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Following the update of the latest Sword Art Online chapter, the fanbase suffered an emotional breakdown, and the media was only too happy to fan the flames. Sensationalist headlines began to saturate the ACG news cycle.
"Is Japan's Prodigy Losing His Grip? Signs of a Collapse in Haruto's Masterpiece, Sword Art Online."
"As Fans Trash the Latest Chapter, Critics Wonder if Haruto Will Follow the Tragic Footsteps of Former Geniuses Who Peaked at Debut."
"The Curse of the Young Prodigy Returns: Historically, 88.3% of Japanese Authors Who Find Fame Before Twenty Fade into Obscurity. Haruto Is Fast Approaching His Twentieth Birthday."
"Dead Heroine, Dead Protagonist: SAO's Latest Chapter Is a Disaster. If Haruto Cannot Stick the Landing in the Next Issue, SAO's Reputation Is Finished, and Kiyozawa Library's Circulation Could Plummet."
"Kiyozawa Library hit a milestone of 15 million copies last issue, leading its rival Hoshizora by nearly 500,000. SAO single-handedly drove that growth. If the story fails now, weekly sales could crash back to the 12 million mark."
"A Failure of Leadership? SAO's Narrative Meltdown Suggests a Lack of Quality Control at Kiyozawa Library. How Did Such a Blatant Mistake Pass Through the Editorial Board?"
The media was merciless, chasing clicks with the most provocative angles possible. Overnight, the consensus in the literary world seemed to be that the Sword Art Online bubble had finally burst.
Kiyozawa Library's PR department scrambled to contain the damage. While they could not explicitly leak the next chapter, they released ambiguous statements suggesting that the pessimism in the industry is misplaced and that the upcoming chapters of SAO will feature developments that exceed all expectations.
Simultaneously, Haruto agreed to a high-profile televised interview to address the controversy.
He had expected some pushback from the fans, but he had not anticipated such a reaction. His private message inbox was flooded with over a million notifications, thousands of desperate fans begging him to rewrite the chapter and save the story.
Haruto was caught between a laugh and a sigh. He had merely indulged in a bit of his trademark sadistic timing with a cliffhanger.
He had not realized that the fans' patience had finally reached its limit, resulting in this volcanic eruption.
To ease the pressure on Kiyozawa Library, the interview was scheduled for Wednesday, just two days after the magazine's release. The Sword Art Online fanbase was suddenly re-energized. Since Haruto had not responded to a single post on his social media, this interview was their only window into his mind. Half the community hoped this was all part of a master plan, while the other half was terrified that their favorite novel had truly committed narrative suicide.
After all, only two weeks ago, Kirito and Asuna were enjoying a peaceful honeymoon. Now, they had both been slaughtered by Akihiko Kayaba. Who could possibly accept that?
"Kiyozawa seems incredibly confident in their official statements," one fan noted on a forum.
"They have to be! They are the ones publishing it. If they looked worried, the stock price would tank," another replied.
"But they do not sound like they are bluffing. Is it possible we have actually misjudged Sensei Shiori Takahashi?"
"Cool your heads. Historically, every time a famous author ruins a story, the fans believe in them right up until the very end. Do not believe anything until the next chapter actually drops."
On Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM, Haruto arrived at the Tokyo TV 1 headquarters. After a thirty-minute session in makeup, he was led to the waiting area. When the clock struck 8:30, he walked out onto the set under the bright studio lights.
By now, appearing on national television was a routine part of his life. Between fan meetings, press junkets, and variety show appearances arranged by his publishers, he was a seasoned pro. He sat down across from the host, looking remarkably relaxed. His composure was a source of fascination for the studio staff.
The whole country is trashing his work, and he is sitting there like he is on vacation, they thought.
The host began with basic introductions before diving straight into the heart of the matter.
"Haruto Sensei, your two current works, Sword Art Online and Initial D, have both hit incredibly turbulent waters recently."
"We've seen developments that fans never saw coming, specifically the deaths of the hero and heroine in SAO and the tragic romantic betrayal in Initial D. I have to ask..
why have you made these choices for your characters?"
Haruto leaned back, choosing his words carefully. "There is not a simple why. From the moment these stories were conceived, the destinies of these characters were set in stone. In Initial D, Natsuki exists to force Takumi's growth. In Sword Art Online, Asuna's role serves a similar purpose."
This response, broadcast live, sent the fan groups into another frenzy of typing.
"Growth? What kind of growth? There are a million ways to develop a character that do not involve psychological trauma!"
"Even if Kirito survives next week, what about Asuna? She died in his arms. She turned into pixels! How do you come back from that?"
"Hush, let's see what the Sadist has to say next."
The host, sensing the ambiguous answer was not going to satisfy the audience, pressed harder.
"Sensei, on behalf of your millions of fans, I have to ask directly. Are the protagonists of Sword Art Online, Kirito and Asuna... actually dead?"
"Yes. They died," Haruto said after a brief pause.
The host blinked, momentarily stunned. "Wait... really?"
"See? If I say they're dead, you do not believe me. If I say they aren't, no one will believe that either," Haruto said, looking directly into the lens. "Words are meaningless right now. You will have your answer in a few days when the new issue of Kiyozawa hits the stands."
He leaned forward slightly, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "I did not write this chapter on a whim. This was not a mistake. Sword Art Online is nowhere near its conclusion. The next chapter will answer every single question the fans have been asking this week."
The host nodded slowly. "I see. It seems that regardless of what you say now, the fans will only find closure once they see the text for themselves."
"I can guarantee you one thing," Haruto added, a subtle, enigmatic smile playing on his lips. "The upcoming chapters of Sword Art Online will be... unforgettable."
Unforgettable was an understatement.
Haruto remembered his own reaction when he first experienced this arc in the memories of Shiori Takahashi. He had wanted to jump into the screen and strangle the antagonist, Sugou. Even though he planned to tone down Sugou's more repulsive traits for the audience, the Fairy Dance arc was still designed to leave a lasting mark on the reader's mind.
"Unforgettable, you say?" the host laughed. "You certainly have a lot of confidence, Sensei."
"It is not confidence," Haruto replied. "It is simply an objective assessment of the story I have written."
The interview lasted forty minutes.
After the initial grilling about his plots, the conversation shifted to Haruto's personal life, his studies, his relationships with his peers, and his views on life and romance.
By the end of the broadcast, the mission had been accomplished. Haruto's demeanor had successfully restored a measure of faith in his fanbase.
The next chapter will answer everything? the fans wondered.
Fine. There were only a few days left. They would wait and see how Haruto planned to weave his way out of the corner he had painted himself into.
