"Now that's some exciting news!" Akifumi Mugiho finally sounded genuinely thrilled.
Back at her desk, Mihari couldn't help but smile wryly.
'He really has no idea what kind of phenomenon he's creating.'
As Mihari hung up the call, she couldn't help but shake her head.
"How is this guy so calm about such groundbreaking sales? He just casually says it's 'pretty good'? Seriously, he's a just like a monster."
Her admiration for Akifumi Mugiho grew with each passing moment.
Even seasoned professionals would be losing their minds over such a feat, yet here he was, treating it as if it were a regular school project.
Back in the editing department, news of the sales spread like wildfire.
Editors from different teams swarmed around her desk.
"Otosuna-san, you seriously hit the jackpot!"
"Yeah, some of us would kill to have an author like that."
"Come on, you have to host a party for this success!"
Their excitement was palpable, and Mihari couldn't help but bask in their enthusiasm.
"I promise, I'll treat everyone!" she laughed, her face beaming.
[TL Note — Girl just stop promising to treat people that many people all at once, your wallet will not be happy with you!!]
As the crowd gradually dispersed, Mihari leaned back in her chair, finally able to catch her breath.
Her mind, however, drifted to a thought that had been nagging her for a while.
"If this keeps up, Akifumi-sensei might actually be the next big name in the industry."
While sales figures and accolades were thrilling, Mihari knew that maintaining this momentum was crucial.
The manga industry was notoriously fickle, and the path to long-term success was filled with challenges.
Still, with a genius like Akifumi Mugiho leading the charge, she felt more confident than ever.
[TL Note]
Hey there! If you're enjoying this, be sure to check out
p-atreon.com/InsomniaTL
Please remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally Just a heads-up, there will be advanced chapters available there! and Thanks so much for reading!
[039] This Girl Is Truly Terrifying!
After hanging up the phone, Akifumi Mugiho couldn't help but repeat the words in his mind:
"Breaking record sales for a million copies?"
He wasn't particularly familiar with the nuances of the manga industry in Japan, so he had little understanding of what this meant.
Curious, he instinctively searched online.
"Wow, I didn't realize I was already this impressive," he muttered in disbelief.
There were fewer than 50 mangaka in the entire industry with single volumes surpassing one million in sales.
'Does this mean I'm already one of the top 50 mangaka in Japan?'
Of course, that was just a joke.
One or two successful volumes didn't mean much.
What mattered was consistent output over the years.
Some mangaka might not have any flashy achievements but accumulated respectable results through steady work.
As for the top-tier mangaka on the charts? That was an entirely different league.
Akifumi knew his own limitations.
While other creators could serialize their works for years and release a dozen volumes, Madoka's remaining plotlines only allowed for one more volume, or maybe two.
Even if both volumes sold over a million copies, it still wouldn't compare to the industry giants.
Granted, Madoka's setting did offer potential for endless parallel world plotlines.
[TL Note — Like how Fate Franchise]
But unfortunately, he couldn't remember the specifics of those plot line.
Although he could theoretically develop new stories based on the current world-building, sequels were notoriously risky.
Countless creators had stumbled in that pitfall.
Without absolute confidence, Akifumi wasn't willing to touch it.
If he turned a masterpiece form his previous life into a mess, he probably just better of die.
He shook off these thoughts and returned to the classroom.
Inside, familiar classmates were gathered in small groups.
Even Shiina Mahiru, who had been a quiet newcomer a month ago, was now surrounded by friends.
The only exceptions seemed to be Akifumi and Kato.
Aside from talking to each other, no one usually bothered them.
As Akifumi took his seat, Kato spoke casually without looking up.
"Even though you were just out for a bit, it feels like you've got something on your mind."
Surprised, Akifumi glanced at her, "Oh? Even you can tell?"
"Just a feeling." Kato's expression remained neutral.
"If you're troubled, talking about it might help, you know?"
"Is that something you read in a book?"
Kato blinked, puzzled, "Isn't it true, though?"
"Not really,"
Akifumi said seriously, "For example, if you had a crush and were struggling with how to confess, would telling me about it make you feel better?"
Kato considered this for a moment before shaking her head.
"No."
"Exactly"
"So Akifumi, does that mean you have a crush?"
"???"
Akifumi was taken aback, "Wait, that was just an example! How did you jump to the conclusion that I have a crush?"
"There were countless examples you could've chosen. Why did you pick that one specifically?" She just casually reply.
Good point. Why didn't he think of another example?
Akifumi suddenly found himself staring at Kato. She truly lived up to her reputation as a 'saintly' girlscarily perceptive.
He almost got caught in her trap!
"Just because I chose a convenient example that doesn't mean I'm revealing anything about myself," he clarified hastily.
"Anyway, was there something you wanted to tell me?""
"Was it that obvious?", Kato nodded thoughtfully.
"I'll work on being more subtle next time."
That's what she focused on?
"So, what's the matter?"
"Do you have time this Saturday?"
Akifumi thought for a moment, and reply "I don't have any plans."
Madoka's progress was unexpectedly smooth, and Eriri hadn't visited recentlyprobably busy preparing drafts for the summer Comic Market.
"Yeah, I'm free."
Kato dragged out her response, then said seriously, "Then can I trouble you for a date this Saturday?"
"...A date?"
Akifumi instinctively touched her forehead, "You don't seem to have a fever."
"Is there a problem with going on a date?"
Confronted by Kato's clear gaze, Akifumi was momentarily stunned.
Did he misunderstand?
The word "date" originally just meant a planned meeting, its either a social or romantic appointment or engagemen, but nowadays, it often implied a romantic outing.
Recalling the original definition, Akifumi realized what she actually meant.
"No problem at all."
Feigning nonchalance, he added, "Saturday it is. What time and where?"
"10 a.m. outside JR Harajuku Station, are you okay with that?"
JR Harajuku Station? So the destination was the Harajuku shopping district?
Famous as a vibrant, youth-centric area brimming with a girlish charm, even someone like him knew about it.
"Got it. I'll be there."
Just when Akifumi thought the conversation was over, Kato suddenly asked in a light tone,
"By the way, did you misunderstand earlier? Did you think I meant that kind of date?"
"Why would you think that way? We're not even in that kind of relationship." Her voice took on a teasing lilt.
Was she messing with him?
Akifumi sighed inwardly, 'As expected, Kato is terrifying.'
Surprisingly, instead of feeling embarrassed, he responded playfully:
"That's because I do have those kinds of feelings for you."
He grinned. "So, how about reconsidering the meaning of our 'date'?"
This time, it was her who was left speechless.
[040] Is This Really a Doujin?
If you were to ask which manga is currently the most popular, you'd probably get 10 different answers from 50 people.
But if you change the question to "Which manga has the most buzz right now?" nine out of ten would immediately answer Madoka Magica.
This overwhelming attention is thanks to the hype that hasn't waned since it won the Tezuka Award, along with the manga's undeniable high quality.
Of course, it had been a week since the single-volume release, and the initial buzz had naturally waned a bit.
Still, any news related to Madoka Magica continued to grab widespread attention.
So that night, when Shueisha officially announced the first-week sales of Madoka Magica on social media, it instantly skyrocketed to the top of trending charts.
The internet exploded with reactions:
"Congratulations to Madoka Magica! "
"Madoka Magica is the best! Death to 'The Warrior of Love' (author name)!"
"My friends and I contributed to that 60K+ sales figure! By the way, Shueisha, any chance you'd reveal the author's address? No ulterior motives, just wanna send some local gifts!"
"Seeing a manga I love achieve such success makes me so happy! But then I remember Mami Tomoe's sacrifice, and I started sharping my knife and prepare for war....."
"Forget Mami! At this rate, I'm convinced Sayaka's gonna die next volume!"
"Sayaka's doom is inevitable. Kyoko and Homura are probably next on the chopping block too."
"At least Madoka is safe! She's the title characterno way they'll pull a tragic ending on her, right?!"
While regular readers might not pay much attention to sales numbers, industry professionals were blown away. Discussions heated up in countless chat groups:
"First-week sales of 63K? Is Shueisha inflating the numbers? This is from a debut work without prior serialization?!"
"If the numbers are legit, then we've got a god-tier newcomer on our hands."
"The last time a phenomenon like this happened was over ten years ago!"
"I wonder how long it'll take Madoka Magica to hit a million copies."
"I still don't get ithow did such a dark twist on the magical girl genre become so popular?"
"Maybe it's because it defied conventions that it succeeded."
"Who cares about the 'why'? This manga has redefined magical girl stories. Time to take notes and follow the blueprint!"
"Big-brain move! Let's start copying!"
In the Shueisha authors' LINE group:
"63K in the first week? This isn't a newcomerit's a freaking great white shark!"
"The other winners of the Tezuka Award were just unlucky to face this behemoth."
"Honestly, even without Madoka Magica, the quality of this year's entries was weak. None of us had a shot at winning anyway."
"True, but facing a monster like this, even us veterans are shaking in our boots!"
"No kidding! My manga, which has sold 700K total, only did 20K in its first week back then. Madoka Magica is on a whole different level."
Meanwhile, in the new creators' chat group:
"Warrior of Love-sensei, please accept our humble worship!"
"Teach me how to draw, sensei! (Kneeling.jpg)"
"My editor told me even Tezuka Award winners don't usually attract much readership right away. But after seeing Madoka Magica's sales, he just went silent."
"I'm so jealous! When will I even qualify to release a single volume?"
"Snap out of it! Even if you qualify, you can't match that insane production speed!"
Buzz, Buzz, Buzz.
Feeling his phone constantly vibrate, Akifumi Mugiho took it out and frowned at the flood of messages filled with praise and private chats.
His expression could only be described as that classic meme: Elderly man on subway scrolling through his phone.
Confused, with a hint of disdain.
Seriously, what happened to the pride of being a manga artist?
These guys were groveling harder than professional simps!
Most importantly not a single message from a cute girl. What's the point?!
"What's going on?" Eriri curiously asked from beside him.
Akifumi immediately straightened up, discreetly pocketing his phone.
"Nothing much. Just a message from the teacher asking me to help tutor some classmates."
"Pfft, hahaha!"
Rolling his eyes at the laughter from the notorious slacker, Akifumi grumbled, "Oh, you think that's funny? Fine, I'll make sure you're on the tutoring list!"
Eriri's laughter froze, "No , no ,no. I don't need it!"
"By the way, check out my latest work!"
She eagerly pulled out drafts from her bag and handed them to him.
Akifumi flipped through the pages carefully.
After a while, he raised his head with a blank expression.
"Well? How is it?" Eriri asked expectantly.
Akifumi looked exasperated.
"Can I ask what kind of story you're even trying to tell?"
"Isn't it obvious? A magical girl story!"
"I can see that, but what's the direction? Is it defeat and insect-themed humiliation, or a wholesome victory where she gets together with her love interest?"
Eriri's cheeks reddened slightly, and she averted her gaze. "T-The second one!"
Akifumi didn't notice her reaction and sighed. "Wow, challenging yourself this time, huh?"
"Hmph!"
Eriri crossed her arms, wearing a smug "I'm secretly pleased, but I won't admit it" expression.
"But where's the actual story?" Akifumi asked.
"I haven't finished drawing it yet!"
"So you're telling me you spent all this time drawing seven pages full of hentai material and didn't even get to the story?!"
"Are you sure you're drawing a 20-page doujinshi for Summer Comiket and not some hentai illustration?"
....
[TL Note]
Hey there! If you're enjoying this, be sure to check out
p-atreon.com/InsomniaTL
Please remove the hyphen to access the page normally Just a heads-up, there will be advanced chapters available there! and Thanks so much for reading!
[041] Bullying Eriri!
Eriri remained silent for a moment, before letting out a sigh and saying in a tone of self-pity:
"I know, I know!"
"When I got to the fifth page, I realized something was wrong."
"But what could I do? I'd already drawn this much scene, and quitting now would be so unsatisfying!"
Seeing Eriri's face full of frustration, Akifumi didn't let her off easily.
"Then why did you hesitate when you got to the story part?"
"If you're dissatisfied, just keep drawing until the end! Show those people who doubt you that they're the ones who are wrong!"
"That would solve it, wouldn't it?"
Eriri bit her lower lip and stared at him with wide blue eyes full of grievance.
'Idiot!'
If I could be that cool, I wouldn't have ended up in this mess to begin with, right!?
At the same time, Akifumi couldn't help but sigh inwardly, feeling the same frustration as the girl.
'Why is she making things harder for herself?'
If you knew you weren't capable of something, why try it in the first place!?
Just continue drawing your usual hentai illustration! and your fans are looking forward to it.
