“Liu Ying… When the last leaf falls, I will die.”
“Boss, don’t dieee!!!”
Liu Ying buried her face in the bed and sobbed genuinely and heartbreakingly.
Attached to an IV filled with a mana potion and looking so gaunt that he seemed blurry, Wakamou appeared truly on the brink of death.
“Leader… The backlash from forcibly using the power taken by the Tower…! Is it like disappearing due to some suddenly added setting?”
“Naruto Part 2 is terrible…”
“You understood that too? Don’t leave, Kurama! Anyway, what’s going on?”
“I wouldn’t know, would I?”
“Your master is on the verge of death, and you’re not worried?”
“Androids have no problem understanding death.”
“The theme suddenly swerves into philosophy.”
Trading jokes with Wakamou, Sadako genuinely worried and glanced back at Asuka, who shrugged, signifying she didn’t know either.
Even as a familiar, she’d long since given up trying to understand Wakamou.
The terrifying obsession with VTubers had already veered into a realm of madness that even the Tower couldn’t comprehend.
Among these members, Adelheid, arguably the most mature, clutched a dying Mei brought back by Wakamou, pleading to save her child with lost sanity.
“Unforgivable, Soviet!!!”
“Don’t go against the times, artist!!”
“I’ll join the Korean military for vengeance!!!”
“Let’s team up with Japan and strike Russia while we’re at it!”
“What’s happening, Asuka?”
“It’s World War II sequel!”
Each member exhibited such intense individualism to the point where their egos seemed monstrously oversized.
Wakamou lamented that all his VTubers were beauties, thinking they should’ve been streamers instead.
After all, wasn’t it true that a VTuber character being practically the same as a real-world one meant they’re at the same level as streamers?
Conversely, it implied all the members were such beauties detached from reality.
They were pretty and cute enough to pass as VTuber characters!!
Could forcing them into VTuber roles have derailed everything like this?
Should I have meticulously constructed the VTuber persona and firmly built a foundation before trying to settle the sudden encounter with Liu Ying caused by the Tower?
Reflecting on it, the root of all these problems was the Tower.
“Damn!! You damn Korean Tower!!! Making VTuber characters using the original red pill?! People will laugh at me for centuries like Sima Yi!”
“It’s nearly been 2,000 years now.”
“I’m unqualified to be a VTuber!! Oh-hoo-hoo…!! Ahh-hhoo-hoo…!!”
As Wakamou became more transparent due to the mana leaking from his heartfelt cries, Asuka plugged a mana potion into his mouth to restore him.
Even if his mental state was shattered, it was thoroughly destroyed.
Having returned excitedly from Russia, how had he ended up returning as a wreck on the last day?
“Was it because of me…?”
Liu Ying, sighing heavily, seemed depressed, but Wakamou pulled her into a comforting hug, insisting it wasn’t her fault.
It was the Tower’s fault that their paths crossed unexpectedly, and Wakamou had no intention of holding grudges against a companion he came across once.
He only blamed his own inadequately deficient intelligence!
‘Goddammit, if an Ascender can’t be made into a shrine maiden, why can Liu Ying be designated?’
It was absurd how the rules stretched like rubber bands at will.
Am I to make Liu Ying not only a VTuber but also a shrine maiden and emperor?
Wakamou silently vowed that even if it killed him, he would destroy the Korean Tower if it dared present itself at the top.
Anyway, that was separate from this.
“Jackson, how about building some factories or facilities in Russia following the guide?”
“Not really inclined~”
“If you do, this tech tree opens up. There’s a space station too.”
“Sure, let’s try it.”
Cheering and getting dispatched for the best company possible with an escort, Jackson received defensive items as a gift to escape to the first floor of Wakamou should danger arise.
And so, the Russian issue was tossed over to the President of the Korean Association and the Chinese Premier to handle, and Wakamou aimed to live life only doing what he wanted, ignoring them as always, like a brazen fox.
After endless flattery and praise—Dmitry, now thoroughly under Wakamou’s sway—promised never to return to Russia once he crossed over to South Korea.
“Manager!”
“Yes?”
“Prepare for the interview!”
“Guys, bring them in.”
“We’re not concreting them over, are we?”
“Regrettably, no.”
“Oh, I was going to use that for today’s material.”
Sadako, disappointed, entered the warehouse and rolled out a large barrel.
As Wakamou collapsed with mental breakdown, Wanda Haye sounded the emergency assembly, causing utter chaos.
Olga Romanova opened her mouth about wanting to be a VTuber, stabbing at Wakamou’s weak spot, as Sadako came in with a crowbar and fetched her out from the barrel.
“Ughh…..”
“Heehahaha! It’s time to test if you’ll become a recruit or shark bait!!!”
The situation blurred the lines between an interview and an interrogation.
Anyone looking might think they were abducted and dragged here.
“Oh wow! Quite the rack on this one!”
“Sadako. Are you drunk? Calm down a bit.”
“Ah, this isn’t how you do it?”
“I’ll have no choice but to calm with a picture of General Yi Sun-sin…flowing pirate genes in my blood…”
“Argh! Fear, imprinted by the genes within me!”
“You Mongol brute! Should I turn you into Tartar steak so even your mom can’t recognize you?!”
“…I don’t have a mom or dad…”
“Adelheid wins!! I have both!! And they abandoned me!! Better to have none!!!”
“P-please calm down.”
Wanda Haye tenderly restrained the raging German with a chokehold.
Wakamou’s tears at the daily absurdities now made sense. Not barely a sane soul among them.
They all had the talents seemingly born to be VTubers. Moreover, they carried beauty worthy of admiration anywhere!
Even without being VTubers, they could earn income as Ascenders too!
“Do you like tonkatsu over rice? I said do you like it!! Eat tonkatsu over rice!!”
“Do you like donuts? They’ve got chocolate on them too?”
In small enterprises like this (?) normally, the president themselves would conduct interviews, but Olga didn’t expect using the entire staff. She just assumed, ‘Is this how interviews go in Korea?’. Having lived her entire life in the military, how could she know about society?
She clung tightly to a zombie bear plushie, shivering with fear.
It was a cherished item to maintain her humanity and prevent turning into a monster.
“Gap Moe!!!”
“Yes?”
“Wakamou’s reborn!! Wakamou’s reborn!! Wakamou’s reborn!!”
“WakaPya Punch!! She’s a goddess!!”
“Sadako, Asuka, you’re out.”
“Sorry.”
“I just got carried away in the mood—should I take something off? It’s exciting only if I undress.”
Only Asuka, who tried to undress, got evicted from the interview venue.
Despite all sorts of shenanigans, Olga Romanova’s interview for entrance into Wakamou Corporation finally got underway!!
All members here were either personally brought or recommended and hired by Wakamou… A family corporation, gathering under connections indeed!
‘How does one properly conduct an interview?’
Being more accustomed to being hired rather than hiring, a day Wakamou would conduct interviews as president never dawned upon him, leaving him at a loss.
“You mentioned wanting to become a VTuber. Well, with a face like yours, you could easily become a celebrity. Why insist on becoming a VTuber?”
“…I wanted to collab with my oshi…”
Wakamou silently shed tears.
All VTubers harbor dreams and challenges—some diving into the VTubing realm to pursue their oshi. The touching encounter with one’s oshi which validates their tiring yet rewarding journey as a VTuber… The story of VTubers meeting their oshis and fulfilling dreams, entering giants like Virtual Live…
There was no mention of it, but the dazzling days when the gorilla angel who liked maid onions opened up about his hidden feelings with streaming tears.
Up to the queen who pushes forward with unyielding passion to broadcast with her loved oshi…
How beautiful they are, running tirelessly toward dreams, undeterred by anything.
“Passed… you’re passed…”
“No, get a grip!!!”
“Huh..!!”
Inadvertently, Wakamou almost got overwhelmed by luminous memories existing in her mind with just one phrase.
Dangerous… As the thought of rejecting loomed, this girl… She’s quite the ace in interviews.
Might end up passing her inadvertently… What extraordinary rhetoric…!! Is this the Russian bear’s vigor?
“…Listen well!! VTubing is literally a red ocean among red oceans!! The probability of surviving entering without any prior knowledge…is less than ten percent!!”
“…Which is why I’m aiming for a large corporation…”
This girl…Shares the truth…?
“Sure, but… Rather than facing that, Virtual Live’s entrance is a safer bet!! To succeed as a VTuber, entering a major corporation is the safest route. To succeed in Korea, active community engagement is necessary, but the danger is too high. Protective masks barely get you to the starting line as a girl!!”
Wakamou earnestly tried to convince that VTubing without any forethought leads to substantial mental distress and hurt, with no assurance of success.
“The VTuber pie is confined domestically, and current corporations are dividing it up. Even CEO Wakbat managing otherworld idols hosts multiple events to save the VTuber market, introducing married VTubers and various others…yet the VTuber pie remains small!!”
The VTuber profession stemmed from streamers.
However, VTubers have limited activities compared to streamers, and while startup costs are significant, recovering them is extremely difficult. Essentially, all VTubers are competitors, and those in corporations are no exception, Wakamou highlighted the darker aspects.
Fans often have several oshis, but ultimately, it’s like forming a gigantic, intricate ecosystem.
Individual VTubers should collaborate and mingle with others, publicizing their presence, making themselves known, and advertising relentlessly.
“A VTuber should be captivating enough as streamer to have creators snipping their clips!! The VTuber industry is where dazzlingly talented raw diamonds clash for survival!! Of course, having it as a hobby aside a primary career, or doubling as a streamer, longer broadcasts to build connections leading to known success is a viable path.”
Sometimes they double as streamers, spending long hours building connections and raising their profile to succeed.
Wakamou suggests not only VTubers but also clean broadcasts like [Hallyang Style] that viewers enjoy, advising streamers to seek steady broadcasting and perseverance. Observing the ecosystem that VTubers live in, he ponders how to attract people, what kind of shows to do, and what direction to take.
Wakamou casually mentioned the best way to collaborate with Virtual Live is to become a VTuber specializing in FPS games. Following trending games abroad while consistently participating in major VTuber events.
Wakamou emphasized that making oneself known to everyone is the only way for VTubers to survive.
“Understand?! Anyone can join VTubers, but it’s definitely not a place to be underestimated!!”
“Then with effort, I’ll be a VTuber who comes to grab Wakamou’s attention.”
“Oh, suddenly saying that makes me unprepared…”
It’s the first time receiving a confession like this from a Beauty…!!
I’ve never heard a VTuber directly ask to be my Clipper… working at a place like a corporation was suggested once.
What is this thumping feeling I’ve never felt before…?
“No, don’t be swayed!”
“My desire to cultivate a fresh newbie VTuber and my wish to warn not to jump into this red ocean and suffer is clashing, Manager!!!”
“I’m going nuts, seriously!!!”
Internet broadcasting is a red ocean; it’s tough for complete nobodies to survive!!
And our company prohibits collaborations with VTubers from other companies to avoid causing nuisance, so even the dream of meeting cannot be realized!
“Even if I can’t collaborate… I want to attend concerts as a fan…”
“Ah… me too…”
“Rather than becoming friends with an Idol, I want to watch as a fan and become a VTuber like my favorite Oshi.”
Wakamou cried silently, moved by the heartfelt words.
The Octopus Priest remarked ─ though knowing you’re missed, not to make it the sole drive of your life.
Since they can’t always be by your side, though happy to be part of your life ─ wanting to share joyful memories and become friends spending time together.
Even if we can’t see each other someday, greeting with “How have you been?” while living daily lives is the kind of relationship hoped for.
Though words to keep a distance from fans, kindly telling not to cry or mourn future separations.
The relationships between Idols and fans are like that.
Didn’t they say not to fall in love, isn’t it like investing in a bank unable to retrieve savings, said the Octopus Priest.
Despite this, longing for such an Idol, she wishes to become one herself.
‘Empress watching from the American skies… there is a child here who shares your dream..!’
I am alive! What nonsense is this?!
Though interrupted mentally, Teacher Wakamou ignored it.
“Every tough time, I received encouragement through songs.”
“Ah…”
Wakamou tilted his head back at Olga’s words, which were almost a final clincher.
An absent memory filled Wakamou’s mind for a moment.
Cheering together at the festival live stage, discussing Oshi over food at a collaboration café ─
“I want to debut as a VTuber. Will Wakamou join?”
Olga, with a beautiful crimson sunset as a backdrop, suggests moving past admiration and starting.
“How do you compare to this beautiful golden evening sunset now?” An inquisitive kind of line.
Scared to start, with no assurance of success ─ hearing that, there’s nothing but sincerity left to pursue the dream.
Holding a friend’s hand to approach the company president wanting to become Idols, beginning a touching legendary tale…
“Yes… we were truly tag partners from the neighborhood… seemingly, we are ‘best friends’…”
“You heard that name yesterday?!”
Tears streaming down, indeed, we love and admire VTubers ─ fans wanting to become VTubers!!
Either becoming VTubers together or becoming your Clipper… or both…!!
“….Come to think of it, none of our members watched a VTuber until now!!!”
A stunned Wakamou shook.
Oh…? So now, Olga Romanova is the first to join sincerely wanting to debut in VTubers…?
“….Do we have to get married at this point?”
“What thought process leads you to that conclusion?!”
“Then what kind of VTuber character does Olga Romanova want to become?”
“Can’t it be made just like my face?”
Isn’t Wakamou Corporation a company like that?
To that, Wakamou wept tears of blood and collapsed.
Too pure, it was even more heartbreaking.
“As for stalkers…President Wakamou will protect me.”
“What?! Are you trying to persuade me to become your lifelong Clipper?! Manager, hold on!! She tempted me first!!”
“Oh, geez!!”
※※※
“This is how Olga Romanova’s VTuber character design wraps up, and a debut for the first generation with these members is upcoming.”
“Is our first-generation team named Red Team, Wakamou?”
“Please think of a proper name.”
“But it’s about China, Russia, and Germany?”
“I don’t know history well, so I don’t understand what you’re saying…”
“Are you saying you’re Nazi?”
“Aha”
“What ‘aha’!!”
Mei punched Adelheid playfully.
Even with this perfect chemistry, suggesting comedic debut would succeed, Adelheid laughed joyfully.
“Nice to meet you… Olga Romanova… became a Climber at 14. Not anymore now…”
“That’s quite young! What’s your age now?”
“This year…. 24?”
Russia’s first-generation Climber.
Like Liu Ying, living through the toughest times earned Adelheid’s respect.
She was 23 this year, with other zero-generation members like Sadako being only 20.
Other than Wakamou, she was the oldest.
Shouldn’t she act mature… but refusing to let go of the doll while fidgeting, seemed indeed a big child.
“Conscribed from the orphanage for being a Climber…. used in human experiments being unable to climb after injury….”
“I too…. praised as a genius and celebrated as Germany’s Artist… parents exploited my fame then discarded me when deemed a failed Climber….”
“…Let’s keep strong and live on!! We have so much life ahead! Happy days await us!!”
To the gloomy atmosphere, Wakamou closed his mouth and Mei eagerly raised her arms high to rally spirits brightly.
“Indeed! Compared to Mei or Mr. Wakamou, this is no life struggle. We didn’t roll through world warlike battlefields!”
“The commander said not stopping; but moving forward is what it’s about.”
“Why suddenly characterize me as the most unfortunate here…? But it’s good the energy’s back!”
As a debuting first-generation group, Mei started leading them around Wakamou’s one-floor residential area, recommending they get along.
Olga Romanova, once a Climber and no longer ─ could become one again if Wakamou wanted but that part kept nagging about the [Shaman] bit wondering if better this way.
Liu Ying eagerly showed interest but Wakamou thought better not.
Even without being a Shaman, Wakamou could lend skills anytime, no need for unneeded extras.
Besides, who knows what tricks this blasted tower tried pulling.
Couldn’t casually grant them either.
“Olga’s VTuber character planning and first-generation debut needs gradual setup…..but first this…”
[Acquired 【Legendary Tower Reward Box】!!]
─Together with such a notification, a reward thrown from outside the Tower.
Similar to when [Idol’s Shrine] noticed.
Could it be said given like a super chat for good viewing?
Wakamou circled the 2M large box cautiously, pondering what’s inside.
Is there something alive in there? It doesn’t seem so.
After moving to the farthest part of [My Worlds]’s vast territory, Wakamou knocked and thoroughly checked the box.
“Chief!! Completed the barricade!!!”
Hearing Liu Ying’s voice from afar, looking at the towering steel wall, Wakamou nodded.
Sadako watching through binoculars, Aoi Asuka and the Manager ready, guns prepared.
An extreme level of distrust towards the Tower.
What could be inside─ cautiously wrapping open the gift box from the Tower, Wakamou unveiled it.
“……Huh…?”
A lot.
Filled with overwhelming amounts, something abundantly packed inside.
Lifting a familiar armor, it folded, turning into a belt.
─Regrettably, no suitable armament for Wakamou as the size was too small.
“[Immortal Doujengwa]?”
The description of a general who recorded undefeated immortal legends on seas was striking.
With stat requirements for equipping, Wakamou, unable to wear, put it down.
“….A gift for warriors recognized by Bogatyr?”
SDVIMVFoanVzY1YwSVhjamMzUkt1UldJZnZQemRwemdmYmdPWi9jUUx4MWNBTUxCc1ZvYXIxOUJOWFp5bnVWeA
Grumbling at the Russian text instructions though readable, Wakamou lifted a marble.
“An item to class change to [Zmu]?”
There’s a lot.
Besides this, many items filled the box.
Things given seemingly by Russian and Korean Towers, guessing then checked and guessed those from Chinese and Japanese Towers too.
The issue being, of the four solitaires generously given, Wakamou could only use one.
“Hey, when gifting things!! Give something the recipient can use!!! You kidding?!”
Wakamou laid down, demanding ability points exchange while aching over the matter.
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