He wasn't going to bother with them. Instead, he simply left the group.
After all, it was a bit hard to believe that his first submission was Madoka Magika, such a masterpieceespecially considering his age.
But really, in any industry, talent always comes first.
It's hard to explain, but it's just how things work.
There are crazier real-life examples out there, so he wasn't worried about any fallout.
"Actually, being the 'strongest high school student' could make for a pretty fun gimmick, right?"
He laughed to himself, about to watch some videos, when he saw a new notification.
"Got a new email? Probably spam again"
To his surprise, the sender's name was listed as
"Shueisha Manga Editorial Department."
A prank?
After double-checking the email address, Akifumi Mugiho confirmed it was legit. It really was from Shueisha's editorial team.
Then
[013] Mihari Otosunas Worries
"Didn't they say they'd only send an email after the second round of evaluations?"
At that point, whether or not you passed, if you were interested, you could get the editor's contact details.
"So why is the email coming after the first evaluation?"
Akifumi Mugiho blinked, confused, but didn't think much of it.
He opened the email and started reading.
Dear Sir,
"Warrior of Love and Hope," congratulations! You've passed the editorial review and made it to the first round of evaluations. You can log in to the official website to view more details.
Your work, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, has been reviewed by our professional editorial team and has preliminarily met the requirements for serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump.
If you're interested in serialization, the Shueisha Editorial Department would be happy to offer guidance. You can contact our editors from 9 AM to 12 PM, and 2 PM to 8 PM daily.
Editor: Mihari Otosuna
Phone: 0081-
* * *
*
"Eh?"
"Is this for real!?"
It's only the first evaluation, so why are they already talking about serialization?
Is Madoka Magicajust one chapterreally this good?
"So...," Akifumi Mugiho stroked his chin, thinking deeply.
"Is this what they call an internal decision?"
Mihari Otosuna POV
"I really am an idiot."
Sighing this early in the morning definitely wasn't a good sign.
Still, Mihari Otosuna couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh.
Just last night, the results of the first round of evaluations were posted on the official website.
Eager as always, Mihari Otosuna was the first to send the email she had written using a template she got from other editors.
The template wasn't the issue, but it wasn't really meant for someone who had passed a major prize evaluation like this.
With little experience, she completely forgot that something like this should've been reviewed by her supervisor first.
As for why she realized this now, it was because after reporting to Chief Editor Minano, she pointed out the mistake.
Though she told her not to worry too much, those words didn't really help.
In fact, after thinking it over, she realized that this seemingly small mistake could actually have much bigger consequences.
She spent the whole night worrying, and the dark circles under her eyes were clear proof of that.
"I hope there won't be any problems."
Letting out another sigh, she could only hope that fate would be on her side.
She boarded the train to work like usual.
Even on weekends, the train was just as crowded as always.
Leaning against the train car, Mihari closed her eyes to rest.
The train rocked a little, and soon they reached their stop.
As she stepped off the train, before she could steady herself, her phone rang loudly.
"Eh, eh?"
Mihari scrambled to pull out her phone and saw an unfamiliar number on the screen.
She was a bit confused, but answered right away.
"Hello, this is Otosuna Mihari from Shueisha. May I ask who's calling?"
Her tone was assertive, and if you didn't notice her youthful face, no one would guess she was a new hire.
On the other end of the line, a smooth, deep voice responded.
"Hello, Editor Otosuna. I'm Akifumi Mugiho, the author of Madoka Magica."
"I received your company's email last night, but it was after your office hours, so I hope I'm not disturbing you by calling so early?"
!!
"No, no, it's fine."
The confident tone from before faded, replaced by a voice that now trembled slightly with nervousness.
"Actually, it's a big help that you were able to get in touch with me so quickly!"
"Huh?"
Noticing the confusion on the other end, Otosuna Mihari realized her slip-up.
She laughed awkwardly, organizing her thoughts before speaking:
"Well, Akifumi-san, after discussing it, we all agreed that Madoka Magica is a very mature work."
"While it may not do extremely well in the Tezuka Award, it definitely has the potential to be serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump. We'd like to discuss this with you in more detail."
"Would you be available to visit Shueisha?"
"After all, anyone aiming to be a manga artist ultimately wants serialization."
"It's an honor to have such an opportunity, and i have no reason to turn it down."
"Could you tell me when and where would be convenient for us to meet?"
""
The call ended.
Mihari, who had been anxiously waiting, finally breathed a sigh of relief, a bright smile spreading across her face.
"It looks like I didn't get caught!"
"Well, when something good like this happens, most people wouldn't focus on small details, right?"
No matter what, this is great!!
"Now, time to keep pushing forward with today's work!"
"Go for it, Mihari!!"
[014] The Editor Doesnt Seem Very Smart?
It was 2:50 PM.
Akifumi Mugiho glanced up at the office building in front of him before stepping inside.
"Hello, do you have an appointment?"
The receptionist greeted him warmly, her eyes sparkling with interest.
Akifumi Mugiho nodded. "3 PM, Shueisha, Editor Otosuna-san."
"Could I have your name and phone number?"
"
* * *
*. The Warrior of Love and Hope."
"Please hold on for a moment."
The receptionist's smile didn't falter, even though his name sounded a bit odd. She probably got weird names all the time.
"We've found your reservation. Please take the elevator to the third floor, and I'll contact Editor Otosuna-san for you."
"Thank you."
As Akifumi Mugiho turned to leave, he could hear soft voices behind him.
"Wow, that sensei is so handsome! What's his phone number? Give it to me!"
"As receptionists, we can't share that kind of information."
"Ugh, don't act like I didn't see you save his number, you little flirt. Come on, hand it over!"
"Haha, stop it, there are people around..."
[TL Note — If only they knew.....]
As Akifumi Mugiho walked away, the voices gradually faded.
"In this day and age, trying to keep your privacy save doesn't seem very realistic," he thought with a sigh.
It wasn't that he was trying to be coy.
The receptionist, working at a major company, was certainly pretty.
But compared to the girls he knew, she wasn't exactly in the same league.
After all, he'd seen so many stunning faces that the average one just didn't impress him as much.
Akifumi Mugiho slowly took the elevator up to the third floor and followed a staff member to a small meeting room, where he sat and waited.
A few minutes later, the door opened.
A woman in a gray suit with short blonde hair walked in.
She took one look at Akifumi Mugiho sitting there and froze for a moment.
Then, she hesitated a bit before asking, "Um... are you Akifumi-sensei?"
"I'm Akifumi, but with my current situation, I wouldn't really call myself 'sensei' just yet."
Looking at her, Akifumi Mugiho was also surprised.
When they'd spoken on the phone earlier, he had imagined a strong, professional woman.
But now, standing in front of him was a... legal "loli"?
Once she heard Akifumi Mugiho confirm it, Mihari visibly relaxed, a smile spreading across her face as she complimented him, "With your talent, I'm sure it's only a matter of time before people start calling you 'sensei.'"
In Japanese, the term "sensei" would be more accurate, usually reserved for teachers, doctors, lawyers, or people in high positions in their field.
It was a huge compliment.
Akifumi Mugiho scratched his nose. "If you keep calling me 'sensei' I might get so proud I grow a tail."
"Hahaha," Mihari laughed, clearly amused.
That small joke had clearly lightened the mood, making both of them feel more comfortable.
Maybe because of the relaxed atmosphere, Mihari didn't dive straight into work. Instead, she started chatting casually.
"Akifumi-sensei, you look so young. Are you in university right now?"
"I'm still a second-year high school student."
"Second year in high school?"
Mihari blinked and then froze, looking completely shocked.
"Second year?!"
Even though she had already been told about it, hearing it from him still left Mihari stunned.
Second year in high school meant he was only around 16 years old!
While his peers were enjoying the carefree days of youth, here was a guy who had quietly earned the right to have his work published in Weekly Shonen Jump!
Even adults who had poured their hearts into this industry for years couldn't necessarily achieve that level, yet this guy had done it.
There was no doubt about ithe was a true genius!
Feeling the stark difference, Mihari couldn't help but feel a bit jealous.
It wasn't about personal feelings, though. It was almost a reflex.
But that feeling of jealousy only lasted a second before it was overtaken by pure joy.
A 16-year-old manga artist!
With a mature art style!
Clear, solid storytelling!
And now, qualified to be serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump!!
Even just one of these would be impressive, but combined? It could easily make headlines tomorrow!
Most importantly...
"This is my sensei!!"
Her orange eyes sparkled with excitement, as though the editor-in-chief position was already within her grasp.
"This is amazing!!"
Caught up in the dream of a bright future, Mihari couldn't help but grin like a fool.
Meanwhile, Akifumi Mugiho, watching her expression shift, couldn't help but stay silent.
It seemed like... his editor wasn't very smart?
[015] Busted!
Cough, cough.
Hearing the sound, Otosuna Mihari finally snapped back to reality.
However, when she met Akifumi Mugiho's curious gaze, even as a seasoned professional, her face instantly turned red.
"Stupid, stupid," she scolded herself inwardly.
"The deal isn't even set yet, and I'm already over the moonwhat's wrong with me?"
She took a deep breath to steady her swirling emotions, then forced a cheerful smile onto her face.
"Um... Akifumi-sensei, would you like something to drink? Coffee, barley tea, cola, or maybe some other soda?"
She added with enthusiasm, "Personally, I recommend a coffee with 30% sugarit's just right! But if you have a sweet tooth, 70% sugar is perfect!"
Akifumi Mugiho blinked. What a clumsy attempt to change the subject.
He had a sudden sinking feeling. Is this airhead woman really fit to be my editor?
Pushing aside that concern for now, he answered thoughtfully, "Then I'll go for a 70% sugar coffee."
A few moments later, Mihari returned with two cups of coffee and carefully placed Akifumi Mugiho's cup in front of him.
With her composure back, she got straight to business.
"Since you're here today, I assume you're interested in working with us," she began earnestly.
"But before we proceed, I just have to ask... Akifumi-sensei, would you like to serialize your work in Weekly Shonen Jump?"
Akifumi Mugiho smiled. "As the undisputed king of the industry, who could possibly refuse such an opportunity?"
He paused, then added casually, "But before we move forward, I do have a question for you, Otosuna-san."
Her heart skipped a beat at the unexpected pivot.
"Please go ahead," she urged.
"If my work gets serialized in the magazine, what happens with the Tezuka Award?"
Mihari's face relaxed into a smile.
"You don't need to worry about that, Akifumi-sensei. The serialization will only begin after the award results are announced, so it won't affect the evaluation at all."
"I see." Akifumi Mugiho's lips curled into a knowing smile. "That puts my mind at ease."
"Do you have any other concerns, Akifumi-sensei?"
"No" he replied with a shake of his head.
Mihari let out a breath of relief, her tense nerves finally relaxing.
"In that case, let me explain the benefits of serialization," she said enthusiastically.
Her voice carried a cheerful lilt. "Since you're a new artist, you'll start with the standard page rate of 15,000 yen per page. If reader feedback is strong, your rate can increaseeven for newcomers!"
She continued, "But on the flip side, if your work consistently ranks at the bottom of the reader surveys, it could face cancellation."
Akifumi Mugiho quickly did the math. At 20 pages per chapter, that meant a weekly income of 300,000 yena monthly total of over a million yen!
No wonder Weekly Shonen Jump was filled with long-running series. The money was simply irresistible!
However, Akifumi Mugiho was no starry-eyed novice.
As someone with extensive industry experience in his past life, he knew the harsh realities all too well.
"Maintaining a high output week after week is almost impossible for a single artist," he thought grimly.
"You'd have to hire multiple assistants and set up a dedicated studio."
The expenses would eat up a huge portion of the earnings.
Not to mention the creative risksburnout and plot derailment were all too common, leading many promising series to crash and burn.
"Getting a serialization is just the beginning," he mused.
If someone had cheat powers to make it easy... well, that was a different story.
"Any other questions, Akifumi-sensei?" Mihari clapped her hands together as though she'd just remembered something.
"Oh right! Given your situation, I can help you apply for a special 'contract bonus'though you'd need to sign an additional agreement."
Akifumi Mugiho waved her off. "No need for the contract bonus."
Such bonuses typically came with restrictive clauses, and Akifumi Mugiho wasn't interested in being shackled.
Mihari wasn't surprised by his refusal.
'Once you have a serialization deal, who cares about that little bonus?'
"So, would you like to review the contract now?"
