"It's like writing an essay, the closer it aligns with the theme and the deeper its meaning, the higher the score."
"But there's another crucial factor that can't be ignored, time!"
"The more profound the message, the harder it is to express."
"If, due to time constraints, the final product ends up as an unfinished draft or fails to convey its intended meaning, what would the audience think?"
It would be like setting up high expectations only to leave them unfulfilled. The final score wouldn't be high.
Other works might be ordinary, but if they match the theme and achieve their goals, they may not score the highest, but they also wouldn't score too low.
Kanae nodded thoughtfully. "I see..."
"So, even if the core idea is impressive, if the story fails to depict forensic science as a profession for the future, Contestant #13 will lose a significant number of points. Is that what you mean?"
"Exactly."
Shinji Nojima nodded and sighed. "The competition only allows eight hours for scriptwriting. That might sound like a long time, but in reality, even a month, two months, or half a year might not be enough to produce a polished script."
"Eight hours... is way too short." With a sigh, Nojima fell silent.
Kitagawa then spoke up, "If this were any other situation and I saw Contestant #13's concept, I would be full of anticipation."
Yukawa chuckled, summing it up, "Well, he's young. If he didn't have at least this much adventurous spirit, wouldn't he just be like us old folks?"
"Huh? Who are you calling old!?"
"Ahem... My apologies, Kitagawa-sensei. I didn't mean it that way."
Hearing their discussion, the once-excited comment section in the live chat started to show concern.
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"Now that I think about it, they have a point. Even a genius like Warrior of Love and Hope only has this much time, can he really express such a deep message?"
"Does he have to stir things up everywhere? Even in such an important competition, he insists on making things difficult for himself!"
"It's tough, but if the story does manage to convey this theme, even if it's incomplete, he could still rank in the top three!"
"You really think a deep theme can come across if the story isn't polished? This is exactly what the judges are worried about!!"
"..."
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Kanae smiled wryly at the comments but was about to speak when the director's voice suddenly came through her earpiece.
Her expression turned serious.
"Everyone, ten minutes have passed! The competition officially begins now!"
"Let's switch the cameras and check on the other contestants!"
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"Attention, contestants! The preparation period is over, and the competition is now officially underway!"
"You have eight hours to complete your script!"
"For the first six hours, there will be prompts provided every three hours. In the final hour and the last 30 minutes, there will be additional reminders."
"Of course, you can track the time yourselves and plan accordingly.
"Make good use of your time and create amazing stories!"
"Good luck!"
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As the announcement echoed through the room, Akifumi snapped out of his thoughts.
"Has it already been ten minutes?"
Shaking his head, he refocused on the blackboard in front of him, staring at the scattered words he had written so far.
The reason he had only managed a few words in ten minutes was simple—he was struggling to decide where to begin.
Looking at the entire drama, there were plenty of compelling angles.
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Mikoto, who cherished life deeply due to a traumatic childhood.
Nakado, the sharp-tongued and standoffish forensic expert.
Rokuro, who found himself at the Unnatural Investigation Lab for various reasons.
The Director, who worked tirelessly to hold the lab together.
The mysterious, yet effortlessly cool funeral director—each character left a strong impression.
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However, the story itself lacked a clear single narrative thread.
If anything, there were only two key storylines:
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Nakado's eight-year-long investigation into the truth.
Rokuro's personal growth journey.
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One overt, one subtle, both intertwined.
Among them, Akifumi's favorite character was undoubtedly Nakado.
At first glance, this man, with his silence, sarcasm, and complete disregard for his colleagues' feelings, was easy to dislike.
Yet, as the story unfolded, his depth and maturity became increasingly captivating.
His tsundere-like reluctance to show concern.
His indifferent facade, masking a determination to investigate in his own way.
And his unwavering commitment—eight years spent chasing the truth.
All these elements made him irresistibly compelling.
Of course, the other characters had their own charm as well.
But weaving these strong personalities together into a cohesive narrative was no easy task.
Scriptwriting wasn't just about writing out episodic events.
First, the characters had to be established.
Then, the story had to highlight their unique appeal.
Only then would the story itself shine.
The two were not separate but mutually reinforcing.
That was why Akifumi had been hesitating—he was trying to decide where to begin.
Absentmindedly spinning his pen, he stared at the words in front of him, replaying the story in his mind.
"Forensic science... the future..."
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him.
His stalled thoughts immediately sprang back to life!
'Why... do I have to start from a character?'
Unnatural, every story takes place within the Unnatural Investigation Lab.
It all begins there.
Then why not use that as the core and expand outward from there?
His lips curled into a smile.
He picked up his pen.
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"Forensic science is an essential discipline in a nation governed by law. A country that neglects forensic science is a country without justice."
"The dead do not lie."
"We speak for those who can no longer speak. We uncover the truths they never had the chance to tell. We bring closure to the living, and justice to the dead."
"Only about 10% of deaths in this world follow the natural order—birth, aging, illness, and death. The remaining 90%? Accidents, murders, suicides, epidemics..."
"This is, "Unnatural""
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