Chapter 46: Challenge from a New Star [1]
In early August, Fullmetal Alchemist Chapter 10 was released.
The emotional impact of this chapter was just as Sue predicted—it made countless readers break down in tears. Edward and Alphonse, in the snowy plains of the North, met an old soldier who had lost everything. The soldier told his story—about war, about loss, about redemption.
{The snow fell in heavy, silent sheets, burying the northern landscape in white.
Edward stood over the body of the old soldier. The man's hand, stiff in rigor mortis, clutched a faded photograph of a smiling family—people who were long gone.
"Brother," Alphonse's voice echoed hollowly from the armor. "Is searching for the Philosopher's Stone... really the right thing to do? If it causes this much pain..."
Edward looked at the distant, unforgiving mountains. The wind whipped his golden braid. His automail hand clenched into a fist.
"I don't know," Edward whispered, his breath clouding in the freezing air. "But if we don't search... I'll regret it for the rest of my life."}
The scene froze there. The snow kept falling.
On the forums, the speed of new threads for this chapter set a record:
"I cried, I really cried..."
"The old soldier's story was too heavy..."
"Edward's last line... my heart is broken..."
"The theme of this chapter is 'Cost,' right? The cost of seeking the Stone, the cost of war, the cost of surviving..."
"FMA isn't just manga anymore, it's art."
Even more astonishing was the reader survey data—Chapter 10 approval rating: 74.1%.
Record broken again.
NextGen Manga Monthly's sales surged to number one for the year. In bookstores, the magazine was displayed in the most prominent position, with "74.1% - New Historical High" printed largely on the cover.
The industry surrendered completely.
No one discussed "Can FMA maintain its standard" anymore. Instead, they discussed "How high can it go?"
80%? 85%? Or... 90%?
No one knew. But everyone knew one thing: this record would not be broken anytime soon.
The editorial weekly meeting in mid-August carried a subtly heavy atmosphere.
Lee pushed a document to the center of the conference table. The cover headline was bold: Manga Weekly's New Pillar "White Night" Debut Work "The Thorn Bird" Chapter 1 Reader Approval: 68.1%.
The room was silent for a few seconds.
"Data came out last night." Lee's voice was calm, but everyone heard the weight in it. "Author White Night, seventeen years old, female, high school student. Debut chapter approval 68.1%—0.8 points lower than FMA's debut, but the highest opening for Manga Weekly in five years."
Sue took the document and flipped through it quickly. The Thorn Bird had a unique setting: in a world where singing could heal injuries but consumed life force, the protagonist became a "Thorn Singer" to save her terminally ill sister. The art style was gloomy yet gorgeous, emotional impact strong, narrative pace extremely fast.
"The key is this," Kevin Zhang pushed his glasses, pointing to the author interview summary. "White Night said in the interview that her favorite manga artist is Alex Walker, but—" he paused, "she said, 'I want to draw a profound work that doesn't lose to FMA; this is my challenge.'"
Low murmurs filled the room. The words were polite, but the challenge was obvious.
"The internet is already discussing it." Lee pulled up the forum page. "'Genius Girl Challenges Industry Peak,' 'Can White Night Shake Alex Walker's Position'—plenty of titles like these."
Sue finished reading and looked up. "Chief, your judgment?"
"A rival worth watching." Lee was blunt. "Seventeen, debut work, 68.1% approval. Talent, topicality, quality are all good. More importantly—her work also follows the dark, profound route with strong emotional impact, directly benchmarking FMA's core advantages."
He looked at Sue. "Does Alex know?"
"Haven't told him yet." Sue said. "He's preparing the finale of Chapter 11."
"Then don't disturb him for now." Lee decided. "But we must adjust our strategy. FMA Chapter 11 must be brilliant enough not to give the opponent any opportunity."
After the meeting, Sue stood by the hallway window and texted Alex: "Drawing?"
Minutes later, a reply came: "Yeah. Last panel of Chapter 11, almost done."
Sue hesitated, then typed: "Manga Weekly released a new author, work is good, debut 68.1%. Says she's your fan, but also wants to challenge you."
The reply was fast this time: "Good. Industry needs fresh blood."
"But she might divert some readers."
"Let her come. Readers vote with their feet."
Sue looked at those words and smiled. That was Alex. Calm, confident, speaking through his work.
But what Sue didn't know was that at this moment, in a tidy apartment in the provincial capital, a girl with short silver-white hair was staring at the Fullmetal Alchemist page on her computer screen, her expression complex.
"What 'speak through work'... just pretending to be cool..." White Night bit her lollipop, muttering. "Wait until my Thorn Bird Chapter 2 comes out, see if you're still calm!"
She refreshed the page, saw the reader comments for FMA Chapter 10, and her eyes softened.
"But... it is drawn well..." She clicked on the panel of Edward standing in the snow, looked at it for a long time, then silently saved the image.
Then she closed the page, opened her drawing software, and continued drawing Thorn Bird Chapter 2.
"I will definitely draw better..." She whispered to herself, pen moving quickly on the tablet. "Just wait and see, Mr. Walker..."
Weekend, Fullmetal Alchemist Chapter 11 released.
The plot deepened. Edward and Alphonse's investigation at the northern border had a breakthrough—clues about the Philosopher's Stone pointed to higher levels of the military, and the Tucker incident might just be the tip of the iceberg. Meanwhile, Edward's status as a State Alchemist began to bring more constraints and scrutiny.
What readers discussed most was Ross's storyline in this chapter. She was ordered to "accompany" Edward's investigation, effectively monitoring him. Their dialogue on the train was full of tension:
{"Second Lieutenant Ross, are you really just here to 'accompany'?" Edward looked at the fleeting scenery outside the window.
"It's an order." Ross replied briefly.
"What if my investigation touches things some people don't want touched?"
Ross was silent for a few seconds. "My duty is to ensure the investigation is compliant. Anything else is outside my authority."
"What a standard official answer."
"Because this is reality, Elric." Ross looked at him, eyes calm. "You think becoming a State Alchemist means freedom to investigate? No, you just changed cages."}
(To be Continued)
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Read Advanced chapter at Petreon.com/ Otaku_Reader
Please Support me there and get daily Updates.
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