Afterword

My first RPG was Dragon Quest V.

I didn’t even know about grinding. I just plowed ahead, blowing all my spells, made the first monster I found a regular—all your classic “how not to play” type of moves.

In the middle of that game, you’ve got to cross the mountains to reach the kingdom…but those mountain paths are filled with things like the Wight Kings, zombies that paralyze you. Rough stuff for a kid new to video games. I remember barely staggering to the top of that mountain.

At last, I reached a village, brought my dead companions (and wife) back to life, and started exploring the town. And something a tourist there said hit me so hard, I’ve never forgotten it.

NPC: “Man, it gets harder to climb this mountain every year.”

ME (in grade school): “You climb that every year?! Past all those Wight Kings?!”

I’d barely made it to the top alive, so his words sounded like a brutal pilgrimage. Goowain (Slime Knight) appeared equally astonished.

I believe that memory led to the creation of the village outside the Last Dungeon.

Thanks, everyone! I’m Toshio Satou, and I may have made jokes about my hair loss, but it all came back, to my great delight! Hooray for steroids.

I want to thank you for purchasing Volume 5 of Last Dungeon Boonies.

First, the formalities.

To my editor, Maizou—I know you’re always busy, but I can’t tell you how grateful I am for your help.

To my illustrator, Nao Watanuki, your illustrations are always a delight. The character designs this time were particularly rough, and for that, I’m sorry. When I got the sketch for that farmer, I knew it was the greatest design in history. I made it the background on my phone.

To the manga artist, Fusemachi—I’m grateful for your work every month. Congrats on the new print run!

To the writers who started with me, before me, and after me, thank you for all of your advice. Our conversations allow me to, however briefly, forget about my deadlines.

To everyone in editorial, design, business, and retail…and all my readers, I would never have made it this far without your help. Thank you so much.

It seems I will be able to keep this series going! I am as astonished by this show of support as anyone.

I hope we can meet again in Volume 6! I’ll do my best.