Chapter 316 - 315 Impact and Promotion

Chapter 316: Chapter 315 Impact and Promotion

It was well within the expectations of many people that Sword Art Online would eventually ascend to the number one spot. While it achieved this feat partly by skipping the release of a new volume last month, thereby avoiding the usual slight dip caused by a fresh, unfermented sales count, it was hardly a point of contention.

Even without such tactical maneuvering, the current momentum of the series meant that reaching the summit was merely a matter of waiting another thirty days.

Kiyozawa Library, however, had long been preparing for this momentous occasion. They had pre-allocated a promotional budget of over 100 million yen to blanket Japan in an advertising blitz.

[Japan’s #1 Light Novel Magazine: "Kiyozawa"]

[The Top-Selling Light Novel in History: "Sword Art Online"]

[The Greatest Light Novel Author in History: "Haruto"]

On that day, these slogans dominated the top of every major search engine. The campaign was inescapable. Across the ACG districts of Japan’s cities, posters featuring Haruto holding a copy of Sword Art Online became a ubiquitous sight.

Under the careful orchestration of Kiyozawa Library, over a hundred legendary predecessors and active novelists in the industry took to their official social media accounts. In a unified and orderly display of respect, they posted messages congratulating Haruto on officially claiming the throne of the literary world.

One had to admit that in this current era, where the youth population is dwindling, reaching an average of 20 million copies per volume is usually considered the absolute ceiling for a top-tier light novel. But 26 million? And that was with the story only just reaching the end of the Phantom Bullet arc. Haruto had already hinted in interviews that entirely new story arcs were on the horizon.

It was easy to imagine that Sword Art Online would not only become the highest-selling light novel, but would also push the record to a height that defied common sense.

Haruto was undeniably young, but the moment the sales figures were finalized, the Uncrowned King finally had the hard data to back up his title. With that achievement, he had officially placed the crown upon his head.

His sales, popularity, and critical ratings were now the undisputed number one in Japan.

"I’m so hyped! I’ve been following Haruto for five years, and I finally got to see him reach the summit."

"Has it really been five years since his debut in the novel industry? Time really does fly!"

"Number one in history... that is absolutely legendary!"

"Today, the discussion heat for Code Geass and Hunter x Hunter got completely smothered, haha."

"The only reason SAO hasn’t been talked about as much as those two lately is because the old man hasn’t let Asuna have any screen time for a while. If Asuna gets a few more scenes, watch those other two series scurry back into the shadows."

"But wait, didn’t Asuna lose to C.C. from Code Geass in the popularity poll for best female character in the first half of the year?"

"That was a fluke. Just wait for the end-of-year rankings; the Asuna faction is going to stage a massive comeback."

"Haruto has officially become the most successful light novel author in the history of Japan. The timing is perfect, too, right in the final month of the year. He doesn’t waste a second."

"Well, he has to make room for Hunter x Hunter to hit number one in manga sales next year. Looking at the current average of 23.8 million copies and the way the popularity is still skyrocketing, next year is definitely the year of the Hunter."

"Haruto is truly a monster!"

"Is he really going to pull it off? Achieving the number one record in all three major fields before even graduating college... I feel like no one will ever break that record even in a thousand years!"

"I can’t take it, guys. I’ve been a die-hard SAO fan for nearly two and a half years, and seeing this news has me in tears. To see Sword Art Online at the top... it’s just too emotional."

"Keep it going! I’m going out right now to buy another full set of the volumes to give to my partner, just to contribute to the sales numbers."

On this day, the otaku community, especially the novel readers, was several times more active than on a typical weekend. Kiyozawa Library held a grand victory banquet the following evening, complete with a live stream and a personal appearance by Haruto.

The chairman of Kiyozawa Library, the board of directors, and every high-ranking executive made a public appearance. They were seen engaging in warm, intimate conversation with Haruto throughout the event. The success of Sword Art Online in Japan didn’t just line Haruto’s pockets; it had transformed Kiyozawa Library. In less than four years, by piggybacking on the success of Parasyte and Sword Art Online, they had risen from the third-ranked publisher in the industry to the undisputed number one.

The weekly circulation of the Kiyozawa magazine had reached a terrifying 18 million copies. To put that in perspective, when Haruto first arrived at the publisher, the magazine’s circulation was hovering around 12 million.

It was no exaggeration to say that the warmth these executives showed Haruto was second only to the love they felt for their own families.

The four-hour live stream drew a total of over ten million viewers online. Of course, when capitalists organize such an event, they have motives beyond merely celebrating a milestone. The chairman of Kiyozawa Library and Haruto had coordinated a bit of a "two-man act" beforehand.

During his speech at the banquet, the chairman pretended to let slip some information regarding the future story arcs of Sword Art Online.

While he didn’t reveal many details, Haruto followed up by introducing a grand concept that he claimed would surpass all previous arcs, a massive undertaking that was very likely the final Chapter of the series: the Alicization arc, or the "UW Arc."

By the next day, this news had once again crushed every other topic in the industry, claiming the top spot on every search engine. Sword Art Online had been a massive hit for nearly two and a half years, and because it had been running for so long, the fans had become somewhat less vocal, content to simply read in silence. But that didn’t mean they were gone.

A new arc after GGO?

Even if it was just a name like "UW Arc," that was enough to set the world on fire. As for Haruto’s comment about it "very likely" being the final arc, the audience collectively chose to ignore it.

A novelist’s "very likely" usually meant "not at all likely."

Besides, no one in the industry believed him anymore. With a multi-billion yen industrial chain stretching from merchandise to licensing, would Haruto really be willing to walk away? Even if he was, would his partners let him?

The merchandise manufacturers, the printing presses, the overseas licensing partners, and Kiyozawa Library themselves, who saw most of their readers buying the magazine specifically for this series, would never let him end it so easily. The livelihoods of thousands of people across the supply chain were tied to this single work. It was no longer just the creator’s decision.

Fans took to the internet to mock Haruto, telling him to focus on plotting the new arc and to stop trying to scare them with talk of an ending. Haruto, of course, was merely testing the waters to see the industry’s reaction.

In the original world, the author had expressed a desire to end Sword Art Online more than once. But the series was simply too profitable.

The publisher wouldn’t let him finish.

Consequently, he had to churn out several more arcs after Alicization. Even as the writing became more padded, a massive audience continued to follow it, making it too valuable to stop. In the end, the series had been running for ages and was still going strong. It had become a titan of the light novel world. Haruto did genuinely want to finish SAO and start a new novel project, but the length of the Alicization arc was nearly as long as all the previous arcs combined.

Even if he wrote at a blistering pace, it would take him over a year to finish. Seeing the industry’s reaction, Haruto could only give a wry smile. He would have to take it one step at a time.

The news of SAO’s record and the teaser for the new arc dominated the conversation in Japan for over a week before finally cooling down. By then, it was mid-December.

Code Geass had reached the twelfth episode of its second season. Following the broadcast of the thirteenth episode next Sunday, the show would go on a two-week hiatus before returning in January to air the remainder of the season. It was the exact same release schedule used for the first season.

The fans were already mentally prepared.

Everyone knew that Haruto was a master of the cliffhanger. Back in the first season, the thirteenth episode had left the fans in a state of absolute obsession. Now that the second season had reached the same milestone, the Code Geass fandom knew what was coming. Even if they didn’t know exactly what Haruto was planning, they were bracing themselves for an emotional impact.

As the hype for Sword Art Online faded, the Code Geass fans became active again, spreading word of the upcoming episode across various forums.

While they didn’t know the specifics, they were certain that Episode 13 would be a massive turning point.

Haruto, the staff at Haru-Yuki Animation, and the employees at Tokyo TV1 could only marvel at how perceptive the fans had become.

Unfortunately for the viewers, it wouldn’t matter. The psychological defenses they had built were far too flimsy. Once the thirteenth episode aired, those defenses would be demolished in an instant.

Haruto spent the week in high spirits.

Code Geass, in both its first and second seasons, shared a very specific trait.

You could treat the first half of each season as a standard power-fantasy anime where the protagonist dominates his enemies. But once the story passes the midpoint of the season...

Code Geass takes a sharp turn into the abyss, officially becoming a depressing masterpiece.

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