Kka~bi! The Late-Night +10 Obsession
"Kka~bi."
Moteok's voice rings out bright and cheery. She looks like she's in a great mood.
"You're not giving up here, right? You've gotta push at least to +10. You've got the Sena class, after all."
Moteok's sincere advice.
"Honestly, anything under +10 is like you didn't even try. Admit it? Might as well not have bothered. If it ends like this, you can't even call yourself a Sena fan out there. Viewers would lose all faith... If it were me, I'd have made at least +10."
The more I hear her earnest scolding, the dizzier and more tangled my head gets.
I gotta do it... right?! Gotta hit +10. Come on, Sena. +10 is the minimum. What's +6? At least two digits, duh.
While everyone's hitting +10, you gonna be the only one stuck at +5 or +6? You wanna get weeded out? Get culled again? No way. No way. My eyes snap open. Can't get culled. Absolutely not.
"Moteok! I'm off to fish! Thanks...!"
"Wait, haharofl. But what's your current level?"
"Uh, +6..."
"Ah, good luck."
"Yeah..."
I mumble dejectedly.
"Fighting. You can do it. But... I'll head to +10 first."
"W-wait for me, and I'll catch right up!"
"Hahahalmao. Got it. Come on over."
"Yep!"
Keep hammering, and I zip up to +9 easy. The problem's +9 to +10—keeps slipping away. Success rate's 5%. Nail it, and you wanna push further; fail, and you gotta recover, so hammer again. No choice for me.
On the seventh try, my weapon shatters. Lucky game's merciful. "Shatter" just means reset to +0. Not deleted.
Back to infinite tries... Can't breach the +10 wall. Recover to +6, and I've blown all my cash. Now I get why late-night whims are terrifying.
Suuuuper wanna enhance. Hands are itching; can't hold back. So close to breaking +10. Just one more, and it'd work. Stacks are piled nice and neat. This time's different for real.
"Urgh. If only I had money, guys. To make more, just go fishing, right? Yeah?"
Yeah, gotta hit +10. Everyone else does.
"Mailbox? Mailbox..."
Open the mailbox. 28 full rows of tickets.
"This is... Ah!?"
Claim 'em all: 664 tickets. Thousand won each, so everyone's like, "Eleven days' earnings: 664,000 won."
"Thank you! Seriously, thank you so much."
Thanks to someone's generosity, we're at 700. After all this time, I still barely know the village. What's next?
"Whoa. Spot on."
How'd they know?
"Yeah. Thank you."
So grateful, I jump up. Bow deeply in thanks. Settle back, fiddle with keyboard.
Found the viewer-tipped NPC. Dizzying array of dozens of items for sale.
"What's the best one?"
Ask, and economist viewers swarm, spilling efficiency tips. Cost-conscious crowd helps me swap tickets without loss. Got 70 vouchers from 5k to 500k won.
Guess it was just me. Viewers are pissed.
Oh no. They're furious.
"Whoa~ whoa~ warriors. No need to rage~ fire mages."
"Sorry, everyone. Really sorry. Won't happen again. Thanks, all. Have a great day."
"Thanks."
Curtain falls on the drama. Now for the main course: ripping open gacha vouchers like crazy. One by one.
30 in: average 110k won. All 70: 9.6 million won jackpot.
Way more than expected; viewers freak. Yell at me, then eek.
Money's piled up. What now? Spend it, duh. Straight to enhancements.
How to hold back? I can't.
Win in the end, no matter the cost. Get what you want...
"No such thing as sucking at enhancements..."
It's probability. All I do is click. Why blame me? Can't comprehend.
What the... Their nonsense has me floored. Hollow laugh escapes.
"Heh... heh..."
Ignore all dons and chat. Can't take this BS anymore.
Even this dummy knows probability. Good luck succeeds, bad fails. It's luck. Blaming skill shortage? Please.
"Guess I'll go fishing..."
Smack lips, head to fishing spot. Should've quit at +6. Spent 9.6 mil from there, stalled at +5. Money gone, level down.
Head to fishing spot, all lonely.
"Uh... yeah, kinda?"
Shakes my reed-thin resolve. True? What am I doing?
True too.
"Uh, late-night whim hit, so I enhanced the rod."
Uh... Saying it out loud? Low numbers sting. Self-esteem plummets.
"Uh... so... +5."
"..."
Swore off farming. But enhancements broke all my rules. Brain's fried.
"How much it make?"
Late-night whims are scary. Quick. Quick. Wanna enhance.
"C-can I borrow it?"
Guts up, ask. Know I shouldn't. Head screams no, but desire rules body.
Spot Himaru's chat, smash recall scroll.
[Cannot use at fishing spot.]
Pops up, so bolt outside. Recall again. Can't keep Himaru waiting. Viewers see it different.
Yeah, think that instead. Himaru's already at the plaza. World turns smooth. Won't do this next time. Self-promise. Panting, I approach.
"Himaru! Hi."
"Hiya~ Feels like forever. Doing good?"
"Y-yeah...! Super good. Thanks."
"Ehehehe. Here."
Himaru tosses me a gleaming netherite hoe.
"No field, right?"
"Yeah..."
"Use mine. This too."
Hands over pouch too. Check inventory: "Auto-Seed Planter" item.
"Makes it easy."
"Whoa...! Thanks."
Feels like emperor gifting subjects. Totally touched. Cherish forever.
"I'll treasure it!"
"Ehehe. Easy to make. Use up, upgrade later."
"N-no. Heirloom. Thanks."
"Hahalol. Heirloom? Toss when done. Follow me. Show you the field."
I trail Himaru like a duckling. At the field, learn usage, practice/review.
"Oh, Sena. When we doing that thing~?"
"What thing?"
"House invite."
"Ah..."
"Ah? Forgot?"
Eh? Oh! Totally spaced. Deep in game, forgot. Right, built house for this.
"House and road done! Wanna see?!"
"Hahalol. Sure? Where? Gotta check the house."
"I'll guide you."
My turn. Lead Himaru to 12 o'clock house.
"Whoa, what is this? Insane? Built so well."
"Heeheehee..."
"How'd you make it? Must've been tough?"
She gets it. Brutal. Dummy me started mining stone with iron pick, smelting. Got delicate touch later; bridge was pure grind anyway.
"Did amazing?"
"Thanks. YouTube tutorial!"
"Hehehe~. Good job. So pretty~?"
Headpats feel great. Heehee. Her liking it joys me more. Effort pays off.
"This is my house."
Himaru's reaction: gold.
"Whoaaa. Real deal? Nice? Wanna live here."
"Ehehehe. Check this. Here. Back... got garden too."
Guide to cabin back. Vs. her field? Speck. Giant vs. mouse size, tiny plot.
"Nicely done. Cozy. Healing vibes."
Praise pumps me up.
"YouTube. Super cute, right? Added this. See... lanterns here. Lantern spots unique. Over here, secret base too. Boredom-proof, hammock bought... And y'know. Viewers don't know yet. Himaru only! Here... "
Geeking out, spilling all my hidden Easter eggs.