u/Vast-Definition-7265

I've been kinda inactive recently. Its because I've realized I've read really really less fiction in general. I've read some good Mangas, like some of the top 10s on MAL, read like 4 SCD manga (Usogui, LG, TG and DN). Barely read a few novels, most of them are YA slop which is pretty embarrassing ngl. Recently this made me realize I've barely scratched the surface of good fiction.

Also considering I've crossed 20, the time I can devote to reading is less and less, the older I grow the more I realize my overall interest in learning and thinking in general is reducing. When I was a teenager I loved doing those ted ed riddles, loved learning new shit on the internet, loved watching slop infotainment on youtube, but this interest is slowly moving away from me. Hence why I liked SCD, it gave me the same sensation I had as a teenager, reading SCD made my brain feel like it was thinking. Hence why SCD is something I'll always be a part off.

But at my current literacy level, this feels like a disservice, I don't want to just keep yapping about the same old Lalo mid diffs Akiyama or Akiyama no diffs Light or Koji is a Yumeko victim or Light is a low tier or whatever. It has slowly gotten boring and its because I've stopped reading beyond the small shell I've constructed for myself.

I've become so comfortable, that I've refused to read beyond my capabilities.

Hence I'll be working on improving my overall media literacy.

I've started reading some good classics like Crime and Punishment, Les Miserables. Finished The Count of Monte Cristo (was a SLOG, but worth it).

I've decided to finish Umineko which is regarded as one of the best VNs of all time by a lot of people. Also I have to finish Reverend Insanity.

So hopefully, within a few months I can finish all these works, and maybe I'll start scaling Umineko and RI characters.

Although I've started to realize I'm getting a bit too old for this subreddit, I doubt there's mfs in their 21 on here. I'll probably be less active from now on either ways.

P.S : Yes I was inspired by some people on at r/writingscaling
Also I got a really good J*b yay! Gonna Koji my way into becoming the CEO next.

This theory comes from the theory that James is framing Tom, he intends to come out as the hero that's stopping a raging psychopath.

However, if James no diffs Tom instantly, it won't send a good enough message that Tom was enough of a threat to justify beating him and even killing him. A politician who's a murderer is a BIG RED FLAG the country will never accept.

Hence, James deliberately chooses to dodge and infact allows Tom to make the first MOVE!! Tom is the one who attacked first!!!!

Now look at image 1. Here it might seem James does not actually have a plan, but his plan was indeed to awaken Tom's instincts using his bloodlust and force Tom to use a LIFE THREATENING ATTACK on him. James Lee knows of ALL of Tom's tricks, Elite grilled this into him, there's no damn way he didn't expect the eardrum attack in image 2 and the canibalistic move Tom followed that with.

After this, he states "It'll all be over no matter what". This means, if Tom traps him, James will be forced to use his path to kill Tom, not that he'd be in any real danger. He needs to make Tom seem as animalistic as possible.

"Im done for if I'm caught" under this theory, it simply implies Tom will have to be killed before the "plan". The plan still hasn't come into complete fruition. If Tom traps him, he will be forced to use his path to kill him, this will not be a good outlook to him.

This is all under the framing theory. If the framing thing is true, then James will officially have 0 anti feats. The inner monologue is completely justified under this theory.

There's so much stuff, wrong with today's chapter. But the most glaring issue is PTJ forcing a cliffhanger to prolong the story. An unnecessary cliffhanger than feels so out of place, setting up an obvious conclusion. This Is Ass.

It feels less like the story is shaping the cliffhanger and more like the cliffhanger is shaping the story.

Not to mention the blatant assasination of James Lee's Narrative and Character. Born to be perfect, Always thinking ahead, Always overestimating his opponents and giving them their due credit.

After Seongji he had developed, he learnt to not underestimate his opponent and always be cautious. Yet he fell for a textbook "gotcha" BS move from Tom Lee.

Are you telling the THE ELITE never told him Tom Lee's genius??? James Lee out of everyone should know, Tom Lee is a Genius who uses tricks to win. How the fuck do you fall for his traps not once But TWICE!!!!

After the whole eardrum affair, his brain should have started thinking already, yet he was completely outsmarted by Tom. Note that James was one of the few characters who used their brains more than brawn to win, this was crucial to his narrative. I was already disappointed when Daniel outsmarted him in HFW but I chalked it upto James allowing Daniel to hit because he was proud of his growth. But now Tom Lee's outsmarting completely destroys this narrative.

Disappointing, this series is a pure cash grab, it has forgotten its own narrative, I doubt PTJ's even writing the story atp. Too many series and too many spinoffs has made PTJ lose sight of his own vision.

It does not matter if James uses his path and no diffs next chapter. His narrative has already been destroyed by this chapter. Nothing can save him.

The theory of him framing Tom also barely works, but his internal monologues do not suggest that.