It's been almost a year since I posted a volume, hasn't it? Nice to see you all after the extended hiatus. Back in the previous volume, I did mention a likely release date for this volume to be earlier this year, but what happened is just proof that plans change. I apologize for keeping you all waiting.

This volume has quite the different approach to the previous ones. I tried to tell two concurrent stories happening alongside each other as well as inserting pieces of flashback segments in between. The logic is that it gives me a chance to expand a bit on Fractal Plane's lore and things that happened in the past. I settled for those flashback segments instead of dedicating an entire volume (Volume 5, if you haven't guessed) to Miyuko and Guren's past adventures and conflict.

Normally, the tradition is for me to assign a "focus character" per arc or volume. It's usually a character newly-added to the "party" who also gets to grace the cover. But I believe that this volume breaks tradition a bit, as its focus characters are both Sayaka and Guren, neither who get the cover spotlight.

Guren in particular I had fun writing, as I wrote him this volume portrayed as more of a shounen hero, certainly a side of him I did not have a chance to show so far. He's the type who's relentless in his march to his goals, all while finally showing off more of his arsenal as a fighter. He doesn't give up even in the face of insurmountable odds, and he's got an endgame goal that some could find justified, but is it really? I'll leave that question for you lot. 

Meanwhile, writing an actual tangible conflict between Sayaka and Kazuki is something that I had been pondering since the first volume. There's also something I just find charming about the plot point of the stoic character revealing more about himself or herself in the midst of an emotionally-charged battle and slowly cracking under the pressure and his or her own hesitation. It's still not completely finished for Sayaka, however, as she has a few more trials to face in the next few volumes.

Speaking of, things have finally come to a head in the next volume. I've always wanted to do a "parallel world invades the real world" arc that sees some apocalyptic plot beats and people from different backgrounds sharing their skills and forming a formidable resistance, all while resolving some of their personal reservations about each other. The next volume will largely be about that and will serve as a climax for the story in the real world. Hope you guys are as excited for it as I am.

I thank all of you readers for sticking with me and for reading. Otherwise, if you just clicked out of curiosity, I still thank you for showing the slightest bit of interest in Fractal Plane. Once again, I thank my beta reader. He's gotten a lot busier the past few months, but he still took some time to give feedback on the direction of the plot. Also, LotsChrono, who's such an amazing writer, has continued giving me input. For that, I thank you.

I cannot promise a release date for volume 8, but rest assured, it will very likely come out at least at the midway point of next year. And volume 9, which is probably the end of the series, will be ready at least four to six months after that. 

Hope to see you all again, and let's ride towards the conclusion of the story together.

EternalSunset0