The ripple effect wasn't limited to the street level. Edgerunners was beginning to gain traction within the elite circles of Western culture, attracting the attention of some very influential eyes.
In Hollywood, the beating heart of the global film industry.
A middle-aged man with sharp blond hair and an aura of effortless authority sat in a director's chair, his eyes fixed on a vibrant manga magazine. He was so engrossed in the pages that he didn't even notice the man approaching him.
"Chris, what are you reading? Shouldn't you be checking the post-production status for The Dark Knight?"
The man, a producer named Kevin, looked down at the director with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.
"Oh, Kevin. My apologies," the director, Chris, said as he finally looked up, his expression like someone waking from a vivid dream. "The post-production on The Dark Knight is largely in the hands of the editors now. I think they can manage for a few minutes without me."
"Is that... a comic? One of those superhero things?" Kevin asked, nodding toward the magazine.
"No, definitely not one of our American superheroes," Chris replied with a shake of his head. "It's a manga from the Federation. And God... I'm stunned by the author's talent."
"Manga?"
"Look at this, Kevin. The concepts are breathtaking. Neural links, cybernetic body modification, mega-corporations replacing nations as the true masters of the world... and that terrifying concept of 'Cyberpsychosis.'"
Chris's eyes were bright with an almost frantic energy. "And this new term he uses, Cyberpunk... Good God, I'm jealous."
In this parallel world, as mentioned before, the genre-defining works of Aoyama's previous life (films like Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell) didn't exist.
When Edgerunners introduced the "Cyberpunk" philosophy, it was a revelation. It wasn't just a setting; it was a complete, cohesive world-building masterclass. It explored the relationship between humanity and technology, the corruption of late-stage capitalism, and the fragmentation of the human soul.
It was as if everyone had been studying classical mechanics, and suddenly a genius had arrived and presented a complete theory of quantum physics. It wasn't just a step forward; it was a paradigm shift.
Kevin looked at his partner with shock. He knew the man sitting in front of him. This was the director who had released the mind-bending sci-fi epic Inception last year, a film that had swept the Oscars and redefined the genre for an entire generation.
And here he was, getting worked up over a comic book.
"The only tragedy is that it's still being serialized," Chris sighed. "The ending hasn't even been released yet."
"Chris... you're not thinking of..."
Kevin had already guessed where this was going. Hollywood had a long history of adapting comics and manga into films. Their current project, The Dark Knight Rises, was itself a masterpiece born from the pages of a comic.
"I am. I want to adapt this," Chris said, his voice dropping into a tone of quiet intensity. "This has the potential to be a sci-fi film that will redefine the history of cinema."
"How does it compare to Inception?" Kevin asked instinctively.
"In my heart? Perhaps slightly less personal than Inception," Chris admitted. "But it stands proudly alongside any other sci-fi masterpiece. It's certainly on par with the Terminator series."
It's saying that in terms of pure genre-defining impact, a completed Edgerunners (with its "Cyberpunk" moniker) could rival the greats of the genre's history.
"Are you serious, Chris?" Kevin asked, his voice becoming solemn.
"I am absolutely serious."
Kevin took a deep breath. He knew that if the man who made Inception believed in a project this strongly, there was no choice but to follow his lead. The potential for a world-wide blockbuster was too high to ignore.
"Alright. I'll talk to the studio executives tonight."
"Good! And honestly... I'd love to meet this author," Chris added, his eyes tracing the line of Maine's face on the page. "I want to see the face of the man who can dream up a world this dark and draw it with such raw, visceral power."
The perspective of a "patient" that Aoyama used was something even Chris, with all his experience, found difficult to replicate. It was a vision of madness that felt completely honest.
He was also surprised that the work had come from the Federation. But fortunately, the setting was the United States,a futuristic, neon-drenched version of it. The characters were mostly Westerners, even if there were figures like Arasaka or Tanaka who represented the Federation's cultural influence. From an adaptation standpoint, it was a goldmine.
It had depth. It had soul. It had social commentary.
And most importantly for a studio executive... it was a "popcorn" masterpiece. The action scenes were cinematic, high-speed ballets of violence that would look incredible on an IMAX screen.
It was the rare kind of intellectual property that could be both a critical darling and a commercial titan.
Exactly like The Dark Knight and Inception.
As Kevin left to make the call, he knew that the world was about to see a whole new side of sci-fi.
And Chris wasn't the only one watching.
Other titans of the industry (the director who made Jurassic Park, the man behind Prometheus, and a dozen younger, ambitious directors) were all looking at that neon-colored cover. Some were drawn by the setting, others by the sheer viral popularity.
But they all knew one thing: something big had just arrived.
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]
I wont be able to upload chapter for a whole week, so across all the ff i currently worked on, i will upload 7 chapter in advance to cover for it. also, this will be the schedule too, 7 chapter at once, per week, same day and same hours (Currently it is, Sunday, 15 march, 23:00 Indonesian time For Me) if you found any mistake do tell, but ill fix it next week, lastly please do give these ff a review or two, be it good or bad and gimme ur stone while ur at it lol. 1 bonus chapter for all.