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Chapter 6 : The Pitch [2]
Back at the ranch, Alex hung the new clothes in the closet. Then he sat at his desk to rehearse his pitch.
Fifteen minutes to explain the soul of the story.
He opened a fresh page in his notebook and wrote down the pillars:
Unique Setting: No other manga is doing realistic agriculture. It's an untapped blue ocean.
Core Themes: Growth, Life, the Ethics of Food.
Character Dynamics: An introverted, academic protagonist vs. instinctual, physical peers.
Visual Language: Cinematic paneling, emotional storytelling over action.
Market Potential: Counter-programming. Capturing the demographic tired of generic battle manga.
He began to speak out loud. Not too academic, not too salesy. Sincere. Convincing.
By the third run-through, the sun had set. He stood up and stretched his shoulders, looking out the window.
The ranch was silent, save for the occasional shuffle from the barn.
The night sky was a vast, clear dome of stars.
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The next few days passed in a blur of routine. Farm work in the morning, drawing and rehearsing in the afternoon.
He finished Chapter 5 and started detailing the storyboards for Chapter 6.
Thursday afternoon arrived. He packed his backpack: The five manuscripts (sandwiched between hardboard), the outline notebook, toiletries, and his new clothes in a garment bag.
Sarah drove him to the bus stop. "Call when you get there. Lock your hotel door."
"I will."
The bus, a silver Greyhound, hissed to a stop. Alex boarded and found a window seat. As the bus pulled away, he saw Sarah standing at the intersection, waving until she was a speck in the distance.
The landscape shifted from open fields to rolling hills, and eventually to industrial outskirts. Alex leaned his forehead against the cool glass.
When was the last time he had traveled? He couldn't remember. The original Alex might have visited the city, but he hadn't. This was his first time leaving Oak Creek since waking up in this world.
Three hours later, the bus pulled into the Central Station. The noise hit him first—a cacophony of engines, announcements, and hundreds of conversations. He pulled out the address Sue had emailed and found a payphone.
He dialed the editorial department.
"NextGen Manga, how may I direct your call?"
"Extension 402, Sue Vance, please."
"Connecting."
"Vance speaking."
"Sue, it's Alex Walker. I'm in the city."
"Great. Do you have the address? Culture Tower, 7th Floor. Tomorrow at 10:00 AM sharp. Don't be late."
"I won't be."
"Get some rest. Don't stress out."
"Right."
He found a budget hotel near the station. The room was the size of a shoebox, but the sheets were clean. He showered, washing off the travel grime.
As the hot water hit his back, he mentally ran through the pitch again. Hachiken's arc. Supporting cast. Cinematic pacing.
He didn't go out for dinner. He ate a sandwich from a convenience store and sat on the bed, reviewing the manuscripts one last time.
Five chapters. Sixty-two pages. From Hachiken's arrival to the first time he makes pizza. He turned every page, checking for smudges or errors.
He stopped at the final panel of Chapter 3.
Hachiken is looking up at the night sky. The drawing is mostly negative space—vast, starry darkness—with the boy occupying just a small corner at the bottom right.
The dialogue bubble reads: "I never knew the sky was this big."
Alex stared at it.
In his old life, this was the moment he fell in love with Silver Spoon. No screaming, no explosions. Just a kid in the middle of nowhere, realizing the world was larger than his grades.
He hoped the editors would see it too.
He went to bed early, but sleep was thin and full of dreams about the meeting.
Friday morning. 7:00 AM.
Alex was up. He shaved, dressed in the white shirt and slacks, and carefully packed the manuscripts.
He arrived at the Culture Tower at 9:40 AM. It was a glass monolith in the city center. The lobby was all marble and high ceilings. He took the elevator to the 7th floor, his heart beating a rhythm against his ribs.
Ding.
The doors opened to a hallway lined with glass-walled offices. A plaque on the wall read: NEXTGEN MANGA MONTHLY.
He walked to the reception desk.
"Alex Walker. Here for the Serialization Meeting."
The receptionist checked a list. "Conference Room C. Down the hall, right turn, third door. Sue is already there."
Alex walked down the corridor. He could smell coffee and printer toner. He could hear the low hum of productivity—keyboards clacking, phones ringing.
He reached Room C. The door was closed.
He took a deep breath.
Knock. Knock.
"Come in."
He pushed the door open. The room was rectangular, dominated by a long mahogany table. There were a dozen chairs, but only three were occupied.
Sue Vance sat near the door. She nodded at him. "You made it."
The other two were men. One was in his forties, wearing thick glasses and reading a file. The other was younger, maybe thirty, spinning a pen in his hand.
"This is Alex Walker, author of Silver Spoon," Sue introduced him. "This is Editor-in-Chief Lee, and this is Senior Editor Zhao."
Alex bowed slightly. "Good morning, Mr. Lee. Mr. Zhao."
Lee looked up over his glasses. His eyes were sharp, evaluating. "Sit. The others are coming."
Alex sat next to Sue.
"Don't be nervous," she whispered. "Just do what we practiced."
Over the next ten minutes, the room filled up. Young editors, old veterans, some looking bored, others looking intense. By 10:00 AM, twelve people were seated.
Chief Lee checked his watch. "Let's begin."
Sue stood up. "The first proposal today is Silver Spoon by Alex Walker. Alex, the floor is yours."
Alex stood up. He walked to the front of the room, placing his manuscripts on the small podium.
Twelve pairs of eyes locked onto him.
He took a breath.
"Good morning, everyone. My name is Alex Walker. I am here to present Silver Spoon, a coming-of-age story about an agricultural high school."
(To be Continued)
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