Chapter 40: A Plot Beyond Expectations
The protagonist had just been eaten by a giant—and died!
Then, out of nowhere, a strange new giant appeared. But this one wasn't like the others. It attacked the enemy Titans and protected the humans.
The sudden turn of events left Eriri completely stunned. Her mind spun in a blur of confusion, excitement, and disbelief.
"What… is happening?" she muttered.
And yet, her heart pounded with exhilaration. The mystery, the suspense—this was the kind of storytelling that kept readers hooked.
The plot was fast-paced and tightly written, giving no room to breathe.
So Eriri kept reading, flipping each page with trembling fingers.
And then—
The dead protagonist, Eren Yeager, appeared again.
He emerged from the nape of the giant's neck—alive.
"Eren… is a Titan?"
Eriri's breath caught. The twist blindsided her completely.
She couldn't stop now.
Her fingers flew as she turned the pages, each revelation more thrilling than the last.
Once she reached the end of Volume 2, Eriri finally let out a long, shaky breath. Her pulse was racing, her thoughts tangled. Slowly, she looked up at Lucien D. Blackthorn, the boy sitting calmly in front of her.
Her heart was still pounding.
"You're a genius," she finally said. "No… seriously, Lucien. Who would've thought of that kind of twist? That's not something a normal person would come up with."
Lucien, seated in his hospital bed with a relaxed smile, simply nodded.
She shook her head, still overwhelmed. "When I first saw the cover of Attack on Titan, I assumed it was just another battle manga. I figured Eren would spend the whole series trying to take revenge on Titans."
"I didn't expect him to become one."
"And you didn't explain anything!" she added, almost accusingly. "Why can Eren turn into a Titan? Why does he still retain his human consciousness? Why is the world like this?"
Lucien laughed. "You'll find out. Eventually."
"Ugh," she groaned. "You're evil."
The mystery made her itch with curiosity, but she knew better than to ask for spoilers. That would just ruin the surprise when the next chapter dropped.
She stared at him, a little in awe. "You're incredible, you know that?"
Lucien waved her praise off. "I'm just doing what I love."
Eriri—no, Eri Kashiwagi—smiled. "You're Whale. The guy who's changing the game. And no one even knows it."
He shrugged again, humble as always.
Just then, he reached into the drawer next to his hospital bed and pulled out another manuscript.
"I also finished Chapter 10 of Volume 2 of Slam Dunk. Want to take a look?"
Eriri's excitement dimmed slightly. Not because she disliked Slam Dunk, but because Attack on Titan had just blown her mind, and it was hard to shift gears.
Still, she took the manuscript and began reading.
The story picked up where it had left off: Sakuragi Hanamichi had quit the basketball team after an emotional breakdown. He began aimlessly fighting around town, acting out.
But despite his anger and immaturity, Sakuragi couldn't shake his desire to play.
He didn't want to disappoint Haruko Akagi. He didn't want to lose to Rukawa Kaede.
And so, reluctantly, he returned to the basketball team—ashamed, but determined.
After reading the chapter, Eriri put the manuscript down and leaned back in her chair.
"Well?" Lucien asked.
"I mean… it's fine."
"Just fine?"
"I don't know," she said, hesitant. "It's not bad, but compared to Attack on Titan, it feels a little… tame?"
He raised an eyebrow.
"Sakuragi is… annoying. He's childish, always picking fights. He thinks too highly of himself, and he's constantly jealous of Rukawa."
Lucien chuckled. "You really don't like him, huh?"
"If someone like Sakuragi existed in real life, I'd probably avoid him. Honestly, I think Rukawa should be the protagonist."
Lucien placed a hand over his heart, mock-offended. "Ouch."
Still, he didn't argue. He knew Slam Dunk was a slower burn. Eriri hadn't seen the heart yet. Not really.
He grinned mischievously. "Do you know what kinds of readers authors dislike the most?"
"Hmm?" Eriri tilted her head.
Lucien raised a finger. "The first kind: people who point out every flaw, criticize the plot, and act like they know better."
"Hmph. Fine. Fair enough. What's the second kind?"
Lucien grinned wider. "People who only say it was perfect and refuse to give real feedback."
There was a long pause.
Then it hit her.
"You tricked me!"
"I want you to praise me."
"Unbelievable!" she burst out laughing. "You're shameless!"
He just smiled.
"Well, if you must have praise…" she cleared her throat, adopting a serious expression. "Your panel composition and pacing are very strong. Your line work is clean and expressive. The art is more polished in Slam Dunk than in Attack on Titan, actually."
Lucien nodded, satisfied.
"I especially like how much emotion you pack into each close-up. You can really feel the characters' expressions. That's not easy to pull off."
Coming from someone like Eri Kashiwagi—a respected illustrator herself—those words meant a lot.
"But," she added, "you'd better pick up the pace. I've seen some comments online under the first volume. Some readers are starting to lose interest."
Lucien didn't look surprised. "I know. They're comparing it directly to Attack on Titan, which is tough. I'll push to finish Volume 3 by next week. That's when the exciting part starts."
Eriri nodded. "Good. I'll come by every couple of days to check your progress."
"I'll be waiting."
She sighed and stood up, stretching her arms. "Ugh, school's exhausting. Sometimes I envy you. Just lying around all day in bed, drawing manga…"
Lucien raised an eyebrow. "Eri, being a bad student won't help your future."
She laughed. "Says the guy who lives in a hospital room."
"When I get out of here, I'll tutor you."
"Eh?"
"My grades are actually pretty good."
She blushed and rolled her eyes. "Well, Mr. Whale, if you're so smart… I'll consider it."
Lucien grinned. "Deal."
And just like that, the quiet hospital room filled with a sense of anticipation—for the next volume, the next chapter, and whatever was waiting beyond the next page.