidence. Undoubtedly, this was the plenipotentiary representative sent by Shogo Suo.

The joint entrance of Yuu Minakawa and Utaha Kasumigaoka instantly captured the attention of everyone in the room.

The Kodansha representative was the first to stand up, breaking the brief silence with a warm and professional smile.

"Mr. Genkawa, Mr. Kasumigaoka, welcome! Please have a seat here!"

The editor, Machida, cast a warm and supportive glance at the two of them, while the manager of Shinazugawa Bookstore remained serious and merely nodded politely.

The one with the strongest reaction was Suoh Shogo's representative, whose eyes clearly showed a hint of surprise the moment he saw Genkawa Yu's face.

His gaze darted quickly between Yuu Genkawa and Utaha Kasumigaoka. Clearly, the presence of Yuu Genkawa, the president of Star Engine and a key figure in Suoh Hayabusa's camp, and his familiarity and closeness with the author, had completely exceeded his expectations, adding a huge variable to the negotiations.

"Did this guy... guess what we're going to do?"

Suoh Shogo's representative, Kimura, touched his fingers, his eyes showing some wariness.

The group took their seats as instructed. The representative of Kodansha, who was hosting the meeting, cleared his throat and began in a clear and formal tone.

"Thank you all for attending this meeting today. Regarding the exclusive film and television adaptation rights of Kasumigaoka Utaha's bestselling novel, 'Crying Out Love in the Center of the World,' after several rounds of contact and evaluation, we have received formal purchase proposals from two interested parties."

"In order to maximize the value of the work and to fully respect the author's wishes and the partnership, we have specially arranged today's face-to-face negotiation session."

"We hope that both parties can fully explain their respective advantages and cooperation ideas. As for the final ownership of the copyright, we will make a prudent decision by comprehensively considering multiple factors such as the price level, the feasibility of the cooperation plan, the depth of understanding of the core of the work, and the potential for long-term cooperation."

Her speech was impeccable, clearly defining the purpose of the meeting, outlining the framework for competition, and leaving ample room for negotiation.

As soon as the words were spoken, the atmosphere in the conference room suddenly became stagnant and subtle, like a fully drawn bowstring.

The representative of Shogo Suoh was clearly adept at taking the initiative. Almost as soon as the host finished speaking, his gaze swept over the representative of Kodansha and the person in charge of Shinazugawa Shoten in turn. Finally, he glanced meaningfully at Yu Minakawa across from him and spoke first in a calm and confident tone.

"First of all, please allow me, on behalf of [Zhongyan Pictures] and the powerful investment group behind us, to express our sincerest respect and highest sincerity for cooperation to Ms. Kasumigaoka's deeply moving and outstanding work."

"We firmly believe that the profound sense of the times and the emotional trajectory carried by 'Calling for Love in the Center of the World' have the extraordinary potential to become a classic film and television masterpiece."

"Therefore, we are willing to offer a sincere price of five million yen as the licensing fee for the exclusive rights to this film and television adaptation."

He paused deliberately, observing the facial expressions of the people opposite him. Seeing the thoughtful and weighing look in the eyes of the Kodansha representative and the Shinazugawa Shoten manager, he felt a little more at ease and continued to offer an even more tempting deal:

"Moreover, we are well aware that excellent works deserve long-term value development. We promise that after the film project is officially approved, we will give priority to your participation in terms of investment share, share distribution channels and publicity resources, and fully open up subsequent derivative products to bring continuous and generous returns to all parties."

His speech was well-structured, including a solid cash offer—five million yen is certainly a substantial sum, already in the upper-middle range for purchasing copyrights—and he also outlined an enticing cooperation plan, attempting to sway the copyright holder with a grand narrative of "comprehensive strength" and "win-win future."

The representative from Kodansha and the head of Shinazugawa Shoten exchanged a meaningful glance, both seeing in each other's eyes a mixture of excitement and weighing of options.

The representative of Shogo Suo noticed this subtle interaction, which gave him even more confidence.

He turned his gaze formally to Genkawa Yu, his tone blatantly hostile, "I wonder what Genkawa, the president of [Star Engine], thinks about this? And what amazing conditions have you prepared?"

Instantly, all eyes in the conference room focused on Genkawa Yu, like spotlights.

Genkawa Yu did not respond immediately.

He calmly reached out, picked up the warm green tea in front of him, brought it to his lips, took a slow and deliberate sip, and then carefully placed the teacup back on the coaster.

He remained calm and composed throughout the entire process. Then, a half-smile appeared on his handsome face, and he did not directly answer his opponent's question.

"How stingy!"

Upon hearing the sarcastic remark, Suoh Shogo's representative's face suddenly darkened, and a crack appeared in his previous confidence.

Genkawa Yu then slowly turned his gaze back to him, his smile unchanged, but his eyes, like a drawn blade, suddenly became sharp and cold.

"Mr. Kimura, there are indeed rumors in the industry about the strength and scale of your company and the conglomerate behind it. However, true sincerity is never shown through verbal promises."

He spoke at a steady pace, then looked at Kasumigaoka Utaha's pretty face.

"Kasumigaoka's 'Calling for Love in the Center of the World' is now a phenomenal work in the publishing industry, achieving both sales and critical acclaim. It perfectly balances literary merit with popular appeal. Five million yen? Forgive me for being blunt, but this price not only seriously underestimates the market value of this masterpiece, but also disrespects Kasumigaoka's outstanding talent and hard work."

"you!"

The representative of Suoh Shogo was so enraged by the merciless mockery and belittling that he blushed and felt a surge of anger rising to his head. He tried to suppress it, but his voice became slightly shrill due to his agitation.

"Please be mindful of your negotiation etiquette. In business cooperation, the highest bidder wins—that's the most basic rule! If you feel our offer is insufficient, feel free to reveal your bottom line! Such sarcastic remarks and attempts to sow discord are neither gentlemanly nor helpful!"

"Highest bidder wins? That's right, that's the rule."

The smile on Yuan Chuanyu's face deepened, but it didn't reach his eyes. He leaned back slightly, the chair back making a soft sound, and his posture appeared more relaxed.

"However, before making a formal offer, I think it is necessary for everyone present, especially your representatives, to understand a crucial fact, so that you don't reveal your hand only to end up with a story that is not entirely what you expected, making a laughing stock in the industry and embarrassing the investors behind you."

His words were cryptic, instantly piquing the curiosity of everyone present except Kasumigaoka Utaha.

Representatives from Kodansha, the head of Shinazugawa Shoten, and even editor Machida all wore expressions of doubt and inquiry.

A sense of foreboding swept through Suoh Shogo's representative, and his expression turned even more grim, yet he had no choice but to listen intently.

Genkawa Yu stopped looking at him and instead swept his gaze over everyone. His tone became extremely solemn and clear, and every word seemed to have been carefully considered.

"In fact, there is an undisclosed origin story behind the creation of the work 'Calling for Love in the Center of the World'."

Yuan Chuanyou knew that this was the most crucial moment for psychological warfare, so he deliberately paused for a while, allowing the weight of his words to fully settle in everyone's hearts.

Then, under the watchful eyes of everyone, the answer was slowly revealed.

"The core inspiration for this novel's story originally came from me."

"boom--!"

The moment these words were spoken, the air in the conference room fell silent.

The representatives all looked surprised, and even the editor, Machida, covered his mouth, his face full of disbelief.

The representative of Shogo Suo reacted the most violently.

His face turned from red to white in an instant, then from white to green, his pupils shrinking to pinpoints, filled with extreme shock and panic.

He finally understood why the other party was so fearless.

Before the others could process this shocking information, Genkawa Yu turned his head to look at Kasumigaoka Utaha beside him and said in a gentle yet powerful tone.

"Kasumigaoka-sensei, I think it would be most authoritative and convincing for you to confirm this matter in person."

Kasumigaoka Utaha took a deep breath, straightened her back, and met the gazes in the conference room that were filled with surprise, realization, or anticipation.

"Yes, everything Genkawa-kun said is true."

"The initial inspiration for the book 'Calling for Love in the Center of the World' came from a conversation between Genkawa and me about an idea. He gave the work its initial soul. Without his spark of inspiration, this book would never exist today."

Her gaze swept over the Kodansha representative and the head of Shinazugawa Shoten, finally settling on the concerned face of Machida, her tone becoming increasingly earnest and resolute.

"Therefore, when considering the adaptation of this work into a film or television series, my personal wishes and inclinations have always been very clear—I hope that Genkawa-kun and the Star Engine he represents will be the ones to adapt it."

"As the author, shouldn't I have the right to recommend it?"

Volume 3: I Am a Knight of the New Era - Chapter 22: The Advantage of Signing a Contract, Utaha Kasumigaoka's Attitude (Two-in-One 5k)

As soon as Kasumigaoka Utaha made her statement, the entire conference room fell into a deathly silence.

The representatives from Kodansha and the head of Shinazugawa Shoten both changed their expressions at the same time, their hesitation replaced by a hint of understanding.

They finally understood why Yuu Genkawa was involved in the copyright negotiations, and they finally understood where their hidden expectations came from.

If this work was inspired by Yu Genkawa, then its potential is far more than just its current sales; it may very well become a classic like "Love Letter" and "The Wind Rises."

More importantly, Yu Genkawa is a genius writer, and if they continue to collaborate, they may produce even more excellent works in the future.

Both Kodansha and Shinazugawa Shoten started as publishing companies, so they naturally know what choices lead to true long-term development.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Kimura, the representative of Suo Shogo, turned pale instantly and looked at Kasumigaoka Utaha in disbelief.

"Kasumigaoka-sensei, are you...are you telling the truth?"

His voice trembled slightly, and fine beads of sweat began to appear on his forehead.

Kimura knew perfectly well that if the inspiration for his work came from Yu Genkawa, the publisher would definitely be more inclined to give the copyright to Yu Genkawa.

More importantly, when he came to negotiate this time, Shogo Suo gave him a maximum royalty amount of ten million yen. He initially proposed five million yen, hoping to save costs by lowering the price and receive praise from his superiors after completing the task.

But now, the situation is completely out of control.

Even if you manage to drive the price up to the maximum, you may not necessarily gain an advantage in negotiations.