Alice took the subway to work as usual.
Detective Conan posters decorated Osaka's subway cars, and it was common to hear passengers comment on it with enthusiasm.
That filled her with pride. As a former agent, she was sick of hearing about empty celebrities; But now, as a manga editor, nothing gave her more satisfaction than hearing praise for the author she was in charge of.
However, that day, just as he entered the train with his spirits high, he saw another new sign:
"The Bible of mystery novels that has captivated the world for more than forty years, Detective Sherlock, now arrives as a manga! Single volume on sale September 10."
Alice was petrified.
At that moment, a man and a woman were also entering the car and saw it.
"Hey... did I read that right? Detective Sherlock made into a manga?" the man said, incredulous.
The woman approached to read carefully.
—"Let's see... it is published by Tatsuryū Publishing. Does the manga draw... Mach? The handsome Mach-sensei? He's my idol!"
"I'm going to call Dad. He loves Sherlock. He has the novel in several editions."
The man took out his cell phone.
Alice, her face completely pale, pulled out hers and dialed to the office urgently:
"Editor-in-chief, we have a serious problem!"
The voice on the other end was strained:
"I know. The publisher will convene an emergency meeting. But for now, don't come. Go with Takumi. Make sure it doesn't sink. We need him to maintain trust."
"Understood!"
He hung up without hesitation.
He turned and ran out of the car, not looking at the illuminated sign or the beep that warned of the closing of the doors.
His heart was pounding at the temples.
Tatsuryū Publishing, Mach-sensei, and Sherlock Holmes... Each of those three names had weight on its own. Combined, they were a missile.
Tatsuryū was one of the oldest and most aggressive publishers in the industry. And Mach-sensei, its star mangaka, was an almost mythical figure.
Thirty years. Ten in the industry. Spectacular, dynamic style. Charismatic. And the worst... visually flawless. They called him "the most handsome mangaka in Japan".
But what was truly alarming was not him. It was the title he adapted.
Sherlock Holmes – a novel published by the British Anthony Grace in 1974 – was known as the Bible of the detective novel. An absolute classic of narrative logic and mystery. For more than four decades he had influenced generations of authors around the world.
It had been adapted into films, dramas, games, and even operas. The commercial value generated exceeded 100 billion yen.
Even in Japan, everyone knew who Sherlock was. He had accompanied more than a generation.
Alice had no idea that Tatsuryū had gotten the rights to that work.
—"How dirty!"—he murmured through gritted teeth.
And she wasn't the only one who thought this way at Hinotori Publishing.
Adapting a novel of that magnitude to manga was not done in weeks. Tatsuryū must have secured the rights months ago, perhaps years, and they had kept it secret... until Detective Conan announced its volume one.
It was obvious: they wanted to crush them.
Detective Conan had reignited popular interest in stories of deduction. And that same enthusiasm would be used by Sherlock Holmes as a promotional springboard.
And the worst thing was that... The cultural weight was unparalleled.
At that very moment, Takumi discovered the news on the internet.
He was not interested in rival publishers or Mach-sensei. But when reading about the book... Something stirred inside him.
The search was devastating.
Anthony Grace, author of Sherlock Holmes, had an IQ of 160. He published his novel at the age of 30. He was acclaimed all over the world, and his influence was such that he received the title of nobleman from the Queen of England.
Takumi read silently... and then blinked.
'Isn't that... What am I doing? A new Sherlock? A modern version?'
'No... this is even bigger than the original Sherlock Holmes.'
And then came the most alarming part: Sherlock Holmes earned Anthony the Nobel Prize for Literature. He boosted the genre to such an extent that in forty years the number of mystery writers multiplied by ten.
90% of authors in this niche in Japanmentioned it as a direct influence.
Perfect deduction. Supreme logic.
And after finishing that monumental novel, Anthony had said with total conviction:
"There is no better mystery story."
He then retired from literature and devoted himself to politics.
On one occasion, he was even considered a candidate for Prime Minister.
Takumi closed the browser window.
He said nothing.
But the ringing in his ears was louder than any words.
Now Anthony Grace had abdicated his literary career, but Tatsuryū Publishing had still secured the copyright.
Would Detective Conan come out at the same time as Sherlock Holmes?
"How am I supposed to compete with that?!"
Takumi froze. He never imagined that his first real rival would be so devastating.
Detective Conan had barely two months of serialization, with good sales and a solid promotional campaign. But even though it was popular, its notoriety was heavily concentrated in Osaka and the surrounding area, where advertising was more aggressive. It was estimated that the number of readers in other regions did not exceed three million.
In addition, the circulation of Weekly Shonen was limited. Not everyone bought a magazine for a single manga, and the actual readership was much lower than the number of people who simply knew the title.
Sherlock Holmes, on the other hand, was a legendary masterpiece, with a global reach.
—"This is shameless! Tatsuryū is clearly trying to crush Detective Conan."
"Nor is it direct suppression... it may be a coincidence."
The Big Sisters Alliance chat was on fire. The fans debated without reservation.
"Even if it's not intentional, the two titles are going to be compared. Who do you think will win?"
"I'd love for Detective Conan to shine, but it's incomparable..."
—"An original manga against a mythical novel... and also drawn by the idol Mach-sensei."
"I love Detective Conan, but I also want to marry Mach-sensei. He draws and has abs!"
—"Yes, it's like I like my favorite series and also the most handsome guy on the planet..."
Takumi closed the chat with a grimace. He couldn't lie to himself: the reactions stung his pride. But he acknowledged it in silence.
"Male vanity. That's it." "I've lived long enough not to get carried away by it."
And yet... The fire was already lit.
Obstacles like this were worth it. Until now, his path had been too flat, almost artificial. Finally, someone in front of him shouted that the world was not simple. It was real.
And although he knew he had no way to defeatSherlock Holmes... I still wanted to fight.
Give it your all. Not like a child. Like Mirai-sensei.
When Alice arrived, it was Takumi who opened the door for her. He had a clean expression, his eyes shining.
"It looks like you don't need comfort," she said, half smiling.
I was surprised. Takumi seemed even more animated than usual.
Perhaps, Alice thought, the publishers were the ones who needed comfort today.