The platform must be holding an event; they completely changed the UI and design.
That’s why the monitor briefly flashed, as if a flash went off.
"Ah, right. This platform was the kind that only did idiotic things and then packaged them as ’updates,’ wasn’t it?"
This platform’s specialty? Creating secrets with authors, silently patching updates, and so on.
Well, their misdeeds are beyond words, but since there’s no alternative, they’re barely clinging to life support.
A sigh escaped me. Clearly, problems were scattered everywhere.
Yet, the successful authors remained silent. Only the readers raised their voices, and occasionally, a few would get banned.
"I almost ruined my eyes."
I began exploring the platform.
There was a category called ’Highly Recommended!’ and several works were posted there.
It was a category where producers recommended works they liked. Originally, it was created to help promising newcomers and rookie authors gain attention.
Of course, there were issues of fairness, but still, no one pointed them out.
As I looked around, one work caught my eye.
"Huh? This work was on hiatus for a year and just recently returned. And it’s in ’Highly Recommended’?"
I was so dumbfounded I couldn’t even laugh. As expected, authors with a dedicated producer have it good. They can go on hiatus without a word and still get pushed like this.
"Just as I thought, Netnovel."
I shook my head. Well, it makes sense, considering they tried to align with the feminist regime when it came into power but then cut their losses.
"They claim to aim for male-oriented novels, but the general manager isn’t even a man, so what can you expect?"
I checked the novel that had been on hiatus. Its readership had been cut in half.
No, honestly, even being cut in half was a miracle.
Looking at the belated announcement, readers were engaged in a heated debate among themselves. It was a natural phenomenon.
[Boyjoy: What a thick-skinned bastard. He comes back from death and starts serializing again lolol]
└But aren’t people reading it because it’s fun? Why are you so cynical?
└This bastard is probably another author’s alt account. Looks like a dummy account lololol
└If that’s the case, then get lost to Netnovel, you bug-brained idiot.
└No, guys, I’m just criticizing, but all sorts of insults are flying at me?
It was exactly the picture I had envisioned. Readers who were criticizing fairly were mixed with readers who were defending, just like supporters of the feminist regime.
Honestly, going on hiatus due to personal circumstances? In my opinion, that’s unacceptable.
Would you understand if someone destroyed the world because of those damn personal circumstances?
"If that’s the case, they should have canceled the paid serialization."
Once an author starts earning income, they’re a professional. And a professional must have a sense of responsibility.
They should have understood the readers’ anticipation and serialized at least one Chapter a day. What if there were truly unavoidable circumstances?
They should have said something. At the very least, they should have announced it in a notice.
They weren’t going to Eagle country to cut off an orange pig head, were they? There would be no reason not to say anything.
"All authors struggle. There are countless people with chronic shoulder or back pain, but this isn’t even about being sick; it’s just personal circumstances for a year-long hiatus."
Moreover, it wasn’t even a comment just blindly bashing them. It was logical criticism, so what the hell are these people defending it?
Among them, I even saw a few people who had high rankings in the platform’s cash spending.
Looking at the badges next to their IDs, ugh. How dazzling, indeed.
"Is this right? Far from raising their voices, they’re actually defending it. This is why the web novel industry isn’t developing."
A sigh escaped me. Personally, I dislike the pure literature industry.
That’s where they despise genre fiction. And they disparage it just because it’s genre fiction.
But they’re providing fodder for those bastards to criticize, so who can they blame?
"Oh? It’s a notification."
A notification came that a comment had been posted on my novel. I checked it.
[ShytHarvestor Follower]: Could you also upload your previous work that you posted on FanNovel here? It was fun.
Wow, a comment like this. It’s like one appears every few hundred years.
"Sometimes there are grateful comments like this. People who haven’t forgotten my previous work. It’s just a small-time work that barely anyone reads anyway. This precious attention gives me strength."
I replied with a good answer. It would take some effort to move that novel too.
I checked which novel the notification was for. Ah, it was this one.
"Looking at the timing, I finished the novel I was actively writing as of yesterday. Now, the next step is to start a new novel."
I already had a manuscript for the first Chapter. But it was ambiguous what to do with it.
I racked my brain as much as possible.
"Should I copy the popular works that will come out later? This is practically a regression story, isn’t it?"
Of course, reality is different from web novels. Even if I went back to the past, I didn’t think I could perfectly handle everything like a protagonist.
Hadn’t that already been proven in the minor league dormitory?
I placed my hands on the keyboard. I gently stroked it, then moved my fingers individually as if typing.
Then I took my hands off. I tilted my head.
"No, no. Is there really a need to write? Even if I write, the effects won’t appear immediately. If a popular author writes, their daily views surpass a million, but if I write, it’s a struggle to even break a hundred thousand."
Regrettably, this was reality. There were a few authors I often kept an eye on.
In the end, they couldn’t achieve their dreams and either went to work on construction sites or gave up writing.
My heart ached every time I saw such things. My reality wasn’t much different.
Of course, even amidst despair, I knew enough about this industry.
"I’ll just observe. Even if I return to Earth later, I’ll save some material to use for a hobby."
Right, I’ll just spend my time looking through popular works.
Because I might suddenly be sent somewhere else again, just like before when it went dark. But where’s next?
I looked through the popular works. Every time I saw them, I was filled with admiration.
"As expected, popular authors have a different sense from the start. I feel an insurmountable wall that I can never overcome, even if I try to imitate them."
Since I’m not a copy ninja from some ninja manga or from Dragon Country. And I don’t even have talent.
Even looking at popular works, far from copying their good points, it was even overwhelming just to learn from them.
"If only they suited my taste, I’d really read them like crazy."
I shook my head. I’m envious, so envious.
I stretched briefly. Looking around, it was miserable.
A semi-basement room where I could only lay my body down. Damp and sour smells were the default passive.
I sighed, looking at the messily strewn blankets and plastic bottles.
"What are you doing, Lucian? Have you given up on living like a human?"
I sighed so deeply it felt like the ground would collapse, and began cleaning up one by one. At least it should look like a place where a human lives.
My past self was truly pathetic like this.
After tidying up, I dusted off my hands. Now it was finally presentable.
Suddenly, someone came to mind. A woman who made my heart ache just by thinking of her.
And then, something I wanted to say came to me.
Just in case they might hear, I left a message for my past self.
"From now on, live coolly, live proudly. Even if you’re cursed at, even if you’re pointed at, live by criticizing what’s wrong. Because that’s how a human truly lives."
At least, living proudly and proving oneself.
That’s how a human truly lives.
I sat back down and went to the Plaza of Encounters.
It was a place that served as the platform’s community forum.
But one post caught my eye.
[OMG, isn’t this plagiarism?]
"This damn industry has plagiarism incidents popping up like annual events. Sigh."
I read the post and went to find the work. To be honest, it was interesting from the first Chapter.
"It’s interesting, but they’ve copied everything from the settings to entire paragraphs. Oh, really? The reader defending it is someone who’s always been high on the sponsorship rankings, aren’t they?"
They were fiercely defending it, fighting with other readers.
As a reader, do they really want to act like that? They don’t seem to realize that’s just making the author look worse.
My head was spinning. I said something to that person.
To snap out of it and cool their head.
But a reply was immediately posted.
[SukunaSugarDaddy: Small-timer, shush.]
Alright, I know exactly what I need to do. Although in the past, I just stood by.
"It’s obvious to anyone that it’s plagiarism, so why are you defending it? I’m asking because I’m genuinely curious."
[SukunaSugarDaddy: It hasn’t been proven by law, so what plagiarism? As expected from a small-time bug-brained idiot, a disliked regular! The witch hunt is intense.]
"Judging by your tone, you seem like someone from that community. People from that community often slander others with things not proven by law, don’t they? You’re not going to spout some bullshit like ’I’m different,’ are you?"
[SukunaSugarDaddy: For the sake of platform development, isn’t it common sense to have at least one more work like this? And you’ve been commenting with an alt account since earlier, it’s so obvious.]
"I don’t use alt accounts. And even if it were an alt account, would there only be a 1-second difference between my comments and yours? Does it make you feel better to just insist on anything like that?"
[SukunaSugarDaddy: Yeah, you bug-brained idiot, witch-hunting with a dummy alt account. You’re just a small-timer, yet you’re bashing our author.]
"Yep, I am a small-timer. But I haven’t given up on being a human."
[SukunaSugarDaddy: You’re a bug-brained idiot and pig shyt. Our community protects the platform, got it!]
"Isn’t what you’re doing just for your own self-satisfaction? If you throw a lot of money at the platform and treat innocent people as dummy alt accounts, does your self-esteem, which was ignored in reality, recover even a little? I’m sure your parents are proud of you."
At my counterattack, this person got furiously angry. I used to think they were a truly good reader, sponsoring various authors during the platform’s early days.
I should block them at this opportunity.
To finish the keyboard battle, I posted my last comment.
"It’s because of people like you that the industry doesn’t develop, and the country can’t progress. I call people like you ’sick readers.’ Now get lost, and go write a best post in your community and masturbate while you’re at it, enjoying your public shaming!"
After that, no more comments were posted. In truth, I wasn’t the only one saying something to this person.
How pathetic. Why are all the people from that community like that?
After blocking one sick reader, I clicked my tongue bitterly.
Even if such a person sponsored a large sum of money, I would never want to receive it. It was disgusting.
"Are you serious about that?"
"Hmm?!"
Suddenly, a voice came from behind me. Startled, I turned around to see a silver-haired man standing there, who looked like an elf but was somehow different.
I doubted my eyes. His ears, in particular, were unusual.
Elves have pointed ears that go upwards, but this person’s ears were pointed downwards.
"Wh-who are you?"
"Let’s talk about you. The one who lived by licking the bottom in reality transmigrated into another world. And you’re doing well there, aren’t you?"
"What are you trying to say? Wasn’t this a dream?"
"This is your inner world. And your coming to Asgard, meeting people there and solving their problems, and finally, gathering the holy relics... it was all part of my plan."
"Wh-what?!"
My heart sank. It felt as if time had stopped.
The sensations throughout my body felt dull.
What did I just hear? Who the hell is this person?
He bowed his head, showing courtesy like a gentleman.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lord Grant. The creator and transcendent being of the multiverse, including Asgard, and the author who encompasses both the game and the original work of that world."
The person who introduced himself as Grant. Wait, this person is Lord Grant?
And he’s the creator of Asgard Chronicle?!
"Th-then you’re the creator of Asgard Chronicle?"
"Indeed. Everything was within my plan. What do you think? Is it fantastic?"
As I watched Grant ask the question nonchalantly and smile broadly, I involuntarily sank to the ground.
So my transmigration into that world?
It felt as if everything within me was shattering into pieces.
And so, looking up at him, my body began to tremble.