FAKE AFTERWORD

Hello, everyone. My name is Ishiburo, and I’m taking pen to paper to help celebrate the release of Kagerou Daze’s third novel.

People familiar with my name can feel free to mutter “Not this guy again…” to themselves as they skip ahead, but for those of you thinking “Hey, who’s this freak and what’s he doing in my book?” I invite you to use the search engine of your choice to look up Ishiburo’s work as a Vocaloid music composer. I think you’ll be happy you did.

Anyway, the last volume ended with Shintaro finally obtaining the fabled Final Element sword and thrusting it deep into the breast of Kidorn, head of the 427th section of the evil Mekakushi-dan syndicate. After that breathtaking climax, who could’ve guessed the story would jump over to life at the Kashiwa Academy? That JIN…He’s such a crafty story-weaver!

The synergy between Enene, Momomo, and Shintarou as they engage in their breezy rom-com school antics is what really stood out the most this time around, I think.

But when the focus shifts halfway through the novel to Kahrno—a character that you could tell was up to something fishy, but mostly stayed out of the spotlight until now—the excitement suddenly ramps up to almost dangerous levels!

What did you think of it? Quite an emotional roller coaster, wasn’t it?

By the way, I haven’t had a chance to read Volume 3 yet. Sorry about that.

The writing work came right to the edge of the deadline this time around, and I’ve been constantly hounded by work of my own as well, so I didn’t have the time to read through it. I’m toeing the edge pretty close myself, basically.

I figured that I would save this volume for a time when I can line up at the bookstore, purchase my own copy, and really bask in the literary excellence waiting for me within. I’m not about to just skim through it and forget the whole plot an hour later.

By the way, the plotline I wrote a few paragraphs ago has absolutely nothing to do with Kagerou Daze. That was hopefully pretty obvious, but if I made anyone excited for something that doesn’t exist, my apologies.

JIN, I know I’ve written a lot of words before broaching the topic, but congrats on wrapping up the third volume!

It’s always a blast for me to take in the fruits of JIN’s labor in all its many forms, so I’m confident that this is going to be just as heart-pounding an experience once I read it.

Thanks to all of you for reading my somewhat childish attempt at an afterword. I’d love to meet you elsewhere, too, if we ever have the chance. See you then!

Ishiburo