140 - Hot Potato
“You've been publicly executing me all this time, haven't you! They say revenge for a lifetime grudge meets on a log bridge! Perfect timing, NoName!”
The girl, claws from Wolverine equipped on her hands, growled even before the game started. Her long hair fell to her waist in a two-tone black-and-white. She wore a cute animal hoodie, but her identity wasn't easy to guess at a glance. It looked vaguely like a mole or a beaver.
“You don't know how I feel, unable to take down the video! I'm gonna rip NoName into six pieces!”
The vtuber Kariri, with her honey-bumblebee nonsense concept, had vowed revenge on NoName about ten days ago.
It stemmed from the Japanese anime cover songs she'd been uploading since middle school. Those videos had played a huge role in making Kariri a popular vtuber, but they were also her black history. Still, VTube's algorithm was so good that unless someone was into that scene, they'd never see them in their lifetime.
But NoName kept playing her song as the broadcast opening, spreading it even to viewers immune to otaku culture. The wholesome comment section, mostly elementary kids, quickly filled with prank comments and hate from internet veterans.
Kariri, hearing about it by chance, read every single one, got her heart wounded, stayed up all night, and ended up 6 hours late to her stream.
“With this team, we can definitely win. Everyone, fighting! Hehehe... Welcome to hell, NoName!”
“Wait, Kariri, did you really snipe your way in here?”
The moment NoName announced she'd play a casual game, Kariri dropped everything and rushed over. And luck was always on her side. She sniped into the first match, checked the team gap, and smirked bitterly.
Nocturne Nailingk vs Friedrich Crown Prince
Map: Arseria Forest
Friedrich Crown Prince has joined your team.
Capture outposts to secure advantageous high ground.
Any other game, maybe not, but she was confident enough in World of Arceria to hold Platinum indefinitely. Normally, she'd avoid teams with huge power gaps, but not today.
“Just kill her once, just once, and it's Kariri's win!”
Kariri knew NoName well—her little brother was a fan. An ecosystem destroyer with top-tier game sense. Her current character even held world rank 1 combat power.
Her teammates, tacitly agreeing to squash NoName, split into pairs and threes to hunt her, figuring early aggression would seal an easy win.
But as Kariri's status screen turned red and her vision grayed out, even checking chat became hard.
2 Kills / 10 Deaths / 4 Assists
“Why! Guaaahhh!”
“Stop feeding already! You're making NoName even stronger!”
They thought they'd cruise to victory after winning the first objective teamfight. NoName vanished mid-fight, no kill count added, but the game flowed smoothly.
But NoName ditched the objective, took the two neutral outposts, and picked off Kariri's teammates one by one, sending them to respawn.
“Go out quick! You're the tank!”
“What? If I go, I'm dead in 5 secs too.”
“That's why—hold 5 secs. We die in 1.”
“DPS ain't outputting, what am I gonna do, block? ??”
“This crazy antisocial demon spawn saying ?? out loud!”
As seen, the team's state was hopeless.
“My... my revenge ending so pointlessly...?”
No one stepped up against the maniac who sliced throats right as invincibility ended at respawn.
Blue Team eliminated Alphonse Schipot!
Second objective just got hunted. NoName, staring down all six without farming, kept growing stronger.
“Game's only 15 mins in, this is too much!”
“Huh? NoName's moving?”
“Good, let's go out now!”
Yggdrasil begins growing in each base.
At 15 minutes, the world trees sprouted. NoName had already destroyed all defenses guarding her team's Yggdrasil with her allies. Before the third objective even spawned, Kariri's revenge seemed to fizzle out pathetically.
“Victory... we won...! We actually won this!”
The boy shuddered, thrill of battle still lingering.
“Why haven't I played World of Arceria, this god game? Feels like half my life's wasted.”
“Multi's insane! Heart pounding so hard.”
They lingered in the lounge, stunned by the impossible result. Especially the man with the zweihander—his gaze shifted sideways.
Not just him. Everyone's eyes stuck on the graceful woman.
She'd rallied the team in what seemed a hopeless game, punching straight through. Diving crumbling lines, she beheaded enemy leaders one by one, then assigned tasks. Clumsy at first, but ironclad command wore down the enemy's fortress. Victory seized. Igniting fire in newbie hearts unknowingly, Nami turned—eyes met.
“We won, huh?”
For a moment, the five felt a halo shining behind her head. Ecstasy and fulfillment boiled in their chests. Her smiling face was the most beautiful.
“NoName, you're crazy? Carrying like that and so chill?!”
“This her main...?”
Some cheered in joy, others despaired at talent gap—varied reactions.
The uncle, catching breath, approached Nami for a handshake.
“You stream? Mind sharing your active nick?”
“Bro! Even VR, people these days—”
Nami gripped his hand without hesitation.
“NoName. Streaming on Twishi as NoName.”
“Thanks for the great experience. Appreciate it.”
“No prob.”
Fan meetup raged on; Nami tried slipping out. But the honey-bumblebee hoodie girl reappeared—the tragic one killed 13 times by Nami.
Familiar face; Nami tilted head. Kariri stood bold.
“Hm? Oh.”
“Yeah, it's me! Kariri!”
“Yeeah... Seen your vids a few times.”
“18 deaths today...! No, that's not it. My song video! How long you gonna use it as OP?! So embarrassing!”
Kariri stomped.
Nami scratched head awkwardly.
“But your voice sounds like mine.”
“That's 4-year-old me... with autotune! Not my voice anymore?”
“Should I stop?”
“No!”
“...?”
“Collab with me instead? Then you can use my songs forever!”
Chest puffed, eyes sparkling.
“Nah.”
“Eeeeeh? Why why why?!”
“Just no. If it's uncomfortable, I won't use the vid.”
“Nooo—!”
Nami firmly rejected Kariri's pleading, bolting from the lounge.
No paradise in escape; now face burning viewers.
148 in queue
[Claim All]
[Manager1: Wait, streamer, don't click that!]
Water already spilled. System confirmed under 15; no need hiding.
Nami stretched, yawned long. Facing camera squarely after ages, she waved open-palmed.
“Yawwwn. See ya next time. School tomorrow.”
“Eh? What—”
And catching NoName's exploding viewer fire—properly stoked—was none other than Kariri.