Dear Readers,

My name is Kristan, the author of the Shadow Bug novel. If you’re reading this, it means you've completed the first arc of the story. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to each of you for joining me on this journey. It’s been a dream of mine since childhood to share this story, and I’m thrilled to finally bring it to you.

As we transition to the next arc, which begins in Chapter Thirteen, I wanted to take a moment to provide some important background information about the world of Shadow Bug. This information will not be revisited until much later in the story, so I hope this helps deepen your understanding of the setting and characters.

World Overview:

In Shadow Bug, the world is divided into six continents, each with its unique cultural and geographical traits. Here’s a brief overview:

Haiwa: Inspired by Japanese and Chinese culture, this is where Kato Hamura lives.

Lumina: Representing a country with predominantly Black people.

Umbralia: This is the American-inspired continent.

Solistia: An Indian-themed country.

Elandia: The European continent.

Nycterria: The Australian-themed continent.

Haiwa’s Map and Geography:

The map of Haiwa is detailed below. 

Each state is represented by a capital city, with Benville City serving as the national capital. Note that State E is uninhabited due to a significant shadow monster infestation resulting from Sorin Hashido’s shadow bug experiment 500 years ago. Efforts to rebuild here were abandoned in 2001 because of the overwhelming shadow monster presence.

All continents are both countries and continents, each with their own states and cities. Each continent faces issues with shadow monsters and shadows, but the origin of shadows and lighters is specifically from Haiwa. The continents have friendly relations due to the “Unity Among Nations” treaty, signed in 1940, which promotes resource sharing, idea exchange, and mutual support in times of need.

Additional Information:

Yamato’s Background: Yamato’s family hails from Umbralia, making him and his siblings Black, with more details about his family to be revealed later in the story.

Character Ages

  - Ervin Hashido: 38 years old

  - Kayomi: 35 years old

  - Arou: 29 years old

  - Kinara: 33 years old

Techniques:

  - Shadows and lighters need to chant “Black” or “White” before the name of their techniques, as demonstrated in the first arc and will be explained in this coming arc 

- Anomalies vs. Heirs:

  - Heirs: Born with their original techniques and in some cases awaken the technique related to a body part of the All mother 

  - Anomalies: Possess two techniques and often have greater strength and talent, along with higher energy levels than typical shadows or lighters.

Thank you once again for your support. I hope you enjoy the upcoming arc as much as I enjoyed crafting it. 

Your engagement with the story means the world to me.

Best Regards,

Kristan