“Aiyuueue Ieoaeu”
Staring at the mirror, diligently practicing pronunciation was Liu Ying.
At the same time, she was practicing a musical instrument with her hands.
Having three original songs by now, she aimed to write and compose her fourth song.
Dedicating her efforts solely to impress Wakamou every day, she received all the affection there was to receive.
“1,542…1,543…”
Beside her was Sadako, doing handstand push-ups with one finger.
While she seemed like a really hopeless person on broadcasts, she was diligently training as a karate master off-screen.
However, she took a sip of alcohol through a straw with every push-up.
“Hmm”
Aoi Asuka, looking at the tightly packed schedule, which included [Buildcraft Collaboration], [Wakamou 6th Anniversary Broadcast], and [Birthday Broadcast], among others, wondered which game advertisement she should criticize today with a smile.
Yesterday, she mocked, “Are you afraid of [HoX]?” claiming it wasn’t a real game.
Since she had plenty of money, her viewers watched in awe as she did gacha pulls, spending freely and exclaiming, “Cash melts away!” providing vicarious satisfaction to the viewers with her extravagant spending.
Of course, she simulated everything, calculating the odds, but let’s not dwell on how the games with manipulated odds met their ends after Asuka dissected the contents like a butcher, showing them piece by piece publicly.
“This piece is called [Never Stop]. Isn’t it great? It depicts the tragic but inevitable reality of an outlaw who never cared for the law, shot and dying miserably on the road.”
“Wow, it’s so realistic, like a photograph. You didn’t really shoot someone and throw them on the street, did you?”
“It’s fine, criminals have no human rights!!”
When would the 1st-gen debut ever happen? Although it wasn’t on the schedule anywhere, rumors kept circulating that they would debut once one more member joined.
As debut was postponed and the schedule remained empty —— Oh! An empty schedule! Wakamou-sama must think this Adelheid is unnecessary!!! She cried tears of despair.
But for Wakamou, she was always positive!! I believe in Wakamou-sama!!! Wakamou-sama isn’t wrong, I’m the one who’s wrong!! Bad Adelheid! Don’t doubt!!
Dutifully climbing to the 50th floor, decorating the gallery with artworks gifted by Jackson and Wakamou, she diligently lived her life. In some ways, she could be said to be leading the busiest life in Wakamou Corporation.
Complaints about Jackson’s city for being aesthetically horrible, asking for more decoration around Wakamou-sama’s shrine, and the question of what kind of road structure this was….
When the picky Artist and the fun and romantic Architect got together, strange synergy was born, resulting in endless urban reconstruction, so Adelheid worked tirelessly without sleeping for Wakamou-sama.
The two Legendary Class of Six Legged Beast had, in a matter of days, turned into avant-garde art pieces by her hands and were displayed prominently.
Seeing her smiling while saying, “I’ll lock you in the paintings until you’re a good child who listens to Wakamou-sama’s words~,” Mei couldn’t smile. She couldn’t smile at all….
“……It’s too wide.”
Meanwhile, living a fully satisfied life watching VTuber Broadcasts, Wakamou had started looking around to decorate the [Large Domain].
He could visit the first floor of Wakamou, where an idol shrine was built at a 1/1 scale.
Since it was a secret area that allowed no one’s approach, offering a comfortable resting place for both Wakamou and other VTubers — Did it really need decoration? He pondered.
It was moments like these that made Wakamou wonder if this was why kings appointed lords to manage lands. There was just too much land….
Honestly, he had already thought the yard was too large even when it became a small estate, and left it at that.
He could have made things like [Onsen], and it only cost 1 point, but maintenance….? Who would do it…? That worry stopped his hand from moving.
Attractions built for viewer participation broadcasts had been there for a while already.
He had used an entire district, expanding it to a scale that could accommodate not just 10,000, but even 100,000 visitors.
Having hired over 500 staff to be able to operate it at any time, it had developed to a Wakamou Land level.
Already, residents took suspiciously structured buildings from afar, posting photos, and asking if it was an amusement park, and when it would open.
“During today’s broadcast, everyone seemed to be waiting patiently, right?”
From the 50th floor, it was once again a collaborator’s floor with climbers.
Even while Wakamou played a game of stacking VTuber dolls and threw them at the tower, viewers were asking when a tower-climbing broadcast would happen.
For five whole days, there had been no tower climbing, only VR games, VTuber games, or what seemed like VTuber introduction broadcasts(?), leaving viewers low on dopamine as believers asking when they would get more started increasing.
Their expectation was understandable as the only place on earth where you could watch a VTuber climbing collaboration was with Wakamou!
With each unique zero-gen member, everyone was writing all sorts of speculations about what fun methods they would use to ascend the tower this time. Even graduate students were discussing what monsters might appear, talking about goblins from Korean history.
In that scenario, claiming they couldn’t progress to the 51st floor would prompt “We must stop this one from climbing the tower!!” and who knew what Six Legged Beast might do, so climbing broadcasts were being withdrawn.
Thinking that it would only be possible to climb [Kyoto Tower], yet Wakamou was evicted at the 31st floor.
Whether the rumor had spread, the [Kyoto Tower] blocked climbers, saying they weren’t strong enough and should return stronger as an excuse.
Hey, you’ve just conquered the 30th floor!!! Let it go up another 20 floors!!! My reward─!!!
When Wakamou conquers a tower, the tower can legally upgrade its difficulty.
So why not make the trials harder? Isn’t stopping climbers beneficial to the tower? The tower wants climbers to grow stronger, not knowing what Wakamou meant.
Facing such a strategy, Wakamou started worrying whether entering China Tower would have him stuck on the first floor.
There was no answer…The only option was to go to America….
The entire Eurasian continent was in cahoots with the Korean Tower!!
After much contemplation, Wakamou decided to temporarily postpone Korean Tower climbing until gathering everyone on the 50th floor and completely exclude the Kyoto Tower due to lack of a suitable excuse.
Finally, after much deliberation, Wakamou wrote an article about [Jiang Yeoul]’s tower climbing.
He explained it skillfully, spinning it as an individual(?) VTuber project rather than officially joining Wakamou Corporation.
His skill at lying had grown, he snickered to himself.
Rather than a VTuber, it’s like an entertainer engaged in external activities, Wakamou choked on his own words, bleeding internally, “A VTuber must only be a VTuber!!!!” he screamed, presenting this as an excuse.
And it wasn’t that he looked down on actors or anything, just that simultaneous careers would be a struggle?
Just handling a VTuber was daunting enough for Wakamou…True genius would be needed for any more!!
“Shall I just go for it?”
Therefore, Wakamou decided to proceed in his own way.
Vroooom──
Hum-hum─
Dragging a suitcase, a pink-haired woman arrived at an American airport.
The woman in sunglasses, unable to hide her smile, slowly glanced around, looking for the American cowboy she planned to meet.
Visualizing Robert Duncan Smith waiting with a [Welcome] sign but seeing him nowhere.
With heightened senses and increased mana, Wakamou had “leisurely” expanded his perception as far as the enhanced vessel of the idol allowed, slowly scanning the surroundings.
“Will you be my lover?! I’ll feed you ham and cabbage every day!!”
He knew America was a free-spirited nation, but a large foreigner throwing pickup lines at someone visibly from another country was amusing.
He chuckled, having lived as a man, become a VTuber, hid the red pill, and now experiencing life’s eccentricities as a woman.
Without even needing to reply, the leaning giant suddenly seemed exhausted, sprawled out drooling on the ground, fast asleep.
How many times had others witnessed this? Wakamou’s hand lightly brushing past the chin?
Climbers grow stronger the more they ascend a tower….Having risen to a realm where “feeling” this was possible, as Wakamou stepped out of the airport, a beauty with an extremely tense expression looked at him and smiled.
“Ms. Ava?”
“…..Nice to meet you. Ms. Kang.”
Uncertain of her marital status, using a vague term, Wakamou lifted his sunglasses onto his forehead, gripping her hand.
Upon stating his intention to climb the American Tower, the manager who knew the circumstances had taken measures, yet meeting a United States special forces member was unforeseen.
In some sense, she was a familiar face. Wakamou had witnessed her diligently cleaning up during the Tampa chaos.
Now, should he introduce her as Kang Yeoul.
Thinking about whether he might inadvertently slip up one day, revealing his true self, he chuckled at the notion of a VTuber reborn having their mannerisms constantly improve over time.
In that regard, [Idol’s Body] was the perfect skill for being a VTuber.
In the VTuber industry, regardless of gender, there were common terms used. The character designer is called mama, and the virtual model rigger, papa.
In that aspect, the tower was the ultimate papa & mama, providing perfectly crafted split bodies as desired.
“I’m Jiang Yeoul.”
Smiling softly, she held out her hand as a climber visiting for the sole “climbing” purpose of ascending the American Tower, and Ava Harper Eloine, unaware of the entire truth and identity concerning Wakamou, took Wakamou’s hand.
Legendary Class ‘Esper’, a Dartmouth graduate with honors, and a beautiful 26-year-old determined to rectify past mistakes, she was burning with resolve.
Having even brought donuts to welcome the guest, she had hypnotized Robert, sending him home and taking over the meeting place.
Wakamou’s divided forms… is that what it was? Weren’t there numerous Wakamous…?
Feeling like a bypass path without the firewall function usually in place for divided body-type skills, this was her best opportunity to probe Wakamou.
No sooner had she grabbed the offered handshake than Ava infiltrated Wakamou’s mind with [Psychometry].
Seeing that her skill was effective, she inwardly cheered, realizing a [Mental Barrier] type of skill was non-existent.
Entering his mind, she faced a chaotic pandemonium.
While Jiang Yeoul strategized a plan, including a VTuber concert and a tour of collaboration goods shops, Wakamou professed to do solo [Buildcraft] practice, while actually broadcasting with believers, and Mei worked hard at cleaning as always.
Three thoughts operating independently in one brain.
Seeing such a spectacle, she mused on what kind of being could manage three separate bodies, controlling them each independently with a single mind as she moved to find the [Core].
Manipulating and brainwashing wasn’t as easy as flicking a switch like in the media.
More importantly, this was judged as [Mental Abnormality], so climbing the tower would revert everything back to the original state!
The best course was to build intimacy. Increase affection, so America felt better.
As usual, she amended the part to make Ava feel like a friend.
Entering the head of an otaku, she saw cultural elements related to all sorts of anime-manga genres.
Such passion, an obsession close to love and yearning……
Thus, slightly skew the [Love for VTubers] towards [Love America!].
Just a slight shift in the train of thought? She easily penetrated deep into the subconscious without any obstruction, humming under her breath at how well things were going.
Although the uncanny level of obsession with VTubers was a bit disturbing!! If that obsession pivoted to admiration towards this side, everything would get resolved smoothly!
“Graduate from otaku hobbies like VTubers, live the reality of being a climber. Enjoy prestige and glory, bask in wealth…. even Hollywood debut!”
Ava entered the place where the most critical components of a person resided.
Here, she might even glimpse concealed secrets and identities of Wakamou, thus she had hope and fear intermixed.
There might be forbidden truths seen, but as a U.S. agent, she couldn’t afford to back down out of fear.
She was a professional! Proud and confident of being such an expert!!
Chirp chirp chirp─
“….Huh?”
And there she saw.
Normally, when venturing into such deep internal landscapes, trauma manifests as nightmare-like representations, or supreme greed finds expression in all manner of forms. Climbing enthusiasts wishing for women were seen with dozens of women, stark naked, walking around or when one has school or parent-related trauma, you might see a basement or a classroom.
But.
Beautiful girls.
Beautiful youths were everywhere, wherever you looked.
Animals, humans, insects, giants, and even stellar bodies larger than the sun could be seen.
Had she no knowledge, she might’ve mistaken entering the Utopian Paradise of fairies.
“This is all VTubers….”
Normally, shouldn’t there be… you know… money or…love or something….?? At the very least a drive-like hunger for delicious food…. Or even the urge to sleep?
Admittedly, Ava foresaw seeing something resembling a transcendent figure ruling world-wide. If not, perhaps a mythological epoch filled with gods!!
I thought I would see something like the image of a transcendent who unified the world beyond a king. If not that, then perhaps the scenery from a mythological era where gods exist!!!
There was a vague hope of witnessing a secret romantic relationship, given the speculation that the Wakamou might actually be in a relationship with Jiang Taigong.
Everywhere you look, it’s VTuber.
Here, a VTuber…
Hajime Ichigo, Mare Pirate, and maybe even… the yet-to-debut Adolf Lucia and Aoi Asuka are around.
But the existence of Wakamou Inarizushi was nowhere to be found!! It seemed like he detested his own existence to the point of denial, as Wakamou himself was nowhere to be seen!!
This kind of case doesn’t happen unless one has extreme self-hate.
Doesn’t it seem like Wakamou Inarizushi thinks of himself as a pathetic guy unworthy of being called a VTuber?
Bu-But still… there’s no way to be sure yet.
“Um, do you know where Mr. Wakamou is?”
“Who is that?”
The Atlantis shark girl, wearing a blue hood, shrugged with a genuinely clueless expression and sauntered off.
Gathering courage, I asked the American VTubers, but they responded the same way.
In that case, I’ll just have to cause a ruckus to summon the [core].
Delving deep into the subconscious of Wakamou!!
Sniff sniff.
“……”
As soon as the “thought” hit, a shadow loomed over.
I didn’t have the courage to turn my eyes. What was sniffing Ava was something indescribable, a mix of all sorts that defied explanation.
It approached silently and rested a light touch on the shoulder… the strength of that grip was so overwhelming that I couldn’t move an inch.
In the mental realm… it meant that my Psychic self was overwhelmingly defeated in terms of 『willpower』.
This isn’t human mental power…. indeed, not human…!!
“[Hey, this is a VTuber~]”
“[A cute, fresh new VTuber just three months into debut!]”
“[Only four clips harvested~ Voice, really cute~]”
“[Being in a special unit, the stories she shares are fun]”
“[But why are there two of them?]“”””
Then, Ava showed that she could change appearance, witnessing her very own VTuber character modeled after herself casually roaming around.
I’ve got myself… well, I also have myself, right?
She trembled but couldn’t do anything.
If discovered… what happens then…?
“[The more VTubers, the merrier!!]“”””
“[Wow! Double the broadcasts!]“”
“[More clips!]“
The guardian, who revealed himself upon sensing even the slightest “hostility,” moved around as if inspecting the VTubers and squatted in a corner.
Considering that this is the [core] of Wakamou… how strong must the mental strength be to construct such a powerful ego… she turned off the [Skill].
Fighting a monster with hundreds of eyes, eight mouths, three heads, and about forty arms is madness!!
Returning to reality, she was trembling.
Overcome with fear, her teeth chattered, unable to meet eyes, cold sweat pouring down, turning pale… catching Jiang Yeoul’s eyes brought forth the vision of the monster she saw within, making her foam at the mouth, collapse to her knees and faint.
“……”
Seeing this, Wakamou mused about how exaggerated the rumors must be for people to faint out of fear just by meeting his eyes, feeling somewhat down.
Indeed, he shed a tear. His eyes moistened… but the ever-smiling expression didn’t reveal much.
“Welcome, Ms. Jiang!! Originally, I planned to greet you, but as you know, Mr. Fox Deity is quite a bigwig. Seems the American government considers him special. So, Miss Ava?”
“She had urgent business…”
“Understandable, right? After all, she lives a different life than our kind of Climbers! Haha! Would you like a donut? Oh….you might be watching your weight?”
“No, thank you.”
Could one tell?
A grown woman fainted, creating a tragic scene with even a stain to show for it. Other agents quickly carried her away and cleaned up.
Thanks to that, coming alone was no choice, but Wakamou decided not to resent her.
She did seem young after all, likely having been pushed as the representative by seniors. Poor thing…
Besides, she was also juggling VTuber work, so surely some disliked her.
Should I ask her to join Wakamou Corporation for the first generation? But alas, doubting I could treat her as well as the American government, I gave up cleanly.
“So, what’s on the 60th floor of the Tampa Tower?”
“Dunno”
“…..Sorry?”
“Ms. Jiang’s class being [Idol] a Legendary Class won’t let me guess. I’ve said before there’s a lot of people in America. All sorts of absurd and bizarre things emerge there. Want to know why the hypothesis turned certain about towers creating trials based on humans’ learning? Because the American Tower is that unique.”
So, it means only the entrance knows the nature of what’s inside based on the Climber’s personality and class.
Although there would be research to speculate through class, the Legendary Class doesn’t fit in.
It meant truly having to charge in blind with no information!!
“Well, it doesn’t matter.”
“Nothing more necessary for Climbers than confidence. Shall we unload the luggage at accommodations?”
“Sorry?”
“…Surely you packed a suitcase that big to stay in accommodations, Young Lady?”
“The big suitcase is full of slogans for the Virtual Live EN concert, happi coats to wear, glowsticks, and merch to trade with fans.”
“That big suitcase is all….?”
She seemed like she came from some wealthy family’s young lady but acted the same otaku way as Wakamou?
Well, she had said she was the same person as Wakamou, but it was true.
※※※
“Behold Your Idol! I allow the audience!! Hello, hello, hello~”
– Welcome our queen… err, Empress.
– Is it right that the broadcaster changes every day?
– How many times do you need to reincarnate!!
– Should I say Nice to Meet You?
– The surprising part being everything is the same person.
– Wakamou Leader in three flavors…
– Let’s call it a form change!!!
– Did the 3rd Wakamou change come?
– Finally, the captivating Dalki arrives.
“You see─ I wanted something refreshing, aiming for that. Climbing broadcast is my identity… Alright, guess, Believers. Where do you see me?”
– Isn’t it Kyoto Tower?
– Got another climbing pass?
– Maybe as a reward for the 50th floor.
– Were you probing which tower to climb?
– American Tower?
“Oh, how did you know?”
– There’s a Virtual Live EN concert soon.
“Kick”
– Wow, got a bit spooked.
– Why does the smile look scary…
– The kind of face that might pluck hearts while smiling…
– Could chop off Leader with just those fingers.
– Haha! It’s not Dalki, it’s Jiang.Ye.Oul!!
– Weakened to lose the peak state lol
– Lol appearance of 4x return circumvented lol Do you not know regression plot?
– Cries!! 4x return is not regression!!!!
– Keep watching from the beginning for nostalgia, causing readers to regress.
– Really… read about 1,700 chapters…
– Was it that side lol
– Did the reader regress lol
“You’re right! Climbing the Tampa Tower in America, want to see what it’s like together, believers?”
[Welcome to the 60th floor of the Tampa Tower.]
[Currently climbing are 1,178 people.]
[Climber [Wakamou Inarizushi]’s Tampa Tower ranking is 1,178th.]
‘What is this?’
They show the number of Climbers and tell you your ranking inside the tower…?
Now that I recall, American tower Climbers used to talk about their rankings.
Is it about pursuing fame by ranking everyone and comparing?
It seemed to foster competition among Climbers in a way.
[Climbing the 1st-floor world of the Tampa Tower]
– Climb the tower to secure wealth and fame.
[Platinum Achievement Conditions]
[Not disclosed for fairness]
‘…?’
Wakamou Inarizushi could see the information (layers) so the reward is only thirty percent of others.
However, the American Tower didn’t show that, plus it disclosed my name as Wakamou despite being Jiang Yeoul.
‘Isn’t this a double whammy?’
Setting up rankings while spouting equality, does this even make sense?
[Entered with a tower climbing pass! [Attack Skill] given to Climber!]
[Confirming achievements. Confirmed!]
[A special privilege is granted, choose one skill]
[Gun Fighting]
-[Shooter]’s most fundamental shooting skill.
-Using guns in the tower is possible.
[Call Familiar]
-[Summoner]’s most fundamental summoning skill.
[Boxing Skill]
-[Fighter] skill that opens [Boxing] tree.
‘These are terrible…. garbage indeed…’
Even so, it seemed wiser for Liu Ying’s sake to choose [Gun Fighting].
[Skill [Gun Fighting] acquired!]
The most unnecessary [Skill] in the world.
Wakamou could shoot with [Skill], and honestly speaking, it’s more useless than having nothing because using it is a handicap.
Even this American Tower didn’t tell what kind of Monster appeared in the name of fair info!!
Creak─
Upon entering the tower, the sight was of sandstorms blowing, tumbleweeds rolling before Jiang Yeoul.
Was choosing [Shooter] a mistake?
There was an American monster known as [Goblin Gunman] to view her with revolver holstered at the waist.
As if daring to go ahead and draw for a duel.
Thinking it’s still the 1st floor, perhaps it doesn’t attack first?
Jiang Yeoul, smiling with contemptuous eyes, raised her finger and beckoned.
A blatant taunt!!
Like lightning, the Goblin drew a revolver from its holster, aimed at Jiang Yeoul, and pulled the trigger.
A loud report of real gunfire resounded!!
But after a moment of silence, the Goblin stared at Jiang Yeoul in confusion.
Tilting its head same as Jiang Yeoul, who mirrored the action.
Pulling the trigger again, another shot fired, but nothing happened.
– Is it blanks because of 1st floor?
– Got a bit startled?
– But based on Goblin’s blank expression, that’s not it.
-[Goblin Gunman] takes a shot, why just stand there?
– Still, isn’t it unfair for you to shoot not being a [Shooter]?
– Dammit! Did you not know about America’s gun culture?
Once more a shot fired, yet again the same result.
Finally, Jiang Yeoul, now bored, raised her fist.
When she opened her palm, three flattened bullets rested in it.
– Hahaha
– Hahaha
– So it actually shot!!!
– Wakamou Leader is a master of martial arts!!!
– Martial artists don’t die from bullets? Master doesn’t die!!!
– If slashed by a sword, it would get cut and hit lol
Then throwing the bullets again, precisely aimed at [Goblin Gunman], instantly shredding it to pieces upon impact.
“Feeling the true American vibe…. don’t you think so too, believers? With guns, a bit too frightful”
– Considering catching flying bullets.
– Guns deliver bullets, yet isn’t throwing one still a gunfight?
– Fair death match in a gunfight against Goblin Gunman by Leader.
– No gun no bullets, just use the opponent’s.
– After all, they provided them~
So they say lol
“Alright, then the reward is….”
[1st floor of the tower was cleared.]
[Reward includes [Poisonous Weed], [5 Gold Coins], [Normal Revolver], and additional 3 attribute points]
Along with the plunk of the poison weed and 5 gold coins in her palm.
As if saying manage on your own, a revolver is given without a holster.
Even the Kyoto Tower awarded 【Broadcast Points】 but the American Tower gave trash.
Even gentle Wakamou Inarizushi might get mad…?
Not even providing a skill.
Because Wakamou isn’t a [Shooter]!!
Is this America….?
This isn’t the spirit of America!!
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