novelraw Chapter 127: Misae's Dream of the Beautiful President! Strategic-Level Nohara Hiroshi!
Chapter 127: Misae's Dream of the Beautiful President! Strategic-Level Nohara Hiroshi!
Strategic Project!
These four words, what they meant within this strictly hierarchical manga empire of Shueisha, he was clearer on than anyone else.
It meant that the entire editorial department, from typesetting to printing, from promotion to distribution, all the most superior resources would be unreservedly tilted toward these three works!
It meant that he, Tadokoro Masato, would leap from an obscure minor editor to a gold-medal editor holding three ace cards in his hands, sufficient to make all peers look at him with a newly found respect!
And all of this was solely because of that young man he had excavated back then from the vast sea of humanity relying on a trace of intuition.
After leaving 'Future Comic Club' and returning to Shueisha.
Tadokoro Masato was still excited beyond compare.
Because this was equivalent to ascending to heaven in a single step.
He had to be excited!
"Editor-in-Chief, I..."In Torishima's Editor-in-Chief's office, Tadokoro Masato was still so excited he was Incoherent. He wanted to say some words of thanks, yet felt that any language, before the gaze of this Editor-in-Chief present before him which was as profound as the sea, seemed so pale and powerless.
"Alright, alright, you need to calm down." Torishima Kazuhiko merely waved his hand calmly, gesturing for him to sit down.
He didn't look at Tadokoro anymore;
his eyes fell back onto that manuscript of Midnight Diner.
His fingertips lightly, almost caressingly, brushed across that man on the paper with a scar on his face, yet eyes as calm as the deep sea.
"Tadokoro-kun." After a moment, he slowly spoke. That voice carried an emotion stemming from his marrow: "Do you know? Our Shueisha, or rather, our entire Japanese manga industry, hasn't seen a work like this appear for a very long... very long time."
"It is not hot-blooded, it is not bizarre, and it doesn't even have a decent villain. It is merely quietly narrating those lonely, warm, helpless moments that every one of us ordinary people living in this cold metropolis might experience."
Torishima Kazuhiko raised his head. On that face always full of majesty, unexpectedly surfaced a trace of exhaustion.
"Sitting in this office every day, what I see are countless reports full of ambition and desire, countless contracts full of schemes and compromises. I review those manuscripts full of battles and slaughters, yet it's been a very long... very long time since I was truly moved by a story."
"But this..."
He picked up that manuscript. His gaze, like a traveler who had trekked in the desert for decades and finally saw an oasis, was full of irrepressible excitement: "It reminds me of that bowl of pork bone ramen I ate at that small ramen shop on the streets of Shinjuku when I was young, sufficient to warm the entire winter night."
"Or that kind of nostalgia when I drank cold beer and ate delicious yakitori upon receiving my very first Manuscript Fee back in the day."
Tadokoro Masato was entirely stunned.
He had never imagined that this Editor-in-Chief of his, praised within the industry as the "cold and ruthless tyrant" and renowned for his iron fist and viciously sharp eye, would actually speak such... sentimental words.
"Editor-in-Chief..." Tadokoro Masato opened his mouth, wanting to say something.
"Why do you think I value Nohara Hiroshi so highly?" Torishima Kazuhiko, however, interrupted him, his eyes incomparably complex: "Is it because of his talent that is sufficient to subvert an era? It is, but not entirely."
"Our Shueisha currently seems to truly be the leading dragon of the industry. But you must not forget, Kodansha's Weekly Shonen Magazine, Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday, which one of them is not glaring like a tiger watching its prey? What do we rely on to sit securely in this position? We rely on generations of genius mangaka who can truly grasp the pulse of the era and resonate with the readers."
"But what about now?"
He exhaled a long breath. Within that breath was carried a deep anxiety belonging to the helmsman of an empire: "The older generation of mangaka, their inspiration is gradually drying up;
while the new generation of young people are mostly immersed in imitating and following trends, no longer able to draw stories capable of truly moving people's hearts."
"This seemingly impregnable empire of ours is actually, in reality, already strong on the outside but withered on the inside, beset with crises on all sides."
"And Nohara Hiroshi..."
Torishima Kazuhiko's gaze fell back onto that manuscript. That gaze was full of undisguised fanaticism:
"His appearance is like a clap of thunder tearing through the deathly silent night sky! He let us know, it turns out, manga can also be drawn this way! Stories can also be told this way!"
"He alone has propped up hot-blooded shonen
, children's sci-fi, and now... urban warmth, these three entirely different, brand-new domains! He is not a simple genius;
he is a true King capable of relying purely on his own power to expand the territory for this empire of ours!""Therefore, Tadokoro-kun."
Torishima Kazuhiko looked at that subordinate who had long been shocked beyond compare by these exaggerated words of his, and using an unquestionable tone, issued an order: "Starting from today, utilize all your resources to properly maintain our relationship with Department Manager Nohara and Future Comic Club. I do not wish to hear any more foolish rumors regarding 'job-hopping', 'poaching', and the like."
"In this nation of Japan, 'trust' and 'loyalty' are far more precious than those visible benefits. Mr. Nohara chose us;
we absolutely must not betray this trust of his. Understand?"
"Hai!" Tadokoro Masato fiercely stood up and bowed deeply to him. That voice carried a decisiveness sufficient to entrust life and death!
...
A black Toyota Crown Majesta silently glided through the night.
Outside the car window was Tokyo's dazzling lights that never set.
Inside the car window, Misae was like a lazy kitten, resting her small head on Nohara Hiroshi's shoulder. Holding that freshly signed contract emitting the fresh scent of ink in her hands, those pretty large eyes had long curved into a sweet crescent moon.
"Hiroshi-kun, we... we really became Shueisha's strategic-level partner ah!" Her voice carried a trace of dream-like trembling: "Just now when I saw the way Editor-in-Chief Torishima looked at you, it was simply... simply like looking at a living God of Wealth!"
"More or less." Nohara Hiroshi chuckled lightly. While driving the car, he extended his right hand and dotingly rubbed her hair: "From now on, you, the beautiful President of this 'Future Comic Club', when outside, will be a major figure capable of sitting as an equal with Editor-in-Chief Torishima. Are you happy or not?"
"Ah my, you're making fun of me again!" Misae's face went "swish" and turned red. She buried her small face into the crook of his arm, her voice as soft as a mosquito: "Where am I that formidable... isn't it all relying on you."
"However..." She also seemed to have remembered something. In those large obsidian-like eyes flashed a trace of confusion: "Hiroshi-kun, I still don't quite understand. Just now, didn't Editor-in-Chief Torishima hint several times that your Royalties could be raised a bit more? Why did you... refuse it? That's money ah!"
"Silly girl." Nohara Hiroshi smiled. In that smile was carried a bit of transparency and clear understanding of someone who had been there and done that: "Misae, you must remember, when doing business, especially doing business with a behemoth like Shueisha, we cannot only look at this tiny bit of immediate petty profit."
"Although Shueisha currently still isn't that absolute overlord capable of hiding the sky with one hand, its influence in Tokyo, and even the entire Kanto region, remains unrivaled. Right now, what we need is a stable, powerful, and goodwill-filled partner, not a fragile alliance temporarily bound together because of利益 (profits/benefits)."
"I refused his proposal to raise the Royalties today, selling him a favor. In the future, when we need to utilize Shueisha's media resources to build momentum for our television dramas, our variety shows, or even for our eldest brother's agricultural corporation, this favor will be able to exchange for returns a hundred times more precious than that bit of Royalties."
"This, is the vision a true businessman should possess."
Misae was completely stunned.
She stared blankly at this man beside her who, while chatting and laughing, had already laid out an earth-shattering scheme capable of affecting the future. Her maiden's heart, in this moment, was increasingly thoroughly filled by worship.
She suddenly felt that her dream of the "beautiful President," perhaps, truly was no longer just a dream.
...
In the following few days, a hurricane named "Nohara Hiroshi," propelled by the massive promotional machine of Weekly Shonen Jump, once again swept across the entirety of Japan with an unrivaled posture.
On the cover of the latest issue of Jump, unprecedentedly, no color pages of any serialized works were published;
there was only a massive, highly suspenseful black silhouette.
Beside the silhouette, written in artsy fonts, was a line of promotional text sufficient to make all readers go crazy——
[That man who defined "Urban Legends", this time, will use "gourmet food" to heal your soul! Nohara Hiroshi's latest masterpiece, Midnight Diner, officially opening its banquet next month!]
This preview was like a depth charge detonating the entire fish pond!
"Nani?! Sensei Nohara is opening a new work again?!"
"A gourmet manga?! Holy crap! This leap in genre is way too big, right?! But what's there to see about gourmet food?"
"Midnight Diner? It sounds so atmospheric! I already Cannot Wait to read it!"
"Following YuYu Hakusho and Doraemon, Sensei Nohara is going to... triple serialize?! Is... is he still human?!"
Countless discussions, countless anticipations, countless shocks were simultaneously staged in every corner of Japan.
The name Nohara Hiroshi, once again became the most trending, and also the most unignorable, absolute focal point of this autumn.
...
The discussions within the manga industry quickly reached the ears of those who cared to listen.
TV Tokyo, Production Bureau Headquarters Building.
Deputy Bureau Chief's Office.
Asumi was pacing anxiously back and forth in front of that massive mahogany desk.
"Knock, knock, knock."
The sound of knocking resounded.
"Come in."
When Nohara Hiroshi's tall, straight, and unhurried figure appeared at the doorway, Asumi almost subconsciously rushed up, those eyes locking dead onto him.
His gaze was complex to the extreme.
There was appreciation, there was highly vocal praise, there was reliance, but even more so, there was a worry, like an elder Expecting Better from a junior.
"Hiroshi-kun, you... you tell me the truth."
He even forgot the pleasantries, directly picking up a publication his trusted aide had just bought from Shueisha's side from the desk, holding it in his hand.
"Over on the television station's side, Tales of the Unusual, Yamishibai, and Kasou Taishou, three projects advancing simultaneously, you are already spinning non-stop, so busy your feet don't touch the ground. Now, over on the manga side, you actually... you actually playfully attempt triple serialization on me?!"
Asumi's voice became somewhat hoarse due to extreme shock and worry.
His face was even more written full of unbelievable horror.
"You... what exactly do you want to do?! Do you want to become a god, or do you want to die young?!"
"Do you know, you are currently the hope of our entire Kanto Faction! You are the future of all of us! If you collapse from exhaustion, what are people like us supposed to do?! What is your family supposed to do?!"
Asking these questions, rather than saying it was an interrogation, it was more like a helpless dissuasion.
However, Nohara Hiroshi merely smiled and said: "Deputy Bureau Chief Asumi, please rest assured."
"The filming for the variety shows is very smooth. The fourth season of Yamishibai has officially started broadcasting;
the Viewership Ratings are stably above 15%, breaking all records for the late-night slot. The production for the second season of Tales of the Unusual is also past the halfway mark;
the Viewership Ratings remain stable at the peak of 22%. The nationwide auditions for Kasou Taishou have even more so detonated the entirety of Japan, and the official broadcast for the second season has also been put on the itinerary."
With every sentence he spoke, the anxiety on Asumi's face deepened by a degree.
When he finished speaking the last sentence, on that refined face, only a kind of distress remained.
Everything was indeed developing in the best direction.
"But..." Asumi opened his mouth, yet didn't know where to start.
He couldn't very well say anything out of line, right?
"Deputy Bureau Chief, I know what you're worried about."
Nohara Hiroshi set down his coffee cup and smiled helplessly: "Please rest assured, my body, I know it myself. This work is not too great of a burden for me."
He naturally couldn't tell the other party that what was packed inside his brain was an entire successful cultural treasure trove from another world that had long been verified countless times.
What he needed to do was merely be a hardworking porter.
This ease, this effortless grace, was something no mortal in this world could comprehend.
This was the Dimensional Strike belonging to a transmigrator!
"Sigh..."
Looking at his Calm and Indifferent appearance, Asumi ultimately still exhaled a long breath of stale air and waved his hand dejectedly.
"Forget it, I can't out-argue you."
He rubbed his temples, which seemed somewhat swollen due to staying up late for long periods. In that voice was carried the indulgence of an elder toward a junior, full of helplessness:
"But, Hiroshi-kun, I'll say the ugly words up front. The body is very important. Starting from today, I will arrange a medical team for you on standby twenty-four hours a day. Your diet and daily routine must be strictly according to their requirements! This is an order! Refusal is not permitted!"
"...Hai." Looking at Asumi's face written full of "if you dare refuse I'll die for you to see", Nohara Hiroshi ultimately still nodded helplessly.
He knew this was the most sincere care this elder could do for him.
...
It wasn't until Nohara Hiroshi's tall, straight, and unhurried figure disappeared at the office doorway that Asumi acted as if he had collapsed, heavily sinking his entire body into that soft leather chair.
He looked at that patch of sky outside the window dyed golden by the setting sun. On that refined face surfaced an expression bridging crying and laughing, full of bitterness.
"Monster... truly an out-and-out monster..."
He muttered to himself. That voice was full of the powerlessness stemming from the marrow produced after being crushed by absolute strength, and... a massive pride of Sharing the Glory.
He knew the most correct thing he had done in his life perhaps was back then, rejecting all dissenting views to promote that young man who was merely a Level 4 Director up from Suzuki Kiyoto's tiny section room.
Now, this seed he personally planted had already grown into a towering massive tree sufficient to shelter the entire Kanto Faction, and even... sufficient to alter the power structure of the entirety of TV Tokyo.
And he, Asumi, would be the most resolute Guardian beneath this massive tree.
He slowly picked up that red internal phone on the desk. In those eyes that always sparkled with a shrewd light, an unquestionable decisiveness flashed past.
"Hello, is this Doctor Watanabe? It's me, Asumi."
"Yes, regarding that matter I mentioned to you last time, it can be initiated."
"Money is not a problem."
"Correct, exactly that young man. His health, starting from today, is the most important Strategic-Level asset of our entire Kanto Faction."
Hanging up the phone, he looked at that gradually sinking dusk outside the window. On that refined face, a confident smile like an old fox finally re-bloomed.
He knew, this raging fire named "Nohara Hiroshi" personally ignited by him, was only just beginning.
And what he needed to do, was to continuously add the best firewood sufficient to let it burn away all the rules of the old era for this cluster of raging fire.
...
When Nohara Hiroshi returned to his Special Production Department.
"Department Manager!"
A knock sounded on the office door, and Tanaka Kei's face, written full of excitement and anxiety, poked in. He held a thick stack of materials in his hand.
"The representative teams from the eight major national competition zones have all arrived in Tokyo! These are the performance ideas they submitted... I've looked through them;
most of them have strong local characteristics, but..." Tanaka Kei's voice carried a trace of hesitation.
The so-called "local characteristics", translated, meant——a bit uncouth/rustic.
This had also been mentioned during the meetings previously.
These amateurs...
Actually truly didn't have very good performance abilities.
"What's the rush?" Nohara Hiroshi merely smiled, took out an ordinary notebook from the drawer, and casually tossed it over.
"Look at these." His voice was Calm and Indifferent: "These are some ideas I casually thought of for them to reference. The good ones, use them;
the bad ones, just treat it as broadening their minds."
"This..." Tanaka Kei subconsciously caught it, yet his heart skipped a beat.
Casually thought of?
Harboring an anxiety like a pilgrim, he flipped open the first page.
Then, his pupils fiercely shrank!
What was on there wasn't any "casual ideas" at all, but complete to the point of being hair-raising god-tier ideas one by one, full of whimsical imagination!
From using human bodies to mimic a "washing machine spin cycle", to using lights and white cloth to present "ghosts walking at night"... every single idea was ten times more ingenious, interesting, and high-class than the things those representative teams had racked their brains to come up with!
Tanaka Kei felt his breathing stagnate.
He fiercely raised his head, looking at the still Calm and Indifferent Nohara Hiroshi, and couldn't help but blurt out: "Department Manager, could it be that back then, you had already thought of this step?!"
But although it was a question, what surfaced in Tanaka Kei's eyes was admiration toward Nohara Hiroshi.
Nowadays, who didn't know Nohara Hiroshi was a monster.
A Strategic-Level brain?
Seeing Nohara Hiroshi's current understatement of an appearance, he knew, and was also certain, that this was the strategic step Nohara Hiroshi had thought of long ago and prepared in advance!