I am the Entertainment Tycoon Chapter 994: A Raw Gem Found

Fuji Jump Co. HQ, Elffire City.

Thursday, May 27th.

Haruno Sayuri, the 28-year-old CEO of Fuji Jump Publishing House, possessed a remarkably youthful appearance that made her look more like a fifteen-year-old teenager. Nearly a year ago, when the company was on the brink of bankruptcy, Theo had stepped in to buy it. Because his initial financial offer was low, he allowed Sayuri to retain a ten-percent stake in the company while keeping her position as president.

In the year since the acquisition, fueled by the exceptional intellectual properties Theo provided, Fuji Jump Co. soared to unprecedented heights. They had recently broken into the Top 10 Best-Selling Manga list for April across the entire country of Sakura Abode. To solidify this growth, Theo was investing over one hundred million dollars into a massive, state-of-the-art printing facility. This move would allow Fuji Jump to directly compete with industry giants without being bottlenecked by limited printing capacity.

Yet, behind the string of successes, a glaring vulnerability loomed. Both Theo and Sayuri realized the company was over-dependent on a single source: Theo himself.

Currently, every manga and light novel published by Fuji Jump originated from Theo’s own work. Balancing this required an exhausting amount of time. If he were a full-time creator, it might be manageable, but Theo was overseeing an empire of multiple companies. He was simultaneously juggling an anime series, an animated feature film, a video game, and several other high-profile projects.

More importantly, Theo wanted the publishing house to thrive beyond his own contributions. He envisioned Fuji Jump as a platform for discovering fresh talent and unearthing spectacular new stories.

This ambition was precisely why he hadn’t hesitated to approve Sayuri’s proposal: launching their own manga magazine. In the industry, these magazines were the primary scouting ground for talent. Aspiring creators could publish trial Chapters, and if the readers responded positively, the company would officially invest in turning those concepts into full-fledged series.

Sayuri sat at her desk, meticulously reviewing the manuscript submissions that her editorial team had pre-screened. For months, they had used their bestselling manga volumes to advertise the upcoming magazine launch, inviting aspiring creators to submit their work. Manuscripts had flooded in from every corner of Sakura Abode, yet Sayuri remained unsatisfied. And now, there was less than 15 days before the first edition of the magazine launch, and none of mangas had the spark she needed. Although there were good mangas, for the magazine’s debut issue, she required something truly impactful.

Her deep concentration was suddenly shattered as her office door burst open.

"Say-chan!" a lively female voice called out.

Sayuri didn’t even need to look up to identify the intruder. Toyama Kazu was a Chief Editor at Fuji Jump and a fierce company loyalist. When the publisher was sinking toward bankruptcy a year ago, Kazu had refused to abandon the ship. She had originally worked under Sayuri’s father, but despite being a middle-aged woman, Kazu often acted so eccentric and youthful that Sayuri felt like the mature one.

"What is it?" Sayuri asked, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. But as she raised her gaze, she froze. Kazu’s cheeks were puffed out, and her eyes were red and puffy. "Why are you crying, Ka-nee? Did someone mistreat you?" Sayuri demanded, her tone sharpening with protective worry.

Kazu might be ridiculous at times, but she was family. And Sayuri did not tolerate anyone messing with her family.

"Oh, so my sweet Say-chan really does care about her big sister!" Kazu giggled, her tears vanishing instantly.

Witnessing the sudden shift, Sayuri realized she had been played. She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Sure, sure. I always worry about my little aunt," she countered with a mischievous smirk.

"You brat!" Kazu huffed, crossing her arms. "You think I’m old, do you? Fine. Then I won’t tell you about the incredible masterpiece I just uncovered." She turned on her heel, pretending to storm out.

Sayuri’s curiosity piqued. She knew that despite Kazu’s dramatic antics, the editor possessed a brilliant eye for talent and never exaggerated about the quality of a script.

"Alright, alright! You are incredibly young, Ka-nee," Sayuri called out, plastering on a comically fake smile. "We look exactly like sisters because of how youthful you are."

Satisfied with the praise, Kazu halted and turned back. She marched over to the desk and firmly placed a thick manga manuscript right in front of the CEO.

"Read this manga. It arrived yesterday," Kazu said, her playful demeanor completely replacing a rare, intense seriousness. "Read it, and you’ll understand exactly what I’m talking about."

Sayuri pulled the thick stack of papers toward her, her expression shifting back to that of a professional executive. She flipped open the cover page of the manuscript.

With years of industry experience, her analytical mind immediately began picking apart the presentation. Minamoto’s manuscript spanned ten full Chapters, a massive and risky submission for an unproven rookie. As she turned the pages, her critical eyes picked up several technical flaws. The panel layouts were occasionally cramped, the background art showed signs of rushing, and the perspective lines in a few complex scenes were mathematically incorrect. It was obvious the artist lacked formal training or had worked under extreme time constraints.

Yet, despite the rough edges, Sayuri couldn’t bring herself to stop reading.

The story was a gripping blend of drama, urban life, and dark fantasy, set right in the hidden, magical underbelly of a city much like Elffire City. The narrative hook gripped her within the first three pages, introducing supernatural elements that mirrored real-world human suffering. The pacing was deliberate, building a subtle, suffocating tension between the mundane streets and the tragic magical contracts binding the characters. The author’s raw formatting somehow enhanced the gritty, emotional weight of the fantasy lore. The dialogue felt intensely real, stripped of any hollow clichés.

By the fifth Chapter, Kazu’s silent presence in the office faded from Sayuri’s awareness. She was entirely trapped within the world Minamoto had inked on paper.

As she flipped to the final Chapter, the carefully constructed urban fantasy collided with a devastating emotional revelation regarding a character’s sacrifice. The narrative payoff was swift and brutal. Sayuri felt a sudden tightness in her chest. Her professional composure fractured completely. A single tear leaked from her eye, splashing directly onto the edge of the final page, quickly followed by another.

By the time she closed the manuscript, the powerful CEO was openly crying at her desk, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand as a quiet sob escaped her lips. The author had managed to evoke a profound, heartbreaking sorrow through his supernatural tragedy in just ten short Chapters—a feat that seasoned professionals struggled to achieve in years.

Sayuri remained silent for a long moment, allowing the heavy emotions of the story to settle. Once she regained her composure, she pulled her professional mask back on. With a now calm and analytical mind, she began flipping through the manuscript a second time, evaluating its structural integrity.

Kazu watched her silently, quietly scrolling through her phone to give the CEO space to work.

Twenty minutes later, Sayuri finished her secondary review and closed the file.

"This creator is clearly a rookie; the technical mistakes are frequent," Sayuri said, her voice measured, though her bright, shining eyes betrayed her intense excitement. "However, the narrative potential within these ten Chapters is astronomical. While I can’t predict if it will achieve mainstream stardom, I am absolutely certain it will capture a dedicated, passionate audience. These Chapters form a flawless first act. The readers will be desperate to know what happens next."

"Exactly," Kazu agreed, a confident smile spreading across her face. "And if an editor guides him to correct those rookie mistakes, I truly believe this story could become our very first homegrown hit series."

The two women locked eyes, sharing a moment of pure triumph. They both knew they had unearthed a rare gem. Though they couldn’t yet predict how brilliantly it would shine, its raw value was undeniable.

"We need to sign this author immediately," Sayuri commanded, her tone firm and unyielding. "What is his name?"

"Minamoto Ichino. He’s twenty-two years old and lives right here in Elffire City," Kazu replied, reading the contact sheet attached to the manuscript.

"He’s local? Perfect! Call him in for a meeting to negotiate a contract as soon as possible," Sayuri exclaimed. She paused for a moment, calculating, before adding, "Offer him the absolute highest tier contract available for a rookie. We must secure his loyalty to Fuji Jump. I have a strong premonition that this young man is going to surprise us all."

Kazu was briefly taken aback by the generosity of the offer, but she trusted Sayuri’s business instincts and didn’t question the decision. After hammering out a few more details regarding the manuscript, Kazu left the office to contact the young artist.

Left alone, Sayuri stood up from her desk and walked over to the massive floor-to-ceiling glass window behind her chair. She looked down at the bustling street where the Fuji Jump HQ was located; her eyes were gleaming with anticipation. The search was over; she had finally found the impactful piece for her new magazine.