"Testing…"
"Testing…"
"Is this thing on?"
The camera lit up, revealing Jace Miller — half-lidded eyes, signature bedhead, and that smug grin that told viewers someone's favorite series was about to get absolutely obliterated.
RGB lights glowed gently behind him, illuminating his streaming setup like the cockpit of a spaceship built for maximum judgment.
Within seconds, the chat ignited like dry grass to a flamethrower.
"Alright, settle down you anime gremlins," Jace chuckled, adjusting the mic. "Welcome back to another episode of 'Let's Emotionally Ruin A Manga Author.'"
He picked up his phone, holding it up like it was cursed.
The camera refocused slowly to reveal the bold, glossy cover of tonight's victim: Lovepoint Academy.
On the cover stood a tall, brown-haired high school boy in a plain school uniform.
In his arms was a girl in a black basketball jersey, silver-blonde hair spilling down her back as she blushed dramatically.
The chat exploded.
Jace cleared his throat like he was about to make a eulogy.
"Trash," he announced solemnly.
He leaned back, hands laced behind his head. "But before I commit a literary war crime, let's talk about what this manga actually does right — because believe it or not, there's gold buried beneath this landfill."
That quieted the chat — for a moment.
"The worldbuilding," Jace said, "is actually phenomenal."
"I mean it!" Jace continued, warming up. "Lovepoint Academy isn't just some throwaway setting. The story takes place in an Academy that falls under Classroom Of The Elite kind of worldbuilding. It's seriously fleshed out and it was interesting to read."
He gestured as he spoke, surprisingly animated now.
"And the side characters? Genuinely fleshed out. Like Kevin — poor bastard. He's supposed to be comic relief, but the dude has layers. He's got a job at his uncle's clothing shop, he's taking care of his sick grandma, and he tutors kids in the lower wards because he actually gives a damn."
"The emotional system isn't just a gimmick, either. It affects friendships, rivalries, even class standings. It makes the academy setting feel alive. And don't get me started on the currency system — Affinity Credits? Genius. Pure genius. It's like someone mashed together Persona 5 and a dating sim, but actually tried."
He paused, then smiled darkly. "But that's where the compliments end. Because everything else about this manga? Absolute hot garbage. Let's dig in."
"The protagonist," Jace said, "is cardboard dipped in plot armor. He's got no personality, no goals, no reason for existing other than to collect girls like NFTs. And don't even get me started on the way the girls fall for him. There's no chemistry. No tension. Just a series of scripted 'oops-I-fell-on-you' moments like this was made by a horny algorithm."
He put the phone down and mimicked falling into someone's chest, making exaggerated noises.
"Oh noooo, I fell boob-first into your lap, Senpai~!"
"And then there's the actual cuckery," Jace said, deadpan. "Kevin confesses? Immediately interrupted. Kevin finally gets a moment alone with a girl? Protagonist shows up shirtless for no reason. Kevin gets a text saying 'Meet me on the rooftop'? Turns out she meant to send it to Mr. Ultra-Chad Plot Device."
And just like that, the mood shifted.
A username popped up in the chat that made everyone pause:
The chat erupted.
Jace blinked, then leaned closer to the mic. "Oh, look who finally logged in. The Torture Architect himself."
"Oh, I understand nuance just fine," Jace shot back. "You just don't understand dignity. Kevin's been publicly embarrassed more times than me at a high school dance, and I wore a Naruto headband."
The author stopped responding after that. Vanished into digital smoke.
Jace leaned back, stretching his arms as donation alerts rolled in.
DING!
DING!
DING!
"Alright, that's it from me. I'm gonna go pass out and dream of a world where Kevin gets at least one win. Peace out, degenerates."
He clicked the stream off. The room suddenly felt… quiet. Almost too quiet. Jace rubbed his temples.
"Ugh… sudden migraine. That's new."
He stumbled over to his bed, flopped onto the mattress, and let gravity claim him.
His eyelids closed and the world around him seemed to shake.
"Earthquake?" He rolled over yet didn't open his eyes and slept shortly after.
After some hours…. He opened his eyes...
And when they opened —
He wasn't in his room anymore.
The sheets weren't his.
The ceiling was unfamiliar.
And his reflection, in the mirror across the room?
Wasn't his face.
"…No."
He sat up slowly, catching sight of a school uniform hanging nearby. It matched the one on the manga cover.
His hand trembled as he picked up a student ID on the nightstand.
"Oh you've got to be kidding me."