My Name is Hiroshi Nohara, Star of Neon Film and Television!

Chapter 126: Midnight Diner! Editor-in-Chief Torishima Visits! Strategic-Level Works!

Shueisha, Jimbocho. Inside that palace which stood like a massive gray rock, bearing half a century of glory of Japanese manga, the air permeated with a unique scent belonging to the dreams of countless young people that never dissipated.

Top floor, Editor-in-Chief's office.

Rather than calling this an office, it was more like a silent throne overlooking the entire manga kingdom.

Outside the massive floor-to-ceiling windows was Tokyo's never-ending stream of traffic, appearing as countless ceaselessly flowing rivers of fate, ultimately destined to merge into this vast ocean constructed of brushes and stories named Weekly Shonen Jump.

Torishima Kazuhiko, this man praised within the industry as the "legendary editor," currently sat quietly behind his desk with his back to the window.

He didn't look at the scenery outside the window. Those profound eyes that seemed capable of seeing through everything were calmly gazing at this slightly constrained yet irrepressibly excited young man before him.

Tadokoro Masato.

"Have a seat, Tadokoro-kun." Torishima Kazuhiko's voice wasn't loud, yet carried a strange power sufficient to calm any restless heart.

"Hai!" Tadokoro Masato hastily bowed. On that genuine leather sofa that seemed capable of swallowing all light, he only dared to sit on one-third of it. That posture was like a soldier about to undergo inspection.

Torishima Kazuhiko wasn't in a rush to speak. He merely lightly pushed an internally circulated analysis report regarding recent major manga sales to the center of the desk.On it, circled heavily with a bright red marker, was a name—Nohara Hiroshi (Author of YuYu Hakusho and Doraemon).

"Tadokoro-kun, you did very well."

Only then did Torishima Kazuhiko slowly speak. In that voice was carried a heartfelt approval: "I'm not talking about those resources you fought for regarding YuYu Hakusho. I'm talking about you personally visiting the home of that Department Manager Nohara."

"Before that young man had stirred the winds and clouds of this entire era, you, on behalf of our ancient empire Shueisha, handed over an olive branch full of goodwill. This vision, this posture, is more valuable than you discovering ten newcomer mangaka."

These words caused Tadokoro Masato's hanging heart to instantly be filled by a massive warm current.

He knew his efforts were seen in the eyes of this Editor-in-Chief.

"Editor-in-Chief, you praise me too much." His voice carried a trace of irrepressible excitement: "I merely... merely purely submitted to Sensei Nohara's talent. To be able to serve a genius like him is the greatest honor for an editor like me."

"Very good." Torishima Kazuhiko nodded in satisfaction: "Speak then, over on his side, what new movements has he had recently?"

"Hai!" Tadokoro Masato immediately straightened his back and reported in a deep voice.

"Sensei Nohara's YuYu Hakusho, the Dark Tournament arc has officially concluded;

the response has been empty-the-streets enthusiastic! The sales of the tankobon, have officially broken through the ten-million copies major barrier! Following the current momentum, once the next chapter 'Chapter Black Saga' unwinds, the final sales might even... challenge the legendary domain of twenty million copies!"

"As for that Doraemon aimed at children and youths, it is even more... it's a completely out-and-out monster!"

Tadokoro Masato's voice trembled slightly due to excitement: "Although only seven chapters have been serialized so far, the favorable rating on the reader survey questionnaires, for every single chapter, stably remains above 98%! Furthermore, Sensei Nohara has already completely handed over the initial stages of coloring and filling to that 'Future Comic Club' managed by his... President Koyama Misae. I went to take a look;

that is a young team full of vitality and potential. Their execution ability is extremely astonishing!"

He paused, as if tossing out an even heavier bombshell. In those eyes hidden behind thick lenses sparked a light bordering on fanatical.

"Moreover, Editor-in-Chief! A few days ago when I went to Future Comic Club to hand over manuscripts, I accidentally heard President Misae mention that Sensei Nohara... he seems to have, conceived yet another, entirely new manga with 'gourmet food' as the theme!"

"Gourmet food?" In Torishima Kazuhiko's eyes surfaced a trace of astonishment.

He slowly leaned against the back of his chair. In those profound eyes flickered a complex color.

"A mainstream hot-blooded manga sufficient to challenge twenty million copies in sales, a children's sci-fi manga destined to become a National-level classic, and now... he wants to open yet another, entirely new gourmet manga?"

He looked at Tadokoro Masato, his voice taking on a trace of solemnity: "Tadokoro-kun, you are also a veteran in this industry. Do you feel, that a creator's energy, truly is... limitless?"

These words were less of an inquiry, and more of asking and answering himself.

As expected.

After Torishima Kazuhiko finished asking, he slowly muttered to himself:

"I've seen far too many geniuses who, after achieving massive success, began to blindly expand their battlefronts. They thought themselves omnipotent, but forgot that inspiration, is like a well;

no matter how deep it is, there will eventually be a day it's pumped dry. Double serialization, or even triple serialization, the ultimate result is often that the quality of all works experiences cliff-like drops. This, is the most cruel, yet also the truest ironclad rule of this industry of ours."

These words caused that fervent flame in Tadokoro Masato's heart to instantly cool down by a few degrees.

He of course knew the Editor-in-Chief's worries.

But...

"Editor-in-Chief, perhaps... Sensei Nohara, is an exception." He hesitated for a moment, ultimately still speaking softly in a complex tone.

"Exception?" Torishima Kazuhiko smiled noncommittally.

He stood up and walked to the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooking the bustling steel metropolis beneath his feet.

Clearly, Torishima Kazuhiko didn't believe in exceptions.

Pondering for a moment, he slowly turned around and arranged for Tadokoro Masato: "Tadokoro-kun, next week, when you go visit that Department Manager Nohara again, count me in."

"Eh?!" Tadokoro Masato fiercely sprang up from the sofa. On that face, was written full of unbelievable horror: "Ed... Editor-in-Chief! You... you want to personally go?"

"En." Torishima Kazuhiko nodded: "I need to see with my own eyes, what kind of person this young mangaka you praise so highly, exactly is."

Except as he spoke, on that face that was always full of majesty, unexpectedly uncontrollably surfaced a trace of a minor embarrassment belonging to an ordinary middle-aged man, completely inconsistent with his status.

He cleared his throat. Those profound eyes drifted elsewhere somewhat unnaturally.

"That... Tadokoro-kun." His voice subconsciously lowered a few pitches: "When the time comes... if... if it's convenient, could you... also help me ask for an autograph from Sensei Nohara?"

"..." Tadokoro Masato felt his brain blank out.

He stared blankly at this man before him who existed like a god in the entire Japanese manga industry. That face always full of majesty currently carried a bit of bashfulness.

"Ed... Editor-in-Chief... you... you are also a fan of Sensei Nohara?" He asked stutteringly.

"Cough! Nonsense!"

Torishima Kazuhiko's old face reddened, hastily using a cough to cover up his guilt. He turned his body around, facing his back to Tadokoro Masato, forcefully putting on that air belonging to the Editor-in-Chief: "It's... it's that useless brat of a son at my house! He... he's been obsessed with that whatever Tales of the Unusual and Kasou Taishou lately, nagging in my ear every day! I... I'm doing this also to... to promote father-son feelings! What do you know?!"

However, as he spoke, he also sighed: "Of course, I also quite like his works. They truly are too excellent."

...

One week later on Tuesday, the autumn sky was exceptionally high and far, as clear as a flawless sapphire.

Future Comic Club.

Second floor, President's office.

The air permeated with the mellow aroma of top-tier hand-dripped coffee, interweaving with the fresh ink scent of brand-new paper, forming a reassuring scent uniquely belonging to creators.

Koyama Misae was currently using a set of tea ceremony movements with an impeccably elegant posture, offering fragrant tea to the two major figures before her who were sufficient to summon the wind and call the rain in the entire Japanese manga industry.

"Editor-in-Chief Torishima, Mister Tadokoro, please have some tea."

Her voice was crisp and pleasant, neither servile nor overbearing.

That unhurried demeanor caused a trace of imperceptible approval to flash through Torishima Kazuhiko's eyes.

"Thank you for the trouble, President Koyama." Torishima Kazuhiko smiled and nodded, yet his gaze uncontrollably drifted toward the direction of the door.

Saying it was approval.

In reality, it was just loving the house and its crow (loving someone and everything related to them).

What he, this Editor-in-Chief, cared more about was that Nohara Hiroshi who he considered a genius-level mangaka in his heart.

His purpose for coming was also this.

And right at this moment, the office door was pushed open, and Nohara Hiroshi walked in.

He was wearing a simple set of casual clothes, that signature gentle smile hanging on his face. His entire person emitted an unhurriedness and stability like the warm autumn sun.

"Editor-in-Chief Torishima, Mister Tadokoro, sorry to have kept you waiting."

"Mr. Nohara!"

Torishima Kazuhiko and Tadokoro Masato also stood up from the sofa at this time to greet him.

This was etiquette.

After a simple handshake and exchanging pleasantries, Torishima Kazuhiko looked at this overly young couple before him, a surge of unprecedented emotion welling up in his heart.

Twenty-three years old, yet already a legendary producer who had stirred the winds and clouds of an entire era.

This could no longer be summarized by the simple word "genius."

This was an addition of fortune bordering on destiny.

"Mr. Nohara, President Misae." Torishima Kazuhiko sat back down on the sofa, sighing with emotion that both sides were young when they made their choices, and decided to speak straightforwardly: "For our visit today, let's skip those polite pleasantries."

He cut straight to the point: "Regarding the creation progress of YuYu Hakusho and Doraemon, Tadokoro-kun has already reported to me. Frankly speaking, your efficiency has already exceeded the imagination of everyone in our entire editorial department. However..."

He changed the subject, that tone carrying a trace of worry: "Tadokoro-kun said, you... are also preparing to open yet another, entirely new manga with 'gourmet food' as the theme?"

"Correct, it is indeed a new gourmet-type manga." Nohara Hiroshi merely smiled calmly and nodded.

"Forgive me for speaking bluntly, Mr. Nohara." Torishima Kazuhiko's tone became incomparably solemn: "Your talent, is beyond doubt. But human energy is ultimately limited. You right now, on one hand must manage those three ace projects at TV Tokyo sufficient to be recorded in the annals of history, and on the other hand must provide two top-tier manga with entirely different styles for our Jump, which both similarly require expending massive mental effort. To open a third one under such circumstances... I worry, this will be like a bowstring drawn to its absolute limit, ultimately... thoroughly snapping because it cannot endure the pressure."

These words were full of heartfelt concern, and also articulated a cruel ironclad rule of the industry.

If the pressure was too great.

For the pacing of a manga, it truly had a huge impact.

"Please rest assured, Editor-in-Chief Torishima." However, Nohara Hiroshi merely smiled noncommittally.

He didn't explain excessively, nor did he argue.

He merely lightly placed that black backpack he had brought with him onto the coffee table, and then, pushed it in front of Tadokoro Masato.

"Mister Tadokoro, please trouble yourself to open it."

"Okay." Tadokoro Masato froze slightly, then comprehended. He unzipped the backpack and took out the things inside one by one.

Then the entire office sank into a deathly silence.

That wasn't one or two chapters of manuscripts.

That was stack after stack, thick enough to be used as bricks, emitting the fresh ink scent of being brand-new, flawless Manuscripts!

YuYu Hakusho: Chapter Black Saga, first twenty chapters!

Doraemon, first thirty chapters!

That terrifying manuscript reserve volume sufficient to let the entire Jump editorial department serialize for a full month, just like that, Calmly and Indifferently, was piled upon that small coffee table.

Like an unsurmountable, towering mountain range constructed of talent and energy, it heavily pressed upon the hearts of Torishima Kazuhiko and Tadokoro Masato!

"Hiss hiss hiss!" The two inhaled cold breaths, their eyes extremely surprised.

However, this was not the end yet.

When Tadokoro Masato took out the final document meticulously wrapped in a kraft paper bag from the deepest part of the backpack, in those eyes hidden behind thick lenses instantly surfaced a trace of unbelievable horror.

He tremblingly opened the document bag, revealing the content inside. Although it wasn't colored yet, those flowing lines, those compositions full of a sense of story, the unique charm revealed between the lines, settled from the fireworks of the marketplace, sufficient to warm any exhausted soul...

"This is... this is..." His voice carried a trace of irrepressible shuddering.

"Midnight Diner, chapter one." Nohara Hiroshi calmly spat out these few words.

"The coloring matter, will be handed over to my side." Misae also smiled and spoke at this time: "The assistants at our 'Future Comic Club', although still all newcomers, on basic work like filling colors, can still share quite a bit of pressure for Hiroshi-kun. After all, this is also a very common creation model within the industry, isn't it?"

Tadokoro Masato stared blankly at this young couple before him—one responsible for Unconstrained Imagination creation, one responsible for down-to-earth execution, cooperating flawlessly—and was still extremely envious.

"Hai, that is indeed so." He immediately nodded.

Then he opened the manuscripts for this Midnight Diner and handed them to Editor-in-Chief Torishima beside him, who was also curious.

"En." Editor-in-Chief Torishima Cannot Wait picked up that Midnight Diner manuscript and began flipping through it to read.

There were no Earth-Shaking battles on it, no convoluted and bizarre adventures.

Only a man with a scar on his face yet eyes as calm as the deep sea, and a small eatery that only operated deep in the night.

As well as, one by one, lonely souls who pushed open the door and entered when night fell, carrying their respective stories.

Chapter one, Octopus Weiners.

It told the story of a yakuza boss who looked Fierce and Evil on the outside but had a heart as soft as a child's, and the owner of a gay bar who also liked to eat octopus weiners. Between them was an amazing friendship full of dark humor, transcending status and gender.

Chapter two, Cat Rice.

It told the story of a girl harboring dreams of becoming a singer but consistently remaining frustrated in her ambitions. At the lowest valley of her life, using a bowl of the simplest Cat Rice topped with soy sauce and bonito flakes, she once again recovered the courage to continue living.

...

Story after story that seemed plain yet was full of the Vitality of Life among humanity, like cups of warm sake, silently flowed across the hearts of Torishima Kazuhiko and Tadokoro Masato—two hearts that had long been filled by countless hot-bloodedness and battles—leaving behind an unprecedented, warm moistness.

"...A good story."

After quite a while, Torishima Kazuhiko finally exhaled a long breath. That breath seemed to carry away his anxiety from this recent period.

He raised his head, looking at that young man. In those profound eyes, all scrutiny and worry had faded, leaving only pure admiration stemming from the depths of his soul.

"Mr. Nohara, what you said is not wrong. This, indeed is different from all the current works in our Jump."

"It is not hot-blooded, has no battles, and even... doesn't even have a decent main storyline. But it, however, possesses a kind of, the most powerful force sufficient to penetrate all barriers of age and social class——"

He paused, that voice taking on a trace of emotion stemming from his marrow that even he himself hadn't realized.

"——Resonance."

Torishima Kazuhiko had, after all, been engaged in the manga industry for decades.

His horizons were extremely high.

This work, perhaps could not create a ten-million copy sales myth like YuYu Hakusho.

But it could be like a seed, silently taking root and sprouting in the heart of every single reader.

Ultimately growing into an evergreen tree, sufficient to provide a continuous stream of nutrients for their ancient empire Shueisha over the upcoming decades.

Because to many young people, this would look like gourmet food.

But when they entered the workplace.

Got married.

Had children.

It would be a work they could comprehend even more deeply!

This, would be a masterpiece handed down from generation to generation in the truest sense.

"Tadokoro-kun."

Torishima Kazuhiko turned his head and, using an unquestionable tone, issued an order toward that subordinate beside him who had also been reading the manga and was moved to red rimmed eyes by the stories inside:

"Starting from today, you are Sensei Nohara's exclusive Editor-in-charge. Utilize all your resources to cooperate with Sensei Nohara and President Misae's work. The projects YuYu Hakusho, Doraemon, and Midnight Diner will be the most important Strategic Projects of our Shueisha for the latter half of the year—no, for the next five years!"

"Hai!"

Tadokoro Masato was slightly stunned, and immediately stood up, nodding heavily at Editor-in-Chief Torishima.