“…Collaboration, maybe we should change direction a bit.”
A quiet murmur from Wakamou.
Manager Wanda Haye turned her head at these words.
Instead of collaborating on the horror game Build Craft, Wakamou suggested trying something lighter, a game that could be played in teams. They quickly changed the game.
[Health Cook2] was a chaotic cooperative cooking game where characters moved frantically, and chaos ensued if teamwork wasn’t perfect.
Wakamou suggested they try it, to heal the soul and then move on to Build Craft in the second part… at least that’s what he said.
Yet Wakamou’s face was deeply troubled as he spoke.
It was understandable; every collaboration led to arguments and chaos… the recent zombie multiplayer game reached a state where they were all just surviving on their own.
When filming “Seoul Redemption,” they cooperated well, but the VTuber Broadcast was a clash of egos.
Trying to make broadcast fun with all their personal expertise clashing was just impossible.
Yes… Wakamou himself knew this. Yet he wanted to do it.
The joy audiences feel with VTubers from a corporation gathering together.
How Wakamou loved watching them laugh, chat, and work together happily.
Gathering to share fun, joyful memories and experiences.
Corporate VTubers often collaborated together in broadcasts.
Having learned from numerous VTuber corporations, Wakamou had a considerable obsession with collaborations.
Yet, unlike individual broadcast VTubers, their clashes made it hard to sync – a situation Wakamou hoped to fix.
A shame.
With his love for VTubers, Wakamou couldn’t even ask them to suppress their egos.
Rather than stifle individuality ─ it was better to reduce incompatible collaborations.
Pairing up VTubers whose chemistry worked was also a good option.
After all, didn’t they each successfully handle their broadcasts without forced collaborations?
Yes, it was exhausting.
Wakamou was resigned to the possibility that this collaboration might not work out again.
“Folks, before we begin, we might reduce such collaborations in the schedule. Specifically, the all-out group ones.”
“Eh?”
“Why?”
“Suddenly?”
Amidst preparing to battle fiercely in Build Craft, while installing the [Health Cook2] game, Manager Wanda Haye conveyed the message to the three who were studying the game.
We’ll continue collaborations in pairs or trios.
But, as for all members collaboratively and in large scale, it may decrease, explained Manager Wanda Haye, causing everyone to question.
“Past collaborations were mostly a mess… the last one couldn’t even be called a collaboration, it was embarrassing. You bring out explosive synergies when together, but Wakamou desires collaborations where you breathe in sync, bond, and have fun together. I believe he’s worn out as his vision is so distant.”
“……”
Manager Wanda Haye candidly shared Wakamou’s thoughts openly with everyone.
The shock was big enough that everyone fell silent.
While individuals excelled in making their broadcasts enjoyable, as a team, they were the worst,” pondered Pirate most seriously over Wanda Haye’s words.
Despite her appearance, she was a martial artist before a member of society.
Well aware about self-discipline, she knew the importance of teamwork.
“Is it about not doing collaborations anymore?”
“No, we will still do them. Hajime Ichigo and Wakamou, for instance, will continue as a pair.”
Yet it implied removing Ichigo from potential collaborations with other members.
Hajime Ichigo, earnest about being a VTuber, was due to Wakamou. Disputes with Pirate occurred due to their stark personality differences. However, as climbers, their abilities complemented well.
The wariness arose because Pirate’s skills could surpass and overshadow Ichigo, making her uneasy as she noticed Hajime Ichigo was being sidelined in members-only videos like “Seoul Redemption.”
How earnest could Wakamou be with nurturing Ichigo, the Alchemist─ How life-threateningly serious was he.
“But isn’t the chaotic fun something viewers enjoy?”
“Exactly.”
Aoi Asuka considered viewer engagement as she spoke. Even when they babbled separately, Wakamou’s editing reached artistry.
Despite being an utter failure, collaborations had high viewership.
Yet, Aoi Asuka understood that Wakamou’s ideal VTuber scene, encompassing Virtual Live and akin to otherworldly idols like Nasutelamis, desired to see VTubers within corporations helping and joking with each other.
However, during Build Craft, Pirate was fooling around, and in survival games, they kept playing independently.
“In any case, let’s prepare for the broadcast. Wakamou cherishes everyone’s individuality, you know.”
It was merely considering adjusting direction. If they wanted a full collaborative broadcast, Wakamou wouldn’t refuse and would allow it to crash, so there was assurance.
Yet, the three VTubers from Wakamou Corporation remained serious-faced.
Compared to climbing, VTuber Broadcasts seemed easy.
Debuting as VTubers, enthusiastically conducting different contents─ had they underestimated the VTuber realm(No.).
In society, whether gathering or needing teamwork, respect and collaboration are required intrinsically.
Even when driving cars, which act independently, there were unspoken rules to follow.
──Once a VTuber steps onto the starting line, certain conditions must be met, even if it’s their most dreaded horror game!!
Even if it’s something they dislike or fear, if viewers request it, they muster courage to face it.
Anyone willing to risk their own life to choose VTubing, what had they learned from it?
──Don’t underestimate the VTuber World!! It’s not a realm amateurs can casually challenge!!
Not only VTubers, but streaming in general operates similarly across internet broadcasting.
Without believers, there are no idols; without viewers, there are no VTubers.
Yet having them also presented challenges. Pirate’s brother spoke of stalkers, regardless of gender, throwing money around, and threatening, offering insight into the difficulties of any work.
Had they underestimated… Pirate too…!!
Melded into the comfort provided by the corporation, had they become lax…!!
“Looks like a lot of viewers eagerly await the broadcast.”
“Most likely, they’re here for the chaos, right?”
Apologetically, it wouldn’t go as viewers expected tonight.
“Alright! It’s about time to start the broadcast! Are you all ready?!”
With Manager’s words, everyone began preparing to turn on their streams.
Wakamou Corporation had grown into a globally recognized VTuber enterprise including in South Korea.
It seemed unfathomable─ simply indifferent to its magnitude perhaps?
The sheer viewership was an abnormality… not a small number when talking about at least a hundred thousand.
There were those drawn to watch Wakamou himself, and climbers, able to communicate regardless of nationality, made it even more appealing.
“Did you all feel it? 90% of viewers expect chaos today too.”
“In that case, being serious today makes us the villains.”
“Interesting.”
Determined to collaborate successfully today, the trio’s only focus was disappointing viewer expectations─ Villains indeed…!!
‘Huh, aren’t they unusually fired up…?’
Seeing the three focusing instead of jabbering, with burning eyes, Wakamou felt perplexed.
Had Manager Wanda Haye said something…?
Wakamou’s concern was unwarranted anxiety.
And so began [Health Cook2].
– Entering hell lololol
– Is chaos coming? Did it arrive?
– I can already see the mess.
– Is this a restaurant or a war zone.
– lololololol
– Look at them blocking each other already lol
The game centered around cooking meals to fend off revived terrifying ingredients. It started with players clashing and blocking paths. Even one person’s out-of-sync movement could botch the whole game!!
Cooking involved taking ingredients, chopping them, boiling or frying─ assembling them in sequence on plates before serving, washing dishes─
On the surface, it seemed a normal restaurant management game, but the narrow pathways in the limited map, moving terrains, or even meteors falling─ sometimes cooking happened in the streets, too!!
Getting hit and killed by passing cars was common.
“Why on earth are we cooking in the sky!!!”
They even cooked in hot air balloons floating aloft, sometimes on rafts on streaming rivers. It was more challenging than imagined, needing perfect teamwork, and viewers were expecting chaotic meltdowns.
“Don’t be foolish!! I said to set me free for the ingredients to survive, Pirate! Your timing is slow!!”
“I’m quick in reflex! Just chop on the board and pass the ingredients, Ichigo! Stop nagging!!”
“Smug for someone who botched their dish!!”
“What did you say?!”
Chopping ingredients on the board needed precise handling since it involved transporting ingredients to the board first.
Seeing orders, they needed to move busily, and while normally clashing, Pirate and Ichigo’s enthusiasm just got intense.
Trying to showcase their skills by carrying, prepping, cooking ingredients, Ichigo’s efforts were disrupted by Pirate either dropping stuff wrongly or coming in each other’s way.
“Pathway.”
“Pathway!!”
“Pathway!!!!”
Showcasing phenomenal coordination, the two in harmony.
– Oh, incredible defense..!
– It’s almost like mind reading level.
– Left, left, right, left.
– Why is this person not on the field but in the kitchen?
Right?
-In a way, it’s a fantasy kind of teamwork, haha!
The Mare Pirate moved to the left, and Ichigo also stepped aside to the left, then got stuck. As soon as they got stuck, with the speed of a Climber, they turned right and collided with each other. The brief moment when they looked at each other in bewilderment and then moved left simultaneously was like watching a dance synchronized at a banquet.
“Wakamou!! Pass it!”
“No, stop passing it off, Asuka!!”
“The hand is showing!! Hurry!!”
“Waaah!!”
Asuka checked the recipe and immediately threw the necessary ingredients at Wakamou, who was cooking in the kitchen.
Wakamou got hit by a cucumber in a movement that considered the best efficiency for a path, like an AI.
Wakamou was urged to chop quickly but upon a gust of wind, the ingredients scattered wildly across the kitchen.
To make matters worse, even a hot air balloon began to plummet from the sky.
“What, even this is crashing?!”
Wakamou shouted in surprise, asking what kind of mistake they made to cause a crash, and soon through the dissipating fog, the scene of chefs gathered inside the restaurant building was displayed.
“How are we alive?!”
“Are they still cooking even after crashing?”
“Move out of the way!!!”
“Fire! There’s a fire!! Get the extinguisher!!!”
“I can’t keep just washing dishes! Asuka will work!!”
“Woman shouldn’t be in the kitchen!!”
“What did you say?!”
Oh boy—Ichigo, carrying cooking ingredients, got hit by a cart and was sent flying. The rushed Pirate, holding the finished dish, disappeared after falling off a cliff. On the constantly moving terrain, when the required ingredients ended up on opposite sides, they showed amazing timing in throwing the ingredients to each other.
“We’re gonna go bankrupt!!!”
-Are they communicating telepathically?
-hahaahahahaha
-Stop dropping them in the river!!!
-The fish are gonna feast today, haha
-Seriously, hit by the ingredients and into the trash, hahaha
Just like Asuka passed, Pirate threw the ingredients.
As they threw to each other’s optimal path, the ingredients collided and disappeared into the river.
Their eyes communicated wordlessly asking each other what’s going on, but despite their persistent tossing, the chicken leg floated away with the river stream as part of a magnificent combo.
“Mushroom was so undercooked, princess says she’s in another castle now!”
“Waaaaaah”
“The pork was so undercooked it’s still singing Hakuna Matata!”
Even pulling out the cooking without keeping track of time leads to catastrophic results. Pressed by anxiety, Ichigo kept messing up meals, and Asuka nagged about not being able to handle even simple things.
Ichigo couldn’t retort to the rightful complaint and expressed her frustration.
Even though they tried to combine their strengths for success, it seemed like the intensity was causing conflicts to rise, which worried Wakamou.
They might have miscalculated how many meals bounced off during all the movement… a bit of regret lingered for Wakamou messing it up.
Although they only got 1 star out of 3, the three were left shattered and in despair, wondering if they were indeed a bad fit for teamwork games, with Wakamou holding a bitter smile.
“Guys, should we call it a day? Some games just don’t go well.”
“Wakamou!!!!”
“Huh, huh?”
“I want… to collab…!!”
“But aren’t we doing it now? What are you talking about?”
Wakamou was left speechless at the desperate request from Asuka, who dropped to her knees, begging for one more round.
“Hey crew!!! Our captain strives to reach the Complete Strategy Layer no matter what!! Do you think we’ll be satisfied with just 1 star?! A real man should challenge odds!!!”
-The tension is off the charts, haha
-We can’t lose…!! Wakamou Corporation!!
-But captain! The fish is undercooked and finding Nemo!!
-Your teamwork with Ichigo is the worst, haha
“We can do it!!!”
With strange fervor pumping through them, Wakamou attempted the challenging task all over again.
Chaotically shifting terrains, isolated team members, and incoming orders.
“Here me out! Ichigo! It’s a sad thing that a Pirate with such talent can’t be the star. Ichigo… you’re a flatfish. Bound to end up covered in mud. The lead role shines because of the supporting cast…”
“Eh…?”
For a Climber, it’s crucial to have chemistry.
In the life-risking climbs, a mismatch with partners can lead to mistakes.
Asuka advised not to forget that Pirates always look out for her little sister, Ichigo.
Wishing to be loved by Wakamou but unwilling to lose attention.
Yet, neither jealousy nor greed should lead to ruin.
“Acceptance is the end of the collab… You know that, right Ichi. Pirate?”
“Pass it to me, Ichigo!!”
“Hey, can I join in on the fun, guys…?”
Wakamou looked around feeling a bit left out. Isn’t everyone suddenly syncing well with one another…? Then why isn’t he in on it?
Where did this sync suddenly come from…?
As the bell rang to signal the start of the game, Ichigo tossed ingredients. Pirate swiftly received the ingredients, checked the order, and began prepping.
What they needed was composure. Predicting and stockpiling what would be needed, they lined up ingredients in advance.
If hands got tangled, it might ruin the dish, but such mistakes never happened with Asuka.
And Wakamou, doing dishes in a corner while receiving flying plates.
“What do you want to eat after the first collab ends?”
SDVIMVFoanVzY1YwSVhjamMzUkt1UldJZnZQemRwemdmYmdPWi9jUUx4MkhYQUg5aExZVkw3d2xnQ2ZmUHQyOQ
“Boss! The plate!!!”
“Y, yeah”
Catching the plate swiftly thrown, Ichigo tossed it to Pirate, who then passed it to Asuka.
Watching the dwindling countdown, they checked that their stars remained at one and a half, growing increasingly tense.
Always keen to do their best and flawlessly accomplish tasks. Trying that drained them more than anticipated.
“Cripes, though I’m a non-smoker… didn’t expect this much pressure…”
-Don’t clumsily step into the kitchen, captain!!
-How’s that smoking chef’s stamina??
-The character looks to be sweating bullets.
-It’s climber-level superhuman concentration for such flawless chained moves.
-First time seeing the captain this serious.
-Seeing you earnest, you look captain-like today for the first time.
“Hmph, crew. Who do you think I am?”
“Pirate!”
“Indeed, I am Mare Pirate… never backs—”
“Pirate come to your senses!”
“I’m sorry!!!
-hahahahahaha
-I can’t resist the famous line haha
-Oh, captain! Please!!!
-The captain always wants the spotlight during the highlight haha
-No time? Getting 3 stars seems impossible?
At the crew’s remark, checking the timer, indeed just a little time remained.
The three performed synchronously, cooking perfectly, but why… Where’s the gap?
But there wasn’t time to ponder. If the Wakamou boss was there, wouldn’t he persevere regardless of such things?
It’s a must, for those represented as VTubers…!
“Can only carry one dish!!”
Though it seemed close, Asuka urgently shouted with 5 seconds left.
With each character able to carry only one item, that made this game difficult.
Pirate dashed carrying a dish, but the constantly moving terrain made the counter drift further away.
She hesitated because throwing wouldn’t reach it.
But suddenly, in her sight, Pirate found Ichigo already moving in prediction.
“Three-point shot!!!”
Throwing the dish vigorously to see it arc in the air, meantime, Wakamou got hit, plunging into the river.
But this deflection saw the dish arc, heading toward Ichigo.
“The left-hand assists only”
Gracefully receiving, Ichigo tossed the dish onto the counter, nailing 3 stars on the story’s ultimate difficulty.
“Boss, are you watching…! We have two talented VTubers right here…!!”
“Why’s your tension so high, can you share your secret…?”
Achieving 3 stars through perfect collaboration, feeling that unusual increased camaraderie among all.
The nearly 4-hour long first part of the stream, even on the highest difficulty, was a chaotic mess.
But at the last moment, achieved the miraculous success.
“Is the collab a success, captain?”
“…!! Man…. Don’t make me cry, you knucklehead…”
Every day, in those collabs where they tried asserting themselves.
Successfully achieved teamwork with professional awareness not just as Climbers but as VTubers.
Yes, not only in climbing but in every collab─ continuous synchronized efforts are vital─ with trust and faith in each other, any trial can be overcome.
It’s a simple game, but sharing it with many viewers, isn’t it?
In a refreshingly warm scene, Pirate and Ichigo gave each other a high five enthusiastically.
Yet amidst the strangely heartwarming scenery, Wakamou felt a touch of sadness.
Oh, do they not need the boss…?
Because he’s so awful at games, even though the boss was dragging them back, eventually coming together, the team managed 3 stars.
Is Wakamou better off just not existing…?
“Now, let’s go to Part 2 Asuka!! I’m not the old Pirate anymore!!!”
“That was great!! Build craft!!! Let’s dive right in!!!”
“Let’s take ’em all down!!!”
If the situation of trust and collaboration like now continued, nothing was to be feared.
All four gathered and snapped a photo with the monumental 3-star achievement screen in the background.
…..However.
That picture never became the collab’s thumbnail.
With all energy spent on the Part 1 struggle, Wakamou Corporation…
Faced a crushing defeat as if it was all a lie in the ensuing Part 2.
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