Infinite Dendrogram - Volume 5 - Chapter Aft

Afterword 
 
Bear: “Time fur the afterword! It’s me again! Brother Bear, AKA Shu Starling!” 
Cat: “I’m Cheshiiire! The one who seeks to get a turn in these wastelands of the afterworrd!” 
Xun: “What the hell Are ‘wastelands of thE afterword’...? I’m XunyU.” 
Cat: “Anyway, like I said in the midword, this is the end of the first part of Dendro.” 
Bear: “We only clawed our way this far thanks to our dear readers.” 
Cat: “Indeed. The work’s popularity allowed us to complete the first part without having to force it into fewer than the necessary five volumes.” 
Xun: “You mentioNEd in the midword that the authOr had a few spare pages he could use to add morE story, right?” 
Cat: “Yes. The short story even portrays some of Ray’s real life.” 
Xun: “Now that I think abOUt it, he’s been online throUghout pretty much the whole of the story sO far.” 
Bear: “He was only offline before logging in for the first time and after he got his first death penalty.” 
Cat: “Yes, and since the work is in the VRMMO genre, the author figured that having some real life scenes was important, as well, so he went and wrote that short story. VRMMOs wouldn’t be VRMMOs if actual reality didn’t exist and the differences weren’t there for all to see!” 
Xun: “...Still, a cErtain someone is a bit too differeNt.” 
Bear: “Who do you mean?” 
Xun: “The one who got an illustration in the short story.” 
Bear: “Ohh...” 
Cat: “The author was really surprised when Editor K told him that she would get an illustration.” 
Bear: “Abearently, this was done at the request of Taiki.” 

Thank you very much for reading Infinite Dendrogram’s fifth volume and completing the first arc of the series. We’ve only made it this far thanks to you — our readers. 
At the time I’m writing this, it was recently announced that Infinite Dendrogram got first place in BookWalker’s New Light Novel Awards 2017. According to Editor K, this was mostly due to votes from readers and bookstore employees. You have my sincere thanks for the result and for letting me complete the first part with little trouble. 
The upcoming sixth volume would mark the start of the second arc, but we are also considering releasing a short story collection, as well. 
New characters, new happenings, new battles — it would bring me great joy if you continued to enjoy and look out for the ever-heating story of Infinite Dendrogram.

Cat: “Anyway, with the author’s comment done, it’s time to announce the next volume...” 
Bear: “You do it, Cheshire.” 
Cat: “Eh?” 
Xun: “You’ve wanted tO do this for a while, so go foR it. Wrap up the first aRc.” 
Cat: “...Thanks, you guys. All right, here I go! Volume si—” 
?: “Volume six is set to come out at the end of 2017! (In Japan)!” 
Cat: “Eh? Ehh?!” 
Bear: “Some beary jaunty individual just stole your announcement...” 
Xun: “...Oh, it’s thE person who made a brief appearance in the secOnd short story.” 
Cat: “Hngh... AAAAHH! YOU THIEVING CAT!” 
Bear, Xun: (You’re the cat here, dude...) 
?: “So yeah, look forward to volume six and my proper first appearance!”