Chapter 7 Apology, Update, and Future

Hello, this 7th Pride.

Before I get started for I know that anyone that might be concerned about the future of the fic, no I'm not suddenly not suddenly pulling this story or putting it on indefinite hiatus or anything of the sort. I'm merely writing this update piece in response to the rather abysmal launch of chapter 7 as well as addressing my many readers that have stuck with me. I felt that everyone is entitled to an explanation on this matter as they deserved one.

I'll be listing all my thoughts, concerns, ideas, and explanation for not only the chapter, but what went on and what was intended to be read. If possible, please read until the end to in order to understand the situation and what is going to happen next.

Originally, I had plans to respond to each important reviews that were left on the chapter, and then post this update to take down chapter 7, however as I was writing and writing, it would take far too long to properly respond to everyone. Plus, with broken system where any replies to reviews or PMs does not give a email notification, thus no alert to let anyone know I actually responded back. Hence why I decided to write this up to addressed everyone at once, especially those that have private message disabled, which means I'm unable to respond to their reviews as well, and any guests as I cannot reply or get in touch with them. I've already started responding back to a few of the reviewers and those sent a private message my way, so some of the things that I will say here will be identical to what I already wrote, if a little bit more elaborated on.

With that out of the way, I would like to say just one thing first. I am sorry.

While there are those enjoyed the chapter for what it was, which was an honest surprise, I would wager that a majority of the reader base and reviewers were in one form or fashion left extremely unsatisfied, confused at the choices made in the chapter, and perhaps even angered for the portrayal of the characters and events - namely the characterization of Shirou and his regression as well as certain decisions made. All of which are very valid criticism of the chapter and one I agree with the majority on.

With that stated, that begs the question. How the heck did a chapter like this somehow get past the beta reading and was deemed acceptable to be uploaded?

To those that are willingly to hear myself out, then I will explain what happened behind the scenes point during these long months that lead up to the chapter. From there, you may all of make of this however you please.

I would also like to preface this by saying that I am in no way shape or form explicitly blaming I4MD347H for the happenings of the chapter. I too am at fault, if not more so then him. I would simply like to explain what transpired that lead up to this chapter.

With that said, allow me to begin. The last full upload on the story was that the third Daily Lives of Ainz Ooal Gown which was uploaded in November 14th, 2019. Nearly six months ago. In the early months after the upload of the chapter that I fell into a slump that hit me rather hard. I wanted to continue writing, but do some personal issues, as well as Dante, my friend and main beta being unavailable I reached out to I4MD347H one day during this time period when I wasn't uploading anything for months. It was his suggestion to try and co-write a chapter, which I never done before so I agreed if only to try it.

While we were in talk, it became apparent that he was a firm supporter on Overlord, caring greatly for how the source material and ideas in it was to be treated while I was in the Fate camp. We talked and argued a bit, here and there as like with every kind of discussion. We decided to try it out and write, hoping to get myself out of the slump and the motivation needed to start back up. We chatted some more, and got to know each other a bit more. It was during this however, around 1/2 of the chapter was written that I started to get a sense of where it was going. He was quite vocal on the Overlord aspects of the story, namely how I was buffing up Shirou and the Fate element to ridiculous degrees apparently. Of which I can see and agree on some level.

He was advocating for showing more of the Overlord side of the story, world building elements, exploration of some characters and ideas he had, and showing where Shirou should "reasonably" be in terms of strength and skill in YGGDRASIL. Such as Players that could contend with Shirou and those that could outright kill/beat him. Points that I could understand and see, but debated on regarding how he wished for it. He wanted to show the true strength of the Players within Overlord's YGGDRASIL - such as the creation of his OC - Djall, along with the trio: Moonacy, Beanstalker, and Fifth Horseman.

Much of the chapter followed his general ideas and outline, especially some specific choices made to the chapter. Deep down, I didn't enjoy the chapter at all. One of which was basically nerfing Shirou, and making him a bit ignorant regarding YGGDRASIL combat. Despite the fact that he shouldn't be after all these years, as well as having his guild mates fill in his knowledge on PvP. Bits and pieces here and there I enjoyed working on together with, but for the most part I was in quiet discontent with what happened and how the fights between Shirou and the Players were handled.

As pointed out by some of the reviewers and PMs, this chapter feels weird and different. As if someone else had written the chapter, and for the most part that is true. When we were co-writing it, it didn't feel like I was writing it my way or in my style.

Now, that begs the biggest question: why did I not simply why didn't speak up more on this or try and make my case better or argue more to write it how I envisioned it? Instead of just keeping quiet and going along with the chapter?

I suppose the answer to that would be my insecurity and near crippling self-doubt. I know it sounds contrive but I've always held the opinions of others above my own. Even if it doesn't always show. When I was stuck in the slump nearly the end of last year, I had decided to reach out to I4MD347H for help, and he offered his help. I was grateful as at the time, the slump was getting to me a bit and the friend and beta I always talked to was unavailable due to some personal issues. We went back and forth, and despite working on it, it never lasted.

I would appear on and off again, going silence for months from the story. It got really bad around the time of December to February of this year. I was still in that slump at the time, itself hitting me rather hard and sporadically at times, combined with my personal life issues as well. Which heavily affected my thinking. As I said in the chapter, I once thought about deleting the story around the time of February to March.

Eventually I was able to get myself straightened out, or at least the best I could and revisited the chapter to try and finish it. My thoughts on it remaining quietly the same. I felt that if I were to suddenly scrap it all that it might offend him and earn his scorn. Especially since he took the time and energy to help me. Due to my low-self esteem at times, I felt 'almost' indebted to try and make it work. Despite my clear thoughts on the matter.

You may think this is ridiculous or a bit pathetic on my part, and I would not exactly blame you.

Was that the right thing to do? Most likely not, and I'm to blame for that. Still, I decided to keep quiet on the matter and meek out the chapter. Going along with my inputs here and there for the chapter. I was a coward, simply going along because I didn't wish to make him angry as well as my personal feeling on the chapter becoming almost lackadaisical.

I held a small hope that it might still be an enjoyable read but that was rather naive of me, and as shown by the reviews I should have known better.

I don't blame him for what's he done and written as he's shown to have a love and care for the Overlord franchise, which has helped me to be informed on some things. But I should have recognized from the start where our interests lie in regards to writing this story.

Again, I am not saying this as an attempt to throw I4MD347H under the bus or trying to shift the blame. The fault of this chapter lies solely on myself, as had I been a bit more assertive and firm in my true thoughts and writing the chapter I had wished. This chapter maybe could have not been what it is. However, one thing that I am solely to be blamed on is regarding the choice characterization of Shirou.

Namely the butchering of characterization for Shirou in this chapter out of nowhere. As many have pointed, Shirou's character here is practically the antithesis of how I've been building him up to be since the beginning. In the case since it was so poorly done and written, especially I was trying to shoehorn it into the entire itself. A point that I4MD347H has made time and again.

As stated in the Author's Note, the original chapter was meant to be one complete chapter, with the set-up (Shirou's strange behavior appearing) and the pay-off which would give an explanation on the choice made, and the hows and whys of it all. Due to the decision to split it up, chapter 7 was relegated to being the set-up chapter, showing Shirou acting far out of character and the mystery - of course, I see and completely understand where many are calling his actions, thinking, and general behaviors to be OOC and a huge regression. Having him basically becoming angsty with little no reasoning or set up as to why. The second chapter following it up would have go in depth and try and resolve the points made in chapter 7. Using the the time skips from chapter 6 to the Daily Lives Interlude and to chapter 7 was to try and set up this idea and show the passage of time.

Naturally, I failed rather miserably when trying to implement this idea and outline for the story.

I knew from the beginning that the introduction of the idea would catch a lot of readers off-guard and many would be reasonably upset since I've built this Shirou up this far, showing his bonds and everything only to sudden throw this out. I would imagined a lot of frustration comes from chapter 7 being only the set-up and that the chapter itself was lacking and polarizing, with no follow up in order to make the points interesting.

Note: This is a bit of spoiler territory for this was the idea and outline for what I wanted to write and explore in the chapters.

[The idea and outline I have is basically Shirou, relapsing almost. Not full on, but rather falling back onto old habits. The reason for this is his 'seemingly' growing obsession with gaining the Class Card. Relapsing back to his loner magus day, where he had barely anyone to rely on. He's someone that encountered hardships at every turn, and at the end of it all. He was left alone, everyone he knew practically gone. Him being transferred to YGGDRASIL, kept his mind of it, along with joining and playing with Ainz Ooal Gown. They kept him 'distracted' so to say. However, it's not enough.

He is a man who has seen so much, too much in fact, that all the little problems that they have and he helps with are reminders of how simple life can be. In other words, he is a veteran who has dealt with life and is used to immense struggle if he wants victory. When he came into this world, he has none of that. No real challenge against the simplistic combat abilities of the other players and no real turmoil with the relatively minor emotional hang ups of his friends. It has been one easy victory after another. His time with Ainz Ooal Gown has been fun, but they are temporary.

So, when confronted with a real labor, the idea of the Servant bosses and the Class Cards being in YGGDRASIL for some unknown reason, and what they represent, decades of misery, and the repressed emotions - he was swept up. Swept up in the tidal wave of repressed negativity that he had long since grown numb to, now demanding his attention as a stark presence against his new happiness. There is a saying, "Give to one who has plenty, and he will hardly notice. Take from one who has none, and he will hardly struggle. However, threaten one who has recovered, and he will tear your world asunder." When you know what it feels like to lose, and you discover what winning is, you will hold on to it, even if it kills you.

Shirou is currently consumed by the ghost of his pasts, the Class Cards, and all the memories that come with them. Shirou began his crusade in an attempt to track down the last traces of his past so he may live in his new happiness, but he lost his way. In the beginning he was after them because he knew what they were and wanted to know why they were in YGGDRASIL. For what purpose were they in here. Along the way, his goal and purpose grew muddied, and he succumbed to instincts. Instincts that told him he needed to collect those cards? Why? He doesn't truly know, but only the fact that he needs to.

The idea is that Shirou is relapsing into someone who's has been chasing ghosts from his past for a while now, immersing himself further and further into the days before he had friends, when he was miserable. All that has taken a toll on his psyche, he is no longer EMIYA, the friend everyone in Ainz Ooal Gown looks up to, but Emiya Shirou, the fuck up of a magus, human, and emotional partner who pushed all away for nothing in return. All this time, up to the reveal of the class cards and the subsequent obsession, he has a coping mechanism in the guild.]

As for how and while Ainz Ooal Gown could have let this happen to him? Well, that's to play in with the time skip and passage of time between the chapters. In the 3 years from Chapter 6 to Chapter 7, Shirou slowly starts to go back into his old habits. Very slow at first, only to be taken to the extreme in chapter 7, after about 3 years. In the beginning those of Ainz Ooal Gown would make notice of this and comment, but ultimately do nothing about it as it wasn't out of the ordinary. Add in the fact that each member has their own personal life and such, thus they aren't always online to be there to see Shirou always while is always online. Thus, they don't always see him to take notice of the change, that and as time progressed he's out for far longer. That, and they are respectful of Shirou's wishes and so if he says he's alright or don't need help they would try and respect him. They won't try to pry into his life. As time continue on and they start to really take notice, it would be a bit too late. Shirou getting into the mentality while they tried talking more about it with him, but he slowly isolate himself.

Going out on longer missions, ignoring and not answering [Messages]. They had remained passive, unsure and afraid to say anything against him. Some of their thoughts and beliefs that Shirou knows what he's doing and that it's ok. They have faith in him. Their unintentional negligence allowed Shirou to sink further away from them. They are just normal, everyday people thus in the beginning and later on they don't exactly see anything wrong with it, thinking its just Shirou being after the World Class item, just like any other Player. They don't recognize that something is seriously wrong until it's too late.

Leading up to where Shirou's character is so sullen and reclusive almost due to relapsing, and why he's basically ignoring Ainz Ooal Gown at the beginning of Chapter 7. The drive to find the Servant bosses having consumed him, making him believe and rationalized that he needed to be the one to do it. For he is the only one to do it, and that his problems are not their concerns. Chapter 7 would leave the question and mystery while Chapter 8 would follow it up, explaining how Shirou is like how, how it came to pass, the reasoning and why, and finally resolving it. Namely Ainz Ooal Gown being the one to do so at the end.

Shirou has lived an extremely extraordinary life, while his friends are all regular people. They couldn't truly fathom what exactly he's seen, done, and been through. His mentality is, it's his problem and no one elses. They wouldn't understand. Kind of like saying he's cleaning up his own mess. Driving them away without truly meaning too. As stated, falling back into old habits and keeping to himself without bothering Ainz Ooal Gown as in the past, he usually dealt with issues and problem alone without help most of the time. All under a misguided belief.

The general theme and outline for this plot point and arc was to show Shirou relapsing into who he was, the loner of a man, and this time having Ainz Ooal Gown be the one to knock some sense into him. Before, he would have the likes of Rin or someone else keep him grounded and knock some sense into him. But now, he doesn't really have anyone there that truly gets him, that understand him. Thus, chapter 8 would follow up with Ainz Ooal Gown finally acknowledging what they've done wrong and that his attitude has severely changed and that it was time to take action, rather than sit on the sideline and take Shirou's words that he's "ok" on his own or such. Just like all those time in the past where Shirou reached out to his guild mates and friends and helped them, having profound effects on the members. This time it would be their turn to reach out to him and pull him back.

That was the plan for what was to transpire and leading into one of the most anticipated bits following forward. Of course writing and planning and idea is always a 100x easier than actually implementing correctly and in a satisfying way that doesn't break the flow of the story that's always been firmly established. Which I failed, thus leaving Shirou to be like how he is in the chapter.

But yes, that is that. In the end, I, and I alone hold all accountability as I made the conscious choice to upload the chapter despite all that was going on. If I had been more diligent and truthful in what I wish, the chapter wouldn't have been as polarizing as it was. Now that, that has been stated. The biggest question now is: What am I going to do?

First and foremost, I'll be taking down chapter 7 and doing a complete and total rewrite and overhaul of it. I'm not satisfied, Dante, my friend and beta isn't satisfied, and a majority of the readers aren't satisfied. The idea and theme for what I have planned that I presented just before, that may or may not change or alter depending on how it goes in the new rewrite and planning. I will have to wait and see.

Also, I have been in touched with I4MD347H and chatted with him. Thankfully he was understanding, and thus I'll be moving forward with the re-write, however it will be primarily be myself instead of the co-writer process we tried last time. I'll still be reaching out to him on anything Overlord that I might have questions or concerns on. Again, please do not think ill-will of him or harass him.

Also, no doubt there will be those that believe I'm trying to backpedal on the chapter, and do some damage control. As stated, I'm largely unsatisfied with how the chapter turn out and simply ignoring all the valid criticism and simply continuing on would do no good, and would be an insult for not only the story being written, but also all the readers that have stuck with my story and have invested their time into this. I wish to write a chapter that I and many of you can read and enjoy that builds upon what has already been laid out.

With that said, I would like to take a moment to allow for my friend and long time beta of the story: Dante Evans to express some words as he too has his own thoughts on the matter.

Dante Evans:

Hello to all of you denizens of Fanfiction, my name is Dante Evans. I'm the editor for 7th Pride, but above that, I'm his friend. And I feel like I've failed at both. I'm writing this in an attempt to correct at least some of my infractions.

Quarantine has had widespread effects on most anyone. Some might be minor, while others are far larger. I won't bore anyone with the details, but it's safe to say that when 7th Pride contacted me to help him edit, I wasn't in the right headspace.

I'm many things: a beta reader for this passion project, a friend to its amazing author, and at the end of the day, human. A human prone to mistakes. A human who failed to stop his friend from publishing a chapter that would not be received well. However, this is no excuse for my failures, so I won't ask for forgiveness. Instead, I ask for you to direct any misgivings you might still have towards me, rather than 7th Pride.

He says it's not my fault, yet I feel guilty. He shouldn't be the one to burden the responsibility of what was published, at least not alone. So, I ask for you to scorn me. Hate me. Insult me. Ridicule me. I'll accept any punishment, as long as you allow yourself to be open to 7th Pride's attempts to fix a wrong and my own contributions to his effort. Don't give up on his story, cause we both aren't giving up either.

From our failures, we learn. We grow. We prosper. So, stick around to watch us fail to reach the stars, and instead reach the sky. And even then, that is just another step in the ladder, bringing us one step closer to writing what I hope is the best Fate/ Stay Night and Overlord crossover. So, I ask of you, will you stick around to see us through all the future's ups and downs? If so, then hold your breath (or don't, depending on your lung capacity) as I, Dante Evans, work alongside my friend, 7th Pride, to write his magnum opus!

Thank you for listening to my rant and I hope to see you wonderful people again, next time we update!

With all of that said and done, I would like to thank you for taking the time to at the very least look at what I had to say. Please know that this is most of my thoughts condensed down, so if there are a few things that are confusing or needs more information and elaboration, then please send me a PM and I will answer as soon as I can. If you have any more grievences, please direct them towards me and not Dante or I4MD347H. Other than that, if you have comments, concerns, or things you would like to say - please do write a PM. That way I can respond back to it.

As with this chapter, the amount of reviews for is nearly at 190 reviews, and does not allow individuals to be put multiple reviews on the same chapter if they have already left one. That way I can hopefully answer any questions in an orderly concern. And to those with guest reviews, know that I'll most likely see them but will be unable to properly reply to them.

I hope that I can somehow keep your interest in what's to come, if and when I finally get the story straightened out. I cannot fully say when it might be done as with what's going on. Anything sporadic and crazy can happen. All I can promise is that I will work on it to the best of my ability. To try and regain the trust you've all placed in the story.

I hope to see you all in the next chapter to come.

Thank you and Regards,

7th Pride.