And with that, the childhood arc has come to a close.
Finally wrapping up the first volume's plot feels a little exciting.
This period has been a whirlwind of revising the outline over and over. The Naruto timeline between Konoha's 58th and 63rd years is a complete blank slate.
At least from Naruto's flashback perspective, there's nothing between the Uchiha clan's extermination and the start of the main story—no details to fill in the gaps.
The ninja world was ridiculously peaceful during this time. Even Pain had the leisure to build up the Akatsuki and strengthen the Hidden Rain Village.
This left me dizzy, forced to craft the plot from scratch.
Writing about smaller nations without any reference points made me worry that readers wouldn't buy into it.
In the end, I chose the Land of Rain as a transitional setting, but it still left some gaps in the story.
I'm never quite satisfied with how it turned out, and there were moments I seriously considered slacking off and dropping it.
Thankfully, I held it together and didn't give in to the urge to flop.
---
Next up, it's time for some paradise-making!
World, let's speed things up.
The Naruto storyline is about to hit the main plot (60 chapters in, finally!). Sakura can get back to her joyful brawling, and maybe drag along two future ninja world big shots for some wholesome ninja family bonding time.
While we're at it, I'd love to hear your suggestions for scenic spots in the One Piece and Naruto worlds that'd be perfect for throwing a grand party.
Finally, a huge thank you to all the readers who've supported me this far. Your enthusiasm is what keeps me motivated to update day after day.
I sincerely hope you all find your own joy in this book.
Thank you.
And, love you all~