Parallel World Light Novelist

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It was Tuesday, and the animation industry was still effectively paralyzed, caught in the powerful wake of the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners series finale. The emotional tremors were felt across every social media platform.

Names like Rebecca, Adam, Lucy, and David had become the focal points of a cultural phenomenon. In popularity polls, these characters were either being deified at the top of "Best Character" lists or infamously crowned at the summit of "Most Hated Villain" rankings.

Adam Smasher, in particular, had achieved a unique level of notoriety. Although official merchandise for the cyborg monster had not even been manufactured yet, several major anime conventions took matters into their own hands.

Organizers printed high-resolution screenshots of his metallic face and used them as floor mats at the main entrances. Every single fan entering the hall took a moment to grind their heels into his face.

Now that the series had concluded, the analytical community went into overdrive. Deep-dive video essays and long-form blog posts dissected every frame, marvelling at how the foreshadowing planted in the very first episode had woven a crimson thread through the entire story.

Within Haruto's fanbase, a single, impossible question emerged. Which work was truly the magnum opus, Puella Magi Madoka Magica or Cyberpunk: Edgerunners?

If one looked strictly at the data from the initial television broadcast, Madoka Magica was the clear statistical victor. However, the hardcore fans cared little for spreadsheets and ratings.

For them, it was about the experience. The older demographic of anime enthusiasts tended to gravitate toward the grit of Edgerunners. The tragic, fleeting beauty of its ending had carved a permanent scar into their hearts, ensuring that the story would be remembered long after the hype subsided.

By Tuesday morning, these dedicated followers were already out in force. They woke at the crack of dawn to form massive queues outside major retailers. Even before the first Blu-ray volume of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners officially touched the shelves, the pre-order numbers were staggering. Between online sales and physical shop reservations, the volume had already moved over 200,000 units. It was a figure that shattered existing records in the history of home video sales.

This astronomical success was not merely a testament to the show's inherent quality; it was a byproduct of Haruto's status as a living legend in the industry.

Whenever fans gathered, the conversation would inevitably drift back to him. They argued over the heartbreak in Initial D, speculated on whether Asuna had suffered further indignities at the hands of Sugou in Sword Art Online, and obsessively scoured the web for any scrap of news regarding a second Madoka Magica movie.

In the current times, you did not necessarily have to be a fan of Haruto, but if you claimed to be a consumer of subculture while remaining ignorant of his work, you were effectively speaking a different language.

You were a stranger in your own land.

Starting that Tuesday, social media feeds were flooded with photos of fans proudly displaying their limited-edition Blu-ray boxes. The fans in Tokyo were particularly vocal, boasting about the official signing events where Haruto would appear in person to take photos with his followers.

For a full week, the industry was submerged in the Edgerunners fever. Amidst this frenzy, the most awkward and uncomfortable position was held by the Big Three animation studios. Their flagship titles for the season were still in the middle of their broadcast runs.

While their ratings had not collapsed, remaining respectable at around the 4% mark, they looked like amateur hour compared to the 6% peak achieved by Haruto's finale. They were playing in a completely different, much smaller league.

The Big Three were humiliated.

For two consecutive years, these multi billion-yen corporations had been systematically dismantled by a rising star and his independent studio.

Soon, the official first-week sales data for the Edgerunners Blu-ray Volume 1 was published. Including the 200,000 pre-orders, the total reached a mind-boggling 370,000 copies in just seven days. The news hit like a physical shock, and every major media outlet scrambled to cover the story.

[First-week sales exceed 300,000 units! Cyberpunk: Edgerunners creates yet another commercial miracle!]

Another critic, attempting to be more nuanced, noted:

[While Edgerunners has seen a significant boost in initial sales compared to Madoka Magica, we must acknowledge that this success is built upon the massive foundation of Haruto's existing popularity. In terms of pure, ground-up cultural impact, I still believe Madoka Magica remains the superior phenomenon.]

Online, the war between the "Madoka-ites" and the "Edgerunners" raged on. The consensus among market analysts was that the real test would be the long-term tail. Could Edgerunners match the million copies per volume average that Madoka Magica eventually reached? It was a high bar, but Haruto was the only person in the world who seemed capable of clearing it.

[It has been a full week since the finale, yet the popularity of Edgerunners is actually increasing! It mirrors the storm Haruto stirred up last year. Two years, two phenomena. Is it possible that Haruto, at only twenty years old, has already ascended to the throne as the undisputed king of animation?]

[With three major works under his belt, one peaking at 4% and two shattering the 6% barrier, his 'worst' performing work is still a height that 99 percent of veterans will never touch in their entire lives.]

[Merchandise for Cyberpunk: Edgerunners will launch next week via the Tokyo TV1 official store and the Haru-Yuki website. The most anticipated item is the 'Rebecca Chibi Coaster Set,' where the cup itself is a sculpted caricature of Adam Smasher's head. Pre-orders have already topped 270,000 sets. When it comes to understanding fan culture and 'meme-worthy' marketing, Haru-Yuki Animation is in a class of its own.]

Haruto sat in his office, scrolling through these reports. He let out a long, slow breath. For the past week, he had been on high alert, paranoid that the Big Three might use their vast resources to hire online trolls to smear his work or manufacture a scandal.

But his fears had proven unfounded. The Big Three simply couldn't find a way to attack the show. In terms of narrative depth and technical execution, Edgerunners was bulletproof.

"It's finally over," Haruto murmured, leaning back in his chair. Since entering his third year of university, his actual course load had decreased significantly. He was now categorized as a "special talent student" within his department. His success was so immense that the university actually used him in their recruitment materials.

They claimed his genius was a direct result of the guidance provided by his professors in the Literature Department.

The university wanted prestige, and in exchange, they gave Haruto incredible freedom. As long as he kept up with his online modules, the faculty was more than happy to turn a blind eye to his absence from physical lectures.

He looked out through the glass wall of his office at the bustling workspace beyond. His staff had grown significantly over the last few weeks, now numbering over two hundred talented individuals. However, the studio was currently in that strange, post-release lull. With the primary production of Edgerunners finished, many of his employees were essentially surfing the net and getting paid to do very little.

"I need to finalize the next project proposal and get these people moving again," Haruto whispered to himself. He didn't mind paying them for a month or two of downtime, the salary for two hundred people was barely a dent in the billions of yen Edgerunners was projected to earn, but he was wary of the "culture of laziness."

If the momentum stalled now, it might be impossible to jumpstart later. He knew himself well enough to realize that if he sank into a life of leisure for a decade, he might never find the motivation to return to the grind.

Just then, his phone vibrated on the desk.

"Hello? ...Yes, I believe I've made myself quite clear on this matter. ...Correct, there are only three weeks left. Both Shizuru and I have made our decision. There is no need for further persuasion, Chief Editor. ...The new project? You'll have a concept on your desk within a month, I promise. ...A final signing event for Initial D? I'll consider it. But let's limit it to ten days and no more than seven cities. I do have to keep up with my studies, after all."

Haruto hung up, rubbing his temples.

This was the fourteenth time this month he had spoken with the Chief Editor of Prime Manga. Usually, for a transition this monumental, the editor would have insisted on a face-to-face meeting, but Haruto was simply too stretched across the anime, manga, and light novel industries to accommodate a long lunch.

Initial D was scheduled to reach its grand conclusion in the early October issue. The final chapter would depict Takumi Fujiwara's choice to join Ryosuke Takahashi's Project D racing team, leaving the familiar roads of Mount Akina behind.

However, as the undisputed Ace of Prime Manga, he couldn't ignore the massive vacuum his departure would create in the magazine's circulation. After grueling negotiations, he had agreed to launch a brand-new series in the very same month Initial D ended. It was the only way the editorial board would let him go.

As for what the new manga would be, he was still locked in a process of debate. Within the vast ocean of memories inherited from Shiori, there were countless masterpieces. However, given his current standing, he could no longer settle for "good" or "average."

"The fans expect something on the level of Initial D or Madoka," he thought. "If I put out a standard, middle-of-the-road series now, it'll be seen as a regression."

While he wrestled with the manga side of the business, the animation wing also needed its next big hit. A week later, on the day Haru-Yuki Animation released the second Blu-ray volume of the Edgerunners TV series, they used Tokyo TV1 and their official social media channels to drop a bombshell.

Once the final TV Blu-ray volume was released in September, the studio would, within two months, release the first movie Blu-ray for the franchise.

The slogan was simple yet electric.

"The Legend of Night City Has Only Just Begun!"

The news sent the community into a second, even more violent frenzy.

"A movie? Already? How is that even possible?"

"Wait, 'within two months of the final TV volume'? Which day specifically? I need to request time off work!"

"It's a smart move. They're waiting for the fans to finish buying the TV sets before they ask for movie money. If they released them together, students wouldn't have enough pocket money to buy both. Haruto is a calculated devil."

"I can't wait! But who is the protagonist? Is it a prequel about Maine? Or is it Lucy's story?"

"Look at the title, guys: Cyberpunk 2077. David died in 2076. This is set a year later. It's a sequel. Maybe the driver Falco takes the lead? Or maybe Lucy comes back for revenge?"

"I'm shaking with excitement. I want to see Lucy's Revenge Arc!"

"It's been two weeks since the finale and I still cry when I hear the theme song. Please, Haruto-sensei, have some mercy. Find a way to bring David back in 2077. I just want to see him one more time."

"Unlikely. Bringing him back would be cheap and cliché. You think every movie can be a masterpiece like Rebellion? Let's be realistic. I don't care about David coming back; I just want to see Adam Smasher's head on a spike."

Just as the fans were debating about Cyberpunk sequel, the very next day brought an even bigger explosion. Prime Manga issued an official announcement that felt like a funeral notice to millions.

The Initial D manga will conclude in exactly three weeks.

The industry went into a state of total shock. Initial D was ending? It sounded like a joke.

Edgerunners ending at ten episodes was one thing, the format was tight and the story was complete. But Initial D was a juggernaut.

Takumi had just finished conquering the local legends. He had just levelled up and was finally ready to take on the professional racing world outside. He had essentially just finished the tutorial, and now Haruto was pulling the plug?

The fans were bewildered.

"Is he serious? Is he really going to walk away from a gold mine?"

Haruto remained silent, his eyes already fixed on a horizon that only he could see. He had a plan, and if the fans thought they were shocked now, they had no idea what was coming next.