Meanwhile, Akifumi's social media account had been on fire ever since.
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"December 1st, huh? That's just a few days away! We've waited this long—what's two more days?"
"Exactly! Looking forward to the new work from sensei!!"
"But hey, does anyone remember the last time sensei gave us a 'gift'? I have a bad feeling about this..."
"Last time? You mean Anohana? Secret Base?"
"Ahhhh!! Those painful memories are coming back all at once!!"
"Wait... don't tell me this time will be the same!?"
"Wake up, people! What's there to be afraid of? Last time, it was because Anohana was releasing, but this time? We already know how Madoka and Anohana ended. There's nothing left to fear, right?"
"Yeah! No way sensei would drop another tearjerker song before we even see the new work!"
"Exactly! The reason that song hit so hard last time was because it fit Anohana so well. If we haven't even read the new story, how are we supposed to cry over it?"
"Logical take. So, I think we can safely look forward to this 'mystery gift'!"
"Honestly, I'm more excited about getting a signed collector's edition!"
"Same here! I missed the last event—still regretting it!"
"At least you didn't go and leave empty-handed like me!"
"Bro, that's tragic."
"December 1st? Just checked—it's a Friday. Perfect!"
"Even if I have to pull an all-nighter, I'm staying up for this!"
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The comments section was buzzing with excitement—everyone was eagerly counting down the days.
Meanwhile, in a cozy living room…
"Mugiho-kun I saw you posting about writing a light novel?" Mahiru asked curiously, sitting primly on the couch.
Beside her is Yor, who had been listening in silence, subtly perked up her ears.
"You saw my post?" Akifumi nodded. "Now that i think about it, both of you know I'm always writing the new novel barely take a day off."
"That is true, but that doesn't mean we know what it's about!" Mahiru tilted her head. "So, what's the theme for your first light novel?"
Akifumi thought for a moment before answering, "Humans and nature."
On the surface, it might sound simple.
But at its core, WorldEnd explored the fundamental relationship between mankind and the world itself.
In this story, celestial beings—Star Gods—arrived on Earth.
Some of them, weary from their endless journey, chose to settle here.
They crafted human bodies as vessels, using the spirits of native beasts as their souls.
Time passed, and as the human population grew, the number of souls increased, but the physical shells remained limited.
Desperate to survive, humanity sought a solution. Warriors were chosen, driven by the noble cause of saving their people.
They waged war against the Star Gods, hoping to seize control of the "shells" for themselves.
But before their plan could even be set in motion, they were wiped out by the very creatures they once were.
In the end, humanity perished—not by the hands of an external enemy, but by their own ambition.
What does it truly mean to coexist with nature?
Mahiru blinked, confused. "....??"
Akifumi chuckled. "In short, it's a touching story."
"Touching...?" Mahiru frowned. "Mugiho-kun, can't you ever write something happy?"
Mugi-kun smiled. "Only when people experience despair do they truly learn to appreciate hope."
"So that's how you see things, huh?" Mahiru mused. "Then I guess we're in for another unforgettable story."
"Of course."
Yor hesitated before raising her hand. "Um… sorry, but what exactly are you two talking about?"
Akifumi turned to her. "Light Novel."
Mahiru looked at Yor curiously. "Do you like light novel?"
Yor tilted her head. "What's… light novel?"
Silence.
The room fell into a stunned pause.
Mahiru hesitated before cautiously asking, "Uh… Yor-san, what do you usually do in your free time?"
It was one thing to not read manga.
But to not even know what light novel was? That was on a whole different level.
'This clueless assassin.' Akifumi sighed internally.
This pretty much confirmed everything he had suspected about her.
"Is it weird not to know?" Yor asked innocently.
That simple question caused Mahiru to suddenly reconsider her own perspective.
Novel was incredibly popular, yes. But was it really that strange for someone to not know about it?
What was considered "common sense" to one person might be completely foreign to another.
Like a person riding the subway for the first time—everything about it would feel exciting and new.
But for someone who took the train daily, it was just another routine part of life.
Realizing this, Mahiru quickly shook her head. "No, it's not weird at all! Let me explain—"
As she patiently broke it down for Yor, Akifumi watched with amusement.
'What a kind girl,' he thought.
Of course, the reality was… Yor not knowing about light novel was less about innocence and more about how utterly detached she was from normal society.
A few days passed, and after getting a crash course in manga, Yor was successfully pulled into the world of 2D.
Naturally, that also meant she ended up crying over Madoka Magica and Anohana.
Meanwhile, with just eight days left until December 1st, Akifumi posted an update announcing the release of WorldEnd - Chapter 3.
The moment the news broke, the internet went wild.
Debates reignited. Was this the "Publisher Trying to create a God"?
At first, Machida Sonoko had been thrilled by the buzz. But as speculation intensified, she started feeling the pressure.
After all, their agreement was that Akifumi identity would remain a secret.
If this kept up, it was only a matter of time before people started demanding answers.
"Well," Akifumi shrugged, "once the manga is out, we can just reveal everything."
"If anything, this experience will make it easier for me to start new projects in the future. Plus, it's a great way to funnel manga fans toward my light novels."
Hearing this, Machida finally let out a relieved sigh.
Akifumi, meanwhile, reviewed the final video for his upcoming reveal.
With a satisfied smile, he murmured, "The last piece of the puzzle is in place."
And just like that, December 1st arrived.
Despite bookstores stocking up in advance, WorldEnd - Volume 3 still sold out almost immediately.
Those who managed to get a copy proudly showed off their purchase. Those who didn't took to the internet to vent their frustration.
Time ticked by.
Then, at exactly 8 PM—
Every 'Warrior of Love and Hope' fans held their breath as they refreshed the page.
A video appeared.
The title?
———————————————————————
"If happiness had a color, what color would it be?"
———————————————————————
A strange sense of unease crept up their spines.
And without knowing it, they were about to be swept up in the storm that was WorldEnd.
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