It was finally finished. From November 2019 to April 2022, it had taken 605 days to complete.
It was a little embarrassing to say this, but in my original outline, Bug King was supposed to run for over 1,600 chapters, ending only after Eichi became Champion. After becoming an Elite Four member, there would have been confrontations with Team Rocket, Team Aqua, Lava Team, Plasma Organization, and more, along with storylines involving all sorts of legendary Pokémon.
I had even wanted to write about Guzzlord, the Bug-type's only legendary Pokémon.
But for various reasons, starting in 2021, my updates began to fall apart. Every time I wanted to get back on track, the thought of not having full attendance bonuses drained my motivation.
And after being on hiatus for so long, it was too hard to pick it back up. I just couldn't keep writing.
So I decided to update at a more laid-back pace. Although the ending was a bit rushed, at least I didn't abandon it halfway through. After all, abandoning a story damages one's character. (If I had abandoned it, I wouldn't have been able to accept it myself.)
All right, next I'll properly plan out my next book. See you in the next one!!