Chapter 57
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"Eh? That's it?"
Eriri pouted as she closed the manuscript. She had been completely immersed in the latest chapters of Slam Dunk, yet the story had ended just before the highly anticipated game began.
Her appetite had been whetted to the fullest. She was desperate to see the match unfold, especially how Rukawa Kaede would perform on the court.
Just as she was about to press Lucien for more updates, he suddenly coughed violently, his chest heaving with the effort.
"Lucien!" Eriri panicked, quickly rushing to his side. "You shouldn't be pushing yourself this hard! Lie down and rest, please."
She poured him a glass of warm water and handed it to him, watching anxiously until he drank it. Only after Lucien's breathing steadied a little did she finally exhale in relief.
"Then I won't bother you anymore. Please rest properly, okay? Don't overwork yourself. Even if the serialization slows down, it's fine. I can wait…"
Her voice softened, showing a side of genuine care that rarely slipped through her tsundere exterior. After fussing over him a bit more, she reluctantly gathered her things and left.
---
That evening, Eriri uploaded the remaining chapters of Slam Dunk's third volume online under her pen name Eri Kashiwagi.
Thanks to Mai Sakurajima's public recommendation, the manga's popularity had surged dramatically. The number of readers had multiplied several times over, and the moment the new content went live, comments began flooding in like a tidal wave.
---
Comment Section Highlights:
[Netizen A]: "I read it all in one go after Mai Sakurajima recommended it. It's so good! And the updates are so fast! Definitely following this!"
[Netizen B]: "Now I get why Mai Sakurajima is obsessed with Rukawa Kaede. I'm a guy, but even I think he's ridiculously cool and handsome!"
[Netizen C]: "Wait, no love for Sakuragi Hanamichi? The red-haired idiot is hilarious!"
[Netizen D]: "Hold on—Mai Sakurajima is from Fujisawa, right? And Rukawa Kaede is also from Fujisawa… but Sakuragi Hanamichi is from Kamakura! Hahaha, I figured it out! She only supports locals! By that logic, since I'm from Fujisawa too, Mai Sakurajima likes me!"
[Netizen E]: "Bruh. Seek help."
[Netizen F]: "Uh, aren't Fujisawa and Kamakura the same place though?"
[Netizen G]: "Nope. As someone from Kamakura, let me clear this up. Fujisawa and Kamakura are close, but they're not the same city."
[Netizen H]: "Does Shohoku High School actually exist? Where exactly is it in Kamakura? I want to go on a pilgrimage!"
[Netizen I]: "It's fictional, you doofus. The author made it up."
---
The influx of so many new fans made the comment section explode with chatter. Some debated geography, others gushed over their favorite characters, while a few spun bizarre theories.
Still, amid all the noise, there were readers genuinely analyzing the story. Eriri carefully selected the most thoughtful ones and pinned them to the top.
---
[Highlighted Reader A]: "Finally! Shohoku vs. Ryonan! I can't wait for the game to start. I want to see why Sakuragi is called the 'secret weapon'!"
[Highlighted Reader B]: "Sendo Akira looks insanely strong, even cooler than Rukawa Kaede in some ways. And their center Uozumi? That guy's a beast! Are there really high schoolers that huge in real life?!"
[Highlighted Reader C]: "Right now Shohoku only has three real core players—Akagi, Rukawa, and Sakuragi. I bet the author will introduce at least two more key members later, or else they'll never make it to nationals."
[Highlighted Reader D]: "Exactly. Glasses-kun (Kogure) is fine, but Yasuda is clearly just a background character. New blood has to show up sooner or later!"
---
Meanwhile, over at the Weekly Shonen Magazine Editorial Department—
Editor-in-Chief Ryunosuke Kyuki sat in his office, deep in thought. After carefully reviewing both Attack on Titan and Slam Dunk, works by the mysterious mangaka Whale, a pang of regret pierced his chest.
He had underestimated Whale.
What he had dismissed as a possible one-hit wonder was proving to be something else entirely. This Whale—Lucien D. Blackthorn—wasn't just talented. He was a genius.
And a true genius could make or break a magazine. Kyuki knew this better than anyone, with decades of industry experience under his belt.
But he wasn't a man to wallow in regret. Shaking off his hesitation, he resolved to fight back head-on.
At his instruction, Weekly Shonen Magazine's official Twitter posted a bold announcement:
[Weekly Shonen Magazine Official]:
"Notice: Starting next issue, Titan Wars by acclaimed author Kim Jung-gun will update with two chapters per issue instead of one! Stay tuned for even more exciting developments!"
---
The tweet instantly set the manga community ablaze.
It was obvious to everyone that this was a direct countermove against Whale's Attack on Titan.
Online forums buzzed with heated discussions, the clash being compared to legendary rivalries.
---
Forum Thread – "Attack on Titan vs. Titan Wars: Who Will Prevail?"
[Reader A]: "This feels like Marvel vs. DC all over again!"
[Reader B]: "Hahaha, you're right, it really does!"
[Reader C]: "Alright, let's break it down—plot only. Which is better?"
[Reader D]: "Attack on Titan, hands down. Way more gripping."
[Reader E]: "Yeah. Titan Wars feels predictable. I bet it's just the typical shounen formula—protagonist goes on a journey, gains allies, levels up, and eventually defeats the evil god behind the Titans."
[Reader F]: "True, but Kim Jung-gun is a veteran. His works are stable. You know what you're getting—solid, straightforward storytelling without surprises. Readers feel safe with that."
[Reader G]: "I dunno, I have a hunch Attack on Titan might collapse later. Its worldbuilding is too ambitious."
[Reader H]: "Collapse? It already doesn't make sense. That 3D maneuver gear shouldn't work against Titans, especially the Colossal Titan that appeared in chapter one."
[Reader I]: "Exactly. Eren's just a human. What can he really do? In Titan Wars, the protagonist is chosen by destiny and can actually fight head-to-head. That's way more exciting."
[Reader J]: "If Attack on Titan wants to surpass Titan Wars, it'll need a crazy, unique plot twist."
[Reader K]: "Well, both are at about the same point now. Let's follow them side by side and see which one crashes first!"
---
The battle lines in the manga world were being drawn. And at the center of it all stood Whale—Lucien D. Blackthorn—whose works were beginning to shake the entire industry
End of the chapter
250ps=1 extra chapter and so on