Near the Tokyo International Exhibition Center, in a tall and tall apartment building.
Take the elevator to the top floor.
Press the doorbell of the only house.
After waiting for a few seconds, the door opened with a "click".
Kato Yusuke met the apartment owner he had just contacted - Akane Kurisaka.
The other party wore a tight black backless dress, revealing her delicate back and showing off her perfect figure.
The sassy and cool makeup combined with the charming eyes show off the unique temperament of a mature woman.
"I'm finally here. It took me so long. Are you an elderly person with limited mobility?" Akane Akane leaned against the door with a nonchalant look on her face.
"It's rush hour and it's already very fast."
"Why don't you buy a car?"
"No money, no driver's license."
"Well, that's right. After all, you don't have enough money now, so you are a pauper." Akane Akane narrowed her eyes and looked at him with a sneer.
"Well, thank you to Miss Kousaka for taking care of this matter." Kato Yusuke responded calmly and stepped into the room.
"I like this statement, so you don't have to be polite." Akane Kurisaka laughed happily, as if she was very satisfied with pushing him to this point.
"...Have you had too much to drink?"
"It's just a few drinks. Because you are too slow, I have already started eating. Come in by yourself."
The two of them walked into the room one after the other and soon arrived at the restaurant.
Behind the rich marble bar, a middle-aged man wearing a navy blue chef's uniform and a turban on his head was busy in the kitchen inside.
Seeing Kato Yusuke approaching, the other party took the initiative to say hello: "Good evening, little brother, we meet again."
Kato Yusuke took a closer look and saw that the other person was the owner of the sushi restaurant he had visited before, so he nodded and said, "Hello, boss."
The middle-aged man smiled, lowered his head and went about his business.
The dark black marble bar has irregular white lines on its surface, and is just high enough to cover half of the middle-aged man's body.
The bright but not dazzling yellow light comes from the lighting on the ceiling, making it very atmospheric.
Akane Benisaka casually sat down in front of the bar with a set of tableware, and ordered: "Please give this kid something to eat, boss."
"I understand." The middle-aged man nodded seriously, placed a new set of tableware next to Akane Benisaka, and asked, "Does Kato-chan have any taboo foods?"
"No." Kato Yusuke shook his head in denial, and then sat down on the left side of Akane Kurisaka.
"So what do you want to drink?"
"Please give me oolong tea if you can."
Benisaka Akane on the side sneered: "What are you doing? Do you really think of this as a restaurant? I don't have such childish things here. Boss, serve him wine."
The two people who heard this had different reactions.
Kato Yusuke frowned slightly.
The middle-aged man behind the bar had a wry smile on his face and reminded him thoughtfully: "Actually, Ms. Kosaka, there is also mineral water here..."
Akane Kurisaka raised one eyebrow slightly, waved her hand and said, "Only brats can drink that kind of stuff. Boss, there are no such rules here."
‘You’re just a brat!’ the middle-aged man shouted in his heart and wanted to refuse, but when he thought of the reward for today’s meal... he became calm again.
Ever since, a glass of clear and transparent liquid was placed in front of Kato Yusuke.
"...Then please use it, Kato-chan."
"Thank you, thank you."
Kato Yusuke nodded and thanked him, but did not take it to drink. Instead, he turned his eyes to Akane Kurisaka on the right and asked: So why did you call me here today?"
"Huh? Didn't I say that? Find someone who can relieve your boredom."
"Is there no one else around you?"
"Yes, yes, but you are more pleasing to the eye." The other party brushed his hair and his tone was very casual.
The scent of elegant perfume wafted faintly.
Kato Yusuke sniffed it slightly and said this, which was regarded as accepting this statement.
"——But~" Akane Kurisaka took a sip of the sake in the cup as if tasting it, and added: "Although it is a way to relieve boredom, for people like us, the only things we can talk about are works, right?
"
"People like us?"
"What? Aren't you like this? Or do you actually come here with other ideas?"
The tone of his speech became more meaningful.
Kato Yusuke thought for a moment, then nodded and admitted, "I do have some other ideas."
"Um……?"
Akane Hongsaka's hand holding the cup shook imperceptibly, and then asked funnyly: "...You seem to be a lot more courageous, aren't you worried about your little girlfriend?"
"We are not dating the girl you mentioned."
"Hmm~~~Really? You're not eating the meat that's served to your mouth, but that girl is quite possessive. If you don't pay attention, you'll suffer a lot in the future, boy?"
"Don't bother Miss Kosaka."
While chatting, the middle-aged man behind the bar also made two pieces of sushi and placed them on the plates in front of them.
"This is the tuna belly, please use it."
The surface of the tender tuna meat has several straight lines carved on it, and a good-sized rice ball is wrapped underneath. From the top, you can basically only see the fish meat, but not the rice underneath.
Kato Yusuke picked up the chopsticks, but did not find soy sauce or wasabi on the table, so he stopped for a moment.
As if she had read through his thoughts, Benisaka Akane on the side casually mentioned: "The boss has already put soy sauce on it in advance, just eat it directly."
The middle-aged man also smiled and affirmed: "I applied the most suitable amount, so it should taste just right. If Kato-chan likes to dip it himself, I will prepare it for you."
So Yusuke Kato stopped talking, picked up the sushi on the plate with chopsticks, and put it directly into his mouth.
As you chew with your teeth a little harder, the soft and tender fish meat wraps around your teeth.
The fish meat has a delicious texture, with a slight amount of oil, and with the right amount of soy sauce and a hint of sourness from the rice, the whole taste is integrated and the combination is just right.
Kato Yusuke chewed the sushi carefully and commented honestly: "It's delicious, boss."
"Thank you for the compliment." The middle-aged man smiled and put the newly made sea urchin sushi on their plates.
Akane Hongsaka asked: "Then, boy, how are your works now?"
"Well, I just have something I want to talk to you about."
"Oh? This is rare, so just tell me and listen."
Kato Yusuke put down his chopsticks and asked: "What I want to know is, are you interested in the copyright of "Chainsaw Man"? Ms. Kosaka."
The scene suddenly became silent.
Akane Benisaka glanced at him in surprise, then gently shook the glazed cup in her hand, and said noncommittally, "Why, isn't the treatment you're being given by the Immortal River good for you?"
"No, I mean copyrights other than comics. Are you interested?"
"It's really straightforward. Saying this means you intend to sell? Or are you just trying to attract investment?"
"It's the former."
"What's the reason?"
"I plan to raise enough funds as soon as possible to handle the studio matters."
"Go and deal with things in the studio...what about your comics side?"
"The book will naturally be completed normally, and it won't affect anything."
"Interesting, weren't you still drowsy some time ago? Have you suddenly woken up?"
Kato Yusuke moved his mouth, and the conversation with Shiyu came to mind, and replied: "...That's the way it is, we can talk about it if you want."
Akane Hongsaka smiled, did not ask further questions, and spoke thoughtfully.
"Yes, I am indeed a little interested, but it's too early to talk about it now, right? Didn't you just hand over the manuscript for Chapter 3 so far?"
"This news is out of date. Before coming here, I had already submitted all the manuscripts of "Chainsaw Man" up to episode 13."
"Huh? Have you found an assistant??"
"We can discuss this later, let's get down to business first."
"...That's not enough. Even if you want to adapt the work into animation, you will need at least about 60 episodes per season. It can be said that it is impossible to realize the current situation of your work."
Akane Kurisaka said this and took a sip of wine, then suddenly changed her words and asked:
"So, under such unfavorable circumstances, you should give me a reasonable price, right? Tell me, how much do you want to sell it for?"
After talking about it, the topic came back again.
Kato Yusuke ignored her words of first suppressing and then elevating. He pondered for a moment and then responded: "One hundred million yen."
As soon as these words came out...
"——!"
The middle-aged man behind the bar couldn't help shaking his hands, and the sushi almost flew out of his hands.
Akane Benisaka also looked dumbfounded, and then said angrily: "This joke is not funny at all. Don't tell me you are serious."
Kato Yusuke shook his head slightly, with a normal expression, "Ms. Kousaka, you can make a counter-offer if you feel it's inappropriate."
"You are just talking like a lion. Based on the cost of producing an ordinary animation episode of 12 million, 100 million yuan can barely make a quarter of animation. Don't you know?"
"I'm talking about all copyrights except comics, not just anime adaptations."
"Then what? You can brazenly ask me to use so much money to buy the copyright of a work that I don't know the final direction of, and that can't even get enough for one season of animation? Are you crazy, or do you think I'm a fool?
"
When Akane Kurisaka said this, she couldn't help laughing angrily, and cursed mercilessly: "Even if I'm not short of money, I'm not someone who can be manipulated by others. Do you think you can get away with it after having sex with me once?"
'No, no, no, is this a big problem!?' The middle-aged man behind the bar shook his hands again, but he lowered his head and kept a straight face, resisting the temptation to speak out his inner thoughts, but his cheeks twitched from time to time.
With.
Faced with Akane Benisaka's "bold words", Yusuke Kato was also speechless, but he still collected his thoughts and said slowly:
"If you are not satisfied, I can give you another project of equal value."