[Anime Crossover] Becoming Mangaka in Anime World

"Ugh…"

A groan of pain escaped him, like his brain was being set on fire. It was agonizing, suffocating.

This strange sensation lingered for almost ten minutes before it finally eased up.

A few minutes later, drenched in sweat, the young man slowly opened his eyes, blurry and disoriented.

He glanced around at the familiar surroundings and managed a wry smile.

"Well, that's an unexpected outcome."

To explain, we need to go back about an hour.

That was when Akifumi Mugiho, on his way to Toyogasaki Academy, witnessed the tragic scene of his close friend, Tomoya, dying in a car accident.

There was blood—red and white—everywhere, a scene so horrific it was almost beyond words.

He held back the sorrow, fear, and nausea long enough to call Tomoya's family before collapsing.

When he woke up again, he found himself in the school infirmary, for reasons unknown.

That's when things got… weird.

"Did the shock trigger the awakening of my past life memories?"

Well, that's a dramatic way to start things.

Akifumi Mugiho couldn't help but let out an inward sigh.

But…

"Other than the extra memories, everything feels pretty much the same."

It's still him, so there's no need to get caught up in the typical online debates about body swaps or soul reincarnations.

The relationships he's built over the years are real, no question.

Thinking about it, he couldn't help but remember the friend whose death had brought back his past life memories. He sighed, feeling a little conflicted:

"Life is fragile, huh."

He didn't feel the usual bitterness toward his friend like some might in online discussions.

This was still a real world, after all. If you put aside the messy handling of emotions, from a pure "friend" perspective, they really were a great friend, no flaws.

So…

"Dead is dead."

There's no need to dwell on the mistakes that happened in the anime.

Not to mention, according to his memories, the anime plot hadn't even started yet.

"Come to think of it…"

"I didn't expect this world to be like this."

After accepting his past life's memories, Akifumi Mugiho realized this wasn't the Japan he remembered.

It was a world where various anime worlds collided.

And why is that?

"Wait, I've actually interacted with this many female protagonists since I was a kid?"

If you follow the female protagonists, it's like five different worldviews combined.

The good news? All five are just ordinary, everyday worlds.

So…

"Even though this is a crossover anime world, there's no threat of some terrorist just blowing up the Earth."

"Now that's something to celebrate."

Maybe only a teenager deep in their chuunibyou phase would daydream about being the hero with incredible powers, saving people.

And, after all these years without some kind of system, he didn't expect one to suddenly appear.

For Akifumi Mugiho, an adult who had already matured, this kind of peaceful, everyday world was just right.

There are cute wives, and he's 16—perfect age, with his parents' stunning good looks.

Using his memories to make a little cash, dating beautiful girls, going to class, and enjoying life—just the thought of it put him in a good mood.

As for traversers, making money isn't hard.

The easiest way? Just pick up your old job.

"Drawing manga."

Sure, he'd been in the business for over a decade and was getting a bit tired of it, but hey, money is money.

Plus, now he didn't have to think too hard. He could just copy some of his past life's best works and still make money. What's to complain about?

"Wait...?"

Akifumi Mugiho's expression shifted suddenly.

As a professional, he'd naturally come across plenty of amazing works in his past life.

But as he thought back just now, he realized he couldn't remember any of them clearly—just a few vague impressions.

"Is this a memory issue?!"

Damn it!

So this is how it's going to be—no perfect ending, huh?

He sighed, feeling disappointed.

Just as he was about to give up on his original plan, though, a flash of memory came to him, showing different images.

The more the images flipped through, the brighter his eyes became.

"It's like I just saw it—storyboards, dialogue... so clear!"

"It's not a memory issue, it's a full prompt to make a story!"

Well, if it's just a prompt, fine.

As long as he can make money, it works for him.

But…

"Even though this work is great, who should I submit it to?"

The three biggest publishers in this world are similar to his past life: Kodansha, Shogakukan, and Shueisha.

Kodansha is known for its Weekly Shonen Magazine, focusing on action, sports, romance, and mystery.

Shogakukan mainly targets elementary school students, with Shonen Sunday as its representative.

Shueisha publishes Weekly Shonen Jump, aimed at teens.

Although all three are big names, Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump is the clear leader in sales.

Since he and Tomoya shared similar interests, Akifumi Mugiho knew these basics well.

In terms of art style, Shogakukan might be the best fit.

But…

"If this is really for kids, isn't that a bit inappropriate?"

He sighed, feeling conflicted, and shook his head.

"Forget it."

"Which publisher to choose can be figured out later. For now, let's just get the drawing done."

With that in mind, Akifumi Mugiho pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

Beep... Beep...A few beeps later, the call was picked up.

"Sorry, Sensei, I'm not feeling well, so I'd like to take a few days off."

"Mm-hmm, okay, thank you, teacher."

.....

[TL Note]

Hello! This is my first time doing translation work, and I really hope you all enjoy it! Just a heads-up—this fanfiction isn't mine; I've only translated it. Thanks for reading!