Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: Changing Collab Direction
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"...Collab, maybe I should change the direction a bit."
Wakamo muttered softly under her breath.
Manager Won Da-hye turned her head upon hearing it.
They had hastily switched games at Wakamo's suggestion to do something lighter with team play instead of a Build Craft horror collab.
It was a co-op cooking game called [Hell's Cook 2], infamous for descending into total chaos if the characters didn't coordinate their movements properly.
She had suggested doing that first for some mental healing before moving on to Build Craft in part two...
But Wakamo's face looked deeply troubled as she said it.
And understandably so—every collab devolved into arguments and everyone doing their own thing. The recent zombie multiplayer game had reached a point where they were all just surviving independently.
They cooperated well when filming videos like Seoul Recapture, but VTuber streams brought out egos that clashed too strongly.
To make streams fun, everyone pushed their own unique know-how, so of course they never meshed properly.
Yeah... Wakamo knew that herself. But she still wanted to do it.
Just having the corporate VTubers gathered together delighted the viewers.
The sight of them laughing harmoniously, chatting, and combining their strengths while playing together—Wakamo loved that so much.
Gathering to build fun memories, share experiences, and enjoy each other's company.
Corporate VTubers, especially in groups, often did streams together.
Having studied countless VTuber agencies, Wakamo was particularly obsessed with collabs.
But like individual streamers, they bickered and never clicked... She hoped to fix that, but.
It was regrettable.
She loved VTubers so much that she couldn't even ask them to suppress their egos for the sake of their own shining solo streams!!
If suppressing individuality was the alternative, it was better to—
Reduce the collabs that didn't harmonize.
Instead of full-group collabs, pairing them up two or three at a time with those who breathed well together was a good idea.
They were doing fine with their individual streams anyway, without forcing collabs.
Yeah, she was tired.
Wakamo had already mentally prepared for this collab to explode too.
"Before we start, everyone. Collabs might be reduced in the schedule going forward. Specifically, the full-group ones."
"Huh?"
"Why?"
"Suddenly?"
The three had been studying the game while installing [Hell's Cook 2], having prepared for intense Build Craft battles only for part one to switch to this cooking game. That's when Manager Won Da-hye came to relay the message.
They would still do collabs in pairs or threes.
But at her words that these big group collabs might decrease, everyone voiced their doubts.
"Most collabs so far have been a mess... The last one was so embarrassing it barely qualified as a collab. When you all gather, explosive synergy happens, but what Wakamo wants is breathing together, combining strengths, and having fun. It's drifting infinitely far from that ideal, so she seems worn out."
"......"
Manager Won Da-hye boldly shared everything Wakamo had confided in her, straight to their faces.
And it hit hard enough that they all fell silent.
"Does this mean we're great individually but the worst as a team?"
Pyret pondered her words most seriously.
For all her looks, she was a martial artist before being a socialite.
Accustomed to self-training, she also understood the importance of teamwork.
"Collab... might not happen anymore?"
"No, we will do them. Like just Ichigo and Wakamo, or pairs like that—we'll keep going."
But that also meant potentially doing collabs without Ichigo and the others.
Ichigo, whose passion for VTubing stemmed solely from Wakamo, sank into thought. Her clashes with Pyret came from clashing personalities. Yet as climbers, their abilities synergized well.
She was wary because Pyret was talented enough to threaten her position. In the membership video Seoul Recapture, Ichigo wasn't the star and was getting pushed aside, making her anxious.
Wakamo, who nurtured the alchemist-class-limited her in every way, was how serious she was about VTubing.
No—how much she staked her life on it.
"But viewers want that chaotic fun, right?"
"Exactly."
Asuka spoke considering view counts. Wakamo's editing turned even disjointed chatter into art.
Natural, meshed conversations flopped, but views were high.
Yet Asuka too imagined Wakamo wanted the ideal VTuber image: corporate ones like Virtual Live, Nether Idol, or Nas Telamis—joking around but helping when needed.
But in Build Craft, Pyret goofed off; in survival games, they played separately.
"Anyway, let's prep the stream. Wakamo values your individual personalities most."
She was just considering a direction change. If they pushed for a group collab, Wakamo wouldn't refuse and would do it even if it flopped—she'd said to rest assured.
But the three VTubers under Wakamo Corporation still wore serious expressions.
Compared to climbing, VTuber streams felt too easy.
Debuting as VTubers, passionately streaming various content—had they been underestimating it? (No.)
People in society respect, accommodate, help, and cooperate in group or team settings.
Even solo car driving followed unspoken rules without a word.
──VTubers must push through any condition once on the starting line!! Even if it's their most dreaded horror game!!
They muster courage and charge into what they hate or fear if viewers want it.
What did those under someone who chose VTuber over death learn?
──Don't underestimate the VTuber world!! It's not for amateurs to challenge!!
Not just VTubers—all internet streaming, including streamers.
No believers, no idol; no viewers, no VTuber.
But even with them, problems arose. Pyret's brother mentioned big-money manipulators and stalkers who didn't care about gender. Even death threats—everything's tough.
Had she underestimated it... Pyret!!
Had she grown complacent in the agency's comfort?!
"Viewers seem eager—lots waiting to watch."
"Almost all of 'em, here for the chaos, right?"
Sorry, but today wouldn't meet expectations.
"Alright! Stream time, everyone! Ready?!"
At the manager's words, they moved to start their streams.
Wakamo Corporation had become a massive VTuber agency known worldwide, including Korea.
Had they not felt it—or just not cared?
The abnormally high viewer count... over 100,000 was no small number.
Some came for Wakamo, but climbers enabled communication regardless of nationality, making it comfy to watch, drawing more.
"Felt it, right? 90% of viewers expect chaos today too."
"Then we'll play seriously—making us the villains."
"Sounds fun."
The trio united solely by will to succeed this collab through cooperation.
They planned to betray viewer expectations—true villains!!
'Huh, they're unusually pumped...?'
Wakamo felt puzzled seeing the three gathered, not bantering oddly but with burning eyes.
Did Manager Won Da-hye say something...?
She worried she hadn't unnecessarily pressured them.
And so [Hell's Cook 2] began.
-Heading straight to hell lmao
-Chaos incoming? Here?
-Already a mess visible.
-Is this a restaurant or battlefield?
-lmao
-No way they're blocking each other already lol
The game started with players clashing immediately against revived-from-death terrifying ingredients to cook and send them back. Without breathing together, it twisted fast!!
Extract ingredients, chop, boil, fry—combine prepped ones in order, plate, serve at counter, and wash dishes—
It looked like ordinary restaurant management, but paths were narrow, terrain moved, fireballs fell—even cooking on roads!!
Getting hit by passing cars was routine.
"Why the hell are we cooking in the sky!!!"
They cooked on hot air balloons too. Or on rafts on flowing rivers. Viewers imagined tangled limbs failing this team-play-heavy hard mode.
"Don't be stupid!! Pyret, I said free me for ingredients!! Your throw timing's slow!!"
"I'm faster reaction-wise!! Prep on the board and pass to me, Ichigo! No nitpicking!!"
"You idiot who rushed and botched it!!"
"What?!"
Chopping and cooking on the board required fetching ingredients first.
They buzzed reading orders, but hyper-enthusiastic Pyret and Ichigo kept colliding.
Ichigo meticulously hauled, prepped, cooked to prove herself, but Pyret's drops clashed, botching food; paths blocked en route.
"Path."
"Path!!"
"PATH!!!!"
Perfect phantom breathing from the two.
-Woah, insane defense..!
-Telepathy level.
-Left left right left.
-Why's this guy in a kitchen not a field?
-Fantasy breathing in a way lol
Pyret moves left, Ichigo yields left then blocks again. Instant climber reflexes swerve right, collide. Brief baffled stares, then simultaneous left—like ballroom dancers.
"Wakamo!! Pass!!"
"Stop dumping on me, Asuka!!"
"I see your hands!! Hurry!!!"
"Ugyaaa!!"
Asuka, checking recipes and grabbing materials, bombarded Wakamo's face while she prepped.
AI-optimal paths for efficiency, but cucumbers pelted Wakamo.
Urged to hurry, Wakamo pounded the board frantically—but wind scattered ingredients everywhere.
To top it, the balloon crashed from the sky.
"No way it crashes too?!"
Wakamo yelled in shock at the mistake; fog cleared, revealing restaurant chefs inside.
"How are they alive?!"
"Crashing and still cooking?"
"Moveeee!!!"
"Fire!! Extinguisher!!!"
"Can't wash dishes forever! Asuka, I'll work!"
"Women don't belong in kitchens!!"
"What did you say?!"
Total mess—Ichigo hauling ingredients hit by car, flies skyward. Pyret grabs done dish, dashes off cliff. Needing opposite-side ingredients on moving terrain? Perfect passes.
"Losing money losing!!!"
-Telepathy between those two???
-lololololol
-Stop dropping in river!!!
-Fish feasting today lol
-No, hit and bounced into trash lolol
Pyret throws, Asuka passes identically.
Optimal paths collide ingredients into river.
Eye-contact "what are you doing," keep throwing—perfect combo sends drumstick floating away.
"Mushrooms undercooked—Princess in another castle now!"
"Ugyaaa"
"Pork raw—still Hakuna Matata-ing!"
Pulling early botches it. Chased by anxiety, Ichigo ruined multiples; Asuka nagged she couldn't even do basics.
Ichigo speechless, regretting the truth.
They tried combining strengths but overheated into fights—Wakamo looked worried.
How many dishes bounced off her while moving... some guilt for the fails.
Pitiful record of 1/3 stars, three dejected; Wakamo bitterly smiled, thinking team games just didn't suit them.
"Everyone, call it here? Some games just don't click."
"Wakamo!!!"
"Uh, yeah?"
"We... want collab...!!"
"No, we are doing it. What're you saying."
Asuka begged on knees for one more, stunning Wakamo.
"You sailors!!! Our captain goes all-out for perfect clears!! Think she'll settle for 1 star?! Real ones challenge!!"
-Tension wild lolol
-No losing...!! Wakamo Corp!!!
-But captain! Fish raw, Nemo searching!!
-Ichigo synergy trash lolol
"We can do it!!!"
Oddly motivated members made Wakamo retry hard mode.
Chaotic terrain, isolated members, incoming orders.
"Listen up! Ichigo! Pyret's flashy talent can't be lead—sad, but you're flounder. Meant for mud. Supporting casts make leads shine..."
"Ugh...."
For climbers, mutual breathing is key.
Life-or-death climbs mean mismatches cause errors.
Asuka advised Pyret to always protect little-sis Ichigo.
She craved Wakamo's love but hated losing attention.
But jealousy and greed can't ruin it.
"Give up and collab ends that instant... Got it, Ichigo. Pyret."
"Pass to me, Ichigo!!"
"Guys... mind including me...?"
Wakamo looked left out, glancing sadly. Suddenly tight teamwork...? Why can't I join...?
Where'd this perfect sync come from...?
Bell rings, Ichigo passes ingredients. Pyret catches flying ones, checks orders, preps fast.
Need leeway. Prep ahead, predict, stockpile.
Hands tangle botch cooks, but Asuka never errs.
Wakamo catches flying plates, washes in corner.
"Part one collab ends—what eat after?"
"President! Plate!!!"
"Uh, yeah."
Catches tossed plate, throws to Ichigo, Pyret to Asuka.
Countdown ticks, still 1.5 stars—group grows anxious.
Always all-out perfect. Felt insane mental drain.
"Urgh, don't smoke, but this pressure..."
-Don't board kitchen half-assed, captain!!
-Smoker chef stamina wtf?
-Character sweating buckets.
-Climber superhuman focus chain insane.
-First time seeing captain this hyped.
-Looks like a real captain today.
"Hmph, sailors. Who d'ya think I am?"
"Pyret!"
"Yeah, I'm Mare Pyret—never gives up—"
"Pyret you ass!"
"Sorry!!!"
-lolololol
-Cant resist epic lines lolol
-Damn captain plz!!!
-Always highlight-horny captain lol
-Time short? No 3 stars?
Check time—barely any left.
Perfect cooking trio sync—why...? Where's the gap?
No time think. Wakamo prez overcomes that.
Must do—as Wakamo Corp VTubers...!
"Can only hold one dish!!"
Nearly there, but Asuka yelled at 5-sec mark.
One per character—that's the challenge.
Pyret runs with dish, terrain pulls counter away.
Hesitates at throw range.
Spots Ichigo already positioned ahead.
"3-pointer!!!"
Tosses hard far; arc hits Wakamo midair, she splashes river.
But deflection flies to Ichigo.
"Left hand's just for show."
Clean catch, throws to counter—3 stars on final hardest stage.
"See, President...! We got two talents here..!!"
"Why's your tension so high? Share the secret...?"
Perfect sync achieved 3 stars.
Nearly 4-hour part one. Hard mode was a wreck.
But miracle end success.
"Collab success, right Captain?"
".....!! Don't... make me cry. You delinquents...."
Finally, in their self-assertive daily collabs.
Not just climbers—VTubers as pros too, with team play awareness.
Yes, not just climbs—in collabs too, constant breathing—trust and believe to conquer trials.
Even simple game, with masses of viewers.
Pyret and Ichigo high-fived hard.
Oddly heartwarming scene, Wakamo felt lonely.
Ah, my employees don't need the president...
Bad at game, held them back—so they synced for 3 stars.
Maybe better without Wakamo...?
"Alright, part two Asuka!! Not old Pyret anymore!!!"
"Yes!! Build Craft!!! Let's go!!!"
"Wipe 'em all!!!"
With mutual trust and strength, nothing scared them.
Four posed for pic with monumental 3-star screen backdrop.
.....However.
This photo never became collab thumbnail.
Wakamo Corporation poured all into part one's struggle.
Part two? Utterly crushed, unbelievably.