196 Author's Note: [August 28, 2022]

Well. . . . that was one long month, don't you all agree?

Hi,

For those who don't remember me, my name's FictionOnlyReader, and I'm the author behind Rebirth in KurokoNoBasket— a Kuroko No Basket fanfic, as the name might indicate.

Sigh. . . I'm sorry guys; I had once said that I won't be like the writers who dropped their work without completing them and promised I would see Rebirth in KurokoNoBasket to its end. But here we are, over a year later (I think it's close to being 2yrs), and I have followed the same steps as many fanfic authors and haven't completed my work— especially when the last chapter claims that I was taking a release break to stockpile chapters so that I could do a mass-release and cover the Middle School, 3rd year, Nationals Finals— Tokiwadai vs. Teiko— King of Court vs. Generation of Miracles— the much-anticipated showdown— and release it all together and closing the Middle School Arc with it.

You might not believe it, but at that time, I had no intention to stop writing and was very much in love with this story. But I was in need of a break from the brutal release schedule that had led me to suffer burnout. My plan was to take a week off, then spend the rest of the month writing everything up for the promised mass release. But the week of rest truly showed me what condition I was in, and with writing not taking up most of my day, I was free to contemplate, which led me to 'spiral' further— I not only stopped but also went underground, away from all forms of social media— cutting all contact connecting 'me' to FictionOnlyReader. I didn't want to write anymore and even look at that part of my life.

As I said in the notice, I was preparing for my Masters, and with writing not on my plate, I threw myself into preparation. It paid off; I got into a great college, and just yesterday, I got myself a great job (set to join after I complete my post-graduation). However, as people usually do, my condition improved, and I was under the pressure I had put myself in, and my love for writing stepped out of the room it had locked itself in.

I was ready and eager to write.

Return to Rebirth in KurokoNoBasket?! No. . . unfortunately, no. I couldn't look at it. I, who used to read every comment and review, couldn't click on the link to the cover page. I returned to Discord and talked to my friends, explained my situation, and told them I was ready to return as FictionOnlyReader— but not to Rebirth in KurokoNoBasket.

I knew it then; I know it now. I was in denial of sorts. I ignored this story because I was ashamed I left it as I did and couldn't muster up the courage to even address it by posting another notice. I left the last notice there— half out of shame and half as a reminder that I needed to complete this someday. All I could do was to put [OFFICIALLY ON HIATUS] in the synopsis.

Here I am today, facing this head-on.

It's not as hard as I thought it would be. . .

. . . Well, it's about to be.

Rebirth in KurokoNoBasket IS NOT going to be pulled out of Hiatus.

It is officially dropped.

Yeah. . .

In the time I was away from the story, I realized that the story had no future. Shun was going to win against GoM in this finals (oh boy, I can clearly imagine how my ratings would've tanked if I made a third loss). It would have been glorious, exhilarating, an actual satisfying pay-off after two tough losses— and then Shun and GoM were going to move onto High School, and we would've stepped into the canon era— he would've gone to an OC school, and competed against everyone's favorite teams, full of great basketball and outside story.

Alas, that was just the vision, just the expectations. In reality, Shun isn't a great character. I like his personality base— yes, I know he's a Gary Sue and could use some flaws— that's why I used the term 'personality base.' Include some personality flaws, and he would've been more likable, and I could've done it in High School.

The real problem was the 3 wishes I granted him at the start. God-Speed Impulse, Kise's Perfect Copy, and great body. These three wishes were my mistakes. Grave mistakes. They made him too OP. It was fine when he was clashing with all GoM(plus Kuroko) when they were on the same team— any other team wasn't even worth looking at, just like Teiko's situation. But that would've changed in High School when the GoM split and went to their own school. Who would stop Shun, then? If he can barely be contained by all five combined, there was no way in hell anyone could even think about stopping Shun from dominating. He would've wiped the court with Aomine, Murasakibara, and even Akashi— the only one with a chance to compete(not win) would've been Kise using Perfect Copy while in Zone.

Even if we ignore all that, I had already made a mistake. Kise's Perfect Copy wasn't supposed to be 'Perfect Copy,' it was supposed to be the base-level copy. But I made a mistake and termed it as that, and all of you perceived it as Perfect Copy, and were right in doing so.

I couldn't change it. Why? Because if there's one word I hate, then it is Nerf'd. I hated it as I just typed it out right now. I couldn't correct it as it was already too late.

What can I say? I was a novice writer back then. I used the semi-script format as my writing style, for god's sake! I can't even read this work anymore because I cringe so hard at my lack of skill. I love what I wrote, but I can't bear myself to go back to it.

There was a time in between when I had hyped myself up to continue Rebirth in KurokoNoBasket after I completed AMJ(my other work) and had even said it in conversations on Discord. This was before I realized that the story wasn't going to be engaging in High School; it was going to be Shun steamrolling everyone— and I didn't want to write that.

What I wanted to write was Kageyama Shun, an SI-OC(or just an OC with no plot knowledge) possessing the legendary ability known as God-Speed Impulse, who would've been a GoM-level talent and not above them— nay, he was going to be above them, but not through talent, but through hard work, dedication, and love for the game.

I wanted to write a non-OP character and story with genuine conflicts along the way. I wanted to do phenomenal character-building and an impactful supporting cast and side characters. I wanted to explain basketball as well as Haikyuu had done volleyball. I wanted to write a better story.

. . . . And that's what I'm going to do it.

I never imagined I would be typing these words, but here we go— I'm going to REWRITE Rebirth in KurokoNoBasket with a better Kageyama Shun, a better plot, and better everything.

BUT, WAIT!

Before some of you guys get too excited. This rewrite isn't going to be written now. I don't know when I'm going to write it, but it won't be anytime soon— I don't want to commit to a rewrite right now; I hold no intense creative pull towards it.

This is yet another promise.

I promise I will return to this work.

That I will complete it.

That I will make it better.

So, for those who felt dissatisfied about how this turned out. . . I'm sorry. For those who were expecting for the continuation. . . I'm sorry.

Rebirth in KurokoNoBasket, the first iteration, has come to an end.

That is all. . .

Signing Off,

FictionOnlyReader.