Haruki, Kotone, and Sora stood facing Rika, his face twisted with anger. His voice was barely contained, dripping with frustration.
"What conditions did Sora offer you? Why did you help her?" Rika seethed.
Haruki stepped forward, positioning himself between Sora and Rika. Kotone kept a sharp eye on Rika, ever watchful for danger.
"Why shouldn't I help her?" Haruki replied flatly.
Rika scoffed, his anger boiling over. "You're throwing everything away for her? You could be making a name for yourself in Tokyo with me, and instead, you side with Sora?" He nearly shouted.
"She's my friend. That's enough for me," Haruki said firmly.
Rika's face hardened. "You realize the consequences of this, don't you? You'll ruin your career—both you and Sora!"
Haruki remained unfazed. "If that's what it takes, then so be it."
Rika stared at him, stunned. He had expected Haruki to crumble under pressure, but Haruki stood his ground. "You're really willing to let Rurouni Kenshin die, just like that?"
"You think I'm going to just abandon it?" Haruki scoffed. "I never promised anyone I would continue it. Not even you."
Rika's eyes widened. "But... you won the award for it! You're going to throw it all away?"
"Yes," Haruki replied simply. "Rurouni Kenshin is just a work. If I don't get the chance to continue it, that's fine. It stays with me."
Sora and Kotone exchanged a surprised look, both taken aback by Haruki's resolve.
Rika was speechless, his mind racing. Why would Haruki make such a choice?
The tension hung heavy as Rika's voice lowered. "Have you thought about the consequences, Haruki? Breaking ties with me, Kurokawa, and Red Lantern... Do you know what that means?"
"From now on, Rurouni Kenshin will only be a memorial chapter," Rika warned. "If you leave, you lose the right to serialize it anywhere else."
Haruki's response was cold. "So? Let it stay a memory."
Rika blinked, confused. "You... you never planned to continue Rurouni Kenshin?"
"Correct," Haruki said with a shrug. "I never promised anyone I would continue it."
"But you said there were other chapters!" Rika was desperate now.
"Yes, there are. But so what? If the chance comes, great. If not, it stays as a memory in my mind."
Rika's frustration reached its peak. "But... but this is the Award-winning work! Are you really willing to just let it go?"
Haruki shrugged. "I don't need to prove anything. Besides, this is my choice."
Sora and Kotone exchanged surprised looks as Haruki's nonchalance took Rika by surprise.
Rika flushed with frustration. "You're... crazy."
Haruki turned his back on him. "We're done here. Let's go, Sora. Kotone."
With that, he led the way, leaving Rika standing there, unable to understand what had just happened.
Rika could use his father's influence to block Sora in Tokyo, but Haruki? An award-winning manga artist, one of the most promising in the industry—how could he possibly be stopped?
-----
"Haruki… what you said just now, is it really true?"
Although Sora had kept a calm face while Rika was present, now that they were alone, she couldn't hold back any longer.
"You're actually ready to walk away from Rurouni Kenshin?"
"Pretty much," Haruki nodded.
"But that doesn't mean I'm giving up entirely. Even without all the stuff going on with Rika, I've been planning to end the serialization for some time now."
"Planning?"
"What kind of plan?"
Sora and Kotone asked at once, their eyes fixed on him.
Haruki glanced between them, then smiled faintly as he thought of the S-rank lottery reward he'd just drawn.
"I've got a new idea… something I think could be even more exciting than Rurouni Kenshin. So I've decided to pause that project for now."
"A more exciting new series…"
Kotone and Sora exchanged a glance, clearly intrigued, but neither pressed for details.
After all, who knew how much longer the three of them would even be working together?
Sora had already decided to leave. Haruki had broken with Kurokawa Publishing, and with six months still left on his contract, he'd likely just return to being a full-time student for a while.
As for Kotone, now that she was caught up in this fallout, it was hard to imagine Kurokawa letting her stay on as an assistant. Even if another artist wanted to work with her, the company might reject it just to avoid complications. On the flip side, she wouldn't want to contribute to Kurokawa again anyway. Which… in a way, worked out. She and Haruki could both just focus on school.
Haruki figured he'd at least try to make it into a decent university—maybe even a third-tier one if he studied hard enough.
Kotone? She'd always been brilliant. Her only goal now was to ace the entrance exam and aim for top rankings in Osaka.
She had once told him she wanted to study abroad—maybe attend a university overseas and eventually break into the manga scene there.
And Sora… with Kurokawa's ties across the major cities, finding work in publishing again wouldn't be easy. Especially in Tokyo, where Rika's family still held considerable sway.
She'd once confessed that losing out on her promotion had made her consider quitting the manga industry altogether. Even after standing up for herself tonight, Haruki wasn't sure whether that part of her had changed.
Still… if she hadn't cared deeply about this work, would she have stayed at Kurokawa all this time?
That night, the three of them let loose a little—celebrating quietly in a small, tucked-away part of the city.
Even so, they were recognized a few times—fans who'd watched the live broadcast of the Aurora Manga Awards approached them for photos and autographs.
The next morning, Haruki, Kotone, and Sora all quietly left the city and returned to the Osaka.
They made sure to inform Daichi before leaving, of course. It wouldn't be right to just disappear without a word.
Not that they expected Kurokawa to book them return tickets.
Haruki felt a little guilty about leaving Daichi behind—he was a genuinely kind man. But sticking too close to him now might only get him into trouble.
...
The three who returned to Osaka got exactly the reception they expected.
Sora resigned on her own before the news of her dismissal from Kurokawa Publishing even became official, and she soon left town to return to her hometown for a while.
Just as Haruki had predicted, Kurokawa took a firm stance internally. The company president personally visited Rika to apologize and, in the process, secured a ten-year exclusive serialization contract with Red Lantern for Rurouni Kenshin: Remembrance's continuation.
Haruki, however, didn't care much about Kurokawa's internal drama. His contract was set to expire in September anyway, by which point he figured he'd be entering university.
As for the remaining time on his contract?
A new manga? No.
More Rurouni Kenshin chapters? Also no.
He wasn't working on anything at all.
Still, the trip to Tokyo left a noticeable impact on their lives.
At school, word about the Awards had already spread. It had only been a few days since Kotone and Haruki had traveled to Tokyo for the ceremony, and the whole school was buzzing with the news.
Haruki's secret identity as the popular manga artist Mizushiro had been exposed.
And Kotone, revealed to be assisting with the Rurouni Kenshin: Remembrance manga, left the entire student body in shock.
The top student expected to ace the entrance exams working as an assistant for a guy barely expected to pass? No one could've seen that coming.
After finding out, several teachers called Haruki, Kotone, and her grandmother in for a meeting.
They tried to persuade the two to set aside manga and focus on their studies until the exams were over.
Haruki took it in stride.
Kotone, on the other hand, wasn't too happy about teachers interfering in her personal interests. Still, both of them eventually agreed to put their manga activities on hold until the college entrance exams were behind them, so the matter ended there.
One month later—
Sora, who had gone back home to rest after her resignation, reached out to them again.
Her first words came as a surprise.
"I'm... thinking of going to Tokyo for work!"
"Either way, Rika's influence doesn't reach that far, and with the credentials of being an editor for an Aurora Award-winning manga, I should be able to land a good job," she said.
She'd thought it through thoroughly.
Sora couldn't let go of the manga industry—not completely. Knowing she'd been blacklisted in Tokyo and having no interest in working for another company like Kurokawa in the other major cities, she decided instead to challenge herself somewhere new.
Haruki suspected there might've been another reason too. After spending a month back home, maybe her relatives had been a bit too aggressive about arranging marriage meetings. So, she ran.
In any case, Haruki and Kotone supported her decision.
…
A week later—
They went to the airport to see her off.
It was nearly April, and the weather was warming up.
Sora wore a long spring dress, her hair catching the breeze. Together with Kotone, the two turned heads all around them.
"I'm heading out..."
"Yeah, I get it," Haruki nodded.
"...Aren't you going to say anything?" Sora pouted slightly. "You won't see me for a while."
"Say anything?" Haruki blinked. "Like what?"
"Nope."
"Ah…" Sora sighed. "Figures. Expecting you to take initiative is unrealistic."
Then she suddenly stepped in and wrapped her arms around him before he could react.
All he could smell was a soft, flowery scent.
Haruki froze.
Kotone's expression went from surprised to awkward instantly.
It only lasted a few seconds—maybe three or four.
Then Sora stepped back, turning around without letting them see her face.
"Thanks for everything, Haruki," she said over her shoulder.
"And don't get the wrong idea. That was just a parting hug between comrades before heading off to war."
"Oh… got it." Haruki exhaled with relief.
"What about Kotone? She's a comrade too—don't you owe her a hug?" he added.
Sora, still facing away, felt her cheeks burn. There was no way she could turn around now.
Kotone quickly tugged on Haruki's sleeve and shook her head. "Stop talking," her look seemed to say.
With that, she disappeared through the departure gate without looking back.
Haruki and Kotone stood there for a while, watching her plane disappear into the sky.
"Tokyo…" Haruki murmured.
Maybe, someday.
...
Two months later—college entrance exams.
After several grueling days of exams, Haruki practically bounced out of the test room, refreshed and light.
That good mood vanished later that night when Kotone reviewed answers with him.
"Hey, don't look so down," she said gently. "You might still make it into a general university."
"It's fine," Haruki shrugged, trying to stay upbeat. "If I don't get into an undergrad program, there's always junior college. No big deal."
Over a month later, results came in.
Haruki barely passed the minimum score line—by just four points.
Kotone, of course, aced it as expected. She was the top scorer in all of Osaka.
Then came time to choose universities.
Kotone already had her eyes set on a prestigious school in Tokyo. She'd mentioned it to Haruki back when they first met.
As for Haruki, he applied to Modern Arts University of Tokyo, majoring in animation.
The admission score was low enough that even his results qualified, and the program was known for being laid-back—exactly what Haruki needed to balance his studies with manga creation.
In truth, he didn't care much about college. But honoring his late parents' wish that he go to college (and maybe find a wife), he was willing to go halfway.
As long as it didn't interfere with manga, he'd do his best to get through it.
Nearly a month later, Kotone was also preparing to leave for Tokyo.
After her grandmother saw her off, Haruki rushed out from the cafeteria to say goodbye.
Her grandmother had always been wary of him. Ever since finding out about their manga-assistant relationship, she'd insisted on keeping them apart, worried Haruki might lead her granddaughter astray.
She'd even tried to stop Kotone from going to Tokyo, saying it was too far.
But when Kotone said he couldn't go to Tokyo after all, her grandmother agreed almost immediately.
She'd already discovered through school that Haruki would be studying in Osaka. There was no way she'd allow them to end up in the same city again.
…
"You're really going too, huh," Haruki sighed.
"You and Sora heading off to Tokyo, while I stay here in Osaka."
Kotone glanced sideways at him. "You could come to Tokyo too, you know."
Her tone was half-serious, half-playful.
"Alright. I should get going then." She turned, but after a few steps, she paused.
"…Aren't you going to say anything?"
"Say something?" Haruki repeated.
He was about to reflexively say "No"—but then he remembered.
Sora had said the exact same thing over two months ago. A "comrade's hug before parting."
Was that… actually a thing?
"You mean… that goodbye hug thing? Let's not. That's kind of embarrassing."
"It's not," Kotone said, shaking her head—and before he could react, she stepped forward and gave him a gentle hug.
Haruki stood there, stiff as a board.
After a few seconds, she pulled away. Her cheeks were visibly flushed, her expression a mix of nervousness and sweetness.
"Haruki… if you ever end up coming to Tokyo, and you need an assistant again… don't forget me, okay?"
"Of course not," he said, smiling.
He didn't need her to ask. He knew.
Assistants like Kotone were rare—dedicated, hardworking, and sharp. If their positions were reversed, he doubted he could match her level of commitment.
As he watched her go, Haruki felt strangely hollow.
After all this time, he'd been busy—first with Sora, then Kotone. Now they were both in Tokyo.
He felt a little… lonely.
They weren't just colleagues.
They were two of the rare people he could call true friends.
(TL:- Now Ruki isn't going to be the main villain, so we can enjoy the novel more. I haven't checked all the chapters yet, so I can't say for sure if this character will appear, but if they do, I'll minimize their role as much as possible)
(Author:-This chapter had to be written this way. I know some readers feel it's just filler, but there's really no helping it! It would've been too jarring to suddenly jump to Tokyo. After all, there's a six-month gap between the protagonist's contract expiring and the Award results being finalized. If I just wrote, "half a year later," it would have felt really awkward! So, I used this chapter as a bridge and skipped over a lot of the day-to-day events.
For example, there were originally scenes like Grandma finding out about Kotone's relationship with Haruki during a confrontation in the teacher's office, and Kotone breaking down over hiding her love for manga from her grandmother. I decided to leave those out. Maybe you feel like giving Sora and Kotone plane tickets all in one chapter was a bit sudden, but it wasn't just a random decision—it was planned from early on! There were hints throughout the earlier story, but since a lot of you aren't fond of my slice-of-life writing, I didn't overemphasize them. Readers who've been following closely would have seen this coming. After all, it was inevitable that the protagonist would go to Tokyo eventually, and that these two would have their own arcs. But for now, I'm tying things up this way.
It wouldn't make sense for Sora and Kotone to just cling to the protagonist and head off together; that would completely break their characters.
As for the new manga the protagonist will draw, I originally intended to introduce some lesser-known but really good series. But judging by the comments—some of you haven't even read Rurouni Kenshin!—I think it's better to pick more famous ones. Otherwise, if I bring in titles like Kaiji, Gamble Fish, Great Teacher Onizuka, Liar Game, Mushishi, Nana, or Spice and Wolf, a lot of readers might feel left out again.
So, I've decided to make the Dragon Star Award an S-rank lottery qualification.
And no, I'm not planning to turn this into a harem story!
Right now, here are some ideas I'm considering for the upcoming manga:
Fate/Zero
Sword Art Online
Initial D
Natsume's Book of Friends
Kimi ni Todoke (From Me to You)
(Intentionally left blank)
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Of course, classics like Fist of the North Star, Fullmetal Alchemist, Hunter x Hunter, Death Note, and Attack on Titan are still on my mind too—especially Attack on Titan, but I'm honestly a bit worried about legal issues if I go that route.
We'll see how things develop when the story shifts to Tokyo.
As for titles like one piece, Hikaru no Go, Slam Dunk, Reborn!, or Yu-Gi-Oh!—those might appear later on. But not just yet. Otherwise, with the way I write, I'd probably end up spending 300–500 chapters just on One Piece! Haha.)
Shout out to Tyquan Williams, Red Blue for joining my p-atreon! your support means everything to me.
(TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-atreon.com/Alioth23 for 50+ advanced chapters)