It might not have seemed like much time had passed, but from the moment the competition started until Akifumi wrote those few lines on the blackboard, ten minutes had already slipped by.
Some viewers, seeing his lack of movement, had wandered off to other livestreams before eventually returning.
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"Just asking—did I accidentally tune into a 'Thinker' livestream?"
"Ten minutes in and the guy still hasn't moved… If I hadn't checked out other streams and seen that some contestants haven't even started brainstorming yet, I'd be yelling at my screen by now!"
"Writing a script really isn't easy, especially for a medical drama."
"The first thing that came to my mind was a romantic comedy…"
"Wait, he's moving! Look, the old rascal's finally writing something!!"
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But just as the excitement started building, Akifumi stopped writing again, barely two minutes later.
Viewers stared at the blackboard, puzzled by the disjointed phrases.
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"These lines seem impactful, but why do they feel so disconnected?"
"Aside from the last two, I don't see how these sentences relate to each other at all."
"So, uh… is this how scriptwriting works?"
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Meanwhile, ten minutes was more than enough time for Kanae and the others to take a tour of the other livestreams.
Since the competition had just begun, most contestants were still getting into the flow. Some were lounging on sofas, smoking and contemplating ideas.
Others were glued to their screens, frantically gathering research. A few paced back and forth, lost in thought.
But what stood out the most?
Barely ten contestants had even started writing.
And among those who had, their opening approaches were… unremarkable.
Some focused on general fields like surgery or internal medicine, while others narrowed in on specialized areas, throwing in medical jargon to sound sophisticated.
But none of them broke out of conventional thinking.
If Akifumi hadn't introduced the unexpected "forensic science" angle, perhaps the judges would have found these attempts somewhat interesting, given the time constraints.
But after being blown away by the sheer novelty of his concept, the rest paled in comparison.
So, naturally, they found themselves circling back to Akifumi's stream.
And when they saw the new lines he had written on the board, the judges' eyes lit up.
"Looks like Contestant 13 already has a solid vision," Nojima Shinji mused.
Kanae, having caught a glimpse of the live chat, curiously asked, "Nojima-sensei, the words on Contestant 13's board don't seem to connect much. Is this a common approach in scriptwriting?"
"Absolutely," Nojima affirmed. "Inspiration is fleeting. By the time you try to grasp it, it's often gone. That's why, when a writer has an idea, no matter how fragmented, it's best to jot it down immediately."
"Later, those ideas might find their way into the story."
"I see…" Kanae nodded in understanding before smiling. "With even the title already decided, it looks like Contestant 13 is far ahead of the competition."
"Unnatural."
"The title fits the theme perfectly," Yuukawa remarked. "After all, a natural death wouldn't require a forensic scientist."
Kanae nodded, about to respond, when Akifumi's hand moved again.
"It seems like Contestant 13 has a lot on his mind right now," she commented.
The audience eagerly watched the screen.
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Having written those impactful lines, Akifumi now had a rough outline forming in his mind.
"If this story revolves around forensic science, the characters need a proper setting.
"A government organization would be too restrictive, lacking warmth and humanity. So, the protagonists should work in a privately-run institution with official credentials.
"And since the story is called Unnatural, the setting should naturally be—The Unnatural Research Institute."
Muttering to himself, Akifumi wrote the name on the board.
"A private institution needs a director—someone responsible for running it.
"For now, let's call them 'A' as a placeholder."
After a brief pause, his hand continued moving.
"If 'A' isn't an outsider, then they must have previously worked in the medical or legal fields.
"Why did they switch careers? Age? Moving into a more administrative role? A profound experience that changed their perspective? Or perhaps…"
He scribbled several possible reasons onto the board and started working through them.
"Personality-wise, since the institute operates on government funding, 'A' would be cautious about finances. However, since they founded this place themselves, they wouldn't show that concern outwardly."
"That should be enough detail for now, considering 'A' isn't a central character."
"Next—the staff of the Unnatural Research Institute!"
"They'll be the true protagonists of this story."
"First, let's define one key trait: The lead character must have an intense passion for forensic science."
"They should see this profession as incredibly meaningful, something that fuels their dedication."
"But why?"
His hand hesitated briefly before picking up speed again.
"Forensic scientists only deal with the dead."
"But performing autopsies doesn't mean they lack respect for the deceased. On the contrary, because they constantly interact with the dead, they develop a profound reverence for life."
And—
"An unshakable love for life itself."