Chapter 25
I’m translating the chapter into the required HTML format and keeping the in-universe comments and system-like text in styled blocks. Next I’m rendering the narration cleanly around those blocks so the chapter reads naturally in English.CHAPTER_TITLE: The First Boss Clear, Part 2
In an instant, the pitiful amount of Uni I had was replaced by 6 billion Uni.
I couldn’t believe it. I stared at the number and counted the zeros one by one.
“Wow... M-Mone... thank you so much for the donation.”
A reaction.
Right.
Whenever a streamer receives that much money, they’re expected to react somehow.
But the mission timer was still ticking.
I had to finish enhancing first.
“First I’ll get this to +9 as fast as possible, and then we’ll celebrate together. Sound good, Momoney?”
“No!
I can’t waste the Uni Momoney gave me.
I’m going all the way to +9.”
“Chairman Chae...
Momoney...
Please watch over me.”
“Ahem...
That wording sounds a little strange.
Anyway, I’ll take it to mean I’m lucky enough to have so many people who care about me.”
Then...
Trade requests started pouring in.
Everyone began giving me the Uni they’d painstakingly saved.
Even Imda—the hardworking Haruru fan who practically survived by grinding the game.
“...Imda?
Even you?
Are you sure about this?”
“Your...
Entire savings?
How could I possibly accept this?”
“...Sniff...”
“Thank you, everyone who donated Uni.
Round Two...
Let’s finish this.”
Enhancement
SSS Four-Element Necklace
+0 → +1
Success: 90%
Failure: 10%
“Let’s go!
Everyone’s Uni!
The power of the universe is with me!”
“...Why the hell does this garbage game NEVER let a 90% succeed on the first try?!”
“...Sorry.
That just slipped out.”
Since this was Round Two...
The mood needed to change.
I opened NewTube and visited Tama’s channel.
### @ElfTama_official
Subscribers: 8,000
“Already eight thousand?
That’s insane.
The power of music really is incredible.”
Just as chat said...
The cover had already reached 300,000 views.
In only one week.
“Nice...
Let me borrow some of that luck.”
As Tama’s song started playing...
A cheerful intro filled the room.
I swayed along with the rhythm...
And the moment Tama’s vocals began—
I hit Enhance.
Straight through.
All the way to the dreaded +4 zone.
“THAT’S IT!
ALL HAIL TAMA!”
+4 → +5
Success: 50%
Failure: 50%
Failure drops enhancement by 1.
Just then...
The song reached its climax.
“Come on, Tama...
You can do it.”
“True.
Nowadays every VTuber needs to sing.
Fine.
I’ll even add harmony vocals.”
I cleared my throat...
Waited for the chorus...
Then unleashed the same incredible ad-lib that had once echoed through an interview room.
Then—
“...Ah.”
“Why?
It wasn’t that bad, was it?”
“My voice was nice?
That’s a compliment, right?”
“Haha...
Sure.
I’ll do a proper karaoke stream someday.”
“‘We’re doomed,’ huh?
Just wait.
I’ll really do one.”
Ignoring chat...
I continued enhancing.
Coincidence or not...
Simply playing Tama’s song carried me all the way back to +5.
“Seriously...
Tama’s the best.”
## +5 → +6
Success: 40%
Failure (Level stays): 30%
Reset to +0: 30%
“No hesitation!”
“Tama!
You’re the best!
The future greatest VTuber leading Shining Parade!”
Maybe...
Maybe the suffering was finally over.
## +6 → +7
Success: 30%
Failure (Stay): 35%
Reset: 35%
“Good.
I’m alive.
That’s what matters.”
“Good...
Good...”
“Failing three times in a row has to be harder than succeeding once.”
“Come on...
Just DIE already!”
Fail.
Fail.
Fail.
...
...
BANG!!
I slammed my fist onto the desk.
What an incredible game.
For a moment...
I was completely speechless.
How much time was left?
Twenty minutes.
No time to dwell on it.
Round Three.
Before that...
### @FireSpiritSally_official
Subscribers: 300,000
For the third attempt...
I switched to Sally-senpai’s newest song.
The chat instantly exploded.
“Why?
What happened?”
Turns out...
Her newest song had underperformed.
People had mocked her endlessly over it.
“...That’s all?
Sometimes things fail.”
“What do you mean ‘don’t say any more’?
I’ll always say what I believe.
Listen carefully.
Failing isn’t something to be ashamed of.
What’s truly shameful...
is being so afraid of failure...
that you never even try.”
“Gambling?
No.
This is a journey toward the summit.”
Sally’s fifth original song.
A rock track.
Powerful guitar.
Thundering drums.
Why had it flopped?
It sounded great.
“My blood’s boiling!
Rock will never die!
Haruru will never die!”
## {{Time Remaining: 1:58}}
There wasn’t much time left.
If I got reset one more time...
It was over.
Thankfully...
I’d finally reached +8.
## +8 → +9
Success: 20%
Failure (Stay): 40%
Reset: 40%
If I failed here...
The Goddess’s blessing would disappear.
This wasn’t about whether I could do it.
I had to.
“One final step...
Chairman Chae...
Momoney...
Sally-senpai...
Tama...
My Haruru fans...
Give me your strength!”
Time seemed to freeze.
My eyes were fixed solely on the enhancement window.
My ears waited...
For the result.
“...I did it.”
See?
Even without the Goddess...
I made it.
My life...
Wasn’t cursed after all.
Electricity surged through my body.
My heart pounded like it would burst.
So this...
was dopamine.
“This...
THIS is why people play Unknown!”
Curious...
I checked +10 anyway.
## +9 → +10
Success: 1%
Reset to +0: 99%
No ordinary failure.
Only reset.
That was why nobody had ever made a +10 SSS item.
Getting +9 was already hell.
A 1% chance...
And failure meant going back to +0.
Who would be insane enough to try?
...
Then why...
Why were my fingers itching?
There was less than a minute left.
If I stopped now...
I’d keep both the Goddess’s blessing...
And my +9.
So why...
Why did I want to press the button again?
“If a god truly exists...
Would that god merely want us to overcome the trials we’ve been given?
Or...
Would they want us to surpass those trials?”
“I believe...
It’s the latter.”
The instant I pressed the button—
I shouted.
“Haruru with the chest trap...
LEFT-FOOT SHOT!!”
And then—
A message appeared.
One that only I could see.
25 seconds remaining. Even now, you do not fear losing the Goddess’s blessing. The Goddess of Luck is moved by your resolve!
The Blessing of the Goddess of Luck (SSS) has activated.
“W-What?!”
“...Haruru.
Last-minute winner.”