Just one of the five secret strategies (lol)

But the real world isn't like that. The true state of the world looks more like this.

When discussing something, the conversation usually boils down to whether you're for or against it, right? What's more, what we see in the news or on social media is almost exclusively opinions for or against. As a result, we fall into the illusion that the world is split right down the middle between supporters and opponents. But in reality, the vast majority of people are either indifferent—they couldn't care less—or neutral.

What does "trending" mean?

Because our focus is solely on "for or against?" or "like or dislike?", we tend to think that "discussing" an issue means increasing the number of supporters.

If you push this pro-side expansion too hard, the dislike & opposition side gets pushed further and further aside.

Then, at some point, the opposition, pushed to their limit, unites online and launches a fierce counterattack. This is a major backlash.

And due to the nature of the web as a medium, the more negative the sentiment, the faster the gathering and spreading speed increases, and the power unleashed becomes enormous (tears).

Here's the answer to the earlier question.

Actually, when something becomes popular or a hot topic, it doesn't just mean more supporters—it means fewer people remain indifferent.

That's why Ice no Mi didn't just try to increase the number of supporters for Eguchi Manami. It got criticized quite a bit, but it became such a social phenomenon precisely because both supporters and opponents actively voiced their opinions.

That's all for today. If you want to know the remaining four secret strategies, they're detailed in the book~! That was supposed to be the ending, but I still have some characters left... Oh well, since we're here, I'll reveal one more secret strategy! Take it, thief!

Don't try to control everything!

<Question> What do "huge success" and "massive backlash" have in common? What's the difference?

<Answer> They both clear the toughest hurdle: becoming a huge talking point. The only difference is whether it involves negative emotions.

That's where the secret strategy of discerning between controlling and responding becomes crucial.

The cause of backlash I'm most wary of is the rule: trying to control everything exactly as you want it leads to backlash. The moment even a hint of the operator's intent to control things their way is visible, a massive negative force instantly coalesces online, screaming "We won't let you have it your way!" So, instead of trying to control everything, first identify what is taboo to control.

But if you tell clients or bosses, "We can't control it," or "It won't go our way," they'll think, "Oh no, we can't trust this person." Because for those in positions of responsibility, a situation that can't be controlled is the very thing they must avoid at all costs.

That's why it's crucial not to stop at simply "not manipulating." Once you've identified what is off-limits to control, the next step is to anticipate the various outcomes that could happen if you let things take their course and prepare countermeasures. This reassures clients and superiors. So, what did we do in the case of Ice no Mi?

What Eguchi Manami didn't control

<When would the合成 be exposed?>

This timing absolutely must not be controlled. So, we let the situation unfold naturally in the world, preparing for three possible timelines: discovery after one week, two weeks, or one month. We also prepared additional material in case the story needed to be stretched until discovery. In the end, it was discovered in just one week, the fastest possible, so this material remained unreleased – a phantom asset.

There are other things I haven't controlled yet, but...

Oh, I'm really running out of space here. If you're curious, please pick up the book! It goes into even more detail about the five secret strategies too~!