Haruki made a choice after much hesitation. He didn't want to use his points to draw from the lottery, he wanted to save them and directly purchase top manga from the system.
But the system didn't leave him with much of a choice.
Publishing JoJo alone would bring too much attention. It would create headlines, draw backlash, and put him in the spotlight more than he wanted. He just wanted to quietly draw manga.
So he made up his mind.
"I have to try one more. Use points. Draw another S-tier."
The wheel spun.
Click.
Click.
Click.
It stopped.
Fullmetal Alchemist.
And just like that, the system began transferring the full story into his mind.
Two brothers. A taboo experiment. A journey built around equivalent exchange.
The storytelling was tight, with no filler. Every character had a purpose, and everything was executed with precision.
It also hit hard emotionally.
"People are going to send me razors this time," he muttered. It was nothing like before, when readers just sent fan letters asking for early updates. This time… they'd send razor blades.
This wasn't just another action manga. It was serious. It was heavy.
The next day, Kenta and Noya arrived at the apartment as usual. The moment they walked in, they saw Haruki at his desk, laser-focused on his drawing. They'd seen that look before, he had a new idea. The two assistants exchanged glances.
They picked up one of the manuscripts. The title on the cover: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
Their first impression? The art style was extremely unique. At first, it looked strange. Most manga was flat, 2D. They weren't used to seeing lips, eyelashes, and that level of expression in character designs.
They set it down and picked up the next one: Fullmetal Alchemist.
Haruki looked up from his storyboard. "What do you guys think?"
Kenta, flipping through Fullmetal, said, "So we're finally doing an action manga?" Both of them sounded excited. Action meant more readers, more fans.
"We need to finish this in three days," Haruki said. "Saturday's the quarterly meeting at Echo Shroud. They're replacing three series, we need to be ready. Let's start with Fullmetal. We'll need at least ten chapters for selection."
Noya glanced at the JoJo draft. "What about this one? The art's cool. It really stands out. Don't you think it could leave a stronger impression?"
Haruki shook his head. "The story's still rough around the edges. It's going to need more time. For now, we start with Fullmetal."
Three days later, Haruka stopped by Haruki's apartment.
For Fullmetal Alchemist, Haruki followed the early episodes of Brotherhood. They opened with action, something that could immediately hook viewers. After that, he shifted to the manga's plot.
The Brotherhood adaptation didn't differ much, but no anime could ever cover everything. For the full experience, readers would have to go through the manga. There were rare exceptions, but you could count those on one hand.
He hadn't slept much in three days.
As for JoJo, he set it aside for now. The early story alone wouldn't be enough to grab attention. But paired with Part 2? That could work. He'd make sure the editors saw how the series evolved.
Wednesday.
Haruka arrived in her usual getup, a white blouse tucked into a charcoal pencil skirt, heels echoing in the entrance, her hair tied back and sharp eyes radiating no-nonsense energy.
Stepping into the office, she immediately noticed several unfamiliar drafts scattered about. As she scanned through them, one panel caught her eye. A character was striking a dramatic pose, hand near his face, drawn with such detail it resembled a piece of art rather than a typical manga panel.
"Haruki, are you working on a new manga?" she asked.
Haruki, still drawing, lifted his head and told Kenta to hand her the manuscript.
Haruka noticed it was different from the pages already laid out on the table.
"Haruki, what's this? Are you working on two different manga?" she asked. Normally, the question would sound absurd, but given Haruki's output, it was the only logical explanation.
"Oh, that," Haruki said, pointing at the drawing.
"Yeah, that one."
"So it caught your eye too," he replied. "This was something I tried back when I first started. I was experimenting, trying to find a style that stood out. The first part turned out decent, but it's not something I can publish under my name right now. Still, I have a rough draft if you want to read it."
Haruka's expression shifted, slightly disappointed. The art style was something she hadn't seen in the current market. Paired with Haruki's storytelling, it could've made an impact. Possibly even pushed his reputation to another level.
She set that thought aside and turned her attention to the other manuscript.
The title read: Fullmetal Alchemist.
"So… you've finally decided to start drawing an action manga?" she asked, flipping to the first page. The story opened with a fight.
At first, she read neutrally, but as she continued, her curiosity began to grow.
The first chapter opened with a mystery. An ice alchemist had infiltrated Central City in the country of Amestris. He was labeled a dangerous criminal. Colonel Roy Mustang was assigned to capture him and told to bring along the Elric brothers.
That's when Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, was introduced. Beside him stood a tall, bulky figure in a knight-like suit of armor.
The story followed their pursuit of the criminal through the city. Haruka found the power system intriguing and kept reading. When Edward caught up to the ice alchemist, a battle broke out. The enemy launched an attack, but Edward blocked it with his right arm. His sleeve tore in the process, revealing a mechanical limb. Haruka raised an eyebrow.
After a hard fight, they managed to defeat and capture him, but during the military escort, he escaped.
This time, the ice alchemist had already placed multiple transmutation circles throughout the city. When they activated, ice began to spread across Central. Other alchemists were introduced, each with unique abilities.
The Elric brothers confronted him again. During the fight, the ice alchemist struck Alphonse, sending his helmet flying.
Haruka turned the page.
The armor was empty.
She blinked. Was this some kind of mecha?
But the story quickly answered her question.
The ice alchemist noticed the blood seal inside the armor and Edward's mechanical limbs.
"You two… you've committed the taboo. Human transmutation."
A flashback followed.
Edward had lost his left leg.
So his right arm and left leg are gone… and his brother's entire body? Haruka thought.
The brothers fought back again, injuring the criminal. But he demonstrated precise control over water—boiling, freezing. In a sneak attack, he froze his own blood to mask his presence and landed a hit on Edward before fleeing.
While escaping, he ran into a one-eyed officer. The same man who had given the capture order earlier.
The ice alchemist tried to attack, but the officer drew a sword and slashed him down instantly.
He was introduced as the highest-ranking officer in the military: Führer President King Bradley.
By the time Haruka finished chapter four, she hadn't even noticed how fast she'd read.
What is Central hiding? she wondered. Why did a former officer turn into a criminal? Why did the Elric brothers perform the taboo?
Normally, she didn't enjoy action manga. Most of the time, the fights were the focus and the characters lacked depth. Sure, there were exceptions, but it was her least favorite genre. She liked action when it served the story, not the other way around. Usually, action manga just built up to the next fight.
But Fullmetal Alchemist felt different.
It started with action, but it was clearly building toward something deeper.
Without hesitation, she turned the page to read the next chapter.
Shout out to Prawi-So THIR, Lord Varan, Karstag, bank 000 for joining my p-atreon! your support means everything to me.
(TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-atreon.com/Alioth23 for 60+ advanced chapters)