Who Am I? Merhen [Stream Title: Who Am I? Owner of the #5 Surging Game Video]

I clear my throat before turning on the mic. Thanks to all the throat-soothing stuff I've been chugging lately, my vocal condition feels pretty solid. Alright, the viewer count right as the stream goes live... Yeah, just a slight bump over usual, like I figured.

YouTube blowing up and stream viewers increasing are different beasts anyway. Still, the viewer spike from that booze mukbang hasn't dropped off after two whole days. Maybe it's time to ditch the "newbie streamer" label and upgrade to mid-tier streamer status.

With all that confidence, I flip on the mic and open my mouth.

"Yep, that's how it is, everyone."

"It's all 'cause I've been a good girl and karma's paying me back."

I don't budge no matter what the viewers say. At least I can pat myself on the back knowing I haven't lived so badly that I'd crash and burn from some scandal.

"You can't block out the sky with your hands and make it dark, folks. Wake up!! Face reality!!!"

"What're you on about? Wanna sniff?" I bring my mouth to the mic and blow out a big breath.

"Oh yeah? Then maybe I should end the stream early since I've had too much to drink?"

I shake my head automatically at the viewers' nonsense.

"Alright! Jokes over. Everyone saw the post I just put up in the YouTube community tab, right?"

"Yeah, figures you didn't. I just uploaded it." With that, I pull up the post I made in the YouTube community tab on stream—a recruitment notice for an editor.

"That pardon power is weak af! Anyway, recruiting a new editor! I'm planning to run YouTube for real this time. With a surging game video in the bag, it's full of potential—apply en masse!"

"The old one, duh. Don't turn a perfectly fine worker into an unemployed bum."

"If the deficits get too brutal, who knows, but for now, yeah. So go subscribe and watch Merhen's YouTube vids!! Twice, three times!!! Time to stop the deficit life after a year!"

The fact punch hits like a gut shot—feels like it, doesn't, so I clutch my chest and play it up.

"Fact violence.... STOP!!!"

"Deny what? You guys spammed chat, but this time the haters went too far, right? Admit it, you were laughing in disbelief too." I shake my head again like it's hopeless.

Stream vibe's hyped enough now—time to explain today's content.

I snag the perfectly timed question and fire back like I was waiting.

"Today's stream? Raider obviously, but not right away..." I pause for effect, shifting the super light stream mood a bit.

"Everyone remember how I won the viewer participation yesterday? And I said if I won, I'd crack down hard on you slackers?"

"Otaku talk's fine too, but that leaves some folks out. Gotta embrace everyone to be a true streamer, right? ...So part 1: anime watch-along."

"You guys are such whiners. I picked something pretty popular." I flash today's pick on stream, and everyone hits the question marks.

Not 'cause they don't know it? Or 'cause it totally contradicts what I said? Nah.

It is super popular. A loner girl starts a band—classic stuff.

"Only watched ep 1 a bit. But even that little taste screamed quality. Worth watching together on stream. Held back my binge and saved up to ep 12."

"Even better then. I can give you that rewatch thrill."

That's why I picked a guaranteed banger. Lets folks rewatch guilt-free. Less fun 'cause they know the plot? Nah, means I can react without spoilers freaking me out.

"Alright, everyone sit down. We're doing eps 1-3 for sure." I slap a timer in the stream corner.

Streaming anime = copyright violation 101. So the timer shows exactly where we are—viewers sync up their own player to match.

"Here we go—PLAY!!!" I smash the button. And then———

"...It's fun, for real! The material's solid, but the direction especially hooked me. They nailed the directing. Worth it just for that."

Anime watch-along seems like a massive hit. ...Dunno why, but whatever. Was it that fun? Gotta rewatch the VOD later.

"Glad you all enjoyed it. Might have to consider making it permanent."

"Is Night Rise the biggest stain on my life? Feels like it'll haunt my streams forever."

Should be getting stale by now, but viewers are still loving it. Not a huge annoyance for me, so I can roll with it.

"You guys got a point. I'll take it as long as it doesn't brain-break me." Subtle no-brain-break plea dropped, then I fire up Raider.

And I pull up PowerPoint too. The one blaring [Recap of Last Time!] in huge letters.