Chapter 6: Writer's Guide Document

(Asane POV)

What should I do?

Wadokami-sensei is concerned about his ability to write. Well, I admit that he typically utilized common cliches to move his story forward, and he seldom writes meaningful dialogues between characters, and most of the time it is hard to tell who is speaking, and he occasionally repeats what was already mentioned in the previous paragraphs of his novel.... Oh, right, he does have a lot of stuff to work on.

But still, it's not that bad, right?

I enjoy how his world's magic system works. I also enjoy how their powers are distinct from one another. I also enjoy how each combat scene is well-choreographed and explained, making it simpler for others to understand what is going on, even if the POV in most situations is always fixed on the MC.

It may be a controversial stance, but even when his characters lack personality beyond certain distinctive peculiarities that are prevalent among anime characters, I still enjoy them. It makes little difference if these characters are uninspired, a duplicate of another character, or plain unappealing. In my opinion, they are already lovable individuals with unique skills.

And that is enough!

Most will say my taste is trash, and I don't care!

I am not looking for stories with profound philosophical depth, stories that delve into psychology, or stories that are hazy reflections of our world's current events. What matters to me is whether or not the story will be enjoyable.

That's it!

I simply read for pleasure. I am not some arrogant reviewer who downplays other stories because they do not satisfy their "standards." Whatever standards they have should be thrown away, because it's more preferable if I read something that will make me happy instead of something that just further pushes me into depression.

It is not like I am attempting to downplay other people's interests. If they want their "masterpieces," great. I do not really care. They should, however, keep their own opinions to themselves. I am tired of other people pushing their ideas on others as if they are the only ones who are correct.

I do not care what others think about my favorite stories! Why are they still trying to spoil everyone's day by saying whatever they want about my favorite stories? Who are they to determine whether or not to read something? This type of mob mentality is one of the reasons why many of the series I followed abruptly stopped updating. They quit because of these nameless losers who do not know what else to do except criticize other authors' hard work.

... I'm getting sidetracked...

Anyway, Wadokami-sensei needed something that could help him bounce back. He clearly looks sad when I'm talking to him in our recent video chat.

And that is giving me a headache. How can I help him with that?

I know I can't personally help him. I don't have any talent for writing. I don't even know how to make something unique. At least for Wadokami-sensei, he can already think of how to make his own fictional world and create a consistent magic system in his story, even though most of the details are still left vague. So I can't help him with his problem.

There is the option of transferring a copy of the [Writing Assistant Tool] via his email; however, this raises the issue I have with it. I am fine with using the program because I am not really creative or brilliant in any other area. These programs, as well as every incredible piece of technology in my house right now, are all the result of my cheat ability. I cannot truly claim it as my own accomplishment since it comes from a higher force. But I digress. What I am saying is that I can utilize technology to compensate for my lack of creativity. Others did not need to. They have their own concepts and styles. If I let them utilize my tools, they may lose their originality and become overly reliant on them.

I don't want that to happen!

What else can I do then?

Well, I have a lot of knowledge in my head. A broad understanding of all technical fields ten thousand years ahead of the current age encompassed a vast range of information from practically every aspect of the world. There are several forms of technology, including music technology, dance technology, fitness technology, medical technology, housing technologies, industrial technologies, and many others. Drawing and writing, as well as outdoor activities, have their own technological divisions.

Everything has been part of that starting package, and it all sits in my brain.

If I just browse through this vast array of technical knowledge, I might be able to find ways to help him become a better writer.

I can't just give him something that will destroy his own style and creativity. He needs to have full control of it instead of leaving the heavylifting to the program itself.

I am here to read his story, not the story created by a soulless program!

So, that means I need it to teach him instead of correcting him. Through instructions, he can incorporate any knowledge he finds usable and ignore anything that he wasn't looking for.

I already have a lot of ideas for that. I can make a learning pod or even upload info directly into his mind so he immediately becomes a great writer.

But I stopped going along with that plan midway after much deliberation yesterday.

First of all, while making a learning pod is possible for me, I can't justify its existence to the others. A learning pod is very bulky. Its size is the same as a single-person bed. I can't literally hide the existence of a great technological piece like that, mostly when that technological piece can directly install knowledge to the brain after being submerged by its preservation liquid.

Then what about simply installing data into his mind?

That is also not an option, because unlike a learning pod, where it directly interfaces with their genetic sequence after entering it, a technology for installing info directly into the mind needs that person to have biotech implants. Basically, it's like those steampunk and cyberpunk stories where people can put cables on the back of their neck and connect to a network of some sort. That's also the principle behind this technology.

And no, it's impossible in this current age. Even if I make it myself, I will still need to install the necessary implants for their brain to even interface with digital devices.

I am not going to implant that stuff into a person! That's messed up!

So that's why there is now a half-formed machinery in the middle of my living room. I don't really care that I wasted my entire time yesterday just making that. All the materials came from the System, and it's quite easy to accumulate TP, so I can just think of it as another leisure activity.

But enough about that. Let's return to the topic.

The only option is to provide him with visual aids or allow him to read a useful guide for aspiring authors, but this will not address his problem quickly. It is up to him to interpret the visual aids and useful advice. There are innumerable videos and blogs about it on the internet, but only a handful of them are effective. That means those guides are not guaranteed to help him at all.

I need something that will improve even an uneducated person's writing skills! It has to be a guarantee instead of a vague possibility!

So how can I meet the requirements where he can improve his writing skills as soon as possible while not influencing his style at all?

Well, there is only one way outside my current available options.

"I have to learn another Singularity Tech."

That is right! A new branch of Singularity Tech is the only way to help me with this dilemma!

And what kind of Singularity Tech do I need to achieve that solution?

"System, please show me technology that can help with my current problem... oh, and it also has to be within my budget."

[Understood. Searching... Complete!]

[Here are the tech that can help you achieve your goal, Host!]

My cheat ability is easy to operate like that. It swiftly understands what I am asking, even if I do not say it out loud, and it will list everything I need right away. Because it has a very straightforward search tool, I can discover any materials I need, despite the fact that this system has access to millions of different types. So making any technology I fancy isn't a trouble for me.

Anyway, the tech. I looked through the list and still couldn't get the logic behind it.

It only gave me thirteen categories. These are Influence, Scanner, Talent, Harmony, Guidance, Resonance, Comprehension, Attachment, Bio-Implant, Neural, Vision, Animation, and Bestowal.

I have 4,200 TP saved up. I haven't really been making a lot of programs and tools, to be honest. I'm sure I can get more than 10,000 if I actually try and make more technology. For now, I am fine with this.

Both Influence and Bestowal are expensive. It costs 3,000 to buy each of those Singularity Tech. As for the cheapest one...

"Scanner."

It only costs 200 TP. Just twice the amount of the Singularity Tech for Storage Server. I trust the system, so I bought the Scanner.

After confirming my purchase, new knowledge enters my mind. Different types of scanning technology, from the mundane to the supernatural, just appear within my mind, including all of the ways I can make them with any materials I can think of.

I know I said this in the past, but Singularity Tech is truly unscientific. It cannot be called technology because it can outright ignore every prerequisite for manufacturing and go straight to doing anomalous nonsense!

So the Singularity Tech for Scanner contains all the relevant knowledge for every technology that can scan. That's right, it's literally that kind of technology!

That might sound extremely common, and if a person can read my monologue right now, they might think I am exaggerating, but there is a reason why I find Singularity Tech so impossible.

So Scanner. The Singularity of Scanner can let me identify everything in the universe. I cannot just identify it; I can replicate it!

There are multiple ways a Scanner Singularity can replicate objects. It uses principles I have no name for yet, because I don't know what these principles are, but I do know how they work, how to utilize them, and how to make it so they function in any technology I make.

It can convert anything its scanning lens reaches into whatever I input on it. Matter conversion is just as easy as breathing when using Scanner Singularity. It can also just generate matter out of nowhere using virtual data, because somehow that makes sense, and I do know the formula for why it makes sense and how to do that to any technology!

And it's not the only thing a Scanner Singularity can do. It has a lot of things it can do. It can pass info to someone, brainwash someone, teleport someone, and many more. So long as I use the right principle, manufacturing method, and specific materials for it, Scanner Singularity is quite literally versatile to every type of technology!

And I thought Server Storage Singularity is already ridiculous. I do know how to make data storage for near-infinite data. Even if I, say, simulate a multiverse in extremely accurate detail, the full potential of Server Storage Singularity can do it quite easily.

Then this Scanner Singularity exceeds that!

What the hell can other Singularity Tech do?

The more I learn about these, the more I'm becoming amazed and slightly creeped out.

... Right, that doesn't matter right now. Even if I have access to actual magic, my goal doesn't change. I have to help my favorite authors with my powers and turn their stories into popular ones!

This Scanner Singularity is amazing. It has everything I want from it.

As for the other Singularity Tech? No, I don't have plans to choose them yet!

I dismiss the choices and then browse through the System. I already have a plan in my mind after getting the knowledge from Scanner Singularity. Now with this Singularity, I can help Wadokami-sensei with his problem!

... Before that, though, I have to notify the other authors that I will be busy today. I already forgot to tell them yesterday, and looking at my LINE, Shiroko-sensei seems quite worried about me. I have to reassure them that nothing is wrong.

After that, I can start making that helpful guide!

____________________

(Third Person POV)

Yuuma feverishly pushed the keyboard buttons, his gaze fixed on his computer's monitor as letters swiftly filled the empty text editor. He came to a sudden halt, frowning in annoyance as he held down the backspace key, erasing what he had already written.

"Argh!"

He threw up his hands in defeat, slumping back in his chair, his head burning. He is unsure what to do. Whenever he started writing, he was held back by negative ideas. The recollection of bad reviews from his webnovel had a tremendous impact on him. He questioned if he was capable of writing at all.

"Dammit! I can do better than this! I have to do it!"

He scolded himself, clenching his fist tight in anger. His shoulders felt heavy, and his head was in chaos. He was reminded of his parents, who wore reluctant smiles as he told them that he was going to be a writer. His heart clenched as that image suddenly turned into his parents frowning as they directed a disappointed gaze at him in his mind.

'What if they retract their support? If this keeps happening, Mom and Dad will definitely convince me to stop writing and focus more on my studies!'

'Genjitsu-sensei is still waiting for my approval! What if she gets tired and stops adapting my story? I will be screwed!'

'I don't want to disappoint them!'

Chaotic thoughts whirled within his mind as he glared at the screen. He tried to reach out to his keyboard once more, but his heart wasn't in the mood. Even as many ideas swirled through his mind, they were cut off after being reminded of those reviews.

'What's the point... All of those ideas are trash! I need something that won't shame the manga adaptation!'

Lately, his joy for writing was being sapped away. Genjitsu had told him that he was free to do whatever he wanted, and his parents didn't really mind so long as he could find a stable income on this writing gig of his. It still felt like he was shackled, as if invisible chains were restraining his fingers from ever typing what was on his mind.

This was the first time he experienced something this extreme. This was the first time he met a wall in his writing career, and all of it was caused by negative comments. He was still young, and as a newbie author, even if he said he wouldn't be affected by it, emotions tend to overwhelm his rationale. Subconsciously, he doesn't want his story to be criticized.

And this is normal. Any author has experienced criticisms and harsh comments like this. The internet doesn't care how they felt, because the netizens only cared about their own entertainment.

This would test his mentality, whether he would stay as an author or bend over and simply give up. Normally, if he ever had the courage and commitment to pursue this path, he would persevere even with the harsh reviews. He has to build up his resistance to such comments and implement anything constructive while ignoring those who were spreading negativity just for the sake of it.

But his publisher was abnormal. Those struggles he was supposed to encounter in his writing career... All of that doesn't matter!

"... Hm? It's Genjitsu-sensei!"

When he saw the message from his illustrator, his heart was pounding, expecting something like his only sincere fan getting fed up at his indecisiveness. The contents of the message, though, surprised him while at the same time moving his heart to tears.

[Genjitsu]: Sorry it took so long. Here, I think this guide will help you. (Writer's Guide.docx)

He raised his eyebrows at that. He questioned whether a document file would help him with his predicament. There are several blogs and videos on the internet on how to become a successful author, but they do not guarantee success because it is up to the individual whether or not they follow those guidelines. Most of the time, even if a person followed those guidelines, their lack of knowledge harmed their writing style, and they eventually lost what made them distinctive the first time they wrote. It always depends on their understanding and patience.

[Wadokami]: Thank you, Genjitsu-sensei!

Even with his doubts, he still thanked her. He trusted her, and even if this document file doesn't help him, he recognized that this was Genjitsu's attempt at helping him with his problem.

He will check it out of respect for her, though he wasn't expecting much. He was already planning what excuse he would tell her if she asked if the document helped him when he actually saw the first page.

As his eyes settled on the first sentence on the document, he froze.

"... What...!?"

He doesn't know how, but even though he just opened the document, the contents of the first page alone seemed to have entered his mind directly. Concepts he shouldn't know were suddenly inserted within his subconscious, as if it was natural.

The contents of the document were normal. It was a series of guidelines that talked about how to write stories. It was separated by categories like plot, dialogue, world-building, theme, conflict, character, exposition, and many more. Each was accurately depicted and was quite helpful to many, though it wasn't something special. It was still a set of rules and principles that countless guides on the internet had shared.

Still, despite all of that, he wondered why his mind was suddenly understanding such difficult concepts with ease. Whenever his eyes glanced through a set of paragraphs, knowledge about that same guideline just took root within his subconscious. It was like he was inheriting the knowledge behind the meaning of these guides themselves.

It was so magical!

When he was done, his eyes frantically looked at his unfinished draft on the text editor, and he quickly checked everything. His eyes suddenly saw every single flaw in each of his paragraphs. Without hesitation, he deleted them all.

Then, he started writing once more.

His fingers furiously clicked on the keyboard without stopping as words just naturally flowed through him when an idea passed his mind. It suddenly became easy to compose words, his mind immediately finding every sentence and idiom he was looking for within his vocabulary and then putting that in the text editor.

Dialogue wasn't hard for him anymore. When he wrote something, their speech became distinct to each other. Even if he doesn't explain who was who, their dialogue alone would be enough to identify them.

Then, he even thought of how he could foreshadow his future plans with the current chapter he was writing, adding subtle details from some scenes that could be used in the future.

He kept writing, and before he knew it, it was evening. If not for the sound of knocking from his door, he wouldn't have stopped at all due to how easy it was for him.

"Yuuma, dinner's ready!"

"Ah... yes, I'll be there soon!"

He quickly stood up from his seat before glancing at the text editor. He could see that he had written a total of twenty thousand words, and all of it was contained in a single chapter. It was a bulky chapter, and he knew that within that chapter, every scene he wrote in there was necessary. They both progressed the story, foreshadowed future plots, introduced the world, and created necessary scenes to build up characters.

It was the best chapter he has written!

And all of it was because of that mysterious document!

With such a display of talent, he knew that just writing it as a webnovel wouldn't cut it anymore. He doesn't feel like cutting off parts of these long novellas just to satisfy the usual bite-size chapters of a typical webnovel.

'... Right, isn't Genjutsu-sensei asking me if I want to make a light novel?'

He has a lot of things he wanted to rewrite. He wouldn't change every scene, but he wanted to elaborate more on the story itself.

With that idea, he came to a decision...

____________________

(Asane POV)

["I'd like to focus on making the light novel, Genjitsu-sensei!"]

"... Eh?"

Early in the morning, Wadokami-sensei suddenly called me. I thought he was just going to thank me for that document. It was a document filled with advanced Scanner Singularity encryptions contained in a digital text.

Then he suddenly said this. Of course I will be shocked!

"... Uh, what about the webnovel?"

His face scrunched a bit with guilt.

["Sorry, Genjitsu-sensei, but I really think that writing a light novel is more suited to me. It's all thanks to your help!"]

"Ah, okay."

I see. So he wanted to focus on the light novel then.

"If that is the case, do you want me to make some changes to the manga? I assume you want to add some details to the light novel, right?"

["No, it's fine. I think it will be much better if the manga stays the same. I'll only add some details that don't appear in the manga so that those who read the manga will still find the light novel fresh."]

Wow... He already thought of that?

Well, if that is the case, I don't have to worry anymore.

"Okay. I'm fine with that."

With that, he signed the contract.

After that, he immediately posted a final notice on his Syosetsu account, stating that he will quit writing webnovels but will still continue writing somewhere.

I already know he will quit, but this is too early. Though I'm not sad about it, because I know that he is going to continue his story.

Life returns to normal.

____________________

"... Okay, this is more than normal!"

I don't mean that in a bad way. In fact, I'm quite happy!

Just three days after that, all of my contracted authors submitted their drafts for their light novels simultaneously. With just a cursory glance at their submission, I immediately realized the improvements in it.

Wadokami-sensei's entry is far superior to his webnovel version. There is no more missing information, and I can tell who is speaking just based on their dialogue. The characters are now recognizable just by their details, and the manner in which he introduces new characters has become natural rather than sudden. There are now adequate build-ups in the plot, a real climax, and subtle foreshadowing for future events. Even his fight scenes, which he already excelled at, have improved significantly, with him detailing what is going on and even displaying small motions in their moves without saying anything.

Fudo-sensei's webnovel began in a self-indulgent manner. The majority of it concentrates around the main heroine, and while her interactions with the game are engaging, the world itself is bland, and any people presented feel flat. Comparing that to this current light novel draft is like comparing heaven and earth, because those flaws are gone, and while it still focuses so much on the MC, the world itself looks rich because her surroundings are now written in detail, along with a lot of subtle details that show the behaviors of NPCs, and even how players realistically react to whatever is happening to them.

Shiroko-sensei also improves significantly. Her dialogue has substantially improved, and the tone has become less bleak in comparison to the webnovel version. There is still a sense of tension throughout the plot, but it is now overshadowed by sweet scenes of the female protagonist and her female lead connecting with one another, demonstrating emotional depth via their dialogue, and many more. It adds to the fantastic world that already exists in her novel!

Then Lupo-Sensei... Well, nothing changes at Lupo-sensei's work. He is already an excellent storyteller, even without the [Writer's Guide Document]. Well, I have mentioned there are no changes, but there are certain improvements to his plot, such as pacing. His light novel manuscript suddenly appears simpler to read, despite the fact that it still contains a lot of technical jargon.

... I originally expected them to improve after sharing the document file, but this is unexpected. Or perhaps I should not be surprised because I am aware of the consequences of that Singularity?

There is a long explanation of how this document works, but I will summarize it in shorter terms.

The words on those documents are actually bulks of encrypted data that can physically alter how they are perceived in a strange way. The nanopixels that make up each text of that document are arranged carefully and are written not in normal words but rather in extremely advanced strings of code that cannot be replicated by even the most cutting-edge computer in this world. Any person who sees it will immediately activate the encrypted code, their mind immediately translating the code and turning it into a coherent knowledge that will easily settle in their brain.

The idea is based on how barcode scanners scan barcodes. After a barcode reader scans something, it searches the database and displays the result in a cashier display.

The letters on each document serve as the barcode, and the eyes of those viewing them serve as the barcode reader. Their brain serves as the database. That is the simplest way to describe how the document works.

It is Scanner Singularity. I use the eyes of people as the "Scanner" for my letters. It's a bit hard, because I have to create another set of programming languages to create another set of programs, which creates another set of programming languages, before I can even make this highly precise, anomalous set of texts. It's why it even takes me a whole day before I can share it with Wadokami-sensei, and later with the others.

I have previously tested it, and the results are astounding. The knowledge I encrypted on each of those letters has entered my head and is now residing there without overwhelming it. It is pretty amazing because each letter contains all sorts of writing advice from all over the internet; most of them are from foreign sites that have been translated into my language.

Sadly, I'm still not a good writer even with the [Writer's Guide Document]...

With the brain serving as the database, each person will receive different results when reading the document. Wadokami-sensei still writes succinctly. Fudo-sensei's prose still has a humorous quality. Shiroko-sensei's writing style retains the cool and logical narrative that emphasizes the gravity of her subject, despite the extra sweetness of the situations. Lupo-sensei's writing is still thesis-like, as if he is discussing technical information with other knowledgeable people.

Basically, their styles haven't been overtaken by the improvement. They simply improve while retaining their writing style. Something that I actually prefer, because I loved their story the way they write it!

I'm glad. Wadokami-sensei looks more energetic since then. Even the others have also become quite active since I shared that document.

There is a minor issue about them all quitting on Syosetsu as they also want to focus on writing the light novel version, but I don't mind.

I already asked, and out of the four, only Shiroko-sensei and Fudo-sensei told me to stop the manga adaptation for now, as they are going to change a lot of stuff in the future chapters. They said the three manga volumes that were already uploaded can be retained, as they won't change much from them in the light novel version, but the following events after that will have a major overhaul, completely different from the webnovel version.

I respect that decision, so I stop for now. I even ask PR-chan to make an announcement, telling others that "Leisure VRMMO", "Isekai Growth Cheat", and "The Villainess Quits!" are going on a one-month hiatus just so the fans wouldn't worry.

As for "Bunchichi", of course the manga adaptation is underway. Lupo-sensei doesn't want to change anything in his work. So I got the greenlight to adapt his work by following the webnovel version.

Hehehe... I cannot wait for the finished product! ~

____________________

(Third Person POV)

In a certain four-story apartment in Yokohama, the middle-aged woman who owns this apartment is frowning, her brows knitting together as she gazes at an electricity bill from one of her tenants.

"... Why is it this high!?"

Based on the statement, the electricity bill for that one particular person was three times more than anyone else currently residing in this apartment combined.

She became suspicious about this. She wondered just what that tenant was doing that they got such a high electricity bill.

And with that curiosity, the landlord decided she would visit that tenant first. She remembered it was the tenant on the third floor in the fourth room.

"Just what is that girl doing?" She wondered to herself.