"This guy again? The series hasn't even launched, and he's already tearing into it?"
"Seriously. You'd think Mizushiro-sensei personally insulted him or something."
In the manga world, reputation travels fast. A good impression can draw attention—even if the series isn't perfect. But the reverse is also true. Doubt can spread just as quickly.
So when someone like Daigo gave Natsume a public thumbs-down, it didn't go unnoticed. His words echoed online, drawing both criticism and support. Before long, comment sections were flooded with back-and-forth arguments.
Daigo, unfazed, moved on in his stream—praising two other series debuting in the same issue: The Thousand Stars Secret Realm and Star Jumper Mouse. Then he signed off, letting the noise swirl around him.
A notification lit up his phone.
"Thanks for tonight."
"No need for thanks, Rika-san," he replied quietly. "Just doing what I was asked."
"Payment will be processed shortly."
The call ended.
Across town, Rika sat in his apartment, staring at the dark screen. His expression was unreadable.
After leaving Kurokawa Publishing, he'd stepped away from the industry—at least publicly. He told himself it was for the best. That he needed time, distance. But when Mizushiro's name began surfacing again, that familiar bitterness returned.
He hadn't expected him to stick around this long, much less start gaining serious traction. And now, with Natsume getting its own spotlight, it felt personal all over again.
There wasn't much he could do directly. They no longer worked at the same company. But influence could be subtle. With the right voices nudging public opinion, a little doubt could go a long way.
And it worked. Other channels began echoing Daigo's tone—some cautiously skeptical, others openly dismissive. Even a few industry veterans joined the conversation, wondering if Mizushiro had more to offer than just one standout series.
The enthusiasm around his return began to shift. First, hesitance. Then outright doubt.
----
At Haruki's apartment, Haruka sat across from him, scrolling through the tablet. It displayed a mix of negative comments and early reviews from manga forums.
"These are the latest posts going around," she said, sliding the tablet toward him. "Most of them are taking shots at Natsume."
Haruki glanced at the screen and shrugged. "Criticism's part of the game. Some of it's fair. If I were asked the same questions, I might not have good answers either."
Haruka exhaled, clearly frustrated. "That's not what I meant. I'm not asking if the critiques are valid. I'm asking if you see how targeted this feels. It's not random—someone's behind it."
Haruki raised an eyebrow. "So what? Let them talk. It's just noise for now. Once Natsume starts serialization in Shroud Line, they won't have a leg to stand on."
"You're confident," Haruka noted, eyeing him.
"Well, yeah. I'm the one who drew it, aren't I?"
While Haruka and the team at Echo Shroud Publishing still had their doubts—mainly because a manga like Natsume had no recent market comparison—Haruki had no such concerns. He believed that, just like the other world, readers here would find it compelling. If it worked there, it could work here too.
As for the smear campaign? He had an idea who was behind it.
There weren't many people Haruki had clashed with in the industry. And the way this was unfolding, he could guess who was pulling the strings. But would it matter?
He smirked. In the manga world, it all came down to one thing: quality.
A week flew by.
When the latest issue of Shroud Line hit shelves, bookstores across the country had it stacked high, ready for the debut of three new series.
Fans had been eagerly waiting.
In cities like Osaka and Kyoto, some were even lining up before stores opened to grab their copies.
On forums still buzzing over Rurouni Kenshin: Remembrance, some users who had previously sworn off Haruki's work were now the first to post pictures of the new issue.
The rules about photographing actual manga pages were strict, but the cover? Fair game.
The new Shroud Line cover was striking: three new titles featured prominently, with Natsume front and center.
Junpei Kobayashi, a diehard fan of Rurouni Kenshin: Remembrance, had bought the new issue the moment it dropped.
He didn't care about the other two series. Skipping the table of contents, he flipped straight to Natsume.
The opening pages showed a boy running—seemingly pursued by something invisible.
The art was clean and deceptively simple. The panels weren't crowded; the composition was serene, almost nostalgic.
Junpei turned a few more pages.
He still wasn't sure where the story was headed, but the tone and pacing… it drew him in.
Shout out to Ty Spencer for joining my p-atreon! your support means everything to me.
(TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-atreon.com/Alioth23 for 50+ advanced chapters)