"You're the one who's heartbroken! You're the one with mental issues! You're the one who's gone through some unspeakably tragic event!"
Akifumi grumbled as he closed the post with frustration.
Taking a deep breath, he forced a smile and turned to Kato. "Kato, give me a moment."
With that, he reopened the post, copied the link, and sent it to Mihari via LINE.
Stepping out into the empty corridor, he dialed Mihari's number. The call was answered with a surprised tone from the other end:
"Akifumi-sensei? Calling me this early? Is something wrong?"
"I just sent you a post on LINE. I need you to get a lawyer and sue them."
"...Huh?" Though bewildered, Mihari didn't hesitate to agree. "..Okay. By the way, do you have time this afternoon?"
"What's the matter?"
"There's something important I need to discuss with you in person."
"Alright, I'll come by after school."
"Thank you."
Hanging up, Akifumi glanced at the post title once more, his expression darkening.
"Do these people really think the internet is a lawless place? Let's see who's laughing now."
———————————————————————
The school day passed swiftly.
On the subway platform:
"Take care on your way home."
"Mm." Mashiro nodded.
Mahiru smiled, "You too, Mugiho-kun."
Akifumi smiled back and parted ways with the girls.
He then headed to Shueisha's office. In the familiar meeting room, Mihari was already waiting.
As he sat down, Akifumi glanced around and commented, "The office seems quite empty today."
"It's Monday. There are several meetings and preparations for the next issue. Naturally, you won't see many people around."
Considering the occasional late-night and weekend overtime, the life of an editor was indeed tough.
"So, what's the reason for calling me here today?"
Mihari handed him a prepared document with a smile. "You'll understand once you read this."
Curious, Akifumi opened the file.
A moment later, he exclaimed, "This is quite the surprise!"
Mihari chuckled awkwardly. "It's not really surprising. This is a benefit you rightfully deserve, Akifumi-sensei. If not for an unexpected issue with the previous partner, this contract would've been signed last year."
"Well, better late than never."
Without hesitation, Akifumi signed his name on the document.
It was a contract authorizing the overseas publication of his works.
Due to additional taxes and expenses, the royalty percentage was reduced to 8%, but the potential revenue from the international market was massive.
While manga, light novels, and anime were pillars of the Japanese economy, the domestic audience was limited.
Overseas, with a larger population and growing interest in otaku culture, even an 8% royalty could surpass the total revenue from multiple works in Japan.
"Akifumi-sensei, your works will be officially released overseas this Thursday. However, due to translation progress, only the first six volumes of 'Your Lie in April' and none of 'Akame ga Kill' will be available for now."
"'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' and 'Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day' have been ready since last year but were delayed due to unforeseen circumstances."
Akifumi nodded in understanding.
"I'll keep you updated with the latest feedback from overseas readers."
"I appreciate your effort, Mihari-san."
After some casual conversation, Akifumi bid farewell and left the office.
In a high school classroom on a foreign country, an ordinary student named Alex overheard an exciting conversation between classmates.
"This is awesome! Sensei's works are finally being released here!"
"Sensei? What works?"
"Warrior of Love and Hope! A rising mangaka who debuted last year!"
"Why bother with a rookie?"
"Rookie? All of their works have sold over a million copies each!"
"A million? Big deal."
"In Japan, even top-tier manga like 'One Piece' only sells around a million copies per volume annually. That's a huge achievement!"
"Wait... Isn't 'One Piece' selling millions per volume here?"
"Exactly! The market dynamics are completely different. This new mangaka's sales are already on par with veteran artists. I'm hyped!"
"Have you read their works?"
"Of course! I saw them at my brother's place. The art is incredible, but I couldn't understand the text."
"So, when will it be available in stores?"
"This Thursday! I just hope my wallet survives."
"Come on, a manga volume is only about 30 yuan."
"But... there are 15 volumes across three completed series!"
"...Wait, you said this mangaka debuted just a year ago?"
"Yeah, but they work insanely fast!"
"Well, I'll just buy one volume to see if I like it."
Alex, who had been quietly listening, couldn't help but feel intrigued.
"A rookie author? Million-copy sales? Fifteen volumes in a year?"
As a closet fan of Akifumi, Alex fully understood the significance of these numbers.
"If this data is legit, this person is a rising star in the manga world!"
"Warrior of Love and Hope... Thursday, huh?"
Alex made a mental note to check out the series the moment it hit the shelves.
———————————————————————
Daily uploads will resume as usual—except on Sundays!
Help unlock extra chapters by hitting those Power Stone milestones! 💎
Also, if you want even advance chapter, check out p-atreon.com/InsomniaTL for 60 advanced chapters!