Chapter 80
Chapter 80
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: Legend's Fundraising Live (2)
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Bzzz— bzzzzz—
Rubbing her eyes at the sound of her phone vibrating, Mika groaned.
She'd streamed until dawn, and now it was 10 a.m. Who the hell would wake her during this golden window of sleep?
"...It's you again, Maki."
She'd clearly set her status message to "do not contact," yet this person was brazenly calling anyway. Only two possibilities.
Staff, or Maki.
She wanted to switch to full do-not-disturb mode, but she couldn't—streamers had to be ready to handle any major incidents on short notice.
Answer it, or ignore it?
Mika agonized over it for a while. She already knew what the call was about anyway.
"Ah, it hung up."
While she hesitated, the time ran out and the call ended.
Perfect. Now she could just go back to sleep. As Mika lay down and pulled the covers over her, the phone rang again.
Ah, this vibe—she'd show up at the house if I didn't pick up.
Recalling how Maki had once taken the Shinkansen from Kyoto to Tokyo just because Mika ignored her calls, Mika reluctantly got out of bed.
It had been ages since her last day off, and while she didn't hate spending this golden holiday with Maki, sometimes people just wanted to be alone.
"What."
- What do you mean, what! That's my line. You're awake—why didn't you pick up!
"Because of you."
- Ahahaha!! Didn't realize. So, you gonna watch or not?
Ah, there it was. The topic.
Mika switched the phone to speaker and flopped back onto the bed, sliding it under her pillow.
This way, her eyes didn't get strained, and she could chat lying down. The only downside was her voice might not come through clearly, but that was Maki's problem.
"Nope. Absolutely not."
- It's a collab with QWER. Sara's new avatar might show up!
Mika shook her head.
No way in hell would it go that far with an avatar.
Rayshojo's bankruptcy, the president's disappearance, and the start of legal battles.
And Sara personally covering the embezzled donations out of pocket. No expectations for an avatar there.
The collab itself was probably just Sara begging for it. At best, a map. Maybe some effects or staging at the limit.
Even that made her stomach ache like crazy.
DreamLive was already slowly losing ground to Myth unnie, plain as day. Sara jumping in too? No way.
"My stomach hurts. Can't watch. It's obvious Myth unnie will show up too, hyping everyone, and it'll be chaos. How am I supposed to watch that?"
"Huh? Myth's coming?"
"It's got QWER involved. Weirder if she doesn't."
"But Sara's in America, and Myth's in Korea. How's she showing up?"
"Distance doesn't matter for VTubers. Cameo reference or screen in the background for chorus backup."
"Heh, you're basically a pro spectator now. Feels like all the big VTuber news this year—Myth unnie rides the wave, we just watch. DreamLive isn't in danger, is it?"
DreamLive was drifting further from reclaiming first place, sure, but it wasn't really in jeopardy.
The solid concrete ceiling was overwhelmingly thicker than Korea or the English-speaking world, and the domestic market was huge.
Of course, for Mika seriously gunning for number one, even that was stressful.
"...Gotta pressure DreamLive properly. With that cheat lump QWER around, they'll coast for years. Throw some money at scouting once."
"No way~ Even I think QWER's price tag is insane. How much do you figure it'd actually cost to book him?"
"How much to book the guy who pumps out top-tier quality in weeks...?"
She'd never seriously considered it since it seemed impossible anyway.
Mika snapped her fingers in the air.
Work time? Honestly, too insane to calculate. Plugging that superhuman, superpower-like speed into rates would just be quoting his worth directly.
Made calculations meaningless.
Excluding that, pure quality of the work...
"----yen, probably."
"...For real? That's a walking mid-sized company."
"Tell me about it. Anyway, hanging up. Gonna sleep."
"You announced a day off today?"
"If I stream tonight, it'll just be 'Did you see it?' spam. Can't with this stomachache. Night."
Mika hung up and collapsed back into bed.
She needed to sleep, but waking at this awkward hour meant no rest coming.
...Ah, really shouldn't watch.
She knew it'd just make her stomach hurt worse.
Sleep teasing at the edges, curiosity already piqued from the chat.
What crazy stunt had QWER pulled this time? Her fingertips trembled with curiosity.
"Ugh, Maki. Gonna curse you for real."
Stub your toe on a corner while walking.
Rubbing her eyes, Mika grabbed her phone again.
▶
At that moment, across the ocean in a certain studio.
Legend steadied his breath, focusing on the stage.
"Hell- Yeah! Everyone been waiting!"
Beyond the camera, Sara's avatar appeared above the venue he'd slightly retouched.
Myth hadn't appeared yet, waiting precisely off-camera.
Just like last time, powerful tone and gravelly voice. Hmm, still no clue what she's saying.
If his English improved in a week, he'd be a genius.
"As you all know, we're here for those kids today! And because of that fucking son-of-a-bitch CEO!"
Bam! Sara stomped powerfully.
Her tiny frame meant no real thud, but the presence was what mattered.
"Well, silver lining—he let us meet this great connection."
Sara spread her arms wide.
To my eyes, just waving at air, but glancing beyond the camera showed she meant this stage.
More precisely, the venue he'd retouched.
"How's it look? Beautiful map, right? Similar to ones you've seen, but it shines a bit more."
Even with nothing visible, Sara reacted and acted like the venue was right there.
Top-tier popularity VTubers' acting skills, huh.
Her gaze into the void sparkled like she saw real brilliance.
"Despite the huge ask, you gave this map free for the kids—sending admiration and love—"
The word "free" sent the chat into a frenzy.
"—she says. Chat's going wild."
"...Sorry for the translation..."
"Nah, we're paid salary plus incentives. Ask anytime. Myth unnie's generous with pay on this stuff."
"Ahem."
Exactly—Myth noona relayed it.
I can't read English. Damn, gotta study English and Japanese.
As he felt endless gratitude toward his noona doubling as daily translator, the live pressed on.
"Alright, let's start. A live for the kids."
Sara's eyes flashed.
Ask the world's top VTuber? Everyone picks Myth. Best singer? Opinions split.
Leaving aside Mika's disastrously talentless vocals, it boiled down to two.
Sara and Myth.
Sara's powerful, forceful songs versus Myth's voice mastering any range.
After endless debate, consensus:
Myth wins uniquely on Korean/Japanese due to pronunciation, but even she—
"I used to drift like a satellite-!!!!!!!!!!"
—couldn't top Sara in English, her native turf.
How did that tiny body produce such volume? Ears nearly burst.
Screen audio versus live? Different leagues.
Air quivered, skin tingled.
Reason people flock to concerts.
"When the winter wind begins to blow—"
No idea the meaning, but Sara's emotions cut through the vibrating air.
Love, compassion.
Powerful, yet warm inside.
There she poured love, dancing and singing fiercely.
Song ended; Sara panted, flashing a grin.
Damn girl crush. Cool even to a guy like me.
"Haa... haa... Not bad, huh?"
"Not bad, she says."
Sara caught her breath, straightened, and dove into the next song.
Expected a softer one for her throat, but no—blazing passion, intense track after track like burning it all.
"Third song?"
"Yeah, third."
Three songs. About time.
"Community reactions?"
"YouTube comments good, but deeper communities are meh. Great songs, great live... so what? Rayshojo burned her out with concert marathons early this year."
Figured.
Legend sighed heavily.
Internet always craves new.
Sara's oversold songs. Dances and lives all year.
No time for fresh ones, sadly. Maps and MV ate it up.
Even brilliant books lose appeal on second read unless you're obsessed.
Great, beautiful, intense voice and dance—but Sara alone, basic retouched venue? Not enough heartstrings.
Thus—
"Keep this promise close—I'll carry your heart."
Now.
As anticipation waned.
For peak emotional surge, slip a unique tone amid the intensity, announce presence.
Not appeared yet, but no VTuber viewer today misses this voice.
Clack, clack—up prepared stairs, camera caught a girl in black dress ascending to stage.
Sara and Myth.
Viewers expected Myth somehow, but not like this.
Voice cameo, duet maybe.
Not dancing same stage, same studio.
"How's that?"
Chats flooded instantly.
"Whew. Explosive."
His noona whistled at the bursting chat and community reactions.