"Oh? How about lunch together?" Machida suggested.
Utaha also looked at him expectantly.
"I already told my family I'd be home for lunch. They're probably almost done preparing it."
Akifumi smiled apologetically. "To make it up to you both, how about I treat you next time?"
"I'll be looking forward to a feast then!" Machida grinned playfully.
Utaha smiled as well. "Then, I'll be eagerly awaiting your invitation, Akifumi-kun."
[211] Name ConfirmedFurukawa Nagisa!
Returning home took a bit longer than expected.
After finishing lunch, Akifumi went straight to his room, opened the official website for the Story Creation Contest, and reviewed the competition rules from previous years.
The main rules remained unchanged, with only minor clarifications in certain areas.
For Akifumi, these details were insignificant.
As for the grand prize of one million yen? That was just a trivial bonus!
Akifumi wasn't in this for money. As a creator, his sole motivation was to bring stories to life and share them with the world. Rewards were secondary.
Closing the website, he opened a blank document on his computer and fell into deep thought.
Unlike his usual creative process, this contest required contestants to write a script based on a given theme.
In contrast, his past works were either direct adaptations of vivid memories or stories constructed from visualized scenes in his mind.
But scriptwriting was different.
The setting, character profiles, and fundamental world-building needed to be explicitly outlined before expanding into detailed storylines.
The key was to weave intricate, interconnected narrative threads that bound characters and events togetherthe backbone of the story itself.
This wasn't something he could just dive into and start writing episodically.
If he presented a fully fleshed-out script from the get-go, it would raise eyebrows. People would suspect insider leaks or even foul play.
At worst, he might end up dissected in a lab somewhere!
Though the preliminary round allowed ample time for contestants to flesh out their scripts, later stages would impose strict deadlines.
Once he reached the Top 128, he would have to write scripts based on assigned prompts within limited timeframes.
He couldn't afford to rely on his usual approach. He needed to adapt.
Thus, this preliminary round was not just a challenge but also a valuable opportunitya chance to refine his method, summarize his ideas, and familiarize himself with scriptwriting.
The contest's preliminary theme was "Life."
A broad topic, offering countless possibilities.
For many, selecting the right angle would be a struggle. But Akifumi already had a perfect story in mindone that resonated deeply with the theme.
All that remained was to present it in a way he had never attempted before.
"Where should I start?" Akifumi mused.
Should he begin with character profiles and their individual backstories?
With nearly a dozen major characters, that would be a headache.
"I'll start with the setting instead."
With that decision made, he typed two words onto the blank document:
Light Orbs.
This concept was the heart of his story.
"Light Orbs, also known as the Light of Wishes, are manifestations of people's desires in another realm."
"Those with love in their hearts can see these orbs. By spreading love and fulfilling the wishes of others, one can obtain Light Orbs."
"In turn, these orbs grant miracles to those who possess love. Once upon a time, everyone in this town believed in this legend."
After writing this, he paused, then added another crucial world-building element:
"The Illusionary Worlda realm coexisting with reality in a mysterious way."
"It is not a physically tangible world but one that exists on a conceptual level, a manifestation of the town's very will."
"As the town thrives, so does this world; as the town declines, so does the Illusionary World. It prospers through happiness and withers through sorrow."
These two elements intertwined to form the core of the story.
With the foundation set, his thoughts became clearer.
Next, he moved on to the story's central character.
Protagonist (Placeholder Name: Character A)
Born frail and sickly, she fell gravely ill at the age of five.
She was on the brink of death due to her illness.
'What saved her?' Akifumi pondered.
"Who would be the person most desperate to keep her alive?"
Aside from the suffering girl herself, her parents would undoubtedly bear the greatest pain.
While the mother devoted herself to caregiving, the father, with more freedom, sought a solution.
Protagonist's Father (Placeholder Name: Character B)
In desperation, he went to a legendary place in town to pray.
By chance, a passing Light Orb heard his wish and granted his daughter a miracle.
From that moment on, the girl's fate became intertwined with the town itself.
She became a bridge between the Illusionary World and reality.
She survived because of the town's existence.
If the town were ever to decline, she too could be drained of her life force.
"Now, the protagonist needs a name."
Though he had always known it in his heart, officially deciding on a name made it feel more real.
Name: Furukawa Nagisa
He smiled.
Even though all of this was deeply embedded in his memory, he needed to write it out formally.
After all, this was a script, and scripts needed to be structured with logical reasoning.
Of course, not everything he wrote would be included in the final draft. This meticulous detailing was merely a preparation step for the later competition rounds.
To fool others, he had to first fool himself.
"Success may come in the short term, but with such a fragile foundation, disaster is inevitable."
"Clashing elements of water and fire create an unstable fate. It may bring unexpected misfortune, leading to loss of wealth or even life. A destiny plagued by uncertainty and danger."
Akifumi leaned back, staring at the screen.
This was just the beginning.
[212] Writing CLANNAD: A Story That Reads as Life
Time flows on, and the scenery outside the window shifts from bright daylight to the darkness of night.
After dinner, the once-empty document on Akifumi's screen was now filled with dense text. However, the main storyline had yet to begin.
It wasn't that he had been slacking off. Instead, he had been meticulously crafting character settings, backstories, and the structure of key plotlinesespecially the most crucial aspect of the entire narrative: the thirteen glowing orbs that connected the entire story.
Since his script was based on the CLANNAD anime rather than the original game, the reason was simpleworkload.
Just thinking about it made his scalp tingle.
The game itself had an extensive narrative, requiring players to spend over 100 hours to achieve full completion.
If he were to adapt it in its entirety, the sheer amount of work would be overwhelming.
Even if he had the luxury of copying everything verbatim, he wouldn't want to. After all, he didn't have a full development team at his disposal.
A small-scale game like The Witch's House could be developed solo without much trouble. But a visual novel like CLANNAD? That was a completely different beast.
In the game version of CLANNAD, there were fourteen light orbs.
However, one was consumed when Fuko made her wish, triggering the "Orb Disappearance Event."
If this event occurred, only seven orbs were needed to unlock the After Story arc.
Without experiencing Fuko's wish, eight orbs would be required.
Due to time constraints, the anime adaptation simplified this. Even without Fuko's event, the After Story still began with just seven light orbs.
These thirteen orbs were the core of the story, and only by collecting all of them could one reach the true ending.
In the final moments of the tale, the illusionary world collapses.
It is because of these thirteen light orbs that time is rewound, taking us back to the moment five years priorNagisa Furukawa's childbirth.
With the orbs replacing her fate, she no longer suffers a tragic death during labor.
"Phew..."
Looking at the text he had painstakingly structured throughout the day, Akifumi let out a deep sigh.
"I didn't think writing this would be this difficult."
Characterization, for instance, wasn't something that could simply be described in text.
Instead, it had to be subtly revealed through the story itself.
Take the protagonist, Tomoya Okazaki, for example. Many people, after watching CLANNAD, came away with the impression that his father was indifferent and neglectful.
But this was an oversimplification.
In truth, after Tomoya's mother passed away, his father lost the will to live, and Tomoya became his sole reason for moving forward.
However, as Tomoya grew older and gained independence, his father, having lost his purpose, fell into despair. This was explored in depth in CLANNAD: After Story.
Jumping to conclusions based only on the first half of the story could easily lead to misunderstandings.
To ensure accuracy, Akifumi had to cross-reference scenes, analyze subtle details, and rewrite sections repeatedly.
Many character traits were only hinted at indirectly, requiring careful interpretation to put them into words.
Despite these challenges, he had managed to make significant progressproof of his dedication.
Would this work pass the initial selection?
He had no doubt!
After all, this was CLANNADa story that wasn't just written, but lived.
The phrase "Writing CLANNAD, Reading Life" might sound a bit dramatic, but to earn such praise was a testament to the story's depth and impact.
"Alright, that's enough for today."
Although he wasn't particularly tired yet, it was already past 11 PM.
Since it was a rare day off, there was no need to push himself too hard. It wasn't a project that could be finished in a single dayhe could take his time.
In the blink of an eye, ten days had passed.
Meanwhile, the second volume of Akame ga Kill had been released to positive reviews.
The protagonist had joined Night Raid and embarked on a new mission.
Though the journey was dangerous, he ultimately made it through unscathed, gaining valuable experience along the way.
However, fans were surprised by one particular changethe protagonist's partner had been switched to Sheele.
"Wait so Akame isn't the main character?"
That thought crossed many readers' minds, only to be quickly dismissed.
After all, the title was Akame ga Killif Akame wasn't the lead, then who was?
Besides, the new character design was visually appealing, so fans decided to overlook the minor inconsistency.
Little did they know, Akifumi was merely setting them up for an emotional gut punch!
"Aaagh! One volume per month is not enough!"
"Come on, you're only working on WorldEnd and this! Pick up the pace!"
"Are you dragging it out on purpose? Do you think I can't afford to buy more volumes? Hurry up and release the next one!"
Seeing these passionate complaints in the comments, Akifumi chuckled.
"I hope you guys still feel the same way next month."
Yes, he was planning to hit them with some devastating plot twists. But this time, he wasn't going to follow the original script exactly.
One of the biggest criticisms of Akame ga Kill was how characters seemed to die purely for shock value.
At first, Night Raid was introduced as an elite group with formidable abilities.
But then, an Imperial Guard membera relatively minor charactermanaged to take out one of them in a two-on-one fight? It just didn't make sense.
The problem wasn't the death itself, but the lack of proper buildup.
Take One Piece, for example. From his very first appearance, Garp was established as an absolute powerhouse. Yet in the later arcs, he was defeated far too easily.
If the scene had shown Garp being ganged up on by the entire Blackbeard crewtaking down several opponents before finally fallingfans wouldn't have had an issue.
Because no matter how strong he was, he was still just one man.
That's logical storytelling.
Similarly, if the Akame ga Kill scene had given Seryu more backstory and established her as a worthy adversary, then Sheele's death in a two-on-one battle would have felt justified.
As a creator, adding depth and foreshadowing was just basic craftsmanship.
Why the original author didn't think this through? Well, only they would know.
Just like how no one can fully understand why Oda is handling One Piece's final arcs the way he is now...
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[213] Not Treating Us Like Brothers? Now Youre Keeping Secrets From Us!
"Alright, alright, I'm going now... I almost finished here, just wait for me for a bit!"
Akifumi sighed, a hint of helplessness on his face as he hung up the phone call from Eriri.
"This time, it's taking unusually long."
Muttering to himself, he quickly brushed off the thought.
Eriri and Mahiru had only started acting strange last year.
They'd been through countless situations over the years without troublesurely, this wouldn't be any different.
With their level of caution, it wasn't his place to worry about them.
Rather than waste time overthinking, it was better to finish up the task at hand.
His eyes flicked back to the screen. He meticulously checked the packed file three more times.
Once he was sure everything was in order, he took a deep breath and clicked the send button.
"Damn it, I've been in this industry for a year now. I should be a veteran at this point. So why do I still feel this weird nervousness?"
Akifumi chuckled at himself, shaking off the unease.
Although he had written scripts before, this was the first time he was submitting one for a competition.
It was like reliving the moment he first submitted a manuscript to Shueisha a year ago.
Even though he knew his work was good, he couldn't help but feel anxious.
But with 128 available spots, surely his writing wasn't bad enough to miss out on all of them, right?
With that thought, he finally managed to relax.
Still, he wasn't going to spend the entire day workingtoday was a special occasion.
After all, it had been 18 years since he arrived in this world!
