According to the system's information, Lin Yu learned that the manga skill was divided into five levels:
Level 1: Beginner
Level 2: Basic
Level 3: Proficient
Level 4: Expert
Level 5: World-Class
Each level was a huge leap from the last.
Most professional mangaka in the industry only reached Level 3. A rare few ever broke through to Level 4. And as for Level 5?
That was a realm reserved for gods. Literal legends.
As for the "manga draw" he had just received—it was just as important.
Back in his old world, Lin Yu had been an anime and manga junkie. He could binge whole series for days, and there were a lot of stories etched into his memory... sort of.
But no matter how passionate you were, no one remembers every frame, every detail—not even the original authors could redraw their entire series without rereading them.
That's what made this system crazy.
Once he drew a manga from the system, the entire thing—plot, panels, characters, powers, even the tiniest easter eggs—would be downloaded straight into his brain.
Perfectly.
It was like having a god-tier photocopier inside his head.
For someone who once dreamed of becoming a famous webnovel plagiar—ahem, "inspired creative"—this was basically a divine cheat.
Without any hesitation, Lin Yu decided to use his first draw.
He had to know: what would his very first manga be in this world?
If he was lucky enough to land something like Naruto or One Piece, his rise to the top would just be a matter of time.
Ding. Would you like to consume 1 Manga Draw to receive a manga?
"Yes."
Lin Yu responded without hesitation. But in his chest, his heart was pounding just a little.
Suddenly, a colorful spinning wheel appeared on the system panel. It looked like something you'd see in a flashy game show—bright, chaotic, packed with tiny tiles, each marked with the name of a manga title.
Even at a glance, he spotted tons of familiar names from his past life.
Detective Conan, Bleach, One Piece, Demon Slayer...
His pulse sped up.
Each of these was a giant in their own right. Any one of them would be a killer debut.
The wheel began to spin—faster and faster—until all the names blurred into a swirl of color.
Please not a flop, please not a flop...
As the wheel slowed down, the titles became visible again, flashing past like a roulette of fate. Lin Yu held his breath, heart swinging like a pendulum.
Not every manga was a masterpiece. And getting saddled with a bottom-tier flop for his first release? Yeah... that would suck.
But then—
The wheel stopped.
The pointer froze.
And Lin Yu's lips curled into a slow, satisfied smile.
Ding! Congratulations, Host has received: "Cardcaptor Sakura."
Instantly, a flood of visuals and memories surged through his mind.
It was like someone had hit "play" on a crystal-clear mental cinema.
The art style, the storyline, every page, every magical card, every transformation—everything was there. He remembered it all.
Even though it had been years since he last thought about it, the entire series had been flawlessly etched into his consciousness.
And honestly? He was thrilled.
Sure, Cardcaptor Sakura might not have the shounen punch of Bleach or Naruto, or the cultural footprint of Crayon Shin-chan or Conan.
But back in its prime, Sakura was a cultural phenomenon. Practically a national treasure.
Its manga had sold over a million copies per volume, and the merchandise? Let's just say, someone once called it "the most profitable magical girl franchise in existence."
That wasn't an exaggeration.
Among all the possible titles on that spin wheel, Lin Yu had pulled a top-tier classic.
"Now that's what I call a lucky draw," he murmured, chuckling to himself.
He could've ended up with something awful—like Boruto, which, let's be real, wouldn't exactly light the world on fire.
But nope. Fate smiled on him.
A system. A legendary starter title. The game had officially begun.
He glanced at the time. Lunch break was nearly over. With a deep breath, Lin Yu stood and made his way back toward the classroom.
If he were a few years older, he would've skipped class altogether and sprinted to the nearest art supply store to start drawing. But alas—ten-year-olds couldn't just disappear without someone calling home.
Still, the urge to start "copying"—ahem, creating—was getting stronger by the minute.
When he got back to the classroom, most of the kids were lounging around—some chatting, others napping. He quietly took his seat and pulled out a notebook.
Twirling his pencil in one hand, he started planning.
To draw a full manga series, he'd need time. And tools.
Computers weren't widespread yet. Digital tablets? Still science fiction. That meant everything would need to be drawn by hand.
He'd need pens, rulers, screentone, erasers, and a dozen other supplies just to get started.
For a working adult, that was nothing.
But for a ten-year-old?
It was gonna be a challenge.
Still, Lin Yu wasn't discouraged. Just focused.
"Hmm... the tools I can find. The real question is—what's my Level 1 manga skill actually capable of?"
He began absentmindedly sketching in the corner of the page as his mind raced with possibilities.
Just then, a soft voice came from the front of the class.
"Lin Yu?"
It was Shizuka.