Corporate World
“Whoa, this is actually insane.”
“Whew.”
Myeong-yun rose from his seat after ending the stream and exiting New World. The donations had piled up so enormously that simply reading out the names had taken dozens of minutes.
Lee Sang-hyun appeared to be reviewing the day’s real-time metrics, his eyes darting across multiple graphs displayed before him.
“How’s it looking?”
When Myeong-yun leaned in from behind to ask, Lee Sang-hyun answered with a hint of excitement in his voice.
“…Honestly, it’s getting a little scary now. Twitter followers are at 120,000, and YouTube’s already passed 300,000.”
And that was not all.
Lee Sang-hyun had swiftly edited clips of Myeong-yun’s gameplay and uploaded them to the official channel before other channels could re-upload them, causing the view counts to climb in real time.
Since Narak was already popular overseas, the clips spread across the globe.
Foreign viewers who discovered Myeong-yun’s channel through the clips inevitably found their way to the footage of the Divine Demon War.
As comments like these steadily increased, subscriber counts and view counts surged in tandem.
The Divine Demon War short that had once passed through the algorithm was now riding it again, surpassing five million views, while other videos climbed rapidly alongside it.
Several of Myeong-yun’s videos had entered the top ten in YouTube’s “Trending Videos” gaming category.
It was an extraordinary rise.
Though it had yet to surpass the old records, this alone was enough to be called a success. Someone had reached in mere days what others took years to achieve.
Yet Lee Sang-hyun knew the real challenge began now.
The first-generation VTubers who had emerged at the dawn of the virtual era. Many had burst onto the scene with sharp wit and exceptional gameplay, only to fade away for lack of staying power.
Whether Myeong-yun would join their ranks or climb even higher would depend on what came next.
“I told you about the meeting tomorrow, right? We’ll check out Dushi Sesi first at two… then look at offers from the others and decide. Hopefully we find a good company.”
“…Fate and destiny move in circles. I believe we will meet with a worthy partner.”
“You’re still doing the concept thing even in real life.”
Lee Sang-hyun burst into laughter. Myeong-yun smiled along with him.
This place, where the Heavenly Demon of the Heavenly Demon Cult and the Grand Tactician who stood beneath only one and above ten thousand resided, was the very first branch of the Heavenly Demon Cult established in South Korea.
Akagi, the Korean branch manager of Dushi Sesi, had arrived early at the private café and was watching Myeong-yun’s videos.
The skill on display was nothing short of extraordinary.
‘The roleplay is excellent, and so is the gameplay.’
How long had it been since he had last seen talent of this caliber?
After the great virtual era began, countless people had tried their hand at virtual streaming, yet only a handful succeeded in a cutthroat arena like this one. The rest either graduated or settled into mediocrity.
‘He has his own convictions, and his resolve is firm. I doubt we need to worry about his mentality breaking.’
What mattered most for a VTuber?
Chat engagement? Wit? Skill?
No. Above all else, mental fortitude was paramount. The ability to endure any storm was the true secret to longevity.
‘If I were to produce this person… he might even surpass the young lady’s record.’
There had been a VTuber under Dushi Sesi who shattered records by reaching a million subscribers in just two weeks. Akagi wondered if Myeong-yun possessed the potential to eclipse even that feat—here in Korea, a land still close to a virtual wasteland.
—I think this is the place……
—Yeah. Room twelve.
Soft voices drifted from beyond the door. Having already been informed that two people would arrive, Akagi paused the video and prepared to greet them.
The door opened, and two young men stepped inside.
Their faces still carried a trace of youthful fullness, yet both stood tall and handsome enough to stand out anywhere. They could have passed for idols rather than VTubers.
‘Heavenly Demon idols? That could be entertaining.’
Suppressing the fleeting thought, Akagi handed them his business card and offered a polite bow.
“Welcome. I am Akagi Nigeru, branch manager of Dushi Sesi Korea.”
“Ah, hello! I’m Lee Sang-hyun.”
“A pleasure. Myeong-yun.”
The two accepted the card and returned the greeting before taking their seats across from him. Only Lee Sang-hyun looked visibly nervous.
Akagi studied the young man who had introduced himself as Myeong-yun. His features were neat, still boyish, yet beneath the thin winter clothing his physique was solid and powerful.
‘His real-world physical condition is no joke either.’
Given the performance he had shown in Narak, the build made perfect sense.
Considering how best to win them over, Akagi began.
“Thank you for responding to our proposal. Dushi Sesi currently boasts the largest scale among virtual agencies, led by numerous virtual livers……”
He gave a concise introduction to Dushi Sesi—its size, its talents, and what the company could offer.
“Everything required for 3D lives will be fully supported by the company. If you need anything, simply say the word. Collaborations? Joint streams? All possible!”
Dushi Sesi offered Lee Sang-hyun a position as an in-house producer and editor, while inviting Myeong-yun to join and fully showcase his abilities.
The contract contained a few problematic clauses, yet the terms were still far better than the standard contract Lee Sang-hyun had reviewed.
However—
“You will need to change your current modeling and concept.”
“Change the concept?”
“Yes. While ‘Heavenly Demon’ works as a concept, it may not resonate well on a global scale. If you are concerned about roleplay, something like a vampire or demon would also be acceptable.”
Akagi’s reasoning was sound. The term “Heavenly Demon” originated in Chinese wuxia novels and had only later seeped into Korean martial arts fiction. It might work in Korea and China, but translating it for Japanese or Western audiences would prove difficult.
Thus Akagi proposed “reincarnation”—in other words, abandoning the current character—as a condition.
Myeong-yun, who had listened quietly until now, spoke for the first time.
“I am afraid that will not be possible. I cannot discard the name of the Heavenly Demon.”
“Pardon? B-but another concept would surely work just as well! With us, you could grow even larger than you are now.”
Akagi was not lying. Even Myeong-yun could see that the offered terms were generous, and partnering with a major corporation would expand his options considerably.
Yet that was not what he desired.
He had entered the virtual world under the banner of the Heavenly Demon for one reason alone: to bring the murim back into existence. Whenever the Heavenly Demon Cult stirred, orthodox and unorthodox sects alike would gather, ushering in a new age of martial artists.
“If that is a requirement, then we have nothing further to discuss.”
Myeong-yun rose from his seat.
Lee Sang-hyun had already warned him that such conditions might arise. Large corporations like Dushi Sesi preferred to manufacture their own franchise stars rather than elevate an outsider to the position of flagship VTuber. While they had accepted external VTubers in the early days, no such precedent existed afterward. Moreover, if an external talent outperformed their in-house VTubers, their own producers might be deemed incompetent.
While Akagi hesitated, Myeong-yun gave a brief bow and left the room.
Lee Sang-hyun pressed a hand to his forehead for a moment, then sprang to his feet.
“I’m sorry. That guy’s a bit strange, but he’s not a bad person. Truly, I apologize! Thank you for the generous offer, but I have no choice but to follow that… that guy, so I must decline. Thank you again!”
He rattled off the words like a machine gun before hurrying after Myeong-yun.
Left alone, Akagi stared blankly at the empty seats and muttered in Japanese.
“Dame datta n desu wa……”
After returning home, Myeong-yun and Lee Sang-hyun decided against further meetings with other companies for the time being. They would review written offers first and arrange additional meetings only with promising prospects.
“Hey, are you sure it’s okay to just walk away from Dushi Sesi like that?”
“If they refuse to compromise, there is nothing to be done.”
Lee Sang-hyun felt a twinge of regret at having dismissed a meeting with the world’s largest virtual agency so quickly. Yet he had also witnessed a new side of Myeong-yun.
Even when facing a major corporation, he would not bend if it contradicted his principles. It was hard to believe he had only just begun as a virtual streamer.
“…Well, it’s not like we’re desperate for a company right now. Plenty of offers are coming in. One of them is bound to meet our conditions.”
Lee Sang-hyun exhaled, setting his worries aside, and began preparing for the upcoming stream.
Once again, the chosen game was an online title that had once rivaled Narak in popularity, though its peak had long since passed.
He used fan art posted by viewers as the thumbnail and scheduled the stream.
In thirty minutes, the broadcast would begin.
Myeong-yun sat on the bed, New World in hand, and spoke to Lee Sang-hyun.
“…Sang-hyun, I am content as things are. There is no need to rush. Though my ambitions are vast, there is also joy in walking slowly.”
“There you go again with the old-man talk. …I agree, though. Rushing will only ruin things. You’ve always been like that since we were kids—saying the right path matters more than speed.”
“Indeed. Whether it be the righteous path, the demonic path, or the unorthodox path, the same holds true. Stray from the proper way and one becomes a beast, not a man.”
Lee Sang-hyun found himself staring at the figure seated on the bed. For a moment, it did not seem like the Myeong-yun he knew, but rather the Myeong-yun within virtual reality. The tall man clad in a long black robe overlapped with the one before him.
Lee Sang-hyun chuckled.
“Understood, Cult Leader! The stream is about to start, so please enter at once!”
“Very well.”
Myeong-yun smiled, slipped New World over his head, and lay down on the bed.
Soon the setup finished, the scheduled time arrived, and the stream began.
A white expanse. The sole black presence.
The Heavenly Demon descended.
“…Greetings once more. Have you all been well?”