Chapter 403: .5: Volume 3 Afterword

Hey, hey, hey! After what feels like countless months of writing—I’ve lost count, honestly—I have finally finished the third volume of this book. At 1.87 million words, it’s right around the length I had anticipated, and I’ve managed to convey most of what I set out to write. Personally, I’m quite satisfied with it, haha. I wonder what you all think? _(:з」∠)_ If you have any suggestions, feel free to share them in the review section or join the group to chat with me. Writing is purely a hobby for me, and aimless banter with readers is always my greatest joy.

Now, as I’ve done before, I’ll break down a few themes regarding the third volume and share some plans for the fourth—which will also be the final—volume. (¯?¯?)

(1) Regarding the plot of this volume: it flowed quite smoothly according to the outline, with almost no major revisions, save for the opening sequence involving the protagonist, the heroine, and the devil. As I mentioned in the previous volume’s summary, that was originally intended to have a much darker ending, but I reconsidered—there was no need for that, so I changed it.

Everything else followed a natural progression. You might have noticed that while the main thread of the third volume wasn't explicitly stated, it was there: the protagonist exploring the world beyond Alastair, revealing a much grander scope.

The Tidal Barrier, abyssal creatures, the starry sky, the Bottomless Sea Eye, and so on—these unique phenomena, the nature of the Void, forgotten history, lost civilizations, the origin of magic—a series of "question marks" were slowly unveiled as the plot advanced. This was a slight departure from before; I tried to weave these revelations into the protagonist’s experiences to minimize long-winded exposition, haha.

The main thread, of course, was the Dragon race. From the moment the protagonist learned of Sieg’s true identity, I began laying the groundwork, slowly steering the narrative in that direction until it reached its natural conclusion.

Just as the protagonist said at the end, it isn't a perfect result, but it is an acceptable one. Melos has been dealt with, the dragons have regained their freedom, and the threat of the abyssal creatures looming over the continent has been lifted. Yet, great souls have passed, and regrets remain.

"Grand Narrative" is a style of epic storytelling that I find fascinating—the rise and fall of civilizations, the choices made by a planet or an era. Think of games like Stellaris or Civilization VI; the rise and fall of entire kingdoms and worlds captured in a single gesture. That sense of scale is perfect for rendering an epic feel.

I’ve tried to incorporate this into the book: the resistance of the previous civilization, the Tidal Barrier, the past Battle of the Abyssal Depths, and the Morning Star Bomb—wonders that shaped the entire continent. I wonder if you felt that sense of grandeur? My skills aren't the best, so please forgive me if it didn't quite land. (¯?¯?)

But after writing a grand narrative, one must return to "individual narrative." I don't know if any of you are like me—unmoved by statistics of how many died in a certain place, but deeply touched when you focus on a single individual and witness their suffering.

That’s about it. A grand narrative is ultimately performed by individuals. To write a story, you must keep your gaze on these people—their reasons, their motivations, their joys and sorrows, their fulfillments and regrets. In the third volume, that focus was on Sieg’s family and the heretical dragons.

As for the life and death of Sieg, a truly great existence, let’s save that for later. The third volume officially ends here, and I think it’s a good stopping point: the major catastrophe is resolved, the rebirth of the dragon race begins, and the protagonist’s strength has advanced further, haha.

(2) Regarding the tone of the book: by now, I imagine you all have your own judgment on its style. By "style," I mean the level of cruelty in the plot, not the prose itself. With my current level, I certainly haven't reached the heights of my idols like "Big Eyeball" or "A-lao," haha.

The style of this book can actually be seen through the protagonist: it’s serious, but not overly cruel, with plenty of lighthearted moments. In other words, the protagonist hasn't faced too much pressure.

As someone from Earth, the only things that matter to him in this world are Aivia and a few friends. That’s it. He has always been a guy who remains somewhat "detached" from the world.

It is precisely because of this detachment that the protagonist appears so free. His actions often transcend the imagination of the people in this world, because they are burdened by so many things they care about and crave—things the protagonist simply doesn't.

That’s just his personality. He doesn't really care about others' opinions, and he won't let himself be pressured into carrying burdens he doesn't want. You can see this contrast in characters like Sieg and those who bear heavy missions; they are the ones who can truly be called "great," while the protagonist is neither self-proclaimed nor truly one of them.

This freedom makes the overall tone of the writing relatively light, as the protagonist never feels much pressure. He comes and goes as he pleases, and he isn't afraid of death. That’s what I wanted to write about, haha. I suppose being able to "wander" is a great fortune indeed.

This tone allows me to write more freely and explore what I want. As an outsider, the protagonist disrupts the world’s trajectory. He isn't the strongest, but he always brings a variable at the critical moment.

However, this creates a problem with emotional highs and lows. Because of this freedom, the events the protagonist experiences are relatively flat. It’s not that there are no twists, but the pressure never truly weighs on him. I’m sure you’ve felt it—when watching the protagonist, you don't feel that sense of tension.

This is a significant issue. While I can argue that the protagonist is simply that kind of person—someone who makes terrible things seem less terrible just by being there—the lack of emotional fluctuation is a fact.

This is also because the protagonist’s "character is too rigid." His will is so firm that he doesn't break, he doesn't fear, and he rarely feels deep sorrow. That lack of emotional volatility is both a feature and a flaw.

So, for the next book—yes, haha, I am planning it. Don't worry, my mind is always racing with ideas. I’m thinking about the next book while finishing this one, so I won't neglect either.

The next book will be set in a very serious, cruel, and manic world. I will delve deep into the protagonist’s emotions; he won't be like this one, where a "firm will" covers up all suffering. He will face oppression and misery, with a blade hanging over his head that could fall at any moment.

Of course, while digging into his core and stripping away that layer of normalcy, he will still be that outrageous, tough guy. As for why I like writing tough guys? Well, I just like characters who don't get bogged down in indecision.

As for the theme, it will be "Cyber-Evil God"—a chaotic and disordered world, a mix of future technology, Lovecraftian elements, superpowers, and wasteland tropes. The protagonist’s experience will shift from "wandering" to a genuine struggle for survival.

Mechs, transformations, big guns—the romance of men will be written in full force. Don't worry about it becoming too messy; if you think about this book, it only borrowed the "Western Fantasy" shell, while the internal settings were all things I crafted myself. It’s quite a mix, but it hasn't become too chaotic, right? At least there are no obvious contradictions in the settings or plot, haha.

I’ll stop here regarding the plans for the next book. After all, this one isn't even finished yet; talking about the next one is a bit premature. The point was to use this as a springboard to discuss the balance between cruelty and lightness.

Regarding the life and death of characters, for me, the distinction between cruel and light is whether they "die in a way that fits their character" and whether their death has meaning. Like the Professor’s sacrifice at the end of this volume—it was truly great. He followed his own will and burned his life away. Such a death is merely a regret, far from cruel.

True cruelty is when a character gives their all for something, only for it to be utterly meaningless. Life is like grass; one moment they are talking, and the next they are torn to shreds by a monster. In a book I once read, *Breaking the Food Chain*, a character might be speaking on one page and be cut in half on the next.

And these characters have to be companions who have walked with the protagonist for a long time for that cruelty to truly hit home. Many people died in the wars in this book, but I deliberately chose not to detail them.

People the protagonist knew from the Night’s Edge, old members of the Nightfall Church—they might have crossed paths with him, and then they were just gone. That’s normal; dangers are everywhere. But mentioning them in detail versus not mentioning them at all creates a completely different feeling.

I definitely won't write this book in that direction because the tone is already set. Only in the next book will I potentially strip away those extremely cruel facts. If I did it now, it would be a mistake. So, dying in a way that fits their journey is something these characters will have.

(3) Having discussed the third volume and the tone of the book, it’s time to talk about the fourth volume. The title is *Utopia*. Just hearing the name, you know it’s not something a guy like Wang Yu would normally deal with, so I’ll keep the specifics a secret for now.

I’ve mentioned before that this book has four volumes:

*Welcome to the New World, Wang Yu*

*Winds of Change*

*Wandering*

*Utopia*

That’s it. Having finished the third, we are at the final one. The fourth volume won't be too long—I’ve mentioned it will be slightly longer than the first, but definitely not as long as the second or third.

This is a personal habit of mine: don't drag things out. Finish the story I want to tell, and end it peacefully. Forcing an extension or padding it with filler is meaningless, isn't it, haha?

The plot has reached its final stage, and many things are being revealed: the origin of magic, past stories, the protagonist’s uniqueness...

The protagonist’s strength has reached a level where he can significantly influence the world. He has reached the stages I wanted to write: Participation → Influence → Change → Domination. That limited power will gradually grow until he can stir up massive waves.

So, that’s the summary for the end of the third volume. Tomorrow, I’ll update the protagonist’s attribute and skill card as of the end of Volume 3. I will write the fourth volume well. See you then! ～(￣▽￣～)~