So we've reached Chapter 26. Honestly, I've been writing longer and faster than I planned. Usually, I only manage about 5-6k words per week. But since starting this story, every day I write a 'minimum of 5k' words (including the parts I hated and deleted). Yes I delete a lot of scripts, which is very tiresome but oh well, I can't accept something I don't even like.
It's been a long time since I've been this excited about writing. I hope this feeling stays until I finish the entire story. I'm really serious about completing it all, and it will probably take a few hundred chapters and several years of my life, but welp. Hopefully, I won't die before then or have to stop to take care of a newborn or I have another idea for another book (hope not).
Anyway, the story is starting to reach the final sprint toward TP1. I already have a few ideas for where the Mythical Dancers' members will be teleported to. To be honest, I planned to remove Sylphie going to Ariel, but that would mean losing one of the extremely good friend groups from canon, so maybe I won't do that (?) I guess some people are also curious about what Fitz's journey would be like if Nights Eye Crow was dead, right? Maybe she won't regain her memories, which would create a pretty interesting dynamic, I guess. In short, I haven't decided yet, teehee.
Also, I've already set the positions and upcoming stories for other characters. There will be a LOT of changes (maybe there won't even be a Fitz) because I really like messing up the canon story. If you want to see everything happen exactly like the original work, then there's no need to read this one, right? The main reason why I write this one is because there're soooooooooo many ffs which straight up copy the source material ¯\(ツ)/¯.
Anyway, coming up there will be a LOT of new OC characters and tons of headcanons because Atur's journey will go to a region that the original work hasn't touched too deeply. After all, my goal is to write a more expanded story; there wouldn't have been a Roa arc if I hadn't lost a bet with a friend.
By the way, my initial plan for Volume 2 was to focus on the war in the Royal Capital, and Atur would join Halfaust's or even Grabel's faction. But I scrapped that plan because the journey to Roa seemed more interesting. I guess everyone also wanted to see Atur meet Rudeus and the main cast sooner, so I swerved.
Oh well, enough rambling.
Thank you, everyone, for reading this story. I know compared to other cooler and more unique fanfics, my story is still quite modest and has many flaws. However, if you've read this far, I'm very grateful and extremely appreciative.
I know the first chapters had many flaws, especially the main character himself. Honestly, that was intentional on my part to make him like that. I deliberately created Atur—a character very hard to empathize with, having an extremely cowardly and stupid perspective, even worse than Rudeus because he's a hypocrite. If you find it's annoying, it's fine, it's intended to annoy you anyway.
I know that's a dangerous choice and unsatisfying for most people. With an OC insert story, I can see readers prefer a strong, cool, and less idiotic character than Atur in the first half of Volume 1.
To me, Atur is a model for those who are lost and full of regrets even though he had quite a normal life before. He wants to live and do something good but doesn't know what to do; on the other hand, he also wants to be selfish by living comfortably. All his life, he only knew how to follow others' instructions, so when he had to stand on his own two feet, he created conflicts for himself because he didn't even know what he should do or live for.
I think that's a fairly common phenomenon for people of a similar age to him at the time the story began. I don't know about you all but I can see a lot of Atur in my country recent days, which is just sad.
I know many people hated Atur's inner monologues in those first chapters, but I won't change them or regret it. Because everyone has moments of being lost and stupid. Only those who are truly patient, gradually nurturing and accompanying them, can see how beautiful that journey is.
I believe Mushoku Tensei is a story about redemption and mutual acceptance. For those who cannot accept Atur, that is completely understandable because not everyone can accept everything. But for those who have accompanied him and the story to this point. I can't speak for Atur, but I believe he would be very grateful for your understanding; you are exactly good friends.
But I do him like this to challenge myself if I can pull this off. Writing about a coward, stupid yet arrogant is hard, making him an MC is even harder. But when something's hard I want to try it to improve myself in writing since it's my main job anyway.
By the way, Atur will have many more stupidities and mistakes in the future. I hope everyone will continue as you did in the beginning; don't hesitate to scold or point out that stupidity. Because that's what a good friend should do.
I hope everyone will also find someone willing to watch over you even in the worst and darkest times. If you do, they are the friends you should cherish for the rest of your life.
Wishing you a life that you won't regret.
Hope the next slice-of-life chapters won't bore you too much before the real disaster appears.
(And I won't say this pile of yapping is to maintain the writing streak because I can't write the new chapter in time hehe)
By the way, I will still maintain the monogamy promise for the main character. However, seeing many people starting to ship couples I didn't intend to pair up really makes me think a lot... And tbh, I don't even planning to make Atur to be with Eris if I follow my original plan though.
Oh well, we'll cross that bridge when we get there. Even if I accidentally fall into the harem pit, I'll try to make sure it's not a brainless or illogical harem. If you trust me, you can comment 'happiness for everyone'.
And if you don't trust me and really don't like Acchan having more than 1 wife, then comment 'Saint Millis number one'.
I don't promise to change based on the number of comments or anything btw. Consider this a poll to see what everyone thinks about this issue. I'm a romcom - slice of life writer myself with a few books before jumping into this fanfic on an online platform (which explain why my pace is super slow, sorry about that but I don't think I can change that anytime soon), so this topic is always something I want to ask my readers.
<3
Peace.