Big Corps Smash Indie Rules!! (2)

I don't even want to think about yesterday's rabbit game. I sucked so bad I burned the whole squad. Luckily, Himaru cheered me on not to get discouraged.

"If a big corp cheers you on, don't get down. Just forget it ever happened. But hey, you gained some big experience yesterday, right? Prep is essential!! Remember that!!"

Anyway, after my reflection time, I poured water into some ramen. Gotta eat to live, right? That's what we're all doing!!

"Euhihi."

I grabbed the ramen and headed to my computer. Gotta check the replay views!! I'm excited. Don't lie and say you're not. Honestly, I always get zero views. Or one. But maybe today there'll be some? Sigh…

The second I saw the view count, I clapped. 349 views. A new all-time high for my replays on YouTube. Incredible progress.

I clicked the replay to check the comments. It was shocking.

A timeline had spawned in my room. Th-this is the power of big corps, the trickle-down effect. I could feel it. The comments made sense now. To prevent a total disaster, I need to prep a hundred times. That's how you downgrade a catastrophe to just a regular disaster. I prepped like crazy for the rabbit game back in the day, but I still sucked and caused a meltdown because I forgot everything.

Scrolling through more comments: First time seeing someone worse than Himaru, questioning if I'm even human, saying even monkeys wouldn't do this. Himaru must have the patience of a saint. Even the replay grinds my gears—live would've driven them insane.

Seeing the reactions made my ramen taste even better. Like some extra umami got added. Same stuff as yesterday, but way tastier. Slurp.

After finishing the ramen and cleaning up, I sat back down at the computer. Was just browsing comments when… 2 PM hit, so like always, I fired up the stream.

"Phew…"

Time to face reality. No big expectations? Total lie. At least 5… no, 10… honestly 20 viewers. I've been grinding for two days straight—20 sounds smart and logical, right?

Waiting period. About 5 minutes for viewers to trickle in. I do my prep while waiting. Grabbed some water. But then.

A ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠chat pops up. No, three or four.

No way. Ah… n-no… This is different from mid-tier. With mid-tier, collab ends and that's it. Everyone fends for themselves. But big corps… employee benefits are on point?! Himaru is chatting in my stream. Is this the welfare? I just felt that "family vibe" mids talk about, but from a big corp. When I make it big, I'll take care of everyone like Himaru!! I worship you!! Himaru!!

"Ah… hello everyone. Thanks so much."

I mustered my courage and spoke up.

The sudden chats had me reeling. Checked viewer count—way more than I thought. 45 people. Huge growth!

Back to chat.

"Y-yesterday I really tried my… best… I swear. I'll practice next time."

Ugh. Stabbed right in the heart. I don't aim for chill streams. I want pure fun broadcasts. But my brain glitches between thinking and speaking, so it never lands funny.

My stream's like background radio for work in a quiet room. Chill has clear limits. Call me spoiled, but I wanna climb higher. Even idiots have ambition. I wanna stand at the top of the sky. Can't be chill for that. Need pure fun to pull in randos.

Walk? What's that mean? I glanced at chat.

"What's a walk?"

I asked 'cause I didn't know. Viewers are kind and smart—they all explained.

This was a real shock. Chatting in other streams while mine's on? My whole body tingled. Never imagined it.

"For real…?! Awesome. Good good."

"No, they can go… I mean, can they? Probably. Yeah. They might. Yeah, they can go."

Didn't have enough viewers to ban. Everyone's precious—one ban and disaster.

"I-it's fine! It happens. Yeah. Yup."

Public opinion on walkers was brutal. They'd already decided to execute. Just waiting for my stamp.

"Uh… sorry, I don't listen to music."

Viewers don't believe me. I only play chill BGM during streams. I really don't listen.

My reason differed from Himaru's. Music distracts me. Can't focus if I listen. Started bopping instead of working, so I quit.

"Ah, I see… I can't concentrate anymore if I listen."

Himaru's typing away, it's 6 PM now. Great she's watching hard, but not skipping her stream like yesterday, right? Just checking.

"But… Maru, it's 6. No stream today?"

"No, not like that. Maru was late yesterday—can't be late again!"

"Oh, off day huh."

Zero tact again. Forced a convo to get closer, but blew it. Self-inflicted, no excuses. Shoulda checked. Won't next time…

But Maru's kind—she'll give another chance. Gotta be. She even visited.

Gotta explain. Himaru's crying. Serious. Shaky voice.

"N-no, not like that. You were late yesterday, so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠if today too it'd be bad. Really just curious. For real."

Misunderstanding cleared quick. Himaru's got a big heart.

"No, that wasn't me. For real."

Sudden troll appeared.

"Checked—it is Sena~"

Himaru and viewers are idiots. Not me. Why believe it? Obvious fake. But they really did.

"No, really not me."

"No, I don't talk like that. Really not me."

"Thanks, Maru. Really not me!"

Phew. Wise enough not to fall for malicious impersonation.

Heard of this culture—goroshi. Malicious dogpiling one person. Get caught wrong, they harass forever.

"Seriously, pranks like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this—don't believe 'em! Bad if you do!"

Was explaining hard when.

Seemed like Himaru's toxic fans. Newbie rejection's been harsh lately. Probably all her viewers, no real randos.

But streamers gotta manage chat well. Mess up, and her fans might shun future newbies.

Turds are what indie streamers fear most. They bully newbies, use insider lingo, block inflows.

Can't ban tho. 49 viewers—everyone counts. What now?

Right, warn first. They'll get it.

"D-donations, no mean words pls!"

They all obeyed quick. Host sets the tone…

Yep, all tamed. Host charisma is key…! I won 'em over in one go. One word from me and they're angels.

"Great! Heehee."

Am I awesome? Surprised? Waaah!!

Already 10 PM. Recap what I did… …Nada. Just chatted sporadically, no big performance. Got dragged by viewers. End now and they'll come tomorrow? Nah, too chill. Walkers. Ugh no. Gotta do something today!! But what? Hmm…

"Tomorrow ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I'll come back improved. Guys, tomorrow I'll make a chat topic!! Come back tomorrow!! I'll grow. Gain XP. Absorb. Chomp chomp!!"

"For real!! I declare: Tomorrow library's closed. It'll be chatter central!! Good? Gotta come, right?! Great! Heehee."

Nothing set, but showed ambition. Chat exploded. Euhuhu. Gotta plan for tomorrow.