On the fifth day of the New Year holidays—a Friday—there was a quiet sense of excitement rippling through the manga scene in Osaka. Rurouni Kenshin: Remembrance had just broken into the top ten of the Aurora Manga Award fan vote. For local creators, this wasn't just big news—it was historic.
For years, works submitted from the Osaka region to the Aurora Award had rarely advanced beyond the early rounds. The best result on record was a modest twenty-first place nearly a decade ago.
While Osaka had no shortage of talented artists, many eventually moved, drawn by the publishing opportunities and reach that Tokyo offered. It wasn't that the city lacked creative energy—just that it had never produced a breakout hit with true national traction. Tokyo remained the industry's epicenter: where the largest publishers operated, where editorial teams were strongest, and where most of the country's top names had built their careers.
Some of Tokyo's most famous manga artists originally came from regions like Saitama or Aichi. But Osaka? Its contributions were fewer and often overlooked. Even in casual conversations, it wasn't uncommon for industry veterans to joke about Osaka still "waiting for its manga star."
But now, with Remembrance climbing the rankings, there was a noticeable shift. Artists and editors—even those from other local publishers like Kurokawa, Hoshikawa, and Tatsuryu—found themselves quietly rooting for it. Some even posted on social media, encouraging readers to cast their votes on the award's official site.
It wasn't just about one manga anymore—it felt like the entire region had something riding on it.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the work never slowed.
On the second day of the new year, Kotone had already returned to her desk. After three days, she completed the next chapter. Sora, on the other hand, had taken the day off—or so she claimed.
That evening, a knock came at Haruki's door.
He opened it to find Sora, looking pale and thoroughly exhausted.
"Jeez... what happened to you?" Haruki asked, raising an eyebrow. "You look like your kidneys just gave up."
Sora gave him a withering look. "Appreciate the concern…"
Still, she didn't argue. She just stepped inside, letting out a long sigh.
"Seven blind dates in five days. Nonstop family interrogations every night. I haven't slept since yesterday, then drove all the way back this morning. So yeah—I'm doing great."
Kotone glanced over. "Any of them promising?"
Sora's face said it all. "Do I look emotionally fulfilled to you?"
Kotone let out a soft laugh. "Fair enough."
Sora collapsed onto the sofa, finally letting herself relax. "Anyway, enough about me. Haven't seen you two all week. Holiday treating you okay?"
Haruki shrugged. "Took the first day off, then went straight back into manga mode."
He handed her a neat stack of manuscript pages. "Chapter thirteen."
As always, Sora didn't speak while reading. She flipped through each page in silence, her expression unreadable as she absorbed the details.
Earlier that day, Chapter eleven had gone live—kicking off the fourth arc of Remembrance, centered around the mystery of the cross-shaped scar. Sora already knew what was coming in Chapter twelve, having reviewed the draft weeks ago. But she was genuinely curious about how Haruki had handled the payoff.
The story had grown heavier with each installment.
Tomoe's sudden disappearance had left Kenshin on edge, and after receiving cryptic clues from an unknown contact, he'd gone looking for her—exactly as the enemy had intended.
Their plan was simple: send someone close, make him care, then strike when his guard was down.
It worked.
Learning that he'd unknowingly killed Tomoe's fiancé left Kenshin reeling—emotionally unmoored and physically vulnerable. The ambush came swiftly. Though he fought his way out, he was left bloodied and temporarily blinded by an explosive flash.
Even so, he pushed on toward the enemy's hideout, determined to finish it.
Chapter thirteen opened with the final confrontation—Kenshin facing the man who had orchestrated everything.
Sora's breath caught as she reached the climax. Tomoe, stepping into the fight at the last second, tried to shield him from a killing blow. But Kenshin, blinded and running on instinct, lashed out—
—and struck her instead.
Her hands gripped the manuscript, fingers tightening.
The moment was devastating. And flawless.
She looked up, still digesting what she'd read.
Haruki and Kotone waited in silence.
"Well?" Haruki finally asked.
Sora set the manuscript down and leaned back.
"This arc…" Her voice was quiet. "It's going to break people."
Haruki gave a faint smile. "Then it's doing its job."
By Friday—the fifth day of the New Year holidays—news of Rurouni Kenshin breaking into the top ten of the Award had spread quickly through the manga scene.
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