It Started With Manga
"So you suspect that the manga here is different from my world?"
[Yes]
"And you want me to right the original works like Naruto, one piece and MHA as a source of income and entertainment…" Xander said more to himself than Scarlet
[You will need a way to make an income and I don't see you working an office job Boss] Scarlet explained
"Definitely not doing office Jobs" Xander confirmed
[It could also help you improve your Drawing skills]
"Ok, it's decided"Xander then stood up as he checked his stats. He levelled up to level 20 during their talking and so added everything to the Mind stat. His goal is to reach 100 in it, before focusing on Spirit.
His [Mana Manipulation] and [Mana Pellets] also increased due to the Ghosts farming During Scarlet's proposal.
Overall, it was a good Harvest.
---
Xander was back in his room as he found out that the boss won't respawn for another twelve hours from the time of its death. So he decided to check on the Manga thing.
"Scarlet, could you connect to the internet and check for what Manga there is and what manga there isn't" Xander asked as he set up his new manga drawing gear
[Sorry Boss, I don't have access to the internet]
Xander paused mid motion "… Seriously?"
[Yeah]
"…System, give me a quest to get Scarlet internet access"
*Ding*
[New Quest]
Reach the high stage in the [Programming] skill.
Reward: System access to the internet
"…System, Give me a Daily quest for the programming skill"
---
The first thing Xander did the next day was going to an electronics store and spending all he got throughout the previous three years on a laptop.
"Man, laptops are really expensive in 2001 (Manga release year)
[It's ok Boss, we can make more if we go to the IDs]
Xander smiled "it's why I got the laptop, as I work on programming, the Ghosts will work on farming Zombies"
Xander didn't want to go to the thugs ID yet because his skills aren't high enough. Each ID it 10 levels ahead of the previous. This means that the thugs ID mob, is at level 10 and the boss is at level 20.
[Mana Pellets] is a lot stronger, but Xander didn't think it can one-shot a level ten, and he didn't have the Mana to support Pellet bombardment yet.
For now, Zombies will do.
Each zombie gives 1 exp, and so to level up from level 20 to 21 Xander needs to kill 400 Zombies in total. That can be done in 400 seconds as they seem endless, so…
Farming time?
---
Xander un-summoned all but two of his Ghosts. The reason being is that, a single Ghost can summon multiple pellets at the same time and can kill a zombie per second.
The first time was a trial run. Xander definitely didn't summon eight because it was cool…
And so the Grind began as Xander found a nice Roof where no zombies can reach him, Sat down and started his training for the programming skill.
---
*One month later*
"That took too long" Xander complained as he was looking at the screen congratulating him on a complete quest.
[There are probably only a million people in the world that can even come close to a High stage in programming and you reached that in a month. Stop complaining] Reprimanded Scarlet
"Sorry, I just don't like not doing anything but school and programming for the past thirty five days"
[I get it Boss. just make sure no one hears you complain, or they will curse you]
"I thought they would cough blood?"
[That only happens in cultivation worlds]
"Serious?"
[Yup]
"Wow, anyways check the Manga industry so that we can avoid copyright and other bothersome things"
[On it Boss]
It took Scarlet a few minutes to run by the entire log of Manga, anime, comics, shows, books and movies.
[I have good news and bad news]
"Good news first"
[None of the created… anything, matches with your world]
Xander stood up, excited "Ok, that's great. That means we can write whatever…" Xander then quieted down his expression turned thoughtful as his eyes furrowed "wait… you don't mean" a look of horror dawned on his face
[I'm afraid so]
"…"
[There is no Star Wars in this world]
"NOOOOOOOO"
---
*one week later*
It was the middle of april and Xander just got out of a well-known Manga publisher a happy man.
A RICHER man.
He went in with the first volume of Naruto completely drawn and ready for them to publish.
But how, you may ask.
Well, random citizen Xander used his newly found 100 inelegance perk to think up a method that doesn't force him to spend his days drawing.
And so, in comes the Mangaquin…
Dumb name, Xander knows, Scarlet mentioned it, but it serves to encase it's function.
The Magaquin is a mannequin that Xander drew and summoned that has one skill, [Master Drawing].
The Master stage skill cost Xander just under 400 Mana and the adult size body cost 200 Mana, totalling the Mangaquin at 600 Mana.
Xander didn't have that much Mana to spend, so he summoned the Mangaquin without the skill, then summoned tools that have the skill [Master Drawing] on them.
If a person uses any of the tools, they would get the skill [Master Drawing] and so, Mangaquin was born.
It took Xander 3 days to set everything up, and the worst part is that Xander now has the 600 Mana needed to summon the actual Mangaquin.
[Not exactly a lost effort there Boss, you found out you can infuse skills into objects and have them shared with the wielder, which is cool] was Scarlet's attempt to cheer Xander up, which mostly worked because of her voice.
Xander is a simple man, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
---
Days went by and then weeks and then months. Naruto Manga was published, and got really popular. Who doesn't like ninjas, right?
Xander spent this time improving his Spirit and got it all the way to 72. His [Mana manipulation] and [Mana Pellets] are at intermediate level. And he discovered something new.
Xander drew a small slime and summoned it. The slime had one skill [Intermediate Mana Pellets] making its total into 150 Mana
Because it was a living being, constant Mana was being drained at the rate of 10% of initial cost per day… so basically nothing.
What Xander found out was that the little slime, unlike the Ghosts, has an experience bar. So to confirm, Xander took it to the ID and…
The Slime levelled up after killing two Zombies.
This means living paintings can level up and that also means they get 50% of the experience. After a bit more testing (Killing Zombies) Xander found that he gets Half of the experience from the slime kills instead of the full amount he gets from the Ghosts.
So…
No living beings summoned when grinding.