It was going premium, brothers! Because the event was delayed, it didn't start until the 8th, yet the premium release was set for September 1st. This was probably the shortest new-book period I'd had since I started writing, haha.
Honestly, I felt pretty nervous. After all, I still hadn't broken the curse of one flop followed by one hit. Whether this book could break it was still unknown for now.
As for why I chose the player genre again, first, it was my editor's suggestion to pick something more stable. Second, as I mentioned many times at the end of my previous book, I wanted to try writing fantasy + players, break free from the confines of science fiction, and explore ideas I'd envisioned in This Game Is Too Realistic but never actually wrote.
Unlike the top-student genre.
There was really nothing left to write about top students. I'd even summarized formulas that could be applied to it, and quite a few people seemed to be using them. Whenever I happened to come across one, I'd smile knowingly.
If I went back to write it myself, it would definitely be too presumptuous. Unless I came up with some new idea, I probably wouldn't write the same genre again.
But the player genre was clearly different. It didn't have a fixed formula to begin with, and there was still plenty of room to expand.
As for the brothers saying, "I'm copying myself," there was no need to keep spamming it. I'd say it for you: if you say I am, then I am. After all, don't people all have two eyes and one nose?
Setting the facts aside, didn't two people have at least a little of the same genes in their veins? Especially when they were born from the same father.
You're right!
But let's not discuss that issue for now. It was meaningless. I'd continue writing the way I wrote, after all. It wasn't like I could wait until everyone was satisfied before I started writing, right? And if you asked me, this book and This Game Is Too Realistic had completely different outlines, and the course of their stories would be entirely different as well.
For example, although both used an ensemble approach, this book would focus more on the protagonist's development.
For example, because of the opening setup, the players in this book would be even more outrageous than those in the previous one.
For example, regarding the setting of Extraordinary Power, while making it internally consistent, I'd also make it more interesting.
For example, the previous book was clearly about a mastermind behind the scenes, while this one leaned toward the Self-Deception Style.
In addition, the "game world" would affect the real world earlier than it did in the previous book, and I'd also write about the players' growth in reality along the way.
If the game novel emphasized an epic style, then this one would lean more toward mythology.
And I also wanted to try writing about the path of a "mind-over-matter" civilization growing into the interstellar age, interpreting the same starry sky from another perspective.
Of course, that might sound too abstract, and saying any more might involve spoilers.
I'll leave the rest to the book!
In any case, thank you all for your support!
As always, I'll create the stories in my heart, and I sincerely thank you for liking my work!
My deepest thanks!