Chapter 218: Chapter 217: The Myth of Protagonist Invincibility Shattered in Three Chapters

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Following the marketing campaign by Kiyozawa Library featuring Haruto and Reina, the results for the latest issue were scrutinized by a massive audience of dedicated readers.

Although the magazine typically only serialized a limited number of titles at any given time, seeing a debut Chapter land immediately at the seventh rank was a statistical anomaly that was practically unheard of in the industry. Naturally, the forums were ablaze with debates between the fanbases of the two creators.

"This is insane. One is at the top, and the other is already at number seven. What kind of power rivalry is this?"

"I swear Shiori-sensei did this on purpose. He could have taken the number one spot weeks ago, but he waited until the exact issue where Reina’s new series debuted to reach the summit. That is deviously brilliant."

"The pressure on Reina must be astronomical now. Every interview and every promo has her aiming for Haruto’s throat, and now he’s officially the King of Kiyozawa Library."

"This is exactly what the industry needed! Let’s be honest, the light novel scene has been stagnant for nearly a decade. Every year, the industry awards feature the same five or six veteran authors winning the top prizes. I was getting bored of seeing the same faces over and over again."

"Speaking of the awards, I remember Shiori-sensei saying that the next time he stood on that stage, he would be aiming for the number one spot. Looking at the current trajectory of Sword Art Online, that doesn’t feel like a boast anymore. I have no idea who could even challenge him when the awards roll around next spring."

"Is there even another new light novel this year that comes close to SAO’s popularity?"

"Not a chance. Even Crimson Abyss, which has been running for years and averages massive numbers per volume, got dragged down by SAO. If the established pillars are falling, the new rookies don’t stand a prayer."

"Exactly. People don’t realize the weight of being number one in Kiyozawa magazine. It’s one of the ’Big Three’ magazines in the country. To take the top spot there, you usually need a top national presence, which takes years of serialization to build. Sword Art Online did it in two months. That is a record that might never be broken in our lifetime."

"When you step back and look at it, Shiori is a force of nature. He conquered Weekly Prime with Initial D in a few months, and now he’s done the same at Kiyozawa with SAO. It’s almost surreal."

"Is there anyone in the entire industry with more influence than him right now?"

"He’s incredible, but let’s not get carried away with the hype just yet. There are still veterans from the Golden Age twenty years ago who have four or five legendary hits to their names. In terms of lifetime cumulative impact, they still hold the high ground. But... Haruto is only nineteen. Nineteen! Do you realize how terrifying that is?"

"To be at the pinnacle of both the manga and novel industries at nineteen... in five years, he’ll be a legend."

"So, who’s actually bigger now? Shiori Takahashi or the Warrior of Love?"

"It’s a tough call. The Warrior of Love’s Madoka Magica has a status in the anime world that is completely untouchable. But Shiori Takahashi’s strength lies in his versatility and volume. If you combine his manga readers, his light novel fans, and his moviegoers, he probably has a larger total following. Though, if Initial D or SAO ever get high-budget anime adaptations, the conversation will be over. We’ve seen the peak of Madoka, but we have no idea how high the ceiling is for the two of them."

"Don’t forget, the Warrior of Love has two new shows coming in April. He’s going to be padding his stats very soon."

"It’s a shame they operate in different sectors. I’d pay good money to see a ’Shiori Takahashi versus Warrior of Love’ showdown."

The ascent of Sword Art Online to the number one rank sent a shock through the literary world. For days, it was the only topic of conversation in both the fan communities and the trade news.

While the top spot in the Big Three magazines changed hands occasionally, seeing a single creator seize the throne of two different top-tier magazines in two different industries within a single year was unprecedented.

As early December drifted by, another milestone was reached. The second volume of the Initial D manga was officially released.

If the first volume’s performance was a shock, the second was a massacre. Surpassing the initial volume’s opening of 4.8 million, Volume 2 hit a first-week total of 5.29 million copies.

The synergy between Manga Prime and Kiyozawa Library was creating a promotional juggernaut that the industry had never seen before.

Haruto’s image as a handsome, young prodigy combined with the undeniable, peerless quality of his writing created a perfect storm. Initial D was now attracting massive waves of casual readers who had never touched a manga in their lives.

Despite the growing demands for his presence, Haruto began to scale back his public appearances.

Promotional tours were vital for a new launch, but now that both series had achieved escape velocity, the benefit of another talk show or autograph session was dwindling. He needed his time back.

By mid-December, Haruto finally found a rare moment of leisure. It was deep winter now, and large, feathery snowflakes drifted slowly past his window. The maple tree in the courtyard was draped in a pristine coat of white. Haruto sat by the window, cradling a cup of hot tea and staring out at the frozen landscape.

In less than two weeks, it would be the New Year. It had been exactly three years since he first set foot in the light novel world. He looked back on those years and let out a sigh.

"Is something troubling you?"

A cool, melodic voice drifted from behind him. Haruto turned to see Reina standing there, also holding a steaming cup of tea.

"Not really. I was just feeling a bit sentimental," Haruto said with a faint smile. "I’ve managed to achieve some decent results in anime, manga, light novels, and even film. But looking back at the last three years, I realized I’ve spent almost every waking hour working. My protagonists are out there living these epic, colorful lives, while I’ve spent my entire youth just building a company."

"Is that a bad thing?" Reina asked, her clear eyes searching his.

"I wouldn’t say it’s bad. But... for example, you’ve been writing for a few years now and you’ve made a lot of money, right?"

"I suppose," she replied. "The collected volumes for my previous work did well. Across six volumes, I averaged about four million copies each."

"Exactly. But if we’re working so hard that we never have the time to actually enjoy the fruits of that labor, what’s the point? I’m not saying the work isn’t important, but sometimes I feel like I’m a bit too invested," Haruto chuckled. "And it’s not just me. Look at us, you, Shizuru, Yukino, and myself. We’re only living together because we’re all workaholics with similar goals. But that’s a bit of a problem, isn’t it? We’ve focused so much on the business that we’ve ignored everything else."

"Everything else?"

"Yeah. For instance," Haruto looked at her. "Do you have any friends?"

Reina went silent for a moment and then slowly shook her head.

"See? Neither do I," Haruto noted. "I asked Shizuru, and she’s the same. Ever since she started drawing Initial D, she’s been a total lone wolf. And Yukino? Her only friends are the three of us."

"Is that such a problem?" Reina countered after a pause. "A person’s time is a finite resource. The only path to true success is to dedicate that time to what interests you most. ’Socializing’ for the sake of it is just a way to waste a life."

"That’s logically sound, I guess. But... I don’t know. I feel like you should at least fall in love once during your youth. I don’t want to look back on my college years and realize they were nothing but ink and storyboards." Haruto turned his gaze back to the snow falling under the moonlight.

"Fall in love..." Reina’s expression shifted subtly. "Do you... have someone you like, Haruto?"

"No," he said, turning back to her.

"I see." Reina mused on this for a moment. "Well, if you actually wanted to try dating, you have Shizuru and Yukino right here in this house. They are both exceptional women. Why haven’t you made a move?"

"Why are you saying the exact same thing Yukino said?" Haruto looked at her, bewildered. "Think about it. We all live together. You and I have been friends and rivals since high school. If I suddenly developed feelings for someone I’m this close to, wouldn’t it just make everything incredibly awkward? Besides..."

Reina cut him off mid-sentence. "How do you know what I’m thinking?"

"What?"

"Why are you being so arbitrary? How can you be so certain that I haven’t already thought about dating you?"

Haruto froze.

He stared at her for ten full seconds, his mind completely blank. "Wait... what do you mean by that?" he asked, looking at her beautiful, composed face.

"Precisely my point," she said softly. "You aren’t a mind reader. You don’t know what’s going on in my head. I say one thing, and suddenly you’re questioning everything you thought you knew about me. Were you just wondering if I was confessing a secret crush? Was I giving you a hint?"

"..."

Haruto had no answer. To be honest, that was exactly where his mind had gone. But seeing her calm, unruffled expression, he realized she had probably just baited him with a rhetorical trap to prove her point.

’What is it with women and these kinds of jokes?’ he wondered.

Yukino had ended their conversation with a similar cryptic remark just a few days ago.

Reina saw the confusion on his face and realized she had successfully rattled him. "You really are a bit of a blockhead," she murmured. She took a breath and continued. "Besides, many couples start as friends. I was merely rebutting your logic. Just because you’ve known me or Yukino for a long time doesn’t mean other feelings can’t grow. It’s perfectly natural for someone to spend time with you and eventually fall for you."

Haruto felt a bit strange, but he had to admit she made a valid point.

"But if you really have a desire to fall in love, are you going to try?" she asked.

"Try what?"

"Try pursuing someone. For example, a girl in your class... or a girl who is already close to you."

’A girl already close to me? So... one of my three roommates?’

Haruto felt the conversation had just completed a full circle. When Reina saw him looking up at the ceiling with a vacant expression, she felt a flare of genuine annoyance.

This guy was completely blind.

"Just look at the girls around you and decide who you find most attractive. Go talk to her," Reina said, her voice carrying a sharp edge of emphasis on the word attractive.

Haruto fell into a deep silence. "I think I understand," he finally said.

Reina’s heart skipped a beat. She suddenly felt a wave of anxiety.

"What exactly do you understand?"

"Oh, I..." Haruto started to speak, but then shook his head and closed his mouth. "It’s a secret."

With Reina’s specific framing, "who do you find most attractive" rather than "who do you love", the answer in Haruto’s mind had become clear.

---

The final week of December arrived, and with it, the latest Chapter of Sword Art Online.

The previous two weeks had been a slow-burn build-up, meticulously detailing the duel between Kirito and the Commander of the Knights of the Blood, Heathcliff. That battle had left the readers in a state of total shock.

Kirito, the "invincible" Swordsman, had actually lost. In the previous Chapters, Kirito had been untouchable. But Heathcliff had suppressed him from start to finish. Even when Kirito found a split-second opening, Heathcliff moved with a speed that seemed to defy the game’s physics, striking Kirito down just as he was about to land the winning blow. The myth of the protagonist’s invincibility was shattered, leaving the fans feeling a strange sense of loss.

In the latest issue, the fans were desperate to see Kirito bounce back and reclaim his honor. Instead, they found that because he had lost, he was forced to honor his deal and join the Knights of the Blood, becoming Asuna’s subordinate in the guild.

However, while there was no revenge match, the Chapter provided something much more potent.

The legendary sequence of emotional vulnerability.

Asuna listened as Kirito opened up about his trauma with the Moonlit Black Cats and Sachi, explaining his deep-seated fear of leading others. She listened with a gentle, patient heart. When he finally finished recounting his guilt over Sachi’s death, Asuna sat beside him and took his face in her hands. She looked at him with eyes that were clear and full of strength.

"I’m not going to die, Kirito. Because I’m the one who’s going to protect you!"

The text was followed by a breathtaking illustration of Asuna pulling Kirito into an embrace.

The final SAO Chapter of the year ended on the sweetest note the series had ever delivered. There was no bickering, no complaints from the fans about the plot, only a wave of swooning.

"Now this is what I’m talking about! Shiori-sensei, if you can write romance this well, keep it coming!"

"Asuna is too pure for this world. I’m crying."

"Where can I find a girl like her? She’s literally perfect."

"My girlfriend is just like Asuna. She’s from a quiet little town in the mountains, and she’s so gentle... except when she’s mad, then she tells me about how dangerous the mountain roads are back home. I love her so much, even if she scares me sometimes."

"The guy above me is clearly delusional. Let him have his moment."

"Does Shiori-sensei have a girlfriend? How can he write this unless he’s actually experiencing it?"

"I don’t know. He’s rich, talented, and looks like an idol. There’s no way he’s single. I saw some university students on a thread saying he’s a really nice guy, too. A guy like that is a total magnet."

"I bet he’s dating Shizuru. The chemistry in their work is too real."

"No way, it’s definitely Reina. They’ve been rivals since they were kids. That’s a classic romance trope."

"In this country, people are often paired up early. Haruto is twenty. There is zero chance he’s flying solo. Most college students are already paired up, and he’s a literal superstar."

"I’m twenty-two and single. I feel personally attacked by this comment section."

"PhD student here. Still single. No pride left."

"Shout out to Shiori-sensei for giving us SAO this year. I hope everyone reading this finds their own Asuna or Kirito next year."

"Thank you for the happiness, Sensei. Happy New Year!"

The comment section on Haruto’s official page was a rare sea of positivity. The simple sweetness of the Kirito-Asuna interaction had successfully captured the hearts of millions. By the time the official counts were in, Sword Art Online had set a new record for the magazine: 3.04 million votes.

The entire Kiyozawa editorial department was in a state of euphoria.

It had been six long years since a title in their magazine had crossed the three-million-vote threshold.