Hey Guys.
New week, New Chapter. I noticed Most of you guys don't really like the whole Novel publishing arc. Cool I guess. Just giving reassurance that this isn't one of those, make a whole media empire from plagiarized work.
As for those who feel that these chapters are filler .... I can only say I like character interactions, slow pacing and the fact that writing isn't easy. Though I do admit that I could have tightened a lot of things to speed it up. So, I will be posting double chapters today and tomorrow.
These aren't bonuses though. It's just the Four - Five chapters I should spread out throughout the week being focused on the first two to three days.
Hope you enjoy.
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THURSDAY MORNING – A MONTH LATER
There was a knock at the front door.
I had barely finished brushing my teeth when Mom called out from the hallway.
"Ken! It's for you! Something from the publisher."
My eyebrows shot up. I rinsed quickly and rushed to the genkan.
A delivery guy stood there with a square cardboard parcel. Not huge, but heavier than it looked.
"Takumi Ken-sama? From Everblue Press. Sign here."
I scribbled my name, took the package, and shut the door.
Back in the living room, I sliced it open. Inside was a sleek black box. Embossed silver letters on the front:
> The Last Airbender: Volume One
Advance Proof Copy – Not for Sale.
I swallowed.
It was real.
My book—printed, bound, and real. I held it like it might disappear. The cover was gorgeous: an illustrated shot of Aang, back shot standing on a cliff. The colors were rich. The paper smelled like new beginnings and slightly overpriced bookstore coffee.
Mom peeked over my shoulder.
"...Oh. Wow. That's... actually kind of pretty."
"Kind of?" I asked, mock-offended.
"Okay, very pretty."
She grinned, squeezing my shoulder. "Proud of you, you know."
I looked at the back cover. My pen name was printed clearly beneath the blurb: K.T.R.T
Anonymous, sure. But mine.
__
POV CHANGE
It started quietly.
After the contract was signed, the manuscript sealed, and the advance paid, the machine kicked into gear. Not all at once, and not with fireworks—but with the dull, rhythmic churn of an industry used to sifting through mediocrity to find buried gold.
At the center of it all sat Aya Hoshino, junior editor of Everblue Literary Press.
---
Everblue Editorial Office – One Week Post-Signing
Aya adjusted her posture, squinting at her screen. The first round of edits had gone through cleanly. The boy's prose was surprisingly tight—more than she'd expected, less than what she knew it could become.
"Get the phrasing smoother here," she muttered, tagging a dialogue exchange between Aang and Zuko. "And... soften that metaphor. It reads too stiff for a twelve-year-old."
Her stylus tapped rhythmically against her tablet.
Around her, the other editors moved like clockwork, processing submissions, formatting novels, proofing galleys. The office was sleek, but quiet—like a library with wifi and better chairs.
"Is this that fantasy title from the no-name?" one of the other editors asked, pausing by her cubicle with a mug of vending machine coffee.
Aya didn't look up. "Yeah. Avatar: The Last Airbender. Title's a placeholder, but the premise holds."
"The one with no Quirks?" He leaned over a bit before showing a smug smirk.
"Looks like you got a lot of work on your hands. Stuff like this is really hard to sell."
"That's what I thought," Aya replied, "until I read it."
The editor gave a low whistle. "Betting your quarterly bonus on this one, huh?"
Aya only smiled faintly. "No risk, no royalty."
---
Two Weeks Post Signing– Production Began.
The cover design came next.
Everblue's art department proposed a stylized silhouette of a boy standing in front of a four-element motif: swirling water, cracked earth, rising flame, and drifting wind. No faces. No spoilers. Just the atmosphere of epic change.
As per contract, it had been sent back by Aya to the author for approval who did so within a day. He added one note:
"Make sure the arrow on his head isn't too aggressive. He's a monk after all."
With no problems on that end, Aya forwarded it to design to begin the next phase of creation.
---
Four Weeks Post Signing – Marketing Strategy Meeting
Aya sat in the boardroom with four other staffers. A slideshow played in the background.
MARKETING TIER: LOW-MID RISK FANTASY (UNKNOWN AUTHOR)
TARGET DEMOGRAPHIC: 15–25 M / F, Urban-Online Readers.
"So we're launching it under the Everblue Digital Originals imprint," said the head of marketing. "We're pushing weekly chapters to generate traction, then converting to physical after 60% engagement milestone."
Aya nodded. "I want influencer outreach—small reviewers, mid-tier booktubers. Nothing too flashy."
She turned her head and examined the room.
"Any suggestions?"
"We could start a soft Twitter promo," someone suggested. "Play on the whole quirkless world angle—maybe something like 'Fantasy For a Quirk-Filled Age.'"
Aya shrugged. "Not bad. Little on the nose. But it needs more soul than snark."
That's when the PR assistant added, "What about a Pro Hero read? No A-listers—they're expensive. But Midnight used to be affiliated with us during the Pro-Hero Literacy Initiative a while back. She supported youth reading programs, right?"
Aya blinked.
Midnight.
It made sense. She had the rare mix of media presence and authenticity. Youth culture loved her. Teachers respected her. She could read a line off a cereal box and make it sound scandalous or smart depending on the lighting.
And more importantly—Aya recalled—she wasn't a stranger to Everblue.
"We helped print ten thousand pamphlets for that campaign after the government's printer botched the job," she murmured aloud. "That was Midnight's face on the cover, if I'm not mistaken."
"She never owed us," someone noted.
"No," Aya agreed, "but she supported that effort on principle. I think she's the kind of person who still believes in stories meant for younger readers. And this book is exactly that."
She paused. Thought.
"We're not going to ask her to promote it. No endorsements. Just… ask if she'd be willing to read it."
A few curious looks.
Aya shrugged. "Worst case, she ignores it. Best case—she sees what I see."
She pulled her stylus from behind her ear. "I'll ask Rin to arrange the delivery."
---
Three Days Later
Location: U.A. High School – Faculty Wing, Late Afternoon (4:36 PM)
POV: Rin Takanashi – Junior Assistant Editor at Everblue Publishing
The faculty wing of U.A. High was a strange mix of polished professionalism and quiet fatigue in the late afternoon. Sunlight filtered in through the narrow windows, gilding the walls in a soft, gold hue. Most students had already left the premises, and the bulk of the hero faculty were either reviewing class reports or preparing for patrols. The corridors had the subdued, transitional quiet of a place caught between duty and downtime.
Rin Takanashi adjusted the lapel of her blazer for the fifth time, glancing sideways at her companion — Hiro, the editorial intern barely two months into his post. He stood fidgeting by the bulletin board, his Everblue visitor badge swinging on a lanyard like it was about to choke him. His gaze darted between Rin and the corner up ahead like they were about to pull off a heist.
"You sure she walks through here?" he whispered, voice barely above a breath.
"Yes," Rin murmured. "4:35 to 4:40. Every Tuesday and Friday. It's her off-shift block before she leaves for downtown patrol."
Hiro nodded stiffly. "You're sure this isn't too direct?"
"It's not direct. It's a drop-off. Not a pitch. Not a bribe. Just... giving her a chance."
"Still feels ballsy."
"She has past affiliations. That counts .. I think."
Rin wasn't technically wrong. Two years ago, Everblue Publishing had pulled an all-nighter to design and print over ten thousand brochures for a government-backed Pro-Hero Literacy campaign after the previous printer collapsed under last-minute formatting errors. Rin had been one of the proofing assistants then — barely a footnote, but still there. Midnight had been one of the faces of that campaign. She'd thanked them in passing. Everblue's manager, Saegusa-san, had once remarked offhandedly that "someone like Midnight might be willing to repay that someday — if we gave her a reason."
This was their reason.
Rin clutched the manila envelope containing the manuscript with both hands. It wasn't thick — just the cleaned-up first manuscript of Book One. Two hundred pages. Clean formatting. A sharp but simple cover letter introducing the concept. No sales pitch. No marketing lingo. Just: We'd love if you read this.
The echo of approaching heels bounced down the hallway.
Nemuri Kayama, aka Midnight, turned the corner precisely on time.
She looked exactly as she did in the pro-hero broadcasts — tall, confident, and strikingly unhurried, despite the clatter of her heels. She had a tablet in one hand, scrolling through something, earbuds in her ears, a latte tucked under her arm in a reusable cup. She wasn't in her hero costume — just an elegant charcoal-gray trench coat over fitted slacks. Still, even in plain clothes, she carried the unmistakable charisma of someone who knew how to fill a space.
Rin stepped forward with practiced composure, raising one hand slightly, not to wave — too casual — just enough to be noticed. Hiro shrank two inches behind her.
"Kayama-san?" Rin called, polite but audible. "Apologies for interrupting—Rin Takanashi, from Everblue Publishing. We've worked with your office before? During the Pro-Hero Literacy Day pamphlets?"
Midnight slowed her pace and pulled out an earbud, raising an eyebrow as she turned toward them.
"Everblue?" she echoed. "That rings a bell... pamphlets, right? Literacy event?"
"Yes, ma'am. You might not remember me, but we handled the design and final typesetting. Your team said you appreciated the emergency rush job."
Midnight tilted her head. "Hmm. Right. I vaguely remember someone panicking about misprinted kanji."
Rin smiled lightly, nodding. "That was us. I promise, no panic today. I'm not here to pitch or ask for anything public. Just—"
She held out the envelope with both hands, arms extended slightly forward in polite, businesslike formality.
"—a manuscript. Original young adult fantasy. A passion project that's passed internal review, and one we believe has potential. If you ever find time, we'd really value your thoughts. You're one of the few public figures who straddles both education and storytelling."
Midnight blinked, clearly surprised at the formality — or perhaps the sheer straightforwardness.
"I don't usually do manuscript reviews," she said slowly, accepting the envelope almost out of reflex.
"I know," Rin said quickly. "This isn't about endorsements. There's no press angle. You're not obligated to comment. We just... we remembered your past support for storytelling literacy, and thought you might enjoy it."
A pause followed. The silence wasn't hostile — just mildly curious.
"Fantasy, huh?"
"Yes. Classical East Asian inspiration. Martial arts. Young protagonists. Strong worldbuilding. No Quirk systems or hero-society structure — it's not fanfiction, either. Completely original."
Midnight studied the envelope, running a finger along the seal without opening it. Then she gave a faint smirk. "Well, you're persistent. That's something."
She slid the manuscript under her arm beside her tablet. "Alright. I won't promise anything soon. Patrol's a beast this month. But I'll take a look." "
"That's more than enough. Thank you for your time."
Rin bowed once, short and clean.
Midnight tucked the envelope under her arm beside her tablet, already refitting her earbud. "Good luck with the launch."
And with that, she moved on, heels tapping down the corridor again.
Rin exhaled. Hiro finally blinked.
"…She didn't even look annoyed."
"Nope," Rin said, already turning to leave. "Which means we did our job right."
___
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