Publishing .... Could wait as I had school the next day and needed sleep
Following which,
I spent two days researching this world's literary scene. Turns out, Japan's creative industry had evolved differently. Quirk-focused literature dominated shelves—memoirs from Pro Heroes, investigative thrillers about Villain organizations, martial arts fantasy, self-help books written by mutants with three brains.
There was still a thriving fiction market. Fantasy novels existed. So did serialized publishing. But the saturation was intense.
Prose novels were still a viable medium, especially for young adults and teens, but after searching through a list of bestselling novels, all Quirk based, I realized that ATLA was either going to succeed spectacularly or fail horribly.
I doubted there would be an in between.
I scoped online.
Every publisher. Every editor email. Every agency that took unsolicited submissions. I read guidelines, took notes, cross-checked addresses, scanned contracts and pay models. I wanted to understand exactly how this industry worked in this world.
I narrowed it down to seven publishers: The top three being the following.
1. Tokuma House – known for epic fantasy and action-adventure.
2. Shueiba Publications – they handled serialized works and had a strong youth demographic.
3. Everblue Literary Press – a smaller but respected press focused on literary debuts.
Why didn't I post in free sites, gather up a reader base and leap off there? The temptation to do so, take it slow was there. Unfortunately, that wasn't my focus.
Being a novelist was a side job at most. My aim was still to get into U.A after all.
Hence, I was done playing small.
This wasn't Wattpad. This wasn't fanfiction.net. This was intellectual property now.
Then I sent queries to six publishers. Some local. Some national. All legit.
Each had a different style guide. Different expectations.
I edited the manuscripts again with that in mind. Simplified some passages. Added artwork prompts where I remembered the scenes best. Suggested a three-part series plan: Book One: Water, Book Two: Earth, Book Three: Fire.
The emails were short, professional.
Dear Editor,
I'm submitting a completed manuscript titled "Avatar: The Last Airbender - Book One: Water" for your consideration. It is a 121,300+ word YA fantasy novel with series potential. Attached are the first five chapters, a series overview, and a synopsis.
Thank you for your time.
___
But before I could hit send, one last detail remained:
The Pen Name.
No way in hell was I publishing as "Ken Rei." Or using my real name. Not yet.
After some internal debate, I settled on a name that felt just anonymous enough:
K.T.R.T
Well, could have probably come up with better. It was simple really. Just the abbreviation of all my names.
Kenneth Takakura, Rei Takumi
K.T.R.T. Sounded dramatic. Mysterious. A bit poetic. I guess it would have to do.
I sent it.
Just like that, I had entered the publishing world. My hands shook slightly after the last email. Not from fear.
From excitement.
This was it. A new start. A different kind of power fantasy.
Hero or not, I was about to change lives—with stories no one here had ever heard before.
And if enough people fell in love with this world of Benders, Spirits, and Avatars the way I once did?
Then it would just prove that the copyright field was open. Maybe ... Just maybe ... I could ... Make a buttload of Cash and become rich from plagiarism with the billions of unconverted Treasure Troves in my head.
Mwuhahahahaha ...
'Dammit. You're going to be a hero ken. That was a villain's laugh. Focus man, focus.'
---
And just like that, I hit send.
Seven times.
And waited.
Time passed.
The publishing industry moved slower than I expected.
Slower than I liked.
I sent out the manuscripts on a Tuesday and by Friday, I had already rewritten half of Book Two and started mentally plotting The Legend of Korra—just in case. But the inbox? Crickets.
For a guy whose brain ran on overclocked RAM, waiting felt like drowning in pudding.
Still, it gave me time to polish things. I formatted an e-version for light novel styling. Adjusted some terms for Japanese audiences. Changed a few names to fit the cultural landscape better. "Sokka" stayed. "Katara" stayed. "Aang" stayed. But I was prepared to bend if a publisher insisted.
And eventually, they did.
---
RE: Submission to Tokuma House – "The Avatar and the Four Nations"
> Dear K.T.R.T
Thank you for submitting your manuscript. While your work shows promise, we do not believe it aligns with our current publication goals. We wish you the best in your writing endeavors.
—Tokuma Editorial Board
Fair. Clean. No fluff. No rage.
It stung for half a minute. I had considered the possibility of rejection, but never really thought it could actually happen.
'These guys have no idea what they're passing on.'
I thought, the situation becoming clearer. Like I previously said, today's comics were all Quirk and hero based. Like DC and Marvel Comics in my last life, the top bestselling works were all hero themed with comics of Top pro heroes taking the top spots.
All Might's comics practically dominated the rankings by a landslide with each release. Endeavor, the number 2 hero couldn't even see the butt end of the mile long dust trail. No wonder the guy was so stuck up in the anime.
Of course Comic wise, forget all might, Endeavors comics struggled to keep in the Top Five among pro heroes. The guy's character was just that unlikable. I got sidetracked trolling endeavor. Where was I originally going with this? Oh yeah. Top based picks were all about here's and villains.
A completely different themed work like Avatar The Last Airbender was a new throw into the market. It could become a breath of fresh air, or get washed away by the next big hero comic that hit the market.
Perhaps in their view, it was too big of a risk.
The second rejection came two days after.
Polite. Cold. Form responses.
Thank you for your submission. Unfortunately, this does not align with our current publishing needs.
Eventually, I shrugged and deleted them without reacting. Well, the style might have changed but failure in my writing still tastes the same.
Just when I was pondering a change and go something more Marvel or DC style, the third reply came.
And this one was different.
[We found your submission intriguing and would like to request the full manuscript for internal review. Please confirm your interest and attach the full document.]
I stared at the email.
Then smiled.
I confirmed. Attached the manuscript. Hit send.
And the wait began again.
Another week later, the fourth reply came. This time, it wasn't a form letter.
> RE: Avatar Manuscript Submission
Dear Mr. K.T.R.T
We've read your manuscript The Avatar and the Four Nations (Book One: Water) with growing interest. While the concept is unusual for our typical catalog, we were intrigued by the structure, tone, and the strength of your character arcs.
We'd like to discuss your work further—either for digital serialization or limited print release, pending additional edits.
Are you available for a meeting next week?
Regards,
Hoshino Aya
Junior Editor, Everblue Literary Press
I reread that email at least five times, and did nothing to prevent the growing grin in my face.
'No need to be so excited Ken. It's just a confirmation, a direct phone number and a meeting invitation. Be as stable as Master Oogway. Took em long enough.'
It took me a while to overcome my initial excitement.
After reciting my Mantra and once again attaining Inner Peace, I arose like a Phoenix from the ashes .... And headed downstairs.
"Hey Mom?" I called into the living room.
She looked up from the laundry, brow raised. "Yeah?"
"... I need a suit."
---
Enjoying the story? Want to read ahead?
Support the novel and unlock early access to unreleased chapters by joining my Patreon!
🛑 NO TIER – Get one Free chapter as a Free Member on my Patreon. (Last Day)
💧 WATER TIER (5$) – Read 3 chapters ahead of public releases
🌍 EARTH TIER ($7) – Read 5 chapters ahead, with bonus lore, author notes, and behind-the-scenes content
🔥 FIRE TIER ($10) – Read 8 chapters ahead, get full access to all extras, and vote in exclusive polls for bonus content
📎 Patreon.com/Future805
Even a small pledge makes a huge difference — thank you for reading and being part of this journey!