Chapter 25: Showcase (2)

On the screen, Ajung, in the form I had personally chosen, was breathing.

Her eyes trembled slightly as if nervous, and the corners of her mouth moved subtly.

She wasn’t just a well-made 3D model.

That avatar was perfectly synchronized, as if the soul of the ‘real’ Ajung I knew resided within it.

― Wow, what the fck is this?

― HUH???

― Is this real?

― Mom, when I grow up, I’m going to be Zelnaga’s son!! Mom, when I grow up, I’m going to be Zelnaga’s son!! Mom, when I grow up, I’m going to be Zelnaga’s son!!

― Is this the VTuber I knew?

― The quality is insane, seriously;; the stage is also made so well LMAO.

― This is fcking legendary, isn’t it?? The avatar is insane, for real.

― The movement is so f*cking natural, isn’t it? Is that real-time?

― Ajung is finally.. finally pretty ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

― No, no, this isn’t just pretty, she’s a completely different person? A god?

The chat window was literally chaos.

All sorts of exclamations, screams, flirtations, and praises mixed together, exploding uncontrollably.

The viewer count had already soared past 20,000 and was rising steeply in real-time.

In this moment, the ‘clay Ajung’ had completely vanished like dust.

It was the moment a new star, my first perfect collection I had crafted, finally revealed herself to the world.

The stage lights focused on Ajung, and the surroundings faded back into a subtle darkness.

Ajung, standing at the center, placed a hand on her chest as if catching her breath, then spoke her first words in a trembling voice.

Even her voice, unlike before, resonated much clearer and deeper.

[“E-Everyone… Hello…! I am the newly reborn Ajung…!”]

The nervousness was evident in her voice, but at its end, an overwhelming emotion and irrepressible excitement were tinged.

The avatar I had chosen didn’t miss even the subtle tremor in her voice, expressing it delicately with slightly parted lips and anxiously wavering eyes.

The broadcast setup was perfect.

The microphone and audio interface were world-class, and a dedicated engineer was adjusting the optimal sound in real-time.

To my eyes, she looked incredibly lovely.

Ajung, not just a pretty doll, but a living being with emotions.

[“Today… to be able to stand here… I received help from so many people.”]

Ajung spoke slowly.

Her voice still trembled, but the effort to put her sincerity into every word was palpable.

[“Especially… to the CEO Zelnaga… who led me to be able to come out into the world again, and gave me the opportunity to be reborn in such a wonderful form… I am truly… truly grateful.”]

Bow.

Ajung bowed deeply, her avatar doing the same.

The movement of her hair and clothing, which swayed naturally as if a physics engine was applied, was also perfect.

The chat window was filled with shouts of ‘Naga-hyung!’, ‘Light Naga!’, ‘Great Naga!’

I merely watched the screen with a blank expression.

Words of thanks weren’t important.

What I wanted was the result, and that result was unfolding perfectly before my eyes now.

What was important was how brightly she could shine on this stage.

And I was certain.

She was fully deserving of being the protagonist of this stage, or perhaps even of the VTuber scene from now on.

After a moment, a gentle piano melody, familiar yet somehow much richer and more refined, enveloped the stage.

It was an accompaniment commissioned from a top composer for the showcase and produced by recording actual performances by session musicians.

[“I… I’m really not confident in singing… but with a grateful heart… today, for the first time, I gathered the courage. Even if it’s lacking… please listen kindly!”]

Jeonga’s voice wasn’t perfect like a professional singer, but it was clear and pure.

Above all, it contained sincerity.

As if proving the arduous effort of the past two weeks on top of her natural voice, she continued to sing, putting her heart into every single note.

The viewers held their breath in an instant.

A different kind of concentration from the frenzy moments before.

They were completely immersed in her voice, the avatar’s delicate facial expressions, and the dreamy lighting and music that enveloped the entire stage.

The chat window’s frenzy paused, and a gentle emotion flowed like a river.

As the song headed towards its climax and the emotion intensified, a detail was produced where the avatar’s eyes seemed to well up slightly with tears.

It was a technical effect set up in advance, but in my eyes, it overlapped with the image of the real Ajung, crying alone in the darkness.

It was the moment her emotions of overcoming past pain were conveyed perfectly to the viewers through the perfect harmony of her song and the avatar.

― Ajung, don’t cry ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

― Wow, her voice is so fcking pretty, seriously.

― You said you never sang before? You’re fcking good?

― No, but what is this avatar’s facial expression direction? It’s f*cking amazing, seriously.

― What on earth is this Naga-hyung who discovered such an Ajung…

― Is she really crying? Can that be expressed? Wow, it looks so real.

― Seriously looks like she’s crying for real. It’s making me cry too.

― This is so moving, Ajung-ah, let’s only walk on flowery paths from now on.

― Gonna tell my bottom-tier VTuber to definitely apply for Zelnaga Group.

The song ended, and a short silence flowed.

And soon after, the chat window was completely overwhelmed by a tidal wave of emotion, incomparable to before.

Emoticons of standing ovations, emoticons of endlessly flowing tears, and shouts of ‘I love you, Ajung-ah,’ and ‘Congratulations on your debut’ filled the screen without space.

It was successful.

Beyond a simple avatar reveal, it was the moment a touching growth story of one person was created.

It was a moment when the worth of my investment overflowed.

Just then, as if breaking the touching atmosphere, another perfect avatar with a completely different mood, accompanied by cheerful BGM, made a surprise appearance with bouncy steps from the side of the stage.

It was the avatar with the secretary concept that I had personally chosen for Jungyeon and finalized, disregarding her opinion, a character with both mature, intellectual beauty and mischievous reverse charm.

[“Ta-da~! Everyone, were you surprised? To pour cold water… no, to add vitality to this moving stage, I’ve appeared! Taking charge of Ajung-nim’s historical re-debut showcase today, I am the faithful! Competent! Beautiful secretary of Xelnaga Entertainment’s CEO! And Starlight Project’s proud first comrade! Rinne! You’ll love Rinne from now on too, right~?”]

Rinne on the screen skillfully changed the atmosphere and introduced herself.

As expected from someone with broadcast experience, she was full of confidence, unlike Ajung.

And she immediately made a gesture as if flattering me.

She seemed to be greeting respectfully with her hands clasped, but then immediately winked and made a big heart with both hands, sending it my way.

― What the fck is Rinne doing? LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

― Rinne’s avatar is also fcking pretty? Her concept is solid LMAO.

― Secretary concept LMAO Naga-hyung must be dying of happiness LMAO.

― Her flattery to the boss is fcking cute LMAO.

― No, Ajung is Ajung, but Rinne’s avatar, what the fck is this quality?

― I like her shamelessness LMAO.

― A legend from the very beginning LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Jungyeon, no, Rinne’s appearance heated up the showcase atmosphere once again.

She skillfully proceeded with an interview with Ajung, demonstrated the new avatar’s functions, and announced future activity plans.

Jungyeon’s unique clumsiness and loyal secretary concept, which occasionally popped up, added points of humor to what could have been a stiff progression.

Ajung’s moving appearance and Rinne’s cheerful and lively demeanor created a dramatic contrast, generating synergy beyond expectations.

Their combination was simply perfect.

The showcase concluded well past the scheduled time.

The viewer count remained over 30,000 until the end, and donations and chats continued even after the broadcast ended.

The donation records broke the highest record in the history of domestic VTuber broadcasts, and discussions about the showcase content, avatar quality, and ‘Xelnaga Entertainment’ and ‘Starlight Project’ virtually plastered related internet communities.

The names were clearly imprinted.

After the broadcast ended, I let out a satisfied sigh and turned off the screen.

Everything had gone exactly as I had envisioned, or perhaps even better.

It was a perfect showcase.

[Sir!!! It’s a huge success!!! Sir, I’m crying ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ The final viewer count exceeded 30,000, and the donation amount… Wow, this is unprecedented! The community reactions are also absolutely explosive!]

A message full of excitement immediately arrived from Jungyeon.

It was a message filled with emojis and exclamation points, conveying her heightened emotions.

I chuckled and sent a short reply.

[Good work. Have a meal with Ajung-ssi, and get some good rest today.]

She probably wanted to share the joy of success with me, but for me, the showcase’s success was merely an anticipated result and a natural process, already confirmed by data.

It would have been stranger if this result hadn’t come after renting an entire motion capture studio, mobilizing the best human resources, and conducting promotion that was practically a saturation bombing.

Above all, alleviating the fatigue of those who must have been nervous throughout the showcase was the priority.

What mattered was from now on.

A successful debut was just the beginning.

How to manage these shining stars, and what new stars to add to my collection.

That was the most important thing.