6 Chapter 6: Narcissist talks Tsundere
"Hmm, hmm, naruhudo…" Seiya mumbled and nodded while looking at Eriri's illustrations.
After the last talk, Seiya was able to pick Eriri's interest to review her work. So they came out in a park and sat down on a bench.
Eriri was a little uneasy being with Seiya. Even though Seiya had offered a 'helping review', she wasn't expecting anything from him.
The only reason she even allowed Seiya to see her work was because she knew, one, Seiya was a smart person. Even her school days, there was never once a time his grades fell from the first position. And two, she wanted to know how Seiya knew about her work or her stalemate situation. But she wasn't a tiny bit confident for him to spill something out of his narcissist's mouth.
She was also a little confused if how she should address Eriri since Seiya was a grade above Eriri.
"Well." Suddenly Seiya put down the papers and looked at Eriri, "Your work is damn mediocre no matter how you look at it."
"No shit Sherlock, is that your so-called 'helping review'?" Eriri frowned. She knew that there would nothing good come out of Seiya's mouth.
"Yeah, what else I could offer. Even though they are better than most average work but that's about it. There is not a single distinguishing feature about your style." Seiya said and put all Eriri's sketches back to a folder.
"Do you even know a single thing about illustration?" Eriri glared at Seiya to see if Seiya would lie.
"Yeah, cute chicks with eye-catching features, illustration is all about that. Well, in terms of degenerates, it's called Moe." Seiya said and opened a can of apple juice. He also gave Eriri one which, surprisingly, Eriri took after some hesitation.
"I bet you didn't even try to look at my work properly, no, I am sure that you have not a single idea what my work is worth," Eriri said and took a sip of apple juice.
"Nope, I don't know neither do I care." Seiya shrugged his shoulders.
"More than 9000 copies of doujinshi are sold in every anime convention, you know. And I have won several tournaments in past." Eriri said then sighed, "It is such a waste of time. After all, this is all 'trash' in your eyes."
"It doesn't mean that your work is still mediocre."
"Okay Mr. Smart guy, come up in front and tell me how this rotten girl can improve her work?" Eriri had enough of Seiya's bullshit.
Seiya sighed and then got up from the bench. He also asked Eriri to open some space so that he could show something to Eriri.
Then Seiya placed 5 new illustrated artworks on the bench that Eriri brought from the store. He also hid the names of artists so that he could test Eriri.
"Now then, according to your, how will you evaluate all of them on a scale of 10?" Seiya asked as he sipped apple juice.
Eriri nodded and then gave all of the numbers from 5 to 9 with the highest score of 9 being the work of a good artist.
"Why did you give it 9?"
"Because it will sell it better than others, I guess." Eriri rolled her eyes and answered.
"Now then I will show you some good illustrations that I have on my phone," Seiya said and then opened a folder where he had saved 20 exclusive arts in his phone. They have digitally sketched arts of previous Seiya's favorite game waifus.
"Wow, I didn't know you still sucked to the same girl." Eriri showed bitterness when she saw the same girl that she had drawn for Seiya in past and was tarnished by him. "I guess they are very good. After all, they are digital arts." Even though she had bitter memories, the illustrations Seiya showed were of top class. They had fine markings and coloring that you would remember for a long time.
"Then why don't you try to make arts like them. After all, it is the age of technology and with your family background, I don't think you would have any problem buying a digital pad."
"Hold on a second, hand-drawn is what artist thrives for their pride. Besides, they would only be arts and not a single mangaka would employ in their work." Even though the illustrations were good, making a complete doujinshi is another matter. Even though it would sell well, the competitors will think that Eriri was just taking advantage of her family background.
"That's the problem for your stalemate, Eriri. You are what, 16 and already thinking about how much the art sell and not if people will remember them."
"Hah! An artist's work is nothing it won't even sell in numbers. After all, in addition, to entertain the public, they also have to feed their bellies. Even though I am well off with finance, I want to compete in the same circle. It is what people demand."
"People demand is only to see, jackoff and forget if the art ever exists. I bet you didn't even notice your own illustration among the 5 works I just showed."
"W-what… how….?" Eriri was taken back and then review all the illustrations that Seiya's placed. It was there. How could she forget her artwork even though it was just a little old?
"Eriri Spencer Sawamura, remember that an artist sets a level, not a god. The same artist makes layers for other artists to climb and reach the top. If you want to climb the same stair as others then be my guest and 'work hard' in it. You will be remembered as a good artist in the same mediocre level and that's all."
Eriri then narrowed down her eyes and realized that what Seiya was trying to say. She had won many competitions where junior artists compete but in front of her eyes, her skills just stopped improving.
Her focus on improving her work stopped a long time ago and she cared about the demands and sales of her doujin.
"Then, in your eyes, what do you think I should do?" Eriri asked. Even though she was not expecting any kind of advice to improve her skills, she was at least interested in hearing what Seiya has to say.
"I am not an illustrator so I can't give you any advice on your skills. Breaking the shell of the box and setting a level is on you. But I would just say that it is the age of technology now. Black and white pictures would not be the mainstream in future if we continue to live in past and feed horny bastards with trash." Seiya said and smiled.
Korean manhwa and Chinese manhua (aka cultivation trash) would soon join the market and then Japanese black and white manga would just become bland a side dish of the food table.
Even in the hentai genre, he can't imagine what artists would do once Korean adult comics start circulating in the market. I mean he still remembered many adult manhwas like Brawling go, Perfect Half, and best of all, the true culture, Secret Class. There were so many great works but what about Japanese hentai, Emergence metamorphosis? It was only remembered by masses because of how much it ra*ed brain cells.
Seiya was not expecting Eriri to start the new trend immediately but he was just bowing a seed to warn useless artists about the future trend.
Eriri, after thinking about what Seiya just said, released a soft smile and nodded. She never realized that artist also has to move with the trend. She was taking a lot of stress on a single genre without thinking about another way to strike her talent somewhere new. She could draw digital arts well but because of competitions, she didn't polish her talents.
"Thanks, Seiya-senpai. Some way or another I still forgot how much time I have and was continuously rubbing one side of my talent." Eriri smiled and threw the can into a dustbin. "I think I have to restart the modern way of art. Anyway thanks again. If we meet again, I will surely pay you in the future. Bye!" Eriri waved her hand ran off.
"Bye, my ass. At least ask for my account number to transfer the money!" Seiya frowned and sighed. "Idiot…"
Then a window appeared in front of him.
[Sub quest has been completed.]
[Skill [Cooking (Basic)] has been added.]
[System Points 20 has been added.]
[Due to Host's performance of changing a Heroine's destiny for better success, an early ability called, [Exercise (auto)] has been unlocked as an additional reward.]
"Whoah!" Seiya was shocked when he saw the additional reward.
[Exercise:
An ability that gives host that gives perfect information about various exercises host wants. Furthermore, once any particular Exercise Plan is selected, the host's body will move on its own until the Plan was executed without harming the host's body.]
He has to admit that Eriri paid more than he had expected. For a lazy person like him, he only has to choose a plan and leave his body to auto mode. Now he didn't have immediate start thinking about the Saitama training regime. Even if he would go for it, this broken ability will carry him.
In addition to that, his luck jumped from 1 to 7. Maybe Luck is related to karma, who knows?
"But first let's try that this cooking skill first." Seiya smiled and went to the supermarket to see if he could buy tuna at a cheap price.
---
[Status]
Name: Seiya Kanie
Age: 16
STR: 13
AGI: 12
STA: 15
INT: 23
WIS: 5
CHA: 2
LUC: 1 -> 7
Innate Ability: Natural Narcissist.
Other Abilities: Exercise
Skills: [Mathematics (Advance) +], [English (Advance) +], [Literature (Advance) +], [Science (Basic) +], [Cooking (Basic) +]
System Points: 20]
[END]
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Okay people might be confused on the subject of artist and illustrator. Let me make things clear, artist is one usually dray and characters and dialogues while illustrator gives the finishing touch my improving the art. You cant compare ONE's web comic One Punch Man with his official work.
