Comprehensive Anime: Making Money Starting from Saki

However...

Ryumonbuchi Toka reclined on the velvet sofa, the silver threads of her silk nightgown shimmering with every twitch of her toes, looking for all the world like a coiled viper.

"How much longer are you going to keep editing, cousin~?" Ryumonbuchi Toka's drawn-out tone was cloying as honey, her fingernails scratching faint, sharp sounds against the mahogany coffee table.

When Kageyama Sora looked up from his manuscript, he met those blue eyes glowing in the shadows—a face that should have been dainty was feigning innocence, even though she had just been using that look to peek at him with obvious mischief in mind.

Ever since Kageyama Sora had pointed out that Ryumonbuchi Toka's pink strawberry panties were showing, she had maintained this exact state.

Truly, she had kept this state up the entire time.

Put it this way: if you were eating, working, spacing out, or drinking tea, and a girl was watching you with a sinister gaze, occasionally letting out strange laughs, and clearly imagining how pathetic you'd look once she finished you off, you'd feel uneasy too.

The porcelain cup clinked against the saucer, and Kageyama Sora offered a bitter smile as he watched the tea leaves swirl in his cup.

He had seen too many noble scions wearing masks, but he had never met anyone as straightforward as Ryumonbuchi Toka.

When Ryumonbuchi Toka propped her chin on her hand, writing the words "I am plotting against you" into every arch of her brows and corners of her eyes, it actually made it impossible to guess her true intentions.

There was a certain stupidity to her scheming, yet it left one with an uneasy suspicion that she might actually be hiding something.

The cunning dancing in those eyes was too pure, like a child brandishing a toy sword; it clearly lacked any lethality, yet it was exceptionally troublesome because she didn't know her own strength.

To this, Kageyama Sora felt somewhat helpless: "Aren't you going to sleep or take a rest?"

Ryumonbuchi Toka smiled: "Didn't you say you wanted to learn about luck-based mahjong players, cousin...? She is on her way here."

"She?" Kageyama Sora didn't react immediately; before this, Ryumonbuchi Toka hadn't mentioned that anyone was coming.

As the words fell, the villa's main door was thrown wide open.

Moonlight like silver gauze poured onto the villa's ornate iron gate, and the night breeze made the rose-covered vines rustle.

A petite figure walked in, stepping through the moonlight, her long golden hair trailing faint light behind her; every step sounded like a beat on the drum of his heart.

The pleated skirt of her pink JK uniform fluttered lightly with her gait, her white over-the-knee socks looked soft and cute, and the red bow-tie rabbit ears atop her golden hair swayed slightly as if they had a soul of their own.

The girl stopped at the boundary of light and shadow, lowering her eyes to adjust the bow at her collar, her lashes casting butterfly-wing shadows beneath her eyes. When she looked up, the moonlight illuminated that porcelain-doll face—round apricot eyes, rosy cheeks, and a childlike, naive pout on her lips, yet the oppressive aura surrounding her made the very air turn cold: "Toka, did you bring me here for something important?"

Even though she could be described as short, just by standing there, one could feel the powerful presence and pressure radiating from her.

When Kageyama Sora had received the files from his assistant, this girl's profile was on the very first page.

He had just seen the information on this girl in the file.

It was said there were three girls loved by the tiles, and Amae Koromo was undoubtedly one of them.

Amae Koromo, born September 6th, Virgo, 16 years old, second year of high school. She attended Ryumonbuchi High School, stood 127cm tall, was the ace of the Ryumonbuchi mahjong club, and was one of the strongest players in the country, one of the three high school girls called "children loved by the tiles" by the professional mahjong player Fujita Yasuko.

She was exactly the luck-based mahjong player Ryumonbuchi Toka had spoken of.

The crystal chandelier cast a web-like halo behind Kageyama Sora, and he watched the corners of Ryumonbuchi Toka's mouth tighten deliberately.

Seeing Amae Koromo, Kageyama Sora finally understood why Ryumonbuchi Toka had been looking at him with such a strange expression all evening, as if she were plotting something and waiting for a good show.

Sure enough, the next second, Ryumonbuchi Toka said excitedly: "Koromo... of course there is something important... I brought you..."

She deliberately drew out the end of her sentence, like some kind of dangerous signal.

The words "a new toy" were hidden in the unspoken part of her sentence, but Amae Koromo could read them clearly from the shape of her lips.

Ryumonbuchi Toka's gaze shifted to Kageyama Sora: "This is our cousin, and the designer of that mahjong game I play. He came specifically because he wanted to learn about luck-based mahjong... As his cousin, I naturally had to introduce a master like you to him..."

Amae Koromo's expression turned subtle for a moment; as a relative and teammate, she judged almost instantly that this cousin named Kageyama Sora must have offended Toka.

However, she didn't mind; after all, he was a new toy.

"Oh...?" Amae Koromo paused, her movement of adjusting her bow freezing. This single syllable was drawn out extremely long, carrying a certain chill that made one's spine tingle.

When those apricot eyes lifted, Kageyama Sora clearly caught a flash of sharpness beneath her sweet facade.

The girl tilted her head, her two giant rabbit ears tilting with it, the tips of her hair brushing against her collarbone: "So this is the cousin?"

Kageyama Sora made a proper introduction: "Kageyama Sora, that is my name."

However... a cute expression appeared on Amae Koromo's face: "Then, please take care of me, cousin. Today just happens to be... a full moon, after all."

Kageyama Sora stood up at the appropriate moment: "Does the full moon have some special meaning?"

The girl suddenly bloomed into a brilliant smile, two rows of pearl-like teeth gleaming coldly in the light: "Because when it's a full moon, I am invincible."

As the last syllable landed, the moon outside the window was completely swallowed by dark clouds, leaving only a crimson glow swirling in the girl's eyes.

Chapter 4: Haidi Laoyue

The warm light of the mahjong room cast faint spots of light on Kageyama Sora's handsome face. He rubbed the rim of his bone china cup with his fingertips, then suddenly turned his head to look at Ryumonbuchi Toka, who was sitting diagonally across from him: "According to mahjong custom, in a four-player game, isn't there a key character missing?"

The ahoge on top of Ryumonbuchi Toka's head swayed happily, a smile on her face: "Wait a little longer --"

Before she could finish her sentence, the ornate wooden door gave a crisp "creak," and a breeze carrying the scent of spring wisteria swirled into the room, accompanied by a series of faint metallic clinking sounds.

A girl dressed in a maid outfit stood against the light, the gold dust on the tips of her hair sparkling with her movements.

Her black short hair was tied into a neat, short ponytail, and the bright green silk bow in her hair danced in the warm breeze, as if it might take flight at any moment. Her sapphire-like eyes reflected the soft light filling the room, and as her thick, long lashes fluttered, a cunning smile spilled from the slightly upturned corners of her eyes.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" The girl hopped in, bringing a gust of wind with her, the chains at her ankles brushing against the floor with a faint sound.

As she raised her hand, the black chains wrapped around her wrists gleamed with a cold metallic luster, forming an eerie yet charming contrast with the pink lace bows on her skirt.

As she playfully performed a curtsy, the orange star-shaped sticker on her cheek shimmered with fine golden light, "Nice to meet you, I am Kunihiro Hajime, Toka-sama's most loyal maid!"

Kageyama Sora looked at the chains on Kunihiro Hajime's hands: "This outfit is certainly unforgettable."

Before he could finish his sentence, Kunihiro Hajime generously lifted her skirt, the chains tracing a cold, rigid arc in the light: "These are my medals! Toka-sama put them on me herself!"

She blinked her sapphire-like eyes, her tone as light as if she were discussing the weather.

And so, as Kunihiro Hajime sat down, Kageyama Sora looked at Ryumonbuchi Toka and remarked with genuine emotion: "You certainly have unique tastes."

Ryumonbuchi Toka suddenly began to cough violently, her earlobes flushing a suspicious shade of red: "Don't listen to her nonsense!" She frantically stirred her coffee, which had long since gone cold, the spoon clinking crisply against the cup.

Kageyama Sora, of course, knew that Kunihiro Hajime wearing chains wasn't due to any special fetish of Ryumonbuchi Toka; he had already finished reading the profiles of the members of Ryumonbuchi Toka's Mahjong Club.

As an important member, Kageyama Sora naturally knew that the reason Kunihiro Hajime wore chains was because she had been disqualified from a tournament in elementary school for cheating, after which she gave up mahjong until she became Ryumonbuchi Toka's personal maid; she wore the chains to prevent herself from cheating...

Just then, Amae Koromo spoke up at the perfect moment: "Can we start now?"

"Of course."

The mahjong match began.

And in this round, Kageyama Sora was surprised to find that he was unable to reach tenpai throughout the entire game, to the point where he couldn't even call chi or pon; not only him, but no one else was able to call chi, pon, or reach tenpai either...

The game fell into a state of intense stagnation.

And just as there were two tiles left in the wall.

Amae Koromo suddenly declared riichi, and on the very last tile... she won with Haitei Raoyue.

The mahjong tiles clattered crisply against the table. Amae Koromo pinched the final tile with her fingertips, her cherry lips slightly pursed, and as she flipped the tile over: "Haitei Raoyue!"

The mahjong tile in Kageyama Sora's hand slammed onto the table with a "thud," kicking up a fine cloud of dust.

He looked at Amae Koromo, then broke into a faint smile, his slender fingers giving a heavy thumbs-up: "What a magnificent Haitei Raoyue!"

Amae Koromo lowered her head to hide the surprise in her eyes, her hair trembling with the sudden movement of her looking up.

The warm yellow pendant light cast a soft glow on her porcelain-white cheeks, and those amber eyes reflected Kageyama Sora's sincere admiration, as if it were the first time someone had treated her as a true opponent at the table, rather than the terrifying "Full Moon Koromo" or "Mahjong Demon King."

Memories surged like a tide; in countless past matches, opponents would either turn pale as paper or tremble and throw their tiles down in defeat when faced with her "Haitei Raoyue."

Those screams of terror and tears of despair now overlapped with the smiling man before her, appearing so absurd and ridiculous.

"It's only the first round." Amae Koromo withdrew her gaze, her nails unconsciously tracing the raised patterns on the tile face, "Once you taste the bitterness of losing ten rounds in a row, you'll know this isn't luck, but absolute strength."

She curled her lips into a provocative smirk, the red ribbon in her hair swaying with the movement, as if mocking him in silence.

The game continued, the tea fragrance floating in the air stained by the increasingly tense atmosphere.

Amae Koromo's fingertips flew, the wall of tiles rustling beneath her hands as the drama of Haitei Raoyue played out again and again.

Every time she won by self-drawing with Haitei Raoyue, it seemed to proclaim an invincible myth.

And Kageyama Sora began to get a feel for it.

Because he discovered that the inability to reach tenpai, chi, or pon in the first round wasn't an accident at all, but... a constant state.

Amae Koromo would always, under such circumstances, win on the final turn... with Haitei Raoyue.

The steam from the tea on the table hit the stagnant air, turning into fine droplets that snaked down the side of the cup.

Kageyama Sora's fingertips unconsciously traced the raised patterns on the back of his tiles. The thirteen mahjong tiles before him were like moths trapped in a spiderweb; no matter how he arranged them, he could not escape the predicament of being "unable to reach tenpai."

The pile of discarded tiles neatly stacked in the calling area looked like a tombstone growing taller by the second. Each tile dropped was accompanied by a dull "clack," striking at everyone's taut nerves.

Amae Koromo lowered her eyes to gaze at the tile wall, her cherry blossom hair accessory trembling slightly with her gentle breathing.

When only the final "haitei tile" remained in the wall, her fingertips suddenly glowed with a lustrous sheen, like flickering phosphorus in the deep sea. The moment the tile was flipped, the metal mat and the bone tile collided with a clear, crisp sound, like a sharp blade piercing through thick darkness: "Haitei Raoyue."

She uttered the four words with a faint smile, the light swirling in her amber eyes just like the moonlight reflecting off the surface of a turbulent sea.

The air grew increasingly viscous, as if filled with the pressure of the deep ocean.

Every shuffle of the tiles became distant and blurred, replaced by the thundering roar of his own heartbeat against his eardrums. Amae Koromo was like a cold, piercing light cast into the desperate deep sea, trapping everyone in this sunless abyss of a game, watching helplessly as their hope was crushed bit by bit.

After Amae Koromo won with Haitei Raoyue again, she looked at Kageyama Sora beside her: "Cousin, are you still getting used to this? Shall we continue!?"

Despite her petite and cute appearance, her words carried a suffocating sense of pressure.

Even Ryumonbuchi Toka and Kunihiro Hajime were caught up in a certain mood, no longer joking or playing around.

But... as the one being targeted the most, faced with such a question, Kageyama Sora revealed a faint smile: "Of course we continue... It's the first time I've seen such an interesting style of play... Koromo, are you really just an ordinary person, and not some kind of magical girl?"

Chapter 5: Absolute Data

"Of course we continue... It's the first time I've seen such an interesting style of play... Koromo, are you really just an ordinary person, and not some kind of magical girl?"

Kageyama Sora was genuinely curious; having the ability to prevent all opponents from winning, calling pon, or chi, and then winning herself with Haitei Raoyue—is this level of board control really not some kind of magic?

This is practically the same style of ability as in The Prince of Tennis, right?

So, was he, Kageyama Sora, actually living in a fantasy world?

Faced with Kageyama Sora's heartfelt questioning, the mahjong tile at Amae Koromo's fingertips suddenly emitted a faint hum.

She tilted her head to study Kageyama Sora, the red ribbon in her hair trembling with the movement, looking like a leaping flame in the warm light: "A magical girl? So, in Cousin's eyes, am I that kind of existence?"

Her voice trailed off with a long, lingering arc, and the hidden edge in her smile almost seemed to take physical form.

Ryumonbuchi Toka choked suddenly, causing the coffee in her bone china cup to ripple into tiny waves: "Magical girl? You really are quite the dreamer, cousin!"

She hurriedly pulled out a silk handkerchief to wipe the corners of her mouth, and Kunihiro Hajime, being an excellent maid, immediately stepped over to help: "How could you be so careless... Toka..."

Because of this small accident, the intense pressure that Amae Koromo had deliberately created actually dissipated quite a bit in that moment.

Kageyama Sora smiled: "Shall we continue?"

Amae Koromo had not expected Kageyama Sora to be willing to play cards with her after being targeted like that, and her mood improved in a subtle way: "If cousin is willing, of course."

A new round of the game restarted in the stagnant air, the warm light of the mahjong room cut into mottled fragments by the shadows of wisteria, spilling over the tense shoulders and backs of the four people.

The sandalwood table gave off a fine mist, though it was unclear if it was from the steaming tea or the sweat seeping from everyone's palms.

Kageyama Sora's knuckles rubbed against the backs of the tiles with a rustling sound; his movements as he arranged the tiles were like a precision machine, lining up the thirteen tiles into a neat, seamless formation, his fingertips repeatedly measuring the distance between each tile—it was a mathematical code that only he could read.

Amae Koromo tapped her fingertips against the table, a lustrous halo spreading across the wall of tiles like ripples.

Just as always, it was as if they were submerged in water, sinking into the seabed under the control of Amae Koromo.

When she played her first tile, the entire game instantly plunged into a familiar deep-sea vortex.

Ryumonbuchi Toka stared at her messy hand, a sigh escaping her throat as her fingertips unconsciously stirred her coffee, the droplets on the side of the cup sliding down her trembling wrist and into her collar.

Kunihiro Hajime wound her chain into a metal collar and draped it around her neck out of boredom, a hazy drowsiness rising in her sapphire eyes... anyone who didn't know better would think she had been so crushed by the game that she was trying to strangle herself.

When it was Kageyama Sora's turn to draw, his slender fingers hovered over the tile pile before he played a 5-pin.

"Pon!" Ryumonbuchi Toka's silver teaspoon clattered into her coffee cup, the splashing brown liquid blooming into irregular spots on the tablecloth.

Ryumonbuchi Toka herself was incredibly surprised by the fact that she was able to call a pon.

After all, under Amae Koromo's control of the board, theoretically speaking, there was no way Ryumonbuchi Toka should have been able to call a pon at all.

But... the tile Kageyama Sora played had allowed her to do exactly that.