Comprehensive Anime: Making Money Starting from Saki

"This..." Following this, Ryumonbuchi Toka discarded a tile and said blankly, "I'm in tenpai..."

Kunihiro Hajime's chains suddenly went taut, the sound of metal clashing piercing the stagnant air: "In tenpai?"

Under Amae Koromo's field control, even reaching tenpai should have been a luxury.

Not to mention that both Ryumonbuchi Toka and Kunihiro Hajime were only playing as companions without much desire to win, so they hadn't deliberately manipulated their play; that was why they found this turn of events so miraculous.

It couldn't be Amae Koromo's fault; after all, it was a full moon today, and even if it weren't a full moon, her ability had never failed before.

Then the only possibility was...

Ryumonbuchi Toka and Kunihiro Hajime exchanged a glance and looked at Kageyama Sora together; it could only be this man's doing.

As another round of the game rotated, Kageyama Sora deliberately slowed his movements when drawing a tile, letting his fingertips linger on the cloud pattern on the back of the tile for two extra seconds.

When he discarded the long-hidden Two of Bamboo, Kunihiro Hajime's chains fell to the floor with a "clatter."

As the lace hem of her maid outfit fluttered, she didn't even care that her white triangular undergarment was visible; she pushed over her tile wall with trembling hands: "Ron! I actually won!"

"Ron?" Ryumonbuchi Toka was also in a state of utter astonishment.

A thunderous gasp exploded in the deathly silent air.

Amae Koromo's mahjong tile slipped from her fingers, making a crisp sound as it hit the mat.

She stared at Kageyama Sora's calm face, completely stunned.

"Cousin's playstyle..." Ryumonbuchi Toka was bewildered, suspecting if she had been toyed with: "Cousin... you were hiding your strength deep, you're actually a luck-based player too?"

Before Kageyama Sora could respond, Amae Koromo shook her head first, the red ribbon in her hair like a burning flame: "No, I didn't feel a single shred of chi from him..."

"Koromo is right. I am not a luck-based player, nor do I understand these mysterious, esoteric issues of aura. It's just... I am a businessman... a man who loves money and is extremely sensitive to numbers." Kageyama Sora swirled his bone china cup, the mist from the cup blurring against his fingertips, his smile carrying the arrogance of someone who had victory in his grasp: "I remember the order of every tile's appearance very clearly... when you were trapping everyone with Koromo's ability, to me, I only saw a quantifiable game of probability. So, by holding onto certain tiles and discarding them at the perfect moment, I could break the deadlock where no one could pon or reach tenpai, and by intentionally dealing into a hand at the right time, I could break the Haitei Raoyue."

Ryumonbuchi Toka was completely shocked, whispering: "It's actually... absolute data-driven play."

Regarding Ryumonbuchi Toka categorizing him, Kageyama Sora did not deny her classification: "Perhaps, although even with this playstyle I still cannot win, but if one wants to catch a breath during a Haitei Raoyue, this is undoubtedly the best way to play."

"So this is your way of breaking the game?" Amae Koromo's movements as she reshuffled the tiles became increasingly rapid, Hotaru, "Using absolute data to counter my ability?"

Kageyama Sora gently pushed a Three of Characters into the tile mountain, the texture of the tile brushing against Amae Koromo's fingertips, making her heart skip a beat for no reason: "No, this is just the first step. I want to know, when calculable probability collides with unpredictable fate..." He looked up, his eyes flashing with the light of a hunter and prey intertwined, "who exactly is the master of the game?"

Chapter 6: A Cute Cousin's Coquetry

The moonlight was like water, quietly spilling through the window onto the wooden floor of the villa's mahjong room, reflecting the slightly flushed cheeks and unrecovered breathing of those present.

Kageyama Sora leaned against the mahjong table, the bangs on his forehead dampened by sweat; although he hadn't defeated Amae Koromo, his eyes shone with excitement.

This mahjong duel with Amae Koromo was, for him, a rare feast of inspiration.

Amae Koromo rested her chin on her hands, looking incredibly cute. The cold and powerful Demon King aura that had been like a full moon had completely vanished; just looking at her, she was nothing more than a cute little girl, not the famous Great Demon King.

A joyful, happy smile curled at the corners of her lips. The look in her eyes as she gazed at Kageyama Sora held a bit more recognition: "Cousin Sora, your playstyle is very interesting..."

Her voice was soft, carrying a faint sense of expectation, as if she were looking forward to the next match.

Amae Koromo had never felt that playing mahjong was a particularly happy thing; or rather, because the people who played with her were never happy, she eventually stopped finding joy in mahjong herself, simply playing it as a matter of course.

But this time, the feeling was a little different.

Perhaps it was because Amae Koromo felt that although Kageyama Sora hadn't defeated her, the fact that he could survive in a desperate situation under her full moon aura control was truly impressive.

Kageyama Sora was taken aback, smiling in response: "It is my honor to receive your recognition, Koromo... If there is a chance, I would like to ask you more about related matters..."

His gaze was sincere, thinking about how to use Amae Koromo's experience as a luck-based player to perfect his mahjong software.

Besides Amae Koromo being in a good mood, the others were also in high spirits.

Nearby, Ryumonbuchi Toka's eyes were sparkling. She had completely forgotten the awkwardness of Kageyama Sora accidentally barging into her bathroom, and had also forgotten their previous confrontation where Kageyama Sora had reminded her about her pink strawberry underwear.

She moved a few steps closer to Kageyama Sora, the faint scent of her bath lingering at the tip of his nose.

Ryumonbuchi Toka tugged at Kageyama Sora's sleeve, shaking it gently. The tsundere young lady, her ahoge swaying along with her, acted coquettishly: "Cousin~ That ability of yours to remember tiles and their positions is too amazing, teach me! Please~"

Ryumonbuchi Toka didn't feel she was doing anything wrong at all. She had finally experienced what was called absolute data-driven play—although Kageyama Sora wasn't a mahjong pro but a businessman, Ryumonbuchi Toka knew very well that if Kageyama Sora could devote himself entirely to mahjong, he would definitely be a terrifying Great Demon King.

She tilted her head up, her eyelashes fluttering and her ahoge swaying, her eyes filled with anticipation and the desire to learn his secrets.

Thinking that she could use data to complete mahjong matches, she would surely become a true mahjong idol and defeat her nemesis, Haramura Nodoka!

Kageyama Sora was caught off guard by Ryumonbuchi's sudden intimacy. Although he had seen everything he should and shouldn't have, being treated so affectionately was still hard to handle!

Kageyama Sora took a slight step back, but accidentally bumped into the mahjong table behind him.

Ryumonbuchi lost her footing and leaned forward; her soft chest inadvertently brushed against Kageyama Sora's arm. Kageyama Sora's super-sensitive skin even felt the slight protrusion graze his arm.

Both of them froze. Ryumonbuchi's cheeks instantly flushed with a rosy hue, and Kageyama Sora felt his earlobes burning.

Most importantly, because of this intimate contact, both of them subconsciously muttered in their hearts about why it was always such a coincidence, and then inevitably thought of the bathroom incident from their first meeting... which only made their faces turn even redder.

Ryumonbuchi Toka was blushing with shame, her ahoge standing on end.

"I-I'm sorry!" Ryumonbuchi Toka retreated in a panic, her hands instinctively covering her burning cheeks: "Why is it always like this..."

Kunihiro Hajime keenly noticed the key point: "Always?"

Oh... the bathroom incident was recalled once again, and Ryumonbuchi Toka's face was as red as if it were about to burn up.

Kageyama Sora waved his hands hurriedly: "N-no, it's fine, it was my fault, don't mind it... don't mind it..."

Although her own questions remained unanswered, Kunihiro Hajime watched the scene before her with a pleasant smile curling the corners of her lips.

While Kunihiro Hajime herself was hardly a mature presence, she still felt a sense of joy in her heart watching Ryumonbuchi Toka and Amae Koromo so happy because of a mahjong match.

She felt like an old man wanting to sigh, "Ah, this is what youth feels like."

At that moment, following the flustered and ambiguous physical contact, Kageyama Sora cleared his throat with feigned composure, attempting to mask his inner panic. "Actually, this ability isn't that difficult. It's mainly about finding patterns in the game through extensive data statistics and analysis..."

He began to explain in detail, trying to shift the focus.

However, in such a setting, who could possibly hear what he was saying?

Oh, Ryumonbuchi Toka could hear him clearly; was this a resonance of data-driven minds?

But perhaps it was as dull as a math class, for Amae Koromo fell fast asleep in an instant, eventually collapsing directly into the arms of Kageyama Sora, who was sitting beside her.

Kageyama Sora stopped talking and carefully scooped Amae Koromo up in a bridal carry, lowering his voice. "Where is her room?"

"Koromo lives in the villa outside..." Ryumonbuchi Toka said as she stood up. "But it's too late; let her stay here instead..."

"The villa outside?" Through the fleeting, complex expression on Ryumonbuchi Toka's face, Kageyama Sora keenly sensed that something was wrong.

Ryumonbuchi Toka said with a complicated look, "Yes. Rather than saying she lives there, it's more like she is imprisoned in that villa."

At this time, Kageyama Sora was carrying Amae Koromo to the guest room, and as he passed a window, he happened to see the isolated villa looking somewhat lonely in the night.

"Imprisoned? Why would you do that?" Kageyama Sora instinctively jumped to the wrong conclusion, his grip on Amae Koromo tightening as his heart ached for her.

Seeing that Kageyama Sora had misunderstood, Ryumonbuchi Toka quickly explained, "It's called imprisonment, but it's really just letting her live alone... She is actually free... As for the reason..."

Her gaze turned toward Kageyama Sora, carrying a hint of playfulness and the posture of someone watching a show. "My father told me not to get close to Koromo, or something terrible would happen..."

She just looked at Kageyama Sora like that, wanting to see what kind of reaction her cousin would have to these words.

Chapter 7: Ambiguity

It was already late at night.

Kageyama Sora, carrying the sleeping Amae Koromo, walked side-by-side with Ryumonbuchi Toka along the path leading to Amae Koromo's villa. The dry leaves under their feet made faint, crisp sounds, making the atmosphere feel inexplicably lonely.

Kageyama Sora's mind was still occupied by Ryumonbuchi Toka's words: "My father told me not to get close to Koromo, or something terrible would happen..."

Kageyama Sora turned his head to look at her, the streetlights casting trembling shadows on Ryumonbuchi Toka's eyelashes. He didn't rush to judge; instead, he leaned in closer, his warm breath brushing against her flushed earlobe. "What happened... to make your father say that..."

His voice trailed off with a seductive, low rasp, as if coaxing the other person to spill more secrets.

This was the atmosphere Kageyama Sora would deliberately cultivate when asking about certain things.

He was handsome, and he had discovered that whenever he spoke to others with this attitude, he could easily obtain the answers he wanted.

At this moment, Ryumonbuchi Toka's cheeks burned, and she turned her face away to kick a pebble at her feet. "Well, I think it's all nonsense. Koromo is very cute."

She twisted the hem of her skirt unconsciously, her fingertips brushing against Kageyama Sora's hanging sleeve before pulling back as if electrocuted.

It was clear that Ryumonbuchi Toka didn't necessarily believe her father's words, but simply because of Amae Koromo herself, she refused to believe them.

Or perhaps, it was the aesthetic of a young lady; even if there was something wrong with Koromo, so what? She was someone under Ryumonbuchi Toka's protection.

"I have a new level of respect for you." Kageyama Sora chuckled, using one hand to brush her hair aside, his fingertips grazing her scorching earlobe. "A tsundere young lady who actually saves others—how could I not be impressed?"

This sentence struck Ryumonbuchi Toka like a bolt of lightning, and her earlobes turned completely red.

She retreated in a panic, only to bump into the lamppost behind her, the metal railing clanking softly. "I, I didn't save anyone, I, I didn't!" Her defense grew quieter and quieter, her eyes darting around, not daring to meet his gaze.

Watching her flustered and helpless appearance, the smile in Kageyama Sora's eyes deepened. He suddenly leaned in and lowered his voice. "By the way, I think I'll choose to enroll at Ryumonbuchi High School."

The warm air, carrying the scent of cedar, washed over her. Ryumonbuchi Toka was startled by his sudden proximity and retreated, her back pressed against the railing as she looked up to meet his eyes.

"You're going to study here?" Ryumonbuchi Toka's voice trembled, her throat tight.

She asked in surprise, and even she didn't know if her emotions at this moment were joy or something else.

"Mm." Kageyama Sora walked closer step by step, his movements incredibly light despite carrying Amae Koromo.

He was tall, and though he didn't do it intentionally, it looked as if he had circled Ryumonbuchi Toka within his arms. "Because of Koromo, I've developed a strong curiosity about luck-based mahjong players. I'm really curious, what is the principle behind this... And, if I remember correctly, there are two others like Koromo?"

When he arrived earlier, his assistant had checked the data, saying there were three children loved by the tiles.

His gaze was burning as he spoke, so intense that Ryumonbuchi Toka didn't dare look directly at him.

Ryumonbuchi Toka felt that Kageyama Sora had a certain magic; when he looked directly at someone, he always gave the illusion that he was in love with you.

Ryumonbuchi Toka looked away, struggling to calm her heartbeat. "Yes, Miyanaga Teru, Jindai Komaki, and Amae Koromo are the three representative figures of the national-level monsters in recent years... You've already seen Koromo's ability... As for Jindai Komaki, a goddess possesses her in a sleep state; she's a shrine maiden. And Miyanaga Teru... a woman who is terrifyingly strong."

"Eh? Are you guys really playing mahjong? With shrine maidens and possessions..." Kageyama Sora teased with a smile, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the railing, only a hair's breadth away from the back of Toka's hand.

"You've already seen Koromo's ability, yet you still ask such things!" Toka was annoyed and embarrassed, raising her hand to push him, but Kageyama Sora gently grasped her wrist. The temperature of his palm made her whole body go numb, and she actually felt a jolt of electricity race across her wrist...

"Sorry, it's just that both you and I are data-driven players. You should understand how shocking it is when you first encounter these things." Kageyama Sora released her hand, though his fingertips brushed her palm in a way that felt lingering and ambiguous.

Ryumonbuchi Toka blushed slightly, but she agreed with Kageyama Sora's words. "Encountering those monsters that defy common sense is indeed world-view shattering."

"But isn't it also very interesting? That's the reason I chose to stay... I really want to see these players for myself." Kageyama Sora looked at her flustered yet stubborn appearance, his mood excellent, and he was filled with curiosity about the other so-called players.

Seeing Kageyama Sora's reaction, Ryumonbuchi Toka said, "I can take you to meet the others in the Mahjong Club tomorrow..."

Before she could finish, Ryumonbuchi Toka stopped speaking, because...

Ryumonbuchi Toka's gaze turned toward the villa not far away. "We've arrived at Koromo's villa."

Kageyama Sora followed the gaze of Ryumonbuchi Toka, looking at the white building that stood in the night like an isolated island: "It's certainly luxurious, but it feels quite cold."

"A witch imprisoned within a villa—doesn't that sound a bit more poetic?" Ryumonbuchi Toka chuckled softly and turned her head toward him, but because Kageyama Sora was standing so close, their noses nearly touched.

Ryumonbuchi Toka's heart hammered like a drum, and she turned and hurried toward the villa, her skirt fluttering in the wind like a butterfly fleeing in a panic.

Kageyama Sora didn't commit to an answer, instead carrying Amae Koromo back to her room.

Moonlight leaked through the gaps in the sheer curtains, casting mottled silver radiance across Amae Koromo's room.

Kageyama Sora held the sleeping Amae Koromo, her soft hair brushing against his wrist, carrying a faint, lingering fragrance.

The young girl's body was impossibly light, curled up in his arms like a kitten lacking a sense of security.

Setting Amae Koromo gently onto the bed, Kageyama Sora straightened his back and was about to turn and leave when he suddenly felt a weight on his arm. Amae Koromo had reached out at some point, clutching his arm tightly, her face pressed against his sleeve, her eyelashes casting butterfly-wing shadows beneath her eyes. "Don't go... don't leave me..."

Her voice seemed to drift from the depths of a dream, so soft and sweet it made one's heart tremble, the tail end of her words carrying a long, whimpering note.

Kageyama Sora froze in place, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily.

In the dim light, Amae Koromo's cheeks were flushed with a faint red, her cherry lips slightly parted, her breath brushing lightly against his skin.

He did not know who Amae Koromo had mistaken him for in this moment, some blurred figure from her memories—perhaps a relative, or perhaps someone important.

Yet that plea, filled with fear and dependence, felt like a thin needle gently pricking the softest corner of his heart.

As if possessed, he reached out, his fingertips grazing Amae Koromo's hair and sliding slowly down her temple, his movements as gentle as if he were touching a fragile treasure.

"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered, his voice carrying a tenderness he hadn't even realized was there.

Chapter 8: A Relationship of Sharing a Bed

Just as Kageyama Sora felt somewhat at a loss due to the way Amae Koromo clung to him with such complete dependence even in her sleep, he finally surrendered to his instincts and decided to stay.