"That's right," Aoyama said, his voice calm and certain. "I promise you, Lucy will survive."
He even gave a small, reassuring pat to his chest. His eyes were clear, holding a sincerity that made Akane want to believe him.
Akane stared at him, her eyes wide. "Lucy survives... but does that mean David dies? And everyone else in the crew dies too... right?"
She was finally beginning to understand Aoyama's logic.
To him, "Lucy surviving" didn't mean a happy ending; it just meant she was the only one left to tell the story.
"No, don't make me out to be some tragedy-obsessed freak," Aoyama said, trying to look offended. "In my work, a character's death must serve the story. Meaningless tragedy for shock value is the hallmark of a third-rate creator!"
"Maine and David's fates are fixed because in a world as desperate and hollow as the Cyberpunk one, the 'good' cannot survive. That is the point."
"Only by showing their fall can you truly convey how dark, how oppressive, and how cruel that world really is."
Akane was silent for a long time.
Finally, she exhaled, her shoulders dropping. "I see... you're right. Only by following its own logic can 'Edgerunners' transcend being just another manga and become a true masterpiece."
She understood now. Forcing a "Happy Together" ending would be a disservice to the characters.
Only by giving them a logical, inevitable conclusion could they receive the respect they deserved. Only then could they live on forever in the hearts of the fans, transcending the finality of their own deaths.
"Aha! I'm glad you finally understand, Akane," Aoyama said with a cheeky grin.
Akane nodded, but her attention had already shifted to the sketches on Aoyama's desk. These weren't Edgerunners.
The style was different. Even the color palette felt alien.
Edgerunners was a world of cold, neon desperation, but its visual language was vibrant and detailed. It was a visual feast that drew the reader into its complex, neon-lit machines.
If you didn't know how terrifying the world was, the art alone looked like a beautiful utopia. This was the "Anti-Utopian" spirit of Cyberpunk, the beauty that hid the rot.
But the sketches on the desk were different. They were dominated by cold, desaturated tones.
Even the figure in the center, a man completely wreathed in roaring flames, seemed cold.
"Is this... your new manga?" Akane asked.
"This is 'Fire Punch'!" Aoyama said, throwing a mock punch into the air. "It's my gift to this world! Isn't it great? Give 'em the Fire Punch!"
"A gift? Are you going to serialize this after 'Edgerunners'?" Akane asked, surprised.
"No, no. As a gift, I'm planning to release it as a standalone volume," Aoyama explained, his eyes sparkling with an inner fire. "To be honest, 'Fire Punch' isn't really suited for traditional serialization. Its commercial value isn't that high."
"My next serialization will be... 'Chainsaw Man'!"
He pulled out another sheet of paper. On it was a man with a chainsaw protruding from his head, carving a path of destruction through a horde of monsters.
Aoyama had been working on Chainsaw Man for a while, even before reaching the final chapters of Edgerunners. But with his "three days of fishing, two days of drying nets" work ethic, he'd only managed to finish about twelve chapters.
Compared to Fire Punch, Chainsaw Man was much more "approachable." It was faster, funnier, and had a much higher commercial potential.
Aoyama understood that for a weekly magazine, you needed something that could sell.
Besides, he loved Chainsaw Man. He loved Makima, Himeno, Aki, Power...
Especially Makima.
'Ah, Miss Makima is just the best...' he thought. 'I really want to know what her ginger pork tastes like...'
"Chainsaw Man?" Akane blinked.
The name Edgerunners had sounded profound and deep, even if she hadn't understood it at first.
But Fire Punch? Chainsaw Man? They sounded... almost too direct.
"Well, I'll look forward to seeing what you come up with!" Akane said, her confidence in him unwavering.
He'd created Edgerunners as a rookie. Even if his next work wasn't a world-shattering phenomenon, it would at least be on par with the quality he'd already established. She trusted his vision.
"Hehe! I won't let you down, Akane!" Aoyama said. "Especially 'Fire Punch.' I think once you read it, you'll fall in love with it."
Akane smiled. "Then I'll be waiting."
"Good, good!"
Aoyama's stomach gave a quiet growl. "Actually, it's lunchtime. Are you hungry, Akane?"
"Actually... yeah, a little," she admitted.
"Great! I'll make us some noodles!" Aoyama gave her a thumbs-up. "How about Beef Ramen?"
"That sounds perfect. I'm not picky," Akane said with a laugh.
But as and as Aoyama was about to stand up...
"AOYAMA-SENSEI!"
Ayumi Ito's voice rang out from the hallway.
"I'll get it!" Akane said, heading for the door.
Ayumi burst into the room, looking frantic. "Sensei! I knew you hadn't left yet!"
"Eh?" Aoyama blinked. Suddenly, a memory surfaced. "Ah! Right! I knew I was forgetting something!"
"What? What is it?" Akane asked, looking between them.
"The Rookie Grand Prix Award Ceremony!" Ayumi cried out.
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]