Huh, Was That Illegal Entry?
"A bit stronger than that one last time, huh."
A cold wind blew across the northern sea. I'd just hauled in a massive octopus-like monster and muttered it absentmindedly. Why was I mumbling out here, you ask? Same reason as with Mt. Fuji last time. I'd sensed mana levels similar to that guy's—Sharkrochi, right? Pretty sure that one was top-tier historic too... How many days had passed for something on that level to pop up again? Was the difficulty curve even right?
Anyway, that's why I'd slipped out for a quick morning jaunt. The mana output was a tad lower than Sharkrochi's, sure. But it was using its powers a bit more effectively, you could say. Not just flailing its mouth open or chirping like a bird—the difference between those and actual utilization. If those two squared off without running, I'd bet on this one. Considering it was aquatic, letting something like this rampage unchecked might've cost humanity the oceans.
Gates opening in the sea was a pain too. Most drown, but word was some unlucky spots got aquatic spawns that survived.
"What the hell's the world coming to."
Tsk tsk. I clicked my tongue with a sigh and turned back toward home.
But... wonder if this tastes good? That otherworld monster that looked similar, the kraken, was supposed to be a delicacy. Gate monsters might differ from otherworld ones, though, so I had my doubts. Krakens looked more squid-like. This was a straight-up octopus. Octopus is tastier than squid anyway, right? Gotta experiment for real.
"It's a different breed, but it looks like an octopus. Just bigger size-wise."
I'd prepped the sucker parts on purpose, and they're doubting it. Cheeky bastards.
Sobaeksan collapse? Size? Roughly a few hundred meters, probably. Big enough to humble Sharkrochi. Sea monsters tend to be massive, like animals.
"No way I caught it at Sobaeksan."
Location? Map said Bering Sea or something. Sensed it with mana, didn't bring my phone, so no exact name.
"Going abroad hits you with data roaming bombs anyway."
Like I'd forget on purpose. Gotta declare phones for international travel anyway.
"Huh."
The chat exploded at my offhand comment. Made me think... this quick trip—was it illegal entry?
Thinking back, customs wasn't about the phone; it was me needing procedures. Yeah.
"Alright, enough grilling! Let's cook this up."
"Nothing... happened...!"
Oh crap. Should've held back. Angle was too good; slipped into a drip.
"Uh... call it a draw? I spilled it all, but I'm a magical girl, y'know?"
Bit late to say it now, but magical girls operate in secrecy. Last time, proteges led and crowds came, so I rolled with it. Planned monster hunts on stream if content dipped, sure!
"Hoo. Didn't wanna pull this card."
Deep breath at the unyielding chat. Accept it—the secret ultimate from magical girl genre lore!
"Shh. This is our little secret, got it?"
Not super effective... Well, flow shifted anyway. They trolled "secret!" and lost interest in the octopus.
Rode the wave, bantered a bit, then plated bite-sized boiled octopus.
"Hm. Over there, every delicacy was monster meat."
Big gap in concepts from normal animals. Earth gates spawn monsters only, clear divide. Otherworld? They have ecosystems, breed like wildlife. Eating 'em felt natural.
"Whether they have mana-handling organs."
Simple otherworld trivia as I popped octopus in my mouth. "Oh."
A bit chewy, but flavor overpowers everything. Like a whole octopus compressed into one bite—rich, sweet umami flooded instantly.
"This slaps."
"Kinda chewy but not worryingly so, super rich flavor. Juicy even after chews? One piece in soup makes octopus stew."
Plenty left; snack whenever. Lifetime supply by size.
"Maybe try Sharkrochi next."
"Couldn't just leave it, so I processed and brought it."
Mana tech said anyone else touching it'd go boom. Using for food now dulled the caution, but massive-mana corpses need proper handling. Like leaving any carcass—problems brew.
"Nah, freezer."
"Details get technical... Froze it and compressed space a bit."
Wanted inventory originally. Grilled mages/witches yielded this instead.
"Attribute-dependent, purity matters—most can't even try."
Insanely advanced technique. Few could there either.
"Hm. Freezer... the freezer space, yeah..."
Actually magicked it ages ago. Y'know, secret magic use? Fridge too—perfect for my attribute. Fine-tune cold for near-permanent preservation, expand interior.
"Not as grand as you think."
"Other awakeners? No space attribute, no dice. Proteges too."
Space is high-tier; hard to wield directly. Interfering with others? Nightmare. Even intuitive magical girls can't newbie it.
Chatted viewer hooks till belly full.
"Barely half gone."
I eat plenty regardless of size. Flavor so intense, feels like way more intake.
"Mukbang wrapping up."
"Dunno. Simple ideal type world cup? Clearing this, short break—think of recs."
Viewers up; tossed easy content, took breather. Time for phone check. Urgent calls during stream, but msgs/mail on breaks. Used to ignore entirely—no contacts but family. Now proteges ping often.
"...?"
Check msgs—honestly shocked. Not just sleep-text gibberish. Sender issue.
Yoo Su-ho. 22. Same age as me. Back then... pre-TS me, middle school bestie. Visited home often, close with his sis too. Post-TS, same vibe awhile. Huge influence now. That guy I mentioned—helped VTuber debut, managed streams basically. Now? Cut contact, near-estranged.
Why the fallout? Incident back then. Otherworld solidified my identity, ironically skimping Earth-me awareness. He confessed.
Current me—TS magical girl Ha Seol-hee—overlays old info for identity. But "person" changed, not "actions." Buff guy solo-living? Same now.
Yeah. Same actions: house visits, family bonds, best bro talks, guy-guy consults...
All identical. What was I to him? Should've clocked him simping for sis. No clue then.
Thus, VTuber Geukbing's first scandal: bro confession. Lit up communities.
How'd viewers know? ...My oblivious ass blabbed. Otherworld norm: roast marriage-proposing knights. Burned friend lightly as content.
Retro: dude in/out my place, stream help, confession reveal—epic self-seppuku. No adaptation, awareness, pro mindset. Fire uncontrollable when realized. Dox attempts even. Patch? Natural cutoff.
Even sans stream sin, brutal dump—no friendship left.
"Hmm..."
Mystery msg from him. Not prankster type for ex. Unless personality flipped unknown.
Gut said probe; sent test reply, back to stream.
...Of course, no reply post-stream either.