《I May Be a Virtual Youtuber, but I Still Go to Work》 Chapter 1 "Maybe being a VTuber is such a challenging job that not everyone can handle it. Or maybe it''s a profession cursed to make everything around it fall apart." "Should I just quit being a VTuber...?" "Hey, stop blocking the door and move aside. Im here to fix it." "Oh... okay..." I know these thoughts sound strange and go against common perceptions. But given my situation, its hard to think otherwise. The lights that refuse to turn on the next day, even when everything seemed fine. DDoS attacks that seem to target only me while everyone elses internet runs smoothly. A motion capture system that works perfectly in every other situation but breaks down the moment a VTuber steps in front of it. If this happens repeatedly for six months straight, since the debut of our first generation, it stops being suspicion and turns into certainty. "Its done. Go ahead and try now." After restoring the dead sound, I gestured to Akari Dora, one of the first-generation VTubers in our company, who was anxiously watching me from behind. To be honest, it wasnt even a big deal. Sometimes, they stream while eating, and naturally, they push their keyboard or mouse back on the table to make room. And in that precise moment, they end up hitting the power button on the audio interface that controls all the sound for the stream. The power button is mounted on the side of the devicethats why it keeps happening. I told the previous team leader not to buy this model. The equipment has an infuriatingly high failure rate, and with the buttons and dials positioned the way they are, it was only a matter of time before problems arose. Plenty of creators overseas in BachuBachu had reported similar issues. While I was lost in thought, Dora muttered under her breath as she adjusted her motion capture equipment again. "This time itll work, right? Ugh, this is driving me insane." "It will. Just let your viewers know right away." "I feel like Im aging here..." "Weve been waiting so long, were practically rotting away." "Mommyyyyy!" "Ah, ah." The viewers, who had been flooding the chat with complaints about when shed be back, immediately reacted to Doras voice. "Youre back?" "Finally." "So now youve fixed it?" :: Anonymous donor has sent 1,000 clouds! :: :: "Hey, did you know? You can survive 20 minutes without breathing." :: "Worlds first radiation apocalypse prep broadcast, wow." "This guy couldnt even hold his breath for one more minute. Weak, lol." Thankfully, as soon as Dora realized the sound was working again, she began apologizing profusely in her trembling voice. "Ah, ah, Im sorry! Im so sorry! Haha... Im sorry for being an idiot..." "Still, 20 minutes is pretty quick." "But havent you changed the equipment yet?" "I told you, machines reject her because shes a dragon." "Lets just roast the management instead." "Heyyy! If I switch to different equipment, itll take forever to get used to it. And someone even came all the way here to fix it for me! Dont blame management! Support them!" She really knows how to handle a broadcast. And she even knows how to protect her staff. But still, I got here at 2 a.m. in under 20 minutes by taxi, and theres no way to stop angry viewers in that short time. If they cant lash out at their favorite (oshi), theyll redirect the anger to fan drama. As someone responsible for monitoring the stream, I couldnt ignore the audience sentiment, so I checked the chat behind her while she was broadcasting. "Im telling you, Doras equipment must be cursed." "Is this really how management handles things?" "How about some spicy fan art to match the mood?" "Where are the illustrators? This is your moment!" It felt like the usual, but the complaints didnt seem as intense as before. This has happened so many times now that the viewers seem resigned to it. Oh well, another equipment issue. Lets just lie down and hold our breath until the stream resumes, was the general vibe. But looking back, if I hadnt been caught criticizing her five years ago, I wouldnt be here working as a company employee now. Not that I was dissatisfied with my jobits just that compared to everyone else at Parallel, I felt so inadequate. If I hadnt been caught, Id probably still be coasting through life, doing part-time jobs, criticizing the CEO, and living without much ambition. But here I was, in a great environment where I could hear the CEOs voice daily, watch our first-generation talents streams, and go home late at night with a steady paycheck. I should be thanking the CEO, not the other way around. ...In other words, Im nothing special. I only work hard because Momo is my oshi. I think of myself as nothing more than a loyal pup. Conveniently, the CEOs fanbase name is MongMong (WoofWoof), so whenever she assigned me a tough job, I would jokingly whine, Mong mong, to lighten the mood. Anyway, Ill be heading home now. You should get some rest too, Momo. [Thank you. Get home safely. Dont forget youre substituting for Dora tomorrow at 8 p.m.] Yes, I know. Ive already prepared everything. Even someone like me, who was practically the CEOs personal assistant and willing to handle any task, couldnt help but feel nervous about this particular assignment. It was for a segment scheduled for tonight: Find Rain, hosted by our first-generation member Aoyagi Rain, who had studied abroad in the United States. The concept involved picking out the real Rain from among imposters with voice modulation. Since Dora had to step out due to a family matter, I was chosen as her substitute. While Id quietly assisted with Momos streams before, this was the first time Id have to use my voice directly. And Id never even pretended to be a net-kama (a man pretending to be a woman online), so I was feeling the pressure. Imitating idols while being surrounded by them... Corporate life isnt easy... Still, as an employee trusted by the CEO, I couldnt back down from a challenging task. If Momo was confident that my involvement would make the stream more entertaining, there was no reason to refuse. After all, Id watched every single one of Rains streams without fail. Id spent the past week preparing thoroughly. If I could just overcome the embarrassment, I was ready to sacrifice myself for our first-generation talents. Yaaawn. When I finally arrived home, I couldnt stop myself from yawning repeatedly. Barely able to stay awake, I dragged myself onto the bed and surrendered to sleep. As my consciousness faded, I mumbled softly to myself: Their streams still have a long way to go... ***** The next morning, I headed to the bathroom to wash up but found myself locking eyes with my reflection in the full-length mirror. What... what is this adorable creature? Under the warm morning sunlight, I saw long, jet-black hair with a faint blue tint. My eyes, an unnatural shade of blue, looked almost out of place for someone Korean. Ah, ah... ah. Ahhh! What?! The sleepy eyes in the mirror resembled those of a docile herbivore, and my body had shrunk considerably, matching a voice that sounded like a childs. In the mirror, an impossibly cute girl, who could easily be mistaken for a child actor, looked utterly flustered as she touched her own face. A flurry of thoughts raced through my mind. Did someone swap my soul while I was asleep? Was this just a bizarre dream? And then, the most pressing thought of all: If I look like this, how am I supposed to show up to work? Chapter 2 I spent a long time in front of the mirror. That childish, cute voice eventually started to feel familiar after about 30 minutes of mumbling to myself. At first, it felt like I was listening to someone elses voice, but as the sound began to resonate more clearly in my head, it started to feel like my own. And my face? Ever since I woke up, my hands hadnt stopped prodding and poking at it, like kneading soft mochi. The texture was just too good to resist. How many times in my life would I get to touch a face like this? After spending an hour staring blankly at the mirror, poking at my cheeks and exploring my body, I finally started to think about something else. How on earth had I turned into a woman? Maybe Id contracted some strange illness that left my identity unchanged but turned me into a woman. Perhaps Id somehow shifted to a parallel world where everyone recognized me as female. Or maybe Id reincarnated with all my past memories intact. There were countless possibilities, but the method to check was surprisingly simple. My wallet... is the same. The card wallet Id used to pay for the taxi last night was still sitting in front of my keyboard. Inside was the credit card Id opened when I started working, as well as my resident registration card. Checking my ID would reveal everythingwho I was and how Id ended up as a woman. My heart raced. [Magia] [001122-40XXXXX] My age was the same. My birthday was the same. Only my name and the final digits of my ID number had changed. I couldnt tear my eyes away from the adorable face in the ID photo. After a moment, I shook my head and picked up my phone. The phone model, color, and the cheap jelly case were all the same. Opening the contact list on the phone showed the same numbers. The CEO, the first-gen talents, Mom and Dad... Everything was exactly as it had been. It seemed like Id fallen into a world where I alone had become a woman. Then, my gaze shifted to the clothing rack in one corner of my small apartment. Instead of the white shirt I usually wore to work, there was a small womens blouse hanging there. And where my gray trousers had been, there was now a womens H-line skirt. There was no need to search furtherI walked back to the mirror and pulled my eyelids apart to get a better look. The most striking changes were my bright blue eyes and my much smaller stature. So eyes can be this transparent, huh? Though initially surprised by my eye color, I quickly recalled my great-grandfather, who had fought in the Korean War and ended up staying in the United States. He was a soldier with black hair and blue eyes, and a few of my distant relatives had inherited his eye color, just like me. But despite the striking blue eyes, I didnt feel entirely foreign-looking. It was probably because of my subdued facial features and my black hair. But... isnt this height way too short? I felt at least a handspan shorter than before. Theres a first-gen elf VTuber named Midori Komari, and her official height is 148 cm. I felt even shorter than her. As I poked my thin arms that looked like theyd snap with a touch, I wondered if Id even be able to carry anything. Though my job mostly involved sitting in the office chair until the end of the workday, there were still occasional tasks that required physical effort. To test it, I tried picking up an unopened box of instant rice sitting in one corner of the room. Lift. ...This should be fine, right? Despite appearances, my muscles seemed surprisingly capable. Perhaps thats why the CEO made the bold move of hiring me as her manager. She basically said, Stop trolling, Ill pay you, and you can handle trolls like yourself instead. And she didnt even propose this onlineshe demanded an in-person meeting, effectively calling for a showdown. Thats how we, once bitter enemies, ended up working at the same company. Though weve always kept a subtle distance, the relationship worked. But now, she was treating me like a close friend, and it was unsettling. The only difference was that I had become a cute girl. ... Could that be the reason? If she had been keeping an eye on me out of caution because of my troll origins, that would make sense. But if my newfound cuteness had somehow melted away her wariness? Back when her subscriber count was only 30,000, Id fill her lobbies. After she hit 100,000, I couldnt do that anymore. The reason I became a troll was twofold: First, I liked that she paid attention to me. Second, I genuinely enjoyed helping her win. Even after Momo became a major streamer, I didnt stop. Using alt accounts and borrowed IDs, I continued to snipe her games. She might not have realized it, but I never actually quit. It just kept getting harder. I had to adapt my tactics to avoid detection, making it increasingly difficult to break into her games. But if we were close enough to have dinner together regularly, why did I even need to snipe? I could just confidently ask her to play games with me. ***** Momo Gallery [By the way, does anyone know what happened to Flare Gun lately?] Theyre still playing games, but theyve weirdly stopped sniping Momo. I honestly miss the days when that guy would snipe her all week long. It was hilarious. [Comments] MongMong001: Did they switch streamers? ? MongMong050: No way. Flare Guns a diehard Momo stan. MongMong091: Remember that rumor about them becoming her manager? ? MongMong005: Wait, that was real? ? MongMong005: I thought it was just another random troll post. ? MongMong122: Makes no sense. If they were the manager, wed have seen them in one of Momos group streams by now. ? MongMong801: What if they participated but didnt introduce themselves? ? MongMong801: Would you openly admit to being a former troll? ? MongMong801: I wouldnt. ? MongMong122: Isnt attention what trolls live for, though? ? MongMong369: You cant keep sniping forever, lol. That evening. While waiting for Momo in the lobby of our office building, I scrolled through the gallery and found a thread speculating about my absence. I left a single comment: Graduating from trolling soon. After all, if Momo and I were friends who could play together anytime, thered be no need for sniping. Excited by the idea, I ran up to her the moment she stepped off the elevator. CEO, want to play a round of Battle Call after tonights stream? She responded with a weary expression, the face of someone crushed by corporate life. Sorry, my schedules packed for the next two months. Wait, arent we supposed to be friends? Or is work more important than friendship? The disappointment hit me like a truck. Before I could stop myself, my troll instincts flared up. CEO, I quit! Chapter 3 "Boss, I want to quit." It sounded like a dramatic declaration of an unavoidable duel, but in reality, it was nothing more than an emotional outburst. A slip of the tongue, if anything. Quitting now, when I could actually spend time with my boss like a friend? Its not like quitting would give me more time to hang out with her. Why would I do something so self-destructive? Besides, the boss had been busy for three years straight. A subscriber count of 1.6 million doesnt just happen on its ownshe proved that through sheer effort. She had to sift through collaboration requests, sort out sponsorship deals. And despite all that, she still made time to interact with her viewers. But now, with the addition of the first-generation Parallel talents, things had gotten even busier. So, of course, she didnt have time to hang out. ...Guess Ill just have to focus more on my alt account. I barely managed to swallow my pout before mumbling, "Just kidding. I was just curious how youd react if I said I was quitting." * After Magia left the office, Momo, the CEO, remained staring blankly at the door for a long moment. Then, like a reflex, a famous Knights of Legend broadcast line rang in her head. Emergency. Extreme emergency. "W...What? Quitting? Just like that?" Two years as a manager, three years in this company, and shed done her job perfectly fine. But now, all of a sudden, she was completely shutting down. That look of disappointment in her eyes. The way her lips had drooped, as if shed lost all expectation. No matter how she looked at it, Magia had the face of someone who no longer saw a reason to stay. But as Momo racked her brain, she couldnt think of anything shed done wrong. Sure, shed played games with Magia sometimes. But after starting the company, she barely had any time, so scheduling everything in advance had simply become the norm. So what she had said earlier wasnt a rejectionit was a promise that they could play together in two months. But of course, Magia didnt know that. Shed never really been friends with Momo before. With no other choice, Momo called in the operations team leader Magia was assigned to. The thirty-two-year-old team leader, Kang Ji-ho, entered the office with both hands clutching her face like a worried pet owner whose cat had suddenly stopped eating. "Boss... About Magia..." She sounded like someone whose beloved pet had lost its appetite. "Did something happen? She looked completely miserable." "I was hoping you could tell me. Thats why I called you in." "Wait, if you dont know, how am I supposed to know?" "Well, she is on your team." "She might be assigned to operations, but lets be realshes basically your personal assistant. She only works on the tasks you assign her." "Hmm. Thats true." Momo regretted calling her in. Just as she was about to dismiss Kang Ji-ho, the team leader threw out one last sharp remark. "Just to checkdid you, by any chance, yell at her? Or scold her? Or snap at her?" Silence. Sensing the mood, Kang Ji-ho quickly adjusted her glasses and practically fled from the office. "So its not an issue within her department. That means I must have said something wrong earlier." All Momo had done was schedule their game like she always did. Could that really have been the problem? Was today some kind of special day? Magias birthday? No, that was still two months away. Momos birthday? That had passed two months ago. "...I really dont get it." While she struggled to figure it out, Kang Ji-ho returned after barely five minutes. Knock, knock. The bosss mouth fell open like an idiot, and then "PfftAHAHAHAHA!" She burst into laughter like a lunatic, then reached out and started ruffling my hair. I almost protestedwhat kind of grown adult does thisbut she pressed down so firmly that it actually felt... nice. So I shut my mouth. So this is what it feels like to be head-patted by your oshi... Id never experienced it before, so I had no idea. Once she finally stopped laughing, the boss let out a small sigh. "Ive known you for five years, and I still dont get you." "Itd be weirder if you did. Its not like youre living my life for me." "Yeah. I seriously dont get you at all. What am I supposed to do about that?" Then, using the brush from Kang Ji-hos desk, she started fixing my messy hair. ...And it felt good. So this is what its like to be a cat that likes human touch... "...Ah." Wait, nothis wasnt the time to just sit here and enjoy this. Now that she was in a good mood, I had to try again. I only backed off earlier to gain some momentum. "Seriously, cant we play just one game? If you dont have time, even just an hourno, wait, thats too short, two hours." Maybe she saw the desperation in my eyes, because this time, the bosss tone was completely different. Her thick lashes curled ever so slightly, and before I knew it, the corners of my mouth started twitching up. "If todays content goes smoothly, Ill cut my sleep and play Battle Call with you." "For real?" "Yeah. Until we get first place." "Uh. You might want to take that back." "Why? Are you planning to sabotage me again?" "Howd you know?" "Please, have mercy. Im gonna die." She made it sound like wed play all night, but I wasnt expecting that. I knew better than anyone how busy she was. Just two hours. That much, and Id be satisfied. As a fan, that was more than enough. "Ill decide after watching you play." "By the way, you seem pretty confident today. Did you prepare well?" Feeling good, I decided to show off the Rain impression Id been practicing all week. Even though my voice tone was different from yesterday, the vocal adjustments werent actually that difficult. As long as I captured that foreign worker energy from her scuffed Korean, paired with her crisp English pronunciation, anyone could become Aoyagi Rain. "Wah, Sibal. You guys are really playing like a pot of game. Me? Rains fault? Uh-huh. Your pace~." The boss and the team leader just sat there in stunned silence. I thought Id done a decent job. Guess it wasnt as impressive as Id hoped. Just as I started feeling a bit dejected, the boss blinked and asked, "Why the hell have you been hiding this talent all this time?" "...I wasnt hiding it?" "You never showed us before." "Because you never asked me to?" "......." For some reason, she turned to Kang Ji-ho and muttered, "If she pulls this off today, we might just hit the jackpot." Chapter 4 "If you do well today, this might be huge..." I tilted my head, not understanding what the boss meant. "What do you mean, huge?" "Oh, Find Rain. Youve put in so much effort preparing that I really think this could be a hit." I nodded in relief. Id been worried that, compared to the talented first-generation members, Id stick out like a black hole and make the game too easy. But if even the boss thought I was doing well, then I guess that wasnt the case. So my practice paid off? This was my first time speaking on stream, and Id really put my all into it. I couldnt stop the corners of my mouth from twitching up. "Hehe. Since I get to play with you, Ill do my best." *** I played it cool, but in reality, Momo had been completely stunned by my voice impression. "I cant believe she actually has talent..." She knew exactly what kind of person I was. Before she hired me, I was just scraping by with part-time jobs and spending my free time trolling VTubers. But when she made me a manager as punishment, I turned out to be surprisingly competent. And when she brought me into the company, I did every task thrown at me to perfection. I wasnt someone who took the initiative, but when given a job, I saw it through to the end. The kind of person who only truly shines under a good boss. So after some thought, Momo had given me the hardest job in the company. A challenge, to see if I could handle it. And I did. Just looking at how the first-generation members relied on me now was proof of how seriously I took my role. But my efforts had always been within the expected range. I never thought I could master anything that required talent. Like streaming, entertainment, singing, or voice acting. So, during dinner, Momo asked me directly. "Magia, have you ever practiced voice impressions before?" "No. This is my first time." "Your first time?" "Yeah. If you hadnt told me to participate, I wouldnt have even prepared for it." First time, huh. Doing a voice impression wasnt just about mimicking a voice. It required keen observation, analytical skills to break down the mannerisms, and the confidence to perform it without hesitation. Id nailed Rains Korean accent, her awkward English transitions, and even the exact moments when she freaked out. Aside from the natural difference in voice tone, it wasnt just an imitationit was practically a full-on replication. ''You cant pull that off with effort alone.'' Id just casually revealed a talent Id never used before. Not because I was hiding it. Just because no one had ever told me to do it. An accidental genius. "Did you prepare any songs too?" "Since Im playing Rain, I prepared a rap. But I really hope the viewers dont ask me to do it." "You actually prepared one?" "I had to, right? You told me to prepare for the segment, and if the contestants ask me to sing, I need to be ready." "Oh, right. I did say that." As our food arrived, I picked up a tempura shrimp and a vegetable fritter, piling them on my rice before stuffing a big bite into my mouth. My mouth opened the same way as before, but since my jaw was smaller now, it took me a lot longer to chew. I found it kind of annoying. But from across the table, Momo just thought it was adorable. She watched me eat with this look, as if thinking, Shes trying so hard with that tiny mouth. 8 PM. OPEN THE DOOOOOORRRR Rain, noona, Im drying up, Im cracking... CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP With over 5,000 viewers waiting before the stream even started, Find Rain finally kicked off with the arrival of first-generation member Aoyagi Rain. [OH HELL YEAH! Can you hear me?] RAAAAAIN!! I was about to shrivel up and die ??? We can hear you! HELL YEAH~ Reha~ Wait, why does your voice sound weird? [Ahh, today, the actors, uh, theyre using voice changers? So I also... did a little tweaking, get it? Puddles?] "Tweaking" LMAO I thought I heard a bit of robotic noise lol Damn, the vocabulary on this one [Anyway! What is todays content?! Its none other than FIND RAIN!!] Boss has lost it again. First VTuber in history to throw pizza from a truck. Come on, pizza doesnt fit in your sleeve. As chat reactions made clear, viewers fully expected Rain to be the one losing money today. Her speech patterns were just too uniqueif the actors kept talking, itd be obvious who the real Rain was. That was the general consensus on the forums. Which meant, if this content was going to be truly entertaining, I had to do my part. "Hoo... Haaah...." Sitting in the single-person streaming booth attached to the companys motion studio, I took deep breaths to steady my nerves. It wasnt stage frightI didnt care about being in front of people. I was just hyperaware of the fact that I had to nail this. My oshi trusted me enough to put me in charge of something this important. Failure? Not an option. Tonight, I was going to show everything Id prepared. I refocused on Rains words as the actors were about to enter. [ So, if you guess correctly, you get a free pizza! Alright, everyone gets it now? No idiots here, right? Then lets bring out the actors! Today, we have... B-Rain, C-Rain, and D-Rain! LETS GO!] At Rains cue, she pulled up her Live2D avatars from the bottom of the screen, revealing them all at once. Damn, look at the whole screen getting filled up. Holy shit, four chopping boards lined up. [FOUR CHOPPING BOARDS?! Which son of aYoure banned. Puddles! Im a B-cup! How many times do I have to say this?!] GONE. The chopping boards even have knives, thats why theyre fast. Tbh, up to a B-cup is still a chopping board. Meanwhile, I checked to make sure Rains avatar was moving properly. It was strange, seeing the avatar move in sync with my own movements. Like... it triggered some deeply buried troll instincts. If I said something dumb right now, I could completely ruin Rains image. ...No, I have to hold back. If her teammates did it, itd just be content. But I was an employee. If I crossed the line, people might actually take it seriously. It might seem unfair, but thats just the burden of being part of the operations team. If we were the shadows supporting the stars, then we could never outshine them. While I was busy wrestling with my inner chaos, my turn finally came. [Alright. D-Rain, introduce yourself!] What I showed the boss earlier was "Rain while gaming." But I had also practiced "Rains intro." Energetic. A slight scratch in the throat Not perfect, since I learned it from YouTube But a sound that felt like it blasted through my body and out my lungs! "Oh, hell, yeah, puddles! Drop the rain from the sky! Im here to drench this dry land once again!" But practicing was one thing. Executing it in the moment wasnt quite as easy. The sweat on my palms after that line proved it. This was why I respected our talents so much. How did they say cringe lines like this every day without hesitation? Being a VTuber is seriously no joke. ...Wait, why is it so quiet? Earlier, Rain couldnt hold back her laughter when B-Rain and C-Rain introduced themselves. But now, she wasnt saying anything. And chatnormally bursting with people pointing out the obvious fakewas instead filled with: ? ??? ?? ? What? ?? ? Eh? Wait, A wasnt the real Rain?! Im scared of this puddle... That was a straight-up knockout punch. D is the real chopping board. Wait, is this one person doing two roles? Why is this so damn hard?? THE SLEIGHT OF HAND. Wait, C was a joke but this is different. Chapter 5 Parallels group chat was usually the busiest when no one was streaming. It was basically the company-wide group chat. People would talk about collabs, content ideas, which games were fun, and even random dinner recommendations. But on nights like this, when there was a group collab, everyone was too focused on the stream to chat. The only exceptions were Momo, who was monitoring the stream, and the occasional message whenever something important happened. "Oh, hell, yeah, puddles! Drop the rain from the sky! Im here to drench this dry land once again!" But the moment Magias absurdly perfect Rain impressionbacked by a voice changercame through the broadcast, the group chat exploded. [Komari: What the hell?] [Komari: Is that really Magia unnie?] [Komari: Rain unnie isnt doing two roles, right?] [Maru: ?] [Maru: Wow, I thought that was actually Rain talking.] [Maru: Thats really Magia???] [Maru: Magia, what the hell!!!] With Rain too shocked to even speak, Momo immediately sent a message to snap her out of it. [Momo: Rain, focus. Keep the stream moving.] Only then did Rain shake herself out of it, scan the chat, and start ad-libbing. "Phew~ You guys are so surprised, huh? I, uh? I prepared a hidden technique! A secret move! My own copy! So get ready!" Even with her quick reaction, there was no denying she was shaken. Momo had given her a heads-up before the stream, but she hadnt expected a full-on doppelga?nger. Sure, Magia was using a voice changer. But that meant that outside of the filtered tone, everything elseher accent, filler words, and deliverywas completely accurate. The chat clearly felt the same way. Wait, werent we supposed to not know the last actors identity?? WHO IS THIS?? Momo... Rain... where the hell did you find another one of her? A-Rain is fake, right? Its obviously A. Are you all deaf?! D is real, wtf. ITS A. HELLO?? A is LITERALLY THE HOST. But Rain had been streaming for eight months now. She wasnt about to let chat sway her. If Magia was this good at copying her, that was perfect. Because if she played along and made Magia seem like the real one, the big reveal would be even better. This content was about to go from great to legendary. The fun of Find Rain came not just from the actors tryingand failingto imitate her, but also from the sheer amazement of the contestants when they got completely fooled. So Rain kept both her mouth and hands busy. "Hey, hey. Everyone, shut up. Calm down. Obviously, Im real. A-Rain is the real one. Why dont you get it? Im so disappointed." [Rain: Magia.] [Rain: Play along. Pretend youre the real one.] But Magia, the one person who needed to play along, wasnt responding. Momo, watching the situation, finally gave her a nudge. [Momo: Magia, match Rains energy.] Right on cue, Magia reacted. [What the. Im losing my mind. A, cut it out. No matter how hard you try, the puddles wont fall for it. Its me. D is the real one.] Hearing that, Rain was floored. It wasnt surprising that Magia listened to Momo over her. That was normal. But the fact that Magia even remembered her old pronunciation mistake? That was something else. For the first week after debut, Rain had struggled to pronounce Puddles, her fan name, accidentally saying Undungs instead. And now, Magia had even copied that. And the way she gestured with her hands as she spoke She had that same swag Rain had when talking with old friends. ''This isnt an impression. This is a full-on copy.'' *** [Momo: Magia, match Rains energy.] I had stayed quiet, unsure if I should even be involved in this kind of content as a non-VTuber. But then Momo sent her usual razor-sharp message. That being said, I didnt think I was wrong for hesitating. This was just part of my mindset as a Parallel employee. In other VTuber agencies like BatchuBachu or YoruAsa, there had been cases where staff let their egos slip into broadcastsonly to get completely shut down. Employees should always act like employees. Private Messages [Momo: Looks like Rain is trying to go along with you.] [Momo: So if she starts messing with you] [Momo: Wait, "messing" sounds weird.] [Momo: If she tries to do a bit with you, just play along, okay?] [Parallel Ops Team Magia: Got it.] [Momo: Damn, I was gonna use you as a joke character, but youre way too good.] [Momo: Rain was actually speechless lol.] [Parallel Ops Team Magia: Its just thanks to the voice changer.] But if the streaming genius herself was telling me to do it, then I had to. There was a saying among the first-gen members: "If you listen to the boss, you gain subscribers even in your sleep." So, like the obedient employee I was, I was going to do exactly as I was told and make sure Rain gained more fans tonight.@@@@ She had been in a bit of a plateau lately. Maybe tonight would be the turning point. ''Shes saying Im doing well. And that I should fool them even harder.'' Just like earlier, when the actors introduced themselves. Okay, this one is real. I just know. ?? Theres no way this is an impression. Is this just a really good voice changer, or is the impression actually cracked?? And then D-Rain spoke, throwing the stream into complete chaos. [Puddle, C-Rain is obviously fake. Dont fall for it. This is the real one. So tell me the name.] Wait, but this one sounds real too??? ?? The voice is too even. Holy shit... domain expansion. No matter how good an impression was, the more someone spoke, the more differences would slip through. But the amount of data Magia had collected from watching Rains streams was insane. And she had practiced everything to near perfection. It was eerie how few mistakes she made. To anyone who didnt know better, it really did sound like there were two actual Rains. Even Momo, who had done countless collabs with Rain and memorized her unique speech patterns, took a moment to figure out who was who. [Hey, D! Stop being a baby. No way Puddle picks you.] [Who even gave you permission to speak? Youre way too obsessed with C. Calm down.] With both Rains arguing back and forth, Chairman Puddle could only watch in disbelief, repeating, "No way. No way." Where the hell had they found this person? All he could do was be amazed by Momos scouting skills. Finally, he gave up and raised his hand. [I cant do this. Im using my Song Chance.] :: Anonymous Puddle has donated 5,000 Clouds! :: :: Youre giving up pizza for this?! :: [I seriously have no idea.] If he cant tell, what hope do we have? Dude, same. Im completely lost. Lets just say both are correct. Pizza is a lie. Using a Song Chance meant that instead of pizza, the prize would be downgraded to a Mama Burger Set. But the reward didnt matter anymore. The number-one Rain fan couldnt tell who the real one was. Losing was one thing, but he couldnt afford to fail this challenge. [Sing a short part of the original songs rap verse. Ill judge from that.] OHHHH. Thats actually a smart request. The chairmans dignity is at stake. Yeah, if they rap, itll be obvious. Alright, LETS GO. Rains original songreleased two months after her debutwas peak K-pop: Power vocals, heavy belting, and a rap verse stuffed with English slang and abbreviations. It was nearly impossible to imitate. Even Rain had struggled with the recording. If the impostor messed up even one syllable, it would be obvious. [Ahem. Lets get it. One, two, three, four.] But the Puddles had made a fatal assumption. Because the person currently playing C-Rain wasnt just a Korean VTuber fan. This was Magia. An absolute menace. Someone who had sniped Momos overseas broadcasts using VPNs, just to keep up with her content. Someone who had trained her pronunciation to perfection just so she wouldnt get caught as a domestic fan. She hadnt expected those efforts to pay off here, but [Voices in the shadows, were risin loud, No more silence, were standin proud.] An explosive display of rapid-fire rap. The viewers immediately mistook it for Rains actual rap and started waving glowsticks. Their ears and brains had already decided this was the real one. KYAAAAAAAAA!! HOLY SHIT. (Glowstick) (Glowstick) (Glowstick) (Glowstick) C is the real one, right??? (Booty shake) (Booty shake) (Booty shake) QUEEN OF K-HIPHOP. KOREAN HIPHOP IS DEAD. It was only four seconds, but the impact lasted far longer. Momo, watching from the sidelines, was already slack-jawed. "Magia... What the hell are you?!" Chapter 6 The glowsticks in the chat didnt stop shaking, even after the short rap had ended. Rain, todays main star, was completely speechless. Holy. They had known each other for almost a year now. And yet, Magia had never shown this side of herself before. Impressions? She always claimed to watch the members streams religiously, but she had never once demonstrated her skills in front of them. Singing? Even when the first-gen members went out for drinks or hit up a karaoke room after collabs, she always sat in the back, tapping a tambourine. From the moment Momo assigned Magia to her as a manager, telling her to treat her casually, Rain had built up a certain level of familiarity with her. But this was just way too different from the image Magia had presented until now. Why the hell was she hiding this? Just to shock us? A tiny gremlinadorable yet unsettling. But since she had a habit of dropping hard truths on the first-gen members with pinpoint accuracy, she had earned the nickname Gia Bomb. How did someones name end up sounding like a nuclear weapon? Well, Magias words were always blunt, direct, and emotionless, to the point where even though she technically used polite speech, it still felt like she was punching you in the face. Of course, she never tacked on unnecessary criticismshe only pointed out clear mistakes. So, the members had never actually been hurt by her words. Still, despite her cute and lovable exterior, she wasnt exactly the kind of character youd want to ruffle her hair and dote on. She was simply Momos loyal subordinate. A devoted follower who only listened to the CEO. An annoying little brat who followed orders to a T. And now, this Gia Bomb had just casually dropped a talent explosion. Without any prior warning. Since Rain had already debuted as a singer once in the U.S., it was only natural for her to start wondering if this was some kind of noise marketing scheme. Wait... CEO... dont tell me. Are you planning to debut Gia too...? If she was just here to substitute for Dora and do the bare minimum, she had absolutely no reason to be this good. Of course, Rain couldnt just stand around dumbfounded in the middle of a broadcastshe could always ask after the stream ended. I mean, damn, C-Rain! That was insane! Nice kick! But cmon, let me show you how its really done! Lets go! This might be tough for the Puddles, but there was definitely room for improvement in Magias rap.@@@@ She had imitated the fast, mumbled style of slang-heavy American rap incredibly well, but there was a subtle difference in the way Rain delivered it. But that was something only a hip-hop-obsessed Rain would be able to tell apart. And besides, right now, she was playing alongpretending not to be herself. Which meant... if Rain rapped the exact same part Magia just did? Even Chairman Puddle, the ultimate Rain loyalist, wouldnt be able to tell them apart. * [Parallel (VTuber) Gallery] [I''m losing my damn mind, lmao] Bro, Rain is rapping on both sides at the same tempo, and Im being held hostage. Who the hell am I supposed to pick? If I get this wrong, Im gonna get roasted every time I donate!!! [Comments] Parallel458: There''s no way she''s not a real rapper. Thats the only explanation. ? Parallel611: That doesnt make sense either, lmao. ? Parallel611: Why would a real rapper be watching Rain? ? Parallel185: Bro, Rains got some respect in K-hip-hop. ? Parallel415: Even Kwak Ki-chul did a feature with her. ? Parallel571: Ain''t she lowkey the top dog in K-hip-hop? Damn. Parallel321: Why is this dude fighting for his life in a pizza guessing game? LMAO ? Parallel511: FR, lmao, stay strong, man. Parallel369: Ran an AI voice comparison. Its D. ? BigPuddle (OP): Got it, thanks. Chairman Puddle, aka BigPuddle, kept dragging out his answer like he was seriously struggling. Turns out, he was banking on the collective intelligence of the Parallel Gallery for help. So, to be nice, I fed him the right answer. After all, I was just an extra who happened to sound like Rainthe real star of the show was her. It was best for both the audience and Rain if he got the answer right. Of course, my inner gremlin instincts told me itd be way funnier if I won, forcing the viewers into existential despair while giving Rain more ammo to troll them with... But thanks to five years of socialization under Momos watchful eye, I had become a good person who made choices that hurt no one. HURRY UP AND PICK!!! THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK!!! THE PUDDLES ARE GONNA DRY UP AND DIE AT THIS RATE!!! JUST PICK ALREADY!!!!! [Uhhhh... THE CORRECT ANSWER IS!] There was no way hed get it wrong, right? I literally told him. [That... was exhausting....] [A true growth arc actor, huh? Getting better and better. Anyway, thank you, Komari!] ???????????????????? Good job, Mari, lol Smelled like a forest, so refreshing~ [And next, Cour resident loudspeaker, Maru!] [Puddles, do you all have a death wish?! My voice isnt that loud, okay?!] Bro, its actually loud, what do you want us to do? LOL Watching this with my Maru plushie, but even its too ashamed to look up Maru, my ears are still ringing... [Alright, Dungles, come to my stream later.] [Every single Dungle here, follow Maru into the Room of Truth~.] Go in peace NOOOO I DONT WANT TO GO AAAAAA Okay, Im officially a Puddle from now on And then, finally. The moment everyone had been waiting for. Ds reveal. [And last! The one who was truly perfect. Amazing. Astonishing. Pulled off an absolute copy. Our D is] But for staff protection reasons, Magias introduction had to be kept to a minimum. This was something they had already agreed on before the stream. [D is... actually just a regular Parallel staff member! So even if youre curious, too bad. We gotta shield our normies, you get it?] ??? ?? Wait, what? This is bull Youre just gonna leave it at that? At least let them say something!!! RELEASE D-RAIN!!! As expected, the backlash was immediate. Watching from the sidelines, Cheon Do-hee pouted. ... Just as expected. Honestly, ever since Magia had shocked everyone with her hidden talents, this outcome was inevitable. She had lit a fire in the viewers curiosityand once that happens, it doesnt die out easily. If they shut it down too hard, it would only fuel speculation. And if they left it alone, Rain would have to deal with the fallout during tomorrows post-stream hangout. But if they fully acknowledged Magia, unnecessary rumors would start swirling. And knowing the internet, it wouldnt take long before people started demanding her VTuber debut. [Momo: Magia.] [Momo: Just say a quick hello.] [Parallel Ops Team Magia: Understood.] Magias naturally soft-spoken voice was the polar opposite of Rains husky one, which would only make the impact stronger. But this was also her way of drawing a line in the sand. A polite but firm Your curiosity is appreciated, but this is a one-time thing. Yet, if there was one thing Cheon Do-hee hadnt anticipated, it was Magias unshakable mindset. Even if she was on stream, she firmly believed her role was to highlight the first-gen membersnot herself. [Hello, Puddles. Im Parallel Ops Team Staff A, who got to be Rain for a day.] ?? Wait, the voice changer is still on?? Sounds way too soft-spoken, lol How did she pull that off earlier??? Please just let us hear your real voice, Im begging ???????????? And so, Magia made her choice. She didnt turn off the voice changer. Instead, she let Rains voice mask her own, erasing herself from the scene. [Im just Rains shadow, so theres no need to be curious about my voice. If you all had fun today, thats enough for me. Please continue supporting our first-gen Another, and of course, our Rain.] The moment she finished speaking, she dropped her avatar off-screen. A clear this is where my role ends statement. But. Telling people not to be curious only makes them more curious. Uncovering the unknown is human instinct. Which meant Magias words didnt put out the fire. They poured gasoline on it. ??? She really left??? Wait. Kingbait detected. Were burning this place down, right? This is so messed up, LOL The Puddles are drying up. Puddles evaporate mode activated. NO BUT SERIOUSLY?! NO BUT SERIOUSLY?! NO BUT SERIOUSLY?! (Flop Over Emote) (Flop Over Emote) (Flop Over Emote) Yeah... This wasnt dying down anytime soon. Chapter 7 [Rain (VTuber) Gallery] [No questions from today''s contestants, don''t even ask.] There were basically two Rains today. By the end, even Komari and Maru had started catching up, making it harder and harder to tell them apart. Once it got down to just two final choices, it was basically random. Damn, Rain. If you didnt wanna give us pizza, just say so. First it was Kicheol-hyung, now this... Is she farming celebrities or something? Where the hell does she keep finding people like this?! [Comments] Rain184: Bro, you fought for your life out there. Lmao. ? Rain815 (OP): MY PIZZA, NOOOOO!!! Rain881: Watching BigPuddle get absolutely destroyed made me glad I didnt get picked. ? Rain815 (OP): Whatever, I still got my HamBugi plush~ [Parallel (Streaming) Gallery] [Why Rain MK2 isn''t just a staff member] Im telling you, shes a second-gen recruit. Theres no way a staff member is that good at voice impressions and rap. If you think Im just making stuff up, how about I take this to another stream and lay it all out? If shes really just staff, then the first stop should be Momos stream. (Upvotes: 332 / Downvotes: 1) [Comments] Parallel715: Bro, who the hell downvoted this? Show yourself. Parallel341: No fr, this is facts. ? Parallel341: Shes way too talented to be just staff. Parallel418: Instead of talking here, why not just ask Komari and Maru? ? Parallel164: Genius. ? Parallel456: Bruh, you cant just out them like that lmao. Parallel315: Lets be real, being a VTuber is way better than a regular job. ? Parallel981: Sir. ? Parallel385: FR, lmao. ? Parallel124: Just buy a model and go full VTuber. Watching the post-stream reactions, CEO Cheon Do-hee let out a sigh. ... The hype is way bigger than expected. Not that she hadnt seen this coming. It was just way hotter than she had anticipated. If Magia had just been the comic relief, the reaction wouldve been something like: Oh, that staff member? Haha, she was funny. But at this rate, the way things were going... It felt like Magia was the main character, not Rain. Man... she really used to be a troll, huh? She had a natural talent for pissing people off. Most people cant make others mad with just a few words. Magia? She made it look effortless. Honestly, the only reason things werent getting completely out of control was because people still saw her as Parallel staff. If she had been anyone else, thered be wildfire-level chaos everywhere. Do-hee could already imagine how much of a nightmare it would be to clean up that mess. ... Still, no immediate issues. Her biggest concern had been the first-gen members. But checking the TalkCord chat, nobody seemed particularly worried about tomorrows stream. Besides, off-topic discussions were banned during broadcasts anyway. Anyone who pushed too hard would just get banned on the spot. [Rain: Magia, are you free tomorrow evening?] [Rain: Lets grab food and talk.] [Parallel Ops Team Magia: No.] [Rain: My god, I just asked about your schedule.] [Komari: Rain, dont cut in line!] [Komari: I asked first...] [Maru: Omg, why dont we all just eat together?] [Parallel Ops Team Magia: No.] [Maru: What is up with this No parrot?] [Maru: (Angry Emoji)] [Dora: Just finished watching the stream] [Dora: Magia, what the hell, that was INSANE.] [Parallel Ops Team Magia: It was just the voice modulator.] [Rain: WTF, LIES.] They were getting along great. At least, by Magias standards. If there was a real problem, Magia would drop everything to help them but the second things got personal, shed draw a hard boundary and back away. Thats just how she was. And after nearly a full year, her relationship with the first-gen members hadnt changed. Magia cared about them, sure.@@@@ But in the end, she was Cheon Do-hees fan first. Even now, despite casually texting in TalkCord, Magia had rushed straight to the PC cafe? when she heard Do-hee was nearby. CEO! Short legs sprinting, arms flailing wildly, she practically tackled Do-hee in excitement. Honestly, it was kind of adorable. Did you put in your vacation request? Duh. Handled it perfectly. Wow. You really think going to a PC cafe? with me is some big achievement? Of course. Look at me, playing games with the CEO herself. Im thriving. ... Its just Battle Call, Magia. Do-hee sighed. Besides, PC cafe?s suck for Battle Call. We have to reset all our sensitivity settings and audio configs. Its annoying. Every single pellet landed directly on his head. His maxed-out shield? Gone in an instant. But double-barrels only held two shots. And once both shots were fired, the user had to reload. That was his opening. He switched to his SMG, ready to fire BANG! HP instantly gone. His character collapsed. A fresh smoke grenade rolled in, covering the area. WHAT THE HELL?! WHY DOES THIS PSYCHO HAVE TWO DOUBLE-BARRELS?! Crazy Shots passive ability boosted shotgun damage, but most players didnt dual-wield them. Why? Because after firing all four shots, reloading both guns took a total of six seconds. And in high-tier play, six seconds was an eternity. This meant that whoever had just pulled that off was insane. As his two teammates finished off Revolt, one of them muttered: [Two double-barrels? What is this, some kind of Human Signal Flare Kim Fireworks situation?] [Wait... the Momo superfan?] [Yeah, that dude loves double-barrels.] But when the kill feed popped up, the sniper quickly realized it wasnt him. {{Fireworks Festival VIP Kim Duk-bae >> (Headshot) (Down) NotMyEyes}} ...Its not Kim Fireworks. [Bro, look at that name.] ...Feels oddly similar, though. [You sure its not his smurf?] They were still baffled when the sniper suddenly spotted something. Through the smoke Crazy Shot was circling behind his teammate. The smoke wasnt for escaping. It was to set up another kill. BEHIND YOU! BEHIND!! BANG! {{Fireworks Festival VIP Kim Duk-bae >> (Headshot) (Down) Solo}} The teammate, running in without recharging his shield, got blasted into the dirt. The third teammate managed to catch a glimpse of their opponent, rushing forward to punish the reload. BANG! One shot. Max-level shield? Gone. Before he could even react, a sticky grenade came flying in. BOOM! {{Fireworks Festival VIP Kim Duk-bae >> (Sticky Grenade) (Down) MarbledBeef}} {{Fireworks Festival VIP Kim Duk-bae >> (Kill) NotMyEyes}} {{Fireworks Festival VIP Kim Duk-bae >> (Kill) Solo}} {{Fireworks Festival VIP Kim Duk-bae >> (Kill) MarbledBeef}} A full three-man squad, wiped out in seconds. Game over. Their final ranking: 15th place out of 30 teams. ...What the fuck just happened? At first, they werent too upset. Matchmaking in casual mode threw together all skill levels, so sometimes you just ran into an absurdly skilled player. But then A voice came through. From the player who annihilated them. And it was A cute, bubbly, little girls voice. [CEO, Ill revive you!] ......The fuck. [Ugh, your gear is so flimsy. How are we supposed to hold Zhangpan Pass like this?] ......THE FUCK!!! That game? Would live in their nightmares forever. Chapter 8 People who play FPS games usually have to copy and paste their exact settings whenever they go to a PC cafe?. Especially when it comes to aim sensitivitythats the number one thing that needs adjusting. Different setups meant different mouse sensors and response times. And if someone was still hitting perfect headshots without adjusting anything, they werent just a god-tier playerthey were a literal cheater. On top of that, Do-hee always adjusted one more setting whenever she played. Voice chat. Since Battle Colosseum relied on team communication, voice chat was always enabled by default. But for mental health reasons, she always muted enemy voices. And since today she was playing on a smurf account, she had also turned off her own mic. That meant her entire team was muted too. Or at least, thats what she thought. Because just now, after Magia wiped an entire enemy squad, a small speaker icon flashed next to her ID. She had voice chat turned on. Hey. Your mic is on. Ah. Forgot to mute it. How the hell do you forget that? Magia had skipped all her audio settings in a rush to get into the game. And since her hands were smaller now, even holding the mouse properly was a struggle. On top of that, she still had to carry the game, so she had been so focused that she didnt even realize her voice was being broadcast. At least she was also using a smurf account, which meant it wasnt too big of a deal. Trolls tended to use similar usernames for their accounts anyway. [Fireworks Festival VIP Kim Duk-bae] Do-hee read Magias in-game name out loud, then let out a small chuckle. You really do come up with the most ridiculous usernames. Well, I have to pick good ones. That way, I dont get caught. ...Caught for what? Suddenly, Magia went quiet. Do-hee turned to look Magia was glancing sideways at her, pretending to be fully focused on the game. But Do-hee was a streamer with 1.6 million subscribers. She knew exactly how to tease people into confessing things. Caught for what? She smirked. If you dont tell me, Im not playing with you anymore. This is a trade secret. I cant say. Oh, trade secret, my ass. How many other accounts do you even have? Magia hesitated. Then, after a moment of internal struggle, she made a decision. If she could keep playing games like this with Do-hee, it didnt matter if she had to throw away all her old accounts. Twelve. Do-hees jaw dropped. A single Battle Colosseum account cost 30,000 won. Twelve accounts? Even with discounts, that was over 150,000 won. ...Twelve?! You actually bought that many copies? Yeah. Had to. Otherwise, I couldnt make new accounts. ...Unbelievable. Youre actually insane, Magia. Thank you. That wasnt a compliment.... Still. Who else could she blame for this? No one but herself. All that money? Magia couldve spent it on food or literally anything else. But no. It all went into dodging account bans... Just to keep sniping her. *** [Battle Colosseum Gallery] [Got my ass handed to me by a little kid] Yeah. That was me. (ntube.newbie) Whoever that was, their double-barrel shotgun plays were INSANE. Honestly, I kinda deserved to lose. Agree? Anyway, I gotta knowwas that actually Kim Fireworks? Calling all Battle Colosseum detectives, step up. [Comments] BattleCol441: You got clapped by a kid? LMAO. BattleCol851: Bro, never tell anyone you were Platinum. Ever. BattleCol681: If its about Kim Fireworks, you should check Momos gallery. ? BattleCol681: The Momo superfans are all quarantining there right now. ? Chenzang (OP): Got it, thanks. BattleCol615: Tbh, this does kinda feel like Kim Fireworks. BattleCol615: But Kim Fireworks started playing five years ago. ? Chenzang (OP): ...Wait. ? BattleCol615: If youre saying that voice was a kid, then five years ago... they wouldve been five years old. LMAO. ? Chenzang (OP): ...Damn. Thats actually weird. [Momo Gallery] [To the guy who got bodied by a kid] Listen up, dumbass. That players voice mightve sounded like a kid, but judging from your deathcam, theyre 99.9% Kim Fireworks. (Attached GIF: Deathcam Highlight) Kim Fireworks always jumps before taking a shot. That way, they get a wider headshot angle because its easier to hit headshots from above. After all, Magia was just a regular employee. She had zero interest in becoming a full-time VTuber. All she had to do was drop in occasionally, playing the role of the "Rain Impression Master" every few months. Not even every few weeks. Once every two or three months would be enough. If they kept the audience waiting, the anticipation would explode. And when that finally paid off... It would be a guaranteed jackpot. "...Hmm." But there was one problem. If they gave in once, Magias debut wouldnt be a choice anymore. It would be a requirement. The moment people see something once, they want to see it again. The rarer something is, the more insane the demand becomes. And this wasnt just about impressions Magia was also great at singing. This situation? There was no way the audience wouldnt lose their minds. Do-hee had seen this happen before. Her old duo partner, Taro, who had once been Momos closest collaborator, had debuted as a VTuber under similar circumstances. But this time, there was an even bigger factor that could make things explode. The Parallel Gallery and Momo Gallery had already dug up a massive rumor That Momos infamous stream sniper, Kim Fireworks, was actually Magia. There were a lot of former trolls. But a troll who could do perfect impressions? And on top of that, had a naturally cute voice? Extremely rare. And if, during todays stream, that rumor somehow got confirmed... The aftermath would be unpredictable. There were too many variables. Too many things to consider. Thats why Do-hee was hesitating. "If we go along with this... Magias debut is inevitable." Of course, if Magia suddenly decided to become a VTuber, its not like Do-hee couldnt handle it. She could just hire someone to take over Magias current work. Smoothly transfer everything. And then, like the others, train her properly for streaming. But the most important thing? Magia herself had no interest. And that meant It wasnt happening. So Do-hees internal conflict only deepened. Bzzzzzt. Bzzzzzt. Her phone vibrated on the desk. She picked it up. ...She has an uncanny sense for when shes the center of attention. Speak of the devil. Magia. Hey, Magia. Whats up? [Magia: CEO, shouldnt we help Rain?] ...Of all the things she could have said. You realize that if you keep showing up, youll have to debut, right? Didnt she swear she had no interest in becoming a VTuber? But if Do-hee thought about it more carefully, Magias actions werent actually contradictory. It all traced back to a favor Do-hee had asked before the first-gen members debuted. When she entrusted Magia with watching over them, she had told her one thing: "Theyre still inexperienced. Theyre going to ask for a lot of favors. Say yes to everything, but if youre unsure whether you should step in, ask me first." From Magias perspective, jumping into the stream to help Rain still fell under that category. So now, she was checking with Do-hee before doing anything. "Is this the right moment for me to step in?" Do-hee explained her concerns. This wont end after one appearance. You, of all people, should understand that. Youre a former troll. You know how people think. Magia didnt hesitate at all. [Magia: Is that so? ...Anyway, the donation pool is at 2,000 Wait, no. 2,100,000 won now. Are we really letting that go to waste? Seriously?] Chapter 9 "Yeah, but the donation pool is at 2,000 no, wait, 2,100. So were really letting 2.1 million won go to waste? Seriously?" Right. That mindset. The kind of person willing to sacrifice herself if it meant securing the bag. Shed make a dream employee for some exploitative CEO. If Do-hee hadnt picked Magia up first, shed probably be the type to get her paycheck stolen by some shady convenience store owner. "But... I mean, stopping someone from asking for more work is kind of weird, right?" While Do-hee was still hesitating, the donation pool doubled again. :: Mission :: :: Talk to the Parallel staff who does a perfect Rain impression on TalkCord C 2,777,000 Clouds :: It was about to break the goddamn atmosphere. Did every employee in Korea get paid today or something? And the higher the amount climbed, the louder the capitalist voice in her head became. Even Magia, still on the phone, was now actively narrating the donation increase in real time, trying to force a reaction out of her. What, did she think Do-hee was money-crazed or something? [2.77 million... 2.79 million... 2.82 million... 2.88 million...] Cut it out. Its distracting. I can see it myself. [Almost at the office. Well talk there. Oh, 2.89 million.] It was like listening to a disaster reporter sent out to cover a blizzard. Even as Do-hee ended the call, the annoying narration didnt stop. But whatever. Shed be seeing Magia in person soon anyway. For now, Do-hee turned her attention back to Rains stream. Private Message [Momo: Is the person donating all this money... Chairman Puddle?] [Rain: WOW.] [Rain: HOW DID YOU KNOW???] [Rain: CEO, youre an elite super clever broadcast grandma.] [Momo: Its obvious...] [Momo: And what the hell was that last part. Do you wanna die.] [Rain: CEO ABUSING FOREIGN WORKERS WHAAA ?????] Of course Magia had been reading out the donation numbers. They were literally increasing by the second. And if there was one person who could be behind it... It was Chairman Puddle, who had completely embarrassed himself yesterday. Dude failed to recognize the real Rain. And now? He was desperately trying to redeem himself with money. And also, strategically? Summoning the fake Rain was a smart move to divert the chats attention away from him. Well, smart move was a stretch. It was just another day of WWE, aka bullshit entertainment beef. But still, it was also a message for Momo herself. "You evil demon lord. I will keep raising the mission amount. Now decide. Will you release the captive Princess Magia... or not?" Thinking about it like that... Yeah, this was starting to piss her off. Why the hell was she suddenly the villain in this situation? She hadnt done anything wrong! Magia was the one who suddenly showed off her hidden talents. This was like some random girl protesting in front of the demon lords castle, so the demon lord brought her inside, and now some hero had arrived to "rescue" her. Right on cue, the office door slammed open. A tiny figure zipped through the hallway, barely visible over the partitions, before stopping to knock on her office door. Come in. 140 cm. At most, the height of a fifth or sixth grader. But since she was wearing a full business suit, it somehow gave her an oddly intimidating aura. It was Magia. Do-hee had considered telling her to dress more casually, but this was apparently what Magia thought an office worker was supposed to look like. So Do-hee had just let it be. On Magias phone screen? Rains live broadcast. She pulled out her earbuds, her gem-blue eyes sparkling as she said CEO, 3 million. ...Hey. 3.03 million. Anyway. This keeps going up. ...I know, okay? Thats not the point. 3.06. Only when Do-hee narrowed her eyes did Magia finally stop reading out numbers. Still. 3 million won. An insane amount. Considering 100 million won was enough to unlock special reactions from the first-gen members, if Rain accepted this mission, [Parallel Operations Team C Magia: The CEO said I can join.] [Parallel Operations Team C Magia: You decide when I should come in.] [Rain: ????!!] I put on my headset, pulled my condenser mic stand closer, and then leaned back in my chair. Already at 3.5 million? Even as I watched, the donation pool kept climbing. It wasnt slowing down at all. It was about to reach 1.5 times my monthly salary. How the hell was I supposed to ignore this? I mean, sure, its not my money, but if I show up, the mission gets completed, which means... Its basically the same as me donating to myself, right? ...Or not. Anyway, while I was sitting there lost in thought, Rain sent me a DM. Private Message [Rain: Magia.] [Rain: Before we start, Ive got a favor to ask.] Huh. That was unexpected. I thought shed just bring me in, wed chat for a bit, and thatd be it. [Rain: Ill give you anything you want.] [Rain: Steak, whatever. Like, for the sake of world balance.] [Rain: So please.] [Rain: Next week, next month, whenever.] [Rain: Lets do a stream together.] [Rain: Im begging you, Magia. Youre the GOAT, please.] None of the first-gen members had ever invited me on their streams before. I mean, even if they did, I never opened my mic anyway. So there wasnt much I could do. At most, Id play Battle Colosseum with them and carry the whole match. But even then, the VTuber should be the one carrying the show. If I did it, thered be no synergy. But after yesterdays "Find Rain" stream, things had changed. I told them to focus on the first-gens, but for some reason, everyones fixated on me instead. I still dont get why. But if this helps Rain, Ill do it. The CEO already approved it, too. I might not be as talented as our VTubers, but when it comes to games and content, I can keep up just fine. Thats what it means to be a Parallel Supporter. [Parallel Operations Team C Magia: Okay.] [Parallel Operations Team C Magia: Lets do it next week.] [Rain: Thank you!!] [Rain: Whens good for you?] [Rain: Lets do dinner too.] [Rain: Good chance to plan the content.] [Parallel Operations Team C Magia: Just not on the CEOs stream day.] [Parallel Operations Team C Magia: Also, can the CEO join us for dinner?] [Rain: Of course!] I thought that was the end of the conversation, but then Rain added something else. [Rain: If you start feeling overwhelmed, just dump everything on me.] [Rain: Im a seasoned streamer now, you know?] Ever since I got stuck with this cute new appearance, weird things kept happening. Rain had always relied on me, always asked for help, and always got scolded in return. Id practically been her babysitter. Not that I fully trust her. Shell probably still pull out the "foreign worker abuse" joke. But still. She did think about my situation. That was nice of her. [Parallel Operations Team C Magia: Thanks for looking out for me.] As the fire in the donation pool finally started cooling down, Chairman Puddle stopped feeding the flames. And at last, it was time to start. :: Mission :: :: Talk to the Parallel staff who does a perfect Rain impression on TalkCord C 4,022,000 Clouds :: Riiiiing. Riiiiing. The moment the TalkCord call notification rang out, chat went insane. Huh?! Huh?? Is she here?! SHES HERE. SHE ACTUALLY SHOWED UP. 4 MILLION WON WAS TOO TEMPTING LOL. As expected of Chairman Puddle. Efficient as hell. FREE D-RAIN! EVIL CEO MOMO, RELEASE YOUR PRISONER!! The chat was scrolling so fast, I could barely keep up. I glanced at my mic settings, did a quick check, and then finally I spoke. Hello. HUH. WTF HER VOICE IS CUTE. GASP. WHAT THE FUCK. SHES ADORABLE?! Wait, I feel like Ive heard this voice before... HUH... CUTE. JXJXJXJX??? CUTE. LOLOLOLOL HOLY SHIT. Chapter 10 There were tons of messages calling me cute in the chat. I mean, I wont deny it. But hearing it out loud from over seven thousand people made me feel a little self-conscious. I am cute, but... Am I allowed to hear this? ...Well. I do admit it every time I look in the mirror. And in today''s world, looks are assets. But right now, I''m just a Parallel staff member here to do damage control. So I cut to the chase. You all keep looking for me instead of Rain during Rains stream, so honestly, I was thinking about calling you out. GASP Uh-oh, shes onto us. Shit... But if you just wanted an excuse to donate to Rain, then, fine. Ill acknowledge that. Do we have a Validation Committee in here? Chat hesitated for a moment, as if waiting for someone else to take the lead. Then, one by one ?? (Confirmed.) We admit it. Acknowledged. Super acknowledged. Certified. Okay, then. You admit it, right? So now that you''ve used me as an excuse, you dont need me anymore, do you? Ill be going now. I left the call without a second of hesitation. At the same time, I signaled Rain to wrap things up. Wha Wait, WAIT!! WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS?! Shes totally enjoying this. Haa... My soft mochi employee... FREE D-RAIN! FREE HER NOW! Wait, shes ACTUALLY leaving?? SHE''S REALLY GONE. The chat was exploding, but Rain just calmly clicked "Mission Complete." It was already agreed upon. Id show my face today, but next time, Id properly appear on a stream. And with that, the tower of donations that the viewers had painstakingly built up (mostly thanks to Chairman Puddle) all went straight into Rains pocket. 4 million won. Rain sounded happier than she had in weeks. ["Wow, seriously. The moisture that Puddles have gathered for me today is delicious. You even came up with an excuse just to donate. I''ll work even harder and be even more unhinged from now on. Thank you! Thank you!"] It was only then that the Puddles realized the mission had ended and started losing their minds. YOU. YOU DID NOT JUST COMPLETE THAT. CAN YOU HANDLE THE CONSEQUENCES?! THIEF!!! Someone stole my donation!! ???????????? Oh no... but we still have the "Refund" and "Fire" options, don''t we? DONT JOKE LIKE THAT... DONT JOKE LIKE THAT... DONT JOKE LIKE THAT... DONT JOKE LIKE THAT... :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 won. :: :: "That must be hard to digest. Why dont you spit it back out?" :: ["No, no. Spitting out food is a bad habit. Bigma said so during our last collab."] Rain turned on her echo effect and started setting the mood for a 100,000-won donation reaction. The chat exploded. YOURE KIDDING, RIGHT?? (Crying emote)(Glowstick emote)(Crying emote)(Glowstick emote) (Flop emote) Im not playing anymore. Rock. Kraaaagh ???????????? (Glowstick emote) I dont need a goddess anymore!!! Is Rain really here? Puddles are leaving. (Blood tears emote)(Blood tears emote)(Blood tears emote) Me. Oh well~ Ill just switch my Oshi. Rock. Me. As more and more rage-filled emotes flooded the chat, Rain finally lowered the background music and dropped the bombshell. ["You know what? Next week, I''ll be streaming with D-Rain."] ?? ???! JXJXJXJX??? DONT LIE TO ME. **You shouldve said that earlier. ["Thats so I could see your true colors first. Just like right now."] Honestly, she couldve revealed that Id be joining next week sooner. But clearly, Rain had planned this all along. She waited until the mission was complete, acted like she was thrilled to get the money, and then dropped the announcement just to set the chat on fire. This girl. She spent a year getting bullied by toxic Western viewers, and now she had become the bully. ["So before I do my 1-million-won reaction, why dont we review the chat logs first? Oh, you must be so scared. So nervous. Worried that you wont get to see my legendary reaction. [CEO-nim: Im having dinner with Rain tomorrow.] [CEO-nim: You know that, right?] [Me: I know.] [CEO-nim: Have you thought about what youll do for the collab?] [Me: Not yet.] She used to forcefully praise me as a ''competent employee who always does what shes told'', but now, she was treating me like a friend. I couldnt help but smile. [CEO-nim: Then how about Battle Coliseum?] [CEO-nim: Its been a while since I collabed with Rain too.] [CEO-nim: The three of us can just queue together.] [Me: Boring.] [CEO-nim: ??] [CEO-nim: What? You love playing Battle Coliseum.] [Me: If theres more people, I have to actually play seriously.] [Me: Then I cant mess with you.] [CEO-nim: Hey.] [CEO-nim: Cant we just play casually?] [Me: If its just you, I can play around a bit.] [Me: But if Rain joins, its impossible.] [Me: Trust me.] [CEO-nim: ...Yeah, she does have a habit of dying in hilariously stupid ways...] [CEO-nim: Still, I think Battle Coliseum is the best option.] After working with the CEO for so long, I could tell what she was thinking. Basically, Youre going to struggle with viewer interaction anyway, so well fill the sound while you play. Just chime in when needed. That was the plan. [Me: Lets do Battle Coliseum.] [Me: If I talk too much, I might slip up.] [Me: So yeah, I think youre right.] [CEO-nim: Alright, then.] [CEO-nim: Well finalize the details over dinner with Rain tomorrow.] [Me: Okay.] After sending that last message, I found myself fidgeting with my keyboard. ...Did I just type "???" instead of "???"? Did I really use a softer tone instead of my usual firm response? No way. Am I... adapting to my own cuteness? Ive always kept a strict, professional image at work. Always wore suits. Always upheld company rules. Always spoke properly in front of the CEO. But now, I was... slipping? Was my small body making my brain follow suit? [CEO-nim: Hahahahaha.] [CEO-nim: Alright, see you tomorrow.] [CEO-nim: Im heading to my stream now.] [CEO-nim: Dont go overboard with your toxic missions.] [Me: LOL] The weird part? The CEOs tone was different too. She usually only types one "?" when she laughs, but just now, she used four. Does she actually prefer "???" over "???"? [CEO-nim: Stop laughing and answer me.] [Me: No.] [CEO-nim: Answer.] [Me: No.] [CEO-nim: Hey.] [Me: Neng.] [CEO-nim: Took you long enough.] Even after deliberately messing with her, she wasnt annoyed. ...Hmmm. An idea popped into my head. Does being cute mean I can get away with being toxic? There was only one way to find out. I was definitely running an experiment after work. *** After 2 AM, every game turns into a madhouse. Of course, some players arent complete lunatics theyre just office workers using their vacation days to stay up all night and enjoy games they dont usually have time for. But to those people, past 2 AM is hell itself a lawless battlefield where only the strongest survive. [Hello, first attempt. Hello, second attempt. Hello, third attempt. Hello, fourth attempt. Hello, fifth attempt...] Kim, a humble office worker, was suddenly hit with the realization of doom His random teammate, My Highest Level of Education is Chicken School Momo, wasnt just some random troll. She was a full-blown psychopath roaming the 2 AM war zone. Still, her voice was weirdly cute, and her diction was so clear that he started wondering ...Is she a streamer? [Hello, twenty-fifth attempt. Hello, twenty-sixth attempt. Hello, twenty-seventh attempt...] ...She wasnt stopping. At this rate, she was going to keep saying Hello until the match ended. With a deep sigh, Kim rummaged through his desk drawer, pulled out his neglected mic, and finally gave in. "...Hello." Just like that at attempt forty-two she stopped. A short pause. Then [Wow. You actually responded. As a token of my appreciation, Ill carry this game.] Kim, who wasnt familiar with online communities or the infamous Sniper King Shinotan, let out a small scoff. ...With two double-barrel shotguns? Chapter 11 [Wow. I can''t believe you accepted this. As a token of gratitude, I''ll carry this match.] Kim scoffed at the random teammates message. They clearly didnt know much about the community or the infamous Signal Flare. ...With two double-barrels? The double-barrel shotgun was a beloved close-range weapon, but carrying two at once? That was rare. Even if Crazy Shot had a shotgun damage bonus, this was still pushing it. To make things worse, they only had 40 rounds of ammo. The rest of their inventory was stuffed entirely with throwablesexcluding Molotovs. Kim had been playing long enough to recognize what kind of strategy this player was aiming for. Urban combat focus, eliminating distance gaps with smoke grenades when needed. Not a conventional playstyle. There was a high chance of getting dragged into some reckless firefight just by sticking around. Kim had a decision to make. Trust the random teammate who just declared theyd carry or go solo. The last remaining squadmate was a silent Chinese player, playing as Thief, a class specialized in disruption and annoyance tactics. Not the kind of person whod back Kim up in a fight. Unfortunately, Kims class was Supporta role that relied on teammates to maximize effectiveness. With enough skill, a support-class player could go solo just fine. But Kim had no desire to sweat through a high-intensity game this late at night. Besides, while their playstyle was bizarre, that cute voice was oddly soothing. It took the edge off Kims growing frustration after a long streak of frustrating losses. Ill back you up. Lets see if you can really carry. [Oh, then I appreciate it.] Kim locked in the decision. Trust Final Academic Achievement: Chicken School Momo. About fifteen minutes later, Kim realized they had made the right choice. [Dont come this way. Ill clear this area. Cover Big Bro.] Understood, Chicken School.@@@@ Despite the voice being as adorable as a little girls, the gameplay was straight-up macho. As soon as an enemy was spotted, smoke went up. Crazy Shots ultimatea speed-boosting padwas dropped, and then Boom. Boom. Even when they ended up in a reload standoffsince the double-barrel had the longest reload time of any primary weaponChicken School always pulled off a ridiculous save with their absurdly accurate sticky grenades. Even if their own shield broke in the process, they always took at least two enemies down with them. Kims squad had no way of losing. The final fight, in particular, left a lasting impression. Chicken School singlehandedly annihilated the last surviving enemy squad with nothing but two double-barrels, smoke grenades, and sticky grenades. !! VICTORY !! KimGukgiMaster / Final Academic Achievement: Chicken School Momo / Ǻ«« In the end, Kims squad won far more easily than expected. And Chicken School? Not only were they cracked, but they had good manners too. [Wow. Great support play, KimGukgiMaster. Are you on an alt account?] No, this is my main. [Lucky game, then. Thanks for the carry. Good work, everyone.] Honestly, Kim was the lucky one. They had played over twenty matches before meeting Chicken School, dealing with garbage teammates the whole time. They had been debating whether to just call it a night. ...Chaotic, but fun. *** Cheon Do-hee loved Battle Colosseum. Not in a casual way. She loved it so much that she dedicated at least one stream a week to the game. She wasnt particularly skilledher ranked games were brutalbut through sheer persistence, she always clawed her way to at least Gold by the end of each season. She had confirmed a slightly twisted trutha cute troll could get away with nearly anything. [Magia: By the way, I can mess around a bit, right? Like when I snipe your streams?] But the more she fooled around, the more persistent people would become. [Me: You dont want to appear on stream too often, right?] [Magia: No.] [Me: Then keep it in check.] [Magia: UwU.] ...UwU my ass. ...Ill let it slide. Because shes cute. [Me: Youve got me and Rain, remember?] [Me: Just dont cross the line.] ? Crackle [ AOYAGI RAIN / AOYAGI RAIN ] @aoyagirain_parallel_vtuber | 166,000 Followers Parallel First-Gen | Falling from the sky, its Aoyagi Rain ? ???? (Live) A MASSIVE ONE JUST DROPPED ???? 15,227 viewers #BattleColosseum #Momo #Parallel One week lateron the day of the Battle Colosseum collab. Rains streams usually averaged around 4,000 viewers, but today, over 15,000 people had tuned in. The hype around Employee D-Rain had already been high. And to top it off, the other first-gen members had all conveniently taken the day off to watch the collab. It was a choice that couldve cost them some of their personal audience. But in reality, it was a tactic that CEO Do-hee had once taught them. [Momo: Fans who watch one of you are highly likely to watch another.] [Momo: Youre a group. Whenever something big happens, youll naturally be involved in each others content.] [Momo: Even breaks can be used strategically.] [Momo: Lets say a huge collab happens, but youre not in it. And lets say you havent taken a break at all this month.] [Momo: If you time your break for that exact day, a bunch of your audience will show up to the collab instead.] [Momo: More visible viewers = bigger numbers = more new fans. [Momo: Basically, its trickle-down viewership.] And so, the first-gen members had all scheduled their appointments, errands, and personal commitments for this exact day. A clear sign that even they saw D-Rain as the biggest buzz in Parallel right now. [Oh, hell yeah! Droppin from the sky, comin to soak the dry landits Aoyagi Rain!] A full weeks worth of anticipation. A hype train powered by every first-gen member. And Momos strategically engineered viewership boost. The sheer speed of chat messages made it clear just how many people were here. OH HELL YEAH ??? Leha Lehaaaaaaa ???! D-RAIN! D-RAIN! D-RAIN! D-RAIN! D-RAIN! Leha ??? ???! [A whole week. Its been a long wait, huh?] LOOOOOOOONG WAIT I almost DIED holding my breath The puddles are bone dry [Ahaha! Yeah, youre on the verge of drying up, huh? Well then, let me introduce two guests wholl bring the moisture back! First up, our CEO!] The Battle Colosseum lobby. In the three-player waiting room, an empty slot was suddenly filled by the ID "momopeach." "Hello, Puddles. Its been a while." Moha Mh Boss Momo, hi Shes here~ Has it been a month? [Next! The guy you Puddles wouldnt shut up about. He split his schedule to be here today. Employee, D, Lupin~!] And at that momentafter a week of speculationMagia finally made her reappearance. [Hello, everyone. Im Employee D from Parallels operations team. I played D-Rain in last weeks Find Rain event. Thanks for having me.] ???? Employee D Lupin LMAO GOMU GOMU NO~~ HELL YEAH ZEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA DAMN, MOMO. WHERE DO YOU FIND THESE EMPLOYEES? THIS ONES AMAZING! SO CUTE THE GRAND EMPLOYEE, THE GOD EMPLOYEE, THE KING EMPLOYEE At that moment, the chat was filled with nothing but warm welcomes for Magia. But todays stream had attracted a ton of MongMongsMomos fans, who primarily followed Battle Colosseum. The phrase Signal Flare started popping up a few times in chat. And just as Do-hee had planned, it wasnt long before a donation message rolled in. :: An anonymous donor has contributed 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Wait... Employee Ds username...? :: That was when everyones gaze shifted. For the first time, they noticed the ID occupying the third player slot. < 3p: Human Signal Flare Kim Fireworks > One of the most infamous names in Battle Colosseum. The notorious troll known for terrorizing Momos games. And now, everyone could see it. ? ?? Huh? Wait, what? My brain just short-circuited. ??? SIGNAL FLARE...? BRO, WHY ARE YOU HERE?! Chapter 12 Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [?????????????????????????????] Am I dreaming right now? A few days ago, the Battle Colosseum forum was full of rumors about Signal Flare being a woman. And I was sitting there, laughing my ass off, going, "Idiots, it''s obviously just voice chat trickery. How are you falling for this? LMAO." But it was real? Signal Flare is actually a woman? Her voice is stupidly my type, but I cant help getting pissed because Ive run into this damn woman too many times as an enemy. Every time, I got my head blown off by those damn double-barrels. (Ma-tak emoji)@@ents] Parallel831: Damn, thats a reward. Parallel091: Oh, you got rewarded for all that suffering? Parallel425: Someone get this guy a mod badge. Parallel152: Wasnt the Battle Colosseum forum literally just a support group for people getting their asses kicked by some elementary schooler yesterday? LMAO ? Parallel315: Dude, barely any MongMongs hang out there. ? Parallel315: Most of them didnt even watch Find Rain, thats why. ? Parallel315: If they had, theyd be losing their minds right now like, Wait, YOU were YOU?! ? Parallel914: For real. You only see what you know. As expected from the Momo Gallery post that just went upchat was going insane the moment they saw Magias username: "Human Signal Flare Kim Fireworks." The reactions were mixed. First, there were the social butterfliesthe only VTuber they cared about was Rain. These were the newcomers who had discovered Rain after she featured on a track for last seasons Show Me the Rhyme runner-up. Their reactions were lukewarm. What the hell is Signal Flare, you weebs? Here they go again, getting excited over their niche nonsense. Is this about a game? There was a Signal Flare in Battle Colosseum? Next, there were the Battle Colosseum junkies who followed both Momo and Rain. These were the ones who praised Momo during her own streams, then facepalmed in Rains chat whenever she talked about Momos beyond atrocious gameplay. They were the kind of people who hated how bad Momo was at games but kept coming back for morelike addicts who couldn''t quit their fix. Naturally, they immediately recognized the infamous troll. HOLY SHIT LOL I FOUND THE LAST PIECE OF THE PUZZLE I thought that voice sounded familiar. Wait, so Employee D, Momos manager, AND Signal Flare were all the same person? WTF. Finally, there were the diehard first-gen fans who had tuned in purely because of Find Rain. They had zero interest in gaming discourse. Their only priority was forcing Magia to debut as a VTuber. It was like they had formed an entire Magia Debut Promotion Committee overnight. :: An anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Info: Signal Flare doesnt stream, but they have their own page on TreeWiki. :: Bro, I just checked, theres no page. WTF. Is this true?? Of course not, dumbass. :: An anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Her voice is cute, her impressions are spot-on, her rapping is fire, shes cracked at gamesDAMN IT, WHAT CANT YOU DO, EMPLOYEE D??? :: This dude is already simping. Damn, people are out here donating bone broth. The audience was fractured into distinct groups, like oil and water refusing to mix. And with Rain momentarily stunned into silence, the entire chat had basically devolved into a collective monologue. From an outsiders perspective, it looked like a sound issue or a stream malfunction. TreeWiki editors were already getting ready to add a new Incident section to Rains page. But in reality, this brief moment of silence was just Cheon Do-hee waiting. Waiting to see how Magia would react. ...So shes trying to just ride this out quietly. Even if she wasnt a streamer, she had to realizethis was the perfect timing to own the moment. Chat, donationsevery single message was about Signal Flare and Employee D. If she wanted to make a name for herself, there wouldnt be a better chance than right now. But Gia firmly believed she was below the VTubers of Parallel. Even with countless hands reaching out, it never occurred to her that they might be reaching out for her. ...Does she not realize that staying silent will just make the fire burn hotter? This woman was infuriatingly brilliant in the worst ways. Still, Do-hee had anticipated this outcome. She finally spoke up. "Okay. Im sure a lot of you have questions about our dear Employee Ds in-game username. If youve watched my streams, you already know, butyeah, it kinda just...turned out this way." :: An anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: So the rumors about Signal Flare becoming Momos manager were real?? :: :: An anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Wait, so she actually got locked in a basement to stop her from sniping Momo?? LOL :: "We didnt lock her upwe hired her as a manager. And she was good at her job, so we promoted her to staff." :: An anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: FREE EMPLOYEE D!! :: :: An anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: ???????????? Poor Employee D, trapped inside Parallel forever... ???????????? :: As the back-and-forth continued, a realization dawned on the audience. Wait. Shes got a sharp tongue. If she used to be a troll, does that mean she used to beat the crap out of the CEO, too? And so, curiosity sparked. :: An anonymous donor has contributed 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Be honest. You think the CEO is trash at games, dont you? :: Hey! Im not that bad! I still hit Gold before every season ends, right? [True. But... you do play like absolute garbage at the start of every season because you cant adjust to the meta.] ...What do you mean absolute garbage? [Youre dogshit at the start of every season. But Ill at least say youre better than Rain.] [What the Why am I catching strays all of a sudden?] Rain, shut up. You do suck. The fact that Im being compared to you is what really offends me. [Noooooo.] :: An anonymous donor has contributed 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Youre a Gold scrub. How are you even allowed to feel offended? :: LMAO Signal Flares probably Diamond at minimum. Now that I think about it, the fact that this adorable voice is the one running around with double-barrels is insane. Cuteness (Physical Damage). Do-hee was dead serious about Battle Colosseum, so that comment actually stung. ...So, Employee D Signal Flare. Are you gonna carry us today? And, of course, Gia took it just as seriously. [Its gonna be tough since Ive got two deadweights. But Ill try.] ...Theres only one deadweight, Employee D. [No, there are two.] [Wait. Am I the deadweight?] [Rain is ten times heavier than the CEO. Not in body weight, of course.] Her slight hesitation was all it took to set chat on fire. :: An anonymous donor has contributed 10,000 Clouds! :: :: ???: "Rain actually weighs 0.5 tons." :: 500kg??? Not even a 3-plate squat, shes just casually half a ton?? HUGE RAIN DAIMAXXXED. BAM! :: An anonymous donor has contributed 100,000 Clouds! :: :: So youre not a goddessyoure a forklift. It all makes sense now. No wonder you keep breaking keyboards. :: A FORKLIFT, LMAO. IM LOSING IT. Dammit, I laughed. My pride hurts. LOL. Bro, I just spat out my drink. It was a bit chaotic, but the dynamic had been fully established. Chat baited. Do-hee and Rain set up. Gia spiked it home. Sure, all the punches landed on Do-hee and Rain. But that was actually great for Do-hee. A streamer needed to be able to hit their audience... But they also had to take hits like a pro. Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [This is... an employee?] (a_lot_of_reflection.clip) (actually_i_hit_her.clip) (business_secret_?.clip) (forklift.clip) At first, she wasnt talking much. I thought, Yeah, shes a normal person. Maybe shes struggling a little. But the MOMENT Momo opened the floodgates, she turned into an absolute riot. Why the hell is this woman just doing office work??? If Momo doesnt make her a full-time streamer, I swear to god (Recommended: 351) (Disliked: 1) [Comments] Parallel155: Thought her voice was adorable at first. But now that I know shes Signal Flare, shes just straight-up a comedian. Parallel561: So this is the kind of person that becomes a troll, huh? LOL. Parallel415: I cant believe we only get to see this today. ? Parallel816: REEEEE FREE EMPLOYEE D!!! Parallel683: The more I think about it, the more pissed off I get. Lets go raid Momos stream. ? Parallel861: +1. ? Parallel251: (Agreed emoji) ? Parallel901: +200,000. ? Parallel009: If Momo doesnt bring her back after this, she should just quit streaming. Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [Attention, Momo, who is currently streaming] Release Employee D. If you do not comply, we will begin mass-posting cursed memes to Momo Gallery, Dora Gallery, Komari Gallery, Maru Gallery, and Rain Gallery every hour after the stream ends. Consider this your final warning. [Comments] Parallel716: Momos the one holding her hostage, so why do the mods have to suffer? ? Parallel536: Who said itd only be the mods? Parallel325: At least this gallery doesnt have . ? Parallel536: Yet. ? Parallel771: MODS, GET HIM!!! ? Parallel124: Yeah, I think Ill take a break from the forums for a few days. Chapter 13 As the brief conversation wrapped up, the team entered the practice range to warm up before the match. Do-hee glanced at the Parallel forum and smirked at the chaos unfolding. [This is... an employee?] [Attention, Momo, who is currently streaming] [Calm down, shes a civilian.] [|~~}}|{~] [Ive been crying every day without Employee Ds streams.] [Momo, just announce shes a second-gen member already.] [|~~}}|{~] [|~~}}|{~] [Corporate employee standards are insanely high...] [WiiiiiihahahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.] It was a bit early to bring it up, but looking at the mix of restraint, unhinged enthusiasm, and people flopping over in defeat... It was safe to say todays stream had already accomplished its goal. Sure, there were biochemical terror warnings floating around (which was just Parallel slang for mass shitposting threats). But in Do-hees experience, this was tame by comparison. Now, it was time to negotiate. This was the moment to make Gias scarcity clearto let the audience know that even if she ever changed her mind and debuted, for now, she was a protected employee. Before we start the match, I just want to say something. Employee D does a lot of work for the company. So please dont spam the other members streams demanding collabs, asking her to show up, or forcing them to let you hear her voice. Its exhausting for her, and its uncomfortable for the others. But when opportunities like this come up, well bring her along. So lets settle on that, yeah? Deal? Sounds fair. ???????????????????????????????? Ugh, that just makes me want her more. Why. Why. WHY ARE YOU A CORPORATE DRONE. [Corporate drone? Excuse you. This is the best workplace ever.] The funny thing wassomewhere along the way, Gia had completely adapted to the stream and started filling in the gaps with her own commentary. In professional termsshe had warmed up. She had no intention of becoming a streamer, but she was already a natural at knowing when to jump in and when to stay quiet. Initially, the conversation wouldve wrapped up with Gias last line. Now, she was starting to prolong the exchangesetting up her own assists. Oh, yeah? Best workplace ever? Wanna start working 16-hour shifts starting tomorrow? [I quit.] LOOOOOOL. She figured it out. Time to go full-time streamer. She saw the light. GET HER. [I was kidding. Im not quitting. I dont have anywhere else to go.] Yes, you dooooooooo! WERE RIGHT HERE, DAMN IT. THERE ARE PEOPLE OUTSIDE YOUR MONITOR!! JOIN US. Hehehe. Take it easy. Were not bad people, really. Of course, she immediately rejected every kind uncle trying to lure her in with metaphorical candy. That was what made her drive them insane. She seemed like shed be easy to convince. She looked like the type to fall for peer pressure. But then shed just stomp on their goodwill like a stubborn child going, "No!" Naturally, this only fueled their obsession. And, since Gia was obviously closest to Do-hee, where would all that jealousy go? Straight into exaggerating rumors about Do-hee. :: An anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Be honestknowing Momo, she probably slapped you the first time you met, right? No way she just let Signal Flare off the hook. LOL. :: She mustve pulled a knife on her and forced her into the company... The shocking dark truth behind this employment contract. Best workplace my ass, shes obviously been brainwashed. Agh, here we go again. But Giadespite being a menacewas also Do-hees most dedicated fan. It was like... Sure, she could talk shit about Do-hee. But if anyone else did, shed be pissed. [To be honest, CEO, I was actually terrified when I first met you. I thought you would be that kind of person. But you were super nice. So Im gonna stick around until the company dies.] Even with that rare high praise from Gia herself, Do-hee could only let out a tired laugh. That wasnt helping. If anything, it was making the rumors worse. Shes definitely brainwashed. BREAKING NEWS: Signal Flare found tied to an electric chair in Momos basement. I mean, she was a troll, but this is next-level. Was Gia being sincere? Or was she deliberately making things worse for Do-hee? There was no way to know. BOOM. BOOM. But the double-barrel shots ringing out around Do-hees character were definitely telling her something. No matter how much Gia had been socialized... She was still Signal Flare. And there was nothing she loved more than messing with Momo. ...Youre using double-barrels again today? [Why are you even asking? Of course I am.] Do-hee sighed in resignation. You said we were deadweight. Are you not gonna use any other weapons? [Why are you even asking? Of course Im not.] ...So, from now on, youre gonna stop bullying me and be a good person, right? A sharp question, trying to bait Gia into a slip-up. But her dodge was just as clean. [Nope.] LOOOOOOL. Shes never changing. What are these two even doing??? Theyre adorable. *** I started playing Battle Colosseum because of Momo. She threw herself into it with everything she hadscreaming, crying, laughing. I couldnt understand what could make her so emotional over a game. The ones who stripped down to their underwear and ran around the map at max speed, using only their heros movement buffs.The ones who deliberately killed teammates just to steal their lootthen revived them, just to do it again.The ones who acted like they were fighting, only to suddenly turn and shoot you in the back, stealing your kill at the last second.Double-barrel shotgun x2Grenades & smokes (preferably sticky grenades over frag grenades) Ohanother double-barrel. Perfect. Lacking smokes, but that can also be looted. It was about time for things to really start. And, sure enough, the radio station exploded. [AAAAAAAH CEO THESE FUCKERS WHAT THE HELL!!] [RAIN!! UPSTAIRS! GET TO THE ROOFTOPAH, SHIT, THEYRE DROPPING FROM THE ROOF TOO, WHAT THE HELL!!] [AAAAAAH. THEYRE INSANE. OH, OH GOD, IM HIT. CEO. PUNCH THEM. OH FU] The town I was in was about 200C300 meters from Factory. And yet, I could hear gunfire erupting like fireworks. RATATATATATATATATATATA Factory had been peaceful when we dropped. But that was before the zombie horde arrived. Because thats what this was. A stream sniping apocalypse. Rain was the worst player in history. If people kept her alive, shed grovel like they had saved her actual life. Momo was obsessed with winning. If people shot her up, shed rage like they had just killed her real family. And everyone wanted a piece of that reaction. Momos average Battle Colosseum viewership: 8,000 Todays collab peak: 15,000 A literal army of stream snipers. A zombie apocalypse. And I was letting them swarm. [EMPLOYEE D!! WHEN ARE YOU COMING?? BRING A CAR OR SOMETHING!!!] I repeated the same thing I had said earlier. Because I still wasnt ready to charge in. Instead, I told them what Lu? Bu told his allies when he was fashionably late to battle: Meet me at Sabondi Archipelago in fifteen minutes. [WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!?!] If Rain werent currently getting eaten alive, shed recognize the reference. But right now? She was a little busy. I kept looting. Final Item: Purple shield upgrade (one level below max) I was set. It was time to hunt. [Aaaaaaaaah.] [Rain, are you okay?!] [CEO!! IM GONNA DIE!!] [WHERE ARE YOU?!] [Mithird floorNO, 3RD FLOORIM TRAPPED!!] [JUST STAY ALIVE!! IM COMING!!] I took off running toward Factory. Sliding, sprintingcombining movement tech, the way veterans did. In the distance, I saw stream snipers moving in squads. Firing in unison. Turning the entire Factory into a bullet storm. Like an actual fireworks festival. Just for fun, I fired a test shot into the sky. BOOM. No reaction. They werent even looking at me. They were too busy hunting my teammates. Perfect. I slid down the hill. A sniper stood at the edge of a low cliff. I lined up my sights. BOOM. {{ Human Signal Flare Kim Fireworks >> (Headshot) iIIiiIIiIiIiIII }} Chapter 14 The double-barrel shotgun was one of the loudest weapons in Battle Colosseum, rivaling even the anti-materiel sniper rifle from random supply drops. But no matter how loud a gunshot was, it was easy to miss in the chaos of a battlefieldespecially for stream snipers who had to keep checking both their own position and the location of their favorite VTubers. BOOM! BOOM! {{ Human Signal Flare Kim Fireworks >> (Headshot) iIIiiIIiIiIiIII }} With two shots, one enemy fell. {{ Human Signal Flare Kim Fireworks >> momoMyomyoMyoMyoMyo }} {{ Human Signal Flare Kim Fireworks >> (Headshot) MomoPeachPeachMomoPeach }} {{ Human Signal Flare Kim Fireworks >> (Kill) iIIiiIIiIiIiIII }} {{ Human Signal Flare Kim Fireworks >> (Kill) momoMyomyoMyoMyoMyo }} {{ Human Signal Flare Kim Fireworks >> (Kill) MomoPeachPeachMomoPeach }} As three names instantly appeared on the kill feed, the viewerswho couldnt see Gias screenfinally caught on. Its started. Holy shit, did you see how fast she wiped that squad?! Damn LOL. This is what I call a signal flare. Her voice does NOT match this playstyle, WTF. I thought she was hacking for a second lmao. And if enemies were dying near Gia, that meant loot. [Ooh, Level 3 backpack. Jackpot.] LMAO. The CEOs getting murdered, but Employee D is just looting. Momos gotta want to punch her right now. Gias habit of mumbling while playing was getting broadcasted loud and clear And it made the situation even funnier. On one side, her teammates were screaming for their lives. On the other, she was casually stocking up. The contrast was insane.@@@@ Employee D?! Now is NOT the time to loot! Were literally about to die!!! [Its fine, CEO. I believe in you. Show them the power of your hard-earned battlefield experience.] [EMPLOYEE D, HLP! SAVE ME!!!] [Oh, a shield battery. Jackpot.] [AAAAAAAAHHH.] This sides playing a battle royale, that sides playing a survival horror, and Gias just playing a farming sim... Rains louder here than she was in her actual rhythm game stream. Even the kidnappers would get tired and let her go LOL. Momo, please turn Rains volume down... It looked like absolute chaos, but Gia was systematically taking down snipers. The more attention the streamers attracted, the more freedom she had to rampage. This was the unspoken agreement between her and Do-hee. CEO, you be the bait. Ill do the hunting. And if you fight back and kill a few yourself, thats fine too. {{ Human Signal Flare Kim Fireworks >> (Kill) ILikeMySenior }} {{ Human Signal Flare Kim Fireworks >> (Kill) VTuberLifeIsOver }} {{ Human Signal Flare Kim Fireworks >> (Kill) MyChickenIsCold }} The Pavlovian conditioning was so deeply ingrained that even as she was desperately fighting off enemies, Do-hee still found comfort in those kill logs. As long as she stayed alive, Gia would come save her. If there was ever a time to use the survival skills that Gia had drilled into her through Battle Colosseums worst torture matches, it was now. And Factory was the perfect place to hold out. A complex, multi-floor structure with rope ladders allowing for three-dimensional combat Her specialty. As long as she didnt mess up, she could stall for a long, long time. Honestly? It was all thanks to Gia. If she stayed in an open field, stream snipers would hear the double-barrel shots and swarm. So for survival, she had been forced to retreat into buildings. Wait, is Momo actually surviving longer than usual? Has she actually improved at this game??? But despite Do-hees surprising survival time, all eyes were still on Gia Because of her kill log. There were so many snipers flooding Factory that Gias speed-clearing an entire squad stood out even more. Holy shit, Employee Ds kill feed hasnt stopped for a second. How the hell does she wipe a squad and finish looting in under a minute?! How the fuck does she do this with just double-barrels??? Within just 10 minutes, the gunfire had significantly died down. - - Survivors: 55 - - Of the 35 people who had died, Gia had personally eliminated 17. Excluding the few that had killed each other or been picked off by Momo, The majority of deaths were all her doing. At this point, the viewers were dying to know. How the hell was she doing this? They could hear the occasional BOOM But other than that? Nothing. It was like watching an invisible war machine steamroll the battlefield. Shit. Rain, I think its time for you to die so we can get a perspective swap. This stream doesnt have a channel-change button, huh? Can we... make that happen? Basically, they were telling Rain to hurry up and die. And she was not happy about it. [Excuse me, Puddles. Just because I suck at this game doesnt mean you should tell me to die. Thats just... very sad. Isnt it?] It had been lighthearted so far. But then :: An anonymous donor has contributed 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Shit. My old-man spine is standing up straight again. :: :: An anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Been busy with real life, so I havent watched a VTuber in years, but damn. Todays stream makes me wanna come back. :: :: An anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Signal Flare, how could I ever forget you... :: As they reminisced about the past, I, too, was thinking about three years ago. After all, I loved hearing the CEO scream. [Employee D?! Has it not been five minutes yet?!] [FUCK! IT HURTS! STOP!!] [STOP, YOU FUCKERS!] [HOW MANY GODDAMN MOLOTOVS ARE YOU THROWING?!] I loved it when she called me a bastard. I loved it when she cussed me out. I loved it when she sighed the second she realized she was in a random queue with me. I loved it when she got forced into being my equipment and let out those raw, guttural screams. I loved it when she got so pissed off but still thanked me after I carried her to victory. I loved it in her streams. I loved it at work. I loved it in DMs. I loved it in chat channels. I loved how, no matter where or when I provoked her, she always reacted exactly the way I wanted. And most of all I loved it when I finally arrived to save her And she unleashed all her rage at me. CEO, Im almost there. Are you still alive? [LOOK AT MY FUCKING HEALTH BAR. WHAT DO YOU THINK?! ARE YOU TAUNTING ME RIGHT NOW?!] Ah, you got me. [DO YOU WANT TO FUCKING DIE?!] Yes. This was the sound I lived for. Thats workplace harassment. Threatening murder, huh? She came to help, and this is the thanks she gets LOL. :: An anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Signal Flare was just trying to help, CEO. :( :: [IF YOU WERE GONNA HELP, YOU SHOULDVE FUCKING HELPED 20 MINUTES AGO! HOW IS THIS MY FAULT?!] I snickered. Should I just turn around and leave, then? [ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!] You dont seem that desperate. [YOU BASTARD!!] EXCUSE ME, YOU NEED TO SAY PLEASE HELP ME FIRST. Say it nicely. Beg for it. Sometimes, When people feel too much happiness, They start mumbling things they dont really mean. And when it happens, Theyre so dazed that they dont even realize what theyve said. Like me. Right now. Hehe. Itd be nice if I could play with CEO like this every day. Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [This is a green light, right?] I was too focused on the stream to notice at the time, But after replaying it a few times, Its so obvious. (Hehe, itd be nice if I could play with CEO like this every day. Clip) If we interpret like this as collabing... Doesnt that mean she wants to keep appearing on Momos streams? (Hmm... emote.) (Ah-ha! emote.) Momo was blocking her from streaming. (Baseball bat emote.) Momo must take responsibility and make Employee D debut as a VTuber. [Comments] Parallel461: This kind of over-interpretation deserves an upvote. Parallel843: Im moved... Parallel735: How do we have such wise scholars in this thread? Parallel019: Should I make a pilgrimage here? ? Parallel810: Please help me ace my exams. ? Parallel904: Please make my stocks moon. ? Parallel161: Please turn me into a cute anime girl. ? Parallel351: ??? ? Parallel010: ??? Chapter 15 Unfortunately, we only won the first match. After tearing through everyones backs that first round, the stream snipers changed their tactics They started knocking Rain out first and tracking my every move. At that point, it was impossible. Even if you put a pro in my place, they wouldve given up too. No matter how hard I fought, it was a sheer numbers game. But honestly? I wasnt angry or anything. I did everything I could, And more importantly, I got to play with CEO for four whole hours. There was no way I could be in a bad mood. :: An anonymous donor has contributed 100,000 Clouds! :: :: Well see you again... right? :: Normally, I wouldnt respond to a donation like this, But today? I indulged them. We see each other every day in the same chat, you know? Oh. Wait, why is that true? LOL, no way. Damn, we really didnt think this through. So starting tomorrow, Ill go back to being just another viewer in the chat, like always. As the CEO said earlier, if the opportunity arises, we might meet again. Thank you for today, everyone. Please continue to support the CEO and the first-gen members. Ah... Goodbye, Employee D!! D-VA!! D-BA!! ?? D-VAAAA!! The CEO didnt add anything. It felt like a clean ending. At least, thats how I remembered it. But one week later, The smear campaign began. Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [Honestly, Signal Flares skill is overrated.] After the stream ended, all I heard was: Damn, that was insane. She carried the whole match. Incredible performance. Momo and Rain praised me non-stop. But actually? Momo held out REALLY well that match, too. Yeah, she died like an idiot afterward, but still. That first win wasnt just because of Signal Flare. Maybe they were overhyping her a little, huh? (Upvotes: 52) (Downvotes: 50) [Comments] Parallel901: Damn, youre persistent. Parallel731: Doesnt even matter LOL. ? Parallel731: Momos stubborn as hellshed never push someone who wasnt actually good. ? Parallel381: BUT YOU NEVER KNOW!!! Parallel812: Blind upvote. ? Parallel812: If shes so good, she should just stream and prove it. ? Parallel781: FR LOL. ? Parallel114: FR LOL. Parallel393: Dont diss Employee D. ? Parallel393: If it werent for her, the stream wouldve been ruined by snipers. ? Parallel571 (OP): Thats exactly my point. ? Parallel393: ? ? Parallel393: Oh. ? Parallel393: Yeah, she kinda sucked LOL. ? Parallel701: LMAOOOOOOOOOO. ? Parallel840: The instant betrayal LMFAO. ? Parallel715: He finally saw the truth. Even the guy defending me turned against me in the end. Was I really that bad? No, that didnt make sense. I carried that entire match while dragging two deadweights behind me. I played manager AND shot-caller AND hard carry. They all praised me when I was just fucking around in Momos streams, But the moment I streamed for real, they started tearing me down? Maybe... Maybe I didnt notice it myself, but... Maybe my skills really dropped when I got smaller. I never mentioned it, But my hands got smaller. And because I had to adjust to that, my endurance definitely dropped. Maybe my aim really was worse than usual. And because Battle Colosseum was one of the few things I took seriously, I couldnt stop thinking about it. Thats why, even after work, I spent more time grinding ranked than usual. Not because I wanted to prove myself to anyone. Just because I wanted to make sure Was I actually bad? I even stopped watching my usual Kirinuki clips And focused solely on improving. And then, after grinding match after match [(Team) TandooriChickenTandooriTime: Youre actually overrated.] [(Team) SpacePirateNylonMusk: ...?] [(Team) SpacePirateNylonMusk: Do I know you?] [(Team) TandooriChickenTandooriTime: Arent you Signal Flare?] [(Team) SpacePirateNylonMusk: What the fuck.] [(Team) TandooriChickenTandooriTime: So you admit you sucked this match?] [(Team) SpacePirateNylonMusk: ???] (Team member TandooriChickenTandooriTime has left the game.) Suddenly, I was getting shit-talked in-game, too. The problem? It wasnt just one guy. Completion: Next monthQuality & polygon count approvedNo issuesSample received from the label Exceeded expectationsMembers are training hardRecording scheduled in 3 weeksAd banner design finishedWaiting for external companys final site traffic test ? Rain Still grinding Battle Colosseum Iron rank ? Maru Some new puzzle game ? Komari Ranked League ? Dora ...Huh. Dohee blinked. Then checked again. Then checked again. It still said Pandemic Village. ...A horror game? The latest entry in the globally popular Pandemic series A masterpiece of survival horror mixed with FPS elements. A bit gory, but not a problem with an age restriction. The real issue was that Dora was playing a horror game. Dohee glanced at the clock, Then called Gia. Ring. Ring. Ring. Nearly a full minute passed before it was about to switch to voicemail. Then, finally [...Yaaawn... Hello?] A soft, sleepy voice. Even groggy, she still sounded adorable. Dohee thought, truly, a voice blessed by the heavens. And then she spoke. Gia. Doras playing a horror game today. Gia yawned again, then mumbled. [...Mmm. Should I... handle it at HQ later?] "Yaaawn." Even after showering, the yawns wouldnt stop. Maybe I shouldnt have played so long last night. I wrapped a towel around my still-damp hair, flopped onto my bed, And checked Doras Z-feed. Akari Dora ? @Akari_Dora - 5 minutes ago Guys, lets negotiate. Akari Dora ? @Akari_Dora - 1 minute ago How about we play something else instead of a horror game? Hmm? Please? Yup. She got hit with the punishment. Dora had the worst punctuality out of the first-gen members. So she made a deal Every 10 times she was late, Shed let viewers pick a horror game as punishment. ...She already hit ten? Its only been two months. Technically, office hours were 3 PM to midnight. But whenever Dora played a horror game, I always stayed behind. She tried to be careful, But her natural clumsiness meant she kept banging into equipment whenever she got scared. And since she had zero technical knowledge, If anything broke, she couldnt fix it herself. And when a stream gets delayed because of technical issues? Viewers get pissed. Its like watching a big esports match that keeps getting paused. Even if the casters try to stall, Too much downtime kills the mood. A few weeks ago, Dora had a major audio interface failure mid-stream. It looked like a quick fix on the surface, But it had actually butchered her live viewership. Some people suggested that if we were so worried, We should just station a staff member at her house. But come on. There was no way we could send a male staffer to wait inside a womans house for hours just because we were scared of technical issues. ...Wait a second. I tilted my head. Looked in the mirror. Checked my reflection. A cute girl who had just taken a shower stared back at me. If thats the problem... I muttered. ...Doesnt that mean I could wait at her house? Chapter 16 Gia called Do-hee on her way to work. So... youre saying youre going to wait at Doras apartment today? [Yes.] It was a surprising move for Do-hee, as Magia had never suggested anything like this before. She had been serving as the general manager overseeing the first-generation members for over a year under Cheon Do-hees directive. And yet, she had never personally met with them for meals or built any private friendships with them. Even when she collaborated with Rain, standing on the same stage without hesitation, she still saw herself as nothing more than Lighting Fixture No.1 on that stage. That attitude hadnt changed at all. Just as she treated Do-hee as her CEO at the companythough she had become a little cheekier lately, she was still excellent at following ordersshe maintained the same professional distance with the first-gen members, seeing them strictly as idols she needed to support. Even just looking at their recent chat logs made that clear. [Rain: Gia Gia Gia Gia Gia Gia Gia] [Parallel Operations Team - Magia: Yes.] [Rain: Dinner today? Yes?] [Parallel Operations Team - Magia: No.] [Rain: WHY?] [Dora: Dont be like that, Ill just pretend my equipments broken.] [Dora: Lets all meet up at my place, hahaha.] [Parallel Operations Team - Magia: Please keep that kind of talk out of group chats Im in.] [Dora: Hng.] [Rain: LOLOLOLOLOL are you dumb?] [Dora: What are you even saying, you forklift?] [Rain: Ill kick your ass.] [Dora: (sticking tongue out emoji)] [Komari: ??] [Komari: Gia, you dont want to hang out with us, do you?] [Parallel Operations Team - Magia: No stealth guilt-tripping.] [Komari: So mean.] [Parallel Operations Team - Magia: Just pick a game for tomorrow already.] [Komari: (puffed cheeks emoji) (pouting emoji)] [Komari: (crying waterfall emoji)] [Parallel Operations Team - Magia: Pick a game for tomorrow, attempt #2.] [Komari: ??] [Dora: Mari, come here, big sis will hug you.] [Komari: Big sisssssss.] [Maru: I mean, well just see each other at work anyway, right?] [Maru: Why are you all so desperate to meet up earlier?] [Komari: Whoa, true.] [Komari: Our first-anniversary motion capture is next week, right?] [Rain: WHAT THE] [Rain: Maru, are you a genius?] [Maru: Ahem.] [Parallel Operations Team - Magia: Then Ill take that day off.] [Parallel Operations Team - Magia: Its a full group break anyway.] [Maru: Excuse me?] [Rain: ??????] [Parallel Operations Team - Magia: Please dont swear.] [Rain: park you.] This was exactly why Gia wasnt someone you could just pull in closer by tugging harder. Some people joke that playing tug-of-war with a wall is pointless, and trying to get Gia to join in on their fun felt exactly like that. Even if one member took a break, the others would still stream. Even if all the first-gen members rested, Momowho was practically an honorary employeewould still be streaming, which meant Gias primary job of monitoring never stopped. If the first-gen members really wanted to push, they could force it. Gia was small and cute, after all. Aside from Komari, who was around 150 cm, the rest of them could easily overpower her. And yet, despite the size difference, none of them dared to pounce on Gia outright. After all, how often do you find someone willing to rush over in the middle of the night to fix your streaming setup? And it wasnt just about the technical issues. When they struggled to pick a game, Magias recommendations were always eerily on point. She knew the entire history of their streams and could instantly pinpoint games they hadnt played in a while, selecting them like a perfect kill pass. On top of that, she constantly gave off Im the designated introvert of the group energy, so if they kept pushing and she decided to quit because she was uncomfortable? That would just make things awkward for everyone. Everyone knew how much CEO Cheon Do-hee valued Magia, so getting on her bad side would be career suicide. So, today as well, the first-gen members would just have to keep watching from the sidelines, unable to close the distance between them and Magia... Or so they thought. But now, out of nowhere, Magia herself had volunteered to go. Do-hee started listing off all the excuses Magia had given her in the past. You sure about this? If youre there, you wont be able to monitor the other streams properly. [Ill bring my phone and tablet.] You always complain that the screens too small. [Well, its good practice to learn how to work from anywhere, right? You never know when I might need to go on another broadcast, just like you said.] The moment she heard that, Do-hee immediately understood Magias thought process. She had always considered herself an employee, someone beneath the first-gen members. So, she couldnt freely come and go in their personal spaces like a friend. But maybe, after streaming with Rain, Gia had started to realize Have I been keeping too much distance from them this whole time? Of course, Magias mind was a black hole of unpredictability, so trying to guess what she was thinking was meaningless. Oh, yeah. Thats right. Be careful on your way. I talked to the CEO, and Ill be staying here tonight. Huh? She only mentioned contacting the managers. Well... that was the plan, but I figured itd be better if I stayed. Ive covered for you before when you took time off for hospital visits. Right. Whenever I absolutely had to take a day off, the team leader would push back some of her own work to handle my monitoring duties. Since it only happened once or twice a year, she was always the one to suggest it. The last time I left my work in her hands was when I caught COVID, wasnt it? ... Yeah. That time seriously felt like I was about to die. I was lost in thought, recalling the start of the year, when my team leader gently nudged me toward the office exit. Hurry up and go. Dont worry about things here. Ill only call if its something I really cant handle. Kang Ji-ho laughed softly as she walked me all the way to the office entrance. Just as I was about to leave, I paused for a moment and said, Make sure to lock the office door at night. And when you leave, ask the security guard to walk you out. Call a taxi in advance, too. The area was surrounded by office buildings, so by the time I finished work, everything became eerily quiet. Sometimes, the atmosphere could be overwhelming. Thats why I gave her the warning, but... For some reason, my team leader just chuckled and ruffled my hair. Sniff... got it. Thanks, Gia. ... Why is she laughing? I was being serious. Still, I bowed politely and left. By the time I stepped outside, a message from Dora had popped up. [Dora: For real?] [Dora: Youre actually coming, Gia?!] [Dora: Holy crap.] [Dora: I feel like I just gained Heavenly Mommas blessing.] ... She meant Heavenly Thousand Horses. But Doras ditzy charm was part of her appeal, so I let the typo slide. Sure, a dumb character developing into a genius can be fun, but Dora had a habit of suddenly being randomly brilliant when people least expected it. She was best left as the cheerful fool she was now. There was a reason fans constantly said, Please, just grow up healthy. [Dora: Oh] [Dora: When are you getting here?] [Me: I got in a taxi.] [Me: Ill be there in 20 minutes.] [Dora: Oh] [Dora: Uh, sorry, but...] [Dora: Can you come in an hour instead?] [Dora: My room is a total disaster right now ???????] Last time, when her audio interface broke, she panicked and opened the door without thinking. But now that she had time to prepare, she was clearly embarrassed to let me see the mess. Clothes scattered everywhere, unused exercise equipment doubling as a lingerie rack, neatly stacked empty bottles of water and alcohol... Not exactly the kind of scene she wanted her fans to imagine. It wasnt like her audience didnt know she was messy, but hearing about it and witnessing it were two completely different things. The moment reality set in, the illusion would come crashing down. That said, it was actually better for Dora to leave things as they were. Even if she cleaned up everything else, she absolutely could not touch her computer setup. There was no way I was letting expensive equipment get damaged under my watch. If something broke, Id have to submit another budget request. [Me: Okay, Ill time it for an hour.] [Me: But dont touch the soundproof booth.] [Me: The moment you do, were at war.] Chapter 17 It was a twenty-minute trip, but since I needed to stall for forty, I stopped by a cafe? near Doras place. Shed probably be parched after cleaning, so I figured Id grab her a drink while I waited. I had plenty to do in forty minutes. Being outside the office meant I could finally watch native highlight clips without worrying about someone looking over my shoulder. So, after a grueling forty minutes of holding back laughter in a corner of the cafe? to preserve my dignity as a working adult, I grabbed a peppermint teaDoras favoriteand headed to her apartment. [Me: Im here.] But when I arrived at her door, there was no immediate response. I pressed my ear against the door, just in case CRASH. THUNK. CLATTER. The unmistakable sounds of plastic falling and rolling echoed from inside. I told her to clean, not demolish her apartment. She wouldnt have messed with the soundproof booth, would she? I rang the doorbell. Ding-dong. Still no response. This time, I knocked firmly. Knock knock knock knock knock. Unfortunately, my hands were small, so the sound came out just as tiny. It was loud enough to be heard over the commotion inside, but there was still no reply. Was she wearing headphones? Not long ago, she had posted about buying a fancy new pair, saying that connecting them to her sound card was like stepping into a whole new world. Ever since I became cute, I kept running into situations like this. But this was my job on the line, so it was a little more concerning. "As long as she doesnt touch the computer, it should be fine." She probably wouldnt. Then again, I suddenly remembered a chat from a few days ago... [Dora: Dont be like that, Ill just pretend my equipment is broken.] [Dora: Lets all meet up at my place, hahaha.] [Parallel Operations Team - Magia: Please keep that kind of talk out of group chats Im in.] [Dora: Hng.] ... It should be fine. Dora had moments of genius, but would she really go this far just to get me to come over? "Maybe I should just wait ten minutes." Even when she was late to streams and made a dramatic fuss about taking her punishment, it was never more than five or ten minutes.@@@@ Two more highlight clips, and she should be done. It was cold outside, but since this was a self-contained apartment complex, the elevator hall was indoors. I folded my coat into a makeshift cushion and crouched in a corner of the hallway next to her door. The floor was chilly, but the buildings ventilation system kept the hallways warm. After watching two clips, the chaotic cleaning noises inside finally stopped. Almost as if on cue, my phone rang. I swiped to answer while knocking on the door. "I''m outside." [Ahhh, Im so sorry...! I was blasting music through my headphones and didnt hear my phone...] "Its fine. Open the door." I dusted off my coat as I waited, andbeep!the door lock clicked open. Dora appeared in the doorway, looking a bit disheveled. Thankfully, she was wearing dolphin shorts this time. The first time I visited, she had sprinted out in just her underwear, nearly giving me a heart attack. "Sorry for not seeing your messages right away... Did you wait long?" After locking the door behind me, I muttered with a blank expression, "Not really. More importantly, Im just relieved youre wearing pants." "Ughhh, I told you to forget about that! And it wasnt underwear, it was pants-less fashion!" "Either way, you werent wearing pants." "Uuu..." Uuu, my ass. She wasnt even wearing a long top that time. If someone else had seen her like that before I did... I didnt even want to think about it. Since she had claimed to clean, I glanced around. Sure enough, the place looked tidier than my last visit. The only suspicious thing was a moving box sitting in the middle of the living room. I should brace myself. I added your soda. Thank youuuu... Hehe. Since I had already placed Doras order, I figured I should pick something for myself too. I backed out to the main screen and searched for pizza. Dora, who had been peering over my shoulder, immediately asked, Huh? Youre not getting steak with me? Im in the mood for pizza today. I had just suggested ordering separately, but Dora mumbled to herself, looking conflicted. Now that you mention it... I kinda want pizza too. What about the steak? ...Sorry. Can you cancel it? Now? You dont have to cancel. Why not just get both? Ugh. Im not a pig. I cant eat that much. Ill eat too. Dora wordlessly placed her hand on top of my head. As if that matters~ Youll just eat one slice and say youre full. Then she grinned at me. Ah. She was counterattacking. I called her a tiny dumbass earlier, so now she was taking a jab at me for eating like a sparrow. She wasnt wrong. Ever since I shrunk, my portions had naturally dropped to about half of what they used to be. But challenging me to a petty comeback battle? How naive. I was immune to short jokes. I should ask your YouTube editor to make a highlight compilation of your hiccup fails. You...! Despite being way taller than me, she puffed out her cheeks in protest. It was kind of cute. Since she kept reacting, I couldnt help but tease her. It was the same when dealing with the CEOif someone treated me casually, my inner troll instinctively kicked in. But I was still her manager, and this was technically work. I needed to dial it back a little. Kidding. Anyway, what kind of pizza do you want? Well order both steak and pizza, and whatevers left, you can pack for later. Dora, who had been seconds away from bursting, immediately deflated. Ill just eat whatever you pick. I already got what I wanted with the steak, hehe. She was going to regret that. Without hesitation, I completed the order and showed her my choice. Dora took one look at my screen and recoiled in horror. Never mind. I dont want pizza anymore. Hearing that actually pissed me off. What the hell was wrong with pineapple pizza? *** Dora (VTuber) Gallery [Wait, is there a collab today?] View on Z Akari Dora ? @Akari_Dora - 1 min ago (Photo) How can anyone eat something as vile as pineapple pizza? ???? Dora almost never posts food pics unless shes collabing. [Comments] Dora185: Did she invite Komari? ? Dora351: Nah, Komaris in ranked games all day. She cant join. ? Dora351: And Komari hates Hawaiian pizza. Dora874: I dont think she has anyone to collab with today. ? Dora716 (OP): Thats why Im asking. ? Dora716 (OP): The CEO is streaming tonight too. Dora (VTuber) Gallery [I have uncovered the truth.] LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL This is true domain expansion. No, but seriously, I never would''ve guessed she was a pineapple pizza person. ???????????? [Comments] Dora185: What the f***, tell me too. Dora157: This dude is laughing. Dora951: Hey, you too? ? Dora363 (OP): You too? ? Dora910: Reported for clique behavior. ? ????Dora1: Hey, you guys too? ? ????Dora01: Mod, you too? ? Dora240: Even the admin? ? Dora932: Are we pretending we dont know? ? Dora910: ????????? Chapter 18 Dora devoured both steaks in record time but ignored the accompanying salad and vegetables, shoving them straight into the fridge. Only then did she finally retrieve the peppermint tea I had bought her from the freezer and take a long sip. Ahhh, perfectly chilled. Im full, refreshedthis is amazing. I pushed my pizza toward her, the colorful fruit chunks on top making it look extra appetizing. You really wont even try one slice? I eat food, not abominations. Hehehe. Its delicious. As I quietly chewed through my second slice, Dora, clearly waiting for me to finish, wandered over to the giant beanbag in the living room and collapsed onto it. Giaaa, look. Im about to explode. She lazily drummed her full stomach like a satisfied idiot. But at 171cm, she wasnt exactly a harmless fool. With me stuck at 140cm, she was literally more than a head taller. She was sprawled out, giggling like a happy fool, but in reality, she was a predatorlike her streaming persona, the Red Dragon. This was exactly why the CEO had left our very expensive team leader to cover my duties in the monitoring room. Once Dora got her claws on me, I wasnt escaping. Dont lie down too much. Youll fall asleep. You should start prepping for your stream soon. Dora shot upright and grinned at me from across the table. When you finish eating. ...Are you planning to be late again? I wont be late. Theres still a whole thirty minutes before I go live. You should prep early so you dont break your equipment. Uuuuugh. My equipment doesnt break because I dont prep. She huffed, but she kept glancing at me, licking her lips like she had something else to say. If you have a request, just ask. If I can help, I willafter I finish eating. The moment I said that, Dora immediately leaned forward, resting her chest and elbows on the table as she brought her face inches from mine. ...Can you play the horror game with me? Just like that, her smug expression melted into something pitiful. If I rejected her, she looked ready to start crying on the spot. At least she hadnt tried to pull a Komari and invite me onto her lap. Or outright grab me the way she did when she got scared. She might be treating me more like a friend now, but there was still a bit of distance left between us. Which was surprising. Dora was infamous among the first-gen members as the Hug Demon. She tackled Komari without hesitation. Even Rain and Maru never escaped once she got them in her grip. She did restrain herself a little in public, but every time she visited another members place, she apparently latched onto someone like a koala. If she saw me as a fellow first-gen, she wouldve just picked me up and dragged me to the soundproof booth. ...This remaining distance? Not bad. After all, I was here to work, not to play with a friend. I can stay with you, but I wont be much help on stream. ...Thats fine. As I silently admired the CEOs foresight in leaving my duties with the team leader, I nodded. Fine. Ill go with you after I finish eating. Yay! Doras face, which had been moments away from turning blue, instantly lit up. The way she looked like she had just been revived from death was a bonus. ...Wait. Are you okay with it, though? Komari didnt mind because shes fearless, but this is a horror game... Tonights stream was Pandemic Villagea survival horror game. Meaning, yeah, monsters would pop out to startle the player... But you also got weapons to fight back. Which meant it didnt count as horror to me. I had a gun? I could kill the monsters?@@@@ ...Then what was there to be scared of? Im fine. Are you five? Bro, what is this childish teasing. Wow, shes actually withholding info. Doesnt matter, we ALL know Employee D is cute. Oh? You think you know? That means you dont know. Dora smirked. You guys dont even realize how cute your precious Rain is. OKAY THATS JUST A LIE BRO SHUT UP WHAT ARE YOU EVEN SAYING :: Anonymous donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: By that logic, why dont you just say the CEO is cute too? :: Kawaii-style industrial fish filleting master LOOOOOOOL No ones saying shes scary or anything but Yeah, no. Dora was undeniably an idiot. She constantly butchered spelling, often spoke without thinking, and sometimes felt more like a clueless child than a grown adult. And yet, the moment the stream started, she became a pro. She could have answered truthfully. Instead, she deliberately twisted the conversation and dragged the viewers into a wrestling ring of debate. This was Doras brand of unpredictable genius She seemed like someone whod make careless mistakes, but the moment she was live, she became as solid as stone. :: Anonymous donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: My theory: Employee D is actually a super kawaii anime girl IRL, and thats why shes being hidden. :: Hmmm~ Even if thats true, you guys will NEVER get to see. Because shes too precious, and Im keeping her all to myself~ Hehehe. UUUUUUUUUU UUUUU Monopoly is ILLEGAL That was also just stream banter. If I were really that precious, I wouldnt be here in the first place. But since Dora framed me as a cute, mysterious employee, the audience just accepted that as the reality. :: Anonymous donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: So, is Employee D like Jemari? Does she make cute reactions while playing horror games too? :: KYAAAAAAAAAA OMGGGGGG I NEED TO KNOW PLS SCREAM ONCE FOR US Thats actually a good question tho lol Classic. Koreans couldnt resist baiting people into proving themselves. Not a bad attempt. But see, Pandemic Village wasnt even scary. Because One Hour Later I was experiencing true horror. HUUUUUUAAAAAHHHH, WHAT DO I DOOOO. HUUUUAAAAHH. DIE, DIEEEEEEEEEEE! WHY IS SHE STILL ON THE FIRST BOSS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, JUST AIM. AIM. JUST AIM. (facepalm emoji) (facepalm emoji) (facepalm emoji) (facepalm emoji) (red face emoji) (red face emoji) (red face emoji) (red face emoji) MY TEETH ARE GRINDING I had never seen someone play a horror game like this before. It was truly a rare and valuable sight, only possible because I was sitting right beside Dora. I thought she just panicked, flailed, and caused equipment failures. But in reality She wasnt even looking at the screen. The way she played She got scared, turned her head away, flailed her arms wildly, and just randomly fired her gun without even checking her aim. To the stream, it just looked like shaky panic aim. But the truth? She wasnt even looking at the enemy. Whenever a monster appeared, she physically averted her gaze, blindly waved her mouse around, and mashed the trigger. This was beyond just being bad at games. This was a new level of survival instinct. Even worseher right hand was the real threat. She kept shifting too much, nearly colliding with the broadcast setup. She was dangerously close to knocking over expensive equipment. Wait. If she moves any further The audio interface is right there No, no, NO, NOT THAT WAY CRASH. Chapter 19 Luckily, the equipment didnt breakyet. Since Dora was blindly shooting without aiming, there was no way her bullets could actually hit the boss. She died almost instantly, leading to a Game Over before any real disaster could strike. If any of the equipment had broken, I wouldve had to submit a purchase request over a sad McMorning breakfast, Dora would have to write an incident report, and the stream would be ruined. People assumed expensive gear was durable, but even a $1,000 smartphone could shatter from a single bad drop. Electronics were fragile as hell. If Dora kept flailing around like this, it was only a matter of time before something did break Honestly, the mouse cable was probably the first thing that would go. Leaning in close, I whispered quietly into her ear. Say you need to use the bathroom and mute your mic. Huuh... huuuhhh.... I wanna go to the bathroom... huuuh.... Go ahead. Yeah, take your time. BRB, getting a drink. Bro, I nearly choked on my food from laughing. HOW does her aim shake that much?! This is legendary. :: Anonymous donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: I dont have dental insurance for this. TT :: Once the mic was off, I turned to Dora. I figured out why things always go wrong when you play horror games. Sniffling, she wiped her teary eyes with her sleeve and blew her nose into a tissue. ...What is it? Its your habits while playing. My habits? I pulled up the recording I had taken earlier and played it for her. The footage showed her whipping her head left and right while her right hand scrubbed across the desk like she was mopping the floor. Dora stared at the screen, completely dumbfounded. ...Do I really look like that when I play? Yes. Its incredible. NO, IT ISNT!!! Now that we had identified the problem, it was time to fix it. ...What are you doing? From behind her chair, I grabbed her head and held it firmly in place. You keep looking away and flailing your arms. If I hold your head steady, your mouse wont go flying all over the place. We could move the equipment further away, but I had already positioned everything at a safe distance ages ago. After multiple incidents, I had arranged it so that Dora wouldnt touch anything while still making it easy for me to access. So rather than rearranging things again, the simplest solution was just to physically restrain her. This is impossible! I cant move properly!! If its too scary, do you want to end the stream? UGH. I can still stream without doing this, you know?! But youll just cause another equipment issue. This is the best way. Uuuugh.... As her break dragged on, chat started getting rowdy. Whered she go lol Did she RUN? Hello? I KNEW shed eventually bail on a horror game lmao Legend. Did she just abandon the stream? Abandoning your team, Hatchling?! Sighing, Dora scowled at the screen. ...Fine, Ill just try keeping my head straight and my arms under control. Its scary, though. Can you handle it alone? Ugh. Can you... maybe help a little differently...? She hesitated, glancing between the chat and me. Then, in a barely audible voice, she mumbled, ...This might sound weird, but its not for any other reason, its just to feel more secure... Can I put you on my lap? There it was. Id been waiting for this. It was only a matter of time. And now that shed said it, a memory resurfaced Right. When Komari had been with her, the stream had gone perfectly fine. The stream had been a while ago, and I had been too stunned by Doras antics to connect the dots earlier. If we do that, will you stop flailing around? Dora pouted but nodded. Fine, then. I wasnt the type to waste time dancing around a perfectly functional solution. It would be weird to be wrapped up like a younger sibling, but if it worked, then whatever. Alright. Lets do it. As soon as I hopped onto her lap, Dora carefully wrapped her arms around me. Since motion tracking wouldnt work in this position, she switched her Live2D model to a static panel. Chat instantly caught on. It finally happened. This setup is STRONG. This was how she cleared it last time too lol. Thank god, my teeth might be salvageable now. After watching the VTuber scene for so long, she could already predict what Magia would think the moment she saw a commissioned model: "Oh, Im debuting, huh?" Magia was the kind of employee who firmly believed that if someone invested in her, she had to return that value. Even if the most devoted members of the Magia Love Cult presented her with a model as a "gift," she would refuse it outright. Because, in her own words, "Im not someone who should have fans." As Do-hee was finishing her thoughts, Dora had just completed Chapter 2 of the game and was taking her last break before diving into the much-anticipated Chapter 3. [Chullinis, I need a bathroom break and some water... Why is this game so long? This is insane. Its like a mountain of rice...] GOTY, right? No wonder it won an award 95% Very Positive on Steam, and you still doubted it? LMAO Honestly, you shouldve been halfway through Chapter 3 by now, but you got stuck in the early areas, so... lol Dora was supposed to be heading to the bathroom. But then Bzzzzzt. [Dora: Boss] [Dora: Are you asleep?] [Dora: I figured youd be done streaming by now, so I messaged you.] She had timed her message perfectly, right when Do-hee had ended her stream. In fact, Do-hee had been planning to watch for another five minutes before heading to bed. [Me: Im not asleep. Why?] [Dora: Can I draw a fanart of Gia?] ...Out of nowhere? [Me: You havent drawn anything in a while.] [Dora: Yeah, but I really appreciate everything Gia did today. She showed up first and did everything I asked, so I want to do something in return. ???] [Dora: If she hadnt come, todays stream wouldve been a disaster.] [Me: Oh, so this is your way of paying her back?] The logic made sense. To Dora, Magia had been an absolute lifesaver today. [Dora: But I dont really have anything I can give her.] [Dora: And sending money as thanks feels weird.] [Dora: So I thought I could draw her something instead.] [Dora: I mean, I am good at drawing, hehe.] The drowsiness that had been creeping up on Do-hee vanished instantly. Because an instinctual curiosity began to stir inside her. ...What happens when a VTuber offers tribute to Magia? [Me: Ask Gia first and let me know what she says.] [Dora: Okay!] Magias Response? She answered without a second thought. Sure. Huh. Really? Yeah. Its not like I have a reason to refuse. As expected, Magia would have rejected a gift from fans. Saying she didnt deserve it, of course. But Dora wasnt a fan. In fact, even though it didnt seem like it, she technically outranked Gia. And it wasnt like Dora was bad at drawing, either. She hadnt had time to draw properly lately, but when she did, her work was professional-levelgood enough to sell. The idea of seeing her own chibi self in 2D... To say she wasnt curious would be a lie. Ill make you look super cute! So if you ever appear on stream again, you have to use my drawing, okay? Hehe. But that was a conversation for later. Dora was still streaming, and the viewers were waiting. Magia quickly nodded. Fine, now go finish your stream. Your viewers are waiting. Oh, just one more message Who are you always texting in the middle of your stream? Boss! Its Boss! [Dora: Gia said yes!] [Dora: She really liked the idea, hahaha.] [Dora: She even said shed use it on stream later!] [Dora: Im going to make it extra cute~] Do-hee stared at her phone in disbelief. "She actually accepted?" With that, the fate of 2,000 viewers was sealed. And she had just involuntarily accepted another responsibility. A future broadcast appearance... and VTuber support duty. Convincing fans wouldnt be hard. After all, whenever a VTubers family or friends appeared on stream, it was an unspoken industry rule to give them matching illustrations to fit into the shared universe. But now that Gia had a model... and she had agreed to use it... This was a turning point. Would Magia continue as a behind-the-scenes employee? Or step onto the stage? Either way, that decision was now up to Magia. Yawning, Do-hee decided it was a problem for another day. For now, she let herself drift into sleep. Chapter 20 4 AMFour Hours After Doras Last Break. And the eighth hour since she had started Pandemic Village. Finally, from within the soundproof booth, a triumphant cry burst forth. I BEAT IT!!! KyaaAAAAAAA FINALLYyyyyyyyy My teeth are SHATTERED, you gotta pay for thissss Holy crap, she did it Dora wins! Dragon Sis takes the crown!!!!! She actually cleared it, lmao Dora had finally managed to clear the game after thirteen attempts against the final boss. She was supposed to continue dubbing the story like usual. But she was so overwhelmed by emotion that she couldnt even speak through her tears. Hhhhuuuuuhh, hhhhuuuuuuuuuh, hiiiiiiiiiic. :: :: Anonymous has donated 100,000 Clouds! :: :: :: :: In celebration of the clear! :: ::@@@@ Of course, her reaction to the donation was anything but human. Hhhuoohiihee... iyeooo hooaaheh, hiaaaouuuu... SAY WORDS, LOL Bro, if someone walked in, theyd think she won an Olympic gold medal What is this, lmaooo Is this a reaction or just crying? This is why I cant quit watching Dragon Sis play horror games, lmao It was cute, sure. But with a $100 donation, some people might complain about the half-hearted reaction. So, I took the gibberish she was babbling and translated it for the chat. Normally, Id wait for her to calm down, but after witnessing her struggle firsthand, I didnt want any misunderstandings to spread. And if I ignored it, Id have to step in later to clean up the drama, delaying my departure for home. Hhhuuuhhh, Anonymous has donated one hundred thousand Clouds, I translated flatly. LOL WHAT IS THIS TRANSLATION You actually UNDERSTOOD that? LMAO Being a Parallel manager is NOT easy, huh Hnghiiiii... haaaaah...! Hnghiiiii haaaaah! She says, Air. I need air. I have never seen such a lifeless reaction to a $100 donation Why is this so funny, lmaoooo Actually, this is kinda cute? I approve Eeeeuh haaeeeh! She says, Do it properly. Shes already doing it properly, lmao Why is she mad at the manager?? lol Delicious. Hearing that, the $100 donor seemed satisfied, which was a relief. But something else felt offthe chats mood had completely shifted. Instead of just comforting Dora, more and more viewers were suddenly sympathizing with me. Must be tough dealing with these troublemakers, huh Just another day for Big Manager D King D, Emperor D, God D :: Anonymous has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Thank you for taking care of our idiot. You must be exhausted, please clock out soon. ?? :: To be honest, I wasnt as tired as they thought. Staying up this late was nothing new for me. The only thing wearing me down was my ears, after listening to Doras dragon roars for hours. But it had been a while since Id seen viewers act this polite. If they were like this more often, I wouldnt have to swing the ban hammer so much. Yet, while the chat had turned wholesome, there was still one person whose eyes were glistening with tearsDora, who was still trapped in the emotional flood. You guys... Youre only looking out for the manager... But I... I worked the hardest...! Uh oh Why is the screen getting darker all of a sudden? ?? DARK DRAGON MODE ACTIVATED!!! VISAAGGGGGHHHHH But when a streamer gets emotional, viewers turn into gremlins. Because thats when the real fun begins. And, just as expected, the chat immediately switched to teasing her. ... She was too fired up right now, though. Pushing her any further might be a bad idea. :: Anonymous has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Honestly, if you were better at the game, the manager couldve gone home earlier. :: LMAOOOOOOO yooooooo Yall are savage, lmao Stop, shes already soggy!! ...Yeah. I sucked. I sucked, so it took longer. Thats true. But These NPCs run around way too much, okay? Even if the manager played, it wouldnt have been much different. Oh? Thats a direct hit. Even if youre bad, you wouldnt take fifteen minutes. lol You sure you wanna talk when you took 15 minutes?? Uh oh? Sssssss thats gonna sting Oh ho. Is this a challenge? Why would you provoke them?? Did she just call out the manager? :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Honestly, the real MVP is the manager for not backseating the entire time. If it were me, I wouldve snatched the keyboard and mouse immediately. :: dydWbWb: 1,000 CloudsLol, if the manager played, shed clear the final boss in three minutes~ KYAAAAAAAA QUEEN DORA W G G G G G This is actually a good bet, lol LETS GOOOOO And just like that, the bet was set. What was about to look like Dora being a brat while I suffered through the aftermath had suddenly flippednow, both sides were offering rewards for the viewers. The atmosphere completely reversed. Now, all I had to do was win, give Dora and the chat their wholesome moment, and peace out. I sat down in the chair Dora vacated, adjusted the height, loaded the save file, andbang, bang. I fired a few rounds into the air while swiveling the mouse, checking my sensitivity and turning radius. ''This angle should be enough...'' With that set, next was the battlefield itself. The boss room was a tangled, multi-layered cave filled with shortcuts only I could use. Meanwhile, the boss was constantly crawling toward me, its speed increasing over time. If I didnt keep moving, it would catch up instantly. Basically, a forced hit-and-run boss fight. But I had four health bars, meaning I could tank up to three hits before going down. There were no healing items in this final fight, but that just meant I could go full berserker mode while taking three hits. Ready. Dora grinned. You sure? This is really hard. Its weak point is tiny, it moves super fast, and The boss was a giant spider, with two glowing, human-sized eyes as its only weak points. As Dora said, it was insanely fast, and it swerved unpredictably, making it a nightmare to aim at. Most speedrunners didnt even bother aiming for the weak spot since trying would actually slow them down. But I wasnt the type to ignore a weak spot just because it was hard to hit. Starting. The moment I entered the boss room, it rushed toward me from the distance. I unloaded a full magazine into it on the approach. Each time it got hit, it climbed between the walls, floor, and ceiling, causing its glowing eyes to swing wildly. But just because they moved didnt mean I couldnt predict their path. They werent moving completely at random. Whenever it moved from a wall to the floor, or from the floor to the ceiling, the angles and motion patterns were predictable. My first magazine emptiedI reloaded. The boss was closing in fast, but I didnt run. I landed three more shots before it bit into me. BANG, BANG, BANG! Then, after the QTE escape, I used my brief invincibility window to empty the rest of my clip. I immediately dove into a shortcut. ??? Wait, werent all twelve shots headshots? HOLY That just woke me the hell up ? At this pace, shes clearing it in under two minutes. Reload. Then repeat until I was down to one HP. Too easy. ... Live Discussion Boards [Manager D is actually cracked] (Final Boss Cleared in 1:51.clip) I asked the Pandemic Village forum, And apparently, in speedruns, a 2:30 clear is considered optimal... Because of how hard it is to hit the weak spot. But Manager D just hit every single shot and casually clocked out. Watching it straight up flooded my brain with dopamine. (Source: Dora (VTuber) Gallery [View Original]) [Comments] Dora915: This was INSANE Dora531: Even watching it again, Im losing my mind Dora375: (Manager_D_Landing_All_Headshots.clip) ? Dora375: Slowed it down, and yeah, all headshots. ? Unified831: TAS? ? Unified241: Bro, it was live. Mugun: Who is this? ? Mugun: Shes insanely good. ? Unified151: Wait. ? Unified381: Is that the Mugun? ? Unified414: Search Signal Flare on TriWiki. ? Mugun: Thanks. Chapter 21 The Next Morning. Do-hee woke up and checked TingTalk messages that had arrived overnight. Among them, she spotted a message from someone unexpected. [Mugeon] ...Huh? Whats this about? Mugeonreal name, Lee Dong-geon. Until two years ago, when Battle Colosseum League was at its peak, he was a former pro who had competed in multiple international tournaments, sweeping awards and enjoying massive popularity among Battle Colosseum players during his prime. After retiring, he leveraged his infamous "Magnet Aim"a nickname from his pro daysto carve out a successful career as a high-level Battle Colosseum streamer. Do-hee had gotten close to him after they ended up on the same team during a streamer tournament. Now, they were at the point where their first words to each other were "You bastard" or "You bitch," exchanged with equal affection. At this point, any VTuber fan would naturally wonder Wouldn''t there have been chaos in the chat from unicorns and blackened broth fans, raging about her interacting with a male streamer? Did she already purge her audience once? In the beginning, there was definitely backlash whenever the two played together. The rumors ranged from "They''re secretly dating," to "They meet every weekend," to "They''re planning to get married." But as time passed, one undeniable fact came to light that completely shattered all speculation Mugeon was a hardcore Battle Colosseum addict who had never even met Momo in person. Someone had looked up his ranked match history after he first appeared on Momos stream, and aside from the time spent playing with Momo or others, he had been grinding ranked matches for 16 hours a day. Even his appearances on Momo''s stream followed a fixed pattern: "I feel like playing Battle Colosseum. "I need a teammate." "Oh, Momo''s streaming." "Wanna play?" Plays for two hours. "Alright, thanks. Later." And then hed just leave. Even the most rabid unicorns couldnt spin that into a romantic narrative. Moreover, he was so obsessed with the game that his nagging at Do-hee in matches made him sound like an overbearing mother-in-law. "This is why youll forever be stuck in Gold." "You say you wanna rank up, but your mindset is all wrong." Since Do-hee was the kind of person who only took advice seriously from top-tier players like Magia or Mugeon, her inevitable frustration and snappy comebacks became a hit among viewers. Before long, even the audience started looking forward to their collab streams. That said, Mugeon usually only contacted her during streamsand only when she was playing Battle Colosseum. So it was strange. Not only had he messaged her in the middle of the night, when he shouldve been streaming, but he was also using a weirdly formal, almost sales-pitch-like tone. [Mugeon: How have you been, boss?] [Mugeon: I have an inquiry for you.] [Mugeon: Do you happen to have someone named Signal Flare at your company?] The fact that he was reaching out out of nowhere was already suspicious, but on top of thatSignal Flare? Why was he looking for Magia? Do-hee immediately called him. ...Only to realize it was 6 AM. Considering he was a full-time streamer, he shouldve been asleep by now. Just as she was about to hang up, the call connected. "Oh, long time no see!" Apparently, he wasnt asleep yet. His voice was still sharp. What the hell? Youre still up? "Ah, I just finished streaming. Was about to sleep." So? Whats all this about Signal Flare? "Waityou dont know yet?" At that moment, her phone buzzed. A TingTalk notification from Mugeon. Switching to speaker mode, Do-hee opened the message. It was a clip from Akari Doras stream last night. "That playeryour employee. Their aim was insane." ...? Do-hee was baffled. Just what the hell had happened overnight that one of their employees ended up in the real-time best category? Then again, that was just her initial concern as an ex-troll. The reality was something else entirely. "Magia played a match in Doras stream?" The clip showed a Pandemic Village final boss getting shredded in under two minutes. And the player? Undoubtedly, Magia. Judging from the heated arguments in the comments, the sequence had unfolded after Dora had provoked Magia, and Magia had taken the bait. Magia took the bait? "She even visited her place the other day... Has she really changed her mindset?" More importantly, the aim was downright terrifying. The boss was darting between the floor, walls, and ceiling, moving erratically, yet Magia landed every single bullettwelve consecutive shots, all clean headshots to its grotesque, dangling eyeball. Even when the boss lunged at her, poised to tear into her, she stayed eerily calm and emptied the last few rounds straight into its skull. It was almost... beautiful.@@@@ Do-hee was watching the clip again in awe when Mugeon spoke. "So, heres the thingweve got a crew match next week." "One of our members had to drop out, and I was wondering how to fill the slotthen I saw this clip." "Didnt realize she was that well-known until I checked TriWiki." Oh. "So yeah. Just two matchesone warm-up, one main event. Could you introduce us?" Even though it was a crew match, it would still be streamed. But if she did nothing, the fallout would be unavoidable. Managing the stream itself wouldnt be an issuethe managers could handle that. The real problem was that the junior managers of various streams might come at Magia, begging her to just debut already because they were tired of moderating chat. And that, too, would become pressure on Magia to debut. "Thats not happening." If Do-hee wanted to respect Magias choice, she needed a way to redirect the attention of those 20,000 viewers. A distraction. A countermeasure. ...But what? Boss. Magia spoke up. Like she already knew exactly what Do-hee was struggling with. But, uh... if all the first-gen talents are off that day, a lot of people are gonna show up, right? Mugeon already has a big viewer base, too. Do-hee blinked in surprise. Magia continued. So what if we get permission to use a short sample of the first-anniversary song? We could make a teaser and drop it that day. The 3D models just need finishing touches, so a silhouette preview should be fine... Magia wasnt usually the type to take the initiative. But sometimes, something would spark her interest enough that she moved before anyone could even ask her to. And because she watched streams even more than Do-hee, she could think faster than her in certain situations. Like now. This could only mean one thing Magia had completely stopped resisting the idea of being part of the broadcast world. She had already shown up on D-Rain, Battle Colosseum collabs, and Doras stream. Now, even the one employee who just wanted to do her job well had stopped actively avoiding the spotlight. She always delivered beyond expectations, but At some point, without Do-hee even noticing, she had grown again. ...Alright. Ill look into it. Ill handle that side of things, so you just focus on how youre gonna play in the match. And so, Do-hee left everything about the presentation that day in Magias hands. Normally, she would have the PR team handle it. But she was just a little curiouswhat would Magia come up with? Anything else you want me to do? Nope, thats it. Once the promos done, just have fun. Okay~. And since she was asking Magia for something outside her usual duties, she needed to offer a reward. ...By the way, are you free that weekend? Wanna game together? Magia blinked, as if shed just been hit by a stun grenade. ...Uh. Wait. You? Asking me? Why? You dont wanna? No, I just I didnt expect you to bring it up first. .... I mean, come on. You always make excuses about being busy. If I dont ask, you never Alright, alright! Forget it. I take it back. That was a mistake. Whoa, whoa, wait! If you cancel, Im canceling the promo, too. You little Cackling, Magia bolted from the office. "Just kidding~." *** Mugeon immediately agreed to Do-hees request. [Do whatever you want. I can even pin a link in chat.] He never stopped guests from promoting their stuff on his stream. It was just that, because of his status, smaller streamers usually hesitated to take advantage of it. As long as someone didnt drag things out with a ten-minute boring monologue, he was more than willing to help. [By the way, if youre gonna do that, you should probably change your nickname, too.] ...Oh. Yeah, that makes sense. [Right? I mean, Ill be saying your username constantly during the match. There was this one guy who went from 10k to 50k subs just because of that.] ...Alright. Ill talk it over with her. Frankly, Magia was the expert here. The ridiculous usernames she had come up with in the past had made plenty of people laugh. [Me: Hey, Magia.] [Me: You can use your username for promo. Wanna come up with something? Ill cover the rename fee.] Her response was instant. [Magia Manager: (Brackets) Work-in-Progress-Sashimi-Master-Lets-Go] [Me: Dont mess with me.] [Me: I will end you.] She only needed two minutes to get serious. Her final suggestion? [Magia Manager: MugeonIsAWell-KnownMomoAnti] [Me: ...HEY.] Chapter 22 [Me: MugeonIsAWell-KnownMomoAnti] [Boss: Hey.] [Me: Haha, just kidding~] [Boss: Take this seriously.] [Boss: This isnt something you should treat lightly.] [Me: Ugh.] [Me: Are you threatening me?] The sudden turn of events had clearly made the boss uneasy. So, I tacked on a more official reasonpromoting the first-gen anniversary songto ease her concerns. But honestly, I had another reason for wanting to meet Mugeon. Finally, I get to see him. I am, first and foremost, a true broth fan of Boss Momo. A fossil, a living archive, someone who has been watching her streams for six whole years. Which meant I clearly remembered how, after I got too busy with work and half-quit being a stream sniper, Mugeon and the boss started getting all chummy in their games. Sure, Mugeons former pro status had given Momo another major popularity boost. I understood that. It made sense from a business standpoint. Thats just how streaming worked. But still Even so Wasnt he being way too familiar with her? Magia and Do-hee hadnt even exchanged casual insults with each other yet. They werent that close. And yet, this guy "Youll never get out of Gold if you keep playing like that." "You say you want to rank up, but your attitude is trash." Excuse me? That kind of thing Thats my line. Im the only one allowed to talk shit about the boss. I was there from the very beginning. Subscriber ID-wise, Im literally number 369. Meanwhile, this newbie rolled in at 692,333hes a baby. And yet he had the audacity to disrespect his elders? I had always planned to put him in his place. Yes, he was a former pro. Yes, even two years into retirement, he was still holding his ground in high Master rank. And yes, Id never ranked higher than Diamond as a mere stream sniper. But. I was sure I could at least land a single kill on him in a match. Smoke grenades. Double barrels. Close-range chaos. Thats my specialty. Even a pro would struggle to react in time if I got in their face. The moment he hesitated, Id take him down. And then? Id laugh and call him a washed-up scrub. Washed-up Mugeon! Beneath Signal Flare, Mugeon! ...Oops. I got a little too excited. Anyway, first, I needed to finish the task the boss had given me. Whenever it came to Mugeon, I just [Me: I decided.] [Me: Parallel1stGenNewSong1105CheckItOut] [Boss: ?] [Boss: Wheres the Release part?] [Me: It didnt fit, lol.] [Boss: (Facepalm emoji)] *** I dug up one of my mostly inactive alt accounts and changed its username to 1stGen1YearSongNov05. I didnt include Parallel in the name. For one, the 12-character limit was already maxed out. For another, everyone would know it was me the moment I appeared anyway. So far, everything was going according to plan. That was, until Dora showed up with unexpected news just three days later. [Dora: Boss, I sent over the rough character sheet. Take a look~] Oh, I see the email. Hang on. She called it rough, but it was practically finishedjust a few more details away from completion. At most, it needed another day or two of work. ...Did you even sleep? [Dora: Sleep? I got at least four hours a day.] Four hours is nothing. And even if you did sleep, this is insanely fast. Dora snorted, sounding smug. [I dunno, inspiration just hit me. Like, boom! I got all these ideas and couldnt stop drawing! Thats how creativity works, yknow? Its like a lightbulb moment, and then shshshshshart happens.] Her explanation was all over the place, but the meaning was clear. But lately, she had been coming in earlier and earlier. And, as usual, the moment she arrived, she made a beeline for the coffee machine before heading to Do-hees office. Boss. Morning coffee. All because she was still giddy about their upcoming PC cafe? visit. She grinned ear to ear as if she had just won a jackpot. I already had lunch, you know. But I just woke up, so its morning for me. ...Fair enough. Do-hee took the coffee and sipped it. Same strength as always. Same warmth. Just hot enough to drink without burning her tongue. Smiling slightly, Do-hee asked, Hey, if you were to pick your own replacement, what kind of person would you want? Magia tilted her head. A replacement? Out of nowhere? Youre getting busier. Isnt it time we hire someone under you? Huh? But Im fine as is. She said that But she was working from 3 PM to midnight, then monitoring streams at home until 5 or 6 AM. On top of that, she was helping the talents, making occasional stream appearances, and handling all sorts of internal tasks. If that wasnt overwork, then what was? It wasnt just watching streams. She compiled detailed reportsdonation trends, viewer count fluctuations, popular discussion topics, upcoming plans, everything. Every night, she sent out massive Word documents filled with analysis before finally going to bed. If her workload doubled, shed have to give up gaming. Shed have to give up her secret late-night VTuber marathons. And with the second-gen talents debuting soon, shed be monitoring eight streams at once. She wasnt a spider. Or an AI. You do realize that when we start recruiting second-gen in December, youll be handling them too, right? Four members turning into eight means twice the work. Well, yeah, but cant we just figure it out then? If businesses worked like that, everyone would be running one. You have to plan ahead so things dont fall apart later. The HR manager already approved adding another position. Just think about the kind of person youd want to work under you. That way, we can evaluate candidates properly. Magia didnt seem fully convinced. Even when Do-hee stared at her expectantly, she only pouted. ...Nope. You need to have your ideal junior written up by tomorrow. Tch. Youre giving me a deadline out of nowhere? No complaints. One A4 page, 16-point font, in full detail. Got it? Ugggh, fiiiiine. Grumbling, Magia left the office. It felt a little forceful, but there was no other choice. If someone like Magia collapsed from overwork, her recovery would take way longer than the average person. And the fallout? The Operations Team Leader and Do-hee would have a nightmare trying to cover for her. Whoever took over her tasks would probably panic. "You expect me to do all of this alone?!" *** The Next Morning Momo received an email. Sender: Magia Attached was a single-page document filled with tiny, packed text. The Junior Employee I Want Must have enough passion to watch every live stream of every member daily.Must be capable of watching all streams simultaneously.Following from the above: Multitasking is extremely, extremely, extremely, extremely important.Must be familiar with every slang term and meme used in all the members streams, as well as industry-specific language from both Crunchy Static and Savannah.Must have full knowledge of all broadcasting equipment and how to troubleshoot common issues (sound cards, audio interfaces, capture boards, motion capture equipment...).Must be an expert at PC assembly and repair (bonus points for deep understanding of CPUs, motherboards, RAM, GPUs, etc.).Must have complete proficiency in all streaming software used by members.Must have troll experience.Must have played at least 200 games on Steam and at least 20 online games for more than a month each.Must be female. (Important.) ... ... ... At first glance, it almost looked like a silent protest demanding a salary raise. But it wasnt. Her salary had been frozen at 2.5 million won for three yearsbecause she had outright refused an increase. "Im already grateful to be getting this much just for watching streams," she had said. So, this document wasnt a complaint. It was a request to hire someone who could do her job exactly as she did. But honestly, if there were two Magias in the world, Do-hee wouldve hired the second one ages ago. ...Troll experience is a must? What the hell...? There was no choice. Do-hee immediately sent her a message. [Me: Miss Magia.] [Me: Youre not supposed to list all your own tasks.] [Me: Just write what you actually need help with.] [Me: Ill give you until tomorrow. Try again.] Chapter 23 What Are My Colleagues to Me? They are ghosts. Phantom entities that exist only in the companys personnel records. Technically, I was part of the Operations Team. My desk was even right next to the Operations Team Leader. But in practice, I was half removed from their actual work. The boss was the one who gave me assignments, and the boss was the one who received my reports. A strange, roundabout systemexcept it wasnt strange at all. Whenever some disaster broke out in the streaming world, I was the one they tossed it to like some kind of private investigator. And if orders had to pass through another person first, our response time would slow down. In a field where something exploded every other day, the boss had no choice but to keep me as her personal problem solver. Because of that, I had never even considered what it would be like to work with someone. Watching multiple VTuber streams at once? Please. During big collabs, I always had at least five screens opensometimes up to ten. Not every stream was a highlight reel. Id mute the non-priority ones and switch focus as needed. Writing reports that were practically industry trend analysis papers was a bit tricky at first, but once I figured out the boss and the planning teams preferences, it became second nature. The only painful part was being forced to watch our companys VTubers instead of my own favorite streamers. But even that problem resolved itself after two months. Because when you put together a curated cast of streamers, hand-picked by the boss herself, their charms inevitably shine through. And I, a firm believer in "Falling for an oshi is like getting hit by a truck," was helpless to resist. Outside of streams, they were still chaotic disasters who kept screwing up and causing headaches. But the moment they went live, they were stars. Boss Momos shining idols, following in her footsteps. Overall, my job satisfaction was at an all-time high. I never felt overworked. I never worried about my workload increasing. I mean, I literally got paid to watch, analyze, and summarize VTuber streams. Why would I ever complain? Sure, I also managed broadcasting equipment, troubleshot live stream issues, enforced chat and donation rules, and kept other moderators in check But those were self-imposed responsibilities. From my perspective, the highly educated, well-experienced professionals in the company shouldnt waste their time on this. They should be planning high-profile collabs and making sure operations ran smoothly. Their efforts created better content and more successful events, which in turn strengthened Parallels financial health. But now... a junior colleague? Instead of excitement, I felt uneasy. I had worked alone for so long that I doubted Id suddenly start working together with someone. If anything, Id probably just let them fend for themselves. The reason I stuffed my report with every task I handled? Because I wasnt going to be some kind, patient mentor hand-holding a newbie through each step. I wanted someone who could just do my job the way I did it. And if that wasnt possible? Then we didnt need to hire anyone at all. [Boss: Miss Magia.] [Boss: Youre not supposed to list all your own tasks.] [Boss: Just write what you actually need help with.] But the boss seemed dead set on recruiting someone. So, fine. If I had to choose just three key traits... Someone who genuinely loves watching all the members'' streams.Someone who can multitask like a god.Someone who understands tech and has good memory recall. The first two were essential for monitoring streams and writing reports. If I ever had to step away, theyd need to cover for me, even if it was just a rough summary. The third was for when I was assisting one members stream, and an equipment issue popped up somewhere else. Theyd have to respond immediately. ...Honestly, I had at least three more points I wanted to add. But I left it at that. I didnt bother mentioning personality traits like "must be diligent and responsible." The boss already filtered for that when hiring. I emailed the revised document and checked the clock. 2 PM. Time for work. Barely hesitated before going straight into the final boss fight.Hit every single headshot.Coolly exited the game without celebrating. "I guess thats enough for today." He sighed and leaned back. Alright, its getting late. Lets wrap things up with two casual squad matches before I log off. LETS GO One last snipe~ Wait, its over already? Where did my time go? Time to snipe the streamer. :: Mission Alert :: :: Win the match and claim 100,000 Clouds ( $100). :: Oh, a 100K mission? Thank you! Ill try my best to get a win in two games. EZ win incoming. Lets get this bread. The final match of the night. Mugeon queued for random squads, curious about his teammates. One slot filledthen another. And then [Player 3: MugeonIsAWell-KnownMomoAnti] ...? The chat exploded. WTF. EXCUSE ME?! Is this an anti-fan?!??? Yo, who is this? LMAO TELL ME THATS NOT SIGNAL FLARE. But the nickname was... off. It felt less like Signal Flare and more like... An actual Momo anti-fan? A salty viewer who hated seeing Mugeon and Momo getting along? Maybe someone had sniped the queue just to troll. Curious, Mugeon turned on voice chat. Hey, whats up? Are you a viewer? There was a brief pause. Then, the TTS (Text-to-Speech) voice kicked in. [YOU ARE WELL COME. MY GAME. FUN EXPECT. THANK.] Mugeon blinked. So did the chat. LMAOOOOO WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?! BRO WENT FULL GOOGLE TRANSLATE. HELP IM DYING. A broken, robotic translation. It sounded like... a foreigner who used a bad translator just to join the match? Mugeon raised an eyebrow. Wait, can you understand me? Do you understand my talk? A long pause. Then [YES. I AM PRO. KOREAN LISTENING SKILL GOOD.] STOP, I CANT BREATHE. WHO IS THIS???? AN ACTUAL COMEDY LEGEND JUST APPEARED. TTS CHAD. At this point, Mugeon didnt care. They could understand him, so it was fine. It was just a casual match, anyway. But then The TTS player spoke again. [WANT BET. YOU AND ME. I WIN. YOU SAY. MUGEON IS OVERHYPED. I LOSE. I REVEAL. REAL VOICE.] The chat went silent for a moment. Then WHAT DOES THIS EVEN MEAN? LMAO Wait, is this a bet?? BRO SAID YOURE OVERRATED LMAOOOO. MUGEON, HES TALKING SHIT. Mugeon squinted at the screen. He had encountered foreign viewers like this before. You want to bet? Alright. Whats the bet? [KILL. MORE NUMBER.] That got his attention. A kill race? Against a mystery guest who was already making the entire chat cry with laughter? Perfect YouTube content. Mugeon grinned. Alright, deal. He grabbed his sniper rifleand, of course, his trusty pistol. It was time to end the night with a bang. Lets do this. Chapter 24 Mugeon (Internet Streamer) Gallery [Wait, who the hell is Signal Flare? Chat keeps mentioning them.] I heard theyre some kind of VTuber troll, but I dont watch VTubers, so I have no clue. [Comments] Mugeon815: They dont know... Mugeon914: So, thats how it is... Mugeon861: Its come to this... Mugeon351: Theyll find out when the time is right... Mugeon734: Lets not speak of this any further... Mugeon613 (OP): Stop flooding my notifications with cryptic bullshit; just answer me already. ? Mugeon762: Is someone... upset? ? Mugeon125: Is that so...? ? Mugeon613 (OP): (pissed-off emoji) Mugeon (Internet Streamer) Gallery [That cant be Signal Flare.] Sure, the crazy shots make it seem like it might be them. But look at the weapon loadout. One pistol. One sniper rifle. That is not Signal Flare. I know because I check their stats all the time out of sheer boredom. And not once have they played without dual sawed-off shotguns. [Comments] Mugeon651: So who is it, then? Just some weird foreigner? Mugeon712: Who cares? Its hilarious. Grab a drink. Mugeon125: If it actually turns out to be Signal Flare, this would be legendary. Meanwhile... A kill bet against a random foreign viewer was almost unfair. Because this was Mugeons domain. Oh shit, hes using a sniper. Serious mode ON. Time to force a viewer voice reveal. The moment Mugeon picked up a sniper, his kill rate skyrocketed. Even as a streamer, his pro instincts were still razor-sharp. :: Anonymous donation: 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Kinda wish you picked Hawkeye, though. :: True, lmao. If he had Hawkeye, hed be getting guaranteed kills every ult. Hawkeyes ultimate ability summoned a railgun sniper every five minutes.@@@@ A five-shot weapon that slowed enemies on hit, making them sitting ducks for follow-ups. For sniper specialists like Mugeon, that meant a guaranteed one or two kills per use. If he picked Hawkeye, it was basically a declaration of war "Im taking at least one of you down, no matter what." But Mugeon just laughed. Its fine. This is just a fun little bet with a viewer. No need to go full tryhard. Classic Mugeon. Always acting like hes got the advantage. I mean... he does. Yeah, no need to go all out for a casual match. If this were a pro-level player trying to bait him into an elaborate trap, that would be different. But what were the odds of that at this hour? Alright, lets get a quick first kill. A lone enemy wandered across open terrain, unaware that Mugeon had them in his crosshairs. Their movement was hurried and erraticprobably panicking because they had split from their team. He lined up the shot. Pulled the trigger. CRACK. The enemys shield shattered, and they dropped to the ground. {{MovGun >> (Headshot) AhGameIsSoDamnHard}} Snipers and sawed-off shotguns couldnt one-shot in this game Not unless the enemy had low-tier shields. Unfortunately for this guy, they had no Level 2 shield, so they got instantly downed. Crisp. RIP that guy. Unlucky. Mugeon calmly reloaded, ready to confirm the kill. He aimed. Pulled the trigger PFFT! A smoke grenade exploded, engulfing the downed player. He fired blindly, but there was no hit marker. ??? WTF? Did they have backup? Damn, that smoke reaction was FAST. Maybe the downed player had a skilled teammate running support. Either way, Mugeon repositioned immediately. A sniper staying in one place too long was an easy target. Even though his characters passive ability gave him a radar ping every minute, it didnt give exact distances So it was always better to move preemptively. But just as he shifted to a lower ridge, peeking out from behind a rock {{MugeonIsAWell-KnownMomoAnti >> (Kill) AhGameIsSoDamnHard}} The chat froze. ????? Wait. WHAT. How?! The viewer had just secured the kill With a pistol. That meant they had pushed through the smoke while Mugeon repositioned. Bait out shots by dodging.Find cover. He was running his mouth again. [TWO DEATHS. A HUGE GAP. YOUR CRISIS IS NEAR.] The chat lost it. Bro, I swear to god. Hes so obnoxious LMAOOOO. I LOVE HIM. Whoever this is, they are NOT an average player. Mugeon hasnt had someone talk shit to him like this in AGES. Mugeon took a deep breath. "Alright. This guy is a problem." Was he a former pro? A high-tier ranked player? Either waythis wasnt just some random viewer. But Mugeon wasnt worried. It was still only 2-0. And his ultimate was almost ready. If he played this right, he could turn the match around. He quickly scanned his surroundings The three-man squad from earlier was still up there. One was dead. Two remained. Mugeon wasnt going to let them escape. And luckily, his legends ultimate ability specialized in tracking. PING! Ultimate ready. Mugeons character, Beefle, clutched his head as a sonar wave pulsed outward. A radar ping appeared on the mini-map One enemy was still up there. They hadnt moved at all. Scared. Perfect. Meanwhile, MomoAnti was healing up. "Good. That gives me time." BANG! Mugeon threw a thermite grenade and rushed the hill. READY AIM FIRE! The grenade shattered a window, filling the cabin with flames. The remaining two enemies panicked and ran outside Right into Mugeons crosshairs. BANG! One enemy dropped instantly. Mugeon reloaded, sprinting forward. There was still one leftbut right now, the priority was getting the kill confirmation. BANG! {{MovGun >> (Kill) RiroRiroRiroKamiIsHere}} Then, switching to his pistol BANG BANG BANG BANG! The last enemy fell. {{MovGun >> (Kill) SecurityAlarmGoesOff}} 2-2. Mugeon exhaled, wiping sweat off his brow. That evened the score. But "Wait, wheres MomoAnti?" He checked the mini-map And froze. MomoAnti was already ahead of him. He was looting the bodies. "Shit." Mugeon rushed to grab supplies But it was too late. All the healing items were gone. LMAOOOOOOO. BRO JUST STRIPPED HIM CLEAN. HE TOOK EVERYTHING?! OH MY GOD, HES SABOTAGING HIM. MomoAnti, once again, opened his damn mouth. [YOUR DEDICATION. GREATLY APPRECIATED.] Mugeon gritted his teeth. He had dealt with plenty of stream snipers before. But no one had ever been this good Or this much of an asshole. And for the first time in a while, A rare, genuine curse slipped from his mouth. What kind of asshole is this...? Chapter 25 Mugeons internet forum was in chaos. This assholes trolling skills are on another level, LMAO. (Clipped: Cough 1) (Clipped: Cough 2) (Clipped: Your dedication. Much appreciated.) Mugeon never cursed on stream unless he was playing with close friends, and yet (Clipped: What kind of asshole is this...?) Even he let out a rare swear. [Comments] Where the hell did this guy come from? LMAO. Bro, Ive never laughed this hard watching Mugeons stream before. Im wide awake now. ? Never thought Id enjoy watching a former pro get trolled this much. But honestly? This guy isnt just some random troll. ? You seen his gameplay? Hes actually good. ? Mugeon talking less = Hes taking this seriously, LOL. [A TRUE THREAT] Ive watched Mugeon for years and seen a ton of random snipers, but Ive never seen one this methodical. Most snipers just spammed the same annoying tactics: Stealing kills.Teamkilling.Playing a support role but refusing to heal or shield. But this guy was different. First, he stole kills and provoked Mugeon. But when that didnt work, he showed off his skills, forcing Mugeon to pay attention. That alone was insane. If you dont get what I mean, go watch Mugeons YouTube highlights. The fact that this guy was keeping up with him meant he was at least Master rankif not higher. Once Mugeon started paying attention, he got anxious. At first, he treated it as a joke. But then, when he rushed the mountain lodge, he hurriedly secured a kill with his pistol, afraid the sniper would steal it. And just when you thought the sniper would keep up his kill-stealing antics, he changed tactics again. Instead of stealing kills, he stole all the healing items from the corpses. He knew Mugeon would tunnel vision on getting kills. He won the psychological battle. When this all happened in the span of just a few minutes, even Mugeon started losing his mind. [Comments] Glad its not just me noticing this, LOL. Not all stream snipers are the same, huh? ? The best ones know how to entertain. Why do I feel like this snipers gonna end up on a VTuber platform soon? ? Turn your stream on already. ? LMAO, for real.@@@@ Sniping is an art form. The ultimate goal isnt just about winningits about shaking up the streamer, making the viewers laugh, and keeping things entertaining. Its about playing the game, but never crossing the line. Thats the mark of a professional sniper. And because Id been doing this for so long, even though I was trolling Mugeon, I wasnt doing it just to be an asshole. I just wanted to push things to the point where hed recognize me. And the moment he said What kind of asshole is this...? I knew Id achieved my goal. LMAO, thats a compliment. We got a rare Mugeon compliment moment. Outside of pro matches, whens the last time he reacted like this? Sure, Id talked plenty of shit about Mugeon before. But its not like I actually hated the guy. I didnt want to ruin the mood of his stream either. More importantly, I had to watch his chats reaction. Right now, they were laughing, but they were still Mugeons fans. If he got really pissed off, his audience would turn on me instantly. Especially since Mugeons audience had a strict pro-gamer mindsetif they thought I was just being annoying, Id get flamed off the internet. I wasnt just some anonymous stream sniper anymore, either. I was a Parallel employee, working for a company with a reputation to protect. Sure, I could complain about the CEO being a greedy, overworking, underpaying tyrant, but Lets be honest. Parallel was my dream job. I wasnt about to jeopardize that just for some cheap laughs. If I wanted to survive in this industry, I needed to know when to pull back. Besides, whether I won or lost the bet didnt really matter anymore. I came here to see Mugeons real skills up close. And I started the bet to get him to play seriously. Now that Id done that All that was left was to enjoy the fight. [Mugeon: Alright. Im done playing around. Youre actually pretty good. No more holding back.] Oh shit. HES PISSED. MUGEONS GETTING SERIOUS. Time to see what a former pro was really capable of. Could I keep up? Or was there really a level beyond my reach? As I thought that A sudden burst of gunfire echoed nearby. A teamfight was breaking out. Found it. That was todays hotspot. I wasnt gonna miss out on the action. I sprinted toward the fight, caught sight of an enemys exposed back, and pulled the trigger. BANG! Damn it. I shouldve invited him instead of SignalFlare. But the invitation was already sent. Still, if Mugeon could win the bet, he could at least get his contact info. That way, the next time there was an open slot, he could invite him immediately. Alright. First, I have to win this bet. Mugeon tightened his grip on his sniper rifle and glanced at MomoAnti. "LMAO, look at this guy. Hes not moving at all." "Hes waiting for Mugeon to find the enemy so he can steal the kill, LOL." Just like chat had said, MomoAnti wasnt moving. He had picked a safe position and wasnt making any moves. His plan was obvious He was waiting for Mugeon to find the last player, then hed try to steal the kill. Mugeon wasn''t about to let that happen. He checked his inventory. 5 smoke grenades left. Enough to completely cover two-thirds of the shrinking battlefield. Without hesitation, he threw them all toward where the final enemy was likely hiding. "BIG BRAIN MOVE!" "This is genius. No more kill-stealing!" "NOWS YOUR CHANCE, GO GO GO!" Now, even if Mugeon found the enemy first, MomoAnti wouldnt be able to steal the last hit. To make things even harder, Mugeon switched weaponsto a bow. No gunfire noise. Which meant MomoAnti wouldnt even be able to track the fight through sound. To top it off, his ultimate ability had just recharged. Now, even in the thickest smoke, he could see enemy positions. Mugeon charged forward. MomoAnti didnt follow. He peeked out from cover but only watched as Mugeon moved. What the hell? Did he give up? Moments later, inside the smoke cloud, Mugeon found the final player. First arrowHEADSHOT. 2/3 of their shieldGONE. Second arrowdirect hit! Their shield shattered, leaving them below 50% HP. Now, just one more shotand Mugeon would win the bet. BANG! A single, sharp pistol shot echoed through the battlefield. A rainbow-colored banner spun onto the screen, marking the matchs end. < CHAMPIONS! > Mugeon immediately checked the final kill feed. {{MugeonIsAFamousMomoAnti >> (Head)(Kill) CampingAtBanpoZaigate}} A pistol icon. And a headshot marker. The final kill was stolenby MomoAnti, who had never left the smokes edge. "WHAT THE FUCK?!" "???????" "HOW DID HE EVEN LAND THAT?!" "IS THIS GUY CHEATING?!" One viewer had a theory. :: Anonymous donor has gifted 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Probably stream-sniped his position, LOL. :: "Oh, that makes sense." "Yeah, stream-sniping explains it." "No." Mugeon denied it immediately. "That wasnt stream-sniping." Even if he was watching the stream, there was a 3-5 second delay. There was no way he could calculate the exact shot based on that alone. Which meant... This was either raw skill... or hacks. "MomoAnti... did you seriously just hit that shot using only footsteps?" MomoAnti responded. [Sound. Mini-map.] Mugeon let out a breath. "Holy shit." "Luck," he muttered. "That was pure luck." But MomoAnti... disagreed. [Incorrect. That was skill.] ...I want to see you play sometime. Would you be interested in joining a private match? But before Mugeon could even consider getting his contact information MomoAnti refused immediately. [Unnecessary. Youll see for yourself.] "? What do you mean?" MomoAntis response was cryptic. [Reason. Revealed in 60 hours.] Chapter 26 One enemy left. A tense standoff. The moment I glanced at the kill score, I couldnt help but chuckle. Some weirdos on the forum kept trying to call out signal flare tactics as some kind of gimmick. Like hell they could. Signal flares are top-tier meta. In a standard match, this thing can hold its own against former pros. I felt a little bad for Mugeon, but before I started using a double-barrel to pop the heads of trolling teammates, my primary weapon of choice had actually been a sniper rifle. My signature annihilation combo involved breaking shields from mid-range with a low-magnification sniper, waiting for the wounded enemy to start healing, then closing in to finish them off with the weapon I had equipped in my second slot. Even so, I had to admitMugeon was a damn good sniper. I still remember when I ducked behind cover to avoid a shot from some guy on a hill. I thought wed both dodged at the same time, aimed back in sync. But Mugeon was just that much faster. If we had been aiming at each other instead of a common enemy, my head wouldve been the one popping first. And then there were the times he tried to steal my kills. Id fake a shot just to bait him, but he was watching my bullets through his scope, waiting to see if they actually connected before pulling the trigger himself. Gotta hand it to these guys who made a living off gaming. Theyre disgustingly good. No wonder they make so much money. ...But in the end, who was the real winner? King, God, SupremeSignal Flare. [You were lucky. I lost.] Mugeon chalked it up to luck, but that couldnt be further from the truth. What defines a signal flare user? Double-barrel shotguns and smoke grenades. Closing the gap using Crazy Shots speed boost, tossing smokes to confuse enemies, then taking them out one by one in the fogthat was my specialty. If there was smoke, it didnt matter what gun I hadI could still cook my targets. Id been doing this for five years. It would be weird not to be good at it. So when Mugeon started sounding me out [...Would it be possible for me to watch you play? Id like to invite you to a private match.] I felt two things at once. First, a flash of irritationHow dare you. And second, a brilliant idea. This all started as a simple warm-up snipe to prepare for an answer later. But isnt there a collab coming up in a few days? The big promotional event the boss entrusted to me? Might as well make this explode. My mouth moved on its own. [Unnecessary. You will see.] ? Im not sure I understand. [Reason. Revealed in 60 hours.] ?? Did you mean 60 seconds? 60 hours?? LMAO AAAAAHHHHH Just say it clearly, dammit! Winning the match had put me in the spotlight. Even the chat reactions and Mugeons invitation made it obvious that all eyes were on me. And wouldnt you know itMugeons crew was hosting an internal match in exactly 60 hours. Wouldnt people start wondering? Is MugeonIsAFamousMomoAnti the same person as "1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5," the guy from today? If no one cared, well, thatd be a little sad. But if the private match drew a crowd, people would definitely start talking. Didnt this guy try to snipe Mugeon before? Id keep playing dumb until the stream ended. Let curiosity fester. And as people kept speculating, my username1stGen 1st Anniversary Song Releases Nov 5would be repeated over and over again. No need for me to constantly say, "Hey, it''s our first anniversary! Check it out!" The fans would spread the news themselves. Pretty solid strategy, dont you think? Six years in the trenches, three years under the bossId picked up a thing or two. ...Wouldnt be surprised if the boss freaked out, wondering how I came up with this. Hehe. ... Mugeon (Internet Broadcaster) Forum ... [Who the hell is this mystery sniper?] I''M LOSING MY MIND. [Comments] Mugeon831: This is actually insane; Mugeon701: This guy is nuts LMAO@@@@ Mugeon732: MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Mugeon923: DAMN IT I NEED TO KNOW AAAAAA Mugeon124: Why does it feel like everyone watching the stream got caught in some kind of quiz show trap? LOL ... Mugeon (Internet Broadcaster) Forum ... [What if they were hacking?] Honestly, how else would you know exactly where someone is inside a smoke screen? They were definitely using an aimbot or wallhack. [Comments] Mugeon334: Yeah, their way of speaking was suspicious too. Mugeon892: Another one from the mainland, huh? Mugeon984: But Mugeon never called them out for hacking? What mattered more was why Mugeon was suddenly hyping up Magia so much. The only explanation she could think of was that Magia had sniped Mugeon under a smurf account. It did seem like they had played together somehow, and that was the only reason that made sense. After all, Magia was a diehard Momo stan. Someone with that much dedication to the boss could absolutely have the same level of disdain for Mugeonmaybe even enough to snipe him as a prank. [Oh, right. Around 5 AM yesterday, I think they showed up in my stream. Im not completely sure, but the communitys been speculating about it a lot.] ...Why did that actually sound plausible? She couldnt even pretend not to knowone quick browse through the forums, and there it was: the username Magia had jokingly mentioned not too long ago, making rounds in the community. Do-hee groaned, pressing a hand to her forehead. Tell me they didnt cause any problems on your stream. [Not at all. It was great content. The viewers were wide awake and laughing their asses off at dawn. And again, its just a guess. Why?] Just checking... Glad it wasnt an issue. Still. Even if it was just a harmless game. Even if they thought they were being discreet. They were already publicly known as an employee of Parallel, and they went sniping? Magia. You should have told me about this. Momos Office. When I arrived at the CEOs office with her usual morning coffee, I was greeted by two sharply furrowed eyebrows. You know those viewers who always say, Momo looks so cute when shes angry!? Yeah. They wouldnt be saying that if they saw her in real life. Her VTuber model had her eyes softened a lot compared to reality. If fans saw this, theyd think it was straight out of a horror game. ...More importantly, why did she look so pissed off? Grateful to be alive, I answered. Yes? Yes? Yes, my ass. What the hell is this? Whats what? She turned her phone around. On screen was a replay of Mugeons stream. And there I was, in full view, sniping him in the early hours of the morning. How did she know? I had taken so many precautions not to get caught. Of course, I was a professional at keeping a straight face. Damn. To get caught this fast... Boss, your eye for detail is seriously impressive. If youre gonna say that, at least use a different username. So? Why did you go sniping without telling me? Oh. It was just a scouting mission. I figured I needed to experience his skills firsthand to make the upcoming match a more explosive promotional event. Explosive...? Yes. If I manage to land a shot on Mugeon during the private match, people will freak out. I even changed my username for thisI might as well get my moneys worth. Momo fell silent, deep in thought. ...Wait. Did you snipe him because I told you to handle marketing on your own? Yes. Its my first time doing something like this, so I wanted to be thorough. ...I see. But who the hell does recon by sniping someone? She gave me an incredulous look, as if trying to see whether I was seriously telling the truth. I smiled brightly. It was the truth. And just like that, her sharp glare softenedrecently, Id been thinking more and more that cuteness was justice, and this just reinforced it. It was nice seeing these different expressions on her. Well... given the attention youve drawn, your approach wasnt bad. But from now on, run these things by me first. This kind of stress isnt good for my heart. I pouted. But I dont like the idea of you owing Mugeon a favor. ...You already owe him one! You sniped him! He owes me. Thanks to me, his late-night stream was amazing. I played so cleanI didnt cause any problems! That mindset of yours... Her hand shot upinstinctively, I braced myself. Thankfully, it was just a head pat. Whew... ...AAAAAAAAH. Nope. Fake out. It was a punch. Once you show up in Mugeons stream, youre basically the face of Parallel. You do realize that, right? So you need to be more careful. ...Am I really? Obviously. This was supposed to be something I handled with the PR team. Oh. Right. Sorry. I just thought of it as something you assigned to me. No need to apologize. Just be more cautious next time. I know you play things safe, but there are a lot of sensitive people out there. I dont want to see you get torn apart online. So, talk to me first. Got it? ...Theyre just uncomfortable? Then maybe they should fix their posture. She gave me a look. Anyway. If any drama comes from this, Ill handle the apology stream. Like hell she would. I wasnt about to let my boss make a public apology for my actions. No way. Id rather kneel in front of the camera myself. She smirked. Would you really do a stream just for that? Since getting cuter, Id been getting a lot of affection, but clearly, my credibility had dropped. Still, I was a loyal and reliable employee. ...Though, as a Momo stan, I kind of wished shed just spend that time streaming instead. If I have to, I have to. No big deal. Chapter 27 "If anything goes wrong, Ill do a full dogeza stream myself." When Magia said that, Cheon Do-hee didnt take it seriously. She thought it was just another one of Magias usual jokes. After all, Magia was the type to jump into anything without hesitation, so Do-hee just smirked, brushing it off as her typical exaggeration. "Youd really start your own stream?" "If I have to, I have to. Its not a big deal." But after hearing the follow-up, she couldnt laugh anymore. The sincerity in Magias expression. The unspoken why are you even worried about this? Do-hee was caught completely off guard. She had always assumed that Magia disliked streaming. All of her decisions had been based on that assumption. Even when Magia showed glimpses of potential during Doras broadcast, she thought it was only because Magia was trying to match Doras energy. But... was that not the case? Was she really that indifferent to streaming? I cant just ignore this again. Ever since Magias talk about quitting, Do-hee had been handling her with extreme caution. But this time, she couldnt just let it slide. A gut feeling told her she had to push forward. "Are you serious? I thought you hated the idea of being on stream." "...When did I ever say that?" Magia, who had been grinning as usual, let the smirk drop slightly when she noticed Do-hees serious expression. "This suddenly got heavy... But I dont think Ive ever actually said I hate streaming." "Do you remember when I asked you about it before? What did you say again... Oh, right. At this rate, I might as well make you a VTuber. What was your response then?" Magia frowned. She had already answered that question back then. "I said, If you told me to do it, Id do it." "...Oh." Do-hee smacked her forehead and let out a long sigh. "Yeah, but after that, you subtly turned it down." "I only said that because I knew you wouldnt let me debut. I dont meet the qualifications. And the boss I know would never debut someone who doesnt meet the bar. So I didnt even consider it seriously." In short, Do-hee had been completely off the mark this whole time. The problem was, Magia wasnt always completely honest either. After all, Magia was Do-hees longtime fan. There werent many fans who could flat-out refuse a request from their oshilet alone when said oshi was also their boss. So Do-hee pressed on, determined to get the truth. "Forget all the indirect answers. Be honest. If you had to debut, whats the one thing that would make you not want to do it?" But Magia had never actually thought about that before. If she ever did debut, it would be because Do-hee decided she was qualified. And if Do-hee gave the order, Magia would follow it without question. "Uh... Give me a second. Ive never actually considered it..." Still, with the boss asking her directly, she had to give a real answer. After a brief moment of thought, Magia spoke. "If I had to stream, I think Id struggle with not being able to watch other peoples broadcasts as much. I just really enjoy being a viewer more." Do-hee was surprised. She had expected concerns about singing, dancing, or general entertainment skills. Magia did have some talenther voice impressions and raps proved that. But wasnt that what most people worried about first? "...So singing and dancing wouldnt be an issue?" "I think if I learned properly, itd be fine. The first-gen members werent great at both from the start either, right? Some were better at singing, others at dancing." Magia had a point. The first-generation talents had spent three months in training after passing their auditions, undergoing vocal and dance lessons just like idol trainees. Even now, they continued practicing alongside their streaming schedules. ...That one little comment about quitting. That one tiny snowball Magia tossed... just kept rolling and rolling. Looking back, Do-hee couldnt help but feel embarrassed at how much she had misunderstood. "Alright. Just to clear up any misunderstandingsI have no intention of giving you any orders related to debuting. Any streaming-related tasks I assign you will be strictly work-related, nothing more. Got it?" Magia blinked in confusion. She hadnt been thinking much about any of this, but now Do-hee was suddenly getting all serious, lowering her voice like some kind of strict boss. But even if she didnt fully get it, she still listened intently. When Do-hee talked about work, Magia knew to take things seriously. Seeing Magia nod along, Do-hee continued. "That said... If you ever really, genuinely want to become a VTuber, let me know. Ill make sure it happensno matter what." Magia chuckled. "I dont think thatll ever happen, but sure. Got it." And with that, the mess of misunderstandings between them was finally sorted out. With that off her chest, Do-hee wasted no time switching gears back to work. She had hesitated to bring it up earlier, worried it would feel like she was pressuring Magia to debut. But now that they had cleared the air, there was no reason to hold back. Do-hee was Magias concerned boss. But she was also an ambitious businesswoman. "Alright, back to work. When you join the private match tomorrow, well use the prepared placard." When Magia had appeared on Doras stream, it had been as an unofficial guest. They had let it slide. But this time, she was officially invited by Mugeon. And as the stand-in for Momo, the face of Parallel, she needed a proper visual representation. It was an unspoken agreement between the fans and the company. Fans would immerse themselves in Parallels worldbuilding. In return, the company would minimize anything that could break that immersion. But honestly, it wasnt like this was a problem. Wasnt it natural for an otaku to get excited over a really well-drawn model? ...Its just a shame. This was the kind of character design that deserved to be brought to life. But asking someone else to stream with the illustration Dora had made for her was out of the question. All she could do was silently admire the art. Thinking to herself, If this had been given to anyone else, they probably couldve gone much further... Well, anyway, thanks, Dora. You really didnt have to go all out, but Ill use it well tomorrow. [Yay! And you have to use it when we collab in the future too!] The best thing would be if you just stopped playing horror games. [Whaaa?! Dont say that! I really want to play something with you] Click. Magia hung up and stared at the character sheet again. It was definitely cute. Maybe because it was a drawing Dora had poured her heart into, but the little details were amazing. Especially the outfit. A business-style slit skirt, but on a tiny chibi-like character, giving it an unintentionally cute effect. A slightly oversized witchs hat and robe, emphasizing the "clumsy rookie witch" vibe. ...Man. This is so wasted on me. To have something this high-quality and just sit on it... It was like putting a pearl necklace on a pig. But there was nothing to be done. Even Magia hadnt expected Dora to go this far. Still, since Dora put in so much effort, shed have to use it whenever she showed up on stream. *** ... [MOOVING] Re: Hello, Mugeon. This is the Parallel Operations Team. ... From: Mugeon To: Parallel Operations Team Attachment: "Untitled_5_NoHat_NoRobe_EmployeeBadge.png" Hello, Ive received the image file you sent. Ill set it up next to my cam during the stream. Thanks, Mugeon MOOVING Crew There wasnt much preparation left to do besides sending over the placard. All Magia had to do was wait for the signal in the pre-registered voice chat and then join the stream. Shed be playing from the companys solo streaming room, but she had purposely brought her personal mouse from home, so gameplay wouldnt be an issue. Just to be safe, she ran a few rounds in the training mode. Shotgunboom, boom, boom. Running through the smokesmooth movements. Mouse sensitivity? Perfect. Keyboard responsiveness? No issues. "Hopefully, I get lucky with my team." The best-case scenario was ending up on the opposite team from Mugeon. If they were on the same team, his presence might overshadow hers. But if she took him down in front of thousands of live viewers? And her username was "1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5"? The audience would be forced to remember that date. And theyd associate it with Parallel. Mugeon gets eliminated = Parallel employee = Parallels 1st anniversary song drops Nov 5. "Perfect." Team selection was up to luck, but if the gods of marketing were listening please, just this once, let everything line up. Magia clasped her hands together, praying for a PR miracle. Just then, a message popped up in the private match chat. [Mugeon: EmployeeD, please standby.] [EmployeeD: Understood.] After a brief pause, Mugeon switched the screen to the waiting room and addressed the audience. [Alright, folks. As you can see, we have 23 players instead of 24 today. You know what that means, right?] Guest? So who is it?? Hurry up and tell us, bro. Ive been holding my breath for three days for this. [Okay, okay, dont rush. Ill introduce them now. First, heres what they look like...] The first reveal was Magias placard. Dora had chosen the most businesslike version of the illustration. No witchs hat, no robejust a tiny but professional-looking office worker with a company badge. ? Who??? Cute. Who is this??? Omg, a new VTuber? Where did they come from? [Alright, are any Parallel fans in the chat?] ? Yeah, were here. Wait... is this EmployeeD? Parallels on a break today, Ive got nothing else to watch. Ive never seen this placard before?? [Hmm. Even the fans dont recognize them, huh? Alright, lets just bring them in directly.] It was time. Taking a deep breath, Magia joined the voice chat. A quick mic testthen she spoke. Ah, ah. Can you hear me? For a moment, the chat went completely silent. The kind of silence that happens when everyone is too stunned to react. But it didnt last long. Within seconds, the chat exploded. ?? EmployeeD??? Wait. Is this Signal Flare??? WHAT? ????? SIGNAL FLARE???? ???????? What is this art quality, holy crap. WAIT WHAT ??? This is actually EmployeeD??? DID THEY JUST DEBUT?!?!?!? WHAT IS GOING ON???? NO WAY IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS!!!!! ???? EMPLOYEE D! EMPLOYEE D! EMPLOYEE D! EMPLOYEE D! EMPLOYEE D! Chapter 28 ... Parallel (VTuber) Forum ... [?] What the hell. Whats going on with EmployeeDs placard????? (Upvotes: 395 / Downvotes: 0) [Comments] Parallel784: EmployeeD? ? Parallel1 (OP): YEP YEP YEP YEP YEP. ? Parallel385: Did the mods get sick or something? LOL. ? Parallel711: This dudes so starved for content hes watching external streams LOL. ? Parallel784: FR LMAO, Parallels on full break today. ? Parallel784: No, seriously, WHY IS THIS HAPPENING??? ? Parallel242: What is it? ? Parallel784: /movgun_mooving ["Mooving" | Special Guest for 4th Week of October Private Match] ? Parallel784: Go check it out. [Mugeon / MovGun] @movgun_mooving | 1.81M Followers Former Battle Colosseum pro, now a full-time streamer. Live | Special Guest for 4th Week of October Private Match | 22,994 viewers #BattleColosseum #Parallel The chat was moving even faster than when Momos viewership hit its peak. This was what 23,000 live viewers looked like. And that number was still climbing. Livia from VachuVachu peaked at 40,000 once, and the chat speed had been about the same. Momo once told me that even 5,000 viewers were enough to make reading chat impossible. Maybe being good at FPS games really did help with reaction speed. I waited patiently for the chaos in the chat to settle before I calmly introduced myself. "Somehow, I ended up getting invited to this private match by Mugeon. So here I am, saying hello to everyone. Nice to meet youIm EmployeeD from the Parallel Operations Team." KYYYYAAAAAAAA THE GREAT MUGEON HE ACTUALLY DID IT Bro... I think Im starting to respect you But seriously, what is that placard??? Are you debuting??? So cute No way, the placard and voice match so perfectly LOL Where do you stream??? THIS WASNT EVEN ANNOUNCED BUT LOOK AT THAT DESIGN WTF 1.5th gen confirmed??? EMPLOYEE D! EMPLOYEE D! EMPLOYEE D! The sheer dominance of that small-but-powerful character design... "For reference, this illustration was drawn by first-gen talent, Akari Dora. Since I work for a VTuber company, the boss said it wouldnt be right for me to join a match for official promotion with just a voice." The chat was still going crazy, but the moment I dropped the words promotion, official, employeeeverything flipped. Promotion? What do you mean, EmployeeD??? ??? BRO THIS IS A DEBUT STREAM WTF No way, right? Wait... so this ISNT a debut??? ...oh. DORA MOMMY AAAAAAAAAA WHO USES A PLACARD FOR A PROMOTIONAL STREAM?!?! YOU LIED TO ME DONT DO THIS TO ME NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LIES LIES LIES LIES LIES LIES IM GOING DARK MODE :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: "LMAO we all know you''re debuting anyway, just admit it." :: :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: "See you soon as 1.5th Gen EmployeeD~" :: I ignored all the debut-related donations and messages. If I responded even once, theyd start spinning it as "Shes clearly considering it but pretending not to!" If I stayed silent, theyd let it go on their own. No need to stir the hive. Seeing that I wasnt reacting, Mugeon jumped in at the perfect moment. [Alright, alright, Parallel fanscalm down. I got a message from their boss: Please dont bully EmployeeD too much, theyre only here for official promotion and private match participation. Understood?] RRRGHHH DAMN YOU, MOMO!!! FREE EMPLOYEEDDDD DOWN WITH MOMO THE DICTATOR! Of course, not everyone was thrilled about my presence. "Didnt they usually only invite top-tier players?" "Idk, maybe they got in through a special connection lmao." "Mugeon must be running out of people to invite."@@@@ Please, RNG gods. Just dont put me on Mugeons team. Of course, things in life never go exactly as planned. [Alright, time for the team draft. Eight players left in the pool. Naturally, those with weaker performances in previous matches have ended up in this phase. Lets begin the second draft phase.] Even though this was a private match, the Mooving Crew took winning very seriously, which was why they always held a draft to select teams. Each of the eight captains would pick two teammates in a staggered orderrolling dice to determine the picking sequence, then reversing the order for the final pick. And, as expected, since my skills hadnt been proven yet, I had been pushed to the second phase along with the players who hadnt performed well last week... One by one, the captains selected their teams. By the time the seventh captain had filled their three-member squad [Oh, would you look at that? EmployeeD, welcome aboard. We meet again.] LOL Welp, saw that coming. Bro, the second I saw Mugeon roll first, I KNEW this would happen. This is comedy gold. Well, at least youll get carried. VIP Battle Colosseum ride, ON. ...And just like that, I ended up as the final pick on Mugeons team. [I guess since your skills are still unverified, the other captains didnt want to take the risk. But I believe in you. If I didnt, I wouldnt have invited you here in the first place. Since were on the same team now, lets give it our best, yeah?] Bro, why would you say it like that? Now it just sounds sad. EmployeeD isnt in Master tier because they dont wanna be, not because they cant be. Mugeon, you are a terrible person LOL. Oh yeah. Real inspiring. Just fantastic. I CAME HERE TO BLOW YOUR HEAD OFF, YOU BASTARD. This was bullshit. This had to be rigged. There was no way this wasnt some conspiracy on Mugeons part to sabotage my plan. Setting aside the professional front for a second The fact was, even if you combined the average viewership of every other ex-pro and streamer in this match, it still wouldnt match what Mugeon had watching him right now. If I wanted maximum impact, I needed to take him out. And now I was stuck on his team? Was the universe against Parallels success? Fine. If thats how it was going to be, Id just have to change my approach. If I was the kind of person who gave up just because of an unexpected setback, I wouldnt have joined this match in the first place. This was the job Momo had entrusted to me My first official corporate promotional duty. I wasnt going to half-ass it just because the situation wasnt ideal. If I couldnt eliminate Mugeon... Then Id just have to win the whole damn thing. If I carried my team to first place, then it wouldnt matter that Mugeons viewership overshadowed mine. The results would speak for themselves. And so, I changed my mission objective. Instead of taking out Mugeon within two rounds, the new goal was: Get first place. No matter what. Fueled by pure determination, I boldly declared "Mugeon, just dont hold me back. Im planning to win today." Chapter 29 "The universe really is against me," I thought as I got stuck on Mugeons team. But if I couldnt take him down, then Id just have to win the whole damn match. "Mugeon, just dont hold me back. Im planning to win today." As soon as I said it, the chat exploded. LMAO, who''s really holding who back here? Bro, YOURE the one whos gonna be dead weight. Yo, dont underestimate Signal Flare. Little cocky, arent we? Why are all former stream snipers so damn confident? A Diamond player talking big? Alright, let''s see it. Try keeping up first, lmao. :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: "EmployeeD, were letting this slide because you look cute. If it were anyone else, you''d be getting decked for that statement." :: LMAOOO This is a bad omen... Youre on thin ice, lmao. :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: "Prediction: You wont even be able to keep up with Mugeon." :: Facts. Mugeon generates his own speed. Keeping up with him is already a challenge. Crazy Shot should at least help, though. :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: "FACT: If EmployeeD is the sniper from two days ago, then Mugeon already lost a bet to her once." :: "Oh, REALLY?" "She never even confirmed it tho??" "Yall are making a big deal out of a Diamond player, cmon now." I didnt respond. Skill wasnt something you talked aboutit was something you proved. Seeing that I wasnt engaging, Mugeon decided to step in and calm things down. And he did it in the simplest way possibleby revealing my in-game name. [Alright, lets all head to the waiting room. The match is about to start.] [Got it, boss.] "Understood." The moment I entered the lobby { 3P: 1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5 } The chat died for a second. Then, laughter exploded. "NO WAY LMAO" "THAT USERNAME, WTF" "Bro, youd have to be blind not to see it." "They REALLY came here just to advertise, huh?" "Okay, thats actually funny." "LMAOOOOOOOO" And then, to really drive it home, Mugeon casually added [1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5, lets do our best. I dont think Ill be the one holding you back, though. Just make sure you dont trip over your own feet.] His pronunciation was perfect. Not a single slip of the tongue. Was this what happened when a pro-turned-streamer got used to handling live content? But for some reason, the way he said it pissed me off. It was like he was sucking up to my boss. ...Should I kill him? "Just to be safe, can I team-kill before you start slowing me down?" "LMAOOOO" "SHE REALLY JUST SAYS ANYTHING, HUH?" "Chaotic energy, I respect it." "That villain arc keeps peeking through, lmao." [1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5, were teammates. You do want to win, right?] "Im just saying, if you hold me back, then youre technically a troll. And I have a history of taking out trolls." [Does that mean I can take you out first? Because that seems like the logical next step.] A third teammatesupport classinterrupted with a very tired voice. [Mugeon, please. I just want to win this.] ...And just like that, Id fallen into Mugeons pace again. Dammit. [Alright, make sure to keep an eye on 1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5. If you dont manage her properly, shes gonna turn around and double-barrel you in the back. Isnt that right, 1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5?] "Obviously." "DYING." "BRO, STOP SAYING THE FULL NAME." "WHY IS HE LIKE THIS?" "I CANT TAKE THIS ANYMORE." Everyone was losing their minds over Mugeon saying my full username every time. But in this match, that was the rule. No skipping, no abbreviating. It was an unspoken agreement among the players. And that was perfect. Because I wanted him to say it over and over again. The more times my username got repeated, the more it got burned into the audiences heads. 1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5. 1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5. 1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5. The PR move was working flawlessly. Still, if we were gonna win, I needed Mugeon to actually focus. So I locked in my character pickCrazy Shot. That should tell him everything he needed to know. [Wait, do you really use dual shotguns?] "I survive in ranked using only shotguns and smoke grenades." Mugeon made a low hum, like he was thinking about whether or not this would mess up the team composition. But surprisingly, he accepted it without a fuss. [Alright, well keep it as is. The team balance looks good. EmployeeD, youll be our frontline. Ill lock down the backline as Hawkeye. Our support, Wonhyuk, will handle mid-range control.] Assault, Controller, Support. A good squad needed all three classes. And in this lineup? I was Assault. My job was simple: rush in and create chaos. If I could take down enemies in the process? Even better. "Im just gonna throw smoke and charge forward. You guys clean up the leftovers." [Wait, wasnt that supposed to be your job? I take them down, and you finish them off?] "STOP." "BRO, MY BRAIN CANT TAKE THIS ANYMORE." "1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5 1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5 1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5 1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5." "ENOUGH. PLEASE." "IVE MEMORIZED IT. I GET IT. THE 1ST GEN ANNIVERSARY SONG DROPS ON NOVEMBER 5TH." Chat was completely breaking down. Everything was going according to plan. It wasnt just any shield. It was Level 3 Shield Armor. Just one level below max, meaning it could survive a direct headshot from an anti-material sniper rifle. And yet, the Assault player had dropped instantly. EmployeeD had landed almost every pellet of her shotgun spreadstraight into the head. Through the smoke. With almost no visibility. "What the fuck just happened?" [No, seriously, how did I go down that fast?] "Its not about how. Just give us her position." [Where do you THINK? Shes in the fucking smoke. Dont go in yet! That shotgun is weird as hell."] "Understood." If they had reacted instantlyif they had rushed into the smoke while she was reloadingshe might have been eliminated. But they hesitated. They hadnt expected her to actually land that kill. Everyone knew she played with smoke and shotguns. But nobody had proof that she could do it against pros. "Throw grenades." [Roger that.] The Support and Controller players were just about to lob grenades into the smoke When Crazy Shot suddenly burst out. Pigtails bouncing. Shotguns raised. Heading straight for the Support. She had heard the sound of a grenade being cooked And immediately charged in before it could be thrown. BOOM! BOOM! Support playerdown. ["FUCK!"] The Controller threw his grenade anywaybut she was already gone. She ducked back into the smoke just before he could fire a follow-up shot. TA-TA-TA-TA! Bullets tore through the expected escape route, but only barely chipped her shield. "Her escape speed is fucking nuts...!" The Controller immediately repositioned. "No way a Diamond plays like this. This has to be a smurf." "What the hell is this reaction speed?" "Is she a pro?" "Nah, no way. Pro womens teams still get stomped by amateur mens teams." "Theres no way shes actually an employee, lmao." But before he could finish processing it PSSSSHHHHH. Another smoke bomb explodeddirectly in front of him. She had read his position. She was coming for him next. The smoke rolled toward him, curling over the walls, swallowing his vision. He had two choices. Charge into the smoke and take a head-on fight.Fall back and wait for the smoke to clear. Normally, hed take option 1. But Something about what hed just seen made him hesitate. He felt like if he stepped inside, hed die instantly. So, he did the one thing he never did. He ran. He turned and sprinted away, hoping to revive his fallen teammates BANG! CRASH! "Ah, fuck. Im dead." EmployeeD wasnt alone. She didnt have to finish him herself. Because Mugeons sniper round had already shattered his shield. And when Crazy Shot emerged from the smoke Her double-barrel was already aimed at his head. BOOM. {{1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5 >> (Head) (Kill) KraaakChunGeunChoo}} Chapter 30 With EmployeeD''s unbelievable performance, Mugeon''s team had wiped out an entire squad in an instant. The chat, which had laughed at her bold declaration about winning first place, was now filled with sheer awe. What the helllllllllllllll?! Holy shit LOL ?????? HOW DID SHE EVEN DO THAT? WOW INSANE Damn, what CANT EmployeeD do?! :: Anonymous donor has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: She does perfect impressions, raps like a pro, is ridiculously cute, AND can solo-kill ex-pros in Battle Colosseum?! Just what ARE you, EmployeeD?!!! :: EMPLOYEED!!! DAMN IT, EMPLOYEED!! I found my new dopamine source. Seriously, is there ANYTHING she CAN''T do?! JUST DEBUT ALREADY!!!!! So is she actually "MugeonIsASecretMomoAnti"? Was she really the one who sniped Mugeon?! Watching this unfold, Mugeon had a thought. Sure, constantly reading out her full username had burned the name into everyones heads, which was great for her marketing. But hadnt she said she was here to promote 1st Gens Anniversary Song? Because right now, it felt more like a damn EmployeeD showcase. At this rate, if they suddenly announced "this is actually her debut stream," the whole chat would just nod in understanding and start clapping. Feeling oddly concerned, Mugeon subtly tried to get her attention. 1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5, you remember what you''re supposed to do later, right? But EmployeeD was too far gone, completely possessed by her double-barrel shotgun. She was running across the battlefield like a madwoman, actively hunting for enemies. ... Yeah. No way they were having a conversation until the game was over. Sighing, Mugeon repositioned himself and told their support, Won-hyuk, "Watch her back. Don''t let her die." [Shes diving so recklessly I cant even find a good way to enter with her...] "What, you scared you''re gonna die first?" [Shes the one who broke down the damn door. If I run in after her, Im just gonna get shot in the face by whoever was camping at the entrance.] It was an accurate analysis. EmployeeD''s attack style was pure brute force. Normally, when people got stuck inside a smoke cloud, they''d try to escape. EmployeeD? She just threw another smoke forward. Retreating was simply not an option. And yet Despite the fact that she was surrounded by pro-tier players, she wasnt even slightly afraid. Maybe that insane confidence was what convinced Mugeon to just roll with it. "Don''t follow her in. Just cover from the outside. She can handle herself." [If she dies, though, it''s just going to make things harder for us. YOU might not care because you make money from streaming, but I actually want to win the prize pool.] "Its just the warm-up round. And besides, you''ve been watching her move this whole time, right? Just bend your movement like she does. If she doesnt die, we win." Won-hyuk sighed heavily, already worried about the next round. [Fine. But can I say one thing?] "Go for it." [This isn''t really a strategy. Its just brute force. The whole lobby has already seen it, so whats stopping them from countering it next round?] It was a valid point. It looked like EmployeeD was steamrolling through squads effortlessly, But this lobby was filled with high-tier players. The only reason her plan had worked was because everyone underestimated her. If they''d known in advance that she could nail headshots through smoke, they wouldn''t have gotten caught so easily. And once a tactic had been used once in the Mooving Crews in-house matches, people adapted immediately. Thats why these scrims were so brutal. What worked one round would not work the next. "Whatever. 1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5 told me not to hold her back, so I wont. If she screws up, thats on her." [...Ugh. Fine. Ill try my best to keep her alive.] At that moment, a donation alert popped up. :: Anonymous donor has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Mugeon, youre way quieter than usual today. If this were Momo, youd be roasting her nonstop. :: Mugeon smirked. "Come on, be realistic. Momo just talks shit without backing it up. 1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5 actually has the skills to talk shit. You guys just dont know how to recognize real talent." And that was when EmployeeD, mid-sprint, suddenly stopped moving. It was only for a brief second. Then she started running againdirectly toward Mugeons position. But by then, it was too late. TING.@@@@ A grenade bounced off the rock behind him. At this point, Mugun was well aware that Magia hated him. It wasnt just a casual rivalryit had the feral energy of an obsessive anti-fan. Not that it bothered him. Hed been a streamer for two years now. And he knew exactly how to turn this into entertainment. "Oh, really? I thought the charging was the problem." [Then who got more kills?] "Oh, were doing kill counts now?" Hmm. Shes got a point. You lost. Twice. Wait, twice? Bro, we didnt think youd lose again, man. "Damn, yall really want me to go serious mode, huh." Bruh, werent you already trying? We saw you shooting, bro. Mid-gun, not Mugun. Ignoring the teasing in chat, Mugun made a proposal. "1stGen1stAnniversarySongNovember5Release. Since were already talking about kills, how about a kill wager for the next three rounds?" It was a sudden challenge, meant to catch her off guard. But Magia didn''t take the bait. [I thought the next round was the last one?] "Come on. Kill wagers are fun. And one round isnt enoughtoo many random variables. What do you say? Two more rounds? Final-final-final match extension?" [No.] LMAOOOOO Cmon, old man, just two more rounds~ I swear hes not a bad guy, Magia-chan~ Now that she said no, I wanna make her stay even more LOL. Don''t gooooooo. The chat was practically begging her to stay. It wasnt every day someone stood their ground against Mugun like this. It almost felt like watching two veteran streamers throwing verbal punches at each other. Riding the momentum, Mugun went all-in. "Guys. Show some effort. You think you can just ask a busy person to stay for free?" [Thats literally you] "Hurry up! Wheres the mission donations? Chop chop! If you dont send anything, the next round will start, and then its over!" Ding. :: Mission :: :: EmployeeD, please play two more rounds C 100,000 won :: Magia muttered. [We cant just extend the match without discussing it with everyone.] Mugun countered immediately. "What are you talking about? We usually play at least four rounds. Todays only shorter because 1stGen1stAnniversarySongNovember5Release is busy." Ding, ding, ding, ding. With over 30,000 viewers, the donations piled up instantly. :: Mission :: :: EmployeeD, please play two more rounds C 1,090,000 won :: Even with small amounts like 1,000 or 5,000 won, it quickly surpassed a million. But Magia wasnt the type to be swayed by money. The only reason she showed up on Rain''s stream before was because it directly benefited Rain. Fazizik (the streaming platform) ranked streamers based on daily, weekly, and monthly donations. The 4.25 million won she pulled in that day put Rain on the front page, massively boosting his viewership. But on Mugun''s stream? Why should she care? Even if this mission money hit ten million won, it would only boost Muguns rankings, not hers. :: Mission :: :: EmployeeD, please play two more rounds C 1,845,000 won :: So even when it neared a million in dollars, she still rejected it. [Sorry, but Im not accepting the mission.] ...But. What if she could get something else instead of money? [But Id be willing to accept something else.] Mugun stroked his chin, intrigued. "Something else, huh. What do you want?" From the moment the stream started, Magia knew she was at the center of attention. But that attention? She didnt give a damn about it. The reason she had been so quiet while playing? She had been thinking. [After the in-house match, host a Parallel Song World Cup.] She had been figuring out how to redirect all this attention back to 1st Gens anniversary. Chapter 31 [After todays in-house match, please continue with the Parallel Song World Cup.] The moment Mugeon heard those words, he felt an overwhelming sense of dissonance. "This person is weird...." In Mugeons mind, there were only three words that defined Employee-D. Malicious. Sniper. Attention-seeker. Attacking Mugeon without consulting Momo, the CEO, in advance. Telling him outright not to hold her back because she wanted first place. Throwing grenades because someone insulted Momo. Every single action was extraordinary. A normal person wouldnt dare behave like that in front of someone as well-known as Mugeon. And yet, this same person The one who had been acting all day like this was her debut showcase Now she was suddenly asking for a Parallel Song World Cup? "I thought she was using first-generation promotions as an excuse and prioritizing her own debut... Was I wrong?" But no, he wasnt mistaken. Even the viewers thought Magia was strange. A company employee who, just moments ago, had a tie wrapped around her head, face flushed from belting out trot songs Now suddenly straightened up, put on a serious expression, and started methodically marketing the products she had packed in her bag. Song World Cup? Thats so random, lol. Oh, I see. Its for promoting the new songs. Ah, right, Employee-D is here. :: An anonymous supporter has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: "I completely forgot Employee-D was here for promotional purposes..." :: You too? Me too, lol. Wait, are they just enjoying the in-house match? Am I the only one who feels this way? Lol. For real, she could just stream like this and itd be fine. If she were just an attention-seeking troll, that would be one thing. But her high-level gameplay, her top-tier voice impressions and rapping, and her ability to speak her mind without hesitation, even in front of strangers She clearly had talent for broadcasting, and she showed it whenever she wanted. Yet, she still kept drawing a line, saying, "Im not that kind of person." It was frustrating to watch. Like seeing someone with all the skills and opportunities complain about why they couldnt do something. If she was avoiding debut, it was either due to her own stubborn resistance or the company holding her back. The latter might have valid reasons, but the former? That just made her an unusual person. So now, Mugeon was curious. Would this devoted employee forever remain outside the letterbox? Would she never step inside the screen herself? While he pondered, Magia, having run out of patience, asked in a sharp tone. [So. Are you doing the Parallel Song World Cup or not?] Back to the point Mugeon liked Employee-Ds crack playstyle. He liked the huge ripples she caused in the otherwise calm in-house match. But this entertaining atmosphere only existed because she was there. Her presence alone was that unique. Even though Mugeon was friends with Momo, he had never watched a single VTuber stream or even listened to a cover song. Is he really gonna go for it? Dude, even though hes friends with Momo, he doesnt watch VTubers, lol. If he agrees, this is gonna be legendary. And yet, he had no choice but to accept. Because that was the only way to get Magia back into another in-house match. Alright, screw it. Lets open the club tonight. *** Celestial Rank Players See Diamonds as Pebbles. In the celestial rank, diamonds were so common that they were practically worthless. They were scattered everywhere, rolling underfoot like stray pebbles. So when Magia first appeared in the in-house match, everyone thought the same thing. "Shes just here to catch a free ride." "A VTuber? From Parallel? If shes here for promotion, shes probably not worth much." But then, after the warm-up round, everyone changed their minds. Dont go near the smoke. If you get too close, youre dead. This wasnt just a pebble. This was a bowling ball. Kick it, and youll break your ankle. Strategies completely changed. Instead of focusing on Magia, teams went back to the original plan: take down Mugeon first. "How do we get her to talk more while shes busy playing?" Then, they figured it out. "Oh? She responds when we bring this up?" "What if we donate like this?" "How about this kind of chat message?" :: An anonymous supporter has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: "Wow, has it really been a year for the first-gen members already?" :: [Yeah, before we knew it, its been a year. Time flies, doesnt it?] :: An anonymous supporter has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: "When will the new song be revealed? Ive been waiting!" :: [Itll be revealed right after the in-house match, before Mugeons Parallel Song World Cup. Just hang in there a little longer.] This created an ongoing question-and-answer relay. Even those who werent interested at first began to pay attention, and Magias tone gradually became more lively. Thanks to that, even though this was Mugeons stream, it felt more like a Parallel festival. The viewers were happy to capture her attention, and Magia was happy that people were showing interest in first-gen. [Alright then, lets get to the Parallel updates. Youve probably guessed from the title, but lets watch this video first before I explain.] Huh?? Been waiting for this! Lets goooo! Crowd buzzing Another! Another! Another! Another! Another! Praying for a banger song The screen faded to black, and a one-minute video began. Thump, thump, thump, thump. A strong kick drum pounded, followed by an electric synth line. Then came the pre-chorus right before the hook. The sound gradually built up, layering melodies and harmonies. Even casual listeners could feel the anticipationthe chorus was coming. Even people who had never heard the song before were already waving their glow sticks. And then, Mugeon nodded along and gave his verdict. Not bad. (Glow stick emoji) (Glow stick emoji) (Glow stick emoji) (Glow stick emoji) (Glow stick emoji) (Butt-shaking emoji) (Butt-shaking emoji) (Butt-shaking emoji) (Butt-shaking emoji) Ohhh (Glow stick emoji) (Shake it emoji) Wait, this is actually good?? Amidst the flood of glow sticks, more direct comments rolled in: "This is fire." "Its got an insane vibe." "Hyped as hell." And then, the signature bold melodies and beats of K-pop came crashing in. A hook-laden chorus surged forward, backed by the main vocals powerful delivery. "This attraction is addictive, Im falling deeper in." "This love is so real, its taking me high." "Our world, endlessly connected." "Together we shine, like stars in the sky." Dora and Maru took turns showcasing their vocals, while Komari and Rains rap verses seamlessly connected the gaps. KYAAAAAAA!!!! THIS IS IT!! Oh my god, this is refreshing. Just as the audience was completely engrossed, a short, dynamic 3D silhouette dance videocreated using the days motion capture footageflashed across the screen. ??? HOLY 3D?! IS THIS 3D?? WOOOOOOOOW 3D CONFIRMED? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? WHAT THE HELL KYAAAAAAAAAAA ITS 3D! DAMN IT, EMPLOYEE-D BROUGHT US 3D!!!!!!! SCREAMING WHAT IS THIS?! DOES THIS MEAN WERE GETTING A 3D CONCERT TOO?? HOLY DAMN IT, I BELIEVED IN CEO MOMO ALL ALONG!!!! Safe to say, the promotion was a massive success? *** ... Mugeon (Internet Broadcaster) Forum ... [Damn, there are actually a lot of good songs.] Never really cared about VTubers, but... Some of these songs are solid. Thanks to Mugeon, my playlist is getting a huge update, lol. [Comments] Mugeon835: Weeb detected at home. Arrested on the spot. ? Mugeon213 (OP): 5252, just join us already, man. wwwww ? Mugeon835: Tbh, my algorithm is already infected, lol. ? Mugeon213 (OP): LMAO. Mugeon909: Honestly, the funniest part was watching Mugeons algorithm get absolutely ruined during the World Cup. ? Mugeon251: Bruh, I played just one of these songs, and now my entire YouTube feed is wrecked. ? Mugeon251: But ngl, it slaps. ? Mugeon213 (OP): Thats how they get you, lol. ... Parallel (VTuber) Forum ... [Wait, isnt Employee-D actually a VTuber?] Does she have a channel or something? Im ready to subscribe and donate. [Comments] Parallel849: You and about a million other people are already waiting. ? Parallel242 (OP): For real? Parallel348: Shes being held captive by Momo, lol. ? Parallel242 (OP): Damn. ? Parallel348: Are you interested in the Employee-D Liberation Movement? ? Parallel242 (OP): Lmao, calling it a liberation movement is hilarious. ? Parallel242 (OP): Let me know if I can help. ? Parallel348: Great. Join us at the Employee-D mini forum. Chapter 32 After revealing the video, Mugeon kept his promise and continued with the Song World Cup. The broadcast maintained nearly 30,000 viewers for almost an hour, serving as an extremely effective promotion. The steady reinforcement of Magias name, her ability to draw attention, the strategically timed teaser video, and the Song World Cup all seamlessly came togetheralmost as if planned. Even the foreign viewers in Mugeons audience seemed to be getting drawn in. [Nutube] Midday Heat Haze| Nezumi Maru Cover Nezumi Maru | Subscribers: 197,000 Views: 520,000 | 1 week ago | #NezumiMaru #Parallel Comments (733) @ListenWhy Just now MOVGUN brings me here @tamatama-sang Just now The influx of new viewers led to a noticeable increase in views across both cover songs and original tracks. Meanwhile, Zs real-time search rankings were completely dominated by tags like Parallel First-Gen, Anniversary, and 3D. Since 3D modeling opens up so many new possibilities, the audience was thrilled about what could come next. A full-group concert? A physical challenge-style collaboration stream? The expansion potential was limitless. MidnightTwo Hours After the In-House Match Ended. By 12 AM, even Cheon Do-heewho had just wrapped up a grueling 14-hour motion capture session for the first-gen membershad heard about the news. The PR team leader mustve been watching the stream without sleeping. Oh, really? He said he sees Magia in a new light now. Apparently, he regrets not scouting her earlier, since he didnt realize she was this talented. And what did Team Leader Kang say? I told him if he was that upset, he should become Operations Team Leader instead. I mean, technically, Magias part of my team, but I barely interfere anyway. Cheon Do-hee and Kang Ji-ho exchanged knowing laughs. They were laughing, but both of them were on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion. As soon as the girls get out of their suits, were heading straight home. Im wiped. Agreed... I dont know why were this exhausted when theyre the ones running around. Well, theyre too caught up in the moment to notice, but watching is actually more mentally draining than participating. Seeing repeated mistakes, catching tiny imperfectionsit wears you down. Both of them just wanted to go home and pass out. Shower? That was tomorrow mornings problem. ... At least, that was the plan, until the first-gen membersafter filming for 14 hoursdecided they wanted to go out for food. Lets keep playing!! Yeah, lets go! Drinks and food! And they werent just whining about itthey clung to Magia like barnacles. But what about Magia? Magia? Magia? Magia? You messed up, sis. Idiot? Magia is three-time. Magia is five-time, do like this. Leng, you forgot the number four. Do you even know how to count anymore? Shut up. You guys talk too much for people who havent even gamed with Magia. I helped with illustrations for her stream, you know~. Oh? Are you trying to make us jealous? Do you want bloodshed? Calm down, both of you... Fuck! Im jealous! I wanted a Magia hug too! Fuuuuck! It made sense. Every time they had breaks during solo shoots, all they could do was scroll on their phones. And the biggest topic on their feeds? Magias broadcast. Teaming up with Mugeon. Crushing celestial-rank players. Flawlessly wrapping up promotions. Getting Mugeon to run a Parallel Song World Cup for 30,000+ viewers. And this person had just been sitting quietly in the monitoring room all this time? For the first-gen members, that was completely unacceptable. They needed to drag her in, shower her with praise, and turn her into a praise onion. Although... Magia had been making an effort to bond with the younger members lately. Still, she wasnt someone who enjoyed being the center of attention. Unable to decide, Cheon Do-hee finally sent a message. [Me: Magia.] [Me: Are you awake?] A reply came almost instantly. [Magia: Nope.] [Magia: I was grinding rank in Battle Call since Im on track to hit Master tonight.] [Magia: Why?] [Me: Were heading out for late-night food. The girls want to see you.] [Me: You dont have to come, but I wanted to check if you were interested.] [Me: Come if you want.] [Me: No pressure, dont force yourself.] [Magia: Ill stay home.] ...Of course. Thats the Magia standard. Honestly, this was better. If Magia had actually come, theyd have felt guilty about dragging her out when she needed rest. But now, she was choosing to stay home and relax. That was perfect. Bzzzzzt. Hearing the unni made my skin crawl with secondhand embarrassment. What? Would you... like to play a game with me next week? She sounded completely indifferent, but that was just Komaris default tone. She was already quiet, and her pitch barely fluctuated, so to people who didnt know her, it mightve seemed like she was mad or something. ...She was pretty cute, though. Youre the only first-gen I can actually tolerate, huh? I was pretty sure the CEO liked Komari the most, too. Not that I ever asked. What game? Dont tell me its Naore. How did you know? Because youve been playing Naore all week. Of course, its Naore. ...I didnt play every day. Really? Out of your 40-hour stream time, you spent 30 hours playing games, 28 of which were Naore. And youre saying thats not every day? ....... Komari stared at me, frowning in frustration. But her idea of angry was just puffing out her cheeks slightly and tilting her brows. Her expression barely changed, which made it even funnier, and since her Live2D model mirrored it, the fans loved it. So... Naore, huh? A game I didnt care about, had never played, and knew absolutely nothing about. Ive never played it before. If you make a smurf account to play with me, people will talk. That doesnt matter. Its not ranked. Ill just learn the game first. Ugh. No, thats no fun. The best part is when you know nothing. I grinned and asked, Ohhh. You wanna see me struggle because I dont know how to play? That it? Immediately, Komaris face went blank. She was so easy to read, and that made teasing her even more fun. Of course, this only worked before she started playing ranked. Once Komari went into ranked mode, you had to leave her alone. She radiated a dangerous aura. Ill ask the CEO to teach me this weekend. Were going to a PC cafe? together. ...Fine. Komari huffed, let out a small scoff, and took another sip of her Coke. Then, after swallowing, she suddenly went Oh, right. I needed to tell you something. What? Its about Pino. They want your company email. ...Pino? PinoKomaris papa. A Live2D rigger who specialized in contract work for mobile game companies. Until now, we hadnt crossed paths because he mostly worked with the planning team. But why did he need my email? Komari quickly explained. Pino wants to mess with your model. Silence. ...I understood what she meant, but the wording. Komari mustve realized it too because she quickly avoided my gaze and muttered, ...I mean. They want to handle your rigging. Your illustration... Chapter 33 Not long after, the CEO dragged in Maru, who was currently in an unrecognizable state between a human and a limp seaweed, and carefully sat her down on a chair. Considering how bad Marus stomach was, there were times when she just couldnt stop throwing up once it started. So, honestly, it was a relief that she stopped at this point. ...Oh, theres still some leftover debris over there. While cleaning up Marus mess, I relayed what Komari had told me earlier. The CEO continued checking on Maru for a while before finally taking a seat. So... Pino wants to handle the rigging work? Both Komari and I nodded, and the CEO turned to Komari. Did they send an official email? No, they just asked for Gia-unnis email. Why Gias email...? Should I just CC Pino and have them send the request to the planning team? Yes. Even though they were acquainted, rigging was still contract work. And since it involved money, proper documentation was necessary. It might seem a bit cold to handle it so formally, but in business, these details were essential. Anyway... should we head out? Yeah. Can you two help me get Maru into the car? Gia, after that, make sure Komari gets home. Got it. Komari rushed over to Maru and struggled to lift one of her arms. Then, the CEO grabbed the other side, forming a very uneven shoulder support. Even when the taller person crouched down to even it out, there was only so much they could do, and naturally, the smaller side took most of the weight. Gi-Gia-unni, help me! But... how? If this were before I got shorter, I couldve easily carried her myself and thrown her in the car. But now? That wasnt happening. Should I just stick to Komaris side? That would only make things more awkward, and wed just end up getting tangled.@@@@ This positioning is too weird, so Ill just cheer you on from here. The moment I said that, the CEO gestured for me to come over. In the end, we had to switch places. The CEO carried Maru on her back, while Komari and I supported her from the sides in what was possibly the strangest formation imaginable. Somehow, we managed to get her to the parking lot and shoved Maru into the back seat of the CEOs sedan. And just like that, all three of us let out a synchronized sigh. The CEO, who had suffered the most, stretched first, then patted me and Komari on the back. Get home safe. And Gia, you did great with the promotions today. Lets talk about work tomorrow. Yeah, take care. With Maru the Seaweed and the CEO gone, only Komari and I remained. I pulled up the taxi app, entered Komaris home address, and made the call. Normally, I would have just booked one for both of us, but it was late at night, and the CEO had personally asked me to make sure Komari got home safely. It wouldnt hurt to wait until she got inside before calling my own ride. Dora and Rain already went home earlier, so once I drop you off, Im officially off duty. Stop making going home sound like a quest.... It is a quest. You guys just went out to have fun, but I have an actual objective. ....... The streetlight illuminated Komaris big, round eyes as she stared at me for a moment. Then, she finally spoke. Gia-unni... how about staying at my place until morning? Why would I? Its dangerous at night.... ...That was new. Of all people, Komari was the most fragile of the first-gen members. She had always assumed I would be the one making sure she got home safely. But now she was worried about me? Damn. Getting shorter really changed my life. Instead of worrying about me, worry about preparing for your stream tomorrow. Not that you would ever be late like Dora and piss off your fans. Obviously not... wait. Thats not the point! Are you seriously going straight home? Of course. I dont have a reason to stay over. When I stayed at Doras, it was for stream-related reasons. There was no logical reason for me to sleep over at my companys idols house. But Komari wasnt backing down. Instead, she used her first-gen intelligencethe same smarts that had earned the CEOs recognition and made a deal. You last checked my streaming setup half a year ago. Isnt it about time for a maintenance check? Unlike the others, who had called me over due to unexpected tech issues, Komari had been managing her own equipment perfectly for the past six months. But she had a point. ...What the hell? 999+ new emails. A number she never saw next to her inbox. The toxic email brigade was back in full force. Subject: Hello, Momo. From: asd31141 To: Momo Hello, Momo. Im a MongMong and a huge fan of your streams. I wanted to email you about something stream-related. I understand that youre busy running a company and that your streams have been a bit neglected lately. As a CEO, its understandable that your content might lose a bit of focus. But if thats the case, shouldnt you at least bring in a substitute? I heard you brainwashed a certain employee into working for you. Someone who plays Battle Call better than you, can rap, and does perfect voice impressions. Wouldnt it be a waste to keep her hidden? Your average viewership has been dropping lately. Wouldnt that employee help boost things a bit? Honestly, Im just worried youre getting complacent. Stay strong! Ill keep watching. There were literally a thousand emails like this. If this wasnt workplace harassment, she didnt know what was. But Do-hee understood their psychology. If they typed that in chat, theyd get ignored. If they pushed too hard, theyd get banned. So the only remaining option was email. They knew a CEO couldnt completely close off external communication, so this was basically a protest movement. Demanding Gias release. But seriously... So what? Gia wanted to stay in Momos evil lair. After sifting through hundreds of emails, deleting most, and bookmarking the legit business inquiries, Do-hee checked her corporate inbox for any messages from existing business partners. Thats when she saw a familiar name. Pino. The same Pino who had just asked Komari about Gias rigging. Subject: Momo, its Pino. From: PIN0 To: Cheon Do-hee ???? Attachments: workerD.cmo3, workerD.can3, runtime.zip, sample.mov Hello, Momo. Its been a while since Komaris new outfit. So, uh, I saw Worker D on stream today and thought it was a crime that shes still so stiff... I asked Dora for an illustration and did a quick test rig. If you like it, I can formalize the project and finish it properly. The rate will be the same as Komaris. Thanks, PINO Live2D Rigger Pino was a corporate rigger who only worked with big-name clients. In fact, he was currently employed by one of Koreas top subculture game companies. His workload was constant. He never took outside commissions. And even when he did, he only ever posted pre-approved work on his socials. So why was someone like him suddenly offering to rig Gias model? And more importantly Why the hell had he already started? There wasnt even a contract yet. ...What was going on? Do-hee opened the attachments. And froze. This wasnt slightly rigged. It was already better than half the professional models on the market. Gias model wasnt just movingit was ridiculously expressive. It looked soft. So soft that Do-hee suddenly wanted to pinch its cheeks. ...This is not slightly, Pino. It was the same as Dora saying shed put in a little effort, only to drop a fully polished character sheet. Pino had gone all in. There was no reason to refuse. Pinos tastes were questionable, but his skills were undeniable. And if he was charging the same rate as Komaris rigging, then it was practically a steal. But why? Komaris rigging had taken weeks of persuasion before Pino finally agreed. What had possessed him to volunteer this time? [Me: Pino.] [Me: Arent you super busy these days?] [Me: I was surprised to see you reach out first.] Do-hee barely had time to blink before a reply came in. [PIN0: FREE WORKER D FROM HER PRISONNNNNNNN] Chapter 34 [PIN0: RELEASE STAFF-DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII] For a moment, Do-hee wondered if this person was also part of the notorious spam mail brigade, but she calmly replied. [Me: This is Pino, right?] [Me: You havent been hacked, have you?] [PIN0: Im on my third can of Predator White. I have one project I need to finish today, another due this week, and three more due next month. Please save me. MiMax is trying to kill me.] Judging by the way he was talking, he was still sane. Even if he was barely holding it together because of the sheer amount of work. [Me: You have debts to pay, dont you?] [Me: Gotta work hard, what else can you do?] [PIN0: KYAAAAAAAH] [PIN0: SO UNFAIR SO UNFAIR SO UNFAIR SO UNFAR SO UNFAHR SO UNAFR] [Me: Please calm down...] The amazing thing about Pino was that even in a state like this, his rigging quality never dropped. Some people claimed that once you reached a certain skill level, rigging was just a mindless, mechanical grind. But if you really approached it like a grind, itd be impossible to add those little unique motions that matched a characters personality and traits. The rig Pino sent of Magia was flawless for the amount of time he had put in. A smug smirk with one corner of the lips lifted, an awkward smile, a shadow darkening her face as if she had just seen something horrifying... It was so accurate that it felt like he had seen Magia in real life. ...Though, knowing her, she probably wouldnt even use half of the cuter expressions he made. [Me: Ill send you the commission request form.] [Me: You dont have to rush. Take your time with the work.] [PIN0: Ill finish it within a week.] [PIN0: Staff-D must come to life. That is my one and only mission.] Thats when Cheon Do-hee came to a realization. This guy... had made another bad investment. Hes really the last person who should be putting money into anything... 4.5 million won lost in stock investments. 3.5 million won lost in crypto investments. Luckily, he had managed to borrow money from his family to pay off his debts, but even now, he was still barely scraping by. And now, of all things, the new coin he was betting on was Magia. [Me: Ill send the request form first thing tomorrow.] [PIN0: Holding my breath. Huuuup.] At least, aside from his terrible investment choices, he was a pretty normal guy, and his unique preferences were strictly limited to 2D characters. If she handled this well, she might be able to secure an external contract for the second-generation VTubers without much trouble. Back when they commissioned Komaris rig, the dynamic had been completely different. It really was Magia magic at work. But the real concern was the inevitable escalation of the Magia Fanatics aggression. Just from revealing the rig alone, they had already received a thousand emails. If they actually showed Magia moving? She might have to hire someone just to clean out her inbox. ...First things first, I need to find a replacement for Gia. There were plenty of ideas for how to utilize Gia moving forward. But for now, the priority was hiring someone to take some of Magias workload off her shoulders. * * * "Momo Shower Special Today ??""Momo says: Moe Moe Kyun~""If theres no stream tomorrow, Im setting other forums on fire." ...Hmm. Still, staying completely silent was getting a little boring. Maybe I should write something. Parallel Staff-D Mini Gallery [Guys, I figured out the magic spell to summon Staff-D. LOL.] [Author: Staff-D369] First, open any first-gen VTubers stream. Then, keep sending the same message using the 1,000-won Punch: "Holding my breath until Staff-D appears. Huuuup." If you punch a thousand times, Staff-D will appear. 100% real. [Comments] Staff-D301: Staff-D evaluation: Hmm. Staff-D500: Theres no way anyones actually doing this, right? Staff-D003: LOL. At first glance, it looked like some random nonsense someone just threw together. But this was actually a great way to catch certain problematic users. Set a trap, and there were always idiots whod walk straight into it. I wanted to hit them with a full-year ban, but that felt a little too cruel, so I just told the managers to hand out one-week bans instead. * * * A few days later, on the day I was supposed to go to a PC cafe? with the boss. The first fool had taken the bait in the trap I set on the gallery. [Komaris chat moderator 1: Someone sent the same 1,000-won Punch message every five seconds, thirty times in a row, so I hit them with a one-week ban...] [Komaris chat moderator 1: But they seem like a well-known person.] [Komaris chat moderator 1: Ill leave the rest to you, Chief.] [Me: Got it.] Sending that kind of message every five seconds... that wasnt just a troublemaker. A well-known person? Normally, I wouldnt even care, but the mention of a famous name piqued my curiosity. Click. I logged in using the main moderation account. Then I checked the ban list... and when I saw the username, I blinked. [Global Ban (7 days) - pin0_live2d] (Click here to see the full list of banned channels.) Could be an impersonator. But usually, no one bothers copying a riggers ID. Compared to illustrators, riggers werent as well-known to the public, and there wasnt much to gain from impersonating one. Still, I needed to confirm. I opened the Parallel Integrated Fan Cafe? and checked the "Jail" section. There it was. A fresh post from early this morning. The accounts ID? pin0_live2d. The fan cafe? username? pin0_live2d. Just in case, I checked Zs profile as well... PIN0? @pin0_live2d C 2 hours ago "The world has stopped." Chapter 35 [Apology Letter] (This post is only visible to administrators.) [Author: Not Pino (pin0_live2d)] The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. The meerkat has been deceived. Pinos apology letter in the Jail section of the fan cafe? looked less like a written statement and more like the panicked screams of a man in crisis. It was just the same sentence repeated over and over, but somehow, it gave off a creeping sense of dread. "At this point, its not an 8-ton truck. He got hit by a whole 20-ton dump truck." Was it really that bad? I pulled up my model on my phone and took another careful look at it. Maybe because Dora had put so much effort into it, the rig was flawlessgenuinely beautiful. The way I could go from looking like a tiny witch with my robe and hat on to just a short office worker when I took them off was a fun contrast in itself. I mean, didnt my sensors react immediately when I first saw it? Of course, once I realized I was the one whod be using this model, my titanium-grade mental defense system had slammed down the barriers. But if it had been anyone else... they couldve been hit by the speeding truck without even realizing it. Still, it wasnt my fault. Id been upfront the whole time, saying I was just here to work. Mugeon was the one who invited me to the match, so I just played my part. (Okay, maybe I got a little payback in.) After that, all I did was diligently handle the promo. It was them who stuck their fingers in their ears and refused to listen. Honestly? I found this whole situation kind of funny. Pino was a good workerwhen he actually got around to itbut he always pushed deadlines to the very last second, making us sweat bullets before finally turning in his work. Back when we commissioned Komaris rig, our CEO went through hell dealing with him. Half the time, hed vanish in the middle of a conversation. Even if we gave him clear instructions, hed forget them the next day. Deadlines? Meaningless. What was supposed to be a three-month project dragged on endlessly. And yet, when he finally got started? He finished the whole thing in less than a week. Even the planning team was flooredhis average turnaround time had always been at least two weeks.@@@@ And when we checked his work, worried he mightve rushed through it? We got Komari. A quiet, thoughtful, yet expressive and adorable elf, brought to life by Pinos hands. Even our CEO, who had spent three months cursing his name, had nothing to say when she saw the final productit was perfect. Of course, the same mess happened all over again when we commissioned Komaris new outfit. The CEO was so exhausted by the ordeal that she was seriously considering hiring someone else for the next project. So honestly? Seeing him walk into a trap like this was a blessing. ...I should call him up in the cafe? chat and give him a little scolding. I get that his life is rough, but thats his problem. [Administrator: Hello.] [Not Pino: Ah.] [Not Pino: Admin.] [Not Pino: Please, have mercy.] [Not Pino: I beg you, please spare me.] [Not Pino: If I lose my ability to see Staff-D...!!!] [Not Pino: That day, the world will simply cease to exist.] Getting banned from Komaris channel meant losing access to Staff-D entirely. In Parallel, a ban from one stream applied to all streams. [Administrator: Youre not just some random guy, so Ill have to discuss your punishment with the CEO first.] [Not Pino: ...Wait, does that mean my sentence might get extended?] [Administrator: Thats possible. We might add charges for betrayal as well.] [Administrator: I never expected someone we trusted with our projects to be pulling this kind of stunt behind our backs.] [Not Pino: KYAAAAAHHHH.] [Not Pino: NOOOOooooooo.] I left him hanging for a bit, letting him stew in his own panic. Soon enough, he cracked. [Not Pino: I swear Ill be diligent with Parallels commissions from now on.] [Not Pino: I will never miss a deadline again.] [Not Pino: No, Ill prioritize Parallels commissions above all else, even if it means pushing everything else aside.] [Not Pino: Please, just this once, have mercy.] [Not Pino: Just dont extend my sentence, Im begging you.] But I was a merciless judge. The original punishment was supposed to be a year, but we reduced it to a week because it was a sting operation. Lets stick to the law. [Administrator: Wait for the CEOs verdict.] *** Meeting the boss in front of the PC cafe?, I told her about Pino. You... when did you even find time to write on the gallery again...? Getting scolded right off the bat. As expected of the boss. Its an easy way to catch troublemakers without much effort. The fact that the one who got caught was Pino of all people is just... Anyway, I got a promise from him. He said hell meet deadlines properly from now on. The boss chuckled and muttered. If he were the type to actually keep promises, he wouldve done it already. Seeing how deeply hes been affected, you showing up on streams from time to time would probably be more effective than anything else. Just leave the seven-day ban as is. But she mustve realized she had slipped up because she quickly backtracked with a cautious tone. Of course, you dont have to force yourself onto streams just because of Pino. You never actually said youd stream, after all. Thats true. Well, I do think Ill be showing up on the others streams more often, though. Running around alone and breaking things suited me just fine. Ill try Siege, then. Siege... lets see. Whats a good beginner pick? Ive never played Siege myself, so let me check the champion list... The boss seemed a bit lost, probably because she wasnt familiar with the class either. While she browsed, I opened the character selection screen and scrolled through the Siege champions. Then, at the very end of the list... I found someone wielding a very familiar weapon. Double-barrel shotguns in both hands. White angel wings sprouting from her back. A broken halo floating above her head. And every now and then, a dark silhouette with a twisted grin would flicker behind her. It made my heart race. Most importantlyshe was gorgeous. Whats up with this shotgun chick? Oh, Apolla? Shes the second type I mentionedthe full-on demolition playstyle. Im picking her. The boss looked hesitant. Probably because, next to Apollas description, there was a bright red tag: EXTREME DIFFICULTY. Uh... shes really hard to play. Compared to other Siege champs, shes super fragile. I shook my head. Once I fixate on a character, I have to play themmeta or not, doesnt matter. As long as I destroy the buildings, I win, right? Besides, Apolla had a special demolition animation. She loaded special rounds into her shotgun and obliterated turrets. How could I not pick her? Who knows? Maybe Ill win my first match. {{ DEFEAT! }} [Team] ifyouactyoushouldbeagenius: Apolla, seriously [Team] ifyouactyoushouldbeagenius: playing like a goddamn cockroach [Team] ifyouactyoushouldbeagenius: just uninstall [Team] dodoheehee: ? For all my big talk, I didnt destroy a single enemy building before our base got obliterated. Mostly because I never stayed alive long enough. If I ran for a turret, an airstrike would flatten me. If I took another route, two enemies would ambush me and beat me to death. I was used to sudden engagements from Battle Colosseum, but not knowing my character or skills made things brutally difficult. At least in Battle Colosseum, you could dodge bullets. Here, attacks slashed, exploded, or straight-up erased entire areas. I wouldve killed for a smoke grenade. Still, I learned something. Unlike Battle Colosseum, I had to track enemy positions. If I got caught, I needed to know exactly where their attacks wouldnt reach. For the first time in my gaming life, I faced a trialone that couldnt be solved with my usual shotgun tactics. But I wasnt about to quit. It was only my first match, after all. As I queued for the next game, the boss hesitated and carefully said, ...Maybe you should do the tutorial first. You didnt use any of your adaptive skills. Adaptive skills? ...Just start the tutorial. Itll explain everything. Naore had four types of abilities: Passive, Combat Skills, Ultimate, and Adaptive Skills. I had assumed it was structured the same as Battle Colosseum, but apparently, there was an extra mechanic. Adaptive Skills were like real-time perksevery few levels, you got to pick one from a set of options. In Battle Colosseum, you spent gold to buy items that boosted your stats. But in Naore, instead of gold, you used level-ups to gain useful combat abilities. You could only choose a new one at levels 6, 12, and 18. But that restriction didnt matter to me. Because the moment I saw Apollas third Adaptive Skill, it completely stole my attention. [Adaptive Skill III - Fallen Angels Black Cloud] [Creates a cloud that lasts for 30 seconds, obscuring vision for all enemies inside. Apolla is unaffected.] Warning: Fallen Angels Black Cloud does not block enemy attacks.* This was a smoke screen. It felt like finding a long-lost, beloved pet. Chapter 36 When Magia chose Apolla, Cheon Do-hee had one immediate thought. Shes seriously obsessed with shotguns... Unlike other Siege class characters, which at least maintained some balance for team fights, Apolla was a pure base-destruction unit. Her body was as fragile as glassjust a few hits, and she was dead. But once she started shooting properly, buildings exploded like fireworks, earning her the nickname Glass Cannon. To be fair, she was satisfying to play. That demolition special animation? Once you saw it, you could never look away. The problem was that actually getting to fire that one big shot was ridiculously difficult. A major factor behind this was Apollas combat skill, Delayed Explosives. It was a toggle abilitywhile active, attacking buildings lowered Apollas defense but stacked up charges on the structure. Once enough stacks were accumulated, she could use her Ultimate, Total Demolition, to trigger a massive explosion. With 10 stacks, she could one-shot Outer and Inner Turrets. At 12 and 16 stacks, she could outright destroy Core Turrets and the Enemy Nexus. Thats when the demolition special animation Magia had been dying to see would play. Other Siege characters had to grind away at buildings to destroy them. Other classes had to group up and focus fire to break towers. Naturally, in the early days, players raged about how broken Apolla was. "Isnt Apolla just completely OP?" they had complained. ...But then came the double-barrel reload time. It took two seconds to reload one shotgun. Which meant it took twenty whole seconds to reach 10 stacks. But if you attacked a turret in the top or bottom lanes, it only took 15 seconds for enemies to arrive, even from the farthest point. Since Apolla was such a unique champion, even enemy players knew she couldnt be left alone. Most of the time, she got shattered before she could even hit 10 stacks. This was why Apolla was classified as Extreme Difficulty. You had to predict when enemies would show up. You had to periodically attack just to refresh your stacks (which expired in 10 seconds). You had to constantly run and hide while managing vision and terrain. Only a Naore expertsomeone with the reflexes of a ghostcould play her effectively. Yet despite her difficulty, the combination of cute anime girl, fallen angel, and dual shotguns gave her a cult-like popularity, tricking countless newbies into getting obliterated trying to play her. This was the champion Magia had chosen. So when she confidently declared: Ill keep practicing until I win. Thats fine, right, Boss? Cheon Do-hees expression darkened. ...Are you planning to live in the PC cafe? today? Come on, its not like I wont win one game before we head home, right? Do-hee had had certain expectations for today. She had planned to: Play at the PC cafe? for two or three hours.Enjoy a nice dinner.Get dessertmaybe coffee or a drink.Go shopping or stop by a photo booth for cute four-cut photos. A fun girls day out. Instead? They were stuck in a PC cafe?. For an unknown amount of time. Eating instant ramen the entire day. To be fair, Do-hee didnt hate PC cafe?s. She loved gamingbefore she started streaming, she had spent entire days at PC cafe?s in college, ignoring her parents scoldings. But now? Cheon Do-hee was no longer someone who could play games all day. Her brain was constantly thinking about work, so her limit was about four hours at best. I have to win... If they won quickly, she could at least suggest doing something else afterward. The problem was... Do-hee didnt know much about Naore either. And skill-wise, she wasnt that much better than Magia. There was zero chance of her carrying the game and handing Magia an easy victory. In fact, even if she played separately, she wouldnt exactly help in team fights. ...Maybe this is the best answer? Character selection. She hovered over the Support class. A champion that could attach to an ally and follow them around while healing, shielding, and harassing enemies. A champion hated for eating up XP while doing nothing in fights. A champion constantly insulted for existing. The "Mascot." She locked it in. Magia would handle the attacking. Do-hee would handle the support and defense. The birth of Modatouille. *** For Lee, a graduate student, Naore was life. Not in some deep, philosophical way. It was just that out of all the games he had played since childhood, Naore was the only one he was still hooked on. But just because he had played it for years didnt mean he had gotten any better. And to make matters worse, his team luck was absolute garbage. Every year, his friends who hit Gold would constantly mock him, calling him trash. This year was no different. With only a month left until Season 24 ended, his rank was still Bronze 1. So close to Silverjust one promotion match awaybut he had already lost several attempts in a row. He had been holding on, grinding, until the stress and pressure finally broke him. That was why he had escaped to normal games instead. Bronze. Again. Im fucking Bronze AGAIN! But maybe today was just cursed. Even normal games were going terribly. Five consecutive losses. His match history was so red that he could probably rage-punch his monitor within the next few games. "Fuck. Maybe I really should quit this shitty game..." With a chime, random matchmaking began. He locked in his pick, and the loading screen popped up. Newbie Apolla would wander into lane, thinking she could siege.Shed get picked off, starting a team fight.Mascot would detach and immediately die.The enemy team would snowball, securing all major objectives.Rinse and repeat.The player was completely clueless.They had absolutely no idea what they were doing. Hekireki... Sen. A deafening BOOM. Like a bolt of lightning, Kirine sliced through the darkness. ...Huh? But there was nothing there. Lee blinked. Maybe he had miscalculated Apollas position? Just then Clang! Clang! The sharp, metallic sound of bullets slamming into metal. Apollas demolition stacks had landed on his turret. Wait, what? When did she get out? Moving in and out of the smoke gave Apolla a brief stealth effect. Apparently, as Apolla rushed out, Lee had unknowingly dashed in the opposite direction. Fuck. I wasted my skill. Still, it wasnt a big deal. If Apolla was greedy enough to stack demolition charges, then all Lee had to do was wait out the smoke and punish her. The cloud wouldnt last forever. And against AoE attacks? It was as good as useless. Apolla reloaded and slipped back into the smoke. Lee stepped into the fog, swinging his sword aggressively Auto attacks. Combat Skill "Fan Slash." Any second now, he would hear the impact. ...But nothing. No sound. It felt like he was slicing through actual mist. And then Clang! Clang! Now there were four slugs stacked on the turret. The fuck is going on? Panicked, Lee dashed out of the smoke. By the time he reemerged Apolla was already back at the turret. Lee frantically attacked, landing auto hits and skill damage But Mascot healed half the damage back immediately. Then Apolla vanished into the smoke again. No, no, no. This is fucking annoying. How long does this smoke last?! Every time Lee circled the cloud, Apolla would slip out from a blind spot. He chased She healed. He chased She stacked more demolition charges. In no time, she had reached eight stacks. For fucks sake, when does this goddamn smoke disappear?! Right as the thirty-second duration ended Apolla stepped out at the very last moment, maximizing her stealth window. ...? Lee had been staring into the middle of the cloud, expecting her to emerge there. It took him two seconds to finally spot her. By then She was already behind him. Right in front of his turret. "Oh, youve gotta be kidding me." Apolla was low HP. If he could just land a hit, he could kill her instantly with a full skill combo. But He had already wasted Thunderbolt Strike. There was no way to close the distance fast enough. Clang. Clang. Ten stacks. The slug shell icons turned from red to green. Her Ultimate was now fully charged. Apolla raised her dual double-barrels, aiming them at the turret. Her black wings expanded, scattering feathers in the wind. A blinding glow erupted from her broken halo, illuminating her shotguns. Pew. BOOM. A thunderous explosion. Like fireworks lighting up the sky. A massive chain reaction of detonations shook the battlefield. [FIRST DESTROY!] {{Scars On My Back Are Shameful For A Shotgunner >> Outer Turret (Top Lane)}} As the turret collapsed behind her, Apolla slowly turned toward Lee. Walking forward, she coolly typed in all-chat: [ALL] Scars On My Back Are Shameful For A Shotgunner: This is so boring I wanna die. Lee finally arrived, slicing her down with a full skill combo. But. A free kill like this? It didnt erase the humiliation. [FIRST BLOOD!] {{I Hate Being Bronze >> Scars On My Back Are Shameful For A Shotgunner}} Lee spammed the crying emote. And with shaking hands, he typed [ALL] I Hate Being Bronze: ffs... I lost. His teammates, who had been watching top lane from the minimap, were completely baffled. [ALL] Kill Em All Assassin: What the actual fuck are you guys doing? Chapter 37 Lee attempted to defend against Apollas turret demolition spree, but he failed every single time. If at least the approach had been different, maybe things wouldve gone differently. But no, it was always the same. Smoke screen. Vision play. And yet, he couldnt catch her. [All] BackstabWoundIsDukbaesShame: Too slow. Even when the inner turret of his lane fell [All] BackstabWoundIsDukbaesShame: When did you start thinking turrets were safe? Even when Apolla reached the core turret [All] BackstabWoundIsDukbaesShame: For me, demolition is murder. That damn black cloud. A 30-second smoke screen with a 3-minute cooldown, constantly disrupting the battlefield. Werent high-rank players the ones who said that only garbage used it and warned people never to pick it? Or maybe the ones using it before just didnt know how to play Apolla properly. It was just that Bronze-tier players werent prepared to deal with a sudden smoke ghost appearing in their game. Sure, the effect became irrelevant when AoE skills started raining down like a storm. But of course, the real problem was that Mascot was sticking to Apolla like glue. Like they had just decided, "Im just gonna sit back, eat ramen, and heal." They wouldnt detach from Apolla, wouldnt leave even in deathjust mindlessly healing. To top it off, they were fully stacked with recovery-based items. Now, every time they used a heal, Apolla would get a speed boost and a reinforced shield on top of it. At least they had no awareness beyond mindlessly pushing forward, so taking them down was easy. But every time they died, they forced Lee and his teammates to burn their skills and ultimates, throwing the whole game into chaos. It wasnt just Lee who was getting thrown off. His teammates were losing their grip, too. [All] BackstabWoundIsDukbaesShame: Are you afraid? Maybe because they were all hovering around Bronze rank, they kept swarming Apolla like a mob. And there was always that one guy who was a step too slow. Not that the enemy team was slacking off, either. With Apolla and Mascot drawing all the attention, the rest of their team moved in a three-man squad, cutting off anyone who fell behind. The frontline kept getting pushed back, over and over. "Why did you get picked off?" "I was trying to stop them." "You got caught alone, what did you expect?" "What do you mean alone? I was trying to group up, and I got picked off on the way. Why the hell cant you guys stop Apolla?" "The one who got picked off sure has a lot to say." ...And just like that, Lees team chat was on fire. [Team] IfAnActorActsTheyreAGenius: ^^1 fuck, who the hell fed Apolla? [Team] IfAnActorActsTheyreAGenius: Bronze fucks, you tape your mouths shut or something? [Team] IfAnActorActsTheyreAGenius: Say something, you dumbasses. LMAO. [Team] TerminalLungCancer: The way youre talking, anyone would think Kirine threw the game. LOL. [Team] TerminalLungCancer: The damn tool isnt even doing its job like a tool. LOL. [Team] IfAnActorActsTheyreAGenius: You wanna see your mom disappear? Ah. Right, this was just the usual Naore experience. People calling each other trash the moment things went south. Why was he even putting himself through all this, grinding so hard just to hit Silver? "Goddamn it..." Lee let out a deep sigh. And with that, he deleted the game he had spent twenty years playing from his computer. *** After that day, I spent a few more days practicing Naore on my own. At the very least, I wanted to be able to say, with confidence, "Im good at this," in front of Komari. To truly refine my skills, I threw myself into ranked matches. And a few days later, the promised day with Komari arrived. [Komari: Ill buy you food today.] [Me: No need.] [Komari: Nah, I need to butter you up in advance for todays content.] [Me: You cannibal.] [Komari: ?] At first, I thought wed just be playing together online, each on our own system. But noturns out, she wanted an off-collab setup, like the one I had with Dora. Since the team leader gave me the okay, I went along with it. But seeing how Komari was even buying me food... it was starting to feel like I was in for a rough day. Komari was cold. Especially when it came to Naore. A few hours later, I was mixing soy sauce into my beef bowl when I asked her, For every backseat comment, one hour of this game. What do you think? An hour?! But ten minutes is too little, and thirty minutes just feels lame. Well... yeah, but... Komari hesitated before saying, This is gonna make viewers drop like flies. Its just one day. If people still choose to watch you over the countless other Naore streamers, it means theyre here for you. So one day off shouldnt matter, right? Sure, Naore was popular, and a lot of people just floated between streams. But the ones who stuck around had already settled in. Komaris Naore streams werent just a recent thing. Shed been running them as regular content for months. And it wasnt like she was some low-rank player, either. She was Emerald-tier. Naore didnt have an exact equivalent of that, but it was basically just below Diamond. Besides, anyone who leaves because you skipped one day of Naore isnt worth keeping. Theyre probably the real toxic Na-ssems anyway. Komaris eyes lit up. ...Alright. Lets do it. As long as you dont play like an absolute bug. We finished our meal, grabbed some ice cream for dessertthere was something special about having ice cream after a warm meal in cool weather Then, back at home, I set up my illustration in the bottom-right of the screen and placed Komaris Live2D avatar above it. I had already prepared the mouth movements in advance. As expected of the most technically skilled first-gen member. Finally, sitting down in front of my keyboard and mouse, I decided it was time to reveal the truth to Komari. ...By the way, you might lose your mind while watching. Oh, come on. Youre not a gaming idiot. I know youre decent at most games. Thats true. But Naore is... a little different. I grinned and logged into my account. Click, click. As soon as I pulled up my profile, my shining rank badge was revealed. [BackstabWoundIsDukbaesShame] Iron II - 66 LP Komari stared at my tier in stunned silence. After all, Iron was Naores lowest rank, infamous as the pit where only subhuman insects resided. For someone like mewho had hit Diamond in Battle Colosseum and even gone toe-to-toe with prosto be Iron in Naore... Yeah, I guess it was pretty shocking. ...Wait. Why is your tier I practiced ranked over the weekend after training with the boss. I broke through my lane, destroyed turrets, even got to the enemy base. But my team was just too bad, so we kept losing. What champion were you playing? Apolla. Her turret demolition animation is sick. ...... Komari gave me a look like shed just figured out everything. Then let out a deep sigh and shook her head. After a moment of thought, she finally spoke. I just came up with todays stream title. She started typing into the broadcast software. [Stream Title: Even a Pro in Battle Col Cant Escape Dukbae Hell in Another World?!] I scratched my temple and muttered. ...Its not my fault. My team threw every match. Dont just call me a Dukbae moron... Chapter 38 Cheon Do-hee had taught me how to play. But... she wasnt exactly an expert. And the thing about Apolla wasshe was infamous for breeding absolute degenerates. Her character design was cute, so new players picked her up often. And every single time, those new players ended up feeding their asses off. The problem? The rank bracket that took in the most new players was Bronze, the most densely populated tier in the game. Thus, Apolla earned herself another nickname: Dukbae Bug. And climbing to higher tiers didnt change this phenomenon much. In fact, in Naores Korean pro league, NaChamps, her pick rate had been sitting at a proud 0% for two years straight. There were just too many superior alternatives. Other champions did what she did, but better. And there were plenty of counters that shut her down hard. So pros ignored her, and anyone following the high-tier meta considered her a complete dumpster pick. Of course, that didnt mean no one played Apolla. Anyone who played a Siege-class champion had one goal in mind: "I dont care if my team wins or losesIm breaking towers, Im breaking the Nexus, and Im ending this game by backdooring if I have to." So there were always streamers who leaned into the madness. "Watch me sprint to the enemy base with Apolla and win!"that kind of content was out there. And if the one playing Apolla was a certified Dukbae Lunatic who had held his own against pros in Battle Colosseum? Now that was a different story. [Midori Komari / MIDORI KOMARI] @midorikomari_parallel_vtuber | 191,000 followers 1st-gen Parallel member, the strongest elf, Midori Komari! ???? ???? (Live) Even a Pro in Battle Col Cant Escape Dukbae Hell in Another World?! ???? 11,332 viewers #KnightOfLegend #Komari #Apolla #Parallel And thats how an unexpected crowd showed up. Midori Komari? @Midori_Komari - 15 minutes ago Got a guest today. Midori Komari? @Midori_Komari - 14 minutes ago ???????? ? @suckleaf "Two guns? Double Dukbae? Staff-D?" ? @sooyeomcha282 "Holy shit, are you a genius?" ? @korokoro002 "THE STAFF D" Sure, shed posted a teaser on Z before the stream started. But even then, the numbers were beyond expectation. This was the kind of viewership they only reached when all four members of Parallel were streaming together at peak hours. And yet, the numbers just kept rising. "LMAO WHAT IS THAT TIER" "??? "Is this actually an isekai plot?" "AKSKDKFKFK IRON????????" "Did NOT see this coming LOL" Even in Mugeons private matches, I had made a name for myself with my sharp shooting skills. And yet. Iron. Sure, Naore was a TPS Hero Shooter AOS. Sure, it was a completely different genre. Sure, I had never played these champions before. But still.@@@@ Iron. Not even Bronze. "Wow, suddenly I feel spiritually connected to Staff-D." "Same?" "Chats getting crowded. We need to ban the no-rankers." "Bugs shouldnt even be allowed to donate with a message, fr." "What about Bronze?" "Honestly, if youre not at least Platinum, shut up." "Why is this chat filled with Challenger wannabes?" "If youre not in Emerald like Komari, GTFO." Iron was the bottom 10% of the ranked player base. Which meant 90% of the player base sat above it. Of course theyd show up out of sheer curiosity. Some had been dual-watching other Parallel streams. Some had seen the Z teaser and camped the page in advance. And then came the nomadic Naore viewers, who chased big audiences. Then Naore forums picked up the news. ???? (Live) Even a Pro in Battle Col Cant Escape Dukbae Hell in Another World?! ???? 13,400 viewers The game hadnt even started yet. It was still just the chatting segment. And considering how Naore was the most played game in the country, the chat was about as messy as expected. "WHEN START WHEN START WHEN START WHEN START" "FIZZ BUZZ ZAP CRACK BOOM BANG BZZT" "HURRY UP AAAAAAAA" "WHEN GAME START 1X WHEN GAME START 2X WHEN GAME START 3X WHEN GAME START 4X WHEN GAME START 5X WHEN GAME START 6X" "START THE RANKED MATCH AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" "WE GOING IN LETS GOOOOO" "Wow, Staff-D playing Naore is truly a mystical event." "START GAME START GAME START GAME" "ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK" "CYBER ATTACK" "RANDOM GAME STAFF-D LIKES, RANDOM GAME, GAME START! DOUBLE DUKBAE DOUBLE DUKBAE DOUBLE DUKBAE DOUBLE DUKBAE DOUBLE DUKBAE DOUBLE DUKBAE AHAHAHAHA" Ah yes. The #1 game in market share. Naturally, its trolls were also top-tier. I could practically hear the managers screaming. Trying to pick out actual bannable offenses in this flood of spam was like sifting through a sand dune to find a single piece of shit. "Guys. Spam is fine, but please make sure to read the chat rules before you type." Parallel streams didnt have rules against spam. And since most spam happened before content started, things usually calmed down when the game queue screen appeared. "Did every single Naore gremlin in existence show up?" "Was Komaris chat always like this?" "Komari, what kind of wars have you been fighting?" While I waited in the game queue, Komari grabbed the mic and began explaining the content. "Todays content is... Backseat Endurance!" "Shouldnt that be for the Na-ssems?" "LMAO true." "Wait, we dont have to hold back, right?" "Its not for you guys. I have to hold back. From backseating." "OHHHH" "AHA." "Oh, I get it now." First-time viewers didnt quite get it yet. But the regulars knew. There were hundreds of clips of ranked-mode Komari losing her shit floating around. They knew how hard it was going to be for an Emerald-tier player to hold back while watching the lowest of the low fumble through Naore. :: Anonymous donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Wait, shes just holding back? That sounds boring. :: There had been a few people who tried similar tactics in higher tiers. But there, skillshot accuracy was way better. Naturally, Fallen Angels Black Cloud got branded as garbage and was completely abandoned. No one had bothered testing it further. So even in Komaris chatfilled with Na-ssemspeople were completely fascinated. Even Komari herself. ...I dont know what the hell just happened, but whatever. Now, as long as she escapes through the alley, this is a huge win" But before she could finish, Apolla turned around. She casually walked toward Lightning, and in all seriousness, typed: [All] BackstabWoundIsDukbaesShame: Kill me. [All] BackstabWoundIsDukbaesShame: I wish to die with honor. LMAOOOOOOO ??? WHAT ARE YOU DOING?? Komari finally noticed that Magias HP was low. But she still had plenty of escape options. It was way too early to just give up. She couldnt hold back. "Wait, no. You couldve run" Ding! Magia rang the Backseat Bell. I just wanna go home. I already got the turret gold. Running away and dying anyway would just be a waste of effort. "Uuuuugh." Holy shit, LOL. Classic Dukbae player: recalls by dying. This is peak Dukbae gameplay. Komari gritted her teeth while the audience burst into laughter. Meanwhile, the team chat reacted. [Team] DogThatBarksAtLunatics: (Thumbs up emoji) [Team] CanWePleaseGetToBronze: Yo, what is top doing? [Team] CanWePleaseGetToBronze: Nice as hell. Even her teammates were impressed by her fast demolition. After all, even if you werent the one breaking the turret, everyone got a gold bonus. The problem... Came after she respawned. ? Wait, why is she suddenly rotating? At first, Magia lingered in lane like normal. But the moment her Adaptive Skill cooldown reset She sprinted to mid. People thought maybe she was going to help another lane. Maybe get some kills. But no. She hadnt switched to Adaptive Skill I for dueling. And then {{BackstabWoundIsDukbaesShame >> Outer Turret (Mid)}} Another black cloud. Same exact tempo. She destroyed the mid turret. [Team] DogThatBarksAtLunatics: BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK!!!! GRRRRRRR!!! [Team] DogThatBarksAtLunatics: WOOF WOOF WOOF LMAO!!! [Team] CanWePleaseGetToBronze: You f*ing** [Team] CanWePleaseGetToBronze has left the game. The team atmosphere collapsed. In Naore, if you invaded someone elses lane for no reason in the first 10 minutes, it was a major Geneva Convention violation. Especially in low ranks. Whether it was stealing demolition stacks or breaking a turret, it wasnt allowed. People would rage-quit over it. Komari couldnt hold back. "Wait, noARE YOU INSANE?! In Silver-Gold ranks, if you take a tower before 10 minutes, people will" Ding! Magia rang the bell. Then said, completely serious, "So thats why they all keep leaving mid-game." She actually had a reason for doing this. "If Im playing a Siege-class champion, isnt it normal to just break towers, farm gold, and open up the enemy base? My teammates still get gold. I thought this was common sense." "The normal turret gold is 500, but if someone else breaks it, you only get 200 instead." "So what? Thats just one kills worth of gold." Magias mindset actually made sense in high-tier games. There would always be people complaining, but top players adapted their strategies on the fly. But in Iron? No way. If you didnt follow the rules, people rage-quit and threw the match. Komari groaned and asked, "Wait, so in all your ranked games, no one ever told you this? I refuse to believe even Iron players wouldnt say something." Magia let out a sheepish chuckle. "Oh, no, they told me." Then she added, completely deadpan, "But why the hell would I trust an Iron player?" Chapter 39 "I mean, yeah, they told me. But why the hell would I trust an Iron player?" Magia was Iron. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO IM LOSING MY MIND LOLOLOLOLOL You know what? Never mind. LOLOLOLOL :: Anonymous donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Excuse me, but maam, you are also Iron. :: :: Anonymous donated 5,000 Clouds! :: :: Ajeok-a behavior, wtf. LOLOL :: Oh, so this is why shes Iron. LMAO Yeah, that tracks. Bro, there are thousands of YouTube guides on Naore, why didn''t you watch at least one??? Whatever, at least shes Diamond in Battle Col. Cheers. LOL Okay, yeah. I believe it now. Shes definitely Iron. Honestly, if she hadnt said that, people wouldve started conspiracy theories. Like, "Did she tank her rank on purpose? Is this a throwaway smurf account?" Because, sure, FPS fundamentals helped. But knowing how to use smoke screens to manipulate vision and delete turrets was not Iron-tier gameplay. "Wait, you never watched any YouTube guides?" "I didnt think I needed to. I was playing fine." And just like that, everything made perfect sense. Komari, the Na-ssems, everyone They all took a deep breath... And smelled the overwhelming scent of rusted metal. Yeah. She was Iron. Magia wasnt playing Naore. She was playing Apolla. And in her mind, she had no reason to learn the game mechanics, because if she got something wrong, Komari would tell her. Which, in turn, would boost Komaris reactions and character persona. That made it even worse. "Unnie. Please, just remember what I told you, okay? Even the absolute vermin of this game know this stuff. The guy who rage-quit knew it. Thats why he left. Because he refused to play with someone who didnt." "Ahh, I see." "I dont want people calling you a bug, Unnie. So remember this. The first 10 minutes of the game, you stay in your lane. Its the only way to survive in this hellhole called Iron." Of course, to Magia, this was just more backseating. Ding. The clear sound of the bell rang through the stream. "Three stacks." "WaitNo, that wasnt backseating! That was just a conversation! How is this backseating?!" "I told you before we started. If I feel like its backseating, Ill ring the bell. And I felt like it was." "Aghhh. Uuuughh." For the first time ever, Komari hit a brick wall. Normally, the moment she started ranting, the floodgates opened. Even if she didnt curse, shed dig up every creative insult under the sun until the other person broke. But today? She had to pull her punches so hard it was physically painful. And the longer the Leafies watched, the more they realized This was historic. Wait, so theres no Rage Komari today? This is good content. "A dominating Komari? Above her, there is only Staff-D." Anonymous donated 5,000 Clouds! :: Shes Iron in rank, but Challenger at silencing Komari. :: "Watching Komari struggle... This is delicious." "DAMN IT, STAFF-D. YOURE THE STRONGEST EVEN HERE?" "PLEASE, NEVER LEAVE PARALLEL." *** Meanwhile, at Parallels headquarters. On her way out, Cheon Do-hee stopped by the operations team, casually taking a seat next to Team Leader Kang Ji-ho, who was grinning while watching a broadcast. Whats so funny? Oh, youre heading home? Gias on Komaris stream today. Oh, right. Thats today. My brain is a mess lately. Hows it going? It must be pretty rough compared to other streams, considering all the Na-ssems. I thought so too, but honestly, this is hilarious. When Do-hee first asked Ji-ho to keep an eye on Gias work, she had been worried Ji-ho might refuse. After all, Ji-ho was a mother raising a ten-year-old son, working full-time in a dual-income household, and at her level, she was practically at a department managers rank. It wouldnt have been strange if she declined, citing personal obligations. Do-hee had even prepared herself to accept that, deciding she wouldnt mind if there was no report on todays stream. But surprisingly, Ji-ho had accepted immediately. Not only that, she even encouraged Gia to go out freely whenever she needed to. The reason? A mothers desire for a daughter. She loved her son dearly. But having another child while balancing work and family was... difficult. And in an unexpected way, Gia filled that gap. Despite being busy with her own work, Gia always stepped in to help the operations team when something urgent came up. She never treated it like someone elses problemshe worked on it as if it were her own. Ji-ho had already favored Gia, but the day Gia covered a night shift for her and then worried about her getting home safely... that was it. Gia had completely won her over. She had even half-joked before, If I had a daughter like her, Id have nothing left to wish for. ...How the hell does she know less about Naore than I do? She spent all her time on Battle Colosseum, so she doesnt know a thing. But thats why its so funny. And since shes a Battle Col Diamond, I guess she just never listened to anyone in her tier. ...Like? Well, basic stuff. Stay in your lane for the first ten minutes, who should take the Shadow spawns in the alleyways, and when the Dark Knight spawns at 20 minutes, everyone rotates to midthings like that. These were fundamental to playing Naore. But honestly? Do-hee didnt know much either. Back when she was struggling for content ideas, she had played a bit off-streambut that was about it. So she was genuinely surprised that Ji-ho knew so much. When Ji-ho first joined Parallel as a department manager, she had zero gaming knowledge. She had come from the entertainment industry, completely unfamiliar with internet slang, memes, and streaming culture. Youve gotten really knowledgeable about online broadcasts and gaming in just three years. Havent I? Ill have to raise my son one day, after all. And while its Gias job now, who knows? Maybe someday, Ill need to help out. At this rate, youll end up knowing too much. Poor Jae-woo wont even be able to sneak extra gaming hours. Please. If Im being honest, Id let him get away with everything. I have zero intention of raising him as some gifted kid or anything. Of course, if he ever says he wants to be a streamer, Ill fight him. The two women laughed while watching Gia run around as Apolla. Then, Do-hee mumbled under her breath, Ive been thinking... Gias going into her fourth year next year. Maybe its time to promote her to team lead. Ji-hos ears perked up immediately. Oh, thats great news. Wait, is that why were hiring for the operations team? Yeah. Usually, they aimed for a 4:1 application ratio before interviews.@@@@ Ji-ho recalled the pile of accepted resumes she had received just yesterday from Do-hee. That explains the 300 applicants. Yeah, I knew Parallel was getting big, but I never expected 300 for just three positions. That was a 100:1 ratio. For comparison, when they held auditions for Parallels first-gen talents, the competition had been 200:1. Anyway, since well be swamped after Halloween, I want to do the interviews before then. But Im debating... Should I just have you in the interviews, or should Gia be there too? This was the kind of question that, in the wrong company, might undermine Ji-hos authority. But Ji-ho just took it in stride. She usually built tank items.Her skills and ultimate were designed to build and detonate stacks.If she ever had enough time to fight, it was usually better to just demolish structures instead. Which meant... If Magia abandoned the turret for just a moment and killed Lightning, the games entire trajectory would shift. Leafs, sorry. Just this once No. Magia, dont do it. You son of a bitch, STOP. "Unni, drop the black cloud and take out the guy who came to stop you first! Hes squishy too!! And dodge the ult no matter what!!" Ding The table bell rang sharply. On the broadcast screen, a punishment stack was added to Komari. [Rubber Duck House: 17 hours] Boom! Black smoke spread around Apolla. From Komaris perspective, the fight favored Magia. It just so happened that the enemy she was up against was Lightningthe same opponent she''d been laning against all game. That meant Magia had a solid grasp of their attack patterns and ultimate range. ''Theyre just Iron, too. As long as she dodges the battle skill and ult...!'' KABOOM! A chain of lightning bolts sliced through the black smoke in a straight line. Magia dodged the lightning but didnt step out of the cloud. "Dodged the battle skill!" The enemy began charging their ultimate. In two seconds, an electromagnetic wave would blanket the entire clouded area. 2, 1, 0. Just as the ult fired, Apolla dashed out of the cloud. Her brief stealth prevented Lightning from tracking her during the charge-up. The electromagnetic wave rumbled across the clouds surface. BZZZT! "Dodged the ult too...!" As her stealth faded, Apolla reappeared behind Lightning, just outside their field of vision. There was no headshot bonus in this game, but that didnt matterMagia''s double-barreled shotgun roared to life. BOOM! One shot and Lightning lost a third of their HP. Komari slammed the desk and screamed. Holy shit, that damage is insane!! WTF, whats that damage?! LMAO Is this really full-offense Apolla?? Wait, was her basic attack always this strong?? Apollas normally four-second reload time had been cut in half thanks to her full attack build. Lightning, despite being well-fed, could only land auto-attacks for the next two secondsbut even that was brutal against Apollas paper-thin defenses. Both of them were chunking each other down. Another BOOM! from the double-barrel. Now Lightning was at one-third HP. Apolla was at half. Shes got this! Lightning''s battle skill is about to come off cooldown! If she gets hit, this could still go either way... SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT!! 2, 1. The double-barrel reloaded. At the same time, Lightnings battle skill came off cooldown. The two champions scrambled around the battlefield. But Magias crosshair locked onto Lightning first. In the crucial moment, raw mechanics determined the winner. BOOM! {{EtchedScarsAreToppaesShame >> 3GamesADay=3k500}} HELL YEAHHHHH That aim was insane LOL She plays like an Iron, but that FPS experience is undeniable Damn, that was Komari-tier aiming Immediately, even the enemy team couldnt help but react. [All] 3GamesADay=3k500: What the fuck [All] 3GamesADay=3k500: What kind of full-offense Toppae bullshit is this??? Meanwhile, Magia casually turned back to hammer away at the last core turret. Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. A barrage of defense pings flooded their enemys base, but it was useless. The opposing team, still charging toward Magias base with their Dark Knight buff, had no idea that the one defender they had sent had just been deleted. [All] 3GamesADay=3k500: FOR FUCKS SAKE, LOOK AT THE PINGS, ARE YOU BLIND?! [All] StayinBronze4Life: ? [All] StayinBronze4Life: Wait, did we seriously lose to Apolla? LMAO [All] StayinBronze4Life: Our Lightning was garbage wtf [All] 3GamesADay=3k500: LOL if you guys dont stop her, you lose your promo game. [All] StayinBronze4Life: Oh shi CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG. Stacks built up fast. Two enemies began recalling, desperate to stop her. But Magias surviving tank and support threw themselves in the way, canceling the recalls with CC. [Team] IfItWereRammel: Apolla, PUSH!!!! [Team] IfItWereRammel: Well cancel their recalls!!! 12 stacks. It was demolition time. Apolla knelt and took aim at the core turret. The light from her halo crystallized into special bullets, sliding into the chamber. Fweeeeeeeeeeee BOOM! {{EtchedScarsAreToppaesShame >> Core Turret}} Only one target remained. The enemys Nexuswhich would crumble within 16 more stacks. All-chat was still a mess of screaming and blame. Magias team desperately blocked recalls. More allies respawned and dove into the chaos, preventing any enemy from making it back to base. **[Team] IfItWereRammel: PUSH!! [Team] IOnlyBarkAtCrazyPeople: WOOF WOOF!! [Team] JustLetMeBronze: PUSH THAT SHITTTTTTT Unni, BREAK IT!!! LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SHOOOOOOT Magia calmly loaded another round, stacked up more charges And BOOM. Victory. HELL YES STAFF D WINSSSS GOAT HOW THE FUCK DID SHE PULL THIS OFF LOL SHE LITERALLY RIPPED THEM APART HOLY SHIT While the chat erupted into a frenzy, united in awe, Magia turned to Komari with a smirk. "Carry." Ding. The rank evaluation screen popped up in the center of the screen. [EtchedScarsAreToppaesShame] Iron II - 84 LP It was just one game But Komari, on the verge of mental collapse, let out a hollow laugh. Are all Iron players like this...? Chapter 40 That was a nail-biting victory, but memories tend to get distorted easily. More importantly, after that, there werent any proper gamesjust desertion, trolling, going AFK, and throwing. Even if there were, Magia herself was a troll in the grand scheme of things. In the end, the only thing people remembered was that first match, a cinematic backdoor win that set hearts ablaze. Komari (VTuber) Gallery [I will never forget that backdoor for the rest of my life.] (last_backdoor.clip) For a moment, I forgot this was an Absurd game. LOL Its been a while since Ive seen a game this intense. [Comments] Komari834: FR LOL Komari021: Aside from that, StaffD is seriously a pest... Komari245: Hey! How dare you call StaffD a pest!!! Komari004: WAAAAAN ????Komari02: Stop tagging me for this. Komari (VTuber) Gallery [Revisiting StaffDs Greatest Quotes] (Iron_is_unreliable.clip) (I_did_my_best.clip) (The_team_failed_not_me.clip) (As_long_as_we_destroy_the_core_we_win.clip) (300_gold_is_just_1_kill.clip) Ah, so this is what it means to play Apolla... [Comments] Komari385: He was so obsessed with toppling turrets, he became Apolla herself... Komari874: Just watching this makes my blood pressure spike. LOL Komari770: Why isnt he playing more Naore? Why isnt he playing more Naore? Why isnt he playing more Naore? Why isnt he playing more Naore? Why isnt he playing more Naore? Komari (VTuber) Gallery [But honestly, StaffD is probably gonna hit Diamond in Naore soon.] Considering it''s his first time playing, isn''t he doing pretty well? The stealth duration when exiting Black Cloud is only like 0.2 seconds, but he was using it like it was second nature.@@@@ And even though his item build was all over the place, he figured it out on his own without asking questions, which was impressive. I never realized full-offense Apollas damage was that high. LOL [Comments] Komari030: Normally, no one goes full offense because she melts instantly, but combining it with Black Cloud actually doesnt seem too bad. Komari385: Dont play ranked right now, holy sh*t. Komari385: Every single game is filled with turret-obsessed Apolla wannabes. Komari385: They all just sit in Black Cloud, take AoE damage, and die. LOL Komari884: StaffD really unleashed a plague upon us. Live Best Rankings [Todays Insane NaChalS Moment] (Wait_Apolla_is_being_used_now.clip) (Full_offense_black_cloud_Apolla_what_is_this!!.clip) (AHH_MY_BASE!!_ITS_BEING_DESTROYED!!_AAAAH!!.clip) Bruh, did Ronje watch Komaris stream two days ago? Even in a second-tier tournament, this is way too fast to suddenly pop up. LOL [Comments] Komari344: Wait, why is he actually good though? LOL Komari029: StaffDs playstyle has a different kind of flavor. Unified842: No, but seriously, this actually works. LOL Unified842: I tried it in ranked, and if you track enemy movements well, you can instantly wipe out outer turrets and pressure their vision. Unified344: Who are you to talk? Unified842: Emerald-Diamond fluctuation. Unified511: Did you even read the post? This strat is already being used in pro play. Unified002: But isnt she way too fragile? Wouldnt she just die inside the Cloud? Unified842: If you time it right, you can exit the smoke and briefly enter stealth when the enemy uses their skills. Thats the key. Unified842: If you cant do that balance act, you just die and become a troll. LOL Unified002: Oh, I see. Thanks for the tip! Knight of Legend Gallery [StaffD vs. Seong Shin-jae, honestly, StaffD wins hands down.] (squirrel_meme.jpg) Oh dear, my nai?ve friend. I already know exactly what youre thinking. But be careful from now on. Posts like this at this hour are basically nuclear bait... This time, Ill protect you, just this once. Dont bother thanking me. ???? (Upvotes: 1422 / Downvotes: 442) [Comments] Naore934: Yeah, Im definitely not thanking you, f*ck... Naore841: Can you VTuber stans just make your own separate gallery and leave? Naore740: LOL~ Naore454: LOL~ Naore358: Hey, just accept itVTubers are the trend now. Naore742: Damn, even Seong Shin-jae is getting outshined by a no-name VTuber... Naore002: This gallery is a disaster. LOL Thanks to all this, Naore spent the entire week dealing with the fallout. A bizarre new meta had suddenly emerged, coinciding perfectly with Apollas buffs, leading to its adoption in second-tier pro play. Curious about the person who first discovered this meta, people started searchingonly to find out they didnt even stream. So where could they see it? Parallel? Oh, should they just wait for Komaris stream? That led to Komari maintaining 7,000 concurrent viewers even while casually playing Rubber Duck House the next day. She idly watched ducks float by, got bored out of her mind, and opened video donations, which ended up drawing in more fans because her toxic commentary and exasperated reactions were hilarious. The viewer boom lasted for several more days, peaking at 9,000 when full-offense Apolla became the hot topic in NaChalS. [Komari: Thanks for that day, unnie.] [Komari: Lets hang out again sometime.] [Komari: Or maybe after our busy November, were planning a trip.] [Komari: Wanna come with our CEO?] [Me: If the CEO says were going.] [Komari: What, so if I invite you, you wont come?] [Komari: This is discrimination.] [Me: I mean, if its for work, sure, but me tagging along just for fun would be kinda weird.] [Komari: ...] [Komari: Okay, just wait.] A few days later, I got called into the CEOs office. "Mid-November, the girls are going on a group trip for their first anniversary. Want to come?" Ah. So this is how theyre using the CEO as a bargaining chip... They wouldnt have asked anyone else so brazenly. Parallel is way too crafty. Her resume was thick for a fresh graduate, so it was hard not to remember her. [Resume] Name: Gong Seung-yeon Age: 23 Education: Bachelors Degree (Chungnim University, Electrical and Electronics Engineering) Work Experience: None Languages: Japanese / JLPT N2, English / TOEIC 950, OPIc IH Two things stood out. First, her language skills. Among the four candidates, she was the only one proficient in both Japanese and Englishand not just at a basic level. Her English writing and speaking scores were high, which was rare. Second, the infamous 10-page portfolio. It was basically a record of her VTuber viewing history. That might sound strange for a portfolio, but it made sense. [First-Gen: Komari Midori] [Subscribed: 10 months] 1/28 Viewer Participation: Knight of Legend 3/14 Viewer Participation: Knight of Legend 5/7 Viewer Participation: Knight of Legend 7/17 Viewer Participation: Knight of Legend ... [First-Gen: Nezumi Maru] [Subscribed: 9 months] 2/11 Viewer Participation: Fighting Spirit 4/24 Viewer Participation: Relay Drawing 6/27 Viewer Participation: Fighting Spirit ... [First-Gen: Aoyagi Rain] [Subscribed: 5 months] 5/22 Viewer Participation: Mini Rider 6/13 Viewer Participation: Battle Colosseum ... [First-Gen: Akari Dora] [Subscribed: 5 months] 5/29 Viewer Participation: Animal League 8/14 Viewer Participation: 64 Cubics ... Her participation rate was impressive. Not only was she skilled at games, but her knowledge was broadshe never skipped over any genre. More than that, her comments on every stream shed been part of stood out. She noted what could have been improved, what adjustments wouldve helped, and even suggested operational tweaks for handling stream hiccups. Shed considered things only an insider would think about. Thats why I remembered her. I wasnt thinking I have to hire her no matter what, but at least if she got nervous during the interview, Id be more inclined to give her a pass. I flipped back to the first page to memorize her face. And then Yawn... Considering I usually went to bed around 5 AM, yawning at 2 AM was unexpected. Maybe it was because Id been extra busy lately, appearing in the girls streams and handling other behind-the-scenes tasks. Deciding to sleep right away, I shut down my monitoring computer, set up a portable bed, and spread out a sleeping bag. Sometimes, when I worked late, I just crashed at the officetonight was one of those nights. The interviews started at 10 AM, and I wasnt about to waste precious sleep commuting. I set my alarm for 8 AM, an hour before employees started arriving. The CEO told me not to worry about electricity costs, but I still kept the heater at 27C... Just as I was about to lie downding! A KakaoTalk notification. [Eunha Building Security Guard: Gia.] [Eunha Building Security Guard: Uh... theres someone hanging around in front of your office right now.] [Eunha Building Security Guard: Just stay put, okay? Ill go check it out.] It was 2 AM. Who the hell would be at the company at this hour? Curiosity got the better of me. I carefully crept between the partitions toward the glass door. Sure enough, a shadow was lingering at the corner of the hallway. A homeless person? Before long, dingthe elevator chimed, and the security guard arrived. After a brief exchange, their voices didnt escalateit seemed like a calm conversation. I hesitated, then unlocked the door and stepped out. The security guard gave me a respectful nod. I returned the gesture and turned toward the person illuminated by his flashlight. It was a young woman. The guard continued speaking. So, yeah, I get that youve got an interview tomorrow, but you cant just stay out here. You need to book a place to stay. No, um. The thing is... if I fall asleep, I wont wake up in time. So I figured Id just wait here... Id assisted with enough interviews to recognize it instantly. A job candidate. Her neatly tied ponytail and formal attire made it obvious. And even in the dim lighther face was familiar. It was the same face Id just seen in the resume photo. ...Are you Gong Seung-yeon? The woman, who had been anxiously glancing between me and the security guard, snapped to attention. Yes! Thats meGong Seung-yeon! Chapter 41 I explained the situation to the security guard and considered bringing her into the monitoring room where I was staying. But then I realized letting her sleep in the company office might bring up all sorts of legal complicationsspecial allowances, workplace policies, and other annoying bureaucratic headaches. An internet cafe? was an option, but if she fell asleep there, she might wreck her back. There werent any nearby saunas, either. After some thought, I decided to take her to a 24-hour room cafe? nearby. It had heated floors, plenty of blankets and cushions, and was a decent enough place to rest for the night. After I paid for the room and we stepped inside, Seung-yeon looked around in awe. Thank you! Ive never been to a place like this before! It was only my second time here too. The first time was with the CEO. Before Parallel leased the Eunha Building, we had scouted out office spaces, and the timing was a bit off, so we stopped by here to rest. The CEO had pulled an all-nighter streaming the night before and needed a nap, so I found this place. While she slept inside, I sat outside watching a Bathtub Bathtub stream. I still remember it vividlythe legendary warship, Sango Libya, and the rest of the Bathtub crew. "Im Wolf." That mafia-style deduction game was a masterpiece. Especially that clutch chandelier drop by Libya, taking out three people for a game-winning turnaround Um... Magia? Oh. I had gotten lost in my own nostalgia again. I smiled slightly and turned back to Seung-yeon. For now, just rest here until your interview tomorrow. If you need anything, you can use the cafe?s amenities. Ive already covered the cost. Ugh. Thank you so much. I feel awful for showing up too early and being such a burden... Better than showing up late. If she had shown up late, the CEO would have gone full blindfolded dual-wielding demon mode and booted her on the spot. I think I mentioned this beforepeople who showed up drunk or late lost their interview slots despite passing the brutal application process. Back when the CEO was still streaming regularly, she had never been late once (this was before Parallels founding), and she seemed to hold everyone to that same standard now. Even Dora, whos chronically late nowadays, had managed to pass the CEOs strict requirements back then. A high bar wasnt necessarily a bad thing. Anyway, Ill be in the next room getting some sleep. Knock if you need me. Yes...! Thank you so much...! I stepped into the neighboring room, locked the door, and immediately set up a cushion. I needed to sleep. I had an interview to conduct tomorrow. This unexpected engagement had already cut into 30 minutes of my sleep... Just as I was about to drift off Alright, D-Rain, lets introduce ourselves. Oh, hell yeah. Puddles! Drop the Rain from the sky. Im here to drench this dry land today! I immediately recognized it. It was a clip from Find Rain, the game show I had participated in earlier this month. Hey, hey. Everyone, shut up. Calm down. Its so obvious Im the real one. A-Rain is obviously legit. Why dont you get it? Im disappointed in you. What thethis is crazy. A, chill. No matter how hard you try, the Puddles arent falling for it. Its me. Im the real D-Rain. I already knew Seung-yeon was a Parallel fan. ...But watching highlight clips instead of sleeping when she had an interview in just a few hours? That was unexpected. Is she really fine with skipping sleep? I didnt care if she stuttered during the interview. Her job wouldnt require much public speaking anyway. But if she walked in looking like a sleep-deprived zombie, that was a different issue. Well, shell figure it out herself. She must have wanted this job badly to show up here at 2 AM. With that level of determination, I trusted shed pull herself together for tomorrow. Meanwhile... ...Unbelievable. Gong Seung-yeon was tired. But she couldnt stop replaying that voice in her head. The voice of the person who had just helped her. It sounded familiar. Similar to the girls, but subtly more polishedlike someone used to the working world. So, she immediately opened Rains YouTube channel and rewatched two videos. Then, she watched Doras Pandemic Village stream. Finally, she skimmed through Komaris Holding Back Advice challenge. And the realization hit her like a truck. ...Is it really StaffD? She had been suspicious ever since they met. "As you probably know from watching streams, most broadcasts run late at night. Lets say its past your shift, and youre home. A major issue occurs. What do you do?" She tried to look intimidating, but with her pouty expression, she was just... a grumpy girl. But since Seung-yeon thought Magia was in a high position, she answered with full sincerity. "Ill immediately take the call and head over to fix it." "Even if its at, say, 3 or 4 AM?" "Since the members streams run late into the night, I believe thats just part of the job!" At that, Magia nodded and smiled. "Good answer." ...That smile was really cute. ...Wait, why am I thinking that? Get a grip. Did I seriously just call a high-ranking person cute in my head? While Seung-yeon shook her head to snap out of it, Do-hee moved to the next question. "Lets talk about your motivation. We already know youre a fan of Parallel, so lets skip that part. What I want to hear is how you became a fan and why you decided to apply for this job." Ssshhh. Haaaah. Seung-yeon had prepared a long speech for this question. This was the most important thing she wanted to say. "Parallel is my sanctuary. I still remember it clearlyit was during my graduation exams, and I was completely drained. Thats when I happened to hear Komaris cover of Top of the Top." She took a brief pause. "It was pure coincidence. I had stopped by an internet cafe? for research, and an employee was playing it in the background." Top of the Top. An upbeat J-pop song with energetic guitar sessions, violin highlights, and snare drum accents, designed to maximize excitement. The lyrics carried a powerful message No matter what obstacles come your way, push forward with courage and hope. "Ive been learning Japanese since I was young, so I understood the lyrics right away. Dont be afraid. Dont be anxious. Be brave. Hearing those wordsespecially in Komaris powerful voicefilled me with determination." Before, she had almost given up on her studies. But after hearing that song, her motivation exploded like a volcano. At this, the HR director stifled a laugh. It was rare for a nervous applicant to speak so flawlessly and with such passionand her phrasing was just plain entertaining. "So from that day on, I decidedif I ever got the chance to use my electrical engineering skills, I would join Parallel. No matter how tough or exhausting the work might be, Id do everything I could for the members." She sat up straight. "This application is the result of that resolution. If you hire me, I will give my all." When someone speaks with true love and sincerity, its impossible not to feel it. Even Magia gave a small nod. "You really love Komari. Is she your oshi?" "Yes! Im a Golden Leaf!" "Wow, then you mustve donated a lot." "Hehehe... Its a little embarrassing, but over ten months, Ive donated about five million won..." "Where did you get that money? This is your first time job-hunting, right?" "I took on every part-time job I could find. If I wanted to send Komari encouragement, I had to do that much." "Then... did you watch Komaris Holding Back Advice challenge stream?" "Ah." Her expression fell immediately. "I was busy preparing for the interview, so I only watched the edited version..." "At least you saw it. Thats good." "Yes...! It was fun seeing a different side of her! Especially when StaffD was trying so hard not to swear during that awful movement sequencehe kept repeating the same words over and over. Komari, who usually never makes mistakes, kept messing up, and it was hilarious..." Magia chuckled. "Yeah, that part was funny. Did you watch the Rubber Duck House stream the next day?" "I was worried about Komaris mental state. She got over 1,000 cursed donations that day..." Magia smirked. "So, did you send any cursed videos?" ".........No." Magia stared. "Are you sure?" After a long silence, Seung-yeon clenched her fists. "...Actually, I sent 51." Silence. Then Magia jumped out of her seat and declared "Hired." Chapter 42 Gong Seung-yeon was the last interviewee. Once she left, the interview naturally came to an end. And thenthunk. "Ow." The CEO''s flick landed squarely on the top of my head. "What the hell were you thinking, announcing a pass right in front of the candidate?!" "But... she was perfect. And the ones before her werent great anyway, so I just went ahead and said it." "The results are supposed to be notified after they go home. What if she hadnt been the last candidate? The others waiting outside wouldve heard and what do you think theyd feel?" Thinking about it now, yeah. I messed up. This was my first time sitting as an interviewer, and I screwed up. "Ah. Yeah. That makes sense. Im sorry." "...As long as you understand. Its my fault tooI shouldve given you proper training instead of assuming youd naturally do well. Just make sure you dont make the same mistake next time." "Yes, maam." After saying that, I tilted my head. Next time? "Am I going to be part of another interview panel?" "Not immediately, but as the company grows, who knows? Actually, since were on the topicgo get some interview training from Manager Yeom now." "Huh? Right now? But I was gonna take a nap..." "Now." "...Yes, maam." Manager Yeom Hee-seong, who had been watching our conversation, motioned for me to sit down. He meant, Sit tight. Ill give you a rundown once the CEO leaves. After the CEO left for her next meeting, Manager Yeom slid over one seat, taking the spot where Momo had been sitting. "Honestly, Gia, I dont have much to say to you. Just be careful about what you say at the end. If you make it sound like someone is guaranteed to pass, then you have no choice but to hire them." "Ah. Got it." "This time, the CEO already said it was up to you, so I was mostly checking for anyone with a shitty personality. And yeah, Gong Seung-yeon? She seemed fine to me too. So dont stress. You did well." To be honest, aside from her, I didn''t like any of the other candidates. Thats why I spent most of the interview keeping my mouth shut. I only spoke when Momo prompted me, just enough to gauge the candidates'' actual thoughts. So now I felt kinda awkward. "It was my first time, so I was probably a bit rough. Thanks for saying that." "Honestly? Just sitting there quietly and watching the applicants gets you halfway there. In the end, its really the CEOs opinion that matters most." "...I think its just because your eyes are terrifyingly sharp." "Hey, Im an angel compared to others." He said that with a smilebut his smiling face still looked angry. Despite being in his mid-30s, the guy had clearly been through it. Whenever he changed expressions, his deep-set wrinkles became more noticeable, and his prominent brow ridge made his face look even more intense. It was no wonder the applicants flinched the second they entered the room. Anyway, today I learned another valuable lesson: Silence is survival. If you dont know what youre doing, just keeping quiet is already half the battle won. While I was nodding to myself, Manager Yeom spoke up. "Ill whip up a simple interviewer manual for you later. Read through it when you have time, yeah?" "...Wait, are you making that just for me?" He let out a chuckle as he stood up. "Yeah, for now, it''s for you. But eventually, more people will get promoted, and more employees will be hired. Its better to set things up early so its easier later." "Ahh." "Youre pretty self-conscious, huh?" "...No, thats not it. I just didnt want to make extra work for you because of me." "Haha! That thoughtfulness is exactly why the operations manager wont stop praising you. Anyway, Im heading off. Enjoy your lunch." "You too, sir. Have a good lunch." I bowed slightly, and then I was left alone in the conference room. Alright. Time to clean up. ...Or not. Everyone had pushed their chairs back in neatly, so there wasnt much to do. I just needed to move the extra chairspositioned to the sideto their original spots. ... Parallel Gallery ... [Sharing my interview experience] So, there were three interviewers. Momo was sitting in the center, and there was one person on either side. Momo (yknow, the CEO) asked most of the questions, but the person on the left asked way more than I expected. Somewhere in the middle, I just clicked with that interviewer, and we started geeking out over Komaris streams. Like, they were super into it. And honestly, I never thought Id end up talking about my favorite VTuber during a job interview. But somehow, it totally calmed my nerves.@@@@ So... maybe... good news coming? [Comments] Parallel874: Congrats in advance. ? Parallel067 (OP): Haha, thanks! ? Parallel743: I read somewhere that if the interview feels too fun, youre actually less likely to pass. ? Parallel067 (OP): ...Wait, what. ? Parallel874: Oh crap, really? ? Parallel067 (OP): No, dont do this to me... Parallel385: What do you guys think about Momos red pill? Parallel224: Good luck. ? Parallel067 (OP): Thanks, thanks. Even after the interviews were over, the HR manager kept checking the community boards. The acceptance notice came faster for Gong Seung-yeon than for anyone else. After all, Cheon Do-hee wanted to get someone in as soon as possible to share Gias workload, and Seung-yeon, as a fresh graduate, was ready to start immediately. Thus, on October 31st, the day of the first-gens Halloween collab, just two and a half months after graduating, and only two days after her interview, Gong Seung-yeon officially took her first step into society! Kuhh... The sheer emotion of it. Arriving an hour early, before her senior was supposed to meet her at 2 PM, Seung-yeon was busy taking selfies with the building in the background. Kuhhhhhh!! She still couldnt believe she got accepted. But she was sure that her spirited conversation with Staff-D that day must have helped. The moment they met again, she was determined to thank her properly. And so, while she was still playing around, taking more pictures "Gong Heung-yeong-hee?" "Oof." Startled, Seung-yeon turned around Only to see a small girl, about a palms width shorter than her, chewing on something as she looked up at her. The legendary monster. Staff D, Gia. Arent we running into each other a little too often? The thought brought an involuntary smile to Seung-yeons face. "Hello! You''re eating fish-shaped buns? Well, it is the perfect season for them." "Want one?" "Ohyes, thank you very much!" Suppressing the overwhelming urge to poke at Gias puffed-up cheeks, Seung-yeon accepted the warm, noscorching hot bun. "Ah, hothot, hot!" "Just bought them, so theyre still fresh." "Th-Thank you." "Follow me. Lets head up." Without another word, Gia trotted off ahead, stepping through the buildings entrance. As she struggled to push open the heavy glass doors, Seung-yeon caught up and asked "Oh, wait. I was actually told to wait here. My senior is supposed to meet me." Gia pressed the elevator button before turning to look up at her. "Thats me." Seung-yeon blinked. Oing. So, was she going to be working directly under a bigshot? Or... was Staff D not as high-ranking as she had thought? "Umm... So, you are my senior?" "Yep. Well be working together from now on." Gia extended a small, delicate hand. "Im Gia. Looking forward to working with you." Still mentally reeling, Seung-yeon hurriedly bit into her fish bun, then clasped Gias hand with both of hers. Im really going to be working with Staff D?! She subconsciously clenched her lips, and From the poorly baked, half-split belly of the fish bun A stream of molten red bean filling burst forth. The fish bun was still hot as hell. "Zzib-dduhaaaThuaat!!" Overcome by the burning pain, Seung-yeon spat it out And, without wings, the fish bun soared through the air before hitting the floor with a soft thud. It was a dead fish, so it didnt even flop. Staring down at the gradually cooling bun, Gia muttered "If you hate fish buns, you couldve just said so." "No, no! Thats not it!!" Chapter 43 Watching my junior attempt to stuff a cold fish-shaped bread into their mouth without hesitation, I briefly wondered if it was too hasty of me to shout "You''re hired!" during the interview. I mean, if we were alone, it would have been fine. But were in the lobby of a building with people constantly coming and going, and the elevator hall is no better. 3-second rule. You know? You can pick it up and eat it right away. No, if I eat that, Ill be the one harassing the company. Give it to me. Ah, but you gave it to me, Senior... Im sorry! Reluctantly, as the elevator door opened, I grabbed the dust-covered fish-shaped bread and shoved it into her face with a light headbutt, pushing her into the elevator. There was no way Id be able to push her with my small frame and weak strength. Ugh. Senior Seungyeon stumbled backward and leaned against the wall of the elevator. I sighed and gave a small nod to the security guard as a silent apology for the ruckus before quickly entering the elevator myself. Drrrk. Clank. The elevator slowly made its way to the 8th floor. Seungyeon, who was leaning against the wall, glancing at me, muttered hesitantly. I-Im sorry... Its okay. I ended up being the bad senior who made you eat the fallen fish-shaped bread. What can you do? No, thatsabsolutely not Quiet. Unlike before, even when I tried to look serious, it didnt have much effect now. During the interview, the three other candidates, aside from Seungyeon, had been good examples of that. No matter how much I frowned, squinted, or stared them down, they all smiled or laughed. I didnt like that, and thats why I barely said anything during the interview. I think the president mustve noticed that too, since he didnt try to talk to me during the other threes interviews. At least Seungyeon met all the conditions I wanted, so it was no surprise that she ended up in the elevator with me. Im sorry. You didnt say anything. No... Its just that you were staring at me... I feel like somethings off... Maybe she was just being too cautious. Its better to be cautious than be oblivious, but I worry that if Seungyeon keeps this up, shell have a hard time at the company and might even quit. I cant let that happen to someone as promising as MK-II. Ill have to think of ways to help her relax. Im hoping that when we talk later while watching a broadcast, itll naturally help break the tension. This isnt easy... How am I supposed to manage a junior like her? Since Ive only ever been a junior myself, I have no idea. Upon reaching the 8th floor, I handed Seungyeon off to the head of HR, who was going to explain her employment contract and other pre-employment details. Then, I headed straight to the president''s office. I was about to make coffee for myself, but the president told me to come right over. I figured it might be urgent. When I arrived... From now on, youre the part leader. Here. She handed me a new employee ID. [Magia Assistant Manager / Streaming Part Leader] Im the part leader? Me? Yeah. Congratulations on your promotion. Magia, part leader. Our company normally has 13 employees. I had heard rumors that three people would be promoted to part leader this time, but I never thought Id be one of them. Its completely unexpected, and Im flustered. Is my job really one that deserves this title? Is there really a reason for me to be part leader? Ive got a junior under me, you know. The head of the finance team also has two people, including themselves, in their team, but they still hold the title of manager. ...Well, I guess so. Everyone recognizes your abilities, and thats why the promotion came through. So dont feel burdened. Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind: does this mean my salarys going to increase? Our company isnt exactly rich, and were always walking a tightrope between employee wages and profitability. If Ive been promoted to Assistant Manager, wouldnt my salary naturally go up too? If youre thinking about money, you can talk to the head of HR about it later. Everythings already decided, so it cant be undone. Dictator... I almost blurted out what the viewers say during streams, calling Momo a dictator. The president, quick to pick up on the tone, narrowed his eyes and asked, Dictator? This time, I wont budge, Magia. Today, youre as majestic as an eagle. Yeah, todays skills are top-notch, huh? The president laughed and handed me a stack of documents. I opened it, and it was all recent advertising proposals. One, two, three... How many are there? Thanks to your hard work lately, weve gotten a lot of advertising requests from first-generation talents. It looks like our finances will be in a better place for a while. So, dont worry and just enjoy the promotion, alright? Advertising doesnt always come in like this. The president furrowed his brow and shot me a look. Hey, just go. Hurry up and talk to the head of HR. But, president, think about the future of our company... Head of HR! Take this part leader, Magia, away! Yes, Im on my way! In the end, the head of HR quickly came running, gently pushing me toward their office, grinning as they pulled me along. Salary AmountBase Salary (regular working hours, including weekly holidays): 2,612,500 KRW (209 hours/month)Fixed Overtime Pay: NoneFixed Night Work Pay: 375,000 KRW (60 hours/month)Fixed Holiday Pay: NoneOvertime, Night, and Holiday Work Pay: Paid based on actual hours worked = Monthly Salary: 2,987,500 KRW Yes! At that moment, Seungyeons mind finally connected the dots on the company hierarchy. She had memorized the whole company structure, and with her parents'' help, she at least knew where she stood in relation to the president. Im the employee, then the team leader, and then the president. Seungyeon sighed in relief. She had been confused about whether Magia was an executive or manager, but now she knew her role and was relieved to know there were higher-ups like Team Leader Kang too. But isnt it surprising? Even though Magia wasnt that high in position, the fact that she came for the interview shows she must be well-loved by the president. Magia joined Parallel as Momos manager, and it seems like she grabbed a golden opportunity. Whats more, Ill never forget how Magia Part Leader kindly treated me when I came early for the interview! Thanks to her, I was able to rest and take the interview comfortably! I really think shes a great person! Hearing that, Team Leader Kang burst out laughing. The person who came at 2 AM was you, Seungyeon? Yes... Team Leader Kangs sternness faded at that, impressed by how Seungyeon had such a polite and respectful attitude. Her voice was a bit loud, but thats something she could work on. It wasnt like Magia would shrink away like a hamster if Seungyeon raised her voice. I guess theres nothing to worry about here. Im not sure if Magia has a knack for picking people, or if people like Seungyeon just happen to flock to her. Either way, there seems to be no reason to keep them separated for long. Team Leader Kang prioritized smooth collaboration between the two, so he was happy to see them working well together. I usually accompany the kids when they go outside, like to studios or labels. So, we wont be working together much. Just make sure to listen to Magia Part Leader. Ah, yes, I understand. But Ill still greet you every day! Good. Magia Part Leader may seem mild, but she has a lot of pride in her work and can be a bit particular. So, dont get caught up in her issues. Just work hard and dont make unnecessary trouble, got it? Yes! Alright. Lets head back to our seats. With Team Leader Kangs words, Seungyeon began to see her in a new light, like a gentle breeze. It seemed like everything was falling into place for her to settle into company life. Ugh... about the fish-shaped bread earlier... I really hope shes not still mad at me. I wish shed smile and welcome me back when we see each other again... Are you back? Sit here. From now on, this will be Seungyeons seat. Just as Seungyeon wished, Magia was smiling brightly. Shes cute as usual, but she looked even cuter when she smiled. Seungyeon had to stop herself from reaching out to play with her messy hair. Seungyeon sat down in the chair, shifting around, testing the backrest and the seat, adjusting it here and there. The chair fit perfectly, supporting her back and bottom comfortably. This chair is really comfortable. Well, since well be sitting here for long hours, I asked for the best one. Wow. Top-notch welfare. Right? Magias expression seemed to have brightened compared to earlier, and then she casually suggested something. Since well be working together from now on, it still feels a little awkward. How about we have dinner together later? What do you think? If Magia had been upset, Seungyeon was planning to suggest dinner first, using her experience of managing senior relations at dinners or gatherings. But now, with Magia suggesting it first, Seungyeon was absolutely thrilled. Wow. That sounds great! Ill definitely join! Well, well be doing the Halloween broadcast soon, so we cant go out. But well just order in and eat here. Oh! Still, its great to eat together at work. Its my first time!! The atmosphere was warm and cheerful. Magia turned to ask Team Leader Kang. Would you like to join us for dinner? Huh? Should I? Whats the menu? Pizza. At that, Team Leader Kang quickly turned his gaze away. Oh, I just remembered, I have to pick up someone. I cant make it. Maybe tomorrow? Magia seemed genuinely disappointed. Team Leader Kang, with a concerned voice, asked Seungyeon, Do you like pineapple? Seungyeon would eat pretty much anything, but she couldn''t stand sweet or sour things. Pineapple, which is both sweet and sour, was one of her favorite fruits, whether fresh or canned. Yes! Magia smiled even brighter. Wow. You like pineapple? Yes, yes! I love it! Team Leader Kang, knowing there was a huge misunderstanding, couldnt bring himself to speak up. He knew Magia had an intense love for pineapple pizza. While everyone in the company liked Magia, they were also baffled by her quirky preferences. Chapter 44 Seung-yeon, who had been hoping for a pineapple-topped shaved ice for dessert, was instead greeted with a delivery of... Well? It looks delicious, doesnt it? It was a pineapple pizza with warm pineapple chunks on top. The yellow fruit on top of the cheese seemed particularly conspicuous today. Ahhh... Seung-yeon loves pineapple. She enjoys fresh pineapple, and its a great dessert accompaniment. As long as its sweet and tangy, shes fine with it. But theres one thingwarm pineapple, especially the kind cooked on pizza, is the worst thing ever for Seung-yeon. How could anyone eat pineapple hot? People say it becomes sweeter and loses its sourness and bitterness when cooked, but... Seung-yeon would understand if the pineapple was grilled and served as a side with meat. But pineapple on pizza? Its like deliberately putting construction-site yellow paint over a beautiful painting and asking, Looks good, doesnt it? Please, if I reincarnate, send me to a time before pineapple pizza was even invented... So I can smack the person who created it...! She squeezed her eyes shut, briefly imagining a meta-world scenario, then quickly gathered herself and answered Magias question. Ma... Ma... Ma... But the words wouldnt come out. No matter that she was speaking to her senior, someone she personally liked, and that she had to make up for the earlier mistake, could she really say that pineapple pizza was "delicious"? It was a thought she could never voice, not as someone who loved pineapple. It would be blasphemy to the many dishes pineapple could be used for. But what could she do? Her senior was looking at her with such a happy expression, hoping shed enjoy it. Ma... Ma... Magia Part Leader, Ill eat it well!! At last, Magia picked up a slice of pizza and began nibbling from the edge. It was supposed to be a cute sight, like a hamster nibbling on a huge piece of cheese, which shouldve made Seung-yeons appetite grow. But the soft bread, tangy tomato paste, savory cheese, and sweet pineapple on topthis strange mix clouded Seung-yeons mind, and she couldnt bring herself to bite into it. But wasnt this a loyalty test? Her university seniors used to pull these kinds of pranks too. Since she liked pineapple pizza, sometimes theyd eat it together, asking subtly, Are you really following me? Just close your eyes and eat it. Seung-yeon knew well that Magia was a kind person. How many people would take care of someone who showed up for an interview at 2 AM? So, even if Magia liked dishes like pho with extra spice or mint chocolate, Seung-yeon could understand. Simply working in the same office with Magia already felt like smooth sailing in Seung-yeons life. And what was more, it was Seung-yeon who threw the fish-shaped bread on the ground and attacked first. She had to take her punishment like a grown-up. So, with a deep breath, Seung-yeon opened her mouth wide, ready to bite the sharp part of the pizza, but then... A small hand swiftly snatched the pizza away and placed it back on the greasy pizza box. If you dont like something, just say so. Dont eat it just because I told you to. Oh, no! Its not that! I never said I didnt like it! Your expression and actions are too honest. Youre giving it away. Seung-yeon turned her eyes away, but she couldnt escape Magias sharp gaze. Im sorry. I thought if you liked pineapple, youd like pineapple pizza too. If you dont like it, dont force yourself to eat it. Lets order something else. Anything is fine. Uh, well... But you bought it for me, Part Leader... Quickly. Magias tone was the most serious Seung-yeon had ever heard, and her face looked different than usual. She was genuinely upset. Ah, yes! Seung-yeon hurriedly grabbed her phone from Magia and began searching for something else to order, but her mind wasnt at ease. She shouldve just eaten it without hesitating. It felt like her relationship with her senior was slowly going off track... Shes the type who cant say she doesnt like something, huh? Is it because shes new to the workforce? Thinking about it, when I first joined the company, I dont think I ever refused to help anyone either. The president was very clear about saying, This is your job, Only do this when youre not busy, so I rarely had to step outside my work scope. If I did, Id come back with tasks. But Seung-yeon, on the other hand, is doing work shes never done before, in an environment shes never been in. So, I think its my job to make sure she can be straightforward about what she likes or dislikes. If she doesnt like something, she should be able to say it, especially now that shes working alongside me. A little while later, Seung-yeon came back with the burger set she ordered and bowed slightly before sitting down. Im sorry. Ive caused trouble...@@@@ Lets eat. You need to eat to get the energy for work. Yes, yes. At this point, the Halloween special for the first-generation broadcast was still going on with the four of them chatting, so there was plenty of time for lunch. When doing a group broadcast, as long as the sync is set, you barely have to worry about managing the four screens at once. It wouldve been nice if the boss could come in at this moment to fill the gap, but they were swamped with planning and promotional meetings related to the 1st anniversary event and couldnt attend. Looking at the conference room, everyone was frantically writing and erasing things on the whiteboard. The first-generation members were busy filling the sound, but as the gaps grew longer, the excitement for the content naturally started to drop. It was time to throw more fuel on the fire. I quickly swapped my monitoring headset for earbuds and connected to TalkCode on my phone. "Im just going to help out with the others broadcasts for a bit, so you stay and watch the stream." "Ah, sure." Ding dong. As soon as my nickname appeared in the waiting room, I was immediately pulled up to the broadcast channel. Dora, who had been watching, quickly brought me up. The members greeted me noisily. [What? D? Whats going on?] [It''s Staff-D!] [Are you from the other side?] [Hi!] What? Glad I tuned in today ?? I knew something would happen, upvote for those who were already watching ?? "Hello. Happy Halloween. It was quiet for a moment, so I thought itd be a good time to pop in and say hi." Usually, when someone enters, the person closest to them takes the lead in the conversation. In my case, that seemed to be Dora. It felt like a privilege, like being treated specially due to being the mama (illustrator). As soon as Dora started talking, she was trying to keep me on the stream. [Staff-D, you can just stay here with us. Lets get candy together, heh heh.] But no way. I hadn''t discussed this beforehand, and I was in the middle of handing over work, so I had to decline. "I came to give candy, so let me just give it and leave." [Really? What are you going to give?] I had already planned on treating everyone for a celebration today. "Pizza gift certificates." The members gasped, and Komari was the first to catch on. [No way, really?] Rain was still clueless, and after a brief pause, Dora and Maru reacted. [No way... Is it the pizza Im thinking of?] [No, its not that one, is it?] Without answering, I sent a bundle of gift certificates to the open chat. As soon as Dora saw them, she sighed deeply. [Staff-D, you know that the viewers will eat this, right?] "The viewers will get to learn about new food experiences. Its a happy thing." Komari roared like a beast. [You evil! Giving us this as candy? Worse than a demon!] "This is my favorite food, though. It would make me a little sad if you said that." ?? What is this? If its pizza, I cant eat it if theres no one to give it to. Whats all this fuss about? ???? Curious viewers began asking for the gift reveal, and the Candy List updated again with a screenshot of the gift certificate (excluding the barcode). Candy List ...(MAJAPIZZA) Hawaiian Pineapple, Cola 1.5L x20... It was the current hot item at MajaPizza, a hit product that came with double the amount of pineapple compared to the regular Hawaiian pizza. The reactions were heated, and the chat went wild. [Thats just horrible...] [Need to rethink eating with Staff-D now.] [Why doesnt Rain like it though? She lived in the US.] [Nope! Dont ever mention that again. Americans instantly cut out Hawaiian pizza!] Guahhh This is insane, 20 of them Haha, I never expected to hit a pizza landmine Actually, Hawaiian pizza is better than people think The atmosphere, which had been silent, suddenly became lively. Just as a guest entered the waiting room, I decided to make my exit. "Anyway, Im leaving now. I hope the viewers enjoy their warm pizza and have a happy Halloween." Seung-yeon was completely shocked. "The viewers are going to experience a whole new level of gourmet food. Its a happy thing." "This is my favorite food. It would make me sad if you said that." "Anyway, Im leaving now. I hope the viewers enjoy their warm pizza and have a happy Halloween." I didnt know if Magia realized it, but her sudden appearance to liven up the stream was completely different from the Magia Id seen before. The way she spoke with such a serene expression and that carefree smileshe looked so happy and content, and it was clear to me. Watching her made Seung-yeon feel as if she was becoming lighter too. Momo had thought that Staff-D would be avoiding the stream because of being uncomfortable, but judging from what I just saw, it seemed like Magia truly enjoyed being the center of attention when everyone was looking for her. When Magia put her earbuds back in their charging case, Seung-yeon instinctively clapped, like someone witnessing a fantastic performance. "Wow, this is the skill of the seasoned Parallel manager, huh? Speaking in front of ten thousand people, weren''t you nervous?" Magia casually answered. "Ive had over 30,000 viewers when Mugeon did the civil war broadcast." "Wow... Thats amazing. Youre so cool. Maybe youll even be the host for events later? Our first anniversary event is coming up, right?" But Magia was someone who adapted easily to any situation. She loved to mess around, predicting how others would react. So her leading the stream? That was far from Magia''s usual style. "Eh, I dont think thats going to happen." Chapter 45 ... Staff-D Mini Gallery ... [Debut Probability: 100%] Didn''t you notice that when Staff-D showed up just now, no one even realized it? (Hmm... Con) They weren''t called in by anyone. They just showed up because they wanted to be on the stream? (Aha, Con) So, this means that Neiyan is about to debut? Exactly. [Comments] Staff-D835: Don''t believe it too much, it''s all planned, haha Staff-D093: Yeah, they probably told us before coming in, lol ? Staff-D734 (Original Post): But even if it was planned, why would they plan it? ? Staff-D734 (Original Post): Wasn''t it to get all the attention on Staff-D, like "Wow, it''s the fantastic Poke?mon"? ? Staff-D540: That makes sense, right? Staff-D202: This person is really persistent, haha ? Staff-D734 (Original Post): When Wondi-chan debuts, you better remember it was because of me, lol ? Staff-D202: If they don''t run away because of you, thatll be a win. ... ... At the moment Magia shook up the Halloween Dotumachi, the first part of the final meeting regarding the first-generation anniversary event at Parallel was wrapping up. Parallel A Conference Room.@@@@ From November 5th to 14th, there were preparations for events tied to the 1st anniversary for the first-generation members. "Alright, lets take a break and have dinner, then well continue." "Thanks for your hard work!" "And where''s the boss?" "Ah, Ill just grab some gimbap. Ive got too much to think about right now." "Oh, Ill bring you coffee when I come back." So, the meeting was to resume after dinner. The events were tightly packed within a short period, and everything had to flow organically from start to finish, so the planning team was busier than ever. November 5th, Sunday: First-generation anniversary new song release. November 7th, Tuesday to November 10th, Friday: Sequential 3D showcases by the four first-generation members. November 11th, Saturday: Parallel''s pre-anniversary event hosted by Cheon Do-hee. And on the much-awaited November 12th: The first online group concert for the first-generation members in 3D models. With the new song, 3D showcases, and concert all coming one after the other, it would be a week-long dopamine party for the fans. Of course, for the company, that week would be nothing short of hellish. Fortunately, aside from the pre-anniversary event on November 11th, almost everything was nearly complete. The pre-anniversary event''s most important element was the material to watch with the audience. The presentation Another 1 Year created by the planning team had received perfect scores in internal evaluations. Since it was based on the broadcast reports that Gia had evaluated daily, there werent any major issues. The remaining piece was commentary during the actual broadcast. That meant that as long as Do-hees hosting went perfectly, everything would be smooth. There were no doubts about her capabilities. She had already proven herself as the leader in the VTuber industry with her subscriber count, viewer ratings, and broadcast metrics. Every three months, she ran Review Another, an in-depth look back at the first-generation members progress, achieving significant results in terms of viewership retention, search volume, and new fan acquisition. But there was one issue that continued to appear every time she did the quarterly reviews. It''s fun, but something about it feels subtly different from what we expected? It wasnt a major issue in the overall business, but... Momo, being a broadcaster first, always wanted to find reasons to fix even the smallest discomforts like that. She had improved with every broadcast, and now the majority of the feedback was positive, but that lingering issue was still there, and it was bothering her. For now, its a matter of timing. With only two weeks left until the pre-anniversary event, Momo figured there wouldnt be a sudden solution to it. And so, today as well, Do-hee made her choice, leaning toward business concerns over her broadcast instincts. In the time it took to worry, the best course of action was to focus on ensuring the anniversary event would go off without a hitch. 11 p.m. "Good job, everyone!" "Lets do a cheer!" "Alright, Boss too!" "One, two, three, fighting!" "Lets go~!" The marathon meeting that had seemed like it would never end was finally over. The planning and promotion teams had spent the last bit of energy debating endlessly over ad placement and promotion timing, but in the end, they were satisfied with how it was all coming together. Everyone left the meeting room with relieved expressions. Some people were already getting ready to grab a drink after such a long day. However, even after the meeting was over, Do-hees worries about going on air didnt disappear. She was editing the script, her forehead resting on her hand, and she wasnt in the mood for the festive atmosphere. "Everyone. You know this is just the beginning, right? The real party can wait until everythings finished, and for now, lets finish up quickly and go rest, okay?" The planning team leader and the publicity team leader, who had been preparing for a celebratory dinner, awkwardly stepped away first. They were probably trying to leave unnoticed after they realized it wasnt the right moment. Thanks to them, the younger staff members were relieved. The team members nodded in thanks as they left, heads bowed. After Do-hee turned off the lights and exited the meeting room, the office was quieter than usual, with only one corner still buzzing with activity. Thinking the team leaders might be planning another celebratory gathering, Do-hee peeked over, but no, that wasnt the case. But when the focus needed to be on the first-generation members... Would fans see the release of Magias Live2D as her debut? Thats a huge risk. The planning team would likely have negative feedback on that idea. But maybe Gia... Magia had already shown her impressive skills during the Battle Colosseum. At the time, all eyes had been on Magia, and with a bit of magic, she had passed the spotlight onto the first-generation members before exiting. That moment was still talked about in the publicity team meetings. Because of that, a flood of ad proposals came in, and the anniversary song teaser video had surpassed 300,000 views. It might sound like a small thing, but the teasers views were three times higher than usual, in just a week, with an engagement level far surpassing any previous videos. So, if Magia were to be the center of attention on the stream, would the audiences focus shift back to the first-generation members the next day, right before the concert? More importantly, Do-hee was by her side. If Gia got into any trouble, Do-hee could easily handle it. For now, the most important thing is whether shes okay with it. If shes okay with it, well go ahead. "Hey, if youre free on the 11th, could you help me with my stream?" When I handed over the monitoring task to Seungyeon and went to the bosss office, I was met with an unexpected proposal. Help with her broadcast? A boss who was so proud of her own stream she practically oozed confidence was asking me for help? "Are you feeling sick or something?" "... Whats with that sudden question?" "Youve always hated anyone interfering with your broadcast. Thats why Im surprised youre asking me for help." At the time I said it, the boss looked nervous, but then burst out laughing. "Oh. Youre worried Im asking because Im sick and wont do the stream?" "Please, dont make me the crazy person who cant watch your broadcast." "... Hmm. So you really are worried about that?" "Yeah, I was worried you might skip the stream." "This is real." I was joking a bit since things were starting to get serious. If I could just relax and handle it, I wouldnt have to keep checking for approval. "What exactly do you need help with?" "Well, on the 11th, were having the pre-anniversary event, right? I thought it would be nice if we co-hosted it." No matter how difficult the task was, if it was a request from Oshi, I would always go all out. It wasnt about pressure, it was more about feeling happy to be of help. But even with that mindset, this time, I was a bit nervous. After all, this wasnt just anyones streamit was the bosss. "Wouldnt my presence just ruin your stream, boss?" "If its too much, you can refuse. Im really just suggesting it, not giving an order." "Its not about being uncomfortable, but its just... I feel like Ill leave an ugly mark if I show up on your stream." "... Youre saying that, even though youve been calling people out during Battle Colosseum?" "I didnt call outI just aimed at you" "Hey." It may have seemed like a joke, but there was truth to it. If calling someone out on stream was like setting them up for a big reveal, this proposal was about sitting side by side and broadcasting together. The first-generation members were a step above me, so it was easier to approach them. But the boss was on a whole different level. It was a position where modesty should have been unnecessary. But still... After becoming smaller, I sometimes felt like I wasnt trusted by others, and that feeling lingered. But if the boss trusted me enough to entrust such an important task, how could I refuse? "Ill do it as you suggested, boss. What should I do? Should I agree with you, add something, or reinterpret?" I shrugged my shoulders and said to the slightly surprised boss. "Ill do whatever you want." Chapter 46 "Ill do whatever the boss wants." A silence followed. We spent a moment with our gazes locked, as if each of us had cast a fishing hook into the others eyes. After all, its been five years since I became the boss, and with three years of experience, one can quickly catch on to things. No matter how much the boss keeps silent, its not hard to read her intentions. When she first mentioned needing help with the broadcast, there was a sense of tension. Later, when I made a joke, I could sense a real feeling of disgust. "Thats not going to happen all of a sudden..." "But theres always a what if, right? By the way, if you have the PPT for the pre-party, could you send it to me? Ill take a look at it after work today or tomorrow afternoon." The boss chuckled and gently messed up my hair. "Lets just look at it together tomorrow. Come to my office first thing in the morning." *** The first day had its ups and downs, but Gong Seung-yeon adjusted very quickly. You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 47 Have you ever heard of a perpetual motion machine? Its a device where, after a slight push, a metal ball attached to a disc moves around, creating propulsion. This movement causes the disc to spin, and the ball keeps moving, generating more force.@@@@ Its a common scam seen in short clips. In reality, due to factors like friction and air resistance, its impossible to create. Most of the time, they secretly hide a motor somewhere to make it look convincing. However, my conversations with the boss are like a real perpetual motion machine. Unless one of us says, "Lets stop here," its like an untethered bull, an 8-ton truck with broken brakes, or a locomotive running without its tracks. "... Boss, arent you hungry?" "By the way... once all this busy stuff is done... how about we go on a trip with the others and then hit the game room?" The boss should know by now that theres no way Id refuse an offer like that. "Just pick a date." Luckily, Seung-yeon was handling everything on her own without me having to say anything. "Ah, Part Leader! Youre here?" "Sorry, the conversation with the boss took longer than expected." You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 48 Just before I collapsed, my vision, which had turned completely white, slowly returned to normal. Where am I? Who am I? I see a strange ceiling. My vision is still full of white, and gray worms crawl across the white surface. I realized it was the ceiling of a hospital. I feel like Im about to lose my mind. Gia! ... Looks like I collapsed. Of course, given how my body tilted, it was only natural I would pass out. I must have barely protected my head when I fell, and after that, I lost consciousness and was brought to the hospital. I moved my left hand slightly and felt the cold IV fluids flowing into my body. I blinked my half-closed eyes, and with a slightly hoarse voice, I let the boss know I was fully awake. Im okay now. What happened? What happened? You collapsed...!@@@@ You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 49 The CEO smiled warmly and patted my head. No. Youre not coming. For a moment, I questioned whether we were even having the same conversation. Not coming? But today is the broadcast day. You want me to rest after preparing everything? Im not approving any weekend work. Youre staying home and resting, got it? The doctor said you need absolute rest this week. Now that I thought about it, the broadcast was on a Saturday. But so what? I never cared about weekends. Even when the operations manager told me to cut back on hours if I didnt want to see him get dragged away by HR, I simply worked from home and submitted my reports like usual. I even CCd him on every single one so he wouldnt get in trouble. I had informed Seung-yeon about this too, and she agreed that it was only natural. VTubers were busier on weekends, so it was only right for those supporting them to be just as busy. I grumbled as I folded the blanket I had been using and placed it neatly on the couch. Resting is fine and all, but we spent a whole week preparing for this, and you want me to just sit out? Thats such a waste. I could at least work for a day... The CEO didnt respond, just stared at me in silence. It was clear she had no intention of budging. I let out a dramatic cry and bolted. Down with Dictator Momo! I expected her to chase after me and smack me on the head, but she didnt even bother getting up. In the end, I was the only idiot running around in a panic. Seriously, she was giving off some next-level dictator energy today.@@@@ When I returned, still panting, Kang Ji-ho eyed me warily. Gia, are you okay? Youre running around too muchyoure going to collapse again. Im fine now, really. Even so... I quickly got a progress update from Seung-yeon. Even if I had to leave work early for health reasons, it was only right to be aware of the situation and make sure my replacement was handling things properly. But Thats all? Yes! The past few days, everyones only been doing one-hour solo streams, so theres not much to report. Amazingly, nothing had happened. I mean, I guess that was a good thing. I had been worried about potential issues with the talents first 3D broadcasts, but everything had gone off without a hitch. Lying on the CEOs office couch, I had watched the relay showcase, and it was surprisingly smooth. The roleplay was solid, and it was clear the girls had practiced their movements and camera work extensively. Even the community reactions afterward, on forums and social media, were positive. Since Seung-yeon was just as much of a forum junkie as I was, she had probably already combed through all the discussions without me needing to tell her where to look. Ill come in tomorrow to monitor the pre-event stream! Ive been leaving on time all week, so I still have plenty of overtime hours left. The online concert was happening at a rented motion studio, and the first-gen members were handling everything themselves. In other words, there was nothing for us to do. Well, except for monitoring the pre-event stream tomorrow. This weird feeling of bittersweetness... ... No. Its not bittersweet. After streaming for a year, it was only natural for the talents to start handling crises on their own. They had all grown tremendously. And that growth was clearly evident in the 3D showcase. Or at least, thats what I told myself. I packed my bag and put on my coat, prompting the team leader to ask: Are you heading out? The CEO told me to drive you home today. Oh, thank you. Have you and Seung-yeon had dinner yet? We already ate. Why, are you hungry? Should we grab something on the way? Since he had a family, I didnt want to keep him out too long. But if I said Id go eat alone, hed definitely insist on joining me. Id just grab something light and then order more food at home. Theres a street stall near the office. Lets just get some fish cakes and rice cakes. When we stepped outside, the November wind was brutal, slicing through the gaps between the skyscrapers. But in that freezing air, the spicy, pepper-infused broth and the chewy fish cakes were pure heaven. Biting into a rice cake soaked in the warm soup, I felt the chill at my neck and legs, but at the same time, it was absolute bliss. The tension in my body melted away, and I could finally relax. No matter how I think about it, telling me not to do the event after all that prep is just too much. Oh... you mean the pre-event? For once, I let everything out. Yes! We spent an entire week preparing! And it wasnt like we just casually preparedwe squeezed it into our already packed schedules. I dropped everything I was doing to hand things off to Seung-yeon, and the CEO even postponed meetings for this. But now she wants to cancel? Its such a waste! I dont get why shes suddenly taking the harder route when the easier one is right in front of her. I kept venting as the team leader quietly listened, sipping his fish cake broth. Then he gave me a gentle smile. Dont take it too hard. Honestly, if I were the CEO, Id probably stop you too. Right now, theyre estimating about eighteen thousand viewers for the pre-event. Youve never hosted a broadcast before, so it makes sense for her to be worried. And considering you collapsed not long ago... Even though his words were kind, I still couldnt accept it. I had been eating well and getting plenty of rest for the past three days. There was no way I wasnt fully recovered by now. I was completely recharged and ready to handle anything. The team leader must have noticed my dissatisfied expression. Want me to put in a word with the CEO? Oh. Really? He hummed thoughtfully before responding. Because of her own selfishness. That was why she couldnt grant Gias request. If she collapsed again, it wouldnt be just the broadcastshe wouldnt be able to focus on work at all. This conversation is over. Lets head home. Hold on a second. But Kang Ji-ho wasnt here to give up so easily. Boss, what is Gia to you? Shes Parallels gray area fixer and a walking VTuber alarm clock. Kang Ji-ho burst into laughter. Pfft, I think I get what you mean. Ideally, every company would have clearly defined roles where everyone worked efficiently and left on time. But in reality, even massive corporations struggled with that. Every workplace had gray areastasks that no one was officially responsible for but still needed to be done. Somebody had to handle them. If someone noticed the gaps early and assigned them, great. If not, those gaps often led to disasters. Magia was the one who erased those gray areas. When someone suddenly quit, Gia was the one filling in. And more often than not, she ended up permanently taking over those roles. But that wasnt all. Ever since the first-gen members debuted, she had been like a human alarm clock, constantly chirping at Do-hee: Are the new outfits ready? Are we doing a New Years event? Valentines? April Fools? What about birthday merch? Have we set up a permanent merch store? Are we planning any big vacation specials? Any collabs? Hows the server maintenance? By the way, Komari has been playing Naore too much lately. Maybe she should scale back... Sure, about half of those concerns turned out to be unnecessary. If all of them were overlooked, the planning team would deserve to be fired. But even they were human. Sometimes, things slipped through the cracks. And every time that happened, Gias nagging saved the day. There had been complaints about Parallels frequent streaming issues, but never about the merch being subpar, the content feeling stale, or the company losing its creative edge. Because even when everyone was too busy to notice, there was always one ever-frustrated viewer monitoring everything months in advance. That was Gias role in Parallel. If she disappeared, the company wouldnt grind to a halt, but the ship wouldnt be moving forward at full speed either. Without a proper check, it was only a matter of time before the sails tore, the keel cracked, or a hole formed in the hull. But Gia is still a person. And people have ambitions. ...Go on. My point is, she wants something. It might seem like shes just following orders and supporting everyone from behind the scenes, but she has something she wants to do at Parallel. Youre saying... thats this pre-event? Yes. She wants to show people what she prepared with you. No matter what. Well, that might be true, but... The weight on the scale was still heavily tipped toward keeping Gia from working. Do-hee didnt seem like shed budge. But Kang Ji-ho wasnt here to just add weight. She came to break the scale entirely. She was a professional who had survived the gaslighting tactics of the entertainment industry. Exploiting logical weaknesses to persuade someone wasnt even a challenge. If Gia told you that you should quit streaming because she was worried about you, how would you feel? ...That wouldnt be like Magia at all. Kang Ji-ho smirked. Exactly. And thats what youre doing to her right now. ...What? Think about it. If you suddenly started sheltering Gia after she collapsed just once, wouldnt she feel like you changed? Uh. Hmm. Uh? Cheon Do-hee is Confused! This was the moment Kang Ji-ho had been waiting for. She let out a sigh as if burdened. Besides, do you know how frustrating it is to throw away a project you worked so hard on? And look You finally found a replacement for her. Youre cutting down her work hours. Youre telling her not to participate in the pre-event. It almost sounds like youre preparing to phase her out before suggesting she resign Wait, what?! No, hold on! Thats not what I meant at all! Im just worried about her health! And besides, I just gave her a raise recently, why would I?! Right, you gave her a raise. So that shed get a little extra before being forced out? If this were a normal office job, thats exactly what it would look like. Wha?! No way, this is driving me crazy. *** Meanwhile, at Gias Place I had just finished washing up and was lying in bed, giggling at some Kirinuki clips when my phone started vibrating like crazy. It was the team leader. [Team Leader: The boss caved.] [Team Leader: If she calls, answer in a tired voice, got it?] [Team Leader: But if she asks to do the pre-event together, respond with overwhelming enthusiasm.] [Team Leader: Got it?] It seemed like things had worked out... but why did this feel like some kind of emergency? What the hell was happening over there? Chapter 50 About an Hour Later At around 11 p.m., my phone rang. Despite the late hour, I was wide awake. Ever since I got into the habit of napping during the day, my nights had been restless. Maybe thats why I could hear the faint tremor in the CEOs voice so clearly. [Uh... You werent sleeping, were you?] I had never seen her this hesitant before. Why was she acting so cautious? It was making me nervous. I completely forgot about the team leaders advice to sound weak and responded naturally, letting my emotions slip into my voice. I slept a lot earlier, so I cant fall asleep now. [Hows your body? Are you feeling okay?] Im fine. [...Right. I figured. You did look better. Your complexion was back to normal, too.] Maybe that was why the CEOs nervous tone disappeared so quickly. Then again, she was never the type to stay passive just because she was worried. [I suck at sugarcoating things, so Ill just get to the point.] Straight to business. [First of all, Im sorry. We worked hard together, but I unilaterally told you not to participate. I said it was for your health, but in the end, I failed to realize that I was also dismissing your efforts. Im really sorry. ...And about your promotion, hiring a junior to help youthose werent meant to push you out of work. I did all of that because I wanted you to stay with the company longer. You get what I mean, right? I wasnt trying to force you into the background, okay?] The sincerity in her voice was so overwhelming that it made me feel guilty. I knew she was trying to protect me, but I had prioritized her success over my own well-being, pushing myself beyond my limits. ...And now, she was the one suffering for it. Shes so different from before. Last time I collapsed, her reaction had been simple. "Take care of yourself." "Yeah, I will." "Dont make me worry." That was it. But now? It felt like if I collapsed again, shed have a breakdown on the spot. I had only wanted to help her with the pre-event, and yet things had spiraled into something far bigger than I expected. She thinks Ill always be in this fragile state... I liked that she treated me like a friend. I liked that we hung out together. But I didnt want to be someone who constantly needed special treatmentsomeone who had to be taken care of. At the end of the day, I was just another MongMong who had gotten lucky enough to be noticed. I was just one worker among many, putting in the effort to support her and Parallel. I only received more attention than the others because of the nature of my job. Maybe it was time to compromise, just a little, on my belief that it was okay to sacrifice myself for the company. Im sorry, too. In the end, it was my fault for not taking care of my health. [...] So, about that... After the pre-event and concert are over, Ill finally have some free time, right? Since Seung-yeon is here now, I was thinking... can I take a full week of leave next week? There was a long pause. Nearly thirty seconds. [...Youre taking leave?] It was probably shocking, considering I had spent the last three years converting all my vacation days into cash. Yes. I want to rest, go to the hospital, and get a full check-up. [...You say check-up, but that sounds like youre taking a robot in for maintenance. You do know the word medical examination exists, right?] A check-up is basically just an inspection to fix whats broken. [Thats... technically true, but still...] Anyway, youll approve my leave, right? In return, I want to participate in the pre-event. I promise I wont overdo it, so please let me. The tremor in her voice was still there, but the underlying anxiety from earlier had faded. [Of course I will. But in exchange, Im picking you up every morningjust like this week. Youre coming to the office.] Ugh, does that mean I have to sleep in your office again? [If you actually ate proper meals, I wouldnt have to do this.] Taking leave just to still show up at work... This company was blacklike, pitch-black workplace conditions. But if staying in her office was the only way to keep her from worrying, I didnt have much choice. Besides, once this was over, shed have some downtime too. Id make sure to fully take advantage of her then. Yeah, I needed to start planning now. Water! Snacks! * The moment the call ended, Cheon Do-hee let out a deep sigh. Haah... I thought my heart was going to drop. She had nearly panicked when Kang Ji-ho implied she was about to lose an employee. But after actually talking to Gia, she realized the team leader had been exaggerating. [From Now On, Were Shutting Down the Staff D Debut Rumors] Posted by: ????Parallel02 STAFF D IS NOT DEBUTING. Ive been in Momos fandom for six years. If the rigged model actually gets revealed, shell just brush it off. When her real-life friend Taro was about to debut, she spent weeks hyping it up, promoting it everywhere, teasing it nonstop on stream. Why? Because you need to maximize that initial viewership boost and secure the audience. Thats how you grow a debuting talent properly. But this? No announcements. No buildup. She does not plan to debut Staff D. Like, come on. Its the first-gen anniversary. Why the hell would she debut someone now? Some of you people are like bonfires The second someone throws in a log, you just explode into flames. I was gonna sit back and let it slide, but the sheer stupidity on display made me post this. Ugh. (Upvotes: 344 / Downvotes: 252) [Comments] Parallel241: Hey, hey, hey... Parallel740: Relax. Relax. Parallel674: Damn, you really love policing discourse, huh? You the gatekeeper now? Parallel845: If this turns out to be true, you deserve mod powers for life. Parallel335: Honestly, these debut rumors have spiraled out of control. Shut it down. Parallel241: People wouldnt keep spreading it if yall stopped acting like its confirmed. ? Parallel474: Lmao, the people falling for this have the IQ of a brick. ... ... And then, the next day... The day of the pre-event. I stared in awe at my fully animated model. This was the same model I had been smitten with before. The fact that it was mine now made my initial excitement fade a little, but still... seeing it move was surreal. The moment the broadcast ended, I was going to clip out every single frame of it. Something this cute must be archived. How did Pino manage to finish this in just five days? No idea. Guess he was desperate. Apparently, he pulled several all-nighters just to get released from special duty two days early. But why did it look better than the first-gen models?! Dora had personally adjusted my character sheet, making sure my proportions reflected reality, which probably set off his loli sensors... Just activate the expressions you actually plan to use and disable the rest. You know how to control it, right? Yeah, Ive set up plenty of models for the others. Good. That saves me the trouble of teaching you. Momos model was positioned at 7 oclock on the screen, while mine was at 5. With the main broadcast window in the center and the chat box flattened below, the setup was complete Actually, Momo had prepared everything last night, so I barely had to touch anything. If you get tired or overwhelmed, just say the word. I can wrap things up on my own, no problem. Got it. So, are you ready? Ready for what? Well... this is technically your first real stream. Im not even nervous. Figures. Well, in that case... Momo absentmindedly fiddled with the nameplate in front of our models. Are you planning to show up for the 2nd-gen anniversary, too? Yes. As long as you approve it. Then... how about picking a proper name? Calling you Staff D all the time feels weird. Does it matter? I am a staff member. Well, yeah, but... I dont want people to think of you as just staff. Having an alias would be better. On screen, my avatars movements mirrored minebobbing slightly, frowning, casting an unimpressed shadow over its face. It really did look like a proper VTuber. But I wasnt. I was a shadow in the world of VTubers. A fancy backstory, an appealing stage name None of that mattered to me. If anything, those things would make me seem too much like a VTuber. So in Parallels universe, my identity was simple. Lets just go with Magia. Magia the deputy. That was enough. Chapter 51 Parallel 1st Anniversary Online Concert Pre-Event Broadcast Start Time: 6:00 PM However, since various technical tests and equipment setups needed to be done, most streams started a little earlier than their scheduled time. That was why the pre-event broadcast went live at around 5:45 PM. [Parallel / PARALLEL] @parallel_official | 142K Followers Official channel of the VTuber group, Parallel. [(????Live) Pre-Event | Online Concert on November 12 at 3:00 PM!] ???? 18,028 viewers #Parallel #Another #1stAnniversary #PreEvent It was the weekend. Excitement had been building from the 3D showcase relay. The first-gen fans, deprived of content due to concert preparations, were desperate for something to watch. On top of that, Magiawho, despite being a skilled gamer, had always avoided lengthy conversationswas now participating in a 4-hour stream. Some tuned in just out of curiosity, wondering how the infamous smoke bomb troll would handle being a host. Others joined in to see Staff Ds fully rigged model after the rumors spread. By the time the official start time approached, the stream had already surpassed the expected peak viewership. [Chat Before Start] OPEN THE DOOOOORRRRRRR Open up! (Open the door, con) Let us in, host! Movgun: OPEN THE DOOR!!! ? Was that the REAL Movgun just now? We KNOW Staff D is there OPEN THE DOOR!!!! OPEN!!!!!!!! Wait, did I just see something I wasnt supposed to? LOL Hand over Staff D, and no one gets hurt! Bring out the kidnapped Staff D!!! First, Do-hee ran a mic test. "Ah-ah. Mic check, one-two-three. Mic check, one-two-three." The moment her voice cut through the background music, chat exploded. Boss Mo, hiii~ Moha! Moha-moha! I was dying all week without a Momo stream ???? The showcase was amazing, Boss Mo! MongMongs were FREEZING TO DEATH out here... Wow, what an angelic voice. UN-DENG-YI DDDDD Undengyi? LMAO :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Undengyi can only be revived by Staff Ds voice. Donate 1004-1004 to save Undengyi! :: Wandichan, MagitenSHIIIIII Hurry up and speak! FASTER!!!! PLEASE, JUST DO IT Then, it was Magias turn. "One, two, three." That was it. No follow-up. Nothing. Even though the actual stream was about to start in a few minutes, the chat could not handle waiting. ? Thats it? Say more!! Why so short?! So... are you debuting today? Show us the model, heuuung~ Even short lines are nice. (Bangs desk, con) Ehehehe, Wandichan~ Is that really all? KYYYYYYYYAAAAAAA Undengyi melted too fast... Teacher, please, this is not enough. Say more! Say more! Say more! Say more! Say more! Say more! Say more! Its too short!!! I CAN NEVER BE SATISFIED WITH THIS NOW. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!!!! Momo was supposed to be the real VTuber here. But somehow, the chats reaction was exactly the same whether she or Staff D spoke. "MongMongs, if I catch any of you acting feral, Im banning you from my stream." Wait, what?! Alt account ON. You think I only have one account, Momo? Instant disguise mode activated. LOLLL~ :: Anonymous has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Who cares? Ill just watch on my alt. Both accounts have 78 months of subscription anyway~ :: Damn, this guy is for real LOL BOTH accounts are 78 months, wtf LOL Im making money off you, keep paying that friend fee! Time kept ticking forward. 5:59 PM. With her mic muted, Do-hee turned to Gia. "From here on out, I wont be giving you any more directions. Just assume everything outside the script is pure ad-lib until the stream ends." "Got it. Ill trust you, Boss." For the record, Do-hee did trust Magia. And Magia trusted Do-hee. Which meant... there shouldnt be any major issues. The real challenge was figuring out how Gia could redirect the overwhelming attention on her toward the first-gen members. She had pulled off miracles during the Movgun civil war. She would have to do it again. "Dont push yourself too hard. If it gets tough, just let me know." "Understood." Even though it looked like Do-hee and Magia were leading the event together Any donation over $10 was considered a big donation. Any donation over $100 was considered a gigantic donation. A simple "Thank you so much!" would not cut it. Gia thought about it for a moment. Since she wasnt a real VTuber, RP (roleplaying) felt pointless. Her character sheet had a witch theme, but without a robe or hat, she looked more like a regular office worker. There was no need for magic spells or fancy gimmicks. For now, she was just a company employee. A worker. A normal Staff D. "Thank you, Pino. Out of the 300,000 Clouds you donated, a portion will be taken as a platform fee by Pazzik." "The remaining amount will be allocated to first-gens new costumes, original songs, group covers, and other content production expenses." "In other words, your donation will be wisely invested as business funds for Parallel." "Thank you for supporting the settlement and activities of our first-generation travelers from another dimension." A completely expressionless, monotone corporate response. Even the most seasoned viewers had never seen anything like it before. ? LOLOLOLOL WHAT THE HELL IS THIS Excuse me???? No way LMAOOOOOO This... feels too real... Cute voice, but such a lifeless reaction LOL It has a weird appeal... Why does Wandichan sound like a bitter old office worker... And yetdespite everythingthe message was clear. The worldbuilding was flawless. The first-gen members of Another had the lore of being mystical travelers from another Earth. So naturally, Gias deadpan corporate speech about donation funds helping them settle in made perfect sense. Even Do-hee decided to lean into it. "Gia, dont you think that was a little... too formal?" "I work in an office. Its only natural for me to be formal." Since the serious tone kept going, chat took it as a roleplay hook and ran with it. Fair point, LOL HAHAHAHA OH, SO ITS LIKE THAT? Got it. Shes a financial manager. Understood. She handles interdimensional assets. Oh, this is a Men in Black situation. The Movgun viewerswho were still new to VTuber culturelooked confused. But this was VTubing 101. If someone didnt fit into the lore, you forced them in. Gia knew this. She didnt resist. She simply let chat decide her fate. It was her survival strategyto minimize her own ego and blend into whatever they wanted her to be. And just like that, chat had decided her identity: A corporate administrator managing four otherworldly travelers. Ironically, this wasnt far from reality. Much like an author writing a story based on their personal experiences When fiction and reality blurred, the words just flowed naturally. "Thank you for the 10,000 Clouds." "Im not sure if Parallel is a black company or not, but... last week, I took paid leave and still ended up coming to work." For a brief momentchat went silent. Then THE CHAINS CAME OFF. ? ?? WAIT, WHAT??? HUH? WHAT DO YOU MEAN EXCUSE ME?! HELLO???? WHAT IS GOING ON WAIT A SECOND DID SHE JUST SHE TOOK LEAVE AND STILL WORKED???? GIA GIA, WHAT ARE YOU SAYING The stage was set. From here on out The chat was never going to let this go. Chapter 52 "Thank you for the 10,000 Clouds. Last week, I took my paid leave and still went to work. Thank you." From the bottom of the chat, a massive hook shot up like a waterspout. ? ?? What? Wha Whawhat; ? ?? Eh? What; What did you just say, Gia Gia? Do-hee was taken aback. She hadn''t expected Magia to say it so straightforwardly. But being called a demon king, a tyrant boss, or a dictator wasnt new to her. Besides, in this situation, any attempt to explain would only make things worse. So Magias next ad-lib came out naturally. "Hey, what are you saying? There were... circumstances." "Even if there were, its still true." "Come on, even if its true, do you have to just say it like that? What does that make me?" She snapped, so shes definitely guilty, lol. The stream was going so well, why are they fighting now, lol. Did we just switch to UFC mode? :: An anonymous donor has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Momo, release Magia nowwwwwww! :: "Thank you for the 10,000 Clouds. Sorry, but this was my own choice. I wasnt imprisoned. I willingly became a slave." "Hey. ''Slave''?" What? Whawhat; But... didnt you do it voluntarily...? LMAO Oh... Goddamn corporate slavery, wtf Parallels applicants are running for their lives right now :: An anonymous donor has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: But at least you''re getting paid a lot, right? :: "Thank you for the 10,000 Clouds. I get paid for the work I do. And then I give it all back to Parallel. But dont misunderstand, its voluntary tribute." Whawhat; ?? What do you mean, you give it back? How badly did they brainwash her? Hypnosis apps are real, wtf This world is insane :: An anonymous donor has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: What do you mean by giving it back?! :: Bitch. As Magia kept responding to each new 10,000 Cloud donation, her character naturally took shape. And from the viewers perspective, there was no one more pitiful. :: An anonymous donor has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: So let me get this straight. Most of your salary goes back to the company, you work a full 52-hour week, your shifts run from late afternoon to dawn, you work weekends until the VTubers streams end, and when they ask you to appear on stream, you show your face too? :: Wtf Why is this real life? Is she Superman? Bro, how is this even possible, lol (Momo) "Shes not human..." :: An anonymous donor has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Our Great and Noble Gia. :: :: An anonymous donor has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Momo, youve been overworking her for three years, maybe let her go now? :: LMAO Employees should flee Parallel ASAP, upvote if true Me first, lol :: An anonymous donor has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: By the way, who gets todays donation money? :: At that, Magia stole a glance at Do-hee. The viewers laughed as they noticed her subtle glance. The hesitation lmao After saying all that, why is she looking at the boss now, lol Does she have survival instincts or not? Do-hee gave her a silent nod, signaling her to just answer as usual. So Magia added a single extra line to her previous statement. "Thank you for the 10,000 Clouds. Some of it goes to the streaming platform Pazizik as a processing fee, and the rest is all Parallels revenue. I dont take a cut, so dont worry." ? What? So that means... Gia gets nothing? Thats insane. How is that reassuring, lol. "Dont worry," she says, but why does that make me worry even more, lol :: An anonymous donor has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Honestly, if Momo had a conscience, shouldnt she at least split the stream revenue with Magia? Lol. ::@@@@ :: An anonymous donor has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Wait... so every time Magia appeared on stream, all donations went straight to Parallel and the first-gen talents? :: Even though Magia was quickly becoming the most pitiful figure ever, and Parallel was now seen as the villain... "Yes. Every donation goes to the company and the first-gen talents. So please, donate with peace of mind." Magia herself was actively accelerating that perception. Nooo! AAAAAAGH Damn it, if only it werent for this weeks showcase!!! Isnt this technically Parallels fault for making their 3D models too good? My wallet is dead... You evil, tyrannical, exploitative company... The chat was in an uproar, but their tone was that of defeated villains. "Damn it, we lost! But well let it slide just this once!" "And with that, lets officially begin the first-gen one-year anniversary concert pre-show!" *** Even if the start looked like a complete mess, the pre-show itself went smoothly. Regardless of whether it was true or not, Magia taking on the "exploited, pitiful employee" role was huge. "Isnt this fun? The CEO and I sacrificed our sleep to prepare this for you." And then, she pulled out this completely unfair line, forcing the audience to focus on her words. How could they just passively watch when a poor, overworked employee had sacrificed her sleep for them? Especially when they wanted to throw money but had already emptied their wallets. To make things worse, the conversation went like this: "Gia, do you remember this moment?" "Of course. I still have Rains voice echoing in my head. Enemy! Enemy! Kill it! Kill it, psycho! Psycho bastard! Hah, got it!" "...That was actually my head." "But honestly, CEO, isnt it your fault for running into the line of fire? You shouldve expected that Rain might teamkill." "Wow, Gia, youve been on my case all night!" "Well, after that stream, Rain insisted she did nothing wrong. And besides, tomorrow is the first-gen anniversary concert. Cant you just take some blame for today and be a little more generous?" "What does that have to do with this?!" LOLOLOLOLOLOL Okay, but honestly, Rain was a little out of pocket for that one. Agreed. This one is 100:0 Momos fault, lol. At this point, the viewers had no choice but to think: "Wait... does she actually love her job this much?" The more Magia shared past stories, the clearer her true character became. "Ive seen plenty of people fail stealth missions, but that was the first time I saw four people all fall off together. "But the funny part is that wasnt even the end of it. The next day, they tried again off-stream. "And look! I have the clip right herebam, they die in the exact same spot. "I swear, I couldnt sleep that night from laughing. Every time I tried to close my eyes, I kept remembering it." LOL WTF THIS WAS A THING??? HAHAHAHAHA HOLY SHIT LOLOLOLOL WHY ARE YOU HIDING THIS FROM US?!?! Somehow, the viewers felt like they had been transported back to that exact moment. Most of the time, Magia spoke with the sharpness of a hedgehog. But when she started sharing stories about the first-gen members, she became a natural-born storyteller. Her impressions werent perfect, but they had charm. And she sprinkled in behind-the-scenes gossip from Parallel that only she could know. It was a storytelling feast like no other. She really looks like shes enjoying herself, lol. Its like sitting down with a hardcore Parallel fan and listening to them go off. For real, lol. Shes not just a regular employee. Shes a full-blown Parallel fanboy. I thought she was an outsider, but her lore depth is deeper than ours, LMAO. The viewers couldnt help but be impressed. At best, they thought Magia was just a somewhat talented staff member. They had assumed she wouldnt know as much as the true hardcore fans. But then, she went and delivered the most engaging, detailed, hilarious retelling of these stories. She was exactly what Do-hee had hoped for. And Do-hee wasnt the only one who felt that way. Forget debuting, cant she just handle the review content every quarter? LOL. Momo, give her a content segment and raise her salary! For real, LOL. Itd be a waste to just make her a regular streamer. If she did a monthly review show, Id gladly watch it. Not monthly. Weekly. ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Momo, why dont you just give Magia the quarterly content segment?] [At this point, just put her in charge of something, lol.] [What does "Magia" even mean? People have asked 3,859,219,230 times.] [No, seriously, CEO Momo is so out of touch this time.] [All the official channel donations should go directly to Magia. Agreed?] [Momo has no right to be CEO, LMAO.] ... ... ... ... Chapter 53 ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Momo, why not just let Magia handle the quarterly segment?] If Magia did it, itd be hilarious. Judging from how she talked today, shes insanely strong at retrospective content. Shes got a great memory, she mixes in spot-on impressions, and she shares stories weve never heard beforehow can we not stay focused? Palsheungjwakah! (If I stop here, I might get banned by Momos mods, so adding more ) Momos version is fine too, but, you know... Magias version would definitely be more fun to watch. There are probably Wol-dungi who are too busy to watch everything, so wouldnt it be better to make this content as engaging as possible? I genuinely think this is a good suggestion, so consider it! I know youre lurking, so just approve it already. (Upvotes: 546 / Downvotes: 332) [Comments] Parallel745: Hold up, did this guy just say Momos boring? ? Parallel383 (OP): Thats not what I meant, LOL. ? Parallel383 (OP): Momos too busy to stream often anyway. Might as well let Magia, whos good at it, handle it. Thats all Im saying, LOL. ? Parallel745: But isnt Magia super busy too? ? Parallel745: She barely even appears on streams because of work. ? Parallel383 (OP): Not my problem. I just wanna watch her, LOL. ? Parallel025: Yo, you too? ? Parallel222: Sheds a tear, hits the upvote. ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Ive asked 3,859,219,230 times: What does "Magia" even mean?] So, what is it? Is it her real name? A stage name? Whats the meaning? Someone answer before I lose my mind. [Comments] Parallel200: Its a name. Cant you tell from the three letters? ? Parallel034 (OP): Oh, got it. Thanks. ? Parallel200: Cant believe he actually bought that. ? Parallel034 (OP): You son of a... Parallel557: Its her stage name, LOL. MAGIA. ? Parallel034 (OP): I dont know English. What does it mean? ? Parallel557: It means "magic." ? Parallel034 (OP): Oh, got it, thanks thanks. ? Parallel557: Cant believe he actually bought that. ? Parallel034 (OP): You little...! Parallel347: Why are there so many jackasses in this thread, LOL? Parallel722: Yall are the worst, LOL. Parallel003: Funny how none of you calling them out are actually giving a real answer. ? Parallel034 (OP): Then you tell me. ? Parallel003: I dont know either. ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Momo doesnt deserve to be CEO, LOL.] Magias workload needs to be offloaded to someone else ASAP so she can focus on streaming. She should be the face of Parallel. Like, literally brand her as the face of Parallel. Not saying Momo cant be the face But since Momos busy, she should delegate that role to Magia. (Already got reported over 50 times for this, spent forever explaining to the mods, so please stop spamming the report button.) Placing the right people in the right positions Thats just basic leadership. Why keep such a golden asset locked away? All she has to do is set the stage, and Parallel practically promotes itself!!! Theres no way they rigged and prepped all this just for todays stream, right? ...Right? I swear, Im clenching my teeth right now. (Absolutely not saying this because I want to donate directly to Magia.) (But if shes hosting solo content, she should get all the donations. Agreed?) [Comments] Parallel834: Doesnt matter, Momos never budging, lol. Parallel743: Youd probably need at least 100 million won to make Momo change her mind. ? Parallel455: Where do you think 100 mil comes from? The ground? I swear I wanna slap someone, LOL. ? Parallel993: Aka, LOL. ? Parallel701: Murasaki, LOL. ... ... Magia didnt consider herself a streamer. But she also didnt think she lacked the ability to attract attention. Anyone who spent years sniping Momo in games would know that. Whenever she appeared on a stream, the chat exploded. And whenever a clip featuring her went up on YouTube, it consistently got 1.5 times the usual views.@@@@ More importantly, she was a master of knowing her limits. Since her first appearance on Momos stream, she had never gone overboard or ruined a broadcast. That was why Gia used her own name as a brand to expand Momos reach beyond her streams. While most people were thinking, Maybe I should try streaming? She was out there stirring things up, aggressively pushing Momos content. She went to fan forums. She targeted VTuber viewers. She tracked people with public DMs. She found people who had been sniped by stream snipers. She looked for Battle Colosseum players. And then, shed drop at least 100,000 won in donations at the right moment, along with a link to Momos clips. If she cycled through about 500,000 to 1 million won in donations, the results showed up immediately in Momos next stream. 100 live viewers turned into 130. 200 turned into 250. One time, 300 jumped straight to 500. The day Momo hit 500 concurrent viewers, Gia still remembered what she had said at the end of the stream. "Signalflame, you bastard. I know youre watching. I can feel it. Please, for once, dont snipe me this year... Im so tired...." Gia still wasnt sure if Momo had meant it or if it was an invitation in disguise. But from that day on, Gia doubled down More sniping, more promotion. Because if you told a troublemaker to stop, theyd always do it more. Thanks to that, the moment Momo hit 1,000 viewers, Gia got hit with a real-life Mokgora challenge and was forcibly recruited as a manager. Even after she toned down her viral campaigns for fear of controversy, she never stopped sniping. Did she think she had a stake in Momos 1.66 million subscribers? "Thank you, , I really wouldnt have made it here without you." Yeah, right. "What are you talking about? You got here because youre fucking awesome, CEO." Even as Momos manager, Magia had always been a shadow. She had only ever done what she wanted as a fan. She had never once thought, Momo hit 1 million subs because of me. Magia had started as just another stream sniper. If Momo hadnt played along, she wouldve faded into obscurity as just another random troll who ruined broadcasts. But the person who turned a troll into a fan, who kept her coming back, who made her excited enough to spread Momos content everywhere That had always been Momo herself. The chicken-or-egg debate? That didnt exist here. Momo was a tree that had stood strong and unchanging all this time, allowing Magia to perch on its branches, to rest, to give back whatever she could. And now, in the short break after the main content had ended, Left alone in the studio, Magias heart was pounding. :: An anonymous donor has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Riding the nostalgia train makes me want to see the concert even more. :: :: :: An anonymous donor has donated 100,000 Clouds! :: :: :: I love you, Another! Lets be eternal! :: :: An anonymous donor has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: First-gen concert, fighting!!! :: Even after repeatedly thanking everyone, the donations would not stop coming. The chat was going wild, screaming, What the hell is this?! This is insane!!! And caught in the wave, individuals started making their own personal donations. For ten full minutes, the storm of donations raged on Until finally, just as the tide began to settle Pino dropped a bomb to end it all. :: :: PIN0 has donated 1,000,000 Clouds! :: :: :: Theres no way there are still Wol-dungi who havent bought a ticket for tomorrow, right?! :: Do-hee glanced at Gia. Now? Gia nodded. Now. In the waiting room for the broadcast''s talk code, the first-gen members were already watching. [Maru]: This is crazy, this is insane, lol. [Komari]: Holy... wow, wow... [Rain]: Yoho~ My shoulders just wanna dance, dammit, Im about to chu the dance. [Dora]: Uwaaaaah, this is nuts, LOL. Do-hee switched the screen to display the official concert illustration for first-gen. Gia stopped reacting to donations and spoke into the mic. "Everyone, thank you so much for your support. So many of you have sent donations to cheer on Anothers concert tomorrow. "But... we feel like it wouldnt be right for just us two to react to this 1 million donation." Ding-dong. Ding-dong. The four waiting members joined the voice chat all at once. The carefully prepared group illustration of first-gen flashed onto the screen. Oh. Oh, whats this? Huh? Whoa, LOL. I wasnt expecting this at all, LMAO. Another! Another! Another! Another! Another! Another! Theyre bringing them in here?! Holy shit, LOL. GAMDASAL, LOL. "And so, weve brought in Another, who has been watching from behind the scenes!" Seamlessly, Do-hee took over the closing speech. "That being said, Gia and I will be stepping out now. Everyone, thank you so much for tonight!" "Thank you! Now, Another! Please give your thanks to the fans who generously supported you!" [Thank you! Thank you! Yeah! Thank you! Love you, babies!] [Seriously, guys, thanks a ton.] [Thank you all soooo much! YEEEAAAAH~!] [THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOUUUU!!] For the real first-gen fans who had donated along with Gias hardcore supporters, this was the best possible outcome. But for Gias diehard fans, who had been hoping for her reaction and a promise for another stream This was an absolute disaster. Some still held onto hope. Maybe they just needed to wait a little longer. Wait, she already left? What the hell; She dipped so fast, LMAO. But Gias frame had already disappeared. And the chat, filled with people searching for her, Was immediately drowned out by fans celebrating first-gens concert. Do-hee, having also taken down her stream frame, switched off her mic and clicked her tongue. "You were thinking about how to end the stream the entire time, werent you?" "Well, that was my main reason for appearing today. I trusted you to cover for me if I messed up." "Yeah, but still. You were talking to me while planning all this?" Gia chuckled. "If I can watch four streams at once, you think I cant do this?" "...You have ridiculous multitasking skills." The pre-show had been a success, And first-gen, buzzing with excitement, would handle the rest. It had been a clean ending. Gia had nothing more to do here. But she didnt stop there. Because there was one thing she had realized from tonights donations. Gia knew how internet culture worked. Donations given with expectations were not true support. That kind of donation was just control freak behavior. And if the streamer didnt respond the way they wanted, they had to accept that. But She also knew that if you did acknowledge those expectations after they had already given up It shattered them. And once a persons expectations were shattered, They never truly recovered. If there was a literal gold mine sitting right there, why would you not dig it up? If Parallel wanted to compete with VTuber Empire BachuuBachuu, they needed to earn more money. And if that was the goal, Gia was willing to do whatever it took. Even if it wasnt an official CEO mandate. "I realized something after tonights stream." "Hm? What is it?" "You know the monitoring reports I send you daily?" "Yeah, of course." "I was thinking of using those to put together a Top 10 Best Content of the Month ranking. Now that Seung-yeon joined, weve got some workload relief. This could help the planning team with future content ideas." Before Gia even finished, Do-hee clapped her hands. "Thats a great idea! We could call it Parallels Monthly Awards or something!" "Yeah. And Ill be the one hosting it." "...Huh? Youll be hosting?" Do-hee, still mid-clap, froze. "Wait. Hosting? Like... a live stream?" "Yeah. Just support me like you did today. Ill handle the materials." "But... streaming is... dont you think its a waste of time? Didnt you say youd rather watch streams?" Gia smiled. "Well, this is just rewatching streams and talking about them. Not that different from watching streams, really." And just like that, Gia took another step forward. Chapter 54 The first anniversary concert held the next day? It was a massive success. Tickets sold were nearly double the original conservative estimate A staggering 40,000 tickets. Even after paying YouTubes cut for handling ticketing, The revenue was huge. This was a jackpot. Of course, there had been millions spent on the motion capture studio rental over the past month, Plus all the production costs that hadnt been recouped from the 3D showcase Modeling, rigging, song production, and a long list of other expenses. Then, when factoring in future projects New content, new outfits, the second-gen debuts Not as much profit remained as it might seem. At least, thats what the CEO claimed. Still, the fact that Do-hees entire demeanor brightened overnight proved that the concert had been a success. If they kept stacking profits like this, Kept attracting investors with good business performance, Kept expanding the company step by step Maybe one day, theyd leave behind their tiny 15-pyeong studio on the 9th floor And build a BachuuBachuu-scale mega-studio. With a facility like that, They could plan 3D content without limitations. Any VTuber who wanted could come and stream Itd be a paradise. Of course, BachuuBachuus motion capture studio alone had cost 30 billion won to build. Even a mid-sized studio, large enough for 10 people to move freely, required at least 5 billion won. Parallel still had a long way to go. They needed to work even harder. The Following Tuesday Gia was practically fused to the office sofa. Do-hee had been groaning for a while now. But since she wasnt saying anything, Gia figured it must be something hard to talk about And just kept scrolling through her phone in silence. Then THUD. "This wont do." Do-hee slammed the desk and stood up. She marched over to the sofas prime seat and plopped down. Since Gia could see the CEOs legs in her peripheral vision, She instinctively sat up as well. "Ive been thinking about this for a while." "About what?" "You. Doing the review streams. Theres a problem." Gia had offered to stream, and Do-hee had been on board. But even though the idea sounded good at first, Now that it was moving toward execution, They kept running into obstacles. "Were too overworked as it is." "Ive been on a two-week vacation though?" "Right now, sure. Thats why we had time to go to the PC cafe?. But once second-gen debuts, thats out the window. And if we do a monthly review, the chances of me having time are slim." Long-term content like this had to be carefully planned Because pausing it for internal reasons would be difficult. If Do-hee ever said, "We need to take a break because Im too busy," The fans would immediately go, "Knew it. Another half-assed commitment." "For this to work, youd have to stream alone when Im unavailable. Can you handle that?" Gia paused to think. The pre-show had lasted four hours, But three of those hours had been Gia talking. Especially during the review segments, It had basically been a one-woman show. Yet her throat was fine. She hadnt felt overwhelmed at all. There had been a time when one hour of talking would leave her hoarse. But now? She had vocal cords of steel. Honestly, it felt like she had sacrificed some stats in stamina and size To invest them in her voice and appearance. So a solo 1-2 hour review stream? Easy. Materials? She could reference Do-hees old reports and adjust accordingly. Even if Do-hee got too busy, shed at least have time to review the notes. Which left only one issue Gias conversation style. The reason she could talk nonstop during the pre-show Was because she had someone to bounce off of. If there was no one to set her up, If there was no one to react or engage, The flow would die. Gia had watched enough streams to know That when the flow dies, It frustrates the viewers. "Would it be okay if I invited other members when youre not available?" "As long as they agree beforehand, sure. But you would still have to be the main host. I cant expect them to memorize scripts on top of everything else." "Hm. Thats fair." "In the end, you should assume youll be doing most of it alone. Thats easier for me, too." And if Gia was going to solo-host, There was one more condition. "And if youre going to be streaming, We need to cap your weekly work hours at 40." "Why?" "Think about it. If you collapse on stream, thats a disaster." That would be a national scandal. Something that could hit the 9 PM news. The CEO would be investigated. The finance director would be arrested. The operations team lead would be branded a negligent slave driver "I get it. If I want to stream, I work 40 hours. Otherwise, I work 52 hours." "You dont have to push for 52 hours even if you dont stream... Its not like we give out prizes for maxing out hours. All youll do is make the Labor Department suspicious." "But what about the overtime pay?" Keep work hours at 40 per week.Be capable of running a solo stream.No gross shit, no NSFWimmediate delete.If you post something legally questionable, not my problem. I wont defend you, and neither will the other mods. One of them? Someone who was probably Pino. Shed keep quiet for now. Information asymmetry was a weapon. If they caused problems later, shed just pull the leash. For now, though, she could just let the system run itself. What mattered now was ... Magia Mini Gallery ... [Employee-dee Gen got nuked. There was a traitor.] Bet theyre in here now, too. This pisses me off. If I find them, theyre done. [Comments] Magia035: If loving Magia is a crime, then I accept my sentence. Magia845: Damn it, cant even oshi in peace anymore. Magia455: This is bullshit. ? Magia455: We didnt do anything wrong. ? Magia455: We just wanted Magia back on stream, so we sent donations. ? Magia455: But Magia took the money and dipped. ? Magia455: WERE the ones getting screwed over!! ? Magia560: Yeah, but we never explicitly asked her to stream again. ? Magia560: It feels shitty, but what can we do? ? ????Magia1: Dont be too upset. ? ????Magia1: If Magia has any thoughts, shell do something. ? Magia455: God, I really hope so... ... ... Before these pitiful fools completely lost their minds, Gia needed to start the review streams. At most, she had a month before things got ugly. After that, suspicious IPs would start posting garbage everywhere. If she could "crack their heads" before that happened, Theyd become loyal fans whod lift the Parallel log with her. She needed to handle this before the CEO got stressed. "How can I change my speaking style...?" Gia had learned social skills by working under Do-hee. She had become optimized for adapting to others. The stream host was the one who led the conversation. As a shadow, Gia had always believed it wasnt her place to be in the spotlight. But now, for review streams, she had to be the main host. A complete contradiction. But for now, there wasnt much she could do about it. For now, she could only... Stare at the ceiling in a daze. BZZZZT. Incoming Call: Maru - It was a familiar name. But instead of TalkCode or DingTalk, it was an actual phone call. Was it urgent? Gia picked up. "Hello?" [Oh! Gia! How are you feeling? The CEO said you were sick recently! We were so worried!!] Not many people were this loud on a one-on-one call. Marus voice was so booming that Gia instinctively lowered the volume. "Im feeling a lot better. Almost back to normal now." [Oh, thank God. You cannot get sick! Do you have any idea how worried we were after the concert?!] "If Id told you earlier, youd have stressed out and messed up your preparations." [Oh... yeah, fair point!] Before, Gia wouldnt have cared if they worried or not. But after working with them, she could feel it. They were protecting her. Because she was small? Because she looked fragile? She had taken time off this week for a reason. She didnt want to burden people if she got sick again. "Anyway, whats up?" [Oh! So, um... wanna play a game with me later?] "A game?" [Yeah! We suddenly got an Im Wolf collab, but one of the participants dropped out. Since this game is only fun when the lobby is full, everyones looking for a replacement... Would you be up for it?] Gia was mostly recovered. She had nothing urgent this week. And she had never collaborated with Maru before. It seemed like a good opportunity. Plus The game was Im Wolf. A Mafia-style game with extra roles and mechanics. One of the all-time greats for collabs. It would also be a perfect training ground for her conversation skills. She was lost in thought when Maru called her again. [Gia...?] "Ohyeah, Ill join. When does it start?" [The moment you get herego time!] Chapter 55 I was resting comfortably when, out of nowhere, I had to head to the broadcasting studio on the ninth floor. Not long after, Momo followed behind me with a puzzled expression. "What''s going on all of a sudden?" "Ah, Maru asked for backup." "Maru?" "Yeah. She''s about to play Im Wolf, but theyre short on people right now." Momo tilted her head slightly upon hearing the games name but didnt say much. "Alright, just dont overdo it." So I waited in a small personal streaming room next to the motion capture studio on the ninth floor, without any extra setup. Ding. Ding. [Maru: By the way, Gia] [Maru: Are you going to stream?] [Parallel Operations Team Magia: No] [Maru: Eh?] [Maru: What a waste of your virtual model] [Parallel Operations Team Magia: Im not a VTuber, though] [Parallel Operations Team Magia: And even if I did, it would just split the viewers and draw unnecessary attention] [Parallel Operations Team Magia: Its better not to] [Maru: Ah] [Maru: Hmm... then what if I just place your model next to me?] [Parallel Operations Team Magia: This is a solo game] Im Wolf allows up to 12 players, with roles divided into three main categories: werewolves (maximum of two), humans, and a neutral faction. Which means, in most cases, teaming up is impossible. The only ways to be on the same side are if both players get assigned as werewolves or if they end up as lovers within the human faction. Maru seemed to realize that and sounded disappointed. [Maru: But cant I still place your model next to me?] She clearly wasnt giving up. [Parallel Operations Team Magia: Convince me with a reasonable argument] [Maru: It''ll help attract new viewers] Ah, pure capitalism at work. ... But its not a bad idea. Even though VTubers make their living by bringing joy and entertainment to their fans, theyre still people. They cant ignore financial concerns entirely.@@@@ Maru and Dora are considered the twin vocal pillars of the first-generation talents, and they get tons of cover song requests. But they have to pay for all of it out of pocket, and due to copyright issues, they cant monetize those covers. Meaning, they need a steady stream of subscribers and donations just to keep releasing songs. On top of that, unless it''s a company-produced group project, all other content is also self-funded. In short, money, money, money. Even VTubers live in modern-day Korea, where finances can make or break them. You think Im being too cynical? What, you think idols survive by digging up cash from the ground? To put it another way, think of them like clerics in an RPGcasting buffs and heals for money. People work, they turn to VTubers for comfort, they pay for that comfort, and in turn, VTubers use that money to create even more happiness. A positive feedback loop, if you will. And as one of the unseen forces keeping that loop running smoothly, I had to do my part. [Parallel Operations Team Magia: Alright] [Parallel Operations Team Magia: Send me the V-Studio access link] [Maru: YES!!!] After securing the belt inside my helmet and adjusting the mesh-like motion capture gear on my head, I checked if my model was tracking properly. Once everything was in order, I clicked the link Maru sent me and started syncing up. I had to make sure the stream broadcasted smoothly, so I opened Marus stream on mute to monitor it. ? What? Huh? Wait, lol Hey, say something before you just pop in, lmao Whoa Not the cuckoo entrance Keep it a secret, just for us As soon as my model appeared on screen and started moving around, the viewers reacted instantly. [Parallel Operations Team Magia: You were supposed to introduce the guest before showing my model] [Maru: Oh, right] [Maru: Sorry, got too excited, lol] [Maru: Let me introduce them properly!] Maru placed my model right next to hers and enthusiastically announced: [Alright, everyone! Guess whos here!] We can literally see them already, whats the point of guessing, lol Lmao Murasaki Aka Ugh, not this again [Ahem. I personally filled the last slot with none other than Deputy Manager Magia, and yet I hear no praise?] Wow, good job Yes, yes~ Fine, well done Well compliment you this one time See? You can do things right... But he invited Maru instead of Komari? That was strange. Luckily, Momo and I didnt have to stay confused for long. Apparently, Ronze had charmed the server admin enough to get me a temporary access pass. Following the invite link, I entered Static Buzz Streamer Talkcord and checked the collab channel, where I immediately spotted some familiar names. [Komari (Parallel): Wait, what the heck] [Komari (Parallel): Why is Gia-unnie here?] [Maru (Parallel): I invited her, hehe] [Komari (Parallel): Damn it, I should''ve invited her first...] So Ronze had invited Komari first, Komari had invited Maru, and Maru had used the last available slot to drag me in. This kind of "multi-tiered invite system" wasnt uncommon in large-scale server collabs, so it wasnt surprising. Soon, Ronze himself appeared to greet me. [Ronze (Pro Gamer): Hello, Magia-nim.] [Ronze (Pro Gamer): Your server access will last until noon tomorrow, but youre free to leave as soon as the collab ends.] [Parallel Operations Team Magia: Understood. Thanks for letting me know.] [Ronze (Pro Gamer): Also, could you adjust your nickname to match the server rules?] [Komari (Parallel): Just set it to Magia (Parallel), unnie.] [Maru (Parallel): Oh, are we forming a speedrunning gang?] [Komari (Parallel): ????] Following his request, I updated my nickname and waited in the collab lobby. Before long, I found myself in a voice channel filled with eleven other streamers. [Whoa, the final member has arrived!] [Hey, youre finally here.] [Hello!] [The moment we''ve been waiting for...!] [Welcome!] A chorus of greetings hit me all at once. Id been in plenty of collabs before, but I had never experienced a soundscape this chaotic. For a moment, I felt awkward, as if I had walked into a crowd all welcoming me at once. But that wasnt the most shocking part. [Wait a sec... No way. Are you that Staff-D-nim?] During Mugeons in-house match, we had twenty-four players in the collab, but most of them didnt pay much attention to me. Back then, I was just another toxic sniper targeting Momo, one among many. But thanks to the recent Parallel concert and pre-festival event, someone recognized me immediately just from my username. "Hello, Serena-nim. I really enjoyed your Infinite Jump streams recently." [Whoa, you watched that? Thank you! I actually watched the entire Parallel pre-festival stream from start to finish! Im a huge fan of Gia-nim!] ...Wait. What? Hold on. A fan? Of me? Serena, a mid-tier YouTuber with 130,000 subscribers, was claiming to be my fan? For a brief moment, my brain completely froze. I had never encountered this kind of situation before. Fortunately, my natural instincts for witty comebacks kicked in, and my mouth moved before my brain could catch up. "Sorry, but Im not a content creator, so calling yourself my fan feels a bit... off." [Oh. I see... Then should I say it like this? I really like you, Staff-D-nim! The pre-festival stream was so much fun!] This was... Wait. Uhh. ...What was I supposed to say to that? Ever since stepping into the VTuber industry, this was the first time I had been left completely speechless. I wanted to say something, but the words in my mind scattered and crashed into each other like a jumbled mess. Without a proper sentence forming, the only thing I could do was mumble incomprehensibly. "Uh. Uhm. Err... Uh......." Hearing this, Komari chimed in with an amused remark. [...Gia-unnie just broke, didnt she?] Chapter 56 Hearing that a 100,000-subscriber YouTuber was my fan was already shocking enough. But that wasnt the end of it. There was another one. Ronze, a second-division pro gamer in Knight of Legend. [Actually, part of the reason I invited Magia-nim today is because I was curious. Youre the one who created the Dark Cloud Demolition Meta, right?] "Ah. Uh... Huh? Created it?" [I saw your Apolla backdoor play on Komari-nims stream. The clip ended up making its way to my channel, so I watched it by chance. Thanks to that, I used it as a surprise strategy in a tournament. That win kept us from getting knocked out of the playoffs this year.] Wait, what. "Uh. Um." [You cant just ask like that and expect a straight answer.] [I mean, sniping isnt inherently bad, right? Its not like she relentlessly bullied Momo-nim until she cried or anything.] [I saw some old clips of her sniping. She was actually kind of sweet. Shed mess around but then run in to save her afterward.] [Oh, seriously? So it wasnt just snipingit was sweet sniping?] [What the hell is sweet sniping...? Sniping is sniping.] [Hold up, why are you guys analyzing Gia-nim? Why not just ask her directly?] At a time like this, I thought for sure that Maru or Komari would step in to help me out. But considering how I had been ruthlessly dunking on them with facts all this time... I guess this was karma coming back to bite me. Maru took the opportunity and shouted at the top of her lungs. [GUYS!! GIA-NIM HAS SOMETHING TO SAY!!] [Wait, really?!] [What is it? What is it?] [Were all ears! Hurry up and tell us!] [Lets gooo.] [Speak, speak, speak!]@@@@ You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 57 Going back a little, right before the game started. Right after inviting Magia, Maru was buzzing with excitement. "Hoo... Finally, were playing together...!" She had been watching other members collab with Magia, waiting for the perfect chance to invite her, but the opportunity never seemed to come due to their completely different gaming preferences. Marus favorite game, 64 Cubix, was all about mining, building, and automating block structures. It took at least two to three days just to get used to playing it together, making it hard to invite someone casually. Most of her other games were single-player puzzle games, making co-op gameplay even more difficult. And then, the first-anniversary concert took over. While other members saw their chance and grabbed Magia for collabs, Maru just watched and sighed. At the core of it, though, it was Marus own fault. She had been waiting for a "natural" moment instead of just asking directly. She was the most mature of the members, someone who didnt want to bother busy people, so she just kept pushing it back over and over again. But thenthe perfect news dropped. Magia had taken another week off, making it two weeks in a row. And She planned to finally drop formal speech. How long were they going to keep calling each other "nim" like they were strangers? They had known each other for nearly a year already. Granted, their only real interactions were during equipment setups, routine broadcast checkups, and late-night emergency fixes. But stillthey were the same age. They could afford to be a little closer. But since Maru valued natural conversations, she didnt want to just force it like, "From now on, lets drop formalities!" If she was going to say it, she wanted to have a real bond first. And the best scenario for that? Rolling Werewolves together. Only two out of twelve players were assigned the role, making teamwork absolutely critical. They could strategize together, support each other, and naturally build camaraderie.@@@@ You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 58 In the end, the trial ended in a mess due to the argument between Komari and Maru (?), and before the next trial could begin, another person had lost their life to my fangs. Grr, scary, isn''t it? Werewolves rip people apart. As a result, only the three of us remainedme, Komari, and Maru.@@@@ Just now, in the trial, the two who had been sharpening their knives at each other, accusing each other of being the werewolf, were at it again. [Agh, Mari, you... wow! Just, wow! No, Iugh! WOW!] LOL LMAO I can''t stop laughing, help Im laughing so hard I think I might die Watching everything unfold exactly as I had intended, an old concern suddenly resurfaced in my mind. I had been debating how to run the monthly review content, and this kind of conversational formatcould it be the breakthrough I needed? You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 59 When Maru starts crying, the best thing to do is wait. If I, a textbook capital-T type by other peoples standards, were to say anything now, Id only get a Are you f**ing T-brained or what?* thrown back at me. Not that Maru has ever actually said that. But there was a time when I cautiously asked what was wrong, only to push her dangerously close to getting genuinely angry. [Hic... sniff... hic... sob...] She cried for a solid fifteen minutes before finally calming down enough to speak. But now I was being told that she was emotional and difficult to console? From a viewers perspective, that made no sense. And yet, about six months ago, I saw it for myself when I visited her place to help with something. "Waaaaahhh!! What do I do?! WHAT DO I DOOOO!! Huuuuaaaahh!!" All because she had spilled a single glass of water and fried her streaming PC. The way she wailed over ruining that days stream, youd think someone had died. But the moment I told her to wait an hour because the company would send a temporary PC... You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 60 To be honest, Ive always been a bit of a cynic. Whenever my birthday gets close, I find myself wondering, Why do people even celebrate birthdays? All I think about is how to get through the day as quietly as possible. Of course, I have no desire to throw a party myself. And Im not used to people noticing on their own and handing me gifts or favors out of nowhere. I guess my parents were the biggest influence on that. They always believed that the birthday person should be the one giving back to the people who came to celebrate. I dont really remember when it started, but at some point, birthdays in our house stopped including gifts altogether. Instead, the birthday person had to cook seaweed soup, prepare a cake, and send out an announcement like, "Let''s meet at this time, this place." It became an unwritten rule. [Daughter! How have you been? Seriously, why is it that you only call me on your birthday unless I call first?] That word, daughter, still felt unnatural to me. But after being bombarded with Komari''s "unnie" massages lately, it didnt take long to adjust. "And yet you dont even bother coming to Korea for your own childs birthday, Mom." [Thats because you dont like it when I come. Besides, is nagging your mother the first thing you do when you call?] "Whatever. Did you have seaweed soup?" [Your dad somehow figured it out and made some. We were actually waiting for your call, expecting it.] "...Waiting for me?" October 6 C Find RainOctober 13 C Rain, Momo, and Magias Battle Colosseum collabOctober 18 C Doras horror game streamOctober 27 C Komaris Naore Coaching Challenge You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 61 Komari threw out a fist, while Maru went with paper. The outcome was obvious, and Maru shouted in protestbut wasnt something missing? "Wait, wait a second! Do it again. Rain and Dora didnt go yet." Dora grinned and extended her fist forward. A stroke of luck for Komari. "Come on, do it again. That was so cheap." Maru smirked, puffing up with pride. "Seriously, spoiling the youngest isn''t easy. Its only because Im such a kind unnie." "I wouldnt even get a single whimper out of Gia anyway. You guys do it. Ill take the hit for boss." With Rain stepping back, Dora, Maru, and Komari exchanged glances before all shouting in unison. "Rock, paper, scissors!" Komari threw out a fist, while the other two went with scissors. With her victory secured, Komari smugly mimicked a recent opera short shed seen. "A lady always picks rock~." *** The CEOs car was an MPV that also doubled as a company vehicle. You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 62 Luckily, Kang Ji-ho rushed over, quickly stepping in to handle the situation, and Marus tears dried up in no time. As expected of a professional celebrity manager. She had wet wipes, a change of clothes, and even a dry shampoo to clean the sand tangled in Marus hair, brushing it through until it looked pristine again. Even Marus signature trident-like bangs, which had been styled so neatly earlier, were now back to perfection.@@@@ Of course, it was a little embarrassing that shed ended up crying first when the plan was to make Magia cry. Feeling awkward, Maru now avoided Magia, who was lingering nearby with a guilty look. ...Of course, what Maru didnt know was that Magia had only done this to prevent complications with the vlog footage. Still, whether it was an emotional or logical response, the result was the sameit helped bring Magia and the first-gens closer again. Sensing the perfect moment, Maru and Komari each grabbed one of Magias hands and bolted toward the sand. "Are you two planning to throw me into the sand?" "T-Thats not it!" From the beginning, the members had been on the same page. You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 63 At Do-hees command, the first-gens immediately piled into the carbut when they saw Gias message, their heads started throbbing. Especially Maru, who had been sobbing uncontrollably, thinking she had deeply hurt Giashe took it the hardest.@@@@ "What the hell...? Did we just get played?" Because, just from the message alone, it felt like Gia had figured everything out and turned the tables on them instead. Komari sighed, muttering under her breath. "I knew something was off when we were all piling on the compliments. She caught us." "Are you two seriously about to start UFC in the car? Chill out." "I was just stating facts." "Its over. Were screwed." Their timing was too perfectso much so that Rain couldnt hold back her laughter. Given the situation, she tried to stifle it, but giggles kept slipping through. "Khuhuhu... khuhuhuhuhu..." "Don''t laugh!" "Is this funny to you?!" "PFFFT! KYAAHAHAHAHAHA!" You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 64 Like a kitten grabbed by the scruff of its neck, I was dragged outside. At that moment, the first-generation VTubers puffed up their cheeks and strode toward me. I had already resigned myself to the idea that Id be pinned to the ground and smacked on the back, but to my surprise... Unnie. If you were planning something like this, you shouldve told us in advance. Exactly! I was seriously shocked~. I was kinda pissed, but it was great. Good.@@@@ The four of them wrapped around me from all sides in a tight hug. A complete encirclement. Help me, guys. Im too shortI cant breathe. Guys, Gias suffocating. My mouth was even covered, making it impossible to speak properly. But the moment Momo spoke, the four of them immediately backed off. Wait, was I being excluded back in school, too? I thought I was just a voluntary loner. Either way, Maru looked like she was about to cry, so I instinctively blurted out an apology as well. Rule #1 for managing Maru: If she starts getting teary while apologizing, you have to act like it was a mutual misunderstandingeven if its a lie. Fortunately, I had also prepared a surprise for them, so I had something to say in return. Its okay. I tricked you guys too, just to show you this. So were even. But honestly, I wasnt in any condition to comfort her beyond that. The shrimp had helped me recover a bit, but the barrage of compliments from the members earlier had drained me completely. Now that everything was done, my energy finally hit rock bottom, and sleepiness washed over me. My eyelids started drooping. As I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand, Maru gently placed a hand on my shoulder. You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 65 ...If you dont want it, just give it back. For a moment, the members exchanged glances, then immediately waved their hands and shouted.@@@@ No! No way! Seriously, thanks, Gia! Magia, you are the GOAT. The GOAT of GOATs. Hehe, Ill make good use of it, Gia-nim~. Then, I turned to look at Team Leader Kang and Momo. Team Leader Kang spoke first. Ill save it for later. Thanks. The teaser for the travel vlog had also been uploaded to the official Nutube channel. [????Nutube] (TEASER) 1st Anniversary Travel Vlog | Parallel Another Parallel Official | 142K subscribers 110K views | Posted 3 days ago | #Parallel #Another #1stAnniversary #Vlog Even though it was just a teaser, expectations had skyrocketed. The view count was climbing at an alarming rate. All because of a single, less-than-10-second clip. ... Magia Mini Gallery ... [LMAOOOO] You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 66 As soon as Do-hee heard those words, she thought she might have misheard. Uh... You mean our Magia? [Yes, thats right. I assume that if you and Maru join, the other first-gen members will also come and enjoy the server, but... I wasnt sure about Magia, so I wanted to ask.]@@@@ Something felt off. There was supposed to be a clear line between Magia, the employee, and the members, but now it seemed like that line was disappearing. Momo asked Wicker directly. You do know that Magia is just an employee and not a streamer, right? This is a streamer-only server. If someone who isnt a streamer joins, wont people start complaining about favoritism? Wicker chuckled. Within Parallel, they had clearly established that Magia is an employee. The fans also treated her as a staff member rather than a real VTuber. But that only applied inside the fandom. To outsiders who werent familiar with Parallel, the moment they saw Magias monthly review content, they would automatically assumeWait, is she a streamer? And if they voiced that question, the so-called experts in chat would bombard them with clips. All of which would be clips from Magias broadcasts. At that point, how could a new viewer not think she was a streamer? They would naturally concludeOh, so shes a streamer after all. Was the whole employee thing just a gimmick? They had worked so hard to brand Magia as just an employee, but her sheer presence on streams was impossible to hide. You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 67 ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Predicting Wicker Town Season 2] Momo and Maru starting lineup.Using a special invitation from donations to bring in Dora and Rain.Another two invitations are used to bring in Komari.Just as people start whining, Cant Magia join too? Is it because shes not a streamer? someone unexpected gets iE PARALLEL, 1st, ANOTHER The Fifth Member People have been telling her to debut, to start streaming, but she just ignores it all. Even Wicker himself, the biggest donor of Fast Click, outright called Magia a streamer and invited her to the server. And yet, shell just join and pull the same old line "Im not a streamer, Im just here to promote the members." And then a bunch of lesser-known streamers will get absolutely annihilated in comparison. I can already see it happening. [Comments] Parallel006: Yeah, Ive seen all of Wicker Town Season 2 already. Parallel754: If she knows this much, why doesnt she just start streaming? ? Parallel533 (OP): Hoehhh, I dunno anything about that~~ [Whisper] Wicker: Maru, your API sync is complete.[Whisper] Wicker: Have fun in Season 2! ^^b[Whisper] Me: Thank you!!! You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 68 10 Rolls Later... :: Pino has donated 1,000,000 Clouds! :: :: 10 :: [KYAAAAAAAAAAAH!!]@@@@ [SERVER ANNOUNCEMENT] Maru loves the sky, but she has no wings! After being launched into the stratosphere ten times in a row, Maru finally landed back on solid ground. A 10 million won donation right at the start of the server had everyone talking. [SERVER] Serena: ????????????? [SERVER] Kamik: Maru, thanks in advance for the trickle-down economy. Hehehe. [SERVER] Merisha: Holy crap. Most reactions were the usual business-friendly congratulations, but some people stood out due to their personal connection. His unshakable conviction in that message made Maru shut off Echo Mode immediately. [Ah, understood! If you''re okay with that, I''ll do it that way, Pino. Thank you so, so much for your donation!] Even making sure to include a reaction? Peak Pino. LOL. Thank you, Pino-senpai. I am now one with Pino. The viewers didnt object either. A top donor who respected streaming etiquette and let the VTuber enjoy the game? There was no reason to hate him. Right now, Pino was the hero of Marus stream. Since Maru was a starting member, she had to invite more members herself. Plus, the audience was highly anticipating Magias participation, making the burden of securing a special invitation heavier than ever. [SYSTEM] Opened 10 Wicker Boxes.Check if members were actually sleeping.Stay online before they logged in and after they logged out.Redirect idle viewers to active members when they came online.10,000 won = 10 Wicker Breads (server-exclusive food) + 1 Coin20,000 won = Full hunger/thirst restore + 2 Coins30,000 won = Full HP restore + 3 Coins50,000 won = Random buffs + 5 CoinsProfessionsEarning MoneyLeveling Up You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 69 Pinos donation had launched me into the air ten times, just like Maru. But surprisingly, I only suffered a single fall. Pino: Now that we got the special invite... Pino: I feel drained... No matter how much money he made as a corporate-level rigger, even Pino had a limit to how much he could spend per month. After all, a human wasnt a machinethere were only so many projects he could take on in a month. Still, after donating 1.1 million won in total, including his contributions to Marus stream, he had more than earned everyone''s respect. Respect, man... Time to rest, lol. Bro actually spent a fortune. Never liked him much, but I gotta admit, today hes the MVP. :: Anonymous has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Rest? Nah, now he has to take on extra gigs to make up for it. LOL. :: So I did it my way. "Thank you, thank you. Thank you for your donation, Pino~." It was the driest song imaginable. I had simply taken the Happy Birthday melody and repurposed it into a donation appreciation song. "Thank you, thank you. 1 million won, thank you so much~." Wait, why does this sound familiar...? Is this the Happy Birthday song?! LMAO, what the hell. But apparently, even that was enough to trigger someone into another massive donation.@@@@ [SERVER] Magia has received 1,000,000 Clouds and has ASCENDED!Five stacks of diamonds.Eight stacks of rubies and sapphires (which sold for half the price of diamonds).So much iron and copper that she needed to compress them into ingots just to make space. You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 70 A few hours before Magia threw all her wealth into the server-wide chatat the tutorial zone. Maru was hot on Magias heels, chasing after her as she fled into the wild fields, but in the end, she just couldnt keep up. She was supposed to be the veteran here, so why was the gap between them only growing wider? After running as fast as she could, Maru took a sudden tumble into a valley that appeared out of nowhere. By the time she got back on her feet, even the faintest glimpse of Magias nametag had vanished completely.@@@@ Damn it, why is she so fast...? LOOOOOL Maru, are you really a veteran? Even in Im Wolf, her movement was something else Gotta give it to her, shes damn good at running away Marus special too, just in a different way lmao For Maru, who wanted to roleplay as a mother figure, this was a tragic turn of events. It wasnt like she actually wanted to be a mom or anything. Kizuna was originally a Japanese term, but in the VTuber industry, it had become common lingo. It referred to a temporary connection that was often stronger than most long-term relationships. The connection between Maru and Magia within this server, formed through the use of the Special Invitation Ticket, was also part of that kizuna. So Maru was confident. No matter how much money Magia made, no matter how much she relied on her, Maru was determined to be recognized as Mom. But Maru... wasnt she forgetting something? She had plenty of doting Donguri who absolutely adored her. After briefly greeting the starting members and heading underground to mine, there was no way they were going to just leave her alone. [System] A 100,000 Cloud donation has triggered the random spawn of 5 monsters.[System] A 500,000 Cloud donation has triggered the random spawn of 10 monsters.[Server-Wide] Magia: The first five people to reach the miner within two minutes will receive 10,000 WK each.[Server-Wide] Movgun: What[Server-Wide] Serena: Im on my way!![Server-Wide] Momo: ?[Server-Wide] Ronze: No way, I have to go[Server-Wide] Kamik: Disaster Magia strikes again...[Server-Wide] Merisha: How did she even earn that much already?![Server-Wide] Lupko: GET OUT OF MY WAY ITS MINEEEE[Server-Wide] Magia: Maru was too shy, so Im distributing the money on her behalf.[Server-Wide] Magia: Please use it wisely.[Server-Wide] Ronze: Maru says she wants a share too?[Server-Wide] Magia: Shes an idiot who forgot she entrusted me with the distribution.[Server-Wide] Ronze: Ah, I see.Step 1: Completely ignore chat and bolt straight underground.Step 2: Survive for two hours on Rotten Zombie Meat and Skeleton Water (restores hunger/thirst but causes HP decay).Step 3: Never heal, stay at 1 HP, and grind nonstop. You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 71 Choi Young-ro, a man who had never used a fixed nickname in Pazijik Gallery, was the type who couldnt settle down anywhere for long. When watching streams, he just hopped between whatever seemed interesting at the moment. He had never truly become a fan of anyone or supported a particular creator.@@@@ VTubers? Yeah, he knew they existed. Oh, they move. Kinda like a game character. Thats neat. He figured they just used an avatar instead of a webcam and left it at that. ? Pazijik493: Damn, theyre consistent. Might check them out tomorrow. So when he left that comment, it was out of nothing more than sheer curiosity. Who was Magia? Why was their name suddenly popping up all over Pazijik Gallery? [Thank you for the 50,000 Clouds. The mining efficiency buff is a huge help. Much appreciated.] However, the flat, businesslike tone in which she spoke completely neutralized that visual mismatch. Even the faint dark circles under her characters lower eyelids contributed to the aesthetic. Her slightly droopy, sleepy-looking eyes reinforced the overall impression. After watching for five minutes, Young-ro felt it. The vibe of an overworked corporate drone Yet somehow, despite the cute character design, the overall tone wasnt entirely bleak. ["Die. Die."] ["Headshot. Skull cracked."] [Server] A player has reached 50% completion for the first-ever Hidden Achievement. As a result, a hint has been provided.[Server] Zombie Play, Combat.[Server-Wide] Movgun: Who the hell is it?![Server-Wide] Ronze: Bro, its me.[Server-Wide] Movgun: Bullshit.[Server-Wide] Kamik: Its me.[Server-Wide] Lupko: Its me, actually.[Server-Wide] Movgun: Yall just want me to share my dungeon location, huh?[Server-Wide] Maru: And thats why Movgun is the fastest mind-reader here.[Server-Wide] Movgun: Not happening. LOL.[System] Hidden Achievement Unlocked: Survive at 25% HP or lower while killing 500 monsters.[Server] Magia has achieved the first Hidden Achievement! You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 72 ... Pazijik Gallery ... [Who is Magia?] [Didnt this guy ask the same question yesterday?] [Magia] [So what the hell is Parallel, you weebs?] [Another VTuber?] [Shes my wife... ????????????????] [Wait, did Magia get a hidden class? LOL] [Wicker Town 2 C First Server-Wide Hidden Class: Skeleton Knight] ... ... First Hidden Class Unlocked on Wicker Server These two posts perfectly captured the mood of Pazijiks viewers. ... Pazijik Gallery ... [Comments] Pazijik835: More info pls. Pazijik992: Thanks! Pazijik732: Wait, was this the VTuber who got it? ? Pazijik354 (OP): Yeah. ... ... One side was focused on the hidden class, discussing its effects and potential impact on the server. ... Pazijik Gallery ... [Magia] Test post. If you''re here out of curiosity about Magia, I''ve pinned a few linkscheck them out. D-Rain, Employee D, and Voice Impression Compilation ????Pandemill Village Final Boss C All Headshots ????Mugeon vs. Magia Kill Count Highlight Reel ????The First Person to Use Full Offense Apolla Before Ronze ????The Jangsan Tiger Appearing in Im Wolf ????Personal Collection: Magias Pre-Debut Moments ????Hello, Im Magia, Parallels General Manager. ????Two Special Invitations Redeemed at Once ????Wicker Town Day 1 C Plaza Brawl, Timeline Breakdown ???? You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 73 Though Do-hee was swamped with work, broadcasting, and gacha pulls, when she heard about Magias Skeleton Knight class promotion, she immediately parked her character in a safe spot and opened Magias stream in a small window within the screen. Magia had obtained a hidden class, which was exciting, but Do-hee was a little concerned about the situation after the reveal. Then, she saw that the viewer count was a staggering 19,000. "Wow, a ton of people showed up." Wow, the viewer count hahaha Looks like all the randos are coming over. The hidden job rumors have been spreading since yesterday hahaha It looked like it was too overwhelming a number for Magia to handle alone. It was clearly a wave too high and dangerous for Magia to handle. Yet, she surfed that wave successfully. Instead of being swept away by the situation, she stood firm, saying what needed to be said, holding her ground. But of course, there were things Do-hee had to point out. Magia was talented, so even though she had appeared in many scenes without showing any obvious flaws, she was still a broadcast beginner. No matter how good her sense for streaming was, her eyes seemed to glaze over with the thought that she had to promote right now, so she ended up putting too much energy into it, almost to the point of overdoing it. You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 74 Before going to bed, I spent all the money I had left to buy one invitation ticket. Meanwhile, the CEO teamed up with the others and bought one more. With Maru as my representative, I added Komari, and with Dora''s daughter, I added Rain. Now all five of Parallels members were gathered. From here on, the focus would be entirely on hunting while managing the members'' sleep schedules. The promotional strategy would shift from the previous active approach to a more subtle one. So, starting today... theres nothing too exciting to watch...@@@@ [ (????Live) Wicker Town Season 2 - Parallel Community Chat Room, Day 3 ] ????7,942 #64Cubic #Parallel ... Why 8,000 viewers? Even though the CEO and the members were all logged in, and each of them was recording about 1.5 times their usual viewership, my viewers were still stuck at 8,000. There was no difference from when I ended the broadcast yesterday. After quickly scanning the chat, it seemed that about half the viewers were there to watch Skeleton Knight gameplay, about 10% were asking if I was hunting with Movgun, and the rest were my usual viewers. I knew people were excited about the hidden job, but I didnt expect the excitement to last this long. Maybe its because I havent actually gone to the dungeon yet? If thats the case, half of those 8,000 will probably leave before the end of the day. I also felt a little disappointed that the other members hadnt discovered their hidden jobs. If they had, they would have had at least a week of special inflow. Well, thats just how it is. Anyway, I just have to focus on what I need to do. First, Ill make sure the members change to second-tier jobs and help them gather materials. Unlike first-tier jobs, which focus on material gathering, second-tier jobs require constant interaction with people, so theyll naturally encounter more opportunities to showcase good scenes. [Whisper] Movgun: 309, 25, 294[Whisper] Movgun: Come to these coordinates. You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 75 At the start of Wicker Town, the average viewer count for Parallel and Lapits'' second-generation talents was pretty similar. Both started around 4,000 to 5,000 viewers, reaching about 7,000 thanks to the special status of being starting members. They thought the server would progress with friendly competition between them. However, after a day and then two, the gap between the two grew noticeably. The reason for that was Magia. On the first day, while everyone was busy leveling up, Magia tossed out money and created a legendary moment for the server. On the second day, after revealing her hidden job, she effortlessly promoted in front of a crowd of viewers, drawing them in as though it was nothing. Even the Community Chat Room stream had quite a demand. There was no better place for dopamine-seeking viewers who didnt want to miss out on any of the server''s events than Magia''s stream. Even more shockingly, just before the server closed that day, Movguns stream revealed that Magias earnings from a day of dungeon hunting totaled 380,000 WK. People who had been laughing at the "Skeleton Magia" nickname were stunned when they heard the number. They were struggling to earn 150,000 WK, and Magia made 380,000? Immediately, everyone had the same thought. This server was already financially dominated by Magia and Movgun. Instead of competing with interest, it seemed wiser to just ride their coattails. By day four, other streamers who had been lurking began to approach Magia, And once again, her average viewership increased. [All] Magia: With the armor Serena made, Im already way too fast even on floor 8![All] Magia: If all goes well, I could make 450,000 today! ????[All] [Ttakapdoe] Lupko: Serena, I want to make some armor too![All] [Ziju] Ronze: When are you going to pay back the Skeleton Gia''s money? Haha[All] [Ttakapdoe] Lupko: What''s the big deal? Ill just earn it back! I''ll pay it back by earning more!![All] [Ttakapdoe] Lupko: Ill earn it back, just watch!!Day 1: The massive fight for 10,000 WK in the plaza.Day 2: The appearance of the first hidden job and the business partnership between Magia and Movgun.Day 3: The reveal of Magias earnings and the confirmation of server hierarchy.Day 4: The story of how Serena approached Magia and made a deal. You didn''t buy this chapter Buy Now (3 coupons) Chapter 76 What Happens When Someone Donates Ten Million Won to the Server? Like a myth, you and my story? Instead of the usual background music composed by the server admins, original songs from Lapits first and second-generation members now play on a rotating loop in the tutorial zone. [Sponsored by LAPITS] On the way out, a bold message appears, announcing that the server is officially sponsored by Lapits. The previously distributed food in the server, Wicker Bread, was completely replaced by Lapits Bread in just one day. Naturally, this caused a shift in the atmosphere of the chat. [Global] [Paying Back with Wins] Lupko: Thank you for the bread, Lapits~[Global] [Clang Clang] Serena: Lupko, are you still deep in debt?[Global] [Paying Back with Wins] Lupko: I''ll just win more to pay it off~[Global] [Clang Clang] Serena: Yikes... Thats rough.[Global] [Paying Back with Wins] Lupko: But hey, Serena, do you have any money? I got blacklisted, so now even Skull Hunger wont lend me cash.[Global] Iona: What, did you get scammed at some casino?[Global] [Paying Back with Wins] Lupko: Theres this hellhole called Enhancement Casino, and its absolutely evil.[Global] Iona: Wow, you really were a sucker.It was the ultimate example of what money could buy in terms of promotion. Compared to all the unpaid effort I put into the gamewell, I do get a salary, so technically its not unpaidthis was a single-click marketing campaign that had an immediate and powerful effect. From a corporate perspective, ten million won was barely a drop in the bucket. Still, I didnt feel threatened by it. Its not like Lapits music was echoing across the entire town, and spending ten million won wouldnt suddenly close the gap wed created. Momo, however, as the CEO, had a slightly different perspective. I should gather the head of marketing and the finance team tomorrow and discuss matching their donation. You need ten million won? Should I break another savings account? Hey. Keep your money out of this. I was kidding. I already donated all my money to you, anyway. ...What? When?! Without you knowing~. Crunch. A drill-like fist came down on my head. Gyaaaah. When it comes to company finances, I always maintain an observers position. Ultimately, business decisions are made by Momo and the CFO. I can drop the occasional comment, but direct involvement is out of the question. Besides, Momo wasnt planning to outspend Lapitsjust match their donation. Since we were both VTuber groups enjoying the same server, it was like we were carrying the same log together. From a company-to-company perspective, this was a reasonable image to maintain... but the fans thought otherwise. The moment I went live, the chat was flooded with Lapits-related talk. Wow, so this is how Parallel repays Lapits kindness. Tbh, Lapits didnt do anything wrong here. They got outplayed in content, so theyre flexing money now. Parallel has been aggressively marketing too, though. Feels more like a back-and-forth exchange, no? lol Before things got out of hand, I noticed someone trying to stir up drama with a Gald Cup and quickly shut it down. Please refrain from speculative discussions and comparisons with other VTuber groups. Everyones just putting in effort to promote their own team. For real. No need to turn this into drama. Both sides are just doing their thing. :: An anonymous donor has sent 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Reminder: This person is the Mad Dog who purged all trolls from Momos stream. Mess with them at your own risk... :: Theyre not a Mad Dog, lol. Thats a bit much, wording-wise. But "Mad Dog" sounds kinda cute, tho. Still, all the troublemakers did get banned back then. Wait, people still remember that? I started watching Parallel''s first-gen after seeing Momos streams. Nostalgia hits hard. Some people were genuinely upset, but most were just instigators trying to stir the pot. In reality, the members of both groups got along just fine. I regularly interacted with Serena, after all. [Whisper] [Clang Clang] Serena: Gia, I got a new weapon blueprint.[Whisper] [Clang Clang] Serena: Bring materials and drop by.[Whisper] [Clang Clang] Serena: Ill make you another OP weapon.[Whisper] Me: Sure.Serena and Maru were known as close friends, often seen running around town together. Maru had recently chosen Chef as her second job, and since chef-made food often came with buffs that enhanced equipment quality, we had a naturally symbiotic relationship. So when Momo donated ten million won to the Wicker server the next day and received some in-game benefits, I thought that would be the end of it. We converted the donation rewards into Parallel Coins, and they agreed to put up four big posters of our talents in the main plaza. We chose not to add our songs to the playlist because our recent aggressive marketing already included a mini-concert. Wicker, being a veteran broadcaster, found a balanced compromise. Momo had no complaints. But the Next Day, Things Took Another Turn. Eight Lapits members had pooled their money to buy land and construct a massive tower. Like a giant billboard in Gangnam, they had hung four posters of their second-generation members on each side. Compared to our posters in the plaza, theirs were visible from a much greater distance. ...They dropped another ten million won. Damn. Is this really the time to be impressed? I mean... They are our seniors in the industry. Losing in financial power isnt exactly embarrassing. Were not that far behind... Guess we have no choice. Lets match it again. But practically speaking, everyone who entered the town had to pass through the plaza. Whether it was their tower posters or our plaza posters, the exposure level was about the same. Wait, hold on. More importantly, I had a hunch about why Lapits was escalating things. Last night, I checked Pazijik Gallery, and the sentiment there was something like this: ... Pazijik Gallery ... [???]: Ugh, why is it Lapits again?! Damn, this gacha is so stingy. Everything I roll turns out to be Lapits. Gasp. Gasp. But honestly? Thats great! I mean, come on. It completely fills your hunger and thirst. Lapits Bread is the best, guys. Eat up. Lupko sense is tingling, lol. Lmao, for real. But look, everyone. The real issue is that Parallel Coins are garbage. The rates are way too low. Wait, what? Are you saying Parallel is trash? Hey, you bastard! When did I say that?! I was talking about the coin itself, not the group! The one true VTuber GOAT. Shoutout to Parallel for always spreading that free stimulus money. ... (puffing a cigarette) Damn, when am I gonna pay Gia back? (Source: Lupkos stream last night) [Comments] Pazijik002: Gacha rolls turning into a defensive maneuver, lmao. Pazijik485: So basically, Parallel flops = Lapits Bread? ? Pazijik020: Hey, hey. Pazijik852: Tbh, Lapits started this fight first. ? Pazijik990: No, Gia started it with aggressive marketing. ? Pazijik025: Are you blaming Gia for handing out money to the entire server? ? ????Pazijik04: Hey, hey, hey. Thats enough. Lupko might be a clown, but he had over a million subscribers. Lapits probably didnt appreciate this joke. Our CEO hadnt intended for things to escalate like this. We didnt mean for this... If we drop another ten million now, itll look like were picking a fight. Its still WWE for now, but instigators are waiting for a real war. Best to de-escalate. ...Got it. Thanks for the heads-up. "Why not focus on preparing for the concert instead? I mean, I''m the one making most of the money anyway." ...Thats an undeniable fact. Fortunately, with Momo deciding against further investments, the donation war came to an end. Still, I figured it wouldnt hurt to show at least a little good faith. We had no ill intentions, after all, and if we could dismantle the whole "Parallel flop = Lapits Bread" narrative that Lupko had unintentionally created, the issue would resolve itself. If I ignored it and let the fanbase drama escalate, well... It wouldnt be my first time dealing with this kind of thing. I could always just ban, ban, ban people without a second thought. But I felt bad for Seung-yeon, our monitoring staff member, who was handling chat moderation in my place. She was doing a good job, but she was still new. If both sides suddenly turned serious and went all out in this feud, shed definitely get overwhelmed. So, what was the best course of action? The solution was simple. I''d just use the gacha coins I had accumulated from a week''s worth of donations. [Parallel Coins x 2,435] Lapits Bread, which was originally just a basic item used to recover hunger and thirst, had become incredibly common with the increase in player population and donation income. If I spun the gacha with 2,400 coins, Id end up with about 12,000 pieces of bread. Of course, if the bread remained too abundant, its valueand by extension, its brandingwould diminish. Thats why Wicker had introduced an update when switching from Wicker Bread to Lapits Bread. Now, players could combine nine pieces of bread into a special potion named after one of Lapits'' members. For example, Serena, known for her healing abilities, had a potion that instantly restored all HP upon consumption. This potion became the most sought-after recovery item for dungeon runs. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. To craft it, players had to go through an Alchemist, which ensured that the Alchemist job class still had a purpose. So imagine this Players are getting beaten down in battle, their HP dropping rapidly. Then, they chug a Serena Potion. Over and over again. At some point, theyll start to realize: "Wait... This Lapits Bread Potion is actually amazing. Isn''t Serenas potion the ultimate mindless grinding tool?" "Why did Lupko even complain about this in the first place?" *** Day 8: Dungeon Master Mode I started my stream in the plaza, with the members'' posters as my backdrop. The moment I showed my mailbox filled with coins, the chat exploded in shock. What the hell is that coin count? LOL Did we really donate that much? Nah, most of it is Pinos. Oh, its Pinos money? If Pino had spent that much, hed be a dried-up corpse by now. Pino didnt donate that much, lol. Wait, when did Wicker Coins turn into Parallel Coins? LOL I pinned the official gacha rates on the left side of the screen. Opening just ten at a time was boring. I went all in, opening packs of a hundred. Parallel Coin Gacha Rates 50% C 10 Lapits Bread 25% C 1 Town Return Scroll 10% C 1 Title Change Ticket 7% C 1 Skin Exchange Ticket 5% C 1 Enhancement Protection Ticket 2% C /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ 1 Inventory Save Ticket 0.55% C [Guaranteed 3] Random Mount Ticket 0.33% C Special Skin Set Selection Ticket 0.1% C Special Invitation 0.02% C ??? While I was preparing, the chat buzzed with speculation. By the way, when does that question mark item even show up? No one''s gotten it yet, right? Leaked info says its a deed to that castle up north. Is that true? A castle? What? There it wasthe item with a 0.02% drop rate. A total mystery. A castle? I had never really paid attention to the terrain when walking through town. I tilted my head and glanced north. Something was indeed buried under the snowit could be a castle. At this rate, no one''s ever gonna get it, LOL. Dude, the odds are garbage. Basically, youd need to spend 5,000 coins for a chance. Its never gonna happen. The chat was rightthere was no way Id be the first to pull something no one else had. Anyway, the main goal today was to get 12,000 Lapits Bread. With that in mind, I started rolling gacha in batches of 100. [Lapits Bread x10] [Town Return Scroll x1] [Skin Exchange Ticket x1] [Lapits Bread x10] [Special Skin Set Selection Ticket x1] Whoa, a Special Skin?! LOL Damn, thats rare. 0.33%? Thats actually not bad. GG. Why does Gias luck feel way better than the CEOs? I had barely started, and I had already pulled the 0.33% Special Skin. The goal was bread, but something felt off. [Enhancement Protection Ticket x1] [Lapits Bread x10] [[Guaranteed 3] Random Mount Ticket x1] [Title Change Ticket x1] ?? Wait, whats going on? Rigged gacha confirmed!!! At this rate, whats Momo supposed to say? LOL ???: Just pull the Special Ticket. Its that easy. And then, it actually happened. Around 1,500 rolls in. [Demon King''s Privilege] ?? Huh?? Wait, what? What is that? A king??? WHAT IS THAT? As the chat freaked out, I got a sudden whisper. [Whisper] Wicker: Uh...[Whisper] Wicker: Gia, do you have insane luck or something? LOL[Whisper] Wicker: You just pulled the 0.02% drop. What??? LMAO Thats the Special Item?! Demon Kings Privilege? What even is that? Before I could fully process what happened, Wicker teleported in front of me. [Do you see that castle up north?] It was the same massive, snow-covered structure the chat had pointed out earlier. I had assumed it was inaccessible, completely buried under the snow. Could I... actually enter it now? [If you use that item, the castle becomes your personal space. You should check it outyoull be surprised.] The moment Wicker finished speaking, the server lagged slightly. Thena brilliant light exploded from the castle. The snow covering it melted away, revealing a pitch-black fortress. Its outer walls were lined with glowing lights, and a mysterious fog swirled around the area. It looked exactly like a Demon Kings Castle straight out of a fantasy game. KYAAAAAAA HOLY SHIT LOL THATS INSANE Wait, is that our new home?! This is unreal, LMAO. The luck is off the charts. [Cool, right? If no one had pulled the item by tomorrow, we were planning to open the castle and run it as a public dungeon until the owner appeared.] Aha... [Oh, and as the Demon King, you get the ability to place monsters and turn the castle into a proper dungeon.] [Stronger monsters cost more money to place, but once set, they automatically respawn with every visitorso theres no additional cost.] A dungeon? [Yep. Gia, youre now the Demon King and the final boss of the hardest dungeon in the server. The rewards are massive, but so is the challenge.] If I defeat the players, do I get rewards too? [Exactly. If the challengers win, they get ten times their entrance fee. But if you win, you keep all the entry fees. Each player pays 100,000 WK to enter, so the payout isnt bad at all.] ...I was the final boss now. This was straight out of an RP servera system designed to create an entirely new character role. But isnt the power gap too small? Wont I get taken down easily? [Thats why you get exclusive Demon King gear.] Wicker started placing down equipment. A black full-plate armor set with deep crimson engravings. The Demon Kings Armor reduced incoming damage by 95%. The Demon Sword fired blade waves with every swing. Even players in -80% damage reduction gear would be guaranteed to die in three hits. It was way too strong. [Of course, this gear only works while youre the boss.] ...Yeah, that better be the case. I had no idea why this kind of situation kept happening to me. It wasnt enough that I was already the Skeleton Knightnow I was the Demon King too? Why did all these ridiculous things keep falling into my lap? Why couldnt Momo or the other members get them instead?! Demon King Magia, holy shit. The Bone Hero ascends... She went from Skeleton Knight to full-fledged Demon Lord. Demon (King)gia LOL Heaven-Destroying Magia, damn. Even my nickname was evolving. Hearing a title from my childhood resurface here of all places was surreal. But this was an opportunity. By the way, can I still use Serenas potion while in Demon King mode? Wicker hesitated, then nodded. [Yes. Thats an item you earned from donations, so there are no restrictions.] Forget grinding with Serena Potions. Instead, Id become an undying Demon King and show Lapits Breads true power. The challengers would fight me, struggle, and then inevitably ask: "Why wont you die?" And in that moment, Id tell them, over and over again: Lapits Potion is truly the best. Lapits Potion is truly the best. Chapter 77 A few minutes later, a global server announcement appeared. [Server] The Demon King''s Castle, buried under the northern snow of Wicker Town, has emerged with the resurrection of the Demon King.[Server] The owner of the Demon King''s Castle is... Skeleton Knight Magia![Global] Wicker: Sorry, typo just now;; Apologies.[Server] The owner of the Demon King''s Castle is... Skeleton Knight Magia![Global] [Ruthless Entrepreneur] Movgun: LOL[Global] [Ruthless Entrepreneur] Movgun: Guess everyone really loves my nickname.[Global] [Foreigner] Rain: Does this guy not understand the concept of fun?[Global] [Sashimi] Momo: Rain, keep it civil.[Global] [Landlord] Ronze: Sir, shouldn''t you be preparing for trial?[Global] [Ruthless Entrepreneur] Movgun: I simply conducted fair business, this is a grave injustice![Server] Due to a powerful barrier, the Demon King''s Castle cannot be attacked for now.[Server] The barrier will disappear tomorrow, on the 16th (Saturday) at 10 PM.[Global] [Bad Credit] Lupko: Lupko''s raid team will be the first to attack tomorrow.[Global] [Bad Credit] Lupko: No cutting in line.[Global] [Bad Credit] Lupko: I''m going to defeat the Demon King and ascend to heaven.[Global] [Demon King] Magia: How about paying your debts first?[Global] [Clang Clang] Serena: LOL[Global] [Bad Credit] Lupko: If I beat the Demon King and win a million, that solves everything! Just like when the Hidden Job: Skeleton Knight was revealed, the announcement caused another dramatic surge in viewers on Parallels official channel. ???? (Live) Wicker Town Season 2 - Parallels Dungeon Broadcast, Day 8 ???? 33,328 viewers A flood of messages poured in as returning viewers rushed back to chat, their words scrolling too fast to read. The influx was so intense that I had to turn on followers-only mode, which I usually left off. We humbly greet the Demon King. Is this person a professional at hunting rare jobs? That armor looks sick, LOL. Its flashy but also sleek. Wearing the full set makes Magia look twice the size of normal players. Looks ridiculously strong, probably gonna wreck everyone. 0.02% drop rate... What kind of insane luck is this? This server is seriously handing all the rare stuff to Parallel LOL. :: An anonymous donor has sent 10,000 Clouds! :: :: But isnt this kinda funny? The person who was handing out settlement funds to new players... turns out to be the Demon King? LOL :: This is literally the Demon King was actually the good guy trope, LMAO. Classic "Hero gets pissed off and switches sides" moment, lol. Ohhh, thats whats happening. Whens the first battle?! The number of viewers was 10,000 higher than when the Skeleton Knight reveal happened. Maybe it was because the player base had expandedstarting from 20 users to over 80 newcomers. And since I had handed out a total of 1.6 million WK in settlement funds, a lot of these new residents probably remembered my name. If this had happened to any of the other members, it wouldve been a huge boost for them. Damn, what a waste. But remember this: Lapits Potion is truly the best. Lapits Potion is truly the best. Regardless of the hype, my only real mission was to improve Lapits Breads image. With half a day before my duties as Demon King officially began, I unequipped the Demon King armor and went straight to find Dora, the Alchemist. [Heehee. So, you wanna turn all of these into Serena Potions?] "Yes. Every single one." [But wow... Where did you even get this many? 12,000 breads...? Thats a bit terrifying.] Ever since Lapits Bread could be converted into potions, it had gained significant value. Now, newcomers could earn money just by receiving donations, crafting potions, and selling themallowing them to quickly integrate into the player economy. LMAO 1,500 Serena Potions, LOL. Enough to last the entire season. Couldnt you sell those for hundreds of WK? But I wasnt going to sell them. To the Demon King, Lapits Potions were a dear and trusted friend. I needed to drink them all in front of everyone. Just as I was about to leave with my 1,500 completed potions, Dora suddenly stopped me. She handed me a dimensional box filled with special gifts. [This one is a 2-second invincibility potion. This one is a 2-second stealth potion. And this one is a 10-second berserk potion. Since you''re the Demon King, I figured you''d need them.] I technically wasnt supposed to receive help as the Demon King, but Dora had been leveling up her Alchemist class by crafting these potions, unlocking higher-tier recipes. Still, when she said "some", she actually meant 100 of each. Considering each potion sold for thousands of WK, the total value was close to one million WK. ...Isnt this a bit much? Youre going to get kicked out of town for helping the Demon King. [Heehee. So what? If that happens, Ill just join the Demon Kings army.] I tried to refuse, but Dora was too persuasive. Truly, the power of a mature, onee-san-type VTuber was on another level. She had a way of gently leading people along with her soft-spoken voiceno wonder her fans completely lost their minds whenever she dropped the "cute mode" and turned serious. Anyway, with my arms full of potions, I returned to the Demon King''s Castle and began preparing the dungeon layout. I was given admin-level editing privileges for the dungeon''s internal design. I could build mazes, redesign the walls, and even insert short cinematic cutscenes. Once I was done, the server admins would run a final check before approving the dungeon. With four hours left until the daily server reset, I had enough time to finish everything. I already had a plan. But one thing worried me... ???? (Live) Wicker Town Season 2 - Parallels Dungeon Broadcast, Day 8 ???? 31,044 viewers I wanted the dungeon to be a surprise, but with so many people watching, theyd see everything as I built it. If I just shrunk my gameplay screen, Id get flamed for "hiding content" and trying to milk hype. Considering how Parallel almost lost public favor due to over-aggressive marketing before, I couldnt risk it. Was there a way to distract viewers? [Server] In a moment, the trial of Economic Offender ''Movgun'' for Anti-Monopoly Law Violations will begin.[Server] Residents of Wicker Town, please take time to participate as the jury.Seeing my chance, I casually suggested: How about we all watch the trial first and then work on the dungeon afterward? Oh hell yeah. Good idea, lets go. Demon King trial-watching session, LOL. As everyone focused on the courtroom, I silently shut off my screen. Why? Because I wasnt going to the trial. Id watch the broadcast while secretly finishing the dungeon. And while the trial was live, Id make sure to build a hidden surprise room just for fun. *** [I will now deliver the verdict.] [The defendant, Movgun, as the dungeon owner, is required to face duels from those seeking to claim the dungeons rights. However, he has continuously avoided these duels by using his mount, Phoenix. The reported instances alone amount to a total of ten times. Therefore, the court sentences the defendant, Movgun, to a fine of 2.5 million WK, which is equivalent to ten times the dungeon entry fee for one hundred visits. Additionally, he is ordered to surrender his mount, Phoenix, for two days due to its misuse in fleeing. Furthermore, the ownership of the four dungeons under Movguns name is hereby fully revoked. This concludes the trial.] Bang, bang, bang. The sound of the wooden gavel, wielded by Crkemang, one of the starting members and todays presiding judge, echoed through the courtroom. Movgun immediately shouted in frustration. [I wont accept this!! I refuse to accept this! This is a conspiracyan elaborate scheme by those who want to bring me down! You just couldnt stand the fact that I was making money, huh?! Let me goooo!!] [Alright, alright, Mr. Movgun, this way please. Until you pay the fine, youll have to remain in holding.] [Kuhhhhaaaaagh.] LOOOOOOL Movguns entire year of streaming has been pure chaos lol When he first quit pro gaming, he was kinda mid, but now hes insane lol The trial wrapped up in about an hour. During that time, I managed to set up the surprise event perfectly. I had been nervously adjusting the video timing and trigger settings, all while keeping an eye on when the trial would end. Fortunately, I finished the setup just in time, right before the final verdict. Alright, back to dungeon building! What kind of monsters can you summon? Lets take a look. The viewers who had been watching the trial were now getting impatient, urging me to start construction. Of course, I was already on it. The key elements had been in place for a while. I was just about to restart. Let me adjust the screen first. Players infiltrating the Demon Kings Castle had to break through four layers. The first floor, connected directly to the entrance, was the Monster Legion Defense Linea horde of small mobs, so no additional monster hires were needed there. Beyond that was the Great Maze on the second floor, filled with countless traps and complex pathways. And finally, the third and fourth floorsthe areas where I could manually place monsters. The fourth floor housed the Grand Hall, right below my throne room, where I had just finished setting up the surprise event. I wasnt touching that for now. The real focus was the third floora sequential battle zone with four large connected chambers. Theres an option to sort monsters by price. Lets see.... Each room allowed a maximum of 10 cost points worth of monsters. Powerful monsters were expensive, eating up more cost points. If I chose a high-cost one, I could only place a single unit in the room. Think of it like that famous card game, Stone Duel. Wait, you can summon a Void Dragon?! LMAO WTF LOL Yeah, but its crazy expensive. Its 500,000 WK, but screw it, lets do it. Cant you just place four 10-cost monsters? Problem is, were broke lol. As much as I wanted to place the strongest monsters, the viewers were rightI didnt have the funds. After five days of grinding and selling enhancement stones yesterday, I had earned a total of 3 million WK after deducting transaction fees. Out of that: 1.6 million WK was given to various people.1 million WK went to my teammates.300,000 WK was lent to Lupko, and I hadnt gotten it back yet.Which left me with only 100,000 WK. Considering that the cheapest 10-cost monster started at 300,000 WK, summoning one wasnt even an option. Looks like Ill have to go farming again.... NOOOOOOOOOO KAAAAAH Not more farming! PLEASE STOP ROBBING US Youre grinding AGAIN?! After all that?! Honestly, I had planned to borrow money. But judging from the chat, it seemed like everyone had some kind of deep-seated trauma when it came to my farming sessions. Since the complaints are overwhelming, Ill try borrowing first. Ill check with the boss. Phew. Sigh of relief. Thank god. When I deactivated my Demon King armor, I was automatically transported outside the dungeon. To my surprise, someone unexpected was waiting at the entrance. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. A familiar usernameone I encountered regularly but usually ignored. Movgun. We only ever exchanged money and went our separate ways. More accurately, I had actively avoided him. He had just been convicted in todays trial, yet somehow, he had already paid his fine and gotten out of holding. While everyone else was busy preparing for tomorrows dungeon raid, Movgunnow a server-certified criminalapparently had nothing better to do. [Gia. Are you graduating from dungeon life?] It turned out that way. I became the Demon King. [Youve gone beyond being a Skeleton Gia... Now youre Demon King Gia.... For today, at least, I envy you.] I did feel a little bad for him. But at the same time, it was hilarious. I was about to head to town when, yet again, Movgun stepped right into my path. [Wait. Just a moment. I have a proposal for you.] And with that, he made a completely unexpected request. [Make me an officer in the Demon Kings Army. I will use my Scarlet Flame Blade to destroy all those who seek to harm you, my lord.] ...Did I hear that right? [Please, my lord. I swear my absolute loyalty to you.] When someone is truly desperate, no matter how hard they try to hide it, it shows. Movgun, who always acted superior around my boss, was now groveling like a lowly servant. As someone who had long wanted to mess with Movgun, I wasnt about to pass up this golden opportunity. Is that even possible? Wouldnt Wicker need to approve it? [I already got permission. See this Economic Offender title? Since Im a convicted criminal, Im eligible to join the Demon Kings Army. If I register, Ill even be placed in one of the third-floor rooms as a defender.] After losing his dungeon and getting his mount confiscated, Movgun was left with nothing. But he hadnt reached 1.8 million YouTube subscribers just by being an ex-pro gamer. He had already figured out a way to reinvent himselfby becoming a notorious villain in the servers Demon King Army. Just to test, I tried registering him. To my amusement, it worked. Apparently, anyone with a criminal record from server trials could be assigned to the third-floor defense rooms. The freedom in Wickers system never ceased to amaze me. But simply accepting him wasnt enough. I needed money. And if this guy had been raking in cash, why not charge him an entry fee? Alright. Pay the membership fee. Were a private organization. LOOOOOOL NO WAY LMAO Charging a fee for a Demon King officer position?! The man just needs money lol Movgun accepted immediately. [Ill pay whatever you want. 1 million? 2 million?] Wait... you actually made that much money? [Gia, you gave me about 150,000 WK per day. That alone was 750,000. On top of that, dungeon entry fees were 25,000 WK per person, and nearly 300 people used it.] This guy had been making 825,000 WK just by owning a dungeon?! I clicked my tongue. You deserved that trial. You shouldve shared the wealth like Ronze. [But money is good! How can I not love money?!] Yeah, yeah. Whatever. With a smirk, I registered him. [Demon Kings Army Officer] MovgunThe membership fee is 2 million WK. [Here you go.] Heres your welcome gift. I handed him two items I had pulled from the gacha earlier. [Special Skin Set Selection Ticket x1][[Guaranteed 3-Star] Random Mount Exchange Ticket x1]Use those to dress like a proper Demon King officer and get a new mount. Movgun immediately dropped to the ground, prostrating himself. [I LIVE TO SERVE, MY LORD!!!!] Shut up. [Apologies, my lord!!] Damn, Gias a mastermind. Oh yeah, I forgot she had those items lol. LMAO, he just got scammed into a perfect trade. Since were fighting together, we should split the earnings too. No matter how much I disliked Movgun, I couldn''t stoop to the same level as himthe guy who just got convicted for violating anti-monopoly laws. Whenever I take down a party member, I collect their entry fee, which is 100,000 WK. If you take someone down, Ill give you that fee in full. [Wait. If youre just handing money out like that, whats left for you? Youre always distributing wealth like some kind of disaster relief fund....] And look where that got meI became the Demon King. [...Wait, was that how it worked? Maybe I shouldve shared my wealth too.] Wow, that realization sure came early. [Sniff sniff.] Players could enter the Demon Kings Castle in parties of up to sixteen. The number of party members I defeated multiplied by 100,000 WK (the entry fee) determined how much I earned. Each party had 30 minutes to clear the ? Nvl?g? ? (Continue reading) dungeon, and the defenders (us) had 30 minutes to reset after each wave. Assuming an average party size of eight and a 12-hour server uptime, if I defended successfully against twelve parties, I could make up to 9.6 million WK in a day. So, splitting earnings based on Movguns performance wasnt a problemif anything, it served as a performance-based salary, which would keep him motivated. [Loyalty! From today onward, any attack on the Demon King shall be considered an attack on me personally!] Uh... Thats not really necessary. [KHAHAHAHA!!] Whether it was because he liked my proposal, or just because he wanted to milk the content, Movgun went completely wild from that moment on. Not only did he start roleplaying as a Demon Kings Army officer with horribly exaggerated acting, but he also began taunting the entire server in chat. [Server-Wide Chat] ???? [Demon Kings Army Officer] Movgun: I shall punish all who put me in jail! ???? [Demon Kings Army Officer] Movgun: I shall cleanse you all in the Demon Kings name! ???? [Delinquent] Lupko: Whats wrong with this guy? ???? [Delinquent] Lupko: Did he get dementia or something? And whether it was because of Movguns rampage, or something else entirely... The Next Day. ???? (????Live) Wicker Town Season 2 - Parallel Control Room, Day 9 ???? 51,435 Viewers The stream title showed that it was Day 9 of the Control Room, and my screen was split into six panels. But the viewer count was insane. It was as if every single active player in Wicker Town had gathered to watch. I was completely stunned, staring blankly at the 50,000+ viewers the stream had reached within just fifteen minutes. And then BZZT! My phone buzzed. It was the boss. ???? [Boss]: Gia!! ???? [Boss]: Adjust the screen layout immediately! ???? [Boss]: This is urgent. Chapter 78 Do-hees sudden message left Magia confused. But from the CEOs perspective, this was not a situation that could be ignored. Being the first-ever hidden boss on the server was one thing. Being the only dungeon boss RP player was another. Magia got those roles fair and squareit was just good luck. But then Movgun poured fuel onto the fire with his roleplay antics, and now the viewer count had exploded past 50,000. Even Do-hee rarely saw numbers this high unless it was a concert or a special event. And if you fail to meet the expectations of an audience this massive? Its game over. Not literally, but figurativelyas in, the entire fandom would riot. To the point where even the managers wouldnt be able to control the fallout. So, what were the 50,000+ viewers here for? More interactions between Magia and Movgun?Some grand display of the Demon King?There was a reason they werent leaving. They were waiting for something. And if Magia kept the six-panel layout as it was? Parallels PR team would get flamed into oblivion. People would start saying they were too blinded by self-promotion or that they had completely lost touch with their audience. So this was the best move for now. At least while Magia was still playing the role of the Demon King. ???? [Gia Manager]: Is this good now? ???? [Me]: Yes, perfect! ???? [Gia Manager]: But wont this mess with Parallels new viewers...? ???? [Me]: Its fine. ???? [Me]: Weve already pulled in more than enough. ???? [Me]: You see it too, right? Im at 20,000, and Marus at 13,000. The usual ratio is way off. ???? [Gia Manager]: Thats... true. ???? [Me]: Just go with it. ???? [Me]: Also, why not give a guided tour of the Demon Kings Castle? ???? [Me]: Show where everything is, whats in each section, etc. ???? [Me]: Youve been farming way too much lately anyway. This is a nice change of pace, right? ???? [Gia Manager]: ? ???? [Gia Manager]: Im not tired of farming, though. ???? [Me]: Just say you are. ???? [Gia Manager]: Wow. Im soooo tired of it. There was a bit of resistance, but ultimately, Magia listened and adjusted the stream layout. A very obedient employee, really. Because right after that, she started giving a full-on guided tour of the Demon Kings Castle. ???? [Magia]: Before the castle officially opens at 10 PM, Ill give you all a little preview. I think itd be great if more people came to challenge itWicker would appreciate that too. A Demon King personally advertising their own castle raidhilarious. But at its core, this was just Magias way of drawing players in. It was more of a viral marketing strategy than anything else. The more challengers, the more money, the more Serena Potions she could drink. And that was the real goal. *** 10 PM C The First Opening of the Demon Kings Castle. Right on time. As promised, the first raid party to challenge the dungeon was Lupkos group. If this were just about money, it wouldnt be this popular. But there were too many rewards tied to getting the first clear: Bragging rights.Exclusive mounts.A goldmine of stream content.For streamers, this wasnt just a challengethis was a major career opportunity. ???? [Whisper] Wicker: Im sorry to put this responsibility on you, but Id really appreciate it if you gave this your all! ???? [Whisper] Wicker: The Skeletal Knight debuff limits you to 25% HP, right? Thats why we allowed potionsits still a brutal fight! You got this! ^^b So, of course, Id give it my absolute best. I wasnt great at RP, so Id just talk normally. But if I accepted this role, Id play it properly. And most importantly Lapitz Potions. They were the best. ???? Alright, lets watch how the first party does. The Demon Kings Castle was pretty advancedsitting on the throne in the Audience Hall let me enter spectator mode to watch challengers in real-time. I didnt even do anything specialjust sat down. But because the game automatically adjusted my pose, and I had set my screen to show myself in third-person, the audience was impressed by how dramatic it looked. That slouched posture is kinda badass. Its such a contrast from her usual style... lol That armor looks way too terrifying lmao. Classic trope: a cute girl inside a ridiculously strong suit of armor. Except in Wicker Town, its just a literal skeleton lmao. Lupkos party was stackedthey had endgame gear and +10 enhancements, so they breezed through the first floor. The horde of mobs tried to swarm them, but they deliberately pulled all the aggro and wiped them out with AoE magic and alchemic firebombsa perfectly cinematic strategy. On the second-floor maze, they got a little lost, but they still reached the third floor with 18 minutes to spare. The third floor had three boss rooms before Movguns chamber. And thanks to the Wicker Servers custom gear and enhancements, their damage was insane. Void Dragon (normally the final boss in 64Cubix Vanilla)? Dead in 90 seconds.Giant Tree Spirit? Dead in under 2 minutes.Jo?rmungandr? Another 2-minute clear.That left 12 minutes on the clock as they reached Movgun and his Three-Headed Cerberus. ???? [Movgun]: Halt! You go no further! ???? [Lupko]: The hell? Its just the white-collar criminal. Hey, bro, how about thisif I beat you, I dont have to pay back the 500,000 WK I borrowed. ???? [Movgun]: Who the hell is your bro?! ???? [Lupko]: Cmon, drop the RP already. ???? [Movgun]: Silence! I am the Demon Kings loyal vassal! ???? [Lupko]: Okay, seriously, did he actually lose his mind? KILL HIM! I had placed Movgun in this room purely to mess with him. Some of the viewers figured it out, but Movgun himself didnt even realize it. ???? [Movgun]: KHAHAHA! I have slain a magewait, no, 10,000...! Bro, there are four of them. No, there are two. They have four heads. Dudes actually acting like a loyal mutt lol. No thoughts, only devotion. Respect the RP commitment lmao. Even though Movgun went all-in on his role, he wasnt wearing Demon Kings Armor like I was. And no matter how dedicated he washe still got ganged up on and beaten down. Still, the fact that he managed to take two people down using Cerberus shield skill was impressive. ???? [Movgun]: Forgive me, my lord! Please... preserve your divine form! LMAOOOOO Dying is an art form. Dude said preserve your form instead of protect your body lmao. This is peak entertainment. And once Movgun fell, the fourth floor awaited. The Grand Hallan entirely secret area, never before revealed. I had deliberately hidden it from my own screen so viewers would have to see it on other streams. And finally With five minutes left, the raid party kicked open the doors to the Audience Hall. ???? [Raiders]: AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!! ???? [Raiders]: WHERES THE DEMON KING?! ???? [Raiders]: SHOW YOURSELF!!! And so, with Movgun defeated, what awaited the raiders was the fourth-floor banquet halla secret area that had never been revealed to the public. I had deliberately kept it hidden from my own stream, making sure viewers would have to tune in elsewhere to see it. I waited leisurely, letting time pass... Until, with only five minutes left on the clock, the raiders, frustrated beyond reason, came crashing through the doors of the Audience Hall. ???? [Raiders]: AAAAAAHHH! ???? [Raiders]: SHOW YOURSELF, DEMON KING! ???? [Raiders]: THIS IS DRIVING ME CRAZY! WHERE ARE YOU?! COME OUT!! ???? [Raiders]: DEMON KIIIIIING!!! I had been lounging arrogantly on the throne. But now, with a heavy clank, my massive armor collided with itself as I rose to my feet. The Demon Kings Armor had doubled my size. A long, black cape billowed behind me, carried by the gust of wind through the shattered windows. Do not raise your voices so recklessly. Crushing ants without breaking them... requires delicate control. Welcome... to my Gia Society. Dont try to sound too edgy. It makes you look weak... I had done nothing but step forward, yet the viewers were losing their minds, throwing out dramatic anime quotes left and right. And honestly? I got it. Personally, I was more entertained when my boss got completely wrecked, but some people loved seeing streamers rise to the top, wielding overwhelming power and dominating the battlefield. Right now, those hyped-up viewers were the ones completely immersed in the moment. They wanted Demon King Magia to wipe the floor with the raiders. To cut them down effortlessly, one by one. But... There was one problem. I had only ever fought monstersnever actual players. Unlike NPC enemies, which were strictly melee or ranged, players could freely switch between bows, swords, and magic at will. Even after watching Lupkos party fight from the first floor, I still didnt fully grasp PvP combat. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. So, for now... I would just take the hits and learn as I go. This was an unfamiliar fight, after all. I grabbed a Serena Potioncombat preparations, complete. I stood completely still. Then, Lupko, the raid leader, shouted at the top of his lungs: ???? [Lupko]: GIA!!! JUST BECAUSE I DIDNT PAY YOU BACK DOESNT MEAN YOU CAN LABEL ME AS A DELINQUENT!!! I blinked. ...You wrote that title yourself. ???? [Lupko]: SHUT UP, YOU VILLAIN!!! ???? [Gia]: Since you got stronger using the money I lent you, how about you take off a piece of armor? ???? [Lupko]: HA!! With a loud yell, Lupko fired the first arrow, officially starting the battle. The speed was insanemuch faster than a fireball, making it virtually impossible to parry. The arrow struck me directly in the head. Earlier, I had seen that fully enhanced, buffed, and enchanted headshots were easily dealing 200+ damage. But thanks to my 95% damage reduction, the number that popped up was just 10. It was literally nothing more than a tickle. With the Skeletal Knight debuff, my max HP was only 250, so if Lupkos strongest shot only did this much, then... yeah. ???? [Lupko]: WHAT THE HELL, YOUR DEFENSE IS INSANE?! Despite his shock, Lupko kept firing. His party members also started moving Warriors charged in with swords.Mages began casting spells.No matter how good my gear was, at the end of the day, numbers and time always win. Thats just how PvP works. If it werent for this one item in my hand, I wouldve been dead within four minutes. Wait, how is she still drinking that?! Youre not supposed to use items while getting hit. Its a gacha item, so it ignores that restriction lol. She just keeps chugging Serena Potions lmao. Wait, it gives super armor while drinking?! Damn, 1,500 of those is insane. Lupko, sensing something was wrong, raised his hand and shouted: ???? [Lupko]: WAIT, STOP! HOLD YOUR FIRE! SOMETHINGS OFF. IS SHE INVINCIBLE?! ???? [Teammate]: What are you talking about? Shes taking damage. ???? [Teammate]: Yeah, Lupko, you saw the numbers yourself. ???? [Lupko]: THEN WHY ISNT SHE DYING?! IVE HIT HER MORE THAN TWENTY TIMES!! Dozens of sword strikes had scraped my armor. Dozens of fireballs and ice shards had slammed into me. I had even been peppered with arrows until my black armor looked like a damn porcupine. And yet... I was completely fine. Just standing there, chugging potions. Lupko, utterly baffled, asked me directly: ???? [Lupko]: Wait, Gia... Are you actually drinking potions?! Can a boss even do that?! I responded in my usual flat, business-like tone. I had already said this before, but I wasnt good at roleplaying. ???? [Gia]: Lapitz Potions... are the best. Lupko, still skeptical, fired another arrow. I drank another Serena Potion. And in the exact same tone, just a little more detached ???? [Gia]: Lapitz Potions... are the best. I kept drinking, kept stepping forward. And before I knew it, I was standing right in front of Lupko. Everyone else had backed away as I approached. But he hadnt moved. Lupko looked me in the eye and asked: ???? [Lupko]: How many Serena Potions do you have? ???? [Gia]: One thousand five I hadnt even finished speaking before Lupko whipped around and screamed at his teammates. ???? [Lupko]: YOU IDIOTS!! HOW DARE YOU ATTACK THE DEMON KING!!! Betrayal. Completely out of nowhere. His party members were stunned. But the most baffled person was Ronze, the other main DPS. ???? [Ronze]: Bro... are you SERIOUSLY betraying us right now?! ???? [Lupko]: IM SORRY, RONZE. But I still have an unpaid debt to Gia. Our alliance... ends here. ???? [Ronze]: What?! Calm down! You cant just betray us before the real fight even starts!! ???? [Lupko]: How the hell are we supposed to win against someone with 1,500 potions?! Id rather join the Demon King. ???? [Ronze]: YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. I finally unsheathed my sword, which I had been carrying on my back the whole time. A sinister red aura flowed along the blade, forming a web-like pattern. It dripped as if it were a liquid, but before hitting the ground, it burst into flames and vanished. The deep black armor and the glowing red demonic sword radiated pure, murderous intent. Lupko, upon seeing it, immediately started sucking up. ???? [Lupko]: Damn. Ive never seen a weapon this incredible... Demon King! Please, with that blade, destroy these wretched Slam! I cut him off by slamming my sword into him. Lupko was sent flying, his HP instantly halved. Completely shocked, he muttered to himself: ???? [Lupko]: Wait. But... I was on your side... I calmly walked over and brought my sword down on him again. ???? [Lupko]: AAHWAIT! STOP! IM DYING! THE DEMON KINGS FAITHFUL SERVANT IS ABOUT TO PERISHACK. Wham. A third strike. And just like thatLupko was down. Not because of the money he owed me. But because I didnt like how he kept calling me Gia. With Lupko suddenly knocked out in three hits, it became the signal to resume the battle. ???? [Raiders]: H-HOLD ON, DONT JUST STAND THERE! FIGHT BACK! ???? [Raiders]: Novelight ATTACK!! But... This time, it was completely different. ???? [Gia]: Lapitz Potions... are the best. Now that I understood how the raiders fought, I wasn''t just standing still anymore. More importantly, Lupkothe biggest damage dealerwas already dead. So I targeted the next strongest attackerRonze. Whenever my HP dropped, I drank a Serena Potion. If the enemy tried to keep their distance, I fired sword beams at them. The speed of the beams was similar to arrows. It felt like firing a slow-moving bullet. And well... guns? I loved them. Battle Colosseum was my favorite game, after all. Whenever an enemy, on the verge of death, drank a Serena Potion, I made sure to repeat the same phrase: ???? "Lapitz Potions... are the best." As for the rest of the battle There was nothing more to say. I tanked every melee attack, healed with Serena Potions, and took out the ranged attackers one by one using sword beams. They fell helplessly, one after another. As long as I could drink a Serena Potion within its three-second cooldown, I couldnt die. Unless someone figured out a strategyI was literally invincible. And so, invincible, I kept repeating the same words. ???? "Lapitz Potions... for charging." ???? "Lapitz Potions... for defense." ???? "Lapitz Potions... for parrying." ???? "Lapitz Potions... are the best." ENOUGH! STOP SAYING IT!! I SWEAR, IM GETTING PTSD. Chat is turning into a cult. Lapitz Potions, LETS GOOOOO!!! Potions are Lapitz~ Potions are Lapitz~ Did Lapitz sponsor this stream or what? LMAO Lapitz Potions are great~ Just like a devoted wife~ Why is a Parallel employee hyping Lapitz so much?! Did she get a secret mission or something?! ??? : Agent M, mission complete. What the hell happened while I was gone?! *** The news quickly reached Eona, a first-generation VTuber of Lapitz. The messenger? Ronze. The same Ronze who had raided the Demon King''s Castle twice... ...and had gotten completely wrecked both times. ???? [Ronze]: Eona, did you... uh... make some kind of secret deal with Magia? ???? [Eona]: ...Excuse me? What deal? ???? [Ronze]: She kept drinking Serena Potions the entire fight... and kept repeating that Lapitz Potions are the best. I thought maybe... you had a sponsorship contract or something. There was no secret deal. No promotional agreement. In fact Eona had always viewed Magia as a competitor, someone who might steal Lapitz''s market share. So why the hell would Magia advertise for them?! But she couldnt dismiss this as a joke. The explosion of interest was too real. Just by repeating the name enough times, viewers had flooded in The proof? Her viewer count skyrocketed. Her chat had completely lost its mind. Wait, whats happening? Lapitz Potions... are the best. Chat is turning into a zombie horde LMAO. Lapitz Potions... are broken as hell. Lapitz Potions... are the best. Where the hell are all these people coming from?? Lapitz Potions... totally OP. Lapitz Potions... are the best. Lapitz Potions... are seriously amazing. If Eona was shocked, then Serena was terrified. Because if Magia was Lapitzs accidental PR machine Serena Potions were the reason Magia was unkillable. And so, Serenas personal stream chat was even worse. ???? [Whisper] [KangKang] Serena: SENPAI SENPAI SENPAI!!! ???? [Whisper] [KangKang] Serena: WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY!!! ???? [Whisper] [KangKang] Serena: EVERYONE IN CHAT IS REPEATING THE SAME THING!!! ???????????? ???? [Whisper] [KangKang] Serena: WHAT DO I DO?! ???????????? Serenas viewer count had skyrocketed past 15,000. A personal record. And yet The entire chat was just... Screaming about Serena Potions. Serena Potions... are broken! S-rena Potions... are the best. Serena Potions are literally cheating. Serena Potions... are the best. Serena Potions... are completely OP. When humans encounter something they can''t understand... They feel fear. And right now Eona was afraid. ???? [Eona]: ...What the hell is happening? Chapter 79 Lapits (VTuber) Gallery [??? Whats up with them?] What is this? Is this a resignation signal? [Comments] Lapits835: No way, lol. Lapits732: If you check the neighboring gallerys updates, theyre completely loyal to Parallel. No way thats happening, lol. ? Lapits919 (OP): Then what the hell is this? LOL. ? Lapits732: Dunno, lol. Lapits671: How the hell are we supposed to figure out what a hardcore sniper is thinking, lol. ? Lapits919 (OP): Are all snipers usually like this? ? Lapits671: Probably. Lapits (VTuber) Gallery [Holy shit, is it just you guys at Parallel getting this trickle-down effect?] I had a slight feeling when I was making gear with Serena, but now its really hitting me hard. This is basically melted candy water. Its so damn sweet. Tasty as hell, lol. [Comments] Lapits702: The guys are losing their minds right now, lol. Lapits126: This is a festival. Lapits252: Serena is on the verge of tears, lol. ? Lapits351: Holy shit, 15k viewers? Damn. ? Lapits511: They all rushed over because of Serenas potion, lmao. It wasnt just Lapits-affiliated VTubers. The entire Lapits fandom was getting overwhelmed by the sudden influx of attention. Especially the second-generation members. Parallels first-gen VTubers usually pulled in 4,000C5,000 viewers on average. Since the second-gen debuted later, their numbers were still at around 2,000C3,000. Even with the special boost from Wicker Town, they rarely went beyond 4,000. But after Magia started mumbling Lapits Potion Good, Serena suddenly had 15,000 viewers. And the other second-gen members, her peers, naturally climbed up to 6,000. Considering that the trickle-down effect even reached first-gen members, 15,000 was an insane number. That was the same as Iona, the top first-gen Lapits member and their big sis, who currently had 15,000 viewers on her live stream. But it was hard to just be grateful when the one responsible for this promotion was Magia. Did she have some kind of agenda? It would be weird not to look into it. Ding! Ding! [Incoming call: Momo] Right on cue, Momo sent a voice chat request. Guys, give me a sec. Gotta take a call. Iona immediately muted her stream mic and entered the voice chat. [Hello, Iona? Can you hear me?] Yeah, I hear you. [So, um. That thing with Gia mumbling about the Lapits Potion? We didnt tell her to do that. I think shes just really into her Demon King role right now. It looks like a lot of people are suddenly flooding toward Lapits, so I just wanted to clear up any misunderstandings.] Momo wasnt lying. After all, she didnt fully understand Magias thought process either. It wasnt like Magia hadnt surprised them plenty of times before. This was just another one of those moments. And to be fair, Serenas potion was legitimately effective. But Momo also knew that Lapits found the meme "Parallel flop = Lapits boom" to be frustrating. So she could at least guess that Magia might be trying to clean up that perception. If left alone, it would blow up during the Gald Cup, and then she, Seung-yeon, and the chat moderators would have to deal with all the chaos. In reality, Magias move was working surprisingly well. Even while other forums were debating, "Is this just an elaborate way of mocking us?", Lapits gallery was simply celebrating. A flood of new viewers was rushing in, and their VTubers were getting a massive boost in numbers. Even if the one responsible was Magia, an employee of Parallel. Even if there was a bit of trolling mixed in. What did it matter? At the end of the day, the one who had helped Serena the most was Magia. Anyone who had been watching /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ this server event could see that. So even Parallels own people werent really worried. Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [There they go again.] What the hell has she latched onto this time? LOL. [Comments] Parallel934: No idea, but from the perspective of the ones getting targeted, its just hilarious, lol. Parallel732: Magias just vibing. Random Potion, Random Potion, Potion Select, Potion Select... R P C H, R P C H, R P C H, R P C H... Parallel241: She never fails to surprise me, lmao. Parallel820: Are there too many viewers? Did her brain short-circuit? ? Parallel363: Yeah, even for Magia, 50,000 viewers is no joke, lol. Maybe she really was just shocked at the fact that 50,000 people were watching. Even Do-hee could only sum it up by saying, "Magia just did a Magia thing again." [I mean, shes been hanging out with Serena this whole server event. Theyve been helping each other a lot, so maybe she just figured shed promote her while she had the time...? But like I said earlier, the most likely explanation is that shes just having fun playing the Demon King role. If this causes any issues, Ill take responsibility later.] ...... But Iona couldnt easily believe that. They were rivals. And Magia had been aggressively promoting Parallel from the very start. Sure, she might have helped Serena because of their past connection in the Im Wolf collab. But there was no reason for her to support all of Lapits. And Lapits had thrown down the gauntlet in this competition. As a Parallel employee, wouldnt Magia at least hold some resentment over that? ...Doesnt Gia like Momo and the Parallel first-gen members the most? [Yeah?] Then theres no real reason for her to help our members, is there? Were competitors, after all... That question might have irritated Momo. But Iona couldnt help asking. She simply couldnt understand Magia. From what Momo knew, Magia was wholly dedicated to making Parallel the top VTuber group in Korea. Day and night, she worked toward that goal. ... But even with that dream, Magia had never once considered trampling others to rise to the top. She believed that Parallel could climb high without resorting to such tactics. There was a CEO leading the company. There were top-tier entertainers handpicked by that CEO. And if those entertainers, along with their support staff, worked hard enough, success was inevitable. More than anything, Magia saw all VTubers as potential oshi. She didnt care about nationality or company affiliation. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Would she have helped Serena, who was struggling alongside Merisha like two lone survivors, for no reason? No, it was because their situation reminded her of Parallels first-gen members pushing forward without a CEO. That similarity had tugged at her heart. [At the very least, the Magia I know just likes VTubers. Of course, she has preferences, so she does have oshi and non-oshi within that group. But as long as youre a VTuber, you can easily enter Magias sphere of interest. Thats probably why she helped Serena.] ...But still... [Just because someone is a competitor, does that mean we have to attack them? To slander them? Isnt that the real abnormal mindset?] ...... Iona felt too ashamed to say anything. She hadnt assumed that Magia was actively trying to screw them over. But she also hadnt considered that she might be genuinely helping out of goodwill. ...Im sorry. That was an inappropriate question. [No, its fine. Honestly, I probably wouldve asked the same thing. Because, well... even I dont always understand what Gia is thinking. But one thing I do know is that shes not doing this out of spite for Lapits. Everything else, Ive already explained.] Ionas face was burning. [If youre really curious, why dont you join us for the Demon King Castle raid later?] ...Huh? Why? [Youll see for yourself. Whether Gia truly favors only our members... or if she just genuinely loves all VTubers.] Of course, there would be a difference in how she treated them. Magia had a clear sense of loyalty, and she truly wanted Parallel to succeed. But when it came to situations like this, where she could mess with VTubers (in ways that werent physically harmful, at least), she never held back. She would absolutely prank everyone equally. That was just the kind of person Magia wasan ex-elite VTuber troll. She never passed up an opportunity. [I can guarantee thisGia will screw with all of us equally. Shes such a menace that she lives for moments where we suffer. Ill probably be the one who gets it the worst, though...] Iona hesitated. Was it the right move to accept this alliance? If she did, the company might give her a warning. They might ask why shed align herself with Parallel in such a risky way. But... she was curious. Iona wanted to see with her own eyes and hear with her own ears whether Magia truly treated everyone equally. And if she had been wrong about Magia, if her assumptions had been mistaken, she wanted to acknowledge that and reflect on it properly. ...Alright. We were short on people anyway. Lets form an alliance. *** [Next round, Parallel-Lapits alliance incoming.] Seriously? [Yeah. Theyve joined hands.] The news that Parallel and Lapits had formed a joint raid group reached me soon enough. Movgun, who had taken it upon himself to manage the Demon King Castle raid queue, let me know that they were coming up next. I couldnt hide my excitement. So I turned off my screen without a second thought. Wait, what? What the hell? Nooo, I cant see! My eyes! Just one minute. I prepared something special for the VTubers arrival. The Demon King Castle ran in 30-minute cycles, with the next 30 minutes dedicated to adjusting the monster placements and structure of floors 3 and 4. And this game64Cubixallowed me to save multiple floor layouts as presets. Truly an incredible system. Considering it was originally built as a 3D programming tool, I could see how that development history played into its mechanics. Anyway, I quickly loaded my preset and turned the screen back on. Movgun had already run up to the fourth floor and was utterly shocked by what he saw. [Oh. So thats why people have been freaking out after getting past floor 4...] The version you just saw is exclusive to VTubers. And, by the way, theres even more in the Throne Room. [Wait, so... what was up when Lupko and the other streamers came by earlier?] Oh, that? That was different. For them, I just compiled all the most embarrassing videos of the players on this server and played them on repeat. One example: Lupko once played Baseball Manager and pulled a Korean player card with terrible stats. His immediate reaction? He cussed it out. ...And then he realized what he had just done, apologized profusely, and even bowed his head in shame on stream. The situation was eventually resolved amicably, and he even collaborated with that player later on, but still. It was undeniably a black mark on his career. So naturally, when he saw it being played back, he froze in sheer horror. [Why... Why would you do this? Youre a truly wicked being, Demon King...] And the reason? It was simple. If people got angry, they would attack me more aggressively. The more aggressive they were, the faster my HP would drop. And the more HP I lost... ...the more opportunities Id have to drink Serenas Potion. For that to happen, the players had to hate me enough to go all out. Never forget. From the start, I had only one goal today. Lapits Potion... really is the best. ...I wonder if theyll even make it past floor 4 in time. The fourth-floor exhibit was a collection of every VTubers debut stream A full-on blackmail showcase. Would they make it through? ...Well. If they didnt, Id just pocket their entry fees. Chapter 80 Lapits-Parallel alliance team. The official name, Rapi-Para raid party, had already caused a stir in online communities, especially in Lupko and Ronze''s circles, due to the insane fourth-floor banquet hall design. Lupko (Internet Broadcaster) Gallery [Is Magia actually insane?] Holy shit, LOL. I never, not even in my wildest dreams, expected to see Five-Star Uwons on the fourth floor. "Ah, shit. Another Uwoni." "This fucking game is rigged. How the hell do I keep pulling these joke-tier players?" "...What? Uwon-nim is watching? Ah, fuck. Im dead." LMAO, classic Lupko moment. [Comments] Lupko846: Shes not just any kind of crazy, lol. Lupko931: Wait, hold upI didnt even know 64Cubix supported in-game video playback until now, lmao. ? Lupko694: You too? Lupko040: Seeing that clip again brought back so many memories. ? Lupko040: I mean, Parallels always had an uncanny ability to dig up the funniest old clips, but this? This is just too accurate. ? Lupko842: Bruh, anyone who watches Lupko remembers that moment. ? Lupko268: Fr, lol. Lupko (Internet Broadcaster) Gallery [Damn, she actually picked safe clips.] Kosekkis outbursts have gotten so heated before that people almost thought they were watching UFC. If Magia had chosen one of those moments, the place would''ve gone up in flames instantly. Was it on purpose, or just luck? LOL. [Comments] Lupko513: Ive been watching since Im Wolf, and honestly, shes just an Internet Ghost at this point. ? Lupko513: Like, she seems to have this uncanny ability to pick clips that wont cause a full-blown meltdown. ? Lupko292: I checked the other videos she used, and yeahshe carefully avoided anything too controversial. ? Lupko904 (OP): Ohhh, got it. Lapits and Parallel fansespecially Lapits sidewerent expecting much. It was suspicious how well Magia seemed to know other streamers memes, but at the end of the day, she was still from a competing company. Just because she kept mumbling Lapits Potion Good over and over, it didnt mean she knew that much about Lapits VTubers. Lapits (VTuber) Gallery [Im SO hyped right now.] I literally cant even imagine whats waiting on the fourth floor. I saw her changing modes earlier. Guess that means its different from what the normal streamers got, LOL. [Comments] Lapits351: Shes way too thorough in the weirdest places, lmao. Lapits009: Man, its been a long time since I felt my heart racing like this. Lapits773: But like... isnt it mostly going to /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ be Parallel-focused? ? Lapits773: I mean, shes a Parallel employee. No way she has our VTubers clips too. As Iona prepared to enter the Demon King Castle, she assumed that Magias mental attacks would mostly target Parallels side. So she and her teammates had already agreed: "Let Parallel take the hits while we focus on the raid." "Lapits, are we all set?" "Yes! Potions have been distributed, and foods been shared!" "Im ready too, senpai!" "How about Parallel?" "Parallel, are you good?" "Ready to kill." "Rain unnies definitely gonna bash Gias skull in." "Shes probably the first one whos gonna get wrecked, lmao." "Shut up, Maru-chong." "Ooooh, this is gonna be fun~." In just two minutes, the gates to the Demon King Castle would open, and the 30-minute dungeon countdown would begin. They hadnt filled all 16 available party slots, but since Lupko and Ronzewho were previously considered the strongest on the server had already failed twice, the strategy had slightly loosened up. The key lessons learned were: DO NOT waste time on the Fourth Floor.When attacking the Demon King, damage output needs to be focused.The longer the battle dragged on, the worse it got for the raid team. The best strategy was to burst the Demon King down before she drew the Demon Sword. Once the Demon Sword was drawn, Magia would immediately identify the formation and attack types, then start wiping out the backline first. The moment the formation shattered and people started dropping one by one, the raid became almost impossible to clear. This conclusion came from Lupkos post-raid debrief: "To all future raid teamsDO NOT try psychological warfare. We tested it. It DOESNT work. Shes a goddamn robot. She reacts, but she doesnt emote." If there had been any way to break her focus, they could have interrupted her potion-drinking and actually defeated her. But Magia had zero emotional responses. Screaming at her? Didnt work. Embarrassing remarks? Useless. Convincing lies? Pointless. Even after burning through all her potions, she only used about 80 per raidwhich meant she still had 1,200 left. At this point, their only option was to go all-in. The only advantage the Rapi-Para Raid Party had was Momo. At the very least, she knew Magia well. ...Though, that also meant she was probably the one most likely to get completely destroyed. Regardless, they had worked her into the official strategy. "The plan... is staying the same, right?" "Yes. But dont get your hopes up. It might not work." "I heard she listens well to her boss, though...?" "Yeah, but whats the point? When shes stubborn, shes like a damn steel beam." "...That bad?" "Thats why our main goal is to take her down in one burst. Were already outnumbered, so we need to focus." 20 seconds until raid start. Since they wouldnt have time to talk mid-battle, Iona decided to say something now. "Its kinda funny to say this now, but... thanks for suggesting the alliance. We werent really in a position to reach out first." "Oh, really? Well, I get it. Im the CEO, so I just do what I want. If I were in your position, Id be cautious too." "...Thanks for understanding." The massive, black iron double doors screeched open with a metallic grind. Iona nodded at Momo and spoke firmly. "Lets go. Everyone, lets do this!!" "Lets gooo!!" "FIGHTING!!" *** However, despite their strong momentum clearing the first, second, and third floors, the Rapi-Para team found themselves stuck on the fourth floor for far longer than expected. That damn banquet hall was the problem. Unlike a standard castle banquet hall, this one had a T-shaped staircase at the far end that led directly to the throne room, where the Demon King awaited. However, the entire expansive hall leading up to it was a mirror maze. Not only were all the mirrors semi-transparent screens, making it nearly impossible to distinguish between open and blocked paths but they werent just screens. They played videos. The entire mirror maze was filled with the most humiliating moments from the VTubers careers. And since the audio from all the clips overlapped and echoed from every direction, it was a full-on psychological attack. The most shocking part? This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. For some reason, Ionas videos took up the largest share. Lapits fans had initially believed theyd be less affected by Magias tricks. That prediction had been completely wrong. [Hmph. That was crude. Cant you express yourself with more sophistication?] "AAAAAHHHH!!" Iona, despite being the eldest and a senior member of Lapits, hated watching her own debut broadcast more than anything else. Just as rookie writers sometimes overwhelm readers with massive info-dumps in their excitement, rookie VTubers often over-immerse themselves in their character settings, leading to exaggerated and cringe-worthy dialogue. Nowadays, Iona blended her character lore naturally while engaging with her audience. But back then, she had been a complete beginner at streaming. [Hello, everyone. I am Iona, the Moon Goddess who has descended from the Realm of the Gods. I expect you all to serve me well, understood?] "AAAHH! NOOO! HOW DO I TURN THIS OFF?!!" Panicked, Iona whacked the screen with her staff. But since the screens were part of the castles indestructible interior, they didnt even budge. The viewers? They were having the time of their lives. LOOOOOOOL Serve me well, peasants! She was so pure back then, lmao. HAHAHAHAHA Damn, how long has it been since we saw this? [Haaah. The human world is so humid and hot. I miss the moon. My soft, pristine skin keeps getting all moist, and its really quite uncomfortable.] "STOP!! STOP TALKING, YOU PSYCHO!!" Too humid and hot~ Mmmm~ The human world is so suffocating~ I CANT BREATHE LMAO Hahhh, I am the Goddess of the Moon~ AAAAHAHAHAHAHA HELP, IM DYING LOL Although other VTubers also suffered at the hands of their own past videos, no one had it as bad as Iona. There were over ten different clips of her, and they played far more frequently than any others. Even Momo was confused. "What the hell? Why arent my videos here...?" "Huh. Youre right." "Gia. Kill. The. Magia. I swear Im gonna end her. How is she replaying these? KILL THE MAGIA!" No one knew that this was Magias petty revenge for Iona not accepting the Zanan Donation Fund she had offered earlier. But just because her videos werent there, Momo didnt relax. She had been pranked far too many times. There was no telling when some unforeseen twist would pop up. And more importantly Iona, who was supposed to be the main damage dealer alongside Momo, was on the verge of a breakdown. Momo had no choice but to keep it together. After wandering through the maze for several minutes, Iona finally collapsed onto the floor, completely drained. "I... Its over... Finally..." The others, especially her junior members, felt too awkward to even comfort her. Only Momo dared to speak. "Im sorry. My employee... goes too far sometimes." But instead of getting angry, Iona only felt a newfound respect for Momo. After all, Iona had researched Magia before. She knew that Magia was once Momos notorious sniper. Just imagining how many years Momo must have endured this madness... How could she not admire her? "Youre incredible, Momo. How did you survive this lunatic...?" "...Huh?" "Anyway, lets go. We dont have much time left." "Ah, right. We only have three minutes." Iona and Momo each grabbed one side of the doors and pushed them open. Creeeeak The heavy, rusted hinges groaned as the doors swung wide. Inside was a dimly lit chamber, where a tattered red carpet lay rippled and frayed across the floor. A single shaft of light pierced through a broken stained-glass ceiling, illuminating the throne, where the Demon Kingno, Magiasat casually slouched. For viewers watching the raid for the first time, the sight was breathtaking. Damn, thats badass. What kind of villainous entrance is this?? LMAO. Holy shit, she looks amazing. This is some True Demon King energy. Then, clank, clank. Magia stood up, her armor clanking as she moved. Then, clang, clang, clang, clang. She slowly clapped her gauntlets together in a mocking applause. "So you managed to clear the fourth floor. How impressive." Rain couldnt hold back. "Gia! Do you have a death wish?!" "I am the Demon King, so I thought I should act the part. Messing with the hero partys mentality is a Demon Kings specialty, after all." "Ghh!" "Calm down, Rain unnie. Dont engage, youll just get dragged in." "Gia, youre lucky Komari is stopping me!" Magia let out a small scoff, then casually walked forward until she stood ten meters away from the party. The atmosphere was tense. Time was ticking down, and just as Momo was about to give the attack signal A booming sound echoed through the domed chamber. [Uwuu~ Guys~ Im gonna ki-shing kkung kko-ddo~!] An absolute classic. It was Momos old, cringeworthy attempt at forced cuteness from her early days. The first to recognize it was Maru. Just like Magia, she had been a longtime fan of Momo. "Wait... Is this our CEO...?" "NO, ITS NOT!! NO, NO, NO!!" Just as Momo screamed in panic, another voice echoed through the hall. [Senpai~! Buy me a cheeseburger~! Cheeeeeeseburgerrr~!] This time, even Momo couldnt deny it. No matter how much her voice had been tweaked to sound cute, her distinctive tone gave her away. Momo inhaled sharply, ready to yell in rage "Boss! Watch your back!" Marus sudden warning made everyone turn their heads. Maru spoke again. "Wait, that was me? Huh" WHAM! "KYAAAH!!" Maru went flying as something struck her hard. And in that split second "You should have watched your back, boss." Maru was still rolling on the ground. Which meant That wasnt her voice. An enemy had mimicked her perfectly. Just as Momo realized this, she turnedtoo late. A scarlet blade was already swinging toward her. As the demonic sword slammed against her, Magia mockingly repeated her most embarrassing past line "Buy me a cheeseburgeeer~ Boss!" Chapter 81 It wasnt a one-hit kill, but if Do-hee hadnt dodged the follow-up attacks, she wouldve been done for. That damn demon swordjust as she had seen in Lupkos failed raid, the damage was insane. Lupko had survived three hits only because of reinforced armor. But Do-hee and Iona, who had all-in attack-focused builds, would definitely die in two hits. The worst part wasnt even the damageit was the mental assault. Do-hee had never met anyone who could mess with peoples heads as thoroughly as Magia. If the Demon King role had been assigned through pure gacha luck, shed believe Wicker had rigged the system to guarantee the most optimal choice. "Are you okay?" Iona tried to run over in concern, but Do-hee immediately stopped her. "Stay back! If you come near me, youll get hit too. We need to keep our distance!" "...Understood!" The moment she heard that, Iona circled around Magia, moving in the opposite direction of Do-hee. And as if they had planned it beforehand, everyone instinctively shifted into formation. It was a perfect assault setup, maximizing damage while ensuring no friendly fire. The backline: Mages drew magic circles on the ground, preparing for their spells. The midline: Archers positioned themselves for clear shots without hitting allies. The frontline: A handful of warriors closed in on Magia, surrounding her. From this point on, precision execution was key. The warriors had to hold Magia down, tanking hits with shields while blocking her movements. The archers needed to land one headshot per secondminimum. The mages had to land every single spell with absolute accuracy. Magias HP was only 250 due to debuffs, but Serenas Potion couldnt be interrupted, even if she staggered from attacks. As long as she drank for 3 seconds, her HP would fully restore the moment the potion disappeared. To win, they had to deal all 250 damage in that exact 3-second window. Excluding the warriors, who were blocking instead of dealing damage: The four archers needed to land two headshots each 80 damageThe six mages needed to land their five-second-cast spells 180 damageThat was 260 damage totalenough for a one-shot kill. Once the three-second countdown started, there was zero room for error. If not for Magias 95% armor reduction and Serenas Potion, this wouldve been an easier boss fight. But without Serenas Potion, the final boss wouldve been too weak. Wicker knew exactly what they were doing when they allowed potion usage. But if perfect execution was all it took to win, someone wouldve cleared the raid already. Magia wasnt just strong She was a mastermind, having filled the entire fourth floor with psychological traps. And right on cue, the moment the raid party solidified their formation, she spoke. "Youre all /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ ignoring me. Thats a little rude." "Wait! Magia! Hold on!" "Tricks wont work, boss." "No, seriously, I have something to say! And anyway, stalling for time hurts us, not you!" "...Fair point. Ill listen." Time was still ticking down. Only 2 minutes and 30 seconds remained. If they didnt defeat Magia by then, this raid would end in failure. The Demon King, clad in black armor, flipped her sword upside-down and rested both hands on the hilts pommel. Her posture radiated pure confidence but that was only because it was Magia inside that armor. Still, the partys formation remained intact. If they could just find the right moment ["Chocolate, chocolate, dark and sweet, melting on my tongue~"] Another voice clip played. This time, it was Momos Ultimate Embarrassment, Version 3. She had no time to react. Magias constant mental attacks were piling up, and Do-hee could feel herself cracking. "YOU! If you had this function, you shouldve used it earlier!" "A surprise is better when it''s unexpected. Besides, the Throne Room was prepared especially for you, boss." "...How many more of these do you have?" "Seven?" Do-hee was speechless. Had she really said that many cringeworthy lines before? She probably had but they were so old that she couldnt even remember. "You always used to say you wanted to punch me whenever I did cutesy voices. So why the hell did you save so many?!" "Because theyre irreplaceable. How could I not save them?" "..." "Think about it. You havent done a single cute act in three years, boss." "I It wasnt the right atmosphere anymore! And this is my biggest black mark, okay?!" "I know it is. Thats why... I guess I just missed it. As a fan whos been watching for a long time." Magias comment sent Momos chat into chaos. Wait, shes right. Momo hasnt done any cute bits since she teamed up with Movgun. Ohhh yeah, after she rage-cussed him out in that match, lmao. Thats when she tried rebranding, huh? Yeah, it was kinda awkward. Tbh, I kinda miss it... For real, lol. If Magia hadnt mentioned it, I wouldnt have even noticed. Damn, Mongmong grandmas really notice everything, huh? The chat was clearly yearning for a return of Momos cute voice. Only 1 minute and 30 seconds remained. Even Magia knew time was short. She prompted them herself. "So? Are you attacking or what?" "Oh, were attacking. Mages, start casting!" 5 seconds to fully charge. Just before completion, the archers arrows would fire simultaneously. But Magia had faced this strategy before. She had already experienced trial and error in previous fights and during the third failed raid, there had been a moment where she had almost lost. "Youre too late." Gulp, gulp, gulp. At the same time she mentally attacked Momo, Magia was drinking a potion. The warriors standing in front of her werent fast enough. None of them had the physical reflexes to drop their shields and interrupt her in time. The banana milk-colored liquid vanished in an instant. Momo realized it too late. "Wait Thats an invincibility potion!" Magia began glowing gold. Then, she downed another bottle. This time, it was a Berserk Potion10 seconds of unstoppable power. The moment her invincibility ended, red sparks of energy crackled across her black armor. SWOOSH! With one massive swing of her sword, the warriors shielding themselves in front of her were sent flying. Even blocking was useless the Berserk effect negated all defense. Then, Magia grabbed a third potion. A white liquid. As long as the red sparks remained, she had full resistance to stagger. Arrows rained down but they bounced off her armor without stopping her. "Im going to disappear now. Poof." Magia vanished completely. The effect only lasted 2 seconds, but it was undetectable. Dora burst into laughter. Because the potions Magia was using were the same ones Dora had gifted her. "Oh no~ I gave her 100 invisibility potions~." "YOURE TELLING ME THIS NOW?!" Do-hee snapped. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Because the moment Magia drank an invisibility potion the raid was officially doomed. Magia could keep drinking them until time ran out, making it impossible to kill her. But was Magia the type to drag things out? No. She was fully immersed in her role. "Youre wide open." "Fxxk!" WHAM! Rain went flying, slamming into a wall. "And you, too." "KYAAAH!" Komari was the next to go flying. Everyone frantically turned their heads, trying to locate Magia, but tracking her movements was impossible. One by one, they were taken out. The mages, who were in the middle of casting, were launched into the walls. The archers, who had been carefully keeping their distance, were scattered like leaves. They could still heal with potions, but the formation was completely broken. Only one minute remained victory was no longer possible. A faint sliding sound broke the silence. The invisibility effect wore off, and Magia appeared directly in front of Do-hee. Towering over her, Magia stared down with piercing golden eyes. "You didnt actually think Id let you off, did you?" Of course not. If there was one thing Magia was known for, it was taking responsibility for whatever role she took on. Now that she had accepted the Demon Kings mantle, her sole mission was to crush all challengers. Do-hee had never once expected Magia to show mercy. "Ill save the seven remaining clips for next time. If you come back for another attempt, Ill use them then." But giving up? That was never an option. She had lost many times beforebut she always got back up. That was Cheon Do-hee. That was Momo. "Everyone, start casting again." Do-hee drew her bowstring. "The Demon King doesnt go easy on anyone." Magia was right in front of her, but that didnt matter. Her pride had taken a hit, sure. But she was a six-year veteran streamer as if something like this would break her. From behind, Rain suddenly shouted. "BOSS! TIME! CALL A TIME-OUT!" The mages still needed a few more seconds to finish their spells. Magia raised her sword, preparing to strike Do-hee down first. Do-hee shut her eyes tightly. On the lower right corner of the screen, her white-haired wolf avatar also squeezed its eyes shut. She clenched her throat, forcing out the one move she had saved for this exact moment. Magia had hidden her trump card for the Throne Room but Do-hee had done the same. "Chiaaam! I wuv you sooooo much~!" Magias arm froze mid-swing. On the official broadcast, her characters stiff cardboard cutout suddenly went completely blank. And it wasnt just Magia. Every archer in the raid, who had their bows drawn, stood paralyzed, unable to release their arrows. Because the embarrassment wasnt just Do-hees to bear. But there was no stopping the mages spells now. The only person unaffected was Iona who had already suffered enough secondhand embarrassment on the fourth floor to have built up resistance. She screamed the order at the top of her lungs. "FIRE!!" At that moment, a glowing magic circle expanded beneath Magias feet. The symbols etched into the ground blazed with power BOOM! A massive explosion erupted, sending all elements colliding at once. Seizing the moment, everyone except Momo fired their arrows. Magias remaining HP: 40. Just one more hit per archer would finish her. But if Magia pressed her potion button and ran, she would be fully healed in three seconds. The warriors werent close enough to stop her. If she got away, she would reset her HP back to full. But Momos bowstring was still drawn. And her vocal cords were still fully intact. "Chiaaa, will you be Momos mana-jurr forever~?" Three arrows pierced Magias armor and the final shot was fired by Momo herself. CLANG! The arrow struck Magias head and her HP dropped to zero. CLUNK. CRASH! The Demon Kings massive form collapsed onto the ground. [SERVER] Rapi-Para Raid Party has defeated the Demon King for the first time! Bba-jijik (Server Forum) Gallery [OFFICIAL] Momo?Chia ["Chiaaa~ will you be my mana-jurr forever?"] ["Chia-Chiaa~"] [These trending posts are out of control.] ["Forever? Forever? Forever?"] ["I love you~?"] ["Wait, whos going to handle the official broadcasts now?"] Momos gallery exploded. The fan cafe, the Parallel fan cafe, even the entire servers chat was flooded with reactions. The most humiliating moment in Momos career had been recorded for all time. But they won. And not just any win They were the first to defeat the Demon King. Yet Do-hee refused her reward. She publicly gave it back to Wicker in front of everyone, saying she would only accept it once she cleared the raid properly. The audience had already loved her performance, but after seeing that? Even her teammates followed her lead, voluntarily returning their own rewards. Chat was flooded with praise [SERVER] [Demon Kings Army Officer] Movgun: Chiaa~? [SERVER] [Bankrupt] Lupko: I wuv u sooo much~?? [SERVER] [Silver Tongue] Crkemang: That was adorable. Its been a while. ^^ [SERVER] [Investor] Ronze: Big sis, fighting~???; ...Of course, most of it was mockery. "God, what was I thinking...?" Iona, who had surprisingly grown close to Do-hee, tried to comfort her. "Honestly, Momo... You used Magias obsession against her. That was brilliant. I never wouldve thought of it." "Never try it. If you dont want your own permanent black mark." "Ahaha..." But if she ever faced the same situation again Do-hee wouldnt hesitate to do it again. Being a CEO had buried her old habits. She had avoided situations like this, focusing on keeping up appearances. But at the end of the day she was still a streamer. If she didnt take care of the people who supported her, who else would? Even Magia, her longtime fan, had said it. She had waited three years, and never got to see Momo do anything like this. The only reason Magia had frozen in place was because she had genuinely loved seeing it again. And for Iona, that moment was life-changing. Bachubachu might be the top VTuber company now, but years ago, it had been Momo and Taro who had inspired countless VTubers to start their journey. Ionas personal role model had always been Taro. But she knew exactly who Momo was. She wasnt just cool. She was the kind of person who would throw away her own dignity for a single moment of entertainment. She was a born streamer. And maybe it was the shared hardship of battle, but Iona felt something shift inside her. "Momo... Just curious." "Yeah?" "For the final day... What do you think about doing a duet? Ill convince my company to approve it." "...A duet?" "Yeah. Serena and Maru are friends, right? Wouldnt it be nice if they sang something together? The fans on both sides are vibing right now." Their companies might be rivals but during the raid, they had fought side by side. Parallel had been the first to reach out. Wouldnt it be fair for Lapits to extend a hand back? Even if their companies hesitated, Iona was willing to push for it. Maybe thats why Do-hee answered without hesitation. "Sounds good. Lets do it." Chapter 82 The unexpected, unofficial collaboration between Parallel and Lapits. In a way, it was all thanks to Magia. If she hadnt muttered Lapits Potion during a broadcast with fifty thousand viewers watching, Do-hee wouldnt have had to explain the situation to Iona, and without that, the joint raid would never have happened. And yet, the very person who set this whole thing in motion didnt start her stream on time the next day. [I''ll be logging in two hours late.] It seemed like she had even informed Wicker and asked them to delay the opening of the Demon King''s Castle by two hours. Worried that something had happened, Do-hee called her. But no matter how many times she tried, Magia didnt pick up. She had already exceeded the forty-hour weekly commitment shed promised to keep for the Wicker server. What if she was sick again? Or worse, collapsed? A sudden wave of anxiety hit Do-hee. Lately, Magia had been taking better care of herself, and since it was during the late hours when Do-hee was asleep, she had trusted Magia to manage her own schedule. But still. Just because she hadnt hit the 52-hour work limit at the company didnt mean she hadnt gone over it. Adding up all the time she spent staying logged into Wicker Town at home, last weeks total work hours definitely exceeded 52. So how could she not be worried? Why isnt she answering her phone...? Feeling uneasy, Do-hee immediately started getting ready to leave. It was the weekend, so she looked like a mess, but she couldnt just leave Magia alone if she was sick. Even as she threw on a long padded coat and pulled a hat over her head, her hands were busy typing out two messages. [Me: Youre not sick or anything, right?] [Me: If youre not feeling well, take the day off and go to the hospital.] She was planning to head out regardless of whether she got a reply or not... [Gia Manager: Im really sick.] What? Do-hee, startled, shoved her feet into her sneakers so fast she nearly slipped at the entrance. But just as she was about to rush out the door, another message came inone that made her want to explode on the spot. [Gia Manager: My stomach hurts so bad ??] [Gia Manager: I watched the CEOs aegyo clip over a hundred times since yesterday, and now my stomach hurts so much Im crying ??????] [Gia Manager: Chiaaa ??? I love you ???????????] ....... Annoyance surged through her as she immediately called Magia again. At least this time, she picked up. Do you want to die?! Waitso you delayed your stream by two hours just to do that?! [But... Oshika did aegyo for the first time in three years. How could I not replay it?] .... [I was even worried the VOD might get taken down, so I downloaded it just in case. Im keeping it all to myself...] When have I ever taken down a VOD? [I mean, you havent. But you never know. Gotta be prepared. Download, edit, and back it up on a personal channel.] At that, Do-hee suddenly remembered something. A channel that had been practically abandoned for the past three years. Channel name: MoAeMo. The description said it was short for Momo Aegyo Compilation. Since five years ago, it had archived every single aegyo moment from every one of her live streams. The person behind it was so meticulous that even clips nearly impossible to catch without watching the streams live were all compiled there. People who found it were always amazed, leaving tons of comments. Saying things like, You wont find a goldmine like this anywhere else. ...You. Youre MoAeMo, arent you? [No, Im not.] Yes, you are. Theres no one else who would be that obsessive about details. [Im really not.] If you admit it, Ill let you come over to my place on Christmas Eve. [I am.] ...Hey. Do-hee always felt like she was the one being played. But this time, she had set the trap. Except... Magia was not going to be the only one visiting Do-hees place on Christmas. Aside from Kang Ji-ho, who had to spend time with her family, the whole travel group from their last trip would be there. They only had four hours of free time before everyone had to start their own streams later that night, but the first-gen members would definitely enjoy it. They had been wanting to spend more time with Magia, but since her schedule was so tight, they held back. But, of course, Magia was always one step ahead. [Wait, are the others coming? If theyre there, Ill just turn around and go home.] She had already caught on and was trying to slip away. Hey, hey. Why? You were fine during the trip. [Christmas isnt meant for going outside. If I step out, therell be couples everywhere, and the streets will be packed. Just thinking about it drains my energy.] Even though she functioned just fine in society, Magia was still an introvert at heart. And considering how crowded the streets would be during Christmas, making the trip to Do-hees place did sound exhausting. Then Ill come pick you up. Just wait at home. [You need to rest, CEO. And the traffics going to be horrible because of the holidays.] Oh, come on! Youre only saying that because you dont want to come! In the end, despite thinking she had set a trap, Do-hee was the one caught again. Even if Magia said she wouldnt go, there was no way shed actually pass up this chance. A visit to the CEOs house? That wasnt an opportunity that came around often. It wasnt like she hated the first-gen members, either. [Fine, Ill just take a taxi. You stay home.] ...Youre coming? Do-hee setting traps for Magia was, in a way, a challenge to her. Magia couldnt just let this upside-down hierarchy slide. Especially after hearing Do-hees aegyo yesterday. [If Im gonna be your manager for life~ I have to gooo~.] This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Hearing that exaggerated impression of herself, Do-hee squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fist. You are so dead when you show up for work tomorrow. Magia muttered in a slightly nervous voice. Because, this time, Do-hees anger was very, very real. [Guess Ill be showing up two hours late...] *** December 22nd, Friday. D-1 until Wicker Town Season 2 server shutdown. [Wicker Town Season 2 Closing Ceremony] [December 23rd (Sat) C Demon Kings Castle Rooftop Grand Stage] Maru x Serena (A Part Two)Iona x Rain (AKB 47)...I tilted my head at the program. Parallel and Lapits had two collaborative performances listed? A sudden unofficial collab, huh. Its not exactly unofficial. Lapits gave the green light too. Then its official. Surprised? It wasnt like Parallel and Lapits had been at each others throats, clawing and fighting over the same slice of the pie. But they werent exactly on good terms either. Lapits had entered VachuVachu KR a little earlier than us, but thanks to our CEOs presence, Parallel had been growing at an accelerated pace. Why? Iona, who had stormed in with a strong start, had only reached 700,000 subscribers. That was still far from CEO-tier. Even if she passed some of that influence down to her members, it didnt have the same impact as Momos trickle-down effect. Naturally, that must have caused some unease on their end. And yet, the one who broke this tense rivalry and formed an alliance was... You. None other than me. I hadnt even realized it. To me, it just looked like Momo and Iona had worked things out because Maru and Serena got along well. I really ? NvIight ? (Original source) didnt do anything. Well... technically speaking, yeah. But you were the one who opened the floodgates. If not for you, Iona and I would have never even had a reason to talk. Momo leaned back and smirked. Anyway, I talked it over with the finance director. As a reward for securing this collab, your bonus this month is 4 million won. ...4 million? Thats more than my salary. I turned to Momo, eyes wide, and she continued. Dont think its a lot. Even after deducting fees, your official channels donations netted over 20 million. Youre only getting 20% of that, so just take it. I should probably open another savings account. Youre just gonna break it later to donate again. Dont bother savingjust spend it freely for a month. What would I even spend money on? Id rather save up for the members upcoming merch. As I nonchalantly tried to slip out of her office, she suddenly grabbed the back of my collar. Wait! Stop right there. You actually do have something to spend it on, so dont stash it away yet. ...On what? Momo dragged me over to her desk and shoved a printed A4 flyer in my face. [2024 Pazijik Year-End Party] Date: December 29th (Fri) A turbulent 2024 is coming to an end. We invite our partner streamers to join Pazijik in our annual year-end celebration. Oh. It was the same year-end Pazijik party that happened every year. Of course, Momo and the first-gens had been partnered with Pazijik for ages, so their names being on the list wasnt surprising. But then [Parallel / PARALLEL] @parallel_official Deputy Manager Magia Right under the first-gens, my name was sitting there. ...Excuse me? Im not a streamer. Im not a VTuber, nor a partnered content creator. This... isnt a mistake? Nope. It was sent directly to you. ...Why? What do you mean why? Pazijik officially recognized your channel as Parallels main official channel. Youre a partnered account, so they probably just sent you an invite on principle. Just thinking about it gave me a headache. As far as I knew, Pazijik had about 300 partner streamers. Last years party had around 250 attendees. And 50 of those were absolute industry giants. It included all VachuVachu KR-affiliated VTubers and Pazijiks long-time titansYouTubes 3-million-sub Crkemang, Makgeolli Crew, and... The former emperor of Battle Colosseum, now a comedian with 1.9 million subsMovgun.An entire squad of ex-pro gamers.The Mad Dog group led by Lupko, the insane Baseball Manager.Ronze, a second-tier pro gamer currently in off-season.That was just the heavy-hittersonly one-fifth of the list. And I was supposed to go? Why?! Im a corporate employee. But unlike me, Momo was determined to drag me there. She tapped the collar of my blouse, still holding onto it. You... dont own anything suitable for a formal event, do you? Lets go shopping the day after Christmas. Ill tell Seung-yeon in advance. Mark it as a business expense. I really dont think I should go. Why? You got an official invitation. Maybe they sent it by mistake? Im not a VTuber. You dont have to be. They invited you because youre a broadcaster now. And werent you just talking about increasing your stream hours? ...Damn it. Two days ago, I had suggested running a centralized control room for large-scale server events. Wicker Town had drawn huge attention. In just two weeks, the official channel had raked in 27.49 million won. And as someone who lives and breathes efficiency, I couldnt just ignore such an opportunity. Momo smirked. Big servers happen at least six times a year. And you were planning to do monthly review streams in between, right? ...Yeah? Then whether you like it or not, people are going to recognize you. And think about itnetworking is crucial for our talents, right? But wouldnt it be just as beneficial for their manager to build connections? Up until recently, Parallels members and Lupkos crew hadnt interacted much. The Im Wolf collab had been their only crossover, and even then, they had stayed distant. But once the Wicker server introduced creditors, debtors, betrayals, and dramatic storylines, I naturally ended up talking to Lupko more often. Since I was already in contact with him, it became easier for our members to join in. Sometimes I introduced them, and sometimes Lupko recognized them first. The conclusion was obvious. My connections could directly benefit Parallels members. These days, I was already seeing viewers from Movgun and Ronzes channels popping up in our chat. People who would normally tune in to their main streamers were starting to pick Parallel as a backup option. In other words, my network was bringing real value to the team. I was carrying on what Momo had been doing all alongbridging connections. ...That actually makes sense. Right? Then we need to get you a proper outfit for the party. The logic felt like it hit a dead end somewhere, but... If Momo said so, then that was that. TPO. Time, Place, Occasion. Dressing appropriately was a universal rule. The reason I always wore a suit at work was to adhere to that very principle. So, in this case, it would be best to trust Momo, who had actual experience attending parties. Not to mention, she was way better at picking out womens fashion than I was. When I nodded in agreement, she grinned. Then keep the 26th open. ...An entire day? How much are we buying? Momos eyes blazed with excitement. This is a party. Theres no way Im sending my employee out there looking half-assed. Chapter 83 The closing concert held the next day was, well... a success. Sure, people had made illegal duet mashups on YouTube before, but this was the first time the two groups had actually performed together. That made it all the more symbolic, drawing even more attention. Even though the rushed collaboration was done entirely in-game without 3D models, the stream still peaked at 300,000 concurrent viewers. I had been a little worried about nerves getting the best of them, but thankfully, everyone performed cleanly without any major mistakes. Pazijik Gallery [Wicker Town ending feels so empty ??] [Whens the next season starting?] [(Wicker Town S2) Full Closing Concert Replay] [Theyre gonna upload the collab songs officially on YouTube, right?] [Its still weird seeing Parallel and Lapits getting along.] [Whens Magias next stream?] [(VachuKR) 4th-gen Shinigami debut set for early next year.] [Anything planned for the Pazijik year-end party?] [January Tournament Schedule C Matched Tourney (Battle Colosseum?), Open Cup (Naore)] It wasnt perfect, but still. Pazijik Gallery, the platforms biggest community, was responding well. And today, the day after, while celebrating Christmas at Momos house, she had been in a great mood the entire time. The members? As usual, they were too busy laughing and showering each other with praise to focus on anything else. Still, constructive feedback was necessary. It had always been my role to cut through the celebrations with a dose of reality. After all, no one knows a streamers fate. A person who spent three years with only 100 regular viewers might suddenly blow up overnight, while someone who seemed unstoppable might crash and burn in less than a year. You all did great this year. But you also made a lot of mistakes. The CEOs in a good mood today, so she let it slide, but dont forgetIm here to remind you. As the short four-hour party came to an end and the members got ready to leave, they burst into giggles, pointing fingers at one another. Remind? Whats that? It means dumbass, you stone. Its remember, not dumbass. Pffft... Anyway, theres nowhere to go but up from here. Keep working hard. Ill continue supporting you like always. And with that, they all swarmed me again, reviving their strange native ritual of circling around me. ...What was the point of this? No matter how often it happened, I still couldnt get used to everyone treating me so casually. It made me wonderhad I really been that difficult to approach before? After today, everyone would be busy with their own schedules until the year-end party. Wed meet again then, but everyone would be running around networking, so this was a good chance to say our New Years greetings early. You all worked hard. Lets keep it up next year. Maru reached out and gently patted my cheek. Gia, you worked hard too. Looking forward to next year! The others followed one by one. Congrats on getting a year older in advance! You really went through a lot this year, unnie. Thank you so much. Gia-nim! Hehe, Merry Christmas! Thank you for everything this year~. As I waved them off, watching their taxis disappear into the night, a shiver ran through me. I had dressed too lightly. I quickly ran back inside. By the time I returned to Momos house, she had already half-cleaned up the table and turned to ask, Theyre all gone? Yes. I made sure they got into their taxis safely. Guess they didnt eat properly during Wicker Town... I didnt think theyd clear out all the food. For the first eight days, I had managed the control room, reminding them to log off and sleep. But from day nine onward, I had been too caught up in my Demon King RP to properly monitor them. At least they seemed to have slept when they needed to... But with a massive server like this, there was always that feeling of losing progress when taking a break. Koreans. Were a nation obsessed with never falling behind. Rain had taken it easy, sure, but even Dora, of all people, had been completely immersed in alchemy. Turned out, she had dominated every other alchemist in the game, rising to Grandmaster status. She even manipulated market prices and started turf wars with other professions, almost getting dragged into a court case. Now it made sense why she had slipped me those potions. She was laying the groundwork to secure my support just in case. Everyone called her a rock or an airhead, but... I was beginning to suspect Dora was actually a genius. With the Christmas party forced upon me now over, all that was left was helping clean up before heading home. As the others had moved around the couches while watching movies, I put the cushions back in place, adjusted the table, and turned off the TV. Then, I walked over to Momo, who was doing the dishes. Ill do it. You wont even reach the sink without a step stool. Two months ago, I would have argued. But I had long since accepted my height, so I sulked and backed off. I should be the one handling menial chores... Yet here I was, watching my CEO wash the dishes. That hurt a little. Still, I was a master at finding hidden tasks, so I quickly found something else to do. Wiping the table! Momo had been too focused on the dishes to clean the table yet. As I wiped it down, I noticed that Rains spot was an Nvl?g?t (Only on Nvl?g?t) absolute mess. That would make a good story for next months review stream. But before I could finish, Momo snatched the dirty rag from my hands. With her long reach, she took it so easily that it felt unfair. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. As she rinsed the cloth, she suddenly asked, By the way, is there anyone you want to meet at the year-end party? If there is, Ill make sure to introduce you. ...Meet someone? I hadnt really thought about that. Ideally, Id like to connect with the industry giants at Pazijik and build ties that would benefit our members. And if I was going to target someone, it had to be an area Momo hadnt fully explored yet. Since Momo was far more experienced than me in this field, I wouldnt get much value from just following her around. VachuVachu? Too messy because of Tarot. Lapits 1st and 2nd-gen? Would be good to strengthen ties after the collab. Movguns former pro-gamer squad? Tempting, but I dont like Movgun, so pass. Ah. Right. There was one group I couldnt ignore The Makgeolli Crew, led by Pazijiks legendary 3-million-sub Crkemang. They were older, so I wasnt sure how open theyd be to VTubers. But they hadnt shown any hostility toward our members in Wicker Town. That made them worth a shot. ...And since Momo wasnt entirely comfortable with them either, I could step in. Id like to meet Makgeolli Crew. Oh! I was actually hoping to catch up with them too. Perfect. Have you ever had a proper conversation with them? I always greet them every year, but... theyre old-timers, so its hard to find common ground. Figured as much. Anyway, if theres anyone else youre curious about, just tell me. I know 80% of the people attending. Damn. Momo really had put in the work over the years. She was always working hard. ...To the point that she barely streamed. I worried about how little shed stream once 2nd-gen debuted. Right now, she at least streamed 2-3 times a week. But with the new recruits, shed probably drop to once a week at most. ...Poor Mongmongs. They were going to starve. *** Of course, even if the Mongmongs wither away, Ill be just fine. Because who has the privilege of spending a Tuesday afternoon shopping alone with the CEO? Me. And not just any shopping tripthis was an exclusive chance to see Momos casual fashion. At work, she always stuck to business attireblazers, skirts, and formal twin sets. But when she went to a PC cafe? or, like today, to a shopping mall, her outfits were completely different. She arrived two minutes before our meeting time. And once againimpeccable styling. I had to admire it. Winter fashion at its peak: A padded coat, sweater, and jeans. As I squinted at her like some fashion critic and nodded in approval, Momo let out a short laugh. You look like a runway judge. This outfit demands an evaluation. Oh? But I just threw this on like usual. She said that but then suddenly stared at me intently. ...Wait. You did change, right? Youre not wearing the exact same thing as two days ago, are you? Since becoming Magia, I had stuck to the fashion choices of my previous self. Shopping for clothes? Too much hassle. Too much time wastedI could be watching streams instead. After two months, that laziness had just become... my style. At work, I rotated through identical shirts and skirts from the same brand. (The decorations varied slightly, but they were basically clones.) My casual outfits? Seasonally pre-selected. Right now, in cold winter weather, my standard was: A fleece-lined hoodie that covered two-thirds of my body.Thermal leggings.I changed everything except the coat and scarf. ...The colors are exactly the same, though. I own multiple of the same design. I dont repeat the same clothes. Right... well, thats a relief at least. Was my reputation that bad? Had I been dragging down the average fashion score of Momos fanbase this whole time...? I should probably start caring a little. At least when it came to casual wear. Work outfits? Who cares? But my casual wardrobe... maybe a bit of variety wouldnt hurt. Not that I needed a whole collectionI barely went out anyway. But having at least three outfits per season would probably be a good idea. There was just one problem. I knew nothing about clothes. My entire wardrobe was the epitome of simplicity. That meant the best course of action was to leave everything to Momo, the undisputed expert. I dont really know anything about fashion, so... Ill just buy whatever you recommend. ...Seriously? Youll let me pick whatever I want? Yes. I have no clue what Im doing anyway. Hm. Really...? Momo gave me a once-over, then pursed her lips and started typing something into her phone. Then A sly smile I had never seen before crept across her face. A dangerous smile. ...You said it yourself, right? That youre leaving everything to me? Chapter 84 Momo''s excitement was evident in every step she took. I have so many ideas. How many outfits should I put together? She was saying that even though her mind was already overflowing with concepts, she would only pick the best ones. ...What the hell. She sounded like someone who had been analyzing my wardrobe for ages, waiting for the day she could finally fix it. And not only was she thrilled, there was also a weird sense of relief in her expression. Was my monotonous fashion that painful for someone stylish like her? Still, if we spent the whole day shopping, we wouldnt have much time to hang out afterward. So, I stuck to my original plan. Three outfits should be enough. Three. Got it. Lets go. I had thought we might grab a coffee first, take our time a little. But Momo wasnt interested in wasting even a second. Her long legs moved with purpose, and I had to take quick, short steps to keep up. Not that I complained. I was always the one following wherever she went, anyway. We had nearly made a full loop around the large, figure-eight-shaped shopping mall when Here. Momo marched straight into a store as if she were possessed. At first, the entrance looked just like any other clothing store, so I didnt think much of it. But then ...Wait. This is a childrens clothing store. For a moment, I was thrown off by how stylish the clothes lookedprobably meant to appeal to kids who wanted to dress older. But in the end, the real customers here were parents, so most of the outfits were still adorably cute. I tugged at Momos sleeve, demanding an explanation. This is a kids store. Youre a kid. I am not. Height-wise? You are. She ignored my indignant glare and turned to the store employee. Excuse me, can we try this on? The fitting rooms are over there. Thanks. Lets go. Wait. Hold on! Before I could even protest, Momo dragged me into the dressing room and shut the door. You said it yourselfyoure leaving everything to me. I didnt say you could dress me like a child! Its just technically kids clothing. Im just picking what suits you best. Besides, really petite people do shop here. The fit is better. ...Is that so? If you buy regular-sized clothes, they never fit right. They just look sloppy. Trust me. ...Huh. Suddenly, I understood why my past self had always stuck to business suits despite growing more comfortable at work. Sure, it was partly because rotating a few outfits was easier than constantly switching styles. But more than that... It was because I hated being treated like a kid in a corporate setting. I had worked my way up as a professional, but people still saw me as some tiny office junior. So I had forced that message through my clothing. I am an adult. Dont underestimate me. ...But, whatever. I had already promised Momo Id go along with this. And at this point, arguing would take more effort than just trying it on. Its just casual wear anyway. I barely wear casual clothes as ? Nvl?ht ? (Dont copy, read here) it is. Plus, Momo would definitely pick at least one formal outfit for the Pazijik year-end party. ...So, uh. Where the hell do I even start putting this on? *** Momo would be lying if she said she didnt have ulterior motives in taking charge of Magias styling today. After all, who was Magia? She was practically the companys only source of cuteness. A tiny girl walking around an office full of stoic adults naturally stood out. And when that tiny person was adaptable, thoughtful, and easygoing, it was only inevitable that she became the de facto mood maker. She was so effective at de-escalating conflicts that even when two people were on the verge of a shouting match, Magia showing up alone was enough to shift the mood toward reconciliation. Something about her presence made people smileand maybe even feel a little guilty for making her come running, leading them to resolve things amicably. Even when she skipped company dinners, conversations about her never stopped. And the number one topic? Magias fashion. Everyone wonderedwhat would Magia look like without her usual business attire? Of course, Momo was the only one who had actually seen Magia in casual clothesafter all, they had gone to PC cafe?s together a few times. And that was when she had realized... Magia had zero fashion sense. She had assumed Magia clung to business suits for some deep, personal reason. But no. It was obvious now. She just had no idea what to wear. So, she simply defaulted to the safest option. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. As someone who took casual fashion very seriously, Momo couldnt ignore this. Her mission today was clear: Find the outfit that suited Magia best.Get her something formal for the Pazijik year-end party.Pick an everyday outfit shed feel comfortable in.Yes, she was following her primal instincts as a fashion queen. But fashion, like all forms of creation, required strong desires. And when that raw passion was restrained just enough to incorporate practical elements, the result would be perfection. Thusthe birth of the most adorable Magia in existence. "This is insane." Momo, adjusting Magias outfit as she stepped out of the dressing room, was speechless. All she had done was layer a pinafore dress over her fleece-lined leggings, pair it with a thick blouse and a knit sweater, and yet The parents shopping in the store kept glancing at Magia. They were probably taking notes, thinking of dressing their own kids the same way. After snapping several pictures, Momo turned to Magia and said, Wow. With a proper outfit, you look like a completely different person. Magia walked over to the mirror and tilted her head. Then she turned back to Momo and said something infuriating. It doesnt feel that different from before. ...Are you serious? Its completely different. I dont see it. Thats because youre a fashion idiot. Here, were buying this now. Youre wearing it out. ...Wait, right now? The outfit came out to around 150,000 won, but Momo casually swiped her card. She then grabbed the paper bag containing Magias discarded hoodie. Why are you paying for my clothes? Magia frowned. Why? Im not allowed to buy my employee clothes? Magia snatched the receipt from Momos hand and muttered the amount under her breath. ...Yeah. She was absolutely planning to donate twice that amount next time Momo streamed. Of course, if she said it out loud, shed get a flick to the forehead and a lecture, so she kept her mouth shut. Second Store: Formal Wear Naturally, Momo took her to another kids brand. Magias face darkened. ...I had no idea childrens clothing had so much variety. Well, obviously. They have to appeal to as many parents as possible. Lets go. ...Yeah, I guess, especially in a low birth rate era, theyd have to sell at least three outfits per kid just to break even. Yah! Why do you say things like that?! Despite her deadpan complaints, the moment Magia changed into the next outfit, the same thing happened People stared. Since Christmas had just passed, the mall was full of parents and kids on holiday leave, and some of them even whispered to each other while looking at her. Momo also overheard the occasional comment like, Wow, that mom looks so young! ...Well. Being mistaken for Magias mom wasnt important right now. What was important was the fact that she had managed to find a perfect look for this hopeless fashion disaster. Momo put together a pleated skirt that flared out nicely, paired it with a lightly decorated blouse, a ribbon tie, and, for the finishing touch A beret. The outfit was complete. But within minutes, Magia ripped the beret off, complaining it felt suffocating. Then, she frowned. ...This looks like a school uniform. Its not a uniform. It definitely looks like one. If Im just going to wear this, why not stick to my usual work attire? A fair argument, butthere was a problem. Work attire Magia looked like a child cosplaying an office worker. People at the company were used to it by now, but outsiders still occasionally asked, Why is there a kid in the office? Ironically, this outfit, which resembled a school uniform, actually made her look older. By dressing her in a balanced 10s aesthetic, her perceived age went up. Momo wanted to explain all this, but she wasnt sure if she could convince Magia with just words. So, she fell back on their earlier agreement. You promised to wear whatever I picked. ...Hmph. Even though Magia narrowed her eyes in suspicion, she reluctantly complied. With that settled, they moved on to the third and final outfit. Final Stop: Casual Wear Since Magia loved casual clothing, Momo let her keep it simple. Loose-fitting pants.A fleece-lined round-neck sweater.A matching scarf to complete the set.Shopping finally finished. The moment Magia put on the comfortable pants, her mood instantly improved. Which meant... Momos shopping strategy had worked perfectly. As they sat down on a bench near the mall fountain, Momo asked, So? Do you like the clothes we bought? If I said no, youd split my skull open, so I have no choice but to like them. Anyone listening would think I beat you every day. You only get flicked when you mess with me It was a joke. I trust your sense of fashion. I know you picked well. ...This little Ahh! No violence! Magia laughed as she darted away on her short legs. She was shockingly fast in pants compared to a skirt. After a brief chase, they finally settled back onto the bench. Then, Magia casually said, Well, since you did my winter wardrobe, Ill leave spring, summer, and fall to you too. ...So youre just going to get free fashion consulting every season? Its not free. Itll all come back to you through donations. ...Aigoo. Momo sighed into her palm but couldnt help but chuckle. *** Two days later, on December 28thone day before the year-end partyI got a message from Iona. She must not have known I usually slept until noon because she had tried calling me twiceonce at 10 AM and again at 12 PM. [Iona: Gia-nim] [Iona: Could you let me know when youre available to talk?] [Iona: I have something to ask you.] So, after finishing my morning routine, slinging my bag over my shoulder, and putting in my earbuds, I called her back. Most VTubers had similar sleep schedules and work hours, so by 2 PM, she should definitely be awake. Iona-nim, can you hear me? She answered like someone who had just escaped a near-death experience. [Whew... I was worried you blocked me.] ...? Why would I do that? [Well, I mean... Were from different companies, and Ive been reaching out a lot... I figured if it was annoying, you might have.] This person. She looked perfectly normal on the outside, but she was so weirdly twisted inside. I had suspected as much when she refused the settlement bonus in Wicker Town. And considering how obsessively she divided people into groups, she had probably been betrayed by someone in the past. I dont block people without telling them why. Thats just standard practice when youve been a manager as long as I have. [Ah... I see.] If you ban someone without an explanation, all that happens is your CEOs inbox gets flooded, and the companys official email starts getting spammed. Of course, even when you do explain, sometimes that still happens. [Hah... Sounds rough.] So, whats up? Iona hesitated for a moment before answering. [Its nothing big. I just wanted to ask if youre coming to the year-end party tomorrow. If you are, Id like to at least stop by and say hello.] I havent told anyone Im going. Did word get out? [Not exactly. Its just that Parallels official channel is a Pazijik partner, right? Even if youre not technically the channel owner, I couldnt see a reason why Pazijik wouldnt invite you.] ...Impressive deduction. Well, this was why she still held Lapits top spot. Youre right. I got an invitation, so I figured Id go. Good chance to network and promote our members more. [I thought so. That sounds like you, Gia-nim. In that case, Ill come find you tomorrow.] And how exactly do you plan to find me? [Its just a hotel banquet hall, right? Its all on one floor. Ill figure it out.] I tilted my head slightly. ...Do you even know what I look like? Ionas response made me facepalm on instinct. [Serena says shell recognize you instantly.] Since Maru and Serena were close, my name had probably come up in conversation. I wasnt particularly annoyed that Maru had talked about meit wasnt like I was a VTuber trying to keep my real appearance secret. But I was in a sour mood, mostly because of my recent shopping trip with Momo. It felt like no matter where I went, people always expected me to stand out just because I looked like a tiny kid. ...If she finds me on the first try, Ill buy you both pizza. Chapter 85 4 PM, the Next Day. Just as I finished getting ready for the year-end party, I got a call from Seung-yeon, who was relaxing at home. [I''m so jealous!] Really? [Of course! It sounds like it''s going to be so much fun. There''ll be so many famous streamers there, plus the Bachuu KR VTubers will be attending... Ugh, I''m seriously jealous! You have to tell me all about it afterward, okay?!] Bachuu KR is... Never mind. Got it. Ill tell you everything tomorrow and the day after. Year-end and New Year''s are going to be hell for you, so just get some good rest. [Yes! Have a safe trip!] For some reason, she seemed more excited about me going than I was. But no matter how others saw it, for me, this was basically a business tripjust another work meeting. I had to stay focused. A lot was riding on this. Sliding my phone into my coat pocket, I stepped into the flats I had left by the entrance. They were part of the outfit I had put together for today, but it was my first time wearing them. Not wanting to risk any blisters, I had preemptively stuck some band-aids on my heels. When it comes to work, you have to be fully prepared. Beep. The door locked behind me as I stepped out into the cold December air. The sharp winter wind cut through my legs. The first snow would probably fall soonnatures way of announcing the true arrival of winter. I let out a slow breath, watching the misty vapor drift away, then started walking toward the subway station. Bzzzt. My phone vibrated in my pocket. Hello, boss. [Are you really coming separately? The others are dying to see you.] Id rather not be trapped in a car and tortured. Ill go on my own. The speakerphone must have been on, because chaos erupted on the other end. [No, turn on video! I wanna see what youre wearing!] [Unnie, me too! Hurry up.] [Calm down, everyone...] [Holy parking seat... Let me sleep!] Ill see you all later. I hung up immediately. Even over the phone, they were terrifying. After getting absolutely wrecked by those four during the Christmas party a few days ago, I had already hit my limit with the first-gen members. And another round of verbal torture in a cramped car? That would be hell. *** One Hour Later, Somewhere in Gangnam. The hotel lobby was packed. The entrance queue to the banquet hall was ridiculously long, winding like a snake through the corridor. It wasnt getting any shorter eitherjust growing longer and clogging up the passageway. Since I needed my boss to enter, I decided to wait in the lobby instead. It mightve seemed boring, but YouTube is always a reliable friend. Besides, if I looked around, there was actually quite a lot to see. First, familiar faces. It was already surprising enough to see people I knew in a place like this. But the fact that some of them were people I had recently played with on the server? Even weirder. At a glance, I could already spot fourMovgun, Ronze, Lupko, and Kamik. The fact that I only noticed the guys was probably because I rarely watched female cam streamers. I only followed VTubers, and anything red pill got instantly erased from my memory. Anyway, I watched them for a bit, just out of curiosity. Second, beautiful women who naturally drew attention. Everyone here had a strong sense of style, just like my boss. It made for an interesting sight. Since I had gotten smaller, I didnt feel as self-conscious looking around, so I openly stared. My appearance was harmless enough that even when I made eye contact with someone, they just chuckled. Right now, every person who met my gaze was giggling and sneaking glances my way. ...Seeing them smile so beautifully somehow put me in a good mood. And that person over therewhat an incredible cosplay. Maybe I should casually ask for a picture later. As I got lost in sightseeing, a thought hit me. "Im not uncomfortable like before." How long had it been since I could just stand in a crowded place without caring about peoples eyes on me? I used to instinctively search for a corner whenever I was in a crowd. Maybe spending time with my boss and the members had toughened me up, because right now, I was standing pretty far from the walls. Still, I wasnt that far. And lets be realif I hadnt been hiding behind this cardboard cutout, things wouldve been very different. If I had a camera on, broadcasting live... Well, with 50,000 people watching the official stream, at least some of them wouldve recognized me and come running. Of course, peace didnt last long. Lupko, who had been chatting and hovering around the entrance queue with the others, suddenly turned toward me. If that had been the end of it, fine. But then he started looking around, saying something, and the next thing I knew, Movgun and Ronze were also staring in my direction. Only Kamik, who wasnt that close to me, tilted his head in confusion. Thankfully, they didnt come over. But we werent that far apart, so I clearly heard what Lupko muttered. "Isnt that Magia?" To my surprise, Movgun actually saved me. "Dude, you really dont know VTubers, huh? No one makes their cutout look exactly like themselves." "...Yeah, guess that makes sense?" If I had reacted even slightly, I wouldve been caught on the spot. Wait, was Eona actually right? Was I really that easy to recognize? Dora had said my cutout looked a lot like me. And I had thought it resembled me too. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. But still... shouldnt it be impossible to tell at first glance? Especially since I wasnt even wearing the cutouts usual work outfit today. This was making me uneasy. I had to pretend I didnt hear a thing. The second I gave myself away, theyd swarm me. Sure, once the members arrived, itd all be over anyway. But having them as a shield made a huge difference. In a large, crowded space like this, I could use my allies as coverdodging, escaping, and hiding. Just like in Battle Colosseum. Cover, shoot, run. Hide, then strike again. After naturally drifting toward the corner and waiting for about 20 minutes, the entrance line had thinned considerably, and the area in front of the doors was starting to clear. The four-person group that included Movgun had somehow expanded to ten, and they all entered the banquet hall as soon as the line quieted down. Figuring it was about time for my boss to arrive, I pulled out my phone and started heading in that directiononly for someone to suddenly step in front of me. Their gaze wasnt angry, per se, but the sharp, upturned corners of their eyes made it clear they had a strong personality. Distinct, well-defined features. And violet-colored eyesprobably colored contacts. If that had been all, I wouldve just thought, Oh, pretty person, and moved on. But then I saw the earrings. A round little character, with + and - symbols on its head like horns. It was Plmadan, Eonas fan mascot, dangling from a small hoop. Thats when I realized. They had recognized me first. And since there was a pizza on the line, I decided to keep my mouth shut. Eona spoke first. "Found you. It is you, isnt it?" Who are you? "Wow, youre really going to pretend you dont know me?" She leaned in, whispering in my ear. "Its you, Gia. Your voice is basically a fingerprint." Congratulations. Your prize is a pineapple pizza, and you have no right to refuse. ...Ill send you the gift card when I get home. "Oh wow. Thanks in advance." * Actually, Eona had already been inside the year-end party hall. But while her peers and juniors were off socializing and making connections, she had been stepping out to the lobby every so often, standing near the entrance, scanning the crowd. She had something important to do. She needed to meet Magia. [Team Leader Yeon Sung-mook: If you see Gia, bring her straight to the table.] [Team Leader Yeon Sung-mook: I dont have much time, so I just want to thank her before I leave.] [Eona: Understood.] Originally, she had just planned to personally thank Magia. But then, out of nowhere, right before heading to the party, the operations team leader had contacted her. Apparently, thanks to Magias mentions of Lapits in the Wicker server, Serena had gained a ton of traction, and the entire group had benefited from it. The company wanted to express their gratitude. So Eona had been keeping an eye out, waiting for Magia to arrive. And then, she spotted someone. Among the sea of people, there was one person noticeably smaller than the rest. Just in case, she walked up and spoke to them. And the deadpan, office-worker tone that came back? That confirmed it. It was definitely Magia. "How much detail did Maru even give you?" "Not much... She just said you looked exactly like your cutout." Magia nodded in understanding. Even she had to admit itshe did look like her cutout. "Anyway, your eyes are really interesting. You kind of look foreign." "Its from my great-grandfather." "Wait, your great-grandfather was a foreigner?" "Yeah. My great-grandfather was American. But were Korean." As they chatted, a man emerged from the banquet ?N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t? hall, adjusting his tie and smoothing down his suit. Eona gestured toward him. "Sorry for the sudden request, but our operations team leader wanted to personally thank you while he had the chance. I just found out about it myself, so I couldnt give you a heads-up earlier. Would it be alright if I introduced you now?" Oh. Of course. But... thanks? "Its for what you did on the Wicker server. You helped us out." Ah. Magia found it a bit odd. Had repeating Lapits'' name really been that helpful? Or was this actually a warning about her other Wicker activitieslike tormenting Eona with Maou Castles cursed content? Still, this was an industry meeting that normally wouldnt happen so easily. Following the PR teams advice, she took out a business card. As expected, the approaching team leader did the same. A smooth, synchronized business card exchange. [VIRDESS] [Operations Team Leader, Yeon Sung-mook] Lapits was under a general entertainment agency that also managed singers and celebrities. It was a little different from Parallel, which was purely a VTuber company. But seeing that Operations Team Leader title, and the thin-framed glasses... It reminded her of Kang Ji-ho. It felt oddly familiar. Without thinking, Magia extended her hand, and Yeon Sung-mook instinctively shook it. After the handshake, he turned to Eona. "Eona, could you step away for a moment? Id like to speak privately with Ms. Magia." "Right now?" "Its an important discussion." "Oh, uh... sure. Ill just go get some fresh air." "Thanks. I appreciate it." As soon as Eona left, Sung-mook looked around. Like someone checking for eavesdroppers. "First of all, thank you for looking out for Serena on the Wicker server." "Oh, dont mention it. I just helped a little since she and Merisha were struggling." "And also... for promoting Lapits while acting as the Demon King." I wouldnt call it promotion, but sure. Though, now that she thought about it... Why had Eona been asked to step away for this? Was this where the real conversation started? Had the Lapits potion actually been an attempt to get rid of her? Was Maou Castle 4Fs blackmail-tier footage the real issue? Just as Magia was about to ask, Sung-mook spoke first. "Weve been watching your activities on the server for a while now. And its clear to us that you have a natural talent for broadcasting." ...Huh? "Your voice is pleasant to listen to. Your impressions are flawless." ...Uh. Thanks?" "So I have to askhave you ever considered debuting as a VTuber?" Magia blinked. Once. Twice. Then asked in return. ...Me? Chapter 86 "So, have you ever considered debuting as a VTuber?" Magia blinked. Once. Twice. Then, after a long pause, she asked back. "...Me?" "Yes, Ms. Magia, this is an offer for you." Even after hearing it a second time, Magia stalled. It was too absurd. Was this the kind of thing that was supposed to happen to her? Legally speaking, Yeon Sung-mook wasnt doing anything wrong. If Magia had already been a VTuber, this kind of approach could have started an all-out corporate war. But she was just a regular office worker. So technically, there were no tampering issues. But morally? That was another ? Nvl?ht ? (Dont copy, read here) question. The guy was being way too bold, but at the end of the day, this was straight-up an employee poaching attempt. And the timing? Impeccable. After the Wicker Town closing ceremony, where Parallel had performed alongside their competitors, it was the perfect momentwhen their guard was down. Did they really think this would work? Obviously, Magia had zero intention of accepting. She joined Parallel because she wanted to help Cheon Do-hee. She started managing streams because she wanted the company to succeed. She had even discussed with the CEO about running a dedicated operations team for major collaborations and tournaments. If she ever debuted, it would be under Parallelwith Do-hees approval. A Lapits debut? Maybe if they offered a 10-billion-won contract. Then she might think about it. But there was another thing that nagged at her. Why me? Lapits was part of VIRDESS, an entertainment agency that had expanded into the VTuber industry. It wasnt some small-time company. They had a top-ranking girl group under their management. In the world of performing arts, they were a big deal. Even Magiawho often claimed, "Parallel can compete with Bachuu in singing"had to admit that when it came to dance and performance, Parallel was at a disadvantage. One look at Lapits 3D showcases said it all. Flawless choreography. Perfect synchronization, even in intense routines. It was practically idol-tier. And that company was now trying to recruit her? She had never even shown her physical movement skills on a stream. And yet, they were saying, "Just join us, and well make it work." Were they really that confident that they could turn a complete non-dancer into a performer? It wasnt impossible. Unlike Parallel, which had to hire outside vocal and dance instructors, VIRDESS probably had a full staff of in-house trainers. Yeah... their scale is definitely bigger than ours. Not many people are born with the perfect combination of singing, dancing, and broadcasting talent. And a big companys strength is that they dont need those rare prodigies. They can train their people into top-level entertainers. If Parallel couldnt close that development gap, no matter how much they grew, they might eventually lose out in the long run. With that in mind, Magia decided to probe for more information. "Why me? Im really not that talented..." "As I said, you have a natural talent for broadcasting." Yeon Sung-mook leaned forward slightly. "Your voice is extremely pleasant to listen to. Your impressions are on another level. You havent really sung properly on stream before, but..." He smiled. "Your rapping skills are already proven, arent they?" Ah. Find Rain. During that event, Magia had mimicked Rains rap flawlessly. But that was a one-time thing. And it wasnt like she had performedshe had just copied Rain exactly. Magia didnt really consider that an impressive feat. But Sung-mook saw it differently. To him, Magia was already a half-polished gem. "We can provide full-scale training. Vocal lessons, performance coaching, everything. As you might know, VIRDESS started as a general entertainment agency. Singing is a given, but we also ensure our talents achieve top-tier dance performance skills." In short, they were saying, "Just bring yourself. Well do the rest." That level of confidence was actually impressive. If Cheon Do-hee had made this kind of proposal, the first-gen members would definitely have gossiped about it behind her back. Do-hee treated them like family because her debut motto had always been, "Lets work together to reach the top." But for Magia, this was a wake-up call. Now that she had identified Parallels weak point, she could advise Do-hee on how to fix it. Of course, there was a good chance the management already knew and simply had no viable solutions. But reminding them from time to time could still be helpful. Do-hee did take Magia seriously whenever she spoke with conviction. As Magia mulled over these thoughts, she took just a second too long to respond And Sung-mook grinned. Shes almost convinced. At that exact moment, their thoughts were in complete opposition. From his experience, if someone didnt refuse outright, there was a high chance theyd accept later. "Im sure youll need time to think it over." That was enough for now. Trying to push harder could create problems. After all, this was a competitors employee. No need to attract too much attention. "Lets leave it here for today. Take your time, and let me know." "Oh, uh" "Well then, enjoy the rest of the year. And Happy New Year. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me via the number on my card." And just like that, Sung-mook left. Without even waiting for a response. Magia, still staring at his retreating figure, absentmindedly fiddled with the business card in her hand. "...I didnt even properly reject him." Well. She could just think of it as acquiring an industry contact. Magia had always been holed up in the office with almost zero interaction with people from other companies. This was a rare opportunity. And since Sung-mook seemed to think highly of her, maybe she could squeeze some useful information out of him. The employee-poaching attempt was annoying, sure. But if she played it smart, she could milk him for intel instead. Too bad for him. If he was going to make a move, he had picked the worst possible person to try it on. A little later, Eona reappeared, her heels clicking sharply against the floor as she approached. "Why did that take so long? How much thanking was he doing?" "Thanking?" "Yeah. He told me he wanted to express his gratitude too, so I set up this meeting." "Ah." "By the way... didnt he prepare some kind of gift? He mentioned it earlier." Magia decided to believe Eona had nothing to do with this. Their stories didnt match. Which meant Eona had probably been used by Sung-mook. Back when they first met on Wicker Town, Eona had been wary and somewhat confrontational. Magia had wondered if she had ulterior motives. But no. She was just a rookie VTuber. Still young enough to have dreams. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. No need to drag her into the corporate nonsense of jaded adults. Just as Magia was about to speak, Eona suddenly asked "Wait. Tell me honestly. Did he try to recruit you?" Sharp as ever. Magia responded instantly. "No way. If he had any sense, he wouldnt try to scout a competitors employee." ...Honestly, Sung-mook was insane for doing exactly that. He probably had his reasons, but still. But Eona wasnt backing down. "You need to tell me the truth. That way, I can report this to my company and make sure they never pull this again." Magia sighed and adjusted her tone. "It wasnt anything like that. We just talked about our VTuber careers." "VTuber careers...?" "Yeah. I told him your debut stream was cute." Eonas face instantly turned bright red. "HIIIKARE YOU CRAZY?!" *** As soon as Eona was sent back into the banquet hall, my boss arriveddragging the members along. Even in a sea of people, they stood out. Some of the streamers outside recognized them immediately, likely because they already knew their red pill identities, and came over to greet them. And as expected, I paid the price for escaping the car ride. "Gia, can Pino and I use this look for your new outfit design?" "Who is this? Is this really Gia?" "This is supposed to be Gia-unnie? No way." "Always dressing like this from now on. Good." They really saw me as nothing more than a doll. Pinching my cheeks, patting my head, pulling me into hugs. If my boss hadnt stopped them, my carefully put-together outfit wouldve been completely ruined before I even entered. After ushering the members inside, I lined up at the back of the queue with my boss. Since my presence at the event needed official verification, I had to be acknowledged as Assistant Manager Magiathe same one who had streamed on the official channel. As my boss pulled out our assigned tickets, she spoke up. "You know, I had a thought on the way here." "What kind of thought?" "If I just let you roam around in here... someone might try to recruit you out of nowhere." Her instincts were as sharp as everjust a little late. "No way." "Come on. This place is mostly for partner streamers, sure. But look at meIm both a VTuber and a company CEO. And there are plenty of others here who run MCNs just like I do." She glanced at my outfit, scanning me from head to toe, then suddenly smacked her forehead. "You werent supposed to dress up like this today..." "Whats the problem now?" "Just had a horrifying thought. The moment some facecam-focused MCN sees you, theyre going to want to debut you." "Oh, sure." She narrowed her eyes. "...Youre not even denying it this time? You used to go on and on about how you werent qualified to debut." "I just didnt bother arguing. I still think the same way." "......" After a moment of silence, she crossed her arms. "Dont leave my side tonight." "That would ruin my networking efficiency. Its like downgrading from a dual-core to a single-core processor." "No. Stay close. Im getting a bad feeling about this." I rolled my eyes. She definitely wouldnt relax until she saw how people reacted to me in the banquet hall. As if Id actually accept a debut offer just because someone made one. I had already turned down a VTuber debut. A facecam career? Even less likely. But the moment we stepped inside, something happened that only amplified her concerns. The four guys I had deliberately avoided earlier. Movgun, Ronze, Lupko, and Kamik. "Oh, Momo." "Damn it. So it was Magia. See, I told you, man!" "This is actually real?" My boss had been in this industry for six years. At this point, most people in the scene already knew the red pill identities of VTubers. So Movgun and Lupko immediately recognized her. And Lupko, who had suspected me from the start... "Well, well. Good timing. Come with me." Didnt hesitate to grab me. Momo, startled, shot back. "What? Why so sudden?" "Lend her to me for a second, noona. Weve got somewhere to be." Sensing a networking opportunity, I instinctively moved to follow. Only to be yanked back by my boss, her grip locking onto the back of my neck. "Where are you taking her? Explain first." "Jeez, anyone would think shes your kid or something. Or are you trying to keep her as your forever-manager?" "Hey!" "Ow, ow!" Even while getting smacked by my boss, Lupko laughed. "Relax, its just that I was with the Makgeolli Crew earlier. And they said they wanted to meet Gia. Its better to go while the topics still fresh, right?" Momo and I exchanged a silent glance. Why are the seniors calling me first? Good question. But reallywho had I set my sights on as the main networking target tonight? Crkemang and the Makgeolli Crew. And here they were, reaching out to me first? This wasnt just an opportunity. This was a jackpot. "Im going. Boss, you handle your meetings." But my boss didnt look reassured at all. If I wanted her to let me go, I had to add something. "Not that it would ever happen, but... if any offers come up, Ill discuss them with you first." The Lapits proposal? Yeah, that was staying secret. Right now, the Parallel and Lapits members were getting along. If that news broke, not only would it trigger a corporate war, but the forums would explode. And guess who would have to deal with the fallout in chat moderation? Me. Absolutely not. I also didnt want my boss to be affectedso Id handle it myself. Momo pouted for a few seconds, then sighed and let go of my collar. "Fine. Just be careful." Chapter 87 The truth was, Cheon Do-hee had already gotten close to figuring things out. ...I just had this thoughtwhat if someone suddenly tries to recruit you out of nowhere? She hadnt said that randomly. She had already heard things. [Eona: It seems like our operations team leader made some kind of proposal to Gia.] [Eona: I figured just saying it wouldnt be enough, so I recorded my conversation with her.] [Eona: Im still not completely sure, so please listen and decide for yourself.] [Eona: (Audio Recording 202412290001)] [Eona: I think competition is natural, but I dont want people to start fighting over stuff like this...] Magia had denied it. But there had definitely been some kind of offer. After all, Magia was someone who could easily flip a situation when corneredby going on the offensive and escaping cleanly. And if she had deliberately poked at Eonas weak spot to render their conversation invalid? That was as good as confirmation. Before arriving at the venue and meeting Magia, Do-hee had also contacted Kang Ji-ho to ask about Yeon Sung-mook. And the response was interesting. [Kang Ji-ho: Yeon Sung-mook? Oh, so thats where he ended up. Hes with Lapits now?] You know him? [Yeah. When he was at VIRDESS, he was a pretty well-known recruiter. He was really good at talking girls into signing contractshis numbers were great.] [But then he messed up somehow, and they basically shoved him over to Lapits. Feels like a demotion. And him becoming an operations team leader? Probably just to keep him inside because he kept screwing up in the field.] ...What if his "mess-up" had been something exactly like this? Not illegal tampering, but an ethically questionable recruitment attempt. If it stayed under wraps, it would be considered an aggressive but successful poaching move. But if it got exposed? It could tank the companys image. It was a high-risk, high-reward strategy. And a particularly sly one. After all, how many people would immediately think to record a conversation the moment they received a sudden debut offer? If Parallel took this to Lapits leadership, it could easily turn into a messy, drawn-out battle with no solid proof. And what if Sung-mooks boss was in on it? That would escalate things into an all-out war. Publicizing the issue wasnt an option. Even if Parallel won, theyd take collateral damage from people accusing them of dragging public opinion into corporate disputes. Do-hee considered another possibility. What if Gia had deliberately shut things down to prevent the situation from escalating? She was a little annoyed that Gia hadnt told her, despite promising to discuss anything important. But knowing her... Shed probably rather contain the damage than let things spiral into a Lapits vs. Parallel disaster. ...Ill wait until Yeon Sung-mook tries again. Even if the company heads wanted to settle this quietly, they still needed hard proof. For now, the best move was to be patient. If Gia was thinking along the same lines, she wouldnt block Sung-mooks next approach. And that would be the perfect time to catch him in the act. Or maybe... Gia would just handle it herself. Cheon Do-hee trusted that Magia would never leave Parallel. ...But. That past conversationwhen Gia had mentioned quittingstill lingered in her mind. [Me: Eona.] [Me: If you hear anything else about this, could you let me know right away?] A little insurance wouldnt hurt. [Eona: Of course!] Thanks to Gia, they now had a direct line of communication with Lapits. But stealing core talent? Absolutely not. *** "So, uh... I kind of just blurted out informal speech earlier. Mind if I just talk casually?" Lupko suddenly stopped in the middle of the walkway and turned to me, asking out of nowhere. It wasnt that he had bad mannersit was just that, at a glance, I really looked like a kid. Even I questioned it whenever I looked in the mirror while getting ready for work. "How is this body twenty-four years old?" If I thought that, then what about other people? And today, I had been fully styled by Momo herself. If someone actually saw me as a full-grown adult, that would be the weird part. Anyway, Lupko was a year older than me, so I didnt really care either way. "Go ahead." "Hey, hey, you should drop the formal speech too. Itd feel weird if its just me talking casually." "Speaking formally is basically my passive skill... Besides, were not even friends, so suddenly switching to informal speech feels a bit odd, doesnt it?" "Did you already forget the deep bond we formed as debtor and creditor?" "That was a bond?" "Damn it. I even took on a bad-credit status just to prove our friendship." "...That was just so you could borrow money you werent going to pay back." "For such a tiny thing, you sure have sharp instincts." For the record, Lupko was not someone I needed to be wary of. Unlike Movgun, who could be a strategic opponent, Lupko was a chaos magnet who constantly attracted sniper attacks. Someone like me, an outright turret, would just be another headache for him. Which is why he always kept his guard up around me. Even when Momo cussed him out or mocked him on stream, he still called her "noona" and treated her with a weird sense of reverence. But the flip side of that? He was big on hierarchy. So, naturally, the next thing he asked was: "So, how old are you?" "Twenty-four." "Yeah, okay. Like hell you are." "I am twenty-four. Want to see my ID?" Lupko shook his head quickly. "Whoa, whoa, calm down. No need to get all serious." "Well, you werent believing me." "I was just joking. You really startled me, thoughyou look exactly like your cutout. At first, I thought some lost kid was wandering around." We walked silently past ? Nvlight ? (Exclusive on Nvlight) a few more tables before he stopped again. Right in the middle of the banquet hall''s seating area. "Anyway, since were already talking casually, let me ask you for a favor." "What favor?" "I kinda need to make a good impression on K-Mang hyung right now. Can you back me up a bit?" I tilted my head. Yeon Sung-mook earlier, and now this? Why is everyone acting like this today? And why me, of all people? "What exactly do you expect me to do?" Lupko looked genuinely confused at my confusion. "What do you mean? The Makgeolli Crew guys are all really curious about you. That means theyre interested." Originally, I had planned to ask Momo to introduce me to K-Mang and the Makgeolli Crew. I had already raised an eyebrow when K-Mang suddenly requested to meet me. And now, while heading there with Lupko, we were having this conversation? "Why would K-Mang be interested in some random employee?" "Dude. You were a nightmare-tier Demon King. Did you forget? You literally had K-Mang hyung''s blackmail material up on Floor 4 of Maou Castle." Oh. That made my heart sink a little. Was the interest not a positive one? I mean, what would someone like K-Mang even want from a lowly office worker like me? "...Oh. Right. That happened, huh?" "See?! This is why I say perpetrators never remember! Hold onjust wait." Lupko pulled out his phone and quickly found a clip. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. And then it hit me. Right. K-Mang had been in the streamer presets for Maou Castle. The clip showed the exact moment. The one where he said: "So, VTubers are a trend these days, huh?" Before trying out a freakin axolotl cutout for his test stream. "Oh. This." "Yeah. This. How the hell do you forget what you broadcasted?" "Well... things were kind of chaotic at the time." I had been in full RP mode as the Demon King. Completely absorbed in the role, pushing the bit as far as possible. If K-Mang was upset about it, that could be bad. Maybe when Momo told him I was coming, he thought: "Magia''s gonna be there? Oh, perfect. Time to verbally obliterate her." I suddenly felt a chill run down my spine. A 3-million-subscriber YouTuber scolding me on the spot? Absolutely terrifying. "I feel like Im about to get wrecked over there." "...Wrecked? What do you mean?" "Isnt he pissed?" Lupko snorted. "What the hell are you talking about? If he was mad, why would I be asking you for help? Id just drop you off at the table and run." ...Oh. That made sense. But that also meant... K-Mang actually thinks positively of me? Even though I aired his blackmail-tier content without his consent? That didnt make sense. How was that possible? ...But then again. Maybe this was just an extension of my original theory. Ever since I became Magia, I had been enjoying certain privileges. I could mess with Momo all I wanted, and all I got in return was a flick to the forehead. I could mess with random teammates in Battle Colosseum, and almost none of them ever got truly mad. That safety net had let me loosen up more than before. Thats why I had dared to put up blackmail-tier videos of top streamers in the first place. And now... Had that actually worked in my favor? Had K-Manginstead of getting offendedjust laughed it off as funny content? If that was the case... Then this was a golden opportunity. If K-Mang already saw me in a positive light, I could scrap most of my pre-planned icebreakers. Since they were all prepared for the sake of breaking the initial awkwardness. And if my approach got easier, then helping Lupko wouldnt be a hassle, either. "Alright. So, what exactly do you want me to do?" "Oh. Baseball Manager 25 is launching soon, right? I want to collab with K-Mang for it." Baseball Manager. A brutally pay-to-win game. One so addictive that Lupko had been saying hed quit for five years straight but never actually did. And K-Mang? One of the biggest spenders on the game. This year alone, both of them had done sponsored streams for Baseball Manager 24 just a few days apart. But they had completely different energy levels. K-Mang had that calm, riverside makgeolli-drinking vibe. Lupko? More like flailing in a tsunami with nothing but his bare hands. If they wanted to collaborate, Lupko had to be the one to propose it. But he knew his image as a chaotic gremlin wouldnt make it an easy sell. "I wont ask for much. Just throw in a comment while were talkinglike, Id be curious to see you two stream together. Thats it." Ah. He wanted to use me as a shock absorber. Since K-Mang already liked me. "If something goes out, something has to come back." In Wicker Town, it didnt really matter if I didnt get the money. But in real life? There was no way I was letting someone run off with my cash. "Then, Lupko, help me out too." "What? Just say the word." "You''re not going to default on your debt this time, right?" "Hey, hey. That was just for content. I dont actually do that. What, you want me to sign a video contract or something? I, LupkoOh Seung-jongsolemnly swear to repay Magias help with my own support?" "That wont be necessary." "So? What is it? Spit it out." What else could it be? The Parallel World Cup, of course. Ever since Mugeon held the Parallel World Cup, a surprising number of small indie streamers had hopped onto the Parallel Coin. Originally, the BatchuBatchu KR and Lapits World Cup dominated the scene, but this was a serious statement of intent. However, it wouldnt be easy for Lupko to handle this alone. Ideally, hed do it when he and The Mad Dogs were all gathered together. Instead of multiple people splitting the event over different times, it would be far more effective to have a combined audience of 40,000 watching it all at once. Of course, I was well aware of something. Compared to what Lupko had asked of me, my request was ridiculously demanding. But you never know until you try. I mean, just look at how Lupko kept pressing me. It only made me realize more clearly that I might actually be enjoying quite a few privileges. Even though Lupko was one of the people who got humiliated by my fourth-floor exhibition of blackmail videos, here he was, being incredibly friendly. ...Hey, punk. Hurry up and say it. I might just refuse, you know? The slight upward curve at the corner of his lips had been there from the start. Despite his sharp tone, he was clearly looking at me in a favorable light. When Yeon Sung-mook showed up earlier to talk about my debut, I had a feeling today was going to be an unusual day. And if Lupko actually agreed to my request, I might just have to accept it as fact. That wherever I went as a guest, acting like a fool, it only served to help Parallel. I let out a quiet breath and calmly made my request. "Gather The Mad Dogs and do a Parallel World Cup just once." Lupko immediately raised an eyebrow. His asymmetrical expression made his face look particularly mischievous. "Hmm. Thats a tough one." "...I figured as much." A firm rejection. Yeah, that was expected. Oh well. I had always considered this a long shot. ...But Lupko didnt just end the conversation there. "Of course, its tough, idiot. The price doesnt match the effort." He tacked on an additional condition, making it clear he was still open to negotiations. "Hold on. Let me do some calculations." Lupko then pulled out his phone and started tapping away. He checked some website, searched for Match-Up Tournament details, and... After exchanging messages with someone, he finally spoke. "You know about the Match-Up Tournament, right?" "Ah, yeah. The one in mid-January? Wasn''t the main event Battle Colosseum?" "Thats just a rumor. The January tournament isnt Battle Colosseumits Combative." Combative. A hardcore military FPS where a single headshot could instantly take someone down. At the same time, it had a skill system similar to Battle Colosseum, lowering the entry barrier. Among FPS games with active leagues, Combative stood shoulder to shoulder with Battle Colosseum as one of the two major powerhouses. Up until last year, Battle Colosseum had been the primary game for the Match-Up Tournament, but with Combatives recent surge in popularity, it seemed the tournament had decided to hold it twice a year. "Join the tournament." "Huh?" "The organizers have been looking for mid-tier players to fill out the roster. Theyve been asking me if I know anyone decent. You know Serena, right? From Lapits? Shes competing too." So Lupko wanted me to participate in the Match-Up Tournament. Considering Battle Colosseum was my main game, I wasnt exactly confident... But it was still an FPS, and of course, it had shotguns. There wasnt a good reason to turn it down. But I needed to confirm something first. With only 20 available slots, I didnt want to take away someone elses opportunity just because of a favor. "Arent there plenty of other players? Why me specifically?" "Because the Naore Invitational is the following week. Everyones flocking there. It requires way more practice time, so no ones doing both." "And you need mid-tier players to balance things out?" "Exactly. Theres no one bridging the gap right now. Youre perfect for it." "Perfect? Ive barely played Combative." "But you play FPS, dont you? You already proved yourself with Battle Colosseum. They want someone like youa new face with raw talent, someone who can build a compelling narrative in a short time. The organizers want it. The viewers want it." Lupko then pointed at the name tag on my chest. "You werent originally a streamer, right? Thats why I never considered you before. But now, youre wearing that tag. That means Pazijik acknowledges you as a content creator. So, what do you say? Yes or no?" That sounded awfully similar to what the CEO had told me earlier. ...The moment I got an invitation, I was already a streamer, huh? But I wasnt the only one who streamed like this. For example, Wicker Crew, who managed the 64 Cubics mega-server, did the same thing. They worked behind the scenes for streamers, ran their own private channels, but never called themselves "streamers." They called themselves staff. So I had no intention of backing down. I might have received an invitation, but like I told the CEO earlier, a staff only moves when the CEO gives the order. "Ill ask my boss and let you know." Chapter 88 I stopped in my tracks on my way to see Crkemang and immediately called the boss to report the situation. [A competition invitation? Thats great, isnt it? Its good PR for Parallel, and youll expand your connections too.] Thats true. [And its not even Battle Colosseum, but Combative. A fresh face like you showing up is bound to draw attention. Naturally, people who dont know about Parallel will start looking it up.] The boss was saying exactly what Lupko had said earlier. Honestly, even I preferred seeing new players shine in competitions rather than the same old faces every time. ...Not that I had ever imagined myself as one of those rising stars. Anyway, that settled itLupko, the boss, and me. Three approvals confirmed. There was no doubt that my participation in the competition would be a win for Parallel. [Meet with Crkemang first, then come back with Lupko so the three of us can talk. By the way, arent you glad I brought you in? Youre amazing, Magia! You just snagged content the moment you arrived at the year-end party!] The boss was going a little too far with the praise, so I shut it down with a quick reality check. ...It just sort of happened. I was lucky. [Oh, dont be modest. Luck is a skill too. Anyway, Im hanging up now. But if anything like this comes up again, youll let me know, right~?] Yes. After ending the call, I turned to Lupko and filled him in. He let out a loud laugh, distorting his already long and, frankly, unfortunate-looking face. As expected! The boss has an eye for the bigger picture. Of course shed say yes. I tilted my head slightly. Well, lets talk more after I meet with Crkemang. Arent you entering the competition too, Lupko? Huh? The competition? Oh, no, Im not competing. Im just setting things up. ...Huh? Oh, right. I actually wanted to sit this one out for a break, but the organizers told me to bring in a replacement, so I thought of you. Damn, Im one lucky guy. Whod have thought Magia would actually take the offer? ...Wait, thats not what you said earlier. Anyway, youre filling in for me, so Ill hype you up during Parallels World Cup. Ill pump up the expectations to the max, so do your best, got it? ...Why did this feel like I just got scammed? But then again, it wasnt exactly a bad deal for me either. Lupko and the Mad Dogs Crew had a combined 3 million subscribers on YouTube. If they uploaded our teams World Cup footage, itd be massive exposure. And if anyone accused me of taking bribes, I could just point out that Lupko swapped himself out for me in the competitionjust a simple trade. No harm, no foul. Basically, Lupko had played this smart. He might bark like a mad dog on stream, but off-camera, he was a bespectacled strategist, analyzing and calculating his every move. Maybe those rumors werent so far from the truth after all. * * * So, how did the conversation with Crkemang go? Honestly, it all happened so fast that even I barely kept up. But let me break it down in chronological order. First, as soon as I arrived, I got showered with compliments. Haha! No way, is this really Magia? Are you the real deal? Hello, Crkemang. Im Assistant Manager Magia from Parallel. Never in my life did I expect to be introducing myself to you like this. Heres my business card. Wow, this is crazy. Nice to meet you. I thought you were deliberately using a cute character, but youre actually just small and adorable in real life. Youre too kind. Before long, the conversation naturally shifted to baseball, and thanks to my prior research, I managed to build rapport. Now that I think about it, its the off-season, right? Must be tough with no games to watch. Wait, you know about that? People who dont follow baseball wouldnt even realize Im bored out of my mind. I was watching your recent streams, and youve been complaining non-stop about having nothing to watch. Haha! Right, right. I always say that. Damn, those bastards. If they played games during winter, people like me would have something to watch. But nooo, they just have to take their break. I totally get it. Im a fan of my boss, after all. Oh yeah, Momo! She did that adorable act recently. Nailed it. Ugh... Anyway, my boss is so busy that she barely streams. Its torture having nothing to watch. Ah, a fellow sufferer. A comrade in content deprivation. At least I have other talents in our company to watch when shes not around. But for you, once winter hits, everyones on break, right? Even Major League Baseball? Damn, now youre roasting me too. Youre sharp. Ill take that as a compliment. Haha! As we continued discussing streaming and gaming, I found out something unexpected. Crkemang was also participating in the competition. Maybe because we were both new to Combative, we clicked pretty well. About ten minutes in, the conversation had progressed to this point: Just call me Uncle. Eh? But were only properly talking for the first time today. Nah, its fine. I hate it when people call me Oppa or Hyung. Anyone nearly ten years younger than me gets to call me Uncle. So go on, say it. ...Alright then, Uncle Crkemang. This might be a bit rude, but my kids used to be just as cute as you a few years ago. Now theyre all grown up and wont even talk to their dad anymore. Theyre so cold to me, I swear. Well, thats just how teenage daughters are. I can be your honorary niece from time to time. For Novelight real? Then how about appearing on my stream someday? Ah... I work for a VTuber company, so face reveals are a no-go. I know, I know. Just wear that VTuber mask of yours and come watch a baseball game with me. How about it? How about the opening game of the 25 season? Or would that clash with your plans with the Makgeolli Crew? Screw them. Ill book it with you first, and if they want in, they can tag along. Deal? If youre inviting me, then of course, Im in! I just need to check with my boss first. Alright! No backing out later, okay? Mark the fourth week of March on your calendar. Got it. After that, I helped Lupko set up a Baseball Manager 25 collaboration as promised, and just then, the Makgeolli Crew arrived. The funny thing was, in the short time we spent talking, Crkemang had already warmed up to me. He immediately started messing with the crew. Whered you guys find this kid? Oi, you dumbass. Where are your manners? You dont just call someone a kid to their face. Ah, uh... Sorry, I just You just seem so young. Uncle, its fine, calm down. Nice to meet you allHoppang King, Baekgeunchu, Dingsam. This is my first time seeing you in person. Pleasure to meet you. Likewise! Wow, you look just like your profile pic. Idiot, thats not a profile pic, its a character. No, but seriously, doesnt she look exactly like it? Are you blind? She does, but the real deal looks even better. Oh, my bad, Assistant Manager Magia. That was rude of me. Its no problem. I ended up so flustered that I quickly made my exit. Why were the Makgeolli Crew guys so damn friendly? This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. I had just met them today, yet it felt like I was reuniting with old drinking buddies. As I made my way back to find the boss, Lupko glanced at my worn-out expression and chuckled. Damn, you already look like a rag. Im exhausted... I dont like crowded places. Yet you still made it here. ...Yeah. It had been a chaotic day. Lapits Operations Team Leader Yeon Sung-mook had suddenly offered me a debut. Lupko had dragged me into Combative. And I had ended up making future collab plans with Crkemang. Still, I managed to secure some solid opportunities for the company. Even better, my phone had recorded my entire conversation with Yeon Sung-mook while in my pocket. I always tell my friends who are job hunting: if you work in an office, set up a hotkey to record audio with just the side button. You never know when youll need it. Of course, my exhausting day didnt end there. Holy crap. Its really Magia? Magia, wow.... When I finally found the boss, I saw that all eight members of our group and the Lapits members were gathered there. Why werent they all out mingling? Why were they all clustered together like this? A sense of unease crept up my spine, and I instinctively tried to escapebut fat chance. Rain, dressed in leather pants, sprang up and grabbed me before I could make a run for it, pulling me straight into the center of a twelve-person circle. This is insane. The tribal ritual had begun again. And this time, even Lapits was in on it. If the chaos had ended there, that wouldve been a relief. But of course, it didnt. Id heard that the first generation of Lapits consisted of people originally scouted as idols by Virdess, but redirected to the subculture scene instead. And from the looks of it, their second generation followed the same trendthey were all ridiculously good-looking. As for our team? That went without saying. One of the bosss main criteria when recruiting members was self-discipline, meaning everyone had great base-level looks, good proportions, and impeccable styling. And now, thirteen of these people were gathered in one place. And somehow, I was smack in the middle of them. What do you think that looked like to everyone else? Is that really Magia? You actually came? Look, shes identical to her avatar. No way. This is insane. Wait, whos that? The Wicker Town Demon King. Oh, that guy. The absolute menace?! Holy shit. On top of that, quite a few people had already noticed me walking across the banquet hall with Lupko earlier. I guess it wasnt surprising. Looking around, there was no one else remotely as small as me. Ionas claim that she could recognize me instantly had been forcibly proven by the sheer number of people who figured it out the moment they saw me. And once that fact was confirmed, a swarm of people came at me in waves. Luckily, Parallel and Lapits teamed up to form a double-layered protective barrier around me, but it was still overwhelming. It felt like I was a lone soldier huddling behind the walls of Fort Rose while an army of giants swarmed in. The bosss massive network of connections was not helping hereone group would leave, only for another to take their place, and then another after that. By the time I had greeted and exchanged business cards with what felt like a hundred people, I was completely drained and collapsed onto a sofa. Sis, you okay? Hey, are you still with us? Oh no, boss, Gias dead. The boss, who had already made several rounds through the banquet, clicked her tongue as she looked at me. Want to head home first? You look exhausted. ...No, Ill rest for a bit and then get back up. She crouched down next to me and whispered. You locked in a competition entry and a collab with Crkemang. What more are you trying to do? Flick. Her finger traced a gentle arc before landing squarely on my forehead. Ahh. Youve already done more than enough, so just rest. If someone important comes by, just sit up and say hello. I didnt even have the energy to respond, so I just nodded. Ugh. Completely drained. I really dont belong in places with this many people. But even though I poured all my energy into this for the company, why does it still feel like its not enough? ...Is it because of that? I secured opportunities, but every single one of them involved me directly. The benefits shouldve gone to the members, but they somehow all ended up on my plate. I couldnt just pass things off to Lupko or Crkemang, though. They were major players, and this stage of our relationship was all about trust. I just had to hope that since I opened the floodgates, the opportunities would naturally flow to the members next. I had thought bringing a hundred business cards would be excessive. But no. It was barely enough. Apparently, the number of attendees had increased a bit this year, reaching around 300. And just under a third of them had seen my face and taken my card. Among them were streamers I didnt know, industry professionals, and even complete strangers. I handed them out since they asked, but with so many people swarming around, I had no way of keeping track of who was who. ...I wonder how many will actually follow up. Time to start praying. Please, let all this effort lead to success for the boss and our first-gen members... Giaaa~ squish squish~. Gias cheeks are addictive, arent they? But just as I was about to focus on my prayer, the members kept touching my face and hair, being annoying. Maybe it was because I was already so exhausted, but I snapped before I could stop myself. Enough! I shot them a glare, my eyes sharp as an axe, and the members flinched back in shock. Maru, who was closest, looked guilty. S-sorry... We were bothering you while you were resting, huh.... It had been a long time since I had outright rejected the members like this. They all looked startled. Damn. That reaction made me realizeI was acting just like my past self. This was exactly how things used to be. Whenever I was even a little nice, they would rush in without a second thought. And since I hated rumors spreading, I would set firm boundaries with harsh words. That cycle was how the wall between me and the members had formed. Think about itimagine a big, burly man with his favorite idols squealing and clinging to him. Even if most people were fine with it, some obsessive fan out there would definitely lose their mind and go feral. It might sound like I was overthinking it, but after three years as a VTuber manager, this had become second nature. Thats why I only started approaching the members after I became small. ...Still, I didnt have to react that harshly just now. I looked at Maru, who was still watching me nervously. Its fine from tomorrow onward, but not today. If you keep touching me, Ill get mad. The members grinned mischievously in unison and flicked my forehead. What a bunch of troublemakers. Fine. Tomorrow, when the boss goes live, Im dropping a thousand-won punch donation a hundred times to get my revenge. * * * Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [Summary of Magia Sightings from Yesterdays Streams] Lupko C No more questions. She just looks like Magia. Yes.Movgun C Demon King? Shes literally just Magia. I was shocked.Kamik C Weird, huh? Its exactly that vibe. But dammit, I still didnt get to properly say hi.Crkemang C Shes adorable. We agreed shed call me Uncle.Ronze C Magia was Magia. Thats the only way to put it.Lapits Members C Cute! (Literally all of them said this. The only difference was adding super, totally, or similar words before it.) ... Why does everyone say the exact same thing? Pazibell, so what does Magia actually look like?!!!! [Comments] Parallel351: They said she looks like her avatar. ? Parallel034 (OP): You believe that? LOL ? Parallel252: I mean, it could be true? ? Parallel034: Theyre obviously just covering for her. ? Parallel034: They did the same thing last year when people asked about first-gen members. Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [Breaking News] Magia is replacing Lupko in the Combative competition. (Update: For the doubters, heres the clip.) ???? https://clip.pazizik.com/roofkr/2024102400204913 [Lupko: Magias taking my spot.] [Comments] Parallel931: For real? Parallel014: Magias entering a Combative competition? ? Parallel735: This is a betrayal... Parallel345: She hasnt even debuted, but shes already doing everythingcollabs, big servers, year-end parties, competitions... ? Parallel242: At this point, they should just debut her. ? Parallel885: LMAO, right?! Chapter 89 [Dingsam: You have been successfully registered as a participant, Magia.] [Dingsam: The draft auction is on Friday, January 5th, so please keep that in mind.] [Dingsam: Looking forward to your great performance! ^^] [Assistant Manager Magia: Thank you.] [Assistant Manager Magia: Wishing you a Happy New Year.] [Dingsam: Same to you, Assistant Manager Magia.] Whether it was thanks to Lupkos quick work or just good timing, it took less than two days after the Pazizik year-end party for Dingsamthe event organizerto contact me. For the record, Dingsam was also part of the Makgeolli Crew, meaning he had gotten an earful from Crkemang two days ago. The reason? He insisted on speaking formally to me, even when told to drop the honorifics. ...I couldnt help but feel a sense of camaraderie with him. Even if someone tells me to speak casually, I cant do it unless I actually feel comfortable with them. Anyway, my participation in the competition was now confirmed, and tomorrow, the finalized player list would be officially announced on Dingsams stream and the event page. That meant it was time for me to start preparing in earnest. You might think, Doesnt everything reset when teams are assigned? But in reality, competitive success isnt just about the team you end up onits about how well you synergize with them in the week leading up to the event. No matter how good your FPS instincts are, if you dont adapt to the game, youll fall behind in an instant. And if theres one thing I learned from managing the team on the Wicker server, its this: In environments packed with streamers, people naturally gravitate toward competence. If youre good at what you do, they follow. And if they follow? Networking becomes a whole lot easier. Just look at Lupko. Back during Im Wolf, we barely spoke. Now? Hes handing me a competition spot on a silver platter. All because I helped bankroll a ton of in-game money on Wicker. So, I had to go all out again. Not just to avoid tarnishing Parallels name, but to actively boost its reputation. * * * The next day, I got a message from Serena. [Serena: Want to practice Combative together?] It was an unexpected offer, but honestly, perfect timing. Id been debating who to learn Combative from anyway. Dora was busy with the Brass-Silver-Gold Invitational for Naore, Komari was occupied coaching her, Maru and Rain were drowning in ad campaigns and recording new cover songs, And the bossnow deep into second-gen recruitmenthad even less time for streaming. A moment of silence for her dwindling work-life balance. Anyway, this meant Serena was now my Combative coach. So, I asked the most obvious question. Whats your Combative rank, by the way? Just like how Koreans instinctively ask each others age when they meet, gamersespecially those grinding the same genrealways start with rank. I was already a Diamond-tier player in Battle Colosseum, so if she ranked lower than expected... well, I wouldnt hesitate to claim the top spot. [Im barely hanging onto Diamond.] No matter how lenient the matchmaking is, Diamond is still Diamond. Ill be in your care, sensei. [Ah, ugh... Please dont say that. It makes me uncomfortable.] Maybe because Id gotten closer to Serena lately, I couldnt resist messing with her a little. Sensei~ Arigato gozaimasu~. [No, please. Im begging you. Just talk normally....] I later found out something interesting. Serena introduced herself as a healing-type VTubera soft, round-eyed, pink-haired sweetheart. But the moment she booted up Combative, she became an entirely different person. It was like how a normally polite elf suddenly turned into a raging trash-talker in Naore. Except, in Serenas case, it was a bit more refined. Shed usually be muttering, Oh no, what do we do? This is a disaster... Waaah. But in ranked matches? Shed flip into clean, precise shot-calling and lead the team to victory. She had already been scrimming for a few days since her tournament spot was confirmed earlier, And despite this being her first competition, people were already predicting shed be one of the highest-valued picks in the auction. Of course, you cant take everything diehard FPS fans say at face value. Even I sometimes shower the boss with exaggerated praise on stream just to fluster her. (Usually, thats the main goal.) But after playing with her firsthand, I had to admitshe was a phenomenal teacher. [ Everything so far applies to all FPS games. From here on, Ill focus on the key differences between Combative and Battle Colosseum.] Since she knew I was a Diamond-tier Battle Colosseum player, she skipped over the basics and tailored her explanations to my level. Honestly, if she had ever picked up teaching as a career, shed probably be amazing at it. Weirdly enough, despite being a former idol trainee, she claimed shed never taught anyone before. **[There are four classes: Infiltration C disrupts the enemy with flashbangs and distractions.Striker C follows up and clears the enemy team.Defense C secures the site after a bomb plant.Tactical C controls vision and creates pathways using smokescreens.]**Combative was considered a spiritual successor to the old-school team-based FPS genre. While it added hyper FPS elements with skills and abilities, it streamlined mechanics to make gameplay more accessible. That also meant strategies were highly standardized. Most teams followed the "meta composition": 1 Infiltrator, 2 Strikers, 1 Defender, 1 Tactical. Unlike Naore, where movement paths were rigidly defined, Combative still allowed for flexibility, but role distribution was crucial. Naturally, I was drawn to the Tactical role. You could use up to three smokes per round, opening attack routes or blocking enemy advances. It was exactly my playstyle. Shotgun + smokescreen? Count me in. Or so I thought. Listening to Serenas breakdown, I quickly realized that Combatives smoke mechanics worked nothing like in Battle Colosseum. In Battle Colosseum, you could drop a smoke in the middle of enemy territory, slip in and out, and completely toy with your opponents. But in Combative, smokescreens were primarily used for zone control. Rather than hiding yourself inside the smoke, you placed it where enemies were likely to wait. The goal was to force enemy movement or conceal how many attackers were pushing a site. This difference existed because of the TTK (Time to Kill) disparity between the two games. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. In Battle Colosseum, late-game fights could take upwards of five seconds per kill. In Combative, with the right weapon, one well-placed headshot was all it took to drop someone instantly. One-taps were a viable strategy. Which meant assault rifles were king. Instead of carefully aiming with a single-shot weapon, it was often more effective to just spray down head-height while moving. In other words, my beloved "smoke + shotgun" playstyle... was useless here. ...Pain. Serena seemed to understand my playstylefavoring aggressive pushes and smoke tacticsand after some thought, she suggested: [From what I can see, Gia, youd be best suited as a Striker. Its the simplest roleyou just follow the Infiltrators, and generally, the best aimers are assigned as Strikers.] Can I use a shotgun as a Striker? [I wouldnt really recommend it. Your opponents will be mowing you down with ARs (assault rifles), while you have to aim precisely and stay within a limited range. Assuming equal skill levels, a shotgun is only viable in very specific situations.] But isnt that based on the pro scenes meta? [Well... yes, but it doesnt make much difference. You might get away with it here and there, but theres always going to be a fundamental performance gap. Think of it like weight classes in combat sportsits a fixed disparity.] ...Ah. I see. Battle Colosseum also had fluctuating weapon tiers depending on the patch. It was common for a gun that dominated last season to get nerfed into oblivion the next. And FPS games were inherently sensitive to balance changes. Even Battle Colosseum, where kills could take seconds, had meta shiftsso in a game like Combative, where one-shot kills were possible, it was bound to be even more extreme. So, there was no reason to argue against Serenas suggestion to use a better gun and play as a Striker. Still, maybe because she understood my preferences, she added: [Thats why my recommendation is the Smoker role within the Strikers.] ...Smoker? [Yes, its a Striker character, but unlike the others who mainly have movement and attack skills, this one carries smoke grenades.] Youre serious? Im playing that character. No question. [Haha... I figured youd like it, but I didnt expect this level of excitement...] Playing without shotguns and smokes is just boring. So? Can this character use a shotgun? [No.] ...Why not? Cant I just use the smokes to close the distance? [The Smokers smokes are meant for escaping, not advancing. If you try using them to push, youll just get your head blown off. Combative isnt Battle Colosseum.] That damn one-shot kill mechanic. In Battle Colosseum, you could weave around like a lunatic and still escape. But in Combative, every move had to be carefully planned, like a game of chess. The whole team had to advance together in a structured, strategic manner. In some ways, this game was way more suited for professional playeverything was standardized, regimented, and required near-perfect teamwork. Which meant... A game like this wasnt for someone like me, who enjoyed running around with a shotgun and causing chaos. Id be dropping this game the second the tournament was over. But... I still need to perform well. With five days until the auction, I had to absorb as much as possible from Serena. And once my team was finalized, Id have to work on building synergy. Of course, if the team leader botched the draft, we could end up with a horrifically bad teamone with zero chance of winning. But that was a problem for later. For now, my focus was improving my own skills. Alright, Ill follow whatever you tell me to do. [No, pleasejust dont call me teacher...! Also, besides shotguns, try practicing with other weapons] If you dont like teacher, should I call you master? [...Ugh.] * * * Shockingly, news of me practicing with Serena spread within a day. Whether it was the idol industry or VTuber circles, obsessive fans always found out what their favorite streamers were up to in no time. Maybe my Combative username was too easy to recognize? I /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ had just used a standard tryhard sniper-bait name... "KimchiPizzaTangSuyukIsDrenchedInSauce." A totally common username, right? Lapits (VTuber) Gallery [Serena was playing Combative privately with Magia?] [Why are they playing in private matches together?] [Were they always this close?] [Is this another sign of a Parallel-Lapits connection? ????] Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [Shit, does this mean I have to watch Combative now?] [Is Combative actually worth watching?] [Battle Colosseum > Combative is the official ranking, remember that.] [Tbh, Combative is more fun to watch than Battle Colosseum.] For whatever reason, the hype and speculation around me grew even further. Especially among Lapits fans. It wasnt unusual for group members to be friendly on camera, but I wasnt just a regular memberI was Parallels staff. So the fact that I was privately gaming with a Lapits member was fueling all sorts of expectations. Of course, I wasnt doing this for some deep, hidden reason. I was simply treating Serena as my mentor. And thanks to her, I had actually learned Combative well enough to hold my own. [Honestly, I didnt expect you to improve this fast. Youre actually a great shot even without shotguns.] ...Id rather not have to shoot at all. [Ahaha... well, maybe someday. But by the way, you always use the Mini-Barrel pistol, right? You do realize thats a shotgun, dont you?] That things too small. I need something bigger and longer.... This kind of casual banter with Serena would probably end today. Once the tournament started, wed be on different teams, competing against each other. She clearly wanted to end up on my team... But I was an unknown rookie, meaning my auction bid could easily flop. Serena, on the other hand, was a Tier 2 shot-callerevery team was gunning for her. Id have to get incredibly lucky to land on the same team. Only a 25% chance. [Well, I have to go prepare for the auction stream now. Its been fun the past few days.] Whatever happens, good luck in the tournament, Master. After four days, Serena had just started getting used to the title, and she responded weakly. [...Yeah.] Joking around like this was my way of showing familiarity. But... maybe she didnt quite see it that way? At first, I thought shed quickly adjust to my teasing, but she actually seemed more flustered than I expected. Well, whatever. Time to focus on the auction. Tournament officials had asked participants to stream during the auction, since there might be mid-broadcast interviews. So, I logged into TalkCord in case I needed to respond. I joined the official Pazizik channel hosting the draft, and the viewer count was already at 50,000. For just a player auction. The actual finals would have at least 100,000 viewers on the main broadcast, and if you combined all streams, the total could hit 300,000 to 400,000similar to Wicker Towns closing ceremony. The sheer scale of these numbers felt completely different from what I was used to. But realistically, hardly any of them would be watching me, so I could just sit back and relax. ...Oh, its starting. [The first streamer tournament of 2025Combatives draft auction begins now!!] Chapter 90 , , ... Among all the streamer tournaments hosted by Pazizik, there was one defining feature: the player auction that took place a week before the event. The popularity of this auction was no jokeit even had dedicated livestream coverage. For viewers, the excitement came from seeing how much their favorite streamer would sell for, or how many times theyd get passed over. Sometimes, unexpected bids would spark discussions, like a streamer with zero Combative experience getting drafted earlyor not at all. And if, due to some bizarre chain of decisions, all the weaker players ended up on the same team...? Thats when the community war began. What the hell is this coach thinking?! How do you manage to screw up a draft this badly? Welp, there goes my streamers chance at winning... But the high-tier players serving as team captains had just as much of a hard time. It wasnt like they wanted to draft a terrible team. There were 20 players total, divided across five skill tiers (Tier 1C5). Even within the same tier, roles varied wildlysome players could cover multiple positions, while others were locked into one. A proper team needed at least one shot-caller (IGL) and a Tactical player (Smoker), but spending too many points on them could wreck the entire draft. On the flip side, being too conservative meant missing out on a solid team composition. And, of course, captains also had their personal preferences they needed teammates that fit their coaching style and personality to ensure smooth team synergy. On top of all that, each player auction lasted barely a minute. So, while monitoring the remaining pool, captains had to adjust strategies on the fly, manage their remaining points, and draft five players, one from each tier. Not an easy job. Even with meticulous planning, something always went wrong. [Auction Order] Magia (3) - ...... - Kamik (1) - Crkemang (5) - Bazubi (4) - ...... - Serena (2) - Taro (1) And to make things even more chaotic, the auction order was an absolute disaster. The two most crucial playersSerena and Tarowere at the very end of the auction. [Wow. This auction is going to be insane. Look at this lineupit''s pure madness!!] [Could you explain why this order is such a big deal?] [Let me remind everyonethere are only four players who can function as shot-callers. And out of them, only two are high-priority picks: Tier 1s Taro and Tier 2s Serena. The fact that these two are at the very end of the draft? This is disastrous.]** Even though Combative had added skills to make it more accessible, its core was still a tactical military FPS. A well-coordinated team always had the upper hand. And to execute proper strategy, a strong shot-caller (IGL) was mandatory since high-ranked captains couldnt issue detailed in-game commands themselves. Thats why high-tier IGLs were worth their weight in gold. And among them, Serena (Tactical, Smoker) and Taro (Infiltrator, Flashbang Initiator) were top-tier picks. Instead of yelling, Throw smokes! or Flash in!, it was always better to have a player who could do it themselves while leading the charge. Plus, Taro was last years tournament champion and MVP. Every team wanted him. [Expect absolute silence until Serenas turn. Its going to be like the calm before the storm.] [Exactly. No ones going to spend points earlynot when the two most important players are at the very end.] In other words, most playersincluding mewere guaranteed to go unsold. An unproven player, whose only submitted clip showed them recklessly diving in, taking two kills, and immediately dying? First auction slot? Of course... [As expected, Magia has gone unsold.] [Its understandable. While Magia is well-known in Battle Colosseum, theyve only played Combative for a few days. Their clips showcased strong mechanical skill but were far too aggressive for Combatives playstyle.] [Exactly. But at the same time, Magia is a high-value player to snag at a cheap price. No one wants to be the first to bid and risk overpayingso captains are letting them pass for now.] [Right. The strategy is Lets draft the key players first, then circle back later.] I had expected this outcome, so I just nodded. Meanwhile, the viewers sighed in relief. Phew. No way were picking up dead weight this early lol. Thank god, no hype train for this one. Nice, free ride to a good team! Getting drafted cheap and landing on a stacked team is the best play. :: Anonymous Donor has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: "Why did you play Combative in a private match? We have no idea how good you actually are, so we dont even know your price range lol." :: I was too busy working to stream. You streamed Wicker Town, though! ???????????????????? Just do it like Wicker Town! Pls, Gia, were begging you. Theres a misunderstanding here. I streamed back then because it was my job to oversee the members. :: Anonymous Donor has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: "Demon King Magiawhat was that all about?" :: I got thrown into a big role by accident and just did my best. Same reason I joined this tournamentif I perform well, itll boost Parallels reputation. Sigh, I might as well talk to an AI at this point. Yall are wasting your time. Magia doesnt listen lol. These guys still havent given up? LMAO. Just sit back and enjoy the show, dudes. As expected, the auction continued with player after player going unsold. Only a handful of Tier 4 and 5 players were picked up. But everyone was holding their breath for Serenas turn. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. At this point, she and Taro were the only names that mattered. [Uhh... Serena? Serena, are you okay?] [Shes gone completely silent. The pressure must be insane.] [14 consecutive unsold players... this is getting crazy.] [One team is about to get completely screwed. Everyone left has over 950 points saved up.] And then, Serenas name was called. The auction, which had been silent until now, instantly exploded. Youngun: 500p[OH MY GOD, FIVE HUNDRED?!] [What the hell, Youngun just gave up on drafting a Tier 1 player?!] [Who the hell opens with 500?!] Typically, high-value players went for 500C600 points at most. Starting at 500 meant Youngun was all-inhe wasnt letting Serena go. [Thats bias. Youngun is a Serena fan.] [Still, 500?! Thats insane.] [Serena, are you okay?] [W-WHY?! WHY 500?! WHY?!] And, of course, the other captains werent just going to let this slide. Even if they had no intention of actually taking Serena, they could inflate her price to sabotage Youngun. Sure enough, counter-bids started pouring in. Pandral: 550pYoungun: 555pPandral: 600pYoungun: 605pIt was an amount that made it terrifying to jump in. Everyone had their own limit when it came to considering Serenas value as a pick. Fandrals threshold was likely 800 points. Serenas auction, which had been skyrocketing past the ceiling, finally halted when Younggun placed a top bid of 805 points. Sold! The commentators erupted into chaos. [Oh, it happened!! Younggun wins Serena with a bid of 805 points!!] [A new record for the highest bid in the Combat Division of the Matched Tournament!!] [But wait, is Youngguns team going to be okay? This makes future tier auctions much harder. Wouldnt it have been better to just let Fandral have her for 800 points?] [Well, that just shows how much Raise trusts Serena. We have to hear from the star of this auction. Lets connect with Serena for an interview.] 800 points? Even 500 points was expensive. That was an insane amount of pressure for a player. If they blew all their budget on a single player and she couldnt perform, how would the public react? It would be a total disaster. Even if the broadcast didnt completely collapse, countless players faltered under the weight of public scrutiny and chat pressure. And during a tournament? The chat was downright brutal. If it were filled with constructive feedback, thatd be one thingbut it wasnt. It was full of trolls from all corners of the internet, waiting to pounce at the first sign of failure. Sure enough, Serenas voice in the interview was full of distress. [Ah, uh. That. 805 points... is... uh... oh god.] [Aaand there it is! Serena has lost all language functions.] [All we can do is offer her our support, but... wow, this is rough.] [Younggun really needs to build the rest of the lineup well now, huh?] [But... the points... uh... aaaaaah! I dont know!!] [Hahaha! Lets just keep watching the auction! Stay strong, Serena!] [Stay strong!] After the interview, I kept an eye on Serena through my second monitor. Her expression was trembling with anxiety, and her voice had been on the verge of breaking. She was completely overwhelmed by the pressure. This is bad. To me, she had always been a kind and meticulous mentor. But she was still a rookiebarely a few months into her debut. If it were Taro, last tournaments Novelight MVP, he might have been enjoying this. But Serena looked like she was about to break down. This wasnt going to be easy. Younggun had bid for her because he wanted her on his team. But now, that very decision was about to backfireSerena was on the verge of getting flamed. The best-case scenario was that Younggun managed to build a decent team with the remaining 195 points. But that was already looking grim. For Tier 1, the only pick left was Kamikthe least favored player in the entire pool. And as for Tiers 3 to 5? Those werent looking great either. That suspicion became certainty when I saw how much last years MVP, Taro, sold for in the next round. [Alright, Fandral secures Taro for 655 points!] [Its a little expensive, but still a reasonable price!] Younggun had completely fallen into Fandrals trap. Now, the strongest-looking team belonged to Fandral, who still had 345 points left. Meanwhile, the other two managers still had 950 points each. And Younggun? 195 points left to build a team? ...No matter how I looked at it, this was going to be a scrap heap of failed picks. *** In auctions, sometimes players who keep getting pushed back end up automatically assigned to teams. Too expensive to spend points on, yet too valuable to let go. It was better to just wait and see where fate placed them. [Alright, and with that, Tier 3 player Magia is automatically assigned to Youngguns team.] [...Wow. Uh. Youngguns team is... looking rough.] [The final roster for Youngguns team is Kamik, Serena, Magia, Bajubi, and Crkemang.] And one of those players was me. Wow, we are so screwed. LMAO This is painful YOUNGGUN!!!!! Is this even a team??? The weakest roster in history, lmao. We knew it was doomed the moment they spent 805 points on Serena... but we didnt think we would be the ones suffering for it!! EMERGENCY!!! Goddamn it. It actually turned out this way. Even the commentators were struggling to put a positive spin on our inevitable downfall. [Wow. I usually dont make snap judgments, but... this really does look like the weakest team in the tournament.] [I agree. Serena is under way too much pressure now!] Serena had gotten her wish to be on the same team as me. But this team? There was no path to victory. A Tier 1 player like Kamik, who was great at charging in but useless without orders. A Tier 5 player like Crkemang, who was infamous for ruining main orders by constantly talking to himself. And a rookie like Serena, expected to keep those two in line. Then there was Bajubi, who started every sentence with Im sorry and was barely relevant in the scene. And mestuck with an AR and a no-charge rule, completely shackled. It was clear as day that this was a disaster. Meanwhile, the other teams were perfectly balanced. I had planned to just coast along and pull my weight. But at this rate, forget promoting Parallelcould we even get a single win? [Alright, lets hear from Magia, the last player to join Youngguns team.] [Magia, are you there?] Hello. [So, Magia, this is your first time competing in the tournament. How are you feeling right now?] My head was already overloaded with thoughts. So much so that I momentarily forgot this was an official broadcast. ...I think were completely screwed. Chapter 91 Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [Why Saying Its Like a Whiff is Fine] Well, since I cant just cuss out the coach for making a team like this, lol. [Comments] Parallel834: LMAO, exactly. Parallel095: This is correct, lol. Parallel781: This dude''s got brains, let''s recruit him as a mod? ? Parallel223 (OP): Dduwoo... Ddaaah... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [We''re Fucked] (looks-fucked.clip) I totally get how Magia must be feeling. Like, how the hell are you supposed to win this? Youngun, you absolute bastard. [Comments] Parallel761: Watched it like a hundred times, the cursing is just chefs kiss, lol. Parallel834: Honestly, Id have lost my mind too, lmao. ? Parallel225: Just lost my breath. Parallel101: Honestly, this ones on the Yeomisae, no way around it. ? Parallel005: You think thats gonna fix itself in a week? Lmao. ? Parallel901: Had fun being on a team with Oshi? Now roll in the mud, dog. Parallel652: Wow, but this is bad for both Youngun and Serena. ? Parallel304: At this point, isnt this just intelligent sabotage? A few minutes before the entire gallery was flooded with posts blaming Youngun for the newly formed team. Before Magias recruitment was even confirmed. Youngun, watching the auction stream, had the exact same thought. Were fucked. What do we do? What do you mean what do we do, LMAO. Bro, you made it like this. Did this dumbass already forget? Jesus Christ, Yeomisae trash, lol. Youngun, just never do an auction again. If you do, you might actually die. This guy almost killed his team in the last tournament too, lmao. To be fair, Youngun had faced a similar crisis in last years tournament. But back then, the pick wasnt Serena, so his skull hadnt been entirely cracked open yet. He barely avoided falling for a bluff and even managed to throw off the opposing teams bid, making a mess of their composition instead... But now, with Serena as the Oshi on the line, Youngun couldnt hold back. I mean, fandom loyalty isnt something you can control. :: An anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: But bro, seriously, whats the plan? Looking at the lineup, this is just hopeless, lmfao. :: "Yeah, no kidding... Our Magia is pretty much locked in as a 3-Tier pick, right?" Yep. No way another teams taking her. Her gameplay footage is too vague, and shes only got five days of history. No matter how good she is at Battle Colosseum, theres no telling how bad her RNG will be. No ones risking it, lol. Shes definitely ours. GG, no re. And just like that, the expected outcome played out. [Alright, with that, Magia will naturally join Younguns team as a 3-Tier pick.] The moment Younguns heavy sigh was heard, the chat exploded. Absolutely fucked. Good luck, bro. This teams gonna get struck by lightning, lol. Time to get wrecked. Fighting~ The coach who made this mess better clean it up, lmao. "Ah... I seriously feel bad for Serena now. I got too caught up in the auction." Are you secretly an anti-fan? Just admit you hate her, bro. Spill it. "N-no! I actually like her! I wanted to bring her in because I wanted to get her a win. I swear ah, fuck. AAH!!" Yanking his hair out wouldnt change reality. Kamick (Striker), Serena (Tactician), Magia (Striker), Bajubi (Infiltrator), Crkemang (Defender). The team lineup was set. At least, thank god, their roles didnt overlap. :: An anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Bro, you never know, Magia might be an unpolished gem. Train her well, and she could perform at 2-Tier level. :: "...Oh, really?" Wait, have you seriously only played Combat mode and dont know Flare Gun? ? You didnt know? "Uh, my bad. I dont really know what she does. I thought she was just some regular VTuber. The footage she submitted was just standard 3-Tier, maybe even below average." :: An anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Lmao, I thought you were sighing because youd already analyzed everything and figured it was hopeless. :: Dude, youre seriously sighing because you dont know anything? LMAO. Maybe its time to reevaluate the team roster. ?? "Wait a sec. Now I actually need to look her up." As Youngun searched for Magia, he was stunned to find a TriWiki page on her. She was that well-known? On top of that, she was a Battle Colosseum Master (True) and had even beaten Movgun in a kill bet. "Wait. How the hell is she 3-Tier? Shes gotta be at least 2-Tier, right?" Now that it was clear the so-called "coach" hadnt even bothered researching his twenty players, the backlash was inevitable. Her playstyle just doesnt fit Combat mode. Knew this was gonna happen. This dumbass never even considered picking Magia for his team, lol. Jesus, and this guy calls himself a coach. Just quit, dude. "Guys, I just wanted to pick a solid lineup this time. Thats how you win championships." BANG! :: YOUngunless has donated 100,000 Clouds! :: :: You dumbass, if thats the case, whyd you drop 805 points on Serena? Bash your head in. :: Youngun sheepishly walked over to the wall and flipped upside down. A moment later, he pulled off a handstand, his face turning bright red. "Im sorry. But I really just wanted to win with Serena. Im sorry." LOL LMFAO Chairmans words never miss, lmao. And while Youngun was getting verbally obliterated, Magia was called in for an interview. [Alright, time to hear from our final recruit, Magia.] [Hello.] The moment Youngun heard her soft yet slightly drained voice, his eyes widened. [So, Magia, this is your first tournament. How do you feel?] Even on the official auction stream, she didnt hold back. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. [Honestly? Were just fucked.] [PFFFT HAHAHA! NG, NG! Hold on, hold on!] [Bwahaha! Were fucked, Its all over something like that, right? Thats what Ill take it as, haha.] Some mightve called it cute, but Youngun, a certified expert in womens voices, knew the truth. That was the voice of a weary office worker whod seen some shit. And if that kind of voice was this pleasant to the ear? Naturally, he abandoned his punishment handstand and slumped into his chair. Viewers groaned as his face, now beet red, crept closer to the camera. Oh fuck, hes in trouble. Is this the same dude who just tanked an auction over a girl? Look at that reaction speed, LMAO. Another Oshi conversion incoming? "No, you dumbasses! Im not switching Oshi! I just like her voice, okay?! But seriously, you assholes why didnt you tell me about someone this good sooner?!" *** At the Same Time, in the Team Chat After Magias Interview As expected, the atmosphere was downright funereal. This shouldve been the moment where they discussed strategy, rallied together, and hyped each other up. But aside from Crkemang, no one was talking. [Oh, Gias here!] "Hello, Uncle. Nice to see you again." [Man, Im actually feeling pretty confident! Serenas solid, Kamiks got great aim, and weve even got my niece on the team? This is a championship roster~!] Crkemang wasnt the type to say things without thinking. If he kept talking, it was only because he was desperately trying to patch up the dying mood. [...Not really...] [...Ill do my best...] [...................] But Serena, burdened by the pressure, could barely speak. Kamik, as always since Im Wolf, remained completely neutral. Bazubi, a small-time streamer barely pulling in 50 viewers, didnt even dare join the conversation. At this rate, the only person who could step in without worrying about appearances... was Magia. If the streamers were too busy walking on eggshells, then the non-streamer had to take the lead. She hesitated for a moment, wondering if it was her place to intervene among professional VTubers. But the thought of letting this funeral procession of a mood spread to Parallel was more concerning. "Uncle. Did you see my interview?" [Huh? Yeah, of course.] "Were fucked." [Wait, that wasnt just a joke?] "Nope. Were actually, completely fucked. Not kidding." Sure, the blame fell squarely on Yeomisae for assembling this mess of a team. But since they couldnt go back and redo the draft, the only option was to make the most of it. And to do that, the team needed to function. If they kept acting like strangers, things wouldnt magically work out. Luckily, Crkemang took the joke in stride and played along, gradually lightening the mood. [Kahaha! Well, no use crying over spilled milk. Guess I better start my career as a comedian. What else can we do?] "I figured youd say that, Uncle. But lets not jump straight to comedy just yet. We should at least see what we can do in scrims first." [Yeah, yeah, youre right! By the way, you keep calling me Uncle so naturally. I thought youd be too embarrassed to do it again after that day.] "I wasnt embarrassed then either." [Ehhh, nah. My memory says otherwise. You were blushing like a ripe persimmon, Magia-manager.] "Oh, dont pull that nonsense on me." As the two bantered, Serena finally found an opening to join in. She didnt have much connection to Crkemang, but they did share one thing in common: watching Magia turn red. [Gia... At the year-end party, you were blushing the whole time. People kept recognizing you and asking for your card...] "Oh, great. Now you too, Serena? Did you guys enjoy cornering me like that?" [We werent cornering you. We were just... protecting you? Maru said if we didnt, youd get swarmed and overwhelmed.] "Right. And then those same people got all excited and started introducing themselves on my behalf. Sure, sure." Even Kamik, who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke up. Ever since Im Wolf, he had wanted to befriend Magia. But as a shy guy in real life, his fear of social interaction had been holding him back. At the year-end party, he even had the chance to say hello through Lupko but barely managed a single greeting. But this was different. They were on the same team now. For at least a week, possibly longer if they made playoffs, theyd have to work together. If he missed this chance, then, as Lupko had said: "Why the hell are you acting like youre confessing? Its not that deep, bro." And so, he took the plungeby teasing Magia. [Gia, you werent blushing when you were with us, though.] "Thats because you {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} Mad Dog Crew guys feel like friends. It was easy to relax." [Friends? Gia, arent you, like... a teenager?] "How the hell would I have a job if I were a teenagerwait, is this a trap question? Look, I work. And I did introduce myself properly at the party, including my age. Were the same age." [Just joking. Just joking.] Serena had it the worst, since she was the most expensive pick. But Kamik, as a 1-Tier player meant to carry alongside her, wasnt feeling too great either. Still, as their conversation naturally revolved around Magia, Kamik couldnt help but think... "Huh. Maybe this team isnt so hopeless after all?" Tournaments were all about team synergy. Even squads that looked terrible on paper or struggled in scrims could suddenly shine in actual matches. Who was to say Yeomisaes team wouldnt pull off the same? Of course, there was Bazubi, the tiny shrimp caught between corporate whales. Best to leave him alone. After all, Magia herself was supposed to be in his place, so she knew exactly how he must feel. His heart must be on the verge of bursting. Desperately hoping no one calls on him. Probably the same feeling Magia had when Dohee challenged her. Just as things started feeling more relaxedDING. The very man responsible for this mess, the so-called coach, finally arrived. [Hello, everyone! Coach Yeomisae here, reporting for duty! Sending my warmest greetings to our wonderful team!!] The response was colder than a military base in the dead of winter. Unexpectedly, Bazubi was the one who broke the silence. [Coach. Thanks. For bringing. Such great teammates.] If the team atmosphere had been warm, that comment mightve been seen as genuine. But considering Bazubi had been dead silent this entire time... Everyoneincluding his own viewershad the same thought. "Wow. The guy whos been too scared to speak just hit Yeomisae with the most passive-aggressive backhanded compliment ever." And sure enough, chaos erupted in Yeomisaes chat. Did Bazubi just subtly roast Yeomisae? LMAO. Die. Get out. Just fucking die. This bastard... Damn. If even Bazubis got something to say, that says everything, lol. Bro. And you call yourself a coach? Please, just quit. We need a new coach, ASAP. The chat was so heated you could burn your hands just scrolling through it. They might be laughing now, but once the actual tournament began, the blame game would start. "This coach ruined the team before the players even had a chance." If Yeomisae didnt want an explosion later, he had to defuse the situation now. Even if he took responsibility and apologized later, for now, he needed to lighten the mood and protect his players. [Hahaha. But hey, at least we have three charming ladies on our team! Thats gotta be some motivation, right? Crkemang, Kamik?] Yeomisae deliberately played the fool. He called out Crkemang and Kamik because they were the biggest personalities in the group. If anyone was going to roast him properly, it would be them. [Oh, yeah, sure. Im so motivated. Thanks to you, Im really looking forward to this upcoming hell week. Hahaha!] [Exactly. As Crkemang said. Truly appreciate it.] But Crkemang was too good-natured to go all in, and Kamik, as mentioned before, was a shy guy. Rather than tearing into him, the two just lightly pressed their feet down on the already curled-up Yeomisae. Serena, being too kindhearted, wasnt going to say anything either. Which meant, once again, Magia had to step up. She couldnt allow the toxicity of this disaster team to spill over into Parallel. More than that, Magia had the most experience being the bad guy. Nowadays, Flare Gun was synonymous with Momos worst nightmare, but when she first appeared in Momos streams, the backlash had been brutal. Magia cleared her throat, making sure everyones attention was on her, then spoke coldly. "Coach." [Ah, yes, Gia! Pleasure to have you aboard!] "Youre laughing? Get down. Push-up position." Yeomisae immediately dropped to the floor. Then, for good measure, he started doing push-ups. [Arghhh! PT drills, commence! One, for Magia! Two, absolute obedience! One!!] LMAOOOO. This dudes crazy, wtf. This is unhinged, lmao. The guy who tanked his team for Serena is now doing push-ups ????. But that wasnt enough. If they really wanted to flip the atmosphere, he needed to be punished until even the chat started feeling bad for him. "Why are you obeying me? Thats not the point. Repeat after me. One, for Serena. Two, Im sorry." [IM SORRY, SERENA!!] "Louder." [IM SO SORRY, SERENA-NIIM!!!] "Even louder." [AAAAARGH!!!] A proper redemption arc required punishment. If Yeomisae wanted to be acknowledged as a competent coach, he first had to be humiliated as a useless one. And so, Magia played the villain to perfection. After about thirty push-ups, Yeomisae collapsed, unable to move. "Whyd you stop? Already lost your guilt?" [...No... Im... still... sorry... Huff...] "Wow. The teams in shambles, and youre still smiling? Again. One." [S-Serena...] How long is this gonna go on, lmao. Is Magia actually mad? Ruthless. Ruthless. Only when Yeomisaes arms were visibly shaking did Serena finally step in. [Gia, thats enough. I think... I think he gets it.] Magia gave her a nod. "Serena, nows your chance. Say everything youre holding in. Otherwise, this is gonna fester all tournament." Serena hesitated. But even she had her limits. [If we dont make playoffs, Im permanently banning your account.] For Yeomisae, it was the ultimate death sentence. Even a serial flirt had a true Oshi. And while Yeomisae might get distracted by pretty voices, his loyalty to Serena was real. [Serena, do you know why I built this team? I wont get banned. Were gonna win.] *** Yeomisaes confidence met cold, hard reality after three days. Is this real? Were so screwed... (Chatbot detected inappropriate language.) (This message is from a blocked user.) Yeah, this isnt working, lol. What the hell was Yeomisae so confident about? LMAO. Just give up already, lol. Honestly, does it even matter if we enter the tournament? The results will be the same. Lets just no-show. No hope. (Chatbot detected inappropriate language.) Theres literally no fixing this. GG. (This message is from a blocked user.) Lets call it here. Yeomisaes team (The End). If the chats reaction after the third scrim wasnt proof enough, then nothing was. His confidence was nothing more than empty bravado. There were a lot of reasons for the disaster, but to put it simply :: An anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Ive seen a lot, but a 0% win rate on day three? Thats a first, lol. :: The chat was a ticking time bomb. I had no choice but to discipline our so-called coach once again. "Coach. What are you doing? Get down." [AAAAAARGH.] Chapter 92 Competitive was a team-based game. No matter how well four players performed, if one person faltered, the entire team lost. And when all five teammates carried different problems, the situation was downright disastrous. It was time to discuss the results of the past three days of scrims. Yeomisae, our Challenger-tier coach and former pro gamer, spoke up first. [IM SORRY!!] That apology was for stubbornly burning all his points on Serena, leading to this mess of a team. [But honestly, I didnt think it would be this bad!] That part was directed at our scrim results. We had gone 0 wins and 22 losses. Each game was a first-to-ten format, yet our round win rate didnt even hit 30%. In simpler terms, we were getting absolutely wrecked. Even if we managed to break through enemy lines with a one-point push, our defense crumbled like a sandcastle once we had to hold the bomb site. Every round was the sameattack went fine, but post-plant and defense phases were nightmares. Breaking Down the Problems First Issue: Serenas Calls Being Overpowered by Crkemangs Shouting [Watch B long.] [Copy that, theyre pushing B] [AAAAAH! IM DEAD! MID! THERES A TON OF THEM! HOLY] [Kamik, whats happening on Long? I missed the call because] [Ah... Sorry. Im down too. They rushed in faster than expected.] It wasnt just that Crkemangs loud comms interrupted Serena. The real problem was that Kamik, our main carry, would get taken out in the split-second gap caused by the missing call. [Crkemang, lets cut down your calls. Keep it simpleIm dead, I died at X location. If you can, add how many enemies you saw.] [Ahh, my bad. Ive just got a loud voice.] [Your voice is fine. The issue is length. Keep it brief.] We expected this problem, and even Yeomisae pointed it out. But since Competitive was a fast-paced game full of sudden emergencies, Crkemang struggled to hold back in crucial moments. Second Issue: The Opposite ProblemBazubis Voice Was Too Quiet [.........they ......... are...] [What? Bazubi, can you repeat that?] [.........uh ......... Im dead.] [Damn. Where? Call out your location!] [............its] [AAAAAAH! A down! A down! Emergency on A!] This issue combined with the first one. If Bazubis call got drowned out, Crkemang, Kamik, and Bazubi all ended up getting wiped together, leaving us in an immediate 2v5 or 2v4 situation. [Bazubi, no ones going to yell at you. Speak up! Louder! Youve got a nice voice, so] [................] [Louder!!] [...I c-cant...] Yeomisaes coaching wasnt bad. But his unnecessary side comments made it worse. The guy had no clue how small-time streamers felt. "Coach. Stop hitting on people." [Huh? I wasnt flirting?!] "Shes uncomfortable. Just say what you need to say, nothing extra." [Ha. My thoughtfulness is being mistaken for flirting? This is crazy.] "Want to do push-ups?" [...No, maam.] Third Issue: Me. Serenas coaching had helped me adjust to Competitive combat style and Id even picked up an AR to extend my survival time. But my Battle Colosseum ego kept making me go berserk at the worst moments. And since Serena owed me one, she didnt completely shut me down when she should have. "I feel like I can wipe them all if I rush in now." [Uh... Uhh... Then give it a shot.] "LEEEETS GO Ah. Im dead." [Oh...] No matter how much I messed around, this wasnt Battle Colosseum. The movement wasnt as janky, and if the enemy had good aim, I was getting headshotted. And what about my Smoker utility? Shouldnt I have used personal smokes for cover? All gone. I used every smoke to open paths and block vision for my teammates. Like I said, if this was a game I could carry, I wouldnt have played this way. But this was Competitive. And my chaotic movement style was a constant problem. In Battle Colosseum, I could dash, slide, jump, and even spin in mid-air while shooting, and my aim would barely wobble. But in Competitive, if I sprayed while moving, my bullets would outline the enemy like a chalk drawing. Even Yeomisae, despite being a garbage team builder, still pointed this out as a coach. [Gia, do you have to rush in? Its like you physically cant hold back.] [And how many times have I told you to STOP spraying while running? Stop dashing, sliding, and spraying, dammit!] The Snowball of Defeat With these three problems, we lost every game. If none of them happened in a round, we actually functioned well and won a few defensive rounds. But there was one more massive issue. Competitive rewarded players with gold based on kills and round wins. Without enough gold, we couldnt afford good weapons. And if we couldnt buy strong guns, we couldnt land one-taps (headshots). The game was all about snowballing gold to win 10 rounds first. But since we kept losing round after round, even when we did win, we couldnt maintain the momentum. The enemy team, on the other hand, had been stacking gold all game. Suddenly, theyd fully buy up and bulldoze their way in. If we lost our weapons then? Wed fall back into a never-ending ouroboros of defeat. Team Morale Was Crumbling The endless losses started taking a toll. Kamik, usually a sharpshooter, began making mistakes.Serena, usually a tactical genius, started missing enemy rotations.Even Crkemang, the loudest one, went completely silent.At first, I thought it was a good thingfewer unnecessary calls. But then I realized... the team needed his energy to stay motivated. Without him or me keeping things light, the voice chat was oppressively heavy. Half the Team Had Already Given Up At this point, most of them had mentally checked out. The only one still holding on to hope? Me. But I had my own problem. The longer we scrimmed, the more Yeomisae started restricting my playstyle. Thats when it hit me Serena had actually been letting me play however I wanted. Over the past three days, these were my accumulated warnings: Dont spray while moving. (Battle Colosseum habit.)Dont put a mini-barrel in your pistol slot.Never use your smoke grenades for personal cover.If retreating, use smoke even without an order.Actually, just retreat once in a while...I already wanted to rush in and go wild, but I held back so I wouldnt ruin the teams positioning. Yet whenever I waited for my teammates to be ready They got picked off first. It was so frustrating. *** The Next Day "This isnt working. Gia, lets switch your role with Crkemangs. You should be on defense. Itll help with our overall defense and keep your impulsive plays in check." And with that, Yeomisae officially pushed Magia over the edge. The defense role was the furthest backline position. On attack, the roles job was to plant the bomb and set up turrets or traps to hold the area.On defense, they had to hold a site alone and stop the enemy from getting in.In short? It was boring as hell. It clashed completely with Magias playstyle. And worst of all? She couldnt even use Smoker, her favorite champion. Yeomisae had put a lot of thought into this, considering how much our team had struggled on defense. But unless the person giving orders was Cheon Do-hee herself, Magiawho had been suffocated for four days straightwasnt just going to accept it. [Before we switch roles, can I try playing my way? I know it sounds ridiculous, but Ive been so frustrated these past four days.] "...What exactly do you want to do?" [Shotgun Smoker rush. Ill use all my smoke for myself.] "Wait. Hold on...." In Competitive, a reckless rush was the #1 thing you should never do. This wasnt some fast-paced, arcade-style FPS. The original game was so tactical that players studied CQB (Close Quarters Battle) military strategies just to keep up. Infiltration, strike, tacticseach role existed to enable strategies like breakthroughs, flanks, and fakes.Blind rushing? In a game where a single headshot could kill you instantly, it was objectively a terrible idea.Yeomisae knew this. But after four days of scrims, he also knew his team wasnt normal. They functioned decently when things went smoothly. But the moment one flaw surfaced, the entire team collapsed. Magias charge-first instincts were part of that problem. She was like a dog chasing after a flying ball. If the enemy showed a single weak point, she had to attack. Not even Serena could stop her. And Yeomisae certainly couldnt. But that instinct had to be crushed. Even if her aim was good, if she ignored Competitives team-based playstyle, she would drag the team down with her. I knew this moment would come eventually... And frankly, the scrim losing streak had pushed chat into full riot mode. Bruh... This isnt Battle Colosseum, what are you doing? LMAO. Why is she so aggressive? LOL. Just let her do it once. Shes never gonna fix this habit. Battle Colosseum Diamond rank is really making her cocky, huh? Watching this is frustrating. Just let her play her way. So arrogant, LOL. She should listen to the ex-pro instead of acting like a know-it-all Battle Colosseum player. Lets see what happens if she tries. A few deaths should teach her a lesson. Yeomisae exhaled. The best approach was to let her fail first. If she crashed and burned, they could force her to adopt proper Competitive tactics afterward. And if she somehow made it work, the chats mockery would shut itself down. After all, when she followed strategy, she was still a solid player. Her Battle Colosseum habits just kept messing with her discipline. "Alright. Try it. Were ? NvIight ? (Original source) doomed at this rate anyway." [Thank you.] Yeomisae wasnt just giving in. At 0 wins and 22 losses, they needed to experiment before entering real matches. Honestly, his mindset was starting to shift to just have fun. Because he had seen Magias Battle Colosseum clips. During an internal clan war, she had turned her smoke into a literal kill zone, slaughtering every single enemy who entered her fog. Of course, Competitive was different. Shotguns were trash at long range.Smokes were meant for team use.But still. Who knew? Maybe the puppy was actually a wild wolf waiting to be unleashed. "Serena, from now on, assume Smokers smokes dont exist. Were adjusting the strategy to three smokes max." [Understood.] "Kamik, Bazubi. Do not react to Magias calls. Only follow Serenas orders. Stick to your positions until the exact moment to move in." [Got it.] [...Understood.] Crkemang noticed that Yeomisae hadnt given him instructions, so he asked. [Coach. What about me?] "Crkemang, I need you to shut up." [Huh?] "Once Magia rushes in, we have no idea whats going to happen. If you start yelling about every kill and death, youll screw up the teams coordination. Keep comms clear." [...Understood.] And with that, the new strategy was set. A dual-track approachletting Magia rush freely, while the rest of the team followed Serenas structured site entry. The Chat Was Not Happy This is a waste of time. For real. They should just refine their existing play instead of messing around. Shes really out here acting like Battle Colosseum tactics work everywhere, huh? Sigh... This is why FPS players from other games dont adapt well. At this point, anything Yeomisae said would make it seem like he agreed with the criticism. So instead of responding, he kept his mouth shut. Either Magia would prove them wrong, or shed crash so hard that she had no choice but to change. *** Meanwhile, Team Gongsadamang Prepares for Their 23rd Scrim SuBakJeonGol, the in-game leader of Team Gongsadamang, smirked as he checked the next match-up. "Alright, everyone. Lets take it easy on this one." [Oh, is our next opponent Yeomisaes team?] [Yeah.] [Thank god. Man, Fandrals team was insane because of Taro. Those flashbangs were driving me crazy.] [Seriously, its been non-stop. Just getting blinded over and over is pure pain.] By now, Yeomisaes team had been declared the weakest out of the four teams in the scrim group. The moment everyone realized they were facing them next, relief washed over the team. After an exhausting week of non-stop scrims and extra training, playing against a weak team was the perfect mental reset. It was a free confidence boost. Naturally, the team prepared for the match with the same expectations as before. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. "Same strategy as last time. If they push, let them plant. Their post-plant defense is garbage anyway, so well just retake the site afterward." [Roger that.] [Got it.] [Lets go~.] Everyone was relaxed. With the Round Robin format, where each team played against every other team once, the top three would advance to the playoffs. Since Yeomisaes team was guaranteed to be last place, there was no point in wasting energy or preparing new strategies for them. Normally, the pistol round was crucial in Competitive. Winning it meant getting a better economy, buying stronger weapons, and snowballing the match. But against the weakest team? Not worth the effort. Round 1: Defense The 10-round game started. Since Team Gongsadamang spawned on defense, they would be holding sites for the first 10 rounds. Each player moved to their assigned position. KalJamthe teams 4th-tier player but an exceptional ambush shootertook position at A-Short (a narrow, winding path leading to the A bombsite). He crouched behind an arched tunnel, crosshair locked at head level, waiting for an enemy to appear. Then TAP TAP TAP Footsteps. [Enemy on A-Short. They havent pushed in yet] Usually, attackers hesitate before rushing in. They use flashbangs or concussions to disrupt defenders before entering a site. But this time... The footsteps kept coming. There was no hesitation. They were sprinting full speed towards A-Short. [Wait, theyre rushing in! I need backup!] A white mustache and dreadlocks appeared around the archway. It was Smoker. It was Magia. KalJam reacted instantly, aiming his gun at her But before he could fire, a smoke grenade burst around him, trapping him inside a dense fog. What the hell? Is this a retreat signal? In Competitive, smoke grenades usually signal a disengagement. A smoke dropped mid-fight often meant: "Were pulling back. Dont chase." Magia had always played Smoker strategically, using smoke to control space rather than engage fights. So KalJam assumed this was the same thing. His mistake. He turned to reposition But before he could fully retreat, an assassin lurking in the smoke appeared. [Huh?] TUNG! {{ Magia >> (head)(Mini-Barrel) KalJam }} [WHAT THE HELL?! SHE ACTUALLY WENT IN?!] Before, Magias smokes had always been Serenas decisionused defensively, for positioning. But to Magia? Smoke wasnt a retreat signal. It was an attack signal. To her, the inside of a smoke cloud was her hunting ground. Her thought process was simple: "Why would I throw a smoke and not go in?" "Are you a coward?" To Team Gongsadamang, Magias playstyle had just flipped upside-down. And before they could process it, one of their players was already dead. Chaos in Team Chat [A-Short?! What happened?!] [She threw a smoke at me, so I thought she was zoning me out... But then she rushed inside and shot me in the head.] [Wait. She pushed INTO her own smoke?!] [Yeah.] SuBakJeonGol, the team leader, frowned. "They might have reworked their strategy. From now on, if Magia smokes you, dont move. Just wait inside and shoot." [Understood.] [Got it.] A-Long: The Same Thing Happens [Hold on, I hear footsteps at A-Long... Ah, she just smoked me.] This time, the victim was DuDungi, the A-Long defender. Following the new orders, he stayed put inside the smoke instead of retreating. Positioning himself off-center to avoid getting pre-aimed Then TUNG! {{ Magia >> (head)(Mini-Barrel) DuDungi }} [WHAT THE?!] "Explain! Quickly!" [She hit me from outside the smoke, so I moved... Then a second shot came instantly and killed me.] "...Wait." SuBakJeonGols expression darkened. "Did she bait you into making noise... and then headshot you?" If this was intentional, it was insane. The Mini-Barrel was a terrible gun Short range.Only two shots per reload.But if Magia had actually planned to tag him just to make him panic, then listen for his footstep and track his movement for a headshot... "Thats not normal." While SuBakJeonGol was still processing Now Shes at Mid [Contact at Mid! Sounds like Magia. What do we do?] "Hold position. B-Short, rotate toward Mid." [Roger that!] [Understood.] Before they even finished repositioning, a final smoke cloud fell onto the Mid corridor. It was Smokers last available smoke. [...Wait. Something was off. Unlike the previous two smokes, this one didnt trap an enemy inside. Instead, it was placed off-center, leaving a gap on one side of the hallway. A trap? Jinsam, the Mid defender, was experienced. Instead of walking into the smoke, he backed away and aimed at the gap. If Magia came through the smoke, hed have the advantage. Or so he thought. Because suddenly A faint footstep echoed inside the smoke. Jinsam snapped his aim toward the sound But before he could pull the trigger TUNG! {{ Magia >> (head)(Mini-Barrel) Jinsam }} [ACK!!] [WHAT THE HELL?!] His screen went black. His teammates stared in shock. [SHE BAITED YOUR SOUND?!] "Wait, explain. What just happened?" [I heard a footstep, aimed for it... But she never actually came out. I got shot from INSIDE the smoke.] Silence. SuBakJeonGol sat back, eyes narrowing. "...This is gonna be a problem." That was an incredibly cunning play. It sounded like the footsteps were coming from within the smoke, but in reality, they were pressed right up against the edge, just outside of it. Jinsam had been baited into focusing on the smoke. Then, in an instant, the enemy slipped out through the gap between the smoke and the corridorblowing Jinsams head off in the process. It was a trick that took advantage of the fact that, unless you were a pro, you couldnt perfectly gauge the exact distance of footsteps. In the blink of an eye, it was now 2 vs. 5. A dark cloud loomed over Subak Jeongols mind, as if a smoke grenade had gone off inside his head. And he was the one supposed to be calling the orders. It was good that the opposing team had changed their strategy. After all, Younguns team wouldnt want to stay at the bottom forever. But wasnt this a little too surprising? Just the simple shift from using smoke for the team to using it for personal plays had flipped the situation this much? No need to be shocked... But it was only the pistol round. Even if they lost it, it wasnt a big deal. They could just play another pistol round to save money. If they played well, they could even steal weapons from the enemy. "Everyone. I think we let our guard down a little too much. Lets focus." More than anything, theyd all been too relaxed, thinking it was an easy match. There was no way the same thing would happen again in the second round. In a game that could go up to 19 rounds, unexpected variables like this were bound to occur at some point. As long as they didnt keep falling for the same trick, they wouldnt throw the game. "If you spot a smoker this time, immediately provide support from the nearest position." [Got it.] [Understood.] And with that, the next round began. Not long after Subak Jeongol gave his orders, KalJam heard footsteps from the same spot again. [A Short, coming again!] [Im heading over for cover.] Since KalJam had died at A Short last round, followed by the rest of the team getting picked off, this time Jinsamwho had been holding Midmoved over to back him up. After all, when two players were holding an angle together, it was rare for a solo attacker to take them both down. KalJam focused intently on the arched doorway. The moment anyone walked through, he was ready to turn them into a beehive. But this time, the smoke landed in a completely different location. It wasnt covering KalJams angle. It wasnt blocking Jinsam, who had come from Mid to support him. Instead, it was smothering the archway itself, cutting off their line of sight. "Huh?" At this point, even Subak Jeongol, the shot-caller, was confused. In the first round, the enemy had played aggressively with smoke. But now, in the second round, they had gone back to using it for map control? Then, reports started coming in. [I hear constant footsteps inside the smoke. What should we do?] [Should we shoot? If we fire from both sides, we can take them out.] Magia was inside the smoke. She wouldnt make careless noise, so it had to be bait. But what was she trying to lure them into? Was it just to draw their attention? And if so, for what purpose? Did she assume there was only one player holding this angle? ThenBANG BANG BANG! A sudden burst of pistol shots rang out. "What, are they fighting?" [No, just caught a glimpse of them for a moment.] [Damn it, I almost had them.] A player who had been using smoke strategically wouldnt suddenly peek out for no reason. That wasnt how they played. If they were willing to risk getting hit just to gather information, that could only mean one thingthe enemy was trying to confirm their positions. And if they were checking locations, it was only to prepare for the next move. The constant footsteps inside the smoke were just to keep the defenders focused on it. They were definitely going to attack again. "Dont just hold angles in the smoke. Use grenades to flush them out and reposition!" [Ill throw a nade!] Every ability in the game had a distinct sound cue. Smoke grenades made a soft whoosh as they deployed. Flashbangs had a pin-pulling ping sound before detonation. And those soundsthose very cueswere signals for Magia to strike. [What the?!] Magia burst out of the smoke at full speed, using momentum to propel herself forward. She lunged straight at KalJam, who had been in the middle of pulling the pin on his grenade. THUNK! {{ Magia >> (head)(Mini Barrel) KalJam }} Jinsam, watching from the side, immediately aimed his gun at her and pulled the trigger. But before he could firewhooshanother smoke grenade flew in, engulfing him. It was exactly the same situation as the first round. "What happened?!" [Holy shit. She heard Jamie pull the pin and just ran out to headshot him. Wait, Im stuck in the smoke again] A clicking sound echoed through the air. Magia was reloading her Mini Barrel. Jinsam wasnt about to let that slide. The reload sound had come from the open area outside the smoke, where there was no cover. If he rushed out now, he would have the advantage. [Shes reloading] But the moment Jinsam dashed out of the smoke, he froze. [... Huh?] Magia had pressed the reload button on purpose to make noise. She had already picked up KalJams pistol and was waiting in ADS mode. People always got distracted by her movement tricks and smoke plays. But they tended to forgetMagia was also perfectly capable of handling other firearms. BANG! BANG! {{ Magia >> (head)(Outlaw) Jinsam }} The kill feed popped up again, and Subak Jeongol yelled in panic. "What the hell just happened?!" Once could be luck or a mistake. Twice was skill. The people watching the match from Gongsadamangs stream were in utter disbelief. It felt like theyd been getting stomped all game, only for the enemy to suddenly remove their training weightsonly to reveal they weighed a whole ton. Some of them even started experiencing PTSD. Most of them had watched Mugeons Battle Colosseum matches before. And a good number of them had been on the receiving end of Magias plays in the past. :: An anonymous supporter has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Shit, the signal flare just went up;; :: Chapter 93 After securing the second round in a row, barely anyone was speaking on Younguns stream. ...No way. Even Youngun himself was at a loss for words. If Magia had taken the red pill and realized that her playstyle wasnt suited for Combative, he figured shed either start playing seriously or pull off a flashy solo play at least once. But he never expected her to crack the entire round wide open. At this point, it wasnt just a crackit was a full-blown crevasse. Magia had racked up three kills in both rounds, but calling them three kills didnt do them justice. She had done it all alone, without a single teammates help. The sheer impact of those kills was on a different level. And the chat? It was like they had completely forgotten they were mocking Magia just moments ago. Now, they were too busy tearing into the coach. The coach is an absolute idiot. This is just straight-up Younguns fault. They took off her leash, and now shes flying. LOL Why the hell did they muzzle her in the first place? LOL :: An anonymous supporter has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Tsk... Of course, the team is a mess when the coach doesnt even know his players. :: LMAO, so true. Why does this actually make sense? No, seriously, why is this the truth? LOL Of course, it would be a lie to say Youngun wasnt frustrated. But at the same time, it was also true that he hadnt expected much from Magia. Combative and Battle Colosseum were completely different games, after all. Even Magia herself had acknowledged that. She had deliberately chosen to practice with /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ an AR and play as a smoker with a unique smoke ability, saying she wanted to be useful to the team. If she was this good with smoke, why didnt she say so from the start... But this wasnt just about smoke tactics. This was Younguns failure to understand Magias mindset. For someone who believed in structured plays and snowballing as the ultimate truth in pro play, the idea of breaking the game wide open with a single crack was hard to accept. On top of that, Youngun hadnt known anything about Magia before they ended up on the same team. Even when she was a hot topic at the year-end event, he had missed it due to a family gathering. If Do-hee had been the coach, things might have played out differently. She would have immediately picked up on Magias tendency to fade into the background and thought, Shes playing Smoker because she wants to support the team, but she refuses to give up her smoke tactics. Lets just let her do her thing. Unbelievable. Just giving her smoke changed her this much? Technically, its smoke and the shotgun. Yeah, thats the key. You were the one who banned the Mini Barrel, lol. Oh. Right. The shotgun too. But still... Jeez. But there was a reason Youngun was the coach. Even with the chat roasting him, his mind was still on winning. After all, he had taken on this role because he wanted to win the tournament with Serena. Sure, winning the first two rounds is easy. But thats not enough. In the early rounds, Magia had clearly shown that she could crack the game open using smoke and the Mini Barrel. But she wouldnt be able to pull off the same trick every time. Now that she had shown this strategy in scrims even once, every team would start preparing for it. Where would she try to break through next? What if they managed to shut her down? How should they adjust their positioning next round? These thoughts were already starting to plant themselves in the enemy teams minds. And that, in itself, was valuable. But they needed an even stronger impact. Magias crack plays couldnt stop here. If she can keep this momentum going into the next round... Starting from round three, at least one player would have a proper weapon regardless of the previous rounds results. At that point, no matter how well Magia played with smoke, she could still get headshot by a simple spray from a rifle. But that common assumption was also an opportunity. If Magia could make a play even under those circumstances, the team that had been written off as a free winthe team with 0 wins and 22 lossescould suddenly become a threat that unsettled every other team in the tournament. Lets go. Show them something more...! And with that, round three began. Magia immediately spent her saved-up money on a solid AR. ? What the hell? Didnt she say she was using the shotgun? The viewers werent the only ones confused. Youngun was just as baffled. Why an AR? It wasnt even a gun Magia usually used. It was the assault rifle that Bazubiwho handled entry playsoften used when he flashed in and broke open fights. And soon, the reason became clear. She wasnt buying the gun for herself. She was giving it to Bazubi, who still had 0 kills. [Bazubi, you seemed to shoot well with this before. Take it.] [...? ...But... ...Really?!] [Yeah. Doesnt matter. Ill be fine with the Mini Barrel.] Did she not realize the enemy team was now switching to their main weapons? This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. But considering she was waiting for Bazubi and Kamikthe two main entry playersto get their weapons first, that wasnt the case. Why is she giving that guy a gun? Wouldnt it make more sense to buy for Tier 1 or Tier 2 players first? Nah, Kamik and Serena already saved up enough to buy their own. Still, it seems kinda inefficient. Even Serena was confused and asked Magia directly. [Uh... Gia, are you not rushing this round?] [I need to take a break sometimes too.] Magias response sounded reasonable enough. But Youngun, who had been watching closely, tilted his head. ...What? That doesnt sound like her. Wasnt she the type who couldnt not rush in? The biggest reason Magia kept dying before was her reckless aggression. And now, she was voluntarily holding back? Youngun couldnt understand it. But then, Magia revealed her true intentions. [This round, Ill follow Serenas orders. Just think of me as six smoke grenades.] [Oh, got it!] Youngun covered his mouth with his hand. Magia... was choosing to play for the team. Not only that, she was adapting to the offensive breakthrough strategy they had been practicing. They had lost all 22 of their scrim matches over the past three days. Magia had faced more and more restrictions, and coaching had only gotten stricter. All of it had been an attempt to break down her FPS ego. And yet, Youngun had thought she would never let go of her Battle Colosseum habits. ...She figured it out. While Youngun was struggling to fit her into the mold of a pro player, clinging to his ideal of perfect team coordination... Magia had found a way to adapt to Combative on her own terms. She wasnt trying to fully conformshe couldnt as a Battle Colosseum player. But she had realized she could use that very fact to benefit the team. And so, she had crafted this strategy. Winning two rounds with aggressive rushes, then suddenly switching gears to a structured playstyle. It wasnt just a break. It was psychological warfare. And it was already working. The enemy team was so hyper-focused on Magias movements that they werent thinking about the rest of the team. And so, when Serena gave the order [Two with flashes, three pushing in. One, two, three!] They pushed in as a unit. Two defenders panicked, trying to hold their groundonly to get mowed down. And just like that, the round was already lost. But Magia wasnt done. She was already rotating through Mid, cutting off the defenders rushing in from B. Smoke spread, gunfire rang out {{ Magia >> (head)(Mini Barrel) Subak Jeongol }} {{ Magia >> (head)(Mini Barrel) Jinsam }} {{ The bomb has been planted! }} {{ Magia >> (head)(Mini Barrel) Seomjingoo }} {{ ACE! }} Magias kill score: 9 kills, 0 deaths, 2 assists. This is insane. Wow. No way, LOL. Shes cracked, holy shit LOL. KYYYAAAHHHH. Why the hell didnt they give her smokes and a shotgun earlier? LOL. Even her bomb plant positions are perfect, wtf LOL. Freaking Magia, LOL. If you could play like this, WHY DIDNT YOU DO IT SOONER?! First things first, lets all collectively beat the crap out of Youngun. The coach is the real problem here. Listening to the endless flood of criticism, Youngun realized something. Back when he was a player, he had been one of the brightest talents in the scene. But that didnt mean he was a good coach. Suppressing players wasnt the answer. People werent machines. They werent just going to follow orders blindly. A coach needed to adjust to each team member individually, guiding them in a way that fit their strengths. Instead of assuming his way was the only way, he should have tailored strategies to his players. And today, he had learned that lesson the hard way. From that moment on, Magia fully unleashed her potential. She finally equipped the long-barreled Triple-Barrel Shotgun Dragon-B she had been dying to use And she absolutely dominated. It wasnt like she ignored Serenas orders. But it wasnt like she stopped rushing either. It was as if she already knew exactly what Serena was thinking. Seamlessly breaking through, stopping, breaking through again, pausing when neededshe moved in perfect sync with the flow of the game. And her shots? The moment she managed to close the distance with her smokes, Dragon-B roared like a fire-breathing beast, taking down at least two enemies each time. She was a full-blown destruction machinean unstoppable war tank built for sheer domination. And the effects of her performance rippled through the entire team. One by one, the teammateswho had been dragging themselves through loss after lossstarted regaining their confidence. Soon, everyone was playing at least their fair share. [Crkemang! I need turret support at A Long!] [On my way!] [Bazubi, can you see Mid?] [No...! I dont have vision...!] [Theyre coming A Short! Falling back, need smoke support!] [Got it, coming now!] All the issues Youngun had been nagging aboutthings the team had failed to fix for so longsuddenly resolved themselves. With Magia relieving the pressure of leading the team, Serena became much more confident in her shot-calling. Now that the orders and callouts were clear, Kamikwho had previously been dropping like a flystopped dying so often. Even Crkemang, who was usually a chaotic mess, seemed to be making a real effort, clearly inspired by his nieces performance. And for the first time, Bazubi spoke with a normal, steady voice. The result? {{ CUSTOM MATCH RESULTS }} {{ (VICTORY) Younguns Team 10 - 6 Gongsadamangs Team (DEFEAT) }} At last, they had finally broken the curse of their endless 22-game losing streak. The moment the victory was confirmed, Serena let out a triumphant shout, and the entire team erupted in cheers. [WE WONNNNN!!!] [...Won!!] [We won...!] [Oh my god!! We did it, we did it, my nephews!! You all played amazingly!!] Only one person didnt sound completely thrilled. Magia let out a disgruntled huff. [Tch.] Realizing that her reaction might kill the mood, Youngun quickly dragged her into a separate voice channel. As much as he wanted to praise her for what she had donehell, he wanted to shower her with praisehe held himself back. Praising a player too much could affect their mindset for future matches. So instead, he offered a carefully measured compliment. You played really well. Im honestly speechless. [Yeah, but... its frustrating.] What is? ? LOL. ?? Why is she upset after winning? LOL. Whats her problem now? She was insane, though. They had just barely managed to win after 22 straight losses. And yet, Magia was still full of complaints. [I seriously hate this game.] *** Battle Colosseum Gallery [???: Combative is boring as hell (some exaggeration included)] (I really hate this game.clip) First, she trashed it on an official broadcast, and now this? Whats wrong with her lately? Shes like a wild horse that finally broke free, LOL. [Comments] BC395: Its obvious, isnt it? Shes been completely restrained this whole time, LOL. BC941: Shes been a ticking time bomb, no doubt about it. BC114: A born troll hunter who gets a kick out of cracking heads is now stuck playing Combative by the book? Of course its driving her insane, LOL. Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [Shouldnt someone tell Magia to shut up?] What if Combative stops sponsoring after this? Not that we ever got any sponsorships in the first place, LOL. And no, this isnt me saying Battle Pack Games is discriminating against Parallel. [Comments] Parallel239: She already got called in for scolding after the last time she trashed the game, LOL. Parallel023: Momo probably smacked her upside the head for it, LMAO. Parallel562: Honestly, the first-gen members caused way bigger problems. I dont even think this is that serious. ? Parallel461: Maru leaked a collab a whole month early, Dora broke her streaming PC during a sponsored broadcast, Komari got her account banned for swearing in Naore, and Rain literally challenged a viewer to a real-life fight. Dont slander first-gen, they paved the way. ? Parallel995: This is insane, LOL. ? Parallel046: ...Wait, youre joking, right? This actually happened?! The Next Day: Magia Gets Called In The moment Magia arrived at work the next morning, she was immediately summoned by Momo. So, Miss Magia. I take my eyes off you for a second, and you go ahead and pull a massive stunt, huh? But Magia wasnt about to take this sitting down. If youre only bringing this up four days later, that says a lot about your industry awareness... Hey. You do realize youre being scolded right now, right? Magia averted her eyes and let out an awkward laugh. I know. I am reflecting on my actions. But what do you expect me to do? Combative is just a horribly frustrating game. I mean, yeah, it doesnt suit your playstyle, but you still need to hold back a little. Luckily, people arent making a big deal out of it, so well let it slide this time. Hehe. ...That said, it did boost engagement. Huh? Momo pulled up the recent analytics for their official channel. The moment Magia swore on the auction stream, their live viewer count spiked to 50,000. And when she vented about Combative being unbearable while talking to Youngun yesterday? Another peak at 30,000. And it wasnt just live numbers. Her antics had made it onto every major VTuber drama thread, spreading like wildfire across various communities. In a roundabout way, all the gossip had ended up promoting Parallels official content. ...Just hold out for one more week. Until the tournament ends. Youre doing great, just keep going. And so, the only person who could keep Magia from completely exploding was none other than Cheon Do-hee. In that case, buy me steak for dinner. I literally just gave you a bonus. How about, for once, you buy me dinner? If I did that, wouldnt it look like a VTuber accepting a fans invitation to a private meal? And steak, no less? Thats scandal material. ...What? But if you buy it, then its just a CEO treating an employee for their hard work. Thats totally fine. ...??? I mean, I already support you in the normal waybuying merch, subscribing, and sending donations. Thats how it should be. So, steak. Now. ...Youre seriously impossible. *** After eating the steak Momo bought herand barely finishing two portions because of her small appetiteMagia powered through the rest of the scrim schedule. From Friday, when the auction took place, to the following Thursday, the results of the seven-day scrim period? 12 wins, 24 losses. Sure, a 33% win rate wasnt amazing. But ever since Magia found her own way to play, the team had finally clicked together. After their 22-game losing streak, they only lost twice more while securing 12 wins. And even those two losses were against Pandrall, the team most likely to win the whole tournament. Suddenly, the entire competitive scene started buzzing with rumors. Everyone had assumed Younguns team was a guaranteed 4th place, but now? The way things were going, wasnt the real finals match going to be Pandrall vs. Younguns team? That speculation became reality on Friday, when the results of the Round Robin stage shocked everyone. {{ 2025 Maatda Tournament: Combative Division Round Robin Rankings }} We Screwed Up | 2 wins | 1 loss | Round difference: +8 (Finals secured)Pandrall | 2 wins | 1 loss | Round difference: +7 (Playoffs secured)Workload Hell | 1 win | 2 losses | Round difference: -6 (Playoffs secured)Round and Round | 1 win | 2 losses | Round difference: -9 (Eliminated)A team that hadnt won a single scrim had somehow fought its way straight to the finals. Everyone watching was in absolute disbelief. And it had all come down to one round. If Younguns team had lost just one more round, or if Pandrall had won one more, the rankings would have completely flipped. But the chaos didnt stop there. [No wayPandralls team didnt make it to the finals?!] In the semifinals the very next day, Pandrall, the overwhelming tournament favorite, was eliminated in a complete upset. The team that had nearly gotten obliterated by Signal Flare in the first round, Workload Hell, somehow rallied and turned it all around. 13-15. 18-16. 25-23. They fought through a ridiculous number of overtime rounds and pulled off a come-from-behind victory with a 2-1 set score. [Who would have guessed?! The #1 scrim team completely collapsed in the playoffs!] [Mentality is everything. The longer the match went on, the worse their scrim win streak worked against them! Meanwhile, Workload Hell, despite finishing 3rd in Round Robin, has battled their way all the way to the finals! This is unbelievablewere witnessing one of the most legendary finals matchups in tournament history!!] Thus, in an unprecedented turn of events The teams that had placed 3rd and 4th in scrims were now facing off in the finals. Viewership skyrocketed. ???? Live: 2025 Maatda Tournament, Combative Division Finals ???? 80,442 viewers #Combative #Pazijik #MaatdaTournament On Sunday, the official channel alone hit 80,000 viewers. Counting restreams and community watch parties, the total surpassed 250,000, breaking last years record of 200,000 and setting a new all-time high for Combative viewership. [Welcome, everyone! Sponsored by Pazijik and hosted by Battle Pack Games, this is the 2025 Maatda Tournament, Combative Division!] [And nowthe first game of the Grand Finals begins!!] Chapter 94 The tension was thick in TalkCord. However, the chat in the custom game lobby, where ten players were gathered, was anything but quiet. That was because the shot-caller for Team Gongsadamang was none other than Subak Jeongol, the youngest member of the Makgeolli Crew. Since Crkemang had a habit of teasing his younger teammates, the two of them kept up their banter even in the finals. [All] Subak Jeongol: Hyung, you better be ready to die. [All] Subak Jeongol: Old men should know better than to crash a kids tournament. Im about to make you regret it. [All] Crkemang: Uh-huh~ Youre hitting 30 next year too, you old man~ The two of them, with a combined YouTube subscriber count of five million, were bantering so loudly that no one else dared to interrupt. Everyone else was simply watching, gauging the situation. Then, someone boldly inserted themselves between these two whales playing word games. It was none other than Magia. [All] Magia: LOL [All] Subak Jeongol: No, Gia, dont laugh! [All] Magia: Oh, my bad. I thought this was team chat. [All] Subak Jeongol: Wait, why does that make me even more pissed? [All] Magia: It was an honest mistake. [All] Crkemang: Thats it, my niece, keep stirring the pot! [All] Magia: Drrrk drrrk [All] Crkemang: ??? Strictly speaking, in terms of subscribers, Magias official Parallel channel sat at 175,000one of the lowest among the ten players in the lobby. She was only slightly above Serena, the rookie. So to the others, it was amusing to see her act so boldly. But the members of Team Gongsadamang werent letting their guard down. That tiny, harmless-looking little gremlin was the most dangerous person in the entire lobby. Ever since Signal Flare (Awakened Magia) made her debut, their win rate against Team Youngun had plummeted to 0%. Before that? 100%. The entire food chain had been flipped. In round score ratios, it was closeabout 7:10but every time Magia cracked the game open at a critical moment, everything would spiral out of control. Still, Team Gongsadamang had taken down Pandral, a championship favorite, so they were plenty confident. But the issue of stamina couldnt be ignored. Yesterday, they had played three overtime rounds, and the last set had stretched to nearly 50 rounds. Exhaustion was setting in. And because of the pressure to prepare for the finals, no one had gotten much sleep. Subak Jeongol was keeping up the playful banter with Crkemang not just to have fun but because he knew his teammates were too drained to even crack jokes. But stillthis was the finals. If they were going to burn out, they might as well burn bright. As soon as the game start signal was given, Subak Jeongol wrapped up his chat with Crkemang and switched to team voice chat, speaking loudly. Even the team coach, Gongsadamang, remained silent, thinking there was nothing left to advise. "Alright. Lets not overthink Magia and just play the way we always do. Without her crack plays, their team isnt that aggressive." "More importantly, when we faced Pandrals team, we saw that if someone dedicated themselves to marking Magia, she could be somewhat contained." In Team Pandrals match, Taro had been the one locking Magia down. He had an uncanny ability to read her mind, throwing flashes at just the right moments to blind her. Even Magia, usually unfazed, had visibly struggled against him. [Thats true, but none of us can do what Taro did. Thats been our biggest issue since the scrims.] [Her unpredictable plays are impossible to deal with. The way she layers mind games using smokes is unreal. And even when the team is scattered, she somehow always shows up at the crucial moment. Its pure chaos.] "I agree. But we still have to try. If we cant stop her, we lose." [Yeah.] [Lets do our best....] Even with the determined words, the atmosphere remained heavy. Nothing they said could change the reality of their exhaustion. Thats why Subak Jeongol, ever the youngest member of Makgeolli Crew, had to lighten the mood. His suppressed dialect came bursting out. "Hey, hey, brothers, dont get so down! Everythings gonna be fine! Even if we lose, Ill treat you all to a great meal. "If we lose, its because we werent good enoughnot because we werent in sync. So lets keep our heads up, alright? Lets go!" Meanwhile, in the calm and collected Team Younguns voice chat, the entire team burst into incredulous laughter at Younguns comment. "Honestly, I knew wed make it this far." You bastard. Die. Get out, man. LMAO This guy is STILL at it. Lets deal with you AFTER the tournament, buddy. Were holding a tribunal, right? "But hey, its not like Im saying I drafted the team well. Well hold a tribunal later after the tournament, so anyone who wants to yell at me, feel free." Okay, so you DO know. Good. As long as you admit it. Sigh... LOL "Anyway, I just wanted to say something." After a brief silence, Youngun spoke. "Thank you. Ive learned a lot from this tournament. I dont know if Ill be able to coach again in the next one, but Ill use this experience to become a better coach if I do." "Also, to Crkemang, thanks for following my request to keep the shot-calling minimal." [That was no big deal, haha.] "Bazubi, if youre still mad at me, you can hit me at the afterparty. Kick my ass if you want. Punch me in the gut. Slap me across the face" [...Lets move on.] "Serena, I know I put you through a lot. But were not done yet, so hang in there. That 805-point bid? Totally worth it. Id go up to 1,000 if I had to." [Haha... Can I punch you instead of Bazubi?] "Next, Kamik. You did your job well. A true Tier 1 player. We really benefited from your ability to survive while securing kills." [It was my pleasure. Thank you.] At this point, the mood felt as if the finals were already over. The team was on the verge of an emotional explosion. After all, they had suffered so much throughout this tournament. Until they secured first place in the round robin, it had all felt like a dream. "Lastly, Magia. Honestly, I knew nothing about you, and that caused some major gaps in our team. But that one timeyou spoke up without hesitation. And because of that, we made it this far." "Once I found out you were a working professional, I actually felt guilty. I imagine it mustve been a burden to be in a tournament surrounded by full-time streamers. But your courage in standing your ground... I really respect that." But Magia? She was still pissed. She had wanted this tournament to be over from the very start. Sure, once the leash was off, she had rampaged and blown off some steam. But in the end, this wasnt fun. It wasnt a tournament for her. It was a job. On top of that, because of this, she hadnt even seen Momo properly. So Magia, looking downright vicious, shot back: [To be honest, Coach, I never want to see you again.] The chat exploded in laughter. Serena, who had suffered the most, laughed the loudest. LMAO SHE SAID IT BRUTAL LOL A LEGENDARY QUOTE "Ow! That hurts!" [If youre going to draft like this again, just go full undrafted team next time.] "...Should I actually try that?" [Are you out of your goddamn mind?] DEAD LOL Hysterical I CANT BREATHE "Anyway... will you be at the afterparty?" [Ill check my schedule. Work piled up because of this damn tournament.] "I hope you can make it. Were so screwed! LETS GO!!!" *** The Finals: A Hard-Fought Battle The match itself was neck and neck. The first set dragged into overtime, with Team Youngun barely scraping by with a 15:13 victory. In the second set, they were leading 9:7, but Team Gongsadamang was still right on their heels. But then {{ Magia >> (head)(Dragon-B) Subak Jeongol }} [MAGIA!! MAGIA HAS BROKEN THROUGH A AGAIN!!] [Goddamn. That smoke mind game is absolute bullshit!! Even in pro scenes, you dont see plays like this. But this isnt a pro tournament! The fact that shes making it work half the timeshe definitely knows it too!!] In the end, the biggest issue was nobody could completely shut down Magias unpredictable hard pushes at critical moments. Taro, from Team Pandral, had been the only one to consistently mark her with precision flashbangs. But with Team Pandral eliminated in the semifinals, Magia had free reign. Every time she found an opening, the defense crumbled. [That last play was massive. Team Gongsadamang had just started to fall back to defend. But Magia has clearly adapted to their tactics. She predicted the retreat and rushed at the exact right moment.] [Exactly! Magia is tearing apart the very defensive strategy that Team Gongsadamang had spent this tournament refining!!] It wasnt like Magia hadnt already shredded their defenses multiple times. While Team Gongsadamang relied on a single shot-caller processing all the data, Team Youngun had two brains at work. And one of those brains was attached to a smoke-wielding, self-aware battering ram, which made things a hundred times worse. [Come to think of it, why were we even worried about this team?] [Scrim results.] [Oh, right. They were 0 wins, 22 losses. But!! That very same team is now on the verge of winning the championshipwith a commanding 2:0 lead!!] [They are absolutely shattering expectations. This is amazing!!] This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. [And speaking of which! Bazubi just went down in a 1-for-1 trade against KalJam! Its now 4 vs 1!! Team Gongsadamang is on the brink of collapse!! Can they make a miracle happen?!] And just like that Magia closed out the final round in a storm of burning pellets. BOOM! {{ Magia >> (head)(Dragon-B) Jinsam }} [GG!!] The official broadcast feed switched to the players cameras. Everyone, including the coach, was cheering and celebrating. Everyone except for one person. Magia remained completely unfazed. And she still looked calm when the commentators joined the TalkCord lobby for the victory interview. They were well aware that Serenas leadership had been a key factor. But when it came to visible impact, who had dominated the most? The one tearing through the battlefield like a rampaging dragon, laying down smokes and breathing fire with Dragon-B. It was Magia. After a brief round of congratulations, the casters turned to the most unexpected starMagia, who had her eyes closed as if she were meditating. [Congratulations on the win. Honestly, we were watching your scrim records, and we had no idea this would happen. We saw the match footage and were surprised, but we still didnt think youd make it to the finals. What the hell happened, Magia?!] Magia answered flatly. "Serenas shot-calling improved a lot. Kamiks survival rate went way up. Bazubi really pulled his weight. And my uncle Crkemang adjusted his turret placements perfectly to block enemy entry points." "Honestly, the team just played really well." She left herself out of the praise entirely. YOU were the best one there, LMAO. ACTUAL MVP, STOP BEING HUMBLE. MAGIA! MAGIA! MAGIA! MAGIA! MAGIA! She carried the team Youngun ruined. THE Magia moment. Not even a SINGLE mention of the coach LOL. BIG Magia Energy. Bazubi finally getting ? NvIight ? (Read more on our source) recognized, LETS GO. Fck Youngun.* Youngun, delete yourself. As the chat erupted, the commentators pressed her further. [But lets be realyou played the biggest role. Do you agree?] "Sorry, but no. It was a full team effort. And honestly, the coach did his job too. The only issue was... he sucked at the auction." She refused to budge. But the commentators werent about to back down either. Their job? To create a tournament star. Last year, Taro had been the highlight player. The Flawless Flashblinding enemies at the perfect moment, stopping rushes before they even began. [Alright, if you wont admit it, well break it down ourselves. Lets review, shall we?] [First set, rounds 1 to 3you wiped three players per round with a mini-barrel. Bought weapons for your teammates. Then you picked up Dragon-B and started dropping at least two kills per round.] [And those smokeswhat the hell was that? Theres no predicting them. For the other team, it was a nightmare. And your shotgun accuracy? Everything you shot died.] Throughout the tournament, enemy players had coined a term: The Smoke Killer. Magia had completely redefined how smokes were used in competitive play. In non-pro tournaments, a single exceptional player could tilt the scales. And Magia proved it. Still, she remained calm. She felt a bit embarrassed, but after enduring so much in this tournament and the year-end party, her thick skin had only gotten stronger. "Honestly, I think we only won because Taro wasnt here." [Oh, come on] [Thats not the answer we wanted!!] "But its the truth." What could they do? The player wanted to be humble. And after all, Magia wasnt a full-time streamer. She was a working professional. So, the casters sighed and wrapped up the interview. [Alright, then. Lets finish up with some final words as the champion.] Magia spoke, her tone flat. "Honestly, I thought Id be eliminated early and get back to work. But now Ive lost two extra days to this tournament. I need to wrap this up and get back to the office." [Wait, the office? But its a weekend night... Youre going to work now?!] "I stream from my companys studio. Im literally sitting in the office broadcast room right now." The two commentators froze in shock. They werent new to working latetheyd been in this industry for years. So they knew exactly what Magias words implied. [Wait, youve been at work this ENTIRE tournament?!] "Yes." [My god....] *** [ 2025 Combative Division MVP ] - Team "Were So Screwed," Magia (Tier-3) ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Wait, when did Magia become the gallery mascot?] Wasnt everyone saying we should hold back on discussing her because she was just a normal office worker? Now shes literally the hottest topic all the time. [Comments] Parallel732: Shes a regular office worker who became a final boss on a major server, won a streamer tournament, and got MVP. How the hell are we not supposed to talk about her? ? Parallel289: Facts on facts. Parallel841: At this point, lets just admit shes a VTuber. ? Parallel094: I was thinking the same thing, lol. Parallel258: Honestly, theres no point in debating it anymore. ? Parallel258: I just wish shed stream more often. ? Parallel890: You too? ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Wait, this crazy woman was working while scrimming?!] I actually kept track of that dude who got hired at Parallel recently. He drops by here sometimes to post. Saw a post from yesterdayhe said Magia was literally going to work every single day while preparing for the tournament. LMAO. [Comments] Parallel485: No way, was she working when she was running the Wicker server too?! ? Parallel741: Yeah, she was streaming from the office back then too. ? Parallel038: Shes a goddamn human lighthouse. Wasnt she logged in from 6PM to 6AM nonstop? ? Parallel900: Respectfully, thats terrifying. Parallel945: Didnt Magia say everything should be fine until 2nd-gen debuts? ? Parallel682: Bruh, I saw in Burmang Gallery that Momo started 2nd-gen interviews right after the damn tournament ended. ? Parallel682: Wait, does that mean shes done streaming after this?! ? Parallel253: Oh hell no. ? Parallel870: Absolutely not, wtf. ? Parallel009: Are we fcked? ? Parallel325: Nothing we can do, lol. The fact that she streamed this much while working is already insane. ? Parallel029: I suddenly feel like I cant breathe. ? Parallel383: We will find a way... Even after Matach Tournament and The Grand Momo Tournament, more tournaments and major server events were lined up. But Magias time and abilities were finite. If she didnt have an environment where she could focus entirely on streaming, she could disappear at any time because of work. [Parallel / PARALLEL] @parallel_official | 190K followers VTuber group, official Parallel channel. ???? (Live) Parallel Command Room ???? 5,332 viewers #KnightofLegend #Parallel #Dora #Komari No matter how much the official channels influence kept growing... No matter how much the average viewership of the Command Room kept increasing... There was a clear limit to how much Magia could prioritize streaming over her actual job. A New Perspective But the moment that changed Magias mindset about streaming came surprisingly fast. Two days after the finals. The night of Team Younguns afterparty. On the way to the subway with Serena. "Tonight was so much fun. And honestly, Bazubi was hilarioushe barely talked, but he partied hard." "I think that was only possible because you translated for him the entire night... But how did you even hear him? That room was loud as hell." "I kinda read his lips? I probably got a few things wrong, but he would subtly grab my sleeve if I did. It was really cute." At first, Magia thought Bazubi was just a desperate small streamer, but apparently, he was just a guy who enjoyed good food and good company. Said he had fun, made good memories, and was happy to make some new friends. It was a bit pitiful seeing him try to escape whenever the larger personalities of Kamik and Serena kept trying to befriend him. But Magia understood that feeling well. After all, Momo herself had once been like that. Back when she was a small VTuber, big-name streamers trying to get close would freak her out. Especially a certain guy. A specific person. Whose name started with "Mu" and ended with "Gun." Serena giggled. "Thats why I always find you so interesting, Gia. Honestly, youre not that different from Bazubi. But youve always seemed so comfortable with streaming." "Have I?" "Yeah. Like, if you suddenly said Im a VTuber, Id believe you." Maybe it was the good food or just the relaxed atmosphere, but Magia felt playful. "Then... what if I actually became your junior?" "Hehe, thatd be fuwait. What?!" Serenas eyes widened in pure shock as she repeated, "Wait. What. No. Huh? Are you serious?!" "You can use your words, you know." Serena hesitated, then pursed her lips before muttering, "Bullshit. Theres no way. Im not an idiot." "And what if I wasnt lying?" Serena narrowed her eyes, bending forward slightly. Then, after a moment, she said, "If you actually debut as a VTuber... Ill stand in front of Parallel HQ and yell I LOVE PARALLEL at the top of my lungs." Magias life had been full of people trying to gaslight her into becoming a VTuber. It was everywhere. So, naturally, she shot back without thinking. "People are saying its weirder that I havent debuted yet." "If you were going to listen to other people, you wouldve already debuted under Parallel. Youve had plenty of chances. But you didnt. Which means theres a reason youre not doing it. If youre debuting just because of what people are saying... I dont think thats a good idea." A reason not to debut. Magia had only ever heard one other person bring that up before. Momo. "Damn. Shes a good person." But listening to her... It almost sounded like someone who had been forced into a debut they didnt want. The way she had worked herself to exhaustion in Wicker Server... The way she balanced a healing VTuber persona while clearly looking out for herself... The words "personal circumstances" naturally came to mind. So Magia asked, "I might be overstepping, so you dont have to answer. But... did you not want to debut, Serena?" Serena laughed. "Yeah. I was actually supposed to debut as an idol under VIRDESS." Chapter 95 "Yeah, I was originally supposed to debut as an idol under VIRDESS." Magia was caught completely off guard by how casually Serena dropped that bombshell. "Uh. You do realize I work for Parallel, right?" "Come on, everyone whos been around already knows that VIRDESS pushes former idol trainees into LapiTz for VTuber debuts. And you asked, Gia." "Rumors and confirmed facts are two different things." "So what? You keep secrets, don''t you?" Where the hell was this trust coming from? ...Then again, Magia was a VTuber company manager. It was part of the job description to be discreet. One slip of the tongue in this industry, and entire careers could explode. Plus, she had helped out during the tournament. That probably played a part in why Serena felt comfortable sharing. But stillthis was definitely a slip-up on Magias end. Both Maru and Serena were loudmouths who couldnt keep secrets to save their lives. The way they got themselves into trouble was similar, and so was how they tried to fix thingswhich, Magia had to admit, was at least amusing to watch. "Ill buy you a coffee if you pretend you never heard that." Always better to exchange favors than just letting something slideit built trust. Magia nodded and took the lead. "Alright. That works for me." *** The late hour, nearing midnight, meant that most cafe?s were already closed. After wandering aimlessly for a while, we finally found one that stayed open until 2 AM and settled in. As we sipped on our cappuccino and herbal tea, rubbing our chilled hands together for warmth, the conversation that had been interrupted earlier resumed. To be honest, Im kind of jealous of Maru. Hm? If I had known things would turn out like this, I wouldve debuted under Parallel too. Pff Serena had been talking way more than me, so I figured Id just sip my coffee in peace for a bit. But I nearly spilled it all over myself. Thankfully, my shirt was black, so it wouldnt have been noticeable. I swallowed the coffee and froze, but Serena burst into laughter and waved her hands. Ahaha! Dont look so serious. I was just joking. Its not like Lapits or VIRDESS are so bad that I regret everything. Right. That makes sense. You know what? Lets get some cake too. Sure. As I awkwardly nibbled on the peace-offering cake, I found myself just staring at Serena. What was I supposed to say? It felt like I had just stumbled into hearing about a not-so-close friends complicated family drama. If I said the wrong thing here, Id just end up looking like an asshole. Thankfully, Serena didnt seem that serious as she continued. Honestly, its just little things that build up over time. Its not like my company is horrible, but its not amazing either. The support isnt nonexistent, but its... you know, half-assed. Theyre too busy taking care of their main idol group. I kind of got what she meant. Theres always friction between management and talent. Even when things seem fine on the surface, theres a lot of pent-up resentment simmering underneath. Management thinks, Were already doing so much for you, why are you asking for more? Talent thinks, How is it possible that even the most basic support isnt being provided? If communication breaks down, misunderstandings pile up, and when the tension finally explodes, it turns into a full-blown scandal. Our team leader likes to bring this up sometimes. Showbiz is a nightmare to navigate. Honestly, he was really worried when he first joined our company. Maybe Lapits has a similar corporate culture to VIRDESS, since it split off from them? I didnt want to talk shit about another company, so I kept my response neutral... But Serena wasnt done venting. Well, at least things are going well now. Thats a relief. Thats thanks to you guys. Ehh, its more because of you, Gia. ...Huh? During Wicker Town? We barely got any support. The 10-million-won donation we got? That only happened because Eona spent hours convincing them that we needed it. She argued that we were falling too far behind Parallel in recognition. Seriously? Yeah. And the funniest part? The moment Parallel Coin rumors started circulating, they panicked and threw in another 10 million. Unreal. If they were gonna rush in late anyway, they couldve at least used that money on new outfits. Was she a single parent raising a company by herself or what? The whole Parallel Coin thing... We did kind of screw up there. It wasnt intentional, though. Right? I thought so. But then some people started claiming Parallel instigated it on purpose. Ugh, our operations team leader is such a drama queen. ...Haha... But honestly? Things are great now. Thanks to you, our team atmosphere has never been better. You remember the year-end party, right? Yeah. I still vividly remember being stuck in the middle of two circles of people, spinning like a human turntable. That was protection, not spinning! Uh-huh. Thanks for that. Anyway, everyone really likes you. Eona was a little skeptical at first, but after Wicker Town, even she changed her mind. I mean, who wouldve expected a rival companys employee to be the one boosting our exposure? I didnt expect it to turn out like that either... My dad even mentioned how fascinating he thinks you are. Wow. I got the Serenas Dad Seal of Approval. Not sure what that means, but okay. Honestly, if you were running our operations instead of our useless team leader, Lapits wouldve at least caught up to Vachubachub KR. Vachubachub KRs first generation already passed a million subscribers ages ago. The most successful in Lapits, Eona, is at 700K, so theres a 300K gap between them. Thats not something you can close easily. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Look, Im gonna pretend I didnt hear any of this... But can I ask you something? Yeah? Does your team leader... not help with streams? He doesnt help. He just tells us what to do and then sits there glued to his phone whenever we try to ask something. Hmm. If I were the CEO, I wouldve fired him immediately and put someone like you in that position. You actually work hard and have skills. Thats some next-level nepotism. Is he dating the CEO or something? At the very least, he should try to be competent. But then again, the world is full of people who just sit in positions of power without actually deserving them. I didnt expect our conversation to go this deep, but the bottom line was clear. Serena was jealous of how much I worked to support my team. But Id been struggling with something lately too. I wanted my work to bring in opportunities for my team members... But somehow, all the offers kept landing on me. Honestly? The real issue is that all the work keeps coming to me instead. I want to redirect it to the others, but its not that easy. Serena tilted her head. Thats a good thing, though. If that happens, doesnt it mean that you and Momo are both opening doors for Parallel? Even if the work doesnt go directly to Maru, having an open channel for opportunities is way better than having none at all. She made a good point. I had been so focused on why I kept getting the work that I forgot... As long as I built up our official channel, it could act as a second pillar of support. If there were two bosses, then twice as much work would trickle down. I had been too focused on just networking... But I was missing the bigger picture. Damn. She really is a healing-type VTuber, huh? She seemed like she was just venting, but she was lowkey great at therapy. Final Decision I was officially convinced. Id continue running the Command Room and Fantasia as promised. But I wouldnt stress over whether the work was coming to me or the members. If the CEO approved it, then Id do it. ...Except for Combative tournaments. I might need to extend my streaming hours after all. There was still a lot I hadnt taught Seungyeon yet. Like how a proper corporate employee should have at least three alt accounts for different situations... Well, wed just have to make do until the 2nd-gen debuts. Balancing work hours, management duties, and streaming... Man, I really wish days were 48 hours long. "Technically, my Command Room streams shouldn''t count as work, right?" "If I say I''m just doing it as a volunteer out of fandom loyalty, would the boss immediately shut it down?" As I rested my chin in my hand, lost in thought, Serena suddenly spoke up. "By the way, are you really not joining our post-tournament stream?" "Oh. That." "You''re the tournament MVP, after all. I''d really love for you to come. And I think the audience would too..." It had already come up during the afterpartysince the Naore Invitational Tournament Draft was happening this Friday, we had talked about playing a game together on Thursday before the event. Whenever a group of people ends up spending a long time together on a big project or tournament, its common to host a follow-up collab stream instead of just wrapping things up with a private afterparty. Its a way to give fans an extra dose of entertainment and show the teams camaraderie. (Think of it like the lingering heat from a car enginepost-tournament streams let the hype cool down gradually instead of cutting things off abruptly.) Serena had full control over the game selection, and I had already made it clear that I wouldn''t touch anything remotely Combative. So, what did she pick? "What game are we playing? Did you decide already?" Serena grinned and held up her phone, showing me a video. Onscreen, adorable, squishy jelly-like animal characters were aggressively grabbing each other by the collars and tossing each other around in a chaotic brawl. A 2:2:2 team-based fighting game that sat at the perfect intersection of physical skill, strategy, and sheer luck. It was Teddy Bear League. Oh, thank god. I had intentionally pretended to be busy to avoid getting strong-armed by Youngun and Kamik into another Combative match, but this? This was perfect. A lighthearted, goofy game. "If you suddenly switch to Combative on the day of, I''m quitting on the spot." "If they even suggest switching, I''ll personally cave in Younguns skull." Serena was usually cool and sophisticated when she gave orders or sniped enemies in-game. But at the end of the day, she was still a healing-type VTuber. Hearing someone like that calmly talk about bashing a guys head in was kind of hilarious. *** The Next Day C CEOs Office "A collab?" Magia went straight to report to Do-hee. Other VTubers might have just sent a brief notification, but Magia was an employeeit was only natural for her to get approval first. She had promised to discuss everything with the CEO, so asking for permission came first. "Yeah. They want to do a post-tournament ? Nvl?g? ? (Continue reading) stream." "Ahh. Makes sense. You kind of have to, after a tournament. Its happening tomorrow?" "Yes. The next day is the Naore Invitational draft, so they wanted to do it before everyone gets busy moving around." "Sure, sure. Do whatever works best." "And while were on the subject... Once the second-gen auditions are finished, can we consider hiring one more staff member? Someone to work with Seung-yeon." Do-hee raised an eyebrow. "You serious?" "Yeah. The tournament made me realize somethingnetworking in the streaming industry isnt something you can just build overnight. Its not just about one collab and calling it a day. You have to follow up with post-tournament content, keep connections alive... Right now, its just me and Seung-yeon handling everything, but once the second-gens debut, theres no way two people will be enough." Do-hee was a little thrown off. She knew Magia had pushed herself hard for the tournamenthow stressful it must have been for her. But now? Instead of burning out, Magia seemed more invested in streaming than ever. She really made a killing in the Wicker server... Do-hee still couldnt believe this crazy girl was happily watching the company profits grow instead of focusing on her own. For someone who used to prefer watching streams over making them, seeing Magia actively engage in streaming and content creation felt like a miracle in itself. But this only made Do-hee more curious. She knew Magia was loyal to the company. So why had she ignored Yeon Seong-mooks offer? "Alright. Ill prep the job listing so we can post it immediately when youre ready. ... But, wait. Are you thinking of switching jobs or something?" Do-hees eyes locked onto Magias. Her gaze clearly said: "Theres something youre not telling me. Spill it." In that moment, Magia realizedher secret was busted. With a sheepish grin, she tried to joke her way out. "Ah, you caught me. Guess I better go apply to Lapits now." Immediately, Do-hee pinched both of her cheeks. "You really think thats gonna fly? The same person whos asking to hire more staff is also about to quit?" "Ow, ow, ow! I surrender!" Frantically, Magia fished through her wallet and pulled out a business card, then sent an audio recording file to Do-hee via TingTok. "Jeez, that hurts... So, when did you figure it out?" "At the year-end party." "Huh. Guess it was smart not to tell you earlier. The timing is perfect nowthe situations cooled off." "Could you stop talking about people like theyre a boiling pot?" "Come on. If I told you that night, youd have called Lapits and raised hell." "Im not that much of a fight-starter" "I still remember the Gwanro-dong Sashimi Incident from a few years ago." Magia snickered. "Anyway, I have a plan, so please dont contact them just yet." "...A plan? What are you up to now?" Do-hee felt an uneasy sense of de?ja? vu. Not too long ago, Magia had set the Wicker Town server on fire by shouting about Lapits Potions left and right. Now, she was up to something again. "You know the fable The North Wind and the Sun?" Magia asked. "The one where the traveler doesnt take off their coat in the wind, but does when the sun shines?" "Wow. A VTuber talking about taking off clothes so casuallywhat a scandalous remark..." "You little" "Kidding. Kidding. Anyway, Im just planning to warm things up a little." Magia wasnt planning anything crazy. She would just keep supporting her teammates and the VTubers she liked, as always. She would simply stay in place and shine like the sunsteadfast, steady. Not a howling North Wind that chased people away. But Do-hee misunderstood for a moment. "...Youre not planning to stir up drama on the forums, are you?" "Of course not." "And you do remember our agreement, right? You promised to talk to me before causing any trouble." "Relax, Im not gonna do anything reckless." Chapter 96 That day, before leaving the CEOs office, I was ultimately persuaded to sign something called an appendix contract. What was it about? Apparently, it stipulated that a fixed percentage of the donations I received while streaming would be split and settled accordingly. The problem was that this income couldnt be combined with my salary, meaning it had to be reported separately when filing comprehensive income tax in May or something like that. Just hearing about it gave me a headache, so I refused outright, but then the accounting director suddenly appeared and said something that left me no choice but to accept. What was it again? Something about how excessive bonus payments would make the payroll expenses stick out too much, so they needed to adjust the financial statement categories, blah blah blah. He also assured me theyd help with the tax filing, and since it all sounded like some alien language I didnt understand, I had no choice but to agree. But there was one thing that bothered methe profit distribution ratio. Article 7 [Revenue Distribution and Settlement] (1) "Party A" shall pay "Party B" 60% of the special earnings defined in Article 6, Clause 8 ("Party Bs Special Distribution"). According to the CEO, the standard for first-generation members was actually 70%, but since I had stubbornly refused to take my share, they had only given me 20% as a bonus. Apparently, a 60:40 split was the industry standard. So I asked, Then why not just not give me anything at all? Thats when the accounting director butted in again. There might be others like me in the futurepeople working for the company while occasionally appearing on streams. If that happened, theyd base their appendix contracts on mine. If I accepted too low a share, the company would have no choice but to apply similarly exploitative rates to them. The accounting directors job was to minimize unnecessary expenses, and as one of the founding members of the company, my opinion carried significant weight. I doubted this would ever happen again, but... considering how Gong Seung-yeon turned out to be my lookalike, I couldnt completely rule out the possibility. So, in the end, I agreed. It was annoying to pour my earnings back into the company, but I couldnt just let others suffer financially because of me. The problem was, the moment I said that, the CEO and the accounting director started snickering. So youve admitted it, huh? they said, telling me to look forward to my salary next year. Just how much more were they planning to raise it? I was already worried. Still, the CEO did dangle a solid incentive in front of me: if I avoided causing trouble, they would deduct 10% from the revenue split every month, reducing it to at least 10% next year. Of course, there was also a penalty clauseif I messed up, it would go up by 10% each time, with a maximum cap of 90%. That part I wasnt too happy about. But I had watched hundreds of VTubers and had seen nearly every drama and scandal imaginable. There was no way Id make a mistake. Next years revenue share? 10%. The dream will be realized. *** The Next Day Youngun Teams Teddy Bear League Collaboration The game supported up to 2:2:2:2 matches, so with six players, we decided to split into three teams of two. - Moo Team - {Youngun, Kamik} - Meow Team - {Crkemang, Bazubi} - Woof Team - {Magia, Serena} Of course, just playing to win would be too dull. One of the best ways to build camaraderie between teams? Punishments. Naturally, the most important question of the stream was what kind of punishment the losing team would face. [Alright, the teams are set. What should the punishment be for last place? Crkemang, got any ideas?] [For the first round, lets go with singing. Simple and easy.] [Oh, that sounds good! So the losing team will sing a song together?] [Exactly! Sounds perfect, doesnt it?] [Not bad. Alright then, lets put singing on the line for the first round and get started!] So, what kind of game was Teddy Bear League? To put it simply, it was a plushie brawl. But unlike your typical fighting games, with flashy hit effects and walls shattering from powerful attacks, this was... different. You grabbed opponents by the hair. Tripped them. Lifted them and threw them. The move set was, in a way, pathetically simple. There were also basic mechanics like dash punches and guard dodges, but generally, the best strategy was to survive by maneuvering around the maps gimmicks and then throw your opponent off the stage when they tripped. Of course, you could also just start swinging wildly from the beginning. If you landed a punch on your opponents head, theyd get stunned and fall over, making it easier to throw them out. But as you all know, Im a newbie at every game. (With extensive spectating experience.) I did have a talent for gaming, so I adapted quickly, but it still took me some time. So, my initial strategy was simplerun away and throw people off the stage when the chance arose. [Aaaaah! Gia! Help! Help! Im falling!!] "Sorry." No, dont just apologize, help her lmao! LOOOOOL "Sorry!" (abandons teammate) So, when Serena got punched in the head, fell over, and got thrown out of bounds, I just stood there watching. I didnt want to risk going in to save her and getting thrown out myself. It was a bit cowardly, but what could I do? I really didnt want to be the one taking the punishment. Not that I was bad at singing, but I was never confident in entertainment-related things. If the CEO had assigned this as work, like Find Rain, I wouldve at least practiced thoroughly, but this was just for fun. So I ran for my life. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. I also made sure to lead my pursuers into the other teams paths, making them clash instead. And somehow, I won through sheer opportunism. { Round Victory! - Woof Team } The game was won by being the first to take four rounds, and I ended up winning three more in the exact same way. I guess my ability to slip away and avoid getting caught was just that good. As long as I wasnt in a game like Combative, where one grab could smash my head in, survival wasnt that difficult for me. Final Rankings Woof TeamMoo TeamMeow Team[Crkemang and Bazubi are last place!] [Sing! Sing! Sing!] This collab stream felt eerily similar to the dinner we had two days ago. That time, everyone was drinking (I declined since I dont like getting drunk), [N O V E L I G H T] and they played drinking games. Everyone was having a blast, except for Bazubi and me, who were clueless and out of place. Tonight felt exactly like that. [... Lets do it. ... Alright.] [Its fine, Ill sing with all my might. Bazubi, just focus on adding reactions, okay?] [... Okay!] [No, no, lets go! Lets go!] So the two of them ended up singing a trot song. And it was quite the spectacle. Usually, in these situations, the small-time streamer would sing with all their might while the big-time VTuber added a bit of support. But was it because Crkemang had the heart of an ocean? Or was he just the kind of guy who enjoyed having fun? [Like a flower that blooms and withers, who dares say life is meaningless~] [... Life! ... Is it?] It was a full-blown trot solo stage for Crkemang. Beside him, Bazubi chimed in with background reactions, which, surprisingly, turned out to be quite adorable and entertaining. When they finished their song, Youngun and Serena kicked off a round of applause and cheers. But the celebration didnt last long. The moment the song ended, Crkemang shouted, Thats it. The next punishment is also singing. This old man believes that if were playing, we should all have fun together. Since the losing team got to decide the next punishment, it was completely fair. And since we had agreed to switch team compositions every round, we shuffled the teams through a ladder draw using our preassigned numbers. The result? - Moo Team - {Youngun, Crkemang} - Meow Team - {Kamik, Serena} - Woof Team - {Magia, Bazubi} Given the precedent set by Crkemang and Bazubi, it was now an unavoidable realityId have to sing if I lost. But all I had to do was not lose. Last round, I survived until the end by running away. I saw no reason why I couldnt do it again. Sure, everyone was getting more familiar with the game, but there was no way theyd ever be able to catch me. However, there was one critical detail I had overlooked. Unlike my usual gaming groups, where people would humor me when I stubbornly refused to participate in things, these teammatesdespite having fought alongside mewere still wild animals in their own right. They remembered that, two nights ago at the company dinner, I refused to sing and just sat in the corner shaking a tambourine. And Bazubi? Among the six of us, she was objectively the worst at the game. "Huh. This is bad." And just like that, the other four players surrounded me. They blocked every escape route, closed in, and started throwing punches from all directions before hurling me straight out of the map. How long had it been since the round started? Before I could even react, I was already drowning. Bazubi, left alone, didnt last much longer. [Hahaha. Gia, Ive been waiting for this moment.] [You too, Youngun? Same here.] [Ah, me too.] [Well, looks like we were all thinking the same thing.] The funniest part? Even Bazubi, who had been shy about singing earlier, was just as determined to make me lose. [...Finally!] Of course, she had no reason to hesitate. On the night of the company dinner, she sang not just one, but two full songs. And it wasnt like she had been forced into it either. She was only embarrassed when streaming in front of an audiencewhen it was just the six of us, she wasnt nearly as self-conscious. So now, I was stuck in a 5v1 situation. Even my own teammate was against me. Are we finally gonna hear Magia sing?! Wait, how did it come to this? LOL I could understand why the viewers were dumbfounded. Just a few weeks ago, during Wicker Town, our official channel had received two separate 1,000,000 KRW donationsnot counting Pinos. Compared to other streamers, I had spent an unusually long time thanking the donors. But even then, I didnt sing. Because the CEO had authorized my reaction boycott. If Momo didnt order it, I simply didnt do it. "Should I just sing this time?" When I was preparing for this collaboration, the CEO had said something to me before I left work. She told me that collabs like this would become more frequent, and she couldnt always be there to dictate how I handled them. She trusted that Id manage things appropriately, so when I was stepping into the role of a streamer, I could start making my own judgment calls. But if I really didnt know what to do, I should just message hershed reply as long as she was awake. And if all else failed, she told me, just go for it. Theres almost no streamer whos never caused some kind of incident. If you do this long enough, controversy is inevitable. But knowing you, its not like youre going to make a huge mess. ...So, in the end, it was about the revenue share ratio, huh? It felt like Momo was subtly abandoning me to figure things out on my own. Do your best. If you screw up, Ill cover for you... but you know the split goes up, right? Up to 90%? By my own logic, in this situation, I should singeven if I wasnt prepared. If I refused until the very end? That was fine when it was just us off-stream. But this was a broadcast. If I kept pushing back, Id kill the mood. And if the atmosphere soured, Parallels reputation would take a hit. People would start saying, Oh, that one just refuses to participate, huh? Right. I wasnt a VTuber, an idol, or a celebrity. Even if I screwed up the song, wouldnt it just make me seem more human? Of course, that didnt mean I was just going to accept defeat. In the end, Teddy Bear League was a game of precision punches and well-timed trips. If you couldnt escape when surrounded, it was basically a one-sided slaughter. But thats what tripping was for. If I could sweep their legs, Id create an opening to dodge and break free. [Hahaha! Surround her!] [Magias gonna sing! Its happening!] [...Sing!] The moment the round started, my opponents charged in to corner me. So I decked Bazubi first. Smack! Her body tumbled over with a loud crash and landed right into the frigid, iceberg-ridden sea. [...What?!] Splash! A moment later, her plushie-filled body sank straight down into the water. LMAOOOOOOO The instant betrayal LOL Thats how Flare Gun plays, baby! You gotta get rid of the team troll first, duh Of course, the two opposing teams didnt particularly mind losing Bazubi. It wasnt like she had been throwing the game on purpose last round. And for me, it was just eliminating a potential traitor before she could turn on me. Now, the real match had begun. I looked at the four players still standing and said, If I end up in last place, Im picking something spicy for the next punishment. Serena hesitated. [Uh... What exactly are you planning?] I grinned. How about this? Whoever the wheel lands on... has to say, Baby, I love you. The male streamersexcluding Crkemanglit up with excitement. Of course they did. How could they let a fun punishment like that slip by? [Lets do it. Make Magia lose.] [HELL YEAH, NO ONE GETS IN MY WAY! IM MAKING SERENA LAST PLACE!] But Serena was not on board. For a healing-type VTuber, the mere thought of saying that to any male streamerespecially Youngunwould be disastrous. Her fanbases collective unicorn horns would snap into pieces. Ow, my horn hurts. My horn is turning black... I feel sick... Even though Serena wasnt even their oshi, my chat was already filling up with distressed messages. This would definitely work. [Im sorry, everyone.] As expected. Serena punched Youngun in the back of the head with a perfectly executed dash punch. [WaitHEY! What are you doing?!] [DIE, PLEASE!] Splash. And with that, Youngun was the second one to fall into the water. Now, only four players remained. On one side, Serena and I, both determined to keep me from losing. On the other, Crkemang and Kamik, desperate to hear me sing. It was 2 vs 2 now. How would this end? Chapter 97 1:4 would have been manageable if I used leg sweeps properly. But now that its 2:2, the game suddenly became much easier. If its 1:1, I rarely lose. Crkemang even slipped while chasing me and fell straight into the water, so I didnt even need to throw a punch. Kamik and Youngun tried to make use of their physical skills and rushed in, but... At the end of the day, my specialty is FPS, not chaotic brawls like this. Every time I ran around having fun, they tried to make a move, only to get tangled up in their own attempts. And so, my team, Mongmong Team, secured three straight wins. One more round, and wed win this match. Midway Rankings Mongmong Team C 3 WinsEum-meh Team C 1 WinMeow Team C 0 Wins Damn, are you really going to waste this chance like this? Do better, seriously ?????? Make Magia sing already! Lose, lose, please, please, lose, lose, I beg you, just lose already, lose, lose, lose, lose, lose, lose, lose, lose, lose, lose Are they actually winning? No. Of course, this situation couldnt last forever. [Serena: Lets take a quick strategy break. Lets think about this Even if Gia gets the penalty, the guys dont have to accept it. Right? Its fine as long as it only applies to the girls.] [... Hmm. Thats true.] [So, does that mean youre on our side now? Good?] [Yeah. Sounds good.] [A dramatic negotiation breakthrough! Lets go!] Youngun had quite the head on his shoulders. Even I couldnt force someone to comply if they flat-out refused to acknowledge a punishment. If the male streamers simply refused to listen, I couldnt argue that they had to. If I forced it onto a Parallel-affiliated VTuber, it might still fly, but forcing a competing companys VTuber into it? Thats a one-way ticket to drama hell. Thats why I emphasized the randomness of it all. With that, the plan to temporarily bring Serena onto our side was complete. ... Now, who should I recruit next? If I had to pick the biggest pushover among the five left, it had to be Youngun. As the next round started, I tossed Bazubi into the ocean again and watched as Youngun slowly closed the net around me. Hey, Youngun. Hold up a sec. [Cunning Magia! I wont listen to you!] I havent even said anything yet. Theyre not wrong though Whats she plotting this time? LOL Lets at least hear her out LOL [Fine. Say your piece. Consider this your final argument.] If I dont come in last this round, Ill join a Combative in-house match when Im free. [...What?] NO WAY LOL Shes insane LOL Stop throwing out empty promises LOL Like hell shes actually going to join LOL :: Anonymous Donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! :: :: ??? : Combative is a trash game. :: Thats just fake news LOL Whoa, hey, no one said that LOL The ? Nvlight ? (Exclusive on Nvlight) chat was saying I was making empty promises. But I never said when Id participatejust that I would, someday. It was the classic Lets grab dinner sometime level of commitment. But even the possibility was enough to lure Youngun in. Hed been pestering me about it nonstop during our team dinner, after all. [Hah. If you think Id fall for that... Youd be absolutely right! Big YES from me!] [Wait, youre betraying us?!] [Kuhaha! Die!] And just like that, Youngun shattered the alliance and hurled Kamik into the water. ... By the way, how the hell did our team win the championship with this level of teamwork? I really dont get it. * * * After that, the same thing kept happening. The next one to fall was Crkemang. If I come in last, Ill start addressing you as Sir Crkemang with utmost respect and sincerity. [You brats!! How dare you attack my nephew!!] [Ack! Ack] [Wait, bro, no Ahh!] Then came Bazubi. Bazubi, how about we do a Parallel World Cup together sometime? [.........!!] [Wait, hold up. I just got hit in the head.] [What the hell? Why is she suddenly so good at this?!] Why didnt I try to sway Kamik? Because he was too stable. There was nothing to shake. People like Kamik were always my hardest opponents. And so, the cycle continuedone moment they were my allies, the next, my enemies. After more than ten rounds, I still hadnt placed last even once. Holy shit Not even a single loss? Noooo, the collab time is running out... How much time is left? 30 minutes. Were screwed. Even the chat had started to give up. Theyd stopped nagging other players to try harder a while ago. Just a little longer, and I could get through this without having to sing. I had thrown out a few vague promises here and there, but like I told Youngun, it was the Lets do it sometime kind of promise. And honestly, once GaeMo Tournament wrapped up and Lunar New Year ended, Id be diving straight into second-gen auditions and debut prep. By then, even I wouldnt know what my schedule would look like. There would always be group collabs, tournaments, and big server events. But that didnt necessarily mean Id have time for them. ... But wait. Hasnt this round been going for a while now? Why isnt anyone moving? As I spun in circles at my spawn point, I noticed that Bazubiwho had ended up on my team againwas pointing toward the other two teams. [...Look at that.] Now that he mentioned it, something did feel off. There was no separate chat in TalkCord. No voice chat in-game. And yet The four of them had formed a tight square formation and were advancing toward me, step by step. I didnt even have their streams open on a second monitor. Their characters were plushies, meaning they had no facial expressions. But somehow, I could feel their emotions. They were pissed. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Whoa, whoa, lets calm down. Charging at me like this wont change anything. [If we all dogpile you, we can win.] Youngun, theres still a chance for that Combative in-house match. [Not falling for that anymore. If I took all your empty promises, I could fill an entire A4 page.] Hm. Was it really that bad? What about you, Sir Crkemang? [Nephew... Im deeply disappointed. Just lose, for once!] Im sorry. Your pleas are falling on deaf ears. Finally, Kamik spoke up. [Try to convince me. I might listen.] ... I had no idea how to persuade this guy, so I just skipped him. Sorry, Kamik. Just come at me. 2:4 is still winnable. At this point, I had no choice but to fight them head-on. Luckily, I didnt need to worry about Bazubi. Ever since I promised to do the Parallel World Cup with her, she had been fully on my side. Even when we werent on the same team, she had been subtly helping me whenever she could. If I got a penalty, Id sing. But I really didnt want to, so I was holding out. With chat now completely against me, I fixed my gaze on Serenathe first one to charge in. I dodged to the right, landed a counter hit, threw her forward, hooked my leg around hers, and sent her plunging into the ocean. Next. Oh. But just as I was about to dodge to the right, my body refused to move. Bazubi, who had been standing beside me, had grabbed onto me tightly. When streamers team up for matches like this, unless there''s prize money or an official in-house event involved, betrayal happens as often as breathing. And the biggest trigger for betrayals? Mission donations. [... Do it. ... I got a mission.] Someone had clearly donated over 100,000 won to Bazubi with a mission. "Ah. Didn''t see that one coming." Serenas incoming punch slammed directly into my forehead. Dazed, I swayed for a moment before the others grabbed hold of me and tossed me into the ocean. Then, Bazubi got beaten up and thrown in right after me, marking our first loss of the match. [LETS GO!] [I really didnt want to resort to this, Gia.] [Sorry, nephew!!] ... Wasnt the donor someone from my stream? I still needed three more losses before Id have to sing as punishment. But with Bazubi switching sides, the situation was looking grim. Not that I blamed her After all, the way Id been turning people to my side wasnt so different from viewers placing mission donations to control the game. The only difference was whether money was involved or not. "How much did you get, Bazubi?" [...... Won.] 500,000 won to make sure I lost. Terrible cost-performance, but definitely enough to break the resolve of a struggling small streamer like Bazubi. Using my trust in her against me... The fact that the chat had read my psychology so well annoyed me a little. Oh well. I had lasted long enough. But I didnt want Bazubi getting flamed by our fandom for betraying me, so I had to throw her under the bus first. I punched her straight in the face, lifted her up, and hurled her into the ocean. Immediate discard LMAO If theyre unreliable, just throw em out LOL Wait, havent we seen this scene before? Of course, even without Bazubi, winning these endless 1:4 fights was impossible. If this were a shotgun game, maybe Id stand a chance. But in a game where all I had were fists while four people took turns beating me from every direction? Not even I could pull that off. [Its over for you!] [Sorry, Gia!] In the end, I lost four rounds in a row. Our team racked up four losses at record speed. Bottom rank secured. Both the streamers who had fought me and the viewers who had been dying to hear me sing were ecstatic. [WE WON...!!] [SONG! SONG! SONG! SONG!] [Alright, nephew. Pick up the mic. No running away now.] :: Anonymous Donor has sent 10,000 Clouds! :: :: MAGIA VICTORY!!!!!!!!!! :: Uh? Victory? That''s not a victory, LMAO Doesnt matter, its a celebration~ Finally, we get to hear this LOL Lets gooooo! Get over here!! Bazubi, feeling guilty, mumbled something under her breath, her voice barely above a whisper. [.........yo.] I chuckled and reassured her. "It''s fine. Just dont forget our Parallel World Cup deal, okay?" [..................yo?!] "Come on, its just a game. If were keeping score, Ive been throwing you into the ocean this entire match." [............de.] "Its really fine. I just have to sing once. Its not like Im gonna die from it." Though, judging by how dejected everyone else looked, it seemed like my nonchalant reaction had completely killed the satisfaction they had worked so hard for. Crkemang spoke up. [Wait. Nephew, are you actually good at singing?] "I dunno. Ive never really been judged on it before." [Then why the hell did you keep dodging it? I thought you were tone-deaf or something.] "Wow. So you were trying to force an off-key disaster just to humiliate me?" [No! Not humiliation! Its just... I wanted to see a cute Magia Talent Show~ thats all! Hrehya-hya-hya!] To be fair, forming the Anti-Magia Alliance had required some serious sacrifices from them. Unlike me, who had thrown out empty promises left and right, they had actually put up real stakes. A few examples: Youngun had agreed to jump into the freezing Han River as a penalty for a failed auction.Crkemang had promised to send premium beef gift sets as Lunar New Year presents to everyone in the alliance.Compared to that? A single song was dirt cheap. "By the way, Serena? Ive already decided your penalty for the next round." [Huh?] "The last-place player has to say Moe moe kyun, Masters heart! Good luck!" [WHAT?!] Leaving a horrified Serena behind, I casually tapped the mic and tested the echo. Mm-mm. Ah-ah. Do we have echo? EEEeeeeee LEEEEEEETS GOOOOOOOOOO SONG! SONG! SONG! I CANT STOP LAUGHING LOL So, what should I sing? Singing a Parallel members song felt inappropriate in an official collab. It was my job to promote my team, so I didnt want to devalue their music by treating it like a joke. That meant I should pick a song that none of my members would ever perform. Only one song came to mind. Bazubi, do you know this one? I sent her the title via TalkCord. Bazubis eyes widened, then she started bouncing excitedly. ...Wait. Is Bazubi older than I thought? This was a hit song from my parents generation. Well, if were both on board, lets do this. As soon as the MR started playing, the chat exploded with question marks. ?? What the hell is this? Trot? This is trot, isnt it?! But our resident unclemy dear old Crkemang immediately screamed the moment he recognized the intro. [OH SHIT! YOU KNOW SLOW TRAIN? NEPHEW, WHAT THE HELL?!] :: Anonymous Donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! :: :: BRUH, NOT SLOW TRAIN LMAO :: How do you NOT know Slow Train? -Boomer Detected- Who even remembers this song anymore, LMAO Grandpa, please... Crkemang was thrilled, while chat was in utter disbelief. I just smirked and belted out the opening verse. ???? Rain falls on the Yeongdong Line~ On the slow train ride~ ???? Through the rattling train window... Chapter 98 Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [Magia can actually sing?] Holy shit, but why the hell is she singing trot? There are so many good songs. That one, you know? That one! Sing that one instead!!!! [Comments] Parallel994: For real. Parallel329: For real. Parallel281: Didn''t it feel kinda cute, like watching a kid at a trot contest? ? Parallel852: Yeah, but this isn''t what I wanted... ? Parallel362: LMAO big agree. Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [You guys are missing the point LOL] Did none of you feel off watching her sing Slow Train? I got some serious dissonance from that. Everyone who watched Fantasia knows that Magia is seriously addicted to VTubers. But instead of singing a VTuber original song or a cover, she went straight for trot? She definitely has a favorite song, and it sure as hell isnt trot. And then (smirk.gif) (smirk1.gif) The way she kept smirking while singing confirmed it. She just doesn''t want to sing the songs you guys want to hear. She never wanted your attention in the first place. She keeps saying shes a working professional, so she doesnt want to be treated like a VTuber. [Comments] Parallel088: Goddamn bitch. Parallel741: Can I make a reaction meme out of this? ? Parallel578 (OP): Go wild. Parallel751: Fucking hell, I thought her "office worker RP" was finally dropping since shes been streaming more. ? Parallel898: It was never RP to begin with LOL. ? Parallel654: Wait, it wasnt RP?! ? Parallel654: Shes an actual office worker?! ? Parallel009: Damn, we got a lot of newfags who dont even know this. ? ????Parallel02: Read the goddamn pinned message. ? Parallel581: This is straight-up a template response now LOL. Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [Just had a massive reality check while browsing this forum] I was just a Lupko fan, but then I saw a clip of her singing trot and got curious. Magia isnt a VTuber??? I thought she was a Parallel VTuber LMAO. [Comments] Parallel014: There''s a million people like you. Parallel225: Did that tournament really bring in that many new viewers? ? Parallel901: The finals had 250,000 viewers. ? Parallel225: Wait, it was that big?! Magia sang trot without much thought, but she failed to realize one thing. At Majeoss Tournament, she was crowned MVP for her performance. If she hadnt streamed after the tournament, maybe it wouldve blown over. But instead, she joined the post-tournament broadcast and even sang live. Even if it was trot, to the casual audience, it was indistinguishable from a VTuber stream. And out of the 250,000 viewers who watched the tournament finals? Only about 30% were Parallel fans. The influx of new viewers quickly started overpowering Parallels existing fanbase in numbers. Which led to endless loops of dumb questions in the community: Wait, isnt she doing an office worker RP? ITS NOT RP!! Oh, so shes not a streamer doing an office worker persona? NO! SHES AN ACTUAL OFFICE WORKER!! It turned into an inside joke. People even used it to mess with old fans and gatekeepers. Screenshots of these exchanges started spreading and getting memed across forums. ???? (????Live) Auction Day | Parallel Control Room ???? 9,422 viewers #KnightofLegend #Parallel #Dora #Komari Just one day after Magia sang trot, her viewership nearly doubled. And most of these new viewers? They had no idea what was going on. They only came because of her trot clip. Which led to a hive-mind level of spam in the chat. SING. SING. SING. SING. SING. SING. SING. In a way, the explosion of discussion about Magias singing across Parallel-related communities was a sign of her growing popularity. But Magia herself? She didnt acknowledge it at all. She just kept rotating Parallel members channels on the main screen, doing her usual job. A lot of people didnt read the chat rules today. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Back when she was an active manager, she trained herself to watch the CEOs stream with one eye while scanning chat for trolls with the other. With Gong Seung-yeon assisting from the office, the chat was back to normal in less than ten minutes. A lot of people got banned, sure but thats how internet streaming works. Break the rules, get banned. Simple. Today, well be focusing on Doras channel. Its auction day, after all. Some viewers, realizing spamming wouldn''t work, started trying subtler tactics to bait Magia into talking about singing. :: Anonymous Donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! :: :: How much do you think Dora will go for today? :: Probably wont sell. :: Anonymous Donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Komaris been mad all week, but she still hasnt improved... :: She really needs to rest her voice. Shes been screaming way too much. :: Anonymous Donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! :: :: LOL, the funniest part was Dora just chilling while Komari lost her mind. :: At this point, Dora probably thinks of Komaris yelling as a lullaby. Cant blame her for that. Id probably sleep through it too after a week. "Sister! Sister! Sister! Sister! FUCK!" The people actually interested in Parallel members knew how to engage with Magia properly. Even with just a 1,000 Cloud donation, they were happily chatting with her. Of course, some stubborn viewers still tried to bait her into talking about singing. :: Anonymous Donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Whens Marus next cover song dropping? :: Covers dont get locked in until theyre scheduled for release on YouTube, so we cant give a definite answer. :: Anonymous Donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Speaking of covers, whats your favorite Maru song? :: . Not the cover version the one she sang live while crying. Fucking savage LMAO. Of course she picks the most brutal one LOL. Cant even argue with that. Im a Donguri and I 100% agree. If you disagree, youre not a real Donguri LOL. ???? Anonymous Donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! ???? "Come to think of it, why dont you sing a trot song like the first-gen managers did? Sounds fun!" But tricks only work on people who fall for them. Magia had pulled this exact move several times during ? Nvl?g?t ? (Official version) the CEOs streams. Naturally, she ignored it completely. Ironically, she wasnt against jumping on board if someone threw out an actually fun idea. ???? Anonymous Donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! ???? "Lunar New Year is coming uparent the members doing a New Years singing contest?" I have no idea. Ill ask the boss. Magia, like most fans, preferred to just wait for content instead of actively checking in with the planning team. ...Not to mention, she was still awkward around Ra Seung-hyun, the team leader. Since it was already on her mind, she sent a quick message to Do-hee. The response came almost immediately. [Boss]: Were doing a singing contest. [Boss]: Last day of Lunar New Year break. [Magia]: Oh, thats the substitute holiday, right? [Boss]: Yep. Wednesday. This years Lunar New Year break lasted five days straightSaturday to Wednesday. When breaks got this long, people usually wanted to relax and find something entertaining to watch. The scheduling was clearly intentional, targeting viewers lounging at home or watching streams on their phones. Parallels planning team was working hard. But at the same time, Magia had another thought. Its the last day of the break... Wont a lot of people forget because of family events? A small event the day before might help remind viewers and boost attendance. Ive already drawn in enough attention anyway... She still didnt fully understand why people wanted to hear her sing. But as always if people handed her attention, Magia knew exactly how to use it. "Guys, should we set up a Karaoke Night on the official channel for Lunar New Year?" Chat Reaction ? Huh? What? ?? Seriously? No way? For real? Just as quickly, a few donations came in bringing the entire chats excitement crashing down. ???? Anonymous Donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! ???? "LMAO, you guys actually believed that? Shes messing with you." ???? Anonymous Donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! ???? "Its probably karaoke, but she wont be singing herself, LOL." Almost fell for it. Keep doubting. This woman is the goddamn devil. (Chatbot has detected inappropriate language.) NEVER trust her. Magia, watching the chaos unfold: Her lips curled into a smirk. They claimed not to believe her, but judging from the sheer flood of chat activity, their bodies were betraying their words. She immediately messaged the boss again. [Chat Log: Magia & Do-hee] [Magia]: Boss. [Magia]: Can I run an event on Tuesday night? [Magia]: The day before the members'' New Years singing contest. Unlike before, Do-hees response came almost instantly. [Boss]: What? [Boss]: Do you have something in mind? [Magia]: Yep. [Magia]: Audience-Participation Illegal Duet Karaoke. [Boss]: ...? [Boss]: Sorry, I have no idea what that is. Explain? Illegal Duet Karaoke A streamer plays a pre-recorded cover or original song and sings along to it live, treating it as a duet without actually collaborating with the original artist. Its called an illegal duet because its basically crashing someone elses song. What Magia wanted to do was a viewer-participation version of this concept. The goal? Make Parallels audience feel like theyre hanging out at a karaoke night with the members. But with a special rule: Every participant must remain completely anonymous. This way, it prevented clout-chasing and let Magia slip in unnoticed herself. Couldnt they just use their normal usernames? Sure. But thats boring. [Chat Log: Magia & Do-hee] [Boss]: So theres no ranking, but audience voting will decide the winner? [Magia]: Yep. [Boss]: Got it. [Boss]: Well pick 20 people from the fan cafe? based on upvotes, and theyll perform live. [Boss]: Audience picks one winner, you pick another. [Boss]: Winners get official merch sets. [Boss]: And the next day, the members will do an illegal duet cover of the winners performance. [Boss]: That right? [Magia]: Perfect. [Boss]: Not bad. Good cost-to-effectiveness ratio. Do-hee was on board immediately. She barely needed any time to think before giving the final approval. [Chat Log: Magia & Do-hee] [Boss]: Ill have Team Leader Ra contact you tomorrow. Send over a formal plan, and Ill review it. [Magia]: Got it. [Magia]: Also, Im participating too. That okay? This time, there was a pause. Then [Boss]: ?????????????????????? Out of every message Magia had ever received, this one had the most question marks she had ever seen. [Chat Log: Magia & Do-hee] [Boss]: Wait. [Boss]: Youre going to sing?? [Magia]: I already did yesterday. [Boss]: ...Oh. [Boss]: I thought that was just to impress Crkemang? [Magia]: Nope. [Magia]: Plus, Im using the attention on me to fuel the event. I cant sit out. Shed mentioned this before. If she sang a members song in an official setting, it could diminish its perceived value. But that was only true if she wasnt fully prepared. If she was going to do it, she wanted it to be good. [Boss]: Makes sense. [Boss]: Its just... unexpected. [Boss]: Then why didnt you sing at our company parties? [Magia]: The members were having fun together. [Magia]: Wouldve been weird if I jumped in. [Magia]: I have social awareness, yknow. [Boss]: ......? [Boss]: Whatever. Do what you want. And with that everything was settled. Magias Announcement I talked to the boss, and we got the green light. If everything gets finalized, Ill post an official notice. Hm... Hm... Hm. "You dont have to believe me. Just keep checking Z. If you miss the announcement, thats on you." Some people were disappointed, thinking itd be a solo karaoke event like the members usually did. But at the end of the day she was still singing. That should be enough, right? ???? Anonymous Donor has sent 10,000 Clouds! ???? "Like hell youll actually sing properly." "No, I will. Ill sing the members songs." Sure, sure. Uh-huh. Right. Even after saying it outright, chat still didnt believe her. Which is probably why this started happening: ???? Anonymous Donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! ???? "If you actually do it, Ill donate 1 million won." "If you dont, do I get to ban you for a day?" ???? Anonymous Donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! ???? "Deal." ???? Anonymous Donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! ???? "Ill put up 500,000." ???? Anonymous Donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! ???? "10,000 from me." "...What are you guys, charity angels?" Chapter 99 Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [I Knew This Would Happen... Huh?] View on Z Parallel Official KR ? @Parallel_official_kr - 2 hours ago will feature Manager Magia as well! A big thank you to all the Wol-Dungi who promised to support us on the day!???? What the hell is this. Why is she actually singing? (Upvotes 515 / Downvotes 0) [Comments] Parallel983: ?? Parallel721: ?? Parallel614: This isnt a private karaoke session, LOL. Parallel433: Uh... Parallel846: Karaoke (called by the viewers). Parallel785: Sweet donation farming, lol. The next day, as I arrived at work and confirmed that the bomb I had set up yesterday had gone off perfectly, I found Team Leader Ra Seung-hyun waiting for me in the building lobby. For some reason, my own team leader was there as well. The reason became clear soon enough. "I came along so Team Leader Ra wouldnt bully you, Gia." "... The hell is this forced persecution complex? Im just here to buy you coffee before the meeting. Lets go." Ra Seung-hyun. A marketing expert so obsessed with results that she had been rated the top performer in her department for ten consecutive years at a major corporation. She was the one who had put together that presentation for the pre-event night, making it feel like the first-gen talents were setting off on a grand adventure. Despite the CEOs constant applause for her work, Ra Seung-hyun was perpetually dissatisfied. Not because she had a sharp personality. In fact, it was mostly because of me. Not for any particularly grand reasonjust that every time I felt like it, Id casually throw out suggestions to the CEO, saying things like, "Why dont we do this content?" or "How about that one?" And those ideas always ended up reaching the CEO a few hours, or sometimes days, before Ra Seung-hyuns official proposals. So, every time she confidently presented a plan she was sure would be groundbreaking, the CEO would say, "Oh, I already talked to Gia about that," immediately deflating her mood. Of course, that would be frustrating. But it wasnt because she was incompetent. I just threw out ideas whenever they popped into my head, without considering the aftermath. Meanwhile, Ra Seung-hyun meticulously analyzed industry trends, predicted potential blowback, and submitted comprehensive reportsso of course, her process took longer. When you think about it that way, both of us were coming up with ideas at roughly the same time. Unlike me, who had been immersed in VTuber culture from a young age, Ra Seung-hyun had only been introduced to it three or four years ago, just like my own team leader. And yet, in that short span of time, she had absorbed everything about the industry, skillfully pushed her team members to their limits, and produced well-timed proposals. That alone was proof of how much of an elite she was. With someone like her heading the planning team, it was no wonder that everythingnew songs, outfits, or seasonal contentcame out at just the right time. The Lunar New Year Singing Contest was also her creation, so I had complete and utter faith in her. I considered her one of the greatest assets supporting our CEO. That said, ever since I became smaller, even someone as composed as Ra Seung-hyun had taken on a strangely ambiguous expression whenever she looked at me. She seemed a little annoyed, yet there was a subtle twitch at the corner of her lips. Once we grabbed coffee and entered the meeting room, my draft proposal from last night was already displayed on the big screen. The moment we sat down, she did something unexpectedshe smiled. "The draft is a bit rough, but I liked it." "Thank you." One of her team members had once told me that meetings with her were pure hell. But this one proceeded surprisingly smoothly. "That said, if you really want to do proper planning work, you still have a lot to learn. The proposal isnt detailed enough to submit to the higher-ups as is." "Well, Im not actually part of the planning team." "Considering the CEO told me to help you, Id say she has other ideas." "You think so?" "More than that, planning and streaming are completely different environments. You need to break things down in meticulous detail, or people wont interpret them the same way, and youll end up with practical issues." "Ah. But I was planning to handle this one on my own. I figured this level of detail would be fine." Ra Seung-hyun looked at me with wide eyes. "You were planning to move forward with just this outline?" "Yeah. I was just going to improvise the rest." The look on her face could be summarized as: "What the hell is this kid?" And soon enough, she said something similar out loud. "What about during the Movgun internal match?" "Same approach." "And the Wicker server event? The Combative tournament?" "Didnt really have time to prepare for those." "... You mean to tell me, when you said were so screwed, you didnt actually have a backup plan?" Kang Ji-ho suddenly wrapped her arms around me. "Team Leader Ra, youre scaring Mapat." "I havent even done anything? We were just having a normal meeting?" Letting out a short sigh, Ra Seung-hyun muttered: "Anyway, I get it now. It makes sense why the CEO keeps making Mapat stream these days." "And why do you think that is?" "There arent many people who can manage a stream even when things go to hell. Not only do you handle damage control, but you also shift the atmosphere completely to your advantage." Hearing it phrased like that, youd think I had some kind of brainwashing ability, capable of captivating anyone in an instant. In reality, I was just barely keeping up internally. Still, regardless of how I was perceived, earning Ra Seung-hyuns trust was significant. Unlike the other team leaders, whom I interacted with frequently through various side tasks, Id barely spoken with her in a professional setting before. But now that we were discussing a project, everything fell into place effortlessly. I barely had to say a wordshe filled in the blanks and turned my rough draft into a well-structured plan. "Alright, lets submit this report." This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. However, there was one major addition compared to my original draft: A sponsorship deal with Aurora, which also came with a special prize named after the sponsor. When I asked about it, she explained, "We got a bottled water sponsorship for the singing contest." On the contest day, the CEO and the members would gather in the 9th-floor motion studio, and they were even planning to set up motion-tracked water bottles for the event. Ra Seung-hyun had apparently suggested running Auroras branding in the Illegal Duet event the day before, as a soft product placement. The winner would receive 1 million won in prize money from Aurora Water. "So, first place in the audience poll gets the cash prize. And for the original rewards, I pick two people, right?" "Yeah. Since the CEO plans to join as well, she can give out one, and you can give out the other." "Ah, got it." ...Wait, does the CEO actually have time for this? Well, Ra Seung-hyun probably knows her schedule better than I do. "Alright, I need to get going. Im busy." "Thanks for the help." "Since I helped, make sure you do your best." With a sharp huff, Ra Seung-hyun strutted out of the meeting room. Still standing beside me, my team leader smirked. "She always talks like that, but shes such a tsundere." "Come to think of it, you two seem pretty close?" "Well, were the same age? And speaking of, what was it she said before? Something about hugging Gia" "Hey. Kang Ji-ho." The team leader, who we thought had already left, was suddenly back, her glare so intense it practically shot lasers at Kang Ji-ho. "Dont run your mouth about useless things." "Okay, okay, my bad. I wont say anything." "Tsk." With that, the door slid shut again. Kang Ji-ho barely held back her laughter. "I didnt know you two were on casual terms like that." "Well, since I handle the members'' external schedules, we end up communicating a lot. Naturally, we got closer." "So... what was that thing about me?" "Oh, that? You should ask Team Leader Ra yourself. If I say anything, shell probably show up at my house and rip me apart." ...Just what the hell was that about? *** With Ra Seung-hyun involved, I wasnt worried about the quality of the event. But after a few days, when the official content announcement went up, I noticed an unexpected new sponsor attached. View on Z Parallel Official KR ? @Parallel_official_kr - 1 minute ago ???? Lunar New Year Special Viewer Participation Content ???? 2025.01.30 (TUE) 6PM ???? Hosts: Shirahoshi Momo, Manager Magia ???? Total Prize: 4 million won + Rare Merch Giveaway! - Sponsors: Aurora, Pazijik ???? Sign up & submit your video: m.site.pazizik.com/13Z6A ...Why is Pazijik involved? The CEO shrugged like it was nothing. Remember the concert viewership during Wicker Town? Yeah, it went over 300,000. What about the Game Championship? Around 250,000, I think...? Thats why. She gave me a pointed look. ...Was she implying this was because of me? All I remembered from those events was muttering Lapits Potion while beating people to death and cursing at the games mechanics. It definitely wasnt just my doing. Of course, getting more sponsors was a good thing. Since they provided production support, we could create higher-quality content. "Anyway, because of that, the number of viewer-voted prizes has increased to four. Pazijik is contributing 2 million won for two winners, and Aurora added another 1 million won for two more." "So a total of 4 million won... We''re still giving away the merch sets, right?" "Yeah. Since the prize pool got bigger, we didnt want any internal favoritism accusations. To maintain anonymity, Pazijik will be managing the participant list." "I really just wanted to do this for fun, but its turning into a huge thing." The CEO chuckled. "Our little Gia is still a rookie streamer, huh? Getting nervous over something like this." "Im not nervous. Im more worried about you causing a scandal." "Excuse me?! Thats my line!" "If you purposely stir up drama on the official channel to push our revenue share up, I wont sit quietly." "Youre driving me insane..." Honestly, the fact that we were casually joking like this showed how unconcerned I was at the time. Even with sponsors, this was still an internal Parallel-only event. The viewer vote system reinforced that this was a fun entertainment show, not a serious competition. But the moment Pazijik got involved, rumors naturally started to spiral. Pazijik is sponsoring it?!The prize pool is 4 million won?!Wait, is that per person?!With the rumors catching fire, another announcement popped up. ???? Nutube - Community Post RoofKR | 1.09 million subscribers ???? I was gonna take the whole holiday off, but... ???? Ill be streaming from the 30th, right at the end of the break. ???? 30th: Parallels Illegal Duet Watch Party ???? 31st: Watching Parallels Singing Contest with the Mad Dogs ???? After that, drinking stream + Parallel World Cup RoofKR had been promising to do a Parallel World Cup for ages, and now, out of nowhere, he slotted it in on the same day as our Singing Contest. Since Pazijik was openly pushing our event, he probably figured it was the perfect timing and locked in the date. And with the Mad Dogs Crew, who had a combined subscriber count of 3 million, the impact was immediate. "Pazijik just told me that the number of applicants suddenly doubled." "How many now?" "210." "...?" "We dont have access to the full list yet, but apparently, there are some big names in there... The most famous one has 2.5 million subscribers on Nutube." "Did people get bored because the Lunar New Year break was too long?" My plan had been simpleId bait some attention by announcing my anonymous participation, but somehow, the scale of the event was ballooning out of control. Still, I didnt see it as a bad thing. Having recognizable names in the contest was a huge win. Our members were no slouches when it came to singing. Hell, these big names werent even getting paid, yet they were lining up to sing with our VTubers. Why would we turn down an opportunity like this? I just hoped theyd make it past the qualifiers so we could showcase them in the main event. Even betterthis meant my chances of getting eliminated in the prelims went up. If I didnt make it past qualifiers, Id get to sit back and judge the finals comfortably. Everyone would be desperately trying to find me, while Id Novelight just be smiling, running the show. "So... what song did you submit for the prelims?" "Its a secret." "...Youre not gonna suddenly start singing a Lapits song, right? Not this time. I mean it." "I didnt." *** Unexpected Variables Kept Piling Up. View on Z Parallel Official KR ? @Parallel_official_kr - 1 minute ago ???? [ Finalists Announcement C 26 Contestants] ???? Check the list here: m.site.pazizik.com/Az04q Did you know? Among these 26 finalists... Manager Magia is hiding somewhere. ???? ...What. For some reason, the video I submitted actually passed the qualifiers, and I made it to the finals. View on Z Eula? @Eula - 1 minute ago ???? January 30th: No stream due to personal matters! EulaFighting @fightwitheula Huh? Did Eula apply for Illegal Duet too?! ? Eula? @Eula (???? Shh meme of Seong Shin-jae) With that, it was almost confirmed that Eula, the utaite with 2.5 million subscribers, had also joined Illegal Duet... January 30th. What was originally estimated to be a 25,000-viewer event had completely shattered expectations. ???? (Live) Parallels Illegal Duet ???? ???? 58,437 viewers #Parallel #Magia #Momo #IllegalDuet #KaraokeContest #ViewerParticipation With nearly 60,000 people watching, the Illegal Duet event officially began. Chapter 100 Hello, everyone! To all our dear Wol-Dungi who have always loved Parallel, and to all the new viewers who have come from various places to watch our Lunar New Year special contentwelcome! I am todays guest reaction host, the star shining high in the sky of Parallel, Shirahoshi Momo! Clap clap clap. As soon as the CEO finished her introduction, I joined in with an enthusiastic round of applause before giving a polite bow. Hello, everyone. I am Magia, the assistant manager, and I will be co-hosting todays reaction segment with our CEO. I look forward to working with you all. Waaaah!! ???????? ?? ???? ??? Jaha Phaelha ??? ?????? ????? Moha ??? ?????????? Jaha ?????? Honestly, once the viewer count surpasses ten thousand, it becomes impossible to gauge the actual crowd density just by looking at the chat. However, there is a way to determine how many people have joined and how many new viewers have arrived. The answer lies in the growing list of banned usernames. During normal streams, the ban count isnt particularly high. Thats because, aside from moments when dopamine levels spike, the chat moves at a fairly moderate pace, meaning any troublemakers are swiftly apprehended by the streamer. In situations like that, most people tend to play it safe and behave, keeping the ban list relatively quiet. But today was different. On days with such massive crowds, things changed. Some people couldnt hold back their dopamine surges and got swept up in the chaotic atmosphere, spewing nonsense only to get their heads chopped off. Others made the exact same mistake as someone else in the flood of chat and ended up getting executed right alongside them. Even if a ban was only temporary, once a username appeared on the list, it became a tangible indicator of just how intense the stream was. Of course, the longer that list got, the more it became a nightmare for the managers. Today, however, was an exception. Since all the assigned managers happened to be on break, the off-duty ones voluntarily stepped in, offering to help out. And not just one or two of themevery single manager on break had raised their hand to work today. We told them they didnt have to, but they all said they might as well help out while watching the stream. As thanks, I promised to send them chicken gift vouchers once the stream was over. Some might think spending money on that was unnecessary, but since we couldnt hire them as full-time employees, they were incredibly valuable to us. If relationships soured, it would lead to all sorts of headaches, so maintaining good rapport was essential. After all, if a post like I got unfairly banned popped up on the forums, and it turned out to be an actual wrongful ban, it wouldnt just be an issue on our forumit would ignite the entire community. To prevent such incidents, frequent communication was key. Before I was called Team Leader, my official title was General Manager, and the primary duty of that role was overseeing the entire moderation team. Anyway, while chatting with Momo about recent updates, I was also reviewing images sent in by the managers to decide whether certain ambiguous cases warranted a ban. Meanwhile, the stream continued moving forward. Now, lets move on to the awards segment! Gia, I heard there are six different awards this time? Thats right. Thanks to sponsorships from Aurora and Pazijik, we have quite a variety of prizes this year. There are two primary evaluation methods. First, we have the viewer votes. These are divided into two categories: performance score and entertainment score. The top two winners in performance score will receive the Aurora Award, while the top two in entertainment score will receive the Pazijik Award. After selecting those ? NvIight ? (Read more on our source) four winners, our final two awards will be given by myself and Assistant Manager Magia. Each of us will personally choose one participant for the Parallel Award. And dont worry, we wont be picking Gia, so your merch is safe, everyone! For details on the prizes, please refer to the next slide. With that, we wrapped up explaining the award selection process and prize details before the main event began. It was now time to introduce the participants. After playing the preliminary evaluation videos, Momo and I would discuss the results based on the judges assessments. For reference, the preliminary judging was handled by a music producer who has worked on both original songs and cover projects for Parallel. Now then, lets meet our first contestantParticipant A! To ensure anonymity, every contestant was assigned an uppercase letter instead of a username. For the record, my designated letter was F. Apparently, it was chosen because it resembled a flare, like a signal flare or illumination round. Since I was in the earlier part of the lineup, my introduction came up fairly quickly. As Momo flipped through the cue cards and reached the evaluation for Participant F, she suddenly paused. Then, she glanced straight at me. Her eyes clearly said, Is this you? This was the first time either of us had seen the preliminary videos. To maintain fairness and prevent bias, we intentionally delayed watching them until now to avoid recognizing any participants in advance. Well... our next contestant is Participant F. Surprisingly, their voice sounds very similar to a certain VTuber we all know. ??? Eh? ? Lets watch the preliminary video and see if you all can figure out which VTuber it might be. For the record, I didnt sing trot music. If I had, it wouldve instantly reminded everyone of that slow train performance from a while back and given me away on the spot. As soon as the song began playing, the chat exploded with reactions. ?? Huh? Eh? ???? Momo? * Dohee immediately recognized that F was Magia. After all, there was no one else who would pull off a prank like this. As the video played, Dohee muted her mic and asked, You never fail to amaze me. What Magia had submitted for the preliminaries was none other than Momos first original song. And the mimicry was absurdly good. It wasnt some half-hearted phone recording done in a karaoke roomno, she had recorded it in a properly set-up company studio, yet the difference from the original was almost imperceptible. Usually, poor recording quality makes it easier to confuse the original with an imitation. For a simple joke, the quality was shockingly high. Just like before, most people wouldnt be able to tell whether it was Momo or Magia. I already showed you a bit of this during the D-Rain segment. That was rap! Rap and singing with actual pitch control are completely different things. Are they, though? I just copied someone who sang well. After five years of practice, this level is to be expected. ...Im suddenly terrified of the finals. When Magia had sung Slow Train, Dohee had thought: Her voice may not be as distinct as a fingerprint, but its recognizable enough that one performance will give her away. Yeah, right. At this level, no one was going to figure it out. Magia had said she was participating in the event. No one ever said Dohee wasnt participating. And after working with a menace like Magia for five years, Dohee had unknowingly started picking up some of her more devious habits. Naturally, she welcomed such an entertaining situation. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. As the preliminary video ended, Dohee unmuted her mic and spoke. Wow. I have no idea who that was. Right? Starlit sky~. She even hummed a short line, as if the clip had been her own. Of course, Magia, who had nothing on her mind but deceiving the viewers, immediately followed up. Well, I never said the CEO wasnt part of this. ??? What the hell? Is this really Momo? Isnt this just Magia doing an impression? Wait, since when was Magia this good at singing? I seriously cant tell LOL Nah, I believe this is Magia F is Magia, F is Magia But it does sound like Momo... lol Damn, who is it? Some viewers insisted that F was Magia. But soon, even that discussion faded away. Aside from the intentionally comedic contestants, most of the participants that followed were shockingly good singers. So much so that it was hard to believe they were just ordinary viewers. One contestant, in particular, stood outParticipant L. Oh shit, who is this? Ssshh lol I know this voice... The consensus among the viewers was that it had to be Iyura, a 2.5-million-subscriber Utaite. She was even better at that distinctive rough, raspy singing style than Maru, and to top it off, she had chosen a song that was meant to be belted out powerfully. It gave her away instantly. However, no one could be completely sure. Because of F. :: An anonymous donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Isnt this an impression too? :: :: An anonymous donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! :: :: I cant be sure because of F earlier, damn LOL :: If no one could tell whether F was Magia or Dohee, how could they be certain if L was really Iyura? And then, that uncertainty reached its peak when the final contestant, Participant Z, took the stage. And now, our last contestantParticipant Z. According to the evaluations, their voice is usually suited for gentle, healing songs, yet theyve chosen to deliver a powerful, intense vocal performance instead. Rather than feeling awkward, its been described as mesmerizing. Lets have a listen! The moment the first note played, the chat was flooded with hook emotes. Huh? Why does this sound so familiar? Wait...? Ssshh Even Magia, who had been enjoying the confusion all along, suddenly stiffened. Whats wrong? This voice... doesnt it sound familiar to you? Dohee had been listening to so many audition tapes recently that she couldnt pinpoint it immediately. Hm? Not sure? But Magia was different. The singing style was throwing her off a little, but she knew she had heard this voice before. The background of Zs preliminary recording was a coin karaoke room. The sound quality was poorrecorded on a phonebut even through that, there was a certain gentleness in the tone. As the evaluation had stated, even in its strongest belted moments, the voice never became sharp. There was always a roundness, a smoothness to it. Who is this...? Magia couldnt say for certain. All she knew was that this question was going to bother her for a long time. With that, the participant introductions were complete. As Magia and Dohee discussed the contestants, a Pazijik staff member in TalkCord randomly shuffled the performance order. This was to ensure a completely blind evaluation by the audience. [Host: The first performer is ready.] And so, without knowing who would go first, both the audience and the hosts watched as the first contestant stepped onto the stage. From this point on, all that mattered was the singing itself. Alright, heres our first contestant. Lets see if you can guess who they are! Gia, please introduce the song. The song selection is Marus debut singleFinally. This song... Finally was Marus first original track, famously known for its railroad crossing alarm chime intro. It was also one of the most technically difficult songs out of all the original tracks released by the Parallel members. Not only did it feature deep, resonant low notes followed by sudden jumps to high pitches, but the chorus was entirely filled with sustained high notes, to the point that even professional singers often struggled with the final upward modulation. In short, the songs constantly shifting tone demanded a high level of skill. Mistakes were bound to happen during a live performance. Yet... [With each departing step, the slowed hands of the clock, the approaching end of today... When the darkness settles on my shoulders, even the sound leaves my side...] From the very first note, the voice was clear and warm. Like the smoothness of a sip of heated milk. The chorus hadnt even started, yet it was immediately obvious that this singer was the real deal. Magia had a talent for recognizing and analyzing voices. It was a skill she had honed while practicing vocal impressions, but it was also something that had helped her identify reincarnated VTubers from their past lives. After confirming that the mic volume was lowered, Magia muttered, This is Z. Oh, youre right. Thats Z. But... we know them, dont we? I cant say for sure, but after hearing it twice, Ive got a feeling. Well... yeah. The problem wasnt just that they had identified Z. They had figured out who was behind the alias. The fact that they had chosen a song by their friend, Maru. The evaluations comment about their voice suiting healing songs. Adding those clues together, the answer was obvious. Z... This is Serena. Chapter 101 "Z. This is Serena." The certainty in Magias voice made Dohee frown in confusion. "Serena? Why would she apply for this?" "Good question." "No, but seriously, you dont know? You were literally hanging out with her last week." "Oh. Right." "...." There werent any restrictions barring VTubers from other agencies from participating. It wasnt impossible that Serena had joined just for funmaybe because she was close with Maru, or because a famous Utaite like Iyura was also in the lineup. And since Pazijik had the participant list, they must have deliberately kept quiet to avoid causing issues if Parallel caught on. But lately, something had been... off about the atmosphere between Magia and Serena. It was subtle, but Dohees protective instincts had been on high alert. No matter how much of a joke it was, forcing Gia to say "Masters heart, moe moe kyun~?" had crossed a line. And Magia had just laughed it off, as if she enjoyed it. "Speaking of which, exactly how close are you with Serena now?" "Close enough to grab coffee after a company dinner and complain about work together?" "?" Dohee shot her a sharp look. "Would it kill you to let me know these things in advance?" "She asked me to # Nvlight # pretend I never heard anything. If someone asks me that nicely, Im not going to go around blabbing, am I?" "...Fair enough." Magia wasnt the type to badmouth Parallel, which meant Serena must have been the one venting. And if Magia had absentmindedly agreed with her, Serena could have easily misinterpreted it as "Is she trying to recruit me to Parallel?" Dohee trusted Gia. But this was the first time Magia had been involved in an external event, let alone one featuring a VTuber from a rival agency. So, she had to ask. "You didnt tell Serena to come to Parallel, did you?" "Not at all." Magias answer was instant, her face unreadable. Meaning, she hadnt made any mistakes. But Serena had vented about her agency to a rival VTuber manager, then showed up unannounced to a Parallel event. Dohee had been running a VTuber agency for three years now. She knew what this meant. Shes thinking about switching agencies... If Serena wanted to leave Lapits, there was nothing Parallel could do to stop her. Right now, her career was thriving, especially after her growth in Wicker Town. If she was still willing to abandon all that, it meant her decision was already made. Even if Parallel tried to frame it as an amicable departure, fans would still accuse her of betraying their trust. In the end, it would be Serena herself who bore the consequences. And if she was serious about switching agencies, she wouldnt immediately jump from Lapits to Parallel. Following the precedent set by other VTubers, shed probably spend a few months as an indie first, then make her move. ...Unless she already had a backup plan and just did whatever she wanted. As for her reason for leaving? It could be anything. But dissatisfaction with her current agency was probably at the heart of it. For a while, that dissatisfaction and her sense of responsibility toward her fans must have been evenly balanced. Until a certain variable tipped the scale. Was it Gia...? Most fans of idols and VTubers didnt really care what happened to anyone except their oshi. At best, they kept track of other members from the same generation or group. But once agencies changed, it became none of their business. Magia, though, was different. She helped whoever she liked, competition be damned. If someone needed support, she gave it, simple as that. The Sun and the North Wind... Was this what she was talking about? When the wind blew harshly, the traveler clutched their coat tighter. But when the sun shone brightly, they took it off themselves. Magia had mentioned that fable recently. And now, Lapits was falling apartnot because Parallel forced anything, but simply because Magia had looked after the VTubers she liked. Yeah... No VTuber would hate being cared for by Gia. Parallels first-gen talents had initially kept their distance from her. Her blunt speech and tendency to push people away had made her hard to approach. But now? Now, they counted down the days to their next collab with her. Magia wasnt just a support behind the scenes anymore. She was a cheat code. Content, collaborations, stream engagementshe was an undeniable force in every aspect of the industry. To the point where, when they surveyed second-gen applicants, over half had mentioned Magia in their applications. Alongside the usual "Im a fan of CEO Momo" or "I admire the first-gen members," they saw "I want to join because I want Assistant Manager Magias support." This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Magia had become the face of Parallel. And not just internally. Her influence was strong enough to sway VTubers from rival agencies. But even so... Today was Parallels grand event. The second a Lapits VTuber showed up, it would become a headache for both sides. Dohee had reached the logical conclusion that Serena was planning to leave, but the public, who didnt know the full story, would only see chaos and scandal. And the viewers have already noticed somethings up... Meaning, even if people suspected Serenas identity, the best thing they could do was not acknowledge it officially. Dohee sighed. "You remember how were each supposed to pick someone for the Parallel Award?" "The Parallel Award?" "Yeah. Try not to pick Serena." But Magia looked at her like shed just asked the dumbest question in the world. "Because Lapits might complain?" She idly tapped her phone. As if to say, I have the receipts. Whats the problem? If Lapits accused them of tampering or poaching, if they claimed that Magia had secretly lured Serena over, Parallel would have hard evidence to the contrary. Meanwhile, Lapits would only have suspicions. Even if Yeon Sung-mook and Lapits'' CEO were working together, there was nothing they could legally do to stop Parallel. And Magia, frankly, didnt care about any of that. She just wanted to give Serena the award. "Forget all that," she said. "Just listen." Dohee finally focused on the song playing. Serena had reached the climax. Her voice soared, rich and powerfulso mesmerizing that the audience had forgotten to even wave their glow sticks. [Like the final breath for tomorrow, I close my eyes and let you go!] Wow Holy shit She killed it KYAAA WTF Who is this?! No way this is just a viewer... Im gonna marry this woman I feel cleansed... Serenas signature healing waves were unmistakably present in her voice. But she had also incorporated a significant amount of Marus deeply resonant singing technique. Because of that, her voice blended seamlessly with the pre-recorded backing vocals from Marualmost as if this were an illegal duet, perfectly synchronized. "Ive practiced vocal mimicry before, even if just briefly, and to reach this level? You have to listen a lot and practice a lot." Magia knew this better than anyone. She had spent years as a devoted fan and had dabbled in vocal impressions herself. This performance was a testament to Serenas respect for Maruit was stunning because of that admiration. In fact, rather than the Parallel Award that Magia and Dohee were supposed to personally select, Serena could very well win on merit alone and take home the Aurora Award. "If I dont hear anything better than this, Im definitely giving the award to Serena. This goes beyond skillits love." And yet, Magias thoughts were almost entirely in sync with Dohees. Dohee had poured her heart into producing Marus debut single album. How could she not appreciate the way Serena had sung it so beautifully? "Even if you dont give her an award, the viewers will pick her themselves. And if she is getting an award, then youre not the one giving itI am." This was a situation that could lead to annoying inter-company disputes. But that was Dohees problem to deal with as CEO. As a staff member, Magia had already done her jobshe had given Dohee the necessary evidence and let her make the call. "You know why I always tell you to warn me about stuff like this? Because I dont want to dump responsibility on you as a staff member." Magia blinked, momentarily surprised, before breaking into a small grin. "If only you were this reliable in Battle Colosseum." "Hey." *** 30 Minutes Later, Lapits CEOs Office. Yeon Sung-mook stood in front of the CEO, delivering an impassioned speech. "This is definitely tampering." He presented a post from the Lapits community forum titled Serena Joins Illegal Duet EU as evidence, citing her close relationship with Magia as undeniable proof. "We have evidence" "You have nothing but suspicions," the CEO cut in, sighing. "Do you seriously think an anonymous forum post counts as proof?" "But based on my experience, this is" "Youre a team leader, and your experience is all you have? No hard evidence?" Yeon Sung-mook fell silent. The CEO pressed further. "What did you discuss with Magia at the Pazijik year-end party?" "Well, since were both in operations, we talked about industry trends" "Are you sure?" The CEOs gaze sharpened. It was the look of someone who already knew the truth. "I know what was said. Be honest." "Im not lying! We talked about industry trends" "My staff in the operations team already told me everything. You offered her a debut contract, didnt you?" "...." "I heard you even bragged about getting promoted to the executive track and told her to ditch that sinking ship. Care to explain?" Yeon Sung-mook clenched his fists. But he had no one to blame but himself. His fantasies of a career boost after recruiting Magia had slipped out while he was drunk. And because Magia hadnt immediately rejected the idea, hed convinced himself it was possible. Had he thought about actually asking her? No. He assumed that stalling was to his advantage and that Lapits parent company, Virdess, was bigger than Parallel. A frog in a well. He had put too much faith in Virdess and his father, the CEO, and now, here he was. "What reason would Magia have to join us? Do you even know who her oshi is?" "...." "Youve been in this field for two years, and you still dont get how this industry works? No wonder you thought poaching a competitors staff was a good idea." During the Pazijik year-end party, industry executives had been watching Magia from afar. Everyone knew it was her. But no one had approached her. Because the second anyone made a move, the industry would immediately start whispering: "So-and-so company has their eyes on her." No one wanted that kind of rumor attached to them. But then Yeon Sung-mook had openly approached her. The entire MCN and agency circuit had heard about it. The CEO had nearly been labeled the executive who doesnt respect industry etiquette at an important business meetingwithout even realizing it. Lapits and Parallels rivalry was already well-known. "Team Leader Yeon, whats the first thing we do before contract meetings?" "We... record audio." "Magia may look young, but she works in the same field as you." "...." "Do you really think she wouldnt have recorded your conversation?" "Well, it was a rushed situation, so maybe..." "Did she record it or not? Can you say for certain?" "...." "What do you think happens if she plays that recording?" The company would never take the risk. The only person with their neck on the line was Yeon Sung-mook. Even if he was a nepotism hire from the parent company, the CEO wouldnt let him drag the company down. "Youve been spending all your time watching Parallels streams lately. Are you the one thinking of switching jobs? Or is this some childish revenge plan against your father for demoting you to Lapits?" "N-No! I was just monitoring the competition! I never" "You spend your entire workday on your phone, tracking their viewer metrics. Is that also research? So, tell me. Whats your brilliant plan based on all this monitoring?" "... The members... havent been very cooperative." "And have you given them a reason to follow you? Also, why do I have to hear about infighting between our operations team and our VTubers from someone outside the company?" "...Excuse me?" "Chief A&R Producer at Cat Entertainment informed me. He said were failing to manage our members properly." A&RArtists & Repertoire. The department responsible for talent scouting, production, and overall artist management. A Chief A&R Producer was the head of all associated labels. In a regular company, that would be the equivalent of a Chief Operating Officer (COO) or CAO. And Cat Entertainment was one of the two powerhouses dominating the Korean entertainment industry, alongside SB Entertainment. For someone that high-ranking to personally call them out "Wait. Are you saying Serena told them?" "And what if she did? What are you going to do about it? Retaliate?" "N-No! Absolutely not!" "Then dont even dream about it if you dont want to be permanently blacklisted from this industry." The CEOs cold stare was a warning. "And by next month, I expect a full report on every issue in the operations team. If you dont fix it, Ill send you back to Virdess. And I dont care if that means you end up cleaning bathrooms there." "U-Uncle! Please, anything but that!" "How many times do I have to tell you? Dont call me that at work." For the first time, the CEO openly showed hostility. "I gave you the benefit of the doubt because were family. But not anymore. And I assume you agree with me, Team Leader Yeon?" "...I beg for your mercy." Yeon Sung-mook lowered his head, fists trembling with frustration. The CEO delivered his final warning. "If even a single Lapits member announces their departure within the next month Then its over for you. Consider yourself warned." Chapter 102 Thirty Minutes Ago. As soon as Serena finished her passionate performance, the chat erupted in silent cheers. [Thank you for enjoying it! Happy New Year!] Kyaaaaaaaaa Encore! Encore! Encore! Finally, someone this good at singing after Maru, lol Damn, that was amazing Wait, isnt that...? lol Who is that? Who?? Among the more than sixty thousand viewers, there were a few who recognized Serena. Which meant that the number of people realizing she was participating would only grow. The CEO said she would handle it, but I didnt want to just dump everything on her. So, I decided to check in with Serena first and grabbed my phone. The message wasnt sent from a secondary account made specifically for this secret duet, but from my main TalkCord account. [Me: Were doing our content today,] [Me: And someone like you is singing a Maru song. Its crazy.] [Me: You should check it out later.] A reply came back quickly. [Serena: Im already watching, lol.] [Serena: But hey, did you know?] She suddenly seemed like she was about to get serious. And then, out of nowhere, she dropped a bombshell. [Serena: That person is graduating early next month, lol.] I didnt show any reaction on my face or in my posture. ...But I was actually shocked. [Me: What?] [Serena: Its not about me, why are you so surprised?] [Me: Still,] [Me: Any VTubers graduation is heartbreaking.] [Serena: Hahahaha.] [Serena: Thats so like you, Gia.] [Serena: Your kindness is seriously the best.] Its often said that in a company, those who stay silent have a higher chance of quitting than those who constantly complain. At least, thats what the HR manager once told me. Basically, people who speak up dont usually quit, but the ones who dont say anything tend to leave quickly. Serena rarely communicated with Lapits management. Meaning she was at high risk of quitting. I had considered the possibility that she might leave, but I didnt expect her to bring up graduation so soon. [Me: Whats she planning to do after graduation?] [Serena: Not sure? Maybe become an idol?] [Me: Right, I remember she always dreamed of that.] [Serena: Who knows, though.] [Serena: Shes a bit old to be a trainee.] [Serena: Maybe shell just take a break first?] Maybe because of Koreas heavy focus on early training, I had read somewhere that the average age of idol trainees was now around fifteen. Since Serena looked like she was in her early twenties, it made sense that she felt it was too late. ...In a way, it was kind of sad. Were living in an era where people can live close to a hundred years, and yet, being in your twenties is already considered too late to start something. At least Serena seemed somewhat relieved. [Serena: She said she can finally rest now.] [Serena: She hasnt been able to take a proper break since high school.] [Serena: ...But] [Serena: Shes still a bit sad about not being able to see her fans anymore.] [Me: The fans probably feel the same way.] [Serena: Yeah...] She seemed to have strong lingering feelings about her fans. But when it came to her reason for leaving, she was firm in her decision. [Serena: But she said that once she leaves, her juniors and colleagues will be better off.] [Serena: Theres a rock stuck in the company, you see.] [Serena: And when they tried to remove it, they realized the one who put it there was the parent companys CEO.] [Serena: Obviously, its not easy to remove, since its a parachute hire.] [Serena: So, she decided to graduate.] [Serena: To send a warning to the company that if they dont deal with it, theyll lose all their talents.] She was being careful with her words, but the meaning was clear. The parent company, VIRDESS, had placed someone in a high position. That persons presence was interfering with their activities. So, by leaving at the peak of her growth, she wanted to send a message If you dont fix this, youll lose everything. Still, after hearing it all, I had one thought. "Does her father have some real power?" Unless she came from a well-off family or had fought the company tooth and nail, it wouldnt be easy to graduate with such a strong resolve. Especially considering her recent surge in popularity and steady income. But Serena had already made up her mind. She wasnt even worried about what would happen after graduation. Considering the calculated side she had shown back in Wicker Town, it wasnt just blind optimism or naivety. She had once said, If my dad were here, or My dad evaluated it this way, So I could only assume that she had a solid safety net. After that, Serena kept talking Was it venting? Complaining? Either way, she was throwing out things that were hard for me to respond to... [Serena: I asked if the seniors and juniors wouldnt struggle more once she left, but she said itd be fine.] [Serena: She said worst-case scenario, even if the company collapses, she can just go indie.] [Serena: Honestly, the support was so half-assed that it was hard to tell if it was a corporate group or an indie setup anyway, lol.] [Serena: Anyway, she told me not to worry too much.] [Serena: And she wanted me to pass this on to you.] [Serena: Gia, please stay with Parallel.] That was the last message before the conversation abruptly ended. [Me: Im not going anywhere.] I sent a reply, but since Serena had logged out of her main account to return to her anonymous participation, there was no response. By the time the third contestants song started, I told the CEO about my conversation with Serena. Someone Serena knows came to sing today. Shes graduating early next month. The CEO must have already had a hunch that Serena would be graduating or transferring soon. Because her immediate response was Did you try to stop her? I shrugged. VTubers can disappear at any time. Its common for them to quit streaming to chase their dreams or deal with personal issues. Youre surprisingly cool about letting her go.... What else can I do? The moment someone mentions graduation, their heart is already gone. I cant track them down and force them to stay. You just have to treat them as well as you can while theyre still around. Ever heard this phrase? Be grateful that your oshi is still here. Oh, Ive heard that one plenty of times. Honestly, the CEO was a long-standing VTuber. Most people say the three-year mark is the breaking point. If you pass that, graduation is usually just a matter of time. Thats why I was always grateful. Even though her upload schedule was a mess due to how busy she was, she never stopped streaming. Well, if she ever returns as a VTuber, maybe Ill help out then. I have zero interest in people who arent VTubers. The CEO chuckled. Thats such a you thing to say. The atmosphere seemed to have settled down for a moment. But the cool air of the broadcast room was soon heated up again by the endless stream of singing contest participants. Dividing the categories into Performance Award and Talent Award had a huge impacthalf the participants were there purely to rack up entertainment points. And these people were insane. From illegal duets featuring grandpas and grandmas... To duets with foreigners from Japan, India, China, the U.S., and all sorts of unique accents. It was absolute comedyso much so that it was impossible not to laugh. So when the twenty-fourth contestant appeared Both the CEO and I, already riding high on excitement, couldn''t help but join the cheering viewers in the chat. For the second time, Marus notoriously difficult Finale made an appearance. And in the chorus, that unmistakable raspy vocal tone confirmed itit was none other than Iyura herself. [Dreaming of tomorrow, Ill forget it all...] Waaaaaah Kyaaaaaaaa HOLY SHIT LOL THIS IS REALLY IYURA Damn, shes insane Ascending to heaven rn Iyura-Maru duet... my heart is overwhelmed This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. While Serena had stood out with her dual-toned voice, both aggressive and soft, along with a technique eerily similar to Marus Iyuras signature rasp was on full display here, blending in perfectly with Marus pure, soaring vocals. It was giving everyone chills. [Thank youuuu!] LOL Are you even TRYING to hide it? Who the hell is this? That post-song thank you was straight-up Iyura, lol Shes just so carefree LMAO In the skill-based voting round, which was decided by viewers, Serena and Iyura completely dominated. Out of the 60,000 viewers, half30,000participated in the vote. Serena received 26,249 votes, while Iyura got 26,441a neck-and-neck finish. Considering that some people probably dropped out of the stream before voting, Iyura technically had the edge. Even so, Serena had caught up significantly. Because of that, the # Nvlight # anticipation was through the roof. Every contestant so far had brought out at least one signature move. ...And then came the final act. Me. The number of viewers had grown to 70,000. At this point, all I could do was pray. That the number wouldnt drop after hearing my singing. That these people would come back for tomorrows content. With my lips curving into an uncharacteristic smile, I clasped my hands together like I was praying. The CEO noticed. ...You look really excited. Look at that viewer count. How could I not be excited? Just imagineif even half of them tune in for our members singing contest tomorrow. Parallel skyrocketing. First-gen skyrocketing. Second-gen, lets go. But the CEO didnt seem to get my enthusiasm. Oh. So youre not just hyped because youre doing an illegal duet? ...Did you forget that youre my oshi? If I was that excited about an illegal duet, I wouldve jumped into the members karaoke sessions a long time ago. ...Fair point. Anyway. I just hope people dont run away after hearing me sing. Well, since youll be impersonating my voice, theres no way theyll leave. Im just going to sing in my own voice, actually. ? The CEO looked bewilderedbut this was the best way to fool people. I already mimicked your voice earlier. If I do it again, itll be too obvious. Huh. I guess that makes sense. Always act unpredictably. Survival Guide for Malicious Trolls, Chapter 1. Remember that. ...Wasnt that originally from Hood? Dont tease me after I finish singing. Hmmm? She gave me a look, as if she had just found an amusing new toy to play with. I shot her a serious glare in return. It was a warning. If she teased me even once, I had ten pre-prepared, premium-grade trolling techniques waiting just for her. Maybe she sensed that. Because for once, she didnt push it further. The twenty-fifth contestant exited. The CEO grabbed the mic, her excitement palpable. And now, weve reached our grand finale! Gia, please introduce the last contestants song! Sure. The final contestant has chosen One Other. Its the most recent first-gen group song. Weve had contestants sing other group songs, but this is the first time for One Other, right? Thats correct! Contestant, are you ready? I bowed using the pre-prepared secondary account. And to the CEO, I simply gave a firm nod. A short intro began. The infectious beat made it impossible not to move along. I swayed to the rhythm, waiting for the moment when the members harmonies would come in. The main focus was on first-gen. I was just a passenger, hitching a ride in the trunk of their convertible. The first lines kicked off. Dora and Maru pressed down on the gas pedal, their voices driving the song forward And I slipped in seamlessly, my frequency blending in without disturbing the harmony. Addicted to this pull, falling deeper inside. This love is so real, its taking me high. * Cheon Do-hee was stunned. It was definitely Magia. "You and I, our worlds endlessly intertwine. Together we shine, like stars in the sky." That usually lifeless, businesslike tone had suddenly transformed into a powerful, resonant voicelike a sharp, vibrating ajaeng. At a level where no one would recognize it as Magia. Plenty of people have different tones when they speak versus when they sing. But this was a plot twist among plot twists. ? Oh, what the hell Where has this person been hiding...? Damn, this is hitting straight into my eardrums Thought the music was a bit loud, but I can hear her crystal clear ??? As the viewers noted, the first-gen backing track Magia had set up was a bit on the loud side. And yet, her voice cut through it effortlessly. Compared to the perfectly polished first-gen vocals, she wasnt exactly at a professional level But her pitch and breath control were flawless. It was the kind of performance youd expect from a seasoned newcomer. It wasnt just the studio audio setup making her sound good. Magia herself was standing out. Another major strength was that her tone didnt overlap with anyone elses. The blend was so seamless that it made you wonder When the hell is this five-person album dropping? And it wasnt just Cheon Do-hee thinking that. Bzzzt. As the song neared its end, her phone started buzzing like crazy. Not just onceseveral times in a row. Composer. Lyricist. Producer. All people who had worked on first-gens original and cover songs. And they were all saying pretty much the same thing. [PITMAN: Momo, do you know who the last contestant is?] [SiSseuneunRockHee: Is that Gia?] [Utau: Momo, Im getting a melody idea. Urgent.] Chapter 103 [PITMAN: Momo, do you know who the last contestant is?] [SiSseuneunRockHee: Is that Gia?] [Utau: Momo, Ive got an idea for a song. Urgent.] At a glance, it was a strange situation. After all, there had already been two people far more skilled before this. Serena was a recognized vocalist from Lapits, and Iyura was a globally renowned utaite. Shouldnt the industry people have reached out then, not now? But from a professionals perspective, things looked different. Serena and Iyura were already established artists. Talents like them usually had firm contracts with record labels, making it difficult to approach them with new deals. But Magia, who had just sung last? To an experts ear, she was an unrefined gem. An intriguing rookieone whose potential was exciting precisely because she wasnt fully polished yet. Like a Bitcoin right before it skyrockets. The three who had contacted Momo had worked closely with Parallel for a long time. Even if the contestant was technically anonymous, they likely had a good idea who was behind the mask. And that meant there was a chance to reach out. "Gias probably not going to respond to this...." Cheon Do-hee knew. Even if she told Magia about these messages, she wouldnt care. Someone with zero interest in fame wouldnt bite at an offer like, This is your chance to be famous! Want to release a song? But the real question waswould the people around her let it go? Over time, her identity would definitely be exposed. The number of people taking an interest in her would only grow. Even if she had participated anonymously, there would be fans comparing her singing style with her usual speech patterns. It wouldnt take long for someone to connect the dots. And since Pazijik had practically endorsed her by sponsoring the contest, Magia had already proven to be a hot topic. If there were any MCNs or talent agencies watching, they wouldnt suggest making her a VTuber. Theyd push her toward becoming an utaite first. Even if she hadnt debuted, she still had her distinctive virtual faceplate that she used for her official broadcasts. That alone made the VTuber route less likelyshe was already recognizable. And besides, just looking at Japan showed how faceless singersutaitehad made a mark in J-pop. All she had to do was use a new alias. Theyd pitch it as something she could easily manage while keeping her day job. Of course, shed reject it at first, saying she had no interest in singing. But what if someone phrased it like "Itll help Parallel. Just give it a try." What if that someone was from a major powerhouse like CAT or SB Entertainment? Magia wouldnt say no. She always listened to industry professionalsespecially if they had real power. If it were some random company, Cheon Do-hee wouldnt care. But if CAT or SB Entertainment were involved? She would personally push Magia forward. It wasnt just about whether she was under Parallel. This was a chance that could change Gias entire life. Opportunities like that didnt come easy. But life had a way of throwing surprises. Watching Magia sing her final lineswithout a single mistake in pitchCheon Do-hee couldnt shake off one thought. "At this rate... one day, she might just fly away and disappear." *** Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [Has it been a week and there are still idiots who havent figured out who Magia is?] [Magia (probably) is F, L, Z.] [What if Iyura was just Magia doing another voice impression?] [Our girls are seriously amazing singers.] [LPC graduation news.] [Momo: Winning illegal duet songs will be uploaded separately to the official channel.] [Mad Dogs: Give us more original songs, this is neglect.] . . [Parallel (VTuber) Gallery] [Momo: Winning illegal duet songs will be uploaded separately to the official channel.] (Uploading_separately_the_winning_songs.clip) Participants who wanted to could record in the studio individually, while those who didn''t could have their vocals extracted from the original illegal duet performance. Below is the list of those who chose to record in the studio: L Contestant (Finale) (Aurora Award)F Contestant (One Other) (Aurora Award)D Contestant ...S Contestant ...Z Contestant (Finale) (Shirahoshi Momo Award)Looks like everyone except one person is recording? [Comments] Parallel095: So, is F really Magia? ? Parallel252 (OP): ??? Dunno ? Parallel621: Yeah, its her. ? Parallel886: D is literally Employee D. ? Parallel621: The official account doesnt know anything. ? Parallel886: ? Im not even an intern. January 30 C The Aftermath of the Illegal Duet Contest Thanks to the momentum from the illegal duet event, the Parallel Singing Contest the next day managed to retain almost all of the previous nights audience. On top of that, Lupko led the Mad Dogs Crew in a watch party, causing the streams viewer count to skyrocket. By the end of the broadcast, they had reached 70,000 concurrent viewers, with a peak of 85,000. Then, utaite Iyura further fueled the hype by watching the illegal duet VOD on her own stream Almost as if she wanted to subtly confirm that she had been a contestant herself. And since the two most iconic performers had both chosen Marus first-ever original song, the buzz only grew. [Nezumi Maru / NEZUMI MARU] @nezumimaru_parallel_vtuber | 428K Followers Parallel 1st-gen, ???? Singing Hedgehog Nezumi Maru ???? Marus channel gained over 100,000 subscribers in a single week, making her the first among the members to break 400K. Even though the growth rate ? Nvl?ht ? (Dont copy, read here) varied among them, all other members also surpassed 300K with ease. With this, they had established a solid foundation for more ambitious content moving forward. So, it was only natural that Magiawho had played a huge role in this successwas given a special bonus. Wait. Didnt we already set our pay rates? Youre giving me another bonus on top of that? Honestly, I never imagined this would turn into such a massive event. And look at Marus subscriber countshe totally earned it. Just think of it as giving you the marketing budget we saved. You couldve used that money for new outfits for the members. Were already making those. Oh. Then sure, whatever. ...Anyway, you remember your schedule for tomorrow, right? Originally, the winners perks were supposed to end with a special duet performance with Parallel members during the next days singing contest. However, due to overwhelming fan demand, an option was added for contestants to officially record their songs and have them uploaded to Parallels channel. Magia was among those who agreed to recordher alias in the event had been F Contestant. Oh. Right. The separate recording for the illegal duet song? Yeah. I know about it. Momo had expected to convince her with various arguments about how it would help promote the members. But Magia agreed so immediately that she didnt even get a chance to use them. [Magia: My voice is in it, sure, but Im anonymous. Shouldnt be a problem, right?] [Momo: Seriously?] [Magia: Either way, its good promotion.] Still, despite accepting so quickly, Magia wasnt entirely without concerns. When she returned to her desk, she immediately turned to Team Leader Kang Ji-ho. About the recording tomorrow... Is there any way I can do it separately from the members? For some reason, Magias slot was right after the members. Which meant theyd probably be watching her as she recorded. Since all four of them loved singing, there was a high chance that theyd get carried away and spontaneously start harmonizing with her. Her solo recording could easily turn into a group recording. And that was exactly what Magia wanted to avoid. No matter how small and cute she might be, she was still just a blade of grass. Being planted among a field of beautiful flowers just didnt sit right with her. But there was a reason the schedule was set up that way. The record label had already made accommodations for Parallels convenience, but since the schedule was last-minute, there were barely any slots left. To make it work, they had squeezed all the contestant recordings into a single day, And Magia had been tacked on to the members session as an extra slot. When Kang Ji-ho explained the situation, Magia sighed. Ah. So Im just freeloading? Yeah. They cut us a dealyour session doesnt add extra costs, since its piggybacking on the first-gen slots. ...Well, I cant really complain about a freebie. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. She vaguely recalled that the members were recording a Valentines Day cover for next week. Since this was already free marketing, there wasnt much point in paying for additional promo. But stillrecording with the members? Magia wasnt thrilled about it. ...Getting surrounded without resistance isnt ideal. Is there any way around this? A Lucky Break C 11:00 PM Fortunately, an opportunity presented itself. [Hello, Magia. Apologies for the late contact. This is Choi Na-eun from UTU Records A&R Team 3, and Ill be handling your recording session.] Oh, hello! Thank you for reaching out first. [Not at all. Actually, the schedule got adjusted, and we have a last-minute slot open. Its a short time slot, though.] I see. [Since youre doing a solo recording, youll finish quickly, right? We can move you into the open slot. That would free up your original time slot for another teams recording. Wed still only charge for the first-gen members slots as planned.] What luck. Magia didnt hesitate for even a second. Oh, Ill take it. Just send me the time and locationI was planning to go with the members, so I dont actually know the way. [Of course! Ill send the details now. See you tomorrow, and have a good night!] Thank you! Good night. After ending the call, Magia grinned. Watching from her monitor, Gong Seung-yeon tilted her head. Something good happen, Part Leader? Yeah. Feeling generouswanna charge up 50,000 Pazijik clouds? Really?! Uh... Am I even allowed to accept that...? Of course. Use it to throw 1,000-won punches at Komari. Magia casually topped up 50,000 Pazijik Clouds into Gong Seung-yeons account. Seung-yeons face lit up instantly, and she wiggled in her seat, grinning ear to ear. Daaamn. Thanks! How about pineapple pizza tonight? ...Ha... That sounds absolutely perfect. Why pineapple pizza, of all things? Seung-yeon had been scrolling through nearby restaurants looking for a compromise and stumbled upon a place that stayed open until midnightone that only used fire-grilled pineapple as a topping. Once she placed the order, she turned back to Magia. By the way, have you heard the rumors? Rumors? Yeah. Lapits Gallery is in total chaos right now. Apparently, people are saying Serena is graduating just to debut as a second-gen in our group... Some are even calling it a betrayal. Ah. It was an obvious controversy. Serena must have anticipated this reaction when she announced her graduation. Still, Magia had her doubts. There were always resurrected VTubersstreamers who rebranded with a new character. Maybe there were some who had never taken the red pillwho had never figured out that a reincarnated VTuber was someone theyd watched before. But Serena? Magia had attended the second-gen auditions last week, and Serena wasnt there. There was no way she could have mistaken her for someone elseshe knew her face. Seung-yeon did post about Magias work schedule, lunch choices, and even late-night snacks on the forums. But she was always careful not to leak sensitive details. Lately, thanks to Magias advice, she had even created a secondary account for posting. So Magia felt comfortable enough to clarify. Serena didnt even attend the auditions. We never made her an offer. Ah, so I was right? Yeah. Itll die down in a few months, so dont worry about it. Well... its a mixed reaction, actually. Most people dont really care if she transfersthey just want her to keep streaming. You know how this industry works. At first, people fall in love with a character, but eventually, they become attached to the person behind it. As long as the person sticks around, theyll followeven with a new avatar. Seung-yeon was right. Some fans did quit when a VTuber changed their identity. But others didnt care about the faceplatethey followed the person behind it. That was why so many corporate VTubers graduated only to redebut independently. And why so many reincarnated into better environments. Where would Serena end up? ... Honestly, Magia couldnt say for sure. She was friendly with Serena, sure, but not close enough to know her deepest thoughts. If she reincarnates, Id want her to go to BachuuBachuu. Lets be realif youre doing VTubing in Korea, theyre still the top group. Ugh, yeah. Even if we dont want to let her go, we kinda have to... Its not like just anyone can use a 30-billion-won studio. *** The Next Day Magia had arrived early at the labels recording studio, ahead of the members. She expected a simple meetingjust a discussion with the recording director about the session guidelines and instructions before starting. But instead... She found Serena waiting for her in the labels conference room. Hehe, hello, Gia. Next to her stood a middle-aged man, dressed in a neatly pressed casual suit, without a tie, his hands clasped in front of him. The thin-framed glasses gave him the look of an overworked executive, while his presence reminded Magia of Parallels HR director. I apologize for the sudden visit. Allow me to introduce myself. [Na Hyun-gon] [CAT Ent. / Chief A&R Producer] Chief A&R Producer. In other words, this was the head producer overseeing all the labels under CAT Entertainment. Basically, the person right below the CEO The final authority for any music-related decisions within the company. ...What the hell was he doing here? Magia blinked, wide-eyed in confusion. And then Serena, grinning, spoke up. Hes my dad. Chapter 104 One Day Earlier Serena had received a summons from her father after he found out about her graduation. Since they lived in the same house, the meeting took place in the living room. Between them was a tray of snacks and warm tea, prepared by her mother. Despite the cozy setting, the father and daughter exuded an intense atmosphere as they began their conversation. "Its not too late to go to college. You can complete an MBA in Seoul, and Ill set up a position for you in the company so you can start learning the business. Youre only twenty-threeits not too late." His proposal was always the same. There were many paths where she could be successful, so why waste time on something as unstable as the idol industry? "Even if it was a short experience, Im sure youve learned a lot working in the industry. Honestly, I think the biggest takeaway is that you now understand artists. In our business, a company cant succeed unless the artists grow with it." Serena let out a small laugh. If she had ever wanted an ordinary life, she would have grabbed onto the lifeline her father had given her back when she was an idol trainee. "Im not quitting VTubing, Dad. I appreciate that you always look out for me, but I still want to challenge myself a little longer on my own." "Youre continuing as a VTuber? Then why are you graduating? At your age, even becoming an idol trainee is difficult these days." "Ugh, you make me sound ancient." "Im just being realistic. There are thirteen-year-old trainees now." "Agh." Her father took a sip of his warm coffee and wiped the steam off his glasses. "So. Youre returning as a VTuber? Where do you plan to debut this time? Is it Parallel? Theyre the hottest group right now." Serena absentmindedly peeled a mandarin orange, her fingers tearing into the rind. "Yeah. But not right away. I want to gain more experience solo and apply next year. I just won an award in the recent event, so I have a title I can brag about." Na Hyun-gon clicked his tongue. "Going indie for now... Fine. If you ever want to release a song, I can at least attach you to a decent label." "No thanks. I dont need your help. Ill do it on my own, so just stop interfering." "Do you have any idea how many people would kill for even a fraction of the connections I can offer you?" But Serena was just as stubborn as her father. Back when her idol debut kept getting delayed due to rival trainees scheming against her, she had chosen to stay silent because she refused to succeed on her fathers influence alone. "Yeah, I know! But I dont want to end up like the current Operations Team Leader hated by everyone as a blatant nepotism hire. Watching that guy was the perfect lesson on why I should avoid it." "You sure take after me in that independent streak." "Ahem." Despite their bickering, Serena still split the peeled mandarin in half and handed the first piece to her father. The Real QuestionWhy Parallel? "So why Parallel? If youre not going to work under me, why not apply to BachuuBachuu this time? Its not like youre bad at singing or lack broadcasting experience." "You make Parallel sound like a weak company." "Thats not what Im saying. Ill admit, their recent growth has been impressive, but from my perspective, theyve only just taken their first steps. Theyre still a small company." "T-Theyre going to get big soon!" "And what exactly makes you so confident about that? Ive reviewed plenty of industry reports, but youve actually worked as a VTuber so you should know the real situation better than I do." Na Hyun-gon already had a guess. Parallels CEO had zero business experience, yet the company had still grown rapidly. And it was clear that one particular person had played a significant role in accelerating that growth. "Is it because of that person? Magia, or whatever their name is." Serena blinked. "How do you know about her?" "My dear daughter seems to forget what I do for a living." "I know youre a big name in the music industry. But knowing a manager at a small VTuber company? Thats a bit much." "That just means our company is keeping a close eye on the VTuber market." Artists who didnt want to show their faces had always existed, regardless of the era. People who feared the spotlight but loved music too much to let it go. In the past, the only way for them to become stars was through mental training to overcome stage fright. But as the internet and streaming platforms developed, they no longer needed to be physically on stage. This led to the rise of utaite singers who charmed audiences through pre-recorded performances on platforms like YouTube. But recently, more and more utaites were turning into VTubers. It gave them the same level of anonymity, but with interactive engagement with their fans. The industry had exploded as a result. SB Entertainment, which had been in a neck-and-neck competition with CAT Entertainment, had overtaken them in market share for two years straight all because they partnered with BachuuBachuu and dominated the Korean VTuber scene. They had cornered the market with their first-mover advantage, attracting top-tier artists like a magnet. CAT Entertainment had realized this too late, but they were determined to find the right partner to catch up. At first, Lapits was a strong candidate. But poor talent management had ruined their reputation, leaving Parallel as the next best option. And now, one particular person was constantly making headlines. Someone Na Hyun-gon had been digging into. "To be honest, Im curious about this Magia person, too. You did inherit my ability to spot talent." Serena pouted. "Thats a huge stretch." "It just means I trust your judgment." She tapped her chin, deep in thought. "Hmm... In that case, should I arrange a meeting for you? You can talk to Gia directly." "You can do that?" "Of course. Im super close with her. I also found out her schedule thanks to a friend, so it wont look weird if I show up suddenly. Were tight." Honestly, if Na Hyun-gon wanted to evaluate someone, he wouldnt need to set up a meetinghe could do it with a single phone call. But since his daughter was offering to set up an introduction, there was no reason to refuse. Sometimes, seeing things in person was different from reading reports. ...Besides, this was a rare chance to spend time with his daughter. "Alright. Set up the meeting." This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. "But before that, I should show you a picture first. Cant have you getting too shocked when you see her in person." "You do know it takes a lot to shock me, right?" "Sure, sure. Just look." Na Hyun-gon took one glance at the photo of Magia Serena and her sitting together in a cafe? and immediately frowned. A tiny girl, barely looking older than an elementary schooler, stood next to Serena. He was visibly caught off guard. "...I was expecting at least an executive-level figure. This is... completely different from what I imagined." "Looks dont matter, right?" "...Youre right. That was my mistake." He rubbed his chin, studying the image carefully. Then Serena delivered the final blow. "Oh, by the wayshes older than me. Shes twenty-four." *** Back to the Present C UTU Records Conference Room [Na Hyun-gon] [CAT Ent. / Chief A&R Producer] Magia absentmindedly fidgeted with the business card in her hands, hesitant to speak. There were two suns in the Korean entertainment industryCAT Entertainment and SB Entertainment. And that "C" in "Chief" stood for the same C used in CEO and COO meaning this man was the top of his field. She had expected to eventually cross paths with record label representatives, but she never imagined that her first encounter would be with a final boss-tier executive. Still, since he had introduced himself, it was only proper for her to do the same. Thanks to her habit of carrying business cards ever since the year-end party, Magia immediately pulled one out, handed it over, and gave a slight bow. [Magia] [PARALLEL / Streaming Part Leader] "Hello, Im Magia. By any chance... was it because of you that my recording session was moved earlier?" "Thats right. My daughter told me you were recording today, so I asked UTU to adjust the schedule. I know the director here, so I took a bit of a shortcut. Apologies for the inconvenience." "Oh, no, not at all. I just feel embarrassed that you came all the way here in person. You couldve just sent me an email, and I wouldve come to your office myself." +1 point for staying composed and speaking confidently. +1 point for being respectful but not overly submissive. She had barely spoken a few words, but Magia was already racking up favorability points with Na Hyun-gon. With the corner of his lips slightly raised, he spoke again. "Theres something I want to do with Parallel. To persuade our CFO, I need to prepare supporting evidence in advance. Thats why I took some shortcuts. Thanks for understanding." "Im grateful that youre even extending a hand to us. But may I askwhat exactly is your proposal?" "Music production, of course. I want our company to directly produce songs for Parallels VTubers." "Ah." The moment he mentioned something related to the members, Magias blue eyes flashed sharply. "All of Parallels future songs...?" "Not all of them." "Ah. Right. Im sorry, I got ahead of myself. But even one song Ill do whatever it takes." From what Na Hyun-gon had observed, Magias competence in practical operations had already been proven. Ever since she had stepped forward, Parallels growth metrics had skyrocketed. Her stream management had minimal mistakes, and in cases of incidents, her response speed and handling were impeccable. However, from a macro business perspective, she still seemed inexperienced. If she wanted to hold a higher executive role, she would need to learn more about business strategy. But despite that, her genuine desire for the members success was more than enough to leave an impression on him. A talented and passionate subordinate There were few things more valuable than that. And to top it off, she knew exactly how to say things the right way. "I need evidence to persuade the other executives." "Ah. So its a budget issue. I dont know much about that field, but I do know that any business plan needs budget approval my CEO has mentioned that before." "Glad were on the same page. Then you also understand that to get a large-scale budget approval, we need solid, visible data to support it." Magias expression brightened, her hands clasping together. "So youre saying we need to start small, prove results, and gradually scale up to a bigger contract. To put it simply if we get a good outcome from this first song, it will lay the groundwork for future deals." "Exactly." "Hmm... But why are you talking to me about this instead of going to my CEO?" "I wanted to see how involved you were in Parallels music operations. Since youre close to CEO Cheon Do-hee, I thought you might have influence over company decisions. But I see now thats not the case." "Ah. Right. As my business card says, Im more involved in streaming operations. For music-related discussions, it would be best for you to speak with our CEO directly. I can arrange a meeting for you right away." "No need. As I said, this isnt an official visit." "Ah. Understood." "Then, for today lets talk as if Im addressing you as an artist." Artist? Magia tilted her head in confusion. Na Hyun-gon placed his tablet on the table and played a video. It was the 1st-gen anniversary song "One Other." But not the original version it was the illegal duet version that Magia had sung. The very song she was here to record today. "My daughter told me that F Contestant was actually you. She recognized your VTuber movements and how you handled the song." Magia had completely forgotten that sometimes her real self and her VTuber avatar moved the same way. So much for anonymity. No wonder the community kept insisting F was Magia. "Thats... Well, Im not an artist." "Dont dismiss it just yet. Hear me out." "Ah. Yes." "Theres a group chat with all our label producers. Im in it as well. Someone shared this video there and asked What if we produced an official five-person track?" "Yes?" "If a song were to be produced, this producer would be the one in charge. Ive learned a lot from my daughter, but even I wouldnt claim to know more than him." "I see..." "Anyway, the producers in that chat are all extremely picky about music. What do you think their reaction was?" Magia expected at best a "decent" response. She had deliberately avoided overlapping with the members voices, so as not to disrupt their harmonies. But the reality was the complete opposite. "Most of them were excited. Your voice blended so naturally between the four members that they felt whether we adjusted parts and re-recorded or created an entirely new song it would still work perfectly." Internally, Magia was already doing a victory dance. CAT Entertainment was willing to officially collaborate with Parallel. If that wasnt a cause for celebration, then what was? But there was one problem. The first step in this partnership was to produce a test track and Magia was expected to be a part of it. That conflicted with her personal rule of not standing alongside the members. "But... rejecting this..." It was madness. That would be like winning the lottery and throwing the ticket into a fire pit. "Should I stall? Waitcan I even afford to stall on this?" She couldnt reject it. She couldnt delay it too much either. But she also didnt want to be grouped with the members. After fifteen seconds of intense mental debate Magia finally spoke. "I need to discuss this with my CEO. Would you be willing to give me a day to think it over?" Na Hyun-gon grinned. Her answer was a perfect 10-pointer. "She must be itching to secure an unofficial verbal agreement and rush back to report it to her company, Novelight but shes holding back well." There were plenty of employees who stood out like a sharp blade no matter where you placed them. But what companies truly valued most were the ones who could stand out without overstepping their authority. Magia was exactly that kind of employee. No matter how much of a pillar, ace, or trusted leader an employee might be, major decisions like this should never be made alone. Right now, what she needed to do was suppress her impatience and gather the CEO and key personnel for a proper discussion. ... But just one day was too short. He could sense her urgency So, -5 points for that. Still, +5 points for her composure, so in the end, it balanced out. Na Hyun-gon let out a satisfied smile. "Ill give you a full week. Take your time and discuss it thoroughly with your CEO." Chapter 105 Serena spoke to me after Producer Na Hyun-gon left first due to his busy schedule. Were you surprised? I usually dont show much emotion on my face, yet the soon-to-graduate healing-type VTuber still managed to notice. I told Serena exactly what I was thinking. I had a feeling your father was someone high up. But I didnt expect to meet him so soon, and I definitely didnt expect him to bring up a contract right away. Sorry for catching you off guard. I dont really like making a big deal out of these things. Well, I get it. Youd probably have a lot of annoying people clinging to you otherwise. Hehe, as expected of you, Gia. You always just know. As she was about to leave the conference room, I casually asked, ...Youre not planning to stay on break forever, right? Serena smirked. What makes you think that? You really love your fans. ... Her expression turned oddly bittersweet. Then, leaning close to my ear, she whispered: When are you recruiting for the third generation? I chuckled. Ill make sure to let you know as soon as the announcement goes up. Be ready. Oh? So youre definitely doing a third-gen recruitment? You dont know that for sure yet. Of course we have to. Were going to keep growing, and to meet the increasing demands of our fans, well need to sign even more VTubers. Ill make it happen, no matter whatalongside the CEO. *** After Serena left, the recording session went on for about 45 minutes. Even though I tried my best to follow instructions, I had trouble focusing. I couldnt even remember if I did well or how many mistakes I made. Most likely, it was because I was preoccupied with the thought that I needed to inform the CEO and the members about this news as soon as possible. As soon as the recording ended, I asked the vocal guide: Would it be okay if I waited here until my team members recording session? Yes, you can stay in the lobby. Would you like me to bring you a chair? That would be really appreciated. CAT Entertainment. Parallel recording a song at CAT Entertainment. Is this a dream? But when I checked the business card in my coat pocket againonce, twiceit was still the same. And when I replayed the recorded session, it was all real. 100% pure truth. It wasnt a dream. One of the two giants dominating Koreas music industry, alongside SB Entertainment, had reached out to Parallel. It felt like playing a no-items mode kart racing game and suddenly getting a magnet power-up. Like locking onto BachuBachu KR speeding ahead and finally getting the chance to close the gap. And Na Hyun-gon didnt even seem like he wanted to control Parallel. For someone from such an ultra-elite organization, someone with the power to grab us by the collar and drag us wherever he wanted, he had instead given us time to think it over. Even though he could have easily forced us into a deal, he chose to respect our decision. After about an hour of calming my excitement and organizing my thoughts for the future, the CEO and the team arrived. While the team leader and the members were in the recording studio, I borrowed a conference room to speak with the CEO. Since I was rambling more than usual, the CEO chuckled. Come on, Gia. CAT Entertainment? Thats too much. If you had picked something more realistic, maybe I wouldve believed you. Had I messed around with the CEO too much in the past? For a brief moment, I reflected on my past actions with the heart of the boy who cried wolf. ...But I didnt actually feel guilty. Instead, I shoved the business card right in the CEOs face. I didnt even need to play the recording. The CEOs jaw practically hit the floor. So, I relayed my conversation with Na Hyun-gon in as much detail as possible. Holy sh*t. I keep staring at this business card, but I still cant believe it... Just from the fact that the CEO actually sworesomething that rarely happenedit was obvious. This was a situation that was almost impossible to believe. This is an opportunity we absolutely have to take. Obviously. Only an idiot would let this slip. Even in the middle of being utterly shocked, the CEO still considered my feelings. But are you okay with singing alongside the members? At the end of the day, your opinion matters most for this decision. ...That was kind of touching. With a small smile, I began speaking. I actually spent some time thinking about it while I was waiting for you to arrive. The reason I had always avoided singing in public with the members was ultimately my own lack of confidence in my talent. I didnt want to ruin the harmony of their beautiful, well-balanced voices. That thought alone was enough to make me hesitate. Didnt I see the chat and community posts constantly telling me that I had talent and that I should sing more? Yeah, I ignored all of that. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. I assumed it was just my annoying friends messing around while watching streams together. And, as I mentioned before when playing Knight of Legend, I never believe anything unless it comes straight from a professional. But now, the situation was different. The C-line of CAT Entertainmentthe chief A&R producer responsible for all music productionpersonally acknowledged my voice. Not my voice impressions, but my real singing voice as itself. And he even said that it didnt disrupt the harmony when singing alongside the members. So now, I had no choice but to accept that I do have some talent as a singer. Which meant that there was no longer a reason to avoid singing with the members. ...However, one thing still bothered me. I was just a regular person. Someone who had never worked as an artist. And now, someone like me was about to release a track under CAT Entertainment, alongside the members. Wouldnt that draw attention toward me, when it should be focused on them? So, I came up with a plan. Ill do the album. But I want to participate anonymously. Ideally, Id like to use the name of F, the contestant from the illegal duet event. ...Wait. Do you really have to do that? I want to make it absolutely clear that CAT Entertainment chose Parallel as a business partner purely because of the first-generation members skills. I didnt want my name, Magia, to be at the forefront. That was my only condition for participating in this project. The CEO quickly understood my reasoning and said: But in a way, this is also an opportunity for you to grow as a musician. Are you really willing to give that up? ...What do I gain from that? The CEO and the members should be the ones to succeed. No, but what if you end up being successful too? I dont enjoy singing. All the things I had done so far Everything. The official channel streams. Joining streamer tournaments. It was all for Parallel. Never for my own personal success. So, this time was no different. I wasnt singing to pursue a career in music. I was singing so that the members could succeed. If Producer Na really thought I had the potential to be a major singer, he wouldnt have suggested a five-person track. He would have spoken to me about a solo contract instead. Im just a spice to enhance the members voices. You get what I mean, right? And even if I did have the potential to become a famous singer, I had zero desire to make singing my career. If it was for the members, like this time, then Id do it. But if it meant doing it for life, Id turn it down without hesitation. In a way, it was similar to when the CEO had asked if I wanted to debut as a VTuber. If I truly wanted to be a professional musician, Id have to sing, record, and upload music all month long. Why do you think Sango Libya from BachuBachu JP barely streams anymore? Because she got too successful as a musician. She got swamped with external activities, concerts, and recordings, leaving no time to stream. And there was no way I could handle a schedule like that. If I couldnt stream, Id wither and die. Besides, we have to think about efficiency. If I had full CAT Entertainment support, I could probably release a solid album and force my way into the charts with enough money. But if the members got that opportunity instead, the impact would be much greater. They actually love singing and want to succeed in music. The CEO looked a bit disappointed but didnt seem like they were planning to push back. ...Alright. I think I can work that out with the producer. Thanks. But if CAT Entertainment wants you for the next project... and the one after that? What then? For now, I didnt have much of a choice. We were still in a weaker positionuntil we gained more power, Id just have to make time. I wasnt a fan of eating leftover reheated meals, but sometimes you have to make do with an air fryer. If they guarantee my anonymity, Ill do my best. Youll take all the vocal training they offer? With determination in my voice, I nodded. Yes. I dont want to hold the members back. *** After the recording session ended, the members went off to stream. Before heading back to the company, I had dinner with the CEO. The CEO had been busy staring at their phone the whole time, seemingly searching for something. Then, near the end of the meal, they finally spoke. You know... a lot of people seem to have figured out that youre F. You okay with that? They must have been checking the community reactions the whole time. As long as we never confirm it, what can they do? They might suspect it, but they cant be sure. Even Iyura, who was practically confirmed as L, never outright admitted it. As long as I didnt pull an X-Man moment, stand on stage, and declare, I am F!, Magia and F would forever remain separate entities. Even the first-gen members werent completely sureuntil I told them the next day after the illegal duet event. Only then did they nod and say, I knew it! If thats the case, why didnt you keep it a secret from the members too? I didnt want to lie to them. The CEOs reaction was understandable. These were the same people who couldnt even hold in the news about the upcoming Valentines outfits for a month before leaking it. But the odds of them exposing my identity were low. New content and outfits were constantly mentioned on stream, increasing the risk of accidental leaks. But mentioning off-stream figures was strictly banned. Repeat violations? Broadcast ban. And besides Once CAT and Parallels collaboration was officially announced to the public, there would be no need to keep up this masquerade anymore. So, even if it came out eventually, I didnt care. Still, the CEO seemed determined to keep things airtight. Then how about this? You know how the members do cafe?-hopping streams before going live? Since theyve got that covered, why dont you start doing your own personal streams? My own streams? Yeah. Instead of just denying it, itd be better to highlight the differences between Magia and F. You could do something like a one-million-won reaction stream where you sing. Like how Crkemang didsing in that lazy, half-assed tone he used. That way, no one would ever suspect you. When I asked if that was really necessary, the CEO gave me some blunt advice. You were planning to only sing in the recording studio and never on stream [N O V E L I G H T] again, right? Yes. Thats a one-way ticket to ruining your public image. Maybe before, you couldve gotten away with it. But now? Everyones got a scope locked onto you. Right now, its just smoke, but you need to keep spraying the extinguisher before it turns into a full-blown fire. Honestly, even if people figured it out, I could just ride it out. But the problem was, I wasnt just a solo streamer. I was a corporate employee. And in cases like this, the members might end up dealing with unnecessary headaches. They could get caught up with persistent viewers, slip up, and accidentally spill the truth. More than anything You need to start thinking about your weight class. My weight class? Yes. You were the MVP of the tournament, you make every piece of content go viral, and you consistently pull three to four thousand viewers. Your weight class is more than solid. All I had ever done was whatever it took to help the members succeed. But as the CEO pointed out Magia had way too many people following her now. From now on, anything I did had to be calculated to ensure it wouldnt negatively impact the members. Still, the thought of streaming alone felt a little lonely. And singing for a one-million-won reaction? That was way too VTuber-like. I wasnt a VTuber. ...What if I turned it into an event instead? An event? The CEO had a pointtoo many eyes were on me right now. But rather than just damage control, why not use it as a marketing opportunity? How about I host a Battle Colosseum viewer match? If I go ten rounds and never win, Ill do a karaoke punishment stream. Battle Colosseums max capacity was 90 players, with 30 teams. If I solo-queued against all viewers, Id be going up against 87 opponents. Viewers would definitely think, This is doable. The more high-level players joined, the better. After all, my real goal was to lose and prove that Magia and F were different people. Wanna join in, CEO? ...Me? Yeah. The odds are already in favor of the viewers, but if I have a log tied to my leg, itd be even harder for me to win. Wouldnt that make more people want to join? ...Hey. The more people watch, the faster the rumors spread that Magia and F are different people. I ended up getting a flick on the forehead from the CEO. But I got approval. Fine. Lets do it. Who knows? Maybe youll destroy them all even in a 2v87. Chapter 106 After spending the entire weekend feeling like I was floating on air, I arrived at work on Monday right on timeonly to be greeted with good news from the CEO. The producer agreed to keep your identity hidden. He said it sounds like fun. The idea of framing it as Another and the first-gen members being chosen by CAT instead of me had been approved. It had only been one day since we talked about it, yet things were moving fast. Did you contact him today? Might as well reach out quickly. The longer you hesitate, the more unprepared you seem. Well, thats true. Anyway, he wants you to come up with a stage name. Something that makes you seem like a new utaite preparing for debut would be ideal. Thats your specialty, isnt it? I had expected him to set a bunch of conditions in exchange for accepting my request, but instead, he only asked for a stage name. Gotta respect that level of generosity. Technically, VTuber names are my specialty, but... well, a lot of VTubers used to be utaite in their past lives, so its not too different. Right. Theyll need some time to prepare the track, so for at least a month, just focus on vocal training with the members and your usual work. Got it. Each VTuber group had its own approach to naming, and for our first-gen members, we took inspiration from Japan, the birthplace of VTubing. Take Akari Dora, for example Akari came from akai, meaning red, since her key color was red.Dora came from dragon because her character was a laid-back dragon.When shortened to just Dora, it sounded oddly natural in Koreanthat was the key. It preserved the roots of traditional VTubing while giving it a localized touch. I had personally chosen all the members names, hoping that one day, theyd go global like our CEO, Shirahoshi Momo. But Nvl?g?t (Only on Nvl?g?t) naming utaite was a bit different. The general trend was: Short and simple.Easily translatable into Korean, Japanese, and English.Since I wanted to keep F from the F contestant, I needed something that fit. But right now, the best I could think of was something dumb like Fan. Eh, no rush. For now, I needed to focus on work. I had to get ready for my upcoming stream next week, where wed be revealing the members Valentines Day cover songs and new outfits. *** Before announcing the event to the viewers, the CEO suggested I play the game alone on stream first. That way, it would generate buzz, and more people would spread the idea that F and Magia are different people. Normally, this tactic was used a few weeks before participating in something like , casually playing the game on stream while subtly hinting, Oh yeah, Ill be in that tournament. This time, it was my turn to use that method. So today, I left Seung-yeon alone in the monitoring room and went live. [????Live] Parallel Waiting Room ???? 7,814 #BattleColosseum #Parallel ?Wait, what?Isnt this the first time youve streamed Battle Colosseum? LolWhy Battle Colosseum all of a sudden?With the recent surge in growth, each members average viewer count now hovered around 6,000. But I was currently sitting at 8,000. And it was only 4 PM on a weekday. Not only was I barely talking because I was focused on the game, but this just proved that the interest from the illegal duet event and the F contestant mystery still hadnt died down. The funny part? Since Id been seeing five-digit viewer counts so often lately, even this number felt oddly low. Because I was constantly scanning the chat for trolls and rule-breakers, the normally fast-paced chat felt sluggish by comparison. This was my first solo stream, yet everything felt so calm and relaxed. Even the moderators from the members individual streams had all gathered here, since their streams hadnt started yet. They were so quick with handling messages that I didnt even get the chance to blind them myself or ban anyone. When did they all get so fast? They used to be slower than me. Either way, with such good moderation, I was able to fully focus on the game. And since I wasnt talking much to begin with, my already minimal speech dropped even further. To force me to speak, viewers started spamming small donations. But since a lot of the newer ones didnt know when I actually reacted to donations, they were mostly wasting their money. :: Anonymous donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: If its not too much to ask, may I inquire what inspired you to play Battle Colosseum today? :: I ignored it. It wasnt a member-related question. :: Anonymous donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Can I do an illegal queue snipe? :: That was up to them. As long as they didnt crack my skull open, I didnt care. Even if they tried, Id just break theirs first. Ignored. :: Anonymous donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Thanks to you, my teeth are perfectly aligned now. Better than the members. :: You''re banned. Comparing members to each other? Fine. Comparing me to the members? Absolutely not. This was a pro-positive environment only. After a while, a 10,000 Cloud donation came in. :: Anonymous donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: When do the members start streaming today? :: They could have just checked the announcements, but since it was a member-related question, I let it slide. Dora, Maru, and Rain are at 7 PM. Komari is at 8 PM. CEOs still on break today... LOOOLLiterally Momo Broth.Stay strong, Mongsoon.Momo, its too cold out here... ????The influx of new viewers had been way too much lately. Normally, when we got new viewers, they had some time to settle in, gradually shifting their focus from me to the members. But since another wave of new viewers arrived before the first batch had even adjusted, this situation had become a mess. That didnt mean I disliked the influx, though. Why? This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Because thanks to them, our members had grown this much. Maru just hit 430,000 subs. She was 220,000 a few months ago. [Parallel / PARALLEL] @parallel_official | Followers: 260,000 VTuber group, Parallels official channel. Even the official channel, which had only 140,000 followers before I took over content management, had climbed to 260,000. Since YouTube automatically synced subscribers with Pazijik Gallery followers, that number also represented the official YouTube subscriber count. And the views on the weekly and monthly hot clips had more than doubled. Just knowing that all the money earned from this went back into member welfare and content production filled me with pride. My shoulders? Held high. After playing for about two and a half hours, I smashed some illegal queue-snipers skulls (one of them even clipped the footage and tried to make it look fake, but he shot first). Once I felt like I had enough of viewer matches, I switched to ranked games on purpose. Holy sh*tThat movement is actually insaneThis is the Battle Colosseum signal flare ????How the hell did you hold back in Combative? ????Theres no way you pulled this off in Comp ????I NEED to shotgun you in-game RIGHT NOWThis is tonights entertainmentFirst time seeing your POV, and wow, youre crackedCan you even see whats happening? ????Insane sound play wtfShow us your keyboard setup tooBro, youre a VTuber, how the hell are you doing thisSMOKE SHOTGUN IS GOD AND INVINCIBLE!!!I wanted to showcase my skills to the new viewers, proving that the upcoming content wasnt just empty talkit was a game worth taking seriously. Otherwise, if I just announced: "Ill do a 2v87 against viewers, and if I dont win, Ill do a karaoke punishment stream!" The reaction wouldve been: "Ugh, Magias just making up another ridiculous challenge to mess with us." "She doesnt actually plan to do it; she just threw out random conditions." ...Not that I would know from experience trying to pull that exact move on the CEO before. Either way, now that Id shown enough, it was time to announce the event. With one hour left before the members streams started, I had to make the announcement and log off to avoid affecting their broadcasts. You all know that on Wednesday, the first-gen members group cover song releases, and on Friday, the new outfits drop, right? Yep!Of courseWe knowCant wait!The cover song will be revealed on Wednesday at 8 PM, and the outfits will be shown on Friday, starting from 6 PM in one-hour intervals. You already have an idea of the concept, but we put a lot of effort into these outfits, so please show them lots of love.LOLAs expected, leaks are ????????????Lips sealed ????And the following Monday, to celebrate the new outfits, were planning a small event.Wait, another one?Whats next?Parallels been working like crazy latelyI pulled up the PPT I had prepared. Originally, I planned to throw together something basic, but then Team Leader Ra Seung-hyun suddenly snatched it away and redesigned it into a sleek, professional-looking presentation. Introducing: . A viewer match event in Battle Colosseumme against all viewers. If I win, 20 random subscribers (first-gen only) get a 20,000-won merch package featuring the new outfits.If I lose all ten rounds, Ill do a two-hour karaoke punishment stream right after the event.In short, if you want to find out whether Im F, heres your chance. The reaction was instant. LETS F????????????HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO IGNORE THIS??Bullsh*tLying again, huh?Not believing a single word lolThe boy who cried wolf strikes again ????Damn it, are we really gonna fall for this again?Yeah, sure, not like we believe you anywayThis whole chat is just a bunch of Magia believers already LOLMa... gia... Ma... Ma... gia...Liar liarWe can pick any song for you to sing?MAKE HER LOSE AT ALL COSTSLMAO HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO TRUST THISYoure already dead.Drink a raw egg and prepare yourself.Oh look, another fake promise.*** Pazijik Gallery (Parallel VTuber Board) [Shes at it again.] ???? Parallel Official KR (@Parallel_official_kr) - 45 minutes ago ???? 2025.02.19 (MON) 18:00 ???? ???? ???? Rules: 1?? Magia can only use shotguns and smoke grenades. 2?? Viewers can use any weapons except grenades (only smokes allowed). ???? If Magia & Momo win: 20 randomly selected subscribers (first-gen only) receive a new outfit merch package. ???? If the viewers win: Magia must do a two-hour karaoke punishment stream. ???? Think youve got what it takes to beat Battle Colosseums best? Join and claim exclusive rewards! ???? "This is just a damn outfit promo event in disguise. ????" "Shes obviously gonna twist her way out of singing." "If I fall for this again, Im an idiot." [Comments] Parallel912: Fine, Ill trust her one last time.Parallel785: So youre not gonna watch the stream? Parallel311 (OP): Ill watch, duh.Parallel311 (OP): But Im not joining.Parallel311 (OP): Magias probably gonna find a way to dodge the punishment.Parallel009: Hasnt she technically never broken a promise? She just... finds loopholes.Parallel009: And this time, I dont really see a way for her to escape lol.Parallel311 (OP): Actually, I have overtime that day...Parallel009: Ah, so its just sour grapes.Parallel785: Trust me, guys, we got this.Parallel311 (OP): Please, for the love of god, beat her.Pazijik Gallery (Parallel VTuber Board) [If the karaoke proves Magia = F, should we send a debut truck to Parallel?] "Lets be realif she sings that well, she should debut as a VTuber." "I mean, shes been streaming a lot lately, but its all content management stuff..." "I wanna see Magia actually play games, sing, act cute, and interact with us directly." [Comments] Parallel004: If someone starts a truck fundraiser, Ill chip in with loading and unloading.Parallel713: For real, she should just debut already.???? Parallel03: She HAS to debut.Parallel949: ?Parallel949: I thought we dropped the Magia debut meme????? Parallel03: SHE KEEPS BRINGING IT BACK UP, HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DROP IT?Parallel021: LMAOParallel514: Holy sht LOL*Parallel812: Mods mad af ???????? Parallel1: I give up. Just let it happen.???? Parallel1: Shes the biggest troll here anyway.Parallel835: Even the board mod gave up lmao.Parallel451: This whole place is doomed.No matter how this went down... One thing was clear This event was about to be absolute chaos. Chapter 107 In the world of trolls, Magia was an irregularity. In most cases, trolls could be categorized into one of two states: Already banned.About to be banned.And that rule applied even in Momos streams. So, before Magia was hired as a manager, those who had been watching her relentless stream-sniping and toxic chat messages thought the same thing: "That signal flares gonna get sniped soon." "Just watching this is making me nervous." But Surprise. The night of Momos drinking stream, she finally snapped and went off on Magia. And after what seemed like a private discussion, Magias Pazijik username, IiIIlliiIIlliiIIll, suddenly appeared on the manager list. Everything changed overnight. Before, people who pushed the boundaries of trolling managed to survive in the flood of fast-moving chat. But suddenly, if anyone crossed the lineimmediate ban notice. Even weeks-old chat messages got reviewed and banned retroactively. Some tried to argue about it But ultimately, they gave up. Because they realized: they had messed with the wrong lunatic. The Reason Behind It Momo always enjoyed bantering with viewers, so she had given previous managers a lot of leeway. But that leniency sometimes led to situations where she got overwhelmed and ended streams early. And Magia As seen in her own past toxic chat messages, she might have been a troll, but she hated it when streamers ended early. Thus began the unspoken battle in Momos stream: The Anti-Stream-Ending Defense War. Trolls continued to mess around as usual, but Magia would instantly blind or ban anyone who went too farkeeping Momos mental state intact. It was, in a way, a perfect case study of how a manager should navigate the fine line between strict moderation and allowing natural banterespecially for a streamer like Momo, who treated fans like friends. The Revenge Plot However Among the trolls, some were also stream-snipers. And ever since Magia became a manager, they had been waiting for their chance to get revenge. Sure, having Momo stream longer was great and all But did she really have to ban them for 10 minutes whenever they stepped over the line? They had to constantly switch accountsit was a minor inconvenience, but an inconvenience nonetheless. And so, many of them had gathered in Magias own gallery. All waiting for the day she would debut. So they could snipe her and ruin her experience. Magia Mini Gallery [Magias getting destroyed today.] (Come at me, bro) "Theres no way she wins a 2v87. ????" "Shes gonna sing for two hours and get a debut truck sent to her house." [Comments] Magia930: The sign-ups for viewer matches are gonna be insane LOLMagia385: Harder than registering for classes. ????Magia021: How many people are planning to stream-snipe? ????Magia021: Has she always been this much of a target?Magia404: Only for trolls lolMagia021: Ah, got it.????Magia1: BTW, theres a bounty for killing Magia in the event.Magia598 (OP): Thanks.????Magia1: (Wink)As soon as the Kill Magia Tournament was announced, the gallery exploded. Dozensno, hundreds of people rushed to submit their sign-ups. All hoping to crush Magias skull in Battle Colosseum and win the 50,000-won delivery gift card. The scale of it was absurd. At this rate More than half of the 87 players fighting Magia might end up being stream-snipers. This was their chance. To finally put Magia in her place. *** Meanwhile, Magia wasnt just being targeted by outside trollsthere were also people within Parallel who had a score to settle. This time, were gonna take her down. Leading the charge? Maru and the rest of the first-gen members, Another. After getting tricked over and overduring the anniversary trip, in every bet, in every matchthey couldnt just let this opportunity slip by. Good idea. We have to crush her. But can we even queue-snipe her? Magia~ its gonna be hard even getting into the match~. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Yeah, but we wont know unless we try! Just think of it like course registration! ...Course what? The hell are you talking about, you nerd? Course registration? That was when Maru realizedshe was the only one among them who had ever set foot in a university. ...Forget course registration. Think of it like ticketing. The kind where the competition is absolutely insane. With Momo also participating, this was the perfect chance to get revenge on both Magia and the CEO. Their determination was unmatched. But their enthusiasm ended up backfiring. All four of them took the day off from streamingjust to queue-snipe Magia. [????Live] Defeat Magia! ???? 32,227 viewers #BattleColosseum #Parallel #Momo Since Momo was supposed to participate off-stream, they had estimated around 15,000 viewers. Instead, the numbers more than doubledhitting 32,000. Which meant the competition to enter the match had also doubled. And that... Was a disaster for the stream-snipers. [Wait, why are there so many people?] [First-gens all took the day off, thats why.] Originally, out of the 90 players, they had expected half to be Diamond-tier players aiming to take Magia down. [Check who got in.] [...What? Only 20 made it in?] Less than half of their expected numbers. Since the lobby required a password hint, no matter how fast their hands were, it was still a bottleneck. The goal was to form alliancesthe more people ganging up on Magia, the better. But this? Could they even stop her at this rate? [There arent enough of us. Are we good?] [Its fine. Weve got enough people watching the stream and feeding info.] After all, they had organized this last night in a TalkCord servera proper, structured plan to corner Magia. Even though more people were outside the game than inside, Having eyes on Magia was never a bad thing. Because all they needed was to track her location. As long as they knew where she was, She wouldnt be able to escape. The Plan Todays sniper-in-chief, Kim, gave the order. There are ten matches. Lets just make sure she doesnt win a single one. All we need is her location. No matter how good Magia is, she cant escape if we all swarm her. [What if she just throws smokes and stalls?] Her smokes arent unlimited. And listen up None of us are allowed to bring smokes. Tell your teammates not to pick them up, either. [Got it.] [Understood.] Smokes were too versatile of an item. If anyone carrying one died to Magia, Shed just pick them up and stall even longer. If they trapped her, they had to finish her cleanlyno smokes, no escape routes. The Battlefield Was Set. 63 snipers & viewers vs. Magia & Momo. Would they stop her, or would she win anyway? Everyone had Magias stream open on a second monitor, watching the countdown together. [3, 2, 1match starting.] A click sound from the stream. A brief loading screen. Then A plane carrying all 89 players, flying from southeast to northwest. Everyone stared at the screen, waiting For the exact moment Magia jumped off the plane. Some even enlarged the minimap section of her stream, zooming in. Alright. Jump, Magia. Where are you landing? How are you planning to loot? Wherever you land... is about to become hell. ? WTF LOLOLOLOL Oh, for f*cks sake HAHAHAHAHA I CANT SEE SH*T YOU CRAZY B*TCH LMAO ARE YOU INSANE ...What the f*ck. Right before Magia jumped out of the plane Suddenly The entire screen was splattered with paint. Nearly everything got covered. What appeared in its place? High-quality, full-screen images of Anothers new outfits Screenshots from their post-reveal streams, striking cute poses. Each of the four corners of the stream was occupied by a massive, high-resolution image of a first-gen member. The minimap? Gone. Her position? Completely hidden. All that was visible? The center crosshair. The chat exploded in outrage. [This event was meant to celebrate Anothers new outfits. You remember that, right? So I prepared accordingly.] ??? Excuse me? WhaWhat the [If you want to see my screen, youll need to guess the pre-set passwordany number between 1,000 and 9,999and send it in a donation. If you guess correctly, youll also win a merch package. Check the pinned message for details.] LMAOOOOOO SHES SCAMMING US WTF GODDAMMIT SHOW THE SCREEN I DID NOT EXPECT THIS MOMO GO LIVE PLS Kim sighed and spoke into the sniper voice chat. Alright. The screens blocked by the illustrations, but there are some gaps. Anyone watching the streamtry to gather info through those. [Got it.] [Not easy, but # Nvlight # well try.] For now, just hunt anyone NOT wearing a hat. All the viewers who joined the match had customized themselves with Santa hats, So it was easy to recognize teammates. Anyone not wearing one? Fair game. While everyone focused on watching players jump, A voice crackled through the comms. [MAGIA JUMPED!] Half of the snipers immediately jumped out of the plane. But something was wrong. None of the players they landed with were hatless. [Wait, what?] [Shes not here?!] [Who said that?] Then, seconds later A single player jumped out of the plane. Kim saw the bouncing pigtails and felt dread crawl up his spine. Crazy Shot. ...No way. The voice that called out Magias jump? There was something off about it. The tone, the mic quality. Could it be? Had Magia infiltrated their sniper voice chat? No time to think. She was already on the ground. No, now! She just dropped! MAGIA JUST JUMPED! GO, GO, GO! [Lets go!] [CHASE HER!!] In the end Only ten snipers managed to land with Magia. An additional fifteen regular viewers had also dropped nearby, But they were less of a threat and more like fuel for the fire. If they didnt take her out quickly, she would simply wipe them out, steal their loot, and go on a rampage. Like a zombie virus that kept spreading unless dealt with immediately, Every kill she secured would only make her stronger. This round was a complete failure. Kims mind raced. He knew his top priority. Before anything else, He had to flush out Magia from the TalkCord server. As long as she remained inside, She would keep leaking their plans. He quickly sent a DM to his right-hand man, A fellow sniper known as Magia369 in the Magia Gallery. [????Magia404: 369, you there?] [????Magia404: Magia is hiding in our chat.] [????Magia404: Are you in the match right now?] [Magia369: No, I didnt get in.] [????Magia404: Then please kick her out.] [Magia369: On it.] A few minutes later, a message appeared in the server: - Magia509 has been removed by an administrator. Kim grinned in triumph. No matter how sneaky she tried to be, Matching usernames against the player list would always expose her. She might be a troll king, But they were a troll army. [Magia369: Chaos neutralized.] [Magia369: Lets keep going.] [Magia369: (Chimpanzee emote)] But There Was One Problem. Magia wasnt just some random troll. She was the head mod of her own Mini Gallery. Which meant She had multiple backup accounts. So, out of the 63 remaining snipers (-1)... How many of them were actually real? And how many were her? Chapter 108 Momo wasnt deeply involved in todaysntent. After all, whether it was sniping orunter-sniping, this was ultimately Magias area of expertise. She didnt want to interfere and risk dulling Magias sharp wit and playful energy. In a way, it was similar to why Magia didnt meddle too much in the other members or Momos streams. Battle Colosseum, sniping When it came to these things, Cheon Do-hee was just a step behind Magia. So, she decided to respect Magias judgment as much as possible. Thats why, just like during the illegal duet event, the plan was primarily drafted by Magia and supported by Team Leader Ra Seung-hyun. When Momo saw the final version, sheuldnt help but laugh at the absurd promotional strategy that had been added. Covering the screen with character outfit illustrations to prevent stream sniping? Even though the primary goal was to show through the karaoke stream that Magia and Contestant F were different people, it also meant that she wasnt willing to lose so easily. Even if she had to lose, shed put up a fight. If you want to see me lose, then youd better be prepared to pay the pricesomething like that? No wonder she accepted the suggestion so smoothly. Normally, when members submitted antent plan, thered be multiple revisions after discussions with Team Leader Ra Seung-hyun. But it seemed like that wasnt really the case with Magia. The planning teams role was to carefully review and filter out any elements thatuld potentially causentroversy. They were usually meticulous about it. [Planning Team Leader: I did make a few tweaks, but the initial draft was already solid, so it didnt take long.] [Planning Team Leader: Ofurse, theres always a chance it turns into a UFC match, so please make sure to steer it toward WWE, CEO.] [Planning Team Leader: There might be some talk about the donation-based password unlock system.] [Me: I was already thinking about that.] [Me: Thanks for the cross-check.] Magias streaming style had always been anstant tightrope walk, even back in her troll days. She needed someone watching over her. As Ra Seung-hyun pointed out, thingsuld spiral out ofntrol at any moment, or even spark a massive wildfire. Attracting attention was important in streaming, but managing to wrap things up with minimalntroversy was even more crucial. This time, Momo would bevering for Magia, but that wasnt a sustainable solution. At some point, Magia needed to learn the full A-to-Z of streaming. Originally, Momo had planned to teach her after she debuted. But at this rate, it looked like Magia wouldntinue streaming indefinitely without an official debut. There was no harm in teaching her in advance. The snd-gen recruitment will wrap up this week... Once that was done, Momould invite Magia to the uming training sessions, particularly the ones focused on stream hosting. As for the "Handling Trolls 101" lesson that Momo personally valued Sheuld probably skip that part. Because... "Hey, what are you typing so much on TalkCord while playing? Do you really have the time for that mid-game?" "I''m stirring up chaos in the voice chat of the stream snipers who came to hunt me down. Thats why Ivered the screen and set up a password." "...What? How did you even get in there?" "Thats an industry secret, so I cant really tell you." Had she set up some kind of trap? Shed created a situation that lured stream snipers in, only to toy with them from above. What was the point of teaching her how to handle trolls? If anything, Magia should be the one teaching that class, not Momo. Momo hadnt suggested it before since Magia seemed to be avoiding the other members, but... Maybe it was worth proposing that she be a guest lecturer for the snd-gen training. *** But no matter how well Magia played with trolls, she stilluldntmpletely oveme sheer numbers. The first and snd rounds played out in a similar pattern. Thanks to the ban on grenades and molotovs, the balance was fairly well-maintained. However, once viewers started breaking the password through donation bombardments, Magias location would be exposed. From that point on, it turned into a defense matchshed hold out as long as possible, but ultimately, shed getrnered by players camping outside the safe zone and end up roasted along with them. Even though Magia knew stream snipers better than anyone, the moment they started focusing entirely on her instead of Momo,untering them became a lot harder. As they prepared for the third round, Momo turned on her mic and spoke loudly enough for the audience to hear. "With grenades banned except for smoke, I thought youd have the upper hand, but I guess its not that easy, huh?" "Uhuhuhu,me here!" "Come at me!" "Karaoke stream is too good~" "Lmao, gotta lose, right?" "Even Signal Rounds arent enough to snipe Magia easily, huh?" "So, Magia, how does it feel to be on the receiving end of stream sniping?" Momo was laying the groundwork, pretending as if they had genuinely planned this event to win. "We put together thisntent because we wanted to win for real, but... Our viewersordination and firepower are ? Nvl?ht ? (Dontpy, read here) just too strong. Its tough,"that kind of whining. Fortunately, Magia immediately caught on to Momos intent and fired back. "Maybe its because the CEO isnt cheering for me." ...Me? "Come on, give me a buff. I dont want to work overtime." At the mention of "overtime," chat exploded. They were calling her out for pretending tomplain when shed be stuck at the office all night anyway. "Oh, so were just bugs who wont let her leave work, huh?" "Hey, hey, hey!" "Lmao, as if you dont run the operations room late into the night anyway!" "Wait, thats true." "So tragic??? cant even go home???" "DONT FALL FOR IT!!" "There she goes again, lying through her teeth!" Most of them were just worried shed find a way to weasel out of her punishment again. Shed gotten away with it too many times, to the point where Magia had practically bme the boy who cried wolf. "So, what kind of buff?" "Ill buy you a Ddeodeu Burger." "Ah. No. Not doing it." "Ugh... I cant do the karaoke stream... I dont have the energy...." "? " "Momo?" "Momo, are you betraying us right now?" "???" This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Even while trolling, she made sure to shift the chatsmplaints onto Momo. This was peak Magiapulling every trick in the book to force Momo into doing aegyo. "Dde... Dde... Ddeodeu...." "Everyone, even if I lose today, I will not be doing the karaoke stream." "YAAAAAHHHHH!!" "MOMO, WHAT ARE YOU DOING??" "HURRY UP!!" "Kraaaah!!" "If this is a lie again, Im really hitting that donation button!" "A mysterious truck appears in front of Parallels HQ..." Honestly, Magias requests werent even that outrageous. After years of bickering with chat, Momos instinct was to push back and joke about monetization first. But even while messing with her, Magia did so much for Momo and Parallel. So, for someone as notoriously mischievous as Magia, aegyo was a small price to pay. "Nya, Dde... Ddeodeu Burger me want, Gia! Buy me Ddeodeu Burger...!" "LMAO" "LOOOOL" "Perfection" "Shes been doing aegyo more often lately." "Her blood circulations been fixed ever since the Wicker server incident." "Dae. Ji. A." "This too is Magias divine blessing..." * However, Cheon Do-hee never imagined that her aegyo would bme Chapter 2 of Magias Stream Sniper Slaughter. Clips of Momos aegyo, instantly created by fans, started playing in the TalkCord channel where the stream snipers were gathered. And they werent just playing normally. Someone was deliberately toggling the mic on and off, timing the aegyo clips to play precisely when someone was about to speak. [Magias heading dow] [Buy me a Ddeodeu Burger...!] [Location is] [I want to eat a Ddeodeu Burger, Gia!] [Damn it, who keeps] [Ddeodeu Burger!!] With this, propermmunication became impossible. And since the voice activation indicator kept flickering on and off, identifying the culprit wasnt easy. Some stream snipers were still stuck in briefing and monitoring mode, so they tried adjusting the individual sound volumes to track down the saboteur, but... [Magia005: Magia835 is causing chaos, please kick him out.] [Magia369: Copy that.] As soon as they kicked one out, another Ddeodeu Burger ghost appeared. [Magias moving] [Ddeodeu Burger!!] [Oh, for f***s sake, again] [I want to eat a Ddeodeu Burger, Gia!] [This is driving me cra] [Buy me a Ddeodeu Burger!] Kim, who had gathered these people to make sure Magia got her punishment, was now visibly flustered. [????Magia404: How many have we banned so far?] [Magia369: Thirteen.] [Magia369: Actually, now that I think about it...] [Magia369: Isnt this all Magias doing?] [????Magia404: Youve got to be kidding me.] Kick one, another appears. Kick another, and yet another pops up. They started with 63 people. After kicking out five false briefers and eight aegyo clip spammers, only 50 remained. And with the custom game player slots slowly filling up, thenstant disruptions were exhausting the stream snipers. Meanwhile, Magia inched closer and closer to victory. 11th place in the first round. 10th in the snd. But starting from the third round, when the Ddeodeu Burger aegyo barrage flooded the TalkCord, her ranking skyrocketed. By the sixth round, she finished in 5th place. At this rate, she was only four matches away from winning and dodging the karaoke punishment entirely. [????Magia404: 369, keep dealing with the saboteurs.] [????Magia404: Well figure something out.] [Magia369: Got it.] [Magia369: We have to make Magia sing.] [Magia369: Lets do this.] But whatuld they do? Even though they were successfully tracking down and kicking the saboteurs, the impact of stream sniping was undeniable. No matter how well Magia fought using smokever, if they simply kept their distance and pressured her from all sides without engaging in closembat, even sheuldnt escape. If she had been surrounded by regular viewers, sheuld have broken through at a single weak point and fled. But she knew exactly what kind of skill level the snipers had. And at this moment, Chapter 3 of Magias Stream Sniper Slaughter began. Right in the middle of the encirclement. Hidden within the smoke, Magia started speaking. [Everyone, listen closely. Im about to reveal a secret about our CEO.] A secret that only she knew. ? Huh? What? Wait, what?? Cheon Do-hees eyes widened in shock. [What?! What the hell are you about to say?!] [Our CEO is actually...] Since nearly half of the snipers were former Momo Cultists, everyone immediately went silent, focusing on her words. And then [I want to eat a Ddeodeu Burger!! I want to eat a Ddeodeu Burger!! I want to eat a Ddeodeu Burger!!] Suddenly, a deafeningly loud loop of Momos aegyo started blasting through the voice channel. The people who wanted toncentrate on the juicy gossip instinctively muted the TalkCord audio And at that very moment, a smoke grenade landed. Not in the sniper groups position, but in the middle of the regular viewers. Kim, startled, tried to give a situation report, but half the team had already muted their voice chat because of the ear-piercing spam. Giving a briefing was pointless. Magia192 has been removed from the server by an administrator.[Magia369: Saboteur down.] [????Magia404: Everyone, get back in the voice channel.] [????Magia404: Quickly.] Luckily, 369 had kicked the spammer out. But TalkCord remained eerily silent. The snipers werent checking the chat They were all too busy running toward the newly deployed smoke. Kim, about to yell at them to regroup, suddenly froze. ...Huh? Magia hadnt run away after throwing the smoke. She had caused thenfusion but stayed perfectly still inside the smoke cloud. And the moment people, who had muted voice chat, rushed toward the smoke... They unknowingly ran straight through the smoke where Magia was still waiting. BANG, BANG! {{Human Signal Flare Kim Fireworks >> (Headshot) (Knocked) iiIIIIliIili}} With the thunderous blast of a double-barrel shotgun, the battlefield erupted into chaos. Like a single gunshot setting off an all-out war, the area instantly turned into a disaster zone. {{iiIiIIIIIIIII >> (Knocked) I Love You}} {{What Are You Doing >> (Knocked) ShortLegsPaddapadak}} It wasnt just Magia taking out enemies The horrible visibility caused by the smoke led players to shoot anything that moved. If its near me, just shoot first If its wearing a Santa hat, well... tough luck. Thanks to Magias gleeful overuse of smoke grenades, the entire battlefield was blanketed in fog. The gunfire was so loud that pinpointing her location became nearly impossible. Kim desperately tried shouting through the in-game mic. "EVERYONE! CALM DOWN! STOP SHOOTING! IF YOU KEEP THIS UP, MAGIAS JUST GONNA GO WILD!!" But no matter how much he yelled The chaos wouldnt stop. "AH! FOR GODS SAKE, STOP SHOOTING!!" Through the smoke, a figure suddenly appeared in front of Kim. It was Magia riding the speed boost panel straight toward him. BANG! BANG!! {{Human Signal Flare Kim Fireworks >> (Kill) Sing Already}} Chapter 109 Kim and the stream snipers, desperate to hear Magia sing, were now facing a crisis. Unable to deal with the continuous sabotage, Kim made a decisive move he purged the TalkCord server. [????TalkCord] [2810451eba788eca780ec958420eca088eb8c8020eb85b8eb9e98ed95b41844679400] Online - 7 From the 50 members that were in TalkCord, he kicked every single one out, leaving only sevenincluding himself. The six who had always been part of sniping parties, And Magia369, who had taken charge of server management, constantly monitored Magias stream, and relayed her location. Now that they had a clean, elite squad, communication finally stabilized. The chaotic sixth round ended with Magia securing third place. Maybe it was because of the server purge, but from the seventh round onward, no further sabotage occurred. [Magia369: Well, I guess this was bound to happen.] [Magia369: I expected it since it was an anonymous group.] [????Magia404: Nothing we can do.] [????Magia404: Forget it and just keep relaying Magias position.] But the purge came at a cost. With fewer members, locking Magia down became significantly harder. Viewers all had different motivations. Some wanted to take her down just to make her sing. Some just wanted to chat with her in-game and dragged things out, circling around her while making conversation. Others wanted a fair fight, challenging her head-on purely to test their skills. So, from rounds seven through nine, although TalkCord remained clean, Magia kept placing dangerously highthird, third, and even second place. Especially in round nine, Kims squad had secured a house at the center of the final zone. The only reason Magia didnt take first place was because she had just run out of smoke grenades. If shed had even one more, they might have lost right there. And now, round ten. The final round. If they won this one, it was over. [Hah, this is exhausting.] [Same here.] [Cant believe this is so damn hard...] Their focus was fading. The mental fatigue was unbearable. If their opponent were someone like Momo, it wouldve been manageable. But Magia wasnt just any troublemaker. She was climbing toward Master rank, cracking the heads of Diamond-tier disruptors. And even pro players acknowledged her smoke grenade tactics as a nightmare to counter. Even for stream snipers, it wasnt easy to get close to her. Not to mention, they had to keep checking the second monitor, cross-referencing positions, and making sure they werent getting betrayed by undercover saboteurs pretending to be normal viewers. It was just too much to handle at once. Final round C Custom game lobby opens. Kim barely managed to enter the room in timebut his squad wasnt so lucky. [Shit, I didnt make it.] [Damn, there was just one slot left... Sorry.] His elite squad, the ones who had never missed a match before, Only four of them managed to make it in. The lobby was full, so they couldnt even properly form a squad. "We have no choice. Forget the teamlets just stick together as much as we can." [Got it.] [Copy that.] Thankfully, Magia369 was still there, providing location updates. Kim, grateful for all the work 369 had done, sent a message. [????Magia404: 369, it mustve been tough, but thank you for your accurate location reports.] [????Magia404: Lets do our best for this final round.] But 369 didnt respond. [????Magia404: 369?] Meanwhile, on stream, Magia was cheerfully speaking. [Now then, lets begin the final roundwhere fate will be decided. Will the viewers claim victory and force me to sing? Or will I win, and the fans receive their random merch rewards? Drumroll, please.] The moment all 89 players loaded into the match, 369 suddenly sent a bizarre message. [Magia369: The final round will be a fair fight.] [Magia369: Good luck.] Magia369 has left the server.Kim froze. It felt like he had just seen a ghost. A fair fight? There was only one person in the entire server who would say that to a stream sniper squad. "No way... Was it Magia...?" 369 had been one of the founding members leading the charge against Magia. He was the one who organized the TalkCord server, bringing together snipers who normally wouldnt even cooperate. He handed over the server admin role to Kim and acted as a support, managing the logistics. If things got chaotic, he even handed out gift cards to smooth things over and boost morale. And that 369 was Magia? [No... No way.] [Thats just speculation.] [No way shed deliberately reveal her location while trying to win. Thats insane.] [She has to sing if she loses. Theres no chance shed risk it.] This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. It was practically a confirmed theory but no one wanted to admit it. Because if Magia really was 369, then she had spent the entire event feeding her own location to the snipers and still placed second in the last match. Against a group of people who lived for stream sniping. That would mean Kims entire squad had lost the psychological war against Magia without even realizing it. And even if they wanted to complain, Could they really criticize her sabotage when they were the ones organizing a coordinated sniper attack to ruin a public event? Nope. Kim sighed and tried to salvage the mood. "Guess I said something unnecessary. Sorry for the distractionlets focus on the final round." But the atmosphere had already plummeted. For Team "Make Magia Sing", this was their worst crisis yet. Was there really no one left who could take her down? * Meanwhile, the chat was going absolutely berserk over Magias climb to second place. KRAAAAHHH I KNEW IT. This was a rigged event, wasnt it? Everyones an actor, right?! THIS IS SCRIPTED!!! PLEASE MAKE MAGIA SING. PLEASE MAKE MAGIA SING. PLEASE MAKE MAGIA SING. PLEASE MAKE MAGIA SING. THIS IS A DREAM. THIS IS A DREAM. THIS IS A DREAM. THIS IS A DREAM. LOSE! LOSE! LOSE! LOSE! LOSE! LOSE! LOSE! LOSE! LOSE! LOSE! LOSE! LOSE! LOSE! LOSE! LOSE! LOSE! Lets be real, this is rigged. Just admit it and lets wrap it up already, lmao. The only reason Magia had made it this far was because she had dismantled the one true threat to her in the background. But since viewers couldnt see all that happening, their frustration was completely justified. She had only been playing tricks because she didnt want to lose too easily. But in the end, she was meant to lose this round. Placing second would keep things tense and exciting and would make the audience truly feel how difficult it was to get her to sing. That should have been the smooth and well-planned ending to this event. But a new, unexpected wildcard had just entered the scene. {{February 19th C Magias First Single Release >> (Headshot) (Knocked) I CHOOSE DEATH}} A suspiciously named player was racking up kills in the log. Since the match was structured as Magia + Momo vs. Viewers, kills usually didnt happen early on. Everyone knew that only by working together could they take Magia down. After all, her rising rankings had already proved how difficult she was to stop. {{February 19th C Magias First Single Release >> (Headshot) (Knocked) ALIOLIALI}} {{February 19th C Magias First Single Release >> (Headshot) (Knocked) WOOOOSH}} So seeing this many kills happening right at the start was way too strange. Even if some trolls tried to start fights among the viewers, they usually got swarmed and taken out immediately. But this player, named "February 19th C Magias First Single Release", was somehow slaughtering everyone else. Rule 1: Magia can only use shotguns and smoke grenades. Rule 2: Viewers can use any firearms but can only use smoke grenades. But technically, according to the rules displayed on-screen, viewers fighting each other wasnt actually illegal. Since Magias victory would mean that a random viewer would win limited-edition merch, it was expected that some players might try to eliminate competition. 64 players remaining - -But this many casualties were way beyond expectations. So far, Magia and Momo had only taken down 10 out of 25 targets. Meaning, this mystery player had just wiped out 15 people alone. The final round was supposed to be carefully balanced but now, Magias scripted scenario was at risk of completely falling apart. "I think we have a problematic player here." ...Huh? Who? Luckily, Magia had already figured it out. The kill log was a dead giveaway The weapon icon and consistent headshots provided all the hints she needed. "Did we have a former pro among our viewers?" "W-What? Who is it? Where?" Wait, what?! A former pro?! Did they join just for the merch?! NOOOOOOOOOOO KRAAHHH MY MAGIA SONGGGG!!! WHY THE HELL IS A FORMER PRO OBSESSED WITH MERCH RIGHT NOW? The nickname "February 19th C Magias First Single Release"... It followed a very familiar pattern. Magia immediately recalled seeing things like "First-Gen 1st Anniversary Song C November 5th Release" before. And the weapon of choice? A pistol with an insanely high headshot accuracy. Which meant one person came to mind. ...Wait. Is this Movgun? "50/50 chance. Im not completely sure." Momo immediately dialed Movguns number. "Hello?" Movguns voice played through the speakerphone. [Oh. Whats up?] "You bastard. Youre February 19th, arent you?" [What the hell are you talking about? I just woke up.] Magia listened to his perfectly clear voice and responded flatly "Oh wow. Such a well-rested, totally just woke up voice." "As if you werent actually wide awake, watching the stream, waiting for a chance to join, failing multiple times, and finally sneaking into the 10th match just now." Movgun burst out laughing. [Hah! Why the hell are you so accurate?] "All full-time streamers are the same." "So, tell mewhy are you hunting viewers? You after the merch?" It wasnt uncommon for streamers to secretly join their own community events. As long as their identity remained hidden, it was harmless fun. But once they were caught, they had to prove they were a true fan. Either by showing their subscription history, flexing their merch collection, or revealing their donation records. Otherwise, Movgun would face exile, and Magia would be forced to play another round. And if there was one thing Magia valued in her work it was efficiency and time management. If Movguns explanation wasnt satisfactory, his status would drop from Mildly Annoying to Absolute Garbage. Movgun took a deep breath and answered. [People kept shooting at me first, so I killed them.] Magia immediately understood. In Battle Colosseum tournaments, skins were banned. Many retired pros forget to equip skins, even when they own them. Movgun had likely forgotten to wear a Santa Hat a clear symbol of being on the viewers team. "Were you wearing a Santa Hat?" [Oh. I forgot.] "Yeah. No wonder they shot you. In this entire game, the only ones not wearing hats are me and the CEO." [What a rookie mistake.] LMAO "mistake" my ass LOL Wait, so he was on our side??? Bro, why didnt you just wear the damn hat? [Also, I wasnt after first-gen merch. I subbed to all of them, but I dont collect merch.] He was desperately trying to deny his full-on VTuber fan status. But at this point, his subscription alone was already proof. There were plenty of posts in Movguns own gallery complaining about how his algorithm was flooded with VTuber clips because of him. ...So, was your goal to kill me? Movgun sighed and declared [As a viewer, I have one thing to say.] [JUST SING, DAMN IT.] [DO I REALLY HAVE TO SNIPE YOU JUST TO HEAR ONE SONG?!] ?? LMAO HAHAHAHAHAHA BROS HAVING A BREAKDOWN SUDDENLY, IM MAD TOO YOU TOO?! WE STAN MOVGUN Magia grumbled. "Seriously, whats the big deal? Im not even good at singing." [I DONT CARE IF YOURE GOOD OR NOT. IM JUST CURIOUS. STOP ACTING LIKE SOME KIND OF MUTE LITTLE MERMAID.] ? LOL LOLOLOLOL Why is he suddenly losing his mind? LOL Damn, now IM mad too. You too?! WE STAND WITH MOVGUN. Magia muttered flatly. "Whats the big deal about my singing? Im not even good at it." [ITS NOT ABOUT BEING GOOD OR BAD! I JUST WANT TO HEAR {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} IT! ITS LIKE YOURE A MERMAID WHO LOST HER VOICE! IM GONNA LOSE MY MIND WAITING FOR THIS DAMN SONG!] KYYYYAAAHHH HE SAID WHAT WE WERE ALL THINKING. FINALLY, SOMEONE SAID IT. [Anyway, brace yourself. I came here to END this game.] MOVGUN! THE MOVGUN! MOVGUN! MOVGUN! MOVGUN! MOVGUN! MOVGUN, FIRST SWORD OF THE PUDDLES!!! At this point, Magias expression relaxed a bit. If he was only here to carry the viewers, then the planned scenario wouldn''t be ruined too much. "Hurry up and come over. You know where I am from watching the stream, dont you?" But Movgun was a man of honor. A former pro who still had his pride and principles. [Why would I watch the stream? Thats lame. Were going to run into each other at the end anyway.] Oh, come on, LOL. JUST WATCH THE STREAM FOR ONCE, DAMMIT. TODAY IS THE ONE DAY STREAM-SNIPING IS LEGAL. PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, SNIPE HER AND WIN. At that moment, Magia slightly adjusted her plan. She was supposed to lose this final match but losing to Movgun and THEN singing? Yeah, that wasnt happening. He wanted fair play? Fine. Shed play fair too. "Since you took out viewers and made things easier for me, I have a proposal." "I dont want people saying I only won because of you." All eyes were on her. Then, Magia dropped the bombshell. "If I win this match, Ill accept the singing penalty." WHAT?! ? IS SHE FOR REAL?! "But in that case, Movgun, youre joining me." "Well split ithalf an hour each. Or one hour total, your choice." Movgun. A 2-million-subscriber YouTuber. He wasnt as big as Iyura, the 2.5-million-follower utaite, But if he was forced to sing as punishment? It would attract an insane amount of attention. And if he was singing Parallels songs? That was free viral marketing. Magia had no intention of letting such a golden opportunity slip by. [Alright. Lets do it.] But Magia didnt realize something. That holding a duet karaoke punishment with a man so soon after Valentines Day would have catastrophic consequences for her fanbase. Most Magia fans knew she wasnt a VTuber but just a corporate worker. But that didnt mean they could stop themselves from losing it. SNIFFLE SNIFFLE GIA, I CAN FEEL MY BODY... GETTING DARKER... MOVGUN, PLEASE WIN. MOVGUN, I DONT CARE IF YOU HAVE TO CHEAT, JUST WIN. YOU CANNOT SHARE A KARAOKE PUNISHMENT. ABSOLUTELY NOT. KRAAAAAAHHHH PLEASE WIN. LOSE, MAGIA. LOSE. LOSE. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, LOSE. I CANNOT ACCEPT THIS KARAOKE STREAM. IF YOURE GOING TO DO IT, KILL ME FIRST. PLEASE. MOVGUN WIN. PLEASE MOVGUN WIN. PLEASE MOVGUN WIN. PLEASE MOVGUN WIN. PLEASE MOVGUN WIN. Chapter 110 At this point, the viewers were divided on how to feel about Movgun. One side didnt care about whatever vibe Magia and Movgun might have. They just wanted Movgun to win first, get Magia to sing, and deal with the rest later. Honestly, thank god Movgun showed up. For now, we have to support Movgun. Please, for the love of god, win. These were mostly viewers who didnt engage in parasocial relationships (gachikoi). They watched streamers purely for entertainment or skill, without getting emotionally invested. Then there was the other side- which was just completely losing it. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. MAGIA ISNT LIKE THAT... MAGIA ISNT LIKE THAT... MAGIA ISNT LIKE THAT... A KARAOKE STREAM? TOGETHER? WITH HIM?? AM I TURNING BLACK??? SHOULD I JUST LOSE??? Even Magia herself and Cheon Do-hee, watching from the sidelines found the chat reactions baffling. ''What the hell is wrong with these people...?'' Magia had actively used aegyo and fanservice to retain her audience. She had milked the gachikoi fanbase with lines like: "I will always look only at you, my dear Puddles." She had never changed. She was, and always had been, a Momo loyalist. Her sole existence was dedicated to worshiping Shirahoshi Momo. Most of Magias fanbase were MomoGia shippers anyway. So who the hell were these people freaking out over Movgun? Even Pino, who was usually one of the first to simp and drop massive donos whenever Magia got emotionally cornered, was acting completely normal for once. ????PIN0: Why are people getting mad over this? ????PIN0: So many casuals here... Momo quickly figured it out. Pinos message was a hint. "Casuals." It wasnt existing fans causing the meltdown. It was the huge influx of new viewers who didnt understand Magia. The long-time audience was unshaken. They knew Magia was a Momo-obsessed lunatic, who lived and breathed Parallel content. They knew she was a behind-the-scenes worker, who literally had no time to interact with male streamers. She was socially awkward, barely engaged with chat outside of structured content, and the moment she did, she became a goofy couch potato reviewing VTuber clips like a fan on a sofa. Above all Movgun was her mortal enemy. Whenever Momo collabed with Movgun in Battle Colosseum, Magia would instantly show up, glowering in silence, radiating pure annoyance. (Though, she never actually crossed the line and started drama.) There was no way shed suddenly start being friendly with him. The real fans knew there had to be a deeper reason for her karaoke proposal. And sure enough [CEO. Lets kill this bastard.] ...Gia. Your mic is on. [Lets absolutely destroy Movgun.] SHE GOT CAUGHT LOL. LOLOLOL. LOOK AT HER TRYING TO PLAY IT OFF. CUTE LOL. Magia had zero intentions of being friendly. The karaoke proposal? That was just a scam. She was milking Movgun for clout. Since he had killed off so many viewers, she was pretending to "balance" the match by accepting the singing punishment. But Movgun sucked at singing. He was infamous for dodging karaoke segments. Even in collabs, he always stayed silent or just mumbled along. If she forced him to sing for an hourit would become a legendary meme. There was no way he could get out of it. And as for the "duet" part? Please. It was clearly just a trade-off format: "You go, I go. Taking turns." We can split ithalf an hour each. Momo instantly saw through it. It was just a roundabout way of dumping the responsibility on Movgun. She knew Magia too well. But Momo had bigger concerns. [ (????Live) Defeat Magia ] ???? 43,586 viewers #BattleColosseum #Parallel #Momo Magia was storming through the battlefield, heading straight for Movgun, And the viewership numbers were about to triple the original estimates. It was Monday night People who just wanted to unwind after work were getting pulled into the chaos. They had already milked the first-gen new outfit promos. And at this level of exposure, Magia had completely cleared her name as Contestant F. But... If her karaoke stream went viral, the demand for her debut would skyrocket. People would mistake her for a VTuber, and the "Make Magia Debut" movement would explode. ''...Well, guess I have to handle it.'' Momo stood firm, like an unshakable mountain. If Magia didnt want to debut, Momo would tank the damage for her. Shed done it countless times in Battle Colosseumwhy not do the same in real life? "Gia, just trust me." ...With what? "Ill body-block for you. Do whatever you want!" Normally, Magia wouldve taken the opportunity to mess with Momo. But not today. "Not now." This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Magia may have sacrificed Momo before, like a signal flare to divert chaos. But in the end, she had always come back to save her and win the match. And this time The opponent was Movgun. If she messed up, Momos head would be sent flying. She couldnt let that happen. Because thats just who Magia was. "Stay behind me. Dont go out there and... die to that bas... to Movgun." * In a normal FPS match, a shotgun vs. pistol duel would almost always favor the shotgun. If it were an open field with no cover, the pistols longer range might provide an advantage. But in any close-quarters fight, a shotguns raw stopping power was overwhelming. However The pistol user here was Movgun, a former pro with insane headshot accuracy. And the shotgun user was Magia, a smoke-god monster who had defeated Movgun in both official and unofficial kill wagers before. This was a clash of titans A blade vs. blade battle where no one could predict the outcome. 3 players remaining - -If there was any advantage to be foundMagia and Momo had the numbers. Since they had only met Movgun at the very end, it had turned into a 2v1 fight. Even if Magia went down, Momo could still revive her. Meanwhile, Movgun had wiped out his entire team the moment the match started. If he got knocked, he was instantly dead. But Movgun had the positional advantage. The final safe zone was shrinking toward a single housea house that Movgun had already secured. The final circle would kill even max-shielded players in seconds. Magia had no choice but to take the house. But since only smoke grenades were allowed, this would be a pure smoke-combat fight. It was as even as a fight could get. The chat was a disaster. They didnt want Magia to do a karaoke stream with Movgun. But they also had no choice but to cheer for him to win. Please. Please, Movgun. Win. Just this once. If you win, I swear Ill become your man just for today. PLEASE!!! :: Anonymous donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: I''M FREAKING OUT. WHEN IS MAGIA GOING TO ATTACK? PLEASE DONT RUSH IN FIRST AND DIE. :: Momos still alive, so she wont rush. Shes turret-playing. Shes gonna wait. This is a rare sight, LOL. :: Anonymous donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: They cant even force Movgun to attack first. Nobody knows whatll happen in the smoke. :: I CANT BREATHE. IF MOVGUN LOSES, IM DONE. JUST LIE DOWN. IM READY TO DIE. Since Movgun wasnt streaming, all the viewers could do was watch Magias movements and curse her name under their breath. Please die. Please get your head blown off. Please make a mistake. If Magia diedMomo wouldnt stand a chance in a 1v1. Game over. Solo karaoke stream. Pure fan happiness. So please A tense silence. A smoke grenade shattered a window and filled the house with thick white fog. At the exact same moment, Magia moved. The house was a rectangular structure, with windows on the east and west, and doors on the north and south. She had clearly entered with the confidence that as long as the smoke was up, she had the upper hand. But PEW! A pistol round zipped through the smokedirectly hitting Magias head. Her shield dropped from full to two bars instantly. Magia immediately pulled back, activating a shield battery to recover. "Ho..." WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?! Did he just shoot based on sound?! This insane bastard, LOL. He actually landed that?! MAGIA SMOKE GAMING, LETS GO. "Youre shooting based on sound, too, huh?" "What? Youre serious?" "You practiced pistol headshots like crazy before, and now youve started training for smoke fights, too?" "Damn... this bastards sweating, huh?" Movgun usually held back his full power. If he focused too hard, it brought back stress from his pro days. So he normally played at 90% effort. But right now Movgun was at 100%. Because he, too, was a Parallel fanand wanted Magia to lose. He didnt show it much, but losing to Magia twice in kill wagers had bruised his pride. And it was clear that he had been grinding in secret just to pay her back. But there was no time to stall. The safe zone was shrinking fast. If they didnt breach the house soon, they would roast alive in the circle. The next smoke push had to end it. "Alright, lets do a pincer attack. Ill go through the window." "No." "What? Why? Youve used me as a meat shield this whole time." "I dont care about other people. But I dont want you getting shot by Movgun." "Thats dumb. If you die first, Ill be alone. Thats fine with you?" "......." "See? You dont like that, right? So just listen and lets do a synchronized push." "No. Im just going to win, so we dont have to worry about that scenario." But Magia was stubborn. "Im going in alone. You stay outside even if it means burning to death in the circle." "ISNT THAT WORSE?!" "I said stay outside, even if you die in the storm." Momo pouted but ultimately decided to listen to Magia. After all, Magia was the one leading today''s content. "...Fine. Ill stay outside." LOLOLOL. INSANE TURRET STRATEGY. TWISTED POSSESSIVENESS, WTF. I FEAR HER. Magia rushed into the remaining smoke. She could have moved slowly, suppressing her footsteps. But she deliberately didnt. She had only ever bothered with stealth play in one gameCombativethe military FPS that disgusted her. Even if it meant revealing her position, Magia never backed down. A pistol needed three headshots. A shotgun only needed two. Even if she took a hit, she just needed to land two of her own. BANG! The moment she stepped in, a pistol round slammed into her head, shattering two shield bars and leaving her with two left. Movgun shifted position, his footsteps echoing through the smoke. Now it was Magias turn. BOOM! A loud crash Movguns shields were completely broken. One more solid hit, and he was dead. But A pistols fire rate was way faster. BANG! The second shot landed. Magias shields were now completely gone. Now, they both had just one hit left. OH SHIT, THE SMOKE HUH?! WE CAN SEE THEM?! WAIT?! The smoke cleared. Its duration had expired. The fog lifted, revealing both players crosshairs aimed directly at each others heads. But Movguns aim was faster. Unlike Magias prediction, where any former pro would naturally reposition to cover for the smoke timing, Movgun had faked her out completely. He had stood completely still. In a split-second reaction fight, if both players had the same speed, the one with the farther crosshair lost. Magia realized it too late. She fired anyway, knowing that even if she got shot first, she would at least land a final hit. BOOM! BANG! {{February19th_MagiaFirstSingle >> (Knocked) HumanSignalFlare_KimFireworks}} The shotgun pellets missed by a fraction not enough to take down Movgun. Instead Magia took a direct headshot. She collapsed. "Kh...!" HOLY SHIT. INSANE. THANK GOD. HOW DID HE SURVIVE THAT?! Movgun immediately scanned the house. The circle had completely closed in. A transparent blue wall was seeping into the house. But Momo was nowhere inside. He checked the windows. Nothing. He heard footstepsbut far ? NvIight ? (Read more on our source) away. Momo was somewhere outside, slowly burning alive in the storm. He didnt need to do anything. If he stalled for just a few seconds, he would automatically win. The final zone killed players in seconds. Even though Momo could snipe him through the open windows Movgun didnt care. The Momo he knew was not the type to land a clean shot while panicking and burning alive. But then RATATATATAT! A sudden spray of bullets ripped into Movguns body. Already on the verge of death, Movgun stumbled forward and collapsed. {{ReallyReallyMomo >> (Kill) February19th_MagiaFirstSingle}} Magia, barely conscious, watched the screen in shock. She had expected Momo to be hiding behind a rock, crouched in fear. But instead Cheon Do-hee had stood up. And landed every single shot. Right before burning to death. "...Didnt see that one coming." !! VICTORY !! Chapter 111 !! VICTORY !! Magia had passed out, leaving viewers unable to see Momos screen. Which made it all the more shocking. No one had expected this. Everyone thought it was over when Magia lost. Who could have predicted that Momo would jump in at the last moment and turn the tables completely? Noooooooo Im gonna black out Im gonna black out Im gonna black out Im gonna black out Im gonna black out Im gonna black out This cant be happening......... Cant they at least sing together? Kraaagh Kraaagh Kraaagh Kraaagh Kraaagh Immersion! Immersion! When Magia participated in Movguns internal match, I remained silent. I was not a fan of Magia. When Magia collaborated with Movgun in Maou Castle, I remained silent. I was not a fan of Magia. But now that Magia is about to sing with Movgun, I can no longer stay silent. Why why why why why why why why why This is a dream this is a dream this is a dream this is a dream this is a dream this is a dream But unlike the wailing viewers, Magia was feeling pretty good. Cheon Do-hee, who had been scolded by Movgun countless times, had finally shut him up in a single shot. There was no way Magia could dislike that. In fact, she liked it so much that the corners of her lips kept twitching upward. "That was... a really good shot." Do-hee beamed. "Right? I did great, didnt I? Theres a limit to how much you can underestimate me. Momo beneath no one! Momo beneath no one! Ahaha!" "The viewers are probably about to explode, though." "Ah." KRAAAAH KRAAGH I CURSE YOU, CHEON MOMO KRAAAAAAAAAH!! But it didnt matter. The condition had been set from the start. Victory or not, Magia had already accomplished her goal. The viewers were convulsing at the idea of Magia and Movgun singing together... But when had Magia ever agreed to a duet? Of course, she still had to play along, so she threw out a casual suggestion. "Lets invite Movgun and discuss the details of the penalty." Do-hee promptly sent Movgun an invite to the voice chat. The moment he joined, he let out a deep sigh. He must have been taking the loss pretty hard. [Ah, damn. I actually lost this.] "Never underestimate Momo again, you scrub." [Yeah, yeah. I admit it. I lost this one fair and square.] "Ahahaha!" [So. What about the song? Do I need to turn on that Practice Room thing?] Practice Room. It was a program used for online ensemble performances, allowing participants to sync perfectly even in different online environments. Even without a full band or orchestral setting, online choir performances typically used it. All Parallel VTubers knew about it, and anyone remotely serious about singing streams had used it before. But as mentioned earlier, Magia had no intention of doing a duet with Movgun. There was no bigger waste of time than that. "Nope. Ill do a one-hour karaoke stream first, so you can go ahead and do the penalty on your own stream." [What? Wait, seriously? Youre making me do it alone? Ive never even done a karaoke stream before!] "Ill send you a reference clip if you need it. But Id like to clock out early today and get some rest. You did promise, so good luck." [Wait, hold on. Momo! Y] Before Movgun could finish his sentence, Magia kicked him out of the voice chat. A clean execution. The chat, which had been on fire, instantly calmed down. Instant cut Phew Scrub exterminated, lol Momo beneath no one, Momo beneath no one~ THIS IS ITTTTTT MA GI A Begone, lol QUEEN GIA I always believed, goddamn LOL MOMOGIA IS CANON, EVEN IN GOGURYEO''S TRADITIONAL WRESTLING RECORDS With Movgun gone, only Magia and Do-hee remained in the stream. Watching Magias decisiveness, Do-hee made a casual remark. "You know... every time I see this, I feel like you hate him more and more." "I just dont like him acting all chummy with the boss. If he cuts ties with you, then maybe Ill consider being his friend." "Wow...." Damn, its always Queen Gia. I have no choice but to worship her. The Turret Queen Magia will never allow male interference. WE BELIEVE MOMOGIA IS SAFE, EVERYONE!! Anyway, it was time for Magia to fulfill her own penalty. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. She had done enough self-promotion. She had smacked down the stream snipers trying to snipe her. Losing the 1v1 was unfortunate, but Magia had always acknowledged Movguns skill. Especially his psychological trick of standing still to bait opponentsit was so effective that she wanted to use it herself someday. But in the end, he was still just Movgun. Magia might respect his gameplay, but she would never admit it out loud. Unlike how she had immediately showered Do-hee with praise for her incredible shot. After a quick bathroom break and the promised victory merchandise giveaway, Magia returned about thirty minutes later, having set up her echo filters. "Aaah. Can you all hear me?" (Glowstick emoji) (Wave emoji) Finally, the moment has come Hehehe, cmere No escape today MAGIA WAS F! MAGIA WAS F! MAGIA WAS F! MAGIA WAS F! MAGIA WAS F! MAGIA WAS F! The same viewers who had been screaming in agony earlier were now in full-on festival mode. Everyone was convinced that once they heard this song, the "F participant = Magia" theory would be cemented as absolute truth. Magia exchanged glances with Do-hee and gave a slight nod. As planned, she first laid down some ground rules for the future of the stream. "Since theres been a big influx of new viewers recently, Ive been lenient, but after today, spamming requests for me to sing will get you banned." What Why "And just a reminderdont overdo the rat-hunting in our official channels or member streams. That includes requests for singing, cutesy acts, anything that disrupts the flow. If youve been banned before, you already know why." :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: But you constantly force the boss to act cute! :: "If youre upset, feel free to apply for a job at Parallel." They barely even post job openings, what are you saying lol This is too cruel Thats not a needles eye, thats a nanometer hole... This level of gatekeeping is insane "Anyway, lets start the karaoke punishment. Ill be choosing songs as I go, but if you have requests, drop them in chat or send a donation. If I like it, Ill sing it." HELL YEAH QUEEN GIA MAGIA MAGI ANGEL!! "For the first song" The moment she announced it, the chat fell into stunned silence. The song she chose was One Others, the anniversary track of the first-gen talents. And more importantly, it was the very song Magia had anonymously sung as the mystery F participant in the illegal duet event. A rather... bold choice. The chat could only watch in bewilderment. What? Did she just pick that immediately? Going straight through the front door, damn. Is she showing us now since shes gonna get caught anyway? LOL But the way Magia sang this time was completely different from before. "Addicted to this pull, falling deeper" Back then, she had seamlessly blended into the members harmonies, adjusting her pitch and timbre to fill in the gaps without overpowering ? Nvl?ht ? (Dont copy, read here) their voices. This time, she abandoned any desire to sing "well." She simply let out her natural voicechildlike, airy, and listless. "You and my world, endlessly connected" Even the high notes, instead of being crisp and powerful, were strained and screeched out with just her throat. Naturally, the viewers were thrown into chaos. They had expected the sharp, clear voice of Participant F. Instead, it sounded like an elementary school kid who had just run in from a talent show and started singing. ? What the hell This is... ridiculously cute LOL This is supposed to be F? This reminds me of when she sang that slow train song LOL But amidst the confusion, more and more glowsticks started waving. The hardcore fans were simply grateful that Magia was singing at all. And those who were unsure figured, well, this wasnt what they wanted... but it was still kind of nice? Some people tried to protest, but the flood of glowsticks quickly drowned them out. (Glowstick emoji) (Glowstick emoji) deep sigh (Glowstick emoji) Adorable (Glowstick emoji) Damn, this isnt what I wanted (Glowstick emoji) (Wave emoji) (Glowstick emoji) *** ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Is F really Magia?] ???? https://www.acacia.com/mgallery/parallel [Todays Magia Song List (with video)] I rewatched it after the stream ended, and the more I listen, the more confused I get. Its not like Magia couldnt sing today. She wasnt pretending to be bad. But her tone is completely different from when she was F. Shes good at mimicking voices, sure, but that doesnt necessarily mean shes a perfect impressionist. I mean, when she rapped Rains part, it made sense because it was a rap. But now Im starting to think... What if F wasnt Magia at all? What if it was actually Momo? Am I the only one thinking this? [Comments] Parallel891: Gia, youre working hard. ? Parallel152 (OP): I swear on my mom, Im not Magia. Parallel356: Honestly, Im getting confused now too. ? Parallel891: Gia, youre working hard. ? Parallel356: ? Why are you forcing this LOL Parallel095: NEVER STOP QUESTIONING. ? Parallel095: QUESTION EVERYTHING. ... ... Do-hees strategyforcing Magia to face the song head-onwas a success. After an hour-long singing stream, peoples certainty started to waver. And more importantly, there were now simply more people who enjoyed Magias singing, regardless of F. She wasnt like a debuting artist or a famous utaite who left a lasting impression with sheer vocal prowess. But how many people in the world could pull off the exact charm of a childs innocent, offbeat performance without breaking a sweat? Since Magia was usually sharp-tongued, professional, and cynical, Some people found this contrast so compelling that they fell straight into a denial-fueled stan phase. And as more and more viewers adapted to her style, Their heads cracked open one by one. Instead of demanding her debut, more people in the chat and community just felt relieved that she was streaming at all. After all, Magia had been streaming more often lately. She had even started doing things she never used tolike singing. If they just praised her a little more... Maybe, just maybe, they could push her into becoming a full-time streamer. Plus, for all her trolling, Magia actually interacted with her viewers a lot. In a world where streamers usually got "bullied" by their chat, Magia had flipped the script, roasting her audience instead. And, well... That had its own appeal. February, Late Month When Magia posted an announcement that her streams would be rare for a while, The entire Parallel-related community was thrown into mourning. ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Momo & Magia wont be streaming for a while] The second-gen auditions wrap up this week, So theyll be busy selecting candidates and prepping debuts. Fantasia will continue on schedule at the beginning of each month. But Zitong Room wont be running. Theyll post another update once things calm down. Suddenly... everything feels damp. [Comments] Parallel103: VTubing is dead. Parallel851: VTubing is dead. Parallel734: VTubing is dead. Parallel356: You can still watch the first-gens, so why are people acting like its over? ? Parallel900: Its the influx from Wicker Town and tournaments. ? Parallel900: Stubborn Gia stans + trolls. ? Parallel299: Was Magias fandom really that big? ? Parallel900: Dude, her Zitong Room streams were consistently getting more viewers than half of the first-gens combined. She got huge. ... ... Even outside of the Parallel fandom, in the much broader Pazijik Gallery, The situation wasnt much different. Looking at the most upvoted posts, Magia-related discussions took up a massive portion. ... Pazijik Gallery [Featured Posts] ... [Zitong Room... Gone?] [For the love of god, stop making Movgun sing.] [She hasnt even debuted, so why are people talking about her graduation?] [Lapits: No plans for third-gen recruitment, focusing on internal stability.] [Wait, wait, no graduation.] [VachuKR: Fourth-gen debuts at the end of February.] [I never thought Id live to see Movgun actually singing LOL.] [VTuber Cosplay #9: Magias secret agent arc.] [So who the hell is F?] [If youre a college student dreading semester start, upvote.] [Serenas graduation D-1.] ... ... But for once, Magia, who usually never put down her phone, left most of the online monitoring to Gong Seung-yeon. She was fully focused on the second-gen recruitment process. She didnt care if the viewers were crying about content starvation. At the end of the day, Magia wasnt a VTuber. She was an employee. And until the second-gen debut was sorted out, she didnt even have time to stream. If Gong Seung-yeon hadnt said, "Ill clip all the funny moments from each day and send them to you," Magia might have ended up writing interview reports with a stream running in the background. Thats how important this was. The first-gens had solidified their foundations. Now, the second-gens needed to debut strong and keep growing. Only then would Parallel have a bright future. Which is why Parallels already strict selection standards had become even harsher. Even major corporations like VachuVachu had suffered from incidents caused by a single problematic member. They managed to recover because they were a huge company. But for a mid-sized agency like Parallel? One scandal could be a death sentence. Thats why HR wanted Magia involved in interviews. If Magia flagged a candidate, it usually meant they were incredibly talented... but also had baggage. (Ex-boyfriend issues, past stream controversies, etc.) Filtering those candidates early made the final decisions much easier. But just like water, the stricter the filter, the fewer drops make it through. It was no different for second-gen applicants. The competition ratio was 400:1, double that of first-gen. But more applicants didnt mean more hires. In the end... "...So after all that, were left with two?" Do-hee, who had been agonizing over this since Friday, let out a long sigh. Magia, fidgeting with the acceptance forms, looked puzzled. "Are you going to pick two more from the waitlist?" Do-hee groaned. "Id love to, but... this time, thats not gonna be easy." Chapter 112 When a company posts a job listing, it''s rare to specify an exact number of hires. There are too many variables in recruitment. Sometimes, an unexpectedly high number of great candidates appear, while other times, the opposite happens. Naturally, when Parallel announced the second-gen auditions, they never explicitly stated they were hiring four people. So technically, selecting just two and debuting them wouldn''t be an issue. ...That is, if we were a normal company. Parallel couldn''t just say, "We''ve picked two. Our job here is done," and leave it at that. First of all, the rumors would be a nightmare. There are four first-gen members. People automatically assume second-gen will have four as well. If the numbers dont match, fans start speculating and spinning all kinds of theories. If there are fewer than expected, people start whispering, "Someone must have screwed up big time." If there are more, the talk shifts to, "Who got in through connections?" These rumors, constantly reproduced due to information asymmetry, would exhaust both the company and the talents. And there was one even bigger problem. Parallel was a company in the middle of rapid growth. If a rising agency like this debuted fewer members than first-gen especially only half the number Potential investors would start wondering: "Is there a funding issue? Did the CEO cut investments?" Aspiring applicants might think: "Are future debuts going to be even harder to get into?" Neither of these perceptions would benefit the company. "You''re going to re-evaluate the holdovers, right?" "Yeah, the number looks kinda bad, huh?" "Very bad." "The problem is, none of the holdovers really stand out... but we should still take another look. Are you free today?" "I''ll help." At least re-evaluating holdovers was a manageable issue. To even make it into the holdover pool, a candidate had to pass both Cheon Do-hees artist standards and Magias background checks. Meaning, the remaining candidates werent completely unfit. Most of them simply had mild issues in group dynamicssomething that could be improved with training and teamwork over time. They might need more preparation before debut, But adding two more members from this pool would still be better than debuting with just two. Besides, some individuals who seemed lacking on their own could turn out fine when paired with the right partner. The best move was to find holdovers who complemented the final two personality-wise. A little secret Even in first-gen, Dora and Rain were the only ones who passed outright. The other two were initially on hold. Maru was too mentally fragile. Komari was too hot-tempered. But when they were tested together, they weirdly balanced each other out. Maru became stronger, and Komari softened in return. Of course, back then, Momo was way more willing to take risks. Her mindset had shifted a little since then. Still, we could only hope the second-gen selection would grow into itself the same way. *** The document review began again. I spread out the copied application forms and evaluation sheets on the reception table, sorting them first by personality. To fill the two remaining spots from the holdover pool, the new members needed to complement the final hires or at least the other holdovers in terms of personality. To start, I reviewed the two final hires. Candidate #1: Ahn Si-ho. At first glance, she looked like she had a wild streak. But in reality? A total homebody who had never even been in a relationship. She had pushed herself hard during the interview, afraid shed get cut for being too much of a shut-in. But she ended up getting caught midway through anyway. Her future role? A clumsy, wannabe-dominant type. The kind whod smugly declare, "You must obey me!" in front of fans Only to fold immediately under chats pressure and cry, "Okay, okay! I get it, waah!" The ideal partner for her? Probably a "delinquent in charge." Like I said, shes an airhead. If you poke at her just a little, shell trip over herself And when she does, she goes down in the most exaggerated, over-the-top way, like something out of a silent film. Basically, she needed someone like Komari. Someone whod constantly go, "Are you sure about that?" I pulled aside a few holdovers who had rougher speech patterns. People who were fine when streaming alone But had been put on hold for possibly making mistakes in group collabs. "Alright, three potential candidates here..." Next, Candidate #2: Han Bada. Maybe it was the effect of her name (Bada means "sea"), But this girl never got nervous. She breezed through every difficult question. Even the HR managers worst troll questionthe Trolley Dilemma She stood by her beliefs and passed. At first, I worried she might be too chill to be entertaining... But her sultry singing voice was a stark contrast to her usual stiff demeanor. And even better When she actually panicked and dropped her act, her shaky, flustered voice was adorable. So what she needed was... Someone who could break her facade. If she faced too many irrational situations in a row, shed eventually snap. Something that even viewers would find frustrating to watch. A perfect match? Someone like Dora. A dumbass who refuses to believe the truth, argues [N O V E L I G H T] for an hour, then finally burns an entire batch of pancakes before saying, "Hehe, guess you guys were right~" I picked out two holdovers who were stubborn idiots People who would win in a battle of wills against Han Bada. "Two from here..." Then, I cross-checked the remaining holdovers to see if any of them complemented each other. Eventually, I found two that worked well together And they both happened to fit perfectly into Ahn Si-ho and Han Badas dynamic. That settled it. The final two candidates were chosen. I stacked up the other documents neatly, leaving only the two accepted ones on the table. Stretching with a yawn, I looked up at the CEO, who was still deep in review. "You done?" she asked. "Yeah. I think these two are the best picks." After a moment of deliberation, she picked up my choices and compared them to her own notes. "Lets see..." Her brow furrowed. Then, she smirked. "So even you came to the same conclusion." "You too?" "Guess my instincts werent wrong. But still... something feels off about only hiring two." "Yeah. I feel the same way." The problem? The two additional hires resembled Komari and Dora a lot. Meaning, theyd likely compete for the same audience rather than expand it. All the chemistry dynamics Id described? They could already be achieved by simply pairing the newbies with Komari and Dora. So even after filtering through the holdover pool, the final headcount probably wasnt going to increase. The CEO groaned, throwing herself onto the couch. "This is killing me. No matter how I mix and match, I cant get a better lineup..." "Do you know any independent VTubers whod be a good fit?" "I already reached out to all the ones I had in mind. And honestly, switching from indie to corporate VTubing is... complicated. If we were a big agency like VachuVachu, maybe, but..." If we just announced that Parallel was partnering with CAT, plenty of people would probably come knocking But that was still up in the air. Producer Na Hyun-gon had made it clear: He''d only move forward if the first music project went well. If we name-dropped them too early, it could hurt our chances of collaboration instead. Right now, we had to prove ourselves on our own. Enough that even major corporations would look at us and say, "Damn, they know what theyre doing." But to do that, we needed to fill the second-gen roster. We debuted our second-gen! "How many members?" "Two!" Even Producer Na Hyun-gon would probably raise an eyebrow at that. Hell, he might just laugh and say, "Is this really the time for Parallel to be picky?" But we couldnt just hire anyone either! This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. "Lets go through everything one more time," I suggested. The CEO shook her head. "No. If were gonna debut these two, we might as well debut you instead." "...Should I get ready?" She immediately backpedaled. "That was just a joke. Dont take it seriously." "You do realize that if you tell me to do it, I actually will, right?" "No. Absolutely not. Im already making you work too muchI dont wanna steal your break time too." "I take breaks!" "Oh yeah? Says the person who collapsed and had to be taken away in an ambulance?" She was really gonna milk that one incident forever, huh. It wasnt like I wanted to pass out. When I didnt respond, she let out a long sigh and muttered, "...Maybe its time for us to start considering recruiting instead of just holding auditions. Theres only so much VTuber talent to go aroundAnd even fewer who actually want to join an agency." "Should we start scouting aspiring voice actors or idol trainees?" "Utaite, voice actors, idols... Even regular office workers with hidden talent.Corporate VTubing has a structured side to it, so thats an option too." "If we get closer to CAT, we could try reaching out to idol trainees who gave up on debuting." "Thatd take too long. We might have better luck scouting retired corporate VTubers." "...Youve got a point." We both fell silent, staring at each other for a moment. Because we both knew exactly who we were thinking of. A VTuber who, in just a few days, would be wrapping up her graduation stream and leaving Lapits for good. Serena. A completely unique personality that didnt overlap with the first-gen members or the two final hires. A proven streamer with stable content and strong social skills. If we were looking for the perfect fit, there was no one better than her. "Would bringing Serena in be too much of a stretch? If we could at least make it three members, itd look more balanced." "Hold on. I actually had a call with Lapits CEO recently." Apparently, theyd reached out first. "Im sure youve already heard, but it seems one of our now-former employees was disrespectful toward Magias team. I sincerely apologize for that." "Also, if Serena decides to transfer to Parallel, we will not consider it tampering." Thats basically what they said. "Were taking at least six months to prepare for debut anyway." "Right." "By then, the pushback wont be that bad. Besides, why would we reject someone whos already proven her skills and is friendly with our team?" On top of that, Serenaalong with Maruwas one of the best possible picks for keeping the teams mental health in check. It might not sound like a big deal, but... The reality is, you cant be a streamer without the courage to be hated. Chasing dopamine, experimenting with different content, making mistakes, getting flamed Its just a natural cycle. Our own members might not say much about it, But theyve only been fine because they had each others support and because the CEO kept taking them out for meals and making sure they were stable. Lapits, on the other hand, was falling apart because Serena had been the one handling all that emotional labor in the background. Whether it was taking them out for meals, or being the one they vented to, She had been the glue keeping the group together. So the moment word got out that she was leaving? The other members started showing signs of jumping ship too. Serena was a tested talent. Thats why I was immediately assigned an important task. "Tomorrow, contact Serena. Tell her you, me, and her should meet up and talk." "Ah. Should we wait one week first? She might need some time to process everything after her graduation stream." "Huh?" "Serena is leaving because she wants to stream freely with her fans. Even if its just a temporary goodbye, its still a goodbye to her viewers. Shell need time to emotionally process that before making a decision." I pulled out the earbud I had tucked into my ear earlier. The CEOs eyes widened. "Wait, were you watching her graduation stream this whole time?" "Yeah. That way, if we do recruit her, we can preemptively filter out anything that might cause issues later." "So Serena really wants to join us, huh...?" I shrugged. "Shell probably reach out to us within a week." Even if Lapits cleared us of tampering, we still needed to follow proper procedures. If we rushed it just because we were eager, it could come back to bite us later. "Lets wait and see how things play out then. Sound good?" Chapter 113 Exactly one week and one day after Serenas graduation stream. That Monday, I arrived at work thirty minutes early. The CEO had asked me to come in ahead of timethere was something urgent. I only realized why as I got closer to the company entrance. The spot where I always ran into Seung-yeon whenever I brought fish-shaped pastries. Serena was standing there, disguised in a mask and baseball cap, waiting for me. As expected from someone who once trained as an idol. Even the way she hid herself was idol-like. Before, she never bothered with disguises. But now, she had just graduated If she was suddenly spotted near Parallel HQ, it would set the internet on fire. In a way, she was making things easier for herself and for usby staying hidden. That said... Her attempt at hiding was pretty bad. Her signature hairstyle, a half-up braid on one side, was way too recognizable. I walked up to her and spoke. "Its been a while." Serena, deliberately looking in another direction, flinched in surprise. "Gasp. How did you know?" "How couldnt I? Youre ? NvIight ? (Original source) so obviously Serena." I tilted my head toward the building entrance, motioning her inside. "Did you have lunch?" She matched her pace to mine. "Yeah. What about you, Jia?" "This is my lunch." I held up the crinkling bag of warm fish-shaped pastries. Serena looked horrified. "Are you serious?! No way." "Im small. This is enough for me." "I mean... yeah, but. Youre making sure to keep a balanced diet, right?" "Yes." "Ugh... Now Im worried." She let out a small sigh. Then, out of nowhere, she asked: "I heard from Maru that the members all live separately. Have you guys ever considered setting up a shared dorm?" "Thats sudden." "If you did, the members could live together. They wouldnt feel as lonely. Itd also be easier for you to help them if something goes wrong with their streams. And you could stay there tooeating buffet-style meals from your companys auntie cook! Like a pro gaming team." She wasnt wrong. After first-gen recruitment, we had considered setting up a dorm. Living together would have made them closer. Managing them would have been easier. At one point, we even planned to set aside part of the 9th floor which now housed a motion studiofor the four members. But when we ran the numbers, Safety risks, staff workload, operational costs, and potential stream disruptions due to moving... The conclusion? Keeping them separate was the best choice. Since that decision, the topic hadnt come up again. "Id love to, honestly. But right now, its just not feasible." That wasnt to say it would never happen. Right now, we were pouring every resource into: Debuts Content New outfits Original songs If Parallel grew bigger in the future, and we secured full-time bodyguards for our members, then we might reconsider. Serena nodded in understanding. "Sorry. That was thoughtless of me." "No, not at all. It just shows how much you care about your friends." Serenas kindness was one of her best traits. At Lapits, she wasnt supporting the team just because she came from a wealthy family. She was doing it because she genuinely cared. She was rightstreamers were always busy streaming, so their eating habits, sleep schedules, and social lives were a mess. And on top of all that, she had thought about me too my meals, my work efficiency. It was adorable, really. The entire time I had been discussing candidates with the CEO, I kept thinking, Theres no one better than Serena. And now, actually talking to her again... She was so completely Serena. Lapits had started shaking the moment she left. That wasnt just a rumor. "So, what brings you here?" Serena narrowed her bright eyes and grinned. "Do you really need to ask~?" "Arent you just visiting a friend?" "Huh? Nope. I have something important to say." "Hmm. If it was that important, wouldnt you have scheduled a meeting? How did you even know Id be at the office?" We stepped into the elevator together. Still smiling, Serena giggled. "I wanted to make it seem like a dramatic encounter. Was it too predictable?" "Yes. I could see right through you." "Ahaha. Busted." "So? Shouldnt you tell me now? If its really important, Ill need to report it to the CEO." "Oh, no worries. The reason you came in early today?" Serena smirked. "I already called Momo first." The elevator dinged as we arrived on the 8th floor. Serena turned to face me, eyes steady. "I want to debut at Parallel." *** I attended Serenas informal interview that morning alongside the CEO and the HR manager. Why informal? Because the moment Serena reached out first, it was obvious the CEO had already decided to hire her. Aside from discussing the potential issues that could arise from her transfer, the meeting was less of an interview and more of a casual catch-up. So much so that, before Serena even left, I got a DingTalk message. [CEO-nim: Hired.] [CEO-nim: I finally understand why companies love hiring experienced recruits...] [Me: Wow. Worst capitalist behavior.] [CEO-nim: I was joking, dont take it seriously.] Once the interview wrapped up, Serena took a quick trip to the restroom. When she returned, I walked her out of the building. Normally, I would have taken her to a fish cake stall but maybe because of her image, I found myself suggesting a cafe? instead. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. There was a cute, princess-themed cafe? near the office. It had reasonable prices and was a favorite of our team leader. Once we ordered our drinks and sat down, Serena asked, "So when do I debut?" "Probably in six months? Everything about debut plans is confidential, so you cant tell anyone until your debut stream." "Oh. So Im second-gen, huh?" Thankfully, Serena didnt pry too much into our internal affairs. She trusted me and Parallel, though she did sigh a little about not getting a longer break. Still, something must have been on her mind, because she suddenly added, "Would it be okay if I told my dad? I think he might support me with a few things." "Hes family, so thats fine. And its not like Producer Na is the type to run around blabbing about it. But... I thought you didnt want his involvement in VTuber stuff?" "Whoa. How did you know that?" "If you wanted his full support, you would have used it at Lapits already. You wouldve fired that useless operations manager ages ago." "Wow, you really get it. Yeah, I wanted to prove I could do this on my own. Also, my dad kept complaining about how exhausting the idol industry was. So, you know... maybe I was acting out a little. Hehe." Serena hummed a little tune, then continued. "But now, I dont mind if my dad supports Parallel. Because this opportunity isnt something that exists because of me." "...Oh?" "Yeah. I wanted to join Parallel because of you. And my dad didnt choose Parallel because Im his daughter. He analyzed Parallels growth potential and made his own decision." She smiled. "No matter how much you favor your own, a chief producer who runs a business on whims would tank a company." "Hmm." "So even if CAT ends up backing Parallel, you need to understand Its because of you and the companys potential. Not because of me." That actually answered a question Id been wondering about. Why had Producer Na Hyun-gon chosen me as the center for his new album? "From your dads perspective, what exactly did he value in me? My music ability or my management skills?" Serena grinned, like she already knew the answer. "Id say management skills. But my dad? Hes different. If I had to pick, Id say its your influence. My dad always says: Success in business comes down to how many people you can attract." So... both. That realization made me scratch my cheek in embarrassment. Direct praise like this was always awkward. But I knew how to escape situations like this. By flipping the compliment back. "Thats why we want you, too. Youre a proven content creator. If someone like you wants to join us, why would we say no?" "Urgh. Suddenly turning it on me? And you made that happen in the first place!" "Im not arguing." "Wow. Shameless." We kept talking for a while. Eventually, when I started to stand up, Serena hesitated, then made a request. "Hey... stop calling me Serena. Ive graduated. From now on, call me by my new stage name. I need to get used to it before debut." "But... we havent finalized the second-gen names yet." "Ah. Maru told me you named all the members. So I thought youd already picked one." Honestly? I was glad Serena was Marus friend. Even after hearing so much, she had never leaked a single thing. Maybe it was because she hid her identity as Producer Nas daughter so well. Either way, I appreciated her discretion. Even though nothing was confirmed yet, there was one name I had been considering. Serena had a soothing presence. Her harmless, comforting image suited her best. Since first-gen members had identities based on species and colors, second-gen would likely follow a similar theme. For someone associated with healing and gentleness, a cute bird came to mind. The Japanese name for a long-tailed tit is Enaga. If I took Ena from that, and paired it with a surname that evoked forests, Morisaki would fit. In Japanese, Saki can refer to a divine beasts guardian. So together, Morisaki Ena would roughly mean "The long-tailed tit guided by the forests spirit." "The name Ive been thinking about is... Morisaki Ena. But dont get too attached yet its not final" BANG! Serena slammed her hands on the cafe? table. A huge smile spread across her face. "I love it! I want that one! Can I convince the CEO to approve it?" ...Yeah. VTubers really were all incredible actors. Youd never know their true personalities just from watching their streams. I never expected her to show this much emotion. "...Fine. Ill bring it up with her." *** Despite multiple additional reviews, the CEO and I ultimately failed to round out the group to four members. With Serena joining, the three-person lineup had already achieved perfect synergy. Forcing in one more from the holdover pool would just disrupt the balance no one fit well enough to secure their own niche. And so, the second-gen unit was officially finalized as a three-member group. Not as full as four members, but at least it didnt feel as empty as a duo. Ahn Si-ho. Unofficial stage name: Tokoyo Miho. A fox spirit with bewitching orange ears and a tail. Han Bada. Unofficial stage name: Hanami Orca. A cold-hearted sea deity and ruler of the ocean, embodying the killer whale. Na Sena. Official(?) stage name: Morisaki Ena. A long-tailed tit, guided by the forests divine spirit. Starting tomorrow, these three would be reporting daily to the 9th-floor motion studio, except for weekends. Until their debut preparations were complete, this place would serve as both their workspace and training ground. The room felt a little too spacious for three, but once we set up the desks, streaming equipment, and a whiteboard for training sessions led by the CEO or HR manager, it actually started to feel just right. Once Seung-yeon finished helping us set everything up and left, the CEO turned to me. "You know... this really reminds me of the day first-gen first arrived." I hesitated. That was an event that didnt exist in my original timeline, so it took me a second to react. But after digging through my memory, an old anecdote surfaced. "The day they mistook me for one of them?" I had been the one handling setup, escorting them to lessons, making sure they had food and snacks. No matter how you looked at it, I was obviously a staff member. And yet, they tricked themselves into thinking I was their peer only to freak out later when they realized the truth. "I never thought that mix-up would last a whole week." "Well, just goes to show theyre sweet and innocent." "At least this time, we have Serena, so that shouldnt happen again." "True. Besides, I apparently look like a plank of wood. I doubt anyone would mistake me for one of them." The CEO nodded, but still pursed her lips, like something still bothered her. "Still... you never know. They might assume youre debuting too. I mean, three people... it just kinda feels like one spot is missing, you know?" I chuckled and muttered, "Come on. No way. Theyll understand once we explain it." Chapter 114 Thus came the next day, Monday, March 12. The date was March 12th, Monday. From today until June 15th, we''d be spending three months together. I deliberately arrived an hour before the scheduled training time, but someone had already beaten me here. It was Han BadaHanami Orca. I had deliberately arrived an hour early before the start of the training, yet she was even earlier. Fast. Really fast. Hello. You''re Han Bada, right? ...Ah. Hello, ma''am. I glanced at her in surprise. Shes seriously tall. Among the members, Dora was the tallest at 171 cm, but Orca was even taller173 cm. Perhaps it felt more pronounced because she stood straight-backed with perfect posture. The straight posture and rigid shoulders made sense, given that her documents mentioned she had served three years as a non-commissioned officer before deciding to debut. Considering Id deferred military service for four years back when I was still a man, I couldnt help but feel slightly awkward around someone who had actually completed active duty. Seeing her sitting so stiffly and staring straight ahead without moving, I lightly poked her waist. Gahk! Relax. You don''t have to sit that rigidly. Ah, yes, understood.... After my playful jab, Orcas stiff shoulders relaxed a little. This seemed the perfect time to introduce myself. Let me introduce myself first. Im Deputy Manager Magia. I''ll be like your homeroom teacher here for the next three months. Orca''s eyes widened into perfect circles. So you really were the deputy manager! You look identical to your avatar, so I wondered if it was possible. Its an honor to meet you in person! I''ve heard a lot about you before passing the audition! What did you hear exactly? Um. Just that...if I made it in, streaming would become a lot easier thanks to you! You make me sound like a piece of equipment. ...Th-thats not how I meant it! I teasingly picked at her words, inspired by a military drama clip I had casually watched in Shorts, and it worked perfectly. I know, Im joking. Orca relaxed slightly, her stiff posture easing up at last. One of my key tasks was to pick up these small habits early on, making it easier to handle potential issues down the line. In Orcas case, she seemed to have a habit of phrasing compliments awkwardly. That was something Id have to gently manage over time. This was probably the first and best opportunity to do a proper introduction, so I was glad the ice was breaking now. But despite the initial friendliness, the atmosphere gradually turned a bit awkward again. Orca wasnt particularly talkative, and neither was I, since wed only just met. Plus, her posture was back to perfect military form, eyes fixed forward, making it difficult to casually continue the conversation. Still, I quietly appreciated her personality. Someone tight-lipped meant fewer leaks. Fewer leaks meant less work for me. Success. Additionally, I had briefly worried she might bring up my own potential debut, but fortunately, that didn''t seem to be on her mind at all. Unable to let the silence linger, I threw out a provocative line to stir things up. You seem uncomfortable around me, Orca. P-pardon me?! With me relentlessly bombarding Orca with small talk for another thirty minutes, our second trainee finally arrived. H-hello... Is this the training room for the second generation? She was awkwardly hovering by the door, unsure whether to enter. The evaluation from the CEO describing her as "someone desperate to seem popular" had been spot-on. It was Ahn Si-hoTokoyo Miho. Yes, you''re in the right place. Sit anywhere you feel comfortable. Th-thank you... Predictably, she chose the seat at the far left, leaving the middle seat empty. Orca occupied the far right, meaning Ena, who would arrive later, would inevitably become the glue between these two distant figures. Miho kept glancing in my direction with an awkward expression. Though both Orca and Miho seemed equally uncomfortable, Miho gave off a far more pitiable aura. It was impossible to just ignore her. Feeling obligated to break the ice, I decided to initiate conversation immediately. I remembered the self-introduction video she''d submittedit had radiated sheer madness. According to Momos evaluation, Miho had perfectly portrayed some intense personality she''d clearly copied from somewhere. Her imitation was impeccable, though obviously forced. It made me realize again just how high the barriers to becoming a VTuber truly were. Um... Deputy Manager, are you perhaps... debuting together with us? Didnt I just introduce myself as their homeroom teacher a moment ago? Did she completely miss that? No. I''m here to help you debut; Im not debuting myself. Eh... Really? Yes. Why did you think otherwise? There was a theory floating around the community that Magia would debut alongside the second generation talents. "When the second generation debuts, I thought Gia might debut along with us," Miho said. "Because there''s a mismatch if you count us and the first-generation talents. Four of them and three of us? It makes sense if Gia debuts with us." Miho was timid, but certainly not stupid. She had exceptional deductive skills. Whenever she watched mystery novels or movies, her guesses were correct nine out of ten times. At this moment, too, her reasoning flowed smoothlylike a clever detective straight out of a novelthough Miho tended to enjoy deduction itself rather than bothering with verifying the accuracy of evidence. Therefore, she often casually raised conspiracy theories about other VTuber groups or major political and social issues, without much concern for verifying the facts. Thats probably why, during the audition, despite repeatedly being cornered by the tough questions from the management and skillfully ? NvIight ? (Read more on our source) slipping out five whole times, she ultimately burst into tears when it seemed she couldn''t escape anymore. Still, she''d already earned passing marks with those impressive evasions. In short, she was bound to attract management''s close scrutiny. Looks like the operations team would soon gain another person to keep a close eye on, right alongside our expert leaker, Maru. Though, of course, keeping an eye on talent was technically part of my job anyway, so I had no complaints about that. ...Still, I''m surprised everyone''s suddenly gone so quiet. How could three people gathered together produce less conversation? I had no choice but to grab Miho and throw out another question. *** It was Ena, the last to arrive, who finally broke the prolonged silence. When she showed up, she voiced a speculation similar to Mihos earlier deduction. "Since there are clearly four first-generation talents and now only three of us in the second generation, wouldnt it make sense if Gia debuted alongside us?" Ena mightve been timid, but she wasnt stupid. In fact, she had exceptional deductive abilities. Whenever she watched mystery novels or movies, her predictions were usually spot-on, about nine out of ten times correct. Right now, her reasoning sounded perfectly logicallike a skilled detective calmly presenting her theory. She just happened to enjoy the act of deduction itself more than the accuracy of any evidence. Hence, she didn''t recklessly create conspiracy theories about other VTuber groups or major political and social issuesthough she needed little prompting to guess when given the opportunity. This trait was likely why shed impressed everyone during the audition, skillfully escaping from difficult questions posed by management a full five times, before ultimately bursting into tears when cornered with nowhere left to run. Still, she''d already passed thanks to her artistry in evasion up until that moment. In other words, Ena had quickly caught the managements eyeso much so that even Momo mentioned shed be closely monitored after debut. Great. Alongside Maru, our resident leak specialist, theres another person the operations team will have their eyes glued on. Though technically, monitoring talents closely was always my responsibility anyway. ...Still, it really has gotten quiet. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. How was it possible for three people to gather and become even quieter than before? It looked like my only option was to grab Miho and toss another question her way. After a brief moment, Ena, who was originally preparing for a third-generation debut but got unexpectedly fast-tracked to second-generation, added a cautious remark: When you said you weren''t going to debut, were you just lying because I wasn''t officially part of Parallel yet? Her reasoning was surprisingly natural, not based on mere guesswork. Magia quickly shook her head, denying it immediately. Its nothing like that. Whether you debut, keep streaming as an office worker like now, or do both jobs simultaneously, it doesn''t really affect us that much. Once again, Marus words were referenced as a justification. Because it seems the community already sees Gias role as special, it works perfectly fine for you to stream occasionally under specific circumstances. Besides, isnt it fine for a company to have at least one VTuber who promotes their own talents out of genuine fandom? Or am I wrong? This comment made Magia reconsider Momos casual suggestion from a while back about her own debut. Even if it was intended as a joke, the fact remained that only two candidates had initially passed the auditions, creating a genuine crisis. In such a critical situation, Magia had clearly been considered by Momo as a potential wildcard. The implication was that if Ena hadnt agreed to debut early as part of the second generation, Magia might truly have been forced onto the stage as a last-minute solution. Should I at least mentally prepare myself, just in case? Meanwhile, Enas comment had ignited curiosity in the other two second-generation members, Miho and Orca, who looked at Magia with sparkling eyes, silently asking: "Gia, are you really debuting?" Thus, the entire second generation now seemed convinced that Magia was debuting alongside them, perfectly aligning with Cheon Do-hees predictions. Perhaps she really did need to mentally prepare herself. After all, becoming friendly with them wouldnt hurteven if she had no intention whatsoever of actually debuting. And so, with her trademark mischievous instinct flaring up, Magia found herself naturally switching gears: I suppose it wouldn''t hurt to give it some thought, at least once in a while, right? Thus, without any real intention behind it, Magia once again ignited her mischievous engine. Chapter 115 No one explicitly asked Magia if she was serious about debuting after her bold joke. Everyone was indifferentpartly because of their personalities, but mostly because Magia debuting or not didn''t particularly affect them either way. The two newcomers, making their first debut, assumed it would be up to the company anyway, so they let it slide. Meanwhile, Ena genuinely didn''t care much whether Magia debuted or not. Yet, secretly, everyone was aware of the benefits if Magia actually joined them. Whenever new members debuted, it naturally attracted attention. Imagine adding Magia, who was already a hot topicthe buzz would skyrocket. Moreover, if they became debut-mates, they''d get unrestricted access to Magia, a cheat-code for collaborative streams. They could freely exploit her incredible streaming talent. At least, that''s what the second-generation trainees believed. After the first training session, Magia went down to Momo''s office to share the decision she had made that morning, prompting Cheon Do-hee to jump in surprise. Youre planning to go through the entire training program with the newcomers? Recovering from her initial shock, Momo quickly waved her hands defensively. Hey, listen, that debut suggestion I made last time was totally just a joke. Don''t take it seriously. Magia mirrored Momos gesture, shaking her head calmly. Im not talking about debuting. I just thought it''d be good to go through training with them since I''ll be streaming occasionally, anyway. Momo pursed her lips skeptically, but ultimately shrugged it off, thinking Magia probably had a good reason. After all, it wasn''t as if Magiawho had always adamantly refused appearing on-screenwould suddenly agree to debut now. Fine, whatever. The point is, you''re saying youll oversee the entire training while also participating yourself, right? Yes. I think I can handle it. Do-hee reached over, lightly stroking Magias hair as she sighed. Id honestly prefer if you never debuted. Why? Well, Momo said with a slight pout, If you actually debut, wholl prepare all those industry insights and trend analyses for me? Youre my irreplaceable analytics expert. Magia gave her a half-lidded glare. You handled that by yourself before hiring me. Just think of it as going back three years. Feigning panic, Momo dramatically pressed a hand to her forehead. As CEO, I hereby order youeven if you debutto continue preparing those industry reports every week. Why are you turning this place into an actual black company? Magia retorted, smirking. Just as she turned to head back up to the ninth floor, Momo called out again. Wait. Are you joining the weekend retreat, too? Ever since the first generation, Parallel had maintained a tradition: all VTubers debuting under them must attend a two-day retreat with their fellow trainees during their debut weekend. It involved a massive escape-room event, inspired by a memorable experience from Do-hees own high school trip. This event played a significant role in bonding the first generation. Doras easygoing nature had unexpectedly unified the group, with Rain, who barely spoke proper Korean, Komaris sharp tongue, and Marus anxious energy all coming together under Dora''s leadership. Neither Momo nor Magia had anticipated Dora would step up as the group''s leader, nor Rain becoming their fearless mood-maker. In professional terms, one could call it the suspension-bridge effect that worked wonders. Yes. It feels like they''ll take it more seriously if I''m there. Just don''t go around helping them out because you feel sorry for them. It''s still a legitimate evaluation, after all. Oh, I wouldn''t help them, Magia smiled mischievously. If anything, I''ll just mess with them more. No messing around either! The puzzles aren''t easyif they waste time, they might fail the challenge altogether. The sets and puzzles are changed annually anyway. Its different from last year, so there''s not much I could do to help. Honestly, Magia suspected Miho might go wild during the escape room. That girl loved mysteries so much. And seeing how Miho shed her shyness completely whenever she was engrossed in solving something, Magia probably wouldn''t even need to step in to help her communicate this time. *** One particularly amusing thing about the escape room attraction during the first weekend of training was that everyone got extremely excited upon first seeing the schedule. "What? An escape room? And on a massive scale?" "An overnight event, even? Is that even a thing?" they exclaimed, surprised. The excitement was inevitable, given that the entire first week had consisted of suffocating theoretical lectures led by the CEO and HR manager. After being stuck indoors all that time, everyone was eager to finally get outdoors. Besides, every lecture had been stiflingly boring. The CEOs endless talk about Parallels journey and roadmap. The HR manager dissecting the exclusive management contract item-by-item. The finance director explaining income distribution and taxes. The planning team leader detailing differences between company projects and personal projects, including the company''s support limits... I''d wondered if such an outdoor activity would appeal to introverted personalities. But apparently, introverts just preferred staying at homenot trapped in stuffy classrooms. I remembered clearly how excited Maru and Komari had been to get outside back when the first generation went through this. Anyway, everyone would arrive at the pension-slash-escape room attraction filled with anticipation... And immediately get overwhelmed by the enormous soccer-field-sized facility upon arrival. Though accommodations included a luxurious feast, they soon panicked upon hearing they''d be downgraded to a budget meal if they failed to clear the given missions. Even worse, they were told they had to complete certain objectives before sunset in order to sleep comfortably indoors. Failure meant they''d have to spend the night bundled up in tents with heat packs on the rooftop. Since it was located in the mountains, darkness came earlyso at least sufficient sleep time was guaranteed. But on the second day, they''d have to wake up before dawn and complete another mission. Yet, the experience was rewarding enough. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. If they successfully cleared the event in time, they''d be able to enjoy a warm, delicious breakfast with their colleagues, watching the sunrise from a beautiful pavilion overlooking the East Sea. Sure, it was a grueling, exhausting experience, but how often could someone participate in something this unique? Not to mention the pension owner was so wealthy that despite its scale, the attraction was affordable, meaning there was always at least a three-month waiting list. In short, there was only one chance. If you wanted the extravagant feast, cozy beds, and that meaningful sunrise experience, you had no choice but to work together and overcome the hardships. Of course, regular participants usually selected easy mode, since their goal was just to enjoy the experience comfortably. But our objective was the so-called suspension bridge effect. According to the pension owner, less than 5% had ever completed the "Hell Mode" wed selected. Naturally, once all this information was revealed, the previously enthusiastic trainees usually looked utterly miserable. In fact, upon arriving, even the second-generation trainees looked completely deflated for about ten minutes, lamenting that they''d likely lose out on dinner. But Orca quickly bounced back with determination. Thinking about all the outdoor drills I endured during my army days, this actually sounds way better. I''ll give it my absolute best. As expected of a disciplined military veteranher positivity stood out sharply. If she''d been closer to Miho, maybe they''d already be plotting how to clear everything with Orca confidently saying "Leave it to me!" But nearly a week into training, those two still awkwardly avoided each other. Sure, Ena helped ease their interactions when she was around, but when alone, the awkwardness was palpable. Personally, I quite enjoyed watching that rare dynamic from a distance. After all, this was the kind of front-row seat reserved exclusively for methe distance between me and Parallels regular fans. You watch through screens. I get to enjoy it live in 3D. ...Wait, since I was actually participating this time, wouldn''t that make it 4D? As I mused, Ena mentioned something from her Lapits days, prompting an amused smile from me. At Lapits, after a week of theoretical training, we just had two months of lessonsthat was it. Honestly, Im really excited now. I never thought I''d experience something so fun. Then how did you get close to your Lapits peers, Serena? That must''ve taken quite a while. I put in a lot of effort. We had a decent preparation period, but everyone was so busy with individual lessons that we rarely met. Ena explained that she''d done exactly what my job entailedorganizing meals, buying coffee, creating opportunities to interact. Her initial "breadwinner" image resurfaced vividly in my mind. It didnt matter if she came from a wealthy family; she genuinely worked like a responsible eldest sibling. But did everyone get closer before your debut? Barely. We met the seniors maybe once? Honestly, it felt like a factory line. They made us work tirelessly on songs, but it lacked that warm, family atmosphere we have here at Parallel. Even the seniors appreciated it when I organized meet-ups, saying theyd been feeling isolated. Even Eona? Yeah. She was the happiest. She told me she was so focused on her own performancetreating it like checking off tasks before deadlinesthat shed never thought of helping juniors. So she was really thankful I stepped up. Poor Ena had endured a lot. But those days were behind her now. Just like the first generation, today''s escape room would force the second generation to depend on each other, willingly or not. The pension itself was slightly elevated above the attraction area, so the CEO, the team leader, and I had watched the first generations attempt from above. I vividly remembered Rain dropping at least a hundred F-bombs that day. Such was the might of "Hell Mode." Anyway, it was amusing to see the second generation still socially distancing despite Enas best efforts to bond them. Not that different from the first generation before their own retreat. Soon enough, the CEO and the team leader headed up to the pension, and shortly after, a woman in her late thirties appeared to hand out blindfolds. She was the pension owner''s wife, who served as our guide through the event. The trainees formed a blindfolded human train and began shuffling forwardbut as for me, I was pushed gently forward by the pension owner herself. Apparently, I was so short that she worried I''d /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ trip and hurt myself. Blindfolded, we stepped softly over grass, then shuffled across concrete floors, and finally, moved over crunchy, sandy grounds... At last, we arrived at the starting point, permitted to remove our blindfolds. The last sound I''d heard was the hollow clang of metal stairs. Now, inside a creaking indoor area, the atmosphere felt distinctly eerie. You can take off your blindfolds now. I''ll finish explaining as you look around, then I''ll leave you to it. Did everyone dress warmly? If you need heat packs or extra clothing, they''re in your personal storage lockers. If I''d known anything beforehand, the trainees might overly rely on me, so I deliberately came unprepared. I hadn''t even checked online reviews. And the second-generation trainees only learned today they''d be coming here, so they certainly hadnt had time either. Everyone was completely clueless as we removed our blindfolds and got our first glimpse of the escape-room stage. Straight out of some TV dramaa line of old, military-style bunks. Worn-out metal lockers lined the walls, topped with thin mattresses and faded green blankets. Ena excitedly opened a locker and pulled out something like a heavy coatmilitary camouflage patterned in greens, blacks, and browns. Orca groaned audibly at the sight, just as the pension owner began explaining: Your mission is to escape from a military base overrun by zombies. You must safely pass through multiple checkpoints where zombies could appear at any moment and reach the survivor rendezvous point. For reference, the rendezvous point was the pension itself. However, since accommodation space is limited, rememberif you fail to arrive in time, you''ll be sleeping in tents on the rooftop. As stated in the briefing materials, the program runs until sunrise tomorrow morning. After that, youre free to rest at the pension until noon. Please note: in Hell Mode, absolutely no hints will be provided, and there are two additional missions compared to normal mode. Any questions? If it was military roleplay, I felt uncertain, having never served. If horror was involved, even worse. Raising my hand nervously, I asked the crucial question: Um... Are there a lot of jump scares? The pension owner replied seriously: In Hell Mode, there are exactly three jump-scare points. No heart conditions among you, right? Damn it. I shouldve said I had a heart condition. Chapter 116 Im not completely fearless. This is actually pretty specific. The only things Im afraid of are those that can harm me, but that I cant immediately take down. Its the same reason why I wasnt bothered when Dora, playing Pandemic Village, hugged melike Ive mentioned before, its because I know that if I just kill the boss in this way or that, itll be fine. But what if its not a horror game with shooting action like Pandemic Village? If, for example, Im not even given a club, then I really dont want to play that game. To put it more concretely, I could easily sweep a centipede the size of my forearm away with a broom if it suddenly popped out at home, but a cockroach that just flashes its figure and then disappears? That scares me. ... And so, this zombie apocalypse escape attraction that Im doing with the second-year students doesnt sit well with me. You can tell why by listening to the guide. Apparently, theyve introduced some new technology since the renewal this year. Please make sure to wear the AR goggles until you fall asleep. If you take them off, you wont be disqualified, but if you carry out the mission while not wearing them, youll be faced with a humble dinner and a tent and sleeping bag. I had thought it would be something like a timed puzzle run through various trap devices in a huge set. But starting this year, its turned into an AR attraction that feels a lot like a hyper-realistic VR game. So how does it work? Once you put on the AR goggles, they take our location and sounds in real-time and send them to zombies roaming in the virtual world for us to shoot. The zombies movements are rendered with high-performance computers that incorporate the real-world lighting and environment and then sent to us as video. The video we see is of such high quality that aside from minor delay down to the decimal point, its almost indistinguishable from reality. When they showed a sample of how the video comes out, the three second-year students and I tested it out. Eek! Ahhh!! Ugh. Ughh. Because of a zombie that suddenly popped up between the three of us, all three of us nearly fell on our butts as if wed rehearsed it. Its definitely fun for outsiders to watch someone wearing VR or AR goggles. ... The problem is, I have to wear them too. Since its virtual, nothing physically dangerous can happen, but the sense of fear? Its beyond anything. Ill let the reactions of the three second-year students explain it for me. You... youre too... real... Hah... ? NvIight ? (Read more on our source) If I only had a gun, Id smack it with the buttstock. This is really hard. Hmm. Im so freaked out... You know, even in VR games where the 3D modeling quality isnt that great, people who try it out usually end up freaking out, right? But maybe because its AR... The background is pure reality, and then suddenly, a zombie rendered so realistically jumps out, and it messes with your head even more. Its like a haunted house, but all the staff are replaced by the latest technology. I know its fake in my head, but my eyes get tricked, and my heart reflexively skips a beat in surprise. Ive been thinking this for a while, but the owners of this pension... They said they started the pension business as a hobby, but their spending habits seem anything but casual. For example, the goggles we wear, which probably cost hundreds of thousands of won, If people start running around or damaging them, its going to be a huge loss, right? And theres no poisonous clause either. Theres no compensation responsibility for participants. When I asked whats left for them, the guide spoke with a mindset kind of like the one behind Dogecoin pushing rocket guys in the U.S. My husbands already happily thinking about what to try next year. The equipment does break sometimes, but the data we accumulate from customers playing really helps in creating better content. I thought about backing out to avoid breaking such expensive equipment, but that route was also blocked. Now, I have no choice but to head off into the zombie apocalypse with the second-year students. I really want to tie my own tongue for signing up for this training five days ago. As I was lost in thought with my eyes closed, Ena brought over the AR equipment and military jumper from my locker and handed them to me. Its going to be so much fun. Its a bit scary, but... Im excited since were all doing it together. Does that sound weird? What do you think, Jia? Even though were going through the same debut preparation training, I still dont want to show weakness in front of the other members. Thats because the first-year students, whenever theres a problem, always contact me first, believing I can handle it somehow. Ive shown that side of me multiple times before debut, and after debut, I became the mad movie solving broadcast accident issues. And because of this, we were able to raise the first-year students up without any major problems. In our kind of corporate system, if virtual YouTubers cant speak up or just stew in silence, it often comes back to bite them later on. Maybe thats why Serenas sudden graduation not long ago was such a big deal for Lapitz. To summarize, I want to be someone reliable. At least, to the members. I straightened my expression and shrugged my shoulders. Theres no way Id be scared of something like this. *** Yaaah! KyaaaUgh! You can''t scream! Didnt I tell you that more zombies will show up if you do?! Dammit. This is terrifying. If Miho hadnt screamed first, I wouldve been the one making a fool of myself, screaming in terror. I barely managed to hold it in. We crossed what looked like a training ground or sports field, and only when we reached the opposite end of the warehouse where the zombies had popped out did Ena mutter in a trembling voice. Ha. That really scared me... ha... We had five missions to complete, and maybe it was because of the hellish difficulty, but every time we moved or tried to complete a mission, zombies kept popping up in swarms. If even one person got bitten, wed have to go back to the checkpoint (either the mission-clearing point or the place where a new mission starts). Already, we had reset three times during the second mission alone. At least the zombies dont stray too far from their spawn points, so thats a small blessing. But still, every time one pops out of nowhere, its just as shocking. Ena muttered in a troubled voice. I think mission number 1 was just a taste... I think so too. Thanks to Mihos sharp detective skills, we easily cleared the first mission. Despite the fear, everyone was feeling confident that it was manageable. The second mission was also quickly figured out thanks to Mihos brilliant deduction, and we were all happy about that... until things went wrong. The second mission was a search for a vaccine bag randomly placed somewhere inside a pitch-black burned-out warehouse. There was a time limit, and the warehouse was divided into four sections, which naturally meant the four of us would split up. But, to make things more interesting, as soon as we started looking for the bag, zombies began popping up randomly from holes in the warehouse walls. Zombies react to sound, so if we kept our mouths shut, we could avoid them to an extent. But unlike when we were all together, Miho became a siren signaling her position the moment she got separated. Hiiieeek! Hiiieeek! This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. I was grateful that Miho always started the scream before me, but her scream always drew all the zombies to her, causing us to get surrounded and die every time. So, we started at 3 PM, and now its already 4 PM. If we want to have dinner before 5 PM, we need to finish the fourth mission on time. A meager dinner is already dancing before my eyes. Maybe something like triangle kimbap and banana milk would be fine... While running away from zombies in the warehouse, Miho, who had been covering her mouth, let go and complained. Why do you scream like that when youve already figured out what we need to do?! She wiped off the saliva from her face with the pants she was wearing, showing that even in this dire situation, she was still composed enough not to use the military jumper provided by the pension as a towel. Despite her serious demeanor, her relationships with others had softened. She didnt speak much, but Miho had started to talk to the other members (except me) quite a bit. Realizing she had messed up again, Miho clasped both hands over her mouth and mumbled. Mmm... Hheeheh... Hoohoo... Just like when we had to interpret Bazubis extremely faint mutterings, the job of translating naturally fell to Ena. She says shes good at deductions but hates the fear, Ena explained. Thats something to brag about, really!! While I was snickering, Ena whispered in my ear while watching the two continue to bicker. Are you okay, Jia? I saw you clutching my jumper every time something scary popped up earlier... I was trying my hardest to hold it together, but did she notice? Looks like Im now on Enas people to take care of list. Well, I kind of brought it upon myself by joking around first. But, you know, lying comes naturally to people who are shameless. With a face of steel, I shook my head. Ena smiled and didnt say anything more. Despite knowing one of my weaknesses, she quietly let it pass. Meanwhile, Orca, who failed to make peace with Miho, muttered. By the way... what should we do? It seems impossible for Miho to stop screaming. Honestly, I already knew what to do. We didnt have to split into four directions. We could just pair up in twos and cover more ground. Miho doesnt scream if shes with someone. The time limit was an issue when we didnt know the layout of the paths inside, but now that weve each gone in and out a few times, weve got a pretty good idea of where the bags are, so even if we split up in pairs, well have plenty of time. However, its better if the members figure out these things on their own, rather than me telling them. Itll help them bond and get closer. After all, the reason were doing this silly, or rather, fun, escape room attraction is to build teamwork, right? On the other hand, I kind of wanted to help them out and get the hell out of this hellish place as soon as possible. Im already mentally drained, and if I lose my warm meal and bed too, Ill be pretty miserable. I never expected this attraction to be so scary. I thought it would be more like climbing walls, crossing narrow bridges, and doing physical team-building activities. Normally, Id be at home lying in bed, watching the kids'' broadcasts, not stuck here suffering. Well, I do get to watch the second-year kids'' live streams, but with me being a part of it, theres this weird sense of cognitive dissonance. But still... "You cant just jump in and help them out, you know. This is a test, after all," the boss had told me on Monday. "Im not helping them. Ill just prank them more if anything," I had responded. Since Id already answered that I wouldnt just help them, I couldnt just go in and do it. If I did, the others would start relying on me, and that wasnt the point. The main goal now was for the members to bond with each other. So, this is the choice Ill makekeeping my meal and warm bed, while also improving the relationships between the team and maintaining my position in the hierarchy. "Lets not split into four directions, but into pairs. We already know the conveyor locations, so lets stick to one bag. If its not the right one, well move on to the next one. We should have enough time." And as I finished speaking, I casually brought up Enas name. Miho also wont scream if shes in a pair, Ena told me. Having discovered a secretthat I was afraid of this type of horrorI asked Ena to let this slide as well. Above all, Ena had an exceptional ability to observe people. So, even if it was Enas opinion rather than mine, it still made sense. Ena glanced at me with a sharp gaze, but she still agreed without hesitation. She immediately approached Orca and Miho to discuss this method. Before long, Orcas face lit up, and he crossed his arms with Miho. Lets give it a try. Yeah... if its like this... Natural physical contact. It was a clear sign that the members'' closeness had grown even more. Up until now, Orca had always looked after Miho, but unlike Ena, he never physically touched her. Whether it was thanks to that or not, we managed to clear the second mission on the next try. When we escaped the storage room, Miho was practically biting Orcas hand, but at least she didnt scream. Orca, bitten by Miho rather than a zombie, didnt make a sound and endured the pain well. As we moved toward the third mission area, Ena walked beside me. I was prepared for her to bring up why I was trying to take credit for things, but to my surprise... If you come up with a solution again, just let me know right away. Ena was completely okay with it. As expected, Ena was starting to take on a role similar to mine among the second-year students. She was definitely finding her place. It was a bit like how I imagined the chemistry between the three people and the boss would lookit was slowly becoming clear. If the three of us did a collab, it would surely be fun. Miho would cause some trouble (?), cry out for help, Orca would calmly respond while making painful noises, and Ena would walk between the two of them, almost like she was ready to fight but eventually making everything fun again. I also looked forward to seeing Ena explode once in a while, with Miho and Orca trying to calm her down as they noticed her temper. I imagined Miho and Ena teasing Orca, trying to break his serious demeanor. And perhaps Orca would plan some content to test when Enas angel mask would finally crackhoping for revenge. This combination... already looks great. I even thought itd be fun to see them all play Battle Call together, maybe even give them some 3:1 hell training if they wanted. As I continued on with these happy thoughts, Ena spoke up. Gia, your expression looks a little mischievous. Cough. What are you thinking right now? Nothing in particular. I was just thinking it looks nice. Pervert. Well, it''s all for you guys. Ena chuckled and smiled. By the way, when are you going to drop the -nim? Orca, Miho, and I are already on first-name terms, but youre still using -nim, keeping your distance. As she said, the speed at which I was getting closer to the members was different from theirs. I tended to see them as superior beings, so I kept trying to maintain a little distance. But if I kept acting like this, the members I should be getting close to might hold back even more. I could freely talk to Ena, but Miho and Orca were still careful around me. I was just preparing for the debut, but looking back, it seemed like I was intruding on a time when the three of them shouldve been having fun together. I didnt want to interfere with them too much. What mattered most was that the psychological distance with Ena had already lessened significantly. Every time I got startled and grabbed my jumper, it felt like I was breaking down that wall between us little by little. Well then, from now on, Ill just call you Ena. *** When Magia, who had insisted on not debuting, said, Should I just debut anyway? Ena didnt believe her. The Magia she knew was always someone who could joke around, and she had heard from Maru that Magia never made exceptions, even for the members. Well then, from now on, Ill just call you Ena. Really? Its not a big deal, is it? So, what about you, Ena? But using informal speech was a whole different matter. Ena was a bit close to Gia, but Maru had even said that it took over a year before Magia started using informal speech with her. So it seemed a bit strange that informal speech was coming out so soon. Could she be seriously thinking about debuting, or was this just a joke? Enas curiosity was piqued, and she decided to throw out a somewhat daring question as a test. If I call you unnie, itll mess up the family tree with Maru, so calling you by your name should be fine, right? Were only a year apart. Magia didnt hesitate for a moment in answering. Yeah. Sure. Chapter 117 Magia was notoriously difficult to get to speak informally unless the other person was younger. But once that hurdle was crossed, she became remarkably lenient. Take Maru, for examplenow, the two of them exchanged casual speech without a second thought, and when things got heated, they even threw sharp words at each other without holding back. It felt like an On/Off switch. Once granted, the familiarity remained effortless, but if it wasn''t allowed, things stayed rigid and distant. Of course, even when she did use informal speech, it was usually just to match the atmosphere the other person wanted. It didn''t necessarily mean she had fully opened up. People usually noticed. They realized, She must not be the type to do this easily, but she''s really making an effort for us. That was why the second-generation members, who had already grown fairly close excluding Magia, rapidly advanced in their relationships with her. Orca was the same age as Magia, Ena was a year younger, and Miho was two years younger. Unlike the first-generation members, where Rain and Komari had a five-year age gap, the second-generation members were all similar in age. And now that Magia had also started speaking informally, they had practically become friends. They werent quite at the level of the first-generation members, who had spent over a year together through thick and thin, but they were catching up at an impressive pace. Perhaps thanks to that, the second-generation members barely managed to clear the fourth mission two minutes before the deadline at 5 PM, securing themselves a grand dinner. One might wonder, How is a lavish feast possible in a zombie apocalypse setting? But the concept behind it made sensea table prepared for officers who had sensed their impending death but ultimately never got to eat. On top of that, knowing that all attractions were temporarily suspended during the one-hour dinner gave them a sense of relief. And after all the struggle, the foodpasta, bread, steakwent down effortlessly. Except for one person. Only Orca looked uncomfortable and was the first to stop eating. Considering that before arriving at the lodge, she had eaten a bowl of ramen, dumplings, and kimbap at the rest stop, this was a significantly smaller amount. It was likely because the setting of the restaurant was an officer''s dining hall. Ironically, the one who had been screaming for help the entire timeMihowas now the most relaxed, even finishing off the food Orca left behind. "Is the military really that hard?" Had she asked that during a live broadcast after debuting, it wouldve caused a massive uproar. But right now, it was fine. Miho wasnt mocking Orcashe was genuinely curious about just how tough it was. "My younger brother is in the military right now. My parents and I take turns visiting him every two weeks, and every time we go, he looks completely dead inside. I feel bad for him, so I bring him things when I visit... but there''s just something about it that I can''t understand. When I ask him how hard it is, he just says I dont need to know." Orca smirked at that. "Theres nothing to understand. It just fucking sucks." "Wow, thats blunt." "I''m serious. It fucking sucks... When you''re in there, everything becomes unbearable. At first, I couldnt understand active-duty soldiers at all. But after a month of being stationed, I found myself ranting about officers along with the others. It was so bad that I even apologized to them for not understanding sooner." What followed was a flood of brutally realistic military stories. Listening to them, Miho looked completely horrified. She had felt bad for her younger brother before, but now she was genuinely distressed at the thought of him going through all that. "I could never do it... How did you even decide to enlist? I respect you even more now..." "I didnt exactly choose to go. But surprisingly, it suited me." "Wait... are your parents in the military?" "Yeah." And just like that, their conversation continued throughout the meal. Watching them, Magia simply smiled in satisfaction, seeing this as the early access phase of the second-generation members bonding. But no matter how much she wanted to sit back and observe, the moment she started speaking informally, she became fair game to be pulled into any conversation. Just like how, after traveling with the first-generation members, she ended up getting surrounded by them all the time. Sure enough. Miho, noticing that Magia had only eaten half of her steak and pasta, asked, "Gia, are you already full?" "Yeah." "Well, I guess since youre small, you cant eat much... Can I have the rest?" "Its already been eaten, but if you dont mind." "Im kinda sick of pasta, but I cant pass up meat... Hehe..." And just like that, the remaining half of Magias steak disappeared into Mihos mouth. Seeing this, Orca turned to Magia and asked, Orca, who had barely spoken to Magia in the past five days unless it was about training, had made significant progress. "You do all that work while eating so little?" Since Magias table wasnt where a managers should beat the instructors spotbut rather among the members, every visiting team leader had said the same thing: "So youre finally taking a break? Good thinking." Even the elderly accounting director had gone so far as to use a recent meme, saying, "At last, Magias working hours will return to normal." So seeing someone who barely ate properly working herself to the boneit was both worrying and baffling for someone like Orca, who usually made sure to eat well. "Its mostly desk work, so its manageable. Its nothing like being a soldier who has to use their body all the time." "Still, arent you going to collapse at some point? Even I ended up passing out from exhaustion during training, and I eat way more than you." "Ive collapsed before too. But I go to the hospital often these days, so Im fine." "Mm. I figured as much." This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. And just like that, with Magia naturally getting pulled into conversations, Ena ended up slipping into the role that Magia had originally been expected to play. It was as if Magia had been waiting for thiswatching the second-generation members naturally take on their own roles. Having debuted once before, Ena had enough experience to act as the mature senior between Miho and Orca. In fact, as she watched the three of them talking, she was already imagining what their future might have looked like if all four of them had debuted together. Orca was strict but provided clear standards. Miho, on the other hand, constantly toyed with those boundaries, always hovering just at the edge of crossing the line. And then there was Magiathe cheat code of every collab. Toss her into a group, and she would always create an unforgettable moment. In the middle of it all, Eona played the role of mediator, making everything seem harmonious. Just as the first-generation members always relied on Dora for emotional support and Komari as their in-game bus driver, the second-generation members were starting to find their own roles. It wouldnt be surprising if Eona and Magia ended up taking on similar positions within their group. But this wasnt just about being a VTuber. Magia wasnt just another debuting talentshe was rumored to be one of the founding members of the company, one of CEO Momos closest confidants. (Allegedly.) That was why Eona and Orca didnt react much to Magias playful talk about debuting. That was why, despite being initially reserved, they had started chatting comfortably with her the moment she allowed informal speech. Because their expectations for her were just that high. It would have been more than enough for Magia to remain a manager. But a VTuber? And a fellow debutmate at that? That was like suddenly gaining an army of a thousand reinforcements. Still, Eona couldnt shake a growing sense of unease. Magia kept sending her signals. "Im really debuting, so dont doubt it." But when someone went out of their way to repeatedly reinforce something, it often meant they were hiding something. I just hope shes not doing this because of what I said... Eona had originally been on the path to becoming an idol before switching to VTubing. She was fully satisfied with her career now, but before meeting Magia, she had been completely against the idea of debuting because of someone elses decision. If Magia was really going through with this, Eona wanted to help her. After all, her father was an industry expert who had deliberately stepped out of the spotlight. If she asked for his support, even if the business potential wasnt great, he would at least make sure it passed the break-even point. But only if Magia was choosing to debut on her own terms. Eona just hoped that her offhanded comment on Monday, when she had seen that only three people had passed the auditions, hadnt put any pressure on Magia. "Gia." "Hm?" Eona leaned in and whispered into Magias ear. "You remember how I wanted to be an idol but couldnt, so I ended up debuting as a VTuber instead, right?" "I remember." "But now, I really enjoy being a VTuber. Maybe its because youre helping me, but... things are completely different from before. Back then, I was being forced into it. Now, its my own decision." "Yeah, I get it." "So, tell me... Youre not just doing this because people around you wont stop talking about it, right? Youre not just getting swept up in things and debuting without really wanting to?" Eona hesitated before asking, but Magias answer came out immediately. "Im doing this because I want to. I get why youre worried, but dont be." Her unwavering expression made it clear that she wasnt just saying that to brush things off. Her determination was so transparent that it reassured Eona. It was enough to convince herMagia was debuting of her own will. Relieved, Eona grinned. "Alright. Lets do our best for the fifth mission after dinner!" Magia had always avoided doing things she didnt want to do. But when it came to Cheon Do-hees requests, she did them even if she didnt want to. That had been her unwavering rule for all three years at this companyso much so that it was second nature now. ...However. The burning determination Eona had just witnessed felt different from the usual "Ill work ? NvIight ? (Read more on our source) like a dog for Momo and Parallel!" After all, todays attraction wasnt something Momo had asked her to do. Magia had simply gotten involved because she was worried about the second-generation members preparing for their debuts. For them, debuting was part of fulfilling their dreams. For Magia, it was just another task on her to-do list. And because of that, her exhaustion was piling up much faster than usual. At this point, all she wanted was to finish this attraction, get her confiscated phone back, and catch up on the streams she had missed. Theres no one more desperate than a working adult whos had their hobbies taken away. With a rare surge of enthusiasm, Magia shouted, "Lets go!" *** Some people who are highly attuned to emotions feel deeply frustrated when they fail to pick up on someones feelings. Eona was exactly that type of person. So once she fully understood what had been going through Magias mind, how could she not be thrilled? With excitement for the second-generation members future activities and the anticipation of being able to enjoy every moment, it felt like she was walking through a field of blooming flowers. Which was why, on her way home the next day, while chatting on the phone with Maruwho had called to ask how the escape room had goneshe unconsciously revealed just how close she had gotten to Magia. ["We failed the last mission, so we had to sleep in sleeping bags. Gia was cold, so I wrapped her up like a banana to keep her warm. When she finally relaxed, I felt relieved."] And with that, she had unknowingly triggered Marus jealousy sensor. Normally, before debut, seniors and juniors werent allowed to meet up without the companys approval. Maru had planned to bring it up when everyone got together laterto discuss how they would divide up their time with Magia. But suddenly, Magia had participated in some escape room attraction and, just like that, become incredibly close to Eona? ...Really? Back when it was our turn, she just sat back and smirked while watching us roll around at the lodge. ["She was actually trying pretty hard this time! Though she kept using me as a shield instead of speaking up herself. Oh, and did you know? Gias actually kind of a scaredy-cat. She doesnt scream, but at every surprise scare, shed grab onto my jacket. It was kinda cute."] Of course, Eona had no intention of bragging to Maru. She had assumed, based on what she had heard, that Magia was already super close with the first-generation members. So she had just been sharing her own fun experience, thinking, I also got to have a great time with Gia! But for Maru, who had just taken two unintentional critical hits in a row, it was nearly a knockout blow. She had spent an entire year watching for the right moment to start speaking informally with Magia. And even then, the process had been hellishly difficult. But the second-generation members? They just laughed and joked their way into it? How...? That entire day, Maru was overcome with emotions. And unfortunately, she was the type to openly share her feelings with her audience. Whenever she did casual content like cafe? tours before streams, she meticulously read out every single $1 donation message, making her incredibly prone to accidental leaks. :: An anonymous donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! :: :: So, whats Magia up to these days? :: That single well-timed donation... It was enough to add another mark to Marus infamous record of unintentional leaks. Shes busy with the second-gen debut preparations. Looks like she spent the weekend having some cozy bonding time with the other three... Honestly, it looked fun enough to make me jealous... On the surface, there wasnt anything particularly revealing about what she said. It could just be interpreted as Magia is working hard, and the second-gen members are training well. But her voice was so drenched in melancholylike she had just had a dear friend stolen from her. And just like that, the speculation spread across the community. As fate would have it, it happened to push the exact buttons of Magias most extreme fanswho had already been going feral after not seeing her for an entire month. Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [Something feels off.] Didnt Maru just say Magia and three others instead of Magia plus three others? Why did she phrase it like that? Shouldnt it be four debuting members? [Comments] Parallel853: Probably just a slip of the tongue? Parallel095: Yeah, people mix up and others versus including all the time. Parallel251: ...Wait, hold up. Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [I''ve figured it out.] Magia is also debuting as part of the second-gen. Thats why its Magia plus three others. It makes perfect sense now. The three selected through auditions + Magia = the second-gen lineup. [Comments] Parallel194: Holy shit, are you a genius? Parallel804: Now that I think about it, Marus leaks have never been wrong. ? Parallel055: Credit where credits dueher accuracy is insane. ? Parallel280: Maru, the loudspeaker of Parallel. Parallel099: If this turns out to be true, I swear to god... Parallel735: Guys, did you hear? Turns out there were four second-gen members all along... Parallel946: Please let Magia debut so she can stream 7 days a week, 240 hours nonstop. ? Parallel744: Bro, how do you fit 240 hours into a week? ? Parallel900: Magia fans have been starved for a monththeyre losing their grip on reality. ? Parallel052: Forced fasting... ? Parallel255: Tragic... Chapter 118 It was only natural. The very next day, Maru was summoned to the company. Parallels fan gallery had exploded with speculation, which spilled over into members livestreams. A wave of bans had been issued, and the first round of damage control had concluded. When Magia came down to the eighth floor after wrapping up training and sending the second-gen members home, she saw Maru leaving the CEOs officeafter clearly getting chewed out. The office was half-lit since most employees had already left for the evening. With her long hair hanging over her shoulders and her posture completely slumped, Maru looked eerily similar to the zombies from the AR escape room they had done the day before. For once, Magia couldnt help but laugh as she called out first. Wow. Looks like a zombie virus has spread in the office. .... She couldnt dodge Marus enraged chase immediately afterward, though. But even that felt like a chase scene straight out of the AR escape room, making Magia burst into laughter again. She ended up taking refuge inside a bathroom stalllike a mouse hiding in a hole from a cat. Get out here right now! BANG BANG BANG. The stall door shook violently, like a real zombie was trying to break in. If you just yell like that, how are you any different from a zombie? Lets talk. You littleyou started this!! Marus voice boomed through the office, loud enough to make the entire building ring. Fortunately, since Momo had called her in after working hours to avoid public embarrassment, at least the trainees wouldnt hear about it. Otherwise, everyone would have been able to listen in as she sulked inside the stall, mumbling things like Im just cosmic trash... after getting scolded. Magia had actually wanted to tell her for over a year that the office bathroom had terrible soundproofing, but she never found the right moment. Well, at least Maru was cute. If anyone overheard, theyd probably just chuckle and move on. Besides, Maru was the type to burn through emotions like alcohol or gasolineintense but short-lived. Once Magia sensed that enough time had passed, she cautiously stepped out. She was immediately greeted by Marus misty eyes and sulky expression. Wow. That timing was too perfect... What? Right when your anger cooled down? It was so perfect that I kinda wanna punch you. You okay with that? Magia, ever the troublemaker, leaned in even closer as if asking for a hit. They had never joked around like this before, since there had always been a certain distance between them. So in a way, this was Maru officially marking their real friendship. No way. If you hit me, I might catch the Maru Virus and end up going live to leak all the second-gen members names and details. Parallels VTubersall of Momos kidshad a distinct comedic rhythm. It was as if everyone had settled into their designated roles: In this field, Im the best at getting smacked for laughs. Maru, for example, was the type to either sniffle dramatically or outright bawl if you threw just a bit of truth into your teasing. Most of her fanbaseDonguriswere former Jup-Yudong (fans who specifically hunted down crying streamers to poke fun at them). So by now, they had practically mastered the art of making Maru break down in seconds. What Magia had just said? Exactly the kind of thing a Donguri would say. If it were a donation message, it would be something like: "Im on night duty at GOP today, but Im scared Ill catch the Maru Virus and accidentally blurt out the North Korean password over the loudspeaker. T_T" Normally, Maru would fire back effortlesslyshe had incredible banter with her audience. But today, she wasnt in the mood to play along. She was already sulking about how Eona had gotten close to Magia so quickly. On top of that, she had accidentally leaked information again. She knew it wasnt Magias fault, but the frustration kept welling up inside her. And then "H-Hh... Hic... Hhhhik... Hhhiieeek..." Magia swore she could hear the dam cracking inside Marus heart. But it was too late to stop it. She hadnt even realized she was walking a tightrope between Maru and Eona, struggling to maintain balance. Wait, hold on. Just calm dow "HUUUAAAAHHHH!!!" *** Since the companys bathroom had terrible soundproofing, Marus wailing reached all the way to Momos office. By the time Momo rushed over, she found Maru sobbing uncontrollably while Magia stood there like a guilty puppy, nervously gauging Momos reaction. Naturally, Magia had no choice but to handle the aftercare. Not that she wasnt planning to take responsibility, but she hadnt expected Maru to break down this hard. Thankfully, she remembered something that Momo and Team Leader Kang Ji-ho had told her before: "No matter how upset a girl is, a bit of sugar can work wonders. If she looks like shes in a bad mood, try offering her chocolate first." And sure enough, it worked. The moment Magia mentioned cake, Maru immediately stopped wailing. And once she had a bite of chocolate cake, her eyes practically sparkled. Mmmm... This is so good... Even with her eyes still swollen, she inhaled the cake in an instant. I want cheesecake too... One slice wasnt enough. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. She started sampling one of each from a cafe? famous for its desserts. After devouring six different slices, she rubbed her full stomach, her expression finally softening. Then, out of nowhere, she blurted out a heartfelt apology. Sorry. I totally overreacted. It wasnt even worth crying over... No, I didnt realize youd take it that seriously either. You were already stressed after getting scolded. No, I should be apologizing. I wasted so much of your time with this... Sigh. Maru let out a deep breath and muttered, Our five-member group song is dropping next week... And here I am ruining the mood. If I hadnt slipped up, the fans wouldve been hyped about the news this weekend... While Magia had been busy managing the second-gen training schedule, the first-gen members had also been hard at work preparing for their first collaborative song with CAT. Since Magia was swamped, she had only attended the vocal lessons, simply requesting that they include more lines for the other members. She hadnt been involved in the mid-production check or part distribution. Their key content had been a karaoke stream. They had deliberately cut down on the usual J-pop songs, focusing on Korean tracks from CAT artists and pop songs to subtly plant the idea of something different. Huh? This karaoke session feels kinda different. Wait, why are they suddenly all singing Korean pop songs? They had planned to drop the bombshell reveal once enough curiosity had built up: "Surprise! CAT and Parallel are releasing a five-member group song!" The original plan was for the first-gen members to do a karaoke collab in the practice room on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, they would reveal the teaser for the new song. But thanks to Marus accidental leak, the mood had turned chaotic. Now, even the internal staff were debating whether to push the announcement back. That was the real reason Momo had chewed Maru out. It wasnt exactly a leak, but it had disrupted the companys scheduleespecially for their first collaboration with CAT. Magia, already somewhat aware of the situation, asked, Should I go live and clear things up for the fans? Ah, no! Youre ? Nvlight ? (Exclusive on Nvlight) already super busy with second-gen training. I remember how hectic it was when we were trainees... Still, it kinda feels like I should step in this time. It was the logical conclusion. What the fans wanted was simple: for Magia to come forward and clarify the situation. But with nearly six months left before the second-gen debut, there was nothing concrete Magia could confirm at this stage. If she spoke now, all shed be left with was the equivalent of a pile of fishbonesstripped of all substance. It would only frustrate both her and the audience. Even if she did explain, people would just respond with How do we know youre telling the truth? Give us a proper answer! It would accomplish nothing. Maru understood that too, shaking her head. You dont need to get yourself in trouble with the boss just because of me... Well, if I cant convince them, then whatever. Either way, the karaoke stream and teaser reveal are getting pushed back a week. Theres no way Momo would let it drop at this timing. Right, so theres no need to bring this up with her and start an unnecessary argument This time, Magia shook her head. Because this whole mess had happened while she was too exhausted from the escape room attraction and had handed everything off to Gong Seung-yeon before promptly passing out. If she had been there instead, she wouldve caught onto Marus slip and immediately called herscreaming at her to shut her mouth. I knew that once the second-gens came in, I wouldnt be able to handle everything myself. But that doesnt mean I can just ignore things when they go wrong. ...Yeah. So let me handle this. You just go home and start your stream. Your Donguris are waiting for you. The dam holding back Marus tears threatened to crack again. Because who else would go this far for her, after she had been the one to screw up and make things worse? Instead of sulking about Magia getting closer to the second-gen members, she should have been more careful while Magia was busy managing them. I... I... n-need to b-become... a b-better... s-senior... Hhk... You should become a better senior. Thats a given. And if you start crying again, Im leaving you here. Hhhuuup For the record, Magia wasnt just squeezing time out of her schedule to clean up Marus mess. That Saturday, she had already scheduled a major collab she had promised a while ago. It was technically just an excuse to avoid making a separate plan for damage control. But the fact that she even thought to use this as a distraction tactic was proof enough of how she consistently won over the trust of her members. The moment Momo heard Magias proposal, she leaned on her chin and nodded. So, since the teaser is already getting delayed, youre planning to divert attention by going to a baseball game with Crkemang this weekend? Yes. The fans still didnt know that Magia was going to the game with Crkemang that Saturday. Crkemang had only mentioned that he was attending the opening match and that he had secured a guest ticket for someone. But he had deliberately kept the guests identity a secret. Because Magia was no ordinary guest. Crkemang was a giant in the industry, boasting over three million subscribers. His streams often featured famous idols and celebrities, so fans always speculated who his next guest would be. If he had revealed in advance that Magia was coming, other attendees at the stadium might start shouting, Magias here! Crkemang didnt know much about VTubers. But he did know that Magia was like a daughter to him, and he wanted to ensure she could enjoy the game without interruptions. The fact that their collab and tournament appearance still hadnt leaked was a testament to Crkemangs skills. He hadnt grown to three million subscribers by accident. After going through every possible hardship on his way up, he had learned to slow down his speechprioritizing never making slip-ups. So, whats your angle? Lay it out for me first. I dont have a huge plan yet... But I do have one solid idea. Even if Magia revealed herself during the game, some people might still recognize her. So Crkemang had offered to give her a chance to promote Parallel after the game, during their car ride back. Magia planned to use that moment to say: "Next week, a huge surprise will be revealed. Stay tuned." In other words, she wanted to fan the flames further. Right now, the fans were already on fire, convinced that Magia was debuting as a second-gen VTuber. By Saturday, the speculation would likely start dying down naturally. But Magia? She was going to pour gasoline all over it. Because no oneabsolutely no onewould expect that the real announcement was a collaboration song with CAT, one of Koreas biggest record labels. It wasnt even a lie. They would simply let the fans assume it was a debut announcement, only to drop the real bombshell at the last second. And any complaints about What?! You baited us into thinking it was a debut! would be drowned out by the sheer excitement of CAT supporting Parallel. Momo analyzed the pros and cons before speaking. So basically... If people are going to make a fuss either way, we might as well burn everything to the ground and redirect it to our advantage? It was such a villainous strategy that she couldnt help but chuckle. But no matter how much she thought about it, there really wasnt a better alternative. ...Damn. Have I been around you too long? Why does this seem like the best idea? Magia lowered her eyes playfully. Thats not good. Youre supposed to stay objective, Boss. Otherwise, whos going to stop me when I start going too far? I am being objective. And I still think this is the best option. Well, if you say so, then it must be right. Momo gave her a long, knowing look. I appreciate that you always trust me. But if you ever think something isnt right, you have to speak up. Dont just say yes, yes and go along with everything. I always speak up when I dont agree Yeah, but you cant do it in that devils advocate way where you nitpick or start breaking things down just for fun. Then Id rather just notOw, ow, ow! THWACK. A light flick to the forehead. Magia rubbed her head before asking, So, whats the plan? Parallels approach to Magia-related speculation had always been consistent. Complete denial. Total radio silence. A firm stance that we are not doing that. And this time was no different. They were simply adding one extra ingredientMagias infamous wordplay, cranked up to the max. And Momo wasnt joking earlier. She knew what Magia was capable of. Which was why, even before everything unfolded, she was already excited to see what would happen. Alright. Do it. Chapter 119 The opening day collab had been planned for three months, ever since the Pazijik year-end gathering. A lot of preparation had gone into it. First, memorizing the KG Dragons cheer songs. Magia had never been to a game, but from what she had heard, knowing the chants could make or break the experience. Crkemang, a KBO-obsessed baseball fanatic, had not only memorized every cheer for his beloved KG Dragons but also those of their rival teamsjust so he could curse them in song when they were winning. Whenever the Dragons were losing, he would parody opposing teams chants, turning them into mockeries like missed pop-up, bobbled double-play, wild swingessentially baseball-themed jinxes. Magia had been tempted to look up the meanings of those terms, but since Crkemang would undoubtedly explain the rules to her during the game, she decided against it. It would be easier to learn in real-time, making their conversation flow naturally for the collab. The second preparation step was choosing the right outfit. Since she needed new spring clothes anyway, Magia had dragged Momo along for a shopping trip. Together, they had put together an outfit in the KG Dragons signature colors: red and black. This was in anticipation of a tradition Crkemang followed. Each season, he gifted his guests team merchandisea jacket in fall, a short-sleeved jersey and cap in spring and summer. Naturally, the KG Dragons'' gear was designed in black with red accents. Momo had advised Magia to match her clothes accordingly so that when she put on Crkemangs gift, the colors would blend well. That way, hed be pleased with how good she looked in it. And sure enough, the moment they met, Crkemang handed her the jersey and cap. Since Magia had worn a black turtleneck, she ended up looking like a longtime KG Dragons fan. Whoa. Did you try this on in advance or something? The cap, the jerseyeverything suits you perfectly. Well, how about it, kiddo? Why not just become a KG Dragons fan for real? Magia shook her head. I already have an oshi. Sorry. Crkemang let out a hearty laugh. Loyalty, huh? You know, sometimes I envy Momo. Id love it if my daughter adored me like you do her... Sigh. Youre working on it, arent you? Shell come around eventually. Damn, you really know how to say nice things. Alright, lets head in! Cant be chanting cheers or banging clappers on an empty stomach. The third preparation step was simply this: Speak loudly. From the game-day videos Magia had watched, one thing was clearstadiums were loud. People had to practically yell to communicate. And considering Crkemangs age, she didnt want him straining to hear her. So today, she made a conscious effort to tighten her vocal cords and project her voice. Like so Yup! Crkemang chuckled, visibly amused by the change in her tone. For a second, I thought my daughter was yelling at me to stop watching baseball. But when they arrived at their seats, Magia was met with a completely unexpected sight. She had assumed theyd be sitting in the crowd, packed shoulder-to-shoulder with other fans. She had expected high-fives, cheers, and jumping around together when a home run was hit. Instead Crkemang had rented out an entire VIP suite. She had seen outdoor table seats where people could grill meat, eat pizza, and drink beer. But a climate-controlled, soundproof private suite with floor-to-ceiling windows? That was new. The stadium noise still filtered in, maintaining the atmosphere, but the space itself was completely separate. It was perfect for streaming. But for Crkemang, it was also a huge sacrifice. Whenever he attended games, he usually announced his seat location so fans could come take pictures with him. He would also livestream from the stands, engaging with viewers in real-time. But todayhe had worn his cap low and booked a private suite just to keep things low-key for Magia. Keep your hat pulled down, kiddo. Wouldnt want anyone recognizing you. Magia nodded twice in appreciation. She wasnt in full VTuber mode today, so it wasnt strictly necessary to hide. But ignoring Crkemangs consideration would have been rude. *** This year, Crkemang was forty. Among internet streamers, he was on the older side. But interestingly, his audience skewed younger. Why? Because people tuned in to watch Baseball Rage Crkemang or Gaming Rage Crkemang. When people get mad, they usually just curse or yell. But Crkemang didnt curse. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Instead, he unleashed eloquent, rapid-fire tirades that left listeners stunned in admiration. Take a common baseball fan complaint: "Jesus Christ, these idiots. I could play better than this." Crkemangs version? "Oh wow, did this guy get LASIK but forget to reinforce the cornea? Is that why he cant tell the difference between a baseball and a stadium light? At this rate, he wont even recognize his own damn teammates and will just chuck the ball at anyone in a helmet. Screw itwhy not aim for their heads and see what happens?" He never stopped talking. His ability to keep up a nonstop rant was legendary. LOL Its starting... This is peak baseball rage Even worse than a Golden Glove error LMAO, classic KG performance Were already at the furious stage, huh? Young streamers couldnt match this level of energy and wordplay. It was entertaining, yet comfortably familiara mix that attracted viewers of all ages. Originally, he had just been a grumpy baseball fan. But as he expanded into playing rage-inducing games, his unfiltered complaints became his trademark. And somehow, in the process, he had grown to three million subscribers. The Curse and Blessing of the KG Dragons Crkemang often said "Half the reason I got famous is because the KG Dragons keep sucking." Ten years ago, the Dragons were a championship contender. Now, they were struggling to even make the playoffs. It was pure luck that his teams downfall coincided with his rise. But he acknowledged it. Thats why he even donated a portion of his streaming income to the team. Funnily enough, his name Crkemang came from a joke. Originally, it stood for Crashed and Burneda reference to his failed business ventures. But fans twisted it into: KBO is a trash league. Let it burn. Even though he had long since evolved into a variety streamer, his roots had always been in baseball. Somehow, next to Crkemangone of the most die-hard baseball fans out thereI found myself singing along to team chants and absorbing every bit of baseball knowledge he threw at me. By the bottom of the fifth inning, when half the game had passed, I was cheering at the sight of a baseball soaring through the air in a perfect arc. To my surprise, it felt a lot like competing in the Combative tournament. That pure thrill The same rush as when I had spent an entire match stuck in the wrong loadout, only to finally grab my favorite shotgun and start dominating. It was just like watching a team struggle with strikeouts and weak grounders, only for someone to finally land a clean, powerful hit And suddenly, everything felt right. Thats why people cheer at the sound of a bat cracking against a ball. Because finally, something clicked. Crkemang must have picked up on my realization because, during the fifth-inning cleaning break, he smirked and said Looks like my niece is finally getting baseball. Of course, I still couldnt reveal my identity, so I had to phrase my response carefully. Well... I dont know if I completely understand it yet. But it kind of feels like... You know how your mom wont let you play video games all week, so you hold it in and hold it in And then, on the weekend, you finally get to play? That feeling. PFFTHAAAH! Now that makes sense! Fortunately, the viewers seemed to agree. LOL, true Not exactly the same, but I get what you mean lmao Ah, that suffocating frustration and then the sudden breath of fresh air... Yeah, I feel that But while Crkemang and I were busy chatting, the audience was getting suspicious. After all, he had invited a guest but hadnt properly introduced them. Instead, we were just casually talking, leaving viewers to guess who I was. Who the hell is this niece he keeps talking about? Did he actually bring his real-life niece on stream? Wait, listening to her voice... She does sound like his niece, right? Nah, dont be stupid. He calls a bunch of female streamers his niece. Oh. Yeah, youre right. But... her voice sounds kinda familiar... Some people even started suspecting me. But that theory got shut down quickly No way. Magia is swamped with second-gen debut preparations. Theres no way shed be here. Plus, because I had adjusted my tone to cut through the stadium noise, most people werent entirely sure it was me. Some trained voice-detectives still had their doubts, though "It feels like Magia." But since Crkemang had already announced that hed reveal his guests identity after the game, Most people dropped the speculation and just focused on watching the match and listening to our conversation. Still, a few clues kept them engaged. The camera occasionally caught glimpses of my lower bodywhich meant I was definitely a real person sitting next to him. At least, that proved the stream title wasnt clickbait. ???? (Live) KBO Opening Game with Adorable Niece ???? ???? 30,021 viewers #ProBaseball #OpeningGame #Crkemang And holy hell, the viewer count was insane. Apparently, this was twice his usual numbers. Crkemang said that whenever he had a guest, he easily broke 30,000 viewers. For someone with three million subs, that kind of turnout was insane. When the most popular female idol in the country had appeared on his stream, he had even hit a record-breaking 90,000 viewers. For streamers hoping for a breakthrough, getting invited to a Crkemang collab was like winning the lottery. Especially for VTubers. Even though Crkemang tried to understand the VTuber world and was respectful of it, He was ultimately a traditional facecam streamer, And his primary audiencealong with most of his collab guestswere not VTubers. Honestly, if I had still been just a regular VTuber, I wasnt even sure if this baseball collab wouldve been possible. Thats how exclusive this space was. If I had to compare this situation to something, it would be Batubachu. Batubachus first-gen and second-gen members had debuted three years ago and two years ago, respectively. All of them had 1-2 million subscribers each. Yet, despite their fame, only ONE of themTarohad ever managed to collab with Crkemang. Just one. Even after accidentally accepting his baseball collab invitation at the Pazijik year-end party, I hadnt realized just how rare of an opportunity this was. Thinking back, it was kind of hilarious I had casually tossed Crkemangs past embarrassments onto the fourth floor of Maou Castle, And that tiny snowball had rolled all the way here. Would there ever come a day when my team Not just me, but my actual members Would get a chance to sit in this chair instead? *** As expected, the moment the baseball game ended, the real collab finally began. Riding shotgun in Crkemangs SUV as we left the stadium, we kept chatting about the game. But the moment that conversation ended, it was my turn. Crkemang sighed, rubbing his temple as he muttered Ugh. Seriously, every year I donate to this team, and every year they just get worse. At this point, wouldnt it be better if AI-controlled drones handled defense? LMAO, todays performance was absolute garbage Do these guys even train? At least they gave us good content lol Crkemang, youre grinning. The team lost, but youre smiling, huh? He shook his head. Sorry, kiddo. Its been forever since I last brought a guest to a live game, and of course, our team had to play like this today. I was worried your bright, sparkling eyes would turn into cold, dead fish eyes watching this mess. I chuckled. Its fine. I actually had a lot of fun. Well, as long as you had fun, thats all that matters. But man... I feel bad. Tell you what, Ill make it up to you with a Parallel World Cup sometime. Casually, like it was nothing, Crkemang laid out our deal. I had come as his guest to keep him company. And in return, he would do something for me. Immediately, some sharp-eyed viewers caught on. Wait, whys Parallel being mentioned all of a sudden? Hold up No way And thats the power of 30,000 live viewers. If fewer people were watching, fewer people would piece things together. But with so many eyes on the stream, some were bound to be Parallel fans And some of those fans were the hardcore ones constantly nagging me to stream. Then, it happened. :: An anonymous viewer has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Wait... is todays guest Magia?! :: Even though I had already switched back to my usual soft-spoken voice, People finally started recognizing me. Wait a sec Oh shit, now that I think about it, that voice really IS Magia ??? Watching the chat explode, Crkemang gave me a knowing nod. Nows the time. And, of course, as a seasoned host who had invited countless guests, His timing was flawless. I had no reason to hesitate. Smiling slightly, I spoke What do you mean, keeping you company? I just happened to see you at the year-end party, and since it had been a while, I simply suggested we meet up for a game. Honestly, I should be the one thanking you for inviting me, Crkemang. PfftNuh-uh. That kind of guts? Thats impressive. Lets be real, it mustve taken serious courage for you to make that proposal. Well, I am always desperate for my members. Smoothly, I kept the conversation flowing And then, finally, I introduced myself. Hello, everyone. Im Magia, an assistant manager from the VTuber group Parallel, here today as Crkemangs guest for the Pro Baseball Opening Game. Now, since a lot of his audience wasnt familiar with VTubers, I usually introduced myself by mentioning Marus "Finally"the only first-gen song to surpass five million views Or by referencing our anniversary track, "One Other," which hit three million views in just four months. But before I could even get to that part... The chat had already exploded. LMAO WELCOME I was wondering when youd show up We''ve been waiting for a legendary scumbag like you :: An anonymous viewer has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: No wonder you werent showing your face, LOL :: Wait, so it really WAS Magia?! Holy shit, I NEVER expected a baseball stream collab I saw a glimpse ? Nvlght ? (Read the full story) earlier, and she really IS tiny, LOL ??? Wait, what? And then, I finally noticed what was happening. Because, unlike me, These viewers hadn''t forgotten. They still remembered how I had dragged the failing Youngun team from dead last to first place How I had smoked my opponents and carried my squad to tournament victory. And they had been there. During the final match, when the viewership had peaked at 250,000, 20,000 of those viewers had come from Crkemangs audience. They had watched it all happen. And now, they recognized me. :: An anonymous viewer has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: The GOAT of shotguns. The one and only legend. :: The savior of Youngun''s team D A G I A I still rewatch the finals to this day. Absolute insanity. :: An anonymous viewer has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Thanks to you, my brother now roasts every viewer who talks about winning in Combative, saying, Have YOU ever won a tournament? No? Then shut up. :: Welcome, our human fireworks display! MAGIA! MAGIA! MAGIA! Mom, when I grow up, I want to be Magias shotgun! I NEED Magias smoke grenades!!! Damn it, Magia, are you cute in real life too?! Wait, isn''t she a VTuber? Can she just show up on a half-cam stream like this? No, shes not a VTuber. Yes, she is. Originally, my plan was simple. Keep talking with Crkemang, Wait until Parallel fans started showing up, And then, at the right moment, Casually mention that next week, we had a big announcement. I never expected the entire audience to immediately focus on me. But even in the chaos, I saw my angle. Just because someone knows me Doesnt mean they know Parallel. And these huge content creators have audiences that rarely move. But they do remember guests who make an impact. If they already know me, Then some of them might have heard rumors about my second-gen debut speculation. Because people dont usually care about random VTuber gossip. But if they recognize someone, theyre more likely to click on a thread And if they only half-know a situation, theyre more likely to believe rumors. So, without hesitation, I dropped a bomb. Oh, um. Thank you so much for the warm welcome. By the way Next week, on the official Parallel channel, Well be making a special announcement. I hope you all look forward to it. Exactly as I had expected The chat went nuclear. Huh?! A surprise announcement?! ? Wait, are you REALLY debuting? WHAT Did she just confirm it here?! Suddenly? Out of nowhere?! Holy shit, whats happening?! MAGIA, YOU SLY BASTARD! WTF WTF WTF Chapter 120 The unexpected announcement made on Crkemangs stream had far more impact than anticipated. With no further explanation given, and the conversation drifting towards the matches he and Crkemang had watched, those eager to learn more about Magia found themselves with nowhere to turn. And where else could they go but the platform both Magia and Crkemang were part ofPazijik Gallery? And, of course, lurking in the gallery were demons, eagerly awaiting desperate seekers of such rare information... Pazijik Gallery [Magia Red Pill.clip] (A raccoon meme) Hey, friend. Ill help you this time, but be careful next time. The gallery is full of demons just waiting to hit you with cursed images, so watch out. (Upvotes: 1,224 / Downvotes: 1,395) [Comments] Pazijik935: I am not thankful, Raccoon Man... Pazijik252: Ah, fuck lmao Pazijik095: I knew this was bait, but I clicked anyway, damn it lol That night, after countless troll posts were purged in a bloodbath of moderation, a new rule was added to Pazijik Gallery. Anyone posting clickbait about Magias photos or claiming to have seen her in person would receive a one-week ban. If only people genuinely talked about Magia, it wouldnt have been a problem. But the flood of nuclear-grade shitposts and chaos forced even the typically lenient mods, who usually didnt ban posts about specific individuals, to lay down the law. Pazijik Gallery [From now on, no discussions about Magias appearance] [Posted by: ????Pazijik03] Violators will receive a one-week ban. Repeat offenders will be perma-banned. VTubers are off-limits for red pill discussions. For regular people, its even more off-limits. Get it through your thick skulls, you goddamn idiots. I also checked through all the cursed memes myself, and I can confirm that no one has actually seen Magia in person. [Comments] Pazijik384: Got it. Pazijik991: Finally, a mod doing their job. Pazijik305: At last, the gallery is returning to normal. However, even this couldnt quell peoples interest in Magia. After all, Magia had already been a hot topic in the gallery lately. And now, what was once a rumor circulating only within Parallel had exploded onto Pazijik Galleryhome to the broader streaming communityafter the collaboration with Crkemang. Curiosity skyrocketed, especially among those who primarily watched facecam streamers and werent familiar with VTubers. Why was there so much talk about Magias debut compared to other VTubers? Normally, a debut was a debut. Either it happened, or it didnt. Why was everyone saying different things? Pazijik Gallery [Serious question from a VTuber noob] Whats the big difference between debuting and not debuting? If someone just starts streaming, isnt that a debut? Is there something fundamentally different about VTubers? I thought Magia had already debuted, but apparently not? [Comments] Pazijik331: Think of it like a virtual idol group. ? Pazijik331: They form groups and debut officially, yeah. ? Pazijik964 (OP): Ohh, so its not like regular streamers who just go live? ? Pazijik331: Some VTubers do that too, yeah. Its not a strict rule, but think of it as the difference between a hobby (side gig) and a business (main job). ? Pazijik331: Parallel is basically an entertainment company running an idol business, and its VTubers are idol groups. ? Pazijik331: So debut means theyre officially announcing their idol activities. ? Pazijik964 (OP): That explanation makes perfect sense, thanks, VTuber sage. Pazijik Gallery [(VTuber Noob Alert) But if Magia is a regular person, does she really need to hide her face?] I get that some people dont want to show their faces, but... This is the first time Ive seen Crkemang go to such lengths to protect someone. Think about it. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Magia is already somewhat well-known. People who watch Crkemangs streams know her as the one who carried him out of no-rank hell. If they had announced it beforehand, the stream wouldve been an even bigger success. So doesnt that mean theres a reason her face absolutely cannot be revealed? I heard VTubers cant let their red pill info leak. (Upvotes: 545 / Downvotes: 1) [Comments] Pazijik020: Real-name downvote system, ? Nvlght ? (Read the full story) damn. Pazijik885: Gia stan, just go prepare for her debut already. Pazijik662: This sounded like bullshit at first, but now it kinda makes sense?? Pazijik351: Journalism moment. Pazijik Gallery [So if Magia debuts, will she get a transformation form like the others?] The first-gen VTubers all have the concept of coming from another world and pretending to be human, right? They each have a transformation animation or cutscene. Like how Maru can switch her animal ears on and off. Will Magia get something like that too? Like going from office worker to... something else? [Comments] Pazijik650: Oh? Pazijik009: Come to think of it, wasnt Magias mama Dora? ? Pazijik009: Dora is a famous little-sister hunter, so even if Magia doesnt get one, shes probably already drawn a hidden model for her. ? Pazijik961: If someone asks on stream, will they answer? ? Pazijik864: Be prepared for a ban, lol. ? Pazijik961: Its fine, I dont watch streams, I just eat drama threads. ? Pazijik864: A true martyr, we salute you. ? Pazijik757: The real MVP. In any case, mission accomplishedmaximum chaos achieved. The wildfire burned fiercest on the first day, and though it gradually died down, interest remained. The proof was in the numbers. The moment the first-gen members went live, their starting viewer count surged. Their usual 7,000 concurrent viewers had jumped to 9,000 today. And for Dorawho, if Magia did have a transformation model, would be the one holding itthe number was even higher at 12,000. Fortunately, Dora handled it like an adultor maybe just a foolbrushing it off with a dumb Hehe, I dont know~ and slipping through the crowds grasp with ease. But it wasnt just Dora bearing the heat. For the rest of the week, Magia swapped places with the team leader and sat next to Gong Seung-yeon instead. After all, it was Magias fire to put out. And as someone who specialized in extinguishing the flames set by others, she had no complaints about taking responsibility for the ones she started herself. Besides, the plan she had promised Cheon Do-heeto expand the stagewasnt meant to end in just one day, on March 24, the day of the pro baseball season opener. For the next week, it was crucial to make sure no one could get any further informationespecially from the first-gen members. *** And so, a truly hectic week passed for Magia. On Saturday, as planned, the first-gen members held a group karaoke collab. The song choices were heavily skewed toward Korean tracks, but the audience seemed to love it. And then, the long-awaited Sunday arrived. As they prepared for the surprise announcement stream, Cheon Do-hee spoke up. You really are lucky, you know that? Lucky? Yeah. The week after pro baseballs opening day just happens to be April Fools Day. No matter how big a fire you set, its all forgiven on April Fools. Seriously, the timing is perfect. Magia shook her head. Even in the middle of a chaotic schedule, she never lost track of important VTuber event days. Even now, while being buried under the preparation for the second-gen debut and struggling through vocal lessons for the first-gen five-member group recordinga daunting task for someone who had never properly learned to singshe still had a clear grip on the calendar. This isnt luck. I planned it that way after realizing April Fools was the week after Crkemang and I went to that game. ...Seriously? Seen on Z Parallel official KR? @Parallel_official_kr - 1 minute ago ???? April 1, 2025 (SUN) 8PM Check the official channel! Thats right. The surprise announcement Magia had teased during her collab with Crkemang was set for April 1st. And because it was April Fools Day, the announcement carried a unique advantage. Anything said on April Fools could be taken as truthor dismissed as a joke. Even if a streamer didnt explicitly say, Believe this or Dont believe this, there was an unspoken agreement among viewers. Which meant that whether the announcement was about Magias debut or a new song collaboration with CAT, neither would be taken as absolute truth. Magia aimed for a scenario where the audience, uncertain about the real answer, would continue discussing both possibilities, keeping the speculation alive. A fire ignited like this was hard to put outit would keep reigniting with posts like, Thinking about it again, maybe it wasnt true after all. Cheon Do-hee laughed in disbelief. Youre saying that by announcing both your debut and the CAT collab at the same time, youre making sure people believe the latter more? Thats actually impressive. Magia tilted her head. Unlike Do-hee, she hadnt planned things that far ahead. I just wanted to use April Fools to throw more fuel on the fire and make people split into different opinions. ...Wait, so the part I just mentioned wasnt intentional? No. You still dont think about the aftermath, but your ideas really are something else, Gia. I feel embarrassed when you praise me like that. That wasnt pure praise, but whatever... Either way, things wont split perfectly in half like you planned. Anyone with common sense will lean more toward the CAT collab being real. The teaser video at the end of the announcement would include CAT Entertainments name and logo. Even on April Fools Day, that wouldnt be a joke. A company falsely using another companys name? And a small company like Parallel trying that with a giant like CAT? Unless Cheon Do-hee had lost her mind, that wasnt happening. Sure, some diehard fans would argue, Theyre just using the CAT news to distract from Magias debut, but that kind of discourse wouldnt last long. But I get what you were going for. The more even the divide, the longer the fire burns, right? Exactly. If one side is too strong, the other gets buried quickly. Yeah, makes sense. Then we should drop a few more hints that you might debut. No risk since its April Fools, anyway. After some thought, Cheon Do-hee made a proposal. Tonight, lets swap overlays. Ill use yours and say stuff like, Boss, I have a dream! I want to be a VTuber like you! Oh, and your overlay has a transformation function, right? If youre not planning to use it, why not show it off now? Dora put effort into making itwould be a waste otherwise. Magias model was made to the same high standards as the first-gen members. It was a collaboration between Dora and Pino, both of whom were huge fans of Magia, so naturally, the quality was insane. A blouse and skirt that gave off both office attire and school uniform vibes, draped in an oversized witch robe and hat. A transformation form where she carried a high-tech mechanical staff, somehow incorporating rocket engineering. If they revealed that, it would perfectly balance the scales as Magia originally intended. Both sides of the debate would have reason to believe their version of the truth. But at this point, Magia was starting to feel uneasy. It seemed like Cheon Do-hee was actually enjoying fanning the flames. And more than thatusing Momos overlay? That was sacred ground to Magia. Was this really okay? Seeing her hesitation, Do-hee misread her concern and reassured her. Just think of it like Find Rain. Its a one-time thing, no pressure. That was Rain. This is the boss. Oh, come on. Whats the difference? Just do it. This is the right call. Magia always respected Momos decisions when it came to streams, so she simply nodded. But she had one more concern. ...Can you handle it? Its fine. Its April Fools. As long as we dont provoke the audience by saying stuff like Which ones real? and keep things subtle, itll be fine. The main goal is to reveal the teaser video anyway. ...Hmm. Cheon Do-hee was misunderstanding something. Magias Can you handle it? wasnt about the reaction after the stream. It was about her personally handling it. For Magia, a body swap event like this was the ultimate luxury and indulgence. She had always held back from crossing the sacred line. But if it was already happening? She had so many ideas. For instance, what if Magia used this opportunity to unleash a flood of adorable Momo voice impressions, mimicking all the cute lines Momo usually refused to say? If those clips got recorded, Magia would have endless content to feed on for a long time. And what about Momo, forced to use Magias overlay? How would she react to Magias pranks? Embarrassment, frustration Expressions Magia herself couldnt fully capture with her own model would finally be immortalized. It was exactly what she had thought when she first got her overlay No matter how good the facial tracking is, there are things Ill never be able to express myself. And now, thanks to Momo, that problem was about to be solved. Completely unaware of Magias devious thoughts, Cheon Do-hee assumed the hesitation was just anxiety over the streams aftermath. Gripping Magias shoulders firmly, she said: Im giving you permission, so its fine. Were going with this. And because its April Fools, we have to take it up a notchmake it even harder for people to tell whats real or fake. Just relax and enjoy the stream. Its not like youre the type to cause any real trouble. If anything happens, Ill take responsibility. Responsibility. That word carried serious weight in a professional setting. Once you claimed responsibility for something, there was no backing out. Hearing that, Magia finally felt at ease. She grinned. Alright. Lets do it. Chapter 121 And so, the official Parallel broadcast was about to begin. Even Cheon Do-hee, who had been brimming with confidence, couldnt help but be stunned by the explosive surge of viewers ten minutes before the stream. She had gathered 100,000 viewers for a personal concert before, but pulling this many people in for a 30-minute surprise announcement? That was a first. [ (????Live) Surprise Announcement ] ???? 35,559 #Parallel #??? Since the first-gen members hadnt started their own streams yet, the maximum number of viewers that Parallels fandom alone could mobilize was estimated to be around 30,000. But that didnt mean all of them would actually show up... Yet Magia had pulled it off. Considering Crkemangs live viewership averaged around 15,000, and assuming about half of them had tuned in, that meant Parallels core fanbase had already accounted for 28,000 viewers. This was solid proof that Magias trajectory had captured the fandoms full attention. And the numbers kept climbing. Thanks to some well-placed highlighted chat messages, even more people were joining in. ????Crkemang: My hearts going doki-doki, sanki-sanki, yonki-yonki~ Wait, thats actually Crkemang? Bro, why arent you streaming lmao? ????Movgun: Sigh This isnt even a Magia debut confirmation, why am I watching this? LMAOOOO Movgun, my guy... ????Movgun: Its literally April Fools. No one actually believes this, right? Yeah, well, I believe it. April Fools is just a meaningless day humans made up. What I believe is the truth. Damn, the Magia cultists are deep in here. Usually, when a streamer set VIP tags for their close friends or group members, those names stood out in the chat. And here were two VIPsone with 3 million subscribers, the other with 2 million. Even though this was a Parallel official announcement, speculation was already flooding online communities with posts titled things like: A VTuber who hasnt even debuted has connections like THIS?! And right before the stream actually began... [ (????Live) Surprise Announcement ] ???? 40,559 #Parallel #??? Over 40,000 viewers. Cheon Do-hee clicked her tongue in disbelief. ...Well, this is one hell of a PR boost for the new song. Looks like it, Magia replied. Do-hee briefly wondered if Magia was nervous, but... nope. She was perfectly calm. In fact, if anything, she seemed pleased, knowing that this meant even greater exposure for the Parallel x CAT collaboration. Still, just in case, since Do-hee was taking responsibility for todays show, she reassured Magia with confidence. Alright. Lets do this. Ill stay on high alert, so you just take it easy. Got it? Yes. But there was one thing Do-hee hadnt accounted for She had told Magia to go all out. Did she truly understand just how chaotic Magia could get? Whats happening? Its starting! Open the door!!!!! HI HI PARALLEL SECOND-GEN MAGIA ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT! JUST HURRY UP AND TELL US!!!!! MAGIA DEBUT, RIGHT? ITS THE DEBUT, RIGHT? THE DEBUT, RIGHT? THE DEBUT, RIGHT? The waiting screen faded to the live broadcast. And then Momo and Magia appeared... moving strangely. As if something was... off. The first to speak was "Magia"except it wasnt Magia. It was Cheon Do-hee wearing Magias overlay. Hello, ahem. Everyone. Im Deputy Magia. Ahem. Khu-hmm. Her naturally husky voice made it painfully obvious that she was forcing it, and the way she strained her vocal cords resulted in a series of awkward throat clearings. The audience instantly picked up on the bad impression and erupted into laughter. LOLOLOLOLOLOL LMAOOO WHAT THE HELL IS THIS GET OUT GET OUT OF MAGIAS BODY, YOU EVIL CEO! OH GOD, THIS IS TERRIBLE IF YOURE GONNA DO AN IMPRESSION, DO IT RIGHT LMAO So far, the audience was reacting with amusement, not shock. Body-swapping streams were fairly common among VTubers in both Japan and Korea, especially during offline collabs. If anything, the low-effort scuff made it even funnier. But then it was Magias turn. And Magia wasnt the type to do a half-assed impression. She was the kind of maniac who would meticulously refine her voice until she could mimic someone perfectly. And the target this time? A person she had watched for five years straight. Not even April Fools was an excuse to mess this up. Hello, Woldungies! This is Parallels shining star in the night sky, Shirahoshi Momo~ ??? Wait. Thats actually her??? NO, THATS Momo. WTF?? Bro, shes too good at this It was so accurate that some viewers genuinely believed Momo was playing both roles. But then A donation came in. :: An anonymous supporter has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Boss, I want to see you say I love Tiddyburgers! :: Guys, I wanna eat a Tiddyburger~! A Tiddyburger~! HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! Cheon Do-hee instantly shouted in outrage, breaking character on the ? Nvl?ht ? (Dont copy, read here) spot. And Magia immediately countered. Magia. Did you just say hey to your boss? LMAOOOOOOOOOOOO OH MY GOD TODAY, I AM THE CEO!! I WAS JUST A CORPORATE SLAVE, BUT IN ANOTHER WORLD, IM A BLACK COMPANY CEO?! THIS IS LEGENDARY It was pure chaos. But Magia wasnt doing this out of spite toward Do-hee. She simply had a vision A very specific vision of what she wanted to see unfold. This was April Fools, and Do-hee had promised to take responsibility. So Magia was going all in. Her first objective? To farm as many clips as possible of Do-hee responding to cutesy viewer requests. :: An anonymous supporter has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Boss, do a Facial Test! LOL :: ...Fine. Just this once. What are you talking about... Y-you didnt even prepare the audio... [VTuber Facial Test, START ?] WHEN DID YOU TURN THE MUSIC ON?! The infamous VTuber Facial Test meme had begun. It was a viral test that evaluated a VTubers facial trackinghow well their model responded to expressions. [Blink! Smile!] And Magia flawlessly went through every expression. LOLOLOLOLOL SHES SO GOOD WTF IVE NEVER SEEN HER LOOK THIS EXPRESSIVE DAMN, THIS IS GOLD THIS IS REAL VTUBING, BABY! For Momo, this must have been infuriating. Because she had NEVER shown half these expressions on her own stream. Magia had clearly memorized every expression trigger and was executing them perfectly. It was almost like watching a younger, carefree version of herselfbefore she got buried under CEO responsibilities. [FINAL MOVE!] And at the very end Magia even did Momos old signature move. A screen kiss. HNNNNGGGGGG COME HERE. COME TO ME. THANK YOU, GOD. ...Alright, thanks for watching. And by the way, that Facial Test clip? Its banned. Im saving it for myself. Uuuu Dictator Momo, step down! Now shes even controlling her own cute clips?! How are we supposed to survive without them?! Momo had no idea how she had suddenly become the dictator when it was Magia who had banned the clips. But at the very least, the broadcast was proceeding exactly as planned. The most impressive part was that viewer retention was nearly perfect. Theyd need to analyze the data later, but it seemed that the "casual banter with the boss" dynamic had made the stream engaging even for viewers unfamiliar with VTubers. So sure, Momo was currently in a rather painful situation. But what could she do? She was the one who told Magia to go all out. As long as Magia didnt push things too far and smoothly transitioned into revealing her transformation form, Momos work for the night would be done before the new song teaser dropped. And honestly, calling this "going all out" was an exaggeration. She had been through worse. After years of enduring pure VTuber chaos, Cheon Do-hee had built up immunity. ...Or at least, she thought she had. She didnt realize that the worst was yet to come. Because Magias second objective was still in play. By the way, Gia. Why are you speaking so casually today? Ahem. This is how I always talk. That wont do. As punishment, say, Im the cutest little puff-cheeked cutie, pwoo~ ...What? What? What did you just say to your boss? Say it twice. ...... This is so weird. You never act like this. Usually, you just do as I say without a fuss. When have I EVER done that?! No, seriously, when?! Magias model had been crafted with the same high quality as the first-gen members, with excellent facial tracking. But just as she had thought when she first received it To her, this model was like a pearl necklace on a pig. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. She used it because she had to as an employee of a VTuber company. And sure, she appreciated it. But Magia was practically expressionless by default. Her gaze always half-lidded, barely moving except to speak. Even when she smiled, only her mouth moved. And when she tried to force different expressions, it felt awkward and unnatural. Despite having such a good Live2D model, she couldnt fully utilize it. StillMagia loved her model. From the moment she received it, she had thought: One day, I need to find someone who can actually make full use of this. ...And what do you know? Today, Cheon Do-hee was inside her body. How could Magia possibly let this opportunity slip? This was her one chance to test every feature of her modelon her favorite oshi. Gia, Im starting to feel dizzy. Hurry up and say it. The funny part was that the chat immediately jumped in to support Magia. Magia, stand at attention. What are you doing? Wheres your workplace discipline?! Hurry up and do the puff-cheek thing!!!! Kyaaa, do it NOW!! What kind of black company is this? Tsk, tsk, disobeying the boss? All hail Supreme Leader Momo! One moment, they were calling Momo a dictator. The next, they were praising her absolute rule. They flip-flopped constantly to suit their mood. But ultimately, this only proved one thing The audience was dying to see Magias full range of expressions. Of course, why Cheon Do-hee had to be the one to show them was a mystery. But a promise was a promise. At this point, I might as well roll with it and smoothly transition into the reveal... In fact, at this rate, she could do a full facial test using Magias model and then trigger the transformation sequence during the Final Move segment. Gia. Are you ignoring a direct order from your boss? You keep hesitating. Whether or not Magia actually understood the deeper plan behind Do-hees actions was unclear. But hey, she was going for it. Cheon Do-hee took a deep breath, clenched her throat to try and mimic Magias tone, and forced the words out. ...I-Im the... cutest... puff-cheeked... cutie... pwoo.... Silence. KYYYYAAAAA IMMERSION. IMMERSION. WE HAVE CASUALTIES. MEDIC!! CARDIAC ARREST! SOMEONE CALL 911, PEOPLE ARE DROPPING DEAD. Absolute chaos. Magia had never shown this expression before, so the viewers were losing their minds. And seeing Magias actual reaction in real-time only made it better. Shock. Delight. Pure satisfaction. And since Momos model perfectly reflected every single emotion, it became part of the comedy. HER EXPRESSION, LMAO SHES SO SHOCKED, LOL SHES ENJOYING THIS WAY TOO MUCH LOOK AT HER FREAKING OUT ACTUAL PURE ECSTASY ON HER FACE DEADASS, THIS IS THE FUNNIEST SHIT IVE SEEN ALL YEAR And thenMagia dropped her next bomb. You know, doing the same thing twice would be lame. So how about you do a full facial test, Gia? Cheon Do-hee froze. ...That was exactly what she had been planning. Despite zero prior discussion, their intentions had aligned perfectly. She felt oddly satisfied. Without hesitation, she started the audio. [VTuber Facial Test, START ?] Blinking. Wide open mouth. Wink. Confidence. Happiness. Sadness. And then Final Move. Do-hee tapped the table twice, signaling Magia. Get ready. Its happening. [Final Move!] The sound cue hit. And with a special control key, Do-hee triggered the transformation animation. No sparkly magical girl effects. Instead, dark storm clouds spread like ink on glass, swallowing the screen in deep blue-black particles. ? ?? HUH? And then BOOM. A shotgun blast shattered the screen, leaving a massive, gaping hole. Amidst the shattered black glass fragments A gun barrel aimed directly at the viewers. The one holding the long double-barrel shotgun? None other than Magia. Wearing a loose-fitting robe, a wide-brimmed witchs hat, and a mechanical staff strapped to her back. Final Move... Witch Transformation! Cheon Do-hees awkward impression of Magia barely registered Because the entire chat was in SHOCK. Even though everyone KNEW it was April Fools The moment they saw the transformation, A long-running rumor slammed into the forefront of their minds. WHAT THE FUCK; ??? NO WAY SHES ACTUALLY DEBUTING ?? SHES REALLY DEBUTING?! HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT MAGIA IS REALLY A SECOND-GEN MEMBER?!?! NO WAY I DIDNT SEE THIS COMING WTF ARE YOU KIDDING ME, WHY IS THIS REAL?!?! Chapter 122 W-w-what; ?? Wait, is this actually a debut? ??? Is she really debuting? Holy shit, holy shit Magia is actually a second-gen member?! No way, I never saw this coming What the hell, why is this real? The chat was in flames after Magias transformation reveal. And at that moment, Cheon Do-hee decided to take it even further. If this was going to be an April Fools joke, she might as well push it as far as it could go. The whole "if you''re gonna light the fire, make sure it burns bright" conversation she had with Magia? She wasnt lying. Boss, you better take responsibility. Everyone now knows that Im not a human from Earth but an otherworlder. Youre the one who pulled off the Final Move, and now youre blaming me? To anyone unfamiliar with VTuber culture, this might have sounded like complete nonsense. But VTubers all had their own lore and roleplay settings. Even though they rarely mentioned them outside of special streams, the official Parallel website clearly listed all the first-gen members as otherworldersa dragon, an elf, a beastfolk, and a fairy. So when Do-hee casually dropped "Magia is an otherworlder", She was basically confirming that Magia had the same setting as the first-gen members. Which meant ?? Hold on, was she supposed to be first-gen? WHAT THE HELL Was she originally meant to debut?! First-gen was actually five members all along...? Holy shit, did she fail to debut back then and now theyre making her do it as second-gen?! IS THIS REAL? The chat speed became unreadable. And Do-hee? She didnt stop there. She completely fabricated new lore on the spotsubtly implying that Magias debut had been planned long ago and that she had always been meant to be a VTuber. She had endured too many accusations, too many forced debut demands. On April Fools, she was letting loose. For reference, the magitech broom I just showed you is a state-of-the-art floating device created with human technology. As a bonus feature, it also fires shotgun rounds from the tip. Isnt that amazing? What the fuck lmao Why is this bullshit so well thought out ?? Has she lost it?? Why does it actually sound legit What do you mean, bullshit? You saw it during my transformation, didnt you? Boss, theyre not believing me. Should I demonstrate my power a little? Go ahead. Ill allow it. Alright then, time to discipline those who dont believe. Ill give them a taste of my Magitech Broom BAN MK1. Starting with a light 10-second temporary ban. Oh, by the way, since its a shotgun, its gonna hurt a bit. (Message deleted by moderator.) (Message deleted by moderator.) (Message deleted by moderator.) WHAT THE FUCK (Message deleted by moderator.) DID SHE REALLY JUST DO THAT MOMO HAS LOST HER MIND LMAO (Message deleted by moderator.) Magias never done a ban wave this reckless lmao A sudden mass banning. Viewers were screaming But most of them were laughing because the ones who didnt get banned were suffering more out of jealousy. :: An anonymous supporter has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Aaaagh, it hurts so much, teacher! :: :: An anonymous supporter has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Why me, why me, why me, why me, why me, why me, why me, why me, why me, why me?!?!? :: As the stream continued, The debut demands started dying down Instead, more and more viewers were just riding the chaos. Yeah, lets see how far this goes Momo is actually hilarious today Even Magia must be shook right now Our CEO has gone insane Honestly, this was expected. Cheon Do-hee, who normally ignored all the Just debut her already spam, Was suddenly going along with it So of course, viewers thought she was testing the waters with an April Fools soft debut. They cheered her on. Youre doing great, boss! Keep going! Keep going! The stream spiraled into pure chaos ...But 20 minutes in, It was time to bring things back. The real reason for the broadcast was to drop the new song teaser. Do-hee figured the setup was complete She held up two fingers, their pre-arranged signal to Magia. While Magia prepared to play the teaser, Do-hee dropped the act Her forced cutesy voice disappeared as she spoke in her real tone. Alright. I guess its time to talk about what the surprise announcement actually is. At that moment, A few viewersespecially the ones who had been praying for a real Magia debutfelt a bad premonition. ? Huh? Wait? What? Hadnt they already made the announcement? Wasnt Magias debut the surprise? This was originally supposed to be a short 10-minute stream, But since our dear Deputy Magia went too far, I ended up retaliating and went overboard myself. I didnt go that far. Unbelievable. Lets see if you can say that again after you rewatch the VOD. Im serious. But Momos tone was serious. Even people who werent VTuber fans could tell This was different from the April Fools jokes earlier. Did anyone watch the first-gen group karaoke stream last night? The chat fell silent. Everyone was stunned by the sudden shift. ?? Yes Yeah, I did Whats going on? We recently got an incredible opportunity. So, for the past month, the first-gen members have been preparing an original song. And today, were finally able to reveal the teaser video. Lets watch it together first, and then well talk more. Magia switched the screen And the teaser video began playing. A highlight from the song started, and four silhouettes appeared. Clearly, they were the first-gen members. But Something was off. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. The silhouettes didnt match any existing illustrations they had seen before. Holy shit, new outfits?! WTF KYYAAAAAAAAA Dude, how long has it been since New Years? And were already getting new designs?! THIS IS INSANE Wait, this was the surprise all along?? FUCK, PRAISE CEO MOMO!!!!!! MOMO! MOMO! MOMO! MOMO! MOMO! MOMO! MOMO! MOMO! MOMO! Against the black background, a shutter flash effect revealed the members one by one. The music, lasting a little over a minute, had a distinct K-pop feel A high-energy, powerful chorus that cut off right at the climax. And as the screen faded to black, The credits rolled. [ Vocal / Acting ] Parallel Another (Akari Dora, Nezumi Maru, Aoyagi Rain, Midori Komari) / (feat. Fan_C) . . [ Production ] CAT Entertainment Co., Ltd [ Director ] Allmight Prod. / Producer C WooH Sunwoo [ Coordinator ] Parallel Everyone had expected some small indie label But ? Nvl?ht ? (Dont copy, read here) when they saw that name... The chat exploded. ? ??? CAT? Huh? DID THEY JUST SAY CAT?! NO WAY IS THIS REAL?! :: An anonymous supporter has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: WTF, when did the stream tag change?! :: [ (????Live) Surprise Announcement ] ???? 42,441 #Parallel #CAT HOLY FUCK NO WAY, THIS IS INSANE WTF WTF WTF IS THIS A DREAM?? HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT MOMO IS A GOD MOMO! MOMO! MOMO! MOMO! *** After the broadcast ended, reactions were all over the place, just as Magia and Cheon Do-hee had planned. People didnt know what to believe and what not to believeutterly confused. However, one fact was universally accepted: Parallel collaborating with CAT on a song was real. ... Pazijik Gallery ... [Lets break down what kind of company CAT is.ARABOZA] Since a lot of people here only watch streamers, they might not get how big of a deal it is that CAT is involved. Heres a chart comparing agencies of top-charting artists: If we exclude VTuber and Utaite categories, then SB and CAT are the two giants of the Korean entertainment industry. The #1 girl group right now is Snowyn, under CAT. The #1 boy group is TNT, under SB. Both companies have multi-trillion-won market capstheyre mega-corps in the entertainment scene. Aside from their insane talent acquisition abilities, they also have stupid amounts of money. Skill matters in entertainment, sure, but at the end of the day, money is king. If Parallel got CATs stamp of approval based on skill, then theyre only going up from here. Pazijik015: Info +1 Pazijik436: Info +1 Pazijik259: Who the hell doesnt know this? ... ... ... Pazijik Gallery ... [So does this mean Parallel will catch up to BachuBachu soon?] BachuBachu partnered with SB and started dominating the VTuber and Utaite market, so it looks like CAT is making its counter move. Pazijik912: Getting recognition from CAT for their musicality is pretty sick. ? Pazijik039: Probably because the first-gen group song had a strong idol vibe? ? Pazijik561: Yeah, the first anniversary song was a huge factor. It had that K-pop feel. Pazijik005: But why did CAT sign with Parallel though? ? Pazijik994: Probably scouted both Lapits and Parallel, but Lapits has been shaky lately, so they went with Parallel. ? Pazijik994: Also, its just one song for now. Who knows whatll happen later. ? Pazijik842: If it does well, wont they just keep working together? ? Pazijik994: Yeah, maybe. ... ... Parallel had always been overshadowed by BachuBachu, which practically monopolized the VTuber market. But now, Parallel was rising like a new starand their own gallery was in full celebration mode. ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [I always believed in you, damn it!!!!] Parallel fucking did it. Im so goddamn proud of these kids!!!!! And even Allmight is involved? HOLY SHIT Parallel912: I never expected a contract with CAT lmao Parallel101: Wait, whats Allmight? ? Parallel756: Its a CAT sub-label. They manage big-name Utaite singers like Iyura. ? Parallel101: Ohh, I see. ? Parallel756: Basically, theyre pros at handling weeb music. Its not just a throwaway sub-labelthey get actual funding and resources. ? Parallel592: TL;DR: ITS A FUCKING PARTY Parallel004: Are they just using our members to promote FanC? ? Parallel290: Dont call our first-gens disposable tools, wtf. ? Parallel756: If that were the case, FanC would be the main vocalist, not a feature. ? Parallel756: Just enjoy the ride, man. ... ... What was even funnier was that, despite the initial shock, Magias fanatics didnt stop their conspiracy theories. Because they had enough fuel to keep going. Even though there was no official debut announcement, Magias transformation reveal on April Fools proved something. Her Live2D model was made to the exact same standard as the first-gens. ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Magia HAS to debut. No other option.] April Fools content always becomes canon. Its a common practice to test ideas on April Fools If it gets a good reaction, they turn it into something official. So Magia is debuting. Theres no room for debate. Agree? Parallel395: Stay strong. ? Parallel481 (OP): WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN, STAY STRONG Parallel935: Good luck, man. ? Parallel481 (OP): STOP TALKING TO ME LIKE IM DELUSIONAL. Parallel254: Just accept that shes basically debuted already. Stop begging for it, its annoying now. ? Parallel481 (OP): DIE. ? Parallel731: LMAOOOO ? Parallel059: HEY HEY HEY ... ... ... Pazijik Gallery ... [Im settling the Magia controversy once and for all.] [Post by: ????Pazijik1] I watched the April Fools stream myself and talked to the Parallel gallery admins. We agreed that Magia should now be considered a full-fledged streamer/VTuber. Anyone who argues about the rules, Or spams clickbait posts about Magias debut schedule Will be permabanned. ? Not allowed: OMG MAGIAS DEBUT DATE JUST LEAKED clickbait posts. ?? Allowed: Magia just obliterated todays matchup type posts. Pazijik461: So whens the free burger giveaway? Pazijik915: Good luck, bro. Pazijik851: So were officially treating Magia as a debut VTuber now? ? ????Pazijik1: Yes. ? ????Pazijik1: We were waiting for an official announcement, but the officials themselves were trolling. So, fuck it. ... ... In the end, even Pazijik Gallerya community larger than Parallels own fanbase Had no choice but to surrender to Magia and Do-hees calculated chaos. Unlike Parallel Gallery, which had completely given up on the debut debate, Pazijik Gallery settled on officially classifying Magia as a streamer/VTuber. It was a delicate balance Each side clinging to the version of reality they wanted to believe in. A week passed, And finally With all the members vocals recorded, The last piece was about to fall into place. The final recording session for the last featured artist on the song The Utaite known as Fan_C. Or, as she was also known Magia. Chapter 123 Before the recording, both the first-generation members and Magia had already visited CAT headquarters for a preliminary lesson. But when the actual recording day arrived, everyone was in a complete frenzy, nerves getting the best of them. The recording studio itself held a peculiar significance. It was like a stage without an audiencewhere everything they had practiced in the lesson room had to be performed at its peak, all while racing against time. The time limit was due to the fixed number of recording studios available. In the case of All Might Productions, which had taken charge of Parallel, it was one of the five mainstream labels with an office inside CAT headquarters. They had their own recording studio, but stillParallels music production wasnt exactly their main priority. Since it was essentially an add-on to ongoing projects, time wasnt exactly abundant. Even so, they were in a much better position than other mid-to-small-sized labels under CAT, which had to strictly adhere to scheduled booking times for shared studios. Once those slots ended, there were no exceptionsthey had to leave immediately. At least for Parallel, there was some flexibility to extend or adjust schedules based on upcoming plans or situational needs. Regardless, for all the members, this was an experience they would never forget. Maru, who was the most overwhelmed, said: "I always dreamed about this when I was in the practical music department. I never thought Id achieve it like this. It kind of feels like Ive gone to heaven...? Im nervous, but when I just start singing and glance around, it calms me down... whew." Even Rain, who had traveled all the way to Korea with dreams of becoming an idol rapper after seeing Snowyn from CAT reach the Billboard charts, was too overwhelmed to speak Englishsomething unthinkable for her usual loud personality. "Shit. Wow. This is insane." To the members, this was truly a dreamlike opportunity. And so, Magia made absolutely sure to be fully prepared before her turn arrived. That ridiculous dream they had all joked about since their debut The future where they would perform in a World Cup stadium in front of 100,000 people. If she wanted to take even one step closer to that, there was no room for mistakes. As mentioned before, her role was just a feature. Like the sweet syrup drizzled on top of a perfectly scooped ice cream cone. "Uh... hello?" But what Magia hadnt expected was for Chief Producer Na Hyun-gon to personally show up. With Ena being busy preparing for the second-generation debut, today was practically a one-on-one meeting between Magia and Na Hyun-gon. Team Leader Kang had come along, but the moment Na Hyun-gon arrived, she suddenly "remembered" something urgent and discreetly stepped out, realizing this was an important conversation. "I heard youd be visiting HQ today, so I came down for a bit. Since I was here, I also took the chance to catch up on some newsseems like youve been involved in quite a few interesting events these past two months." Magia gave an awkward smile. "It just kind of turned out that way." "Ive been keeping an eye on things. Even though I dont know much about the VTuber scene, I have to sayyour broadcasts have an incredible pull." "T-Thats... quite the compliment...." Magia shuddered at the praise, and Na Hyun-gon chuckled before cutting straight to the point. "Anyway, I hope todays recording goes smoothly as planned. To be honest, I came here a bit forcefully because I had something I wanted to ask you directly." "Ah, sure. Go ahead." "These days, rumors about your debut are everywhere. Granted, it''s just a small corner of the internet, but your hardcore fanbase seems convinced that you''re already confirmed as a second-generation member." He actually looked into that? Of course, he probably had someone else do it, but even so, it was unsettling how thorough his information gathering was. It had been a noisy topic for sure, but stillit wasnt exactly something a major labels Chief Producer needed to be personally aware of. "Well, since my daughter happens to be close to you, I end up hearing all sorts of things through her." "Ah. That makes sense." "But based on the reports I received, there arent that many people who actually believe the debut rumors. Sena, however, seems almost completely convinced, like your hardcore fans. I cant help but wonderdoes she have some kind of insider information shes not sharing with me?" Magia flinched involuntarily and lowered her gaze. Now that she thought about it, Ena had seemed pretty convinced too. Na Hyun-gon continued, "So, whats the truth? Were partners in this music project, arent we? Id appreciate it if you could give me a little hint." For a moment, Magia nearly blurted out the truth. But then she remembered Cheon Do-hee and quickly shut her mouth. After taking a second to gather her thoughts, she finally replied, "Would it be alright if I discussed this with my boss first before giving you an answer?" Na Hyun-gon burst into laughter. "Haha! Of course, of course. No rush. Take your time. Im just really curious, thats all." At first, Magia had thought he was overly focused on something trivial. But she soon realized that wasnt the case. "If this song does well, we need to figure out the next step. And whether or not you debut will affect how we shape our future plans." "Sh-Should I ask about it now?" "No, no. Like I said, take your time. Besides, youre here to record todaywe cant have you wasting time on this." Ultimately, since this was Cheon Do-hees decision to make, Magia could let it slide for now. Still, from the way Na Hyun-gon spoke, it sounded like he was already factoring her into future projects. Hearing that, she couldnt just leave it alone. She had assumed that depending on how this project went, there might be additional music work in the futurebut ? Nvl?g? ? (Continue reading) from his words, it felt like the entire plan had already been mapped out. "Producer, may I ask a question?" "Of course, go ahead." "Does my debut status really have that much impact on CATs plans? If its an internal matter, you dont have to answer. Im just curious. It might even help me when I talk to my boss." Na Hyun-gon stroked his chin and smiled. "If you debut, then Fan_C, the utaite, ceases to have a reason to exist. Theres no need to split audience interest between two tracks, is there?" "Ah." "But if you don''t debut as a VTuber, then I plan to continue pushing Fan_C as an utaite, starting with this song." Since the topic had come up, Na Hyun-gon went on to explain how he intended to build up Fan_C as an utaite. "I dont intend to have you start from scratch. As you know, our countrys music industry is a brutal red ocean, far too cutthroat to expect slow, organic growth for a rising star. You need to either ride on the success of an established artist or carve out an equal presence to ensure strong public appeal." Magias eyes sparkled as she nodded, and Na Hyun-gon continued. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. "So if Fan_Cs activities become official, my first move will be to produce a collaborative song with Iyura from All Might Productions and you. Your vocal tones are completely different, so by amplifying each others strengths, the song will feel like a fencing match set to music. At the same time, well launch a music channel on YouTube, where youll also upload a solo version..." But from this point on, the discussion became so industry-specific that Magia couldnt fully keep up. Seeing her deep in thoughtso different from the sharp gaze she usually carriedNa Hyun-gon realized his mistake and held back. "My apologies. Youre not deeply familiar with this industry, but you grasp things so well that I got carried away." "Its fine. I didnt understand everything, but it was really interesting. More than anything, Im grateful that a recognized producer like you is sharing these insights. If theres ever a chance, Id love to learn more." Na Hyun-gon already held Magia in high regard, but with each meeting and professional interaction, his evaluation of her only grew. The willingness to actively learn about unfamiliar fields was the best work ethic for anyone in a growth phase. Of course, Magias talents extended far beyond what would be expected from a typical employee. Still, she seemed to prefer being acknowledged as one. Na Hyun-gon smiled in satisfaction. "Since you arrived early and we still have time before recording, shall we discuss this in more detail?" "Sure." *** The recording session went smoothly, and Magia managed to deliver her full 100% without even a hint of nervousness. The vocal guide gave her a few requests along the way, but just like when she recorded the song for the illegal duet event, she quickly understood and adapted. This even earned her the comment, "No wonder you''re so good at voice mimicry." She nearly responded, I just got good at copying things over time, but decided against it, not wanting to sound like she was fishing for compliments. Instead, she simply accepted the praise with gratitude. But the real issue was Na Hyun-gons request. When Magia relayed the news at work the next day, Cheon Do-hees jaw dropped. "Debuting as an utaite and immediately doing a collab with Iyura...?" "Thats what he said." Two and a half months ago, the utaite EULa had 2.5 million subscribers. She used a phonetic rendering of her real name to resemble an English word. Previously, she had participated in the illegal duet content and won by an overwhelming margin. She was, without question, a top-tier talent acknowledged by everyone. Whenever a new video of hers was uploaded, the comment section would be flooded with more international comments than domestic ones, proving her global popularity. Her growth had yet to slow downshe had recently surpassed 2.7 million subscribers. Most notably, she had appeared as a guest at the concert of Japans most beloved utaite, further cementing her massive following. A collab with someone like her? And not in a complementary role, but a head-to-head rivalry, where theyd clash using their vocal strengths like weapons? Even Cheon Do-hee hesitated at the thought of taking on someone like Iyura. Not only would it take immense effort to match her level, but it was simply an intimidating challenge. Still, backing down wasnt an option. This was a project personally proposed by Producer Na Hyun-gon. "Anyway, it sounds like the producer already has a vision for this. Ill set up a proper meeting and give him a clear answer. For now, just focus on your own work." "Got it." Cheon Do-hee had a complicated feeling about all this. Even within the company, Magia had always been drowning in work Yet somehow, even outside of it, opportunities kept piling up, dragging her into more projects. Still, the fact that both she and Magia kept pulling in work like a well-oiled two-horse carriage was already an ideal setup. Cheon Do-hee figured that her top priority should be managing Magias workload so she didnt burn out. "Speaking of which, hows the preparation for next weeks training? Youve been busyare you getting enough rest?" Next Monday through Friday, the second-generation members would receive training from a very special instructorMagia herself. It was the same curriculum that the first-generation members had gone through. Magia would personally re-enact countless toxic behaviors she had observed over the years, replicating them in chat and donations to test the second-generation members. For reference, during the first-gen training, Maru had cried from sheer frustration, and Rain nearly ended up in a physical altercation with Magia. There was a good chance history would repeat itself with the second-gen members. Every one of them had specific weaknesses that needed to be addressed, and Magia was looking forward to it. Imagining the "fun" shed have with them, she grinned with pure villainous delight. "Ive prepared the 2025 enhanced version of the toxic behavior template." Chapter 124 The official name of the training I conduct is "Handling Toxicity." But despite its rather ordinary-sounding title, the training itself unfolds in a way that would make anyone worry about the members mental well-being. Some might wonder, Why is this necessary when managers block all toxic chat messages anyway? Well, no matter how closely a manager monitors chat, there are always people who slip through the filter. And ambiguous messages are hard to block immediatelythey require checking past chat history, and in that time, the streamer might have already read them. And of course, the moment you read those kinds of messages, they spark a fire in your brain and send a sharp pain through the back of your head. In situations like that, blocking the chat doesnt really help. Thats why this training acts as a kind of "vaccination." I drop a single Tabasco-jalapen?o-sized dose onto each of their lips and watch their reactions. Looking back on the first-generation training session that took place about a year and a few months ago... Might as well leave and come back later, youre just gonna lose anyway. Frugal meta? Just watching diamonds from a distance now? Yo. Feeling like I wanna shotgun someone in the head. Stop trying to bullshit your way through. Whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine. Hey! You solving puzzles with your items? Lmao, at least it looks colorful and pretty. Even with an explanation, you still dont get it, huh? Pathetic. Not my problem if youre pissed lmao. Yo, answer me. Komaris washed up, huh? Lmao. "If you dont like watching, then just get the fuck out!! Washed up my ass, you piece of shit" Komari had since grown used to streaming, and her audience had come to appreciate her occasional outbursts. Nowadays, she compromised by letting herself get genuinely mad once in a while. But back when she was just starting, she had tried incredibly hard to hold back her temper. Why? Because while attending my Handling Toxicity training, she had completely lost it multiple times and hurled expletives in my chat. Even though she knew I was the one sending those toxic messagessince my face wasnt visible and only the chat was, she just couldnt hold it in. Thats why, rather than focusing on Maru, who had a fragile mental state and would cry when overwhelmed, I concentrated more on Rain and Komari. If you break down and cry on stream, your fans will usually handle the aftermath for you. But if you snap and start swearing, or worse, pick a fight, that is when things spiral into a full-blown war. You might think, Why is it wrong to call out the asshole who sent the toxic message? Theyre the ones in the wrong. But this is the world of online streamingpeople will take that reaction, turn it into controversy, and use it to permanently brand you. Thats why its better to be cautious from the start. If you must swear, keep it light and direct it at something elselike "This goddamn piece-of-shit game, Naore!" instead of a specific person. This is also why, during second-gen training, Ill be paying extra attention to Orca. She was chosen precisely because of how well she normally keeps her temper in check. She received high marks during selection for that very reason. But when someone like her finally snaps, its far more dangerous. And in the world of streaming, that moment inevitably will come. Lets talk about the others first. Miho? She tries to act like a social butterfly, but deep down, shes just an introvert. Whenever someone criticizes her, her first instinct is to curl up. Even if chat gets nasty, shed probably just let out a quiet "Uhh, dont do that..." in a small voice. And Miho loves to analyze things. If I frame the training as an investigationhaving her figure out which messages are toxic and why they were sentshell probably figure it out on her own pretty quickly. And by the time shes done thinking, the moment to respond will have already passed, making it look like she naturally ignored the message. There might be more to it, but at the moment, I dont see any major red flags for her handling toxicity. Ena? Theres no need to even mention her. Until we teamed up for the Combative tournament, my knowledge of her was fairly surface-level. But in that tournament, Ena carried the immense responsibility of being the main shot-callerand she did so without a single complaint. The chat during that event? Even though the managers were monitoring it, since she was the main caller in a major tournament, the toxicity was off the charts. Your shot-calling is why your team keeps losing. Youre absolute dogshit at playing your role. You and Youngun must be secretly hooking up behind the scenes. No matter how this tournament ends, your reputation is finished. The worst of the worst flooded in, taking shifts to make the chat into a cesspool. And yet, Ena endured it. As a reincarnated VTuber, she might attract even more targeted toxicity. For her, my focus will be on recognizing which messages are worth addressing and which can be ignored. But as I mentioned earlier, Orca needs closer monitoring. We need to push her buttonsto see just how far she can be provoked before she loses it. Only then can we determine how to handle potential issues in the future. "The order will be: Ena, Miho, then Orca. If any of the feedback sessions run long, well push the remaining ones to the next day. Thats why this training is scheduled for the whole week. If we have extra time, Ill also show sample footage from past streams of senior members dealing with toxic chat." We dont show those videos upfront because people tend to mimic what they see. Instead, we want to see raw reactionshow they respond when given no prior guidance. After I finished explaining, Ena raised her hand. "But Gia, arent you going to take the training yourself?" "Im the instructor. I cant take the course and teach it at the same time." "Thats true, but wouldnt it work if we found someone else to act toxic toward you?" Miho, intrigued, giggled and chimed in. "Shouuuld we do it?" This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. With Ena nodding in agreement, Orca naturally followed suit. It was clear that they all wanted to see me go through the same experience. So, I set a condition. "Well, I suppose watching my response could be useful for you. Fine, lets do itbut only after we finish your training and go through the prepared materials. At that point, it wont be too different from watching how the seniors handled it." The three of them nodded enthusiastically. Hmm. I mean, its not like Im the type to get rattled by this stuff. But who knows? Becoming the target myself might actually teach me something new. And since this training is happening under the CEOs orders, if it helps refine the curriculum, then its worth trying. Guess Ill just have to hope they wrap up their sessions early. * For today''s training, the second-generation members had prepared their own content in advance, just as Magia had requested. The theme? Either "The content you most want to stream" or "Your favorite type of content." Nothing ruins the experience more than encountering toxic viewers while doing something you love. And since people tend to react more intensely when their favorite content is targeted, this training was designed to push them to their limits. A prime example was Komari. Nothing made her angrier than the toxic messages she received while playing Naore, the game she loved the most. So, what had Eona prepared? [ Confession Karaoke ] #Parallel #Eona It was a modified version of the confession-based content she used to run back when she was Serena Viewers would submit their stories, and she would sing a song that fit their situation. A temporary chatroom, styled like an actual livestream chat, was set up. Three people entered the simulation: Miho and Orca, who would play the role of normal chatters And Magia, who would play the toxic one. For a brand-new VTuber, even just handling a livestream program while smoothly running content could be a major hurdle. But because it was Eona, the flow was incredibly smooth. Because it was so smooth, the normal chat interactions didnt create much of a dramatic effect. At most, they typed things like drumroll or Ohh~ as reactions. But toxic chat? That was a different story. Are you reincarnated? No wonder youre so polished, you have prior experience. The moment those messages appeared, Miho and Orca were visibly horrified. They turned to Magia with wide eyes, silently asking, Is this really okay? But this was Magias job today. Without even glancing at them, she continued her barrage. Answer me. Cant hear me? Weird. Other streamers always respond to this kind of thing. A flood of spam messages. Eona glanced at the chat a few times but remained composed. Seeing that she was still holding steady, Magia turned up the heat. Escape is for the smart ones, lol. My teammates died, but I survived, so its all good! The moment those messages appeared, Miho let out a choked gasp. Orca, on the other hand, nervously shifted her gaze between Magia and Eona. But as Magia had already emphasizedthis training was designed exactly for this. She had warned them in advance that she would be showing them the worst of the worst. Just like a vaccine works by introducing a weakened version of a virus to strengthen the immune system, this training was meant to build up their tolerance and response to toxic chat. Fortunately, Eona passed the first trial flawlessly. Mentioning a VTubers "past life" was a hard no. Other types of toxicity could be responded to directly, but this particular topic had only one correct approach Ignore it until the managers handle it. Why? Because even though most people watching the stream already knew about a VTubers past identity, there was an unspoken agreement to pretend otherwise. So, the correct response was to do nothing at all. After passing this test, Eona moved on to her main contentsinging songs based on viewers stories. Magia struck again. Sounds even better now that youre out of prison, lol. That corporate slave energy!!! Eona didnt respond. She didnt even look like she was paying attention to the chat. A flawless 100/100 reaction. Magia, impressed, nodded and continued typing up her evaluation notes. And as the test continued, Eona kept handling each challenge smoothly. Even direct comparisons to her past self Honestly, I liked the pink look better, though. "Really? I do like strawberry flavors, but lately, Ive been more into vanilla. And hey, my hair is vanilla-colored right now. Wow, what a coincidence~" She kept her tone playful, turning it into a lighthearted joke. For moments where it wasnt safe to engagelike when someone accidentally called her by her old nameEona knew to leave it entirely to the managers. Serena [ Unban request: "I called the wrong name by mistake, please forgive me ??" ] And when someone donated, asking her to sing an original song she had released in her past life :: Anonymous donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: "Do you plan to sing Pure Saint anytime soon?" :: "I dont take song requests. If youd like to request something, please submit it through the official forum when we hold a karaoke event." Not only was this response perfectly executed It showed an understanding of Parallels internal processes. Parallels VTubers always pre-screened song requests through their official forum. By referencing this, Eona subtly indicated that she was following company protocol. It was the kind of answer that deeply impressed Magia. A prepared VTuber with top-tier judgment. Eonas final evaluation? A+. She could debut tomorrow with zero issues. Since this report would go directly to Cheon Do-hee, it meant Eona wouldnt face any major restrictions during her streams. This result far surpassed the previous highest scoreDoras B+. "Well done. That was a perfect responseI have nothing to critique." "Really? Thanks. Phew... but wow, that was exhausting. Even though I knew it was fake, it still messed with my head..." "In an actual stream, itll be even harder. But for now, you pass." This outcome was expected. The real problem would be what came next. Miho and Orca had to score at least B to pass. If they didnt, theyd have to repeat the training. The program was scheduled to last one week, but if a members score was too low, they would have to keep redoing the course Which could delay their debut. And considering how things were shaping up, the odds of both Miho and Orca failing were high. Even in the first-gen group, the only one who had started with a B+ was Dora. Everyone else had received a C+ on their first try. It wasnt that Serena had been exceptional It was just that, back then, everyone was completely new to streaming. If this had been her first-ever stream, she probably wouldnt have been much different. And so, after lunch that afternoon, it was Mihos turn. Her chosen content? A fully voice-acted playthrough of a story-driven game. Miho had some experience in voice acting, so she likely picked this to showcase her strengths. And the game she chose? A masterpiece. A game so highly regarded for its ? NvIight ? (Read more on our source) story and gameplay that people called it the GOAT of its time. But to Magia, this was prime hunting ground. With a story-driven game came spoilers, elitists, and backseaters And there was no way Magia was going to let that slide. As Miho introduced the game, Magia flooded the chat. Whatever you do, dont focus on the protagonist and heroines conversation. Whatever you do, dont focus on the protagonist and heroines conversation. Whatever you do, dont focus on the protagonist and heroines conversation. It looked like harmless advice. But in reality, it was a soft spoiler. Magia had deliberately set this up to test how Miho would react. Would she get angry? Would she try to analyze it? As expected, Mihos response was slow Clearly, she was trying to think through the message. Her stream even paused, proof that she had frozen up. Magia quietly nodded. If things ended here, Miho might actually score higher than expected. But then Under her breath, Miho started mumbling. "...fucking spoiler bastards. Fucking spoiler bastards. Fucking spoiler bastards..." What the hell? Thats terrifying. Chapter 125 You might wonder how this personality went unnoticed during the audition process. Well, anyone who snapped and swore when provoked during interviews had already been filtered out and placed on the rejection list. But that didnt mean Miho could debut like this. Magia issued her first yellow card. "What you just did would be fine in about six monthsonce youve settled into streaming. But before that, its not a great look." Miho mumbled an excuse. "Ah. I... I turned my mic off and just muttered..." "You didnt even pretend to turn it off just now. That means youd probably make the same mistake during a real stream." "Ugh... but...! This bastard spoiled the game! They just ruined the twist of a game thats supposed to have an amazing story! This little...!" And, of course, the one who sent that chat was none other than Magia. Miho, shoulders slumped, pouted and muttered, "Ill be more careful...." But it wouldnt do for her spirit to be completely crushed at this stage. So Magia tossed her a sweet candy to balance things out. "Still, your actual stream hosting was really good. You were exactly the charismatic, outgoing fox spirit you want to be. Keep going." "R-Really?! Okay, okay, okay!!" It might have seemed like a casual compliment, but Magia had just discovered a management cheat code she could use in the future. If Miho ever started shrinking back or losing energy mid-stream, a simple anonymous donation with something like: "Whered the confident fox go? Why is there a timid little thing here instead?" would be enough to snap her back into character. With that, Miho resumed her stream. Magia, however, wasnt going to let her off the hook so easily. She decided to poke at the same weak spot once again. This time, five minutes into the game. The protagonist had just suffered a tragic explosion, seemingly losing his daughter. Miho, deeply immersed in the scene, had tears welling up in her eyes. Magia struck. Did they ever explicitly say the daughter died? I know this one, lol. Its classic suspense story stufflooks like they died, but they actually didnt. This time, Miho didnt take as long to process it. "...You f...ba..." She gritted her teeth. But. This time, she had the mic off. And when she turned it back on, she channeled her emotions differently. "These absolute bastards... How could they do something like this? Theyre not even human. Should I just kill all these trash characters?" She let out her anger, but instead of targeting the chat, she framed it as role-playing within the story As if she were expressing the protagonists emotions for them. It was actually a brilliant move. Her long-time desire to be an outgoing streamer, Her deep hatred of spoilers All of it fused into a single beautiful performance. Team Leader Kang Ji-ho had once said that naturally extroverted girls are masters at hiding their emotions and insulting people in roundabout ways. Just now, Miho had shown a glimpse of that skill. For the next thirty minutes, Magia continued her spoiler attacks. But gradually, Miho adapted Instead of reacting emotionally, she analyzed the messages more calmly. It was a fantastic transformation. Even experienced streamers turned off donation alerts and barely glanced at chat when playing highly story-driven games. They only checked chat when completely stuck or when asking for help. But even in those rare moments, spoiler trolls always appeared. The only solution was to grit your teeth and ignore them. At most, they could say something mild like, "Please avoid spoilers." If they snapped, theyd immediately find themselves starring in a "Spoiler Troll Massacre Compilation" Which would then fuel an online debate between fans and haters on Triwiki. The best strategy? Dont give them any ammunition. And Miho was handling it well. But. Story-driven games dont just attract spoilers. These days, developers worked hard to balance both narrative and gameplay. And that meant... Some people struggled not because they didnt understand the story, but because they simply sucked at the game itself. Miho, unfortunately, was one of those people. "Ah, seriously...! Why cant they just let me solve this puzzle like all the others?! Why does this one require physical skill?! I just want to see the story! Whoever designed this is completely out of touch!" The moment a game forced players to rely on reflexes instead of logic, Backseaters came out of the woodwork. And for someone like Mihowho excelled in one area but struggled in another This was prime territory for toxic chat. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Wow, youre actually terrible at solving mysteries. "Huh? Wait. Was I even trying to solve a mystery just now?" Damn, turns out Cheon Miho is just bad at detective work, huh? Agreed? "? What are you even talking about? I wasnt solving a mystery!" To be fair, I consider physical skill a type of deduction too. I mean, deduction and destruction both end in -tion, so theyre basically the same, right? "What... what are you even saying...?" For a split second Mihos outgoing personality mask slipped. She clearly hadnt expected chat to twist logic itself just to mess with her. People who analyze and think critically have one big weakness They struggle when faced with completely irrational arguments. And chat had picked up on that weakness. Lmao, what a quail. I came here because I heard she was a great detective, but wow, she sucks. This is frustrating. ???: "Ive read over 100 detective novels!" Yo, you gonna play the game or not? :: Anonymous donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Huh? Thats weird. Every detective character I know has great physical skills. :: "Excuse me? Sherlock Holmes? Really? That guy has garbage stamina. Hed be completely useless without Watson." :: Anonymous donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Lmao, sorry, Ive never read Sherlock Holmes. :: "WHAT?! You Youre telling me you dont even know Sherlock Holmes, but youre trying to lecture me on detective work?!" Sign the contract, Miho! I... am... not... good... at... deductions... "NO. I Ugh, you" Mihos self-control was slipping again. Completely baseless, irrational criticism rained down on Miho, and to make things worse, the game wasnt going well either. It didnt take long before the S.S. Miho started to sink. She had been doing a great job with her extroverted streamer roleplay, but before she knew it, she was back to being a withdrawn, sulking mess. "Oh... I see. So this is a form of deduction, too...? Sorry. I guess Im just bad at physical deduction... But you guys seriously need to relearn basic common sense... Jesus, the level of stupidity here is legendary..." Even when she was sulking, she somehow managed to sneak in an insult. It was so Mihobut still, she needed to dial it down a bit. Especially considering how she had gone off on the spoiler trolls earlier. It was oddwhenever Miho was in full extroverted fox mode, she was much softer. But the moment she let her real personality show, her words became razor-sharp. Even three hours later, when the game was wrapping up, the situation was the same. Big moment coming up, guys! This is where you HAVE to cry! As the emotional reunion between father and daughter played out And as they faced their inevitable farewell Miho didnt shed a single tear. Thats when the game elitists made their entrance. What are you, a sociopath? Not crying here? You must be a fake gamer. Typical overly analytical types. Big T energy, zero empathy. Bet she cant even relate to her friends in real life. Even though Miho insisted, "Im not that much of a heartless T-type, okay?" the nonsense just multiplied like bacteria. "Oh... My apologies. I guess Im just a heartless T-type who cant match the emotional outbursts of you sobbing, humidifier-level F-types... Sigh... Next time, ? N o v e l i g h t ? Ill make sure to have an onion ready or something." It was a bit harsh, but at least it was funny. She just needed to tone it down slightly and adjust her delivery. A "Ugh, I cant stand you guys." would be too aggressive But a "What do you guys even know?!" yelled in frustration would be cute and entertaining instead. The audience would much prefer Miho whining playfully rather than going full UFC fighter on them. Because heres the thing If a streamer truly loses their temper and starts going off, The casual viewers who just wanted to enjoy the stream get nervous and leave, While the actual toxic trolls find it hilarious and double down on their attacks. Thats how a stream spirals into chaos. And eventually, it loses its energy and becomes a niche broadcast only a handful of people watch. Thats why Magia decided to use Crkemang as an example A streamer known for his ability to turn anything into a joke and keep the mood light. The real coaching and evaluation would be handled by the CEO later, But for now, Magia just wanted to steer Miho in the right direction. After their talk, Miho slumped down again and mumbled: "I guess I really do have trouble keeping boundaries when I talk... Maybe its because Ive spent too much time locked up in my room... I know I need to work on it, but its so hard..." Magia chuckled and patted her on the shoulder. "Its fine. Thats why you have me, the CEO, and this company." Miho grinned and nodded enthusiastically. It seemed like she was finally realizing that the company had her back. That made Magia happy, too. And with that, the second training session was complete. "Alright, looks like were out of time today. Orca, youll have to go tomorrow." And so, with Orcas turn set for the next day, Day One of the Toxic Chat Handling Training came to an end. *** That night, knowing she had an extra day to prepare, Magia stayed up late brainstorming ways to mess with Orca. With Eona, it was obvious where to attack. With Miho, Magia had correctly predicted that her love of deduction would make her lose her mind over spoilers. But Orca... Orca was ex-military. Magia could theorize about military culture from various media, But she had never actually experienced it herself. And that left some uncertainty. Some people claimed that bringing up strict superiors and unfair treatment would be highly effective. Others argued that it wouldnt work on modern soldiers. Some said that officers were just as harsh now as they were back then, While others insisted that things had changed. And unfortunately, Magia had a hard rule If she couldnt verify something through a trusted source, She simply wouldnt believe it. If only she had more friends in her past life, She could have asked around and gathered information. But ever since high school, she had cut off contact with everyone. After filtering through all the unreliable information, Magia finally settled on a strategy. She would accuse Orca of being an incompetent soldier. Because as the great master of Ninja Statistics once said: "Whenever five people gather, one of them is always useless." And this was a factconfirmed by the 5v5 team structure of Naore. Everyone wants to believe that they are not the useless one. And conveniently, Orca was obsessed with rules, regulations, and doing everything by the book. She constantly strived for perfection. So if Magia mocked her as a useless soldier, There was no way shed take it well. Magia had mentally prepared for a difficult battle against the fortress of Orcas discipline. But what she hadnt expected Was for Orca herself to throw open the gates and invite her in. "Ah... My apologies. Please wait just a moment." Despite being a strict, disciplined perfectionist, Orca was still a complete newbie when it came to streaming. Magia had already been worried when Orca had been shocked at just how much setup and preparation was required for a VTuber stream. And her worries were justified. She wasnt as bad as Dora, who somehow managed to break fully functional equipment... But she was definitely bad with technology. "Wait. Why is this happening? Im sorry!" She fumbled just trying to turn on her model. She pressed something wrong, and suddenly, the computers sound system died. Then she pressed something else, and now, her microphone wasnt working. And before long She accidentally turned on her camera. If this had been a real stream, it would have already been a disaster. It was like a fortress commander suddenly throwing open the castle gates and surrendering. And there was no way Magia was going to let this opportunity slip. So, you were an ace soldier, but now youre a complete newbie at streaming? The effect was immediate. Orca, who never showed emotional reactions, suddenly snapped. "Absolutely NOT!! Who are you calling useless?!" Her voice boomed so loudly that it probably echoed all the way to the eighth floor. For a simple tease, her reaction was way too extreme. And that made something click in Magias head. Had Orca been bullied in the military? Was her current level of discipline a recent development? Magia couldnt resist. She sent more messages. What if you were actually useless in the army, too? Lol. Military stories are all exaggerated, anyway. Maybe they let you off easy because you were cute. And thats when it happened. Orca, usually so composed, began stammering like a flustered schoolgirl. "Thats not true! I Ugh, damn it...! Why is this happening...? Hngh..." Chapter 126 Magia expected Orca to regain her usual composed demeanor quickly, even if she wavered a little. The reason she assumed this was because the interview evaluation had stated, Shes cute when her usual personality breaks down, and she figured that must have been a rare scene deliberately induced by Do-hee and the HR manager through a high-pressure interview. However, once Orca broke down, she was slow to recover. In fact, in terms of resilience, even Mihowho had no qualms about cursing people outwas better at bouncing back. Of course, it was also possible that this was just because Magia was a particularly persistent and vicious tormentor who had deliberately pushed Orca to her limit. Full-on broadcast preparation turned into a roasting session Now that I think about it, maybe the soldiers liked her because she was cute too She''s frustrating and pitiful, but she never does anything annoying, so people end up taking care of her, huh? LOL No... No, thats not it... Ugh, seriously, this is driving me crazy... Still, Magia hadnt expected Orca to be completely incapable of recovering. But it wasnt difficult for Magia to figure out the cause. After all, Orca, despite whining, was still stubbornly clinging to the equipment that refused to work. So, just like with Miho, Magia immediately shut down the stream and pulled out a yellow card. Orca, assume Ill be there in ten minutes to fix your equipment. Until then, just talk to the viewers. ... Oh. Okay. Sure enough, Orca cleared her throat and immediately switched to conversation mode. Is the fail show over now? There was never a fail show to begin with. With just one sentence, she was a different person. The equipment is still dead though ? Did the fail energy transfer to the equipment? ?????? The streamer is a fail, so the equipment is failing too, damn The equipment did nothing wrong! Dont blame our poor gear! Ah. Its not dead. I already did CPR on it, so once Magia gets here, itll come back to life. C?PR Wasnt that a confirmed kill? It was not! It was as if she had just put down an enormous weight she had been carrying on her back. What changed to make her act like this? Ultimately, it was a matter of responsibility. Orca had been a soldier, and if she failed at something, her entire chain of command got cursed out along with her. She must have gone through that for years. If she had watched Parallel streams before, she would have known that even if a similar situation happened in a real mission, Magia would have arrived to fix the problem within thirty minutes at most. But to just dump a problem on Magia and focus on entertaining the viewers, despite knowing it was her own mistake? Even if someone spoon-fed her that option, Orca wouldnt have been able to take it. From her perspective, that was no different from dumping her screw-up onto her superior. Sure, Magia called her a colleague and spoke informally with her. But to Orca, Magia was still at least one step above her. A senior, the overall operations manager, the CEOs direct line, the shadow power behind the throne, the kind of person youd regret messing with (military equivalent: the son of a general), and so on. After spending three years in an intensely hierarchical environment, Orca could probably list an endless number of ways to describe Magias position. Even though Magia had dropped the formalities, she could still sense the subtle formality in the way Orca treated her. It was the same way Magia acted toward the VTubers she managed. In any case, Orca successfully held out for the full ten minutes. When Magia finally stood up and adjusted the broadcasting equipment, resetting the settings to their original values, the microphone, which had refused to pick up input, started working again, and the unresponsive display came back to life. Despite Orcas reckless adjustments, the settings were all over the place, but Magia restored them effortlessly in a single go. Watching the streaming environment get fixed in an instant, Orca couldnt help but admire her. As expected of you, Manager! Youre the best! Magia was baffled by the sudden flattery, but this was probably one of the ways Orca had survived in the military. If she wasnt good at something, she had to learn, and there was no place where strategic flattery worked better than the military. And since Orca was tall with long black hair, she gave off an imposing aura, but when cornered or sucking up to someone, she was honestly really cute. No wonder the soldiers had recommended she become a VTuber. ... But Magias job today was to push Orca to the brink with no mercy, so she wasnt about to go easy just because the flattery was cute. Wow, she really is a fail Cant do anything without her senior stepping in LOL Just slap a yellow shoulder board on her already Hey, what yellow shoulder board! The only yellow board Ive ever worn was a duty officer tag!! If youre so upset, prove youre not a fail (5 points) Honestly, I feel like I was less of a fail during my first month of enlistment LOL No, but still, basic training is... And I... I mean, in my last year of service, I was... kind of an ace... LOL you dont remember anything, do you? So what kind of ace were you? LOL Apparently, she was a pirate who got punched by lava and ended up with a hole in her stomach~ :: An anonymous supporter has donated 1,000 clouds! :: :: You should just admit it, LOL. Youre a fail, arent you? :: I am not!! :: An anonymous supporter has donated 1,000 clouds! :: :: The way youre yelling makes it seem like you really were a fail, though. :: ... Ah, no, I wasnt. :: An anonymous supporter has donated 1,000 clouds! :: :: The lack of confidence confirms it. Shes a fail. :: .... Fail! Fail! Fail! Fail! Fail! Fail! Fail! Fail! Fail! Fail! Fail! Fail! Fail! Fail! Admit it, admit it, admit it, admit it, admit it, admit it, admit it, admit it, admit it, admit it, admit it, admit it, admit it, admit it! Everyone says youre a fail, but youre the only one denying it LOL Boo, so pathetic, boo, so pathetic, boo, so pathetic, boo, so pathetic, boo, so pathetic, boo, so pathetic, boo, so pathetic! In the end, the flood of chat messages was so overwhelming that Orca completely broke down. Hu... huu... huwaaaah... I-I... I want... to be a fail too... but... Im... not... Usually, when someone starts crying, theres some kind of buildup. But this was so sudden that even Ena and Miho, who had been watching, were caught off guard. Magia poked at her one last time. Pfft, LOL, if your mental state is this weak, your military career mustve been a disaster. Probably just cried all the time and never did anything right. Tsk tsk tsk Its obvious. Orcas cries only grew louder, with no other reaction. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Hwaaaaah!!! Meanwhile, Magia calmly jotted down her assessment while Ena and Miho tensed up, looking at her like she wasnt even human. Something like, Shes not even a person... must have been running through their minds. Normally suppresses her tears as much as possible.Probably wanted to cry ever since the equipment malfunctioned but held back well.Once shes already crying, further provocation doesnt change much, so its actually safe.But after finishing her notes, Magia finally approached Orca and patted her back. Calm down. If you break like this during training, whatll you do in a real match? Viewers are sharp. Theyll notice youre a rookie VTuber right away and spam fail nonstop. C-Cuz, hhic, I-Im not, a fail, but they k-keep saying, I am, hhic... Seeing someone who was usually so precise act this vulnerable was exactly the kind of thing that turned casual viewers into hardcore fans. But if it happened too often, the novelty would wear off, and if they saw her completely bawling like this, even fans would start feeling uncomfortable. After all, fans wanted to see both her cool and weak moments in a balanced way. And, ultimately, its more fun to mess with someone who puts up a fight. If she crumbled every time someone called her a fail, Nvl?g?t (Only on Nvl?g?t) it was no fun at all. A person can be a fail. Whats the problem with that? Youre not a soldier anymore. Even if people call you a fail, just own it. For a streamer, being a fail is actually a strength. Hhhhhh... And come on, no one can be good at everything. Physically, Im the biggest fail of all. At 140 cm, there were way more things she couldnt do than things she could. Even holding up a showerhead for too long made her arms ache. Whether it was Magias mental gymnastics or just the way she talked, Orca gradually pulled herself together. She cried fast, but she also stopped crying fast. Even after the floodgates burst open, she sealed them shut with pure willpower. ... Wasnt that the very essence of military discipline? Or so Magia thought, despite knowing absolutely nothing about the military. *** Orca didnt change overnight. Maybe the suggestion to let go a little had been a key factor, but as she continued streaming, she visibly improved. It was likely because she had been relentlessly mocked as a fail multiple times. Even when Magia deliberately sent mischievous chat messages, assuming the stream would be interrupted and restarted several times, Orca handled them with ease. Todays content is just repeatedly setting up the stream, right? No, its not! Please wait just a bit longer. This time, Ill really have it up and running soon. Honestly, if I were her senior, I wouldve kicked her shins by now. The fail of all fails~ Ill accept being called a fail until the setup is done. Go ahead, tease me all you want... And for the record, Ive never been kicked. The moment that happens, its a direct ticket to Inner Thoughts FM. Be honest, did you ever mistake the quartermaster for some random neighborhood uncle and speak informally to him? If it was just the quartermaster, thatd be fine. She probably did it to a brigadier general too. She even smoothly pulled off blatant lies that were obviously untrue. What do you mean, a brigadier general? Ive spoken informally to a general before. Insane fail, damn. Flipping entire military units on their heads, damn. Well, they shouldnt have looked exactly like a friendly old grandpa who hikes a lot... As the stream stabilized, the frequency of Orcas tears dropped significantly, to the point where there was no need to mention it anymore. At this rate, shed probably end up crying only once every two weeks, and as she gained more streaming experience, that interval would naturally grow longer. With that, Magia finally felt relieved and stopped pushing her so aggressively, instead sharing random military fail stories she had picked up, just to enjoy Orcas reactions. :: An anonymous supporter has donated 1,000 clouds! :: :: Every time dried pollack was served, Id sneak it onto my squad leaders tray while he was off getting hot water for ramen. He always left the pollack uneaten anyway, so no one ever noticed. LOL :: Thats actually kind of cute. :: An anonymous supporter has donated 1,000 clouds! :: :: My superior told me to use his shampoo whenever mine ran out, so I used it for free until he was discharged. LOL :: At least buy your own at some point... :: An anonymous supporter has donated 1,000 clouds! :: :: Got stuck cleaning the officers mess hall, did a triple axel while sliding with a mop, and ended up knocking out a major generals teeth with my head. :: KYAAAAAH!! Thats insane! Completely insane!! A reaction worth savoring. If done regularly, it might even get a great response from military veterans. Of course, since Magia had never served in the military herself, shed need some review from the former service members in the company. In the end, both Miho and Orca had worked hard within a single day to overcome their weaknesses and actually showed results. However, what Magia didnt realize was that their determination wasnt solely because they wanted a successful debut. It was also because they wanted Magia to suffer just as much as they had. That bubbling resentment, the feeling of wanting to pay back a devilish senior for all the tormentwasnt it just like how soldiers dream of getting revenge on their training officers? Thus, the training wrapped up quickly, leaving Friday completely open. And on Friday morning, as expected, it was Magias turn. The second-gen members had been so eager to roast her that they had prepared multiple pages of chat samples on A4 paper. As she passed through the giggling second-gen members, Magia wordlessly sat down at the makeshift streaming desk. Her expression was one of complete acceptance, as if she had reached enlightenment. Seeing this, Miho chuckled and said, Heh... Have you already given up? Like, no matter what we throw at you, youll just take it? Magia simply shrugged and explained what was about to happen. Ill play the role of the target until lunchtime. Hit me with whatever youve got. Even things that would normally get you banned in a stream are fair game. I used aggressive chat against you guys while considering all possible angles, so this is your chance. Ena, half-lidding her eyes, warned her, Magia, dont take this too lightly. We prepared a lot for this. Orca didnt say much, but out of the three, she had brought the thickest stack of paper. As if silently declaring, You made me sob my heart out with your fail-roasting, so take your punishment. Thus, Magias stream began. [ Fantasia (April 2025) ] #Parallel #Magia #Another Huh? Fantasia? Ugh...? ? For her mock stream, Magia chose a topic she was most confident in. Instead of creating an entirely new concept, she brought an early draft of her monthly review series on first-gen members clips. She didnt have the time or energy to come up with something new, and upon reflection, this was the content she was most familiar with. The second-gen members had all assumed she would choose something related to Momo. But now, they were completely thrown off. After all, malicious remarks only worked if they matched the content. At this rate, all the Momo-related insults they had prepared would be useless. LOL, isnt Momo basically a washed-up streamer now? Admit it? Momo and Mugun are secretly dating behind the scenes. I saw it myself. Honestly, at this point, isnt Momo just Magias underling? ^Ta-dah!^ All these carefully prepared lines instantly turned into nothing but scrap paper. And they couldnt even complain, because none of them had revealed their content in advance either. Whats worse, Magia had written all of her roasts on the spot, without preparing any files or references. How could they accuse her of cowardly dodging when she was just doing a regular first-gen content review? Alright, lets officially take a look at the April clips. With that, the second-gen members had no choice but to improvise their attacks within the context of this content. The most sharp-tongued among them, Miho, took the first shot. Her target: a clip of Rain dominating a solo squad match. Honestly, Rain is better at Battle Call than Momo now. LOL. Seeing that, the other two quickly followed suit, inspired by the direction. To be fair, Momo only ever got carried by Magia. LOL. Didnt she cling to Mugun like that too? LOL. Magia read the chat and, in a monotone voice, responded in a way that left the second-gen speechless. Honestly, I do think Rain has gotten better recently. Sharp observation. I mean, this is probably the difference between someone who always rode my bus and someone who kept trying to make it on their own... ? ...? She reinforced her position further. And for the record, the CEO didnt cling to MugunMugun clung to the CEO. Thats a historical fact, even recorded in Goguryeo Watermelon Chronicles. The only reason I joined his in-house tournament was because he kept inserting himself into our space. If Mugun has any objections, hes welcome to come on our stream as a guest and clarify. It sounded like she was defending herself, but not at all. In reality, Magia had just given Mugun an automatic one loss. Not just any loss, but a loss that could generate major buzz through a potential collab stream. Even after that, the second-gen members kept trying to poke at her, but every attempt ended in failure. Honestly, Momo barely streams these days. Maybe its time for her to graduate. Not a bad idea. That way, Id be the only one seeing her at work. Total win for me. Momos only a VTuber because shes ugly as hell. LOL. ...Pfft. Ah. That wasnt a laugh. Sure, I guess you could think that. Anyway, youre getting banned, and Ill keep the CEOs looks to myself. Honestly, these days, I like Magia more than Momo. Yeah, well, I like my CEO more than I like the viewers. A fortress, utterly impenetrable. Magia didnt let a single one of the second-gens roasts land. Not a single attack was ignored. She countered every blow precisely, yet without saying anything that could cause problems on a live broadcast. Eventually, the second-gen members surrendered. Ena, who had been leading the charge, lowered her head in defeat. We lost... A total loss... Magia then added something that left them even more bewildered. But, honestly, all this talk about the CEO is starting to get to me. ...? Spoken by the very person who had kept a poker face for the past four hours. Chapter 127 Both the first-gen and second-gen members. Even Momo, who hired Magia, constantly brainstormed ways to catch her off guard. But it was never easy. Just when they thought they had her cornered, she would slip away like a mouse, and in the end, they were always the ones who got played. It felt like being the gray cat from that classic cat-and-mouse cartoon. But this was because they kept challenging Magia in the realm of internet broadcastingher area of expertise. In other words, if they dragged her into another domain, Magia wasnt so invincible. For example, at these weekly post-training Friday dinners. Miho, who normally struggled with socializing but was unusually comfortable around Magia, smiled and said, I think about this every time, but outside of work and streaming, Magia is actually really quiet and cute...? Even someone like me, whos bad at dealing with people, can get close to her so easily... Ena nodded as if it was obvious, and though Orca was a little late in reacting, she also gave a small nod. Magia snorted. At least talk about me when Im not around. Before the trolling strategy lesson, Magias awkwardness with compliments had just been another one of her endearing quirks. But after getting completely obliterated by this supposed "soft" person, what conclusion did they come to? Wait a minute. Isnt this Magias weak point? The amusing part was that this realization had spread naturallystarting from Momo, then the first-gen members, and now the second-gen, as if someone had been secretly dropping hints along the way. In a way, it was Momos philosophy being passed downshe built her stream by engaging in playful brawls with her audience. So, naturally, it was inevitable that Magia, who once teased Momo mercilessly, would end up teasing the next generation just as harshly. And just as Momo had discovered that complimenting and hyping up Magia was an effective way to throw her off, the others had now come to the same conclusion. Except for Orca, who still saw Magia as a slightly intimidating superior, the other two flanked her on both sides, pressing in close and patting her head. Two hands ruffled her hair back and forth like they were petting an animal, making Magias disproportionately large head bob slightly from the motion. Even the hairdresser at the salon she visited once every six months was gentler than this. Magia sighed. She wanted to put a spoonful of beef bowl in her mouth, but she physically couldnt. ...Let me eat. Still, this was Magia. She had remained composed even when Dora was trembling in fear and clutching her tightly during a stream. And since the members werent going all out to mess with her, she simply endured the moment, eating her food in silence. Munch, munch. With her small mouth, she ate diligently but still finished last among the members. In the meantime, the table vibrated with the sound of a phone buzzing. Ena picked up her phone, tapped on the screen, and glanced at Magia. Noticing this, Magia blinked in response, silently asking, What? Magia, have you not been checking TalkCord lately? Magia immediately shook her head. She wasnt someone who lingered on TalkCord for socializing, and ever since the Combative tournament, she had no real reason to check it. Besides, she had been busy with the second-gen debut and other tasks. Most nights, she just collapsed after watching clips of the members and other VTuber content that Seung-yeon had prepared. Jubi said that if I get in touch with you, I should tell you to check your DMs. Oh. Okay. Ill do that. Jubi. Jubi, huh... Just as Magia was about to take another spoonful, she froze. ...Ah. Magia. Hadnt she forgotten something for months? *** The next day, Magia rushed to Cheon Do-hee and declared a state of emergency. Whats with that panicked look all of a sudden? Do-hee asked. I need the CEOs help. Do-hee furrowed her brows. Magia only said things like this when there was some kind of broadcast-related issue. But as far as Do-hee knew, the only upcoming stream Magia had planned was next weeks usual review content. Which meant this was either some elaborate prank on her or an overreaction to something minor... Still, as the CEO and as one of the Osis, wasnt it only right to humor the troll known as Magia? So, Do-hee gestured for her to speak. I was supposed to do the Parallel World Cup with Jubi. But, as you know, I dont really check TalkCord. I keep all my notifications off. That does sound like you. And? This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. The relaxed expression on Do-hees face vanished the moment Magia showed her the unread TalkCord DM. [Private Messages] January 27, 2025 [Bazubi: Sorry to bother you, Magia,] [Bazubi: But would it be possible to collab next month...?] [Bazubi: If you''re really busy, just letting me know when you might be available would be greatly appreciated...] February 19, 2025 [Bazubi: If you dont have time for the collab, please let me know!] [Bazubi: Im totally fine with not doing it...!] March 25, 2025 [Bazubi: Uh.] [Bazubi: Really, its okay.] [Bazubi: If you think the collab wont work out, just say so.] [Bazubi: I can tell youre busy since I havent heard back,] [Bazubi: But Parallel World Cup is something I personally really wanted to do, and since you were the one who suggested it, I didnt feel right doing it alone.] [Bazubi: Sorry if Im being annoying...] Cheon Do-hee immediately smacked Magia on the head. Are you out of your mind?! Argh. Ugh. I knew this would happen the moment you started making empty promises during that backseat stream. No, I really intended to do this one, I just... forgot. Why didnt you exchange numbers when you were literally at the same company dinner? I did! Thats why I assumed hed just call me... But now that I think about it, I didnt consider that he might not be comfortable making the first move. Ugh. Whatever, just message him right now. Tell him you want to do the collab and apologize for not seeing his messages. Got it. I dont even know if hell believe us... I mean, I know you never check TalkCord, but not everyone else does... The collab isnt even the issue anymore. Should I meet up with him and treat him to a meal first? That sounds like a good idea. You two already know each other, anyway. Have a meal together, and if things go well, suggest an in-person collab. Though, I guess that depends on whether Bazubis computer can handle running two models at once. Now hurry up. Magia debated calling outright but decided to send a DM first. Bazubi was the type of person who was hesitant and cautioushe had probably waited for a reply before making a move himself. If she suddenly called out of nowhere, he might get startled and not pick up. [Magia: Bazubi, I am really, really, really, really, really sorry.] [Magia: I dont use TalkCord much and always have notifications turned off, so I didnt even realize I had messages.] [Magia: I only checked after Serena mentioned it, and I had no idea youd sent this many messages.] [Magia: I sincerely apologize again.] Fortunately, Bazubis reply came back almost instantly. It felt like it took less than a minute. [Bazubi: Hello, Magia.] [Bazubi: Yeah, you seemed really busy.] [Bazubi: So the collab is probably not happening, right?] [Bazubi: In that case, is it okay if I do Parallel World Cup on my own tomorrow?] To an outsider, it might seem strange that he was asking for permission. But the world of small streamers was ruthless. Compared to bigger VTubers, they had to cater more to their viewers, constantly walking on eggshells. One wrong move, one misstep, and theyd be labeled as inconsiderate, clueless, or unprofessionalsometimes even exiled from the streaming world entirely. Bazubi kept checking in with Magia because he was conscious of her followers. If he suddenly went ahead with the collab on his own, he risked people going, Wait, didnt Magia personally promise to help him out? And hes just ignoring that and doing it alone?which could quickly spiral into backlash. If he had been desperate for the exposure, he probably wouldve just gone ahead with it. But Bazubi was streaming as a hobby. And Magia knew that very well. [Magia: No.] [Magia: Saying Im too busy for the collab would be a lie.] [Magia: I promised,] [Magia: I just got too caught up with things and forgot.] [Magia: I feel really bad, so I want to treat you to a nice meal and do the collab togetherif youre okay with that.] [Bazubi: You really dont have to do the collab.] [Bazubi: I can tell how busy you are just from watching your streams...!] [Magia: I dont feel okay about it.] [Magia: We havent seen each other in a while anyway, so lets at least catch up.] [Magia: Please? Im sorry.] [Magia: We could even do an in-person collab. If you need any extra equipment, Ill bring it.] After waiting three months, Bazubi had probably felt like an eternity had passed. Would a few words be enough to make up for that? Magia and even Cheon Do-hee held their breath, waiting for the reply. Bzzz. [Bazubi: Okay, then... Would May 5th work for you?] Both Magia and Do-hee immediately glanced at the calendar. May 5th. Childrens Day. A national holidayeveryone was off. Magia had already planned to take the day off too. The next day, May 6th, was the release of a new first-gen song featuring Fan_C... But since speculation that Magia was Fan_C had died down, her sudden appearance on Bazubis stream wouldnt raise any suspicions. More importantly, Magia had the perfect excuse: I promised to collab, but I was too busy and kept postponing it until now. If people didnt believe her, well... so be it. Since when had Magia ever cared about what the audience believed? Do-hee nodded, signaling that the plan was fine. Were doing a group hiatus that day anyway, so go ahead and do the collab properly. Make sure you apologize properly, too. But what if the sudden influx of viewers overwhelms Bazubis stream? Can I go full # Nvlight # blade dance on them? Ban every single one of them. I dont care if theyre our fansif they disrupt someone elses stream, its not acceptable. Understood. At last, Do-hee let out a sigh of relief. Honestly, youre juggling so much between work and streaming. Its no surprise that a few things slip through the cracks. Im only human. Maybe now you understand how I feel when I cant keep all my promises? Magia gave Do-hee a slow, deadpan stare and shook her head. The fact that youre trying to slide past this just confirms that you really are the worst Osis... Hey. Chapter 128 Now that I thought about it, even though we had exchanged contact info, I knew almost nothing about Bazubi. A classic Korean trait. When people meet, the first thing they do is ask about each others age, hometown, and schoolimmediately trying to establish connections through blood ties, academic background, or mutual acquaintances. But a reserved person like Bazubi would shrink in these situations, hesitating to speak. And the people who wanted to ask would end up doubting themselves, thinking, Would it be rude to ask?which ultimately led to both sides avoiding the conversation entirely. At least, in our team, we had Younguna force of pure extroversionwho had tried ? Nvlght ? (Read the full story) asking Bazubi some questions. "By the way, Bazubi, how old are you? Should I call you noona?" ".......... We never got a real answer. For some reason, it seemed like she couldnt say. So we let it slide, assuming she had her own circumstances. That left us with only guesses about her personal details. All we had to go on was that she was about the same height as the CEO and had a reserved posture, but still managed to silence Youngun with just her presence at their first meeting. Which led our team to conclude: she was a career woman in her mid-to-late twenties. She had left the team dinner early, saying she had something to do. She wore a professional-looking outfit, which only reinforced our assumption. Her VTuber model was a mature woman with cow ears and a tail, built to match her real-life physique. And her RP? A single woman past the prime marriage age but not yet a full-fledged spinster. Thats why everyone thought, She must be incredibly popular at work. Maybe thats why she became so reservedbecause she got hounded so much. But, as the saying goes, never judge a book by its cover. Oh my, where did you bring such a cute friend from? ...I wouldnt go that far. Its been years since you invited someone overof course, youre friends. Anyway, have you eaten? Ill prepare something right away, so just wait a bit. ...Ah, yes. This is just a small gift. I heard strawberries are really good this season. Oh, no wonder I kept smelling something sweet. I thought it was coming from you, my dear~. Instead of eating out, Bazubi had suggested we have a meal at her home. And as soon as I stepped in, I was greeted by a woman who looked exactly like her. If I looked closely, I could see the difference in age. But at first glance, they looked more like sisters than mother and daughter, which was incredibly confusing. Honestly, if Bazubi hadnt been wearing a hoodie and shorts, I wouldnt have been able to tell them apart so easily. ......Sorry. ......Told mom she didnt have to stay. ......Got bullied a lot at school, so she worries. Maybe because this wasnt a big social gathering, but just a quiet meeting, Bazubis voice was much clearer than usual. Feeling genuinely sorry for her, I asked with concern. Thats really awful. Are you okay now? ...Yeah. Im taking a break from school, so its fine. Oh no. If you had to take a leave of absence in the middle of the semester, what about the tuition? Thats such a waste. ...? For a moment, I thought I had misheard her. I waited, expecting a response. But Bazubi just stared at me. She wasnt saying anything at all. ...Did I say something wrong? I had assumed, based on her resemblance to her mother, that she was just someone who looked mature. That meant revising my guess from late twenties to mid-twenties. Then, since she mentioned school, I adjusted again to early twentiesfiguring she was a college student. But just to be sure, I asked. Bazubi... youre not a college student? Her answer left me completely speechless. ...No, Im in middle school. ...Sorry, I never mentioned it before. Middle school. ...She was in middle school? To be fair, there had been hints. Her fanbase was insanely protective, acting like a turret defense squad. They were always spamming, Protect Bazubi! and Protect the baby! But who would seriously believe that someone using a model like that was actually a kid? It just seemed like something overzealous fans would say as a joke. And now that I knew her real age, all of Younguns comments from that dinner flashed through my mind. A cold chill ran down my spine. Oh, god. Youngun. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Was he about to be farewelled under the Child Protection Act? Shaking off my horror, I turned to Bazubi with a deadly serious expression. ...Would you like to press charges against Youngun? ...No! Its not like that. ...I intentionally kept it a secret. He didnt say anything that inappropriate...! I mean, thats true, but if anything does happen, please contact me immediately. Ill do everything I can to help. ...It wont come to that, but okay. ...If something happens, Ill reach out. Promise. But seriously. Why did she get so excited when I sang That Slow Train Song on stream? I couldnt just let it go, so I asked. ...Oh. My dad used to sing that when he was drunk. ...It just reminded me of when I was little. ...Ah. That... Im sorry. I didnt mean to bring up something painful. ...No, its fine. Bazubi usually couldnt stop apologizing in collabs. But today, it felt like I was the one constantly saying sorry. I owed Ena big time. If she hadnt pointed it out, I wouldve never realized I had unread messages. Three months felt bad enough. If half a year had passed... I didnt even want to imagine it. How much had this quiet girl agonized over it alone? *** Bazubis mother had prepared an absolutely extravagant home-cooked meal. It was the essence of a classic Korean home mealfilled with that unmistakable taste of a mothers love. Sweet braised short ribs, freshly roasted seaweed, soybean paste stew, steamed eggs, lotus root in soy glaze, and spicy cockle salad. All the kinds of dishes that were usually impossible to get unless you went out of your way. Magia had originally planned to treat Bazubi to a meal out but switched to gifting a box of strawberries instead when she insisted on eating at home. And over the course of the meal, the reason for that became clear. Bazubis mother started sharing stories. To be honest, when she first told me she was streaming to help improve her social skills and make friends, I wasnt sure what to think. But it really workedits amazing. I watched the tournament a few months ago, too. She said she got a lucky entry spot, but the scale of it was enormous. I was so nervous, my heart was racing the whole time. I kept worryingwhat if she messed up? At last, the real reason for Bazubis debut was revealed. Magia now understood why she had thanked Youngun for putting together such a great team. Apart from Youngun, the team had been full of people who naturally took care of othersCrkemang, Ena, even Kamik, who had initially kept his distance. And, of course, Magia herself. Bazubis mother put it into words for her: If shed been in another team, she probably wouldnt have spoken at all and wouldve ended up blamed for the loss. I guess my hearings just a little sharper than most. It just sort of happened. Youre too humble. Either way, Im so grateful. Please come visit more often. How could I not treat such good friends to a meal? Magia felt a little guilty, but Bazubi was just as embarrassed. ......Its embarrassing. Please stop. What are you talking about? You always tell me how grateful you are to them. ............. Bazubis hand slowed dramatically as she pushed food around on her plate, her face bright red. She couldnt bring herself to say it out loudbut having her mother say it for her was even worse. Since they couldnt avoid discussing the collab any longer, Magia brought it up once Bazubis mother left the table after finishing her meal. So, I think this is going to turn into an all-night stream. Are you okay with that? ...All night? Yeah. Just doing Parallel World Cup didnt feel like enough, so I thought we could add a game. Running Parallel World Cup from the 64-player bracket alone would take about 4-5 hours. Adding a second game meant staying up all night was basically inevitable. As soon as she heard that, Bazubi shook her head firmly. ......We dont have to do that...! But Magia was just as firm. Ignoring messages for three months wasnt a small mistakeshe needed to make it up properly. I dont think I can let it go. I dont want to just gloss over this. Dont feel pressured, okay? I even took the day off tomorrow, so theres nothing to worry about. ......Ugh. Just pick any game you want to play. Doesnt matter what kindits your choice. Bazubi didnt hesitate long. She had dreamed of a specific collab with Magia from the very first time they met. ...I want to play Never Cry, Princess together. Never Cry, Princess. A spiritual successor to Queen Maker, the original Raise Your Daughter game. The game was set in a fantasy world where you raised a ten-year-old daughter until she turned eighteen. Unlike Queen Maker, it featured more diverse random events and branching choices, leading to over 50 different bad endingswhile only five counted as true or happy endings. But Bazubi wasnt aiming for a happy ending. ...I want to be the mom. And I want you to be the daughter. ? Bazubi was a middle schooler, sure. But in every aspecther VTuber character, her channel brandingshe had always positioned herself as a mature, marriage-ready woman. So her idea was simple: Magia, with her adorable model, would play the role of the daughter. And she would be the mother raising her. Honestly, from that moment, Magias brain just stopped functioning. It was Childrens Day. But Magia, who was not a child, was going to be playing a child. And Bazubi, who was closest to being an actual child, was going to play a mother. Of course, to the viewers, none of that would matter. They wouldnt care about the people behind the modelsonly the dynamic they saw on screen. To them, it would just be Magia doing another fun stream in honor of Family Month. But for Magia herself, there was a profound sense of existential crisis. She had come here to make amendsnot to question the very fabric of her identity. Playing a child in front of a literal middle schooler? Her soul was rejecting the idea on every level. ...Wouldnt it make more sense if we switched? I really dont sound like a kid, and I dont think I could pull off the voice acting well. But Bazubi shook her head. ...Not every daughter in the game is the same. ...Youd be the type thats cynical and mature. ...I wouldnt ask you to do a voice thats completely different from your usual self. Bazubiwho normally avoided pushing for thingswas standing firm on this. It was pure, unfiltered desire. She wanted to play this game with Magia in this specific way. And if she didnt have to fake a voice, Magia supposed she could live with it. Alright. If thats the case, lets try it. The moment Magia agreed, Bazubi let out a long, mature-sounding chuckle, shifting her bangs slightly to the side. Magia suddenly felt very, very conflicted. She had probably taken after her mother quite a bit, given they lived together. But seriously. How the hell is this girl a middle schooler? *** ... PAZIZIK GALLERY ... [WTF is Magia doing?] (PAZIZIK - Bazubi) https://www.pazizik.com/bar_zoo_bee Shes suddenly showing up on some random stream without warning??? LMAO [Comments] pazizik835: This is how small streamers advertise themselves now? LMAO pazizik835: WAIT, HOLY SHIT ITS REAL. Chapter 129 Bazubi had not given any prior notice to her viewers. If she had announced it in advance, she could have drawn in thousands of transient viewers, new arrivals, and a cascading influx of people, but that would have risked alienating her existing fanbase. After all, while the number of transient viewers who followed Magia around could number in the thousands, Bazubis dedicated fanbase was a modest group of about 300 regular viewersan increase from 50 after the Combative tournament. Besides, what Bazubi wanted was a collaboration with a friend, Magia, not a means to climb higher using her connection with her. So, she didnt mind not making an announcement. Magia also found this approach easier to manage and agreed after receiving approval from the CEO. So when Bazubi started her stream as usual, her viewer count looked like this: [(????Live) Its Childrens Day] ???? 204 #Bazubi #Mama Not a single viewer more or less than expected. The numbers stabilized at 200 right after she went live, exactly as usual. ...Hello, Bazubi here. Thank you for stopping by again today, Jubu-dan.... Jup-ha~ Jup-ha jup-ha Did you think we # Nvlight # wouldnt see this surprise stream? LOL ...How did you know? I didnt even announce it.... Bazubi is a baby, so of course, you have to stream on Childrens Day Real talk, LOL Its only natural for a child to stream on Childrens Day ...I keep telling you Im not a baby. Im a really pretty big sister.... LOL LOOOOOL Oh, here we go again Bazubi is a baby, and babies should stay babies :: An anonymous supporter has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Okay, okay, take the money and stop insisting. :: Thank you for the ten-dollar donation. I only speak the truth.... Yeah, yeah She never lets it go, LOL Alright, fine, LOL Bazubis stream had the same volume level as when she spoke in a small, quiet space. It felt as if she was muting the first few letters of her words, but her intent was still clearly conveyed. And yet, whenever she received a donation, she spoke clearly and precisely, as if she had practiced it, showing that she had mastered the basics of streaming. Even though it was just a hobby, she structured her streams with an opening, first segment, second segment, and closing, maintaining her audience with impressive consistencyquite a solid foundation for a small-time streamer. She even created separate PowerPoint slides every time to introduce the different sections of her streams. The effort she put in was remarkable. Many small-time streamers never followed even these basic principles, which is why they remained small forever. But despite not streaming for money, Bazubi still adhered to best practices, making her an interesting case. More than anything, the entire structure of her streamthe flow from the start to introductions and guest appearancesfelt eerily familiar. And with Magia as the guest, there was no way not to notice. This feels a lot like how our talents run their streams. Magia suddenly recalled how, during Younguns post-tournament stream, Bazubi had reacted passionately to the idea of doing a Parallel World Cup event. For an average small-time streamer, it would have been natural to get excited about the sudden opportunity. But as everyone knew, Bazubi streamed purely as a hobby. So that reaction had been genuine enthusiasm. A love for Parallel so real it couldnt be faked. She didnt make it obvious, but is she a fan of ours? Holding onto that curiosity, Magia quietly observed as Bazubi proceeded with her broadcast and introduced her guest. ...Today, we have a special guest joining us. The moment she mentioned a guest, the chat exploded. The viewership had climbed to 300 by then, but the energy in chat surged far beyond what 300 people should be able to produce. ? Huh? A guest? ?? What?! Shy little Bazubi has a guest?! :: An anonymous supporter has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Bazubi, just because its Childrens Day doesnt mean we can grant every wish... :: LOL Even we cant summon guests out of nowhere, LOL Damn, we cant just challenge someone into appearing Hey, hey, hey, LOL But no one truly believed her. The chat was full of teasing messages, joking that Bazubi was bluffing. The reason for their disbelief became clear with the next donation. :: An anonymous supporter has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: You little rascal, just because you won the Combative tournament, huh? Feeling cocky now? You cant just summon a guest at will! :: Dont force busy people to join. Just do your usual stream. Bazubi, I like you just the way you are... Its not like youll die without a collab~ Anyone unfamiliar with her audience would find their reaction strange. A guest appearance? Who? Someone famous? Wow, Bazubis finally going to make it big! That should have been the natural reaction. But instead, it felt like her viewers wanted her to remain a small-time streamer. Magia, who had once been among the 300 regular viewers of Momos streams, analyzed the sentiment in detail. On the surface, it was to protect the streamer. Becoming famous inevitably meant that, at some point, every streamer got hurt. Whether it was a real controversy or a manufactured one, every growing streamer faced their trials. If they endured, they became top-tier, but if they couldnt, they often quit streaming altogether. So Bazubis fans believed her current scale was ideal to keep her from getting hurt. ...But that protective instinct wasnt entirely pure. As a streamers audience grew, their ability to personally interact with individual fans naturally declined, and what once felt like a close friendship would slowly turn into a business-like relationship. And what if, during her rise, she ended up attracting an unlikable big-name streamer? (A.K.A. Movgun) It would take no time at all for things to spiral out of control, and it would just be an endless headache. Thats why part of them wanted her to stay small. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. They wanted to protect her, but also to keep her tied down. An incredibly complex and contradictory emotion. Usually, when a fanbase was dominated by extreme turrets, they would start actively sabotaging a streamers growth, attacking them like a curse that crushed their ambitionsthis was something that even Momo had dealt with. But Bazubis audience was different. Their concern was genuine, and it was visible even in the chat. This was a fanbase that acted more like loyal watchdogs than restrictive turrets. In most small communities, people wore masks, so figuring out their true feelings was difficult, but this one was unusually transparent. When Magias identity as the guest was finally revealed, they went through two distinct stages of reaction. First came shock and amazement. ...Our guest today is none other than the manager supporting Parallels VTubers, Assistant Manager Magia! Everyone, give her a round of applause~. Hello. Im Magia, Assistant Manager of Parallel. Somehow, Ive found myself suddenly greeting all of you. ? What Huh? Is it really Magia? Yes, its really me. Gia, dont cause trouble and behave on the stream, okay? ...Yes, CEO. Oh, shit, LOL Its actually her, LOL That Momo impression was spot on. Its really Magia, LOL Then came concern and worry. A huge wave of transient viewers is about to flood in The day has finally come... Protect Bazubi!! They instinctively knew. Whenever a major streamer appeared, a tidal wave of new viewers followed. If they were just normal, fun-loving guests, it would be fine. But this was Magia. Someone who had constantly been at the center of endless debut speculation and drama, dragging massive arguments wherever she went. The transient viewers arriving wouldnt be ordinary. In the worst case, they might completely overwhelm Bazubis stream and push her into the background. It was only natural to be wary. But Magia had already anticipated this concern. Having witnessed firsthand how Movgun nearly wrecked Momos channel years ago, she had prepared extensively. Parallel was on a full break, but three volunteers had stepped up as chat managers, just in case. Gong Seung-yeon had joined, insisting that she couldnt relax while her superior was working. And Magia herself was overseeing everything while also being a guestmeaning five elite moderators were on standby. She didnt mention any of this, though. Because todays stream belonged to Bazubi. If she started talking about their precautions, it would only shift the focus. So Magia planned to remain completely in the background, playing her role as support. Just as she did with the first-gen VTubers. Because no matter what, todays stream belonged to Bazubi. And by the time Parallels fans and transient viewers began flooding in, the sheer difference in numbers had left Bazubi momentarily speechless. [(????Live) Its Childrens Day] ???? 6,442 #Bazubi #Mama A number Bazubi had never seen before. And it was still rising. The rapidly scrolling chat was further proof that this wasnt just a meaningless numberit was real. Jaha Jaha jaha Damn it, at least give a heads-up next time!!! My addiction has arrived Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you You saved us, Magia I thought I was going to freeze to death today, but you saved us, LOL Gia is here ?? The savior of the frozen Parallel World, Magia! Kyaaaaaaa Uhuhu Urat! Urat! Urat! Urat! Urat! Urat! Urat! Urat! Urat! Urat! Urat! Urat! Urat! Urat! Urat! Urat! Urat! Urat! You thought we wouldnt notice if you started streaming here? LOL You wench! Accept your judgment quietly! You wench! Accept your judgment quietly! You wench! Accept your judgment quietly! You wench! Accept your judgment quietly! You wench! Accept your judgment quietly! Illuwight! Illuwight! Illuwight! Illuwight! Illuwight! Illuwight! Illuwight! Illuwight! Illuwight! Illuwight! As expected, the surge of new viewers triggered resistance from the regular audience. Just as they feared, most of the new arrivals didnt care about Bazubithey were only here to talk about Magia. But at that moment, Magia turned to Bazubi and spoke, instantly seizing control of the situation. Bazubi, as we discussed beforehand, anyone breaking your streams rules will receive a one-month ban across all of Parallel. ? Eh? But this isnt even a Parallel stream!! What? Thats too much Magia just declared that wherever she is, Parallel is there too, damn I AM PARALLEL!!! It was a firm response, and both when they had discussed it earlier and now, Bazubi had hesitated, asking if Magia was really okay with saying that. ...Are you sure thats okay to say? I dont consider people who break the rules and cause trouble in someone elses stream to be part of Wol-Dungi. Dont abandon Wol-Dungi!!!! Boo, traitor Unforgivable! Unforgivable! Unforgivable! Unforgivable! Unforgivable! Unforgivable! Unforgivable! Unforgivable! Unforgivable! And since Magia was someone who always followed through on her words, the hammer of judgment came down immediately. In a matter of moments, over a dozen troublemakers were wiped out, and the worst of the spam and disruptive messages vanished from the chat, leaving it clean in real time. (This message has been deleted by a moderator) (This message has been deleted by a moderator) (This message has been deleted by a moderator) AAAAAHHHHH Visaaaang!!! (This message has been deleted by a moderator) Holy crap, its actually a one-month ban? LOL Goodbye, LOL Whew, fewer competitors now, LOL, nice~ As the chaos in the chat died down, Magia turned back to Bazubi. Dont forget, the host of todays stream is you, Bazubi. Im just a guest who came to visit, and my viewers are just friends who followed me here. If a friend introduces another friend, and that new friend starts causing trouble, isnt it only right to cut them off? So dont worry about them too much. Even if someone streamed just as a hobby, they couldnt completely ignore the influence of large companiesespecially the weight of their fanbases. But when a major figure like Magia took responsibility like this, it made things significantly easier for a small-time streamer like Bazubi. There were, of course, people who claimed theyd take responsibility only to backstab others later. But Magia wasnt one of them. Not answering messages for three months? That was only because Bazubi had insisted on using TalkCord DMs instead of calling. Yet despite all that, Magia had still personally come to meet her, shared a meal, joined this collab, and even proposed a second segment. ...Then, lets talk about what Gia and I will be doing today. Bazubi, emboldened, pulled up the PowerPoint presentation she had prepared for the content introduction. For the first segment, well be doing the Parallel World Cup, which I promised to do with Gia. For the second segment, well be playing Never Cry, Princess together. At first glance, it was a pretty standard stream plan. Lately, as Parallels reputation grew, more and more small-time streamers had been using the Parallel World Cup to draw in transient viewers. But since Magia was here and had promised this before, the first segment was a given. The second segment featured a slightly older game, but its theme fit perfectly with the Childrens Day specialnothing out of the ordinary. However, when the details of the second segment were revealed, the chat exploded. [Never Cry, Princess] Queen Role: Bazubi Princess Role: Magia Well be doing a full voice-over playthrough for the second segment, and Ill explain more after the World Cup is finished. What?! Magia is going to play a ten-year-old kid?! WHAT LOL :: An anonymous supporter has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Its a small thing, but... are clips allowed today? :: And the moment Magia and Bazubi began discussing whether clips were allowed, the last embers of excitement in the chat reignited into a raging wildfire. Bazubi, do you usually ban clips on your stream? ...Should I today? No, I mean, whats your normal rule? ...I dont ban them. Then clips are allowed. Feel free to make as many as you want. KYAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!! Kyaaaaaaaaaa PERFECT LOL Magia voice acting a princess? I need to see this BAZUBI! BAZUBI! BAZUBI! BAZUBI! BAZUBI! BAZUBI! BAZUBI! BAZUBI! BAZUBI! PRAISE BE TO THE QUEEN BAZUBI This is the content we deserve LOL PABAM! :: :: PIN0 has donated 100,000 Clouds! :: :: :: :: Bazubi... is she a god? :: :: Chapter 130 Madness begets madness, and malice begets malice. Humans are creatures that take pleasure in returning the pain theyve suffered onto others. Its no surprise that whenever a frustrating post appears on the gallery, it racks up countless recommendations and becomes a silent trending thread. If you needed an example of someone who triggers this kind of reaction, you wouldnt have to look farMagia herself is the perfect case. Cheon Do-hee, who had endured six long years under the reign of malicious Magia, was already becoming more scheming, as shown during the April Fools stream. The first-gen members, who had only suffered for about two years, hardly needed any further mention. And the second-gen? Ever since they got humiliated in the recent How to Deal with Trolls lecture, they had been lying in wait, searching for an opportunity. No matter how titanium-forged Magias mental fortitude might be, they were all looking forward to the day she would finally crack. And since everyone had their fair share of grievances, the moment news spread that Magia would be voice-acting Never Cry, Princess, the reaction was swift. The second-gen members gathered under Mihos lead. This is our chance.... Orca, the principled rule-follower, protested, asking if it was really okay to do something like thisbut Miho quickly crushed her hesitation with her sharp rhetoric. Magia is practically the demon senior who tormented ? N o v e l i g h t ? you! Are you just going to keep suffering without fighting back?! That single sentence was enough to ignite Orcas fury. She grabbed her keyboard and mouse, too worked up to join chat herself, so she instead volunteered to record clips. Even Ena, who normally just observed and made sure the others didnt go too far, was completely on board this time. If we gather enough clips this time, we might be able to make something like Wicker Town: Demon Castle in the future. That would be a Magia-exclusive mental destruction labyrinth! Let me know if you need help designing itIm confident in Mirona-style traps...! As for the first-gen members, they were, of course, already banding together under Maru. With tomorrows new song release requiring them to take a break today, the timing was perfect. The person who records the most clips today will get an Uajin gift card from me. My god. First place can only be me. Do you really think youre the fastest at clipping? Because I do. Hey, Komari, youre going to lose this time. To add fuel to the fire, Maru had now thrown in a gift card from Uajin, a trendy ice cream brand popular among young women. They were already burning with the desire to get revenge on Magia, and now with ice cream on the line, their motivation had doubled. The only oddity was Dora, who had been unusually quiet. ...Dora, youre in, right? Of course~. Hehehe. She sat at her desk, hands placed over her mouse and keyboard, a wide grin plastered across her face, waiting impatiently for the second segment to start. Anyone who knew Dora well could tellthis wasnt just her usual smug smile. It had evolved into a full-fledged, gleeful grin. If anyone was wondering why Dora was acting this way, they only needed to rememberwho had drawn Magias model? And who had helped fund Pino so that Magias rigging would match first-gen quality? Among all of Parallel, only Momo was watching the stream quietly, maintaining the dignity of a CEO. But that was only because she already knew that the first and second-gen members would handle clipping for her. She had her own role. Out of the thousands of clips that would be born today, which one would deal the most critical blow to Magia? That was something only Cheon Do-hee, who knew Magia better than anyone, could decide. And this wave of vengeance wasnt just spreading within Parallelit was rippling outward, beyond its borders. The stream snipers who had once tried to snipe Magia in Defeat Magia events, only to get counter-sniped and destroyed, saw this as their long-awaited opportunity and were now camping, ready to clip every moment. ... Magia Mini Gallery ... [ALL HANDS ON DECK] (Pazijik - Bazubi) https://www.pazijik.com/bar_zoo_bee (2nd_Segment_Never_Cry_Princess.jpg) Magias going to voice-act a kid after the World Cupstand by, GO GO GO GO GO GO [Comments] Magia932: Is this real??? Magia109: Holy shit, perfect timing ????Magia04: LMAO Magia835: Let her drown in clips ... ... Even Movgun, who had suffered two official (and one unofficial) losses to Magia and regularly got beaten down by Parallel fans and Battle Colosseum players, had slipped into the chat. Movgun: Ugh, whens the second segment? Movgun: Hurry up with the second segment already, geez, Im getting dizzy Who let this guy in, LOL Oh great, hes back at it again Sir, please leave Is he going to get banned at this rate? LOL Meanwhile, nearly half of the players who had been trapped in Magias Wicker Town: Banquet Hall of Shame labyrinth were either ranting in chat or restreaming Bazubis broadcast. Because there had been no prior announcement that Magia would be a guest, the stream had yet to break 10,000 viewers. But then, suddenly [(????Live) Its Childrens Day] ???? 22,442 #Bazubi #Mama Bazubi, who had just yesterday been a 300-viewer streamer, had skyrocketed by a factor of 75. At 20,000 viewers, the stream would get featured on the main page of Pazijik. Now, not only Parallel fans and floating viewers, but even completely random people were joining. They had never seen this VTuber before, but she had over 20,000 viewersso, naturally, they were curious. The thumbnail had piqued their interest, but once they clicked in, they realizedthe model was actually really appealing. ...Then, lets officially begin the Parallel World Cup. Is everyone ready...? Even those who had previously watched Bazubi on Magias streams were hearing her voice properly for the first time. And the moment they heard her tone, they immediately understood. She sounded like a woman in her prime, who was at the age where she should be getting married, but had no suitable candidates, so she kept delaying ityet, at the same time, she couldnt give up entirely and was still desperately searching. Of course, the truth was that Bazubi, despite her prematurely mature voice, was simply yearning to make more friends. The longtime Jubu-dan might have known this, but there was no way for the newly arrived viewers to tell. Heuuuung, Mama... Wait, did her voice always sound like this? Oh god, chillsit tickles my ears If she did ASMR in this voice, I might not survive... Everyone, be respectful! Protect the baby!! Naturally, people began considering becoming fans, enchanted by her voice. Bazubi''s follower count started skyrocketing. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Most of the people tuning in hadnt even come to watch her. And so, after barely managing to hit 5,000 followers through the Combative Tournament, a milestone that still left her unable to enter the major streamer servers, Bazubi quietly surpassed 10,000 followers. She was now inching closer to 20,000the threshold that, excluding a few high-bar private servers, essentially granted free access to most major streaming communities. However, around this point, the Jubu-dan, Bazubis longtime viewers, began noticing something odd. For some reason, her voicenormally something they had to focus on to catchwas coming through unusually clear today. That was because Magia had adjusted the settings before the stream even started. By deliberately balancing her own voice while boosting Bazubis main volume, Magia had ensured that Bazubi, the host of the stream, wouldnt be overshadowed. It was Magias ultimate VTuber amplification technique, designed to keep the spotlight on Bazubi. Of course, even at this point, there still werent many people following Bazubi out of genuine interest in her. Since Magia streamed so inconsistently and tended to appear suddenly, many were simply following Bazubi to monitor herjust in case Magia showed up again. Most of the Parallel Wol-Dungi watching had no real expectations for Bazubis reactions to the Parallel World Cup. They still remembered how, during the tournament, she had barely spoken loud enough to be heard. Subconsciously, they had already categorized her as someone whose reactions were so quiet that they might as well just leave her stream running like a radio in the background. But then, the Parallel Song Ideal World Cup with Bazubi and Magia began. And the atmosphere shifted immediately. [ One Others (Original) ] VS [ One Others (feat. F-Participant / Unauthorized Duet) ] What the?! No way! Bazubis raw, unfiltered reaction. When people talk about something they love, their voices naturally rise. Even though Magia had already adjusted her volume settings, the parts of Bazubis speech that normally got muffled were now ringing out clearly. The audience, being seasoned stream viewers, had long since developed the ability to distinguish between forced excitement and genuine enthusiasm. And this? This was the real thing. How is this the first matchup...? Seems like this will take a while. And, of course, Magias presence played a huge role. Not only were the Parallel Wol-Dungi here, but so was the Queen of Trollsthe very same Magia who had been sharpening her wit alongside Momo for over five years. It wasnt just the viewers who were treading carefully with their wordsBazubi, now backed by such an overwhelming presence, found herself speaking more confidently than usual. I do prefer the one on the right, but let me listen to them both again before deciding...! Had she been alone, she might have hesitated, tiptoeing around the Parallel fandoms gaze. But instead, without even a moment of hesitation Bazubi listened to both tracks in full and made a clean decision. Yeah. Even after listening again, I still prefer the one on the right. [One Others (feat. F-Participant / Unauthorized Duet)] Then, as if she had listened to the track hundreds of times before, Bazubi launched into an analysis. Ive listened to the original a lot, but honestly? I like the version with F-Participant better. Not that the first-gen members singing was lacking, but... how do I put it? Normally, when you add something extra to an already perfect song, it just ends up feeling off. Its like throwing an extra ingredient into a perfectly balanced dish. But this version? It doesnt feel like anything was addedit feels like it was always supposed to have five main elements. Thats why I love it. Oh... is it that good? It is. I dont know if I have the right to say this, but honestly? I think it was a brilliant decision for CEO Momo to go ahead with recording the Unauthorized Duet award songs separately. I mean, they were that popular. The viewersespecially those who had only come for Magiacouldnt help but be drawn to Bazubi. Even those who had minimized the video, only listening passively like a radio, tabbed back in to watch. Was that really Bazubi just now? Damn, her diction is crazy good. Wait, how is she so well-spoken LOL Is she actually a Wol-Sooni? LOL Shes wiping the floor with most of the Wol-Dungi, LOL. The last time they had felt this way was back before Magia launched her Fantasia contentduring the first-gens one-year anniversary celebration. Back then, the fandom had been hit with the realization: Wait, we had a female fan like this? And now, they were experiencing that same revelationexcept this time, about Bazubi. Right on cue, as soon as the YouTube video ended, the recommended feed filled with Parallel Kirinuki and official channel clips. That algorithm was practically screaming, "Bazubi is a hardcore Parallel fan." Which, in turn, sent her credibility skyrocketing among Parallels existing fanbase. Oh my god, look at the algorithm LOL Her entire feed is already flooded with Parallel content LOL Kyaaa, Wol-Sooni status confirmed Even Magia, who had suspected Bazubi was a Parallel fan, hadnt expected her to be this deep into it. Her reaction was full of genuine surprise. Waitif you were a Wol-Sooni, why didnt you say so earlier? I just now found out from your algorithm! If I had known, I wouldve brought you merch instead of strawberries. Thats exactly why I didnt say anything... Why not? This was a golden opportunity! But... I just want to enjoy being a fan like everyone else. If I accept something like that, wouldnt it be unfair to the other Wol-Dungi? I want to either earn it fairly in a giveaway or buy it with my own money.... Wait, is she saying were petty enough to get mad over something like that?! We literally wouldnt care, LOL Dont make Wol-Dungi sound small-minded, sob Bazubi, who had been excitedly talking about her favorite things, suddenly hesitated as the Wol-Dungi fandom started WWE-wrestling her over semantics. But the conversation continued. She was making a clear effort to connect with people. No, no, I didnt mean you guys are petty...! Its a misunderstanding...! Wol-Dungi''s reputation confirmed Well do better Were not a swarm of locusts, sob Its not like that at all.... At one point, Magia had considered stepping in to smooth things over. But instead, she held back the question that had been lingering in her mind. With the viewer count now over 100 times her usual, wasnt Bazubi feeling nervous, anxious, or overwhelmed? But if Magia brought it up, Bazubi might suddenly become conscious of the numbers, and that wasnt what Magia wanted. Because no matter what Todays real star was Bazubi. *** [(????Live) Its Childrens Day] ???? 30,334 #Bazubi #Mama Four hours of Parallel World Cup later, Bazubi had broken 30,000 viewersshattering all previous records on Pazijik with a 100x increase. With over 20,000 followers, she had finally earned the Golden Ticket to the big collab servers, securing future opportunities. But to Bazubi, Magia was still a mountain. After all, it was Magia who had made this opportunity happen in the first place. It seemed impossible to escape her shadow. ...Then, lets move on to the second segment, Never Cry, Princess. Gia, should we give the viewers a preview before we start...? Lets do it. Uhuhuhuhu Gia, Princess!!! Princess Gia! Princess Gia! Princess Gia! Princess Gia! Princess Gia! Princess Gia! Uhyooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Magia, from now on, you are a princess! Magia, from now on, you are a princess! Magia, from now on, you are a princess! Magia, from now on, you are a princess! Gia, wanna play princess games with your uncle now? Khehehehe Ah, she''s really a princess! Next stop: Princess Gia Station. The doors will open in your heart. Please prepare to disembark. Choo choo~ Gia, from today, you''re ten years old. You got that? So from now on, you have to call us all uncle. Say uncle, come on, say it! Say, Uwncle! The moment it was announced that the second segment was about to begin, all the attention that had been on Bazubi instantly shifted to Magia. It was as if, for a brief moment, they had forgotten why they had come in the first placebut now, they remembered. Yet, once again, Magia had no need to step in and calm the overexcited chat herself. Because before long, like a queen stepping onto the stage before a roaring crowd Bazubi, as if she had simply been speaking as usual, effortlessly took control of the audience with her measured, dignified, and mystical voice. Gia, from this moment forward, you are the princess and heir to this kingdom. As a princess, you must conduct yourself with grace and dignity. You must devote yourself to study and discipline so that you may one day lead this nation wisely. A real queen had descended. A stark contrast to the cutesy Magia, Bazubis regal presence was undeniable. And with it, the sighing resignation of the Jubu-dan, her fanbase, was immortalized in a single donation messageone that signaled to everyone, including Magia, that something monumental was happening. A new star might be born in Pazijik today. :: An anonymous donor has contributed 10,000 Clouds! :: :: This is a voice the Jubu-dan only gets to hear once every two months. Thank you. :: Oooohh Kyaaaaaaaa Noonaaaaaaa I wanna be a princess tooooooooooo Your Majesty, heueeeng! Chapter 131 Specific. A social audio feature supported by Z, often used by VTubers who require advanced equipment for streaming but find themselves in environments where setting up a full broadcast is difficult. It serves as a way to offer fan service, like a radio-style stream. This includes moments like a voice still groggy from sleep or one softened right before dozing off. Much like ASMR content, it creates the illusion of a real girlfriend being right beside the listener. Despite being brief, it was an absolute must-catch for dedicated fans. So, princess, what do you plan to do from now on? Would you like to share your thoughts with this mother? Bazubi, who only revealed this voice every two months in Specific, was now showcasing it without hesitation. His excitement over the upcoming collaborative voiceover with Magia had him giving it his all. And that only raised expectations for Magia even further. If someone who wasn''t even expected to take it seriously was putting in this much effort... then as the star of today''s event, Magia couldnt afford to half-ass it. Princess Magia, you need to say something~ The Queen Mother is calling you! Are you just going to stay silent? LOL Princess~ Answer at once!! Princess, hehehe Of course, most viewers were simply waiting for Magia to do something cute, act playful, and make a fool of herself. Skill didnt matter. As long as she did something, they could clip it and use it to tease her later. A significant portion of the audience was fueled by their desire for revenge against Magia. Yet, one thing that never happened was Magia playing into the typical "10-year-old princess" voice people imagined. She had already agreed with Bazubi beforehand that she could speak normally, and as mentioned many times, the true host of this stream was Bazubi. Just like in her past collaborations with the first-gen talents, Magia never tried to outshine an already prominent VTuber when one was beside her. Since Bazubi had started with formal speech, viewers naturally expected a matching noble tone, something either very respectful or elegant. Instead, what they got was an unexpectedly casual line. Mother, Im only ten years old. I dont want to bear such a heavy responsibility yet. Simply put, I dont want to be a princess. Id rather spend my time watching the palace dancers play. Please understand. ? LOL Wait, what? LOL Act like a proper princess, LOL This is just a bratty kid! LOL Isnt this just Magia being herself? LOL No way we can even clip this... Surprisingly, Magias bratty kid voiceover wasnt all that different from the princess in Never Cry, Princess. The game itself was about raising a young princess, burdened with heavy responsibilities, into a capable adult. Ten years old? Thats the age where kids should be running around with friends or getting so obsessed with something that they lose track of time. Even Bazubi seemed to enjoy Magias half-hearted approach. This is exactly the princess I envisioned...! Shes still too young to understand the world, just messing around... I love it...! Jubi, focus. Stay in character. Ah. Hmm. Hmmm. Forgive me, dear. This mother was simply overcome with emotion at the sight of her adorable daughter. And just like that, the princesss personality was set. A child fascinated by palace dancers and their performances, more interested in gossiping with them than in royal duties. Since Never Cry, Princess was a high-freedom game, it actually did have a starting trait similar to this. :: An anonymous benefactor has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: LMAO, its the Dancer-Obsessed trait! LOL :: It was called "Infatuated with Dancers." Whenever the princess saw a dancer, shed drop everything and run to them, disrupting normal gameplay. It was so impractical that most players never picked itexcept for masochists doing hardcore challenge runs, where random traits could lead to unexpected suffering. Bazubi, embracing the chaos, manually assigned this trait to the princess character and turned to Magia. Very well... You are still young. You may act freely for now. However, you must never disgrace the honor of the royal family. Got it! LMAO No studying, no training, just running off to watch dancers LOL :: An anonymous benefactor has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Ignoring responsibilities (debut), dancer obsession (VTuber manager) ... wait a second? :: ? Oh LMAOOOO Wait, isnt this just Magias real personality?? This was a trait that functioned more like a debuff than a real ability. But given that Magia had now fully embraced the role of a bratty, disobedient princess, it was the perfect fit. The moment she heard from a storyteller about a neighboring kingdoms famous sword dancers, she immediately ran to Bazubi, begging. Mother! I heard the neighboring kingdom has the most incredible sword dancers! I really, really want to see them! Please let me go watch them! This dialogue is longer than the original script LOL Oh no Look at her pushing her own agenda LOL If she goes, shes getting kidnapped on the spot LOL Bratty princess, please!! But as the title Never Cry, Princess suggested, the game was brutal toward its princess. Kidnappings, poisonings, and curses were common occurrences. If the princess lacked self-defense skills or a substantial budget for bodyguards, stepping outside the palace was practically a guaranteed bad ending. If nurtured properly, the Dancer-Obsessed trait could actually lead to one of the games happy endings: The Celestial Diva. However, the difficulty of this route was hellish. A princessno, the crown princesswho neglected state affairs to pursue singing and dancing? Imagine how the nobility viewed that. Enemies would attack from all sides, assassins would appear, and even the player (acting as the queen) could end up murdered. If the queen survived, the run wouldnt be a bad ending. To achieve The Celestial Diva ending, the player had to fend off political threats, uphold royal dignity, and somehow ensure that the princess became a famed performer while still holding her title as a princess. It was so tedious and unpredictable that even veteran players would clear it once and never touch it again. ...But as mentioned, todays stream wasnt about min-maxing. Bazubi was here for full voice acting and roleplaying. Magia might not have been acting in the traditional sense, but from Bazubis perspective, watching Magia instinctively pick choices that suited the bratty princess persona was more than enough. Could you give this mother just a month? Traveling to the neighboring kingdom is dangerous, and we need time to prepare. Nooo, nooo! I wanna go right now! I wanna go, I wanna go, I wanna go, I wanna go, I wanna go! ITS HERS, ITS HERS!!!!!!!!!! ZOMBIES PRINCESSSSSSSSSS IM LOSING MY MIND LOL SHES OUT OF CONTROL!! The only ones frustrated were the viewers who had been waiting for Magia to break down into an embarrassing, cutesy performance. They had been scammed. A full voice-acting stream, they said. Yet even with a phenomenal queen performance from Bazubi, Magia was just whining in her usual bratty tone. Granted, her naturally childish voice didnt make it seem out of place, but this wasnt the performance the audience had been waiting for. :: An anonymous benefactor has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: You cleared the scene, now ACT LIKE A PRINCESS!! :: :: An anonymous benefactor has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: I came here expecting a proper princess! This isnt a princess!! :: Of course, these people knew they were risking bans. Those already familiar with Magia and Parallel had long since given up and were instead busy clipping everything. Sure, this wasnt the dainty, elegant princess they had wanted, but the way Magia whined and pouted, repeatedly crying I wanna see it! had its own kind of charm. It reminded them of real-life bratty kidsthe kind that made you want to lightly smack them on the head. :: An anonymous benefactor has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Stop complaining and just clip it. If you dont, this memory will be wiped from existence. :: Despite viewers frustrations, this stream might just become a cherished memory for Bazubi. Magia wouldnt be forgetting it anytime soon. What. If it''s Magia, it''s possible. Magia''s Great Revision Project ?? Seriously disgusting and shameless, Magia!! Poor Bazubis precious memory... ???? A single donation sent a wave of fear through the chat, effectively silencing all complaints about the princess not acting "princess-like" enough. And the more Magia stubbornly ignored the audiences expectations and fully committed to her bratty role, the more attention shifted toward Bazubi. I understand. You may go. I will have everything prepared at once. Mother, youre the best!! It was only naturaleach time Magia whined about wanting to visit the neighboring kingdom, Bazubi actually incorporated it into the games schedule, causing the difficulty level to skyrocket exponentially. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Yet, somehow, the game continued without triggering a bad ending, leaving viewers utterly bewildered. :: An anonymous benefactor has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Wait, why isnt a bad ending happening?? :: If it was just luck preventing the worst-case scenario, that would be one thing. But nothere were plenty of scripted misfortunes that even veteran players had to counter with save-scumming. Bazubi, however, was navigating the chaos perfectly in real time, without a single reset. :: An anonymous benefactor has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Cant you see? Shes dodging every death flag like a god, LOL. :: :: An anonymous benefactor has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: She has the Dancer-Obsessed trait and is still holding on?! Thats actually impressive, LOL. :: And it wasnt as if she was half-heartedly voice acting either. When the royal relatives barged into the throne room, demanding Magias princess title be revoked, Bazubis resolute response was packed with raw emotionsomething people ~Nvlight~ would remember for a long time. Sure, she was just reciting pre-written dialogue, but it was undeniably method acting at its finest. If you insist on holding a mere fourteen-year-old child accountable for her responsibilities, then perhaps you should depose me instead. If there is fault to be found, it is mine for raising my daughter poorly. Would it not be more fitting to hold me accountable? Ah, but... would that not be considered treason? Would it not be easier if you could fabricate a charge with undeniable legitimacy? Oh, but that, too, would be difficult, for I stand in your way, do I not? A pity, indeed. On top of that, she actively engaged with chat and donations related to the game. Unlike smaller streamers who sometimes got too caught up in having fun with friends and neglected their audience, Bazubi made sure to keep everyone involved. :: An anonymous benefactor has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Your Majesty, you truly suffer raising this brat... :: It is nothing. It is only natural for a mother to do what she must, so do not flatter me. ????????? MA MOTHER sniff Bazumother ?? :: An anonymous benefactor has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Wait, has she always played Never Cry, Princess this much?? :: ? I used to play it when I was bored. Honestly, the queens storyline got kind of repetitive. How much did you play though, LOL? Roughly a week per month...? If there was a DLC, then the whole month was dedicated to it... :: An anonymous benefactor has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: She doesnt just play Never Cry, Princess, she loves all sim-management games. :: :: An anonymous benefactor has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: At least she doesnt hesitate when playing. She only holds back in social situations, not in games. :: New viewers, intrigued by Bazubis gaming preferences, naturally started taking an interest in her. And her long-time fans? They fully embraced the chaos, deciding to host an impromptu lecture about Bazubis habits through donations. For those who discovered that oh? This actually aligns with my tastes, their immersion skyrocketed. So, two hours later... When Bazubi, despite all of Magias relentless sabotage, successfully reached the Celestial Diva ending, the entire chat could only stand in awe. [ Celestial Diva ] *The world mocked both you and your daughter, Magia. But in the end, you succeeded in fulfilling your daughters one and only dream. No matter what may happen from now on, your daughter will forever trust you and will do anything for you.* Happy End HOLYYYYYYYYYYYY How did she actually pull this off, LOL Magia did nothing but sabotage, and yet she still won?! QUEEN BAZUBI Mother... ???? This ending is so fitting for Childrens Day. Bazubi is the GOAT. As chat pointed out, on Childrens Day, no less, a mother had fully realized her childs dream Even if that child was Magia. People had tuned in expecting to compile embarrassing moments of Magia. Instead, they ended up witnessing a heartwarming, holiday-appropriate success story. Had this just been a normal voiceover playthrough, it wouldnt have felt this touching. But because Magia had spent the entire stream whining, throwing tantrums, and getting in the way Everyone naturally found themselves rooting for Bazubi to pull off the clear. Even though she had done it on purpose, Magia maintained her defiant attitude, teasing the viewers one last time. Mother, did I really only get in your way? Was I a bad daughter? You brat!! YOU MADE IT TEN TIMES HARDER, WTF Sigh, and yet you refused to act like a proper princess... Typical Magia behavior. Bazubis response, however, turned the chat into a complete emotional wreck. No, because even then, I still love you, so its fine. ?????????????????? sniff sniff ??? MOTHER!!!!!! WE WERE SO SHORT-SIGHTED... Zenjaaaaaaang ???? Had the stream ended there, it would have been a completely unexpected yet satisfying conclusion. Everyone had come expecting Magias suffering, only for the curtain to pull back and reveal that Bazubi had stolen the show. What should have been a typical "Magia being a fool for two hours" stream had turned into something much more meaningful. It could have ended there on a heartwarming note. But Bazubi was on a high. She was a queen who had just raised her princess right. And she wasnt stopping now. My dear princess... Do you love your mother very much? The prompt was as clear as day. The ending was already reached. The daughter was already devoted to the queen. So there was only one correct response the princess could give. No way shes actually gonna say it? Is she? PLEASE No way, no way. You guys keep getting baited by Magia, LOL. Ordinarily, Magia would have ignored it. But today... She had come here specifically to make amends with Bazubi. If Bazubi really wanted to hear it, then just for today, she could say it once. ...For Bazubis ears only. Magia spoke. ...Yeah, I love you, Mom! But She had muted her mic. The three-second stream delay passed And all that chat saw was Magia smiling and mouthing the words, soundlessly. She was clearly saying something, but there was no sound. The collective despair of the audience was immense. Representing them all, a single fury-driven donation was sent. :: PIN0 has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: WHY JUST BAZUBI WHY ONLY HER WHY NOT ME WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY IM GONNA GO DARK IM GONNA TURN BLACK MY HORNS WILL BREAK I CANT FORGIVE THIS I CANT I CANT I CANT I WANT TO HEAR IT TOO SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF :: Chapter 132 The stream was supposed to start and end in a mundane manner. But after numerous twists and turns, it ended in a grand fashion. Bazubis follower count surpassing 20,000 was one thing. There was concern that viewers might flood the chat only looking for Magia, disrupting the stream. However, Bazubi skillfully took control, balancing things out, which was truly impressive. The fact that the incoming viewers didnt cause chaos played a role, but more importantly, Bazubis relatively small fanbase, Jubu-dan, welcomed the influx without much resistance, allowing the event to unfold smoothly. So, after wrapping up the stream, Magia left a message in the chat. ????Magia Proxy: Thank you, Jubu-dan. ????Magia Proxy: Thanks to your warm welcome today, we had a great stream. ????Magia Proxy: Please continue to support Bazubi in the future. It was a message meant to acknowledge the possibility that Bazubis original fans might have felt uncomfortable with the sudden invasion of the Wol-dungi. The response was overwhelmingly positive. :: An anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Just dont come too often. It gets exhausting if you show up too many times. :: :: An anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: We had fun too, haha. Its also the first time weve seen Queen Zubi for this long, lol. :: Did this heartwarming atmosphere make Magia reflect on the time she coughed up blood collaborating with Movgun in the past? Not a chance. If it had been a female streamer instead of Movgun, Magia would have welcomed it with open arms. Movgun was a lifelong nemesis. Lately, he had been leaning in favor of Parallel, but it never hurt to stay cautious. *** After ending the stream, Bazubi finished packing up the equipment Magia had brought. Only then did she realize that she had gone a little overboard and immediately bowed in apology. "I''m so sorry...!" "What are you apologizing for?" "Well... I got too caught up in the roleplay and unintentionally pushed you into doing a lot, Gia. There were 30,000 people watching... Im really sorry..." Magia brushed it off like it was nothing. Its fine. As long as youre satisfied with how it went, thats all that matters. I-I wasnt asking for anything out of personal interest...! I was just doing business, so dont overthink it. Oh. Ahem, ahem. Bazubi coughed awkwardly and bowed her head again. Anyway, thank you so much for today. Because of you... I think Ive made an unforgettable memory. I didnt even realize that so many people had shown up... How do you not get nervous in a situation like that? If you see the viewers as friends youve known for years, it just happens naturally. Aha... And no matter how much they mess around, they never cross the line harder than I did. If they do, I just ban them. True. I heard you used to be pretty ruthless... Thats not exactly something to be proud of, so dont make it sound like an achievement. Oh. Um. Sorry... Besides, you didnt seem nervous at all today, Bazubi. Theres no need to put me on a pedestal. Well, thats because I didnt realize how many people were watching... Then just keep hiding the viewer count during your streams. That way, you can be confident every day, just like today. Huh? Are you a genius...? You do realize youve barely been trailing off your words like usual, right? Oh. Uh...? Youre right. I didnt even notice...! Wow. You managed to forget about the audience entirely and delivered such a confident queen-like performance. Bazubi, are you a natural genius? No wonder you had the viewers wrapped around your finger. Queen Zu-bi. Ahhh! Bazubi flailed her hands in protest. Her face flushed bright red in embarrassment. It was just a simple compliment, but she had been hit with a full-on mirror treatment. Ill never overpraise you again... Congratulations, you just leveled up as a streamer. Leveled up... huh. Magia had said it playfully, but the word "growth" struck a chord with Bazubi. Because she had truly accomplished something remarkable today. Her usual timid self had been replaced by a new, confident version. But that confidence had only been possible because Magia was there. If she wanted to keep streaming like this on her own, she needed to achieve real growth. With both hands clasped in front of her chest, Bazubi asked, Youre an expert in the VTuber field, right, Gia? If its not too much trouble... could I ask for some advice on my future streams? Would my advice even help? Of course...! Whether its attracting new viewers, keeping them in check, or just staying calm no matter what happens... Honestly, I wouldnt even be into Parallel if it werent for you, Gia. I never had any interest before... Hm? How does that even make sense? Thats a weird sequence of events. Bazubi hesitated, glancing at Magia as if wondering whether she should continue. Then, she finally said, You never talk about the first-gen members in your streams... So I got curious and started watching them. And before I knew it, I ended up really liking them... Oh. Magia chuckled. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. If a viewer had said that, she would have just laughed it off. But Bazubi wasnt just some random chattershe was someone Magia had personally observed becoming a Parallel fan. And knowing that her efforts had actually contributed to drawing in fans like this... That made her feel a certain kind of satisfaction. Well, if my input helps, thats great. So, what are you curious about? I just...! How can I stream like today even when Im alone? Can I be completely honest? Yes...! Without a moments hesitation, Magia laid out her thoughts. Honestly, Bazubi, even if I hadnt been here, you wouldve streamed like this eventually. Today just sped up the process. R-Really? Rewatch todays stream. Think about what you were feeling when you said certain things, what was going through your mind. If you can recall that sensation, youll naturally start replicating it. Yeah... Bazubi trailed off. Sensing there was something more, Magia asked, and Bazubi admitted, I just realized... Some people in Jubu-dan probably liked me because I was shy... If my streaming style suddenly changes, wont they dislike it? It was a common concern among streamers when their audience suddenly grew. The fear that their original fans might feel alienatedlike a turret turning against its own base. Magia laughed and said, Its not like youll change overnight just because you decide to. Today was a special case with a lot of factors at play. No matter how much you try to shift things, you wont suddenly become different by tomorrow. Agree? Yeah, that makes sense. If you gradually evolve and communicate with your fans about it, theyll understand. Jubu-dan already knows you started streaming because you wanted to connect with people and make more friends. Yeah. I think they do. Even though I never outright said it, they somehow just know... Some people might leave if they dont like the new vibe. But thats unavoidable. Change always comes with losses. And a streamer should do what they want, not just what the fans want. If you focus too much on pleasing others, youll eventually burn out. And what if you suddenly get hit with burnout or a slump and decide to graduate? Your fans wouldnt want that, would they? ...No! "So, just do whatever you want. You dont have to listen to me. Im only giving you a little push to show that theres another path, but its perfectly fine if you turn back or retreat to your old self." What made all of this possible was Bazubis age. She was only a middle schooler. If the talent she had shown today could fully blossom, then by the time she became an adult, she would surely achieve something remarkable. What had started as a stream to make up for unintentionally ignoring her messages for three months had somehow turned into a life consultation. But Bazubi... she was a VTuber, yes, but she was also someone Magia couldnt just leave alone. Thats why she had talked more than usual today. "Anyway, thats enough talking. I should get going soon." "Oh. Uh... Youre leaving now? But its three in the morning..." "I can just take a taxi. Im used to it." Bazubi hesitated, fidgeting. The words she wanted to say but was holding back were probably "Cant you stay over?" Normally, Magia wouldnt have cared and would have gone home without a second thought... But ever since she stayed over at Komaris place once, she had gotten more comfortable sleeping at other peoples houses. And more importantly, she was aware that Bazubi was a girl who needed a friend. She probably never had the experience of falling asleep in the same room as a friend. Magia knew exactly how that feltshe had been a loner with no friends all through school. "So? Should I stay over?" Bazubis mouth snapped shut as she frantically nodded, her long bangs repeatedly smacking her in the face. Magia chuckled. "Alright, then. I already took leave for tomorrow anyway." *** ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Satisfied] Honestly, I didnt have high expectations, but I guess this is better than nothing. (watchmepleasex10.clip) Just seeing Magia acting all bratty like this is a huge win. [Comments] Parallel059: Yall are spoiled lmao. Be grateful we even got this much. ? Parallel741: We kept whining for it, thats why we got it. Otherwise, we wouldnt have even gotten this much. ? Parallel515: True tho lol. ? Parallel901: Gia, please, just give us crumbs, were starving!!!!!!!!!! ? Parallel208 (OP): Lmao, all the fools who oshid Magia have already frozen to death~ ? Parallel005: ???????????? So tragic. ? Parallel785: I mean, you stan someone who hasnt even debuted, thats basically natural selection. ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [But isnt this kinda weird?] Bazubis timing was too perfect. Like, the first-gens new song was being announced the next day. And for Childrens Day content, she just happened to prepare Never Cry, Princess with Magia? And on top of that, her entire presence felt way too different from before. The Bazubi I remember could barely get a full sentence out. This has to be part of some bigger plan. [Comments] Parallel151: And what exactly is Parallel gaining from this? ? Parallel919 (OP): Dunno? Parallel255: Lmao, yall keep setting fires every time a stream happens, now youre making conspiracy theories. ? Parallel051: If its a conspiracy, they can just prove it by streaming lol. ? Parallel754: Why does this sound so true tho? ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [To the guy saying Bazubis collab timing is sus] Theory: Bazubi is joining as a second-gen member. Then why is she still streaming as an indie? Makes no sense. Theory: Bazubi is actually Fan_C. Her voice sounds completely different from the teaser. No way. Theory: Magia is actually Fan_C. If that were the case, shed be dropping hints and messing with us constantly. But the fact that shes not saying anything makes even less sense. Its a conspiracy that falls apart under the tiniest bit of scrutiny. If youre just here to stir the pot, take your ban quietly. If not, shut up and post like a normal person. [Comments] Parallel225: Magia was already suspected {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} of being an F contestant. Also, now that I think about it, Fan_C also starts with F...? ? Parallel433: Oh? ? Parallel725: Oh?? ? Parallel951: Oh??? ? Parallel846: Lmao this makes more sense than the OPs post. ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Please stop with the Magia, F contestant, Fan_C speculation] [Posted by: ????Parallel02] All this wild speculation only benefits Parallel and gives us a headache. Please, stop spreading conspiracy theories. Also, the mods are about to die trying to keep up. [Comments] Parallel831: Got it. Now drop everything. Parallel015: Okay, Ill do it even more. Parallel224: A mod trying to enforce the rules? Impossible to resist. Parallel356: So what youre saying is... Magia is the F contestant and Fan_C? ... ... Chapter 133 Frequent shifts between day and night mess up your sleep schedule. For example, instead of sleeping for a full eight hours, you start splitting it into two four-hour segments, or you take naps that last four hours instead of just one. Mm. So, even if I fell asleep at four in the morning, waking up at seven like this wasnt anything unusual. I fumbled around, reaching for my phonewhether it was under the blanket or somewhere outside of it. Even if I buried myself back under the covers, nothing wakes me up better than scrolling through online communities half-asleep. More importantly, since the CEO had all but given up on keeping up with industry discussions in those communities, if I didnt check, wed definitely miss things. In a way, I was technically working the moment I opened my eyesbut if I counted this as work hours, the accounting director would yell at me, so I just pretended not to notice. I skimmed through the top posts from the night, and, interestingly, Bazubis name came up a lot. Not just in the Parallel Gallery, but even in the Pazijik Gallerythree posts had made it to the trending section overnight. It wasnt necessarily a bad thing that it wasnt about our own members. It might sound a bit cold, but the fact that Bazubi, who had been buried in obscurity, had gained this much recognition overnight was entirely thanks to yesterdays stream. And by using that stream as a reference, we could think about how to apply similar strategies for our own members. Most reactions treated Bazubi like a hidden gem that had finally been discovered. Even now, with the stream long over, Bazubis follower count was still rising. There was no major backlash, and she had managed to grab hold of the audiences attention through sheer presence. That said, the excitement from yesterdays stream was already causing some side effects. For the first time in a while, I had done a stream purely for someone elseno intention of promoting Parallels first-gen or anything like that. But of all days, it just so happened that today was the announcement day for the first-gens new song with CAT. And, of course, conspiracy theories had already begun to spread. ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery / Trending Posts ... (Notice) [Please refrain from speculating about Magia, the F contestant, or Fan_C] [Something feels off] [==] [I said from the start that this collab was suspicious] [??? : Damn, that''s cold] [To the guy saying Bazubis collab timing is weird] [But isnt this kinda strange?] ... ... I clicked on the most recent trending post, and... yeah, some people were really going off the deep end. ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Something feels off] (Proof I''m not just trolling_Parallel4members_1year_sub.jpg) Ive been worried about this since people started pressuring her to debut. If I were her, honestly, if I was good at singing, Id rather sign with a huge agency and become a Utaite than deal with the stress of being a VTuber. VTubers already have way too much on their plates. And now theyre pushing someone whos already drowning in company work to debut on top of that? If it were me, Id say screw it, quit, and go be a Utaite instead. Also, isnt it weird how the first-gen collabs have been drying up lately? This is making me really nervous. (Upvotes: 775 / Downvotes: 527) [Comments] Parallel189: So youre saying Magias been pretending to be all were friends up front while secretly planning to bail? ? Parallel771: NO!!!!!! ? Parallel251: Stop crying, please. Parallel834: Why would someone on the fence about debuting in second-gen suddenly ditch Parallel? Lmao. ? Parallel581: Was that ever confirmed? ? Parallel581: At the end of the day, all we saw was that she was putting out a song with CAT. Some people are still too brain-rotted to get it lol. ... ... The reason I had created a separate alias was simpleI didnt want to be an unnecessary extra in the perfect four-member lineup, and I wanted people to focus on Parallels first-gen, not me. So how the hell did things end up like this? The problem was that this postclearly written by a hardcore fanwasnt entirely illogical. For one, becoming a VTuber does come with way more work compared to being a Utaite. A Utaite only needs to focus on recording songs, preparing for concerts, and fan engagement. Most of the business sidelike advertisinggets handled by the agency. VTubers, on the other hand, have to do all of that plus daily streams, collabs, and even take on responsibilities for brand deals. Sure, the agency helps with managing sponsorships, but the VTuber has to come up with ideas for how to execute them. And on top of that, managing their YouTube channel is entirely on them. There are production teams, yeah, but the VTuber themselves is essentially the team leader. At this point, it should be clear why I keep saying that if I became a full-time VTuber, Id never have time to watch streams. There literally isnt time. And if you dont genuinely enjoy interacting with viewers, youll burn out fast and quit. Thats just how the industry worksboth for corporate VTubers and independent streamers who operate at a near-corporate level. That said, the whole She got sick of being forced to debut, so shes bailing to become a Utaite theory was somewhat reasonable. But trying to twist my lack of first-gen collabs into some kind of internal drama? That was just reaching. Well, at the end of the day, it all came down to an information gap. I had told people I was busy with second-gen debut prep, but I never showed it. Some anxious fans were bound to jump to conclusions. The good news was that rumors about internal conflicts were always bound to pop upand they were also very easy to shut down. A full-force collab, one that oozed "real" camaraderie, was all it took. Nothing dispelled drama faster than an over-the-top, affectionate group stream. Still, it didnt feel urgent enough to rush. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. I figured Id just text the CEO about it once my day off was over, but... [CEO: Call me when you wake up.] Huh. So, for once, the CEO had caught onto the situation before I did. Looked like we were about to have that conversation. Leaving Bazubi sound asleep, I quietly slipped out onto the balcony. It was rush hour. One by one, the cars were pulling out of the parking lot below. This is Magia. [...Why are you up so early? Go back to sleep.] Shouldnt I be saying that to you? I know you were up past three last night. [Yeah, well, unlike some people who took a day off, I actually have to be at the office for the song release today.] I know. I said it on purpose. [Do you want to die? Look at you, all giddy from playing princess with Bazubi. You looked like you were having so much fun.] I was handling things, thank you very much. I chuckled. Anyway, you saw the community reactions, right? I think we need a first-gen collab soon. What do you think? [I expected some kind of overblown take. And its not exactly hard to fix, so dont stress over it.] When have I ever stressed over stuff like this? Ive stared into the abyss way too many times for this to faze me. [Yeah, yeah. But stillif anything ever gets overwhelming, just say the word. I mean, if I dont look out for you, who will?] Team Leader Kang? [Yeah, besides me and Team Leader Kang, who else is going to look after you?] Seung-yeon? [...Cut it out, will you?] Anyway, about the collab. We should do one, but when? I know the members schedules are packed with ads and external collabs after the new song release. The CEO thought for a moment before speaking. [How about you host next weeks collab instead of me?] New corporate VTubers usually avoid collabs for the first few months so they can build their own connection with fans. Our first-gen members also streamed solo for their first three months before finally doing their first four-person group collab. That debut collab was called "Were Really Close!" It was a simple concept: first-gen members answered questions and shared stories about each other. The first time, it was a bit awkward, but now that the initial tension was gone, it became a chance to bring up stories they never got to tell and share fun behind-the-scenes moments with fans. Of course, rather than just being wholesome, the collab often turned into playful bickering, with everyone poking at each others weak spots. Thats why someone always had to be there to make sure no one crossed the line or let their emotions get hurt. Viewers enjoyed it like a lighthearted WWE match, but if things suddenly turned into an actual UFC fight, it could get awkward fast. Thats why the CEO had hosted the collab last year and was planning to do it again for the new song release. Are you sure its okay for me to do it? [Youve already proven yourself, so its fine. Plus, if youre hosting, wont the members try to mess with you? I think thats the best way to show how close you all really are.] If they mess with me, Im not going to react in a funny way. [That is funny.] ? [Its really funny. I mean, I cant say my perspective is exactly the same as the fans, but watching the others desperately try to take you down? Thats entertainment. You get what I mean?] Was ? NvIight ? (Read more on our source) it, though? I hesitated, and the CEO continued. [Think about when you were targeting me. Watching me struggle to escape your bullyingwasnt that funny?] ...Ah. [See? Same idea. No need to explain further, right?] Yes, I get it now. You really are the best, boss. [...You dont have to flatter me when were talking about stuff like this.] Youre the greatest, boss. [I swear, youre impossible.] Still, I wasnt entirely thrilled about taking over as the host. Not because of the collab itself, but because of what it meant long-term. [Once you do it once, everyones going to want you to keep doing it.] Why would they? Youre still here. [Theyve already seen me host for over a year. Its about time they got tired of it. Besides, like I said, your hosting style is totally different from mine. Im the type to pamper and dote on them, while you actually fight back. Thats way more entertaining to watch.] More than that, the CEO had a point. Since I had joked about possibly becoming a second-gen member during April Fools, I was now seen as a more internal figure within the company. That meant that if I hosted, it wouldnt feel like some corporate presence interferingit would feel like a VTuber talking to fellow VTubers. [Honestly, Ive never liked the idea of the company getting too involved in their collabs. It breaks immersion.] I mean, youre both the CEO and a VTuber, so doesnt that make it fine? [Yeah, but the way they act around me is totally different. The moment they treat me like their boss, the illusion is gone. But you? You talk casually with them now. Your model setup is the same as theirs. And youve already teased that you share a similar concept. It all works.] To sum it up, if the audience ended up loving the dynamic, Id inevitably become the default host for every future collab. Thats going to make me even busier. [If it gets to be too much, just say the word. We can always hire more people.] Yeah, Ill keep that in mind. [Anyway. That should be enough to clear things up.] The CEO let out a small sigh before casually asking, [Since youre doing the collab, how about grabbing a meal with the members beforehand? Well do the rehearsal the day before, obviously, but you havent seen them in a while. Itd be good to have a little extra to talk about on stream.] Ive been keeping up with their streams, even just through summaries. Is it really necessary? If it was just a meal, that was fine. But to me, this was still work. I tried to wriggle my way out of it, but the CEO wasnt having it. [Everyone knows youre a dedicated fan of the members. But this time, you need to show a friendship dynamic. That means you need some real, casual conversations to pull fromsomething unrelated to work.] It made sense. Talking about work with colleagues was a given. But if we wanted to kill the drama and prove we were close, we needed interactions outside of work. [You do know theyve been avoiding using the free collab passes you gave them, right?] Right. During our first anniversary trip, I had given every first-gen member a free-use pass to invite me onto their streams whenever they wanted. And yet, months had passed, and not a single one of them had used it. Either they were still hesitant around me, or there was some other reason. ...Now that I think about it, none of them have invited me at all. [They made a silent agreement not to bother you too much. Its been two months already. They know how busy you are, so theyve been holding back. Go break the ice a little. That way, the collab will feel even more natural.] I gave those passes so they could use them, though... The CEO clicked her tongue. [You seriously dont realize how chaotic your schedule looks to other people, do you?] I dont feel that busy. [Thats because youre a machine. To them, you look like a workaholic. No one wants to be the one to bother you when you seem that swamped.] I scratched the back of my neck, mumbling. ...Its not that bad... Chapter 134 May 6th, 8:00 PM. A grand evening. With a total of 90,000 live viewers, the members successfully unveiled their new song. Their vocals had already been proven time and time again, so that wasnt a concern. What was a concern was the choreographyspecifically, the two members who werent Rain and Dora. But thanks to CATs professional choreographers, their skills had improved dramatically... [????Nutube] Finish Line | Parallel Another (feat. Fan_C) - Official MV Parallel Official | 281K subscribers 620K views | 3 days ago | #Parallel #CAT #finish_line 442 comments @Giadan 3 days ago Nice to meet you... ? @Sonsainai_kioku 3 days ago Ugh... my head... ? @zolzak 2 days ago Why are they like this? ? @red_drug 2 days ago Fan_C = illegal duet, F contestant = M_J_A @MJADISK 3 days ago "Standing at the starting line again, heading toward the next destination" This lyric makes me think of someone about to start a new journey... ? @flareflaretantan 2 days ago NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ? @dr.hirorok 2 days ago When do you think people die...? Three days in, and the song had already hit trending status with over 600,000 views. The growth rate was nearly double that of previous releases. Even the official channels subscriber count saw a huge jump. As soon as the new song dropped with CAT, the channel gained 30,000 subscribers in just three days. To put that into perspective: it had taken us six months and every strategy in the book to grow by 120,000. This was insane acceleration. Of course, our existing fans support was a given. But more importantly, a new audienceone that primarily listened to mainstream idol musicwas starting to pour in. And yet, I couldnt shake a small sense of disappointment. With CAT backing us, I had expected an even bigger explosion. VTuber idols had already proven their global marketability thanks to VachuVachu. Their success was what allowed us to be chosen by CAT in the first place. But at the same time, VachuVachus sheer presence seemed to overshadow us just a little. Honestly, deep down, I had expected our song to have already hit 1 million views by now. They were on a different level. You dont just accidentally reach 100 million views in a year. That takes serious strength. Catching up immediately? That was impossible. And, as Enawho knew the music industry inside and out thanks to her fatherhad told me, it wasnt something to be overly optimistic about. The initial view surge was naturaljust a result of releasing under CATs label. But if we couldnt sustain this momentum, wed barely break even. Fortunately, our production costs were lower than a traditional idol groups, so our break-even point was around 10 million viewsonly a third of the usual 30 million benchmark. But unlike regular idols, whose biggest revenue came from album sales, VTuber fans relied more on downloads and streaming. So when an idol company says we need at least 30 million, they still have album sales to fall back on. When we say we need at least 10 million, it means if we dont hit it, were screwed. In other words, we werent as pressured as a traditional groupbut we werent relaxed either. We needed to hit 10 million. That meant: No major scandals.More sponsorships.More cover songs and side content.The first-gen members would be facing more pressure than ever to deliver on the music front. They had to step up. *** Of course, none of that mattered to the members in this moment. After all, 600,000 views in three days was already a massive milestone. They were too busy celebrating to worry about long-term performance. When we had worked on our first-anniversary song, One Others, we had also gone all-in with vocals, choreography, and an MV. But back then, we had barely scraped everything together, struggling to make it work. This time, everything had clicked effortlessly. Like going from stumbling across a rocky path to suddenly gliding across a smooth, carpeted road. So naturally, the members were feeling it. "Did we finally make it big?" I, of course, was there to ruin the mood. As the four of them buzzed with excitement, I shut them down before they got too carried away. I was used to being the bad guy. ...Its great and all, but dont forgetthis is a test from CAT. The reaction was immediate. Four pairs of eyes narrowed as their utensils froze mid-air. An expression I had seen far too many times. Hey. Why do you always have to be like this? Mood killer. Ugh. What kind of manager doesnt even say something nice for once? At least Dora half-defended me. I mean~ Gia isnt wrong~ But wouldnt it be better to let us enjoy this for a little while~? She subtly shifted behind me, as if taking on the role of my guardian. Wow. If you take Gias side like that, what does that make us? Traitor. Traitors must be eradicatedthat is the rule of the battle race! Komari, however, threw a dose of reality back at Rain and Maru, who were whining about my bluntness. Being the most practical and cynical of the group, she didnt sugarcoat anything. Honestly, Gias not wrong. CAT took a gamble on us. If our numbers tank, even I wouldnt want to work on a second song with us. Just like that, the conversation split into two sides: Komari/Dora vs. Rain/Maru. O-our song is good, okay?! Look at the views! Well hit 10 million in no time! Yes. Be silent, Komari. We are already soaring! Yeah! We havent even hit trending yet! If you get your hopes too high, the disappointment will hit even harder~. Shes right. Nows the time to stay humble. Was this some kind of internal crisis before our biggest breakthrough? Of course not. This was just normal for Parallel Another. Maru: Completely lacking shame or embarrassment.Rain: Loves the thrill of burning energy, so she naturally follows Marus lead.Dora: Calm and does her own thing, no matter what.Komari: Observes, waits, then smacks Maru with reality when needed.It was perfect. Since none of them were actually fighting, it was just like watching four kittens paw at each other. And of course, since I was the one who had started this little spat, it didnt take long for their eight eyes to land back on me. Maru, acting as the groups representative, spoke up. So. Whats with the sudden generosity? Why are you buying us dinner? Let me guess. You finally feel guilty for being so distant? Saying that after already eating half the meal was hilarious, but sure, lets roll with it. If she hadnt looked so smug, I mightve answered honestly. But since she did... A rebellious spark flickered inside me. No. I just wanted to prepare you all for this weekends collab. ...Prepare? Prepare how? The four of them stared blankly for a moment before Komari was the first to put the pieces together. "Wait. Are you saying... youre hosting the weekend collab instead of the CEO?" I nodded. Marus face instantly turned pale. "No way. The CEO actually allowed that?" Their individual reactions made their personalities all too clear. "Kya-ha! Fucking surprise! This is gonna be fun!" "Somebodys definitely gonna end up crying this weekend~." "Sigh... Im already worried about what kind of ridiculous things shes gonna say..." "Were Really Close, I Swear." Despite its title, this segment often turned into a chaotic battlefield. It was meant to showcase the members friendships, but what it actually showcased was how much they wanted to rip each other apart. And ironically, that was exactly why it worked. After all, nothing screams "we''re best friends" like bickering over the dumbest things possible. It was far more effective than pretending to be close. I mean, just look at what happened earlier. I laughed while watching them squabble, right? Fans reacted the same way. As long as nobody was throwing actual punches, the audience simply saw it as proof of closeness. The core concept? 1. "Let''s Read Each Others Minds." Each member gets a keyword and has to align their thoughts with the others. Since all four of them have wildly different personalities, chaos is guaranteed. Someone will bring up an embarrassing personal habit. Another will claim, "You literally talk about this all the time!" It will escalate into an argument, and before you know it, hell has broken loose. 2. "We Remember Everything." Each member gets a vague hint about a past stream and has to recall which one it was. For example: "Which stream had Maru crying for an entire hour?" If they get it right, its a miracle. If they get it wrong, its hilarious. In some cases, they still end up fighting. "So you can remember that, but not any of my birthdays?" "Oh, so you dont remember when we got our first sponsor, but this you remember?" Once again, chaos. "The CEO only let you host because she wants to change things up." As expected, this show wasnt just for fun. It was also a way to directly address whatever drama was floating around. Whenever a rumor blew up, we tackled it head-on during one of these sessions. For example: A while back, there was a rumor that Komari and Maru had secretly fallen out. They killed the rumor in one Naore stream. "Why are you playing like that?" "Why do you always talk like that?" "Next time, just tell me when youre diving!" "I DIDoh, wait. Never mind, I muted my mic because I was pissed." They bickered nonstop for two hours, and then at the end, Komari casually invited Maru out for cake. Boom. Rumor dead. Now, a similar method would be used to shut down the current drama: "Is Gia quitting Parallel to debut as a utaite? Is there internal conflict?" Completely absurd. "By the way, during this collab, you can mention me all you want." Maruwho had been on the verge of a mental breakdownsnapped out of it instantly. "Seriously? Were not supposed to focus too much on the host, though." "CEO gave the green light. You dont have to force the conversation away from me anymore." I didnt mention the drama directly. These girls were honest to a fault. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. If they knew about the rumors, they might overact and end up sounding too scripted. But thisthis casual, natural banterwas exactly the vibe I wanted. I teased them. They fired back. Everything flowed naturally. Thats how we should approach this. After all, I wasnt the main character here. The focus needed to stay on them. "Relax and have fun. The CEO just wants to shake things up a little by adding me into the mix." The members exchanged glances. Then, Dora was the first to speak. "In that case~ How about we add a special segment just for Gia?" The second she said it, everyone pretended to act normal. But I could already tell. They were planning something. They werent even trying to hide it. They wanted revenge. And honestly? I couldnt blame them. Id always been the one playing tricks on them. Now that I was stepping into their territory, they wanted to turn the tables. "Fine. Talk to the CEO about it. Id rather not know the details." *** The Next Day: 1st Gen Meeting with CEO Cheon Do-hee At a cafe? near the office, the first-gen members formally pitched their idea. To make it extra official, Maru even dressed in a full suit and handed Do-hee an actual printed proposal. The CEO raised an eyebrow. "So... Youre saying you want to add some special ''Gia questions'' to the ''We Remember Everything'' segment?" "Yes!" "And the goal of this?" "Each of us will prepare a ridiculously hard trivia question about Gia. If she gets one wrong, she has to collab with us individually." In short: A "youre guaranteed to lose" quiz with forced punishment collabs. The idea was simpleif Gia willingly agreed to multiple collabs despite her busy schedule, it would prove she genuinely cared about the first-gen members. Do-hee rubbed her chin. "This is because of the Nutube comments, isnt it? All those people freaking out, asking if Gia is quitting to become Fan_C?" Maru hesitated. "Uh... yeah. I mean, Gia is Fan_C, but the public doesnt know that. And she doesnt want them to. If the rumors get out of control, we might slip up during a stream." Do-hee sighed. "Yeah, makes sense. All it takes is one leading question and youd crack like an egg." "H-hey! Ive gotten better at handling those kinds of questions! ...But yeah, youre right. Sorry." None of them wanted Gia to deal with unnecessary rumors. She had always been there for them. If all this stress ended up pushing {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} her to quit, that would be the worst-case scenario. So this time, it wasnt about pranking her. It was about helping her. Do-hee could see that. "Alright, I get what youre trying to do. But theres a problem." "What is it?" "Gia is too smart. Shes going to get all of your questions right." A pause. That... was a valid concern. Gia had an insane memory. Even difficult questions wouldnt trip her up. "So heres my suggestion," Do-hee continued. "Make the questions even harder. Reduce the audio hint to only one second. And instead of making her collab with just the person who stumped her, she has to collab with all four of you if she misses even a single question." The members gulped. "One second? Isnt that way too difficult? Wouldnt that seem unfair?" "Then just make sure you suffer just as much. If she gets them all right, you guys should take a major punishment too. That way, no matter what, we get good content." If Gia aced the quiz, the audience would be shocked and start defending her. If she failed, it would just lead to fun collabs with the first-gen members. Either way, mission accomplished. Maru exchanged glances with the others. "Alright. Then if we lose... well do ''Black Warning'' as our punishment." Do-hees eyebrows rose. "The horror game where you have to collect trash?" "Yup. Weve never played it before. So... it should be good content, right?" Chapter 135 Magia usually considers anything related to work as an extension of her job and takes it very seriously. However, there are rare occasions when she reverts to her old selfa mischievous troublemaker who moves according to her whims. That happens when even she cant suppress the vile instincts lurking inside her. For instance, when someone blatantly exposes an opening as if they were practically screaming, "Please mess with us!" "I''m thinking of adding a bet between you and us at this part tomorrow, but I want to keep it a surprise, so I wont reveal the details yet." "Oh, a bet? Are you planning on something like a horror game punishment?" "......." There was a very specific reason why Magia immediately threw out that question the moment she heard the members talking. She personally didnt care what kind of punishment she had to face, but if the first-gen members were the ones stuck with a horror game penalty, that was something she simply couldnt ignore. Dora and Maru were practically guaranteed entertainment in horror games. Even Komari, the most rational one, had reactions that were fun to watch. She tried to act normal, but there were moments when she would completely freeze up mid-sentence. It was adorable, really. Rain? If she got scared, she would suddenly speak flawless Korean, which was hilarious. Most of it was swearing, but it was still a guaranteed laugh. All of them were scaredy-cats, which meant that just watching them play would be pure gold. Even the members themselves knew how precious this was and tried to use it sparingly. But now they were planning a group horror game? This was too rare. Too precious. If Magia won the bet, she would get the chance to orchestrate this masterpiece herself. How could she not be excited? They hadnt even explicitly confirmed that the punishment was a horror game, but Magia was already hyped beyond belief. Throughout the entire rehearsal, she handled the process properly while simultaneously letting her imagination run wild. Should they throw a quiz at Magia to fit the theme of Were Really Close Friends? Maybe a more advanced version of the fragment quiz, where they showed a small part of a past stream and had to guess which one it was? Normally, they would play up to five seconds of a stream, but what if they only played one second and asked her to figure out which broadcast it was? But once the rehearsal wrapped up smoothly, Magia put a stop to her daydreaming. For the drama to escalate properly, her raw, unfiltered reactions were crucial. She had seen so many VTuber broadcasts over the years that she could practically read the members thoughts just from her imagination alone. So if she wanted to keep the real broadcast from feeling underwhelming, she needed to stop here. I cant wait to see what the bet is... Magia went to bed earlier than usual that night, thinking about the next days content. Please let it be a horror game. She didnt care if the bet was impossibly difficult. Please! *** Since announcing it in advance would have fueled conspiracy theories up until the broadcast, the notice about the host change was only posted at noon on the day of the event. See on Z Parallel official KR? @Parallel_official_kr - 6 hours ago Attention, Wol-Dungies. Due to the CEOs schedule, the host of , originally planned for May 13, will be changed to Magia. There are no changes to the broadcast date and time. Thank you. But even in the mere six hours leading up to the broadcast, the community was buzzing with speculation. Despite the official notice providing a clear reason for the change, the lack of additional details led everyone to assume the worst. The statement clearly said the CEOs schedule had changed unexpectedly, yet Magias ravenous fanbase (?) was half-convinced that this was a pre-planned decision. After all, if it were any other VTuber, they would have immediately addressed the rumors head-on by appearing on stream, laughing, and chatting with the members to dispel any drama. But this was Magia. She had only ever spoken directly about controversies involving herself onceand that was on April Fools Day, specifically to trick people. Other than that? Not a single comment. Even when people outright asked her about debuting on stream, she would just give a blunt "No" and ban them without hesitation. And now, out of nowhere, she was collaborating with Bazubi? And the next week, she was doing a collab with the first-gen members? On a content format that was perfect for flaunting friendships? And on top of that, the announcement came out suddenly? The overanalyzing fanbase took all these details and spiraled into complete madness. It was natural for fandoms to fall into a state of panic the moment their oshi showed signs of graduation, but this was reaching an extreme level. ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Were screwed] I know what this is... Shes just trying to do as many streams as possible before she graduates and make some final memories...... Why are you doing this to us all of a sudden? You werent even the type to stream this often!!!!!! Stop it now!! I dont want to suffer another loss!! [Comments] Parallel015: Damn, now Im suddenly anxious lmao Parallel802: So, the ones who kept insisting she should debut... do you finally realize what youve done? But its too late now! Just accept Magias graduation!! ? Parallel564: She hasnt even debuted yet, wtf lmao ? Parallel069: Nope, Magia is already a VTuber~ ? Parallel811: You guys are delusional lmao, when did Magia debut? ? Parallel707: Since she debuted in complete silence, shell probably graduate in complete silence too lmao ? Parallel992: Why does this actually sound legit though? ? Parallel992: I mean, theres no obligation to announce when an employee quits lol ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Wow, so the lyrics for her featuring part were] "I''m standing at the starting line again, heading for the next destination." "Say goodbye to the me of yesterday, and restart with the me of today." Whoever found this is a damn genius. This is giving me chills. [Comments] Parallel015: Holy shit, thats a straight-up graduation hint lmao Parallel442: Magia, you sneaky little bitch ?? Parallel562: Nah, thats a reach ? Parallel812: Cope... ? Parallel241: Stay strong ? Parallel095: This is what happens when you stan someone who hasnt even debuted... Find a new oshi already. ? Parallel562: Noooooooo ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Isnt that just a teaser for the second-gen debut?] Am I the only one who hears it that way? lmao Why is everyone assuming graduation? This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. She could just be doing both utaite and VTuber work. Just wait a few monthssomeone with a suspiciously familiar voice will pop up as a second-gen member. [Comments] Parallel358: Can you even juggle utaite, VTuber, and a corporate job at the same time? ? Parallel095: Just thinking about that makes me nauseous lmao Parallel551: If she were preparing for a debut, wouldnt she be streaming less, not more? Who even came up with this logic? ? Parallel551: Look at how she took a break and then suddenly came back streaming nonstop. Doesnt that tell you anything? Its her graduation tour! ? Parallel252: YOU KNOW NOTHING!!!! ... ... For the record, the real meaning behind the lyrics that people kept trying to connect to my "utaite reincarnation" was entirely different. It was actually meant to celebrate the first-gen members'' fresh start, symbolizing how they would step out of their small pond and shine even brighter with CAT as a partner. The intention behind the song was even explicitly stated in the video description. But thanks to these wild speculations, the hype was undeniable. Even in the VTuber fandom, when news of a graduation spread, even a small VTuber would get some level of attention. Wait, whos graduating? And theyre not even a real VTuber yet? ...Magia?! Because of this, a ridiculous number of people came to check it out just in case. Plus, it was a Sunday evening. The perfect time when people desperately hunted for dopamine to avoid going to bed before work the next day. ???? (Live) Were Really Close Friends - revive ????47,333 #Parallel #Another #Magia That number meant a lot. Last week, the peak viewership for the new song watch party had been 90,000, with 60,000 people tuning in at the start. But today, without the backing of CATs name, they still had 47,000 viewers at the very beginning. Sure, some of the audience had likely been drawn in by the high-quality song release, but a significant number had clearly flocked in after hearing the rumors about Magias graduation. However, even if Magia herself hadnt said a word about it, mentioning "graduation" in a VTubers chat was one of the biggest taboos in the fandom. It wasnt just because it disrupted the atmosphere and could get you banned. There was also the psychological effectif someone who was on the fence about leaving saw it, they might take it as a sign to graduate, and even those who had no such thoughts might start wondering, Do people want me to leave? Because of that, todays chat was almost suspiciously tame. The viewers were fully prepared to plead if Magia so much as hinted at anything. Im so excited for todays stream! Whens it startingggggggg Gia hosting?? This is gonna be great Is there anything Magia cant do at this point?!!! Most of them were practically groveling, as if begging her not to leave. All eyes were locked on Magia, waiting to hear what she would say. But there was only one reason Magia had decided to address things today. Rumors about a rift between her and the first-gen members could easily spiral into rumors about a rift between the company and the first-gen members. She had to stomp out the fire before it spread. So while she found it absurd that the gallery was already worrying about her graduation when she hadnt even debuted, she didnt pay it much attention. The only thing on her mind was the punishment the members had prepared for the loser. What kind of bet would they throw at her? How hard would they make it? She just wanted to get on with the content. She had to stay calm and composed, channeling the professionalism of the CEO while hosting. But quickly. As quickly as possible. No, faster. She couldnt completely suppress her anticipation. She tried to hold back, but Magia wasnt a seasoned broadcaster like Cheon Do-hee. She had always been someone who followed her instincts when streaming. Thats why, even from her opening line, her excitement was impossible to hide. "Wol-Dungies of Parallel, and all our new Wol-Dungies tuning in, hello! Im Magia, your host for today! Lets all give a huge round of applause to our first-gen members joining us for this collab...! Wow...!" "Hello!" "Hi, hi! Whats up!" "Waang~." "Hello!" If someone didnt notice anything odd about that introduction, they were probably just a casual first-gen fan or a new viewer. But if they did pick up on something, they were definitely part of Magias nameless fanbase. What was weird about it? Well, for them, the way Magia added that little cheer at the end was deeply unnatural. Even just the way she said, "Give it up for themJ!" was far too energetic for her. And that "Wow...!"what was with the bright tone? To some, it almost sounded like the reaction of someone finally free of a heavy burden. Naturally, the gallery watching the stream live exploded with theories. Parallel Gallery wasnt entirely focused on Magia, since it covered the other members too. But in Magias mini gallery? It was all-out war. "Shit, shes actually gonna graduate, isnt she?" Even though that panic didnt visibly spread to the stream, you could still catch traces of it in some of the anxious chat messages. Magia seems really excited today lol Why is she kinda cute today?? lmao It might seem like nothing. But if you added, "Do you like the thought of leaving that much?" or "Why does it sound like youll never do this again?" after those comments, it became obvious what they were really thinking. And it wasnt just a one-time thingMagia kept that upbeat energy going, continuously making her nameless fans uneasy. "Alright, before we get into todays content, were going to take a quick look back at our previous Were Really Close Friends streams. Everyone ready?" "Ugh... Im already dreading this." "Debut days... The way we were garbage at streaming. I fear watching this..." "Yeah, same~. This is embarrassing~." "Dora unnie, you dont sound embarrassed at all...." "Dora didnt struggle as much in the beginning, so of course shes fine...! Even if people call her ''Dumb Dora'' now, she was actually the best at this back then!" "Thats mean~! Im not dumb anymore~." "Its normal to be awkward in the early days. But honestly, I kind of miss that rookie charm we had back then. For those of you who missed it, you can still watch the cringe-worthy early debut days of our first-gen members on Parallels official channel. So dont forget to subscribe and turn on notifications!" "HEY! Why would you tell them that?!" "Oh, you didnt know? Guess Ill be watching Marus darkest past after this stream." "Damn it. Fine, Im pulling up Rain unnies debut stream right now." "OK, lets do this. Lets see who wins!" "This is already a mess...." "Alright, alright, save the fights for the content later. This was just a warm-up." "We werent fighting?!" "Wasnt this exactly a fight~?" "Fair point. You guys are so loud." "Just wait till later, both of you...." "Now then, before we jump into Were Really Close Friends - revive, as I said earlier, well be taking a look at the highlights from last years Were Really Close Friends. Roll the clip!" Maybe it was ? Nvlght ? (Read the full story) just overthinking. Maybe Magia just happened to be in a good mood today. No matter how hard they tried to shake off the feeling, her nameless fans couldnt stop fixating on one thing: "This isnt like Magia." *** By the time the second segment of Were Really Close Friends was wrapping up, there hadnt been any further signs, which was a relief. But Magias concrete fanbase knew that the second wave of graduation hints was coming. The moment the members revealed the bet they had prepared to showcase their bond with Magia. We Really Know Each Other. A game where they had to identify a stream based on just three seconds of audio or a tiny clip of footage. Even after nearly two years together, pinpointing a broadcast from just three seconds was ridiculously difficult. Even though they had made the questions easier, their success rate was abysmal, and Magia roasted them nonstop. "Wow. That was an easy one." "See, guys? These two actually get along. No need to worry." "Hahh... Getting this one wrong is just unacceptable." In the rehearsal, this was the moment when the members were supposed to spring the real trap. The surprise segment that Magia had no idea about. Maru, pretending to be offended, suddenly raised her hand. "Hold up. I have a question." "Go ahead, Maru." "You keep mocking us for getting these wrong. But how well do you think youd do?" "At the very least, better than you guys." "Oh, really? So even if the clip is super short, youd still get it right?" "Yeah. Even if its just one second." Rain egged them on. "Holy damn. Crazy confidence. Wanna make a bet?" "A bet? Sure. Put something on the line." Dora, who was the most terrified of horror games, casually dropped the suggestion. "Then~ if you get enough right, well all play a horror game together~." Wait, WHAT DORA mentioned a horror game first??? Omg lmao TAKE THE BET GIA PLEASE ACCEPT AND WIN And just like that, the trap was set. Then, as planned, Komari naturally steered the conversation to ensure Magia got roped into the quiz by setting the conditions for her loss. "We put a horror game on the line. What are you betting, Gia unnie?" As promised, Magia stated her terms. "Betting on a set number feels a bit weak. Lets just go all or nothing. If I get even one wrong, Ill do a relay stream with you guys next week. You can decide the contentit can be anything you want." "No take-backs, got it?" "Hehe, Im so making her play a horror game~." "24-hour Battle Call training. Youre dead!" "Wow, Rain unnie, were on the same page. I was gonna make her do 24 hours of ranked Naore." Oh. Magia Returns ?? Shes finally coming back to streaming!!! Damn, second-gen debut prep must be wrapping up. Nice!! To those unfamiliar with Magia, the reaction was simple excitementshe was a collaboration cheat code, and they were hyped to see what shed do in another first-gen collab. But those who knew her well? They were drowning in sheer terror. A company-affiliated VTuber about to graduate, suddenly making rounds to collaborate with all their fellow corporate membersand doing it more actively than usual? That was one of the classic signs of a graduation tour. This was even more alarming than any of the previous hints. Of course, none of it would matter if Magia just won the bet. But then, the moment Maru played the first quiz question, Magias fanbase went completely pale. [ Squeak...] A one-second clip. Nothing but an ambiguous, contextless, squeaky sound. "Alright, guess!" How was anyone supposed to figure that out? They had deliberately set this up to make Magia lose. This was a straight-up relay-stream death sentence. Chapter 136 The difficulty of the question could be guessed just by looking at the chat reactions. [ Squeak...] LMAO WTF Are you serious?? Dude, she randomly goes "squeak... squeak..." all the time, and you''re using that as a question? LOL Where exactly does this "squeak" come from? I have no idea wtf this is lol But for Magia, it wasnt all that difficult. Marus screams came in three variations. The level of her reaction depended entirely on how scared she was. The first level was shock. From there, the intensity escalated in stages. The highest level ended with "AACK", with the last syllable rising sharply at the end. If she had to mark it with an arrow, it would be something like J. The next level down was the kind of reaction they just heard. Not a full-on scream, but the kind of sound she made when she was so startled that she couldnt even form proper words. "It sounds like she was trying to say ''Don''t make me laugh'' but ended up squeaking instead. I can think of about five games where she screamed like this." At that, Maru flinched. "Uh... a game? How are you so sure its from a game? What if its not?" "As far as I know, shes never made this exact sound outside of a game." ? Wait, seriously? How the hell do you even know that lmao This is some freakish demon-level memory ?? Magia muttered to herself, combing through her mental database. "Judging by the volume, this mustve been from a collab stream where the mic settings were adjusted. Usually, those settings get reverted within two days at most, so if I narrow it down to collabs that happened within that timeframe... that leaves two possible days." "Wait, hold on..." LOL WTF Im actually scared right now... I KNOW ITSHES USING A SEARCH ENGINE SHE''S CHEATING "My brains doing the searching for me, so dont accuse me of anything." Shes doing this from memory?? No way. Youre not human. THE MAGIA AI THEORY IS CONFIRMED Even as the chat exploded in disbelief, Magias deduction continued. "Its less than a second long, so Im not completely sure, but if you listen closely to the background, theres a faint zombie noisekind of a groooaaar sound." Maru, sensing that Magia was closing in on the answer at terrifying speed, clamped her mouth shut. But that didnt change the outcome. "The answer is Pandemic Z, a stream from last summer. Hard, but solvable." Maru mumbled in disbelief. "Thats right... I mean, yeah, its right, but... you guessed, didnt you? That was just a lucky guess, right? You were just pretending to think it through?" BE HONEST!!! YOU SEARCHED FOR IT, DIDNT YOU?! Wait, did Maru accidentally leak the answer? ?? As expected of MaruTube, the leak king "The Wol-Dungies are saying you leaked the answer." "NO! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, GUYS?! Why the hell would I leak it when I dont want to play a horror game?! And if Magia was cheating, wed have stopped hershes sitting right next to us!" Okay, fair point LOL, my bad Yeah, that was just false accusations If you dont want to be accused, then stop leaking all the time! "Ugh, you little shits. Im sorry, okay? Fine, Ive leaked stuff before, BUT YOU ALL LOVE IT WHEN I DO IT!" No idea what youre talking about We dont know anything! That was some other bad Wol-Dungies, were the good ones After a brief moment of accusing Magia of cheating, Maru successfully managed to clear her name. But at that point, everyone had the same thought. What the hell? That was supposed to be insanely difficult. And she solved it just like that? There were still three questions left, but at this rate... Was Magia actually going to win? ...which meant no relay streams? A first-gen group horror game would be way more fun, though. Even the hardcore Magia doomsday theorists started to reconsider. Maybe we overreacted? It definitely looked like graduation signs, but... maybe we were just being dramatic? But no one could be sure just yet. Graduation announcements were never made in the middle of a stream. They had to stay on guard until the very end. Magia is a goddamn legend A true role model for us Parallel fans The Wol-Dungies should learn from her example Normally, Magias core fans hovered on the brink of being banned every other day, constantly pestering her about debuting, not streaming enough, or ignoring them. But today? They were nothing but supportive. Even the other fans noticed. "Why is the chat so nice today?" This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Of course, it was possible that Marus question had just been too easy. Because when Komari presented her question, the tension immediately returned. "Alright, next ones from me. Listen closely, unnie." "Lets hear it." [Sae] No background sounds to use as hints. Not a scream like Marus. Just a completely out-of-context syllable that sounded like the middle of a sentence was cut off. ??? ??? LMAO ??? No, seriously, how is anyone supposed to guess from this?? DO YOU EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT A HINT IS?! Bro clenched his teeth so hard while giving this hint lmao This is basically just telling her to lose and do the relay streams Even after witnessing Magias terrifying deduction skills, the majority of the audience agreed. This one was impossible. Komari was feeling confident. "Marus question was kinda easy, huh? I didnt want to lose too easily, so I made mine much harder." But just as the room had gone silent, Magia nonchalantly dropped a bombshell. "The intonation sounds like it was from a curse word. Sae from ssae-bae-ya." Komari froze. Maru lost it. "SEE? I TOLD YOU IT WAS TOO EASY!!" "W-Wait! Its not easy! Do you know how many times I swear??" "Oh wow. What a flex." "Agh, seriously. Unnie, shut up. If you give her any hints, we have to play the horror game. Dont forget that!" "...Ah. My bad." LOL Maru was about to team-kill Of course Maru would be the one to leak again lmao But Komari was rightthis question was hard because she cursed constantly. Marus "squeak" had been narrowed down to a few possible scenarios. Komaris "ssae-bae-ya" though? She had said it on at least half her total streams. Which meant over 200 different broadcasts. This was basically like trying to find a single grain of rice in a desert. If Marus question had at least some leeway, Komari had made this one outright malicious. But not all curse words were the same. "Listening again, the tone sounds like a Level 5 Rage down to a Level 3." "...Excuse me?" What? HOW DO YOU EVEN KNOW THAT? LMAOOOOO Bro, are you okay? Youre actually an AI, arent you? High-quality swear analysis LOL "Dont call me an AI. Just listen. Even Komaris curse words have variations. This one specifically is at Level 3, and the tone is distinct." Bro, I didnt major in music theory, I cant hear this. Magia is actually insane. So youre saying cursing has set pitch levels? How can you even tell?! Ignoring the utterly dumbfounded reactions from the viewers, Magias analysis continued. "Komari, for you to curse in a Level 3 state, two specific conditions need to be met. First, you must have been on at least a three-game winning streak in ranked that day. And second, someone must have sent an extremely toxic chat message or donation to provoke you. But since your chat is constantly filled with trolls, your manager usually bans them instantly. So if you actually had the time to react, it means the ban was delayed. Which only happens when it''s really late at night... When the manager is tired... Somewhere around... 5 AM or later." "...What. No. Thats not" "My memory tells me there werent many streams where you were in Level 3 Rage past 5 AM. The key detail is that faint whish sound from an auto attack in the background. I dont remember the name, but it wasnt one of your usual champions. So if I narrow it down..." Everyone was focused on Magia. If she got this right, it would be something worthy of going down in internet streaming history. Thats how absolutely insane this quiz question was. Even Komari, the one who made the question, wasnt confident in the outcome. "I think I even know the date. Wasnt it the Naore stream on Hangul Day? The champion used was a Korean-themed one... what was the name again? The fox-looking one?" Komari let out a stunned laugh and answered. "Baekseo... Thats correct..." Holy shit LOL No fucking way LMAOOOOOO Are you kidding me? Nah, this has to be rigged LOL Just admit it, you already knew the answers beforehand!!!! HOW IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE??? Before viewers could even search for the answer, Komari pulled up the clip herself. On the screen, she was controlling a character with a fox tail while speaking. ["Yeah, keep talking shit, you bastards. Im gonna win this match, make it five in a row, then sleep like a baby~. Suck it."] It was exactly as Magia had said. "Youre... insane. How the hell did you get that?" "Dont forget, Ive been watching your streams 365 days a year. Well, I dont have as much time these days, so I dont catch everything. But this was back when I was watching all your streams religiously, so I knew." With this, Magia had answered two questions correctly and was now another step closer to victory. And she didnt hesitate to taunt them. "The questions are hard, but theyre not impossible. Dora, Rain, are your questions around the same difficulty?" "Nope~. Harder." "You just activated my trap card." "So even harder? That sounds fun. I wouldve been disappointed if they were only this difficult." "..." "..." Shes terrifying... She knows everything about first-gen LOL This is actual madness ?? Maru and Komari wanted to argue about how none of this had been easy. But since Magia had already answered two of them correctly, there was nothing they could say. They were badly shaken and had to admit they underestimated her. "Yeah... Okay. Ill admit we took {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} you too lightly. But still, how do you know everything so precisely?! Its creepy!" "Yeah... I was honestly scared, unnie..." Naturally, the members split into two groups and bickered. "Dont worry. Weve got this. My question is so beautifully evil that Gia is definitely gonna curse. You two weaklings, just sit back and watch." "Oh sure. Lets see if your questions actually harder than ours. If its not, youre getting dogpiled." "Dont worry~. We made ours really hard~." "Yeah, but I doubt its harder than Komaris..." LMAO theyre still fighting Theyre so cute, lets drink to that This is what Another is all about LOL The infighting is as expected You might wonder why no one seemed to be rooting for the members to win. It was because most viewers were siding with Magia. And if Magia won, the members would have to play a horror game together. Since Magia was so hyped about it, the fans really wanted to see it too. Even Magias hardcore fans, the ones desperate to prevent her from doing a relay stream, had taken over the chat, spamming messages of support. At this point, the entire audience was practically rooting for Magia. And a few minutes later... Magia answered the last two questions back to back. The chat instantly exploded into a celebration. "Correct.... You f" "Rain, F-word banned." "You... fucking... crazy...." "That doesnt mean you can curse." SIGN IT! O...N...E...T...H...E...R... W...I...L...L... P...L...A...Y... A... H...O...R...R...O...R... G...A...M...E... Get ready LMAO No but seriously what the fuck... How did she DO that? Im just gonna assume this was pre-planned... theres no way LOL FOUR-PERSON HORROR GAME LETS GOOOOO I CANT WAIT FOR THISSSS HAIL BIG MAGIA, I MUST WORSHIP HER At this point, even Magias most paranoid fanswho had spent the entire stream convinced she was preparing to graduatefinally relaxed. Yeah... theres no way Magia would lose on purpose just to do a relay stream. The whole "shes throwing on purpose" theory was ridiculous. In the end, they had doubted Magia for nothing. They were ashamed of their lack of faith in her. But while all of this was happening internally among the fans... Magia herself was thinking something different. Was this really enough to prove that I get along with the members? She suddenly felt like she needed to do more. Since graduation talk was banned in chat, viewers were playing it safe and not bringing it up, which meant she couldnt check their reactions on the spot. So she thought it would be best to take extra steps to really put an end to the rumors. Might as well... If youre going to put out a fire, you have to do it properly. Leave even a small ember burning, and itll just flare up again later. So, for the first time ever, Magia made this extremely rare suggestion: "Hey... would it be okay if I joined the horror game collab too?" ? Huh? What?? The members had no reason to refuse. This entire collab had technically been set up to address the feud rumors. But the relay streams? That had been something they genuinely wanted to do. The problem was... They had assumed they would win. And now that they lost, making Magia squeeze a collab into her already packed schedule felt a little... wrong. So everyone hesitated. Which meant Magia had to speak up again. "We dont know when well get another chance to all play together like this." Sure, she might host a collab again under Momos orders, like today. But a full five-person game like this? That wasnt going to happen easily. Because normally, Magia avoided mixing in with the members unless there was a clear reason. Unfortunately, the way she phrased it was like a death sentence for her paranoid fans. "We dont know when well get another chance." That sounded exactly like something someone would say before disappearing. Come on, there will be another chance LOL Shes acting like its her last time LMAO Youre totally gonna do this again, right??? If talking about graduation wasnt a bannable offense, her fans wouldnt have had to dance around the topic like this. But even if it wasnt banned, what else could they do? In the end, Magia had never officially debuted. She had only ever been a guest in the members streams. So if she did leave... That would be the end of it. * Of course, Magias graduation panic wasnt just limited to her fans. There were also people who werent deeply into VTuber culture, but still knew who Magia was. And one of them? One of them immediately picked up the phone and called someone who could actually get answers. While Momo was busy monitoring the stream, she received a call. "Dont you fucking dare let Magia go. If youre really the CEO of a black company, act like it and chain her down. Why the fuck cant you handle one employee? Youre not even fit to be a CEO." Even with a voice changer distorting the call, the idiot didnt even try to hide his number. Momo barely held back laughter. "Lee Dong-geon. Turn off the voice changer and call me back properly." "...I dont know what youre talking about. Im not Dong-geon." "Then at least hide your number, dumbass. It literally says Mugeon on my screen." A second later, Mugeon sighed and spoke in his normal voice. "Damn. Forgot to block my caller ID." "Youre a fucking moron." Momo was still laughing as she muttered. "So... first-gen wasnt enough for you, huh? Youre a Magia oshi now?" "No. Its not like that." "Oh sure. That reaction? Theres no way youre not one of her hardcore fans. Are you in her mini gallery too?" "Im not." "Yeah, yeah. So... you wanna know the truth?" "Of course. Is Magia quitting? Is she really leaving? Whats happening?" Honestly, if he wasnt asking as Fan_C, there was no harm in answering. But Momo smiled. Magia had given her the perfect opportunity. Mugeon was a known gaming streamer, but he was still a normie in VTuber culture. His audience didnt automatically overlap with Parallel. But that audience? They could still become potential customers of Parallels music. Especially on YouTube. "You know how you make Clutch Play shorts? Use our new song in one." "Damn... thats dirty. You know that costs a fortune, right?" "Yeah? So do you want to hear the truth or not?" Mugeon clicked his tongue. "I never said I wouldnt do it. Just that its expensive. Give me a week. Ill make something so good, people will lose their fucking minds." Chapter 137 After the broadcast ended, it was only natural that the members would come charging at me. Usually, for collabs like this, we rent a full-motion studio, so there was nowhere to run. As the host, I had to keep fueling the fire, making sure the members got worked upsaying things like "You really can''t even guess that?" and other unreasonable taunts. So it was only expected that Id end up trapped in a four-person human barrier, getting tossed around like laundry in a washing machine. While I was getting pounded by their hands, my phone rang. It was the CEO. "Yes, boss." The moment I said boss, three of them immediately backed away. Turns out, most of them are actually scared of her. Except for Rain, whos spent too much time overseas to careshe was the only one unfazed. The others just stood there, quietly observing, probably trying to gauge what I was about to say. ["Good job. The broadcast wrapped up cleanly."] "Thats a relief. I was worried I went too far." ["Too far? Nah, it was just right. And you deciding to collab with them was a great call too. Even if it wasnt intentional, we got an unexpected bonus."] "A bonus? What is it?" ["Mugeons making a Shorts video using our new song."] I dont like Mugeon, but Ive said before that I dont deny his skills or achievements. I dont really watch Shorts, since I mostly stick to live broadcasts. But these days, Shorts are everywhere. And if theres one thing Mugeon knows how to do, its pump out Shorts that rack up views. If he were just some pro gamer, he wouldnt have gotten this farour CEOs mentioned that multiple times. Apparently, over half of his two million subscribers are international, and he absolutely dominates the overseas algorithm. So yeah, this would probably be huge for us. But something still felt off. "And what exactly possessed him to do this?" The CEO chuckled. ["Like I said, you made it happen."] "?" ["Because of the snowball you started rolling, Mugeon came begging to me."] "...Wait. Did he thank you for letting the members play Black Warning?" ["He helped promote first-gen, sure. But he''s not exactly a VTuber fan."] "Still, hes been doing a lot for them lately. He even pops into chat during their streams sometimes." ["Yeah. Whenever youre there."] Thinking back, yeah... He did seem to show up whenever I was doing something. Which meant there was only one thing he could be after. "What, does he want me to do another in-house tournament?" ["Nope. Different reason this time."] "Then what, does he want me to lose a bet again?" ["Why is your mind only going in that direction...? No, he just wanted to know if youre actually leaving the company. So I gave him the answer in exchange for a favor."] Do all two-million-followers streamers make deals like this? I dont really know much about Shorts, so I guess Ill just leave it at whatever works. ["Anyway, if Mugeons video goes viral, itll be because of you. So look forward to a bonus."] ...But this I wont just let slide. "Wait. The song belongs to the members. I just added some vocals here and there. How does that turn into my bonus?" ["The members dont need bonuses, because theyll get royalties from the songs success."] "Well, I signed a contract with CAT, so I also get royalties." ["Oh, come on. Cant I give my own employee a bonus if I want to?!"] "Stop spending company money however you please." ["How is this random spending?! If you dont want it, come to my office tomorrow and file a formal complaint."] "How is this something that needs a formal complaint..." From the way the members were glancing at me, they were starting to feel uneasy. Probably because the conversation was sounding more heated than it actually was. "Anyway, Ill see you in your office tomorrow. I actually had something I wanted to discuss with you too." ["Got it. See you tomorrow."] As soon as the call ended, Maru asked, "Wait, was there a problem with todays stream? Did we mess up somewhere?" Guess it was a natural reaction. We have made a lot of mistakes before, caused a lot of accidents. So it made sense theyd be anxious. But there was nothing but good news. One question still lingered, but that was a personal matter. As for the whole Mugeon situation That was basically like finding a second-place lottery ticket on the street. Besides, the CEO would probably tell the members about Mugeons video herself. If it does really well, she might even announce it as a surprise. "No, nothings wrong. She said the stream was great and to just keep doing what youre doing. So, when are we playing Black Warning? Next week?" The members huddled up to discuss, then gave me a date. "Yeah. How about this weekend? That work for you?" *** While Parallel was enjoying the high of Mugeons support and the upcoming collabs... The rumors of Magia reincarnating, switching companies, or quitting refused to die. Even Mugeon, of all people, was so curious that he contacted the CEO himself. But weirdly enough, the only rumor that had actually disappeared was the one about Magia and the first-gen members fighting. ... Magia Mini Gallery ... [If she graduates, Im quitting my job too.] [I suddenly dont feel like doing anything anymore.] [What are the odds of Magia not graduating?] [At the end of the day, shell probably choose money and fame, huh.] [I wish being an Utaite would stop being a career overnight.] ... ... ... It was hilarious to see these same people, who had just been screaming at her to debut, now throwing tantrums about her possibly leaving. But in the end, this was just what happens when an ordinary person gets too much fan attention. Magia had never officially debuted as a VTuber. So this was an issue that would naturally die down over time. More importantly, if Magia could really make it big as an Utaite... Momo wanted to push her in that direction. Magia had always enjoyed watching streams more than hosting them. So that career path suited her better anyway. As long as she didnt leave the company, Momo didnt care what she did. She just wanted Magia to do what she wanted. This time, Magia had accidentally started a chain reaction that led to some unexpected benefits. But Momo didnt want her to get swayed by the audience and keep streaming just because people demanded it. So the next day She made an unusual move. She checked the community discussions immediately after arriving at work. Then, when Magia showed up, she brought it up herself. Because after yesterday, she had a feeling That thing Magia wanted to discuss with her? It was probably about her obsessive fans. And for once, Momo was going to act like an actual CEO. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. "The whole fuss about you transferring or reincarnating was inevitable from the moment you chose Fan_C as your Utaite stage name, so don''t let it bother you too much anymore. Just finish up Black Warning with the others, and after that, focus on the tasks ahead, including the second-gen debut." But was there any chance Magia hadn''t checked the community posts? She had long since grasped the situation and had already prepared a response. A time-honored tradition: just do your work and wait it out because time will take care of everything. "As if I''d be bothered by something like that. Maybe you should be using that time to stream instead of reading forums." "When have I not told you to pay attention to industry insights? Besides, I only looked for a few minutes!" "Reading gallery posts isn''t exactly ''industry insight'' though...." "...I mean, fair point. Ugh. Then what was that thing you wanted to discuss with me?" "Oh, that? This." Magia pulled up her chat log with a well-known modder. [trashit: Ive incorporated all the requested changes.] [trashit: This is actually going to be really fun lol.] [trashit: Check with Momo and let me know! I can make adjustments right away.] [Magia: Thanks so much.] [Magia: Thanks to you, this is gonna be way more entertaining.] [trashit: No, really, I''m grateful that Parallel reached out to me for this lol.] It was about modifying Black Warningadjusting the monsters and game mechanics. Since Magia always handled servers and mods whenever the members played a game that required them, this was basically just an extension of her usual work. Momo had half-expected a serious discussion, considering all the Magia-related drama in the community lately. Seeing that it was just this, she could only sigh. "Should I be praising you for only thinking about work, even in a situation like this?" "I didnt understand what you just said." "...Forget it. Why even make a mod? Black Warning is fun enough in vanilla." Black Warning. A game where players scavenge for valuable items on a colony planet ruined by the spread of native alien life forms. Then, they deliver those items to a black company to earn performance scores and survive another day. Each planet has a dark, eerie atmosphere, and the monsters are grotesque. One moment, you''re casually talking to someone; the next, they''re screaming and disappearing from your sightor right behind you. The dead are left bewildered. The survivors are left terrified. So even if it turns players into nervous wrecks, its absolute gold for viewers. Basically an upgraded slapstick comedy. "When I imagine the four of them playing, I get the feeling theyre just going to play it too safe. It needs some adjustments." Unlocking higher-tier planets quickly means encountering new mechanics and more terrifying monsters, leading to constant comedic suffering. But if they waste hours being overly cautious, they''ll never make it past the lower-tier planets. And lets be realevery first-gen member was a coward. Even Komari and Rain, who were relatively brave and usually the ones carrying the group, would become absolute wrecks if left alone. Momo raised a brow. "But you''re playing too. Wouldn''t that stop them from playing too safely?" "I''m disabling my ability to attack with the mod." Magia had a habit of using destruction to overcome fear. If she could attack, she wouldwithout hesitation. That meant she would become the center of attention. And Magia did not want that. The audience wanted to see how badly the members would suffer at the hands of monsters. If Magia wiped everything out, it would ruin the fun. "Hmm. Yeah, that makes sense. If you had a weapon, youd probably annihilate everything." "Exactly. So, Im just going to be a pack mule. Running away when monsters show up." "Got it. Makes sense. But that cant be all, right? You didnt bring in a modder just for that." "Dora and Marus attack power will be doubled. They probably wont hit much, but when they do, it''ll create hilarious moments. Itll also give the two biggest cowards more opportunities to shine." "Alright, that''s reasonable. What else?" "Black Warning has already been played in multiple collabs. It was meta for a while." "Yeah, it had its golden age." "Since we''re playing it relatively late, we need something to make Parallels Black Warning feel distinct." This was the part Magia had thought about the most. It was both a consideration for those who had already seen too many Black Warning streams and a way to make fans feel a stronger connection to the group. "I added a few high-value items. Even if they fail to make money before the deadline, they can take one last gamble to turn the game aroundforcing them to take risks." "Ooh, thats smart. What kind of items?" "Take a look." Magia pulled up some images. "These are ? Nvlght ? (Read the full story) basically plushies of the members'' fan mascots." Momo''s face immediately brightened. "Thats adorable. Fans are gonna love this. It makes it feel like they''re helping the members. And the members saving their fans from danger? Thats a perfect touch." And finallyone subtle promotional addition. Magia knew that too much marketing would be off-putting, so she kept it just light enough to be effective. "The last thingthere''s a monster in the game called a Boombox." "Oh yeah. That thing. Tons of Shorts content about it." "Normally, it plays a preset song before exploding. But I changed it so that it randomly plays our original songs instead." "...Thats kind of unsettling. But also... hilarious. And it definitely makes it feel like a Parallel mod." "Want to see a sample? Its like this." Magia played a one-minute clip. The modder walked through a dimly lit bunker. Suddenly, a Boombox locked onto him pressed play And the back half of Finish Line, first-gens latest song, started blasting. As he tried to flee, the Boombox chased him, blasting the highlight of the track. Then BOOM. A massive explosion. The screen faded to black. "...What the hell? That was way more engaging than I expected. It felt like watching a Shorts video." Even though it was only a minute long, the clip had a clear beginning, middle, and end. The music started off soft, built up tension, and then peaked right before the explosion. It was exactly the kind of snappy, viral content that dominated Shorts and Reels these days. "I just cut out the part of the song that fit best. Does it work?" "Its perfect. Do you have versions with other songs?" "I didnt make separate videos, but I have the files. Want me to play them?" "Hold on. Lets get the team leads in here first." Momo summoned the planning and marketing leads. After watching the clip, they both had the same reaction as her. "If we edit it like the members horror game Shorts, this could really blow up." "Honestly, because of how the game itself works, I feel like any of their songs would fit. Lets just test them all." "Agreed. Lets start making them." The team leads were already buzzing with ideas. Before long, they looked entirely satisfiedlike they had just stumbled onto something big. The planning lead, Ra Seunghyun, even reached over to ruffle Magias hair. "Magia. Once again, youve brought us something amazing. These days, the more Shorts-friendly a stream is, the better." Magia was proud that her idea would benefit the company. But the way all the adults around her were cheering and clapping made her feel like a kid who had just done something cute. "...Uh. I mean... I wasnt really aiming for this..." Chapter 138 Since I often recommended games to the members, I could confidently say that I knew my way around games better than most in the company. For someone like me, who had only a handful of strengths worth boasting about, this was one of the few things I could truly take pride in. So, it naturally fell to me to explain Black Warning and the newly added mods to the members for this collab. The only difference this time was that instead of discussing everything over TalkCord, we were now meeting in person. Normally, I would have called everyone to the ninth floor of the office, but that space was now occupied by the second-generation members. So today, we all gathered at Doras place. Since she lived alone, and if left to set everything up herself, shed definitely fumble, it made sense to borrow her place to get everything readyincluding preloading the mods on her computer. ...Ah, now that I think about it, there was one more difference. Two hands were resting on my head, four on my shoulders, and two more on my waist as I sat in a chair talking about the game. Lately, for some reason, everyone had started treating me like a petstroking me, fidgeting with my hair, and touching me at random. Before, theyd at least been a little cautious about it, but ever since I was the one who suggested this collab, whatever wall had been there before had completely crumbled. Regardless, I had to do my job, so I continued explaining the changes in the mod. Damage doubled, meaning that the two of themwho were essentially the ultimate cowardly duo forced into a DPS rolewere already whining. Can we... even do this?! Im already... scared... I watched so many videos.... Rain and Komari called me a traitor. They said they thought I would carry them, but instead, I was just going to be a pack mule. No, seriously, Gia, you should be carrying the logs, too. How can you just be a porter? Thats right. Stop whining and just charge in mindlessly!. This is a balance adjustment. Sure, its a game Ive never played before, but if I had attack power on top of everything else, Id just end up killing all the monsters. You saw how it was when Dora and I played Pandemic Village, right? I mean, yeah, but that just means Ill be the only one carrying logs. Theres no way Rain will help properly. Me? Why? Me does it properly. When the bribe money starts getting tight later, thats when youll actually play seriously.... Ive known you for almost two years now. Oh. Goosebumps. Are you a genius? Ugh. Guess Im the only one carrying logs after all. Maru bristled. Hey, at least Im not as bad as Dora, okay? Ill still fight before I die. Wow. So mean. Making it sound like Im the only dead weight~. To be fair, you kinda are... at least when it comes to combat games. Thats so sad. See? You say youre sad because you have no comeback. Dont be too hard on Dora. When we get into an actual fight, Maru, youll be just as bad. I will not! Another day, another chaotic mess in Parallel Another. Though, the four who had been bickering nonstop immediately stopped when the boombox started playing one of their songs. No one even suggested it, but they spontaneously started a live performance in surround sound. Since the members loved to sing, this was pretty much routine. But since the boombox was a monster that exploded after a set time, it wasnt long beforeboom! Maru and Komari were dumbfounded. What the hell was that...? Feels like we just got a vision of our new song flopping. Hey. Komari. Could you not put it like that? Rain and Dora, on the other hand, were thrilled, already shaking their bodies excitedly at the thought of milking this for YouTube content. Everyone, no escaping, okay? If you get caught, you have to sing on the spot. Yeah, yeah, gotta make it a flashy execution~. Honestly, when the company praised this idea as a great concept yesterday, I didnt think much of it. But seeing how much the members enjoyed it naturally brought a smile to my lips. I really hadnt expected this mod, which I threw in just for promotion, to be such a hit. It felt like I might be getting a bonus soon. Though, what Id actually do with it was a problem for later. Even in the middle of the members excitedly chattering about tomorrow, our ever-diligent fact-checker, Komari, never stopped scrutinizing the details. But Gia, be honest. This boombox thing only shows up on mid-tier planets, right? Are we even capable of getting there with this team? Dora and Maru, who had been grumbling about being underestimated, couldnt immediately refute that. To reach a mid-tier planet, wed need to buy a license. And to do that, it would take anywhere from three in-game days (one day per planetary cycle) to six, depending on how fast we moved. Even after obtaining the license, if we ended up in a full game-over scenario, the whole thing would reset, meaning wed have to start over from the lower-tier planets and earn the license again. But, well, who was I? I had already considered everything and reported it to Cheon Do-hee. Thats why I added this. Donguri, Hatchling, Leaf, and Puddle. The chances of them appearing are low, but if we find even two of these four fan characters, well have enough money to buy the license right away. Honestly, isnt it more fun to be grinding in mid- and high-tier planets than wasting time baking bread on the low-tier ones? The members, who had been dancing excitedly earlier, now crowded around the monitor, giggling and making a commotion. Honestly, finding our fan characters in that dark environment would be so comforting.... The Hatchlings are so cute~! Damn! The Puddles modeling looks like total goblin energy! Makes me wanna soccer kick them! With that, the explanation was done. As I was getting ready to leave, though, I noticed Komari watching me with a suspicious look amidst all the excited members. Then she leaned in and whispered into my ear. Be honest. Youve got something else planned, dont you? What would I be planning? This is exactly the kind of game where youd pull something. Theres no way youre just letting this go. Youve got something, right? Given my track record, I couldnt blame her for doubting me. And, well, she wasnt wrong. I did have something planned. But ideally, I wouldnt need to use it. I specifically tweaked the mods to make things easier so you four wouldnt burn to a crisp. If I mess with it more, all the balance adjustments will be pointless. ...Really? I nodded a couple of times, keeping my face completely neutral. Komari seemed unconvinced but had no further way to press the issue, so she just pouted and backed off. As soon as the members got caught up in their own conversations, I tried to slip out, but it seemed my overtime wasnt done just yet. Marus hand shot out and grabbed my arm. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Wait. Where do you think youre going? You have to eat dinner before you leave. Arent you hungry? I shook my head firmly to indicate I wasnt. But then, the remaining three teamed up and restrained my arms and legs. Eat before you go, Gia. Well treat you. Yeah. Tomorrow, well all be playing from home anyway, so this is our only chance to have dinner together~. Since I desperately wanted to go home, I was about to bring up that menu, but Rains fingers shot out and pinched my lips like a clamp. No pineapple pizza. You understand, Gia? Mmhhmmhmhhh. Whatd she say? She said shes hungry and wants to eat quickly. Mhhhmhhm! Yeah, yeah, we get it. Lets go eat something good. Lets go~! Pbb! *** Black Warning The objective of the game is really simple. Go into the lairs of dangerous monsters scattered across different planets. Pick up scrap metal ~Nvlight~ lying around. Transport it back to the spaceship and deliver it to headquarters as tribute. Thats it. However, these monster lairs are filled with all kinds of traps. And the monsters themselves are bizarre and unpredictable. The black company that sends players in for exploration must be curious about their ecology too, since they also pay for any photos or videos you bring back. Since most of the members hadwhether they wanted to or notalready watched plenty of videos about the game on YouTube, I skipped explaining the monsters yesterday, aside from the boombox. People were looking forward to seeing their reactions when they actually encountered the creatures in person for the first time. Thats why, for the first game, we treated it like a tutorial. Each of us would split up to get a feel for the game. Since I had already declared that I would be hanging back as a porter, the broadcast was entirely in the hands of the members. Alright. For the first planet, lets split up and look around. Its scary, but we need to get used to the game first. Yeah. Gotta smash our heads into it and try different things before we can really get the hang of it. Ugh... Im scared.... Can I... take Gia with me...? Dora is a super coward, so yeah, let her tow Gia along. Makes sense. Of course, even though I had made it clear that Id just be playing the role of a porter, the viewers were already expecting me to stir up some chaos. Today, Magia is looking like some prime Jangsanbeom bait. Honestly, shes gonna be even worse than the doppelga?nger. LOL First-gens getting scared out of their minds incoming. Shes definitely prepared something wild again. LOL :: An anonymous donor has gifted 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Why is Magia playing the porter? Because that way, she can pull a Jangsanbeom prank. :: LMAO Theyre right. LOL Shes seriously evil. Wait, is that why she naturally stuck to Dora?! Oh no. LOL Doras screwed! The Jangsanbeom people were referring to was actually a doppelga?nger monster. It wore the same protective suit and gas mask as the players. It recorded snippets of their voices in-game and later played them back while sneaking up on them. If you failed to recognize it as a monster and turned your back, youd get your throat bitten and die instantly. In a way, it was similar to mesince I could mimic the members voices too. People thought Id imitate it and scare the hell out of them. But that would make me stand out among the members. I had no intention of doing that, obviously. Just because I wasnt interested in it, though, didnt mean people saw it that way. Just like Komari yesterday, Dora immediately turned to me as soon as she saw the chat. What? Were you planning on pulling a Jangsanbeom prank? Gia, youre awful. I told you, Im not. LOL Even Dora doesnt believe her. LOL Who would?! LOL Have you guys forgotten Magia from Maou Castle?! Not just anyone can create a cursed maze, you know. LOL The situation kept repeating itself. [Dora, where are you? Im right here! Can you hear my voice?] That line, completely unprompted, sounded exactly like a doppelga?nger trying to lure someone in. Dora immediately turned around and stared at me. Pitch black. The dimly lit interior. A flashlight beam struck my face directly. That was you just now, right, Gia? No. Now put the flashlight away, I cant see. If you get your throat bitten because of this, thats not my problem. It wasnt her?! That wasnt Magia?! ?? Youre telling me that wasnt Magia?! Liar. :: An anonymous donor has gifted 10,000 Clouds! :: :: But theres no point doubting, because we have no way of knowing whats Magias voice imitation and whats the real doppelga?nger. LOL :: Holy shit This is terrifying. ?? Im sleeping with my mom tonight. People kept suspecting me multiple times after that. But all I did was quietly follow Dora around, picking up whatever scraps she found and adding them to my inventory. But since the inventory space wasnt infinite, we eventually had to turn back. Thud. Right on cue, a monster locked eyes with Dora. Startled, she tried to run but slipped on a narrow bridge and tumbled down into the pitch-black abyss below. Aaaaahhhhhhh....... The way her scream faded. LOL Holy shit, this is too funny. LOL Did she actually fall?! LOL Now alone, I turned and ran toward the entrance. But then I heard a sound from somewhere behind me, turned my head, andcracksnapped my neck. It was the Stalker. It followed you around making a quiet huhuhu sound. If you got startled and turned to look at it, youd lock eyesand the moment that happened, you were dead. Ironically, Dora and I, who had both died in the most pathetic ways, were actually the last two survivors. The moment we died, everyones mics came back on, and we respawned in the spaceship. The others immediately started ranting through their tears. No. No. No. I hate this game. Ugh. I swear I almost lost my mind. Why are there so many jump scares?! This game is absolute trash. Its fucking garbage. Who put a landmine there?! LOL These cowards. LOL At this death rate, arent they basically leaderboard material? LOL This is stupidly hilarious. LOL Still, the audience loved it. It was a horror game, but not really a horror game. Normally, when people play horror games, the viewers get scared along with them. But in this one, the deaths were so funny that everyone was too busy laughing to be afraid. We continued playing separately, getting used to the mechanics. We played a total of three rounds before the first tribute deadline. Not once did we make any money. Instead, we were fired like space trash, ejected into the void. As we drifted in the blackness of space, the four of them were too busy blaming each other to even process what had happened. Im losing it. LOL Wow, a full 0 credits. Thats legendary. How the hell did you make no money at all? Yeah, I think splitting up is absolutely not the move. LOL You guys already set a speedrun record for failure, so maybe now its time to focus? My stomach hurts from laughing. This is Black Warning. LOL Seriously, couldnt you at least take some monster photos?! LOL Too scared to pull out the camera. LOL And yet, even after all that, they were still suspicious of me. This is all because Gia was messing around. No, but seriously, I heard a voice exactly like hers earlier. That was totally Gia! I did nothing wrong, and yet, I was being framed. ...Well, I wasnt actually upset about it. I just brushed it off and decided to steer the conversation toward actually playing the game properly. How about we all stick together from now on? If we keep splitting up like this, well just keep dropping like flies and making zero money anyway. But what I got in return was... Gia. Youre trying to prank us while sneaking along with the group, right? I know. Were just mice in the palm of your hand. Gasp. Really~? Gia, thats so mean.... The suspicion never ended. ...No, seriously, I didnt mess around today. I wasnt even planning to. There were plenty of monsters waiting on the mid- and high-tier planets that would scare the members for me anyway. Why would I bother? Im telling you, Im not planning anything. So, are we sticking together or not? *** It was clear nowsticking together was the right choice for these cowards. Whenever a monster suddenly appeared, Komari, who was leading, was the first to notice and alert the others. That gave the two players with double damage the courage to step up and swing their weapons. At the very least, it meant we could actually take down the weaker mobs. Like the ones that charged at us in a straight line through narrow hallways, shoving us aside. Or the centipede-like bugs that suddenly dropped from the ceiling and latched onto peoples faces. Of course, the giant spiders were a physiological nightmare for the members, and the stalker-type monsters that crept up from behind, outside our field of vision, led to sudden deaths no matter what. But even so, by sticking together, the members were starting to collect items at a decent pace. Though, there were still moments where Rain would mindlessly run ahead, step on a landmine, and blow up the whole teamleaving nothing behind but silence and corpses while I was on the spaceship dropping off items. Surprisingly, though, moving as a group seemed to ease their fears. And since I was diligently hauling the items back to the spaceship, we actually managed to stack up enough performance to pass the deadline. We successfully entered the second week. We still hadnt earned enough money to buy a mid-tier planet license. But at the rate we were getting used to the game, it felt like we were picking things up pretty fast. However, just when we reached that vague point of adaptation, Peak Foolishness started to rear its head. We were still on the low-tier planets. We hadnt even encountered the real monsters yet. Someone was constantly getting lost. People kept falling to their deaths or stepping on landmines every single round. One person spent the entire time squinting and only killing the monsters we needed to hunt. And yet, somehow, the members were now brimming with confidence. You know, if Gia had actually tried pulling a Jangsanbeom prank today, we probably couldve handled it. Right? It wasnt as bad as I thought~. At this point, I didnt even have the energy to respond. But, for some reason, the people watching through the official channel got mad on my behalf. Isnt this straight-up provocation? Should we put them in their place? Shes clearly been going easy on them with baby difficulty, but maybe its time to go all in. Jangsanbeom Magia, deploying now. When is Magia becoming Jangsanbeom? When is Magia becoming Jangsanbeom? When is Magia becoming Jangsanbeom? When is Magia becoming Jangsanbeom? When is Magia becoming Jangsanbeom? Is it time? LETS GOOOOO Gia, if you hold back any longer, itll make you sick. Just go all out and wipe them. Honestly, I wanted to keep messing with them. If I wanted to, I could create an opportunity any time. Because when I explained the mod settings to the boss, I deliberately left one thing out. I had a hidden trick preparedsomething meant for when the games balance started feeling too easy. If I used it, I could easily throw the members into sheer panic. But activating it meant Id have to briefly leave the game. And todays collab was about playing together with the members. So I was trying my best not to use it. But the members kept taunting me, asking when I was going to prank them. The viewers were frustrated, saying this wasnt like me at all. The gameplay wasnt even getting stale or repetitive. If anything, the game had been going too smoothly since the tutorial ended. ...Then that means its fine, right? I can actually do it, right? Everyone, I just got called by the boss, so Ill be stepping away for a bit. You four keep playing. Huh? Youre leaving now? Wait, why are you quitting in the middle of the game? LOL [Magia has left the game.] ? What? She actually left?! Chapter 139 Cheon Do-hee, who had been watching the stream, barely had time to process Magias sudden departure before receiving a message from her. [Gia Manager: Boss] [Gia Manager: If the members ask, could you tell them I really left the game because of work?] She knew Magia wouldnt cause any real trouble even if she made up an excuse. But there was always a what if, and since she was technically the boss, it was only right to play the part. [Me: What are you planning?] [Gia Manager: Just in case, I pre-installed one more mod.] [Gia Manager: Im gonna throw them into a bit of chaos.] [Gia Manager: Not for too long, just until they get reset and sent back to the starting area.] [Gia Manager: Nows the perfect time, since theyre starting to think the game is too easy.] Magia mentioned a mod that hadnt been reported in advance. But rather than feeling caught off guard or betrayed, Do-hee was surprised for an entirely different reason. Wait... she actually hasnt done anything yet? Do-hee knew about the doppelga?nger monster. And considering it was Magia, she had naturally assumed that, without needing any prompting, she wouldve already been mimicking it to throw the members into disarray. The reason she hadnt worried about game balance was because she trusted Magia to stir up enough chaos on her own. That explained it. She had thought the playthrough was going unusually smoothly. [Me: Do whatever you want.] [Me: I honestly thought you were already up to something.] [Gia Manager: I assumed theyd keep dying even without me messing around.] [Gia Manager: But theyre actually playing better than I expected.] [Gia Manager: And I didnt feel like pulling any pranks directly.] [Gia Manager: That would just draw too much attention to me.] Still, Do-hee understood why Magia had been holding back. Back in Wicker Town, her assigned role had been an essential part of the game. If she had slacked off, she wouldve gotten flamed, so she took it seriously. But this time, in the Black Warning collab, there was no need for her to go all out. She had deliberately stayed in the background, shifting the spotlight onto the members instead. [Gia Manager: Anyway, thats why Im letting you know.] [Gia Manager: Just use the work excuse and pretend you dont know anything.] [Me: But isnt your stream still on? Wont they hear everything?] [Gia Manager: I have ways.] She had even prepared for that. [Me: Then, sure. Do whatever you want.] [Me: Everyone knows youve been busy lately.] [Me: Just dont overuse my excuse. You can use it twice, max.] [Gia Manager: Got it.] After sending off Gia, Do-hee casually checked Doras chat. Wow, this is too easy. Did the scaredy-cats really get that much of a buff from the double damage? Things might change when they reach mid- and high-tier planets. Please, let them get wrecked. Please, let them get crushed. Please. If they just breeze through to the high-tier planets, thisll be so boring. Clearly, it wasnt just Do-heeeveryone felt the same way. The game was going way too smoothly. There was no better timing for Magia to step in. That way, things would get a little more dramatic, the members would suffer more, and theyd have to pay for their hubris after smugly calling the game easy. ...Though, it was likely that "a little more dramatic" was an understatement. Since Magia had been holding back this long, she was bound to make up for it tenfold. But that was just because the members hadnt suffered enough at her hands yet. Theyd soon realize that provoking the devil while it was lying low was a death wish. Good luck, guys.... *** With Magia absent, the second week continued. By the time they had cleared two out of three in-game workdays, the members were just about to earn enough to buy a mid-tier planet license. They had been luckyno particularly difficult monsters had spawned, so everyone was feeling happy and carefree. Are we actually good at this game? I just got a really bad feeling the second you said that. Why? Its true. Even Dora suddenly became a god of war and started shredding monsters. Hehe~. Am I that good~? Yes. Very impactful charge. Doras greatest life achievement. ...That being my greatest achievement is kinda sad.... On top of that, they were proud of playing a horror game decently well, even without Gia. If Magia had been here? She wouldve just said: Thats because Ive been playing the porter. If you were alone, it wouldnt have been this easy. Youd be stuck in a 0-credit relay, getting fired over and over. You cowards. ...Thats probably what she wouldve said. But look at them now! They had proven themselves! Even without porter Magia, they were holding their own and qualifying for the mid-tier planets! [Komari: Gias gonna take a bit longer.] [Komari: Should we go ahead?] [Dora: If we stop now, itll mess with the momentum. Lets keep going.] [Maru: Yeah, lets just go for it.] After exchanging opinions over TalkCord, the members immediately dove into the third and final day of week twothe last step toward earning their mid-tier license. And the randomly selected planet was... [Planet: NWE-554] [90% of the year is spent in darkness. This planet is home to highly sound-sensitive creatures.] Holy shit. Oh, here we go. LOL Been waiting for this planet to pop up. Do not farm late into the night. LOL If they clear this easily, Im gonna be so disappointed. Dora, seeing the audiences reaction, looked confused. Huh...? Whats on this planet? Why are the Hatchlings so excited...? Ahem. Hehehe. Nothing, nothing. LOL Just hurry up and go. Its fine, MOM doesnt need to know~! LOL~ This is suspicious. Guys, lets be careful. Somethings up. Got it, checking. Nice briefing, Dora. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Maybe because they were on edge, they searched the ruins until nightfall, but nothing happened. In fact, they even found their first fan character plushies, securing not only the mid-tier license but also enough funds to stock up on weapons and tasers for future planets. Dora, now brimming with confidence from bashing in monsters heads, smirked. What? That was nothing. You guys were just trying to scare me, werent you? Typical Hatchlings being babies. Rain, getting way too overconfident, was now recklessly sprinting through the dark ruins. The low-tier monsters werent that fast. Even if they chased, they were slow enough to run away from. So, sprinting around recklessly like Rain wasnt even that dangerous. Kihehe! Everyone chill. Nothing special! But the chats reaction was exactly the same as before. Theyre about to get a real taste of chill sauce~. Shes gonna Chill so hard. LOL Forget chilling, shes about to get shotgun Chilled. LOL Acting cocky like this always leads to disaster~ Seeing that, Rain ? NvIight ? (Original source) got irritated. Hey, hey, hey. Cut it out, Puddles. Were not that dumb, okay? If nothings happened yet, then theres nothing to happen. Gias not even hereeverythings fine! Were going to the mid-tier planet! At that exact moment, the in-game clock hit 18:00. And suddenly A strange, metallic, bone-chilling roar rang out. [KEEEAAAARRGGHHHHH.] It sounded like a giant dinosaur mixed with static. A noise that clearly signaled that a monster had arrived. LOL ITS TIME. I told you not to farm late. LOL Goodbye. Hope you had fun while it lasted. Now, off to the starting village~. Rain was still full of confidence, puffing herself up. Whats with the fuss? What even is that? Puddles, if you wanna die so bad, at least tell me why. Youll know when you experience it. Dont tell her anything. LOL TEN-HIT COMBO!!!! Do you know?! Do you know?! If you dont know, you have to learn the hard way!!! Its fine, sis. Just charge in. Its totally fine. Hey, youre doing great, keep going. Chill, bro. The mischievous fans refused to reveal the answer. But considering the rumors that this might be Magias last stream, a flood of viewers had swarmed in, bringing todays broadcast to a total of nearly 100,000 viewers across five channels. It wouldve been strange if no one had broken the rules. Some were willing to risk getting banned. Some hadnt read the chat guidelines. And, of course, there was always that one person who just had to explain things. :: An anonymous donor has gifted 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Its the Cursed Wolfhound, and its fucking huge. If you make a sound, itll hear you and follow you. Be careful. :: Ah Awo No, shi1bal; Youre banned Ah, you have zero awareness The person explaining got instantly pay-banned, but Rain still absorbed the information. Babies! Dont make a sound! Theres a monster that follows noises! Really?! Shhh, shhh! This might be dangerous too...! ...Mmmph! Four members emerged from the ruins, carrying heaps of scrap metal. They immediately shut their mouths and carefully moved toward the flat terrain where the spaceship was docked. As they stepped into the open field, the members finally saw what the monster was. Despite the planet being dimly lit and overgrown with vegetation, a massive black silhouette huffed and stomped around. There was nothing more terrifying than that. Even worse, its footsteps were heavythud, thud. The sheer weight of its body was undeniable. The members, their voices now reduced to mere whispers, exchanged words. But the howling planetary winds drowned out most of it. ...! !! ! ! ...! ......! ?! Still no clue Rn, nobody knows until the ship takes off Please, Doggo, hear the sound Ironically, while the donation-comment backseater got banned for being clueless, the wolfdog in the game had impeccable streaming instincts. It strutted around, and of all places, it decided to block the exact path leading to the spaceship. ...! !! The members nodded at each other, gesturing to turn back. Viewers were praying, "Please, please get caught," when Hwaaang!! From the very rear. A loud noise came from Doras direction. It was a scream, the kind Dora often let out in horror games. Everyone turned their heads in shock, but Dora flailed her hands, shaking her head"It wasnt me!" As three people turned their heads back forward, the wolfdog was already charging at them like a lunatic. Run!! [Screeeech!] The massive beast lungedBANG! Dora, who hadnt managed to dodge, was smacked right in the jaw by the wolfdog and went soaring through the air. Huaaaang...! LMAO Shes flying Goodbye ????? Dora, dead. Maru, at the front, saw it happen and shouted. Just run to the spaceship! Hurry!! What the fuck? Was Dora given a command? A mission? What just happened?! Its looking this way! Dodge sideways while keeping an eye on it!! The wolfdog, after launching Dora, turned around in an instant and resumed chasing the scrambling members. Komari and Rain managed to change directions and survived. But Maru, paralyzed by fear, didnt hear Komari telling her to dodge. Of courseTHWACK! Aaaaugh! LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ??????? This is it, this is peak content ???? Beyond the infinite space! Maru, too, went flying and was eliminated. In the blink of an eye, two of the four were dead. However, since the wolfdog had charged past the spaceship, the path was now clear. Rain and Komari, who had ended up on opposite sides of its rampage, exchanged glances and nodded. ...! !! Get on the spaceship. Once onboard, they could jump to a mid-tier planet. Why? Even if they lost all the items they scavenged, Komari still had her Leaf Doll. With a single fan-character plushie, they could afford a license and have money left over. But in their rush, they didnt realize something. Dora had screamed earlier but hadnt understood why. She had flailed her hands in confusion. The two of them crept forward in silence, carefully parting the thick undergrowth. Guys... I-Im not dead yet. Take me with you! Dont leave me behind! Suddenly, Marus voice came from behind Komari. The wolfdog, which had already run past toward the spaceship, let out a deep growl. What? Marus still alive? Fuck! No! Maru is already dead! Thats a Jangsanbeom! Dont fall for it! You fucking kidding me. This is insane. Wait, thats a Jangsanbeom? Huh? They never mentioned that before? ???? ROOOOAR! The wolfdog thundered forward again, narrowly missing Komari as she swiftly dodged sideways. ...Daaamn. But they were so close to the spaceship now. Just a little farther. Just board the ship and press the launch button. As long as they could transport the doll, they could make it to the mid-tier planet... But Komaris desperate wish didnt come true. Youre horrible! Dont leave me! Dont abandon me! Please take me with you! Im scared! I dont want to stay here alone! Save me! Save me! Aaaaahhhhhhh!! A sudden, bloodcurdling scream came from the spaceship. It triggered the hidden wolfdogs lurking in the undergrowth, sending them charging out. In no time, three wolfdogs had gathered around the spaceship. It was now a death trap. Shit... ah, shit...! The spaceship was set to auto-launch at midnight. They had to clear a path somehow. But ahead of them, the wolfdogs, lured by the scream, were ramming into the spaceship, growling nonstop. Aaaaah! Kyaaah! Dont leave me! Dont leave me!! The first wolfdog that had previously run past Komari suddenly changed course and joined in on the ramming frenzy. It was impossible to slip through that mess. Trying would only get them sent flying, just like the other two. ??? What the hell is going on ??? Thats not a Jangsanbeom, is it? ?? Did they add a new mod or something? What is this? ?????? The viewers were starting to catch on, and so did Komari. Doppelga?ngers in the game could only mimic recorded lines. But these screams... No one in the game had ever said them before. If they had split up, she mightve doubted herself. But they had all been together. Someone was messing with the game. And there was only one person who could do that The one who installed todays game and mods. Magia. Bracing herself for death, Komari yelled. Gia! I know its you! Come out right now! Of course, its Magia, right? Is it, though? Magias not even in the game rn? Just then, the wolfdogs near the spaceship lunged, sending Komari flying into the sky. But upon dying, she was met by Maru and Dora, who had already been spectating as ghosts. What they told her was shocking. Hey, thats not Gia. Gia hasnt been doing anything in the stream. What? Huh? Wait, what? Yeah, she left the game before it even started. Komari quickly opened Magias stream. Sure enough, Gia was just sitting in the game lobby, doing nothing. And, just as chat had said, Magia had left the game before it even began. She had told the CEO she had work to do. ...Isnt the screen fake? I asked the boss. Shes really working. Then who... Who had been speaking this whole time? Doras frightened whisper spread panic across the chat. I... Im actually really scared now... Hiiiiiik WTF ?????? Ive never seen a mod like this before What the shi1bal this is terrifying Mom, help ????????? I need to change my pants... Kkyyaaaaaaaaaak Chapter 140 There were four computers in the companys streaming room. But most of the time, not even one was in use. Usually, they were only turned on when a member dropped by for a brief announcement or when Cheon Do-hee was so busy that she practically lived at the office and had to stream from there. Lately, however, Magia had been using them quite often. And today, she was using two at the same time. One was the computer currently broadcasting the stream. The other had been in the game party all along but was invisible, thanks to Magias alt account using ghost player mode. If that sounds complicated, think of it like this: She had two computers runningone for her stream and another acting as a bot in the game. So even after Magia flawlessly executed the Jangsanbeom operation and returned, what people saw was simply Magia coming back after finishing some work. Her main account had actually left the lobby and only just rejoined. [Magia has joined the game] The moment that message popped up, the members, who had been floating around like space junk after getting fired for poor performance, immediately hit "Start New Game." A new spaceship launch. Five players onboard. And the four survivors surrounded Magia, launching a collective monologue of accusations. Gia!!!! Gia unnie, why are you only showing up now?! Gia!! We died. Already dead. This game turned into a horror game. Huaaaaaah. But it was so funny...!! Magia played dumb. Sorry, something urgent came up. Had to take care of it. Might need to step out again later. But you guys were doing greatwait, you all wiped? I thought youd already be on the mid-tier planet by now. That comment immediately set off Komaris instincts. Unnie, you installed more mods than you told us about. Fess up. What was that?! Mods? No way. I told you everything. Dont lie! That Jangsanbeom we ran into couldnt exist without a mod...!! Fr Im scared ????? Its not a mod??? Cmon, it has to be a mod ??? Even if Magia had secretly used a mod, no one could prove it unless she admitted it. If they had really wanted the truth, they shouldnt have taunted Magia by calling the game "too easy." I really dont know. I was working, remember? They werent sure what had started this, but if it was Magias doing, there was no point waiting around for an answer. If she fully put on her mask, there would be no way to distinguish truth from deception. Even Trashit, who had helped set up the mods, couldnt tell which voices were Magia and which were the members anymore. In other collab streams, whenever a doppelga?nger appeared, people would panic and scream, Its a Jangsanbeom! But in Parallels case? They were about one step away from screaming, Its Magia! instead. Komari was suspicious as hell, but she backed down. Hah... Somethings definitely up... Accusing someone who joined the stream while busy with work wasnt a good look. And they were the ones who kept provoking her, asking if she was trolling. Fine. Lets move on. Gias here now. If we work hard, well reach mid-tier fast. *** By now, they were used to the lower-tier planet. Even Dora and Maru, the biggest scaredy-cats, were swinging weapons more confidently than before. But something strange started happening among the members. The Super Jangsanbeom incident had left everyone paranoid. Who are you. What do you mean? Its me. ...Why are you speaking better Korean than usual? What the. Stop gaslighting me! We dont have time for this! No matter how much they stuck together, they still had to split up briefly to pick up items or explore. And every single time they regrouped, they wasted time confirming identities. Enough. Lets hurry and check the next room. We need to make money. ...You know, they say the person who acts like a peacemaker is usually the most suspicious... Wait, Dora unnie, why are you bringing that up now? Wait, Dora unnie was too smart just now. Are you the fake? Noooooo...! What even is this ???????? Total chaos ?? This is exactly how they always are ?? The doppelga?nger hasnt even appeared, and theyre already backstabbing each other ?? This was a brand-new pattern for the stream. Something viewers never expected. They had hyped each other up, grooming each others egos before the total wipe. And now? They were at each others throats. As if that wasnt enough, Rain kept setting off mines, and Dora kept falling to her death. And at one point? Maru mistook Komari for a doppelga?nger and beat her to death. Even though the Super Jangsanbeom never appeared again, the team kept imploding from paranoia. It was streaming gold. In the end, the first-generation members failed to earn enough, got fired, and humbled themselves. They admitted their overconfidence and regained their resolve. The chat flooded with support again. And this time? They successfully rescued a fan-character plushie and, within one week, bought a mid-tier planet license. We finally got it, hatchlings! Mamaaaang Were saved Get us out of this hell Were never doing this again! Mid-tier planet, lets go!!! They barely survived. But now, the members all agreed on one thing. Even if they died, they wanted to experience as much as possible before going down. Look, if a monster weve never seen before shows up, were dead anyway. We might as well study it first. That way, when we come back, we wont get wrecked so easily. They had learned their lesson. So, this time, instead of all sticking together, they split into two parties to balance efficiency and survival. Theyre gonna die anyway, why are they overthinking? Fr ?? The more they prepare, the funnier their deaths get ?? Let them die in vain BOOMBOX SPRINGHEAD JANGSANBEOM, LETS GOOOO!!! But dying in vain was inevitable. The stream audiences prayers reached the God of RNG. Instead of letting them survive, fate sent them the most dangerous creature on the mid-tier planet. Maru and Rain, who had teamed up for the adventure, came face-to-face with todays Key Monster. The Boombox. IT SPAWNED ITS HERE THAT MOTHERFUCKER SHOWED UP ?? The Boombox was a newbie killer and a game destroyer. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Completely immune to physical damage, so no matter how many times they hit it, it wouldnt die. Running was useless, too. It would chase them to the ends of the earth and self-destruct with them. Only one way to survive: Stay far enough away to avoid triggering its music. But once the music started? They had to escape the ruins immediately. If they stayed inside, it would find them no matter what... and explode. But Maru? She had never fought this monster before. And unlike hideous spider monsters, it was just a cassette player with arms and legs. So, without thinking She swung a shovel. LMAOOOO SHES SCREWED GOODBYE ??? The Boombox immediately started playing. Parallels 1st Anniversary song. [Run toward the light] Oh, is this it? ???? LMAOOOOOO I thought they modded something crazy, but no ??? They turned their own song into a funeral march. Parallel, you madmen. ??? It''s rare for a game developer to insert their own song into a self-destructing monsters death track. Most companies avoid this kind of thing like the plague because of bad luck superstitions. But Parallel? They did it on purpose for the joke. It was so absurd that it was hilarious. And just when they should have been running for their lives, Rain? Started belting out her part. "Let me find the light!" [The dream I hid in the darkness] "We will rise, we will shine!" Unnie, this is not the time to be singing!! WHAT IS SHE DOING ????? RUN, DONT SING! True professional mindset ???? Shes at it again ?? Honestly, it was kind of admirable. No matter when or where, if her song was playing, Rain would sing along. The problem? The one who started the song was the monster. And that monster was a walking time bomb. But since Rain had been messing around all game, her performance wasnt even trollingit was peak comedy. And that comedy reached artistic heights when Rain, still circling the Boombox, stepped on a mine and exploded. Unnie! Thats a landmine! ...Ah, shi BOOM. Whoever said comedy was repetition... they were absolutely right. Rain had already stepped on a mine and died earlier. And now? She did it again. Except this time, she wasnt just running blindly. She was so busy singing that she didnt watch her step. LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SHE DID IT AGAIN ???? SAME DEATH, DIFFERENT REASON ???? THIS IS ART ??? With Rain gone, the Boombox switched targetsnow locking onto Maru. ...Wait, me? Me?! Its following me?! Oh, Im so screwed. Maru took off running for her life. Hearing her screams for help, the other three joined her in escaping. RUN! RUN! JUST RUN!! Then, someone noticed. ...Wait, whats behind her? Whats chasing her? ...Oh. Boombox. W-Wait, we need to run, right? If you stand still, youll explode! MOVE, UNNIE!! But the escape route they all chose? A narrow, metal bridgeone without railings. And today? Dora had already died multiple times in this section by falling off while running. So, naturally KYAAAAAAA....... Yep. She fell again. HOLY SHIT ???????????????? HOW IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE ?????? THEYRE DROPPING LIKE FLIES ???? I JUST SPIT OUT MY FOOD ?????? ITS LIKE THEYRE CHECKING OFF EVERY FORESHADOWED DEATH ONE BY ONE ??? Meanwhile, the remaining three scattered. And Maruthe one who caused this whole mess by attacking the Boombox in the first place Got lost. She ran into a dead end. It was like the perfectly scripted conclusion to her actions. Maybe she instinctively realized there was no escape. Because instead of panicking, Maru stood there like a person who had accepted their fate. And in the last moment She belted out the final lyrics of the song. "We will complete our story!!" Then, the ruins shook with a massive explosion. BOOM!!! LOOOOOOOOOOOL THAT WAS CLEAN ABSOLUTE PERFECTION ????? GOODBYE, MARU ??? ART. PURE ART. * From Magias sudden intervention to the absolute chaos caused by the Boombox, Cheon Do-hee had been watching everything unfold. And now? She ? NvIight ? (Read more on our source) nodded in complete satisfaction. Flawless. The flow of the content was perfect. It was like watching a stock chart steadily risea bit of adjustment here and there, but the overall trajectory was up. The tutorial run? Total failurenot a single coin earned.The first real attempt? They got cocky, called the game too easy, and got wrecked by Magia just before reaching mid-tier.The second attempt? They climbed to mid-tier fast, only to implode with paranoia and betrayalwhich intensified engagement.And now? After barely making it to mid-tier, they delivered exactly what the audience had been waiting for."Bringing Gia in was the right move." Would the stream have been fine without Magia? Probably. But without her, the audience wouldnt have fully grasped how valuable the mid-tier license was. Viewers who were new to Black Warning might not have noticed. But anyone who had watched a few streams? They would absolutely appreciate what had just happened. And especially this moment If they had reached mid-tier smoothly, it wouldnt have been this entertaining. Magias perfectly timed intervention combined with the members competitive instincts had created the best possible outcome. It was instant highlight material. Perfect for shorts, edited videoseverything. And sitting in the executive office, watching the stream, Cheon Do-hee and Team Leader Ra Seunghyun came to a solid conclusion. Now I get why Magia is the ultimate collab cheat code. She has a perfect sense of pacing and knows exactly when to step in to keep things from getting dull. Right? Ive always thought so, but I needed about six months to confirm whether it was luck or actual skill. I think that was enough time to be sure. I was worried she might over-rely on her instincts and just wing it, butno. Shes solid. We dont need to worry. So, youre saying we can throw Gia into any stream, including collabs, with no hesitation? Yes. Shes a guaranteed win. Ra Seunghyun continued. The first-gen members are already excellent. Their adaptation speed is insane for streamers whove only been around for a year and a half. But if theyre like perfectly grilled steak, Then Magia is the final seasoningthe finishing touch that elevates the entire experience. She removes any unpleasant aftertaste that some people might find annoying. Theres no reason not to use her. ...Hmm. Magia is great at managing the members. But instead of wasting her on routine tasks, We should make her the control tower of live content. We didnt realize her potential before, but honestly? Its a waste to let someone this talented do basic tasks. Magia doesnt stream for herself. She streams for VTubers. And because of that, She constantly creates unexpected, amazing moments. She was the one who turned an unknown collab with Bazubi into a massive hit. Ra Seunghyun had worked in corporate marketing for ten years. And he knew: In a company, you dont get to do only what you like. Talented people should be paid well and use their skills for the company. So after this stream, once the short-form promo kicks in, we should finalize Magias new role. I understand your point. But I dont want to increase Gias broadcast time. Boss, this is a company. And were already understaffed. You know that, right? ...Mmm. You also know how rare someone like Gia is. ...Yes. Then you must realizemost of what Gia does can be replaced. Even Seung-yeon, while hard to replace, was eventually found. The second-gen debut prep? Gia doesnt have to handle that. Someone else can. Its not essential. I agree. I know you care about Gia. I know youre worried because she overworked herself once and collapsed. But this is a business. We should at least make sure shes in the right role. If we compensate her properly, she might change her mind. But Cheon Do-hee had been avoiding giving Magia more streaming responsibilities. Look. Two problems. One, Gia likes watching streams, but she doesnt like streaming herself. Two, even if we pay her more, it wont matter. She doesnt care about money. ...Ah. Shes the type who isnt motivated by money. Yeah, I got that vibe. So unless she wants it, I wont force her into more broadcasts. She does well when asked, but she doesnt ask for rewards and doesnt pace herself. But Ra Seunghyun wasnt giving up. The more visible Magia became, the more Parallel benefitted. And waiting for Cheon Do-hee to bring up the idea herself clearly wasnt happening. So he took the lead. And as a former top-tier corporate marketer, he knew exactly how to handle this. ...If I persuade Magia myself, will you allow it? No pressure or manipulation. Of course. You cant force people like heritll backfire. Cheon Do-hee slowly nodded. Ra Seunghyun smirked. This is a job for Nudge Theory. Chapter 141 Nudge. Originally, it was a word that meant a slight push or poke with the elbow. However, as it evolved into an economic term, its meaning shifted slightly. It now refers to a method of gently guiding choices without coercion. A classic marketing strategy involves placing products naturally within a hesitant customer''s line of sight and highlighting their advantages to encourage selection. For public campaigns, an example would be the flies drawn on urinals to promote cleanliness. When executed properly, this strategy can be highly effective. Game packages provided for free to streamers are also a form of nudge marketing. The probability might be low, but if a streamer, having received a free game, decides to give it a try and then gets completely engrossed in it for hours on stream The viewers watching that streamer would inevitably become intrigued and feel a strong urge to purchase the game. "Huh? The more I watch, the more interesting it gets." Of course, when this method is applied on a broad scale, the success rate drops, but the sheer volume of attempts makes up for it. However, if it''s targeting a single person, significant effort is required. And when it comes to persuading someone as skeptical and difficult as Magia, even more effort is needed. Depending on timing and psychological factors, what was intended as a simple suggestion could trigger resistance instead. In other words, without employing psychology and statistics and spending a long time meticulously strategizing, achieving the goal would be impossible. That was precisely why Team Leader Ra Seunghyun had worked through the entire weekend. Hmm... Team Leader. But do we really need to prepare this thoroughly? Do you think Id be doing this if it wasnt necessary? You all go ahead and leave. Im expecting another all-nighter today. Are you sure you dont need help? If you dont leave now, when else will you get the chance for a clean exit? Go when I tell you to. Understood. Then, see you tomorrow. The first thing Team Leader Ra Seunghyun considered was time and place. A late hour, long past regular working hours. And right in front of the elevator, where one could feel a sense of solidarity"Oh, you''re just now heading home too?" *** 6 PM. While it''s officially time for everyone to leave work, half of Parallel''s employees dont. Who stays depends on how tasks are distributed at any given moment. But there is always one name on the listMagia. Lately, with preparations for the second-generation talents debut, her work schedule has settled into an 8 AM to 6 PM routine. But on Mondays, she always stays late at the office. She spends that time discussing and reviewing summary reports on the previous and current week''s streams with her junior, Seung-yeon. She essentially piles all her responsibilities as a team leader onto Mondays. How does Magia look while working? Seung-yeons words paint a clear picture. Shes incredibly enthusiastic. She even makes decisions for the parts I struggle with in my reports on the spot. Honestly, Id say she looks pretty cool then. Meetings fly by like lightning, and by the time they''re done, everything is neatly wrapped up. It might be exaggerated due to her admiration for her mentor, but the point stands. Magia ensures the work gets done efficiently Because she wants to get home as soon as possible. Why? To watch VTuber streams. Oh, when she gets home, she starts by watching the clip compilation I prepared for her. Then, she goes through each of the fourth-generation streams one by one. The "fourth-generation" here refers to the new batch of VTubers under VachuVachu KR, who debuted in early March. Their launch was aggressively promoted beforehand, and they had the backing of first- to third-generation seniors, half of whom had already surpassed two million subscribers. So, despite being only three months into their debut, they were already approaching 500,000 subscribers. Compared to Parallels first-generation members, who took a year and a half to surpass 500,000, the difference was staggering. Why was Magia so fixated on these fourth-generation VTubers? Partly because they were newcomers, but more importantly, because she wanted to get a clear picture of the rookies from the top Korean VTuber company. After all, in just a few months, Parallels second-generation talents would debut. For benchmarking and differentiation, she had to thoroughly analyze the competition in advance. If concepts or settings overlapped, it would be a hassle, so related reports were regularly submitted to the CEO. Team Leader Ra Seunghyun knew about this because it was originally the Planning Teams responsibility. Some might wonder why the work was being done separately from both ends. The answer lay in perspective. The Planning Team had both VTuber fans and non-fans. Even Ra Seunghyun himself only became a fan after joining the company, and his tastes were quite specific. So outside of the streams he genuinely enjoyed, everything else felt like work to him. Magia, on the other hand, was a lunatic who actively engaged with every single stream. It might not seem like much, but that small difference made a significant impact on the reports. That was why the dual-report system between the Planning Team and Magia remained in place. With that mutual understanding in mind, Ra Seunghyun chose to subtly plant his suggestion through conversation with Magia. After observing her routine, he saw that she was getting ready to leave. The moment he heard the offices front door open, he pressed the elevator button and waited. As Magia stepped in beside him, she was the first to speak. Heading home? You too? Youre working late today. I got into the habit of staying on Mondays to help Seung-yeon. Seung-yeon must be lucky. Im always so busy I barely have time for my own team. Magia looked up at him and said, Yet, despite that, no one in the Planning Team has quit in years. Maybe youre just saying that, but in reality, you manage things pretty well. Youve got a way with words. What are you trying to get out of flattering me? You want to transfer to my team? No way.... Why do you sound so against the idea? Ra Seunghyun chuckled and got to the point. Youve been leaving work earlier on other days except Monday. Is it because you got stuck in the CEOs office after collapsing? Magia nodded. Well, its not like Im just resting when I go home. I mean, watching streams is part of our job, so technically, shouldnt the hours we spend at home watching count as work? At that, Magia quickly turned her head to check if anyone was behind them before muttering, Please dont say things like that in front of the CFO or the HR director. Otherwise, theyll start monitoring what we do at home too. Well, maybe you shouldve been less diligent with your work. I have zero sympathy for someone who works just as much overtime as I do. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. The atmosphere was light. Both of them had an unspoken understandingthey were people who worked themselves to exhaustion to achieve results. Youve been watching VachuVachus fourth-generation streams at home, right? Magia blankly stared at Ra Seunghyun. It was her silent way of asking how he knew. Ive been watching them too. For benchmarking. Oh. "Honestly, the team members can get by just watching streams at work, but for me, thats not enough. I have to watch at home too, or Id never keep up." Ding. The elevator arrived. Since it was well past quitting time, the elevator was empty as the two stepped inside. As the doors closed, Magia spoke again. "I agree. I practically live on YouTube and Pazijik all day, but I still wish there were 48 hours in a day." "We''re both completely obsessed with work. But honestly, I dont think I can stop until we reach the top of the industry." Hearing that, Magia let out a small chuckle. "Exactly. Theres no way we can stop until we surpass VachuVachu." "Oh? We actually see eye to eye? I couldnt agree more. Until we take down that giant dinosaur, I wont be able to sleep soundly at night." Magia looked up at Ra Seunghyun, her gaze slightly concerned. "I know how ambitious you are, Team Leader. But still, youre getting older, and you should take care of your family" "Youre not taking a dig at me for being a single workaholic, are you?" "Huh? Wait, you''re not married?" "You didnt know? Then Ill let that one slide." Ra Seunghyun chuckled before continuing. "Age doesnt matter when it comes to work. Think about your favorite VTuber doing a 500K subscriber endurance streamwhat do you call that?" "An endurance ? N o v e l i g h t ? broadcast." "Right. Now imagine they start it, but they dont reach the goal and it drags on forever. How do you think that feels?" "No one sleeps. Neither the streamer nor the viewers." "Exactly, thats what its like." Ra Seunghyun took a deep breath before speaking again. "I went to elite schools from elementary to university. I was always at the top of my class, constantly competing with another insufferable kid for first place. Even in college, I was told, Why is a rich kid like you so desperate for scholarships? And yet I worked my ass off to get them. I joined Sangsang because it was the number one company in the country. And once I got in, I dedicated everything to making it number one in the industry, number one in revenue." Magia knew bits and pieces of this. But the one thing she never understood was why someone like her chose Parallel. It was a secret only known to three peoplethe CEO, Ra Seunghyun, and the CFO, who handled HR before the new HR director joined. So Magia never expected that mystery to be solved tonight. "But after doing all that, I realized I wasnt having fun anymore. It felt like nothing would change even if I went higher." "...?" "In technical terms, I hit a reality check. I love climbing to greater heights, but once I settled at the top and found stability, I got bored. And because the company was so damn big, even when my work was recognized, it never really felt like I had accomplished something. Of course, teamwork is important in any company, but stillI wanted to feel like I had personally made an impact." They had stepped out of the elevator, but Magia didnt immediately say her goodbyes and walk off like usual. She was still absorbed in Ra Seunghyuns words. "You want to hear more? Should we move somewhere else?" It was drizzling outside. Even though it was late May, the air was oddly chillyjust the right weather for a warm drink. "Sure. Lets do that." The conversation continued at a nearby cafe?. "I spent my time off thinking about what I should do next. What could give me that same rush of rising up again?" "...And you decided Parallel was the partner youd soar with?" "Exactly. I was casually watching online streams and came across our CEO. I happened to get lucky and ended up in a counseling chat with her. Then she said, Someday, Im going to start my own company. I didnt know much about this industry, but I studied up and applied. And I got in." "I see. That explains a lot." "So my goal is simpleclimb to the top and make us number one in the industry. Ive lived my whole life like that, and anything less than first place doesnt satisfy me." Magia shrugged. "Then you must be pretty happy these days. The companys growth rate is impressive." "Its the most fun Ive had in a while. Seeing those numbers spike gives me the biggest rush. Its like watering green onions at home and watching them grow overnight." "Mhm." The atmosphere grew deeper. A classic case of rapport forming. Now was the perfect timing. Ra Seunghyun leaned in slightly. "But you know, I recently realized something." "What is it?" "Every time our metrics surged, there was a pattern. I had to analyze it to apply it to future plans and help us leap ahead. And?" "And?" "The common factor... was you." "?" "Dont give me that look. Im serious. Once is a coincidence. But when it happens three, four times, its no longer just luck." Magia tilted her head slightly, still skeptical. She couldnt fully deny it, though. No matter how much she doubted herself, people like Cheon Do-hee kept insisting that every single success was her doing. It was starting to shake her confidence. And besides, Ra Seunghyun was someone she had acknowledged as a marketing genius. His achievements at Sangsang didnt just disappear, and even in a completely different industry like Parallel, he was showing outstanding results. "So, heres my proposal. Would it be alright if I included you in collaboration planning for the members whenever an opportunity arises?" Coming from him, the weight of those words was heavy. And besides, Magia was always fine with anything that helped the company grow. She had already been working behind the scenes to make sure the members shined. Hadnt she been actively participating in various broadcasts for that very reason? So instead of asking, Why me? she asked "How often?" "Two to four times a month, depending on the situation." "As long as Im not the focus, anythings fine. You know our idols are the face of the company, not me." "I fully agree. The spotlight will always be on the first-generation members. But like with Wicker Town, sometimes there will be content where you need to participate with them. Itd be awkward to leave you out." "Thats true." "In those cases, well find ways to make the members stand out more. You can suggest ideas freely, just like you always do. Ill take full responsibility." "Hmm." A long hum, not an outright rejection. Ra Seunghyun was now fairly certain he had succeeded in persuading her. He delivered the final blow. "Im sure of one thing. If we, whove been busy with our own work, finally combine our strengths properly, well take down VachuVachu even faster. What do you think?" Magia hesitated briefly. Then, she nodded and extended her hand. A handshakeher agreement. "Thats all fine, but... we have to get the CEOs approval first, right?" *** That night. Cheon Do-hee received a proposal from Movgun. "Youre asking if we want to participate in the summer MCN tournament?" [Not forcing you, just saying its an option. Its an official event between Pazijik and the Battle Call developers, and pretty much every major MCN in the country is joining. VachuVachu and Lapits are confirmed too.] "I know that. But we need to form two teams with our affiliated VTubers." [You have exactly six peopleYou, the first-gen members, and Magia. That makes six, right?] "I can join, sure. But Magia isnt an affiliated VTuber." [Oh, right. I counted her as one by accident. My bad. Guess thats a no-go then. Shame, though.] "...." [But from what I heard, the rules dont require participants to be debuting VTubers. They just need to be officially affiliated with the company. But you wouldnt want to send her employment certificate to the organizers, right? Thatd basically be handing over her personal info for no reason.] "Exactly." Movgun then made a suggestion. And it hit exactly where Cheon Do-hee had been itching. [Why not just add Magia to your official websites talent page? Just slip her in at the bottom under staff. Wouldnt that solve everything?] It would officially confirm Magia as a company member while making it clear she wasnt in the same category as the affiliated idols. Before, they avoided doing something like that since it could fuel unnecessary conspiracy theories. But at this point, Magia had already been involved in so many controversies that doing it now would actually help clear things up. "Thats surprisingly a decent idea coming from you." [Why does that not sound like a compliment...? Anyway, people have been speculating about Magia graduating or transferring to another agency. Wouldnt this put all that to rest?] "But this is only relevant if she actually agrees to participate in the tournament." Cheon Do-hee was worried because Magia never liked joining anything on equal footing with the members. Even for Wicker Town, it had taken a lot of persuasion. And for the Combative tournament, she had only agreed because she was competing solo. But a team tournament? And on top of that, Movguns idea? The persuasion was going to be a nightmare. However, the next morning, when Magia came to the CEOs office and heard the news She gave her answer without hesitation. "Sure. Ill join." Chapter 142 "Sure. Ill join." After casually confirming her participation, Magia turned to Do-hee, who looked visibly surprised. "There was actually something I wanted to discuss with you regarding this." "What is it?" "Hold onah, here he comes." Moments later, Ra Seunghyun arrived, having rushed over after getting the message. Seeing him take a seat beside Magia, Do-hee immediately understoodRa Seunghyuns persuasion had worked. She shot him a look of disbelief. You actually pulled it off? Magia, however, didnt seem to care about their silent exchange and got straight to the point. "I talked with the team leader yesterday, and he mentioned that if I consistently participate in the companys monthly group collabs, it would have a strong impact. Looking at todays data, that seems to be the case. Its only about four times a month, so it shouldnt be an issue. Thats fine with you, right? Of course, as always, the focus will be on the members, and Ill just be in a supporting role. And for external group collabs where members are invited, I plan to join whenever possible as well." That meant one thingRa Seunghyun had succeeded. Which was also why Magia had so readily accepted Movguns tournament proposal. To be honest, as a manager, Do-hee felt a bit emotional seeing Magia grow like this. Back when she first hired her, Magia hadnt known a thing about corporate structure, ranking, or formal speech. She had just been a VTuber enthusiast who showed up to work because she loved watching streams. And yet, here she was now. Still, as the CEOand as the only person in Korea who could be considered Magias guardianDo-hee had to make sure she addressed the most important concerns. "Are you sure you can handle all this? Your current workload, plus your personal interests, all within a limited work schedule?" From the very start, Magia had been someone who influenced multiple departments. Even before her role became officially recognized, she had provided expert insight as a viewer-side VTuber analyst. Thanks to her, even professionals who had no prior experience with VTubers now understood the industry quite well. However, as that influence grew, it had put overwhelming pressure on Magia. To prevent her from burning out, Do-hee had initially blocked anything that might overwork her. That was why anything involving Magia required her personal approval. That was why Magia was made a direct-report employee under the CEO. But since late last year, Magias presence had continued to grow at an unstoppable rate. At this point, Do-hee couldnt just control things as she had before. That was probably why Ra Seunghyun had brought up this discussion after gathering input from other team leaders. At this point, the entire company effectively regarded Magia as a department head. Until now, whenever Magia was pushing herself too hard, Do-hee had been able to step in and stop her. But now? It was a conversation between team leaders. Magia had to make her own decisions. She needed to know when to say no. Blindly taking on more responsibilities just because they benefited the company wasnt necessarily the right move. "And dont even think about saying youll just sleep less. You know the rules. Your health comes first." Fortunately, Magia had already discussed that with Ra Seunghyun. "Its strictly based on my availability. If I dont have time, I wont participate. Right, Team Leader?" "Exactly. What matters is long-term consistency, so your health comes first." "But since things are only going to get busier, I need you to hire one more person before the second-gen debuts, CEO. They dont have to be as capable as Seung-yeon. Its more important that their personality is compatible with him. Even if their skills are a little lacking, its fine." "Just one? If you need more hands, dont hesitate. The other team leaders will back you on this." Seeing Ra Seunghyun nodding enthusiastically, Magia shook her head. "The second-gen training period is ending soon anyway. For now, one person is enough. If I feel we need more, Ill let you know." Do-hee was about to remind her that hiring someone wasnt an instant process, but "Ill let you know at least two months in advance." "...Youre unusually quick on the uptake today." "Ive always been quick." For someone who had always been a high-maintenance employee... It felt like Magia had suddenly matured in just a few months. She still looked too small to be left alone, which worried Do-hee. But no matter how much she wanted to keep Magia under her wing, she couldnt treat her like a child forever. "Alright. Ill trust you to handle things." "I always handle things well." "You talk big. More importantly, if youre joining the MCN tournament, we need to make your company affiliation official. Youre okay with having your name on the official website, right?" "You mean like the members profiles?" "Yeah. Fans already know youre the general manager, but the tournament staff needs official documentation. Well figure out where to place it, but for now, well list you as staff." Magia shrugged. "As long as Im not labeled as a VTuber, I dont care." *** Parallel had created an official profile page for Magia on its website, mainly as an excuse to justify her participation in the tournament. But since the page also included her character sheet, April Fools lore drops, and everything else ever released about her, it naturally set the Parallel community ablaze for an entire week. Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [Doomsayers shut up! 2nd-gen theories shut up! Graduation rumors shut up! Shut shut shut!!] This proves it once and for all. Doomsayers are rotting this gallery from the inside out. If the mods see one, they should be eradicated immediately. [Comments] Parallel851: Yeah, just as expected lol. ? Parallel586: Dude, why do I have you tagged as an idiot? ? Parallel096: This guys the one who kept posting nonstop about second-gen debut theories. ? Parallel682: Spammed the board with nonsense and now says "just as expected" lmao. Parallel512: Honestly, half the people who claim to be Magia fans and post "concern threads" are just shit-stirrers. Banning them is the right move. ? Parallel782: This is the way. Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [But what makes you all so sure? Lmao] Yeah, they put her under staff, but What if Magia completely changes her voice and debuts as a second-gen? Would you actually be able to tell if it was her or not? I wouldnt. Lmao. Unless she slips up or someone leaks it, wed have no way of knowing. [Comments] Parallel005: Lowkey facts lmao. Parallel122: Honestly, if she goes that far, we might as well take the L and accept it. Parallel068: Just look at Fan_C... ? Parallel846: Didnt that turn out to be false? ? Parallel571: Since when? ? Parallel772: Bro from Earth 884 or what? ? Parallel966: Its obviously a different person lmao. ? Parallel601: Wtf are you saying, its totally the same person. ? Parallel256: ?? So while the whole "Second-Gen vs. Fan_C" debate unexpectedly stayed alive, the rumors about Magia fighting with the first-gen, graduating, or transferring were completely erased. For Parallel, it was the absolute best possible outcome. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. But something even bigger was heating up the Parallel Gallery Shorts. Right after the Saturday Black Warning collab ended, countless Shorts of the boombox moment flooded YouTube. Both official and fan-made clips exploded in popularity, racking up record-breaking views. The sheer impact of that scene was so massive that One Others, the first-gens first-anniversary song, started charting like crazy on YouTube Music. Not only ~Nvlight~ did it shoot up the domestic rankings, but it even made an appearance in international charts outside of Korea. But the real surprise? The entire viral wave had started from the most unexpected source. Magia didnt realize the truth until the following Saturday. [Long time no see, Magia? Heard the news. Youre joining the tournament.] The unknown number that had called her turned out to be Movgun. Magia replied bluntly. "Yeah. Someone had to make it six, and there was no one else." [Damn, I guess my push for each company having exactly two teams worked out in my favor. You really are hard to get, huh...?] "?". [Oh, wait. That was off the record. My bad, my bad.] So basically, Movgun had set a trap to lure her in. Since the Battle Call tournament was an official event co-hosted with Pazijik, even if Movgun had made an argument, the fact that the organizers accepted it meant one thing Movgun had a ridiculous amount of influence over the developers. Of course, many high-profile YouTubers focused on Battle Call. Especially overseas. But for Movgun to hold that much sway? It meant the developers were directly benefiting from him in some way. Since Magia had blocked his channel ages ago, she had no idea what made him so valuable to them. "Anyway, if youre done talking, Im hanging up. Im busy." [Whoa, hold up.] Movgun let out a long sigh. [Look, I wasnt expecting a thank you or anything. But come on, you could at least say I saw it or It was good or Not bad? I didnt expect it to blow up this much either, but still] "...? What are you talking about?" [Jeez. Cant believe I have to say this myself. The Shorts. The one I uploaded last week on my channel.] That finally jogged Magias memory. Cheon Do-hee had mentioned something about it earlier Movgun had made a viral Short using the first-gens new song as background music. She had completely forgotten. Partly because she had been busy. And partly because she had blocked Movguns channel so long ago. She had no idea what was going on with him. And anytime his name popped up in discussions, she just ignored it. [I sent you the link on DingTalk. Check it out. Its blowing up.] She tapped the link. This channel is blocked. ...Right. Since it was apparently a huge deal, she figured she might as well see for herself. For the first time in nearly four years, Magia unblocked Movguns channel. And when she finally saw it Oh. [????Nutube Shorts] @Movgun Mov Wick #Movgun #BattleColosseum ???? 52.29M / ???? 6.45M / ???? 45,611 / ???? 221K ? Original Sound (Music Source: Finish Line - Parallel Another (Feat. Fan_C)) The most recent Short, uploaded just a week ago, had already surpassed 50 million views. More than 200,000 new Shorts had been created using its audio. An absolutely ridiculous level of virality. The clip itself wasnt anything unusual for an FPS videojust someone using a relatively weak pistol to land headshots with perfect precision. That kind of video was common in the FPS community. Even if the creator was Movgun, Magia couldnt understand why it had blown up so much. Movgun, however, gave all the credit to Parallels song. [This new song is literally made for Shorts. CAT really knows their stuff. The beat is optimized for easy listening and syncs perfectly with the video... Oh, Im not saying your previous songs were bad or anything! Just that, relatively speaking, this one works exceptionally well as background music for videos. Check the comments. People instantly recognize it as a CAT song. A big name is a big name.] Movguns influence in the short-form space, combined with a song perfectly suited for the format, had propelled it into a full-blown trend. Some people might wonder why a random clip suddenly went viral, but this was just how Shorts-driven trends worked. YouTube Shorts, TT, Facebook Queue No matter the platform, once a video hit the algorithm and charted, an avalanche of similar videos using the same audio would follow, spreading it globally. This was now one of the most effective ways to promote music. Thats why artists deliberately composed songs optimized for short-form virality, why idol groups maximized their exposure by uploading multiple variations of the same clip, and why even Parallels first-gen members had been strategically dropping their own pre-recorded Shorts after the songs release. But the real jackpot wasnt hitting the domestic algorithm. It was cracking the global algorithm. Movguns 50-million-view Short was the perfect example. And as a result, the original Finish Line MV had skyrocketed in views as well. Magia only checked analytics once a week to avoid distraction, but now, three weeks post-release, the numbers were staggering [????Nutube] Finish Line | Parallel Another (feat. Fan_C) - Official MV Parallel Official | 337K subscribers 8.84M views | 3 weeks ago | #Parallel #CAT #Finish_Line Just last Monday, it had been slowly approaching 3 million views. Now, in under a week, it had nearly tripled. It wasnt just on track to break 10 million views before the one-month mark it was already trending on YouTubes Rising Music charts, accelerating its growth even further. No wonder the office had been so lively all week. For once, Magia was genuinely shocked. "...When did this happen?" she muttered. [? I thought you already knew?] "I only check once a week. I had no idea." Movgun sounded even more dumbfounded. [Wait. You didnt join the tournament because of this?] "...To be honest, I had your channel blocked until just now. I had no clue." [Okay, thats just mean...] "Dont worry. Ill block you again after this." [Dude.] If the songs performance hadnt been directly tied to Parallels future deal with CAT, Magia really would have blocked him again on the spot. But turning away someone who had helped Parallel just because of a past grudge against O.C.? That wasnt the right move anymore. More importantly, Magia was now one of the companys public faces even if it was just her name and a placeholder avatar on the website. Which meant she had to manage public perception. Even if she personally found someone intolerable, she couldnt just avoid them forever. Because that wasnt what being a good professional was. Or what being an adult was. "...Im joking. Ill stop by and thank you in person after the MCN tournament. Do you have a favorite food?" The moment she asked, Movgun hummed in thought. After a long pause, he finally spoke. [Forget the food. How about a collab before the MCN tournament? Probably sometime next Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.] In the past, Magia would have declined without hesitation. But now? "Doesnt matter to me. Is it another internal match?" **[No, more of a pre-tournament event. Well have one representative from each major MCN join me for a three-man squad, playing ranked matches while discussing the tournament. Its meant to build hype. Youre not the only one I reached out to. Ive also contacted other MCNs with ongoing rivalries.]** "Oh? Then my co-player would be... Lapits? Would it be Eona?" Movgun immediately shut that down. [Nope. Its going to be the person you shouted out during the Combative tournament.] In that moment, Magia already knew who he meant. 3.5 million subscribers. A second-gen member of BachuuBachuu KR. Shiraho Momos real-life friend. The undisputed queen of Korean VTubers. "...Taro, huh." Chapter 143 Kuroboshi Taro. Anyone with basic knowledge of Japanese or kanji would recognize the connection Her name was derived from the CEO''s, Shirahoshi Momo. White Star vs. Black Star, opposing yet complementary. Put their names together, and you got "Momotaro," a play on the classic folktale. A fitting name for someone who constantly clashed with Momo in real life. Taro was, in many ways, Momo''s first "daughter"long before Parallel and its first generation existed. The very first VTuber Momo debuted. The proof of her abilities as a producer and CEO. At least, that was how the story wentuntil about two years ago. Now, things were completely different. The CEO had stalled just shy of 2 million subscribers, while Taro had skyrocketed past 3.5 million. Technically, they were ranked #3 and #1 in VTuber subscriber counts, but the gap between them was huge. That was why Momo barely mentioned her on stream anymore. She had even warned her fans to avoid discussing their friendship beyond "real-life friends." At this point, if Momo suddenly started talking about Taro like her "eldest daughter," it would just look like she was trying to leech off BachuuBachuus success. And Magia agreed with her completely. That was why she had always avoided interacting with Taro. At the year-end party, despite knowing her personally, she hadnt even bothered to say hi. During the Combative Tournament, she had given Taro a shout-out, but she had made sure not to act too familiar. So when Movgun proposed the pre-tournament talk show, Magia hesitated. She didnt like the idea of dealing with Taro. But avoiding it would be worse. She had already committed to putting herself out there. And this was a strategic opportunity. Better to accept and plan her approach in advance than to run away from it. The Next Morning As soon as she arrived at work, she went straight to the CEO. Movgun had apparently been too busy recruiting participants to inform her yet, so this was the first time Momo heard about the pre-tournament Battle Colosseum talk show. "...So my opponent is Taro. Whats the plan?" "...The way youre saying that makes it sound like youre about to destroy her." "Should I? Its Battle Colosseum, not Combative. Nothings stopping me." "Okay, no. Not literally what I meant." Momo let out a helpless chuckle. "When youre playing in the same squad, just do whatever you want. You used to run into our games all the time back in the day, remember?" "That was then. Now, I doubt BachuuBachuus fans will take it lightly." "I trust you wont cross any lines." Magia pouted, prompting Momo to lay out a clear guideline. "Just dont loot-steal like you did when you anonymously sniped Movgun before." "Got it." "You can stir things up a little, but try not to go overboard." "Thats gonna be hard. My main weapon is a shotgun. Even if I want to play quietly, I cant." Unlike most players who used suppressors to stay undetected, Magia ran around firing loudly and attracting attention. That was just how she played. Momo laughed. "Okay, fair. I thought you meant you were gonna lure a whole squad to her like you used to do to me." "Come on, Im not that much of a rookie anymore." "Glad to hear it, Manager Magia?" Magia snorted. "Fine, thats the game part. What about the talk part? Businesslike approach?" Momo frowned slightly, thinking. If anything, the conversation part was trickier than the game itself. They had known each other for a long time, but lately, things had been... tense. "Yeah. Keep it strictly business. No over-the-top buddy-buddy act." "You mean avoid exaggerated flattery?" "Exactly. You know that fake hype you sometimes see in collabs? Where people praise each other so much it obviously sounds like an act?" "Oh." Anyone who watched a lot of VTuber streams could tell. When two people were genuinely close, you could feel it. And when it was just a forced business relationship, you could tell. Magia had gone out of her way to bicker and joke around with the first-gen members just to shut down rumors of a rift between them. Anything to avoid that fake vibe. "Its not really my specialty, but I can manage." "Im just throwing it out there. You sure you can pull it off? Youre always extra nice to VTubers, no matter how much you prioritize work. That includes Taro." "Was I?" "Think about when you talked to Bazubi. People were shocked by how sweet you were. I was too, honestly. The same girl who plays pranks on me all day suddenly turns into a perfect little angel in front of Bazubi?" "Thats because you always bring out my inner wolf, boss" Momos hand shot out and clamped over Magias mouth. Struggling was pointless. "Anyway," Momo continued, ignoring Magias muffled protests, "just try to keep it neutral. I never want people thinking were just leeching off BachuuBachuus success." Magia pried her hand away and nodded. Of course. That was exactly why she had treated Taro like a pretty but irrelevant statue all this time. "...Are we sure Taro is even participating?" "Not yet. But Movgun sounded pretty confident." "...Shouldnt I be the one to sit this out, then? If Taros in, shouldnt you be the one playing instead?" Momo scoffed. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. "What, so Movgun can pretend to be polite by inviting me while knowing Ill refuse? If anything, he shouldve asked me first, then invited you." "True." "And at the very least, the matchups should be fair. This is Taro were talking about. She has 3.5 million subs. Compared to you, thats ten times the gap." Magia tilted her head. "Isnt that the whole point? I have zero subscribers. Theres literally nothing to compare me to. Zero is just... zero." "Zero, my ass." "It is zero." "Our official channel just hit 350K subscribers." "...Why are you counting that as mine?" "You basically live there." "Its for official broadcasts only." But now that she thought about it... Did her channel really belong under the official umbrella? The Live Watchroom streams. Technically meant to highlight all the members'' broadcasts, but also just a way for her to keep watching VTuber content while working. If she broke it down logically, it wasnt all that different from a ? N o v e l i g h t ? fan-run clipping channel. "...Actually, should we just separate the Watchroom into its own channel?" "Huh? Out of nowhere? You also have to run the Fan_C channel. You sure you have time for two?" "CAT is handling most of that. I only need to record when needed, and theyll reach out for anything urgent." "Okay, fine. But why split off the Watchroom?" "It just feels... too casual for the official channel. If were serious about surpassing BachuuBachuu one day, shouldnt we start considering things like brand image?" Momo squinted at her. "Are you saying your streams lack class?" "Lets be real. Theyre just chaos. And if people start seeing it as my personal playground, they might not take important announcements from the official channel seriously." Momo paused. "...Cant argue with that. Damn, now I have to think about it." "Exactly. Official channels should be quiet most of the time. That way, when theres a big announcement, it actually feels like a big deal." "...This is actually annoying me. Why are you making so much sense today?" Normally, things should stay quiet until we suddenly yell, Big event! to make official announcements more impactful. Lately, since Ive been busy preparing for the second-generation debut, that effect has naturally taken care of itself. But in a few weeks, when I start the stream room broadcasts again... honestly, wont it feel a bit off? Is that so? We only have big announcements left from now on. Did you see the new songs performance? The future looks bright. The president took a long time to think. It seemed like she was worried that giving me a separate channel might cause unnecessary misunderstandings. Well, weve already firmly established on the official website that Im staff. Having a separate channel for broadcasts shouldnt be weird, right? If we explain it as a division of content, the audience will understand. And if theres an important announcement coming up, I can just mention it during my broadcasts. Thats not what Im worried about. If a channel with your name exists, youd just be a VTuber who hasnt debuted yet. Then I just wont put my name on it? Still official but with a label like Parallel Behind? I was considering names like Long Parallel or Endless Parallel, but as expected, when it comes to naming, the president is way better at this than I am. Yes. Just like how most streamers separate their official and archive channels, we can separate major announcements from minor content. Monthly content like Fantasia and important announcements stay on the official channel, while irregular Stream Room sessions or my involvement in content go to the Behind channel. The president nodded for a long time, seemingly convinced, so I continued. Anyway, this way, we can clearly see that the subscriber count on the official channel has nothing to do with my actual subscriber count. At best, Id have, what, maybe a thousand subs? ....... Seeing that the president still looked unconvinced, I shrugged and made a bet. Wanna bet on it? If I lose, Ill give you a one-hour massage. If I win, you have to go to a PC cafe? with me for an hour. Deal? Honestly, I expected her to back out since shes been so busy lately. But instead That bets too small. Lets raise the stakes. Raise it? How much? Ten thousand. For a moment, I thought she had misspoken. My subs. I bet youll have over 10,000 by the tournament. If I win, instead of a massage, you buy a massage chair for the break room. With your own money. ... If I win, you buy it with company funds? No, with my personal money. What do you say? Deal? Or are you scared? I couldnt understand why the president was making a bet she had no chance of winning. As Team Leader Ra Seunghyun admitted, I do create good synergy when I stream with the members. But my role has always been support, the background. Theres no way 10,000 people would subscribe just for me. It seemed like she was expecting my subscriber count to surge after the talk show with Movgun and Taro. But I was just going to follow her orders and keep it strictly business. Would that really attract subscribers? No way. In other words, I couldnt possibly lose this bet. And even if I did, it wouldnt matterI had too much bonus money piling up anyway. I had already been caught using alt accounts multiple times to secretly donate to our members and got banned from donating. Every time I created a new alt, I had to split the donations under 50,000 won to avoid detectionit was getting annoying. So if I could dump my money in one go like this, that was a win for me. Alright. Lets do it. But if I win, forget the massage chair. You have to go to a PC cafe? with me for 12 hours. Not knowing my thoughts, the president smirked. Deal! *** ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Magia got her own channel?] Parallel Behind @parallel_official_behind 425 subscribers 39 videos A full archive channel for non-official announcements from Parallel. [Comments] Parallel851: Goddamn, these sludge fans are nasty. ? Parallel851: Why the hell are they calling this Magias channel? LOL ? Parallel851: Its the official channel... Parallel069: Also, whats sludge? ? Parallel202: Are you a pink fish? Read the trending posts first. ? Parallel572: Originally, Magia was associated with shotgun slugs > slug gang, but someone messed up and said "sludge," so now on this board, fans are called "sludge" LOL. ? Parallel214: Thanks for the explanation, nerd. ? Parallel115: Sludge, like sewer waste? Actually, kinda fitting LOL. ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [To the guy I trashed earlier, I take it back] [Posted by: Parallel851] Parallel Behind @parallel_official_behind 2,689 subscribers 43 videos A full archive channel for non-official announcements from Parallel. Holy shit, looking at the videos moved from the official channel, this really is Magias personal channel, huh? Everything here is just her streams. [Comments] Parallel589: You still dont get it? ? Parallel589: Magia is "official." Parallel221: Accept it. ? Parallel221: Magia is the one and only officially recognized entity in Parallel! Parallel094: But should Magias solo streams count if she was with the first-gen members? ? Parallel094: That part feels a little unclear. ? Parallel851 (OP): It does seem like a corporate promo activity, but also kinda feels like a personal stream, no? ? Parallel851 (OP): Honestly, I dont even know anymore... ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [So does this mean the Magia second-gen theory is dead?] Doesnt seem like theres any more room for speculation. Looks like shes sticking with being a Parallel staff + Fan_C performer. [Comments] Parallel108: How long are you guys gonna drag out this damn Fan_C thing LOL? ? ???? Parallel02: Hey hey, calm down, Parallel Peeps. No need to get mad, just call a modthis is a block-worthy offense. ? Parallel108: Thanks, mod Chad! ... ... Chapter 144 A day or two later, Mugeon reached out again to share some news. The persistence of contacting me through different numbers after I blocked the main one is impressive. When I kept ignoring him, I finally got a call from the CEO. [Pick up Mugeon''s call... he''s been whining at me again.] I suppose Ill just answer next time. It feels like Im just giving Mugeon and the CEO an excuse to talk. [Anyway, Mugeon asked me to tell you. Taro''s recording schedule suddenly changed, so someone else will appear on the talk show.] Figured as much. [Did you expect it?] No matter how much momentum he has, how could they get Bachubachus top star out in a week? I thought the chances were less than 10%. But Taros still going to show up for the MCN Battle, right? [Thats been confirmed. If I''m too busy with CEO stuff, I understand. Taros probably genuinely busy with idol activities. Its not uncommon for things to fall apart in the planning stages.] True. [When you''re busy, just clear your schedule and focus on whats most important. Its good to hustle, but you need to take care of your health.] Yeah. [Right. Anyway, Ill let you know whos appearing as soon as I hear. And unlock Mugeons block. At least until the MCN Battle is over.] If you say so, CEO. Honestly, even though the participant changed, our strategy wouldnt change much. However, there was one big difference. It was the bet with the CEO. But doesnt this make the bet way more favorable for me? [The bet about the Behind Channel subscribers?] Yeah. If someone other than Taro appears, the subscriber boost wont be as big. I had mentioned this before. Big companies subscribers rarely disperse to other streams. If they do, they only check it out for a bit out of curiosity. Especially this trend is more pronounced with corporate VTubers, and especially with Bachubachu. Once someones hooked, its like a honey trap thats hard to escape. Even if a streamer goes viral for some scandal or controversy, they might switch to another idol in Bachubachu but wont completely stop following Bachubachu. So, even if they collab, the chance of viewers moving over to our side is low. If the guest for the talk show scheduled during the bet isnt even Taro, then the influx will be even smaller. Could Mugeons viewers come over? No, they already came over if they were going to. Moreover, full video channels are only checked when needed. Plus, due to copyright issues, some parts get cut out, so its better to watch the official replays on sites like Pazzijik rather than subscribing to a YouTube full video channel. So, a channel that only has my replays hitting 10,000 subscribers? I thought it was unlikely. Thats why I told the CEO that its not looking good for me now. [Hmm? I dont think so.] But the CEO was still confident. She sent me a screenshot to explain why. Parallel Behind @parallel_official_behind 3,902 subscribers 45 videos The full video channel excluding official Parallel announcements. In just two days? 4,000? I had always thought the regulars in the Magia Mini Gallery, who were always in the Paggall and Baggall forums, calling my name and demanding I debut, would be the only ones. And since theyre pretty vicious, I thought theyd be just making up lies and there would definitely be some false numbers mixed in. I dont want to admit it, but I think I failed to objectify things here. [Why? Is it more than you expected?] As the CEO said, there were more slug viewers than expected. I had tried to scrape them off, but if theyre still sticking around, they must be a bit crazy. I know the CEOs choice of Oshii is unavoidable, but still... Huh? I shouldve focused and dodged the 8-ton truck, right? If I didnt, this situation wouldnt have happened. [Anyway, look at how many subscribers there are already. Thats why Im telling you that before the MCN Battle starts, youll definitely hit 10,000. My gut feeling says so.] But if its just 4,000 in the first two days, hitting 10,000 is going to be a close call. Theres still no issue continuing the bet, though. Well, well see. [Yeah, yeah. Anyway, get ready for the stream. If youre planning to prepare some lines or anything, bring them over for review.] This time, Ill do it alone. [Why?] If I show you, youll probably sneakily change the lines to something more suitable for you. [Hey. Do you think Id be so petty? Seriously, you really dont trust me with Oshii] Ill hang up. Im busy. [Wait, wait! I still have work stuff to tell you. If you get a call from an unknown number this week or next, pick it up. Its from CAT. Theyve called four times already, but you didnt answer, so they contacted me.] Oh. Wasnt that Mugeon calling from a different number? The CEO sighed and mumbled. [You really hate Mugeon sometimes.] Still, thanks to him, the shorts were a huge hit, and now hes even going to appear on the talk show. [Yeah, yeah...] *** The next day, the bet became even more unfavorable for me. [CEO: Natsuki Luna confirmed.] [CEO: I think we can raise the bet condition to 20,000 subscribers.] [CEO: Want me to change it?] [CEO: If you dont decide now, I wont change it~] The CEO seemed really confident, and there was a reason for that. The new opponent was a bulldozer with maxed-out friendliness, someone who business strategies couldnt work on. Natsuki Luna. She had debuted a few months ago as a fourth-generation Bachubachu member. Like us, she had focused on her personal streams during the first few months, so this months collaborations and competitions were essentially her first. Many tried to dig into her past life, but couldnt figure it out. The assumption was that she was a complete newcomer. But just last week, during her first {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} collaboration with senior members, she showed an incredible level of friendliness and already had a mom. You might wonder, What do you mean by mom? Its a somewhat rare but common pairing in the VTuber world, where one is childlike and the other is very mature, creating a fake mother-daughter dynamic. And the mom in this case was Taro. A guaranteed future star and the princess of Bachubachu. Now that she had Taro backing her, Natsuki Lunas external activities were bound to be successful, as she was already good at making connections. In other words, with Luna as the first external collaborator, whether I liked it or not, I would be swept along by Lunas popularity. [CEO: By the way, you dont need to do business with her.] [CEO: With her, if you do business, itll only hurt us.] The CEO said there was no need for business with Luna because no matter how much we tried to keep things professional, we couldnt block her overwhelming friendliness. If we were cold toward her, it would only cause trouble. Its a simple principle when you think about it. Lunas viewers are probably just as much of a bulldozer. If we act cold toward them, theyre not going to like it. Theyd probably think something like, How can she treat our Luna like that? If that kind of backlash didnt happen, Id be surprised. Anyway, the CEOs suggestion to raise the subscriber count to 20,000 was the result of taking all these things into account. The Behind Channel subscribers had already reached 8,700 today, so my defeat was almost certain, but... [I: I dont need it.] I didnt change the bet conditions. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. [CEO: Still holding out?] [CEO: Ill take a nice massage chair if you lose!] If I lose, I lose. Theres nothing uglier than changing the conditions of a bet just because I think Im going to lose. At least in front of Oshii, I want to maintain my pride. More than that, at this point, I started to worry about something else. Whether I could handle Lunas overwhelming friendliness. That concern became a reality the day before our scheduled talk show, when I received a DM from Natsuki Luna through the CEO. [Natsuki Luna: Hello, Magia Manager!] [Natsuki Luna: Im Natsuki Luna, a fourth-generation Bachubachu member!!] [Natsuki Luna: Were going to stream together tomorrow, right?] [Natsuki Luna: Since youve been streaming for a few months longer than me, I wanted to greet you first!!] As I read this, I couldnt help but think: Shes over the top, but shes a good kid... If Maru, who tends to rush without any hesitation, had been like this without any pause or doubt, it probably wouldve felt exactly like this. And shes calling me a senior. I know she calls every VTuber a senior, but there was no need for her to say it to me. [Parallel Operations Team Magia: Hello, Luna! Ive been watching your streams.] [Parallel Operations Team Magia: I look forward to tomorrows broadcast!] [Parallel Operations Team Magia: Oh, and Im not a VTuber, so please dont call me a senior.] [Parallel Operations Team Magia: People might misunderstand.] [Natsuki Luna: No!!] [Natsuki Luna: Youre definitely a senior!!] [Natsuki Luna: Your cute appearance!] [Natsuki Luna: Your great work in Wicker Town!] [Natsuki Luna: Super carry in the Matching Tournament!] [Natsuki Luna: You even have voice acting skills that make Jangsanbeom look like a joke!] [Natsuki Luna: Youre a senior I really want to learn from after leaving the company!] [Natsuki Luna: Im so happy to be broadcasting with a senior like you!] [Natsuki Luna: By the way, when Taro couldnt make it, I insisted on going instead!!] [Natsuki Luna: Im really looking forward to it!!] Can you believe that all of this came within a minute? Theres a good way to check whether someone like this can be stopped with words or not. Its by throwing in a firm and cold response. If the reaction is still hot, then you know theyre not normal. [Parallel Operations Team Magia: Yep.] [Parallel Operations Team Magia: Looking forward to tomorrow!] Lunas reaction was more than I expected. [Natsuki Luna: Yes!!!] [Natsuki Luna: Ive been practicing Battle Call a lot so I wont hold you back!!!] [Natsuki Luna: Im really looking forward to it tomorrow!!!] Her energy exploded. This was the first time I was facing someone like this on a stream, and I was a little thrown off. And I realized: Ive never faced someone like this before. Everyone I had streamed with before had been gentle or adjusted to match my pace. Now, Luna, raised as the youngest in Bachubachu and showered with cuteness, was truly a force of nature. I understand now why her symbol emoji is a dog (????). With this much power, no matter how thick the iron door is, its bound to get broken down. First, I had to calm down. And handle it calmly. If you show fear in front of excited dogs, theyll only go wilder. [Parallel Operations Team Magia: Dont overdo it.] [Parallel Operations Team Magia: The talk is the main focus tomorrow, so feel free to just chat.] [Parallel Operations Team Magia: Ill carry the conversation for you.] [Natsuki Luna: Kyaaah!] [Natsuki Luna: The god of Battle Call is now in Parallel, and using the name Human Signal Rocket Kim Fireworks!] [Natsuki Luna: Daeji the Queen, Godji the Goddess] [Parallel Operations Team Magia: Hmm.] [Natsuki Luna: Oh no, was that too much?] [Natsuki Luna: If you feel burdened, just let me know anytime!!] [Natsuki Luna: Ill calm down!!] And I tried my best to make sure she wouldnt shrink just because she was looking at me. With her fanbase being so big, her power to fuel conspiracy theories was also strong. If Luna felt down more than usual, thered be a whole uproar from her viewers, asking if Mugeon or I had said something to upset her before the stream. At times like this, even though it wasnt my forte, I decided to match her energy. Id be the master of upping the ante, going beyond business, into the realm of brain-powered absurdity. [Parallel Operations Team Magia: No.] [Parallel Operations Team Magia: Its perfect.] [Parallel Operations Team Magia: Thats the essence of Bachubachu, Natsuki Luna.] But just like how trying to act like a villain in front of a true villain can provoke them, It seemed my words felt like a challenge to Luna. [Natsuki Luna: Ah!] [Natsuki Luna: I was worried you might feel burdened, so I was getting ready to calm down.] [Natsuki Luna: But if youre going to act like that, Ill treat you 200% like today tomorrow!] Damn it. If theres 100%, you shouldve said it earlier. Chapter 145 Anyway, the broadcast was scheduled for Saturday, June 9th, just one week before the MCN Battle. It began as planned at the most attention-grabbing time. [Movgun] [ (????Live) Moving Talk Show #6 - Bachubachu 4th generation Natsuki Luna, Parallel Operations Team Magia Manager ] 87,441 #BattleColosseum #Bachubachu #Luna #Parallel #Magia Even though the main broadcast hadnt started yet, there were already 87,000 viewers. Of those, about 30,000 came from Parallel, and if we subtract the overlap with Mugeons existing viewers (about 10,000), that means the remaining 50,000 viewers came from Bachubachu. Apologies to everyone from Parallel in advance~ ???????????????????????????????????????????? Our kid is a bit of a troublemaker, please understand~ Magia is tough too ???????????????????????? Only dogs here ???????? Luna ???????? Fight! Dog Luna Awww haha, dont bring my nickname here ?? Dog Luna Wow, its all dogs here ww Grass Luna, please be a calm puppy today ???????????? Stop wagging your tail! ???????????????????????? Magia fighting! ???????????????? Dog Ddangdaengna ???? In the Paggall forum, there was a call for a massive gathering, saying we couldnt lose in the viewer count battle, but as expected, we couldnt compete in numbers. The chat was completely filled with Natsuki Lunas fan symbol, the dog, and it was almost impossible to see our sides viewers chatting. Even though everyone from Parallel was already gathered, Bachubachu fans likely just came to check if their "youngest" was doing well while watching their own streams. If the viewership increases further, there might be some overlap, but most will still be Bachubachu fans. The CEO and planning team had estimated that the number could reach 80,000, and indeed, the scale was crazy. If Taro had come, how many would there have been? Wouldnt Bachubachu get 100,000 viewers just by itself? And the main star, Luna, was going to appear last. Compared to me and Mugeon, who had been in the voice chat room 30 minutes before the broadcast, Lunas appearance would be slightly delayed, probably about 10 minutes before. Mugeon mumbled as he watched the chat flood. [Wow. Bachubachus firepower is amazing. If these people watched my streams, my viewership would be three times what it is now.] Why not quit the cam stream and become a VTuber? Ah, should I just do VMIYUK? [Thats crazy!] Yes, I know. These people have such high loyalty, youve got to make sense if youre going to talk. Its not for nothing that they talk about the VTuber empire. From JP to EN, KR, and ID. Bachubachu controls 70% of the global VTuber market now. Mugeon chuckled. [This is the first time Im hearing you talk this much about a broadcast opponent, Manager Gia.] Well, theyre someone well have to beat eventually, so it cant hurt to know them well. [Your confidence is good, but arent you nervous? The most Parallel will get is 30,000 viewers. Even with some of my viewers mixed in, Bachubachus numbers will keep growing, maybe even reaching 100,000.] I responded as if it didnt matter. Whats the big deal? Do you remember when we were at a disadvantage during Mugeons civil war? Everyone underestimated us at the start, remember? [Did they? If thats the case, Im sorry for not managing the viewers properly.] But Id be lying if I said I wasnt at all nervous. Normally, I dont pay much attention to the chat, but today, its basically Bachubachus home turf. On the other hand, Luna, who came into the voice chat room just 10 minutes before the broadcast, was completely at ease. [Mugeon! Manager Magia! Hello!! Im sorry for being the youngest and being the last one here!!] [Ah, no worries. Welcome!] I thought maybe shed be a little nervous seeing almost 100,000 viewers, but clearly, she wasnt. Its no wonder, since she knew she had all of Bachubachu supporting her, she wasnt even remotely nervous. Even moving from TikTok to a voice call, her friendliness seemed to rise even higher than yesterdays 200%. The feeling of exclamation points that had been filling the chat yesterday now turned into a loud volume that seemed to directly enter my ears. ...I should probably turn the volume down. [Yesterday, when I was chatting with you, it didnt feel real, but now that were actually doing a collab... Im really touched!] I feel the same. Its an honor to be doing content with you, Luna. [No, Im the one whos honored! And I didnt get to say this yesterday, but collaborating with a senior like you is such a rare achievement among VTubers!] I guess its because I dont do broadcasts often... [It means that even though you dont broadcast often, so many people want to collaborate with you, which means youre really attractive as a senior. Am I right? You cant deny that, right?!] I dont want to admit it, but if I assume youre right... does that mean Taro also wants to collaborate with me? [Yes! Thats why when Mugeon suggested it, I was ready to Nvl?g?t (Only on Nvl?g?t) accept it! But... Taro had to give up because of a tight schedule.] Well, thanks to that, I got the chance to collaborate with you, Luna, so it worked out well. [Wow. Thank you for saying that. Im happy too!] This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. If I werent someone who wasnt overly greedy for personal growth, my ears would probably be flapping like an elephants right now. Which VTuber wouldnt want to collab with Taro? Unless youre like Bajuvi, avoiding the big dinosaurs on purpose. And if Luna really wanted to schedule with Taro? Even if it seemed like a pipe dream, Taro would definitely show up. Taro and Luna are already known as the mother-daughter duo within Bachubachu. So this is what its like being the youngest in Bachubachu with the Taro connection. I had been watching the broadcast, but now that I had directly spoken with Luna, it was even clearer. The path that the seniors had paved. And now, the mischievous troublemakers, the youngest, get to play around on that path. Among them, Luna was the most destructive. Even if she had a few minor flaws in her personality (like Lunas infinite positive energy), those rough edges only made the other seniors and juniors shine brighter and added a sense of excitement to everything. It was a contrast to Parallels efforts to find flawless talents, and a luxury Bachubachu could afford, having a firm foothold in the industry. Small controversies like not thinking of others, being too self-centeredthose things could be ignored with the strength of their fanbase. It was something to be envious of. I hoped we could grow as fast as them, so that our 3rd or 4th generation would be able to soar freely. Anyway, Luna seemed well aware of her relative advantage. Her attacks were relentless. [By the way, Senior. Now that were talking, I have a question!] Yeah. Go ahead. [Well. You dont have to answer if you dont want to. But I really wanted to ask this question when the opportunity came up! Taro-senpai told me that important things like this should be discussed over a call, not by message. Ive been curious about it since yesterday, but I held it in.] Looking at the clock, there were about 7 minutes left before the live broadcast started. If Luna were an ordinary rookie, shed probably be muttering about her lines for the broadcast by now. But she seemed completely at ease, so I thought it would be okay to have a conversation with just the two of us for a moment. I had a good idea of what kind of question she was going to ask. It was probably something about rumors surrounding my second-generation debut. This will only take five minutes, right? [Yep! Its not a big deal!] Mugeon, Ill talk to her for a moment and come back. [Okay, go ahead.] I briefly left the voice chat room. And then, just the two of us, Luna asked without any hesitation. [Do you happen to be a dual-occupation utaite?] .......... I hadnt expected that at all. I had planned to delay the revelation of Fan_Cs true identity as long as possible, so I was prepared for that. But still, I was a little caught off guard. I had expected it to be something related to my debut. No, I dont really enjoy singing. [Ah. Really....] Did you hear a rumor in the community or something? [No! A sister of mine who knew that you, Gia, visit CAT regularly saw it and told me. So I asked you. I havent told anyone! I was just really curious....] It wasnt a community rumor, but she had used an industry acquaintance to find out. I hadnt even thought of that kind of connection. It made me realize once again how small the entertainment industry is, even including streamers. After all, I hadnt expected that Enas father was Producer Na Hyun-gon either. Anyway, someone must have seen me going in and out of the recording studio and passed on the information. But its hard to pinpoint who exactly gave it away, as the people who helped me with the recordings may not have been the ones to spill. The recording studio was always busy. Our recording studio was the All-Might studio, a big five company under CAT, and it was always fully booked. It made sense that it was crowded, and surprisingly, I had seen quite a few famous people there. There was someone, I think, who had just finished recording before me and was walking out. It was that 2.5 million utaite who participated in the illegal duet. Anyway, with so many people coming and going, someone might have recognized me. It was probably one of Lunas acquaintances. For now, I decided to add a little white lie to keep things quiet. We had some recording work with our members, so I was just popping in and out to take care of that. Until then, Luna had been speaking brightly, but for the first time, she responded with an uncertain voice. [.....Hmm.] She mumbled a rather meaningful comment. [Its a shame. If you were the utaite I know, I wouldve wanted to work on a song together....] It was her real voice, not the broadcast voice we usually hear. A slightly lower tone, a bit more mature for the youngest, but still distinct. Im sure even if I were the utaite you were looking for, Luna, youre really busy right now, right? You have to do cover songs, original tracks, and collaboration songs with seniors. You must be in the middle of a very busy period. [Thats true! But its more of a personal preference. Besides, were in different companies, and youre not a VTuber, so I thought it would be hard to meet and talk unless there was an opportunity like this.... But since its not the person I thought it would be, I cant help it.] Thats when my suspicions began. The way her real voice suddenly came out felt oddly familiar. And the fact that she asked not if I was Fan_C but specifically used the term dual-occupation made me feel like Luna might not be a pure VTuber after all. It felt like she was originally an utaite and then decided to venture into VTubing. You might wonder how she could balance both. But surprisingly, there are superhumans who can pull it off. Since utaite work involves periods of waiting between song submissions, its actually pretty easy to juggle VTubing alongside it. There have been similar cases in Bachubachu JP. Even our CEO, despite a chaotic broadcast schedule, is still a VTuber and CEO. I even had evidence to back this up. Luna? Shes really good at singing. Taro didnt just take on the role of Lunas mom because of her friendliness. He did so because he was impressed by her singing skills. Luna is essentially top-tier among the fourth-generation members. Maybe today, Id be the first to discover Lunas past life, something no one else has figured out yet. But there werent many clues. I couldnt be sure if she had completely changed her singing style after debuting as a VTuber, so I couldnt say for sure who she was just from her voice. For now, I decided to focus on the sister who had passed along the information. By the way, the sister who said she saw medoes she work at CAT? [No. Shes an artist! An utaite!] Thanks to Lunas honest answer, I was able to narrow down the target quickly. There were about ten utaite artists at CAT. And the person I had seen before, who was always there before me, was always the same. Producer Na Hyun-gon had said that if they started working on a collaboration track, it would definitely be with that person first, so we had exchanged greetings. That person had participated in the illegal duet and even won awards, so there was some personal familiarity there. Is that person possibly Iyura? The one who always came early when I visited for work and was recording? ....... For the first time since yesterday, Lunas response took more than a second. At that moment, a realization hit me like a flash. Is she really a dual-occupation utaite? The reason she wasnt nervous in front of so many viewers, the reason she was so aggressive and didnt care about etiquettewas it because she wasnt just a rookie VTuber from Bachubachu? Had she already dealt with similar-sized crowds before? Had she even performed on stage before? The reason she insisted on calling me senior even when it was clear we were in different industrieswas it to avoid revealing her true identity due to a simple mistake with the title? Taros unusual level of care for Luna wasnt just because of her friendliness. If shes still considered the youngest in the VTuber world but is already a well-known figure in the industry? Wait. I hadnt even said it properly yet, but Luna quickly cut off my next words. [Lets talk more after the broadcast, Senior!!] Chapter 146 [Well, after the broadcast! Should we continue the conversation after the broadcast, Senior?!] I retreated. It was clearly a tactical retreat, a declaration of Mayday. Oh, right. The broadcast is about to start. I was about 90% sure, but first, the broadcast had to begin. There were only 3 minutes left until it started. However, Im the type of person who cant sleep until I satisfy my curiosity. Im not the type to go around spreading rumors. Im genuinely curious, you know? Should I stop investigating? No, Ill dig until I find the truth. And when I looked at the evidence, it was surprisingly abundant. I think its really Iyura. The illegal duet winners had recorded the tracks separately, right? Iyura hadnt been active in utaite work since then. Utaite usually dont need regular communication, so there were no announcements about it. From the beginning of February to the first week of June, it felt like a really long break. But wait, someone debuted in the first week of March. Thats right, Bachubachus 4th generation debuted. In fact, the first thing Producer Na Hyun-gon told me after reviewing our song performance was about a collaboration track with Iyura. That conversation was already a few months ago. I had been expecting some kind of signal, but everything had been quiet until yesterday, when I received a call. It turns out that the phone call I didnt answer because I mistook it for Mugeons number was actually from a manager assigned to me by CAT. She said that the planned collaboration track would be indefinitely postponed due to personal circumstances on Iyuras side. She apologized and said Producer Na would contact me soon to explain the updated plan in detail. When I put everything together, only one possibility stood out clearly. In the community, the truth that was buried under the question, Why would a 2.5 million utaite debut as a VTuber? was waiting to be uncovered, just waiting to be opened. Bachubachus 4th generation, Natsuki Luna. Could she really be Iyura? This is getting interesting. In fact, I had been struggling all day with how to approach Luna. But suddenly, everything had reversed. Todays broadcast. Maybe I could really enjoy it after all. *** So, now that weve finished our introductions, before we start the main talk show, Im sure you two have plenty of company pride to share. Lets hear a little about your companies? The content sequence was as follows. Greetings, self-introduction, highlighting the competitive spirit through company pride, and then the main game of betting on who will get the kill. The losing side would gift a subscription. A bet between broadcasters with history and tradition. In other words, it started with a battle of fandom pride through company boasting, and in the end, each streamer had to satisfy their fans in a 1:1 competition. You might think it would lead to a war, but... First of all, Mugeon had been adjusting the balance of the bet this week, switching up the multiplier according to skill level. And when it came to big collaborations or massive servers for fandom integration, even if things got tense, both sides tried to keep things positive, so there wasnt much to worry about. The public display of gentleness was ultimately a strategy to show off the superiority of the fandom. Wouldnt it be strange to go all out in a content that was meant to be fun for everyone? If they acted like that, the only impression left would be, Why are they like this? Their fandom is impossible to deal with. Of course, after the broadcast, wed all go back to our main groups, and healthy feedback could be given, and frustrations aired, but during the broadcast, we did our best to present a warm image. Even Magia, when guests from outside of Mugeons team came, would usually show up, give them a comfortable ride, and then coolly leave right away. Maybe it was because of the difference from when we usually teased them, but even Dohee had tried harder than usual to invite guests. Anyway, this was the background of the time dedicated to boasting about each others companies. If the opponent brags, we have to respond with Oh and Wow. Even if the bragging is actually a subtle attack on the other side, we should just laugh it off with a ??? and hold back any comments we might want to make. The only one in this space trying to mess with the flow was, of course, Magia, who spoke first. Me. Oh, Gia. Would you like to brag first? This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. No, I have too many things to talk about. I think its better if Luna goes first. Wow, consideration for the junior! Alright, Gia said it, so Luna, what do you think? Would you like to go first? Yes! I have so much to say! Ive prepared a lot by watching what other people said on talk shows! Alright, then lets start right away. Bachubachu KR, this is amazing! ?????? ???? Are you a PR worker? ??? Here comes the promotion~ Lunas speech was dazzling. Is this really a 3-month-old VTuber, or is she some clean new rookie from her previous life? The support was overwhelming. The welfare was good. The facilities were amazing. The motion studio was incredible. And when the local studio permit is granted, they even support flights. In true empire fashion, The endless benefits and advantages of being a Bachubachu VTuber came pouring out. And most importantly, the seniors have created an environment where our juniors can go wild without worry! 30 seniors in JP! 14 in EN! 10 in ID! And 10 in KR! Wherever we go, we can always feel like were on home turf! Wow, what must it feel like to be Taros mom? Id like to experience being a baby for a day too. I think even a giant baby like Mugeon would make mama dislike him... No, maybe the kid is outstanding! Waaah! Awww ??? Mugeonshichi Look at that waaah sound, its so loud ???? This guy is getting worse and worse ?? Magia threw a stone into the flow at this point. Did I disturb the atmosphere by throwing that at the fans who were watching? No, I hit Lunas forehead exactly while she was speaking. And I did it in Lunas style, always raising the opponent up no matter what the situation. But Ive been talking with Luna since yesterday. Luna is amazing too. Shes definitely a giant baby. Huh?! Luna was completely surprised. It was as if she didnt realize the person she was calling a giant baby (the 2.5 million utaite) was her. Magia continued. Right? She already has quite a number of subscribers. I watched the collab with the Bachubachu seniors last week, and I was really impressed by how unstoppable they were. It feels like shes already reached the top in terms of friendliness in the industry? Hmm. Ah, seeing you react to being called the top of the industry. Looks like Luna secretly thought that too? Lunas response was slow again. Yes! My dream is to be at the top of the industry! Im doing my best to become like Taro mama! Of course, the difference between now and when we had prepared for the broadcast earlier was quite small. It was something only Magia, who had talked about it earlier, could notice. The viewers didnt notice it, But only Luna could feel the silent agent Ms newspaper continue. "Honestly, I think the best benefit at our company is that if you want, you can play games with the boss anytime." "Hey, Gia. That''s exclusive to you." "No, not at all. Im sure there are a lot of people in Bachubachu who want to be like the seniors, including Taro, or want to broadcast with the seniors. Right, Luna?" "Yes! I couldnt hold back the desire to be with the seniors, so I applied!" "You see, you cant ignore this kind of dream. It might be a bit of a stretch, but I think even people whove reached the top of the industry can still be curious and want to check things out." Luna flinched. Mugeon got defensive. "...." "Ugh. Isnt this too obvious, Gia?" "I didnt say anything? Oh, if you were annoyed that I kept contacting our boss about the internal battle, I apologize." "This is all a lie, everyone!!" Dude... Thats so cringe ?????? You kept contacting them? I hear the Momo fans getting upset~ Im going to get upset!!! When the main game began, everything seemed smooth, with Mugeon and Magia carrying the game flawlessly... But the relentless arrows of Lunas newspaper kept coming. Even when hit by the arrows, it was only Luna who was poked. "Tch. Gia, your skills seem to have declined a bit?" "Ive been busy preparing for my debut for months. Of course, my skills would regress." "...." "Youre talking about the 2nd generation, right? But looking at how you couldnt even hit Master and got reset at the start of the season, it seems like youre destined not to make it to Master." What? Debut prep? Theyre not doing the 2nd generation, lol Dont bring up old drama!! Again, again, again Sludgies, ears up "I really want to hit Master this year, but Im not sure if Ill have time. Lately, it feels like Im doing a side job just by working at the company." "......" "Basically, it is a side job. Company worker, VTuber." "Im not a VTuber." So is Utaite correct then? F... Ugh Nonexistent memories Our streamer is causing chaos ????? As this conversation unfolded, Lunas words became fewer. Somehow, the cheerful and aggressive Luna seemed to be swallowed by the presence of Mugeon and Magia. It seemed like the Parallel fandom, which had been suppressed the whole time, realized they were taking over the chat. Of course, Bachubachus fandom still seemed to consider it an issue of a normal rookie. It had been amazing how they had rushed in so wildly. Maybe it was too risky for a rookie to be doing so much public work. Normally, it would be hard for someone like Magia or Mugeon, who are so aggressive, to speak while firing shots. This was what people were saying in the chat. However, this image was something Magia had tried to avoid, as mentioned before the broadcast. Luna, who usually charged in like a dog meeting its master, was being held back by Mugeon and Magia in this situation. [(????Live) Moving Talkshow #6 - Bachubachu 4th Generation Natsuki Luna, Parallel Operations Team Assistant Manager Magia] 109,552 #BattleColosseum #Bachubachu #Luna #Parallel #Magia The viewers had increased, and Bachubachus fandom had grown to about 70,000. The idea of attacking not just Magia but also Parallel behind him was a bit frightening to think about. Even if Luna was really Iyura, continuing to push her would just add one more enemy. I had gathered enough evidence, so I needed to wrap up the interrogation and ease the tension. "Mugeon, I think weve failed to balance things today." "Huh? Really? The kill score conversion is pretty close though?" "No, its not that. Luna, youre not like us BattleColiseum addicts. You cant even talk much because youre focusing on kills." "Aha... No, its because Gias been gobbling up kills like a pig. You should have given me some space. Stop playing like your life depends on it." So, I decided to cover it up with rookie and skill issues, Exchanged pleasantries (?) with Mugeon to lighten the mood, and then naturally called Luna over. "Luna, how about we restart the kill challenge from the beginning? The balance was completely off." "Oh my, what is this?! Is this my fault? I should have been doing it properly!" Is this praise or an insult, Sharayut? ??? ???????? Lets call it praise? ?? Luckily, Luna was just holding back on speaking, but she hadnt given up on the broadcast. After Mugeons turn passed, she jumped right in. "Ah. Um. No, its just because Im not good at the game!" "But still, theres a bet at stake." As I mentioned earlier, the loser in the kill challenge has to gift a subscription. Multiplying the score difference by a conversion rate and then multiplying by 10 gives us the number of subscriptions to be gifted. The current score difference was over 10 points. So, if it ends like this, Luna would have to gift 100 subscriptions to Magia. It was completely different from the usual talk show participants who ended with a score difference of around 5 points. Everyone could see that we had failed to balance it properly. So, Bachubachus fandom was like, "Right, well take it." Right Is it you again, Gia? Youre handing everything over now, huh If the competitor is a VTuber, its natural for Gia to take care of them Magia would be the mama of all VTubers!! Parallel fandom silently turned a blind eye. Even they could tell the balance was off. "Lets adjust the balance based on the previous round, and do just two more rounds, anyway, we need to determine the winner. But since this is a do-or-die round, should we add some more conditions?" "...Ah. You mean you want to raise the stakes?!" "Yeah. The extra rounds should have that kind of flair. Luna, do you want to add any conditions? Im fine with whatever." How merciful Just handing everything over If you hand everything over, whats left? You guys are whats left Damn it, again with Gia, I must praise Gia The viewers were saying I was too merciful. But since I had teased Magia a lot during the broadcast, I wanted to give a little back. But maybe Magia didnt know. I wasnt setting a trap. Luna, in her weakened state, ended up tripping over her own feet. "Then lets say the loser buys dinner anytime, no price limit!" So nice ??? Cute ?? She just likes eating with the seniors ???? This was Lunas signature move. Even during her previous collaborations with seniors, her go-to phrase for building rapport was "Lets grab a meal." But the problem was, that "meal" with Magia might reveal a truth. Wouldnt it be obvious if we ate together? Magia, realizing this might have been a mistake, subtly gave her a chance to back out. But Luna, sticking to her usual confident tone, pushed on. "Id prefer delivery, but that probably wont work, right?" The viewers were confused by her response. What do you mean by delivery? ????? Ugh Are you T-Companys C? Talking about delivery ??? Get out! Oh, Goldilocks at home Luna, following the atmosphere, sarcastically added, "Of course it wont work! Then it wouldnt be meaningful..." Then she faltered and stopped. But by then, the damage was done. Luna, who had been helped by me to maintain her usual energy, Was now caught by Magia, who had been investigating her from the start of the broadcast. Even though I gave her a chance to escape, she still ran headfirst into it. What could I do? I had to headbutt her. "Yeah, youre right. Its not polite. Lets meet and eat." Chapter 147 Before the balance adjustment, the scoring ratio between Magia and Luna was 1:3. That meant Magia had to get three kills to equal just one of Luna''s... The final score before the adjustment was 28 : 18(6), a whopping 10-point difference. Talking while playing an FPS game was already tough. But with Magia subtly probing for details, there was no way Luna could show off her actual skills, practice or no practice. Even after everyone agreed there was a balance issue and adjusted the ratio to 1:6, out of habit, she''d asked someone she really shouldn''t see face-to-face out for dinner. Lunas mental state shattered completely. Things couldn''t get any worse, so ironically her mind relaxed and her chatter increased. But her game concentration hit rock bottom, preoccupied as she was with how she''d report this mess to the higher-ups and how much trouble she''d be in. Thus, the final score became 15 : 0(0). That''s a full 150 gifted subscriptions. :: Natsuki Luna has gifted 150 subscriptions! :: It''s Santa!!! Woohoo!! Luna-nim, thank you!!!!!! Great Luna! Luna supremacy! Successfully farmed subs, niiice~ Ping Gifting even more subs, LOL Is this corporate class? ARGH WHY JUST ME There aren''t any slugs who didn''t get a sub, right? LOL WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME WHYJUSTME Wait, you''re kidding, right? How could 150 subs miss me entirely LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL T_T T_T T_T T_T I''m gonna explode T_T T_T :: PIN0 donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: I didn''t get any, so I''m exploding out of frustration~ :: You''re already premium subbed; Bruh Were you really trying to farm subs with this? In truth, gifting 150 subs could have easily been spun as a generous flex from a big corporation. She didn''t lose on purpose, but as long as Parallel''s people enjoyed it, then all was good. Something along those lines. But the biggest issue was the fact that a single slip-up might''ve exposed Luna''s identity to Magia. Actually, she''d probably already been discovered. Magia visited the recording studio often and they''d even greeted each other there. Unless Magia had a severe face-recognition issue, it would be weird for her not to recognize Luna when they met for dinner. Of course, she could reveal herself openly and ask Magia if she''s really Fan_C. But that would only harm Natsuki Lunano, harm IYURA more than anyone. After all, the more someone had to lose, or the bigger their hidden truths were, the more heavily they''d feel burdened, even when sharing the same secret. What worried her most was that the longer their dinner got delayed, the more Magia''s suspicions might grow, expanding into conversations with others. After all, people naturally share their suspicions with someone close, trying to confirm their findings, right? Then rumors would spread like wildfire, and more and more people would discover Lunas past life, which no one had ever managed before. At times like these, direct confrontation was the only solution. Expand quickly into a friendly industry acquaintance, senior, junior kind of relationship, then appeal to her to keep it secret. That''s why Luna went into crisis mode. Just before the stream ended, her voice rose in desperation. Senpai!!! [Whoa! You startled me. Nearly burst my eardrums.] Um, just in case... Wanna have dinner today, right away?! We just worked really hard on stream and... aren''t you craving some late-night snacks? I know several good places open even at night! [As expected of someone aiming for the VTuber industry''s top spotyou''re even prepared for this kind of thing.] It''s... it''s all to treat my senpais! Haha! So, how about it? Wouldn''t it be easier for you, Gia-senpai, to wrap everything up today too?! Magia surprisingly agreed without hesitation. [Sure. If were having dinner, today''s better. If we delay, who knows when itll happen. We''re both incredibly busy after all.] Thank you!! Damn, things are moving fast LOL This is the power of max-level friendliness doggo Practically missile-level speed LOL Please take good care of our Luna! Oh, our precious Gia too, please take care of her Nope, ours is more precious With Movguns closing words, the stream ended, and viewers dispersed warmly to their own spaces. Luna finally relaxed a little. The remaining issue was whether Magia would accept being persuaded. Even if she agreed, what if she set troublesome conditions? If Luna ended up needing to fulfill difficult requests, how would she even explain it to Taro, who''d said to always talk to the operations team if trouble came up? Nothing looked easy. What should she treat her to? She''d heard Magia liked pineapple pizza, but offering pizza on a day like this didn''t feel right. The dilemma dragged on. No answers came. Luna agonized over the menu for ten straight minutes, groaning to herself, until Bzzz. ...Ah. Magia sent a direct message through TalkCord. She didn''t dare delay. As someone who was currently at the lowest possible rank in this situation, Luna answered the call instantly. Yes, Senpai!! I was just about to contact you!! But what Magia said next shocked her completely. [Let''s just say we had dinner privately and lavishly. You''re busy anyway.] Uh... eh? [Anyway, about Iyura. Do you know when I could run into her at the studio? You seem close.] ...? She phrased it indirectly, but to sum it upshe wanted to cover things up here. She basically said, "I kind of know you''re Iyura, but meeting up directly would confirm our identities. So, let''s not dig any deeper, and I''ll help keep Iyura and Natsuki Luna separate." If she was going to do this, why did she subtly press her so hard earlier, making her suffer? But thinking again, it was Luna who bluntly asked, Are you working two jobs? right in her face first. Though it was purely driven by her passion to collaborate on music, it was indeed way too aggressive, especially for ? N o v e l i g h t ? a first meeting. Even if Magia let it slide, Luna needed to sincerely apologize as Natsuki Luna first. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Before anything else... Im really sorry. About earlier, when I asked if you were working two jobs. I was terribly rude to you, Senpai! I sincerely apologize! I was just too eager to collaborate on music, and my excitement got the better of me. I''m sorry!! [Its fine. Even if you''d said it live, it wouldn''t have been a big issue. I would''ve handled it anyway. More importantly, could you help arrange a meeting with Iyura? I have something important to discuss.] The situation was now resolving itselfand it was going exactly the way Luna wanted it to. Refusing an extended hand from someone willing to bury everything would be sheer stupidity. I can arrange it even today. *** About two hours later. The two people who should have met as Magia and Natsuki Luna ended up meeting as Magia and Iyura at an upscale izakaya. Since they had met before, their greetings were brief. Hello, Yura. Its interesting seeing you outside of the recording studio like this. Same here! I never expected to be having dinner with you, Gia. Of course, given Iyura''s relatively disadvantaged position, she couldn''t quite show her usual cheerful attitude. She bowed deeper than usual during their greetings, and remained humble even while ordering food. Eventually, Iyura spoke up first. By the way... I heard from Luna that you were looking for me. She said you had something important to discuss, so I was wondering what that might be.... Oh, nothing too complicated. We were supposed to collaborate on a song soon, right? Ah... yes, that''s right. I heard it was postponed indefinitely due to your personal circumstances. I wanted to ask about that. If it had a fixed duration, I''d assume you were just busy. But an indefinite postponement is concerning. Magia briefly mentioned the conversation from a few days ago. Wait. Hearing this, Iyura paused and felt something strange. Because Magia had just spoken as if she herself was Fan_C. Wait, Fan_C really was you, Magia?! You said earlier you weren''t! But by saying this, Iyura had just confirmed that she herself was Natsuki Luna. After all, the conversation Magia mentioned had been between Magia and Luna. Judging by how you reacted just now, you''re definitely Natsuki Luna, aren''t you? Agh. Ughhh! Yura...! Damn it! But Magia, perhaps genuinely intending to let it go, said calmly: Lets just say this conversation never happened. Just as Luna said she had no intention of revealing anything elsewhere, I also have no interest in selling VTuber red pills anywhere. Wouldn''t be right for someone who works at a VTuber company anyway. I''m grateful for that, but then why did you put me on the spot during the stream...? You suddenly asked me if I was doing double-duty, so I wondered if we were in a similar situation. Ah, double-duty. That word really had been the problem. Realizing anew the difficulties of living a double life, Luna resolved to be more careful in the future. So, what should I call you now? Luna-chan? Or Yura? Whatever you prefer. After all, this mess was caused by my own greed for music... Got it. I''ll alternate depending on the situation. You can call me Fan_C at times like this, too. Anyway, what''s the reason for the indefinite postponement? Are you sick or something? Huh? Well, judging by how energetically Luna sings, it doesn''t seem health-relatedbut you never know, it could be one final burst of energy. Iyura waved her hands hurriedly and mumbled, Its nothing like illness or anything serious. Its just contract issues. I signed it without thinking, so its my own fault, I suppose... Oh. So youll have to focus entirely on Luna for a while. That makes sense. In a way, the whole project had fallen through because of Iyura''s oversight, yet Magia looked visibly relieved that it wasn''t a health problem. Seeing Magia like this, Iyura couldn''t help but chuckle bitterly. After all, Iyura knew better than anyone how important a collaborative track with her would have been to a rookie utaite like Fan_C. Why had she tried so hard to arrange a collab with Fan_C as Natsuki Luna? Why had she insisted on asking Magia if she was an utaite, despite knowing how improbable that was? Maybe, just maybe, it was because she desperately wanted to make up for the missed opportunity by promoting a collaboration as Luna instead of Iyura. Magia asked, But why didnt you discuss this with CAT in advance? Well... I honestly never dreamed I''d get accepted as Natsuki Luna. I also didnt know there would be an exclusivity clause. I assumed it would be fine to continue working simultaneously, just like when I signed with CAT. Well, I think it''s understandable to have a restriction for the first half-year or even a year. You need time to establish your image clearly with the fans. If other activities disrupt your streaming schedule, it could cause problems. Yes, half a year Oh, wait. Was I supposed to say that? Most companies do something like that. Oh, I see. Suddenly, a thought occurred to Magia: Maybe the impulsive, reckless persona of Natsuki Luna wasnt entirely fictional after all. Hidden behind the mystique of an utaite who rarely engaged in public activities outside song releases and social media, her real personality might actually be quite close to Lunas. So, Luna was a hastily created character? Whoa. How did you guess that so accurately? I''ve spent six years buried in VTuber culture. It''d be weird if I didnt know. Huh... Anyway, youre exactly right. I really made her in a hurry. You know how sometimes you suddenly feel a strong urge to challenge yourself? You wondered if you''d succeed at something other than being an utaite? If you could still succeed without your original name? Yes. So I auditioned with a completely different style and singing method, totally unlike my usual self, and somehow passed. And since you didnt know if you''d ever get such a chance again, you signed the contract immediately. That''s how you ended up here? Yes... As for indefinitely postponing our collab, you probably said that because people around you scared you by saying your debut year would be insanely busy, and you didnt want to give me false hope. Or... were you planning on leaving CAT entirely? Magia gave her a pointed look, causing Iyura to frantically wave her hands side-to-side. She seemed desperate to deny it. If Parallel had partnered with CAT sooner, I probably wouldve applied to Parallel instead! Because of the bond we''ve built over time. It wasn''t like CATs terms were bad or anything, making me want to break the contract! I never said anything about that. If you''re going to experience something, better to do it on a bigger stage anyway. You said yourself you didn''t expect to pass. Yes! I really never intended any betrayal. I didnt realize Id have to pause Iyuras activities for so long... Sigh... This was all my mistake. Though she was teasing Iyura a little, Magia honestly didn''t see it as betrayal either. After all, in this industry, talents with both high brand value and skill get whatever they ask for. They''re the ultimate commodity. Iyurathe top utaite in the Korean scenewanted to work with both companies, so who could blame her? Bachubachu pulling exclusive rights in the debut phase was standard practice. And even though it was closer to Iyuras oversight, CAT temporarily letting her go was the only realistic option. The real issue would come after the six-month exclusivity period ended, when both companies would undoubtedly fight fiercely over her. That''s precisely why Bachubachu assigned Taro as her manager from the start. To ensure she stayed put, and to make her produce even more content exclusively for them. Well, Iyura had stamped that contract without thinking of the consequences. Of course, Bachubachu wouldnt be foolish enough to let her go easily. Instead, they''d tempt her continuously, offering opportunities and incentives to keep her tied downjust enough to make sure she stayed. ''If things go like this...'' Honestly speaking, Magia felt there wasn''t much she could do in the battle between CAT and Bachubachu (not to mention the involvement of SB behind them). With three corporate dinosaurs snarling at each other from two different sides, there wasn''t much Magia could actually do in this situation. Parallel was just too small to intervene directly. But if Iyura genuinely felt guilty towards Magia, she''d surely cooperate whenever Magia asked. Such chances wouldn''t come often, of course. An utaite with 2.5 million global subscribers. Iyura, a top-ranked utaite both in Korea and internationally. Even if Magia couldn''t do much, Iyuras cooperation alone would grant enormous leverage. Although, truthfully speaking, Magia wouldn''t have cared much if her identity as Fan_C got exposed. She''d only kept it hidden because she didn''t want attention diverted away from Parallel''s members. Sure, holding onto the secret for a long time might make it explode more dramatically later, but it wasn''t strictly necessary. As long as unexpected issues involving the members didn''t force her into extra overtime, Magia was largely indifferent about it. I think a collaboration between Natsuki Luna and Fan_C will be difficult. Bachubachu, SB, and even CATs approval would all be needed. Too many companies are involved. After a short pause, Magia added calmly: Instead, how about we just do our original planned collaboration after your exclusivity endssay, after about six months? That should be enough. It shouldn''t affect Lunas schedule much either. Iyura nodded eagerly, eyes shining. Although that diminishes the impact a little... In any case, I really want to make a song together. I''ll push for it from my side as Luna too, even though it might be tricky. Why? The song! I know its difficult, but Luna herself wants to collaborate with Fan_C. ...I''m grateful, but why are you insisting on working with me? Itd be far more beneficial for you to immediately work with Taro, who''s already like the king of Bachubachu. Yes, it would. But do people always have to collaborate based on money alone? Sure, I''ll give the company what it wants. But Fan_C is my personal choice. At least that much is certain. Honestly, when Na Hyun-gon had first suggested a collaborative song between Fan_C and Eula as the next project, Magia had been skeptical. She felt the same sort of doubt she''d experienced earlier when Movgun had told her, "Your talk-show guest will be Taro." That thought hadn''t changed, and Magia still appeared unconvinced. Seeing this, Iyura quickly spoke up: Ah, seriously. If Parallel had partnered with CAT sooner, I probably wouldve applied to Parallel instead! Because of our longstanding relationship. It wasn''t because CATs terms were bad that I considered breaking the contract! I never said anything about that. Anyway, since you already got this far, experiencing the bigger stage isn''t bad either. Besides, you said yourself you never expected to pass. Yes! I really never intended any betrayal. I didnt think I''d have to pause Iyura''s activities for so long... Ha... It''s completely my mistake. Magia had teased her a bit, but she never seriously thought Iyura had betrayed her. In this industry, talents with strong brands and proven skills named their price. Iyura was simply the ultimate asset. Iyurathe absolute top of Koreas utaite scenewanted to work with both companies. Who could fault her? Bachubachu securing exclusive rights in her debut was natural. Even if it was Iyuras oversight, CAT had no real choice but to let her go temporarily. However, after the half-year exclusivity period ended, thered certainly be fierce competition between both sides for Iyuras time and attention. That''s exactly why Bachubachu had already assigned Taro as her manager. To ensure she stayed bound to them, continually producing content exclusively. Magia spoke with certainty. For now, let''s settle on our collaborative track. Well worry about the rest afterward. Yes. Let''s do that. With everything clarified, dinner became a much more relaxed affair. Iyuraalso known as Natsuki Lunawas so naturally personable that, although the situation was uncomfortable, conversation flowed without pause. And thats exactly why Magia started to worry. No matter how impressive the real person wasa globally popular utaite with 2.5 million subscribers Iyura had trouble fully separating her identities. You should be careful though. You keep mixing Luna and Iyura without noticing. Youre the only one who figured it out so far, Gia! Chapter 148 The next day was a rare, event-free Sunday. Magia had returned from her meal with Iyura and, feeling relaxed, spent the late night watching streams until she finally fell asleep in the morning. But her peaceful sleep was interrupted by none other than a call from a VIP. For VIPs, the ringtone would still play even on vibrate mode. And this one in particularMomos broth ramenwas the kind of song that could make her jump out of bed even in deep sleep. A special original track for Parallels fifth anniversary. Ugh. She was awake but not fully alert. Magia sluggishly ran through the VIP list in her mind. Cheon Do-hee, the first-generation talents, and her superior, Team Leader Kang, had always been on the list. Recently, the second-generation talents and Na Hyun-gon had been added as well. The VIP she had to be the most careful with was Na Hyun-gon. A call from him on a Sunday afternoon? Highly unlikely. So, still half-asleep, Magia swiped her screen and brought the phone to her ear. Yes... This is Magiaaa... The voice on the other end was that of a composed middle-aged man. [Looks like I woke you up. My apologies. Ill call back later.] Click. The call ended. Even as the call disconnected, Magia had kept her eyes closed. But now, they snapped open, and she quickly sat up to check the caller ID. It was Producer Na Hyun-gon. ...That was the producer. Magia immediately rushed to the fridge, grabbed a 500ml bottle of water from the pile, and gulped it down. After refreshing her mouth and throat, she called Na Hyun-gon back. Im sorry. I didnt expect you to call on a Sunday, so I let my guard down. [No, if anything, I should be the one apologizing for calling on a Sunday.] That... was a fair point. But why was he calling on a Sunday of all days? Did that mean it was something urgent? So, its something urgent, right? Please go ahead. Im listening. [Thank you for understanding. Then, lets start by discussing the current project.] As expected, the first topic was Parallel and CATs first collaboration. The first-generation talents latest song. [As for Finish Line, it has already proven itself more than enough. We were considering pushing a secondary promotion through our idols, but honestly, it performed so well that we dont even need to. In fact, our idols might even use it for short-form promotions instead.] Thank you. Thats very generous of you. [Its not generosityits just the truth. The numbers speak for themselves. And this success is now turning into solid data to persuade the board.] So, you mean the next song is already greenlit? [You could say the green light is on. Ill also be discussing it separately with President Cheon tomorrow.] Then... this time, could we finally get original songs for each member...? The moment she said it, Magia held her breath. Had she gotten ahead of herself? But Na Hyun-gons response was beyond her expectations. [To further solidify our partnership with Parallel, were considering producing one song per memberfour songs in totalall at the same time.] For most VTubers, releasing multiple original songs in succession was rare, except for their debut or anniversary. It wasnt just about the money. Finding the right partners to create songs that suited each member was an exhausting task in itself. But if CAT was the one producing them this time And if it was Allmight Productions, who had already successfully launched Iyura Then they were definitely reliable partners to keep working with. Inside Magias mind, fireworks erupted. Not small firecrackers from a neighborhood store This was a full-blown Yeouido Fireworks Festival. Boom! Boom! Boom! [No, wait, counting Fan_Cs song as well, that would make it at least six songs.] Of course, at that moment, she felt like shed gotten caught up in the fireworks herself. My own personal song? Wasnt the duet with Iyura supposed to come first? [Thats actually the next topic I wanted to discuss.] What followed was directly related to the person Magia had met the day before. [Some time ago, we had a scheduling issue with the duet song with Iyura, so we reached out to you through her manager.] Yes, I remember. You mentioned youd call separately about the revised plan. [Under normal circumstances, that would have been the reason for todays call. Since the duet is no longer happening, I was going to propose a plan to boost your recognition through a solo cover song and an original track instead.] Magia tilted her head and asked. So... does that mean the plan has changed again? This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. [Yes. A lot changed in just one day. The project got scrapped twice, but we cant just throw something together at the last minute. Fan_C is someone were committed to developing as a utaite, after all.] Ah, I see... [So I wanted to briefly explain the situation and ask if you could wait just a little longer. We need more time to prepare.] A lot had happened at CAT in the past three months. Their original plan was to proceed based on the results of the first-generation talents new song. Plan A was to kick things off with a duet between Fan_C and Eula. But after Iyura dropped out, that plan had already fallen apart. Fortunately, CAT wasnt a small company, so they kept searching for alternatives... But they couldnt find an utaite who could match Iyuras impact while also showing genuine interest in the rookie Fan_C. After all, Fan_C had only one video uploaded on her personal YouTube channel. And even that wasnt an original uploadit was basically just a reposted link to the first-generation talents song. Her subscriber count was about 5,000. Meanwhile, Parallel Behind, which had gained traction from the collab with Natsuki Luna the previous day, had already surpassed 10,000. This was the result of Magia deliberately staying in the shadows. But even in a situation where most agencies would # Nvlight # have given up, CAT still managed to come up with an alternative. That was Plan B A bold and persistent long-term strategy that relied on pushing forward with Fan_Cs pure talent, using CATs industry weight to back her up, despite her small YouTube presence. But viewership and popularity were like glider flights. If you launched from a high place, you could soar far and long. But if you launched from flat ground, youd crash almost immediately. CAT had the weight to build a tower in an instant and launch from the top. However, even such a rushed construction required money. Marketing costs. They could go all in with an aggressive investment, but Fan_C was a highly experimental project. If they went overboard and the results were poor, the backlash would be just as severe. Naturally, they had to consider all angles and find ways to reduce investment costs, which meant discussions about the project dragged on longer than expected. And now that it seemed like things would be delayed even further, CAT had no choice but to reach out to Magia with an apology. ... But then, something unexpected happened. The duet project with Iyura which had been postponed indefinitely due to personal circumstances was suddenly locked in for September at her request. Because of that, Na Hyun-gon had managed to establish Plan C in less than a day. Like Plan B, it would still start with Magias solo and cover songs, launching from flat ground. But then, they would follow up with the duet with Iyura, creating a ripple effect and pushing the earlier-released songs up the charts. Even just comparing the estimated costs to achieve the same results in Plan B and C, Plan C was overwhelmingly better. For Na Hyun-gon, who had no choice but to prioritize business profitability, there was no way he wouldnt be grateful to Magia for making Plan C possible. "Ill take a break from utaite activities for a while, but Ill finish my project with Fan_C first." Iyuras confirmation and the establishment of Plan C were ultimately thanks to Magia. [But really, we were only able to reach this point because of you, Jia.] Uh... huh? [The fact that Ms. Iyura hasnt completely stopped her activitiesthat was a major factor.] Magia was puzzled. But this was just an extension of what she had discussed with Iyura over dinner yesterday. Iyura had contacted CAT, finalized her schedule, and caused a butterfly effect. For CAT, the delay in Fan_Cs project was already a problem. But the uncertainty of Iyuras affiliation was an even greater risk. To make matters worse, a certain rumor had been spreading among industry insiders. People were saying that Iyura had secretly debuted as a fourth-generation member of Bachubachu. It was nothing more than unverified gossip. But the fact that Bachubachu had partnered with SB Entertainment, CATs eternal rival, only fueled speculation that she was preparing to leave. For three months, Allmight Productions had been in a constant state of anxiety. But now, with Iyura clarifying that she wasnt completely stopping her activities, for CAT, it must have felt like a blockage had finally been cleared. [So, thanks to you, well be increasing our investment in Fan_C. We cant afford to leave expensive talent sitting idle while Iyura is on break.] Ah. So thats why Ill be singing more than two songs... [Yes. This is separate from Parallels first-generation project. Youll be doing at least two songs. Possibly multiple songs at the same time.] Oh... that much? [Plans could still change, of course. But for now, expect to stack up tracks leading into September, culminating in the duet with Iyura.] Got it. Youll go over the details with me again later, right? [Of course.] Magia had only been casually probing Luna out of curiosity, but somehow, she had stumbled onto a goldmine. But hey, a good thing was a good thing. CAT was now taking the lead in producing individual original songs for the members. That alone was enough to leave Magias mind overwhelmed. She was unexpectedly getting even more involved in CATs music projects. But in the long run, wouldnt this also help the other members? The only real concern was managing her schedule. Oh, by the way, how much busier am I about to get? [Well, lets talk after the MCN tournament wraps up. When do you finish preparing the second-generation debut?] Magia had been coordinating the second-generation members for weeks, and next week would be the final round of preparations. After that, they would each set up their own streaming environments and start the official countdown to debut. Well... it just worked out this way, but next weekthe day of the MCN tournament thats actually the last day of my packed schedule. [Thats lucky. Youre a busy person, so its rare for the timing to align so perfectly.] It really felt like she was sailing forward with the wind at her back. All thanks to you, Producer, for managing everything so well. [You do realize that too much humility can be a flaw, right?] Magia chuckled. I just do my best, thats all. *** As Parallel and CAT smoothly rode the wave of progress, there was one person who couldnt feel at ease. Magia had agreed to let it slide, but that didnt mean the incident could be completely ignored. Even in Bachubachu, they had been repeatedly told since pre-debut: If something happens, dont hesitatejust report it first. So naturally, addressing this situation properly was the right thing to do. Of course, if she had been a complete rookie, she might have been too scared to even call the management team, maybe even breaking down in tears on her own. But luckily, Iyura had been an utaite for a long time. She had the experience to take a step back and consult a reliable ally first before reporting anything. [Got it.] The short response might have sounded cold, but that was just how Taro was outside of streams. He poured all his energy into his broadcasts, but in his daily life, he was like a device on power-saving mode. Even now, after saying just that one sentence, Iyura could tell he had gone deep into thought. Bachubachu and SBs Taro. CATs Iyura. Even though they had worked for rival companies for a long time, great talents recognized each other. They had occasionally collaborated, building up a personal bond along the way. ... But the response that came next was completely unexpected. [If the one who found out was Jia, then dont worry about it. Just focus on your streams and tournament prep.] Iyura was caught off guard. Huh? I dont need to report it to the management team...? Taro, speaking softly as if to reassure her, murmured: [Leave the rest to me.] Chapter 149 ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Breaking News] If Magia''s Channel Keeps Growing Like This... Yo, you here? Just look at the numbers. Parallel Behind @parallel_official_behind Subscribers: 20,114 Videos: 47 A full video channel excluding official Parallel announcements. [Comments] Parallel096: Already? Thats crazy fast. ?? Parallel342: No way Bachubachus livers wouldve subbed. ? Parallel486: Their main focus is YouTube Live, and their highlight clips go on the main channel like how ours work. Maybe people subbed thinking its the same kind of thing? ? Parallel663: Huh? That actually makes sense coming from a terminal fail-bro... ? Parallel486: Screw you. Parallel851: Who knows, maybe Taro subbed to say thanks for looking after his kid. ? Parallel851: They do know each other, after all. ? Parallel682: That was years ago, though? ? Parallel682: They havent mentioned each other in ages. ? Parallel955: Taros got influence. If they were really close, he couldve boosted her subs way more. ? Parallel955: If he wanted to, hed go all in. ? Parallel046: We may be small, but we are still a competing agency, lol. ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [But Seriously, Momo''s Got a God-Tier Business Brain] There are already a bunch of Magia clip channels. If she gathered them all up and ran one centralized channel Parallel wins, Woldung wins, Magia wins, and Sludge wins too. A total win-win-win-win situation, right? [Comments] Parallel259: Momos business instincts are literally recorded in Goguryeo history... Parallel601: Lately, Ive been thinking... this might not even be Momos fault. ? Parallel601: Magia might just be stubborn as hell and refusing to give Sludgies what they want. ? Parallel589: Ill never give you what you ask for. ? Parallel482: Ugh, damn toxic gatekeeping. ? Parallel864: If thats the case, why even make a behind-the-scenes channel?? ? Parallel090: It wasnt even made as Magias personal channel to begin with, lol. ... ... Monday. News of the first-generation members getting their own original songs hit the company like a storm, turning what was supposed to be the most hated day of the week into a celebration at Parallels headquarters. For today, everyone had become a lunatic who loved Mondays. This Friday marked the final week of the second-generation intensive training curriculum, followed by the MCN tournament on Saturday and Sunday. After that, Fan_Cs recording sessions would begin in full swing. Magia headed to the CEOs office to deliver the update, only to find the team leaders, who had been partying like theyd popped champagne, immediately settle down the moment they saw her. Once they returned to their desks, Cheon Do-hee spoke. Youre here? Our golden girl. You called me precious before. Now Im gold? When did I say that? That was Woldung fans. A staff member who gets us massage chairs for the office is golden, not precious. Wow. Youre throwing the fans under the bus. Anyway, I heard from Producer Na Hyun-gon. Youll be busy with Fan_Cs projects for the next three months? Yeah. Thats actually why I came straight to you after clocking in. Magia nodded and stood in front of Do-hees desk. The metal bookshelf was packed with documents, meaning Do-hee had to stand up to even make eye contact with Magia. As their eyes met, Do-hee spoke. I already talked to Team Leader Ra Seunghyun. Just help out with whatever you can manage, but prioritize Fan_Cs work. Got it? I can handle both just fine, so dont worry. Alright, alright. Now that the second-gen training is done, at least one big headache is gone. Do-hee gave Magia a long stare. Magia, knowing exactly what it meant, muttered. I already placed an order for a massage chair, so stop looking at me like that. Wow~ thanks to Jia, were getting a massage chair for the office~. In the end, the 10,000-subscriber bet ended in an easy victory for Do-hee. The original goal of 10K had been obliterated. Even the 20K goal, which Do-hee had jokingly raised as a challenge, was barely but surely surpassed. Of course, only Magia and Natsuki Luna knew the insanely complicated series of events behind it. But the result was simple. Their conversations kept going, Magia and Mugeons hyper carry plays in the tournament were satisfying to watch, and Luna and Magia ended up having dinner together. Then, that story made it onto Lunas stream, where she turned it into a long storytelling segment... Before they knew it, things escalated to the point that some fanseven from other companies had started shipping them as LunaJia or JiaLuna. The subscriber surge had slowed down a bit, but it was still climbing at a steady rate. And more importantly this 20,000 subscribers milestone had a huge significance. A simple calculation said that, on average, you could multiply a ~Nvlight~ replay channels subs by 5 to estimate the actual YouTube channels potential reach. In other words even though it didnt officially exist yet, a Magia-edited video channel would likely be at around 100,000 subscribers already. Of course, there was always room for fluctuation, but 100K was a clear milestone. At this point on YouTube, they would send a Silver Play Button, and people would start calling the channel a mid-tier business. Beyond simply hitting a number milestone, this meant Magia was now officially recognized as a creator on the path to real success. The industry sentiment was similar. A 10,000-subscriber YouTube channel had little trouble joining an MCN, but a 100,000-subscriber channel was almost never rejected unless it clashed with the MCN or had serious social issues. MCNs would even actively scout such channels, seeing their long-term potential. And it seemed that even editorspeople whose job was to cut and refine contentunderstood this. A lot of people who had the potential to become part of dongbu (VTuber editors, usually named after the streamerMagias would be Madongbu) had started expressing their interest in joining. A similar sense of expectation was directed at Magia. It was obvious just from looking at Cheon Do-hees inbox. Messages flooded in all week after Mugeons talk show, all asking: "Will Magia open a personal channel?" "Id love to apply as an editor!" Most even sent portfolios, many from well-known clipping channels. Since Magia didnt have a personal channel and had never restricted clip compilations, some of these channels had grown quite large. The biggest one had high-quality editing, making it feel like a waste to just leave it as an independent project. After all, if they formalized contracts and built a working relationship, it would be a win-win. The editors could go from being simple fans to getting paid for their work, and if the company developed the channel well, it could become a major asset. And Magia herself? She wouldnt even have to directly manage much of it. Of course, every streamer handled things differently, but for someone as busy as Magia, she only needed to do a final review and cut anything that needed to be cut before uploads. "Just askingdo you dislike the idea of a personal channel just for your edited videos?" "Why?" "Because youve got dedicated clip editors, and it feels like a waste to leave them floating around. Especially since youre expanding your streaming activitiesyou even made a promise with Team Leader Ra Seunghyun." "I did, yeah." "If youre streaming more, therell be more footage, and if we edit it well and put it somewhere, theres a chance people will discover the members channels through those videos." Magia tilted her head, which was so cute that Do-hee reflexively reached out and patted her. "You know how youve ended up collaborating with a lot of other streamers more than expected? Its not just Parallel fansa lot of the wider Pazijik community already knows about you." "That makes sense." "I took a look around and compared the views on videos where you appeared. They were way higher than others. Basically, some people are specifically hunting for Magia clips." "So what youre saying is instead of just benefiting random channels, you want to set up an official Parallel editing team that focuses on me?" "...Usually, you pretend not to understand things, but today, youre catching on fast." "Well... Before the bet over the Behind channels subscribers, I thought nobody would open YouTube just to watch me. But now that its been proven, I have to acknowledge reality." Honestly, Magia was intrigued. The idea that not just Parallel fans, but the entire Pazijik community was discovering her? That was tempting. After all, YouTubeseparate from live streamswas a consistent source of new viewers. Magia had always messed around to help draw people into first-generation members content. And as Do-hee pointed out, this wouldnt even increase Magias workload. She just had to keep doing what she was already doing and say yes to the proposal. ... But still, having a personal channel while working as Parallels employee felt a bit off. Wouldnt that make her seem like... a Parallel-affiliated VTuber? "Still, a personal channel feels... kind of awkward." Do-hee, already anticipating Magias reluctance, had prepared an alternative in advance. "Then what about running it purely as Jadongbu?" "Where would the edited videos go?" "Obviously, on the official channel. Wed make a separate playlist for them." Magia frowned. She had specifically separated Behind from the main channel to remove herself from official Parallel replays. And now they wanted to put her in a new official playlist? It felt contradictory. But Do-hee had a reason for this setup. "Just hear me out first." "Alright. Go ahead." "You were with the others during Wicker Town, right?" "Yeah, I was." "And youve done a lot of content with the other members, havent you?" "More than a few times, yeah." "And with Ras team, youll keep working with them, right?" "Yeah, I will." "Exactly. Thats why it should be official. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Itll be your perspective, sure, but the other members and I will be in those videos. Itll give fans a unique view of the entire team dynamic. The playlist will feel like Deputy Magias Perspective." Magia was a good employee who listened to her boss. If the CEO ordered something, she would say Got it. But she wasnt someone who ignored concerns. "...Didnt you earlier say you wanted to edit external content too?" Luckily, Do-hee knew Magia too well and had already prepared an answer for this question. "That would be a separate playlist something like Deputy Magia Goes Exploring. Either way, its you, the companys face, going out and promoting Parallel." The Combative tournament, the Crkemang collab, the Bazubi collab, even the recent Mugeon talk show Strictly speaking, all of them were promotional activities. And this way, they could still bring in new viewers through well-edited clips, while keeping everything under the company umbrella. This wasnt a personal channel, so if anyone tried to call her a VTuber, they could just push back and deny it. It felt a little like hiding behind the companys shield, but Magia had always leaned on Parallel and first-gen members. Her entire promotion strategy had been about creating chaos, then shifting the spotlight onto others. "But you know, right? At the end of the day, your opinion comes first. Once Fan_Cs activities pick up, youll get new fans drifting in. And as the other members release their songs, well see even more audience growth. Even if we dont do this, the company wont collapse or anything." The moment Magia heard that, she shook her head. "No, lets do it." "Seriously?" "Yeah. But put together the editing team yourself. Editing isnt my field of expertise, and I honestly dont think Ill have time to handle that too." "I already told youyou just need to review the finished videos and cut out anything necessary. Weve already received a ton of applications, so Ill take care of it." Magia half-closed her eyes, staring at Cheon Do-hee. It was a subtle pressureYou sure seem to have a lot of free time these days, despite keeping the same streaming schedule... "Boss, have you finished preparing for the MCN Tournament?" "Ive done a ton of backdoor calls, so dont worry. At the very least, we need to place high enough to make it worth the exposure." "Ill trust you on that." The squads were divided into: Magia/Maru/Dora and Momo/Rain/Komari. Magia was in the mix, but balance-wise, Momos team was stronger. "Honestly, shouldnt you be the one worrying right now? I couldnt carry a match if I were stuck with Maru and Dora. And this tournaments competitors arent exactly pushovers There are plenty of Platinum and Diamond-tier players, and even ex-pros among the Diamonds." "Its fine. If things get rough, Ill just use them as one-time shields." "...Sometimes, I really question whether you actually like VTubers." "Im not killing them. Ill just revive them after they get knocked out." "Isnt that just malicious bullying at that point...?" Magia stared at Do-hee. The look in her eyes clearly said You, of all people, should know, given how often youve been on the receiving end. "Its just love." *** MCN Tournament - Battle Colosseum Division With all the major MCNs in Korea participating, the tournament had sky-high interest even before it began. Both Pazijik and the Battle Colosseum development team joined as official sponsors, starting the prize pool at 20 million won. For a streamer tournament, this was already a massive amount. But the day before the tournament unexpected sponsors joined in. Multiple sponsors. And just like that, the events prestige skyrocketed. Nutube - Community Post Movgun | Subscribers: 2.04 million ???? Final Decision: MCN Tournament Prize Pool Increase! ???? June 16 (Sat) - 17 (Sun) ???? Prize Pool Update Original: 20 million wonUpdated: 50 million won???? Final MVP AwardNewly added: BCK AwardPersonal Prize: 10 million wonExclusive Experience: One-day training session with a professional player from any BCK team of choiceSelection Process: Voted on by six professional gamers during live analysis streamsA huge thank you to Battle Colosseum Champions Korea (BCK) and all the professional teams for sponsoring this tournament! A Perfect Timing Play This happened right at the end of the pro leagues summer international season. With autumn-winter leagues yet to begin, the timing couldnt have been better for a collaboration between BCK and MCNs. A regular MCN tournament would have only drawn attention from streaming audiences. Pro league fanswho only watched official matcheswould have simply ignored it. But with top-tier pro players providing live commentary? That changed everything. Even people who had no interest in the tournament would want to see what their favorite pro gamers thought about the matches. And just as expected Battle Colosseum forums, which had been completely dominated by pro league discussions, suddenly started buzzing with streamer names for the first time in ages. Among the many names being thrown around, one particular "VTuber" or rather, one particular office worker stood out. Battle Colosseum Gallery [Magia vs. Second-Tier Pro Gamer] Who wins? [Comments] Bacol904: The balance is total garbage. The pro wins easily. ? Bacol068: You sure? Even Movgun acknowledged that Magias smokescreen shotgun play is on par with pro players. ? Bacol865: Ah, ffs, are we really gonna analyze this down to the last detail? ? Bacol090: If its just a second-tier pro, Magia could totally beat them. ? Bacol211: Total delusion. Battle Colosseum Gallery [Ugh, Not This "Signal Shot Era" Again...] The fact that the next tournament is in July makes me wanna cry. [Comments] Bacol893: This time, it wont end at just a "Signal Shot Era." ? Bacol005 (OP): Why? ? Bacol893: Because of Movgun too many people got obsessed with "Bu-" plays. If a corporate-backed team wins, this forum is gonna turn into that companys personal second HQ. ? Bacol005 (OP): ...The way you know all this... Youre a Bussem, arent you? ? Bacol893: Hehe, you got me. Chapter 150 The day before the tournament, I briefly wondered about the sudden expansion of its scale. As soon as the boss heard the news, she contacted me directly and said: [Movgun says that Taro must have had some influence from behind the scenes.] I thought for a moment about the Taro I knew and then said: Isn''t Taro the type of person who would do something underhanded? Could it be someone impersonating Taro instead? [Its not that they used dirty tricks... They just worked hard to increase the scale of the tournament.] When you say worked from behind the scenes, it sounds suspicious... Taro is a 3.5 million-subscriber VTuber and also a well-connected socialite. Even the boss, who isnt someone to fall behind in terms of connections, isnt on the same level as offline Taro. While the boss prioritizes personal matters and schedules, Taro always puts others'' schedules first. Except on the rare occasions when she''s dedicated to her own fandom, she''s always booking external events. Of course, she has the ability to distinguish whether an opportunity is worth pursuing or not. Shes not a pure fool who helps anyone indiscriminately. So, Taro frequently gets involved in organizing events, hosting, and warming up the crowd. Thanks to the reputation shes built over the years, shes practically an institution in the industry. When Taro shows up, things just fall into place. Games are games that Taro played and enjoyed. Events are events that Taro attended and enjoyed. Food is food that Taro loves to eat, and so on. Shes practically a walking advertisement. Within subcultures, shes regarded as a giant 3D billboard placed in high-traffic areas. So, as the boss said, it was probably Taro''s influence that led to the involvement of BCK and pro-gaming teams as sponsors. However... This may not have been a completely mutual decision. Taro is, after all, part of Bachubachu. Even though shes a second-generation member, shes practically the queen of the KR branch. In the end, this was likely a move to benefit her juniors. Especially considering that five out of the six participants in this tournament were new fourth-generation members of Bachubachu, it seems clear that the tournament was blown up to boost the viewership and subscribers of her juniors. Well, in the end, its about giving more power to the fourth-generation Bachubachu members. [Thats true. The lineup of streamers already participating was strong enough to maintain high focus. There wasnt really a need to add more sponsors...] If youre curious, you can just ask her directly. The boss shook her head, saying no. She gave me a subtle look, which, interpreted, meant, You know, if we contact her personally, it might seem like were leeching off her. ...True. That was the problem, which is why we had refrained from contacting her all this time. It wasnt something we had to know for sure, so we decided to let it slide. Whats more important now is focusing on our own success. The stage got bigger? Then we need to think about how to make the most of this larger stage. Well, its all for the best. Weve already gotten a bit of recognition with the first-generation new songs view count soaring, so now we can use this tournament to get a good result and appeal to the professional gamer fandom as a group of idols known for singing. [Thats a good point. People who dont watch gaming streams or VTubers still listen to music. If they say, Oh, these are the people who sang that song? wed already be halfway to success.] And to maximize this benefit, we need to make sure we land in the top ranks. We need to defeat the countless competitors from various MCNs who share the same goal and move forward. However, since theres so much riding on the rankings, everyone was very selective about which participants to choose. Aside from Bachubachu, who filled the roster with fourth-generation members, and Lapits, whose situation wasnt too different from ours, most of the participants were platinum- and diamond-tier streamers. Even the diamond-tier ones were far from ordinary. Former pros. Pro trainees. Second-stringers. Strong contenders. Our team and the boss''s team have to beat all of them? Im diamond (master rank), Doras iron, and Marus bronze. The boss is gold (been platinum for 3 years), Rain is gold, and Komari is gold. It wont be easy, but its worth trying. And, just like when I challenged Movgun, I feel my heart racing to beat these strong teams. When I have a goal thats just a bit higher than my abilities, my motivation explodes. *** The first day of the MCN Tournament, which spanned two days. Including the official broadcast channel, Movguns stream, a total of 250,000 people tuned in from the start, signaling the tournament''s grand success. [Movgun] [(????Live) MCN Tournament - Battle Colosseum (Day 1)] ????70,445 #BattleColosseum #Pazijik #RapTopics #BCK As with any streamer tournament, it all starts with a voice call over TalkCord to check in with each team and hear about their goals for the event. This is where it differs from traditional pro leagues. While the tournament results are crucial, the personal appeal of each streamer is also important, and its a small courtesy for the streamers. However, this time, there was one name that kept coming up unusually often during these pre-interviews. "So, whats Lapits goal for this tournament, Iona?" [At least we want to get a better result than Magia''s team.] Ah, that name again! Whats the reason for that? [The grudge from the Demon Castle in Wicker Town... Im still carrying it deep in my heart. This time, I really want to pay it back.] Its been months since Wicker Town ended. This isnt UFC, you know? This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. [Of course not. I just want to get back at her for what happened on stream. I havent had the chance until now.] A total of fifteen MCNs participated. Each of them sent two squads, making thirty squads in total. Its a tournament where 90 people compete per game. As Battle Colosseums gallery started buzzing, the mention of Magia increased steadily. By the time it was Lapits turn for their thirteenth random interview slot, more than half of the teams had at least mentioned Magia once. Especially for one MCN thats been sharpening its claws for this tournaments victory, they openly predicted that Magias team was a strong contender for the win. At this point, it seemed odd not to address the topic, so after finishing the interview with Lapits, Movgun joked with the BCK official caster, who had come to help with commentary. By the way, caster, do you know Magias manager? Yeah. I know. I actually did some research while preparing for todays broadcast. This player is quite famous, huh? Exactly. At least within the realm of Battle Colosseum, their recognition is pretty high. I might have helped a little with that. I saw that Magia really hates you, Movgun. Was it because of this kind of self-praise? No need to look into that... Ahem. Anyway, recently, there was a topic that really heated up the Battle Colosseum community surrounding this player, Magia. Magia vs. Pro Gamer 2nd string. Who would win if they faced off? Many people debated based on their own reasoning, but no conclusion was ever reached. Some said if they sat side by side, Magia would have the upper hand. The closer the distance between the two, the more Magia would have the advantage. Was it because Magia could do a chair shot in real life? Could Magia even land a chair shot? Or could a pro gamer get mad enough to do it? Oh, if they land a chair shot, thats an automatic loss, etc. The debate started going into absurd territory, and the community consensus eventually became... The result is We wont know until we try. If we have an MVP in this tournament, we might be able to experience being a pro gamer for a day. Lets wait and see, and when that happens, well know for sure. So, aim for the win. Ive watched the videos, and I was really impressed by seeing even Movgun, who dominated the world in his pro days, getting outplayed. Ah, you saw that embarrassing moment... Back in the day, when I used to commentate on your matches, I couldnt help but think... I dont want to get old. Wait, caster?! ??????? I dont want to get old at 30, lol Couldnt even play well, huh~ But you know, Magias individual skills are outstanding, but Im not sure about her teamwork. I keep saying it, but in team games, winning one-on-one doesnt make you the strongest. Right. Thats why they only do one-on-one in event matches. With smoke bombs and shotguns, she can hold her own against pro gamers. That was the main point of the debate. But in the scrim with Movgun, didnt you have sniper support and a good teammate heal? Hmm, I agree. The enemy has to keep an eye on their teammates in the back, so in a way, thats what led to Magia outplaying them. Thats how it can be viewed. Oh, as expected. Expert analysis is different. Even pro gamers are saying the same thing, lol. So in the end, no one knows how a 1v1 would go? Well, as the chat is saying, Magia might actually win a 1v1 against a pro gamer. Thats one interpretation? Exactly. No one really knows. To put it nicely, shes super cracked, right? Jump into the smoke, blast them with a shotgun. Im sure pros could do it if they practiced, but Im not sure if anyones as persistent as Magia when it comes to grinding. If this conversation ended there, it wouldve wrapped up like usualMagias better, or the pro gamer is better, and the community wouldve carried on debating. But what we cant forget is that the six first-string pro gamers who were invited to the tournament were also watching the broadcast from their rooms. One player was genuinely curious about whether Magia was as good as everyone said and wanted to face her directly. Im curious. But has she ever mentioned being a fan of ours? If shes chosen as the MVP, itd be great if she picked our team. Another player wasnt sure if there was a need for a 1v1, but wanted to do a duo squad event instead. Itd be fun doing a 2v2 squad with her with shotguns. Come on, guys. Isnt it different playing with the guys or with an idol? ...Huh? Shes not an idol? # Nvlight # Really? Shes a regular office worker? One player, familiar with subcultures, was digging deep into who Magia really was. Office worker RP is possible too. Denying that shes a VTuber is part of the RP. Trying to avoid doing VTuber stuff wont get you anywhere. After all, shes the one doing the broadcast, right? So shes a VTuber. Do you have to debut on stream to be a VTuber? Isnt she already building a fandom? Slugshot. Right? And they all agreed on one thing: Magias skill. Watching the videos, shes definitely not someone who would get overwhelmed by us. But her aggression is a bit much. Feels like she might lose some ground trying to catch up. Pro scene might not favor her. But shes not bad. Ah, she still hasnt reached Master? Lets see... Well, with this many games, its hard to call her a diamond player. You said she works at an office, right? Wait, she doesnt only have this account? Youre saying its ten times more if you count them all? Hmm. Well, I guess we cant know for sure. These expectations subtly crept in and were eventually conveyed to the viewers. I havent seen much, but for now, Ill pick Magia as the MVP candidate. MVP candidate? Already? Hmm... Magia? Assuming she wins, Id say Magia. Magia has two heavy sandbags, but if she wins with those, shes definitely the MVP. As a result, the six professional players watching along with fifteen MCN representatives cast their votes for the Final MVP in the pre-voting. [1st place: Magias Manager] [16 votes] Magia dominated the vote with 16 out of 21 votes, securing first place. Chapter 151 Winning the pre-tournament MVP vote was certainly a good thing for Magia personally. Her name spread quickly across various platforms. Although she had appeared a few times before, her name stayed at the top of the Tree Wiki search rankings for longer, which marked an exceptional opportunity to make herself known. However, from the perspective of Parallel as a whole, it wasnt necessarily a good thing. At least for Magia, who served as the operations team leader, it felt a bit like poison. The reason? It was the viewers who were only interested in her gaming skills, the so-called merit-based viewers who were curious simply because Magia was good at the game. These viewers were like a cancer to the esports scene. [Parallel Official] [(????Live) MCN Tournament Day 1] ????15,331 #MCNTournament #BattleColosseum #Parallel #Magia About half of these viewers were only interested in Magias skills, and they were also the type of viewers considered toxic in esports. They were highly sensitive to skill and wouldnt hesitate to make harsh comments if things didnt go well. Those two people next to her are such dead weight. So, this is why they picked her as an MVP candidate, huh? lol Theyre such baggage, seriously. lol Why did Parallel make the team like this? Dont they want to win? These people appeared even in the official broadcast chat, constantly criticizing both the opposing team and their own teams players. When their favorite player was struggling, they went as far as to say, I cant forgive my teammate for holding back my favorite player, causing chaos in the chat. And those who only came to watch Magia were acting in a similar manner. You think the chat managers should take care of it while Magia is busy gaming? Today, all six members of Parallel were participating, so even the usual chat managers, who would help when things got slow, were in full crisis mode. Magia had arranged to handle the official broadcast herself, so the other rooms were working with Gongsun Yeon to ensure that Magia wasnt burdened. This had already been planned out beforehand. Naturally, the Sluggers were upset. They knew Parallel wasnt exactly clean (in terms of reputation), and they understood that chat managers would be under heavy pressure on days like this. But regardless, whether they became fans because of Magia or just because they liked the first-generation talents, they all shared the same love for them. Magia had only shown interest in the fans who liked the first-generation talents. So, whether they wanted it or not, many had ended up as part of the fanbase of the entire group, the Hakoshi (fans of the whole group). However, if the chat became toxic, intervening and arguing with these viewers would only make the fans seem unrefined. They could easily end up getting banned alongside the trolls they were trying to protect. The top-tier fans raise the heat in the chat. Just like when the Sluggers presence faded during Bachubachus tournament, in the end, the chat became a battle of firepower. If you spam the chat enough, the Sluggers who had been there for a long time would inevitably have the upper hand over the newcomers. Dont say anything bad about our Dori and Hedgehog! Magia! Magia! Magia! Magia! Magia! Magia! Magia! Magia! Magia! Magia! Magia! Magia! Get rid of the dead weight. Here, Im going to lay down the smoke, shoot them in the head with a shotgun, lay down the smoke, lay down the smoke, and shoot them in the head with a shotgun. Endure the weight of the MVP candidate. Gia, youre the daughter of BattleColosseum!!! Gia, youre the daughter of BattleColosseum!!! Endure as much as you love!! groan Yeah, Magias going to do everything anyway~ Yeah, Magias going to do everything anyway~ Yeah, Magias going to do everything anyway~ Yeah, Magias going to do everything anyway~ Human signal flare Kim Fireworks is real, Human signal flare Kim Fireworks is real, Human signal flare Kim Fireworks is real, Human signal flare Kim Fireworks is real, Human signal flare Kim Fireworks is real, Human signal flare Kim Fireworks is real. Get up, Gia!!! Get up, Gia!!! Get up, Gia!!! Get up, Gia!!! Clowns... no... clowns... no... clowns... no... clowns... no... clowns... no... clowns... no... clowns... no... Ugh, seriously, are those people even human? Piyoung~ Pah~ Piyoung~ Pah~ Piyoung~ Pah~ Piyoung~ Pah~ Piyoung~ Pah~ Piyoung~ Pah~ Aim for the win and fire... Aim for the win and fire... Aim for the win and fire... Aim for the win and fire... I want more, do it better, I want more, do it better, bus me, carry me, spoon-feed me, do it better, I hate Magia, I want more, do it better, I hate Magia, more more more, Mottomotto. As a result, the chat became quite entertaining. It was interesting to see the Sluggers, who always opposed Magia by saying things like No, Dont do it, or Then die, turning into Magias protectors today, taking matters into their own hands to clear up the mess. But, of course, Magia wasnt someone who would thank them. She wasnt someone who would be influenced by the toxic comments from malicious viewers in the chat before the Sluggers started protecting her. Even though the chat was in chaos, Magia led her team without any problems. Alright, Round 1! Now, only five squads remain. Lets quickly take a look at which teams are left. First, we have Parallel Team B, which has Magia, the one who got the most votes in the MVP prediction... Magia, despite having two players who were tough to handle, Maru and Dora, used smoke bombs to get through countless crises. This is how the battles generally played out. When they started facing off in a full squad of 3v3, Maru and Dora would always be the first to go down. But when smoke bombs were deployed, even in a 3v1 situation, the opponents struggled to get in. Magia had already shown what she was capable of. If they rushed in and got overwhelmed, it would be embarrassing. And, since the prize pool had doubled, everyone tended to play a bit safer. Rather than challenging an SCP like Magia, they decided it was better to strategically retreat and focus on the unavoidable battles later on to gain more points. Of course, there were some squads that, when faced with a 3:1 situation (with two of their team knocked out), chose to challenge anyway. Lets rush them! If not now, when else would we get the chance? Lets go! It was a bit embarrassing to think, Wait, am I really facing just one person, or are all three of them still alive? and have to retreat. Retreat, retreat! Another teams going to show up, and well be wiped out. We heard gunshots from behind. Lets move! Damn. Why cant we kill them when theres just a smoke bomb? For reference, in Battle Colosseum, even if a player is knocked out, their team can revive them by taking a core from a teammate''s corpse. Magia resurrected Dora and Maru three times in Round 1, carrying them into the final five squads. Even when playing with the boss, Momo, who would usually be lying down or dead, Dora and Maru lasted longer than ever before. Of course, the viewers were a little confused. :: Anonymous Donor contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Does it feel like were using these guys as meat shields? :: ??????? Heyheyhey Dont talk like that. Ah, hey! It was hard to tell if Magia was resurrecting them to use them as meat shields or if she really wanted to let them play for longer. Of course, despite the remarks, both Dora and Marus fanbases, Hatchlings and Donguris, were just grateful that they were revived. Normally, they were discarded, abandoned, and left to watch from the sidelines. At least, they werent just being used as meat shieldsthey were also helping to gather smoke grenades quickly for Magia, and even when they died, theyd hold onto a smoke grenade to give her more time to survive. In a tournament with high stakes like this, it was important. Magia, in terms of VTuber roles, was a supporter. But in the game, Magia was the protagonist, and Dora and Maru were the supporters. And the two didnt mind it at all. They were always ready to help Magia, and there was no sign of them trying to do anything solo to steal the spotlight. Instead, they even competed with each other to see who could stockpile the most smoke grenades in their inventory. In fact, viewers watching on Dora and Marus channels actively supported these decisions. :: Mission :: :: Collect 10 smoke grenades before dying - 558,000 won :: Hey! Ive got 10! Thank you! Thanks for the support, Donguris! Ill work harder to collect more!! :: Mission :: :: Achieve a Round Ranking in the Top 5 - 334,000 won :: 5th place~ We did it~. Youre doing great. Just win and lets call it done, seemed to be the unspoken message of the missions. *** Magias hyper-carry. Dora and Marus proactive support. An unexpectedly well-coordinated team. Thanks to these three factors, Parallel B Team managed to hold on through the first rounds with an impressive survival rate. During the broadcast, when the rounds were coming to a close, the surviving teams were highlighted, and every time, Parallel Bs name stood out. Round 2 is almost over. Parallel B Teamare they still alive again? Every time I watch, it feels like Magias team is struggling, but theyre still hanging in there?! Lets check out the remaining squads in Round 3. Yep... Parallel B Team, still alive! And A Team, the team with the older members, is still standing too! Alright, Round 4. Chemistry A Team, Bachubachu A Team, and once again, Parallel B Team is still alive!!! After four rounds out of the total eight, it was time for the mid-tournament rankings. Parallel B Team proudly ranked near the top, among the {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} top 30 squads, showcasing their presence. Now, lets check out the mid-tournament standings. [Mid-Round Rankings (Rounds 1-4)] Chemistry A Team [58]Moving B Team [55]Moving A Team [52]Bachubachu A Team [51]Parallel B Team [50] ...Because of the weight on Magias shoulders, they were never going to claim the top spot, but they kept a tight grip on the top ranks. They were right behind the leading teams, and with just a small mistake from any of the top teams, they could easily flip the ranks. Wow, is Magia really an MVP candidate? Parallel B Team is playing with two Iron and Bronze players. Theyre in 5th, but the gap between 1st to 4th isnt too big. What do you think, caster? 1st place has 20 points, so an 8-point difference can essentially be overturned in one round. Of course, we do have to consider that Parallel B Team could still fall. But this teams teamwork is amazing. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. The caster even went so far as to say: Earlier, I said that Magia might not be the best for team play. Ill take that back. It turns out, its all about how the team meshes together. I agree. Dora from the Iron tier and Maru from the Bronze tier, the two of them act as Magias shield and supply base, dont they? Ive listened to the voice comms. They dont just wait around for orders to stop someone. They proactively protect Magia and provide her with the smoke grenades she needs. Theyre doing everything they can. Wow. But does that mean they dont shoot at all? Not at all. When Magia sets it up and says, Finish them!, they do a great job securing the kills. Meanwhile, Magia gets a chance to attack another enemy. Yeah, thats the charm of team games that can only be felt in tournaments. Of course, the player with overwhelming skill will carry the game, but even players who are comparatively weaker can lead their team to victory like this. Of course, its unfortunate that they dont get as much spotlight, but thats what we, the commentators, are here for. Exactly, the professionalism of the BCK official commentators. You never miss a player whos been overlooked. Dora, Maru, youre doing great. Keep going. You can win this. A shoutout from the official commentators. And hearing this, Maru and Dora, waiting backstage, received the good news. Youre doing great. Chill out, Maru. Top 5 is looking possible, really. As expected, its Mama. Today, theyre not the silly rocks, but the compassionate dragons. Top 5! Top 5! Top 5! Of course, some viewers werent shy about revealing their true feelings. :: Anonymous Donor contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: But this means the CEOs the only one left out, right? :: Huh. Huh. Heyheyhey. In any case, everyone shared the same hope for victory. And because of this, the stream was not disrupted by those trying to stir up conflict. What was interesting was that this positive atmosphere spread into Magias stream, which had almost been polluted by toxic chat. People who had been saying things like, Get rid of the dead weight, Shes just a big-chested woman, or Magia is a waste were now changing their tune after hearing the shoutout from the commentators. But no, Magia had already taken care of those troublemakers long ago. While focusing on the game, she had swiftly dealt with the problem players between rounds. As someone who had been a chat manager for two years and a head manager for three, that was nothing for her. Even the brief moments between rounds were enough to clear up any issues. And surprisingly, this skilled handling of the situation earned her the admiration of unexpected individualsnamely, the front offices of professional esports teams that had partnered with streamers and provided them with official titles and broadcast rights. :: Team Wild Front contributed 100,000 Clouds! :: :: Watching Magias performance, Parallel B Team, fighting! :: What?! Team Wild? Why are they official?!! Even the aggressive fans who had come to Magia earlier, as well as the esports scene, were clearly full of conflict. In esports, conflicts are frequent, with fans fighting, streamers getting criticized for their team evaluations, and drama arising over every little comment. But despite all this chaos, Magia remained calm, leading her team to hold steady in 5th place, despite the difficult team composition. When a streamer becomes a partner with a team, they play a crucial role in engaging the fans and providing a central point of connection. Magia, in particular, had no clear allegiance to any team, and if she won MVP, no one could predict which team she would support. This made her a valuable asset for the teams front office, who saw the potential to grow their fanbase by guiding her toward a specific team. Naturally, this wasnt a strategy exclusive to Team Wild alone. :: Hojeong Freecus contributed 100,000 Clouds! :: :: Magia, Dora, Maru, fighting!!! :: :: ABC Games Front contributed 100,000 Clouds! :: :: Parallel B Team, lets go! :: What is this?!! ??? Why are so many coming to such a humble place? Im losing it. And in the end, even the team that Movgun used to belong to, as well as Crkemangs baseball team, KGD, came to support her. :: KGD official contributed 100,000 Clouds! :: :: Gia, thank you for supporting our KGD baseball team with Crkemang! We support you, Magia! :: Huh. Wow. What is going on, theyre all here! Haha. Since the official accounts had special markers next to their names, Magia, who had been banned by many of her viewers, took a moment to express her gratitude. Ah, thank you. Thank you. Wait a moment, I was in the middle of working... After all, the big sponsors for the tournament were stepping in, and now was not the time to stay silent. Magia quickly grabbed the broadcast tool. She stepped back to show her full body and spun 180 degrees, flipping her head and feet around. Thank you for your support. Well do our best, Parallel B Team. Also, please support A Team with Momo, Rain, and Komari! This was quite an unusual move for Magia. But if youve watched VTubers, youd be familiar with it. Live2D models have a limited range of motion, so this type of spinning motion had become a standard way to express intense gratitude. However, unlike with 3D models, no realistic motion, like hair or clothing flowing, would happen. It was just the coordinates being flipped. But for some reason, when Magia did this... ? ?? Huh? Whats up with her hair? Wasnt this a Live2D model? Why did it look like 3D motion?!! Huh. Ohh, the skirt! Look at that grateful gesture! Wow! Her hair and employee badge flew off, and her skirt seemed to flutter a bit. It was a groundbreaking gravity-based rigging for a Live2D model, something viewers had never seen before. Luckily, as Magia returned to her original position, the skirt that had risen gently returned to its original place. And the viewers confusion turned into certainty due to a crazy donation from a fan. :: PIN0 contributed 100,000 Clouds! :: :: This is Papas power, everyone, worship it! :: This guys crazy. Isnt this the kind of guy we should be tracking down? This is some crazy perversion... Chapter 152 The commotion caused by a huge greeting, unlike anything seen before, was spurred on by the support of professional teams. In a way, it was the natural behavior of a worker who was desperately focused on promoting the company. However, as a result, countless posts flooded in, and once again, a related community was completely overtaken by Magia. When checking real-time reactions to ongoing content, not only the broadcast chat but also the number of posts appearing in related communities becomes another indicator. For this limited time, the president of Battle Colosseum was Magia. Preliminary MVP voting for the finals: 1st place. The mid-term ranking of 5th place proved that, securing a strong point with bold and outlandish reactions. It all started with Magia dropping crumbs of information here and there, which, thanks to impeccable timing, kept popping up and building up momentum. Its like lighting a fuse on a powder keg, and then BOOM. Next to it was a fireworks warehouse, and then, kaboom, a fireworks show went off in all directions. The final fireworks caused another explosion feeling somewhere else. There had already been a few chances in the past when Magia nearly became the community leader, surpassing professional gamers on Battle Colosseum Gallery. You could say that the seed of this moment had already been showing for a while. But even though the situation appeared to be a huge success, it was, for Magia, nothing more than an unintended benefit. She had never used such a dramatic play before, so she didn''t even know how well rigged her own setup was. In the first place, the plan Magia had prepared for today hadn''t even started yet. This MCN war wont leave much room for the kids to shine. No matter how much I want to shine the spotlight on them, their skills will trip them up, and theyll end up being clowns. So, you need to carry us as much as possible. I trust you because its your suggestion, but... is that really okay? Trust me. Its way more effective to win by any means rather than forcing a picture where the kids shine. You get what I mean? Yes. If they win, the influx of new fans is definitely guaranteed. Magia herself had experienced the spotlight on the first-place team, so she knew well what it was likeat the Right tournament, in the competitive division. Even though the situation was tough due to a troll move by the coach, Youngun, everyone had expected the team to lose, but they pulled off a victory and exploded in popularity. Parallel had used that attention, even pulling in content for the illegal duet, making the most of it until the last drop. This competition would be no different. Setting aside the fact that Magia had garnered enough popularity to be mentioned as a Final MVP candidate, and had received plenty of praise for her performance, her overall ranking was still only 5th. The top four teams were fiercely competitive. Before the latter half of the game began, the top-ranking teams that had been left alone as a nuisance started focusing on taking Magia down first. The three semi-pros worked together with smoke screens, but only one person could go down with a double-barrel shotgun, so Magia could only take down two opponents at most. The opposing teams were also all in, giving it their all for the competition. The prize money was big, and the tournament name had become so prestigious that it was only natural. Regardless of that, the expectation was that Magia would win the Final MVP, but no one could be sure how she would get 1st place. In other words, winning 1st place here meant writing a drama. Once that drama was written, she would receive benefits on the level of or even greater than the competitive tournamentjust like before. Magias tournament edit video would be uploaded to Parallels official channel. Watching it would lead to exposure to the algorithm, and naturally, viewers would start watching the other members videos too. That was why Do-hee had been pushing so hard to get Magias video uploaded to the official channel. But even though the strategy was perfect, there were still doubts about whether it would be realistically achievable. The official caster for BCK and Movgun, too, were praising how the Parallel B-team maintained their rank, but the real question was, could they truly secure the first place? Even Team Leader Ra Seunghyun shared the same doubts. Do you think we can win? Honestly, Im not sure. At that time, Magia said: Its not impossible. After all, its not a professional tournament, right? Humans are creatures that adapt to change, but not everyone can adapt to sudden changes. Thats why we call those who can adapt and make a living from it professional gamers. And so, based on the buildup she had created throughout the first half, Magia called her two team members for a secret strategy meeting to prepare for the final push. Maru, and Dora, lets have a quick strategy session. [Strategy session?] [Yes! Should I turn off the mic for a second? To prevent cuckooing?] Please do that. Maru, Im counting on you. [Okay! Done!] [Ready to go~] Suddenly, the microphones of the three people disappeared, leaving the viewers confused and panicking. For Magia, though, this was a critical moment. She hadnt revealed any part of the plan up until now, and now, she called the members over. To be honest, she felt bad for Maru, but this was to prevent any leaks before the big moment. As the saying goes, If you want to deceive the enemy, first deceive your own people. From now on, you two will take the D-Bay. Keep your main weapons. Upon hearing this, both Dora and Maru were taken aback. [We? Were not even going to hit a single shot...] Its fine. Were not aiming to shoot people. [Then why are we even doing this?] At Marus question, Magia answered in a calm voice. Ill show you the magic where just by aiming, people will fall. *** The Start of Round 5. Looking at the players pouring out of the plane crossing the large island, Movgun commented. Alright, the second half begins now! Caster, after four more rounds, Day 1 of the MCN War will be over. Well finally know who the ultimate team is. It seems like this fifth round will have a huge impact on the final standings. What do you think? I agree. This round could be crucial, as someone might make a game-changing move. Immediately, the caster checked the status of the fifth-place team, Parallel B, who was currently in the middle of farming. There was a hope that they might attempt something to flip the standings in the remaining four rounds. And sure enough, they were attempting something. The caster gasped and shouted in surprise. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Wait... why is Parallel Bs weapon composition like this? He nodded toward Movgun, asking for an explanation. Unlike the BCK or professional league casters, Movgun, who was familiar with the current broadcast, was more accustomed to such unexpected situations. After checking the squads weapon configuration, Movgun chuckled, then cautiously spoke. Well, I have to say, Im surprised too. This... hmm. I wondered if they were trying to throw the game, honestly, for a moment. Dora, who usually used a single shotgun and a double barrel. Maru, same. And lastly, Magia, instead of carrying her usual double barrels, picked up an SMG and a sniper rifle. Even the character wasnt using the Crazy Shotgun for extra damage, but rather the Revolt, with SMG bonus damage and special abilities focused on reducing distance quickly using grappling hooks and ropes. What''s going on now? ?? Wait, the shotgun ghost is using something else? LOL Who are you! Theres a lot to say, but as you can see from the chat, just the fact that Magia is using an SMG and a sniper rifle is a huge reversal. Is it really that big a deal? Yes. This player is a one-second smoke grenade expert. No one handles double barrels better than her. For her to suddenly pull out weapons she doesnt usually use is essentially weakening her combat power on purpose. Hm. Its a curious choice for Parallel B, who needs to catch up to the top four teams. Movgun was confident in this assessment because Magia had previously used a sniper rifle in a kill match. At that time, her speed was definitely slower than his. Though she had managed to keep up with former pro speeds, it still felt insufficient to take on the diamond-ranked players in the top teams by herself today. And SMG? Shed never shown any signs of using it. He had never seen her use it, so it was hard to make an evaluation. Given that, Movgun couldnt comment much on Dora and Marus double-barrel choice either. But, still, if there was one thing Movgun ? N o v e l i g h t ? could reasonably expect based on what Magia had done so far, it was this: A trickster. A prankster. A tricksterMagia fit those descriptions perfectly. I do have one guess, though. Looks like youve done a lot of research on Magias strategies after losing to her a few times? Thats not it! Anyway, what I expect is this: its a deception. A deception? Yeah. Shes trying to mislead people by making it seem like theres a shotgun ghost in the smoke. But the person inside isnt Magia, its just making others think so. The caster gasped in realization. So, the dead Kongming deceives the living Zhongdal? Exactly! Because of the double-barrel sound in the smoke, most of the other players will think its Magia inside. They wont even bother to check. What if they go in and it is Magia? The game could go bust. So, theyll be led to believe its a decoy, and in reality, the real Magia, whos waiting outside the smoke, is preparing to strike. Since shes been chosen as a Final MVP candidate, people will definitely keep that in mind and shes using it against them... very clever. While the double-barrel is her favorite and strongest, its not like Magia cant use other weapons. The problem is, Ive never seen her use an SMG, so I cant confirm anything about that. SMGs are typically reserved for higher-tier play, and if used well, theyre often considered a game-changer, even surpassing shotguns. With a better range than shotguns, SMGs can handle a wider variety of situations. And if you land all the shots from an SMG''s magazine, the DPS can even surpass a shotguns. Though theres a belief that no gun can beat the double-barrel in burst damage, once the combat stretches beyond 2 seconds or the range increases, SMGs hold the advantage. Furthermore, while a miss with a double-barrel could lead to a crisis, with an SMG, even missing 5 out of 25 shots, youre guaranteed to down at least one enemy, which is a significant advantage. Of course, the recoil is a nightmare to control. Due to its crazy rate of fire, the aim can go haywire, making it difficult to land shots on the enemys body or head. Thats why Movgun was worried about Magias fifth round with an SMG and sniper rifle. She had never used an SMG before. Still, despite his concerns, Movgun couldnt deny a growing sense of anticipation deep inside him. I dont know why, but objectively it seems like a disadvantage... yet, I cant help but feel like shes going to show us something. Maybe its because Ive been caught off guard so many times before... And in reality, Movguns anticipation wasnt misplaced. As soon as she used the sniper rifle, instead of the usual close-range combat where she would typically eat up enemies rushing at her, Magia was now able to harass opponents from a distance. Meanwhile, she intentionally avoided making any headshots or kills. Magia kept the fact that she was handling a sniper rifle completely hidden. As a result, there were almost no close-range encounters for Magia personally. This kept her secret intact, maintaining it perfectly until the final 5 teams were left. And when that moment arrived, it was the perfect time for Magia to reveal what she had prepared. Her opponents were complacent. As seen with the team closest to the top rankings, they immediately attacked after seeing the smoke, following the same instinct they had all along. But this wasnt a stupid move. If youre going to face a team head-on, wouldnt it be reassuring to first deal with the crack in the team thats unpredictableMagia? And only Magia would use both smoke and a double barrel together. She was the only one who had stuck with just one weapon type throughout the tournament. As the enemies rushed forward, carefully hiding and forming a siege, the familiar loud sound of the double-barrel was heard. It was the warning shot that had been going off between rounds 1 to 4. Magias here. Confirmed. Lets take out the Iron Bronze thats sticking out first. Suppression fire, go. Grenade going. Boom, boom. The grenade canisters flew through the air in an arc, rolling across the ground. While Magia stubbornly remained in the smoke, the other two quickly retreated to avoid it. Just as expected, the sounds of footsteps crunching on the grass were heard, and soon one person emerged from the smoke. As soon as they realized it wasnt the Crazy Shot character, everyone simultaneously pulled their triggers. Tatatatat! Drrrrr! {{ ZeroCola >> DoraeYong }} {{ HumanSignalFlareKimFireworks >> (Head) ZeroCola }} {{ HumanSignalFlareKimFireworks >> (Kill) ZeroCola }} One enemy was definitely down, but somehow, the team that had formed a triangular siege also fell. What? Why did we die? While the teammates were surprised by the sudden death, the most shocked person was the one who had been shot in the back. Magia...? Wait, was it Magia who killed me? Chapter 153 From Magias perspective, it was nothing short of a full-fledged spy movie. The moment her teammate pulled the trigger on the double-barrel shotgun, she launched herself into the air and landed behind the building before the enemy could even register what had happened. By the time the enemies surrounding the smoke began firing, she had already silenced her footsteps and crept up behind them. Drrrrrrrk! {{ Human Flare Kim Fireworks >> (Head) ZeroCola }} {{ Human Flare Kim Fireworks >> (Kill) ZeroCola }} The viewers were left completely stunned. Even if the enemy failed to react because they were looking forward, that was one hell of a display of SMG recoil control. Holy sh Wait, so you could do this the whole time, and yet you were just shooting a shotgun into the smoke? LOOOOOL Oh ho Not just anyone can pull off a Smoke Double-Barrel play, lmao The move was a perfect utilization of Revolts special abilitya grappling hook that allowed for rapid aerial movement to secure strategic positions, especially high ground. The enemy had the preconceived notion that since a double-barrel shotgun had gone off, Magia must naturally be inside the smoke. Using these two elements in perfect harmony, she created an unforgettable moment of sheer brilliance. The enemy had been desperate to eliminate Parallels Team B quickly so they could prepare for the upcoming fights. Believing that all they had to do was take down Magia inside the smoke, they completely missed the sound of the rope unwinding and retracting, masked by the shotguns blast. From that point on, the fight tilted in Magias favor. The weapon had changed, but the smokescreen remained intact. Even if she couldnt hold off three enemies pushing into the smoke at once, taking on two from inside and outside wasnt difficult. {{ Human Flare Kim Fireworks >> (Head) Factman }} {{ Human Flare Kim Fireworks >> (Head) SterilizedSoyMilk }} Drrrrrk, drrrrrk. In an instant, Magia took down two enemies, looted their corpses efficiently, and retreated back into the smoke. She distributed the pile of healing items and ammo she had gathered to Dora, who had just respawned, and Maru, who was keeping watch on their surroundings. We keep playing like this. If we take first place in this match, anything can happen. Got it! Yeees~. Get ready for the next fight immediately. They heard the gunfire, so the next squad will be here soon. KYAAAAAAA DAE. JI. A. Normally, I wanna smack her upside the head, but why is she so cool when it comes to Battle Colosseum? Battle Colosseum-only Sweet Manager ?? :: An anonymous supporter has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: This is the same person who tormented the members back during Black Warning, right? :: Oh ho Oh ho, lmao We agreed that was off the record, remember? lol Shhh She''s still a menace in the killfeed, though! lmao * The other teams rushing in after hearing the battle had no way of seeing through Magias strategy. The kill log had revealed that Magia was using an SMG instead of a shotgun. But no one had considered the possibility that she wouldnt still be lurking inside the smoke. Since you couldnt tell which legend an opponent was using until you actually encountered them, most teams only realized it after taking a bullet to the back of the head. On top of that, an unspoken rule of Battle Colosseum dragged them even deeper into tunnel vision. If you hear gunfire close by And then it suddenly stops You rush in. Its only natural. Whichever team had won the fight was bound to be in bad shape. And even if the fight wasnt completely over, you could still clean up the last remnants of two battered squads. This was a natural consequence of Battle Colosseums fast movement speed combined with lengthy combat. Fights happened nonstop, and if a squad took too long to wipe out their opponents, the next squad would crash in before they had a chance to regroup. Newbies who didnt know any better might hesitate, but the higher-tier players? They never let an opportunity like this slip. They were confident in their skills. So the moment they heard the gunfire and saw the half-dome of white smoke, they charged in. Without hesitation, the enemy squad dove straight into the smoke. And upon seeing two figures within, they immediately unleashed a hail of bullets. {{ Full Speed Ahead >> Doraeyong }} {{ Action Group >> MaruFloorWallWallpaper }} ...Only to realize, after downing the two, that Magia wasnt among them. What the hell? Wheres Magia? The moment one of the teammates, sensing something was off, sprinted out of the smoke They were greeted by a barrage of SMG fire. Drrrrrrrrrk. {{ Human Flare Kim Fireworks >> (Head) Action Group }} {{ Human Flare Kim Fireworks >> (Kill) Action Group }} Even just knocking them down with a single mag wouldve been good shooting. But if the panicked enemy hesitated, ? N o v e l i g h t ? Magia had no trouble finishing the kill outright. And SMGs had lightning-fast reload speeds. Even if she emptied an entire magazine to secure a kill, she could juggle the smoke to buy time and have another mag fully loaded before the next opponent emerged. Shoot, reload, smoke, shoot, reload, smoke. Drrrrk, drrrrrrrrk. The official broadcast was absolutely losing it. IIve got chills right now, caster. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Ahahahaha! Seriously. This is just... This is completely out of left field. Its likeI finally understand why people call her a pro when it comes to smoke plays. This mind game is insane! Yes! Exactly! Shes pulling every psychological trick in the book with just a single smoke screen. And the thing is, she used to do all of this solo! But today, shes playing three-card monte with a whole team, and the other squads just cant keep up. Right. Honestly, if I were in the match right now, Id be saying, Its common sense that Magias inside the smoke. But if she keeps popping out like this? Id be losing my mind! In any case, with that last fight, Chemistry A-Team and Moving B-Team, who were ranked first and second, have been eliminated! With their fifth and fourth-place finishes giving them 12 and 13 points, if Parallel B-Team takes first place this round, the point gap will close dramatically! If Parallel B-Team wins, theyll have 70 points. Chemistry A-Team will also have 70. Moving B-Team will be at 68. Things are about to get messy~. We are officially in a scenario where absolutely anyone could take first place!! The moment Parallel B-Team single-handedly wiped out two squads, Round 5 was effectively over. People fear the unknown far more than what they can see. If a team that had been getting stomped for the first four rounds suddenly devoured the first- and second-place teams, what would go through everyone elses heads? Moving A-Team and Bachubachu A-Team, trying to distance themselves from the battle, ended up clashing instead. And Magia? She wasnt just going to sit back and watch. She had brought along a sniper rifle for a reason. The moment was hers. The rifle roared. {{ Human Flare Kim Fireworks >> (Head) LunaLunaBeam }} Bang! Bang! Every shot from the massive sniper rifle sent another player collapsing to the ground. As if they had just received Magias permission to go all out, Maru and Dora rushed into the battlefield, throwing everything into the fight. {{ Doraeyong >> KimRawRice }} {{ MaruFloorWallWallpaper >> NuclearNight }} And with thatRound 5 was over. For the first time today, Parallel B-Team took first place, rewriting the leaderboard. [Post-Round 5 Standings] 1. Parallel B-Team [70] +201. Chemistry A-Team [70] +123. Moving A-Team [68] +163. Moving B-Team [68] +135. Bachubachu A-Team [65] +14 This is chaos, lol. Wow, no one has a clue who''s winning, lmao. A five-point gap between 1st and 5th, wtf. Damn, lol. The momentum didn''t shift easily. Magia kept emerging from unpredictable angles, turning an opponent into a fine paste every time. Whether it was a 1-for-1 trade or a 1-for-2 trade, as soon as the balance of three-man squads was broken, no one could pin Magia down. As time passed, Maru and Dora adapted to the strategy. Their reaction times improved, and they fired back the moment they rushed out of the smoke. Without needing to be told, they stopped acting like mere meat shields and began securing their own kills. Magia continued to prove why she was regarded as a pro-level smoke player, securing yet another 1st place finish in Round 6. [Post-Round 6 Standings] 1. Parallel B-Team [90] +202. Chemistry A-Team [84] +143. Bachubachu A-Team [81] +164. Moving A-Team [81] +135. Moving B-Team [80] +12In Round 7, despite falling short in the final three-way shootout and missing 1st place by a narrow margin, Parallel B-Team still held onto their lead. [Post-Round 7 Standings] 1. Parallel B-Team [104] +142. Bachubachu A-Team [101] +203. Chemistry A-Team [100] +164. Moving A-Team [94] +135. Moving B-Team [92] +12An unexpected team benefited from all this chaosBachubachu A-Team. Unlike the other three teams that kept falling for Magias mind games, Taro had a strategic advantage. Back in the Combative Tournament, they had never faced each other in an official match, but during scrims, Taro was the only player who had completely locked Magia down. Once again, she managed to anticipate where Magia would strike from. While other teams were getting wiped out, Taros team endured and climbed the ranks. This trend continued into the final matchRound 8. Moving A-Team, Moving B-Team, and Chemistry A-Team all fell early, placing 5th, 4th, and 3rd respectively. [Post-Round 8 Standings - Before Final Fight] 1. Parallel B-Team [104] +?2. Bachubachu A-Team [101] +?3. Chemistry A-Team [114] +14 ...Now, only Magias Parallel B-Team and Taros Bachubachu A-Team remained. "Alright, whoever takes 1st place in this round wins it all! Its a battle for 20 points versus 16 points! 1st or nothingthis is the deciding moment for the championship!!" Both squads had only one survivor left. - - SURVIVORS: 2 - - The final, ultimate duel. Since the Combative Tournament, the question of who was the best FPS player among Korean VTubers had remained unanswered. And now, it all came down to just the two of them. Both Parallels official channel and Taros stream were in a frenzy. ???? [Parallel Official] ???? [KR MCN Grand Battle - Day 1] ???? 36,151 viewers ???? [Kuroboshi Taro] ???? [KR MCN Grand Battle on #BatCol - Day 1] Ill be back with the Trophy @Natsuki Luna @Meronya Cream ???? 47,492 viewers Taro, with her overseas audience and massive live-streaming presence, had the numbers advantage. But Magia, solo, had drawn in 36,000 viewersan absolute spectacle. Compared to her 50,000 peak during the Wicker Town incident, this might seem smaller. But back then, there was no official channel, meaning Magia had essentially become the de facto official broadcast. Now, the official MCN channel had over 100,000 viewers, locking down the broader audience. Which meant Magias 36,000 viewership was an entirely different level of dominance. During the Combative Tournament, her personal peak was 25,000. Now, she had surpassed that by 11,000. Holy sh*t, those viewership numbers, lol. 36K?! LMAO. ???? Dae. Ji. A. ?????????? Lets go Magia ?????????? Is Magia global tier now?! Devil of Twin Barrel ???? ???????????? Whats with the lipstick emoji? LMAO. It looks like a slug round, thats why. ???????????? Fan mark is kinda scuffed, lol. Dae????Ji????A Bruh, new viewers are gonna get the wrong idea. Worlds first 140cm femme fatale, damn. Who cares, just roll with it! The fans were celebrating, but Magia was still on the job. To hit her performance targets (KPI) for this event, she had to win. Any other VTuber might have been overwhelmed by the sudden flood of viewers and attention. But Magias mind was focused solely on one thingTaros position. "Tree? Rock?" The options were narrowing. "...Rock." Magia made her move. The key was not giving the opponent time to think. To defeat Tarothe one person who always stayed a step ahead of hershe needed to strike fast. "One, two, three" She dashed in, counting the rhythm in her head. She vaulted over the rock, aiming downward at the spot where she expected Taro to be But it was empty. Then, a voice echoed through all-chat, from behind her. Taro had been behind the tree. The option Magia had ruled out. "Your back is still weak, huh?" A split-second before she could react A smoke grenade burst open at her feet. "Youre the only one who gets to say that, Taro." Thick white smoke billowed between them. Taros assault rifle roared, the bullets thudding against Magias shield But not enough to break it. Without hesitation, Taro charged into the smoke. Even though fighting Magia in smoke was every players nightmare, Taros footsteps were steady. Her voice, unwavering. "Gonna run again? Like three years ago?" Chapter 154 Taros assault rifle roared, sending a hail of bullets toward Magia as she disappeared into the rising smoke. But only a few shots managed to hit her shieldnone landed cleanly. Without hesitation, Taro charged into the smoke after her. For someone willingly diving into a smoke fight against Magia, her footsteps were light, her voice casual. "Gonna run again? Like three years ago?" But what looked like an advantage for Taro didnt last long. ...! Just as Taro fully entered the smoke, Magia burst out of it like a battering ram, slamming into her. Taro had been mid-reload, preparing for the next fight. She immediately switched to her secondary weaponbut too late. A split-second hesitation delayed her next move, and the barrel of Magias gun didnt wait. Drrrrrrrk! A storm of bullets tore into Taro. It was less of a response to her taunt and more of a blunt-force rebuttal. Taro barely managed to dive behind a tree planted within the smoke, her shields completely broken before she got to cover. Her remaining healthtwo-thirds. Retreating outside the smoke wasnt an option. With such a health disparity, stepping out into the open was suicide. Taro muttered to herself as she used a shield battery. "Same old personality, huh?" And then A grenade dropped from the sky. She hadnt even seen the trajectory. A vertical throwpitched almost straight up. Taro hadnt spoken into the mic. Magia had heard her footsteps as she ran for cover and preemptively threw a grenade. Oh, youve got to be kidding me. She was familiar with Magias style. Thats how she had survived the SMG fights, sniper shots, smoke mind games, and even the shotgun baiting. But grenades? That was a first. Not once had she ever seen Magia use anything other than smoke grenades. Then again... Given how perfectly Magia placed her smokes, and how flawlessly she had landed a vertical throw once in the Combative Tournament, Maybe... Maybe she should have seen this coming. But dodging a grenade that explodes the moment it lands? Even a pro would struggle with that. BOOM! "Tch!" She wasnt dead. But she might as well be. She had stopped using the shield battery to dodge, which got interrupted. And then she took additional grenade damage on top of it. Noweven a single stray bullet would finish her. Her only relief was that Magia must not have reloaded yet after throwing the grenade. But shielding took longer than reloading. If she tried to heal, shed get caught. She had no choice. A desperation move. Instead of praying that Magia wouldnt find her, she ran her mouth. "You know, we had some good memories back then. You''re being pretty coldhearted." Magias footsteps crunched through the grass, rapidly closing in. She was moving with absolute precision. A moment later The barrel of a sniper rifle emerged from the smoke. A direct headshot angle. Magia had stepped forward, weapon shouldered, ready to fire. At point-blank range. Quickscope? No. This was a desperation close-range sniper shot. It was the same scuffed move players used when they only had a sniper and were forced into a fight. But in a situation like this, When every bullet mattered. When the distance was practically nothing. It was the best possible choice. "Coldhearted? Its just the game, Taro." BOOM. Taro collapsed as the shot rang out. The screen switched. Parallel B-Team stood tall, their names glowing on the screen. CHAMPIONS. Round Over. MCN Grand Battle, Day 1OVER. From the broadcast booth, Muguns voice exploded through the mic. "The fiercest Battle Colosseum showdown we''ve ever seenAND THE FINAL CHAMPIONS ARE... PARALLEL B-TEAM!!!" *** The entire stadiumcasters, players, and tens of thousands of viewershad been holding their breath during the final 1v1 showdown. Magia had, moment by moment, shattered expectations. Hiding in the smoke? Another smoke demon trick? Absolutely not. She immediately charged out and shredded Taro with an SMG spray. Finishing the kill? Not quiteTaro had barely escaped. Taro was healing. Magias SMG needed a reload. Would she chase for a melee finish? No. She casually lobbed a grenade sky-high. Taro, by the narrowest margin, survived again. Now, Magia must reload her SMG, right? Or close in for a melee fight? No. As if mocking the very idea of using a gun, She whipped out a sniper rifle and executed a point-blank shot. Many had predicted Magia would be crowned Final MVP, But half of them were just hopeful. Yet, she had made it a reality. And in the most spectacular way possible. [Final MVP C Parallel B-Team: Magia (Acting Manager)] Even during her runner-up interview, Taro unexpectedly shouted out Magia, Hinting that Parallel and Bachubachu KR would continue a friendly rivalry. "Brutal as ever. Well... I guess thats part of the appeal." "You two seem pretty close. I heard you had a history together. Are you still in touch?" "Yeah. We never had any bad blood, really. I just... struggle with cat-like personalities." ? Wait, what. MAGIA = CAT?? NOTED. Why tho? ???? Even Taro struggles with Magia?! What the hell is Magia, seriously?! "Huh. Thats quite the statement. This is gonna have some serious ripple effects...." "Well, I completely lost today. If possible, Id love to face her again in Combative. Maybe swap home and away next time." "Ah, yes. I hope you two can work out your schedules accordingly." LMAO. "Work out your schedules," yeah right. ???? Mugun casually stirring the pot and dipping. Peak world-class evasion, lol. At this point, hes an arsonist. ???????????? The Taro Effect If it had been anyone else, the comment mightve been brushed off. But this was Taro. A business-first VTuber who never name-dropped unless it was 100% confirmed. Naturally, speculation erupted over a possible Magia-Taro collab post-MCN Grand Battle. A flawless streak leading to a walk-off home run. Parallels Official Broadcast Explodes in Viewership By the end of the stream, Parallels official almost overtook the MCNs official channel, nearing 70,000 viewers. ???? [Parallel Official] ???? [KR MCN Grand Battle - Day 1] ???? 68,209 viewers Parallel Behind Surges in Subscribers Parallels behind-the-scenes channel gained tens of thousands of new subscribers overnight. ???? Parallel Behind @parallel_official_behind ???? Subscribers: 58,334 | Videos: 49 ???? Full VOD channel excluding official announcements. Unexpected Ripple Effects This unexpected surge had an unintended side effect. PINO ("Papa") and Akari Dora ("Mama")key figures in Parallels background operationssuddenly gained a ton of attention. Unfortunately... With the newfound spotlight came the "Certified Lolicon" title, thanks to Magia and Lunas constant pairing in fan discussions. But the real shift? The Taro x Magia ship. Not "Luna x Magia" anymore The fandom had officially rebranded it as "Taro x Magia." Taros final-battle dialogue and post-match interview had ignited something far more dangerous than in-game rivalries: The unstoppable imagination of VTuber fans. Bachubachu Gallery Goes Wild ... Bachubachu Gallery ... [Wait, Lunas not the mom anymoreMagia has two moms now? LOL] [Magia is the undisputed king of Battle Colosseum.] [A rematch in Combative is inevitable.] [Just saying, but...] [Okay, so its not "a new mom," its "an older sister."] [Taro = Mama, Magia = Big Sis. ????] [Taro Mama Heung~] [Luna''s the real winner here. EU] ... ... ... Revealing the Past: The Momo-Taro-Flare Gun Era ... Bachubachu Gallery ... [Just saying, but...] So, back in the ancient "Momo-Taro" era, there was some weird tension. If you watched those streams back then, youd know. Momo, Taro, and Flare Gun (Magia''s past alias) used to queue together all the time. (Flare Gun wasnt an official membershe just kept sniping their games.) It felt like... Momo and Taro were constantly arguing over who Flare Gun belonged to. Flare Gun always countered by team-killing them, reminding them she was just a stream sniper. (This was before Magias gender was revealed, so both fandoms probably tried to avoid fueling any weird rumors.) But lets be real. Whenever Flare Gun carried, Momo and Taro were BOTH happy. It makes sense. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Taro only rose through the FPS pro scene after learning from Flare Gun. She never admitted it, but even now, when she fights Magia, shes always one step ahead Because she knows all of Magias habits from back then. [Comments] Bachu395: -tilt- Bachu808: This lore is so ancient, its practically a dead scroll. Bachu062: How am I only learning this now? ? Bachu567: They barely ever mention it. We just assumed they wanted to keep it lowkey. ? Bachu991: Didnt this end in bad blood? ? Bachu256: Nah, that was just nonsense speculation. ? Bachu606: Wait, so theyre cool? ? Bachu009: The drama was all fake, lmao. ... ... Lunas Massive Growth ... Bachubachu Gallery ... [Luna''s the real winner. EU] Magias "Mom and Big Sis" duo went absolutely insane this tournament. And since Lunas closely tied to both, she skyrocketed too. Her subscriber growth is insane. Clip channels are pumping out videos nonstop featuring Taro, Luna, and Magia. [Comments] Bachu595: "Streaming is all about connections," and shes proving it, lol. Bachu440: When did Magia become "Big Sis" material? ???? ? Bachu169: Shes senior, but not Taro-level. So, fandom settled on "Big Sis." Bachu401: So whens the Parallel x Bachubachu event? ? Bachu980: Taro seems down for it anytime. ? Bachu980: Honestly, KR is basically Taros home turf. Because of this, Parallel managed to neatly sidestep the issue that Magia and Momo had always been wary ofthe perception that Parallel was actively trying to cling to Bachubachu. Yet, at the same time, they had managed to establish a real connection. And that was all thanks to Taro. She was the core of Bachubachu KR, someone notoriously strict about business, who would outright reject any collaborations unless they were a sure thing. But this time? She had consistently shouted out Magia and Parallel in nothing but a positive light. With Taros approval, the Bachubachu fanbase naturally began warming up to Magia, Momo, and Parallel as a whole. And then there was the unsolved mystery of the Momo-Taro-Magia history. This lingering curiosity only intensified interest in a major collab between Parallel and Bachubachu. Since Magia rarely acted alone, speculation grew that she would only agree to something on a larger scale. And the Parallel fandom, who had been keeping an eye on the situation, immediately took action. ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [SPAM SUPPORT, NOW.] Theyre a big corpo and way more cautious about competitor collabs than we are. But right now, theyre mentioning us like crazy in their circles. This is as green of a light as it gets. (Only for Magia, but still.) If we want more Parallel x Bachubachu collabs, we need to push hard now. If were gonna ride this wave, lets make it count. [Comments] Parallel712: LMAO that last part was so honest. Parallel551: DAE. BA. CHU. Parallel606: DAE. BA. CHU. Parallel907: Parallel & Bachubachu Collab Prayer Day 1 Parallel152: Tbh, I really wanna know what went down between Momo, Taro, and Magia. ???? ? Parallel152: They keep dropping hints, but never the full story. Its driving me nuts. ? Parallel299: RIGHT?! ? Parallel097: Just spill the damn lore already! A Perfect Storm: Battle Colosseum Pro Teams, VTuber Fandoms, and Tournament Hype Collide The Battle Colosseum pro scene, the massive Bachubachu VTuber fandom, and even casual viewers drawn in by the tournaments success The more people talked about it, the more the storm grew. Magia had skyrocketed to stardom. But despite this explosive rise, she was still an employee, not a solo VTuber. Sure, people could watch her full gameplay on Parallel Behind, but What most viewers really wanted were edited highlights and short clips. And reflecting this demand, dozens of new Magia-focused clipping channels sprang up within a week. Some thrived. Others disappeared almost immediately. ???? [???? Nutube] - Community Post "MagiaMagiaTenshi" | 3,000 subscribers Thank you all for ? Nvl?ht ? (Dont copy, read here) the overwhelming support in just a few days! I got a job, so Ill be stopping uploads for now, but Im sure well meet again! [Comments] @GIAGIAGIAGIA 13 minutes ago "If you got taken by the official team, shake a slug round." ? @mgamgts 7 minutes ago (( ???? )) ? @magiamustdebut 6 minutes ago "Wait. Is Magia FINALLY debuting??" ? @gogohut 5 minutes ago "No way. Its probably just a personal channel?" ? @321klsadfff 4 minutes ago "And how is that any different from a debut?" ? @gogohut 3 minutes ago "...Oh?" Meanwhile, Magia Was as Unbothered as Ever Even as the entire community was going insane, Magia was busy preparing Fan_Cs new song, setting up environments for 2nd-gen talents, and running around with Gong Seung-yeon. She hadnt streamed even once in a whole week. Leaving fans in a painful state of anticipation. To make matters worse Taro also went completely silent about Parallel after the tournament. Leaving everyone stewing in their impatience. *** Amidst all this chaos Two longtime friends met in person for the first time in a long while. "Are you seriously gonna collab with Gia?" Momo started. Taros reply was dry as ever. "If I can, I will. If not, then I wont." Momo narrowed her eyes. "You never say anything on stream unless youre sure about it." "Who knows? Maybe Ive changed over the years." "I still watch all your streams. You havent. Youre the same. Still living and breathing for streaming." At that, Taro finally smiled and idly touched her bangs. "Youre right. I just... want Gia to get more famous." Momo blinked. What? She expected Taro to say something about her own growth. But instead, she wanted Gia to be more famous? After a moment of silence, Momo licked her lips, then asked "She already has a stable job. Whats the point of pushing her higher? Shes busy as hell as it is." Taros voice remained calm, measured. "Its a debt. You got your boost from me, so help us out in return later. Its business. "In the end, Parallels rep went up too. So it was a good deal, wasnt it?" "Thats true, but...." Momo looked hesitant. She was thinking back to three years ago. Back to the conversation they had when they each chose their own paths. Her tone grew sharper. "Taro. Youre not trying to take Gia, are you?" Taro grinned. A genuine smile. One that Momo hadnt seen in a long time. But it did nothing to ease her worries. If anything It only made her more anxious. "Thats a secret." Chapter 155 After the MCN competition, Cheon Do-hees surveillance had intensified. At least, thats how it felt to Magia over the past few days. Setting up the streaming environment for the second-generation talents with Seung-yeon. Recording Fan_Cs new song and cover track. She had to spend more than half of her day outside the office because of work, yet every time she returned, the CEO was right there at the front entrance. And she always asked the same questions. Where are you going? Did you come straight back after work? Magia couldnt figure out what had gotten into her. Do-hee never cared if she worked outside the office unless it was something critical, yet now, for four days straightMonday through Thursdayshe kept repeating the same questions like a parrot. Wasnt that strange? Knowing the CEOs personality, it was clear something was bothering her, but instead of asking outright, she was subtly dropping hints. And Magia could think of only one possible reason. So, that day, as Do-hee was getting ready to leave, Magia casually approached her. I havent been slacking off on my external assignments. I actually took proper breaks when I was supposed to. Please dont give the Finance Director any wrong information. ...... I mean it. If I stayed over at the girls place for a while, its only because they told me to stay and eat. And meal breaks arent counted as work hours, right? ...Sigh. Do-hees sigh made Magia realize something was off. Wait, was that not the issue? You kept asking about work, so I thought... Before she could finish, Cheon Do-hee placed her hand on top of Magias head. Right. Now that I think about it, its not like youd be interested in anything besides company matters and Fan_Cs recordings. Of course not. I barely have time to watch streams as it is. I know, I know. Butbe honest with me. Do-hee suddenly closed in, and Magia swallowed hard. Even after spending every season of the year in the same office as her, being this close was still nerve-wracking. Not that she had any idea shed be hit with such an out-of-nowhere question. Since the MCN competition, have you met with Taro, yes or no? I havent. For real? If it were about a collab, he wouldve contacted you, not me. ...Now that you mention it, that makes sense. At that moment, Do-hee realized she had slipped up. Her rationality had just been sucker-punched by her emotions and sent flying. The fact that Taro, now a massive star, was constantly looking for a chance to pull Magia into his orbit had made her anxious, despite knowing exactly what kind of person Magia was. The pull from that side was just too strong. She worried that, before Magia even realized it, shed be dragged away. Do-hee, realizing her mistake, subtly tried to shift the topic. But there was no way an opportunist like Magia would let it slide. Do you need me to repeat what I said three years ago? No! You sound like you want to hear it. I said no! Then should I go tell Taro instead? ...What? I am Momos fanbase was Mongmongs. Taros fanbase was Kadulgis. Three years ago, Magia had received the same proposal from the leaders of both groups at the same time. And back then, she had declared I am a Mongmong!! For someone small, her voice was surprisingly powerful, filling the entire Parallel office. Magia was never one to raise her voice, even in major crises. So, hearing her shout made the team leaders poke their heads out of their workspaces, startled. Cheon Do-hee immediately stepped out of her office and addressed them. Its nothing. Get back to work. After the team leaders awkwardly returned to their desks, Do-hee pinched Magias cheek hard enough to turn her mouth into a fishs pout. I told you not to do that. Magias lips trembled as she quickly retreated. But seriously, why are you so worried? Dont tell me the reason youve been avoiding any association with Bachubachu all this time wasnt because you didnt want to seem like a leechbut because you were afraid Id switch sides? No. You dont look like thats a no. Shut up?! What do you even Magias unwavering stare. Seeing it, Do-hee let out another sigh. Right. You probably know more about me than I do about you. Hearing you say that makes me embarrassed. Yeah, real funny. Anyway, even the stray dog at my grandmas place knows Ill always be a Mongmong. The only way Id ever switch oshis is if you suddenly brought in some ridiculous guy and said you were marrying him. Wow, I just rememberedyou said that exact same thing three years ago. At least its a bit more refined now. Back then, I actually named Movgun. ...Do you hate /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ him less these days? Well, hes been acting all friendly toward our company and handing out perks. Plus, Im just relieved hes bothering me instead of you. You blocked his number again, didnt you? I actually unblocked it. Turns out when I block him, he just starts messaging you personally. ...I mean, Im glad you did, but that reasoning is... If its to act as a shield protecting Oshi, Ill gladly do it. God, do you have to call yourself a shield...? Momo, who had been rubbing her forehead for a while, let out a short sigh. It seemed like the issue was settled, at least for now. But as they talked, something about it still nagged at Magia. Had she really made any major moves toward Taro? She had never once said she intended to transfer to Bachubachu. That wasnt the case. Then, was it the opposite? Had Taro been overly interested in her? That... might actually be true. During the recent competition, Taro had been more talkative than usual. And among the things he had said, some were outright directed at her. People read deeply into Taros words because she was always incredibly careful with what she saidevery single comment carried weight. It was common for something she had casually mentioned to later turn out to be a teaser for a future collaboration. Her fans even made a habit of listening to her streams and predicting, The next collab will be with X brand! long before anything was officially announced. The final match of the MCN competition had been the same. There had been no real reason to communicate via voice, but he had spoken to her first. Given that, a future collaboration between Bachubachu KR and Parallel could be on the horizon at any time. ...Has something already been discussed behind the scenes? Maybe the collaboration was nearly finalized, and that was why Do-hee was worried. Parallel and Bachubachu had been maintaining their distance for a long time. Now, that distance was closing. And once that process had started, there was no stopping it Trying to forcefully block it would only lead to rumors of internal conflict and unnecessary controversy. Not to mention, compared to a corporate giant like Bachubachu, Parallels working environment had a lot of flaws. And it wasnt just the staff who thought so Even VTuber fans had that perception. What? Graduation? Arent they planning a reincarnation? Oh, Bachubachu? If its Bachubachu, then yeah, I get it. How could they possibly compete with a company worth billions? On top of that, Do-hee seemed uneasy about Taros personality She was the type to get what she wanted, no matter what. So no matter how many times Magia reassured her through words and actions, Do-hee just couldnt fully relax. If this concern only affected company affairs, that would be one thing But knowing Do-hee, it would also affect the stream scheduling. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. The broadcast schedule was already in shambles. If Magia wanted to stabilize it, she needed to make a move. What would be the best way to prove her loyalty? Something that would clearly show that even if Bachubachu sent her a gold-plated contract, she wouldnt be interested... Ah. Magia suddenly had an idea and spoke up. By the way, Im thinking about moving. Moving? Yeah. The second-generation talents homes are on the east side of the company now, so things are more spread out. The first-generation members had all lived north of the office. And Magias home was the farthest north, making the commute roughly the same whether she was heading to work or going to visit them. But the new second-generation members homes were all in the east, and the distance was significant. To make things worse, Seung-yeons home was in the northwest, meaning that under the current setup, her travel time to the newer members had increased. Especially Eonas placeit was ridiculously far. Located in Dongcheon-dong, Songpa-gu, it was all the way on the eastern edge of Seoul. Seung-yeons place is still relatively close to the company, but Im too far now. So Im thinking about getting a place right next to the office. Here? But the housing prices around the IT cluster are insane... Its a studio apartment under 10 pyeong, so it should be fine. Ive been working for four years now, so if Im short on deposit money, I can take out a bank loan. Hmm... It was working. Bachubachus headquarters was located in the northwest IT cluster of Jongam Complex. Parallels headquarters was in the southwest IT cluster of Gwanro Complex. And Magias current home was practically within arms reach of Jongam Complex. For Do-hee, Magia moving closer to the company meant moving farther away from Bachubachu. And if Magia was relocating near the office, there was something Do-hee wanted to suggest. Hey, why dont you just move into my place? Ive got a spare room. You know my place is only a ten-minute walk from the office, right? From Magias perspective, it was completely out of nowhere. But for Do-hee, it wasnt an unreasonable offer. After all, Magia had no family in Korea. The only person looking out for her was Cheon Do-hee. There was even something Do-hee had never told the Finance Director She had seriously considered establishing a company dormitory for the debuted members and having Magia, as the general manager, live there as well. Id get to manage your work hours. Your safety. Your meals. Your health. Thats four birds with one stone. Plus, youd save on rent. More money for other things, right? Of course, no matter how logical the reasons were, it wasnt an easy decision for Magia. Can I think about it for a bit? You realize the other Mongmongs would kill to be in your position, right? Think carefully. I know. Thats why I need to think it through. Think about what? If I live too close to Oshi, Ill end up knowing things I dont want to know. ? Like... the disastrous state of your room. The clothes lying around everywhere. The leftover delivery containers you never clean up... Hey, hey! What do you take me for Momos face turned red as Magia casually hit her with a barrage of brutal facts. People who live alone are all like that. Even my place, which I try to keep tidy, probably wouldnt look clean to someone else. So I dont expect your place to be as neat as I imagined. Thats not true. Besides, you dont even live in a studio apartment like me. You have a three-bedroom apartmentits bigger, so cleaning is even harder. A light flick to the forehead landed on Magias head with a thunk. You say too many things that are just rightit makes me want to hit you more. Ahh! Violence is bad. Do whatever you want. I just figured youd save money, and I have the space, so I brought it up. If youre uncomfortable, just get your own place. Magia rubbed her forehead, pretending to be wounded, and said playfully Well, Im visiting the KG Dragons dorm tomorrow. Ill ask the players about it and then decide. ...Ask them what? I looked into it a bit. Some players actually joined teams because they wanted to play with their idols. If I ask them, I might learn the pros and cons of living with Oshi. To be honest, Do-hee was a little thrown off. She had expected Magiawho had been a Mongmong for six yearsto jump at the idea, answering, Yes! without hesitation. But suddenly, she was acting like some meticulous scientist, listing all the reasons it wouldnt work Saying she needed more data from multiple sources before making a decision. Then again, no matter how much Magia adored her Oshi, some people preferred a bit of distance. And Magia had always been one of those people. She had mentioned the messiness of Do-hees place, sure But in the end, that could have just been an excuse because she found the idea overwhelming. Still, as long as Magia moved closer to the company, that was good enough. Better to let it go than push too hard and make her reconsider moving altogether. Alright. Let me know after your visit. Chapter 156 The next day. We were on our way to the KG Dragons headquarters in a car driven by Seunghyun. You might wonder why "we" instead of just me, but there was one more person invited to KG besides me. Aoyagi Rain, the Parallel first-generation talent who liked Battle Colosseum the most. Hell yeah... Its my first time going up against a pro! Just in case, dont use the phrase going up against when we # Nvlight # get there. Oh. Understood. Then I had a good time with a pro? Thats not quite right either. Just say you experienced it. Lets go with that. Experie-mat! Experienced. Experi-smacked! .... Pfft. Haha.... Since I had the Final MVP privilege to choose a team visit, I decided on the KG Dragons, and they reached out first. Aside from the visit itself, they considered Parallel a promising business partner. They wanted to know if Id be interested in becoming a partner streamer for their broadcasts. Of course, I never watched anything outside of VTuber streams. Naturally, that right was passed to someone elseRain. She also happened to be a KG Dragons fan. So, originally, it was supposed to be me and two pro players on a team. But now, the team was me, Rain, and one pro player instead. That one player was none other than Boron. He was a first-string pro gamer who voted for me in the Final MVP poll, leaving behind the legendary(?) remark, "A VTuber roleplaying as a corporate worker can exist too." There were also two more people with us today. On KGs side, a front office employee and official KG Dragons broadcast VTuber, Regon, would handle filming and guiding us. On our side, Seunghyun was driving and handling insert shotsfocused footage that showcased background elements or key information. Originally, Team Leader Kang was supposed to drive, but she had to be absent due to vocal lessons for the second-generation talents. So the responsibility naturally fell to Seunghyun. "By the way, Seunghyun, you drive really well. I was a bit worried when you said you got your license just last year before joining the company. Did you take any extra lessons despite your busy schedule?" "Oh, this is genetics! Both my mom and dad are best drivers. Plus, I practiced a lot through games." "What theso you can inertia drift too?" "Uh, no. This cars front-wheel drive, so driftings a bit tough..." "Too bad." "Too bad? Whats too bad? You wanna flip the car over and end up in the hospital just for content?" "Sometimes life rolls you around for a chill experience." "Haha! Rain, youre seriously hilarious!" "Thanks! Maybe this is the true essence of a superstar?" Since it was my first time going on an external activity without Team Leader Kang, I was feeling a bit anxious. Middle management really isn''t easy. But I had no intention of saying anything to Seunghyun. The person who worked until 3 AM and still showed up first thing in the morning to drive us deserved nothing but gratitude. Seunghyun was doing her best. So as todays acting team leader, I had to do my best too. *** Haah... I was almost late. Middle management is an exhausting position. Theres an endless amount of work coming from the top. But only so much of it can be passed down to subordinates. And when even that small portion falls through, the middle manager is the one who has to take responsibility. Why doesnt upper management take responsibility, you ask? Well, if people only worked under responsible bosses, you wouldnt see so many complaints about companies. Thats why Regon, the VTuber and KG Dragons front office staff, was constantly getting smacked from both directions. "Ah, Player Changhoon. Youre waiting downstairs, right? The Parallel members should be arriving soon. Can you wait for them in the Battle Colosseum team lobby? Yes, yes, thank you." Becoming a VTuber? It wasnt exactly a grand career decision. While working in the clubs front office, upper management had suggested, "Why dont we try hosting some co-watching events and other interactive promotions? Itd be good for marketing." And when the question of "who should do it?" came up, everyone, as if on cue, pointed at Regon. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. The reason? Simply because she had the best voice among the staff. Apparently, a good voice was the most important thing for a broadcaster. But streaming with a camera on was too overwhelming for an ordinary employee like Regon. And doing a stream without a camera was dismissed as too dull. After several discussions about possible compromises, they settled on VTubing strongly recommended by none other than Boron. They took a commercial model, added KG Dragons signature red hair and a team jersey, and since it was "Dragons," they threw in some horns and a tail. Thats how Regon was born. (This process is called a "debutech" in industry terms.) But even if they had the model, running a VTuber channel flawlessly was another matter. The hastily thrown-together "dragon fantasy personality" was an issue. But the biggest problem was that she hadnt chosen to be a VTuber herself. Since the streams werent running smoothly, feedback poured in. Even when she tried, there were limits to both time and skill, and the only thing that piled up was exhaustion. She had followed managements orders and set things up, but it never really went beyond that. Her nickname, "Keyboard Warrior?" It came from the fact that she spent more time typing reports than actually talking on stream. She was enduring for the sake of the players she supported, but juggling both front office duties and a streaming schedule meant her workload was absolutely insane. No one knew how long Regons career as both a VTuber and front office employee would last. And now, on top of everything, there was yet another urgent assignment hosting todays visit from the Parallel VTubers. She had originally joined a sponsorship event just to match other teams showing their faces. Who could have predicted that Magia would not only acknowledge the baseball team but also pick KGs Battle Colosseum team? Please dont let the fans request more collabs. Please dont let the fans request more collabs... Regon was here as a VTuber to welcome her new partners and guests. But she didnt actually know much about Magia or Parallel. Rather than leaving room for future guest appearances, her top priority today was to get through the event flawlessly without any slip-ups. She already had way too much piled up. Finalizing cost reviews for the ad agencys approval, chasing down the delayed production of merch... The workload was already suffocating. Please, let this be over soon... However, even though Regon had been chanting get off work, get off work in her head, she was completely stunned the moment she met the three visitors. Aoyagi Rain, with her bleached white hair and blue eyes. Gong Seung-yeon, who had an oddly striking presence despite being "just" an office worker. And Magia, who stood out in an entirely different way. Oh. Youre Regon? Good morning-ida! Hello! Im Gong Seung-yeon from Parallel! Hello. Im Magia, Assistant Manager at Parallel. A small child standing confidently in front of two adults was impossible to ignore. But what shocked Regon even more was how much Magias real appearance resembled the model she used on stream. Black hair with a subtle blue tint under the sunlight. Light blue eyes that peeked out from beneath her bangs, vanishing and reappearing. Pale, almost ghostly, smooth skin. Why did the character itself show up...? Aside from wearing a KG Dragons team jersey, if someone were to render Magias VTuber model into a semi-realistic version, it would look exactly like this. Like a kid model perfect for a commercial. That was the kind of vibe she gave off. But Regon couldnt afford to just stand there dumbfounded while the guests waited. She quickly regained her composure and began her introduction. Hello. Im Regon, guide for today and part of the KG Dragons Battle Colosseum team. You must be Rain? Thats right, Lets bibi! And this must be Magia... and Ms. Gong Seung-yeon. Yes. Yes! Alright, confirmed. Since its hot outside, why dont we talk as we head inside? She was doing her job as a guide. But the shock wouldnt fade so easily. Arent VTubers supposed to be... well, virtual? Rain also had bleached white hair and blue eyes, making her look strikingly similar to her VTuber model. But Magia took it to a whole new level. It was as if she had just transferred herself directly onto a VTuber screen. Like she was declaring, Whether its reality or virtual, Im just me. Is this really okay...? Regon felt worried just looking at her. It was because of a well-known VTuber issuewhen the real person had an extremely high sync rate with their character. Back when she was preparing for her own VTuber debut, Boron had once given her this advice: "Make your RP as different from yourself as possible. That way, when the character gets criticized, you wont feel like youre the one being insulted. Especially since you didnt choose to do this, I think that would be best for you." It was true that some VTubers deliberately designed their characters to resemble themselves, hoping to be loved for who they really were. But didnt that also come with huge risks? If people judged her looks, ridiculed her, or outright flamed her... Wouldnt she take all that damage directly? Was Magia prepared to endure all that? Was this what it took to be a true VTuber? Regon, who had stumbled into VTubing by chance, couldnt help but dwell on these concerns. So she had to ask. You really look exactly like your Live2D model, Magia. Its honestly kind of shocking. Magia answered, but the response wasnt what Regon expected. I hear that a lot. Do I really look that similar? ...Wait. You didnt design it to look like you on purpose? No. Akari Dora did all the illustration work from start to finish. Even the witch outfit? Thats also Doras work. It came out great, so I just use it. So it wasnt an extreme case of self-love. In fact, judging by her tone, it sounded less like her own preference and more like an external decision forced upon her. Now that I think about it... she never even had a debut stream, did she? Boron had brushed it off as part of her character concept. But at least Regon had a proper debut stream. And there was something else odd. This event was important for both Parallel and KG Dragons. Even if Parallel wasnt a massive company, it still felt strange for them to just send a single employee for management purposes. Shouldnt at least a higher-up be here too? But Magias title was Assistant Manager. Her business card even had "Team Lead" printed on it. So... she was an actual corporate employee? She looked way too young to be one. Was this just a next-level RP? Or was everyone just assuming it was RP? Regon was getting more and more confused. Can I ask you something? she finally said. Oh. Sure. Ask away. As they waited for the elevator, Magia launched into a barrage of questions. All of them were about dormitories. So this building serves as both a team dorm and the main headquarters, right? Yes. Whats the approximate budget for running the cafeteria? Sorry, I dont know that. Youd have to ask the finance team, but I dont know if theyd share that info. Do the players ever feel trapped in the dorms? When practice sessions get intense, they do sometimes feel a bit confined. But since there are lots of entertainment options nearby, we encourage them to go out. Oh, so nearby businesses also factor into the equation. Yeah, thats something we have to consider. At this point... wasnt this just an actual corporate employee, not someone roleplaying as one? Was "Assistant Manager" not a character title but her real job title? Regon didnt have enough experience as a VTuber to make that call herself. She figured shed need to ask an expert like Boron. The funny thing was, even Boronwho had helped Regon debutwasnt much different in this regard. From the moment he met Magia, he had been grinning. And when Magia handed him her business card and greeted him, he outright burst into laughter. This isnt just RP at this point. This is who you actually are. I watched your collab with Crkemang, and I had my suspicions... but youre incredible. Ive never roleplayed anything. Thats the whole template. If someone says youre a VTuber, you deny it. If someone asks if youre a corporate worker, you confirm it. If someone asks if its all RP, you say it isnt. No gaps in the act. I respect it as a listener. Hmm.... Magia frowned, clearly unamused, while Rain was cracking up beside her. Hey, hey. Magias not a VTuber. Shes just a corporate grunt. My lackey. What are you talking about? Whos whose lackey? And where did you even learn that phrase? A viewer taught me. Wol-Dungi is bad. There you go again, blaming Wol-Dungi. Since Boron wasnt questioning anything, Regons doubts only grew stronger. She was a corporate employee herself. And Magias words didnt sound like an RP at all. They had the unmistakable nuance of someone who actually worked a corporate job. Could it be...? Was she not a VTuber? Was Magia actually just a regular office worker? Avoiding the playful bickering between Rain and Magia, Regon discreetly approached Gong Seung-yeon, who was recording from behind them, and whispered, Um... Seunghyun. Yes? ...Magia... shes a Parallel employee, right? Yes. Shes our Team Lead. So when she says shes a manager, its not because shes roleplaying a corporate worker... Shes actually a manager? Yes. The business cards she handed out are real. Then... she actually goes to work every day, does overtime, and still somehow does streams and tournaments on top of that? Seunghyun nodded. Then, as if worried about a misunderstanding, she added, Just to clarify, were not some black company or anything. Shes not working herself to death. But she is very dedicated. ...Wow. If it were me, I could never do that. Seunghyun smiled slightly before delivering the final blow. Our Team Lead... well, shes kind of obsessed with the company. Chapter 157 Magia''s oshi, Shirahoshi Momo, was the president of Parallel. Since she was already a fan of the president, it wasnt entirely impossible for her to extend that enthusiasm to the company itself. But understanding something and accepting it were two different things. After all, not many people in the world could handle a brutal work schedule just because they were "fans" of their job. Every office worker on the planet had silently agreed on one thing People like that should be called lunatics. Shes insane, isnt she...? Of course, Regon couldnt say that out loud. Her corporate filter just barely kept it from slipping. But after the initial shock, she couldnt avoid reflecting on herself. Because, strangely enough, her situation and Magias were almost identical. Neither of them became VTubers by choice. Both had full-time jobs but also had to stream. And yet, Magia was apparently thriving, to the point where people described her as "company-obsessed." Meanwhile, Regon was practically counting down to her resignation. Its not me whos weird, right? Shes the weird one...? Since she worked in the front office, every statement she made had to be fact-checked and scrutinized. Naturally, she started analyzing the differences between herself and Magia. First, their respective oshis. Magias oshi was her companys president. It made sense that shed have extreme company loyalty if she wanted her oshi to succeed. But what about Regon? Kesa retired years ago... She still supported the companys players. But the passion she once had was almost gone. It was because her favorite pro gamer, Kesa, had retired. Before leaving, Kesa had asked her to do her best for the younger players. And she had but no matter how hard she worked, it wasnt the same as doing it for Kesa himself. If Kesa had still been on the team, her approach to VTubing would have been completely different. Maybe shed have the same energy Magia had during her regular Fantasia streams. So the environments Magia and Regon worked in were completely different. With that theory established, Regon moved on to gathering evidence. Gong Seung-yeon, who was recording everything, seemed like a good target. She kept calling Magia "Team Lead," so she was probably in the same department. So... do you think the fact that her oshi is Parallels president has a big impact on Magias company loyalty? Seung-yeon paused to check her recording before responding. Id say so. You know how, no matter how much someone wants to be selfless, its not easy? But when it comes to people they genuinely like, theyll go above and beyond. But watching someone through a screen and liking them as a real person are two different things, right? Isnt that even harder for VTuber fans? Oh. Thats true. But... There were plenty of cases where fans got too close to their oshi only to regret learning things they never needed to know. And it wasnt just a VTuber thing. The entire entertainment industry was like that. People on screen and people in real life could feel completely different. But the opposite could also happen. Sometimes, getting close only made it impossible to leave because the person behind the screen was just as captivating in reality. Regon had felt that way about Kesa. Magia had felt that way about Momo. It seems like our Team Lead never had that problem. She just genuinely likes the presidentboth as a fan and as an employee. And Seung-yeon was another victim of this effect. Its kind of similar for me, actually. At first, out of our first-gen talents, my favorite was Komari. Even now, shes my favorite VTuber. But in real life? My oshi is someone else. Who? Our Team Lead. There was a sparkle in Seung-yeons eyes as she said it. As if she were wordlessly explaining exactly why she worked here, why she pushed herself harder, and why she wanted to stay. To be honest, when I first started, I thought monitoring streams sounded fun. But... its actually mentally draining. I can imagine. Even our teams stream managers say that all the time. But when I watch our Team Lead, even when I feel mentally exhausted, I recover fast. Because... shes cute? Just looking at her is healing? Haha... Thats part of it. But more than that, its because shes amazing. Shes a total pro. Of course, having constant access to her favorite VTuber was appealing. But Seung-yeons job wasnt easy. There were constant troll attacks. People slipping past chatbot filters to send insults and twisted criticisms. Far too many people thought hiding behind a keyboard gave them a free pass to be horrible. Just like how staring into the abyss could corrupt a person, dealing with those people tainted Seung-yeon over time. It was impossible not to wonder, How do people this awful even exist? But every time she was about to break, Magia was there to ground her. This had happened countless times over the last six months. It was only natural that Magias presence had become a shining beacon in Seung-yeons life. [Team Lead: Handled it.] [Team Lead: Its a recurring type, so just ban them immediately instead of engaging.] [Our Team Lead: Ill handle the rest. Focus on something else.] [Me: But youre working off-site right now.] [Me: Just tell me what to do, and Ill take care of it.] [Our Team Lead: No.] [Our Team Lead: That guys 100% going to keep making alt accounts to stir up chaos.] [Our Team Lead: Just follow my instructions.] [????Our Team Lead????: This week''s overtime slots are full, right?] [????Our Team Lead????: Go home on time today. Ill handle the rest when I get to the office.] [Me: If youre not resting, I cant rest either!!] [????Our Team Lead????: Komari is doing a participation stream tonight...] [Me: Im logging out now!!] To Gong Seung-yeon, Magia was a torch cutting through the darkness. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Even after realizing how demanding the job was, she was still standing strongbecause of Magia, who was not just a mentor and a dependable senior, but also the very reason she could keep going. In short, even though working here isnt easy, I have someone to go through it witha colleague and a partner. Thats what our Team Lead is to me. Thats why I call her my real-life oshi. And I think Magia sees the president in a similar way. Regon nodded. Thanks for sharing. Magia and I are in similar situations, but she works with so much passion that I had to ask. Oh, now that I think about it, thats true. You also juggle both work and streaming, right? Thats seriously impressive. Nah... I wouldnt say Im doing it well enough to deserve praise.... But youre doing it! Not just anyone can! You should be proud of yourself! Thanks to her conversation with Seung-yeon, Regons thoughts became crystal clear. Whether your oshi was closeespecially within the companythat was the defining difference between Magia and herself. A few years ago, when Kesa was still playing, Regon had worked so hard that she barely noticed how exhausted she was. She wasnt sure if she had ever worked as hard as Magia, but compared to her current self, she had been a completely different person. If only Kesa was still here.... Now, all she had left was the mission Kesa entrusted her withto take care of the younger players. She was stumbling along an unsteady tightrope called employment, never knowing when she might fall. *** Surprisingly, it didnt take long for the two of them to open up about their situations. Lunchtime. After eating the famous Dragon Meal at KG Dragons cafeteria, they were given a 30-minute break before the next schedule. Magia had quietly slipped away to the first floor. The next tour stop was the Hall of Fame, but she wanted to compare what she had studied about the club in advance. She had considered bringing the other two, but they had locked themselves inside the players lounge, determined to try out the massage chairs. As she stepped out of the elevator, she was greeted by someone who had arrived ahead of her. Oh, Magia. Why arent you resting upstairs? It was Regon. Magia greeted her with a smile. I figured Id check this place out in advance since its our next stop. Youre really thorough... You already knew almost everything about our team when we talked earlier, and youre still reviewing...? This is a collaboration with clear expectations on both sides. I need to put in the effortnot just for us, but for KGs sake, too. We really picked the perfect partner, huh? Youre too kind. But more importantly... Magia gestured at the photo Regon had been staring at. In the picture, Kesa was holding up a trophy, smiling. And behind him, Regon was clapping with teary eyes. It was from several years ago, when they won BCK. I heard you joined KG Dragons because of Kesa. Is that true? It was something Magia had gathered from her pre-visit research. Regon let out a quiet sigh, trying to hide the bittersweet look on her face. Yeah... That was how it started. Now that hes retired, I just try my best to honor his will. I make sure the younger players can focus on their matches. Thats really admirable. Admirable, huh...? Im just barely holding on. Just barely. And then, a thought struck her. What about Magia? Pro gamers retired. For idols, there was graduation. For hardcore fans, those moments were pure hell. The face they used to see regularly on streams was gone. The voice and mannerisms they loved disappeared. All that remained were recordings. You could reminisce, but you could never interact again. Sure, some fans would be satisfied watching old clips for a while. But eventually, people get tired of rewatching the same things. They would face reality My oshi is gone. The person I loved is no longer here. That was exactly what had happened to Regon. She had worked without stopping for 365 days a year, never noticing how exhausting it all was. But the moment Kesa retired, her world flipped upside down. Her bosss awful personality and pointless scolding suddenly became unbearable. Her low salary, the long commute, the lazy juniorsthings she had ignored before became impossible to overlook. Her workplace, which had once felt like home, had turned into hell. Would Magia experience the same thing? She liked Shirahoshi Momo more than anyone. Wouldnt Momos absence leave a gaping wound in her heart? Magia... if... Regon hesitated. It felt wrong to directly ask, "What if Momo left this industry completely, due to something other than health reasons?" It felt too insensitive to say aloud. So she swallowed the questionbut Magia had already figured it out from the way she started. If the president graduates, I think Ill make the same choice as you, Regon. She had already understood what Regon wanted to ask. The regret in Regons eyes when she stared at Kesas [N O V E L I G H T] photo, the way their situations were too similarit wasnt hard to piece together. Oh. Was that what you were about to ask? Regon looked surprised. She was relieved that Magia had answered the question before she could finish it. But at the same time, she felt uneasy about Magias decision. Youd stay in the company even without your oshi? Dont do that. Its brutal. Magia raised both hands slightly, a gesture of respect toward Regon. But youve already proven its possible. Youre enduring it, arent you? ...Yeah, but I wont lie. Its not easy.... Regon was still hanging on, despite being on the verge of quitting. And Magia understood why. She didnt want Momo to graduate. But if the worst happened, she had already thought about it many timesand one reason always kept her from leaving. If we keep going, everything we built with our oshi stays alive longer in peoples memories. Regons eyes widened. Magia continued, looking straight at her. An oshis legacy is ultimately decided by their fans. Chapter 158 Comparing herself to Magia the whole time, Regons thoughts finally settled into place. Shes on another level. She had seen countless hardcore fans of Kesa. And aside from a few extreme cases, most of them were pretty similarincluding herself. But Magia was something else. A fanatic among fanatics. The mindset alone"I will personally eliminate anything that could force my oshi to graduate"was already out of the ordinary. Most people accepted reality and prepared themselves for a peaceful farewell. Since she no longer felt a sense of kinship, all that remained was awe. From then on, Regon simply quietly rooted for Magia. There was a sayingbe grateful that your oshi is still here. Watching Magias desperate efforts, she could only hope that she never burned out. With that realization, Regon also understood why Magia kept bombarding KG staff with questions. It was all information that would help Parallel grow. Since she had the chance now, she was making the most of it. She was probably planning to build a dormitory for their members. She even asked Boron something very direct. Boron, Kesa was your idol, right? Yeah. He was a legend to me. The number one person I wanted to play with. Was there anything inconvenient about dorm life that you managed to overcome? Oh, yeah. You know how Kesas snoring was famous, right? Before we moved into this dorm, our old place was smaller, and I had to share a room with him. I seriously thought I was gonna die. Liking someone is one thing, but... I almost woke up and punched him. Pfft... Ill keep this off the record. Haha, thanks. By the way, doesnt this apply to you too, Magia? Your oshi is your company president. There must be things that annoy you, but you put up with them, right? Oh, a lot. For example, the fact that her streaming schedule is completely wrecked and I just have to deal with it... Ah... Yeah. As a fellow VTuber enjoyer, I get that. It drives you insane when your oshi rarely streams. But when you can see why its happening, you cant even complain. So instead, I just work harder. ...You really love working, huh. Actually, this is connected to my earlier questionKesas snoring must have made it hard to sleep, right? Did that affect your daily life, or did you manage? Boron smirked. You know about soundproof tents? ...Thats a thing? Yeah. Its a bed tent. I used that, plus earplugs and a shooting range headsetfinally found peace. Snoring can drive you insane. But man, the second this guy touched a keyboard and mouse... His cracked plays were unreal. The only player who ever bullied Mugeon during his prime? That was Kesa. What a legend. Mm. Agreed. When I was studying how to counter Mugeon, most of the reference videos were Kesas. See?! Thats why when I first discovered you, I watched some of your past gameplay and thought, Why does this remind me of Kesa? Thank you. That means a lot. Seeing Magia working so hard was inspiring. Regon even started reaching out to her own contacts to help answer Magias questionsregardless of their rank or whether they were off duty. Since they were in similar positions, they also exchanged various survival tips. *** After experiencing a scrim match with second-string players from other teams, the company tour was officially over. As she saw the three visitors off in the lobby, Regon gave her final words. Thank you for coming today. Was there [N O V E L I G H T] anything inconvenient, like during the meal or on the way here? No! It was perfect! I wanna come back! Reshlin 3 stars! The food was amazing! Thank you. Six eyes turned to Magia, the only one who hadnt spoken yet. She glanced around, then said You two can wait in the car first. I need to talk to Regon for a moment. Oh, got it. Rain, shall we? I need air conditioning now. Were fking overcooked. Have you heard of heat domes? Wait, its already here?! After watching the two chatter their way to the car, Magia turned to Regon. Weve established a partnership now. If you ever have questions about VTuber-related stuff, just contact me with the number on my card. If I can help, I will. Regon blinked, slightly slow to react. Oh. I already learned a lot just from talking to you today. And youre already so busyI dont want to bother you. Its fine. I dont count this as workI count it as VTuber fangirling. I keep my work hours and fangirl hours separate, so no need to worry. Wait, huh Now that she thought about it, Regon had heard rumors that Magia took care of almost every VTuberunless they were truly problematic. A VTuber momthat was the kind of reputation she had. But still, Regon felt bad just accepting help so easily. This was Magia, the one who constantly fought for her oshis streaming time. She appreciated the offer, but her own problems were her own to solve. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. If theres ever something I truly cant handle alone, Ill reach out. But Id rather try my best first. Lets keep working hard together, Magia. For the first time today, Magiawho had remained stone-faced all daysmiled. Oh, andonce the tour video is uploaded, our viewers might swarm your stream and demand a collab. If that happens, call me immediately. Ill calm them down for you. Regon laughed. You know, that was the most reliable thing Ive heard all dayeven compared to actual streamers. I just learn from the best. There are so many amazing VTubers around me. And yet, youre just as impressive as a corporate worker. Hearing that, Magia left one final impression on Regons mind. Thats why... I want to work even harder. People say Ive been given a lotthings that others dont have. Itd be a waste to just let it sit there. She looked small, like a child. But inside, just how big was the giant living within her? She was someone you couldnt help but root for. Someone whose success you couldnt help but wish for. I hope your company thrives. With you here, Im sure it will. ...She really was insane. As long as the president doesnt graduate, theres nothing I cant do. Haha... *** It had been an excellent half-day tour. I had asked an almost excessive number of questions, but I hadn''t expected everyone to be this willing to answer. I had resolved more than a few doubts, but if I had to pick the most important takeaway, it would probably be this Q. Whats the most crucial factor in reducing dormitory operating costs? A. Owning a building or a floor in a building yourself. The initial purchasing cost will definitely not be cheap, but in the long run, it will free you from major financial burdens. In the end, its a choiceeither make a large one-time investment, or pay an even larger sum over time. That said, purchasing a building outside of Seoul is not recommended. The fact that the dormitory is in Seoul itself makes it more attractive for potential employees. Of course, commercial buildings and office spaces in Seoul rarely go on sale because simply owning them increases their value. It would be useful to know people with expertise in real estate, particularly those interested in commercial properties and office buildings. They could provide information on auctioned properties and offer various other insights. Someone like that... After thinking it over, the only person I could ask was Na Hyun-gon. CAT Entertainment had several dormitory buildings for managing their idols and trainees, and there had to be an entire department dedicated to handling them. Of course, getting consultation alone wouldnt be enough. The biggest issue was still money. Maybe I should learn about investing too. There was nothing wrong with pouring my own money into the company through donations. But in the end, a significant portion of that money would be lost to platform fees. I would still continue donating to encourage members and buying merchandise for my own satisfaction. But lately, with all the bonuses and extra income coming in, I was starting to accumulate more money than I could spend. Maybe it was time to get Na Hyun-gons help and start learning investments. If I could successfully reinvest my extra money and contribute even a little to purchasing a building, wouldnt that be a good outcome? Which meantfrom now on, all unnecessary expenses needed to be cut. And the biggest one right now was probably my rent. Living with the president... Now that I think about it, it might not be such a bad idea. So, as soon as Monday came, I told the president my conclusion. She pursed her lips in surprise. Huh? Didnt you say my place was too messy? When did I ever say that? You said something similar... Anyway. So youre fine with it? When do you want to move in? Should I clear a room for you? Wasnt there already a vacant room? Nah. I stuffed it with random junk. Its basically a storage room. ...So it is a mess. The president lightly flicked my forehead before asking, Listen. Having a spare room means using it for storage. Since you brought it up, why dont you stay over this weekend? Try it out for a day before committing to moving in. ...That sounds reasonable. You wouldnt want to move in immediately only to hate it and leave, right? Thats true. Is there anything you want to eat while youre over? Ill make it for you. I quickly shook my head, making sure to express my absolute refusal. Cant we just order delivery or go out to eat? The president looked offended. ...Wait, is this because of the cookie incident? You remember that time I almost ended up in the hospital with food poisoning from your cookies, right? Come on! Youre exaggerating! You just got an upset stomach! And you were the only one who had issues. You wolfed them down because they were oshi-given cookiesthats why it happened. You shouldve made cookies that dont cause food poisoning, even if eaten in a hurry. Anyway, Id rather not get poisoned again. We either go out to eat, or Ill cook. Oh, shut up about poisoning. And no, Im not letting you cook. Why not? Just because I havent shown you doesnt mean I cant cook. Ill be lucky if you dont cut your own fingers trying to chop something. The president stared at me with an annoyed expression for a moment, then suddenly snapped her fingers, as if she had an idea. Hey. Why dont we turn it into a cooking battle? Well invite people to judge. ...I was just going to check out the room. Why is this turning into something huge? Were not just doing it for funwe make it content for the viewers. Itd be a waste not to. At the mention of content, all my complaints vanished instantly. With the massive boom in cooking competition series thanks to Redflix, interest in cooking content had skyrocketed again. Even in internet broadcasting, everyone was scrambling to bring in famous chefs or culinary experts. Even our first-gen talents had done their own versionshiring personal instructors or making cursed food creations. But wed never done it as a group. Theres just one thing. Instead of first-gen talents, why dont we invite the second-gen members? The second-gen...? They already have a confirmed debut date internally, but it hasnt been publicly announced yet. If we adjust their pre-debut schedules, it might work out. Hmm... The second-gen.... We could use TTS for their judging, or just show their handwritten comments. There are plenty of ways to do it. Oh, handwritten comments... Not bad. And they could even say a quick goodbye at the end. Hold on a sec. The second-gen debut had been in the works since March, planned for mid-July to early August, coinciding with vacation season. Their broadcast setups were nearly done, and after a couple of mock streams in their home environments, the companys preparations would be finished. Today was July 2nd. Which meant, at best, their debut was two weeks away, and at worst, four weeks. Of course, there were plans to gradually unveil themreleasing their social media accounts and teaser videos in the meantime. But if we could sneak them in as surprise guests, wouldnt that build hype even more? The president seemed to be weighing the idea before finally making a decision. Ill call Team Leader Ra. Lets hold a meeting right now. Chapter 159 The moment Team Leader Ra Seunghyun and the entire planning team got involved, a detailed stream layout and schedule came together in an instant. In addition, the debut timeline for the second-generation members was thoroughly revised. Next weekend, Saturday, July 14. The between me and the CEO. The second-gen members will participate as guest judges, evaluating each dish with handwritten comments and briefly revealing their voices during the closing segment. Then the following week, Sunday, July 22. Member Z pages go live, profiles are set, and silhouettes are posted in an illustrated teaser. At the same time, teaser videos for the second-gen members will be uploaded to the official website, fan cafe?, and YouTube, along with an announcement of each debut schedule for fans. The official channel will upload congratulatory videos from the first-gen members throughout the weekMonday through Thursdaywhile the second-gen members complete corporate account verification procedures behind the scenes. Friday, July 27. The members will post their first social media updates, marking the beginning of active communication with fans. The next day, July 28, the three of them will each conduct a one-hour debut stream. On July 29, Ill host a short group collab stream as MC. Before the stream ends, well watch their first original group song video togetherthis will conclude the second-gen debut schedule. The first-gen will have their own separate stream. For a month afterward, the new members will follow their pre-set schedules, getting closer with fans and solidifying their RP. Then, in the second month, theyll gradually increase joint streams with senior members. Starting from the third month, theyll appear in external collabs and begin to operate as full-fledged VTubers. Each will also aim to release their own original song around this time. In the case of Bachubachu, external activity usually starts a bit later after debut. Thanks to the massive fanbase of this VTuber empire, even without external collabs, they benefit from a guaranteed audiencetruly a trickle-down effect. In a way, its very similar to the Shared Spoon Phenomenon A portion of the existing fanbase watches both their oshis and the newcomers, then suddenly switches over to the youngest ones. Of course, weve changed a lot compared to before too. Midori Komari, 467k. Aoyagi Rain, 486k. Akari Dora, 583k. Nezumi Maru, 619k. An average of 539k subscribers watching over them On debut day, all four of them will gather to watch the stream together, so the second-gen''s starting point wont be nearly as stressful as the first-gen''s. Well, even with that, were still far behind compared to the star-studded senior lineup of Bachubachu. But stillthis isnt nothing. Newcomers starting with this kind of background are rare. At this point, if you say, Im a VTuber with Parallel, people will go, Whoa, you made it into one of the top-tier domestic agencies! Youve reached a level worthy of recognition. Even in the cooking showdown between me and the CEO, if you can each showcase your unique flavor through the limited medium of handwritten comments, then the second-gen will debut under solid expectations. This is a chance to start from a higher point, second-gen. Lets go! *** The detailed debut schedule was shared with the second-gen members the next day. Back on the 9th floor of the office where their training took place, the members gathered again for the first time in weeks, reminiscing about their time in lessons. Upon hearing the confirmed debut plans, they didnt hesitate to show their flustered reactions. The main reason, obviously, was that only the three of them were listed in the debut stream schedule. Gia... youre not debuting with us? Now that I think about it... had I ever told them the truth? I mightve glossed over it, saying I was debuting too. I assumed it was obvious, especially after recent content appearances made it pretty clear I wasnt graduating nor a second-gen member. Maybe they just trusted me too much. Or maybe they were so deep in debut prep they hadnt watched any streams or community posts. The three of them still hadnt caught on at all. This is why companies need to be cautious even when lying to their own talent. You accidentally end up pulling a hidden camera prank. The most betrayed-looking one, Eona, asked again. Look... I wont get mad, just tell us properly. We need to know so we dont mess up during the broadcast. I nodded with a blank expression. Yeah. Im not debuting. Miho and Orca exchanged a whisper, I knew it. My deduction was correct! I told you it was weird Gia unnie never came to record the debut song. You really are good at this. I see you in a new light. ...Hehe. Then Eona burst out in frustration. Then whyd you say you were debuting...? I was so excited thinking wed stream together... You all kept asking over and over if I was debuting, so before I knew it, I just blurted out a lie. You liar... I glanced over at the other two to see how theyd react. Orca, who had been shedding her soldier persona, suddenly returned to stiff, formal posture. Ch-Chief Manager! Ill be in your care moving forward! Since wed made a pact to speak casually with each other, I jabbed her in the side to loosen her up. Eek! We agreed to drop honorifics, remember? If you dont want to be friends, just say so. No, its not that... Its just, if were not debut mates, you feel like a senior... Doesnt matter. Just treat me the same. Even the first-gen members dont use honorifics with me anymore, and that makes it easier for me. Eona jumped in, clearly still bothered. Thats easier said than done. The weight we feel between debut mates and the operations team staff is completely different. She gave me a look like she wanted more explanation, so I shrugged to lighten the mood. Lets just clear up the facts, shall we? First off, how this happened. I told you before that I wasnt debuting. You guys were the ones fueling the fire, insisting I was. None of them could deny that. I was trying to wrap it up and move on, but you kept asking. I got tired of denying it, so I just went along with it. I dont know if apologizing now is the right move, but... sorry. It was the kind of apology that would annoy the hell out of someone hearing it. But it is what it is. Think about itRegon still thinks Im just some office worker doing roleplay. People believe what they want to believe. Even if Id firmly denied it back then, they probably wouldnt have accepted it. But hey, in the end, they got to this point on their own and accepted it, didnt they? Still, even with everyone nodding in understanding, they couldnt completely hide their nervousness about me not debuting. Miho was the first to panic and ask, We prepared so many things to do with you... So thats all scrapped now? We cant do anything? No way. I even added collabs with you to our schedule for the whole first month! No, we can still do those. Ive been increasing the number of collabs I appear in lately, so most of the stuff you wanted to do should still be possible. Really? Whew, thank goodness. Eona shook her head and muttered, This isnt something to be happy about. Debuting in the same generation and staying on as staff are two completely different things. Uh... really? Of course. If youre not purely a VTuber, its harder to even invite you to collabs. We have to consider what the senior members think, and even what the CEO might say. Ugh... I thought wed get to have you all to ourselves for at least a month... Someones got a strong attachment to exclusivity. And coming from Eonathe only one among the second-gen with VTuber experience, someone capable of leading her peers on her ownit really made me wonder just how important I was in their schedule planning. Its not like you cant stream without me. You three can totally handle things on your own. But three people versus four makes a big difference. There are tons of games we just cant play unless there are four of us. And the 2:2 team content? Wed have to push all of that back. Thats what Im sayingjust call me. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight Sorry, Gia, but if youre not one of our generation, theres no way we can act like its nothing... Were the juniors of Parallel, after all. And she wasnt wrong. Telling someone not to be self-conscious or to just relax is easier said than done. Look at Orcashe instantly went back to formal speech the second she learned I wasnt debuting. To the second-gen, I was basically the company presidents daughter. Handing out all-access passes wouldnt change that. Even the first-gen members barely use theirs. Do you really think the second-gen will eagerly snatch one up? Seniority rulestheyd probably wait for the first-gen to use them first anyway. Still, thanks to what Team Leader Ra and the CEO had said, it wasnt impossible to ease the tension among the deflated members. After the second-gen debuts, lets keep Gias appearances focused on them for about a month. What do you think, CEO? I agree. Gias the only one who can give them a boost without interfering with their RP. You heard that, Section Manager Magia? Its time to do what youre best atfade into the background during collabs while making sure the members shine. A month to establish their identities. For that one month, I could freely stick with the second-gen. Fan_Cs original and cover songs were all scheduled to be recorded before their debut, so Id be free to give them my full attention. Ive already talked to the CEO. For the month after debut, Novelight treat me like one of your genmates. You dont need to change any schedules that include me. Unless it overlaps with a recurring content like Fantasia, Ill be there. Miho, reassured that thered be no changes to her schedule, nodded even faster than before, clearly relieved. Orca, realizing she still couldnt boss me around freely, folded her hands in front of her chest and peeked up at me cautiously. Only Eona, the most rational of the group at the moment, tossed out another question. Then... is it okay to include you in pairings? Pairings, huh... Our seniors have those tooMari and Maru are the Headlock Duo, Dora and Mari have Gaming Suit, Maru and Dora are the Rolling Boulder, Rain and Mari are Double Parking... Stuff like that. First-gen members built all these dynamics between each other. Pairings are born from member chemistry. Usually, they form slowlyafter a few months post-debut, once each member has established their own identity and starts doing collabs. Even fans of regular idol groups treat pairings like a natural part of the fandom experience, so its no different in the corporate VTuber world where groups debut together. Take Bachubachu, for example. They have over sixty VTubers under their brand globally, which means an overwhelming number of potential pairings. Trying to keep track of whos paired with who would be impossible. With so many interactions between genmates, seniors, and juniors, new pairings pop up and vanish constantly. Maybe it was Eonas past experience with Lapits or just her genuine interest in VTuber culture, but she seemed ready to start weaving relationships between the second-gen members from the get-go. Not doing pairings is a waste. Just dont pour all your energy into them right from the startyou could lose your own presence if youre not careful. Yeah. I know. Still, thanks for pointing it out. While were at it, for the cooking showdown, you and the others need to pick the theme dishes for me and the CEO to make. Well reveal the reasoning behind your choices on stream, so try to find a good angle with it. Miho raised her hand eagerly. Im not really a foodie, so... can I submit something like, A dish Id want to eat in the car with unnie during a stakeout? Stakeout food and Mihos detective-obsessed personality? Not a bad combo. I might end up playing the Watson role. Approved. Thats fine. That kind of setup actually makes for fun content. Ooh! Got it! Ill go with that! Next up was Orca. What about something like, a dish that melts away all the fatigue from training? Orca, your tone. Ah. Orca equals the military. The military equals a hellish life. Depending on what she asks us to make, I might end up as her mom back home or her personal army cook. Still, approved. The ideas solid. You can submit that as is. Okay. Got it. What about you, Eona? Got anything in mind? When I looked over at her, she leaned in with a playful smile and whispered in my ear, How about... a dish Id want to serve when proposing to someone? Chapter 160 A dish Id want to serve when proposing to someonewould that be okay? A sudden proposal? To viewers, thats basically like saying Lets destroy the Arctic. Business yuri. When it comes to VTuber pairings, is there anything more thrilling? The pinnacle of fluffprofessionally referred to as tee-tee. It evokes the same kind of anticipation you get in the first episode of a virtual marriage show. That fresh awkwardness between two people with unclear boundaries Its a cheat code. One that usually delivers great results, especially when used early on between members whose dynamics are still undefined. Thats business yuri. But maybe because Im not a VTuber, my thoughts went in a completely different direction. A proposal? In front of the CEO? There are VTubers who are sensitive about fan loyalty. Like, You didnt go watch another VTuber during my break, right? Or, You werent cheating on me with another stream, were you? Theyll drop hints like that, half-joking, half-serious Usually when theyre feeling insecure or trying to tighten their fanbase. Momo isnt the type to say things like that out loud. But dont be fooled into thinking shes emotionally bulletproof. Thats amateur-level thinking. If you want to be a pro, you have to assume shes silently taking damage and comfort her accordingly. This isnt widely known, but Back when I was still her manager, Momo would often call me in a panic when her core fans were about to leave. Like, Did I do something really wrong? Shed ask me to meet up, usually dragging me out to a convenience store post-stream to vent over fire noodles like a drunk. If I didnt find just the right way to say Youre doing great and rebuild her confidence, that slump would last a while. Its not something that shows on the surface during her streams. But, like how snack bags are half-filled with nitrogen, her stream time would slowly shrink without anyone noticing. That part of her hasnt changed much, even now with 1.8 million subs. And I was still one of her core fansat least emotionally. So if we went with this proposal-themed cooking showdown, and I even slightly gave the impression I was putting heart into my dish... Yeah, the aftermath would hit that same night. She streams three times a week. That could easily drop to two. Thatd be bad. Still, I really wanted to accept Eonas request. If someone in my positionoperations, managementshuts down a creative idea, it sends a silent signal that imagination isnt welcome here. Oh, so Parallel doesnt go for this kind of content? Thats how misunderstandings begin. Especially with these second-gen kids who completely bought the lie that I was debuting with them. So as long as its not socially problematic, the right move is to say yes. Ill handle the CEOs ego and damage control myself. Besides, Eonas already succeeded as a VTuber once. People say my help played a part in thatbut hey, being good at receiving help is a skill too. And if shes this proactive about pairings, it means she already has a storyline she wants to pursue. I cant help but be curious what kind of story thatll be. Pairings born from bold moves like this tend to draw attention anyway. Theres nothing to lose by showcasing them. Though its not the right time to mention it, this might actually help solve a problem shes bound to face post-debut. Hey, Gia? You heard what I said, right? Yeah. Its a solid theme. Lets go with it. She looked surprised that I agreed, but the corners of her lips curled upward. Thanks. I thought youd shut it down. If I think it works from a content standpoint, I dont stop it. But why whisper it to me? Embarrassed to let the other two hear? Eona responded proudly. Nope. If I say it out loud, theyll want to use the idea too. I wanted this one for myself. Youre the odd one out, you know. The other two probably havent even thought that far ahead. Really? Orca and Miho are both VTuber rookies. Sure, were on casual terms now, but they still havent shaken off that initial awkwardness. No way either of them would throw out something like a proposal theme. That was when Eona finally seemed to realize something, her cheeks turning red. Shed just noticed how aggressively forward shed been. But theres nothing to be embarrassed about. If its charming, thats more than enough. Honestly, if I werent the red pill in this situation, she wouldve already hired a personal editor to make a Magia Eona tee-tee compilation. *** The idea itself was strong. A timely concept, so the cooking showdown was greenlit without hesitation. But once things got rolling, one thing started weighing on Do-hees mind. Even if wed had some prep time, the content was still last-minute. And in reality, it was mostly just her and Magias handcams taking center stage. The second-gen was included, sure. But since no information about them had been made public yet, she worried the focus would stick to her and Magia instead of shifting toward the new members. That fear only grew sharper after two videos released a week before the showdown pulled impressive numbers. [????Nutube] ??? Michelin 3-Star Acquired! | Parallel at KG Dragons KG Dragons BC | 982k subscribers 1.03M views | 1 week ago | #KGD #Parallel #BattleColosseum #VTuber #Rain #Magia [????Nutube] ??? : We Dont Do Fake Hospitality | Parallel at KG Dragons Parallel Official | 554k subscribers 740k views | 1 week ago | #KGD #Parallel #BattleColosseum #VTuber #Rain #Magia To be honest, vlogs are notoriously difficult to produce in the VTuber world. Youve either got to recreate everything with 2D or 3D animation, or show your body without revealing your face. The first option takes forever and costs a lot. The second carries the risk of personal information leaks or people identifying your past life. And even if you go the animation route With collab content like this, youd have to ask the partnered company to co-produce or handle the animation, which is tough when its a team like KG Dragons. Theyre real-world public figures who stream with their faces out in the open. So Parallel had no choice but to go with the second option. They blurred out faces and pitched it as a Limited Time Only peek event. The artist protection policy isnt about completely hiding red pill detailsits more about minimizing the risk of exposure. Anyway, back to the main point. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight The videos showing Rain and Magias physical bodies racked up nearly 2 million combined views. As a result, attention on Magia and Momos cooking showdown is now at an all-time high. No real kid talks that maturelyso its safe to assume theyre adults. But an adult woman whos only 140 cm tall? During the baseball outing with Crkemang, it was the first time anyone saw her, and the replay was deleted... so people werent quite sure. But this new video sealed the dealconfirmed by cross-verification. No wonder everyones talking. ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Is Magia really doing a handcam stream???] View on Z Parallel Official KR ? @Parallel_official_kr C 1 minute ago Whos the ultimate cooking champion of Parallel? 2025.07.14 (SAT) 5PM C Hosted by Shirahoshi Momo & Deputy Manager Magia (According to herself) The CEO who wouldve opened a restaurant if she hadnt become a streamer VS (The one who loves delivery food) Deputy Manager Magia, who refuses to lose to the CEO So, who will reign as Parallels top chef? *Special appearance by the second-gen trio as surprise judges! I was definitely born for this day. Ill watch the live broadcast with reverence. Ill rewatch it while crying. Ill watch it a third time while bowing three times. Ill watch it a fourth time while yelling, I love you! And the fifth? Ill watch it while thanking the heavens Magia has five fingers... ... [Comments] Parallel241: Why are we thanking her for having five fingers, LOL Parallel086: Wait, is Magia actually an alien? LOL Parallel091: While everyones talking about who the second-gen trio are, these Sludgies are as stubborn as ever ? Parallel650: LMAO their oshi is doing a handcam streamwho cares about second-gen debut ? Parallel006: For real, LOL ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [But like, am I the only one thinking this?] Is this even a valid competition? Shes a happy-go-lucky Wol-Dungi Shes always working her ass off She even does external shoots for her streams And shes tiny as hell Forget cookingshes doing great if she just clears her delivery containers, LOL [Comments] Parallel155: Bet shes a Han River ramen expert ? Parallel069: rewards~ ? Parallel252: Sludgies calling bland broth a reward... pure horror ? Parallel461: Sounds like a battered husband case ???? Parallel864: Plot twistMomo cooks, Magia just orders food? LOL ? Parallel622: What if its PPL? LOL ? Parallel296: Bruh thatd be stealth marketing LMAO Parallel919: You never know ? Parallel919: If she can actually cook, Ill just keep her at home ? Parallel681: Is Magia secretly a serial killer or something? ? Parallel512: Punishment levels way too extreme ???? ? Parallel919: ???? ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Just me? Or is anyone else feeling this?] Magias schedule has been insanely packed since the MCN tournament Just in the last three weeks alone: Maru C MyBadRain C Find the Real RainDora C Horror Game: Season 901512312905Komari C Troll World Cup: Naore EditionRegon C Kesa Highlights Watch PartyLuna C Birthday Call StreamThats five big appearances Whens the last time she worked this hard? Is she finally free now that second-gen debut prep is over? Or... is this finally her debut arc? Either way, not complaining ???? [Comments] Parallel689: Honestly, shes more distant from debut than ever ? Parallel689: Seems like shes never planning to debut and will just keep showing up as collab support forever, LOL Parallel111: Sludgies shouldnt be celebrating, they should be worried ???? ? Parallel111: This leads straight to burnout ? Parallel111: At least the other girls have contractsMagia can just ragequit any time ? Parallel926: You dont know anything about her!!! ? Parallel619: Honestly, if youre not a Sludgie, dont speak on Magia... ? Parallel254: Just thinking of her wellbeing sure bro LMAO ? Parallel856: Amateur: Magia might collapse from overwork ???? / Pro: Lets gooo more Magia streams ???? ... ... And now sympathy was snowballing too People were saying, Shes that small and shes been through all this?? All eyes were on Magia now. When she wasnt streaming, people begged her to come back. Now that she was streaming a lot, the chat was yelling at her to pace herself. It was insane. Its great youre hustling, but youre taking breaks too, right? Im worried about you Shes still just a baby Deputy Manager, please dont collapse... Can we take it slow next week? If Gia burns her hand, Ill cry for real But Magia, who had been directly involved in editing the videos, had predicted all this. A few days before the cooking showdown, when she dropped by the CEOs office to deliver the dish themes, she said: This is all going exactly as expected. Do-hee had also expected the vlogs to draw attention to Magia. But the thing about Magia is When she says stuff like this, shes almost always got something else in the works. Curious if it was what she was thinking, Do-hee tested the waters. Is this... because of Eona? Gia smiled in affirmation. You might wonder why Eona came up here, but Parallel was in a tight spot. They needed to push the second-gen debut hard, but the moment they did, Eonas past identity would inevitably get exposed, and controversy would blow up. Lapits had agreed to say it was a clean, mutual transfer. Plus, rumors that Serena had left due to a problematic manager at Lapits had stirred up sympathy. But still Someone out there would brand her a traitor. Accuse her of abandoning her Lapits genmates. And those people wouldnt let go. Thats exactly why Magia emphasized those points during her How to Handle Toxic Viewers training. Just having the artist endure it wasnt enough. The key was to redirect attention from her past life as Serena to her current self as Eona. Basically, the company had to turn on a giant spotlight and drown out the haters noise with something louder. If theres a more entertaining story in her current life, people forget the reincarnation stuff, Magia said. True. Besides, its not like Serena did anything wrong. She just left because she didnt like the company. If Eona delivers something bold and fun, no one will care about her past. So what exactly are you planning? Share it with me, so I can back you up. That plan? Business yuri. With Eona boldly tossing out a proposal theme, Magia and Do-hee just had to play along a little to spark massive reactions. Serenas dish theme was: A dish Id want to serve when proposing. ...And? With that, I plan to form a strong couplingeither with me or you. The heat gets redirected from her to us. We take the flak, grab the spotlight. Its a win-win. Just as Magia predicted, ~Nvlight~ Do-hee looked uncomfortable... but she couldnt argue with the logic. But wont people start saying you two schemed it from the start? Thats when the Lapits CEO steps in to confirm there were no issues with the transfer. As long as the sympathy for Serena holds, the narrative stays in our favor. Hmm... Honestly, it really was the best strategy to both promote the second-gen debut and shield Eona from backlash. At least in Parallel, protecting artists wasnt a bonus. It was standard policy. So that means youll have to really go all out with the cooking, huh? Add some acting too, like its a real proposal. Exactly. Ill be ready. ...Youre actually confident you can cook, right? It has to be good enough that people go, Welp, guess Im marrying her now. You sure you can deliver? Magia smiled. Boss, you trust me, right? Chapter 161 Magia hadnt failed at anything shed set her mind to so far, so it was easy to trust her. But to say there wasnt any anxiety? That wouldve been a lie. Anyone whod never had the time to cook due to a busy schedule Anyone who preferred ordering delivery to touching a frying pan Anyone who openly liked controversial things like pineapple pizza Such people couldnt escape suspicion of being a cursed cuisine maker. Some of the worst among them had left behind unforgettable horrors, memorable purely for how bad they looked: Three-Minute Claymore, Deep-Fried Mutant Cuts of the Underworld, Hardened Bronze Glazed Chicken, Putrid Siren Sushi of the Deep Sea, and Plague-Infested Undead Pizza. Masterpieces still whispered about online to this day. According to most people''s predictions, Magia was about to join their ranks. Magias definitely gonna suck at cooking, 100% Shes totally gonna make Han River ramen Honestly, even if she does make that, I hope she at least cooks it properly I feel like shes about to invent Stir-Fried Intestines of Hell I mean, her taste in pineapple pizza says it all LOL No way... right? LOL One person in particular, postponing his own stream, was hammering this point home in Parallels official channel chat: ????Mugeon: This isnt a reversal battle, its gonna be a one-sided beatdown ????Mugeon: Momos seriously good at cooking r e a l LMAO Bro, how do you even know that? My horns hurt :: Anonymous donor sent 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Theres a weird dude being cringe over here :: ????Mugeon: If youre salty, go become a 2-million-subscriber streamer yourself Im so mad right now Seriously LOL Muted Mugeon Please stop showing up in public Momo was already known for effortlessly pulling off home baking and earning everyones respect for it. Now Magia was stepping up to challenge her. That left only two possibilities: Either she was so shockingly skilled that shed completely dominate Or shed suck so bad itd be cult-classic hilarious. Based on her streaming habits, it clearly leaned toward the latter. Which meant everyone had already made up their minds before the stream even began: Magia cant cook. Period. Momo, having scrolled through the pre-show chat, addressed it head-on. She wanted to believe in Magia. She hoped that trust wouldnt be misplaced. Everyones saying youre going to be an absolute disaster in the kitchen. Do you have anything to say to that? Magia didnt exactly deny it. But she didnt confirm it either. Truthfully... Ive never really cooked properly before. LOLLL Confirmed cursed cuisine incoming Just admit its a PPL gig and move on LOL Youre totally ordering food, right? Wait, was Momo really going up against delivery food this whole time?? LOL Then what gave you the confidence to challenge me in the first place? Ive never really cooked... but Im confident I can follow directions well. And with that, she uttered the most infamous line in the amateur chef playbook: Ive never done it before, but Im great at following recipes. I dont know how to cook, but if I just follow the video or instructions, itll be fine, right? The audience lost it. Yo what the hell LOLLLLL LOLLLLLLL Spoiler ban Official channel dropping spoilers lmao :: Anonymous donor sent 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Upvote if youre dying to see what kind of cursed creation comes out of this LOL :: Upvoted LOL g g Wasnt this supposed to be a cooking battle??? :: Anonymous donor sent 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Is this a torture event for the guest judges or what LOL :: LOLLLL Are they gonna get carted away after eating her dish...? Poor second-gens ???? Parallel really is the worst company LMAO How is their first official schedule eating cursed food from their senior?? :: Anonymous donor sent 1,000 Clouds! :: :: At least it alternatessweet and salty: MomoCMagiaCMomoCMagia :: We have to start with Magias dish If you end with hers, youre just gonna go puke LOLLL Still, Magias comment did something important: It raised expectations across the board. Because now, even if she was terrible, people were already primed to enjoy it. But if she actually turned out to be good? That would be a twist no one saw coming. An armchair chef moment turned real-life shocker. Sensing the growing excitement, Do-hee stirred the pot a little. Well, Ill be doing my best even if my opponents completely hopeless. So lets see what youve got. Boss, dont be too surprised when you taste my food later, okay? Im seriously looking forward to it. Seriously seriously. Boss, your expectations are too high LOL Maybe... set the bar lower? LOL LETS GOOOO LOLLLL *** A few minutes later, it was time to introduce the judges. [Uheehee?] [Greetings!] [Hello there] There were some complaints about the second-gens only showing whiteboards and not revealing their voices But thanks to the magnetism of Magia and Momos hand cam, the viewers begrudgingly agreed to wait until the end of the stream for the voice reveal. Surprisingly, many found the written responses charming, as each girls personality shone through. The one getting the most attention was the first judge of the day: Miho. Her writing was a disaster, but the cutesy tonelike a high school girls doodlewas something Parallel hadnt seen before. [Hmm~? Its late at night right now. I need something quick and easy to eat during a stakeout, so please take care of it] [#InstantlyAwake #Convenient #HeartyMeal] Whats with the hearts and stars LOL She''s like a gal detective Why is her handwriting so messy LOL That is a severe case of bad penmanship [(????Live) Reversal Cooking Battle (Momo vs. Magia)] ????29,984 #Cooking #Momo #Magia #Parallel Either way, this familiar Momo vs. Magia rivalry had successfully pulled attention. The bait had been castthe viewers were busy speculating about the new girls. Exactly what the production team had hoped for. Now, all that was left was for Magias cooking to turn out well. If she nailed it, Eonas transfer issue would quietly vanish beneath the hype. But while Momo dazzled with the golden sear of sizzling meat Is she making burritos? That looks delicious Wow, that meat I cant hold back Opening my delivery app now Magias dish, at some point... turned purple. And not the soft pastel kind. A deep, disturbing purple. The blender whirred. Some sludge-like paste churned inside like a monster brewing. When she opened the lid, the thick purple substance clung to the blade and slumped down in a clump. It was a slightly lighter shade now, but the texture... was deeply unsettling. Why is it purple LOL Is this an Underworld recipe? Guaaack :: Anonymous donor sent 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Why is no one acknowledging she threw in blueberries LOL :: When did she do that? LOL Sorry I was watching the boss Do blueberries even make it that dark? LOL I thought she poured in some underworld juice or something Wasnt it that syrup she dumped in earlier? All shed done was blend banana and blueberries, then add a special syrup But since people already believed she was a terrible cook, it looked nightmarish by default. Which was... understandable. Take a visually shocking dish with odd texture and polarizing flavor. Now imagine it served by a professional chef vs. someone famous for being a kitchen disaster. The pro would get Whoa! Its surprisingly delicious! The latter? What is that?! drop spoon That was exactly how the viewers were reacting. Even Miho, the judge, looked visibly tenseeven in handwriting. Her whiteboard flickered on-screen, then disappeared, then came back with new text: [Deputys dish looks seriously YABEE!] "Magia Yabee" LOL It really is dangerous We''ve never seen a dish like this before Luckily for Miho, Magias concoction was finally taking shape as a drink. She blended the thick goop again with milk and ice. It started to look like an actual food item. Served in a clear tumbler with a thick straw, it almost looked legit. The color softened into a gentle lavender. Sweetness practically radiated from the screen. Sure, it looked thicker than store-bought versions, but still It was a bananaCblueberry smoothie. No one expected much after that monstrous start, But bananas and blueberries? Kind of hard to screw that up. Huh? Suddenly looks tasty Not so fast Gotta taste it first Banana + blueberry... can that even taste bad? LOL Unless she used rotten berries, its probably fine Ding. Magia was first to ring the bell. Dish complete. Only then did Momos facepreviously focused and intenserelax a bit. (In VTuber cooking streams, faces are tracked separately from the top-down hand camera, so expressions are visible.) I thought you were making some weird pudding, Momo said, glancing at her own tortilla. Magia fired back, I figured for a stakeout, itd be better to down something clean in one gorather than messily chew and spill ingredients everywhere. Oooh Gasp Cmon, burritos arent that messy I always spill mine though Smoothie wins on convenience Burrito wins on filling Smoothies probably better for staying awake Wake up with blueberry LOL You never knowif that burritos got jalapen?os... This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight Just as viewers were saying: Each dish had its strengths. Convenience: banana-blueberry smoothie. Heft: burrito. The judges had been informed of the theme beforehand, but this was the first time hashtags were used to highlight judging criteria. So thered been a disconnect. Ultimately, whichever dish woke you up more would likely determine the winner. Time to judge Magias smoothie. Almost like ASMR. The mic by Miho captured every slurp. ssssllrp She keeps drinking Wheres the reaction...? Is it good? I TOLD YOU, it cant taste bad LOL If anything was clear, it was this: Miho would not stop sipping. Soon, the sound of the emptying tumbler echoed A final slurrrrp. And then... Kyah. That single exclamation was all it took to turn the tide. Kyah, she said. Kyah moment achieved Guess it was good, LOL This is the kind of thing a Palbungi could blend at home and still taste fine Pretty sure its just the syrup making it sweet Sweetness is basically a cheat code anyway Still, everyone said the same thing: Magia didnt win because she was a good cook She just picked ingredients you couldnt mess up. Not a bad method, considering her lack of skill. But compared to Momo, most viewers agreed she still fell short in actual technique. Whether Magia knew it or not, she grinned and asked Miho directly, M Judge. Hows the taste? Pretty insane, right? Miho nodded. Since viewers couldnt see that, Momo chimed in to explain. Shes nodding, so I guess it is good. But can you really endure a long stakeout on just a smoothie? You never know how many hours youll have to push throughdrinks dont exactly last. Stop being so negative, boss. Its embarrassing. You were the one being negative first! LOL Fight fair with the food, not each other Why are they both bullying the newbie judges LOL Secret boss vs. the actual boss Id be too stressed to eat if I were there While the mood stayed rowdy, Miho picked up a board marker and scribbled her evaluation. Magia and Momo chatted while keeping an eye on the camera angle, waiting for the judges board to come into frame. Looks like shes done writing. So, M Judges review for Magia Deputys smoothie is...? Drumrolllll DKGDKGDKG [Judging Notes] [At first, the dark purple color during prep had me worried, but?! The moment I took a sipbright tartness and rich sweetness hit me like a truck! Theres this subtle bitterness thats not from the banana or blueberry, must be the syrup she added earlier... Is it pomegranate? Thats my favorite fruit? OMG one more! One more! Who needs a stakeout? I just wanna drink this all night LOL] It was absurdly positive. Dohee read the whole thing and clapped a hand over her mouth, amazed. So that syrup was pomegranate, huh. Since her time with the second-gens had been limited, Dohee hadnt yet memorized their individual preferences. But Magia clearly had. Rather than relying on cooking skill, shed built her strategy around simple, optimized recipes tailored to the judges themselves. So thats why she was so confident. Sure, a scoring system should be objective. But people stop being objective the moment something hits their personal taste dead-on. Sure enough Mihos review of Dohees burrito was... [Judging Notes] [Just the flavor I expected! A perfect burrito. The meat was cooked so well, I couldnt stop smiling while eating! The spicy kick from the jalapen?os definitely helps keep you awake, and the fullness gives me the energy to push through the night? But... there were maybe a few too many veggies!] Is she a meat-lover or what? There werent that many veggies though... Okay yeah Magia won this one LOL You sneaky littleLOL Shes clearly a meathead judge LOL Magia smiled at Mihos comment, then said, At the end of the day, unless its a pro judge, cooking contests really come down to matching the judges taste, right? Very well prepared, huh? Of course. I know the boss is a great cook. You think Id come in here unarmed? And so, Round 1 of the showdown ended with a win for Magia. [Winner: Magia Deputys Blueberry Banana Pomegranate Smoothie] Dohee, though disappointed, still praised the clever strategy. If this continuedif she could keep Eona happy and sway public opinion Then theyd be one step closer to securing Eonas smooth debut. You really did your research. Ive barely seen anyone use that pomegranate syrup. And you even knew M Judges favorite fruit? But Magia tilted her head. That was pomegranate syrup? ...? Oh. I visited M Judges place to help set up her rig, and she made me a drink with that syrup. So I just used the same one. Didnt know it was pomegranate. Wait. So the recipewasnt from a video or anything? Magia shook her head and dropped the bomb. Nope. I just followed a basic blueberry banana smoothie recipe and tossed in the syrup. That paste earlier? I didnt expect it to come out that dark either. Thank god the milk and ice fixed it. ....... Still reeling, Dohee took a sip of the leftover smoothie Miho hadnt finished. It was like nothing shed ever had Surprisingly good, with a unique punch. The kind of thing an indie cafe? might try as a seasonal special. But if every dish Magia made today followed this kind of logic You didnt... prepare everything like this, right? Magia nodded proudly. Yup. I prioritized matching each judges taste. And then she revealed her next special ingredient. A flat tin with an unusual design One most people wouldnt recognize. But anyone whod done military service... would know it immediately. The worst side dish in army mess hall history. ? ??? Uh No way PLEASE NO KRAAAAAK What is THAT doing here Excuse me?? THIS is the special ingredient? Orcas last hopethat this was a jokewas [N O V E L I G H T] shattered. Magia proudly introduced her next dish for O Judge: The next course is a seafood-based Jjamppong! Dohee and Orcas faces went ghost-white. But Magia puffed up proudly, clearly hoping her effort would be recognized. O Judge had a bunch of these stacked at home, so I figured she must really like them! Chapter 162 The culture of officers eating separately in their own mess hall disappeared about a year before Orca was discharged. So yeah, even Orca has a traumatic memory tied to that seafood sauce. Now that shes out of the military, its been completely scrubbed from the menuso rare you cant even find it in stores anymore. She loves seafood, but that sauce almost made her throw up. It was, without exaggeration, the absolute worst example of food corruption ever served in the military. You know how she brought home boxes of that abominable seafood sauce when she got discharged, even though it still had months left before expiration? That was for one reason: If anyone dared to say, The militarys not that bad, right? She could slam a can in their hands and reply, This is the kind of shit they feed you. Why did she give some to Magia when she came over to help set up her gear? Because Magia saw it all piled up in the kitchen and asked, What the hell is that? And Orca replied, Something that should never have existed. When Magia got curious and said she wanted to try it, Orca cracked open a can and scooped out just one spoonful, served with other side dishes. Finishing a whole can? Basically impossible. Even just a single spoonfulif you didnt have other food to wash it downyou couldnt finish your meal. But the thing is, Magia didnt react with disgust to the overwhelming stench or the godawful flavor. When Orca said, How is it? Absolutely revolting, right? And Magia replied, Wow, thats insane She wasnt being sarcastic. She meant it. And now, it turns out Magia had asked for a few cans the other day not to prank someone else, but to... assassinate herself? O Judge likes seafood sauce... noted. That is one hell of a taste. Is there any way to keep her from bringing that to the Head of Rice Inspection? Wait, seafood sauce? Is she military? lol Girls a discharged high school student?? wtf Even Magia, who eats pineapple pizza, would draw the line at this Second-gen talents got it rough lololol To make matters worse, thanks to Magias comments, the audience was starting to get the completely wrong idea. A flustered Orca quickly scribbled on the whiteboard: [Everyone, this is a misunderstanding. I do NOT eat seafood sauce. I threw up after one bite.] She says she doesnt eat it? Whos lying, then? lololol One of thems gotta be full of it :: Movgun has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Just feed her some and well know for sure :: Prove your innocence by eating it Was this whole segment designed to torment the guest?? lol Horrifying... But like... arent you curious about seafood sauce jjamppong though? uh? While Orca was busy explaining herself to the viewers with frantic scribbles, Cheon Do-hee leaned over to Magia and asked nervously, ...You can make actual food with that stuff, right? Even someone like Magia, whos hopeless in the kitchen, can usually make a smoothie with syrup and not mess it up. But seafood? Thats a different beast. If you cant handle the fishy smell, the slimy flavor, or the texture properly, youre going to create something downright monstrous. Normally, its better to use store-bought products than cook it yourself But this particular store-bought sauce has the worst reputation. So there was zero hope that the final dish would taste good. Even Cheon Do-hee, who didnt know much about the military, had at least heard of that infamous seafood sauce. But Magia just shrugged like it was no big deal. I had it at Judge Os house once. It was fine. ...You mean fine as in actually edible? Yeah. At least to me, it was okay. At that moment, probably half the viewers watching the stream facepalmed in sync. Oh So it was you I shouldve known back when she said she liked pineapple pizza... Dont put her in the same tier as Pineapple Girl ???????????????? Honestly, Pineapple Girls like ten times better lolololol This woman is a straight-up demon Cheon Do-hee gave up. She realized there was no saving this dish. Guess theres no helping it... She felt bad for Orca, but as long as the food meant for Ena turned out okay, they could wrap up the stream without a disaster. There might be a new meme about how Magia secretly hates Orca... But that could always be spun into a future joke or content bit. Sorry, Orca. Do-hee smiled awkwardly and said, ...Well, lets just make it and see how it goes? *** [Ive returned from grueling training. Id like a nourishing dish to soothe my exhausted body.] [#recovery #mouthwatering #feel-good] Even before the theme was announced, the horrifying ingredient revealed at the start had already sealed the outcome, at least according to popular opinion. No matter what Magia added after thator how she cooked itnone of it mattered. She actually cooked the noodles pretty well? But still, seafood sauce jjamppong though... fr tho lol The noodles arent the problem ???? Just look at that bubbling nightmare of a broth Momos house is gonna reek of fish smell lmao Krrrrk... :: Anonymous donor has contributed 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Second-gen contestants, wave a carrot if the fish smell gets overwhelming! :: And then, without any prompting, three whiteboards popped up on screen at the same time: [Its horrible TT] [I want to die] [????... ????] Everyone was silently screaming for mercy. Sure, Orcathe one whod actually have to eat itwas probably suffering the most. But Magia paid no attention and stayed focused on her cooking. Ding. Since her dish was more complex, Magias wasnt finished yetbut Cheon Do-hees meal was done first. Because we dont have enough time on stream for long recipes, I considered a few options, but this one seemed best. Whoa That grilled eel looks crazy good Kyaaaaaaa I can smell the sweetness of that sauce through the screen Yep, when it comes to cooking, Momos the real deal A classic stamina dish: grilled eel over rice. The sticky texture of the meat, the balance of umami and sweetness from the sauceit was exactly the kind of dish Orca had asked for. And yet, even with that delicious meal in front of her, Orca couldnt smile. Ding. Just as she was about to dig in, Magias seafood sauce jjamppong was finished... The sauce had been dumped into water and boiled until the whole kitchen reeked of fish. The idea of eating that thing after finishing this delicious rice bowl made her stomach lurch. Still, with the aftermath in mind, she couldnt turn down the good food now. Orca clenched her eyes shut and took a bite of Do-hees dish. Hap. Sss. Chew chew chew. The mouthwatering ASMR had everyone drooling, temporarily forgetting the monstrosity Magia had created. Damn Holy crap that looks good Im literally sprinting to my local rice bowl spot I NEED to try this right now Then came the flawless evaluation. [Tasting Notes] [With each bite, the fluffy rice, sweet-savory sauce, and chewy eel came together perfectly. If food like this were served every time, I could survive weekly training without complaint. Youre the best, chef!!!] Honestly, at this point, no one even needed to taste Magias dish. Orca had already mentally classified it as a biochemical weapon. But content is content. As soon as Do-hees now-empty plate was moved aside, Magias seafood sauce jjamppong took its place. Dear God. Whether she realized it or not, Magia calmly explained to the prayer-eyed Orca: I brought it to a boil with mirin, then added radish, green onions, and bean sprouts. Finally, I cooked the noodles separately and topped it all with spicy jjamppong oil and a splash of lemon juice. Go ahead, try it. Only now did the others realize Magia had used a lot of ingredients. Huh? She added that much stuff? When did she do all that?? ???? Most people had tuned out the moment she pulled out the seafood sauce, or they just never expected anything decent from her cooking to begin with. Momo asked, puzzled. It did look like shed dumped in every ingredient known to be good for seafood stew, but still... just to be sure. Waitmirin? You added mirin? Yep. I heard adding it to fish stew makes it taste way better. That was... partly true. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. All the ingredients she usedincluding the mirindid help suppress the fishy smell. So, when compared to the initial can-opening stench, the odor was surprisingly muted now. Like they say: even a broken clock is right twice a day. This was one of those moments. ...But this isnt really a stamina dish, is it? Stop being so negative. Im not being negative, Im being honest. You just opened a can of seafood sauce. How is that a stamina food? This sauce contains 25% octopus. And octopus is a classic stamina food. You didnt even know what pomegranate syrup was, and this you know...? The texture was weird when I ate it, so I checked. Turns out it was octopus. Magia stirred the soup and showed off the floating seafood bits. It was octopus, just like she said... But it didnt look nearly as nutritious as properly prepped octopus from a store. That octopus... Feels like Id be chewing on a tire ???????????? Oh god its coming back to me... that gooey explosion when you bite into it KRRRRAAAAAK Someone stop the food torture ???? But Orca had to eat it. This was her punishment. She was the one who told Magia about the seafood sauce in the first place. She picked up her chopsticks. Recalling those military days when you had no choice but to eat whatever was served. She slurped up the chewy noodles soaked in that bloody red broth. Okay but the slurping sounds are good Just the sounds tho Aaah... Oh no... Sluuurp. Slurrrrrp. ...Wait a sec? Something felt off. Was it... actually kinda tasty? Whats going on? Is she just slurping for show? ???? Is she still eating it? ???? The noodles were surprisingly well-cooked. Maybe because Magia was good at following instructions. They had that springy texture like a proper bowl of restaurant jjamppong. And the broth, which everyone had low expectations for, clung to the noodles with a flavor that was Unexpectedly okay. But how?? Given everything shed thrown in, you couldnt even tell if it was still seafood sauce or if it had somehow become a Ship of Theseus version of it. The octopus still had an awful texture, but the fact that anything edible had come out of that can was already a miracle. Of course, the dish wasnt without issues. Do-hee, now curious since Orca was eating it just fine, scooped up a spoonful of the broth. And immediately sprayed mist all over the now-empty bowl. Hey! How much mirin did you put in this?! I used it instead of water when I made the broth. You what?! Thanks to the jjamppong oil, the taste had masked it somewhat, but once the broth lingered in your mouth, that strange sweetness and alcoholic kick came rushing in. Magia had dumped so much mirin in, it might as well have been soup made entirely out of alcohol. Mirins technically a cooking wine, sure But its still alcohol, and boiling it doesnt evaporate all of it. So ? NvIight ? (Original source) basically, Magia had served everyone an alcoholic noodle soup. And not long after, the effect kicked in for Orca, too. Her handwritingonce neat and straightbecame wobbly and twisted. As if a drunk earthworm was crawling across the whiteboard. [Tasting Notes] [Thot itd be disgudting but is axtually deliii...] Do-hee, who at least knew Orcas alcohol tolerance from the interview stage, immediately dashed over and grabbed her by the shoulders. Moments later, Orca collapsed into Do-hees arms. With a beer tolerance of just half a glass, Orca was out cold. Being the tallest in the room, it took several people huffing and puffing to lay her down on the couch. A few minutes later, Do-hee returned to the stream and addressed the viewers. ...Sorry, everyone. Judge O has extreme alcohol intolerance. She passed out. I think well have to call this match a draw... ???????????????????????? LOLOLOLOL This is insane ???? Legendary stream moment ???? Wait, mirin has alcohol?! Bro I just learned something new ???? Do-hee let out a sigh and muttered, You totally did that on purpose just to make this round a draw. No, I seriously didnt know mirin had alcohol in it. It literally says cooking wine on the label... Come on, do I look like someone who reads ingredients when I cook? Oh forthen why did you read the ingredients on the seafood sauce?! I cant with this woman ???????????? Shes a certified cursed dish master Whats scarier is the fact that the seafood sauce jjamppong... actually tasted okay ???? I bet a new seafood sauce challenge is gonna trend soon At this point, Cheon Do-hee couldnt shake the growing sense of dread. What on earth was the final dish going to be? The proposal dish, meant for Enawhat had Magia brought this time? Some other cursed recipe from a deep, dark corner of the culinary underworld? [To the one who wants to propose to me: What dish would you prepare if you invited me to your home?] [#Confession #Proposal #Romantic] Gasp m?m? E Judge just dropped her unfiltered desires damn And so, the moment Ena revealed the theme on her whiteboard, Do-hee immediately turned to Magia. You. Whats your main ingredient this time? Tell me now. Actually, tell me everythingeven the sides. Nope. What if you copy my recipe, boss? Why the hell would I copy you?! Classic trait of someone who cant cook: paranoia and secrecy ???? Nobodys trying to copy you lmao Even if they wanted to, they couldnt ???? :: PIN0 has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Gia, Papas fine with anything elsejust please cook plain ramen this time? :: ???????????? Even Papa draws the line at her cooking Honestly, youd be lucky to get out of this without a slap Magia pouted like a kid refusing to share candy, but eventually gave in and confessed her secret recipe. Pineapple pizza. A short silence followed, perfectly capturing everyones collective shock. But the reactions that came after were surprisingly... soft. In fact, people were welcoming Magias choice. :: Anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Finally, a real dish from her?! :: :: Anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Why didnt she treat O Judge this nicely?! :: Yeah, just make pineapple pizza at this point Kinda feel bad for O now lmao I mean, surely she can make this properly, right? ???? Still just pineapple pizza though, isnt it? No but seriously pineapple pizzas good Who in their right mind wants pineapple pizza as a proposal dish though ???? You uncultured heathens I pity those who cant appreciate pineapple pizzas greatness :: Anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: At least Pineapple Pizza has a shot with E Judge ???? :: fr tho ???? Way better than that cursed seafood sludge What if E Judges a pineapple pizza fan? You never know Honestly anything is better than that seafood sauce mess PI NE AP PLE PIZ ZA IS DEL IC IO US WHY DONT YOU UNDER STAND The pineapple defenders were gaining ground fast. Do-hee was flustered, but she kind of understood why. No way... is it because the last dish was so traumatic? If Magia had deliberately gone for shock value earlier to lower expectations and make this dish seem amazing by comparison Then she had completely nailed it. Usually, whenever pineapple pizza came up, the chat would turn into a battleground. But now? Everyone was saying it was perfect for a proposal. Trying to cool down the chat before it overheated, Do-hee turned to Magia. Alright, alright. Lets all calm down. Lets hear the reason. Why pineapple pizza for a proposal dish, Magia? Do you have a reason? I told you earlierI came prepared to win this cooking showdown. You did, yeah. Right. So I picked dishes that would give me an edge with each judge. And for E Judge, Im telling youpineapple pizza is the right answer. ...So, youre saying E Judge is a pineapple pizza lover too? Right on cue, Ena started scribbling something on her whiteboard, and the moment she raised it, the chat exploded. [I like all pizza, as long as it tastes good.] Soulmates, Im telling you LMAOOOOOOO Wishing you two a beautiful love story As long as she doesnt force it on anyone else, its fine. Mmm-hmm. :: PIN0 has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Truth is, Papa likes pineapple pizza too... :: Get out You did NOT just say that This mans playing both sides like a damn bat But actually, its not just about whether E Judge likes it or not, Magia continued. Theres a real reason I chose pineapple pizza for a proposal dish. What is it? My future spouse cant be someone who hates pineapple pizza. So, if Im the one doing the proposing, of course Im gonna serve the ultimate pineapple pizza. KYAHAHAHAHA ROMANCE KING MAGIA This womans got style Where are all the pineapple haters now, huh?! I dont care anymore, that was smooth as hell ???? D E A R G I A Now thats romance! At last, Do-hee let out a quiet sigh of relief. Things were going really well. At this rate, as long as Gia baked the pizza properly, the victory was hers. Ena would obviously choose Gias pineapple pizza, and with that, they could gently bury any controversy about Enas past life without further issue. But you never knew with Magia. Do-hee trusted herbut still made sure to prepare a backup plan just in case the pizza turned into another culinary tragedy. Good thing I prepped some extra ingredients just in case. ...You know what? My final dish is pineapple pizza too. ??? Is today like, International Pineapple Pizza Day or something? Did Magia ruin everyones taste buds?? Magia squinted suspiciously at Do-hee. Didnt you say you werent copying my dish? Do you even have dough? Im not sharing mine. Ive got everything I need, thanks. And I didnt copy you, okay? You still dont get why I picked pineapple pizza, do you? ...Nope. Not at all. Magia may be great at drawing attention, but when it came to truly setting things ablaze in Parallel, no one beat Cheon Do-hee, the six-year streaming veteran. With this dish, I get two girlfriends. Im not cut out for monogamy. After a brief pause, the chat exploded. This womans unhinged Whats wrong with Momo today?! ???????????? Is this a love triangle war?! ITS GETTIN HOT COME HERE YOU HYAAAH!! Polar bear slap^BAM! BABABABABAM^BAM!!! BI SAAAAAAANG Polar bear DOWN! All dormant volcanoes have now eruptedBISAAAAAAAAANG The thermometers shattered Earths hottest summer, confirmed Thats it... it was summer... Chapter 163 The final cooking showdown began in an atmosphere so hot, it couldve evaporated a chunk of the planet. While many viewers were giddy with excitement, certain people couldnt quite get into the hype. Most notably, those like Movgunpeople still unfamiliar with VTuber culture. What the hell is everyone freaking out about? [You know, its kinda weird how you dont even know what the V in VTuber stands for but still watch Parallel streams regularly.] I just think Magias funny, so I only watch the stuff shes in. Its likeher face just pops into my head, like this mischievous little gremlin. Makes me want to smack her. Ugh. [Yeah. I get that.] Ronze, who was watching the stream with him in a TalkCord voice chat, chimed in. [So? What are you confused about? You dont get why everyones losing it?] Yeah. [Its kinda lame to explain this stuff out loud, though.] Well, I need that lame explanation. Hit me. Ronze chuckled. [You ever been into idol fandoms?] Nope. But Ive seen the younger guys on our team get into that stuff. [Okay, have you seen female celebs getting all cutesy with each other?] ...Yeah, I think so. Like at movie premieres, when two actresses sit side by side and link arms or hug or squish each others cheeks? [Exactly. Youre catching on. Thats precisely what everyones freaking out over right now. Make sense?] Ohhh. Got it. Like, one flower is prettybut two together are even prettier, right? That kind of thing! [Exactly. But now imagine its not just two flowersyoure building a whole bouquet. Mixing different flowers together makes it more vibrant than just a bunch of the same kind, right?] Oooh. That really hits. Youre good at this, Shin-kang. Grinning proudly like a substitute teacher, Ronze continued. [Same deal here. Youve seen Lets Get Married, right?] Of course. National little sister, national oppa. Ha Seo-na and Bae Tae-joon. I still remember them. [And part of why that show was fun was because # Nvlight # you got to see unexpected pairings together in a series. You feel me?] Totally. [Same vibe now with Momo, Magia, second-gen, and E Judge. Like, Magia usually floats around, but shes never really locked in with anyone. And now suddenly, shes roped into this thing with both of them? Thats whats got people losing it.] Damn. Shin-kang, youre a god-tier instructor. Why arent you teaching? [Some folks on the forum do call me BurTeacher.] Nope. Thats a hard no. Anyway, I get it now. In short, people want to see fun chemistry between streamersand Magia, famously a loner with no solid pairings, suddenly being caught in a love triangle-level drama? It was sending everyone into a frenzy. To fully enjoy this madness, Movgun would need to channel the mindset of a morning soap opera addict. Meanwhile, the two chefs had started prepping in earnest. Watching them place toppings on their dough, Movgun threw in a donation. I was hoping someone would spin the dough but oh well Honestly, spinning it takes way too long for a stream lol This is where "money" and "store-bought" ingredients come into play That means the toppings are gonna be the key here :: Movgun has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Judging by the toppings, their ideas of love seem very different :: Wait Gasp Oh no The chat immediately reacted. Momo doesnt have tomato paste?! Tomato = red = love Fake love?! Momo confirmed for business ship!! Then what, Magias love is real now? ???? :: Anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Everyone calm downreal love is Magia x Momo, obviously :: Grandpa, what do you even know Honestly, as long as it tastes good, who cares I wanna see both ships Technically it was E Judge who asked for a proposal dish first Es the more assertive one These days, its not about tsunderesits about megaderes Cant resist a bold, purehearted girl What are you even saying ???? I propose the path of neutrality! When chats this explosive, the streamers inevitably join in. Starting with Ena, who had a bit of breathing room, then quickly followed by Do-hee and Magia: [E Judge] [Go Magia, you got this!] What, I dont get any love? Thats kind of cold, Judge. [E Judge] [You too, boss... good luck...] ???????????? Hit with the power of workplace hierarchy Here we go againcorporate abuse on full display Forced encouragement lol Boss, trying to win by leaning on the judges because your dish isnt working? Not cool. If youre jealous, go be the CEO yourself. Suckseeding you, mother LOL Its getting brutal Isnt this real love though? ???? Six years of love-hate history right there Its not that Movgun didnt know how to enjoy livestreams. He just didnt understand the language of VTubers and idols. But now? Hed unlocked the truth. Viewers open their wallets to see everyone explode in conversation from just a single donation. Ronze had awakened a monsterMovgun had now fully evolved into a top-tier chaotic viewer. With money, time, and no intention of holding back, nothing could stop him. :: Movgun has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Honestly? Magia x Momos old news. Im way more hyped for this new challenger, E Judge :: Hmmm Whys this dude spitting straight facts today? Wasnt this guy always saying the dumbest crap? Bro... youve seen the light Baptized in the broth of VTubersMovgun reborn Already, people in the community had been live-commenting everything. With Movguns involvement, the ripple effects exploded. On streamer forums, opinions from big streamers and their streamer friends always carried more weight than random viewers. Like the difference between posts titled: Until the Arctic Melts vs. Movgun) Until the Arctic Melts. Same wordsmassively different impact. Now the theories were spreading like wildfire: Why is second-gen being so forward with Magia? Did something happen between Magia and second-gen that we dont know about? Even full-blown conspiracies began to sprout: Is Movgun secretly gunning for Momo, so hes pushing Magia x E Judge instead? Wild speculation blanketed the forums, pulling in tons of new eyes... [(????Live) Rebellion Cooking Showdown (Momo vs. Magia)] ???? 56,553 #Cooking #Momo #Magia #Parallel A stream originally meant to casually introduce the second-gen VTubers... Had now become the #1 most-watched broadcast on the entire Pazijik platform. With 56.5k viewers, it barely edged out the ongoing small-scale game tournament, proving just how massive its pull had become. * Amid the buzz and anticipation, the two pizzas were finally completed. Magia, seemingly more confident in this area, rang the bell slightly ahead of Momo and began presenting her dish. First, take a look at this perfectly baked, chewy dough. Bro thats store-bought dough lol Why is she presenting it like she made it from scratch ???? I guess baking is what counts here haha On top of that, Ive got tomato paste I saute?ed myself, heaps of mozzarella, tons of pepperoni, a punch of salty olives, and finally, sweet roasted pineapple for that perfect salty-sweet combo. Classic of classics. Pineapple pizza. Even the scattered yellow landminespineapple chunkslooked appetizing, drawing admiration from everyone. Honestly, this looks amazing after that cursed jjamppong My brains been fully reprogrammed lol No fr, its psychological conditioning Its just a normal pizza but looks like gourmet now ???? Why is she so passionate about pineapple pizza tho Then it was Momos turn. I went with something a bit more mainstream. Honestly, that salty-sweet combo you like? I think thats super divisive. Oh Ooooh Shes a real cooking pro, damn Shes approaching it from a whole different angle lol So I skipped the tomato paste entirely. Instead, I brushed honey on the dough, added cheese, then topped it with arugula, fresh tomatoes, other veggies, and pineapple for a fresher, cleaner taste. Its closer to a gorgonzola-style pizza, in a way. This one needs to be tasted to judge But if E Judge doesnt have Magias tastebuds, Momos is gonna win for sure frfr Momos all the way lol Salty base + pineapple is a crime against food Ena, glancing back and forth between the two pizzas, hesitated, then scribbled something on her board: [This is really hard....] She took one bite from each. Chew, chew. The satisfying, chewy sounds echoed through the mic, making mouths water across the nation. Then Hnnng. A soft groan escaped, and the board changed. [Theyre both seriously good. I think Ill need a bit more time to decide.] Respect Valid Shes gonna think it over, go ahead and chatter, yall Gotta love monthly misunderstandings lol Theyre asking us to talk and fill the time, boss. Oh, is that so? Got it. [N-no no, its not like that...!] Its fine, take your time. Well wait as long as you need. Its the final dish, after all. I totally get why its hard. Exactly. Without us blabbering, were basically dead air, right boss? Making the junior do all the talking, classic Wall County Look at them teasing her lol Poor E Judge, getting bullied Leave her alone, shes trying her best ???? :: Anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Are the Puddles all psychopaths?? ???? Their emotions flip like pancakes :: They gave her time, but from Magias perspective, it was puzzling. Ena... is hesitating? She wasnt the type to hesitate when making choices. Maybe it was how she was raisedin a good environment, from a prominent family. Her style had always been pick what you like and dont look back. Even when she ditched Lapits and joined Parallel, that clean, decisive move was just so... her. Which meant it wasnt about the taste. There was some other reason for her hesitation. And Gias hunch was dead-on. Ena was weighing things from the very start of the challenge. Why did the boss pick pineapple pizza? See, pineapple pizza wasnt just a dish to Magiait was her life food. She was so committed, she kept a small oven and backup ingredients at home for emergencies, like storms that stopped delivery. That meant two things: One, Magia was damn good at making pineapple pizza. Two, if she ever proposed, pineapple pizza would be on the menu. A well-made pineapple pizza from Magia, delivered with sincerityif Ena chose that and declared it delicious, then publicly paired with Magia... She could keep pushing that dynamic and become Parallels most beloved partner pairing. That was her plan. But then Cheon Do-hee stepped in and changed the game. If the dishes had been different, itd be easier to compare. But with the same dish? Way harder. And Do-hees pizza? It was honestly good enough to sell in a store. Compared to Magias more traditional pie, Do-hees had a visual flair and color palette that was hard to ignore. But why did Do-hee, who doesnt even like pineapple pizza, suddenly change her menu and get so aggressive toward Ena? It felt... almost like she wanted to make things difficult. Like she couldnt allow Magia and Ena to just become a duo. As if to say, If you want her, youll have to go through me. No way... shes not actually jealous, right? Ena deeply respected Do-hee. She was the CEO, a titan in the Korean VTuber scene. If Taro earned the title of God when his content blew up, Then Momo was called a god for crafting incredible scenarios. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Their chaotic dynamic during Great Fun Mountain had been legendary for a reason. So... was Momo writing a new script right now? Was she worried the GiaCEna pairing wouldnt generate enough impact on its own? Ena was well-regarded as a healing-type VTubersoothing, gentle, a pleasant presence. But that had a downside: some called her too mellow. She had experience and a returning fanbase, so her early growth would be strong. But in the long run? With talents like Miho and Orca bringing bold personalities, it wouldnt be surprising if Ena got overtaken. Plus, Ena carried the baggage of her past life. So maybe Momos solution... was this. Not just a simple MagiaCEna ship. But a full-blown WWE-style rivalry. A love triangleor better yet, a messy, chaotic catfight over one woman. Thats it! Swipe swipe swipe. Ena scribbled quickly, then held her board beneath the camera. [They were both so good its hard to compare. But I think proposals need something a little extra special. So... the winner is the boss. I guess were officially dating now, right?] :: Anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: If youve ever been a Magia pineapple pizza defender, smash that like ???? :: LMAO like smash ???????????? Massive like for real :: Anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Gia, go eat more of the bosss pizza while youre at it :: Although the final score stood at one win, one draw, and one losstechnically a tieCheon Do-hee was the one who walked away with two wives (??) by the end of it all. Shed won with her backup pineapple pizza, which was admittedly confusing even to her. But when it came to jumping headfirst into a roleplay scenario, no one did it faster than Do-hee. She saw Eonas choice as a sign to pivot her narrative and seized the moment with flawless timing. Welcome, both of you, to my harem. I promise Ill make you very happy. Please livestream your newlywed life Ehe~ Get over here! The contestants had been told ahead of time that second-gen members would be free to speak once the cook-off ended. So the moment Do-hee claimed her WWE victory, Eona lowered her whiteboard and finally spoke aloud. You mightve won with taste, boss... but Im turning down that harem. Wait, what OMG she spoke Was that what Rebellion Cooking Showdown meant?! ???? Her voice is so soft and sweet Is this the rebellion?! Declaring independence before even debuting?! Legend It came out of nowhere, but the serene, gentle tone immediately commanded everyones full attention. And just like that, the banter began to flow smoothly between the two. Youre turning it down? Why? Because if I joined that harem, Id just be left out in the cold. No way. I love all our idols equally. Thats not true. You love Deputy Manager Gia the most. Me? Im constantly bonking her on the head for never listening to me! As everyone held their breath, waiting for the next line Eona delivered a straight-up KO. If that werent the case, you wouldnt have practiced making pineapple pizza this good. Just look at Deputy Manager Giashes been silently munching on your pizza this whole time. Gasp So thats why Magias been so quiet, just chewing nonstop lol How do you even resist a slice from your oshi Pineapple pizza possessed by a ghost confirmed Even the ghost of pizza recognizes this power Do-hee shot back like lightning. E Judge, youre awfully good at projecting your feelings as if theyre someone elses. You were the one who asked for a proposal dish in the first place, remember? Well, I love Deputy Manager Gia just as much as you do, boss. Thats why I knew what was going on. ...Excuse me? No need to pretend you dont see it, boss. Its not wrong to fall for someone. TRUE LOVE ALERT sWOOooN Wait... this wasnt Momos harem after all?! ???? It was actually Magias harem the whole time A full-blown catfight over Deputy Manager Magia omg When does a drama audience become most desperate to see the next episode? Right when the conflict peaks. And Do-hee knew that better than anyone. Which is why she shut things down right on cue. As the boss, Im officially limiting the judges speech. Are you running away? E Judge. Thats enough. Rebellion is prohibited. ??? Flip the table!! Just a little more, whyd you cut her off?! gibberish of rage intensifies REBELLION GO GO HOT REBELLION GO GO HOT REBELLION GO GO HOT I swear, we were this close to a breakthrough Yep~ Rebellion Cooking Showdown, baby~ Yep~ Rebellion Cooking Showdown~ Cmon Momo, seriously?! Why shut her down?! Why shut her down?! Why shut her down?! Oh here we go again ???? RELEASE HER MOMO, FREE THE SECOND-GENS Boss, show yourself! Or better yet, get out! Just then, having finished her pizza slice, Magia wiped the sauce from her mouth and subtly gestured to Eona. Thats enough, she signaled. Time to pull back now. Eona quietly closed her mouth and stepped back. And Magia leaned into the mic to deliver the closing line: Well then, thats all for this early preview. Puddles, dont miss next weeks full episode. Ill be experiencing it in 4D ahead of you. Holy Im losing it LAUNCH A FULL INVESTIGATION Why only you?! Magia, be thankful youre not a guy Go perish Even as a slug, I draw the line here MAGIAAAAAAAAAA *** Once the raging viewer emotions had been soothed, the segment wrapped up with some parting words from the second-gen members. M Judge here~! Cant wait to see you all again! This was O Judgeeueue...! Looking forward to our meeting! Thank you!! Im E Judge. See you next time, Puddles. Judging by metrics and mood, the stream had been a huge success. Everyone now had the trio of MomoCGiaCEona etched into their minds as a fully-fledged triangle. It had all started chaotically, but the process and the outcome were so satisfying that Eona lowered her head in sincere thanks. As expected of the boss... The queen of roleplay. I went a little hard with my lines, but you still rolled with it perfectly. I was honestly impressed. And I was impressed too. Not just you, but Miho and Orca as well. You were all amazing today. Do-hee clapped cheerfully, though she couldnt help but feel a twinge of regret Leaving the second-gen entirely to Magia while she focused on work had created a bit of a knowledge gap she now wanted to close. Maybe thats why, when she glanced over at Orcawhod passed out on the tableDo-hee made a decision. Orcas out cold... You all want to sleep over? Its late anyway. Honestly, losing the info war today stung a bit. I think I need to bond with you all a bit more. Miho, practically bouncing, shot her hand into the air. YES!!! Sleeping over at a friends place was always a dream of mine...! Leave Orca to me! Ill take good care of her!!! Oh? Already calling the boss a friend, are we? Whaaa?! N-no...! Not at all, I swear...! Relax, Im joking. Just dont try to handle her alone. Shes tallits not easy by yourself. And besides, the one who got her smashed is right here. She should be the one to help. Magia had never been a fan of sleepovers, even back during first-gen days. She tried to quietly sneak away... but Do-hees hand shot out and latched onto the back of her neck. If Orca throws up on the floor or the futon tonight... you know what happens, right? Magia gave a limp little salute and replied: Yesss, maam... Chapter 164 While everyone except the passed-out Orca was busy clearing the cluttered table, Magia moved swiftly to clean up the camera and broadcasting equipment. Unplug, coil, foldclick, click, click. Despite her petite frame, her hands moved with practiced speed, and before the table was even fully cleared, the equipment box from the office was already neatly packed and placed by the door. The gear was pretty heavy when all combined, but she could carry it effortlessly thanks to her new self-driving caseone that could follow its owner steadily even up a slope. Back during the first-anniversary trip, she had to lug around a giant bag, which had been such a pain that she used her next paycheck to upgrade her hauling solution. With energy to spare, Magia made her way to the sink, poking around to see if there was anything else she could help with. Of course, Do-hee and Eona had already taken over the sink zone, so she was rewarded with nothing but a splash of water to the face from the tap. Yikes. Startled, Do-hee looked over. What are you doing back there? Go check on Orca. I just thought Id see if you needed a hand. Me and Eona got this. Help Miho out instead. If Orca needs to go to the bathroom or something, Mihos not strong enough to manage alone. Eona winked to assure her it was fine, and Magia finally turned and toddled off toward the living room where Orca lay passed out on the sofa. Clatter clatter. Swishhh. Standing side by side at the large sink, Do-hee and Eona had slipped into an effortless rhythm. Do-hee handled the initial rinse and food waste, while Eona loaded the dishwasher and scrubbed pots and pans by hand. The teamwork was so smooth it looked like theyd been working together for years. Impressed, Do-hee asked, Eona, have you always been this good at adjusting to others? You really surprised me today. I mean, sure, youve got experience, but I didnt expect you to roleplay that naturally in a live broadcast. Shed run into Eona plenty while prepping for debut. But unlike Magia, who felt more like a peer due to her casual vibe, Do-hees presence as the CEO still carried a certain weight. Miho or Orca probably wouldve clammed up in her place. But Eona, perhaps due to her upbringing with a high-profile father, continued the conversation with ease. Thats something my dad drilled into me constantly as a kid. Hed always say, People will cater to you whether you say anything or not, so if you dont learn how to adapt to others, theyll call you self-centered later. Yeah, makes sense. That kind of background isnt exactly easy to hide, either. Exactly. I tried hiding it because it kept ruining good relationships... but somehow, people always figured it out anyway. Eona gave a small, amused smile. But even so, hiding it helped in some ways. At least I could filter out the people who just wanted to use me for my dads connections. Lemme guess... aspiring idols bugged you nonstop? Constantly. It was exhausting. Like I was some kind of debut fairy godmother. They acted like getting through me meant they were guaranteed a launch. If that were true, my dad would''ve been arrested by now. Pfft. Youve got a point. Their conversation, easy and natural, soon shifted focus. Which is why I liked Gia, Eona continued. She only saw me as a VTuber. She treats everyone the same. She''s just... transparent. Right? Ive never met anyone more resistant to red pills than her. Though I think thats mostly because you ran her over like a truck during your first meeting. ...Wait, you know about that? Well, Im joining the company, so of course I did my homework. Im here because I like Parallelnot just because of Gia. Huh. And here I thought that whole proposal-themed dish meant your feelings had just spilled out. I-I do like her! But... it was also a calculated move. Think of it as strategic build-up toward my own goals. Oh yeah? What kind of goals? Tell me. If I can help, I will. I mean, asking to debut as second-gen wasnt a small thing, but you said yes without hesitation. Eona turned her gaze toward Magia, who was now gently massaging Orcas shoulders. My goal is to ? N o v e l i g h t ? do more collabs with Gia. I want us to stream from each others houses, do couple talks, build the ship, keep pushing it.... Mhm. But my dads really strict. He wont even let me stay overnight at a friends house. Yikes... What did you do back in Lapits? Same thing, really. I could hang out, but I always had to be home before it got too late. So you were the obedient daughter, huh? If it were me, I wouldve slammed the door and said I wasnt coming home. I thought about it. But I kinda get it. Im his only daughter... She looked gently at Do-hee, as if expecting something more. But thanks to the roleplay we did today, I think I found a way. Oh? You flirted with me, remember? So now I can say I need to do more streams with the boss, too. Do-hee, quick on the uptake, immediately understood the request. So not a sleepover at a friends house, but a work trip ordered by the CEO? Exactly! I knew youd get it. Ive done the same with Maru. Her familys super overprotective too. So I can handle being your alibi. But what about streams with Gia? I was planning to lie and say Im streaming from the office. Like I stopped by for work and decided to sleep there. Hmmm~ classic. So if your dad calls, you want me to say youre at the office? Yes. Do you think... thats okay? Do-hee was usually fine with smoothing things over for her streamers parents. But Na Hyun-gon wasnt just anyonehe was the Chief A&R Producer of CAT Entertainment. Not exactly someone you wanted to lie to lightly. Luckily, Eona had one thing going for her: Magia was about to move into Do-hees housethe same place the stream had taken place tonight. Looks like you got lucky. Gias moving in with me soon. Huh? Here? She was looking for a place near the office, and this place is close, in a good location, and has an extra room. I offered it, and she said sure. Wait, that means... Yup. When you stream with her, just say you came over to talk to me about work. Of course, that means Ill have to keep an extra eye on your safety... D-dont worry! I never go out at night! I wouldnt want to cause trouble for you either! Whens she moving in? Will it be before our debut? Thats up to Gia. Im not sure yet... Ill convince her. Ill work hard to make her move faster. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. And just like that, Do-hee had unintentionally gained an ally in pushing Magia to move. Feeling a bit giddy, she shared some internal company plans with Eonadetails that might help her down the line. Were planning to remodel the 9th floor soon. Make it a place where people can stream and also crash overnight. Stock it with snacks and ready-to-eat meals for late-night hunger too. The reason was simple. Do-hee herself had realized that even the 10-minute commute between home and work was a waste when juggling streaming and company duties. Her vision was something like a streamer dorm-factory hybrid: Go live, crash on the built-in bed, wake up, wash up, change, and start the next workdayall from one floor. And of course, the facility wasnt just for her. With CAT collaboration ramping up, first-gen members were now burning out on stacked streams and packed schedules. Even getting eight hours of sleep felt like a luxury. If the 9th floor had proper rest areas, members could handle both recording and company visits in one tripand maybe even keep the fans happy with surprise streams. It would also be a huge help for Magia, who practically lived on that floor already. She needed proper sleep, but during those hell-grind days in the trolling community, she acted like a creature that didnt even require rest. Do-hees secret hope? That locking Magia on the 9th floor after a stream would force her to finally sleep. Either way, once the new facilities were done, Eona would have a rock-solid excuse to stay overnight. And if she kept doing it under the guise of work, maybe one day... shed finally earn the freedom to live on her own. But even with that hopeful future, one nagging concern remainedsomething she couldnt help but ask. Then... what about the current motion studio? It might be small, but it seemed like the first-gen seniors use it pretty often for their 3D content... Theres a slightly larger building right next door. One of the floors will be vacant soon, so were thinking of renting or buying it to build a much larger dedicated studio. The second-gens will be getting their 3D modeling done next year, right? If we dont have a proper studio by then, the content possibilities are going to be too limited. Oh... that makes sense. Bachubachu schedules at least one group show a week that uses a motion studio. Weve got to keep trying new things. Were nowhere near the scale or polish of Bachubachu right now, but I want a space that can handle up to the third generation at least. That way, if we want to host something like a virtual group concert, we can go ahead without constraints. I get it. Its not like there are a lot of motion studios in Korea to begin with... and even renting one must be a pain. But waitso there is a third-gen plan? Of course there is. I didnt start this business on a whim. My goals always been to surpass Bachubachu. Eona let out a quiet giggle at that. Hearing that from both you and Gia somehow makes it feel more convincing. Oh, please. So does that take care of everything? Yes. Thanks for being so considerate, Boss. Dont mention it. No, really. Since Ill basically be freeloading at your place every time I collab with Gia, it must be inconvenientletting in a company VTuber like that... Ah. Do-hee waved a hand dismissively with a laugh. Dont worry about it. Rain and Maru used to treat my place like a hotel. Haha... They started coming solo, but eventually they all showed up as a group and turned it into a full-on pension getaway. The neighbors even filed a noise complaint. Second time they came, I locked them in the soundproof booth. At that, Eona tilted her head curiously. So... Gia didnt really visit your place much? Shes the type who wont leave her house unless its for work. Even after she moves into mine, I bet shell be the same. She barely goes out since her favorite hobby is watching streams. Hm. So she might not feel comfortable visiting my place, huh... Why? Did she leave early when you installed the gear? She said she was busy. She probably really was busy. She used to be super prickly until last year, but lately shes been opening up a bit. Shes been visiting people more often too. Didnt she even stop by Bazubis place? Oh... right. And dont feel bad about asking her over. If you do, shell hesitate when its actually urgent. I just... feel bad calling her when shes already got so much on her plate... If Gia finds out you didnt call her because of that, shell feel guilty. Shes someone who believes she should never stand above the VTubers. Hmm... I know you see her as a senior or peer, but as long as youre not treating her like a servant, say whatever you need. Shes the kind of person who genuinely feels joy when she can help other VTubers. I wouldnt say I fully understand her yet, but at least when it comes to Parallel members, that much is certain. She was in contact with the first-gens almost daily for the first two months after their debut. Ill keep that in mind. Also, she really likes people who can take care of themselveslike you. Oh, really? Yeah. It means less for her to worry about. Just the fact that you can handle equipment probably earned you a few points. But if theres ever anything you cant manage on your own, reach out. If you dont want to bother Gia, contact me instead. Okay! Speak of the devil. Magia popped up between them just then, mid-conversation. Both Do-hee and Eona had been so focused on each others faces that they noticed her a second too late. Do-hee blinked. Whats up? Magia tugged on her sleeve and pointed toward the living room. There, Orca was being half-dragged by Miho while trailing some kind of liquid across the floor. Code red. We thought we could handle it, but nope. Shes at volcano-level pressure. Barely holding it in. Do-hee and Eona yanked off their dish gloves in a panic. Are you serious?! Why didnt you say so earlier! You made it sound like nothing! Eeep... what do we do?! *** ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... ???? [Pinned] Please refrain from bringing up the graduate from the next-door group. [Hey thread OP, be grateful to Magia] [AAAaaahhh whens the debut ffs] [Forget past life lore, just show me more dammit] [I was wondering why she was so serious about Magia lol] [O cant handle her liquor, total baby vibes] [So this is my kink, huh?] [E-nya, youre killing it. Keep going.] [Ms gyaru energy is low-key adorable lol] [Ugh, they cut it there?!] [If you think you know Es past life, smash that like button ????] ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [So this is my kink, huh?] I used to think the first-gens fluffiness was cute and all, but maybe, deep down, what I really missed was a good ol love triangle full of spicy jealousy and drama. Thanks, Signal Flare. You awakened something in me. And thank god youre not a dude. If you were, Id have shown up with a bouquet and a broken horn... in a much darker mood. [Comments] Parallel042: Whoa whoa, dangerous simp alert... Parallel383: ???: Congrats on the dome concert!!! ???? Parallel471: Honestly though, it was pretty intense. ? Parallel471: If Signal had been a guy? Today wouldve been Parallels doomsday. ? Parallel745: For real, lol ? Parallel622: Mass refund requests and a truck rally incoming ? Parallel173: That wouldve been so cursed ???? ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Hey thread OP, be grateful to Magia] Its not if she were a guy, wed riot its even as a girl, shes still an homme fatale, so lets thank her. If not for her, Eona would still be the quiet saint next door. And wed never get the wild drama we saw today. [Comments] Parallel961: Lmao fr Parallel012: Facts on facts Parallel686: Eona shook things up for sure, but the mood in her old group is tense af now ? Parallel686: Wouldnt be surprised if our side gets caught in the blast too ? Parallel333: This fires bound to spread lol ? Parallel590: RIP the poor mod team ? Parallel050: Dont get too deep into random anons rumors ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [???? Please refrain from bringing up the graduate from the next-door group] They havent even debuted yet. Just a few voice clipsno need to lose your minds. Wait for solid info before jumping to conclusions. Any further posts bringing it up will be dealt with strictly. [Comments] Parallel734: So you''re saying Serena is Eona, huh? ? Parallel915: Come on, at least meme it properly ? Parallel915: Serena has joined Parallel!!!!!!!! ? ????Parallel05: Absolute chad behavio Chapter 165 A day after the broadcast, A streaming part strategy meeting hosted by Magia was held. In any case, the second-generation talents are an important cohort for Parallel, marking a pivotal point for the company''s next leap. If the second-generation talents, backed by CAT''s support, fail to take off, it would halt Parallel''s business expansion and could even derail future large-scale investment plans. So, this was a part meeting, with the attendees being CEO Cheon Do-hee, Planning Team Leader Ra Seunghyun, and Legal Team Leader Wi Jeong-jin. Except for Magia, everyone present was a team leader. Magia stood at the podium, holding a wireless presenter (the small remote control used to advance PPT slides), as Momo spoke to her. "Alright, as expected, the fire''s already burning. You and I have talked about this roughly, but I''d like you to share it with these two as well." The Planning Team Leader attended to discuss how to operate the official channel''s editorial direction based on future developments. If Miho or Orca were to focus on highlighting their unique traits, Eona would make full use of the heated internal drama within Parallel. The Legal Team Leader, a copyright lawyer, had experience in winning lawsuits related to VTuber defamation, slander, interference with business, and threats with her law school colleague. If any organized and subversive movements targeting Eona were to surface, they would explore ways to protect her from those risks. The meeting would align the strategies prepared by each team with Magia''s approach, as the leader of the streaming team, to ensure the smooth execution of Eona''s debut broadcast. Magia began. "First, I''ll quickly summarize the current situation and share my predictions for how things will unfold." People''s speculations about Eona''s past life are almost certain. Posts comparing her voice to Serena''s popped up simultaneously in almost all communities. Though the initial fire had calmed down, it left behind a lot of angry people. Magia understood their feelings and how they came to be so upset. For the most part, it was because of the words Serena left when she graduated... "I''ll always remember you, even when I go back home." "When I meet a hero, I''ll tell them your story." "I hope we can meet again someday." "It was a fun time." In fact, these were words that anyone graduating would naturally say. Even though Eona had expressed her desire to make a comeback in Parallel, her debut as a second-generation talent wasn''t planned back then. When she graduated, she had no certainty about the future. She couldn''t have said something like, "We''ll meet again soon!"because if she did, it would have contradicted the sudden transfer she made. So, saying a proper goodbye was only natural for Eona. But it must have been heartbreaking for the fans. Especially for the passionate ones who watched Serenas streams every day, supported her generously, and participated in events and bought her merchandise. An idol? After graduation, they stay connected with their fans through personal social media. For a VTuber, graduation means death. The character''s time completely stops, and no more progress is made. All the precious memories remain as nothing more than nostalgic recollections. Its not just a simple goodbye; it leaves a mental shock akin to watching a loved one die. Thats why dissatisfaction inevitably boils over. "Wouldn''t it have been nice if they gave us a heads-up if she was going to reincarnate?" "If I had known, I wouldn''t have been so emotionally drained when she graduated," and so on. And sometimes, these feelings become distorted. "Parallel must have always wanted this." "What they showed us in Lapits was all a lie." These thoughts spread... In extreme cases, it could twist like this. ... Lapits (VTuber) Gallery ... [This is really too much, lol] When she graduated, she was crying so much, sobbing uncontrollably, and I thought, "I''ll never see her again," but she was just over at the neighbors place, laughing and having fun... She''s really a piece of work. [Comments] Lapits784: Wasn''t Serena not crying when she graduated? ? Lapits175: Leave her alone, she''s so dark now, can''t see anything. ? Lapits878: Just leave her be, she''s just in a state of pure rage, lol ... ... People in this state won''t listen, because they believe only what they want to believe, dismissing everything else as a lie. At times like this, it''s better to show them continuously rather than trying to convince them. As though the person who died has come back to life as a new soul. Shes waiting to meet you again, reborn as the Owl-Eyed Shamans Lion, like a spiritual deity. This was exactly why Magia had tried to generate buzz with Eona''s coupling and suppress the negativity with it. In fact, when the new youngest member debuted and boldly showed that "she''s competing not just with the seniors but even the CEO," it was a refreshing approach. Most fans didnt care about Eonas past life. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. "Oh, so her past life was Serena?" "Then shes totally the opposite of Momo, her childhood friend, right?" "Of course, the heroine shouldnt have the same personality," they said. Of course, if this could win everyone''s heart, that would be great, but the problem is that there are still people who can''t be persuaded. "I think theyve probably turned dark... so theyre ''blackened''..." Cheon Do-hee interpreted Magia''s technical jargon for her. "They''re fans who felt betrayed because Eona debuted next door." "Thank you. Anyway, I think most of those fans have already changed their minds. Some might even switch their main fandom to support Eona. Or they could support both Lapits and Parallel. Rather than hating, they should be grateful that Eona is still alive..." The problem is those who cant be swayed. Or those who never had any intention of changing their minds in the first placetrue troublemakers. The former, at least, would stop caring about Eona, so thats somewhat reassuring. But the latter are incredibly troublesome. "Honestly, if there are people who continue to torment Eona despite her attempts to accept them, Id say theyre not fans, theyre just troublemakers. Of course, we need to give fans whove experienced loss time to accept, so a few weeks grace is necessary. But after that, if they keep acting up, thats pure anti behavior." Legal Team Leader Wi Jeong-jin spoke up. "So, youre suggesting that for people who continue attacking after the designated time, we can proceed with legal action based on the severity of the case?" "Yes. Honestly, I think its best to just block and ignore them as long as it doesnt affect the broadcast... but since this is the first time weve debuted a VTuber with a past life, I think we should leave it to the Legal Team Leader to decide the proper boundary for this." "Ill consult with Lawyer Do." "Thank you." The Planning Team Leader, Ra Seunghyun, who had been listening, spoke up. Just a thought. How about expanding your harem to create more buzz? It was surprising that Ra Seunghyun even knew the term "harem." But at least knowing it made the conversation easier. "Wasn''t it originally your harem, CEO...? I kind of get the vibe, but could you explain a bit more?" "Right now, its you and the CEO, and then there''s Eona. The two of them are already tangled up with you, right? Well, if were being technical, Taro from Bachubachu should also be included... At that, Do-hee shot a sharp glance at him, but Ra Seunghyun continued nonchalantly. "Of course, its tricky to write a story for someone from another company, but among the first-generation talents, there''s someone who cant live without you, right?" "...Are you talking about Maru?" "Bingo. I think the others would fall for you too, but not as much as Maru. Remember? The time when Maru spilled the beans about the super-large escape room event with you and the second-generation talents, which made the members think there were four of you?" Do-hee nodded along with Magia. "If you heard the story through Eona back then, writing the narrative becomes easy, right? Everyone knows theyre friends. And the whole thing with friends fighting over one person? Nothing better than that, right?" It was a suggestion more fitting for a seasoned soap opera writer than a Planning Team Leader, but honestly, it wasnt wrong. "Thats true." "Anyway, the second-generation debut congratulatory video going up todayMaru''s is last, right? We could talk to her and ask her to use the NG footage." "...? What kind [N O V E L I G H T] of video are we talking about?" Soon, she returned to her seat and brought the video. In a way, it was just typical Maru. [Miho, Orca, Eona. Welcome! Its so great to have cute juniors. But Eona? You need to know your place, right? Wanting to monopolize Gia, huh? If youre going to be so cocky and jump ahead, I wont just let it] [Okay, thats enough~.] [Whats wrong with this girl?] [Calm down, calm down.] Maru suddenly picking a fight with Eona and her teammates in the recording studio quickly stepping in to stop her. Normally, this would have been stored away as an NG cut, but for what Ra Seunghyun had suggested, there couldnt have been a more fitting video. Technically, the company could use it however they liked from the time of recording, but out of courtesy, Gia decided to send it to Maru for confirmation first. [Me: (Maru_take4_ng.mp4)] [Me: Is it okay to use this for the second-generation debut congratulatory message?] Maru was very positive about it. [Maru: Really?] [Maru: Youre gonna use this?] [Me: I think itll help Eona.] [Maru: ...?] [Maru: If it helps Eona, then sure!] [Maru: But if this goes out, does that mean Im in your harem too?] [Me: Thats how the fans will see it.] [Maru: Then can I use my free pass? Like, on a broadcast with Eona, I could take you with me?] [Me: You dont need to.] [Me: Originally, I was planning on group collabs starting in the second month, but] [Me: Think of this as an exception. We''re planning content with Eona this time.] [Maru: Oh, yeah!!!!!!] After finishing the conversation, Magia nodded at Ra Seunghyun. Maru, okay. While watching the meeting unfold, Do-hee spoke. "I dont think anything too serious will happen. The Lapits CEO also had to deal with a lot of people complaining about Serenas graduation, so they decided to post something on SNS to confirm there was no issue with it... But just in case, I took out a few insurance policies. Gia, how are the people you reached out to doing?" Magia scrolled through the contacts and messages exchanged on TikTok, muttering to herself. First, backup one. That would be the members of the "Failed So Badly" team, who had won the Combat Tournament together. "The ''Failed So Badly'' team said they''d participate in a group collab anytime if we asked, as long as we gave them a months notice. Youngun already knew before I even mentioned it. He said, ''So when can we collab with Eona?''" It would probably take at least two months before a group collab could happen, but Seeing how passionately Youngun, who was a huge fan of Serena, had been supporting Eona since her debut, it would certainly help create a positive atmosphere. Next, backup two. "Eona from Lapits also asked if she could tell the story of her meal with Eona. Shes still doing well, but shes getting frustrated with people spreading rumors about them having a falling out. She says its ridiculous." She even half-jokingly said shed go to pull Magia''s cheek if Eona struggled in Parallel. But anyway, she was definitely one of the most reliable backups. Additionally, there was a trump card, one that came up from the other side first. It might be a bit of a burden on them, but they said they''d gladly show it on stream for Eona''s sake. Magia showed the related message to Do-hee, who nodded with satisfaction. "Okay. Thats good. Now, theres only one thing left." Do-hee pointed at Magia with her index finger. "From now on, you and Seunghyun need to focus on managing the second-generation talent chatroom. Got it?" No matter how many strategies and tactics you use, you still need a frontline to protect your side from the troublemakers. Do-hee had always been at the forefront of the battlefield, whether it was during the first-generation debut, or countless broadcast accidents and controversies that followed. Magia shrugged her shoulders. "Honestly, I think the summer mosquitoes are more annoying now." Chapter 166 Tokoyo Miho? @Tokoyo Miho - 52 minutes ago ????Kang-kang~ The genius detective has arrived The strange events happening at Parallel Ill solve them all from now on! Hanaumi Orca? @Hanaumi Orca - 53 minutes ago Loyalty!???? Ive received orders to transfer from the Sky Sea to the Earth Sea! The first SNS activity of the second-generation talents began on the returning weekend. Eonas SNS, in particular, was quite noisy. The reason? People had figured out her past life. There had been an unspoken agreement that VTubers shouldnt talk about their past lives when they reincarnate, but that wasnt being followed. At least the people who greeted Eona with the standard "Nice to meet you" were the polite ones, following the customary first greetings for reincarnated VTubers. Morisaki Ena? @Morisaki Ena - 54 minutes ago Has the winter sleep finally ended...? Still sleepy...???? ? FrozenGod1 @tpfpsksksk - 45 minutes ago Nice... to meet you ? Sereserena @rapits123 - 41 minutes ago Found my oshi ? Enice @enice_parallel - 35 minutes ago If you''re not doing this on purpose, please delete it. ? ForestForest @morimori - 24 minutes ago Just report it, go ahead. It was practically a teaser video. There were people recognizing Eona and mentioning her past life, greeting her excitedly. Others gave her hints to stop bringing it up, pretending they didnt know. And then there were the ones charging at the new gossip in the VTuber world. Some low-budget VTuber agencies even use this kind of noise as a marketing tool to draw attention. But Parallel was far beyond that level, so it only became an annoying noise. [????Nutube] Parallel 2nd Generation Debut Teaser Parallel Official | 561K subscribers 47M views | 1 day ago | #Parallel #Nearby #2ndGeneration Thanks to the noise, the increase in views was noticeable, but we shouldnt get distracted by these immediate results. If you focus too much on the visible achievements, youre bound to make mistakes. In other words, nows the time to start thinking bigger. The need for the "dignity theory" I mentioned earlier is becoming clearer now. Just like when Parallel separated the behind-the-scenes channel as the first step to becoming a giant like Bachubachu. Honestly, we can just close the comments if it gets too out of hand. Do-hee muttered, stroking her chin. Closing comments should be the last resort. Weve decided to face things head-on, right? The script for Eonas debut broadcast is still the same? Yes. Then lets leave the comments open. If we start blocking and responding, itll just give the troublemakers what they want. Thats true. Itll just give them an excuse to tear us apart. Do-hee recalled the lessons learned from the controversy caused by her excessive closeness with Mugeon, and spoke from experience. Lower-tier people give explanations they dont need to. Mid-tier people let things slide naturally. Top-tier people use it as content. Magia half-closed her eyes, looking at Do-hee. It was because those words were aimed directly at her. I already apologized for that incident. True, but to be honest, our subscriber count shot up sharply from that point. In a way, its thanks to you actively pushing the turret. If you keep bringing up the dark past, I might just start running the CEOs cute channel again. You really are the owner of the MoaeMo channel... At that time, there was a controversy surrounding Do-hee and Mugeons alleged secret relationship. Magia, unwillingly, had become the leader of the "dark" fanbase, causing a firestorm not just on broadcasts but across the community. Do-hee had been worried that core fans like Magia might leave, but her genius during the crisis turned the situation into content. That content was the "Truth Game." Momo and Mugeon used a lie detector and heart rate monitor to figure out if they had feelings for each other. Momo passed all the potentially dangerous questions, proving her purity. On the other hand, Mugeons hidden feelings were exposed, and he was labeled the bad guy. Though it seemed like Mugeons sacrifice, he was already known for using his looks and gaming skills to collaborate with various female streamers, so it wasnt a surprise. Magia didnt just fire missiles at random; she was the turret. This approach of facing things head-on was a long-standing tradition in Parallel. Magia charging in headfirst in her boredom was, in a way, heavily influenced by Do-hee. Maybe thats why, despite only having five days until the war began, the conversation between the companys person in charge and the broadcast manager remained surprisingly relaxed. So, when is the move happening? After Eonas debut, when the mood settles down. Eona wants to use the move as content too. Right. Perfect for a story. But make sure Eona wears a mask. She cant strain her throat. Ill clean up the dust before Eona gets here. Pretending to be clean, huh? Itll be cleaner than the CEOs place. Alright, youve got this. *** Saturday, July 28. The debut day of the second-generation talents. Miho, who had tried to act like a gal but got exposed as a shy introvert, successfully secured a solid fanbase during the last 30 minutes by going into a crouching mode. Orca, too, became swept up in a disastrous equipment failure at the start, but showed off her cute and shameless sides without holding back, securing her share and then exiting. And then, it was time for Eonas turn. [Eona: Even though Ive done this before, Im so nervous...] She was broadcasting to a much larger audience than Miho and Orca, who had debuted with a maximum viewership of around 30,000 people that Parallel could muster. [(????Live) Parallel 2nd Gen. Nearby, Little Shaman Appears!] ????47,224 #Parallel #Nearby #Eona A whopping 47,224 people were waiting for Eona to show up. This was a number that Eona had never experienced, even when she was broadcasting as Serena. The fans from Lapits and the general public who had taken interest in the recent issues had all gathered. This was something she had never faced before, not even when she was Serena. Even though she wasnt used to such numbers, it didnt help her nerves. But despite the jitters, it felt better than when she debuted at Lapits. Back then, it felt like riding a bike across a narrow bridge over a thousand-meter drop with her fellow trainees. Now, at least she felt like she had a strong lifeline attached to her back, making it clear that even if she fell, she would survive. [Magia: Ive told you before, dont worry about the trolls in the chat.] [Magia: Just do it proudly like in the cooking competition.] [Magia: The people who hate you are just waiting for you to show weakness, so never show weakness on stream.] [Magia: Others can be weak, but not you.] [Magia: If you have something on your mind, dont keep it to yourself, always talk to me or the CEO.] [Magia: Anything outside the broadcast, the CEO and I will handle it.] [Me: Okay, okay.] In fact, there was never much pressure when she was at Lapits. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Eona''s seniors, including Eona, and her peers always stepped in and helped create fun moments when Eona tried something new. However, if there was a slip-up during the process, the former Operations Team Leader, who was now gone, blamed it all on the VTuber instead of trying to solve the problem together. Eona and other seniors had been amazing in protecting their juniors, but that ended up wearing them down. Whenever she made a mistake, it would become a burden for the seniors, making Eona cautious, and it became a vicious cycle where she held back when opportunities came. But Parallel was different. Whenever a member made a mistake, Magia was always the first to step in and fix it. She had been attentive to Eona''s re-debut pressure from the start, and Magia, as well as the entire company, had been helping her in various ways over the past weeks. That was why Eona could be freer and wilder. [Magia: Lets go!] Scene transition. A soft blonde girl slowly appeared from below the screen. Is she here? Is the big one coming? Pyaa~ Love blonde! Gooooo! For a moment, everyone was in awe of her pure appearance. Then, as the intro music started, everyone froze. Huh Kyahhh (Glow stick concert) No way... Huh? Oh, this song Huh (Glow stick concert) No way Those unfamiliar with the song started shaking glow sticks as soon as the music began. Those who recognized it started to pay attention, careful not to speak too openly. The song was none other than "Same World" by GIW (Girls in Wonderland), a representative song of the 2nd generation idols from Korea. This was the signature song of Eona''s past life, Serena''s ultimate move, a song that symbolized the moment when the young Serena first became aware of the world of idols. Therefore, it was likely that some people watching the broadcast thought this: Parallel has finally lost it. Theyre starting to grow bigger than Lapits, and now theyre running without thinking about whats behind them. But this was a direct move suggested by Eona, agreed to by Magia, and approved by CEO Do-hee. [Eona: Your vocalization is consistent and proper, and right now, thats perfect for continuing the broadcast. No need to change it.] [Eona: But, wont they figure it out right away?] [Eona: Even if you change it, theyll figure it out eventually, right? Can you change voices like Gia does, adjusting it in real-time?] [Eona: Hmm... I dont think I can.] [Magia: Right? So lets just go for it directly.] With the backing of the powerful tailwind that Magia and Do-hee had built through the cooking competition, Eona smoothly succeeded in singing the first verse. As the intro continued, she whispered sweetly to the viewers. Honestly, I was really torn about what to sing as my debut song. But... I felt like I had to sing this. I dont know why, but on this day, when Im meeting the Snowy Ones for the first time, it felt like this song was the only one that would do. GIW''s debut song, "Same World." The lyrics tell a sad and miraculous love story of a girl who dies once but is reborn in a completely different part of the world, only to find the person she loved again. Those who didnt know about Eonas past life might just enjoy the song. But those who did, once they heard her words during the instrumental break, couldnt let it slide. Real fans would have their emotions explode at that moment. ???????????????????????????? Nice to meet you...!!! Nice to meet you! Nice to meet youu~!!! E! Na! E! Na! E! Na! E! Na! E! Na! E! Na! E! Na! E! Na! E! Na! Kyaaa ???????? Nice to meet you!!!!!!!!!!! Of course. No matter how much she tried, it would be hard to change the minds of the truly stubborn ones. Some were just troublemakers who came sniffing around to stir things up. Lol, figured this would happen. Playing on emotions, huh? Magia had to stop this from ruining the atmosphere. Seizing the opportunity, Magia happily danced through the trolls'' wave. No matter how many accounts they switched to, and even if they called in alt accounts, it was useless. Even if they tried to blend in and troll, or wrote ambiguous posts, their heads were immediately cut off. Magia, like a machine, was banning them at such a speed that it was like an iron-clad defense, not allowing any trolling to remain in the chat. Unable to do anything on the broadcast, the trolls tried to move to another space. But even when they tried to betray Eona or accuse her of being irresponsible outside the broadcast, it was clear to everyone that these people were just uncomfortable with the fun atmosphere of the broadcast. And in the end, their last hope, the Lapits Gallery, wasnt much different. The people who had planned to rekindle the fire by using the grief of losing Serena quickly found themselves outnumbered. Even the Lapits fans who once tried to disrupt everything by shaking their glow sticks, now with their personal color matched to Eonas blonde, joined in, making everyone laugh. Youngun, this guy lololol True love confirmed, crazy guy lol Lolololol Younguns special = ultra weirdo ... ? Nvlght ? (Read the full story) ... The song ended, and the introduction to her role-playing and hobbies followed. At this point, most VTubers would have been outed for their past life. But the spotlight fell on Eona, the oldest member of Lapits. She had been channel surfing while eating, and when she randomly stumbled upon Eonas stream, she burst out laughing as she listened to Eona introduce her role-playing. ... Lapits (VTuber) Gallery [Eona suddenly declared that she needed healing] [Eona: Dont you just want to go confess now?] [Ona: We had dinner together yesterday, why? Because there were eight of us? You know why. ?] ... ... In the end, when even the Lapits Gallery could no longer stir the pot, the trolls turned to their last weapon. After Serenas graduation, all the old fans left, and the trolls who had planned to target Eonas rebirth gathered to plot their next move. However, in the end... ... Serena Minor Gallery This minor gallery has been closed by the managers request. Reason: On a quest to find a fateful love. ... ... The fans who had once felt betrayed by Serenas departure eventually gave in when they saw Eonas broadcast and the surrounding atmosphere. In the end, the trolls had nowhere left to go. While they may return in the future, at this point, Eonas supporters had completely taken control. Finally, with Eonas hit broadcast, the battle between Lapits and Parallel was neatly decided. This was the result of a big deal Magia had struck directly with Eona, a trump card in her hand. [????Live) Isnt the Owl-Eyed Shaman cute?] ????12,620 #Eona #Lapits Eona wasnt just talking about eating with Serenas ex-husband. She even invited the new Operations Team Leader, who had just joined after Yeon Sung-mooks retirement, onto the broadcast. "By the way, look at how cute the Owl-Eyed Shaman is. I really want that. Give it to me. Hurry up." [What do you mean, give it to you? How can I give it to you?] Or, now that our numbers match, how about a big collab with the next door? A game triathlon. Not Parallel vs Lapits. But a mix of both sides, with a red team and a blue team. But first, Eona is on our team. Ding! [You need permission. If we want it, they have to give permission.] They didnt say it outright, but Lapits was deeply indebted to Parallel. It was fortunate that Magia didnt mention tempering and kept things friendly with Lapits, as it could have easily caused more chaos. Even though Lapits was trying to justify Eonas transfer by using rumors about the new Operations Team Leader, they managed to turn it all around with their own content. The newly appointed Lapits Operations Team Leader had no choice but to be thankful. Eona smiled. "Weve already got permission. I won the rock-paper-scissors with the other Magia representative. Want to see it? Theres a video." [Huh?] In the video, two small hands appeared. One was so tiny that anyone could tell it was Magias. Rock-paper-scissors took place. And Eona won. Why is this real, lol No way lol When did they meet, lol Would the team leader want to join? Ill call the other Magia representative. I heard you always wanted to play a round of Battle Call with her. [Hmm... Thats tempting.] "But youll have to wait until two months later." [Then well talk about it then!] What are they doing, lol Operations Team Leader, lol Is this Parallel or Lapits, lol Chapter 167 How can we measure a successful debut broadcast? Most people would probably point to the maximum number of viewers. By that standard, Eonas debut could certainly be considered a monumental success. [(????Live) Parallel 2nd Gen. Nearby, Little Shaman Appears!] ????58,516 #Parallel #Nearby #Eona When Bachubachu KR''s 4th-generation talents debuted, over 150,000 people watched the broadcast, including the senior VTubers joint viewing. In terms of scale, Parallel''s 2nd generation, which is still in its early stages, only reached a maximum of 70,000, including the joint viewing channel. Looking back at the first-generation debut, even though the CEO used all her connections to artificially inflate the viewer count, it still peaked at 15,000, making this growth truly unreal. Of course, Eona had 70,000 viewers, while Miho and Orca had around 40,000 each, so some might argue its only half a success. But the attention Eona garnered was bound to spread to the other members too. The second-generation talents stuck together like sisters, often appearing on each others broadcasts and exchanging viewers. As a result, sometimes they would settle in one spot, and fans who had the time would start following an entire group instead of just one person. Eonas success meant the 2nd generations success. This was further confirmed by the performance metrics of their debut single, which was revealed the following day during a joint viewing stream with all three second-gen members and myself. [????Nutube] Lives Nearby | Parallel Nearby (feat. Fan_C) - Official MV Parallel Official | 583K subscribers Views: 660,000 | 1 day ago | #Parallel #Nearby #Miho #Orca #Eona Trending Video #2 In just one day, it hit 2nd place on the trending charts. In short, the second generation had hit it big! Of course, it was expected that Parallel had put in the effort. But, thanks to some key people who helped smooth over the negative comments about Eona and supported the debut broadcast, Magia was already reaching out to thank them. First on the list: Youngun. During Eonas stream, Youngun had participated in a joint viewing, making everyone laugh with his funny comments about how he missed someone, all while demonstrating that fans of Serena could easily become fans of Eona. Youngun, who had almost ruined a major competition because he was so obsessed with Serena, was now overjoyed about Eonas success. This helped form the public opinion that this was just a natural response from the fans who were coping with Serenas rebirth. [[Youngun]] [Me: When you hold the Youngun Cup later, Ill join with the 2nd generation members.] [Me: By the way, youre really good at Otage?.] [Me: Been to any 10th-Degree events?] [Youngun: Oh, you noticed that.] [Me: Wasnt that the whole point?] [Youngun: I have a bit of shame too!!] [Me: Yeah, right.] [Youngun: Hmm.] [Youngun: Anyway, this time its not just an empty promise, right?] [Youngun: Honestly, I wanted to create a bit of controversy on TreeWiki, but I survived thanks to you, Gia, so I let it slide.] [Me: Shouldve tried a little harder during the competition.] [Me: Or you wouldnt have seen me again.] [Youngun: Kyaaaah!] [Youngun: Thank you so much, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!] [Me: Alright, keep doing well.] [Youngun: Just showing up for the competition is enough, thank you...] Next was ona. This conversation felt warmer, as it was something they both agreed on. It might seem like they were forced into collaborating with Lapits because of a rock-paper-scissors game, but the game was just a formality. The collaboration between Parallel and Lapits was beneficial to both sides. It wasnt like they were enemies, and even though one member had transferred, the collaboration was beneficial for both. When they met, viewers would surely laugh at the Lapits members who pretended not to recognize Eona, despite her familiar voice. While Parallel fans would be shocked, the fact that 16 members were collaborating together was exciting in itself. Bachubachu, with its massive scale and numerous VTubers, had frequent large-scale content collaborations, but for smaller groups like Parallel and Lapits, this was still a dream. [[ona]] [Me: Thank you so much for your active cooperation, ona.] [Me: Im looking forward to the collaboration.] [ona: Im already really excited.] [ona: Are you sure youll catch the bus, representative?] [Me: The bus, huh?] [Me: Both fanbases are still about the same size.] [ona: Youre still being picky.] [ona: Honestly, Parallel has already surpassed Lapits, you know?] [ona: So, how about we do another collaboration in two months if the reaction is good?] ona seemed to talk pretty freely about content. This was because Lapits had recently become more VTuber-friendly after the new operations team leader had taken over. ona said all of this was thanks to Serenas graduation. Because she left, they were able to remove the old operations team leader, Yeon Sung-mook. The company realized that if the operations team leader had too much power, similar issues could arise again. So, they decided to allow the members to be more free in their personal matters while still actively participating in company-run programs and song production. Since ona, with almost 900,000 subscribers, was now part of a large corporation, she could do whatever she wanted. [Me: If its mutually beneficial, theres no harm in doing it regularly, right?] [ona: Are you going to cancel what I just said?] [ona: Did you say wed do it regularly?] [Me: Well, Im not the one making the decisions.] [Me: If the CEO agrees.] [ona: Using the CEO as a shield again.] [Me: Shield?] [Me: Im just recommending it. The CEO makes the final decision.] [Me: Thats how we operate.] [ona: Always a stickler for rules.] [ona: Well, I trust you, though.] Finally, ona left a message to take care of Eona. [ona: Take care of Eona, no, Serena.] [ona: I think Ive said that about five times already.] [ona: Shes such a good kid.] [ona: She says shell handle everything herself, but Im worried she might struggle.] [ona: If theres anything you think I should intervene in, let me know.] [ona: She surprisingly has a flowery mind.] [ona: She might think some things are normal when theyre not... youll need to watch her closely.] [Me: Sounds like youre talking about an ex-boyfriend.] [ona: What are you talking about? lol] [ona: Go take care of your second-gen talents.] [Me: Sure.] And so, the stormy weekend passed, and Monday arrived. Eona came to the company, wanting to thank everyone before her stream started. The CEO was busy with work and was staying late, so Magia went out alone to have dinner with Eona. It was the end of July, and even though it was late at night, the oppressive heat of midsummer was still in full force. Magia, wearing only a breathable skirt and short-sleeve blouse over her underwear, was sweating profusely. She made her way to the four-lane road behind the building where Eona was waiting... "Sorry, Gia. Dad insisted on coming with me." Waiting was a luxurious German sedan, and the driver was her father, Na Hyun-gon. "Look at you sweating. Get in. Lets go eat." *** The luxury sedan was indeed a luxury sedan. Even the back seat was equipped with cooling seats for the buttocks and back. Thanks to that, Magia experienced what felt like lying under a thin blanket with air conditioning blowing on her, arriving at a fancy restaurant. As soon as they reached the private room, Eona immediately thanked her. "Honestly, I didnt show it much, but I was really worried. I thought someone might raise concerns about whether this was morally right... I was worried that there might be a lot of people blaming me. But it seems like everything went smoothly. Its all thanks to you and the CEO." Of course, many people from Parallel, including those from Lapits, and even the first-generation talents had worked hard. But the root cause was simple. Magia shrugged as she looked at Eona. "In the end, its because you''re such a good person that things worked out this way." If Eona had been the notorious bad girl in Lapits before her graduation, would ona and the others from Lapits have been as supportive as they are now? Someone might have casually spread rumors saying, "That girl who graduated, shes a terrible person," and tried to block her path. But Eona treated every member of Lapits with love. And she personally stepped in to solve the depression that had spread like an epidemic after her graduation. She kept in touch with all her old teammates whenever she had time, buying them meals, encouraging them, and giving them strength, always assuring them that it wasnt the end. So, while there were many factors involved, ultimately, it was Eona herself who was most responsible for her successful debut. "Fans with mixed feelings are accepting this transfer positively. Its only natural because weve created something fun for them. They laughed, enjoyed themselves, and before they knew it, their hearts had turned. In the end, its because you''re such a good person. They want to watch your broadcasts again, and they dont want to distance themselves from you by making you out to be a bad person." Hearing those words, Eona bowed her head for a while, then suddenly jumped up and ran out of the room. "Sorry! I just need to use the bathroom for a sec!" After Eona rushed off, Na Hyun-gon chuckled and said, "Thank you." Immediately switching to business mode, Magia bowed deeply. "No, thank you. CAT has been so supportive with the second-generation talents'' new song. I could listen to it endlessly. Always grateful." However, Na Hyun-gon stopped her with a gentle hand. "No, no, today, lets not talk about work." "Mm?" "I came here to say thank you, as a father of a child, not for work reasons." As he lifted his upper body, Na Hyun-gon raised his glass by himself. Magia, eager to pour him another drink, waved her hand in the air, but he refused. "I was always very negative about Eona being an idol. Being in a high position, I came to understand the dark sides of the entertainment industry. The more I understood, the more I wanted her to have an easier life. I thought a lot about how she should focus on studying, not getting involved in this stuff..." "But...?" "I realized, you cant hide blood. I wanted her to focus on studying, but instead, she was obsessed with becoming an idol." "But I heard her grades were good." "I made her do it. She only cared about becoming an idol. Her grades were good, but her attendance was terrible. She spent every day in practice rooms." But Eona was too kind to survive in the harsh entertainment world. Even among her fellow trainees, she was taken advantage of, and her wings were bound to be clipped. She didnt even reveal that Na Hyun-gon was her father, so despite being at a decent agency, she never got a debut stage by the time she turned 20. "After one failure, I thought she should just give up. Then she decided to become a VTuber. I was so worried. I even thought about stepping in. But she refused. So, she ended up at Lapits, and I thought, ''Here we go again, with another problem, this time with the operations team leader.'' Thats when I thought, ''Her luck just doesnt align. This VTuber thing wont work either.''" Then, suddenly, Magia appeared. "And then, Gia showed up, and Eonas eyes completely changed. Until then, shed been trying to avoid trouble and stay quiet, but suddenly she started wielding a sword." "Mm..." "At that moment, I knew it was going to work. And look at the result. I dont know much about VTubers, but after just a few days since debut, the metrics are amazing." "Thats all thanks to the active collaboration from CAT." Na Hyun-gon clapped his hands as if he realized he had slipped up. "Oh, I said I wouldnt talk about work, but I ended up doing it anyway. Sorry." "Its okay. Ive heard that when youre an executive, you cant help but think about work even when youre resting." "Are you talking about yourself?" "Im still far from that stage, so I wouldnt know." "How humble." Na Hyun-gon chuckled for a while and then said, "Alright, now that were talking about work, let me share some good news. Ive already contacted CEO Do-hee, and soon therell be some discussions within Parallel." "Well, if its about taking care of Eona, you dont really need to..." Na Hyun-gon gave Magia a [N O V E L I G H T] stern look. "Its just business expansion based on Parallels achievements. As a father, Im showing my gratitude by paying for dinner today. We need to keep personal matters separate from business." "Ah, thats true." In fact, CAT had been supporting song production based on objective results, not on Na Hyun-gons personal feelings. As Magia subtly observed, Na Hyun-gon showed her a photo on his phone. "How about this?" It was a vertically formatted poster. In the four sections from left to right, the first-generation members were positioned, and at the bottom center of the poster, in bold letters, was the title Another World. And underneath, a university gymnasium name, one that most famous singers had performed at at least once, was visible. "Looks like the first-generation should start thinking about an offline concert soon?" Chapter 168 The decision to hold a concert came down to three main ? Nvl?ht ? (Dont copy, read here) reasons. First. [????Nutube] Finish Line | Parallel Another (feat. Fan_C) C Official MV Parallel Official | 589K subscribers 16.61 million views | 3 months ago | #Parallel #CAT #finish_line The first collaboration song between CAT and the first-gen membersa project I had forgotten about with how busy things got. And yet it racked up over 16 million views on the main video alone. Over 100 Shorts videos featuring the track each pulled in over a million views. The most viewed Nutube Shorts video from Movgun is now approaching 80 million views. [????Nutube Shorts] @Movgun Mov Wick #Movgun #BattleColosseum ????78.98M / ????8.11M / ????52,145 / ????247K ? Original Sound (Music Source: Finish Line C Parallel Another (Feat. Fan_C)) Second. With the debut of the second-gen talents, the brand value of Parallel and its members was once again firmly proven. Not just a group that fizzled out after a flashy first generation. But proof that second-gen, third-gen, and all future artists have enough competitive strength to stand on their own. The spike in searches and traffic during Enas debut stream lasted well into the next day, and directly boosted views on the second-gen debut track. Even factoring in the baseline exposure from CAT producing the song Not only did it hit a million views in just two days, climbing up the trending music video charts, it even squeezed onto the trending songs list. [????Nutube] Lives Nearby | Parallel Nearby (feat. Fan_C) C Official MV Parallel Official | 589K subscribers 1.63 million views | 3 days ago | #Parallel #CAT #Side_by_side Trending Video #3 A whole different level compared to the first-gen days. And lastly, the third reasonI''ll let our CEOs words, straight from a meeting with Producer Na Hyun-gon, speak for themselves. Its our fanbases loyalty. Thats it. Apparently, our CEO shared Parallels merch and donation data with CAT and had a long discussion with their concert planning team. They must have run the numbers. Came to the conclusion that, yeah, we could probably fill out a concert venue. But just because the higher-ups gave the green light didnt mean we could ignore the logistics. Still, isnt the Hwayoung Gymnasium at Korea University a bit too big to start off with? A massive venue used by not just famous domestic artists but also international stars. Also regularly chosen for finals of major gaming tournaments. Officially certified for large-scale events. Thats the Hwayoung Gymnasium6,000 seats, with a one-day rental fee of over 15 million won. Its basically a dream venue for Korean VTubers. Bachubachu KR books it for solo and unit concerts all the time. But hey, theres a reason they call it a dream. Six thousand seats? Doesnt sound that crazy, right? Parallels average total viewership exceeds thirty thousand. ...Thats the kind of thought only someone whos already deeply tied to Parallel and spends at least 100,000 won a month would have. One of those people, apparently, was Seung-hyun, who had been listening in and said: Concert tickets are like 100,000 won, right? Thats doable, isnt it? Not really. Only about 15% of Parallels fans are willing to spend money without hesitation. That includes the so-called Chairman-level superdonors, plus the top 25% of subscribers who regularly donate and buy merch. Consistent donations and merch purchases basically signal a fans intent to go all-in financially. Parallel has always based its projections around that 15%. So we cant just take the 32,000 average viewers and expect them all to show up to a concert. Being conservative, 15% of 32,000. Were looking at around 4,800 fans likely to attend. Thats not enough to fill all 6,000 seats. Seung-hyun nodded at that and added: Then... wed have to increase attendance with some kind of marketing, or maybe lock it behind exclusive merch or special events, right? Still, if its just 1,200 more people, that doesnt sound impossible. The CEO shrugged. The problem is, the actual numbers going to be lower than what Gia just estimated. Huh? Even though people call Korea the Seoul Republic, our fans are spread out across the entire country. No one goes to a concert and only spends 100,000 won. Especially fans from outside Seoultheyre spending on travel, lodging... and come on, theyre not gonna leave without buying merch, right? Limited-run glowsticks sold only at the venue? Of course theyd want that. Oh, thats true! So, when you factor all that in, fans from outside Seoul end up spending around 300,000 won on average. Yeah... thats a lot. Not easy. Thats why people often organize viewing parties for them. If they can pay 30,000 won to watch in a theater with booming sound, what do you think theyd choose, Seung-hyun? Well, unless someones absolutely dead set on owning merch... I think most would go with the theater. Exactly. So that 15% shrinks even furtherdown to around 10% of the total viewer base willing to physically attend the concert. Thats about 3,200 people. And since Parallels recently had a lot of new viewers join in, we have to be even more conservativerealistically, the numbers probably below 3,000. Not even half of the gyms 6,000 capacity. The one bit of good news? The concert is scheduled for early November, to celebrate the two-year debut anniversary of first-genso we still have three months. I casually said to the CEO: Guess well be running ourselves ragged for the next three months. Either we increase the total number of fans, or we find some way to kidnap more attendees. Its one or the other. We were saying the same thing during the meeting with Producer Na Hyun-gon. That second-gen debuted without issues and started streamingthat was the green light. Well, yeah. Otherwise we wouldnt even be setting the date. So, based on everything weve discussed, our schedule starting tomorrow is going to look something like this: From August 1, for one month The first-gen members will work with the CEO (whos also acting as the show planner) and CATs concert experts to build the setlist. Theyll also prep the full stage layout and performance flow. The gaps in the broadcast schedule during that timeright when the spotlight should be on second-genwill be filled by them. Since second-gen has three members, Ill jump in for any content that requires even numbers. Then in September, once the pre-concert prep is done, the first-gen girls will start choreography practice and vocal training, while easing back into their streaming schedules. As the first- and second-gen talents collaborate more and show off their chemistry, well finally make the announcement to fans. [Parallel Another (First-gen) 2nd Anniversary Offline Concert C Coming Soon!] [Second-gen will also appear as guest performers. Dont miss it!] This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. In October, the first-gen girls would enter the final phase of concert prep, only appearing for pre-scheduled content. Meanwhile, second-gen would push their solo streams and tournament appearances to cover for them. And then, finallyNovember 3rd, Saturday. (Tentative) The grand first-gen 2nd anniversary concert. Ba-bam. I mumbled to myself while scribbling all of that like notes on a napkin. Growth in first-gen subscriber numbers is tapering off again, so how many fans second-gen can bring in will be key... The CEO spoke up from behind my shoulder. Fan_Cs activity results are gonna be pretty important too. Yeah, Fan_Cwait, huh? I tilted my head, surprised to hear my utaite alias come out of nowherebut thinking about it, the CEO had a point. Now that you mention it... am I attending the concert too? Why wouldnt you? The biggest hit among the first-gen tracks has your feature. Even if second-gen shows up as guest performers, theyre singing their debut track. That one also has your feature. Mm. True. If youre really too busy, just say so. We can always replace your part with the studio version. I closed my eyes for a second, falling into thought. Fan_C. Fan_C, huh... How many songs have I recorded so far anyway? It had been a hellishly busy few months, but after the first few tracks, I rarely needed retakes. So recording cover songs became almost automatic. Once I handed in a clean vocal track, CAT handled everything else. Not having to worry beyond that was definitely a perk. Still, having done nothing but record on cue like a session robot, I had zero clue what was actually going on with the YouTube channel. My own workload was killing meno way I had time to track Fan_Cs subscriber count or celebrate view milestones. Besides, I didnt even start this utaite thing to get famous. The whole reason was to help the girls get more attention. Which is why, for the first time in about three months, I opened up Fan_Cs channelsomething I hadnt done since I first typed the channel description. And what I saw was... honestly surprising. [????Nutube] Fan_C ???? @Fan_C_CAT 102K subscribers 8 videos I love Parallel Id recorded eight songs in just three months? That alone was a shock. Four of them were originals by the members. ...Why do I not remember any of this? Maybe because Id been casually humming or listening to them so often they didnt feel like songs I worked on. And then there was the fact that the channel had hit 100K subscribers. Apparently, it wasnt the Parallel originals pulling in the viewsbut the four cover tracks with wider appeal. The top-performing video had nearly 1.2 million views. A song I sang has 1.2 million views? Sure, the original version had over 100 million views, but stillthere was something deeply moving about that number. Not too long ago, I was stressing over how hard it was to get even one of the girls covers past a million. But there was no time to be sentimental. That number could end up being a wildcard to bring in new eyes for our concert. If thats the case... the collab track with Iyura in September becomes super important. Id need to talk to CAT about it, of course. But if I could just help bring in 500 more attendees, wouldnt that be a huge win? And if I revealed Fan_Cs identity around then... itd definitely create some buzz. No, waitnot yet. Thatd be a waste to blow it now. Gotta remember The longer I keep Fan_Cs identity secret, and the higher I climb, the bigger the impact when its finally revealed. So that trump card? Staying in the deck. For now, the goal was simple: draw in more fans through second-gen and use that momentum to strengthen the overall Parallel fandoms loyalty. Were going to fill all six thousand seats. Which meant tomorrows housewarming collab with Ena was already crucial. Its the long-awaited follow-up after the cooking battle... feels like a waste to just do a basic chill stream, no? When a VTuber love triangle forms and a ship starts pulling ahead, when does the audience get the most dopamine? Right when that ship starts crushing the others and pulling away like mad. What about the losing side? Are they just gonna fade out quietly? That lingering tensionsomethings coming to flip the scriptis exactly what gets viewers fired up. And when that kind of chain reaction drama keeps going, you hit the peak of the soap opera arc. As long as nobody gets too busy and drops out, the fight can keep going forever. No clear winner, just constant back-and-forth. So heres the real question: Between Ena, Maru, and the CEO... which one should I get involved with to spark the biggest explosion? The CEOs a roleplay god. Marus a fool who once leaked something out of sheer jealousy. Which makes the answer obvious: Ena. [Me: Wanna play something like a board game after the move tomorrow?] [Me: Just chatting sounds a little boring, dont you think?] [Me: Youve got a Tetris Switch at your place, right? We could play Gomoku or Yahtzee or something.] It didnt take long for Ena to throw out her own suggestion. Surprisingly, not a virtual gamebut a physical, real-world board game. [Ena: How about Twister?] Twister. The game where two or three people crawl all over a plastic mat covered in red, yellow, green, and blue dots. You spin a wheel and place your hands or feet on the color it lands on, tangling yourself up with everyone else. If youre asking how VTubers can play that without 3D models, a motion studio, or VRyoure still a rookie. If you say, Well, you just need the sound effects. Thats enough for the audience to imagine whats happening,youre a pro. But if your first thought is, Its even dirtier because all you hear is the sound, Congratulations. Youre a god-tier degenerate. [Me: Lets do it right now.] Chapter 169 Twister. In the U.S., its a well-known game with simple rulesfamilies often play it during holidays like Thanksgiving just for fun. But for Korean audiences, its not so familiar. Especially for people who are into subculture, it usually doesnt evoke warm family gatherings What comes to mind first is a harem rom-com scene where the protagonist and heroine get tangled up on the mat, squealing in embarrassment. And lets be real, the main demographic watching VTuber streams overlaps heavily with the subculture crowd. So naturally, our fans were expecting exactly that. Seen on Z Morisaki Ena ? @Morisaki Ena Do you guys know the game Twister? ???????????????? Im gonna play it later today with Gia after we finish moving! ? nanananatmal What. ? eraierai Wha-wha-WHAT? You''re doing WHAT? ? giamomo Boss! Theyre doing something indecent!!!!! ???????????? ? marudog Oh no Maru yaaaaaaaaahhhh From people excited for a spicy Gia-and-Ena Twister stream, To fans scrambling to snitch to the CEO or Maru Chaotic speculation was forbidden, of course. But since both the CEO and Maru regularly check social media, they caught wind of it fast. ? Nezumi Maru ? @Nezumi Maru Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? ? Shirahoshi Momo ? @Shirahoshi Momo Gia is going to live at Enas house forever. The CEO, responding playfully. Maru, seemingly one breath away from crashing the stream in person. Their polar-opposite reactions gave the Parallel Gallery and other communities plenty to talk about, pumping energy into the fandom and fueling the ever-churning content cycle. Seeing all that gave me a strange sense of peace. Even though the stream was still hours away, at least I didnt have to worry about todays content while hauling moving boxes. All I had to do was let Ena take the lead and go with the flow. No matter what she had prepared beyond Twister, I just had to roll with it and do my best. *** As it turned out, Ena had prepared for the stream meticulously. Which, given her flawless debut broadcast where she didnt stumble even once, wasnt surprising. She really was her fathers daughterNa Hyun-gons genes in action. The moment we arrived at her place and saw the setup, both I and Seung-hyunwhod come to helpwere awestruck. I told my dad I needed it for a stream, and he let me borrow it. Hoh. Whoa... Ive never even seen a mic like this before! It was the kind of top-tier mic used in professional radio studios Capable of picking up every little ambient sound with crystal clarity. Her usual mic was already high-end, but this? Shed brought in the big guns. Probably thanks to her dads C-level position at CAT and all the connections that came with it. She mounted it on the ceiling directly above the Twister mat And just like that, even the faint rustle of fabric was captured perfectly through the audio interface. So every grunt, whisper, and gasp we made would be relayed directly to the viewers. No need for visual narration. Sound alone would send their imaginations spiraling. If the room had been small, it might have messed with the spatial acoustics. But Enas roomdespite being soundproofedwas at least twice the size of the one-room apartment Id been living in. Being the daughter of the chief producer really is an S-tier cheat code. But I thought you didnt want to rely on your dad? Y-yeah, I didnt... but I guess I got a little aggressive without realizing it, cause I really want this content to blow up... Imagine this: your daughter borrows a studio-grade mic from you, says its for streaming... And you later find out it was to broadcast every breathy sound in high-fidelity during a Twister game. Describe the fathers emotional state. (5 points) ...Actually, does the producer check Enas streams every time? Even if Ena keeps her content on the wholesome side, shes definitely not shy about going full ham when the moment calls for it. Is he watching all of that? No way, right? Or maybe, like any idol producer, hes keeping tabs on VTuber trends as professional research? Just thinking about the possibility that hes watching makes my usual discomfort about the weird noises I make on stream turn into full-on dread. Still, letting that distract me would be amateur hour. If we want today to be a hit, weve gotta fully commitphysically, vocally, emotionally. If anyone holds back or gets self-conscious, the stream turns awkward instead of immersive. Once I locked in that mindset, Ena and I took our places on the Twister mat. Meanwhile, Seung-hyun began setting up her assigned tasksTeam Leader Kang was covering monitoring duty just for today. Aside from checking the stream and chat from the main broadcast PC, Seung-hyun also had one more job. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Youll be using this 3D posing tool to show our current positions and movements on-screen, like this. Right in the center of the stream overlay. Ah, okay. Got it. It was the same kind of tool illustrators use to block out poses and angles Shed use it to visually represent our positions based on what the audience could hear. If Im standing on one foot like this, what do you do? Move the little kid model here... and lift one leg like this... Exactly. Do the same thing when Ena moves too. That mics super sensitive, so it''ll catch everything. Just make sure your voice doesnt get picked up on stream. Yessir! The models were all bald, which made it kind of funny. But that was the pointit acted as a sort of "over-immersion speed bump." Like how a romance scene suddenly cut by a gag kills the mood instantly, This was just a reminder: were only teasing your imagination. Were not actually tangled up in skin-on-skin affection, so lets all rememberits just a stream. Soon enough, Ena came back from her shower. She shook out her well-dried hair and chirped cheerfully, Finally feel fresh again. Sorry. The place was still kinda dusty, huh? I cleaned up in advance, but I guess it wasnt enough. Even if you clean ahead of time, dust behind closets and desks is impossible to get. Still, it was way better than most moves Ive seen. Her damp hair was wrapped in a towel like a turban, and she was wearing pajamas. The collar was wide enough that I could almost see her underwear And unfortunately, since I was shorter, my gaze naturally landed near her chest. I had to tilt my head upward to look at her face, and my neck was starting to ache. She kept moving around for a while, applying creams to her face, drying her hair, slathering lotion on her arms and legs. Then she came up to me and asked: Arent you gonna wash up? You got covered in dust too. I dont have a change of clothes. Still. Want me to help you wash your hair? Doesnt your scalp feel itchy? Im fine. Ill just head home after the stream and But just as I was about to decline, a thought hit me. Wait... did she shower so she wouldnt smell bad? Twisters a game where your bodies end up close together the whole time. Like it or not, youre constantly catching each others scent. We didnt just get dusty from moving todaywe sweated a ton too. Its summer. We couldve shut the windows and turned on the AC, sure But since Ena has to protect her throat, we kept the windows wide open and carried everything in the heat. In other words, Ena showered because she didnt want me to smell her. Which meant that, conversely, I should shower too. Its just common courtesy. Ive spent enough summers knowing I dont reek when I sweat, But body odor is one of those things you cant really smell on yourself. Just in casebetter to wash up. Even if I couldnt change clothes, itd still be better than not showering at all. Actually, yeah. Probably better if I wash. Bathrooms right outside and to the right. You remember from last time, right? Wasnt there another door inside too? Yup yup. It was a really nice, spacious apartment. The bathroom was double-structured. Basically, there was a dressing room in front of the bathroom. You could toss your used clothes into the laundry or a hamper, grab a fresh outfit, and head in to shower. She even had a top-of-the-line washing machine. I mean... Theres a washer right by the doorjust throw in everything you wore and start a quick cycle. Itll be dry in under thirty minutes. That fast? Thats about how long I usually take to shower. Exactly. I use it all the time when I wanna wear something from the day before. Heretowel. Want an extra? Nah, ones good. Thanks. Perfect. No more worrying about smells. All thats left is to give it my all during the stream. * Shhhhhhhh. Water flowed from the showerhead in the bathroom. Seung-hyun had stepped out to take a work call with Team Leader Kang. Left alone in the room, Ena glanced back Then quietly spun the Twister roulette on the floor. The circular wheel was divided into quadrantsleft hand, right hand, left foot, right foot. Each limb section had red, yellow, green, and blue spaced evenly around it. In total, there were sixteen possible combinations of limb and color. Usually, trying to land on one specific combo is really difficult. But thats only when you spin the wheel wildly without control. If you dont just fling it around and actually adjust the force? You can at least aim for the general body part. And if lucks on your side, you might even get the exact limb and color you want. ...Got it. She had also implemented a difficulty modifier rule. The Twister mat had four colors arranged in six columns each24 circles total. Between the two of us, wed only use 8 limbs total So we added a rule that you couldnt place another limb in the 8 squares surrounding your current one. (For someone short like Magia, that meant 4 tiles in each direction.) In other words, if you spun the wheel right, the game would flow exactly how Ena wanted. She didnt just bring in a pro-grade studio mic Shed spent all of yesterday practicing how to manipulate the wheel to paint her perfect scene. This was her first public collab with Magia since the cooking battle. She had gone all-in. This way... Ill get to stick right next to Gia... If it all went # Nvlight # according to plan, todays stream would be a full-on declaration of war against Momo and Maru. Shed write a miracledefying the 1-in-16 odds again and again with each spin. Closing the distance whenever Magia tried to move away. (Via audio cues, of course.) Shed show the world that she was Magias destined one. In a way, it mirrored Magias own strategy Provoking Momo and Maru to react and pushing the next content arc forward. With Magia doing her best to match Enas pace, And Ena charging forward at full throttle, They were the perfect comboand the impact would be multiplied. And so, a brand-new chapter in the chaotic love triangle brewing inside Parallel Was just about to begin... Chapter 170 Parallel had grown at breakneck speed, And with that, the fanbase had splintered into wildly different types. Broadly, there were three groups: Fans who had been supporting both the CEO Momo and the first-gen girls from the start, Fans who got pulled into first-gen thanks to Magia and followed through to second-gen, And lastly, the freshest wavepeople who joined after the second-gen debut. Magia, naturally, was known to all three groups. And wouldnt you know ither harem happened to include Momo from the old guard, Maru from first-gen, and Ena from second-gen... Each one a representative face of their respective fanbases. So of course, right before the stream went live, The gallery was buzzingan all-out proxy war of predictions and ship battles. ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Why Magias Doomed to Lose Today] Standard Twister mat size = 140cm by 200cm Magias height = 140cm Most people can stretch across the whole thing vertically But if Magia tries that? LOL, no chance ???? Even lying flat she barely makes it ???? [Comments] parallel846: Yeah shes fated to get pancaked lol parallel114: So does that mean Momo and Maru are out? ? parallel906: (clears throat) Not necessarily!! ? parallel211: Aint no way anyone here hasnt bought into Ena x Gia already, right? ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Wait, isnt Magia basically cheating on someone?] The Oshi (the CEO!!) is watching wide-eyed, And shes out here flirting with an idol on stream? Enas totally gonna graduate soon, watchitll be due to internal harassment or something ???? [Comments] parallel990: Hey hey hey parallel101: Is Momo gonna turret-camp ''cause of Magia now?? ? parallel101: What kind of reverse-world timeline is this? ???? ? parallel018: Real talk ???? parallel445: Honestly, even if Momo bullies her, Enas not graduating. ? parallel445: She debuted because of Magia in the first place lmao ? parallel816: But now Im curious. ? parallel816: If they really fought, whose side would Magia take? ? parallel165: Cmon, obviously Momos. ? parallel096: Could be Ena tho? ? parallel096: Magia really cared during her debut. ? parallel355: You think a 6-year fans gonna oshi-hop just like that? ? parallel616: Oshi-hopping and this are different things. ? parallel616: You gonna marry your oshi? ? parallel616: Oshi is one thing, wife is another. ? parallel012: That... actually makes sense. ? parallel086: Wow Magia, your love is paper-thin huh? ? ????parallel07: I''m genuinely scared yall are gonna combust in here The chaos only proved one thing Everyones eyes were on those two. [????Live] Tangling with Gia ????25,331 #Parallel #Nearby #Ena #Magia Just like that, the stream had barely started, and already it was a madhouse. But as previously mentioned, even within Parallel, each fanbase had its own vibe. So maybe thats why, when Ena spoke, the atmosphere was all wholesome uncles doting on their precious niece. So, since Gia and I were moving stuff all day, we might not be able to stream for too long today. Hope you guys understand if we end early! awww of course were just grateful youre streaming at all ???? But when Magia said something similar... If I go quiet or my energy dips a bit, Id appreciate your understanding. Im actually... pretty exhausted right now. ? whatre you saying youre not allowed to be tired Ena can, you cant GO! if you cant work, GET OUT! Abandoning second-gen? Abandoning your own company?! WORK GIA, YOU ARE PARALLELS DAUGHTER!!! The disparity was jarring. But make no mistakethis was a deliberate tactic. See, people had tried to make Magia into a VTuber before. Multiple times. Every time, they failed. But fans, being what they are They found a new tactic: the temperature gap operation. They weaponized the fact that Enas fans were mostly sweet and supportive. So every time Magia streamed with Ena, fans would cold-shoulder her and push this narrative of: "Youre just an employee. We have no reason to be nice to you." And the goal? To make Magia think: Oh, so because Im not a VTuber, yall treat me like trash? I show up in streams as much as any of them anyway. Should I just join second-gen? "Boss, I want to be a VTuber!" It was gaslighting, plain and simple. By the waythese are the exact same people who were screeching during Magias partial cam reveal, Saying: You cant give that much work to someone that small! Parallel is 100% a black company! Let Magia rest!! Anyone unfamiliar with this crowd would think, Are these people actual psychopaths? But heytheres a reason the phrase like streamer, like fans exists. Magias a menace. Naturally, the fans who follow her are too. They change strategies on a whim to suit whatever outcome they want. Stillhas Slugdan, Magias loyal yet unhinged faction, ever gotten what they wanted? Of course # Nvlight # not. Because once again, the result was already locked in from the start. Guys, after hauling boxes for hours, then heading straight to Enas, then getting blasted by hot water for thirty minutes, Im definitely feeling it. Ill just assume you all understand. Now sureMagia was genuinely tired. She was just being honest, saying she might not be her usual energetic self. But... She mentioned the shower. And not just any showera shower at Enas place. And just like that, strategy be damned. Everyone snapped. ??? Wait, are you wearing Enas clothes right now? Wh-wh-WHAT ? Gia... did you abandon Momo? Gia... did you abandon Momo? Gia... did you abandon Momo? Gia... did you abandon Momo? Gia... did you abandon Momo? Gia... did you abandon Momo? Gia... did you abandon Momo? I cant believe this... Im disappointed EnaGia is real, GiaEna is rising Shout it loud! ENAGIA!! ENERGIA!!! Honestly, younger ship > older ship ???? That old lady energy is annoying af If I were Gia, Id pick Ena too lol MOMO ISNT THIRTY YET, DAMMIT Our CEO is a beautiful woman in her twenties, everyone repeat: OUR CEO IS IN HER TWENTIES, OUR CEO IS IN HER TWENTIES SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP 20 + 10 is still technically twenties From now on, this chat belongs to the Kyaru Squad Bruh this chat is actually unhinged :: Movgun has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Gia, is this really the time for streaming? Mod the chat already! :: Who are you? Who are you? Who are you? Who are you? Who are you? Who are you? Dont go picking fights with Parallels whales Come on, hes just trying to help, chill This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Just as things were about to spiral even further, Magias "papa"Pinostepped in to cool it down. :: PIN0 has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Screw all that. Whose clothes are you wearing right now? :: My own. The ones I came in. ? ?? ? ??? : Whew~ ??? : Thats our Gia, I knew we could trust her ^^ Wait, whyd she put on the same clothes after showering...? Enas washing machines great, yknow? It handles small loads start-to-finishwash and dryin thirty minutes. Right? Yup. If theres something I suddenly want to wear again, even if its been sitting in the closet for a while, I just toss it in. Super convenient. Besides, Ena and I arent even close in size. Her clothes wouldnt fit me anyway. Do more stretching Drink more milk Tiny little gremlin Magias a proportions demon, holy Then Magia, casually sniffing the bangs that dangled in front of her face, said offhandedly: Oh, but I borrowed Enas shampoo and conditioner. What scent is this? Its really sweet... I dont know much about herbs and stuff. Rosemary. Its pretty famousyouve probably heard of it at least once. Oh. Yeah, thats it. gasp lol gasp gasp Of course, Ena wouldnt let an opening like that go to waste. She leaned right in and took a deep sniff of Magias hair, making sure every little sound got picked up by the mic. You didnt rinse the conditioner out properly. The scents really strong. My hairs long... it takes forever to rinse thoroughly. Do you go to work like this too? What can I do? Its not like someone washes it for me. Drying it already takes forever, so I dont have time to rinse forever too. I surrender. I SURRENDER. MomoGia faction admits defeat. Jumping ship now. EnaGia really is the future. LOL all you MomoGia and MaruGia shippers feeling dumb yet? That boss-employee gap just cant be closed~ Youthful idols are unbeatable AaaaAAAAAAGH Noooo!!!! Is Magia... smiling? Is she smiling? Shes smiling?! Gia, the CEO is watching you Dont cheat on her, Magia!! And just like that, even before the main content started, The chat had already descended into madness. And when the game actually began? It only got worsebecause everything was unfolding exactly the way Ena had planned. The turning point came on the fourth turn, after Magias spin. Right hand, red. Like lightning, Ena shifted into a bridge pose, blocking Magias path completely. Still frozen in place, Magia watched as Ena calmly said: You can lie on top of me, its fine. Youre lightI can handle it. As expected, the game was completely unfair to Magia. The Twister mat might be rectangular, but the horizontal distance from one side to the other was 120cm. Even the smallest gap left by Ena lifting her waist would force Magia to lie practically flush against her. But stillthis was a stream. And during streams, Magia became a machine. She didnt show emotion, only focused on performance and execution. So her body dropped onto Enas torso with a thump Decidedly rough. Ugh. gasp ???? Thats too spicy Enas startled little gasp echoed through the high-quality mic, Broadcast to every corner of the internet. Dont tense up like that. I cant reach if you do. But... thats how I win, right? We made a bet. You lose, you stay over at my place tonight. Then Ill push even harder. You said you could handle my weight, didnt you? Didnt you say you were tired? Rustle, rustle. The grunts, the scuffling, the back-and-forth jostling And over on the 3D visualizer, Seung-hyun mirrored their tangled poses, feeding the chats collective imagination. Mother of god MOMOOOOOOO Boss, theyre getting freaky on a board game!!! Is this stream even legal??? Maru should not be watching this lol :: An anonymous donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Please remain calm. This is a completely normal game of Twister. :: BUT STILL... Yeah Im not watching this with my parents This is way too spicy :: An anonymous donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Honestly the weirdos imagining stuff are the problem. The girls are just taking it seriously lol :: :: An anonymous donor has sent 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Plus Magias tiny lololol :: Still, even if she was light, Magia was the one pressing from above. And in the end, she managed to win the standoff and touch the designated circle. But then it was Enas turn. And thanks to her rigorous roulette practice, she could manipulate the result. Left hand, yellow! Nailed itexactly the target she wanted. And since shed already predicted the result, Ena immediately shifted her weight, lifting her arm and wrapping herself around the still-prone Magia in a ?-shaped lock. Her movement had a kind of spring-loaded power to it And now trapped tight, Magia muttered: Okay, that felt like legit dancer power. Most people thought of Ena as pure, gentle, soft-spoken. But they forgetshe was an aspiring idol. Years of training, discipline, and brutal physical routines. Even now, her workout schedule was no joke. I still exercise all the time. And anyway... feels like I won this one. You cant move, can you? If Magia wanted to reach, she had to get out of Enas clamp. But Ena was squeezing so tight, she couldnt break free. Could you loosen up a little? Nope. I want to win. Ngghhh... Hehe~ not happening~ Part of Magia wanted to let her win. When the other girls invite her over, they always tell her to stay the night. But Ena? She didnt even let Magia leave after helping install her setup. But this was live content. And Magias #1 rule for good streaming: you have to fight like your life depends on it. So her hand crept toward Enas side. Even if she lost in the end, she wasnt going down without a fight. Poke, poke, poke, poke. Kyaah! Khih?! Let go. Khhheheheh! N-No way! Let go, Ena. Nooope! The chat exploded. ARE YOU INSANE They really went full chaos today Gia youre breaking me, my legs gave out UWHEWWWWWWWWWW POLAR BEAR DOWN!! POLAR BEAR DOWN!! POLAR BEAR DOWN!! Polar region now officially renamed the Equator Hottest Arctic day on record, confirmed ???? Eventually, one of the VTubers couldnt hold back and burst into the chat. ????Nezumi Maru: These little sh*tflakes are seriously out of control LOLLLLLLLLL AHAHAHAHAHAHA MARUUUUU lmaooooooo Chapter 171 ????Nezumi Maru: These f@#king puffed-up bitches, seriously LOLLLLLLLLLL LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Hahahaahahaha Maru, come on LOL lmao A raw, unfiltered reaction. Magia and Ena''s plan had landed perfectly. Theyd provoked both Momo and Maru at the same time, but it was Maruwhose patience threshold was notoriously lowwho cracked first. Even though they were all tangled up in awkward poses on a Twister mat. There was no way Ena, whod been waiting for this very moment, would miss Marus outburst in chat. Senpai, youre scaring me. Everyones having fun, but youre the only one getting way too serious. ????Nezumi Maru: ??? Why so serious? Eh? She''s screwed She walked into that one lmao Oh no LOL Magia casually threw in a jab of her own. Maru, I get that its a juniors stream, but dropping slurs the moment you show up? Kinda harsh. ????Nezumi Maru: asldkjfaldkjfadsflaksjd LMAO Maru / Controversy Said one thing and it totally backfired lol Maru, just drop out now LOL Total loss in the trade, huh? Normally, Magia wouldve balanced things out between both sidesbut today, she was firmly on Enas side. Was it because she felt protective over the newly debuted second-gen babies, wanting to shield them with love? Nope. Its simply because she knew the two of them far too well. Maru and Ena had been best friends for years. Maru had once dreamed of being a singer, Ena an idolsimilar paths, and a shared love of outdoor activities made them click instantly. Even when they told others, Im too tired to hang out today, theyd still go grab a meal together if one of them called. Plus, Maru was a first-gen senior whod been streaming for a year and a half already. She was a veteranrecognized as such by both the CEO and Magia. So getting genuinely angry over some roleplay banter? No way. And knowing that, Magia kept poking her to get her to show an even funnier side. ????Nezumi Maru: Sorry for the slur ????Nezumi Maru: But seriously, can you two back off a little?????? ????Nezumi Maru: You guys are waaaay too chummy... Its just a game. Chill. Shes right, senpai. It cant be helped. ????Nezumi Maru: heh heh heh ????Nezumi Maru: Gia, if you come over tomorrow, Im locking you in my soundproof booth Huh? You cant do that. If Gia stops, then Parallel stops too. ????Nezumi Maru: Ena. ????Nezumi Maru: Are you saying the CEO and all our hardworking staff mean nothing compared to her? Gasp Whoa What the Ena, suddenly realizing she mightve overstepped, backpedaled. No, I mean... I was exaggerating. You dont have to put it like that.... ????Nezumi Maru: Right? So I can lock her up tomorrow, yeah? ????Nezumi Maru: Ill trap her in the room with only internet access and feed her pineapple pizza three times a day Senpai, if thats the plan, Ill just go lock her up myself tonight. Damn LOL Genius, absolute genius Ena, are you a genius or what? ????Nezumi Maru: Hey! ????Nezumi Maru: Theres a limit to how much you can milk a setup!! LOLOLOLOLOL She basically gave her all the hints herself Shes spoon-feeding her the whole act lmao Tsk tsk, Maru, just take the L It had gone back and forth for a while. But the longer the exchange dragged on, the clearer the winner became. And surprisingly, the one with the overwhelming lead was Enauntil Magia threw cold water on the whole thing. Sorry to cut in, but the CEO guaranteed I have the right to clock out and go home.... And she said it while using Momowho wasnt even in the streamas an excuse. If I get locked up, Ill just use my CEO phone-a-friend card to escape. Suddenly, Momo scores one win out of nowhere. It was as if Magia were saying neither Ena nor Maru could truly win this battle. Damn As expected of the CEOs favorite The ones who told the old lady to leave better get banned Everyone agrees, shes the cutest "30-year-old burden" Come onnn, shes not even thirty Burden is kinda accurate though lol But really, all Magia had done was rebalance the fight before it tipped too far in one direction. Ena, in fact, showed no signs of backing down. Well... yeah. Maybe locking you up was a bit much. But you remember our bet, right? If I win, youre sleeping over at my place. Thats fineits a bet. Im just saying I dont like being held against my will. Maru, too, picked up the pass from Mugeon and made her exit gracefully. :: Mugeon has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Honestly, Maru should stop worrying about locking her up and start figuring out how to beat Gia in a bet instead :: For real lmao Only way shes staying the night is if you win ????Nezumi Maru: You two better keep it clean ????Nezumi Maru: Ill be watching while brainstorming ideas LOLLLLL Marba Marba Take care now~ * A temporary ceasefire in the war over Magia. Do-hee, whod been watching everything unfold, couldnt help but chuckle. ...They dont even need my help. Theyve got it down. Shed been wondering if shed have to jump into the chat herself if Magia hadnt stepped in just now. Even if Magia was doing a stream collab from Enas place... If things skewed too far against Maru, it would kill the fun for the fans who rooted for the Maru-Gia pairing. Parallels internal love triangle drama had to be viewed as a kind of harem rom-com, with Magia at the center. To make it entertaining, every heroine had to maintain an equal-ish relationship with the protagonist. Sure, sometimes one would pull ahead or fall behind, but nobody should ever get completely eliminatedor score a clean win. In short, Magia had to keep standing at the center of the bit, constantly adjusting the balance between the three of them. The provocation felt a little much at first, but she pulled it off, and now shes spinning the fallout like a pro... Looking back, during that cooking showdown, the reason Cheon Do-hee had tried to make herself the center of the harem was exactly this. She was the only one within Parallel who could steer the bit herselfthat was her mix of confidence and responsibility. But once Ena shifted the narrative with her choices, Magia naturally took over as the protagonist. Do-hee didnt like forcing a story against its flow, so she willingly handed Magia the reins. Shed been watching, feeling a mix of hope and worry But Magia was unfolding the story so smoothly, it was like she was saying: dont worry. I got this. [ (????Live) Tangling with Gia ] ????25,251 #Parallel #Nearby #Ena #Magia Its been two weeks since the cooking showdown, and were still getting numbers like this... Back then, the peak viewership hit 58,000largely thanks to the hype surrounding the newly debuted second-gens. If you factor that in, it means the anticipation around the roleplay centered on Magia is still about the same now as it was then. Usually, content gets the most attention at the start, then slowly fades as the series goes on. But here? People are still tuning in live, eager to see where the story goes next. If you include all the latecomers catching up via forums and community posts, the total numbers even higher. Will Magia betray Momo and choose someone else? Will Maru and Ena succeed in challenging Momo? And if that happens... how will Momo react? Theres just too much to look forward to. And naturally, all of this will trickle down to benefit the second-gens as well. Anyone seriously invested will hang onto Enas every wordbut Ena isnt a solo act. Shes part of a group. She regularly streams with her fellow debut-mates, and whenever they chat during those streams, todays events inevitably come up. Even if theyre not collabing, Miho or Orca might bring it up while interacting with fans on stream or browsing the fan cafe?and just like that, it becomes content. It spreads among fans and fuels the cycle. Of course, Ena being good at playing along helps... But the real reason shes able to be this bold? It all comes down to one thing: her belief that, even if she messes up, Magia will always find a way to smooth things over. Responsibility. That heavy word people rarely say out loudMagia tosses it around constantly in front of her fellow Parallel members. Shell wrap it up somehow. Do-hee smiled to herself and moved to end the stream. She had another work meeting in five minutes, after all. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Most of the team leads were still working overtime, herself included, and each of them was in the middle of a one-hour break (including dinner time). ...... But as always, actually turning off the stream was easier said than done. [Hey! Stop poking me!] [You keep using your body like a claw. Thats why Im telling you to let go.] [Never letting go. Magia cant escape. Youre sleeping at my place!] [Stop pushing me down with brute force...] [Agh. Hrk. Khhh. Ahihihi!] Magias holding out strong LOL Just let Ena win already!!!!! :: An anonymous user has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Look at the Ena x Gia shipperswont even let Magia clock out, jeez :: :: An anonymous user has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Excuse me? Are you saying Enas some kind of evil villain trapping Magia at work?! :: :: An anonymous user has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Like boss, like company, like talent. This whole team is a menace LOL :: :: An anonymous user has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Hey now, Enas just exercising her sacred right, thank you very much :: Maru x Gia squad, assembleeeee Free Magia!! Cant believe this chant is being used on Ena lol Free herrrrrrr No! Never letting go!! Protect Ena x Gia Why is the whole chat fighting proxy wars lmao Whats Momo even doing right now?! This chaotic, all-in energy from the viewers only made the stream more addictive. Even CEO Cheon Do-hee wasnt immune. She was dying to see what would happen next But of course, since it was Magia at the center, there was no guarantee of a next stream. At least Do-hee had a rough idea of Magias schedule. The Slug Squad, Magias self-declared fanbase, had it worse. They constantly pined for her streams, chanting her name across forums in collective longing. The Slug Squads just gonna keep growing, huh... But the Slug Squad would always suffer. Because Magia never once wanted to become a VTuber herself. Hoping for more only made it harder for thembut when it comes to oshi culture, its not like you can just choose to stop caring. Its not that simple. All Do-hee could do was make it easier for them to stay bound to Magia for as long as possible. After all, the people Magia attracts are just slightly more refined versions of herself And those people? They hold serious sway in online communities. That collective influence shapes trends. And those trends keep the name Parallel echoing in peoples ears and minds. Ive made a VOD channel, theres a dedicated Gia playlist on the official page... What else can I do...? Maybe merch? What if they commemorated Magias growing harem with a group merch set that included her? Magia was already a near-legendary free-use character in the doujin circles. Because the official side wasnt releasing anything, fans had no choice but to seek her out at fan events And the buzz in places like Z was already getting intense. Especially the sets featuring Magia alongside first- or second-gen members. Those were insanely popular. The second-gens had only debuted a few days ago, but ? Nvlght ? (Read the full story) already, tons of booths at next weeks doujin event were preparing to sell second-gen + Magia merch bundles. Fans practically saw her as part of the second-gen lineup at this pointand the merch reflected that. Even the previous hesitation in the doujin community about Is it okay to make fan merch of a normal person? was fading. These days, the idea that an office worker RP VTuber can exist too was gaining traction. And since Magia never told anyone to stop, the popular artist drawing the Magia gets a debut comic was already on chapter 25 of their hit series. Honestly, thats a potential moneymaker. Wouldnt it be a waste to just leave it alone? But even the VOD channel and playlist were only made possible with Team Leader Ra Seunghyuns help. Now, Do-hee was racking her brain again. How could she possibly convince Magia to let her face appear in official merch alongside the other members? Do I just drag her to the event myself...? They did live together, so it wasnt impossible... But even though Magia would do just about anything for Do-hee Dragging her out by force didnt sit right. Especially when the girl clearly wanted nothing more than to stay in and watch streams all weekend. Trying to persuade her with words? Not exactly a walk in the park. ...Ah, look at me spacing out. Only one minute left until the meeting. Do-hee decided to postpone her thoughts and quickly moved to shut down the Bbuzzijik app and get up. Thats when Gia and Enas voices came through the speakers: [Im wiped out from the move...] [You know, Gia? Letting go is the easier path.] [No. Do you know what happens if I give up now?] [What happens?] [I become a traitor who ditches her oshi for some fresh-faced brat. I have to win to prove my purity.] Whoa So shes been exploited for three years, huh... Thats not affection, thats emotional violence LOL Do you like her or not, make up your mind LOL Do-hee twitched a smile and muttered under her breath. This little... Here she was, worrying about how to gently persuade her How to be considerate... And Magia just kept poking her like this on stream? ????Shirahoshi Momo: See you tomorrow :) Shes mad Yikes Shes pissed LOL Gasp The CEO is BIG mad Black Momo is going full Black Momo Ruuuunnnnnn Chapter 172 The moment I arrived at work the next day, I was summoned straight to the CEOs office. Naturally, I made my case. Im innocent. Innocent of what? I really said that because I was thinking about you... Then you shouldnt have phrased it like that. Whyd you have to bring up the youthubers? The VTuber industrys a strange little world. Its pretty much expected for roleplay ages to hover eternally between sixteen and eighteen. Even two-year-olds and four-year-olds are common (usually animal-human hybrids). So once youre over twenty, youre considered an old, wrinkly VTuber. Now, this system is totally arbitrary, but to break it down For VTubers like the CEO, whose real-world identity is publicly known to a degree, age jokes usually reference their actual age. On the other hand, if the person behind the avatar isnt public, then the RP age is what counts. But wait. For corporate VTubers, arent they usually at least old enough to be working in a company? Which means, in reality, almost all of them are in their twenties or older. That makes Momowhose age is knownhugely disadvantaged in any verbal sparring match, doesnt it? Exactly. Thats why the CEO routinely takes hits whenever someone brings up youthubers (young, plump-skinned VTubers). In our company, there arent any VTubers older than the CEO, so shes the one always getting labeled old. But honestly, in VTubing, where talking skills matter most, there are quite a few in their thirties who thrive thanks to their seasoned delivery. Some embrace it, even when people call them auntiesbecause their taste and experience inevitably shine through on stream. Others, though, cling fiercely to the roleplay. Every time someone brings up age, theyre quick to deny it completely. There have even been cases where a VTuber in her twenties (RP age: 24) gets called old and wrinkly by a VTuber in her thirties (RP age: 16). That, too, is part of the absurd fun of the VTuber world. Anyway, Ive rambled long enough. Point isIm innocent, damn it. The CEO regularly gets teased for being an old VTuber, and shes joked about it plenty of times herself, so I thought itd be fine. Of course, like always, she had her reasons for calling me in and chewing me out. Look, Im not gonna go on and on about it. But lets get one thing clear today. Avoid bringing up anything that might remind people of my real age. The viewers can toss around jokes about youthubers and wrinkleboomers all they want, but you cant. Got it? Yes. Good. I know its hard to resist, but keep it official. You understand, right? I do. The CEO let out a small sigh, then gently patted my head and asked, Still, you did a good job. Judging by yesterday, this series looks like something we can really milk for a while. Enas so good at it, I dont even have that much to do. Honestly... ...Honestly, I know youre worried about Maru. But go easy on her. Its not that she doesnt want to do well. Shes just a well-meaning idiot, so I cant help it. Rather than nagging her to get better, its more effective to poke her until she reacts. Marus not the type who thinks things throughshe learns by doing. So what if shes bad at roleplay? Marus biggest strength is her singing. Just like idol groups have different rolesvocalist, dancer, leader, variety expertits the same with Parallels VTubers. Everyone has their specialty. If someone asked me which VTuber sings the best, Id pick Maru without hesitation. And its not favoritism. Marus genuinely talented. Every song shes been involved in has turned into a hit. Whether or not I market it well, or CAT promotes it properly Her voice alone is enough to carry it. Add in the fact that her teammates all have unique vocal tones too, and it just works. So Maru doesnt need to do roleplay bits every day. She can focus on refining what shes great atsingingand just react when someone gives her a push. Honestly, even just her iconic sound effects like "Hey!! You toothpick!! YOU?!" and "GRAAAAHHH!!" are enough to make her unforgettable. So, are you collabing with Maru today? After all that physical chaos yesterday, looks like todays a mental game. Yeah. What was the original plan? Did she change it last minute? I bet she saw Ena switch it up and decided to follow suit. We were supposed to play Gomoku, but she suddenly changed it to a maid cafe? experience. ...A maid cafe?? Yeah. She said she felt bad about saying something mean yesterday. So today, she wants to show me nothing but overflowing love as a form of penance. We stared at each other in silence. Then I borrowed the bottle of fake tears on the CEOs desk and dabbed some beneath my eyes. Drip. The CEO spoke first. Why are you acting like youre marching into hell? You dont have the right to talk crap about Marus cooking, you know. Thats because Marus cooking is... bad. Not in a it tastes disgusting the second it hits your tongue way, but in the literal sense that it has no taste. She has zero instinct for seasoning. I remember once, I stopped by her place to check her streaming setup. I was starving, so I grabbed some of her leftover omurice from the fridge. And maybe its because Im used to super flavorful food, but... I could only taste the ketchup. Nothing else. It was bizarre. Look, maybe my ingredient choices and cooking process are weird, but at least my food tastes good, right? That was pure luck. Do you know your seafood jjamppong challenge is blowing up not just in Shorts but on ? Nvl?ht ? (Dont copy, read here) every cooking channel? Yeah. Theyre all baffled. Everyone wants the recipe. Theyre like, How did she make this even remotely edible? Hmph. Thats because Im just that good Good? That was a miracle. Orca literally said she thought she was gonna die. God stepped in to save her. Be grateful. Dying is a bit much, dont you think? I didnt poison her or anything. We bickered back and forth for a whilebasically our usual WWE sparring session, which was more like mutual affection disguised as smack talk. If I had to summarize: Stay healthy, you CEO bastard. Yeah, you too, you punk-ass employee. Still, if the conversation just ended like this, thered be no point in having it in the CEOs office, right? She clearly still had something else on her mind. She fidgeted with the calendar on her desk, then asked: Hey, are you free next weekend? Are we going to the PC cafe?? Im totally in. Well... not the PC cafe?. I was thinking we could go somewhere else. ...Are you already buying me fall clothes? This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Werent you the one who used to complain about me buying you clothes? Now you talk like its a given. Well, Ive accepted that no matter how much I fight it, Ill end up going shopping with you every season anyway. You even took me to a PC cafe? when we bought summer clothes. The CEO tilted her head, something clearly clicking in her mind. ...Wait a sec. We live together now. Why the hell would we go to a PC cafe?? Ugh. You seriously dont understand romance, do you? Theres a specific kind of joy you only get from playing games together at that kind of place. She looked at me for a moment, then casually made a proposal. Alright then. For the sake of your so-called romance, Ill give you four guaranteed hours at the PC cafe? on Sunday but in return, can you spare your Saturday from morning to evening for my idea of romance? Wed been so swamped prepping for the second-gen debuts that I hadnt even had the chance to bring up the PC cafe?. But if she was taking the initiative like this, of course I appreciated it. My first reaction came out jokingly, but thats just because I was genuinely happy. What? Two full days? Youd get more value out of streaming during that time Dont give me that but the subscribersParallels growthblah blah line. Saturdays basically a business trip. Wait, so its not even about your romance then? It is a business trip, technically. But well be going somewhere that used to feel romanticat least to me, before I started this company. Ever heard of the Mane Festival? Starting out with manga and anime... Now including moe-focused games and, more recently, VTubers Its a massive subculture event in Japan, best known as Comiket (Comic Market). Theres a Korean equivalent, run by a different group under a different name, but it functions pretty much the same. And its been around for over 20 years nowcalled the Mane Festival, short for Manhwa-Anime Festival. Too long to say every time, so most people just call it Mafe. Youre going to Mafe? Yep. Ive never been to Mafe before, so Im not sure what to expect... Is Mirai still popular in fanworks these days? At the mention of Mirai, the CEO let out a long, nostalgic hum through her nose. Hoshino Mirai. Considered the ancestor of VTubers, she debuted nine years ago. The CEO used to joke that theres no way anyone would still be buying her merch now. Not really, these days. When it comes to VTubers, its either Bachubachu, Lapits, or our merch that sells the most. Then whats with the whole romantic angle... Hey. Are you trying to trigger me on purpose today? Im just making a factual observation. Whatever. Are you coming or not? I started fidgeting in front of hernot out of nerves, but just to mess with her so she wouldnt catch on to how I really felt. The truth? Id already gone to Mafe twice last year by myself. As much as I treasured my weekends for catching up on VODs at home... I couldnt stop thinking about work, so I ended up going. If I spotted a promising artist, I could mark them for potential official contracts. Plus, I could get a firsthand look at how much of our talents merch was selling, and what kind of products fans were into. But for the past six months Ever since I pulled off that voice impression of RainId been way too involved with streaming to even consider going. Now that the second-gens had debuted and things had settled a bit, I could finally breathe again. So going with the CEO this time? That sounded pretty good. Wellaside from one small concern. Dont you think wed stand out a little too much walking around a place like that? Not really? Dont a lot of women attend these days? Ive even heard couples go together. I mean, yeah, but... People keep saying my face looks like my avatars, remember? At the year-end party, everyone recognized me before I said a word. And afterward, it kept happening. And you too, you stand out. A lot. Hm. Youre not wrong. I do kind of stand out. Knew I shouldntve brought it up. When the CEOs in her signature business suit, she radiates charisma and presence. Honestly, it feels like her VTuber model is the only thing toning that down. So if someone like mewhos been called a 3D version of my avatarwalks around next to her? Yeah. Were gonna attract attention. And theres a decent chance that whoever recognizes me might end up swallowing the red pill and recognizing her too. But while I was stuck worrying, she clearly already had a plan. Ill take care of it. Can you trust me on that? You already have something in mind? You know what they say: If you want to hide a tree, hide it in a forest. Hm... My lukewarm reaction made her squint and grumble. Wow, youre always like CEO, you trust me, right? But when I say the same thing, suddenly you dont trust me? No, I do trust you. Really. But... Thinking back to how enthusiastic you were about buying me clothes, I cant help but suspect youre gonna suggest cosplay. Especially since its Mafe. The CEO quickly averted her eyes. Subtle move, just shifting her gaze, like she was trying to act cool But come on. Like I wouldnt immediately read what that meant? I shrugged. Not that I dont want to do it. I was just thinking about what kinds of outfits Id be okay with. I figure... anythings fine, as long as its not too revealing? Really? Yeah. So Ill leave it to you. She looked absolutely delighted, nodding enthusiastically. Great. Then leave it to me and go do your stream with Maru. Got it? The longer weve worked together, the more shes started picking up my wicked mindset. But stillshes CEO for a reason. Even if its Mafe, and even if were dressed a little weird for the occasion, shes not the type to bring anything too outlandish. Thinking everything would probably be fine, I nodded. Got it. Im heading out. Chapter 173 That evenings collab stream with Maru at the maid cafe? was... something. Since theyd pushed the zatsudan (chatting) portion to the very end, the stream kicked off with Marualready in full maid costumewaiting inside the cafe? set, as Magia made her entrance as the customer. Welcome home, Master...! Magia immediately went full Karen-tier nightmare customer, earning huge laughs right off the bat. Oh wow, no cutesy ''nyan~'' suffixes here? Im leaving. Wha?! Sirno, Master?! LOLOLOLOL Shes dipping immediately?! LMAO Ruuude Shes too much, fr lmao What a hellspawn of a customer LOL Marus over-the-top reactions were so intense, they were practically flavor in themselves. Magia didnt waste a moment comparing this cafe? to the one across the street, making pointed critiques and deliberately provoking behaviors Maru would never voluntarily do. It mightve looked like bullying But for fans, it was a gift. Marus solo streams were known for being a bit low-energy, so whenever she collabed with someone and those chaotic reactions came out, it scratched a real itch. And maybe it was because Magia knew exactly how to hit Marus reaction points... But every little comment got a big payoff, making the stream feel packed and tight, with no dead air. Do you guys offer ear-cleaning services here? Im sorry-nya. We dont have that on the menu yet-nya... Guess Ill pop over to the place across the street to get my ears cleaned then. Dont go-nya!!! LOLLLLLL That killed me Just popping over to get my ears cleaned Im crying Come sit next to me. Im sleepy, I wanna rest my head on your shoulder. Im sorry-nya. Its against the rules for a maid to sit beside a guest-nya. Okay, Ill just go next door for a nap NYAAAAHHH!! HOLY SHIT LMAOOO That cafe? across the street is just a straight-up brothel, huh? What is that, a degenerate den?! Someone call the cops LOL Of course, Magia wasnt just tormenting her. Their chemistry was real, and that shone through too. When the omurice with Magias face drawn on it arrived, the two of them cast a spell over it together for the viewers delight. Be delicious, be deliciousmoe moe kyuuun~! KYAAAAAAA Bliss This is what I came for This is it LOL UMAAAAAIIIIIIII Kyaaaa But the real highlight came right after that. Magiahaving just devoured every grain of rice in her omuricesat back and announced, deadpan: Tastes bad. Nya?!! Brutal LOL She just flat-out said it LMAO Bro just dropped a tastes bad without flinching LOLLLLL :: An anonymous viewer has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Okay sure, Marus bad at seasoning, but damn, tastes bad is cold-blooded LMAO :: :: An anonymous viewer has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Jaaaesaaaam!!! :: Still, no one actually disagreed that Marus cooking was... not great. Pretty much every past guest had said the same thing. Then Maru casually dropped a bombshell: Thats weird-nya... I followed my moms recipe exactly-nya... And suddenly, the stream turned into a damage control zone. (Side-eye emote) (x3 side-eye emote) ???? Magia reacted instantlyjust before the chat could go full spam mode. Ah, that makes sense. # Nvlight # I could feel your moms care for your health in every bite. My doctors been warning me to cut back on super salty stuff, and I usually eat way too aggressively seasoned food. Really-nya? Sometimes you need a taste detox like this. Thats what a caring maid does for her masters health. She dodged that hard LOL God-tier recovery Now Maru just looks like the dumb one for buying it Dumb-dumb Maru Literally surviving on her singing talent alone Momo did say shes the most vulnerable to smooth talkers LOL Looking at it from the outside, it mightve seemed like the whole thing left them both a little bruised But after the stream ended, the first thing they did was look at each other and burst out laughing. Thats just how they roll. Theyve been friends for over a year now, and thats the way theyve always communicated. Still, there may have been a hint of concern lingering after the stream. On the way out, Maru fidgeted with her fingers and asked: Was it really that bad...? Nah, it was edible. Maru scratched her head with a sheepish little smile. Phew. You just said it was gross right on stream, so I got a little worried... Of course, now that she felt a little better, she let her complaints out. Okay but seriously, I gotta saywhy are you all sweet and soft with Ena, but with me its like, talk in cat speech, thats gross, blah blah blah? Why the mood whiplash? Magia crushed her entire complaint with a single line. I can only say stuff like that because its you. I wouldnt dare with Ena. .... This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. The audience noticed it toothe difference in how Magia treated each of them. With Ena, you could tell she was still feeling things out, being polite and cautious. But with Maru, she went full gremlin friend modejoking, pushing buttons, bantering like theyd known each other forever. Magias nature was a little twisted. Her favorite dynamic was teasing someone until they reactedand fans whod been watching her for a while felt most at home when she acted like that. So yes, maybe they wounded each other a little that day But the collab with Maru was still a huge success. After the stream ended, community reactions were already flooding in, and the balance between Ena x Gia and Maru x Gia seemed to be holding steady at about 6:4. And what about Momo? Fans didnt even bring her upbecause to them, Momo was still the undisputed top contender. The vibe was: Ena and Maru are fighting each other for the right to even challenge Momo. No one knew when the situation might flip, of course. But with Magias six years of simping experience backing her? That girl was dangerously strong. *** That Friday evening, after a week that had flown by in a blur, Magia came back to Do-hees place a little earlier than usualaround 10 p.m. She was there to try on the outfit shed be wearing to the Mane Festival the next day. Oh, youre here. Do-hee greeted her the moment she stepped through the front door and led her into the living room, where two mannequins stood waiting, already dressed. One was adult-sized. The other was child-sized. There was no question who would be wearing which outfit. The costumes were from The Aizela, a currently airing anime that had become a massive hit by recreating a manga that had topped Japans charts for months with next-level animation quality. One outfit belonged to the hero. The other to the elf mage, Aizela. ...Wait, wasnt the hero a guy? Why are you cosplaying the male character, Boss? I was looking for something the two of us could do as a pair. This one looked good. You couldve picked Tasha instead of Kain. In the story, Aizelathe main characteris a long-living elf with no defined lifespan. So her party changes between the past and present. In the past, her partner was the hero Kain. In the present, its her mage apprentice, Tasha. Kain and Tasha are around the same height, but Kains a male character, while Tasha is a glamorous female characterher body type much closer to Do-hees. Naturally, if you were doing a cosplay duo with Aizela, Tasha would make more sense, right? Tashas outfit was pretty understated for a popular female character, but come onseeing your oshi cosplay, especially if theyre a VTuber, is a rare treat. You dont get opportunities like this often, and Magia made no attempt to hide her disappointment. Which, of course, made Do-hee grin. Im doing this cosplay just in case someone recognizes me. Better to make sure Im completely hidden. Neither Do-hee nor Magia had ever publicly shown their faces, so as long as they didnt raise their voices, it was highly unlikely theyd run into any fans. Just like how the white-haired Aizela completely transformed Magias image, Do-hee figured dressing as a male character would be the best way to mask her own identity. Magia got it. She nodded. Fair point. Alright, Ill go try it onjust to check the size and all. Of course, even as she tried the costume on, she didnt forget to keep up her usual snark. Did you used to cosplay often, Boss? Nope. I always thought itd be fun, but I was too chicken to do it alone. I actually get weirdly nervous about showing up to these kinds of events. Then whered you suddenly get the outfit? A friend lent it to me. Theyre a pro cosplayer who does corporate events. I told them our body types and asked what would work. They recommended both KainCAizela and TashaCAizela sets. No wonder the qualitys so good, even for something put together last minute. Do-hee grinned slyly. What? You dont like me cosplaying often? If someone as pretty as you wears a standout costume, photographers are gonna be swarming you, asking to shoot. And as your loyal turret, I cant allow that kind of chaos. Oh, its that serious? Im not even joking. Those unicorns are gonna snap their horns in envy. If you ever do cosplay at another event, please take me with you. Alright, alright. Dont know if therell be a next time, but still. Youre reassuring to have around. Since theyd be walking around in costume for hours, freedom of movement was important. Thankfully, Magias outfit was lighta simple skirt and a shawl-style capeso it didnt restrict her much. The shoes were flats too, so walking wouldnt be a problem. She picked up the matching staff and gave it a few playful swings. If I break this, Im paying for it, right? As long as you bring all the parts back, its fine. The cosplayer said they break it all the time anyway. The staffs taller than me. Its a little intimidating... Still, with that, prep was complete. Do-hee helped Magia out of her costumeshe had clearly already done her own fitting earlier and after putting the outfit back on the mannequin, Magia changed into her pajamas. Do-hee settled onto the living room sofa, busy with a phone call. At first, Magia wondered who she could possibly be chatting with so late at night. Turned out it was Ra Seunghyun from planning and Oh Seok-jae from PR. Quick on the uptake as always, Magia realized this trip wasnt just about scoping out fan merch trends. Once the call ended, she brought Do-hee a glass of water and asked: So... youre planning to open a corporate booth at Mafe? Do-hee, parched from all the talking, downed the glass in one go and nodded. Yeah. I think its time. You couldve easily had staff handle that. You showing up in personits not just about checking merch stats, is it? Well, at first I was just gonna see how much demand there was. But if were going anyway, it felt like a waste to just goof off. Gotta strike while the irons hot, right? And to think you said you were going to chase some romance... I am. But business is business. Anyway, it wont just be us. The team leads are each stopping by to scout the venue too. After everyone checks it out and we meet up, well decide whether to officially participate next time. A corporate booth at a major doujin event. Its a form of marketing with very clear pros and cons. Even though companies run the booths, they usually have to hire temp workers to handle things like payment, restocking, and line management. But with crowds that size, its hard to maintain service quality unless the booth staff are actual employees. A bad booth experience can easily backfire and hurt the brand. And yet, companies still shell out for boothsbecause the exposure is massive, and it gives existing fans something new to enjoy. More importantly, getting a booth often comes with a slot on the main stage, where companies can showcase members, introduce new content, or even hold short live performances in front of about 2,000 audience members. Parallel already had a solid online presence. But offline reputation? That was a different beast. This could be a great opportunity to show the world just how complete Parallels vision had become. I think were finally solid enough to not get crushed by the whales. Dont you? Yeah, Id say so. Parallel had been biding its time, carefully weighing the pros and cons. But as Do-hee said, theyd finally reached a point where they wouldnt be drowned out by the bigger corporate booths. Of course, marketing is essentialbut if the cost outweighs the benefit, it becomes a dangerous gamble. And if the booth ends up being a ghost town, thats the most pitiful look of all. The kind of companies that usually take booths at Koreas biggest subculture event, Mafe? Giant game companies like Mimex that even casual fans know. Koreas #1 anime distributor and major Japanese studios doing early premieres through OTT platforms. Massive VTuber groups like Bachubachu or Yoruasaa. For Parallel to step into that arena and say Hey, notice us too! Of course it was intimidating for a first-time booth. But the booth and stage management were Do-hees job. All Magia had to do was keep being Magia. Thats why, as she gently nudged Magia toward the bedroom, Do-hee said: You dont have to overthink anything. Just come with me tomorrow and enjoy yourself. Me and the team leads have to act like corporate reps, so youre our proxy for the fan experience. Aha. In that case, leave it to me. Then lets get some sleep. We need to leave early for makeup and setup. Ohand just in case, if you run into someone you know at the venue, do not acknowledge them, got it? Magia just laughed, acting like there was no way shed mess up. She even joked that Do-hee was the one who needed to be careful. ...But Magia had no idea. The next day, she would run into someone at the event that she absolutely did not expect to see. Chapter 174 "Boss." 9 a.m. While heading to the Ilsan International Exhibition Hall where the Mane Festival was being held, Magia, sitting in the passenger seat, absentmindedly fiddled with her phone and muttered, "We might run into Pino at the festival." "Huh?" Pinos social media account had become famous in a niche wayas an unusual Live2D rigger. Usually, to create a moving illustration, you''d need a highly detailed piece with an absurd number of separated layers. But Pino worked from publicly available illustrations. In other words, he took single-layer images and retouched the necessary parts himself to create vivid, dynamic Live2D models. His skill was bizarrely good. His work was so impressive that he ended up swamped in contracts from Mimax, the top game company in Korea, handling their Live2D outsourcing. But at the same time, he had the worst luck with investmentslost all his money, ended up in debt, and had to look for new gigs. Thats how he wound up in the VTuber rigging scene. So in the doujin and especially the VTuber community, hardly anyone didnt know the name Pino... but He was also a bigger shut-in than Magia, a man who truly lived by the motto, "Outside is dangerous." No one had ever actually seen his face. There were even rumors that the outsourcing manager at Mimax, who regularly commissioned him, didnt know what he looked like. So the odds of him coming outside just to buy merch were basically zero. Thats why Do-hees response was half-hearted. "Hes coming all the way out here just to buy merch? No way. I mean, yeah, its easier to get here now with the GTX line open, but still. If you dont have a car, its such a pain coming from Seoul." If youre wondering why these two even know where Pino lives Just recall the time he didnt deliver Komaris rigging on time and nearly had his front door broken down. Still, Magia spoke with a weird certainty, like she was sure hed crawl out of his cave this time. "Maybe, but look at this." "Youre telling a person who''s driving to look at something?" "Just a quick peek. Ill read the rest out loud." From Z PIN0? @pin0_live2d - 2 hours ago Why are you all lining up so early Please just go home My Gia merch is in danger It was just a sentence, no photo attached. But even that was enough to tell where he was headed. "I wasnt trying to find out, but it turns out Parallels booth has more of my merch than usual this time." These days, with online pre-orders and specialty platforms, its a lot easier to track whats being traded and whats in demand. From what Magia had seen yesterday, about half of Parallels booth was dedicated to selling her merch. Considering that Parallel doesnt officially sell any of her goods, and her connections with Momo and the rest of the members were being highlighted latelyit probably stirred up the fanbase. "No wonder. So thats why the guys crawling out of his cave..." "Which is why we should be careful how we speak. If its him, he might recognize me just from my voice." "Yeah. I was planning to stay alert anyway." Do-hee, still fiddling with the steering wheel, glanced over at Magia a moment later and asked, "Waitwas that based on your own experience?" Gias answer was sharp. "Yes. When I first saw your face, I was like, ''Thats Momo?'' But the moment you spoke, I knew immediately." "Hey. ''Thats Momo?'' Really?" "I just didnt expect my oshi to have such a stern look, y''knowugh" "You know I can still pinch your cheek even while driving, right?" *** The goal of the cosplay was to hide a tree in a forest. That goal turned out to be surprisingly easy to accomplish. Just like all the other cosplayers arriving at the venue, the two of them instantly drew the attention of camera-toting fans. What made the difference was the high-quality cosplay of Magia, who was dressed as the protagonist of the currently popular series The Aizela. Even betterstanding next to her was the matching cosplay of Hero Kain, widely shipped as the main pairing of the series. Double the impact. Since they had queued in the cosplayer entrance line, getting inside wasnt an issue. But from the general admission line a little farther off, tons of people were staring, some even whipping out their cameras and snapping photos without hesitation. Even other cosplayers in the same line asked if they could take pictures with them. So even before the event began or they officially entered the hall, theyd already taken group shots with over ten different cosplayer teams. This was particularly exhausting for Magia. Just because she was in disguise didnt mean she could ignore peoples requestsshe tried hard to pose and adjust her expression to match what the photographers wanted, which took a lot out of her. As soon as they entered the exhibition hall, Gia made a beeline for the corner, slumping against the wall with her back. Quite the contrast to Do-hee, who looked like she was having a blast soaking in all the attention. "Do people usually take this many pictures when you cosplay?" "How would I know? This is my first time. But damn, this is fun. I didnt expect to be this popular." According to the pro cosplayer who helped with Gia and Do-hees makeup and setup With cosplay, half the battle is the hanger, apparently. Perfect outfits, wigs, gear, and makeup always look better on attractive people. At the event, popularity and photo requests definitely shoot up depending on how good you look. And Magiawithout even wearing contactsnaturally had the same eye color as Aizela. Her milk-pale skin made the elf ears look absurdly natural. Thats why she was such a hit. Even her brief moment of restinghands gripping her staff, face buried in her shoulder while leaning against the walllooked picture-perfect to someone. Another person came over wanting a photo. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. But since the whole idea of cosplaying was Do-hees plan to help her stay anonymous And Do-hee was the one who asked her to come along for this business trip Seeing Magia clearly exhausted already, she couldnt just stand by. "Sorry, shes taking a short break. Could you maybe take a picture outside later if theres a chance?" "Oh, sure." Thankfully, the would-be photographer backed off without protest. The event organizers had even recommended against taking too many photos of cosplayers inside the hall, to avoid disrupting their chance to actually enjoy the booths. Do-hee turned to Magia, who was clearly drained. "You okay? Want to go back to the car and rest?" "No, this is exactly when the turret needs to work the hardest. Honestly, Im just glad the attentions on me and not on you. Choosing to cosplay Kain instead of Tasha was a good call." "Yeah... Ill try to block more photo requests for you." Maybe it was the effort that touched her, but Magia, for the first time in a while, spoke words of genuine gratitude. "Thank you." Of course, being bombarded by cameras was exhausting. But getting to hang out with Do-hee? That was a separate joy all on its own. Maybe thats whythroughout the rest of their wandering, Gia couldnt stop smiling. It might seem weird to enjoy yourself this much during a work trip, but Magia always felt like everything she did with Do-hee was a kind of play. She firmly believed she was one of the rare, lucky few among the MongMong whod been granted a peek into her oshis everyday life. That positive mindset always translated into the best possible performance. She studied how company booths were laid out, how foot traffic was guided, what kind of merchandise was being sold, how the staff were arranged. She observed in detail, snapped photos, took notes as needed, and immediately sent them all to Do-hee without forgetting a beat. Particularly at the Bachubachu boothand their rival Yoruasais booth, locked in a global VTuber turf warshe picked up a ton of practical insights. Theres definitely a huge difference in sales depending on the member and fanbase type. Totally. One notable example: Natsuki Luna from Bachubachus KR fourth gen sold way more merch in sets that depicted her eating with other members than she did solo goods. It was because she was a total social butterfly, always sweet with her seniorsfans loved it. On the other hand, third-gens O?kami Haroko was more of a gamer-type like Komari, so her individual merchespecially limited-edition versions commemorating specific game highlightswas what sold best. Lunas personalized dishware, engraved with her name or autograph, was flying off the shelves thanks to # Nvlight # her habit of grilling meat during mealtimes with senpai. For Haroko, it was mousepads and keycaps that were the hot items. Of course, venue location and event timing were other factors to consider. But since this event fell squarely during summer break and peak vacation season, at least those variables were already favorable. And surprisingly, during all their busy work, no one asked to take their photo. Most likely thanks to Do-hee, who kept throwing sharp glares and practically radiated murder every time someone holding a phone or camera got too close. Normally, Magia would act as the turret for her oshi during streams. But today, Do-hee was the one turret-ing for Magia. *** After nearly two hours of combing through the company booths The two of them headed to the food truck zone on one side of the hall to grab a quick lunch. Magia, whod been a bundle of energy during work, had turned into a slouching, drained gremlin. Do-hee leaned down and whispered into Gias ear. She couldnt speak too loudlyit was way too noisy all around. Is the staff heavy? Want me to carry it for you? No... I kinda need it just to stay upright right now. Okay, just be careful not to break it. Though honestly, youre so light it probably doesnt matter. Magia sighed softly, remembering her past self. Back then I could power through until the end of the day. Maybe I really need to build some stamina. You? Exercise? Please. I could do it if I wanted to. Do-hee stared at her and asked, Wait. Isnt this where youre supposed to say something like, Unlike the boss who promises to stream and then doesnt, right after? ...Too tired. Even a gremlin could be cute sometimes. Do-hee let out a little snort and reached for Gias cheek. Just then, the customer in front moved away, and the food truck worker called out. Next! Oh, lets go. Do-hee tugged the sagging Gia along toward the counter. The food truck worker, a woman in her thirties, glanced at them and asked with concern, Is your little one okay? She looks really tired. Do-hee tilted her head, confused. But the only one who could remotely be called a little one was Magia. Everyone else around them was clearly an adult, dressed in black. Oh. Shes not a Do-hees denial was cut off by Magia, who suddenly stepped in. Mom... Im hungry... ...? Oh no, you must be starving! What do you want to eat? I want a hot dog. That might be hard to eat with your little mouth. Want me to cut it up with scissors for you? Thank you. My goodness, and so polite too. What a pretty kid. Uh. Um. Yeah... What the hell. Just like that, Do-hee had become a woman in her twenties with a daughter two years younger than herself. As soon as they got their order slip and sat down at an empty table, Gianow fully rechargedgiggled uncontrollably. She really thought I was your daughter. Thats hilarious. Im not even married and now Ive apparently got a fully grown child. You should be thankful I gave you such a special experience. Thankflike hell I am. Do-hee barely stopped herself from bonking Gia on the crown of her head. Today, with all the bobby pins securing the wig, it mightve actually left a dent. So instead, she pulled at her cheek. Magias pale face stretched like mozzarella cheesefor the second time today. Anyway, you okay? Got enough energy to check out booths this afternoon? If I flip the work switch in my brain, I think Ill be fine. ...Sometimes I seriously worry you might be a real workaholic. I mean, working is probably less exhausting than getting my picture taken. Judging by their goofy chatter, any tension about being recognized on-site had long since disappeared. No one had recognized them in the last few hours. That food truck moment had been hilarious. And even though they were technically working, they were having a pretty good time at the event. Which is probably whywhile they were busy snickeringneither of them noticed a man approaching. Sorry, could I borrow a chair for a moment? It was a four-person table. Gia and Do-hee were sitting across from each other, and the empty seat beside Gia had their staff and sword resting on it. The man who walked up seemed to be asking for the one remaining chair. Do-hee turned toward the voice. Magia followed her gazeand then... ...Huh? ...? Both of them recoiled at the same time, startled. And for good reason: the man, his hat pulled low, was someone they definitely recognized. Theyd been so focused on watching out for Pino showing up... They never expected Mugeonwho only recently got into subculture thanks to Parallelto pop up here of all places. To make matters worse, a shopping bag dangled from his wristclearly a Magia merch bag. Sticking out of it was a long, unmistakable item: a Magia desk mat. Theyd both agreed not to react if they ran into someone they knew. But Magia couldnt stop the words from bursting out of her mouth. What the fuck. Chapter 175 If Magia hadnt said anything, Mugeon probably wouldve walked right past them without even realizing who they were. But those two sharp, unmistakably Korean syllables No way anyone could ignore a sudden What the fuck. His eyes immediately snapped toward the source of the curseMagia. And once that happened, of course he glanced at the person sitting next to her in a male cosplay outfit. Wait a sec. Those faces look familiar. Holy shit, what thefuck. A curse flew out from his end too, completely reflexive. Magias staffshaped like a rounded hooksnaked out and yanked Mugeon by the back of his collar. He had been about to step away with the chair, but instead stumbled and wound up awkwardly seated next to the two of them. Do-hee brought a finger to her lips, signaling him to shut up while glaring at him like she might end him right then and there. Magia, staff still hooked around his neck, glared at him with thin, narrowed eyes. The tension was beyond awkward. Head bowed, eyes peeking from under the brim of his cap, Mugeon was the first to speak. Waitlook, I know what this probably looks like, but I came with Ronze. He asked me to buy the stuff for him. Thats all. It wasnt a bad excuse. Everyone knew Ronze was a Parallel fan. It wasnt crazy to think hed come all the way here to scoop up Parallel merch. And maybe he didnt have enough hands, so he enlisted Mugeonwho wasnt exactly familiar with these kinds of eventsto help out. But there was a flaw in that story. Ronze, as a Naore second-string pro gamer, had been called up to sub in for a first-string match. There was no way he couldve come here today. So the excuse was a lie. If he really wanted to play it smart, he shouldve said he came on behalf of Ronze, not with him. But caught off guard, he messed up the phrasing. Still, pressing further wouldnt do much but make things messier. Magia decided to let it slide for now. I mean, wouldnt anyone be flustered if someone theyd been cautiously keeping at arms length suddenly showed up out of nowhere with a bag full of your merch? Do-hee seemed to catch on to Magias thought process and chose her next words carefully. So, what exactly did Ronze ask you to buy? Mind if we take a look? Go ahead. Be my guest. Its not like I bought it for myself. Right on cue, the food truck called out their receipt number. Ill grab it. Not wanting to personally witness what hed bought, Magia stood up and headed over to collect their food. Do-hee seized the opportunity, pulling item after item out of the shopping bag and laying them across the table to inspect the haul. Magia in her office outfit C acrylic stand. Magia in her witch outfit C acrylic stand. Magia Crazy Shot ver. C acrylic stand. Magia and Ena C couple stand. Magia and Maru C couple stand. Magia and Momo C couple stand. Even the forbidden Magia and Taro C cross-company couple stand. At that point, Do-hee stopped checking, carefully repacked all the merch, and slid it back into Mugeons bag. After all, fandom is about respecting personal tastes. This wasnt some ideological interrogation. What was the point of judging him piece by piece? There was still time before Gia returned with the food, so Do-hee casually tossed out another line. Wait, Ronzes part of the Slug Squad? Hes not just a slughes the slug. He wipes out merch at every event. Said Mugeon. About himself. Isnt he busy with his pro career? Impressive he still keeps up with fandom stuff. Why not? He watches every stream, apparently. Also said Mugeon. Still about himself. But Gias stream schedule is a mess. If youre tied up with practice, no way youd keep up with that. He must be seriously dedicated. Well, yeah. Thats how you know hes a true fan... Again, referring to himself. Yup. Mugeon, confirmed Slug Squad. But seriouslywhen the hell did this guy become a slug? With questions stacking up in her head, Do-hee tossed out one more. Gias cute. Totally worth stanning. Exactly. Shes got that kind of cuteness that makes you wanna bonk her on the head. ... What? Mugeon didnt even realize it, but that was a trap question: So... are you a lolicon? Liking Magia based on her model alone wasnt anything weird. Some people just preferred cute, youthful 2D characters. But if you knew Magiaand still stanned her for realit was a bit more... dicey. Fortunately, Mugeons choice of wordsmakes you wanna bonk herclearly conveyed a chaotic gremlin-type affection. Not anything creepy. Do-hee relaxed. Same as when shed been protecting Magia from camera flashes earlier Today, Do-hee was in turret mode all day long. Alright. Fine. Youre in the clear. In the clear? Ohyou believe me? Thanks. Sure. Must be tough. Im sure Ronzell appreciate it. Eh, hes a good kid. You help out when you care, yknow? I mean, heyat least this way I got to come see the event. Not bad. Just then, Magia returned and placed their food down between them: a hot dog sliced into bite-sized pieces and a roll of kimbap. Do-hee leaned in toward Gia and whispered, Hes definitely a slug. But not a lolicon. ...Thank god. Honestly, Magia didnt really care if Mugeon stanned her or notbut she did hope it was limited to her model. And now that Do-hee had confirmed that, Gia let out a sigh of relief. I honestly thought Mugeon had finally lost it. Hey now. What do you mean, lost it? Keep your voice down. We really cant get spotted here. Oh. Right, sorry. Ahem. But still, what do you mean by lost it? I always appreciated how he supported Parallel. But I figured all that stuff on stream was just him doing performative fanservice. Yknow, playing the part. Hes like the poster child for normie public figures. But showing up to Mafe to buy merch? Thats not something you do unless youre dead serious. I thought he finally snapped. Mugeon narrowed his eyes and looked at Magia, deadpan. Sorry to disappoint, but Im still just a business partner. Helping each other out. Thats all. Dont throw around words like performative. First time youve ever said that, though. Really? Guess I never had a chance. Hard to say anything when you clearly hate my guts. Anyway, now that were talking, how about you stop treating me like a friendly-fire target? Fair enough. Glad we cleared that up. Whether he really believed theyd bought the excuse about Ronze or not, Mugeon leaned back and slipped into his usual exaggerated bravado. Man... today really tested the purity of my soul. Tough crowd. If you had to sum up Do-hee and Gias reaction in one word? Psycho. But at least the tension had broken. From there, the conversation flowed a lot more smoothly. By the way, why dont you guys do something like that? The corporate booths look sick. Parallels got a reputation to upholdyou should set up a booth already. Most people wouldnt dare say something like thatbut Mugeon had played a big role in Parallels growth and was still one of Do-hees business partners. And since it was already in the works, she decided to let him in on it. Thats what todays scouting was for, actually. No wonder. You two went all in on cosplay. I honestly didnt recognize you at first. Did your own makeup, too? Nu-nae helped us. Oh, DingSams wife? No wonder it looked decentfor you, anyway. ...You wanna die? "Hey, turret''s locked on you. Maybe dial the friendliness back a bit." Do-hee scoffed under her breath, while Mugeon just chuckled and kept going. "So, are you guys actually doing a booth? If you are, Ill go live and drop by or something." "Appreciate it, as always, but it''s still just in the planning stage. No date yet. Ill let you know once its set." It was unclear whether he meant to mess with them or was being completely serious, but then Mugeon dropped this little gem: "So if you guys set up a booth, are you gonna sell official Magia merch?" "...Why do you ask?" "Well, yknow, Ronze might ask me to buy more. Would be nice to know ahead of time." Do-hee sighed and shook her head. "No clue. That hasnt been decided. Gias not a VTuber, remember?" Magia nodded in agreement, like she was saying, Were okay with fan works and doujin, but theres no real reason to put out official merch. But Mugeon looked pretty seriousespecially about online sales. Were in the age of mass merch drops and streamlined e-commerce, and he still hadnt quite shaken the "normie" label, so showing up alone to a place like this was probably nerve-racking. "Waithave you guys even checked out the general booths yet?" "We were swamped this morning scouting the corporate side." "Then go check them out after lunch. Youll see just how much Magia merch is out there at the Parallel booths. Shes insanely popular. There are sets where you have to buy other characters just to get her, and the price easily goes over 100,000 wonbut even then, theyre selling out instantly. Sure, high price means low stock, but still." "Alright, well keep that in mind." "And one more thing. There are Magia cosplayers. Not just oneseveral." "...? We havent seen any." "Ive seen at least three. One {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} woman working behind a booth table, one big dude clearly doing it for laughs, and one girl who looked just like Magia. I almost asked if she was the real deal." Magia blinked slowly and muttered, "This is the end of days..." "Hey, it just means youre that popular. And one of them? Her resemblance was unreal. I was this close to asking if she was actually Magia." "Even if she was, what would you do with that info? Its basically asking someone to break characterwhat are you, red-pilling people now?" "Ah, right. That''s breaking VTuber taboo, huh. My bad. Apologies." Still, Mugeon wasnt giving up. He wanted to convince themDo-hee and Giathat demand for Magias merch was legit. That doujin booths were making a killing from it. And that releasing official merch was the logical next step. "Anyway, take a proper look around. Ronze said he really wanted to set up his second-gen official stand next to a Magia stand, but there just wasnt one. Said it was a damn shame. So yeahthink about it." This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Do-hee glanced at Gia, wondering if all this persuasion was a bit much But surprisingly, it was Magia who responded positively first. "Well, if there really are that many people like Ronze who want merch, it makes sense to make it. It all helps the company in the end." Magia had been to enough Mafe events to know how fan event culture could sway a fandom. Someone buys cool merch at an event, posts a photo, and boompeople start wanting it just from seeing it. But if its not available online? No alternatives? Then even if fans want to buy it, Parallel ends up just watching from the sidelines while wallets stay open. Timing was everything. Demand was high nowbut who knew how long that would last? Strike while its hot. It could benefit the company in a big way. And since Magia was officially listed on the website as "staff," not a VTuber, there was no need to treat this like a performer debut. Just a response to demand. "Anyway, is that all Ronze bought? Feels like kind of a weak haul considering how many booths and products there are." Since Gia wasnt pushing back, Mugeon replied cheerfully. Still showing no signs of filtering himself, which earned him another round of exasperated looks from Momo and Gia. "Well, you know me. Whether its characters or people, Ive got high standards. Im basically the living embodiment of visual elitism. Only picked the prettiest stuff." "Uh... sure." "Gia, are you interested in your own merch at all? Want me to recommend a booth or two?" "Nope. Im good." *** After lunch, Mugeon happily snapped a few photos of the two of them, then split off to check out the rest of the corporate booths on his own. As soon as he left, Magia visibly sagged in her seat. "Hes really out here enjoying himself, huh." "Right? That guy who always rants online is suddenly chilling at a fan event? Still feels unreal..." "If an AI trained on Mugeon data tried to mimic him and malfunctioned halfway through, this is exactly what it would look like." Now that the chaos had passed, the two of them planned to quietly make their way through the general boothsfrom A row to Z. Technically, the VTuber-specific booths started at row U, but hybrid booths were scattered throughout, so the proper method was to start from A and move in order. There wasnt a strict rule on how to explore them. Since Magia was the veteran here, Do-hee followed her lead this time. The only exception: when it came to Magia-related merch, Do-hee would handle it. Magia couldnt really be objective about her own character being turned into productsit was too surreal. So they made their way through row A, then row B. Unlike the limited-entry corporate booths, the general booths meant brushing shoulders with the entire crowd. By the time they hit row G, a few people had started following them. By the time they reached row O, that number had grown to over ten. These were relaxed attendees who had already finished shopping, waiting for the moment Gia and Do-hee exited to pounce with photo requests. "...Yeah, were not making it home without some kind of showdown." Do-hee glanced back and murmured under her breath. "Right? Theyre definitely plotting something. Dont worryIll try to block them. Su-nae said cosplayers arent obligated to allow photos, after all." They finally reached row Tthe start of the VTuber-specific booths. And there, right in front of them, was the problem. The trio of Magia cosplayers Mugeon had mentioned. Beefy Magia, adult-female Magia, and suspiciously identical Magia. All standing together in front of a single booth. Its common Mafe etiquette for cosplayers of the same character to gather together. But seeing these three side by side was... chaos. Pure chaos. Gias brain short-circuited. "Lets just glance through this row with our eyes only and move along fast." "Yeah... yeah, thats probably for the best." As they tried to slip past the clones Magia accidentally locked eyes with the one whose cosplay had the highest resemblance. The cosplayers eyes went wide like saucers, and thenalmost like she wanted Magia to hear itshe murmured softly, "I knew Id recognize you the moment I saw you." The voice was cute, in a way. But something about it was... sticky. Too knowing. Magia didnt stop walking, but her whole back tensed with chills. Just like the cosplayer had instantly recognized her Magia, too, instinctively knew who this person was. The one who gave life to her illustration. Her "papa," her rigger Pino. Chapter 176 Magia had sharp instincts, surebut it wasnt just gut feeling that made her so certain that the girl in the Magia cosplay was Pino the moment she saw her. It was because, just as Pino had been observing Magia all this time... Magia had also been keeping a very close eye on Pino. Not because she thought he was a potential problem, but because of a strange sense of kinship that she couldnt quite shake. The way he acted as a rigger. The weirdly in-character chat messages he left during her streams. The donations. Put it all together, and despite his blunt approach, his way of stanning was... disturbingly similar to Magias own past behavior. Lets rewind a bit. How did Magias current Live2D model even come into existence? Dora drew an illustration for her as a thank-you gift. Magia used it on stream. Pino saw it and declared, This wont do, then voluntarily became an unpaid slave and rigged a model so high-quality it had 360-degree gravity simulation. Completely unprompted. At this point, no one wanted Magia to debut as a VTuber more than Pino. That sheer intensity was on par with Magias own dedication to doing dirty work for Do-hees sake. If Magia was the kind of person who would break herself to keep Do-hees streams going... Then Pino was the kind of person whod do anything to get Magias stream up and running. And, as it turned out, her intuition was spot on. Even after they passed by each other, Pino kept trailing behind, whispering just loud enough for Magia to hear. It was like she was saying, Im here to help you, thats all! Just in case theres a misunderstandingplease dont think I was stalking you. I really was just here to buy merch and ran into you by coincidence, I swear. Magia didnt respond. But that didnt stop Pino from rambling. They were almost the same height, which meant Pinos voice filtered directly into Magias ear without effort. I mean, yeah, I did cosplay you on purpose. I figured if anyone in the crowd looked horrified, itd probably be you. I had a feeling. But I didnt expect to actually meet you! Seriously, never imagined this would happen. Im a lucky girl~ Why arent you saying anything? Is it because if you talk, youll give yourself away? You dont have to worryI already know. The person standing next to me is 200% Magia. How do I know? Because youre my favorite daughter. No way I wouldnt recognize you. If you just say one line, I might ascend and disappear right here. What a shame. Its not like Im gonna run around screaming Magia came to Mafe! or anything. Im a Slug Squad tier-zero, remember? After all that chattering, Magia finally spokejust as Momo was checking out some merch nearby. Stop. Talking. Pino immediately slapped her hands over her mouth to hold back a laugh. Then, eyes shining, she whispered, Damn it, its Big Gia again. I must worship Big Gia. It wasnt forced laughterit was real. You could tell just by the movement of her facial muscles. Usually, crazy people online turn out to be totally normal in real life. But Pino? She was the exact same offline as she was online. Probably from being buried in freelance work for too long, slowly going insane under the crushing weight of debt. And now look at her. One word from Magia, and she was actually about to say goodbye. Well, Ive ascended, so Ill take my leave now. Just knowing youre still streaming makes this Slug Squad tier-zero fan a happy girl~ What was this person? A bit flustered, Magia told Do-hee to keep browsing for a moment, then chased after Pino and stopped her. Hold up. Wait. Thus spake Big Gia, Halt, Slug, and the Slug did halt and lend ear to Big Gias word. Was this what mirror therapy felt like? Magia thought maybejust maybeshe could finally understand what Momo felt when dealing with her. At the end of the day, relationships are kind of a food chain, right? Magia had always been uncomfortable with being praised or put on a pedestal. Pino, meanwhile, lived for that. Stillsome things needed to be confirmed. Pino, I thought you were a shut-in? Back when shed missed Komaris rigging deadline, Magia had almost broken down Pinos door trying to talk to her. Pino, panicking, had told her: Im not good at talking face-to-face with people. Can we talk like this, through the door? So Magia had agreed. But just now, shed been hanging out with other Magia cosplayers like it was nothing. If she really had social anxiety, she shouldve just grabbed her merch and run home. Pino responded without missing a beat. When I wear Big Gias form, it feels like shes protecting me. Its like, temporarily, my anxiety disappears" Stop. That makes no sense. Its true! Its a miracle I experienced firsthand. Verifiable! Slug Squad members only reach their final form when theyre inside the chamber of Big Gias shotgun. Jesus Christ. Could spewing nonsense that confidently make it sound like gospel? Every one of Pinos half-sane lines was basically placebojust delusion. Magia, now serious, asked again. You really do have social anxiety? Yep. And today, its just... gone? Been getting better lately. Watching Big Gias streams helped a lot with my communication issues. ...So really, its the streams that helped, not the cosplay. Is it? I dunno. Either way, isnt that a good thing? Magias streams have healing powers. Isnt that kind of holy, in a way? Knowing someone genuinely liked her did make Magia happy. Because that kind of fan eventually ended up supporting Parallel tooand that helped the whole group grow. But Pino... definitely didnt seem normal. This was the kind of person the world called a zealot.freewebnovel.com Still, she wasnt someone you could bring yourself to hate. She was a bit much, sure. But she didnt give off that dangerous vibe. Back when Magia was Momos manager, there had been fans whod say: "Please stream more, or Ill do something drastic." The real scary typesputting their life on the line for guilt-tripping. Compared to that, Pino was just... intense. Maybe too intense. But not malicious. Probably why, despite saying wild things every time she showed up in chat, people still found her kind of likable. Just like Magia used to be, back in the day. Straddling that line, somehow still on the right side of it. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Even now, glancing around and seeing no more conversation opportunities, Pino took a step back and said: Well, I really should go now. Were in ?N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t? the VTuber specialty booth area, and you two already draw enough attention as it is. If I keep following around in Magia cosplay, itll only make things more awkward for you. Ah. Right. Um, are you by any chance thinking Im weird for being too calm today? Like, maybe Im acting too collected and rational and now youre wondering, Wait, is this really Pino? No, you still seem completely insane. The first lunatic officially recognized by Big Gia! That title belongs to who? Me! Pino! Hell yeah! Ive made it. Gotta change my handle from Pazijik to Saint Fan Pino. ...Whatever makes you happy. Well then, Im off. Ive got plans to grab food with the other Magia cosplayers I met today. Dont worryI wont breathe a word about running into you. I may be nuts, but I work with Mimex, you know? Top of the industry. Im known for keeping secrets. Uh-huh. If anyones salty about it, maybe they shouldve been able to recognize you like I did. I have the qualifications. Thats why I got to achieve fan-nirvana today. Hehe. And with a giggle that didnt match her cute appearance at alla giggle way too pervy for comfortPino turned to leave. But just as she was about to return the way she came, she noticed something troubling: even more people had gathered behind Do-hee and Gia, trailing at a distance. Getting back the way she came was going to be tough. Practically impossible. And now that she thought about itthose people had already been following Gia back when Pino first spotted her. Uh... who are all those people behind you? Are they following you to take photos or something? That was when Magia finally turned and flinched. No, I didnt agree to anything like that. The moment she saw Gias discomfort, Pino pouted, glanced at the merch bag in her hands, retraced their route in her mind, and asked, Are you planning to leave after checking out row Z? Yeah. Weve been walking around for hours. And this wig is cooking my head. Yeah, I feel you. Mines boiling too. But uh-oh... I dont think those people behind you plan to let you leave that easily. Theyve all got that must get a picture look in their eyes. Yeah, I noticed. Ill just shake them off and sneak home somehow. So youre planning to say no because youre too tired for pictures? Exactly. Pino shook her head slowly. Her signature Magia-style twin tails bounced left and right. If you do that, someone might complain you were being cold or standoffish. And we cant have that happen to my oshi for no reason. ...Huh? She smiled. Not an entirely reassuring smile, eitherjust a bit too intense. But... still oddly convincing. Ill stick with you until row Z, and when you make a run for the exit, Ill stall those people for you. Just sprint straight to the car. You brought one, right? Yeah, we drove. But... what do you mean, stall? If someone tries to block my oshi when she clearly wants to rest, what kind of tier-zero Slug Squad fan would I be if I didnt do something about it? Dont worry about me. Just run like youve got somewhere urgent to be! And strangely enoughMagia believed her. Online, Pino was the last person you should ever trust... and yet Please just dont do anything illegal. Oh come on. Im not that kind of person, okay? Sure, I messed up some investments and landed in debt, but Ive never committed or enabled any crimes. Im squeaky clean. Certified wholesome. ...Alright. Ill trust you. Who am I? The Slug Squad tier-zerono, maybe tier minus-onepersonally endorsed by Big Gia herself. Ill clear the thorny path so you can walk the flower road, my liege. ...Ha-ha. With that, Magia peeled off and rejoined Do-hee up ahead. Naturally, Do-heehaving seen Gia fall behind to talk for that longhad been getting concerned. That girl cosplaying you... someone you know? Yeah. That was Pino. ...That was Pino? Do-hees voice jumped in pitch but she caught herself just in time. Because the idea that Pino had actually spoken to Magia that calmly was just... not believable. Pino? That Pino? Yup. Wait... you recognized her? Yeah. With someone that insane, theres no point trying to hide. But... she seemed oddly normal? If youd been standing next to us during the conversation, you wouldnt say that. Okay. So... do you need me to help with anything? Are you alright? Im fine. Shes surprisingly sane. For a lunatic. ...What? Do-hee stared at her in confusion Then suddenly nodded in understanding. ...Actually, yeah. I know someone like that too. Ugh. Whatever. Just be ready to run when we finish up at row Z. Run? Why? People are still following us for photos. Pino said shed block them for us. ...Shes not planning something crazy, right? She says shes not. And Im choosing to believe her. ...You believeugh. No, fine. If you say so, Ill believe it too. ...Thanks. It wasnt long before they wrapped up the last few booths and reached row Z. Do-hee and Magia were just heading toward the event hall exit when NOOO!! A sharp cry rang out behind them. Magia immediately broke into a sprint. Do-hee glanced back, saw what was going on, and bolted after her. There was Pino, sprawled out on the floor, arms sweeping wildly as she blocked the entire aisleyelling at full volume. Where is it?! Where the hells my merch?! Who stole my Magia-shower-scene acrylic stand?! I swear it was right here!! Total chaos. Everyone following Do-hee and Magia came to a screeching halt. As they cleared the gate and jogged together toward the car, Do-hee muttered, And that looks normal to you?! Magia snorted and replied under her breath: For Pino, thats basically her most normal self. Chapter 177 ... The Aizela Gallery ... [Man, today was such a missed chance.] The KainCAizela couple cosplayers The quality was f***ing amazing, I really wanted to take a picture, ugh. I followed them when I thought they were heading to the lobby, but then some crazy chick started screaming that her merch went missing and I lost them. lol Seriously, that was such a waste, f**k. Its not easy to find cosplay of that quality again. [Comments] TheAi251: Oh that person, lol ? TheAi251: I saw them too, they were amazing ? TheAi251: But I heard they kept refusing photo requests? ? TheAi069 (OP): For real? ? TheAi069 (OP): It wasnt just me who couldnt get a shot, right? ? TheAi862: Pretty sure a few people took pics in secret, lol ? TheAi069 (OP): If I catch anyone uploading them, Im reporting them all for stealth pics ? TheAi069 (OP): I refuse to be the only one who missed out, f**k ? TheAi991: Hey hey hey TheAi335: But what character was that chick who caused the scene cosplaying? ? TheAi335: She was cute too ? TheAi069 (OP): VTuber ? TheAi069 (OP): Think her name was Magia or something ? TheAi335: Ohh, thanks ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Isn''t Parallel just some rando nobody VTuber agency?] [Posted by: Parallel335] Titles just bait, ignore it Magia << Where can I watch her streams? No matter how hard I search, I cant find a personal channel. [Comments] Parallel912: Oh no... ? Parallel335 (OP): What? ? Parallel912: Never mind ? Parallel335 (OP): What the hell? Parallel202: Yeah... no, good luck out there ? Parallel335 (OP): ?? ? Parallel335 (OP): Seriously, where do I watch her? Parallel009: Another one who got baited by the cosplayer ? Parallel335 (OP): Stop with the cryptic s**t and just tell me where to watch ? Parallel009: Follow all streams by Parallels 1st gen, 2nd gen, and the CEO Shirahoshi Momo, and keep an eye on the official channel ? Parallel335 (OP): ???? ? Parallel856: It sounds fake but its actually all true, just follow that ? Parallel335 (OP): Are you mocking me because I dont know much about VTubers? ? ????Parallel1: Its not a joke. Seriously, just do what they said ? Parallel335 (OP): I asked for her channel ? ????Parallel1: She doesnt have her own stream, thats why lol ? ????Parallel1: Best odds are on the official channel ? ????Parallel1: I gotta go delete some cursed memes, later ? Parallel335 (OP): ??? ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [The way new fans are getting into this lately is just hilarious lol] Is Magia really that infamous loli harem queen? This is normal I saw a Magia cosplayer causing a scene at Mafe, her foam cutout was cute tho This is not [Comments] Parallel018: Of all the cosplayers, he just had to fall for Magias ? Parallel181: Poor dude, lol ? Parallel393: All we can say is good luck to him Parallel478: One things for sureMagias already popular enough to stand next to most VTubers ? Parallel478: Look at the numbersbooth count, merch, cosplayers. Its all proof ? Parallel886: Who cares? She doesnt even have regular streams lol ? Parallel043: Are you trying to start a fight? ? Parallel886: You mad? ? Parallel043: Its my fault for falling for Magia ? Parallel886: My bad ? Parallel043: Dont apologize... that just makes it sadder ... ... She was just doing her job, nothing more. But thanks to Pinos chaotic antics, Magias name recognition skyrocketed. Not only did her popularity grow, people even started posting charts showing how much merch she had. Suddenly, the whole fandom was saying things like, Parallels missing all the business opportunities, Momo needs to wake up and release some merch ASAP, and so on. Even a ten-page wall-of-text breakdownsomething that wouldve been ignored any other time for not having a TL;DRgot pinned as a Quality Post. So, with the pressure mounting, Parallel couldnt just stand by. They officially decided to release Magia merch alongside the 1st and 2nd-gen VTubers. A tweet was posted announcing the plans and asking for a little patience. They were clearly trying to ride the wave of hype while calming the public. Seen on Z Parallel official KR? @Parallel_official_kr 15m Thanks to your overwhelming support, official Magia merch is now in the works! Please hang tight just a little longer! ???? 293K views ????102 ????155 ?1044 ? magiaismagia @magiaismagia 8m Finally ? akwldkznak @akwldkznak 5m Knew I could count on you!! Of course, fans might not be thrilled about it... Since production starts in August, the earliest itll hit the market is September or October. But if they delay it just one more month, itll land in November. Thats when the 1st-gens offline concert is scheduled. So instead of releasing it early, they planned to wait until hype hit its peak, then launch it through the official shop. At the same time, theyd include a Magia bonus item as part of the concerts limited-edition perks, hoping to turn all that hype into actual ticket sales for the 6,000-seat venue. Whether or not thatll actually sell a few extra rows... well, theyd just have to wait and see. Either way, Magias accidental rise was now paying off in very real ways. And this sudden popularity ended up bringing her an unexpected gift, exactly one week later. ... ... Subject: Momo, heres the 3D sample for Magia From | PIN0 [email protected] To | Cheon Do-hee [email protected] ????Attachment: Magia3d_kongblank.zip Hello, Momo. I asked a friend of mine if theyd be interested in doing some work for their portfolio, and they ended up sending over this pre-final version as a trial piece. Please take a look. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. If youre happy with it, Ill move forward with the rigging. You can expect the modeling and rigging costs to be about half of what we paid for Komaris 3D model. Thanks again, PIN0 Live2D Rigger ... ... Thats kongblank. The same kongblank who had been nearly impossible to contact when they commissioned Komaris 3D modelone of the top-tier modelers in the entire industry. Sure, Pino had done some persuading. But what really made it possible... was Magias popularity.f?eewe?n?ve?.com Maybe Pino was willing to do his part at half price because he reached nirvana after seeing Magia in person. But the fact that even kongblank was willing to work for half price? That said more than anything about just how big Magias name had gotten in subculture circlesespecially in the VTuber scene. For reference: when Do-hee called Magia over to look at the model, the very first thing she did was flip it 180 degrees and check the underwear color. It was a bit of a weird movebut then Magia made a strange face, prompting Do-hee to ask, What? Is it the same color as yours? No. But I dont think it needs changing. Magia did like her character because it was cute. But if there was someone who liked it even moreborderline obsessivelyit was Pino. It was like... just as Magia could pick /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ up on little details Momo hadnt noticed, Pino was the one who truly understood all the this is what fans wish Magia was like pointsthings even Magia herself didnt realize. Call it lolicon, call it perverted, whatever. But no one approached their work for Magia with as much sincerity as Pino did. So, was it awkward facing him in person? Of course. Saying otherwise would be a lie. But the stuff he produced was undeniably helping the company. Thanks to the people who were crazy about Magia, all that energy was now flowing toward the 1st and 2nd-gen talentsbringing massive benefits to Parallel. And if we had to name the leader of that craze, itd be Pino. And surprisingly, he wasnt even that much of a liability. As long as he was managed well, Pino was a net positive for Parallel. So from Magias perspectivewhy push him away? Her attention was currently on something else anyway: how to use this new 3D model and where it could be applied. Pino wanted the 3D model made. Magia wanted to use it to support the rest of the team. Do you think Team Lead Ra Seunghyun is planning any group content with my 3D model in mind? I havent talked to him yet, but once he hears about this, hell probably start planning something that includes you. And the return on investment? If you use it consistently, the value will speak for itself. For now, just join the group content with 1st-gen regularly. Eventually, 2nd-gen will get 3D models too. And since youre staying with the company, its less of a risk and more of a long-term investment. Plus, its half-price. You dont get offers like this often. Magia pouted slightly, doing the math in her head. How many streams would it take to recoup the cost of the 3D model? What kind of content could she launch with to break even quickly? Ra Seunghyun would probably put together a solid plan. But he was swamped with concert prep at the moment, and Magia wasnt the type to just sit around and wait. If I keep using it regularly, sure, the cost will pay itself off. But itd be better to hit hard right at the start, right? Its not like Im guaranteed to be in every 3D project. True. Suiting up with motion capture gear takes time too. Your schedule might not always allow for that. Thats why I wanted to suggest something, boss. Go ahead. Do-hee knew from experience: whenever Magia started a conversation like this, it usually led to an interesting idea. So she immediately shifted into lets-hear-it mode. If Pino rigs it at full speed, well probably have a final version sometime next week. Right. And that week also happens to be the last week of summer break and vacation season. Monday, August 27 to Sunday, September 2. Got it. By then, 1st-gen should have some breathing room. So how about we do a summer-ending special before the season wraps up? The 1st-gen members were slammed with concert prep in August and again in late October. But in September, they were scheduled to appear more often on streams with 2nd-gen. So Magia proposed they kick it off with a 1st-gen 3D: Goodbye Summer Special. What kind of thing are you thinking? If its a mini concert or fireworks show, Im vetoing it. Back in Julyshortly after Magias hand-cam reveal and right before the 2nd-gen debut 1st-gen had already held an online valley-themed concert with fans. So doing another concert now wouldnt really fit. Plus, with just two months left until the offline concert in late October, it might dilute the hype. And if Magia was included in a concert, people might pressure her to sing. Knowing that Magia wasnt exactly thrilled about singing, Do-hee wanted to avoid that scenario altogether. And sure enough, Magia proposed something entirely different. Lets do physical challenge-style variety segments. Then we wrap up around a campfire, just chatting and winding down. Feels atmospheric for the end of summer, right? Youll host? Yes. The motion capture studio on Parallels 9th floor wasnt really suited for concerts. Which was why theyd always rented outside studios for previous online concerts. While facial capture worked great, there just werent enough motion capture cameras to deliver smooth full-body movementone of the most critical elements in a concert. That situation would remain until construction was finished on their new medium-sized studio in the adjacent building. But for casual variety content? The slightly rigid vibe of the 9th-floor studio could actually work in their favor. Take, for example, the 1st-gens regular 3D series, Parallel Karaoke. Even when it was just two or three members instead of all four, it gave the vibe of friends hanging out at a real karaoke joint. And when they started getting wild, the janky body tracking actually made it funnier. Plus, with a decent background created by a skilled artist and immersive sound design, they could capture the right atmosphere without spending big on studio rentals. After all, what fans wanted wasnt a real beach trip. They wanted the feeling of going to the beach with 1st-gen. If the girls were fully immersed and the background felt real, then that was the beach. Do-hee totally agreed. Every time they planned something, the conversation eventually circled back to: Whats the cost-to-impact ratio? Parallel HQs 9th-floor studio. A half-price 3D model for Magia. Just those two things were already enough to balance cost savings with content quality. If youre the one running it, I probably dont have to worry much. But whats the plan? When it comes to the campfire bit, Im guessing things like heartfelt talks or exchanging letters. But what kind of beach-themed physical content are you thinking? Magia held up her phone and played a video. It was a recreation game known in Korea as zombie tag, but also popular overseas as a YouTube Shorts or group content format. Super simple rules: One playerblindfoldedbecomes the zombie. They have to rely only on their hands to track and bite the others. (The bite is just tagging, of course.) The other four each hold a noisy toy in their mouths and try to escape. (The classic squeaky chicken toy that honks when you blow into it.) Simplebut the key was that it let members freely touch each other. And biting? Thats not exactly something you see in every stream. Seeing how eager she was, Do-hee asked, Are you doing this because you want to see it? Magia answered boldly, without hesitation. Yes. Absolutely. And honestly, if Magia wanted it that much there was a good chance viewers would love it too. With that answer, Do-hee didnt need to think twice. There were only about ten days left until August 31 or September 1when the special stream would happen. Call in Team Lead Ra. Were having a meeting. Now. Chapter 178 When Magia arrived, the planning team partition looked like a war zone. Ra Seunghyun was flipping through reports like a madman, arguing with a staff member, and scanning the monitor for issues with the new concert costume designsall at once. Magia couldnt just drag someone that busy away, so she hovered by the partition, trying to gauge the mood. About three minutes later, Ra Seunghyun finally noticed her, and without a word, he immediately jogged off toward the CEOs office. This wasnt the first time, so hed already learned to interpret that as a sign that a meeting was coming and moved on reflex. Naturally, the meeting that followed moved at breakneck speed. Just like always, Magia pitched a rough idea. Ra and the planning team developed it further and locked in the concept. Then Cheon Do-hee signed off on it, sealing the deal. They were so in sync that the whole thing took less than an hour. The funny thing waseven though this meant more work on top of their already overloaded plates Ra Seunghyun ruffled Magias hair and praised her as soon as the meeting wrapped up. You saved our asses. But I gave you more work? Better to take on more now than realize too late that we missed something. Honestly, if you hadnt brought it up, we probably wouldve just left it to the girls and glossed over the whole end-of-summer thing since concert prep is top priority. Well, Im glad to help then. The planning teams chaos was entirely because of the upcoming November offline concert. Since it was Parallels first time doing something like this, everything had to be prepared carefully, without mistakes. They were benchmarking major corporations, consulting with professionals, and because VTubers came with their own set of challenges, they also had to coordinate with CATs stage production staff to confirm whether their planned performances were even technically feasible. Ra Seunghyun had to handle all those external liaisons himself, which meant lots of meetings, frequent business trips, and delays due to bottleneckseven when the internal work was finished. Of course, that didnt mean the regular staff had nothing to do. There was the design of the merch to be handed out at the concert, the glow sticks for sale, and the costumes that would be showcased. Even though it was technically a 1st-gen concert, the 2nd-gen members were also participating. So it wasnt like only the 1st-gen needed concert outfits the 2nd-gen needed 2D costumes as well. And there was FanC too. No face reveals, surebut silhouettes would appear, so they had to keep working closely with CAT on how to stage those segments. Iyuras spot was still being filled, and since this would be like her successors debut concert, CATs subculture labelthe one handling the music for Parallels 1st-gen and their utaite, including Magiawas paying close attention. Basically, when CAT requested A, Parallel had to deliver A+. Then CAT would come back asking for S-tier. And the cycle repeated. Anyway, Ill make the content plan as detailed as I can, but its probably gonna be sloppier than usual. So during the actual stream, youll have to carry it a bit. Magia shook her head. Im just the host. Im there to push the others to shine. You do know that how you push them can make the difference between a funny moment and cringe overload, right? Yeah... fair point. More importantlyare you okay? Me? Yeah. Dont you have that duet with Iyura next month? I heard your vocal training schedules been pretty tight. Can you handle all this? Im only doing two hours a day. Its not that bad. You should count the two hours it takes to get back and forth to CAT HQ in Gangbuk. And its your first time seriously singing, right? Shouldnt you be doing some personal training too? I watch streams during the commute, and I can train while I work. Uh... that counts as rest, right? Not more work? Honestly, the lines a little blurry... Magia glanced toward Do-hee, gauging her reaction. Shed been trying to show that she was managing her workload, resting properly, and keeping her condition up. But Ras comment had unintentionally drawn Do-hees attention to the issue. ...Its a bit vague, but since Seunghyun evaluates from a listeners perspective while we work, Id say Im focused on training outside of official duties. Well, if you say so. Anyway, make sure youre ? Nvl?ht ? (Dont copy, read here) ready for the recording. Apparently the CEO of Allmight Production is doing daily rituals for your success along with FanCs. Allmight Production was CATs subculture label in charge of the 1st-gens music and also Magias upcoming projects as an utaite. Theyd said the pressure had eased a bit now that Parallel was doing a decent job filling Iyuras gap. But the label still seemed anxious enough about the future that they werent sleeping well. Magia smiled and nodded. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. I dont really like singing, but if I treat it like work, its surprisingly manageable. Ra Seunghyun made a thoughtful noise. Come to think of it... youve been volunteering ideas way more lately. I used to hate streaming. But since I realized it actually helps the company, I like it a little more now. Still, if a mountain spirit showed up and asked me, Watch streams or do streams?Id choose watching. No hesitation. Well hey, at least youre starting to enjoy it. Maybe itll be the same for singing? Well see. Magias preferences had always been simple. She liked whatever helped the company. If something helped Cheon Do-hee and Parallel climb higher, then it was worth doing. So maybe it wasnt impossible for singingwhich she found annoying and tediousto become something she liked. After all, even if she said she hated it, shed been faithfully sticking to everything CAT asked of her. The most important part was throat care. They said that more than any specific exercise, what mattered was getting enough sleep. So she did. At least six hours a nightmore if she could. Some days, if her schedule allowed, shed sleep all day, stream playing quietly in the background like a radio until she nodded off. You might wonder how she managed that kind of deep sleep with her workload but recently, it had become possible thanks to the addition of a new junior staff member. Magia had only participated in the final selection. But once again, theyd found a decent candidate somewhere. Not quite on Park Seung-yeons levelsomeone experienced who hit the ground running but passionate enough. For now, they were handling stream monitoring and managing communication with chat moderators. Seung-yeon had already reached her ninth month at Parallel and was becoming reliably independent. With Kang Ji-ho stepping in here and there as needed, the monitoring work was in good hands. Magia was now compiling reports for Do-hee and submitting them regularly actually functioning as a proper stream team lead at last. On top of that, shed been keeping up with CATs other health requests. Humidity? Handled with humidifiers in both the office and her home, on a subscription service since she couldnt manage it herself. Dusty days? Always wearing a mask. She even considered buying a plague doctor edition but decided a regular dust mask would suffice. There were plenty of demands, but she compromised by following the basics and visiting the doctor frequently. Apparently, CAT had seen this sort of thing before because they introduced her to a throat specialist who was basically a veteran. Now she was a regular. And maybe because of that, her overall health had gotten way better than a few years ago. Even Magia herself found it hard to believe how lively her body felt these days. *** Magia wasnt the only one whose health had improved. One particular maniacwho had met her in person and considered himself a "tier 0" Slug Squad memberhad also experienced a dramatic boost in his mental wellbeing (supposedly). [Chaser: Pino] [Chaser: Whats up with your work speed lately??] [Chaser: If Id known youd be this good, I wouldve sent you more assignments] [Me: Youre seriously the worst kind of trash, huh?] [Chaser: Hehe ^^ Just part of the job, yknow] [Chaser: Just dont make me go chasing you again] [Me: I swear Ill call the cops if you show up ????????????????????] [Chaser: lol Looking forward to working with you again on this one] Just reading Pinos messages with the MiMAX outsourcing rep was enough to see how packed his week had been. He worked at nearly 1.5x his usual pace while simultaneously spamming relentless revision requests to his friend who was working on Magias 3D model. The moment he got the approval email from Do-hee to begin rigging Magias model, he jumped into it immediatelywrapping up around one-fifth of the entire project in under 24 hours. And he did all that while juggling his regular assignments. Before this, on days when Magia wasnt streaming, Pino would stew like a ghost of the forums, roasting in the hellfires of boredom. But lately? Even without a stream, he was chill. He spent his time productively, eagerly waiting for the next broadcast. And if that wasnt enough [MGA Corp 12.44%] [Total Gains: +31.9% / +?319,000] His investments had been killing it lately. After losing money left and right, he had kept dumping 50,000 won a week into related stocksthinking of it as supporting Magia more than actual investing. And now, "Magia Industries," "Gia Distribution," "MGA Corp"all his Magia-themed stocks were giving him returns in the 20% range. ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [The Magia Investment Strategy Is Real] [Posted by: Parallel444] (Attached: investment_report.jpg) Not accepting counterarguments lol Call me Investment God from now on. [Comments] Parallel091: Sir, please get back to work Parallel125: Wait... is this Pino? ? Parallel961: Yup, lol ? Parallel125: LMAOO this psycho is investing again after losing that much? Parallel101: Bros got the heart of a beast ???? Parallel334: Is the mad one the director or Pino? ? Parallel669: Both ? Parallel334: Fair ... ... Fueled by this overwhelming positive energy, Pino didnt stop at just rigging Magias model. After finishing his own work, he started harassing his fellow creators, cracking the whip to make more Magia, better Magia. [Me: Sir] [Me: Knock knock~] [Me: Is it done yet?] [Me: Wheres that guy who screamed at me for being slow, huh?] [Kongblank: You f***ing] [Kongblank: Im working on it, stop nagging] [Me: Really?] [Me: Didnt you say you had other stuff this week?] [Kongblank: Yeah, but] [Kongblank: All my mutuals have been demanding a swimsuit for Magia ever since I made her 3D model, so Im doing that first] [Me: LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL] [Kongblank: You laughing?] [Kongblank: Ugh] [Kongblank: I was supposed to take other freelance jobs but now Im stuck here] Pino cackled as he typed faster. [Me: Hey] [Me: Youre making a swimsuit, right?] [Me: I guarantee jobs are gonna start flooding in] [Kongblank: Just because I make one doesnt mean shell actually use it] [Kongblank: Why are you so confident?] [Kongblank: Doesnt she never do what viewers ask?] [Me: Nah] [Me: Shes 100% gonna use it] Magia acts to help Parallel grow. Pino acts so that Magia can keep streaming. In short, Pino enjoys supporting Magia so she can keep producing content that uplifts Parallel. Thats why he occasionally appeared on her streams, throwing out highlight-making donations like Kill Passes. Why he poured effort into all this behind-the-scenes work. And all of it stemmed from one unwavering belief: If Magias in the stream, it cannot be boring. Thats why all Pino had to do was toss her an idea. If it even seemed like it could be fun, Magia would turn it into magic. And seriouslywhat could be more exciting than that? [Me: Because you are the one wholl make it happen] [Me: A swimsuit so good, anyone who sees the thumbnail has to click] [Kongblank: ...] [Kongblank: Fine, but tell her to stream more] [Kongblank: Its hard being a fan like this] Suddenly triggered from an unexpected angle, Pinos fingers smashed across the keyboard like a madman. [Me: Wow, spoiled much?] [Me: Back in my day, one stream a week had us praying and feasting in gratitude, ffs] [Me: Now you just follow the girls and Magia pops up several times a week] [Me: Youve got it too good] [Me: Do you even know the pain of Jjarit Hill??] [Me: You dare speak of Magia when you dont even know the M in her name] [Kongblank: Hey hey hey] [Kongblank: Chill, please] [Me: If that swimsuit isnt done by tomorrow, Im leaking that cursed fanart from four years ago onto TalkCord, gl] [Kongblank: YOU PSYCHO MF] Chapter 179 ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Something f*ing huge is coming]** Seen on Z Parallel official KR? @Parallel_official_kr 1d D-2 Our summers not over yet! The four members of Another gather at the beach for one last vacation, but suddenly, a sea spirit appears and proposes a game...?! ???? Emergency ???? This is definitely a Magia 3D reveal. The comments explain why. [Comments] Parallel015: All of 1st-gen is in 3D and Magias still 2D? No way lol ? Parallel258: I never doubted you, dammit~ Parallel669: Wait, is the 3D thing actually happening? ? Parallel669: But she still hasnt debuted? lol ? Parallel800: Take that back ? Parallel669: What, did I say something wrong? ? Parallel800: Doesnt matter, take it back ? Parallel669: I knew it already tbh, sorry lmao ? Parallel800: You little sh*t ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [But it kinda feels like Magias 3D isnt the main thing here] Speaking as a current Slug Squad member This feels more like theyll casually drop the 3D reveal, and the real focus will be on showing off the girls swimsuits. They werent in swimsuits for the valley concert last month, remember? And before anyone says, Why is this Slug Squad clown so smart? Dont. I didnt want to be smart. I became smart out of survival. [Comments] Parallel111: This guys still calling himself a Slug with a brain like that? ? Parallel084: Hey hey hey ? Parallel801: Fact-ban incoming Parallel586: Honestly, Slug Squad dudes are just really smart people pretending to be dumb ? Parallel989: But why? ? Parallel801: Nah Im actually just dumb lol ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [But waitdoesnt that mean Magias in a swimsuit too?] Like, if the others are all in swimsuits, and shes just in her usual witch outfit? Thatd be weird. [Comments] Parallel238: Are you a genius or something? Parallel751: Yeah, I thought the same thing Parallel347: Even if its not a swimsuit, shes probably in summer clothes Parallel711: But wait... does that mean Magias starting her 3D run with multiple outfits from the jump?? Thats insane lol. And she still hasnt debuted hahahaha ? Parallel162: Ill kill you ? Parallel254: LOLLLLLLL ? Parallel856: Every conversation ends with but she hasnt debuted ? Parallel741: Youuuu ???? ? Parallel472: Dont poke the Slugs, seriously lol ... ... *** The final weeks of August flew by in a blur. Then, just two days before the end of the month, my completed 3D model arrived in the CEOs inboxwith a summer outfit included. Do-hees reaction when she saw it was... mixed. ...What is this? Its a swimsuit. ...Where? What do you think a swimsuit is? An outfit you wear to swim...? This is something you wear when swimming. So its a swimsuit. This... this isnt even clothes... Okay, fine. It was kind of a weird result. But I only put in one spoonful of creative input. Kongblank, the 3D modeler, had asked me, Any specific direction you want? So I said, Id prefer it not to look too VTuber-ish, and I dont want it to be overly flashy compared to the other members, and As long as you stick to those two, Ill leave the rest to Pinos taste. Now, you might be thinking, Why the hell would you trust Pinos taste? Lets not forget: shes a legit, professional freelancer working with a major game company like MiMAX. She looks like a maniac, but shes a functioning adult. And one of the few people who truly loves my flat avatar board more than anyone. Shes not gonna send something that makes people wrinkle their noses. And if were aligned in our sense of aesthetics, I figured shed send ? Nvl?ht ? (Dont copy, read here) something solid. And sure enough She delivered like someone who gets it. Cute, small characters dont get love just by stripping them down. Okay, maybe part of it was that she couldnt stand the thought of her beloved avatar board being exposed in front of everyone, so she went with this instead. Either way, I didnt end up standing awkwardly next to the other girls in cute swimsuits, competing for attention. And that alone made it a masterpiece in my book. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. I rotated the model around a few times, struggling to hold back my laughter. I love it. Im keeping it. ...Alright. Anyway, everything was perfectly ready. The background wed use for the stream had also been beautifully crafted by a professional designer. During the day, the bright white sand and gentle turquoise waves gave off a summery vibe. At night, the sky filled with stars, and the ground sparkled like jade, creating a magical scene. The sunset progression was animated toojust watching time pass made the whole thing feel alive. I personally ran a final check on-site by fast-forwarding through the whole day cycle in the studio. All green. Our members had only been able to stream once a week during that crazy August, but now, it was time to give something back to the fans who waited so patientlyknowing that we were working hard to prepare something even bigger. *** On the day of the broadcast, despite it being the last day of August, the oppressive heat dome continued to torment the members. One by one, they came into the studio, each holding a portable fan. Its so hot... Ugh. Korea. Tropical zone. This makes no sense. Fucking hot. I was already prepared and waiting, so I handed them the ice-cold drinks I had set aside for them. Despite it being the last day of August, the heat dome was still torturing them, and they all grabbed the drinks like it was part of the plan. They plopped down on the studio floor, taking turns sipping the drinks. Thanks~ Thanks, Gia-nim~! Since I had already turned on the air conditioning to cool things down, the floor was also cold. The four of them sucked on their drinks, rolling around on the floor, wiping off sweat with towels, and flapping their clothes to cool off. Once they felt ready, they shouted that they were finished preparing and headed straight to the changing room. To wear the motion capture sensors, they had to change into tight suits, which was standard procedure. But the last to head there, Maru, didnt immediately go in like the others. Instead, she turned her head slightly toward me and asked. Gia, what about you? Me? Yeah, didnt you decide to reveal your 3D today? Arent you going to change? I shrugged. You go ahead. Once everyones changed, Ill change too. Even though I had gotten close with the others, I still couldnt casually hang around in just my underwear with them. As for this version of me, I didnt mind hanging out with womenbut that version of me wasnt quite as comfortable. It was a bit of a clash of thoughts, to be honest. On one hand, I could just say, Its fine, go ahead and change. But on the other hand, I couldnt ignore my conscience. In the end, I decided to follow the advice of the Internet philosopher who said, When in doubt, dont. Of course, the others wouldnt have accepted that. I stood firm in the studio, but it didnt take long for me to be forcibly escorted into the changing room by all four of them. God help me. This suit is really tough to get on by yourself. Its faster to help each other. Yeah, especially for short people like us, right? I kept my eyes wide open, trying to avoid looking at them as much as possible. I wasnt about to close my eyes and let things get worse. But that didnt mean there was nothing to see. Especially with Dora, the 1st-gen member, who had one of the biggest busts in Parallelbigger than even our CEO. She was known as the top triple threat of Parallel. Even if I shifted my gaze slightly, I could see her two water balloons swaying. Being short was a curse in moments like this. Whenever I stood normally, my eyes naturally drifted to that area. Not that I was panicking or anything, but if I acted too awkwardly, the four of them would probably forcefully dress me up. So, I quickly stripped off the clothes I had been wearing. I wasnt embarrassed about anyone seeing my body, so it wasnt as big a deal for me. Once I was in my underwear, I tried to step into the motion capture bodysuit, but by then, Rainwho had already finished changingwas standing beside me, shaking her head. Come on, Gia. Stick your foot out. Feeling a bit uneasy, I looked around and saw the others had already finished changing as well. A squad of tight-suited models, their heads wrapped in tight body suits, were grinning as they approached me. It was hard to describe, but even knowing their usual selves, the sense of intimidation was no joke. Some might envy this kind of situation, but knowing what Id done in the past, I was more concerned about what kind of mischief they were about to pull on me. But, if I was going to get punished, better to get it over with quickly. I wasnt the type to hesitate in these situationsI knew that those who joke around are also ready to handle those jokes. So, I followed Rains instructions and stepped my feet into the suit she was holding open for me. But instead of them teasing me, something entirely different happened. Rain and Maru worked in sync, pulling the bodysuit up over my legs. Gia, jump! Ive got this side, dont worry! Dora and Komari were behind me, adjusting my hair so the zipper wouldnt get stuck. Anyone who needs their hair tied up? Use a rubber band, unni. Before I knew it, I was completely dressed. Since they were all veterans when it came to 3D broadcasting, theyd arranged their long hair in neat curls, covering their necks with body tights, leaving everything tidy. There was almost no discomfort from the suit clinging to my skin, even when it twisted around. A smile slipped out. Funny, huh? I had doubted that theyd be helping me, but theyd been thinking about my comfort all along. And when Maru noticed the look on my face, she chuckled and said, Whats with that face? You look like youre watching a kid mess up and finally succeed. Komari, who overheard this, immediately responded. Id be proud if Gia were my sister. You guys used to mess around so much, but now look at you. Why are you looking at me when you say that? Well, because you were the biggest troublemaker... I was not! You guys never stop. You still fight like this? Hey, its not really a fight. Hehe. Besides, isnt that how we grow up? Honestly, I might be the youngest by age, but Marus got the lowest maturity level. What?! Dora and Rain are here too! What? Whys the grenade landing here? Unni, calm down. Take a breath. This is what it means to be 1st-gen. But if I kept this up, theyd end up wasting all the material for the broadcasts fight scenes, so I quickly called for everyone to calm down, and we moved on to the camera test to make sure the rigging was working. Alright, lets all calm down. We need to do the camera test now, so if youre going to fight, at least put your sensors on first. Despite the grumbling, they listened, and within moments, all five of us had our sensors attached. In the studios capture space, the mirror-like setup allowed us to see our own broadcast feed in real-time. The four of them tested their 3D models, making sure their movements were captured and reflected correctly on the screen. And then, it was my turn. As always, I had a predictable routine when it came to these tests. I started with the bare-hand exercises we learned back in school, checking if my company worker form and witch form were moving smoothly. Then, finally, I tested the custom swimsuit form Pino and Kongblank had made together, checking if it moved as expected. Naturally, for me, this test was no big deal. But for the 1st-gen members who were watching, it was a shock. What the hell is that...? Wait, is that... a swimsuit? Eh? HOLY. The swimsuit I was testing out must have looked ridiculous to them, and when they saw it, they all stared at the screen in disbelief. I couldnt help but laugh at their expressions. When they asked, I just repeated what I told the CEO a few days ago. A swimsuit is a swimsuit, right? Its for swimming, so this counts as one. Of course, Komari, who likes to be a stickler for the facts, didnt let it slide like the CEO did. Well then, shouldnt it be called a swimming board? This doesnt look like clothes... Well, I guess if youre wearing it, it counts as clothes, doesnt it? And thats how it went. I, who had been transformed into a short surfing board with a head and limbs, was about to become the sea spirit of todays broadcast. Chapter 180 The stream began. As the standby screen disappeared, the viewers were greeted by todays host. ? ?? Eh ??? Huh? ?? ????? What ? LOL ?? Standing on the beach, collecting countless hooks. It was none other than Surfboard Magia. Hello, Parallels dear Wol-Dungis. This is Magia, your host for todays Goodbye Summer Special with the first-gen members of Another. The sight of a surfboard bowing in half was nothing short of a cultural shock. About half of the Slug Squad, who had been hoping for a cute swimsuit-clad Magia, were already screaming in despair. Thats not a swimsuitttttttttttttttttt How is that a swimsuit?! Get the CEO in here Lies This aint it A surfboard, seriously LOLLLLLL Aww come on LOL This is some bottom-tier trolling Please, wear a normal swimsuit At worst, I expected a rash guard or a divers suit, but this? LOL What the hell LOL Of course, there were also those within the Slug Squad who were absolutely thrilled with the surfboard swimsuit(?). ????movgun: Insane LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL ????movgun: I did NOT see this coming LOLLL Anyone who hadnt even considered the idea of replacing a swimsuit with a surfboard had already burst out laughing in disbelief. boron: LOLOLOLOLOL I cant even LOL lupko: Youre f***ing insane LOLLLLLLLLL But admit it, its funny, right? LOLOLOLOL OMG LOL This is bottom-of-the-barrel stuff LOL Its hilarious though LOL LOLOLOLOL People who came to see the first-gen swimsuits ended up dying of laughter, and for a while, the chat was just a flood of Ls. Magia seemed to pick up on the chaotic mood and waited a moment for things to settle down. Once the storm of chat began to calm, she spoke up. Yes, this is the sea fairy look I teased on Z, remember? ? ?? ? Lifeguards who save lives at the beach often use surfboards. People even call them sea fairies sometimes. So technically, I wasnt lying. I have so much to say, but Ill keep quiet Okaaaay Sure, lets go with that... Right, lets say thats true LOL :: An anonymous viewer donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Look at everyone just going along with it now, so used to her trolling LOL :: :: An anonymous viewer donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Anyone who was arguing is dead now LOL :: Did Magia think it was weird when she got this look from Kongblanc and Pino? Of course not. She was happy to let the spotlight shine on the first-gen idolsbeautiful, glamorous, and dazzling. Meanwhile, she could draw all the aggro for todays event. Plus, it was the perfect outfit for summer and the beach. That was exactly what this surfboard was. Especially since it had Pinos approvalit was guaranteed to draw attention. With new traffic came fandom growth, so Magia had no reason not to wear it. And sure enough, the strategy worked perfectly. Not a single person watching the stream wasnt laughing. More and more people were showing up, having heard the news. Some were just curiousseeing a surfboard with a human face walking around on the thumbnailand couldnt resist clicking. [(????Live) Goodbye Summer! with Parallel Another, featuring Magia] ????56,192 viewers What is this LOL ?????????? Just got here, what the hell is going on?! Came for first-gen swimsuits and saw THIS LOL Its cute though, cheers to that LOL But in the midst of all this chaos The real stars of todays content appeared. Before we dive into the main event, let me introduce todays special guestsour four first-gen members of Another, one by one! In stark contrast to Magia, who came to be funny on purpose, the beach models walked in. Just their presence drew everyones eyesan entrance as dazzling as only first-gen idols could pull off. Whoaaa Whoaaa Look at that Damn As everyones attention naturally locked onto Dora and her overwhelming figure Maru, ever the watchdog, fired off a warning to the fandom. Donguris. I can see you staring at Doras chest. Keep it in check, alright? Im writing everything down. Oh~ So thats how you all look at me? Im disappointed~. Swimming with those deadly missiles strapped to your chest? Youre a marine menace. The ocean creatures hate you. Compared to that, our Komari is an angel. A protector of the seaack. Why am I getting dragged into this?! I wasnt even saying anything! Another, as harmonious as ever. With everyone trading barbs and banter, five to ten minutes passed in a flash. Then, after greeting the viewers together The real content began. Among the four beautifully dressed in swimsuits stood Magia, the not-quite-human sea fairy, who explained how todays content would work. Todays event will be a 1:1:1:1 competition. Each of you will be earning points individually, and whoever gets the most points will win the grand prize. I have a question. Go ahead. Whats the prize? You still havent told us. As Magia clicked the presenter in her hand, a huge screen appeared in the background behind the four standing on the beach. We kept the prize secret until today to keep you motivated. Lets check it out now. A moment later, the prize was revealed: [Two R-seats for Asabaras Korea concert + Two 5-star hotel vouchers (with breakfast)] If you listened to J-pop, there was no way you didnt know the Japanese singer-songwriter Asabara. The prize included two R-seats and a hotel stay near the venue after the concert. Dora raised her hand. I have a question~ Is there just one bed at the hotel? Yes, its one king-size bed. Oh my my my. What What the hell LOLLL This is so on the nose LOL Maru, you better win Maru, this is your shot The perfect opportunity just dropped into Marus lap It was such a targeted prize that the three other first-gen girls turned to stare at Maru all at once. Feeling their burning stares, Maru yelled out Why, why are you looking at me like that?! I didnt say anything yet! But with that reaction, everyone knew for sure. Ah. If Maru wins, shes 100% dragging Magia along. And right on cue, Magia chimed in. You can use the prize yourself, but youre also allowed to give it to someone else. Its not a must-use-for-yourself kind of thing. And upon hearing that, Komari immediately said Then Ill give it to the boss. What Gasp She explained. Shes been crazy busy lately. I think itd be nice if she could go to a concert and rest for a day. Better than someone using it for selfish reasons... LOL Komaris the queen of filial piety Komaris the only one who truly cares about Momo It sounded suspiciously like a jab at Maru. And since the chat was already roasting Maru, she couldnt just let it slide. Excuse me, Komari. I never said anything, okay? I didnt say Id use it with Gia! So you wont use it with her? No! Im going with my mom! This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Lets be honesteveryone knew Maru had volunteered herself into Magias harem drama. Everyone was watching eagerly, always waiting for a chance to stir things up. And a prize like this? With someone who clearly wants it the most? There was no way theyd stay quiet. Rain, ever the agent of chaos, jumped in too. Then me win and give to cute kouhai. What? Hey, hey, hey. Maru. Calm down. Take easy. I said Id give it to a kouhai. I didnt say which one. Got it? You try giving it to Ena and see what happens. My god. Are you psychic? Ugh. I knew it. LOLOLOLOL This is a complete mess Now its a three-way war LOL Maru looked at Dora. Hoping at least she would be on her side. Something like that. After all, while the others had made it clear who theyd use the prize with, Dora stood like a casting votesighing deeply as if thinking hard. But who was Dora? She was the one people joked about being a lolicon alongside Pino. And she was Magias mama (illustrator). She adored Magia. Going to a concert together and sharing a hotel stay? It was the perfect chance for fun stories. I dunno... I kinda want to spend some cozy time with Gia, just the two of us~. Oh come on! Not you too, unnie?! She''s joined in! Even Dora?? Four-way battle LOL Whoever wins, we win!! Still, Dora seemed open to compromise. She turned to the flustered Maru and said Of course, if someone offers a good price, I might sell it. Hehe. Maybe if someone offers, say, a million won? Youve got to be kidding me. Ive been wanting to upgrade my tablet, but Im a little short on personal funds~. I wonder if anyone would buy it for a million won~? Doesnt have to be Maru~. This is ridiculous! Flipping it like a scalper!! To be fair, Asabara R-seats + 5-star hotel is worth about that LOL Doras brain is in top form today LOL Maru turned to Magia, shouting. Hold on. Host, is this allowed? Can you resell it? As long as its a member-to-member transaction, its fine. What kind of rule is that?! That makes it 2 vs 2, right? LOL Even if Dora wins, Maru can just buy it for a mil LOL For real LOL :: An anonymous viewer donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: So Maru is too stingy to spend a million won on Gia, confirmed :: Excuse me, everyone? I never said that, okay? :: An anonymous viewer donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Its fine to be stingy, just means you lose the Magia battle LOL :: I didnt say I wouldnt buy it, either!! Instead of supporting Maru-Gia, everyone was either teasing or sabotaging her. And in the middle of it all, Maru suffered. Since it was starting to feel like Maru was the only one getting pummeled Magia stepped in to restore some balance. Alright, alright, everyone, lets not {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} go too hard on Maru for something that hasnt even happened yet. Who knows? Maybe shell go beast mode today and win every game and take home the prize. ? As if Maru? Beat someone with physical skill? LOL You mean the one who trips over her own feet just running around? Everyone shared the same thought When it came to physical ability, Maru was absolutely the weakest. And today was a 3D stream, meaning a physically active broadcast. So lets hear from the viewers. Ill open a quick pollwho do you think will win today? Naturally, most people expected the winner to be either Dora or Rain. And Rain had a slight edge. The members often joked that while Dora had decent physical skills, her chest made things uncomfortable during movement. And so, the poll results were, unsurprisingly: [Predicted Winner] 1. Rain C 41% 2. Dora C 35% 3.Komari C 21% 4.Maru C 3% But Magia already knew from the start that today would be tough for Maru. Even during the planning stages, this exact discussion had come up several times. So of course, she had planned for it in advance. After all, a harem storyline centered on Magia only works if the three competitors are at least evenly matched, right? Same goes for a bet like thisits only fun when the odds are close. Based on your votes, well assign point multipliers accordingly. [Scoring Multipliers] 1.Rain C 41% C 1x 2. Dora C 35% C 1.17x 3. Komari C 21% C 1.95x 4. Maru C 3% C 13.67x ? What LOL Wait a minute LOL Huh? Oh man, this means... It was basically like betting odds in sports Calculated to give Maru a fighting chance despite her obvious disadvantage in physical games. They couldnt use this method in every streamtoo many people would try to game the system But for today, it allowed for a genuinely competitive match among the four. With that, even if Maru placed first in just one of the four games, she had a real shot at winning. Now filled with confidence, Maru shouted: The days of my oppression end today. Youre all dead!! *** But even in this seemingly hopeful scenario Over the next three games, Maru didnt score a single point. [Current Scores] 1. Komari (x1.95) C 9.75 pts 2. Rain (x1) C 9 pts 3. Dora (x1.17) C 8.19 pts 4. Maru (x13.67) C 0 pts Fourth place didnt get any points. And Maru placed fourth. Every. Single. Time. Just when she looked like she might place better She tripped over her own feet. Lost balance and fell. Crash. Bang. Boom. Thankfully, the flooring was soft and cushioned, so there was no danger of injury. Oof... Maru, no... She seriously couldnt even manage third once? Even the viewers who had been teasing her at first were now silently watching with pity. Still, maybe because there was always a chance for a big comeback, Maru never gave up. Even after her third straight last-place interview, Her determination had only grownand was now at its peak. In the final game, Im going to show everyone I can do this!! So you mean physical strength doesnt matter in this last one? Nope. I trust my lung capacity. Thats because the final game was one Maru had real confidence in: Zombie Tag. The zombie has to wear a blindfold and grope around inside a designated area trying to catch the others. The others run and dodge. Sometimes the runners just move around freely, But sometimes theyre required to wear something that makes noise every time they move. Thats the usual method for larger groups. Since the space cant be too small, if the runners can move silently, the zombie ends up looking like a fool. In Parallels version, the runners held whistles in their mouths. Meaning it all came down to how well you could breathe evenly. And when it came to breath control, Maruwho trained tirelessly as a singerwas top tier in Parallel. Hence her confidence. It wont be easy running away from the zombie, though. As long as I dont fall, Ill be fine. Didnt she say the same thing earlier? LOL Shes repeating herself... that means shes gonna be last again, right? Hey! Donguris, stop saying Im gonna lose! You guys are jinxing me! Thats why I keep ending up in fourth place! The Donguris did nothing wrong Dont take it out on us Boo~ Boo~ But just as Marus confidence was reaching its peak She was thrown into confusion. Because Magia was suddenly announced as the zombie in the final round of Zombie Tag. [Zombie (It): Magia C fixed role] Maru stared at the screen, startled. Wait, so youre the zombie the whole time? Yep. In case someone refuses to accept the results, Im stepping in to ensure fairness by exploiting a loophole in the rules. Dun-dun! :: :: PIN0 has donated 100,000 Clouds! :: :: :: :: Sorry but I want to join too :: :: Oh god, Pino Get out! I swear, he makes me want to curse Pfffff The chat was having a field day. Meanwhile, Marus brain was scrambling. Because the goal in this game was to not get bitten by Magia. But Maru, whod already been falling behind in the Magia-centered competition, Didnt really mind the idea of getting bitten. Being bitten? That doesnt happen often. And in the rivalry for Magias attention, it was a flex A power move: Ive already been bitten by Gia! So what, she was gonna give up the concert and hotel? Maybe itd be better to just hope Dora wins. Then pay her the 1 million won and buy the prize. Sure, people would call her a loser who had to pay But thats still better than getting nothing and looking like an idiot. As they say: If youre gonna be an idiot either way, be a winning idiot. Besides, the concert and hotel are mostly just fanfiction fuel anyway. But getting bitten? That leaves an impression right now, on stream, in everyones minds. I need to get bitten. Maru made up her mind. Yeah. Lets get bitten repeatedly by Gia. And if Dora wins, Ill buy the prize for 1 million won. If Rain or Komari wins instead, Ill offer even more money and make a big scene! But Marus hopes were shattered by Magias next announcement. By the way, theres a special rule for this game. Special rule? If you give up on winning and just charge at me to get bitten, thats a problem. Me? What did I do?! Caught red-handed, Maru jumped and tried to deny it, but it was pointless. Everyone watching already saw her as the type whod charge Magia at any moment. Shed inserted herself into this drama willingly. So Magia, with the unspoken agreement of the audience backing her, continued. If viewers report that someone got bitten on purpose, and it turns out to be true, theyll be disqualified. Ugh. And disqualified players arent allowed to buy the prize from the winner either. It mightve looked like Magia was just picking on Maru, But she actually said it out of concern. Even if the Magia-centered love drama was wildly popular Content still had to be real and fair. Trying to sneak in some flirty chemistry with underhanded tricks just wouldnt do. Someone might call it out, And that would only make things harder for Maru. So now, Maru had to find a way to get bitten And still be eligible to win the prize. Luckily, she got an idea almost immediately. She ran straight over to Dora and grabbed her arm. Dora unnie. Lets team up. Huh? Why? Ill protect you when it gets dangerous. In return, you have to sell me the prize if you win, okay? Heh, so youre saying youll definitely buy it? Deal! A sudden alliance?! Gasp LOL Oh?? Come to think of it, theres no rule saying teams arent allowed LOL Komari saw the chat and shouted. Wait, is that allowed? Forming teams like this?! Magia made it clear: anything that wasnt explicitly against the rulesincluding teaming upwas fair game. Yep, its allowed. Not in the rules. Rain and Komari can form a team too and sabotage them if they want. Its all up to you. All eyes turned to see what Rain and Komari would do. And in a surprise twist, Rain shouted: Maru, cancel that contract. Me sell cheaper. 950,000! If two people teamed up in this game, it was a huge advantage. Not just because they had someone shielding them But because they could completely neutralize a rival. Rain had clearly realized this. If she couldnt beat them, she could break up their alliance and make some cash while doing it. And of course, Komari and Dora werent just going to stand there and do nothing. Chaos broke out. No! Ill sell it. 900,000! Eeeh, I said Id sell it first! 850,000! 800! 750! 700!! What the hell is happening LOL Why did this turn into an auction?! Maru is suddenly in massive demand LOL Now this is Another at its finest LOL Chapter 181 The intense auction quickly drove the price down to 500,000 won. In the end, Rain secured the rights to recruit Maru to her team. Ahahaha! Maru is mine now! You better stick close! Did she just sell her like a slave contract LOL LOL Well, she is tanking for her, so maybe it is a slave contract? Maru couldnt have asked for a better deal. The risk of Ena winning and taking the prize was now off the table, and shed just locked in the prize for less than half her original plan. Lets go! Were gonna win, unnie! Meuuu! Lets do this! And to top it off, this team had a seriously high chance of winning. While Dora was slightly ahead in points so far, Rain was the undisputed physical powerhouse of Parallel. As long as Maru played the meat shield, victory was totally within reach. Granted, Magia was physically strong too, and if she could consistently dodge Maru and target Rain, the outcome might shift. But since she couldnt see properly and had to grope around, she was at a disadvantage when it came to snatching targets swiftly. Alright then! If a team wins twice, the games over. Lets begin. Magia gave a loud command, and the first round began. Rain immediately blew hard into her whistle and charged toward Dora. Maru followed closely behind. Fweeeeeeeeeeeeeet. FWEEET! Fweet! Fweet! Dora tried to resist, but two people coming at her was too much. She crashed to the ground, flailing on the soft flooring. Hearing all that racket, Magia rushed toward the commotion A do-or-die situation for Dora. But Magia was blindfolded. She couldnt just charge straight without risk. As she got closer, she crouched down, groping around for her target... and then, squish. Ugh. Startled, she jumped back like a spring-loaded trap. Just in time for Dora to leap to her feet and flee. Maru, watching it all, blew her whistle in outrage: FWEEP FWEEP FWEEP! Magia muttered in defense, flustered. II didnt mean to. I just... grabbed somewhere I shouldn''t have. Coming from usually composed Magia, the tremble in her voice was rare And chat exploded. ???? Why you?! Why you?! Why you?! Why you?! Why you?! Why you?! Magiaaaaaaaaaaa Unforgivable! Unforgivable! Unforgivable! Unforgivable! This pervy surfboard... Ill fold that surfboard in half myself Chat is literally blacking out Im gonna kill you HOW DARE YOU?! Yall really out here jealous of a surfboard now LOL Bro these freaks are jealous of Magia now too LOL Magia hadnt planned any of this when she designed the content. But with her blindfolded and groping around, she kept accidentally grabbing at the members. And it didnt help that Rain and Maru were knocking people over left and right So the game wasnt exactly proceeding as intended. Next, Komari got pushed into Magia, tangled limbs and all. In the pileup, Magia ended up on the bottom, with Komari landing on top of her. Now, remember how Magias current model was being streamed? She was a surfboard. LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL Shes riding her!!! Wait wait wait Komaris on top of Magia??? Memo: Komari has ridden Magia before... Controversial content Wave-riding with Magia?? Mado-surfing...?? :: An anonymous viewer donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Mado-surfing... Mado... Doma... Wait a minute :: DOMA SURFING LOLOLOL AAAAAAA Youre a sick f**k LOL LOLOLOLOL Doma-surfing you absolute degenerate LOL Komari, who had a low tolerance for this kind of stuff, saw the chat and panicked. She spat out her whistle and shouted Wh-what are you talking about?! I didnt ride anyone! But there was no stopping the runaway train that was chat. Meanwhile, Magia used the opening to CHOMP Komaris hand. Ahhee! With Komari eliminated, Dora was now at a disadvantage too. So, deciding to at least put on a show Dora got shoved by Rain and Maru and ended up accidentally sitting right on Magia. To the viewers, it looked like she was just sitting on a surfboard on the sand. But that surfboard was Magia. And Dora was sitting squarely on her midsection. Magia tapped the mat repeatedly, overwhelmed by the weight. But no one paid attention to her cries for help. Shes dead MAGIAAAAAAAAAA KISSAMA!!! LOLOLOLOL Hey, hey hatchlings, chill. Its just content. Watching this, youd think Magia was some guy LOL They had to be doing this on purpose, right?? Uh, I think theyre serious AAAAGHHHH Its funny, have a drink LOL Geez, chat is full black screen now While everyone laughed and enjoyed the chaos With Rains victory in this round now inevitable Maru, oddly enough, didnt seem happy. Instead, her thoughts grew heavier. So then... what am I supposed to do? Shed teamed up with someone to stage a dramatic scene with Magia. That was the whole point. But now Komari and Dora had both shared way more impactful moments with Magia. Maru had no shot at topping that. She was already considered the least broadcast-savvy among the first-gen members. On the outside she seemed calm, but inside she was full-on panicking. What do I do? What do I do?! She couldnt just get bitten. She needed to show something more memorable Or shed be overshadowed by the others. But while she hesitated, Magia had crept closer. And Rain, behind Maru, shoved her forward to save herself. Ah! Unprepared and caught off guard, Maru stumbled straight into Magia And ended up standing there, hugging her. Im screwed. Fortunately, her opponent was Magia. Of all people, Magia knew exactly what kind Nvl?g?t (Only on Nvl?g?t) of explosion the audience needed right now. She knew Maru had to outshine what Komari and Dora had just pulled off. So Magia sank her teeth into Marus neck. Hard. AaaaAAAUUUGH!!! Maru, already known for her powerful voice, absolutely shook the studio. Komari, sipping water after being eliminated, sprayed it everywhere. Viewers nearly dropped their devices from the sheer blast of her scream. :: An anonymous viewer donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Did someone just die on stream? :: I just jumped out of my chair LOL My ears!! Thought my AirPods exploded Thank god I had the volume low Did she actually get bitten by a zombie?! LOL The ghost of the surfboard bites back Summer beach horror story, damn But Magia didnt stop there. She poured gasoline on the fire with her next lineperfectly ambiguous. Sorry, its my first time. Ill go gentler next time. ???? Huhuhu What?! Ive got a feeling First time what? Huhuhu WHAT :: An anonymous viewer donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: If Maru and Magia end up at that hotel, I demand a vlog. :: All Maru had done was scream because it hurt But somehow, shed just accidentally created the most unforgettable moment of the entire stream. And with the situation Magia had deliberately set up, the mood of the entire broadcast shifted naturally. Ma! Ru! Gia! The new wave is MaruGia! Lets go to that hotel!! Just one bed... huhu EnaGia down! MomoGia down! Da-da-daaang! This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Though the stream had started as a simple prize competition between the four first-gen members, the chat now thundered with unanimous cries for MaruGia. This change in focus was largely driven by the Slug Squads habit of switching their favorite pairings on a whim. Normally, this kind of energy would flare up and fizzle out quickly But not this time. Despite constantly tripping and failing to even place third, Maru had refused to give up. She gave it her all. Her persistenceand the audiences pitysparked a surge of unity within the fandom. :: An anonymous viewer donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Honestly, Marus always getting the short end of the stick. Let her enjoy this one for once LOL :: :: An anonymous viewer donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Magias losses need to be recouped today LOL :: For real LOL She got left behind, so now shes catching up LOL Magias loss LMAOOO Yall are the worst LOL Glad youre happy, Maru... Seriously, be happy today at least LOL They were still teasing her, sure But everyone genuinely wanted her to have this win. Maru, who usually faded into the background during collabs Was now at the very center of all viewer attention. After a chaotic match, where each member ended up bitten by Magia at least once, generating endless clip-worthy moments Zombie Tag came to a close. And, right on cue, Rainthe one who had teamed up with Maruwon the final round, becoming the overall champion with 13 points. [Final Scores] 1. Rain (x1) C 13 pts ???? 2. Komari (x1.95) C 11.7 pts 3. Dora (x1.17) C 10.53 pts 4. Maru (x13.67) C 0 pts The final winner is... Rain! HELL YEAH! (HELLYEAH Emote) (HELLYEAH)(HELLYEAH)(HELLYEAH) (HELLYEAH)(HELLYEAH) (HELLYEAH) For a brief moment, the chat was flooded with Rains signature catchphrase and subscriber emote. But once the prize was awarded, everyones focus shifted to Maru. Magia, sensing the mood, turned to Rain and asked: So, Rainare you going to sell the prize to Maru? Lets get a clear answer now. Everyone was waiting with bated breath. Rain had a reputation for pulling fake-outsmaking promises and then breaking them, only to fix it later. She often did this with the first-gen girls, pranking them just for fun. And earlier, she had vaguely brought up Ena''s name. So there was real concern. What if Rain just gave the prize to Ena and took Magia to the concert herself? Nervous drumroll The moment of truth Will Rain keep her promise Our trickster goddess, please KEEP YOUR WORD Dont throw us into the abyss Marus gonna cry if this goes south But strangely enough the one person who shouldve been panicking the most was silent. Shed worked so hard all game, yet now stood quietly, staring at the tickets Rain pulled out of the box. :: An anonymous viewer donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Why is Maru so quiet though? :: Normally, shed be clinging to Rain, begging her not to break her promise. Insisting they had a deal. But instead, she just stared. Rain noticed it too, and asked: Maru? Its okay? Why no desperation? Maru gave an answer no one expected even Rain was caught off guard. Unnie... did you not check the date? Theres no reason to be desperate. What? Rain glanced at the concert tickets. October 27th. Just one week before Parallels first-gen offline concert. There was no way any of them could attend another concert that close to their own event. While the stream had played up the idea of members taking Magia with them to the show, the prize had always been intended as a gift for family or friends. Everyone had just fallen for Magias trap. Maru glared at her. Gia. Dont tell me... you knew from the start? Knew what? The concert date. How are we supposed to go to another show right before our own second anniversary? I told youit doesnt have to be used by the winner. Youuu! Why not give it to your parents? Be a nice gesture. I cant even do that! I already promised them tickets to our concertmmph! Sensing danger, Rain quickly covered her mouth. But it was too late. Maru had said it herself: she was giving her parents tickets to our concert. There are no physical tickets for online concerts. Which could only mean one thing: Parallel is doing an offline concert. Viewers, of course, started putting two and two together. Uh... Can I say what Im thinking? Everyone, hands off the keyboard!! Wait... was that why theyve been streaming less lately? But this moment which felt like just another classic Maru slip-up was actually fully orchestrated by Magia. Shed been certain Maru would fall into the trap, and had coordinated with CAT Entertainment to pull it off. Magia raised her fingers and gave the signal. A click-clack of keys came from the control room. BOOM! BOOM! Birthday fireworks exploded overhead, and as the camera panned out, glittering confetti rained down while something rolled open from above. As the audiences brains struggled to process the loud pyrotechnics, the word leak quickly faded into the background. And in its place A massive banner unfolded, fulfilling one of the fans biggest dreams. [PARALLEL: ANOTHER] [OFFLINE LIVE CONCERT ANNOUNCED!] Gasp HOLY SH*T LOL W-WHAT KYAAAAAA ARE WE WORLD-CLASS NOW?! OMG LOL Is this REAL?! AN OFFLINE CONCERT LETS GOOOOO THIS IS IIIIIIIIIIIIT KYAAAAA PARALLELLLLLLLLL Chapter 182 And so, as waves of congratulations poured in from the viewers, the group sat together beneath the setting sun. Surrounded by a glowing campfire, they shared stories they hadnt had time to tell, creating a warm, heartfelt ending to the stream. Perhaps it was because the embargo had finally been lifted. They reminisced about memorable moments and struggles from their journey leading up to this second year since debut. There were smiles, tears, and quiet nods as they reflected on the hardest times. What was especially interesting was thateven though the stream was supposed to celebrate the first-gen members and their next chapterMagia ended up receiving a surprising amount of congratulations herself. Theres no Parallel without you Thank you! Please stream more often Thank you, Magia Youre the hope of Parallel village! Magia insisted she was just doing her job. That all the credit belonged to the idols. But the continued urging from the first-gen girls made her finally acknowledge the truth It had been a group effort, and everyone played their part. And so, as a show of gratitude, donations to Magia began to flood in as well. With that, the stream announcing both the members new swimsuits and the long-awaited offline concert came to a successful, heartwarming close. *** Of course, while everyone else was preparing to head home in high spirits... One person wasnt. Maru, shuffling nervously, approached Magia ? Nvlght ? (Read the full story) after changing clothes and bowed her head low. She still believed what happened earlier had been a genuine leakher own mistake. But before she could apologize, Magia gently lifted her shoulders and spoke first. Sorry for not telling you in advance. ...Huh? I tried to get tickets we could use for the prize, but the only ones I could manage were for the Asabara concert. Everything else fell through. And the date was kind of awkward too. It was. So I kept thinking about what to do... and I figured, knowing how you are, it would probably turn out this way. So we decided to just roll with it and use today to officially announce the offline concert. .... Maru opened her mouth to say something, then scratched her cheek and mumbled, Still... I did mess up, didnt I? You were probably planning to announce it during the campfire, and I screwed up the timing. Youre just saying it was your fault so I wont feel bad, right? No. You all just got played by my little trick, thats all. I really hope thats true... Youre getting all mopey again. I told you, its not your fault. Ugh... Magia stuck her hip out and said, Go on. Kick me as hard as youre mad. Kick? Ill break you. Everyone else kicked me just fine. Waitwhat?! Even the others? Where exactly were they kicking, huh?! Sighing, Maru raised her hand and gave Magias butt a loudbut painlesspop. There. Lesson learned: I need to think more carefully when I stream with you... You really dont. The whole reason I stream with you guys is to cover for mistakes. If youre always careful, then Im just wasting my role. But I wanna be good too, yknow? I dont want to keep relying on you for everything. And yet I almost messed up again today... seriously, what is wrong with me? I said its fine. Magia chuckled softly and patted her shoulder. People like you because you make mistakes. Thats what makes you a Donguri. So dont stress yourself out trying to be something else. Then, with a mischievous grin, she added, Besides, I had a secret backup plan, just in case. A backup plan...? Yep. Come take a look. Magia went over to the control room and adjusted her virtual 3D model. The surfboard was gone. On the monitor appeared Magia in a school swimsuitwith a giant sticker slapped across her flat chest. Printed on it was the same concert announcement from the earlier banner. If youd spilled it early, I was gonna pretend it was my mistake and cover it up with this. ...... That way, it wouldnt be you who leaked ititd be me. And if its an official leak, well... what can they do, right? Had she revealed that, people wouldve been talking about Magias swimsuit more than the concert itself. Still, it wouldve completely buried Marus mistake. It was honestly kind of terrifying how prepared shed been. Maru smiled faintly and pulled Magia into a light hug. Sorry. And thanks... really. Ill try even harder from now on. For the next two months, take care of your throat, alright? You know youre the main vocalist for Another. If your voice gives out, the whole show falls apart. Maru grinned and asked teasingly, Not Fansy? Fansys just a featured guest vocalist. Please. Ive heard your original songs and your covers. Youre seriously good. Thats just thanks to the teachers. CATs professionals are top-tier. Maru smirked. Even so, your channels growing fast. And arent you working on a collab song with Iyura this month? Pretty soon youre gonna hit a million, huh? Pfft, a million? What, is that a dogs name or something? Theres no way its that easy. The last time Magia had checked was a month ago. Back then, she had 100,000 subscribers. Since then, shed released two more songs. But aside from a few features in Parallels group songs, nothing huge. She didnt think her subscriber count couldve jumped that much. But Maru insisted otherwise. What are you talking about? Youre already at 200k. She checked and sure enough, it was 200,000. Im literally just working and my sub counts climbing on its own??? Sure, shed gone and done whatever CAT told her to... But Magia couldnt help but think: Being a singer isnt just about talentits also about the company behind you and whether the public connects with your songs. Parallels original tracks had all recently been breaking the 1-million mark like it was nothing. That meant their recent music was really hitting the public taste. And while theyd always worked hard and sung well, there was no denying that CATs involvement had dramatically improved the hit rate. Which meant that even someone like Magia, who had delegated everything but the singing to CAT, could go viral after releasing her duet with Iyura suddenly rising as a major utaite. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Your singings not perfect, Gia. But its got such a strong charm it makes people forget the flaws. Your technique and tone are unique. Its like... listening to you is just as unpredictable as being around you. Hm. Also, its easy to listen to you. And thats huge. There are tons of people out there with unique tones and weird techniques But what matters is whether people actually enjoy hearing it. Thats what makes or breaks a singer. Shed always tried not to over-edit her voice, to keep the members individuality intact. And she didnt want to mess up their beautifully crafted songs, so she worked hard to make it sound nice. Marus compliments were probably thanks to that. Producer Na Hyun-gon had never given her such detailed feedback, But judging from how consistently he invested in her, Marus words held weight. Magia nodded slowly. Maru gave her a beaming smile and said, When you get super famous as a utaite, dont pretend you dont know us. Oh please. You call me for a feature, Ill show up in a heartbeat. Dont even worry. Sweet! Ive got a Magia Free Pass now~ Their pinky fingers intertwined. They didnt say the word promise, but a contractone that would never be brokenhad just been signed. Of course, being Magia, she couldnt leave the moment untouched. So uh, did you gain weight? Your pinky feels kinda thick. Whawhat?! I did not gain weight!! *** Thanks to an advertisement that firmly embedded itself in the minds of the viewers, the conversation about the concert didnt slow down for a second across online communities. But while everyone else was thrilled, happily chattering about how Parallel had finally caught up to Bachubachu by hosting an offline concert The Slug Squad had a rather miserable week. All because of Magias unrevealed swimsuit. ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Im gonna lose it over Magia] Heard from Marus post-stream chat Turns out Magia did have a swimsuit aside from the surfboard. Aoooo LOLLLLLL Seriously, what a little gremlin LOL [Comments] Parallel731: Wait, is this a leak? ? Parallel863: Nah, she said it was okay to mention ? Parallel731: So Magia wanted us to hear this ? Parallel863: Uh...? ? Parallel731: That little shit ? Parallel225: Classic Ja-pyeong-stirring, LOL ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Stupid Parallel stans] How are you still falling for this? LOL Magias totally doing this on purpose You know what Tier 0 Slugs do in times like this? We collect Magia swimsuit merch, LOL Good luck with your rageI''m off to hit the secondhand market~ [Comments] Parallel494: Wise young man Parallel800: Honestly true, these are gonna skyrocket in price ? Parallel036: Theres not even any resellers though... ? Parallel557: Slugs are so loyal they basically never resell unless they quit the fandom entirely LOL ... ... And so, interest in Magia naturally spilled over into interest in the upcoming concert. Countless people began digging into Fan_C, the mysterious artist announced as a featured guest. ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Do you guys know this, or not?] Seen on Z Parallel Parallel official KR? @Parallel_official_kr 15 mins ago Another World / Parallel Another 1st Live Concert 2025-11-03 / Hwayoung Gymnasium, Korea University Join our beloved 1st-gen in a night of radiant music! Guests: Parallel Nearby (2nd-gen), Fan_C Fan_C is officially listed for Anothers concert. Looks like shes joining as a featured vocalist. [Comments] Parallel225: If its Magia, of course shes showing up ? Parallel095: Wasnt that theory debunked? ? Parallel225: Huh? I was always told it was her ? Parallel446: Yeah, and look where that got you. Still no answer LOL Parallel491: So this means well finally know if Fan_C is really Magia? ? Parallel005: How would we know? ? Parallel491: Its not like she can host and sing at the same time ? Parallel491: If you watch closely, you can probably tell ? Parallel393: Oh damn ? Parallel090: Im going. Save me a seat LOL ... ... People were more hopeful than ever that the truth behind Fan_C and Magia would finally be revealed. But pre-concert sleuthing turned up very little Magia hadnt released enough songs to allow for any real comparison. Ironically, this ended up working in Fan_Cs favor. ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery | Public Board ... [Is it okay to talk about Fan_C here?] [????Nutube] Fan_C ???? @Fan_C_CAT 201K subscribers 10 videos I love Parallel She literally has I love Parallel on her channel. And every song she covers? Originally a Parallel track. Can I talk about her or not? [Comments] ????Parallel02: Its fine as long as you dont start a Magia is/isnt her war ? ????Parallel02: Check the pinned post for details ? Parallel841: Theres actually a rule for this? ? ????Parallel02: Yeah, the board was a dumpster fire for a while because of it ... ... There hadnt been enough activity to justify creating a separate board for Fan_C But since the Parallel gallery had grown fond of her, discussion naturally increased. And as the conversation grew, so did her fanbase. It wasnt just flattery from Maru or Na Hyun-gon. Magias solo songs really did draw people in with their unique atmosphere. ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Personal Listening Notes] Common Fan C Original song by Fan_C C Captures the sincere feelings of an average fan looking up to their idol C If youre a Parallel fan, its fun to guess who each lyric is aboutMomo, 1st-gen, and 2nd-gen are all in there [Comments] Parallel093: This songs actually good Parallel225: Maru said shes gonna cover it soon Parallel831: This is honestly solid Parallel090: So relatable it hurts LOL Parallel201: Yeah, it''s been polished up, but it definitely screams OG Puddle vibes ? Parallel551: Why do you think she got into the illegal duet? LOL ... ... Chapter 183 Second week of September. As usual, Parallel HQ was bustling with activity. With less than two months left until the offline concert, things were ramping up. Starting this month, the company had begun full-scale senior-junior collab content and sponsored streams. Next month was already packed with outside collaboration events, so even though it was late in the evening, there were hardly any empty desks. The streaming department started work later in the day anyway. The two who had come in after a hearty dinner were just beginning their shift. Last month That is, starting in Augusta new hire had joined. Ha Jae-yi, 22 years old, was reviewing the members'' stream schedule when she asked Gong Seung-yeon a question. Senior, I have something Ive been wondering. Yeah? What is it? Our team leader... is she really going to perform live at the concert in November? That was the gist of the question. They couldve just used a pre-recorded trackwas she really going up there to sing in person? Fan_C, being a faceless utaite, was set to stand behind a semi-transparent panel so only her silhouette would be visible. Still, it meant shed be on stage physically. She probably will. Shes also hosting the event that day anyway. But the CEO could handle hosting, couldnt she? Hmm, well... were inviting a lot of high-profile guests from the industry to the concert, including folks from CAT. I think the CEO will be too busy networking. Thats why our team leader has to MC. Ah. So, in any case, shell be singing live. Looking over toward the CEOs office, Magia and Do-hee were busy discussing something inside. Alongside them were Team Leader Ra Seunghyun from Planning and Team Leader Oh Seok-jae from PR, creating a rather serious atmosphere. Ha Jae-yi stared intently in that direction with her wide eyes, then asked Seung-yeon again. Can I ask one more thing? What is it? Why does our team leader keep working here? The reason? Seung-yeon knew it well by now. Because her oshi was here. Because she wanted to help her oshi. But then Jae-yi said, Then wouldnt it be better if she just became a VTuber? Rather than continuing to work, she could join the streams and content directly. Wouldnt that be the ultimate fan dream? When she first joined the company, Jae-yi had assumed Magia was a VTuber under the agency. Now, she understood Magias position clearly. An office worker. A person who sat in the office doing actual desk work, reviewed reports submitted by her and Seung-yeon, but somehow also streamed and performed as an utaite. A complete lunatic, in other words. From a rookies perspective, it all seemed insane. Wouldnt it be more fun just doing streams with her oshi? Why go through the grind of commuting every day? Those questions wouldnt leave her mind. Not even because Jae-yi found office life difficult. The streaming department, where Seung-yeon and Magia were her seniors, was actually quite cozy. Even by that standard, Magias workload was insane. She was small, didnt even eat much Where did she get the energy to handle so many things at once? In the end, Seung-yeon didnt have a perfect answer for that last question either. All they could do was wait for Magia to return. I have an important recording today, so Im heading out. If I finish early, Ill come back to the office. Keep up the good work while Im gone. After finishing her meeting, Magia returned, packed her bag, and got ready to head to CAT Entertainment. Before she left, Jae-yi asked her the same question she had asked Seung-yeon earlier. If she adored the CEO so much, why didnt she go full-time as a streamer and live out the dream? A bold, blunt question from a daring newbie. Magia replied, Because the CEO spends more time working than streaming. Ah. If she streamed more than she worked, maybe Id consider it. But Jae-yi, youve been here for over a month now. You get the gist, right? Our CEO is glued to her desk all day long. Yes, Ive noticed. And also, I just enjoy watching streams more than doing them myself. Even though, lately, youve been streaming a lot. I count it as work because Im doing it for the company. I mean, yeah, the boundary is fuzzy. But as far as Im concerned, Im on the clock. She didnt stop at just answering. Magia also left her with some advice she might find useful later. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Honestly, working here, there are times when I dont know if Im doing actual work or preparing for a broadcast. But in the end, its all how you choose to see it. Either way, were helping out our company idols, so just go with whatever feels right to you, Jae-yi. Seung-yeon nodded in agreementshe still considered monitoring streams part of her hobby zone, so her job satisfaction was through the roof. Well, its time for me to go. See you all tomorrow. Yup. Good luck with the recording, team leader! Take care. After Magia left, Jae-yi, who had been immersed in work prep for a while, muttered with a confused look. I dont know if its just me, but it feels like the team leader doesnt actually hate streaming. Seung-yeon nodded. Ah. Yeah, Ive started noticing that too. When I first joined, she seriously hated streaming. You remember Wicker Town, right? Yes. Magia was hilarious. Back then, it was like... she kept making excuses, trying to force herself to find reasons to stream. But now? She actively looks for things to stream about... Huh. Seung-yeon scratched her cheek, murmuring. Now that I say it out loud, yeah... she really has changed. Maybe I didnt notice because I was always around her? And so, one thought naturally came to both of their minds. What ifreally, trulyShirahoshi Momo dropped the business and returned to being a full-time streamer? What would Magia choose then? Would she finally become a VTuber? Return to being a personal manager? Or... would she stay right where she is, a regular staff member at Parallel? *** Maybe Ive been brainwashed a bit over these past three months. About an hour later, when Magia arrived at the conference room of Allmight Productions, Iyura was already there, sipping her coffee. Curious about what she meant, Magia asked, Brainwashed? How so? Well... I used to be an utaite, and technically still am, right? But I feel like Ive gotten so used to the VTuber mindset that Ive forgotten what it was like being an utaite. I dont quite follow. I mean... dont you think utaites are kind of boring now? That sort of thing? Magia had a feeling she understood. Utaites were like singers. People who proved themselves purely through music. They tended to be serious about their art, focused on sound-based promotion, and preferred diving quietly into their own musical world. VTubersespecially corporate oneswere more like idols. Sure, singing was important, but the real focus was on interaction and engagement. You had to constantly build stories with your groupmates, And keep up with collabs with seniors, juniors, and other streamers. Its not a perfect metaphor, but If utaites were calm and static, VTubers were noisy and dynamic. Basically, Iyura just fit better as the VTuber Natsuki Luna. She preferred dynamic energy over stillness. There were plenty of people in the world who never found the right fit for their talents. So Magia didnt think much of it and replied casually. Peoples tastes dont stay the same. What you like can change depending on timing. Right now, it sounds like being a VTuber is just more fun for you. Ohits crazy busy, but definitely more fun. Bachubachu probably knew this about Iyuras personality, too. Which is why they were doing everything they could to keep her locked in. It had been just under three months since Magia and Iyura last saw each other at the MCN showdown. Even back then, Luna was already close with the seniors. Now, she was on easy terms with JP, EN, and ID talents too. The more people she got close to, the less likely she was to graduate from Bachubachu. Even if she kept releasing songs as Iyura, she probably wouldnt go all-in like before. And that made sense. Balancing VTuber life with utaite work wasnt easy to begin with. Especially in a big company like Bachubachu, where you had personal sponsors, collabs with seniors and juniors, and company-mandated events. No one could really predict what the future held for Iyura the utaite. This current song collab with Magia might even be her last project as Iyura. Either way, thanks for making time despite your busy schedule. No, no, no. I should be the one thanking you. Honestly, I bet youre even busier than me, Gia. Am I? Of course Im grateful. And more than that, you even gave permission for a Luna vs. Magia track in the future. Strictly speaking, you didnt have to. I mean, were doing it because its good for both sides, right? Iyura clearly enjoyed working with Magia. From everything shed shown so far, it wasnt just likedshe loved it. So if Magia really wanted, she could probably pressure Iyura into staying active. It would help CAT too, as her business partner. But the problem wasIyura was now a full-fledged VTuber. And Magia, of all people, was soft when it came to VTubers. Rather than pushing for something, she usually listened to what the other person wanted first. So she had no plans to strong-arm her into anything. Sure, Parallels gains were important, but she didnt want to be some heartless exec. Well, if the Fan_C and Iyura duet ended up being a smash hit and caused a major stir in the industry, that might change things. The rough benchmark? About fifty million viewsIyuras usual bar for a hit. At that level, shed be a fool to abandon utaite work completely. There was money, surebut more than that, just a bit more effort would let her reap the rewards from both fandoms and maintain her status. Fifty million, huh... Of course, it was a ridiculous number. Even the Parallel VTubersMomo includedhad never reached that figure. Maybe Iyura could do it alone, as she''s hailed as the goddess of utaites in Korea. But if they had to package her with a total newbie like Magia, it was another story. So Magia was putting in the effort, but trying not to expect too much. If it ended in disappointment, she figured she could just let it go. After all, even just having a personal connection with Iyura was already a huge gain for Parallel. Iyura was especially kind to her, tooeasy to work with. Like now, for example. This track were working on is going to be a huge step forward for Fan_C, so Im going to give it my all. Thank you. Ill do my best, too. Since were on the topic... Gia, whats your goal as an utaite? My goal? Yeah. You couldve become a VTuber with Parallel, or just stayed a regular office worker... So you mustve had some kind of goal to go out of your way to start utaite activities. CAT moving forward with this project with methats obviously based on their own goals. But Im curious about what you personally want. Hm. Magia was surprisingly open. Its not really a goal, per se. But there is something I want to do if I ever become as popular as you. Whats that? Give a Parallel shout-out at a huge public event. Like, somewhere packed with people. Heh... Dont look at me like that. Im serious. No, sorry! I wasnt mocking you. Honestly, thats better than what somebody had. Who? Me. I mean me. Hmph. Iyura rubbed her chin and muttered. To be honest, I kind of stumbled into my debut... I didnt really have a big goal. Thats partly why I ended up wandering into VTuber stuff like this. I just sort of became an utaite by accident. And now Im a VTuber too because theres still so much I want to try. Really? Then how did you hit 2.5 million? They asked me: do you like singing? I said yes. Then they said theyd support me, so I should just do what I want. And... yeah. Here we are. CAT really is an incredible company. In other words, there was a chance that Magia, who was now walking a similar path, could end up in the same place. That whole theory Maru had about Fan_C reaching one million subs? It didnt sound so far-fetched anymore. Maybejust maybethat dream of shouting out Parallel on a big stage could actually come true. Magia was entertaining some hopeful thoughts when Seeing her serious expression, Iyura, who had been gently pressing her lips together, spoke. So you do have a clear goal. In that case, I cant exactly ignore it as your senior... Oh no, reallyjust doing this once already means so much to me. Im not saying Ill help you unconditionally. I mean, its mutually beneficial. I may be at the top in Korea right now, but I havent released a song in over three months. The rankings could flip any day. In other words, helping Magia grow now might benefit Iyura later. You never know where life will take you. You stamped your contract without blinking, but now youre being all meticulous about this? Agh... IIve got no excuse for that. Anyway, Iyura had a proposal. And it was something that could actually benefit Parallel in a big way. Listentheres a mixer happening at the end of October. A mixer? Yeah. Its kind of a private thing. Japanese VTubers, utaites... People Ive collaborated with on songs. We get together every few months and play games. Most of them dont game much, but they still enjoy these occasional meetups. I see. If our collab song hits one million views within the first week, Ill use that as an excuse to bring you along. I really think the connections you make there would help you. Iyura had 2.5 million subs. She was the top utaite in Korea. She had collaborated with tons of big-name Japanese artists. And now she was offering to bring Magia into a mixer packed with those kinds of stars. That one-week one-million benchmark wasnt just arbitraryit was a way to use results to overcome any suspicion people might have about bringing in someone unfamiliar. In short, it was an incredible opportunity. If Magia could make the right connections there, Parallel might be able to secure some real chances. But according to Producer Na Hyun-gon, the collab tracks planned release dateassuming there were no recording delayswas early October. Which meant, the moment recording fell behind, they wouldnt even be able to aim for a million views in the first week. And the mixer opportunity would vanish just like that. So how well we record today is going to be the deciding factor. Exactly. On top of that, CAT had high hopes for this song. They saw it as a turning pointFan_C, their rookie theyd invested so much into, rising to true stardom. Naturally, they were planning to conduct the recording under the strictest standards yet. Iyura could meet those demands with ease. But Magia? She was the greenest of greenhornssomeone whod only ever sung exactly as instructed by the recording director. In the end, how long it would take to finish the track depended entirely on the kind of performance Magia could deliver. She lowered her head for a moment, deep in thought. Iyura, being relatively tall, couldnt see Magias expression clearly But she figured it must have looked pretty tense. In the end, it comes down to whether I can keep from holding you back. And yet As always, Magia was the type who got even more fired up the tougher the conditions became. Rather than backing down out of fear, She preferred to charge in headfirst, even if it meant breaking her nose on impact. And so, a few seconds later, the emotion that rose to the surface of her face was a blazing competitive spirit The kind that said, no matter the challenge, Ill smash it to pieces. Iyura, you better keep your promise. Once she set a goal, she charged straight for it like a racehorse with blinders on. Chapter 184 Meanwhile, at the same time, at the entrance to Allmight Productions The companys CEO and lead producer, Sun Woo-hyuk, stood alongside a composer who had worked on many tracks with Iyura in the past. As they waited for Na Hyun-gon to come down from the upper floor, the two chatted about various things, and naturally, the conversation turned to the two artists recording today. Did she seem interested in continuing to work on more songs? There had been rumors that Iyura had debuted as a VTuber under Bachubachu. But her debut wasn''t contractually restricted, and even if it was true, they figured she wouldnt be able to confirm anything due to the confidentiality that came with being a VTuber. So the rumors remained just that. With her being busy due to personal matters, there wasnt a good opportunity to press her further... From Allmight Productions perspective, the only thing they could say with certainty was that Iyura had been hesitant about singing lately. Sun Woo-hyuk muttered, looking troubled. I felt like asking directly would make her uncomfortable, so I didnt. Ill try to confirm through Gia afterward. The composer, who had been able to share his lyrics with the public thanks to how well his musical tastes aligned with Iyuras, slumped his shoulders. Still, the fact that she came to work on a track again today means she hasnt completely quit. But... it does seem like shes lost a lot of interest, huh? Im not even sure about that. Chief Producer gave strict orders not to ask her too much about it, so Ive been walking on eggshells. What do you think the Chiefs intention is? I think he''s just grateful that she came to record at all. And we didnt even get her here ourselvesit was thanks to Gia. So either way, we owe Gia. Haa... The composer let out a long sigh and murmured, Honestly, thank God for Gia. Right? She listens to all your nitpicky requests without a single complaint I think thats impressive in itself. Come on, its all in the name of crafting the perfect track. Im just saying, dont push her too hard. You get overheated and intense whenever you get serious about recording. Im holding back, I swear... The composer fiddled with his phone and then asked Sun Woo-hyuk, Well, Im part of the main branch, so I wouldnt have been hit directly, but... if things had gone wrong, it wouldve been a disaster for you guys, right? I seriously almost died. If we hadnt signed that deal with Parallel right away, Id probably be dragged into a board meeting and chewed out right now. Youre so dramatic. But yeah, we did get lucky. Still... where the hell did the Chief even find someone like her? Come to think of itdidnt you hear the story about the Chiefs daughter? I knew he had a family, but I dont know the details. I dont really care about that stuff. Theres a rumor it was through his daughters connection. Apparently, Gia helped her with something, and thats how they met. Does the Chief have some kind of sixth sense for musical talent or something? If Id met Gia first, I wouldve sent her to the acting department, not the music one. Who knows? Hes worked his way up to that positionmaybe he does have an eye for that kind of thing. Honestly, me and the vocal director are always shocked. Shes supposedly never done proper singing before, but even if it takes a while, she hits all the targets we ask of her. Its kind of unnerving. Im always surprised, too. Shes like that with every track she records. Then the composer turned on his phone screen and held it out to Sun Woo-hyuk. But... I think this song might actually be a challenge. Because of the concept, right? Yeah. Its not a track you can get through by just singing it well. Gias got an incredible vocal tone, so as long as she followed the technical instructions, everything up until now got greenlit easily. But this one wont be like that. The track title: Frenemy. Literally, a friend and enemy. More loosely, a friendly rival. Its about two people who grow by competing with each other, but also have a combative, frenemy-style relationship. To speed up the overall production, the music video had already been prepped in advance It would depict Iyuras character, a black-haired, blue-eyed swordswoman, clashing with Fan_Cs white-haired, red-eyed swordswoman. Their duel was animated like a spectacular swordfight straight out of a fantasy novel or wuxia film. But in the song itself, Magia and Iyura wouldnt be portrayed as equals from the start. The track was split into seven major parts. Magia would start off as an underdog with poor skills and gradually improve throughout the song Until the final two parts, where she and Iyura would go head-to-head as equals. So the pressure on Magia was huge. In the final section, all she had to do was sing with full power like she normally would. But everything before that? She had to express the feeling of a clumsy rookie slowly growing strongerwith just her voice. Sure, people watching the music video could go Ohh, I get the vibe, but the reality is, most listeners wont be watching. Most will be hearing iton their phones, on streaming apps, in playlists. So the singing itself had to tell the story clearly. To be honest... Im worried the difficulty spike might be too much compared to her previous songs. The composer expected this one to be tough. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Original tracks were always harder to nail than covers because you had to match the composers intended emotion. And now, only her second original track was already asking for this kind of level? Still, Sun Woo-hyuk didnt seem too worried. He replied, Huh? You werent there when Gia recorded her first single? Ohno, I missed that. Had some family stuff going on at the time. Gias good at doing exactly what shes told. Up until now, everythings been covers, so she had examples to follow. Even with Common Fan, we had some concerns going in. But she did fine. Really? I heard the recording wrapped up quicker than expected. It wasnt just quick. There were barely any retakes. Even though it was supposed to be a personal track, where she tells her own story, she handled it really well. And lets be honesttelling a story and singing a song are totally different skill sets. It was that smooth? The composer muttered under his breath. Thats surprising. The Gia Ive seen doesnt seem like someone who expresses her emotions directly. It felt more like she was mimicking what shed seen somewhere else. When I heard she finished recording Common Fan so fast, I figured she mustve gone all-in on emotional acting. Yeah, Gias definitely on the reserved side emotionallyIll give you that. But its not that she cant express emotion. She just doesnt. You mean, she feels things but doesnt show them on her face? Nomore Novelight like... she holds everything in. Like shes extremely self-controlled. Maybe its her work environment, but I get the sense that she chooses not to show her emotions. Thats... fascinating. Then maybe we can expect something good today too... Maybe. But still, being good at emotional delivery and being able to act out a growth arc through your singing are different things. Well have to see how it goes once we start recording. Yeah... I hope it works out. I really poured my heart into this track. What, did the Chief scare you by saying Allmight Productions future was riding on it? Howd you know? I seriously nearly peed myself from the look he gave me Ahem. Ahem. Startled, both men turned around. Na Hyun-gon had arrived without them noticing, hands clasped behind his back, calmly watching them. It is true that our future is riding on this. We cant count on any further songs with Iyura, and this track is critical for Fan_C to take a big step forward. Since he was ultimately responsible for not managing Iyura more effectively, Sun Woo-hyuk immediately bowed deeply. Yes, sir. Youre absolutely right. Anyway, lets head in. The artists must be waiting. Didnt expect the meeting to go on this long. The fact that Na Hyun-gon himself was on-site said everything. It meant CATs upper management was highly invested in this track. Fan_Cs growth indicators had been hovering at a modest level But ever since the announcement of Parallels offline concert, they had skyrocketed. Which meant that while the tide was high, they had to row with everything they had. Delivering a strong result now wouldnt just signal a green light for Fan_Cs future It could be the very shortcut to making her CATs next breakout utaite star. Na Hyun-gon and the team stepped into the meeting room. The two artists, already waiting, greeted them briefly. Iyura glanced at him cautiously. But Na Hyun-gon didnt ask a single questionhe simply nodded as if to say he was just there to observe, then stepped back quietly. With the vocal director joining as well, the meeting began with six people in total. Producer Sun Woo-hyuk gave instructions on what each person should focus on within their assigned parts. The two artists took turns singing short lines they had practiced based on the reference materials and vocal guide, making sure their interpretation aligned with the composers intent. Then came a full read-through, as if reading from a script They each sang their parts in a studio environment. As expected, it took quite a bit of time to review Magias sections. Gia, I know its tough, but try to keep in mind what we talked about earlier as you sing. The instruction was: Sing well, while sounding like you cant. Which sounds like complete nonsense. Even if you''re trying to portray someone improving, it still has to sound pleasant enough for people to want to listen, right? In Magias intro segment, she had to portray someone with poor skills. But that didnt mean she could actually just sing poorly. They werent asking her to mess up the pitch or fall behind the beat. It had to feel clumsybut within correct rhythm and tonality. The roughness had to be intentional and nuanced. Honestly, no one in the room expected Magia to get it right on the first try. Even if Iyura breezed through her part in just one session and left, everyone fully expected Magia to need today, three days from now, maybe even a whole week. Na Hyun-gon, Sun Woo-hyuk, the composer, and the vocal director all of them were tense, or at least deeply concerned, as they waited for Magias recording to begin. Alright, well start with Iyura. Iyura listened to the guide vocals and locked in the direction she wanted within just a few tries. Okay. Thats it. Perfect. She wrapped up with only a few retakes. In less than an hour, her part was done. Of course, some adjustments or re-recordings might be needed later depending on how Magias recordings turned out, but for now, Iyuras job was finished. She was already a seasoned vocalist, and shed been given a single, clear directive: Show us 100%. Then came Magias turn. As she stepped into the booth, she exchanged headsets with Iyura at the doorway. Moments later, Sun Woo-hyuk called out to her from the control room. He wanted to make sure Magia didnt feel discouraged after following someone like Iyura. Lets break it down into levels. Gia, youve probably got some internal sense of what skill means when it comes to singing, right? So lets try it in three tiers: lowest, middle, and highest. Magias singing ability would ultimately have to portray five stages. But starting with five right away might be too much, so theyd planned to simplify with just three levels at first. Yet Magia raised an unexpected question. Why are we doing three? Were supposed to divide it into five, right? Ah, well... we figured five would be a bit tricky to balance, so we wanted to start small and build up. Can I try all five right from the start? You think you can? Magia didnt hesitate even a second. She had a natural gift for voice and tone imitation. And it just so happened that shed grown up alongside seven idols at Parallel. Yes. Everyone in the control room looked at each other, visibly startled. Even Iyura, who was still wearing her headset, was surprised. Shes awfully confident. Did she actually practice a lot? When an artist shows confidence, producers dont stop them. Even in movie shoots, actors who feel confident sometimes improvise or do unscripted takes that produce unexpectedly powerful scenes. Sun Woo-hyuk said, Alright then. You know that opening line? Try dividing it into five stages using that lyric. Got it. Ahem. Ah-ahhh. Magia cleared her throat and began. Stage One: the worst level. To the average listener, her singing wouldve instantly triggered a, Whoa, youre good at singing! But to the professionals in the room, it was raw and unrefined. It had that untamed energy, with too much force behind it. Stage Two: ...Hoh? Huh. Everyone was reacting now. This version showed slight improvement Still rough, but now with a clear sense that she was trying to refine something. It gave off the vibe of someone naive, overly obsessed with technique, stuck at a beginners plateau. Stage Three: Sun Woo-hyuks lips parted in a small breath of awe. Thats good. Her tone had firmed up. Shed already been tracking the melody line in the first two versions, but there was always a shakinesslike someone teetering on a tightrope, trying to do too much too soon. Now, her fundamentals felt locked in. There was a clear sense of stability. Stage Four: Iyura swallowed hard. What the hell... every one of them is actually different. The strength in her tone now had refined technique behind it. She knew exactly when to soften her voice, when to power up, when to stretch or shorten a note. And finally, Stage Five The song was complete. It was 100% Magia, infused with burning competitive spirit. A flawless portrayal of someone calling out to her frenemyher rival and partnerIyura. She stepped back slightly from the mic, licked her lips, and glanced sideways. Her gaze landed quietly on Sun Woo-hyuk and the vocal director. Theyd been standing in stunned silence, until Sun Woo-hyuk suddenly snapped back to attention. Aho-okay. Lets get straight into the real recording. Stick with that exact vibe!! Chapter 185 Even if shed practiced by listening to the guide vocal in advance, a recording session would only be considered complete once the composer, the vocal director, and the producer were all satisfied with the result. Thats why prep time and actual recording time rarely correlate. It all depends on how closely the artist and the production team align in their understanding of the music. Okay! Thats it for today. Good work. But Sun Woo-hyuk didnt say that until the six-hour mark. They had already blocked off backup recording slots for three days later and a week later, just in case. Everyone had assumed this session wouldnt be enough for Magia. And yet, after wrapping all the parts on the very first day, the mood in the room was electric. Everyone was buzzing with excitement, chatting with lighthearted faces. Should we go ahead and cancel the slots for three days and next week? Nolets leave them for now. Well need to listen through the recordings again tomorrow and double-check everything. Got it. Then should we let Iyura and Gia head out and have a follow-up meeting ourselves? Sounds good. Ill walk them out. No, its fine. Na Hyun-gon, who had stayed quiet the entire time, suddenly cut in. I should get going soon anyway. Ill take them out. You all focus on your work. Ohyes, sir! Thank you, Chief Producer! And with that, Magia and Iyura followed Na Hyun-gon out of the building. Of course, there wasnt a single word of conversation along the way. Iyura was clearly waryshe knew shed signed that Bachubachu contract a little too recklessly, and now it had led to all this. Na Hyun-gon didnt want to put pressure on her, but this was their first time seeing each other again in quite a while, and he was hoping they might say something. But then the hot, sticky night air of an early September heatwave swept across their faces, and finally, Magia broke the silence between them. Thank you for walking us out. Since our throats are a little dry from recording, we were thinking of grabbing something to drink. Would you like one too, Producer? Its on me. The idea of these three getting drinks together was... visually unusual, to say the least. Which was exactly why Magia askedshe figured it would open things up. Yes, todays recording had been important. But beyond that, there had to be a reason Na Hyun-gon had personally shown up. Clearly, there were things he wanted to sayor askespecially to Iyura. Luckily, Iyura didnt immediately refuse. She knew shed have to talk to Na Hyun-gon properly at some point. Still, the image of Magia offering to pay for Na Hyun-gons drink was a little off, so Why would Gia be buying drinks? Ive got it. Lets go. Thank you for the treat. Th-thank you...! But even on the way to the cafe?, the conversation still didnt come. So Magia decided she had to act. The vibe clearly said both of them wanted her to stay as a neutral buffer. But when it comes to delicate matters like this, letting someone else mediate just dilutes the meaning. They had to talk directly. And besides, Magia didnt think either of them was holding serious resentment toward the other. So once they finished ordering, she seized the moment and raised her hand. Sorry. I was so tense today that I think... I really need the restroom. Oh, of course. You worked hard. Go ahead. Iyura gave her a look like she wanted her to stay, but you cant solve problems by running away. Magia gave a quick nod, as if to say Ill be right back, and headed off toward the restroom. As the minutes passed and the drinks were still being prepared, Na Hyun-gon finally broke the awkward silence. Were you able to sort things out personally? Ah. Yes... to a degree... Im glad. I was worriedwondering what Id do if something serious had happened to you. But seeing you today... you look okay. That puts my mind at ease. Thank you for your concern... If theres anything the company can do to help, dont hesitate to speak up. Even though you had your own stuff going on, you still came here to work on this track with Gia. I owe you for that. Ah... yes... okay... If you ever feel like making music again, just reach outwhether its through your manager or Producer Sun Woo-hyuk. Got it? Y-yes...! Iyura responded nervously, tense from head to toe. But in the end, Na Hyun-gon didnt ask about the specifics of her situation at all. He just said she was welcome to return any time, arms open. And that only made her guilt swell. Once Na Hyun-gon picked up his coffee and left, Iyura turned to Magia, who had just returned, and muttered miserably, Ugh... Im trash... Magia could tell from the look on her face that something had been said, and as someone whod talked to plenty of F-type personalities before, she leaned in with quiet empathy. Whats wrong? Did something happen? Producer Na Hyun-gon told me Im welcome back anytime, and I was already thinking about tomorrows stream while he was talking... Wow. Trash. Iyura, still holding her face in her hands, spread her fingers and gave Magia a ? Nvlght ? (Read the full story) deadpan look through the gap. That was brutally honest... Magia picked up the coffee from the counter and asked casually, Im kidding. You just looked really down. Want to sit down somewhere? Or talk while we walk? Do you... have a little time? Is it okay if I keep you for a bit, even though youre busy? Of course. Ive got time. Magia thought of Natsuki LunaIyuras VTuber formand smiled brightly. As always, Magia was a complete angel when it came to VTubers. You and the producer... theres no bad blood, right? No, not at all. If anything, hes like... my benefactor. If he hadnt discovered me, Id probably still be some nobody singing in my room. Wouldnt she have debuted somewhere eventually anyway? Magia chuckled softly. So if we sum it up... You stabbed your benefactor in the back, and now youre in a bind because youve realized VTuber life is more fun than being an utaite? D-did you really have to word it that precisely...? I already know that... So, what do you actually want to do? Do you still want to continue your utaite activities, even if its at a slower pace? Or do you want to go all in on VTubing? I feel like we need to start with that. Iyura hesitated, dropping her gaze as she mumbled, I want to decide for sure... but you know how I am, Gia. Ive got no backbone, Im always being swayed by stuff, I dont plan ahead... But once I do start something, I have to see it all the way through... She was a total pro when it came to doing the work she was given not so much in other areas, but definitely when it came to music. And Magia could already picture what would happen if Iyura contacted CAT to resume her utaite activities. Allmight Production, desperate for results, would start lining up new projects. And Iyura, unable to say no, would split her time trying to stream as a VTuber while cramming in recordings. But that didnt guarantee the work would be good. Shed burn herself out doing double the labor, get less satisfaction from the results, and lose out on the fun she had while streaming. Eventually, shed hit total exhaustion. Burnout. That terrifying condition that can take someone overflowing with passion and turn them into a chronic case of eh, whatever. And it could strike Iyura at any moment. Shed already hit a wall once as an utaite. So if she pushed herself too hard again just to repay CATs kindness, she likely already knew how that would end. Which is exactly why she still hadnt made a clear decision. She couldnt bring herself to say to CAT: Lets work on another song together. And yet, it was obvious she still enjoyed working with Magia. Even today, throughout the whole recording session, shed had a bright, relaxed expression. Which is why Magia had to ask: Then... did working with me today feel like too much? Iyura frantically waved her hands. Nope. Ive told you a bunch of timesits not like that. But technically, the song we recorded today falls under utaite work, doesnt it? Well... yeah, I guess it does. So if I kept asking youas Iyurato work on more songs with me... would you do it? Iyura looked up at her, gauging her reaction, then replied: If possible, Id rather do that kind of work as Natsuki Luna. Why? Because youre going to blow up soon, Gia. Iyuras already had her growth arc, but Natsuki Luna still has a long way to rise. Ahright. She was addicted to challenges. She had that same spark of competitiveness as Team Leader Ra Seunghyun. Magia let out a weary sigh. Ugh. Selfish trash. If thats your judgment... Ill accept it... Wow. Trash that talks back. But I cant give this up. I want to be the first VTuber in Bachubachu to work with Fan_C. Someone people thought only did songs for Parallel suddenly does a collaband its with Natsuki Luna? Thats got a vibe to it, right? How do you know how far Ill go? My 2.5 million subscriber gut says youll surpass me for sure. Only time you actually use the name Iyura, huh? W-well anyway! Iyura asked, How long did you practice with the guide vocal for todays song? About eight hours a day for a week. And what did you use for reference? Our first-gens. I tried to track their growth as musicians. So like... how Maru sounded at debut, then a few months into vocal training, and nowthat kind of breakdown? Exactly. Thud. Iyura lightly slammed both hands on the table. Gia, youre a genius. Your observation and analytical skills are insane. And on top of that, you know how to turn it all into your own voice. Still not great at handling compliments, Magia scratched her cheek with a sheepish look. Iyura kept going. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Where did you mostly practice? Personal soundproof booth? Or did you rent a studio? At work. ...? I practiced during work. Um. Doesnt that... bother people around you? I used the companys personal soundproof booth. Its fine. Wait. What kind of work were you doing? Monitoring and management stuff? Yeah. You could practice singing while doing that?! Ever since Ha Jae joined the team, Magia had handed over her old monitoring station to Gong Seungyeon. Shed been appearing more often in content and managing communication systems, so she didnt have as much time to sit in one spot anyway. Most of her time now was spent on the 9th floor, in a small soundproof booth attached to the motion capture studio. Shed handle work in there, and when a teammate needed support, shed run downstairs to help. Since she was mostly stationed inside the booth, even when streaming on the official channel, it was mostly comms-room content no need to talk constantly, so she could keep the mic off and practice singing freely. She didnt want to miss any broadcasts either, so she kept her eyes on the monitor, sang with her vocal cords, and listened to her recordings with her earsover and over. If you came to CAT HQ, we have plenty of practice rooms. You couldve used them... You have to reserve those. And its two hours round-trip. Unless I absolutely need to go, its way more convenient to stay at the company. So basically, youre still doing all your usual workwhile also practicing singing at that level...? I thought that was the bare minimum. Just because Ive picked up something new doesnt mean I want to slack off on my current responsibilities. And singings not even my specialty, so I couldnt afford to half-ass that either. Iyura shook her head, looking appalled. You monster... but I love that. Just knowing someone like you is coming up behind meit gives me chills. A genius can intimidate an ordinary person. But a hardworking genius... terrifies even other geniuses. That was exactly the kind of person Magia was. Natural talent, relentless effort, and tireless discipline Fan_C, the so-called monster, was rising fast from under the surface. With no foundation whatsoever, she had passed 200,000 subscribers on YouTube, purely from featuring on Parallel songs. And from what Iyura had just heard today in the studio, she knewthis track was going to be something special. ...Anyway. Monster Gia, youll keep making songs with me, right? I kept my promise and worked with you on this one... But Iyuras dream and hope were about to be shattered by one of Magias signature fact punches. Unfortunately, everything song-related is handled through CAT. If they dont approve it, I cant do any projects with Natsuki Luna. ...Wait. What? You mean... these werent your choices? I handed it all off to CAT. Ive got too much on my plate. Im basically just the recording assistant. ...... Iyura did the math and mumbled, ...What are the odds Producer Na Hyun-gon knows Im Natsuki Luna? Even if everyone involved keeps quiet, word always gets around. And someone in his position? He probably knows. R-really?! Even if he doesnt, if a request for a collab with Natsuki Luna comes inor I ask for one hell definitely look into it. Especially if Im the one making the request. Ive never suggested anyone before, so if I suddenly name just one person... yeah, hell dig. Ugh... Iyuras expression darkened. Magia took a sip of coffee, as if to deliver the final blow, and said, Honestly, Im completely against you trying to juggle both things equally. I think itll break you. But if you really want to keep doing music with me, you have to maintain some level of activity as Iyura. So Producer Na Hyun-gon will approve it...? Exactly. If you try to get approval just to work with me, without doing anything else as Iyura hes probably gonna say no out of sheer principle. Ughh... Think it through. I cant even say anything to CAT for you if I open my mouth and accidentally confirm your identity as Iyura, thats a whole new problem. Right... Iyura groaned, falling deep into thought. Then, after a while, she spoke with newfound resolve. Youre working at your company, streaming as a VTuber, and doing utaite work... Meanwhile, Ive only got two things going on, and Im whining? Thats ridiculous. Im not a VTuber, though... Even so, youre doing similar stuff. Either way, I should take a page from your book. CAT was a top-tier label. They always prioritized the artists wishes, but also knew exactly how to package a song to go viral. So if Iyura left everything to them like Magia did, she could still call the shotsno matter if people called her a recording assistant. Ill go back and tell them Ill release one song a month. Then... there should be no issue working with Fan_C as Natsuki Luna, right? Originally, Magia had planned to suggest that possibility if the song exploded in popularity. Something subtle, when the track hit 50 million views or so. But somehow, theyd gotten here already. One of the main reasons, of course, was the sheer madness of the performance Magia had shown today though she wasnt even aware of the impact shed made. Magia smiled. If its too awkward to go alone, I can come with you. Really?! Then youre treating me to dinner, right? Of courwait, what? Thanks for the beef. Wait, WHAT?! Chapter 186 I returned to All Might Production with Iyura. Producer Sun Woo-hyuk stopped the meeting mid-sentence and ran out to greet Iyura. It looked like the two had something important to talk about, so I stepped aside quietly. A composer, whod been peeking out from the meeting room, slowly crept over and asked me, How did this happen? Well, it just kind of happened. ...? It took about ten minutes for Iyura and Producer Sun Woo-hyuk to finish talking. Once they wrapped up, Iyura headed to the restroom, while Producer Sun Woo-hyuk approached me with both hands clasped like a praying believer. Thank you. No, I should be thanking you. Youve always been considerate. Exactly. Were both thankful. But Im more thankful. We dont have to go to the board meeting!! At those words, the recording director and composer came over too and threw their arms up in celebration. ...What exactly is going on at CAT that I dont know about? Soon after, Iyura returned and we chatted a bit before parting waysshe headed toward the bus stop, and I made my way to the subway. Id gone about five stations when I got a call from Producer Na Hyun-gon. [What exactly happened?] Producer Sun Woo-hyuk said the same thing. [Thats how surprising this is. When I was talking to Iyura earlier, I never imagined it would turn out this positively.] Mm. Well, somehow, things just aligned. That kind of feeling. [Like before, it was you who persuaded her, wasnt it?] Normally, Id explain that I didnt do all the persuading, that the timing just worked out, that we were luckygoing into a whole detailed explanation. But today, I was tired from recording. Its work I love. You know, watching the members streams, managing the operation room, streaming together with themthat kind of stuff is fun. But recording a song with full sincerity is the kind of task that really drains me. Lets just say thats what happened. Its complicated to explain. But even if I hadnt done it this way, didnt you already have other ways to persuade her? Producer Na Hyun-gon let out a chuckle. [Well, when theres pressure involved, it always ends up causing a headache. It doesnt help anyone when resentment builds between the company and the artist.] Yeah, thats true. [And I had a feeling that if I waited, thered be good news eventually, since Ms. Iyura still wanted to work with you. I just didnt expect it to happen so soon.] To summarize, because of my closeness with Iyura, he thought that continuing to work together might gradually bring her around. Rather than pushing her into a confrontation, he chose to wait patiently with open arms. If Iyura had taken on a song as Natsuki Luna that resembled her previous style and dragged over her old fans, that would be one thing. But shed made a complete shift and built an entirely new fanbase. [In any case, its fascinating. Ever since you started working with us, every major problem seems to solve itself.] Its just a coincidence. [Its happened enough times now that Ive lost count. Like with Sena.] But Enas debut was something everyone at the company worked together to make happen. It doesnt seem right to chalk all that up to me alone. Still, like I said, I was exhausted. Iyura had wrapped up in just an hour, but it had taken me five. I had the right feeling from the start, but shaping it into something polished enough for release took a lot more effort. Anyway, I was running low on energy. I needed to get back to the office and watch the girls streams. So I just wanted to wrap up the call quickly. I just did my best. Thank you for always being so supportive. Producer Na Hyun-gon didnt offer any more compliments after that. Maybe he sensed from my voice that I wasnt my usual self. The conversation didnt drag on, and we quickly exchanged goodbyes. Around that time, the internal meeting at All Might Production must have ended too, because he added this: [It sounds like the recording went well. Ill give it another listen tomorrow and make the final decision, but based on what Ive heard, well probably move straight into post-production. If all goes smoothly, digital distribution should be ready within two weeks.] Today was September 10th. That means, around the 22nd, different teaser versions will go up on mine, Iyuras, and CATs YouTube channels. Then, on September 29th, the full track will be released and registered on the charts. For one week after that, well count the views, and if it passes a million, weve hit our goal. Then, Ill accompany Iyura to that networking event she mentioned, and well meet even more contacts. With those connections, maybe I can create a new breakthrough for Parallel. I hope the song turns out well. [It will. Actually, since were talking about it, let me ask you something.] What is it? [Gia, how proud are you of your singing? Do you believe you sing well enough to stand among top-tier artists? Do you think people will love your voice?] Hmm. To be honest... As of today, Im finally confident in my singing. I didnt want to overshadow the members voices, so I shaped my tone like babys breath in a bouquetdelicate, subtle. At the same time, I didnt want to drag them down, so I fully committed to the vocal training CAT provided. That started back in April. Its September nowfive months of effort. And now, I think Im good enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with Iyura. The reactions in the recording studio. Iyuras wary glance at me as she followed from behind. All of that confirmed it. Im a really good singer. At the very least, even if I were to work on a song with Maruthe best singer in ParallelI dont think Id be a hindrance. [...Thats all?] Yeah, just that much. But I wont forget. I started using the name Fan_C because I didnt want to steal attention that should go to the members. That hasnt changed. Everything I do as an utaite is for Parallel. I want to raise Fan_Cs name as high as I can so that people take notice of Parallel through me. The people who shaped my current voice. My role models. The artists Ive supported and protected all this time. I want to give them a shout-out for how proud I am of them. By saying: No matter how well I sing, Im still not better than Maru, the strongest in Parallel. Maybe he understood how I felt, because Producer Na Hyun-gon laughed for a while before asking, [Then, if you werent standing next to the memberswould you say, Im the strongest?] The song that came to mind in that moment was The Strongest by Kiri. A genius singer with over ten million subscribers. The very utaite-turned-artist that Maru idolizes. I took a line from The Strongest, changed it just a little, and gave my answer to Producer Na Hyun-gons question. The strongest me. Strongest because were together. *** ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Did you guys see this, Pellbros?] See on Z Fan_C? @imacommonfan C 1 hour ago 2nd single , with Iyura 9/29, 19:00 Nutube Premiere (UTC +9:00) Thank you Fan_Cs new single is coming out next week and its a collab with Iyura. Holy crap. CAT is really going all-in on this one. [Comments] Parallel940: As soon as they saw the potential, they started spoon-feeding the runoff Parallel035: Damn Parallel351: What even is that teaser LOL Parallel854: Just the teaser alone hit hard, damn ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [But doesnt this mean CAT is] focusing more on Fan_C than on Parallel? Are we being pushed to the side now...? Are we already getting thrown away? [Comments] Parallel904: Hey hey hey Parallel741: There they go spinning up another smear campaign Parallel482: You gay Parallel747: CAT already gave us two group songs and solo tracks are rolling out one by onegetting thrown away is a joke lmao ? Parallel009: Paranoias hitting max levels over here ? Parallel213: But come on, the way they shoved Fan_C into the group song featurethat was clearly a push ? Parallel080: True, but it was a win-win for everyone ? Parallel332: CATs gotta run a business too, and their interests aligned. No one really gained or lost anything specific; it just worked out that way ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery ... [Some of yall are so paranoid its suspicious] Whining about treatment and favoritism Desperately trying to turn it into a controversy If you dont know anything about Fan_C, just shut up instead of exposing yourself as a newfag lmao [Comments] Parallel080: FR LOL Parallel774: FR LOL Parallel114: FR LOL Parallel129: But like seriously, why are Pellbros happy when Fan_C does well? ? Parallel559: Sweetie, go read six months of archived trending posts and get back to us ? Parallel094: FR LOL ... ... Whenever someone suddenly gets famous, haters and conspiracy theorists always follow. We saw the same kind of people pop up when our members started blowing up, so dealing with them wasnt too difficult. Before I realized it, two weeks had passedit was September 22nd. The teaser for my collaboration with Iyura, Frenemy, had just been released. After watching all three versions of the teaser, I absentmindedly fiddled with the calendar on my desk and thought, Why is it already the 22nd? This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. With everything happening at once, itd be a lie to say time wasnt flying. Id wake up, review backlog clips all night, shower, go to work and check more backlogs, review yesterdays report, attend meetings if there were any, stream if there was one scheduled, monitor, help review junior team reports before logging out, then lie down and fall asleep watching streamsover and over. Even without any new recording sessions recently thanks to Frenemys release schedule keeping CAT busy, my days were like that. Next month, when we start recording again, its going to be back to the hamster wheel from hell. And sure enough, after blinking onceit was September 29th. Release day for Frenemy. Another blink, and it was October 6th. The day wed check if we hit the one-week 1 million views goal I talked about with Iyura. Since Id made it clear to the company not to bring up Fan_Cs activities or view counts during work to avoid distractions, No one mentioned anything about it for a week. And I didnt go out of my way to look it up, either. Giving it attention would just pull focus from work. If it happened, great. If not, oh well. So todaySaturday. The CEO, whod gone into the office, came home after overtime and asked me while I was flopped on the couch, Hey, did you check Frenemys views yet? The reason she seemed more interested than I was probably because Id explained what would happen if we passed a million views. When I said Id get to meet famous utaite singers, she got way more excited than I expected. She even offered to cover my plane ticket if the exchange event ended up being in Japan. Said we could take a trip while were at it or whatever. But when I told her wed need to bring the other girls too or itd feel weird, she immediately shut it down, saying, Its an important timewhat trip? So I just threw her words right back at her. It is an important time. No need to jump the gun. The event depends on everyones schedule. It might even be held online instead of in person. She backed off, a little disappointed. Still, she clearly cared more than I did. I pushed myself up from the couch. No, I havent checked yet. The girls started season 2 of Cubix Parallel server today, so I was watching that... The CEO muttered, clearly dissatisfied with my unbothered tone. This could be a huge turning point in your life, you know. Youre way too chill about it. Could you save that kind of language for # Nvlight # when I actually quit Parallel? Thats a loaded comment... It just means dont be so dramatic. Fine, sorry. But go check already. The view count is weird. Weird? Does she mean low? Or maybe... the opposite? Still, since we set 1 million as the benchmark, maybe we didnt quite hit it. Iyura hadnt been very active for a while, and no matter how often I sing, I still only have around 300K subs. We didnt even do a big event push like we do when the girls release a track, so I wasnt expecting much... [????Nutube] Frenemy C Fan_C x Iyura Fan_C | 352K subscribers 1.92M views | 1 week ago | #Fan_C #Iyura #Frenemy #CAT She handed me her phone. On the screen was the music video, showing nearly double the target views. But that wasnt the end of it. Turns out CAT had gone all-out with marketing. As soon as the CEO searched the song title on YouTube Shorts, dozens of videos popped up. There were two main types. The first was the classic OO vs XX rivalry format. It was super easy to understand and really made you think. The themes ranged from anime, to real-life actors, to movie characters. Theyd pair a growing character with my part of the song, and an absolute powerhouse with Iyuras partthe contrast made the background music hit perfectly. The second type was before and after transformation shorts. Theyd show a clumsy version of a character followed by their fully powered-up self. Over that, theyd play the first part of the song I sang (the raw, unsure section) and transition into the last part (the refined, confident one), creating a dramatic, satisfying arc. Even though they only used clips, the impact stuck with you. After showing me everything, the CEO said, This was CATs crazy planning, but the singers went even crazier. Its like the moment right before a trend explodes. In other words, my singing hit home with people. And like a wave, its only going to grow bigger with time. Naturally, the image of our hardworking members came to mind. And instead of basking in praise, I ended up saying this to the CEO: I guess I should be thanking you for gathering a group of growth-type idols. Huh? What do you mean? While I was recording, I kept thinking about how the girls developed before debut. It helped a lot. ...Wait, you still remember their old vocal techniques? Of course. I even remember yours. Why the hell would you remember mine? To tease you. You little menace. Kidding. I dont remember everything. Except for Maru, they all had rough patches. Those memories stuck with me. The girls really grew through streaming. I also used the footage we had stored in the NAS. Oh right, that was a thing. The CEO clicked her tongue, then ruffled my hair. Anyway, good job. Even if our company tanks, youll still have a way to make a living. What are you talking about? If the company tanks, Im investing every cent Ive earned as an utaite into it. Please, let me handle the business funds. Spend some money on yourself for once...? I mean, I dont plan to invest right this second, so please manage things well. Im already investing the leftover money elsewhere. Elsewhere? I opened a finance app and showed her. The portfolio section had all sorts of entries. An Individual Savings Account (ISA), A CMA account with a brokerage, And a personal trading account where I invested in stocks I liked. Since moving into Do-hees place, all the money I earned from appearing on streamsafter spending on the girls merch and donationswent into investments. Split evenly across those three, Id already saved up over ten million won. ...Youre saving pretty responsibly, huh? If it looks like the companys liquidity is in trouble, let me know. Ill pull everything and hand it over. And how did you end up picking only immediately withdrawable assets...? I asked around. The CFO, Producer Na. Diversify, invest regularly. No day trading. If you dont know, just buy Berkshire. So youre gonna invest everything you make as Fan_C into that too? Yup. Once the initial costs from my debut are recouped, Ill start receiving real royalties. CAT figures Frenemys success marks the start of that phase. Since utaites dont need stage performances like traditional idols, the recovery period for investment is way shorter. You know, right? I only started all this for Parallel. The CEO shook her head like she couldnt deal with me and sat beside me. Fine. But for now, can you prioritize yourself over the company? Youve got a concert next month, and if your throat isnt in shape, were screwed. Ill take care of myself while taking care of the girls. Good. So that exchange eventwhen exactly is that happening? I need to ask Iyura. Speak of the devil Zzzing. My phone buzzed. It was Iyura calling. I nodded toward the CEO and answered, only to be greeted with Iyuras voice yelling through the phone. [Gia! Its time to talk about the exchange event!] I was about to call you. When and where is it? [Turns out everyones schedule lines up, so we decided to meet in Japan for a day. I also happened to have a Bachubachu HQ meeting then, so it worked out perfectly.] Ah. So its kind of like a business trip, huh? [Exactly! Its a one-night, two-day thing... And dont freak out, okay? Were meeting at Kiris house!] Oh. Kiri. I repeated the name in my head a few times. Kiri. Kiri... Kiri? The Kiri with ten million subs? ...Wait. You mean Kiri, the one who sang The Strongest? Chapter 187 Thanks to my CEO, Ive been able to work at the company and continue my utaite activities at the same time. Considering how most office workers arent allowed to hold two jobs, no matter how much I say Im doing this for the company, its undeniable that Ive been given a considerable amount of leeway. Which is why, when something like this comes up, Im obligated to report it to the CEO. But this time, I was literally on the phone right in front of herso there was no need to carve out extra time to make a report. Instead, I had to put up with the task of calming down a CEO who was completely losing her mind. Kiri? Youre seriously going to Kiris house?! Yeah. Thats how the schedule worked out. And shes confirmed shes taking you? She said since we hit the goal we promised, shes staking her name on itshell definitely bring me. Iyura might be reckless, but once she starts something, she never backs out halfway. Even when she went MIA for personal reasons, every single song she ever promisedeven verballyshe ended up completing. Frenemy included. So theres no doubt shell keep this promise too. Which means, with 99% certainty, Im going to meet the Kirievery utaites icon, a living legend. Then again, the idol of utaites is often also the idol of VTubers. After all, plenty of people who are now VTubers started out doing covers because they loved singing. And vice versasome utaites started out as VTubers. Theres a ton of overlap. Even my CEO is a massive fan of Kiri. Take me with you. Do you really think thats possible? Im only getting this opportunity because of Iyura. Ugh... I mean, Id love to introduce the CEO to Kiri if I could. But theres no way I could just randomly spring that on her during a first-time meeting. From now on, I need to start prepping for how I can make a good impression on Kiri. Just like I did before I met CrkemangIll need to dig through her personal streams, comb through every bit of info I can find. That way, Ill at least be able to exchange a few words. If I get lucky, maybe well even follow each other on Z. Whatever happens, I just hope I dont come back empty-handed. At the very least, if Kiri gives me some merch in person, I could pass that on to my CEO. Please pray that I at least get to have a proper conversation with her. ...I really hope you do. You dont sound that sincere. She took a deep breathhuuuuuupand was about to yell, but let it out with a sigh instead. It was late, and we werent in a soundproof booth. Couldnt risk bothering the neighbors. I really hope you hit it off so well that you two end up exchanging concert tickets. Even better, I hope that when Kiri visits Korea, she asks you to be her guide. Even if that somehow happens, I dont think Id be able to bring you along. ...Thats cold. Come on, think about it. Just imagine bringing a random person out of nowhere and saying, This is my CEO, shell be tagging along with us today. Wouldnt that just be awkward? Its not polite, either. Okay, fine. Ill shut up. Sigh. The CEO let out a short breath and sank deep into the couch. I mean, seriously. Ever since you started doing utaite stuff, Ive never really been jealous. But this time... I am. Im so jealous its driving me crazy. I want to stretch your cheeks out so bad right now. Go ahead. If thatll help you feel better, have at it. Her hands flew at me without hesitation. Hi-yah! Ah. Aahh, ahh She played with my cheeks for a while, but then just drooped her shoulders and trudged off to her room like it was all meaningless. Was she that disappointed? Her grip was definitely spicier than usual today. See? This is why I told her not to mess with business and just stick to streaming. If shed done that, shed have 4 million subs by now and probably wouldve already met Kiri. But its too late for regretsweve come too far. Since I already committed to helping her run the business, Im going to see it through. And hey, if I do manage to hit it off with Kiri... who knows? Maybe shell accept my invitation, come visit Korea, and even be okay with the CEO tagging along. *** Starting the next day, Iyura and I began discussing strategy over the phone. It was a slightly twisted desire on her partto work with the soon-to-be-famous mebut still, if achieving that meant helping me succeed first, then hey, her energy over the phone made it obvious she was willing to spill absolutely everything she knew. [Let me start by giving you a quick rundown of the schedule.] Okay. [Its a one-night, two-day trip to Tokyo, Japan. Well fly out Saturday afternoon and return Sunday evening. Ive already booked your flight in business class, so you dont have to worry.] Business class? Economy wouldve been fine. [Just think of it as an investment. Ill put you in business. Its not like were flying to the U.S. or Europe or anything. Just make sure your passports ready.] Since Im short, Id have more than enough legroom in economy. Still, if shes offering, theres no real reason to say noand Im curious about the whole business-class experience anyway. Sure. Passportgot it. Easy. [Easy, right? But seriously, make sure you have it ready. One time I planned a trip to Japan with a friend, and on the day of the flight, she realized her passport was missing. I ended up going alone.] Yikes. [Anyway, once we land, well have some time to do a little sightseeing before the scheduled meetup. When its time, well head to Kiris house. Just dont be too shocked when you see her living room.] Its just a house, right? Is there something unusual about it? [She had one entire wall turned into a bar.] She must really like drinking... [Not exactly. Kiri has this ruleif someone visits her house, she always serves them a cocktail she made herself. She decides what kind based on her first impression of you. Mixing cocktails is her hobby, apparently.] She sounds pretty cool. [She is. And tall, tooaround 174 cm, I think?] So about the same height as Orca? Thats pretty tall. [Anyway, when we get there, well sit at the bar table, chat with the people next to us and do introductions. You dont have to just sit stillyou can move around and talk to the other guests too. Since its your first time, Ill introduce everyone one by one. Therell be just over ten people, so it wont take long.] Thanks. [Do you drink? If not, non-alcoholic options are fine. No ones going to pressure you. Its just a casual, one-or-two-drinks kind of vibe.] I dont even know what my alcohol tolerance is. At staff dinners with the members, Ive never actually had anything to drink since Im usually stuck cleaning up. Even when Im relaxing at home, I avoid alcoholgotta stay sharp so I can review their streams and write reports. And the most important thing here is to naturally connect with the people there. So I should probably stay sober. Then Ill stick with non-alcoholic. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. [Just be careful, okay? Some of the drinks in the fridge look like soda but arent. Dont just grab anything.] I can read Japanese. Ill pick carefully. [Mm, alright. Thats a relief. Now, where was I...] You were saying I could sit at the bar or walk around while you introduce the guests. [Ah, right. This next part is important. Pretty much everyone there is either a utaite, a VTuber, or a singer. Basically, its a gathering of people who love music.] Hearing that made me pause. Was it really okay for someone like me to be there? I dont actually love singing or anything. Im just doing it for a goal. [Not everyone there sings for pure love of it. Some people like money and love singing because it brings them money. Some love connecting with fans and love singing because their songs are loved. Its not all noble.] Yeah... I guess Im not in it purely for the love of it either. [I only mentioned it because the people at the exchange are so into music that even the penalties for games are music-related.] Games? [Yeah. The host decides the game for the nightthis time itll be Kiribut the penalty has always been the same.] Since most of the guests are also YouTubers, it makes sense. The person who loses has to sing a song chosen by the winner and upload it to their channel. The catch? It has to be the winners original song. Even if the song doesnt suit the losers voice or style, they still have to make it work and post it. Apparently, thats the kind of punishment only people who are beloved as singers could handle with pride. But to me, this sounded like a massive opportunity. Think about it. Kiria ten-million-subscriber YouTuber, a legend of J-pop since the 2020s, an icon of the utaite worldsinging my original song and uploading it to her channel? Theres probably no bigger boost I could ever get. Even Frenemy blew up largely because it was a duet with Iyuraa strong point of comparison. If Kiri were to sing Frenemy, or even Common Fan? The promo impact would be unreal. And if that wave of attention carried over to our girls? Even better. ''Okay, thats wishful thinking.'' First things firstwin the bet. Even if Kiri doesnt pick my song, every person there is a prominent singer. Do you have any idea what Kiri might choose as the game? [Hmm... the topic for the game...] After thinking for a bit, Iyura mentioned a certain fighting game thats been popular not only in Japan but globally. [Have you heard of Sok?] Soul Clash? Yeah, of course. [Kiri sang the ending theme for the latest Sok game, and she started playing it too.] So she played it to better understand the atmosphere and reflect that in her song? Thats a next-level approach. [Well have to wait and see, but from what Ive seen on Z, she still plays it now and then. Its only been three months since it released and its still pretty hyped up, so it wouldnt surprise me if she picked that.] Has she used games as bet topics before? [Not exactly, but a few years ago she did something similar. Back then, after a string of anime theme covers, she had everyone try to guess characters from short, edited voice clips mid-episode.] I see. Then I guess your prediction has a good chance of being right. [Why? You planning to practice in advance?] Today was October 7. The exchange event was two weeks away, on October 20. Two weeks should be enough time to prep at least a little. Id pick the psychological-warfare character I liked best, and then mix up overheads, mids, lowshit them with nonstop pressure K.O. If I got lucky, Id earn the honor of Kiri singing one of my songs. Yeah. Two weeks is enough to get my skills up. [Ooh, confidence. Have you played Sok before?] Nope. [...Where is this confidence coming from?] I never mentioned it because our girls cover so many different games already But about six months ago, during tournament prep, the first-generation girls got really into Soul Beast, the previous title in the Soul Clash series. That lasted about a week. And I still had the contact info for the coach who helped them out. All I had to do was ask if he had time. Im gonna find a teacher. I pick things up really fast. Chapter 188 What makes a fighting game truly fun? There are a lot of possible answersbut maybe its the satisfaction of landing a clean hit, pulling off a flashy air combo, and absolutely demolishing your opponent in a dominant win. Or the thrill of blocking and parrying just right in a desperate situation, launching a perfect counterattack, and flipping the entire match on its head. Or the rush of picking an unpopular character and mindgaming your opponent with totally unfamiliar moves theyve never seen before. Yeahthere are a lot of things that make it fun. But no matter how much you talk about all that, the truth is: if you cant win, you dont get to feel any of it. So what happens to the losers? Except for the rare few who survive on pure grit and stubbornness, most people just quit. Fighting games are already tough as helltheres so much to memorize just to play a single character. Combos, inputs, frame data... it''s a mountain of mechanics. And just when you think youve got a handle on things, some guy hits you with Dont know this move? Then just eat it, using tech youve never even heard of. Now, Soul Clashs latest entry did add Simple Controls so newcomers could do full combos with just one button. No special inputs required. But still, new players come in after watching the flashy graphics and story trailers... and leave just as fast. Even with easy controls, theres way too much you still need to know to actually win. And then theres the real killer: high-ranked players on alternate accounts who slaughter low-level lobbies. No matter how much the devs talk about cracking down on alt accounts, its basically impossible to catch all of them. From what it feels like, at least half of new players end up getting stomped by veterans smurfing from a much higher skill tierand thats enough to make most people quit. And sure, youd think if a top player goes easy on a newbie, they wont notice, right? Wrong. Even new players can tell: This guy doesnt belong here. Thats why Wanggua Soul Clash streamer and pro player, and runner-up at last years world championshipwas looking pretty sour as he sat down with Mugeon again for the first time in a while. You seeing this, man? The concurrent player graph. No newbies coming in. Only three months after launch? Thats brutal. Its because they half-assed the alt account crackdown. Every games got smurfing issues, but fighting games definitely make it hurt more. Naturally, the conversation turned toward the games directorcomplete with a few well-deserved curses. Its not just a one-time thing. Soul Arena, Soul Beast, and now Soul Clashevery entrys been plagued by smurf abuse. Its no wonder the communitys fed up. They needed to come down way harder. But nooo, Kuraya just talks like hes gonna do something. All that crap about a structured ELO systemIve been coaching players and seeing ranked firsthand, and I swear, two-thirds of the lobby are alts. Ugh. Yikes. Still, there was a massive influx of new players at launchthanks in no small part to the ending song by Kiri and the polished story. Even Mugeon had to admit it. Honestly, the only reason anyones still playing is because of how much it blew up at first. You should be thanking Kiri, man. Yeah, fair. But Kuraya blew all that hype with crap management. For a streamer focused on a single title, a games success is their livelihood. So Wanggu was taking it seriously. Why not just go back to Battle Call, then? I mean... I envy you, but some bugs only eat the leaves theyre born for... True. Youve got good hands, but you cant shoot worth a damn. Ugh... I need to figure out how to draw in more players. Gotta survive, after all... His sigh got heavier. Wanggu was clearly stressedbut Mugeon tried to offer a little hope. Youve got the November tournament coming up, right? Youre pretty popular as a coach. Yeah, Ive been prepping for it. Big-name games usually hold events during vacation or holiday seasons. But smaller games? They pick off-peak times. Soul Clash hosts tournaments in May and November. And with November a month away, announcements for bracket size and participants would start dropping soon. This is the season when pro players, unless theyre competing themselves, get recruited as coaches by streamers entering the tournament. Depending on who you get paired withand how far that player goesyour name as a coach can rise or fall fast. So just like students want great coaches... Coaches want promising students. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Maybe someone whos never been taken seriously before suddenly breaks out under your guidance. Or maybe you spot a diamond in the rough and take them all the way to a win. Thats how you grow your reputationand your view count. And Wanggu was already ahead of the curve. Six months ago, he coached Dora from Parallel, who didnt even know the basics of Soul Clash. Under his guidance, she made it to the semifinals. That single coaching session still had people requesting lessons to this day. Dont know who Ill be teaching this time, but Im going for the win. Gotta toughen up. Cant keep hearing I dont live up to my size. Yeah, right. You say that, but once training starts, youll go all soft again. Be like methrow some harsh words around and get things moving. Easy for you to say. Youve got the frame to pull it off. God, screw you. Stop flexing and leave already. Hey now. You bragging about your arm length again? Just as Wanggu swung his long arm to shove Mugeon away from the opposite side of the table Bzzt. His phone buzzed on the table. [Incoming Call: Assistant Manager Magia] Mugeon read the name on the screen and instantly snatched the phone, eyes wide. What the hell? How do you have her number? What do you mean how? She reached out to me during the last tournament prep with Parallel. Magia reached out to you first? Shes a managerof course she contacts coaches. Whats with you, man? What Wanggu didnt know was that Mugeon was a Slug. He didnt realize that Mugeon, a longtime acquaintance, had quietly become a diehard Magia fan. Anyway, Wanggu slapped his long arm over and snatched the phone back, successfully answering the call. Yes, Assistant Manager! Long time no speak. Howve you been? [Hello, Coach Wanggu. Have you been well?] Doing greatcant complain with a body like this. I really appreciate you inviting me as a coach last time. Parallels success really helped me out. [No need to thank me. Were the ones who were grateful you accepted.] So! What brings you to me today? [You really are quick to get to the pointone of your best traits.] Ha ha, sorry. I can be a little impatient. [I was wondering if I could ask you to coach Soul Clash again. Do you happen to have time this week or next?] The moment she said it, Wanggu lit up. Coaching? Absolutely, anytime. Who would I be training this time? [Me.] Huh? You? [Its not for any tournament or anything. I just want to improve personally. If your schedule doesnt allow it, feel free to decline.] Not a desperate plea. She made it clear: if he said no, shed just go with someone else. Meaningevery top-level coach in the community would welcome this gig. If Wanggu said he was too busy, that golden opportunity would go to another player or streamer. Hed be kicking away a free gift from the gods. Why? Unlike other VTubers, Magia holds exceptional value as a floating pick. The wandering specters of the internetPazijiks transient viewersusually dont stick to one base. They drift from stream to stream, chasing whatever catches their interest. But ever since Magias insane performance in the MCN showdown hosted by Mugeon back in June, things changed. When Magia starts a stream, they at least check in before deciding to leave. If nothing else seems interesting that day, theyll default to her stream. Thats become the pattern. Roughly 5,000 of those roamers now stop by consistently. If even a fraction of them settle down in Wanggus stream, his entire viewer base could shoot up dramatically. No way Im turning this down. I dont have any lessons scheduled right now anyway. Im totally availablejust tell me when. [Would the day after tomorrow work for you?] Hed been planning a casual offline match with some fellow fighting game players that day, but that could be canceled. Is a casual set more important than Magia? Of course it works! [Then how about 2 PM this Wednesday? If we cant finish in one session, we could go from 2 to 6 and stretch the lessons out over a few days.] A few days? Sounds amazing to me! Ill just clear my entire schedule this week. [Thank you for being so generous. Ill message you via TalkCord about ten minutes before we start.] Yes, absolutely! Ill be waiting! Thank you so much! As soon as the call ended, Wanggu let out a satisfied chuckle. Hed already been laying the groundwork for the upcoming November tournament, uploading character guides, lessons, and tips on YouTube. He wasnt sure how much more he needed to upload, but thenthis. It was like a cultivation novela legendary elixir dropping from the sky and landing straight into Wanggus hands. Of course, Mugeon, sitting beside him, didnt look so thrilled. You happy? Obviously. I just got a job. A job? Magia asked you to coach her? Yeah. Said she wants to improve her personal skills. Mugeons eyes widened. What? Why? Is she planning to enter the November tournament or something? She said its for personal reasons. I dont really know the details. She called, I answered. Tch... Mugeon stared hard at Wanggu, then said, Be careful. If you act all buddy-buddy with Magia, it could blow up in your face. Whatre you talking about? Theres a fan group called Slug Squad that follows her around. Theyre rabid, man. The second they think some male streamer is hitting on her, its chaos. Really? It wasnt that bad when I was coaching the first-gen girls. Yeah, because back then it was a group. This time its just you and her. One-on-one. Do you have any idea what I went through when I was coaching Momo on Battle Call? For reference, back then, Magia would send Mugeon emails every single time he streamed with Momo. The messages always said the same thing: Stop acting chummy with Momo, you bald freak. She filled the email to its storage limit with that line. Reading that at night? Kinda terrifying. Especially because Mugeons grandfather had been bald. The damage was personal. Just be careful. Dont take Magia lightly. Really? She always struck me as super polite when we talked. Maybe its just you. If you hadnt acted like a fool on stream Did you seriously just say that to your bro? Wanggu had no idea why Mugeon was so mad, but He got an answer in the form of a very pointed jab to his collarbone. Aghow! Ow! *** When she coached Dora in the past, Wanggu had been an incredibly solid teacher. So Magia had been mentally prepared for the possibility that her sudden request might not work out. But the fact that he accepted made her genuinely happy. If she could learn properly this time, she might actually get the edge she needed at Kiris gatheringand turn it into a real opportunity. Of course, since it was an external event, reporting it to her boss was a must. But when she told Dohee about the plan for the day after tomorrow, the CEO gave her a look. So... youre doing a one-on-one lesson? As a guest? Yeah. Coach Wanggu said hed teach me. You know that VTubers doing one-on-one collabs with male streamers doesnt sit well with viewers, right? You hated that yourself. I know. ? Nvl?g? ? (Continue reading) But hes just a coach. What did you say again when Mugeon was coaching me on Battle Call? I didnt type anything in chat, but... I did wish hed drop dead. Exactly. Thats how it starts. You just end up with more crazed fans going dark. And this isnt even your streamyoure the guest. Well, Im not a VTuber to begin with. Even if you say that, there are still tons of people who treat you like one just because you whine about being a normal office worker. Magia was well aware. Unless its a major server event or an important tournament, if a collab has more than 50% male streamers, it triggers a wave of unhinged unicorns. Shed lived under Momos turret long enoughand spent years managing from behind the scenesnot to know that. But Magia didnt care. Whether people wanted to see her as a VTuber or not, she was just an office worker with a side hustle as an utaite. Itll be fine. Maybe this is a good time for Slugs to get a wake-up call. A wake-up call for what? This upcoming stream was an opportunity for Magia. To shake the illusion that had formed around her because of how much shed appeared in Parallel content. To give fans a little nudge, help them redirect their attention toward more stable investments. To realize that the oshi they chose... isnt a VTuber at all, just a regular person. Chapter 189 ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [Summary of Magias Stream Schedule This Week for Busy Slugs] - 10/10 (Wed): Appearing as a student on Wanggus stream (GiaDidYouDeceiveTheSlugs.jpg) What the fuck, this makes no sense aaaaaaaaaaaa (PepeWithKnifeAndMuscles.jpg) Get the CEO on the line!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [Comments] Parallel151: Wow, the only schedule she has this week is a collab with Nams? Thats legendary ? Parallel904: Ill snap my horn~ ? Parallel441: Ill self-destruct~ ? Parallel550: Is Wednesday the Slugs Doomsday? lol Parallel894: If Wanggu invited Magia, that means he has her contact info? Why does he know? Why does he know? Why does he know? Why does he know? Why does he know? Why does he know? Why does he know? Why does he know? Why does he know? Why does he know? Why does he know? Why does he know? Why does he know? Why does he know? Why does he know? Why does he know? Why does he know? I dont know, so why do you??????? ? Parallel011: Probably just called the company lol ? Parallel486: He probably contacted her directly on TalkCord ? Parallel894: Unforgivable unforgivable unforgivable unforgivable unforgivable unforgivable unforgivable unforgivable unforgivable unforgivable unforgivable unforgivable unforgivable unforgivable unforgivable unforgivable unforgivable ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [Slugs, Dont ExplodeFlip Your Perspective Instead] There was a Soul Beast tournament in May Wanggu did coaching back then too They mightve exchanged contact info already back then, yup yup Its not like they suddenly got close recently or anything Theres another tournament in November, so theyre probably just prepping early lol [Comments] Parallel292: Your mom, fuck ? Parallel046: Bro... ? Parallel784: Look at that horn rage lmao Parallel225: No point telling them this lol ? Parallel225: Slugs are turret spam lords just like their queen ? Parallel333: As expected lol ... ... ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [Show Even a Hint of Closeness] Im sending a truck right in front of Wanggus house Think I wont? I really will. Just wait. I said Im doing it. [Comments] Parallel011: I suddenly wonder, what must Magia think when she sees psychos like us? ? Parallel115: Probably feels guilty about her past ? Parallel095: For real lol ? Parallel832: Shouldve turreted in moderation... ? Parallel027: Or maybe she doesnt think anything at all lmao ... ... Just like the last comment in that post. Magia honestly didnt think much about whether the Slug Squad was going wild or not. She never really believed theyd actually go that far. Because hadnt there always been a kind of unspoken agreement between her and the Slug Squad? That were Wol-Dung-i who love Parallel VTubers. Comrades working toward the same goal. More than that, the two Slugs shed recently met in person Pino and Movgun, who leaned toward the radical side but still knew how to read the roomhelped ease her concerns a bit. Shed started to believe, just a little, that before the kids went completely feral, those two would step in and take care of things. Thats why when Wanggu glanced through the community that day and got worried [Um, your fanbase seems kinda mad right now... is this going to be okay?] Magia replied like it was nothing. No need to worry. There are more extreme types than when you trained the first-gen, but Ill keep them in line. [If you say so, thats a relief.] You just focus on training me, Teacher. Ill make sure the ones toeing the line cant act up. [Okay. Ill trust you and stay focused on the lesson.] [(????Live) Wanggu Kindergarten Returns C Student: Parallels Assistant Manager Magia] ????8,552 In reality, the stream had pulled over four times Wanggus usual 2,000 viewers, but the chat was still calm for now. It helped that it was an away appearance, and Wanggu wasnt deeply tied to Parallel like Movgun was. [Alright, todays collab guestif youve watched VTubers at all recently, or even if you havent, youve probably heard this name at least once. Please welcome Parallels Assistant Manager, Magia!] Hello. Oh Huh? Welcome Magia Damn Gias here Jaha Heyyy Plus, while Wanggu had once briefly coached the first-gen, they hadnt really interacted since. Their relationship was still a bit awkward. Charging in too hard would only expose the Slug Squad as total lunatics in front of the entire internet. To the Slug Squad, the only one who could step up and represent them was Pino. And Pino, for all his chaotic tendencies, was someone who knew how to read the situation. Still, if the calm felt like the eerie stillness before a storm, that was probably something only veteran stream managers like Magia could sense. Magia was indeed constantly glancing at the chat, monitoring the simmering tension that could explode at any second. The funny part? Her eye movements were quick as hellbut thanks to Pinos god-tier rigging, they were perfectly captured and translated into her facial expressions. No matter how bold a Slug might be, no one dared act up with Magias sharp, watchful eyes staring them down. Why? Because when Magia appears in an external collab, she keeps track of every viewer who crosses the line Then preemptively bans them from Parallels channels afterward. If a pot leaks inside, its gonna leak outside too. Anyone acting wild in other stream chats is probably gonna be the same on Parallels turf. And so began a quiet standoff: Slugs looking for a moment to act without being noticed, And Magia, scanning and tracking them like a hawk. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Meanwhile, Wanggu, unbothered by the chaos in the forums, gained confidence as the stream went smoothly. [Before we get into actual training, I thought we could try a personality test. Ever seen this before?] Oh. I think the first-gen used it when picking their characters. [Exactly. Its the Soul Clash personality test they used back then. Once you finish, we can figure out which character suits you best. Want to give it a try?] Sure. In the calm atmosphere, Magia clicked through the options one by one. Somehow, every question felt like it was made for her. She didnt even hesitate. Preferred character gender C Female. What do you want to do most during a match C Bold, aggressive plays. Preferred attack style C Psychological warfare. What do you want to do when your opponent is down C Psychological Nvl?g?t (Only on Nvl?g?t) warfare. Do you prefer set-pattern characters? C Nope, prefer unpredictable characters. Do you like characters with good mobility? C Speed is everything. High tier or obscure pick? C Obscure, love being underestimated. Control difficulty? C Doesnt matter. Thus ended Magias Soul Clash character preference test. The result? ? lolololol Wow, this is freakishly accurate lol lmao This test is cracked lol [Recommended Character: Alice] Alice was a character inspired by Alice in Wonderland. At first glance, she looked like a cute girl in a ribboned dress with twin tails But she was actually sold into slavery to an old scientist named Heart and turned into a full-body cybernetic weapon. Since Soul Clash featured battles between superhuman fighters, Alice had her fair share of insane moves. Her signature air combo involved turning both hands into double-barrel forms and unleashing a shotgun barrage. Her grab? Her stomach would open like a door, revealing dozens of gun barrels firing wildly. She had a ton of transformation moves, letting her hands and feet morph into all kinds of shapes. Completely unpredictableperfect for beating down clueless opponents who didnt even know what hit them. In other words, she was a dream pick for Magia, who was obsessed with smoke screen spamming. A character that let her go wild with mind games and rapid shotgun fire? Ideal. But of course, she wasnt all sunshine and roses. Wanggu, having heard countless complaints later like Why didnt you warn me about this?, was very thorough in explaining the drawbacks. [So, after watching the clips, what do you think? Do you like her?] Shes amazing. I love her. [Thats good. But Alice has a pretty fatal flaw.] What is it? Its common these days for character-heavy games to struggle with balance. Sometimes, characters with huge damage potential still dont make it to high tier rankings, Because theyre just too damn slow to land a hit. Alice was one of those sluggish types Massive reach and damage, but if you whiff, you get punished hard. She was built to be a powerful, long-range high-output weapon, and her concept was solid. But... If you''re slow, you get hit while trying to hit. Against opponents with fast attacks, Even if you act at the same time, Alice ends up eating all the damage. So she was never considered high tier. Instead, she fell into the weirdo pick tierused by cracked veterans who mastered her complex mind game mix-ups. Her kit included four basic stances: Standard, Double Barrel, Hammer, and Skate. And that meant her move list was 1.5 times bigger than the average characters. To play her properly, you had to use every skill at just the right time. Casual players had no chance. If a total beginner genuinely wanted to get good with her, theyd need to study her for a solid week just to be passable. [...So yeah, I really recommend thinking it over. I can suggest other similar characters anytime.] Hm. Magia paused for a moment, as if thinking it over, then said: Ill just go with this one. [Are you sure?] Yeah. I really like her. Who was it that took Apollaa champion nobody ever picked in Naoreand made her show up in the pro second division scene? It was Magia. She was the kind of person who had to do what she wanted. The moment she saw Alice and liked her, there was no way shed just walk past like a sparrow ignoring a mill. And this choice made Wanggu genuinely happy. No way this ends in just one day. He had a feeling. Maybe theyd end up doing these kindergarten streams for at least three days, maybe more. [(????Live) Wanggu Kindergarten Returns C Student: Parallels Assistant Manager Magia] ????10,242 That, too, with this massive audience Magia had brought in. They hadnt even started playing yetjust picked a characterand already theyd hit ten thousand viewers. Truly a number worthy of someone dubbed the Pazijik Tamer of Floating Viewers. Today alone, a 5x viewer spike! Of course, it was up to Wanggu to keep them watching, but the fact that the opportunity was here mattered most. The longer the stream went on, the more it benefited Wanggu. But on the flip side, for the Slug Squad, this was a disaster. Do your Soul Clash, Gia Yeah, lets go Alice time lol This aint gonna be easy~ They were cheering her on in chat, saying fighting and youve got this... But the longer the training period dragged on, The more theyd have to watch this 1-on-1 date between Magia and Wanggu. And the new missions being posted were making their real intentions obvious. :: Mission :: :: Win your first match in casual queue C 155,000 won :: :: Win a match using all four of Alices forms C 172,000 won :: :: Win a round using only the shotgun barrage C 132,000 won :: They were using Magias competitive spirither refusal to lose at any game And her tendency to go all-in on anything that benefited the company, To bait her into clearing these absurdly difficult missions by the end of the day, So they could force her to graduate from kindergarten fast. Sure, Magia had almost never moved the way the Slugs wanted her to... But hey, wasnt it Magia who jumped into action when Rain had a huge mission dropped on her in the past? The Slugs had done their homework. And sure enough Magia, who valued business expansion and networking as much as Momo did, said: Didnt we agree to split the donations 50-50? Then Ill clear as many missions as I can and use my half to pay the tuition. [Huh? Thats not going to be easy. Just getting used to Alice could take hours...] Im really here to learn properly. You can be as strict as you want. I want to get good fast and get it down right. Wanggu hesitated a little. He wasnt worried Magia would learn too quickly and shorten the stream count. He was remembering what happened when he taught the first-gen and made soft-hearted Maru cry during training. Some of the viewers had tried to pin the blame on Wanggu back then, And it had been Magia who stepped in to shut that down. Now, he was worried that if he went too hard again and fans turned on him, He might end up having to stream an apology video in front of a green screen. Slugs were already watching like hawks, waiting for a reason to jump on him. If Magia so much as looked like she was getting emotional or overwhelmed? Thatd be enough to spark some forced controversy. But Magia? Crying on stream? If I cry or get all soggy or whatever, Ill do an apology stream right then and there. Itd be my fault for saying I was fine and not keeping my word. [Whoa. No, thats really not necessary.] And after the apology, Ill sing a song to show how sorry I am. If I say that upfront, even the Parallel folks here to see me will understand. The Slugs could never resist Magia singing. Even if it was a trot trap waiting to spring. Parallels VTubers werent just streamersthey were idols, full of music and flair. Magia singing meant she was acting more like a VTuber than ever. No way Slugs were missing a chance like that. Theyd capture it on video for sure. And soon enough, a top-tier Slug made it official with a donation. :: New Mission! C PIN0 :: :: Graduate from kindergarten today C 1,000,000 won :: A statement: I accept Magias proposal. So go all-in, learn hard, and graduate today. Because if she did, thered be no more 1-on-1 collabs with Wangguno matter the teacher-student setup. What Excuse me, teacher Where the hell did he pull that cash from again lol Does this guy secretly have no debt or what? lol Maybe someday, Wanggu and Magia would have a casual chat again during second-gen training, But that wouldnt be a solo collabsame as it wasnt back with the first-gen. The Slugs quickly caught on to PIN0s plan and started throwing money at the mission too, But with so many missions already in place, the progress was slow. If only the Chairman would show up. Thatd make the message loud and clear to Magia. And right then, one appeared The very Chairman who would raise a flag beside PIN0. :: Graduate from kindergarten today C 1,293,000 won :: - 1,000,000 won | movgun Hed known about this collab for two days and had been seething the whole time. Wanggu had effortlessly landed the 1-on-1 with Magia, While he himself had never been able to, no matter how hard he tried. But in his blind rage, Movgun had forgotten to check the anonymous option. ????movgun: Shit, oops; ? Huh? What are you doing here, bro? ? ?? What? lolololol What the hell, lol Chapter 190 Actually, when PIN0 first offered the one million won mission to help Magia graduate kindergarten early, everyone just kind of went, Ah, there he goes again. This guy was probably going into more debt, tightening his own neck, as usual. But when Movgun added another million to itthat hit completely different. See, up until just before winter last year, Movgun was basically a normie. Sure, hed binged VTubers and subculture content non-stop for a year, But his streams still followed the standard cam streamer format. He was originally a pro gamer. His content was based around that fanbase. So even though he was on friendly terms with Momo, the CEO of Parallel, Most of the Pazijik viewers agreed: theres no way this guy was a real VTuber fan. But today, that belief was proven totally wrong, live and in front of everyone. Wanggu asked him: [Hey. That rumor about people seeing you at Mafewas that real?] ????movgun: That ones actually true ????movgun: I was there buying something for Ronze, I swear [Funny, because I asked Ronze afterward and he said hes not even a fan of Gia.] Magia didnt react. Her visit to Mafe, dressed up in cosplay with Momo, was still supposed to be a secret. If she pushed Movgun here, it might drag that story into the light. And since there were already a fair number of pictures floating around despite her trying to avoid them, Reacting now might just cause the whole gallery to get flooded with red pill Momo memes again. More than anything, Magia personally still hadnt fully accepted the idea that Movgun might be one of her fans. So she kept quiet. In a way, she was giving him a chance to cover his tracks. But the funny thing was, Movgun panicked and dove straight into the pit himself. ????movgun: I just pretended not to be because I was embarrassed ????movgun: Look, you dig deep enough, everything about mes gonna come out [Sounds like youre the one who needs investigating...] ????movgun: Shut up and teach already ????movgun: I came to see how well Magia plays, thats all [?] ? ?? So you really did come here just to see Magia? :: An anonymous donor has given 1,000 Clouds! :: :: You dont even watch this stream usually, but dropped 100 just to see Magia? :: This guys just a regular Slug He really is lololol Welcome, Gunmu Are you the new guy who just joined? That comment was basically a confession, and the mood shifted instantly. And his excuse? Even more pathetic. ????movgun: I just think Magias funny, okay? Thats why I watch ????movgun: Im not some weirdo, I swear It was the exact look of someone whod been quietly watching Magias streams and got caught red-handed. Ah, yes; Ah haha Got it, got it lol mmm yyy *** ... Parallel (VTuber) Gallery [Should we start an official investigation into this bastard Movgun?] I swear, every move he makes screams Slug lol [Comments] Parallel093: Im not the only one who thought that, right? Parallel151: That accidental name reveal was fucking hilarious Parallel884: Honestly, even if hed stayed anonymous, Wanggu wouldve recognized him instantly since theyre friends ? Parallel525: So youre saying he threw that 100 on purpose? ? Parallel216: Thats even more insane lol ... ... ... Pazijik Gallery [Todays stream hit 4 million won in mission money in under 10 minutes ????] That stream... was Wanggus. :: Missions :: :: Win your first casual match C 465,000 won :: :: Win using all four Alice forms C 382,000 won :: :: Win a round using only shotgun barrage C 252,000 won :: :: Graduate kindergarten today C 3,093,000 won :: Funniest part? The last mission was posted by none other than PIN0, infamous for being one of Magias most deranged fansand the one who did her cracked Live2D rigging. Then Movgun added 1 million on top of that mission lol = Movgun is also part of the deranged Magia fan club. [Comments] Pazijik005: Movgun you lolicon farmhand gay bastard... Pazijik851: Ive known since the moment he started habitually mentioning Magia on his stream lol ? Pazijik299: Was it really that obvious? lol ? Pazijik566: Probably news to people who dont watch him live ? Pazijik566: Gunmus always complaining about content being boring, internal tournaments being trash, etc... and like clockwork, twice a month, he says if only Magia showed up, things would be fun again lol ? Pazijik885: Gunmu you lolipedofarmhandclickclackgayfreak...... ... ... Whether it was stupidity, panic, or intentional boosting, One thing was clear: Movguns misstep had drawn a massive spotlight to the stream. It was a Wednesday afternoon. Most students and working adults were busy with lectures or jobs. But gallery and community lurkers always kept one eye openand now, the buzz was building. Unemployed folks were already seated, naturally. And workers? They were plugging in wireless earbuds in their hidden ear and quietly tuning in like stealth salary thieves. [(????Live) Wanggu Kindergarten Returns C Student: Parallels Assistant Manager Magia] ????18,699 2:30 PM on a weekday. A time when viewership should be dead. And yet they were nearing 20k. But as always Once you gather a huge crowd, you only have 30 minutes to an hour before they start leaving. Especially at this time of day. Most people just swing by to see if anything fun is happening while on a break. If its not interesting? No reason to stick around. But as if on cue, Magia started doing exactly the kind of unexpected stuff that would keep all those floating viewers glued. [Now if you can remember everything I just showed you, we can hop into casual matches right away. Its a lot, but thats really all you need to know.] Yessir. One of the most hellish barriers to entry with Alice was her four transformation forms. Then, one signature skill per form, and eight basic attacks total. Sixteen inputs in all. Wanggu went through each one And Magia? She memorized them all on the spot, only messing up one input. Perfect. Oh wait, not that one. Was it this? [...Whoa. Yeah. Thats right. I meandamn.] She memorized all that?! Her memory is insane Did she seriously memorize it all while just watching?? :: An anonymous donor has given 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Big brain = big memory, apparently ???? :: Youuu Hey hey Big head, big brain confirmed ???? Sounds like praise, but really, this was just the equivalent of clapping for a baby who just took their first step. The real game hadnt even started yet. This was just a little side event caused by how weird the character Alice was. Meanwhile, Wanggu had hooked up his arcade stick and said: [I actually expected itd take 30 minutes to memorize all that. But if youre already done, we can jump right into a practice match.] Oh, already? [Yep. This is a game you learn by getting hit. Ill go easy on you, and if youre ever like, Wait, how do I counter that? just ask right away. Ill tell you the answer as we go.] Okay. Sounds good. [Then Ill use a top-tier character and focus on the patterns most people abuse. These are the ones youll see the most in tournaments or against other players.] Wanggu picked the current most-picked character. It was Smith Who had been bouncing between top and high-tier since Soul Arena: Beast and was holding strong as top-tier in Crash. Hes here The bastard returns Newbie destroyer mf (Chatbot has flagged inappropriate content) [As you can tell from the chat, Smith is busted. Hes a lunatic who can win entire matches with one move: Gekkwon.] Whats Gekkwon? [Youll know it when you see it. Its loud as hell. Lets start.] Custom game, local match, 2P mode begins. Magia picks Alice. Wanggu picks Smith. To give Magia the advantage, Wanggu plays on the 2P sidesince input directions flip depending on your characters facing, and for beginners, 1P vs 2P side matters a lot. [Ill only use two moves: Gekkwon and Falling Palm.] You can win with just those? [Youre a newbie. You wont even know what move to use when. Honestly, I could win with just Gekkwon, But if you get used to that first and then I add Falling Palm, youll have to relearn everything. So well just use both from the start.] Ohh, its a mid-low mixup tool, right? ? What She studied She totally studied This student already graduated?? Wanggu glanced at the chat and said: [Come to think of it, you were watching during first-gen training, werent you?] She had watched the first-gen lessons. And even though shed never said it out loud, she used to play Soul Crash casually to blow off steamespecially when stressed out as Orca. Magia replied confidently. Yeah. Im not totally new to the game. [If you remember that much, mind if I go a bit harder? You clearly understand mixup concepts.] Please do. If youre gonna give me problems to solve, Id rather skip the basics entirely and go full hard mode. [If it feels like I skipped too much, Ill explain it again. Lets do it.] Got it. Looking forward to it, Teacher. [Here we go!] Get ready for the next battle! With a click, the characters faces appeared. The scene shifted: human weapon Alice vs the beastly brute Smith. Fight! As the match began, Wanggu immediately threw out a Gekkwon. Gekkwon had average startup frames But ridiculous reach and power. Alice, on the other hand, had below-average speed on most of her key moves. So even if her reach was similar, If both characters threw out attacks at the same time, Gekkwon usually won. Thwack! Wanggus Smith stepped forward and launched a fierce straight punch. [Whoa.] Alice, however, slid sidewayssidestepping the Gekkwon clean. Gekkwon was infamous as a newbie-killer move, But it was also extremely linearmaking it weak against sidesteps. It didnt take a genius to exploit that weakness. What mattered was that Magia correctly read Wanggus aggressive opener and countered it with precision. ?? Uh What ? Smith ?N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t? charged straight ahead in a linear line. With Magia having slipped around to his side, she had the advantage now. This is why fighting games are often called turn-based at their core. Every attack has its follow-up statesome leave you at an advantage, others at a disadvantage. The flow of the game shifts back and forth, depending on whether you choose to attack, defend, or dodge during your turn. Wanggu reflexively raised his guard. When your opponent has the advantage, the smartest play is often to block and let that turn pass. After all, all the techniques Wanggu had just taught Magia were meant for beating newbies who recklessly attack without guarding first. Throwing out a move here would basically be asking to die. So: pull the lever back, raise guard, wait to see what Magia does. Shell probably go with the basic stomp, right...? Newbies love low attacks. Sure, theyre a bit slow, but they beat standing guard and can net easy damage. Of course, if they do get blocked, it leaves you wide open and the opponent can punish you hard But how many people at low tier even block lows? Use a low attack three times in a row, and youll still hit three times. Thats low rank for you. Magia had started strong with that sidestep, sure, but she was still a newbie. Wanggu figured shed instinctively go for a low now that she had the momentum, so he shifted his lever from back to down-back for a crouching guard. But Just as he lowered his guard, what came flying at him was Alices signature mid, the shotgun barrage. Clack. BRRRT-BANG! Oh What the Ohhhh This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Shotgun barrage lasts twice as long when used mid-air, sure, But even on the ground, it landed cleanly on Smith. Wait... Did she know Id switch to low guard and intentionally use a mid? Wanggu was dumbfounded. He was the one who should be reading her mindbut somehow she had just outplayed him. No way. Mustve been luck... right? Eventually, Magias attack string ended, and Wanggu regained his turn. Time to use Smiths basic mixup: mid Gekkwon and low Falling Palm. As mentioned earlier, beginners usually panic against rapid low chains like Falling Palm. They instinctively start crouching more often than not. And when they do? They eat Gekkwon straight to the face. Thats Smiths whole stupid gameplan. Spam lows, then suddenly throw out a midits how he ends matches. Theres a reason people call him the newbie slayer. If shes here to learn properly, it probably means she wants to rank up... So Wanggu decided to teach her the fundamentalsstarting with the low, Falling Palm. Because showing a newbie how they usually think is the first step to helping them improve and climb the ranks. Smith swept his leg hard at Alices ankles But missed. Not only did Alice avoid it, but she parried the low, making Smith whiff completely, Then punished instantly with another shotgun barrage. Magia had predicted Wanggu would go low. He had only explained that low parry was a thingyet here she was using it already in an actual match. Again...?! Low parry causes a brief juggle state, so she even got two shotgun barrages in: BRRRT-BANG! BRRRT-BANG! Smiths health bar was already blinking red. Magias health wasnt exactly full either, but every time Wanggu tried a mixup, she was guessing right. Okay. I cant keep treating her like a newbie. Up until now, this strategy had worked on nearly every streamer new to Soul Crash. The pattern was always the same: Theyd get destroyed by Wanggus beginner lesson, Feel frustrated at how easy it was to lose, Then swear to get better. But Magia was different. None of the beginner-level psychology was working. Still, as a teacher, Wanggu had to do his duty. Even if he failed, he had to try every pattern he knew. And since Smith was already in red healthCrash state This was the perfect moment to teach her about super move counterplay. Supers in this game ignore almost everything and can lead to massive comebacks Especially useful for beginners to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. The setup? Bait the opponent into punishing Gekkwonthen crush their counterattack with a super. Only thing was... Wanggu had forgotten something. Because Magia was doing so well with mind games, Hed neglected to explain the basic idea that blocking Gekkwon leaves Smith at a disadvantage. Normally, Magia wouldve eaten a few Gekkwons by now, learned the hard way, and theyd go over it. But since the flow of the match got jumbled, that never happened. THWACK! Smith threw a Gekkwon. Wanggu immediately buffered the super. In theory, this is where Magia shouldve tried to punishand eaten the super for her trouble. [Wait, what.] Magia just stood there. KABOOM! Smiths super ran right into her guard and was completely blocked. Supers are great, but if blocked, they leave you more open than anything else. Meaning? Free punish. BRRRT-BANG! Magias shotgun barrage came flying outSmiths HP dropped to zero. {{ Alice vs Smith }} Just like that, Magia won the round, clean and brutal. And then she said This counts as one mission cleared, right? Ah Wow She really only used shotgun barrage? lol Insane lol Holy crap lol Kyaaaa HOW DID YOU DO THAT YOU CRAZY BITCH LOL :: Mission Cleared! :: :: Win a round using only shotgun barrage C 385,000 won :: This isnt a kindergarten student... Shes cooked... Shes fully grown already lol Bro has she played Soul Crash before?? No way this is day one :: An anonymous donor has given 1,000 Clouds! :: :: BRO YOU SAID SHE WAS A SAFE ASSET!!!!! :: :: An anonymous donor has given 1,000 Clouds! :: :: I was gonna invest in her like she was a goddamn blue-chip stock! :: Even Wanggu couldnt help but ask. Hed been going easy on her for lesson purposes But still, she was absolutely wrecking him in the mind games department. [Have you ever played something similar to this before?] Nope. Soul Crash is my first fighting game. [Seriously...? For that, your reads are unreal. I guess your game sense is sharp from playing other stuff. Honestly, if you grind out a few more matches, I could see you ranking up fast.] Arent you praising me a bit too much? Youve been going easy on me. For the record Like most fighting game veterans, Wanggu suffered from a specific illness. When they spot a promising newbie, they cannot hold back. And that urge is even worse in niche titles like Soul Crash, where good new players are rare and precious. [No, really. With proper training, forget Goldyou could hit Platinum or Diamond.] Really? Oh come on Wanggu lol Wanggus newbie-flirting technique, first form lol He says that to everyone! Screw it, heres your Diamond badge [Okay. How about thisnext match, Ill go all out. You tell me how it feels. That last round wasnt too hard, right?] Nope. You only used two moves, so it was pretty manageable. [Right? Lets keep going then.] Naturally, Movgun couldnt stay quiet watching this unfold. Now that his identity as a Slug was blown, he went all-in with a donation. :: movgun has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Dont you dare pull her from the Battle Call internal match, I swear to god :: LOLLL This mans unhinged LMAO Holy hell lol [Sheesh. Why so petty, man? Gias just playing whatever she wantsBattle Call, Soul Crash, let her have fun.] ????movgun: She cant do everything ????movgun: Magias got a packed schedule, damn it ????movgun: Ive been inviting her to Battle Call forever and she keeps ghosting me ? Maybe thats because she hates you bro Maybe she just doesnt like you lol lmaooo [Even the chat says shes avoiding you cause youre annoying.] ????movgun: Oh thats how it is, huh? ????movgun: You wanna go?? Movgun snapped and pulled his blade once more: :: Graduate kindergarten today C 3,382,000 won :: - 618,000 won | movgun LMAOOOOO bruhh You emptied your wallet huh He rounded it to 4 million lol Thats such a petty number lol Damn lmaoo He probably dumped all his saved-up donation funds. It was a janky number, but... 4 million won had history. Thats the amount that once brought Magia onto Rains stream out of nowhere. In other words: He was telling her, through mission money Youre good enough. You can graduate today. Lets end Soul Crash here. Magia caught the message and glanced at the clock. 2:30 PM. Theyd been streaming for an hour and a half. The other Parallel members wouldnt go live for at least three more hours. She had planned to kill time until then anyway. Plus, if the donations kept stacking, she could return the favor to Wanggu for todays help. And if it made Movgun tap out too? Even better. Teacher, just ignore that idiot. Lets move on to the next lesson. Ive still got a lot I want to learn. [Shall we?] ????movgun: Dont ignore meeeeeeeeeeee He really is an idiot Just a rich, dumb old man... Movguns a legend today lol lmaooo Chapter 191 The impatient Movgun, praying for the stream to end quickly, was growing anxious. The second match began, with Wanggu now using his real techniques. And once again, something unbelievable happened. [Wait, are you blocking lows on reaction?] Ah, yeah. I could see it. Except for Falling Palm, I think? Wanggu had been trying all kinds of low attacks, assuming that beginners are usually weak to themand love using them too. But unlike the quick lows like Falling Palm used for mixups, Magia blocked every single one of the slower lows. Slow low attacks can deal heavy damage or start air combos, but if blocked, the attacker is left heavily disadvantaged. Usually, blocking one means the defender gains the upper hand and takes back the turn. In other words, even just being able to block slow lows is enough to climb all the way to Silver tier. The loop of block take your turn counterattack will naturally lead to wins. [Hah. Reaction speed like that... You''re totally made for Soul Crash. You gotta play it.] Here he goes again As if Magias gonna keep playing Soul Crash lol This newbie... tastes delicious! But honestly she might be the most talented student he''s ever taught, reaction and understanding both Magias always been good at games lol Still, hes laying it on a bit thick lol When someone says you can reach Diamond, they usually mean youve got the talent, so if you put in the time, you could make it. But with Wanggu, it also secretly meant: Please dont quit this game. We need you. The games doomed without players like you. Of course, even if he said it like that, it was doubtful Magia would understand what he meant. She was only learning Soul Crash to expand her network and be useful to Parallel. She was a company loyalist, after all. Not to mention, the current viewers were overwhelmingly Slugswatching with wide, expectant eyesso Wanggu couldnt very well plead with her to stay forever, either. :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Bro, when are you gonna teach her how to punish after blocking those slow lows? :: :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: You''re not pretending not to know just to stretch out the lesson time, right? :: [Okay okay, calm down, everyone. I was going to teach it while reviewing the replays.] Delay catch. Once you understand that, you''re officially a Soul Crash kid. When you block an enemys move, If you understand how much frame advantage youve got, You can hit back with a guaranteed punish. In short: it''s a way ? N o v e l i g h t ? to chip away at the opponent''s HP without taking any risk. Its often said that if you dont memorize these, you can forget about reaching Gold or higher. Usually, you punish slow lows by launching into air combos, Or, in Alices case, by throwing out a shotgun barrage after blocking heavy moves. [Lets practice that a bit.] Okay. Wanggu started a practice match and showed her some of Smiths unsafe moves. Slow lows air combo. Fast lows or big swings shotgun barrage. If you block a downward smash and end up crouching wake-up kick. Magia didnt even have to learn any more than the 16+ moves she already knew. Just knowing them was enough to get it done. So in 30 minutes, Magia had already mastered the basics of delay catch. :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: At this point, shes ready to jump into ranked, no? :: [Whoa whoa, hold on. Youre all rushing way too fast. I havent even covered grabs, Soul Bursts, or Supers yet....] So teach her then Lets go now Lets gooooo :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Maybe its just that the teachers really goodprogress is fast lol :: fr lol Great student, great teacher lol The speed Koreans love She might graduate early at this rate [Ugh... Anyway, Miss Gia, once we cover those topics, lets jump into Ranked properly. Sound good?] Oh, so now Ill be playing against real people? [Yeah. But the queue might take a while. Most newbies have dropped off already. And even if you find a match, dont expect them all to be new players. This game has a smurfing problempeople making new accounts just to stomp newbies. If you run into one, Ill let you know right away, so dont get discouraged if you lose.] Okay. And with that, the real battle begannot just in the game, but in chat. Wanggus longtime viewers and the Slugs whod shown up with Magia began clashing. :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: What if Magia beats smurfs too? At this rate, she could wipe real newbies in 3 minutes and hit Silver in no time :: Ditch Battle Call, time for Soul Crash hey hey hey What do you mean ditch Battle Call? Are you saying shes betraying us and switching games?! Betrayal, huh lol Magia and Battle Call are inseparable Soul Crash Defense Force, please calm down ?? Soul Crash Association lol Isnt it the Battle Call Alliance? Really, this was expected. A talented newbie like this was rare. Watching them grow was half the fun. Sure, now she was learning quickly because she had a teacher. But even talented newbies eventually hit a wall. And how they overcome that wall determines their future in the game. With Magia, it felt like shed just smash right through it and carve her name into Soul Crash newbie history. But now the Slugs she brought along, led by Movgun and Pino, were subtly pressuring for the lesson to wrap up already. That didnt sit well with Wanggus camp. And tensions hit a new high when Magia absolutely obliterated her first Ranked opponent in a 3C0 sweep. Even worse, when the panicked opponent tried to spam grabs... She broke almost every single one, shocking everyone watching. [Wait... were you breaking grabs on reaction?] I just went with my gut... [Jesus. Youre using telepathy now? You have to play Soul Crash. How can talent like this not play Soul Crash? Its a fucking global tragedy.] hey hey hey No way ????movgun: ???? Dont you dare poach our Battle Call prodigy!! Shes goooone! Soul Crash! Soul Crash! Its time! Its time! Nope~ No chance. Shes sticking with Battle Call lol But Magia was simply doing what Wanggu taught her. If its a left grab, its easier to breakso if its not that, its either right or both. So press right-hand first. If its still a grab, then press both. What if they grab again? Then its a mind game. Act accordingly. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. I just did what you said, and guessed on the third one... With things like this, the debate around Magia only grew more intense. Honestly she could graduate today lol Shes already covered in fur If she keeps going tomorrow, shell hit Diamond for sure Three days in, she might be Master Master? lol come on now Waaah Magias an Amazon furbeast... we need to graduate her... Grad! Uate! Grad! Uate! Grad! Uate! Grad! Uate! Grad! Uate! Grad! Uate! Grad! Uate! Grad! Uate! Grad! Uate! Grad! Uate! Go~ away~ Go~ away~ Go~ away~ Go~ away~ Go~ away~ Go~ away~ Go~ away~ Go~ away~ Go~ away~ Beep beep, graduation time Shouldnt we send her to college at this point? Why graduate her now? Escalator education, lets gooooo Yup~ Elementary, middle, high school, university, grad school, PhD, all of it lolololololol Magia herself gave no reaction. It wasnt like the situation had become a full-on brawl that needed moderation. The stream had just gotten a little heated. And this? This was her favorite temperature. Like a 42-degree Celsius bathjust right. What she was focusing on was the missions. She needed that moneyto pay her teacher, and to donate it back to the company. But... arent you going to mark those missions as complete? I won the first match, and I used all four forms. [Ah, youre right. Could you guys mark those as cleared, please?] And with that, both camps realized what they had completely forgotten: Magia had cleared two more missions in the meantime. :: Mission Complete! :: :: Win the first public match C 565,000 won :: :: Mission Complete! :: :: Win using all four Alice forms C 582,000 won :: The Slugs had to spend the moneythey needed her to graduate. But it still hurt. KRAAAAAH My safe assettttttt URGHhhhhhh When the hell did she use all four forms? lol Shes raking everything in? :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Im gonna live off superfood corn powder this month lolololololol :: :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Whatever. Im unemployed. Ill just survive on a single ramen a day anywayyyyy :: lolololol Look how desperate they are lol Poor Slugs... To make it worse, Wanggus fans took the opportunity to land a few jabs of their own. :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: If you dont graduate her, you couldve saved 500k. Wanna rethink? :: :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Wow, one more day of lessons couldve saved 5 million won lol~ :: But the faster she won, the faster her rank rose. If she kept climbing, graduation was inevitable. KRAAAAAH Nope, not letting go lolololol Fact: Magia is graduating today. As solid as Thors hammer But Thors hammer broke against Hela Pfft Nah nah its fine. Borrowed moms credit card lol Even through the pain, the Slugs never canceled the missions. The total was steadily climbing... and finally broke the 5 million won mark. :: Graduate kindergarten today C 5,080,000 won :: They were losing money, sure. But for the Slugs (Movgun included), did money even matter right now? Graduating Magia today That was the only happiness they needed. *** About 30 minutes later. After racking up a string of easy wins, Magia had now reached the very edge of Bronze tier. An unstoppable momentum, plain and simple. Whether Wanggu was right about her being able to skip Gold and even aim for Platinum or Diamondwho knew. One more win, and shed be in Silver. But by now, the chat had started raising some suspicions. Arent there way too many newbies? fr It wasnt this easy to get queues earlier lol These weekday afternoon queues are kinda cracked lololol The more matches she played, the more off everything felt. Where did all the smurfs go? Matches were instant, and everyone matched was a local newbie. And then, as if on cue, both Wanggu and Magia noticed something weird about their next opponent. [Dont you feel like... weve met this person three times already?] Thats what I thought too! Im not imagining it, right? ? Huh? Wait, youre right What the heck If there werent many players, running into the same one repeatedly wouldnt be strange. But these queues were instant, and this was the third time. That meant sniping. The weird part wasthis sniper wasnt some toxic veteran trying to mess with Magia, but a clumsy player seemingly trying to feed her wins. Every single one of them was a local, completely new to the game, totally clueless. It almost felt like someone was deliberately trying to push Magia to a higher tier and graduate her today. Magia couldnt help but suspect one person. The kid who dropped a hundred grand first thing today and went full maniac mode over her. This is probably Pino. What? Pino?? Are you serious? If you check the ID, those who know will know. {{ Get ready for the next battle! }} {{ magia1122 vs Iloveyoufather }} The moment Pino realized he was being accused, he started panic-donating. :: PIN0 has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: This is slander :: :: PIN0 has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: This is some high-level trolling T_T :: :: PIN0 has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Papa was just watching quietly!! No one could be operating a character and donating at the same time. Which meant Pinos innocence was immediately confirmed. Okay. I believe you. :: PIN0 has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Whew :: :: PIN0 has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: But ngl, there are hella snipers rn, so I get why youd suspect me :: But regardless of who it was, it was now clear that snipers were flooding in. If things kept going like this, Magias rank would skyrocket but the training wouldnt mean anything if her skills werent properly tested. And if Magia declared her graduation in that state, not everyone would accept it. With the judgment call getting blurry, viewers might start fighting amongst themselves. Wanggu had no choice but to step in. [Ill bring in someone I know in SilverCGold tier to play against you. Itll take about 15 minutescan you hang out and chat with the viewers until then?] Ooh, a scrim? [Yeah, kinda like that. I think its the only way well be able to make a clear judgment on whether youre ready to graduate.] Sounds good. With a big mission like this on the line, we should make sure everythings solid. [Thank you for understanding. Ill go make some calls.] Yep. With a 500-point mission hanging in the balance, the viewers were all eager to see who the mystery guest would be. And just then, while Magia was sharing her screen on Wanggus stream, messing around in the practice room ping ping! A whisper notification popped up. [hanaumi7: Yo] [hanaumi7: Manager Gia, you doin solo queue?] [hanaumi7: If youre down, wanna play a round together?] It was Orca and the military tone in her messages came from her insistence on staying in-character unless explicitly told otherwise, just in case her screen ever ended up on someones stream. She always said she wouldnt do it on broadcast because she wasnt confident in her skills. But off-stream, before or after her scheduled broadcasts, shed occasionally play Soul Clash to blow off steam. It was 4 p.m. Plenty of time to play a match and get ready for her stream. Huh, this is... Magia hadnt set an exact end time for todays stream, but once the other members started going live, she was planning to wrap up this group stream gracefully. Probably in about an hour or two. After the scrim, a debrief with the coach, and a final judgment on her graduation. That way, she could pass on some of the viewers shed gathered here. But Orca showing up on her own? This could allow her to pass on a whole lot more than just a fraction. There was no reason not to accept. [magia1122: Sounds great] [hanaumi7: Ill send the invite!] And since the coach was still looking for someone to play with, Magia figured she might as well take this chance to see what Orca had been hiding. Then A gold emblem suddenly appeared. Orca, who always went on about how terrible she was at the game, left Magia tilting her head. [magia1122: I thought you said you were trash] [hanaumi7: Got beat down by my seniors in the army all the time... they called me deadweight...] [magia1122: Youre Gold tier, though...?] [hanaumi7: I dont really get what tier means] [hanaumi7: The break room had a game console, so I just messed around with that...] Meanwhile, the viewers were also quick to connect the dots. The username had her surname, Hanaumi, and the military tone... It was clearly Orca. :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Is that Orca?? :: ??? If Gold is trash, then what are the rest of us, lmao Thats still top 40%, you know? lol If youre Gold, you should just stream it already lmaoooo Truly the lowest self-esteem of all 2nd gen members lol At that moment, Magia had a thought. Orca, who hadnt even mentioned her skill level during her debut stream because she was so embarrassed Was she okay with showing it off now? [magia1122: Didnt you say you were too shy to show your skills on stream?] [magia1122: Is it okay now?] There was silence from Orca. And then [hanaumi7: Wait... this is a stream???] Magias group stream had come together so suddenly that Orca must not have realized it was live. She was probably overwhelmed with her own streams, collabs, and concert prep lately. [magia1122: Sorry, I figured you invited me after watching Wanggus stream] [hanaumi7: AAAAAAAAGH!!!!!] But for Magia, this was more of an opportunity than a mistake. So this is the prodigy hiding in plain sight? No matter how much praise she got, Magia had no intention of sticking with Soul Clash long-term. Even if she got closer to Kiri and Kiri personally asked her to keep going, she probably wouldnt go as far as taking formal lessons with the coach. But Orca was different. She was Gold, but shed internalized all that scolding from higher-ranked teammates and convinced herself she was garbage when in reality, she was full of potential and actually enjoyed the game. And November was coming. After Parallels offline concert, thered be a Soul Clash tournament. 1st-gen had gone in the first half of the year, so now it was 2nd-gens turn. And if Orca were the representative? If she placed first and came back victorious? It would be a huge win for Parallel. [magia1122: Anyway, no pressurelets just play one round together] [magia1122: Im having trouble finding a proper opponent right now] [hanaumi7: You sure Im okay...?] [magia1122: Im a total newbie. You could destroy me.] The viewers, too, were thrilled at the idea of a match against Orca. :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Time for revenge on that seafood sauce jjamppong moment lol :: fr lol Oh that one LOLLLLL Right, right LOL Lets gooooooo Either way, the decision was up to Orca. She could run away in embarrassment or take the stage, and soak up a good chunk of the spotlight Magia had gathered. Everyone was holding their breath. And then Orca said [hanaumi7: I ch...] [hanaumi7: ...I challenge you.] Chapter 192 A small but fierce ChihuahuaParallels first-gen member, Komari. Originally, all she was good at were games, gunplay, and swearing. Shed been desperately holding back the swearing so she wouldnt cause trouble for Parallel, the group that took her in. But when the self-imposed shackle of I must never mess up started choking her vocal cords... She couldnt say what she really wanted to. During her pre-debut mock broadcast, that led to a side effect: the stream lacked energy. Thats when Magia prescribed her a drastic solutionan 8-hour Naore session with Maru. The goal was for Komari to eventually explode after holding back so long, letting out all the emotions shed been bottling up. She thought swearing would only cause controversy and trouble Parallel. But the CEO herself curses with remarkable flair. And lets be real: if someone like Komaria tiny, cutesy characterclearly and firmly drops an f-bomb? It just comes off as cute and harmless. In fact, maybe it was about a month into her debut? The first time she said fuck, the chat instantly burst into laughter. It was clipped, exported everywhere, and she instantly got the nickname F-Bomb Mari. And considering how trash the game state was at the time, people found it cutejust like Magia predicted. But there was someone else in the second generation who reminded them of Komari. A girl who got endlessly shit on during her military service, labeled as dead weight, and finished her service still stuck with that tag. Her self-esteem took a massive hit. Even now, shes desperately trying to become an A-rank. That girl was Orca. I did sort of get Orcas blood pumping too, but... During the pre-debut mock broadcast, Magia had told her: Dont be afraid of being labeled as dead weight. Just own it and lean into it. Orca actually gets funnier when she leans into that shameless attitude. Thanks to that advice, shed solidified the image of a dead weight desperately striving to become A-rank. But in the end, it didnt change who Orca really was. She learned to accept the label of dead weight. But she still avoided content where she might actually be called one. Even now, before every piece of content, she always asks Magia: Do you think Ill be good at this game? And if Magia says no, shell respond, Guess I better mentally prepare. Thats how much she hates hearing that word. But Soul Clash is a game she genuinely enjoys. Its her go-to for stress relief and mood boosts. If she showed that on stream and people called her dead weight? That could genuinely mess her up. So shed been keeping it hidden this whole time. She probably wanted to wait until she could impress everyone and hear, Whoa, youre A-rank material! Shed made it to Gold tier, but maybe because seniors much better than her had been labeled dead weight too, she couldnt be sure of her own skill. Still, considering how, outside of Komari, Parallels not exactly known for its gaming prowess... Being in the top 40% of all players was a massive achievement. Letting her skills rot away because of some comments from viewers was a waste. Sure, it was emotionally taxing for Orca. But being a streamer is a job you cant do with a normal mental state. Living off attention is never easy. And now, she had Magia by her side. Today was Orcas perfect chance to break that frame. She might get shaken when people call her dead weight, but When people acknowledge and praise her, her skills shoot up like magic. All right then... [magia1122: Are you watching the stream right now?] [hanaumi7: Nope, I dont have it on...] [magia1122: Join TalkCord real quick] [magia1122: Ill ask if I can get you a match with the teacher] [hanaumi7: Got it!] Also, praise works better in voice than in chat. She was gonna call Orca in and absolutely smother her with compliments. And who better to help than Wanggu, whod been praising Magia nonstop all day? Teacher, are you still looking for a sparring partner? [Ah yes. Its been tough though. Most people are either asleep, taking a break today, or have quit Soul Clash...] Oh dear. Would it be okay if I bring someone I scouted as your match? [Oh? Whod you find? Didnt expect that.] Shes one of our second-genHanaumi Orca. Her hobby is Soul Clash. Shes never shown her skills on stream, but shes in Gold tier. [Gold? Wow. Thats perfect, actually. Ive been looking for a Silver-Gold range player.] I already called her. Ill invite her to TalkCord. [Sure, sure. Haha, man... You really go the extra mile. Im grateful.] No, I should be thanking youyou accepted a last-minute guest on a suddenly scheduled stream earlier than usual. Thats amazing. [Oh? When you put it that way... Well, even if theres suddenly two guests, theyre both from Parallel! No problem.] Orca soon joined TalkCord and entered the voice channel. [Salute! Im Hanaumi Orca, marine administrator transferred from Earths oceans, and a second-generation member of Parallel!] [Whoa, military vibes! Youre sharp!] [Ah, ahaha. Really? Haha.] He likes her He really likes her LMAOOOOO I told you she loves compliments LOL As Wanggu warmly welcomed her, Magia set up Orcas SD image on screen. The little avatar would light up and bounce whenever she spokestandard setup for impromptu appearances when theres no proper overlay. Soon, Wanggu joined the waiting room for spectating. Match prepped and ready. [By the way, Orca, what character do you usually play?] [I play Taesan!] [Oh, Taesan? Thats unexpected! Learned from videos? Or did someone coach you?] [Self-taught! All from watching videos!] [Wow, self-taught to Gold? Thats serious talent. Wanna stop by our kindergarten sometime? No interest in Diamond tier?] Taesan was a taekwondo specialist character with tons of kick techniques. With good cost-effective and cheesy moves, getting to Silvers easy. But to reach Gold, you need a ton of match experience and study. So for Orca to reach Gold solo, Wanggus kindergarten offer was basically a reflex. Still, opinions in the chat were all over the place. A chaotic warzone of factions. Parallels diehard whale fans, the Woldungis, were outraged Wanggu was trying to poach even Orca now. No YOU CANT TAKE MY KILLER WHALE What are you gonna do with another Nvl?g?t (Only on Nvl?g?t) dead weight Why bring a floofy one to kindergarten Slug Squad folks, meanwhile, were ready to graduate Magia and start training Orca. Magia can do parent observation now lol Just let Gia graduate already Theres that tournament coming up anyway lol perfect timing And Wanggus own viewers wanted both to reach Diamond. LETS GET DOUBLE DIAMOND Didnt realize Parallel had this much talent lol First time ever in Wanggu Kindergarten: a double Diamond duo Yall really brought me gifted students Meanwhile, floating viewers were annoyed at all the arguing. Can yall just chill Just enjoy the stream, jeez Vibes are cute tho lol The tension was clear. One spark and itd blow up across the community. Magia knew it was time to step inbut surprisingly, Movgun spoke up first. :: movgun has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: At the end of the day, its the streamer who decides. Lets not go overboard in chat. :: ??? YOU started this tho lol Movgun/Drama Thats not what you said earlier You started the whole thing dude lolol :: movgun has donated 10,000 Clouds! :: :: Hey, Im just here for fun hehe :: HES BACKPEDALING Drops the drama and runs huh Classic ghost move lol That shifted the spotlight to Wanggu, the host. Now that Movgun admitted this was all pro wrestling, not UFC, Wanggu had to respond to resolve the tension. Good thing Wanggu wasnt planning to stretch the stream too far anyway. Magia had real talent, and it had been fun watching Movgun stir the pot... But Wanggu was a bit scared of Magias fanbasethe Slug Squad. [Whether todays the end or we keep this going another time... thats up to the students. Id love to teach more, and I have timebut our students are super busy. Theres a concert coming up soon, right?] By directly pointing out the concert, Wanggu subtly eased the pressure off Magia to make a decision. With all eyes on her, Magia spoke. Then, how about thiswe do a best-of-five match between me and Orca. If I win three games, I graduate. Since shes Gold, that means beating her puts me above half the player base. A clean, logical offer. Wanggu beamed as he answered. [Great idea. I actually checked Orcas stats earliershes a legit Gold local. Lets do it.] Oh, and one more thing. Magia added another layer to preempt any complaints. If Orca wins, how about we do one more day of trainingboth of us together? But this time, on her stream. That way, it wouldnt be a one-on-one focus anymore. Itd lock in a future stream date for Magia, satisfy the Slugs, keep the Woldungis calm, and please Wanggus fans too. Hmm Thats actually solid Hmm hmm Wanggu, slightly concerned about setting a schedule so fast, asked carefully: [Oh. Shouldnt you check Orcas schedule first...?] I already know it. Orca, you havent planned content for next Wednesday yet, right? How about then? If youve got something else in mind, feel free to say no. Orca gave a lightning-fast yes. [Sure! That works! Th-that said... I just hope I dont ruin Wanggus kindergarten reputation...] [Come on, ruin it? If anything, youd boost it. Honestly, youre the first student who got to Gold all on your own.] [W-wait, really?!] Orca instantly lit up from the praise. Magia chimed in too. Exactly. Orca, admit it alreadyyoure not dead weight when it comes to Soul Clash. Orca went quiet. She was watching the chat. Most of the loud voices today were from the Slug Squad. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. They wanted Magia to graduate cleanly, so Orca had to really prove herself. Naturally, the chat started rolling in Honestly, shes good at Soul Clash Getting Gold in this boomer game solo? Shes cracked Well see when she fights Magia lol Gold in this game is hard af Whyd she hide this skill until now?! lmaooo Most were recognizing Orcas ability. They were even saying she had a real shot at beating Magia. Like a whale leaping for joy at praise, Orca answered brightly: [R-really? Ill do my best!] Then, shall we start right away? If we wait too long, Orca might miss her stream time. Wanggu responded immediately: [Of course! Lets begin!] *** {{ Get ready for the next battle! }} {{ magia1122 vs hanaumi7 }} And so the match began. While the viewers expected a close fight, many figured that since I wasnt familiar with Taesan, the match could end in an anticlimactic blowout. If she cant shake the pressure, its gonna end real fast At least shes got Soul Burst this round lol Still, shes got that experience from coaching the first-gens Problem is, Alice is slow as hell lol Gotta chip away, I guess Honestly, even in my own head, my memory of Taesan was hazy. I did watch when the first-gens entered the tournament, but that was months ago. Wasnt Taesan the one who kept pressing with constant kicks? Theyd charge in like a storm, and Id have to resist the urge to drop my guard and fight back at just the right moment to break their rhythm. Thats Taesan for you. Sure, some players use her long legs for counterplay... But if its Orca, shell go full-on brutal. People whove lived with their emotions suppressed often show the opposite side in games. Its like they want to vent the frustration they cant express in real life. So Orca would be relentless. She wanted to prove she wasnt dead weight, at least in Soul Clashand my Alice, a fresh newbie, made the perfect punching bag. Even if I lost badly, that was fine. But I had to give it my all. Like I always say: these kinds of streams only shine when both sides are serious. And sure enough The moment it started, Orca unleashed a furious barrage of kicks. A high-low combo in sidekick stance. I got hit by both, and without even lowering her leg, she twisted her ankle midair for another double hit. I managed to block the final strike, but she launched right back into another high-low combo. Took another four hits, blocked the fifth. And then... yep, another round of high-low kicks. Whoa The Lo-Hi pressure begins Ugh I hate Taesan The third and fourth hits looked like overheads, so I crouched. Thats when a mid sidekick came flying at me. She baited me into crouching, then switched up her string to break my stance. And that meant another round of pressure while I was disadvantaged. Another high-low coming? Whether I blocked or parried, I had to respond. I crouched and went for the right input. Whoa WTF lol Shes nailing this pressure game lol This time, she hit me with an airborne combo starter that struck mid. Crouching wont block mids. My Alice floated helplessly through the air, getting cleanly juggled before slamming back down to the ground with barely a sliver of health left. Orcas combo was so clean even Wanggu, the coach, couldnt stop praising her. [Whoa. Did you guys see that combo? Thats a pure swag comboI barely learned that myself. And she pulled it off.] [Re-really?! Thank you! I practiced it for three months straight!] Her excitement made me feel good too, and I reflexively threw another compliment her way. Youre on a whole different level from the fakes I fought before. So this is what Gold looks like. [P-please dont hype me up like that!! Im still not going easy on you though!!] But when someone who''s been holding themselves back suddenly gets excited, theyre bound to make mistakes. And yepOrca rushed in without thinking and tried to finish me off with an aerial sidekick. Even though I was low enough on health to trigger my ultimate, she went for it. LOL She got too hyped lololol Damn that was a perfect ult timing Lets take her on a trip to Seoul lol Alices ultimate blasted through Taesans double sidekick. CLANG! Alices solid alloy head collided with Taesans skull, stars spinning around her head. Then, with booster jets flaring from her feet, Alice launched Taesan into the air and slammed her back down with a thunderous crash. BOOM! Still, my health was too low, and I got caught again by a flurry of high-low kicks, followed by yet more chaotic stompingK.O. Orca took the first round. {{ magia1122 vs hanaumi7 }} Orcas not dead weight today, huh? No, shes actually good lol WHO ARE YOU This is the exact kind of Gold you meet in ranked Seriously whyd you keep this hidden lol Even landed the swag combo perfectly All those Dolphin fans that bailed are gonna regret it lmao Her fanbase, the Dolphins, had started to trickle into the stream after hearing the newsand their jaws dropped. Meanwhile, Wanggus viewers were just loving it. Whered this female Taesan god suddenly come from? Riding high on the momentum, Orca shouted [I... I think I might actually be pretty good at Soul Clash, sir!] I didnt hold back the compliments. Coach said Ive got the potential to reach Diamond. And since you just beat me, maybe youve got the potential for Master, huh? [E-eek! T-that doesnt mean Im gonna go easy on you or anything, sir! Hahaha!] LMAOOOO Shes adorable lol I cant with her today shes too cute Shes loving this praise way too much lol After hearing dead weight all the time, of course shes happy getting praise now lol Still, I had to play my part. If we wanted this match to go down in stream history... I couldnt lose in some anticlimactic way. Shes just spamming high-low kicks cause I cant block them, huh? You can block slow lows, but fast ones? You have to predict them. It becomes a game of mind reading and reaction. Going into round two, I wondered: would she open with the same move again? Final decision? Lets parry at the very start. After round one, she probably assumed I had no idea how Taesan worked. So shed stick to her usual pattern until it got shut down. If she opened with another Lo-Hi string... Id just parry it. {{ Round 2 }} {{ Fight! }} Sure enough, Orca opened with the Lo-Hi string. I cleanly parried the ankle kick that came flying in, launching into my own air combo. [Huh?!] I let loose a glorious shotgun barrage and threw in a taunt. Orca, looks like your newbie opener got exposed! Chapter 193 Orca, looks like your opener got totally downloaded by a newbie, huh? Normally, this kind of sudden momentum shift wouldve been poison to Orca. She wouldve panicked at the flood of dead weight comments in chat, her chest tightening with anxiety. Her focus wouldve dropped, shed lose her composure, andlike magicsuddenly be playing like an Iron-tier. ...But todays Orca was different. [Thats cute! But Ive got more than one pattern, sir!!] Apparently, getting called dead weight in Soul Clash really hit a nerve. Even though Id landed a surprise parry at the start and combod her hard, she quickly pulled herself together and started pressing again. Her follow-up assault was brutal. Looked like a low? It was a mid. Looked like an opening? Nopejust baiting the timing. It was like she wanted to prove, in Soul Clash at least, that I didnt know everything. She spammed every feint in the book and pummeled me with glee. Ohhh Damn I cant breathe [Throw!] I broke it. [Then another throw!] ...That was a double input, right? [Huh? Then another throw!] Earlier, Id managed to break multiple throws in a row, but this time, on the third attemptI couldnt escape. Just like Wanggu had explained: after a right-hand and a double input, the next ones random. I mashed left, but it turned out to be a double input again. Alice spun through the air and hit the floor. Taesans foot came crashing down like a boulder. CRACK! It sounded like her full-body alloy spine had just crumpled. {{ magia1122 vs hanaumi7 }} Score: 2C0. It looked like Orca was about to take this first match clean. Whoaaaa This is BRUTAL... See? Still needs more training Wasnt everyone saying she should graduate early and enter advanced courses just a minute ago? lol Come on, Gia!! Youre the hope of the Slug Squad!! Get up!! GET UP!! You cant go down like this!! Honestly, I was really shocked at Orca. Seriously, all this time she acted like she sucked? Kept insisting she was terrible and couldnt show her skills... and yet here she was. What kind of monsters were those seniors who supposedly beat her down? Ecstatic, Orca declared [They say even a gentlemans revenge isnt too late after ten years...!] Revenge might be a little much. Wasnt I a pretty easy meal? [Maybe edible at best, but I dont remember it being delicious, sir!] I see... my bad. I did try my best, though. All that effort just to get assassinated... Gia, forget cooking. Just go make Han River ramen. You dont know if its Han River ramen or tastes like Han River ramen though Han River-flavored ramen LOL lmaooo So now the score was 0C2, with Orca in the lead. She was talking spicy now, hyped up like shed just slurped spicy seafood jjambbong. But we could still go up to five rounds. And I was starting to pick up on her style. This game wasnt over yet. No one knew whod take it. Ive just about finished uploading the data. Ill base my next round off it. [Haha! You sound just like Mixer when you say thatbut no chance, sir!] Maybe it was a blessing I hadnt studied Taesan during the first-gens tournament six months ago. Right now, the Taesan in my head was 100% Orcas version. Not just general Taesan gameplaymy entire algorithm was getting tailored to her Taesan. Sure, she had a million fast low-starting pressure strings... But in the end, ? Nvlght ? (Read the full story) everything boiled down to her Lo-Hi or ankle trap openers. If I took the hit at the start, Id be stuck scrambling under pressure, on the back foot. Orca, after getting parried once, had started throwing mids to keep me from crouchingbut even so. If I could just shut down those fast lows, I might have a chance. Even if I couldnt react fast enough to block them... there were other ways. Like Taking advantage of the biggest flaw in fast lows: short range. What if I just started the round with a backdash? {{ Round 3 }} {{ Fight! }} Orca opened with another fast low, trying to lock me down with mids to stop crouching. [Huh?!] But the instant the round started, Alice darted backward with a swift backdashand her kick whiffed entirely. The Lo-Hi string is a pair: a quick low kick followed by a normal-range high kick. But its basically one set. If you dodge the first hit, you can just crouch to avoid the second. And if both whiff? Obviouslyits my turn. Using the universal wake-up uppercut, I launched Taesan into the air, then fired up another round of Alices shotgun frenzy. PAPAPAPAPANG! Comeback time LETS GOOOOOOOO Yes THIS is what I came for Kyaaa Lets get itttt lmao Wait werent we supposed to not teach her spacing today?? She really did a backdash?? Lucky, right? I taunted her again. Looks like your opener really did get downloaded this time, huh? [You talk big for someone whos losing, sir!] Im basically dead if you take away my confidence. As Orca rose from the ground, I went for some more mind games. Pretended I was about to rush in for an attackthen went straight for a grab with both hands. [Grabs dont work on me!] She broke it clean. No problem. Try again. [Ha! Knew it!] But then Orca crouched to dodge the grab entirely. Most grabs, aside from a few specials, have a high hitboxso Alices hands just swiped through air above Taesans head. And since I whiffed, it was her turn. She countered with another wake-up uppercut and juggled me midair with a clean combo. Wait, you can dodge grabs just by crouching? [Huh? The teacher didnt tell you?] Wanggu hesitated, flustered. [...Apologies. The viewers were rushing me, so I forgot.] Oh wow, now hes blaming us? Tbf we were rushing him lol Hey hey hey Booo teacher scuffed the lesson Still, good to know. Turns out crouching is another solid option against grab spams? Anyway, now I was on the ground. My turn to deal with wake-up pressure. But our health was about even, so I still had a shot. Taesanaka Orcacame charging in. I rolled up, quick-recovered, and went straight for a low parry. Didnt know if itd be Lo-Hi or the ankle trap, but I guessed rightand sent her flying with another juggle starter. Shocked, Orca yelled [Whadamn! Deputy, if you keep crouching and dodging like that, youre gonna get hit by a mid and die!] I had a sliver of health left, but didnt even respond. Just rushed in with a fast low swipe to finish the round. {{ magia1122 vs hanaumi7 }} This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. I struck a smug pose while glancing at the scoreboard. But you know, if I had to guess... Orca wouldnt throw out a mid in that situation. [Why not?] Based on her patterns so farit was obvious. Orca didnt rely on mids as her main tools. She used them only to make you think she could. Almost all her pressure opened with Lo-Hi or ankle traps. Which matched what Wanggu had explained earlier: Why do newbies fixate on lows? Cause if they try mids and get blocked, they feel stuck. Like theyre getting nowhere. But lows are almost guaranteed chip damage. So they get greedy. And if you use lows too much, wont your opponent catch on? Youll get punished harder, right? Exactly. So they try mixing in mids, but always go back to lows. Its the safest way to drain HP. Not saying Orcas a newbie. Her skills legit top 40%she deserves her Gold rank. But her Soul Clash style isnt that different from a newbie who got stomped by veterans while learning. Why? Because she got beaten so badly she started doubting her own skill. Like how new players fixate on lows just to survive against stronger opponents, Orca probably mastered those lows to survive too. This round, its either Lo-Hi or ankle trap, right? [IIm not gonna use them!] Now that youve said it out loud, youre 100% going to. [Urgh.] Of course, that was mostly bluff. If I really hit the mark, she might switch it upand then its back to square one. But if she didnt switch... I might be able to flip this entire match. Id gotten pretty used to the pressure she starts with using Lo-Hi or the ankle trap. Id been guarding tight, and learning where to break the rhythm through trial and error. And now it was all coming back to me How the first-gens handled Taesan when they faced greedy players who tried to steamroll them. {{ Round 4 }} {{ Fight! }} {{ Round 4 begins. }} I opened the match with a rare one-two jab. Thwack! It only chipped off a sliver of HP, but Orcawho was about to open with a midsounded startled. [Wait, what?] Then she paused. I followed up with another jab, just slightly off-beat. Taesan twitched mid-animation, trying to launch a mid sidekick, but froze from the stagger. [?] Mid completely shut down, huh? [How are you reading my timing like that...?!] Tap-tap. Thwack. Each jab had a different rhythm, yet every time Taesan lowered her guard to initiate, she got clipped. After three of those, she backed off completely. Now she was pacing at mid-range. [What... is this?] What else? I told youits a shutdown. [No, seriously, how are you reading me...?] What the hell lol Did she seriously memorize her timing? Can you even memorize that?? Gotta be luck The answer was surprisingly simple. Orca, you know you always hesitate a little before attacking? [Huh??] Wait, really? What? No way lmao Wanggu chimed in from the sidelines. [Yeah. I was just about to mention that myself. You noticed too, huh?] I looked straight at Orca, who was fidgeting. Youve got this habit of pausing just before committing to a move, right? [D-did I? I thought I was just reacting on instinct...] Its probably something you picked up after getting beat down by higher-ranked players. That whole will this move leave me open? hesitation slowing you down. Jab pokes, after all, have almost no penalty. Unless your opponent preemptively crouches and reads it, its super safe. I noticed that whenever Orca dashed around like crazy, there were these brief stutters in her movement. So I jabbed in those momentsand this was the result. She tried pushing a few more times after that, but most of her mids got stuffed by my jabs. But switching back to her usual pressure style wasnt easy either. Because I kept crouchingbasically daring her: Go on, try it. Something in her rhythm broke. She started throwing out weird patterns and practically self-destructing. Even so, she had solid fundamentals, so the round was still close. But I managed to clutch it outRound 4, mine. Id reached match point in Game 1. {{ magia1122 vs hanaumi7 }} LETS GOOOOOOOO I cant believe this lol Is this gonna be a loss-loss-win-win-win run?? This turned into a nail-biter lmao DAE. JI. A. As expected of a future Diamond, blessed by Wanggu himself Shes gotta graduate now, right? Right? RIGHT?? GIas gotta graduate now, RIGHT??? Theres a common belief that in sets like this, momentum usually decides the winner. Maybe thats why the chat was already acting like Id won. The Slugs especially were the loudest. But was anyone in chat still calling Orca dead weight? Had anyone on stream said that about her? Not at all. In fact, those same Slugs were now hyping her up like crazy And for good reason: this was easily Orcas best gameplay performance yet. Everyone was impressed. Okay no but seriously, Orcas GOOD Imagine being so pressured by dead weight jokes you hide this level of skill lol Pretty sure well be seeing her play Soul Clash a lot more now Is this the Great Orca Uprising era? Justice for Dolphins... she was trash in other games, okay!! Even I couldnt stop praising her. Definitely better than those pushovers I fought earlier. Im literally squirming to avoid pressure right now. As long as no one treated her like some useless scrub... Compliment-powered Orca would light up like a rocket. [Ill admit it, Deputy. I underestimated you cause I thought you were a newbie.] It wasnt her fault, really. When people kept discouraging her, she backed off. But the moment you gave her a little praise, shed start chasing after it with everything she had. [Honestly, Id been playing it safeonly practiced optimal patterns to stay in Gold tier, avoided risky moves completely. But screw that. No more holding back!] And just like that, the moment Round 5 started, she was a whole new person again. Her offense got even fiercer. The patterns were similar, but way harder to read. She was clearly trying to fix that hesitation habit too Every time I crouched to block a low, I got nailed with a mid. I hit my limit. Because no matter what I was still a newbie. Now she was busting out moves Id never seen before, stuff I had zero data on. What could I do? {{ Winner - hanaumi7! }} {{ magia1122 vs hanaumi7 }} GGGOOOOOOO DE. LU. ORCA. That round was so clean, I got nothing to say zzz That was just newbie extermination, straight up It had been a tight 2C2 brawl, but Orca snatched Game 1. Even though I kept dragging every match to 2C2, she took each game. Final score: 0C3. Orcas flawless win marked the end of todays scrims at Wanggu Kindergarten. DAE. LU. ORCA. No worries for the November tourney lmao Honestly, Orcas a real contender now Even the pro Soul Clash streamers would welcome a newbie like this lol :: Anonymous donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Finally, Parallel gets another gaming prodigy in this content drought :: :: Anonymous donated 1,000 Clouds! :: :: Honestly thought Magia would be the top gamer in Gen 2, but wow lol :: Hey hey hey Magias not even Gen 2 lol Komari for Naore, Orca for Soul Clash, Magia for Battle Col. What a squad Theyre stacked fr fr Aside from the Slug Squad moping about the extra day of training I now owed... Everyone else was busy carrying Orca on their shoulders, amazed at how this hidden newbie just exploded onto the scene. Over 20,000 people watched Orca etch her name into their minds. [ (????Live) Wanggu Kindergarten Student: Parallels Deputy Magia ] ????21,449 viewers Sure, she beat mea Soul Clash newbiebut once she starts streaming this regularly... Thingsll be different. If she even beats a big-name streamer in scrims or a tournament? The impact will be massive. A full-on reversal for someone whod been labeled dead weight all this time. *** We confirmed one more training session with Wanggu next week. Orca went to prep her own stream, and I got summoned to the CEOs office. She ruffled my hair and said, You did good. Just got lucky. No way I expected Orca to message me out of nowhere wanting to play Soul Clash today. Really? It wasnt planned? Im not some fortune teller. How would I even plan something like that... Sure, Id asked Wanggu to stream earlier so it wouldnt clash with the girls streams. But Orca asking to play first? That caught me off guard too. I didnt even know shed been hiding a Gold-tier rank while pretending to be helpless. Todays win was all Orca. Thats why this happened. Hmph... guess I better go praise her directly. Also, speaking of thathow about we add something to the Gen 3 audition announcement? Like what? Ask them to list their gaming history in detail. Whatever it is, well consult with them and turn it into core content. She stroked her chin, thinking. That... would let you work your magic early on. But wont that sound like were guaranteeing success? What if we cant deliver? Then Ill just throw in more of my time until we do. ...You realize you might have to give up monitoring work completely if you do that? Already spending most of my time watching Shorts the team edited because I missed the streams. Kinda getting used to it. So you even watch my stream in clip form? I shouted louder than ever, completely serious. Of course not. If I have to become a wage thief to do it, I always watch the CEOs stream live. She smirked. What if I start streaming more now that Ive got some free time? What if youre in the comms room or something important? Then Ill just keep your stream running on my secondary monitor. Youve lost it. Have you considered streaming during a time I wont miss it? ...... She looked at me like I was hopeless, then suddenly seemed to remember something. Speaking of streaming scheduleshave you noticed Movguns been streaming less lately? Not really. I dont follow him. He used to go live around 10 AM and sometimes stream late into the eveningso he could catch the U.S. timezone. But now? He barely does daytime streams. Whys that? She tapped me on the forehead with her finger. Because you stream around lunch to early evening. Hes avoiding your stream time so he can watch it. ...? But our collabs are always at night. Its just to match the girls schedules. Yeah, but those are the standard ones. Im telling youhes adjusting his schedule around yours. Its ridiculous, but its true. That cant be real. Hes asked me multiple times if you could maybe move your streams to the eveningusing Ronze as an excuse. Dont even try to deny it. I clenched my fists with a look of pure disgust. Thats it. Im never debuting as a VTuber if it means dealing with Movgun. Chapter 194 One week later. After being invited back as a guest on Wanggus show and once again proving her skills, Orca successfully solidified herself as Parallels go-to Soul Clash streamer. Lets take a look at the post that got the hottest response: ... Pazijik Gallery ... [Wanggus Post-Stream Orca Compliment Recap C Todays Stream] First off, just to be clear, Im not saying any of the other trainees who went through Wanggus class were bad. Its just... Orca has that unique Soul Clash gene. If I had to pick the two best things about her: 1. She didnt grind ranks with cheese tactics. Most Taesan mains just spam cheesy pressure strings, shoot up the ladder, and flex their rank. But her goal wasnt to rank upit was just to be good. So she kept grinding in Gold tier, testing out counters for every character herself. It was honestly kind of shocking. (screenshot_of_review_notes.jpg) She took notes like this. Tell me youre desperate to win without telling me ?? 2. She listens to the coach. Like, really listens. People who stay in one tier too long tend to pick up bad habits. And those are hard to fix. But Orca? She hears the feedback once and adjusts it by the next match. ?? Ive never seen a new player this responsive. Someone asked if it was three years of military service that turned her into such a yes girl? ...Maybe? I dunno. Doesnt seem like the kind of personality you develop in the army. If anything, I came out more rebellious. ?? Anyway, with a good coach and consistent effort, I think Orca could make it to Master someday. Gia? Not sure. She seems like she plays for fun, so I doubt shell stick around long. But I will saywhen it comes to raw fighting game talent, Gia has a slight edge. Cant say about tiers, but Diamonds a lock, for sure. Thats my take. (Upvotes 551 / Downvotes 0) [Comments] pazijik091: Did Wanggu actually say all this? ? pazijik115: He said something similar last week too, I just didnt watch all the way through then. Yup, he meant it. pazijik389: This guys an angel on stream but roasts you hard in post-training gunfights. Whats with all the sweet talk now? ? pazijik846: Both trainees were genuinely good this time, thats why. ? pazijik471: First time he ever said someone could go Master, ?? pazijik702: If Parallel takes first in the next Smash-It tourney, Im throwing in a mega-like, lol ? pazijik406: Mega-like for real ? pazijik900: (Mega-like sticker) ? pazijik511: Ever since Gia showed up, that Parallel sucks at games reps been totally gone, lol ? pazijik366: Lets be honest, the same folks win every time, but somehow their results are always solid, ?????? In the end, Orca firmly secured her spot. Most likely, when the tournament circuit kicks off after our offline concert in November, even more people will start noticing her. It felt like an especially lucky turn for Parallel, mostly because of the two people whod already surged ahead. Miho had, in just two months, crushed every deduction game out there with her stellar analytical skills and established herself as Parallels top intellect. She never held back when someone crossed the linewhether it was a senior collab or an external one, shed charge in like a bull and absorb a ton of floating viewers. And Ena? From the very start, she charged straight into Magias harem arc, going toe-to-toe with Maru and the CEO without blinking. Shed been in the lead ever since. Compared to those two, Orca had lagged a bit. But thanks to this Soul Clash breakthrough, shed rocketed forward. Team Lead Ra was especially grateful, saying he had a lot less to worry about now. You always manage to scratch the exact itch I havent even mentioned. I dont even say where it itches, and somehow you hit it. Its wild. Like I told the CEO... its just dumb luck. Still, Orca had been hiding that Soul Clash skill this whole time, and you helped bring it out. Thats a win in my book. I was actually thinking of assigning her a special segment after the concert to catch her up, but now? No need. This is perfect. Youre always perfect too, Team Lead. Save that line for after the concert. Itll hit twice as hard then. I chuckled and nodded, wrapping up my chat with Team Lead Ra as he headed to the restroom. Then I made my way to the CEOs office, where she poked her head out from between the books on her shelf and asked, Youre flying to Japan this Saturday, right? Yep. Day after tomorrow. Alright, have a safe trip. I cant go with you this time, so dont overdo it. Just treat it like a sightseeing trip. There wont even be time for that. You said you and Iyura might get to walk around the city for an hour or two. Thats only maybe. Honestly, Id rather stay indoors. Ive seen enough of JapanIm good. How many chances do you get to fly business class to Japan? At least relax a little. I shook my head. Ill relax when we go together with the others. Thatll be way more fun. The CEO smiled warmly at me. Who knows when well even get to do that. True. But we cant just keep running forever. We need breaks too. I get that. But this timing is just too good to waste, dont you think? Yeah, I agree. Honestly, I think I should push hard at least until winter. We stared at each other for a moment, then I gave a small nod. What should I bring you back as a gift? Dont bother. Just dont miss your flight because youre shopping. These days, you can get most of that Japanese stuff online anyway. Really? But three years ago when we went, you stuffed my suitcase full of snacks like there was no tomorrow, saying we couldnt get them after that day. Have you never opened the pantry at home? Its still packed with those snacks. Yeah... I avoid eating your snacks. I dont want to get smacked. The CEO sighed and came around her desk, pressing her palm onto my head. We live in the same house. Whats wrong with sharing? I dont want a smack for grabbing the wrong thinglike that milk pudding in the fridge. ...Howd you know? That pudding was a rare find. You wouldve gotten the knuckle. The aura coming off that pudding was terrifying. Oh, please. Aura? Anyway, now that you know, help yourself to the snacks when youre hungry. Then she popped open the little fridge in her office and pulled out a pudding. This ones for you. What about Seung-yeon and Jae? They already had theirs. Dont worry about it. Thanks. Ill enjoy it. Eat up. And get off work early tomorrow so you can prep for the flight. Yesss, maam. ...Whats with you listening so well all of a sudden? Id rather not miss my flight like I did three years ago. Pfft. Right... that did happen. The reason the CEO laughed like that was because, back then, Id packed everything except my passport. I only realized once Id arrived at the airport. In the end, I had to go home, grab the passport, and take a flight two hours later. Luckily, Id gotten to the airport two hours early and the local schedule had a buffer. If not, I wouldve stood up the local expert whod agreed to meet me. When Iyura casually brought up a story about someone who lost their passport on the day of travel and I just brushed it offthats because Id done the same thing once. Seriously, its a rule of life: your first trip abroad is guaranteed to go wrong somehow. If someones going overseas for the first time, always message them the day before and tell them to put their passport in their wallet. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Dont laugh. This isnt the time to be laughing, you know. How am I not supposed to laugh? You do know we havent filled all the seats for the concert yet, right? Okay, what is thisare we in a UFC press conference now? Its important, thats why. Ticket sales had opened that Monday. Of the 6,000 total seats, 4,000 were sold on the first day. Over the next three days, sales slowly picked up, bringing the current total to 5,600. We pushed hard on both our first- and second-gen members. I bundled my own limited-edition merch with on-site goods. We used Fan_C and Iyuras songs to pull attention. CAT Entertainment leveraged every media channel for promotion... And yetwe were still 400 seats short of a full house. At the end of the day, online broadcasting is an online culture. Our fanbase just isnt that used to offline events yet. If we had gradually expanded our presence offlineopened pop-up stores, set up booths at Mafe, and so onit mightve been different. But until now, Parallel had avoided low-efficiency external events, focusing solely on building strong in-house value. So now that a concert was suddenly happening, the gap was inevitable. Its a long-term issue to solve, but right now, filling those concert seats was the top priority. I already bought about 50 tickets and handed them out to my parents and people I know. Told them, Come watch our companys idol concert. I gave them all out too. Still... were 400 seats short. From the outside, our first concert would be judged by one thing: whether it sold out. A full house was critical. Wed hoped the members could fill it on their own, but with time running out, we couldnt afford to be picky. So I brought {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} up something Id only hinted at to the CEO before. Ill try to fill at least 100 seats myself. She caught on immediately. You mean the networking meetup? Yeah. If I get lucky, Kiri might sing one of my songs. If Fan_C blows up from that, and the song she sings gets attention, we can add it to the concert setlistnot as a feature, but as a full guest appearance. That should be good for 100 seats, right? As for the remaining 300, all we could do was push hard over the next two weeks and pray they sold. Of course, the CEO was always against me overextending myself for the company, so she looked at me with concern. If she becomes a guest, youll have to go on stage and give a greeting or something. Whatre you going to do about that? We already decided Id use a silhouette panel. Ill do it behind that. I mean your voice, not your looks. You can hide how you appear, but not how you sound. Ive got a plan for that too. She stared at me for a long moment, then sighed. Fine, I get it. Just dont push yourself. When people try too hard, thats when they mess up. I dont want you ending up on Kiris bad side because of us. That wont happen. Ill be careful, I promise. Of course I trust you. I just dont want you forcing yourself to do something you hate just to fill some empty seats. I wanted to ease her worries, so I ended up telling a small lie. Im not overdoing it. Part of why Im going is to get some advice from a senior in the industry. Oh, come on. You dont even like singing that much. Im starting to, little by little. Like you said before, if I keep at it, at least I wont starve. She gave me a suspicious look for a while... But in the end, she snorted and patted my head. Alright. Just be careful. If I send you overseas alone and you come back hurt, itll break my heart. Ill be with Iyura. Shes not your mom or your big sister, thats why Im saying this. Youre not my mom either. Hey! Do you ever let me have the last word?! *** Two days passed like that. The day of the Japan trip arrived. I met up with Iyura at the airport as planned, and we boarded our early-afternoon flight. Id flown this route before, but the difference this time was riding in business class and Iyura quietly filming her vlog next to me. Maybe it was because Id gotten shorter compared to before, but the space was ridiculous. When I reclined the seat all the way down like a bed, it felt like even two of me could lie there comfortably. Surprisingly, Iyura didnt ask me to be part of the vlog. She said this was more of a personal shoot for her visit to the Bachubachu headquarters, and having someone elses voice on the recording might cause unnecessary rumors. So this time, she said it was better to film alone. Which meant I spent the whole flight lying down, catching up on missed stream clips, then sitting up for the in-flight meal, and going right back to lounging around. When she finally finished recording and put her camera away, I asked, Theres something Ive been wondering. Yeah? Your schedule with Bachubachu is on Sunday, right? Will there actually be people there? Oh, yeah. Therell be at least one or two staff assigned to us. Since people come from all over the world to visit their HQ, they keep it staffed on weekends too. I guess its hard to meet everyone if they only do weekdays. VTuber activity is always busiest on weekends, after all. Seems like Bachubachu deals with the same issues we do. But that wasnt the point. So while youre there... should I just wander around on my own? ...Please dont say stuff like that. If someone sees someone like you walking around alone, theyll think youre lost. You sound just like the CEO... She gave me very clear instructions. I didnt think shed go so far as to brief Iyura too... Anyway, Ill be with you the whole time, so dont worry. Bachubachu has a separate lounge for artists family and guests. Just stay there for two hours or so. Two hoursll fly by if Im watching streams. And, um, this is kind of funny to ask now, but... have you been practicing Soul Clash? I saw a bit on stream, but it cut off right in the middle. The most important part of this networking meetup was making a statement in Soul Clash. There was no way Id half-ass that. Dont worry. Ive prepared everything. Chapter 195 There wasnt much to say about the Tokyo sightseeing. Just like the last time I came for tech support and consultations, the city itself didnt feel all that different from Seoul. The cars were different, traffic moved on the opposite side, and the crosswalk signals made different sounds. Aside from that, maybe the fact that a lot of their subways ran above ground? Still, there are definitely spots that remind you youre in a different country. One of those spots is Akihabara. People say its not what it used to be since COVID, but its still very much a mecca for otakus. Tons of subculture-related shops. Maids and butlers trying to lure customers on the street. People walking around in cosplay, and landmine-tier fashion popping up all over the place. In Korea, you only really see clusters of cosplayers during events like Mafe. Here, though, you could just feel itthis was definitely the home turf of the hardcore fans. If there was one thing that bugged me, it was probably the stares. "Why are people looking at us like that?" Iyura asked like she couldnt believe I didnt know. Youre walking around looking that cute and asking me that? This is just a casual autumn outfit. Then it must be because youre just too cute, Gia. I guess the memories of past trips with the boss are all jumbled up in my head now. In one version, people would glance occasionally in her direction, and that was about it. In the other, all eyes were constantly on us. This time was definitely the latter. It honestly felt like when I walked around with the boss at Mafe while in cosplay. All the stares made it hard not to get flustered. Maybe its because its been a while since I thought of myself as cute enough to turn heads. Was it around this time last year? Right after I changed, I remember looking in the mirror and thinking I looked like a child actorand that was pretty much it. Since then, seeing myself in the mirror every day kind of numbs you to it. Honestly, sometimes I feel like my rigged model is more attractive than my actual face. Maybe Ive just never been that into 3D or real-life appearances to begin with. Anyway, Iyura and I wandered around Akihabara for a couple of hours. Stopped by a maid cafe? to catch a performance. Barely escaped after getting surrounded by some overly eager butlers. A pretty jam-packed (?) Tokyo tour, if I say so myselfthen we grabbed a taxi and headed over to Kiris place. As soon as we stepped out, we were surrounded by fancy-looking condos. This whole area is where celebrities and rich people live. Thats why the buildings are so nice. I can see that. Kiri made her major debut five years ago now. How much money has she earned since then? Shes got close to ten songs with over 100 million views. The biggest one is her debut single, and that ones already past [N O V E L I G H T] 400 million. Even if you calculate conservativelysay, 5 won per viewthats already over 5 billion won. Then add in the signing bonuses from the label, commercial appearances, and more... The total might be too big to even properly calculate. While we were waiting for the elevator, I turned to Iyura and asked, You were one of the top utaite in Korea, right? ...Why past tense? Youve kind of... half-retired now, havent you? Ugh. What was your peak income? You dont have to give me exact numbers. Im just curious. Iyura stuck out her lower lip a little and answered, My best year... I think I made about 200 million won. Damn. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Thats enough for the kids custom outfits, 3D models, original songs... Ugh, Im drooling. I gulped and focused on what she was saying. But honestly, that was only possible because I released songs with Kiri thanks to our connection. Before that, I made about 50 million a year...? I really got a lot of help from Cat and Kiri. It was surprising how close that was to what I made as an office worker. In the end, if you want to make real money, you need to put out original songs. The harsh truth is that the views you get from covers dont necessarily transfer over to your own originals. Even our girls are working hard to release their own tracks. But the music markets cold. Except for Maru, none of them have ever made it onto the YouTube Music chart with a solo song. Thats why connections with labels really matter. Once you hit a certain level of skill, everyones about the same. Kiris in a whole different league even at the top, but if you asked whether shed be this famous without Saturn Music... I dont know. And yet you still betrayed Cat? II didnt betray him, okay?! Im adjusting my schedule every month to release songs right now! If I hadnt said anything, you wouldve. Haa... I swear, Im never signing a contract in a rush again... Ding. Fuming, Iyura stepped into the elevator as the doors opened. I followed her in, and as I turned around, she asked, By the way, Gia, do you speak Japanese? I speak both Japanese and English fluently. Like, native level. Then I guess you wont need a translator. Still, thats impressive. Youre pretty young, too. I learned Korean and English at the same time growing up. Oh. Are your parents American? Yeah. They still live in the States. I picked up Japanese in high school as my second language, then really studied once I started getting into VTubers. No wonder. Your eyes are blue. Oh, right. I forgot about that. Even I forget I have blue eyes sometimes. Since Ive got black hair and wear my bangs long, people usually dont notice until they get real close. Anyway. Were here. Ill do my best to smooth things over, so I hope you get everything youre aiming for. I gave Iyura a polite bow and said, Just bringing me this far is more than enough. Ill do my best. Asking how much someone like Iyura earns Even that was part of planning ahead for the future of Parallel. The most important thing today is meeting Kiri for the first time. Time to keep calm and make this go smoothly. * Kiri was in a pretty good mood today. It was a rare chance to meet up with friends again, and more importantly, one of her closest friendsIyurahad flown all the way to Japan. Ever since they became friends, they made sure to see each other at least once every two months, either with Iyura visiting Japan or Kiri flying to Korea. But the past few months had been too packed for both of them to make it happen. Of course, people are the same wherever you go, but If Kiri liked Iyura, there was also someone who personally didnt. Just one person in this group. That would be Shakei, lead vocalist of a J-pop band nearly as popular as Kiri, and just as close to her. I still cant get over itbringing in some rookie who only just started getting a little attention? What are you thinking? Kiri replied as she vigorously shook a cocktail shaker. Then next time its your turn to host, just dont invite whoever you dont like. You remember this ones my event, right? Try saying crap like youre not qualified like you did with Iyura again, and I swear Ill crack a wine bottle over your head. ...Tch. Sure, shes a rookie, but shes growing at an insane pace. According to Iyura, it wont be long before she catches up to her. Have you even heard her sing? Of course I have. Her voice is interesting. Hehe, Ive never seen anyone so mechanical before. Mechanical...? See? You havent even listened to the song and youre already drawing lines based on sub count. Just say one dumb thing tonightI dare you. That wine bottles still in play. Fine, fine. Ill listen to the song now. Oh, you didnt want her here, right? Then dont bother. Youre the one who said she was like a machine. Now Im curious, so dont stop me. Soon, Shakei connected his phone to the Bluetooth speaker at the bar and queued up Frenemy for everyone to hear. He wasnt just planning to judge it himselfhe wanted to hear the opinions of the other famous artists sitting nearby, too. Everyone already knew Iyura was bringing someone new, but none of them had heard the actual song yet. Naturally, their ears perked up. [????Nutube] Frenemy C Fan_C x Iyura Fan_C | 893K subscribers 3.57M views | 4 weeks ago | #Fan_C #Iyura #Frenemy #CAT As the song played, the listeners'' expressions began to shiftShakei included. The progression of skill, starting from shaky to polished, was depicted so clearly it really did seem mechanical, just like Kiri had said. Theres this critic from Saturn, Kiri said casually. He said Fan_Cs part sounded like an AI trained on thousands of singers, generating each level of vocal quality like a simulation. He said hed believe it wasnt sung by a real person. Everyone sitting at the bar immediately understood how dead-on that review was. Each part was compartmentalized like it was sealed off behind invisible barriers. An A-tier, a B-tier, a C-tier... all distinct. And then came the final chorus A duet where she and Iyura howled the lines together. It gave everyone the same chills theyd felt the first time they heard Iyura sing. The moment the song ended, Kiri raised her cocktail glass to Shakei with a sly smile. It was a drink that went perfectly with his bright yellow hair. Come on, you think Id invite someone without giving it a second thought? Shakei grabbed his glass with a scowl and muttered, Well... she can sing, Ill give her that. So she must have a crappy personality. Yeah, I guess there are some like that around me too. Kiri, I told you to stop talking like youre from Kyoto. Sorry, should I just say youre the jerk artist instead? Tch, Im just naturally cautious. Thats what we call gatekeeping. Ugh, whatever! Ill see for myself when she gets here. Theres no way someone who sings like that is a decent human being. True, Shakei, youre exactly like that. Oh, come on. Just thenjingle jingle. The wind chime Kiri had hung near the entrance rang softly. Everyone at the bar turned to look toward the front door. There stood the familiar figure of Iyuraand next to her... ...? Whos this kid? A ridiculously pretty little girl stomped confidently into the room. Shes an adult, right? Just... baby-faced? Can you even bring someone like that to a drinking party? As everyone silently debated this among themselves Magia, with the poise of a local, introduced herself in fluent Japanese. Hello, everyone. Im Fan_C, a Korean utaite. Its an honor to meet you. As she stood perfectly composed in front of them, Shakei suddenly exploded. äɐۤ?ͩ`!! (Shes freaking adorable!!) Chapter 196 äɐۤ?ͩ`!! (Shes freaking adorable!!) A sharp shout from a man echoed through the living room the moment we stepped past the entrance. Well, what else do you expect from a band vocalist? His projection was flawless. Bleached yellow hair, ears pierced, eyes wide open with all the whites showingit was a little intimidating, to be honest. Iyura had told me about him. Shakei, the lead vocalist of Great, was rough around the edges, but apparently a genuinely kind person on the inside. So there was no need to get too scared. With that in mind, I calmly stepped forward and bowed politely. Thank you. You must be Shakei, the vocalist of Great, right? You know who I am...? Of course. I kept pestering Iyura about who would be here, so I studied up in advance. You speak Japanese way too well... Ive been learning for years since I want to work in this industry. And if youre an utaite, this level of Japanese is kind of a given. ...Youre not just a Japanese person pretending, are you? I switched to Korean to prove it. Im Korean, with a bit of American mixed in. My grandfathers American. Shakei tilted his head, not understanding a word, but Kiri caught on and chimed in. She says shes half Korean, half American. Oh! That explains it! Those blue eyes! Kiri, standing behind the bar, looked like... She and Orca had some things in commontall, black hair tied up highbut their vibes were polar opposites. Orca was always stumbling through something, constantly being called a mess. Kiri, on the other hand, gave off this serene, top-tier master energy, smiling like she had everything figured out. You know the type. The kind of person who radiates power just by standing still. To top it off, she was wearing a formal bartender outfitdress shirt and bowtieand her face had that naturally cheerful look that somehow sent a shiver down your spine. Not sharp and polished like Taro, but the kind of charisma that gently wraps around you before you realize youre trapped. Then she looked right at me and asked something simple, yet filled with subtle pressurelike I couldnt afford to answer wrong. So, what kind of drink should I make for Fan_C, who came all the way from Korea? In gatherings like this, the hardest person to read isnt the one openly hostile from the startits the one who smiles while silently sizing you up. Thats what Kiri was. Iyura had warned me about it too. Make sure to bow when your eyes meet, but dont approach her too quickly. Why? Kiri invites people to parties easily, but if she decides someone isnt worth it, she wont invite them again. You have to wait until she gives you the real okay. Think about it. No matter how you slice it, Kiri was the host and star of todays gathering. I was just an unexpected guest barging in. If she was letting Shakei push me like this without stepping in, maybe she was testing how Id handle clashing with him. Shakei was one of the original members of this crew. Even if Kiri liked me, if I caused trouble with him, Id be out. Luckily, I handled Shakeis aggression calmly. That probably piqued Kiris interest. Which meantthis next answer would shape her first impression of me. Praising her too much might feel like brown-nosing... So itd be better to go the honest route. Unlike with Momo, I wasnt really a fan of Kiri per se. I was just a junior hoping to learn from her. Andthere was something else. On her podcast, Kiri once shared her favorite cocktail. A Blue Hawaiian, made in her signature personal color. So what if I asked for the opposite? Something in a contrasting color might grab her attention. A red one, please. As close to magenta as possible. Non-alcoholic, if thats okay. Magentabasically red with a hint of purple. In Korean, youd call it jahongsaek. It also happens to be the eye color of my avatar in Frenemy... and the eye color of my eternal role model and idol, Shirahoshi Momo. The moment I said it, Kiri chuckled softly. You like magenta, huh. Yes. I really do. Well, then Id better make it taste amazing. Iyura always talks about how good your cocktails are. Ive been looking forward to this. Oh? She said that? Kiri glanced over at Iyura with a grin, then turned and began moving behind the bar to mix the drink. Whew. I exhaled inwardly. It felt like invisible, transparent feelers had stretched from Kiris body and tapped against my foreheadtesting me. Chilling. Still, just like when I met Producer Na Hyun-gon, I managed to keep a straight face. I dont really show nerves that easily. As soon as I took my seat, Shakei leaned over across Iyurawho was sitting between usand asked, Most newbies freak out just seeing me and Kiri in the same room. Youre pretty gutsy. Im just not the type to get nervous easily. Heh, well thats essential if you ever plan to sing on stage. Thats what separates shut-in artists from world-class ones. Kiri, now pouring a line of colorful liquids into a large glass, added: Hes fishing for compliments again. Say something nice already. Hey! I didnt say anything like that! Shakei, youre a phenomenal vocalist. Honestly, I still remember the refreshing energy you had in your debut single. Shakei scoffed like I was trying too hard. Sorry to tell you, flattery doesnt work on me. If you really remember that well, you should be able to sing at least a line of it, right? Without hesitation, I opened my mouth and sang. Imitating people was one of my specialties. Id memorized every song by the singers at this eventespecially the ones I liked. So this was nothing. But stillmaybe it was more shocking than I thought. After I finished, Shakei sighed in disbelief. No way... How much did you practice? I didnt even practice it that much. I just liked your debut song the most, so I kept replaying it... Oh, so the rest of my albums sucked? No, not at all! Theyre all greatI just especially liked the debut one. You sure? Of course. Absolutely. ...Tch. Youre good with words, huh. He looked like he was trying so hard to find something to nitpick. Nice try. Do you know how hard I worked to get here? Just then, a woman sitting at the far end came over and took the empty seat beside me. She was the lead vocalist of Blue Society the mixed-gender band. Theyd gotten popular recently in Korea thanks to an anime opening. Look at Shakeihes totally weak against cute girls. God, Im losing my mind. Before you got here, he was all Im gonna gatekeep, If I dont like her, shes out. But I guess you passed. I gave Shakei a respectful bow. Thank you for being so kind. Whatre you talking about? I havent said a single nice thing yet. Whether or not Shakei kept grumbling, the Blue Society vocalist added casually, Hes about to become a girl-dad soon. Thats why he gets soft when he sees cute girlsits messing with his head. ...... Look at hershe cant even talk now. Right then, Kiri handed me the cocktail she had finished mixing. I brought the straw to my lips without hesitation. Even tasting and reacting to Kiris cocktail was part of leaving a good first impression. But wow... everyone really was staring ?N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t? me down like I was some total outsider. So this is what it feels like to get grilled under a camera lens... ...Mmm. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Yet those stares that had been making me hyper-aware of every move They vanished instantly, like theyd been washed away by water. All because the cocktail Kiri handed me was absurdly good. Half by luck, maybe, but shed hit my preferences dead-on. Before she even had to ask me how it tasted, I twirled the bits of fresh strawberries and fruit chunks in the glass with my straw and said, Its totally my style. I really love strawberries. Hm, so I nailed your taste? Its not too sweet for you? Nope, its just right. To be honest, I didnt even like sweet stuff before. It only happened naturally after our first-gen girls debuted and I started buying them all kinds of snacks to cheer them up. Before that, I never went out of my way to eat sweets. But after researching their favorite desserts to lift their mood, I ended up eating some myself while handing them out. Back in my previous life, eating sweet stuff was kind of a chore. I appreciated the gifts from my members, but it usually left me in a bit of pain afterward. So in that sense, Im kind of glad my body can handle it now. Actually, sweet things even help lift my moodlike they do for the girls. Maybe thats why I felt a little more upbeat than usual. I really appreciate the warm welcome, even though I showed up out of nowhere. Kiri smiled and asked, Looks like youve finally relaxed? Oh. Did I look nervous? Well, it seemed like you came prepared for all sorts of things. But yeah, you did look a bit tense. This version of you is way better. I mean... you all already knew each other, and I was the only new face, so I was worried about how to fit in. At that, Kiri let out a light, carefree laugh and said, as if to signal that the test was over, Well then, just enjoy yourself with everyone here. Seems like theyre curious to get to know you. That was basically her sayingYoure in. Welcome to the group. I had passed the first gate. Now I needed to blend in, deepen these relationships, and especially avoid setting Shakei off again... all while slowly working my way closer to Kiri. My throat felt a little dry from the tension, so I finished off the mojito Kiri made in a few gulps, then got up and started making my way around the roombowing politely to each person I passed, starting with the one seated behind Shakei. If someone reached out for a handshake, I grabbed their hand without hesitation, introduced myself, and chatted for a bit. But maybe I was acting too much like an office worker, because someone asked: You said your name was Fan_C, right? How old are you? Born in 2000. 2000?! No way. I thought you were still in school. Youre way too composedyou feel like a working adult. Well, thats actually true. Im doing both. The moment I said that, the shock on their faces was almost cartoonish. Youre working and doing that with a body that small? Seriously impressive. Youre an utaite too? Then their gazes slowly turned toward Shakei. A silent pressure, as if saying, This is the girl you were gatekeeping from the group? Shakei scrunched up his brows and raised his voice. Why are you all looking at me like that?! I welcomed her after hearing the song, didnt I?! Who was the first one to say she was cute when she walked in?! Im totally down for Fan_C to keep coming to our hangouts! Maybe because even Shakei had now openly declared himself on my side From then on, people arrived one by one. They were surprised when they saw me. They sat near me. Even though it was Kiri who invited everyone, and this was clearly her home... At some point, it started to feel like it was my birthday party. Sure, it makes sense for people to be curious about a newcomer, but I hadnt expected this much attention. Still, when we had a moment alone, Iyura leaned over and whispered with a knowing smile, giving me a subtle thumbs-up. Told you youd win everyone over. A little overwhelmed from all the attention in such a short time, I muttered in a drained voice, Did you... just know itd turn out like this? Look around. In a gathering like this, someone like you is bound to attract attention. Everyones going to want to approach you. There were thirteen people in total tonight. The band musicians like Shakei were all flashy. The singers, including Kiri, had this fierce aura about them that made them feel hard to approach. And then there was mesmall, soft-looking, unintimidating. Naturally, the center of curiosity. Besides, the fact that youre juggling a full-time job is the real kicker. Someone who looks that young working and doing this on the side? Its too shocking. ...Is it really that surprising? Apparently sobecause when Kiri later suggested a friendly bet over a round of Soul Clash, Shakei, who had been spiky the whole time, proudly declared his Platinum rank and said, Aaah~ I wish someone like you could sing a congratulatory song at my daughters Erabitory someday. If that happened, Id probably hand over the prize without a fight... He clearly believed he had the upper hand in gaming. I appreciate the thought, but Id like to win it fair and square. Wow, confident, huh? I was gonna go easy on you, but now I have to go all in? Ive beaten a few Golds before. Golds? You must not knowtheres a wall between Gold and Platinum youll never break through. Youll regret not taking my offer when you had the chance. I shook my head. It makes it more fun to challenge someone stronger. And its just a fun bet anyway, right? ...Tch. That calm attitude of yours is so annoying. Theres nothing to criticizeno flaws to pick at. Lame. Kiri chimed in. Thats her way of saying youve got a great personality. Hey, Kiri! Stop putting your weird little comments in! Anywayget ready. Ill show you just how wide the gap between us really is. And about thirty minutes later It was time for our best-of-three match in Soul Clash. The winner would move on in the winners bracket. The loser... to the losers bracket. And the result? 2 to 1! Winner: Fan_C! Id been secretly practicing Soul Clash during every spare moment for the past two weeks. Wanggu-sensei had even called me a natural. Shakei, now dropped into the losers bracket, shouted at full volume, his expression blank with disbelief as his voice echoed through the entire living room: ʥ?ʡ!! (This cant be happening!!)* Chapter 197 Shakei seemed genuinely shaken after dropping into the losers'' bracket. I cant believe I lost... to a rookie... He mustve been sure he was going to win this match. And I had just shattered that confidence. Honestly, I couldnt blame him. But still, seeing someone whod been so full of energy earlier now looking that defeated It did make me feel a little bad. I wasnt even sure we''d be playing Soul Clash today, but... Id practiced for this just in case, based on Iyuras prediction. That guess turned out to be right, and luck had definitely played a part. So I walked over to the losers bracket side and leaned down to whisper into Shakeis ear. I didnt win easily, you know. I just got a little lucky. And it was trueeach match had gone to 3:2, the whole set ending in a tight 2:1. It hadnt been a one-sided win by any means. Shakei snorted and muttered under his breath. I went easy on you, dumbass. You... did? Yeah. Newbie courtesy. Ever heard of it? Still, feeling bad was one thingmessing around was another. Once someone opens up to me, I naturally let my guard down too. And once Im relaxed, teasing is kind of my default. So even though I knew I shouldve kept it cool, the words slipped out before I could stop them. For someone going easy on me, you sure looked panicked the whole match. What did you say, punk?! You trying to climb over me now just cause I went easy on you?! Huh?! I mean, pretty sure everyone watching could tell... But oddly enough, that seemed to please Shakei. Kiri always beats around the bush, but you? You just throw punches straight to the face, huh. ...Ah. Sorry if I offended you. No, I actually like that. All that fake politeness and saving face? Doesnt mean much with people like us. Probably cause youve all known each other for a long time. Exactly. He clicked his tongue and glanced sideways at Kiri. But Kiri... that girl still wont fully open up. Fame mightve made it worse. She was always the type who never said anything bad about anyone, but now? Shes way more guarded than before. She definitely seems like the type to always put things positively. Makes me look like the asshole, huh? If you were, Id just say so. Youre a little blunt, sure, but not what Id call an asshole. You just blurt that out, huh... Cant you tone it down when you barely know someone? You just said you liked honesty. I know how to read the room too, you know. Youre sharp for your agewait, how old are you again? Not that far from me, huh. Damn. Shakei scratched his head and added, Anyway, see you in the finals. Ill crush everyone in losers bracket and come back swinging, so get ready. Got it. And dont forget what I said earlier. The Erabitori performance? (Erabitori: a Japanese version of a first birthday celebration where the baby "chooses their future.") Yeah. You want that winners prize, dont you? Think it over before the finals. That was your last chance. It might seem like he was obsessed with that Erabitori performance thing but thats because, despite how he acts, hes the vocalist of a band with serious clout in Japan. He was trying to do me a favor. Singing at Shakeis kids Erabitori would massively boost my name recognition in Japan. It could be the moment when Fan_C went global. CAT Entertainment once told me that to be considered a true global star, you need at least 50% of your audience to be international. Im at 30% right nowso this wouldnt hurt. Still, a bets a bet. I dont like winning these things through loopholes or favors. I do want it, reallybut like I said, I want to earn it fair and square. Pffft... You really know how to get under my skin. Now Im fired up. You better be shaking in that winners bracket. Just dont lose in losers bracket before you get there. Shut it. Get outta here. When I returned to my spot, Kiriwho had been watching me the whole timeasked with a smile, You seem to be getting along with Shakei pretty well? Yeah. Hes way more fun than I expected. That made Kiri burst out laughing. She still felt a little hard to read, so I just waited quietly for her next move. She laughed for a while, then without a word, simply walked over and sat down at the joystick for her match. ...Maybe she still feels a little awkward around me too. Or maybe, just like Shakei said, shes naturally guarded. Not long after, Iyura walked over to me, shaking her head. Shed just lost and dropped into the losers bracket. I really am hopeless at games... But youre a great singer. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Meanwhile, youre good at singing, good at games, good at everything... I ignored the compliment and asked the question that had been bugging me. Earlier, when Kiri asked if Id gotten close to Shakei, I said he seemed funand then she just laughed and walked away. What was that about? Oh. Iyura looked genuinely impressed. Congrats. Youre officially one of us now. Huh? Shakeis kind of like the gatekeeper of this circle. Just being a good singer doesnt mean you have a good personality. Thats something both Kiri and Shakei believe inand its why they started this whole group. So Kiri had been watching the whole time. From behind the bar, half a step back from the spotlight, shed been observing me and how I handled Shakei. I figured that might be the case... I just didnt expect it to be exactly right. And since you got along with Shakei without causing drama, I think she really respects that. Plus, to be fair, Shakei liked you from the start. So yeah... it all worked out. Looks like Ive managed to settle into this group pretty well. I havent even had a real conversation with Kiri yet, but I never expected to score points with her like this. Shakeis words suddenly came back to me, and I couldnt help but wondermaybe Kiri does find it hard to open up to people. But... thats something Ill hold off on speculating about until weve actually had a real conversation. Whatever the case, jumping to conclusions only leads to misunderstandings. *** The matches continued late into the night. Magia climbed easily through the winners bracket all the way to the finals. Shakei, despite being knocked into the losers bracket, clawed his way back without much trouble. But in the end, the final winner... was Magia. No way... Shakei was clearly stunned. Hed worked hard in the losers bracket to recover his momentum, making it to the finals in top form. But Magia had completely shut down his attack routesmore thoroughly than she had earlier. Final game score: 3C0. Shakei didnt manage to take a single round with a score higher than 3C1. A clean, crushing defeat. You seriously an AI or something...? How the hell did you memorize every pattern I used earlier... It was pretty standard Water Flash play. Your patterns were easy to read. Ugh. At this rate, youre going to drop back to Gold. Argh! After the match, when even Shakei admitted defeat, Kiri brought out the winners panelhandmadeand a bouquet of flowers to present to Magia. Magia bowed to each person who congratulated her, then turned to the slumped-over Shakei. Um... would it be okay if I still came to the Erabitori? ...Why would you want to? Youre the one who won. Magia smiled brightly. I want to go regardless of the bet. Its a special day for the baby, right? Besides, werent you going to invite everyone here anyway? Of course, hed planned to invite everyone. But he and Magia were still a little awkward, and from the beginning, their interactions hadnt exactly been warm. Hed been rough with her at first, and he wasnt the type to invite someone to his kids first birthday party just to smooth things over. He had hoped to use the game as a reason to force the invite without making it weird. But then shed beaten him. Soundly. He was already stewing over how to deal with that so for Magia to offer on her own like this... it really meant a lot. Not that hed ever show it, of course. He just pouted. ...Well. If youre offering, Ive got no reason to stop you. Kiri chimed in with a grin. What he means is thank you for saying youll come. Hey! Watching them bicker like that, Magia couldnt help but laugh a laugh shed been holding back all night because shed thought it might be rude. S-Sorry. You two just remind me of someone I know. Always at each others throats, but weirdly close. Every time they talk, it sounds like a fight. Huh? This isnt fighting. This is just how we talk. Shakeis got such a bad personality people assume its a fight. What the hell?! Im always the bad guy, huh. Whatever... Shakei trudged over to the bar, grabbed a bottle of whiskey, and poured himself a slim glass. Watching him, Kiri asked casually, So? What song do you want her to sing as your winners prize? I brought the loser over, so make it count. The prize for winning was this: the loser had to cover a song chosen by the winner. It was a little disappointing that Kiri herself wasnt the loser, sure... But hey, the real goal had been achieved anyway. Plus, the one who did end up losingChika, the vocalist from Blue Society, the band that had warmly welcomed Magia earlierwasnt someone Magia felt any pressure asking. Originally, shed considered asking for a cover of her debut single, Common Fan, but since Blue Society was a rock band, she opted for Frenemy instead. Once she made the request, Chika smiled and gave a thumbs-up. Cool. Ill prep it and post it as soon as I can. Thank you so much. Im just glad I can help our super rookie grow a little faster. I hope I grow enough to help you out too someday. Oho~ That mean youll cover one of our songs too someday? That chorus in Frenemy tells me you could totally pull it off. Ill be waiting. Yep. Gotta repay the favor, no matter what. One way or another, todays exchange would definitely boost Magias visibility. The real question now washow many more fans could she bring to the girls concerts from this? With that in mind, Magia decided to simply enjoy the rest of the event. Pushing herself any further wouldnt really gain her anything extra. Just forming connections with these top-tier J-pop artists was already going to pay off down the line. Its not like getting their contact info was easy, after all. And with more than ten A-list J-pop musicians now saved in her phone, Magias contact list could officially be called golden. Still, after all that intense gaming, her throat was starting to dry out. Now that her nerves had settled, the thirst hit her all at once. So she quietly slipped away from the crowd and headed toward the bar. There was a water dispenser nearbyjust a quick drink and then back. Thats when someone followed behind her and spoke softly. You want another one of those from earlier? She turnedand there was Kiri. The same Kiri who had kept at least a three-meter distance from her all evening... was suddenly much closer. Magia nodded eagerly. Yes, please. I was really thirsty, actually. Then take a seat at the bar and wait, cutie. Ill whip it up for you in no time. Okay. Magia hopped onto a barstool with a little bounce. Kiri stepped behind the bar, picked up a bottle, set down a glass, and added a few clinking cubes of ice. Then came the fruit, the deep red juice, the stirrerspun around gently. While mixing, Kiri asked, Just to be sure... are your songs open to covers? Or do people need permission from your company? Magia blinked, caught off guard by the question, but answered immediately. As long as its not monetized, Im pretty sure they dont get involved with covers. Really? A moment later, Kiri slid the crimson non-alcoholic cocktaila Strawberry Daiquiriacross the counter to her. And said Then... would it be okay if I covered one of your songs? Magia, just about to take a sip, froze. ...What? Chapter 198 Kiri said, "Then... would it be alright if I tried covering your song?" She really said that. "...Huh?" I asked again in shock, but there was no way I misheard. "I want to try covering your song." Was I dreaming? How could something like this happen? I was already satisfied with just winning the bet and having the Blue Society members cover one of my songs. And now Kiri, of all people, wanted to do one too? Maybe my mask had cracked and my thoughts were showing all over my face. Kiri smiled and added, "Ah, Im not going to cover Frenemy. That ones already set for the Blue Society to do as part of the bet, remember?" "Ah. Right. Thats true." "I want to sing Common Fan." Honestly, if Kiri had ended up being chosen for the penalty, I was planning to ask her to sing Common Fanmy first original. Unlike Frenemy, which I released with Iyura and which already exploded in popularity, Common Fan was still a niche song, slowly climbing from the bottom. If Kiri sang it? Obviously, her cover would blow past my original versions views in no time. Thats just how it is. Kiri is practically a god when it comes to music. But if, by some impossible chance if the version I sang could even graze the edge of this divine womans shadow... Then maybe I could catch the updraft of her flight and soar higher myself. That height would become my value. It would draw more people to my songs. And maybejust maybethose people would come to the only chance to hear Common Fan live: Parallels offline concert. Isnt Fan_C in amazing form lately? Ugh, I was on the fence about the concert, but... Now Im really curious about her live. Should we go...? This wasnt just about pulling in new fans. It could even reduce cancellations from fans who already had tickets. Especially for those who liked both Parallel and Fan_Cthis was a chance they wouldnt want to miss. This is a chance I have no reason to refuse. But still, I wanted to ask. The fact that Kiri came to me with this offer meant there was something about my song that genuinely caught her interest. Id love that. I really would. But... may I ask why you chose my song? Kiri leaned forward on the bar, resting her elbow on the counter. "I was really moved by the song Iyura shared with me. It brought back memories from a few years ago. Made me tear up a bit, actually. I started out as an utaite myself, just a fan of someone else." Ah, thats right. You did. I let you come tonight because I wanted to ask if I could cover your song. I didnt expect you to win the bet though. Haha. Kiris past isnt something thats been fully revealed before. What we do know is that she used to be a fan of a certain utaite, and she started singing along with that persons songs until she naturally began dreaming of becoming a singer herself. So, I had thought she might relate to Common Fan, which is all about my time as a fan of Parallel... But I didnt expect her to like it this much. While I tilted my head, still trying to process everything, Kiri said, Thats strange. I figured someone like the infamous Magia from Parallel wouldve already done their background research on meand figured out exactly why Id want to cover your song. Startled, I leaned back. Kiri just grinned. As if I wouldnt check who was coming to a private gathering like this? You really knew everything. Apparently, she figured it out when Iyura suddenly resumed her utaite activities. She was supposed to fully switch over to VTubing... but then she starts collabing with an utaite Ive never seen before, and even shares a roadmap? That kind of moveit had to be because of someone. I had to know who. Not that Iyura told her everything, but just searching a little about Fan_C would lead to Magia, and then the ridiculous connection between that account and my real face was apparently enough to convince her on the spot. More than anything, Ive never seen someone use their real name as their VTuber handle. Or is that part of the concept too? If its a secret, you dont have to answer. Ah. That too, huh. Id forgotten about it after I made the name. No, its my real name. Its already out in the open anywayno point hiding it now. Still, I wont go around telling people. I only talk about music, after all. You can trust me. Thank you. More importantly... dont you think its a bit much? VTuber work, company work, utaite stuff? There was something there I had to correct. Even if we werent super close yet, some things needed to be said straight. First of all, Im not a VTuber. That ? Nvlght ? (Read the full story) whole RP is just something the fans cooked up to try and force a debut. Oh wow, really? Im sorry. I mustve gotten the wrong idea. Everyone I asked was saying the same thing. Sorry if I gave the wrong impression. No, no, its not your fault. But that means... can I take it that youre serious about being an utaite? Before coming here, Id already thought about how Id answer this question. In fact, after talking it through with Iyura so many times, Id already figured out exactly what I wanted. I want to rise higher as an utaite. Nomore than that, as a singer. As someone whos known for singing well. Its just that my goal happens to serve the company I work for: Parallel. And I have no intention of hiding this from Kiri. If, after hearing this, she couldnt accept me, then Id understand and step back. I want to go further. Thats why, when Iyura invited me to this gathering, I said Id come no matter what. I see. But... its not because I just love singing. Just like how I show my face on stream even when people mistake me for a VTuberits for our company. ...And why are you telling me all this, now, when the vibe is so nice? Because I didnt want to lie or pretend in front of you when it comes to music. I looked her straight in the eye to show I meant every word. Kiri met my gaze head-onand said something pretty unexpected. Thats actually a relief. A relief? Yeah. People who love singing purely for the joy of it... when they lose that, its really hard for them to get back up again. ... Then Kiri began to talk not about herself, exactly, but about something shed witnessed. Something you couldnt find through online searches or internet sleuthing. Something only those directly involved would know. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. It was about her oshi. The person who led her down the path of becoming an utaite, someone who had since retired and gone back to a quiet, normal life. They had dreamed of making people happy through their music. But an unexpected misunderstanding sparked a controversy that spiraled out of control. They were attacked online, publicly criticized, socially condemned. Their YouTube channel, once filled with songs that made up the entirety of their world, was flooded with hate comments. And when they realized no one would stand up for them... they left music behind. Why didnt they fight back? They believed, to the very end, that someone would support them. ...Thats heartbreaking. Im really sorry you had to see that. Its not that someone deliberately tried to bury her senior. They were just so utterly crushed that everything quietly fell apart. Kiri had tried to talk them out of it, but it was no use. So from then on, Kiri poured everything into her own singing. She trained relentlessly, added effort to her natural talent, and debuted to massive attention, skyrocketing to stardom. Years later, when she had reached a level close to divine, her senior entrusted her with a song they had written and composed before quitting A song that would become one of Kiris five videos to surpass 100 million views. My Song. Those who recognized the lingering touch of her seniors style in the main melody left comments expressing regret, saying they hadnt realized it was all a misunderstanding but by then, the truth behind the controversy had already come out. No one could apologize for what theyd done in the past. Kiris senior had already left the music scene and wasnt coming back. There are still plenty of people who want to drag me down. Jealousy is terrifying. And like I always say, malice doesnt always need a reason. Kiri stared at me directly and asked, From now on, you might be stepping into a world like that. Maybe its already started. The higher you rise, the more malice will crash into you. ...Even so, do you still want to walk this path? She has countless fans across the world. The food Kiri likes instantly becomes trendy. The music she listens to sets the next wave. So if she puts out a cover of my song, thats basically shouting me out. Just the fact that I caught the attention of a singer standing at the pinnacle of Japan will make people take notice. Theyll wonder, Who is this girl Kiri just gave a thumbs-up to? That attention could explode. And I could end up becoming a new toy for someone whos been targeting Kiri. Thats why she asked in advance. I like your song, so I want to cover it. But doing so will create a change that cant be undone. Are you prepared for the road ahead a road unlike anything youve experienced before? Just like her senior, who had been swept away by an unpredictable storm and forced to leave the entertainment industry, Kiri was worried that the same might happen to me. Surprisingly, it wasnt hard to answer. Because Im someone who fights at the frontlines and leads efforts to protect our idols its not something I can ignore or pretend not to know. Its not like I talk about it openly, but... Am I unaware that I walk a tightrope every day, balancing over a firepit? It doesnt matter to me. I see baseless malice every day anyway. Honestly, Im kinda waiting to see what kind of fresh lunatic pops out next. Kiri gave a small laugh. Youre really not as pure as you look. Being a livestream managers more of an extreme sport than people think. I didnt have much of a choice. So if the company does well, youre fine with suffering a little? No hesitation at all? Yes. If it means I can make our company number one, Ill do whatever it takes. Thats why Id really like you to put out that cover. ...Alright. Got it. Haa. Kiri sighed softly, almost like she was murmuring to herself. I really hate that I had to start with something this heavy, when youre a singer with such a bright future. Why? I actually think its helpfulrealistic, even. If I didnt know any of this and something happened later, thatd be way worse. Besides, worrying about your juniors like this... classic Kihuang*. It slipped out before I could stop myselfjust a little wordplay from getting too comfortable. I quickly covered my mouth, startled by my own boldness. But Kiri laughed like she genuinely found it amusing. Kihuang. Like... Kiri the Emperor? Yeah. Its a Korean pun. Thats pretty funny. Fufu. Kiri giggled for a while, then said, Its good to be proud of your mental strength. But if it ever feels like you cant take it anymore, reach out to me, okay? I really dont want to go through watching someone I care about suffer in silence and disappear from the scene again. I gave her a deep bow, making sure it wasnt disrespectful. Ah. Thank you for the offer, but... I think Ill be alright. Whys that? Because our company has a mental care specialist on staff. Someone whos spent years next to toxic messes and never once cracked. Someone who brings happiness to Magia just by being on screen: Cheon Do-hee. Our CEO, actually. Her names Shirahoshi Momo. Shes one of the first-gen VTubers in Korea. If youre interested, please like, subscribe, and turn on notifications. Kiri burst out laughing at the completely out-of-nowhere plug. Youre hilarious. Alright, since youre the one recommending her, Ill subscribe. Wait, I was just joking... Should I follow her all the way to Z, too? No, you dont have to go that far... Im kidding, Im kidding~. Still laughing, Kiri lightly tapped my nose with the tip of her finger. But hey, its okay if I follow and subscribe to Fan_Cs YouTube and Z, right? I really am interested in your music. Ive always just... really loved songs. Then and now. The highest possible honor. And the best outcome I couldve ever hoped for. I didnt hesitate in the slightest as I replied: I want to go first. Havent you already? Ah... right. I did, huh... Dummy. Want another drink? Something different this time? If youre offering, Id be happy to. *** ... Utaite Gallery ... [What is this?] (Kiri_Follow_List.jpg) Kiri just followed Fan_C? [Comments] Uta195: Woah, she really followed her? Uta096: Isnt Kiri kinda trigger-happy with follows though? ? Uta441: Trigger-happy? LOL she follows like 30 people a year, tops ? Uta592: Thats not trigger-happy, thats super selective LOL. She only follows people who sing well ? Uta592: Might just be me, but Ive never been disappointed by a singer Kiri followed ? Uta910: TRUTH ... ... ... Utaite Gallery ... [But was Fan_C really that good?] [Posted by: Uta005] You guys kept saying she only popped off because of Iyuras clout. But if Kiri followed her... doesnt that just mean she sings ridiculously well? [Comments] Uta101: Just go listen for yourself, genius Uta048: That memory game skill is legit ? Uta155: What do you mean ? Uta048: The guy who skips the song and only chases drama LMAO ? Uta155: LOL ... ... ... Utaite Gallery ... [You absolute bastards] [Posted by: Uta005] (Fan_C_Playlist.jpg) You assholes were hiding this low-key masterpiece so you could keep it to yourselves? You pieces of shit. From now on Im chewing through this playlist every morning, noon, and night. [Comments] Uta242: This guy picked the best ones too LOL ? Uta616: So youre telling me he was actually a veteran fan who listened so much he got sick of it?? LMAO Uta866: You never listened even when we recommended it LMAO Uta115: This mod never recommends music, just shares bait. Time for a 30th listen, right? ? Uta005 (OP): Please spare me ? ????Uta02: Show me your carefully curated playlist and I might ? Uta005 (OP): For real? ? Uta861: Classic Ugallery conflict resolution LOL ... ... TL Note: Kihuang* is a wordplay coined by the protagonist during a moment when she began acting a bit more relaxed and playful with Kiri. "Ki" comes from the name Kiri. "Huang" means "emperor" in Chinese/Korean (and in Korean slang, it''s used as a humorous honorary title: "?????" = emperor). Chapter 199 There wasn''t anything particularly special, but Magia was able to form quite a strong bond of friendship with the members she interacted with at the gathering. Especially as the drinking session deepened, it naturally turned into a singing session, and that''s when her true talent came to light. Shakei, heavily drunk, playfully pointed at people, saying things like, This one cant sing, and That one can sing, making each person try singing a song. Magia, without hesitation, flawlessly performed the songs of the people she was pointed out to. You know, when singing the same song, some people struggle to reach high notes, while others can effortlessly glide through them, hitting every note smoothly and gently? Magia was the latter. She even covered most songs with a range so absurdly wide that it seemed almost unreal. The drunken group had fun, making her sing all sorts of songs, as if they had found a new jukebox. After that proper initiation, it was already late at night. The men, exhausted from the drinks and fatigue, went to sleep in the house across the hallway, while the women rested somewhere in Kiris house. Magia, though, stayed wide awake and followed Kiri around, helping with the cleanup. Her habit of helping with post-party cleanups at the company and her usual nocturnal lifestyle made it possible for her to do this. Kiri mustve appreciated it, because she left Magia with these words: Ill show you how quickly I can release the cover song once I start. Magia, clearly stating that she hoped there wouldn''t be any issues with Kiris schedule, agreed. Kiri assured her that since the gathering coincided with her holiday, there was no need to worry about time. You know, if I want to help someone like you, who''s growing so fast, I need to keep up the pace, right? Anyway, the chaotic gathering came to an end. The next day, for the Bachubachu headquarters visit, Magia, though late, slept in the vacant bed Kiri had shown her. *** The next morning, when Magia woke up in Kiris bed, there was a bit of a commotion. She had apparently taken the place of the gods bed, which was not acceptable. Magia had just laid there because the homeowner was sleeping there, not realizing the issue. After apologizing, it was revealed that this, too, was part of the initiation. Immediately after, Magia made a resolve Next time they met, she would definitely prank Kiri a lot more. She wanted to tease, but still felt a little distant, so she held back. Clearly, shed poked the wrong bear. The next event was the visit to Bachubachus headquarters. Since Magia was an outsider, she couldnt enter the office, but she could at least tour the reception desk, gates, and the waiting room for outsiders. When Magia and Cheon Do-hee had done preliminary research for Parallels establishment three years ago, they had received help from Bachubachu and Yoruas, but back then, they had never entered the headquarters building, so even just seeing the entrance was exciting for Magia. The building was huge. We could build a building like this one day, We should, they had said. Anyway, Bachubachu had grown even more in the three years since their ?N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t? last visit. The original huge building now had an additional structure beside it, a large but low one. The building... grew, didnt it? Thats it. The worlds largest motion studio, built two years ago. Oh, that 30 billion won one? Yeah. Pretty massive, right? Really massive. It was a scale that was just enviable. We had to rent space every time we wanted to hold an online concert. Being rich really is the best, isnt it? Of course, Bachubachu had put in an enormous amount of effort to reach this point, so there was no denying that. Magia just envied them. No jealousy or resentment. Well be fine soon enough, anyway... Once our studio, which is currently under construction and is about five times the size of the one next door, is done, it should be enough to cover at least up to our third generation. Yeah. Its a little frustrating, but were still doing well. Magia clenched her fist, determined not to be outdone by Bachubachus momentum, and strutted into the building with an exaggerated, confident step. After reaching the gate, she filled in the visitor information and submitted her passport and business card. The employee who had been smiling at her throughout the process glanced at the documents and tilted his head. First, he was surprised to see that Magia was born in the year 00. Then he was surprised to find out she worked at Parallel. Youre from Parallel...? The gate employee looked over at Iyura. Magia wondered why, but the reason was quite unexpected. Iyura... Even if shes an acquaintance, bringing an employee from a competitor directly into the headquarters like this... I trust her. And look, shed probably get mistaken for a lost child if she wandered around on her own. So I brought her. Please let her stay in the waiting room for outsiders. Just a moment. Ill report this to the higher-ups and let you know. Iyura seemed a little sorry for the delay and apologized, but Magia was actually in a good mood. Did you hear what they just said? ...? What? They called us competitors. While Iyura tilted her head, Magia was already celebrating in her mind. Bachubachu officially recognizes Parallel as a competitor (yay!). Magia, whod been working every day with the thought of at least getting a finger on Bachubachus ankle, couldnt have hoped for a better evaluation. Are we almost to their level...? When the rain is heavy, people dont worry too much if it only reaches their ankles. They think, This will pass soon enough. But once the water rises to the knees, and the walking becomes hard, thats when things get worrisome. How long will this rain last? If the water reaches my waist, or worse, my neck... Three years ago, when Magia and Cheon Do-hee visited Japan, they were welcomed by a mid-level manager from Bachubachus managing team, who had no problem giving them some insider information. That was possible because they didnt pose any threat at all. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. But now, just by showing up with Iyura, they had to report to the higher-ups. There was clearly a lot more caution this time. It must be because of the offline concert... A rival. Bachubachu and us, rivals. For now, were still at the stage where were just trying to grab Bachubachus ankles and say, Im your rival! But hey, thats something, right? Soon enough, the employee returned after finishing the call and approached Magia, who had been waiting on the sofa. Iyura had to go up first for her schedule. They said its fine for you to stay in the waiting room for outsiders. Thank you for your kindness. No problem. Im actually sorry for the delay. It didnt feel like an issue at all. Our team leader said, next time, just submit a visitor request as a Parallel employee in advance. Really? Yes. If theres no meeting with our staff, you wont be able to enter the building, but for other matters, well guide you to the waiting room directly, just like today. Thanks. Whether rude or not, Magia was just enjoying herself. Her smile didnt fade, and it felt even better to confirm Parallels growth outside the country for the first time. *** Magia''s happiness continued into the following week. Kiri''s cover song was completed at an unbelievable speed. On October 31st, ten days after the exchange event on October 21st, it was posted on Kiri''s YouTube just two days before the offline concert ticket sales closed. [????Nutube] Common Fan (Fan_C) - Kiri Cover Kiri???? | 9.429 million subscribers Views: 1.81 million | 16 hours ago | Trending Video #1 #Fan_C #Common_Fan #Kiri #Saturn In just one day, the views hit 1.8 million. The emotional line, similar to her song My Song, where she sang about her feelings for her senior, caught attention. The video quickly climbed to the top of the trending charts, and Fan_C, the utaite, was introduced to the world. Naturally, the surge in interest was also reflected back positively on the original version, Fan_C''s YouTube. [????Nutube] Common Fan - Fan_C Fan_C???? | 1 million subscribers Views: 2.41 million | 2 months ago #Fan_C #Common_Fan #CAT Although it was her debut song, which had initially not caused a huge stir, after the release of Frenemy last month, and now with Kiri''s cover, it experienced a resurgence. People''s evaluations were pretty consistent. Although Kiri did an impressive performance, the cover, which was made hastily before the holiday, didn''t have the same overall polish as the songs Kiri had previously released. On the other hand, Fan_C''s debut track was filled with effort, and the music video, produced with full commitment by CAT Entertainment, and the insane mixing quality stood out. Because of this, comparing the two was essentially impossible It was just a matter of taste, and the general consensus was that both were exceptional in their own way. Countless experts began to back up the claim that Fan_C was truly a skilled singer. Two days later, on Concert D-1, when ticket sales ended at 5 PM, a loud cheer erupted from the CEO''s office, where the staff had gathered. Sold out! Sold out!! The day before had been the last day for full refunds, so there were some canceled tickets. There had been some internal debate about whether it would sell out, but in the end, it was a complete success. The name value of Parallel, proven by Bachubachu, and the attention poured onto Fan_C combined to create this triumph. This is thanks to Magia, our team leader. If Kiri hadn''t done the cover, the last-minute push wouldve been hard. I was even considering revealing Fan_Cs identity to stir up some drama. But I held back that secret weapon. At the mention of the secret weapon, Team Leader Ra Seunghyun asked, Right, you made a good call. If were not revealing the identity, you better not mess up the opening stage. Got it? For this concert, all four first-generation members would be performing on stage in 3D. I would be the first to appear on stage, singing Common Fan as a representative of the fans. Afterward, I would thank the fans and the first-generation members, then sing Finish Line, the group song I featured in, and exit. While people would only see my silhouette, since I had already appeared on broadcast in various ways (even in 3D broadcasts), there was always the risk that my words or actions could give me away. However, the chance of a mistake was extremely low. I would be speaking in English, and since my accent is a mix of my mom''s and dad''s, any slight change in tone would likely go unnoticed by most. And just to be safe, I wouldnt move a muscle. Id turn into a stiff log, so to speak. Are the subtitles ready? Yep. Youll stick to the script, right? Of course. Congratulations on the grand offline concert. Because of you, I am able to sing today. Youve been my beacon, and I look forward to your continued brilliant performances. Parallel, fighting! I love you, and thank you always. After singing the first-generation group song I featured in, I would exit, and that would be the end of my role as Fan_C on stage. Unless something went wrong with the performance, I would be busy supporting the members from behind the scenes, so there would be no need for me to reappear in front of the crowd. This concert was the dream and ideal for the members. It was a festival to be enjoyed by both the members and the fans. Honestly, if I had any worries, it would be for the kids. This was the first offline stage for both the first and second-generation members. I hoped they wouldnt make any mistakes. With my palm extended toward the sky, I said, Shall we give a fighting cheer? The team leaders in the CEOs office all put their hands on top of mine. Finally, Cheon Do-hee added her hand and shouted, Offline concert, fighting!!! Fighting!!!