The End.

Authors Note:

This ending was one I had in mind to make the contest requirements. BUT there is an alternate one that has a more open end that is more of a cliffhanger.

Its actually the one I prefer, but both endings converge later on anyway so it’s not that much of a deal.

Here it is:

The main differences are that Ace turns and leaves when Hiro hacks the machine.

Thinking Hiro died, he’s left to fend for himself in the lawless city. He takes on odd jobs as a hitman and a mercenary. This is where the shadow powers are introduced instead of in the server room.

Then, he gets a job helping a jailbreak. This small gang is looking for someone who is good at hacking into software. Ace helps, then breaking the prisoner out, finding someone he never in a million years would’ve expected.

Mira has left the Syndicate, venturing on her own to try solve the Mass Disappearances. She bumps into Ace and Hiro by accident in future.

Then that leads us with the three trying to survive in the Lawless City. (Where this ending leaves us anyway)

I feel like it is more action packed, and Ace gets more development during the alone time. But I’m not sure I would call it a ‘satisfying ending’ by contest requirements.

Preferably, I would’ve made volume 1 longer. Maybe even split into two volumes. Why? I had to rush the pacing to get to the end of the second mission, also due to the contest requirements. I wrote the last arc entirely in 2 days, in two 14-hour-long writing shifts. I’m more tired than I’ve ever been and had to rush for the contest deadline. It did pain me though because I felt like I wasn’t showing SOGs full potential

I had to cut the forgotten lib arc and the curse/phoenix cradle arc short. I think they could easily have lasted longer. I did have more things planned, e.g there were a lot more puzzles and fights, but I cut it out to only the main ones.

For the curse arc, the original plan I had would’ve been long enough for a volume. Time loops are complicated, require a lot of setups, but are really cool with clues and mysteries to solve. But for the competition, I didn’t think it would’ve been a satisfying ending for the overall narrative. Not enough setup for the future, and it doesn’t show the story’s potential. It was a hard decision to make. I think it really cut down the potential it had to be an even more impactful arc.

I did rush a bit, to ensure that I showed more of where the story is going.

I’m prioritising showing the potential of the story more than a finished product. I think that’s what’s more important.

And I hope you see it that way too.

Something unpolished, with potential. It is far from what I would like it to be right now, but I hope you can see the beginning of something that will grow into something great.

Trust me when I say I’ve never been more stressed with time in my life. I am a uni student with a part time job who discovered the competition a month into it already being open + I had to move accommodation + I had a 3 week family holiday where I couldn’t write in the middle, meaning that I planned the story in like a day and just started writing. I wrote the whole thing in basically a month. Many long days and low sleep.

This is my first attempt at writing ever, I like watching anime (I’ve watched too many to count especially isekais) but I don’t read very often. I’ve read a few light novels. When I was writing, I had the scenes play in my head as if animated, rather than thinking of it as a book. Quick hooks at each episode and grand fight scenes.

This has been the hardest challenge of my life so far and something I’ve enjoyed greatly. Regardless of the comp, I see the potential in the story and will continue it till its end.

Insight into the characters:

I initially wrote Ace as a bland character. This was intentional. Why? I wanted a character well a relatively blank slate without a strong base, so that he could grow and change with the events of the story as it progressed, just like the reader.

This does make the earlier parts of the story seem boring with Ace being less developed but I know it will pay off in the long run.

Oden- A mercenary who was endlessly searching for purpose only to have thought to found it in fighting for the Spearhead. A man stuck in his ways and routine going into old age. And it is only at his death that he realises that it wasn’t purpose he was lacking but the search of purpose in itself, enslaving him. Passing on his words to Mira to kind of give her that push she’s always needed.

Mira is a character that I had envisioned from the start. Someone opposite to Hiro. Someone often strict and with a strong moral code. Someone who had a place to belong and feels trapped there. Not realising that it was herself that created that cage in her mind. A bird trapped in their own nest.

Hiro the opposite. A bird who flies endlessly from land to land with no place to call home. I want to build on their dynamic in the future. Someone driven by revenge ever since he was a child. Willing to do anything to make it happen.

Shell is definitely one of my favourite characters. A cheeky kid who’s somehow the most powerful. Born deaf and preferring to communicate through writing. Someone with great potential to grow up be one of the strongest.

Snow, a child born in the ashes of war. Scarred by it. Her dynamic with Shell and Oden was very important. Like a family, their bond was the strongest between any of the characters. Hiro is in danger.

I really wanted to build on Hellia more but wanted to focus on the narrative. Through in the eyes of her subjects she’s a perfect, flaming figure. Brave, strong, smart. Leading the Phoenix cradle. But beneath that is a witty girl with a short temper who had the pressures to run a kingdom thrown on her, having been born into the royal family.

the priests and the commissioner I don’t want to speak about to avoid spoilers.

If I could, I would’ve done like 30 extra chapters of slice of life between the characters to build them up more and show you guys more of them and their dynamics. But again,I think it conflicted with the ‘satisfying ending’ requirement and didn’t show enough of what I had envisioned for the story.

You may have remembered that in the forgotten library two names were mentioned by the announcer.

Shell and Saint. Saint will be in vol 2. One of the strongest gang leaders in the Lawless City. A young man with dark skin that wields two katanas. Shame I didn’t have time to put him in vol1. He’s a cool character for sure.

My initial outline for the story was about 12 major turning points. I thought I’d be able to include 3 of them, but I was only able to include ONE!!! That was the second mission. Which shows how little I knew about pacing in a story when I first started.

Here is a rough outline with light spoilers (I don’t count it as important spoilers because I’m expecting it to change order as I build the story)

Vol 1: Hiro’s Revenge in second mission+ brief setup of world and characters

vol 2: Hiro Mira and Ace’s attempt to survive amongst the power struggles in the lawless city + venture into the Hexgrid for [REDACTED] reason. They begin building their own organisation/gang.

vol 3: Ace discovers the groundbreaking secret about the Scourge + The Commissioner’s plan finally comes to fruition

vol 4: Major reveal about Lazeroth + the one who summoned Ace + the mass disappearances

vol 5: Return to the Forgotten Library in search of the immortal entity known as ‘The Librarian’ for [REDACTED] reason. + Commissioner major reveal

vol 6: The War that destroyed Scaria + Hellia and Shell’s revenge

vol 7: The other Sects of the Cult of Worship and Priests are revealed. Echoes of Mira’s past come back to haunt her.

vol 8: The Shadow Coven’s ancient prophecies become fulfilled + line between mortals and gods become blurred. Ace uncovers the truth behind the power systems of the world as he uses it to gain strength.

vol 9: journey into foreign lands. Past Scaria.

vol 10: Cecilia (cant say much more without spoilers)

Vol: 11: The Summit (speaks for itself)

vol 12: The ending of a saga (which I had in mind since the very beginning)

Vol 13+: Can't even say anything without spoilers. Very excited for it though. New Main character (alongside the current) called ‘Kira’—a girl with pointy ears and green eyes.

Lastly, I want to thank you for reading to the end. I was hesitant to tell anyone I wanted to write, but the few friends who knew supported me.

Thank you Samah, Curtis, Alek and Victoria for being there from early on.

Mayowa for drawing the cover art.

If it wasn’t for you guys I would’ve given up when I had one month left, only 12 chapters that were all written in first person. And then I realised I preferred third. I was so close to giving up on the dream that day.

I’m thinking of making a discord server just for SOG. To talk, discuss, brain storm etc

My discord username is: isekawzy

Message me if you would like to join. Also I credit my friend for this but imagining a japanese voice actor saying "Gulugulu johnson" in both a serious and dramatic tone is so funny to me.

I CAN’T WAIT FOR THE TWISTS I HAVE IN STORE. I can’t wait for the epic fights and the emotional turmoil involved. I love watching those shorts/reels of those real emotional clips from shows. Trust me when I say there’s some epic ones in the future. The world is vast. But for now, the next stage is the crime run, cyberpunk, Lawless City, Where Ace and Hiro are left navigating, trying to build a small gang of their own to survive. Among the underground smuggling of drugs, spell tech, weapons and its all-great powers. They’ll quickly realise that they’re only two small fish in a vast ocean.

My fav genre is isekai I think I’ve seen 90% of them, the fact that an isekai comp came randomly one summer is crazzzyyyyyy and it had to come in one of the busiest summers of my life. I've learnt so much in in such a short amount of time, researching on YouTube and reading other LNs I’ve already watched the anime of. (re zero, sao, mushoku, shield hero) I had already read the web novel of mushoku to its end and thoroughly enjoyed it when s1 of the anime was first announced. I love overlord, rezero and sao. When I first found out kadokawa was behind the competition I was filled with the urge to write.

What i want the most is to convey emotion. Those tense moments, and really feeling the action and stakes of the characters. Thats what i think is most important. Reading something, and feeling the strong emotions in it. Having it float around in your head. Wondering where the characters are going from here.

I hope you see the potential in the long path this story can take. I care about it alot, i had like no time whatsoever, honestly hardest challenge in my life so far. I'd never felt true passion until now. I’ve never wanted something so much in my life. And its an overwhelming feeling, pouring your heart out into something you care so much about. But hey, what does a person have left if they don't follow their dreams? I hope whatever things you have an urge to pursue, you have the faith to take that leap. just like Mira. You do you and don't let anyone's words discourage you.

Thanks for reading what for now will be “volume 1”.

Thank you for embarking on this journey with Ace. This is only the beginning.