NOVEL NEXT Chapter 221
It might be a bit long with useless details, but here’s a three-line summary for busy readers:
1. Thanks for always tuning in!
2. Three side stories confirmed, with more to come sporadically.
3. Q&A
Whoosh!
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Hello!
I’m Son Ahpeun, the author of “Supporting Characters in the Game Become Obsessive.”
Honestly, my hands, neck, and back hurt a bit…
But my fingers are the most concerning…
I’ve written the main content of chapter 212 and now eight side stories.
Just so you know, I have three planned side stories ahead, and I might post a few more irregularly later.
Like I mentioned in my author’s note, there are gag side stories, a first-night episode I couldn’t write, and other anecdotes.
To be honest, I have a lot I want to write about my mercenary days, the game’s ending, and endless anecdotes…
But it feels like it might get out of hand!
Anyway, see you all tomorrow or later.
So!
I started serialization on December 30, 2023, and it’s been about eight months.
It’s a short time, yet it feels long too.
For me, this novel has been a challenge. I always wanted to serialize a novel, but it’s not as easy as it sounds!
Since this is my first story, there might have been some shortcomings, but I think there were also some decent parts.
Looking back, there are definitely weird spots in the beginning.
I still feel the criticism about how I cut sentences awkwardly.
When I tried to revise later, I found nearly ten awkward breaks in one piece!
I ultimately failed at it.
At first, I added too many parentheses, which looked weird now, but seemed okay back then.
However, I learned a lot during my first attempt. I actually learned a great deal, and the experience of engaging with readers was new for me.
The reason I chose to write in the cyberpunk genre is actually less complicated than you’d think.
Like some readers might have felt while reading, this story was significantly influenced by a certain game.
And since I’m writing anyway, I had a strong desire to write in a genre I love.
I like fantasy and other genres, but my inner hipster was shouting for me to push cyberpunk!
Sure, people said, “How can it be cyberpunk with magic and races?”
But I thought that would be more fun! Haha…
Anyway!
I simply wanted to write a cyberpunk story with a “happy ending.”
Usually, in cyberpunk, the endings tend to drift into something bleak. I find that frustrating while reading.
As you know, this story doesn’t have a “crisis structure.”
Thus, the main story was a bit weaker because I planned the story completely after the ending.
Overall, there is a crisis situation, such as the megacorp chairman’s attack or the rampaging dragon.
But in the end, a happy ending is planned!
Eve and the chairman played significant roles in this.
To be honest, even if the cyberpunk genre seems to end happily now, the future isn’t exactly bright in that worldview.
However, this story doesn’t have that.
This aspect definitely polarized opinions. Some loved it for no crisis, others hated it.
Preferences vary from person to person.
But I sometimes think if I had put a bit more effort into this part, I could have satisfied both sides…
However, with my skills, it was out of reach!
Outside the novel, the discussion continues.
At first, this story was going to be “true cyberpunk.”
No races or magic—
That was the plan.
The structure of falling into a game is the same, but the protagonist had the ultimate boss specs.
With the attribute of “humanity,” they were mentally sane but had about 90% of their body covered in chrome, pondering, “Can I consider myself me?”
Even so, the structure still resembled slice-of-life.
I thought it could be fun for the boss spec character to go to a cyberpunk convenience store and buy food.
Anyway, with this plot, I applied to the Nobelpia Academy last year…
But I cleanly got rejected. Sigh…
So the revised story is what you see now.
When I got the chance to write this year, that sealed file from last year came to mind.
And so, a cyberpunk novel featuring magic, races, and spirits was born. Applause!
Thinking back, there were significant changes throughout the writing.
In fact, the chairman wasn’t originally a heroine…!
Dun dun…!
However, the character itself remained. But, with her unexpected popularity, I couldn’t help but change the plot. I care for you readers, after all…
Also, Maya wasn’t a heroine originally.
This change came because I received threats from a group that loves short hair and shark teeth, so I had no choice!
Originally, there was a 5-heroine system.
However, with it expanding to 7, I started to feel a bit of my shortcomings.
Honestly, I’m saddened that the characters I originally planned as heroines, Julia and Natasha, are relatively less popular.
I don’t have much to say about my shortcomings.
If there are any fans of either, I sincerely apologize…
I have many regrets while writing.
Maybe I should have made Eve’s speech a bit more normal, or delayed the meeting with Pete Mc.
There are various types of regrets, but if I went into too many, the afterword would truly turn chaotic!
(Honestly, it already seems a bit messy…)
Still, I believe I organized the foreshadowing quite nicely, so I’m relieved.
Some parts were caught by a few readers, while others were just passed over…
Still, I think I handled these aspects neatly within the story.
If you have any other questions, feel free to leave a comment!
I might not be able to respond immediately, but I’ll do my best to answer questions in the afterword.
Just so you know, the main cast will continue to be happy.
There’s no reason for misfortune.
Personally, even if aliens come from the universe, I feel like they’d win.
Honestly, unless Cat Fighting leads to the city’s destruction, I don’t see any misfortune coming. I don’t think the protagonists would just sit around either!
Anyway,
With planned side stories, I’d love for you to enjoy until the very end!
Now, onto the Q&A!
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1. Ranking strength based on a serious fight.
Every battle has its conditions, but it really depends on the situation.
Eve could probably beat all characters wearing cyberware, but a dragon without cyberware? That’d be tough.
On the other hand, Catherine, with the protagonist’s buff, could take on a dragon!
However, under corporate power, even Catherine would hit a wall eventually. It feels like the battlefield changes.
When a bounty is on the line, winning doesn’t feel like a victory, does it?
So you get a sense of these three all going at it in celestial realms, with Andrea and Julia being similar, and Natasha, who has battle experience, just below them. And our average part-time worker Maya is at the bottom.
Not much combat experience, you see…
So that’s how it is.
2. Fixed lifespans of the characters.
With dragons living long and Eve not having a set lifespan, this question comes up a lot.
Well, with the inclusion of Pete Mc, a character transferred to a new body, and Kojaka Nobukuro, a happy ending is already planned!
Then the aging of the brain wouldn’t be a big deal.
Personally, I can imagine a heroine who won’t let go of a protagonist saying, “I feel like I’ve lived long enough…”
Running away from death is impossible… this has a bit of a thriller feel to it.
Haha.
3. The original story of the game.
Cyberpunk is usually not a happy-peppy story.
Scavengers digging through guts are common, and mercenaries are pretty much like mayflies.
Descriptions of radiation or toxic storms are frequent as well, presenting the city’s outside as post-apocalyptic.
But the cheerful mood carried by the protagonist made this all possible.
In fact, I’ve even written a scene where Drek saves his girlfriend.
That’s originally how it ended.
Drek, after his girlfriend’s death, burns his life away like a moth. There’s no will to live. He dies in the main story’s ending.
Andrea, while she became a famous singer in the game’s ending, wasn’t nearly as famous at the time. Being a mercenary became her main job. So she continues working in that field post-game ending.
Eve appears as a DLC in the game. She has no affections toward humans, as no one has saved her. Instead, she learns to hate humans quickly.
Initially, she tried to blow up the city with a nuclear bomb, as Pete Mc once attempted, but was defeated by the protagonist (Catherine).
In the game, she wasn’t equipped with the same specifications as in the story! Naturally, it resulted from her lack of desire to live.
The dragon serves as an Easter egg in the original game. The battle scene with the dragon was a sad story of developers lacking the budget and time.
Julia is a name boss character and thus must die for story progression.
Maya is a quest boss character and can die or be captured. You can think of this like a psycho quest from a certain game. After that, we have no further info on her.
Natasha continues to work for No Answer. Among them, she’s one of the characters that isn’t dramatically tragic.
Taylor only appears in the news. He’s one of those characters who didn’t show up in the original game, given his workaholic nature.
Catherine’s appearance can change significantly depending on the ending branches, but unlike in some games, there isn’t a dying countdown. All endings carry bright hope.
As I write, it turned out longer than expected!
Let’s leave this question here for now.
4. How many kids do they have?
They end up having enough kids to play soccer in divided teams!
That’s right.
The will of Siwoon as a doctor was weaker than that of the heroines!
5. What their kids think of their dad.
Some kids see him as a local bum like Ian, but most like him a lot.
He plays well at home!
And Ian’s just seen as a local bum, but they don’t hate him.
Some of the daughters show serious affection for their dad, but overall, it’s a peaceful household.
But bringing home a dragon did cause a bit of a ruckus. When some of them yelled, “I hate Daddy!” Siwoon was shocked enough to skip three meals.
6. What happens if the master gets pregnant…
…normally, she carries a human child.
That’s just magic! Actually, it’s more of a special ability of dragon kin, so it’s easier to think of it that way.
This holds even if she transforms into a dragon’s form.
However, a born child might grow up to become a dragon. Depending on the constitution, some might lean closer to humans!
7. The true name of the master.
I mulled over this, but I think it’s best to keep it a secret.
It’s pretty difficult to put into words, so I prefer to just call her “master” or “dragon.”
Because she is a dragon…
8. Was the dragon planned as a heroine from the start?
I debated this a bit too.
There were already plenty of heroines, and her appearance came very late; it could split readers’ opinions.
However, I had some connections in mind for her character.
After the ending, I thought, “They all lived happily ever after!”
So the vibe now is similar. In the end, she appeared, leading to adult cycles too, which was planned to some extent.
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That’s it for the questions I received in the comments.
As mentioned earlier, please leave comments, and I’ll find time to answer later—even for trivial matters!
As for sequels, I’m still pondering.
I will write it, trying to meet the competition deadline… So perhaps see you in October!
I feel like I have some time, so I’m thinking it over leisurely.
This time, I’ll likely write in fantasy or modern fantasy.
The minor genre is out for the season…
Still, I’ll strive to make my next book something you all can enjoy without any burden!
Anyway,
Until next time, I sincerely hope to meet again as the author and reader!
Thank you again to all of you who’ve always supported me. Your recommendations, comments, and pointing out typos and awkward phrases have been incredibly helpful.
A heartfelt thanks to everyone who sponsored me. I genuinely appreciate it!
I haven’t contacted him yet, but I’d like to thank the Nobelpia PD who might be out there!
So, I hope to see you all again later.
First, I need to start writing those side stories!
Lovestruck… um, I just like you all!
Thank you for tuning in once again.
May everyone have a happy and peaceful day!