Tokyo: The story begins with a confession.

Page 13

"Uesugi, here, here."

As soon as he stepped out of the station, he saw Kobayashi Yoshihara jumping up and waving at him from the side of the road.

"They're here." Uesugi Kenichi waved and walked over.

"See, Futa? I told you we didn't need to make a call. As long as Uesugi shows up, even if we don't notice, we can just watch the people around us." Kobayashi Yoshihara said smugly to Watanabe Futa.

Just now, Futa was worried that there would be too many people here and he wouldn't be able to find Uesugi. But he didn't think that someone like Uesugi would be the most eye-catching person even if he was standing in a crowd. How could he not find him? My master Kobayashi is just too smart!

Kobayashi Yoshihara silently gave himself a thumbs up for his cleverness, then suddenly fell silent again as he laughed. Damn it!

Why should I be happy that Uesugi is so popular? I've never even held a girl's hand. It's just too enviable!

"Yes, yes, you're the best." Watanabe Futa casually replied to Kobayashi Yoshihara before giving Uesugi Kenichi a gentle smile: "Thank you for your hard work, Uesugi-kun. Have you had breakfast yet? If not, please eat something first. I've prepared breakfast here." He then put down his backpack.

"Thank you, I've already eaten." Uesugi Kenichi stopped Watanabe Futama and also greeted Sato and the others.

"Alright, alright, let's hurry up and get in line as soon as possible. I've already spoken to the person in charge. Let's go in and put our things down first." Sato Hideki seemed a little impatient and started urging them on.

"Thank you so much for the booth." Uesugi Kenichi thanked Sato Hideki.

The convention was held in a convention center. If it weren't for Sato Hideki's help, he wouldn't have known that he needed to contact the person in charge in advance to arrange a booth. Otherwise, even if he had come, he would have only been able to set up a stall outside the hall.

"It's nothing. The main thing is that your wood carving is just too amazing, Uesugi. After I showed it to the person in charge, they immediately approved it." Sato Hideki smiled reservedly. He was very happy to be able to help his friend. Besides, he wasn't exaggerating. Although he had been in the anime and manga community for many years and knew a lot of people in the field, it would have been very difficult to secure an exhibition space if Uesugi Kenichi's wood carving wasn't truly outstanding.

After chatting casually for a while, seeing that a long queue had formed at the entrance of the convention center and tickets were being checked, the group entered through another entrance, a special privilege reserved for exhibitors.

Once inside the convention center, many people were already busy at their respective booths, and Uesugi Kenichi and his group finally found their own booth.

Hmm? Well, this location isn't great, but it's not too bad either.

Although it is located in a corner area and is only two square meters in size, it is fortunate that it is still within the main stadium.

In addition to the main venue, the convention center has 12 auxiliary venues, six of which are currently hosting auto shows.

This shows the immense influence of anime in this country; even the main venue was given to the anime convention.

"Huh? It's so small!" Kobayashi Yoshihara exclaimed upon seeing the booth, then his eyes scanned the girls in the room like radar.

"This location doesn't seem very good. I feel like not many people will come here," Watanabe Fuuta said with some concern.

"It's already quite good." Uesugi Kenichi chuckled and put down his backpack, then took out the wooden carving he had prepared for a long time and placed it on the display stand.

His movements were very careful, as if they carried a sense of holiness and piety.

He had no choice but to be devout. This time, he spent a full 80,000 yen on timber. If he lost money on this, he would probably be eating dirt in the future!

As each exquisite and lifelike wood carving was placed on the table...

The moment they saw these wood carvings, everyone felt a jolt in their hearts, as if something had suddenly plucked a string in their soul.

"This...this...this is amazing! Nero, Ghost Card, Pandora, Aragorn, oh my god, they are all my favorites!" Sato Hideki's eyes were shining as he scanned the wood carvings.

He hadn't completely lost his mind, though. He suddenly turned around and looked at Uesugi Kenichi: "Can I pick it up and look at it?!"

His face pressed closer to Uesugi Kenichi's, his nostrils flaring out like a bull's breath, giving him the look that he'd rather die than disagree!

"Of course, you can pick it up and read it if you want. You don't need to be so careful." Uesugi Kenichi was quite satisfied with their reaction.

Although these wood carvings were done with some systematic help, they were still meticulously carved by him, one stroke at a time. Now, seeing that others like his work, he feels a sense of self-satisfaction that comes from hard work.

Upon hearing Uesugi Kenichi's words, everyone stopped being polite and picked up the wooden carvings on the table to examine them carefully. Even Ishida Tetsuya was no exception. Although he was usually quiet and not good at expressing his emotions, he couldn't resist such beautiful things, especially rare items like wooden carvings. Even if he didn't like them, he couldn't help but feel curious.

Tetsuya Ishida carefully picked up a wooden carving, his movements somewhat restrained. The carving looked extremely expensive, and the more he looked at it, the more he liked it. He would occasionally glance at Kenichi Uesugi with a surprised look. Could this really be something a high school student could make? He would believe it if you told him it was something exhibited in a museum. Sure enough, Uesugi-kun was the kind of talented person people always talked about, a genius.

"What's wrong?" Uesugi Kenichi asked, puzzled, noticing that Ishida Tetsuya's gaze kept falling on him.

"It's nothing, it just feels really amazing, no, I don't know how to describe it, it's just incredibly amazing!" Tetsuya Ishida paused for a moment before replying, "But do we really have to sell these?" He looked at the wooden carvings on the table, each with a different expression and distinct personality, with a hint of reluctance.

"It's alright, I can carve even better ones in the future." Uesugi Kenichi chuckled. Although he was indeed a little reluctant, he couldn't worry about that now that even eating was a problem. Besides, as his carving skills continued to improve, his future works would definitely get better and better, so there was no need to care about these things, as long as they could bring corresponding value.

As they continued to work with the wood carvings, the number of people in the exhibition hall gradually increased, eventually becoming quite noisy. Many people dressed in various strange costumes lingered in different parts of the venue.

Chapter Thirty: The Slaughter Begins (Seeking Flowers)

Kenichi Uesugi sat on the stool, looking around curiously. Even though he had lived two lives, this was his first time at a comic convention, and he found it quite novel. He kept observing the various booths and found that they sold all kinds of things: various figurines, books, games, dolls, and some cushions that looked incredibly exciting, as well as many cosplayers.

Although he couldn't understand why these people were so keen on dressing themselves up in such strange and unusual ways, and why they seemed so excited, he was trying his best to understand them. If a culture exists, then it must have its own reasons. And now that he wanted to fleece these people, he had to understand them thoroughly so that it would be easier to fleece them later. It would be even better if he could make them lie here with their necks outstretched so he could be slaughtered.

"Wow, it really does have the atmosphere of this country." Uesugi Kenichi couldn't help but exclaim, feeling quite pleased with himself.

"What did you say?" Watanabe Fuuta, who was standing next to him, handed him a bottle of water and asked softly.

"Uh, nothing? What's that over there?" Uesugi Kenichi casually changed the subject, pointing to a stall and asking, though he was genuinely curious about it, as it was filled with bags.

"Oh, that's a lucky bag, didn't you know?" Sato Hideki looked in the direction Uesugi Kenichi was pointing.

"Lucky bag? Oh, I get it." Uesugi Kenichi understood as soon as Sato Hideki mentioned it.

This lucky bag is like opening a lottery ticket. Each lucky bag has the same price, and no one knows what's inside until it's opened. It's possible that you'll get something worth far more than the price of the lucky bag itself, but most of the items are relatively inexpensive.

This is equivalent to exploiting the gambling instinct in some people's hearts. Moreover, the people who buy are basically prepared to lose money, but they still enjoy it and happily get ripped off. Sure enough, no matter what world it is, there will always be people who know how to make money by exploiting loopholes.

After observing for a while, Uesugi Kenichi noticed that there were quite a few people buying the items. He couldn't help but wonder if he could also make a lucky bag, stuff it with a wooden carving, add some worthless trinkets, and sell it for 100,000 or 200,000 yen. Wouldn't that make him rich instantly?

He was sitting to the side, lost in thought, when suddenly a voice reached his ears.

"Hello, how much are these wood carvings?"

Kenichi Uesugi looked up and saw a girl dressed in a red dress cosplaying as an unknown anime character asking him a question with eyes full of surprise. There were also two girls standing next to him.

Finally, a customer has come knocking? Uesugi Kenichi looked at the girl in front of him with a face full of surprise. Just as he was about to sharpen his knife, Kobayashi Yoshihara immediately interrupted, "You're asking about these wood carvings? You have such a good eye! These are all top-quality items. Which one do you want? I'll give you a detailed introduction."

Kobayashi Yoshihara's eyes were also shining as he looked at the three girls in front of him. He seemed to want to stare at them, and it would be even better if he could see through their red clothes.

"Um, okay... wait, can he introduce them to me?" The girl looked at Kobayashi Yoshihara with an awkward smile. She felt that the man's eyes were a bit disgusting, as if he wanted to devour her. However, she really liked the wood carvings in front of her. She had a habit of collecting figurines, and seeing these wood carvings of such high quality was really appealing.

She felt it was worth enduring such stares, but when she saw Uesugi Kenichi sitting behind the table, she froze, forgetting even the wooden carving in front of her. Her eyes shone, but thankfully she hadn't forgotten why she was there, and she immediately changed the subject.

She lowered her head and secretly glanced at Uesugi Kenichi. A sudden thought struck her: how could someone be so handsome? It felt so strange, like a black hole, making it hard to look away. She tiptoed slightly, anticipating Uesugi Kenichi's answer.

"The wood carvings displayed here were all carved by me. I put a lot of effort into them. The first two tiers are 10,000 yen each, the middle two tiers are 30,000 yen each, and the last tier is 50,000 yen each," Uesugi Kenichi said softly to the girl in front of him with a big smile.

To ensure the smooth closing of his first deal, Uesugi Kenichi put on what he considered his most gentle smile. The prices of these wood carvings were based on his comparison with genuine figurines currently on the market. They were slightly higher than those figurines, but not by much. The three layers of wood carvings corresponded to his different levels of carving.

Actually, he thought it would be okay to sell it for a higher price, but the wood was indeed very ordinary. Besides, it was the first transaction, and if he sold it for too high a price, people would be scared away as soon as they heard the price.

In that case, it would be better to build up brand awareness first, making it easier to exploit customers later.

(Please give me some flowers and review votes.)

Chapter Thirty-One: Should We Buy It?

Ryoko Nagato was slightly surprised when she heard the price quoted by Kenichi Uesugi. The cheapest wood carving was 10,000 yen each, which was not cheap. Even the official genuine figures, excluding those collector's editions and those made of special materials, were only around 7000 yen each.

She picked up a wooden carving of Nero and examined it closely. After carefully observing the figure's expression, her eyes revealed an undisguised surprise. She had heard of wood carving before, and knew that one of the difficulties in wood carving was the control of details. This was especially true for figure carving. To depict the facial features of a person on a piece of wood within such a small space was extremely difficult.

What's remarkable is that this wood carving vividly captures the character's expression, as if it's about to come to life. She couldn't help but gently stroke the grain on it with her hand. This unique tactile sensation is something that figurines don't have, which is what makes wood carving so special. It would be even better if it were made from a piece of high-quality wood.

She was completely absorbed, captivated by the wooden carving in her hands. A sense of happiness welled up within her, as if the object of her affection had appeared before her eyes and was now right there, like a piece of candy, warming her heart. It was a very peculiar feeling.

Uesugi Kenichi watched as the girl quietly played with the wooden carving in her hand without urging her. His smile became even more genuine. Judging from the girl's expression, if there were no problems, the deal was likely to be done. Moreover, she had taken the last row of wooden carvings, which meant he had already recouped most of his investment. Furthermore, the girl seemed to know her stuff, which made him quite happy.

Ryoko Nagato took a while to come to her senses. She really liked the wood carving, but the price of 50,000 yen was not cheap. Although her family was well-off and she could afford 50,000 yen, she still hesitated in the rush.

That's understandable, though. It's inevitable that people would hesitate when faced with a significant expense unless they're extremely wealthy. But this wood carving is definitely worth the price. It's clearly a masterpiece by a master, and buying it is definitely a good deal. No, it's a sure win.

This is because the sculptor herself is not famous. If she were famous, the price would probably skyrocket. Not to mention that she likes it very much, she could buy it as an investment. It is easy to see that with this skill, it is impossible for her not to become famous. Once she becomes famous, the price will definitely increase several times. However, she has no intention of selling it.

She looked at Uesugi Kenichi, wondering if she could try to bargain, since every little bit helps. However, when she saw Uesugi Kenichi's radiant smile, she instantly felt dizzy and forgot everything she was about to say.

"Want to buy it?" Uesugi Kenichi asked with a light laugh.

"want!"

……

It wasn't until Nagato Ryoko and her two friends walked out, still a little dazed, that she came to her senses. She felt completely disoriented, and so did her two friends. Faced with Uesugi Kenichi's smile, they had vaguely agreed to buy the items, paid the bill in a daze, and were then politely seen off by Uesugi Kenichi. It all felt like a dream.

She touched her noticeably deflated wallet and felt a pang of heartache, but seeing the exquisite wood carving inside the box made her feel better. However, she was so annoyed that she had even forgotten to ask for the LINE number!

Her two friends also felt it was a pity, but it was indeed a pity, because this person was clearly not someone they could get their hands on; they probably couldn't even squeeze in to watch.

"Excuse me, may I ask where you bought this wood carving?"

Ryoko Nagato looked at the person who had asked her the question and gave her a big smile. "It's right behind here. I'll take you there!"

Such a great thing shouldn't be known by more people. If she brought more customers, maybe she could even get their LINE number? Nagato Ryoko silently gave herself a thumbs up for her cleverness.

……

"It's sold already? You got 150,000 yen?" Kobayashi Yoshihara stared blankly at the money in Uesugi Kenichi's hand, feeling somewhat incredulous. Although he knew that he would definitely make money with the quality of the wood carvings, he never expected that Uesugi Kenichi would set the price of these wood carvings so high, and that they would be sold to the first batch of customers. This really overturned his worldview.

"Isn't it obvious?" Uesugi Kenichi smiled and waved the money in his hand before putting it in his bag. After all, there were many people around, and he felt more at ease keeping the money with him. Money can be a powerful motivator, and if anyone dared to set their sights on him, he would make sure they experienced the power of Bajiquan.

Sato Hideki wasn't surprised at all; he'd seen this kind of scene many times. Some figures were sold at outrageously high prices, and there were still plenty of people buying them. Otherwise, how could there be the saying that a wall of otaku figures was worth an apartment in Tokyo? He himself had spent quite a bit of money on them.

Sato Hideki looked at Uesugi Kenichi with eyes full of admiration, feeling even more that this peer was extraordinary.

"Here, here, this is it."

Just as everyone was chatting, a commotion arose, and suddenly a large group of people surrounded them.

"Wow, really! It's so cool that they sell such exquisite wood carvings here."

"I have my favorite Pokémon, as well as Susanoo and Yamata no Orochi. Boss, how much are these two wooden carvings? Please sell them to me!"

"Wow~~~ Aoko, Aoko, look at that boy sitting over there! Look, he's so handsome!"

"Wow, really? Oh my god, is this some celebrity? Never mind, let's go get an autograph! If not, a handshake would be fine too."

Seeing so many customers arrive, Uesugi Kenichi broke into a wide grin, unleashing his usual hidden charm to its fullest extent. He seemed to glow, except behind that glow, he was intently eyeing their wallets, sword in hand. "You're not leaving now. Today, I'm going to slaughter all these fat sheep!"

"Here is your 5 yen. Please take it and welcome to visit again."

Although he didn't know why so many guests had arrived all at once, Kazeta Watanabe reacted very quickly. As soon as he saw that Uesugi Kenichi was surrounded by people, he immediately started to greet the guests.

Chapter Thirty-Two: Magazine Editor

"Yoshihara, you bastard, stop causing trouble and come help me right now!" Watanabe Futa glanced around and saw that Kobayashi Yoshihara was dawdling again, secretly hiding to the side and looking at the young ladies who had gathered around with the eyes of someone looking at rotting flesh. He immediately started yelling at him.

"Hey hey hey, they're here, but there seem to be more and more people." Kobayashi Yoshihara swallowed hard. These pretty young ladies were dressed more and more revealingly than the last, they were so shameless! They were practically trying to seduce me, Kobayashi-sama.

"There's no way around it, that Uesugi guy is just too popular." Sato Hideki saw it clearly. Although the wood carving was indeed of very high quality, the most important reason that was attracting more and more people to gather here was Uesugi Kenichi.

Having spent years in the otaku community, he knew that with Uesugi Kenichi's looks, even if he just sat there doing nothing, girls would rush over like sharks smelling fish.