Chapter 43: Competition
The atmosphere at the editorial weekly meeting in early June was heavier than usual.
Editor-in-Chief Lee projected the latest reader data onto the screen.
The blue curve showed a tiny dip at Chapter 5—68.9%, down 2.4 percentage points from Chapter 4's 71.3%.
"The first drop." Lee scanned the room. "Not a large margin, but sensitive as a signal. The whole industry is watching to see when Fullmetal Alchemist's growth curve will peak."
He switched slides. Another set of data appeared: "Stardust Mage" Chapter 1 Approval Rating: 56%. The author was "Starfire," the pillar of Manga Weekly.
"Manga Weekly got smart," Lee said. "They stopped copying alchemy themes and switched to their most familiar track—beautiful girls, magic academy, straightforward romance lines. Chapter 1 has three distinct heroines circling the protagonist, and the market response is good."
Murmurs filled the room. Kevin Zhang pushed up his glasses. "This is a short-term strategy. The characters in Stardust are still old templates—tsundere fire type, gentle water type, mysterious thunder type. Our Second Lieutenant Maria Ross debuts tonight; the character depth is not in the same dimension."
Sue took over. "Chapter 6 storyboards are complete. Ross is a military liaison officer—professional, calm. Her relationship with Edward will have complex tension, but handled with extreme restraint. This 'high-level ambiguity' is our advantage."
Lee pondered for a moment. "Can it counter Stardust's direct style?"
"Yes," Kevin affirmed. "Readers might be attracted by direct pandering in the short term, but deep character relationships are what keep people long-term. Alex excels at burying restrained emotional foreshadowing within a serious main plot; that subtle tension is more memorable."
"Good." Lee decided. "Chapter 6 runs on time. We speak through the work high-level restraint beats direct pandering."
That week, Fullmetal Alchemist Chapter 6 was published.
The debut of Second Lieutenant Maria Ross sparked heated discussion. Forum threads hit a thousand replies within half an hour.
"Ross is so cool! Her actions are clean and sharp!"
"This restrained tension is way more exciting than a direct confession!"
Even more exciting for readers was Winry's brief scene at the end. She was polishing automail parts in her workshop, whispering to herself: "At least let the armor I make protect you." Just two panels, but full of emotion.
"Winry faction rejoice! Silent support is true love!"
"Ross: Strong mature woman; Winry: Childhood friend. This setup is killer!"
"But the dialogue between Ross and Edward has so much info, feels like a deep story line is buried..."
Kevin Zhang looked at the real-time data and smiled at Sue. "The prototype of three emotional lines is formed. But Alex handles it with class—every female character has an independent personality and plot line, not decorations attached to the protagonist."
Sue nodded. "He says good emotional depiction should serve character building. Readers like these characters because they are complete people themselves."
In the Editor-in-Chief's office at Manga Weekly, Zhou's expression was grim.
Stardust Mage Chapter 2 approval rating dropped to 50%. Reader feedback: "Template characters," "Romantic progress too forced." Meanwhile, discussion of Ross in FMA Chapter 6 continued to climb.
"We can't go on like this." Zhou told the editor in charge. "Have Starfire add a new character in Chapter 3—Cecilia Silvermoon, a female officer of the Imperial Magic Legion, silver hair, cool beauty, responsible for monitoring the protagonist. Lean her design towards Ross, but make the emotional line more active, more direct."
"Chief, isn't that too obvious?"
"So what if it's obvious?" Zhou sneered. "Readers want gratification. We give them more direct, more active. At the same time, spread word in the industry that FMA's characters are 'too restrained' and 'don't service the reader enough'—muddy the waters."
The editor took notes. Zhou added: "Add a climax at the end of Chapter 3—Cecilia sneaks into the protagonist's room late at night, says 'From today on, I will monitor everything about you closely,' and then lies directly on the protagonist's bed. I want to see topic heat."
"That scale..."
"How do we win without going big?" Zhou slammed the table. "Do it."
In July, Fullmetal Alchemist Chapter 7 was published.
The cliffhanger at the end sparked heated discussion again. The image of the bar waitress Madame Christmas turning around and smiling in the ruins sent chills down countless readers' spines.
"Is she a villain?!"
"That smile gave me goosebumps!"
"So the previous enthusiasm was all fake?"
"The Dairy King is too good at cliffhangers!"
What readers savored even more was Ross's monologue at the officer's club at the end. She put down her wine glass, looked at the night outside the window, and whispered: "I hope you really can find balance."
"Ross knows the secret of the Philosopher's Stone!"
"She's worried Edward will go down the wrong path!"
"This restrained concern... is way higher level than a direct 'I like you'!"
"I am now in the Ross faction!"
Kevin Zhang excitedly told Sue: "Three female characters, three completely different relationship modes, and each has an independent story line. This is high-level writing."
Sue smiled. "Chapter 8 will have a new character, Riza Hawkeye, debut. That's another type of woman—representing absolute loyalty of a soldier, and the difficulty of moral choices."
"Looking forward to it." Kevin paused. "But Manga Weekly is making big moves. Zhou not only made Stardust add a new character but is spreading rumors that our work 'doesn't service readers enough'."
"Let him talk." Sue said calmly. "Alex's creative philosophy is clear—characters serve the story. Truly good works will naturally attract true readers."
Mid-July, Ranch.
Alex saw the setting for Stardust Mage's new character Cecilia and the industry discussion about whether works should "service readers more." He wasn't surprised—when a work becomes a phenomenon, it naturally triggers various voices.
He opened his computer and began preparing Chapter 8.
Riza Hawkeye's debut would be very special. She represented another set of values, another loyalty, another way to find a path within the system. The interaction between this character and Edward would bring out the deeper themes of the work.
As for Zhou's competitive strategy, he anticipated it, but wasn't worried. True classics can withstand any comparison and the test of time.
(To be Continued)