What's up everyone, very long time no see.
This is a very abrupt ending to the volume, but I wanted to start fresh coming back to this novel. The last few chapters of the last volume were not my usual quality, and the characterisation was all over the place. I'm at the point where I don't even know how to fix it, so I'm just going to basically reset things somewhat with this new volume.
Now, some of you might be wondering why I was gone for so long (or at least I hope ;-;), so I feel like I should give some sort of coherent explanation.
When I first started this book, I was in 10th grade (I know, I'm basically an egg). At that time, I didn't have much going on, so it was pretty easy to grind out chapters. When I first started posting (I started on Royal Road), I was posting 3 chapters a day (like a psychopath). It was fine since I would spend all day in the library just writing and writing and writing.
I never really struggled at school, so there was never any pressure for me to do homework etc. That was the case for quite a while until a few months ago. 12th grade started, and things were heating up. Australia has quite a competitive ranking system which means now I was finally facing people who were similar strength to me.
As such, I've had to split my focus. I was basically studying 24/7, and there was just no time for me to fit in writing. Around that time, I was also juggling several other books (for monetary reasons), which made it even harder for me to commit to something. There was just no way that I was going to balance all of that, so what happened was that I basically just fell apart, lol.
I started and stopped a few more books in the meantime during this break. None of them did that well, and I ended up just losing motivation.
Fast forward a little while. I'm still going decently at school, so I can finally invest some time in writing (+a few failed business ventures, which is a separate story). I decided to come back to this book since I noticed that it still has a decent reader base.
I actually really like this book, and I think it's one of my best works. However, the latest few chapters, which I wrote during my hard times really diminished the quality. Webnovel also doesn't allow for chapter deletion so I've just had to deal with it. I've gone back and edited them, but it's still iffy, you'll have to read them with a pinch of salt and ignore the characterisation problems.
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I'll definitely bring the quality back up with this new volume. The upload rate will much slower than before, but at least it won't be zero.
As for the future of the story, I'll be developing the nature vs nurture plot significantly harder in the coming volumes. The school will begin creating harsher punishments but also bringing in more students, as Kurosawa Hayao tries to find people who are smarter than Tachibana Kohei's Outcomes.
Talking about Outcomes, there'll be lots more coming into the school. These Outcomes will be the ones who survived the Incident that Ruined the Outcomes, meaning they're incredibly smart, even surpassing Hasegawa Mio.
We might even be introduced to the Girl From All Those Years Ago...
Next volume, we'll get more special exams, more expulsions and more violence.
In the next special exam, conflict will ensue between Hasegawa Mio and Mizuhara Sayaka. In the chaos, both sides begin to show their vulnerabilities, and we learn what Hasegawa-san's mission is, the mission that has guided her for so long. We also find out why Sayaka holds a deep grudge against Mio.
Turns out, it wasn't the first time they met.
"Do you still intend to hide behind all those people? You're just a coward, Mizuhara Sayaka-san."
"That's tough coming from you. You know, I've known your mission this entire time, Mio-chan."
"Even if you do, there's nothing you can do about it."
For the first time, Mizuhara Sayaka trembled.
...
Outside the school, a sector of the government provides funding for the re-establishment of the Ideal Human Project, trying to bury all the evidence from the Incident that Ruined the Outcomes.
In complete secrecy, they run the project again. This time, they were given more resource than ever before. They create lots of talented children, but no one like Mizuhara Ayato.
It makes them wonder whether something like that was possible to replicate ever again.
Kurosawa Hayao is seen talking to them.
Whilst he seems like the absolute power at National High School, there are still people above him. One person, to be exact.
Tachibana Kohei's legacy will forever live on.
Or will it?
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Anyways that's enough about the next volume. I just wanted to thank you all for sticking along with me even after my long breaks. It's honestly amazing that so many people care about what I write and the story of Mizuhara Ayato.
On a separate note, I've been looking at some artists to see if I want to commission some art. I guess it'll all depend on whether or not Webnovel wants to promote me. If so, I'll commission a high-quality cover (because I'll have to) and then we can see what the characters actually look like.
As for the length of this story, I briefly stated it before, but I've wanted to keep this novel up for the length of my childhood. It's a memoir of all the experiences I've gone through and a vivid reminder that I'll leave some sort of imprint on this world, however small.
Don't worry, it'll be a while till the official end of this story. Even the initial 500+ chapter guess was probably an understatement. Once exams finish for good, I'll be able to commit basically all fo my time to writing this. Just like the beginning.
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Also, just a little spoiler for far (10-15 volumes, maybe even more) into the future. I've planned out the ending and even the title of the final chapter.
—I'll Meet You After the End of the World
...
From the perspective of Mizuhara Ayato.
