"Ueno-san, that... have you seen that Kyoto Ghoul manga??"

A tall and thin boy with beautiful black eyes came over, his handsome face was a little youthful and typical of a teenage Japanese boy. That boy is a high school classmate of Ueno Yumeko, who attends the same cram school as her, and he is also the president of the high school Manga club.

"Well, yes, but how did Hojo-kun know about it?" Ueno said generously.

"Because I accidentally saw your expression when they were talking about it." His voice was a little soft, but he seemed to think of something, and he quickly became nervous for some reason, "O.of course! I'm not looking at Ueno-san all the time, It's just that I saw your expression by accident!"

Although Ueno felt that the other person was talking nonsense, she still smiled like a spring breeze, just like a Yamato Nadeshiko, a Japanese term meaning the "personification of an idealized Japanese woman" she then ask.

"What do you think of "Kyoto Ghoul", Hojo-kun?"

She was trying to be polite, there is no other meaning behind it.

"Are you asking for my opinion? really?"

Hojo Takeshi raised his head happily, he never talked to a beautiful girl like Ueno before, He was certainly very happy that a pretty girl is interested in his hobbies.

"Well, I really want to hear the opinion of the Leader of the Manga club," Ueno said softly, in her heart, she really wanted to know the opinions of more professional people on Alex's manga

"I think! This is a masterpiece! Whether it's in the style of its art nor its abrupt and wild composition..."

Talking about the things he is familiar with, Takeshi Hojo became extremely excited and happily shared what he thought about the Kyoto Ghoul manga, To Ueno Yumeko, hearing someone from the same industry praising Alex's manga to such a status brings her comfort and happiness. Ten minutes later, Ueno Yumeko said that she still had a part-time job to go to and bowed slightly. The conversation simply ended as she took the bus she was waiting for.

"Hojo-kun, do you like Ueno-san?"

After Yumeko Ueno left, a few buddies came over and hooked his shoulders grinning maliciously.

"You...what did you say?! Me?!"

Although he said those words, Hojo Takeshi's face was already red.

"Hojo-kun is really innocent and kawaii!, but Ueno-san is really beautiful. She's pretty, has a gentle personality, and has very good grades too, Did you know? In cram school, many boys have a crush on Ueno-san."

"Yeah, even if Ueno-san is in the same high school as you, if you don't hurry up, she will eventually be taken by other guys! like that...Alex guy for example. They have been hanging out for a while"

Several of Hojo Takeshi's best friends kept teasing him, and what they said was indeed the truth, but the purpose of their teasing was not just to encourage him to pursue Ueno Yumeko, but because whenever they talked about Ueno in front of Hojo Takeshi, due to his innocent and naive look, it was really cute, and people couldn't help but want to make fun of him. Of course, this kind of bantering was just a joke.

Although he knew they were just joking about him, seeing the slender figure gradually moving away and into the bus as it drove away, his heart couldn't help but beat faster, Hojo Takeshi really liked her for a long time. Does he wonder if he could try to pursue her when Summer ends? and about Alex? He wonders what sort of a guy this Alex is.

The loner guy who doesn't talk but he seems to always hang out with Ueno during lunch break in school

"I wonder if I have a chance with Ueno even with Alex-kun there.

......

After appearing in the headlines of the Shinbun Gozen Newspaper and the continuous promotion by fans who call themselves "Anteiku" from various online platforms, "Kyoto Ghoul" has already gained huge popularity on the internet and in the real world too. The euphoria has reached International news channels about an online phenomenon that is sweeping the internet.

sometimes, when a person pays too much attention to the work, he also pays attention to the author, especially the title on the Shinbun Gozen Newspaper in print, not only that, it was also printed on the online portal of the news too "The genius who inherited the legendary Mangaka Tochigi ". It also whetted the reader's appetite.

After several years, the keyword "Tochigi" appeared again, a name that once shocked the anime industry years ago appeared under a new talent, the search button was livid as that name appear again and again

"Alex Kenichi? Who's that?"

"Is this Tochigi guy used to be famous? what do you mean inherited?"

"Disappeared for almost 10 years? What happened? what? he died?! then who's writing this right now?! what? the protege? Do they use the same name? Now that's just weird"

"Didn't this Tochigi guy used to write that series from ten years ago, ..what's the name..Raindrops and Samurai Shampoo?"

A lot of people began to find interest in this new"Tochigi" person and decided to use the search engine of their choice to find this person on the internet, turns out there was one user on Twatter with a beautiful poster as his first post. This was his Twatter handle. The name "@Tochigi" and the first post was yesterday. Several Posters and graphic Art not found within the submission of Kyoto Ghoul, sketches, and even wallpapers that the Mangaka made and posted freely. The most important thing is,

that the language is English, not Japanese. Alex Kenichi aka Tochigi is fluent in English. The post came barraging on his Twatter profile as many fans tried to ask some questions related to his works.

"Tochigi! I'm a big fan of your work!! I'll try to vote!"

"I love your artwork Tochigi! please post more!"

"Will this manga be serialized!"

Tochigi promptly replies to them one by one as he tried his best to satisfy his new fans. He didn't post any pictures of himself. Just some random illustration he made. He also only posted some of his works that he scanned into his computer to be uploaded. He wanted to try digital painting, but the technology in this world hasn't caught up yet for general use, so the best he could do was a mouse and MSPaint. It was...pretty torture trying to draw on a mouse with a basic brush and color technique, but he did it.

The day went by through the afternoon as he kept replying on his Twatter post since the morning after having breakfast.

......

All kinds of questions appeared on the Internet, especially on the public Forum 3chan and Rebbit r/Kyoto Ghoul. In the face of these new questions, at this time, many old senior bigwigs who were in the ACG industry came out to answer the questions on the internet. The forum was abuzz again. Even the newbies decided to ask questions.

"Have you seen that manga called Raindrops? That's right! It's the work that was popular all over Japan back then! That's what Mr. Tochigi drew back then! He's unlike other mangaka artists and always likes to lay lowkey and often do doujinshi's and other weird experimental titles, he has always drawn stuff in a low-key manner and never promoted his stuff, being independent and all that...”

When solving the puzzles, the bigwigs also publicized the glorious history of Tochigi in those days, and then slightly modified the reasons for the retirement.

"That's right, that was the old Tochigi, this new kid here is his son, The old Tochigi was Hiro Kenichi, anyone who went to the old Comiket would know that he's a happily married man with a beautiful American wife, this new Tochigi is probably his son, Alex Kenichi, their style is really familiar, if you look at his previous work from the "My World" debut, there was this Oneshot compilation- But he certainly finds his own style with this Kyoto Ghoul!"

Such was the story back then as the veterans and old bigwigs told the story of how Tochigi retired, then passed away a few months back and His son suddenly came out and take up the mangaka mantle, Lots of people cried and teared up sadly as they heard the tales, some started to question why some of the information isn't public, some say that these are just speculations, but whatever it is, In the end, the name "Tochigi" and the word "Kyoto Ghoul" is currently trending as the top two most searched names on the Japanese search engine. 

Internationally? it's a whole different matter. The Scanlation group was trending along with it, After they found out about Tochigi's Twatter profile, and even ask permission to publish it in English, surprisingly, the Mangaka didn't mind it. He didn't mind his works being translated Illegally into various languages. All he said was

"As long as everyone gets to read it, please support any way you can."

A Mangaka like this is someone the community can get behind, and the International community rallied behind him. Old accounts are being data mined and sold on 3rd party sites, people are purchasing black market JAMP accounts just so they could vote for him. It was unheard of.

 

......

 

Alex was reading all of this after posting on his Twatter profile since morning and almost threw his phone to the wall, he frowned when he saw the inspirational stories about himself and his father on the Internet, He became visibly upset,

"That stuff is supposed to be private!"

"Damn it! I'm just using my dad's pen name! no need to be all sappy about it! and you people have to make it so inspirational and touching due to some misunderstanding! You wrote all those stupid chicken soup for the soul on the Internet! I didn't even choose my own pen name! Aya was the one who used it! "

Looking at the phone, Alex couldn't help but complain, but after complaining, he felt better, then a sudden tremor was felt in his mind. Something quite disturbing was invading his soul. He has whisked away into the mindscape forcefully within his room, but still- the system didn't even notify him. Something is happening here, and he doesn't like it one bit!

The system started to buzz around the room, rotating the world around him as the space around him started to distort.

Alex could only jump up in the mindscape after he receive the ominous message from the system. The system around him was crumbling. The digital system Mall was collapsing and mangled into oblivion as the goods simply imploded and deform. He could only watch in agony as these priceless items are being swallowed by some sort of black hole.

"The world is targeting me? what the hell did I do?"

"what the -?"

Alex was hit with a migraine and simply drop down to the ground in agony when a sudden rush of pain came rushing towards him.

"AhhhH!!"

and soon, he passed out.

.......

Just so happens that Ueno san came by to cook lunch for the two siblings but when she came inside after her Afternoon Seiyuu Cram school, she found out that Alex was lying on the floor in his room alone unconscious, all she could do was panic and shouted his name

"Alex! wake up! what's wrong?! Alex!"

He wouldn't wake up. Something is really wrong with him. He's breathing but he's not responding. Is his ailment acting up again? She thought he was getting better, did he push himself to work on Kyoto Ghoul? she knew he was very tired since yesterday, but there wasn't any symptom that showed he was ill!

"I..need to call Aya...I need to call Auntie Katherine! Aunt..Katherine is out shopping for supplies with Yukari at the Supermarket"

She dialed Alex's mother's number first, but the line went cold. Nobody answered. She tried several times but to no avail, it was useless, She was now visibly upset, Alex could be in real danger and she doesn't know what to do. She decided to call Aya now, She is his Editor and Manager. She will know what to do.

tru tru*

"Hello? Aya Gozen is speaking. Alex? is something the matter?"

Ueno was using Alex's phone to call her since she didn't have her number saved on her phone. She quickly said it panicky towards Aya.

"Miss Aya! Alex is unconscious in his room! what do I do? I couldn't even contact her mother! Are you nearby? Should I call the ambulance?"

"Wait for me, don't do anything, let me ascertain it myself, I'm nearby, give me 5 minutes! I'm on my way there!"

Dud*

the phone was cut off, and Ueno could only look at Alex helplessly as she tries to cradle his head towards her lap for comfort. She hope that Aya would arrive soon. She doesn't have any medical training at all, She only knew that if someone suddenly collapses, it's better to not move them around if you don't have any sufficient medical knowledge as you don't know what is wrong with the patient. She could only helplessly look at the time on her wristwatch.

.........................

It is only one day away from the end of the voting at the JAMP Portal, less than 30 hours left, and "Kyoto Ghoul" has reached sixth place. In fact, if many people do not have an account at JAMP Portal, or their level is not high enough to vote, most people would have voted for it to reach first place. and Kameda-sensei is not pleased with this.

During this time, Kameda-sensei was the most anxious and depressed about his current ranking. First of all, the rocket-like speed attempt of "Kyoto Ghoul" rising the ranks in a single day made his head hurt. His number one "Green Sky" was abused and canceled online by the netizens, calling it NTR trash and a menace to society.

Even if you are being canceled, you can't give up! After all, His previous works "Game of Kings" face the same predicament and it came on top, He really doesn't mind the negative public opinion, but the problem is, that everyone who tries to cancel him also brought up "Kyoto Ghoul" for comparison and criticized his own "Green Sky" for nothing!

And take a look at the comment area of ​​"Kyoto Ghoul"! It is simply ridiculous! everyone is praising it like the second coming of Jesus in manga! The comments section is peaceful! There were all kinds of compliments! Not a single bad review in it! None!

He couldn't accept this! Finally, he snapped! He needed an army! a keyboard warrior for hire! He wants to buy the Portal Jamp Account if anyone is selling it!

However, the to hire people to vote for his series will be the most difficult thing to do, after all, it takes a year or two for an account of JAMP Portal to reach a certain VIP level and there aren't that many available people for hire with those type of accounts, Some accounts take years to reach the maximum VIP account at LVL 5! so it's just not feasible to hire them, plus most people aren't going to rent them due to security reasons, they rather sell it, and even then who would even sell a VIP account?

The most important thing to ask is, Who would even sell him these accounts? who will commandeer them? Therefore, he did not want to ask these keyboard warriors the vote and widen the gap between his own votes, because he simply could not do so. There was one way he could do it! He could invite many low-level troll accounts to make trouble in the comment area! After all, there is no level limit for comments.

He needed an army of trolls, and he knew where to hire them! However, In the future when he realized just how mentally retarded he was thinking back then. He would regret the way he had done this.

" I can't let that kid humiliate me like this! I needed to do something! why is his series so darn popular all of a sudden?! it doesn't make any sense!"

Kameda-sensei picked up the landline in his studio hesitantly and dial an offshore number. The number he is dialing is directly connected to China. He had been using their services to undermine many mangaka's works in the past that goes against his popularity with great success, if it's them, they will know how to do it. There are no better trolls or cheaper trolls than the Fifty cent armies of China. They will also accept any work as long as the payment is right.

Kameda-sensei could speak some Chinese since he used to work and travel there before for an anime opening event. So he could speak a little mandarin and converse with these Mainlanders. no big deal. All he needed to do now, is to bury this "Kyoto Ghoul" trend fast before it could reach even higher heights! The rest of the mangaka might not mind it, but he cannot afford to lose to this newbie, especially not Tochigi! his former Boss's kid! his pride won't let him!