Can't Leave This Room Until I Get First Place on Syosetu Chapter 21

Translated by Seraphic

I provide periodic updates on the translation progress on our Discord server (which you can find if you can’t see our ma.s.sive Discord b.u.t.ton for some reason). Tbh, my progress reports are not at all helpful, but at least I’ll let you know if I’m going to disappear for a while.

L21

Loop 21

●Day 1●

「100,000pts: Display upgrade unlocked」
「1,000 comments: Keyboard upgrade unlocked」
「Monthly 1st place: Monthly Loop unlocked」
「Quarterly 1st place: Weekly Loop unlocked」
「Annual 1st place: Daily Loop unlocked」

This time, I noticed a change immediately.
The monitor.
There were now two of them.

The keyboard had become cluttered with b.u.t.tons.
There was a row of b.u.t.tons for all of the software I had unlocked up to this point, but…
Doesn't this make it harder to use?
The b.u.t.tons that seem easiest to use are Undo and Redo.

Anyway, moving on from that.
This time, the 1st place achievements unlocked some mysterious functions.

Monthly Loop.
Weekly Loop.
Daily Loop.

Taking them at face value, it seems it'll be possible to loop individual months, weeks, and days?
Even if you say that, looking around, I don't see how I'm supposed to activate it.
However, the reset b.u.t.ton emerges on the second day.
Perhaps the loop function will also emerge then.

"For now, let's proceed as planned."

The plan this time is as follows:
Firstly, I post some copied work I have prepared.
If possible, a completed work would be good.
Continue to sequentially post it for about two months.

These are effective strategies.
If the time of posting is correctly gauged, the monthly first place or even quarterly first place can be gained.

After that, I go with the work that had taken annual first place.
This way, it will get even more points than last time.

Very well, let's get to posting the first work immediately.

●Day 2●

I wasn't hoping for many points.
However, it went as expected from a work that managed to enter the rankings.
Even though it was the first day, I secured an excessive amount of points.

Well, that's nice. Pretty inconsequential, though.
The aim isn't to get points on the short-term.
I'm looking to create a foundation for more points later in the year.
Of course, getting these points is better than not…

More than that, I've understood a little bit about the various loop b.u.t.tons.
I say that, but really it's just the Daily Loop.

Today, when I got up, a reset b.u.t.ton appeared.
The reset b.u.t.ton always appears on the second day, so that wasn't unusual in and of itself.
However, next to the reset b.u.t.ton another b.u.t.ton had appeared.
It was red and covered like the reset b.u.t.ton, but a little smaller, with "1D" etched onto the surface.
When I pressed it, a die fell from the sky…[1] Nothing like that happened, I lost consciousness and returned to April 1st.
Basically, in accordance with my expectations, this b.u.t.ton seemed to be able to repeat the previous day.

Still, next to the Daily Loop b.u.t.ton was an oddly empty s.p.a.ce.
Even if two Daily Loop b.u.t.tons were installed, it would still look awkward.
The Weekly and Monthly Loop b.u.t.tons will probably go there.

●Day 30●

As expected.
On the 7th day a b.u.t.ton labeled "1W" appeared, and on the 30th day a b.u.t.ton labeled "1M" appeared.
I didn't bother pushing them this time, but with these, it'll be possible to adjust my time and return without having to go all the way back to day 1.
I don't have to do that presently, but….there will likely be a use for it.
Let's use it when I need it.

●Day 70●

Well, I posted several novels.
The method was the same as last time.
I also managed to sweep the daily rankings.
As I hypothesized, when I posted my second and third novels there were even higher rates of increase for my points when they took the daily first place.

I tried this strategy out to see what was happening, and it turned out to be thanks to the initial readers.
When a novel gets submitted, some of the readers will check out the author who wrote it.
If an author wrote something interesting, one might also expect their next work to be interesting.
In other words, the readers become fans.

In evidence of that, whenever I post a new novel, I always comments from users with the same handles as those who had commented on my previous works.
This time I changed my literary style a little.
It's more interesting than last time.
Continuing this should be fun.

The strategy was a success.

●Day 71●

I began posting the annual first place novel.
I updated twice a day like I did previously
However, the point gain was different.
This time, I gained 12,000 points on the first day.
Naturally, it was daily first place.

I could do it.
I was confident.

●Day 75●

The momentum didn't stop.
I had already gotten over 50,000 points.
Even though five days have pa.s.sed already, I'm gaining a little more than 10,000 points a day.
It's like a dream.

Many feelings came over me.
Apparently, people online were heralding it as an outrageous masterpiece.
My thoughts can be summed up as follows:

"Whatever."

Of course, if it were my own work, I would have been more pleased.
However, I had just copied and pasted others' work.
Even if it gets praised, it means nothing to me.

All I want is to take first place and leave this room.

●Day 76●

A message arrived.
The t.i.tle was "Plagiarist."

The contents could be summed up as, “You stole the novel that I wrote; I’ll never forgive you!”
I received similar messages in the previous loop.
In my recollection, they were mostly crazy people babbling incoherently.

However, this time someone different sent the message.

Originally, I wouldn't have paid it any heed.
They were false accusations.
Rather, I suppose I could have replied to them saying, "You weren't the ones I stole it from."

This time, however, I knew the name of the sender.

This sender…
Their handle was "UNI-END".
This sender was the one who sent me a message of support last time.[2]

That wasn't all. There was another important point about them.
How could I have forgotten?
At that time, the contents of the novel took precedence, so I didn't pay any heed to the author.

UNI-END.
He was originally this novel's…the annual first place novel's author.

●Day 77●

Even though he praised it so much last time, why did I…?
I didn't think I could be this stupid!
In a world without my interference, he would be writing this novel.
It's nearly the time for him to take the daily first place.

Last time I posted the novel from day one, so he found it before he started writing.
However, this time, it's different.
I didn't start posting it until two months had pa.s.sed.

Having started posting this late, UNI-END is probably in the process of writing it.
I suppose he's just begun.
This very work…
This work with which he wins the annual first place.

However, before he could post his novel, I posted it first.
He'd be surprised.
It's not just at the level where the ideas and concepts are the same.
The novels would be completely identical, down to the last word.

Of course, there's no proof of cheating.
I posted it earlier.
I stole it from a previous loop.
If time is really being rewound, there won't be any evidence of copying.

So I can continue posting; this message means nothing.
Like water off a lotus leaf.

However, I didn't feel that way.
I curled up in my bed and bit my pillow.
My body stiffened, and I struck the wall.
Perhaps I would have felt better if UNI-END was physically beating me.

To me, he was a light.
His work was my impetus.
It was thanks to him that I've gotten as far as I have.
Without this novel, I would have no hope of escaping from this room.

I collapsed against the wall and prayed.
Just a little more.
Please forgive me.
I just want to get out of this room.

●Day 110●

He, UNI-END, left "Let's Write a Novel."
I knew immediately when I saw the message sender's name disappear.[3]
He may have quit writing on the site.
Maybe he was banned because of that message he sent to me.

Because of this incident, he may have stopped writing altogether.
However, even now, I continue posting his work.

…..Please quickly bring an end to this nightmare.

●Day 150●

The situation is bad.
The points are rising.
However, I can sense it.
This won't be enough.
The points will be higher than last time, but that's it.
It won't reach c.u.mulative first place.

●Day 206●

I'm out of copied chapters.
The results are as expected.
There are 210,000 points. It's 30,000 higher than last time. The experiment was greatly successful.
I'm at the c.u.mulative 11th place.
1 and 1 together are double 1.[4] Ha ha.

Ha.

Anyway, there's 160 days left.
In my mind, that's entirely too many.
Before I loop again, I need to come up with a new plan.

I'm looking at the c.u.mulative 10th place.
However, it's far from my current position.
It's 140,000 points away.
It's quite a disheartening number.

What should I do from here on out?
What can I do to get the points to increase further?

Well, it's not like I don't have any idea.

In most cases, point growth will stagnate to an extent as the series continues.
However, there is an exception.
For any work, there is a time when the points will increase with a bang.

That's the "conclusion".
The conclusion of the story.

"Let's Write a Novel" is a site for posting webnovels.
Of course, most of the posters there are amateurs.
This means that, for the most part, they begin to write novels beyond their capabilities.
Without thinking about the ending, they keep going on and on.
Eventually, boredom sets in. Or perhaps real life gets in the way.
Whatever the reason, they stop updating.
After that, the work is left unfinished.

I've also posted the novels of others like this…
Most readers want the novel to reach an ending, if possible.
They want to see a conclusion to the story.
There are a few who don't, but the majority would like to see it completed.
Rather than a half-finished state, they'd prefer a proper end to the novel.

Therefore, upon completion, points are gained.
People who previously refrained from reviewing will give their impressions.
In "Let's Write a Novel," it's a phenomenon known as the Completion Congratulations or the Completion Boost.[5]
Of course, whether it's a noticeable increase depends on how many readers you have…
As the c.u.mulative 11th ranked novel, the amount would be tremendous.

However, I am unable to complete this work.
I'm not the original author.
Well, I am somewhat able to write a continuation.
Mimicking the style of the original is not entirely impossible.

That's not the biggest problem.
I have no clue where this story is headed.
I can't pick up on the hints scattered throughout the story.
I don't have any idea what the intended shape of this novel was supposed to be.

In the end, I'm an amateur.
I'm unable to continue such an amazing work.
I'd only be able to write superficial drivel.
It's not clear how I'd be able to finish it.

…No. I'm just making excuses.

Actually, it's doable.
There's no way it could be done in one or two days, but in this room, I've been given infinite time.
It may be boring and not resemble the original work, but eventually I'll be able to forge it.

However, I don't want to do it.
I don't want to betray UNI-END even more than I already have.
If possible, I'd like to see this novel completed in the hands of the original author.

●Day 300●

Around a hundred days have pa.s.sed since then.
This pa.s.sage of days where nothing occurs is torture.
All there is to do is read novels, write novels, or use the drawing software to draw f.u.c.king pictures.
After that will I sleep? Pointlessly exercise? Go insane?
It's all futile.

I never feel hungry, but I want to eat.
I crave the feeling of oily ramen sliding down my throat.

I want to hear people's voices.
I want to hear my best friend's arrogant, nasal voice.

I'm dominated by overwhelming desire.
I lay down on the bed and stared at the computer screen.
It shines brightly, emitting light.
I looked toward the door.
As always, it shows no signs of opening.
I take in the room as a whole.
There's nothing, it's a white room. A claustrophobic, stuffy, featureless, white, narrow…

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

I rose to my feet.
I stood in front of the computer.

I'm not qualified to continue writing the novel.
I know that.
I don't want to betray UNI-END any further.
Even now, I feel that way.

I want to leave this room.
Everything else is secondary.

Let's do it.
Let's write a continuation.

[1] 空からサイコロが一つ振ってきた; Pretty sure this is a reference to something but a quick search isn’t turning up anything obvious.
[2] UNI-END wasn’t mentioned by name last chapter, but he has actually shown up earlier in the novel.
[3] When someone in Syosetu deletes their accounts, messages from them will stop showing their names.

[4] ダブルワン can also be pa.r.s.ed as W1. Basically he’s making a really lame pun.
[5] 完結ご祝儀 and 完結ブースト respectively; these terms do get used in the real life Syosetu.