Seri Tainaka is a manga artist struggling in the shadow of her own success. Her debut work, To Hell and Back, was a major hit, but she has failed to replicate that achievement ever since, leaving her demoralized and creatively stuck. After her long-time editor is transferred, Seri is introduced to her new editor, Sumire Futami. Futami is an enigmatic and passionate woman who immediately declares herself a devoted fan of Seri’s work, captivating and shocking the artist with her intense and unusual approach.

The story is set within the high-pressure world of professional manga publishing in Japan, specifically in the josei magazine Kiss, which targets an adult female audience. As Seri and Futami begin working together, their relationship quickly becomes complex and uncomfortable. Futami’s methods for motivating her charge border on inappropriate intimacy, using her personal charisma to push Seri out of her creative comfort zone while a palpable romantic tension simmers between them.

The narrative takes a critical turn when Seri meets Iwao Gonda, another manga artist also under Futami’s supervision. Iwao warns Seri that Futami plays favorites, maintaining a strict ranking system for the creators she manages, and hints at a more intimate relationship with the editor. At an awards ceremony, Seri witnesses Futami’s fervent support for all her artists, realizing that her editor’s intense passion and close relationships are not unique to her. This revelation crystallizes the "Fatale Game"—a possibly deliberate psychological competition where Futami’s femme fatale-like influence motivates her charges, potentially by pitting them against one another for her favor, forcing Seri to confront her own ambitions and insecurities in a bid to reach the number one ranking.