Chapter 310 - 309: Fury and Rising Popularity

Chapter 310: Chapter 309: Fury and Rising Popularity

Beyond its narrative intensity, Code Geass is an anime that carries immense emotional weight through its musical score. This is a hallmark of the iconic series Haruto remembered from his past. It is truly remarkable how that era produced so many masterpieces while simultaneously nurturing the musical talent necessary to make them shine.

Millions of fans watched the latest episode, which featured high-budget animation that felt worlds apart from the standard television quality of twenty years ago. Haruto had poured a fortune into this production, and the visual fidelity had been a point of praise since the very first episode.

By the end of this first season, every episode boasted the production value of a feature film.

Every frame, character, and background detail was meticulously crafted, with no corners cut to save on costs.

The audience was first shocked, then awestruck, and finally, consumed by grief. Lelouch had ruthlessly exploited Euphemia’s death to his maximum advantage, dragging her name through the dirt to further his cause. The entire episode was drenched in tragedy. Euphemia died in a state of regret while Lelouch ascended to a pedestal of divinity, fueled by the cheers of the Japanese people.

In that moment, the central theme of the work, that the power of the King will condemn you to solitude, was perfectly realized through his lonely silhouette. Not a single viewer thought Lelouch was cool or brilliant at that moment. Instead, by putting themselves in his shoes, they felt only sorrow, isolation, and a crushing sense of pain.

In the latter half of the episode, Lelouch sat alone in a dark room, silent and suffering. He lowered his head and confessed his sins to C.C., the only person in the world to whom he could truly bare his soul. C.C., who operated beyond the constraints of morality, law, and ethics, embraced him in his moment of total vulnerability.

"I am the only one who will always stay by your side."

Watching this scene, the two friends, Tsubame and Masuyo, felt their hearts flutter even as they were devastated by the plot.

As the episode drew to a close, Lelouch took command of the Japanese resistance and launched a full-scale counter-offensive against the Britannian military. Just before the battle joined, Suzaku placed a phone call to Lelouch. Suzaku had likely suspected Lelouch was Zero for a long time but had refused to believe it. Euphemia’s death, however, forced him to confront the truth.

The hatred burning in Suzaku, the heavy burden weighing on Lelouch, and the gathering storm as the Black Knights prepared to clash with the Imperial Army created a cliffhanger that left the audience in a state of frantic anticipation.

"Wait, it’s over already?" Masuyo gasped in disbelief.

"Oh my god, Haruto is seriously sick. He has to be a psychopath, or some shut-in weirdo who loves hiding in a dark corner watching us suffer,"

Tsubame snapped, unable to take it anymore.

The death of Euphemia was hard enough to swallow, but the cliffhanger was the final straw. The sweet girl had transformed into a keyboard warrior, immediately logging onto social media to tear into Haruto’s comment section. For the first time in his career, Haruto’s profile was a sea of complaints and insults. The anime section of the Forums was visibly lagging as millions of fans flooded the site, nearly crashing the servers.

"Haruto, you bastard! We are mortal enemies from this day forward!"

"Euphie, my love... you deserved so much better."

"The Euphemia figure I just ordered is still in the mail, and she’s already been killed off in the show? I can’t accept this!"

"I feel sick. Why would Haruto do this? Why would he give Euphie such a horrible fate?"

"I don’t understand it! I’m so upset I can’t even sleep."

"Who was the person who told me Lelouch was a fun, power-fantasy show? I should never have listened to you. Now I’m stuck in this hole and I can’t get out."

"Is there any chance Euphie survived? Maybe she’s in a coma?"

"Do you really think that’s possible with Haruto writing?"

"It’s not fair! Mao got shot dozens of times a few episodes ago and the Britannian doctors saved him. Euphie takes one bullet and she’s dead? Haruto killed her on purpose!"

"Exactly! With the precedent set by Mao, it wouldn’t even be a plot hole if they saved her. Why did he have to write her out like this?"

"Because he’s the author, that’s why."

"So being the author makes him a god? He’s just a writer who doesn’t understand anything about his own characters!"

"Man, I really thought he had turned over a new leaf. I thought he’d graduated from being the Warrior of Love. When he didn’t kill Shirley and only took her memories, I thought he’d grown up. I didn’t realize he was just saving his ultimate move for Episode 23!"

"I don’t even want to keep watching anymore. Everything feels pointless now."

"What I’m most afraid of is the moment Suzaku finds out the truth. Two best friends trying to kill each other... I’m too invested, that kind of plot is going to wreck me."

"That’s obviously going to happen. Didn’t you hear the tone of Suzaku’s voice when he called Lelouch at the end? He knows. He just hasn’t seen it with his own eyes yet. When the Black Knights and the Army clash, they’re going to come face-to-face."

"It’s habit for him at this point. As for the depressing plot, anyone complaining about that must be a new fan. The old fans never had any hope to begin with. I’ve treated Lelouch as a tragedy from day one, so... actually, screw that! Haruto, you heartless jerk! I thought I was prepared, but this still gutted me. Euphie was my favorite character, and he just cut her down like it was nothing."

"I don’t think anyone in the world could have predicted the show would go this far. A full-scale massacre? That’s cold-blooded."

"It’s September now. How much longer is this going to go on? I thought the show would be long, but so much has happened in just one episode. There are only a few episodes left in the season. Is he really going to end it that fast?"

"Let it end. If the plot keeps moving at this speed, my blood pressure is going to explode. First it’s Euphie, next week it’ll be Shirley, then Nunnally, then Suzaku and C.C. Honestly, I wouldn’t put it past him."

By 8:30 PM, after the broadcast of Episode 23 concluded, the wave of fan fury continued well past midnight. At 3:00 AM, thousands of fan groups were still buzzing with anger. Even at 5:00 AM, one could see fans and haters forming a united front to blast Haruto in his comments.

Episode 23 of Code Geass had truly shown many fragile-hearted fans the meaning of emotional trauma. While most fans were devastated, they remained somewhat rational, venting their anger and moving on. But when you have tens of millions of fans, even a small percentage of obsessed viewers results in a terrifying number. Overnight, the entire internet was saturated with news about Lelouch and Haruto.

Fans of Haruto’s Sword Art Online and Hunter x Hunter didn’t even dare to speak up, fearing they would become targets for the redirected rage of the Lelouch fans. When fans can’t reach the creator himself, any related topic can become a lightning rod for their frustration.

On this day, the animation industry witnessed two miraculous phenomena.

First, Haruto’s creator account received hundreds of thousands of hateful comments in a single night, nearly causing the moderators of the Forums to have a breakdown. Second, the rating for Code Geass actually rose.

Before Episode 23, the show sat at a 9.6 rating. Afterward, it climbed to 9.7, defying all logic.

The reason was simple. The fans weren’t angry because the writing was bad or stupid. On the contrary, almost everyone agreed that Episode 23 was a masterpiece of storytelling.

The narrative tension, the emotional release, and the sheer feeling of desperation and suffocation it induced provided an immersive experience that most people wouldn’t find once in a decade of watching anime. Lelouch’s inherent kindness, clashing with his cold resolve to use Euphie’s death to his advantage because the damage was already done, elevated his character to new heights.

The fans were cursing Haruto, not the work.

They recognized that while the tragic fate of the characters was necessary for the story, the God who ordained that tragedy, the author, deserved to be punished.

There was no contradiction between insulting Haruto and giving Code Geass a perfect score.

The following day, the viewership ratings for Episode 23 were released: 6.27%.

In the world of ratings, the higher you go, the harder it is to move. Gaining an extra 0.1% at this level is significantly more difficult than jumping from a 60% to a 90% on an exam. Yet, compared to the previous week, the show had gained more than 0.18%.

With two consecutive weeks above the 6% mark, the media began a full-scale blitz, praising the show to the heavens. They understood that ratings were the ultimate proof of success. As for the fan outrage? That didn’t matter. Intense hatred is often just the flip side of deep love. The sheer number of people cursing Haruto only proved how much they cared about the series.

[Episode 23 of Code Geass achieves legendary status. Euphemia, a beloved character, has fulfilled her mission and will remain forever in the hearts of fans.]

[6.27%: Code Geass hits a new record. The show is following the path laid out by Haruto. Can it actually surpass Madoka Magica’s all-time record of 6.51%?]

[Before its premiere, Code Geass carried the weight of massive expectations. Some wanted to see Haruto reach a new peak, while others waited for him to fall. He has silenced them all. Even as he is the most insulted man in Japan, his success is undeniable. He is a truly unique creator.]

[As the ratings approach the record held by Madoka, Tokyo TV1 has confirmed there are only two episodes left in the season. Whether there will be a second season remains the ultimate mystery.]

"Can the final two episodes of the season surpass Madoka?"

"Lelouch is perhaps the most controversial protagonist in history. He is a complete egoist, yet he is adored by millions. His success may change the landscape of the industry, signaling the end of the era of the generic, righteous protagonist."

For several days, the media latched onto this viral goldmine, tying every article to Code Geass and Haruto. In truth, it wasn’t just media hype.

Seeing the massive traffic generated by Episode 23, cultural and commercial institutions across Japan and overseas rapidly adjusted their valuation of the franchise.

Online, orders for related merchandise surged.

While fans continued to blast Haruto, they were also counting down the days until Sunday.

Phenomenon. That word echoed through the minds of everyone in the industry. While Code Geass hadn’t quite reached the peak cultural impact of Madoka Magica from two years ago, it had already surpassed the massive success of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners from last year.

While the general public was unsure about a second season, the executives at Tokyo TV1,

who worked closely with Haruto, knew the truth. They had already screened and approved the final two episodes of the first season. They knew a second season was coming, and given the current momentum, if the quality held up, the results would be unimaginable.

Surpassing Madoka Magica was no longer a dream.

This work was on track to set a record that would leave future creators in a state of despair.