Cartoonists and their assistants

At this moment, the four people walked up the steps.

"It's terrifying, there are so many people it's like a garbage dump."

Shizusa looked back at the crowd that stretched like a vast ocean and couldn't help but speak.

First, the four of them arrived at the individual sales area in the East Wing and stopped at an empty space.

"Is this Bibi's stall?"

"Yes."

"So are there any other people? Bibi doesn't have any notebooks to sell."

“I used to have some, but now I’m all alone… However, I can’t carry my luggage very well, so I asked someone for help.”

As they were talking, people started carrying over several suitcases, which, after a quick estimate, amounted to several thousand books.

This is quite significant for a one-person organization.

"Wait, Pipi, you wouldn't happen to be Gamma Tsukimi, would you?!"

Eriri's pupils widened, and she gasped in surprise.

“That’s right, I didn’t expect Sawamura to have heard of my pen name.”

"Kurasu Kanata confirmed."

"The art style is completely different; I initially thought it was just that the names were somewhat similar..."

"Hehe, fan art and professional comics are different. Of course I have to change my art style. There should be an ambiguous boundary between the two. I don't want to get lectured."

"What did Bibi draw this time? I want to see."

"Yes, it's Meruru's doujinshi."

"Huh!? Is it Meruru, the one that aired in April?"

81. Ruri Gokou: I'll probably never forget you for the rest of my life.

Eriri and Kanata Kurusu got into a lively conversation.

Asashi Saho looked at the large number of people at the surrounding stalls, her expression somewhat unnatural.

This was her first time visiting such a crowded place, filled with ACG enthusiasts.

"Miss Ashisu, are you nervous?"

Mizuki Machi noticed her condition and asked with concern.

"There are...too many people."

Shisu Saho said frankly.

"Haha, I didn't expect Ms. Ashisu to have social anxiety."

He joked.

"I'm sorry, I've made you laugh, old...Mitsuki."

The assistant was slightly embarrassed.

By this time, Kanata Kurusu and Eriri had finished their conversation.

"So, why did Bibi draw Meruru's doujinshi? It doesn't seem very suitable."

"Because the author of Meruru is my rival... so, hehehe."

Lai Qi Bifang said with a strange smile.

"I see."

Eriri looked embarrassed, glancing around every now and then.

"Let's go to the West Wing now, or we won't be able to get anything if we go too late."

Kurushi Kanata was very understanding and noticed her intentions.

"And what about this side...?"

"Don't worry, I also asked someone else to help me sell them."

The four then moved to the West Hall, which mainly housed corporate booths.

This summer, many game companies released new and sequel titles, which is very attractive to them.

"Miss Ashisu, what would you like to buy?"

The other three were all seasoned veterans with clear goals, so they began to take care of the assistant.

"Well, I don't really have anything in particular I want to buy, I'll just follow your lead."

After thinking for a moment, Shisu Saho said.

Her circle of interests is relatively narrow.

The others knew this, so they went along with her idea and began to sweep through the West Wing, each searching for their favorite works.

However, the queues were long everywhere, and even if they arrived earlier than others, they still couldn't buy everything they wanted.

"There's no other way; we'll just have to get it through other channels later."

Eriri sighed.

"Hmm? Why is it so lively over there?"

Suddenly, she looked up at the other side.

A group of people are gathered around a stage, and the atmosphere is very lively.

"They're holding a Street Fighter IV fighting tournament there. It seems like if you win one of the top three, you can get limited-edition merchandise. Mizuki, your fighting skills are pretty good. Want to give it a try?"

Lai Qi Ban Fang smiled.

"That definitely won't work, given the technology."

Eriri sneered from the side.

"As long as I'm better than you, that's enough."

He glanced at the girl and immediately retorted with a sarcastic remark.

Do you think you can fool me with such a clumsy attempt to provoke me?

"I heard the prize for the champion is a Chun-Li action figure that someone likes!"

Then I heard someone nearby whispering.

"That's something we can give it a try."

His expression changed instantly, and he turned and left.

"I've signed up."

......

"Did Sawamura do it on purpose?"

Even the sandstalks on the feet raised questions.

"This guy always likes to beat me up with fighting games. This time I'll finally get to see him get beaten up. Hmph!"

Eriri said smugly.

"Guan Yue's skills are very impressive. In this kind of offline amateur competition, you may not be able to find an opponent."

The voice of Kurusu Kanata drifted over.

"If that's the case, then I'll truly be impressed."

The girl curled her lips.

Soon, Mizuki Machi registered at the registration point.

"Registration is limited to 100 participants. Matches will be best-of-one (BO1) 1v1 battles. Winners advance, and those who receive a bye automatically advance. The match begins in five minutes..."

The staff explained the rules to everyone.

Then, they started playing against each other using the game consoles under the stage, quickly eliminating opponents. Half an hour later, only eight people remained to enter the finals, and the next battle would be a best-of-three series.

"Is true knowledge really that powerful?!"

Eriri looked at the list of eight people on the screen and was quite surprised.

Now she finally understood why she always lost to her childhood sweetheart; the difference in their abilities was so vast.

"Damn it, they let me win a few times before because they were actually throwing the game for me!"

The girl pouted, her feelings a mystery.

"After all, we have to consider the feelings of our childhood sweetheart."

Kurusu Kanata reveals the truth.

"He's probably just afraid I won't play with him anymore."

The girl understood, but she was still being stubborn.

"......"

Kurusu Kanata sighed inwardly.

With Sawamura's personality, he might suffer in the future!

"The match is about to begin."

The voice of Asahi Saho reminded them, causing the two to shift their attention to the stage.

"Welcome everyone! The finals are about to begin. First, let's welcome Matsudo Black Ca, the gaming pro who has been dominating his opponents with absolute skill all day!"

Amidst the enthusiastic calls of the host, a fair-skinned young woman walked onto the stage through a prop door on the other side.

She had long black hair with bangs, and a striking beauty mark under her left eye. Dressed in a black Gothic Lolita outfit, she looked like a very cute Japanese beauty, but her facial expression was very gloomy, making her seem quite unapproachable.

"Then there's the steady, cool-looking young player, Mizuki, who wears sunglasses!"

Mizuki Machi slowly walked onto the stage from outside the door. She turned her head and noticed the three people below who were cheering for her. She smiled slightly.

Then, he noticed the girl who was already standing on the stage, and his expression changed slightly.

Gokkou Ruri.

He was someone he knew by name, but that wasn't the focus today; rather, it was whether he could win the match.

It seems like the other person has a talent for this?

He walked to the side, but the girl didn't even glance at him, as if she had been isolated from the world.

Next, the enthusiastic host introduced everyone's identities one by one, and then quickly continued the competition.

Because it was just an amateur competition, he didn't encounter any top players along the way, so Mizuki Machi entered the finals without much effort.

Similarly, Ruri Gokou from the other half of the bracket lived up to expectations and made it to the finals, dominating every match and putting him under a lot of pressure.

"The best-of-five finals are about to begin. Before the match, do the two players have anything to say?"

The enthusiastic host handed them the microphone.

Ruri Gokou chose to remain silent.

He shook his head.

Because he had already foreseen the outcome, he didn't want to be proven wrong after making such a bold statement.

Seeing that neither of them wanted to liven things up, the enthusiastic host had no choice but to give up and announce the start of the final.

However, the result of the match was announced just twenty minutes later.

Unsurprisingly, he lost the match and missed out on the championship prize.

Then came the post-match handshake.

The girl didn't move, so he didn't move either.

But the next moment, Ruri Gokou opened her mouth for the first time and said expressionlessly.