🎉 Big News & Huge Thanks! 🎉
I'm still in shock! Just yesterday, I introduced a brand new Patreon tier — "Friends With Exclusive Rights" — which instantly became our second highest tier. I honestly didn't expect anyone to jump in so soon...
But BOOM — within hours, we had TWO amazing members join this brand new tier!
🔥 A huge congratulations and heartfelt thank you to MimicReads and Hunter Waldo for directly joining the "Friends With Exclusive Rights" tier! Your support means everything — you both now officially have access to even more exclusive perks and content. You're absolute legends!
🔥 WE HIT 100 MEMBERS! 🔥
Even though only about 30 of you are paying members, I'm seriously grateful to every single one of you for supporting my content in any way you can!
💥 NSFW & Fanfiction Patreon Update! 💥
My NSFW Patreon is now LIVE, and it's loaded with spicy content—including NSFW art of your favorite waifus like Eriri and more!
Also, for those following my fanfictions on Webnovel, advance chapters are available on my Patreon starting at just $6.99, with multiple tiers to suit your cravings.
🎁 SPECIAL FREE POST ANNOUNCEMENT! 🎁
To celebrate the 100-member milestone, I'm dropping an exclusive NSFW art of Hinata—and yes, even free members can view it.
Come see Hinata in stunning realistic detail—you won't regret it. 😏
👉 Join now: patreon.com/PixLust for NSFW content
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Let's keep growing together. Thanks for being part of the journey! ❤️
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Chapter 26: Signing Day
When Eriri Spencer Sawamura heard her classmates excitedly talking about Weekly Shonen Magazine, her mood subtly darkened.
That magazine… she wasn't fond of it anymore.
Moments later, her desk mate, Satomi Azusa, nudged her shoulder and handed over the latest issue of Weekly Shonen Magazine.
"Eri, want to read it together during break?"
Eriri shook her head. "No thanks. I'm not interested."
She turned toward the window, resting her chin in her hand. Outside, the sunlight spilled over the school grounds like a warm blanket, but her thoughts were elsewhere.
She wasn't waiting for Weekly Shonen Magazine. Her heart was set on the next issue of Manga Jump—due out in two weeks.
I'll buy three copies, she thought.
One to keep sealed for her collection.
One to re-read until the pages wore thin.
And one to give to Lucien.
Her chest tightened slightly at the thought of him.
She didn't know why she cared so deeply for Lucien D. Blackthorn, the mysterious and quiet boy who never spoke much in class and now lay in a hospital bed somewhere. Maybe it was because she was the only one who knew who he really was—Whale, the hidden genius behind Attack on Titan.
"Maybe I just don't want to see his talent go unnoticed," she murmured, almost to herself.
That was the only excuse she could offer.
After school, she went to the art club as usual. Pencils scratched against paper as she practiced character poses with her clubmates, refining composition and movement.
When practice ended, Eriri didn't go to visit Lucien that day. His parents had arrived in Tokyo to care for him, and visiting too often felt... intrusive. She didn't want to overstep her place.
But in her mind, she still saw him. Always drawing. Always focused.
---
Meanwhile, across Tokyo, in a cozy café tucked behind a quiet Shibuya street, Iida Ayano, senior editor at Manga Jump, was sipping iced coffee as she re-read the latest chapter of Cahuazhuang.
The manga's creator, Shiina Mashiro, was one of her proudest discoveries. A student at Suimei University of the Arts, Shiina was dazzlingly talented, and Cahuazhuang, serialized under the pen name Shiina, had built a loyal fanbase with its moody art and complex narrative.
Iida closed the magazine and checked the time on her phone.
Today wasn't just about Cahuazhuang. She had a more urgent meeting—one she'd arranged with Sayuri Sawamura, the literary agent representing Whale, the mysterious and meteoric author behind Attack on Titan.
At precisely 2 PM, Sayuri arrived, fashionable and composed. After exchanging greetings, the two women got down to business.
"Ms. Sayuri, I'll be direct," Iida began. "Manga Jump wants to acquire the full serialization rights to Attack on Titan. We'd like Whale to serialize the work until completion."
"Until completion?" Sayuri raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. Editor-in-Chief Funao believes the series has enormous commercial and critical potential. It's the kind of IP we've been waiting for."
Sayuri took a long breath. "I truly appreciate that, but… I have to be honest. Mr. Whale's health is… fragile. I'm not sure he'll be able to complete the series."
Iida frowned slightly. "Is it that serious?"
Sayuri hesitated, then spoke in a low tone. "Lucien has late-stage cancer. The doctors have given him weeks at best. He's in no condition for a long-term serialization."
The words fell like a weight between them.
Iida felt her stomach twist. She had suspected an illness, but not something so grave. The world had lost too many artists too early. The thought of losing another—especially one as gifted as Whale—was painful.
More than anything, she felt heartbreak.
Not just for Attack on Titan, though that was a staggering loss.
But for Lucien.
A boy barely starting to live. A boy still drawing worlds while facing the end of his own.
"…I understand," Iida finally said. "Please give me a moment. I'll call Editor-in-Chief Funao."
She stepped away to take the call. Sayuri watched her retreat, a knot of anxiety forming in her chest.
She knew how much Manga Jump needed this title. Their current lineup was strong in school comedy and romance, but lacked any long-running action epic to compete with Weekly Shonen Magazine. Attack on Titan was their chance to shift the tides.
Would they still accept it if Lucien couldn't finish?
Would they invest in a masterpiece they might never complete?
Moments later, Iida returned and sat down.
"Editor Funao says we'll go forward with the serialization. Whale's Attack on Titan will begin publication in Manga Jump as scheduled."
Sayuri's breath caught.
"Truly…?"
"Yes. Even if it ends prematurely, the Editor-in-Chief believes the story deserves to be seen. He said—and I quote—'A fire that burns bright for one volume is still worth more than a thousand lukewarm ones.'"
Sayuri smiled. She had expected negotiation. Delay. Maybe even rejection.
But they understood.
They saw what she saw: a once-in-a-generation talent, burning bright even as his time faded.
"Please thank Editor Funao for me," she said softly. "And… thank you, Ms. Iida."
Iida nodded, eyes gleaming with resolve.
"We'll take care of the rest. You focus on helping Whale do what he does best."
---
To Be Continued…