Crossover Anime: The Heroine is in Trouble? I Take Advantage of the Situation

However, a soft laugh came from the other end of the phone.

"Editor Machida, calm down."

"But...but..."

“I’m asking you,” Seiji Fujiwara interrupted her, “do those who criticize me even know the title of my new book?”

Machida Sonoko was taken aback: "I...I know, A Certain Magical Index..."

"Did they know this book was going to be released tomorrow?"

"I...I know too..."

"Do they know about the bet I made with this book and with Shinazugawa Bunko, involving 35 copies?"

"This... is known throughout Japan."

“That settles it then.” Seiji Fujiwara’s tone was as relaxed as if he were talking about the weather. “In this era, being criticized is not scary; what’s scary is being ignored.”

"They are not my enemies, they are my best publicity team."

His voice carried a lazy laugh, as if he were watching a farce that had nothing to do with him.

"The more they make a scene and the harsher their insults, the more they are fueling our betting scheme."

"Louderity doesn't equate to being right; true readers are often the silent majority."

"And they, under the overwhelming public opinion, can't help but want to know what this book is about that deserves such a big show."

"This is enough."

Machida Sonoko listened blankly, as if an invisible hand had instantly untangled the tangled mess in her mind.

yes……

It turned out to be like this...

Fear, anger, haters, trolls… all these negative emotions ultimately transform into the same thing—

curiosity!

Curiosity is the driving force behind consumption!

"Teacher, aren't you worried at all?" Machida Sonoko couldn't help but ask.

“Why should I worry?” Seiji Fujiwara asked in return, then said casually, “The stage is set up, and all the audience members are here. Now, we just wait for the show to start tomorrow.”

"Enjoy this show, Editor Machida."

After saying that, he hung up the phone.

Machida Sonoko stood in the break room, holding her phone, and remained motionless for a long time.

Her expression changed, and she could hardly believe how composed and calm Seiji Fujiwara was.

Take a deep breath.

Machida Sonoko also rallied her spirits and returned to the editorial department, flashing a bright smile at her concerned colleagues:

"Everyone! Cheer up! Let's get the celebratory champagne ready!"

"Tomorrow, we will witness the birth of a miracle!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

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Chapter Twenty-Seven: Prince Xiaochuan Reigns Supreme in the Industry (7/10)

Release date, early morning.

For most people, it was just an ordinary Sunday.

But for the light novel community, today is a day of celebration.

Akihabara, Gamers Main Store.

As one of the largest anime and game merchandise chain stores in Japan, this is a key indicator of light novel sales.

The store manager, Kenichi Yamada, an experienced middle-aged man, was directing the staff to place stacks of new books in the most prominent positions.

Among them is the highly anticipated "A Certain Magical Index".

"Manager, should we really put this 'A Certain Magical Index' in the prime spot of this week's featured section?" a young clerk asked uncertainly. "The online reviews for this book... don't seem to be very good."

Store manager Yamada glanced at it; the image of the boy and the silver-haired nun on the cover was full of fantasy.

He scoffed, "Reviews? Can reviews feed you? Popularity is everything!"

"This book is being heavily criticized right now, but it's also the most popular book in all of Japan!"

"Believe it or not, the first person to rush in to buy the book today is one of those who criticized it the most."

The young shop assistant nodded, seemingly understanding.

"Alright, stop standing there, put up the promotional posters! The biggest one! Put the Shinazugawa Bunko betting agreement right in the middle!" Manager Yamada grumbled as he gave orders, a sly smile playing on his lips.

He doesn't care about literature or gambling.

All he knew was that this storm would bring him a huge influx of customers.

The bookstore officially opened at 10:00 a.m.

Just as Manager Yamada had predicted, a group of young people immediately rushed in and headed straight for the light novel section.

Most of them wore expressions of curiosity and amusement.

"Wow, it's really placed in the most conspicuous position. Shinazugawa has really gone all out this time," a young man said with a strange laugh.

"Let me see what this masterpiece with 35 copies sold looks like." His companion chimed in, picking up a copy of "A Certain Magical Index" and casually weighing it in his hand. "The cover looks alright, but I wonder what the inside is like?"

"Buy a copy! Think of it as buying a lottery ticket. If you really die a violent death, this book can serve as a souvenir, a witness to the biggest joke of the year!"

This group is a microcosm of the online pessimistic army.

Their purpose in buying this book was not to appreciate it, but to find its "toxic points" and "flaws" as soon as possible, and then surf the internet like crazy.

……

at noon.

"2ch Light Novel Version".

A user with the ID "Violent Death Observer" posted the first book review of "A Certain Magical Index" today at an extremely fast pace.

[Subject: Finished watching "A Certain Magical Index" at lightning speed, verdict: pure garbage! Summary of criticisms (continuously updated)]

[Original Poster: Observer of Sudden Death]: Brothers, I'm here! As expected, I bought the book immediately and finished it in two hours.

"How should I put it? It's about what I expected, or even worse! The author clearly doesn't understand long-form fiction! There's a ton of settings, like Academy City, magic, and science, all haphazardly piled together, making it a headache to read!"

"The male lead is just a pushover, a saintly good-natured guy, utterly unremarkable, and good for nothing except amnesia! The female lead, Index, is even worse—a giant baby who only knows how to eat! The plot is just the old-fashioned hero-saves-the-damsel-in-distress trope, completely unoriginal!"

"Appraisal complete! If this book sells over 5 copies, I'll change my name! Don't waste your money!"

As soon as the post was published, it immediately became a hot topic among countless "comrades" who had been waiting for it.

"Here it comes! I knew this would happen!"

"Haha, thank you for testing the poison on yourself! It's exactly what I was thinking!"

"Just piling up settings? I only know one writer of dark short stories who can't handle a grand world view at all!"

"I'm just waiting for sales to plummet, and for Princes Shinazugawa and Xiaochuan to come out and kneel in apology!"

For a moment, the forum was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

However, amidst this revelry, some discordant voices began to quietly emerge.

[12th Floor]: Uh... OP, you said the male lead is just average? But his 'Imagine Breaker' right hand can eliminate all superpowers, isn't that a cool setting?

[15th Floor]: I've only read a third of it, and it seems alright... Touma fights against two powerful magicians to protect a girl he's only met for a day, which is pretty exciting.

[23rd Floor]: Am I the only one who thinks that supporting character Misaka Mikoto is cool? Although she doesn't appear much, that 'Super Railgun' is absolutely awesome!

These scattered rebuttals were quickly drowned out by a vast ocean of ridicule.

"The floor cleaning crew is here? How much per person?"

"The filial sons and grandsons have already set out so quickly?"

"What's the use of a good-looking character if the plot is bad? It's just not good!"

However, as time goes by, the wind seems to be quietly changing direction.

……

3pm.

More and more readers who finished the book began flocking to forums and social media.

Their comments presented a completely different style.

An anime blogger with tens of thousands of followers on Twitter posted his first tweet of the day:

[@AnimeFrontlineBreakingNews: I was wrong. I retract all my negative predictions about *A Certain Magical Index* that I made this morning. I just closed the last page of the book, and my hands are still shaking. This isn't trash; it's an absolutely stunning work!]

[The collision of science and magic unfolds a completely new worldview before me. My mind is a mess, but I only want to say one thing—I apologize to Prince Xiaochuan!!!]

This tweet acted like a signal flare, instantly igniting public opinion.

Immediately afterwards, a second, a third, and a hundredth similar voices began to emerge from all directions!

In the 2ch Light Novel section, a brand new post has surged to the top of the homepage with unstoppable momentum!

[Subject: [Urgent Apology] I sincerely apologize to Lord Xiaochuan for my previous ignorance and arrogance! *A Certain Magical Index* is a masterpiece! No arguments will be accepted!]

[Original Poster: Former Hater]: Brothers, I'm the blond guy who said this book was crap in the bookstore this morning… I just want to slap myself! I was fucking wrong! Terribly wrong! This book is amazing! Touma Kamijou isn't a saint, he's a true hero! That image of him knowing he's outmatched but still throwing a punch brought me to tears! The Imagine Breaker concept is genius! And Misaka Mikoto! I declare that from today onwards, I'm Misaka's dog! Please, author, give Misaka more screen time! If this book doesn't become a hit, it'll be an injustice!!!

The post was filled with countless readers who had also been "slapped in the face" (i.e., proven wrong).

"Me too! I went to watch it with the intention of finding fault, but I ended up watching it all in one go and forgot to eat lunch!"

"The 'tree diagram designer' setting, and the 'absolute ability user evolution plan'—it's terrifying to think about! The depth of this world-building is simply incomparable to those ordinary campus fantasy stories!"

"The plot so far has been amazing, but I never expected such a huge foreshadowing at the end! Who exactly are Stiyl and Kanzaki Kaori? And who is Aleister? Ahhhh! I want to read volume two! I want to read it right now!"

"Brothers, charge! Let's beat those haters and trolls until their faces are swollen!"

The online sentiment underwent a dramatic reversal in just a few hours, from widespread pessimism to a collective apology!

The previous post that was "identified as garbage" was dug up and "executed" by angry readers.

The original poster, "The Observer of Sudden Death," was so attacked that he deleted his account and ran away.

The guy who threatened to livestream himself eating a keyboard while doing a handstand has had his post flooded with thousands of replies, all saying the same thing: "Keyboard ordered, please begin your performance."

……

At the Gamers flagship store in Akihabara, store manager Yamada stared in disbelief at the long queue that had suddenly formed inside.

The line stretched from the light novel section all the way to the main street outside the store.

Everyone's goal is the same—A Certain Magical Index!

"Restock...restock! Quick! Call the warehouse! Have them bring all the inventory over here!" Manager Yamada's voice trembled with excitement.

He knew that he made the right bet!

He just didn't expect the popularity to be even more exaggerated than he imagined!

……

……

Eight o'clock the next morning.

Shinazugawa Bunko's official website updated its sales data on time, much to the delight of the public.

There were no lengthy congratulatory messages, only an enormous number hanging in the very center of the homepage, like a medal of victory, shining with dazzling light.

First-day sales: 103,521 copies!

100,000 copies!

The moment this number appeared, the entire internet fell completely silent.