Chapter 279: The Future of Manga
An unknown parasite takes control and devours Shinichi's right hand, transforming into a shape-shifting monster with its own thoughts.
This scenario is truly unprecedented, even in the long history of manga.
It's a revelation for the fans and has also sparked new criticism of Ren's imagination.
"This is the supernatural power of Parasyte! You turned your right hand into your partner in the next battle! You're worthy of it! Ren, my mental patient!"
"How did Ren come up with this scenario?"
"Don't make too many assumptions about the thoughts of a mental patient. As I said, if you can, I suggest you send him to a nearby psychiatric hospital."
"Awesome! I'm slowly understanding it again!"
"By the way, is there a possibility that Ren came up with this while doing... crafts at night?"
"Awesome! You're a genius! How did I not think of that?"
"Wow! This right hand moves automatically!"
"Damn automatic shift, you're going to kill me with laughter."
"Don't say it, this right hand looks handsome."
"How are you sure it's a man? How can you assume someone's gender!"
"And it can also punch?!"
"It seems Ren has a girlfriend. I saw a post before that said Ren has a very beautiful girlfriend who is still in college."
"Huh? Ren has a girlfriend?! I can't accept it!"
"She's quite beautiful, after all. That old bastard Ren is quite handsome. He might seem a little weird, but he's quite handsome and tall. Besides, he's a famous manga artist and rich."
"He's also quite smart. Although he's crazy about his parents and brother, he inherited the genes that made him the youngest person in the Republic to obtain a double doctorate."
"Wow! That hurts more than killing me!"
...
Parasyte has just started to be serialized, and the debate about it has not yet been very intense.
But thanks to the popularity generated by Ren's previous works, Parasyte has positioned itself in seventh place in popularity in the last two weeks.
The Gods is at its peak, and thanks to the popularity of its first two books, it seems to be on the verge of becoming a phenomenal manga, second only to Chainsaw Man.
Even the recently released single volume edition has surpassed 2 million in sales, and the book signing was held as planned.
For a time, Yusuke Sato, the author of the manga, was incredibly popular; even Ren seemed to be somewhat overshadowed.
At the same time, invitations to that year's Comic Industry New Artist Awards ceremony were sent to Ren and Yusuke Sato.
"New Artist Awards Ceremony?" asked Ren, hearing Ayumi's voice on the phone. "I know, I know... I'll go. I went last year too."
"But could you dress more formally, sensei?" asked Ayumi helplessly on the other end of the line. "Last year I told you to wear formal clothes, but you still went in casual clothes."
"I just forgot," said Ren sarcastically, scratching his head. "How did I know that suit couldn't be machine-washed?".
He had ordered a suit the previous year and brought it two days before the ceremony, intending to wash it in the washing machine.
Unexpectedly, the suit faded and fell apart in the washing machine.
When he informed the store that had made it, they told him that they had already reminded him and that there was a label inside indicating that it could not be machine-washed.
But Ren ignored them and paid no attention.
Finally, he put on his casual clothes.
"Then remember to order formal clothes this time and dress appropriately!" Ayumi immediately gave her last warnings.
"Understood! Understood!"
Ren nodded frantically, and only then did Ayumi hang up the phone, satisfied.
It has been said time and time again, and this is the third year that Mr. Amamiya has attended the manga industry ceremony, so there shouldn't be any problem, right?
However... things went against her wishes...
...
The day of the ceremony.
"Can I say it's all a misunderstanding?"
Ren, dressed in a blue and white striped suit, looked at Ayumi with interest and said with some innocence.
This loose blue and white striped suit made Ayumi cringe.
Why does this suit feel... exactly like a psychiatric hospital gown? "Sensei! No matter how much fun you're having, you shouldn't come here in these clothes!" said Ayumi, speechless.
"No... listen to my explanation for real."
Ren sighed and said, "It's like this. When the clothing store was making this formal suit to measure, I told them they had a little accident on the way...".
"So what?" said Ayumi, speechless. "That's no reason for you, sensei, to wear such... sickly clothes to attend the ceremony!".
"Listen to me first..." continued Ren, scratching his head. "So the formal suit I customized won't be ready until later, but it turned out it was ready and they delivered it this morning."
"And this clothing store is very close to here, so I thought I'd ask them to deliver it to a nearby shopping mall, I'll change in the bathroom inside and come straight here."
"But..."
Ren, with a grim face, said, "A psychopath came in, took my formal attire and even the clothes I was wearing when I arrived, leaving me with only this!".
"Psychopath!" he cursed indignantly at the end.
A psychopath, appearing out of nowhere, had taken his clothes.
He had even told him openly, he had even taken the everyday clothes he had just taken off.
He had no choice but to put on this psychiatric hospital gown and come.
"I can't go out naked, so I had to put it on," said Ren dejectedly.
Luckily, he was thin, so the gown was loose on him, and the pants looked like capris.
You know what? If it weren't for the unusual design of the gown, it would have looked very good on Ren.
"..."
Ayumi was even more speechless. She didn't expect Ren to encounter something like this.
And the most important thing was... had he called someone a psychopath... huh? Upon hearing Ren call someone a psychopath, Ayumi was a little bewildered.
But in reality, if Ren had found himself in that situation, he could have stood him up.
Although standing someone up wasn't nice, it was better than showing up in a hospital gown! "Sensei... why don't you go back first?"
Ayumi leaned into Ren's ear and whispered.
However, just as she was trying to convince Ren to go back...
"Hey! Is that Ren?!" a voice was suddenly heard from behind Ayumi.
Fenghuangyuan was also stunned to see Ren in his hospital gown.
But then he thought about how... well, carefree this young and popular mangaka seemed.
And, since he was young, it was normal for him to be a little eccentric.
So he stepped forward and said hello, "I'm Fenghuangyuan, the author of Purple Air Coming from the East."
"Master Fenghuangyuan, I remember you!" said Ren, giving a thumbs up and laughing.
Of course he remembered Fenghuangyuan; after all, he was the author of one of the two most popular manga in this parallel world.
How could he not know, considering that his status was comparable to that of Eiichiro Oda, the author of One Piece, from his previous life? "Hahaha, just remember me," said Fenghuangyuan with a smile. "I've been wanting to talk to you for a while, and now I finally have the chance."
"Talk to me?".
Ren, curious, scratched his head and asked, "Master, what do you want to talk to me about?".
Fenghuangyuan laughed heartily and said, "Let's go in and talk."
"Alright!" Ren immediately nodded.
Then, he and Fenghuangyuan entered the ceremony hall.
Ayumi felt a little helpless. At first, she had wanted Ren to go back and stand her up.
But now it seemed... Ren couldn't go back.
She just hoped that Mr. Amamiya wouldn't make a fool of himself again. Ayumi was really worried about Ren.
The ceremony staff and the mangakas also saw Ren enter the venue with Fenghuangyuan.
His peculiar hospital gown was a bit shocking.
Everyone present was wearing formal clothes, so Ren was already quite visible.
He was also wearing a hospital gown. If they hadn't recognized Ren and his nickname as a mental patient, everyone would have thought he was a mental patient who had escaped from a psychiatric hospital.
"Ren... what do you think of the future development of the manga industry?" asked Fenghuangyuan with a smile after he and Ren found a place to sit.
"The future development of the manga industry?".
Ren was stunned for a moment and then scratched his head.
He was just a plagiarist, so asking him this was too embarrassing.
"Yes? Don't you have any ideas?" said Fenghuangyuan. "In fact, I want to know what you young people think. Master Akira Toriyama once said that young mangakas are the future of the manga industry."
"Master Akira Toriyama?" said Ren with some regret. "It's a shame not to be able to meet the master in person."
The Master Akira Toriyama of this world had passed away two years before he traveled here, which he greatly regretted.
"I am also saddened by the master's passing, but he would have loved to see you, the rising stars of the manga world," said Fenghuangyuan solemnly. "Especially if he could see your Fire Punch and Chainsaw Man. You know, the master has always been a peaceful man who opposed war and aggression."
"I believe that, regardless of how the manga industry develops, it must remain true to the three principles proposed by Osamu Tezuka back then."
Ren reflected for a moment and then replied solemnly.
- - - - -
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