Sakura Urameshi: Chapter Black (Book 3)

Author's Note

We did it, everyone. We got here! Chapter Black, the biggest and most complex book in the Sakura Urameshi series, has come to an explosive conclusion.

Answers were given, but we have more questions to answer and new mysteries to solve. Will Sakura be able to recover from her ordeal? What are the markings on her body? What did Master Shinsuke mean by "the first answer?" Will Yusuke ever pull his head in? What does Sakura's true demon form look like? And why does my dog think the lounge and beds in the house belong to her?

Ok, ok. I've had my fun. Time to get serious.

Usually when a book ends, I almost immediately give a sneak preview and a release date for the next one. But this time, things are going to be a little different.

First, let's address the end of Book 3. You may have noticed that I didn't include the redemption stories for Sensui's team. My reason for this is quite simple: I didn't think it was necessary for the story I'm telling. But Mitari still has a few things to do before he goes home, and you might see him pop up in a future book too.

Now, Haruki. I know you're all super relieved that he's gone and (maybe?) got what he deserved. But there has been some question about his ultimate fate in Spirit World, and whether he's truly gone.

I can unequivocally say that Haruki's story is over. Grateful as I am that he came along (he was a bit of a surprise character), I've done everything I set out to do with him and I don't feel there's any need or reason to bring him back. That's not to say he'll never be mentioned again (I think that would be impossible given what happened), but he is definitely not coming back to life. So rest easy, Sakura is safe from his crazed obsession.

As for what happened to his soul, it's really up to you. I have my own thoughts, but that's something I'll keep to myself. You can decide where he went, and the judgement he received.

I think we've had quite enough of Haruki, so let's talk about Book 4: Three Kings

I have a confession to make: I'm terrified to write it.

I think we can all agree that the Three Kings arc...doesn't quite live up to its potential. Obviously, that's due to Togashi's health and extreme burnout, and I'm not ragging on him for that. I've read the letter he wrote to the fans when the series ended. The man was barely hanging in there at the time.

That being said, it's definitely not the send off he wanted, and not the one the series deserved. It's disjointed, unfinished in a lot of ways, and many plot threads don't get explored. The anime of course did a great job in filling in some of the gaps, but there's only so much they can do. The final chapters of the manga have a ton of tantalising ideas, presumably what the next two or three arcs would have been had the series continued. It's tragic that we never got to see these fully realised.

As a writer, this leaves me with a bit of a double-edged sword. There's so much freedom to expand, but a very limited foundation to work with. That's really what scares me the most; the idea that I'll screw up and disappoint you wonderful readers. But that's my own issue, and I'll get over it. I intend to give my all for Book 4, and beyond. I love Sakura too much to give up now.

Now, in terms of a release date, I don't currently have one. There are several reasons for this, and without going into too much personal detail, I'll explain:

1. Frankly, I'm worn out after Chapter Black. I never in a million years thought I'd be finished writing it in January 2024. It took pretty much everything I have in a creative sense. I need to rest for a bit.

2. In the interest of full disclosure, there's been a lot of unpleasant things going on for me. Health, work, family, you name it. This past Christmas was an absolute nightmare. Probably the worst one I recall. After 8.5 years of hostility and a tendency to make family events difficult, my now jerk of an older brother and his vindictive wife RUINED Christmas entirely, and it was the last straw for the family. We're going to have to completely overhaul how we do the holiday season now thanks to the pair of them. Devastating as it is, my brother has become a horrible person I don't even recognise now. We were pretty much inseparable as kids, but I don't ever see things getting back to how they were. The grief of losing my sibling is real, people.

3. I need time to plan. From the time I began the Spirit Detective Saga, I created story plans and outlines for each book in the series. I use these to add notes and ideas when inspiration strikes, usually at the most inconvenient of times (walking the dog, in the shower, you know what I mean).

Currently, my planning document for the Three Kings is over 60 pages long. And because I enjoy making things harder for myself, I didn't organise this one very well so it's completely out of order with my random notes. I know what I want to happen in Book 4, but I need time to sift through the mess and figure out where the pieces go.

I do not want a repeat of what happened with Chapter Black, where I sometimes had 3 month gaps in between chapters. I published the first chapter in July 2021 and I only completed it two days ago. January 2024.

Whether it's warranted or not, I feel truly awful for how long I took to write it and how much I struggled at times. I don't want to do that to you all again. When I start publishing Book 4, I want to have a consistent schedule that doesn't keep you waiting for me to get my act together. To ensure that, I'm going to organise my notes in a proper structure and start writing the rough draft of at least the first half of the novel. I know this will take a ton of stress off my back and make things a lot easier this time. I don't see Three Kings being anywhere near as long as Chapter Black, or as complicated.

It's mid-summer here, so I anticipate that I should be ready to publish around late February/early March. We'll see. But in the meantime, I'd like to ask you all something.

As you know, I always publish a preview of the next book and a bonus chapter. I'll most certainly be doing the same thing when I'm ready. However, I've hit a small problem with the bonus chapter I planned.

Originally, I had an idea for a bonus chapter from Haruki's perspective at the Dark Tournament. I know, I know, I can hear you all yelling at me from around the world (LOL). But now that we've reached the end, I don't think I want to write that one anymore and I'm certain you don't want to read any more of his insanity. At least, not now.

So, here are my two questions.

What bonus chapter do YOU want to see?
I imagine after all the upheaval and heartache, you'd probably be interested in seeing a fluffy date chapter with Kurama and Sakura? Or maybe not. Maybe you'd rather read a training sequence, a fun scene with the whole gang, or more POV from Kurama when he first met our favourite cherry blossom. Let me know, and I'll make it happen!

As I've said, I have a good idea of what will happen in the Three Kings, and some of you have told me what you'd like to see, but now I'm going to ask something else.
Obviously, there's a lot missing from Three Kings, so what do you wish had been explored further? The relationships between the Kings? The power struggle? Personally, I would have loved more worldbuilding, history and interaction between Yusuke and Raizen. I'd love to know what you think. Drop me a comment/review and I'll do my best to incorporate and expand.

Well, I guess that about wraps things up for now. But rest assured, I'll be back before you know it. As soon as I choose what the bonus chapter is, I'll post it in around two weeks, and by then I should be able to provide more info on a publishing date for Book 4: Three Kings.

I cannot thank you enough, my dear readers. Just the idea that people wait breathlessly for my next instalment honestly brings me to tears. I've been out of work for a year now, studying a completely different path and getting some chronic health concerns under control (happy to say that they are!) Writing is the only thing keeping me sane right now, and I couldn't do it without your support.

Stay safe, stay awesome. Stay tuned, I'll post later in January!

Rosentic xx