Editing the Plot as a Manga Character

In who-knows-what year of the apocalypse, the silent world suddenly roared.

Rows of skyscrapers had collapsed halfway, their exposed supporting rebar showing as they toppled sideways. A slender monster wandered, bewildered, through the center of the buildings, waving away the falling rubble.

The abruptly transformed scenery formed enormous words when viewed from afar.

The Messiah of the End

Xiu Wei stared at the sight before him and lit up the device that had just shown its first sign of life since he awakened his ability.

[Promotional image released for genius manga artist Xian Yu's new series, The Messiah of the End, which begins serialization in April.]

Xiu Wei: "...Huh?"

After exploring and gathering information, he realized that his world was merely a manga about to begin serialization, and its direction was entirely in the author's hands.

Xiu Wei: "...Humanity's almost extinct anyway. Maybe it doesn't matter if we're being controlled."

But the author in control was so unreliable that they hadn't even worked out the worldbuilding, and the entire main plot was blank.

Xiu Wei: "Huh?"

Even with the submission deadline looming, the author was still hopelessly addicted to surfing the internet, on the verge of setting a record for the earliest missed deadline.

Xiu Wei: "Treat your own work properly!"

However, after trying things out, he discovered that his actions would reach the author as inspiration, and might even be used directly.

Xiu Wei changed his attitude.

Come to think of it, the most important thing in creation is courage. Since there's no outline, I'll just do things my way and fast-forward straight to a happy ending.

He set out to find the protagonist, diligently reshaping the scenery and steering the plot, hoping to influence the author and bring the apocalypse to an end sooner, so the world could become peaceful and happy.

But as the days went by, watching the manga's inexplicably rising popularity and his goal slip further away, he realized just how spectacularly incompatible he and the author were.

Maybe it's better to just give up and chill. The author's pretty committed to making up stories, anyway.

Author (giving up thinking): I'm done. I don't know how to fill in these plot holes. Well, whatever. If I leave them alone, the characters on the page will clear the game automatically, like they have souls. I believe in Xiu Wei.

Xiu Wei (giving up thinking): Huh? You're asking me? I don't know how to clear the game either... Anyway, I gave the protagonist some hints. As for how to make all those made-up plot holes work, I believe in the author.

Author (going berserk): No, why would he say that at this point when he's on the scriptwriting team?

Xiu Wei: Phones are so fun.

Friendship, Jump style.

The male lead has no romantic pairing, but there will be content that fans can ship.

At the end of time, at the edge of fate, even if everything has changed beyond recognition,

people will still gather in the ruins and kindle the last glimmer of light, shining through the fog.

Theme: The power of friendship