Chapter 47: Challenge from a New Star [2]
This dialogue was analyzed repeatedly:
"So much info in Ross's words! 'Changed cages'!"
"She's actually hinting Edward to be careful, right?"
"The tension between them is killer! That restrained yet subtle relationship!"
"Ross is definitely on Edward's side, just limited by her stance!"
Reader survey data came out quickly: 73.7%, a slight dip of 0.4 points from Chapter 10, but still historically high.
The industry breathed a sigh of relief—FMA's quality remained stable. But soon, attention turned to the other side.
The Thorn Bird Chapter 2 approval rating hit 70.3%.
The gap narrowed to 3.4 percentage points.
The forum buzzed:
"White Night is surging!"
"70.3%! Hitting this high in Chapter 2, impressive!"
"I cried at the sister part in Thorn Bird Chapter 2..."
"Now we can really say, White Night is a strong challenger to Alex Walker."
"Duel of the two dark fantasy masters?"
Fueling the topic was White Night's new interview. Reporter asked: "Do you think it's possible for you to catch up or even surpass Alex Walker?"
On screen, the silver-haired girl bit her lollipop, tone serious: "Catch up? I'm still far off. FMA is at Chapter 11, quality always stable. I need to make my work maintain this standard first before talking about anything else."
Words were humble, but ambition couldn't be hidden. She wanted a long game, a long-term duel.
"Pressure is actually on Alex's side now." Industry voices said. "If FMA's quality fluctuates slightly, and Thorn Bird maintains or rises... the gap will close fast."
_____________
Ranch, evening.
Alex finished reading the first two chapters of The Thorn Bird. He read carefully, panel by panel.
After reading, he texted Sue: "Read it. Emotional handling delicate, pacing control good. A very talented author."
Sue called back quickly. "You... really don't mind? She's clearly coming for your spot."
"Why mind?" Alex was calm. "She's right. She needs to maintain the standard first. Serialization is a long road. How far one goes depends on endurance, not opening data."
"But she's diverting your readers."
"Readers aren't my private property," Alex said. "They choose to read better works. If her work is truly good, that's the readers' luck, and the industry's progress."
"Then you..."
"I continue drawing mine." Alex's tone didn't waver. "FMA's story is only one-third done. There's a lot left to draw. As for who goes further—let time prove."
Hanging up, Alex reopened his drawing software.
Chapter 12 storyboard was mostly done. In this chapter, Edward and Alphonse's northern investigation would encounter resistance, the military shadow deepened, and Ross's stance would be more subtle. Simultaneously, new clues would point to the truth of "Father."
He started inking. Pen gliding on paper, drawing Ross's complex eyes, Edward's stubbornness, Alphonse's worry, drawing the faint light flickering in this dark world.
Focused, calm, unmoved by the outside world.
Outside, the sky darkened. Ranch lights turned on. Sarah called him for dinner.
"Coming." He answered, saved the file, turned off the computer.
Walking out of the room, he glanced outside. Summer night clear, Milky Way emerging.
A beautiful night.
In the city apartment, White Night stared at the dialogue page between Ross and Edward in FMA Chapter 11, reading it repeatedly.
"This restrained tension..." she muttered, fingers unconsciously mimicking the composition. "When can I draw to this level..."
But her hand didn't stop. She opened her draft, continuing to refine Thorn Bird Chapter 3.
Drawing, she couldn't help but click FMA again, flipping to Edward in the snow.
"Just wait..." she whispered, eyes determined. "One day, I will draw a work you acknowledge too. By then... you will care about me, Mr. Walker..."
Voice light, dispersing in the night.
One week later, both magazines released simultaneously.
Fullmetal Alchemist Chapter 12, approval rating 73.8%, base stabilized.
The Thorn Bird Chapter 3, approval rating 70.5%, also stable.
The gap remained at 3.3 points, neither closed nor widened.
But this time, forum discussion took a new angle.
"Honestly, following both, no conflict."
"FMA's darkness is heavy and profound; Thorn Bird's darkness is poignant and healing. Styles differ."
"But White Night is only seventeen... this talent is scary."
"Alex is only in his early twenties too! Both are geniuses okay!"
What amused readers more were the coincidences in the reader columns of both magazines.
In NextGen's column, a reader asked: "How does Mr. Walker view the recent emergence of new authors?"
Editorial reply was official: "Mr. Walker focuses on creation. He believes excellent works drive industry progress and is happy to see talented new authors emerge."
In Manga Weekly's column, a reader asked: "How does White Night view her relationship with Alex Walker?"
Reply was: "He is a teacher I respect, and a target I chase. Hope to draw good stories that don't fail his work's standard."
"This dialogue... feels a bit like master and apprentice?"
"Tsundere junior vs calm senior?"
"White Night says chase, but actually super worships Alex right!"
"And both draw dark profound series, both good at emotional portrayal..."
"Why do I ship this a little!"
Alex didn't pay attention to these discussions, but White Night saw them.
"Who, who worships him!" She muttered at the screen in her apartment. "I want to surpass! Surpass, understand!"
But her face was a bit red. She closed the forum, opened drawing software, preparing Thorn Bird Chapter 4.
Halfway through, she couldn't help searching "Alex Walker" related info.
"Acting mysterious..." she muttered, but eyes couldn't hide the yearning. "I also want to speak only through works..."
She continued drawing. The characters under her pen unconsciously took on more delicate emotional layers—the power in restraint she realized after studying FMA repeatedly.
Drawing, she stopped, looking at the screen.
"Still... a little bit short..."
(To be Continued)
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