After answering the last of the fan questions, Ryuko stepped off the stage.
Backstage, she immediately pulled out her phone and called Haruki.
He picked up after a couple of rings.
"Where are you, Haruki?" she asked, her voice still slightly breathless from being on stage.
"I'm just now exiting the area," he replied. "Do you have anything left to do? If not, how about we check out the other exhibitions and stalls?"
Ryuko smiled. "Wait at the exit. I'm coming right now."
Almost running, she weaved through the staff corridors and emerged into the main walkway.
She scanned the crowd near the main exit. Then someone approached. The person was wearing a mask.
"Hey, Ryuko."
She paused. "Hi. Do you want an autograph or—?"
"It's me," the man said, lifting his mask slightly. "If I came without this, it would cause a lot of trouble."
Haruki.
Ryuko noticed one of his hands was full of shopping bags. "Looks like you've been enjoying the convention. Any stalls left for you to visit?"
"There's still a whole section left to explore," Haruki said. "Wanna go check it out?"
They hadn't gone far when Ryuko sensed a change in the crowd nearby.
More and more people were turning to look. Some whispered. Others raised their phones.
Within the fandom, Ryuko and Haruki's "close friendship" had always sparked speculation. And here she was, walking beside a man whose face was hidden. Anyone could connect the dots.
The whispers quickly turned into a swarm.
Haruki sensed it too. "Oh no," he muttered.
But Ryuko was already moving.
She grabbed his hand. "Run!"
They slipped into the crowd, dodging past stalls and signs. They darted down a side exit just ahead of the growing group of fans.
Outside, panting, Ryuko leaned against a wall. "That… was close."
Haruki bent over, catching his breath. "We would've been stuck in there for hours if they'd cornered us."
Ryuko turned toward him just in time to catch his eyes on her again.
She raised an eyebrow. "What are you looking at?"
He straightened quickly. "I was just thinking… with your expressions and presence, you'd make a great actress. Feels like a waste you're only behind a mic."
Ryuko smirked. "So you were staring at me."
Haruki floundered. "No. I mean, I wasn't. You're imagining things."
She tilted her head, voice soft. "Really?"
Then, with a teasing glint in her eyes: "You looked like you liked me for a second there."
Haruki turned away, flustered. "Stop messing with me."
Ryuko just smiled. Quiet and sure of herself. She felt like today's mission was complete. She was one step closer to Haruki.
The fan forums exploded.
Masked man walking beside Ryuko. The height. The bags. The stance.
"That has to be Muzushiro."
"I was right there and didn't even get an autograph..."
"They're together, aren't they?"
"I knew it."
That night, Ryuko dug out an old notebook filled with scribbles and observations about Haruki. Notes from their early days working together. She stayed up late, reading them again.
As for Haruki?
He kept thinking about her. No matter how much he tried to focus on his game, she stayed in his mind.
He shook his head, telling himself it would pass.
But deep down, he knew it wouldn't.
He tried to get some sleep.
Tomorrow, he decided, he'd use the lottery.
Sunday arrived, and Haruki was ready.
"System, use S-tier lottery," he said.
"Confirm usage?"
"Yes."
The wheel spun. Each click echoed heavy anticipation as Haruki held his breath. Finally, it stopped. It pointed at:
Code Geass.
A flood of information hit him.
Three hours later, Haruki leaned back, exhausted from the system's immersive playback but exhilarated.
What a story.
A perfect mix of rebellion, philosophy, and supernatural power. Every moment felt sharp, clean, and deliberate. And that ending. It wouldn't leave his head.
"All the hatred in the world. I've drawn it to myself. End me, and with it, end the chain of hatred."
That one line carried the weight of an entire generation.
Even after finishing it, he couldn't stop thinking about it. The system let him browse manga and anime reception. In the parallel world, Code Geass had aired just before the streaming boom. Despite its loyal fanbase and critical acclaim, it never reached the same level of global recognition as some of the newer hits. Over time, it was overshadowed by higher-budget, flashier productions.
It had some pacing issues and a few production constraints. But the core was excellent. Among serious fans, it was still a cult classic.
And now, it was his.
If he adapted this into an anime and gave it the treatment it deserved, it wouldn't just be good.
It could be legendary.
That settled it. He would adapt Code Geass as an anime.
But that left the question: what next to serialize?
He needed something strong. Something to replace Initial D and Natsume's Friends without backlash.
"System, use another S-tier lottery."
The wheel spun again.
This time, it landed on a name that made him sit up straight:
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
His jaw tightened.
JoJo ranked among the top 12 most expensive IPs in the system. He'd checked before. It had insane merchandise potential.
Getting it through the lottery was a miracle.
Its price was ridiculous. He'd need points that only the entire world reading his manga every day could earn. Even if he became the top mangaka in Japan, it would take a year to gather enough points. Haruki didn't want to think about what the top 10 works would cost.
The system started playing JoJo in his head.
When it ended, he frowned.
"I knew it. The system was never going to be that generous."
He hadn't gotten the full series. Only up to Part 6.
Parts 7 and 8 were locked. If he wanted them, he'd need another lottery ticket or pay directly.
Now it made sense.
For every genre-defining or culturally massive work, the full story wasn't free. Either multiple lottery draws or massive point spending.
Still, Parts 1 through 6 told a complete story. That was enough to begin with.
The only issue was the age.
The early parts came out in the 1980s. The tone was raw. Araki's style only started forming in Part 2 and didn't fully hit its stride until Part 4. But the foundation was there. And Dio, the main villain, ran through multiple arcs.
Skipping ahead wasn't an option.
"I'll have to speak with Haruka," he murmured. "Negotiating with Echo Shroud is going to be difficult."
JoJo deserved a proper launch. But Echo Shroud's flagship magazine would never go for it in its early form. Too weird. Too retro. Unless he submitted Parts 1 and 2 together to show the evolution.
And if Initial D was wrapping up?
Then he needed something that hit just as hard to fill the gap.
(TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-atreon.com/Alioth23 for 60+ advanced chapters)