"You... are you really a genius?"
Yamada Elf's mouth hangs slightly open, her face full of shock. She stares at Ryosuke, who is pouring drinks, as if seeing him for the first time. She can't believe that besides her, there's another "monster" of the same age in this world. Does this mean her dream of becoming the God of light novels and creating the perfect light novel will be crushed before it even begins?
Yamada Elf holds the manuscript titled Sword Art Online, her hands trembling slightly. After a "divine eye" appraisal, the thick stack of pages can be summed up in two words: "hit."
The sword motif is a romantic ideal in the hearts of the Japanese people. The history of kendo's development from ancient times to the present shows their special affection for swords. The protagonist is an elite beta tester who takes a cute girl with him and slays monsters—a classic Japanese "power fantasy." The various heroines, each with their own unique characteristics, ensure that there's at least one for her "servants" to fall in love with. The story has a well-paced rhythm and a brand-new fantasy world... In short, this work has all the right elements for a massive hit. Aside from the slightly immature writing style, her "divine eye" can't find many faults.
"Where did you get the idea?" Yamada Elf asks, her face full of curiosity, as if she's looking at a rare animal.
"I'm just standing on the shoulders of giants from a previous life," Ryosuke answers honestly.
Yamada Elf forces herself to maintain her pride, biting her thumbnail. Ugh, is this how you play, Knight? Even when she summons an original manuscript from the demon realm, it requires certain conditions. First, it must be past the deadline, and second, it needs a certain amount of magic-charging time. In reality, she secretly writes the manuscript little by little when no one is looking, only to suddenly pull it out at the last minute to show off that she wasn't working. It's like the game children play: "Have you done your summer homework?" "Not yet." Then, on the first day of school, they all turn in their finished homework.
Will I lose? No, I absolutely won't lose. Once I find Eiri Kashiwagi, we'll join forces to create the perfect light novel. There can only be one God of light novels, and that's me, Yamada Elf!
Up until now, she's always seen writing light novels as a form of relaxation. But at this moment, Yamada Elf's eyes gleam with intense confidence and a desire for battle. The change in her aura leaves Ryosuke feeling a bit puzzled.
"Um, Elf-sensei?"
Hearing him, Yamada Elf puts down the manuscript and adjusts her expression. She reminds herself that even if he's a rival, he's also her friend. She clears her throat. "Ahem, I think besides the slightly immature writing style, this manuscript has a few other areas that need improvement." Yamada Elf's casual demeanor vanishes, replaced by a serious one befitting a million-selling author.
Ryosuke straightens his posture, ready to listen.
"Look, how can the male and female leads' first meeting be so boring? Eating bread together? How uninspired. A meeting needs to be dramatic. For example, why is the 'bumping into each other at a corner' trope so timeless in school romance novels? In your story, you should have the male lead accidentally see the female lead while she's bathing. The girl, who has a very strict upbringing and a strong sense of chastity, can then say, 'Since you've seen my body, I can only become yours now.' Isn't that a classic, lewd-yet-cute scene? And this boss fight you designed is ridiculous. Why are there so many spectators? It should just be the male and female leads. Get rid of the audience, and replace the boss with a giant slime whose corrosive venom melts their clothes off. The moment the boss is defeated, they're both left naked. That's the way to go!"
"Yes, nakedness is the most natural clothing God has given to humans! Being naked is the best!"
With every word Yamada Elf speaks, Ryosuke's fist under the table clenches tighter. Finally, he can't take it anymore and raises his hand.
"What? Ryosuke, do you have a question?"
"Elf-sensei, are you the leader of the Naked Cult?"
"Yes, that's right! Isn't it great? My servants are very happy about it. Don't think the plot is cliché; no man can resist lewdness!"
Thankfully, a best-selling author is still a best-selling author. Yamada Elf proceeds to give Ryosuke a lot of useful advice. The beginning of a novel must immediately highlight its selling points and hooks. We're in an age of information overload. More and more people are being bombarded with fast, fragmented information and are forced to adapt to a high-speed form of entertainment. Readers no longer have much patience. Her work became a hit because of its simple, brutal speed and suggestive content. It's the same formula over and over, but people keep buying it. Although she's often criticized by reviewers for producing "word-trash" with no depth, her sales remain consistently high.
Two weeks pass in a flash, and the manuscript for the first volume is finally complete.
"Don't worry, this novel will definitely be a huge hit. I'll mail it to my editor. She'll say 'oho!' when she sees a masterpiece being born!" Yamada Elf says confidently. She saw all of Ryosuke's hard work over the past two weeks. She believes that with his story and her guidance, they'll create an earthquake in the Japanese light novel industry.
On the highway from Chiba to Tokyo, a black car speeds down the road. The handsome blonde boy inside frowns, staring out the window at the scenery flying by, lost in thought. The boy's father notices his son's strange behavior through the rearview mirror.
"Hayato, are you feeling unwell? School starts tomorrow. If you're not feeling well, I'll ask for a day off for you and take you to a doctor," he says with concern.
"I'm fine, Father," Hayato responds with a bright, cheerful smile. But a faint shadow remains between his brows, and he can't seem to shake it.
His father is the legal consultant for the Yukinoshita family in Chiba. Due to a job transfer, he'll be staying in Tokyo for a long time. It was Hayato's idea to come to Tokyo. He told his family the reason was the better educational resources in the city. But he can't bring himself to say the real reason out loud.
Hayato has a girl he cares about very much, and recently, a name has often come up in her conversations: Hiratsuka Ryosuke. He's heard the name before—the young master of the Hiratsuka family, around the same age as him.
Lately, Hayato has felt an immense amount of pain and guilt. He feels partially responsible for his childhood friend having to go abroad for middle school. Yukino Yukinoshita is the daughter of his father's boss, and they've been friends since they were children. Yukino was isolated in her class, and as her friend, he wanted to help her fit in. But when he brought her to meet his friends, she broke all his efforts with a single sentence.
"Weak and ugly people are jealous and exclude others. It's surprising how much harder it is for the more talented to live. The strong are always lonely, and I've known that for a long time, Hayato Hayama. I don't need your help."
Yukino said this calmly. When the others in Hayato's group heard her, the situation became even worse for Yukino. It was the first time he had ever felt so powerless. He wanted to help his childhood friend, Yukino, fit in while also maintaining the harmony of his own friend group. In the end, he decided to do nothing and let things play out. The outcome was the worst-case scenario. Their friend group dissolved after graduation, and Yukino was sent abroad. Because of this, the girl he cares about now dislikes him.
He chose to move to Tokyo with his father for two reasons. One reason is that he wants to escape. He's afraid of seeing Haruno's expression, which is sunny on the surface but full of contempt. As for the other reason, Hayato wants to see for himself who this Hiratsuka Ryosuke is—the person Haruno can't stop talking about since she returned from Tokyo.
In the distance, the neon lights of the city flicker. The car gets closer to Tokyo, and Hayato's heart becomes more and more restless.