I hadn't planned to write this, but then I figured I might as well. Strictly speaking, the final stretch of this second volume took a bizarre, out-of-nowhere turn. You could say the entire second volume went off track compared with the outline I'd drawn up.
The second volume was supposed to have a rescue battle after the defense of Southshore, with one battle following another, and finally participation in the Blackrock Spire Annihilation Campaign. The first volume was about building things up, and the second was supposed to be about fighting, putting the successes of the first volume to use. But you all saw how it ended up-it went so far off track that the original plan was nowhere in sight.
I didn't have much experience, and the more I wrote, the further I drifted. That really couldn't be allowed to continue. As for the Jaina kidnapping incident in Scott's section, that wasn't originally part of the plan either. The main focus was supposed to be nationwide military exercises, but while writing the defense of Southshore, I realized I was honestly terrible at depicting war.
I cut the military exercises outright and replaced them with the Jaina kidnapping incident. That section existed only to introduce Scott. Since the story had gone off track, Scott, who was originally supposed to appear during the Blackrock Spire Annihilation Campaign, made his entrance here instead. He was a very important character, which was why that bizarre turn of events happened.
I'll stop rambling. I've noticed that a little alcohol makes me rather long-winded. I'm going to visit a friend tomorrow, so updates will be irregular. Once the Mid-Autumn Festival is over, things can settle down, and I can get back to writing in peace.
(End of chapter)