Parallel World Light Novelist

Chapter 305: Chapter 304: Progress

”So, is Haruto really going to become the all-time number one in novels, anime, and manga simultaneously?”

”It’s a possibility, not a guarantee. But look at the facts: the first few volumes of Hunter × Hunter have already averaged over twenty million copies, and he’s only just started. Sword Art Online is even more of a lock. It’s already at twenty-four million, so the gap to the top spot is tiny. If Haruto nails the ending of the GGO arc, he could take the crown right then and there. As for anime, regardless of whether Lelouch beats Madoka Magica, the top spot in history belongs to Haruto anyway.”

”This is insane. I knew he was legendary, but seeing the data laid out like this makes it feel real. It’s overwhelming.”

”Honestly, I’m getting hyped. Just imagining him standing at the peak of all three industries at once gives me goosebumps. It’s a moment of history.”

”But if he hits that peak, will he just retire? Think about it, once you’ve reached the absolute top of your field, do you still have the motivation to keep pushing yourself?”

”He makes billions of yens a year. I think that’s plenty of motivation right there.”

”At his level, I doubt money is the primary driver anymore. He’s already set for life.”

”Don’t apply your normal human logic to Haruto. He’s only twenty-one; he’s practically a kid. He has decades of peak creative output left in him. At his current rate, he could produce dozens, even hundreds more works in his lifetime.”

”If that’s true, I’ll never run out of good stories to consume for the rest of my life.”

”Sigh, it’s actually a bit boring lately. Haruto is doing so well that the haters have all gone into hiding. I’ve lost one of my favorite hobbies, watching them make fools of themselves.”

”Hey, don’t be too mean.”

”Haha!”

The July summer break should have been the peak season. Usually, students flood the market. But this year, if you looked at any anime, manga, or novel community, the discussion was almost exclusively about Haruto’s projects. Under these conditions, episodes fifteen and sixteen of Code Geass were broadcast. These episodes focused on Mao. His arc concluded within these three episodes. From an objective storytelling perspective, the Mao subplot felt a bit detached from the main narrative.

Lelouch’s struggle against him contributed almost nothing to his grand goal of overthrowing the Britannian Empire. However, the arc was essential for exploring C.C.’s inner world and backstory. While a few fans found the diversion a bit slow, most found it fascinating.

The viewership ratings reflected this mixed sentiment. The two episodes pulled 5.86% and 5.98% respectively, hovering tantalizingly close to the 6% milestone.

By late July, episode seventeen aired, and the story officially transitioned into a new Chapter. The Black Knights, led by Lelouch, were locked in a grueling stalemate with the Britannian Imperial Army. With the intervention of Prince Schneizel, Lelouch found himself in a dire crisis.

At the critical moment, Lelouch used his Geass to command Suzaku to Live! This forced Suzaku to abandon his desire for a mutual suicide attack and instead ensured both of them escaped the enemy’s encirclement. This led to a brief interlude where Lelouch, Euphemia, Kallen, and Suzaku were scattered across a deserted island.

This arc focused heavily on the sibling bond between Lelouch and Euphemia, as well as the budding romance and mutual respect between Euphemia and Suzaku. Haruto knew that before he could use the narrative knife on Euphemia, he had to give her enough screen time to make the wound deep and meaningful.

Since the Black Knights had absorbed nearly every resistance cell in Japan, they had spent two months in the shadows.

But now, the organization had finally grown into a force capable of challenging the Britannian military in open warfare. In episode eighteen, the Black Knights officially began their total offensive against the occupation forces in Japan.

July bled into August, and Code Geass entered the final act of its first season. Surprisingly, the show didn’t shatter the 6% barrier as easily as Madoka Magica or Edgerunners had. Instead, it continued to oscillate around the 5.9% line. Episode eighteen reached a peak of 5.99%, but episode nineteen slipped back down to 5.92%.

After a full month of being stuck just below the threshold, many feel a surge of skepticism. Haruto’s previous hits were short-form series that broke 6% by their tenth episode. Lelouch was now at episode twenty and was still pacing the floor at 5.9%.

While the numbers were objectively incredible, they felt like a disappointment compared to the impossible expectations placed on Haruto.

”Is that it? A whole month and he still can’t break that number. Has the show’s popularity hit its ceiling?”

”Maybe the audience is just getting tired. The show always follows the same rhythm, tactical battles followed by school life. Honestly, after Shirley forgot Lelouch, the show lost its heart for me. Maybe that’s just because I was a Shirley fan, though.”

”Being stuck at 5.9% for a month must be putting a ton of pressure on Haruto. Every professional and fan in Japan is staring at him, waiting for that 6%. It’s going to be pretty awkward if the season ends without ever hitting it.”

”It’s a long-running series; it takes time to accumulate a mass audience.”

”The reason it hasn’t broken 6% is simple. I admit it’s a good show, but there’s a clear gap between this and Madoka Magica or Edgerunners.”

”Are we watching the same show?”

”I agree with the other guy. Lelouch’s revolution is in full swing, yet all his core allies are perfectly safe, hanging out at school during the day. Suzaku pilots a mech against Lelouch’s army at night and then they sit in class together the next morning. It doesn’t feel like a real war.”

”None of that is the real issue. The issue is fatigue. The show grew fast early on because of Lelouch’s charisma as a power fantasy lead, but after twenty episodes of him being a master strategist, people are becoming immune to it. The excitement is fading, and that’s why the ratings are flatlining.”

”The plot needs to stop playing it safe. The goal is toppling an empire, but we spent three episodes on a random mind reader. Now that we’re back to the main story, Haruto needs to go all in!”

By August, as the ratings for Lelouch plateaued, the industry’s sky-high expectations began to cool, and critical voices started to pop up like mushrooms after rain.

Haruto put down the latest sales reports and exhaled a long breath.

It’s over.

The early setup and safe plot points of the first season were finally behind them. The remaining episodes of season one were the reason this show had become a masterpiece.

In the eyes of those fans, Code Geass was a completely different show before and after the Euphemia incident. Before her death, it was a high-quality power fantasy. After her death, the true tragedy of the series was revealed.